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WOMEN across Spain celebrated International Women´s Day yesterday (8th March) with a strike to show the “world stops” when they abandoned roles in the workplace and home. Transport was immediately affected by the industrial action aimed at highlighting the wage gap between the sexes – as well as demanding an end to all discrimination and the country´s so-called macho culture. And women´s groups also demanded greater action in the battle against domestic and gender-based violence. Across the country 99 women were killed by their partners last year. More than 300 trains were cancelled as workers went on strike to support the demand for women´s rights. The Transport Ministry announced some 200 intercity trains
by Jack Troughton
from 568 did not operate and the action meant 105 long-distance trains were cancelled. The metro service in Madrid was affected, flights were delayed or cancelled and in Barcelona road blocks brought traffic chaos. Town halls, schools, colleges, universities, and government buildings closed because of the strike – some parents annoyed they were only informed hours before the action started with little time to arrange childcare. A year ago there were demonstrations staged in 49 cities across Spain and symbolic strikes in certain areas but 2018 was the first time a nationwide action was taken,
backed by unions and men backing equality. The 8M Commission, an umbrella group of feminist organisations, made its manifesto cry: “Together today we will stop the world and cry: Enough!” High profile figures such as Manuela Carmena and Ada Colau, respectively the mayors of Madrid and Barcelona, joined the ´Feminist Strike´. Ms Colau explaining it was time for women to demand an end to male violence, discrimination and the salary gap. “In a 21st century democracy this is not admissible.” Spanish film star Penelope Cruz was reported to have cancelled all the events in her diary and also planned a “domestic strike”, leaving partner Javier Bardem in charge of their two children. Continued on page 3
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SEVEN DAY WEEKENDER SHOPS are having to change Sunday and ´fiesta´ openings to meet with new laws brought in by the Valencia government to protect a healthy work and family life balance. Live on the Costa Blanca for any length of time and it is easy to adapt to the fact Sunday is not normally a shopping day and there is always a convenience store for milk and bread in an emergency. People have been predicting Sunday opening for some time – just like they said siesta was doomed – but they have been proved wrong; outside the holiday season the shop shutters will be down on the day of rest and fiesta days. However, the regulations are not the easiest to follow so it may take some time to adapt, a real supermarket challenge. One
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Weekender reader missed out on a roast chicken dinner after banking on being able to pick up bird and trimmings last Sunday after banking on being able to shop as usual. Radio stations missed a trick on Thursday, International Women´s Day. It was a real opportunity to dust off David Bowie´s hit Suffragette City for a spin on the airwaves. Strikes and demonstrations cross Spain by women and men supporting their campaign for equality. ´Deeds not words´ was a battle cry for the suffragettes in the UK and 100 years ago women won their battle for a vote in the mother of the modern democracy. At a demonstration outside Javea Town Hall supporting the cause, there was an exhibition of artwork
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made by students from local schools and colleges, naturally celebrating the success of a range of international women through history. Included in the artwork was one JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter tales, but given the import of the day, it was heartening to see Emmeline Pankhurst – and hopefully the achievement of the suffragette movement was not lost on the youngsters. Cross fingers that the aims of the 8M Commission – a women´s umbrella group behind the day of action – is equally successful.
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9 March & 16 March
FRIDAY 23RD FEB 2018
Demand for equality Continued from from page...
According to the European Commission, Spanish women receive around 14% less than men for every hour worked in comparable tasks. It is a pay gap just below the EU average
by Jack Troughton
– in Britain the gulf is 21%, a difference highlighted in the recent BBC wage debate. And in Spain the ´glass
ceiling´ remains in place. Large multinationals are almost exclusive in having men at the helm and women are said to hold few positions of power. Women make up just a third of those listed as the country´s top earners. Women account for 58% of university graduates in the country but hold just 28% of management roles – domestic employees are said to be 98% female. Also highlighted was how females also perform the highest amount of unpaid work, spending double the amount of time on domestic chores and childcare than men – said to explain why women are over-represented in part-time employment or jobs with temporary or non-existent contracts. Town halls across the Costa Blanca joined the action and many staged events and demonstrations. In Javea schools researched strong women figures through history and made placards, one dedicated to suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst who 100 years ago won the first votes for women. It also contained the campaign slogan: “Deeds not words!”
