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Friday 16th March 2018
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The right to free speech
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SPAIN´S clampdown on freedom of expression has come “under attack” following a series of high-profile cases hitting the headlines. The European Court of Human Rights ruled this week that the controversial burning of a photograph of King Juan Carlos in 2007 was not a criminal offence but a form of free political expression. And in a new report Amnesty International has also slammed Spain for the growing use of criminal law to
by Jack Troughton
control freedom of speech – coupled with the use of the so-called ´gag law´ to deflect criticism. Both come at a time there is a national debate about the limits of freedom in Spain and the way the courts were used to punish what the state saw as excesses. Two Catalan separatists burned an upside down picture of the then Spanish king and queen during an
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anti-monarchist demonstration in Gerona; ahead of a visit by the then King Juan Carlos. A year later, the pair was sentenced by the high court to each pay €2,700 fine or serve 15 months behind bars for insulting the Crown. The protesters lost their appeal in Spain but took the case to Europe. The Strasbourg judges ruled information and ideas that offended, shocked or disturbed, had a place in a democratic society given to pluralism,
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THANK goodness for the imminent arrival of Easter and the comfort food on the shelves of supermarkets; a little chocolate (and wine gums) binge is surely allowed after some shocking results on the field of dreams. It may only be a game but after watching Scotland lift the Calcutta Cup after playing an excellent match against England, fans of the Red Rose sank further into rugby blues after watching the action in Paris against France. Football fans did themselves further liver damage by frequenting sports bars to watch two of the UK´s finest sides – Manchester United and Chelsea – depart the Champions League after being beaten by Seville and Barcelona respectively…it all got a bit Messi (sorry, just couldn´t resist). The ´Beast from the East Mark
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II´ is apparently heading west from Siberia but there is already a new chill in the news with the ongoing drama surrounding the attack on the Russian spy and his daughter in Salisbury in which a British policeman was also poisoned. Heralded as the start of a new cold war it appears a Russian hand is involved with the use of a powerful nerve agent. British Prime Minister Theresa May is kicking out 23 Russian intelligence officers at the start of a tit-for-tat spat with Moscow and the Putin regime. She has also announced other sanctions including a ban on government officials and members of the Royal Family heading east for the World Cup. England manager Gareth Southgate is also being briefed on the situation and given the anti-British sentiment brewing up in the land of War and
Peace, participation in the competition could yet be kicked into touch. Will England first XV redeem itself at Twickers this weekend against Ireland or will there be a sudden demand for Sports Mixtures? Just remembered it is St Patrick´s Day and the luck of the Irish might just hold… we can always raise a glass of the black stuff if they grab a fabled Grand Slam.
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018 Continued from front page
tolerance and broadmindedness. They said the Spanish courts had violated the European Convention on Human Rights and said the two Catalans should be compensated – ruling they were part “of a political rather than a personal, critique of the institution of monarchy in general, and in particular the Kingdom of Spain as a nation”. The seven judges – including a Spaniard – rejected Madrid´s argument that burning of the photograph was a personal attack on the monarch; and saw it as a “denunciation of what the King represented as the Head and the symbol of the State apparatus and the forces which,
according to the applicants, had occupied Catalonia.” And they said the action “fell within the sphere of political criticism or dissidence and corresponded to the expression of rejection of the monarchy as an institution.” The judges also rejected the action as being an incitement to hatred or violence – noting no violent disorder was triggered – but an expression of protest and expressing an opinion in a debate in the public interest. Amnesty´s report was unequivocal, the NGO proclaiming: “In Spain, freedom of expression is under attack.” The association said the government was responding with “harassment” to lyrics of
controversial songs, protest pictures, and even simple jokes by using the force of the law. And Amnesty attacked the use of Article 578 of the Penal Code “to repress expressions of a political nature, above all on social networks, and the artistic community in the country”. The organization said the impact of Article 578 could be devastating for people; imposing “hefty fines” to prison terms. It said: “These cases reflect a growing and dangerous intolerance against any kind of expression, including artistic ones that can be considered provocative, disturbing, or even offensive.” Amnesty said the article had seen 66 people sentenced over the last two years – more than the 53 for the whole of the previous five years. It concluded the action, together with the use of the Gag Law, led to “self-censorship for fear of suffering repression”, a fall in public debate, and a long-term threat to civil society, freedom of expression and human rights.
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
Child killer confesses by Simon Russell
IN a case which has been dominating the Spanish media for the past fortnight, the girlfriend of the father of eight-year-old Gabriel Cruz has confessed to killing the child, two days after being arrested. Gabriel went missing two weeks ago and the huge search for him was followed closely by the press and TV news. Last Sunday Gabriel’s body was found in the boot of 43-year-old Ana Julia Quezada’s car. She was in a relationship with the victim’s father Angel, and was someone who police already had suspicions about. In particular her sudden “discovery” of a shirt
belonging to Gabriel at a site that had already been thoroughly searched aroused their suspicion. Her behaviour during the 12 day search was also odd, ranging from over the top displays of emotion to detachment, depending on who was around and whether she was on camera. Due to these suspicions, she was being secretly observed by the Guardia Civil when she was seen trying to remove the corpse from her car on Sunday which prompted her arrest and the murder charge. In her confession Quezada admitted that she strangled Gabriel and struck him with an axe the day he went missing. In what many see as a bizarre
last ditch move, she was also claiming she killed the child in self- defence after the eight year old had attacked her. If the self-defence plea is disregarded, her motive remains a mystery at this stage. There are two main theories: firstly that the act was done through
jealousy, with Gabriel around it meant that his father and ex-wife stayed in contact. The second possible motive was money, either a reward for information about the disappearance or even an elaborate ransom scheme that went wrong. In another twist in this sad
tale the authorities are said to be planning to reopen an enquiry into the death of the suspect’s daughter back in 1996. The four-year-old died after she fell from a window and this was ruled an accident at the time - but in light of recent events the evidence is likely to be closely re-examined.
