Euro Weekly News - Axarquia 17 - 23 December 2020 Issue 1850

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The people’s paper

SAFE CITY 17 - 23 December 2020

AN anti­Covid ‘Safe City’ cam­ paign has been launched ahead of Christmas.

Velez­Malaga Council has un­ veiled its ‘Ciudad Segura’ initiative to reinforce Covid measures adopted on public transport in an­ ticipation of an influx in shoppers over the festive period.

Informative posters will be placed around Velez­Malaga and on all forms of public transport, stations and bus stops.

This is coupled with an aware­ ness video.

Mayor Antonio Moreno Ferrer and the Security councillor, José María Domínguez, said the aim is

AXARQUIA - COSTA TROPICAL • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

CREDIT: Ayuntamiento de Velez-Malaga

ISSUE NO. 1850

NEW CAMPAIGN: To reinforce Covid measures to be adopted on public transport.

€4.2 million school

NEW SCHOOL: The move is in response to demand and a lack of educational infrastructures in the province.

THE Ministry of Education and Sports of the Junta de Andalucia is to allocate €4.2 million for the construction of a new Institute of Secondary Education (IES) in La Cala del Moral, Rincon de la Victoria.

The new school, which will have places for 360 pupils, will be located in Parque Victoria de La Cala del Moral urbanisation,

next to CEIP Maria del Mar Romera, after the council accepted the transfer of ownership.

Andalucian government delegate in Malaga, Patricia Navarro, said the move is “in response to a demand and a historical lack of educational infrastructures in the province, which has been the most forgotten of all Andalucia in educational matters

by previous governments.”

The school will have a floor area of 3,240 sqm and will include 12 multipurpose classrooms, a music classroom, a Special Education facility with adapted toilets, audiovisual workshop, laboratory, library, cafeteria and gym with changing rooms.

Work is expected to start next summer.

FREE • GRATIS

to “raise awareness among citi­ zens of the individual and collec­ tive responsibility that is so neces­ sary at this time, especially over Christmas.

“The exemplary behaviour shown so far is key to overcoming this pandemic together,” said Fer­ rer.

“Buses and taxis have been fit­ ted with screens and hydrogels, surveillance has been reinforced and support actions have been carried out for the most needy to­ gether with Civil Protection volun­ teers, among other initiatives, thus ensuring the safety of the neighbours.”

Man finds €3,000 worth of lottery tickets

A MAN, 27, in Malaga found €3,000 worth of lottery tickets near his home and returned them to the lottery seller.

According to a report in national Spanish daily ABC, he saw a folder on a car when he looked out of his third-floor window. He went down to see what it was and found at least 95 lottery tickets for El Gordo Christmas lottery. He picked it up, left a note on the car and called the police, who arrived on the scene, and he gave them the tickets and went off to work. He hadn’t got far when his phone rang, it was the lottery seller who had been given the tickets by the police and wanted to thank them. The seller gave the man and the officers some Euromillions tickets to thank them. The upstanding citizen also asked the seller to come by his work place so he could buy a ticket from him, hoping that some luck would come from his good deed.

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Emotional farewell for tigress STAFF at Peña Escrita park said an emotional farewell to Almuñecar tigress Nerea on Mon­ day, December 14 as she was moved to pas­ tures new.

After almost 10 years at the park, Nerea has headed to the APP Primadomus park where her new foster home awaits her, along with other felines.

Under the watchful eye of veterinarian Anto­ nio Casas, three vehicles of technicians and spe­ cialists in wild animals, accompanied the tigress on her journey, after an ‘emotional goodbye’ from her handler. Vet Casas said as 15­year­old Nerea was being prepared for transportation: “She knows me and knows that there may be some unpleasant performance ahead, but we

are going to treat her in the best way possible.”

Carer Julio was keen to make sure her new owners catered for her every whim, reminding them “she loves rabbits, shoulder and wild boar, are also among her favourite foods.”

Lions and lionesses were recently relocated from the closing park, which now has just 20 animals.

Bogus gas checks ARENAS Council has issued a warning after re­ ports of bogus gas technicians claiming to be from the local authority have attempted to gain access to people’s homes in the town ­ in particu­ lar those of expats.

A council spokesperson said: “We have learned that there are some people visiting hous­ es within our municipality, especially the houses of foreigners, saying that they are gas technicians and they are going to check the facilities.

“They ask to enter the homes and charge for their inspection, in addition saying they are au­

thorised by the council and even that they are employees.

“All this is false, since the town council has not authorised anyone to visit the houses and inspect the gas installations, much less that they are council staff. Anyone who visits a property to check facilities must be duly accredited by a com­ pany and must have previously been requested.”

Anybody who receives a visit from one of these ‘alleged technicians’ is asked to contact the Guardia Civil on 061 or Arenas Council on 952 509 005.

Action to save the convent HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition demanding the restoration of a 16th century convent in Velez-Malaga, owned by Unicaja Banco.

The petition, through the Change.org platform, received more than 400 signatures over the weekend alone, calling for ‘immediate action.’

The campaign to breathe new life into the deteriorated and abandoned convent of Las Claras, a building declared a Site

of Cultural Interest (BIC) and dating back to 1555, was launched on Friday, December 11.

“Las Claras has a high historical-artistic value. Its uniqueness is recognised both by the Junta de Andalucía and by the town council of Velez-Malaga, which are responsible for its protection so that it remains in perfect condition,” explained organisers of the Defence of Las Claras.

After a “series of circumstances,” the property was pur-

chased by Unicaja Banco, “which now has the obligation, as the current owner, to maintain and repair the building,” campaign organisers added. “We cannot lose such an emblematic building in our history, and that is why we request support to avoid the loss of this architectural benchmark of Spanish Baroque art.”

The property had a religious use until 2009, when the nuns who lived there moved to a new convent on the Arenas road.

NEWS CREDIT: Ayuntamiento de Almuñecar

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NEREA: Has moved to pastures new.

200 breaches in Rincon LOCAL POLICE in Rincon de la Victoria have issued almost 200 fines for breach of Covid measures in four weeks.

Between November 12 and December 9, 193 flouters were sanctioned.

Thirty­five of those ‘unjusti­ fied displacements’ occurred over the holiday weekend,

from December 4 to 8, when police presence was doubled.

The extra patrols continued until midnight on Saturday, December 12 Councillor for the Local Po­ lice, Borja Ortiz, said: “From the outset we have taken each and every one of the mea­ sures we have applied very se­

Coastline cash HALF A MILLION EUROS has been awarded to Nerja Council to spruce up and enhance its coastline - the only municipality in the Malaga P rovince to receive the M inistry of T ourism grant.

The €498,213 will be used to improve accessibility at Torrecilla beach and reform of the promenade to house toilets, a treatment and first aid room, and buy an all-terrain vehicle for rescue and security.

Drainage will be upgraded and four ecological islands will be placed on El Playazo beach and Larenovation along with informative posters.

M ayor J osé A lberto A rmijo: said: “ P aying greater attention to our beaches is a very wise political decision, thinking about our tourism future and therefore about the economy and employment of our people.”

riously, and it is not in vain that we are achieving a reduc­ tion in cases.

“Soon we hope to reach the low level of contagion in our municipality,” adding that while the police are essential to maintain control, the re­ sponsibility ultimately lies with the public.

Shine a light

ARENAS Council is shining a light on its bid to move to a ‘low-carbon’ economy.

Having secured European funds for projects which promote environmentallyfriendly solutions, the town is replacing all public lighting.

Over the next few days, 126 lights will be replaced, with the installation of LED alternatives for improved lighting and reduced electricity consumption.

The work is expected to be completed by the end of the week.

This initiative is part of a scheme launched in mid-2016 in collaboration with the Axarquia Commonwealth, and financed with European funds obtained by the Malaga Provincial Council for the ‘execution of projects that favour the transition to a lowcarbon economy.’

NEWS

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NIBS EXTRA Toy campaign NATIONAL POLICE officers have collected three tonnes of food and toys as part of its solidarity campaign in Malaga. The donated items are destined for children at the Santa Teresa Infant School in the La Palmilla neighbourhood, and the Ciudad de los Niños, in time for Christmas.

Covid data THE Junta de Andalucia has announced that Benamocarra will be subjected to a massive screening to shed light on the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic in the municipality. With the addition of Benamocarra and Humilladero, 21 Malaga municipalities have now been selected for the mass Covid testing.

Green light THE Plenary of Rincon de la Victoria has given the green light to the initial approval of the €45.8 million budget for 2021. Among the main characteristics of the budget is the creation of a Covid contingency fund for which €765,000 has been allocated, and final approval is scheduled for January 2021.

Shop local ‘CLOSE to those you love the most’ is the slogan for VelezMalaga Tourism’s new Christmas campaign which aims to ‘stimulate, promote and support local commerce,’ and encourage shoppers to buy locally and ‘support a sector very affected by the Covid-19 crisis,’ while following all safety and hygiene guidelines.

Action plan A NEW action plan has been put in place to renovate and install new traffic signs and speed bumps through Velez-Malaga. Deputy Mayor Jesús Pérez Atencia said “the distribution of these resources will be done in a balanced way, so as to benefit the largest possible number of residents.”

Opening hours THE Municipal Public Library of Nerja has extended its opening hours and will now be open Monday to Friday from 9am to 2pm and from 4pm to 8pm. Reduced capacity and social distancing of one and a half metres must be respected, hydroalcoholic gel should be used at the entrance, masks are mandatory.

THE Enrique López Cuenca Stadium offered a touching message of support for Nerja Local Policeman Cecilio Prados ‘Chilio’ who is battling cancer.

For the last 11 years, up to 150 people take part in the 36th Christmas Mile of Nerja ‘11th Memorial Miguel Prados’ in memory of ‘Chillo’s’ brother, but this year the officer isn’t racing for the first time due to his illness.

So members of the Munici­ pal Corporation, colleagues from the Local Police force, representatives from the Spanish Association Against Cancer, athletes, family and friends pledged ‘today we run for you’ to ‘encourage him in

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Touching message

IN MEMORY: ‘Today we run for you.’ his fight against cancer.’

And they wrote their ges­ ture in giant letters on the sta­

CD Rincon’s new strip ahead of Copa del Rey clash

NEW STRIP: Premiered at Añoreta Golf.

CLUB DEPORTIVO RINCON have shown off their new strip ahead of the Copa del Rey clash with Alaves.

Premiering the new shirts at Añoreta Golf, the club owner said the team was excited about the game to be played against Alaves in the coveted tournament at 9pm yesterday, Wednesday, De­ cember 16.

The unveiling was attended by staff and management from the Francisco Romero team, includ­ ing team president, Francisco Jiménez.

In addition, president of the

Malaga Provincial Council and mayor of Rincón de la Victoria, Francisco Salado was present and representing Malaga Club de Fut­ bol, the judicial administrator, José María Muñoz.

Salado said: “It is a historic meeting for our municipality, and I have to congratulate the entire board of directors for the magnif­ icent work they are doing, and this does not come by chance.

“If you work and are persis­ tent, you get results. We have played very well in the knockout matches of the Andalucian Cup, and now anything can happen.”

Raid on home FOUR suspected heroin and cocaine dealers have been arrested in a raid on a home in Malaga City, with two of them remanded into custody.

An investigation began in November following reports of ‘transactions’ taking place at the property the four shared, as well as in the corridors of the block where ‘nobody wore masks.’

Police seized quantities of heroin and base cocaine during the raid and arrested three men aged between 56 and 65, and a 39­ year­old woman.

They are all expected to appear in court this week.

dium pitch prior to the run on Sunday, December 13.

A spokesperson said: “Never

in all these years has Chilio missed this Christmas Mile, to­ day we miss him, but we hope that next year we will have him here again.

“From Nerja athletics, we want to send Cecilio this posi­ tive message and all our ener­ gy to see him recovered as soon as possible.”

Mayor of Nerja, José Alberto Armijo, reiterated the “feeling of hope and encouragement” adding: “We will have a good Local Police officer again and, above all, a very good person like Chilio.”

Festive cheer

THE council is bringing a little Christmas cheer to schoolchildren in Velez­Malaga to ‘encourage enthusiasm’ over the festive period.

Twenty brightly coloured mailboxes are going to be delivered to all schools in the municipality, along with around 8,000 letters to all the pupils encouraging them to write their Christmas wishes.

