RTN Newspaper - Costa Blanca South 9 - 15 March 2018 Issue 959

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Issue 959

9th - 15th March

TORREVIEJA has endured its coldest February since 2012 and its wettest since 1993. This is according to figures released by the Mastral Project weather stations that recorded an average temperature of 11.6ºC and rainfall of 45 litres per square metre. The majority of the rainfall was registered on the first two days of the month.

Even though a number of days during the month were well above normal reaching 22ºC in the middle of February the exceptionally cold start contributed to making the period overall that much colder.

‘Middle-aged’ man’s body found off Orihuela Costa Photo credit: @verdesOrihuela Twitter

C-c-c-cold and w-w-w-wet records in February

by Lynn Whittaker OF F I C E R S f ro m t h e Maritime Ser vice of the Guardia Civil have pulled a body from the sea off the Orihuela Costa.

The corpse was originally spotted by a passer-by in the Cala la Mosca and the emergenc y ser v ices were aler ted. T he body was finally taken from the water later that afternoon.

As soon as the alarm was received, members of the f i re s e r v i c e w e re s e n t t o t h e s c e n e . Ho w e v e r, o n their arrival they realised that the location of the body was trapped between the rocks at the bottom of a cliff with ver y steep terrain.

The specialist GEAS service from the Guardia Civil was then called to assist with what had now turned into a recovery rather than a possible rescue.

The body, understood to be that of a middle-aged man and found dressed only in his trousers, was tak-

INSIDE THIS WEEK ...

A BUSY MONTH FOR HELP AT HOME

P16 RTN CONGRATULATES EURO WEEKLY NEWS

FLOATING: Body removed from Cala la Mosca. e n to t h e m a r in a at C a b o Roig before onward trans-

porting for forensic examination.

P18 STRAY CAT MEETING PURRFECT SOLUTIONS

P19

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Young bike gang arrested after ‘death threat’

Bogus ‘electric man’ loses his power

by Darren Parmenter

Photo credit: Guardia Civil

by Glenn Scott FIVE boys and a girl known to the Local Police as ‘The Bicycle Gang’ - have been arrested by the Guardia Civil.

They were detained after a number of robberies from parked cars that always happened after side windows were broken, usually with the handlebars of the passing bicycles. They were then able to get away using the bikes.

With ages ranging from 12 to 17 - two of the boys and the girl were 17 - they were arrested in connection with 23 similar robberies.

At first, they went unnoticed as they carried out their string of crimes and thought they’d found a perfect way to commit and get away with them.

They strolled along the streets of Almoradi with one of them riding a bicy-

METHOD: Bicycle gang targeted parked cars.

cle, and as they did so peered inside parked cars to see if anything was worth stealing. W hen they did, they leaned on the car as a signal to the c yclist who then broke the window

with the handlebar.

On one occasion they were taken by surprise by a passing pedestrian who, after telling the children off, was told that they would kill him as they fled the scene

It was after that incident the Guardia Civil in Almoradi managed to identify and locate the six youths that made up the gang and immediately arrested the three eldest.

AN Algerian man, considered by the authorities as being one of the biggest thieves and swindlers operating in the Vega Baja region has been arrested.

The 32-year-old was taken into custody by the Elche National Police as part of a joint operation with the Guardia Civil in Pilar de la Horadada, in connection with around a dozen and scams.

The arrested man always used the same modus operandi to carry out his crimes, by posing as a representative of a well-known electric company. He appeared very convincing as he always used the uniform with the logo prominently displayed.

After being invited into their homes he distracted his victims, and alongside pocketing some valuables and high-end electrical products, he also removed bank cards with which he later attempted to enter the accounts to steal money.

In fact, one of the crucial clues in being able to trace the man were the cameras housed in the ATMs where he tried to withdraw money from the stolen cards. He was identified and traced to a home in Elche where, following a search the National Police found many of the objects that had been reported stolen.

9th - 15th March

No more living the high life

by Steve Collins A 20-year-old man who lived a luxury lifestyle thanks to his crimes has been arrested in Callosa de Segura.

The detained man’s detention was as a result of an investigation that discovered he’s carried out a number of scams across 11 provinces in Spain. It’s estimates that his crimes netted him at least €300,000.

He stayed in luxury hotels and bought expensive electronic equipment, furniture and eight vehicles...one of them costing him €85,000.

Despite his age, he managed to convince people that he was a successful manager of a computer company, essential by using fake documents. Once he was finally traced by the Guardia Civil and arrested in Callosa for fraud, they realised he was behind more than 50 similar crimes across the country including Granada, Valencia, Murcia, Huelva, Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Gran Canaria, Albacete, Alicante and Mallorca.

Investigating officers found that the operation began when the man had applied for a job in one of the companies he eventually claimed to represent. During the subsequent interview, he managed to seize copies of several documents which he managed to fake to make it look as if he represented them. This included setting up a number of telephone lines which he used in subsequent scams to place orders for goods and services on behalf of his family and friends. It was only when the company began to receive the ‘unknown’ telephone bills that the Guardia Civil were alerted.

It’s green all the way on the Cabo Roig ONE of the most important d ate s o f t h e ye a r fo r t h e Orihuela Costa is just over a week away, and it promises to be more memorable than ever.

Next Saturday March 17 is St Patrick’s Day and Cabo R o i g w i l l o n ce a g a i n b e holding the biggest parade in mainland Europe in hono u r o f I re l a n d ’s p at ro n saint.

The famous ‘strip’ will be turned into a sea of green for the d ay with the conc e n t rat i o n o f b a r s a n d re s t a u ra n t s o p e n i n g at 10am, and music beginning an hour later. Leading up to the parade - that starts at 2pm from behind the Cabo Roig strip - there will be a number of bouncy castles and face painting artists for the children mixed in with many other attractions that will make it a fun day out for all the family.

Heading the parade will be the Tor revieja Pipes & Drums alongside Jose Antonio Garcia Del who will b e p o r t ray i n g S t Pat r i c k himself for the day.

In what has been seen as a ma jor endorsement for the fame of the O r ihuela Costa St Patrick’s Day Para d e , fo r m e r Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen will be leading the parade as the Grand Marshall.

He’ll be accompanied by for mer Ir ish gover nment minister Frank Fahey and Martin Quinn, a past mayor of Galway. The mayor of Orihuela and all of the councillors will also be attending this year ’s parade and a special viewing stand will be erected to accommodate all the guests.

T he parade promises to be one of the most colourful yet, with bands, f loats ( fe at u r i n g m a ny o f t h e bars, businesses and organi s at i o n s i n t h e a re a ) , d a n ce r s a n d a n u m b e r o f different groups dressed in fabulous costumes.

So, with enter tainment getting underway at 11am, the parade at 2pm, the Irel a n d v E n g l a n d R u g b y at 4pm, a spectacular firework display at 7.30pm and music on until 2am it’s going

to b e a l o n g d ay w h i c h , fo r t h e f i r s t time will be shown on RTE TV in Ireland.

GRAND MARSHALL: Former Irish prime minister Brian Cowen to lead the parade.

Photo credit: @ashthehuman Twitter

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Two hours to get a piggy back!

Photo credit: @WLKY Twitter

by Dave Bennett TWELVE members of the Local Police in Alicante were called to an unusual disruption in the city’s cemetery.

One of the Vietnamese pigs that are often seen in areas close to the cemeter y appears to have entered via the front gate, strolled around, and began to d i g a ro u n d s o m e o f t h e g rave stones. It took more than two hours for the police to catch the pig and prevent it from doing more damage to the final resting places of many.

Even though the Vietnamese pigs are well-known in the surroundings of the Vial de los Cipreses, it is unheard of for them to stray into the nearby cemetery. The alarm was raised when a woman was tending to her family plot when she spotted one of the pigs running between the graves and started to dig the earth around them.

The Local Police cars arrived at the scene to catch the animal to stop it doing further damage, especially as some of the graves being attacked had been quite recently laid and contained loose soil.

A s the officers tr ied to catch the pig, many visitors to the cemetery at

VISITING: Vietnamese pig caught after two hours on the loose. first believed they were part of a film set, such was the comedy unveiling before their eyes at the various unsuccessful attempts to capture the animal.

Alicante City Council has tried to co n t ro l t h e p ro l i fe rat i o n o f V i e t -

n a m e s e p i g s i n t h e a re a w h i c h a re known to be a species that reproduces in vast numbers. Back in December 2017 they rounded up a dozen of all different sizes and took them to the nearby Animal Protectorate in Bacarot.

Successful weekend of drug finds INTENSIVE controls and searches for drugs by the National Police in Alicante have borne fruit with the arrests of four people, aged between 33 and 54.

They were detained as part of a concentrated operation by both plain clothed and uniformed branches of the National Police in two of the main bar and leisure areas of the city over the weekend, that have a history of a wide range of narcotic substances being bought and sold.

In the first intervention, officers spotted a man behaving suspiciously on a corner between two of the main streets in the city. They suspected that they were about to witness a ‘drug pass’ which sees someone approach the dealer, and after exchanging a few words being given a package in exchange for money.

At the point of the exchange, they were surprised by the officers where an amount of cocaine, marihuana and ecstasy pills were discovered on them.

There was also a supply of cash made up of €5, €10 and €20 notes.

The other arrests came at a traffic control point on one of the main roads that enter Alicante. Ten grams of speed and cocaine, two grams of marihuana and six ecstasy pills - also with a large amount of cash - were uncovered in plastic bags hidden under the passenger seat.

Other drugs were eventually found under an insole of a shoe worn by one of those detained.

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‘O’ dear! Driver caught for number plate change

Crime down in Alicante Province Photo credit: PxHere

by Mark Rogers

by Darren Parmenter LOCAL POLICE in Alicante have traced a driver after he tried to disguise his number plate.

The detained driver had altered his number plate using a piece of black masking tape to prevent him being caught on the speed cameras along the Avenida Universidad.

His deception came to light after he passed through a speed trap back in January 2017 and his registration number was immediately captured on camera. However, once the Local Police tried to trace the vehicle, they discovered that it didn’t correspond to any car.

The man’s biggest mistake was in trying to change the letter ‘C’ to an ‘O’. The letter ‘O’ is never used as part of a Spanish number plate under the system in force since 2000, and so quickly roused suspicions of its tampering.

They deduced that it was the ‘C’ that had been altered and so checked the revised plate and traced the owner at his address. When the officers arrived, they found the car displaying its original licence plate... but also found a roll of black tape in the car.

The defendant is now facing trial at a criminal court in Alicante where an eight-month prison sentence and a fine of €1,400 is being sought.

APART from sex-related issues, crimes across the Alicante Province have red u ce d i n t h e p a s t 1 2 m o n t h s a n d a re a m o n g the lowest across Spain.

In general terms, crimes and misdemeanours in t h e p ro v i n ce fe l l b y 1 . 1 per cent - dropping from 91,352 in 2016 to 90,343 l a s t ye a r - a l t h o u g h a c cording to the official figures released by the Spani s h Ho m e O f f i ce , s e x crimes have jumped by almost 10 per cent.

Throughout the Valencian Community, that figure was only up by 0.4 per cent, suggesting Alicante is at the centre of such offences.

T he repor t shows that 4 6 4 s e x- re l ate d c r i m e s were investigated in 2016, a figure that increased to 510 for last year. T hese

FALLING: Violent robberies among the biggest recorded drops.

co ve r s e x u a l a b u s e , h a rassment, assault, exhibitionism and provocation.

