Euro Weekly News - Costa de Almeria 10 – 16 December 2020 Issue 1849

News

The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1849

10 - 16 December 2020

COSTA DE ALMERIA • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

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NO MORE FLOODING WORK finally began on complet­ ing the second phase of plans to control the Rambla del Algarrobo watercourse in Vera.

Deputy mayor and Infrastruc­ tures councillor Alfonso Garcia explained that the project con­ sists of containing, channelling and later releasing the Rambla’s waters in El Salar de los Canos, La Charca del Gato and finally the sea at El Playazo.

As also happens with the River Antas, the Algarrobo watercourse poses a flood threat to Vera’s ur­ banisations built on land that is prone to flooding during pro­ longed periods of heavy rain. The project will also bring more pro­ tection to the AL­7107 road be­ tween Garrucha and Villaricos.

MOJACAR now has an official flag, chosen by the local popula­ tion.

Gabinete Heraldico, heraldry and flag specialists, designed three options that were up­ loaded to Mojacar town hall’s Facebook page.

This was seen by 10,619 peo­ ple and prompted 145 com­ ments, with 268 “likes” going to the win­ ner.

The new flag reflects the town’s history and traditions, in­ corporating centuries’ old ele­ ments including the Austrian empire’s double­headed eagle

VERA PROJECT: Initial phase of project to tame the Algarrobo watercourse.

Half of the necessary work has already been completed, with the Rambla now channelled under­

ground from El Salar de los Cano.

All that remains is to conclude the final section, ending at the

point where the Rambla meets the sea, which is due to begin within days.

Mojacar flies the flag that was present on the coat of arms of Carlos I. The Catholic Monarchs grant­ ed Mojacar the right to a coat of arms in 1497 for their part in the

reconquest of Granada and the eagle was added in 1530 follow­ ing Mojacar’s important role in the Alpujarras Uprising.

Later, Felipe II added La muy

noble y leal ciudad de Mojacar, llave y amparo del Reino de Granada (Noble and loyal city of Mojar, key and protector of the Kingdom of Granada).

This was held up until now, Garcia explained, as Administra­ tive Authorisation was required since this stage of the project oc­ cupies the state­owned maritime strip.

This second phase will be car­ ried out in the area adjoining the El Mirador and Jardines de Nuevo Vera urbanisations, the councillor said.

Work will extend as far as the Paseo Maritimo promenade and is expected to continue until March next year.

Garcia also informed Vera resi­ dents that Codeur, which is carry­ ing out the work for the town hall, is providing the 615 164 888 telephone number to clarify resi­ dents’ doubts or queries.

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10 - 16 December 2020

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Trees buried alive AN environmentalist group revealed that trees were being interred as developers cleared land in Mo­ jacar. The Almanzora­Levante branch of Ecologistas en Accion asked the town hall to clarify why pines, carobs and shrubs ­ the habitat of tortoises and chameleons ­ had been subjected to the “cruelty of being buried alive.”

Sources at Mojacar Town Hall recently quoted in the Spanish media explained that the piled­up earth surrounding carobs on a plot of municipally­owned land was “an error.”

The town hall was now taking steps to restore the land to its original state, in compliance with planning laws, the same sources said.

Happy post- Wet spring, dry autumn lockdown events THE preliminary results of a Tor­ recardenas Hospital survey indi­ cate that more children than usual were conceived during lockdown.

A total of 1,102 pregnant women have made appoint­ ments for a first consultation three months after the period between March 15 and June 21, revealed Dr Javier Alcaide who heads the Torrecardenas Obstetrics and Gynaeocology Unit. This was 15 per cent more than the 954 women who at­ tended the unit during the same period in 2019, an in­ crease of 148 mothers­to­be.

ALMERIA had less rainfall than usual this year.

According to the Almanzo­ ra Valley’s weather station in Albox, this fell by 67 millime­ tres compared with 2019.

Juan Jesus Maestre from the Albox station told an SER radio interviewer that al­ though figures from other stations might differ slightly, the situation was similar throughout Almeria Province.

Rainfall last March and April was a little higher than usual, but this did not con­ tinue in May and June and was followed by a shortfall in the autumn.

“A 67­millilitre deficit is important, given that Alme­

ria’s average rainfall is low,” Maestre said.

Direct aid

ADRA Town Hall has provided direct financial help for 140 firms and the self­employed.

The €300 grants are intended to offset losses during the State of Alarm lockdown when they were forced to close or cease trading, explained Adra’s Fi­ nance councillor Alicia Heras.

As well as this direct help, the town hall has assisted local com­ merce and the hospitality trade with discounted municipal taxes and, in the case of bars and restaurants, by waiving charges for terrace tables occupying pavements or public spaces.

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NIBS EXTRA Life-lines DESPITE a 60 per cent fall in tourism, Almeria’s agriculture and marble sector lessened Covid-19’s economic impact, the province’s Professional College of Economists announced. Fruit and vegetable exports earned 9.7 per cent more than in 2019 while marble exports between January and October 2020 were 23 per cent higher than last year.

Lottery win TICKETS for the €300,000 first prize in the National Lottery were sold in the Administration located in Venta del Viso in La Mojonera. The same number, 41,464, was also sold in Jaen City, Alayor and Cala Bona (Baleares), Madrid and Carranque in Toledo.

Good payers ADRA Town Hall has settled €4 million in suppliers’ bills since last March, mainly to small and medium-sized business. The town hall had made a great effort to pay the bills despite the complexity of the situation, Finance councillor Alicia Heras explained, to safeguard the firms’ liquidity at an especially difficult time.

Good publicity VERA will be the starting point for the Vuelta Ciclista a Andalucia cycle race next year. Not only is the race an important event, Sports councillor Alfonso Garcia said, but it would seen worldwide, bringing Vera to more than 130 million homes in 180 countries and five continents.

Car draw ROQUETAS DE MAR Town Hall is supporting local commerce by organising a draw giving the chance to win a Citroen C4 Cactus by spending more than €20 in participating local shops.

The draw will take place in the presence of the town clerk on January 5, eve of the Three Kings fiesta.

Light up HUERCAL-OVERA Town Hall is using a €813,295 grant from the EU’s Regional Development Fund (FEDER) low-carbon programme to substitute existing streetlamps with LED lighting.

The town was well on its way to improving energy-consumption for both environmental reasons and also to make financial savings, Huercal-Overa mayor Domingo Fernandez said.

THERE was quiet optimism in Palomares on learning that John Kerry will be joining Joe Biden’s government.

This time around he will be the presidential Climate En­ voy and a member of the Na­ tional Security Council, all of which bodes well for Palo­ mares’ chances that the US will finally clear the area of nuclear residue.

In 2015, when Kerry was Barack Ombama’s Secretary of State, he visited Spain and signed an agreement with the then­Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia­Margallo to clean two square kilometres of Palomares land.

This was contaminated with plutonium 239 in 1966 follow­ ing the B­52G air disaster but the Kerry­Margallo agree­

10 - 16 December 2020

Good news Photo credit: Rhododendrite

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JOHN KERRY: Climate Envoy is familiar with Palomares’ problems.

ment was conveniently over­ looked by the Trump adminis­ tration.

Both politicians agreed to rehabilitate the area while the contaminated soil would be transported to an unspecified location in the US. Radiation affected 50,000 cubic metres of soil over a 40­ hectare area that is currently fenced off, although the US initially agreed to remove only 6,000 cubic metres of earth.

Investigator Jose Herrera, quoted in the local Spanish media, believes that there is a kilo of plutonium in the sub­ soil.

But he also suggested that Kerry could finally solve a problem that is still waiting for a definitive solution more than 50 years later.

As normal as possible THE Three Kings will greet Carboneras children on the night of January 5 via the town hall’s social media.

Royal Pages will visit houses, bringing local children the sweets that they would ordinarily receive during the Three Kings parade, Carboneras mayor Jose Luise Amerigo announced as he presented the town hall’s Christmas programme.

“Although different, and although we must all be very respon­ sible to prevent Covid­19 from spreading, the Christmas fiestas will retain their characteristic excitement and joy,” Amerigo said.

Accompanied by the councillors for Fiestas, Culture and Com­ merce, the mayor stressed that the holidays would inevitably be

conditioned by the pandemic.

“We are concentrating on open­air activities, with prior reser­ vations and reduced, limited capacities as well as all necessary health and safety measures so that we can enjoy the holidays as safely as possible,” the mayor added.

Carboneras Christmas lights have now been switched on and have been extended throughout the town this year.

“As well as bringing a partial return to the normality that we all long for, the lights should help to encourage people to spend in the shops, restaurants and bars at a time when it is more im­ portant than ever to support them,” Amerigo said.

Crystal clear

Help for Bayra project

ALBOX tap water is now safe to drink.

The all­clear came several weeks after Albox mayor Fran­ cisco Torrecillas advised resi­ dents not to drink the domes­ tic supply, which did not meet the requirements for human consumption.

“We are still having prob­

lems with cloudiness,” Tor­ recillas admitted at the end of October although he has now announced that the quality has improved.

Problems originating in cuts in the Negratin water transfer which supplies both irrigation and drinking water have now been solved, the town hall said.

‘Kilo x Kilo’ Campaign LA MOJONERA became one of the first municipalities to join the ‘Kilo x Kilo’ campaign by EcoVidrio in order to boost donations to food banks and feed the hungry.

The Federation of Food Banks has combined forces with Ecovidrio to create the campaign where glass for recycling will be exchanged for food donations. The exciting scheme will roll out to 44 municipalities across Spain and will use over 150 containers to collect the glass from residents.

José Miguel Hernández, mayor of Mojonera has praised the campaign explaining it has the “double objective” of feeding those in need and protecting the environment. Mojonera has containers located on Avenida de Europa and Calle Naturaleza.

FOOD DONATIONS: Whilst also protecting the environment.

MANUEL GUZMAN, who heads the Culture and Cinema department at the Diputacion provincial council, recently visited Vera Town Hall.

He was there to discuss plans promoting the Cerro del Espiritu Santo, an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) and the site of the mediaeval town of Bayra which was razed by an earthquake in 1518.

Guzman, who said he was “pleasantly surprised” by the project, pledged Diputacion commitment to the ambi­ tious project which he described as in line with its current work.

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Just picture that CUEVAS DEL ALMAN­ ZORA Town Hall has set up Selfie Points in the municipality’s most em­ blematic and beautiful locations.

Residents and visi­ tors are invited to pho­ tograph themselves against historic, cultural and picturesque back­ grounds in a project promoting the town’s tourist offer.

The town hall’s Tourism department hopes to introduce the public to every Cuevas del Almanzora “must­ see,” explained local mayor Antonio Fernan­ dez and Tourism coun­ cillor Maria Isabel Ponce.

Both believe that thanks to the Selfie ini­ tiative, visitors will dis­ cover these municipali­ ty beauty­spots for themselves while ex­ ploring the town.

Six strategic Selfie Spots have been marked out on the ground in the Marques de Los Velez castle, Plaza de la Constitu­ tion, the Nuestra Seño­ ra de la Encarnacion church, Villaricos castle, the Blanquizares bar­ racks and the Canal de Remo water sports area.

“This is just one of the tourism concepts that we are setting in motion so that we can welcome visitors with open arms and a new offer once Covid­19 re­ strictions are lifted,” Fernandez said.

Ponce went on to add that once people can travel once more, the town hall would be launching new Selfie Point schemes to en­ courage the participa­ tion of the local popula­ tion as well as visitors.

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10 - 16 December 2020

4 day week SPAIN’S government is current­ ly exploring the possibility of in­ troducing a four­day working week initiative for employers and their staff.

