Weekender Alicante South Issue 085 by IMPACT GROUP

Trusted News Read By Over 50,000 People Every Week ISSUE 085 - Friday 15th March 2019 South Alicante & Murcia E E Your Weekend Starts Here! R F

THIRD TIME LUCKY?

MPs are to be given what appears to be a last and final chance next week to approve Theresa May´s EU withdrawal agreement, or apparently face the choice of an extension of Article 50, which could go on as long as a year in an attempt to get a deal that MPs can agree on. No actual date for the third so-called meaningful vote was announced when The Weekender went to press.

by Alex Trelinski

After a second resounding defeat of the government package on Tuesday night, MPs voted on Wednesday evening to remove the threat of the UK leaving the EU without a deal, though legislation needs to be passed to scrap the March 29th deadline over Article 50. Crucially, all of the EU states will also need to unanimously

agree to any extension of the two-year time limit on the UK leaving the European Union. Senior EU figures said this week that any extension must have a purpose, rather than allowing the current situation of MPs constantly rejecting the negotiated withdrawal package, which offered fresh legal guarantees on the Northern Ireland backstop, which were agreed on Monday. If the government loses

the third vote, possible deal options could include a customs union or a similar kind of trade arrangement that Norway has with the EU. There´s also a fear that the UK could crash out of the EU by “accident” at the end of the month, though at least expats in Spain have some assurance of their continuing status after the Madrid government issued a Royal Decree on British citizens rights in the country.

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CANNABIS BRITS JAILED

Part of the Guardia haul.

A BRITISH couple who allegedly ran an illegal marijuana growing and distribution operation has been remanded into custody after a big Guardia Civil operation saw a total of 21 people arrested in Torrevieja. The unnamed British duo traded the drugs at four Torrevieja-based cannabis clubs run by them, which had

by Alex Trelinski

a membership of six thousand people. The Guardia raided seven addresses in the city, including two private homes, and besides pure marijuana, discovered a range of food products laced with marijuana, including chocolate spread, muffins,

jelly beans, lollipops, biscuits and honey. An investigation was launched after suspicions were raised about the increase of cannabis clubs in the Torrevieja area and the thousands of members that they attracted. A large marijuana plantation was discovered by Guardia officers in one

of their raids, with all of the clubs publicised on social media with discounts offered over drug purchases. 17 men and four women of different nationalities, including Spanish, Dutch, Swiss, British, Russian and Canadian were brought before a Torrevieja judge, who refused bail for the two British ring-leaders.

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Finance Feature provided by...

Are you Brexit prepared? By Tracy Storer Senior Partner Chorus Financial It has certainly been the most talked about subject in years, and as expats, we have lived through some worrying times. The lack of clear guidance and information has been a huge frustration, but Chorus have ensured we’ve been on the front line. Every month for the last 2 years, Chorus has been on the Brexpats in Spain advisory panel at the British Consulate Brexit meetings, so have had firsthand information from the British Consulate and Ambassador on how best to prepare. Both the British and Spanish governments have given clear advice on the best way to ensure a smooth transition for British expats in Spain, and I wanted to use this article to pass on as much of that information as possible.

1.- Get legal Make sure that if your intention is to live in Spain more than 183 days, you are resident (you might know this as the green card or green paper, depending upon when you took it out). This is the No.1 piece of advice given by both the UK and Spanish governments.

2.- Pay your taxes correctly

do so could result in fines, and in the result that it is unlikely that your UK financial of a no deal Brexit could even mean that adviser will have the appropriate license The rules on this are pretty simple, if you live your UK licence would be invalid in Spain. to give ongoing advice to you as a Spanish resident. Equally as important, they may not here, and are resident here then you should pay your taxes on your worldwide income 5.- Ensure that your finances are in have the appropriate knowledge of Spanish tax law, and Spanish compliant products, in Spain. Many people put this off simply order to be able to optimise your finances and because they are not aware of the implications and may believe they’ll be worse off. If Pensions – most importantly, don’t fall for taxation moving forward. It is so important to you have any doubts, get expert advice. scare-mongering! Sadly, many firms in my ensure you are holding investment products industry are using Brexit as a ruse to convince designed for Spanish resident, rather than people to make inappropriate pension those, like ISAs, UK platforms etc, that are 3.- Stay correctly informed transfers, often to overseas jurisdictions. designed for UK taxpayers. Getting this Don’t rely on information from friends It’s incredibly unlikely, under any scenario, wrong can result in you overpaying taxes or neighbours. Go straight to the source that Brits will lose access to their pensions. and potentially breaking tax law in Spain. of information, my advice would be What is a concern is that if you are living to follow the government’s website – in Spain, you should always have a locally At Chorus we help clients every www.gov.uk/livinginspain here you regulated adviser and hold an appropriate day to prepare their finances for will find up to date information, and pension product? We also don’t know if life in Spain. If you wish to discuss also have the chance to register for pension freedoms, which were introduced anything in this article, please contact email alerts should anything change. following EU legislation, may exist in their me today for a free, no obligation same form after Brexit. Now may be the consultation. You can email me time to see what potential benefits could be 4.- Get a Spanish driving licence t.storer@chorusfinancial.es or call available from your existing UK pensions. me on 693 107 044. If you are a Spanish resident, then you should Investments - If you are becoming a legal have a Spanish driving licence. Failure to resident in Spain, you should also be aware

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EXPAT HOMICIDE PROBE by Alex Trelisnki

A BRITISH man who allegedly tried to kill his wife at their Costa del Sol home, and then slashed his wrists, has been remanded in custody. 55-year-old Geoffrey Elton is accused of stabbing his wife, Gloria Tornay, to death at their villa in Estepona last Saturday night. He then attempted suicide, but was rescued by police officers who forced their way into his home. Elton was married for 30 years, with some reports suggesting that his wife was considering leaving him. He made an appearance at court on Wednesday, as investigations continue over a charge of homicide.

Court time for Elton.

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CATALAN EXILE WILL STAND IN EU ELECTIONS by Simon Russell

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FORMER Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, living in self-imposed exile in Belgium, will run in May´s European Parliament elections as the leading candidate of regional nationalist party, Junts per Catalunya (JxCat). Puigdemont, 56, fled Spain after Madrid imposed direct rule on Catalunya after the region staged an illegal independence referendum in October 2017. The ex-leader was the subject of an arrest warrant, which was rejection by courts in Germany and Belgium, Puigdemont and five other former Catalan leaders would be arrested if they returned to Spain, as they faces charges of rebellion. It is not clear if Puigdemont could be sworn in as member of the European Parliament if he is elected. Oriol Junqueras, leader of the pro-independence party ERC who is on trial in Madrid with 11 other Catalan politicians for their role in the 2017 referendum, will also run in the European election.

Carles Puigdemont last week.

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Fiesta off with a bang

AS anyone who lives in or has visited a town that celebrates the Fallas, you’ll be aware that Valencia’s biggest celebration is already well underway. However the major act remains the crema - or burning of the statues - which is next Tuesday night. Valencia holds by far the biggest fiesta with leterally hundreds of fallas stations dotted around the city. Despite the spectacle this also leads to major disruption and anyone visiting is advised to leave their car behind and stick to public transport. In the city this weekend there will be a mascleta, or fireworks display, each

Video game rape trial by Alex Trelinski

by Simon Russell

day at 2pm in Plaza del Ayuntamiento, which is an easy walk from the main train station. There are also various parades and other events, check with the tourist board for more details. Other towns celebrating the event, which heralds in the spring, are Gandia, Oliva, Calpe, Benidorm, Castellon, Denia and several others. If you are planning to stay up for the burning, dress well and take provisions as it runs very late with the last crema often being lit well after midnight in some towns and cities.

Valencia City Fallas this year

Transport back on track for fallas THE EMT city bus workers in Valencia have called off their strike which was originally planned for the fallas celebrations, the busiest time of the year for the city as tourists flood in for the famous event.

Airports solar push SPAIN’S airport operator Aena plans to make most of its own electricity using solar power in a big environmental and bill-cutting move. Aena, which manages

46 airports including those at Alicante-Elche, Valencia, and Corvera. will invest 250 million euros in renewable energy to save on its electricity costs and to cut

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carbon emissions. The board of directors announced the money would be used to install solar panels in half of its airports, slashing electricity bills from 75

Negotiations had been ongoing for several days and at the end of last week, when the celebrations proper were just beginning, an agreement was reached. The dispute had centred on early retirement terms,

and members who voted agreed by roughly two to one to accept the revised terms put forward by the transport company. This should also signal an end to several months of disruption for the cities primary bus

A young man is standing trial in a Valencian court this week, accused of the rape of a child he met on social media. The events happened in Castellon in October 2015 when the defendant was 18 and the pair had been in contact on an instant messaging site. It is alleged he asked the minor over to his house to play video games. She agreed but at some stage he dragged her to another room and raped her, the prosecution alleges. They have asked for a sentence of 12 and a half years in prison if the accused is found guilty. service. Travellers will be able to use a special Fallero Card during the fallas festivals, giving unlimited travel for €10.

by Alex Trelinski

million euros a year to 23 million euros. Aena also plans to introduce 2,300 charging stations for electric cars in its airport parking lots.

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Benidorm stag do suspect detained National Police officers have arrested a man they believeresponsible for the death of Scotsman, Jim Clark, in Benidorm last week, as he was about to board a flight back to the UK. The detainee, a 33 year old Scot, was intercepted at the airport, by police acting on CCTV video footage of the incident, which occurred during the early hours of last Friday March 8th, in Calle Gerona, situated in the heart of the popular ‘English Square’ area of Benidorm’s Rincon de Loix. The suspect was immediately transferred to a Benidorm police cell, where he spent two nights, before being taken to court to hear the evidence against him, in a closed hearing and was subsequently remanded without bail. He remains in prison, without charge, but under investigation, whilst officers gather evidence to bring their case to court, known as ‘investigado’ in Spanish Law. Victim, Scotsman, Clark, 33, from Hawick, was travelling with a

preliminary autopsy rules out injury as cause of death

by Andy Mansell

group on friends on a stag holiday, when he died from injuries sustained during a street brawl, only a few hours after arriving in the resort last Thursday. National Police from Benidorm who studied footage from the fight, in detail, identified the suspect, but only knew he was a fellow British holidaymaker. The identification process was conducted in record time, allowing the officers to keep a permanent presence at the airport, knowing the suspect would be travelling back to the UK imminently. At around 13.00h, last Sunday, they identified him, with his suitcase, quietly awaiting his return flight to Scotland. The arrest had to be conducted with due discretion, as he was in the exact vicinity of the remaining group of friends from the victim, who were also waiting for their flight home, albeit on a different aircraft. When the Benidorm police

officers arrived at the incident, around 03.15h last Friday, they found Clark lying on the ground receiving chest compressions from passers by. Despite their efforts and those of paramedics, also attending the victim, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Immediately following the homicide, information given by witnesses led police officers to release details of two British citizens, they wished to speak to. Initially, officers believed the victim may have died from injuries sustained from a blow to the head, either received during the brawl, or when he fell to the ground. However, findings from a preliminary autopsy report appeared to rule this out, prompting investigators to send for a toxicology report and other compatible tests to determine the exact cause of death. After studying CCTV video footage of the altercation, the officers were able to see Clark cross the road alone, before

coming into contact with the detainee, who was accompanied by a woman believed to his wife. After a short exchange of words, a street fight ensued, which led to the eventual death of the victim. Scottish media sources revealed that Clark had travelled to Benidorm, with a group of men, celebrating the upcoming nuptials of a friend, where he was thought to be the best man, only hours before the fatality. The other members of the stag party have since The victim, Jim Clark returned home to Scotland stag do.’ after giving evidence. Sources close to the case have Friends have taken to social media to pay tribute to him, with confirmed that the detainee has one commenting on a public not denied hitting the victim, Facebook post: ‘Jim is going to be but claims that it was Clark who missed by everyone, it was a laugh struck the initial blow. He will remain in prison a minute with him.’ Another posted: ‘He was so awaiting the toxicology report and excited to be going away for the police charges.

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“Despacito” star suing local hotel RAPPER Daddy Yankee, best known for his contribution to global smash “Despacito” which he also co-wrote, is suing a Valencia hotel where he had two million euros worth of jewellery and watches stolen. The Melia de Valencia gave a duplicate room key to someone who claimed to be on the Puerto Rican star’s security team. CCTV footage shows a group of three young men then entering the room

by Simon Russell

and shortly after one of them calls reception, claiming he is Daddy Yankee and can’t open the safety deposit box. A hotel employee then comes and opens it for them. Shortly after the group leave with full backpacks, where it is assumed the loot was stashed, and even wearing some of the jewellery. They calmly wait for a lift and leave

the hotel and, despite the footage, remain at large and unidentified. The incident happened last summer when Daddy Yankee was staying in Valencia while he was performing a gig in nearby Gandia, which attracts tens of thousands of young Spaniards in the summer months. The star is suing on the basis that no identity was requested, either for the duplicate key or when opening the safe.

Segura cleansed

THE RIVER SEGURA in by Alex Trelinski the Vega Baja area is getting a clean-up after numerous finished the first phase this complaints, with the Segura week in Guardamar. river and water authority(CHS) 70 tons of waste has been undertaking the work, which removed from the mouth of

the old course of the Segura at Guardamar, with a similar amount expected in the next locations to be tackled, which include Almoradi, Orihuela, Rojales, and Benejuzar.

Bring your own PEOPLE using Carrefour stores are now by Alex Trelinski able to bring their own plastic containers, after the retailer launched an initiative to reduce the boxes are transparent and have a lid. In another move, Carrefour has introduced amount of plastic it uses Containers can be used to put fresh fruit, a biodegradable tray for seafood products to meat, fish, and vegetables in, so long as the reduce the amount of supplied packaging.

by Andy Mansell

Four tenders from the Benidorm Fire Service, were despatched to a building in AvenidaAmettla Del Mar, earlier this week, in response to an emergency call reporting smoke emitting from a window. On arrival at the apartment, situated inside a building in the busy Rincon de Loix zone of the resort, the firefighters were unable to determine whether the apartment was occupied, as they received no response from banging on the door. By using force to enter the empty apartment, they quickly located and extinguished the fire, which had broken out in the kitchen cooker. Fortunately, the only casualty, was a badly charred and blackened chicken roasting in the oven.

The curious case of the Black Chicken

Four firefighters were called to extinguish the blackened chicken.

Facebook: @TheWeekenderSpain TWO ELDERLY people who had allegedly been locked up and drugged by a couple who posed as carers, have been rescued by the Guardia Civil in southern Spain. Almost two million euros were drained from accounts belonging to senior citizens that were being “looked after” by the couple, who have been arrested. The Guardia was eventually led to what it described as a “house of horrors” after police in Frankfurt asked for help in tracking down a 101-year-old German woman called Maria Babes. Officers found Maria in a care home in the town of Chiclana de la Frontera, near Cádiz. The elderly woman was seriously ill and her hospital records raised suspicions about the behaviour of the people who had been looking after her before she entered the care home. An investigation found that a CubanGerman couple, had befriended Maria in Tenerife and brought

by Alex Trelinski

her to the mainland so “that they could control here better”, and stole 160 thousand euros from her bank account. Tragically Maria died just a matter of hours after she spoke to Guardia officers, but her information proved to be invaluable. The Guardia said that the couple had used the same technique on other people, and found an elderly Dutch woman and an elderly German man, who were living in “dire conditions” in rented accommodation. Investigators said they had found one point eight million euros that had been extracted from the residents, and are are seeking legal assistance from courts in England, Italy, Germany and Cuba to find out the scale of their holdings. The couple are accused of crimes including fraud, misappropriation, domestic abuse, and money laundering. Four other people were arrested and a further nine are under investigation.

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THE HOUSE OF HORRORS

The “rented” House of Horrors.