R ape cases totalled 54 and an 11.5 per cent fall compared to the previous year’s figures.

T here was a reduction in murder cases too in the Alicante Province, with 10 i nve s t i g ate d i n 2 0 1 7 a g a i n s t 1 6 t h e ye a r b e -

fo re , a d ro p o f 3 7 . 5 p e r cent.

In other detailed figures, robberies and robberies with violence have also shown significant dec l i n e s o f a ro u n d 1 1 p e r cent in both cases. Vehicle t h e f t s w e re a l s o d o w n 18.3 per cent.

For individual municipalities, the overall crime

rate s h ave i n c re a s e d i n Santa Pola (4.9 per cent), D e n i a ( 1 . 9 p e r ce n t ) , Elche (1.5 per cent), and Villajoyosa (1 per cent).

At the other end of the scale, crime fell in Torrevieja (-4.9 per cent), Orih u e l a ( - 4 . 6 p e r ce n t ) , Benidorm (-3.1 per cent) a n d S a n V i ce n te d e l Raspeig (-1.1 per cent).

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Photo credit: Stephen Lilley Flickr

by Dave Bennett ORGANISATIONS representing homeless people in Alicante have announced that there are 195 people sleeping rough on the city’s streets.

One of their demands is that local social housing policy is improved in order to provide solutions to the problems of homeless people in general.

The report has been made by the Homeless Meet Up campaign, which is part of a European movement aimed at eradicating homelessness by 2020. During three days of campaigning, 182 volunteers toured 33 areas of Alicante City, locating the people who sleep on the street and interviewing them.

This is the most exhaustive study that has been done so far on the situation of homeless people in the city and in the opinion of those responsible, the figures are ‘worrying’. They found that 20 per cent have been living on the streets for more than five years.

Around 42 per cent of those questioned said they had been the victims of aggressive behaviour, both verbal and physical.

Photo credit: JPOK Wikimedia

Rough sleeping figures ‘worrying’

WORRYING: Difficult for homeless to return to normality.

Fidel Romeo, a spokesperson for the campaign organisers said: “The more time a person spends on the street, the more difficult it is for them to escape from such a lifestyle. If they spend six months without a home, it can be three years to leave the streets. It just makes it harder and harder for people to return to

any form of normal life.”

The survey found that 91 per cent of people using Alicante City’s streets as their homes are men and the average age is 47.

It was discovered that 30 per cent originate from Alicante, 30 per cent from other parts of Spain and the remaining 40 per cent from other countries.

GROWTH: Alicante City (pictured) leading the demand for property.

House sales boom... but still short of pre-crisis levels SALES of homes in Alicante City centre have grown twice as much as the rest of the province over the past 12 months.

The overall total of 5,773 transactions during 2017 was an increase of 26 per cent on year-onyear figures, and published in a report by Solvia, part of the Banco Sabadell.

Across the Alicante Province as a whole, the increase in sales was 13 per cent.

The increased demand has begun to filter through to an increase in prices, which rose by 4.1 per cent in the city and more than the average across the country.

Despite the increases, the average costs per square metre are still a long way away from the maximum achieved before the bubble burst. In fact, the cost is 31.6 per cent lower than it was in 2007.

9th - 15th March

End of the road flood TORREVIEJA councillor Domingo Soler has announced that work has begun to put in a new drainage system along the stretch of road between the Av e n i d a d e l a s Cortes Valencianas to the N-332.

This area continually suffers from flooding issues after heavy rainfall, particularly at the roundabout located b y Av e n i d a R o s a Mazon.

The total budget for the work - plus I VA - i s € 2 5 0 , 9 7 7 and is being undertaken by wellknown water company AGAMED.

Pay as you leave MODERN technolog y has found its way into the municipality of Callosa de Segura.

From now onwards, drivers looking to park in the ‘Blue Zone ’ can pay for their parking using their mobile phone devices and via an app.

T he system allows drivers to be charged for the exact number of minutes they park, as they must register when they leave the zone.

The municipality said that this is a further commitment to “a development of a ‘smart’ city.”

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Cruise liner boost THANKS to the planned arrival of 53 cruise liners in Alicante during this calendar year, the city is estimated to benefit by €5.5million.

The data was announced by the mayor of

Alicante, Gabriel Echavarri, during a conference on cruise tourism held in the city.

Francesco B albi, the Director of Cr uise Operations at the Alicante Cruise Terminal, welcomed the pro j ecte d fig ures and said

t h a t t h e m a r k e t fo r c i t y h a s r o o m fo r growth.

It’s understood that extra monuments and other locations of cultural interest in Alicante have been added to future itineraries.

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Czech out the Costa Calida

by Ray Chadwick THANKS to the renewal of the agreement between the Ministry of Tourism and a number of tour operators, the Costa Calida will once again host a number of visitors from the Czech Republic.

Fo r a t o t a l o f 2 3 c o n s e c u t i v e w e e k s , m o re t h a n 9,000 tourists will stay in the area for between seven

and 14 days. This is estimated to account for approximately 90,000 over nig ht stays distr ibuted across hotels in La Manga, Mar Menor and Mazarron.

These groups will help to stabilise those employed in the area’s tourist sector and ensuring busy periods outside of the peak July and August summer season.

For the older Czech tourists, they will be visiting in two phases; one between May 15 to June 26 and the other from the last week of August until October 18.

The general holidaymakers from the Czech Republ i c w i l l b e o n t h e C o s t a C a l i d a f ro m J u n e 1 1 u n t i l

September 2, and to cope with the increased demand, extra f lights will arrive at Murcia-San Javier Airport.

C u r r e n t l y, t h e r e i s o n e c h a r t e r f l i g h t p e r w e e k from Prague; that will increase to two and other weekly arrivals from Brno and Ostrava.

This is all part of a plan by the Murcia Region that will formally host 18 similar schemes in 2018 that will attract 27,000 people from 11 countries.

Par t of the visits will include excursions to other points of the region such as Murcia, Car tagena and San Pedro de Pinatar.

WHEN Orihuela Town Hall decided to run a series of events under the heading of ‘The Winter Beach’ programme, they perhaps didn’t believe that winter conditions would greet their start.

Beginning last Sunday until the middle of June - the municipality will be holding

various activities such as aerobics and yoga on the sand, and paddle boarding, kayaking and diving instruction in the sea. There will also be a number of workshops especially for children.

On announcing the project, Councillor Luisa Boné said: “We can get in shape by doing aerobic exercises for an hour on the beach [beginning at 10am]. From April, other planned activities will be added.”

The councillor said that they’ve chosen Playa La Caleta in Cabo Roig because it’s the most suitable terrain on which to host the wide range of activities. Not only that, it’s one of the busiest off-season beaches and also has a bar that is

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Orihuela

Keeping fit and active on the winter beach

EXERCISE: Playa La Caleta (pictured) is the place to spend Sunday mornings. open all year.

Councillor Bone continued: “This is the first time a programme has been set up for families to spend Sundays together on the beach with activities for all ages. It will serve as a trial period for us to find out what residents think about all the activities and be able to improve them when they start again in October,” she said. “Different

groups of people using the beach have been asking for something like this for a long time and we hope that they all like the programme.”

The full programme of events can be found on the Facebook page of the Beaches Department (Concejalía de Playas Orihuela) and the town hall website http://www.ori huela.es.

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Family doctors to carry out more tests Photo credit: Public Domain Pictures

LOCAL: Murcia’s GPs will have more specialised equipment.

by Glenn Scott IN a continuing bid to reduce the pressure on waiting lists and to refer fewer patients to hospitals, the Ministry of Health has announced that extra equipment will be given to local health centres to carry out a number of tasks.

Health Minister Manuel Villegas said that 85 centres across the Murcia region will be equipped to enable family doctors to perform test and ex-

aminations that would previously only have been undertaken in hospitals.

Specifically, they will be provided with dematoscopes (for the examination of skin lesions, particularly in the detection of skin cancer) and spirometers (machines that measure lung capacity). Over the next three years, they will also be equipped with ultrasound, blood pressure monitoring devices and electrocardiographs.

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Locals get their chemist demands answered ALICANTE’S City Council has announced that the Urbanova neighbourhood will be getting their own permanent chemist at last.

The action comes in response to a number of requests from local people over a period of time and will be located on Calle Músico Juan Latorre Baeza.

It will open Monday to Saturday from 11.30am to 2pm in the off-season and will be open longer in the summer.

Bogus ‘electric man’ loses his power

by Darren Parmenter AN Algerian man, considered by the authorities as being one of the biggest thieves and swindlers operating in the Vega Baja Region has been arrested.

The 32-year-old was taken into custody by the Elche National Police as part of a joint operation with the Guardia Civil in Pilar de la Horadada, in connection with around a dozen and scams.

The arrested man always used the same modus

operandi to carry out his crimes, by posing as a representative of a well-known electric company.

He appeared very convincing as he always used the uniform with the logo prominently displayed. After being naively invited into their homes he distracted his vic-

tims, and alongside pocketing some valuables and highend electrical products, he also removed bank cards with which he later attempted to enter the accounts to steal money.

In fact, one of the crucial clues in being able to trace the man were the cameras

housed in the ATMs where he tried to withdraw money from the stolen cards. He was identified and traced to a home in Elche where, following a search the National Police found many of the objects that had been reported stolen as well as the clothes he wore during the robberies.

Photo credit: PxHere

CLUES: Using ATMs was the bogus electric man’s downfall

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HAVE YOUR SAY

Man stabbed in Torremolinos ‘over political beliefs’ Gill Reynolds In the UK most people don’t care who their friends vote for, but here a certain party treat you like an enemy if you don’t vote for them. I have had tyres slashed, eggs thrown at the house and condoms put in the letter box with the oppositions name printed on them.

Yes I do know who did these things and think it is so childish, this is because my ex was involved in politics.

FEBRUARY proved to be a ver y busy few weeks for Help at Home (HAH).

As well as continuing to help people who have been on our list for some time, we met a number of new ones.

Some, recovering from accident or illness, needed help around the house, getting to the shops or going to a hospital appointment; some just needed a little extra help, whereas others needed professional help which HAH

Photo credit: HAH

Popular post on Facebook reaching 2,258 people with 25 reactions

A busy month for Help at Home sourced and funded.

Because HAH make no charge for any of the help they’re able to give, they are dependent upon the generosity of sponsors and donors as well as their own fundraising efforts.

In February, yet another Golf Society, this time San Javier, gave them a very generous €400, and without such help it would be ver y difficult to car r y out the work they do.

DONATION: San Miguel Golf Society hand over their fundraising efforts.

Other fundraising efforts include a weekly sale of second-hand books and DVDs ever y Monday morning at

L a Zona Bar, Los Narejos.

They are also there at least one after noon each week selling cards, and on the last

@RTNNewspaper Most liked posts from this week • ‘Middle-aged’ man’s body found off the Orihuela coast

• Expat in Marbella to take on Everest for charity • Man stabbed in Torremolinos ‘over political beliefs’ • Farm dog attacker arrested in Costa Blanca

In Total 7,974 people reached 3,975 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@rtnnewspaper.com

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

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• Benidorm bars reopen after suspected ‘gas leak’ and lockdown

Friday of the month selling second-hand clothes and bric-a-brac.

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RTN Feature

RTN congratulates Euro Weekly News AS part of the EWN Media Group (EWNMG), we at RTN are delighted to learn that our sister newspaper Euro Weekly News has won yet another prestigious press award.