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Decade of Facebook in Spanish BACK in 2008 social by Simon Matthews media giant Facebook took the decision to for Growth, was merely begin operations in a an engineer at the time second language, and but was also the first opted for Spanish. The foreigner to join the tenth anniversary of Facebook inner circle, that momentous change concentrating on the is being celebrated this new translation tool. month, something which Olivan explained that started Facebook’s French, Chinese and global domination after German had all been first conquering the considered before the English speaking world. firm opted for Castellan Javier Olivan, a Spanish as their first Spaniard who is now the language for translation. firm’s Vice President Based in California,
where the language is widely spoken, using Spanish also immediately brought in the Central and South American countries and around 80 million people now log onto Spanish versions of the site every day. The translation tool is now available for almost every major
language and plenty of more obscure ones, but the move to Spanish was
one of the key moments in the company’s huge growth.
The train in Spain - is coming to Bolton A new fleet of trains for the Northern UK town of Bolton is currently being constructed in Spain. With the work being undertaken for for Northern Rail, 98 new vehicles are planned
by Simon Russell
to soon start rolling of the construction line in the Spanish town of Irun, in the Basque Country. The first of these is now
ready for testing and has started a trial journey on a special test track that runs from the factory in Irun to the Czech Republic. The new trains for Northern Rail will travel at speeds of up to
100mph and will feature free wifi, plug sockets on each seat and air conditioning. The new fleet – 281 carriages in all – is costing just under £500 million, about €560 million.
Firework Fatality by Matthew Richards
AN explosion at Spain’s biggest firework factory killed a 41-year-old man in Olocau, in Valencia on Monday. The incident happened at the Ricardo Caballer factory when the employee was caught in an explosion which occurred in one of the sheds that are used to separate the fireworks from each other – and undoubtedly prevented the incident from being more serious. The dead man is from Paterna and it is thought his role involved packing fireworks; he was the only employee in the shed when the explosion happened. This is one of the busiest times of the year for firework manufacturers with the upcoming Fallas festival and its notorious “mascletas”, massive daytime pyrotechnic displays. Back in 2002 the firm also made news for the wrong reasons after two employees were killed by another accident.
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
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THE National Police have released information concerning a threeyear operation against a Chinese network aiming that was gaining non EU nationalsillegal entry to the British Isles. At the end of last month they arrested four people that they believe to be ringleaders of the gang. For a fee of about €20,000 people were getting training and a “pack” which would help them gain entry to the UK and Ireland via conventional travel routes, mainly airports. The pack included forged
documentation such as fake stamps showing the people had resided in the Schengen agreement area and new
passports. The gang also provided shelter, coaching on answers to likely questions at customs control areas, and language training. As well as the suspected ringleaders a total of 155 people have been arrested over the last three years, 111 of these for carrying false documentation at Barcelona airport; most of the others were arrested at other travel
Jobs for the girls
THE Hidraqua water company is running a project aimed at increasing the amount of young women across the Valencian Community taking scientific career paths. The programme is aimed at the 10 to 18-
by Simon Russell
year-old group and will run each weekend through March and April, aiming to develop skills such as leadership, technology, marketing and creativity while focusing on the social
and environmental goals of the company. One of the main challenges will be the development of a new app to be used at a local level in conjunction with Hidraqua. The girls will be split into teams of five and will
hubs across Spain including Alicante and Castellon airports. Five witnesses, who are under police protection, led police to the gang leaders who were arrested in Santa Coloma and Badalona. Police think that around 500 people may have entered the British Isles as a result of the scheme, many of whom will have long disappeared into the system.
meet initially in Valencia; the strongest teams will later go on to pitch their app development to a jury in Madrid which includes representatives from the US Embassy in Spain. The courses will be run by Dinapsis, the technology centre for Hidraqua and the Suez Group, which is based in Benidorm.
Building bridges WORK is set to begin on the restoration and repair of the main bridge at the Les Fonts d’Algar waterfalls which was badly damaged by the rains and storms in the winter of 2016-2017. A subsidy has been agreed to help pay for the works, which total around €45,000 for the bridge as well as the placement of
by Simon Russell
new railings on the tourist walkway at the falls. Les Fonts is Callosa d’en Sarria’s main tourist attraction and one of the most important across Alicante, bringing in thousands of visitors each year to swim, dive or just relax with a picnic.
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
Thief stole 50 Sounds bikes a month fishy... Police in Alicante City have arrested a man who they believe to be the ringleader of a gang dedicated to stealing bicycles. Community garages were a favoured target for the high end machines, which were then sold on to other criminal gangs in North Africa. At one stage around 50 bikes a month were being stolen, many to order. The suspect had warrants out for his arrest
by Simon Russell
and was spotted in a taxi by officers at a police checkpoint. A search uncovered electronic equipment that may have been used for break-ins and other goods which police think have been stolen. He has been linked to a minimum of 21 crimes of theft and was described by police as “a career criminal whose only means of income was theft.�
Sisters dead after horror smash TWO young women, aged 18 and 24, were killed in a head on collision with a lorry last weekend. The incident happened at around 3am on the N-344 which runs between La Font de la Figuera and Villena
in the Valencian province. The sisters have not been named, although it is known that they lived inTavernes de la Valldigna near Gandia; the reason for the crash is being investigated.
TWO fishermen caught with a haul of carp and mullet from Les Salines Natural Park in Santa Pola claimed they did not know fishing is illegal in the protected waters. They were spotted by a local policeman last weekend with rods and a homemade net, in clear contravention of the ban. They pleaded with police that they did
by Simon Russell
have a licence, but this only covered some inland fishing and hunting areas. All their equipment has been confiscated and the police have issued a denuncia against the men. Some of the fish caught were also undersize, a further violation of fishing rules in the area.
