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ISSUE 019 Friday 03rd November www.Weekender.News IssueB #152 Benissa Tel: 965 733 311 @TheWeekenderEs @TheWeekenderSpain

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POPPY SALUTE By Jack Troughton

THE Royal British Legion proudly marched into the 2017 Poppy Appeal heads held high and standards flying along Benidorm’s Levante Promenade. The swirl of pipes and beat of drums announced the start of the annual parade along the seafront for a short but moving ceremony at the Rincon de Loix last Friday. Visitors to the resort abandoned sunbeds on the beach and drinks at the bars and cafes as they were drawn by the music of the Torrevieja Pipes and Drums to photograph the colourful sight. Once again Chelsea Pensioners Skippy Teasdale and Wayne Campbell were at the heart of the parade, waving to the crowd from their motorised wheelchairs. The Legion’s 2016 Poppy Appeal raised £46.6 million in total – District North Spain contributing over €165,000 – and the charity spends £1.2 million a week on its welfare work supporting servicemen and women, veterans, and their families. Continued page 24-25

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Have-a-go heroes By Jack Troughton

HEROES at a popular Costa Blanca bar bravely wrestled an armed “madman” to the ground after he terrified Sunday afternoon clients enjoying the sunshine. Ahmad Nagim Kareem, brandishing a long screwdriver, started knocking over tables and chairs on the terrace of Bar Chillout, near the Mendoza Supermarket in Albir. Kareem – who was later arrested – twice approached the bar; shouting and screaming he was going to hurt and kill staff. On the first occasion, police were called, but the suspect vanished before they arrived. About 10 minutes later, Kareem returned and again became agitated and threatening. A witness told The Weekender: “He screaming he was going to kill this poor woman and staff inside the bar; we were there just enjoying a quiet drink as a family. Suddenly we were faced with this horrible threatening situation – people on

the terrace were obviously horrified. “He again came across the roundabout outside the bar and was very abusive. At that moment, he was approached by a member of staff and a customer who both bravely tried to calm him down. “However, he continued to swear and shout some crazy things and again was throwing furniture around and this time tried to get inside.” The witness added: “At that point these two made a sort of citizen’s arrest – they wrestled him to ground and restrained him until the police came. “This guy was very, very aggressive and there were people who were obviously very scared as to what might happen.” Kareem, who is understood to live in Albir, was arrested an appeared in court on Monday. He is currently in custody. A heart racing video of the incident can be seen on ‘The Weekender’ Facebook Page and has already reached over 20,000 people across Facebook alone.

Dialling up a big proﬁt

S PA N I S H telephonic giant Telefonica made a net profit of 2,439 million euros in the first three quarters of the year, an increase of 10% on the same trading period in 2016. The profit for the last quarter was 839 million euros, an increase of 15% on 2016. Te l e f o n i c a is a truly global c o m p a n y ,

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arguably Spain’s most important. Breaking down their performance across the world, their profits were reduced in much of Europe such as the UK and Germany. However the Latin American market remains strong and continues to improve each year, in what is still a largely emerging market for telecommunications.

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THE WEEKENDER – 170mm x 256mm – Colour

3 November

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

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SCARLET is the colour to wear this season; the iconic red paper flowers and enamel badges are easily available, so go ahead and p…p…pick up a poppy!

And despite the ongoing and most welcome sunshine in this part of the world, it is worth noting there is a chill in the air last thing at night – final walk with furry friend – and early in the morning.

The Royal British Legion launched its annual Poppy Appeal in Benidorm and, quite rightly, there was a little bit of pomp and circumstance, coupled with a chest-full of pride and a heart-full of emotion.

It means it is time to shake out the continental quilt, dig out the jumpers and sweatshirts, and raise a quizzical eyebrow when some bright spark assures you the Med is still wonderfully warm.

Dig deep ahead of Remembrance Day – 11th November; Armistice Day, the day the guns fell silent at the end of the Great War – and Remembrance Sunday, 12th November.

Shops are currently filling up with stuff – rather than essentials – ready for Christmas. There are colourful festive items that scream out “buy me” but don’t appear to have an immediate score on the ‘useful’ chart.

It is also worth noting how the Legion currently spends a whopping £1.2 million a week supporting men and women serving with the armed forces, veterans, and their dependants. So go on…chuck in another Euro!

It also means the season for charity Christmas fairs now starts in earnest, Santa will be in his Grotto. Included on the wish list in an envelope addressed to ‘Father Christmas’ is a request for a little help in tracking down a canine wristwatch.

Someone forgot to tell the dog the clocks went back last weekend. There you are in Neverland enjoying the famed ‘extra hour in bed’ and suddenly a furry friend interrupts scheduled (and much-needed) beauty sleep, wagging his tail and demanding ‘walkies’ and other business.

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FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Well down the national rich list By Simon Russell

ACCORDING to the latest annual figures, the richest municipality in Alicante province is Sant Joan d’Alacant with an average annual income of €26,616. However the town ranks only 286th on the national list which is topped by Pozuelo de Alarcon (Madrid) where fortunate residents of the town have an average income of €69,136 per annum.

In Alicante the second wealthiest municipality is El Campello (€26,121) followed by Alicante City (€25,874) while Mutxamel, Javea, Denia, Alfaz, Altea, Finestrat and Alcoy complete the top ten. Bottom of the pile is Hondon de los Frailes at €14,927 pa average income. The average for the province as a whole is €21,087, while in Valencia it is €24,006 and nationally €25,582.

Cancer risks trigger ﬁne By Matthew Richards

THE Court of Appeal has upheld a fine of €150,000 levied against the private company that manages the Vinalopo Hospital near Elche. The penalty related to a “very serious offence” relating to staffs exposure to carcinogens at the hospital as well as failure to provide adequate protection against chemical agents. The company involved,

Elche Crevillente Salud, denied the charges which were levied by the Generalitat under the terms of the Provincial

Labour Act of Alicante. The court also ruled that the penalty and terms of the case could now be made public.

Hope springs from the ashes By Matthew Richards

AS people affected by the recent forest fires in Galicia take stock of their losses there are numerous stories of help being offered, from individuals and charities through to big business. In many

cases, villages have been nearly destroyed while their neighbours remained untouched, and much of the initial help came from these places. Engineers, vets and lawyers are all amongst those offering free help, the Red Cross

has stepped in as always and Ikea has even offered furniture to people who lost everything. However, many people are unhappy with the government’s response, saying the area should be declared a disaster zone

which ensures aid and help are prioritised. Many of the worst affected are elderly rural people and

they query if the response would have been different if a city had been hit with a similar disaster.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Dangerous dogs campaign By Simon Russell

ALICANTE’S Animal Protection Department has launched a campaign aimed at owners of potentially dangerous dogs. These are officially classified as “PPP” animals (Perros Potencialmente Peligroso), and the campaign starts by clarifying what breeds and cross breeds come under the PPP heading. If you do own a pet that is potentially dangerous you are reminded of your obligations and

the penalties applicable if you do not follow them; these were laid out in the new laws that came into effect in December 2015. A disproportionate amount of PPP rated dogs end up being abandoned or given to pounds and are often difficult to find new homes for. However if people who have these animals follow the basic guidelines then they can make excellent pets. The information is being spread through brochures and videos.

Record breaking bands By Simon Russell

THERE are plans in place for bands across the Valencian region to enter the Guinness Book of Records next year. Coordinated by the Federation of Music Societies, which represents 547 municipal bands, there are actually two record attempts being planned. Firstly the world’s biggest

music lesson, using the Castellon bullring and Alicante arena on two separate dates. Secondly the largest ever parade of bands, using the Valencian football teams Mestalla stadium. Next April and May are the planned dates for the records which are part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the federation. The announcement was made at their annual general assembly in Elda (Alicante).

Online security key cracked By Matthew Richards

NOT everyone will be familiar with the name Captcha but chances are you’ve used it online. It is the system where you get a simple challenge, such as typing in a string of digits in odd fonts and shapes, to prove you are not a “robot” when joining sites or buying products. However one of these self-same bots has now proved it is able to regularly crack the Captcha code with an accuracy rate of over 50% on all major sites. As Captcha is deemed ineffective if the decryption rate is above 1%, this may spell the beginning of the end for what one tech writer referred to as “the most annoying thing on the internet.”

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Twenty year sentence Equality awards for murder of relative By Simon Russell

By Matthew Richards

THE courts in Alicante refused to take into account a man’s plea that the strangulation of his elderly aunt was a mercy killing, finding him guilty of murder and sentencing him to twenty years in prison. Felix Redondo Suarez strangled his 88 year old relative with a lamp cord. He dragged her corpse into a bedroom then five days later called the police to confess to the killing, saying it was done to put the woman out of her pain. The court dismissed this version of events and his case was not helped by the fact that he had stolen and sold jewellery and a TV from his aunt, who he lived with in Alicante. Suarez

defence attorney is appealing the length of the sentence, asking for a reduction to 15 years as his client confessed to the killing and cooperated with the authorities.

THE Red Cross has recognised eight Alicante firms in their Equal Opportunities awards this week. They included Agamed who have introduced several measures to ensure equality between the sexes is achieved in the workplace. These include increasing the amount of women hired, reconciling the roles and salary of existing employees, staff equality training and promoting

more female staff to senior positions. The awards are part of the Red Cross’s Bureau of Equality programme, assisted by the European Social Fund. The other businesses winning awards in the area were Clece, Goldcar, Marjal Group, Ingles World Centre, SICA and Murgrave.

Holy relic in place By Simon Russell

AS part of the celebrations marking the completion of the historic dome in Benitatxell’s Santa Maria Magdalena Church, a copy of the “Holy Grail” which resides in Valencia has been presented to the parish. A delegation

from the town, including the mayor and priest, went to Valencia cathedral for the ceremony presided over by Cardinal Antonio Canizares. The copy relic, blessed accordingly, will now reside in the newly restored church. Understandably, there is some scepticism as to whether the object in

Valencian cathedral is actually the Holy Grail that Christ was supposed to have drunk from at the Last Supper. However it is undoubtedly a beautiful and ancient piece, and attracts a healthy amount of tourism to the church, something that may rub off on Benitatxell.

Land bank launched

By Simon Russell

THE Environmental Department of TeuladaMoraira has announced plans to make use of abandoned and unused agricultural land in the municipality. The land bank scheme encourages the owners

of such land to inform the Town Hall so it can be tended by third parties. There are several benefits to this plan. It encourages younger people into farming which they may not otherwise have been able to afford as well as preserving the countryside in the region. Tended

land is also less likely to have plagues of rodents and mosquitoes as well as reducing any fire risk. Landowners who may be interested in joining the scheme should contact the Environmental Department who will discuss it with them in more detail, said councillor Nieves Rodriguez.

