Issuu

FREE! COSTA BLANCA SOUTH

For daily news online www.rtnnewspaper.com

Issue 956

16th - 22nd Feb

British man alive thanks to concerned neighbour Photo by Google Maps

by Darren Parmenter THANKS to concern shown by a worried neighbour, a British man had his life saved. The 74year-old - who has not yet been named - had apparently been lying on the floor of his home in Dolores for four days. Initially, the man’s neighbour hadn’t seen him for a few days, which was unusual, and so he tried knocking on his front door and phoning him. In both cases, there was no answer or response, and so he called the Guardia Civil for help. When the Guardia Civil, the Local Police and a team of firefighters from nearby Almoradi arrived on the scene, they broke down the man’s door. They discovered him lying on the floor in a very bad way and unable to move. It transpired that he’d not eaten anything for four days. The man was taken to hospital for treatment, and at the same time the social services department in his home town of Dolores was informed and made

INSIDE THIS WEEK ... SPANISH LINK TO FBI OPERATION ARRESTED

P4 BEACH BARS SHOULD BE OPEN FOR EASTER THIS YEAR aware of the circumstances of the case. It’s not known at this stage whether the British man fell in his home or whether he’d collapsed due to other health conditions. Local Police based in Dolores were quick to praise the spirit shown and said that this was a perfect example of why people should always keep an eye on their neighbours - especially elderly ones - and not to hesitate to call them or any police force if they become worried or concerned about someone.

WORRIED: British man found on floor after four days in Dolores.

Disabled beach access plans TORREVIEJA Council has announced that it will be installing three new walkways especially aimed at making access for disabled people easier on the San Roque beach. They are planned to be in place in time for the peak summer season. Councillor Javier Manzanares - responsible for beaches in the municipality - briefed local residents about the plans as well as visiting the area to select the best location for the ramps. He also confirmed that all the necessary work permits for the project are in place.

P6 IT MAKES SENSE FOR MARATHON MAN TO RUN FOR GRANDSON

P28

16th - 22nd February

One-armed bandits caught red-handed

Climber rescued... and delivered into a cemetery car-park Photo credit: Yamaguchi Wikimedia

by Ray Chadwick A THIEF was arrested in Alicante trying his luck one more time. He was caught red-handed attempting to break into a number of slot machines in a bar in the city centre with the help of another man. It’s not the first time one of the men had been arrested... this was his 29th occasion! The two Spanish men aged 32 and 45 - were detained by National Police offi-

EMERGENCY SERVICES were scrambled to rescue a 45-year-old man from Orihuela after he fell when climbing in the Sierra de Redovan last Sunday morning. The alarm was raised by a fellow climber after he’d fallen around six metres in an area known as Sector el Rut. The man had suffered back and ankle injuries and the rescue team, believing it was unsafe to move him, decided to call in the Alicante Province helicopter service. Following his rescue, he was lowered down in the car park of Redovan Cemetery... before being taken by ambulance to the Vega Baja Hospital.

Cheating business partner arrested TWO LEMONS: Fruit machine thieves caught in the act.

cers after being called to the scene by the owner on noticing that his bar - closed at the time in the early hours of the morning - had a couple of intruders, thanks to his video surveillance cameras. When the police arrived, they noticed straight away that the security grill had

been ripped off and suspected that the thieves were still inside. As they entered the bar, the two thieves were shocked to be caught in the act of robbing the machines and were arrested on the spot. They were found to have around €600 in cash on them,

as well as a balaclava and a pair of tights that they’d used to cover their identities. During their questioning at the Alicante Police Station, it was discovered that one of the men was already wanted for robbery with violence, as well as being previously arrested 28 times.

GUARDIA CIVIL officers have arrested a 34-year-old man from Kazakhstan after allegedly defrauding his business partner of more than €1 million. In an attempt to hide the fact he’d taken money from the company, it’s understood that he carried out a number of fake contracts, deeds and transfers at the Torrevieja estate agency. The total estimated by the Guardia Civil as being defrauded came to €1,125,000. The alarm was raised by the arrested man’s business partner when he spotted some strange movements in the company accounts and became suspicious.

16th - 22nd February

Water quality agreement begins THE regional government in Murcia has given the green light to an agreement with the Port Authority of Cartagena (APC) to protect the marine environment. They will periodically control and monitor the quality of the water in and around the port area to both eliminate and prevent possible sources of contamination. Made up of a team of 55 professionals, they will prepare a series of reports after taking samples and sending them for laboratory analysis.

Second ‘child’ birth within days

Underground car parks in Murcia next to benefit from recharging points by Darren Parmenter FOR some time, Murcia has led the way in its encouragement of the new generation of electric and hybrid vehicles. Their latest initiative is to reser ve several places for such vehicles in a number of underground car parks and to install adjacent recharging points. T he proposal has been made by the councillor in charge of Urban Planning and the Environment, Antonio Navarro-Corchon, and in recent days he has held several meetings with the owners of both public and private car parking zones in Murcia. He has asked that each facility reser ve a minimum number of places for electric or hybrid cars as they become more common on the roads. It’s understood that the proposal has been well received by those in control of parking and it’s hoped that an agreement will be signed in the coming days. Par t of the agreement would be for the private

companies to be responsible for installing the recharging equipment, whereas the Murcia Council would pick up the bill for the adaptation of the public-run car parks. Murcia is already expanding its network of free charging points for the new breed of vehicles, and after a series

of consultations with local people they will be located in Calle Acisclo Diaz (next to Cortefiel), Gran Via (in front of Perez Casas), Plaza Circular, Avenida Rio Segura (on the corner with Calle Ambrosio Salazar) and Paseo de Florencia (on the corner of Calle Mesa del Castillo).

MURCIA: New hybrid parking schemes are being proposed.

WITHIN days of the case that saw an 11-year-old girl giving birth at the Arrixaca Hospital in Murcia, another young girl - aged 16 - has had her baby on the bathroom floor of her house in Torre Pacheco. According to reports in the Spanish Press, the girl went to the toilet suffering from a pain in her stomach. Within moments, she had given birth as the tummy ache turned out to be labour pains. She had no idea she was pregnant, and both mother and baby are doing well after being taken to different hospitals in the region. The infant is also in the Arrixaca hospital while its mother is staying in the hospital Los Arcos del Mar Menor.

16th - 22nd February

Spanish link to FBI operation arrested Photo credit: Guardia Civil

OPERATION CRAVEN, set up by the Guardia Civil in A licante, has resulted in the arrest of a member of an international criminal group dedicated to grooming children online. The operation began two years ago when the FBI discovered a number of such g roups operating vi a a videoconferencing set up to encourage children to engage in sexual activities by posing as young people themselves, with the subsequent recorded videos being stored. Detailed investigations revealed the links to Spain and the FBI shared their intelligence with the Guardia Civil. During the two years, a number of active surveillance schemes and the use of undercover agents were employed and, in total, enabled 21 people to be identified across a number of different countries.

Castle visitors to get a different lift AS reported in last weekâ€™s RTN the lifts up to the Castillo de Santa BĂĄrbara in Alicante have been closed while urgent repair works are undertaken. With them being out of action until February 23, the City Council has put on a special free shuttle bus that will link three points in the city to the castle at 30-minute intervals between 11am and 6pm. For those that would usually take the lifts from the entrance close to the beach, one of the 13 stops will be right in front of that popular access point along Juan Bautista Lafora.

Small drops and small rises in local job market INTERNATIONAL: FBI and Guardia Civil join forces.

It appeared that one of the most active members of this group carried out his activity in this country, and once his identity was fully verified with the help of a

number of social network sites , his home was searched and a significant amount of mater i al was found. T he arrest in Spain has

led to key information on other alleged paedophiles both in this country and in others throughout Europe which is cur rently being taken up by EUROPOL.

UNEMPLOYMENT numbers in the Vega Baja rose by 41 for the month of January and has been explained as a direct result of the end of the Christmas season that traditionally sees extra hands taken on in the service sector. The municipality experiencing the biggest increase in unemployment was Torrevieja (94), followed by Orihuela (57). At the other end of the scale, unemployment fell by 41 in Pilar de Horadada and 31 in Catral.

16th - 22nd February

Will they, won’t they fly into Corvera? Photo credit: Twitter @santimjv

by Glenn Scott IN spite of a number of assurances, workers currently employed at the Murcia-San Javier Airport are still uncertain of their futures when flights transfer to the nearby Corvera Airport. They fear that many airlines that currently use ‘MJV’ will be scared away from using the new facilities when they open, since many of their passengers flying into San Javier - especially from the UK - stay in hotels or have holiday homes closer to the AlicanteElche Airport and would prefer to arrive there instead. Speaking to the local Spanish media, spokesperson for the group set up against the moving to Corvera Santiago Pina, said: “Many airlines sell their tickets as part of an overall package that includes a hotel, and we worry that travellers won’t want to land at

Women receive less in pensions THE pension gap between men and women in Alicante has been exposed with women, on average, getting €341 per month less than their male counterparts. During their working life, the salary gap between the sexes later affects pension payments in retirement as it’s only in recent years - relatively speaking - that more and more women have gone into full-time employment and thus increased pension contributions. The average monthly pension paid to a woman in Alicante is €632.06 compared to the male average of €973.81.

These ‘gorillas’ aren’t the friendly guys ARRIVALS: Workers show concern that passengers will choose Alicante-Elche Airport.

Corvera with the longer transfer time to where they’re staying.” However, low-cost airline Ryanair has already announced that they will move

their f light schedules to Corvera without any problems, even though they have a significant base in Murcia-San Javier. Airport managers AENA

have already guaranteed that their staff will be able to transfer to Corvera with the same salary and conditions that will affect around 450 people.

IN the space of just one week, Local Police officers in Murcia have arrested six people and denounced eight others for acting as illegal car park operatives. Known locally as ‘gorillas,’ these are the people who often intimidate drivers about to park their cars on free public parking zones to pay them money to keep watch on their vehicles. Those detained can face penalties of up to €30,000 if they disobey police three times after being told to move on and desist in their threatening and illegal behaviour.

16th - 22nd February

Did it start first time?

Injured birds get their own sanctuary TERRA NATURA in Murcia is now the proud host of four griffon vultures. They have been added to the attractions thanks to the wildlife recovery centre of El Valle. The population of the birds in the region has now reached 184 breeding pairs after being considered extinct in the 1970s. The four birds all suffered from injuries to their wings that make them unable to fly and so to ensure their survival they have been housed in a specially adapted place of more than 8,000m2 where they can receive dedicated care.

TO avo i d a re p e at o f t h e s i t u at i o n l a s t ye a r, t h e Cartagena City Council is in the process of speeding u p t h e aw a rd i n g o f t h e concessions to beach bars. B ecause of a var iety of delays due to legal wrangling , the municipality â€™s b e a c h b a r s w e re n o t i n stalled and operational until July. For the 2018 summer licences and the renewals of authorisations, the applic at i o n p ro ce s s h a s n o w opened and will remain so until next Friday, February 23. The concessions will affect those looking to operate s e a s o n a l b u s i n e s s e s such as beach bars and kiosks with their accompany i n g t a b l e s a n d c h a i r s , and those that hire out the many sun beds, beach umbrellas. T hose hoping to run beach entertainment such as pontoons and any-

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Cartagen

A TEAM of firefighters were called to remove a car that had found its way into the sea off the Agua Amarga beach in Alicante. Investigations continue as to how the vehicle managed to stray some six metres from the shore, but initial suggestions are that the driver was in a drunken state when he got into his car. A total of eight firefighters had to enter the water, and with the help of a guide wire were able to retrieve it before being completely reâ€? moved by a crane.

Beach bars should be open for Easter this year

CHEERS!: Cartagenaâ€™s famous beach bars back to normal for 2018

thing boat related must also apply for official documentation. Full details of the application process and a full list of the paper work required for a concession can

be found at the municipal website at www.cartagena. es or in any of the council offices. I f e ve r y t h i n g g o e s to p l a n , s o u rce s f ro m t h e Cartagena City Council in-

d i c ate t h at a l l s h o u l d b e completed within a month and that all the beach bars will be up and running in time for Easter; which always was the case until the hiccup of last year.

16th - 22nd February

Fake passports and IDs detected at AlicanteElche Airport HAUL: The 24 kilos of cocaine on display after drugs raid.

Dock worker key to drugs operation in Costa Blanca by Steve Collins AFTER several weeks of investigation, National Police in Alicante have dismantled an organisation allegedly dedicated to drug trafficking. Five people were arrested in Valencia - three men and two women aged between 28 and 49 who were part of a criminal gang suspected of importing large quantities of cocaine from South America. The investigation was started by a specialist drugs section of the National Police in Elche back in November last year when they received intelligence to suggest an individual was dealing in large scale trafficking in the Alicante, Albacete, Valencia

and Murcia provinces. Following a few weeks of investigation the police realised they were dealing with a professional organisation as they looked at their modus operandi. It was found that they picked up the drugs from a set point and then transported it in a number of complex secret compartments in vehicles to avoid detection. Police were then led to homes in the Valencia Province where they discovered 24 kilograms of narcotics and â‚Ź120,000 in cash. In addition, sophisticated weighing equipment and a number of high-end cars were found on various premises. Among those arrested is a port worker with a history of drug trafficking from Valencia that allegedly allowed the illegal entry of the substances in the first instance.

