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

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The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1850

17 - 23 December 2020

MALLORCA • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

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TIER 4 MALLORCA

FOR several months, it ap­ peared that the Balearics were being very successful in their fight against the coronavirus, but the past week in particular has seen contagion grow enor­ mously which has resulted in new restrictions on Mallorca being imposed by the Balearic Government. With effect from Tuesday De­ cember 15 Mallorca entered in­ to tier 4 and the following new rules applied and will be in force (unless changed at a later date) until Tuesday December 29; • A maximum of six people only may meet be it inside or outside. • Interiors of all bars and restaurants closed to the public. • Bar and restaurant terraces to close at 10pm except on Fri­ days, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays when they must close at 6pm with a maximum of 75 per cent occupancy. • Smoking in public is allowed provided that the smoker re­ spects social distancing and does not move about when smoking

but remains in one position. • Large shops and stores must reduce their capacity to 30 per cent based on the concept of each person occupying 10 square metres. • Theatres and auditoriums may continue to operate but at 50 per cent capacity. • Churches may only allow a congregation equivalent to 25 per cent capacity. • Gyms may operate at 30 per cent with a maximum of six people in any class observing so­ cial distancing. • All after school activities sus­ pended. • There will be a curfew across the island running from 10pm until 6am and this in­ cludes Christmas Eve and Christ­ mas Day when so many families normally get together to cele­ brate. It has also been announced separately that if any street ap­ pears to be too full of shoppers, then the Local Police will have the power to close the area until the crowds have reduced.

NEW RULES: Shopping centres may not be overcrowded. The area of business worst hit by these new rules is the hospi­ tality industry and spokesper­ sons for the two largest associa­ tions CAEB and Pimem after meeting with the President of the Government Francina Ar­ mengol and other government representatives bemoaned the

fact that they believed that some 80 per cent of restaurants in Mallorca did not have outside spaces. There will be some financial help to restaurants including a payment of €1,500 per person for each restaurant that has less than 20 staff and a suspension

of terrace fees for the first quar­ ter of 2021 (although that does­ n’t help the majority of owners). In addition, there will be a series of grants available and water and waste collection bills issued between August 2020 and April 2021 may be delayed, but there is still a fear that many bars and restaurants will close down for good as they simply can’t afford to continue without tourist and Christmas trade. Looking forward however the government hopes that taking drastic action now will assist in bringing contagion rates back down to an acceptable level with the long­term aim of avoid­ ing a third spike.

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Child hit by motor AFTER running into the road in Alcudia, a threeyear-old boy was struck by a car and was taken to hospital for treatment. According to witnesses, he dashed into the road giving the driver no time to stop, but as soon as the accident occurred the driver did all that he could to ensure that the child was being helped. T he emergency services and Local Police arrived on the scene quickly and the child was taken to hospital whilst the police are now trying to identify why the accident occurred.

NEWS

Car Repair Frauds THE National Police in Mallorca have arrested a 35­year­old man for multiple car repair frauds after he is said to have collected several large amounts of money in advance for repairing private cars, but without repairing the vehicles. It is believed that the man, instead of fixing them, stole spare parts from the cars and pocketed the cash while working at a workshop in Palma’s Pere Garau district. Police reports say that he managed to convince one customer to take the car to another workshop on Carrer Lluís Martí because he only had the tools necessary for the job there and before be­ ginning the repair he asked for an advance payment of €300. After a few weeks, the customer asked for the car back and was asked to go to another, which turned out to be an illegal one. When the car was returned, the owner paid another €220 before realising that the defect had not been repaired. The police suspect that there are other victims of fraud out there.

Rafa Relaxing SPANISH tennis star Rafael Nadal, who lives in Mallorca, treated himself to a hike in the Serra de Tramuntana with friends at the weekend. This year’s winner of the Roland Garros tournament in Paris shared photos on social media, where he and several people can be seen standing close together without masks,

which caused displeasure among some users. The Twitter post on Mon­ day, December 14 read: “In Mallorca, we can do sports and enjoy nature in winter at the same time. Lucky we are. This weekend I really enjoyed with family and friends these moments and these land­ scapes.”

