The Courier Edition 306

THE WEATHER

Edition 306

www.thecourier.es

Friday 27th January 2017

ELECTRIC SHOCKER

R

ecent electricity price hikes are to be investigated by prosecutors at Spain's Supreme Court. The prosecutors want to find out the reason for the 'successive increases' in household electricity bills 'in the interests of consumer protection', using the Law of Civil

Judgement, which allows courts to instigate reviews themselves of decisions that may go against the public interest.

In the last few weeks, domestic electricity prices have gone up to levels of three years ago, and the National Markets and Competition Commission

(CNMC) is investigating the matter to see whether providers are operating an illegal monopoly, whilst the Minister of Energy and Tourism, Álvaro Nadal (pictured), is also looking into the matter, after being pressurised by opposition political parties and consumer groups.

Electricity use is said to have more than doubled last week after a cold blast of snow and wind hit the Costa Blanca and Murcia areas. Álvaro Nadal says the recent hikes have been caused by ironically a lack of wind as well as rain, both of which generate electricity very cheaply. Providers have had to resort to combined power sources such as fossil fuel and natural gas, which are far more expensive, Nadal commented.

Nadal also announced recently that he plans to increase competition in the

gas supply market in order to achieve better prices for end consumers, which would generate the knockon effect of bringing down electricity bills where utility boards had to use gas to create power.

Current electricity prices sit at 88 euro per megawatt (MWh) per hour, having already risen in the past year to 85.79 euro per MWh. Electricity reached a record high of 91.89 euro per MWh in mid-December 2013 at off-peak times and 98.69 euro at peak times.

The price of actual power to domestic customers is only around 35 percent of their bills, with 40 percent being the standing charge and 25 percent taxes and charges, meaning that cutting electricity usage doesn’t necessarily result in big financial savings. The government has frozen electricity standing charges and taxes for 2017.

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers in the afternoon. Thunder possible. High 16ºC. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 km/h. Chance of rain: 40% Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 9ºC. Winds W at 15 to 30 km/h. Winds could occasionally gust over 65 km/h.

See page 2 for the week´s forecast

2

News

Friday 27th January 2017

Coastal Change

Brutal Attack

Telephone

966 921 003 Email thecourier@tko.media Website

www.thecourier.es Head Office TKO Towers, Calle Los Arcos 17, Ciudad Quesada, Rojales, 03170

Opening Hours Mon - Fri 11:00 - 15:00

Editor-In-Chief Barry Newlove

Editor Alex Trelinski

Advertising Sales

966 921 003 sales@tko.media Contact any of our team for details of our rates and current offers:

Orihuela has a new coastal councillor, after Sofía Álvarez had that responsibility stripped from her and given to Luisa Boné (pictured on the left), as part of a formal coalition deal struck this week between the Partido Popular and the centrist Ciudadanos party.

It means that after a looser arrangement, Orihuela mayor Emilio Bascuñana (pictured middle) can count on an overall majority in the council chamber, with the new arrangement coming a week after a PP/Ciudadanos

alliance forced out the socialists in Almoradi.

The PP/Ciudadanos numbers in the Orihuela chamber add up to 14, leaving 11 in opposition, with the three Ciudadanos councillors now joining the government team.

Luisa Boné had already been working with Álvarez on Orihuela Costa matters, and now she has the beaches and coastal portfolio all to herself.

Sofía Álvarez is now left to concentrate on her other responsibilities of foreign residents, transport, and tourism.

Market Returns

A gang of around a dozen hooded young men and women brutally beat up a 19-year-old woman outside a Murcia City bar in the early hours of Sunday morning, with racism being investigated as a possible motivation for the attack.

The National Police initially arrested two people, aged 19 and 22, involved

in the assault with a video of the attack posted on Twitter, with four more arrests announced on Monday.

The footage showed that they appeared to wait for their victim to leave a bar in the Plaza de Santa Eulalia in the city, before kicking and punching her repeatedly as she lay defenceless

Mar Menor Warning

Myra Torrevieja & North Tel. 618 583 765

Jean Orihuela Costa Tel. 618 898 034

Julie English and Spanish Tel. 616 332 178

Patrick English, Spanish, German, Dutch and French.

Tel. 685 901 265

DEADLINES Advertising Monday 12:00 Editorial Tuesday 12:00

Orihuela Council have pocketed 24-thousandeuro over the staging of next weekend’s Medieval Market in the city, thanks to the Asociación Sólo Artesanos making a 24thousand-euro bid on a minimum six-thousandeuro tender.

The popular event, held

in the historic city, returns to the first weekend of February (Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th), after the Market was mired in controversy last year as it was put back to the spring with various date changes, and the council initially unable to find a suitable bidder for the delayed contract.

The Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO) has warned of long-term problems to the marine environment on the Mar Menor if nothing is done to stop the likely flooding that would be caused if the sea breaks through the barrier provided at La Manga.

The IEO’s report says that contamination in the area

has accumulated over recent years, and that urgent work is needed to fill up local beaches with sand as a better system of infrastructures to stop the potential of the Mediterranean Sea breaking through.

The report was written before the bad weather of the last six weeks ravaged the area.

on the ground.

The woman suffered abdominal and facial injuries and a broken tooth.

Police experts continue to analyse the video, which was shot by a passer-by, in addition to CCTV footage from the bar, to help identify more of the young perpetrators.

Pregnant Riddle A newly born baby died in a Pilar de la Horadada area house, with the parents of the 16-year-old mother and her boyfriend allegedly not knowing that she was pregnant.

The teenager's mother and stepfather, of Estonian nationality, discovered the baby's body in the bathroom toilet of their home on the Pinar de Campoverde urbanisation on Sunday. A possible cause of death being investigated is that the child's umbilical cord had not been cut at the time of birth.

The Guardia Civil and Judicial Police are carrying out enquires, with no official records from the local social welfare department that the 16-year-old was pregnant.

THE WEATHER FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

News Thursday 12:00 Stop Press Thursday 18:00 Published by TKO Media & Entertainment S.L. Printed by Localprint S.L Depósito legal A - 188 - 2014 The Courier, its publishers, members of staff and its agents do not accept responsibility for any readers letters or claims by advertisers nor can it be held responsible for any errors in advertisements which are reproduced from poor artwork, low quality electronic data or inadequate instructions for text or other layout features. Further no responsibility is accepted for any loss or damage caused by an error, inaccuracy or nonappearance of any advertisement, although all advertisements produced are checked prior to insertion. We regret that we cannot accept responsibility for more than ONE incorrect insertion and that no re-publication will be granted in the case of typographical or minor changes which do not affect the value of the advertisement. E&OE. NO PART OF THIS NEWSPAPER MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHERS.

TEMPERATURE

RAINFALL

MAKE SURE YOUR RADIO IS TUNED TO TKO FM ON 90.8 OR 91.9 FOR THE LATEST UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY

Sign up today...

To have Walter deliver The Courier newspaper to your email inbox each week. thecourier.es/newsletter

News

3

Friday 27th January 2017

Casa Battle

Busy Hotels

The Costa Blanca's tourist boom in hotel stays last year was not just down to a rise in international visitors, but it was also boosted by a big hike in domestic tourists, according to figures from the National Statistics Institute.

After Madrid, the Costa Blanca was the biggest

attraction for Spanish tourists for looking with a break, with the hotel figures showing that overnight stays came from three million domestic holidaymakers last year, whilst there were two point six million foreign visitors.

Overall, 2016 produced 24 million overnight stays in the Costa Blanca area,

amounting to an average occupancy rate of 74 percent, with an average stay of a week.

Benidorm led the way with a big occupancy rate of 80 percent.

British and Germany, visitors accounted for nearly half of the overnight stays by foreign visitors.

Quesada Concern A Quesada resident says she is concerned about the safety of a construction site on Avenida de las Naciones after an electric pole slid into a large hole on the site last Saturday morning. The sliding pole also took down a large part of the pavement with it, after the area had been battered by heavy rain and strong winds.

Bernie Newnes told The Courier:- “There was a lot of water at the bottom of the big hole which meant this took out all our electricity and water supplies. This worried me because at the end of the cul-de-sac that comes off Avenida de las Naciones, there are four elderly families who live there, including two ladies who have just come out of hospital.”

Mrs. Newnes added that she was disappointed that nobody came from the local council to enquire as to whether their utility services were still running on a wet and cold day, saying that she spotted the Rojales

Mayor, Antonio Pérez, at the top of the road on Saturday.

She called for further monitoring of the construction

The future of a familiar Torrevieja-area landmark could be decided in the courts, with the council looking at legal action against the owner to preserve the Casa de Los Balcones off the CV-95, which has been left in decay for over 15 years, as well as even taking over the property.

Torrevieja’s planning department has commissioned a report to see whether the building’s owner can be taken to court for failing to preserve the Casa, which is a protected building, and that Valencian urban law has been flouted.

Conversely, the property

owner wants a legal ruling over the status of the house and to remove any “protected status”, believing it should be classified as a ruin. That would then mean it could be demolished, allowing the land to be used for a fresh development.

The state of the Casa has led to a long-running row over the 19th century structure, with the owners being forced by the council to do some emergency work back in 2013, though the roof collapsed the following year.

A series of fines have also been levied against the owner over not carrying out any work over the years.

Massive Haul

The Guardia Civil announced on Monday that they have arrested 46 people and recovered around 250 firearms as part of an operation which has seen a total of 246 arrests and 664 illegal firearms seized all over Europe, with UK police involved along with forces in nine countries.

The Europol-coordinated operation saw arrests carried out in 46 searches in a total of 18 Spanish provinces, including in Albacete, Alicante and four detentions in the Murcia region, with 247 firearms and site, where she claims that 23,000 cartridges discovered.

Meanwhile, the operation cracks have appeared on part of her road since the saw the dismantling of four clandestine weapon workwork started.

shops, while two internet websites illegally selling weapons were also shut down. Two illegal marijuana plantations were discovered and destroyed.

The Guardia Civil said that those arrested acquired replica weapons on a "massive" scale in eastern Europe and then used the workshops to convert them into fully functioning weapons.

The Guardia also explained that the operation means a great number of previously unknown weapons will not now reach the black market where they "could have been used to commit crimes" or reach extremist cells.

Pilar Crash

The drivers of two cars were seriously injured after a headon collision on the N-332 in the Pilar de la Horadada area.

The crash happened on Monday morning between Pilar and Mil Palmeras, when a 54-year-old female motorist overtook a vehicle and hit an oncoming car, with a 90-yearold man at the wheel.

The two drivers were ferried by ambulance to Torrevieja Hospital in a serious condition, with both of them suffering multiple trauma injuries.

Ramirez Quiz San Fulgencio’s mayor, Carlos Ramirez, faces being barred from public office for nine years if the anti-corruption prosecutor gets his way over corruption charges.

The Partido Popular leader of the municipality is set to appear before an Orihuela court in April to give evidence over allegations that he pumped in 190 thousand euro of public money as a subsidy into a football club that he was involved with. The subsidy would then go to the club to run sports schools.

Ramirez strenuously denies the charges, and also appearing before the court will be the former sports councillor Pascual Sempere, and Antonio Irles of the Sporting San Fulgencio football club, who stood for the Partido Popular in the local elections in the area back in 2011.

4

The One That Got Away

A high-speed car chase saw the Guardia Civil, National Police, and various local police forces in hot pursuit of a stolen vehicle on Sunday night, as it whizzed down the AP-7 from Alicante City.

The vehicle crashed into a barrier on the southbound carriageway in the Crevillente area, with one of the two passengers arrested. His accomplice though ran away from the site and was chased by a National Police officer, who fell some 10 metres down a slope and was injured, as his man got away.

Friday 27th January 2017

Beach Back Up

The Valencian government is to pump in money to make sure that the beaces of the Costa Blanca are cleared up and ready for this Easter’s influx of tourists, on the back of the recent stormy weather.

Francesc Colomer of the Valencian Tourist Agency is planning a meeting with the mayors of the affected coastal

areas to get a full report on the damage caused, and what financial help they need from the Agency to get things back to normal.

"Our main obligation is to reach out to the councils and local businesses to make sure that everything is in good condition before Easter," said Colomer.

Spain has passed a decree to help mortgage buyers get their money back from "abusive" mortgage floor clauses. The decree, announced by the government after a cabinet meeting, followed a ruling of the European Court of Justice in December, which ordered Spanish banks to hand back their clients all the money they made on "unfair" mortgage floor clauses.

The mortgage floor clauses impose a minimum interest rate on floating-rate mortgages by establishing a limit on how far mortgage rates could fall in accordance with the benchmark rate.In reality, however, Spanish mortgage buyers did not profit fully from the record-low interest rate environment in recent

What A Waste!

Truly Grounded Residents of the Lo Rufete area of San Miguel de Salinas area have been left scratching their heads over water that has been pouring from digging work for weeks, yet nobody can be apparent bothered to stop the leak.

In a time, despite the recent storms, of constant pleas to conserve water, calls to the

water company to stop the leak next to Calle Rio Tabilla have fallen on deaf ears, after the hole was dug by the road, with a steady stream of water coming out.

Resident Paul Evans said:“Phone calls were made to the water supplier and we were told that it’s not their problem!”

Guns And Drugs

A disused Torrevieja building collapsed last Saturday night forcing the overnight closure of Avenida de la Estación in the Acequion area of the city. The 100year-old structure had been left empty since 2013, and had been used as a carpentary workshop.

The state of the building had led to a number of complaints from local residents, with Torrevieja council carrying out a recent inspection.

The recent bad weather is viewed as the main cause of the collapse, with the council having to demolish the building on Sunday.

A Fairer Deal

years under the floor clauses.

Finance Minister, Luis de Guindos, said that the decree was to prevent Spanish courts from being flooded with lawsuits.

He also said the decree would help citizens to have their money back through an extrajudicial mechanism that was free.

The procedure orders that Spanish banks must contact their clients to

inform them if they are affected by abusive mortgage floor clauses and then, offer an agreement within three months.

If there is no agreement, customers can file a lawsuit in order to have their money back, which in principle would be returned in cash.

Experts suggest that the banks may have to pay back a total of up to three billion euro.

Teeing Up

A roundabout just outside San Javier is being redesigned as a tribuite to the sport of golf, acknowledging the importance of Euro Roda course to the

area. The roundabout is used by drivers heading in and out of Roda, and is situated between Avenida Unión Europea and Calle Praga.

The project is costing 47 thousand euro and will feature a sign with Euro RodaSan Javier on it, as well as a statue of a golfer on a green.

Artifact Arrests The Guardia Civil have said that 75 people have been arrested and more than 3,500 stolen artifacts and pieces of art seized in a joint operation called Pandora with 17 other European countries that dismantled an international cultural goods trafficking ring.

Authorities said they had secured up to 500 archaeological objects alone in Murcia City, including 19 that were taken from the local archaeological muse-

um in 2014.

The multi-national investigation started in October and the arrests were made the next month. It was led by investigators from Spain and Cyprus with support from 16 other countries, UNESCO and Interpol.

Authorities allege the ring mostly dealt with objects looted from countries affected by wars. The Guardia did not say why they were announcing the operation two months after the arrests had been made.

Catch That Pigeon Sixteen members of a criminal group suspected of weapons, drugs trafficking were arrested in the southern Spain, the Guardia Civil said in a statement last weekend.

Gang members from the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Brazil, Columbia, Morocco and Chile were arrested during the "Rocket" operation, carried out in Malaga Province.The Guardia also discovered four grenade

launchers, machine guns, 32 hand grenades and AK-47, all used during the Yugoslav wars, as well as seizing cash and a number of vehicles.

In addition, officers seized four kilograms of hashish, ten kilograms of marijuana, cocaine, as well as discovered a marijuana plantation. The investigation began in 2015 after weapons and explosives had been found in a vehicle in the city of Mijas.

40 racing pigeons said to be worth around 15 thousand euros have flown off to pastures new over the sea, after disappearing in storms in the Torrevieja area last week.

They were taking part in a serious of prestigious races organised by one of the Valencian region's oldest pigeon racing clubs, La Colosal, and were released into the air at the natural

park in La Mata.

But the weather conditions confused them, with 50 of the birds being found around the Torrevieja area over the subsequent days thanks to having trackers on them that operate up to six kilometres.

There are still 40 pigeons unaccounted for, and ironically they were the most valuable of those that were taking part in the race.

News

Friday 27th January 2017

Diamonds Are Forever

The ringleader of the biggest diamond heist of the century, said to be worth around 67 million euro, has been arrested in Valencia City, some 12 years after the crime.

The 55-year-old Dutchman was detained in Spain, with six others held in both Spain and the Netherlands. The robbery took place in February 2005, as a number of people broke into an armoured vehicle belonging to the KLM airline, on a maximum security runway at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

Part of the stash was later recovered in a getaway car, but the remainder, worth about 40 million euro, was never found.

Counting The Cost

The recent cold weather has forced some vegetable prices to nearly triple, with the Agriculture Ministry saying that the price of a kilo of aubergines went up by 132 percent between January 8th and January 15th. Courgette prices rose by 60 percent and some tomatoes by 45 percent.

“The figures reflect the consequences of the cold snap across Europe,” an Agriculture Ministry spokeswoman said.

“When it comes to some products, such as broccoli, there’s only Spanish produce left on the market, but even that’s in shorter supply because of the cold.”

Spain’s biggest farming association, Asaja, say that local vegetable farmers have had the brunt of the negative effects of the cold weather and recent flooding, whilst it has not been so bad for fruit and cereal growers.

“Other crops – such as cereals – have been sown and aren’t being affected by the snow and frosts, which actually helps them take root,” said an Asaja spokeswoman.

“Citrus fruits are OK because the fruits are sufficiently mature to withstand the weather.”

Double Slaying

The Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalunya’s equivalent of the Guardia Civil, have arrested a 28-year-old man over the killing of two rural Mossos officers in a hunting area in the northern province of Lleida.

Catalunya’s Interior Minister, Jordi Jané, said the two officers were shot and killed during a routine permit check, with the man hunting without a valid gun license at

the time of their encounter.

The suspect, however, called the police himself, saying that he had shot the two agents while hunting.

The minister ruled out the possibility of an accident and called the deaths a double homicide.

He said the man acted violently while visibly distressed and with clear intent to kill, shooting both victims in the head.

Disliking Donald

Around 700 women took to the streets of Barcelona on Saturday to protest against US President Donald Trump, who took office the previous day.

They marched in support of feminist and human rights groups in America, with a large number of US women living in Spain trav-

elling to join the demonstration.

The march condemned the new Republican president for his policies and values, which the protestors claim undermine women, foreigners, transsexuals, climate change, Islam and the gay, lesbian and bisexual community.

5

6

Friday 27th January 2017

ADVERTORIAL

Great Cuts And Pampering London-trained hair stylists David and Karen run Cut & Co and have established themselves in their premises in Calle Los Arcos in Quesada, which they moved to nearly three years ago. Both have over 20 years' experience in the hairdressing business and provide precision haircuts and hair colouring in a relaxed atmosphere, with care and attention given to every client.

The rest of the Cut & Co team includes Annette, their beauty therapist, who provides luxury manicures and pedicures, shellac nails and rejuvenating facials. Lizzy Maxton is available for permanent make-up, advanced micro-blading and non-surgical face lifts using an advanced form of micro-dermabrasion.

A skin clinic is also available.

Cut & Co are now offering wedding packages that include hair, nails and full makeup. You can find the salon on Facebook at Cut an Co Karen and David as well as Wedding makeup artist & nails Costa Blanca.

To book a hair or any other beauty appointment, phone Karen on 648 879 654 or David on 699 409 433.

Friday 27th January 2017

High Street Cuts

Budget clothing chain C&A has announced plans to close down 23 'loss-making' branches across the country, which will involve 16 percent of its staff being made redundant, but the bad news is not going affect outlets in the southern Costa Blanca and Murcia regions.

The Dutch firm, which has been operating in Europe for

175 years and in Spain for 34, says it plans to open other stores in the country but in different locations. They have shops in Alicante, Murcia, Cartagena, Torrevieja, and Zenia Boulevard.

The stores due to close for good are those where the lease is due to expire soon, or which have failed to make a profit in the past few years.

Rising Figures

The influenza epidemic across Spain has reached new highs in recent days, with an average of 2.2 percent of the population affected.

Health services in most of the north and centre of the country have been the most hit, with peaks expected to be reached in the Valencia and Murcia areas in the next few days.

One hundred and twenty people per 100 thousand are suffering in the Valencia region, with doctors saying that 95 percent of those affected never bothered to be vaccinated, despite extensive public health campaigns during the autumn.

Cases will continue to rise according to experts in the area during the next week, before beginning to fall.

7 COMPLAINT FILED WITH THE CONCILITION BOARD Excerpt from a complaint being processed by the Trondheim Conciliation Board: Case no. F2016-061891 Plaintiff: Svea Finans Nuf, PB 2222, 7412 Trondheim, Org. No. 00986346422 Complaint counterparty: Axel Willi Borsheim, last known address: C/O Little Norway Albir, Calle Andromedia 22, 03581 Albir, Spain The plaintiff has filed a conciliation board complaint against the counterparty, demanding payment of 45.496,20 NOK in addition to lawful interest and expenses.

The complaint counterparty is summoned to attend a hearing at the Conciliation Board at Brattorkaia 13B (Tollboden), 3rd floor, in Trondheim, Norway on March 14th, 2017, at 9:00AM. The complaint counterparty is ordered to submit a written response to the Conciliation Board by fourteen (14) days prior to the hearing as to whether or not he accepts the plaintiff’s demand.

