Weekender Issue 048

ISSUE 048 - Friday 8th June 2018

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ADIOS RAJOY! -PP IN PIECES Former prime minister Mariano Rajoy has announced that he is to step down from leading the conservative Partido Popular.

Rajoy annouced that he will pass over leadership of the party to it’s new leader at the next party congress, which is due in the coming months.

In a statement, that at some points saw the head of the party moved to tears, he launched a scathing attack at the PSOE leader and prime minister Pedro Sanchez who led the censure motion against him last week. At present, no names have been suggested for a

by Alex Trelinski

successor,.

Meanwhile, new prime minister, Pedro Sanchez has unveiled a female-majority cabinet, ahead of them assuming their roles on Thursday Women will take the deputy premiership, and the economy and finance portfolios.

The appointments include: Carmen Calvo, a former minister of culture, will serve as deputy PM and minister for equality.

María Jesús Montero, a former Andalusia councilor, will be finance minister and Nadia Calviño, the chief of budget at the

EU Commission, will be economy minister.

Spain’s first astronaut, Pedro Duque, has been named minister of science, innovation

and universities by the prime minister.

Mr. Duque last went to space in 2003 as part of an International Space Station (ISS) mission.

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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.

Ethical Investing - It is no longer just something for a few tree-hugging individuals. the Chinese company’s focus on electric cars and climate-friendly motoring is delivering on the promise concealed in its acronym — Build Your Dreams. Its shares are trading at roughly 21 times forward earnings, or 2.5 times the ratio when Mr Buffett bought in. The deal stands as an example of how investing in renewable technologies can pay off and since 2008, BYD has become the world’s leading manufacturer of electric vehicles.

By Tracy Storer

Senior Partner Chorus Financial

In a world that is becoming more and more focused about the environment and ways to protect it, it is no wonder that I am being asked more and more about ethical investments.

Ethical investors were historically driven by their focus on doing what was best for the environment and communities and often this meant their investment could sometimes suffer. But times are changing

and investing ethically can now be very rewarding.

When a company owned by Warren Buffett (one of the world’s most successful investors) bought a stake in BYD, then a little-known Chinese car company, some sceptics were ridiculing the 2008 deal. Car and Driver, an industry magazine, commented that it was “hard to take BYD seriously” because many of its cars seemed to be copies of older Japanese models, while their performance was lacklustre. “We drive faster in our driveways,” the magazine said. But Mr Buffett is now more than vindicated and

The BYD investment story is a small part of a much bigger trend. Investors are finding that if they are good to the planet and to people, they also end up, on average, benefiting themselves.

There is mounting evidence that funds which observe environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards in their strategies tend to outperform those that don’t by a significant margin.

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is another approach to investing ethically.

SRI is based largely on excluding certain companies from your portfolio, which you identify using a series of criteria related to, for example, environmental and social practices.

Socially responsible investing continues to grow and expand as investors have taken a shine to building profits with a purpose. There’s no longer a trade-off between profits and the planet!

At Chorus Financial we make sure that we understand the individual needs of all our clients, not just in terms of their financial goals but also what is important to them in terms of investing. Being Independent means that we can chose the best possible investments for our clients and that includes investments with an ethical focus. As always, we promise to only recommend funds from well-known trusted companies, so you can be sure we aren’t going to invest your money into some unknown rain forest project in Brazil!!! Instead we turn to companies that you will have heard of and trust, companies like Aviva, Standard Life, Rathbones, Jupiter and Henderson who all have ethical focused funds.

If you would like more information about ethical investing or if you would like to discuss your investment or pension requirements call Tracy on 693 107 044 or email t.storer@chorusfinancial.es

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

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Superstar’s house targeted

3

by Simon Russell

celebrity couple were in the house at the time, although Piques parents were sleeping there when the overnight burglary took place. There

Rocky wonder A small group of Valencian islands appears in the list of the ten most stunning geological sights located on coastal Spain. The Columbretes Islets were formed by volcanic explosions about a million years ago, leaving stunning natural arch shaped harbours.

They are technically part

by Simon Russell

of the municipality of Castellon city – however they are located about 50 kilometres offshore so not quite as accessible as most other sites on the list.

The uninhabited archipelago is now a nature reserve as well as being an important habitat

and migratory stopping off point for seabirds and home to a large population of falcons.

Other geological wonders on the list, compiled by travel writers for Spanish daily “El Pais”, include La Palma’s volcanoes, Girona’s Cabo de Creus, cliffs in Cantabria and the Geopark at El Hierro.

Valencia tourist chief emphasises `quality over numbers` Head of the Valencia regional tourist agency Francesc Colomer, used an event in Villajoyosa this week to highlight the need for an end to the industry’s obsession with tourist numbers.

Addressing attendees at the town’s Club Nautico, where he announced the 172 beaches in the region, chosen to fly the coveted Qualitur flags this Summer, Colomer spoke of the challenges ahead following the recent resurgence of other tourist destinations such as Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia.

“We have to understand that it is not the time to count heads, but to flag up quality,” said the tourism chief.

“The figures are what they are,” he continued, “but it is time to introduce another measurement to assess and check tourist business, not to solely focus on whether there are more or less tourists, but the

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Shakira was performing in a concert in Germany which was attended by her husband and other players from the Spanish World Cup squad before they travel to Russia to play in the tournament.

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THE luxury Barcelona property of singing star Shakira and her footballer husband Gerard Pique was broken into this week. Neither of the

was no violence involved and it has not been disclosed what the thieves have taken from the house, which may have been intentionally targeted by professionals.

At the time of the robbery

by Andy Mansell

quality of service they receive.”

He stressed that the agency is committed to promoting the attractiveness and diversity of the towns within the Valencia community, to differentiate them from resorts in other competing destinations, rather than merely “counting heads” to increase profitability.

With this in mind, Colomer announced the 35 municipalities within the Valenca community, whose beaches have been awarded the newly introduced Qualitur flags.

Beaches are judged on the quality of cleanliness, environmental awareness and accessibility and all have a “plus”, which avoids standardisation resorts in other corners of the Mediterranean, he explained.

During his presentation, Colomer also spoke of the

projected tourist figures for the upcoming summer season.

The Valencia Community is expected to receive 4.1 million international tourists in the June to September period, representing an increase of 4% compared to the summer of 2017.

These visitors should spend in the region of 4,000 million euros, an increase of 7% on the same period.

The head of tourism also noted that “It is not only international demand that has optimistic forecasts, but it is expected that the national demand will consolidate the upturn started a few months ago”.

Tourists living in Spain are expected to make more than 8.8 million trips to the Community, 3% more than in the summer of 2017, generating nearly 60 million overnight stays.

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

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Charged for tower block fire

A woman’s whose apartment burnt down last month prompting a major response from fire crews has been arrested and charged with suspected arson.

The incident happened in Alicante City, and at the time the home owner told the authorities that she believed the cause was an electrical fire. However a fire

by Simon Russell

team investigation showed it started simultaneously at three different parts of the property. Because of this the fire had the potential to quickly get out of control, placing other occupants of the apartment block in great danger. Thankfully, quick work in a dangerous

situation by the fire teams got the blaze under control.

The suspect had been seen leaving the apartment prior to the fire starting early in the morning. She had with her a suitcase packed with valuables and documentation, something she would not have had time to do once the fire had taken hold, the investigators believe.