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NIBS EXTRA Hotel sold THE Barceló Hotel Group has sold the luxury Formentor Hotel to investment fund Emin Capital for €165 million and the Pollensa Council has confirmed that it will approve an investment of €20 million to upgrade what will become a Four Seasons property.

Construction stopped FOLLOWING complaints from residents and advice from specialists, the Palma Council has stopped the construction of a plant involved in the preparation of concrete in the area of Son Güells due to environmental fears.

Friendline MALLORCA based charity Age in Spain has just opened Friendline, a new, free telephone friendship service aimed at helping elderly people in Spain to speak on a weekly basis with volunteers about different matters of interest.

Special grant CALVIA Council has recognised the financial problems, that the local Radio Taxi Group has faced in keeping its 24 hour a day switchboard open, during the pandemic when there are so few visitors and is therefore gifting €10,000 to cover 2020 operating costs.

New arrest IN July of this year, several senior employees of the Balearic Port Authority were arrested in a series of raids by Guardia Civil but now, a Galician businessman has also been arrested in Palma and is to be charged with possession of inside information.

Market cancelled DUE to the current health emergency and new restrictions imposed across Mallorca, the Andraxt Council has reluctantly decided to cancel the Christmas Market which was due to take place on Saturday December 19.

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Amazon HQ fears

ONLINE giant Amazon is ru­ moured to be opening a new HQ in Palma sparking fears for the future of small businesses. At the moment, the firm is delivering packages from a tem­ porary storage and distribution unit in the Sons Oms Industrial Estate. The multinational is reportedly planning to turn a warehouse in­ to a new base on the island. But local employers’ associa­ tion, AFEDECO, is deeply con­ cerned about the current ‘dra­ matic situation of commerce in the Balearic Islands’ and argued ‘if the situation is not remedied,

NEW HQ: Small businesses are deeply concerned.

the (small) businesses will only have to close.’ The association has requested all the details of the plans for a lo­ gistics centre, including the exact location, what guidelines have been followed to obtain an open­ ing licence and what space it will occupy. It has also questioned what studies the government has carried out ‘to give viability to this project that is going to bring more closures of traditional shops.’ “It will desert the centre of Pal­ ma and the urban centres of the island’s municipalities,” AFEDECO told Cope.

Airline seat setback

UK airline seat allocation for winter and summer 2021 is a big setback for the Balearics with forecasts showing massive cuts. Representatives of Spain’s tourist bureaus in the main overseas markets met at the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation’s annual meeting on Monday, December 14. During the meeting, deputy director of

Hotel

Expansions TWELVE Mallorca hotels are set to be renovated and expanded by 15 per cent as the council tries to revive tourism. A total of about €7.5 million will be invested in the expansion of the hotels, although no more hotel rooms can be built, according to plans announced last month. One of the most extensive projects is the expansion of the Condesa Hotel in Alcúdia, which according to Balearic Tourism Minister, Iago Negueruela on Tuesday, December 15, will alone cost around €2.68 million. In addition, further projects are planned in Palma, Calvià, Sóller, Campos, Santa Margalida and Selva. In the Tramuntana mountains in Sóller, the pool of the popular country hotel Cas Xorc is to be renovated and other smaller renovations will take place in other small hospitality properties.

the London bureau, Carlos Ruiz, said that the UK forecast for the winter in the Balearics was 60 per cent fewer airline seats than last year with just over 100,000 seats scheduled. In a second blow, he said the current projection for summer 2021 is around 3.1 million which is almost 30 per cent lower than 2019, but triple those in 2020.

Ruiz said health data will be crucial, explaining “if the health situation is favourable,” all efforts will likely be made to get tourists to Spain. He said airlines are currently delaying flights to Mallorca until the start of spring, but if the UK government includes the Balearics on its safe travel list, there would be an immediate response.

Fewer fishing days Helping turtles survive IN 2013, the European Commission an­ nounced that in order to protect fish stocks in the Mediterranean that it would be necessary to reduce the num­ ber of days that fishing took place from 2020 until 2025. This year, the reduction was 10 per cent, but it has now been announced to much vocal opposition that for 2021 fishing will be reduced by a further 15 per cent which the national fishing fed­ eration is opposed to, as is its Balearic division. Official complaints have been made to the European Commission and a na­ tional protest is currently on hold in the hope that the decision will be reversed as a 25 per cent reduction in fishing over two years is considered to be un­ workable and financially unacceptable.