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
Making movies O
RGANISERS of the Alicante Film Festival are looking for volunteers to help with the major cultural event when it is staged later this year. This is an ideal opportunity for people who want to break into the industry to polish up their CV – or just for people who love movies to get involved. There are a range of different roles available,
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by Simon Russell
and though no professional experience is required, people will be steered towards their most suitable area of expertise. Anyone interested can see further information or register an interest on www.festivaldealicante.com. The opening gala to start the event is on 25 May, with the festival proper starting on 26 May.
Last call for Alfaz 4G complaints Residents of Alfas del Pi who may have experienced digital terrestrial tv interference and signal loss from antennas carrying the new 4G signals have only a few days to register their complaints and receive a free performance check. The new faster, more reliable mobile service has been rolled out within the municipality over the last six months, using antennas carrying 4G nodes on the 800mz band width. The installation company
Llega800, were aware the town hall technicians on 900 by Andy Mansell new antennas could cause 831 902, who will advise on problems to digital tv users the correct course of action. and therefore offered a free performance check and upgrade to those affected. They offered this free service for a period of six months, but this is due to finish at the end of the month on March 31st. Anyone requiring the free call out offer in the upcoming week should contact Llega800 service centre on freephone number 900 833 999 or call Alfas
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
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Finance Feature provided by...
Chorus Financial is a trading style of Tourbillon Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission (Gibraltar), Licence Number FSC1118B and registered with the UK FCA as an EEA Authorised firm, reference 539348.
Property vs Investment Portfolios
By Tracy Storer
Senior Partner Chorus Financial
Investing in property has been popular in past years, with many people buying property to rent out as an investment. The attractions of property are clear. The UK sector has historically delivered a compelling rental yield, combined with an attractive level of capital growth over the long term. However, property is not right for everyone and here I highlight some of the main factors that should be considered.
1) Age – Once you really start getting to the later years of life, your risks start to become greater. You no longer have the luxury of investing for the longterm. For example, if you’re 80 years old, and invest in property during a property boom, in 2 years time the market may start to dip. The market may recover after 10 years and put you back into high profits. But you may no longer be around to reap the benefits. So essentially, the older you are, the shorter your opportunity becomes for a long-term investment. 2) Cost - The costs involved in buy-to-let can quickly stack up and erode the returns. Buying costs, including legal fees, agency fees and survey fees, all of which are usually paid upfront need to be considered and in Spain this can be somewhere around 15%! Then you will need to find tenants or advertise the property for holiday lets. Then you have the ongoing costs, which could include redecoration and repairs, gas and
electrical appliance maintenance, buildings and contents insurance, legal insurance and the costs of complying with the various landlord regulations. 3) Tax - You should also ensure you have a firm grasp of the tax implications of purchasing a buying property as this will cause a further limit on returns. In Spain the purchasing tax is 10%, so essentially you are 10% down from day one, but there are other ongoing taxes to consider. If you have a property you rent out in Spain and live in Spain yourself, you will have to declare the income on your Spanish tax return (declaracion de la renta de las personas fisicas) every year and then of course when you sell the property you will have to consider the possible capital gains tax. 4) Lack of diversification - If you own your current home, investing in a second could leave you heavily exposed to the property market. If property prices falter, your wealth could be
significantly affected. The property market is also highly illiquid, meaning a property can sit on the market for months, or even years, before a buyer is found. If you need to access your money quickly, you could be forced to accept a lower offer than you could achieve given more time and even then, this could take some time. We should also take into consideration the location of the property. Unlike the UK the rental yields in Spain can be as little as 2-3% gross and if you take into consideration the buying fees, often it can take over 5 years just to break even! So what if buying a property is not a suitable investment for you? What are the alterative options? Number one, leaving money in your bank can be a bad idea if you want to achieve growth. UK inflation is currently at 3% so unless your bank are paying you 3% interest (which is very unlikely) you savings are
depreciating daily. So what about investing? Many people get put off by that word. They think that it is only for the experienced or for big risk takers but it really isn’t. The key to investing is getting the right advice, making sure that all of your needs and objectives are considered and that everything is explained in a simple manner that you understand. At Chorus Financial, we do just that. If a client comes to me and purchasing a property is the right thing for them, I’ll advise them of that – and if it isn’t? I’ll sit down and talk through the various options available, whether they just want to grow their money at the same rate of inflation or they are more aggressive investors looking for bigger growth, we make sure that it is right for them. If you are confused about what investments are right for you, give me a call on 693 107 044 or email t.storer@chorusfinancial.es
Chorus Financial are a trading style of Tourbillon Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission (Gibraltar), licence Number FSC1118B & registered with the UK FCA, ref. 539348.
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
THE DAY OF THE APRONS I
am writing this article on International Women ´ s Day and so you will be reading it a week later - but please don ´ t turn the page just yet!
Given that The World Economic Forum says that at the current rate of progress the global gender pay gap will take 100 years to close, clearly the subject is something that should be talked about a tad more than once a year. Maybe weekly?! (just joking Editor, don´t panic.) Walking around my village today and seeing aprons strung from balconies my initial reaction was confusion. International Women´s Day represented by PINNIES? The reason for the apron display was of course to signal a 24-hour strike by the “chicas” from domestic duties. The clean and ironed aprons seemed to me to be a massive and depressing reminder that women do the lion´s share of the cleaning and the cooking. I would have preferred to have seen a sexy bra, a woman´s work jacket AND an apron suspended to remind everyone just how awesome and multiskilling we women are. All around the world women raised their dulcet tones. Female journalists in Ukraine started a Facebook drive called “I am not your darling” after President Petro Poroshenko used the term in a reply to a woman reporter. The French newspaper Libération raised its price on Thursday but only for “les monsieurs.” “Mademoiselles and madams”were asked to pay the normal €2, while men were asked to dig deeper into their pockets for another 50 cents to highlight the gender pay gap. President Emmanuel Macron also promised to “name and shame” companies that pay women less than men for doing
the same work. Back in Blighty Prince Harry and fiancée Meghan Markle went to Millennium Point in Birmingham to encourage young women students to pursue a career in maths or sciences. Let´s just hope the ones they convinced don´t need too many extra maths classes!