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In for the long haul SPAIN’s new Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, has no plans to hold new elections, after unseating Mariano Rajoy in a confidence vote in Congress last week.

It was the first time a Prime Minister had been removed from power in such a way, and Tuesday saw Rajoy announcing that he was quitting as president of the Partido Popular(PP), with a special meeting of the party congress to be convened to choose a successor.

Rajoy’s minority PP administration was voted out a week ago in the wake of corruption scandals and a high-profile trial involving exPP treasurer, Luis Barcenas, where he and 28 other people were jailed for a total of 351 years.

Rajoy claimed they were “isolated” cases, but Sanchez of the Socialist PSOE party backed by the left-wing Podemos grouping, plus Basque and Catalan nationalists removed the PP government last Friday.

Despite rumours suggesting a general election in the next few months, a close aide to Sanchez, Jose Luis Abalos, told COPE radio this week that despite the political situation being “very fragmented”, things would not be solved by holding an early election.

It is the ultimate of minority

by Alex Trelinski

administrations, as the PSOE holds just 84 of the 350 seats in Congress, and there will be no formal coalition with Podemos, despite the new leftwing upstarts saying they would be happy to take up any cabinet posts if they were offered them.

There are two years remaining of the current parliamentary term, and Sanchez will have to pull plenty of political rabbits out of hats to keep what is effectively a fragile antiPartido Popular coalition together.

The in-tray is substantial for the new administration, with the vexed issue of Catalunya to be dealt with, with trials pending for those involved in last October’s illegal independence referendum.

Bread and butter issues that Sanchez has pledged to tackle include raising the minimum wage and state pensions; curbing electricity hikes; and reducing waiting lists for care allowances.

The PSOE also say that they want to limit the maximum tenure of any Prime Minister to two terms, which is effectively eight years, and to repeal the controversial Public Safety Reform bill, known as the “gagging law”, which critics say has severely reduced the right to freedom of speech.

Pedro Sánchez. PSOE. New Spain´s Primer Minister

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

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Soggy start to summer

THE first weekend in June is usually when people start thinking about swimming pools and beach bars, but this year saw near record amounts of rain falling across much of the Valencian Community.

Guadassuar in the Valencian province had the highest levels, 142 litres per square meter on Sunday. Valencia City was badly disrupted with more than a 100 litres per square meter falling amidst dramatic lightning storms.

Alicante province was not as badly hit but still saw up to 50 litres falling in some places with Benidorm, Elche and Alicante City all seeing heavy rainfall on a weekend when many people would have been starting their holidays.

There were reports of several incidents caused by the storms,

by Simon Russell

including three people having to be rescued after being trapped in a car that had skidded onto a flooded field at Alginet. The elderly passengers, aged 77, 83 and 85, had their vehicle washed into the field by a torrent of floodwater; they were rescued but had to be treated in hospital for hypothermia as well as cuts and bruises.

Many roads, especially rural ones, were closed and there were reports of several underpasses being impassable on the Sunday morning. The emergency services in the region received 45 calls relating to the weather, including a falling wall in Alginet and dozens of vehicles trapped in a waterlogged car park at the Alfafar shopping centre.

Two kilos of coke TWO people have been arrested in Elche and another two in Monforte del Cid (Alicante) in connection with a cocaine dealing operation.

The pair in Monforte del Cid were engaged in what the police described

as “medium scale drug trafficking” who acquired large quantities of drugs and sold them onto smaller distributors who then sold these direct to the public.

They had over a kilo and a half of cocaine which

was discovered in a house search along with specialist cutting and weighing tools.

The pair arrested in Elche were caught as part of the same operation and found to be in possession of around 300 grams of cocaine.

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DRINK STRAIGHT FROM THE AP!

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Top tipple

A gin brewed in the Alicante province has been voted one of the world’s best by a panel of experts.

The jury at the renowned San Francisco World Spirits convention named Malabusca gin one of the very best the 50 experts tasters tried, praising its citrusy notes and distinctive spicy flavour.

Malabusca is brewed in Alcoy by four young Alicantino friends who have said they are passionate about

the world of gastronomy, spirits and cocktails. They only started the venture in 2015 and, in a country not renowned for making gin, have found success in a remarkably short time. The drink has already made it onto El Corte Ingles’ exclusive Gourmet Club range while the recent success has meant that the four are starting to receive orders from North America, Germany, France and other parts of Europe.

by Simon Russell

HIDRAQUA which provides drinking water for the Valencian Community has determined that about 50% of people in the region drink tap at all times water rather than the bottled variety. They have calculated that this saves around 35,000 kilos of plastic a day that would be used to store bottled water.

Hidraqua say that drinking tap water is one of the most environmentally friendly things you can do and they have complete confidence

that their drinking water is as pure, if not purer, than the bottled stuff. They analyse more than 25,000 samples of water each year to ensure its purity and safety. Tap water is of course much cheaper as well – if you drink an average of 1.5 litres of tap water a day it will cost you 0.002 euros a day - one centime for 7.5 litres. If you are thinking of changing from bottled to tap water, just ensure it comes to your property from a drinkable source.

Ryanair Threat

SPANISH Ryanair cabin crew staff are threatening a series of strikes from July 1st if they they don’t get the same terms and conditions as their Irish colleagues.

Portuguese cabin teams have already staged strikes this spring on the same issue, and they have joined forces with workers in Spain, Belgium, and Italy

by Alex Trelinski

to demand a better deal.

Unions have demanded parity with Irish staff, and formal recognition of unions from the low-cost carrier.

If that doesn’t happen, industrial action could take place from the start of next month.

More back in work THE number of unemployed people in the Valencian Community fell by over 6,000 in May, the Ministry of Employment has confirmed. The total of 6,327 represented a drop of 1.66% from April’s figures, with 374,216 adults now registered as unemployed in the Community.

May usually sees a fall in people looking for work in the area as seasonal hiring

by Simon Russell

commences.

However there are almost 28,000 less unemployed than May 2017, demonstrating an overall positive trend. Across Spain figures were also healthy, with 84,000 less people registering as unemployed last month - although the total out of work is still well over 3 million, high by European Union standards.

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Murder suspect changes story

by Simon Russell

A woman who was arrested last week in connection with the death of her partner’s foster child has dramatically altered her story.

She originally claimed that the eight year old died after a break-in by two masked men at her home in Elda (Alicante), an attack in which she said she was also assaulted.

Police had found multiple inconsistencies in her account and could find no witnesses despite the incident happening in a busy street during daytime hours. The suspect is now saying that the child died after choking on a piece of ham and she concocted the story as she was scared of the consequences.

Police have reason to believe that the child was seen as an obstacle in her relationship with the child’s father, who stayed in contact with his ex-wife because of the little girl.

The woman has been detained without bail while the courts decide what charges to file against her. It is believed that the autopsy carried out at the time showed the child was strangled and there were no signs of her choking to death on food.

VALENCIA City is planning to use one of man’s oldest grasscutting tools to reduce the risk of forest fires, grazing sheep.

The native sheep in the area have all but died out, due mainly to overdevelopment, but the creatures are to be reintroduced as an excellent – and very environmentally friendly – method of getting rid of the dried vegetation that causes fires to spread so quickly.

by Simon Russell

After last year’s deadly fires Portugal has encouraged herds of goats to return to the land and even New York has hired a fulltime goatherd.