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Earthquake 112 Emergency line swamped after ground shakes by Simon Russell
OVER a hundred people phoned the 112 emergency number after an earthquake hit parts of Murcia and Alicante at the weekend. The tremor hit on Friday evening at around 8pm with the epicentre being the Murcian town of Albudeite, although it could be felt as far afield as Orihuela and Elda. The quake measured 4.1 on the Richter Scale, a relatively large tremor in the region which is prone
to small earthquakes. Although falling objects were reported there was no structural damage or injury. 4.1 is described on the Richter Scale as “a light quake which can be detected both indoors and outdoors and may cause alarm”. An earthquake would usually have to register 5.0 or more to cause structural damage, although nine people died in an earthquake in the Murcian town of Lorca in 2011 with a
Hotel death mystery BRITISH police have launched an inquiry after the death of a Spaniard in a London hotel this week. Marcos Servera, from Palma de Mallorca, was found dead in his room in the Mayflower Hotel at lunchtime on Monday. A friend he was sharing the room with, Esteban Garcia from Madrid, was critically ill when found and has since been kept in an induced coma at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Initial findings are that the pair had been poisoned by a gas, possibly carbon monoxide, and the hotel remains closed as a precaution. Authorities in London have said that readings in the hotel show a high level of carbon monoxide but the whole tragedy remains a mystery and it is too early to jump to conclusions. Shortly before his body was found Marcos’ friends had posted on Facebook concerned about his lack of contact. The young Mallorcan was 34-yearsold and worked in the film and TV industry.
FRIDAY 9TH MARCH 2018
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Bugging device found THE Planning Department in Alicante city has complained to the police after be a listening device was found under a chair in the office. It was under the table of current councillor Eva Montesinos who leads the team which have recently taken over the department from the Guanyar Alacant party who resigned from the government two
Vegetable villains T
WO women have been arrested in the Alicante town of Novelda and charged with the systematic theft of artichokes from a farm in the area. It is thought that the vegetables were specifically targeted as they are a more expensive type, with a larger heart,
by Simon Russell
popular in Northern Europe. Initially the pair were crawling under a fence and just stealing relatively small amounts. However they soon got greedy and cut a hole in the fence and started driving a van in to load up their haul.
Earlier this month a neighbour spotted the pair and reported the incident to the police. The authorities were already aware of possible thefts as the farmer had realised for several weeks his vegetables were disappearing, and the ROCA team from the Guardia had been
checking markets and other likely sources. Due to the description from witrnesses, the police were able to arrest the pair, one of whom had a police record for similar offences. The farmer estimated that around â‚Ź9,000 of artichokes had been pilfered from his farm over the last
by Simon Russell
months ago. Montesinos is annoyed that she only found out about the bug through a third party and was not directly informed by the governing team. The Planning Department is keen to know how long the device has been in place and, of course, who had planted it and why.
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Naval tragedy in Antarctica THE commander of a Spanish navy research ship has died after apparently falling overboard in Antarctica. The body of 53-year-old Javier Montojo Salazar was found in the freezing waters near Livingston Island after a six-hour research and rescue operation. Spanish authorities are investigating the accident and say it is not clear how the officer fell from the Hesperides last Friday night. The incident took place off the Spanish research base Juan Carlos I; opened in 1981 it is manned from mid-November to the beginning of March each year, the Antarctic summer.
by Jack Troughton
The officer was in charge of the frigate which travels regularly to the region to supply Spanish bases. The dead man’s body is back on boards the ship, which is bound for Argentina, from where it will be repatriated to Spain. And Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has sent his condolences to the sailor’s family, being supported by navy personnel, saying the incident was “sad news”. The frigate Hesperides was launched in 1990 and has a specially reinforced hull to allow it to operate in Arctic and Antarctic
Fatal house fire AN elderly woman died after being caught in a house fire in Alicante City this week. The blaze broke out at her home on Calle Maestro Alonso at about 2am last Tuesday morning. Neighbours alerted firefighters but the 89-year-old was trapped by the flames which blocked the door of her home. Fire crews managed to break in, a task
complicated by the door being well bolted and locked. They eventually reached the woman and paramedics attempted resuscitation but shortly after confirmed her dead at the scene, most likely from smoke inhalation. The major fire caused dozens of homes to be evacuated but there were no reports of any further injuries of either the public or emergency crews.
Weapons put to the torch AN arms amnesty in the northern province of Palencia yielded almost 500 illegally held or unwanted weapons which were melted down in a specialist furnace this week. The main haul was shotguns and rifles -341 handed in- as well as revolvers and pistols -77- plus a selection of Tasers, explosives and home-made weaponry.
by Simon Russell
Knives and other blades were also included in the amnesty and a total of 137 were handed over voluntarily by the public; these included daggers, axes, throwing stars and knuckle dusters. A similar initiative in 2016 saw 345 firearms and 203 knives surrendered.