GO CHICAS! Spain took International Women´s Day very seriously this year, with the two main trade unions supporting half-day strikes. Nearly 6 million people took part, demanding fair promotions for women, the closure of the gender pay gap and an end to sexual harassment. Public transport and essential services were down to a minimum, many schools closed and Penelope Cruz announced that she wouldn´t be doing any washing up. So presumably no change in the Cruz household then? I´m pretty sure that Penny doesn´t even own a Prada apron, although I guess I could be wrong! Hollywood is one of the guiltiest of industries in terms of the gender pay gap, as well as sexual harassment, of course. Due to Kevin Spacey´s alleged sexual misconduct, the director Ridley Scott had to reshoot scenes for a film about billionaire J.Paul Getty, somewhat ironically called “All the Money in the World”. Mark Wahlberg was paid $1.5 million for the reshoot, whilst co-star Michelle Williams was paid per diems of 80 dollars a day. Seriously, Mr Scott, I know Wahlberg has a slightly better CV than Williams but how did you sleep at night after that meeting? The Washington Post first reported Wahlberg’s reshoot fee, noting that the actor “along with manager Stephen Levinson and agency WME, have a reputation in Hollywood for driving a tough bargain”.
IF YOU DON´T ASK, YOU DON´T GET!
Michelle Williams had a (perhaps not so great) agent to do her negotiations for the reshoot but I do believe that back in the normal world one of the problems that perpetuates the gender pay gap is that women are “too nice”.We don´t ask for money in the same way that men do. Unfortunately (in this case anyway) we are wired differently to men. In ‘Why Gender Matters’ by Leonard Sax , a study is mentioned that reveals women´s lack of confidence when it comes to asking for money. An American professor looked at male and female students who had graduated from the same University with exactly the same business degree and found that the starting salaries of the men were an average of $4000 higher than those of the women. It transpired that only 7% of the females had asked for more money compared to 57% of the males. Staggering isn´t it, especially when you consider that we need to buy a lot more shoes, bags and make-up than the boys!
BOYS WILL BE BOYS… AND GIRLS NEED TO BE MORE LIKE THEM SOMETIMES!
So why are men better at asking for money? It is scientifically proven that boys are more likely to take risks, overestimate their ability (sadly, why more boys drown) and thrive in situations of conflict. Us women are more concerned with social approval and preserving relationships than males. For a woman to have a strong social network has always been important; a female baboon with the most girlfriends will have more babies survive.Dislike of conflict means we
by Fiona Jennison
don´t want to ruffle the boss´s feathers too often, if at all. According to Brizendine in ‘The Female Brain’, men tend to get a positive chemical boost from conflict and competition, revelling in it. In women conflict is more likely to result in stress, fear and sadness. Boys basically go for it with less fear in most situations. Researchers in Missouri studied the responses of kids that rode a stationary bicycle while watching a hyperrealistic simulation. When confronted with a hazard, the boys were much slower to break than the girls. If the simulation had been real many of the boys would have been seriously injured! Systems and attitudes must change to empower women and treat them fairly and hanging out aprons once a year isn´t going to do it. I say once a week! However women must learn to ask for more money. Not to mention asking the men to do more housework. It´s pretty obvious around here that the men aren´t pulling their weight at home. How else do they find hours on end to go on all these bike rides? Go easy though boys, we don´t want to clean up any more of your mess…. fiona@weekender.news
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
BONO SORRY OVER CHARITY BULLYING ROCK superstar Bono has apologised over claims of bullying and abuse at One, the charity cofounded by the U2 singer. allegations the Among emerging is one female worker in Africa was demoted after refusing to “become intimate” with a foreign government official. manager woman’s The reportedly made “sexist and suggestive comments” about her to the official. Bono told a Sunday newspaper: “We are all deeply sorry. I hate bullying... can’t stand it.” And he said he was left “reeling and furious” after hearing of the allegations and he wanted to apologies in person to victims. He added: “My team and I heard concerns about low morale and poor management in this office but nothing along the lines of what emerged recently. “The head office failed to protect those employees and I need to take some responsibility for that.” The statement from the charity’s CEO, Gayle Smith, said former employees had notified the
organisation earlier this week about pending legal action over their complaints. It said “historical issues” of mistreatment emerged in November when some former employees from its Johannesburg office told their stories on social media. “The investigation yielded unprofessional of evidence conduct and, in particular, what I would characterize as bullying and belittling of staff between late 2011 and 2015 in our Johannesburg office,” said Ms Smith, who was not at the helm at the time. “Staff were called names, and some said their manager put them to work on domestic tasks in her home.” she added. The allegation involving the woman who refused to “become intimate” with the foreign official could not corroborated, be the statement said but Ms Smith said it was not being discounted.