Photo credit: @airportchambery Twitter

Photo credit: National Police

TWO passengers have been detained at Alicante-Elche Airport after being found to be using fake documents. The latest arrests take the total number to five that have being caught at the airport in less than a week with tampered identification papers. The latest incident involved two Albanian men - aged 21 and 30 who were discovered with fake ID as they tried to board a flight to Edinburgh. National Police officers were on duty in passport control when the two handed over Italian ID cards. Close examination of the cards discovered that one of the digits that made up the printed number on them

CHECKS: Five people arrested with fake travel documents (File image).

could have been tampered with. The men were then stopped from boarding their flight and taken to the airportâ€™s police station where the documents were confirmed as being false. Additional investigations verified that both ID cards had been stolen in Italy.

Some days earlier three others were arrested - a couple from Georgia and their teenage son - as they tried to leave Spain on a flight to Dublin. When their passports were checked, a number of irregularities were noticed before determining that they were all forged.

16th - 22nd February

Wee don’t swim in your toilet so ... Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Alicante

by Darren Parmenter ALICANTE’S Tossal municipal swimming pool was closed three times in 10 days due to the less than hygienic habits of some of the users. At around the same time in the afternoon - usually after 5pm - faeces were found in the indoor pool, which required the area to be immediately vacated to avoid the risk of any further infection, following health and safety protocol. The pool was then thoroughly cleaned in readiness for opening the following morning at 11am, albeit three hours late due to the availability of professional cleaners. Councillor for Sport, Montesinos Montes, said that the DISINFECTED: Alicante’s municipal pool used as a toilet.

delay in reopening the pool is due to taking around five hours to get the quality of the water back to a suitable level for the swimmers. He also confirmed that steps are being taken to prevent the disgusting events from happening again in the future as they have located the group that may be responsible. This isn’t the first time the Tossal pool has been affected by unsavoury habits of the visitors. During last summer, the outdoor pool also needed to be closed for a time when significant deposits of urine were discovered by bathers. Councillor Montesinos has appealed to the pool’s users to always be aware that their actions and behaviour that could harm other people.

Roadside fence WORK on a fence in San Miguel de Salinas has been ordered to stop by the local council. The fence, erected on both sides of the road that links Urbanisation Las Filipinas, San Miguel and Orihuela Costa, is allegedly in breach of a licence granted by the municipality. The council also states that there are possible implications with a nearby cattle track. Complaints were made by the local residents association who claimed that the work being carried out on the fence was making the road very narrow and potentially dangerous.

Rates drop UNEMPLOYMENT rates in the Murcia region have been reduced by 6.3 per cent in the last two years, according to data from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics (INE), and gives the area the greatest decrease across the country as a whole. Back in 2016, the rate of unemployment was 23.51 per cent compared to the 17.21 per cent as it stands today. It now stands at 121,900 and a reduction of 42 per cent.

16th - 22nd February

Exclusive Report by Darren Parmenter

Local politics wasn’t left outside...at first Photo credit: RTN

AROUND 200 residents of Urbanisation La Marina came along to one of a ser ies of meetings along the Costa Blanca organised by the British Consul to gain a little more infor mation on how Brexit is likely to affect them in the future. Br itish Consul for Alicante Sarah-Jane Morris was welcomed by local councillor Paulino Herrero, along with the mayor of San Fulgencio Carlos Ramirez, who was greeted with a series of boos and jeers from a small number who took this public opportunity to express their views on his continuing tenure in the post. Also on the top table was Richard Hill from the Brexpats in Spain organisation, and between him and Sarah-Jane Morris, they explained the current state of play in the Brexit negotiations, concentrating on those aspects that would most likely apply to UK citizens living in the EU. “For those wishing to continue to be resident in Spain after the UK leave the EU, they should ensure that they are registered on the local padron and take up formal residency of the countr y,”

British Consul and her team address San Fulgencio

said the British consul, reiterating the advice g iven since the 2016 Referendum. “People should also continue to look at the official sources of information on all aspects of Brexit and that’s on the www.gov.uk website, she continued. “If it’s not listed on there, then it ’s not been agreed.” Most of those present were re-

tirees and so were relieved to hear the British consul state that those living legally in Spain at the time the UK leaves the EU would not have their current healthcare ar rangements affected. T hey would also continue to receive any annual state pension increases. Richard Hill from Brexpats in Spain explained that one of their

INFORMATION: British Consul Sarah-Jane Morris (centre) with other members of the British Consulate in Alicante and Richard Hill from Brexpats in Spain (second from right). roles is to “dispel the propaganda and misinformation that is nothing more than scaremongering.” He said that they are “fighting for the fairest deal for all UK citizens living in the EU, without trying to reverse the decision taken in June 2016.” T hey are focusing much of their current campaign by aiming to get the accords on healthcare arrangements and pension increases that have already been part of the Brexit negotiations, ring-fenced in the event of a future ‘no-deal’ scenario. During the question and an-

swer session that followed, the subject of work permits postBrexit was raised. Sarah- Jane Morris said that if they satisfied the residency conditions of the withdrawal agreement - legally living in Spain on the date the UK leaves the EU - then the understanding is that no work permits would be needed. The situation may be different for those coming to work in the EU after Brexit. With almost as many UK citizens living in San Fulgencio as there are Spanish, the subject of future voting rights was raised. As things stand, UK citizens will not be allowed to vote at the next May 2019 municipal elections unless there is a bilateral agreement between the UK and Spain or comes within any agreed transition period...which hasn’t been agreed as yet.

16th - 22nd February

Queen Sofia of Spain visits Alicante food bank Photo Credit: @ bancalimentos Twitter

by Darren Parmenter

Photo credit: Echiner Wikimedia

DENIA: Due to receive almost half of the total government grants for 2018.

Local councils get share of multi-million grants NINE municipalities across the province of Alicante will get a share of €37 million of central government funds. The announcement was made by representatives of the Valencian Community who said that of the 19 grants (totalling almost €69 million) due to be made; nine of them will directly benefit those in the Alicante Province. Speaking to Spanish media, the spokespeople said the objective of the fund is to help local councils that have run into particular financial difficulties and to help pay off long-term loans, many of which have been subjected to legal action. This injection of funds will ease some of the

financial burdens of the affected municipalities and will allow them to have cash available to pay suppliers and spend it on local projects. Denia will be receiving the lion’s share of the allocation of funds, with just over €18 millon and almost half of what the Alicante Province will receive. The Vega Baja sees most municipalities benefiting, with Bigastro getting just over €5.1 million, Cox €2.8 million, Daya Nueva €116,074 and Daya Vieja €150,117. Meanwhile, in the Marina Baixa region, La Nucia has been given a grant of €6.2 million and at the other end of the scale, Beniloba will receive a modest €15,764.

ALICANTE had a royal visitor last week when Queen Sofia paid a visit to the main food bank in the city. It’s been an interest of Her Majesty for some time, and Doña Sofia has previously met with the heads of the charity to learn more about their work and some of their future plans. The central food bank in Alicante currently distributes a range of staple foods among 33,000 people throughout the province. During the visit, the Queen met and thanked many of the workers at the food bank, especially since the vast majority of them are volunteers. The Reina Sofia Foundation has been working with food banks since 2012, supporting its work by financing a number of projects and sourcing donations of food from a range of private companies.

QUEEN SOFIA: Visited Alicante food bank.

16th - 22nd February

Murcia provides most of Spain’s ‘five-a-day’ exports THE Murcia region now expor ts the highest amount of fr uit and vegetables in Spain. Figures recently released by the regional government s h o w t h e s e p ro d u c t s a c counted for 20 per cent of the total ex por ts of fr uit and veg across the country and brought in €2.4 billion between Januar y and November 2017. The produce also repre-

sents 25 per cent of the total regional exports, so one in four products made in Murcia reaching inter national markets was likely to b e a n o ra n g e o r a n a r t i choke or a lemon or an aubergine. The announcement was m a d e d u r i n g t h e re ce n t Fruit Logistica 2018 in Berlin and stated that fruit production in Murcia was now ahead of the more traditional and powerful sectors of Almeria, Valencia, Huelva and Castellon. B y g e o g ra p h i c a l a re a s , E u ro p e i s t h e m a i n re c i p i e n t o f t h e M u rc i a fruit and vegetables, taking just short of 98 per cent. T he best customers are Germany, the UK , France, Netherlands and Italy, with citr us fr uit , lettuce, cabbage, melons and watermelons among the more popular products.

Photo by Pxhere.

by Steve Collins

EXPORTS: Europe are Murcia’s best customers.

16th - 22nd February

Define the meaning of ‘productivity’ Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de San Fulgencio

by Darren Parmenter IN what appears to be almost a weekly occurrence, the municipality of San Fulgencio is once again in the news for the most negative of reasons. Just days after Mayor Carlos Ramirez received a chorus of booing and jeering and shouts of “Carlos out!” at an event attended by British residents on Urbanisation La Marina - under the umbrella of San Fulgencio - he is once again the subject of legal proceedings. This time, he is being investigated by a judge, after questions were raised by the main opposition PIPN party on the amount of money paid to civil servants and other staff, described on the annual budget and accounts as ‘productivity payments’. Around 90 per cent of the workforce receives these monthly payments which total €240,000 annually, but in these cases the word ‘productivity’ cannot be explained. Such is the seriousness of the case that the court in

MAYOR: Carlos Ramirez asked to supply justification documents or face a fine. Elche has threatened the mayor with a fine of €1,200 if he doesn’t provide the required information to back up this extra remuneration.

The PIPN originally filed a complaint almost two years ago, and despite the court asking the council for various documents at this stage nothing has been forthcoming. The latest notification was registered in San Fulgencio on October 20, 2017 but there is no acknowledgment of receipt to prove the request for information arrived. Speaking to Spanish media, Carlos Ramirez said that he “knows nothing about the matter” and said that he hasn’t personally been ordered to comply with the request for the information, but will ascertain the official at the town hall who is responsible. Sources close to the PIPN say that these ‘productivity’ payments appear to be an automatic monthly addition to the salary of the town hall staff, irrespective of the amount of extra hours that may or may not have been worked.

16th - 22nd February

New case of animal mistreatment emerges Photo credit: Policia Alhama de Murcia.

by Steve Collins COMING at a time when authorities in the Murcia region are looking for tougher penalties for animal abuse, a new case has come to light. On this occasion, it was a young mare which has been rescued after being discovered with signs of severe malnutrition and other health issues in Alhama. It was found in an appalling state living in a shed with the floor covered in excrement and had obviously been abandoned by its owner. It was a neighbour that first alerted the authorities of the poor conditions in which the animal was found, and their action enabled it to be rescued and treated by a vet before being taken into safety. Even though the thorough medical examination showed the mare to be in a very

ABANDONED: Rescued mare now being cared for. poor state of health, itâ€™s expected to make a full recovery in the fullness of time. The owner of the farm where the mare

was found has been investigated for animal abuse, but itâ€™s understood that he has not been arrested at this stage.

Alicante is proud host of annual tech meeting ALICANTE has hosted the annual meeting of the company that is the technological brains behind the Volvo Ocean Race. More than 250 technicians from the UK, India, Sweden, Germany, USA and France took part in the event at the Hotel Melia organised by HCL Technologies, and is the official IT service provider for the

prestigious round-the-world event. The meeting is held every year by HCL to allow its teams from all over the world to better plan their contribution and impact into the European markets. Choosing Alicante as the venue for such an important get-together is a major boost for the Costa Blanca city.

Civil servant attacked AN official working in the Social Security office located in Calle Angel Bruna in Cartagena has had a leg broken by someone coming in to discuss an embargo issue. The incident took place at the end of January but has only just been made public after being investigated by the local trade union CC OO. A result of the attack has been the hiring of an extra security guard on the premises. The injured employee, a man in his 50s, was pushed during an argument and as he fell back on the floor the force broke a tibia and fibula. He is now on sick leave after surgery.

16th - 22nd February Photo credit: wwwminutocero YouTube

HAVE YOUR SAY

Popular post on Facebook this week reaching 4,090 people with 76 reactions and comments. ‘British expats to be given right to vote’

Isobel Brown When the British government stops taking tax from expats then expats will stop wanting to vote but the UK cannot have it all their own way. People who pay tax in the UK but live outside it should be entitled to vote in the UK and they also have family living in the UK.

@RTNNewspaper Most liked posts from this week • British man saved by concerned neighbour • €2 million tourismt investment following Corvera Airport opening

BACK IN TIME: More than 100,000 visit annual market (File image).

Bad weather didn’t put a dampener on medieval market APPALLING weather may have delayed the opening ceremony, and even threatened the entire event, but it seems that nothing was going to stop many thousands of people attending the Medieval Market in Orihuela. In fact, over the three days more than 100,000 turned up to enjoy the unique atmosphere, made up mainly of British, German and Belgium visitors... alongside many Spanish locals.