The letters will then be passed to the Three Kings.

“We are aware of the difficult times we are living in, and we want this to affect as little as possible the little ones in the house who await the arrival of the Three Kings so intensely,” said councillor for Education and Fairs and Festivals, Lola Gámez.

She added: “Among all the letters collected from the schools, the Royal Postman will choose some at random who will receive a gift on January 6.

“In light of the Covid­19 pandemic, it is important that we all make a better Christmas together.”

Economy boost TORROX Council has created a 350­space multi­purpose car park to boost the local economy.

It’s hoped the car park, located in the ‘most touristic area’ of the town next to the Iberostar Hotel and Ferrara sports courts, will draw visitors to Torrox while benefiting local residents.

Mayor Óscar Medina said: “This is one of the infrastructures that will most change the appearance of Torrox Costa. It’s a multi­purpose area that will boost the economy of the coastal area of the municipali­ ty. It’s located next to the best hotel on the eastern Costa del Sol next to the sports area of Ferrara, which has hosted, among other competi­ tions, the Spanish Beach Handball Cup.” The mayor said the multipurpose space can host sporting and cul­ tural events and markets.

Breath test A ROUTINE breathalyser test saw two arrested for drug traf­ ficking after Nerja police stopped a car and detected a strong smell of marihuana ema­ nating from the inside of the ve­ hicle.

When they checked the boot, they found boxes containing black bags full of marihuana buds.

In total, police seized 6.9 kilos of the drug and the two men were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking.

Security councillor, Francisco Arce congratulated the Local Po­ lice “for their professionalism and good work” demonstrating the commitment of the force in “the fight against drug traffick­ ing.”

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Campaigning nurse dies TRIBUTE has been made to a campaigning nurse and union rep who died suddenly at home.

Malaga Regional Hospital nurse Massimo Colombi passed away at his home in Malaga City on Sunday, De­ cember 13, and will be re­ membered among other things for his efforts in ensur­ ing hospitalised Covid pa­ tients were able to have con­ tact with loved ones at home.

The Italian father­of­two and UGT union delegate for Mala­ ga campaigned through the media for means to allow ‘pa­ tients sick with Covid­19 to have contact with their rela­ tives through a video call.’

His appeal led to Malaga City Council joining forces with Vodafone to provide tablets, mobile phones and SIM cards for use in the city’s ICU, ‘to make patients’ stay in hospital more bearable.’

UGT Union spokesman, Pepe Álvarez, said: “Our col­ league Massimo Colombi, who encouraged Covid pa­ tients (to communicate) or say goodbye to their families, has left us. A great person, a nurse and a unionist. Thank you Massimo for your exam­ ple. You will always be in our hearts. Rest in peace.”

The circumstances sur­ rounding Massimo’s death are still unknown pending a post­mortem.

ONCE seller’s luck AN ONCE lottery seller has bagged €2,000 a month for the next 10 years.

The Malaga City kiosk hold­ er’s total earnings as part of the Sueldazos lottery initiative will amount to €240,000, having bagged the prize with a coupon dedicated to patron of blind people, Santa Lucía, on Sunday’s draw, (December 13).

On the day ONCE turned 82, Francisco Javier García Ternero, a member of the organisation and a seller since 1996, was giv­ en the news at his kiosk in Calle Martínez Maldonado.

On learning of his windfall, he said he is “very happy for the fortune given.”

The rest of the ONCE Santa Lucía prizes went to sellers in the Valencian Community and the Canary Islands.

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Heroic Toddler saves mum

THE young boy saved the life of his mother, who was several months pregnant, on Sun­ day, December 13, in Valencia when he man­ aged to summon medical aid by sending his family WhatsApp audios, which resulted in the woman being rescued and rushed to a hospital in Valencia, where she remains ad­ mitted after reports say she suffered a stroke.

The events took place around 9pm when emergency services received a call from a person alerting them that there was an un­ conscious woman and that the victim’s four­ year­old son had just notified them.

The woman lost consciousness before she

Quarantine period in the UK lowered THE quarantine/self­isolation period for those who have come into con­ tact with someone who tested posi­ tive for the coronavirus and all inter­ national arrivals has been cut from 14 to 10 days from Monday, December 14.

Those required to quarantine after returning from countries which are NOT on the UK’s travel corridor list will also see their isolation period reduced, in an agreement accepted by all four nations. Health chiefs said in a joint statement that following a review of the evidence, they were ‘confident’ that the self­isolation period could be shortened.

could ask for help. The boy, seeing that his mother was unresponsive, picked up the phone and connected to WhatsApp, from which he began to send audios to his rela­ tives, reporting that his mother was lying on the ground and was not moving.

National Police attended but were unable to access the house, although they were able to speak with the little boy through the door, however, the child could not open it because it was locked, so the officers requested the urgent presence of the firefighters as well as an ambulance to carry out the combined res­ cue.

ARRESTED WITH POSITIVE PCR THE National Police in Malaga arrested a man travelling to Morroco with a positive PCR test.

The man claimed he was from Ibiza and seemed nervous when the officers questioned him.

Originally they thought he could be transporting drugs, however after a search what they found was a positive PCR test.

It is illegal and against Covid­19 restrictions of movement to travel between provinces at this time, particularly so with a positive PCR test.

The suspect, who was arrested trying to board a bus in Malaga to travel to Algeciras should have been self­isolating.

A local court will decide on the fine and any other penalty for the breach in circulation rules during and enforced phase.

NEWS

Early Jan Vaccines SPAIN’S Minister of Health Salvador Illa proposes an early January start for vaccines as he hopes the European Medicines Agency will approve the Covid19 vaccine on December 29.

Illa, who assured people on Sunday, December 13, that 70 per cent of Spain’s population will be vaccinated against Covid-19 by the end of next summer to generate a herd immunity, said that he would look to push for immunisations to begin in Spain “from

January 4 or 5.”

In an announcement on Monday, December 14, Illa stressed that the autonomous communities can rest assured about the vaccination process, as “there will be vaccines for everyone and there will be plenty leftover,” responding to some criticism made by leaders of the Community of Madrid, who have questioned whether they will have enough doses.

“The arrival of the vaccines will be progressive,” Illa insisted:

Newborn Covid Giraffe A LONDON Zoo has honoured the first woman in the UK to receive the coronavirus vaccine outside of a trial by naming an endangered baby giraffe after her.

Ninety-year-old Margaret Keenan received the Pfizer/BioNTech jab on Tuesday, December 8 right around the time baby Margaret was coming into the world.

“The arrival of our precious giraffe calf on the same day, and actually at the same time, as the much-anticipated Covid-19 vaccination was first administered feels like a real moment of hope, and one we are so keen to celebrate and remember,” said Whipsnade Zoo team leader Mark Holden.

“We very much hope that Margaret Keenan will be able to come in and visit her namesake one day soon, so we can introduce them in person,” said Holden.

“Spain has all the capacities prepared so that as soon as the doses arrive, the population can be immunised with all the necessary guarantees.”

Pandemic Twist Christmas Toys SPANISH toymakers are giving toys a twist to make everything seem a little more normal this festive period. With Christmas drawing closer, the entire world is experiencing a strange festive time as restrictions prevent nor­ mal holiday plans and socialis­ ing, especially for little ones.

Dolls in particular are on the shelf wearing masks, and in these difficult times, it is hoped that they will help children ad­ just. The famous Spanish Nancy doll made by Famosa can now be seen sporting a mask, and other dolls come complete with Covid­19 testing kits.

So far the toys are popular and it is expected that they will make children more comfort­ able if they need a test, and also more confident with day to day mask wearing.

NEWS

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Residency support for UK Nationals in Spain AS you will be aware, the UK Government has funded three organisations in Spain to pro­ vide practical support for UK Nationals who are having difficulty applying for residency.

The coverage provided by the organisations has now been extended to cover the whole of Spain. This map shows which organisation is working in each region.

For further information and contact details visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living­in­spain#visas­and­residency

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El Gordo Without Masks

THE El Gordo Spanish Christmas lottery numbers will be sung by the children of San Ildefonso on De­ cember 22 without masks.

The draw will be performed at the Teatro Real, and they have been working with the Loterías y Apuestas del Estado to ensure the safety of all in­ volved on the day.

Everyone on stage will have had a Covid­19 anti­ gen test carried out and masks will be mandatory un­ til the numbers are actually sung. Other health mea­ sures include all the children being two metres apart.

The general public will be unable to attend this year and the capacity for media presence will low­ ered.

Vaccination not for everyone CERTAIN groups of people in Spain will not be given the Pfiz­ er/BioNTech Covid­19 vaccina­ tion. Vaccination against Covid­ 19 began in the UK on December 8 and despite being safe, has already shown some side effects, meaning that not everyone will be able to have it, the same as with many other vaccines.

According to reports, informa­ tion from the UK Joint Commit­ tee on Vaccination and Immuni­ sation and the US Food and Drug Administration regarding the vac­ cination it will most probably not be given to: Children under 16 years old.

Clinical tests did not include chil­ dren under 12, and there were very few aged between 12 and 15, so the risks cannot be prop­

erly evaluated. People with co­ agulation problems. Anyone taking anticoagulants such as Sintrom or with coagulation problems should not have intra­ muscular injections, such is the case of Pfizer.

However, individual cases will be evaluated. People with low

immune systems. They are very vulnerable and may not respond well to the vaccination. However, people who live with them, should get the vaccine.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women. There is not enough da­ ta to say whether it is safe for them or if it could affect fertility.

National police charged THREE National Police officers in Barcelona were charged by the Mossos d’Esquadra for breaching curfew and drunk driving.

They were stopped when driving at around 2am on Saturday, De­ cember 12.

The ARA newspaper reported that they were in a private vehicle but they claimed that they were on duty. The officer who was driving was given a breathalyser test which was positive.

An internal investigation has been opened which could result in dis­ ciplinary measures if confirmed that they were not on police business when they breached the curfew and also driving while under the in­ fluence of alcohol.

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NEWS

Fine annulled for Bluetooth

A COURT in Madrid has annulled a fine against a motorcyclist who was using a Bluetooth device in his helmet.

The motorcyclist had paid €200 and had three points withdrawn from his licence, all of which have now been returned.

The Bluetooth device was on the

outside of his helmet, and according to the officers who fined him, was a violation of Article 18 of the Highway Code, which bans driving while using helmets or headphones connected to sound reproducing devices.

He filed an appeal through Pyramid Consulting, a company specialising in appealing traffic fines, claiming that us-

ing a single loudspeaker on one side of the helmet is not an offence because the driver can still hear the sounds of the road.

The sentence highlights that the punishable act is the use of headphones, not listening to music or talking on the phone using a hands-free device.

MOTORCYCLIST: Had the €200 fine and points on his licence returned.

Reduced Speed Limit THE General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has announced its intention to reduce the speed limit on one-way streets to 30km per hour in an attempt to cut down on the number of accidents in Spanish city centres. The reduction from the current

50km per hour will be implemented on May 11, 2021, six months after it will be published in the BOE. In addition to making the city streets safer, according to a report by the DKV Institute for Healthy Living, noise pollution could be cut by as

SPEED LIMIT: To be cut on one-way streets.

Danish Prince has Covid-19 A SPOKESPERSON for the Danish Royal Family has revealed that HRH Prince Christian aged 15 and second in line for the throne has been diagnosed with Covid-19.

He will stay in isolation in Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg and apart from the Crown Prince’s family, Prince Christian has not been in contact with other members of the royal family in recent times.

There are however concerns that heir to the throne, Crown Prince Frederik, if he has been infected, may have passed on the disease at a NATO exercise at Oksbøl Barracks in southwest Jutland last Sunday.

much as 27 per cent. Moreover, NO2 levels would also be greatly lessened.

Starbucks Freebies STARBUCKS are set to say thanks to NHS and rail staff with free coffees being offered to workers this week.

The company are making the offer to show their appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the frontline staff during the Covid pandemic.

The offer for rail staff, which is for a free tall filter coffee, started on Monday, December 14, and is available to all transport workers carrying a Rail Staff Travel (RST) card.

The freebie, which would typically cost from £1.60 (€1.76) each, is also available to NHS staff, first responders and care workers as long as they show their work identity card and are available from any Starbucks branch in England, Scotland or Wales.