Deputy PM Pablo Iglesias said that the initiative would ‘undoubtedly’ lead to job cre­ ation, and said his left­wing Podemos party has “always been in favour of reducing working hours.”

He confirmed that the Minis­ ter for Labour, Yolanda Diaz, was studying the concept “within the framework of social dialogue.” Meanwhile, con­ gressman Inigo Errejon said that the new budget amend­ ments being processed by the

government will include a €50 million incentive package for companies to adopt the four­ day working week.

A pilot scheme is already un­ derway in Valencia, and more funds are expected to come from the government’s Recov­ ery and Resilience Fund. Errejon asserts that the scheme will benefit public health, due to improved work/life balance, as well as the environment due to workers commuting less.

Most importantly he stressed evidence that the four­ day working week improves productivity in workers, there­ fore creating more jobs and im­ proving Spain’s economy.

Product recall dairy drinks Royal pooch dies A PRODUCT recall warning has been issued for Nescafe Shakissimo, and the Nesquik Shake brands along with Choco Nata drinks from the El Corte Ingles range and a range of ALDI products under their brand name ‘Milsani .’

The products mentioned have been recalled as it’s understood at this time, that there is a possibility of some containing hydrogen peroxide.

NESTLE (LNPF) has informed the Spanish food agency of the recall of these products (shake type milk drinks) due to the slight possibility of some pres­ ence of hydrogen peroxide used to sterilise the containers before filling.

There may be a strong flavour and some irritation to the mouth if you come across an affected product. The products in this recall that may be af­ fected are: Nescafé Shakissimo Espresso Latte 190 ml 1/26/2021 Nescafé Shakissimo Vanilla Latte 190 ml 1/26/2021 Nescafé Shakissimo Decaf 190 ml 02/02/2021 Nescafé Shakissimo Caramel Latte 190 ml 02/02/2021 Nescafé Shakissimo Flavor Cookies 190 ml 02/02/2021 Nesquik Shake 190 ml 01/27/2021 El Corte Inglés brand chocolate cream cup 4 x 100g 09/12/20 Chocolate cream cup Milsani brand (Aldi) 4 x 100g 09/12/20 Anyone concerned that they may have purchased one of these products can go directly to this link for more detailed information https://www.yo guresnestle.es/pdf/retirada­shakes.

Death of Madrid Burger King ALFRED GRADUS, the founder and owner of Madrid’s renowned, awardwinning hamburger chain, Alfredo’s Barbacoa American, died, aged 79, on Wednesday, December 2, in Madrid.

He was the man credited with bringing the barbecued hamburger style of eating to Madrid, when he opened his first restaurant there, on Calle Lagasca, in 1981, on his birthday.

Born in New York, America, Gradus discovered Madrid in the 1960s, whilst

NEWS

ALFRED GRADUS: Owned awardwinning hamburger chain in Madrid.

stationed at nearby Torrejon with the United States military, the most important and strategically located US military camp in Spain at the time, and the base where he first learned about cooking, from the military chefs, who specialised in typical American cuisine for the servicemen, to give them a taste of home, learning to make his delicious barbecue sauces he would become so famous for in years to come.

THE Queen’s beloved pet dog Vulcan has died, leav­ ing her with just one ca­ nine companion Vulcan the Dorgi ­ a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and Dachshund cross ­ has died of ‘old age,’ leaving the Queen ‘upset’ at the loss of one of her two remaining Queen is a dog lover. dogs. A long­time dog lover, her Majesty decided to give up dog breeding in 2018 as she didn’t want to outlive any of her beloved pooches. It was also reported that royal officials were worried that the pets, always at her feet, could pose a risk of tripping her up.

The Queen’s two dogs, Vulcan and the now ageing Candy featured on the cover of Vanity Fair in 2018 and even accompanied her to the 2012 Olympics opening cer­ emony. Most of the Queen’s cherished canines over the years are said to be descended from Corgi Susan, whom her Majesty was given as an 18th birthday present.

Albox house collapses NEIGHBOURS were shocked as an Albox house in the centre of town collapsed under the shroud of darkness on Wednesday December 2, just after 9pm. Fortunately, no one was living in the house at the time and shortly before the entire house collapsed, the rear of the house gave way first, giving sufficient warning to neighbours before the entire house came down. The remnants of the house have been cordoned off, and the street is almost completely blocked by debris.

Allegedly the house was being prepared for future demolition work.

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Son help captive A SWEDISH woman in her 70s has been arrested on suspicion of keeping her son prisoner for 28 years.

According to the Swedish newspaper Expressen, the woman was detained on Monday, November 30, and accused of unlawful deprivation of liberty and grievous bodily harm.

She allegedly kept her 41year-old son captive at a flat in Stockholm.

Prosecutors said the man was discovered “sitting on a blanket with no teeth and sores on his legs” surrounded by “urine, dirt and dust” on Sunday, November 29.

On learning the mother had been admitted to hospital, a relative went to the property and found the door unlocked.

She told the Swedish newspaper that “he spoke very fast and a little incoherent, but he was not afraid of me.”

The son was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries where doctors contacted the police.

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Dogs trained to attack Ryanair TWO animal associations have reported the recording and sharing of videos which show dogs brutally attacking a cow and a pig.

Associations Libera and Familias polo Respeto Animal (FA R E) say that the dogs could have been trained and used by farmers in locations between Ourense and Zamora.

In a statement, the organisations explain that in one of the videos, shared on WhatsApp, a cow can be seen tied up and being attacked by at least three dogs, “causing it immense suffering.”

Another video shows a dog attacking a pig, while a man shouts at

DANGEROUS: Dogs were attacking other animals.

it to “keep going.” The man has a strong accent which leads the associations to believe they are in Galicia.

They have requested citizen collaboration to identify and locate the organisers who record these events which “intend to promote the suffering of animals as if it were a show.” Environmental officers from the Xunta de Galicia will open an investigation to charge the culprits with animal abuse, with up to 18 months in prison and being disqualified from owning animals or practising professions related with animals for up to three years.

Largest Ever Man-Made Beach FINAL permissions have been granted for the €15 billion construction of Alovera Beach, in Guadalajara, just 50km from Madrid, where a 35,000m3 fresh-water inland lake, with 17,000m2 of imported sand, will make it the largest man-made beach in Europe, whilst creating over 300 jobs.

The development, with the proposed completion date of 2023, will boast a capacity of 4,500 users at any one time, and will include typical water-park amenities including, water slides, a boating marina,

beach bars, an artificial wave pool, man-made islands, and family restaurants, and an estimated 250,000 visitors are expected, with an entrance charge of €10.

Crystal Lagoons is the firm who won this prestigious contract, a company who constructed the famous lagoon in San Alfonso de Mar, Chile, which at the time went into the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest lagoon, only to break their own record with the building in 2015 of a 30-acre lagoon in Citystars Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

Extra Flights THE airline announced on Tuesday, December 1, that it’s added even fur­ ther additions to its Christmas sched­ ule as a result of increased demand across the network, commencing from December 16.

In response to strong demand and as part of its commitment to bring families and friends together this Christmas, Ryanair announced a total of 24 additional flights from Dublin, London Stansted, London Gatwick, Porto and Bari, which were available for booking until midnight on Thurs­ day, December 3.

This follows recent additional flights from Paris Beauvais, Manches­ ter, Malaga and Budapest to name a few.

Ryanair has launched a very merry seat sale with cracking fares available from just £19.99 (€22.26) for travel from December 16, 2020 ­ January 3, 2021.

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Valencia tourism budget

THE Generalitat Valenciana will increase the Viatgem Bonus bud­ get for 2021 by €2 million, taking it up to a total of €12 million, “so that it meets the double objec­ tive of stimulating internal de­ mand this winter and helping to maintain jobs and companies,” announced regional president, Ximo Puig.

“The Consell is not going to

leave alone the fabric that directly feeds 15 per cent of Valencians and many more indirectly, be­ cause a decade ago, when we were having the worst time, tourism was a saviour of the Va­ lencian economy,” added Puig.

The president of the Alicante Provincial Council, Carlos Mazón; the mayor of Benidorm, Antonio Pérez; the rector of the

Ryanair and Boeing

THE airline announced on Thursday, December 3, that it had signed a purchase agreement with Boeing for 75 new MAX­8200 aircraft, which increases its firm order for the Boeing ‘Gamechanger’ aircraft from 135 to 210, with a to­ tal value of over $22 billion (€20 billion).

The announcement comes after the Boeing MAX air­ craft was certified by the FAA to return to service with Ryanair expecting to take the first deliveries of these new fuel­efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft from early 2021. Ryanair and Boeing have agreed on revised de­ livery dates, and have also agreed to compensation for the direct costs incurred by Ryanair over the past 18 months due to these delivery delays, although some of this com­ pensation has been factored into a modest reduction in the pricing of this new aircraft order. The aircraft delivers eight more seats per flight, yet burns 16 per cent less fuel, and lowers noise emissions by 40 per cent and the 197 seat Boeing aircraft is the perfect sized platform to allow Ryanair to expand and grow its low fare services across Eu­ rope over the next decade.

University of Alicante, Manuel Palomar; the vice president of the Valencian Community Hotel and Tourism Business Association (Hosbec), Federico Fuster, and the director of the ‘Pedro Zaragozá Orts’ Chair of Tourism Studies, Armando Ortuño met in Benidorm Thursday, December 3 to discuss the future of the re­ gion’s tourism.

DIGITAL VACCINE PASSPORT DECISION THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has decided Immunity Passports are not a good idea. The WHO announced on Thursday De­ cember 3, that it did not approve of countries issuing immunity passports for people who have had Covid­19 and recovered from it.

It has however, said that it will investigate the possibilities of using electronic certificates containing vaccination details, which would al­ low free travel during the pandemic for the holder of that certificate. It was against immu­ nity passports in theory. The European arm of the International Health Organisation of the United Nations, highlighted the need for some form of a digital or electronic certificate.

Further discussions with the 53 member states will take place, and look at the security of travel and the transmission in schools, colleges and universities.

Costly Christmas Tree THE Valencia City Council has paid 58 per cent more than in 2018 for the exact same Christmas tree.

The PP Party have called on Valencia City Council to explain why the exact same tree, that More expensive. in 2018 cost €12,670, has this year cost €20,000 ­ a staggering 58 per cent in­ crease. The vice spokesperson, María José Ferrer San Segundo, demanded on Thursday, December 3 that “the Ribó government and the PSPV clarify why the price has increased.”

Likewise, Ferrer San Segundo has asked why the bid price of the Christmas trees that are installed in the squares and central streets has increased by 47.6 per cent in the last two years, going from €3,520 to €4,300.

Since 2017, the tree that has been tendered and fi­ nally installed in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento has the same dimensions and technical characteristics with a height of 20 metres and a width of 10 metres.

The hiring of Christmas lighting, he pointed out, “has been done very late and hastily, which has caused us to be, on December 3 without the lights.”

NEWS

Spanish Covid Protection Gloves C OV I D protection gloves have been invented by a Spanish company in Rioja.

The gloves are the brainchild of J M P Engineering and have the brand name ‘Guantelet.’

Much research has been done by the company, not only to make the gloves protect the wearer from Covid, but also make them antibacterial too. In addition to this they are designed to be comfortable enough to be worn all day and washable.

The gloves will still be able to maintain the Covid protection for up to 30 washes, and the technology used in the gloves means they will not have to be washed too often. The protection factor actually breaks down the virus in around an hour.

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10 - 16 December 2020

Queen’s Housekeeper Quits THE Queen’s head housekeeper at Sandringham, Patricia Earl, 56, has unexpectedly quit her job af­ ter 32 years in service. Ms Earl, who lead a team of staff including cleaners, laundry and maintenance workers, was so highly thought­of that she was honoured with the Royal Victorian Medal in 2018.