As sheep and goats also eat organic matter left over after harvests, they could put a stop to the Valencian tradition of crop burning, which is environmentally

damaging and always carries the risk of getting out of control. Councillor Consol Castillo said “Without sheep the land is soon overrun with shrubs and vegetation and loses biodiversity while increasing the risk of wildfires. Livestock has an important role to play in biomass c o n t r o l .”

Woolly lawnmowers Pool drowning THE authorities have confirmed the death of a 63-year-old man in a swimming pool in a hotel in Calpe this week. The incident happened at about 5pm on Sunday afternoon and an emergency ambulance

was called. However he was declared dead at the scene.

The name of the hotel, the deceased or his nationality have not been released at this stage and the authorities may be trying to ensure his family are informed.

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Reach for the sky O N E of Spain’s biggest annual air displays is set to be staged this weekend in the San Javier area, with thousands of visitors expected to hit the Mar Menor.

Based around the Spanish Air Academy in Santiago de la Ribera, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, the facility will be open to visitors tomorrow(Saturday June 9th) between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm.

Various aircraft used by air force will be on show, and that will be followed by a display involving the

by Alex Trelinski

Spanish equivalent of the UK Red Arrows, the Patrulla Aguila(Eagle Patrol), who are based at Santiago.

The show, flying over the beaches around the Mar Menor area will take place between 5.30 and 7.30 pm, and serves as a bonus warm-up for the big traditional Sunday event, which will run between 10.00 am and 3.00 pm, with the Patrulla Aguila joined by fellow flyers from France and Italy.

Undersized fish seized THE Seprona wildlife protection unit of the Guardia Civil have seized over a ton of immature or undersize fish at the port fish markets in Cox and Calpe. In the Cox seizure 600 kilos of clams were confiscated and were also found to be lacking the required paperwork showing where and when they were caught.

At Calpe 520

kilos of undersize fish, mainly octopus and hake, were taken from various different points of sale at the port as well as being found in vehicles presumably for onward transportations and sale. Five fishing boats and three wholesalers have been denounced

by Seprona agents. All the fish and shellfish were later distributed to local charities to avoid wastage.

Stepping up to the challenge TWO athletes from Javea, Antonio Soler and Nasio Cardona, have been in the US taking part in the 2018 Vertical World Circuit. New York’s One World Trade Centre, the sixth tallest building in the world, was the venue for the third leg of the tour which sees runners ascending the building on foot

by Simon Russell

in the quickest time possible.

The experienced vertical runners both did well, with Cardona finishing third in the general category and runnerup in the 40 to 45 year old age group. Soler was seventh overall and the winner of his

25 to 29 years age group, climbing the 2,226 steps in 13 minutes and four seconds.

The next stop for the pair is the Shangri-La building in Manila, followed by Beijing, Shanghai, Osaka and Hong Kong before the tour ends at an as yet undisclosed building in London.

Calling all dog lovers!

THE sixth “Trobada Canina” is to be held in Oliva’s Polivalent Centre on Saturday 9 June at 6pm.

Organised by the Solidaria animal welfare charity, the event

celebrates a wide variety of things to do with our four legged friends.

There will be a dog walking trail, exhibitions, stands and much more.

There are also workshops

and activities for children, and all dogs are welcome.

Solidaria ticket donations are €5. For more information visit www.vedama.es or you can call 633 684 588.

Woman held over child’s murder A thirty-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the death of a disabled child last year, the foster son of her partner. In a much publicised case last August, police were alerted to an apartment in Elda (Alicante) where the suspect was tied up and the child, aged eight, was dead. The woman, named as Alejandra Garcia Peregrino,

by Simon Russell

claimed to have been attacked by two men wearing motorcycle helmets and gloves who sexually assaulted her and killed the child.

Police were unhappy with her version of events - she had no signs of sexual assault and only minor wounds where her hands had been tied. Nothing

had been taken, the couple had no enemies that anyone knew of and, crucially, there were no witnesses who saw or heard anything unusual in the busy area. CCTV on the street also failed to show any people fitting the suspect’s description.

Suspicion fell on Ms Peregrino, who was four months pregnant at the time of the “attack”. They are working

on the theory that she strangled the child as she was jealous of the fact that his presence had ensured her partner and his ex-wife maintained a strong platonic relationship. The reasons for the delay in the arrest being made were so that the suspect could have her baby and spend time with her newborn, something seen as being in the best interests of the child.

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Bigger than the real thing of elephants in wartime.

Mayor Ribo said that he believed the structure would quickly

VISITORS to Valencia’s Bioparc will be greeted by a new arrival at the entrance gates– an 11 metre tall elephant. Despite being the world’s largest land animal, elephants don’t grow quite that big and this is a specially commissioned iron and wood sculpture. Created by Fernando Gonzales Sitges, the sculptor has been named “Scipio” and was made to commemorate the wildlife

by Simon Russell

parks tenth anniversary.

Valencia’s mayor, Joan Ribo, presided over the sculptures inauguration ceremony, along with its creator and the regional Tourism Secretary. It was named Scipio after the only Roman general to defeat Hannibal, famous for his use

Death fall apartments claim second victim A young man has fallen to his death from the Eden Roc hotel in Magaluf, just a few months after a Scottish girl fell and died there in similar circumstances.

The victim has been named locally as Thomas Hughes, originally thought to be Irish but named by some later sources as a British citizen.

He is believed to have fallen

by Simon Russell

from a height of about 20 meters while apparently trying to access an apartment by climbing the walls. However according to early reports Mr Hughes was not staying at the Eden Roc and it is unclear why he was scaling the wall there.

Police in Palma de Mallorca are leading the investigation.

become an emblem for the Valencian Community as a whole. It has also already become one of the parks leading photo opportunities, with visitors being dwarfed by the giant which is over five times taller than most people.

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.

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CHECKING OUT

A HOTEL frontage collapsed in Torrevieja on Sunday night, but luckily there was nobody underneath it as it came crashing down onto the entrance steps Emergency services rushed to the scene at the Hotel Fontana on Calle Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia, shortly after 9.15 pm.

Only minor damage was caused, after the frontage had ripped away from the wall.

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Eight lives left FIREFIGHTERS pulled out all the stops in a six hour successful rescue of a cat who had got trapped in some service pipes in Guardamar del Segura.

Passers-by reported hearing some meowing coming from underneath Calle Beatriz Ana Ruiz in Guardamar on Sunday

by Alex Trelinski

lunchtime, with an Almoradi fire crew identifying that a cat was indeed trapped some three metres underground in a duct used for electric cables.

Iberdrola engineers cut off the power supply to street lighting to make sure the animal was not

BETTER ACCESS THREE Torrevieja beaches have had new walkways installed in time for the summer high season.

Designed to improve access for elderly and disabled visitors, over 150 metres of extra walkways have been built on the beaches at La Mata, Los Náufragos, and El Acequión over the last few weeks.

Torrevieja’s beaches councillor, Javier Manzanares said:- “We are pleased to honour a promise to make things easier for visitors with reduced mobility to be able to get onto our popular beaches

electrocuted, whilst a digger was brought in from Rojales to reach the area where the cat was located.

An additional fire team from Torrevieja had by then joined the rescue operation, and they went down the freshly dug hole to access the service duct, with a special cage to get the cat.

