Weekender Issue 049

ISSUE 049 - Friday 15th June 2018

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BRITISH MAN ARRESTED FOR LIVERPOOL NIGHTCLUB STABBING N AT I O N A L Police have arrested a British national in Javea in connection with a serious assault in Liverpool. A European arrest warrant was in place for his arrest and the Judicial Police Brigade in Alicante had good reason to believe he

by Simon Russell could be residing in the Marina Alta. Acting on this information the out the raid on 5 June National Police carried and have detained a 36-year-old man.

The arrest warrant relates to an incident where

several people were stabbed in a Liverpool pub. The most seriously injured needed over 100 stitches to his face and the others received stab wounds after coming to his aid.

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Finance Feature provided by...

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

Is it the end of the road for QROPS?

QROPS, or Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes, are a type of overseas pension that have been a popular option over the last 10 years with British expats, so why are Chorus not recommending them as the default option to our clients?

QROPS used to offer several benefits over UK based pensions as a transfer option if you lived abroad, but recent changes in legislation have equalised the benefits of transferring to a UK based pension, rather than a QROPS. In addition, HMRC have introduced new legislation that could lead to a potential tax charge of 25% for new QROPS applications received after March 9th 2017.

There does remain significant benefits with a QROPS for clients approaching the lifetime allowance (currently £1 million), but for the majority of people out here in Spain, there is often a better alternative.

So, what is the alternative? At Chorus, we

recommend you consider a UK based pension called a SIPP. A SIPP offers all the main benefits of a QROPS – flexible access from 55, passing on more to your loved ones, consolidating multiple pensions into one plan – but benefit from lower fees and the protection offered by UK FCA regulation coupled with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, neither of which are available with a QROPS. This can lead to substantially reduced annual costs, often saving clients thousands of pounds a year, and leading to superior growth of your pension funds.

It is worth bearing in mind that many financial advisors in Spain do not have the correct licenses or regulation required to recommend a SIPP, so may only use QROPS, even if it is not necessarily the best option for you. We would always recommend getting a second opinion and work with UK regulated pension experts to ensure you receive the best advice.

beneficial to move an existing QROPS to a SIPP, or to reconsider a QROPS application, and set up a SIPP instead. The very least you should do before signing QROPS paperwork, is get a second opinion.

Clients are already telling us that they are happy knowing their pensions are being managed in the UK, rather than overseas where they are not familiar with what financial protection and regulation may or may not be in place.

If you are considering a new pension transfer or have an existing QROPS please call me on 693 107 044 or email t.storer@ chorusfinancial.es and I will be happy to review your options for free and without obligation.

By Tracy Storer

Senior Partner Chorus Financial

Chorus are currently offering to review your existing QROPS or potential pension transfer so that we can demonstrate where you could save money, and increase the security of your pension. It may be

Chorus Financial is a trading style of TOURBILLON LIMITED - Registered Address: Trinity House - Ocean Village Avenue - Gibraltar - GX11 1AA Tourbillon Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission (Gibraltar). Licence Number FSC1118B. Registered with the UK FCA. Reference number: 539348

A-78-YEAR-OLD British man has been arrested for lighting fires in a protected area of the Mar Menor known as Puerto Mayor.

The elderly fire-starter lives in the La Manga area during the summer months, before returning to the UK for the winter.

He is accused of igniting four forest fires between July and September last year, and though two of the blazes were quickly extinguished, one incident saw a 600 square metre area raised to the ground.

Extensive inquiries from the San Javier police and the Guardia Civil

by Simon Russell

landed them upon the British suspect, and they started to monitor him after his winter return.

He was arrested at his holiday home, with a five litre petrol can; lighters; and matches all being seized, before he was hauled in front of a San Javier judge.

PLANS to complete the Orihuela Costa’s Emergency Centre at La Zenia appear to be in serious doubt, after the Valencia government appears to have torn up a promise to fund the work.

Orihuela mayor, Emilio Bascuñana, says that the Valencia administration were going to invest two point two million euros in constructing the centre, backed up by European funding, with a tight deadline to finish work by the end of June 2019, or facing the prospect of losing the EU grant.

Bascuñana, despite leading a chorus of countless assurances from Orihuela council that everything would be done on schedule, now claims that the regional

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Centre of doubt

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FIERY BRIT

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

by Alex Trelinski

government are saying that they will only fund 65 percent of the work, and moreover, the Orihuela authority, and not the Valencia administration, would now have to tender and run the project.

The mayor described the shock development as a “nonsense” and that he was “going to go to Valencia to get an explanation”.

“I hope this is all a mistake”, added Bascuñana. “I fear there will not be enough time to finish the building

by June next year, and I will demand that Valencia keep to their promise to fund the project”.

The centre was due to house police, ambulance, and

fire crews in addition to civil protection volunteers, in order to improve on poor response times across the Orihuela Costa.

The shell of the original building next to the Consum supermarket in La Zenia was abandoned in 2011, when the builder went bankrupt, with big local campaigns taking place in recent years to get the project back on track.

At the end of last month, a two thousand-plus signature was handed into the Playa Flamenca town hall calling for the centre to be completed.

Last December, mayor Bascuñana and Valencia’s emergencies director Bascuñana announced that the centre would be completed by the middle of next year.

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Brit’s Porn Arrest The National Police have swooped on 24 people across Spain, including a British man in Torrevieja, who are accused of distributing pornographic images of children on the internet.

Two brothers were also arrested in Alicante Province, one of whom is an evangelical preacher who lives in Ondara and works at a church in the Marina Baixa area.

Thousands of images of minors being

by Alex Trelinski

sexually abused were found across the country, with detentions made from Madrid to Barcelona as well as the Canary and Balearic Islands.

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The police believe the ring shared the illegal material via Facebook and Skype.

The Briton arrested in Torrevieja used a variety of measures to block identification of where his computer was based, and it took officers months to track his address down.

Thousands of downloaded obscene child images were discovered on his laptop.

The pastor from Ondara told authorities that he had downloaded the pornographic material to try to understand what paedophilia was about, so that he could help people who had those tendencies.

Legal proceedings are also being launched against a further eight people that were not arrested by the National Police.

Dead cyclist was British national A cyclist who died from his injuries after a collision with a car on Monday was a British man in his eighties, according to information from the authorities. The accident happened on the CV-81 in the Valencian

by Alex Trelinski

province in the Villena area, north of Gandia.

Witnesses said that there was a head on collision between the cyclist and the car. The elderly man

was treated at the scene and then transferred by helicopter to hospital but succumbed to his injuries about 13 hours later. It is not clear at this stage who, if anyone, was to blame for the fatal accident.

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Sacked employee sabotaged website

NATIONAL Police have charged a 47-year-old man with criminal damage after it was alleged he sabotaged his former employer’s website after being dismissed. The man was in charge of the site for an upmarket hotelbar-restaurant in the city. and kept his access to the website after they released him.

He then blocked access

by Simon Russell

to other users and hid all advertising relating to the establishment, something they say caused serious damage to their trade which was aimed at younger consumers. The adverts he blocked would have been distributed through various social networks, aimed at their client demographic.

Drug drop was causing traffic jams POLICE in the Alicante town of Redovan became suspicious at the amount of traffic and people stopping at a house in a normally quiet neighbourhood. Local residents had complained about this and said that they had seen at least one man in the house selling narcotics. The volume of vehicles stopping outside the house had become so high that regular traffic jams

Motorists Tricked A ROMANIAN family who staged car breakdowns on the A-7 and various service areas in Alicante Province, so that they could rob helpful motorists, has been arrested by the Guardia Civil in Crevillente.