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9 March
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THIS part of Spain is well known for its wonderful displays of almond and cherry blossoms, usually around February. However a town in Murcia, Cieza, also attracts visitors from Spain and further afield,
by Simon Russell
this time for plum, peach and nectarine blossoms. The generally pink flowers come into bloom around now and this year the conditions seem ideal if
pictures on social media are anything to go by. The blossoms need a temperature of about 7 degrees for a period of time to flower and, critically, the co-operation of bees to pollinate them. If they don’t
bloom and the weather has been helpful this is an early indicator that the bees aren’t around, says a horticultural expert. To view the displays for yourself have a look online at #cieza or #floraciondecieza.
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FRIDAY 9TH MARCH 2018
Kidnapped Planting for the and raped
future E
L Campello will once again be celebrating the “Day of the Tree� on Sunday 11 March, this year by planting 800 new specimens in Les Puntes de Gosalvez recreational area. Environment Councillor Cynthia Alaves said that the focus was on reforestation, although there will be more work involved due to the scrubby nature of the park as opposed to the urban areas where planting has been done before. Ms Alaves said that by increasing tree numbers there will be a positive knock on effect on other flora as well asanimals that depend on forestry for food, nesting sites and cover
by Simon Russell
from predators. They also intend to revisit the area regularly to carry out maintenance which is expected to be high due to the nature of the area. The species to be planted are 300 carobs, 100 hackberries, 200 Cartagena Cyprus’ and 200 mastics (lentiscos).
First female head after 500 years FOUNDED in 1499, the University of Valencia has elected its first woman President. Mavi Mestre, a Psychology Professor at the world famous college, received 53% of the vote to defeat the one other candidate, a male. Professor Mestre lives in Oliva and has a PhD and Bachelor of Science in her chosen field where
by Simon Russell
she specialises in studies of adolescents at risk of social inclusion. She has said she is committed to the transformation of the university and holds national committee posts that will help in achieving this goal. 55,000 people voted in the election, including
staff, teachers, students and research personnel.
TWO Ecuadorian nationals have been charged with the illegal detention and rape of a younger woman they met in a bar. The incident happened in Alicante in February when the two men, aged 41 and 46, got talking to the 32-year-old in a bar. She went to the house of one of them but as soon as she was inside they locked the
by Simon Russell
door and began the assault. They kept her in the residence against her will for eight hours before she was able to escape when she immediately reported the incident to the police. They located the two accused and arrested them; the pair are due to appear before the courts this week.
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ICE AND EASY S
police HARP-EYED officers discovered an illegal cannabis farm in Yorkshire after becoming suspicious about a single home with no snow on the roof. The beat bobbies found ‘hash in the attic’ – with nearly 300 mature plants said to be worth £80,000 and kept warm with high-powered lamps. The heating system was so efficient that any snow landing on the terrace roof in Keighley instantly melted; unlike neighbouring houses that were covered in the white stuff during the recent cold snap. PC James Butterfield, who conducted the raid on the house, speculated the haul could be worth about £80,000 on the street. Posting a snap of his work on Twitter, he said: “So this is what we got up to! My size 10 boots came in handy for entry. “Removing this filth from the streets is always great. Knowing that the morons responsible for it are £80k out of pocket is a Brucey bonus! # didntwedowell.” Colleague PC Caroline Foster tweeted yesterday: “While the snow has kept the burglars at bay it
has also helped us in finding some rather large plants. “Hmmm, I wonder why there is no snow on your roof? 280+ plants seized from an address in Keighley today, some nearly 6ft tall.” A police spokesman said: “The plants will now be officially examined and valued.” Vicky Watson, 44, who lives next door, said two men in their 30s had recently moved into the house. Vicky, left, added: “In the cold weather my house is normally freezing because the insulation is rubbish. But since they moved in my bathroom has been absolutely red hot. The wall was warm to touch.”
Back In ‘CHAV PARTY’ OWN GOAL A
hockey university club has been barred from a prestigious competition after throwing a ‘chav party’ and urging members to “dress lower class”. Members of the Leeds University women’s hockey club faced a barrage of criticism after posting pictures of them enjoying themselves posed in tracksuits, sporting fake tattoos, fake tan and swigging from bottles of cheap wine. Student union bosses stripped the club captain of her role and players have also been banned from competing in this year’s Christie Cup - a competition between three northern universities Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester – and imposed a number of other sanctions. Leeds University Union Club Hockey Women’s (LUUWHC) apologised for the “ill-judged” celebration , which was advertised on a closed
Facebook group but triggered a number of complaints about the ‘chav night’. The controversial post also included a definition of ‘chav’ as “a young, lower-class person typifies by brash and loutish behaviour”. The post also included a dictionary definition of “chav” as “a young, lower-class person typified by brash and loutish behaviour”.