Starved and buried for pension A man is facing possible negligent homicide charges after the body of his brother was found buried, with severe malnutrition looking the most likely cause of death. The deceased, aged 38, had severe disabilities and after his parents died his younger brother, aged 35, became his guardian. However he was a

by Andy Mansell

well known drug addict who local authorities said was barely capable of looking after himself. The pair lived on a remote farm on the outskirts of Orgive (Granada) and social services did their best to monitor the pair. Last month when paying a

visit they found the property empty and reported their concerns to the Guardia Civil. They tracked the younger brother down to a local hostel and he said he had no idea of the whereabouts of his sibling then later said he was with an uncle. Investigations soon found that the uncle died 16 years ago and they went back

to question the man. He then admitted that his brother had died and he had buried him in the mountains, not reporting the death so he could collect his disability pension. Agents believe the accused may have purposely allowed his brother to starve and are considering what charges to bring.

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Chef slips Vicious mugger Octogenarian stabs GP detained up with bad taste banana gag A school chef has been sentenced to six months jail in Alicante after a court there found him guilty of sexual harassment in the workplace. His victim was a kitchen assistant and among other incidents they h e a r d how the accused had held a banana to his crotch area and said to his colleague “look at my banana”. He had also prevented the young Filipina woman from leaving a storeroom while making crude comments about her boyfriend, slapped her on the neck when she was carrying trays and constantly bombarded her with bad taste jokes in the three months they worked together. The judge concluded his behaviour had been “inappropriate, inconsiderate, rude and disrespectful.” A second hearing found his behaviour constituted workplace harassment under article 173.1 of the Penal Code and issued the sentence.

A full scale model of a famous spanish galleon is on display in Valencia Marina until 24 March when it will continue on it’s travels. The “Victoria” made the worlds first circumnavigation of the globe under captain Ferdinand Magellan between 1519 and 1522, a journey of 32,000 nautical miles. The “Nao Victoria” is undergoing it’s own international tour and is stopping off

by Simon Russell

in Valencia from 15 to 24 March. The 26 metre vessel is built from pine and oak and is as faithful to the original as it is possible to be - barring some very non 16th century electronics. Admission to board and view the galleon is five euros and there are also guided tours. The floating museum is open to the public from 10am to 7pm.

by Simon Russell

although the victim has been admitted to hospital. The aggressor had personal possessions and a change of clothes

in the bag, leading police to believe he knew he would be arrested and also indicating a degree of premeditation. The motive for the attack is currently a mystery.

The Centro de Salud where the attack took place.

Floating piece of history A full scale model of a famous spanish galleon is on display in Valencia Marina until 24 March when it will continue on it’s travels. The “Victoria” made the worlds first circumnavigation of the globe under captain Ferdinand Magellan between 1519 and 1522, a journey of 32,000 nautical miles. The “Nao Victoria” is undergoing it’s own international tour and is stopping off in Valencia from 15 to 24

by Simon Russell

March. The 26 metre vessel is built from pine and oak and is as faithful to the original as it is possible to be - barring some very non 16th century electronics. Admission to board and view the galleon is five euros and there are also guided tours. The floating museum is open to the public from 10am to 7pm.

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2019 Cruises

AN 83 year old man has been arrested and charged with stabbing his doctor at a Health Centre in Zaragoza (Aragon). The pensioner entered the Universitas Centro de Salud last Friday and asked to see his GP, identified as Pedro L aged 60. The elderly man had a bag with him and when the doctor came out produced a knife from the bag and stabbed him twice. Thankfully the two wounds inflicted are not said to be life threatening,

*Price per person in double cabin with full board + 200€ tax – tips to pay on board. Transfer from La Zenia, Torrevieja, Quesada, La Marina, Elche Benidorm and Ondara incl.

7 day cruise with MSC Divina from Valencia 11 Apr from 379€* 9 & 16 May from 399€* 27 Jun from 499€*

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Changing night-life of Madrid THE nickname for Madrid’s residents is “Los Gatos” or the cats, something which reflects their nocturnal lifestyle. However in common with youngsters around the world the new generation of 20 and 30 somethings are drinking less and staying in more, a trend that the capital is having to adapt to. Clubs and pubs that were previously packed until dawn at the weekend - and

by Simon Russell

sometimes during the week - are now finding that their young patrons are leaving earlier and earlier, embracing the comfort of their own beds rather than all night partying. The other problem is that as population growth continues to decline there are less youngsters around, whether they want to stay out all night or not. The amount of children born in the

city has halved since the 1970s, and that post baby boom generation are now in their 40s and fast approaching their fifities. Many venues have started aiming at families and are opening their doors during the day rather than into the small hours. Their clients would also rather pay a large amount for one drink such as a cocktail than spend their money on half a dozen beers and a glass of house wine.

Spanish victim of knife crime in the UK by Simon Russell

ONE of the latest victims of the current spate of knife killings in the UK has been confirmed as a Spaniard, 26 year old David Martinez. He was one of six people killed in the same week earlier this month after being fatally

stabbed in broad daylight on the streets of Leyton, East London. Paramedics were quickly on the scene but Mr Martinez bled out and died within a few minutes after being critically wounded in the back and chest.

Festivals and other outdoor activities are also booming and venues have to be willing to diversify, with a flamenco show one weekend followed by a punk concert the next. There are two lights at the end of the tunnel, firstly the fact that the older generation are more eager to go out than their predecessors were at that age and secondly the continuing willingness of tourists to spend money in the city.

Although most of the recent killings have been gang related, police in the UK do not think that was the case in this incident. However they do believe he knew his murderer and are interviewing friends and family as well as looking over his social media postings for clues to the identity of the killer. The Spanish press had extensive reports of the killing and of the recent outbreak of knife crimes, with London being one of the most popular destinations for the Spanish to visit and also to move to for work.

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Concert goers in Madrid last summer, taking the place of dingy clubs.

Power blow ELECTRICITY prices are set to rise in Spain next month, as the government ends the suspension of the seven per cent power generation tax as part of domestic bills. The tax was scrapped last autumn as a move to counter increasing tariffs, but its return next month will see total bills go up by four per cent.

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#Benidorm in Instagram heaven The Costa Blanca’s city of skyscrapers has appeared near to the top of a list of the most photographed destinations in Europe. Benidorm, sits at number thirteen on the chart, produced by the HomeToGo travel website, which lists the most ‘instagrameable’ cities on the continent, beating many significantly larger and more culturally focused destinations, such as Seville, Florence and Athens. With more than 500 million registered users, Instagram has become the most popular social network, not only for photography enthusiasts,

by Andy Mansell

but also for those who want to share their life experiences. Travel, lifestyle, fashion, food, fitness and nature feature highly on posts, submitted by Instagram savvy users, who convey their thoughts and life decisions via photographs and hashtags, rather than words. The photos, videos and of course the ever popular ‘selfies’ featuring the ‘instagrammer’ surrounded by instantly recognisable monuments, famous locations, street graffiti and iconic buildings are posted alongside photos of the charming local citizens

and ethnic foods of each destination. Number one on the list is London, with 120 million hashtags, followed closely by Paris (100 million), whose iconic Eiffel Tower, is comfortably the most photographed monument in Europe. Barcelona, which sits at third with 47 million hashtags, is the most photographed Spanish city, followed by Madrid in fourth (29 million), Valencia in tenth (14 million) and Benidorm in thirteenth with 1.1 million hashtags. The other cities which make up the top ten are Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam, Lisbon and Hamburg.

The skyscrapers of Benidorm helped put the resort high on the list.

Spanish “dying out” A prominent Valencian politician has warned that in parts of the Community the Valenciano dialect is becoming so prominent that standard Spanish is in danger of “becoming extinct”. Isabel Bonig, president of the PPCV, feels that the pendulum has swung too much the other way in favour of the local dialect and many schools

by Simon Russell

are now not offering Castellano as a choice. In Castellon province, for example, she said that 93% of pupils now study only in Valenciano. Ms Bonig said that this is not a criticism of the local language, but simply that parents

and pupils should be given a choice. Local dialects were banned in schools and public offices during the Franco years, and their return has been a symbol for many of the post dictatorship Spain. Others say that children are being held back and are limiting their future to the region where they live due to their linguistic limitations.

Valencian politician Isabel Bonig

FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Bus Stop drugs bust by Andy Mansell

The plastic bags contained 333 tablets of cocaine weighing over 4 kilos.

Guardia Civil officers conducting a random search on an intercity bus, recently uncovered a massive haul of cocaine carried by two of its passengers. Agents, belonging to the USESIC, Citizen Security Unit of the Alicante division,

made the discovery during a routine stop and search operation at the El Campello toll section of the AP-7 Motorway. The bus was travelling on the Valencia to Alicante route, when the driver was asked to pull over to allow

the officers to make a random search of the occupants and their luggage. Upon searching the bags belonging to two of the passengers, they discovered, amongst their personal items, a number of clear plastic bags containing

various coloured tablets, which all tested positive for cocaine. The couple were immediately transferred to the El Campello Guardia Civil station, to enable the officers to complete a detailed laboratory analysis of the tablets. In total, they confiscated 333 tablets of cocaine, yielding a total weight of 430.8 grams, whose economic valuation is still pending, plus 1560 euros in cash and two mobile phones. The detainees, a man and woman of Colombian nationality, aged 52 and 44 years of age respectively, who told the agents they were on holiday in Spain, were arrested on charges of drug trafficking and crimes against public health. The couple have since made a court appearance and been released on provisional charges awaiting trial, with both passports withheld, to prevent their possible flight from the country.

Arrests put a lid on manhole cover thieves

POLICE in the Costa del Sol have arrested two men who have been accused of stealing 375 manhole covers over the last year or so. Their favoured spot was empty or quiet urbanisations, where they would enter late in the day and prise the lids off the road. These were then sold on for scrap metal at a local yard, pocketing the pair an estimated â&#x201A;Ź160,000. The thieving has become an almost daily

by Simon Russell

occurrence and an investigation was opened at the end of last year by the National Police. They targeted local scrapyards and came across the one which had been favoured by the suspects, noticing some lids there. This soon led to a series of arrests, the two thieves and also two people at the junk-yard in Estepona who police think must have been aware that the goods were stolen.

Some of the covers seized by National Police.

RIFF REOPENS Food poisoning establishment back open for business

The Riff restaurant repopens in Valencia

RIFF restaurant, linked to a food poisoning outbreak where one woman died and 31 others became ill last month, is due to reopen itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doors this week. The Michelin starred establishment in Valencia city centre attracted

by Simon Russell

nationwide headlines as food inspectors descended on it, trying to determine the cause of the incident. This has not yet been clearly established but a batch of mushrooms purchased from

a firm in Castilla y Leon appears to be the most likely source. The proprietor will be relieved to be open in time for Valenciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest festival, the Fallas, but what impact the unwanted publicity has on trade remains to be seen.

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Health & Beauty

Advertising Feature

Five things your optometrist will look for when testing for glaucoma An estimated one million people suffer from Glaucoma in Spain and according to the Asociación de Glaucoma para Afectados y Familiares (AGAF), of these, 500,000 do not know that they suffer from it. The organization warns that around 25,000 Spaniards diagnosed with this ophthalmological disease could suffer total blindness, despite following all treatments and medical checkups. According to the EDAD survey 2008, Glaucoma and Diabetic Retinopathy are the leading causes of visual impairment in Spain. That is why thisWorld GlaucomaWeek (March 10-16), all six SpecsaversÓpticasstores on the Costa Blanca are stressing the importance of having regular eye tests to detect the early signs and symptoms of the condition as well as highlighting the common risk factors associated with it.

Raised eye pressure Glaucoma occurs when naturally-occurring fluid inside the eye does not drain properly causing a build-up of pressure. When you see your optometrist, they will carry out an

eye pressure test using a tonometer which Your Genes is useful in identifying people who might have or are at risk of developing glaucoma. There are several factors which could make you more at risk of Change in vision developing glaucoma such as family history of the disease. Those who With chronic glaucoma, the visual loss have black–African heritage or can initially be very subtle and occurs just who have higher levels of shortbeyond your central vision, progressing sightedness are also more at risk. slowly inwards towards your central vision and outwards into the periphery. The way this Your age is detected by your optometrist is through the use of a visual field test. However, acute Your age also plays a big part, but glaucoma glaucoma is often sudden and painful and can generally be treated effectively if may present with other symptoms including detected early and, in most cases, a daily blurred vision and haloes around lights.’ eye drop can be used for treatment.

Optic nerve damage

Mike Stone from Specsavers ÓpticasJavea and Calpeconcludes: ‘Our sight is precious. We ensure we visit our dentist every six months, and a sight test every two years should also be on everyone’s to-do list. It can, quite literally, save your sight.’

When you have glaucoma, the build-up of eye pressure can cause damage to the optic nerve and nerve fibres from the retina. This can be assessed in a variety of ways during your examination, but the real detail of a customer’s eye health will come from a For further information or to book an eye test photograph taken with a retinal camera. visit: www.specsavers.es

Specsavers is a partnership of almost 2,000 locallyrun businesses throughout the UK, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Australia and New Zealand - all committed to delivering high quality, affordable optical and hearing care in the communities they serve. More than 36 million customers are registered with Specsavers and the partnership had a turnover of more than £2.2bn in 2016/17 SpecsaversÓpticassupports several charities in Spain including ONCE, Lions Club, Red Cross and Banco de Alimentos. SpecsaversÓpticashas been in Spain since 2006 and currently has nine stores; Marbella and Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol, Santa Ponça Mallorca, Calpe, Javea, Benidorm, Guardamar del Segura, La Zenia and Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca. More information specsavers.es

The Benefits and

Limitations of the PSA test

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is the blood test that is currently used as a ‘marker’ (or indicator) for prostate disease and is used as part of screening for prostate cancer. The higher a man’s PSA level, the more likely it is that he has prostate cancer. However, a raised PSA does not always mean prostate cancer.

of PSA but no symptoms (as mentioned in the previous article) the doctor may recommend another PSA test to confirm the original finding in conjunction with a digital rectal examination (DRE).

hollow needles into the prostate and then withdrawing them. A pathologist will then examine the prostate tissue under a microscope. The doctor may use ultrasound to view the prostate during the biopsy, but ultrasound cannot be used alone to diagnose If prostate cancer is suspected, the prostate cancer. doctor will recommend a prostate biopsy. During this procedure, multiple samples The PSA test is also used to monitor If a man is found to have an elevated level of prostate tissue are collected by inserting men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer to see if their cancer has recurred (come back) after initial treatment or is responding to therapy. However, a single elevated PSA measurement in a patient who has a history of prostate cancer does not always mean that cancer has come back.

result may create anxiety for a man and his family and lead to additional medical procedures, such as a biopsy that may have been unnecessary.

The problem with PSA testing is that in some cases a PSA will be elevated but the patient does NOT have cancer and in some cases, the PSA will be in normal range despite early cancer being present.

As we speak scientists are striving to improve the PSA test to give doctors the ability to better distinguish cancerous from benign conditions and slow-growing cancers from fast-growing, potentially lethal cancers.

A false positive test result occurs when a man’s PSA level is elevated but no cancer is actually present. A false positive test

A false negative test result occurs when a man’s PSA level is low even though he actually has prostate cancer. False negative test results may give a man, his family, and his doctor false assurance that he does not have cancer, when he may, in fact, have cancer that requires treatment. This is why it is recommended to not only test for PSA but to question the patient about symptoms and also consider DRE.

For just 23€ you can have your PSA checked at the Family

For more information or to book an appointment call the Family Medical Centre on +34 966 865 072, emailing us at info@albirfamilymedicalcentre.com or on Facebook www.facebook.com/albirfamilymedicalcentre

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Business & Finance Consumer contract con Ikea among best places to work MAPFRE Insurance, Ikea España and Atento services have been voted the three best large employers (5,000 plus employees) to work for in Spain. The annual list is created by consultants Great Place to Work and is made up of twothirds ratings from workers themselves and one-third criteria analysed by the Keep an eye on your utility bills.