A couple plus their 23-yearold son staged at least 15 crimes on their unsuspecting victims by stealing items from their cars, whilst they were helping out with what appeared to be a puncture or a mechanical problem.

The trio used two tricks to lure their prey into their scheme. The first option would see them either

5

by Alex Trelinski

flag them down to seek help, with their car parked up on the hard shoulder of the highway.

As their victim offered a helping hand, one of them would rifle his car and steal anything in site, before the Romanian’s car then sped off with their booty.

The second trick was carried out in service areas, with the female member of the gang asking travellers in the car park for directions, as she waved a large map around.

That map and the gang member

would obstruct the victim’s view as her colleagues then rifled their targeted vehicle, with the owner normally unaware that they had been robbed until later on.

The 45-year-old father and his son were the first to be arrested, with the mother picked up by the Guardia a few days later, as she was getting ready to hire a car to be used for more criminal activity.

All of the family members have existing criminal records, but were nevertheless still bailed after an appearance in an Elche court.

by Simon Russell

were forming, according to locals.

The police gained permission to launch a raid and discovered almost €22,000 in cash hidden around the property in places such as toilet rolls, freezer bags and empty baby milk cans. They also

discovered ready to sell cocaine and various paraphernalia associated with trading in drugs. Three Spaniards at the property, all from the same family and unemployed, have been arrested and charged.

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

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SPAIN’S first publicly commissioned survey on its citizen’s attitude to rape and sexual assault has found that there is still a wide gap between people’s views on the subject, not least between men and women.

20% thought that non-consensual sex between a couple already in a relationship should never be a criminal offence. Following on from this, around 40% believe

by Simon Russell

most rapes are carried out by strangers, when in fact it is usually someone known to the victim.

About one in six said that a woman who dresses revealingly or even is alone on her own at night on the street “should not be surprised if a man wants to have sex with her.” 20% say a woman with a more

experienced sexual past makes a less credible victim.

Regarding the causes of rape, about half thought alcohol was a serious factor-with 15% blaming the victim if she was intoxicated. Quizzed about reducing incidences of assault, 77% thought educating men on the issue was the best answer; 15% thought educating women was the solution.

The survey was carried

out among 2,500 adults by the Ministry of Health and Equality following the public outrage at the release of the “La Manada five” who were acquitted of raping an 18-year-old woman at the Pamplona Bull Running Festival. They were instead charged with the lesser crime of sexual assault as she did not try to fight back, although it is widely agreed this was due to her being in fear of her life.

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

War on dog urine

A Marina Baixa town has recently begun an educational initiative to prevent dog urine decaying bollards, benches, rubbish bins, signposts and railings on its streets.

Villajoyosa introduced the awareness campaign to educate and help dog owners understand the damage caused to the

by Andy Mansell

town’s street infrastructure by their pets.

Pascal Amigo, town councillor from the department of technical services, launched the campaign with the distribution of 200 posters in strategic areas, leaflet drops, plus local radio announcements designed to inform and educate dog owners.

“This problem gives a very negative image of our town

by Alex Trelinski that we need to address,” said Amigo, their target in a bear-hug “In this way, we style move to say thanks for ask our citizens to information they received, respond in a positive whilst a colleague swipes way, under the some valuable jewellery commitment to take from their normally elderly care of and maintain and non-Spanish target. our furniture for The 72-year-British the common good, national managed to making use of keep his watch, with the the means and Orihuela local police information that the arresting the thieving duo.

Huggers Return HUGGING robbers are back on the Costa Blanca, after two failed in an attempt to steal a 13 thousand euro watch from a British man on the Orihuela Costa.

The huggers, who are mainly Eastern European, have plagued Alicante Province for three years, and normally operate in pairs, including having access to a getaway car.

A hugger embraces

City Council puts at your disposal,” he continued.

The councillor confirmed that the town hall has removed more than a hundred affected bollards and announced future plans to take away floor standing lampposts and traffic signals.

Around 1,000 free bottles will be distributed free of charge to Vets and animal shelters in the town, along with explanatory brochures, which will also inform about the mixture that must be used to clean the dogs’ urine, which consists basically of mixing water and white vinegar.

“Rust caused by dog urine effects traffic lights, lampposts, benches, litter bins and other furniture over 50% more than normally, which could be solved by spraying said urine with a mixture of water and white vinegar,”, said Jaime Ramis, councillor responsible for Urban Cleaning.

“Although the best thing is to stop the dogs urinating in those areas completely,”, he stressed.

Tourist sector gearing up THE Valencian Community is expecting to welcome over four million foreign tourists alone this summer, Generalitat President Ximo Puig has announced in a press conference about employment in the tourist sector held this week. The Community is trying to build an employment model where people are hired on longer term contracts rather than just for the peak months, he went on to say.

The exact prediction for visitors from abroad

by Simon Russell

this season is 4.1 million, 4% more than last year.

They are expected to spend 4,000 million euros and generate an extra 7% of jobs between June and September. Puig said that the goal now is to work towards an all year round tourism model, something that cities such as Valencia and Benidorm already achieve to some degree.

This in turn will lead to the hoped for stabilisation in the employment sector.

Free travel bonanza THE European Commission has launched an initiative to offer 15,000 free rail tickets to 18 year olds from EU member states. The inter-rail tickets are to cover travel through four EU countries of the applicants choosing in 30 days, alone or with friends.

Anyone interested in applying needs to write an article about the trip

by Simon Russell

they are planning and to complete a questionnaire about the European Year of Cultural Heritage and young people’s knowledge and involvement.

The giveaway is part of a scheme to highlight the diversity of the European Union and its member countries.

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Drunken German tourist injured in rake attack Be honest, how many times have you walked past a sandcastle on a beach and had the urge to jump on top of it and smash it to the ground?

Well, think twice about it next time as you may end up in hospital just like a young German tourist earlier this week.

Police in Mallorca have arrested a fifty year old Romanian man, following his attack on the seventeen year old youth, who destroyed his intricate sand sculpture.

Although, banned in many resorts on the Costa Blanca, elaborate sand sculptures are still allowed on the sandy beaches of

by Andy Mansell

the Balearics, including El Arenal, to the South of the island’s airport, particularly popular with German package tourists, in Summer.

The sand sculptors, construct their pieces of art from wet sand, often over a few days, then hope that passing tourists will throw a few euros to take photos or selfies, with their creations.

A group of drunken German teenagers were passing one of the sculptors on their way home from a night out in Arenal around 07.00h on Monday.

O n e of them accepted a challenge to climb to the top of the structure, a carefully constructed castle, complete with turrets and brickwork, several metres in height.

As he reached the top of the castle, cheered on by his friends, the sculptor, sleeping in a nearby tent and awakened by the commotion crawled out to discover his creation in tatters.

Realising the anger of the Romanian, the boy’s mates scattered along the beach quickly, but not before he had picked up a sand rake and smashed it on the back of the errant youth, who also ran off along the shore.

However, unaware of the severity of the injury, the boy fell to the sand in a pool of blood, around fifty metres from the attack.

Police, who were called to the scene, arrested the attacker, whilst the youth was transferred to hospital, where he received stitches for his wounds.