Back In TAX MISTAKE IS THE PITS FORMER mineworkers were wrongly told they owed a small fortune in tax after letters were sent out “in error”. Around 17,000 ex-mineworkers received the correspondence from Capita, the administrator of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme, in a mistake – the National Union of Mineworkers said the error showed a lack of “human contact and concern”. One of the miners to receive a letter was 79-yearold Michael Hinchley, from Nottinghamshire, who said he was shocked after being told in a letter he owed £26,000. Michael from Mansfield Woodhouse, a former electrician at Mansfield and Sherwood collieries, received the letter, stating he owed £26,235.36. He said: “I thought ‘how can I owe that when I’ve been paying tax on my pension?’ “If someone who is elderly and doesn’t have family to help them out gets a letter like that it could be really worrying for them.” general Kitchen, Chris secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), said the union was “inundated” with calls after 17,000 former miners were issued with the letters, with some told they owed £50,000 in tax. He said the union was concerned
no-one at the Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs picked up on the error before the letters were generated. “The letter would have been concerning for pensioners who already have small pensions and haven’t got a large amount of money,” he said. “I don’t want them to get distressed over it... it’s an error in the new system. “But it’s highlighted our concerns of whether Capita are up to the job - there’s a lack of human contact and concern with HMRC, too.” The Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme said in an automated response to callers that the correspondence received from HMRC was issued in error and it was working hard to rectify it. HMRC said it was “sorry” that Mr Hinchley received a “coding notice in error”. A spokesman said: “Where we are provided with incorrect information, we work hard to put matters right. We will ensure that no customer will lose out as a result of this.” A Capita spokesperson said: “Following a change to HM Revenue & Customs’ online PAYE portal, an incorrect update was made in processing information for members of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme. “This issue has been resolved and all members affected will shortly receive letters to advise that they do not need to take any action. We sincerely apologise for any concern and inconvenience this has caused.”
Britain PET OWNERS SHAMED OVER DOG MESS DOODOOWATCH is the latest tactic being used by fed up village residents with the hope of tackling the problem of dog fouling. An interactive site allows a ‘poo-shaming’ map complete with a smiley poop emoji to mark reported deposits by canines where owners failed to pick up after their pet. The scheme is the brainchild of Amanda Carlin in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, who believes it is a “fun way of addressing a serious issue”. She admitted the site was “not for the squeamish” as users can also upoload photographs of offending dog mess. And after an emoji marks the spot, reports
are passed on to the local council or cleaned up by the village’s own dedicated faeces fighters. Amanda Carlin, who dreamt up the idea, said it was “not for the squeamish” as users can also upload photos of any unwanted deposits. A former parish councillor, Mrs Carlin said she hoped people would be “shamed” into bagging their pets’ poop. She said the map would show people where it is safe and clean to walk with their children and pets. She also plans to monitor the scheme to see if the public posts result in fewer cases of dog fouling in the village.
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
NOT A DROP TO DRINK... WATER firms are to be quizzed why homes and businesses were left without running water for days in the aftermath of the cold snap. The water regulator for England and Wales, Ofwat, is to investigate why thousands of homes suffered shortages as pipes burst in the thaw as mild weather followed the big freeze. Ofwat will look at how prepared water firms were and what support they subsequently offered customers. It said at the time that companies had “fallen well short”. Some water companies handed out bottled water as some households were without a mains supply for three days. More than 20,000 homes were affected in London, where schools were forced to close and people were advised to take shorter showers as Thames Water repaired burst pipes. In Wales, 3,000 properties lost supply and there were delays in giving out bottled water in certain areas. West Midlands-based carmaker Jaguar Land Rover closed plants to preserve water for homes, hospitals
and schools, while the chocolate maker Cadbury sent workers home from its Bournville plant. Ofwat chief executive Rachel Fletcher said the regulator expects compensation to be “fair, fast and free from hassle for customers. “To be left without a vital public service like water - in some cases for several days - is deeply distressing, particularly for those in vulnerable circumstances.”
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
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MEMBERS of the European Parliament are keen to play a key role in the Brexit debate and have taken the initiative with a ‘light bulb’ moment and the possibility of an “association agreement”. MEPS have been debating the future framework for negotiations that will define the divorce and the relationship between the UK and EU after March next year. Guy Vehofstadt – the parliament’s Brexit representative – put forward the idea and it was carried by 544 votes to 110, the association agreement being seen as a positive step forward. Even the EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said he was “comfortable” with the idea which could offer the UK more, even cooperation between EU and UK agencies – which could help towards as frictionless trade deal. Mr Barnier hoped the Brits would see “the advantage of such an approach” but also wanted endorsement from MEPs to put forward the old chestnut of the UK staying in the single market and customs union. It was a step too far for some British MEPS who pointed out that would ignore the will of the people who voted to leave; one Conservative MEP fearing an association agreement would “keep us a vassal member of the EU”...yet another old chestnut from the past. Mr Vehofstadt did urge the UK to move beyond the “slogans and soundbites” and move forward, saying the two sides were now “very near” to an agreement on citizens’ rights post Brexit. However, the debate frequently returned down the same well worn path with polarised soundbites from both sides. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker told MEPS he believed a time would come when the UK would “regret” its decision to leave and warned there was an “increasing urgency” to negotiate an orderly exit. He repeated the EU stance that there was to be no cherry-picking ahead of the trade talks; a position Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May accepted in her keynote speech when she said not everyone
could get everything they wanted. “I would have preferred Britain not to have decided to leave the EU, but anyone who leaves the EU has to know, frankly, what this means,” said Mr Juncker. “If you decide to jettison, leave behind, the common agreements and rules, then you have to accept that things cannot remain as they are.” He demanded more clarity on how the UK saw its future relationship and called for new proposals on how to avoid a hard boarder in Northern Ireland – describing it as a “European issue” rather than just an “Irish issue”. It triggered a swift response from UKIP; Mr Juncker was heckled by David Coburn who shouted: “It is a British issue”. And former UKIP leader Nigel Farage reminded parliament that British people had voted to “leave this organisation”, the customs union and the free market; urging Mrs May to stand strong against “unelected bullies”. Interim UKIP leader Gerard Batten said the European Commission was seeking “unconditional surrender” from the UK negotiators; Mrs May was looking for “conditional surrender” but his party stood for no “subservience” to the EU. Tory MEP David Campbell Bannerman urged European colleagues not to be so negative about Brexit. He said the UK would become “the largest single market of the EU when we leave, bigger than China, the US, Japan, for example”. He added: “We have a £75 million deficit with the EU of your goods and we employ 1.5 million Germans through cars, etc – and the City of London is very important to funding EU businesses. I’ve heard none of this today.” As more old chestnuts were thrown on the brazier, Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder came up with a new one. “Whatever the deal might be, we as Liberal Democrats demand the people have a say on it...or, as my hashtag says ‘give us a say Mrs May.”