The attendance figures from the market that took place over the first weekend of February have only just been released and made public by Councillor Mariola Rocamora. “We had an excellent turnout of visitors, especially on the Saturday and Sunday, and eventually reached the 100,000 mark,” said Rocamora. “By midday on the Friday, the first day, more than 300 different stalls had set up and created a superb me-

• Benidorm-bound elderly passengers endure up to 20-hour flight delay • RTN reader John Sharples’ Donald Trump’s bad hair day poem • Police smash drug smuggling ring in Alicante

In Total 17,837 people reached 7,481 reactions

rtnnewspaper.com Send us your comments on Facebook, Twitter and on our website. Or if you prefer you can email our editor directly: admin@rtnnewsgroup.com

News & Views from the North & South Costa Blanca & Costa de Sol

All adverts must be prepaid whether they are placed at our offices, by email or fax, or via our sales team. The advertisers full name, address and ID number must be supplied (not for publication). RTN does not accept any responsibility for claims made by advertisers, either in advertisements or advertorials, nor can it be held responsible for any inaccuracies, errors, or the nonappearance of advertisements or advertorials. This publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors as a result of poor quality artwork or logos supplied by advertisers and no responsibility is accepted for any loss or damage caused by any error or inaccuracy or non-appearance of an advertisement or advertorial. Every effort will be made to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of articles and advertisements in this publication, however the publisher does not accept responsibility for claims or opinions in the same. The publisher does not accept responsibility for opinions expressed by readers in the ‘Mailbox’ section of this newspaper. Reproduction of any part of this newspaper without the consent of the publishers is prohibited.E:&O.E. All rights reserved/Todos los derechos reservados Edita : RTN Publishing and Media SL

• General Enquires:

951 386 161

• Deadlines Adverts: copy changes, classifieds and editorial Copy: Tuesday 5pm for following Friday’s edition.

dieval atmosphere.” The attendance figures confirmed what the Orihuela Town Hall has believed for some time, in that it’s become one of the most impor tant and popular markets of its type in Spain. Sofia Alvarez, the councillor responsible for tourism, said that during the time the market was held there was a 20 per cent increase in numbers visiting the tourist offices

Deposito Legal : South A-853-1999 North: A-134-2004 Costa del Sol MA-630-2017

Customer service If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service you can call us or write to: EURO WEEKLY NEWS MEDIA SA Avda Ramon y Cajal 54. Edf River Playa, local 2. 29640 Fuengirola - Málaga

951 386 161

in the municipality compared to the previous year. Websites and social networks promoting the Medieval Market also saw an increase in traffic of almost 36 per cent. There were no major security or emergency incidents reported apart from a theft from one of the stalls that took place during the hours the market was closed. The robber was caug ht and the stolen goods returned.

www.rtnnewspaper.com

Stephen Hooper To all expats,you all moved away for a better life, why should someone living in another country be allowed to vote with what goes on in a country that you left, I personally don’t want anybody voting on any issues that have nothing to do with a country they don’t live in.

• Enquiries sales@rtnnewspaper.com accounts@ewnmediagroup.com

• Editorial newsdesk.rtn@rtnnewspaper.com

• International Enquiries marketing@rtnnewspaper.com

• Distribution distribution@rtnnewspaper.com

• Complaints complaints@rtnnewspaper.com

16th - 22nd February Credit: SLaMNHSF T Wikipedia

When lunatics run the asylum by Michael Walsh

keyboardcosmetics@gmail.com ALL countries face the dilemma of how best to deal with the mentally and physically handicapped, born as a consequence of hereditary defects. Until quite recent times it was government policy to reduce the problem by state enforced sterilisation. The United States was the first country to use compulsory sterilisation programmes for the purpose of weeding out the feeble minded. This was US policy for the first half of the 20th century. A number of American states used enforced sterilisation programmes until the 1970’s. In all, 65,000 individuals scattered across 33 states were affected, but the true figure is likely to be much higher. Mass graves have since been discov-

ered in the vicinity of America’s mental institutions. This practice inspired other countries to follow the American example. Britain was one of many nations that made use of state enforced sterilisation programmes to rid society of its mentally and physically disadvantaged. These practices were adopted by British dominions like Canada, whose policy was applied until the 1970’s. As recently as 2015 Australia was placed in the UN dock for enforced sterilisation of women with disabilities. Winston Churchill was an ardent champion of government controlled enforced sterilisation programmes. In a letter to Lord Asquith, dated December 1910, the lawmaker wrote of his passion. “The unnatural and increasingly rapid growth of the feeble-minded and insane classes, coupled as it is with a steady restriction among all the thrifty, energetic and superior stocks, constitutes a national and race danger which it is impossible to exaggerate.” Winston Churchill’s Mental Deficiency

BETHLEM ROYAL HOSPITAL: Sucessor to Bedlem.

Act (1913) defined four types of societal problem; idiots, imbeciles, the feebleminded and moral defectives. In Britain, institutional separation of the mentally retarded or deranged has been replaced by the introduction of what is known as care in the community. The government pocketed millions when it sold off the nation’s mental hospitals and institutions. It made further savings by making tens of thousands of medical and ancillary staff redundant. In this way government abdicates responsibility for those for whom it bears responsibility. Care in the community has proved to be an unmitigated disaster, as have the

state registered care homes provided for the nation’s unfortunate children. The latter have been described as part of a supply chain to meet the needs of those whom Winston Churchill dismissed as moral defectives. Yet to be revealed are the accounts of distressed parents who have gone to terrifying lengths to avoid their children being taken from them and placed in care homes. Perhaps this will bring about a better understanding of why Britain, the US and some European nations are in a frightful mess. The inmates are certainly running the asylum for their own purposes.

16th - 22nd February

by Peter F. Purvey

AS this may be the first of a monthly column, perhaps I should introduce myself. I was born with a passionate interest in all things old, especially old coins. My Grandfather was the same, he collected everything, much to my Grandmother’s dismay. His gift of a number of Georgian and Victorian coins was the spur that became a lifetime interest, eventually becoming my profession. Archaeology, astronomy, the cosmos, evolution, the history of the human race, in fact anything I hear, see or read that piques my interest or curiosity I like to note down. So, to start this month off here’s a small random selection. ET, a visitor from another world, arrived and departed. First spotted by the PanStarrs telescope on Hawaii last October, the asteroid’s speed between 60 and 80,000 mph and its odd trajectory, excluded its origin being within our Solar System. An interstellar visitor, long expected, it was the first to be identified. Its long cigarshape was unlike any other known asteroid. Old Spanish bones Over 1,600 bones found in a cave in

Peter’s odd and curious world Central Spain, (Burgos) have revealed the oldest known DNA from a member of the Homo genus. These people lived approximately 430,000 years ago, confirming to experts they were the ancestors of the Neanderthals, recently established as members of Homo sapiens, after suffering a bad press for so long. A seriously damaged skull was thought,

jokingly, to be the result of a Spanish ‘domestic incident’. We should take note! Plague, the dreaded disease that decimated the population of Britain and western Europe in the mid-14th and 17th centuries, has been identified from ancient bones as being in Europe as long ago as the late Stone Age. The deadly bacterium possibly entering during a period of mass migration from the east. So rats were not to blame,

people were. Early in my career I came across a bronze coin, reading Cleopatra. Turning it over there was the rather unflattering portrait of a woman, diademed as Venus, the Goddess of Love, but strangely, bearing no resemblance to Elizabeth Taylor. She was shown holding her new-born infant and behind her right shoulder, a knife. The baby, born in 44 BC was named Caesarion (little Caesar) as his father was Julius Caesar. The coin was struck in Cyprus, and clearly intended to commemorate the event. I was intrigued. I discovered that a legend spread through the Roman world that Cleopatra’s physician had used a knife to remove the infant from the womb, a procedure well known in ancient times, but one which saved the baby but caused the death of the mother. Hence the portrait, the infant and the knife. The persistence of this legend has lent its name to this particular method of birth. Modern gynaecologists poo-poo this as there are no records of a successful Caesarean birth before the mid-19th century. But ancient medicinal texts dating to 1,600 BC show that surgeons knew that certain herbs ground to a paste and secured over a wound reduced bacterial infection. So who knows? There are many strange things left to discover in this world. ELIABETH TAYLOR: More beautiful than the Cleopatra coin.

16th - 22nd February Photo Credit: YouTube ISCOWP108

Warning: this column contains nuts by Barry Duke

SO this guy - let’s call him Cecil - walks into his local FonesAreUs branch and tells an assistant that the Samsung he bought just a week before isn’t working properly. “Let’s see,” says the assistant. He then notices a big brown lump stuck to the rear. When Cecil explains that it’s cow dung he goes “ugh!” and pitches it back at the client. The assistant surmises that it had accidentally fallen into a heap of soft and smelly dung in a pasture full of cattle. “Oh no,” says Cecil, “I deliberately smeared it with dung to protect me from radiation.” The assistant decides he’s dealing with a lunatic, sends Cecil packing and dashes to the washroom to scrub his hands. Did this really happen? No. But well it might have, because there is a fellow in India called Shankar Lal who is into something called ‘cowpathy’, a belief that everything that comes out of a cow has magical qualities. In 2016, Lal held out his manure-anointed mobile phone to astonished press photogra-

phers saying: “Cow is our mother. Its excreta and urine are nectar and have the power to save humans from any disease including cancer." He then invited several of his followers to show their dung-smeared mobiles to the press. The Indian Express report about Lal’s campaign to have Indians follow his example, confirmed that cockamamie notions have a special appeal for people who will unquestionably accept any foolish ideas thrown at them by those who claim special knowledge, especially when it’s derived from religious or mystical sources. Which brings me round to another nut-job, a South African doctor named Mike Davidson, who now lives in the UK. Davidson’s mission in life is to make gay people straight via an organisation called the Core Issues Trust (CIT). Despite the fact that all reputable studies over many decades have shown that one’s sexual orientation cannot be changed, Davidson remains committed to his ridiculous cause. A week or so ago he loudly groused that a film just released by CIT, showing that ‘gay-to-straight’ conversion can work through the power of prayer, had been banned by the Vue cinema in London after it realised that it was homophobic garbage, pure and simple. An outraged Davidson said that people had travelled from across the globe to London to see Voices of the Silenced: Experts, Evidences and Ideologies, and that the banning was the result of ‘bullying’ by LGBT activists.

SHANKAR LAL: With his adapted mobile phone. His claim that people were champing at the bit to see the movie suggested that thousands were interested in it, but this simply wasn’t the case. The number was a pathetic 126, a sure indication that rational folk have far more important things to agonise over than the sexual orientation of their fellow humans. Davidson denies that the film is about curing gays. It was merely created to secure the rights of individuals to rid themselves of ‘unwanted homosexual feelings’. Which raises some not-so-stupid questions: would the CIT help people overcome unwanted heterosexual feelings, or cure people of being left-handed? Some are unhappy about being too short or too tall. Some want blue rather than brown eyes. Can CIT ‘cure’

those characteristics? Of course not, so why target gays? Short answer: hogwash written eons ago in religious tomes by ignorant goatherders Back in 2012, a video called Sexually Frustrated - aimed at showing how preposterous gay cure therapy really is - was posted on YouTube. It shows Graham calling Straight Arrow Counselling and asking whether it could help make him gay. He said he’s frustrated that gay men are getting far more sex than he is. He also wants to become attracted to “large hairy men with beards, as there are way more of them around than super-fit gymnasium gays”. The therapist insists that this cannot be done. “You’re not homosexual. It’s not in your nature, it’s not who you are,” she said.

16th - 22nd February

Advertising Feature THE third Finance & Tax Forum was held on January 25 in the wonderful La Laguna Hotel in Quesada. As with the previous forums, it was a great success, with attendees saying how useful this type of event is for people living here in Spain. As legislation changes, and Brexit looms closer, there has never been a better time to get the facts from the experts. The first speaker, Ignacio from Pellicer & Heredia the Spanish lawyers, gave an indepth insight into the complicated Spanish tax system for both residents and non-residents. He explained in some detail the Modelo 720 and urged people with assets of over â‚Ź50,000 held outside Spain to seek advice and ensure they had completed this form. He pointed out fines are being levied on people who fail to comply. Second on stage was Jaime from Currencies Direct, and she gave the audience an insight into the world of currency transfers, as well the background of the company. If you are looking to beat the rates banks give, whether on regular transfers or one-offs, then speak to a mem-

Finance & Tax Forum - A continuing success story

USEFUL ADVICE: Many financial issues were discussed. ber of their team and see the kind of savings to be made. Lastly, Chris from Seagate Wealth spoke about the options under pension freedom legislation, which enables you to transfer your private/company pension to avoid the kind of problems highlighted recently

with the collapse of Carillion. He also spoke about their free tracing service for lost UK pensions. Secondly, he dealt with how to beat the low interest rates offered by banks, with an insight into a Spanish tax compliant savings bond offered by one of the UKâ€™s foremost finan-

cial services organisation. Once all the presentations were completed, coffee was taken and the attendees got to chat to the experts, ask their questions and arrange for follow-up meetings. The next forum will be held next Thursday, again at the

La Laguna hotel. So if you could not attend the last one, or think this might be the ideal opportunity to speak to the local experts, then reserve your place now.

Call 965 704 338 or email: marketing@SeagateWealth.es

16th - 22nd February

money

by Tom Woods THE European Parliament has chosen Irish candidate Philip Lane ahead of Spain’s Luis De Guindos for the post of European Central Bank (ECB) Vice President. A statement by Roberto Gualtieri, Chair of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) said: “Yesterday ECON members held informal exchanges of views with the two candidates for the position as the next ECB Vice-President. “Both candidates made a

good presentation. The majority of the political groups considered Governor Lane’s performance more convincing. Some groups expressed reservations for Minister De Guindos’ appointment.” However, the European Parliament’s decision is not binding because the appointment is ultimately made at government level, where Mr De Guindos enjoys more support. The final decision will be taken by the Eurozone’s 19 national governments and is scheduled for Monday at a

meeting in Brussels. The victor will join the ECB’s six-member Executive Board in June after Portugal’s Vitor Constancio steps down, and will help to manage its extraordinary monetary stimulus. Several nations including Portugal, Malta and Slovakia have already declared their support for Mr de Guindos, while none have signalled an intention to vote for Lane. Compared together, the two candidates for the ECB’s second-highest post come from very different back-

Photo by European Central Bank

EU lawmakers find Irish candidate Lane ‘more convincing’ President of the ECB Mario Draghi in centre and Mr Lane to his left. grounds. Mr de Guindos would be an unusual choice, as Eurozone finance chiefs have never before selected one for their own for the sixmember Executive Board. He defended his credentials in the parliament hearing arguing that he’s never run in an election and that serving in government shouldn’t be an obstacle. Mr Lane earned his eco-

nomics doctorate at Harvard University, becoming assistant professor of economics and international affairs at Colombia University before returning to teach at Trinity College in Dublin. He became Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland in 2015, joining the General Council of the European Central Bank as a result. Both candidates stood firm-

ly behind ECB President Mario Draghi’s handling of the financial crisis, and were optimistic about the future of the Eurozone. Mr Gualtieri added in his statement that the ECON Committee “regrets that no female candidates have been put forward, as requested, and calls for a more gender balanced representation in the ECB.”