After taking the title of Best Free Publication in Spain at the Spanish Periodic a l A s s o c i a t i o n ( A E E P P ) Aw a r d s i n Madrid last year, it was back to the capital to collect the 2018 Professional Trajectory title.

According to the organisers, the award is won by a company ‘for its successes and outstanding professional journey’.

And the EWNMG is understandably excited and proud to be recognised yet again by an international panel of judges from the upper echelons of European business and media.

Having started life in a tiny Fuengirola flat more than 20 years ago, the group now produces 10 newspapers per week from its modern headquarters on the Costa del Sol, with readership thought to be close to one million.

During the last 12 months, the company has assimilated two new brands, given away a car to one lucky reader as part of a survey and prize draw, raised money for two major appeals, sponsored a motor racing team and moved into its state-of-the art new offices in Fuengirola.

From editorial to design, sales to production, accounts to HR, every single member of the EWNMG team has performed above and beyond the call of duty - often under extreme pressure over the last 12 months.

The proprietors of EWNMG Michel and Steven Euesden have collected numerous awards during their careers, but there is something extra special for an English language newspaper to be chosen for praise by a mainly Spanish professional association.

The whole group is committed to maintaining this high standard, not just for themselves but for all of our readers and advertisers without whom the newspapers would not exist.

Official praise UK In Spain/Flickr MR MANLEY: Adding to the congratulations.

“

Many congratulations to Euro Weekly News for this fresh recognition of their work and achievements. It is fantastic to see an English language newspaper thriving in the Spanish media landscape.

Simon Manley British Ambassador to Spain

RECEIVING THE AWARD: Proprietors Michel and Steven Euesden.

‘ Biggest and most popular’ EWN clients salute national accolade Congratulations to the Euro Weekly News for winning this prestigious award.

It goes someway to recognise the hard work and commitment by all the team at EWN to produce a paper which is enjoyed every week by many thousands of expatriates and a good number of Spanish readers keen to improve their English.

May your success continue even as the world of journalism evolves in this more digital age.

Best wishes from all at Currencies Direct as you continue on your ‘trajectory.’

Peter Loveday Director Currencies Direct Southern Europe A just deserved award for the biggest and most popular expatriate newspaper in the Spanish islands for the second year running. It is an absolute pleasure to both work and advertise with you and your team.

Congratulations and here’s to the third year in a row...

Emma Quantrill Operations Director Golden Leaves International As a regular and long term advertiser in Euro Weekly News, Sala Group are not surprised that the newspaper has received yet another award from the Spanish Press Association.

Congratulations to the Euesdens and all of the hard-working staff connected with this

excellent English language newspaper in Spain. It works for us!

Ian Radford Chairman Sala Group

I am not surprised by the success of the EWN winning a prestigious national award for the second year running. The owners Steven and Michel and the whole team are hard-working, inventive and creative and are good to their clients. I am enjoying writing for them each week. In my opinion this is THE paper with everything you need and with everybody in it! My warmest congratulations to all at EWN, you deserve it!

Steven Saunders Master Chef, restaurateur and food writer for the RTN newspaper Costa Women are delighted to be adding our congratulations to EWN Media Group for their latest award - what a journey the group have been on over the last few years. The papers are not only a recourse, but the integrity of their journalism helps support the foreign community in Spain with up to the minute news and information. Costa Women wish to thank Michel and Steven for their continued support. Let the news and stories continue!

Ali Meehan Founder of costawomen.com

9th - 15th March

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja

VOLUNTEERS: Torrevieja plans to expand sterilising programme.

Stray cat meeting for purrfect solutions AROUND 50 people turned up for a meeting in Torrevieja aimed at discussing how to control the stray cats in the municipality.

The get-together was arranged by the Torrevieja Animal Protection department and hosted by Mayor Jose Manuel Dolon and Councillor Carmen Morate.

The Torrevieja Proyecto CES Association (known as the trap, neuter and return project) were also there to discuss the various ways in which members of the public can help.

Carmen Morate said that when it comes to looking after and feeding feral cats, minimum standards of health and hygiene should be observed. “Only people authorised to feed the cats, which will prevent the mess that is made

when the cats are fed leftover or other inappropriate food,” she said.

Over the past two years, a total of 1,400 cats have been sterilised and the town hall hopes to do more, and such meetings can only bring their work to the attention of more people.

Another important topic raised at the meeting was the amount of animals being poisoned and mistreated which can lead to fines of €10,000. The volunteers attending the meeting discussed their experiences and the problems looking after colonies of cats.

Advice was also given on how to handle and mediate in the cases of conflict and argument between neighbours over the subject of feeding stray cats.

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20

9th - 15th March

by Colin Bird

THE Oxford English Dictionary defines the word ‘progress’ as: ‘Development towards an improved or more advanced condition.’

But when cynics like me express concern about the development of artificial intelligence; the use of toxic pesticides and growth enhancers on our crops; increased usage of drugs in the management of disease, whilst often ignoring the importance of prevention, we stand accused of being enemies of progress.

There are already warnings being voiced by worried members of the scientific community about the dangers of developing supercomputers that may well soon have the ability to out-think their creators and pose a real threat to human kind.

It seems that the world of Arnie Schwarzenegger’s Terminator could well prove to be prophetic.

Then we have the disgraceful but legal use of highly toxic chemicals used in maximising crop yields; poisons that remain in the crop after harvest and are passed down through the food

This island Earth Photo Credit: Mumemories Shutterstock

The opinions published in Colin’s weekly column are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or newspaper sponsors.

TOXIC DAMAGE: We need to take action to save the planet.

chain, with the residue remaining in the soil for years.

We see images of farmers suited up in protective clothing when ‘treating’ the land with this stuff and it does not take a genius to put two and two together and realise that, just maybe,

there is a link with this practice and the terrifying increase of many diseases, including cancers, that were once regarded as rare or even totally unheard of.

But that’s alright because the pharmaceutical giants are there with yet an-

other wonder drug to manage the problem. Manage you note, not cure. Not as much profit in curing.

And it’s perhaps no coincidence that these conglomerates are often the same businesses that produce the chemicals used to poison our land and rivers.

The world’s wildlife has diminished by a staggering 58 per cent in the last 40 years. More than half of our land animals, birds, fish and insects wiped out, and almost entirely due to man’s greed, ignorance and misuse of our small island planet.

There are species that have already become just a memory and can only be viewed by virtue of video records or mock-ups in museums, with many more at imminent risk of vanishing forever. Almost 8,500 by informed estimates and if we include plant species, it rises to a frightening 17,000.

The real tragedy is that before the human race realises that the inevitable course it has set itself is beyond recovery, it will have systematically destroyed every other living creature on the planet, and not even the lowest form of life will have the benefit of a world without the pestilential presence of Homo sapiens.

9th - 15th March

Extra coastal bus route announced A NEW bus route will operate between the municipality of Santa Pola and Alicante this summer.

The new concession will boost the existing service in July and August and the route will run from Santa Pola, El Altet, Alicante-Elche Airport, the AVE train station, Alicante University to San Vicente.

The new service is part of an overall passenger transport programme that has looked at the changing needs and demographic of the area, and is expected to see 16,000 people using the service before the end of the year.

Spring Craft Fayre TORREVIEJA CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP (TCF) are holding their annual Spring Craft Fayre at TCF Avenida de las Cortes Valenciane, 68, Torrevieja 03183 on Tuesday March 27 between 1.30pm and 3.30pm.

Beautiful hand crafted items are available as well as home baked cakes and scones, bric-a-brac and nearly new clothing. Due to relocation there are lots of bargains to be had at rock bottom prices. Free admission and refreshments are on sale.

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Business grants for hiring women workers ELCHE’S mayor, Carlos Gonzalez, has announced a grant of €2,400 to small and medium-sized companies that hire women employees. In this way, the municipality is showing its

suppor t for the r ig hts of women that have been highlighted during yesterday’s International Women’s Day. Dur ing 2017, a speci al scheme

w a s i n t ro d u ce d t h at c re ate d 8 6 n e w j o b s t h a n k s to € 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 wo r t h o f g ra n t s to h e l p s i m i l a r businesses take on unemployed people.

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9th - 15th March

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Photo credit: Concepcion Amat Orta Wikimedia

SURPRISING: Orihuela Costa residents show disdain for council survey.

Orihuela Costa residents ignore vote ONCE again, it seems that apathy rules the roost when it comes to actively trying to engage people in the work of local municipalities.

Orihuela Council are the latest to discover that residents are very quick to moan and complain about what their local councils are and aren’t doing, but when formally asking for feedback the contribution is minimal.

When the closing date arrived for suggestions as to where €600,000 of Orihuela’s money should be spent, only 2,280 voted from a total of 80,000 people registered on the padrón.

The overwhelming majority of the outlying districts showed the most interest in the initiative, whereas the city centre and the Ori-

huela Costa - where a high concentration of UK citizens live and work - barely took notice.

It’s also surprising considering the oft-vociferous nature of the associations and political groups on the coastal area of the municipality.

Three of the four top proposals came from the village of La Matana that included the asphalting of the road in La Poza and the construction of an access ramp to the local playground.

This is the second year that participatory budgets have been launched, although this is the first time that a digital voting formula has been used via the internet. Simpler and more direct it may be, but it’s not grabbed the attention of the local people.

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9th - 15th March

Basic Spanish for everyday needs

by Jane Cronin

I HOPE you enjoyed reading the little text I wrote for you last week. I imagine that you will have been more interested in the actual content of the text rather than all the fiddly points of grammar, which of course is as it should be.

However, if you had paid a little attention to the grammar as well, you may have noticed that I kept almost exclusively to the ‘recent past’ tense to talk about my experiences over the past year, for example: Este año he trabajado mucho.

This year I have worked a lot.

Una de mis hijas ha viajado a Sudamérica.

One of my daughters has travelled to South America.

Mi madre ha venido España.

My mother has come to Spain.

Mi gata ha tenido un año muy normal.

My cat has had a very normal year.

Este año no he visitado Gales.

This year I haven’t visited Wales.

These are fine as general statements which do not go into detail, but in real conversation it

Going into detail about recent events would be normal to elaborate more in each event, in which case we would almost certainly have to start using other past tenses.

For example, I might start by saying something like: “I have been to the street market this week” as a kind of opening gambit, but if I needed to elaborate I would go on to say “I went to the San Pedro street market on Monday and I bought some oranges.”

(I know, my conversations are riveting). I am switching from the ‘recent past’ tense (I have been to the market) to the ‘finished past’ tense (I went … I bought).

In most Spanish courses you will find that this ‘finished’ past tense (often called the past simple, preterite or past historic tense) is not taught until quite a long way into a course.

The reason is because is it one of the more difficult tenses to teach and learn with quite a lot of verb ending changes and a good dose of irregular forms. Therefore it is usual to get people confident using more straightforward and less complex tenses first.

However, I think it is a good idea to learn just a few words in the ‘finished past’ tense so

that we can at least say a few basic things about our actions. It doesn’t mean that we are necessarily ready to bite off and chew the whole tense, but one or two basic words would be useful.

So, let’s start with ‘I went’ and ‘I bought’.

They are ‘I went’ - FUI, and ‘I bought’ - COMPRÉ. If you are unsure how to pronounce these, for FUI I would concentrate on the ‘i’ sound, making it fairly emphasized and close to the ‘ee’ sound in the English word ‘free’.