General secretary of the Balearic Islands Police Unit, Jose Evaristor Burdalo expects an increase in criminal activity this Summer, particularly over the next few weeks, during the World Cup, as criminals increase their activity.

“Palma beaches face a serious security problem this Sumer,” he told the newspaper Diario de Mallorca.

Paratrooper training a bit too lifelike THIRTEEN Spanish soldiers were wounded in a training exercise in the Zaragoza area this week. The incident happened at the San Gregorio National Training Centre in an exercise involving Spanish and US paratroopers.

Apparently one of the parachute jumpers was dragged along

by sudden cross winds and another dozen were injured as they were caught up in the ensuing confusion. The only serious injury was the soldier caught in the crosswinds, and he has been transferred to the local Miguel Servet Hospital.

His colleague’s injuries were treated on site.

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FRIDAY 4TH MAY 2018

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Third Brit balcony incident in six weeks A 22-year-old British man is in hospital in a serious condition after falling from a balcony in the Mallorcan resort of Magaluf.

This latest incident follows the death of two other British youths in the town recently.

Natalie Cormack fell seven floors after trying to enter her apartment without keys at the end of April, while Tom Hughes plunged to his death from the same apartment block four weeks later in circumstances

that

remain unclear.

In the latest fall the unnamed British man suffered a broken leg, broken jaw, the loss of several teeth plus many minor injuries and is being treated in a hospital in Palma.

While his injuries are not thought to be life threatening, the incident will once again bring to the fore the debate about the behaviour of young British tourists in the resort – which is currently trying to clean up its image and attract more families and couples.

High rise thief collared

A 49-year-old man has been arrested in Alicante after climbing on to his next door neighbour’s balcony in an attempt to rob her. The female householder was at home at the time and heard a noise. She saw the man trying to break in through her balcony with an

iron bar and called the police.

When they arrived and the man realised he was trapped, he became very aggressive and had to be restrained.

After the police had handcuffed the man he was taken away and later charged with aggressive behaviour and attempted theft.

King of Spain brother-in-law set for jail

S P A I N ’ S crackdown on corruption in recent years has had many high profile victims in recent years, but probably none more so than Inaki Urdangarin who is married to the king’s sister, Cristina.

He lost his appeal in a court in Palma this week against a prison sentence handed down in the original trial last year, and now looks set to spend time in prison along with his co-defendants, his exbusiness partner and a former politician.

The court did reduce his sentence slightly to 5 years and 8 months but could see no grounds for reversing the sentence.

The protracted case revolved around accusations that the three defendants

by Simon Russell

had siphoned money off from a charity Urdangarin and his wife were heading, the now infamous Noos.

Many people felt at the time that Cristina was lucky to be found not guilty of the lesser charges she stood trial for along with her husband. In the end the court agreed with her defence, which was basically one of ignorance. She has largely slipped out of public life and now resides in Switzerland.

Cristina remains officially sixth in line to the Spanish throne but is not thought to have any contact with her sibling King Felipe and has been stripped of her royal titles by him.

by Alex Trelinski

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

TOPLESS SUCCESS WOMEN in a Barcelona area town have overturned a local ban on topless bathing in a town’s public swimming pool.

379 women took part in the vote organised by the council in L’Ametlla

by Simon Russell

del Vallès, with nearly twothirds supporting the return of topless bathing.

Women pressed for the legally-binding vote after police turned up at one of

the pools last summer and ordered two women to put on their bikini in the town, which has an going to the pool wearing tops.

The case prompted an eight thousand population, bikini tops on which they original protest by residents with women and men had drawn nipples.

Night of the walking dead THE “Viral Zombie” event is arriving in Sant Joan d’Alacant on 7 July. The themed survival activity runs overnight and the aim is that you avoid the zombie hordes to try and become an official survivor.

Designated zones are given where you and the chasing pack are allowed to go, and there are also several missions

to complete over the night. If you are caught your evening continues – but this time you are a zombie rather than a survivor.

The event is aimed at adults and children but is not suitable for the under 10’s. Children wishing to take part will need parental authorisation to participate. For further details go to www.viralzombie.es

Fugitive Brit arrested in routine police search

by Andy Mansell

Police officers conducting a routine vehicle stop and search operation in Benidorm last weekend, detained a British man with a UK warrant issued for his arrest on drug related charges.

The incident occurred last Saturday afternoon, during a routine control set up by local police, to check identification papers for drivers and vehicles entering the resort on one of the major artery roads.

The unnamed detainee had been travelling on a motorcycle when the officers pulled him over to check his documents.

Once identification had been verified, the officers became aware that the man, had a warrant out for his arrest from police in the UK, relating to several drug related crimes.

The agents arrested the suspect, before handing him over to National police officers from the main station in central Benidorm.

Local police operations of this type have proved successful in the past, where foreign nationals have been stopped on routine document searches, which reveal warrants issued from their home country. On this occasion, the British fugitive was detained in custody, pending a judicial decision on extradition proceedings to return him to the UK.

12

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Bread bonfire

A factory that supplies bread and other bakery products to Mercadona’s stores across Valencia had a major fire last week.

Like many large factories the plant near the town of Pucol operates 24 hours a day and when the fire broke out at around midnight on Wednesday 80 staff were working. Firefighters were quickly called out and extinguished the flames without reports of any injuries

by Simon Russell

from civilians or fire crews.

Although the factory is currently closed for repairs, the firm have said that supplies to Mercadona will not be disrupted as they will be increasing production at their other plants in the region. Workers from the damaged factory will also be temporarily transferred to other factories until the building is ready again.

Throwing oil on troubled waters VALENCIA has found itself at the centre of an international incident after offering itself as a safe haven for hundreds of stranded refugees. The “Aquarius” rescue ship was refused permission to land in first Italy and then Malta, despite conditions on board the vessel being described as life threatening and food running low.

New socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez offered to help the estimated 629 refugees, which includes a number of children and pregnant women. This offer has now been accepted and the ship will either dock at Valencia port or

by Simon Russell

the occupants will be taken off on smaller boats out at sea. Valencian vice President Monica Oltra has said that the Red Cross has prepared beds, shelter and food for the refugees when they arrive ashore.

Italy also has a new government, in this instance one with far right sympathies and this move is seen as a worrying one by human rights organisations across Europe, with Italy being the principal destination for many refugees who travel the Mediterranean route to Europe.

Handy Demonstration

ORGANISERS claimed that 175,000 people joined hands in a human chain stretching 202 kilometres

a call for an independence vote for the region.

Participants waved flags in Basque red, green and white as they took part in a chain stretching from the resort of San Sebastian to the region’s capital Vitoria, home to the regional parliament.

The Gure Esku Dago (It’s in our hands) group organised the event which saw around a thousand buses bring people in for the rally.

by Alex Trelinski “We have proved that we last Sunday across the want to decide the political northern Basque country in future of this country,” said

Gure Esku Dago spokesman Angel Oiarbide as he addressed supporters in Vitoria on self-determination for the Basque region.

Basque independence campaigners feel they have a window of opportunity following the recent removal of Mariano Rajoy’s Partido Popular government, but the new socialst PSOE administration under Pedro Sanchez is strongly opposed to independence for the Basques or for the neighbouring Catalunya region.

High security for ďŹ esta

by Simon Russell

Delivering a blow to Deliveroo

by Simon Russell

Friend-zy

by Simon Russell

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

FLYING TRENDS BRITISH visitors are continuing to drive the monthly passenger number rises at Alicante-Elche airport, with May’s returns showing a one and a half per cent hike on the same month last year.