STAFF from the Species Protection Service accompanied volunteers from Menorca who visited the Laboratory of Marine Research and Aquaculture, LIMIA in Mallorca which is looking after 22 turtles taken from a hatch­ ing site in Menorca. There they were able to learn about the programme of growth and introduction to the sea, known as Head Starting, which follow the specimens until they reach approximately two kilos in weight, before being released. The specimens come from the first nest registered in Menorca, of 132 eggs, in Punta Prima, and which was later moved to Cala Mesquida to guarantee a greater survival of specimens. With two nests found in Menorca and one in Ibiza this year, 155 sea turtles have been born in the Balearic Islands, of which 89 were distributed to five safe centres.

Police in isolation MANY towns in Mallorca have relatively small Local Police forces which under normal circum­ stances are more than adequate to face day to day needs. Covid­19 however has changed the complexion of things and in Binissalem after two of the eight officers in the force tested positive for coronavirus, they have all been made to self­isolate until December 21. This doesn’t mean however that the town is left open to hordes of marauding robbers as the mayor, Víctor Martí, has confirmed that he has made arrangements with the Guardia Civil and Local Police in Inca to be available to respond to emergencies.

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New high THE Balearic Islands reg­ istered its highest num­ ber of daily new Covid cases since September this week. The Ministry of Health reported 339 new infections in its daily bulletin on Tues­ day, December 15, and two C o v i d­ r e l a t e d deaths. This brought the death toll since the start of the pandemic on the islands to 432. The highest number of infections recorded in a single day since September placed the islands above 28,000 cases since the first con­ tagion was detected in February, with a total of 28,190. Pressure on hospitals continued to grow with 245 Covid patients ad­ mitted to various health centres in the islands, 17 more than Monday, December 14. On a positive note, 17 p e o p l e h a d b e e n d i s­ charged from hospital and 133 from Primary Care.

Community sentence IN 2018 a 51­year­old Span­ ish cocaine addict started visiting a department store in Palma and started to steal expensive clothes. After being stopped by security guards as he tried to make off with an Atléti­ co de Madrid football top which was priced at €84.95, police discovered that this was his third theft and they recovered two jackets, one priced at €608 and the oth­ er at €529. Charged with theft of goods worth €1,137 he was found guilty in the Palma Court on December 14 and sentenced to 95 days of community work and will have to compensate the store for the stolen goods.

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‘False Sense of Security’

AS the self-diagnosis Covid19 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.

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.

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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.

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Cinemas In The Red

LOST PROFITS: As popcorn and drinks are not allowed.

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 Covid-19 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 behalf of the rest of local cinemas, reported to Informacion that popcorn and sodas ac-

count for almost half the total profits, and with customers being unable to even buy a bottle of water, the figures 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.

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Heroic Toddler Residency support for saves mum UK Nationals in Spain

THE young boy saved the life of his mother, who was several months pregnant, on Sunday, De­ cember 13, in Valencia when he managed 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 admitted af­ ter 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 unconscious woman and that the victim’s four­year­old son had just notified them.

The woman lost consciousness before she could ask for help. The boy, seeing that his mother was unresponsive, picked up the phone and connected to What­ sApp, from which he began to send audios to his relatives, re­ porting that his mother was lying on the ground and was not mov­ ing. 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 ur­ gent presence of the firefighters as well as an ambulance to carry out the combined rescue.

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

NEWS

Quarantine period in the UK lowered THE quarantine/self­iso­ lation period for those who have come into con­ tact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus and all inter­ national arrivals has been cut from 14 to 10 days from Monday, December 14. Those required to quar­ antine after returning from countries which are NOT on the UK’s travel corridor list will also see their isolation period re­ duced, in an agreement accepted by all four na­ tions. Health chiefs said in a joint statement that fol­ lowing a review of the evi­ dence, they were ‘confi­ dent’ that the self­ isolation period could be shortened.

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, how­ ever after a search what they found was a posi­ tive PCR test. It is illegal and against Covid­19 restrictions of movement to travel be­ tween 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 de­ cide on the fine and any other penalty for the breach in circulation rules during and en­ forced phase.