THE Spanish Competitions Board (CNMC) has warned that some electricity providers are changing the terms of customers contracts without letting them know, allowing them to

by Simon Russell

raise the price for the service. Endesa and EDP have both been fined for this recently and the CNMC say that they have concerns that the practice

is still continuing. Many contracts include a fixed price clause and it these that have generally been altered without consumers consent, some providers increasing prices by as much as 30%.

Talks Sponsored By Tel: 671 935 072

BARNIER´S WARNING

The risk of a “disorderly” Brexit has never been higher, the EU’s chief negotiator has said, following MPs’ second humiliating rejection of Theresa May’s deal. Michel Barnier said the EU “cannot go any further” in trying to persuade MPs to back the agreed terms of exit and the UK had to break the impasse. He questioned what the purpose would be of extending the talks beyond March 29th. “Again the House of Commons says what it

doesn’t want,” he told the European Parliament. “Now this impasse can only be solved in the UK. “The risk of no-deal has never been higher. That is the risk of an exit....in a disorderly fashion.” The EU, he suggested, had gone “as far as it possibly can” to satisfy MPs’ concerns over the agreement, particularly in relation to the backstop, an insurance policy to stop a hard border on the island of Ireland. “If the UK still wants to leave the EU in an orderly

manner, this treaty is, and will remain, the only treaty possible,” he said. The PM had made a last-minute plea to MPs to back her deal after she had secured legal assurances on the Irish backstop from the EU during late-night talks in Strasbourg on Monday. But although she managed to convince about 40 Tory MPs to change their mind, it was not nearly enough to overturn the historic 230 vote defeat she suffered on the same deal in January.

consultants using factors such as good practice and workplace culture. Salary is not seen as all important in determining whether a firm is good to work for, with holiday allowance, respect, worklife balance and equality all being key factors. Ikea for example while not being the highest payers

were praised by staff for its medical insurance, pension plan, internal services, staff discounts, free coffee and game or restrooms as well as the way they treated employees. Lilly Pharmaceuticals topped the list for mid-sized companies (501 to 5,000 staff) and Cisco Systems for small firms (50 to 500 workers).

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Business & Finance

How do I know if my financial adviser can offer investment funds independently and what is the difference? Financial Advisory Companies are turning more and more to Centralised Investment Processes. But what is the difference and should it have an effect on my decision on which company to invest with? Firstly the difference between the two is staggering and making a decision to use the wrong one can be costly and provide a lack of flexibility, so let us explore the differences. Centralised Investment Proposition This is where financial advisers can only offer a handful or more of investment strategies provided by the Company they work for. Often you can identify these funds as the fund name will include the name of the Company the adviser works for (also known as mirror funds) or come from a fund management house that offers the centralised Investment on behalf of that Company. Each Fund is managed typically by an investment committee, and it is those people that make the investment decisions on what assets should be in their funds and make any changes they feel necessary along the way. This means that every person invested in those funds all have the same investment and are affected by any changes made in that fund i.e. a one size fits all approach.

bear in mind that these savings are not always passed on, therefore it is important to know the charges. The major disadvantage and where things can become costly is where a fund of this type fails to perform or offers mediocre returns. There could be an alternative to switch into one of the other Managed funds offered by the firm if one is available at the same level of investment risk that is. If not, the question would be should you pay Pros and Cons of each On one hand, a Centralised Investment to get out of it altogether and start again? process can make sense. It provides the But this can be costly with tax charges and financial adviser with comfort in not having surrender penalties. On the other hand, using an independent to make the investment recommendations to his/her client other than picking the fund selection provides access to fund that matches their client’s attitude independent successful fund management to investment risk and he/she can lean on and spreads the investment across a the investment committee’s expertise and number of funds and assets, therefore experience going forward. spreading the risk and diversifying the As for the client, they are offered investment i.e. not having all your eggs something simple and easy to understand. in one basket. In this way, should a Fund Centralised investments can also make fail to perform then the adviser can make sense from a cost perspective since the almost instant changes to a different Fund. investments are pooled and bulk changes Regular reviews with the client ensure can be cost effective and of course so can that any fund within the portfolio that is the benefits of investing in bulk. However underperforming can easily be deselected M&G, Jupiter, Black Rock etc. This means the fund choice can be tailored to meet all risk appetites and using quality research provides access to the most successful fund management and investment returns being provided. In addition, an individual can look at each of those fund managers performance and see how well they have done in return for their fund management charges.

Independent Fund selection This is where the financial adviser is able to offer Investment funds from the whole market, all sectors and across all of the fund houses such as Fidelity, Invesco Perpetual,

By Andrew Gibson DipIP BLACKTOWER Financial Management whilst ensuring the portfolio diversification and risk are maintained at all times. This means that no major change involving encashment is required, just simple fund switches as when required. In addition, this approach allows access to tracker funds. These are low-cost investment strategies and are available in exactly the same way. The main disadvantage to this option is that you are reliant on the expertise, knowledge and skills of your adviser and the company they work for. A Global Company will have rebalancing tools readily at their disposal and a Compliance department that keeps abreast of developments that could affect Funds. Here at Blacktower Financial Management (International) Ltd, we do not believe in a one size fits all approach! Flexibility and diversification are key. We firmly believe it is important to find out our client’s investment philosophy and tailor an investment strategy to meet their investment risk and goals. In actual fact as well as Independent fund selection we also offer Discretionary Managed Portfolios that offer the same flexibility as that of independent selection. If you would like to explore how these approaches to investment can be tailored to you then please email Andrew Gibson andrew.gibson@blacktowerfm. com, call 603 612 464. Website: theblacktowergroup.com Blacktower Financial Management has been established for over 32 years and have worked with clients through the good and the bad times, offering sound independent advice, we will be by your side both now and in the future. The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity.

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

(International) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) 00805B and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV in Spain.

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

by Yvonne Hollywood, Worldwide Horizons

Ever wondered what it would be like to literally sail the globe? A more and more popular option, just like the increasing popularity of cruises in general, is a World Cruise. Planned years in advance, these cruises typically take around 4 months and visit an astounding 30+ countries. Moving with the tides, the cruise usually leave from Europe or from the West Coast of the United States, in the first instance crossing the Atlantic, heading south and around

South America, or sometimes crossing the Panama Canal, before continuing in a westward direction across the Pacific Ocean, perhaps visiting Hawai, or the Philipines, Bora Bora or Papeete, New Zealand and Australia. Other highlights are usually Sri Lanka, Maldives, India, Asia and much more. For many, this is the trip of a lifetime, whilst at the same time avoiding those dreaded long-haul flights. A chance to visit iconic cities and countries whilst at the same time, you doń t have to pack and re-pack each night when moving to your next destination. It s a ´

chance to visit far-flung destinations w h o s e language r e s e mb l e s nothing of our own, and yet have a g u i d e w i t h you the whole t i m e , ensuring that you see the best of these places in the limited time that you have. A cruise is a taster of a country, of course, you will never get to fully see what is on offer, however, it does offer the chance to see whether the location is somewhere that you would like to come back to and fully explore, or rather would never see again! As with all travel and advertising, the devil is in the detail! Some cruises offer drinks and excursions, others include the service charges, onboard credit and other extras. You also need to carefully check the destination on the route. For many, the size of the ship and what the facilities are can be key to choosing. Since at least 6 companies offer this type of cruise, you need to do some research to ensure you get the best

value for money. Yo u also need to research the kind of ship, size and how many passengers it holds. On the itinerary, remember that visas are required for many countries, some easily obtained in advance or on board, some expensive and others not so – it all adds to your original price! Lastly, but probably one of the most important aspects to remember with all travel – take comprehensive insurance! When deposits for these kinds of cruises are required a long time in advance of the cruise itself, ensure you have adequate travel insurance in place in the event that things change before departure. After that, the biggest consideration will be what to pack- what a dilemma!

Shop conversions increasing The type of property that is being converted.

THERE is a growing trend of commercial property being converted into homes in Spain, especially in urban areas such as Madrid. The capital has about 14,000 empty commercial units, a lot of spare stock in a city where housing is at a premium. Shops are the

by Simon Russell

most common conversion as the high street changes due to the impact of online shopping and growth of out of town commercial centres. Among the main buyers are the elderly who prefer to live on the ground floor

as well as some families who are purchasing the ground floor and also a flat to make a large living space. The downside is the cost of the conversion, although the purchase price of the building is usually much lower than a normal house or apartment.

SPAIN IN HOT WATER The European Commission has decided to refer Spain to the EU Court of Justice over heating and hot water metering failings. The Commission said it has not complied with the requirements on individual metering in multi-apartment and multi-purpose buildings under the Energy Efficiency Directive. The policy requires the installation of individual meters for heating, cooling and domestic hot water for all multi-apartment and multi-purpose buildings where occupants are supplied with these services from a collective installation such as a common boiler. The rule applies for all existing buildings, “where it is technically feasible and cost efficient”. However, the Commission said

by Alex Trelinski

Spain imposes this requirement only with regard to new buildings, i.e. those built after 2007. It added: “In buildings where heat meters are not a technically feasible or cost-effective solution for space heating, so-called heat cost allocators mounted on each radiator must instead be used. This requirement has also not been correctly transposed by Spain. The respective EU rules had to be implemented into national law by June 4th, 2014. The Commission opened the EU infringement proceedings against Spain by sending a letter of formal notice in October 2017, followed by a “reasoned opinion” in March 2018.

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Local - Property

Health house price increase

Where are foreigner buying? INFORMATION has been made available about where foreign nationals and foreigners resident in Spain purchased property in the first half of 2018. Far and away the most popular was the Valencian Community with 15,613 purchases followed by Andalucia (9,737) Cataluña (7,570) the Canaries (5,312), Madrid (4,911) the Balearic Islands (3,173) and

Murcia (2,442). The other eight regions only sold a couple of thousand properties to foreigners between them, with Extremadura being the least popular at 144 sales, mainly to the French. Brits were the biggest buyers in Valencia, Murcia, Andalucia, La Rioja and Asturias while the Germans were the biggest purchasers in both the island regions.

Prices on the up.

FIGURES just released by the Notaries Council show that house prices rose by 2.6% in January across Spain, with the average cost now being 1,142 euros per square meter. Family homes rose by 4.1%, and flats by 2.7% but the price of apartments (generally classed as more modern flats) fell by 1.3%. Sales of properties increased

by Simon Russell

slightly (0.3%) with 40,388 being sold nationally. Applications for mortgages also increased as well as the value of the average new mortgage, which is now for a sum of €135,616.

Map showing purchases by nationality

DON´T DO THIS IF BUYING A HOME!

As important as a whole set of positive priorities are when you make a Spanish home purchase, there is also some key negatives to remember, so that you don´t make some wasteful and costly decisions that you will regret down the line.

by Alex Trelinksi

that money in the future. You may only have to update the house by painting, sanding the floor or adding new furniture, but it’s best to do it room by room.

DON´T SKIP ON A V O I D HOME INSURANCE REFURBISHING WHEN YOU MOVE IN Stopping your home insurance payments is Unless there are one of the worst decisions serious structural or you can make, even if functional problems you you think you can save want to change in the some money. If you have house you just bought, a mortgage, the bank will experts recommend require you to be insured. spending a few months It´s best to always keep in your new home to find you home insured to out what you really need avoid problems with your to upgrade. neighbours, or in case of Don’t do any fire. improvement works straight away because DON´T MAKE A you may need to spend LOW OFFER

You’re not sure what to do – you’re in love with a house, but you want to get it for the best possible price. However, making an offer that´s too low can push you out of the running. It’s important to do some fieldwork. Get to know the area where you want to buy, look on the internet and find out prices of other houses in the same area. Go to the Property Registry and get the nota simple, which will describe all the features of the property. Be realistic about your monetary situation and your financing capacity. couple of months while they’re looking for a new DON´T LET THE home, even after you’ve already bought it, you must SELLER STAY put down the conditions If the seller asks you to clearly in writing. What happens if the stay on in the house for a

house is damaged? Whose insurance would cover it? What if the seller can’t find a house and never leaves? There should be a carefully drafted legal

agreement that includes the start and end dates, the penalties if they refuse to leave, and the insurance requirements. And as the saying goes, “Better safe than sorry”.

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Local - Property

Luxury bubble bursting by Simon Russell

ALTHOUGH globally the trend for property prices is still on the up, the very top end of the market seems to be either stagnating or starting to fall. In London, for example, prices have almost doubled in the last decade. However new developments such as a block of 274 luxury flats in Blackfriars priced between a million and 15 million pounds are struggling to shift. There are similar stories coming out of some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s priciest cities such as Hong Kong, New York, Sydney and Vancouver. Experts believe the luxury market has probably peaked and such properties are being purchased to live in rather than for investments.

The London skyline on the River Thames.

Back In

Alex Trelinski’s

E L O H BLACK E T U B I R T

ofessor tly admired Pr cluded ea gr I e, nc ie fan of sc r, which in Though not a and his sense of humou and The Big Bang ng s ki on aw ps The Sim Stephen H TV shows like popping up on ed on a d being honour les. ye jo en ve ha Theory. he would on black ho I´m certain thenired by his pioneering work sp in in new 50p co e one of the , having becom 76 of e ag e th ar at He died last yeaders in his field. ared on coins, le d ne w no ists to have appe re t nt ie sc mos of p ou gr rles Darwin. He joins an elite Newton and Chaanted to fit a big black hole on c aa Is r Si g in w includ a Ellis said: “I here chortling at the thought.” Designer Edwin still d wish he was the tiny coin an

ALIVE AND KICKING

cases There´ve been plenty of ely itiv ens ins n ma tax UK of the ed eas dec m fro demanding money st twi new a you g brin I but , people ” ath “de n ow his of where a man read his said t tha RC HM m fro er in a lett pensions had been cancelled. Par in George Taylor, 65, of d when Cornwall, said he was shocke end of the at er lett the ed eiv he rec “the last year, but added he now saw e”. sid funny state The retired nurse said his

NATIONAL SEXPRESS

An amorous man woman have been arrestand as a way of passing time, after reportedly stripp ed the brazen pair instantly hit off and having sex in ing it off. front Devon & Cornwall Polic of passengers on a Natio nal the n caught up with impulsiv e Express coach. e lov ers after the The saucy session screeched the bucoach driver s to a halt on allegedly took place on coach sometime after 10 the the hard shoulder of the M5 pm near Cullompton, and on Monday, March 4th took it travelled along the as them into custody. M5 They were through Devon. released It is understood the ma pending further inquiries, met the woman du n but I´m intrigued to find out the lengthy service ring whether the randy duo had Blackpool to Plymouthfrom time to exchange names and and addresses!

stopped and NHS pensions were tacting con pite des and immediately d his the NHS, it only re-instate ek. we payments last the The NHS apologised for al tern “in an d me bla blunder and error”. ter Mr Taylor said stricter and fasure ens to ce pla in be uld sho cks che re, but mistakes were not made in futu“Little ssic cla a as me to s ack sm it mputer Britain” example of the ”co says no”.