Six hours after the initial alert, the frightened but healthy feline was brought back into the open, amidst cheers and round of applause from the rescuers.

The cat was taken to Torrevieja fire station, with members of a San Pedro del Pinatar animal rescue charity then picking it up, as a new home beckons for a cat that has still got eight lives.

Swiping your way home ALICANTE has become one of the first cities in Europe to introduce swipe machines to allow contactless payments on its public transport system.

Mayor Luis Barcala tried the system for himself last

by Simon Russell

week, accompanied by representatives from major banks whose contactless cards will be used.

The mayor said that this further enhanced Alicante’s

reputation as a “Smart City”, always ready to introduce new technologies that will benefit the public and local businesses. The first phase will see the new system on most bus lines but will soon be on

all public transport (bus, metro and the tram) as well as municipal parking.

Even “wearables” with the technology such as wristbands and watches will be able to use the new machines as well as cards from most foreign banks.

In further transport news, this month Alicante

has become only the sixth Spanish city to have the Cabify taxi service. An app allows users to find licenced vehicle from the firm’s fleet of 50 now based in the city. Similar to Uber, the vehicles are owned by their drivers who all undergo a rigorous selection process according to Cabify.

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

High security for fiesta ORGANISERS of this year’s San Juan Fiesta in Alicante have said there will be 4,000 members of the security forces policing the event. The festival is Alicante’s biggest and attracts a lot of tourists and outsiders, many of who will be planning to spend the night on the cities beaches. The security will be drawn from the Local Police, State Security Forces and Corps, emergency personnel, Civil Protection plus 1,000 Guardia Civil and National Police officers.

There will be canine patrols with sniffer dogs on the alert for narcotics and explosives while there are extensive checks planned on bags, rucksacks and similar

by Simon Russell

objects. In addition specially trained officers with rifles will be placed in certain parts of the city as well as a plain clothes police presence.

Most of the extra police presence will be bussed in from the Valencian province.

The Guardia Civil will also be running a campaign to clamp down on driving while under the influence of drink and/or drugs.

The main night of the festival is 24 June and this year sees the 90th anniversary of the event. The 89 groups that make up the Alicante Federation of Bonfires will each have a designated station for their celebrations.

Delivering a blow to Deliveroo

A court in Valencia has ruled that fast food delivery giant Deliveroo unlawfully dismissed one of their riders. The firm argued that the individual was selfemployed so they couldn’t fire him; they were merely stopping putting business his way. The court ruled that this was a case of “false self-employed” and the working relationship had all the hallmarks of being an employee-employer one.

This is the first such ruling against the firm, who have the right of appeal but as things stand they will have to pay their ex-

Friend-zy EVEN here in Spain it seems the iconic 90’s US sitcom “Friends” still has a huge following, illustrated by tickets for a recent exhibition in Madrid about the show selling out in under 48 hours. “#FriendsFest”

13

by Simon Russell

has been on a global tour and the Madrid leg was the first time it has been in Spain. Highlights included a painstakingly recreated version of Monica’s apartment

by Simon Russell

worker compensation. The British company delivers takeaways from local restaurants using an app and their riders, who are in theory self-employed. They are major players in the burgeoning gig economy, defined as a labour market dominated by short-term or even zero-hours contracts and freelance work. Many workers across the globe are fighting similar court actions to challenge the nature of their working relationships with firms such as Uber and Deliveroo.

where much of the show was set, the chance to play on Joey and Chandler’s football table or even to wear Rachel’s wedding dress.

Black markets tickets for the show had been selling for as much as €150, despite originally costing only €5.

Many of the visitors were in their twenties or even teens – despite the fact that the last episode was filmed 14 years ago.

14

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

The sound of silence IN a move that musicians across Spain will observe with some anxiety, the countries Galicia region has now banned all live music in pubs, bars and clubs.

The main impact will be felt in the regions capital, Santiago de Compostela, which had been largely excluded from the original 2005 law on the ban.

However this exemption

by Simon Russell

has now been closed and an estimated 200 live bands that depend on music for their living in the town now face an uncertain future.

There are fears it could also mean the closure of dozens of establishments that depend on music to attract their clientele.

There have been calls

Fishy failure ALICANTE’S Councillor for Culture, Maria Dolores Padilla, has admitted that the converted exhibition hall at the old Fish Market has been a far from resounding success. The average number of visitors each day is currently just 15, rising to a still

by Simon Russell

poor 40 with the more popular exhibitions.

Ms Padilla has put the blame for the lack of public interest on her PSOE predecessor who she said failed to take into account feedback from the public before opening

for the ruling Partido Popular to rethink their decision, which musicians say was made without any consultation with those most

the centre. The largely contemporary art on display is not to everyone’s taste and many people leave when they see what is on show, she concluded.

There are various proposals being discussed to increase the visitor numbers, although Ms Padilla admits that a cross party consensus is proving difficult.

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

affected, performers and venues. Live music will still be allowed outdoors – weather permitting – and, paradoxically to many, venues can still play pre-recorded music.

Arresting Looks A GUARDIA Civil officer has landed himself a modelling contract thanks to an appearance on social media.

35-year-old Jorge Pérez Díez works for the Guardia’s Trafico division in Castilla y León, and caught the eyes of a modelling agency when his photo was used in a Twitter post a couple of months ago.

Boss of the Sight agency in Barcelona, Eduardo Sayas, got in in touch with Jorge and offered him a contract, with Sayas saying that his new client would give a

by Alex Trelinski

positive image of people working in security.

The married fatherof-two will carry on working for the Guardia, as the agency

will use him for “outof-hours” projects.

The bookings have come quickly for Jorge, as he’s already been involved with a magazine shoot and a fashion parade.

Running the Med DETAILS have been announced of the “Gran Carrera del Mediterraneo”, a twenty kilometre coastal race along some of Alicante provinces most beautiful coastline. The event is planned for November, when the weather should be more conducive for competitive running, and starts at Alicante, finishing at Santa Pola 20

by Simon Russell

kilometres along the coast.

Provincial President Cesar Sanchez along with Sports Councillor Juanjo Castello made the announcements and they were joined by ex-Olympian Jose Manuel Albentosa who is the director of the event.

The race itself will take place

on 4 November and will be preceded by a two day sporting exposition. Mr Sanchez said that this further showed the regions commitment to sports tourism and he expects around 8,000 athletes from all over the world to take part. It should also mean an influx of visitors to the area at one of the quieter times of the year for tourism.

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Back In ALAD DAYS FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

S ARE OVER

build lead at Kraft Heinz, added: “As a market leading business, Kraft Heinz continues to audit its portfolio in order to meet the needs of consumers.”

“There are consumers now who haven’t grown up with the brand in the household and just don’t know about the iconic zingy flavour or what to eat it with.”

There is now a consultation under way on the new name and an official announcement is expected in September.

Some Salad Cream fans have taken to social media and threatened to boycott Heinz if they go through with their saucy sabotage.

Chris wrote: “Hey @HeinzUK if you rename #SaladCream Sandwich Cream I will boycott every product you produce FOR LIFE!! Next you’ll be calling your beans “Microwave beans” because nobody bakes them....