A copy of the complaint, the order to respond and the summons can be picked up from the Conciliation Board’s office at Brattorkaia 13B (Tollboden), 3rd floor, 7434 Trondheim. On request, copies of the documents can be sent to the complaint counterparty at a specified address.

As the complaint counterparty’s whereabouts are currently unknown, service of process takes place pursuant to section 181 of theCourts of Justice Act. The complaint, the order to respond and the summons are to be considered legally served on February 28th, 2017, having been posted at the Court’s premises for four (4) weeks.

If the complaint counterparty fails to attend the hearing, a judgment in default of defence will be pronounced on the basis of the plaintiff’s presentation of the case.

8

Friday 27th January 2017

Two In A Day

The Melody Makers International are putting on two concerts tomorrow (Saturday January 28th) featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Orihuela Costa Resort Hotel in La Zenia, on Saturday January 28th.

Proceeds will go to the Torrevieja homeless charity, Reach Out.

There’s a matinee performance at 2.00 pm and the evening show starts at 8.00 pm. Tickets are available from La Ponderosa Gift Shop at La Zenia; also at the Card Place at both Punta Prima and Benimar.

Further tickets can be obtained from the Debra Charity Shops at both San Fulgencio and Quesada.

Pods Need Van

The animal charity, the Little Pod Association, is after a van for transporting rescued animals to safety; vet visits; and carrying food and supplies. The ancient private car that has helped more than fifteen-hundred animals is pretty much on its last legs (or perhaps wheels!), with 243 thousand kilometres on the clock.

Last month, 15-year-old Noel was recovering from some ear surgery but needed to go back to the vets. It was only a two minute drive, but just as the car nearly got there, he began whimpering, howling and crying. On opening the boot, it was clear straight away that he had got his foot and leg wedged down a small gap between the boot floor and spare tyre.

A vet came out to help as

Noel’s leg was twisted and well and truly stuck, and despite fears of breaking it, he was freed and was unharmed.

That was the final straw with Noel’s accident proving that the current Little Pod vehicle is just not fit for purpose.

The registered charity is appealing to all animal lovers to help raise funds to buy a reliable van. Little Pod is happy to attend any local fundraising events, and donations are welcome via their PayPal account to their email address, which is littlepodassoc@yahoo.co.uk.

If bank details are required please contact Little Pod Association and go to their website for more details about the charity at, www.littlepodassociation.com

Sleeping Success

The Rojales Pantomime Group production of Sleeping Beauty went down well this month at the Los Montesinos music school, with proceeds to be given to local charities.

Witten by Christine Smith, the classic fairy tale delighted the audiences at the three performances, with the

players now taking a breather before starting to think about next year’s production.

The group welcomes new members to join a fun and friendly team, and it’s also a great way to make new friends and help local charities. For more details, call Thelma on 634 339 588.

Classic Hits The Campoverde Reef Band are staging a concert in aid of Age Concern Costa Blanca on Saturday February 4th at Casa Ventura, San Luis, Torrevieja The six-piece group will be featuring songs from the likes of The Beatles, The Hollies, The Beach Boys, and The Eagles with the show starting at 6.00 pm.

Tickets are priced at just five euro and reservations can be made in person by going along to the Age Concern centre in La Siesta, or by calling 966 786 887.

Meanwhile, as of Friday February 3rd, Age Concern’s centre will be open every Friday afternoon

Qualified instructors will fly in from Finland this March to lead a two-day introductory equine Shiatsu course – the first of its kind in Spain – at the Rojalesbased Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre.

Instructor Susanna Tuisku (pictured above), assisted by Rita Uotila and Anne Hakala, will guide participants through how to relax a horse and maintain its health using the centuries-old wisdom of Shiatsu.

The pair kindly offered to donate net proceeds from

the course to the non-profit sanctuary, giving local horse owners the chance to train and work directly with rescued equines while helping raise funds for the animals’ ongoing feeding and care.

The course will be held on March 11th and 12th, with just 15 tickets available at 100 euro each. This includes hands-on practice with horses, printed materials to take home, a light lunch on both days and coffee. More details can be obtained via the Centre website, www.easyhorsecare.net.

Haggis Time

from 2.00 pm to anybody who wants to enjoy some social company and join some games of cribbage or dominoes, whilst enjoying a cup of tea or coffee whilst helping a great charity!.

Early Notice Singer Rob Roberts (pictured); three-piece band Breezin’, and magician Graeme Mykal will be providing the entertainment for a major fundraising event in May in aid of the Paul Cunningham Nurses Charity. The “black tie” Simply Red Gala Ball takes place at La Marina Resort on Friday May 5th, with a cava reception and a threecourse dinner. There will be a charity auction and raffle to complete the evening.

Tickets are priced at 25 euro per head, and for reservations and menu details, please phone 966 719 115.

Finnish Relaxation

Burns Night in celebration of the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns, was commemorated in traditional style this week at Sunny Jim’s, a Scottish bar in Playa Flamenca. Landlady Lorna arranged for a haggis to be specially flown in from Scotland with 32 people sitting down for the meal.

The haggis was “addressed in full Robbie Burns style and everybody then raised a glass of fine whisky and toasted 'The Great Chieftainn of the Pudding Race.' The neeps and tatties with whisky sauce ensured everyone had their fill and set the scene for a poem or six!

Adapt Meeting ADAPT (the Association of English Speakers of San Pedro del Pinatar) are holding their next monthly meeting at 10.30 am on Saturday February 4th at the Pensionista building, next to the Castelar College, Lo Pagan.

The group is always looking for people to join them,

with membership at just ten euro a year! Though ADAPT is based in San Pedro del Pinatar, you do not have live in the area to join and the group welcomes people of all nationalities.

For more details and how to join have a look at their website, www.adaptsanpedro.com.

Friday 27th January 2017

9

10

Friday 27th January 2017

11

Friday 27th January 2017

YEAR OF THE RAGING BULL?

By Richard Samuels, Financial Adviser, Blacktower Financial Management (Int.) Ltd trades.

With quality professional advice, 2017 could prove a good year to invest and many products are available to help you get a healthy return on your investments – at the same time protecting your capital from erosion. Portfolio Investment Bonds can act as tax wrappers ensuring no Capital Gains Tax on investments, they can also avoid the dreaded Modelo 720 declaration, and minimise tax paid on withdrawals.

With 2017 now well under way, I would like to offer a preview as to how the financial markets could perform in the coming year.

I have tried to provide a general consensus from various sources rather than list my own personal opinions.

Stock markets Investor confidence in UK companies is predicted to remain strong in 2017. The principal reasons for this are the UK’s continued low interest rate and the fall of the value of the pound against the Euro, both of which have bolstered the value of overseas earnings and helped boost exports.

Market analysts foresee that the FTSE 100 index could rise by another 25%, with some predicting it to reach 9,000 in 2017. Furthermore, a poll of 9,000 investors by Interactive Investor in November 2016 revealed that 72% believe that the FTSE 100 index will end 2017 at 6,800 or above.

Bond markets Financial analysts have for years warned of a bond crash and when European central banks start to raise interest rates, many investors could decide they overbought bonds - both government and corporate - and try to sell them.

In the UK, the Brexit vote at first prompted a rush into Government-backed bonds (or gilts), as they are considered a safe investment. Then the falling value of Sterling led to a fire sale, as investors saw that companies faced higher import prices.

This, coupled with the prospect of inflation, is expected to deter investors from buying into bonds with interest rates that could be lower than prices in the long term. The reduced demand for bonds is likely to cause bond prices to dip.

Interest Rates The European Central Bank extended its quantitative easing programme by nine months at the end of 2016. This move is designed to shore up price pressures and avoid tightening financial conditions in what remains a tough economy. Also, the Bank decided to hold the refinancing rate, the marginal lending rate and the deposit facility rate steady at 0.00%, 0.25% and minus 0.40%, respectively.

Donald Trump Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election has turned the world’s financial markets on their heads, with likely consequences for savers and borrowers in Britain and Europe.

At the start of 2016, it had been expected that the rate of borrowing would rise in December 2016 or January 2017, but the EU referendum caused the Bank of England to cut the Bank Rate to 0.25%.

However, Trump’s victory has changed the economic outlook, with rises in growth, inflation, interest rates and investment returns expected in the US, which will have a far-reaching ripple effect in the countries with which the US

Blacktower are able to offer portfolio investment bonds from the major International Life Companies such as the Prudential, Old Mutual and SEB. A review of your finances would be a sensible option starting the new year, so if you would like investment advice from a company with over 30 years’ experience then you should e-mail richard.samuels@blacktowerfm.com or call 692 352 156 to arrange an appointment.

For further information contact: Richard Samuels, International Financial Adviser, Blacktower Financial Management (International) Ltd M: 692 352 156 or E: richard.samuels@blacktowerfm.com

The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity.

Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV in Spain.

12

Adoption Corner

Pets

Friday 27th January 2017

How Intelligent Is Your Pet?

BELLA Bella is around two years old and has a lovely, friendly nature, and is ready for a forever home. She is a delightful dog that loves to play, is house-trained and learns commands easily. Bella is chipped, vaccinated and has her pet passport. To learn more about Bella and to meet her, then call Pets in Spain on 645 469 253.www.petsinspain.com

COPPER Copper is a Basset/Breton-type crossbreed who is almost nine months old. He was found near a road , and is a very happy young dog who loves to play with toys, enjoys cuddles and would fit in well with a young family. He is fully vaccinated micro-chipped and castrated. If you think you could give Copper a forever home full of love, please contact the SAT kennels on 966 710 047 or emailinfo@satanimalrescue.com

JACKSON Jackson has been recently rescued and is aged around six months. He is in a loving foster home with lots of other cats and dogs and gets on very well with both, but now needs a place of his own. Jackson is the sweetest boy, behaves very well, has a gentle soul and is very affectionate. For more details on this adorable boy, please phone PEPA on 650 304 746 or email p.e.p.a.animalcharity@gmail.com

MILLIE Millie is aged between three and four years and is a beautiful cat with stunning blue eyes. She is very content and happy to sleep in her lovely bed on the outside porch. Millie has been well looked after but can’t move to her owner’s new home. She would like someone to love her and look after her, and if you can offer her a home, then call K9 on 965 312 347 or 651 542 898.

A lot of pet owners believe that their animals possess some kind of psychic ability. Actually, it’s quite natural to think that your pet is the most talented on the planet.

However, the fact is that some breeds are just naturally a bit — or quite a lot — more gifted than their peers. No matter how hard you try with some breeds, they just won’t be able to perform certain tasks, experts say.

Back in 2009, researchers found that dogs are capable of understanding up to 250 words and gestures, can count up to five and can perform simple mathematical calculations.

Using tests originally designed to demonstrate the development of language, pre-language and basic arithmetic in human children, the researchers were able to show that the average dog is far more intelligent than they are given credit for. They have also compiled a list of the most intelligent and least intelligent breeds using information from obedience classes. Border collies and retrievers were rated among the most intelligent while hounds and terriers were the least bright.

"The average dog is about as bright linguistically as a human two-year-old," said Professor Stanley Coren, a leading expert on canine intelligence at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver who has carried out the work.

Nearly half of pet owners involved in a research carried out believe their animals possess some kind of psychic ability. Predicting or sensing life-threatening illnesses, detecting spooky situations and even intervening to stop accidents are among the 'supernatural' presences reported by 39% of the 2,000 dog and cat owners recently surveyed by Blue Cross, one of Britain's oldest animal welfare charities.

Three-quarters of the people surveyed thought animals can sense or even detect illness before diagnosis, with examples ranging from strokes and seizures, to cancer and blood clots.

One owner said: “I have arthritis in my spine and once had a cat who knew when the pain was bad. He would sit on my back and knead the exact spot that hurt, then lie down on it. His purring and the warmth worked better than any

MINNIE Minnie is an adorable three month old puppy who was rescued from the perrera along with her siblings. She is a GSD/Lab cross, and is a really lovely and very affectionate dog. Minnie has a good nature and is great with the other dogs that she is fostered with. If you think you could offer this gorgeous pup a home and to meet her, then please phone PEPA on 650 304 746 or email p.e.p.a.animalcharity@gmail.com

expensive physio sessions I've had since.”

Another reported: “My pet began sitting on my stomach when I had a cancer there, and going through chemo would constantly sniff and lick my head and hands.”

Many owners, according to Blue Cross, also think their pet can predict when a member of the family is pregnant, on their way home or about to go out.

One even claimed their cat prevented a potentially fatal accident, saying: “I was just leaving to go to work when my cat started behaving really oddly - yowling and jumping up at me so I couldn't get out the door. I thought she might be feeling poorly so picked her up and took her into the front room - at which point a car lost control and ended up in my front garden.”

Besides being pets, dogs are involved in rescue and military operations. It’s not known when exactly the first dog took the battlefield alongside his human companions, but historians believe that millennia ago, the ancient Egyptians used canines to carry messages. The Corinthians surrounded their seashore citadel with guard dogs in 400 BC, and the Romans employed them to raise alarms for their garrisons. The feared invasion forces of Attila the Hun brought ferocious hounds with them to protect their camps during battle.

Professor Coren believes dogs are among the most intelligent animals and can rival apes and parrots for their ability to understand language. While most dogs understand simple commands such as sit, fetch and stay, a border collie tested by Professor Coren showed a knowledge of 200 spoken words. The collie was able to recognize the names of items it was asked to fetch and correctly retrieve them.

Professor Coren has also found that dogs can count using established tests developed for young children. When something unexpected happens with an object, children and dogs will stare at it for a longer period of time.

According to researchers, the ten most intelligent breeds are: Border Collie; Poodle; German Shepherd; Golden Retriever; Doberman Pinscher; Shetland Sheepdog; Labrador Retriever; Papillon; Rottweiler; and the Australian Cattle Dog.

RUBEN It's not always easy to re-home older dogs, but they need a loving home just like puppies. Ruben is a lovely dog who is currently living in an APAH foster home, but he needs a permanent loving place to grow old in. Can you give him a forever home with loads of love? To arrange to meet Ruben, please get in touch with APAH on 630 422 563.

News

You’re Nicked

San Pedro del Pinatar’s local police arrested a Lithuanian man late last Monday night, who was wanted on an international arrest warrant.

A routine patrol stop in an unnamed part of the municipality found that the man was driving with a false passport and driving license, after the officers took an interest in him because of his nervous disposition.

Further checks by the officers found that the man was wanted on a warrant, and he was taken into custody.

13

Friday 27th January 2017

Brexit Threat

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy warned this week that Britain's exit from the EU posed a severe threat to Spain’s recovering economy, and made a plea for cohesion in Europe.

"Brexit is a serious threat," Rajoy told a Madrid conference organised by the right-of-centre national ABC newspaper.

"Without wanting to go into other considerations, I will only tell you that one in five tourists who come to Spain are British, and close to 17 million Britons visited Spain last year," Rajoy added.

The Brexit-related fall of the value of the pound in recent

months has caused concern that fewer Britons may travel, though official figures from the Spanish government in the last seven months since June’s EU referendum suggests very little impact on UK visitors to Spain.

"I will also tell you that the United Kingdom is the first destination for Spanish companies' investment and our third commercial partner," Rajoy said.

He added that post-Brexit, serious thought needed to be given to improving the EU so that it was "more cohesive, more effective in its decisionmaking and with better political ambition."

All Change At Dos Mares

The Carrefour hypermarket is to open in San Javier in late-February, as it takes over the Eroski store in the Dos Mares shopping centre. The Mayor of San Javier, José Miguel Luengo, got a briefing this week from Carrefour’s regional manager. Amparo Capilla, about the move which will see the old Eroski store close on Monday February 6th, and

then reopen under Carrefour brand on Thursday February 23rd.

In March last year, the Eroski hypermarket chain took the decision to scale down their operations in Alicante Province and the Murcia region, as they sold off a package of 36 outlets to Carrefour in a 200-million-euro plus deal.

Carrefour’s Amparo Capilla said all the jobs of

the Eroski workers at their Dos Mares store have been guaranteed, and that the company was looking to boost the workforce by 30 percent.

She said that the company planned to be a “good friend of San Javier”, and that it would look into the possibility of more local suppliers joining Carrefour’s approved list of 240 regional suppliers.

14

Friday 27th January 2017

Enter the Virtual World of Marketing The concept of Virtual Reality is far from being a new one, virtual tours and immersive images have been helping many businesses and service providers present their products to consumers for well over a decade. What is new, however, is the method in which these images and videos are presented, since virtual reality headsets moved into the market, supported by popular platforms such as Facebook and You Tube, and, more recently, Twitter.

That support is, however, both a benefit and a curse. A benefit as it allows the idea to reach more users, but a curse because it limits the practicality of the presentation, as fewer people are able to actually see the results.

There is a solution to every problem, of course, and this dilema is no exception, because the technology being introduced today can also be used to exploit the time-proven methods of traditional virtual tours, where the images can be viewed through the majority of browsers and on the majority of devices, computers, tablets and mobile phones.

Many people in marketing circles are questioning the benefits of virtual reality, concerned that it is nothing more than a gimmick. The reality, excuse the pun, is that it is indeed a gimmick, one which is entertaining and provides a visual platform like no other, but it is a gimmick that can still be exploited and can stand the test of time, if it is done correctly.

Who can bebefit from virtual reality then? Anybody and everybody, whether you run a business and want to showcase your premises, or selling your house and want to show the property to virtual visitors, or if you want to feature an individual product, there is a way of creating an impression.

These days you don´t actually needs tons of equipment, lighting rigs, multi-angle cameras, buses full of crew, the technology to produce these tours has moved on tremendously. In fact, you could pop down to a local electrical shop and buy one yourself, but it still needs an element of knowledge to produce and publish the results. Production time is also now relatively fast, as specialist software does all the hard work.

Your tour can contain many other elements too, such as an audio commentary, music, focus points and embedded videos, as well as links to your website, detail images and more, and is limitless in so much as you can have a single

room or product, or an endless chain that loops from start to finish, with maps, floor plans and direction indicators.

Not only that, the finished tour can be hosted on any server of your choice, so it can be remotely monitored and managed on the suppliers server, or simply packaged and installed on your own, within your existing website.

If you want help, TKO Media are on hand. Have a look at the tko.media website and you will see a sample of a virtual tour created for our friends at Autos Direct. You can also visit thecourier.es and see a similar presentation by means of a virtual tour of Torrevieja. For more information, just give TKO Media a call on 966 921 003, or visit the website, tko.media.

Friday 27th January 2017

15

16

Friday 27th January 2017

Grow Your Own Brussels Sprouts According to the RHS, Brussels sprouts were first recorded as a spontaneous sport from a cabbage plant found in the Brussels region of Belgium around 1750.

A stalwart among winter vegetables in cool temperate climates, they taste much better when harvested from the garden after being frosted than when bought from the shop.

From mid-May to early June, when the young plants are 10-15cm (4-6in) high and have seven true leaves, transplant to their growing positions, leaving 60cm (2ft) between plants and 75cm (2½ft) between rows. Before planting, water plants well and water well again after transplanting.

Choose a sheltered, sunny site, protected from strong winds.

Any garden soil in full sun is suitable. Add up to two bucketfuls of well-rotted manure per square metre, and before planting or sowing, add 150g (5oz) per square metre/yard of Growmore or other general purpose fertiliser.

Water every 10-14 days in periods of dry weather. Plants benefit from a top-dressing of high nitrogen fertiliser such as dried poultry manure pellets at 150g (5oz) per square metre/yard in July.

Mound soil around the base in September to support the plants.

Common problems Birds: Birds, especially pigeons, can cause an array of problems including eating seedlings, buds, leaves, fruit and vegetables.

Remedy: Protect the plants from birds by covering them with netting or fleece.

Scarecrows and bird-scaring mechanisms work for a while, but the most reliable method of protection is to cover plants with horticultural fleece or mesh.

Cabbage root fly: White larvae, approximately 5cm (2in) long, feed on the roots just below the soil surface, stunting growth and causing plants to wilt and die.

Remedy: Grow under insect-proof mesh or horticultural fleece. Seedlings are most vulnerable.

Club root: Roots become swollen and distorted, and leaves become pale and yellow and wilt easily. Plants may die.

Remedy: Improve drainage and add lime to make soil more alkaline. Do not grow in affected soil.

Caterpillars: A number of caterpillars will feed on brassicas, but the most common are those of cabbage white butterflies. You will usually see the caterpillars, if not, you will see the holes they make in the leaves. They will also bore into the heart of cabbages.

Remedy: In mild attacks, or if you have only a few plants, you may be able to pick the caterpillars off. You can spray with pyrethrum, deltamethrin or lambda-cyhalothrin.

Insect-proof mesh or fine netting (5-7mm mesh) can prevent egg-laying.

Harvesting Early varieties can be harvested from August. Start from the lowest sprouts, when they are tightly closed, firm and the size of a walnut. Snap them off with a sharp downward tug. The flavour is improved once the sprouts have been frosted.

At the end of the season the sprout tops can be harvested and eaten.

Homes & Gardens

Friday 27th January 2017

17

18

Friday 27th January 2017

Food & Drink

'A Big Soup' The Big Soup is just 157 calories per portion - and we think that's just soup-er!

INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 medium onion, finely sliced 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced 3 medium carrots 150g green beans 75g chorizo sausage, skinned and cut into 1cm slices 1 tsp hot smoked paprika ½ tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to season 400g can of chopped tomatoes 1.5 litres chicken stock, fresh or made with 1 stock cube 1 tsp caster sugar 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 150g curly kale, thickly shredded freshly ground black pepper METHOD Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan or a big flameproof casserole dish.

Add the onion and garlic and fry gently for five minutes until softened but not

coloured, stirring often.

While the onion is frying, peel the carrots and slice them into rough, 1.5cm chunks.

Trim the green beans and cut them into pieces about 3cm long.

Add the chorizo, paprika and carrots to the pan with the sliced onion and cook over a low heat for two minutes, stirring until the chorizo begins to release its fat.

Season with salt and lots of black pepper.

Tip the tomatoes into the same pan, add the stock and sugar, then turn the heat up to medium.

Bring the liquid to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and leave the soup to simmer for 12 minutes.

Add the canned and fresh beans and the kale and bring it back to a gentle simmer.

Cook for 10 minutes until all the vegetables are just tender, adding a little extra water if the soup is looking too thick.

Season the soup with salt and black pepper and serve in deep bowls.

Potted beef We loved little jars of potted beef when we were kids, but this is the Rolls-Royce version. It makes a wonderful starter or a great treat just to have in the fridge and dip into when you feel like a snack. Serve with some toast and a few gherkins or cornichons. Mace is a good old-fashioned spice, sold in small strips called blades or ground into a powder.

INGREDIENTS 500g (1lb 2oz) beef shin, cut into chunks 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 bay leaves A large sprig of thyme 1tsp peppercorns 1tsp allspice berries 2 cloves 1 blade of mace (from supermarkets) 200ml (7fl oz) white wine Flaked sea salt Freshly ground black pepper A pinch of cayenne pepper 25g (1oz) butter, melted METHOD Preheat the oven to 150°C/fan 130°C/gas 2.

Place the beef shin in an ovenproof dish – you want quite a snug fit here.

Put the garlic, herbs and spices in a small saucepan and pour in the wine. Bring the wine to the boil, then pour it over the meat and season with salt. Add just enough

water to cover the beef, then cover the dish with foil and put it in the oven for 2½ hours.

Remove the dish from the oven, turn the beef over, then cover again and put it back in the oven for another 2½ hours.

Remove the dish from the oven and take out the meat, brushing off any spices or garlic.

Strain the liquid into a jug. Shred the meat with a couple of forks, then put it into a food processor and season with salt, black pepper and a good pinch of cayenne. Skim a couple of tbsps of fat from the top of the braising liquid, and add it to the beef along with the melted butter.

Blitz everything in the food processor, gradually adding some of the braising liquid if it doesn’t bind together well. You should end up with a fairly smooth paste. Spoon the potted beef into a large jar or an earthenware dish and chill. It will keep for 45 days in the fridge.

Food & Drink

19

Friday 27th January 2017

Chorizo, Clams and White Beans Spicy chorizo sausage and black pudding both go extraordinarily well with clams and other shellfish and their sock-it-to-me flavour really brings this dish alive. If you can’t get clams, mussels are good too and usually very cheap.

INGREDIENTS 1 fat chorizo sausage, cut into diagonal slices 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika a large sprig of thyme 50ml dry sherry 250ml chicken stock 400g can tomatoes 2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 500g clams (or mussels) 100g black pudding, or Spanish morcilla, skinned and broken up 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional) flaked sea salt freshly ground black pepper METHOD Place a large flameproof casserole dish or a saucepan with a lid on the hob. Add the slices of chorizo and cook them on a medium heat until the slices start to brown and the fat is coming out. Chorizo can burn quite easily so keep a close eye on it. Remove the chorizo from the pan and set it aside.

Turn down the heat. Strain off most of the fat and reserve it, then add the wedges of onion. Fry them on a medium heat for several minutes until they’re starting to colour, then add the garlic, paprika and thyme. Cook for another minute.

Add the sherry and allow it to sizzle for a minute or so, then pour in the chicken stock. Add the tomatoes and beans and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cover the pan. Leave to cook for 20 minutes while you prepare the clams or mussels.

Wash the clams in cold water. If using mussels, wash them well, pull off any beards and scrape off barnacles. For both clams and mussels, discard any that don’t close when

sharply tapped.

When the beans have finished simmering, put the chorizo back in the pan to warm through. Arrange all the clams or mussels on top, then cover the pan again and let them steam for 3–4 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat some of the reserved chorizo fat in a fry-

ing pan and quickly fry the black pudding. Remove it from the pan and drain on some kitchen paper.

Check that the clams or mussels have opened and chuck out any that haven’t. Sprinkle over the black pudding and garnish with lots of finely chopped parsley, if using, then serve at once.

20

Food & Drink

Friday 27th January 2017

Moist Carrot and Sultana Cake We all know you can't be eating cake every day when you're keen to shed a few pounds, but a little of what you fancy can't be all that bad. This cake is made with oil instead of butter and is super-moist, so non-dieters will love it too - if you let them have any.

INGREDIENTS 3 medium carrots (about 250g total unpeeled weight) 3 large eggs 100ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing 100g soft light brown sugar 200g self-raising flour 100g sultanas Finely grated zest of ½ large well-scrubbed orange 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp grated nutmeg 1½ tsp baking powder For decoration: 2 tsp icing sugar and grated zest of ½ well-scrubbed orange METHOD Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5.

Grease a 23cm round loose-based cake tin with a little oil and line the base with baking parchment. Peel the carrots and grate them with a medium-fine grater – you should have about 200g of grated carrot.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl with a large metal whisk. Add the sunflower oil and sugar and whisk until well combined. Stir in the grated carrot, then add the flour, sultanas, orange zest, spices and baking powder. Stir together until just combined. Pour into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 25–30 minutes or until the cake is well risen and feels springy to the touch.

It should be just beginning to shrink back from the sides of the tin. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out and remove the lining paper. Leave to cool fully on a wire rack then transfer to a serving plate.

Sift the icing sugar over the cake and scatter grated or pared orange zest on top. This cake will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For a special occasion, you could add a cream cheese topping to this cake. Simply

spread the cake with a 200g tub of light (medium-fat) soft cheese.

Sprinkle with the grated orange zest and fin-

ish with sifted icing sugar.

Don’t forget that you’ll be adding a few extra calories.

Food & Drink

Friday 27th January 2017

21

22

Friday 27th January 2017

Health

Browned toast and potatoes are 'potential cancer risk'.

Bread, chips and potatoes should be cooked to a golden yellow colour, rather than brown, to reduce our intake of a chemical which could cause cancer, government food scientists are warning.

Acrylamide is produced when starchy foods are roasted, fried or grilled for too long at high temperatures.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends carefully following cooking instructions and avoiding browning.

However, Cancer Research UK said the link was not proven in humans.

The FSA also says potatoes and parsnips should not be kept in the fridge.

This is because sugar levels rise in the vegetables at low temperatures, potentially increasing the amount of acrylamide produced during cooking.

Acrylamide is present in many different types of food and is a natural by-product of the cooking process.

The highest levels of the substance are found in foods with high starch content which have been cooked above 120°C, such as crisps, bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits, crackers, cakes and coffee.

It can also be produced during home cooking, when highstarch foods - such as potatoes, chips, bread and parsnips - are baked, roasted, grilled or fried at high temperatures.

When bread is grilled to make toast, for example, this causes more acrylamide to be produced. The darker the colour of the toast, the more acrylamide is present.

During the browning process, the sugar, amino acids and water present in the bread combine to create colour and acrylamide - as well as flavour and aromas.

The Food Standards Agency says it is not clear exactly how much acrylamide can be tolerated by people, but it does believe that we are eating too much of it.

So it is advising people to make small changes to the way they cook and prepare food, including: Go for a golden yellow colour when toasting, frying, baking, or roasting starchy foods such as potatoes, bread and root vegetables Don't keep raw potatoes in the fridge - store them in a

cool, dark place above 6C instead Follow the cooking instructions carefully when heating oven chips, pizzas, roast potatoes and parsnips Eat a healthy, balanced diet that includes five portions of vegetables and fruit per day as well as starchy carbohydrates Research in animals has shown that the chemical is toxic to DNA and causes cancer - so scientists assume the same is true in people, although as yet there is no conclusive evidence.

The possible effects of acrylamide exposure include an increased lifetime risk of cancer and effects on the nervous and reproductive systems.

But whether or not acrylamide causes these effects in humans depends upon the level of exposure - and some are not convinced that there is any real danger to public health.

David Spiegelhalter, professor for the public understanding of risk at Cambridge University, said there was no estimate of the current harm caused by acrylamide or the benefit from a reduction.

He said: "Even adults with the highest consumption of acrylamide would need to consume 160 times as much to reach a level that might cause increased tumours in mice."

Smoking exposes people to three to four times more acrylamide than non-smokers because the chemical is present in tobacco smoke.

As well as advising the public, the Food Standards Agency is also working with industry to reduce acrylamide in processed food.

And there has been some progress - between 2007 and 2015, it found evidence of an average 30% reduction in acrylamide across all products in the UK. Steve Wearne, Director of Policy at the Food Standards Agency, said most people were not aware that acrylamide even existed.

"We want our campaign to highlight the issue so that consumers know how to make the small changes that may reduce their acrylamide consumption whilst still eat-

ing plenty of starchy carbohydrates and vegetables as recommended in government healthy eating advice.

"Although there is more to know about the true extent of the acrylamide risk, there is an important job for government, industry and others to do to help reduce acrylamide intake."

High-calorie crisps Emma Shields, Health Information Officer from Cancer Research UK, acknowledges that acrylamide in food could be linked to cancer - but she says the link is not clear and consistent in humans.

"To be on the safe side, people can reduce their exposure by following a normal healthy, balanced diet - which includes eating fewer high-calorie foods like crisps, chips and biscuits, which are the major sources of acrylamide."

She said there was many other well-established risk factors for cancer "like smoking, obesity and alcohol which all have a big impact on the number of cancer cases in the UK".

Hot red chilli peppers linked to longer lifespan "How hot chilli could help you live longer," reports suggest. A US study found that people who reported eating red hot chilli peppers had around a 13% reduced risk of premature death compared to those who avoided them.

The study looked at adults in the 1980s and 90s who reported eating any hot chillies over the past month – which could range from a single chilli to several chillies every day.

There were no significant links found when drilling down to specific cause of death rather than just overall mortality.

Ultimately, this study proves very little. The researchers attempted to account for possible contributory factors, such as other dietary factors, income and age, but as they admit, unmeasured health and lifestyle factors could be influencing the link.

It is plausible that hot chillies could be linked to beneficial effects. There is some evidence that the active ingredient in red hot chilli peppers, (the food, not the band) capsicum, may have anti-inflammatory or anti-oxidant effects, while also boosting the metabolism. But with the exception of one study in China (which we analysed in 2015) the research has involved rodents.

It is always unwise to rely on a single "superfood", such as assuming that chillies could be the spice of a long life. It is better to follow standard recommendations and eat a

balanced diet high in a variety of fruit and vegetables, limit salt, sugar and saturated fat – stay active, avoid smoking and moderate your consumption of alcohol.

Health

Friday 27th January 2017

23

What Happens When Food Is Genetically Modified?

Genetically modified (GM) seeds and crops have inside them prepackaged insecticides and herbicides. The manufacturers of GM seeds and crops claim that the built-in chemicals have no effect on the human body.

A 2012 study from the University of Caen France clearly demonstrated that rats fed genetically modified corn for two years developed far more cancers and died earlier than rats fed non-GM foods. Other studies have linked genetically modified cotton to chronic skin and kidney diseases in humans.

There is substantial evidence supporting increased rate of diseases in farm animals fed genetically engineered foods.

Seeds are modified genetically by injecting into them genes that will confer them with the desired effect such as a resistance to disease or increased growth. These genes are transferred using a virus or bacteria called a promoter. Although the manufacturers maintain that these bacteria and viruses are harmless to the body, there is new evidence to show that they alter the genes of beneficial bacteria living in the gut, with the potential of turning them into deadly germs.

Genetically modified plants are intellectual property and belong entirely to the corporations that hold the patent. These GM seeds and plants are designed to be infertile and will not grow if planted. Farmers must purchase these seeds every

year for planting rather than rely on the timeless tradition of storing seeds for next year’s planting season.

According to studies, genetically modified crops have not resulted in increased food production since their introduction.

On the contrary, many areas that have embraced genetically modified plants have noticed a gradual reduction in their crop yield as well as the pollution of the environment caused by high amounts of weed killers used in producing GM plants. GM plants are resistant to weed and pest killers, prompting farmers to use a lot more of these chemicals in farms. As a consequence, GM foods contain more toxins from sprayed pesticides and insecticides than non-GM foods.

Until now, only a few plants have been genetically modified and patented and include corn, cotton, soybeans, papaya, tomato, rapeseed, sugar beet, and canola.

Corn is the only GM crop grown in Europe. Spain and the United Kingdom are not among the 19 EU countries that opted out of growing GM plants in 2015. However, labelling of GM foods is mandatory in European Countries.

For A Full Body Diagnostic Scan Call MedB Clinic 965071745, 966189074

New insights into why breast cancer drugs fail for some women "Breast cancer drugs taken by thousands of women stop working because tumours 'outsmart' them," is the headline in The Sun. Around 70% of breast cancer cases are what are known as oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancers. This means the cancerous cells use the hormone oestrogen as a type of "fuel" to help them reproduce and spread.

After surgery to remove the tumour, many women with this type of cancer are prescribed hormone treatments – tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors – that cut off the supply of oestrogen to the cancer in the hope the tumour doesn't return.

But some women build resistance to the drugs, so researchers set out to understand why. They found a particular gene (CYP19A1) becomes amplified, where more copies of the gene are produced, in about one in five women

(21.5%) treated with aromatase inhibitors.

This triggers the increased production of aromatase, the enzyme the drugs were trying to block. This enzyme converts hormones in the body into oestrogen. This allows the cancer cells to make their own oestrogen again, and reproduce and spread.

The researchers weren't able to understand the mechanism behind drug resistance to tamoxifen, but hope to carry out further research to find out how it occurs.

The team behind this study hope their work will pave the way for further research so they can develop a test able to identify whether a woman's tumour has already started to increase the production of aromatase. This may allow doctors to prescribe different and more effective forms of treatment.

24

Friday 27th January 2017

Fashion

The Way You Shop Will Change Forever This Year. Here's How. Online shopping has now reached a decade of maturity. We all use services like Amazon Subscribe & Save—and we do so through our phones, following advertisements we see on Facebook. Yet while the internet forever changed shopping, the physical retail environment lagged behind. That is until recently. In 2016, we saw some of the first hints of how traditional stores are about to change, too: an Amazon store that lets you grab whatever you like without paying for it, e-commerce companies open physical locations, and high fashion taking inspiration from your local chain drugstore self-checkout. And over the next few years, the brick-and-mortar buying experience will change even more dramatically.

We talked to experts in retail, ranging from the analyst to the scientist to the marketer, about the big retail trends around the corner. Stores aren’t going anywhere any time soon. But they are about to look and feel a whole lot different from the way they did before. Here are the big retail trends to look out for in 2017 and beyond.

THE BIG-BOX STORE EVOLVES TO SURVIVE Millennials are moving to cities, and they’re not buying cars.

"We have an entire industry around suburban big-box grocery stores," says Aidan Tracey, CEO at product branding collective sgsco. "Loading a case of water and diapers on your back and getting on the bus isn't going to work."

So what happens to suburban big-box stores now? They might begin to look more like a warehouse with a tiny retail storefront that would be car- or Uber-pickup friendly, while the big-box store companies open more small satellite stores with less inventory.

"We had been operating for this idea that bigger is better, the superstore or supercenter. Now we’re seeing a shift away from that, brands closing their stores, reconsidering their footprint," says Sidney Morgan-Petro, retail editor at the trend forecasting agency WGSN. Macy’s, for instance, closed dozens of stores last year. Sears closed more than 150 locations.

Morgan-Petro points to Target for being proactive, and introducing flexible format stores, which have a smaller footprint and more market-focused inventories. "They’re getting very, not to be punny, targeted to where they’re opening up," Morgan-Petro continues. "A lot of them are college campus stores or urban campus stores."

Rumors suggest that Amazon is considering the warehousestorefront model, in which its faceless distribution centers could serve double duty as drive-through shops. It’s a retail practice that's already been proven out abroad. "In the U.K., it’s been a thing for a while," says Morgan-Petro. "Tesco has been doing it for a few years already.

SERVICES BEAT GOODS Not every type of retailer is going to be hurt by a shifting car and shopping culture. Experts agree that there are things that Uber can’t disrupt.

"At the highest level, you have more physical retail going into service," says Sucharita Mulpuru, former Forrester retail

analyst and chief retail strategist at the commerce festival Shoptalk. In other words, places like sporting goods stores, once offering the value proposition of a large inventory of tennis rackets, are now getting into ancillary services, like the restringing of said rackets. Retailers are using services to make their brick-and-mortar locations more valuable in the face of online shopping. Even with Grubhub and Uber food delivery, quick service restaurants (like Starbucks and McDonald’s) are still slated to do well in the physical realm.

And places where you can still get a service—like teeth whitening at your dentist, or blood pressure monitoring at CVS—are going to continue to bring people in for things that cannot be shipped by a two-day free delivery.

"Tutoring facilities are one of the fastest growing retail sectors out there," says Mulpuru. It’s like a reversal of the 1950s.

Doctors don’t make house calls—in fact, you drive to any service you want. But that cup of sugar you need from the store?

That’s delivered. We go places for people, not things.

IT’S ABOUT CONVENIENCE . . . OR EXPERIENCE In a world based upon extremes, failure can often be found in the middle. Nobody likes lukewarm coffee. They want it steaming hot or poured over ice. Experts agree that retail is evolving the same way.

"On the one hand, we will increasingly use digital services (ideally mobile apps) to purchase down-to-earth products— such as toilet paper, laundry soap, milk. I could imagine a kind of Amazon unlimited scheme that will constantly replenish our supply of toilet paper," says designer and MIT professor Carlo Ratti. "On the other hand, I see a blossoming of experiential shopping.

Think about choosing fresh food produce: We will always enjoy going to a physical store where we can touch, smell, etc.

The store, in turn, can become increasingly focused on providing us with unique experiences."

Ratti points to Eataly—a client of his—as proof of this trend.

Eataly is a wonderland of Italian cuisine, with restaurants, butchers, pasta makers, and countless cured meats all under the same giant roof. It's every bit as overwhelming to the senses as any theme park, and that’s entirely the point. For Eataly’s next trick, Ratti has been experimenting with allowing customers to grow their own food within the supermarket. Absurd and unscalable? Maybe. But it’s also an extreme experience that puts Whole Foods's local produce to shame.

As Andy Adams, senior vice president of store development at Starbucks, explained to us, the company is rethinking its guiding design philosophy of building locally relevant stores.

Whereas the old challenge was customizing a stock Starbucks store with hyper-local flourishes reflected in the art and materials of the buildings, now, the company is filtering local relevance through the lens of convenience and experience. It's a process Adams calls "dialing in" their store vision.

"We’re in the middle of figuring out exactly what ‘dialing it in’ means—but it’s a range, from an express store that gets you

a drip coffee and breakfast sandwich quickly on your way to your first meeting without being late, to a multi-hour visit, spending $30 on a siphon brewed coffee and maybe a Tom Dixon tray—the ability to dial it up, a place of convenience, or a place that is experiential." Starbucks believes they can play both sides at the same time, and the company believes that is unique to Starbucks. "Doing beats buying," Morgan-Petro concurs, especially for the millennial consumer. In fact, she argues that now experience is so important that it’s reverberating back into the design of products themselves. "Instead of an apparel company thinking ‘how can we offer an experience?’ instead they’re creating goods that work with an experience." You can see this play out in the rise of festival fashion or in new products for travel.

PHYSICAL STORES GAIN WEBSITE TRANSPARENCY Ever walk into a shop—tiny or supercenter—and find yourself looking for something in particular that you know should be there, only to learn it’s sold out, or was never carried in the first place? This is about to change, as stores are finally getting better about leveraging low-cost radio chips (RFID) to track the precise stock and location of goods in their stores, in real-time.

"Even with Moore’s law, the adoption of RFID tagging hasn't really hit its inflection point yet. It’s gotta happen sometime in the net few years," says Mulpuru. "It’s so essential for one of the biggest gaps: Retailers don’t know 100% of what’s in their store. They know what’s supposed to be in their store. Or if something sells. But that whole in-between process, they don’t know. RFID should solve that and does for some companies."

Mulpuru points to the prices of RFID, now less than 10 cents per chip, and retailers like Macy's and Kohl's getting onboard in tagging every item sold with these chips, just like price tags.

Uri Minkoff, CEO of the fashion brand Rebecca Minkoff, recently explained to us that upgrading to RFID didn’t just make Rebecca Minkoff's store inventory clearer; it meant that employees could bring a whole box of RFID tags into a connected dressing room and scan the entire store inventory instantly.

For the shopper, RFID could enable apps to pinpoint its location in a store—imagine being lost inside a Target, pulling our your phone, and learning the snow shovels were right above the salt on aisle seven. And at the same time, RFID could enable more seamless buying experiences—as it likely does at Amazon Go stores—allowing you to take something off the shelf, and allowing all these radio frequencies to automatically pay for you.