16th - 22nd February

legal

Q A

We cannot find a house that suits our specific needs, so we are thinking of building our own house. What do we need to do ? Many people do this and believe that it is an easy option. It can be but please check the following before you commit to purchasing the land.

by IGNACIO PELLICER MOLLĂ & PEDRO HEREDIA ORTIZ

LAWYERS

Is the land classed as building land? Are there local building regulations and restrictions in place? Who owns the land? Does the plot have electricity and water supplies? Do not make any payment without your lawyer doing all the due diligences for your own peace of mind.

At Pellicer & Heredia we can help you with all the legal aspects of building your own home, and if youâ€™re not in Spain we can do all the paperwork on your behalf. For more information on this or any other legal matter please contact us by email info@pellicerheredia.com or by telephone 965 480 737

16th - 22nd February

RTN Life EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

It makes SENSE for marathon man to run for his Grandson by Darren Parmenter IF you’ve been out and about in either the early hours of the morning or after dark in the town of Busot in the Alicante Province recently, then you might have caught a glimpse of a very dedicated runner in training. Local singer Tony Francis is preparing hard to run his 10th London Marathon, to be held on Sunday April 22, but this year he has an even bigger and more per-

sonal reason to raise money for charity. Last year, his young Grandson Beau was born partially deaf and blind and so Tony - who has raised many thousands of pounds over the years for other charities such as the Salvation Army and the Star & Garter Home - is running for the charity SENSE. As Tony told the RTN: “SENSE has given so much support to our Grandson, and it’s an organisation that has be-

come very close to the hearts of my wife Margaret and I. Running the London Marathon to raise as much money as possible to give something back is worth all the hard work that goes into training.” He won’t be alone running around the famous London landmarks as this year he’ll be accompanied by his son Noel, who is Beau’s Father, and making this special event a real family affair. Tony Francis is a wellknown performer in the Ali-

Tony is preparing hard to run his 10th London Marathon to be held on Sunday April 22.

“

cante region and always takes the opportunity of promoting the work of SENSE at his gigs. He has already raised more than £9,000 (€10,500) as a result of the generosity of his fans and supporters. Tony’s music hero and inspiration was his own Father, and he began his own singing career as part of a double act with

h i m , c a l l e d T h e Tw o Generations. “When he died around 20 years ago I initially gave up the singing,” said Tony, “but my family and friends said that my Dad wouldn’t have wanted me to stop and so I went back on the circuit.” O v e r t h e y e a r s , h e ’s supported household names such as Cannon & Ball and Bobby Davro and now performs regularly in both Costa Blanca North and South. Now living in Spain for 14 years, he was born in Dublin - not that you’d know it from talking with him - although as Tony admits himself, even when you’ve travelled around the world to places such as Australia, Turkey and Menorca and m e t s o m a n y d i ff e r e n t people, the Irish brogue is always there somewhere. As well as his music, Tony’s passion for running has also followed him to Spain too, as he’s taken part in both the Campello and Benidorm half marathons in recent years. FUNDRAISER: Tony has no problem running marathons or his own show to raise funds for a special charity and a special grandson.

If you’d like to support Tony and his family in their fund raising efforts for SENSE, then please go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TonyFrancis http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TonyFrancis.

FRIDAY 7:00am 10:15am 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:45am

Breakfast Winter Olympics BBC News at One BBC London News Doctors The Coroner Escape to the Country Get Away for Winter Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Animals with Cameras Death in Paradise BBC News at Ten BBC London News Question Time Drugs Map of Britain

7:00am Winter Olympics 10:15am Animal Park Easter Special 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Wanted Down Under 12:45pm Heir Hunters 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm Winter Olympics 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great American Railroad Journeys 8:00pm Winter Olympics 9:00pm Sea Cities Sunderland 10:00pm Generation Gifted 11:00pm The Mash Report 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Dragons' Den 1:15am Chris Packham: In Search of the Lost Girl

Peppa Pig Shimmer and Shine Floogals Digby Dragon Rusty Rivets Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Mofy The Wright Stuff GPs: Behind Closed Doors 5 News Lunchtime Cowboy Builders Home and Away Neighbours NCIS: Conspiracy to Murder A Husband's Confession 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Wonderful World of Puppies

5:15am Texas Blood 7:00am It Had to be You 8:30am Mune: Guardian of the Moon Young forest faun Mune unexpectedly finds himself embarking on an epic quest to reclaim the sun from the ruler of the underworld. Fantasy animation. 10:05am Honey 3: Dare to Dance 11:50am Baywatch 2:05pm After the Reality 3:50pm Mune: Guardian of the Moon 5:30pm Honey 3: Dare to Dance 7:20pm After the Reality 9:00pm Baywatch 11:10pm Mean Dreams 1:00am Monster Hunt

5:45am How I Met Your Mother 7:00am Couples Come Dine with Me 7:55am The Goldbergs 8:25am Melissa and Joey 8:55am Melissa and Joey 9:25am Melissa and Joey 9:55am The Goldbergs 10:30am The Goldbergs 11:00am The Goldbergs 11:30am The Goldbergs 12:00pm The Goldbergs 12:30pm Toy Story That Time Forgot 1:00pm Casper 3:00pm The Big Bang Theory 3:30pm The Big Bang Theory 4:00pm The Big Bang Theory 4:30pm The Big Bang Theory 5:00pm The Big Bang Theory 5:30pm The Big Bang Theory 6:00pm The Big Bang Theory 6:30pm The Big Bang Theory 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory

11:05am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:35am Make You Laugh Out Loud 12:05pm Police Interceptors 1:00pm Police Interceptors 2:00pm The A-Team 3:00pm The A-Team 4:00pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! 5:00pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! 6:00pm Rich House, Poor House 7:00pm The Wonderful of Puppies 8:00pm Cruising with Jane McDonald 9:00pm World's Most Luxurious Cruise Ship 9:55pm 5 News The latest news coverage. 10:00pm Football on 5 The Championship.

4:55am Monster Hunt 7:00am Mune: Guardian of the Moon 8:30am Honey 3: Dare to Dance 10:15am After the Reality 11:50am Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 1:20pm Fast and Furious 8 3:45pm Mune: Guardian of the Moon 5:20pm Baywatch Beloved lifeguard chief Dwayne Johnson must team up with cocky new recruit Zac Efron to take down a drugdealing villain 7:30pm Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 9:00pm Fast and Furious 8 11:20pm Baywatch 1:30am It Had to be You 3:00am Mean Dreams

5:50am How I Met Your Mother 6:15am Rude(Ish) Tube 7:00am Hollyoaks Omnibus 9:25am Coach Trip 9:55am Coach Trip 10:30am Coach Trip 11:00am Coach Trip 11:30am Coach Trip 12:00pm The Goldbergs 12:30pm The Goldbergs 1:00pm The Goldbergs 1:30pm The Goldbergs 2:00pm Toy Story Toons 2:15pm The Big Bang Theory 2:45pm The Big Bang Theory 3:15pm The Big Bang Theory 3:45pm The Big Bang Theory 4:15pm The Big Bang Theory 4:45pm The Big Bang Theory 5:15pm The Big Bang Theory 5:45pm The Big Bang Theory 6:15pm The Big Bang Theory

5:45am 6:10am 6:35am 7:00am 11:00am

4:50am After the Reality 6:30am Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Special 7:00am The Great Wall: Special 7:30am Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 8:55am Special 9:25am Baywatch 11:35am Jarhead 3: The Siege 1:20pm Fast and Furious 8 3:50pm Mune: Guardian of the Moon 5:25pm Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 6:50pm Baywatch 9:00pm Fast and Furious 8 11:20pm Jarhead 3: The Siege 1:05am Mean Dreams

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm James Martin's American Adventure 4:00pm Tenable 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Plastic: Can You Live Without it? Tonight 9:00pm Emmerdale 9:30pm The Cruise 10:00pm Children Who Kill 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:30pm ITV News London

7:00am Hollyoaks 8:00am Coach Trip 8:30am How I Met Your Mother 9:00am Baby Daddy 10:00am Melissa and Joey 11:00am How I Met Your Mother 12:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 1:00pm The Goldbergs 2:00pm The Big Bang Theory 3:00pm Melissa and Joey 4:00pm Baby Daddy 5:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 6:00pm The Goldbergs 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm Hollyoaks 8:30pm Coach Trip 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory 9:30pm The Big Bang Theory 10:00pm Celebs Go Dating 11:00pm The Inbetweeners 11:35pm The Inbetweeners 12:05am The Big Bang Theory 12:35am The Big Bang Theory

5:00am 7:00am 10:25am 10:30am

Teleshopping CITV ITV News Saturday Morning with James Martin The Hungry Sailors ITV News and Weather Dancing on Ice Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury Celebrity Catchphrase Tipping Point The Chase ITV News and Weather Local News and Weather Take Me Out The Voice UK Through the Keyhole ITV News and Weather

ITV Nightscreen CITV ITV News Love Your Garden Peston on Sunday The Martin Lewis Money Show The Voice UK ITV News and Weather The Harbour The Cruise What Would Your Kid Do? Britain's Brightest Family Tipping Point ITV News and Weather Local News and Weather The Chase Dancing on Ice

8:35am 8:50am 9:05am 9:20am 9:35am 9:55am 10:05am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 5:45pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 8:45pm

SPFL Greatest Games La Liga Show EFL Matters EFL Midweek Goals: Leagues 1 & La Liga Icons La Liga Icons: Falcao La Liga Show EFL Matters EFL Midweek Goals: Leagues 1 & Football's Greatest Teams Scottish Cup Greatest Games La Liga Greatest Games La Liga Greatest Games La Liga Preview SPFL Matters EFL Matters La Liga Show La Liga Icons La Liga Greatest Games

SATURDAY 4:00am 7:00am 11:00am 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:10pm 2:15pm 5:30pm 6:25pm 6:35pm 6:40pm 6:45pm 7:25pm 8:15pm 9:20pm 10:10pm 11:10pm 11:25pm 11:30pm 12:35am 1:20am

Winter Olympics Breakfast Winter Olympics Football Focus BBC News Weather Winter Olympics Final Score BBC News Regional News Weather And They're Off...For Sport Relief Pointless All Together Now Casualty Troy BBC News Weather Match of the Day: Live at the Apollo Winter Olympics

5:20am BBC News 7:00am Winter Olympics 11:00am Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30pm The Hairy Bikers' Comfort Food 1:00pm Winter Olympics 2:15pm Trust Me, I'm a Doctor 2:45pm The Third Man 4:30pm Nigel Slater's Middle East: Turkey 5:30pm Tom Kerridge's Lose Weight for Good 6:00pm Dragons' Den 7:00pm Hugh's Wild West 8:00pm Winter Olympics 9:00pm David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities 9:30pm Dad's Army 10:00pm QI XL 10:45pm Imagine... 12:00am Young Frankenstein 1:40am The Producers

12:25pm 1:25pm 1:30pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:20pm 7:30pm 9:00pm 10:30pm 11:30pm

9:30am 10:00am 10:15am 10:30am 11:00am 12:30pm 1:00pm 3:30pm 6:00pm 6:15pm 8:30pm 8:40pm 10:45pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

Football's Greatest Teams Scottish Cup Greatest Games Scottish Cup Greatest Games SPFL Matters Soccer A.M. SPFL Matters Football Gillette Soccer Saturday Gillette Soccer Saturday Live Irish League Cup Final La Liga Greatest Games Football La Liga Highlights: Barcelona Ronaldo 20 Years of El Clasico La Liga Highlights: Barcelona

SUNDAY 4:00am 7:00am 8:55am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 4:35pm 7:05pm 7:20pm 7:25pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 9:00pm

Winter Olympics Breakfast Match of the Day The Andrew Marr Show The Big Questions Homes Under the Hammer BBC News Weather for the Week Ahead Winter Olympics Match of the Day Live BBC News Regional News Weather The latest weather information. Countryfile Hold the Sunset Call the Midwife

3:50am 7:00am 10:00am 1:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:16pm 5:15pm 5:25pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 1:05am

BBC News Winter Olympics Winter Olympics Saturday Kitchen Best Bites A Vicar's Life The Crane Gang South Korea: Earth's Hidden Wilderness Lifeline Songs of Praise Back in Time for Tea New York: America's Busiest City Winter Olympics Today at the Games. Dragons' Den Life and Death Row The Mash Report Live at the Apollo Cleverman Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

4:50am 7:00am 10:25am 10:30am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:25pm 1:55pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:30pm 5:45pm 6:00pm 7:00pm

11:35am 12:25pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 3:15pm 5:45pm 8:05pm 8:10pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

House Doctor Divine Designs Wildlife SOS Milkshake! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Football on 5 The Championship. Football on 5 Goal Rush. Make You Laugh Out Loud Justin and the Knights of Valour P.S. I Love You Something's Gotta Give 5 News Greatest Celebrity Wind-Ups Ever! Caught in the Act When Comedy Goes Horribly Wrong