In the case of COMPRÉ, notice there is an accent over the final ‘e’, making that the stronger sound. The ‘e’ in Spanish is pronounced like the English ‘e’ in ‘egg’. Now I can

say “He ido al mercadillo esta semana” (I have been to the street market this week - ‘ido’ is the past participle of ‘ir’, to go). Then I can go on to say “Fui al mercadillo de San Pedro el lunes y compré naranjas” (I went to San Pedro street market on Monday and I bought oranges).

Another useful ‘finished past’ word is I saw, which is VI. Now we’re really flying, here’s our extended bit of conversation.

“He ido al mercadillo esta semana. Fui al mercadillo de San Pedro el lunes y compré naranjas. Vi a mi amiga Mary y tomamos un café”.

“I have been to the street market this week. I went to San Pedro street market on Monday and bought some oranges. I saw my friend Mary and we had a cup of coffee”.

Finally, if you prefer to talk about ‘we’ rather than ‘I’, you can say “Hemos ido al mercadillo esta semana. FUIMOS al mercadillo del San Pedro el lunes y COMRAMOS naranjas. VIMOS a nuestra amiga Mary y TOMAMOS un café”.

You will have noticed something else now, that the ‘we’ forms of ‘ar’ verbs are the same in the present and the past!

One less thing to learn!

9th - 15th March

money Airbus jobs threat EUROPEAN aeronautical corporation Airbus has confirmed it is to axe around 3,700 jobs in Europe.

The move comes as the company cuts back production of its A380 and A400M planes.

Airbus said jobs would be affected in the UK, Spain, France and Germany due to weak demand for the two aircraft.

It added that from 2020, production of the A380 superjumbo, the world’s biggest passenger jet, would be slashed from eight to six.

And only eight

troop-transporting A400Ms will be built, down from a projected 11 in 2019, with the troubled military project estimated to have built up losses totalling €8 billion.

The firm said in a statement: “Airbus is committed to managing any implications for its workforce in a responsible manner, as already successfully demonstrated on various occasions in the past.

“The company is confident that it will be able to propose opportunities to most of the affected employees through programmes which are ramping up.”

POOR SELLER : Clouds are gathering over the A380 project.

The A380 and A400M are Europe’s biggest budget civil and military aerospace projects but both have been plagued with issues.

The former was almost shut down until a last minute €12.85 billion order for 16 of the jets from Dubai’s Emirates airline saved the project.

Airbus said it hoped the order would help drive business with other airlines, which view the double-decker superjumbo as too expensive.

The A400M has been hit by chronic delays.

25

Spain banks new economy minister SPANISH Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has appointed a new economy minister.

Roman Escolano, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), is the man chosen to replace the outgoing Luis de Guindos, 58, who recently resigned to take on a new role as Vice-President of the European Central Bank.

The 53-year-old from Zaragoza was sworn in to the post yesterday in Spanish capital Madrid, with King Felipe in attendance.

He was named on the EIB’s management committee in 2014, before replacing the former socialist minister Magdalena Alvarez as vice-president after the latter was implicated in an Andalucia corruption scandal.

Another - currently unnamed - Spaniard is set to fill the EIB role after he chose to accept the Spanish government position, according to the Ministry of Economy.

It is the first major appointment of Rajoy’s muchcriticised second term, but has been widely slammed by opposition parties and unions due to the close personal relationship between Escolano and de Guindos.

Unai Sordo, secretary general of the CCOO union, said that he fears that Escolano will seek to continue the work of de Guindos, ‘increasing social inequality.’

9th - 15th March

27

legal

Q

My bank in the UK has asked me for my TIN number– what is this and why have they asked me for this?

A

Your Tax Identification Number (TIN) is your NIE number.

Financial companies; including banks, building societies and investment companies ask for this, predominantly in relation to assets that you have outside of your country of residence.

This exchange of information is

an attempt to further strengthen international efforts to increase transparency, cooperation, and accountability among financial institutions and tax administrations: in short an attempt to stop tax evasion.

you as a resident or non-resident, present the Modelo 720, or help you with inheritance tax planning.

For more information call us on 965 480737 or e-mail info@pellicerheredia.com.

Thursday 22nd March

At Pellicer & Heredia we can offer you advice on what taxes apply to you, process the tax return for

10.30am - CIUDAD QUESADA Finance & Tax Forum Seminar La Laguna Hotel Reservation necessary

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28

9th - 15th March Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force photo/Lt Col Leslie Pratt

by Michael Walsh

keyboardcosmetics@gmail.com MY jet-setting son suggested that he would welcome the onset of pilotless flying.

Recoiling in horror, I heatedly replied that nothing would get me to board a computer-managed airliner.

In fact, many air disasters result not from mechanical but from pilot error. It is possible to provide multi-backed up computer systems that virtually eliminate inflight failure. Alas, unlike computers, humans are much more likely to get it wrong.

The real risk when travelling is our drive to and from the airport. Car and airliner accidents are rarely caused by mechanical failure, but invariably by driver failure.

Initial investigations into the February 11 AN-148 air crash near Moscow reveal pilot error. The crash cost the lives of 71 people. It occurred because the pilots overlooked activating the instruments pre-heating procedure.

This oversight led to confused speed displays, making a crash inevitable. Computers don’t forget such details.

A little research into pilot error air disasters reveals an encyclopaedic list of catastrophes caused directly, or indirectly by

Error terror of air travel pilots making one or more mistakes.

Of 275 pages detailing air accidents 200 pages listed those that had occurred as a consequence of pilot error.

I fail as a number cruncher, but even I can figure out that four out of five air crashes are caused by stupid pilots. At this point I have decided not to board an airliner if beforehand I see pilots boarding their aircraft.

This takes us back to the original question, would I be willing to board a pilotless airliner. There is no longer a need for the

cockpit. Now known as the flight deck it is similar to a superliner’s spare funnel and just for show.

Having already experienced the horror of my flight running blindly into air turbulence, I recall the terror of fellow passengers. A lesson in human behaviour; the women shrieked and the children cried. The men, square jawed, gripped their seat’s armrest and closed their eyes in fervent prayer.

As we later alighted most of us effusively thanked the pilots for getting us safely to our destinations. What we didn’t realise

MILITARY AIRCRAFT: Are currently pilotless.

was that as we did so the pilots whispered their thanks to the aircraft’s computers.

I am still in a quandary and still haven’t answered my own question. ‘Michael, would you board a pilotless aircraft’. Sorry, the jury is still out on this one.

Having said that, it is true that you can’t fix stupid as my wife and I have just decided to tour Europe, by car.

I have tried the car’s automatic pilot but to be honest, her chattering, interference and misguided advice tends to make driver error much more likely.

Mike Walsh’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers advertisers or sponsors.

A POPULAR drinking area of Cartagena has seen a dramatic fall in the number of people using the bars... and nobody knows why.

The previously busy Calle del Aire used to be full of life. It was the epicentre of the weekend out for many people, but those nights where it was virtually impossible to walk through the crowds and to find a seat in a bar have long-since gone.

President of the local business association, HOSTECAR, Juan Jose Lopez believes that they have lost around half of the clientele in the space of one year and has resulted in the enforced temporary closure of a number of establishments.

This has been the fate of ‘Aire 13,’ ‘Oldies,’ ‘Chaplin’ and ‘El sitio de me recreo’ which have seen the Se Traspasa (lease for sale) signs ap-

Photo credit: Enrique Freire Flickr

Where have all the drinkers gone?

MYSTERY: Weekend revellers drop by half in central Cartagena. pear in recent times.

There are only a handful left that are fighting against the tide, one of which is ‘Marino’ that opens on a Friday and Saturday night and ‘Baresico,’ which is the only bar that also opens its doors during the week.

The others are ‘El Tropical’ and ‘Baronesa.’

Lopez said: “We don’t know what is happening.

We could understand if people were going to other areas of the city but they’re not. They have simply stopped going out, and it’s proving harder and harder for the bars to exist by only relying on Friday and Saturday night trade.”

9th - 15th March

by Barry Duke

A WHILE back I wrote about 1881, a significant year in which the Fray Bentos meat company was formed and the atheist magazine for which I work - The Freethinker - was launched.

Well 1881, I’ve just learned, also marked the first meeting of New York’s Thirteen Club.

I made the discovery after a friend recently expressed dismay that the tower block in which I live has a 13th floor. “Oh my ears and whiskers,” said Geoff, “Don’t the Spanish know how unlucky that number is?

His query immediately prompted some research, and I discovered that the Spanish do have a thing about floor levels; they eschew 17th floors because, according to the Elevatorpedia website, 17 is regarded as ‘the number of disgrace’ in Latin cultures.

I rushed off to check our lifts, and sure enough 17 was omitted. In the eight years of my living here this was the first time I’d clocked the omission.

Elevatorpedia also lists other ‘unlucky’ floor numbers. In Chinese culture, for example, fourth floors are omitted.

I then found a 2015 BBC item that reported the establishment of the Thirteen Club, formed, appropriately, on September 13, 1881. It was ‘a gathering of jolly gents determined to defy all superstitions’.

29

Please bring back the Thirteen Club BBC’s Trevor Timpson wrote: “They met on the 13th of the month, sat 13 to a table, broke mirrors, spilled salt with exuberance and walked in to dinner under crossed ladders.”

It was founded by Captain William Fowler and in April 1882 it adopted a resolution deploring the fact that Friday the 13th had ‘for many centuries past, been considered an unlucky day ... on unreasonable grounds.’

At the December 13, 1886 meeting of the club, a member - one of my favourite early American atheists, lawyer Robert Green Ingersoll - declared: “We have had enough mediocrity, enough policy, enough superstition, enough prejudice, enough provincialism, and the time has come for the American citizen to say: ‘Hereafter I will be represented by men who are worthy, not only of the great Republic, but of the 19th century’.”

Earlier, in 1879, Ingersoll said - in words that resonate strongly today, especially in Trump’s America - “It will probably not be long until the churches will divide as sharply upon political, as upon theological questions; and when that day comes, if there are not liberals enough to hold the balance of power, this government will be destroyed. The liberty of man is not safe in the hands of any church.

Wherever the Bible and sword are in partnership, man is a slave.”

MISSING: No 17th floor in this building.

The horror Geoff expressed over our 13th floor reminded me of another example of superstition - an exceptionally bizarre one.

Some years back a Greek neighbour in London asked whether I knew how to get rid of an owl that had taken up residence in a tree in her back garden.

She explained that her mother-in-law, on a short break from her home in Athens, had become aware of the bird, took it as a sign of bad luck, and was flatly refusing to travel back home.

“It’s driving me nuts," she groused. “The superstitious old bat won’t budge from our house until the owl leaves.”

“Well,” I replied, “it’s a protected species, so you can’t harm it, but I’m told if you shine a red light in its direction it may find itself a new location.”

As if it sensed plans were being hatched to scare it off, the bird suddenly vanished, and the old lady was hurriedly bundled into a taxi and sent to Heathrow, a fortnight later than planned!

There are a large number of cultures that associate owls with bad luck. The Owl Pages website informs us that superstitious Malayans believe that they ‘eat new-born babies’, that in Ireland ‘an owl that enters the house must be killed at once, for if it flies away it will take the luck of the house with it’ and that some in Poland believe married women turn into owls when they die. Single females become doves.

My fervent wish is that a modern-day Captain Fowler will re-establish the Thirteen Club, and set up chapters across this superstitionplagued planet on which we live.