Although royal officials insist the parting was

‘amicable,’ it’s reported that the housekeeper was left ‘embarrassed’ after some 20 staff refused to remain on the Norfolk estate in a month­long bubble in order to protect the 94­year­old Queen.

Due to the unwillingness of staff to remain at Sandringham, the monarch and Prince Philip will remain at Windsor for the first time in 33 years.

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Most influential people FORBES has published a list of the 25 most influential people in Spain of 2020 and they are all women.

Queen Letizia tops the list and is followed by Ana Patricia Botin, President of Banco Santander, and Isabel Diaz Ayuso, the President of the Madrid Region.

The magazine publishes the list every year selecting the most influential personalities in different sectors, from business to culture, through politics, music and social activism.

On this year’s list, all of the names are women; a queen, eight politicians, six senior members of private companies, five journalists, three figures from the world of culture, a scientist and an activist.

The other politicians on the list are: the First Vice President of the Government, Carmen Calvo; the Minister of Work, Yolanda Diaz; the leader of Ciudadanos, Ines Arrimadas; the State Attorney General, Dolores Delgado; the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, Carme Artigas; the former mayor of Madrid

QUEEN LETIZIA: Tops the list in Spain.

Manuela Carmena and the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau.

In the private business sector, Botin is joined by Eva Fernandez, Telefónica’s global communications director; Hortensia Herrero, Vice President of Mercadona and President of the foundation that bears her name; Irene Cano, CEO of Facebook Spain and Portugal; Macarena Rey, CEO of Shine Iberia and producer of the MasterChef television programme; and Marta Ortega, ‘product manager’ of Zara Woman.

The journalists are: the president of Radio Television Española, Rosa María Mateo; Ana Rosa Quintana, Rosa Montero, Àngels Barceló and Sandra Barneda.

From the cultural scene, there are two gallery owners, Elena Ochoa Foster and Helga de Alvear, and a singer, Rosalia.

Finally, there is the lawyer and President of the Tribune for Human Rights, Cruz Sanchez de Lara; and a scientist, the director of the National Center for Oncological Research, Maria Blasco.

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Best’s Little Black Book Sold

FOOTBALL superstar, George Best, famously had a string of high­profile romances and lovers, and now, his ‘little black book,’ containing names and phone numbers of his former lovers, has sold for £1,500, at an online auc­ tion, run by Stacey’s Auc­ tioneers in Basildon, Essex,

who also sold George’s shirt worn on his debut for North­ ern Ireland, which went for £13,000.

A spokesman for the auc­ tioneers said the book held “all his main contacts includ­ ing, girlfriends” with a note inside reading: “With love, from George.”

Mercadona scam alert NATIONAL POLICE and Guardia Civil have warned of a new scam using the name of supermarket chain Mercadona.

Beware if you receive a WhatsApp message claiming Mercadona is giving away free €180 coupons for Christmas.

Clicking on the message leads to a fake website imitating Mercadona’s which includes a survey at the end of which, visitors are asked for their details. This will in turn be used by cybercriminals to obtain personal and banking data from internet users by a method known as phishing or by introducing malware.

If you receive such a text, erase it, and let whoever sent it to you know that it is a scam.

It has gone viral on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

The supermarket chain has warned its brand name and image are being used without its consent and remind customers they do not run any type of promotions or raffles, nor do they give away vouchers.

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Eiffel Tower to reopen THE Parisian landmark the Eiffel Tower will reopen from December 16 it has been announced. Other museums and state monuments will also be open for the first time since October 30, which is when they were all closed due to the increase in coronavirus cases.

The Eiffel Tower along with the Arc de Triomphe are the most iconic French capital structures, and President Macron will be keen to have them once again open for viewing. The French public and of course, much-needed tourists as well will be welcomed back to view the iconic structures so important for tourism.

TOWER: Will reopen along with other French capital structures.

EASYJET CHARGE OVER YOUR HEAD

DO you put your bags in the overhead locker? Be careful, you may be charged for the privilege as easyJet now wants to charge flyers up to £24 each to store away their luggage.

It’s seen by many as a quick way to make more money from passengers.

The airline admitted from February 10, 2021 it will be halving baggage allowances, however, customers will be allowed to bring on a bag which must fit under the seat, if it does not they can store it safely above as usual, but at a charge of up to £24, each way!

This decision by the company comes despite increased business when lockdown ends at Christmas, and the flight bookings soared.

If you decide to pay for and choose your seat and or have extra leg room, you can bring a larger bag and store it above in the overhead lockers charge included.

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10 - 16 December 2020

Cordoba Christmas Lights Tour Italian mafia in Tenerife THE coronavirus pandemic may have changed many aspects of Christmas 2020, but the iconic and much-loved tradition of El Paseo de la Ilusion will still take place this year, in a slightly altered form. The tradition of taxi drivers bringing older people around to see the Christmas lights and local festivities, which has been running in Cordoba for 16 years, will take place between December 14 and December 23.

The president of Autacor, Miguel Ruano, explained that some 200 people will get to

XMAS LIGHTS: Taxi drivers will take older people around to see the festivities. enjoy the night-time tours, beginning at 7pm and lasting for just under an hour. Seniors will be collected from their homes in one of 20 daily trips and chauffeured around town in fully sanitised taxis with Christmas carols playing.

Ruano is also conscious of

people living in care homes who cannot avail of this tour.

For these residents, he has proposed a video of the spectacle be made for them to watch, as well as “collaboration with a company to give them a gift voucher and make Christmas sweeter.”

IN collaboration with the Castello di Cisterna Carabinieri Investigation Unit, three members of the Mariniello clan were arrested in Tenerife at the same time as another five members were arrested in Italy.

The Italian authorities had Three members arrested. issued a European Arrest Warrant against them for belonging to a criminal organisation, blackmail and loan-sharking.

The operation began in late 2018 when police learned of the presence of several Italians thought to belong to the clan, who were involved in a number of criminal activities.

Once identified, they were put under surveillance, resulting in their arrests this week at the same time as the members in Italy were detained.

Guardia Civil Embarrassed Spanish Osborne THE Guardia Civil has come under fire for a TikTok video posted by the Benemerita Police Force in the Basque Country of officers dancing to the hit song, Jerusalema.

The footage, which is just under one minute long, was originally posted by the group on October 12, but the Union de Oficiales de la Benemerita heavily criticised it on Monday, November 30 for portraying the force negatively.

The video shows a number of officers in

hazmat suits performing the viral dance moves at an airport, seaport and heliport, and displaying a sign reading ‘Do you know where these Guard Civil officers are from?’

The unfortunate irony is that Bilbao can clearly be seen in the background shots.

The Union has called the display an ‘embarrassing spectacle’ and refers to a ‘feeling of shame’ at what they view as ‘satisfying personal interests instead of looking at the good image of the force.’

Sales Rocket

THE Spanish based Osborne Company has seen online sales boom this year with the pan­ demic.

The company’s internet sales have increased 150 per cent in 2020, and they say this is due to Covid­19 and restrictions that have prevented people buying products at supermarkets, or

pushed them to opt for the con­ venience of internet purchases.

The Spanish based firm is ex­ pecting to see an increase of 120 per cent on Christmas sales in­ cluding spirits and wines. The company that is based in Cadiz owns brands such as Anis del Mono and the Iberian ham brand Cinco Jotas.

EWN 13

Cash seizure

GIBRALTAR Customs stopped an individual who was entering from Spain in December 2019 and discovered that he was carrying banknotes of various denominations amounting to €85,940.

When questioned, he stated that the money was not his but he was carrying it for a third party and when he declined to give the name of the owner, officers decided to hold the cash in accordance with the Proceeds of Crime Act 2015 in order to investigate the matter further.

Although the owner reportedly contacted Customs through a legal representative, no evidence concerning the source of the cash nor its intended use was ever supplied.

Following an application from Customs to the Magistrate’s Court, it ordered the forfeiture of the cash and as there has been no appeal against the decision, the money will now become part of Gibraltar Government funds.

NEWS

www.euroweeklynews.com

PEDRO SANCHEZ: Outlined the vaccination programme.

Vaccine rollout ON Friday, December 4, Pedro Sanchez announced that a third of Spain’s 47 million people will be vaccinated by the beginning of summer.

He said that in the first twomonth stage, 2.5 million people would receive vaccines. This initial batch will be reserved for the elderly, their carers, and frontline health workers.

The second stage will begin in March, with the PM stating that by “May or June, 15 to 20 million Spaniards will have been vaccinated.” Sanchez did not

specify what groups would receive priority doses during this stage, although the Spanish government has released a list of categories of people considered a high priority for treatment.

These include people with a variety of pre-existing conditions.

Sanchez says that “the third stage, when vaccines will be more widely available, will allow us to cover the entire population.” The government has yet to offer a timeline for when such an ambitious mass vaccination could take place.

Free smoke alarms ANDALUCIA’S regional government is to distribute free smoke alarm systems to over-90s who live alone in an effort to curb home fires.

The project is a collaboration between Telecare and Andalucia’s Ministry of Equality and will deliver sophisticated smoke detection systems to the homes of 23,000 vulnerable people including those over 90 years of age who live alone. The alarms will be installed, maintained and repaired at no cost to users. The head of the project, Rocio Ruiz, said that each year sees “numerous situations of fires in homes” across the region, with the older demographic more vulnerable to such emergencies according to data.

He says the new scheme “aims to respond to a situation of vital risk that has been detected, improves the safety of users and thus increases their peace of mind and that of their families and carers.”

The new alarms will be integrated into Andalucia’s Remote Assistance Service, which will monitor any signs of fire detected by alarms. If a unit reports smoke or flames, and the homeowner is not contactable, emergency services will be automatically dispatched to their property.

Coca-Cola’s New Booze COCA-COLA has launched a new alcoholic drink in Spain, named Topo Chico. It is set to arrive in March 2021 and is the brand’s first alcoholic drink.

The ‘hard seltzer’ will be gluten free and available in three flavours: Tropical Mango, Lemon-lime and, Cherry Acai. The drink will contain alcohol along with sparkling wa-

ter and has been invented by experts at Coca-Cola.

‘Hard seltzers’ are a growing trend; they have a low alcohol percentage and are based on sparkling water. Coca-Cola will not be alone, as the Spanish brewery Mahou San Miguel are ready to compete with their own drink, Glowy. They are the first Spanish brewery to produce a ‘hard seltzer.’

10 - 16 December 2020

EWN 15

16 EWN

10 - 16 December 2020

www.euroweeklynews.com

EUROPEAN PRESS

EUROPEAN NIBS DENMARK

GERMANY

Copenhagen firebomber

Bad advertising

A 32-YEAR-OLD man who firebombed the Christiansburg Palace last February admitted that he was responsible but denied wanting to harm politicians so has been ruled insane and will be sent to a psychiatric hospital for an indefinite period.

TOPMODEL has been awarded the title of Germany’s worst advertising gender stereotype 2020 whilst runner up was supermarket chain Edeka, which shows incompetent fathers and a child saying: “Thank you mummy that you are not daddy.”

NETHERLANDS Sue Poland IT’S not just the UK which causes schisms in the European Union, but Dutch MPs have now voted to urge their government to take Poland to the European Court of Justice for political interference in the Polish legal system.

BELGIUM Sex party BRUSSELS police broke up a lockdown sex party with 25 attendees, one of whom was a Hungarian MEP who has since resigned as well as two envoys who claimed Diplomatic Immunity to escape prosecution.

FRANCE Random checks AS France decides to keep its ski resorts closed over Christmas, it has bowed to pressure from resorts to introduce random checks at borders with Spain and Switzerland to ensure that French skiers don’t take advantage of foreign slopes.