Also sack whoever came up with this Salad Cream may be a thing of the past the 1990s when leaked documents revealed idiot idea Yours sincerely everyone.”

in the UK, as Heinz is considering adopting the name Sandwich Cream to better reflect how the country uses the condiment and to appeal to “younger shoppers”.

The condiment became a national favourite during the 1940s, Heinz says, when ketchup was unavailable and salad cream was used to add flavour to bland war-time rations.

UK sales of the brand dipped 5.4% to £28.8m in 2017. But there was an outcry in

that Heinz was considering discontinuing production of the “zingy” sauce, generating so much publicity that Heinz re-launched Salad Cream with a £10m advertising campaign.

Heinz, says that only 14% of those who buy Salad Cream actually use it on salads, with many more preferring to use it in sandwiches.

It would be the first name change for the product since its launch in 1914.

Joel Hughes, UK sauces brand

Lisa wrote: “Ok, so we EVENTUALLY got used to saying Starburst instead of Opal Fruits and Snickers instead of Marathon...

But changing Salad Cream to Sandwich Cream?” wrote Lisa.

‘KING OF THE CLUBS’ PETER STRINGFELLOW PASSES AWAY AFTER CANCER BATTLE

British Flamboyant nightclub owner Peter died Stringfellow Thursday after battling lung cancer. He was 77.

Publicist Matt Glass said Stringfellow died early in the morning.

Stringfellow got his start in the early 1960s booking bands including the Beatles, the Who and the Rolling Stones in his clubs at a time when those bands were not yet world famous. He later opened upscale “gentlemen’s clubs” in several cities, including London, where “Stringfellows” has been in operation since 1980. He also branched out into New York, Los Angeles and Miami in the United States.

Stringfellow was a colorful personality known for his parties and general revelry. He kept his businesses going for six decades despite changing tastes and entertainment styles.

He liked to boast that he spotted the Beatles early and booked them for a pittance even though they had a number one hit by the time they performed at his club in 1963.

Britain

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

!

E N A I D , E N I M IT’S

lain, he said he lived A British man is suing one of years to comp e” in Yorkshire and villag t “quie a in the world’s top songwriters, Diane the Chicago song until Warren, for a cool 15 million pounds had not heard .

2015 in damages, after claiming that he A Twitter account believed to actually wrote a song that topped the g to Mr Greaves included a belon American charts nearly 30 years ago. in May which alludes Brendan Greaves, from the post published case. the to Castleford area of Yorkshire, says “No matter how small or he penned Chicago’s power ballad ificant you think you are, insign is Look Away and not Warren, who quiet is not the answer We ng keepi ding inclu songs hit behind a stack of a voice and there are good have all Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want To Miss this world who will help in e peopl ing’s Noth hip’s Stars A Thing and voice louder.” your make Gonna Stop Us Now. posted at the top of the photo A wrote he that s Greaves allege nt shows a cassette with accou er Twitt the song when he was a 14-year-old k away by Brendan “Loo s word the a to it itted subm student, and had written on it. side” 2nd es Greav British school music competition in of copyright lawsuits er numb A 1987. in recent years in the Greaves did not win the contest have been filed US. three but rds, Reco sponsored by EMI Soul legend Marvin Gaye’s estate decades on, has claimed that Warren $5.3m (£4m) after claiming that won then which , Away acquired Look Thicke’s track Blurred Lines Robin topped the US singles chart in late from Gaye’s song Got To stolen was the made y barel it 1988. Ironically, Up. It Give UK Top 100.

Mr Greaves has filed a lawsuit in a federal court in Los Angeles - and when asked why he had waited 30

19

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Business & Finance

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Treasury refuses to attend post-Brexit environmental watchdog inquiry

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond on 30 May requesting that he or another Minister gives evidence for an inquiry into the proposal for a new environmental watchdog.

Reports in the media suggest that the Treasury is opposed to giving the new watchdog similar enforcement mechanisms as the European Commission, leading some environmental campaigners to express concern that the watchdog will be “toothless”.

The CLA, a rural organisation representing farmers and landowners, has also criticised the watchdog as “adding confusion and complexity” to environmental policy.

But the EAC has now published a letter in which Mr Hammond declines to attend an evidence session, and further refuses to send another Minister in his place.

Mary Creagh MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee said

BUDGET clothes retailer Primark has reversed its decision to not stock Spanish football shirts in Catalonia after customer complaints.

The Irish chain usually starts selling the shirts in the run up to the World Cup, which starts in a couple of weeks’ time.

by Simon Russell

However when a customer rang their Tarragona store to ask why they couldn’t find Spanish shirts on a recent trip she was told that the firm had decided not to sell them in Catalonia due to the current

political situation regarding Catalan separatism although shirts for Argentina and Brazil were on sale.

The conversation had been recorded and soon went viral on social media, prompting a barrage of complaints. After talks of a boycott started, the retailer relented, saying “We recognise that this has been a wrong decision and could be interpreted as a lack of respect for fans of the Spanish national team, which we regret.”

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the EAC is “deeply disappointed” that the Treasury is unwilling to explain their position.

“Without effective enforcement powers, the proposed environmental watchdog will be unable to hold Government to account. The Treasury has voiced opposition to these essential powers, and some Government Ministers are sceptical about protecting the UK’s hard-won environmental standards,” Ms Creagh said.

“Failing to come before the Committee and put their views on record will only fuel concerns that any new watchdog will be toothless.”

The new environmental watchdog will be designed to make sure protections will not be weakened as the UK leaves the EU, the government has previously stated.

The body will provide scrutiny and advice, and would be able to hold government to account on environmental legislation.

However, it has come under attack by the farming industry and green campaigners, fearing that the watchdog could add increased bureaucracy.

Primark’s Flagship store - MADRID

Fined for disruptions TELEFONICA has been fined €2,000 by Denia Town Hall for disruption and noise emanating from its facility on Calle La Mar. The smoke from chimneys and noise from machinery has

caused multiple complaints from local residents but Telefonica has issued no formal response to date.

However the opposition party have said a fine of this size will have no impact

on a massive firm such as Telefonica and stronger action needs to be taken. As well as the initial fine there will be an additional €400 payable for each month that the problem is unresolved.

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Business & Finance

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Greed, Fraud and Losing Your Money

By Christina Brady

BLACKTOWER Financial Management

Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko in “Wall Street.”

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox. “The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed — for lack of a better word — is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms – greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge – has marked the upward surge of mankind” – Gordon Gekko, Wall Street (1987)

The financial definition of greed is the intense, perhaps inordinate, desire for wealth. WordNet a project at Princetown

University defines greed as “an excessive desire to acquire or possess more than one needs or deserves.”

Over the last 30 years, the media has done much to promote the idea that the essential qualities of the free market system are to promote greed and give unscrupulous businessmen a vehicle to line their pockets at the expense of others. We all saw what damage greed can do on a global scale with the US subprime mortgage crisis which led to the 2007/2008 financial crisis , a crisis that the Western world is only now starting to recover from.

But greed can affect us all, especially where finance/investing is concerned, experienced con artists regularly defraud 1,000´s of people a year, they know in times of low interest rates savers and investors are looking for a product that offers a better rate of return. Usually

they will tempt you with something that is offering growth rates higher than you could achieve anywhere else, often they will say that there is no risk or use terms like Capital Guaranteed.