9:15am La Liga Greatest Games 9:30am EFL Goals: League One and League Two 10:00am Scottish Cup Greatest Games 10:15am Scottish Cup Greatest Games 10:30am Sunday Supplement 12:00pm EFL Rivalries: East Anglian Derby 12:30pm Football 3:00pm Football 5:15pm Football 8:00pm EFL Goals: League One and League Two 8:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 8:40pm Football 10:45pm La Liga Highlights: Barcelona 11:00pm EFL Goals: League One and League Two

MONDAY 4:00am 7:00am 10:15am 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 11:45pm 12:15am 1:05am

Winter Olympics Breakfast Winter Olympics BBC News Regional News Doctors The Coroner Escape to the Country Get Away for Winter Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show Match of the Day Live BBC News Regional News Weather Have I Got Old News for You The Graham Norton Show Winter Olympics

4:55am BBC News 7:00am Winter Olympics 10:15am Animal Park Summer Special 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Bargain Hunt Eric Knowles is at the helm as the hunt for bargains heads to Lincoln. 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Winter Olympics 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Winter Olympics Today at the Games. 9:00pm Only Connect 9:30pm University Challenge 10:00pm Collateral 11:00pm Two Doors Down 11:30pm Newsnight 12:10am Weather 12:15am Horizon 1:15am Odyssey

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 3:00pm James Martin's American Adventure 4:00pm Tenable 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm The Martin Lewis Money Show 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Marcella 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:45pm Boarding Schools: The Secret Shame: Exposure

Baby Daddy Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey How I Met Your Mother 11:30am How I Met Your Mother 12:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 12:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 1:00pm The Goldbergs 1:30pm The Goldbergs 2:00pm The Big Bang Theory 2:30pm The Big Bang Theory 3:00pm Melissa and Joey 3:30pm Melissa and Joey 4:00pm Baby Daddy 4:30pm Baby Daddy 5:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 5:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 6:00pm The Goldbergs 6:30pm The Goldbergs 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm Hollyoaks 8:30pm Coach Trip 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory

5:35am Royal Recipes 6:20am Weather for the Week Ahead 6:25am BBC News 7:00am Winter Olympics 10:15am Animal Park Summer Special 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Bargain Hunt 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Winter Olympics 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Winter Olympics 9:00pm Back in Time for Tea 10:00pm Flatpack Empire 11:00pm Mum 11:25pm The Archiveologists 11:30pm Newsnight 12:10am Weather 12:15am Generation Gifted 1:15am Generation Gifted

4:55am ITV Nightscreen 6:05am The Jeremy Kyle Show 7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm Regional News and Weather 3:00pm James Martin's American Adventure 4:00pm Tenable 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Regional News and Weather 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm 100 Year Old Driving School

9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am

9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am

6:10am 6:35am 7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:10pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm

Divine Designs Wildlife SOS Milkshake! The Wright Stuff GPs: Behind Closed Doors 5 News Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! Access Home and Away Neighbours Ncis: Conspiracy to Murder Final Recourse 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door The X Files When Gameshows Go Horribly Wrong

4:50am It Had to be You 6:30am Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Special Sky Movies takes a behind-the-scenes look at the latest trip into JK Rowling's wizarding world. 7:00am Mune: Guardian of the Moon 8:40am Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 10:15am Fast and Furious 8 12:35pm Roxxy 2:25pm Honey 3: Dare to Dance 4:05pm Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 5:35pm Mune: Guardian of the Moon 7:15pm Jarhead 3: The Siege 9:00pm Fast and Furious 8 11:20pm Roxxy 1:15am Jarhead 3: The Siege 3:00am It Had to be You

8:30am Football Countdowns 9:00am Football's Greatest 9:30am Football's Greatest Teams 10:00am La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid 10:15am La Liga Highlights: Barcelona 10:30am Football 12:35pm Football 2:40pm Football 4:45pm La Liga Icons 5:00pm League Cup Final 2008 6:00pm League Cup Final 2012 7:00pm League Cup Final 2013 8:00pm Soccer A.M. 8:30pm Football 11:00pm The Debate - Live 12:00am SPFL Round Up 2017/18 12:15am SPFL Greatest Games 12:30am Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits

Shimmer and Shine Floogals Digby Dragon Rusty Rivets Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Mofy The Wright Stuff GPs: Behind Closed Doors 5 News Lunchtime Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! Home and Away Neighbours Ncis: Conspiracy to Murder Deadly Departure 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight World Rally Championship 2018

4:40am After the Reality 6:30am The Great Wall: Special 7:00am Top Ten Show, the 2018 7:15am Special 7:45am Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 9:20am Roxxy 11:15am Fast and Furious 8 1:45pm Killing Hasselhoff 3:25pm Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 5:00pm Special 5:30pm Jarhead 3: The Siege 7:10pm Roxxy 9:00pm Fast and Furious 8 11:20pm Killing Hasselhoff 1:00am Jarhead 3: The Siege 2:45am After the Reality 4:30am It Had to be You

10:00am 10:30am 11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm

TUESDAY 4:00am 7:00am 10:15am 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 11:45pm

Winter Olympics Breakfast Winter Olympics BBC News Regional News Doctors The Coroner Escape to the Country Get Away for Winter Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show EastEnders Holby City Shetland BBC News Regional News Weather Plastic Surgery Capital of the World

11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm

Baby Daddy Baby Daddy Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Baby Daddy Baby Daddy Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory

8:50am 9:05am 9:20am 9:35am 9:55am 10:05am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

1:00pm 1:15pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:45pm 3:00pm 3:15pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm

Revista de la Liga Eredivisie Football's Greatest One2eleven SPFL Greatest Games SPFL Round Up 2017/18 SPFL Greatest Games Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits La Liga Icons La Liga Icons: Falcao SPFL Round Up 2017/18 SPFL Greatest Games Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits Eredivisie League Cup Final 2013 League Cup Final 2014

16th - 22nd February

WEDNESDAY 5:00am 7:00am 10:15am 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

Winter Olympics Breakfast Winter Olympics BBC News Regional News Doctors The Coroner Escape to the Country Get Away for Winter Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show

7:00am Winter Olympics 10:15am Animal Park Summer Special 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Bargain Hunt 12:30pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Winter Olympics 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Winter Olympics Today at the Games. 9:00pm Tom Kerridge's Lose Weight for Good 9:30pm Trust Me, I'm a Doctor

4:50am 6:05am

ITV Nightscreen The Jeremy Kyle Show 7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm Regional News and Weather 3:00pm James Martin's American Adventure 4:00pm Tenable 5:00pm Tipping Point

9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am

Baby Daddy Baby Daddy Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey How I Met Your Mother 11:30am How I Met Your Mother 12:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 12:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 1:00pm The Goldbergs 1:30pm The Goldbergs 2:00pm The Big Bang Theory 2:30pm The Big Bang Theory 3:00pm Melissa and Joey 3:30pm Melissa and Joey 4:00pm Baby Daddy

9:20am 9:35am 9:55am

Digby Dragon Rusty Rivets Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:05am Mofy 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:15pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 1:10pm 5 News Lunchtime 1:15pm Cowboy Builders 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:15pm Ncis: Conspiracy to Murder 4:15pm A Housekeeper's Revenge 6:00pm 5 News at 5

4:30am It Had to be You 6:10am Top Ten Show, the 2018 6:30am Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 7:00am Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 8:35am Special 9:05am Killing Hasselhoff 10:30am Roxxy 12:20pm Fast and Furious 8 2:40pm It Had to be You 4:05pm Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 5:30pm Special: Sky Movies 6:00pm Jarhead 3: The Siege 7:35pm Killing Hasselhoff

9:30am Football's Greatest Teams 10:00am Scottish Cup Greatest Games 10:15am Scottish Cup Greatest Games 10:30am La Liga Greatest Games 10:45am La Liga Greatest Games 11:00am Revista de la Liga 11:30am La Liga World 12:00pm One2eleven 12:30pm SPFL Greatest Games 1:00pm Revista de la Liga 1:30pm La Liga World

4:50am ITV Nightscreen 6:05am The Jeremy Kyle Show 7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm James Martin's American Adventure 4:00pm Tenable

9:00am Baby Daddy 10:00am Melissa and Joey 11:00am How I Met Your Mother 12:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 1:00pm The Goldbergs 2:00pm The Big Bang Theory 3:00pm Melissa and Joey 4:00pm Baby Daddy 5:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 6:00pm The Goldbergs 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm Hollyoaks 8:30pm Coach Trip 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory

8:35am 8:50am 9:05am 9:20am 9:35am 9:55am

5:00am It Had to be You 6:30am The Great Wall: Special 7:00am After the Reality 8:40am Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 10:05am Roxxy 12:00pm Fast and Furious 8 2:25pm Freehold 4:00pm Dive Olly Dive and the Octopus Rescue 5:30pm Monster Family: Special 6:00pm Killing Hasselhoff 7:25pm Jarhead 3: The Siege

2:00pm League Cup Final 2014 3:00pm Caraboa Cup Highlights 3:30pm Caraboa Cup Highlights 4:00pm League Cup Final 2015 5:00pm Caraboa Cup Highlights 5:30pm Caraboa Cup Highlights 6:00pm League Cup Final 2016 7:00pm Caraboa Cup

THURSDAY 5:00am 7:00am 10:15am 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm

Winter Olympics Breakfast Winter Olympics BBC News at One BBC London News Doctors The Coroner Escape to the Country Get Away for Winter Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News

5:00am BBC News 7:00am Winter Olympics 10:15am Animal Park Summer Special 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Bargain Hunt 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Winter Olympics 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Winter Olympics 9:00pm Sea Cities - Bristol 10:00pm Girls on the Edge

10:05am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm

Peppa Pig Shimmer and Shine Floogals Digby Dragon Rusty Rivets Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Mofy The Wright Stuff GPs: Behind Closed Doors 5 News Lunchtime Cowboy Builders Home and Away Neighbours

this week weather FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU Feb 16 Feb 17 Feb 18 Feb 19 Feb 20 Feb 21 Feb 22 21º/7ºC 19º/6ºC 19º/5ºC 18º/5ºC 19º/6ºC 18º/8ºC 21º/8ºC Clouds and sun

Clouds and sun

Cloudy and a little rain

Clouds and sun

Sunny

16th - 22nd February Photo Credit: Andrew Mayovskyy Shutterstock

This mortal coil SOMEBODY used the expression ‘shuffling off by Colin Bird this mortal coil’ recently, The opinions published then, shortly after, it in Colin’s weekly column cropped up in a book I are not necessarily was reading. representative of those We all know pretty of the publishers, much what it means and advertisers or newspaper I have heard it a million sponsors. times before, but I wondered where such an odd expression came from. ly commensurate with adHad I paid better attention vancing years, and is partly at school I would have due to the desire for knowlknown, because as with so edge and partly, I suspect, many sayings and idioms out of sheer panic because that we use today, it was prethe robed figure carrying a dictable that this was yet anscythe is lurking close by. other pearl of wisdom that The only certainty during dripped off the pen of old Will our worldly stopover is that at Shakespeare, and is part of some point we all go the the ‘To be or not to be’ monosame way, and yet for most logue from Hamlet. it’s the one thing in life that I have always been fasciwe find hardest to accept. nated by the question: what It is sometimes difficult to happens after we peg it and differentiate between what is there something else bewe want to believe because it yond this life? And unlike yet gives us comfort, and what is another Status Quo farewell a firmly held belief, instilled tour, does the end really through faith or pure gut feelmean the end? ing. And as Woody Allen The desire for answers on once said: “It’s not that I’m this subject is not surprisingafraid to die, I just don’t want

to be there when it happens.” There cannot be many people who, during their lifetime, have not experienced unexplained goings on, indicating that something otherworldly is afoot. Things like deja vu, prophetic dreams and near death experiences. My late Mum always kept an array of small pot plants on her window sills, including a Christmas cactus. I’m not sure how old this thing was, but I remember it sitting in its designated spot seemingly forever. It always looked healthy enough, but to my Mother’s perpetual disappointment, it never flowered; not throughout the designated season or at any other time during the year. Then after her passing, and on the morning of her funeral, we came downstairs to find it a mass of crimson flowers, even though this was in June. The message could not

THE GRIM REAPER: Visits us all eventually.

have been clearer and it was the only time during that whole stressful period that

my old Dad lost it, with a mixture of tears of joy and sadness.

16th - 22nd February

Couples can benefit from relationship assistance QUIRONSALUD TORREVIEJA applies emotional intelligence as the key factor in repairing couple’s relationships. More than 80 per cent of couples who use the Francisco & Canet method achieve their objectives in just 12 sessions. The Francisco & Canet method is a pioneering couple’s therapy that is offered by specialists at Hospital Quironsalud Torrevieja. It is based on emotional intelligence and has a very high success rate. It is a brief therapy of six to 12 sessions, after which the majority of patients manage to achieve the objectives they set at the beginning of the treatment. It is based mainly on knowing and being able to regulate emotions and apply marital values, and problems are dealt with from the perspective of self-criticism so that couples gain maturity. “In general couples separate because they have not written off negative emotions. When

GOOD ADVICE: Learn to compromise.

one of the members of the couple feels offended or grieved, they tend to offend or blame the other, generating a vicious cycle that leads them to separation”, explains Doctor Nuria Javaloyes, specialist in psychology at Quironsalud Torrevieja. This method sums up years of experience in couple therapy and applies self-referential registers

related to emotional intelligence. “The hurt couple have the burden of negative emotions that prevent reconciliation, forgiveness is therapeutic for them and points towards a different future” affirm the authors of the method. Among the main reasons for couple’s crisis are: a lack of commitment, different life plans,

having children, emotional immaturity, unfaithfulness, or the lack of cooperation in household chores. Ten recommendations from the Francisco & Canet method: 1. The first step to making your partner happy is choosing the right companion. 2. Your partner should be first in everything in your life. 3. Compromise is key in most situations. Don’t be their rival, be their ‘influential’ partner. 4. Maintain and show your commitment on a daily basis. 5. Forgive your partner with ease. 6. Always share family and household responsibilities. 7. Remind yourself regularly of good moments with your partner. 8. Dedicate a few minutes each day to your relationship. 9. Use, but do not abuse displays of affection and physical contact. 10. Accept your companion the way they are.