UK travellers accounted for almost 550 thousand trips at the airport, out of a total figure of one point three million.

Domestic passengers clocked in at nearly 129 thousand, followed by users from the Netherlands at 86 thousand, and Germany at 78 thousand.

The first five months of 2018 has seen an increase of two point three percent in passenger numbers, totalling just short of five million, making it another racing certainty that Alicante-Elche airport will clock up yet another record breaking year.

On the Mar Menor, San Javier airport logged a 20th consecutive monthly rise, with May recording 140 thousand passengers, a yearly rise of just under five percent.

It was announced on Monday that the new longdelayed facility at Corvera, which will replace San Javier, will open for business on Tuesday, January 15th, 2019.

A Killer’s Smile CHILEAN national, John Charlie Leiva, has confessed to killing his partner at their Torrevieja home in June 2016, but denied premeditated murder at his trial in Alicante this week.

The defendant, who smiled at his arrival at the courthouse and also during the hearing itself, admitted to subsequently putting his partner’s body into a service alcove in their apartment block two days later, and covering it in bricks and cement.

In August 2016, the decomposing body of 32-year-old Johana Bertina was found by the Guardia

by Alex Trelinski

Civil in a small area next to a water boiler at the property on Calle Ramón y Cajal in Torrevieja in August 2016.

That followed a two month campaign to find her, after Johana’s relatives flew over from Chile, after they reported her missing.

They described Johana’s partner as “disinterested” in their campaign at the time.

37-year-old John Charlie Leiva told the court that her death was an accident, after they got involved in an argument about drugs on the terrace of their apartment, and that he was pushed by Johana,

Promoting kid's five a day

by Simon Russell

UP to 168,000 children across the Valencian Community have had access to free fruit and vegetables under a new scheme. “A menjar sa!” which was

The more you take out, the more you get back.

launched by the Llauradors agricultural union with financial support from the European Union and Ministry of Agriculture. Part of the campaign was educating

and responded by grabbing her neck and hitting her head against a wall.

The couple had two children, a girl aged 12 years, and a 5-year-old boy, with the youngsters staying asleep as the events unfolded.

An autopsy showed that Johana had died of strangulation, with authorities saying that the defendant had changed his account of what had happened on that fateful June evening some five times.

Prosecutors believe her killing was premeditated, and have pressed for a 25 year jail sentence on a count of murder.

children on the benefits of eating more fruit and vegetables, something done with a combination of leaflets, workshops and teaching aids.

Seasonal local produce was also supplied to any of the 675 Valencian schools opting into the scheme, which will shortly end for this school year.

There has been an increased call from many quarters such as health experts for a return to the traditional Mediterranean Diet. There

are concerns that many young people in particular are turning away from this in favour of the attractions of junk food and takeaways.

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THE WEEKENDER – 170mm x 256mm

8 June

GROUP A

G

W rld Cup Fixtures

14 June - 17:00 - Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

15 June - 17:00 - Sain

SAUDI ARABIA

RUSSIA

MOROCCO

15 June - 20:00

15 June - 14:00 - Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg URUGUAY

EGYPT

PORTUGAL

19 June - 20:00 - Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg RUSSIA

PORTUGAL

EGYPT

20 June - 2

20 June - 17:00 - Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don

IRAN

SAUDI ARABIA

URUGUAY

25 June -20:0

25 June - 16:00 - Volgograd Arena, Volgograd SAUDI ARABIA

IRAN

EGYPT

25 June - 20:00 -

25 June - 16:00 - Samara Arena, Samara

SPAIN

RUSSIA

URUGUAY

20 June - 14:0

GROUP E

G

17 June - 17:0

17 June - 14:00 - Samara Arena, Samara COSTA RICA

GERMANY

SERBIA

17 June - 20:00 - Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don BRAZIL

18 June - 14:00 - Niz SWEDEN

SWITZERLAND

22 June - 14:00 - Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg BRAZIL

COSTA RICA

22 June - 20:00 - Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad SERBIA

SWITZERLAND

27 June - 20:00 - Spartak Stadium, Moscow SERBIA

SOUTH K OREA

23 June - 20:00 GERMANY

27 June - 1

BRAZIL

SOUTH KOREA

27 June - 20:00 - Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Novgorod COSTA RICA

SWITZERLAND

23 June - 17:00

27 June - 16:00 MEXICO

2ND ROUND

2 July - 16:00 - Samara A

30 June - 20:00 - Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi

A

2B

1A

E

1E

2 July - 20:00 - Rostov Aren

30 June - 16:00 - Kazan Arena, Kazan

B

2D

1C

F

1G

1 July - 16:00 - Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

C

3 July - 16:00 - Saint Petersburg 2A

1B

G

1F

1 July - 20:00 - Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Novgorod

D

1D

3 July - 20:00 - Spartak Sta 2C

H

1H

GROUP B

GROUP C

GROUP D

16 June - 12:00 - Kazan Arena, Kazan

nt Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg IRAN

FRANCE

0 - Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi

16 June - 1 :00 - Spartak Stadium, Moscow

AUSTRALIA

ARGENTINA

16 June - 1 :00 - Mordovia Arena, Saransk

SPAIN

PERU

00 - Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

16 June - 2 :00 - Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad

DENMARK

CROATIA

21 June - 14:00 - Samara Arena, Samara

MOROCCO

20:00 - Kazan Arena, Kazan

ARGENTINA

FRANCE

00 - Mordovia Arena, Saransk

26 June -

- Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad

NIGERIA

PERU

:00 - Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi

AUSTRALIA

PORTUGAL

PERU

ICELAND

GROUP F

NIGERIA

GROUP G

00 - Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

BELGIUM

zhny Novgorod Stadium, Novgorod

19 June - 14:00 - Mordovia Arena, Saransk

PANAMA

COLOMBIA

18 June - 20:00 - Volgograd Arena, Volgograd TUNISIA

SOUTH KOREA

- Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don

BELGIUM

0 - Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi

ENGLAND

ENGLAND

June - 17:00 - Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg

TUNISIA

ENGLAND

GERMANY

Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg

24 June - 20:00 - Kazan Arena, Kazan POLAND

PANAMA

PANAMA

BELGIUM

28 June - 16:00 - Samara Arena, Samara SENEGAL

TUNISIA

I

WA

COLOMBIA

SEMI-FINALS 10 July - 20:00 - Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg

6 July - 16:00 - Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Novgorod 2F

POLAND

JAPAN

QUARTER-FINALS

Arena, Samara

COLOMBIA

28 June - 16:00 - Volgograd Arena, Volgograd

28 June - 20:00 - Mordovia Arena, Saransk

SWEDEN

SENEGAL

JAPAN

28 June - 20:00 - Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad

16:00 - Kazan Arena, Kazan

SENEGAL 24

POLAND

24 June - 14:00 - Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Novgorod

SWEDEN

JAPAN

19 June - 17:00 - Spartak Stadium, Moscow

23 June - 14:00 - Spartak Stadium, Moscow

MEXICO

ARGENTINA

GROUP H

18 June - 17:00 - Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi

MEXICO

CROATIA

26 June - 20:00 - Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg

FRANCE

DENMARK

ICELAND

26 June - 20:00 - Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don

26 June - 16:00 - Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

MOROCCO

CROATIA

22 June - 17:00 - Volgograd Arena, Volgograd

21 June - 17:00 - Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg

SPAIN

NIGERIA

21 June - 20:00 - Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Novgorod

AUSTRALIA

DENMARK

ICELAND

WB

M

W

WI

J

11 July - 20:00 - Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow 6 July - 20:00 - Kazan Arena, Kazan

na, Rostov-on-Don 2H

J K

WC

N

WL

WK 3rd. & 4th. Place

LN

WD

FINAL

7 July - 16:00 - Samara Arena, Samara

adium, Moscow 2G

L

WG

14 July - 16:00 - Saint Petersburg

LM

7 July - 20:00 - Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi

Stadium, Saint Petersburg 2E

WF

WE

WH

15 July - 17:00 - Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

WM

CHAMPION

WN

18

Back In TROLLEY FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

SKITTLER

A CATERING trolley caused a Ryanair flight attendant to suffer a broken leg, as a flight from Cologne landedatStanstedAirportinDecember.