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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 December 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 involved on the day. Everyone on stage will have had a Covid­19 antigen test car­ ried out and masks will be mandatory until the numbers are

actually sung. Other health mea­ sures include all the children be­ ing two metres apart. The general public will be un­ able to attend this year and the capacity for media presence will lowered.

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, December 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 disciplinary measures if confirmed that they were not on police business when they breached the curfew and also driving while under the influence of alcohol.

NEWS

Vaccination not for everyone CERTAIN groups of peo­ ple in Spain will not be given the Pfizer/BioN­ Tech Covid­19 vaccina­ tion. Vaccination against Covid­19 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 oth­ er vaccines. According to reports, information from the UK Joint Committee on Vac­ cination and Immunisa­ tion and the US Food and Drug Administration regarding the vaccina­ tion it will most proba­ bly not be given to: Children under 16 years old. Clinical tests did not include children under 12, and there were very few aged be­ tween 12 and 15, so the risks cannot be properly evaluated. People with coagula­ tion problems. Anyone taking anticoagulants such as Sintrom or with coagulation prob­ lems should not have intramuscular injec­ tions, such is the case of Pfizer. However, in­ dividual cases will be evaluated. People with low im­ mune 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 breast­ feeding women. There is not enough data to determine whether it is safe for them or how it could affect fertility.

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Naked man rescued FIREMEN in Granada City had to rescue a naked man who had climbed up the cathedral at around 3pm, Wednesday, December 9. According to reports, he is a middle­aged former busi­ nessman, identified as OG, who is known for this type of behaviour. A few months ago, he was caught running naked through the Alhambra Palace. He remained sitting in an alcove, while passers­by watched or took videos on their phones. He was in no way distressed, but locals called the Na­ tional Police, who watched him and requested firemen to help him down. As he had not exposed himself, he had not commit­ ted a crime so was free to go.

NEWS

Madrid teen missing A TEENAGER has been reported missing from her home in Madrid since November 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 where­ abouts can be communicated to SOS Desaparecidos, email sosdesapareci dos@sosdesa parecidos.es. Guardia Civil are investigat­ ing her disappearance and say that information is needed ur­ gently.

Argentinian fugitive arrested A MAN wanted by Interpol for the abuse of his two young nieces has been arrested in Madrid. He was wanted by the Argentinian authorities for the al­ leged repeated sexual abuse of his two nieces when he was looking after them in their home in Buenos Aires in 2011. His home was put under surveillance in November with the collaboration of Interpol. His arrest was captured on national TV, as an Antena 3 team of journalists was shadowing the National Police unit for fugitives at the time.

Man caught stealing lobster and oysters A MAN, 48, was arrested in Marbella on the Cos­ ta del Sol when National Police caught him min­ utes 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 bot­ tom of which was obviously wet. Inside it, they found the live lobster and a net bag with 24 oysters.

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

NORWAY

Pizza patrol

Scooter control

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.

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.

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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

Credit: EWN Media Group

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COSTA DEL SOL: Jonathan Wylder recharges his batteries.

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 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 exhibition 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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17 - 23 December 2020 THE EURO WEEKLY NEWS is urging its readers to support local businesses in the com­ munity by going local through the lockdown and for your Christmas shopping this year, instead of feeding online gi­ ants and superstores. This lockdown and festive period we challenge you to re­ discover your local high streets, markets, butchers, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky indepen­ dent businesses in your area. Due to the Covid­19 pan­ demic, you may have to sup­ port many local businesses by ordering online and making use of any click and collect ser­ vices they can operate if you are unable to get out due to health reasons or lockdown restrictions.

FEATURE

GO LO

The joy of shopping local means that independent busi­ nesses can help support the local community. Although it may be a euro or two cheaper elsewhere or online, consider where your money is actually going. By shopping at an independent store you’re putting food on a

local family’s table, and there is no better time than Christ­ mas to give back to your com­ munity by making a small ges­ ture and shopping in this way. Many local stores support local charities, support and sponsor local sports teams and in many cases the small inde­ pendent stores are actually much more than just a small high street shop, they’re a family’s legacy, often passed down through numerous gen­ erations and support not just the current owner, but the generation before. For those stores which are new, that extra couple of eu­ ros spent there are supporting someone’s dream and ambi­ tion, and also the courage it took them to step out alone,

which is no easy task. It takes quite a large chunk of money to set up an independent store and compete with the multi­ national and chains. So be sure to pre­order your turkey from a local butcher and get your spuds from a lo­ cal greengrocer, let us revive that community spirit and get to know our neighbours again. You could also consider purchasing gift vouchers from local businesses to help them over the coming weeks, 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.