First-aid courses available to save vital seconds WITH the aim of improving the services offered to tourists, the municipality of Los Alcazares will be providing a number of training schemes. Among them will be first-aid courses for those working in retail outlets and the increasing number of bars and restaurants. A scheme has also been put in place for ordinary members of the public to undergo similar training, as well as schoolchildren and people who belong to the multitude of sports clubs and associations. The initiatives are there with the sole intention of more people being able to respond in emergency scenarios and to save lives. Councillor Anastasio Bastida, speaking to Spanish media, said: “Even though our emergency service teams are amongst the quickest to respond in the region, it’s impossible for them to be on the scene within just a few minutes. Those seconds that can be saved if our local shopkeepers, hotel staff and ordinary residents can step in are vital.” Recently released figures showed that Los Alcazares’ Civil Protection members attended to, on average, 50 incidents a day during last year, with over 6,000 being on the local beaches.

16th - 22nd February

Puzzles Code Breaker

Play on Words OR OR 0

Kenny Corris I For Readings, Consultations and Castings email: kennycorris@hotmailcom / www.kennycorris.net Mobile: 686 361 594 / Tel: 965 878 424

TUNE TUNE TELLER TUNE TUNE

Answers: Double or nothing. Fortune teller.

Give somebody the benefit of the doubt this week, because you may have misjudged them somewhat. Go against your instincts if you have to, since nevertheless you do know that for sure something just doesn’t add up; leaving you to be barking up the wrong tree! A definitive Mars squares up to an ebullient Neptune midweek.

Word Wheel The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel. Can you find the 9 letter word?

A double whammy this week sees Venus brushing up to Ceres and conjuncting Neptune. This forms a corner that suggests that finance is an issue with you right now, and something has to be done to boost income and minimalise expenditure. While you’re at it, check out for minor errors on any bills, as this caution will benefit you! As Mercury slides into Pisces there comes a suitable time for you to splash the cash on something worthwhile. Invest in your happiness and future planning by rewarding yourself with something you’ve not only worked hard for; but which you really do deserve. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it’s not before time either. Just after the Solar Eclipse, and as many planets move into Pisces, you are both optimistic and prepared for changes that you know very well are on the cards right now. Eclipses are especially poignant to those ruled by the Moon. Time to prioritise on that which you know will bring you all the favourable results you crave. Planet Mercury enters Pisces this week, and is closely followed by the Sun. Everything turns towards your own sensitivity, and indeed, this is a time of emotional pressure on a profound level. Whatever you do, keep your feet on the ground, and leave no stone unturned looking for the true desires that are flooding through. The entry of the Sun into Pisces sees the beginning of a time whereby you are clearly shown the direction forward you have to take. Nothing has to be left to chance and you will receive the spiritual gifts that you may use to better plan the more immediate future. Take pressure off and look within to see how you can best adapt to it. Squaring up to recent events, within a hot bed of mere gossip, comes some sage and friendly advice you would be foolish not to take on board right now. You are wilfully stubborn and clutching at straws, but you do not seem to see both sides of the coin right now. Mercury sextiles Saturn and this allows you to stall things for awhile. Whilst others seem to have taken the wrong end of the stick you have been quick to denounce their actions rather than to breathe clarity into a cloudy, hostile situation. In hindsight you would never have got involved in the first place, but now why is it only you who is implicated? Mars intensifies any action through Neptune. With Jupiter en route to a dalliance with Dwarf planet Kora, the time comes to spill the beans on a secret that now has to be disclosed. You have been tolerant and very accepting, but now that you stand accused, it is high time to tell the truth of the matter; even though somebody else will no longer benefit by your covering up. Saturn takes on Ceres and the result is a return to basics and back to routine. There is something strong and reassuring about the sheer rhythm of life right now, and wisely you are leaving all your options well and truly open. Looking back, whatever disturbed this pattern of your life is thankfully no longer a problem anyway! Somebody desperately needs your assistance right now, but they are held back by stubborn pride, and won’t ask for your help in any way. Fleeting energies of a departing Mercury have closed recent channels of communication, but it’s clear that your suspicions are aroused and you should act accordingly. As Mercury enters midweek, it is closely followed by the Sun making a similar entry. The Piscean can be dreamy and romantic, but they are fully competent and discerning in their thoughtful actions too! Being in touch with your innermost feelings right now is the right thing to do and telling it just like it is will diffuse complications.

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 18 represents K and 26 represents T, so fill in K every time the figure 18 appears and T every time the figure 26 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

Kenny’s Postbag Kenny, my Mother is in her late eighties and showing signs of moving on. She has old family values and is very concerned that she is going to go to Heaven. I know that you call it the Spirit World, but what can I say to her? Gail U. Hi Gail. I, amongst other Spiritualists, call it the Spirit World because it is the holding station for souls departed from an Earthly life. Heaven is a territory for Christians on passing over, so it is not correct to use such a termination as many of my readers and clients are from other faiths; and because I do not wish to cause them any distress. Assure your dear Mother that since she has lived a good life, as a good person she will enter the Heaven that she seeks. I hope that she finds the peace that she deserves on that final journey when the time comes!

Kenny Corris

Don't forget to email or message me with your Postbag Questions!. Check out my new website: www.kennycorris.net

For Birthday Celebrants If it’s Your Birthday This Week: Don’t let anything stand in your way now you are cleared for the abundant changes you have to make. Things are very different now and the Cosmos this Astrological year, is able to reward those who can help themselves!

The 9 letter word is:

Kakuro Fill all the empty squares using the numbers 1 to 9, so that the sum of each horizontal block equals the ‘clue’ on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once.

16th - 22nd February

More Puzzles Cryptyc

Across 1 Tick cop off in driver’s seat (7) 5 So the cover is firm (5) 8 Smoothes out in the middle of elevenses (5) 9 It obstructs gunners in a boat (7) 10 Former currency, mostly, for French chemist (7) 11 One of the musketeers has to go off (5) 12 Canter around in a hypnotic state (6) 14 University more certain of lender (6) 17 Avoid commercial in the evening (5) 19 Today learn about some glands (7) 22 Grease around any short rope (7) 23 Improve footwear around the beginning of September (5) 24 Some musty leather elegance (5) 25 A number of workers are lessees (7)

English - Spanish

Futoshiki

Down 1 Sing like a bird and sound inexpensive (5) 2 Church, if not then, a football team (7) 3 From past experience, stick (5) 4 A sleeveless tunic, thanks to poet (6) 5 Hair highlights for unsteady skaters (7) 6 Drain away 50 each (5) 7 Actor’s assistant’s bureau (7) 12 Tell sir about the framework (7) 13 Brave about carpet burn (7) 15 Manage to continue making capital in Burma (7) 16 Behind counter spot French sex-symbol (6) 18 Upset the start of a nice new office yearbook (5) 20 Did not finish dressing bird (5) 21 Biblical refugee, American flower (5)

Fill in the squares so that each digit from 1 to 6 occurs exactly once in each row and column. Greater-than and less-than signs indicate the relationship of the two adjacent squares. There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing.

The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English.

Across 2 Enchufes (eléctrico) (5) 6 Mouth (of person, animal, bottle) (4) 7 Árbol (4) 8 To be born (5) 9 Último (final) (4) 10 Abbot (4) 11 Delantal (5) 12 Hervir (agua, leche) (4) 13 Puerta (de jardín, ciudad) (4) 14 Key (door) (5)

15 Candle (4) 16 Strange (person, event, behaviour, feeling) (4) 17 Fregaderos (5) Down 1 Hearts (9) 2 Screens (cinema or computer) (9) 3 Incierto (9) 4 Extraños (9) 5 Forward (in position) (9)

Quick

Across 1 Gives up for money (5) 4 Remains (5) 8 Close interaction (7) 9 Make fun of playfully (5) 10 Art stand (5) 11 Frees oneself from (7) 12 Begins (6) 14 Powerful (6) 18 Odd (7) 20 Squander (5) 22 Shows the way by going first (5) 23 Gets thinner (7) 24 Children's toys (2-3) 25 Outbuildings (5) Down 1 Confidential matters (7) 2 Gives temporarily (5) 3 Bright red (7) 4 Small sofa (6) 5 Room in the roof of a house (5) 6 Liquid preparation for washing hair (7) 7 Appears to be (5) 13 Prior to a specified or implied time (7) 15 In the direction of (7) 16 Conjectures (7) 17 Racket sport (6) 18 Separate into parts or portions (5) 19 Offensively curious or inquisitive (5) 21 Kitchen appliance used for cooking food (5)

Sudoku

Fill the grid so every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9

16th - 22nd February

health OUR busy everyday lives can be shattering in the modern world. There may be many reasons why you’re tired such as job stress, insomnia, burning the candle at both ends, or personal issues. In a perfect world we’d take a week off to relax and catch up on sleep but hello ... this is not a perfect world chin up and let’s get on with it - we need a quick make-up fix! Tiredness can be hard to cover but here are some tips: • For bloodshot eyes, either from exhaustion or crying, flesh-toned eyeliner is your new best friend. Go for a shade only slightly darker than your natural skin tone to cover those red rims. Matte shades are more subtle, but shimmery ones have some great brightening power. • A touch of blue mascara can work wonders on making the whites of your eyes appear whiter and in eliminating the appearance of red tones. • For those dark circles which may be anything from grey to blue to dark purple, try a peachy or yellow-toned concealer. Peach looks

Hide your tiredness with make-up tricks!

MAKE-UP: It can transform a tired face into a fresh face look if applied correctly.

more natural but yellow is brightening. • Your skin may be showing the tell-tale signs of tiredness even if the rest of your face isn’t. Dull, lifeless skin can be perked up with a refresher spray. If it’s kept in the fridge then it’ll help refresh skin and reduce puffiness. Light foundation or BB cream is always a lifesaver

in these situations but go easy, as trowelling it on never helps. • A cream blush is a great fix for the face as it introduces a soft glow for a freshfaced look, instead of harsh unnatural colours. For cool undertones use a baby-pink shade, and for warmer complexions, opt for something a little more peachy.

Which detox is right? THERE are many types of detox available promoting a variety of health benefits, although most of them contain some standard elements. Whichever detox you choose, the first thing to do is lighten up your toxin load. Eliminate alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fats, all of which act as toxins in the body and are obstacles to the healing process. Some believe the detox can be taken to the next level by minimising the use of chemical cleaners and chemical based healthcare products like shampoos. Natural alternatives can be used instead. Stress can have a hugely adverse impact on the body, triggering stress hormones and contributing to excess toxins in the system; it is important during a detox to keep your mind calm and in a stress-free environment. Practices such as yoga and meditation are simple and effective at reducing stress by bringing your body and mind into harmony. There are hundreds of detox programmes, recipes and regimes depending on your needs. Many programmes follow a seven-day schedule because it takes a few days to properly cleanse the blood. An example of a detox routine may include fasting on liquids for two days, followed by a carefully planned five-day detox diet to allow the digestive system to rest. Some popular detox regimes are as follows: 1. Simple fruit and veggie detox 2. Smoothie cleanse 3. Juice cleanse 4. Sugar detox 5. Hypoallergenic detox

16th - 22nd February

Advertising Feature

New year, new you with SLIM4LIFE and Exante diet SLIM4LIFE.ES is an authorised Exante diet distributor in Spain and is proud to announce that Exante meal replacement products - the UK’s leading weight reduction and slimming products are now available here. Slim4Life is not only about supplements and meal replacements! They offer coaching and support to assist you through the process of weight loss and good health, as well as advice and encouragement to keep you looking and feeling good. It’s so easy! 1. Decide which Exante diet plan is right for you. 2. Choose from the huge range of shakes, bars, meals, desserts & snacks 3. Book your free consultation HOW IT WORKS What is Exante? Exante diet plans are simple, flexible and work for you. There are a range of diet plans for you, suitable for whether you are looking to drop a dress size, tone up or change your eating habits for good! Want to lose weight? Substitute up to three meals a day with their nutritious meal replacement products that give your body all the essential vitamins and minerals to support a healthy diet. Want to tone up? Each Exante product is high in protein, low carb and packed full of fibre, perfect for gymbunnies looking for a convenient post-workout snack. Why Exante? It works, it’s convenient and it transforms lives! The Exante and Slim4Life philosophy is healthy living made simple through easy-to-follow recipes, flexible meal plans and exercises developed by experts. Learn how to cook quick and delicious meals and follow your personal weight loss coach as they guide you though your weight loss journey. SUPPORT TO STAY ON TRACK AND START YOUR TRANSFORMATION Try the 28-day challenge to help guide you through the first four weeks of changing the way you eat with Exante. Feel healthy and watch the pounds fall off.