At a disciplinary hearing, activities union’s the committee imposed sanctions on the club and members; a new club captain and social secretaries will be elected at a special meeting unless there is an appeal. The club, which has made no comment, has asked for discrimination training for all members, plus extra training for social secretaries.
Britain COUNCILS HIT OVER NEW HOMES
H
OUSING Secretary Sajid Javid has warned “Nimby councils” they could be stripped of planning powers unless they meet targets for building new homes. ‘Nimby’ – short for ‘not in my back yard’ – is an expression that originated in the USA but became anglicised and became popular in the UK from the 1980s to describe people who routinely object to any proposed development near their homes that might affect property values. The government says councils will be told how many homes a year they must build and a failure to do so will see independent inspectors step in. And Mr Javid said he would be “breathing down” the necks of local authorities to ensure targets are met. The government is to overhaul of planning rules in
an attempt to increase the rate of house building in England. A new planning policy framework will contain new rules to determine how many homes councils must build - taking into account local house prices, wages and key worker numbers. Higher targets will be set for areas where house prices outstrip annual earnings. “For the first time it will explicitly take into account the market prices,” Mr Javid
said. “If you are in an area where the unaffordability ratio is much higher you will have to build even more. It will make clear to councils that this number is a minimum, not a maximum.” He said councils would also be held to account on promises house-building they make. Mr Javid said councils that fail to meet targets will be stripped of the right to decide what is built within with boundaries, their inspectors making decisions instead. He added: “We have a housing crisis in this country. We need a housing revolution,” he added. Mr Javid also revealed plans to build up to five new towns between Oxford and Cambridge. “Along that corridor there’s an opportunity to build at least four or five garden towns and villages with thousands of homes.”
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SAINSBURY’S PRAISED OVER JOB FOR ALZHEIMER’S MUM giant SUPERMARKET Sainsbury’s has won praise for keeping a 61-year-old mum suffering from Alzheimer’s in work despite her illness. Her son Doron Salomon, 29, used social media to thank the supermarket for employing her for five months after a medical exam rendered her unemployable in October 2017. He said her job at Sainsbury’s in Kenton, north London, gave Mrs Salomon a “sense of pride and self worth”. Mrs Saloman was working as a book-keeper for the supermarket when in 2012 she was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and as her illness developed was found a series of jobs. The supermarket described Doron’s mum as a “much-loved colleague” and an “inspiration to all of us”; thanking her for years of service and wishing her well for the future. In his series of heart-warming messages, Doron told how Sainsbury’s “acted with compassion, class and dignity” and hailed the store for going “above and beyond”. Her husband was called in by its
management “on numerous occasions” and “every time we thought that would be the end”. Doron said: “It never crossed their mind that she would be unemployable. It was always ‘what can we do to help her?’” When her illness became a “real problem and Sainsbury’s realised she couldn’t do the job particularly effectively, they stepped in and found other jobs for her to do.” And after completing her last day at work on Saturday, he said: “It gave her a sense of purpose.”