NORWAY Christians first IN order to agree its 2021 budget, Norway’s Coalition Government has accepted a proposal that Christian refugees should be given priority when choosing who should come to Norway, although the opposition says minorities should be treated equally.

18 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

10 - 16 December 2020

Dumbest Ever ‘Love Armed Robber jihad’

A 52­YEAR­OLD Spanish national was arrested for robbery, on Thursday, November 26, by Na­ tional Police, in Fuengirola, Malaga. After being stopped in the street, by two officers searching for a suspect who had carried out some robberies earli­ er in the evening, he blurted out spontaneously, without being questioned, “Officer, I haven’t robbed any supermarkets.”

The suspect had earlier robbed two local supermarkets, only 30 minutes apart, the first one being the Maskom whilst wearing a mask similar to the

one used in ‘Money Heist’, at 8.30pm, and then, another, El Jamón, this time using a scarf to disguise his face, threatening the cashiers in both stores, bran­ dishing a knife to hand over the till contents, before fleeing.

The officers obtained CCTV footage of the suspect, and went in search of him. He was spotted walking calmly down the street, and upon question­ ing, that is when he gave himself up so stupidly. Police discovered two knives on him, one with a three­inch blade, the other 11 inches.

Vaccine Live On Air FORMER US presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton have all agreed to get the coronavirus jab live on air in an attempt to dispel the concerns many have shown about the vaccination, with some 42 per cent of Americans saying they are unwilling to take the shot. The US leaders join UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and TV presenter Piers Morgan, who have all said they would consider taking the vaccine on air to improve public confidence.

law A MUSLIM man has been ar­ rested in India under a new law for allegedly trying to con­ vert a Hindu woman to Islam.

After being arrested on Wednesday, December 2, the man ­ who claims he is inno­ cent and has ‘no link’ with the woman ­ was remanded into custody for 14 days.

This is the first time the new anti­conversion ‘love jihad’ law has been used in Uttar Pradash, and four other Indian states are currently drafting the same legislation.

‘Love jihad’ is a term radical Hindu groups use to accuse Muslim men of converting Hindu women by marriage.

But the new law ­ which carries a prison term of up to 10 years ­ has been blasted, with critics calling it Islamo­ phobic.

NEWS

Squatter can stay THE Supreme Court has ruled against the eviction of a squatter who is a victim of gender vio­ lence.

The Court considers that pro­ tective measures put in place were only for her two children and nothing had been done to protect the woman herself, and fears that if evicted, they would be at risk of domestic violence.

The Community of Madrid wanted to evict the woman who had illegally occupied a house with her two children, who are in

a precarious financial situation, but the Supreme Court considers there was an “absolute lack of foresight” on behalf of the Ad­ ministration regarding adequate protection measures to the vul­ nerable family.

The home is owned by the So­ cial Housing Agency.

The judge ruled that although he cannot prevent a forced evic­ tion derived from a final adminis­ trative act indefinitely, he does have to consider whether the ad­ ministration has taken protective

measures to protect them, and in this case, the court believes that eviction is disproportionate.

This ruling is against the Madrid High Court of Justice, which had approved the evic­ tion.

The woman filed an appeal and the Supreme Court has said it was necessary to consider the circumstances when there are children involved and the nega­ tive impact which an eviction from their home could have on them.

Mother Detained in Elche A MOTHER has been detained in Elche after al­ legedly leaving her young son locked outside, alone in the rain.

The incident occurred on November 27, at around noon when the boy aged two, was al­ legedly locked out in the rain and left with an um­ brella. He was found crying, wet and soaked in urine by the police after a neighbour reported hearing crying.

The Local Police gained access to the child us­ ing a ladder. The boy was too young to be able to tell officers what had happened and the boy’s brother, aged 17 was found asleep inside. He had

ELCHE: Mother left her son in the rain. no explanation and did not know where their mother was.

After returning home the mother was de­ tained for suspected abandonment of a minor.

20 EWN

10 - 16 December 2020

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Spirit sales streak ahead SALES of spirits in Spain has soared 27.5 per cent in the last 12 months. While there has been an increase in the sales of flour, sugar and pastries, it’s alcohol - in particular spirits - which has experienced the highest growth in household purchases according to the latest report from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Sales of whisky, vodka, rum and gin have risen by 27.5 per cent in the last 12 months, closely followed by beer, which has increased by 23.8 per cent.

Wine is also up there with a significant hike in sales, with purchases up 15.3 per cent.

Covid restrictions are believed to have contributed to the in-

creases, as bars have been forced to close and ‘consumption associated with leisure’ has switched to the home.

And it’s not just alcohol sales which have increased - household spending overall has risen by 11.2 per cent, with food purchases seeing a growth of 8.3 per cent.

Third Wave In Spain THE Secretary of Public Health of the Generalitat, Josep Maria Argimon, has warned that a report from the Centre for Disease Prevention in Europe foresees that the third wave of Covid­19 will arrive in January, due to increased mobility and social in­ teraction during Christmas.

Speaking with TV3 on Saturday, December 5, Argimon explained that: “the accumulated inci­ dence data are going down, although very little and almost imperceptibly. I hope it does not arrive,

but it is likely that it will.” This comes after the Min­ ister of Health, Salvador Illa, warned that: “we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but there are still very hard months ahead” since “the road is very unstable.”

The Minister said he believes that citizens will be responsible this festive period, and that he himself will be having Christmas dinner with his “family unit.”

Illa added: “If we neglect ourselves, we will go to situ­ ations that will demand drastic measures again.”

Biodegradable Covid Mask VALENCIA company Bionicia and the Higher Council for Scien­ tific Research (CSIS) have

launched Proveil Biomask, which is fully biodegradable and “when used and discarded, it will affect the planet much less.”

Bionicia announced on Wednesday, December 2, that their research aims to protect people in the long­term; thus developing a mask that is both environmentally friendly and of­ fers the same protection as oth­ er nanofibre products.

According to the company, these new biodegradable masks have a bacterial filtration efficiency greater than 92 per

cent and an aerosol filtration ef­ ficiency greater than 85 per cent.

The CSIC researcher who has developed the Proveil nanofibre filter, José María Lagarón, has highlighted: “The objective is that after being used, people can add them to the brown con­ tainer of organic matter, so that they are either taken to the landfill and there they biode­ grade in the soil, or they are tak­ en to industrial composting plants to biodegrade with the rest of the organic matter.”

22 EWN

10 - 16 December 2020

THE EURO WEEKLY NEWS is urging its readers to support local businesses in the com­ munity by going local through the lockdown and for your Christmas shopping this year, instead of feeding online giants and super­ stores.

This lockdown and festive period we challenge you to rediscover your local high streets, markets, butchers, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky indepen­ dent businesses in your area.

Due to the Covid­19 pan­ demic, you may have to sup­ port many local businesses by ordering online and making use of any click and collect services they can operate if you are unable to get out due to health reasons or lockdown restrictions.

The joy of shopping local means that independent busi­ nesses can help support the local community.

Although it may be a euro or two cheaper elsewhere or online, consider where your money is actually going. By shopping at an independent store you’re putting food on a local family’s table, and there is no better time than Christ­

www.euroweeklynews.com

FEATURE

GO LOCAL BUY LOCAL: By shopping locally, independent businesses can help support the local community.

mas to give back to your com­ munity by making a small ges­ ture and shopping in this way.

Many local stores support local charities, support and sponsor local sports teams and in many cases the small independent stores are actu­ ally much more than just a small high street shop, they’re a family’s legacy, often passed down through numerous gen­ erations and support not just the current owner, but the generation before.

For those stores which are new, that extra couple of eu­ ros spent there are support­ ing someone’s dream and am­ bition, and also the courage it took them to step out alone, which is no easy task. It takes quite a large chunk of money to set up an independent store and compete with the multi­national and chains.

So be sure to pre­order your turkey from a local butcher and get your spuds from a local greengrocer, let us revive that community spirit and get to know our neighbours again.

You could also consider purchasing gift vouchers from local businesses to help them over the coming weeks, think­ ing outside the box can often lead to some fantastic ideas.

Why not buy a meal for two, an hour’s tattoo time at a lo­ cal studio, a hair cut at a local salon or an online study course for someone looking to change their career path.

As people are struggling with finances thinking about what friends and family may actually need is important too. Whilst it’s nice to give a glamourous gift perhaps pre­ paying a family member’s

FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

10 - 16 December 2020

SPENDING LOCALLY: Will make a difference to the local economy. phone bill for the month would actually be a better gift. Helping people alleviate stress and worry, give the gift of peace of mind through these difficult times.

Choosing to spend your money locally will really make a difference in the recovery of the local economy. When we buy local, our money stays local, and it strengthens the local economy in two ways. First, buying local keeps money circulating within the local economy. Studies have shown that local businesses recirculate a greater share of every euro as they create lo­ cally owned supply chains and invest in their employees.

Data shows that local retail­ ers return 52 per cent of their revenue back into the local economy, compared to just 14 per cent for national chain retailers.

Money circulating through the local economy benefits everyone who is a part of each transaction. For exam­ ple, let’s look at a local farmer

growing produce.

First, they sell to a local restaurant, which in turn pre­ pares the fresh produce and sells it to local customers. The farmer pays its local employ­ ees and the restaurant uses revenue from sales to buy supplies from a neighbour­ hood hardware store. This ex­ ample illustrates how the re­ circulation of money in the local economy leads to a stronger financial foundation for our neighbours and com­ munities.

Buying local also fuels new employment and job opportu­ nities for people within our community. Studies show, lo­ cally owned businesses em­ ploy more people per unit of sales and retain more employ­ ees over time.

While buying local is finan­ cially compelling to our com­ munities; the benefits to our environment are equally im­ pressive. Buying locally re­ duces the processing of goods, packaging and trans­ portation waste, which leads to less pollution.

There’s a massive cultural shift underway redefining the

way peo­ ple make buying decisions.

We’re seeing more individuals concerned about the environ­ ment, about how products are made and sourced, where materials come from, and a company’s overall social and environmental impact.

Many businesses are join­ ing our Go Local campaign by offering customers special of­ fers and discounts throughout the festive period, more de­ tails to follow here soon.

Just remember to follow the latest government advice and any guidance businesses have to keep everyone safe.

EWN 23

FINANCE Another merger LATEST in the rush of Spanish banks looking to merge, sees Liberbank and Unicaja presenting their marketing plans to the European Central Bank (which is broadly in favour of stronger banks) as well as proposed structure.

Topo Chico AFTER testing consumer response in Japan, Coca Cola will be launching its first alcoholic drink in the Spanish market, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer which is a mixture of sparkling water, alcohol and gluten-free fruit flavours in March 2021.

Passenger insurance WITH a good record for few accidents, Spanish railway operator Renfe received just one bid in response to its tender for passenger insurance which was €4.1 million per annum for a two-year contract from American International Group (AIG).

Dark store LUSH, in Oxford Street, had to close but it had three storeys of soaps which needed to be sold so it was decided to turn this into a ‘Dark Store,’ closed to the public but accepting orders and using bikes for deliveries.

ECB backs cash THE European Central Bank (ECB is committed to ensuring that cash is readily acceptable around the euro area according to Board member Fabio Panetta even though there appears to be an overall increase in digital payments. Panetta warns however that people should keep in mind that digital payments can be relatively easily disrupted by power cuts, hackers and technical failures.

He commented “In such situations, cash can support resilience in payments: owing to its unique features, it provides a crucial backstop and a trusted store of value.”