And as Ratti argues, technologies like RFID being used higher up in the chain—at the production level—will allow an unprecedented level of tracking that will be mineable for consumer insights we’ve never had for products before. "In the future, we will be able to discover everything there is to know about the apple we are looking at," he says. "The tree it grew on, the CO2 it produced, the chemical treatments it received, and its journey to the supermarket shelf."

Travel

Friday 27th January 2017

25

La Sagrada Família, Barcelona

If you have time for only one sightseeing outing, this should be it. La Sagrada Família inspires awe by its sheer verticality, and in the manner of the medieval cathedrals it emulates, it’s still under construction after more than 100 years. When completed, the highest tower will be more than half as high again as those that stand today.

Unfinished it may be, but it attracts around 2.8 million visitors a year and is the most visited monument in Spain. The most important recent tourist was Pope Benedict XVI, who consecrated the church in a huge ceremony in November 2010.

The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family) was Antoni Gaudí’s all-consuming obsession. Given the commission by a conservative society that wished to build a temple as atonement for the city’s sins of modernity, Gaudí saw its completion as his holy mission. As funds dried up, he contributed his own, and in the last years of his life he was never shy of pleading with anyone he thought a likely donor.

Gaudí devised a temple 95m long and 60m wide, able to seat 13,000 people, with a central tower 170m high above the transept (representing Christ) and another 17 of 100m or more. The 12 along the three facades represent the Apostles, while the remaining five represent the Virgin Mary and the four evangelists. With his characteristic dislike for straight lines (there were none in nature, he said), Gaudí gave his towers swelling outlines inspired by the weird peaks of the holy mountain Montserrat outside Barcelona, and encrusted them with a tangle of sculpture that seems an outgrowth of the stone.

At Gaudí’s death, only the crypt, the apse walls, one portal and one tower had been finished. Three more towers were added by 1930, completing the northeast (Nativity) facade. In 1936, anarchists burned and smashed the interior, including workshops, plans and models. Work began again in 1952, but controversy has always clouded progress. Opponents of the continuation of the project claim that the computer models based on what little of Gaudí’s plans survived the anarchists’ ire have led to the creation of a monster that has little to do with Gaudí’s plans and style. It is a debate that appears to have little hope of resolution. Like or hate what is being done, the fascination it awakens is undeniable.

Guesses on when construction might be complete range from the 2020s to the 2040s. Even before reaching that point, some of the oldest parts of the church, especially the apse, have required restoration work Inside, work on roofing over the church was completed in 2010. The roof is held up by a forest of extraordinary angled pillars. As the pillars soar towards the ceiling, they sprout a web of supporting branches, creating the effect of a forest canopy. The tree image is in no way fortuitous – Gaudí envisaged such an effect. Everything was thought through, including the shape and placement of windows to create the mottled effect one would see with sunlight pouring through the branches of a thick forest. The pillars are of four different types of stone. They vary in colour and load-bearing strength, from the soft Montjuïc stone pillars along the lateral aisles through to granite, dark grey basalt and finally burgundy-tinged Iranian porphyry for the key columns at the intersection of the nave and transept. Tribunes built high above the aisles can host two choirs; the main tribune up to 1300 people and the children’s tribune up to 300.

The Nativity Facade is the artistic pinnacle of the building, mostly created under Gaudí’s personal supervision. You can climb high up inside some of the four towers by a combination of lifts and narrow spiral staircases – a vertiginous experience.

Do not climb the stairs if you have cardiac or respiratory problems. The towers are destined to hold tubular bells capable of playing complex music at great volume. Their upper parts are decorated with mosaics spelling out ‘Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Hosanna in Excelsis, Amen, Alleluia’. Asked why he lavished so much care on the tops of the spires, which no one would see from close up, Gaudí answered: ‘The angels will

see them.’

Three sections of the portal represent, from left to right, Hope, Charity and Faith. Among the forest of sculpture on the Charity portal you can see, low down, the manger surrounded by an ox, an ass, the shepherds and kings, and angel musicians. Some 30 different species of plants from around Catalonia are reproduced here, and the faces of the many figures are taken from plaster casts done of local people and the occasional one made from corpses in the local morgue.

Directly above the blue stained-glass window is the Archangel Gabriel’s Annunciation to Mary. At the top is a green cypress tree, a refuge in a storm for the white doves of peace dotted over it. The mosaic work at the pinnacle of the towers is made from Murano glass, from Venice.

To the right of the facade is the curious Claustre del Roser, a Gothic-style mini-cloister tacked on to the outside of the church (rather than the classic square enclosure of the great Gothic church monasteries). Once inside, look back to the intricately decorated entrance. On the lower right-hand side you’ll notice the sculpture of a reptilian devil handing a terrorist a bomb. Barcelona was regularly rocked by political violence and bombings were frequent in the decades prior to the civil war. The sculpture is one of several on the ‘temptations of men and women’.

The southwest Passion Facade, on the theme of Christ’s last days and death, was built between 1954 and 1978 based on surviving drawings by Gaudí, with four towers and a large, sculpture-bedecked portal. The sculptor, Josep Subirachs, worked on its decoration from 1986 to 2006. He did not attempt to imitate Gaudí, rather producing angular, controversial images of his own. The main series of sculptures, on three levels, are in an S-shaped sequence, starting with the Last Supper at the bottom left and ending with Christ’s burial at the top right. Decorative work on the Passion Facade continues even today, as construction of the Glory Facade moves ahead.

To the right, in front of the Passion Facade, the Escoles de Gaudí is one of his simpler gems. Gaudí built this as a children’s school, creating an original, undulating roof of brick that continues to charm architects to this day. Inside is a re-creation of Gaudí’s modest office as it was when he died, and explanations of the geometric patterns and plans at the heart of his building techniques.

The Glory Facade is under construction and will, like the others, be crowned by four towers – the total of 12 representing the Twelve Apostles. Gaudí wanted it to be the most magnificent facade of the church. Inside will be the narthex, a kind

of foyer made up of 16 ‘lanterns’, a series of hyperboloid forms topped by cones. Further decoration will make the whole building a microcosmic symbol of the Christian church, with Christ represented by a massive 170m central tower above the transept, and the five remaining planned towers symbolising the Virgin Mary and the four evangelists.

Open the same times as the church, the Museu Gaudí, below ground level, includes interesting material on Gaudí's life and other works, as well as models and photos of La Sagrada Família. You can see a good example of his plumbline models that showed him the stresses and strains he could get away with in construction. A side hall towards the eastern end of the museum leads to a viewing point above the simple crypt in which the genius is buried. The crypt, where Masses are now held, can also be visited from the Carrer de Mallorca side of the church.

Although essentially a building site, the completed sections and museum may be explored at leisure. Guided tours (50 minutes, 24€) are offered. Alternatively, pick up an audio tour (22€), for which you need ID. Enter from Carrer de Sardenya and Carrer de la Marina. Once inside, 29€ (which includes the audio tour) will get you into lifts that rise up inside the towers in the Nativity and Passion facades. These two facades, each with four sky-scraping towers, are the sides of the church. The main Glory Facade, on which work is under way, closes off the southeast end on Carrer de Mallorca.

26

Friday 27th January 2017 Events Calendar

NEW AUDIO GUIDE FOR SANTA POLA LAUNCHED

Friday 27 to Sunday 29 January, 2017 Torrevieja Trofeo Ciudad de Torrevieja sailing competition.

Saturday 28 January, 2017 Torrevieja Carnival Queen Announcement.

Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 January. 2017 Orihuela Half Year of the Moors and Christians of Orihuela events in the Teatro Circo.

Sunday 29 January, 2017 Murcia Half-marathon street race through Murcia city.

Tuesday 31 January to Thursday 2 February, 2017 Alicante Ornamental plant exhibition, IFA Alicante.

This week, Santa Pola town hall unveiled their latest boost for tourism and awareness, an audio guide which explains many of the points of interest around the municipality.

The tourism department took to the FITUR tourism event to launch their AUDIOGUÍA SANTA POLA, at their stand alongside other local areas of the Valencia region.

The audio guide is an application for mobile phones that can be downloaded totally free from the Google Play Store for Android phones and tablets, or the app-store for Apple devices.

The guide then takes listeners through the history of Santa Pola, making an auditory tour through all its points of interest.

There are several reference points located around the area, detailing the most outstanding features, telling anecdotal facts of the castle, the port, the beaches, the Calvary, the central market, the Roman ruins, the natural park and watchtowers, among others.

The audio guide is initially presented in two languages, English and Spanish, with plans to incorporate other languages in the future.

Another advantage of the audio guide is that it works offline, and so, once downloaded, you don´t need an internet connection to listen to the contents. The app also provides automatic updates and every time the content is modified, the user will receive the update immediately after opening the application. It is also noteworthy that the texts corresponding to the audios can be read in parallel.

In short, this audio guide is one more tool that Tourism Santa Pola puts at the service of the tourists so that they know a little better this beautiful municipality of the Costa Blanca.

Friday 3 February, 2017 Torrevieja National Drag Queen contest.

Friday 3 to Sunday 5 February, 2017 Orihuela Medieval Market.

Friday 10 to Sunday 12 February, 2017 Alicante Caravan Show, IFA Alicante.

Sunday 19 February, 2017 Torrevieja Carnival Procession.

Saturday 25 February, 2017 Torrevieja Night Carnival Procession.

Saturday 4 to Monday 6 March, 2017 Alicante Health, Hair and Beauty Show, IFA Alicante.

18 March, 2017 Torrevieja Classical Concert.

International Auditorium.

Rossini, Mozart and Beethoven classical concert by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Torrevieja.

Benicarlo celebrates its 24th Artichoke Festival

A record 48 businesses are taking part in the 10th Conference on the “Pinxo de la Carxofa” (Artichoke Tapas), which runs until Sunday.

The 10th Conference on the “Pinxo de la Carxofa”, which began earlier this month and runs until January 29, kicked off the 24th Festival of the Artichoke in Benicarlo, a celebration that includes a wide variety of activities until March and underlines the importance of this herbaceous plant for the Castellon town. Benicarlo’s artichokes have enjoyed the status of Protected Designation of Origin since 2003.

This year, a record 48 businesses are participating in the Conference, where you can sample a wide variety of “pinxos” (tapas) for two euros in which artichokes are the main ingredient. From traditional recipes to more innovative ones, nothing is out of place when preparing one of the easiest products to work with and applying the most creative possibilities of Valencia gastronomy.

The Artichoke Festival invites you to let yourself be seduced by gastronomy. Among the activities, the artichoke barbecue and gala dinner, presided over by chef Ricard Camarena, awarded the Gold Artichoke in 2017, stand out. You can also enjoy culinary workshops, the 4th Benicarlo Artichoke Cooking Competition, and a local products fair and crafts market, among other events.

27

Friday 27th January 2017

TRELI ON THE TELLY WITH ALEX TRELINSKI

I'm looking across the Atlantic this week, and these days, there are not many American TV shows that produce a decent rating on mainstream UK TV, as opposed to a decade ago when the CSI franchise pulled in useful millions for Channel Five. Now, the standard-bearer for a good figure is Showtime's Homeland, which returned to Channel Four on Sunday night for season six, in the knowledge that there will be two more series after that, before it comes to an end. I love the show, especially for the complex character of Carrie Mathison played by Claire Danes, but even the most die-hard of Homeland fans would have found Sunday's opener a bit on the plodding side, as new plots and characters are set up for this current run. By the way, doesn't it seem like another era since Damien Lewis was in it?

After the break-neck adventure in Germany that was season five, the show has relocated to New York, but there are consequences of what we saw before, notably the CIA agent Peter Quinn (Rupert Friend) in a very bad place both physically and mentally, with Carrie

SMOULDERING HOMELAND fussing around him like a mother hen. There's a female president-elect (the Homeland team I suppose were expecting a Clinton win back in November) and a final scene that shows a plot against some of her foreign policy views. Add to that an FBI arrest and raid on a young Muslim blogger (a Muslim foundation that Carrie is now working for is acting as his legal representatives), and we have the seeds sown for what I hope will be an increase in tempo, which reviews suggest will happen in this Sunday's second episode. When Homeland is good, it hits great heights, but it can get a bit "up itself", which it did at times in the season six opener. I remain hopeful and faithful because there is nothing quite like it on the box, and from a gentle smoulder, it will catch fire again.

The final series of Bones started on Sky Living last week, and what a great run it has had, as it first appeared in the autumn of 2005. Let's hope for a nice happy ending over the next couple of months or so, for a show that has largely succeeded in mixing the elements of a crime procedural with humour and a

bunch of likeable characters led by the strong chemistry between David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel. Bones has been a reliable old friend over the years, and I will be sorry to see it end.

There is nothing nice in terms of pleasant people about Quarry airing on Sky Atlantic, but this drama from the production team behind the violent and crazily entertaining Banshee has a lot going for it (very much in the vein of the excellent Taboo on BBC One at the moment). Quarry is the story of Mac Conway, a soldier who returns home to Memphis from Vietnam in 1972 and finds himself shunned by those he loves and demonised by the public. As he struggles to cope with his experiences at war, Conway is drawn into a network of killing and corruption, and it is a gripping watch that besides the violence, has a lot to say about issues like racism and sexism. It even features Scottish actor Peter Mullan as the baddy that forces Conway to act as a hired killer, and he takes a great role in a show that deserves to have a few seasons to develop things further.

I'm delighted that the

Start your day the right way with Peter Hurst on TKO. The latest news, events, reports and more, plus great music, all come together to make your breakfast as informative as it can be.

Join Peter from 08:00 every day, only on TKO, your favourite local radio station.

enchanting This Is Us has been renewed for two extra seasons after the big success on NBC in the States. But in line with what I wrote earlier, and despite rave reviews by British critics, UK viewers have given it a miss, with Channel Four shunting it back an hour on two occasions, where it now rests at an after-

eleven slot as opposed to primetime nine. It does make you despair at times that viewers can be so conservative and unwilling to try something good but different. The same thing happened seven years ago when Four started showing The Good Wife, which they then switched after a season to More Four,

and I suspect the same thing will happen to This Is Us, unless Four stupidly decide to drop it.

I despair over Channel Five. Cheap reality documentary fodder and Celebrity Big Brother are filling up their schedules with no sign yet of the third season of Gotham. Dear, oh dear!

28

Friday Debbie opens up to Ross and asks him whether he loves Rebecca.

Ross is honest with Debbie by admitting that he still loves her, but will she be interested in reuniting with him?

Meanwhile, Zak is disappointed when Lisa rejects his advances. Sam gives him some home truths by branding him selfish and suggesting he should divorce Joanie.

Elsewhere, Chrissie continues to suspect that Rebecca is behind the theft at Home Farm.

Also today, Pierce continues to make Rhona feel guilty, while Pete reassures Leyla about their relationship.

Monday It's the day that Joanie is due home from prison and Lisa decides to collect her.

Joanie is surprised when Lisa explains that she's reunited with Zak, but soon Joanie has a shock of her own for Lisa.

Meanwhile, Debbie receives even more bad news and the Dingle family promise to help her.

Also today, Lawrence hopes to build bridges with Chrissie by handing over her mum's wedding ring.

Tuesday Moira gets angry with Ross when she finds out that he's been keeping a stolen car in one of her barns, but she calms down when she hears his reasons.

Later, Moira meets up with her client Patrick again.

She decides to get her revenge when she finds his car keys on the floor and drives off in the vehicle. Will she turn to Ross

SOAPS

Friday 27th January 2017 for help with getting rid of the car?

ship another chance. Who will she choose?

Meanwhile, Cain confides in Debbie about how Kyle is scared of him.

Toyah catches up with Leanne and Eva at the spa. Noticing Toyah's red eyes, Leanne wonders what's wrong.

Toyah breaks down and explains how much she wants a baby and how she went through years of fruitless IVF with Toby.

Friday Leanne tears a Elsewhere, Rebecca tries strip off Nick for his lack of to make peace with sensitivity towards Liz. As Nick and Leanne continue Chrissie. to row, they're interrupted Also today, Frank is by the arrival of Toyah. intrigued by Charity as Under pressure, Leanne they flirt, but he accepts admits to Toyah that the Megan's invitation to go baby she's carrying isn't back to her place.

Nick's but is actually Steve McDonald's, leaving Toyah Wednesday Moira agrees stunned. to another meeting with Patrick, as he wants to Later, Nick offers Liz an offer her another contract. awkward apology and Liz Moira warns Ross to sell assures him that she doesthe car quickly, but she n't want to cause any troupanics when Patrick tells ble for him and Leanne. As her about his stolen vehi- Nick heads off, he's percle and how there was an turbed to spot Leanne urn of ashes in the boot. chatting to Steve outside the cafĂŠ. Reaching a deciAfter signing the new con- sion, Nick heads to the tract, Moira faces a race Bistro and sets about his against time to track down drastic measures. When Ross and intercept the Toyah interrupts him, she's ashes. Will she manage it? horrified about what he is planning.

Toyah warns Nick that Leanne is not going to like his crazy idea. Under pressure, Toyah feels forced to tell Peter how Nick is planning to take Simon to live in Edinburgh. Fired up, Peter confronts Nick about Thursday Chrissie blames his plans. Leanne is also Rebecca after returning stunned, pointing out it's from court and hearing that the first she's heard of it.

Lachlan is being kept inside. Things get worse Monday Toyah is devaswhen Rebecca spots her tated when Peter tells her mum's ring around that he doesn't want any Chrissie's neck. more children.

Rebecca is angry to realise that she's been set up and she tries to grab the ring back, but the scuffle that follows leads to Chrissie falling over the bannister and onto a glass table below.

Robert tells Rebecca that she should lie about Chrissie's fall, but she refuses and calls an ambulance for her sister.

Later, Toyah's husband Toby calls to see her, telling her that the fertility clinic have been in touch regarding the future of their When asked what hap- frozen embryos. Toyah pened, will Rebecca con- finds herself on the horns fess that she was to of a dilemma when he asks blame? her to give their relation-

Monday The residents are still in shock after last week's dramatic events.

Can life get back to normal?

Elsewhere, quiz night at the Queen Vic takes an unexpected turn when Tina lets Sylvie perform a song, even though Mick has already said no.

Things then get worse for the Carters when the pub's roof starts leaking.

Thursday Business is down at the Queen Vic, so Mick is particularly irritated to hear that Babe has upset Ian by accusing him of being drunk after he fell asleep at the bar.

When Leanne suggests she could still start a family with her new man, Toyah is forced to admit that he doesn't want any more children.

Later, Mick receives even more bad news.

Meanwhile, when Kevin admits that he punched Tyrone, Anna resolves to go back to work and do her bit to get them out of their financial mess.

In a bid to solve all their financial problems, Kevin tells Anna they should sue David Platt and go after compensation for her injuries. How will Anna feel about his suggestion?

Wednesday Stunned to find out that Toyah has kept her IVF attempts a secret from him, Peter wonders what other lies she has told him and storms off to go on a taxi run.

Meanwhile, Jay suggests to Ben that they should get their own place together.

Ben thinks it's a good idea, but when Sharon coincidentally mentions just how much Phil likes having him around, he changes his mind and tells Jay he doesn't want to move out.

When his glamorous customer Chloe invites him into the hotel for a drink, Peter accepts. Has he gone back to his old ways?

Later, when Tim lets slip where Peter has been, Toyah sees red.

Elsewhere, the Carters prepare for another themed night.

Meanwhile, Nick secretly shows Toyah the engagement ring he's bought for Leanne.

Tuesday Sharon isn't happy when she finds out that Phil has contacted Tony's wife Antoinette again.

Elsewhere, an uneasy Anna asks Adam his advice about how to make a personal injury claim and is uncomfortable about his suggestions that she would have to photograph her injuries. Will she go ahead with the claim? At the same time, Kevin gets an unexpected offer of help.

What will happen when Antoinette later turns up at the Mitchell house?

Meanwhile, Michelle overhears Ben trying to reason with Jay over why he can't move out. Later, Phil confronts Ben about the possibility of him moving out.

A grief-stricken Serena returns to work looking for answers, but when she doesn't find what she's looking for, her focus soon turns to retribution.

Meanwhile, Dominic is left devastated when Isaac returns from his work conference and reveals he cheated on him. However, through the day, Dominic is reminded of his old life and fears about not being good enough for love resurface.

This leads Dom to make a questionable decision to protect their relationship.

Elsewhere, Ollie freaks out when he finds an engagement ring in a box apparently deemed as tat by Zosia. However, with time he reconsiders his options - just as Zosia reveals the box is not in fact tat, but her most treasured possessions. Are the couple ready for marriage?

Friday TV 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Rip Off Britain: Holidays 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under 12:45 Caught Red Handed 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Royal Recipes 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 News 20:00 The One Show

20:30 Live: Match of the Day Derby County v Leicester City. Coverage of the fourth-round match at Pride Park, as the Championship hosts take on the Premier League champions in an East Midlands derby. The Foxes have won nine of the last 10 meetings between the sides, although the most recent match took place back in January 2014.