THE European Union will “stand up to the bullies” amidst heightening tensions over protectionism and US tariffs on imported steel and aluminium imposed by Presdient trump. Trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom took the hard line after discussions in Brussels with American trade representative Robert Lighthizer. Ms Malmström said protectionism was being used “as a weapon to threaten and intimidate us”. Mr Trump has announced an import duty of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium triggering fears of a trade war ahead. The US president signed the measures on Thursday last week in a ceremony at the White House attended by steel and aluminium workers. In another development, Mr Trump tweeted on Monday that
by Jack Troughton
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross would be speaking to EU representatives about “eliminating the large tariffs and barriers they use against the USA. Not fair to our farmers and manufacturers.” Without specifically mentioning the US, Ms Malmström said: “In some places, trade has been to blame for the pains of globalisation or they used it as a scapegoat or they think we can live behind walls and borders. “Recently we have seen how it is used as a weapon to threaten and intimidate us. But we are not afraid; we will stand up to the bullies.” The EU has threatened retaliatory tariffs on US goods, including iconic products such as bourbon, peanut butter and blue jeans. UK Steel says 7% of its steel exports go to the US, worth £360m.
There has been strong opposition to the tariffs from Mr Trump’s fellow Republicans, who traditionally favour free trade. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that no one will win a “race to the bottom” and said the tariffs risked “hurting everyone”. Mr Trump says the measures will “protect the American worker” and fulfil a campaign promise. At a 2016 rally he pledged: “Just like the American steel from Pennsylvania that built the Empire State Building, it will be American steel that will fortify America’s crumbling bridges.” The president has blamed cheap Chinese steel imports for hurting the US industry but the EU maintains “global overcapacity” for the problem with state subsidies in some countries creating a bubble.
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
TO ZOO OR NOT TO ZOO? by Fiona Jennison
T
he other week I took my daughter and her best friend to Terra Natura in Benidorm, to celebrate the pal’s seventh birthday. According to a recent online survey 64% of people say zoos should not be allowed; so in theory over half of you will be tutting and shaking heads (side to side) at this point, believing that any form of animals in captivity is a no-no. Despite the fact that globally, according to GfK market researchers, 57% of us own pets. Ah well that´s completely different; they are domesticated, some of you will be spluttering with more tutting and head shaking. But is it that different? When I bought hamsters for my five-
year-old it was easily the happiest day of her life which turned into grim months for me as they spent their nights constantly gnawing the cage bars and my conscience. We have a neighbour who works long hours and keeps two massive Alsations in a one bedroom flat.I am guilty of owning a cat who can´t use a garden, just a terrace. My point is that there are a lot of animals in captivity that aren´t necessarily as well looked after as they are in a decent zoo. And many live longer too. In the wild 30 percent of lion cubs don´t live beyond their sixth birthday and tigers live on average 8 years longer in zoos.
VIRTUALLY OVER?
I suspect that in a decade or so the animals in zoos that make us feel particularly guilty when we see them clearly not able to stretch their legs enough - lions, tigers, elephants, gorillas, polar bears -just won´t be in allowed in zoos any more. Just as dolphin and orca shows have been banned in the US and the UK by animal welfare groups. There is chat on the internet about zoos in the future benefitting from 7D hologram technology – computer graphics projected into a 3d environment - to bring us these large animals “virtually”, and they are experimenting with this in Dubai, China and Japan. In theory the “footage” would be more exciting to watch because the animals will be behaving more as they do in the wild than in captivity.Having
spoken to an expert on these things in London this morning though, this is probably a generation away from happening. Perhaps sooner than this we will be walking into cinemas at the zoo showing David Attenborough´s phenomenal footage of lions and tigers.
ALL FOR THE KIDS I find it fairly easy to justify the odd trip to the zoo knowing that in the Western World they are inspected regularly, have to look nice and clean to keep the public onside, and all of them have breeding programmes and do conservation and research work. If I am honest though, I chose a trip to the zoo because I knew the girls would absolutely love it. Plus I want them to be inspired by the animals, a Safari is way over budget, and as amazing as it is seven-year-olds don´t sit still long enough to watch much Planet Earth. As we made our way up the N332 I started a bit of a debate with the girls about the pros and cons of animals in captivity and we made a plan to score Terra Natura points out of ten for each animal enclosure. The arrival at the zoo was a bit more hair-raising than we had intended it to be. No, no escaped lion. I had thought that I had enough money on me to pay the entrance tickets for the chicas and myself. Oops. Terra Natura is a little out of the way, so they have their own car park. I hadn´t factored in the 5 euros for parking! (0 points scored for the car enclosure.)That left me short and CARD DECLINED. There´s never a dull moment being a single mum. I fumbled in my purse for change I knew didn´t exist, as the queue grew steadily with all eyes on my embarrassing predicament. I froze in panic and begged the rather unsympathetic teller to try my cards several times again. My daughter hugged my knees, pointlessly and repeatedly saying sorry. Then something rather miraculous happened. The Spanish father behind me in the queue went direct to kiosk and offered a voucher that he had for one of his own children. He askedif this would help me. It did. I promptly burst into tears and launched at the man with a hug whilst the queue all smiled (and my daughter pushed my sunglasses on me to hide my tears of relief!) And we were off, after
our shaky start.