News of the bizarre incident became public this week after an investigation from the Air Accidents Branch(AAIB).

Investigation The trolley was not properly secured and hurtled down the centre aisle of the plane as it landed, hitting the the man, who saw it coming towards him, and raised his knees in anticipation of the impact. He then attempted to stand up but collapsed to the floor due to his injuries.

After the Boeing 737 aircraft came to a standstill at London Stansted, the airport’s emergency response team took the man away on a stretcher before he was transported to a local hospital.

The plane was being positioned from Cologne to Stansted without passengers on December 2 last year after being previously diverted to the

German city due to poor weather while en route to Eindhoven.

It is not known how the catering cart became dislodged from its position in the rear galley, but an engineering check found no fault with its safety latch.

The injured man was supposed to sit in the galley at the rear of the cabin, but took a seat at the front instead.

Aviation rules state that cabin crew must sit in their assigned seats for take off and landing.

The AAIB concluded that if the victim had sat in his assigned place then he ‘might have seen the catering cart become insecure and been able to prevent it from moving’.

He told investigators that the catering carts ‘appeared to be secure’ before he moved to the front of the plane. Another cabin crew attendant due

to sit in the galley was invited into followed during positioning flights.

An airline spokesman said: the cockpit to observe the landing.

Ryanair circululated a memo ‘We have noted this report which to all its crews reminding them of contains no safety recommendations.’ the procedures to be

Britain THE BOSS AND

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE

MEGHAN

said: “Welcome to Cheshire. I understand The Queen and the Duchess of Sussex formed train,is your first visit to northern England.” this hire a new and successful double act in Ches t The duchess, wearing a cream outfit by yesterday on what was their first royal engagemen Givenchy, replied: “That’s right yes.” together.

Grange Hill and Brookside creator Phil ond and wife Alexis, the High Sheriff of Redm an Her Majesty and newly-married Megh Cheshire, were among those gathered to greet the officially opened the Mersey Gateway Bridge and royals.

Chester’s Storyhouse Theatre.

Mr Redmond joked that he should have asked They then went to a lunch at Chester Town an if she wanted a part in his Channel Four Megh Hall as guests of the city council.

Hollyoaks.

It was the first time the duchess has attended soap nd an event with the Queen without her husba Prince Harry.

Thousands of people were already waiting at the venues hours before the royal pair arrived, with stalls set up on the streets selling flags and souvenirs.

The Queen, wearing green in honour of the Grenfell Tower fire victims on the first anniversary of the tragedy, and the Duchess were greeted by hundreds of cheering schoolchildren as they stepped off the royal train at Runcorn station.

Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire David Briggs MBE, who welcomed Meghan as she left the

A year on from the fire which killed 72 people dead, the Grenfell Tower community in London have spent the last two days remembering those who died in the tragedy with memorials and tributes to the victims.

One specially moving moment was captured on video shared by Sky News on the eve of the first anniversary of the blaze on Wednesday night.

Footage was recorded at a vigil held by residents near Latimer Road station, and it showed a Tube driver stopping the train mid-journey on a bridge before pulling into the station.

In a salute to the crowds below, who had gathered to commemorate the victims, the driver can be seen stepping out of the carriage before holding up a green-coloured banner in honour of ‘Green for Grenfell’.

Sky News reporter Dan Whitehead, who was at the vigil, described the exceptional moment to the camera. “Pretty remarkable scene actually one of the Underground trains stopping and cheers from the couple of hundred people here who have gathered,” he said. “What a lovely tribute.”

The tube driver’s commemoration was among a number of events that took place to mark the anniversary.

Grenfell Tower was illuminated green and landmarks across the capital, including Kensington Palace and the London Eye, were lit up in the same colour in a show of solidarity.

A memorial also took place at a church near the tower block, where the 72 victims’ names were read out at 1.30 am on Thursday morning.

19

20

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Business & Finance

Weekender IKEA comes to

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The

the Marina Alta

Talks

Sponsored By

Small changes needed to inheritance tax to make it Brexit ready, CLA says A government review looking into the inheritance tax system has been warned against making major changes, and instead opt for small changes to make it Brexit ready.

The review is to look at the ease or complexity of legislative rules around inheritance tax with the aim of recommending improvements.

Set up by Chancellor Philip Hammond and conducted by the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS), the review is seen as important to farmers as uncertainty mounts in the agricultural industry.

Rural organisation the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has set out how small changes to the administration and interpretation of inheritance tax rules can help to ensure farming businesses are ready to cope with the inevitable changes that Brexit will bring.

It has set out a number of improvements that can be made to the system, most notably providing more time and support for families to put their Estates in order following a death, and suggested important clarifications to the rules to ensure key diversifications of farming businesses, such as holiday lettings, qualify for vital inheritance tax relief.

The CLA is also calling for the Government to make clear that land on which environmental or other public goods activities are taking place, is explicitly included within the scope of

Tel: 671 935 072

agricultural property relief.

‘Accelerate growth’ CLA President, Tim Breitmeyer said the the OTS can help by recommending “clarity, flexibility and better administration” of the inheritance tax regime to the Chancellor.

“Brexit will bring significant and fundamental change for many land based businesses across the countryside. In order to respond, many will need to invest to increase profitability, productivity and accelerate growth,” Mr Breitmeyer said.

“This includes more farm businesses seeking new income streams from activities like tourism that sit alongside their core farming business. It is important that those who do this are not penalised by current inheritance tax rules.

“Also, as government policy clearly identifies a switch to encouraging more public good activities on rural land as a core policy objective, it must ensure that landowners who respond do not get penalised by the inheritance tax system. For example, land dedicated to environmental schemes must benefit from the same reliefs as agricultural land.

Mr Breitmeyer added: “Faced with the uncertainties and opportunities of Brexit, it is for each rural business to take its destiny in its own hands. What the Government can do is ensure that the tax regime is fit for purpose and helps businesses to have the confidence to invest and grow.”

FLATPACK giant IKEA has opened a new store in Ondara – although sadly you won’t be able to buy furniture directly from it. The new outlet at the Portal de la Marina Centro Commercial is part of their Design Line, where potential customers can sit with experts and design the layout and furnishing of a

by Simon Russell

house or room. Kitchen designs are the most common request but any room can be put into the computer graphic system.

You can then order any goods you want from the Design Centre which will have catalogues available.

The new store was

Big spender VA L E N C I A N supermarket giant Mercadona spent more money in Spain than any other business last year.

They purchased 17,533 million euros worth of goods and services, a 9%

increase on the 2016 figure.