Derby manager Steve McClaren is currently in his second spell with the Rams, having left the club in 2015 to take charge of Newcastle United in what proved to be an ill-fated move for the former England boss. (Kick-off 20:55) 23:00 News 23:35 The Graham Norton Show 00:25 Uncle 00:55 Film The Peacemaker (15) 02:50 Weather for the Week Ahead 02:55 News

07:00 Wanted Down Under 07:45 Royal Recipes 08:30 Cash in the Attic 09:00 Caught Red Handed 09:30 An Island Parish 10:00 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Live: World Indoor Championship Bowls 18:00 Australian Open Tennis 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great American Railroad Journeys

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 News 15:00 Jeremy Kyle’s Emergency Room 16:00 Dickinson’s Real Deal 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 News

20:00 Only Connect Round three continues as the Beekeepers and Cosmopolitans fight it out for a place in the quarterfinals

20:30 Coronation Street Nick resorts to drastic measures

20:30 Eurovision: You Decide Mel Giedroyc gives you the opportunity to vote for the song and act you want to represent the UK at the biggest song competition in the world! Six acts take to the stage in a bid to impress the viewers at home and a jury of music professionals 22:00 The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes Caroline and Piers visit a nine bedroom house that is hidden beneath the landscape and yet still has sea views. The green roof allows the underground spaces to be invisible while only the pool terrace and white washed walls are on view 23:00 QI 23:30 Newsnight 00:05 Further Back In Time for Dinner 01:05 Bowls 02:05 Thailand: Earth’s Tropical Paradise 03:05 Britain’s Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney 04:05 This Is BBC Two

29

Friday 27th January 2017

20:00 Emmerdale Debbie opens up to Ross

21:00 Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury Julia travels through the rolling plains of Cheshire on one of her favourite walks 21:30 Coronation Street Peter pushes Nick’s buttons 22:00 Tina and Bobby The duo try to escape their marriage troubles by investing in their future, but a disastrous business venture mires them in debt just as Bobby’s playing career starts to wane.

Bobby winds up managing a lowly non-league side, and Tina dismisses rumours he’s having an affair - until her worst fears are confirmed. When he confesses to loving the woman involved, her world collapses along with her marriage 23:00 News 23:40 Fishing Impossible 00:10 The Wine Show 01:10 Jackpot247 04:00 Freeze Out 04:50 ITV Nightscreen

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 10:30 Frasier 11:30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:30 Four in a Bed 13:00 News13:05 Four in a Bed 15:10 Countdown 16:00 A New Life in the Sun 17:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 News 21:00 Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast Comedian Michael McIntyre joins hosts Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty on the pier. Jamie teaches Michael how to cook a beautiful scallop dish and also prepares meat loaf.

Jimmy goes out to sea to catch wild crab and lobster with home-made lobster pots. Plus, the boys stage an appeal to get higher welfare chicken into highstreet shops 22:00 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Jimmy Carr hosts the comedy panel show's version of the words-and-numbers quiz, as Jon Richardson and David O'Doherty take on guest captain Johnny Vegas and Jamie Laing.

Holly Walsh joins Countdown's resident lexicographer Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner and Rachel Riley looks after the numbers and letters.

23:00 The Last Leg 00:05 First Dates Hotel 01:05 Virtually Famous 01:50 Film - Insidious (14) 03:35 No Offence 04:30 Hoarder SOS

07:00 Milkshake 10:15The Wright Stuff 12:15 Cowboy Builders and Bodge Jobs 13:10 News 13:15 Celebrity Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Film - My Mother’s Secret 18:00 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 News 20:00 Police Interceptors Members of the operational support unit of Lincolnshire's Roads Policing Unit smash through a bedroom window in a drugs raid, a speeding driver is clocked at over 140mph, and friendships are pushed to the limit when amphetamines are found in a car.

21:00 Toddlers Make You Laugh Out Loud Iain Lee narrates a collection of comic clips featuring kids that have taken the internet by storm. Sassy sixyear-old Johanna belts out her version of Aretha Franklyn’s “Respect’ 22:00 Celebrity Big Brother Emma Willis announces which of the nominated celebrities has proved least popular with the voting public, and presents highlights of the past 24 hours in the house 23:00 Lip Sync Battle UK 23:30 Celebrity Big Brother 00:05 Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit on the Side 01:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Celebrity Big Brother 05:00 Celebrity Big Brother 05:25 Police Interceptors: Unleashed

07:00 You’ve Been Framed! 07:20 Who’s Doing the Dishes? 08:15 Ellen DeGeneres 09:00 Emmerdale 10:00 You’ve Been Framed! 10:35 Psych 11:25 Scorpion 12:25 Who’s Doing the Dishes?

13:25 Emmerdale 14:30 You’ve Been Framed!

15:00 Ellen DeGeneres 15:50 Jeremy Kyle 18:00 Judge Rinder 19:00 You’ve Been Framed! Two and a Half Men 22:00 Film - Hall Pass (15) ITV3 07:00 In Loving Memory 07:25 Heartbeat 08:20 Where the Heart Is 09:25 The Royal 10:25 Judge Judy 11:45 A Touch of Frost 13:55 Heartbeat 15:00 The Royal 16:05 Where the Heart Is 17:15 In Loving Memory 17:50 Rising Damp 18:15 On the Buses 18:50 Heartbeat 19:55 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Doc Martin 22:00 A Touch of Frost ITV4 07:00 British Touring Car Crashes 07:10 Gunsmoke 08:05 The Saint 09:10 Quincy, ME 10:15 The Professionals 11:15 Ironside 12:20 Gunsmoke 13:25 Storage Wars Texas 13:55 Pawn Stars 14:50 Quincy, ME 15:50 Ironside 16:55 The Professionals 18:00 The Saint 19:00 Storage Wars Texas 20:00 Live: Masters Darts 00:00 Film - Halloween H2O: 20 Years Later (18)

966 843 498

30

Friday 27th January 2017

Francis Bacon: A Brush With Violence BBC One - Saturday

Sicily: The Wonder Of The Mediterranean

Francis Bacon was the loudest, rudest, drunkest and most sought-after British artist of the 20th century.

Twenty-five years after his death his canvases regularly exceed tens of millions at auction. Bacon’s appeal is rooted in his notoriety: a candid image he presented of himself as Roaring Boy, Lord of Misrule, and Conveyor of Artistic Violence.

This was true enough, but only part of the truth. He carefully cultivated the façade, protecting the complex and haunted man behind the myth. In this compelling film those who knew him speak freely, some for the first time, to reveal the many mysteries of Francis Bacon.

Contributors include John Richardson, Marianne Faithfull, Terence Stamp, Grey Gowrie, Maggi Hambling and Damien Hirst.

George III - The Genius Of The Mad King BBC Two - Monday After 200 years under lock and key in the royal inner sanctum, all the letters, diaries and family documents of one of our most important monarchs are finally about to emerge from the vaults.

Documentary film-makers, who were granted extensive access to the Royal Archives deep inside Windsor Castle for the first time, have produced a historic film for BBC Two which sheds a fascinating new light on George III, Britain’s longest ever reigning king.

In an unprecedented royal project, historians and archivists are preparing all of the King's and his family's personal papers - hundreds of thousands of them - for public consumption online.

George III may be chiefly remembered for his madness, but this astonishing, unseen collection reveals a pivotal monarch driven and occasionally driven to distraction - by his duty and his family; a political micro-manager and a restless patron of science and the arts; an obsessive traveller who never left southern England yet toured the world in his mind through emissaries like Captain Cook; a sovereign who was determined to be different.

Simon Callow and Sian Thomas are the voices of King George and Queen Charlotte.

James Martin's French Adventure ITV - All Week TV chef James Martin is set to star in a brand-new food travel series on ITV, journeying through France to the locations that inspired his culinary career and paying homage to his culinary hero Keith Floyd.

Exploring and sampling the very best in French cuisine, James’ journey starts in Provence and continues onto Périgord, Burgundy, Alsace, Pay Basque and Brittany, all the while stopping to produce his own versions of the iconic dishes he finds on location.

BBC One - Tuesday Historian Michael Scott journeys through Sicily, the Mediterranean’s largest island, to find out how 3,000 years of conquest and settlement have shaped the identity of the island we see today.

Historian Michael Scott begins his journey through Sicily on the slopes of Mt. Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. For the Ancient Greeks, the island was a land of gods and monsters a dangerous and unpredictable world.

Michael discovers how 3,000 years ago the Greeks began to settle on Sicily’s east coast, planting their olives and vines and building great city states that soon came to rival even Athens itself. He learns how great battles were fought between the Greeks and the Carthaginians for control of the island and how the Romans made it their first foreign colony, stripping Sicily of its forests to plant vast fields of grain.

When Rome fell, waves of Barbarian invasions followed, before Sicily was conquered by the Byzantines - the Eastern Roman Empire.

How have those early invaders helped shape the character of the island we see today? And what lessons have Sicilians learnt from their turbulent past?

Pictured: Michael Scott Michael with the remains of Greek and Carthaginian soldiers

Saturday TV 07:35 Film - Adventure in Baltimore (U) 09:05 Film Little Women (U) 11:00 Secret Britain 12:00 Homes Under the Hammer 13:00 Exploring China: A Culinary Adventure 14:00 Film Kismet (U) 15:50 Flog It Most World’s 16:25 Extraordinary Homes 17:25 17:55 Mastermind University Challenge 18:25 Only Connect 18:55 Film 20:00 Let it Shine Graham Finding Neverland (PG) Norton and Mel Giedroyc are on hand to present the 20:30 Britain’s Ancient of Secrets final round of auditions, as Capital: more would-be pop princes Orkney Andy Torbet dives submit their vocal skills for below the waves in search approval by judges Gary of the inspiration for the first Barlow, Dannii Minogue, stone circle, while Chris Martin Kemp and departing Packham and Neil Oliver panel member Amber Riley spend the night on an abandoned island as they 21:25 Casualty Cal’s trust hunt for clues as to why culin Alicia is tested by a horri- tures change fying discovery, and Charlie and Duffy’s wedding is in 21:30 Dad’s Army The plajeopardy after Charlie takes toon triumphs over the things a step too far combined problems of security, fifth columnists 22:15 Taboo The Crown and parachuting airmen makes a devious move against James Delaney, 22:00 Francis Bacon: A while the Company has its Brush with Violence own reasons for frustrating Documentary exploring just the plot. As London doors how much of Francis’s continue to close against notoriety as a rude, drunkhim, James sets out to pro- en loudmouth was a caretect his interests by any fully curated front he mainmeans necessary, and tained to protect the comenlists the depraved plex and haunted man chemist Cholmondely into behind his own myth his company 23:20 Film - The Sapphires 23:10 News 23:30 Match of (PG) 01:00 World Indoor the Day: FA Cup Highlights Bowls Highlights 02:00 00:55 The NFL Show 01:25 Film - Love is the Devil: Film - A Few Best Men (15) Study for a Portrait of 02:55 Weather for the Francis Bacon (18) 03:25 Week Ahead 03:00 News This is BBC Two

07:00 Breakfast 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30 The Best Dishes Ever 13:00 Football Focus 14:00 News 14:15 Tennis: Australian Open Women’s Final Highlights 15:30 Bowls: World Championships 17:30 Final Score 18:10 News 18:30 Who Dares Wins 19:10 Pointless

31

Friday 27th January 2017

07:00 CITV 10:25 News 10:30 Rebound 11:25 Guess This House 12:25 Judge Rinder 13:25 News 13:35 River Monsters 14:05 Big Star’s Little Star 15:05 Tipping Point 16:05 The Chase 17:05 Dance Dance Dance 18:35 News 19:00 You’ve Been Framed

07:20 King of Queens 08:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 10:25 The Big Bang Theory 11:50 The Simpsons 12:50 Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast 13:50 Come Dine with Me 16:25 A Place in the Sun 17:30 Location, Location, Location 18:35 Grand Designs 19:30 20:00 Ninja Warrior UK News Competitors from across the nation test their 20:00 Penelope Keith’s strength, speed and Hidden Villages Penelope courage in this obstacle- visits some of the most course challenge, hosted extreme villages in the

by Ben Shephard, Rochelle show, as she indulges her Humes and Chris Kamara love of ferries, mountains and lochs galore in seeking 21:00 The Voice UK It is out some of the remarkable the fourth round of blind communities of Argyll and auditions, and the spaces Bute are filling up quickly as coaches william, Jennifer Great Canal Hudson, Gavin Rossdale 21:00 Journeys Tim and Pru and Sir Tom Jones add more talent to their teams. explore a network totally As ever, the celebrity panel new to them as they must decide whether to embark on a voyage across lend their support to each the Netherlands. Travelling act with their backs turned from the windmills of the Kinderdijk to the vibrant city to the performer of Amsterdam, they explore 22:30 Through the a country that was partly Keyhole Keith Lemon has created by its canals a gander around three mysFilm The tery celebrity homes, forag- 22:00 ing for clues to help the Monuments Men (12) star-studded studio panel George Clooney’s factidentify who lives in a based and star-strewn house like this. On the WWII film sees a group of panel this time are presen- British and American art ters Caroline Flack, Dave experts forming a unit to Berry and Paddy prevent the Nazis from destroying a generation of McGuinness European culture 23:30 News 23:45 Film Cliffhanger (18) 01:45 00:20 Film - Haywire (15) Jackpot247 04:00 Who’s 02:05 The Last Leg 03:00 Doing the Dishes? 04:50 Hollyoaks Omnibus 05:00 ITV Nightscreen Hoarder SOS

07:00 Milkshake 11:30 The Hotel Inspector 12:25 Film - Gold (12) 14:50 Big Bash Cricket Final: Highlights 16:20 The Vet 19:15 Yorkshire Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords

07:15 King of Queens 08:05 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:30 Sunday Brunch 13:30 George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces 14:30 The Simpsons 15:25 Film Epic (U) 17:30 News

07:00 Milkshake 11:30 Football 12:30 Police Interceptors: Unleashed 13:00 Dads Make You Laugh Out Loud 14:00 Toddlers Make You Laugh Out Loud 15:00 Film - The First Wives Club (PG) Miss Film 17:00 Congeniality (PG)

20:05 NCIS: Los Angeles The team try to clear the name of a marine who was dishonorably discharged after being accused of murder 21:00 NCIS A young Navy Seaman is found dead, with his eyes gouged out, after being involved in a car accident. Director Vance makes a rare return to field duty, pairing up with Gibbs to investigate when it becomes clear the killing seems to be connected to the case of Kip Klugman, a former NCIS agent he once locked up for stealing evidence 21:55 News 22:00 Football George Riley and Lynsey Hipgrave introduce action from the latest fixtures, which included Aston Villa v Bristol City at Villa Park, Norwich City v Birmingham City at Carrow Road, and Reading v Cardiff City at Madejski Stadium 23:00 Celebrity Big Brother 00:05 Body Freaks: Old Face, New Face 01:00 Super Casino 04:10 Celebrity Big Brother

07:00 Emmerdale Omnibus 09:35 Coronation Street Omnibus 12:00 Ninja Warrior UK 13:00 Take Me Out 14:00 I Love You’ve Been Framed 15:05 Film - Step Up 2: The Streets (PG) 17:05 Film Looney Tunes: Back in Action (PG) 18:50 Film Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (PG) 21:00 Film - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (12) 00:10 Family Guy ITV3 07:00 Judge Judy 07:20 George and Mildred 07:45 Murder, She Wrote 10:40 Sherlock Holmes 12:55 A Touch of Frost 15:00 Agatha Christie’s Marple 17:00 Midsomer Murders 21:00 Doc Martin 22:00 Midsomer Murders 00:00 Lewis 02:05 Blue Murder ITV4 07:00 The Professionals 09:00 The Car Chasers 11:00 Racing: The Opening Show 12:00 Film - The Man From the Alamo (U) 13:45 Storage Wars 14:15 ITV Racing: Live from Cheltenham 17:30 Film Lawman (15) 19:30 Pawn Stars 20:00 Darts 00:00 Film - Resident Evil (15)

Sunday TV 07:15 Coast 08:15 A to Z of TV Gardening 09:00 An Island Parish 09:30 The Edible Garden 10:00 Countryfile 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 12:30 Nigel Slater’s Dish of the Day 13:00 European Figure Skating Championships 14:00 Tennis: Australian Open Men’s Final Highlights 15:30 Bowls: World Championships 18:15 19:30 Countryfile Yellowstone 19:15 Ski Countryfile is exploring the Sunday Peak District 20:00 City in the Sky 20:30 Still Open All Hours Science broadcaster Dallas Granville has bought a job Campbell and Dr Hannah lot of turnips that will need Fry explore just what it clever selling with the prom- takes to keep this city in the ise of their amazing medici- sky safe between take-off and landing nal qualities 07:00 Breakfast 08:35 Match of the Day: FA Cup Highlights 10:00 The Andrew Marr Show 11:00 The Big Questions 12:00 Sunday Politics 12:50 Match of the Day Live: Millwall v Watford 15:00 News 15:15 Bargain Hunt 16:00 Songs of Praise 16:35 Match of the Day Live: Manchester United v Wigan Athletic 19:05 News

21:00 Call the Midwife Sister Ursula continues to reign with an iron fist and the midwives at Nonnatus House struggle to toe the line

21:00 Dragons’ Den Evan Davis presents the business ideas contest

22:00 Special Forces Recruits are flown out to South Africa, and are put 22:00 Apple Tree Yard In through their paces by a the aftermath of what has former colonel in the counhappened, a devastated try’s Special Forces Yvonne shuts down.

Brigade.

23:00 News 23:30 Match of the Day: FA Cup Highlights 00:20 The Boy Who Tried to Kill Trump 01:05 Celebrity Apprentice USA 02:30 Weather 02:35 News

23:00 QI XL 23:45 Live at the Apollo 00:30 Film - The Cider House Rules (12) 02:30 Question Time 03:30 Holby City 04:30 This is BBC Two

07:00 CITV 10:25 News 10:30 Countrywise 11:00 Peston on Sunday 12:00 Gino’s Italian Escape: Hidden Italy 12:30 Chopping Block 13:30 News 13:35 Judge Rinder 14:35 Tipping Point 15:35 Ninja Warrior UK 16:35 The Voice UK 18:05 News 18:30 The Chase: Celebrity Special 19:30 Dance Dance Dance The remaining celebrity contestants and their dancing partners are challenged to replicate routines made famous in music videos by Bruno Mars, Beyonce and Justin Bieber in a bid to impress judges Ashley Banjo, Tina Landon and Timor Steffens.

17:55 Film - Avatar (12) A paraplegic marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home

21:00 Walking the Americas Explorer Levison Wood is in Panama and must cross the most dangerous stretch of jungle on Earth - the Darien Gap - to reach 21:00 Endeavour The Colombia extraordinary discovery of a 2,000-year-old body 22:00 Homeland Carrie reveals a new lead in a and Reda must fight for missing person case. their client, and Quinn batEndeavour and Thursday tles against his new life. must investigate the eerie Meanwhile, Saul and Dar village of Bramford, where suspect that Keane has a nature is pitted against man secret 23:00 News 23:15 Peston on Sunday 00:15 Rugby: Anglo-Welsh Cup Highlights 01:15 Jackpot247 04:00 Chopping Block 04:50 ITV Nightscreen

23:05 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown 00:00 Film - Sleepy Hollow (15) 02:00 How to Lose Weight Well 02:55 Heston’s Great British Food 03:50 The Autistic Gardener

19:10 Film - Leap Year Anna Brady plans to travel to Dublin, Ireland to propose marriage to her boyfriend Jeremy on Leap Day, because, according to Irish tradition, a man who receives a marriage proposal on a leap day must accept it (PG) 21:00 Cats Make You Laugh Out Loud 4 Clip show featuring the most hilarious and outrageous cat-themed videos on the internet 21:55 News Big Celebrity 22:00 Brother The remaining housemates embark on their final week 23:00 Film - Life as We Know It (PG) 01:15 Film Going the Distance (18) 03:00SuperCasino 04:10 Film - Saw: The Final Chapter

07:00 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 07:15 Emmerdale Omnibus 10:00 Coronation Street Omnibus 12:30 The Voice UK 14:00 2Awesome 14:05 Guidance 14:40 Side Effects 15:20 Third Wheel 15:40 LA Story 16:00 Film - Inspector Gadget (PG) 17:35 Film - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (14) 21:00 Skyfall (14) 23:45 Family Guy ITV3 07:25 The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes 09:35 Heartbeat 11:45 Murder, She Wrote 13:50 Wycliffe 14:55 Columbo 17:00 Miss Marple 19:00 Midsomer Murders 21:00 This Time Next Year 22:00 Tonight at the London Palladium 23:00 Birds of a Feather 23:30 Film - Changeling (14) ITV4 07:00 World Cup Rivalries 07:20 The Wine Show 08:30 The Professionals 09:30 Storage Wars 10:25 Pawn Stars 13:45 Live: Masters Darts 18:00 The Darts Show 18:55 Mr Bean 20:00 Live: Masters Darts

32 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Rip Off Britain: Holidays 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under 12:45 Caught Red Handed 13:15Bargain Hunt 14:00 News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 I Escaped to the Country 16:45 Royal Recipes 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Inside Out 21:00 EastEnders The residents reel from the events of last week and do their best to return to normal 21:30 Panorama Current affairs programme 22:00 Silent Witness Nikki travels to Mexico to attend the funeral of Luisa, a former intern at the Lyell Centre who was murdered in a carjacking in her native country. Nikki soon stumbles across the post mortem report and realises that the body is not Luisa’s.

There’s been some kind of mistake - or is this something more sinister?