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BACK in the day – 1969 in fact – the Rolling Stones penned a classic song ‘You Can’t Always get what you want’ which may have influenced Theresa May’s Brexit thinking. In her key speech in London, the Prime Minister warned that “no one will get everything they want” out of the negotiations that will settle the UK’s future partnership with the European Union after March next year. It is difficult to know what spins on the record deck inside No10 Downing Street, but certainly her thinking was along the lines of the song from the Let It Bleed album, released at a time the Rolling Stones were being hailed as the world’s greatest rock band. Sir Mick Jagger and legendary sidekick Keith Richards wrote: “You can’t always get what you want... but if you try sometimes, you just might find...you get what you need.” Mrs May’s realism was broadly given a warm welcome as she pointed out both sides around the negotiating table had to accept “hard facts” and access to the single market would be “less than it is now” – urging “let’s get on with it”. She underlined the need for access to the huge market offered by the EU’s remaining 27 members and stressed the need for a tailor-made deal, not an off-the-peg number like the agreement Canada enjoys with Europe. Cherries have played a large part in negotiations and ambitions to date. The PM denies she was aiming to ‘cherrypick’ the best parts of the EU rules. Mrs May said: “The fact is that every free trade agreement has varying market access depending on the respective interests of the countries involved. If this is cherry-picking, then every trade arrangement is cherry-picking.” And Chancellor Philip Hammond was on the front foot telling European leaders that it was in the “mutual interest” of both the EU and the UK to include financial services in any trade deal struck by the two sides. He said the Brussels team were skilled and tough negotiators after representing the EU in talks with countries around the world, but he stressed: “A trade deal between the UK and the EU must start from the reality of today, that our economies
– including in financial services – are interconnected, that our regulatory frameworks are identical.” When the EU negotiated a free trade deal with the United States, the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, one Michel Barnier proposed ‘regulatory co-operation’ between the two over financial services. Mr Barnier is the EU’s chief negotiator in the Brexit talks. The project was abandoned after nearly four years of talks, but Mr Hammond is confident it could feature in the Brexit settlement and a deal could be “more than a traditional free trade agreement.” Donald Tusk, the EU Council president, insists the bloc does not want to “build a wall” to separate the UK from the continent as he unveiled guidelines for post-Brexit relations. He said the EU wanted an “ambitious and advanced” free trade agreement with zero tariffs on goods but also warned it would not be frictionless or smoother but “more complicated and costly for all of us”. The guidelines say access for services would be limited by the fact that the UK would be outside the EU and no longer part of a common regulatory or judicial framework. And just in case anyone has forgotten, there is another reference to ‘cherry-picking’ for particular areas of industry; although the financial services sector was not specifically mentioned. The leaders of the 27 countries remaining in the EU must approve the plans at a Brussels summit on 22nd March, which will forge the template for Mr Barnier when he returns to the negotiating table. The UK is scheduled to exit the EU at the end of March next year and both sides agree that they would like a deal on the future relationship to be struck by autumn this year to allow time for parliaments to give approval before Brexit. Back in 1965, the Fab Four – aka The Beatles – released an album and a film; both simply called ‘Help!’
SLASHING the maximum stake on gaming machines could mean Ladbrokes Coral is forced to cut the £8 million it spends each year on sport sponsorship, the UK’s biggest bookmaker has warned. The government is deciding whether to cut maximum bets on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals at betting shops from £100 to as little as £2 in a bid to tackle problem gambling. More than half of Ladbroke’s betting shop revenue comes via the controversial machines – and the bookmaker says such a drop in income would mean cuts were made elsewhere. William Hill has also warned of the disaster on sponsorship should the maximum stake be set too low. Currently £3.5 of the bookmaker’s sports sponsorship package goes on horseracing but the company also backs the Rugby Football League Challenge Cup and the Scottish Professional
by Jack Troughton
Football League as well as snooker and darts. Ladbrokes said: “A severe stake cut has many implications not least on jobs, the Treasury and the sports we support. “Sports sponsorship is a two-way street, yes we get exposure but it also helps sports finance their entire structures right down to grass-roots funding.” The company suggested that horse racing was less vulnerable to potential sponsorship cuts than other sports. It said: “Horse racing is in the bookie DNA and some sponsorship and partnerships go back many years and have a history and association that make them very valuable and high on the list to continue.” The possibility of losing sponsorship is yet another headache for horse racing, which fears that anything that hurts high street bookmakers could reduce its funding.
Racing Post editor Bruce Millington said: “No-one likes the fact that the horseracing industry is a hostage to a whole load of high octane fruit machines but there’s little question that a £2 limit would have significant implications.” Sponsorship is just one of the ways the sport is funded by bookmakers. A 10% levy on horse racing bets contributes about £50 million to improve and support racecourses and invest in equine veterinary science. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said gambling was one of many ways in which sports obtain fundraising. “We are clear that Fixed Odds Betting Terminal stakes will be cut to ensure we have a safe and sustainable industry where vulnerable people are protected,” it said in a statement. The department said a final decision on maximum bets will be made “in due course”.
Spanish toy stores future unclear
SPAIN’S National Institute of Statistics calculated that the cost of living has risen by 1.1% in February compared with the same period last year. The rise is mainly attributed to an increase in electricity prices from 2017 levels. This comes
by Simon Russell
at a time when pensioners have just been awarded a minimum 0.25% state pension increase, something that has seen various protests organised as they argue that in real terms their spending
power continues to reduce. Some salaried workers have seen pay rises above inflation; however many have had small rises or pay freezes and again the financial effects for those more vulnerable members of society may start to bite soon.
FRIDAY 9TH MARCH 2018
15
Modelo 720 (Overseas Asset Declaration) It´s that time of year again!