85% of their total spend was in Spain, something Chairman Juan Roig says “shows our commitment to the generation of value and productivity in our country and to buying and selling

inaugurated on Wednesday

by Jose Ramiro, the mayor of Ondara accompanied by the director of IKEA Valencia and the manager of the shopping centre, Carlos Fita. He talked about the influence the brand had in the Spanish retail market, and the importance of having their presence in Portal de la Marina. products of Spanish origin.”

They work with 820 suppliers, 120 of which exclusively supply the firm. They also have links with 14,800 farmers and 12,000 fishermen across Spain as well as over 2,000 companies providing national services, plus another 20,000 at local level.

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21

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Business & Finance

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

If you die how much Spanish Inheritance Tax will your loved ones have to pay?

By Wayne Martin

International Financial Adviser

If you have moved to Spain, you should be aware how Spanish Inheritance Tax (ISD) laws will affect you. The rules and ISD tax rates vary according to the relationship between the donor and beneficiary; unmarried couples, step-children and non-related beneficiaries pay more tax than spouses and natural children. Inheritance laws can vary depending on which Spanish region is dealing with your Estate Planning.

Generally, regional taxes will only apply to residents, while national law will apply to non-residents. Some regions may also allow more favourable

conditions, such as almost complete tax exemptions for spouses and children, but not the Valencia (Alicante) Region.

are progressive. Tax free allowances, however, are given depending on relationship of the beneficiary.

If you are resident then your estate will be dealt with under Spanish inheritance law, unless you state in your Will you would like the Succession laws to be as per your country of birth (Nationality) then ‘forced heirship’ rules apply. This means there are restrictions on how you distribute your estate, as a certain percentage needs to be set aside for certain relatives.

So if you would like to mitigate your Spanish Inheritance Tax liabilities for your Spouse, Partner or beneficiaries (whoever they maybe), then you need to reduce the amount of taxable wealth you have. There are investment products that if structured properly will mean that on your death no Spanish Inheritance tax is payable.

This is a tried and tested way to ensure beneficiaries (this includes your Spouse or Partner) are not left burdened with a huge Spanish Inheritance tax bill.

If a Spanish citizen or resident dies without leaving a Spanish will, the laws of intestate succession apply. If an inheritance is unclaimed, if there are no heirs or it is rejected by all beneficiaries, then the estate is passed to the Spanish state. Spanish inheritance tax rates as set by the national government

Blacktower Financial Management can help you mitigate the effects of ISD, with careful planning on how you invest your savings. There are solutions which can mean that savings will be

Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and is registered with the DGS.

counted as being outside of the estate and therefore pose as a very tax efficient exercise. If you are an unmarried couple this can be particularly attractive due to the excessively high rates of ISD applied to non-married inheritors.

If you have any questions, would like a free consultation or need any clarification regarding the above, you can contact me, Wayne Martin on 636361588 or e-mail wayne.martin@ 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. The value of investments can rise and fall, and Capital may be at risk.

Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and is registered with the DGS in Spain.

Safe and secure – it’s a great feeling Our advice, your advantage We’re here to help you sleep well at night. And it’s not about the firmness of your mattress, it’s about the strength of your financial protection. When you ask a Blacktower adviser “what-if”, we have the confidence in our expertise to provide an answer, so you can feel confident that you and the people you love, are protected.

Health Insurance

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General Protection Policies

Get in touch today at: info@blacktowerfm.com +34 965 058 212 Avinguda d’Ausiàs March 9, Local 7 (Esq. Joan Fuster), 03730 Javea, Alicante

www.blacktowerfm.com Blacktower Financial Management (International) Limited is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission Licence 00805B and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV in Spain. Blacktower Financial Management Limited in the UK is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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Critical Illness

22

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Pets & Wildlife

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Mitzi

This beautiful German Shepherd cross is 2 years old and was originally found as a puppy in the mountains with her siblings.

She has been spayed and micro chipped and has a passport. She is a beautiful dog with lovely markings and temperament.

She would make a brilliant walking companion, is very quick to learn and loves to play and is good off the lead. She needs to be with a family who can give her the love and attention she deserves. Also, many other dogs, cats & kittens needing homes.

No adoption fee but a donation is always appreciated.

Food and donations also urgently needed and can be left at ARC’s charity shop on Carrer Valencia 1, Jalon between 10 am & 1.30 pm Monday to Saturday.

Contact Tel No Sally:- 625 985 689 or Jayne:- 649 310 285.

Email jalonvalleyarc14@yahoo.co.uk.

Facebook – Jalon Valley A.R.C. Based in Jalon.

Charity Reg No CV-01-054107-A.

4 tips for keeping your pet safe this summer Beating the heat

(BPT) - There are thousands of reasons to love the summer, and if you’re a pet owner, you love summer more than most.

Summer is the perfect opportunity to get outside and get active with our pets.

Between cool swims in the pool and brisk walks in the sunshine, summer is a great bonding time for you and Fluffy or Fido.

However, it’s also important for pet owners to have a proper understanding of factors that can affect their pet’s health and safety during the warmer months.

This includes varying weather conditions, maintaining proper nutrition and preparing for other summertime events.

With June being National Pet Preparedness Month, Dr. Kurt Venator, Purina’s Chief Veterinary Officer, suggests four things for pet owners to keep in mind this summer so that we can live safe, healthy and happy lives together with our pets whether at home or on the road.

Pets in Spain Wispa is a 11 week old puppy that was rescued with his 3 other siblings.

He is good with other dogs, cats and children, has received his puppy vaccinations and will be small to medium size when fully grown.

Call: 645 469 253

www.petsinspain.com info@petsinspain.com

Just like the heat can make people feel unwell, the particularly hot days of summer can leave pets dehydrated or ill if not properly attended to. Pet owners should be mindful of a pet’s exercise, outdoor time and hydration to keep them feeling their best.

More specifically, if heading out for a walk, be sure to go outside during cooler parts of the day like early morning or early evening. Also, before you start your walk, use your hand to feel the pavement. If it feels too hot to touch, then it’s way too hot for your pet’s paws. Stay in the grass or possibly try booties so his or her paws don’t burn.

Above all, never leave your pet unattended in the car. Your car acts like a greenhouse on hot days, and overheating can set in quickly, causing permanent damage to your pet, and even death. On hot days, it’s best to just leave your pet at home.

Summer snacks and proper ingredients With blueberries, strawberries and other yummy treats in season during the summer, you can share these healthy indulgences with pets too. Fruits like peaches, strawberries and mangoes are great treats for pets as long as pits, stems and

leaves are removed and fruit is thoroughly washed.

What’s great about these fruits is that they contain vitamins, fiber and antioxidants and tend to be low in sugar, so when fed in moderation, they’re actually quite healthy for dogs in the same ways they’re healthy for humans. That’s why Purina includes fruits, like blueberries, in their Beneful Playful Life and Beneful Grain Free formulas. Made from real protein sources and blended with an optimal amount of fruit and veggies, these foods can give your pet the nutrition they need to play all day.

Did someone say vacay?

Taking to the skies? When flying with a pet, it’s important to understand your pet’s needs. Therefore, you should conduct the appropriate research, plan ahead and understand airline/aircraft policies on the day of departure to ensure the trip is just as safe for your pet as it is for you.

For instance, did you know that in order for your pet to fly you should obtain a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection? Most airlines require this document within ten days of travel. This document must be signed by an accredited veterinarian, and should indicate that your pet has been examined and able to fly.