STAT OF WEEK

€91 million

is the amount of lost revenue that one of Europe’s richest football clubs, Real Madrid believes is attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Spanish borrowing

Spain to invest funds in AI SPANISH Prime Minister Pe­ dro Sánchez has announced plans to invest €600 million into an ambitious new Artifi­ cial Intelligence (AI) strategy in an effort to transform the country’s economy and infra­ structure.

He confirmed that the gov­ ernment will invest the mon­ ey into the development of a national AI strategy between 2021 and 2023, with the pos­ sibility of further funding “if things are done well.”

The ambitious new strate­

gy will encompass the appli­ cation of AI in business, ad­ ministration, and education and will attempt to make Spain a global centre for the emerging tech field.

Of the €600 million bud­ get, €275 million will be in­ vested directly into techno­ logical development.

A further €133 million will be spent on integrating AI into the economy and production, while €100 million will go towards ap­ plying AI into public and

LEGALLY SPEAKING

government systems.

The remaining funds will be invested into the promo­ tion of research, education and professional training that Sánchez promises will be spread across Spain’s regions and promote gender diversi­ ty in the tech field.

The strategy will hope to see Spain emerge as a world leader in the growing field of Artificial Intelli­ gence, and extensive work will be put into making Spanish a working language

of the futuristic industry.

He has also said that the government will develop an ethical framework to “rein­ force our individual rights and freedoms” in the rapidly changing context of technol­ ogy.

The PM added that AI is a “transversal technology that covers health, agriculture, protecting the environment,” and said the new strategy will improve “systems of pro­ duction, design, and cyberse­ curity.”

A good track record

Can they stay longer?

Many people who own properties in Spain would like to spend more than 90 days here during the year, but they are worried that they will be limited to only 90 days after the transi­ tion period expires on January 1, 2021. Some are ap­ plying for residency in the belief that this will allow them to spend more than 90 days in Spain and that they will not be liable to pay residents’ income tax unless they stay for more than 180 days in a year.

Can you shed any light?

M L (Costa Blanca)

First, the tourist stay in Spain is limited YOU AND THE LAW to 90 days in any IN SPAIN period of 180 days. After the stay of 90 days the tourist must leave Spain for 90 days before he can legally return. This is not new. It has always been the rule. Secondly, any­ one who holds a residence permit is liable for Span­ ish income tax. Period. And a person who stays in Spain more than six months without a residence per­ mit may also be deemed subject to Spanish tax on the grounds that Spain is the country where he spends the most time.

DAVID SEARL

Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana and Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.

AS Arcadia calls in Administrators, the 13,000 staff most of whom are on furlough, don’t know what will happen to their jobs although the action to bring in Deloittes has been to protect the group from creditors and there are currently no planned redundancies.

In the meantime, Arcadia con­ tinues to trade online and the titu­ lar owner of the group, Tina

Credit: La Moncloa flickr

BUSINESS EXTRA

www.euroweeklynews.com • 10 - 16 December 2020

26

2021 BUDGETS: Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Pedro Sánchez recently met in Palma. usual multiannual budget pe­ A RECENT report from the riod as during the last MFF Italian Institute for Political which started in 2014 and Studies, the two main recipi­ ended this year, they used on­ ents of monies from the Euro­ ly a small part of the Euro­ pean Recovery Fund, Italy and pean Structural Investment Spain have a good track Funds available. record in obtaining funding Both spent as little as 10 from the European Union and per cent of the funds in the a poor one in spending it. first four years of their being Their recently presented available and then tried to 2021 budgets show that both play ‘catch up’ at the end of say that they will spend the the budget period, which indi­ allocated grants in full (Italy cates a clear lack of proper €87 billion and Spain €70 bil­ planning processes although lion) but whilst Italy expects in the case of Spain, the un­ to take advantage of the loan derspend was during the peri­ being offered, Spain does not od when the Partido Popular intend to use it until possibly was in control.

2024.

Time will now tell whether According to the report, either country can face up to history suggests that both the challenge of planned countries have struggled to spending of the allocated plan and spend the European money. funds accessible during the

Arcadia continues to trade Green, has confirmed that having already paid £50 (€55) million to the pension fund, she is about to pay a further £50 million even though it wasn’t due until Sep­ tember 2021.

Whilst in the long­term there are likely to be plenty of potential

purchasers for brands such as Top­ shop and Miss Selfridge, this does­ n’t mean that there will be any takers for the shops themselves or for the more staid brands such as Evans.

Another knock­on problem has hit Debenhams who themselves

WHAT might have appeared earlier this year as panic borrowing by Spain as it looked to the European Central Bank (ECB) to help bail it out as the country veered into lockdown may actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

The ECB has already con­ firmed that it will effective­ ly underwrite all of the Spanish bonds to be issued and because of the spi­ ralling fall in interest rates, Spain may well find that the borrowing costs next to nothing.

In the long term it will have to repay the principal sum, but possibly without interest.

Business rates relief IN these days of accoun­ tants and shareholders de­ manding profits almost over any care for consumers, four major supermarkets have confirmed that they will repay £1.39 billion (€1.53 billion) to the UK government in respect of business rates relief re­ ceived.

The four companies, Aldi, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco all confirm that their sales have been much high­ er than expected and there­ fore they had no need to keep the funds, although cynics suggest that they have made the decision so they don’t have to face gov­ ernment financial review once the pandemic is fin­ ished. are in Administration and were hoping to see a rescue from JD Sports, but as much of the Deben­ hams business relies on conces­ sions from Arcadia brands, that deal has also fallen through.

Spare a thought for shoppers in Gibraltar who have seen their BHS store close down and its replace­ ment, Debenhams likely to follow shortly.

28 EWN

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COMPANY

PRICE(P)

Johnson Matthey 2.303,3 JSC MMC Norilsk Nickel ADR 31,17 JSC VTB Bank DRC 0,985 Land Securities 695,69 Legal & General 252,20 Lloyds Banking 37,21 London Stock Exchange 8.640,0 Meggitt 446,20 Melrose Industries 162,81 Mondi 1.682,50 National Grid 859,40 NatWest Group 165,63 Next 6.602,0 Ocado 2.210,40 Persimmon 2.724,0 Phoenix 719,40 Prudential 1.242,50 Reckitt Benckiser 6.422,0 Relx 1.762,50 Rentokil 498,60 Rightmove 615,00 Rio Tinto PLC 5.457,0 Rolls-Royce Holdings 131,35 Rosneft 5,95 Royal Dutch Shell A 1.397,25 Royal Dutch Shell A 1.397,8 Royal Dutch Shell B 1.347,6 RSA Insurance 675,60 Sage 579,80 Samsung Electronics DRC 1.679,00 Sberbank 14,95 Schroders 3.257,0 Scottish Mortgage 1.112,32 Segro 893,60 Severn Trent 2.298,0 Smith & Nephew 1.532,50 Smiths Group 1.562,50 Spirax-Sarco Engineering 10.895,0 SSE 1.379,50 St. James’s Place 1.067,00 Standard Chartered 480,60 Standard Life Aberdeen 284,70 Taylor Wimpey 156,98 Tesco 225,26 Tui 473,24 Unilever 4.361,0 United Utilities 910,00 Vodafone Group PLC 131,22 Whitbread 3.235,0 WPP 771,58

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

2.360,0 31,53 1,007 726,40 262,55 38,59 8.678,0 449,80 164,90 1.696,50 862,00 171,15 6.768,0 2.237,00 2.898,0 725,60 1.251,00 6.518,0 1.774,50 500,80 627,40 5.493,0 133,19 6,00 1.412,50 1.411,2 1.358,6 676,80 583,60 1.686,00 15,21 3.313,0 1.116,39 904,60 2.309,0 1.541,50 1.586,00 11.000,0 1.389,00 1.090,50 488,90 289,80 161,32 228,50 486,80 4.365,5 921,80 132,24 3.315,0 785,60

2.303,3 31,17 0,985 695,69 250,92 37,16 8.626,0 442,93 162,81 1.680,50 856,60 165,10 6.600,0 2.202,00 2.718,0 718,20 1.239,00 6.400,0 1.762,50 496,40 610,20 5.447,0 130,40 5,94 1.396,00 1.396,4 1.345,0 675,20 576,26 1.678,00 14,90 3.254,0 1.106,00 891,88 2.283,0 1.527,00 1.562,50 10.860,0 1.378,50 1.065,00 480,60 284,38 156,18 224,80 464,60 4.332,0 908,20 130,76 3.235,0 771,58

8,15K 41,88K 37,61K 8,56K 328,76K 33,53M 20,21K 20,75K 158,26K 44,50K 473,44K 1,87M 18,56K 11,17K 270,26K 201,21K 193,88K 65,71K 22,90K 93,66K 164,32K 177,66K 4,06M 159,68K 421,73K 40,57K 113,02K 164,32K 31,84K 2,64K 623,49K 9,84K 228,31K 7,41K 56,53K 72,69K 1,45K 7,12K 15,30K 25,13K 337,54K 51,89K 494,10K 208,55K 289,43K 21,90K 75,03K 978,75K 50,76K 22,15K

0.9112

1.10352 Units per €

US dollar (USD) ......................................1.20922 Japan yen (JPY)......................................126.075 Switzerland franc (CHF) .........................1.08061 Denmark kroner (DKK) ...........................7.44307 Norway kroner (NOK) .............................10.7350

currenciesdirect.com/mojacar • Tel: +34 950 478 914 THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER

DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 7

COMPANY 3M Alphabet C Amazon.com Amgen Apple Boeing Caterpillar Chevron Cisco Coca-Cola Facebook Goldman Sachs Home Depot Honeywell IBM Intel J&J JPMorgan McDonald’s Merck&Co Microsoft Nike Procter&Gamble Salesforce.com Tesla UnitedHealth Verizon Visa A Walmart Walt Disney

PRICE 172,46 1.827,99 3.162,58 229,21 122,25 232,71 182,21 93,28 44,38 53,85 279,70 239,58 263,99 212,68 127,20 51,99 150,27 122,34 210,74 81,94 214,36 137,19 137,47 225,86 599,04 349,89 61,55 212,68 148,91 154,14

CHANGE 173,16 1.833,16 3.198,21 230,33 122,86 238,18 183,81 93,45 44,51 53,87 283,46 239,75 268,73 212,89 127,38 52,65 150,31 123,29 213,38 81,96 215,38 137,40 137,86 228,60 599,04 351,47 61,80 212,72 149,51 154,68

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) 171,54 2,66M 1.816,99 1,38M 3.158,76 2,91M 225,75 1,99M 121,52 78,26M 230,25 29,38M 175,62 6,09M 90,92 10,79M 43,89 17,32M 52,76 18,12M 279,30 10,88M 236,95 2,37M 262,82 7,73M 209,39 3,20M 123,64 5,52M 51,00 39,77M 149,27 6,75M 121,69 13,58M 210,10 3,15M 81,11 8,26M 213,18 24,67M 135,64 4,34M 135,87 6,62M 221,82 20,50M 585,50 29,40M 345,75 3,26M 61,27 10,50M 208,51 5,72M 147,58 6,96M 152,81 6,03M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 7

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+197.16% +2.78% +5.26% +1.35% +3.79% +2.59% +2.85% +93.22% +1.87% +3.29% +2.26%

3.39M 1,317 54,243 339,519 12,730 163,350 553,878 2.79M 505,430 1.76M 632,860

-0.76% -2.96% -3.45% -19.62% -9.82% -3.69% -1.28% -1.81% -16.15% -2.62% -3.01%

2.91M 480,537 2.71M 1.40M 8.52M 608,945 961,248 467,838 2.74M 4.36M 27.70M

Most Advanced Seer Inc. Cl A Broadcom Inc. 8% Pfd. Series A First Citizens Bancshares Inc. Cl A Booking Holdings Inc. Atrion Corp.