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NEWS

EXCLUSIVE

One of the world’s foremost sculptors visits the Costa del Sol WHEN you have been com­ missioned by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Westminster, Yasmin le Bon, worked with John Cleese and many more celebrities and can sit over lunch with the likes of Damien Hirst, then you know that you have made it!

Unlike many artists and sculptors who came through art school and university, Jonathan Wylder is somewhat different as he started his working career as a carpet cleaner who happened to en­ joy painting.

What started as a hobby be­ came a way of earning a little extra money with him selling

his work for £25 a time at local fairs until he decided that he should take a chance and make art his full­time profes­ sion and he has certainly made a huge success.

He spends much of his time in either Thailand or the UK but having lived in Ibiza for some time, working with James Blunt on a major project he decided that now was the time to spend a few days on the Costa del Sol to recharge his creative batteries.

Jonathan is a very friendly and outgoing character who kindly gave up some of his time to speak exclusively to Euro Weekly News and proudly shared photographs of some

of his best work which is in­ credibly diverse.

When asked what his dream commission would be, he said “I love working in stone and my ideal would be to produce a large group featuring my five children but it would take about three years to complete,

so I guess that won’t be likely as I still have a mortgage to pay!”

It is not always skill that sees artists find success but there is also an element of luck which crossed Jonathan’s path as he started producing stone stat­ ues for garden centres and came to the attention of a se­

COSTA DEL SOL: Jonathan Wylder recharges his batteries.

nior official at the Business De­ sign Centre in Islington and was given a shop window to display his work.

That’s when the commis­ sions started to arrive and for a period of time, he opened a Gallery in the centre of London which didn’t earn a great deal

but brought in some top clients for commissions and Jonathan had his own exhibi­ tion at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

It’s not just sculpting in stone, bronze and other mate­ rials but Jonathan is also a painter and is getting ready for a new exhibition of his work but as he explained “when I was younger, I could produce a painting in a few days but now not only does it take longer, but I want it to as I keep scruti­ nising what I have done to make sure it’s a perfect repre­ sentation of my art.

“I have got to an age when I’m thinking about leaving a heritage and hope to see even more of my work in museums and in public spaces to inspire those who want to become artists and can use my success as an example.”

Having enjoyed a short break on the Costa del Sol and definitely finding the experi­ ence rewarding, Jonathan plans to return in the New Year for a slightly longer so­ journ.

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Two drivers arrested for going the wrong way GUARDIA CIVIL arrested two drivers who were going in the wrong direction on the motorway between Sevilla and Portugal.

The first was stopped on the A-49 after driving more than 20 kilometres in the wrong direction and was three times over the legal alcohol limit. He was travelling in a 4x4 vehicle and the 112 emergency services had received three calls about the situation.

The vehicle was located on cameras and Guardia Civil caught up with him and using their lights and sirens, ordered him to stop.

The next day another man was arrested for the same reason on the same motorway near Ayamonte, Huelva. He was also three times over the legal alcohol limit.

COSTLY TRIP: Both drivers were charged with reckless driving.

Both drivers have been charged with reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Junta launches direct line to get rid of squatters THE Junta de Andalucia has launched a free phone num­ ber to help people who find squatters on their property to get rid of them immedi­ ately.

The phone number, 900 100 112, will be connected to the Provincial Departments of the Junta in all eight provinces of Andalucia.

According to the Junta de Andalucia vice­president, Juan Marin, there have been 1,500 cases of squatters in Andalucia this year, which is an average of six per day.

The project was opposed

Aid for self-employed

by Adelante Andalucia and the socialist party PSOE ab­ stained from voting on it.

The number will be opera­ tive from next week and will provide property owners with the necessary legal aid and cooperation from lawyers as well as the police to get squatters out of their homes immediately, whether they have entered their usual place of residence or a second home.

The aim, Marin said, is to provide protection for the people of Andalucia against a problem which in many cas­

CLOSE FRIENDS FOR CHRISTMAS AFTER initially being against meetings with ‘close friends,’ the Junta de Andalucia’s (BOJA) has had a change of heart.

The Junta de Andalucia has admitted that relatives may travel for Christmas to their families and meet with people who are not direct family.

The ministry of health has imposed the decision the Junta claims.

At the announcement of measures made by Juanma Moreno, the president agreed that defining who is a close friend was impor­ tant, and that it was inevitable that if relatives travel for Christmas, they would eventually meet and be in the ‘social’ area of others who clearly were not direct family.

People they met at Christmas who were not direct family, could be regarded as ‘close friends’ in the sense that they interacted as much with them as direct family.

The President went on to say the term ‘close friend’ is “too am­ biguous a term” given that the social distancing and contact restric­ tion even in families was vital in the battle to reduce those Covid­19 case numbers.

The Junta de Andalucia accepted that family meetings would re­ sult in ‘close friends’ meeting in a family­based gathering and reiter­ ated its call for citizens to be vigilant and exercise safety and care over the festive period.

es is carried out by organised groups who often attempt to claim money from the legiti­ mate owners of the houses in exchange for leaving.

AUTONOMOS: Are to receive help.

MORE than 44,500 self-employed workers have asked for the €1,000 aid from the Junta de Andalucia.

The Junta Council for Employment, Training and Self-employed work, received thousands of requests for the €1,000 to help ‘autonomos’ whose work had been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which they say will start to be paid before the end of the year.

The total amount expected to be given in aid is €80 million.

It will be paid by bank transfer to people whose requests have been approved in the catering sector, small businesses, taxis, hairdressers and fairground workers, travel agents, bookshops, real estate agents, gyms, beauty salons, cinemas, pet shops, jewellery shops, camp sites, hotels, craftspeople, painters, sculptors, plumbers, carpenters, launderettes, florists, removal companies and others.

EWN

9

10 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

17 - 23 December 2020

THE EURO WEEKLY NEWS is urg­ ing its readers to support local businesses in the community by going local through the lock­ down and for your Christmas shopping this year, instead of feeding online giants and super­ stores.

This lockdown and festive peri­ od we challenge you to rediscov­ er your local high streets, mar­ kets, butchers, greengrocers and

GO LOCAL

all of the wonderfully quirky inde­ pendent businesses in your area.

Due to the Covid­19 pandem­ ic, you may have to support many local businesses by order­

ing online and making use of any click and collect services they can operate.

The joy of shopping local means that independent busi­ nesses can help support the lo­ cal 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 Christmas to give back to your community by making a small gesture and shopping in this way.

Many local stores support lo­

cal charities, support and sponsor local sports teams and in many cases the small independent stores are actually much more than just a small high street shop, they’re a family’s legacy, often passed down through numerous generations.

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 pur­ chasing gift vouchers from local businesses to help them over the coming weeks, thinking outside

the box can often lead to some fantastic ideas. Why not buy a meal for two, an hour’s tattoo time at a local 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 fi­ nances thinking about what friends and family may actually need is important too. Whilst it’s nice to give a glamourous gift per­ haps pre­paying a family mem­ ber’s phone bill would actually be a better gift. Helping people allevi­ ate stress and worry, give the gift of peace of mind through these difficult times.

Choosing to spend your mon­ ey locally will really make a differ­ ence in the recovery of the local economy. When we buy local, our money stays local, and it strengthens the local economy in two ways.

FEATURE

Buying local keeps money cir­ culating within the local econo­ my. Studies have shown local businesses recirculate a greater share of every euro as they cre­ ate locally owned supply chains and invest in their employees.

Data shows that local retailers return 52 per cent of their rev­ enue back into the local econo­ my, compared to just 14 per cent for national chain retailers.

Buying local also fuels new employment and job opportuni­ ties for people within our com­ munity.

While buying local is financially compelling to our communities; the benefits to our environment are equally impressive.

Many businesses are joining our Go Local campaign by offer­ ing customers special offers and discounts throughout the festive period, more details to follow.

12 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

17 - 23 December 2020

Leopard has Covid in the US

A SNOW leopard has tested pos­ itive for Covid at Louisville Zoo in the US. Five­year­old NeeCee has tested positive for SARS­CoV­2, while two others ­ Kimti and Meru ­ have symptoms and staff are awaiting the confirmatory results.

“All three snow leopards are

doing well with mild symptoms, and the zoo continues to moni­ tor their health closely. We an­ ticipate continued improvement in the coming days, and all three cats are expected to recover.

“No other Zoo animals are showing symptoms at this time,” said Louisville Zoo in a statement.

Royal greetings card released SPAIN’S Royal Family has released a picture of their annual Christmas greetings card.

This year, the photograph shows Princesses Leonor and Sofia during a trip to Asturias, more specifically in Somao, from their trip there in October.

Like in 2015, King Felipe and Queen Letizia are not in the photograph.

On the back, it reads, in red, in Spanish and in English, ‘May this Christmas bring us a specially hopeful New Year 2021,’ followed by a handwritten ‘with our best wishes,’ and then the signature of all four of them.

Meanwhile, as has been the case since he abdicated, the former King, Juan Carlos I, and Queen Sofia, have not used a photo for their Christmas greeting and have instead chosen an image, this year, of a Nativity scene by Juan Correa de Vivar which can be seen in the Prado Museum.

NEWS

Cinemas In The Red

CINEMAS in Spain are in the red from lost profits on food and beverage sales Alicante cinemas have pleaded with the department of Health to lift the current Covid19 restrictions, set to remain in place until January 15, as November saw the flicks make 10 per cent of the normal income.

After being forced to close their doors for months and seeing a shortage of premiers since reopening, local cinemas say that being prohibited from selling food and drinks is crippling them.

Javier Caparrós, manager of the Kinépolis cinemas in Alicante, who speaks on be-

LOST PROFITS: As popcorn and drinks are not allowed.

half of the rest of local cinemas, reported to Informacion that popcorn and sodas account for almost half the total profits, and with customers being unable to even buy a bottle of water, the fig-

ures continue to decline.

“Fewer people were already coming, now many more customers stop going if they cannot even drink water, because popcorn and drinking is intrinsic to the cinema,W said Caparrós.

‘False Sense of Security’

AS the self-diagnosis Covid-19 tests are now available in Spanish pharmacies, medics have begun to criticise them, saying that they create a ‘false sense of security.’

The arrival of the tests has been long waited for and could give a sense of ease over the Christmas period, as people see family again after a long time apart. The tests are only available on prescription and this brings further potential problems.

The General Council of Nursing’s José Luis Cobos, said the tests, “can create a false sense of security” and comments that taking the test, “is done through a finger prick, which requires having certain expertise. If not enough blood is taken, it can be negative, that is, we could be facing a false negative.” There are also issues surrounding the possible influx of people to health centres in order to get a prescription for the self-tests.

NEWS

www.euroweeklynews.com

17 - 23 December 2020

Game of Thrones Studio Tour

THE world’s first Game of Thrones theme park is due to open in Northern Ire­ land in 2021.

The Game of Thrones Studio Tour will offer visi­ tors the chance to enter the real film sets used in the popular television se­ ries.

Many scenes have been shot in Northern Ireland, and the studio tour will be located at the Linen Mill recording studios, in the town of Banbridge, near Belfast, and although the coronavirus pandemic will make certain restrictions necessary, managers have assured that it will open sometime next year.

FILM SET: Will be recreated for visitors to enjoy.

The medieval fictional universe created by George RR Martin and adapted for the small screen by HBO will be available to its fans through “immersive expe­ riences, original items such as costumes and weapons and various other ele­ ments” used in the filming of the series, Tourism Ire­

land explained in a state­ ment.

Some of the most iconic scenes and the adventures of its characters will be recreated on the film sets for visitors to enjoy along­ side an exclusive collection of crafts and artefacts de­ signed by creative teams to bring the fictional world from Martin’s texts to life.

Spanish Underwater Stonehenge

THE Spanish Underwater Stonehenge was redis­ covered last year in the Valdecañas reservoir in Caceres. The first underwater survey is now com­ plete, and a 3D model has been created.

Last year after the rediscovery, the General Di­ rectorate of Fine Arts set up a group to ensure the preservation of the unique monument which had been discovered after water was pumped out of the reservoir. After rapid stabilisation work the

Spanish Stonehenge was quickly submerged to keep it intact.

Experts have worked hard under the constraints of Covid­19 restrictions and the Institute of Cultural Heritage of Spain, the National Museum of Under­ water Archaeology and the Complutense Universi­ ty of Madrid have completed the first underwater survey of the site. They have mapped over 12 nau­ tical miles to create the first 3D model.