Hitting the road? Buy a travel harness that comes across your pet’s chest and clips onto a safety belt. This keeps your pet secure and prevents him or her from interfering with your driving. To keep your pet feeling comfortable and entertained on the journey, also consider bringing a cozy blanket, spill-proof bowl and timeconsuming treats, like the Purina Busy(R) Bone, to pass the hours till you reach your destination.

Be prepared disasters

Since 1977

for

natural

Although it’s difficult to predict when natural disasters will occur, preparing for the worst for your family and your pet can make the difference when every second counts - especially during hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires.

Understand what weather impacts your area, have resources on hand and have a plan to keep everyone safe.

Just like you, your pet should also have a disaster kit that includes basic pet essentials such as bottled water, cans of wet food, blankets, collapsible bowls, cat litter and pan, and a leash and collar. A one- to two-week supply of food that your pet usually eats is an ideal amount to include in your disaster kit as well; however, be sure to check the expiration dates. Pack the foods your pet eats routinely to ensure complete and balanced nutrition in stressful moments like this.

For more information and tips about keeping your pets safe, healthy and always prepared, please visit www.Purina.com/Summer.

23

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Adagio: Pop Meets Classical Masons donate to Denia Children’s Home Local Masons from Puerta de Xabia Lodge recently held a summer party and barbecue to raise money for the Children’s Home in Denia. They were fortunate to have glorious weather after a previous day of heavy rain and more than seventy Masons and guests turned out to support this worthy cause.

It was held at the Casa de la Pizza restaurant in Costa Nova and a sumptuous barbecue was served to the expectant guests.

After a huge selection of tapas type starters, numerous meat courses and several different salads were served which disappeared at an alarming rate. To finish there were a selection of beautiful desserts.

Entertainment was provided by popular local entertainer, Irish Des, who sang and played songs to suit all tastes and, as usual,

If you love music, then come along to the Javea Players Studio in Javea Town on Friday 22nd June and enjoy Adagio as they perform “Pop Meets Classical”.

This concert is filled with a wide variety of music from Pop to Classical and promises to be an evening of fun and singing and

includes classical, pop, jazz, and musical theatre.

The seven members of the group will also entertain you with several solos and duets and change from beautiful harmony songs such as the Elizabethan Serenade (last heard at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle) through to more comical

Free choral concert

gave excellent value. He played for the whole afternoon and it wasn’t long before the guests started dancing to his excellent music.

There was also a quiz, which was particularly tricky, and had guests scratching their heads before the winners were finally announced and presented with a half case of cava. A charity raffle was also held which raised four hundred and twenty euros which will be donated, along with other money raised, to the children’s Home in Denia later in the summer. A great afternoon which was hugely enjoyed by all.

If you have an interest in joining Freemasonry please contact me on the email address given below. prensa@glpvalencia.com

numbers like the Cat Duet or a medley of television advert jingles.

This concert has been previously performed to sold out venues, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to see Adagio perform Pop Meets Classical one last time. Tickets are limited so booking is essential. Tickets are priced at �12 and are available on 96 558 1483 or online at www.philipashley. com/boxoffice.php

The sound of drums

THE Calp Ifach Choral Choir is giving a concert at Calpe’s Casa de la Cultura this Saturday, 16 June.

Admission is free (but limited to the venues capacity), and starts at 8.30 pm in the Salo Blau. The choral group have been together for nearly 20 years

and have performed all over Spain and even in Germany’s Cologne Cathedral.

They are well known for performing a wide variety of musical numbers, and will once again be conducted by Joaquin Sastre who has been with the group from their inception.

PERCUSSIONISTS from five continents will be performing in Javea at a festival next month, an event announced at a press conference by Mayor Jose Chulvi this week. The Agora Percussion Festival features artists from Denmark, Chile, Australia, Colombia, Argentina, Italy, Russia and Taiwan among others.

Described as an avant-garde celebration of music, Culture Councillor Quico Moragues said that this “confirms Javea’s pioneering status in the Valencian Sunday 9 July and will have music scene, alongside other various venues – festivals such as Musica a l’Estiu www.ajxabia.com for and Xabia Folk and Jazz.” The moreseedetails.

Agora is scheduled to take place

Alas poor Yorick….

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. Who didn’t study Shakespeare at school and particularly Hamlet? Whilst holding the skull of the king’s jester, Hamlet fondly recalls his jokes, pranks and songs, the flashes of wit that had the whole table laughing.

So, yes, Yorick is the centre of attention in this play written by Jávea Players’ own playwright, Phil Mansell, and there are jokes galore, often bawdy. However, whilst trying to introduce a new kind of humour as

a stand-up comic, Yorick more often than not falls metaphorically flat on his face: the peasants in the 14th century just don’t get his jokes.

Proving to be somewhat of a failure as a comic, his girlfriend, tavern wench Bess, persuades Yorick to return to Denmark and the king’s palace in Elsinore to request reinstatement to his old position. Things have changed in the interim, so that option turns out not to be the easy solution to his financial woes either.

But there’s no real skulduggery

involved and no need to exhume any skulls. Come prepared for raucous laughter and even whoopee cushions.

Poor Yorick will be performed from 2nd-7th July at 21.00 at the Casa de Cultura in Jávea, following a tapas supper at the Bar Imperial [at 19.00] where diners will be serenaded by the smooth swing sounds of vocalist Roger Brown. Tickets €17.50.

For more information and booking details visit www.javeaplayers.com.

If you have a problem please e-mail boxoffice@javeaplayers.com

24

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Motoring

Volkswagen T-Roc >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Powered by a range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, the Volkswagen T-Roc will be 252mm shorter than the Tiguan, at 4.2 metres long, while many of its mechanical underpinnings will be shared with the Ateca.

Like the SEAT, the diesel engine line-up will consist of 1.6 and 2.0 TDI engines, with power ratings spanning from 115PS, 150PS and 190PS. The turbocharged petrol range will feature

three TSI engines - 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0-litre - with outputs starting at 115PS for the three-cylinder unit and rising to 150PS and 190PS for the larger four-cylinder engines.

Like the Up city car, the T-Roc will get a huge array of personalisation options, with coloured dashboard inserts, contrasting roof colours and ambient lighting. A 6.5-inch touchscreen will dominate the minimalist dashboard, while Volkswagen’s latest eight-inch touchscreen infotainment

will be available as an option, with DAB audio and navigation. Volkswagen’s digital instrument display will also be available, allowing the driver to add maps to the background of the instrument binnacle.

Bootspace will be a useful 445-litres when the rear seats in place - 15 more than the Qashqai - while the 60/40 split rear seats will fold down to provide 1290 litres, which is significantly less than the outright 1585 litres you get in the Nissan.

26

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Motoring

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Trashed trucker

A lorry driver from the Alicante town of Novelda was stopped and breathalysed this week and found to be five times over the legal limit. The man was seen at a service station by Guardia Civil in

by Simon Russell

Murcia in the early hours of the morning looking visibly intoxicated. The 39-year-old was breath tested and measured a blood alcohol rating

of 0.72 milligrams, against the legal limit of 0.15 for HGV drivers.

His vehicle and its shipment of pallets was immobilised where it had been parked and the man was charged with driving

under the influence.

The authorities decided it would be a long period before the accused was fit to move the truck and another driver had to be called in from the firm where he works to drive it away.

Moto ace arrested A professional motorcycle GP racer and former runner-up in the world championships has been arrested in Valencia accused of driving offences including speeding and driving while under the influence. Valencian born Hector Barbera was stopped last weekend for speeding and then tested for a blood alcohol level of 0.67 mg – the third time he has tested positive for drunk driving, resulting in him losing

his licence in 2014.