Medical Maniacs

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Bewitched... By Jack Troughton

HALLOWEEN cast its spell over Moraira and like to moths to a flame, scores of scary and spooky monsters arrived to party. Teulada and Moraira Lions staged the traditional party in the church square and witches, vampires, devils, scary clowns and zombies arrived to enjoy. As well as an opportunity to dance to the ‘Monster Mash’, youngsters were kept busy testing their skills on a variety of old-

fashioned but much-loved sideshow games; not a video in sight but bags of sweets as prizes. And parents had the opportunity to take pictures for the family album, enjoy the music and partake of some light refreshment. Bars and restaurants joined in the fun; with premises decorated and staff in Halloween costume to create a wonderful atmosphere.

Little Dracula

Scary Staff at Enzo Bar

In the pink

Burning rubber By Matthew Richards

By Jack Troughton

THE battle against breast cancer became a celebration as more than 800 people joined the ‘Pink March’ in Calpe on Sunday. Organised by the Spanish cancer charity

Fancy Dress Winner Gemma from Telitec with some little ‘Munsters’

AECC and the town’s health department, the walkers wore commemorative pink t-shirts as they united against the deadly disease.

Your health well insured

Are you unsatisfied with your health insurance or are you looking for one that meets your needs? Has your insurance premium been incremented due to age? Has it been cancelled? Are you unhappy with the service? Is your medical directory or are your coverages insufficient? Are you looking for an insurance policy that meets your requirements? Then the health insurance offered by ASSSA may be of your interest. Unique contractual guarantees ASSSA does not increase the price due to age, which means that the premium will remain the same age bracket that you contracted at the beginning. ASSSA guarantees under contract that your policy will not be cancelled, therefore you can have the peace of mind of being provided with a lifetime coverage. Personalised customer service in your language With ASSSA you can count on a personalised, friendly and professional service. From the first day you will be allocated to a particular person in your local ASSSA branch who will assist and guide you whenever necessary in a friendly and promptly manner. You will not come across any language barriers, as you will be attended in your language by the multilingual staff at ASSSA. Also, the majority

And the event was said to have been full of “joy and solidarity” as the march wound its way through the streets.

of doctors and medical centres either speak your language or offer translation services. A custom-made insurance ASSSA has different levels of coverage and services in their insurance policies. You can even have the option to choose a more comprehensive level of coverage which offers free choice services with a reimbursement option. You would have immediate access to GP’s, specialists and emergency assistance in numerous and prestigious private medical centres. Moreover, ASSSA offers the possibility of a second medical opinion and being preventive by carrying out an annual check-up. Insure your health with ASSSA ASSSA offers facilities and advantages in transferring from your current company to your new health insurance with ASSSA, like the cancellation of the waiting periods. Now is the best moment to take out your private health insurance with ASSSA, as you can benefit from up to 30 % lifetime discount until the 12th of December. Please contact your local ASSSA branch for further information with no strings attached. ASSSA Branches: Altea Tel: 966 882 680 Ciudad Quesada Tel: 965 725 421 Denia Tel: 965 786 969 Jávea Tel: 965 795 077 Moraira Tel: 965 744 033 Orihuela Costa Tel: 966 761 794

A spectacular – and extremely dangerous – fire broke out in a bicycle shop in Alicante on Tuesday. The flames rose in a massive plume that was visible from far around as several fire engines attended the scene. They were eventually able to extinguish the blaze which appeared to have started in the basement of the premises. Due to the location of the shop, the risk of the fire spreading to other buildings

was high, and the firefighters did an excellent job preventing this from happening. Thankfully no-one was hurt in the incident although the shop was extensively damaged. The basement where the fire started was where the bikes and other equipment were stored and the flammable nature of much of the materials added to the ferocity of the incident. The reasons for the fire starting are unknown but will be investigated.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Grandson accused of theft By Simon Russell

THE grandson of the victim is among three people arrested for the theft and sale of jewellery from a 93-year-old woman in Callosa de Segura. Police began an investigation at the end of the summer when the valuables were taken from a safe in the woman’s house. They began cross

checking lists of people who had been in the house with lists of people who had sold jewellery in the area. This investigation led them to the stolen jewels and the fact that one of the people selling them had been the 40-year-old grandson of the victim, who had access to her house. He has been arrested along with a man aged 60 and a 46-year-old woman. Thankfully all the stolen goods have been recovered and returned to their rightful owner.

Innovative wreath By Matthew Richards

An Alicante firm have won an international design award for their innovative funeral wreaths. The “Green Memory” arrangement designed by the Limbo Company is made up of a number of live flowers in pots. Mourners then take an individual plant as a way of remembering their loved one. This has proved popular and also reduces plant waste

from normal wreaths which eventually will need to be disposed of. The product won the prestigious German Design Awards, which usually tend to select electronic or automotive products. The jury recognised the uniqueness of the design and the potential to change the industry with a simple idea that is also respectful to the environment.

Immigrants detained By Matthew Richards

TWO further small boats packed with illegal immigrants came ashore in Alicante province this week. Eight people, including two children, were detained by the Guardia Civil after landing in El Campello, while a further seven came ashore in Calpe. All were

examined by the Red Cross and found to be in good health. 34 “pateras” – small vessels – have landed along the Alicante coastline so far this year, carrying a total of 260 immigrants, around double the figure for the same period last year. Police believe that several others have evaded the authorities.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Supermarket of the future By Simon Russell

SPEAKING at an annual retail conference the founder and president of Mercadona, Juan Roig, said that in three or four years the supermarket giant will not resemble the current model. Talking about this year’s reduction in profits he said that the Valencian based national chain was willingly sacrificing short terms gain for the long term future of the brand. The biggest change in the next few years may well involve on-line shopping – something Roig

admitted he didn’t used to be a fan of but is now a complete convert to. He described online retail as “a tsunami that is coming at breakneck speed”. There are also plans to expand into Portugal and to roll out their new store model across Spain. Recent innovation include the introduction of fresh juicing machines, a sushi section and a return to hand cut ham – something he said no supplier of pre-cut ham was able to match. He used the latter as an example of how the stores listen to, and act on, customer feedback

Pot smokers proﬁled By Matthew Richards

A researcher at the University of Valencia has published a detailed profile of what the average cannabis smoker in the Valencian Community might look like. Rosa Izquierdo’s paper established that they were 21 years old, male, still lived at home and tended to buy the drug off a dealer or someone not known to them other than for that purpose. The research also found that women stopped using cannabis at a younger age than men, student users smoked more heavily than any other sector of society and people who used the drug on a daily basis were usually employed. Unemployed users averaged only

one smoke a week, presumably for economic reasons. Most people used the drug only in leisure time, likely to be festivals and parties for younger consumers, pubs and the home for older ones.

Only a small amount associated cannabis with any health risks, despite research to the contrary. They thought this was because it was a more natural product than cigarettes or other harder drugs.

Missing youth found By Matthew Richards

A young man who went missing in Alicante province turned up several days later, over a hundred kilometres from where he was last

seen. The 28-year-old was reported missing last Saturday (21 October) when he disappeared on a visit to see relatives in Callosa de Segura. A police search was started and his profile and pictures posted on social

media. Thankfully he turned up six days later in good health though he was reported to be disoriented. He was eventually found at Almoradi in the Valencian province, around a 100 kilometres from Callosa.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

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? 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.

By Tracy Storer

Senior Partner Chorus Financial

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

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.

demonstrate where you could save money, and increase the security of your pension. It may be 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.

Chorus are currently offering to review your existing QROPS or potential pension transfer so that we can

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.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Spider scare By Simon Russell

A woman in the Alicante province has been in hospital for two weeks after a near fatal spider bite. The 58-year-old was walking in a rural area near Elda when she saw the black spider on her leg and realised it had bitten her. Although there were no immediate ill effects, after a few days the area became inflamed and pain had set in. The condition worsened and eventually she went to her local A&E department.

Doctor’s saw that there was a serious infection and she was sent for immediate s u r g e r y. In the end reconstructive skin grafts were required as the infected skin had to be removed. There are no spiders in this area that are classified as dangerous and it is believed that the woman had some form

Top of the world By Matthew Richards

INFLUENTIAL travel guide Lonely Planet has named Seville as the world’s best city destination for 2018. The Andalucian capital was commended for the way it

changed from a traffic clogged metropolis to one that now has a widely used network of trams and bike lanes that have helped transform the city. Detroit in the US, Matera in Italy and Australia’s Melbourne were all also in

Agents online By Simon Russell

ESTATE agents in the UK are increasingly using LiveChat software to deal with prospective and existing customers. LiveChat is online customer service software that allows “face to face” contact and is ideal for time poor buyers. It gives estate agents the advantage of weeding out time of allergic reaction. However, any bite should always be treated to reduce any chance of infection, especially if the skin is broken.

the top ten. The guide named Chile as the best country to visit, noted for its contrasts of the Pacific Coast, Andes Mountains and Patagonian plains. South Korea and our neighbours in Portugal complete the top three.

wasters and is most commonly used for things like booking a valuation. First time buyers, usually younger people, are increasingly more likely to want to complete as much of the process online as possible. This has not taken oﬀ yet for Spanish estate agents where matters tend to be done more in person, although doubtless these sort of tools will eventually become more popular over here.

Sister of Man City boss is Catalan casualty F R A N C E S C A Guardiola, sister of the coach of Manchester City FC in England, has been dismissed from her job as ambassador to Denmark. She was a victim of the fall-out from Madrid taking control of Catalonia whereby nearly all senior Catalan

foreign diplomats were dismissed. Ms Guardiola had only been in her role since the beginning of this year; her brother Pep, a former Barcelona manager and player, has been outspoken in his support of the independence movement.

Back In

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

TOUGH MOVE ON CHILD MAINTE NANCE CHEATS By Jack Troughton

THE UK government is closing a legal loophole that allows parents to avoid paying child maintenance – which means an extra £390,000 could be collected. The change is expected within months and will change current legislation that states payment can only be taken from a bank account held solely by an individual parent. The new rules will mean money can also be taken from a joint account with a partner – although the Department of Works and Pensions said safeguards would be put in place over deducting the money; including only taking money from a joint account if the parent does not have their own sole account, or there is not enough cash in it. The government said a “small minority” were avoiding payments by opening a joint account – the unpaid

child maintenance backlog in Britain was said to be £3.8 billion. Bank statements will be reviewed to establish which funds belong to the paying parent, and both account holders will be given the right to make their case before any money is taken. However, family and divorce lawyers warned that in practice there would be “terrible problems” in distinguishing between which money belongs to what party in a joint account, causing “terrible disruption” to a new relationship. About 1.2 million people were owed child maintenance statistics reveal; and for some knowing whether a payment would be received was a lottery. Caroline Dinenage, minister for family support, housing and child maintenance, said: “Our priority is for children to get the support they need. “Only a small minority of parents try to cheat their way out of paying towards their children, and this new power will be another tool to tackle those who do.”

