Euro Weekly News - Mallorca 18 - 24 February 2021 Issue 1859

The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1859

18 - 24 February 2021

News

MALLORCA • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

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IT’S GETTING BETTER

THERE is no quick solution but as new cases of Covid‐19 infections drop, so re‐ strictions in Mallorca are getting a little looser every week.

The latest figures show that there have been decreases in 36 Mallorcan municipalities, no change in 11 and just tiny increases in single figures in the oth‐ er six, with several areas being com‐ pletely free of infection.

Large shops reopened with limited ca‐ pacity and so have shopping centres from Monday to Friday and capacity is reduced to 30 per cent, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Parking in store car parks is reduced to 50 per cent with CO2 meters on dif‐ ferent floors and they have to be closed at weekends unless recognised as selling essential goods.

Restaurants and bars are still closed although they can offer takeaway and

FAN Shopping Centre Palma is open again.

the curfew from 10pm to 6am will re‐ main in place until March 2 at the earli‐ est.

Now public entertainment buildings such as theatres and cinemas can now allow up to 50 per cent capacity and gyms can reopen for yoga and Pilates whilst dance schools can also reopen, but with major restrictions.

Even the elderly have received a boost as if in a residential home and testing negative, they may be allowed to go out by themselves or with a family member who will guarantee that they will comply with health regulations.

Tourism will only be possible once the islands return to a stable situation where hotels, bars, restaurants and all general entertainments are easily accessible without significant restrictions.

If this is possible, visitors will be wel‐ comed with open arms.

PALMA BOAT SHOW ONE of the most anticipated and popular boat shows in Eu‐ rope had to go virtual in 2020 due to the pandemic, but is set to return to the Moll Vell Palma this June.

There is sufficient confidence in the way in which the pan‐ demic is losing its hold on Mal‐ lorca that both the organisers, the Institute of Business Innova‐ tion of the Balearic Islands (IDI) with BYBA and the Balearic Gov‐ ernment have decided that it should go ahead between June 3 and 6 this year.

This is all dependent upon the risk level dropping to three or less and there is a Covid‐19 protocol in place to avoid conta‐

gion that includes a strict con‐ trol of the capacity, which may not exceed 1,500 people, as well as thermal control of the temperature and the sale of on‐ line tickets to avoid queues and crowds.

In addition, there will be a team which will control that both exhibitors and visitors comply with health regulations within the Moll Vell fairgrounds.

This is clearly something of a financial risk as exhibitors from Spain and across the world have to be persuaded that they can safely travel and stay in Mallorca’s capital whilst visitors have also tradi‐ tionally come from across

Spain and much of Europe.

Any resurgence of business which will not only generate short term work during the set up and break down but will also aid the hospitality industry as visitors to the island have to be housed, fed, watered and enter‐ tained has to be considered very good news for the econo‐ my and morale.

BOAT SHOW: A scene from the successful 2019 exhibition.

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18 - 24 February 2021

NEWS

SOS Turismo Mallorca Food Bank Workers and owners simply want to be able to open.

AS previously reported, a number of Mallorca hoteliers worried about the future of tourism in the Balearics have formed the SOS Turismo Initiative and response has been tremendous.

Last Friday, February 12,

they launched their manifesto in Palma which calls for an immediate increase in vaccination throughout the Balearics and a much-needed tax cut as well as a properly thought-out plan for the reopening of the entire hospitality industry.

With so much of the economy relying upon the tourist trade from not just Germany and the UK but much of Europe, it is impossible for the airlines, cruise companies and holiday firms to plan itineraries and offer holidays when nothing is known of when the holiday season may begin.

Visitors need to know whether they will be able to travel to the Balearics and plan ahead which will give the hospitality industry the confidence to stock up and get ready to open.

Whilst there is no guarantee that the pandemic won’t return again, unless something is done to return to some semblance of normality soon, the organisers fear that there won’t be a tourism industry left to welcome visitors anyway.

ON Tuesday February 16, the president of the Consell de Mallorca, Catalina Cladera, met with the leaders of the Food Bank Foun‐ dation of Mallorca.