By Christina Brady
BLACKTOWER Financial Management
If you are resident in Spain (if you live here more than 183 days in a calendar year the Spanish tax authorities and in turn the UK HMRC will class you as Spanish resident) and held assets outside Spain as at the 29th December 2017 worth over Euro 50,000, and
haven’t already declared them on a Modelo 720 you need to do so by the end of March. You may ask “Why should I bother?” Well unless you want a huge fine and a possible tax audit (they can legally go back to 2012) it is in your best interests to do it. Firstly some of you may still be under the impression that the reporting of assets is not a legal requirement, if this is the case then sadly I have to tell you, you are mistaken. On 15 February 2017, the European Commission accepted that Spain has the right to require residents to declare overseas assets, what the Commission doesn´t agree with is the severity of punishments for late or inaccurate submissions. The requirement to submit the
Modelo 720 form, however, is not under challenge, the EU and the UK say it is a legal requirement. Secondly some of you are saying - they will never find out if I don’t declare. Again you are very, very wrong. From 31st May 2017, all EU countries plus the UK and its Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, have automatically shared all financial information on all financial assets held in their countries by tax residents of another country, to the country they are known as being resident in. Please note if your Bank, Building society, investment company, pension company etc etc, has a Spanish address for you on their file then whether you like it or not they are obliged by law to report any
assets you hold to the HMRC and in turn HMRC will report this to the Spanish tax authorities. They will report the value of all bank accounts, insurance policies, shareholdings, investments, Trusts etc (no matter what the balance) as at 31st December each year. Plus they will notify them of what withdrawals have been made during that year and also if an account has been closed during that year. From May 2018 over 130 countries worldwide will automatically be sharing all financial information on an annual basis. The goal is to allow tax authorities to obtain a clearer understanding of financial assets held abroad by their residents for tax purposes, and is primarily
Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV. Blacktower
aimed at preventing tax evasion. There are ways to ease this reporting burden and to ensure you stay on the right side of the taxman, whilst minimising your tax liabilities, one such way is to use a tax compliant investment bond. If you would like more information on this or any other financial advice please contact me by email christina.brady@ blacktowerfm.com or call me on 658 892 330. The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity.
Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial services Commission (FSC) and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV in Spain.
16
FRIDAY 9TH MARCH 2018
What’s ON TV
The Gadget Show
Ortis Deley and Georgie Barrat travel to Nevada to visit the world’s biggest consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. The events boasts upgraded drones, upgraded VR headsets, upgraded televisions and a stream of new robots to help around the house. Meanwhile, Jon Bentley joins Craig Charles in a `versus’ challenge to see if cutting-edge tech can put them on a par with professional decorators. Jon and Craig have access to the finest aids that tech has to offer, while the professionals have to rely on experience, skill and traditional tools NEW SERIES Channel 5
7:00pm Fri 9 Mar
Gardeners’ World
The imminent arrival of spring heralds a new gardening year at Longmeadow, as Monty Don reveals his new plans for the year and takes stock of any winter damage.
BBC2 London 8:30pm Fri 9 Mar
Jane McDonald & Friends NEW SERIES The host invites stars of the stage, screen and music world to join her in some favourite songs. Employing Jane’s very own live band and dancers, the series replicates the highlights of her spellbinding theatrical tours, with audience members participating in the fun, the frolics and sharing in Jane’s secret surprises. The guests on this first edition are R’n’B artist Alexander O’Neal and former Westlife member Shane Filan
Channel 5 9:00pm Fri 9 Mar
Below the Surface
New series. A tense hostage situation plays out beneath the streets of Copenhagen when a metro train is hijacked by a heavily armed gang. Philip Norgaard of the Counter-Terrorism Task Force heads a hastily convened team to lead the rescue effort. Danish thriller, starring Johannes Lassen, Paprika Steen and Sara Hjort Ditlevsen. In Danish
BBC2 10:00pm Sat 10 Feb
Crufts
Crufts 2018 Clare Balding presents live coverage of the judging of the Vulnerable Breeds, Utility and Hound Groups and highlights of the Agility and Flyball competitions. Plus, a selection of reports involving rescue dogs, taking a look at the renovation of Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home following a fire and revealing why foreign rescue dog charities are growing in popularity. Plus, training tips with Carolyn Meneteith and advice on canine health from Noel Fitzpatrick
Channel 4 7:00pm Sat 10 Mar
Piers Morgan’s Life Stories
Jim Davidson The host talks to controversial comedian Jim Davidson about his life, from his role presenting The Generation Game and Big Break to alcohol addiction, domestic violence allegations and an arrest under Operation Yewtree, for which he was subsequently cleared. Davidson also addresses accusations of racism and homophobia, and discusses the support he has given to members of the armed forces over the years including the charity he co-founded, Care After Combat. Last in the series.