Britain ROBINSON REMOVED ve was found to ha Call me a boring old repeatedly broken both of centrist in the world y sites’ policies on hate wh is ich wh cs( liti t called po of speech in posts tha I like the new group t I for violence targeted at Independent MPs), bu th Muslims, said:have no truck at all wi t Facebook the extremists of the lefer “Robinson – real name or the right who off d Stephen Yaxley-Lennon simplistic and bigote s – broke rules that ban solutions to seriou public calls for violence on problems. against people based One such peddler is protected characteristics, he Tommy Robinson, and sts broke rules that ban mi tre ex the th aring along wi ht supporting or appe hate of the left and rig d ise an org th wi rules have used social media ul groups and broke to publish their spitef s, that prevent people from lly posts and message using the site to bu which is why I welcome .” ers oth he this week´s news that d Social media can be has had his private an d great, but I´m afraid the public Facebook an d unregulated nature of it Instagram profiles pulleon has a lot to answer for se as part of a crackdown at the moment in the rrying far-right activism. wo d an n tai cer un The former English times. r Defence League leade

SNOOP´S NEW LIFE

NOT WHEELIE GOOD

themselves in exactly I used to remember the same spot in an council local my nts to alleyway. ide res g rin implo Bowman, Steve bins a ie eel s give their wh who installed camera good washing, but what outside his home in a do you do when the bin bid to catch fly-tippers, men decide to urinate said he was “disgusted” against the containers? e by the recordings, made footag CCTV . in about a month apartes, of captured hri mp Hu n yn Gl st We d Featherstone, Wakefield Council, sai Yorkshire, shows thed it was investigating and two men standing an g would take “appropriate relievin

I always like a happy ending to a doggie story, and that´s the case with a Staffordshire Bul Terrier called Snoop, who wasl dumped at the side of a road in Stoke-on-Trent just days before Christmas. CCTV footage went viral and got millions of views, and he now has a new home with Laurence Squire in rural Herefordshire. The RSPCA had hundreds of offers of a permanent hom for Snoop, including one frome US rap star, Snoop Dogg, but the charity had to be careful where to place him because of seperation anxiety. The footage of the dog bein abandoned, showed a mang getting out of a car with Snoop on a lead before leaving him on the road, with Snoop jumping at the car window, as the vehicle drove away. His old owner has never bee found, but despite his anxietyn his new master, Laurence said, that the ordeal “hadn’t left any long-lasting effects on him”. You just have to wonder why somebody was so heartless to an obviously delightful dog:

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Motoring Kia may have dropped the apostrophe for the 2018 Ceed but this model continues many of the strengths that have made the previous generations so popular. It’s well built, good value and has affordable running costs. But Kia is not a company to rest on its laurels - it continues to improve its cars with every new model. Compare this car to the first generation Cee’d and the improvements in quality, style and finish are huge. The Ceed Sportswagon shows just how far the brand has come in a relatively short time. The interior quality is really good with lots of soft touch materials and precise controls giving it an upmarket feel, yet there’s still that underlying sense of robustness about it. It feels like a car that’s built to last. This is not a case of all fur coat and no knickers. Being a small(ish) estate, the boot is all important here and the Ceed has a wide and easy to load cargo area that’s low to the ground. With 625 litres of carrying space it can swallow more than a Volkswagen Golf Estate. There’s plenty of room in the rest of the car too with decent legroom in the back, thanks to lower seats, and a generally

KIA Ceed Sportswagon

spacious a n d comfortable f e e l i n g throughout, helped by a wider body than the old model. As you’d expect from a Kia, there’s plenty of standard kit and with no entrylevel 1 model, the range starts with the 2 which has air con, 16-inch alloys, a seven-inch touchscreen with DAB plus Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a reversing camera.

What you may not expect is how good the Ceed Sportswagon is to drive. Okay, so it’s not going to set the world alight, but thanks to precise steering and little body roll, it feels very stable and accomplished in corners. There is a downside - and that’s a slightly firm ride. It’s generally more than acceptable but something like a Ford Focus feels more compliant and settled at higher speeds. Road noise is noticeable

to, especially from the back of the car. However, the Ceed Sportswagon still has plenty to recommend it, not least Kia’s sevenyear warranty and a strong reputation for reliability and good customer service. Compared to the competition, it’s not as cheap as you may expect, but Kia often has very good finance deals available if you’re looking at leasing or a PCP.

Audi set for rebirth with 2019 transformation plan Audi bosses have vowed that the company will bounce back this year after the impact of new WLTP emissions tests led to a sharp drop in sales and profits in 2018. The firm’s finance boss, Alexander Seitz, said at its 2019 press conference that it’s better prepared for the second round of WLTP emissions legislation and aims to have a general operating permit for all of its powertrains by the end of 2019. Along with simplifying its product portfolio, meeting the new regulations will allow Audi to reduce its fleet emissions, which Seitz says will help it distance itself from the long-lasting impact of the Volkswagen Group’s Dieselgate scandal. Environmental concerns and the need to meet ever-tightening CO2 emissions restrictions form an integral part of Audi’s plan for the coming years. It has set goals of making all its plants CO2-neutral and introducing 30 new electric vehicles by 2025. This is part of a wider electrification programme

within the Volkswagen Group, which will result in the launch of around 70 electric models across its various brands by 2030. Asked whether now is the right time for such an investment in EV technologies, Audi CEO Bram Schot said that feedback from customers suggests “6070% of drivers of electric cars are loyal to electrification” and that response to the brand’s new E-Tron electric SUV has been overwhelmingly positive. Seitz also said that an event such as Dieselgate “will never, ever happen again”. Audi has strengthened its multi-person checking system for each new vehicle and tightened its internal documentation process. In the US, the brand has already bought back or fixed 85% of its vehicles affected by the emissions scandal and paid a fine of £683 million to the German government.

Q4 e-tron is the latest model unveiled in Audi’s electric push

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

SANTIAGO´S FINALE

by Alex Trelinski

THE ANNUAL Santiago de la Ribera carnival celebrations came to a spectacular end on Sunday, with the extensive grand carnival parade. The 31st staging of the parade and carnival celebrations in the San Javier municipality brought down the curtain on the carnival season in the Murcia region, and once again attracted many visitors to the area.

TAKE YOUR PARTNERS! by Alex Trelinski

IF YOU HAVE memories of going to your local ballroom or dance hall taking your partner in your arms and waltzing or foxtrotting around the floor to a live band, then those days are back! Every Sunday evening from 7.00 pm, The Club in Quesada becomes that ballroom and you can, once again, take your partner in your arms and dance to live music in strict tempo time. The Strictly Tempo Dance Club welcomes dancers of all nationalities and abilities for an evening of dance incorporating everything from waltzes, quicksteps and foxtrots through to the livelier latin and jive dances. Live music is provided by the Contrasts Duo with Derek Symonds on keyboards and Mike Reilly on drums.

To allow dancers to get a taste of what they can enjoy every Sunday, the first visit will be free of charge and thereafter a nominal entry fee of five euros per person. If you’re not a dancer, then you

can still have a lovely evening sitting back enjoying a nice glass of wine or two listening to songs you’ll remember relaxing in the ambience. For more details, please phone 688 387 490.

FOODBANK BOOST TORREVIEJA homeless charity Reach Out hosted an official opening ceremony last Friday for their new kitchen and foodbank at their headquarters on Calle Bella Antonia in the city. The group, formed in 2010, is funded entirely by donations to help needy people with food and clothing. Reach Out presented a series of certificates to local groups like Help at Home, Costa Blanca as well as to individuals who helped make the improvements become a reality.

Reach Out providing food.

A TASTE OF IRELAND

www.weekendernews.com

FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Local - News & Community

NEW GRAN ALACANT The g a b t s o P HOTEL WORK has started on constructing a four star hotel in Gran Alacant, which will be sited within the Gran Alacant shopping centre area. The Hotel AJ is will cover an area of over 11 thousand square metres, and is being built at a cost of 10 million euros by the Nou Mediterrani group, with their main investors being the owners of

Artist´s impression of the Hotel AJ.

BEGINNING OF THE END

by Alex Trelinski

the shopping centre. The hotel will have 108 rooms, and will be managed by the SH hotel group, who run a number of five-star establishments in the Valencia region. No official completion or opening date has yet been declared for the Hotel AJ.

CYCLE DEATH

A 72-YEAR-OLD cyclist died in the San Fulgencio area on Saturday morning when he collided with a van. P a r a m e d i c s pronounced him dead on

the scene of the accident on the CV-860 Elche road at around 9.50 am. Reports suggested that the man had gone head first into the vehicle´s rear window.

The British tabloid press seem to paint a very different picture of what life is around here with hysterical coverage of Brexit or anything remotely violent in Benidorm. The tragic death of a stag party reveller in Benidorm last week saw the tabloids painting the area as almost like “Sin City”, with all types of exaggerations and factual errors. Some of this material is clearly not written by people who live in the Costa Blanca region and who just enjoy whipping up some cheap headlines. The same could be said over the coverage of Brexit, and how all the expats were supposedly in a panic since they would be “deported” or have to return to the UK for healthcare. That´s until the Spanish government put an end to all these falsehoods at the start of this month. These papers cost the best part of three euros a day to buy over here, and I just wonder why people bother, as all the information you could possibly want, especially in terms of accuracy, is freely available on the internet, and locally through papers like The Weekender. Peter Marks, Benidorm. I had my first proper taste of the health service here in Spain this year, and I ended up being seriously impressed.

Empty shell at La Zenia.

WORK on completing the unfinished Orihuela Costa Emergency Centre at La Zenia should see the long saga end with an opening by December of next year. The news comes after the Valencian Government transferred the responsibility for the tender process for the project to Orihuela council, which will now publish a formal advertisement for the work to be carried out. That transfer of responsibilities from Valencia to Orihuela has taken over a year to sort out, leading to the May 2019 opening date, that was touted back in 2017, to slip away. The project was halted in

I´ve suffered from an on-going mobility condition with my right foot, which I kept being told back home in Wales by my old GP there, that essentially I would just have to “put up with it”.

by Alex Trelinski 2011 after the construction company went out of business. The Partido Popular-led Valencian government did nothing about the building until the 2015 regional elections saw a PSOECompromis coalition take charge, and they assigned money to finish the work. The facilities at La Zenia will accommodate the Guardia Civil, the National Police, and the Local police, as well as fire-fighters, forest brigades, civil protection and a SAMU ambulance base. The budget for the project is set at two point two million euros.

TAXI SWAP REPEAT

Removal of the damaged van.

VICTIMS REMEMBERED

PILAR DE LA HORADADA was just one of many municipalities in Spain that held a minute´s silence this week in memory of the 193 victims of the March 11th, 2004 Madrid train bombings. It was the largest terrorist attack ever suffered by Spain, with ten explosions detonated on board four commuter trains in the capital, with 21 people found guilty three years later on a variety of charges ranging from forgery to murder. Pilar mayor, Ignacio Ramos, led the tributes next to the memorial plaque at the Parque Victimas del 11M.

Mayor Ramos and fellow councillors. Taxi queues in 2017 at Zenia Boulevard.

TAXI SERVICES are set to be pooled between Orihuela and Torrevieja cabs again this summer, after last year´s success in cutting down waiting times during the high season. Torrevieja and Orihuela councils have confirmed that a request has again been sent to the Valencian government for a repeat of the 2018

by Alex Trelinski arrangements, which both authorities said worked well for customers and taxi drivers. The sharing would run between June 16th and September 18th, with Orihuela taxis able to use stops in Torrevieja at the Paseo de la Libertad, the Industrial Park, the bus station

and Torrevieja Hospital. Torrevieja drivers will be able to use stops at Playa Flamenca, Zenia Boulevard, Cabo Roig, and Villamartin. The scheme was introduced last year because of the number of taxis that were delayed because of delays on routes like the N-332.

My husband kept pestering me to go to my local medical centre to see our doctor on the basis that I had nothing to lose. Within a week, I had a hospital appointment, and six weeks later, I went under the knife to have some loose “gunk” removed from my foot, which is now pretty much back to normal. The courtesy of all the medical staff(who all spoke perfect English) was admirable, but the only downside is that my other half now has to deal with all the activities that I want to get up to. I just want to know why the NHS in the UK just isn´t a patch on what we get over here? Is it purely down to money? Gladys Jones, Torrevieja.

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Letters and news are printed at the editors discretion. All letters should contain, the writer’s name, NIE and contact information (Phone number/address) although only the name and town will be published. Please state clearly if you wish to remain anonymous. The publishers reserve the right ammend submissions and publish, in part or full

SHARP EXIT AN ELDERLY woman and her son aged in his thirties beat a hasty retreat from their car, as it caught fire on the AP-7 in the Orihuela area on Saturday. The vehicle was on the Alicante-bound carriageway

by Alex Trelinski

when the passengers heard an explosion at around 4.15 pm, and they managed to park up on the hard shoulder and get out in time before the flames engulfed the car.

Facebook: @TheWeekenderSpain

FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Pets & Wildlife

5 important facts to teach kids about pet ownership

ARC - PUPPIES & KITTIES NEEDING HOMES NORA.- Pictured

behind Lucie, this lovely cat is 22 months old, very quiet and no trouble and is a house cat. She needs her forever home with a small garden.

(BPT) - Kids instinctively love animals. Children begin learning about animal species, their habitats and behavior during elementary school, and this is when children also become more interested and involved in caring for family pets. They may even become pet owners for the first time at this age. Learning about animal care is fun for kids, while also teaching them life lessons about empathy, compassion and responsibility. Here are five important facts that children need to know about pet care. * All pets need water Water is essential for every pet, every day (some even live in water). Keep water dishes or bottles clean so their water is always good to drink. * Pets need particular food PetSmart is a great place to find the right food for any pet. While some (like rabbits) eat fresh vegetables like you, most pets don’t thrive on people food. Feeding them scraps from your plate is not a good idea, as some food might be bad for them. * Each pet needs a different habitat While cats or dogs share our homes, others require special houses. Fish need aquariums with water that’s filtered, at the correct temperature. Smaller pets need cages - they’re not litter-trained, and they’re small enough to get lost in your house. Reptiles need glass enclosures called “vivariums” and require heat to be comfortable. Birds need cages to prevent them from escaping. Whatever habitat your pet requires, it’s important to keep it clean and give them toys to entertain them. * Pets need socializing

TOM This gorgeous pup is about 16 weeks old. Cross Jack Russell. Very playful and ready for his own home.

NO ADOPTIOIN FEE BUT A DONATION IS MUCH APPRECIATED. Also, many other dogs, puppies, cats & kittens needing homes. Food and donations also urgently needed and can be left at ARC’s charity shop on CarrerValencia 1, Jalon between 10 am & 1.00 pm Monday to Saturday. Contact Tel No Sally:- 625 985 689 or Jayne:- 649 310 285.Email jalonvalleyarc14@yahoo.co.uk. Facebook – Jalon Valley A.R.C. Based in Jalon. Charity Reg No CV-01-054107-A. CIF No G5482759

Residencia canina y felina Boarding kennel & Cattery

Since nce 11977 97 desde/si

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

Individual rooms Ozono Music Heated floor system Landscaped playgrounds Free home delivery service All types of dogs & cats allowed

Just like people, pets can get lonely. Dogs need lots of human time, and walks to go to the bathroom and exercise. While cats seem like loners, they’re actually quite social. Even a cat who doesn’t want to cuddle may sit nearby. Fish or gerbils are more contented with the presence of an animal of the same species. Adopting two pets together can prevent loneliness. * Just like you, pets need check-ups Finally, most pets need regular check-ups. Vet visits can be costly, so before becoming a pet owner, make sure you’re prepared. Pet ownership is a serious responsibility - their health

and care is now up to you. Understanding these important facts about pet care for each type of animal can help every family find the right pet. According to the ASPCA, about 3.2 million cats and 3.3 million dogs are brought to shelters each year. Whenever you’re looking for a pet, remember that there are always many more available than human families to give them homes. Individual pet owners, families, communities and companies can all play a part in ensuring that animals are provided shelter while they wait for their forever homes, and in encouraging their adoption. Animal companions give so much to the families who love them, and communities can help more pets get adopted by providing know-how. Learning which type of pet may be right for you and your family can start with a program such as Pets Like U at PetSmart stores around the country. Specially designed and supported by the Field Trip Factory for grades K-2 or 3-6, the program teaches children about the needs, care and behavior of different types of pets, whether furry, fishy or scaly. “Our experiential programs teach students important life skills within real life environments in a fun and engaging way. We receive consistent feedback from educators that their students show greater retention of the key learning concepts and higher interest in the corresponding curriculum subject,” says Field Trip Factory president Etienne Veber.