FRIDAY 12:00pm Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45pm Caught Red Handed 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Shakespeare and Hathaway 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Coast and Country Auctions 5:30pm Antiques Road Trip 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm MasterChef 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Room 101 10:00pm Requiem 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News

8:15am Wanted Down Under Revisited 9:00am Back in Time for Tea 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Perfection 2:45pm Plan it, Build it 3:15pm Yes Chef 4:00pm A Place to Call Home 4:50pm A Place to Call Home 5:40pm More Creatures Great and Small 6:10pm Flog It! 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys Goes to Ireland 8:00pm Saving Lives at Sea 9:00pm Mastermind 9:30pm Gardeners' World 10:00pm Putin: The New Tsar 11:00pm QI 11:30pm Newsnight

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 Coronation Street 9:00pm Love Your Garden 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Lethal Weapon 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:30pm ITV News London 11:45pm Piers Morgan's Life Stories

10:30am Melissa and Joey 11:00am 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 My Hotter Half 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory 9:30pm The Big Bang Theory 10:00pm Identity Thief

9:20am Digby Dragon 9:35am Rusty Rivets 9:55am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:05am Mofy 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:15pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

1:10pm 5 News Lunchtime 1:15pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:15pm NCIS 4:15pm The Perfect Roommate 6:00pm 5 News at 5 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm The Gadget Show 9:00pm The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard 10:00pm Jane Mcdonald and Friends 11:00pm Will and Grace

7:00am

Monster Family: Special 7:30am Monster Family 9:20am Norman 11:25am Two Down 1:05pm Snatched Fish-out-of-water comedy starring Goldie Hawn and Trainwreck's Amy Schumer as a hapless motherdaughter duo kidnapped while holidaying in Ecuador.

2:45pm Monster Family 4:35pm Wonder Woman 7:00pm Baby Driver 9:00pm Snatched 10:45pm Wonder Woman 1:10am Baby Driver 3:10am Two Down 4:45am In This Corner of the World

9:00am

8:10am The Pets Factor 8:30am Dengineers 9:00am Absolute Genius: Monster Builds 9:30am Beyond Bionic 10:00am Robot Wars 11:00am Gorilla Family and Me 12:00pm Homes Under the Hammer 1:00pm Cats v Dogs: Which is Best?

2:00pm The Caine Mutiny 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:30pm Me and My Dog 5:30pm Final Score 6:30pm Flog It! 7:00pm Hugh's Wild West 8:00pm Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby 9:00pm David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities 9:30pm Dad's Army

7:00am CITV 10:25am Saturday Morning with James Martin 12:20pm Dancing on Ice 2:15pm ITV News and Weather 2:25pm Six Nations Live 5:30pm Paul O'grady: For the Love of Dogs 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News and Weather 7:15pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm You've Been Framed!

8:00pm Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway 9:30pm The Voice UK 10:50pm Piers Morgan's Life Stories 11:40pm ITV News and Weather 12:05am 2 Fast 2 Furious

9:40am 10:10am 10:40am 11:10am 11:40am 12:05pm 1:40pm

The Goldbergs The Goldbergs Young Sheldon Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine Stuart Little 2 Rude(Ish) Tube Shorts The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer Extreme Cake Makers The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Captain America: The First Avenger Salt Gogglebox

10:50am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:25am The Gadget Show 12:15pm Police Interceptors 1:15pm Police Interceptors 2:15pm Police Interceptors 3:15pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

4:10pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

5:05pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

6:00pm The Secret Life of Kittens 7:00pm Cruising with Jane McDonald 8:00pm Brunel's Britain: Master of Bridges 9:00pm Brunel's Britain: King of the Sea 9:55pm 5 News 10:00pm Football on 5 11:00pm Football on 5 11:30pm Jane Mcdonald and Friends

7:00am 9:10am 11:00am 12:45pm 3:15pm

Norman Monster Family Snatched Wonder Woman City of Tiny Lights London-set crime thriller about a harddrinking private detective searching for a missing sex worker.

Baby Driver Snatched Wonder Woman City of Tiny Lights Baby Driver The Levelling Two Down

9:30am Football's Greatest Teams 10:00am EFL Greatest Games 10:15am EFL Greatest Games 10:30am SPFL Matters 11:00am Soccer A.M. 12:30pm SPFL Matters 12:55pm Football 3:00pm Gillette Soccer Saturday 4:15pm Gillette Soccer Saturday 6:15pm Football 8:40pm Football 10:45pm EFL Goals: Championship 11:15pm La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid 11:30pm La Liga Icons 11:45pm La Liga Icons 12:00am Football 2:10am EFL Goals: Championship 2:40am La Liga Greatest Games

8:15am 9:05am 9:35am 10:30am

7:00am 10:25am 10:30am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:20pm

9:25am 9:55am 10:25am 10:50am 11:20am

The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Goldbergs Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine Young Sheldon The Big Bang Theory I, Robot Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

11:05am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:40am Football on 5 The Championship.

12:30pm Football on 5 Goal Rush.

1:00pm Britain's Greatest Bridges 1:15pm Police Interceptors 2:15pm Police Interceptors 3:15pm Open Season 2 4:45pm Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 6:25pm Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 8:15pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

9:00pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

9:55pm 5 News 10:00pm Olympus Has Fallen 12:15am Rise of the Krays

7:00am 9:15am 11:05am 12:50pm 3:20pm 5:25pm 7:25pm

Norman Monster Family Snatched Wonder Woman Baby Driver City of Tiny Lights Snatched Fish-out-of-water comedy about a hapless motherdaughter duo kidnapped while holidaying in Ecuador.

Wonder Woman Info not available Baby Driver City of Tiny Lights The Levelling

9:00am La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid 9:15am La Liga Highlights: Barcelona 9:30am EFL Goals: Championship 10:00am EFL Goals: League One and League Two 10:30am Sunday Supplement 12:00pm SPFL Greatest Games 12:15pm Football 3:15pm Football 6:00pm La Liga Highlights: Barcelona 6:15pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:25pm Football 8:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 8:40pm Football 10:45pm La Liga Highlights: Barcelona 11:00pm EFL Goals: Championship

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

SPFL Greatest Games Celtic's Invincibles La Liga Show EFL Matters SPFL Greatest Games La Liga Show EFL Matters SPFL Greatest La Liga Show EFL Matters Celtics Invincibles SPFL Greatest Games La Liga Preview SPFL Matters EFL Matters SPFL Greatest Games SPFL Greatest Games Football The Debate - Live La Liga Icons La Liga Icons

SATURDAY 7:00am Breakfast 11:00am Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30pm Classic Mary Berry 1:00pm Football Focus 2:00pm BBC News 2:10pm Weather 2:15pm MasterChef 3:15pm MasterChef 4:15pm Coast and Country Auctions 5:00pm Six Nations Rugby Union 8:00pm BBC News 8:10pm Regional News 8:15pm Weather 8:20pm Pointless 9:10pm Casualty 10:00pm Troy: Fall of a City 11:00pm BBC News 11:15pm Weather 11:20pm Match of the Day 12:45am A Few Best Men 2:15am Weather for the Week Ahead

2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 6:15pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 10:00pm 12:05am

5:15pm 7:15pm 9:00pm 11:25pm 1:20am 3:20am 4:50am

SUNDAY 10:00am The Andrew Marr Show 11:00am The Big Questions 12:00pm Sunday Politics 1:15pm BBC News 1:25pm Weather for the Week Ahead 1:30pm MasterChef 2:00pm Homes Under the Hammer 2:55pm Songs of Praise 3:30pm Six Nations Rugby Union 6:05pm Earth's Natural Wonders 7:05pm BBC News 7:20pm Regional News 7:25pm Weather 7:30pm Countryfile 8:30pm Hold the Sunset 9:00pm Call the Midwife 10:00pm Sir Bruce Forsyth: A Celebration

12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 3:45pm 5:10pm 6:10pm 7:10pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:20pm 11:50pm

The Instant Gardener Gardeners' World Countryfile Saturday Kitchen Best Bites Spring Kitchen with Tom Kerridge Lorraine Pascale: How to be a Better Cook MOTD2 Extra The Ladykillers: Pest Detectives Money for Nothing Laura Back in Time for Tea World's Most Extraordinary Homes Deep Impact Top Gear Life and Death Row The Mash Report Top Gear Extra Gear

1:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:30pm 5:30pm 5:45pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 9:00pm 11:00pm

CITV ITV News Love Your Garden Peston on Sunday The Voice UK ITV News and Weather Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway Britain's Brightest Family Catchphrase Tipping Point ITV News and Weather Local News and Weather The Chase Dancing on Ice Endeavour ITV News and Weather

1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 7:55pm 10:00pm

9:00pm 11:25pm 1:00am 3:00am 4:55am

The schedules for the television programme pages are provided by an external company: we regret that any changes or errors are not the responsibility of RTN.

MONDAY 7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Holding Back the Years 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm The Sheriffs are Coming 12:45pm Caught Red Handed 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm Regional News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Escape to the Country 3:45pm Commonwealth Observance Day 5:15pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Inside Out 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Classic Mary Berry 10:00pm MasterChef

7:30am Coast and Country Auctions 8:15am Wanted Down Under Revisited 9:00am Hugh's Wild West 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 12:30pm The Week in Parliament 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Women's Six Nations Highlights 2:30pm Yes Chef 3:15pm Your Home in Their Hands 4:15pm Planet Earth I 5:15pm Into the Wild with Gordon Buchanan 6:15pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm The Repair Shop 8:00pm Top Gear 9:00pm Only Connect 9:30pm University Challenge 10:00pm Being Blacker

9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 3:00pm Judge Rinder 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 Kyle Files 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Marcella 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:45pm Rachel Nickell: The Untold Story 12:50am The Kyle Files 1:15am 100 Years Younger in 21 Days 2:05am Jackpot247

9:00am Baby Daddy 10:00am Melissa and Joey 11:00am 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 How I Met Your Mother 3:30pm How I Met Your Mother 4:00pm New Girl 5:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 5:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 6:00pm The Goldbergs 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm Hollyoaks 8:30pm My Hotter Half 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory 9:30pm Young Sheldon 10:00pm Made in Chelsea 11:00pm Five Star Hotel

7:00am Milkshake!

10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:15pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

1:10pm 5 News 1:15pm The Gadget Show 2:10pm Access 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:20pm NCIS 4:20pm Deadly Daycare 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Anglo Welsh Cup Highlights 9:00pm Extreme Winter Road Rescue 10:00pm Terror in the Air: Flights Out of Control 11:00pm Police 24/7 12:00am The X Files 12:55am Traffic Cops 1:55am Britain's Greatest Bridges

7:00am 8:45am

Two Down Top Ten Show, the 2018 9:00am Wheeler 10:45am Wonder Woman 1:10pm Snatched 2:55pm City of Tiny Lights London-set crime thriller about a hard-drinking private detective searching for a missing sex worker.

5:00pm Baby Driver 7:10pm Wheeler Faux documentary blurring the line between reality and fiction as Stephen Dorff plays charismatic country singer Wheeler Bryson, out to make it big in Nashville.

9:00pm Wonder Woman 11:25pm Snatched

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 La Liga Greatest Games 10:45am La Liga Greatest Games 11:00am Football 5:15pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm Football Years 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm Football Years 7:30pm Football Countdowns 8:00pm Soccer A.M. 8:30pm La Liga Icons: Falcao 8:45pm La Liga Greatest Games 8:55pm Football 11:00pm SPFL Round Up 2017/18

8:15am

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:00pm Cheltenham Festival ITV Racing.