ITV London 9:50pm Sat 10 Marr
V This Week
All T i Show mes n Ar e Span ish
Top Gear
The automotive magazine show takes on a Japanese flavour this week, as Matt LeBlanc and Chris Harris purchase secondhand sports cars at auction, and embark on a road trip across Honshu, the nation’s largest island. BBC2 London 8:00pm Sun 11 Mar
Call the Midwife
LAST IN SERIES The nurses and
midwives of Nonnatus House prepare to celebrate Sister Monica Joan’s birthday, but plans are put on hold when the closure of a nearby maternity home leaves them inundated with new patients, many of whom are in urgent need of support.
BBC1 8:00pm Sun 11 Mar
Sir Bruce: A Celebration
Tess Daly hosts a special tribute to the veteran entertainer, who died in August last year. Filmed at the London Palladium, a variety of famous faces join Brucie’s family, friends, fellow entertainers and broadcasters to celebrate his life in a variety show featuring songs, dance numbers and on-stage homages by guest with whom he shared a special connection. BBC1 London 9:00pm Sun 11
Marcella
The detective deduces that a binder was stolen from Reg’s house when she was attacked and confronts the ageing rock star and Alan about it, suspecting the folder contains important information. Having escaped the killer’s prison, ITV London 9:00pm Mon 12 Mar
MasterChef
Seven more contenders compete in the cookery challenge, with their first task being to invent and then cook one dish using ingredients from the MasterChef Market in an hour and 10 minutes. Only four contestants will survive the first round, and are then challenged to prepare a two-course meal to impress not only John Torode and Gregg Wallace, but also 2016’s MasterChef finalists Jack Layer, Billy Wright and champion Jane Devonshire BBC1 London 9:00pm Mon 12 Mar
24 Hours in Police Custody
Police dig in the back garden of a house in Luton searching for the body of a woman who disappeared in 2003, believing a painstaking fingertip search might reveal vital clues in a suspected murder enquiry.
Channel 4 9:00pm Mon 12 Mar
18
FRIDAY 9TH MARCH 2018
Motoring
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Cars are a clue in triple disappearance mystery POLICE have launched a major investigation after three women disappeared recently in similar circumstances in the Spanish region of Asturias. All went missing within a fortnight and the only clue is that each left behind their cars, in all cases found at locations they had no known connection with. None of the women had any reason that was known of to leave and they were all of similar age. 40-year-old Lorena Torre went missing from Gijon early this month and her car was later found parked near a beach. The next day Concepcion Barbeira went missing from Aviles after leaving to go to work and her car turned up the
same day at Santa Maria del Mar. In February 43-year-old Paz Borrego from Gijon failed to show up at work and her vehicle was found at a nearby hospital. No trace or sightings of the three have been reported other than hoax callers. There is no known connection between the women and, although Lorena Torre is understood to be the niece of a former Spanish Industry Minister, they are seen as fairly ordinary women with no history of any such incidences. The Guardia Civil have said that they are keeping an open mind and are reluctant to make any official connection between the three cases, fearing this may muddy the investigative waters.
grupo
Benissa - La Nucia
Opposite Benissa Motorway Entrance
BENISSA
CITROEN C4 Grand Picasso Year 2011 - 1600cc, 110 hp Manual, Diesel 96,000 km 10,995€
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(+34) 965 733 311
Auto Mart Benissa Ctra Nacional N-332 Partida Bonaire 60
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info@automartbenissa.com 9
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FORD Puma 1.4 16v Year 2000 1400cc, 90 hp Manual, Petrol 63,000 km 2,995€
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22
FRIDAY 9TH MARCH 2018
Sport
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Juventus land two killer blows in three minutes against Spurs Tottenham forward Son HeungMin says the club must learn from their painful Champions League exit at the hands Juventus, which denied them a place in the quarter-finals. Mauricio Pochettino’s side were on course for the last eight after Son’s first-half goal put them 1-0 up on the night on Wednesday and 3-2 ahead on aggregate. But the Italian champions stunned Wembley with two goals in three second-half minutes from Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala. In the dying seconds Harry Kane thought he had taken the tie to extra time, only to see his header come back off the inside of the far post before being cleared off the line. Son, who was in tears after the final whistle, said: “That hurt, but it’s football. We played well but sometimes football is like this. We have to accept the result but still for me, it hurts a lot. “What was the difference? Nothing. At the start we played well,
we created lots of chances, got to 1-0 and made the perfect start I think. “This game we can learn something from, but this is sad news. The dressing room was a bit quiet.” Tottenham’s European campaign, including wins over Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, was a vast improvement on the previous season, when they failed to get past the group stage. South Korea’s Son said Spurs were “unlucky” to be out of the Champions League but had earned valuable experience. “We remember last season, we went out in the group stage so now we did well, we learned something again and next season we will do better,” he said. “Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund doesn’t matter anymore. I thought we were better than (Juventus) but it doesn’t matter now -- they scored two goals at Wembley Stadium,” he added.
Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari set winter’s fastest time (Day 3) Vettel posts 1:17.182 on hypersoft tyres to lower Barcelona benchmark again; But Mercedes catch the eye with longrun pace; McLaren finally run Sebastian Vettel unleashed the fastest time of pre-season testing so far as Ferrari grabbed the headlines on the penultimate day of F1’s
winter action. On a day all teams including under-pressure McLaren - completed well over 100 laps, Vettel set by far the quickest as he became the first driver since the Circuit de Catalunya lap was lengthened in 2007 to clock a time below 78 seconds. The German’s 1:17.182
on hypersoft tyres meant the circuit’s unofficial lap record was broken for the second time in as many days. Daniel Ricciardo and Red Bull had first managed it on Wednesday, but Vettel’s Thursday time was nearly nine tenths of a second faster. reliably as all teams top 100 laps
FOOTBALL Saturday 10th March 13:30 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00 18:30
Man Utd v Liverpool EPL Newscastle v Southampton EPL Everton v Brighton EPL Huddersfield v Swansea City EPL West Brom v Leicester City EPL West Ham v Burnley EPL Chelsea v Crystal Palace EPL
Sunday 11th March
14:30 Arsenal v Watford EPL 17:00 Bournemouth v Tottenham EPL
Monday 12th March 20:00 Stoke City v Man City EPL
Tuesday 13th March
20:45 Roma v Shakhtar Donetsak Champs League 20:45 Man Utd v Seville Champs League
Wednesday 14th March
Sharapova out of Indian Wells Maria Sharapova was beaten in her first match at Indian Wells in three years, losing 6-4 6-4 to Naomi Osaka. Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova has slipped to No 41 in the WTA rankings, forcing her into a first-round match at Indian Wells, which she failed to progress through. Sharapova’s 2018 so far has been blighted by a third-round exit in the Australian Open to Angelique Kerber, and a
first-round defeat in Doha to Monica Niculescu. Her defeat to Osaka, the world No 44, is her second defeat in the opening round of a tournament in a month. Sharapova’s serve was broken five times by Osaka and she made six double-faults. “I wanted to do well here and not just because I won this event a couple times,” said 2006 and 2013 champion Sharapova. “I would have loved to stay longer it is just not going
to happen this year.” The Russian won her first WTA title since returning from a doping ban last October. here were also wins for Sofia Kenin, Aryna Sabalenka, Marketa Vondrousova, Petra Martic, Kaia Kanepi, Kristyna Pliskova, Maria Sakkari, Samantha Stosur, Irina-Camelia Begu, Qiang Wang, Yulia Putintseva, Amanda Anisimova and Caroline Dolehide.
20:45 Besiktas v Bayern Champs League 20:45 Barcelona v Chelsea Champs League
6 Nations Ireland v Scotland Aviva Stadium (Dublin) Saturday, March 10. 3.15pm ITV
France v England Stade de France (Paris) Saturday, March 10. 5.45pm BBC
Wales v Italy
Principality Stadium (Cardiff) Sunday, March 11 4pm BBC
ALL TIMES GIVEN ARE SPANISH TIME
24
FRIDAY 9TH MARCH 2018
Your Weekend Starts Here!
Sport
IRELAND TARGET GRAND SLAM DREAM
Ireland welcome a confident Scotland side to Dublin in the Six Nations on Saturday as Joe Schmidt’s men seek to keep their Grand Slam hopes alive. We look ahead to what promises to be an enthralling encounter... Ireland’s helter-skelter victory over Wales last time out was vital as they not only main-
tained their 100 per cent start to the Six Nations, but also earned a bonus-point win to firmly take charge at the top of the table. Schmidt’s side are on a run of 10 straight victories stretching back to their win over England in March, equalling the previous best under the New Zealander. Ireland have also failed
to lose a single Six Nations home game under Schmidt in five campaigns. But beware, in 2010 Ireland had gone to Twickenham and won, and beaten Wales, but let a Triple Crown slip at home to Scotland on the final weekend at Croke Park. The Scots have reigned on Irish hopes before.