ROCKET MAN By Jack Troughton

WING Commander Andy Green has taken the Bloodhound Super Sonic Car through its first public test runs ahead of a world land speed record attempt. Using the thrust of a jet engine, the Bloodhound SSC raced to 210mph down the runway at Newquay Airport in southwest England – ultimately it will also have a rocket motor designed to take it to an incredible 1,000mph. The record attempt will not be for two or three years but the early tests have given the crew the confidence to say all systems go. The Bloodhound made two trips down the 1.7 mile runway in front of a crowd watch the Eurofighter EJ200 engine take the car from a standing start to 200mph in eight seconds. The engine produces over 135,000 horsepower – the Bugatti Chiron, the

fastest production car in the world, has an engine producing 1,500bhp. Andy Green holds the current record after travelling in Bloodhound SSX at 763mph and said it was a “real hard work-out” for the brakes which had flickered with flames and were “very sort of Formula One, but in a proper highspeed car.” Next year the five-tonne vehicle will go to South Africa for tests on a ‘super flat’ dried out lake bed. It is hoped to attempt the record in 2020. Bloodhound is one of the most complex cars ever built and has been designed by Ron Ayers, who believes 1,000mph was the “physical limit” before “science becomes a barrier”. “I’ve retired five times already but it doesn’t make me any less busy. When you enjoy challenges, when another one comes along, you accept it. I don’t need talking into it if there’s an opportunity and a challenge to meet,” he said. He said the technology being created would benefit the country and it was not just about claiming a record but also to get more children interested in engineering. “Children love studying fast cars and it keeps them interested in engineering and science, technology, maths and engineering courses.”

Britain

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

HEATHROW SECURITY ALERT

By Edward Graham

CORRIE STAR SACKED

By Jack Troughton

CORONATION Street’s Bruno Langley – who played character Todd Grimshaw for 16 years – has left the long-running ITV soap over allegations he sexually assaulted a woman in a bar. It is understood the 34-year-old’s contract with the show was ended on 26th October following an internal inquiry into the incident. He has now been charged with two counts of sexual assault by Greater Manchester Police. In a statement, ITV said: “Bruno Langley is no longer contracted to Coronation Street”. The police have since confirmed Langley will appear at Manchester Magistrates Court on 28th November after being charged with the 1st October assaults on a woman aged in her 30s.

Mr Langley has confirmed he has left the cast but denied any wrongdoing; he said he would make a further statement later. As Todd Grimshaw, he was the first openly gay character in the soap’s 57-year history, after first joining the programme in 2001. In his statement, Mr Langley said: “Sadly, I will no longer be working on Coronation Street. Acting on the show has been the fulfilment of a personal dream. “Playing the role of Todd Grimshaw since I was 17 years old has been a huge part of my life, and an absolute honour. “I would like to thank all of my friends who work on the show for their love, friendship and support during this extremely difficult period. “I will make a further statement in due course, and when I am able to do so.” Allegations of inappropriate behaviour were made by a woman who was at Manchester’s nightclub Band on the Wall; the actor and other cast members were there to watch former colleague Craig Charles perform a DJ set.

SECURITY chiefs at London’s Heathrow Airport are investigating how a USB stick loaded with secret information landed in a West London street. The stick, containing 174 documents with some marked ‘confidential’ or ‘restricted’ was discovered on a pavement by a member of the public and taken to the Sunday Mirror. In a scoop, the paper reported there were maps, documents; and videos included of measures used to protect the Queen – and the USB stick was not encrypted. In an attempt to diffuse the situation, Heathrow said all of its security had plans

been reviewed and it was “confident” the airport was secure. “We have also launched an internal investigation to understand how this happened and are taking steps to prevent a similar occurrence in future,” said the airport said in a statement. Mirror Sunday The reported some files disclosed the types of ID needed to access restricted areas, a timetable of security patrols and maps pinpointing CCTV cameras. And another document terror recent highlighted attacks and talked about the type of threat the airport could face. The paper said the information has been passed back to Heathrow intelligence chiefs. The statement from the airport said Heathrow’s “top priority” was the safety and security of passengers and staff. “The UK and Heathrow have some of the most robust aviation security measures in the world, and we remain vigilant to evolving threats by updating our procedures on a daily basis.”

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Local lookout

Javea-Xabia

Ready for action By Jack Troughton

JAVEA’S volunteer firefighters put two new vehicles on show after buying the gleaming machinery with the help of a €10,000 donation. The Masonic Home of Valencia Association and its fund raising team at the

Moraira Charity Shop went to inspect the hardware after helping fund the purchase of the two 4x4s. The ISVH Association of Balcon al Mar Fire Station also needed to replace equipment lost in last year’s wild fire that swept across Javea and Benitachell affecting 820 hectares of land.

The volunteer firemen joined a fire fighting response employing 500 people on the ground supported by helicopters and seaplanes; taking three days to bring flames under control. Jenny Hart, President of the Masonic Home of Valencia Association, said: “They needed to buy a new fire engine for €90,000 and we put €10,000 towards it. “It was then decided to buy two

smaller vehicles for easier access to fires and our money has gone towards them.”

Poppies march on By Jack Troughton

JAVEA Branch of the Royal British Legion launched its annual Poppy Appeal on Saturday with the traditional sponsored walk around the town’s Arenal Beach – shaking buckets to collect donations. Around 30 branch members took part; either in the walk or manning a table selling the iconic poppies or other remembrance mementos for the 2017 appeal. Last year’s appeal raised more than €8,700. There are 65 Poppy Appeal distributed around a network of businesses locally and it is hoped to beat the total collected 12 months ago. However, branch chairman Roger Dawes said Margo Gunn was usually the member who raised the most in sponsorship, supported by volunteers of the Original Charity Shop and Library. “She usually wins as the person raising the most –

she has collected €600 already.” The branch holds its Remembrance Sunday service in Javea Port at the ‘Fishermen’s Church’ at 3pm on Sunday 12th November. The service will be taken by Father Marcus Ronchetti of the Costa Blanca Anglican Chaplaincy and the Laude Lady Elizabeth School Choir will sing. The Legion will be joined by the Royal Naval Association, the Royal Air Force Association and the Aircrew Association; and Vice Consul Elizabeth Bell has also agreed to attend.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Local lookout

Javea-Xabia Green credentials for Pearl of the Costas By Simon Russell

Health training AS part of their training programme, 23 nursing auxiliaries from Javea and Gandia have been posted to Denia Hospital. They were greeted by representatives from the Department of

Health who held an introductory briefing conference and showed them around the premises. The internship is scheduled to last for 62 days, rotating between three different departments at the hospital.

Warp speed factor fun By Edward Graham

THE strange adventures of Dr Frank N Furter and his Transylvanian cronies created The Rocky Javea Picture Show and the musical screamed “hit” from the beginning. Based on the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show, it started life as a humble post on Javea Connect looking for recruits but blossomed into the blockbuster presented at La Senieta, Moraira. Top marks to everyone involved in the resulting theatre group Bananadrama – cast and crew – especially as the proceeds are earmarked to help the work of charity Cancer Care Javea.

And in the true tradition of this timeless show that has become a global success, a good number of the audience presented themselves dolled up to the nines as weird and wonderful characters from Transexual Transylvania. Even better, everyone knew the songs, knew the interactive moves, and heckled – just as is expected – from start to finish. By the end the entire theatre, those on stage and the audience, were belting out a celebratory rendition of Timewarp; a number that remains a wedding reception favourite. Congratulations Bananadrama for three successful shows that underlined how to stage some real community theatre. When’s the revival?

JAVEA recycled a total of 678 tons of glass this summer, up 3% on the same period in 2016. Summer is the busiest time of the year for glass disposal due to the influx of tourists so residents and businesses have been encouraged to recycle wherever possible. Ecovidrio, the firm that organises the recycling for Javea and most other local towns and cities, helped increase the rate by giving 65 firms their own recycling “igloos” for glass waste. A total of 1.7 million kilos of glass was collected, over 60 kilos per resident. To recognise the achievement

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Doris Courcelles, Councillor for the Environment, received an eco-award on behalf of the town.

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FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Local lookout

Benidorm Work set to start on Dolphin Tower By Simon Russell

THE final barriers that may have stopped the Delfin Tower project in Benidorm appear to have been overcome and the major new build looks set to go ahead. Located on the site of the old Hotel Delfin by Poniente Beach, the â&#x201A;Ź50 million investment will transform the skyline in that part of the city. The proposed sail design building, similar to the iconic Burj

al Jumeirah in Dubai, will contain apartments and two swimming pools as well as storage and parking space. It is expected that the accommodation will sell for between 700,000 and 1 million euros per unit. Benidorm Town Hall has now received all applicable paperwork relating to the project and surety has been paid by the developer, Sergio Vidal.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Local lookout

By Simon Russell

DESPITE a general increase this year in British visitors to Spain, the two areas that both introduced a “tourist tax” have seen a drop in numbers. The Balearics and Costa Dorada (which includes Barcelona) had a 10% drop on 2016. Other budget sun and sand destinations such as Turkey and Egypt are returning to popularity after a lengthy

downturn due to terrorist incidents, and any increase in price is likely to drive more holidaymakers to these countries, said a spokesman for Hosbec which represents Benidorm’s accommodation sector. While the Costa Blanca had similar amounts of UK tourists to 2016, Hosbec believes any such tax which was forced on the sector would have a detrimental effect.

Benidorm Celeb bull-ﬁghter's day in court By Simon Russell

IN Spain all bullfighters hold a certain level of celebrity – or notoriety depending on your point of view. However, Jose Ortega Cano is one of the very best known, as much for his private life as his bullfighting feats. The crowds came out to see him as he attended a court case in Alicante on Tuesday regarding unpaid debts on a restaurant he used to own in Benidorm. The establishment, on Levante sea front, closed last year but it is alleged he still owes €20,000 relating to construction costs, something Cano denies, saying it is the responsibility of the company who were in charge of the day to day running of the business. The restaurant had opened in 2015 when Cano was actually in jail serving time for his role in a car accident which killed a man and left Cano very badly injured. His career peaked in the 1980’s and he made a brief but unsuccessful comeback to the ring in 2001. He was also well known for his marriage to singer Rocio Jurado, who died of cancer in 2006. He has made appearances on shows such as the Spanish version of “Strictly come Dancing” and remains in the limelight, not always for the right reasons.

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Tourist tax deterring Brits

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Local lookout

Benidorm

Love thy neighbour By Simon Russell

DR Eusebi Chiner I Vives has been chosen as Benidorm’s “Neighbour of the Year” 2017. The award recognised citizens of the town

who make outstanding contributions to the city and its residents in both their personal and professional life. Dr Chiner is head of the Pulmonology Department at Alicante’s San Juan Hospital and was chosen partly for

his outstanding work in his chosen field. However he has remained close to his Benidorm roots and is often involved in cultural and traditional events in the city while keeping close family ties.