Accompanied by the president of the Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs, Javier de Juan and the vice‐president of the IMAS, Magdalena Gelabert, she was on a fact‐

Appeal rejected THE Courts in Palma have been quite harsh with jail sentences confirmed for those who were deemed to breach the lockdown during the spring State of Alarm last year.

The latest case to be upheld concerns a six month sentence given to a woman who be‐ tween March and April was stopped five times (in most cases by the same officer of the National Police) for breaching the lock‐ down.

Her excuse was that she was going to visit a friend, but after giving her plenty of oppor‐ tunities to stay at home and obey the terms of the State of Alarm, the officer decided that enough was enough and she was charged with the crime of disobedience.

Her defence lawyer argued that on each occasion when told to return home that she did so and therefore was not guilty of disobe‐ dience but the Court disagreed and upheld the sentence.

finding mission.

In addition to visiting the warehouse and speaking with volunteers involved in the dis‐ tribution of food, she wished to establish ways of collaboration with the Food Bank to help it cope with the increase in demand arising from the pandemic.

“We are clear that as an institution we must respond to the social needs of the fami‐ lies of Mallorca through our services, but we must also do so by supporting social entities such as the Food Bank, which distributes products to cover basic needs and that they have had to face as best they could to a very remarkable increase of the demand and a fall of contributions,” said president Cladera.

Product recall: Tuselin Descongestivo syrup THE Spanish Medicine Agency (AEMPS) has re‐ called all bottles of Lot N‐01 of cough syrup Tuselin Descongestivo.

The AEMPS says that there is a defect in the product and has demanded that they be returned to the laboratory.

It is used to treat coughs and nasal congestion and produced by the Serra Pamies Laboratory.

It is generally used for non‐productive coughs, for patients aged more than six years old.

The affected lot is in 200ml bottles, 2 mg/ml + 1 mg/ml syrup.

NEWS

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NIBS EXTRA Heroine defiled A BUST of Civil War martyr Aurora Picornell known as La Pasionaria mallorquina, in El Molinar (Palma) has been another victim of vandals as it had blue paint thrown over it for some unspecified, but possibly political, reason.

Not true DEIA Council has issued a warning to residents refuting a statement made by a private security company that the Local Police recommend that they be employed in order to reduce the likelihood of homes being broken in to.

Allowed out HAVING received their vaccinations, a number of elderly residents of the Llar retirement home in Calvia were pleased to have the opportunity to leave the residence and visit the local market for the first time this year whilst observing social distancing.

Fly tipper ALTHOUGH the Llucmajor Council makes it easy for residents to dispose of old furniture and general rubbish, one man decided that he would simply dump his waste on the side of a road but having been caught he was fined €700.

No tests THE Soller Council has expressed its disappointment at a decision made by the Health Department which will not sanction regular tests or arrange for inoculation of local Social Services employees who often meet the elderly - after two have been infected with Covid-19.

Play centre IMPROVEMENT works are expected to start to allow the opening of a new nursery in Palma later this year, but in the meantime, it will be open for parents of very young children to meet and use as a play space.

Gender equality THE Manacor Council is proud of the fact that it has been granted the SG City 50-50 distinctive seal which recognises the Council’s work to reduce gender inequalities and comply with local, state and international legislation on equality as a basic human right.

18 - 24 February 2021

Madrid visit for talks PRESIDENT of the Balearic Government Francina Armengol travelled to Madrid to hold talks with various members of the Spanish Cabinet.

She was due to hold face to face discussions with Minister and Vice President of the Government Nadia Calviño as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arancha González Laya and Minister of Tourism, Reyes Maroto.

She is looking to obtain aid for the severely affected hospitality industry in the Balearics which

Secretary of State for the EU (on left) in Palma. has been devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic and to agree a plan to allow tourists to return

to the islands as soon as is possible.

These will be the first personal

meetings that Armengol will have held with the Government since the pandemic broke out as previous discussions have taken place through video conferencing.

As she departed Mallorca, Secretary of State for the European Union, Juan González-Barba arrived in Palma and ruled out the possibility of giving the Balearic region priority with vaccinations as it was intended to follow EU guidelines on inoculating specific age and vulnerability groups.

Protecting reptile species AS part of the Forestry Recovery Plan, the Balearic Government will inject €546,300 into the ARES project over the next five years.