Barbera burst onto the Moto GP scene in 2002 aged just 15 and his victory on the world circuit at Donnington Park made him one of the youngest ever to achieve this feat. He finished third overall that season and went one better the next year, but injury and unreliable bikes saw him drop away over the next few seasons although he is still riding at the top level.

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

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FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Sport

Nakajima puts Alonso’s Toyota on provisional pole at Le Mans

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

LE MANS - Japanese driver Kazuki Nakajima put the Toyota he shares with double Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso on provisional pole for the 24 Hours of Le Mans sportscar race on Wednesday night.

Nakajima lapped the dry Sarthe circuit with a fastest time of three minutes 17.270 seconds in the first two-hour night-time qualifying session.

Toyota, now the only major manufacturer entered in the top LMP1 category after champions Porsche quit, have only themselves to beat but can take nothing for granted after losing out in 2017 due to unreliability.

The Japanese team are seeking their first win at the 20th attempt to become only the second Japanese marque after Mazda to triumph in the endurance classic.

The number eight TS050 hybrid of Nakajima, Alonso and Switzerland’s Sebastien Buemi was followed on the timesheets by the number seven car of Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi, Britain’s Mike Conway and Argentina’s Jose Maria Lopez.

Kobayashi took pole last year in a record 3:14.791 and the track has been shortened by three metres since then for safety improvements.

With the possibility of rain on Thursday, when two more qualifying sessions are scheduled, there is a chance that Wednesday’s time will secure pole.

While Nakajima set the pace, Le Mans rookie

Alonso completed a mandatory five laps in night conditions in a car that took the trio to victory in the opening race of the season at Spa in Belgium.

The Spaniard is combining a full Formula One and world endurance season and arrived at the French circuit straight from competing in last Sunday’s’ Canadian Grand Prix for McLaren.

Alonso, who has also won the Monaco Grand Prix as well as Formula One titles, is aiming to complete the ‘Triple Crown of Motorport’ and needs to win Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500 to do so.

He competed at Indianapolis last year, leading before an engine failure.

Frenchman Stephane Sarrazin was third fastest in the number 17 SMP Racing BR1 non-hybrid car with a lap of 3:19.483 while Brazilian Bruno Senna was fourth in the number one Rebellion R13 entry.

The non-hybrid LMP1 cars are lighter but thirstier, requiring more and longer pitstops than the Toyotas.

Jenson Button, the 2009 Formula One champion, also completed his night laps in the number 11 SMP Racing BR1 that was seventh fastest.

The 86th edition of the race starts at 1300GMT on Saturday with Spain’s French Open tennis champion Rafael Nadal the official starter of the 60-strong field. : Reuters

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

31

Sport

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Three’s a crowd THE 2026 World Cup will be the first to be hosted by three countries, after a joint bid between Canada, Mexico, and the United States easily saw off their Moroccan rivals on Wednesday.

The ‘United 2026’ bid got 134 votes from the FIFA delegates in Moscow, as opposed to 65 for Morocco.

The 2026 tournament will be the biggest World Cup ever held , with 48 teams playing 80 matches over 34 days.

“Football is the only victor. We

are all united in football,” was the unsurprising comment of US Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro Both Mexico (1970 and 1986) and the United States (1994) have previously hosted World Cups, whilst Canada staged the Women’s World Cup three years ago.

The deal though is heavily weighted in favour of the States, and of the 16 host split evenly between Canada and Mexico will host 10 games each. and the New York Jets.

The final will be held at the It was the fifth time that cities, 10 will be in the United Mexico.

Sixty matches will take place MetLife Stadium, which is home Morocco had failed in a World States while the remainder will be in the US, while Canada and to NFL sides the New York Giants Cup hosting bid.

No Nadal - Rafa pulls out of Queen’s World number one Rafa Nadal has pulled out of the Queen’s Championship saying that he needs to listen to his body.

Nadal, 32, comes into the grass court season off a terrific clay court period that ended with him winning his 11th French Open crown, beating Dominic Thiem in the final.

He had been expected to use Queen’s as his primary preparation for Wimbledon but has now had to pull out. ”Queen’s is a great event, I have happy memories of winning the title in 2008 and I wanted to come back this year,” said Nadal. “But it has been a very long clay court season for me with great results.

The news comes as a blow for the organisers after the good news that three-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic had accepted a late wild card

to play at Queen’s for the first time in eight years.

A statement on the tournament’s website read: “Rafael Nadal has today informed us of his decision to withdraw from the Fever-Tree Championships, that starts on Monday.

Tournament Director, Stephen Farrow said “We are obviously disappointed that Rafa has decided that he is unable to play this year, but we wish him well and hope to see him on our courts in the future, “At the same time, we are thrilled to have added Novak Djokovic to a lineup that already includes so many of the best players in the world. We remain on track for a fantastic week of tennis at the Fever-Tree Championships and we can’t wait to get started.”

Smoke free soccer VALENCIA CF has confirmed that they will not be permitting smoking in their Mestalla stadium from next season, apart from certain areas set aside for smokers. This follows

similar announcements by several of La Liga’s other sides and although the changes are voluntary, many think that La Liga will effectively be a smoke free zone before too long.

A Valencia spokesman said that as a major sporting entity they had a duty to address social issues such as health, particularly among their younger fans.

The designated smoking zones will be located well away from the main seating areas, and those using them will also be provided with information on stopping smoking.

32

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018

Your Weekend Starts Here!

Sport

SPANISH SHOCKER

SPAIN’S football bosses stunned the soccer world on Wednesday morning by sacking head coach Julen Lopetegui, just 48 hours before this Friday evening’s World Cup group B opener against Portugal, writes ALEX TRELINSKI. 50-year old ex-Real Madrid and Bolton Wanderers player, Fernando Hierro, will take charge after being Spain’s sporting director.

He won 89 caps for his country, and has just one year of managerial experience under his belt at Oviedo.

Tuesday’s announcement that Lopetegui would replace Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid coach after the World Cup is done and dusted was too much for Spanish football federation (RFEF) president, Luis Rubiales.

Reports suggested that he went into a rage and instantly decided to sack the coach, having only had five minutes notice of his pending move to the Champions League holders.

He was also angry because Lopetegui had only signed a contract extension with the national side last month.

The RFEF said it it had dismissed the 51-year-old because the Madrid

negotiations occurred “without any information to the RFEF”.

“I know it’s a very difficult situation. I know there’s going to be criticism whatever I do,” said Rubiales.

“I’m sure this will, in time, make us stronger. I admire Julen very much, I respect him very much.

He’s a top coach and that makes it harder to make the decision.”

“You can’t do things this way, two or three days before the World Cup. We have been compelled to make this decision. There has to be a message to all RFEF employees and that there are ways of behaving that you need to abide by.”

Lopetegui became Spain’s coach two years ago in 2016 following Vicente del Bosque’s retirement, and remained unbeaten through his reign.

Spain won 14 of 20 games with Lopetegui in charge, drawing the

remaining six, and had been fancied to do well in the World Cup, having won the title under del Bosque back in 2010.

It’s understood that a number of players argued against sacking Lopetegui so close to the tournament, especially the Real Madrid stars in the squad. But such was the anger on the RFEF’s part, and n particular Rubiales, that the coach was instantly sacked.