EUROPEAN NIBS DENMARK

GERMANY

Second place

Unlicensed

DENMARK came runner up to Sweden in this year’s Good Country Index after finishing sixth the last time it was compiled. The index claims that it measures a country’s contribution to ‘the common good of humanity and the planet.’

WHEN German police stopped a 67-year-old delivery driver for an infringement, he produced a fraudulent driving licence saying that his real licence was lodged at another police station. Further enquiries showed that he hadn’t held a licence for 40 years.

NETHERLANDS

FRANCE

Art critics

Hairy situation

THE Dutch Council for Culture has published a report which has been welcomed by the heirs of Jewish people who lost their art collections during the war as it suggests that the Dutch government needs to act with greater ‘humanity and goodwill.’

SINCE French hairdressers were allowed to reopen on November 28, those who are situated near the border with Belgium (where a ban exists) have seen their trade pick up considerably as fashion conscious Belgians have been crossing the border to have their hair styled.

BELGIUM Pizza patrol CAROL singers have been banned by the governor of Antwerp who has said that the authorities will be keeping a close eye on gatherings and if, for instance, they see too many pizzas being delivered to a home, they will investigate.

NORWAY Scooter control FOLLOWING nearly two years of discussion, Norway’s transport ministry is about to implement some new regulations on electric scooters which will see new parking rules, speed limits on pavements, wearing of helmets and introduction of breathalysers for riders.

EWN 13

FINANCE Increased debt THE Bank of Spain has announced that the Spanish government’s debt rose to 114.1 per cent of gross domestic product in the third quarter of 2020, a rise of 3.9 per cent over the second quarter figure due to continued spending and drop in economic output.

Full investigation THE UK competition regulator worried about the possible impact on competitiveness in the telecommunications market is launching a full investigation into the proposed £31bn (€34bn) merger between Virgin Media and O2.

Terminal 4 THE operator of Heathrow Airport has announced that it will keep Terminal 4 closed until the end of next year as it does not expect passenger numbers to rise significantly over the next 12 months due to the continued effects of the pandemic.

Positive discrimination LLOYDS Bank has revealed that it plans to employ more black workers and to encourage promotions to more senior levels as currently those workers earn on average 20 per cent less than white colleagues as so few are in top jobs.

ECB rescue expands THE European Central Bank (ECB) has kept its word at the last meeting of the year by adding another €500 billion to the purchase programme against the pandemic (PEPP), which is now up to €1.85 trillion in total. The announcement made by ECB President Christine Lagarde on Thursday, December 10, also states it has extended it until March 2022, with the bank further announcing new long-term liquidity auctions for banks (TLTRO) with favourable conditions for the sector. Interest rates have also remained unchanged and at an all-time low.

STAT OF WEEK

€1.308 trillion

is the total of Spanish government debt at the end of September 2020 according to figures published by the Bank of Spain.

£500 million

e-Christmas in UK

EVERY year since 2000 when the original ‘dot­com boom’ was in full effect, ecommerce providers have talked of De­ cember 25 bringing the ‘first real e­Christmas.’

Britain’s Royal Mail is banking on a bumper haul through increased online shopping, and plans to create a record number of tempo­ rary jobs this year to handle the anticipated surge in par­ cel deliveries from UK con­ sumers who were stuck in

lockdown due to the second wave of Covid­19.

The Covid­19 pandemic has transformed shopper habits and upended Yuletide norms, raising questions about what the 2020 festive shopping season will look like for consumers and retailers alike.

Against this backdrop, Lo­ gate, a specialist software so­ lutions company, has polled 1,000 UK consumers about their Christmas shopping

LEGALLY SPEAKING

and shipping intentions and has come to the conclusion that for consumers and com­ mercial enterprise alike, this will be a Christmas like no other.

A large number of shop­ pers say they have already started buying Christmas gifts and only a minority will leave it late which tallies with re­ search from eBay, which found more than a quarter of consumers expected to begin Christmas shopping earlier in

2020 than previous years.

Some 40 per cent of those surveyed told Logate that they would be spending less this Christmas than in 2019 although 49 per cent said that they would spend roughly the same.

Tellingly, it has recently been reported that three­ quarters of shoppers will be put off by physical shopping due to the Covid­19 restric­ tions and will make their pur­ chases online.

British banks stable

Why do they pay more?

I own a townhouse in a development with 24 houses at one end and 53 apartments in a block at the other. I pay my community charge as per the co­efficient. The problem is that the townhouse holders pay a higher community fee because they have more communal areas, although this has been adjusted over the years. Now we have a big rehabilitation project of a substantial cost and this disparity is even greater. I got the architect’s percentage breakdown of costs, which was 60 per cent apartments and 40 per cent townhouses. This is a significant difference. Why do the townhouse owners have to contribute to their repairs?

B H (Costa del Sol) Because you are all in it together in YOU AND THE LAW one community. If IN SPAIN there was a prob­ lem which affected only the townhouses, the apart­ ment owners would have to pay their share. When the community has both villas or townhouses and an apartment block, one solution is to make two sub­ communities or split into two completely separate communities because they have differing problems.

Or perhaps you could simply vote at the AGM to make an adjustment.

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.

MUCH has been said about cryptocurrency over the years with Bitcoin in particular be­ coming hugely valuable, but other currencies can come and go with little in the way of offi­ cial support.

Now, one of the oldest banks in Europe, Bankhaus von der Heydt (BVDH) has collaborated with the German blockchain

Credit: Bank of England flickr

BUSINESS EXTRA

www.euroweeklynews.com • 17 - 23 December 2020

14

UPBEAT: The Bank of England Gold Vaults.

THE Bank of England’s latest stability report is upbeat about the ability of UK banks to deal with any unexpected yet serious economic surpris­ es and says they will be able to continue to lend during the pandemic.

Since the major economic crisis more than 10 years ago, British banks have re­ covered significantly and have built up good capital re­ serves which means that they should be able to con­ tinue to trade successfully.

There appears to be no fear from the banks now in the event of a no­deal Brexit and the Bank of England says that the UK’s financial stabili­ ty is safe due to actions al­ ready taken to cope with any

Brexit problems.

It does warn however that there may be some disrup­ tion to financial services in the short term, but it should be within the banks’ powers to deal with such problems.

The government has helped the situation with the creation of guarantees which underwrite business loans currently standing at €80 bil­ lion (€88 billion).

The review concludes that there would have to be some significant yet highly unlikely damage to the econ­ omy with unemployment rising to 15 per cent and house prices dropping by 30 per cent before the banks could be considered to be in trouble.

Cryptocurrency technology provider, Bitbond to launch the first­ever Euro sta­ blecoin and this cryptocurrency is now available for trading.

The Stellar Development Foundation played a key role in the development of EURB. The

organisation provided support in consultation and the techni­ cal integration of EURB. This ‘virtual’ currency which is fully regulated and backed one­for­one with Euros, will not be openly traded on exchanges

THANKS to the fact that the UK government has agreed to underwrite any Gibraltar government borrowing up to a total of £500 million, it has now been announced that a facility for that amount has been made available by NatWest Bank.

The actual sum will be split equally between NatWest in the UK and NatWest International Gibraltar and the govern­ ment will be drawing down £150 million to repay a loan of that amount made by the Gibraltar International Bank.

It is estimated that deal­ ing with Covid­19 has so far cost Gibraltar in excess of £125 million with Brexit still to be tackled.

Spain and Morocco THE Spanish Minister of For­ eign Affairs Arancha Gonza­ lez Laya has confirmed that Spain and Morocco are to work together to ensure their economic recovery.

In an interview with Spanish radio station Cade­ na Ser, Gonzalez Laya said that Spain and Morocco are “fully committed bilaterally to promote the post­Covid economic recovery.”

She added that the up­ coming meeting between the two countries will serve as an opportunity to “make the commitment a reality.”

The meeting, which will take place on December 17 in Rabat, will prioritise ar­ eas where Spain and Moroc­ co have bilateral agree­ ments. due to German regulatory con­ trols.

There is an established proce­ dure whereby if a customer wants to acquire the stablecoin, a payment may be made to the bank and the equivalent value of cryptocoins will be held by the bank until such time as the customer wishes to make a pay­ ment or asset transfer.

16 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

17 - 23 December 2020

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US

LONDON - FTSE 100

See our advert on previous page

C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 14

PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3I Group 1.138,00 +5,00 Admiral Group 2.857,0 -13,0 Anglo American 2.452,5 +9,5 Antofagasta 1.429,50 +18,50 Ashtead Group 3.310,0 +10,0 Associated British Foods 2.283,0 +40,0 AstraZeneca 7.721,0 -482,0 Auto Trader Group Plc 560,80 +1,80 Avast 494,59 +1,60 Aveva 3.162,0 -33,0 Aviva 325,30 +9,30 B&M European Value Retail SA492,10 -2,00 BAE Systems 509,40 +6,80 Barclays 142,44 +6,38 Barratt Developments 607,88 +24,48 Berkeley 4.359,0 +158,0 BHP Group 1.968,43 -20,40 BP 281,60 +6,35 British American Tobacco 2.911,5 -5,5 British Land Company 488,30 +12,70 BT Group 135,30 +4,05 Bunzl 2.435,0 -27,0 Burberry Group 1.840,0 +25,0 Carnival 1.436,8 +17,8 Centrica 42,27 -1,19 Coca Cola HBC AG 2.335,0 +33,0 Compass 1.460,00 +10,00 CRH 3.005,0 +39,0 Croda Intl 6.360,0 -24,0 DCC 5.492,0 +78,0 Diageo 2.993,5 -15,0 DS Smith 363,30 +2,00 EasyJet 858,00 +39,80 Experian 2.739,0 -24,0 Ferguson 8.674,0 +36,0 Flutter Entertainment 14.830,0 -70,0 Fresnillo 1.086,21 -39,79 GlaxoSmithKline 1.404,20 -9,00 Glencore 238,25 +1,00 Halma 2.337,0 -2,0 Hargreaves Lansdown 1.481,50 +19,00 Hikma Pharma 2.484,00 -36,00 HSBC 405,25 +4,65 IAG 161,99 +5,75 Imperial Brands 1.578,50 +1,00 Informa 561,40 +5,60 InterContinental 4.790,0 +12,0 Intermediate Capital 1.613,00 +19,00 Intertek 5.794,0 -30,0 ITV 100,76 +3,46 J Sainsbury 222,10 +3,90

% CHG. +0,44% -0,45% +0,39% +1,31% +0,30% +1,78% -5,91% +0,32% +0,32% -1,03% +2,94% -0,41% +1,35% +4,69% +4,20% +3,76% -1,03% +2,31% -0,19% +2,67% +3,09% -1,10% +1,38% +1,25% -2,74% +1,43% +0,69% +1,31% -0,38% +1,44% -0,50% +0,55% +4,86% -0,87% +0,42% -0,47% -3,53% -0,64% +0,42% -0,09% +1,30% -1,43% +1,16% +3,68% +0,06% +1,01% +0,25% +1,19% -0,52% +3,55% +1,79%

NET VOL 4,18K 1,02K 218,85K 41,08K 36,16K 12,38K 1,37M 44,07K 157,75K 1,34K 335,33K 205,92K 35,28K 7,57M 69,35K 4,66K 259,40K 1,06M 185,93K 25,62K 1,76M 31,54K 6,20K 55,04K 1,65M 21,14K 174,10K 36,15K 7,76K 8,19K 26,20K 325,98K 185,15K 67,68K 16,38K 29,93K 55,68K 1,06M 1,09M 26,59K 43,12K 2,73K 3,26M 3,23M 91,69K 177,70K 12,48K 99,82K 12,18K 1,30M 172,28K

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

Johnson Matthey 2.425,0 JSC MMC Norilsk Nickel ADR 33,09 JSC VTB Bank DRC 1,028 Land Securities 709,40 Legal & General 253,20 Lloyds Banking 35,89 London Stock Exchange 8.560,0 Meggitt 442,20 Melrose Industries 158,75 Mondi 1.746,00 National Grid 876,40 NatWest Group 157,75 Next 6.550,0 Ocado 2.150,00 Persimmon 2.588,6 Phoenix 720,60 Prudential 1.319,31 Reckitt Benckiser 6.562,0 Relx 1.811,00 Rentokil 493,60 Rightmove 645,20 Rio Tinto PLC 5.560,0 Rolls-Royce Holdings 121,10 Rosneft 6,19 Royal Dutch Shell A 1.407,4 Royal Dutch Shell A 1.409,81 Royal Dutch Shell B 1.356,6 RSA Insurance 676,00 Sage 574,79 Samsung Electronics DRC 1.682,00 Sberbank 16,09 Schroders 3.232,0 Scottish Mortgage 1.136,65 Segro 906,40 Severn Trent 2.299,0 Smith & Nephew 1.529,50 Smiths Group 1.581,50 Spirax-Sarco Engineering 11.405,0 SSE 1.417,50 St. James’s Place 1.107,50 Standard Chartered 483,00 Standard Life Aberdeen 280,90 Taylor Wimpey 158,04 Tesco 228,10 Tui 401,38 Unilever 4.391,0 United Utilities 923,20 Vodafone Group PLC 132,18 Whitbread 3.114,0 WPP 792,10

CHANGE(P) +35,0 +0,18 +0,015 +19,40 +8,90 +1,82 +34,0 +10,60 +3,90 +6,00 +1,60 +7,40 +164,0 -24,00 +125,6 +17,20 +20,31 -72,0 -9,50 -2,10 +1,20 +14,0 +4,10 +0,06 +12,6 +10,31 +19,2 +0,40 -2,01 +12,00 +0,21 +62,0 -8,35 +1,80 +15,0 +13,50 +20,00 -80,0 +17,00 +22,50 +7,70 +6,00 +7,49 +4,30 -2,02 -29,0 +5,80 +1,20 +33,0 +13,10

% CHG.