Top team in Benidorm By Simon Russell

GERMAN Bundesliga team Schalke 04 are coming to Benidorm to train during their mid-winter break, the club have announced. They are also encouraging their fans to fly out to the resort at

the same time and they can even accompany them on the flight. Although success at the highest level has eluded the team in recent years, Schalke still have a massive fan base. The club has 140,000 registered members making it the second largest

sports club in Germany and the sixth largest in the world. The team will be staying at the Melia Villaitana during their stay from 1 to 7 January, as will many of their fans that make the trip over. Various activities will be organised for supporters that travel to Benidorm and have registered their presence with the club.

Honouring the forces By Simon Russell

BENIDORM’S Mayor, Toni Perez, was among those taking part as the Royal British Legion paraded on the Levante Beach seafront last week. The event was to launch the poppy appeal in the city, which has a large expatriate British population as well as being a magnet for tourists from the UK. Mayor Perez said in a speech to the hundreds gathered there “Benidorm will always welcome you with open arms, for the values you represent and your service to society.” The parade started at exactly midday and was led by a traditional Scottish bagpipe troupe.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Local lookout

Alfas, Albir & Altea,

Drinking water network renovation begins By Simon Russell

WORK has started on a €640,000 project to improve the drinking water across Alfaz del Pi, including a new 812m pipeline, while improving public access to key tourist areas. The works will harmonise the water network and includes the redevelopment of Cami Vell del Far, creating a cycle trail. And at Albir, the Camino del Faro - which links Playa de l’Albir with the lighthouse itself - will be accessible throughout the estimated two months of work, allowing people to visit two popular

viewpoints. Councillor Toni Such made a site visit to the area and said he was satisfied the “enjoyment” of visitors will not be affected during

the work and safety would not be compromised. The local authority is committed to improving accessibility between the beach itself and the

natural park of Serra Gelada, considered one of the beauty spots of the region and one of the most visited areas in the region of Valencia.

New balls please By Simon Russell

ALTEA’S Sports Department are spending €1,500 on equipment for the town’s football school. Councillor Pere Barber said that the grant was needed as the balls, cones and goals used at the facility need replacing. The cash will buy 72 match standard footballs, agility ladders, two sets of cones (for dribbling practice etc.) four inflatable goals and various other kit. 300 or so children from pre-school and upward use the facility

Altea top of the pile for recyling By Simon Russell

ALTEA is one of the leading towns of the Valencia Community for recycling waste with the amount of light packaging and cardboard deposited in bins ‘per inhabitant’ on the rise. Councillor for Infrastructure

Roque Ferrer paid tribute to local residents who helped separate rubbish and lower the amount of waste taken to Campello as landfill. He said the people living in Altea had responded to a series of awareness campaigns, the town hall taking a lead in promoting recycling. “It is

thanks to them this has been possible.” The numbers of recycling bins was increased around the town to make recycling more accessible, he said, and to help people put waste in the correct containers; such as paper and cardboard, plastics, and the distinctive ‘igloo’ for glass.

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FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Property

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www.spanishpropertyinsight.com

More than half a million home sales forecast for 2018 Property sales in Spain are forecast to reach 526,000 units in 2018, 9.3% more than the 481,000 transactions expected this year, and 21% more than last year, according to Anticipa, one of Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest real estate servicers. All this provided that mortgage conditions and the Spanish and Euro zone economies behave as forecast. Of the total sales, the majority are resale properties, and just 275,000 new homes. Prices for resales and new builds are expected to continue to increase by 5.8% over Q4 this year and by another 5% by the end of 2018. They will, however, remain 23% below their 2007 peak. The figures come from the report by Anticipa Real

Estate, specialists in property and loan management owned by the international fund Blackstone. The report on the Spanish property market 2017-2019 was presented at Barcelona Meeting Point by the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managing director Eduard Mendiluce and Josep Oliver, a lecturer at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), whose team compiled the report. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forecast for 2018 is 85% higher than the nadir of 2013 when just 285,000 homes were sold in Spain. However, as Oliver points out, the market is still 42% below its peak of over 900,000 sales in 2006. Building completions on new homes in Spain will also be well below their peak reached

in the boom years. The report expects a total of 63,400 in 2019, compared to 62,900 in 2017. Although these figures do show a significant increase (over 48%) in relation to the low of 2016 (42,700 completed properties), volume still lies 90% below its peak. For Catalunya, the report (published before the Catalan separatist crisis exploded) forecasts around 82,000 property sales in 2017 (an increase of 10.8%) and around 90,000 in 2018 (up 9.8%). Regarding prices, it expects increases of 6.9% this year and 6.1% for next. Given that property prices fell more than the average for Spain (almost 45% compared to 37%), in 2018 they will still be 27% below those seen in 2007.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Business & Finance

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Jack talks By Jack Troughton

MONEY makes the world go around and just which piggy bank holds a stash of British cash has dominated the Brexit headlines over the last seven days. Until now it is the so-called ‘divorce bill’ that has been traded as a common currency for and against, a debt of honour Brussels wants settled before the parting of ways. The actual bill claimed by those across the ditch varies between €60 billion and €100 billion depending on who is presenting the case; service may or may not be included, and it might all hinge on a deal being struck...or not. Two stories have since come to the fore. The European Investment Bank (EIB) might not be able to cough up all the money owed to the UK – around €10.1 billion – before 2054; mainly because it is tied up in investments. But the Daily Express positively screamed “GET US OUT!” in anger (the capitals are the newspaper’s own). New statistics said to show that the equivalent £267 million “A WEEK” (sorry) is still headed overseas to the EU. It appears, according to the Office for National Statistics and its annual ‘Pink Book’ – which lists transactions between the UK and the rest of the world – that Britain paid the EU £13.9 billion last year. Feel free to add an adjective, two used by the Express were ‘eye-watering’ and ‘lavish’. The figures do upset the Brexit

campaigners but in reality confirm the cost of membership as being the second largest contributor until 2019 – and the politicians backing ‘Leave’ did not disappoint in their comments. Tory Craig Mackinlay, MP for South Thanet, said the net contribution of £13.9 billion was reason enough for a trip through the door marked ‘exit’. He added: “It is little wonder that discussions are stalled over money, the EU is loathed to scale back its empire-building ambitions and the German taxpayer will be unwilling to pick up the bills.” Conservative colleague and MP for Wellingborough, Peter Bone chirped up how it was all money that could be used for social care, the NHS, reducing the deficit, and even tax cuts. “The message to the government is to get on and get us out of the EU and don’t pay any more money to Brussels. The money should be spent where it is needed in this country and not in Bulgaria, Romania and other parts of the EU.” UKIP MEP Jonathan Arnott also chipped in, saying that in the referendum people voted to prevent cash going to the EU “not for the tap to keep flowing”. He added, in true UKIP style: “British politicians often pretend they have a magic money tree, but the EU actually has one – it’s called the British taxpayer.” Over at the EIB, Alexander Stubb – despite his name, he is a former Finnish premier – is vice-president of the bank and was much more controlled, even apologetic, as he broke his news. The UK is a 16% shareholder in the EIB, where all 28 member states of the EU have a stake. The money is used to make low cost loans, frequently for major infrastructure projects, including building affordable housing in Britain. Mr Stubb explained because the cash was tied up – it includes capital, reserves and profits totalling around €10.1 billion – it could take some time to pay back; although everyone was agreed it would be returned and “basically in cash”. He underlined that no-one at the EIB wanted to “punish” the UK but rather he aimed “alleviate the pain” of Brexit. The EIB chief said that being married to a Brit and with children of dual nationality, “I have a British heart pumping”. He described Brexit as a travesty, adding: “The economic facts are just such that there are no winners in Brexit – apart from perhaps a few lawyers.”

CHANCELLOR HEARS BUDGET BLUES By Jack Troughton

CHANCELLOR Philip Hammond is between “a rock and a hard place” as he gets ready to call the tune in the Budget, set for 22nd November, say economic experts. The Institute for Fiscal Studies predicts a step away from his target of ending the spending deficit if he looks to boost spending on public services; coupled with a cut in the growth forecast and continued uncertainty over Brexit. Mr Hammond has said he wanted a balanced approach but aimed to eliminate the government’s budget deficit – the difference between money coming in and spending – by the middle of the 2020s. The chancellor said his target for “balancing the books” had already become a longer game, moving from 2020 to 2025, in a plan to “drive down the deficit in a measured and sensible way over a period of years.” However, the IFS believes Mr Hammond has been given a set of cards that make a “very tricky hand indeed” and said he was under “intense” pressure to spend more while tax increases were politically difficult. The IFS deputy director Carl Emmerson said: “Does he allow higher borrowing to persist, does he add to that with more spending, or does he try to offset that with higher taxes? “Public sector workers, the NHS, the prison service, schools

and working-age benefit recipients, among others, would like more money.” The independent economic think tank believes it may be time to admit that the commitment to operating the UK in a budget surplus from around 2025 was “no longer sensible”. Predictions for a sluggish British economy are growth of 1.6% per year but if the forecast fell to 1%, the IFS believes the deficit would double to almost £36 billion by 2021-22; and could be as high as £70 billion if growth was closer to the 0.4% seen over the last seven years. And the IFS said even with Budget sweeteners, the traditional red box ‘giveaways’, austerity was likely to continue “whatever the chancellor announces”.

Philip Hammond

EASYJET BUYS INTO BERLIN By Jack Troughton

BRITISH airline EasyJet has agreed a €40 million deal with insolvent Air Berlin to buy part of the German carrier’s assets; securing up to 1,000 jobs. EasyJet will buy some of its one-time rival’s assets at Berlin Tegel Airport, including landing slots as well as leases for up to 25 A320 aircraft. It also hopes to take on 1,000 German pilots and cabin crew. Air Berlin – which filed for bankruptcy in August - has already agreed to sell its

Austrian airline Niki to Lufthansa, as well as its regional carrier LGW. EasyJet said it will fly a reduced operation through Tegel during the winter season but is planning for a full schedule for next summer. The move saw a rise in the EasyJet share price to £12.89 and in a statement said it looked forward to: “Building on the strong, customer focussed platform it already has in Berlin to fly more passengers, employ more people and support more economic growth” in Germany.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Business & Finance

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...Continued from front page. A traditional two-minute silence was staged at the Rincon, hundreds of people observing the mark of respect and remembering those who gave their lives for freedom over generations. In a mark of solidarity with Spanish hosts, the victims of the Barcelona terror attack and those who lost their lives to terrorism across Europe were also honoured. Crowds gathered before the standards at the podium, where District North Chairman Don Cubbon said: “On this day 100 years ago during World War One, thousands of men were fighting and dying in the fields of Belgium, in the north of Italy, the deserts of the Middle East, and in countries across the world. “As a result of their losses and the losses of their wives, children and parents; the Royal British Legion was formed in 1921. It was founded as a charitable organisation whose aim was to help and support serving and retired military personnel and their dependants. “This has remained the primary purpose of the Royal British Legion through the last 100 years and it will continue to do the same through the years ahead.” He said the other “key role” of the Legion was as the Custodians of Remembrance. “Every year at 11am on the 11th of November, our colleagues and friends around the world will pause, fall silent, respect a two-minute silence, and remember fallen comrades; everyone will take time to remember friends and loved ones who have passed on.” Mr Cubbon added: “We here in Spain will also stand with our Spanish hosts and friends, and remember in a spirit of solidarity, those who also lost their lives in recent terrorist incidents in Barcelona and elsewhere; and those who lost lives across Europe.” He underlined how the work of the Legion was only made possible thanks to the “generosity of you, the general public”. And he said he urged people to give whatever they could to support this “worthy cause”, the 2017 Poppy Appeal, continuing: “The poppy that grew so