FEATURE

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OCAL As people are struggling with finances thinking about what friends and family may actually need is important too. Whilst it’s nice to give a glam­ ourous gift perhaps pre­paying a family member’s phone bill for the month would actually be a better gift. Helping peo­ ple alleviate stress and worry, give the gift of peace of mind through these difficult times. Choosing to spend your money locally will really make a difference in the recovery of the local economy. When we buy local, our money stays local, and it strengthens the local economy in two ways. First, buying local keeps money circulating within the local economy. Studies have shown that local

businesses recirculate a greater share of every euro as they create locally owned supply chains and invest in their employees. Data shows that local retail­ ers return 52 per cent of their revenue back into the local economy, compared to just 14 per cent for national chain re­ tailers. Money circulating through the local economy benefits everyone who is a part of each transaction. For example, let’s look at a local farmer growing produce. First, they sell to a local restaurant, which in turn pre­ pares the fresh produce and sells it to local customers. The farmer pays its local employ­ ees and the restaurant uses

revenue from sales to buy sup­ plies from a neighbourhood hardware store. This example illustrates how the recirculation of money in the local economy leads to a stronger financial foundation for our neighbours and com­ munities. Buying local also fuels new employment and job opportu­ nities for people within our community. Studies show, lo­ cally owned businesses em­ ploy more people per unit of sales and retain more employ­ ees over time. While buying local is finan­ cially compelling to our com­ munities; the benefits to our environment are equally im­ pressive. Buying locally re­ duces the processing of goods,

17 - 23 December 2020

packaging and transportation waste, which leads to less pol­ lution. There’s a massive cultural shift underway redefining the way people make buying deci­ sions. We’re seeing more indi­ viduals concerned about the environment, about how products are made and sourced, where materials come from, and a company’s overall social and environmen­ tal impact. Many businesses are join­ ing our Go Local campaign by offering customers special of­ fers and discounts throughout the festive period, more de­ tails to follow here soon. Just remember to follow the latest government advice and any guidance businesses have to keep everyone safe.

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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

16

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.

18 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

17 - 23 December 2020

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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/mallorca • Tel: +34 687 906 226 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

www.euroweeklynews.com

Advertising Feature

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 19

20 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

17 - 23 December 2020

FEATURE

Spanish 48 Silent majority are winning 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

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.

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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FRIDAY 18 DECEMBER

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Money for Nothing Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Nadiya's American Adventure MasterChef: The Professionals

3:30pm 5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

Tenable ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Tonight Emmerdale The Martin Lewis Money Show: Live

3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm

Countdown Find it, Fix it, Flog it A Place in the Sun Come Dine with Me Chef vs Corner Shop The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Snackmasters Taskmaster The Crystal Maze

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ITV News London Dickinson's Real Deal Tenable ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Midsomer Murders

3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm

Countdown Find it, Fix it, Flog it A Place in the Sun Come Dine with Me Chef vs Corner Shop The Simpsons The Simpsons Channel 4 News Dispatches George Clarke's Amazing Spaces

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

The Greatest Story Ever Told The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook Around the World in 80 Days Earth's Tropical Islands Richard Osman's House of Games Porridge The Eagle Has Landed The Many Faces of My Generation Educating Rita

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Minions The Masked Singer ITV News and Weather ITV News London Celebrity Supermarket Sweep The Chase: Celebrity Special It'll Be Alright on the Night The Jonathan Ross Show

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Jamie's Easy Christmas Countdown Christmas at Chatsworth House Jungle Mystery: Lost Kingdoms of the Amazon Channel 4 News Barenboim on Beethoven Britain's Most Historic Towns Forrest Gump

Life in the Snow Talking Pictures Shadowlands Chris & Michaela - Under the Christmas Sky Catch Me If You Can Michael Palin's Himalaya: Journey of a Lifetime The Death Of Stalin The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan

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ITV News and Weather ITV London Weather Shrek 2 ITV News and Weather ITV News London Diamonds are Forever Who Wants To Be A The Cube Bradley Walsh's How to Win a Game Show ITV News and Weather

The Bishop's Wife The Polar Bear Family and Me Flog It! Richard Osman's House of Games Strictly: It Takes Two Inside the Factory 12 Puppies and Us New Elizabethans with Andrew Marr

4:00pm 4:59pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm

Hairy Bakers The Importance of Being Earnest The Polar Bear Family and Me Flog It! Strictly: It Takes Two Simply Nigella Waterhole: Africa's Animal Oasis The Happy Prince

Impossible Escape to the Country Money for Nothing Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show A Question of Sport Richard Osman's House of Games Night

3:30pm 3:45pm

Wreck-it Ralph Final Score BBC News BBC London News Weather Celebrity Mastermind Strictly Come Dancing Michael McIntyre's The Wheel Idris Elba meets Paul McCartney

10:00am 1:05pm 2:00pm 4:55pm 5:55pm

Maleficent Blue Planet II BBC News BBC London News Weather Countryfile Antiques Roadshow His Dark Materials Sports Personality of the Year BBC News

2:00pm 3:00pm 3:45pm 5:50pm

Oz: The Great and Powerful Worzel Gummidge Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out Pointless Celebrities BBC News at Six BBC London News Marcus Rashford EastEnders The Vicar of Dibley The Vicar of Dibley

1:15pm 2:00pm 2:10pm 5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm

Bargain Hunt Nature's Weirdest Events Doctor Zhivago A Very Country Christmas Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em Butterflies Inside the Factory Mastermind Only Connect University Challenge Upstart Crow

3:00pm 4:00pm 4:59pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm

Dickinson's Real Deal Tenable All Stars ITV London Weather Tipping Point: Lucky Stars The Chase: Celebrity Special ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Ainsley's Food We Love Coronation Street

3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm

Clash of the Titans Worzel Gummidge Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers Pointless Celebrities BBC News at Six BBC London News The Goes Wrong Show EastEnders Spider-Man: Homecoming BBC News at Ten

2:15pm 3:15pm 5:10pm 6:10pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm

Rick Stein's Spain The Searchers A Very Country Christmas Keeping Up Appearances The Good Life All About the Good Life University Challenge Nigella: Cook, Eat, Repeat Being Bridget Jones I'll Get This Industry

3:00pm 4:00pm 4:59pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 11:00pm

Dickinson's Real Deal Tenable All Stars ITV London Weather Tipping Point: Lucky Stars The Chase: Celebrity Special ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale For the Love of Britain Midsomer Murders ITV News at Ten and Weather

4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm

The Neverending Story Merry Madagascar Finding Dory Pointless Celebrities BBC News at Six BBC London News Mary Berry Saves Christmas The Repair Shop Ghosts Celebrity MasterChef King Gary

2:15pm 3:15pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:30pm

Nigella: Cook, Eat, Repeat Casablanca A Very Country Christmas Are You Being Served? Dad's Army Gone Fishing: Mortimer & Whitehouse The Gruffalo & Me: The Magical World of Julia Donaldson University Challenge Motherland

3:00pm 4:00pm 4:59pm 5:00pm 6:00pm

Dickinson's Real Deal Tenable All Stars ITV London Weather Tipping Point: Lucky Stars The Chase: Celebrity Special ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Burnt Bits Coronation Street

3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm

5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

6:25pm 7:10pm 9:20pm 10:20pm 11:40pm

6:50pm 9:00pm 10:30pm 12:10am

8:30pm

9:30pm 10:00pm

8:20pm 9:20pm 10:25pm

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm

5:20pm 6:20pm 7:25pm 7:30pm 9:20pm 10:20pm

7:55pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

6:30pm 7:00pm 7:25pm 7:55pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

6:30pm 7:00pm 7:55pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

Merry & Bright The Christmas Set Up 5 News at 5 Neighbours Friends 5 News Tonight Secrets of Your Supermarket Food Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun Inside Lidl at Christmas

11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm

Christmas in London 5 News at 5 Neighbours Friends 5 News Tonight Inside the Steam Train Museum Walking Britain's Lost Railways Cruising with Jane McDonald