5:30pm Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 9:00pm What Would Your Kid Do? 10:00pm 100 Years Younger in 21 Days 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:45pm The Cruise: Voyage to Alaska

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

10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:15pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

1:10pm 5 News 1:15pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 2:10pm Access 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:20pm NCIS Naval Killer.

4:20pm Missing Daughter 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm World Rally 9:00pm Secrets of the National Trust with Alan Titchmarsh 10:00pm Wild Britain with Ray Mears 11:00pm The Crown in Crisis: Elizabeth-Our Queen

7:00am 8:40am 10:45am 12:45pm 3:20pm 5:15pm 7:00pm

1:15pm SPFL Greatest Games 1:30pm Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits 2:00pm MLS Round Up Show 2:30pm La Liga Icons 3:00pm Eredivisie 4:00pm Football's Greatest 4:30pm Football's Greatest Teams 5:00pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm MLS Round Up Show 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm SPFL Round Up 2017/18 7:15pm SPFL Greatest Games 7:30pm Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits 8:00pm MLS Round Up Show 8:30pm Football Years

TUESDAY 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm The Sheriffs are Coming 12:45pm Caught Red Handed 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm Regional News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm A Place to Call Home 4:10pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Coast and Country Auctions 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Holby City 10:00pm Shetland

The Sheriffs are Coming 9:00am Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm The Super League Show 2:45pm Yes Chef 3:30pm Your Home in Their Hands 4:30pm Planet Earth I 5:30pm Into the Wild with Gordon Buchanan 6:30pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm The Repair Shop 8:00pm Saving Lives at Sea 9:00pm Back in Time for Tea 10:00pm Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby

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

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 How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory

9:00pm 11:25pm 1:20am 3:00am 4:40am

The Levelling City of Tiny Lights Custody Wonder Woman Wheeler Snatched Custody Courtroom drama focusing on three women brought together when a hard-working single mother has her children taken away from her.

Wonder Woman City of Tiny Lights Snatched Info not available Two Down

The schedules for the television programme pages are provided by an external company: we regret that any changes or errors are not the responsibility of RTN.

9th - 15th March

33

WEDNESDAY 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

Coast and Country Auctions Flog It! Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show Panorama DIY SOS the Big Build Saving the British Bulldog BBC News Regional News Weather A Question of Sport

5:15pm

Into the Wild with Gordon Buchanan 6:15pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm The Repair Shop 8:00pm Saving Lives at Sea 9:00pm World's Most Extraordinary Homes 10:00pm The Assassination of Gianni Versace American Crime Story 10:50pm Live at the Apollo 11:30pm Newsnight

6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:45pm 12:45am 1:40am 4:00am

The Chase Local News and Weather ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Britain's Brightest Family Coronation Street Benidorm ITV News at Ten and Weather UEFA Champions League Highlights Play to the Whistle Jackpot247 Tenable

3:00pm

How I Met Your Mother 4:00pm New Girl 4:30pm New Girl 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 My Hotter Half 9:00pm The Goldbergs 9:30pm The Big Bang Theory 10:00pm Don't Tell the Bride 11:00pm Five Star Hotel 12:05am The Big Bang Theory

3:15pm

NCIS Naval Killer.

4:15pm Framed for Murder 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Extreme Winter Road Rescue 9:00pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 10:00pm Violent Child, Desperate Parents 11:00pm When Talent Shows Go Horribly Wrong 2:00am Super Casino 4:10am Cowboy Builders

6:30am

ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Undercover: Rough Sleeper - Tonight Emmerdale The Cruise: Voyage to Alaska Four Days That Shook Britain ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV News London The Late Debate UEFA Europa League Highlights

3:00pm How I Met Your Mother 4:00pm New Girl 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 My Hotter Half 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory 9:30pm Young Sheldon 10:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 10:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 11:00pm Five Star Hotel

4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

7:00am Black Panther: Special 7:30am City of Tiny Lights 9:30am Custody 11:25am Snatched 1:10pm Wonder Woman 3:35pm Numb 5:20pm Wheeler 7:15pm Snatched 9:00pm Wonder Woman 11:25pm Numb 1:00am City of Tiny Lights 2:55am Cult of Chucky 4:45am Scribe

7:00am 8:30am 10:25am 12:10pm 2:35pm 4:10pm 6:00pm 8:00pm 10:25pm 12:00am 1:35am 3:10am 5:05am

Monster Family: Special The Levelling City of Tiny Lights Wheeler Wonder Woman Snatched Custody City of Tiny Lights Wonder Woman Snatched Scribe Info Not Available Custody Wheeler

5:00pm

Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm Football Years 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm Revista de la Liga 7:30pm La Liga World 8:00pm Football Years 8:30pm Football Years 9:00pm Revista de la Liga 9:30pm La Liga World 10:00pm League Cup Final Highlights 11:00pm Eredivisie 12:00am La Liga Icons

THURSDAY 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm

Coast and Country Auctions Flog It! Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show EastEnders MasterChef Not Going Out Still Game BBC News at Ten BBC London News Question Time

5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 1:15am 1:45am

Into the Wild with Gordon Buchanan Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Eggheads The Repair Shop Saving Lives at Sea Great Continental Railway Journeys Civilisations Match of the Day Newsnight Top Gear MasterChef Nigel Slater's Middle East: Iran

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am 12:15am 12:45am

Fatal Defense 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Secret Life of Kittens 9:00pm Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun 10:00pm Do the Right Thing with Eamonn and Ruth 11:00pm Hunted and Confronted: Cowboys, Crooks and Chancers

4:30pm Football's Greatest Teams 5:00pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:15pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 5:45pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm Football Years 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm League Cup Final Highlights 8:00pm EFL Matters 8:30pm Magical Messi

this week weather FRI

SAT

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

March 2 March 3 March 4 March 5 March 6 March 7 March 8

15º/7ºC 16º/7ºC 16º/10ºC 15º/8ºC 17º/8ºC 16º/8ºC 15º/7ºC Rain

Rain

Rain

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Clouds and sun

34

9th - 15th March

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

Play on Words

Answers: Lost for words. Nine and a half weeks.

The World may be your oyster right now, but what’s chiefly needed in your life is some much needed rest and relaxation. You seem to have been burning the candle at both ends just lately, but some downtime is called for to re-establish your inner peace. Mercury trines Ceres which is a call for a new routine, bringing balance and stability.

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?

All is fair in love and war this week, and like it or hate it, you are implicated in something that takes you way out of your depth. Mars trines Uranus, and there has to be something positive in all this to enable you to come up smelling of roses.

In future, look before you leap; it was a long shot but next time, turn a blind eye!

You have started to get itchy feet, as not only are things not turning out the way you had hoped, but, so too, because you have other fish to fry! Your energy and commitment are being compromised and for whatever reason, get out now and don’t look back. Mercury squares on Saturn, and you have better prospects elsewhere!

Storing up anger within neither suits you, nor does it achieve anything at all. You are in a highly creative phase and even though you know your limits, the current boundaries are a constraint that makes it hard to thrive. The Sun sextiles Pluto midweek, and for you, this time around, the grass really is greener on the other side.

The sextile with Pluto is a sign to delay something and to hold back and stall if you have to. Initially you will think that this is just not on, but wait and see, there is someone who is feeding you enough rope to hang yourself! You will get through this with little more than a bruised ego, but don’t let anything get you down, you’ll bounce right back!

For you just now it is a matter of one step forward and two steps back. Since you are so uncertain, make sure that this week nothing whatsoever is written in stone. Venus squares on Saturn, and please whatever you do, do not let your heart rule your head. Some things do not add up, and meanwhile make no immediate plans or contracts.

The scales are jangled and quivering, but you will make a point of the great need for an equilibrium right now. Things appear to be going against the grain, and you will need to put your foot down before things go too far; and you are powerless to make amends. Venus trines Ceres and squares on Saturn urging a short sharp retaliation.

A week in which your scheduled appointments are shelved and your routines re- routed. A surprise meeting sees an acquaintance becoming a friend, albeit a friend in need.

There are two sides to every story but your calm and yet strong energy is sought after to get to the bottom of whatever is really going on right now, and why?

Be open and frank in financial matters. When push comes to shove you have always done things the right way, and face to face confrontation is needed to get the result that you both want and need right now. The all seeing Sun sextiles a persistent Pluto, and one way or another the truth will triumph and come up trumps for you this week.

Saturn squares on Venus and this brings you a whiff of nostalgia as the past comes back big time this week. Just remember that you have come a long way, and have successfully turned a corner recently. You can be very hard on yourself sometimes. You did what you had to and it was your only way out, no more blame, it’s not warranted.

Be enterprising and inspiring, you are truly multi-talented, but seem to hide your light under a bushel…… for what reason? This week you bring resolve to a situation, as somebody finally realises that they have truly bitten off far more than they can chew. Your non-judgmental attitude sees you through all the way to save the day, yet again.

Work, rest and play this week. This is a great time to have a clear out, and to bring back some of your favourite hobbies to boot.

There is a spring in your step, and somehow your creative forces are at work to see that you get the time to relax and to connect with your psychic centres, bringing you a showcase of your own inimitable talent.

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 9 represents B and 13 represents N, so fill in B every time the figure 9 appears and N every time the figure 13 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, This May sound like I am crazy, but I sometimes see things out of the corner of my eyes.

It’s just a flicker but I do not know what it is, and my daughter says it could be my Spirit Guide.

Sophie A. Sophie, you are certainly not crazy! Many people start to see things as you have described, and it is a stage of consciousness. Spirit is told not to contact us here on Earth while we are conscious. That’s why they come in dream state very often. However spiritually enlightened people start to see things when they are conscious, and Spirit connection is fleeting and usually manifests in the corner of the eyes. Your daughter is right, it could be a Spirit Guide.

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 Astrologically you are at the right time to take on aspects that meant little to you before. Making something out of nothing involves a true belief in yourself and a trust in the future ahead. Go for It!

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.