CoStar Group Inc. Intuitive Surgical Inc. Sigilon Therapeutics Inc. Trade Desk Inc. Cl A Lam Research Corp.

Equinix Inc.

Most Declined Amazon.com Inc. MarketAxess Holdings Inc. Ulta Beauty Inc. Cortexyme Inc. Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc. Quidel Corp.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. Pool Corp.

Cambium Networks Corp.

Zscaler Inc. Moderna Inc.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

www.euroweeklynews.com

Advertising Feature FUNERALS are mostly sad, dark and depressing but it really doesn’t need to be that way. They can be warm-hearted, wonderful, quirky, and most importantly personal, personalisation is a great way to turn a funeral into a celebration of life. Golden Leaves can help you pre-plan a funeral that is unique to you.

Be Bold

ONE of the most common requests from people who talk about their fu­ neral plans is ‘no black.’ While some will just ask for people to wear their favourite colour or their favourite sports team’s kit, many have more spe­ cific requests, such as Hawaiian shirts or even multi­coloured wellies. One Glastonbury fan had the unique re­ quest everyone who attended their fu­ neral wore wellies in honour of a shared love of the festival, one lady re­ quested the funeral service be decorat­ ed with fruits and vegetables in­ stead of flowers and why not... It’s your day af­ ter all.

Arrive in style Unconven­ tional trans­ port is a pop­ ular request.

Why have a hearse when you can arrive in an old fire engine, an old fashioned milk float or a horse drawn carriage?

The Ashes What to do with the ashes is a question most people look to have sen­ timental meaning, people’s ashes being made into jewellery has become a very popular trend and with new technology it’s now possible that from your ashes can grow a beautiful diamond, or some­ times they’re put into a firework to ‘go off with a bang!’

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Create a memory table One of the essentials of any person­

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Sow seeds of love In many cultures and traditions, plant­ ing a tree is a way of symbolising impor­ tant occasions, including birth, mar­ riage, and death. Embrace the tradition by either packaging seeds for a particular plant that ser­ vice guests can bring home to plant their memorial tree or flower, or gath­ ering atten­ dees together for a joint planting in someplace special.

Create ‘Fun Fact’ Cards A funeral ser­ vice is a once in a lifetime chance to cele­ brate the life you’ve lived, tell your story, and share all of the unique details that made you who you were. But sometimes this is hard to do in just an hour­long funeral service. Fun fact cards are an interesting way to spice up your funeral programme, all you have to do is simply print them out and easily incorporate into your funeral service, or give them away at the wake afterwards to encourage positive con­ versations and memories.

When you leave behind your loved ones, having a funeral plan in place pro­ vides not only peace of mind knowing they avoid the financial burden, but it allows them time to grieve and support one another without the stress of or­ ganising a funeral and trying to guess how you would like things. Whilst plan­ ning your funeral may appear to be a morbid thing to do, it can actually re­ move a huge weight from your shoul­ ders in knowing you have taken care of your family through what will be a very difficult time for them.

10 - 16 December 2020

EWN 29

30 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

10 - 16 December 2020

Reptile Rescue G U A R D I A C I V I L have arrested three people on a farm in the Barcelona town of Sant Vicenç de Montalt for selling protected species of reptiles.

Along with the arrests, a significant number of live animals were rescued including 19 turtles (Trochemys Scripta), two turtles (Centrochelys Sulcata), two snakes (Aspidites Ramsavi), a chameleon (Chamaleo Callyptratus) and three crocodiles (Crocodylus Siamensis), all of which have been determined that they were invasive species and protected by the C onvention on I nternational T rade in E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i e s o f W i l d Fa u n a a n d F l o r a (C I T ES). The animals have been moved to specialised centres where they are recovering.

Avoid PayPal Charges PAYPAL will be hitting users with the £12 charge in December for inactive accounts, unless of course you are registered in Ireland or in Hungary. Now is a good time to check your account as the charge will go out on D ecember 16 and will hit those who have not used their account in over 12 months.

There are a few ways to avoid paying the charge and those whose accounts are

not linked to a bank account apparently cannot be charged as the fee will be taken direct from the bank.

For users that currently have a balance, PayPal will be able to use this money, but if the balance is in the negative users should be safe.

U sers with inactive accounts should have been receiving warnings of the upcoming payments direct from PayPal.

FEATURE

Another conspiracy theory LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT I THINK I’m losing track of the plot.

Correct me if I’m wrong (and I KNOW you will) but didn’t we get all excited a few weeks ago with the announcement that the Brits had developed a new vaccine which was cheap, had a 90 per cent success rate and could be stored at normal fridge temperatures?

Since it has been announced that the British government has decided to purchase the Pfizer concoction, which is not only more expensive, but has to be preserved at ­70 degrees it appears our British vaccine is ‘still having trials’ and only a success rate of 62 per cent to 90 per cent! I actually did think there appeared to be skullduggery afoot, but with the announcement that the UK version will be available from next week and the Queen is one of the first volunteers, I suppose a bit of revenue will be coming the Brits way after all.

Ah well. I will probably have the ‘fix’ when it becomes available. When you

get to my age, ‘long term effects’ don’t have quite so much prevalence as they did in days of yore! What I did find even more disconcerting was some other information I received recently.

What about this for a hackle raiser? I quote. ‘The Chinese biological laboratory in Wuhan is owned by Glaxo, which by ‘chance’ owns Pfizer. Glaxo, also by chance, is managed by Black Rock Finances. Black Rock manages the finances of the Open Foundation Company (THE SOROS FOUNDATION!).

‘Coincidently,’ Soros also owns the German company Winterthur who, strictly by ‘chance,’ built the Chinese laboratory in Wuhan, which was bought by the German Allianze which ‘coincidently’ has Vanguard as a shareholder, who are also shareholders of Black Rock’. (Are your eyes glazing over yet!?).

Black Rock controls the Central Banks, about ONE THIRD of global investment capital and ‘incidentally’ is a major shareholder of Microsoft. Microsoft is, of course the property of Bill Gates, who just happens to be a shareholder of Pfizer and is also currently the first sponsor of the World Health

Organisation! Are you beginning to get the picture? If not, don’t bother, it’s actually another ‘conspiracy’ theory.

More fake news, which is full of the half­ truths and outright fantasy that unfortunately riddles the social media in this day and age.

These posts are not only damaging and misleading, but are a complete and utter waste of time and energy. They can also be quite dangerous when gobbled up and spread among the more gullible who want us to believe everything they read!

I see the mealy mouthed Nicola Sturgeon has had the wind taken out of her sails by the EU, who stated last week that it was extremely unlikely that an independent Scotland would ever be considered by them for membership.

Well of course it wouldn’t. Time to wake up to this incompetent woman’s politics of hatred and go forward together. I for one would hate to see a physical border and passports coming between me and the homeland of my many Scottish friends. After all, I am their favourite Sassenach DJ! Keep the Faith Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com.

Expatradioscotland.com. Mon. Wed. Fri.

Leapy Lee’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

Advertising Feature

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34 EWN

10 - 16 December 2020

www.euroweeklynews.com

FEATURE

WORD OF THE CENTURY NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist.

To comment on any of the issues raised in her column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/3.0.15/nora-johnson

AMID the first pandemic for more than 100 years in which free societies have endured restriction of their civil liberties that few had thought possible, there was surely only one serious candidate for ‘word of the year’ for 2020. Yes, you guessed: ‘lock­ down’.

Other pandemic­linked terms on Collins Dictio­ nary’s 10­strong list include ‘furlough’, ‘key worker’, ‘self­isolate’ and ‘social distancing’ as well as ‘coron­ avirus’. Non­virus related words to make the list re­ flect the social and political events of 2020. Runners­ up included the abbreviation ‘BLM’ (the Black Lives Matter movement). And ‘Megxit’, to describe the on­ going story of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s ef­ forts to extricate themselves from royal responsibili­ ties for a new life in California.

Slightly more obscure, perhaps, is ‘mukbang’, a term which literally means ‘eating broadcast’. It refers to a social media phenomenon that started in South Korea and has since gone viral worldwide in which celebrities and ‘influencers’, itself a short­listed word of the year in 2019, film themselves consuming food

to excess for the benefit of followers on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. Yuck!

As for me, my vote goes to ‘bigly’, though isn’t ‘Trump’ a contender, too? Another ‘bigly’ popular term this past year has been ‘pivot’ (for instance, restaurants ‘pivoting’ to home deliveries).

Indeed, ‘world­beating’ dissemination of an effec­ tive vaccine (fingers crossed) will prove a ‘pivotal’ point in the saga of Covid­19 ­ once, that is, they ‘ramp up’ the distribution which will be an ‘unprece­ dented’ challenge. Let’s just hope it’s ‘baked­in’, ‘oven­ready’ and they’re ‘doubling down’ on it right now...

Personally, I’ve always hated the word ‘lockdown’.

But then I’ve always hated ‘dentist’. I had one called Payne and another called Skidmore (that slow drill hanging over me like an evil praying mantis). Plus a school friend who swore he went to a dentist called Dr Fang he never wanted to hear about again.

But then there are certain words that enter com­ mon usage that you would NEVER want to hear again either. ‘Brexit’ (2016) is one. ‘Lockdown’ will surely be another...

Nora Johnson’s psychological crime thrillers ‘No Safe Place’, ‘Betrayal’, ‘The Girl in the Woods’, ‘The Girl in the Red Dress’, ‘No Way Back’, ‘Landscape of Lies’, ‘Retribution’, ‘Soul Stealer’, ‘The De Cleram­ bault Code’ (www.nora­johnson.net) available on­ line as eBook (€0.99;£0.99), Apple Books, paperback and audiobook. All profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer charity.

37

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YOUR STARS FOR NEXT 7 DAYS ARIES (March 21 - April 20) It seems that you are putting a lot of effort into whatever you do without getting as much out as you would like. However, as the week goes by, you will realise that it is only a temporary situation. Sometimes, it takes others a period of adjustment before they are ready to accept changes of a personal nature.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) The brick wall that you start banging your head against this week is not an illusion. It is, indeed, true that others are not responding to you in an expected way. By Wednesday this wall will start to fall and people will be more receptive.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Everything seems an effort at the beginning of this week, but as energy levels pick up you will gain momentum. Tackle one thing at a time and realise that Rome was not, indeed, built in a day. As the weekend approaches you will begin to realise that you have been far more effective than you thought.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) You really do need to come to an understanding with friends over a social matter, although this may take a little effort this week. It is clear that there are those who are less helpful than others, but this could be because of a misunderstanding.

LEO (July 24 - August 23)

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) What a lovely surprise to find that something you have always wanted is coming your way at last. Keep a firm hand with finances and take control if you want to organise things for the better.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Be cautious this week with your money. You have been aware for some time now that a change in your finances is likely. You have this in common with many others in your situation. Seeking professional help can be free and can make a big difference.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) A special chance to try something new should not be passed over. No one expects wonders from you, they are happy just to see you enjoying life. A recent change in your attitude to your future is already showing. Luck is just waiting for you to invite her in.

HEXAGRAM The purpose of the Hexagram puzzle is to place the 19 six-letter words into the 19 cells. The letters at the edges of interlocking cells MUST BE THE SAME. The letters in the words must be written CLOCKWISE. The word in cell 10 (DETAIL) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues.

ABOUND ANTHEM ASTUTE BEETLE BURLAP CATSUP CHASTE CRADLE DETAIL (10) ENTIRE NEWTON RAISED RASCAL RETIRE TELLER THEORY TIPTOE WEALTH WORTHY

LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY Sat 5 December

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Your home life gives you the most satisfaction at the moment even though someone seems to be challenging you. Some things are best ignored until they go away of their own accord and that also often applies to people. There is a time for everything and choosing it will make a task that could be difficult that much easier.