Pets in Spain Luna and Sol are around 8 year old Bichon’s and in need of a new home together. They were previously kept outside so they will need some training. They are both chipped and vaccinated and Luna sterilized. Call: 645 469

Call: 645 469 253 www.petsinspain.com info@petsinspain.com

Andy Mansell’s

Stars In

FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Bieber feeling disconnected

Following on from last week’s news of Progidy frontman Keith Flint’s suicide, and poor Avici, suffering the same fate last year, it’s worrying to hear that teen superstar, Justin Bieber is struggling with depression. Posting a message on his Instagram feed, he told his 105 million followers: “Just wanted to keep you guys updated a little

offered their support, bit hopefully what I’m Bieber, who married going through will resonate with you guys. model Hailey Baldwin last year spoke of his “Been struggling a attempt to rekindle his lot.”Just feeling super Christian faith. disconnected and “God is faithful and weird. ur prayers really work “I always bounce back so I’m not worried thanks .. the most human season I’ve just wanted to reach ever been in facing my out and ask for your stuff head on.” (sic) guys to pray for Well done Justin, me.” it’s always best to As thousands of his face your struggles fans praised him for his honesty in opening head on ….. keep going up to his struggles and strong.

Justin Bieber has opened up about his depression

Our Bond’s electric Only 155 models of the £250,000, Aston Martin Rapide E, will be built. Say it quietly, so as not to upset the petrol-heads out there, but the most celebrated spy in movie history is going all PC on us. According to The Sun, who have been talking to an insider on the next James Bond movie, Daniel Craig, who will bow out from the lead role after this movie, is set to drive a £250,000 limited edition Aston Martin Rapide E, the first electric car from the British manufacturer, and one of only 155 being built. First time Bond director, Cary Fukunaga, who takes over from Danny Boyle for the as yet unnamed film, apparently wants to give Bond an environmentally friendly edge. The ‘insider’ confirmed, “The decision was spearheaded by the film’s

new director, who’s a total tree-hugger. “Everybody is afraid of Bond getting labelled ‘too PC’ but they all felt the time was right to put him in a zero emission vehicle.” “It’s going to be the centre of an incredible action sequence in the movie. James Bond is known for driving amazing cars and this one won’t disappoint either as it’s going to have all the high-tech gadgets.” Said the snitch. The new movie is due to go into production next month, with rumours surfacing, that Bohemian Rhapsody Oscar Winner, Rami Malek, will play the villain. Exciting stuff, can’t wait to see James Bond chasing him in his all electric, souped up mobility scooter.

n My Eyes FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Divine Devine Behind her fierce looks Magenta Devine was fun and friendly More sad news arrived this week, with the death of TV presenter Magenta Devine, 61, who passed away after a short illness. As presenter of programmes such as the teen issues, show, Network 7 andthe Rough Guides travel series, the star had a famously chequered past. She went to rehab in the 1990s for heroin addiction and depression, was declared bankrupt in 2003, then in 2007, after seeking many treatments for her addictions said, “I’ve done rehab and, if my

experience is anything to go by, it is usually a complete waste of money.” Famous for her trademark dark glasses, which she never took off, her severe black bob and red lipstick, she definitely had style. Despite her formidable looks, she was in fact very approachable, as a friend of mine, who worked with her in the 80’s confirmed to me recently. And here’s a thing …… she was actually a white blonde albino, with pink eyes, hence the permanent shades. Who knew??

t r o p s a h c u s ’s m a h Beck face said Football icon, David Beckham’s s was nes like his in tue sta a it all, when official unveiling revealed to him, ahead of its m. diu sta ’s at LA Galaxy star could The only words, the horrified k like, “Stretch loo him de ma it t tha s mutter wa its sculptor, Armstrong”, politely informing s when I saw it wa it n tha nt ere diff “It’s slightly in Chicago.” believe, what When the sculptor replied, “I in motion,“a you e tur I did here was try to cap ah but there was crestfallen David replied: “Ye o making me… als but capturing me in motion look at my chin!” this is such a “I don’t want to offend you but r to get to this yea a en tak It’s . me for big thing

go in front of point. There is no way that cang.” the stadium. It’s embarrassin n’t know was it Of course, what Beckham did of organised was all part of an elaborate spoa slot on His US by his mate James Corden, for TV hit, The Late Show. r were fakes, Both the statue and the sculpto kham, Bec which were finally revealed to e it to the raiz to d ive when a bulldozer arr ground. his twitter Corden later posted a tweet onBeckham for id Dav to s ank “Th ….. ing feed say “ being the best sport possible!den had played Cor if t tha bt dou w eho I som Mrs Beckham, the same trick on sour faced sporting. she would have been quite so

Beckham was horrified when the fake statue was revealed

Hello Seattle ...... Frasier’s back!

The whispers turned into murmurs, grewinto loud rumbles and this week Kelsey Grammar gave the loudest hint possible, that the World’s most celebrated sitcom is set for a revival. Yes, Frasier, the hilarious ensemble show, featuring Kelsey, as the eccentric radio psychiatrist, Frasier Crane, which last aired back in 2004, will more than likely be back on our screens in the not too distant future. Speaking to Metro in the UK, he confirmed, “stories are being pitched, the writing rooms have been booked, but ‘cheques haven’t been written.” That may prove something of a stumbling block, as at Frasier’s peak he was paid an estimated $1.6million (1.4€million) per episode, making him the highest paid TV actor of all time. With a grand total of 37 Emmy wins and a further 71 nominations, the comedy, which grew as an offshoot from Kelsey’s character in that other

legendary US import, Cheers, had a total of 34 million viewers tuning in for its final episode, when it aired stateside. The small cast, which included, father Martin (played by John Mahoney), erratic brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), sister-inlaw Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves), and the rebellious Roz Doyle (PeriGilpin) made up the single most celebrated ensemble group of all time. Kelsey stressed, “I’d want everybody back,” although following the death of John in 2018 there will always be something missing. “We would need to deal with that within the storytelling, but I’d want everybody back, if they want to come back, which they seem to, thankfully.” So, good news all around and let’s just hope they keep the famous closing theme tune which goes, ”Oh, baby I hear the blues a callin’, tossed salad and scrambled eggs ………… They’re callin’ again!! Haha.

Kelsey Grammar wants the whole cast to return

friday 8th june 2018

FRIDAY 15th March

07:00 Breakfast 07:30 Good Morning 10:15 Crimewatch Dagenham Roadshow 08:15 Money for Nothing 11:00 Homes Under the 09:00 Antiques Roadshow Hammer 11:00 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 Good Morning 13:15 Politics Live Dagenham 14:00 Think Tank 12:45 A1: Britain’s Longest 14:45 Pilgrimage with Road Simon Reeve 13:15 Bargain Hunt 16:45 The Hairy Bikers’ 14:00 BBC News at One Pubs That Built Britain 14:45 Doctors 17:15 Lost Land of the 15:15 Shakespeare Tiger and Hathaway: Private 18:15 Put Your Money Investigators Where Your Mouth Is 16:00 Escape to the 19:00 Eggheads Country 19:30 Great Continental 16:45 Money for Nothing Railway Journeys 17:30 Flog It! 20:00 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 21:00 Mastermind 19:00 BBC News at Six 21:30 Gardeners’ World 20:00 Comic Relief 22:00 Australia: Earth’s

06:50 Countdown 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 07:25 Cheers 08:45 Frasier 07:00 Good Morning Britain 10:10 Everybody Loves 09:30 Lorraine Raymond 11:10 Ramsay’s Hotel Hell 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 12:05 Undercover Boss USA 11:30 This Morning 13:30 ITV Lunchtime News 13:00 Channel 4 News 13:55 ITV News London 13:05 Come Dine with Me 14:05 Find It, Fix It, Flog It 14:00 Live: ITV Racing Live 15:10 Countdown 17:30 Tipping Point: Best 16:00 A Place in the Sun: Ever Finals Winter Sun 18:00 The Chase: Celebrity17:00 Escape to the Chateau: DIY Special 19:00 ITV News London 18:00 Four in a Bed 19:30 ITV Evening News 18:30 Come Dine with Me 20:00 Emmerdale 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:30 Coronation Street 21:30 Vera 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 Food Unwrapped 23:30 ITV News

SATURDAY 16th March

10:15 Jeremy Vine 12:15 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 14:10 Access 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 A Wicked Vendetta 17:00 Friends 17:30 Friends 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Canada: A Year in the Wild 21:00 Great British Ships 22:00 Die Hard With a Vengeance

07:20 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 08:10 You’ve Been Framed! 09:00 Emmerdale 10:00 You’ve Been Framed! 10:25 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 11:20 Superstore 12:15 You’ve Been Framed! 13:15 Emmerdale 14:15 You’ve Been Framed! 14:45 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:35 The Jeremy Kyle Show 18:50 Take Me Out 20:00 You’ve Been Framed!

07:00 Coronation Street 07:25 Coronation Street 07:55 Heartbeat 09:00 Murder, She Wrote 10:00 Judge Judy 11:25 On the Buses 12:35 Rising Damp 13:05 George and Mildred 13:40 Heartbeat 14:45 Emmerdale 15:50 Coronation Street 16:55 Agatha Christie’s Marple 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs 21:30 Doc Martin 23:30 Lewis

07:00 The King of Queens 11:20 A Knight’s Tale 07:00 Rising Damp 07:00 Totally Bonkers 07:00 Breakfast 07:45 All Over the Place 10:30 James Martin’s 07:50 The Big Bang Guinness World Records 07:25 Rising Damp Saturday Morning 11:00 Saturday Kitchen 14:00 Friends 08:15 Wild & Weird 07:15 Emmerdale Omnibus 07:50 Carry on Dick 12:40 ITV Lunchtime News Theory Live 14:25 Friends 08:30 Absolute Genius 09:00 Everybody Loves 09:30 Agatha Christie’s 09:50 Coronation Street 13:00 Live: Six Nations 12:30 Mary Berry’s Quick With Dick and Dom 14:55 Friends Raymond Marple Omnibus Rugby Cooking 15:25 Friends 09:00 Top Class 10:00 Frasier 11:35 Agatha Christie’s 12:50 The Voice UK 15:45 Catchphrase 13:00 Football Focus 15:55 Friends 09:30 The Dog Ate My 16:50 ITV Evening News 11:30 The Simpsons 14:00 BBC Weekend News Homework 16:25 A Sister’s Obsession 14:05 Britain’s Got Talent Marple 13:40 Agatha Christie’s 15:10 You’ve Been 14:15 Bargain Hunt 18:05 The Yorkshire Vet 10:00 Deadly on a Mission: 17:00 ITV News London 13:00 Formula 1 Motor Racing Marple Framed! 17:15 Live: Six Nations 15:00 Six Nations Rugby Pole to Pole 19:15 The Yorkshire Vet 14:30 Four in a Bed 15:50 Agatha Christie’s 15:40 Yogi Bear 15:30 Live: Six Nations 20:25 5 News Weekend 10:30 Nature’s MicroworldsRugby 17:00 Sun, Sea and Brides 20:30 Elizabeth: Our Poirot 17:20 Ella Enchanted 20:30 The Voice UK Rugby 11:00 Bolt 18:00 Lewis 19:25 The Hobbit: The 22:30 The Jonathan Ross To Be 18:00 Escape to the Queen 12:30 Homes Under the 18:00 A Place in the Sun: 22:30 The Queen Mother Battle of the Five Armies 20:00 Lewis Show Country Hammer Winter Sun 22:00 Agatha Christie’s 22:00 Horrible Bosses 18:30 Impossible 23:30 ITV News 23:30 Inferno 13:00 Rick Stein’s Long 18:35 The Secret Life of Poirot Celebrities 23:45 Gangster Squad Weekends the Zoo 19:20 BBC Weekend News 14:00 Nigellissima 19:30 Channel 4 News 19:30 BBC London News 14:30 My Life on a Plate 20:00 Great Canal 19:40 Pointless Celebrities 15:15 Money for Nothing Journeys 20:30 Live: Match of the 16:00 Pilgrimage: The 21:00 The Second Best Day Road to Santiago Exotic Marigold Hotel 23:00 BBC Weekend News 17:00 Horizon 23:25 Sicario 23:20 Match of the Day

SUNDAY 17th March

07:00 Breakfast 05:40 Come Dine with Me 08:00 Great British Garden 10:25 ITV News 10:15 Match of the Day 10:30 Parveen’s Indian 06:35 Kirstie’s Fill Your Revival 11:00 The Andrew Marr House for Free 09:00 The Edible Garden Kitchen Show 11:30 This Morning 06:55 The Big Bang 09:30 Gardeners’ World 12:00 Sunday Politics 12:30 Ainsley’s Caribbean Theory 10:00 Countryfile 12:30 Walks of Life Kitchen 07:45 The Simpsons 10:55 Saturday Kitchen 13:30 Flog It! 13:30 ITV Lunchtime News 08:35 Frasier Best Bites 13:50 BBC Weekend News 12:25 The Hairy Bikers’ 09:30 Everybody Loves 13:40 The Voice UK 14:05 Songs of Praise 15:40 Tenable Raymond Chicken and Egg 14:40 Live: Match of the 16:40 Tipping Point 10:30 Sunday Brunch 13:25 Best Bakes Ever Day 13:50 Three Coins in the 17:35 ITV Evening News 13:30 Jamie’s Quick and 17:15 A Question of Sport Fountain 17:45 ITV News London Easy Food 17:45 Pointless Celebrities 15:30 Money for Nothing 18:00 The Chase: Celebrity14:00 The Simpsons 18:35 Comic Relief Special 15:00 Formula 1 16:30 Coast 19:35 BBC Weekend News 17:00 Natural World 19:00 All Star Musicals 17:00 A Place in the Sun: 19:50 BBC London News 18:00 Six Nations Rugby 21:00 Midsomer Murders Winter Sunn 20:00 Countryfile 18:15 The Great Celebrity 23:00 ITV News 19:00 Australia: Earth’s 21:00 Antiques Roadshow Magical Kingdom Bake Off: Stand Up To 23:15 Joanna Lumley’s 22:00 Baptiste Cancer 20:00 Inside the Factory India 23:00 BBC Weekend News 21:00 Top Gear 20:00 Escape to the 23:20 BBC London News 22:00 Race Across the Chateau

11:05 Make You Laugh Out 07:00 Emmerdale Omnibus07:00 Rising Damp 09:35 Coronation Street 07:25 Heartbeat Loud Omnibus 08:20 Heartbeat 11:30 Friends 12:35 Britain’s Got Talent 09:20 Love Your Garden 12:00 Friends 13:35 Catchphrase 10:25 Bugsy Malone 12:30 Friends 14:35 You’ve Been 12:15 Agatha Christie’s 13:00 Friends Framed! Marple 13:30 Friends 15:40 Antz 14:20 Agatha Christie’s 14:00 Labyrinth 16:05 Canada: A Year in 17:20 Dr. Seuss’ the Lorax Marple 19:00 Happy Feet Two 16:25 Agatha Christie’s the Wild Poirot 17:05 Canada: A Year in 21:00 Spectre 23:50 Family Guy 18:40 Agatha Christie’s the Wild Poirot 18:05 Canada: A Year in 19:55 Agatha Christie’s the Wild Poirot 19:00 Canada: A Year in 21:00 The Durrells the Wild 22:00 The Durrells 19:55 5 News Weekend 23:00 Grantchester 20:00 Building the World’s Most Luxurious Ship 21:00 All Inclusive Holiday: Is It Worth It?