10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm

12:55pm 1:20pm 1:50pm 2:50pm 2:55pm 5:25pm 6:25pm 6:30pm 7:15pm 7:20pm 9:20pm

Friends Friends Pearl Harbour Access Pearl Harbour Scrooge 5 News Update Scrooge 5 News Weekend Geostorm The Home Alone Story

9:00am 10:00am 10:30am 11:30am 1:00pm 4:00pm

The Simpsons The Simpsons White Christmas The Man Who Invented Christmas Channel 4 News Cruising: From Boom to Bust Royal Antiques Repairers Devon and Cornwall Celebrity Gogglebox The Inbetweeners 2

4:15pm 4:20pm 5:50pm 6:50pm 7:35pm 7:40pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

Access The Karate Kid Inside... Inside Lidl at Christmas 5 News Update Our Big Yorkshire Christmas Our Yorkshire Farm Victoria Wood: In Her Own Words Britain's Favourite Christmas Adverts

11:00am 12:30pm

Countdown Find it, Fix it, Flog it A Place in the Sun Jamie: Keep Cooking at Christmas The Simpsons The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Inside John Lewis: Trouble At The Tills

2:45pm 3:45pm 3:50pm 6:15pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

Find it, Fix it, Flog it A Place in the Sun Jamie: Keep Cooking at Christmas The Simpsons The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Devon and Cornwall Sarah Beeny's New Life in the Country

3:40pm 4:40pm

Countdown Find it, Fix it, Flog it A Place in the Sun Jamie: Keep Cooking at Christmas The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Great British Bake Off: The Winners Snackmasters First Dates

5:10pm 5:15pm

9:00pm 10:00pm

9:00pm 10:00pm

11:55pm

9:00pm 10:00pm

5:40pm 5:45pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

6:10pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 11:00pm 1:00am

5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 11:00pm 1:00am

5:00pm 6:00pm 8:45pm 11:15pm

3:00pm 5:15pm 8:00pm 11:00pm 1:30am

Dances with Wolves 5 News Update Dances with Wolves 5 News Update Neighbours Friends 5 News Tonight Europe's Strongest Man 2020 Police Interceptors David Jason: Britain's

10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm

Matilda Christmas in the Highlands 5 News Update Christmas in the Highlands Neighbours Friends 5 News Tonight The World's Most The Yorkshire Vet

9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm

5 News Update All Creatures Great and Small 5 News Update Neighbours Friends 5 News Tonight Europe's Strongest Man 2020 The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard Wartime at Christmas

4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 8:45pm 12:00am

5:00pm 6:00pm 8:30pm 11:30pm

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

The Football Show The Football Show Live World Darts Championship Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live World Darts Championship How the Masters Was Won Sky Sports News Sky Sports News The Football Show The Football Show Live World Darts Championship Driving Force Sky Sports News Live World Darts Championship The Premier League Years Live: Total Access Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Saturday Social Soccer A.M. Live EFL Live World Darts Championship Gillette Soccer Saturday Live Premier League Live Premier League Live NFL Super Sunday Matchday Live Renault Super Sunday Live Renault Super Sunday Live Renault Super Sunday Live World Darts Championship Live NFL Live NBC's FNIA Sky Sports News The Football Show The Football Show Live: Good Morning Football Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live MNF Live MNF Class of '92: Full Time Documentary.

Sky Sports News Sky Sports News The Football Show The Football Show Live World Darts Championship Sky Sports News Live Carabao Cup Live Carabao Cup Live: TNT Pre-Game Show Total Goals Total Goals Total Goals The Football Show The Football Show Live World Darts Championship Sky Sports News Live Carabao Cup Live Carabao Cup The Law Man My Icon

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

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

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Mallorca TODAY POLLENÇA

ALCUDIA

CALVIA CALA D’OR

PALMA

ANDRATX

LLUCMAJOR MAGALLUF

TOMORROW POLLENÇA

ALCUDIA

WEATHER 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

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.

CALVIA ANDRATX

PALMA

CALA D’OR

LLUCMAJOR MAGALLUF

SATURDAY POLLENÇA

ALCUDIA

CALVIA ANDRATX

PALMA

CALA D’OR

LLUCMAJOR MAGALLUF

S: Sun

C: Cloudy

Th: Thunder

Cl: Clear

Sh: Showers

Sn: Snow

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

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

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

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