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

POPPIES

Peggy Wyatt with ‘Poppy’

District North Chairman Don Cubbon

profusely in the Fields of Flanders is our emblem.” Una Cleminson, the National Vice Chairman of the Royal British Legion, was one of the special guests at the ceremony, wished the district “good luck” with its 2017 Poppy Appeal. She said it was her second visit to a Legion

even abroad. “It is heart-warming to see the support outside the UK.” Mrs Cleminson said in July the Legion had celebrated the 100th anniversary of ‘Women at War’ and she had also been proud to visit the opening of a new rehabilitation centre for veterans in Loughborough – officially opened by Prince William – where the charity had

funded the building of a gym at accost of £5 million. Mayor of Benidorm Antonio Perez welcomed the Legion to Benidorm at the start of another appeal; he said: “I wish to express my gratitude for the great work done by the Royal British Legion through the ‘Poppy Appeal’ to come to the aid of those who need

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

ON PARADE

Mayor Antonio Perez with Skippy Teas

dale (right) and Wayne Campbell (Lef

it most.” “This altruistic labour that unites so many good-willed men and women does not only take place in the UK but also here in Spain and Benidorm. It is an honour for me and for Benidorm to share this celebration with you; a celebration that, moreover, serves to witness the friendship that unites the British

and Spanish people.” He continued: “As mayor, and on behalf of the whole corporation and people of Benidorm, I congratulate you on this work and on the values that you represent; of solidarity and service to our society.” He said the town would always welcome the Legion and the launch of the Poppy

Appeal. “We are united by the same concerns, the same hopes and the same values. It is a friendship that is cemented generation after generation.” Mr Perez added: “The Royal British Legion is an example that the only possible path to the future is fraternity between peoples, and the Poppy Appeal is the way to

mobilise help for those who need it most.” “I would like to encourage the Royal British Legion to continue working in the defence of those values that unite us. I also encourage and congratulate the thousands of volunteers who, altruistically and anonymously, work every day so that we can live in solidarity in a fair world.”

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Feline Hyperthyroidism Prognosis The pets are really our best friends but the question is, can we be there for them, as well. There is the time when our dog or cat needs us more than anything in the world and their fragile health condition can be a real problem sometimes. The hyperthyroidism is a very usual disease your cat can have, mostly after seven years of life. Older cats donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have very strong immunity and years can really mark them in the worst way. Before the vet tries to treat this disease, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to think about feline hyperthyroidism prognosis and to be realistic about things that might happen. 1. Continuing the normal life luckily, this disease can be treated today and the feline hyperthyroidism prognosis is generally great. You may choose do you want your cat to take medications forever, is it better allow the surgery or you think the radioactive iodine may be the best option. The thing is, this is very hard decision to make, and it depends not only of your budget, but also of other health issues your cat may have.

2. Recovery with no guarantees - your cat may start taking medications regularly, but negative feline hyperthyroidism prognosis can stay the same. In these cases, some symptoms may disappear, and others even increase, but that is the risk everyone must take. On the other side, there are cases when treatments must be repeated, mostly surgery that was not completely successful because of other health issues. 3. Fatal results - it some cases, the cats are just too sick or too old for any intervention. These interventions can also cause some further problems; for example, this kind of treatment can cause the kidney disease since the blood flow through the kidneys is increased and then, they can stop functioning normally. Older cats may not even handle the surgery or maybe they would not react to medications at all; in some cases, the heart failure may happen because of very strong and demanding treatment. There is nothing one can do it order to prevent their cat from facing

this disease, but the feline hyperthyroidism prognosis can make everyone realize that this can be very serious condition, and treatment is necessary, in one way or another. On the other hand, every surgery has some

risks that must be taken, but results may be even better. The crucial thing is that you must organize follow-up blood and diagnostic test schedules for your cat if you want a wonderful time with her in the future.

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Want to avoid Alzheimer’s? Get your glucose levels checked! By Family Medical Centre

Most diabetics are aware that poor glucose control can cause complications. Among the many complications are kidney problems (nephropathy), nerve problems (neuropathy) and eye problems (retinopathy). Recent research however has shown that diabetes can also cause a decline in mental function as well as increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It is not entirely clear as to how diabetes affects the brain but research at the Harvard Medical School indicates that there are probably several factors involved. The brain, like any other organ requires blood to deliver oxygen to the cells. It is thought that high blood sugar may directly affect the cells of the nervous system by reducing oxygen supply to the brain. Also damage to both the large and small blood vessels leads to reduced oxygen to the brain. This reduction can lead to impairments in the brain’s functioning. Blood vessel damage also increases the risk of strokes and transient ischaemic attacks (mini- strokes). Both can lead to the death of brain cells. Research in Sweden suggests that people who develop diabetes over the age of 65 are less likely to develop

Alzheimer’s disease than those that develop the condition by middle age. High blood pressure and obesity in middle age is also linked to Alzheimer’s whether you are diabetic or not! Mental processing may also suffer due to diabetes. Studies have shown a decline in neurocognitive speed and executive functioning. Deficits in either of these can affect how you cope with everyday life. Fortunately, tests have shown that the deficits seem to be mild. Alzheimer’s sufferers have abnormal levels of a protein called beta- amyloid. People with diabetes are more likely to have high levels of beta- amyloid because the enzyme that keeps it at normal levels is busy breaking down insulin! This may sound strange because people normally associate diabetes with insufficient insulin. However, during the early stages of diabetes, the body is in fact trying to correct itself by ‘pumping out high levels of insulin. There is not enough enzyme to cope with breaking down insulin and beta- amyloid. The implications of being diabetic are far reaching but it cannot be stressed enough that early diagnosis and good management can greatly minimize these implications. The increased risk of Alzheimer’s and decline in mental function associated with diabetes is yet another reason to find out if you have diabetes and if so, what you have to do to keep healthy! Throughout November you can have your blood glucose level checked at the Family Medical Centre, Albir for just 18€ (20% off normal price).

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

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Protecting your eyes during sports

According to Moorfields Eye Hospital in the UK “Sport and recreational injuries are the biggest single cause of accidental eye injury in children. They are more common in older children and in boys and can nearly always be prevented by wearing properly fitting protective eyewear.” High-risk sports and activities include anything using small fast projectiles such as shooting air rifles or playing paintball, basketball, baseball and softball, cricket, lacrosse, hockey, squash, racquetball, fencing, boxing, martial arts and golf. Cycling is also considered high risk due to the risk of road chippings, dust and flies getting into your eyes. This is a serious topic which sporting bodies, eye health specialists and pressure groups are getting behind on a global level. The National Eye Institute in the US urges parents and coaches to encourage the use of protective eye wear in sports as “Eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children in the United States and most injuries occurring in school-aged children are sportsrelated. Ninety percent of sportsrelated eye injuries can be avoided with the use of protective eyewear. Ordinary prescription glasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses do not protect against eye injuries. Safety goggles should be worn over them.” They add; “Protective eyewear, which is

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RESIDENCIA CANINA Y FELINA BOARDING KENNEL & CATTERY Habitaciones individuales Ozono Hilo musical Calefacción Parques ajardinados Servicio a domicilio Admitimos todas las razas

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made of ultra-strong polycarbonate, is 10 times more impact resistant than other plastics, and does not reduce vision. All children who play sports should use protective eyewear.” Optical group Specsavers recommend that children or adults taking part in any activities which are considered high risk should wear protective eye wear. They advise that people who wear glasses should be particularly careful as glasses can shatter on impact and cause serious injury. Sports glasses should be wrap around and follow the contours of

your face, with a robust design and a polycarbonate lens. If playing sports outside, use tinted lenses which offer UV protection. They can supply sports eyewear depending on your needs, as well as safety eyewear to make sure your eyes are always protected. For questions about the different types of frames and lenses you should consider when taking part in sporting activities, it is best to ask your local optician for advice. Visit www.specsavers.es to find your nearest store

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> All editions of “Gardening on the Costa Blanca” can be found at www.weekender.news/CBGC or visit www.costablancagardeners.weebly.com for more information.

GARDENING ON THE COSTA BLANCA - Part 14 Continuing with the watering of pot plants theme, if you have dried your pot down to the point that the plant is wilting, it may take more than standard watering practices to get the plant hydrated again. Commercial potting mixes can become almost water repellent if they get too dry. If you water your plant and it seems that all of the water is running down between the sides of the pot and soil ball, you may need to take steps to re-hydrate the soil. Fill a container with water and soak your pot in the water until the soil has expanded and is no longer pulled away from the edge of the pot. Resume normal watering practices. If soaking your pot or basket in a container of water is impractical you can also rehydrate by watering repeatedly. To do this water the plant liberally, it will probably seem like most of the water is running around the soil rather than soaking into the soil. Wait

30 minutes to an hour and then water again, it should seem like more water is soaking into the soil. Wait another 30 minutes to an hour and water one last time, by the third watering the soil should be hydrated and taking up water like normal again.

It may seem strange that the orchid, with all its history as a tender exotic, should be shown as one of the near-indestructibles last week but it is largely true! Some species of orchid remain the territory of the specialist, of course, but the Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis) has become, from the big chain stores like Aldi and

Lidl at least, very affordable. Affordability has meant that people have been less careful with their orchids and found that they don’t need pampering! It is more a matter of letting them grow than getting them to grow. Getting them to flower a second time needs a bit more care! More about that another time but do remember that Moth Orchids use their big fleshy leaves for water storage so it’s best to water the plants as soon as they dry out. Do not be taken in by the ice-cube watering myth - at its simplest, why would you put ice-cubes on a tropical plant? B r o m e l i a d s , characteristically, are shallow rooted with leaves frequently formed in a cupped rosette. The flowers are usually small and insignificant in contrast to the showy bracts. The one shown last week is (probably!) a Guzmania but possibly the easiest to grow is the Tillandsia - well described by its colloquial name of Air

Plant. This doesn’t really have roots at all but relies on moisture in the air to provide its water requirements so, in the home, a bright position out of direct sun and a daily spray of, preferably, rain or distilled water will keep it happy. It will probably survive a week or twos neglect, however. A few drops of liquid fertiliser mixed occasionally into the spray water will take care of the feeding aspect. More next week.