9th - 15th March

35

More Puzzles Cryptic

Across 1 Wayward agent returns with a piece of poetry (8) 7 Big farm located in Lutheran church (5) 8 A clergies' mix-up results in blasphemy (9) 9 Large cask turning the head (3) 10 Authentic old coin (4) 11 It's horrible having nothing and 500 debts (6) 13 Oriental vessel is a mile in length (6) 14 Price fixing ring ruined claret (6) 17 Take no notice of ogre in trouble (6) 18 US possession of Antigua, maybe (4) 20 Meeting place in the old encampment (3) 22 Working exercise into speech (9) 23 Permit everyone to be in debt endlessly (5) 24 I let tots out to find a dagger (8)

English - Spanish

Futoshiki

Down 1 Model answer to a tricky question (5) 2 Get back to work miracle (7) 3 Produce Time Out (4) 4 Firm dates set next year (6) 5 They secure the normal shipping rate (5) 6 Risk 50 in part of the church (7) 7 There's nothing to marvel about in a change of home (7) 12 Heavenly arch for artist in East London (7) 13 Athens and Baghdad contain ballast (7) 15 Sightseer in amongst our Istanbul visit (7) 16 Man of the cloth's a pain in the neck taking religious instruction (6) 17 Fireplace in middle part of King Lear (5) 19 Chap to leave with fruit (5) 21 Armour in the post (4)

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 To take out (5) 6 Luxury (4) 7 Yesterday (4) 8 Seas (5) 9 Topo (4) 10 Ă rbol (4) 11 To bring (5) 12 Con (4)

13 Island (4) 14 In the same way (5) 15 Aturdir (4) 16 Parrot (4) 17 Greasy (skin, complexion) (5)

Down 1 Motorway (9) 2 Algo (9) 3 Lock (on door, box, safe) (9) 4 Rake (9) 5 Joyas (9)

Quick

Across 1 Boring (4) 3 Female descendant (8) 9 Mythical being that is half man and half horse (7) 10 Leaves out (5) 11 White heron (5) 12 Cause to start burning (6) 14 Evening meal (6) 16 Calm (6) 19 Annoy persistently (6) 21 Drive off or back (5) 24 Once more (5) 25 Small pickled cucumber (7) 26 Egg dish (8) 27 Coloured eye part (4) Down 1 Make smaller (8) 2 Pertaining to the moon (5) 4 Filled with fear or apprehension (6) 5 Indicate pain, discomfort or displeasure (5) 6 National flower of Scotland (7) 7 Move fast (4) 8 Armed engagement (6) 13 Leans in a recumbent position on back or side (8) 15 Make or get ready (7) 17 Gained by labour (6) 18 Giving out or reflecting much light (6) 20 Stretched tight (5) 22 Card game (5) 23 Lower part of a wall (4)

Sudoku

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

36

9th - 15th March

RTN Life EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

by John Smith THERE is a new, musical resident in Costa Blanca, classical guitarist John Zaradin, who has gained international recognition over his years of performance.

John started playing the instrument at the age of 13 and studied guitar in the UK and Paris before his first professional performance in the Purcell Room at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 1968. He has been involved in composition, performance and TV. He received a gold disc for his recording of the Aranjuez Concerto, has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and is the composer of three orchestral works, the third of which will see its premier in Benidoleig in 2018, followed by another in Torrevieja.

John was kind enough to share some of his insights on a long career with RTN in an exclusive interview.

Have you been a regular visitor to Spain?

I first came in 1971 to Almeria where I had friends working on the Michael Winner film Chato’s Land. Later in the 1990’s, with my wife Noelle, we found a house in Calpe when Calpe was a small town, without the high-rise buildings and before the seafront bay was created.

Are you settled here now and if so what made you decide to come?

We were in France before, near Albi, Tarn.

World-renowned musician settles in Costa Blanca We had started to think of moving to Spain but Noelle suddenly became ill with cancer and after her death I decided to make a fresh start here.

What do you like about the place?

I like the welcoming Spanish approach to social life and its acceptance of others’ differences.

What is your greatest fear?

To be too fearful to consider the idea of being too afraid to dissipate, disperse and be free from, fear.

What is your favourite food?

Nourishment that is also ‘food for thought and feeling’.

Who would you invite for a meal dead, alive or fictional?

J S Bach.

What is your secret pleasure?

It would cease to be so if I said.

What is your favourite piece of music?

Not one piece, but all music when it is played sincerely from the heart.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

I like the welcoming Spanish approach to social life.”

“

Vital Statistics Nationality: British Born: 1943 (74) Family: Widower with one living cousin Educated: Joseph Schillinger School of Music for basic music and theory and for the guitar, with Alexander Lagoya at the Paris Conservatoire.

Outlook: “My most valuable learning has always been by meeting people who were committed to their own values and causes, and from whom one could, thereby, learn by example rather than by intellectual explanation.”

It will not be important for me, but I could suggest John Cage’s 4’33 of silence, which gives the listener time to reflect on what he or she is doing.

If an encore was needed and the attendants had no ideas of their own, then possibly an original piece of mine from a Temba Theatre Company production of Romeo & Juliet - ‘Uma Hora Triste’ would be suitable.

If you could go back in time when would it be to?

I feel that we do go back in time each time we refer to our memories and that we do so in order to understand what is actually happening to us in the present. The simple answer is: any time that helps clarify our present, dynamic situation is a good time to go back to.

What’s top of your bucket list?

To be able to act essentially and spontaneously without being distracted by superficial particulars.

John then explained his current musical project which will be completed by 2018, with a very special performance featuring international musicians who will be travelling to to launch the composition.

“I have written three guitar concertos: the first, for full orchestra, was premiered in Virginia (I played the guitar part) and then recorded with the orchestra of the Birmingham Royal Ballet at Sony Studios in London.

“The second and third are put together for the Finnish guitarist Janne Lehtinen and arranged for guitar and string orchestra.

“The second has been performed many times by Janne and the Collegium Musicum Lohja (director Hari Kerko) and they will come to Benidoleig to make the premiere performance of the third concerto next Friday, with a repeat concert in Torrevieja three days later.”

9th - 15th March

37

The male menopause

IS there such a thing? Very doubtful, just a stubborn refusal to accept the age they are and the limitations that may go with it. So how many ages of man are there; let us see.

First of all there is boyhood, which covers the period of our school days when we are too busy to think of anything else, except perhaps, a growing awareness that there are other people about, called girls.

Then comes your first job, and you aresometimes referred to as ‘boy’. This period can last until you are now called a ‘young man’, you are ‘going out’ and maybe contemplating marriage and children.

A few years pass and one day you notice the receding hairline, or, perhaps that bald patch on the back of your head. This period finishes when you have exhausted all available remedies (none of which work) to restore your hair. This is young ‘middle age’, which gradually passes into ‘middle age’.

You stay there a long time, putting off as long as possible the morphing of late ‘middle age’ into the next category when you realise that you are 'getting on a bit’, but, chose to ignore the fact that you can’t work all day in the garden without some protest from your back muscles. Also, if there are Grandchildren by now, a whole day having them dumped on you is very exhausting.

Visits to the ‘local’ are becoming more fre-

quent and necessary at the end of the day.

Early ‘old age’ is now setting in, but you still haven’t accepted the fact that you are unable to do what you easily did 20, or even 10 years before.

You are now an ‘elderly man’ and how long that lasts depends on how well you have looked after yourself, your figure, your diet, your whole way of life; you may be looked upon as a ‘spritely’ old man.

Then, one day, something happens that changes everything and you realise that you are now an ‘old man’ and have to accept all the limitations, frustrations and problems that, in most cases men never even contemplate during their life.

It happened to me (85 next birthday) one very windy day at the end of November last year. I was hurrying back to my new apartment on the beach when I realised that the wind was blowing me faster than I could walk, and I looked for something to hold onto.

I made a mad grab for the railings in front of me and missed by a couple of inches. The wind picked me up, bounced me off the railings and slammed me hard down on my back.

The pain in my spine and hips was paralysing, and for a few seconds I really thought that I could be a paraplegic and never walk again. Thankfully, (late February,) I am slowly recovering from a fractured vertebra, but now I’m much more aware and sympathetic towards people I see in wheelchairs and of how lucky I am to be able to regain most of my independence.

Photo Credit: Lonpicman Wikimedia

by Peter F. Purvey

THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN: Sculpture in London.

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9th - 15th March

health

Double breakfast can help prevent snacking FORGET skipping breakfast and double up instead to help you lose weight.

Surprising news, but according to a study by researchers at Yale and the University of Connecticut, eating two breakfasts is good for you if you eat something small to kickstart your metabolism and then something slightly larger a bit later.

Nutritionists also agree with the concept believing that it would be helpful for many people who struggle to eat when they get up.

It’s an ideal way to ensure a decent breakfast is eaten if they have something light like a small yoghurt, smoothie or protein shake first.

A larger, healthy breakfast like an omelette or porridge a few hours later

can prevent snacking before lunch and ensure the necessary nutrition is had.

The American study, conducted on 600 schoolchildren over two years, found children who ate two breakfasts had a weight gain no different to those who ate just one, and those who rarely ate breakfast were more likely to be overweight.

SEA WATER: Can improve your mood as well as your health.

Health benefits of a swim in the sea

BREAKFAST BITES: The best start to the day to boost energy and keep you full.

SWIMMING has long been heralded as the best form of exercise, and swimming in the sea has been linked to improving your mood as well as your health.

Immune system booster Seawater contains vital elements, mineral salts, vitamins, and living mi-

croorganisms, all of which can promote a healthy immune system.

Well-being Swimming in seawater is reported to activate the b o d y ’s h e a l i n g m e c h a nisms and the magnesium rich waters also relax your muscles and reduce stress.

Circulation By restoring essential minerals depleted by everyday life, seawater swimming can improve blood circulation.

Skin The magnesium in seawater may hydrate and improve the appearance of your skin.

Look young and feel healthier THE life expectancy in England has risen 10 years for men since 1960 and eight years for women, so it seems we are getting better at living l o n g e r, b u t h o w c a n w e stay looking young and

remain healthy for as long as possible?

Change your mealtimes Some say the key to a l o n g e r, h e a l t h i e r l i f e i s constant change and avoiding routine, as the brain thrives on uncert a i n t y. T h e d i s r u p t i o n stimulates body and mind and may help to ward off ageing and disability, as when brain cells are stimulated, they function better and last longer.

Av o i d old lady clothes No one wants to look like mutton dressed as lamb, but equally, dressing younger can help you

look and, more importantly, feel younger. If you resist the temptation to behave in a certain way and refuse to assume certain stereotypes merely because you are old, it can improve your quality of life.

Eat berries Researchers have found that eating antioxidant foods such as berries and tomatoes can reduce the damage caused by free radical molecules in the blood that are linked to ageing.

Work standing up To o m a n y o f u s l i v e very sedentary lifestyles and now a number of em-

ployers are introducing desks for workers to be able to stand up at. Being able to move around isn’t just good from a physical p e r s p e c t i v e , i t ’s a l s o good for your emotional well-being.

However, a senior lecturer at the Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease at the University of Liverpool believes everyone must find their balance between a healthy lifestyle and the pleasures from indulging in the occasional unhealthy habits, as being happy can ultimately help you live a longer and healthier life.

9th - 15th March

39

Advertising Feature

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But pain is not the disease. Instead, it is a warning signal informing you that something isn’t right somewhere in your body. Taking painkillers to suppress the pain without investigating the cause is like turning off the fire alarm, without finding out the reason it went off in the first place.

At MedB Clinic, they perform a full body diagnostic scan that thoroughly examines the entire body in detail, to determine not only the diseases that may be present, but more importantly the cause of these diseases.

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completely safe. During the process, you will be comfortably seated in front of the computer screen showing the scan as it progresses, while you're connected to a headset and handheld electrodes that read signals emanating from your body.

The scan examines the entire body in detail. It examines all the systems, organs, tissues and cells in the body and generates one of the most comprehensive and detailed health reports, and in a language you will understand.

The health report includes the most compromised three systems in the body as well as the state of health of all organs.

Also included in the health report is a comprehensive blood test, detailed microbiology that reveals harmful microbes that cause diseases, a food allergy test that tells you the

LOOK AFTER YOUR HEALTH: A detailed diagnosis awaits your visit. foods you need to avoid, a toxicology screen that detects any harmful contaminants and chemicals, as well as a chromosomal analysis to identify the stresses in the organs.

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lem. However, MedB Clinic always insists that patients go home with the extensive health report and study the information, before making a decision.

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9th - 15th March

home & garden

by Graeme Tyrrell FINDING the right plant to suit the needs of your garden design, balcony space or terrace pots is always an interesting challenge. Gardens are meant to be enjoyed and relaxed in so it is always worthwhile finding out the best one for your situation.