Karl Dalglish Start weight: 27 st Current weight: 15 st 7lb Weight loss: 11 st 5lb

“I love the new me, confident and fitter than ever “ Q1 What made you decide to lose weight? A. I was appalled at myself, had no confidence and was depressed. It was May 13 last year I didn’t want to be 27 stone on February 13, my 45th birthday, nine months later. I am now 15st 7lb, having lost 11st 5lb on the Slim4life plan. Q2 What made you choose Exante? A. After trying every diet on earth I finally found one that really works, the Exante diet, and the Slim4life plan is so easy to follow and saved me a fortune. Voted best and most economical diet in Britain by ITV it has worked wonders for me, and now I consult and help others lose weight the way I have. Q3 What Exante plan did you follow? A. Total solution. Q4 What did you learn on the plan? A. Discipline for starters, it really makes you realise the mistakes and bad choices that you made in the past, and you come to realise just how important you and your body are. Q5 How did the plan fit your lifestyle? A. Easily. A shake for breakfast, a bar for lunch and a shake or soup for dinner. I found that once I got into the swing I was never hungry and had more energy than ever. Q6 What kept you motivated? A. Easy weight loss, averaging five pounds a week is such a massive motivator, the only downside is I have no clothes left. Q7 What exercise did you do? A. If I’m totally honest very little or none for the first few months, then as the weight fell off I started walking short distances and now nine months in I’ve joined the gym and I’m just loving my new life. Q8 How has your life changed? A. I am fitter, stronger, both physically and mentally, much more confident and outgoing and I like myself again, oh and did I say I climbed a mountain? I struggled climbing the stairs nine months ago and last month I climbed the Pico Del Aguila near Redovan, 1,438 ft high. If that’s not a change I don’t know what is. Q9 What is your next goal? A. I have two stone still to lose but with this plan I know I will reach my goal by the end of March. I know because I lose an average of five pounds a week so it’s easy to calculate. I want to grow the Slim4life name in the Torrevieja and surrounding areas. I will not rest till Costa Blanca south is fat free. Q10 Would you recommend this plan to a friend? A. I certainly would and I have, many times. I have at least seven friends and family members all losing lots of weight. It just works for everyone, and now I’m consulting so give me a ring it WILL work for you. Contact me to CHANGE YOUR LIFE NOW AND SAVE POUNDS WHILE YOU LOSE POUNDS, CONSULTING COMES FREE.

Phone or email Karl for your free consultation on 602 585 710 or slim4life.karl@gmail.com.

Health focus - avocado THE avocado is a wonder fruit. Yes it’s a fruit in case you wondered, and a wonderful fruit at that. The fruit grown on the branches of the avocado tree, or Persea americana as it’s known scientifically, is not only loved for its unique flavour and texture but is prized for its high nutritious value. Most fruits consist primarily of carbohydrates and sugars, while the avocado is high in

healthy fats; numerous studies show that it has some hugely beneficial effects on health. Here are some health benefits: Avocados contain around 20 different health-boosting vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K, C, B5, B6, E, folate, potassium and many more. As stated, avocados contain potassium in higher quantities than bananas.

Several studies show that having a high potassium intake is linked to reduced blood pressure; a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. The avocado is one of the fattiest fruits there is, but the mono-unsaturated fatty acids and specifically oleic acid have been linked to healthier hearts, having cancer fighting properties and also lowering inflammation.

16th - 22nd February

Indefinite time in the past Basic Spanish for everyday needs

by Jane Cronin

FOR a few weeks we have been looking at a verb tense which, for convenience, we have called the ‘recent past’ tense. In English this is made up of ‘have/has + past participle’ and in Spanish we use the appropriate form of ‘haber + past participle’. An example of the ‘recent past’ use in English would be: ‘I have written the first part of this article’. This is something I ‘have done’ recently, and which is affecting the present in some way, as opposed to something I ‘did’ at a specific time in the past, as in ‘last week I wrote an article’. One of the sentences we used previously as an example of this tense was: ‘¿Has estado en Inglaterra?’ meaning: ‘Have you been to England?’ Now if you think about it, this sentence could refer to two different time frames. We could use it to refer to the recent past. For example if we were speaking to an English neighbour we hadn’t seen for a couple of weeks and wondered where

they had got to recently. On the other hand, imagine you were chatting to a Spanish person and telling them where you came from. If you then asked: ‘Have you been to England?’ you would not be enquiring about whether they had visited England recently, you would be asking if they had ever been to England in their lives. If the answer was just ‘yes’, you would still have no idea whether this visit occurred this year, last year or 20 years ago. The only difference we sometimes make when asking this kind of question is to add the word ‘ever’. This underlines the idea of ‘any time in the past’, without changing the tense used. We might well use this question in our conversations with Spanish people we are getting to know. The way to say ‘ever’ in Spanish is ‘alguna vez’ (any time). So ‘Have you been to England? - ‘¿Has estado en Inglaterra?’ could also be ‘Have you ever been to England?’ - ‘¿Has estado alguna vez en Inglaterra?’. We can now see clearly that the ‘recent past’ tense can also be used to talk about ‘indefinite’ times in the past; experiences in the past in which no reference is made to exactly when they occurred. Here are some more examples in English and Spanish. The words ‘ever’ and ‘alguna vez’ are not obligatory and sometimes sound better in one language than the other.

¿Has visto la película Gone with the Wind? Have you ever seen the film Gone with the Wind? To which we might reply: ‘Sí, la he visto’ or ‘No, no la he visto nunca’ or ‘Sí, la he visto muchas veces’ (I have seen it many times) or ‘No me acuerdo’ (I don’t remember - although that would be unlikely I think!) Incidentally, if you really want to ask this question, it might be useful to know that the Spanish translation is ‘Lo que el viento se llevo’.

Has cantado alguna vez en publico? Have you ever sung in public? ‘Si, he cantado en publico, en un bar Karaoke en Playa Flamenca.’ Just giving you some suggestions here. ¿Has conocido alguna vez a una persona famosa? Have you ever met a famous person? ‘Si, mi padre era actor de Shakespeare.’ Now, I’m getting silly. See you next week!

Many Brits may have cold feet by Michael Cano AFTER changing the law on a number of occasions and promising to do something about it, there now appears to be a wish to give all UK expatriates the right to vote in General Elections. This was a fairly important p l a n k i n D a v i d C a m e r o n ’s s u c cessful election campaign but as soon as he came to power he seemed to forget all about it and certainly used the excuse that it would be too cumbersome to change the law quickly. When he then decided to hold the Referendum, all of those expatriates who had become disenfranchised simply had to let those who were allowed the vote to decide their future for them. Following the departure of David Cameron, there was a snap election which also those who

had been out of the UK for more than 15 years were barred from taking part in. There seems to be quite a strong call for a review of the Brexit decision as many people feel that the negotiations are not going as well as they had hoped and expected. Whilst understandably, many feel that the die is cast and the decision shouldn’t be based on a ‘best of three’ competition, clearly pro-Brexiteers like Boris Johnson are getting a little worried about which way the tide is turning and they are warning the nation that things would be even worse should Brexit not take place. Time will tell but it does seem that a significant number of those who voted to leave or weren’t allowed to have a say in their future are now worried about the eventual outcome.

16th - 22nd February ARCHITECTS

BATHROOMS BATHROOMS CONVERSIONS COSTA BLANCA, CONTACT 698 320 434. (260101)

CHARITIES THE SPIRITUALIST CENTRE, Benijofar meets at Hamilton´s Bake House, 62 Calle Vicente, Blasco Ibañez, Benijofar 03178. We hold a Sunday Service at 11.30 a.m., a Tuesday Evening of Mediumship at 7 p.m. Open/Development Circles held on Thursdays, where you can develop your skills commencing at 6.30 p.m. are cancelled until further notice. Spiritual healing is available every Sunday and Tuesday after the service. The Divine Service, with Mediumship, on Sunday 11th February will be taken by Jackie Kershaw (UK Medium). The Evening of Mediumship on Tuesday 13th February, will also be taken by Jackie Kershaw. The Divine Service on Sunday, 18th February will be taken by Corina Talbot. Contact Wendy on 965323028. www.spiritualist centre-beni jofar.com New email is

phoenixchurch23@ gmail.com or info@spiritual ist centre-benijofar.com Identifi cacion Fiscal G54713789.

LA SIESTA EVANGELICAL CHURCH on Urbanisation La Siesta, Torrevieja is a friendly, English speaking Church. We hold services each Sunday and everyone is welcome. Our 11.00 am Services are held every 2nd and 4th Sunday in the month (and 11.00 am on the 5th Sunday, if this applies.) On the 1st and 3rd Sunday’s our Services are at 9.30 am. Our choir sings at our 11.00 am Services and there is also a Sunday School, called Stepping Stones, on these Sundays. We welcome residents, visitors and children. For more information see our website www.lasiestae vangelicalchurch.org or telephone Pastor Keith on 666 180 108.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Is alcohol costing you more than money? Drinking to excess not only affects your health it can spill over into every other aspect of your life – damaging everything that is important to you. English-speaking AA meetings are held throughout the Costa Blanca from Valencia City to Murcia. Anyone wishing to attend a meeting or discuss a possible drinking problem contact Costa Blanca North: *648 169 045* or Costa Blanca South: *625 912 078* or Costa Calida *679 385 105*. All calls are treated in the

strictest confidence. AA in German: 645 456 075; Spanish: 679 212 535; Flemish: 635 047 053; and Scandinavian: 659 779 222. www.aa-costablanca.org

ROUNDABOUT CHARITY SHOP. We are now into summer and very soon we will be feeling the heat! It is time therefore for another visit to the shop where you might find a bargain or two. Choose from the clothing selection, jewellery, household goods, books or bric a brac. There is usually something there for everyone - but not always. Charitable donations have recently been made to The Alzheimers Centre, Cancer Research and The Amigos Ambulance Service. We still need your help with donations etc. Please keep them coming in! We are situated on Avenida Del Furs close to the Fountain Roundabout and immediate left by Don Colchon bed shop. (93325)

THE ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION, Torrevieja Branch, meet at 17.00 on the first Wednesday of each month at the Restaurante El Paraiso, Urb. Jardin del Mar 3 (behind Carrefour), Torrevieja. Contact Paul Edwards, Chairman 618 644 934 or Margaret Forshaw, Secretary 966 921 996.

SITUATIONS VACANT

COLUMNIST

LOCKSMITHS

THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Orihuela Costa - covering from Punta Prima to San Javier. The branch meets at Olympia restaurant, Mil Palmeras on 3rd Thursday of each month at 19.00 - 19.30pm. More info can be found on branch website www.orihuela costarbl. co.uk (95457)

PETS

HELP VEGA BAJA. We are a non-profit making organisation that helps and supports anyone, without prejudice, in times of need or crisis within the Vega Baja area. Our offices are based in San Miguel at Calle Lope de Vega 46 (Tel 966 723 733), Torrevieja at Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 4 (Tel 965 704 282). Both offices are open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 1.30 pm and the Helpdesk at La Marina is open every Thursday (10 am to 1.30 pm) at the Hope Fellowship Church (opposite the Thursday Market site) at Avda de Justo Antonio Quesada, Urb. La Marina (Tel 615770145). We are online at www.helpvegabaja.com and also on Facebook. You can email the San Miguel Centre at office@helpvegabaja.com. We also have a 24 hour Emergency help-line which is available to both members and non-members on 966 723 733 (95456)

MOTORING

16th - 22nd February

CHIMNEY SWEEP PROFESSIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP. Family business established over 60 years. 660 478 881 (258519).

ELECTRICIAN MR. FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434. (260205)

FRIENDSHIP Easy going gent 69 years old GSOH seeks lively lady companion 50-70 for socialising, touring, fine dining and beach walks in a LTR. Contact : petmeg@live.co.uk (258401)

SITUATIONS VACANT INSURANCE

BENEFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES. Car, Home, Business, Travel, Life, Funeral, all insurances available. Policies in English. BEST rates, covers & service. Immediate quotes. Tel 961 129 215 / 622 275 561, (whatsapp) info@benefi cialinsuranceinspain.com or visit www.beneficialinsuran ceinspain.com for online quote. (259023)

MOTORING FOR SALE

FED UP PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR MOBILE PHONE CALLS? THEN CONTACT TELITEC TODAY. CALLS TO SPAIN 7C PER MINUTE INCLUDING MOBILES. CALLS TO UK5.3C PER MINUTE. NO MONTHLY FEES, NO CONTRACT. WWW.TELITEC.COM teL: 902 889 070 (0)

PLUMBING INTERNET

REMOVALS & STORAGE

GET YOUR business noticed online!Make sure that expats in Spain can find your product, service, restaurant, bar or shop. Contact Spain’s newest and brightest online directory TODAY. Call 951 386 161 or e-mail mark.w@euroweeklynews. com for more details.

METALWORK MOBILE Metal Work. Any welding or plasma cutting work carried out. For a free quote call 639 487 503 (257386).