We are a friendly group who enjoy gardening and gardens. Our meetings are normally held on the 1st Wednesday in each month from October to June in Meeting Room (Aula) 1 on the 1st floor of La Senieta in Moraira next to the free car park used for the Market on Fridays. Meetings commence at 2:30 pm and finish at about 4:30pm. Visitors including holiday makers are always welcome – admission is by a donation of 3€ per person. Our attempts at a regular meeting date are sometimes interrupted by Fiestas etc and it is for this reason that our next meeting is on Wednesday, 8th November at 2.30 in La Senieta. Google “Costa Blanca Gardeners Circle” will provide you with our website.

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FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017 Chat | Travel | Celebrity | Puzzles | TV

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What’s ON TV

Gogglebox

Celebrity Special for SU2C A review of recent shows to hit the small screen, featuring the appearance of celebrity guests in support of Channel 4’s Stand Up to Cancer initiative.

Channel 4 10:00pm Fri 3 Nov

Travel Man NEW SERIES - 48 Hours in Amsterdam - Richard Ayoade and comedian Joe Lycett head to the mini break mecca of Amsterdam. Their two-day hurtle through the city’s attractions takes in culture, canals, cuisine, and other things not necessarily beginning with C. As part of their whistle-stop tour, the duo doss down in one of the city’s hippest hotels, take a battery-powered boat tour, do some drawing, and peer into the world of the water bear. The brave travellers also sample some Dutch gin known as jenever, and visit the city’s street organ museum..

Channel 4 9:30pm Fri 3 Oct

Alien vs Predator (2004)

A team of scientists investigates the discovery of a mysterious pyramid beneath the Antarctic ice, which is inhabited by a deadly alien race. Meanwhile, a second species of hostile extraterrestrials are on their way to prove their worth by vanquishing the first in battle - with the unfortunate humans caught in the middle.

E4 10:00pm Fri 3 Oct

Volatile Earth

NEW SERIES Episode 1 of 5 Killer Volcanoes

The first of three documentaries in which scientists who are experts in the field of natural disasters identify the most extreme catastrophes to have ever occurred on Earth, piecing together the stories of these events via the debris left in their wake. They begin by examining a devastating volcanic eruption from 1250, releasing more sulfur into the atmosphere than any over incident in the past 7,000 years. Previously seen on More4

Channel 4 8:00pm Sat 4 Nov

Gunpowder Ep 3 of 3 LAST IN SERIES - November 4th arrives, and with state opening looming on the horizon, Catesby and his co-conspirators load the tunnels below Parliament with barrels of gunpowder. Across the city, Father Garnet faces pressure from an ally to break his seal of confession and reveal the plot to the authorities - for the good of the alreadyoppressed Catholic faith. However, should the priest prove to be steadfast in his support of the would-be assassins, Lord Cecil may yet have another means by which to end Catesby’s mission.

BBC1 10:10pm Sat 4 Nov

Father of the Bride (1991) A doting father is taken aback when

his daughter announces she is getting married, and is thrown into a whirlwind of increasingly complicated wedding plans.

ITV1 4:55pm Sat 4 Nov

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017 TV | Chat | Travel | Celebrity | Puzzles

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V This Week

All T i Show mes n Ar e Span ish

Ronny Chieng: International Student

Women at War: 100 Years of Service

Season 1 Episode 1 of 7

NEW SERIES Episode 1 of 6

Sitcom starring the comedian as a Malaysian student who comes to an Australian university to study law. Ronny’s first day involves strange encounters with a crazed professor, a drunken social secretary and a group of racist fellow students. When he and his friends discover there is only one textbook available for the next assignment, Ronny enters a drinking contest to win access to it

BBC1 11.45pm Sun 5 Nov

Robot Wars Mid Season - Ep 3 of 6 Dara O Briain and Angela Scanlon present the third round, with robots Apex, Vulture, Terrorhurtz, Track-Tion, Bucky the Robot and Rapid battling it out. Among the contestants controlling the machines are a group of schoolchildren who are this series’ youngest entrants and a team that has spent more money on their robot than any of their rivals

BBC2 9:00pm Sun 5 Nov

Clash of the Titans (2010)

Premiere. The son of the Greek god Zeus is raised by humans and grows up to reject his immortal heritage in anger at the gods’ cruel treatment of humans. He sets out on a quest to find a means to kill the evil lord of the underworld in revenge for his father’s death, facing all manner of strange creatures..

BBC2 7:25pm Sun 5 Nov

June Brown - To mark a century since women first took on roles alongside men in the armed forces, five famous faces with military connection experience first-hand how things have changed in the years since. In the first edition, EastEnders star June Brown reflects on her wartime experience in the Wrens and takes the controls of a warship as she finds out what life is like for women serving in the Royal Navy today.

BBC1 10:15am Mon 6 Nov

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways NEW SERIES - Timbuktu

The broadcaster returns for more train journeys, this time riding along the tracks of a collection of countries in which railways have played a vital role in their history. On his first trip, Chris travels from the west of Morocco to the east, heading into the desert on a mission to find out whether a railway line once crossed the Sahara all the way to Timbuktu in Mali.

FIVE 10:00pm Mon 6 Oct

Small Soldiers (1998)

A hi-tech computer chip has a bizarre effect on a squad of toy soldiers, causing mayhem for their owner as the miniature marauders engage in a series of scaled-down skirmishes.

Film4 7:50pm Mon 6 Nov

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

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QUICK CROSSWORD

Across 1 Local authority (7) 5 Personnel (5) 8 Wept (5) 9 Curtly (7) 10 Exact (7) 11 Indian stringed instrument (5) 12 Bicycle for two (6) 14 Fought with swords (6) 18 Indications (5) 20 Simple and natural in manner (7) 22 Mournful poems (7) 23 Din (5) 24 Donned (3,2) 25 Marine algae (7)

Down 1 Pilotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compartment (7) 2 Join together (5) 3 Common painkiller (7) 4 Missive (6) 5 Categories (5) 6 Germ-free (7) 7 Lobby (5) 13 Fail to care for (7) 15 Baltic country (7) 16 Come down (7) 17 Girls (6) 18 Rams and ewes (5) 19 Descendant or heir (5) 21 Chosen few (5)

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Across

1 Article about unknown writer (4) 3 A horse is not all bad (8) 9 Stopping in cages for a change (7) 10 Lawful support - setback for the French (5) 11 Races round island to see wrecks (5) 12 Changed course continually-sound diplomacy (6) 14 Death, some say, resulting from fight on seesaw (3,5,2,3) 17 The rest of Spain? (6) 19 Subject of article written by myself (5) 22 Do what certain people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, but do reform (5) 23 A hundred agree about area of land (7) 24 She gets a call and a good clip (8) 25 For a bit of fun, start singing in plane (4)

Down

1 Bill presented to clergyman is correct (8) 2 Took a picture that includes an animal (5) 4 Reunited to produce a profit for a female (8,5) 5 Cilla changed colour (5) 6 Entrance for poor singers (7) 7 Nothing seen on eastern river (4) 8 A foreign festival makes it safe (6) 13 Does this take the boredom out of saving? (9) 15 Gourmet putting dog in eastern dish (7) 16 Animals prepared to rest (6) 18 Indian instrument is taken up by sailor (5) 20 With a little rubber a secretary may rub out (5) 21 Paradoxically they could be evens (4)

For Crossword & Sudoku answers - See Page 38

Sudoku

Easy

Medium

Hard

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017 Chat | Travel | Celebrity | Puzzles

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Watch races to record LIBRA (Sept 24th-Oct 23rd) ARIES (March 21st-April 20th) The Sun has been highlighting Domestic matters prove your chart for the last four tiresome today probably weeks and this week moves because there’s so much you into Scorpio. This is a great want to achieve out there in the move as far as your personal big world not inside doing petty sense of worth is concerned domestic chores. The feelings ARIES LIBRA and will continue to make your that come to the surface tells you its time for serious talks, so take the time monetary and emotional areas top of the out to understand where others are coming charts. Fiery planet Mars enters your sign and turns on not only your strength and dynamism from. but directness too. TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)

SCORPIO (Oct 24th-Nov 22nd)

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23rd-Dec 21st)

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)

CAPRICORN (Dec 22nd-Jan 20th)

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)

AQUARIUS (Jan 21st-Feb 19th)

VIRGO (August 24th-Sept 23rd)

PISCES (Feb 20th-March 20th)

There could be some Calling a meeting to discuss unaccountable mishaps at issues with colleagues and home which you’ll want to deal friends can now work to your with as quickly as possible. distinct advantage, even Don’t get strung up with though you may have to involve TAURUS one or two people you don’t SCORPIO details, but focus instead on the matter at hand. In work really care much for. With a little patience and perseverance on your part you situations you give a good account of yourself could get to know adversaries better, and may and it’s possible you’ll make some new allies. ake this week, you will undertake the journey even like them. with aplomb and determination. Having moved slowly but surely New work initiatives are the towards your life goals recently, name of the game for you now, your chart today suggests and even if you can only make you’ll now find yourself at some little changes, you’ll be happier sort of cross roads. This means than leaving everything the GEMINI way it is. Resist the insatiable SAGITTARIUS looking again at issues and deciding where your efforts are urge to tamper with things that are running perfectly well or you may create best concentrated. Talk with partners or family members and work in tandem. problems where there were none before.

You’re highly susceptible to Your ego is very strong today outside influences today, but that in itself could cause but luckily most of them are you the odd problem, although potentially positive. There’s it also goes to show how much some confusion possible you’re enjoying life and how CANCER capable you are when it comes CAPRICORN though, especially if you don’t listen carefully to what family to getting things done. Not everyone wants to be your friend today but members or your partner is saying. It’s not the best time to gamble, or to ignore what you those who do adore you. know to be good advice.

You could find yourself in the When it comes to debates or best of company making it a discussions today, don’t lay time for happy encounters, your cards on the table too whether you’re looking for soon as you’re up against them or not. You remain deeply some strong egos here. There’s romantic but you don’t always more than one way to skin a LEO say the right thing no matter AQUARIUS cat though, so if you remain how hard you try. You just need to work trough charming and don’t rise to the bait, you’ll get your frustrations today. your own way by default.

Whatever you take on board This is the time when it helps today, be aware your energy to put in that extra push that levels are not high, and can make all the difference to common good luck will not your situation. Some of your favour your efforts. For these victories are hard won but the reasons it may be best to watch PISCES fact you got there in the end VIRGO and wait while allowing others is what counts. You have good to do the running. Personal attachments persuasive powers so wont give in simply should be unaffected by the lunar low. because someone is saying no at first.