This work is aimed at the conservation of amphibians and reptiles in the Balearics with special emphasis on five species, three of which are endemic to the archipelago: the Mallorcan midwife

toad (Alytes muletensis), Lilford’s wall lizard (Podarcis lilfordi) and Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis).

The other two species are the Balearic green toad (Bufotes balearicus) and the Spur‐thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca).

The midwife toad was believed to be extinct but the first living example was found on Mallorca in 1980 and thanks to

conservation activity is beginning to thrive, but remains under threat from in‐ troduced species.

Funds for this project are available through the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS) and much will be done to protect these five groups from invasive species as well as encouraging their population growth.

Ramon Llull awards THE Governing Council has agreed to give 12 Ramon Llull Awards in 2021 to sectors and groups that have played an essential role in the man‐ agement of the pandemic.

They are people, entities and companies that have made possible the right to education and culture, the supply of products and the

care and attention to the most vulnerable.

This year’s awards are therefore a tribute to the collective effort to deal with and overcome an extraordi‐ nary and unprecedented health, social and economic crisis.

The general public are not overlooked as they too are

recognised for their efforts during the past year to over‐ come the situation generated by the Covid‐19 epidemic and it is hoped that this recogni‐ tion will encourage them to continue during 2021.

In effect these 12 awards cover everyone in the Balearics for everything that they have achieved.

Looking for Cultura Mallorca TV extras IF you look German (or better still speak the language) and fancy sitting on a beach as a TV series extra for a few days, then this could be your ideal job.

German TV channel RTL will be filming the King of Palma between April and July and needs up to 2,500 extras to appear in the se‐ ries, although to apply for a role, you have to upload a photo and your details on www.stu diocactus.es according to German language publisher Mallorca Zeitung. Actual filming will take place at Playa de Palma and in Can Pi‐ cafort under secure conditions and in accor‐ dance with prevailing health regulations.

The plot of the series revolves around the new lives in the sun that Berliners especially looked to enjoy following the fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification in the 1990s.

THE Mallorca Department of Culture, Heritage and Language Policy has launched a promotion‐ al campaign to highlight Cultura Mallorca.

The aim is to support the endemic culture of the island of Mallorca and strengthen the visi‐ bility of those cultural activities organised by the institution or which receive funding from it.

Special posters have been installed in the Misericòrdia cultural centre as well as in other cultural facilities encouraging residents to con‐ sult the Department’s cultural agendas and net‐ works.

There will be a selection of newly created items of merchandise aimed at the public such as masks, mask holders, cloth bags, water bot‐ tles, pens, bookmarks and children’s paintings which will be distributed at different gather‐ ings.

As well as Facebook and Twitter feeds, there is a new website www.culturamallorca.cat to promote the project.

Residency advice ON Friday February 19 running from 10am to 2pm, in Portal Nous, experts from Age in Spain will be available to chat with UK nationals about Spanish residen‐ cy.

The pop‐up event takes place outside Nice Price supermarket, Carrer Miguel de Cervantes, 8, 07181 Portals Nous and all of those involved will follow Covid‐ 19 safety regulations and guid‐ ance.

Age in Spain’s Regional Co‐Ordi‐ nator Giuseppe Monti will be there to answer any questions that UK passport holders may still have about obtaining residency and the charity is happy to offer assistance with the following; • Completing forms • Checking your documentation • Booking appointments • Submitting your application on‐ line ‐ if you have a digital certificate • Getting registered on the padron • Residency information • Exchanging your green resi‐ dence certificates for the TIE • Support with healthcare issues connected with residency If you can’t make the event, visit www.ageinspain.org/residency‐ helpline or call 932 209 741.

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Three new ministers THERE has been a shuffle in the Balearic Govern‐ ment front bench and three ministers Miquel Company, Mercedes Gar‐ rido and Josep Marí ac‐ cepted new portfolios on Monday February 15.

Mercedes Garrido as‐ sumes the Ministry of the Presidency, Civil Service and Equality; Miquel Company heads the new Ministry of European Funds, University and Culture, and Josep Marí is the new Minister for Mo‐ bility and Housing.