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

MONDAY 18th March

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Crimewatch Roadshow 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Good Morning Dagenham 12:45 Dom on the Spot 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News at One 14:30 BBC London News 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Money for Nothing 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News at Six 19:30 BBC London News

07:00 Good Morning 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle 06:50 Countdown Dagenham Show 07:30 Cheers 07:45 Money for Nothing 07:00 Good Morning 08:45 Frasier 08:30 Great British Menu Britain 10:10 Everybody Loves 09:30 Lorraine 09:00 Great American Raymond Railroad Journeys 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle 10:40 Everybody Loves 09:30 The Week in Show Raymond 11:30 This Morning Parliament 11:10 Ramsay’s Hotel Hell 10:00 BBC News at Nine 13:30 Loose Women 12:05 Undercover Boss 11:00 Victoria Derbyshire 14:30 ITV Lunchtime News USA 12:00 BBC Newsroom Live15:00 Judge Rinder 13:05 Come Dine with Me 16:00 Tenable 13:15 Politics Live 14:05 Find It, Fix It, Flog It 14:00 Women’s Six 17:00 Tipping Point 15:10 Countdown 18:00 The Chase Nations Rugby 16:00 A Place in the Sun: 19:00 ITV News London Summer Sun 14:30 Caribbean with Simon Reeve 19:30 ITV Evening News 17:00 Escape to the 20:00 Emmerdale 15:30 Coast Chateau: DIY 16:15 The Hairy Bikers’ 20:30 Coronation Street 18:00 Four in a Bed 21:00 The Kyle Files Pubs That Built Britain 18:30 Come Dine with Me 16:45 The Hairy Bikers’ 21:30 Coronation Street 19:00 The Simpsons Pubs That Built Britain 22:00 Harry’s Heroes: The 19:30 Hollyoaks 17:15 Atlantic: The Wildest Full English 21:00 Dispatches

What’s

07:00 The Planet’s 10:15 Jeremy Vine Funniest Animals 12:15 The Nightmare 07:20 Totally Bonkers Neighbour Next Door 13:10 5 News Lunchtime Guinness World Records 07:45 Totally Bonkers 13:15 Can’t Pay? We’ll Guinness World Records Take it Away! 08:10 You’ve Been 14:10 Access Framed! 14:15 Home and Away 08:35 You’ve Been 14:45 Neighbours Framed! 15:15 A Father’s Secret 09:00 Emmerdale 17:00 Friends 09:25 Coronation Street 18:00 5 News at 5 10:25 The Ellen 18:30 Neighbours DeGeneres Show 19:00 Home and Away 11:20 Superstore 19:30 5 News Tonight 11:50 Superstore 20:00 Premiership Cup 12:15 You’ve Been Rugby 20:30 Criminals: Caught on Framed! 12:45 You’ve Been Camera 21:00 Police Interceptors Framed! 22:00 Around the World by 13:15 Emmerdale Train with Tony Robinson 13:45 Coronation Street

Food Unwrapped

NEW SERIES: Land Travelling from the peaks of the Snowy Mountains to tropical Queensland, cameras reveal how animals have learned to thrive across the continent’s harsh and beautiful extremes.

NEW SERIES: The team returns to explore the secrets behind mass-produced food, meeting technicians, scientists, factory owners, growers and producers, finding out exactly what goes into the everyday groceries that end up on the supermarket shelves.

The nation’s unique wildlife includes a treedwelling kangaroo, a spider that survives underwater and a bird that gathers burning sticks and embers from bush fires to drops into dry grass to spread a curtain of flame that flushes out insects and small prey. Narrated by Barry Humphries

TUESDAY 19th March

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Crimewatch Roadshow 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Good Morning Dagenham 12:45 Dom on the Spot 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News at One 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Money for Nothing 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News at Six 20:00 The One Show

07:00 Coronation Street 07:25 Coronation Street 07:55 Heartbeat 09:00 Murder, She Wrote 10:00 Judge Judy 10:30 Judge Judy 10:55 Judge Judy 11:25 On the Buses 12:00 On the Buses 12:30 Rising Damp 13:05 George and Mildred 13:40 Heartbeat 14:45 Emmerdale 15:15 Emmerdale 15:50 Coronation Street 16:20 Coronation Street 16:55 Agatha Christie’s Marple 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Endeavour 23:00 Scott & Bailey

new this week

Australia: Earth’s Magical Kingdom

Australia: Earth’s Magical Kingdom BBC2 London 10:00pm Fri 15 Mar

Channel 4 HD 9:30pm Mon 18 Mar

Jimmy Doherty finds out how Sri Lanka is coping with a looming coconut shortage, while Kate Quilton discovers whether compostables could be the answer to worldwide plastic pollution problem, annd Matt Tebbutt is in Paris to learn why the macaron has such a hefty price tag

06:05 The Jeremy Kyle 06:50 Countdown 07:00 The World’s Most Photographed Show 07:30 Cheers 07:30 Good Morning 07:00 Good Morning 08:45 Frasier 10:10 Everybody Loves Dagenham Britain Raymond 08:15 Money for Nothing 09:30 Lorraine 11:10 Ramsay’s Hotel Hell 09:00 Great British Menu 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle 09:30 River Walks Show 12:05 Undercover Boss 10:00 BBC News at Nine 11:30 This Morning 13:00 Channel 4 News 13:05 Come Dine with Me 11:00 Victoria Derbyshire 13:30 Loose Women 12:00 BBC Newsroom Live 14:30 ITV Lunchtime News 14:05 Find It, Fix It, Flog It 14:55 ITV News London 15:10 Countdown 13:15 Politics Live 14:00 The Super League 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 A Place in the Sun: Show 16:00 Tenable Winter Sun 17:00 Tipping Point 17:00 Escape to the 14:45 The Great British Chateau: DIY Year 18:00 The Chase 15:45 Caribbean with 19:00 ITV News London 18:00 Four in a Bed Simon Reeve 19:30 ITV Evening News 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 16:45 The Hairy Bikers’ 20:00 Emmerdale 21:00 Save Money: Lose 19:30 Hollyoaks Pubs That Built Britain 20:00 Channel 4 News 17:15 Atlantic: The Wildest Weight Ocean on Earth 22:00 Harry’s Heroes: The 21:00 The Great Celebrity Full English

07:00 The Planet’s 10:15 Jeremy Vine Funniest Animals 12:15 The Murder Next 07:20 Totally Bonkers Door 13:10 5 News Lunchtime Guinness World Records 08:10 You’ve Been 13:15 Can’t Pay? We’ll Framed! Take it Away! 09:00 Emmerdale 14:10 Access 09:25 Coronation Street 14:15 Home and Away 10:25 The Ellen 14:45 Neighbours DeGeneres Show 15:15 Deadly Duplicate 11:20 Superstore 17:00 Friends 12:15 You’ve Been 17:30 Friends Framed! 18:00 5 News at 5 13:15 Emmerdale 18:30 Neighbours 13:45 Coronation Street 19:00 Home and Away 14:45 The Ellen 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Alaska: A Year in the DeGeneres Show 15:35 The Jeremy Kyle.. Wild 18:50 Take Me Out 21:00 The Yorkshire Vet 22:15 London: 2,000 Years 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! of History 23:15 The House of

07:00 Coronation Street 07:30 Coronation Street 07:55 Heartbeat 09:00 Murder, She Wrote 10:00 Judge Judy 11:25 On the Buses 12:00 On the Buses 12:35 Rising Damp 13:05 George and Mildred 13:40 Heartbeat 14:45 Emmerdale 15:15 Emmerdale 15:50 Coronation Street 16:20 Coronation Street 16:55 Agatha Christie’s Marple 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Agatha Christie’s Poirot 23:00 DCI Banks

Hard 32

STAR PUZZLE Hard

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Relax

Rose_0004_H1

ta Roset ROSETTA

Puzzle Star Star 0007-Grid_H2 5

1 3

4 A Rosetta is made up of a 7 6 centre coloured hexagon Example encircled by 6 white hexagons. To complete the puzzle, fill in all 7 Rosettas with each number between 1 and 7 in no particular order while also ensuring that : 2

Daily Codeword

CODEWORDS 24 January 19

STAR PUZZLE

To complete the puzzle fill in each of the empty hexagon cells with numbers between 1 & 7 following the 3 rules below; 1. No numbers in a horizontal line can be repeated. 2. No numbers in a diagonal line can be repeated. 3. No numbers in the 7 gray hexagons can be repeated.

1. No number is repeated in a horizontal row 2. Each number from 1 to 7 are represented in the 7 grey coloured hexagon cells.

6 7

3 1

Sudoku

ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Easy

* Note that each white hexagon belongs to a line of 7 that must contain each of the numbers between 1 and 7.

Medium

http://bestforpuzzles.com/dc/print.html?puzz=daily-codeword-190124

Puzzle Solutions DROP QUOTE

For a complete explanation on how this puzzle was solved visit www.hexaliagames.com “The act is unjustifiable that either begs for a blessing, or, having succeeded gives no thanksgiving. “

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

CODEWORD

Stardoku

Star 0007-Grid_Solution

QUICK CROSSWORD

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Relax

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD Across

1. Not a main road - it’s steered round (4,6) 7. Communications in a disorderly state for a very long time (8) 8. Do evening work in golf club (4) 9. Metal in first place (4) 10. We linger about at all events (7) 12. Some Frenchwomen suffering Seine sprain? (11) 14. Imposing residence for chap is no ruin (7) 16. Places of refreshment seen in opposite directions (4) 19. Nothing is included with prize rosette (4) 20. King about to be surrounded by river people in the Middle East (8) 21. Mean people hide stones (10)

Aries

Down

21st Mar – 20th Apr Knight of Cups You seem to be loving yourself more this week will show your many strengths and show you a way forward in a direction you thought you were stuck. Slow but positive progress for many Arians this week, use your patience with older people around you and be helpful - Lucky Number 31

1. Nick dislodged slate (5) 2. Hopelessness I spread about (7) 3. An indication that one has to ratify a contract? (4) 4. Desert or ruins made good (8) 5. The best selection from Japanese literature (5) 6. Large roses ordered for beaten contestants (6) 11. College boy embracing small European (8) 12. Trees by quiet country roads (6) 13. Little girl eager for material (7) 15. Baby bird (5) 17. Mistakes made with lingerie (5) 18. In part an actor always has spoken (4)

Tarus

Drop Quotes

Source: Francis Quarles

Drop Quotes are similar to cryptograms, in that the goal is for the solver to uncover a hidden quote. A blackand-white crossword-style grid is set up for each quote, with a number of letters “hovering” above each column. Your task is to “drop” each of those letters into the appropriate square in each column, until the entire quote is revealed. All punctuation (commas, periods, dashes, etc.) has been removed. Good luck!

Puzzle #I467VZ

N R

N H

G E

V O R G H H

E G D

N O C

D N

U G

21st Apr – 21st May King of Wands This will be a busy week filled to the brim with different aspects of your life. Interesting news from afar will change your perspective on life. Those working will find it difficult to leave work alone but please do take some time out for yourself and relax in some way Lucky Number 20

Gemini

22nd May – 21th June Six of Swords Not everyone around you will be on your wavelength this week, do your best to ignore anyone who wants to cause upset and all will be well for you. the second half of the week will see a more peaceful trend with a visit to or from relatives or friends being the highlight - Lucky Number 09

QUICK CROSSWORD Across 1. Charitable donations (4) 3. National emblem of Ireland (8) 9. Obstacle (7) 10. Long, pine (5) 11. Commencement (5) 12. Zealous (6) 14. UK tax collectors (6,7) 17. Science of light (6) 19. Bare (5) 22. Combine (5) 23. Slope (7) 24. Age of majority (8) 25. Supreme god of ancient Greece (4)

Down 1. Food of the gods (8) 2. Female horses (5) Copyright © Puzzle Baron March 14, 2019 - Go to www.Printable-Puzzles.com for Hints and Solutions! 4. County of Watford and Ware (13) 5. Municipal leader (5) 6. Formal speech (7) 7. Monarch (4) 8. Young cat (6) 13. Unnecessary (8) 15. Plover (7) 16. City of canals (6) 18. Incompetent (5) 20. Cutting implement (5) 21. Summer month (4)

Cancer

22nd June – 22nd July Ten of Cups Your family is extremely important to you but you have let time go by without contacting various members, now is the time to rebuild bridges and enjoy some family time. Your relationships in general will take an upturn and will help you to feel more secure within Lucky Number 22

Leo

23rd July – 22nd Aug Seven of Cups There may be some hard lessons for you this week however all will work out for the best around Thursday you will be in a positive frame of mind and those around you will be there to help you. An old friend will surprise you with news or even a visit, this will be enjoyable - Lucky Number 19

Virgo

23rd Aug– 22nd Sept The Lovers This is a time for you to re-evaluate those relationships around you that you feel are not quite right and get them sorted one way or the other, some straight talking and honesty will help you out here. There is a small miracle happening for you toward the end of the week - Lucky Number 14

Libra

23rd Sept – 22nd Oct Four of Swords Time to look at your diet and have that health check you keep thinking about, a few small changes will have you ready for a fabulous summer time. The younger generation will take up a lot of your time and energy, so find a way to take time out and enjoy some peace Lucky Number 10

Scorpio

23rd Oct – 21st Nov The Magician This is a very positive card showing you that whatever you wish to achieve around now you will achieve, put those plans into action and see just what you can create for yourself. A great week with friends and acquaintances almost feels like party time for you and yours - Lucky Number 13

Sagittarius

22nd Nov – 20th Dec Queen of Cups Are you a shopaholic? there are bargains to be found this week could well be a valuable find too, keep your eyes open. The around you will be looking for support and you will be able to give that making them and you feel fantastic. Wednesday will be most positive day - Lucky Number 36

Capricorn

21st Dec – 19th Jan The Heirophant Everything seems to be happening in twos this week. Your intuition will be heightened so go with your gut instincts when making decisions. An invitation to a wedding is on its way, best get out and buy a new outfit, a new outfit is long overdue anyway, blue is very lucky - Lucky Number 17

Aquarius

20th Jan – 19th Feb Ten of Swords Unfortunately there may be a few disappointments this week, but keep on looking to the future as new opportunities are on the way and you will be inspired in an unusual way. take this time to reflect on what you really need and want and all will workout beautifully Lucky Number 19

Pisces

20th Feb – 20th Mar Five of Swords A bit of an unsettled time this week for you but keep positive and let others do their own thing. Wednesday will see your life changing and there will be much pleasure around that time and you will find a renewed energy for the activities you wish to include in your life - Lucky Number 12

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

WEDNESDAY 20th March

07:00 The World’s Most 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle 06:50 Countdown 10:15 Jeremy Vine Photographed Show 07:30 Cheers 12:15 The Nightmare 07:30 Good Morning 07:00 Good Morning 08:45 Frasier Neighbour Next Door Dagenham Britain 10:10 Everybody Loves 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 08:15 Money for Nothing 09:30 Lorraine Raymond 13:15 Can’t Pay? We’ll 09:00 Great British Menu 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle 11:10 Ramsay’s Hotel Hell Take it Away! 09:30 Great American Show 12:05 Undercover Boss 14:10 Access Railroad Journeys 11:30 This Morning USA 14:15 Home and Away 10:00 BBC News at Nine 13:30 Loose Women 13:00 Channel 4 News 14:45 Neighbours 11:00 Victoria Derbyshire 14:30 ITV Lunchtime News 13:05 Come Dine with Me 15:15 Her Evil Twin 12:00 BBC Newsroom Live 15:00 Judge Rinder 14:05 Find It, Fix It, Flog It 17:00 Friends 12:15 Politics Live 16:00 Tenable 15:10 Countdown 17:30 Friends 14:00 Think Tank 17:00 Tipping Point 16:00 A Place in the Sun: 18:00 5 News at 5 14:45 The Great British 18:00 The Chase Summer Sun 18:30 Neighbours Year 19:00 ITV News London 17:00 Escape to the 19:00 Home and Away 15:45 Caribbean with 20:00 Emmerdale Chateau: DIY 19:30 5 News Tonight Simon Reeve 20:30 Coronation Street 18:00 Four in a Bed 20:00 Alaska: A Year in the 16:45 The Hairy Bikers’ 21:00 Britain’s Brightest 18:30 Come Dine with Me Wild Pubs That Built Britain Family 19:00 The Simpsons 21:00 GPs: Behind Closed 17:15 Atlantic: The Wildest 21:30 Coronation Street 19:30 Hollyoaks Doors Ocean on Earth 22:00 The Bay 20:00 Channel 4 News 22:00 Critical Condition 18:15 Put Your Money 23:00 ITV News at Ten 21:00 The Supervet 23:00 The House of Where Your Mouth Is 23:30 ITV News London 22:00 Married at First Sight Extraordinary People 19:00 Eggheads 23:45 Peston 23:00 Mums Make Porn

07:00 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 07:20 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 08:10 You’ve Been Framed! 09:00 Emmerdale 10:00 You’ve Been Framed! 10:25 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 11:20 Superstore 12:15 You’ve Been Framed! 13:15 Emmerdale 14:15 You’ve Been Framed! 14:45 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:35 The Jeremy Kyle Show 18:50 Take Me Out 20:00 You’ve Been Framed!