HOLLYWOOD actor Paul Newman’s Rolex watch has sold for a record $18 million at a New York auction. The timepiece was a present from his wife Joanne Woodward as they filmed the movie ‘Winning’ together in 1969 – in the film Newman played a racing driving and it sparked his interest in motorsport. And the actor, who died in 2008 aged 83, used the Daytona Rolex to time races

in which he took part, including the 24hour Le Mans competition. Woodward had the watch engraved with the words “drive carefully, me” before giving it to her husband; Newman had been injured in a motorcycle accident in 1965. When his wife bought him a new timepiece in 1984, Newman gave it to his daughter’s then boyfriend Brian Cox. Cox put the watch up for auction with some of the proceeds going to Newman’s Own Foundation, the charity set up by the actor in 2005 which also receives all the profits from his ‘Newman’s Own’ food range. It went on sale with an estimated price of $1 million but was knocked down for $17.8 million a record for a wristwatch. However, a Patek Philippe pocket watch sold for more than $24 million in 2014.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Motoring

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Mercedes-Benz X-Class (2018)

Good to drive, practical and unashamedly expensive, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class adds a touch premium refinement and exclusivity to the rugged world of onetonne pick-ups. The air of exclusivity is evident from the moment you first clamp eyes on the Mercedes-Benz X-Class; the front end is dominated by a huge three point star, which sits in the middle of an equally large and imposing grille. Make no mistake, this looks every inch a Mercedes-Benz - albeit one that’s based on the underpinnings of the Nissan Navara. Indeed, peer under the metal of the X-Class and you’ll find that the platform, engines and transmissions

are all shared with the Navara. This means the X-Class is built for hard graft. It also gets the same sophisticated suspension set-up as the Nissan, which means it has a smooth, car-like ride quality. When it comes to shifting huge loads, the X-Class matches the best with a one-tonne payload and 3.5 tonne braked towing capacity. It has some neat features too, with a built-in bumper step - that allows you to load/unload without opening the tail gate - and a brake light that doubles up as a worklight to illuminate the loadbed at night. The X-Class is great to drive on the road, with car-like handling and supple suspension that wouldn’t feel amiss in a premium family SUV. The steering, for example, is smooth and precise, while engine, road and wind noise has all been reduced to a hushed rumble. What’s more, if you want to head off-road, there is a whole raft of tech at your fingertips, including a four-wheel drive system that can be activate on the move via a rotary dial situated above the gearstick. The cabin is high in quality for a pick-up, but not on par with the Mercedes-Benz car range.

And nor should it be, owing to the fact that the X-Class is effectively a working vehicle. This means hard wearing plastics are common, but there are also plenty of premium touches, with leather seats, wood trims and stitched dashboard covers. Given the shared tech, it would be easy to criticise the X-Class as an expensive, facelifted Navara; however, this would be extremely unfair because the Mercedes-Benz genuinely feels very different to the Nissan. Good to drive, refined and stylish, it’s one of the best pick-ups on the market. Admittedly, the price point is huge, but if you can afford it then Mercedes-Benz X-Class won’t disappointed.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Motoring

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KIA Carens VGT EX Year 2006, 2000cc, 140 hp, Manual, Diesel 116,000 km 5,795€

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FORD C-MAX 1.6 TDCI TREND Year 2007, 1600cc, 90 hp, Manual, Diesel, 132,000 km 6,995€

VOLKSWAGEN POLO 1.2 ADVANCE Year 2010, 1200cc, 60 hp, manual, Petrol, 109,000 km 6,995€

TOYOTA Avensis Wagon Year 2005, 2200cc, 175 hp, Manual, Diesel 100,000 km

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FORD Focus Xenon Auto Year 2005 1600cc, 100 hp Automatic, Petrol 124,000 km

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RENAULT Megane Sport RENAULT Clio Business Tourer Business DCI - 5 puertas / 5 door Year 2012, 1500cc, 110 Year 2013, 1500cc, 75 hp hp, Manual, Diesel Manual, Diesel 109,000 km 81,000 km 9,995€ 10,195€

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SEAT Ibiza 1.2 Reference 70 Year 2012, 1200cc, 70 hp Manual, Petrol 82,000 km 7,995€

OPEL Astra CDTI Year 2012 1700cc, 110 hp Manual, Diesel 47,000 km 11,995€

VOLKSWAGEN Beetle / Escarabajo Year 1999, 2000cc, 115 hp, Manual, Petrol 111,000 km 3,995€

FORD Focus Xenon Auto Year 2005 1600cc, 100 hp Automatic, Petrol 124,000 km

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TOYOTA Aygo Auto 1.0 Year 2008 1000cc, 70 hp Automatic, Petrol 83,000 km

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FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Motoring

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Several injured in airport smash By Matthew Richards

Puzzle Solutions

AN accident on the road that links the small village of Torrellano to Alicante airport has resulted in five people being hospitalised. The crash happened at around midnight on 25 October and several

ambulances and life support teams attended the scene. The injured, four women and a man, are aged between 27 and 65 and suffered mainly neck and chest injuries. After being attended at the scene, three were taken to Elche Hospital and two to Vinalopo Hospital.

QUICK CROSSWORD

Major chase ends in arrest By Matthew Richards

A dramatic car chase livened up a Sunday afternoon in the Elda area of Alicante province. The Guardia Civil tried to flag down a motorist they suspected of drug offences but he failed to stop. The incident started on the A-31 motorway and a number of police cars joined the incident while the man drove for about 25 kilometres at high speed. Eventually a patrol car was parked

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

SUDOKU MEDIUM

across the road near Numancia, which was hit and destroyed but stopped the suspectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vehicle. The man, who was thought to be armed, exited his car and fled the scene on foot. He was eventually apprehended â&#x20AC;&#x201C; along with ten kilos of cocaine, valued at around 2 million euros. Amazingly, there were no injuries of note in the incident which is likely to lead to multiple charges for the 53-yearold who already has a long criminal record.

SUDOKU HARD

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017 Food | Drink | Leisure | Events

Out & About

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Boats & The Coast

Big clean

By Simon Russell

THE seabed at Altea port has received a professional clean-up this week, the first one for several years. Four specialist divers scoured the seabed for the rubbish that had accumulated over time and recovered

around 10,000 kilos of waste. This included fishing gear, outboard motor casings, tires, chains and fishing crates. The operation was as a result of collaboration between the towns Fishermen’s Association, Altea Yacht Club and the Town Hall. All waste was recycled where applicable.

Biker hotel By Simon Russell

FINESTRAT is looking for outside companies to construct and run a centre for mountain bike enthusiasts on the outskirts of the town. Two parcels of land have been set aside for the project on the Alhambra industrial estate and the Town Hall are now putting the project out to tender.

What they envisage is a building with up to 30 suites as well as a bar, shower blocks, reception area, swimming pool and parking. The successful concessionaire will pay a minimal fee to the town hall; it is hoped to attract extra tourism to the inland town which is ideally located for off road biking.

Like a ﬁsh out of water By Simon Russell

LOCALS in the Welsh town of Cerdigion have recently been astonished to witness a nightly parade of octopuses along the local New Quay beach. An estimated 25 or so of the creatures have been leaving the sea for the past week after sunset,

though no-one is quite sure why. One theory is that they have become disoriented by the bright lights of the town; another is that they have been affected or injured by the twin storms Ophelia and Brian that battered the Welsh coast recently. Some of the octopuses have not survived their

unusual mission and residents have been placing them back in the water where possible – but always ensure they wear gloves as they can give a nasty bite. Another thing the wayward cephalopods have to be grateful for is that they didn’t come ashore in Spain - where they are considered a great delicacy.

Out & About

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017 Food | Drink | Leisure | Events

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Not so new now, the Bay Leaf in Albir has successfully made its mark and continues to impress its customers; just when you thought this great restaurant could not get any better there’s a little tweak - and it still as good as ever, The third write up from me since the Bay Leaf first opened earlier this year; so I’m sorry if you already know just how great the Indian and Nepalese cuisine is - but there is one thing that I can tell you for sure, it never ceases to amaze me. I said before that if you thought going out for a curry was just about having a real tasty meal then you’re wrong! At the Bay Leaf, it’s all about high quality ingredients and the most authentic tastes of India food with a host of Tandoori recipes, Indian curries and of course the amazing Nepalese special dishes. We had the mixed starter that had chicken tikka, chicken pakora, vegetable pakora, onion bhaji salad and sauces finished with a display of garnish followed with a main course a sizzling platter called pahadi chicken tikia (hot), a fillet of chicken pieces marinated with ginger garlic spicy herbs and

roasted in a clay oven, served sizzling with salad. The curry was accompanied with a couple of my other favourites; tarka dal, spinach and cheese and garlic naan bread. My taste buds were tingling and the smooth finish of the tarka dal made a great combination together with the spicy chicken pieces. My favourite part is the soaking up the sauce with a puffy garlic nan bread; it makes the meal complete. The restaurant was busy but this really did not affect the service. I am more and more impressed with each visit and I cannot fault the staff they are impeccable with making sure that every visit is one to remember. The food is all served together, hot and well presented the dishes look amazing and the flavours are fantastic. I love curry so I can say with a long history of eating from the best Indian restaurants in the UK that the Bay Leaf is up there at the top of my list. To plan and enjoy a great night I highly recommend you visit the Bay leaf Albir at Calle Ruperto, Chapi 9. Call to reserve a table on +34 865 671 139.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017 Food | Drink | Leisure | Events

Out & About

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It takes two to tango By Simon Russell

THE third International Festival of Tango and Ballroom Dancing is to be held in Denia from the 10th to 12th of November. Organised by the city council and Argentinian choreographer Marilu Fisher, the venue will once again be the Hotel Les Rotes. In the evenings and during the day various areas will be set aside for participants, demonstrations and other events. If the weather is good then there is also an outside area that will be used for

dancing. On the final day all entrants from the weekend will join a parade on the Marques de Campo in Denia town centre. For more information on the event see http://www.ataquetango.com/

Smash hit show arrives in Alicante By Matthew Richards

THE stage musical “Music has no Limits” which has been a worldwide hit is coming to Alicante in November. The show’s attraction is its hugely eclectic mix of music, including classical, pop, hip-hop, gospel, opera, rock, heavy metal and jazz.

These are mixed up to great effect and artists from Michael Jackson to JS Bach are featured not to mention U2, Lady Gaga, Barbra Streisand, Adele and The Police. The show is at the ADDA auditorium in Alicante City on 18 November - see further details on www.diputacionalicante.es

Dancing Denia By Simon Russell

THERE will be a three day festival of contemporary dance in Denia from 9 to 11 November. Companies from the Canary Islands and Valencia will be performing as well as local troupes. Performers will include the Paula G Quintana, Laura Marrero,

and Compania Nomada; on the 11th November the Cia Maduixa troupe will perform “Dot”, a show aimed at all the family. Performances start at 6.30 pm each day and are scheduled to run until 8.30pm while the venue is the Centre Social – contact the Town Hall or Casa de la Cultura for further information.

Present Santa with a wish list YOUNGSTERS can meet the ‘Man in Red’ and give Father Christmas an early wish list over the weekend of 11th and 12th November. Children will be delighted with a visit to Santa’s Grotto at the Casa Santonja Christmas Fayre – while there is plenty for the whole family at the historic Beniarbeig mansion house and gardens. The fair is open between noon and 6pm on the Saturday and 11am and 4pm on the Sunday and features more than 50 gift stalls, food, drink and early seasonal treats; as well as entertainment. The €1 entry is being donated to charity Make A Smile; other good causes to benefit are Help of Denia and the Marina Alta; the Red Cross; podenco and greyhound rescue Tanamara; and Dusty’s Homestead and Hope Restoration Centre.