With most of these schemes they reel you in slowly, initially you get good service, good returns, payments are made on time but then as time progresses things change and the payments stop. Most people hope this is just an oversight and based on empty promises believe that their money will be returned eventually. The truth is usually it isn’t, you have been a victim of financial fraud. In most cases people lose all or a substantial amount of the money they invested.

Please don’t become a victim, if something seems to be good to be true, especially where investments are concerned it usually is. Stop, don’t let

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

greed get the better of you, be realistic, a decent return on your money year on year is better than losing it all in the pursuit of the unattainable.

Blacktower Financial Management has been established for over 32 years and has worked with clients through the good and the bad times, offering sound independent advice, we will be by your side both now and in the future.

If you would like any advice on pensions, savings or investments please contact me by email christina.brady@blacktowerfm. com or call me on 658 892 330. Website: www.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 (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and is registered with the DGS in Spain.

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22

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Pets & Wildlife

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Tips to keep your pet healthy in the heat

(BPT) - Spring is here, summer is approaching fast and it’s time to get outside and start taking advantage of the warmer weather. Dr. Jeff Werber, Emmy award-winning celebrity veterinarian, has a few tips and tricks on how to keep your pet happy and healthy in the heat.

Before you start your jogging treks, hiking excursions or bicycle touring with your furry partner by your side, it’s important to understand these spring/summer safety measures to keep your pet happy and safe.

Easing into exercise After sitting around all winter, it is not a good idea to jump right into a full exercise regimen full speed ahead. The best approach to get your pet ready for more activities outside is a gradual introduction into exercise. A game of fetch is a perfect way to get your pet up and moving. The Chuckit! Launcher and Locator Sound Ball provides an easy

way for your pet to increase their stamina, with the added entertainment of retrieving a ball that emits an audible pulse sound every few seconds to help pet parents and dogs locate the ball in any terrain after launch.

If your pet enjoys chasing ground pursuits (think rabbits and squirrels), the Chuckit!

RingChaser is a great option to satisfy their instincts. Again, short bursts of chasing and retrieving are a fun way to get your pup back into shape.

It’s also critical to choose the best time of day to exercise and noon is not it. The best time to enjoy your pet’s company is early in the morning or early in the evening. Keep in mind that in the evening after the sun is down, the pavement can still be pretty warm, as it retains heat for quite a while. Where possible, try to exercise on a grassy or dirt surface to avoid burning or irritating their paws.

Keeping cool and staying hydrated

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What we love so much about our dogs is how loyal they are and how much they want to please us. This can be a problem when it comes to potential overexertion, as they will keep going just to be with us, even though they may be overheating. Moreover, many dogs and cats can overheat from lying around the house or backyard as well. When leaving pets outside during the spring or summer, make sure that shade and fresh water are always available. There are many devices available that can provide water automatically or on-demand, like the Petmate Replendish Waterer, which provides a constant flow of fresh water throughout the day for pets even when the pet parent isn’t home. If you’re out and about with your pet, consider the Replendish To-Go Water bottle that conveniently includes a travel bowl for your pet. For longer excursions, or for hotter climates,

wet a bandana and place it in the freezer the night before so it will remain nice and cool a little longer. Also, make regular stops in a shady area to allow both of you to catch your breath.

Indoor dogs and cats also need to escape from the heat.

Make sure the house isn’t kept too warm. Keep at least one room cooler by leaving the shades or drapes closed. Enough has been written about pets and parked cars, so I’m sure you are all aware of that potential

deadly hazard. Don’t do it, not even in the shade or “only for a few minutes.” Enough said.

Limitless possibilities, while on a leash You and your pet are finally enjoying the great outdoors, and the fun activities with Fido are endless. Our pet nation has a huge population, and it’s important to be a good citizen.

Remember to respect other pets’ “space” and boundaries, and don’t assume every dog is dying to play with yours. Wherever you and your pet decide to roam, be mindful of the local leash laws.

You don’t want to turn a fun outing into an emergency room visit for you or anyone else.

If you’re heading off to a park or hiking area, make sure you have everything you need for your trek. Travel treats and water bottles are always a good idea to keep with you, to make sure you and your pet are well fueled and hydrated.

Keep essentials, like your keys, lip balm, waste bag, etc., all in one place with the Petmate Zipp Leash that features an expandable pouch built right into the leash to hold all dogwalking basics while on the go.

Regardless of whether you choose to run, romp, hike or trek, spring and summer are great times of year to bond with your pets. I encourage all of you to get outdoors, enjoy the warmth and sunshine, and to include your four-legged kids in your activities. Just remember to play it smart and keep them safe.

MORAIRA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

23

On Sunday 10th June, the 14th Moraira International 23 years, whose leader, vocalist Paul McKie perfectly Music Festival will take place on the open air stage, by combines the musical creativity of the band with his the castle, starting at 6 pm. own friendly, confident vocal style and captivating bilingual stage performance.

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Pure Gold 94.1 & 94.3 FM Radio Station PAISLEY PARK – ROCK/BLUES BAND NAKED KEYS (6.00 pm) Paisley Park are a very formidable Rock/Blues This is a Voice and Piano duo consisting of (Niamh Band that consists of Andy and Debi Price of “The O’Sheehan) and (Christian Pearl). Pure acoustic – View” - together with Enrico (drums) and Christian ready and raw featuring songs from Katie Melau, Nina (Keyboards), plus guest singer Janette Galbraith.

Simone, Leonard Cohen and many more. An eclectic mix.

THE BLUES BROTHERS EXPERIENCE After their “storming” performance last year, The A TRIBUTE TO ABBA Blues Brothers Experience return with their unique Job and Jolande from Match, Stella from Jazzify, interpretation based on the great movie of the 80s. and Anthony from Acoustic Moon bring you a Tribute Probably the most energetic show you will see this year. to ABBA, featuring all your favourite ABBA songs.

SWAG – SOUL_FUNK_DISCO BAND AFTER MIDNIGHT – SOUL/ROCK/BLUES SWAG – featuring Xanda Laguna are the Costa BAND Blanca’s finest Soul, Funk, Disco Band. Awesome “After Midnight” has been going strong for over energy, amazing performance, great Party Band.

U3A Marina Baixa General Meeting THIS year’s annual event to commemorate the works done by disabled charity ONCE across Valencia is to be held in Denia.

Mayor Vicente Grimalt presented the programme of events this week, also noting that this year sees the 80th anniversary of the charity.

ONCE Day is Saturday 9 June and events will start at 10am with 700 workers and volunteers from the organisation travelling down to Denia. Food and drink will be laid on in the

morning for the initial gathering and then people can either take a guided tour of the city or enjoy a catamaran ride along the coast.

ONCE was founded in 1938 originally as a charity for the blind but since 1988 has been helping people with other disabilities.

70,000 people work for ONCE, over half of them registered disabled. They will be best known to many as the runners and organisers of the Spanish national lottery.

Arenal Deportiva Ladies Night Local Freemason’s Lodge, Arenal Deportiva, recently held their annual Ladies Night at the Salones El Canor in Teulada.

This was a very successful affair with over eighty Masons and guests attending. The idea of the Masonic Ladies Night is to thank the wives and partners for their help, support and understanding over the past year.

The current Worshipful Master of the Lodge is the President of the meeting and his Lady is the hostess. This year the President was WM Ian Brown ably assisted by his lovely Lady wife Eileen. The evening started with a cava reception followed by a formal dinner. The MC for

the evening was WBro Michael Banks who did a sterling job.