07:00 Coronation Street 07:25 Coronation Street 07:55 Heartbeat 09:00 Murder, She Wrote 10:00 Judge Judy 10:30 Judge Judy 10:55 Judge Judy 11:25 On the Buses 12:00 On the Buses 12:35 Rising Damp 13:05 George and Mildred 13:40 Heartbeat 14:45 Emmerdale 15:15 Emmerdale 15:50 Coronation Street 16:20 Coronation Street 17:00 Agatha Christie’s Marple 19:00 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Agatha Christie’s Poirot 23:20 Lewis

07:00 The World’s Most 07:00 Good Morning 06:50 Countdown Photographed Britain 07:25 Cheers 07:30 Good Morning 09:30 Lorraine 07:55 Cheers Dagenham 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle 08:20 Cheers 08:15 Money for Nothing Show 08:45 Frasier 09:00 The Great British 11:30 This Morning 09:10 Frasier Sewing Bee 13:30 Loose Women 09:40 Frasier 11:00 Victoria Derbyshire 14:30 ITV Lunchtime News 10:10 Everybody Loves 12:00 BBC Newsroom 15:00 Judge Rinder Raymond 13:15 Politics Live 16:00 Tenable 10:40 Everybody Loves 14:00 Think Tank 17:00 Tipping Point Raymond 14:45 The Great British 18:00 The Chase 11:10 Ramsay’s Hotel Hell Year 19:00 ITV News London 12:05 Undercover Boss 15:45 Talking Pictures 20:00 Emmerdale USA 16:25 Whisky Galore! 20:30 Tonight 13:00 Channel 4 News 17:45 The Hairy Bikers’ 21:00 Emmerdale 13:05 Come Dine with Me Pubs That Built Britain 21:30 Australia with Julia 14:05 Find It, Fix It, Flog It 18:15 Put Your Money Bradbury 15:10 Countdown Where Your Mouth Is 22:00 Fraud: How They 16:00 A Place in the Sun: 19:00 Eggheads Steal Your Bank Account Winter Sun 19:30 Great Continental 23:00 ITV News at Ten 17:00 Escape to the Railway Journeys 23:30 ITV News London Chateau: DIY 20:00 MOTD: The Premier 23:45 Harry’s Heroes: The 18:00 Four in a Bed League Show Full English 18:30 Come Dine with Me

07:00 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 07:20 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 08:10 You’ve Been Framed! 09:00 Emmerdale 09:25 Coronation Street 10:25 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 11:20 Superstore 12:15 You’ve Been Framed! 13:15 Emmerdale 13:45 Coronation Streett 14:45 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:35 The Jeremy Kyle Show 18:50 Take Me Out 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 22:00 Family Guy 23:00 Celebrity Juice

07:00 Coronation Street 07:25 Coronation Street 08:00 Heartbeat 09:05 Murder, She Wrote 10:05 Judge Judy 10:35 Judge Judy 11:00 Judge Judy 11:25 On the Buses 12:00 On the Buses 12:35 Rising Damp 13:05 George and Mildred 13:40 Heartbeat 14:45 Emmerdale 15:15 Emmerdale 15:50 Coronation Street 16:20 Coronation Street 16:55 Agatha Christie’s Marple 18:55 Heartbeat 20:00 Murder, She Wrote 21:00 Vera 23:00 Law & Order: UK

THURSDAY 21st March

our

Top

movies

A poverty-stricken squire spies an opportunity to make his dreams come true when his employer dies. He takes his place as a knight, launching himself on the road to riches by competing in jousting tournaments, but his ruse is jeopardised by a dastardly nobleman. Comedy adventure, starring Heath Ledger, Paul Bettany, Mark Addy, Shannyn Sossamon and Rufus Sewell

this

week

Labyrinth (1986)

A Knight’s Tale (2001) Sat 16 Mar 11:25am Channel 5

10:15 Jeremy Vine 12:15 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! 14:10 Access 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 The Nightmare Nanny 17:00 Friends 17:30 Friends 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Alaska: A Year in the Wild 21:00 Secrets of Your Supermarket Food 22:00 Drain the Oceans 23:00 The Sex Business

8.1/10

Sun 17 Mar 2:00pm Channel 5 A teenager wishes her baby brother would be taken away, only to have her request granted by a band of goblins and their sinister king. She regrets her decision and sets out to rescue him, but to reach the castle where he is being held, she must find her way through a magical maze full of strange creatures. Jim Henson’s fantasy adventure, starring Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie

7.9/10

FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Stupid selfie

World News

Italy fights back against anti-vaxxers Donald Trump and anti-vax figurehead Andrew Wakefield.

Probably not the picture the victim was looking for.

ONE of the most notable trends in the last few years is the rise of the selfie, and as people look for that perfect shot to add to social media (whatever happened to photo albums?) an increasing number are dying or being injured in the process. The most common cause of harm is standing too close to a temptingly scenic precipice, and doubtless, you can work the rest out for yourself. However, a woman in the US must rate as one of the daftest selfie protagonists after climbing a jaguar cage

at a zoo to take her shot. The incident happened last week at the Wildlife World Zoo near Phoenix (Arizona) after the unnamed young woman thought it would be a good idea to climb over barriers to get a picture without any of those pesky bars spoiling her shot. You probably don’t have to be an animal behaviour expert to work out what happened next and the jaguar immediately attacked her, sinking its jaws into her arm. A woman in the crowd distracted the big cat by pushing a water bottle

through its cage and another brave bystander dragged the screaming woman free. The victim was taken to the hospital and later issued an apology to the zoo for her behaviour, although, understandably, she preferred to keep her anonymity. Meanwhile, Wildlife World has assured worried animal lovers that nothing will happen to the female jaguar, as there were proper barriers in place and the woman in question was clearly at fault, not the big cat.

Deadly crash shakes aviation world

IT’S sad but true that when there are air crashes in “distant” places like Africa (but not the more distant USA) it may make the headlines for a day or two but the news cycle quickly moves on. However, the recent disaster in Ethiopia is still making the headlines for two reasons, the international makeup of the passenger roster and the fact that the nature of the crash is starting to have global repercussions for the aviation industry. There were no survivors when the Boeing 737 fell out of the sky shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa last Sunday and the 157 fatalities were from 35 countries, including the UK and Spain. While the victim’s friends and family go through the painful grieving process, aviation experts have

Scenes from the Ethiopian crash site.

AFTER an upsurge in measles cases, Italian authorities have recently taken the decision to exclude young children from school who do not have their required vaccinations. The new law applies to children under six and while elder children have to attend school under current rules, their parent’s face stiff fines if their kids are not immunised. The move follows a rise in the “anti-vax” movement globally, as parents refuse to vaccinate their children despite overwhelming scientific evidence disproving fears such as links to autism. Childhood vaccination had fallen to 80% in Italy, with 95% seen as being the threshold below which epidemics become a real risk. Children with weak immune systems, such as those recovering from leukaemia, had been advised to stay away from school due to the enhanced risk of infection.

by Simon Russell

While the Italian move is starting to have a positive effect the initial problem is being mirrored in much of the developed world. The issue goes all the way back to the long-discredited British GP Andrew Wakefield who first made the autism link and was then found to have falsified his entire findings and was struck off. However, Mr Wakefield moved to the US and is behind a resurgence of his claims over there, hiding behind “free speech” and looser healthcare regulations. As a result of the drop in immunisations, measles rates are steadily climbing in America and there are fears the matter could soon get out of hand. President Trump has regularly tweeted about the link between autism and vaccination, despite his own health department completely refuting this.

www.happy30thbirthday.com

by Matthew Richards

turned their attention to the plane that crashed, a Boeing 737 Max 8. This is the second disaster involving this exact model following the one in Indonesia last October which killed all 189 people on board. Max 8 is a relatively new and extremely common aircraft globally. In response to the recent disaster, around 40 countries had ordered this model to be grounded until an investigation into the latest incident is completed. Boeing initially stood by the airworthiness of the plane but bowed to the growing pressure on Thursday after the US also decided to stop the Max 8 from flying. The firm has grounded the 371 craft dotted around the globe from taking off saying “they continue to have full confidence in the safety of the 737 Max...but have grounded it out of an abundance of caution”. Back on the ground the black box flight recorder has been recovered but is said to be badly damaged from the 8,000 feet fall. The Red Cross, medical teams and other workers are also at the site, charged with the unenviable task of recovering debris, belongings and body parts. Air accident investigation experts will also be trawling the site for evidence of what caused the latest tragedy. Early reports are that the flight and crash trajectory were almost identical to the Indonesian tragedy, which many think is the real reason Boeing have felt obliged to ground the fleet.

Tim Berners-Lee.

The World Wide Web - not to be confused with the internet itself celebrated it’s 30th birthday this week. On 12th March 1989 British scientist Tim Berners-Lee first conceived the idea of the web, which manifests itself most simply in the www hyper-link you’ll see at the start of every web-page you go to. Berners-Lee’s concept was that computers could talk to each other with a browser that received information from a server, basically revolutionising the then primitive internet, which had actually been around in various forms since the early 1960s. He put forward the idea when working as a young physicist at the CERN laboratory in Switzerland and thirty years later here we are with everything from having information beyond belief at your fingertips to cat videos. Talking about his achievement this week Mr Berners-Lee said he had regrets

by Simon Russell

around things such as the way domain names are allocated “Every time I hear that somebody has purchased the domain name of their new enterprise for $50,000 instead of $500 I sigh” he said, while online scammers are also a concern. And the future of the web? Firstly it will need to deal with major issues such as state sponsored hacking, criminal attacks, disinformation and online harassment. Partly to cope with this he thinks everything almost needs to be rewritten from scratch, a clean sheet to start again, ironing out the glitches, the crooks and the cranks. Other commentators think the web itself may have peaked - not the internet itself to go back to my earlier point - as more people write their own code, bypassing the famous www altogether.

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Sports & Local News

Horoscopes ARIES (March 21st-April 20th) LIBRA (Sept 24th-Oct 23rd) Step out of your routine, Aries. Try to see nightmares as safe ways to Do this every so often to increase understand feelings, Libra. No one your knowledge and expand your likes to experience them, and we’d horizons. The planetary aspects sooner forget them once awake, favor this. Walking to a different but the best way to ensure they ARIES beat can give you far more than LIBRA don’t return is to understand them. you imagine. Try something you’ve What’s frightening you? Why do you never considered before. Go to a new place. Change feel insecure? Consider these questions and look for your desk around to gain a new perspective. See answers. Fear, pain, and anxiety are the most common what you can discover about yourself and the world. ingredients of a real cold-sweat nightmare.

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st) Are you satisfied with your current career, Taurus? If not, start by making a plan. There are specific steps that you can follow to take the greatest advantage TAURUS of the available opportunities. Consider visiting career-related websites or ask a career counselor for advice. Don’t settle for less than you deserve. See what you can find, and move toward a more fulfilling future.

SCORPIO (Oct 24th-Nov 22nd) Are you living your dreams, Scorpio? Are you still in touch with them? The energy from today’s planetary aspects can lend strength and encouragement SCORPIO to this part of your life. Seize the opportunity to take hold of the things that you want most of all. Ask yourself what you want people to say about you after you’re gone. Get back on track to a fulfilled life by taking steps toward your desires.

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st) Don’t fear any changes that lie ahead, Gemini. Even if you think you don’t adjust well, you have more adaptability than you realize. Without GEMINI change, life would become stagnant. It wouldn’t be long before you became dissatisfied and bored with the same old thing. Try to see change as an adventure and a gateway to greater happiness and fulfillment. Trust your versatility.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23rd-Dec 21st) Check out advancing your career or education today, Sagittarius. The energy can favor expansion and growth. When was the last time you SAGITTARIUS learned a new skill? It doesn’t have to be work related. If flower arranging, skydiving, or massage therapy is something that appeals to you, go for it. Never stop looking for ways to expand your knowledge.

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd) Make your dreams a tool for gaining insight, Cancer. In the past, some rulers believed that their dreams held great insights and they employed people CANCER to interpret them. Whether you think dreams are mystical insights or random brainwaves, there is much to be gained. Recurring dreams hold significance. They can point to something that you need to take care of. Consider exploring this area.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22nd-Jan 20th) Do you recognize your intuition as a valuable asset, Capricorn? Some people do and some don’t. Which group are you in? It’s easier to trust in concrete, CAPRICORN factual reality than in things you can’t see or touch. But your intuition can serve you more than you may realize. That gut feeling you experience can guide you with caution and alert you to danger. Put more trust in it and see.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd) Follow your instincts, Leo. Even if you have a tendency to listen more to reason, put it aside today. While your ears hear words, your intuition can hear what’s between the words LEO and unsaid, providing you with a bigger picture than whatever is presented. If everything sounds right but feels wrong, you’d be better off trusting your feelings. Act with careful consideration and caution.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21st-Feb 19th) Use your creativity to make things happen today, Aquarius. Remember that creativity doesn’t always take the form of a finished product. Use it to come up with innovative ways AQUARIUS to approach a task, project, or problem. Trust in your ability to discover such possibilities. You’re an intelligent and creative person. Combine the two to make an unbeatable tool for finding solutions to almost anything.

VIRGO (August 24th-Sept 23rd) Feed your mind new knowledge, Virgo. Visit a bookstore or read some interesting information on the web. If you have more time, visit the library or find out about some courses that might VIRGO be perfect for you. There’s knowledge to be had everywhere you look, provided you’re open to receiving it. People are often the best resource. Ask someone to explain something, if that’s what you need.

PISCES (Feb 20th-March 20th) Find some new ways to expand your horizons, Pisces. The web has an infinite amount of information to explore, and your community and local offer many courses PISCES colleges from which to choose. Think about what you’d enjoy learning. Perhaps a new skill for your job or a crafts class that shows you how to make things. Whether self-defense or Italian strikes your fancy, it’s out there. Find it.

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Quesada Bowls Club Report TEAM:- Carlos, Dimitry, Fernando, Manuel, Alex, Carlos Lorente, David, Roberto, Macia, Vaz, Daniel. SUB’s:- Sergio, Mario, Dario, Jesus, Jose. Very much like the proverbial “ferrets in a sack”, the battle for survival at the bottom of Grupo 8 is becoming increasingly fraught as games rapidly dwindle away. Sunday’s clash with CD Dolores took another twist with late drama and, yet again, a controversial decision by the man-in-the-middle. Montesinos lined up with yet more changes, centre back Dimitry keeping his spot along with Roberto, Diego & Carlos Lorente, returning from bans. Out injured were Morante and Maccan, while midfielder German serves a ban due to five yellow cards. On the bench, new signing Jesus David from Algorfa made his debut in the red and white stripes. Also on the bench, returning from a long injury lay-off, was Josema. After the usual nervy start by both teams, it was Dolores who showed the better, with one or two quarter chances going begging. On 18 minutes though, Monte had the ball in the net, after exceptional work out wide from the ever lively Carlos Lorente, saw Vaz poke home, only for the referee to rule it out for offside. Again though, it was very much Dolores in the ascendency and they could consider themselves unlucky not to take the lead when on two separate occasions when one-on-one with Carlos they shot at him or high over the bar. The Monte back line was, to be honest, struggling to cope with the pace of the Dolores attack. So it was with some relief that on 35 minutes that, following a moment of true class by Carlos Lorente on the left, his zipped cross was met, first time, by Vaz, who slammed the ball into the net. This was, it has to be said, much against the general run of play, but Monte didn’t care about that.