13-38-47 51-52-59

Be a social animal this week and you will strengthen both people and business contacts.

After being busy last week, you may be inclined to take it easy.

If it is the case that you really are low on energy, then use the telephone or email to full advantage to keep in touch.

Involvement in a situation connected with someone close may not be the best option this week. Giving advice is all well and good so long as you are sure of your facts.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23)

PISCES (February 20 - March 20)

Someone well and truly treads on your toes this week and it really puts your teeth on edge.

There are some bridges that may not be mended at the present time and are best left alone. Show your generous side but resist the urge to give in on an important issue because you are likely to regret it later.

Some disruption to your plans annoys you but there’s no point getting in a huff. Outside influences cannot be stopped but you are able to keep calm yourself. Rising to the bait will play into someone else’s hands. Although a situation must be dealt with, do it in your own time and in your own way.

BONUS BALL

18

IRISH LOTTO Sat 5 December

3-8-10 20-43-44

BONUS BALL

40

EURO MILLIONS Tue 1 December

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19)

TIME OUT

BONUS BALL

4

14-20-29 47-49

12

Fri 4 December

BONUS BALL

14-20-27 34-38

1 11

EL MILLON: HGG28522 LA PRIMITIVA Thurs 3 December

BONUS BALL

02-14-19 30-32-49

16 9

JOKER: 7238443 Sat 5 December

BONUS BALL

03-14-28 31-40-49

20

JOKER: 8155390

6

TIME OUT

38

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CODE BREAKER

ENGLISH-SPANISH

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

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 5 represents T and 23 represents Q, so fill in T every time the figure 5 appears and Q every time the figure 23 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

Across 1 Alabanzas (7) 5 Palos (5) 8 Button (on garment, machine) (5) 9 Bison (7) 10 Columna vertebral (5) 11 That (5) 12 German (6) 14 Strawberries (6) 18 Prensa (5) 20 Lakes (5) 22 Conductores (7) 23 Mile (5) 24 Águila (5) 25 Bailadores (7)

Down 1 Poverty (7) 2 Before (5) 3 Smile (7) 4 Envelopes (for letters) (6) 5 Fishing (5) 6 Languages (7) 7 Cáscara (de huevo, nuez) (5) 13 Tarde (últimas horas) (7) 15 Regime (7) 16 Señales (7) 17 Cerrado (6) 18 Father (5) 19 Escena (5) 21 Resolver (5)

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION QUICK Across: 1 Available, 6 Early, 7 Ideas, 9/14 Tip off, 10 Luggage, 11 Measles, 16 Needs, 17 Erase, 18 Strangers.

Down: 1 Alert, 2 Aeroplane, 3 Loyal, 4 Bring, 5 Waste, 8 Evaporate, 11 Mends, 12 Loser, 13 Stern, 15 Feeds.

CRYPTIC

Across: 1 Stables, 5 Tiger, 8 Chapter, 9 Shawl, 10 Set-to, 11 Cushion, 12 Robins, 14 Sparks, 17 Flatter, 19 Organ, 22 Shear, 23 Cleaner, 24 Lathe, 25 Screech.

Down: 1 Sacks, 2 Abaft, 3 Let down, 4 Struck, 5 Tests, 6 Glazier, 7 Relents, 12 Refusal, 13 Bravest, 15 Pioneer, 16 Wrecks, 18 Torte, 20 Genie, 21 North.

ENGLISH-SPANISH

BOGGLED

FUTOSHIKI

riot rota rotate rort iota itch itchy aitch aorta aortic teat tech techy tench oath tiro tori tour tore tort torte torc torch torr true thou thru throe thrice echo echt euro etch ecru retch recti hour houri hoer choir chou chore neat neath trot troth tribe tich cert cruet crotch cite citer rite rice ricer rich enrich ichor lite liter litre lice

Across: 1 Washing, 5 Swans, 8 Leather, 9 Offer, 10 Sonar, 11 Esmalte, 12 Abbots, 14 Thirty, 17 Maletín, 19 Sport, 22 Junta, 23 Oración, 24 Stare, 25 Tadpole.

Down: 1 Wales, 2 Spain, 3 Inherit, 4 Garden, 5 Storm, 6 Alfiler, 7 Surgery, 12 Almejas, 13 Balanza, 15 Husband, 16 On foot, 18 Traje, 20 Óxido, 21 Tense.

CODE BREAKER

NONAGRAM deer doer dorm dorp drew drop ewer mere more peer perm pore prod prom prow redo reed rode romp rope were word wore worm doper dower emeer erode moper mower pedro pored power proem roped rowed deeper peered permed powder premed redeem romped weeder weeper wormed empower powered EMPOWERED

HEXAGRAM

WORD LADDER

1 FILTER 2 CORRAL 3 UPTAKE 4 RELIEF 5 REPEAL 6 EMERGE 7 GENIAL 8 UMPIRE 9 ADVENT 10 GARDEN 11 PUPPET 12 INTENT 13 DIPOLE 14 INLAND 15 TEEING 16 CLOUDY 17 DIGEST 18 ILLUME 19 ENERGY

DINE MINE MILE MALE (MILL) MALL (HILL) HALL

KAKURO

or DINE WINE WILE WILL HILL HALL or

SUDOKU

DINE DIVE HIVE HAVE HALE HALL

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Almería TODAY VELEZ RUBIO ALBOX

HUERCAL OVERA GARRUCHA

WEATHER

MOJACAR ALMERIA RETAMAR ROQUETAS

ADRA

TOMORROW VELEZ RUBIO ALBOX

HUERCAL OVERA GARRUCHA MOJACAR

ALMERIA RETAMAR ROQUETAS

ADRA

SATURDAY VELEZ RUBIO ALBOX

HUERCAL OVERA GARRUCHA MOJACAR

ALMERIA RETAMAR ADRA

S: Sun

C: Cloudy

Th: Thunder

ROQUETAS

Cl: Clear

Sh: Showers

Sn: Snow

Malaga TODAY: MAX 18 MIN 8 Fri 17 10 Sat 15 10 Sun 14 9 Mon 17 8 Tues - 16 9 Wed 15 9

Alicante TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 12 Fri 16 10 Sat 17 13 Sun 16 12 Mon 16 11 Tues - 19 11 Wed 19 12

Almeria TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 7 Fri 19 9 Sat 15 8 Sun 14 10 Mon 15 11 Tues - 16 12 Wed 17 11

Benidorm TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 11 Fri 19 12 Sat 18 11 Sun 17 12 Mon 19 12 Tues - 17 11 Wed 17 159 Mallorca TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 11 Fri 19 13 Sat 17 12 Sun 17 11 Mon 18 11 Tues 17 12 Wed 19 11

Bilbao TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 10 Fri 17 9 Sat 16 11 Sun 14 11 Mon 15 10 Tues 16 13 Wed 15 15 Madrid TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 13 Fri 16 15 Sat 15 12 Sun 14 12 Mon 16 13 Tues 17 14 Wed 17 16

39

TIME OUT

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

BOGGLED How many English words can you find in the Boggled grid, according to the following rules?

• The letters must be adjoining in a ‘chain’. They can be adjacent horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

• Words must contain at least four letters and may include singular and plural or other derived forms.

• No letter may be used more than once within a single word, unless it appears twice.

• No vulgarities or proper nouns are permitted.

Barcelona TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 11 Fri 17 11 Sat 16 12 Sun 15 11 Mon 16 11 Tues 18 9 Wed 19 10

Euro Weekly News strives for accuracy, but cannot be held responsible for any errors in published forecasts

TARGET:

SCORING:

Average: 19 Good: 26 Very good: 37 Excellent: 48

4 letters: 1 point 5 letters: 2 points 6 letters: 3 points 7 letters: 5 points 8 or more letters: 11 points

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

CRYPTIC Across 1 Robert's musical wild animals (7) 4 Chews the fat in a church at suppertime (5) 7 Jumble sale including 10 vehicle parts (5) 9 Appetiser for a race official (7) 10 Weed holding deer as temporary prisoner (7) 11 Chef in kitchen returns with a weapon (5) 12 Fashioned an outhouse to keep a python initially (6) 14 Swan taking donkey round trees (6) 18 Join the French, become confused (5) 20 Fresh bread is cooked slowly (7) 22 Some slimmers eat duck (7) 23 Poet has a meal at the King's Head (5) 24 One taken in by my cash (5) 25 Moderates fits of anger (7) Down 1 Be taking pains to get to the seaside? (7) 2 Bighead lets out cuffs (5) 3 Part of embassy’s temporary procedure (6) 4 French Alka-Seltzer contains calcium carbonate (5) 5 Sit and read awkwardly with legs apart (7) 6 A merry frolic for drunken peers (5) 8 Criticise pub credit (5) 13 Awfully bad sign for stomach (7) 15 Saint has an old boat that is undecorated (5) 16 Unhappy winners are cruel people (7) 17 Not here, as bent out of shape (6) 18 Cab heading off to the centre of Rome? That's taken for granted (5) 19 Peer with a ponytail is ahead of schedule (5) 21 Flash flood ruins tapes (5)

TIME OUT

40

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SUDOKU

QUICK

Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3X3 box contains the digits 1-9.

There’s no maths involved. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.

Across 1 Quick (4) 3 Retail outlets (5) 8 Changed for something different (9) 9 Fixed look (5) 10 Utter a sudden loud cry (4) 14 Not easy (4) 15 Cooked in an oven (5) 18 Standing out (9) 20 Bring the foot forcibly down upon (5) 21 Unemployed (4)

Down 1 Known thing (4) 2 Structure that provides privacy and protection from danger (7) 4 Make whole and healthy (4) 5/19 Over eat (3,3) 6 Frightening (5) 7 Full-grown (5) 11 Chosen by vote (7) 12 Strips of potato fried in deep fat (5) 13 At some time in the future (5) 16 Motion picture (4) 17 Free from danger (4) 19 See 5

WORD LADDER Move from the start word (WRAP) to the end word (GERM) in the same number of steps as there are rungs on the Word Ladder. You must only change one letter at a time.

WRAP

QUIZ There are 12 sovereign states that make up the continent of South America. This quiz is about 10 of them: 1. According to Michael Bond, the duffel coat wearing, marmalade loving bear, Paddington was sent by his Aunt Lucy from which country?

2. Founded in 1903, the sports club Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is based in which country?

3. Hips Don’t Lie and Whenever Wherever were both UK hit singles by singer/songwriter Shakira, who was born in which country in February 1977?

4. In 1960 Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and which other country formed the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)?

5. Which country’s flag is made up of three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the centre of the flag?

6. Sucre is the constitutional capital and La Paz the seat of government of which landlocked republic?

7. The bossa nova, a dance similar to the samba was developed and popularised in the 1950s and 1960s in which country?

8. The guaraní is the national currency unit of which country?

9. Which country has a wine growing area called Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins Region, often shortened to O’Higgins Region?

10. Which country hosted and won the inaugural FIFA World Cup tournament in 1930?

Not a lot of people know that… Guyana is the only Englishspeaking nation in South America and, at just under 165,000 square kilometres (64,000 square miles), Suriname is the smallest sovereign state in South America

BACK GERM

NONAGRAM

RACHEL AND FRIENDS

How many English words of four letters or more can you make from the nine letters in our Nonagram puzzle? Each letter may be used only once (unless the letter appears twice). Each word MUST CONTAIN THE CENTRE LETTER (in this case B) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.