Wonderful music and singing throughout the meal was provided by our very own WBro Ian Henry, a very popular local and international artiste who is always extremely well received.

He has the knack of being able to sing and play loudly enough to be heard but never to be intrusive – a rare talent.

During the meal various toasts were offered including El Rey King Felipe VI. The toast to the Ladies was given by WBro Brian Imber in an exemplary manner. The Ladies song was then sung by Ian Henry before the hostess, Mrs Eileen Brown,

responded to the toast with a very good speech of her own.

After the dinner, yet more entertainment was provided

by Matt Mason, another very talented performer who increased the tempo a little to allow some more energetic after dinner dancing. Again, a very popular entertainer. A grand raffle was also held for charity raising an excellent six hundred euros. This will be donated to El Preventorio children’s home in Gandia at a later date along with other money raised throughout the year.

It is the privilege of the incumbent Worshipful Master to choose the charity the Lodge will support during his year in office and he has chosen El Preventorio

for this year. This continues a pattern set over the last few years to help this very worthy charity as Arenal Deportiva have now supported them for more than four years. They are always extremely grateful for our support.

If you feel able to support El Preventorio, they always need children’s clothing, food, toys, books (Spanish) and cleaning and toiletry requisites which can be delivered to the home at almost any time during the day.

If you would like more information on the work of the Freemasons, or might have an interest in joining, please contact me on the email address given below. prensa@glpvalencia.com

Moftag (mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow) celebrates its 40th anniversary On wednesday 30th may moftag celebrated its 40th anniversary at pepe’s restaurant, alcalali.

A total of 45 people attended the celebratory lunch including past and present members with their partners.

Moftag is the longest running calpe club and was originally founded by kathy whiteside during times when women did not have anywhere to meet socially.

She felt there was a need for single & widowed ladies to get together but pretty soon married ladies were joining in and enjoying the activities.

Maureen cudby, who was one of the founder members

and president during the 80’s, also attended the lunch.

Jenny godfrey, the existing president has held that position for 25 years and been a member since the beginning!

The event was highlighted when jenny was presented with a beautiful bouquet from carole saunders, councillor for associations and césar sánchez, the mayor of calpe. Carole thanked moftag for the continuing and loyal support to the calpe food bank,

maite boronat, the red cross and gargasindi school.

Lunch was rounded off with a huge cake and music provided by one of their very own members, veronica dunn and her husband barrie. All the ladies were presented with

a red carnation in honour of the ruby anniversary.

Moftag still meets on a weekly basis and if you would like any information on becoming a member please phone jenny godfrey on 639 139 518.

24

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Motoring

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Toyota C-HR After years of playing it safe with dull but worthy cars, the C-HR is a welcome return to more interesting car design for Toyota. But angular, coupe-crossover styling isn’t all the C-HR has going for it – it’s economical, practical and good to drive. The only problem is its steep price.

There is no diesel engine choice, just a 1.2-litre turbo petrol or a 1.8-litre hybrid.

The hybrid is obviously the one to go for

if you drive in town and value economy, but both are quiet and refined. Most buyers will be happier with the 1.2-litre though, since it has a slick manual transmission and perky, if not blistering performance.

Because of that, it’s better on country roads, where the C-HR’s handling really shines. The suspension does a great job of blending accurate and grippy handling with smooth, quiet ride quality. For potholed

roads and speed bumps it’s very impressive.

And ideal for typical British tarmac.

Inside, there’s a stylishly laid out and well-built cabin with plenty of neat touches like a coloured dashboard inlays and door cards. It’s comfortable up front, with plenty of adjustment in the driving position. The back row is fine for most but legroom can get a little tight with tall occupants up front.

The boot is well-shaped and provides plenty of space at 377 litres, so there won’t often be cause to fold the rear seats down. But for those bulky loads they do fold, although unfortunately not flat, which will make getting some things in and out awkward.

All versions of the C-HR come well-equipped, with a touchscreen

system, Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, auto high beam and lane departure alert. The essentials are all standard, but higher trims gain leather upholstery, navigation, automated parking and other luxuries.

There’s not much wrong with the Toyota C-HR. The bold styling might not be everyone’s cup of tea and the lack of a diesel engine will reduce the appeal for high mileage drivers. But the generous standard equipment, strong build quality and excellent road manners make up for any shortcomings. List prices are high compared to the competition - but being a Toyota you can expect this to be incredibly reliable.

26

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Motoring

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You should have just knocked POLICE said it was a miracle that nobody was hurt after a lorry lost control in Javea and ended up embedded in the side of a building. The incident took place last Friday on Calle Valencia near the canal. The truck, from a Teulada construction company, mounted the pavement and then smashed into the wall. Luckily no-one was on the pavement or

by Simon Russell

the other side of the wall and the driver was able to leave his cab on foot and without injury.

Several nearby businesses said they felt the shockwave of the impact.lot of disciplinary problems with the child who in turn said that she was regularly beaten by her grandparents.

Melon mishap A lorry which was carrying a cargo of melons crashed and caused the A-7 motorway to be closed in all directions while emergency services attended the scene.

Witnesses say that the lorry, which had a 16 metre trailer for transporting the fruit, fell

on its side and skidded around blocking both lanes in one direction.

The cab than caught on fire, meaning plumes of flames and smoke were billowing over from the central reservation and the other two lanes then had to be closed for safety reasons.

Despite the spectacular accident, noone sustained anything other than minor injuries.

Two of the lanes were able to be opened within two hours, but the services had a major clear-up exercise before all four lanes could be opened.

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Services

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

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FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Sport

Nadal Fights back

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Rafa Nadal is into the French Open Del Potro has returned to the French semifinals for the 11th time.

Open semifinals for the first time since 2009 by defeating Marin Cilic 7-6 (5) The top-ranked Spaniard completed 5-7 6-3 7-5. a 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 win over Diego Del Potro fought back tears during Schwartzman of Argentina over two his post-match interview and was days after their quarterfinal was halted loudly cheered by fans at Court Suzanne by rain on Wednesday night (Thursday Lenglen.

NZ Time).

“It’s tough to speak now,” the fifthseeded Argentine player said. “It has Nadal was serving at 5-3, 30-15 been a long time without good feelings. after having dropped the first set when I had three surgeries on my left wrist. I play was stopped. was close to quit.

“I don’t know if I will win, but I will He came back on court in full take a big love from you and that’s the swing on Thursday (Friday NZT) and most important for me,” he said. made Schwartzman run a lot with a In 2009, del Potro lost to Roger combination of deep groundstrokes and Federer in the French Open semifinals. subtle drop shots. He was also able to He went on to win the US Open the raise his level when in danger, saving same year by defeating Federer in the three break points in the eight game of final. the third set with great shot-making, The women’s semifinals are also and four more in the final set. scheduled for Thursday (Friday NZT).

Nadal is only the third male player No 1 Simona Halep faces No 3 in the Open Era to reach 11 semifinals Garbine Muguruza, and No 10 Sloane at a single Grand Slam, alongside Roger Stephens meets No 13 Madison Keys Federer and Jimmy Connors. in the first all-American French Open The 10-time Roland Garros semifinal since 2002. champion will be up against Juan Stephens beat Keys in last year’s US Martin del Potro for a spot in the final. Open final.