OH, SUCH A PERFECT DAY, SEE ANIMALS IN THE ZOO…
The first section was poisonous snakes and spiders. This was difficult to judge as quite honestly we weren´t sure if many of the spiders were supposed to be alive. If they were supposed to be alive then there was an unnecessary number of them and in cramped conditions. Given that they were all poisonous and un-cuddly we shrieked a bit, left fairly quickly and gave this bit a ? out of 10. Following the yellow-foot-print road we meandered along admiring all sorts of animals from deer, ducks, very spooky owls, crocodiles, rhinoceros, elephants and tigers. One thing I loved about Terra Natura is that each enclosure is spaced well away from others, and so it´s not a wall-to-wall exhibition that feels unnatural. I also loved the Indian music, transporting us to another world. The translations in English of the information were often sublimely hilarious. For the rattlesnake we got “The bite of this snake causes a very important necrosis and amputation”. All the enclosures were getting a resounding 10 out of 10 as the animals all looked very well cared for with everything that they needed until we arrived at the lion´s den. Oh dear. Mr Lion was pacing a circular glass-walled space no bigger than my shoe box flat in London. (The tigers had bags more space than he did, and a pool. Had he lost a bet?) We were not happy watching this majestic creature, and gave his enclosure a 0 out of 10. Luckily, after the downer of the lion den came the resounding highlights in the form of the playful otters and the hilarious monkeys. All you really need in a zoo in my book. As we left, after playing in the two beautifully designed kids playgrounds, we passed on our comment about the lion´s enclosure at the gate. “Nice zoo” we said. “But the lion´s enclosure is a joke.” The man replied smiling in a slightly brain washed way and replied “The lion is making a lot of noise at the moment because he is on heat.” Mmm. Didn´t quite clear up the lack of a decent clearing…. fiona@weekender.news
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
Bringing physics to the masses TRIBUTES poured in to physicist Stephen Hawking after hid death this week, not just from the scientific community but from world leaders, the entertainment industry and ordinary people whose lives he touched. Hawking first came to prominence after his book “A Brief History of Time” became an unexpected best seller worldwide. The book came out in 1988 and stayed on the Times bestseller list for five years, unprecedented for a book about science, let alone the previously impenetrable field of quantum physics. However, his entry into popular culture did not stop there
by Simon Russell
and he was heavily sought after to appear on programmes from “The Simpsons” to “Big Bang Theory” as well as numerous chat shows and documentaries. In the face of all this he also had to deal with crippling disability of motor neuron disease meant that he was not only confined to a wheelchair for most of his life but was unable to speak without the aid of a special synthesised voicebox. However, this just further elevated his status to most people and he also became a poster boy for the disabled community, with his razor-sharp wit and brain
showing that physical prowess was not all that mattered. In 2014 an Oscar winning film, “The Theory of Everything” was made about his life and work in which he was portrayed by Eddie Redmayne. Stephen Hawking was born in January 1942 and attended both Oxford and Cambridge Universities. He was diagnosed with motor
neuron disease when just 21 and was married twice. He had three children from his first marriage, Lucy, Robert and Tim who in a joint statement said “His courage and persistence along with his humour inspired people across the world.” Hawking died on 14 March 2018 aged 76; he had asked that a formula known as “The Hawking Equation” be carved on his headstone, a work which changed modern understanding of black holes and the universe itself and something he regarded as his most important work, regardless of his celebrity status.
Political attacks More delays in paseo project A J OSE Manuel Dolon, the Mayor of Torrevieja, has admitted that the planned redevelopment work on the towns Paseo Maratimo will not be completed before the summer. This is despite various plans and promises in place since2014 and Mr Dolon conceded that the news was disappointing. He said in a press conference that the delays were down to a series of issues rather than one particular thing, although the project was now ready to start. However the decision has to be made whether to begin now and then halt works during the peak season or start after the summer, with the second option being the most likely.
councillor on the town of San Vicent de Raspeig believes his car has been deliberately targeted by vandals due to his political affiliation. Alejandro Navarro, from the Ciudadanos party, had all his cars tyres slashed just a few days after an obviously manmade scratch was put down the side of the vehicle. Politicians on all sides have condemned
by Simon Russell
the vandalism, saying that if politically motivated it “undermined the foundations of democracy.” This week another councillor, Salvador Martinez, was kicked and called a fascist while out campaigning in the town. Complaints have been lodged with the Guardia Civil in both instances.
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FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018
Motoring
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New contract brings Pensioner in hit and run A new jobs by Simon Russell
THE giant Ford motor plant at Almussafes in Valencia will need to hire 130 new staff to help build the new Maverick engines that they recently won the contract for. The
factory will be initially constructing 100,000 engines, most of which are destined for the USA and Canada, where they will be fitted into the new Ford Edge.
The new staff will be required from May, although a mixture of existing agency staff and temporary workers may fill the roles. The plant has also received a recent cash generation of ₏750 million to build the next generation Ford Kugas while they are also expected to have the contract to build Mondeos renewed. Many unions and staff at the plant have had concerns over protectionist policy talk from US President Trump, but for now the future of the factory, Valencia’s biggest private employer, looks safe.
71-year-old man has been arrested this week in connection with a hit and run incident on 20 February. The incident happened in the Exposicio district of Valencia City when a 77-year-old woman was using a level crossing. She was struck by a BMW which knocked her over and caused a hip injury. The driver appeared to remonstrate with the woman, who was lying on the ground, and then drove off. Passers-by helped the victim, who was taken to a clinic where her injuries were treated. The National Police opened an investigation and were able to trace the culprit earlier this week; the Valencian resident has
been charged with failing by Matthew Richards to stop at the scene of a crime and released on bail.