Assisted by Dr Eva Vasquez and fired up with the idea that Luisa might still be alive, Nikki and Jack trace her last known movements. Concludes tomorrow 23:00 News 23:45 Class 01:20 The Graham Norton Show 02:05Weather for the Week Ahead 02:10 News

Friday 27th January 2017

07:30 Wanted Down Under 08:15 Royal Recipes 09:00 The Great Interior Design Challenge 10:00 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Countryfile 14:25 Beat the Brain 14:55 Landward 15:25 Westminster Abbey 16:25 Indian Ocean with Simon Reeve 17:25 A Place to Call Home 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great American Railroad Journeys

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 News 15:00 Jeremy Kyle’s Emergency Room 16:00 James Martin’s French Adventure 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 News

20:00 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Kate Bliss and James Braxton go head to head at an antiques fair in Peterborough, but who will be the winner?

20:30 Coronation Street Toyah is faced with a baby dilemma

21:00 University Challenge Quiz 21:30 An Island Parish Bishop Brooks carries out parish duties on neighbouring St Barths as he checks on major church renovations 22:00 George III: The Genius of the Mad King After 200 years under lock and key, all the personal papers of one of our most important monarchs are for the first time seeing the light of day 23:00 Insert Name Here 23:30 Newsnight 00:15 Hospital 01:15 The Cult Next Door 02:15 Countryfile 03:10 Call the Midwife: The Casebook 04:10 This Is BBC Two

20:00 Emmerdale Lisa takes matters into her own hands

21:00 The Martin Lewis Money Show Martin and Saira are on hand to bring viewers up to speed on everything to do with PPI 21:30 Coronation Street Toyah reaches breaking point 22:00 The Halcyon Emma is in charge of the hotel and she is put to the test hosting a society wedding for Lady Hamilton’s friends the Ashworths, and has to stand up to the owner when there is an air-raid. Celina Radimsky comes to the hotel to meet Freddie, who tries to offer consolation after her husband’s death 23:00 News 23:40 Through the Keyhole 00:45 The Chase 01:35 Jackpot247 04:00 Jeremy Kyle 04:55 ITV Nightscreen

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 11:30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:30 Four in a Bed 13:00 News 13:05 Four in a Bed 15:10 Countdown 16:00 A New Life in the Sun 17:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 News 21:00 Dispatches British shoppers have embraced the home delivery economy. Morland Sanders investigates the working conditions inside the warehouses that are servicing the online orders of UK customers 21:30 Food Unwrapped Kate Quilton travels to Rome to learn what exactly is gelato, and Jimmy visits Mauritius to find out what the difference is between white and dark rum 22:00 The Undateables 42-year-old Richard, who’s autistic, has been on several first dates but has never managed to get a second. He pushes himself out of his five-mile comfort zone to meet Lucy, who’s 45 23:00 First Dates Hotel 00:05 Tattoo Fixers 01:10 The World’s Weirdest Weather 02:05 60 Days in Jail 02:55 Spies

Monday TV 07:00 Milkshake 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:15 Cowboy Builders and Bodge Jobs 13:10 News 13:15 Celebrity Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Film - Hidden Truth: Lies Will Surface 18:00 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 News 20:00 World’s Biggest Beasts Learn about an insect that grew to three feet, a giant rhino twice the size of an elephant and the nearest thing to a real-life dragon 21:00 Traffic Cops The traffic cops pursue a drug runner down a motorway, and a drug deal results in a white-knuckle race through Bradford’s back streets 22:00 Celebrity Big Brother A chance to catch up with the latest action as the celebrity contestants continue to live out their lives in front of the cameras, knowing it will all be over in a few more days and they can return to the normality of photoshoots, pampering, autographs and 24-hour tweeting 23:00 My Mum’s Hotter Than Me! 00:05 Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit on the Side 01:05 Sex Pod 02:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Celebrity 100 Percent Hotter! 05:00 Criminals: Caught on Camera

07:25 Who’s Doing the Dishes?

08:15 Ellen DeGeneres 09:00 Emmerdale 09:30 Coronation Street 10:35 Psych 11:25 Scorpion 12:25 Who’s Doing the Dishes? 13:25 Emmerdale 13:55 Coronation Street 15:00 Ellen DeGeneres 15:50 Jeremy Kyle 18:00 Judge Rinder 19:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Family Guy 22:30 The Great Indoors 23:00 American Dad! ITV3 08:30 Where the Heart Is 09:30 The Royal 10:35 Judge Judy 11:55 A Touch of Frost 14:00 Heartbeat 15:05 The Royal 16:10 Where the Heart Is 17:20 In Loving Memory 17:50 Rising Damp 18:20 On the Buses 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Doc Martin 22:00 Long Lost Family 23:00 The Bletchley Circle ITV4 08:50 Quincy, ME 09:50 The Professionals 10:55 IronsidePG 11:55 Gunsmoke 13:00 Storage Wars Texas 14:00 Storage Wars 14:55 Quincy, ME 15:55 Ironside 17:00 The Professionals 18:00 The Saint 19:05 Storage Wars Texas 20:00 Anglo-Welsh Cup Rugby Union 21:00 The Chase 22:00 Film Game of Death (15)

Tuesday TV 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Rip Off Britain: Holidays 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under 12:45 Caught Red Handed 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 I Escaped to the Country 16:45 Royal Recipes 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders Tina takes matters into her own hands 21:00 Holby City A grief stricken Serena returns to work looking for answers.

Dominic is in turmoil when Isaac reveals a devastating betrayal, and a fun game designed to help declutter their lives leads Ollie and Zosia to question if they’re ready for the next stage in their relationship

07:00 Flog It!: Trade Secrets 07:30 Wanted Down Under 08:15 Royal Recipes 09:00 Great British Menu 10:00 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Cash in the Attic 14:25 Beat the Brain 14:55 Landward 15:25 Westminster Abbey 16:25 Indian Ocean with Simon Reeve 17:25 A Place to Call Home 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great American Railroad Journeys 20:00 Our Dancing Town Steve wants to bring the three towns he has visited together in one last breathtaking dance finale

21:00 Further Back In Time for Dinner It’s a decade of feast and famine as the family enter the turbulent 1910s. At the start of the decade the family’s ser22:00 Silent Witness A vant Debbie is still doing all frantic Jack carries out the cooking and cleaning. forensic examinations on But change is on the horithe spot where Nikki disap- zon and WW1 turns all their peared. With Thomas at lives upside down the airport ready to come out and help, but still 24 22:00 Sicily: Wonder of Mediterranean hours away and no leads the left to follow, Jack receives Historian Michael Scott a text message containing begins his journey through a mysterious phone num- Sicily on the slopes of Mt ber. Jack calls it, expecting Etna, Europe’s largest to hear from Nikki's cap- active volcano tors, but he is shocked at who answers the phone.

23:00 Revolting 23:30 Newsnight 00:15 Special 23:00 News 23:45 Match Forces: Ultimate Hell Week of the Day 01:05 Who Do 01:15 Antiques Roadshow You Think You Are? 02:05 02:15 The Big Life Fix with Simon Reeve Weather 02:10 News

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 News 15:00 Jeremy Kyle’s Emergency Room 16:00 James Martin’s French Adventure 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 News 20:00 Emmerdale Moira seizes an opportunity 20:30 Save Money: Good Health As colds, coughs and the dreaded flu swamp Britain, Sian Williams and Dr Ranj have a special focus this week on helping us tackle our winter maladies without spending a fortune.

21:00 Tales from the Coast with Robson Green Robson Green visits the shores of North Devon, the location of some of his most precious childhood holidays, stopping off at Ilfracombe, Clovelly and the tiny island of Lundy 22:00 Sugar Free Farm In a few days the celebs will be back in the real world facing all their old temptations. Ann Widdecombe has a steamy encounter with strawberries 23:00 News 23:40 Wilderness Walks With Ray Mears 00:10 The Investigator: A British Crime Story 01:05 Jackpot247 04:00 Loose Women

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 11:30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:30 Four in a Bed 13:00 News 13:05 Four in a Bed 15:10 Countdown 16:00 A New Life in the Sun 17:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 News 21:00 How to Lose Weight Well Diet crashers Emma and Kaye have 10 days to slim down for a day at the races, and Emma tries out the baby food diet, consuming up to 14 jars of it a day. Eve and Kate go on six-week dieting plans before their holidays, with Eve trying out a bland diet designed to minimise gut irritation with low-fibre and low-fat foods, while Kate is given the champagne diet and can indulge in one glass of bubbly per day, accompanied by strictly calorie-controlled meals.

07:00 Milkshake 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:15 Cowboy Builders and Bodge Jobs 13:10 News 13:15 Celebrity Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS: Los Angeles 16:15 Film - Fatal Memories 18:00 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 News 20:00 Traffic Cops The traffic cops pursue a drug runner down a motorway, and a drug deal results in a white-knuckle race through Bradford’s back streets

07:25 Who’s Doing the Dishes?

08:15 Ellen DeGeneres 09:00 Emmerdale 09:30 Coronation Street 10:35 Psych 11:25 Scorpion 12:25 Who’s Doing the Dishes? 13:25 Emmerdale 13:55 Coronation Street 15:00 Ellen DeGeneres 15:50 Jeremy Kyle 18:00 Judge Rinder 19:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA 23:00 Celebrity Juice 23:50 Family Guy ITV3

21:00 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door Highlights recalling the most shocking cases from the show’s history, including a man who set up a car scrap yard on his driveway.

Cameras also follow Emma, a student who complained about a loud TV, and was beset by six months of intimidation and harassment

07:25 Heartbeat 08:30 Where the Heart Is 09:30 The Royal 10:35 Judge Judy 11:55 A Touch of Frost 14:00 Heartbeat 15:00 The Royal 16:05 Where the Heart Is 17:15 In Loving Memory 17:50 Rising Damp 18:20 On the Buses 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Midsomer Murders 23:00 A Touch of Frost

22:00 Celebrity Big Brother Emma Willis announces which of the nominated celebrities has proved least popular with the voting public, and presents highlights of the past 24 hours in the house

ITV4

22:00 24 Hours in A&E Neil, who’s 84, has fallen down the stairs at home.

His wife Jenny reflects on the shock of realising that their life may never be the same again.

23:00 The Modern British Slave Trade 00:00 This Is Us 01:00 The Undateables 02:00 KOTV Boxing Weekly 02:25 Gillette World Sport

23:00 Celebrity Botched Up Bodies 00:05 CBB’s Bit on the Side 01:05 Celebrity Big Brother 02:00 SuperCasino 04:10 GPs: Behind Closed Doors

07:55 The Saint 08:50 Quincy, ME 09:50 The Professionals 10:50 Ironside 11:55 Gunsmoke 13:00 Storage Wars Texas 13:55 Storage Wars 14:55 Quincy, ME 15:55 Ironside 16:55 The Professionals 18:00 The Saint 19:05 Storage Wars Texas 20:00 Pawn Stars 20:55 Mr Bean 22:00 Benidorm 23:00 Film - A Dangerous Man (15)

Friday 27th January 2017

33

34

Friday 27th January 2017

Wednesday TV 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Rip Off Britain: Holidays 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under 12:45 Caught Red Handed 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 News at One14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 I Escaped to the Country 16:45 Royal Recipes 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 News 20:00 The One Show 21:00 Who Do You Think You Are? Greg Davies retains a sense of connection to his Welsh roots and, two years after his dad’s death, wants to know more about them. Greg gets more than he bargained for when he identifies a wayward great grandfather, but is rewarded when the trail leads further back to the deepest, Welsh-est roots anyone could wish for 22:00 DIY SOS: The Big Build Nick Knowles, Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen and hundreds of Worcestershire volunteer builders rescue 17-year-old Antonia Payne-Cheney, who has been in hospital for the last three years. As a result of her complex condition, Antonia will remain in hospital until the necessary home adaptations have been made 23:00 News 23:45 Brainwashing Stacey 00:35 Film 2017 01:05 Italy’s Invisible Cities 02:05 Weather for the Week Ahead 02:10 News

07:00 Flog It!: Trade Secrets 07:30 Wanted Down Under 08:15 Royal Recipes 09:00 See Hear 09:30 Great British Railway Journeys 10:00 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 News 12:30 Daily Politics 14:00 Cash in the Attic 14:25 Beat the Brain 14:55 Landward 15:25 Westminster Abbey 16:25 Indian Ocean with Simon Reeve 17:25 A Place to Call Home 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great American Railroad Journeys

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 Local, National, International News and Weather 15:00 Jeremy Kyle’s Emergency Room 16:00 James Martin’s French Adventure 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Local, National, International News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale Moira is caught red-handed.

20:00 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Antique experts Christina Trevanion and Mark Stacey are off to Belgium for a contest of the collectables Has the magpie uncovered an extinct bird in the shape of a Victorian cane topper? A research trip to Birdworld ensues!

20:30 Coronation Street Can Toyah give up her dreams for Peter?

21:00 Trust Me I’m a Doctor Medical journalist Michael Mosley and the team of doctors return to investigate the best way to keep calories in check dieting or exercise 22:00 Hospital A woman recovers in the hospital after going into premature labour with quadruplets having fallen ill on a flight 23:00 Common Sense 23:30 Newsnight 00:15 Dragons’ Den 01:15 Our Dancing Town 02:15 See Hear 02:45 Yellowstone: Wildest Winter to Blazing Summer 03:45 Italy’s Invisible Cities 04:45 This Is BBC Two

35

Friday 27th January 2017

21:00 Midsomer Murders When wealthy landowner Gregory Lancaster’s body goes missing on the night of his death, a sinister web of secrets and lies is exposed in the village of Little Malton. As DCI Barnaby, DS Nelson and new forensic pathologist Kam Karimore investigate the mysterious crime, they find themselves drawn into a macabre world of bodysnatching during their quest to identify the perpetrator. Detective drama, starring Neil Dudgeon, Gwilym Lee, Manjinder Virk, Helen Baxendale and Navin Chowdhry.

23:00 Local, National, International News and Weather 23:40 Joanna Lumley’s Japan 00:40 It’s Not Rocket Science 01:30 Jackpot247 04:00 1000 Heartbeats 04:50 ITV Nightscreen

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 11:30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:30 Four in a Bed 13:00 News 13:05 Four in a Bed 15:10 Countdown 16:00 A New Life in the Sun 17:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 News 21:00 Location, Location, Location Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer visit Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. First-time buyer Tim’s heart is set on Oxford city, where stock is low and the average property price is 14 times the average salary.

22:00 No Offence The race to nail the Attah gang sows seeds of mistrust and secrecy between officers Deering, Dinah and Joy, and later, controversy surrounds Deering when she recklessly forces mouthy Donna Calvert to infiltrate the Attah gang. Elsewhere, Dinah has to investigate when a seemingly peaceful staff protest at an abortion clinic takes an unexpected turn for the worse, and quickly starts to spiral out of control.

23:00 Women Who Kill 00:05 24 Hours in A&E 01:05 Music on 4 01:35 Walking the Americas 02:30 Film - The Social Network (PG) 04:30 The Modern British Slave Trade

07:00 Milkshake 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:15 Cowboy Builders and Bodge Jobs 13:10 News 13:15 Celebrity Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Film Nightmare from the Past (14) 18:00 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 News 20:00 A New Life in Oz The Kerridge family give up Ely, Cambridgeshire for the bountiful beaches of Perth, but under-employment threatens to quash mum Jo’s dreams of a big house.

21:00 GPs: Behind Closed Doors Dr Jim O'Donnell offers dietary advice to the mother of a child with an ear, nose and throat infection, and Dr Manj Tawana treats an unwell patient whose blood test results show he may have leukaemia, which runs in his family.

22:00 Celebrity Big Brother Highlights of the housemates’ past 24 hours under the all-seeing eye of Big Brother as the celebrities cope with living under constant surveillance, with all the arguments and alliances, as well as the revelations in the diary room.

23:00 Celebrities: In Therapy 00:05 Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit on the Side 01:05 My Mum’s Hotter Than Me! 02:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun

07:25 Who’s Doing the Dishes?

08:15 Ellen DeGeneres 09:00 Emmerdale 09:30 The Chase 10:35 Psych 11:25 Scorpion 12:25 Who’s Doing the Dishes? 13:25 Emmerdale 13:55 You’ve Been Framed! 15:00 Ellen DeGeneres 15:50 Jeremy Kyle 18:00 Judge Rinder 19:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Through the Keyhole 23:00 Plebs ITV 3 07:25 Heartbeat 08:25 Where the Heart Is 09:30 The Royal 10:35 Judge Judy 12:00 A Touch of Frost 14:00 Heartbeat 15:05 The Royal 16:10 Where the Heart Is 17:20 In Loving Memory 17:55 Rising Damp 18:20 On the Buses 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs 22:00 When Phillip Met Prince Philip: 60 Years of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 23:00 A Touch of Frost ITV 4 07:55 The Saint 08:50 Quincy, M.E. 09:50 The Professionals 10:55 Ironside 11:55 Gunsmoke 13:00 Storage Wars Texas 13:30 Storage Wars Texas 14:00 Pawn Stars 14:55 Quincy, M.E. 15:55 Ironside 17:00 The Professionals 18:00 The Saint 19:05 Storage Wars Texas 20:00 Pawn Stars 21:00 River Monsters 22:00 Caught on Camera

36 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Rip Off Britain: Holidays 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under 12:45 Caught Red Handed 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 I Escaped to the Country 16:45 Royal Recipes 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders Things go from bad to worse for one Walford family.

21:00 Spy in the Wild The Spy Creatures discover that mischief is rife in nature, but perhaps there are still rules that govern their lives. Spy Macaque visits a monkey swimming pool where teenage tearaways attempt the high dive causing chaos for parents teaching babies to swim.

22:00 Death in Paradise A man is found murdered on his boat five miles out at sea, with no possible way a killer could have escaped. At first Humphrey turns his attention to the small group he was with the night before he died but as the investigation deepens, the investigation takes an unexpected turn that requires the team to leave the comfort of their Caribbean island - and go searching for their suspects in London.

23:00 News 23:45 Question Time 00:45 This Week 01:30 Weather 01:35 News

Friday 27th January 2017

07:00 Flog It!: Trade Secrets 07:30 Wanted Down Under 08:15 Royal Recipes 09:00 An Island Parish 09:30 Great British Railway Journeys 10:00 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Cash in the Attic 14:25 Beat the Brain 14:55 Landward 15:25 Italy Unpacked 16:25 Indian Ocean with Simon Reeve 17:25 A Place to Call Home 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great American Railroad Journeys 20:00 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Christina Trevanion and Mark Stacey face off at an auction house in Sevenoaks.

Christina doesn’t heed her own advice and plays a risky game of catch-up when things don’t go her way, and Mark falls in love with a romantic painting.

21:00 The Great Pottery Throw Down Ten home potters return to Stoke-onTrent in their quest to become Britain’s new pottery champion.

22:00 Natural World David Attenborough narrates this astonishing story of a wild cheetah family, revealing in intimate detail what it takes to turn tiny cubs into accomplished predators.

23:00 Mock the Week 23:30 Newsnight 00:15 Further Back In Time for Dinner 01:15 Panorama 01:45 Spy in the Wild 02:45 Operation People Power with Dave Myers

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 Jeremy Kyle 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 News 15:00 Jeremy Kyle’s Emergency Room 16:00 James Martin’s French Adventure 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 News 20:00 Chrissie’s dashed.

Emmerdale hopes are

20:30 Tonight As cold weather drives energy bills ever higher, Tonight investigates smart meters, the 11-billion-pound scheme that is supposed to save people money.

21:00 Emmerdale Will Rebecca take Robert’s advice?

21:30 The Cruise: Sailing the Mediterranean The chef faces a staffing crisis, the magicians try to master a dangerous new illusion, and Lauren must earn her stripes by proving she can drive a tender boat.

22:00 Unforgotten Cassie turns her attention to Brentford house and the theory that one or more of the suspects may have been abused at the gatherings there. Marion is questioned again after Sinead’s allegation that David could have been an IRA target.

News 23:40 23:00 Unbelievable Moments: Caught on Camera 00:40 Point 01:35 Tipping Jackpot247 04:00 Tonight 04:25 ITV Nightscreen

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 11:30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:30 Four in a Bed 13:00 News 13:05 Four in a Bed 15:10 Countdown 16:00 A New Life in the Sun 17:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 News 21:00 The Secret Life of...

As a new intake of fascinating five-year-olds arrive for work and play, the programme explores the difference between boys and girls, seeing how they interact with each other, and how their sense of gender roles is ingrained at such a young age.

22:00 Escape to the Wild Jimmy Doherty sets out on a mission to find out if a simpler existence really can make people happier, meeting families who have quit the rat race to live simpler lives. He begins by heading to Indonesia, to meet Sophie, Simon and their 18-month-old son Max, who now live on a tropical island in the Pacific Ocean. With lush rainforest and coral reef, their island hideaway appears to be the stuff of dreams. But Jimmy soon discovers the paradise comes with some hidden perils 23:00 Parenting for Idiots 00:00 60 Days in Jail 01:00 Women Who Kill 01:55 Ramsay’s Hotel Hell 02:45 Film - Sone Ki Chidiya

Thursday TV 07:00 Milkshake 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:15 Cowboy Builders and Bodge Jobs 13:10 News 13:15 Celebrity Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Film - Garage Sale Mystery: The Art of Murder 18:00 News 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 News 20:00 Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords A Yorkshire landlord has to call in eviction specialists to remove tenants from the house he inherited from his grandparents. Music entrepreneur Donovan hasn’t received any rent for seven months from one of his tenants and his costs spiral before the courts find in his favour. When he finally does get his property back he makes an unsettling discovery.