Five minutes later, Dolores were level, but once again as in previous games, in controversial circumstances. Following yet another right sided incursion, the attacker saw his goal-bound shot pushed away brilliantly by Carlos, only for the ball to be fired in again across the goal line towards a Dolores player standing next to the far post. He gleefully tapped the ball in (he could hardly miss this time from that range!) and the referee, who up until this point had a reasonable game, amazingly awarded the goal. He was immediately surrounded by an angry cluster of Monte players pointing out the obvious, i.e. that the Dolores player was “nearer to the goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent” or at least something very similar. Their protests were all to no avail though, as clearly this official wasn’t aware of the finer details Law 11 of the Laws Of The Game, sadly, in common with a lot of his colleagues After a flurry of (what had been absent until then) yellow cards, the game returned to its dismal ebb and flow, definitely not one for the purists. Bizarrely, following the award of a free kick in a central position, a Dolores player decided to remonstrate with the referee who subsequently gave him a second yellow and ordered him off. There then followed several minutes of too-ing and fro-ing as players came and went and the game as any kind of sporting spectacle diminished into a travesty.

The final whistle blew and sadly, the official left the field surrounded by arguing and bickering players. A sad sight indeed and Half Time: CD Dolores 0 – 1 CD Mon- one that seems to repeat itself all too often. A tesinos miserable end to a miserable game. The second period commenced with, not for the first time this season, Monte on the back foot, conceding territory whilst hoping for breakaway goals. In the very first minute of play, Carlos had to be on his mettle to stop a rasping shot. It was clear from this that Dolores were very much up for this game. With Monte continuing to live dangerously and only occasionally threatening to penetrate their opponents goal, coach Ruben took off Roberto for the more defence-minded Pastor.

It could be argued that a point to Montesinos was marginally better than none and in a game where chances came and went, they could consider themselves lucky indeed not to have lost. But, at this late stage of the season almost anything is better than a loss, as teams below them will surely also have to gain points from where they have previously been unable. Perhaps a week off will give the team and the coach time to reflect and to come roaring back and play some football, as we know they can. We can only hope. VaThe game had an edgy feel to it, with both mos Los Rojos, Vamos Monte! sides minimising risks and only pressing forward when the ball broke. It had become a Final Score CD Dolores 1 – 1 CD Montest of defences as much as a midfield battle. tesinos Dolores though, continued to have the better of what half chances fell their way and only Match Report by Steve Robinson a combination of bad luck and equally bad Photos by David Winder marksmanship left them without reward. On You can always email us at thefullmon75 minutes, new boy Jesus David replaced te2011@hotmail.com the increasingly ineffective David, presumably to offer more guile and support to the, Also......check-out CD Montesinos on now all too infrequent, Montesinos attacks. Facebook and JJ’s Predictor League.

GUARDAMAR RACE

The Guardamar half-marathon takes place this Sunday(March 17th), with around a thousand athletes expected to take part in the third staging of the race, which is divided into 13 categories. Runners from seven Eu-

by Alex Trelinski

ropean countries as well 16 Spanish provinces have registered to compete, with a 20 per cent increase on female athletes, compared to the 2018 entries.

The route is branded by the local council as “the prettiest in the Vega Baja region· and will snake round urban Guardamar, as well as wooded and coastal areas. The race starts at 10.00 am on Avenida Cervantes.

Quesada Bowls Club Report by Dee Stephenson

What a difference a week can make! Our bowlers were on better form this week with some good wins despite some very competitive matches. In the South Alicante Winter League, Quesada Pearls held off San Luis Klingons for a 6-6 draw narrowly winning the shots 93-90. This performance means the Pearls have maintained 4th place in the league. Meanwhile the Diamonds put up a great fight in a very close match against San Luis Trekkers. Some of the rinks won or lost by only 2 or 3 points for a final result of Trekkers 7 points, Diamonds 5 points and the shots were 90-85 to the Trekkers. Unfortunately the Rubies had a bad day against Greenlands Sycamore who won the match 12-0 and 94-71 shots. Results in the Southern League this week included a reversal of fortunes for Quesada Swallows against San Luis Leopards and they lost their match 8-4 points and 94-70 shots in favour of the Leopards. And a reversal of fortunes for the Swifts as well but in the Swifts favour! They were hosted by Montemar Toreadors and in a game of two halves initially in favour of the To-

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

readors, Swifts proved their tenacity and staying power coming back in the second half of the match to win it 12-0 points and 88-81 shots. In the Winter league, Quesada played away at La Siesta and enjoyed an 8-4 win with the shots 89-79, thus maintaining their 4th place in the league. Meantime, in the Federated 4’s, Quesada Panthers hosted San Miguel Mohawks and in a hard fought match, with several rinks decided on the last one or two ends, managed a draw, 4 points each. A good result for the Panthers and with only 2 games remaining, they’ve moved into 4th place in the league and will be working hard to maintain this - although the Mohawks and Condors are still hot on their heels. Just a reminder that we welcome both new and experienced bowlers. We’re a friendly club with a mixture of competition, league and casual players. In addition to league matches and Club competitions we have our popular Saturday morning chicken drive which is open to visitors, and we have free coaching for new members. So come along and see what we have to offer! Contact our membership secretary Angie Goddard newleaf2014@hotmail.co.uk

Sports & Local Sports News

ZIDANE´S REAL RETURN

by Alex Trelinski

Zinedine Zidane told reporters this week said he is “very happy to be home” after returning as Real Madrid manager just 10 months after leaving the La Liga club. The Frenchman replaces Santiago Solari, who was sacked after less than five months in charge. Former Real midfielder Zidane, 46, who left in May for no obvious reason after leading the club to a third straight Champions League trophy, has agreed to take over until 2022. Real are currently third in La Liga, 12 points behind leaders Barcelona, and were knocked out of the Champions League last week. Zidane said: “I want to put this club back where it belongs. It has been difficult from the outside looking in.” “I have been living here in Madrid, doing my things. But I have recharged my batteries. I’m ready to coach this great club again.” Zidane and the club have hit the ground running, with Real launching a proposal with Chelsea to sign Eden Hazard, whilst Gareth Bale´s past strained relationship with Zidane has seen most pundits start to speculate that the Welsh international could be on his way.

Primera news

by Alex Trelinski

CD Murada(pictured) unsurprisingly kept their top slot in Primera Regional Group Eight last Saturday, as they beat lowly CD Altet, four-nil. Racing San Miguel are two points behind them after their one-nil victory over Bahia SP, whilst third-

placed Torrellano picked up a one-one result at Santa Pola CF. At the other end of the table, CD Montesinos drew one-all in their derby meeting away to second-bottom CD Dolores. In keeping with the Preferente division, the Primera has a blank fixture list weekend.

OLYMPIAN BEN IN TOWN

A BRITISH bid to take sailing´s prestigious America´s Cup has brought 35 members of the Ineos Team UK to the Mar Menor for some of their preparations. The squad is led by fourtime Olympic champion Sir Ben Ainslie(pictured sec-

ond-left), and his team have been based at the Pinatar Arena in San Pedro del Pinatar. The long-running build up will continue in Dubai and Miami, with the competition taking place in New Zealand in 2021.

by Alex Trelinski

The Brits, despite having some close shaves, have not won the America´s Cup since it started way back in 1851! Local dignitaries including San Pedro mayor,

Visitacion Martinez(pictured-centre), greeted the squad last week, who decided to use the Mar Menor on the recommendation of Ineos Team member, the 2004 Olympic gold medallist Xabi Fernandez, who comes from Cartagena.

FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Sport

VICTORIOUS VILLAJOYOSA

Premier League

Boxing

Friday 15th March

Saturday 16th March

Tevin Farmer vs Jono Carroll Sky Sports Action - 00:00 Katie Taylor vs Rose Volante Sky Sports Arena - 00:00

Darts

Almoradi suffered a surprise two-nil defeat at Benferri CF. That wasn´t the only shock of the weekend as runaway leaders CF Intercity lost one-nil at home to CD Thader, whilst Hercules B drew one-one with CFI Ali-

cante. Elsewhere CD Torrevieja picked up a point at relegation rivals Aspe in a one-all scoreline, whilst UD Horadada came away with a twoone defeat at Orihuela B. There are no fixtures this weekend, with a full deck of matches scheduled for the following weekend.

Sunday 17th March Everton v Chelsea-17:30

English Football Friday 15th March

Thursday 21st March Gerwyn Price vs Rob Cross Sky Sports Action -20:00 James Wade vs Peter Wright Sky Sports Action - 20:45 Michael van Gerwen vs Daryl Gurney Sky Sports Action -21:30 Michael Smith vs Mensur Suljovic Sky Sports Action - 22:15 Max Hopp vs Raymond van Barneveld Sky Sports Action - 23:00

Doncaster v Barnsley - 20:45 Sky Sports Football

Saturday 9th March Leeds v Sheff Utd - 13:30 Sky Sports Football

Golf Friday 15th March Kenya Open 2019

Sky Sports Golf 09:00 The Players 2019 Sky Sports Golf 16:00

FA CUP

Saturday 16th March

Watford v Crystal Palace BT Sport 2 - 13:15 Swansea v Man City Sky Sports Premier League - 18:20 Wolves v Man Utd BBC One - 20:55

Sunday 3rd March Millwall v Brighton BBC One - 15:00

Saturday 16th March Kenya Open 2019 Sky Sports Golf 10:30 The Players 2019 Sky Sports Golf 15:30

Sunday 17th March Kenya Open 2019 Sky Sports Golf 10:30 The Players 2019 Sky Sports Golf 15:00

ALL TIMES GIVEN ARE SPANISH TIME

Formula 1 Down under START The 2019 Formula One season starts this Sunday with the Australian Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton starts his title defence, and makes a bid for his sixth championship. A new innovation for this season is an extra bonus point for the driver who notches up the fastest lap in each race. The general feeling though is that dominant Mercedes is set to face a really

by Alex Trelinski

West Ham v Huddersfield - 16:00 Burnley v Leicester City -16:00 Bournemouth v Newcastle -16:00 Fulham v Liverpool -15:15 Sky Sports Main Event

Sunday 17th March

Errol Spence Jr vs Mikey Garcia ITV 4 - 04:00 Conlan vs Hernandez BoxNation - 00:00

Only one of the top seven teams in Preferente Group Four were victorious last weekend, and that was Villajoyosa CF(pictured before kick-off) who won their derby clash away to Benidorm CD, two-one. The result took Villajoyosa into third place and the final play-off spot, after CD

by Alex Trelinski

serious challenge from Ferrari based on pre-season testing at places like Barcelona. That may well mean more excitement in the Drivers´ contest as Hamilton seeks to fend off Sebastian Vettel, whilst his Ferrari team have some new management that is desperate for success both for Vettel, but also in the Constructors championship.

Las Ramblas Golf Society OK! As this week’s ‘senior moment’ award goes to me let’s get it out of the way at the outset. Whilst enjoying a beer on the terrace after Monday’s round it was pointed out that the two young guys at an adjoining table were both golf professionals and that one of them was Jose-Maria’s son! (Olazabel, I immediately thought). Armed with camera, notebook (and one eye on the Costa Blanca Press Awards) I sat down with them for a chat. It turns out that Dutchman, Jim De Hey and Alfonso are both based at Las Ramblas. I went on to tell Alfonso how much I ad-

mired his father’s career and also that my wife was currentlydrawing him together with Seve. A look of bewilderment came over his face but he gave me his email address anyway to send him a copy when it was finished. After studying the address it became apparent that his father isactually Jose-Maria Bueudia, our resident professional at Ramblas! Back to business. Monday’s format was the good old 1-2-3 Waltzer. Taking the limelight, with an impressive 90 points, (the record is 98) were Olga Douglas, Peter Wickham, Mike Mahony and the fictional Albert.

Highlights included Peter getting a 4 for 5 points on the 4th, Mike 4 for 4 on the 16th and Olga 4 for 4 on the last. Pat Cassidy took first place in Wednesday’s stableford with 39 points. In second spot, with 36, was Mike Chapman. Welcome back Mike. Nora Betts took bronze, on countback from Liz Robertson, with 35 points. Por ultimo, Friday’s ‘counter game’ saw our winners equal the record (set in 2017) score of 106 points. The team consisted of Geoff Biggerstaff, Ron Percival, Peter Radcliffe and Andy McDonald.

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FRIday 15TH maRcH 2019

Sport

SIX NATIONS FINALE

WALES welcome Ireland to Cardiff tomorrow, with the Grand Slam in Welsh sights in the final round of the 2019 Six Nations Championship. The clash between the title favourites and last year´s champions kicks-off at 3.45 pm(live on BBC 1), and the whole issue could be done and dusted before England take to the field against Scotland in their Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham(6.00 pm kickoff, live on ITV). If Warren Gatland´s Welsh side

by Alex Trelinski

surprisingly slip up at the Principality Stadium to an out-of-sorts Ireland side, then there is the possibility of the title holders pulling something out of the fire and getting some St. Patrick´s Day cheer a day early, if England lose at home to Scotland. Form books though will have to be torn up, as Scotland have not won the Calcutta Cùp at Twickenham since 1983, whilst it was six years ago that Ireland were last victorious in the Six

Nations in Cardiff. Rome will stage the first of tomorrow´s matches as wooden spoon winners entertain France, with a 1.30 pm kick-off(live on ITV). Meanwhile, the Six Nations is considering an offer from private equity firm CVC to sell a stake in rugby’s oldest championship. It is believed it could provide a windfall of more than £100m to each union but would mean partly surrendering control of the competition.

RICE GETS ENGLAND CALL

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has been named in England’s squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Montenegro in March. The 20-year-old switched international allegiance from the Republic of Ireland to England in a move recently approved by world governing body Fifa. London-born Rice played three times for the Republic but qualified for

by Alex Trelinski

England as they were all friendly appearances. England host the Czechs next Friday(March 22nd) and then are away to Montenegro on March 25th. “His form warrants his selection,” said England manager Gareth Southgate. “It has been a well publicised situation with Declan and we have tracked him for a long time. When

you’re asking a player to transfer association you have to feel the player has a future with you.” “Saying that, there are no guarantees, but his form has been excellent. We like his character and he can play as a holding midfielder or a defender.” Rice is the only uncapped player in manager Gareth Southgate’s 25-man squad, while Burnley keeper Tom Heaton is recalled.

UP FOR THE CUP

Six Premier League sides and two Championship teams are in FA Cup quarter-final action this weekend, with two-all Premier League clashes. The most glamorous looking tie is at Molineux this Saturday, where Wolves welcome Manchester United(kick-off at 8.55 pm, live on BBC-1), who are still smarting at ending their unbeaten league run under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Arsenal last Sunday. Vicarage Road sees the first tie tomorrow as Watford entertain Crystal Palace(kick-off at 1.15 pm. live on BT

by Alex Trelinski

Sport 2), with later on mighty Manchester City looking to avoid a slip up at mid-table Championship outfit Swansea City(kickoff at 6.20 pm, live on BT Sport 2). The main prospect for an upset comes on Sunday, as the menacing atmosphere of the New Den sees Millwall, who are fighting relegation from the Championship, take on Brighton, who themselves are not clear of Premier League relegation fears(kick-off at 3.00 pm, live on BBC 1).