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F e r r a r i Tiger Woods, sign key is favourite to FIA man win at Bay Hill Ferrari have signed the FIA’s safety director, Laurent Mekies, to bolster their technical team. In what could be viewed by rival teams as a controversial appointment, Mekies will join the Maranello outfit in September after nearly four years at F1’s governing body. Sky F1’s David Croft tweeted: “Interesting signing by Ferrari.” Ferrari’s move for Mekies, a former engineer at Toro Rosso, comes just six months after Renault angered rivals by signing the FIA’s then-technical director Marcin Budkowski. He starts work at Enstone next month. Mekies will continue in his role overseeing the FIA’s safety programme until June, but “will immediately cease all Formula 1 duties and will no longer be involved in any Formula 1 matter, stepping down from his role as deputy F1 race director with immediate effect”. The Frenchman will then start work at Ferrari on September 20 and report in to technical director Mattia Binotto, although the team have not specified what role Mekies will take on. Team bosses were angered that Budkowski’s role at the FIA meant he had seen details of their 2018 cars, with Red Bull’s Christian Horner describing the short period of gardening leave as “entirely inappropriate”.
The future of Tiger Woods is filled with optimism because of the past. The next stop on his remarkable road to recovery from four years’ worth of back trouble is the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the tournament he has won a record eight times on a course that feels comfortable to him. There also is a short history of Woods winning at Bay Hill during various comebacks. When he was out nearly
nine months recovering from reconstructive surgery, his first victory back was at Bay Hill when he made a 15foot birdie for a one-shot victory over Sean O’Hair. After going more than two years without winning on the PGA Tour while trying to patch his personal life back together, Woods finally broke through at Bay Hill with a five-shot victory over Graeme McDowell.
MVG admits a lack of form Michael van Gerwen admits he is lacking “power” and is not in “the best form” despite shooting to the top of the Premier League Darts table. Defending champion Van Gerwen beat Simon Whitlock 7-4 on Thursday in Leeds and took advantage of previous table-topper Michael Smith losing to Rob Cross. “It wasn’t my best performance. I’m playing OK
but I’m not in the best form of my life at the moment,” Van Gerwen said. ”A bit of power has to come back. I have to work really hard for that. “I won my game against Simon - I missed too many chances, my scoring at some points wasn’t great. “Sometimes you need to show character. That’s exactly what I did - I won this game of character.”
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Lewis Hamilton is Tommy Hilfiger’s new ambassador Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is cruising into a fashion career with a new post as Tommy Hilfiger’s new menswear ambassador. The US label announced the news over Instagram, sharing several photos of the British athlete kitted out in its collection, writing: “4x World Champion F1TM driver @ LewisHamilton has forged an incredible racing career built on passion, dedication and extremely hard work. We’re proud to stand beside him today as we introduce him as our menswear ambassador. Welcome to the family, @ LewisHamilton” “I believe in the power of fashion and innovation to celebrate individuality and break conventions, like Tommy Hilfiger,” Hamilton said in a statement. “Tommy’s designs inspire me to be bold in every outfit that I put together outside
of the racing track, expressing my creativity and eclectic style with confidence.” The move follows the announcement made in February of a professional partnership between Tommy Hilfiger and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, with the designer creating the team’s trackside uniform, beginning with the 2018 season. Hilfiger, who has made headlines with his new series of “Tommy Now” interactive fashion shows, also chose motorsports as the theme of his most recent Spring/ Summer 2018 ready-to-wear collection and presentation in Milan last month. The move is not Hamilton’s first foray into the fashion industry the sportsman previously starred in Hugo Boss’s Fall / Winter 2017 campaign, alongside actor James Marsden and influencer Patrick Janelle.
Ramsey out of Wales squad, Bale included Ryan Giggs has selected his first squad as Wales boss ahead of the China Cup which begins next week. The new Wales boss has today confirmed his first squad selection and it doesn’t feature Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who misses out through injury. Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale is in the squad and it is reported that the FAW will receive a £1 million bonus if he appears in the competition. The squad features a number of first time call-ups, including Connor Roberts of Swansea City, Chris Mepham of Brentford and Billy Bodin of Preston North End.. Wales’ first game will be against hosts China in Nanning on Thursday, 22nd March and if they win that, they will take on one of Uruguay or Czech Republic in the final Monday, 26th March. Even if they are defeated by China,
they will have a further game to play with a 3rd place play-off also taking place on Monday, 26th between the losers of the semi-finals. The full squad for the China Cup is as follows; Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey, Chris Maxwell, Michael Crowe. Defenders: Ashley Williams, James Chester, Ben Davies, Chris Gunter, Neil Taylor, Declan John, Connor Roberts, Ethan Ampadu. Midfielders: Joe Allen, Joe Ledley, Lee Evans, Andy King, Ryan Hedges, Christopher Mepham, Marley Watkins. Forwards: Tom Lawrence, Gareth Bale, Ben Woodburn, Harry Wilson, Billy Bodin, Sam Vokes.
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PREMIER LEAGUE TEAMS START FALLING TO BITS
BUT CITY AND LIVERPOOL SURVIVE So much for the Premier League planting its flag deep in the Champions League landscape by claiming at least half of the eight quarterfinal berths for this season’s competition. For the first time in Champions League history, five English clubs made it through the group stage to contest the round of 16, but only two -Manchester City and Liverpool -- survived to fight another day on the road to the May 26 final in Kiev. Tottenham were eliminated by Juventus, and Manchester United humbled by Sevilla before Chelsea were sent spinning out
of the competition by a Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona on Wednesday. In fairness to Antonio Conte’s team, few gave Chelsea much hope of making it past Barca, who showed just why they are the favourites to win the Champions League again this season.
It may still happen, with City and Liverpool both capable of beating any opponent on their day, but the exits of Spurs, United and Chelsea may just offer a timely reminder that Europe’s superpowers have yet to be knocked off their perch by English football’s best teams.