NET VOL

+1,46% +0,55% +1,48% +2,81% +3,64% +5,34% +0,40% +2,46% +2,52% +0,34% +0,18% +4,92% +2,57% -1,10% +5,10% +2,44% +1,56% -1,08% -0,52% -0,42% +0,19% +0,25% +3,50% +0,91% +0,90% +0,74% +1,44% +0,06% -0,35% +0,72% +1,35% +1,96% -0,73% +0,20% +0,66% +0,89% +1,28% -0,70% +1,21% +2,07% +1,62% +2,18% +4,98% +1,92% -0,50% -0,66% +0,63% +0,92% +1,07% +1,68%

2,01K 149,02K 47,76K 64,54K 644,99K 28,81M 14,94K 67,61K 346,33K 42,11K 534,36K 2,15M 1,96K 105,14K 26,70K 67,93K 42,83K 53,79K 99,45K 152,48K 8,75K 8,62K 6,69M 119,66K 19,37K 18,90K 131,53K 433,15K 57,51K 2,57K 520,59K 15,61K 358,26K 42,83K 3,43K 96,98K 18,16K 2,10K 81,90K 46,18K 30,22K 300,76K 696,23K 1,15M 330,69K 342,22K 57,81K 1,33M 23,23K 55,96K

0.90747

1.10313 Units per €

US dollar (USD) ......................................1.20922 Japan yen (JPY)......................................126.215 Switzerland franc (CHF) .........................1.07807 Denmark kroner (DKK) ...........................7.44233 Norway kroner (NOK) .............................10.5882

currenciesdirect.com/marbella • Tel: +34 952 906 581 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 14

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 174,02 1.781,77 3.116,42 227,40 122,41 230,33 179,29 92,45 44,32 53,35 273,55 239,99 264,55 214,63 124,27 49,73 152,95 119,56 207,76 82,96 213,26 137,41 136,51 222,42 609,99 337,07 60,35 206,24 147,00 175,72

CHANGE +0,53 +6,44 +14,93 -0,76 -0,83 -4,10 +0,44 -0,90 0,00 +0,30 -3,57 -4,41 -0,26 +2,66 -0,69 -0,53 +0,70 -0,71 -0,28 -0,03 +2,74 -0,17 +1,00 -0,50 -17,08 -2,58 -0,16 -1,37 -0,04 +21,03

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) +0,31% 1,88M +0,36% 1,22M +0,48% 3,06M -0,33% 2,02M -0,67% 86,94M -1,75% 17,31M +0,25% 2,67M -0,96% 9,58M 0,00% 14,58M +0,57% 10,64M -1,29% 14,39M -1,80% 2,08M -0,10% 3,45M +1,25% 3,12M -0,55% 4,48M -1,05% 29,40M +0,46% 5,97M -0,59% 9,98M -0,13% 2,77M -0,04% 7,61M +1,30% 30,98M -0,12% 4,17M +0,74% 6,55M -0,22% 8,21M -2,72% 46,47M -0,76% 3,07M -0,26% 13,67M -0,66% 9,23M -0,03% 5,62M +13,59% 87,41M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 14

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+194.50% +6.56% +6.59% +76.09% +1.08% +65.57% +0.48% +8.01% +3.73% +8.51% +5.40%

9.25M 2.57M 2.05M 3.65M 479,293 20.15M 3.06M 540,884 124,343 6.06M 44,811

-28.38% -6.71% -1.57% -2.72% -22.46% -0.74% -7.86% -7.36% -8.43% -6.93% -3.54%

890,630 6.44M 0 46.47M 3.77M 354,474 2,493 25.92M 830,320 714,839 383,059

Most Advanced AbCellera Biologics Inc. MongoDB Inc. SolarEdge Technologies Inc. 4D Molecular Therapeutics Inc. MercadoLibre Inc. Certara Inc. Amazon.com Inc. Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. arGEN-X SE ADR Novavax Inc. GRAVITY Co. Ltd. ADR

Most Declined ALX Oncology Holdings Inc. lululemon athletica inc.

Broadcom Inc. 8% Pfd. Series A Tesla Inc. Greenwich LifeSciences Inc. Booking Holdings Inc. Sabre Corp. 6.5% Pfd. Qualcomm Inc. CureVac N.V. Twist Bioscience Corp.

Abiomed Inc.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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Final Fond Farewells

FUNERALS are no easy task, which is why pre­planning and pre­paying for your own funeral is such a considerate gift to your family and loved ones. Have you got a song in mind for your final farewell?

There are numerous considerations to factor in, including logistics, food and drink, casket pur­ chase, and burial grounds, however, in most people’s opinion your farewell song of choice is what stays with people for the rest of their life when they think of you.

It’s also something personal to you and I honestly think it’s the one thing no one else can decide for you.

For me it has to be ‘John Mayer ­ Stop this train’ but I have heard some weird and wonderful farewell songs over the years from traditional hymns to very unconventional rave music, it’s your last chance to show a bit of yourself to your loved ones.

When planning your funeral with Golden Leaves why not start with your farewell song to get things going, it’s a fantastic start in opening up a little bit to your funeral plan designer giving them an idea of who you are as a person.

Here is a list of the 10 most popular song choices in case you’re struggling for some inspiration.

1. Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole 2. Amazing Grace by John Newton 3. My Way by Frank Sinatra 4. Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman 5. I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me 6. Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley 7. Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton 8. In the Arms of an Angel by Sarah McLachlan 9. Ave Maria by Franz Schubert 10. You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban Along with music, clothing is something people often include in their funeral plan, a dress code for guests is not unusual for those wishing to add a touch of personality to the day.

The colours of mourning have long varied from cul­ ture to culture across the globe, for example, in our search for the use and symbolism of colours of mourning, black and white found common threads across cultures.

We can learn much from looking at the funeral clothing and mourning traditions of other cultures.

We could potentially even incorporate some of these beautiful customs into our own funeral cele­ brations. This would be especially appropriate to cele­ brate the beautiful life of a loved one who enjoyed trav­ elling, or reading and learning about other cultures.

White has long played a role in the history of mourning.

White has been representative of purity through many centuries and in many parts of the world. The presence of youth at a funeral, whether as the deceased, a mourner, or in a participatory capacity, is often distinguished by white as a symbol of innocence and purity.

Additionally, yellow has long been a colour of mourning in Egypt as it is associated with both the sun and the gold used with so many mummies and sarcophagi. Red is a common funeral colour in Ghana among native cultures. The Catholic Church has introduced the use of purple in mourning in many countries influenced by the religion.

Whatever your wishes for attire on what is in effect your last life event here on earth why not in­ clude a dress code for your funeral in your funeral plan?

Since 1984, Golden Leaves have helped tens of thousands of customers from both the UK and overseas to plan ahead and purchase a funeral plan. By erasing concerns about the arrangement and costs of your funeral, pre­planning your funeral can deliver peace of mind for you and your family.

You really can’t put a price on peace of mind, but to help reduce costs in the last few weeks before Brexit, Golden Leaves are offering a fabulous €150 off all pre­paid Funeral Plans throughout the month of December.

17 - 23 December 2020

EWN 17

18 EWN

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17 - 23 December 2020

Madrid teen missing A TEENAGER has been re­ ported missing from her home in Madrid since No­ vember 23.

Saray Carrasco, 16, is 1.65m tall and thin. She weighs around 50 kilos, has brown eyes and long, straight, brown hair. She has tattoos and a nose

piercing.

Any details about her whereabouts can be com­ municated to SOS Desapare­ cidos, email sosdesapareci dos@sosdesaparecidos.es.

Guardia Civil are investi­ gating her disappearance and say that information is needed urgently.

Man caught stealing lobster and oysters A MAN, 48, was arrested in Marbella on the Costa del Sol when National Police caught him minutes after stealing a live lobster and a bag full of oysters from a restaurant.

He had forced open the awning and railings of the terrace on the premises in order to steal the seafood, and then fled the scene. However, he had already set off the alarms, and police were on their way to the fish restaurant.

When they arrived, the officers saw there was water on the floor around the fish tank.

They searched the surrounding area and found the man carrying a shoulder bag, the bottom of which was obviously wet.

Inside it, they found the live lobster and a net bag with 24 oysters.

FEATURE

Silent majority are winning LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT WELL well, what a week that was. I’m scribing this from the UK, where I am self­ isolating for the recently reduced legal period of 10 days.

The first changes that I was delighted to observe on my journey from the airport were ­ in contrast to last year’s visit ­ just how many messages and reminders of Christmas there are on display. It truly appears that the silent majority have at long last begun to assert their authority and return to the ancient traditions of displaying the fact that the UK is predominately a Christian country and that the ‘happy holiday’ appeasers have no actual rights whatsoever to interfere with its Nativity celebrations.

The second event that fairly warmed the ol’ boys’ heart was the suspension of the Sky news presenter Kay Burley.

Regular readers will be fully aware that I have always viewed this spiteful egotist as an automatic turn off and have, on a number of occasions voiced this very

opinion. What truly warmed the ‘cockles’ were the reactions by most of the British National press. Far more eloquent scribers than me, now without fear of retribution, published their own opinions of this obnoxious individual and duly echoed my previous sentiments.

Hopefully her suspension will become a permanent arrangement and we have finally seen the last of this pernicious hypocrite. Nicola Sturgeon also managed to reveal more of her true colours with her un­statesman­like and painfully obvious ‘anti’ reaction to the goodwill visit to Scotland by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall.

This trip was a sincere, non­political and heartfelt attempt to raise UK spirits and thank the health, care workers and general population for the unceasing efforts and sacrifices they have made during this devastating pandemic.

Despite her attempt to convince others she was merely upset because the visit was an ‘infringement of Covid rules’, Ms Sturgeon could barely disguise the fact that she actually considered it an unwelcome intrusion into her own personal domain. This highly immature attitude did nothing to change my opinion

that this single minded leader’s main priority is not the well­being of the Scottish population at all, but independence at ANY cost.

I am convinced she is a manipulating hegemonist who will stop at nothing, until she avenges the outcome of the Battle of Bannockburn or Carham, or any other primitive and ancient battle waged by ancestors who clad themselves in loin cloths and war paint to settle their differences. Dividing this great modern country is not the formula required to enjoy the prosperity and success which now beckons from the four corners of our abundant planet. Do our proud Scottish partners really want to go ‘Tam o’Shanter’s in hand’ to the likes of Barnier and Macron?

The spoils of courage are now all out there for the taking. Once the EU have picked up all their toys and ceased their petty retributions, the UK’s magnificent alliance can forge ahead to enjoy the rewards that undoubtedly await its unbreakable, oft envied, unique and forever UNITED quartet of Nations.

Keep the faith Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com.

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

THURSDAY 17 DECEMBER

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FEATURE

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17 - 23 December 2020

TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF IS A NOVEL IDEA 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

THE literary world has finally realised that crime novelists are ‘not idiots’, according to Jack Reacher creator, Lee Child, who says that popular fiction is as valuable as ‘literary’ fiction (such as reading Proust in French).