Win 2 Free Tickets to Poppies In Swingtime! Quite simply answer the 3 questions below about Big Bands. First correct answer received by The Weekender team via email to comp@weekender.news wins 2 free tickets! 1. WHO DO WE ASSOCIATE WITH “LITTLE BROWN JUG”? 2. COSTA BLANCA HAD ITS VERY OWN BIG BAND FOR MANY YEARS, DIRECTED BY MIKE SMITH WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT BIG BAND? 3. WHO IS FAMOUS FOR “ONE O’CLOCK JUMP”?

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Sport

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Rugby La Vila can take heart from this loss By Tony Fox

In losing 27-21 to Bizkaia Gernika, yet another strong Basque side, their second half performance showed yet again their capabilities. The home side opened the scoring with an easy penalty in front of the posts,3-0. The match was evenly poised until a try by Gernika’s Palisa which came following a good attack by La Vila when yet again they gave away a penalty inside the home teams 20m line due to holding on. From that kick and following lineout Gernika split the La Vila defence to score and convert. So at half time it was 10-0. From the whistle and

high long kick by the home side, La Vila failed to collect and Leandro made no mistake in scoring an easy try. With the conversion it was now 17-0. What now seems to be the pattern of La Vila’s play they came on strongly after giving away points with elementary errors. Two tries by Tomás Suárez both converted by Paco Martínez went some way to reduce the deficit after Gernika had scored two unconverted tries so just before the final whistle it was 27-14. With seconds to go Tomás Suárez was there again with a conversion by Paco Martínez. Final score 27-21. After their first match against El Salvador I said that they were work

in progress. Their lineouts are much improved, their defence has lapses but generally work hard. Discipline in set pieces is improving however they have to attack going forward and learn that passing long and backwards, although pleasing on the eye, gives opposition defence time to organise. Overall this was their best performance of the season and if they can reproduce this form on Sunday, November 5, kick off 12:00, in their Stadium at Vilajoyosa against Getxo Artea, currently bottom of the league, they should add more points to the bonus point gained in this match. The stadium is easily found off exit 66 of the Autopista.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Local Sport

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Nail Biting Finish to El Cid’s Direkt Optik 3 day 3 -2 -1 Competition By Stewart Beattie

Last weekend 60 Bowlers from clubs all over the area played out a tremendous 3 day competition in El Cid’s annual Direkt Optik sponsored 3-2-1. In glorious weather 20 teams displayed some excellent bowling. The 3-2-1 involves playing 6 ends of Trips followed by 6 ends of Pairs followed by 6 ends of Singles matches. Each team played 5 matches in which over 3000 bowls were sent to find the little yellow Jack and after a semi final which went to an extra end the final could not have been more exciting.

We had not allowed for the 1 hour change of the clocks and with dusk falling fast it was decided to play the final pairs and singles games at the same time. The script could not have been closer with the final being decided with the very last bowl to complete a hugely successful competition. El Cid Captain Tony Carroll presented the generous prize money to the Winning teams from El Cid and Javea of Derek & Lynn Eldon and Chris Evans, Runners up were Nick Cole, Brian Manser and David Gardiner. Tied 3rd place went Alan Ferrand, Floyd & Debbie

Williams and Clive English, Yvonne Briden and Jean Mclaughlin. Tony said a well done to everyone who played or attended and special mention to a number of new El Cid Members who were taking part in a competition for the first time and caused some early Halloween scares by taking a few scalps and gaining good experience. Nick Cole (on behalf of all the Clubs) thanked El Cid for the organisation of an excellent competition and making it an enjoyable event for all the players and the many spectators over the 3 days.

Javea Green Bowls Club Top of the Table By Jan Brown

Javea Green´s Winter League team played host to Quesada who prior to the match were holding second place in the league table. Two of Javea´s rinks skipped by Alan Phillips and Chris Evans set off at a fast pace and Quesada were never in contention. Jack Wardrop´s team took

the lead at the 14th end to secure a third rink win. Of the other two Javea rinks, after a nip and tuck game, Clive English´s team lost narrowly and Derek Eldon´s team never really found their form. The 6 points plus 2 for overall shot difference meant an 8-4 win for Javea and keeps them at the top of the table.

The Berleen team skipped by Diane Manser were 17-17 going into the last end and unfortunately dropped 5 shots to lose the match.For Javea´s Northern league teams had a bad week with Onyx losing 8-2 to El Cid, Opal losing 6-4 to Finca Guila and only Quartz winning 7-3 against Bonalba.

TEN PLUS TWO FOR THE JAGUARS Home to Bonalba the BBC Jaguars scored their first ten of the season winning on all rinks including the shot difference together with winning the

Challenger League match. The BBC Lions were away to El Cid Sabres where they scored on three rinks, taking the shot difference to record an 8 point win.

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Sport

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Lewis Hamilton Secures 4th World Title Lewis Hamilton says he plans to go out at the top but is not about to “do the easy thing” like former Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg who quit days after winning last year’s Formula One world championship. Hamilton clinched his fourth title in Mexico with two races to spare on Sunday, becoming the most successful British driver of all time, but he reassured reporters that he was far from done. “Four is a great number. But I want number five now,” declared the 32-yearold, who also races with the number 44 on his car. ”I want to go out at the top ... I could do the easy thing, like obviously Nico did, which is just stop and retreat with these four titles. But I think there’s more in me. “I think there’s more to come, more of a challenge. There’s harder times ahead and I like that, I love that. That’s challenging and it would be so boring without it.” Rosberg announced last December, days after securing his first title, that he was retiring after a career spent battling Hamilton. The German, a family man, made clear he had been drained by the 2016 campaign and was not prepared to expend the same amount of physical and mental energy to defend a title that had been so hard to win. Hamilton, who is developing interests outside of the sport in music, film and fashion, said he too had considered a change of scene but that was still some way down the road. “I will continue to race while I love it, I’ve enjoyed it this year more than ever,” he said. ”I do think about how it would be so nice at some stage just to live in one place, a lot more socializing, walking your dogs every day or surfing. “But then I’m thinking, there’s a lot of life to live beyond 40. There’s a lot to go.” Next season will see two four times world champions, Hamilton and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, dueling on track with

Red Bull’s 20-year-old Dutch star Max Verstappen -- the winner on Sunday -leading a new generation. McLaren’s double title-holder Fernando Alonso will also potentially be in a more competitive car. “It’s kind of cool to be in this battle with him,” the Briton, who now has a record 72 pole positions and the second most wins (62) after Michael Schumacher (91), said of his new arch-rival Vettel. “He got 50 poles yesterday (Saturday) and I’m like ‘Hmm, I don’t want to give him any more poles because he gets closer to me’. So I’ve got to keep on, act as

inspiration to keep pushing it. Same with wins, same with championships.” Hamilton, who is expected to agree a contract extension soon, said the fact that Vettel had signed for three more years with Ferrari, keeping him there until 2020, was also a source of motivation. “I’m like:‘Ferrari are not going to like me for the next couple of years’,” he said. “But it’s OK because we are going to

make it as hard as it can possibly be for them to win championships. I really am looking forward to that battle with them.”

Trio get ﬁrst England call-ups Joe Gomez, Ruben LoftusCheek and Tammy Abraham have been named in Gareth Southgate’s England senior squad for the first time. The respective Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Swansea players, the latter two both on loan from Chelsea, were not named in Aidy Boothroyd’s U21 squad to face Ukraine in a European Qualifier. The FA later confirmed on Twitter that the trio had received their first senior callups instead. Boothroyd has drafted in Chelsea’s Jake ClarkeSalter, Manchester United’s Axel Tuanzebe and Norwich’s James Maddison in their steads and all three will travel with the team to Kiev on Thursday ahead of the

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clash at the Obolon Arena. The goalkeepers for the trip are Norwich City’s Angus Dunn, Shrewsbury’s loanee from Manchester United Dean Henderson, and Newcastle United ‘keeper Freddie Woodman. The defenders selected are Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, Leicester leftback Ben Chilwell, Everton’s Jonjoe Kenny, Tottenham’s Kyle Walker-Peters, Hull’s loanee from Chelsea Fikayo Tomori, Nottingham Forest’s Joseph Worrall and Middlesbrough’s Dael Fry, as well as Clarke-Salter and Tuanzebe. In midfield, Boothroyd will choose from Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook, Everton’s Tom Davies, Nottingham Forests’s

impressive Keiran Dowell, Aston Villa’s loanee from Tottenham Josh Onomah and Arsenal youngster Ainsley MaitlandNiles. Up-front he will select from Everton duo Ademola Lookman Dominic CalvertLewin, Leicester’s Demarai Gray, New York City player Jack Harrison, Liverpool’s Dominic Solanke and Maddison.

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SPORT Week Saturday 4th November 13:30 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00 18:30 20:45

Stoke City v Leicester EPL Southampton v Burnley EPL Newcastle v Bournemouth EPL Man City v Burnley EPL Huddersfield v West Brom EPL Swansea v Brighton EPL West Ham v Liverpool EPL Barcelona v Sevilla La Liga

Fixtures

Sunday 5th Novemeber 13:00 Tottenham v Crystal EPL 15:15 Man City v Arsenal EPL 17:30 Everton v Watford EPL 17:30 Chelsea v Man Utd EPL 20:45 Real Madrid v Las Palmas La Liga

Saturday 18th November 13:30 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:15 16:15

Arsenal v Tottenham EPL Liverpool v Southampton EPL Crystal Palace v Everton EPL Leicester v Man City EPL West Brom v Chelsea EPL Bournemouth v Hudderfield EPL Burnley FC v Swansea City EPL Leganes v Barcelona La Liga Athletico Madrid v Real Madrid La Liga

Sunday 19th November 17:00 Watford v West Ham EPL

Monday 20th November 21:00 Brighton v Stoke City EPL

FORMULA ONE Sunday 12th November Brazil Sunday 26th October Abu Dhabi

FRIDAY 3RD NOV 2017

Your Weekend Starts Here!

Weekender Sport port S

DELE DOUBLE Tottenham stunned Champions League holder Real Madrid 3-1 on Wednesday to qualify for the knockout phase for only the second time and increase the pressure on coach Zinedine Zidane. The European champions in three of the last four seasons had not been beaten in the

group stage for five years, and the humbling in London came straight after Madrid’s Spanish league defence was hit by a surprise loss at Girona. Madrid was torn apart too easily by Tottenham, a club that hasn’t won the English league since 1961. Dele Alli, suspended for the opening

three games in Group H, made an explosive return to the Champions League with two goals. Christian Eriksen also netted for Tottenham in the 65th minute to build a commanding lead that ensured Cristiano Ronaldo’s strike in the 80th was a mere consolation.