21:00 Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun Ambitious Leeds lad Mark is making it big on the cabaret scene with his drag act Ruby Rox, having won a six-night residency in one of the resort’s biggest showbars.

22:00 Celebrity Big Brother The last chance to catch up with the famous contestants’ antics before tomorrow night’s final, , when the viewers' favourite housemate will be revealed.

23:00 Get Your Tatts Out: Kavos Ink 00:05 Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit on the Side 01:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Toddlers Make You Laugh Out Loud

08:15 Ellen DeGeneres 09:00 Emmerdale 09:30 Coronation Street 10:00 You’ve Been Framed!

10:35 Psych 11:25 Scorpion 12:25 Who’s Doing the Dishes? 13:25 Emmerdale 13:55 Coronation Street 14:30 You’ve Been Framed!

15:00 Ellen DeGeneres 15:50 Jeremy Kyle 18:00 Judge Rinder 19:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half 22:00 Film - Hall Pass (15) ITV 3 08:25 Where the Heart Is 09:30 The Royal 10:35 Judge 11:55 A Touch of Frost 14:00 Heartbeat 15:00 The Royal 16:05 Where the Heart Is 17:15 In Loving Memory 17:50 Rising Damp 18:20 On the Buses 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Heartbeat 22:00 Britain’s Busiest Airport: Heathrow 23:00 Lewis ITV 4 07:55 The Saint 08:50 Quincy, M.E. 09:50 The Professionals 10:55 Ironside 11:55 Gunsmoke 13:00 Storage Wars Texas 14:00 Pawn Stars 14:55 Quincy, M.E. 15:55 Ironside 17:00 The Professionals 18:00 The Saint 19:05 Storage Wars Texas 20:00 Pawn Stars 21:00 River Monsters 22:05 Film - Driven to Kill (18)

Friday 27th January 2017

37

38

Friday 27th January 2017

CODE CRACKER

Code Cracker is a crossword puzzle with no clues; instead, every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number. In this week's puzzle, 9 represents X and 18 represents M, when these letters have been entered throughout the puzzle, you should have enough information to start guessing words and discovering other letters.

WORD SEARCH

ALGAE BARRACUDA BASS BIVALVE CLAM COD CONCH CORAL CRAB DIATOMS DOLPHIN EEL KELP KRILL MACKEREL MANATEE

Scribble Pad

OCEAN OCTOPUS ORCA OTTER RAY REEF SEA CUCUMBER SEAL SHAD SHARK SHRIMP SNAIL SQUID TUNA URCHIN

FILL IT IN

DOUBLE CROSS-WORD Solve the Double Cross-Word puzzle using either the standard or cryptic clues, the answers are exactly the same.

CRYTPIC CLUES Across 1 Water down leggings (4) 3 Chats up pressure group that contains cover up (8) 9 Wander, heading Middle East followed by a strange-looking nerd (7) 10 Function in the midseventies (5) 11 She’s caught in the beam (5) 12 Wandering light following a saint (6) 14 A second drink for a pursuer (6) 16 Consent to give up first small account (6) 19 Endlessly discuss event (6) 21 Sailor consumed tail off (5) 24 Al meets Jack at the table (5) 25 Name one mysterious garden flower (7) 26 Hidden from view, like film stars (8) 27 Take it easy like all the others (4)

Down 1 Nostalgic Kim chose confusion (8) 2 Went for a dip in front of Indian teacher (5) 4 Raise a right row. This results (6) 5 Tuck into a mixed plate (5) 6 Lift characters at levee (7) 7 Location that sounds worth looking at (4) 8 Stick a commercial at this place (6) 13 Forcible opening around English border (8) 15 He’s high up in the world (7) 17 Stops cases around end of June (6) 18 Point to the condition of your property (6) 20 Denounce phoney cures (5) 22 A fuss about love (5) 23 Sang about old horses (4)

STANDARD CLUES

Down 1 Nostalgic (8) 2 Hindu religious teacher (5) Chaos (6) 5 Crease (5) 6 Raise (7) 7 Place (4) 8 Hold fast (6) 13 Fervent (8) 15 Flyer (7) 17 Comes to an end (6) 18 Land (6) 20 Nuisance (5) 22 Worship (5) 23 Scolds (4)

Across 1 Tights (4) 3 Hold back (8) 9 Roam (7) 10 Happening (5) 11 Glow (5) 12 Off course (6) 14 Follower (6) 16 Agree (6) 19 Athletics competition (6) 21 Decrease (5) 24 Communion table (5) 25 Windflower (7) 26 Shielded (8) 27 Relax (4)

Last weeks Solution Across: 7 Crease, 8 Agreed, 9 Take, 10 Credible, 11 Besides, 13 Waste, 15 Merit, 17 Dentist, 20 Baritone, 21 Drab, 22 Settee, 23 Shaped.

Down: 1 Urbane, 2 Kale, 3 Reached, 4 Jaded, 5 Irritant, 6 Zealot, 12 Initiate, 14 Release, 16 Enamel, 18 Skates, 19 Robes, 21 Dear.

Fit the words into the boxes.

3 letter words

Rep

Arras

Tatty

Act

Roe

Atlas

Toast

Are

Rut

Blink

6 letter words

Arm

Shy

Coach

Action

Bra

Tie

Llama

Balsam

Cue

4 letter words

Metre

Enlist Locate

Era

Fete

Naive

Eve

Pert

Otter

Lotion

Fab

Seen

Petal

Racket

LAN

Tons

Range

7 letter words

Net

5 letter words

Rouge

Lattice

Our

Agree

Sleep

Telling

Ran

Angst

Songs

SPANISH-ENGLISH CROSSWORD

Improve your Spanish - clues in Spanish, answers in English or vice versa.

Across 1 Walls (interior) (7) 5 Milk (5) 8 Open (7) 9 Jarabe (liquido) (5) 10 Ebony (5) 11 Leona (7) 12 Spiders (6) 14 Siempre (indicando frecuencia) (6) 17 Advertisement (7) 19 Dolores (físico) (5) 22 Tías (5) 23 Quarry (mine) (7) 24 Anxiety (5) 25 Serio (7)

Down 1 Paz (5) 2 Queen (5) 3 Defeat (sport, military) (7) 4 Taburetes (6) 5 Ready (physically) (5) 6 Plum (fruit) (7) 7 Handcuffs (7) 12 Air hostess (7) 13 Pupils (school) (7) 15 Principiante (7) 16 Flies (insects) (6) 18 Basket (5) 20 Ice (frozen water) (5) 21 Focas (5)

39

Across 1/24 The Super Bowl is the championship game of which sport? (8,8) 7 Which ballroom dance originated in Buenos Aires in the early 1900s? (5) 8 From the Irish for ‘Saxon’, what word is a derogatory term for an English person? (9) 9 In botany, which slender bristle-like appendage is found on the bracts of grasses? (3) 10/13 In the Christian tradition which is the first day of Holy Week? (4,6) 11/6 Which device, named after the German scientist who invented it, is used for measuring radioactivity by detecting and counting ionising particles? (6,7) 13 See 10 14 What name is given to a hot spring in which water intermittently boils, sending a tall column of water and steam into the air? (6) 17 Which swelling of the neck results from an enlargement of the thyroid gland? (6) 18 Vientiane is the capital of which landlocked Asian country? (4) 20 Which Scottish seaport is the centre of the area associated with Robert Burns? (3) 22 What name was given to the annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938? (9) 23 John who played the camp Mr Humphries in the televi-

Quiz Word

sion series Are You Being Served? (5) 24 See 1

Down 1 Which Greek author wrote fables about the tortoise and the hare and the ant and the grasshopper? (5) 2 Which is the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet? (7) 3 In the ancient Roman calendar, what name was given to the days falling roughly in the middle of each month (15th or 13th)? (4) 4 Which deciduous flowering shrub of the rhododendron family has clusters of brightly coloured, sometimes fragrant, flowers? (6) 5 Which alloy of iron and nickel is used in tuning forks? (5) 6 See 11 Across 7 In India was name was given to the robbery and murder practised by the Thugs in accordance with their ritual? (7) 12 What is the name of the feral, sullen, deformed creature in Shakespeare’s The Tempest? (7) 13 Mogadishu is the capital of which African country? (7) 15 What is the medical term for the shoulder blade? (7) 16 What name is given to a painting done rapidly in watercolour on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colours penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries? (6) 17 Jacob and Wilhelm were the first names of which German folklorists? (5) 19 Which Mexican agave plant with large fleshy leaves is cultivated for fibre production? (5) 21 In athletics, which spherical weight is thrown, or put, from the shoulder for distance? (4)

Spot the Difference

SUDOKU

general knowledge 1. Which composer wrote The Water Music?

2. What colour does acid turn Litmus paper?

3. What's the largest Scandinavian country?

4. What was Mickey Mouse's original name?

5. Which metal do you get from bauxite?

6. Which animal produces the biggest baby?

7. In Pop music, which two herbs go with 'Parsley & Sage'?

8. What was the name of the Benedictine monk who legend has it invented Champagne?

9. In which Country is Auschwitz (Birkenau)?

10. Who was Leonardo di Caprio's co-star in Titanic?

1. Handel 2. Red 3. Sweden 4. Mortimer Mouse 5.

Aluminium 6. Blue Whale 7. Rosemary and Thyme Scarborough fair 8. Dom Perignon 9. Poland 10. Kate Winslett

ANSWERS

Last Week’s Solutions Code Cracker Last weeks Quiz Wordsolution Across:1 Anathema, 7 Aorta, 8 Ultimatum, 10/11 Enid Blyton, 13 Reeves, 14 Cudgel, 17 Shivah, 18/9 Cold war, 20 Ion, 22 Embroider, 23/6 Lewis Carroll, 24 Cod-piece.

Down: 1 Acute, 2 Astaire, 3 Hemp, 4 Mettle, 5 Brawn, 7 Amateur, 12 Delibes, 13 Ravioli, 15 Geordie, 16 Bamboo, 17 Snowy, 19 Dirge, 21 Soup.

Soduko

Span - Eng

Quizword

Fill It In

Business Board

Put your advert here.

Call 966 921 003

Advertise your business here - Call 966 921 003

DS

CLASSIFIE

SITUATIONS VACANT Solar Power - Sunlife Solar Solutions have vacancies for both a Solar Installation Engineer and a Solar Thermal Engineer (or plumber with pool heating experience). Call 965 271 717 or send your CV to info@sunlifesolarsolutions.c om Insurance Sales - The EasyCover Group have a full time vacancy available in their Torrevieja / La Zenia offices. You must have previous sales experience and have lived locally for at least 5 years. A full time contract is offered to the right candidate. Send your CV and enquiries by email to martin@easyoption.com Kleeneze has now arrived in Spain and we are seeking Independent Distributors in all areas. Contact Claire on 661 856 014 or claire.twigg@hotmail.com TELITEC are looking for a qualified internet TV installation expert, 40hr week and full contract, vehicle provided, experience essential. Telephone 965 743 473.

Radio Sales - RADIO COSTA MEDIA needs selfemployed salesperson for Torrevieja & surrounding areas. Call 685 901 265 or please email info@radiocosta.eu Got a vacancy? Advertise it here, on TKO Radio, Facebook and the internet for just 20€, call 966 921 003.

CHURCH SERVICES Torrevieja Christian Fellowship at Avenida de las Cortes Valencianas 68, Torrevieja 03183, all welcome to their friendly and lively 10.30 am. Service each Sunday morning.

Tele: 966700391 or visit our website on www.tcfspain.org.

International Christian Assembly, Calle Pilar de Horadada 5, Torrevieja.

Evangelical non-denominational church. Sunday services 11am.

Children's church 11am.. For more information lease Telephone today: 966 799 273 or 660 127 276.

QUIZ MASTER Experienced quiz-master /question setter with personality. If you would like a quiz master that is entertaining, and is available to host quiz nights in local bars. Tel: 664 838 581.

ADVERTISE HERE Got something to say or something to sell, advertise here for a fiver. A twentyword advert for just 5€ Need more space, not a problem, how about 50 words for 10€ per week. For more information call into The Courier offices in Quesada, telephone 966 921 003, or email us at thecourier@tko.media and we will tell you all about it.

42

Friday 27th January 2017

Technology

RICHARD CAVENDER

BlueMoon Solutions www.bluemoonsolutions.es

BlueMoon Solutions is the computer and IT services company on the Costa Blanca.

BlueMoon Solutions comes to you at home or at work. Their personal service covers from Alicante to Pilar de la Horadada.

Richard moved to Spain ten years ago having left his management background behind in the UK and decided to use his IT skills to help home users and small businesses with their PC problems. Now a relaxed 'computer man' he is out and about in the Spanish sun every day, making house and shop calls and using his vast experience and qualifications to sort out the problem there and then.

Computers are his hobby as well as his work so don’t be surprised to get an answer to your email in the early hours!

ADVICE: Dave was having issues with Windows 10

Q

Hi Richard, I am aware that several people of my acquaintance are having problems with Windows 10 and wondered if you have had any chance to ponder such instances, if indeed you are aware of such problems. It would seem that the problems occur generally after an update, but this is far from being a definite criteria. The problems involve, usually, a slowness in starting up programmes or apps falling over for no logical reason. I updated my computer to Windows 10 and it was OK for few months, if a tad slow. A couple of weeks ago, it decided to really start 'playing up'. It would take me too long to describe everything, but over a 2-day period it failed to load /start or fell over more than 2 dozen times. Is this the sort of problem known to you? I would welcome your comments and feedback. If it's not the software, I might need a battery or replacement hard drive. Thanks, Dave

A

Hello Dave, of course I see problems with Windows 10 all the time, but that doesn’t mean there is some sort of inherent problem with it.

Most of the issues get resolved by upgrading the latest version of Windows 10 (the Anniversary edition). You see, Microsoft released the original version of Windows 10, then issued two more updates (both around 3Gb) over the next 12 months, which has meant that those with a slower Internet connection (like many of us poor folk here in Spain) and perhaps people who don’t turn on their computers much have ended up being well behind in the updates – thus causing issues.

This document should help you understand more about the Anniversary update… http://www.bluemoonsolutions.es/windows-10-anniversary-update/ Another problem we have come across recently is that some users with the latest edition of Windows 10 are having problems connecting to the Internet (this is usually wireless connections).

In fact, we received so many that we wrote a Facebook page warning people about the issue. You can see more on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bluemoonsolutionsspain. Look for the post in December titled “Got Wi-Fi Problems? We have the answer...”

Let me know how you get on.

Website:www.bluemoonsolutions.es Email: office@bluemoonsolutions.es Mobile: 655 044 970 NEW: Tel: 965 987 032 Don’t forget, you can follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/bluemoonsolutionsspain/ Alternatively, why don’t you sign up for my newsletter. You can do this by going to:www.bluemoonsolutions.es/newsletter .

Motoring

43

Friday 27th January 2017

THE C3 WRC CLAIMS ITS FIRST STAGE WIN ON THE COL DE TURINI Contested in the hills above Monaco, the final day of the Rallye Monte-Carlo saw Stéphane Lefebvre showcase his skills. The young Frenchmen produced an impressive display on the Col de Turini to claim the C3 WRC's first-stage win.

Citroën Total Abu Dhabi, Craig Breen – who finished fifth overall – and Stéphane Lefebvre therefore put their first points on the board in the 2017 World Championships.

The schedule of the final leg served up the mouthwatering prospect of two runs over the Col de Turini, with repeat passes on the Lucéram – Col St Roch and La Bollène Vésubie – Peira Cava stages.

When it came to choosing their tyres for the loop, the drivers were uncertain as to what to do due to the weather forecast, which suggested there would be snowfall towards the end of the morning. In the Citroën Racing Team, Stéphane Lefebvre opted to go with four Michelin Pilot Sport S5s (soft tyres), and two Pilot Alpin Q4L/R1 winter tyres (no studs) as spares. Craig Breen opted for a mix of two Pilot Sport

S5s and two SS5s (supersoft tyres), and two Pilot Alpin winter tyres (no studs) as spares.

On SS15, Stéphane Lefebvre and Gabin Moreau's tyre choice paid off. The French crew produced a superb performance as they tackled the Col de Turini, which saw them record the C3 WRC's very first stage win.

After SS16 was cancelled on safety grounds, Stéphane demonstrated his acrobatic skills on the second pass. As the snow settled, he kept his wits about him to ensure his C3 WRC stayed on the road despite running on slick tyres.

He then set the second fastest time on the Power Stage and climbed two places in the overall standings to finish ninth.

Fourth at the start of Sunday’s leg, Craig Breen and Scott Martin were unable to compete with Dani Sordo's 2017 model in their previous generation car. The Spaniard moved ahead of them, but finishing in the top five was nonetheless one of the performances of the rally.

In the Drivers' World Championship, Craig Breen

and Stéphane Lefebvre are positioned fifth and seventh respectively. The points scored by Stéphane Lefebvre mean that Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT end the opening weekend fourth in the Manufacturers' standings.

Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle were not able to contest the final leg. The no. 7 C3 WRC was hit by another vehicle on the road section to Monaco, leaving the car with a damaged rear right-hand wheel and the crew were left

with no option but to retire.

The WRC returns in a few weeks' time at Rally Sweden, on 9-12 February.

Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team Principal: "We were expecting a better result from this rally, especially after testing, which seemed to go well. After a weekend that didn't go according to plan, the main things we can be pleased about are the consistent performance and pace of Craig, and the times set by Stéphane on the final day.

That shows that the C3 WRC has genuine potential. It wasn't our rally, but we still feel positive about the upcoming rallies, starting in Sweden."

Stéphane Lefebvre: "The rally finished a lot better than it started! It was a moraleboosting finish to the rally with two good times, including a stage win on the Col de Turini. We made the right call on tyre choice and I felt confident in conditions that I know well. At the same time, I didn't want to take any risks

because it was important to make sure we scored points for the team."

Craig Breen: "The conditions were unbelievably difficult. I guess that's why the Col de Turini has become such an iconic test. I did wonder whether or not to go with the snow tyres for the final test, but I kept the slicks and it became more and more difficult the further we went on the stage. But we managed to make it to the end and stay in the top five, which is a great result."

44

Sport

Friday 27th January 2017

Golf Changes Afoot

The governing bodies of golf, the R&A and USGA are set to make a major announcement in March over five new rule changes, in a bid to make the game more simple, with the huge shake up coming into force within the next two years, according to both Golfweek and the Golf Channel’s Tim Rosaforte.

The big headline is that lost ball searches may be reduced from five minutes to three, indicating a real signal of intent from the game’s governing bodies to speed up golf’s pace of play, which has been a constant source of irritation.

It’s reported that four other potential changes are planned in the hope to “simplify the code by which the game is played.”

The five changes are:1. Reduce lost ball search time from five to three minutes 2. Allow spike mark repairs on greens

3. Allow dropping from any height 4. Emphasising use of red stakes for water hazards 5. Eliminate the use of club lengths when taking relief The three-minute search rule will be seen as a means to try to speed up the game, while tour professionals will cheer any new rule allowing spike marks to be repaired. Professionals have complained for years at the unfairness of earlier groups playing on perfect greens while the leaders have to putt through marks left by the rest of the field. The European Tour even defied the R&A on this issue during the 1976 season, allowing its members to fix spike marks.

Previous R&A Chief Executive Peter Dawson revealed during his tenure that the R&A and USGA were working on a process to bring more clarity to the rules.

The R&A’s Executive Director of Rules, David

Kenyan Double

Over seven thousand athletes took part in last Sunday’s 28th staging of the Santa Pola HalfMarathon road-race with Kenya’s Peter Cheruiyot taking the men’s race in an

hour and 55 seconds, with his compatriot Antonina Kwambi winning the women’s contest in one hour, nine minutes, and 49 seconds.

Numbers were down on

the eight thousand plus competitors last year due to the unpleasant weather conditions which led to the cancellation of the children’s Mini-Marathon on the Saturday afternoon.

Rickman, spoke to the European Tour’s players during a meeting at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, where he explained the rule changes to the players.

The changes were expected be implemented on 1 January 2020 in the usual four-year cycle, however, Rosaforte reported on the Golf Channel that they would come into effect in 2019.

The rules of golf came under fire in 2016 at the US Open where neither the players or fans knew of Dustin Johnson’s score on the final nine holes after he was deemed to have accidentally moved his ball on the fifth green. He was eventually penalised a stroke after the completion of his round. The USGA later admitted that they had got the situation wrong.

The R&A is golf’s global governing body aside from in the USA and Mexico. The game is governed in both of these countries by the USGA who, together with the R&A, produce the Rules of Golf.

Weekend Rugby

ITV Orihuela Vega Baja senior men’s team (pictured in yellow) lost their Murcia Federation FERRMUR league match at CRU Cartagena last Sunday by 29 points to seven. Meanwhile, the joint San Javier

Squalos/Totana team (pictured in blue stripes) took on Albacete, and despite losing 29-nil, the combined side never threw in the towel. In the women’s league, the San Javier Squalos beat CRU Cartagena, 22-14.

Meanwhile, two representative young FERRMUR teams lost their two matches away to sides from the northern province of Navarra at the weekend. The under-18 side went down 29-nil, whilst the under-16 team lost 53-nil.