Too often, I think, ‘literary fiction’ is code for ‘fiction without plot or inter­ est’ just as ‘conceptual art’ is code for ‘art without skill or effort.’ I like ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley, for ex­ ample, but I admit it’s got gaping plot holes which would attract ridicule in a Stephen King or Lee Child novel.

A good crime novel is really hard to write. The plot has to have enough

credibility to strike the ‘this could real­ ly happen’ note and keep the reader on the edge of their seat, even scare them.

The characters also must be believ­ able. No shouting or screaming, posing or pouting; or coming with more bag­ gage (of the emotional kind) than the Kardashians trying to get away to a pri­ vate island for a mini­break. It has to have pace, even urgency and, above all, the structure has to be meticulous.

Not as easy as you’d think...

But why have ‘genres’ or the elitist term ‘literary’ fiction? A book is a book and the only test is: ‘did you enjoy it?’

I’ve learnt more about the human con­ dition from Agatha Christie than from so­called ‘literary’ novels. Consequent­ ly, I never accept invitations to islands, sleep on trains, visit very hot countries or stay in country houses. Haha!

And anything’s better than reading Proust in French!

Frankly, though, what I like reading

best of all is exactly what I like writing ­ psychological, suspense and crime thrillers ­ the grittier the better. And what makes me happy? Seeing them sell well around the world (as you know, all profits to Costa del Sol Cude­ ca cancer charity).

Finally, on a really positive note, I’d like to thank all those readers who’ve left great comments on my website about this column (that many of you have followed now for over 11 years!) and my latest audiobooks (listen your­ self to the free audio samples on Ama­ zon!) Happy listening!

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 Clerambault Code’ (www.no ra­johnson.net) available online as eBook (€0.99;£0.99), Apple Books, pa­ perback and audiobook.

Guardia Civil calendar THE Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, formally launched the sixth edition of the Guardia Civil calendar with profits obtained from its sale to being donated to the Spanish Federation of Food Banks (FESBAL).

The presentation of this calendar took place at the headquarters of the General Directorate of the Guardia Civil on December 9 by various offi-

DAVID WORBOYS THERE are quite a few people, mostly men, whose name continues to be known, way beyond their lifespan, in all but the most deprived or isolated parts of the world. To many people al­ most nothing is known of their lives or achievements, other than their names.

Beethoven, Einstein, Elvis, Gandhi, Hitler, Luther King, Mandela, Muham­ mad Ali, Napoleon, Shakespeare. Only one of these is famous entirely for the wrong reasons. Take a bow, Adolf!

As we approach the 250th anniver­ sary of Beethoven’s birth on December 17, I would like to pay tribute to an ex­ traordinary example of triumph over adversity. In June, my article BEETHOVEN ­ THE MAN covered his challenges ­ how, as a child he was hu­ miliated and beaten by his father and how he lost his beloved mother to a lin­ gering death.

From an early age he had mental an­ guish, physical pain, and debilitating ill­ nesses. He suffered serious digestive

BEETHOVEN: Was the master. problems, lung infections and abscesses in jaw and finger (for a pianist!) as well as dyslexia and loneliness. And, of course, there was the gradual onset of deafness (for a composer!) from the age of 24. Ten years later, suffering from a fever, he was completely deaf and could hear music only in his head.

His greatest works had yet to be creat­ ed in these circumstances.

Yet, despite all this, he emerged tri­ umphant as one of the most famous and influential men in history, taking music from the classical to the romantic age, creating revolutionary ideas and taking each form to a new level. In just

cials and many of the officers who appear in the calendar.

Food banks arrived in Spain in 1987 and nine years later FESBAL was created and now operates 54 centres throughout Spain which are currently working at full capacity to satisfy those in need of assistance.

The 2021 edition, now on sale priced at €5, includes photographs of members of most of the Guardia Civil units.

Spanish 48 hour Mask SPANISH companies Sanity Health, Bioinicia and CSIC have joined forces to invent a mask that can be worn for 48 hours.

The mask, named ‘Ispanna’ can filter out far smaller parti­ cles than standard materials and can capture viruses. Sanity Health expect to produce two million masks each day.

The aim was to invent a long lasting mask for the Covid­19 fight, that can be produced in Spain and give people access to an affordable, comfortable mask that is effective for a long time.

The mask’s material kills viruses and bacteria.

Gonzalo Castellano, of Sanity Health said, “Ispanna was born so that we can all afford the best protection.”

Alicante Glue Gang

BEETHOVEN - THE LEGACY

about every form of classical music, Beethoven proved to be the master.

But he has challengers ­ closer in some fields than others.

Regardless of personal preference, his symphonies are widely acknowl­ edged as more deeply significant than those of Haydn, Brahms or Mahler. He has serious challengers in other fields, such as the overtures of Rossini and Haydn’s string quartets, Mozart’s piano concertos and the violin concerto of Mendelssohn. It’s the same with Verdi’s great opera (La Traviata versus Fidelio), Bach’s mass (versus Missa Solemnis) and the piano sonatas of Schubert.

Chopin and Rachmaninoff created sublime piano music, but where are their string quartets? What about the Lieder of Liszt, the operas of Mahler, the symphonies of Verdi and concertos of Wagner? Beethoven excelled in all these areas.

In a pre­Pandemic year, there would have been celebratory concerts and tributes all over the world this year, as there were in recognition of the 200th anniversary of his birth back in 1970.

Unfortunately the legacy of Beethoven is not at the front of our minds right now.

EWN 21

JEWELLERY: Was stolen by the gang before being caught.

EIGHT people belonging to a criminal gang who took part in a widespread operation of rob­ beries throughout Alicante and Elche have been apprehended by the National Police.

Officers reported that the criminals used the ‘glue method’ to coordinate their gang, scoping out likely targets before marking the doors with strings of glue for the thieves to come back later in the night.

According to Radio Alicante, it

was a highly organised and structured operation which re­ quired the coordination of many different levels ­ from those who identified the properties to those who carried out the thefts, and down to the individuals re­ sponsible for off­loading the stolen goods.

Officials even report that one jewellery store worker was in­ volved in the operation, respon­ sible for melting down jewellery which had been stolen.

POTTER’S potty price

A FIRST edition Harry Potter book, of which only 500 were published has sold for £50,000.

The Philosopher’s Stone publication was nearly sold by its owner for 50 pence in a local car boot sale.

After seeing the Antiques Road Show, Charlotte Rumsey and her mum Karen of Blackpool got the edition valued and £50,000 was the result.

The book has now been sold and has prompted global interest in the search for special editions of these magical tales by J K Rowling.

EW YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION Letters should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: www.euroweeklynews.com Views expressed and opinions given are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements.

BEAUTIFUL SIGHT

COMMENTS FROM FACEBOOK Spain registers more than 20,000 new Covid cases over the weekend

DEAR Sirs, Thought your readers might like this photo of a Golden Eagle which landed in an almond tree by my house in the Rambla Nogalte.

It was immediately mobbed by the local magpie population!

D Kampesan, Puerto Lumbreras

Infection rates will be high in Jan after Xmas but as long as the death rate is low then it’s not a bad thing people getting it. With people had it and ones vaccinated, hopefully it will have faded out by May.

Retire in the Sun

Hope they were FINED.

Hello Leapy If retired pensioners living in the Costa Del Sol, in fact throughout Spain enjoying the winter sunshine are forced to leave our purchased villas and apartments, then Spain will have even more loss of revenue.

We have pensions and income to spend.

Private Medical.

Spanish Reg Cars.

Golf Annual Membership.

We support Shops, Restaurants, Bars, Travel and Entertainment.

We want Boris to make a deal that we can stay as long as we want - not 90 days.

Any ideas how we can campaign this?

Kind regards P Colley

OUR VIEW Lockdown on alcoholism THIS year has been trying for most, to say the least, and in times of stress, sadness, anxiety and also boredom many of us are tempted to turn to alcohol.

Since March I think it’s safe to say, drinking at home has increased considerably. Alcoholchange UK claims that they saw a 242 per cent rise in visits to the advice and support pages on their website between March 23 and June 23 compared to the same period in 2019, suggesting that not everyone has felt comfortable with their drinking during lockdown, and many have needed help.

In a survey of 2,000 people, one in five (19 per cent) of those surveyed have drunk alcohol as a way to handle stress or anxiety during lockdown. Parents of under 18s were more likely to say that they had done so (30 per cent) than non-parents (17 per cent) and parents of adult children (11 per cent). Of those who drank more heavily during lockdown (nine plus units on each drinking day), 40 per cent had drunk as a response to stress or anxiety.

Many of us created ‘virtual pubs’ as we tried to socialise with friends on Zoom calls, but research shows that not drinking when others are, can come with negative consequences such as the judgement of others, feelings of missing out and social exclusion.

Some have gone the opposite way though and have used lockdown to cut back. A considerable number of current and former drinkers (7 per cent) stopped drinking completely during lockdown, that would equate to over three million people across the UK. This was surprisingly among younger people, with 11 per cent of 18-34-year-olds saying they have stopped drinking during lockdown.

This year as Christmas approaches if you think you are already struggling with alcohol consumption since lockdown, perhaps now is the time to speak to someone.

CORRECTIONS

PB

Police Evict 300 Guests HW Mobbed by the magpie.

BBC Leapy, You are so right about the left wing BBC! It’s to be hoped they will one day disappear from our screens!

WR

Pensioner suffers with ‘paranoia and phobias’ after being ‘tormented’ for nine years with pizza deliveries he never ordered If they had sent along good Belgian beer with them I’ll bet he wouldn’t have complained. I wonder, was he being asked to pay for the pizzas or did someone else pay for them? Sounds like a mystery that should have been easy to solve.

ER

What about positive praise Dear Leapy, You mirror both myself and my wife’s views consistently well each week. No more so than last week’s December 3-9 (Issue 1848) Euro Weekly.

I wouldn't want to impose the current responsibilities on any government. It’s just a pity that the media cannot bring themselves to be more supportive instead of consistently trying to undermine every government directive.

It was so good to see you attracted so much support in Euro Weekly’s recent survey of your articles.

Keep yourself pure, Kind regards and the best for Christmas, Mike Trainor, Javea

Breaking - New, faster-spreading strain of Covid confirmed in the UK Best place is home, not going to chance travelling very far, sooner be safe than sorry, then be here for 2021 and hope for big improvements.

CM

Tribute to late nurse who campaigned for tablets and mobile phones so that hospitalised Covid patients can stay in touch with loved ones at home So very sad. Condolences to his family x

LB

Another conspiracy theory Hi Leapy, from a miserable foggy England, hope you are well.

You missed a bit about Black Rock.

Black Rock is the biggest shareholder in Serco.

Serco runs ‘test and trace for the NHS. They use a US company called Transunion, which is a credit reference agency, to verify people’s details. Guess who owns Transunion? Black Rock.

It all gets a bit muddy!

Cheers, Alan

Boris - Covid - Brexit A great big, hear hear, again Leapy! Keep up the good work!

J Ramos

HAVE YOUR SAY All letters by email or post should carry the writer’s address, NIE and contact number though only the name and town will be published.

Readers who have missed correspondence can see all letters - which can be edited before publication - posted on: www.euroweeklynews.com.

Breaking News - London is moving into Tier 3 Covid restrictions What I don’t understand is why countries are throwing themselves open for Xmas and people travelling everywhere when the numbers are getting worse. Not just the UK.

VK

Donald Trump has had his say...

Do you think the Cleveland Indians should change their name?

Absolutely not. Where do you stop? How politically correct is this world to become?

TV

Quick-Thinking Tech-Savvy Toddler Saves His Mum’s Life Well done little lad.

NB

At the EWN, we pride ourselves that reports are accurate and fair. If we do slip up, we promise to set the record straight in a clear, no-nonsense manner. To ask for an inaccuracy to be corrected. Email: editorial@euroweeklynews.com

25

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YOUR STARS FOR NEXT 7 DAYS ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Hassles and battles are on the cards. If things don’t happen as fast as you’d expected, or domestic and workaday blips assail your patience, transform them into an opportunity to show your special qualities. Potent planetary influences urge you to look, listen, learn and refuse to allow petty stumbling blocks to undermine your confidence on Tuesday and Thursday.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) Astrologically, it’s not unreasonable to assume that when sparky Mars and the zesty Sun conflict with restless Pluto, life could become a tad frustrating.