31

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Sport

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Tyson Fury vs. Sefer Seferi: Live stream and fight preview

There are a lot of interesting fights taking place in the world of boxing Saturday night. Yet in a way, none are more interesting than Tyson Fury vs. Sefer Seferi. And that’s entirely because of one man.

In 2015, Tyson Fury did the seemingly impossible. He beat Wladimir Klitschko, ending the LOOOONG Klitschko era, and in one moment ushering in a whole new era of Heavyweight boxing.

Then he bailed. Fury’s behaviors outside the ring have always been erratic, but they reached a new point after he became the champion,

with Fury retiring and reversing that decision so many times no one ever knew entirely what was up.

All the while, he was dealing with issues relating to PEDs, various controversial comments, and just a general sense of chaos. Now, over two years later, he returns. Here are the key points to consider: With a perfect record of 25-0 (18 KOs) there’s no denying that Fury can box. He has a weird, awkward style and he’s big and knows how to use his size. With those tools, he pulled off a massive Heavyweight upset - probably

the biggest since Douglas vs. Tyson.

The man can fight.

But...

That Fury vs.

Klitschko fight stunk. Like, seriously stunk. It was bad and awkward and boring. But...

Fury remains the lineal Heavyweight champion, and while he’s had all his actual titles stripped and moved on to other fighters, to many, Fury is still the man at Heavyweight, and he will be until he loses. But...

He’s not in a real fight here, instead taking on Cruiserweight Sefer Seferi in a lopsided mismatch. But...

He probably should be in this kind of fight right now, as he’s

coming back from a long absence that saw him get horribly out of shape.

So just how “back” is Tyson Fury? The truth is we don’t know.

This could be the start of his return run to Heavyweight gold, it could be a low-risk cash grab return in the style of David Haye, or it could be one fight followed by another two year absence. With Fury you just never know. And that’s what makes this fight the weekend’s Must Watch Boxing event.

Tyson Fury vs. Sefer Seferi airs this Saturday, June 9 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Showtime will air the fight, along with Terry Flanagan vs. Maurice Hooker, live on their YouTube channel. Join us right here for coverage.

Spanish doctor: Liverpool’s Karius diagnosed with ‘absurd medical criteria’, sports medics ‘blush’ In several months time, as the leaves start to fall off the trees and England winds down national celebrations after winning the World Cup, we’ll all still be talking about Loris Karius and what happened against Real Madrid.

Incidents during the match were the topic of much English discussion in the days following, but apart from the entire world wishing Mohamed Salah the best of health, the rest wasn’t really strongly covered.

That all changed when Massachusetts General Hospital published a diagnosis of concussion to Loris Karius, something which was stated as happening during the match and presented as a potential reason for the goalkeeper’s two mistakes.

Whatever the reason for publication, and the hospital said it was ‘in an effort to prevent, where possible, the dissemination of incomplete or erroneous information’ after ‘numerous calls’ were received, it hasn’t gone down universally well.

Whilst some are understandably using the whole situation as a platform to build arguments for

better concussion awareness in football, others clearly don’t buy the whole thing.

On Wednesday, Marca, who had been letting the vilification of Sergio Ramos slide, had clearly had enough. It was stated Real Madrid have ‘coexisted as best they can in what they consider to be a campaign to discredit the impressive successes of recent years’, with the ‘Karius case and his concussion during the final being the final straw’.

At Madrid they believe it was an ‘image clean-up’ and ‘isn’t even medically accurate’.

AS, another Spanish newspaper, published an article detailing all the links between Liverpool and the Boston hospital, with the suggestion being something isn’t right.

On Thursday, the latter newspaper covers the situation again, with two articles on what happened with Karius. Firstly, they have stills of the match and insist Virgil van Dijk pushed Ramos and that’s how he ended up colliding with Karius, and then they have a column from a doctor.

Dr Jose Gonzalez is a regular in

the newspaper. Whenever a player suffers an injury he gives his view and explanation of what happened and presents a prognosis.

His Thursday column is titled: ‘Karius: an absurd justification’ Gonzalez certainly isn’t afraid to question the US hospital and says their press release was ‘surprising’, adding ‘Even sports doctors blush when reading the statement’.

To make his opinion absolutely clear, Gonzalez goes on to say: ‘If they want to come out in defence of the player, it seems good, but not based on absurd medical criteria.

After the alleged concussion he made two good saves, which clearly indicates that he had intact reflexes and there was no sign of psychologically shattered. For concussion. me, as a sports doctor with many ‘It was simply a child’s years of experience in this type of sporting failure, which completely incident, all the symptoms referred conditioned his subsequent to by Karius were psychosomatic, actions. In the first goal of Bale due to a failure of a beginner in a he made a normal sports gesture sporting event at the highest level.’ of a great goalkeeper, but failed to Doctors disagreeing isn’t a touch the ball. Reacted well and on time, but failed to avoid the great development, but there’s goal. And in the second he was more opinion from Italy.

Prof. Franco Benech, a Turin neurosurgeon who has worked with Juventus, is quoted by ANSA (Italy’s press association) as saying: “To certify a concussion there must also have been a small loss of consciousness, and then, I exclude that some doctors would have left a sportsman on the pitch under such conditions.

Aston Villa reach agreement with UK tax authorities

Aston Villa have reached an agreement with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs over a £4million tax bill.

The agreement will allow the Sky Bet Championship club, who missed out on a Premier League return after losing to Fulham in the playoff final at Wembley, to continue day-to-day operations.

Villa have also announced that there are “no insolvency

practitioners or administration advisors working with the club”.

A statement from the club added: “Owner and chairman Dr Tony Xia would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank supporters during this difficult and unsettling time and reassure them plans are now being put in place to move the club forward.”

Earlier, Xia wrote on his personal Twitter account: “It has been

very difficult 2 weeks as I hinted earlier I was almost heartbroken by something. Tried my best to keep beloved AV move forward. Thanks for all ppl standing together going through the difficult time. It was all supporters’ encouraging words to keep me/us stronger.”

Jack Grealish is Villa’s best option of raising a quick lump sum of cash as they look for £40million to comply with Financial Fair Play rules.

32

FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2018

Your Weekend Starts Here!

Sport

THE HIPS DON’T LIE

ANDY MURRAY’s Wimbledon preparations have suffered a further blow with the two-time All England Club champion pulling out of next week’s grass court Libema Open in the Netherlands.

It’s almost a year since the 31-year-old Scot suffered a hip injury at Wimbledon, and then went under the knife in January to deal with the problem.

Murray has always said that he would not return to the courts unless he is 100 percent fit, but time appears to be running out for any sort of meaningful Wimbledon challenge, especially since he is devoid of any match fitness.

The 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon champion is down to compete in the traditional warm-up

tournament at Queen’s Club which starts on June 18th, but may well also have to look around to see where else he can get some valuable court time, with events coming at Eastbourne and at Antalya in Turkey.

For all of his guts and determination, with grass being his favourite surface, the fighting Scot still has a tough question to answer, namely how will that repaired hip deal with the stresses and strains of three-set matches, and then the big five-set showdowns in a Wimbledon fortnight?

The brain will have to rule the heart, and for Murray fans everywhere, let’s hope that he chooses his comeback event wisely, and that we get the real deal, rather than a pale shadow of the great player that he was.