Sport

45

Friday 27th January 2017

Brave, But No Points Again!

Green Green Grass Of Home

CD TORREVIEJA 1 OLIMPIC XATIVA 3 In a thrilling first half, CD Torrevieja worked tirelessly to subdue and contain Olimpic who sit proudly well clear at the top of the third division table, unbeaten this season. The visitors tried to keep possession, but Diaby and Dani Salazar would not give them a moment's rest in midfield, with every other Torry white shirt pressing, closing and hassling opponents in perpetual motion.

The problem is that despite a flattering scoreline for Xativa, Torry have not won since November 6th, and it´s results and points that count, as Torry have now lost six of their last seven matches.

Olimpic had a couple of early chances, but it was Torry new boy Beltran (pictured below) who blasted home the opening goal to the delight of the small hard core of Torry fans present. Beltran was signed from Alzira this month, and with his registration complete, made a spectacular debut. He received the ball from Salazar and accelerated forward manoeuvring the

ball on to his favoured left foot. From just outside the box, he fired home into the roof of the net with Paco in goal vainly attempting to reach it.

Torry maintained their high-intensity work rate for the next 25 minutes to lead 1-0 at the interval. It was so nearly 2-0 when Calzado nodded against the crossbar (pictured at the top). But Olimpic are not eight points clear at the top of the table by chance. Within 90 seconds of the restart they were level when Solano sped down the right and from a tight angle drove the ball between Buba's legs. Solana then turned provider for Fuster. Buba came out but misjudged Solano's pace and was rounded. He then centred for Fuster to slide home.

Torry were rocked but did not go down without a fight. Beltran was always dangerous, but it seemed that his colleagues wanted to give him the ball at every opportunity, despite other viable options.

Manager Pedreno supplemented the attack with Ilyes and Matheus, but

Torry could not find the equaliser and just as they were concentrating on finding a goal, Olimpic ensured the points with another strike from Solano. The lower end of the third division makes for very uncomfortable reading, as Torry have now slipped to third from bottom, as Buñol won last weekend, and they have climbed out of the relegation area, with Muro (who did not play), now occupying the final relegation place. What adds to Torry’s woes is that Muro are a point clear with a game in hand, whilst the safety zone which Buñol are in, is three points above Torry, and they have two matches up their sleeve as well! The rest of the teams in the table are close to being out of sight.

Time is fast running out for CD Torrevieja, adding yet more pressure to their visit to Rayo Ibense this weekend, as the following Sunday is a blank one for Torry in the fixture calendar. There are still plenty of points to play for, but Torry have to start picking them up soon.

CD THADER 2 VILLENA CF 0 Thader’s players and supporters were at last back for a taste of home football last Sunday after what has seemed like months away from the Rojales Municipal Stadium, due to the reseeding of the ground. The green colour of the turf, though, wasn’t the main talking point of the match, but the strong wind which made things difficult for both sides, although Thader took advantage of it when it was blowing in their

favour during the second half to get their two goals.

Thader were looking to bounce back after the previous weekend’s defeat at Villajoyosa, but the visitors, fighting against relegation, looked more dangerous in the first half, with the wind in their favour, though clear-cut chances were at a premium.

Within ten minutes of the second half, Thader had scored twice to seal up matters, through Miguel and

Noe, with Villena offering little in response. It was the perfect result for Thader on a day when the four teams above them failed to win, with a five-point spread between second-placed Hercules B, and fifth-placed Thader.

There’s a big match this weekend with Thader away to the team above them in the Preferente Group Four table, Benidorm, with both sides on 33 points each.

Despair For Almoradi

ELCHE ILICITANO 4 Almoradi have moved even deeper into the third division relegation mire after this match was all over as a contest with just over a quarter of an hour gone, as Elche raced into a three-nil lead.

This was Almoradi’s third straight defeat and they are rooted second from bottom with just 12 points to their name, and way off any realistic hope of survival.

Two goals from Sory within a minute had the home side kick-starting an easy win within seven minutes, with

Kilian making it three-nil after 17 minutes in what has become standard practice this season for Almoradi where they just seem determined to give their opponents the first-half on a golden plate.

Elche dominated every aspect though over the 90 minutes, and although Almoradi’s defence looked more determined in the second half, as substitute Pablo Montero popped up to score within a minute of coming on, and an hour gone, and that

CD ALMORADI 0

was that.

Almoradi entertain midtable Almazora this Sunday, whilst Elche Ilicitano face a big test at second-placed Villarreal C. Orihuela, who drew one-all at Silla, are now eight points off the play-off zone, and realistically need to beat Torre Levante at home this weekend, who are two points above them.

Crevillente had a stinker last Sunday by being held to a goalless draw at bottom-club Segorbe, and they entertain Paterna this weekend.

46

Friday 27th January 2017

Ramos The Hero

The Suarez Boys

Sport

Point From Madrid

REAL MADRID 2 MALAGA 1 Two first-half goals from Sergio Ramos against Malaga sent Real Madrid four points clear in La Liga with a 2-1 victory at the Bernabeu on Saturday.

Ramos struck twice in an open first half and his brace proved to be enough to put Zinedine Zidane's side back on the winning trail after consecutive defeats, despite Juanpi halving the deficit in the second half. With a game in hand, the result leaves Real Madrid a point clear ahead of second-placed Sevilla and two ahead of Barcelona.

Sergio Ramos leapt above Malaga's defence to score the game's opening goal, which was a trademark header from the Spain international, who met Kroos' out swinging corner after slipping in-between Ignacio Camacho and Recio to register the 49th goal of his La Liga career.

That figure would soon turn to 50 as an increasingly dominant Real, who switched to three at the back, won a free-kick deep in Malaga's half. Kroos was the provider again with a curled in cross as Ramos beat Malaga's offside trap to stretch for the ball and tap in past the helpless Kameni. Ramos' second of the game makes him just the fourth defender in La Liga history to reach the 50 goal milestone.

Juanpi pulled a goal back for the visitors in the second half, but Real held on for their victory, and now entertain Real Sociedad this Sunday.

Almoradi’s New Keeper

EIBAR 0 BARCELONA 4 Denis Suarez and Luis Suarez were among the goals for Luis Enrique's side as they closed to within two points of La Liga leaders Real Madrid Barcelona responded convincingly following the early loss of Sergio Busquets to ankle ligament damage to secure a 40 win at Eibar in La Liga on Sunday.

Busquets was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Gonzalo Escalante and left the field on a stretcher after 10 minutes, but Luis Enrique's men overcame a rough opening to lead through Denis Suarez – who was able to celebrate his first goal for the club having replaced the Spain international.

The second, third and fourth goals arrived after half-time from more familiar sources.

Lionel Messi continued his imperious recent form with his 28th of the season five minutes after the break and Luis Suarez capitalised on a dreadful error from Florian Lejeune to make it 19 for the campaign.

Neymar has not been as prolific as his illustrious attacking colleagues this term but scored for the first time in La Liga since October when Eibar were picked apart on the break in stoppage time.

Barca remain third in La Liga but are back to within two points of rivals Real Madrid at the summit and one behind Sevilla in second. Barcelona now go to mid-table Real Betis this Sunday morning.

Gone And Staying CARRASCO IN ACTION

RAYO VALLECANO 1 ELCHE 1 Elche are still without a win in 2017, but at least they got a draw at Madrid-based Rayo Vallecano after taking a first-half lead, and with Rayo down to 10 men for the last few minutes of the clash. There was an added spice to the match with Rayo managed by Ruben Baraja who coached Elche last season before suprisingly quitting in the summer. At the time, he said that he had done his job in stabilising the side after their enforced relegation from La Liga the previous year.

The match was low on scoring chances, and it took half an hour for the Ilicitanos to produce a shot, which came from a longrange strike from Álex Fernández. Six minutes later Elche were ahead after an Albacar free-kick into the box wasn’t cleared by the Rayo defence, and the ball fell to the feet of Guillermo for the opening goal.

Rayo were more positive in the second half, and got more possession as Elche seemed content to hold what they had, but striker Miku levelled through a harshly given penalty in the 72nd minute, after the referee thought that Pelegrin had fouled Rayo’s Manucho.

Rayo turned up the screw but suffered a setback with a second yellow card for Miku, which then saw Elche try to grab a late winner, but it wasn’t to be for the Ilicitanos. They are in Segunda action this evening (Friday) as they entertain promotion-candidates Girona, whilst the Elche season appears to be fizzling out.

Injured Sergio Regional third division strugglers CD Almoradi have signed the CD Eldense goalkeeper, Sergio Moya. The 21-year-old keeper left the club for Almoradi, complaining of a lack of opportunities to play in the first team, having been in the starting lineup just twice this season, after a new management board signed the 23-year-old Italian keeper, Alessandro Zanier. Moya was on the books of both the Alicante-based side Hercules and Real Madrid.

Monte’s Return

CD Montesinos return to Segunda Regional Group 16 action this weekend after a five-nil friendly win over Daya Nueva last Sunday. Last weekend saw CD Benijofar go top of the table as they beat the leaders CD Murada two-one, and now Montesinos go to Murada this Saturday for a 4.30 pm kick-off. Benijofar and Murada both have 26 points, four points clear of Monte, with Benijofar not having a fixture this weekend, and who Monte drew with, four-all nearly a fortnight ago.

A CD Torrevieja summer signing has quit the club to go to Latin America, whilst the 22-year-old captain, Lewis Allen, has decided to stay at the club for the rest of the season. He initially asked to be released by the regional third division strugglers, as a higher league is interested in him.

23-year-old midfielder Carrasco Llorens, who joined Torrevieja last year from UB Conquense, and started in 19 games, has signed for the first division Bolivian league club Blooming de Santa Cruz de la Sierra, who play in a 38-thousand capacity stadium.

Torrevieja said this week that they were reluctant to let Lewis Allen go, as he is seen as crucial in their battle against relegation, despite the fact that he is serving a sus-

pension until mid-February.

The British player sat down with the club management this week, and he agreed to stay with CD Torrevieja until May.

LEWIS ALLEN

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets had to be stretchered off just eight minutes into the Catalans' trip to Eibar on Sunday with sprained ligaments in his right ankle.

The Spanish international's ankle was trapped under the weight of Gonzalo Escalante's studs as the Argentine was fortunate to escape without even being shown a yellow card.

Denis Suarez replaced Busquets (see top) and went on to open the scoring with his first Barca goal. However, of greater concern may be Busquets's availability for a busy few months ahead for the Spanish champions.

Sport

Luis Returns

47

Friday 27th January 2017

Forever Ivan

FIXTURES Friday 27th January 2017 THE EMIRATES FA CUP - FOURTH ROUND 20:55 Derby County v Leicester City LADBROKES SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP 20:45 Aberdeen v Dundee

Leicester City defender Luis Hernández has been signed to La Liga side Málaga in a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee.

The 27-year-old Madrid-born defender made a total of eight appearances for the Foxes since his arrival on a free transfer in the summer.

The defender’s return to his native Spain sees him join a Málaga side who currently sit 14th in a league that Hernández is familiar with, having helped Sporting Gijon secure a final day survival with a 2-0 win over Villarreal last season.

Chinese Fortune

Real Madrid's 33-year-old central defender Pepe is set to join Chinese Super League side Hebei China Fortune when his contract expires at the end of June. The news follows recent revelations that his colleague Cristiano Ronaldo turned down a massive payday from the League a few weeks ago in favour of signing a new contract at the Barnabeu.

Pepe, who turns 34 in February, has so far resisted offers of a new deal to remain in the Spanish capital and it is believed that he has been offered 15.5 million euro a season, around three times his current earnings, to move to China.

The chance to join Hebei China Fortune would be made more attractive by the fact that the club is currently being coached by Manuel Pellegrini, who was his coach at Real Madrid during the 2009-2010 season.

Pepe is currently sidelined from action in Spain by a calf injury which he picked up in December and which has kept him out for over a month.

Ivan Rakitic says he would love to see out his career at Barcelona, while he has denied reports which claimed he rejected a contract proposal from the club.

The Croatia international has been a key first-team player for Barca since joining them from Sevilla in 2014, although he has been linked with Manchester City and Juventus in the British and European press in recent months.

However, Rakitic has his heart set on staying at the Nou Camp and says his representative is in the process of extending his stay at the La Liga champions.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, he said: "My dream is to stay here forever. The [club] president and my representative Arturo Canales are in talks to reach the best thing for both [parties]."

Rakitic also rejected reports which claimed he had turned down an initial contract proposal from Barca.

The 28-year-old added: "I have not been able to reject any offer because we are talking. I trust that I will stay - I trust in the president and in my representative Arturo Canales, who are in talks."

Rakitic has played 133 games for Barcelona, scoring 20 times.

All To Plan

Zidane’s Retort

Coach Zinedine Zidane has hit back at Real Madrid's critics and insists their recent blip in form has been greatly exaggerated.

The reigning European champions set a Spanish record of 40 games unbeaten in all competitions earlier in January and remain top of La Liga but followed up their first league defeat of the season at Sevilla with a 2-1 first-leg loss to Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey. Real supporters booed their players during Saturday's unconvincing 2-1 win over Malaga but Zidane has dismissed criticism of his side.

"Listening to some of these questions you'd think we were battling relegation," Zidane told reporters.

"I'm not worried and neither are the players. We're in high spirits.”

Lionel Messi's contract talks with Barcelona are progressing "very well", according to the club's technical secretary.

Messi's current contract runs out in 2018, having last signed an extension in the summer of 2014.

Barca president Josep Bartomeu said recently the club will do "whatever it takes" to keep hold of Messi, and technical secretary Robert Fernandez insists they are not concerned about the Argentine's deal.

"Leo's talks are going very well, very well," Fernandez said. "I'm very relaxed, as I was before with [Javier] Mascherano, [Sergio] Busquets, [Luis] Suarez or Neymar.”

"And I am now with Messi, as I am with Andres Iniesta or [Marc-Andre] Ter Stegen. We're working and I'm convinced that they'll continue with Barca.”

"It doesn't matter much who will be the first to renew. There will be people who want to poison the situation, but we've been working on this issue for a long time."

Messi, 29, has scored 481 goals in 557 games for La Liga champions Barcelona but Fernandez believes he is getting even better.

"Leo has got to the stage where he seems he is better now than he was two, three, four or five years ago," Fernandez added. "That is the feeling he gives us, that he gets better all the time and plays as he wants.

"There is no doubt that Leo is the best player in the world. That is the reality."

THE EMIRATES FA CUP - FOURTH ROUND 13:30 Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers 16:00 Blackburn Rovers v Blackpool 16:00 Burnley v Bristol City 16:00 Chelsea v Brentford 16:00 Crystal Palace v Manchester City 16:00 Lincoln City v Brighton & Hove Albion 16:00 Middlesbrough v Accrington Stanley 16:00 Oxford United v Newcastle Unitetd 16:00 Rochdale v Huddersfield Town 16:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Wycombe Wanderers 18:30 Southampton v Arsenal SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP 16:00 Norwich City v Birmingham City 16:00 Preston North End v Ipswich Town 16:00 Queens Park Rangers v Burton Albion 16:00 Reading v Cardiff City 16:00 Rotherham United v Barnsley LADBROKES SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP 13:30 Motherwell v Rangers 16:00 Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Partick Thistle 16:00 Kilmarnock v Ross County 16:00 St Johnstone v Hamilton Academical SKY BET LEAGUE ONE 13:30 Bristol Rovers v Swindon Town 16:00 Bolton Wanderers v Charlton Athletic 16:00 Bury v Walsall 16:00 Fleetwood Town v Southend United 16:00 Gillingham v Shrewsbury Town 16:00 Northampton Town v Coventry City 16:00 Oldham Athletic v Bradford City 16:00 Peterborough United v Milton Keynes Dons 16:00 Scunthorpe United v Port Vale SKY BET LEAGUE TWO 16:00 Carlisle United v Barnet 16:00 Crewe Alexandra v Cheltenham Town 16:00 Luton Town v Cambridge United 16:00 Mansfield Town v Leyton Orient 16:00 Newport County v Hartlepool United 16:00 Notts County v Crawley Town 16:00 Portsmouth v Exeter City 16:00 Stevenage v Grimsby Town 16:00 Yeovil Town v Doncaster Rovers LADBROKES SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP 16:00 Dunfermline Athletic v Dundee United 16:00 Queen of the South v Hibernian 16:00 Raith Rovers v Dumbarton 16:00 St Mirren v Falkirk 18:15 Ayr United v Greenock Morton LADBROKES SCOTTISH LEAGUE ONE 16:00 Albion Rovers v Alloa Athletic 16:00 East Fife v Stranraer 16:00 Livingston v Brechin City 16:00 Peterhead v Queen's Park 16:00 Stenhousemuir v Airdrieonians LADBROKES SCOTTISH LEAGUE TWO 16:00 Annan Athletic v Stirling Albion 16:00 Clyde v Arbroath 16:00 Elgin City v Edinburgh City 16:00 Forfar Athletic v Cowdenbeath 16:00 Montrose v Berwick Rangers Sunday 29th January 2017 THE EMIRATES FA CUP - FOURTH ROUND 13:00 Millwall v Watford 13:30 Fulham v Hull City 15:00 Sutton United v Leeds United 17:00 Manchester United v Wigan Athletic LADBROKES SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP 14:00 Celtic v Heart of Midlothian Tuesday 31st January 2017 PREMIER LEAGUE 20:45 Arsenal v Watford 20:45 Bournemouth v Crystal Palace 20:45 Burnley v Leicester City 20:45 Middlesbrough v West Bromwich Albion 20:45 Sunderland v Tottenham Hotspur 20:45 Swansea City v Southampton 21:00 Liverpool v Chelsea SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP 20:45 Barnsley v Wolverhampton Wanderers 20:45 Birmingham City v Reading 20:45 Brentford v Aston Villa 20:45 Bristol City v Sheffield Wednesday 20:45 Cardiff City v Preston North End 20:45 Ipswich Town v Derby County 20:45 Nottingham Forest v Rotherham United

Information correct at time of publication but subject to change at short notice.

Saturday 28th January 2017

LA VOLTA’S HERE

The 2017 Tour (La Volta) of Valencia cycle race is being staged between Wednesday February 1st and Sunday February 5th, with Alicante Province hosting stages of the event which includes a time trial starting and finishing on the Orihuela Costa on the first day.

Campoamor’s La Glea beach will host a 38-kilometre time trial on Wednesday, and then the cyclists will move to Alicante City for day two, which will see them depart from the Plaza del Ayuntamiento heading up north via the mountains on a 181-kilometre route to Denia via Alto de Maigmó, Xixona, Benifallim y El Montgó.

The event will then take in the Valencia and Castellón provinces, before finishing off with a sprint stage on the final day around Valencia City.

Twenty five teams will be taking part in the race, which was revived last year after an eight-year suspension, with Movistar and Team Sky cyclists amongst the competitors.

The race has had its financial security secured through to 2019 due to a number of sponsorship deals, including one with Sabadell Bank. The event was won last year by Dutchman Wout Poels of Team Sky.

UP FOR THE CUP!

It’s FA Cup fourth round weekend (writes ALEX TRELINSKI), and in these days of TV paying up millions for the rights, the old days of an exciting Saturday have long gone, as the action starts tonight with old East Midlands foes Derby County and Leicester City meeting at Pride Park. It’s the Rams versus the Foxes, and though the two sides have bigger fish to fry in terms of league status, they won’t mind the extra money that will come in from being live on BBC 1 this evening. Derby want to get into the end-ofseason Championship play-off mix, whilst Premier League champions, Leicester, just want to make sure that they don’t get relegated, though with half an eye on the next stage of the Champions League.

For most neutrals, the FA Cup is all about giant-killing, with the non-league boys making a total fool of the overpaid professionals, and there are plenty of banana skins around for a bit of embarrassing sliding around. There’s a corker tomorrow afternoon at Sincil Bank, as Lincoln City fresh from their late and deserved replay winner over Ipswich, take on another championship side in the shape of promotion hopefuls, Brighton.

The only other non-league side left in the Cup are also at home to a Championships side in form. This Sunday, Sutton United, who outplayed league one Wimbledon in their fourth round replay, now take on Leeds United, who, despite all the chopping and changing and shambolic decision-making at Elland Road over the last few years, have been getting their attack together for their first proper promotion push for ages. Both Brighton and Leeds will dread these ties, and the last thing they want will be a replay, which will add to their already busy fixtures lists as they eye up a return to the Premier League. A perfect time then for both Lincoln and Sutton to strike!

For a change, the Cup draw has not thrown up too many all Premier League ties, in fact just two! We have Crystal Palace against Manchester City at Selhurst Park tomorrow afternoon (Saturday) at 4.00 pm, followed by the late kick-off clash at 6.30 pm as Southampton play Arsenal.

Other potential “graveyard” matches for the big boys include Liverpool at home to Wolves, and you wonder what kind of Klopp performance the Reds will give, after they strained ever so badly to dispose of Plymouth in the last round. Newcastle cannnot be relishing their trip to Oxford, where Dave Fazackerley is in charge:- he was Keegan’s managerial assistant at Newcastle back in the nineties. And finally, what price the Championship strugglers Wigan Athletic at mighty Manchester United? It’s the old “magic of the cup” cliché time, and my old bones feel that we could be in for a cracking weekend. Join me on TKO 91.9 FM this Saturday from 3.00 pm, for the latest scores and news!