You might find it hard to tolerate hypocrisy and setbacks, but fortunately, it’s all just a passing cloud. Regardless of any lack of continuity, concentrate on keeping going and prepare for next week’s brighter outlook.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Punchy Mars and the heady Sun are set for a scramble with touchy Pluto. You’ve been there before, so despite any administrative bumps, gossipy whirls or curious rejections, don’t be too sensitive.

Add up what you’ve achieved, subtract your fears and keep your emotions under control.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) Upfront Mars and the upbeat Sun will be at loggerheads with powerful Pluto. You might not appreciate some of Friday or Saturday’s antics, so be ready to use your charm, or perhaps your equally wicked sense of humour will do the trick. Whatever comes up for review, a cool rethink could inspire you with some useful tactics.

LEO (July 24 - August 23) This is an intense week, and if you get stuck with a particular issue, jumble your words, or just can’t seem to do anything right, it might be worth finding out if the grass is greener on the other side.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Quirky planetary niggles will surface without warning. A variety of talks, news and last-minute changes surround your family members, friends or colleagues.

No matter what affects your personal or occupational activities, stay focused, decide what your goals are and, just as importantly,

find the easiest way to move forward without losing your healing sense of humour.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Even the best-made plans can suddenly sink without a trace. Your dreams for a fresh start in one particular direction still need tender, cautious care, and you may equally need to be wary of overstepping the mark where money’s concerned.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) You will need bucketloads of humour and understanding as impatient Mars and the sprightly Sun engage with touchy Pluto.

Stay well clear if you want to escape potential power struggles.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) If you suspect that some things are not what they seem, you could be right. Repel doubts, ban anxieties and stick to facts and tact. If certain individuals or situations continue to conspire against you, change course and do something entirely different.

What goes around will come around quicker than you think.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Storms in tea-cups need loads of sweet-talking. Of course, if you can’t be bothered with it all, fair enough; keeping quiet could be the best way to deal with problems, glitches or sudden backfires. If you can’t take a break, at least chill out with whatever or whoever brings you the greatest pleasure.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) You are about to tackle some tough tests. Work and personal hurdles could preoccupy you, but after the weekend you’ll be able to sort out the ice from the cream. No matter how awkward things seem on Monday or Wednesday, trust your ability to wait for the right moment, rather than risk spoiling your plans.

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 (CANCEL) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues.

ANNULI ARCTIC ATTAIN AVERSE BECALM CANCEL (10) CINDER CLERGY FARINA INTENT INTERN NETTLE RENTAL RETAIL SENIOR SQUEAL TANNED TINDER VENIAL

LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY Sat 12 December

13-38-39 49-53-56

BONUS BALL

59

IRISH LOTTO Sat 12 December

3-10-18 22-30

BONUS BALL

31

EURO MILLIONS Tue 8 December

BONUS BALL

2

1-4-21 24-46

12

Fri 11 December

BONUS BALL

6-9-13 24-41

3 12

EL MILLON: HWZ24630 LA PRIMITIVA

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Feisty Mars and the fiery Sun are warring with changeable Pluto, so avoid any tearaway temptations on Thursday or Friday. You could be emotionally vulnerable, or even lulled into a false sense of security.

However confusing the planets may seem, even out the odds as best you can by ensuring your worries take second place.

TIME OUT

Thurs 10 December

BONUS BALL

9-12-13 18-22-36

2 7

JOKER: 8284220 Sat 12 December

BONUS BALL

11-16-26 27-40-44

18

JOKER: 8155390

0

TIME OUT

26

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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, 15 represents T and 17 represents V, so fill in T every time the figure 15 appears and V every time the figure 17 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 Dentro de (6) 3 Pimienta (6) 8 Grapadora (7) 10 Ice (5) 11 Ensalada (5) 12 Línea aérea (7) 13 Cada (5) 15 Sentence (5) 20 Corner (outer) (7) 22 Regalos (5) 24 Bone (of human, animal) (5) 25 To chat (7) 26 Somnoliento (6) 27 Pajitas (6)

Down 1 Insistir (6) 2 Caracol (5) 4 To throw (5) 5 Prices (7) 6 Reabrir (6) 7 Ancho (5) 9 Leader (of group, party) (5) 14 Cowboy (7) 16 Ruler (measuring tool) (5) 17 Método (6) 18 Coger (5) 19 Oysters (6) 21 Planchas (utensilios) (5) 23 Skirt (5)

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION QUICK Across: 1 Fast, 3 Shops, 8 Exchanged, 9 Stare, 10 Yell, 14 Hard, 15 Baked, 18 Prominent, 20 Stamp, 21 Idle.

Down: 1 Fact, 2 Shelter, 4 Heal, 5/19 Pig out, 6 Scary, 7 Adult, 11 Elected, 12 Chips, 13 Later, 16 Film, 17 Safe.

BOGGLED

ENGLISH-SPANISH

trey trek goffer goer gofer grey guff ogre offer fogey four fear fare faro farm ergo euro urea frug from arvo prey pert puff puffer pure pyre poke poker pokey pork porker pore kepi koan huff refuge revoke rope roper ropey ropy robin rove roan evoke byre bora bore okra over naive above mope moper mopey mopy moke more move mover moan

Across: 1 Praises, 5 Poles, 8 Botón, 9 Bisonte, 10 Spine, 11 Aquel, 12 Aleman, 14 Fresas, 18 Press, 20 Lagos, 22 Drivers, 23 Milla, 24 Eagle, 25 Dancers.

Down: 1 Pobreza, 2 Antes, 3 Sonrisa, 4 Sobres, 5 Pesca, 6 Lenguas, 7 Shell, 13 Evening, 15 Regimen, 16 Signals, 17 Closed, 18 Padre, 19 Scene, 21 Solve.

NONAGRAM

CRYPTIC

Across: 1 Bobcats, 4 Chats, 7 Axles, 9 Starter, 10 Hostage, 11 Knife, 12 Shaped, 14 Aspens, 18 Addle, 20 Braised, 22 Immerse, 23 Keats, 24 Money, 25 Tempers.

Down: 1 Beaches, 2 Belts, 3 System, 4 Chalk, 5 Astride, 6 Spree, 8 Slate, 13 Abdomen, 15 Stark, 16 Sadists, 17 Absent, 18 Axiom, 19 Early, 21 Spate.

CODE BREAKER

FUTOSHIKI

abet able abut bail bait bale bare bate bear beat beau belt beta bier bile bite blat blue blur brae brat brit brut burl carb club crab crib cube curb lube rube tabu tuba tube abler acerb baler balti baric beaut biter blare blear bleat bluer blurt brace bract brail bruit brute built buret caber cable cubit rebut ruble table tribe tubal tuber albeit bailer barite brutal burial butler tribal caliber calibre cubital curable librate rebuilt triable LUBRICATE

HEXAGRAM

WORD LADDER

1 RAISED 2 ASTUTE 3 CRADLE 4 TIPTOE 5 ENTIRE 6 ANTHEM 7 ABOUND 8 CHASTE 9 BEETLE 10 DETAIL 11 CATSUP 12 WEALTH 13 RASCAL 14 NEWTON 15 RETIRE 16 BURLAP 17 THEORY 18 TELLER 19 WORTHY

WRAP TRAP TRAM TEAM TERM GERM

KAKURO

SUDOKU

www.euroweeklynews.com • 17 - 23 December 2020

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Axarquía TODAY

ARCHIDONA

WEATHER

CASABERMEJA VELEZ-MALAGA NERJA RINCON MALAGA DE LA VICTORIA

TOMORROW

ARCHIDONA

CASABERMEJA VELEZ-MALAGA NERJA MALAGA

SATURDAY

RINCON DE LA VICTORIA

ARCHIDONA

CASABERMEJA VELEZ-MALAGA NERJA MALAGA

S: Sun

C: Cloudy

Th: Thunder

RINCON DE LA VICTORIA

Cl: Clear

Sh: Showers

Sn: Snow

Malaga TODAY: MAX 17 MIN 6 Fri 15 7 Sat 12 8 Sun 12 7 Mon 11 9 Tues - 13 9 Wed 15 9

Alicante TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 8 Fri 16 7 Sat 17 7 Sun 16 8 Mon 16 9 Tues - 19 8 Wed 19 7

Almeria TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 6 Fri 17 9 Sat 15 7 Sun 13 8 Mon 15 8 Tues - 16 9 Wed 17 8

Benidorm TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 9 Fri 19 9 Sat 18 9 Sun 17 8 Mon 19 8 Tues - 17 10 Wed 17 8 Mallorca TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 7 Fri 16 7 Sat 17 8 Sun 17 8 Mon 18 9 Tues 17 7 Wed 16 8

Bilbao TODAY: MAX 18, MIN 5 Fri 17 9 Sat 14 9 Sun 14 8 Mon 13 8 Tues 16 9 Wed 15 8 Madrid TODAY: MAX 13, MIN 8 Fri 16 8 Sat 15 7 Sun 14 7 Mon 16 8 Tues 17 9 Wed 17 10

27

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 16, MIN 9 Fri 17 9 Sat 16 9 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 Action involving night flier may be argued (7) 5 Rent holiday place on the Adriatic (5) 8 I did have a gardening implement, by the sound of it, in a state (5) 9 Given name of boy with elderly relative (7) 10 VAT, as for instruments (5) 11 Running late? Drat! Upset youth leader (5) 12 Story about editor makes you delighted (6) 14 Wager everyone's in Swan Lake, for example (6) 18 Might a quote refer to woodworking joint? (5) 20 Our ma changed her lover (5) 22 Persistent Parisian's negative post changed (7) 23 From Shanghai father arrives at Israeli city (5) 24 Chiseller, married, with a child (5) 25 Creche in North Surrey moved (7) Down 1 In headwind, leaders gradually decline (7) 2 Creature spotted in the Danube? A stag perhaps (5) 3 Torment Tory leader with Russian money (7) 4 Remove earth on time for a compression (6) 5 Read start of testimony that is barely sufficient (5) 6 Afterwards a learner gets in the side (7) 7 At present, a terrible toady (5) 13 Is present as a motorcycle race finishes (7) 15 Someone else embraced by Diana, not Hercules (7) 16 Petty quarrel with a New York glass-maker (7) 17 Maps taken out on an Asian boat (6) 18 Note going backwards and forwards (5) 19 Taken food from downbeat Englishmen (5) 21 Shoving her about in river (5)

TIME OUT

28

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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

Down

1 Relating to the brain (8)

1 Meet at a point (5)

7 Eating utensil (5)

2 Jogger (6)

8 Indian stringed instrument (5)

3/16 Large percussion instrument (4,4)

9 React verbally (6)

4 Thespian (5)

10 Avian warbler (4)

5 Set up (9)

12 Breach of secrecy (4)

6 Citrus drink (9)

14 Cows and bulls (6)

11 Young, unmarried woman (6)

17 Pointed weapon (5)

13 Skilled or proficient at something (5)

18 Burn caused by hot liquid (5)

15 Pulls something apart or to pieces (5)

19 Walks unsteadily (8)

16 See 3

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

DIVE

QUIZ BACK PAST

KISS AND TELL 1. Born in Michigan in 1925, which pioneer of American rock and roll music was famous for his kiss curl?

2. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus was the first UK Top 10 hit single for which female vocal trio in 1953?

3. In which Olympic sport would a competitor use a kisser button?

4. In which year did the Brotherhood of Man win the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Save Your Kisses for Me? 5. Said to impart the ‘gift of the gab’ to anyone who kisses it, in which county of Ireland is the Blarney Stone located?

6. The 1948 Cole Porter musical Kiss Me, Kate is principally based on which play by William Shakespeare?

7. The Kiss (Le Baiser) is an 1882 marble sculpture by which French sculptor?

8. What is the (stage) name of the Israeli-American bass player/singer, who, along with singer/guitarist Paul Stanley, co-founded the rock band Kiss in the early 1970s?

9. What type of creature is a kissing ghourami?

10. Who, in October 1988 had a UK Top Five hit single with a cover version of the Artist Formerly Known as Prince’s hit Kiss?