If you have a stark area in the garden to fill with an attractive flowering, super hardy ground cover plant, that suppresses weeds and needs minimal care once established, then Periwinkle, Vinca major and minor, may be your answer.

The botanical name Vinca means winding or binding in Latin. The stems were used for binding work such as wreaths and garlands.

In Middle English the plant was referred to as per Wynke, that has developed into the modern English name Periwinkle. It has also been known as Myrtle and S o r c e r e r s Vi o l e t a n d has been used romantically as a symbol of lifelong friendship and marriage.

The prostrate and arching shoots, with a choice of yellow rimmed, variegated or

bright dark green leaves and very distinct bluish or white trumpet flowers, make a great floral display when well presented in the garden.

The plants grow better in the shade but flower better in the sun.

They don’t need highly enriched soil, just loose enough for them to send their roots deep into the soil to get established. Once established they will dominate the garden taking every ray of sunlight, every centimetre of soil surface and every dewdrop they can.

Periwinkles climb up and over every plant within their reach, so they are great for weed suppression but a pest for your favourite vulnerable plants.

As they are invasive in a garden, with most other smaller shrubs coming off second best, they are best given their own area of garden where they can come into their own as a surrounding, flowering accent for a larger tree, to fill low-maintenance areas or cover a difficult to garden slope.

Periwinkles don't climb the trunks of trees like ivy does and are easier to manage by maintaining a border or line of demarcation.

Once established they can be very difficult to remove from the garden.

They are very hardy as potted plants, and will cascade over the sides of their container making them excellent for hanging gardens and window boxes.

Generally they need little care other than watering and often recover well from some neglect if the containers don’t dry out completely.

It is so easy to propagate by cuttings, divsion

Photo Credit: Va randah Shutters tock.

Periwinkles are hardy and attractive

Pink periwinkles.

and layering. I have stored pots with old potting mix near my patch of periwinkles to find that they are later brimming with overflowing periwinkles with little ef-

fort on my part.

In the garden, plant them in the desired area about 20cm apart and keep them moist for the first year. They should

only need need occasional watering, even in summer in reasonable water holding soils. Add compost to improve moisture retention.

Jacaranda tree friend or foe?

A JACARANDA tree in full flower is a spectacular sight to behold. Its almost iridescent mauve flowers brighten up streets and gardens all around the world and it is celebrated with festivals in many countries when in flower.

Spain is fortunate to have many Jacaranda trees as the climate here is almost ideal for them to thrive in coastal regions and frost free zones.

The flowers appear in late spring and early summer. A healthy tree will produce hundreds of bell shaped flowers in conspicuous large groups or panicles that will cover the whole tree.

The fern-like leaves are also very attractive.

They create a softer environment and lighter shade, which allows the flowers to be more dominant but add their own qualities of softness when the flowering season has finished.

The tree generally grows slowly to a height of 20 metres over several decades in average soil, but will grow faster in nutrient rich soil. I have a tree that is 20-years-old that I add no compost to

now that it is established and has reached about 10 metres. This is an ideal size to appreciate the flowers but not have it take over the garden as its neighbouring Mulberry tree attempts to do.

The Jacaranda requires no pruning except to remove dead wood. Pruning a Jacaranda spoils its natural shape and they don’t recover well from pruning. Pruning also stimulates vertical growth of branches which is contrary to its natural horizontal form. It spoils the look of the tree to have vertical growths so it becomes a chore to have to keep removing them.

The difficulty of having a Jacaranda tree however, is that it sheds material practically all year.

Never plant one even remotely near a pool, over driveways, paths or any area that you do not want covered in plant debris. If you do, you will be constantly sweeping and cleaning the area of spent flowers, fern needles and seed pods.

This is where they become a foe.

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44

9th - 15th March

motoring

Hyundai Ioniq TEST DRIVE BY TIM SAUNDERS UNTIL I drove the Hyundai Ioniq my experience of hybrids was that they were dull, inefficient and slow.

My opinion has changed. During a weeklong test I drive the Ioniq to London and Chichester as well as pottering about locally.

And not once do I break into a sweat fretting about where the nearest petrol station can be found.

For those unfamiliar with hybrids they couple a petrol engine to an electric motor. The electric motor kicks in at low speeds making them more environmentally friendly than petrol or diesel vehicles. The electric motor is charged when the petrol engine is running.

A very light right foot and speeds typically of 30mph and under generally results in electric mode (EV) being engaged. However, there are occasions when EV mode fails to kick in and there is no rhyme nor reason why.

HYUNDAI LONIQ: The hybrid is an economical choice with luxury extras.

One such occasion is in heavy traffic in the capital when we all slow down to a crawl yet we are still running on petrol. This really shouldn’t be the case and is frustrating.

Even when reversing off the driveway it is the petrol engine that is called on most of the time. Yet when I shoot my video, as you can see at www.testdrives.biz, EV mode is engaged while I reverse.

There is a push button start and the driver must remember to unlock the foot operated parking brake, which takes a little getting used to.

Despite the Ioniq’s reliance on its petrol engine it is surprisingly economical. It can be driven at a good speed on the motorway without the worry that the fuel reserves are rapidly depleting. It will easily travel over 550

miles on a full tank of petrol.

Two years ago I drove both the Nissan and Toyota equivalents and this was never the case for me then, the driver was lucky to achieve 300 miles on a full tank. And the Toyota Prius is fitted with a 45-litre fuel tank just like the Hyundai Ioniq. However, the Prius is a 1.8-litre petrol compared to the Hyundai’s 1.6-litre unit. At the traffic lights the Ioniq swiftly pulls away.

Glancing at reviews of this car I am surprised that I cannot find a single complimentary one. They all complain about lack of speed and a general lacklustre appeal of this vehicle. My experience is an utter contrast. I find the design interesting and it is a well constructed five-door hatchback.

It’s ideal family transport easily accommo-

Hyundai Ioniq 1.6GDi SE Hybrid Price: From €22,500 0-60mph: 10.9secs Top speed: 115mph Economy: 58mpg Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz. dating three car seats in the back. My only qualm is that the seat belt buckles in the rear fall too low into the seats, making it really really difficult to insert or remove a seat belt when there are three children’s car seats and space is tight.

But there is luxury; even the rear occupants enjoy heated seats, while the driver gets a heated steering wheel and even an air heated/cooled seat, as does their passenger.

9th - 15th March

45

motoring

BMW i8 Roadster taking shape THE BMW plant in Leipzig has begun production on the much awaited BMW i8 Roadster.

It is a model that oozes all the freedom of open-top motoring for two with an electrically operated soft-top.

Underpinning an ever-increasing level of electric driving experience is an updated version of the lithium-ion battery.

The high-voltage unit is located centrally in the car’s underbody and boasts an energy capacity of 11.6kWh (up from 7.1).

Important for all potential buyers is

Credit: BMW Group

the distance that electric cars can travel, and the Roadster is now up to 53 kilometres (33 miles).

Leipzig Plant Director Hans-Peter Kemser said: “We are proud to produce another top notch product at our plant.

“An important factor for that is the know-how and long-time experience of our employees in the production of electric vehicles.”

The improved battery technology of the Roadster means more energy, with the engine now producing 143bhp.

It has similarities with the Coupe, using the same carbon-reinforced plastic core, whose rigid structure has maximised the size of the roof opening and negated the need for extra strengthening.

Storing the roof is designed to barely impede on luggage space, folding into a Z-shape, while average CO2 emissions are as low as 42g/km.

The market launch of the Roadster will take place in May 2018 and it will be priced at a very competitive €126,300.

EASY RIDE: The i8 Roadster is a hub of pioneering technology.

SEAT appoints new production vice-president THE Spanish car manufacturer SEAT has appointed Dr Christian Vollmer to head up its production operation, with a start date of July 1 2018.

Dr Vollmer will report directly to SEAT’s president Luca de Meo and will be responsible for managing the company’s three plants in Martorell, El Prat de Llobregat and Barcelona.

He will also work on the company’s digital transformation and Industry 4.0 strategies, as well as taking charge of promotion related to environmental sustainability and future mobility.

SEAT’s president said Dr Vollmer would give a further boost to the development of the company’s production processes.

“I am convinced that Dr Vollmer’s extensive experience will positively contribute to SEAT’s globalisation stage,” de Meo said.

“His appointment will enable us to keep making progress and evolving in such

APPOINTMENT: Dr Christian Vollmer will take over from Andreas Tostmann as the company’s head of production important areas as Industry 4.0, digitisation and sustainability in SEAT’s production plants.”

Dr Vollmer will replace the outgoing Vice-President of Production Dr Andreas Tostmann, who is moving to Volkswagen’s Production and Logistics operation, SEAT said in a statement.

Dr Christian Vollmer is 48 years old and has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He has worked for the Volkswagen Group since 1999 and began his career at the group’s headquarters.

46

9th - 15th March

motoring

Jeep unveils new Wrangler THE latest generation of the Jeep Wrangler has been announced and is expected to make its showroom debut in the second half of this year.

The 4x4 will offer excellent levels of comfort and superior driving dynamics in both urban and off-road environments, Jeep said in a statement.

The Wrangler is set to feature two advanced four-wheel drive systems, Command-Trac and Rock Trac, Tru-Lock and rear axle lockers.

OFF ROADER: The Wrangler comes in the Rubicon trim (pictured) as well as the Sport and Sahara designs.

CREDIT: Jeep

It will also be fitted with Trac-lock limited slip differentials and electronic front sway bar disconnect. The features are set to make for a vehicle at ease on rough terrain and city streets, the company said.

The Wrangler will be offered in three different trim levels: Sport, Sahara and Rubicon. All these will be available in two or four-door models.

The Command-Trac four-wheel drive system will be available for the Sport and Sahara trim levels while RockTrac will feature in the Rubicon version.

The Rubicon model is designed specifically for more rugged terrain. It is set to offer added articulation and its sway bar disconnect system will be capable of delivering additional wheel travel on tough off-roading routes, Jeep said.

The company added that the design of the vehicle was ‘bold and rugged’ with a wide stance and lowered beltline, as well as large windows for better visibility.

The interior of the Jeep Wrangler is heritage inspired, according to Jeep. It features a horizontal dashboard design and vinyl-wrapped door trim panels which are soft to the touch.

Nissan turns new LEAF in 2018 TAKING centre stage at the Nissan stand during this year’s Geneva Motor Show was the Nissan LEAF. It is an all-electric, zero-emission model that is being ordered in Europe every 12 minutes, making it the continent’s fastest selling electric vehicle.

The Nissan LEAF is spearheading the company’s Intelligent Mobility vision, a symbol of its drive to create modern, dynamic and connected cars with renewable energy.

Technologies that made their debut on the LEAF are being rolled across Nissan’s range of passenger cars.

Its 40kWh battery is now available on the e-NV200 van, increasing its life by 60 per cent with no reduction in capacity.

The innovative ProPILOT advanced driver assistance technology will be available on Europe’s bestselling crossover, the Nissan Qashqai, from this month, and uses a 360 degree camera system.

Alongside this, the LEAF boasts a new e-pedal that engineers believe will allow users to drive 90 per cent of the time without touching the brake pedal, benefiting the environment hugely.

It is a beautifully linear and sensitive e-pedal where the slightest foot pressure propels the car forward, while the TFT display will show that the car is beginning to capture and store energy.

The interior of this model has had a stylish makeover, and noise in the cabin is at an unprecedented low.

The LEAF’s basic price is €24,950, which is €557 less than its predecessor.