MOTORING WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of firect car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309 (200726). UK MOT. All legal and on line. Arrangements made for collection and delivery £400. Email carsinspain@hot mail.com Tel. 0044 7553367285 (246860)

TELECOMS

MR. FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434. (260205)

POOLS POOL MAINTENANCE Repairs, Spares and Leak Testing. Call 965 725 565 / 676 945 360 www.pooltech spain.com (256710)

REMOVALS/STORAGE MAN AND VAN UK Spain. 2 vans travelling twice a month, Murcia – North / South UK. Storage in Spain Tel 610 846 260 or 0044 751 918 6355 email van.man@hotmail.co.uk (250809) UK-SPAIN-IRELAND. Removals with the personal touch. Pets carried with care 965 696 750 / 0044 (0) 7447 918 589 e-mail chrisy ounge73979@aol.com (255093)

SITUATIONS VACANT FIELD SALES positions available. Must have own transport, English and Spanish preferred, but not essential, must have local knowledge of the area and be smart and presentable. Applications by email with full CV should be sent to recruitment@euroweek lynews.com (1578)

WANTED DIESEL car LHD and motorhome right or LHD wanted. Cash waiting Tel 650 722 905

XXX RELAX Readers of a sensitive disposition may find some of the advertisements in this section offensive. CASA ANGELA TORREVIEJA. Luxury Private Chalet, parking. Drinks invitation. Feeling alone? Just want some company? Exotic girls from South America. Call us, come and enjoy! Also Escort Service. Full discretion. Street: Ave nida asociacion Vistimas del Terrorismo. 609 573 468/ 639 832 118 (257534) TORREVIEJA: BRAZILIAN, MULATTO, MATURE & SLIM AND YOUNG FRIEND CLARA – WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME? 24HRS, CALL ME… ONLY OUTCALLS 662 478 414 (256432) SPANISH lady – classic. Playa Flamenca, private house, 35 years, attractive. All erotic services, massage, sexy lingerie. From €40. Ana 657 603 495 (257962) EXOTIC Spanish lady, Elegant & sexy. Erotic tantric massage with happy ending. Discretion. Playa Flamenca close to La Zenia. Private house. Watsapp 611 472 803. (256457)

XXX RELAX MALE Been Naughty? Get to The Headmaster's Study in San Miguel for a Sensual Spanking. Details :

XXX RELAX

16th - 22nd February SITUATIONS VACANT

TV & SATELLITE

Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Wordwheel ab ae an ar as at ba na ta abb abo abs ane ant arb are

ars art ate ban bar bas bat boa bra ear eat era eta nab nae oar

Cryptic

oat oba ora ran ras rat sab sae san sat sea tab tae tan tao tar

Codebreaker tas tea abbe abet abos aeon aero anes ante ants arbs ares arse arts ates babe

bane bans barb bare barn bars base bast bate bats bean bear beat beta boar boas

boat bora bota brae bran bras brat earn ears east eats eras etas etna nabe nabs

naos near neat nota oars oast oats obas osar rant rase rate rato rats roan rota

sabe sane sate sear seat sera seta soar soba sora stab star stoa tabs tans taos

Quick

tare tarn taro tars tear teas toea tora tsar abbes abbot abets abort aeons antes antre

arose arson aster atone babes banes barbe barbs bares barns baron baser bason baste bates baton

beano beans bears beast beats betas boars boart boast boats boras botas braes brans brant brats

earns etnas nabes nabob nares nates nears neats oaten oater orate rants rates ratos resat roans

roast rotas saber sabot sabre saner santo snare sonar sorta stane stare stoae taber tabes tabor

tares tarns taros tears toeas toras trans trona abbots aborts absent absorb antres arseno astern atoner

atones banter barbes barbet barest barons barton baster batons beanos boarts boater borane borate boreas brants

breast earbob nabber nabobs oaters orates ornate osetra rabbet reason rebato senora sterna tabers tabors tronas

atoners banters barbets baronet boaster boaters boranes borates nabbers noreast rabbets rebatos reboant santero senator sorbate

stabber treason baronets baseborn absorbent

Kakuro

Word Ladder YARD LARD LORD LOAD LOAF (LEAD) LEAF or YARD HARD HERD HEAD LEAD LEAF

Sudoku

English-Spanish

Futoshiki

16th - 22nd February

motoring

Lancia rally car set for comeback LANCIA has announced a limited run of new Stratos cars 40 years after the original went out of production. T h e c a r, k n o w n f o r its success in rally racing, is set to be revived in three different models: a supercar, a GT racer and a Safari rally version. The company has planned a 25-car run with each model expected to fetch around £600,000 (€676,000), although this has not being confirmed. It will feature a short wheelbase, an angular nose and a rear spoiler lip all reminiscent of the 1970’s Stratos which made its name during rally’s golden age.

A Ferrari V8 has been floated as the engine which can produce around 550bhp. The new Stratos will also have a lightweight body with suspension tuned for tight roads. Each model is set to be styled according to buyers’ tastes. This means you could completely recreate the 1970’s version, provided you have the money. The interior harks back to the original Stratos with its stripped-back dashboard design and even includes storage for race helmets on the inside of the doors.

COMEBACK KID: The new Stratos pays homage to the famous Lancia rally car of the 1970’s.

Dyson set to enter electric car market ELECTRONICS maker Dyson has announced it has earmarked £2 billion (€2.25 billion) for an electric car project. The company is planning on a starting range of three vehicles but it will not include its ‘solidstate’ battery in the first design, according to British media. Dyson declined to confirm this. The first of the three new cars will reportedly have a limited production

ELECTRIC DREAMS: Sir James Dyson said they were aiming to get the first electric car to market by 2021. Picture credit Wikimedia Commons

run in the single digit thousands before output is ramped up for the latter two. Sir James Dyson, the firm’s founder, said the first model would look different to anything on the market when the company first unveiled the project last September. He added he was confident the company would meet its target to

have the new car ready for sale by 2020/2021. Dyson is weighing up whether to include lithium ion batteries in the first car. There are plans to use solid-state ones in the latter two, according to sources quoted in the Financial Times. The company has been developing solid-state batteries for years. They are able to charge faster and last for longer.

New Mercedes C-Class comes with ‘ well-being’ features MERCEDES has unveiled its new CClass model which is equipped to pump sounds and smells into the inside and massage the driver. Comfort control settings that play music to best fit a given mood and changes in lighting to set the atmosphere are also set to be included. The car will be available as a saloon or estate when it makes its debut later this year. It is also set to include self-driving technology that originally featured in the company’s S-Class model. The system consists of cameras and radars capable CREATURE COMFORTS: The car includes mood music and lighting and an onboard computer assistant.

of seeing up to 500 metres that then help the car adjust its speed for roundabouts, junctions or sharp bends. The multimedia system is controlled through a 10-inch central screen mounted on the dashboard. This will be touchbased, with some features also compatible with voice control. The 3D Sat Nav will warn the driver about weather as well as giving information on petrol stations, parking and tourism as part of a ‘concierge service’. Prices are expected to start at around £30,000 (€33,000) when the first cars are delivered in August.

16th - 22nd February

motoring

Bike to the future YAMAHA’S range of winning YZ race bikes has been one of the most dominant forces in motocross competition for five decades. Since the brand won its first MX World Championship back in 1973, Yamaha YZs have claimed victory in every major international category. By racing and winning at the highest level, the company has gained extensive experience in dirt bike design, enabling Yamaha’s engineers to develop a groundbreaking engine and chassis technologies for the YZ models. Yamaha has long believed in making off-road riding accessible to riders of every age, from pre-school upwards. In fact the company was one of the first manufacturers to develop purpose-built motocross and leisure models for the youth market. Today Yamaha offers one of the most comprehensive lines of offroad motorcycles that are designed for everyone, from complete beginners through to experienced professionals. The 2018 launch of the all-new

YZ65, sees one of the most exciting and technologically advanced youth race bikes seen for many years. Featuring an all-new engine and chassis, and benefiting from YZ450F-inspired styling, the YZ65 reaffirms Yamaha’s total commitment to the youth motocross scene. By starting out with some of the best equipment, YZ65 riders will be able to achieve their real potential on the racetrack. Also, with Yamaha’s bLU cRU rider support programme, riders can kick-start their careers and progress through the ranks to reach the pinnacle of motocross racing. The YZ65 is driven by a newly designed 65cc liquid-cooled powerplant that benefits from a race-developed crankcase reed valve system, ensuring instant throttle response across the entire powerband. Its exhaust port is equipped with a mechanical Yamaha Power Valve System (YPVS) that gives a smooth power delivery, and helps

to optimise torque output for stronger performance at low to mid rpm. A slick-shifting six-speed transmission gives the YZ65 rider the ability to perform to the maximum on different circuits. This is one of the most durable and reliable models in the category, boasting a high-capacity, but compact radiator, with optimised hose routing to deliver maximum cooling efficiency, even in the toughest racing conditions. Light and stable handling is ensured by an all-new double cradle frame with a detachable aluminium subframe, and lightweight aluminium swingarm. The monocross rear suspension system prevents bottoming out on the roughest circuits, enabling the rider to maintain full control. Overall, the YZ65 is designed to be the complete package that delivers race winning engine performance with agile handling and class-leading durability. The Yamaha YZ65 will be available at Yamaha dealers starting in May 2018.

YAMAHA BIKES: The new YZ65 will be available from May.

16th - 22nd February

motoring BMW has a history of proving that mixing the practicality of an SUV with the fashion appeal of a coupe can lead to sales success. The new X4 is longer and wider than its predecessor, with more space in between its front and rear axles. That equates to more space inside, particularly for rear passengers, while the boot’s size of 525litres that will appeal to families. Drivers can choose between xLine, M Sport and M Sport X models, but they all come with 18-inch alloy wheels as standard (though sizes up to 21-inches are available). The xLine models offer underbody protection designed to reduce impact if you venture offroad, while the M Sport X range boasts a sportier, more aerodynamic design. The M Sport line has more robust bodywork, with stylish side skirts and black trim pieces. The X4 comes with a 6.5-inch free-standing touchscreen as part of its iDrive system, which can be upgraded with the Professional Navigation Package. A new voice recognition package allows drivers to simply say, ‘I’m hungry,’ before being presented with a list of nearby restaurants.

STAYING CLASSY: The X4’s combination of style and practicality will appeal.

The all-new BMW X4 is heading your way Calls can be accepted or rejected with a swipe of the hand, as well as audio volume. A display key is a new feature which shows the car’s fuel level

and navigation information, and there is also an air purification system. All X4s come with four-wheel drive with an eight-speed auto-

matic gearbox, while adaptive suspension is optional. Standard equipment includes cruise control, automatic energy braking, and pedestrian detection.

The X4 is the first ever Sports Activity Coupe in the mid-size class, which has racked up approximately 200,000 sales. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures show that designers were determined to meet European Regulations in this area. There is also three-zone climate control technology and a panoramic sunroof. A choice of four engines are o n o ff e r : t w o f o u r - c y l i n d e r petrol units and two four-cylinder diesel options. The model’s extensive use of aluminium and high-strength steel makes the X4 both stronger and lighter than its predecessors. There remains the doublewishbone front suspension as seen on the X3, as well as speed-sensitive electro-mechanical Servotronic steering. The X4 will make its World premiere at the International Motor Show in Geneva from March 8 to 18, with the first UK deliveries scheduled for July 15. It is fun to drive, comfortable and practical, making it the ultimate vehicle in the mid-size class.

16th - 22nd February

sport

Found guilty

GUILTY: Sanchez has been handed a suspended 16-month sentence.

Sanchez avoids jail despite sentence MANCHESTER UNITED star Alexis Sanchez has been handed a suspended 16-month jail sentence in Spain after pleading guilty to tax fraud. Sanchez, who was accused of defrauding the Spanish government while playing for Barcelona, reached an agreement with the Spanish Attorney General to pay back the tax he failed to pay previously. The Chilean has reportedly agreed a sum of just over €1 million (£890,000) plus a fine of just over €590,000. The 29-year-old was also handed the prison sentence but will not spend any time behind bars unless he commits a similar offence within the next two years.

Sanchez joined Barcelona from Udinese in July 2011 and went on to play almost 150 games for the Catalan giants before leaving for Arsenal. And he reportedly became the Premier League’s highest paid player in January after he left the north London side to join Manchester United in a swap-deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan. He was accused of defrauding the Spanish Treasury of around €1 million between 2012 and 2013 by falsifying the sale of his image rights to a foreign company, and gave evidence to the Spanish court last year while still an Arsenal player. Sanchez becomes the latest high pro-

file player in Spain to have been prosecuted for alleged tax evasion over image rights. Lionel Messi was handed a 21-month sentence in 2016, which was later reduced to a fine, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Mourinho, Marcelo and Ricardo Carvalho are among others all being investigated. Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric was also reportedly ordered to pay close to €1 million (£880,000) to Spanish tax Credit:Twitter authorities to avoid a jail term. Credit:Twitter

Cold footballers head for the Costa del Sol

Photo Credit: Borussia Dortmund Twitter

CRASHED OUT: Lopez was comfortably beaten by David Goffin.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND: Fans celebrate St Valentine’s Day.

Lopez loses

Spaniard out of Rotterdam tournament

SPANIARD, Feliciano Lopez, is out of the ATP Rotterdam tournament after losing in straight sets to Belgian, David Goffin, in the round of 16. The 36-year-old had battled to a 6 3, 7 - 6 victory in the first round over Slovakian Martin Klizan, but was humbled 1 - 6, 3 - 6 by the World Number seven in less than an hour. Goffin dominated from the early stages and raced into a 4 - 0 lead,

needing just seven games in the first set to seal the victory. And it was much of the same in the second as Goffin broke Lopez’s serve in the fourth game of the second set to take a 3 - 1 lead and sealed the match soon after in just 55 minutes. Goffin now advances to meet Czech star, Tomas Berdych, in the quarter-finals later today. Earlier in the tournament, former

ATP World Number three, David Ferrer, crashed out in the first round in straight sets to German Alexander Zverev. Ferrer, a semi-finalist at the ATP event in Auckland earlier this year, had his serve broken twice in the first game to lose 6 - 4 before a fight back in the second set was in vein as he succumbed to a 6 - 4, 6 - 3 overall defeat.

MARBELLA has become something of a magnet for football teams looking to undertake winter training prior to their participation in the next rounds of the UEFA Europa League. Teams who have been observed in training have come from countries with much harsher winters than here on the Costa del Sol and include three from Russia and one each from Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Romania, Sweden and Ukraine. Probably the most high profile team is that of Borussia Dortmund who are currently in third place in the Bundesliga, and are previous winners of the cup which they took in 1997. British teams have not been so quick to visit the area so far this year, although the Wolverhampton Wanderers team were spotted at La Sala in Puerto Banus, licking their wounds after and uncharacteristic loss in the UK Champions League against Nottingham Forest. Also expected during the winter break are 10 teams from Norway plus some young international squads.