Not a lot of people know that… Broadway stage actor John C Rice is credited with performing the first on-screen kiss with Canadian actress May Irwin in 1896 for the Thomas Edison film company film ‘The Kiss’. The film was a 47-second recreation of a scene from the Broadway play ‘The Widow Jones’ starring Irwin and Rice.

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 R) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.

TARGET:

audreyquinton99@gmail.com

Average: 13 Good: 18 Very good: 26 Excellent: 34

Answers 1. BILL HALEY, 2. BEVERLEY SISTERS, 3. ARCHERY (a small plastic device attached to the string for alignment with mouth at full draw), 4. 1976, 5.

COUNTY CORK, 6. THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, 7. AUGUSTE RODIN, 8. GENE SIMMONS also known as GENE KLEIN (born Chaim Witz), 9. Tropical freshwater FISH, 10. THE ART OF NOISE FEATURING TOM JONES

17 - 23 December 2020

to read more visit

29

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Double up at breakfast Not enough water to prevent snacking being drunk in Spain SEVENTY­FIVE per cent of people in Spain drink less water than is recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), a new sur­ vey has revealed.

The EFSA guidelines rec­ ommend men drink 2.5 litres of water a day and women two litres, yet the average amount consumed by those questioned for the survey by the Spanish Nutrition Foun­ dation (FEN) was 1.7 litres for men and 1.6 litres for women.

The survey was done all over Spain with people aged between nine and 75 ques­ tioned about their eating and drinking habits.

Water was the most con­ sumed drink by both sexes, followed by milk. However for men alcoholic drinks came third on the list, fol­ lowed by sugary drinks and

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

FORGET skipping breakfast and double up instead to help you lose weight.

Surprising news, but according to a new study by researchers at Yale and the Uni­ versity of Connecticut, eating two break­ fasts is actually good for you if you eat something small to kick­start your metab­ olism and then something slightly larger a bit later.

Nutritionists also agree with the con­ cept believing that it would be helpful for many people who struggle to eat when they get up. It’s an ideal way to ensure a

decent breakfast is eaten if they have something light like a small yoghurt, smoothie or protein shake first. A larger, healthy breakfast like an omelette or por­ ridge a few hours later can prevent snack­ ing before lunch and ensure the necessary nutrition is had.

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

Cancer debate

THERE is a link between us­ ing mobile phones and can­ cer.

That’s according to a study backed by the US govern­ ment, which found rats ex­ posed to the type of radio waves emitted by mobile phones were more likely to develop tumours in their brains and hearts.

The authors of the study,

led by the US National Toxi­ cology Programme, said that even a very small increase in the incidence of disease re­ sulting from exposure to ra­ dio­frequency radiation could have broad implica­ tions for public health.

However, British scientists stressed that extensive re­ search on humans has found no evidence mobile phones

pose health risks and that the new study’s findings were not strong enough to raise concerns.

For years people have been concerned about phone risk as mobiles emit radiation energy in the form of radio waves which can be absorbed by the tissues in the body closest to the phone.

DRINK UP: People need to increase their water intake. hot drinks while for women it was the other way round

(hot drinks, sugary drinks, al­ cohol).

Tis the season to be jolly!

MS BIPOLAR UP AND DOWN WITH BALANCE UNEDITED SO we are on the run up to Christmas, everywhere you look people are now beginning to get excited for Christmas, even after this horrible year you can feel a glimmer of that festive feeling.

I am a Holiday-holic. I love holidays. I probably love them too much that I even ruin them!

I overthink everything about a holiday so much that I get overwhelmed, creating a horrible feeling between the idea of what I think is the perfect holiday and then feel like I have let everyone down when it doesn’t go how I had hoped for.

The emotional pressure I put on myself, the temptation to spend too much, the wanting to enjoy a glass of Champagne and having to be strong enough to say NO, because being on my medication it could be life threatening - the list of triggers and stresses just go on and on. Over the holidays I have to be so strong and stick to my routines that it can just be too much for me.

Don’t get me wrong - I love Christmas - but there are certain rules I have to stick to in order to not slip as it can be so easy to!!

Trying to stick to my sleep routines, stick to my medication regime. What the heck - I make plans about everything if it makes me feel better, un-

certainty is a huge trigger for me but I try not to over schedule because I know I will need ‘ME’ time. I get overly excited very easily - I make these plans that seem like a good idea at the time and then instantly regret it!

My bipolar illness makes concepts like willpower and choice irrelevant once an episode takes hold. So I focus on trying to prevent these, by controlling what I have in my power to control, like my routines.

Make these holidays a genuine HAPPY TIME for you and your loved ones.

Write to me and tell me how you cope with the holiday season. Don’t forget you can also follow me on facebook @mswillowbipolar.

Love Ms Bipolar x

msbipolar@euroweeklynews.com

PETS

SOME pets need more care than others, and not because they are difficult or spoilt. You may have several pets at home who simply need someone to care for them and cherish them when you are away. Meet Petey, Shane and Scrut, all brothers who live in Almeria. Their owner usually gets in touch about two to three

30

www.euroweeklynews.com • 17 - 23 December 2020

SPONSORED BY

Shaggy dog story months before a planned trip to post an advert. She tells us about her bunch of shaggy boys and we find her dog loving pet­sitters. It’s as simple as that.

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

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

How does it work?

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable sitters. Join our net­ work for a small annual fee. You get ID checked for safety and then

What do you do with your furry friends when you plan trips away?

build your advert saying when you are going on holiday. House­sitters see your advert, 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 per­ fect house­sitter while we were away in Canada and we were de­ lighted with the care and atten­ tion that HouseSitMatch took in helping us find the right person.

Ros Morris ­ Dog owner How do you join?

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

Do you need a house-sitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either house-sitter or homeowner with a 20 per cent discount using coupon code P2020 - an exclusive offer for readers. To find a house or pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com.

My last grump of the year MIKE SENKER IN MY OPINION Views of a Grumpy Old Man DONALD TRUMP is like the boyfriend you never wanted your daughter to have be­ cause you knew he was a no good low life and she finally dumped him only for him to then turn into a stalker and sit outside her house with a telephoto lens, go to her workplace and follow her every­ where, then slagging off her new boyfriend on social media with nonsense and lies.

By now even his ‘friends’ think he has gone too far, telling him to leave it be­ cause it’s done. But because he is a narc­ cisitic ego­maniac he just won’t listen.

He’ll probably carry on ‘til law enforce­ ment take him away and lock him up.

Another thing bothering me is this whole fake news thing. I watch lots of dif­ ferent news stations and it fascinates me how they show something, and I can see with my own eyes what’s happening.

They then go back to the studio and there are four people, who have just seen the same thing, and each of them has a completely different opinion on what just happened. So now there are six versions ­

their four, mine and what really hap­ pened before some clever editing be­ cause I’ve just switched channels and seen the same video pre­edit and also from two different angles.

These news stations are no longer re­ porting the news. They are now selling their biased versions of events. So now I don’t believe anything I hear or read and have started doubting what I see too.

My life is totally run by women. My wife, my daughter, both of whom I don’t have a problem with. Nearly all my doc­ tors I see or at the moment speak to by ‘phone are women and they are all great.

The three I have a real problem with are Siri, Alexa and my sat nav.

My sat nav is continually telling me to go here, go there, make a U­turn as soon as possible and then declaring I’ve reached my destination when I can see I obviously haven’t! Siri just keeps telling me she can’t help with that and Alexa just pipes up every now and again for ab­ solutely no reason whatsoever. But she does make me laugh when I ask her to fart. If you have a childish sense of hu­ mour, try it!

This is my last grump ‘til the New Year so Happy Holidays and we’ll talk about Covid then!

Email: mikesenker@gmail.com

17 - 23 December 2020 • www.euroweeklynews.com SPONSORED BY

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SPORT

32

17 - 23 December 2020

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GETTING BACK TO NORMAL

THE lifting of the restriction prohibiting travel outside municipalities has given a boost to the Walking Football sessions at Benalmadena and Finca Naundrup, Cala­ honda as members unable to leave their towns and villages can now return bring­ ing numbers up to equal a few weeks ago.

The build up can now begin in earnest to­ wards the opening of the new league sea­ son on January 17 ­ Covid permitting.

To this end the League Management Committee will update the current situa­ tion before making a final decision at a spe­ cial meeting on January 2.

The fixtures for the Inaugural Opening of the League are as follows : WFS Calahonda v Malaga ‘B’ Walking Dead v Malaga ‘60’ Aston Viñuela WFC v Sporting Bena­ havis Ath. Benahavis v Nerja Nomads Aston Viñuela WFC v Ath. Benahavis Nerja Nomads v Sp. Benahavis Malaga 50’s v Malaga 60’s A full programme at the Finca Naun­ drup commencing at 11.30am running through to 5pm.

Viñuela, Nerja and the Benahavis teams will be playing two matches each to assist in keeping travelling time and costs to a minimum. Viñuela and Nerja will play two

matches once a month rather than every two weeks. This is an agreement with oth­ er clubs and League Management to assist in economy and journey time for these clubs.

And while on the League, this week’s Team Spotlight falls on Athletic Benahavis.

“The South of Spain Walking Football League ‘Newcomers’ spotlight this week falls on Athletico Benahavis. One of the League’s ‘distant’ teams being 36kms west of Calahonda where many of the League teams play.

Currently having to make the trip to Fin­ ca Naundrup where all competitive games are being played they hope it will be soon when they can return to their ‘home’ ground at the Polideportivo, Benahavis.

Their alternative ground is in San Pedro.

Founded six months ago with the re­ structure of Walking Football Spain which gave autonomy to Benahavis, Benalmade­ na and Calahonda have emerged to be an ambitious club eager to show they can mount a challenge to the teams who have dominated the competitions.

Due to a successful recruiting campaign they now have members to form two teams... Athletico Benahavis and Sporting Benahavis both managed by a former Spurs goalkeeper Doug Llewelyn, who

keeps the players on their toes!!

This week we concentrate on Athletico, who caught by the Covid restrictions, have been unable to play many matches or train, having to travel to Calahonda for these activities.

They did however play two friendly matches against the more match fit Mala­ ga teams in October and while being in the lead on both occasions lost. They are not despondent however and are addressing the issues which allowed leads to slip from them.

Backed by Sponsors Vogue Cafe and Prado Halcones for which thanks go to Tony Cifaldi, Athletico Benahavis seem to be a team thirsting for success.

Interesting observation from team co­ ordinator Charles Kleimunt is his surprise at how he adapted to walking football hav­ ing come from playing regular ‘normal’ football in the UK. Waking Football Spain helped him when he retired to the Costa through physical ex­ ercise, well­being and meeting so many in­ teresting individuals.

Charles highly recommends walking football and they are still recruiting new players. If you are over 50 and enjoy play­ ing football please contact him at Charleskleimunt@gmail.com.

Champions League 2021 THE UEFA Champions League 2021, last 16 draw took place on Monday, December 14, at the UEFA headquarters in Ny­ on, Switzerland, with 16 of Eu­ rope’s top football clubs look­ ing to make it to the final in Istanbul, on May 29, 2021.

With three Premiership teams in the draw, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea, unable to be drawn against each other, the draw was offici­ ated by Giorgio Marchetti, the Deputy General Secretary of UEFA. Here is the full draw and the dates of the matches: 16 February and 10 March Leipzig (GER) vs Liverpool (ENG) Barcelona (ESP) vs Paris (FRA) 17 February and 9 March Porto (POR) vs Juventus (ITA) Sevilla (ESP) vs Borussia Dortmund (GER) 23 February and 17 March Lazio (ITA) vs Bayern (GER) Atlético (ESP) vs Chelsea (ENG)

24 February and 16 March Borussia Mönchengladbach (GER) vs Manchester City (ENG) Atalanta (ITA) vs Real Madrid (ESP) There you have it, some in­ teresting ties, with PSG, last season’s beaten finalists, ver­ sus Barcelona, one of the most exciting ties, pitting Neymar against Messi, and seeing Mes­ si return to the camp Nou for the first time since his transfer to Paris in 2017.

Chelsea will not be looking forward to playing Atletico, who currently top La Liga in Spain, a tie that brings former player, Diego Costa, back to Stamford Bridge.

Manchester City get proba­ bly one of the easier ties for the British teams, against Ger­ many’s Borussia Monchenglad­ bach, into the last 16 for the first time.

Liverpool have a tricky tie against RB Leipzig as well, a team that is growing in strength in European competi­ tions.