TARGET:

audreyquinton99@gmail.com

Average: 14 Good: 19 Very good: 27 Excellent: 35

Answers 1. PERU 2. ARGENTINA (Rosario, Santa Fe) – they were named after the Essexborn teacher Isaac Newell, 3. COLOMBIA (Barranquilla), 4. VENEZUELA, 5.

ECUADOR, 6. BOLIVIA (officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia), 7. BRAZIL (bossa nova means ‘new trend’ in Portuguese), 8. PARAGUAY, 9. CHILE, 10.

URUGUAY

HEALTH & BEAUFEELING stressed can lead to us making wrong food choices as we’re more likely to grab a bar of chocolate than a carrot stick when feeling under pressure.

Stress can trigger chem­ ical changes in the body resulting in bad food

10 - 16 December 2020

42 to read more visit

www.euroweeklynews.com

Stress can pile Why having a Bipolar Crisis on the pounds Plan in situ is a good thing!

cravings and whilst mak­ ing you feel better briefly, it is bad news for

those watching their weight.

In stressful situations, the brain signals that it is under threat and floods the body with stress hor­ mones such as adrenaline and cortisol. If stress lev­ els remain high, cortisol stays in the body long af­ ter the initial adrenalin rush, wanting energy rich foods as the brain’s at­ tempt to balance out the physical and mental de­ mands of stress.

Cortisol also affects how fat is distributed around our bodies and it builds up in the worst place, around our middles making it harder to shift.

So to beat the bulging waistline try looking at your stress levels and stay calm to help reduce the temptation of reach­ ing for the chocolate.

MS BIPOLAR UP AND DOWN WITH BALANCE UNEDITED THIS is something I have created for myself this week, not because I am unwell but because at this very moment I feel that I have control over my feelings and also the right frame of mind to know what I want in case an emergency intervention was needed in the future. This is to help them protect me, if I cannot.

A bipolar crisis, like any other Mental Health Illness is when I am so unwell that I could be a risk to either myself or others, suicidal or reckless behaviour that could be brought on by a manic episode.

If your trustee is a loved one, then they will already know what to look out for, but it would be a good idea to list warning signs. For example, my Mum knows that if I am on my third night of poor sleep then her antenna is up and she knows to watch me closely. First thing is to appoint a trustee , a person that will have your best interest at heart and a person you can trust to follow your wishes or your crisis plan.

It’s not a legal document but if you have an action plan in place and you were to be taken ill, you will be able to focus on getting better, one less trigger and stress. List things like your Doctor’s name, the medication you are on at the moment, the names and

quantities you are taking, also where these are kept in your home. Where your medical card is so they can find it easily, your important documents, bank cards, purse etc.

List of things that may trigger an episode, such as life events, dates, travels.

Warning signs such as paranoia, lack of sleep, worrying over insignificant things.

Things that people can say to reassure you or calm you. Instructions on what they need to do, like lock up your house , if you have children - list important details about your day to day. School times, after school activities. Taking care of pets.

Things they can do to help you through a panic attack. For example, my mum places ice on the palms of my hands and makes me hold it, makes me focus on my hands being cold rather than the panic.

I was sceptic at first when I started writing my crisis plan down on paper, but by the end of it, I had a sense of control whilst my mind is clear.

I would love to hear your ideas and what you would add to your crisis plan.

Write to me or follow me on facebook @mswillowbipolar Love Ms Bipolar x

msbipolar@euroweeklynews.com

PETS

44

SPONSORED BY

www.euroweeklynews.com • 10 - 16 December 2020

Pet plans for next year’s holidays?

IF you are already thinking about plans for next year’s holiday you may be thinking that your furry friend could come with you. Well that’s one idea. Have you thought that it might be a better break for both of you if your pet stays safely at home in the care of pet loving sitters? They could take care of everything to do with your pet and home maintenance, and you can have a wonderful escape from the daily grind.

Take a moment to plan ahead for pet and house­sitters if you have trips planned next year, to

Is your pet coming with you on next year’s holidays? If not then…

see family and friends or just to get away. Now is the time to get ready. We will help you as much as we can. Our philosophy is that we are all in this together.

These are the steps to take: 1. Register as a Homeowner on HouseSitMatch.com 2. Choose a Premium ac­ count (£89 per year) to ensure you can help online when needed 3. Create a profile with pho­ tos of your pet and the house 4. Post a house­sit advert stating your plans for next year’s holiday Covid permit­ ting.

Do you need a pet­sitter in 2021? Then get started right now.

How does it work?

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable sitters. Join our network for a small annual fee.

You get ID checked for safety and then build your advert say­ ing when you are going on holi­ day. House­sitters see your ad­ vert, they respond and you

choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets.

Trustpilot Testimonials ­ 4.8 / 5 Excellent rating (New Trustpilot rating scale) Here’s what members have said about us ­ HouseSitMatch found us a perfect house­sitter…

HouseSitMatch found us a perfect house­sitter while we were away in Canada and we were delighted with the care and attention that HouseSit­ Match took in helping us find the right person.

Ros Morris ­ Dog owner How do you join?

Please register online via our website www.Housesit match. com ­ Choose a membership plan ­ Please note prices go up soon so sign up now on sub­ scription to secure these prices: • Standard (DIY option) = £69 pa • Premium (with support at each step) = £89 pa

Could your pet give you salmonella?

INVESTIGATORS at Valencia’s CEU­Cardenal Herrera university have warned of the possible dangers of keeping turtles as pets. In a study led by veterinary professor Clara Marin, investiga­ tors discovered the presence of salmonella in 29 per cent of 96 privately­owned turtles kept as pets.

The reptiles show no symp­ toms, yet this considerable num­ ber of carriers is extremely likely to pass the bacteria on to its owners, especially children, the elderly or people with weak im­ mune systems, Marin said.

This should be taken into ac­ count by parents who choose turtles as pets for their children due to their small size and con­ venience, and pet shops should warn of the dangers, the investi­ gators said. In Europe 100,000 cases of salmonella are diag­ nosed each year and although most are due to contaminated food, it’s estimated about 6 per cent are from contact with tur­ tles and reptiles.

CLASSIFIEDS AIR CONDITIONING

BUILDERS ALMERIA BUILDERS: Fully Legal, Fully Insured, All Work Guaranteed. 659 685 133 www.almeri abuilders.com (253556)

BUY & SELL BUY FUR Coats & Jackets, handbags, designer bags, oriental & Persian carpets, jewellery & watches. All kind of Silver, sliver plated 90/100/800. Cutlery, tin, amber, coral, coins, medals, porcelain. Radio, musical instruments. Military items until 1945, photos, medals etc. Fair price paid in CASH. Phone 688 335 497 (290436) BUY vinyl records, record players, CD’s & Radios.

688 335 497 (290436) PRIVATE collector will buy your Gold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

CHURCHES LOCAL ANGLICAN (C of E) Church Services Mojacar, Sundays at 11am Llanos Del Peral, Sundays at 11am Aljambra Chapel, 1st Thursday monthly at 11am Priest in Charge, Rev. Vincent Oram 603 659 139. For directions, details and to find out more about our church activities please see our website http://www.almeriaanglican.com (10002) ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - Why not make this year the year you volunteer? Call and see how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy.

We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbuddyhhvisits@gmail.com . If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well as the big, sometimes talking to someone is the first step to feeling more in

46

control. It can be a personal need or some help with your home or information on what or who to speak to on a medical issue, we help with signposting if we cannot help directly, just call and have a chat with Pam who will try to guide you to where you need to be. If you would like to go to a branch meeting then find your nearest one at, www.britishlegion.org.uk/c ounties/spain-north ZURGENA Branch meeting on the first Thursday, Coffee Morning on the third Thursday and Buffet & Quiz Night on the last Tuesday of the month all at The Heathers La Alfoquia, for further details please email zurgenar blsecretary@yahoo.co.uk (253989)

DAMP PROOFING

ESTATE AGENT VOSS HOMES are a professional, British family-run Estate Agents with an office in Huercal-Overa town. They specialise in selling and renting properties in the HuercalOvera, La Alfoquia, Zurgena & Taberno area. Andy, Anna, Jess, Adele, Hannah, Amy & Karen look forward to helping you buy, sell or rent your ideal property. Please call 678 002 006 for more information (283824)

FOR SALE/WANTED WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

INSURANCE AWARD-WINNING AGENT for ALL your insurance needs. LIBERTY SEGUROS ALBOX/MOJACAR INSURANCE, ALBOX OFFICE: 950 121 943. Mojacar office: 634 323 399 (10003) MOTOR INSURANCE. For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 902 123 309, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 902 123 309 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now!

(200726)

AGM

MOTORING

ELECTRICAL ABBOTT ELECTRICS. From a Light Fitting to a Full Rewire. Tel: 950 137 208 / 638 010 691 (277829)

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PLUMBING

MEETING POINT

REMOVALS/STORAGE

FOR SALE WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309. (200726)

NAUTICAL INTERNATIONAL SKIPPER LICENCE: Courses held in English and starts soon. RYA VHF and Radar Courses. 626 245 098 (290545)

PAINTERS

SOLAR ENERGY SOLAR WIND POWER SOLUTIONS. Over 20 years installation experience. Established 17 years in Spain. Call Phil for competitive prices on 636 261 240 or email info@sunergyalmeria.com (283080)

XXX RELAXATION

PETS

RECENT WIDOWER WLTM nice sporting lady about 70yrs old, looking for companionship, possibly a round of golf & dining out. Please write to me with your contact details to meet up for a coffee – Apartado Correos 344, Vera (290546)

Please note that in Spain there is NO legislation banning adverts in this section. Neither regional nor national governments are able to pass such a law due to rules governing freedom of publication and printing.

READERS OF A SENSITIVE DISPOSITION MAY FIND SOME OF THE ADVERTISEMENTS IN THIS SECTION OFFENSIVE.

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MISCELLANEOUS GOLD & SILVER Bought & Sold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

PLUMBERS KNOWLES PLUMBING No 1 for all plumbing jobs big or small. Central heating, solar hot water and water deposits.

Tel: 606 807 797 or 684 143 560 (283894)

STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbey gateinsure.com (2887610) RISING DAMP / ROOFING REPAIRS www.elec tro-os.com info@electroos.com 619 666 363 (287819)

BUILDERS

10 - 16 December 2020 • www.euroweeklynews.com SPONSORED BY

THE FIVE BONE HOTEL, TURRE. We are still here and would love to discuss your future requirements. 630 234 556 / the5bonehotelturre @gmail.com (279669)

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

Male/Female viagra, cialis, kamagra jelly, mixed trial packs available, all areas mail order. 604 385 476. viagra4you19@gmail.com (290901)

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10 - 16 December 2020

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www.euroweeklynews.com

Smart Charging Collaboration FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMO­ BILES has joined forces with Kaluza to explore smart charging services for electric vehicles.

The two companies join forces in a mission to make charging cheaper, easier and more sustainable for electric vehicle (EV) dri­ vers, the UK selected as a testbed for new EV innova­ tion.

Kaluza’s platform will de­ velop direct­to­car smart charging for the all­new Fiat

500 EV, enabling a richer customer experience and a more resilient energy sys­ tem.

Fiat Chrysler Automo­ biles, a leading global au­ tomaker, and Kaluza, a leading intelligent energy platform, have entered into a Memorandum of Under­ standing aimed at exploring how to deliver cheaper, simpler and more sustain­ able EV charging services to FCA’s customers through Kaluza’s pioneering cloud

ELECTRIC: Customers will be invited to trial smart charging service.

platform.

A select group of Fiat 500 EV customers in the UK will be invited to trial the smart charging service during the first half of 2021, and pro­ vide ongoing feedback through dedicated forums.

MOTORING