In addition, Vice‐presi‐ dent Juan Pedro Yllanes and Minister Martí March have taken new ministries as part of the change in government strategy.

The President, Franci‐ na Armengol said that the reorganisation was intended to keep the im‐ petus going in the Au‐ tonomous Community and thanked the three new ministers for agree‐ ing to take up these posts at what is a difficult time for the community.

Blowing bubbles FOR no apparent reason, a masked man wandered up to the fountain in the Plaza de la Reina in Pal‐ ma on Monday February 15 and emptied a large bottle of washing up liq‐ uid into it.

It was an impressive sight as true to the mak‐ er’s claims, large num‐ bers of gentle bubbles started to appear in the water and soon started to fill the basin.

Passers‐by took shots of the fountain and also telephoned emergency services who arranged for council workers to attend to empty the fountain and change the water.

Having caused his own brand of vandalism, the man responsible depart‐ ed, leaving the cost of cleaning up for the coun‐ cil.

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18 - 24 February 2021

Vitamin D Could Help STUDY: Important findings.

VITAMIN D when used to treat Covid‐19 could help save lives ac‐ cording to research carried out at Barcelona’s Hospital del Mar in Spain.

MP David Davis, the former Brexit secretary has said that the findings belong to a “very important study.” The Social Science Research Network published the findings.

The Hospital del Mar in Barcelona has been treating Covid‐19 patients with calcifediol, a type of vitamin D and research has proven very promising.

Davis took to Twitter and tweeted that, “The findings of this large and well conducted study should result in this therapy be‐ ing administered to every Covid patient in every hospital in the temperate latitudes.

“Furthermore, since the study demonstrates that the clear re‐ lationship between vitamin D and Covid mortality is causal, the UK government should increase the dose and availability of free vitamin D to all the vulnerable groups.

“These approaches will save many thousands of lives. They are overdue and should be started immediately.”

NEWS

Brexit Clarification Following on from my article ‘British and Brexit’, last week, I received a few letters from EWN readers, and would like to clarify the points that were raised: THERE is great confusion among British holders of an EU resi‐ dence card (or EU citizen certifi‐ cate) as to whether or not they are obliged to apply for a non‐EU foreigner’s residence card (TIE).

The UK Withdrawal Agree‐ ment establishes that it will be up to each member state to de‐ cide whether or not to oblige British residents in its territory to exchange the ‘green card’ for the TIE, and to this end it provides as a general rule in its Article 18, paragraph 1, letter b) that the application (for the TIE) must be made within the first six months of 2021, although it provides that it may be requested after that period if the reason for not doing so earlier is justified. This is the

general rule.

BUT it so happens that Spain has chosen not to make it com‐ pulsory, and here lies the confu‐ sion.

Do I have to do it before June 30?

Can I do it whenever I want?

Do I ever even have to do it?

As an expert in processing for‐ eigners and knowing the mental‐ ity of the authorities, my advice is to make the change as soon as possible, and if possible within the first six months of this year, although if it is done later there should be no problem.

You have to take into account that the British are no longer citi‐ zens of the European Union and it makes no sense to keep a doc‐

ument that does not correspond to the actual real situation.

It must be taken into account that all British citizens will have to apply for a new, exclusively British passport in which the term ‘European Union’ does not appear and it would be contra‐ dictory to have a non‐EU pass‐ port and a residence permit as an EU citizen.

It should also be kept in mind that if they travel to other EU Member States they may not be admitted for having exceeded 90 days of stay within the EU ac‐ cording to their passport and their EU residence card may not be accepted as a valid document in those States.

For all these reasons, among

others, it is clear that sooner or later all British residents in Spain will have to apply for the TIE. Having said that, I will now an‐ swer the questions posed: 1. Do I have to do it before June 30? No, you don’t have to do it before June 30.

2. Can I do it whenever I want? Yes, you can do it when‐ ever you want.

3. Do I ever even have to do it? Yes, you will have to do it sooner or later.

It is very easy to do so now. In the future nobody knows.

Ricardo Bocanegra Lawyer and Gestor www.bocanegra.com Marbella

Don’t Double-Mask SPANISH experts have warned against doubling up on masks and suggest this can actually REDUCE their efficiency.

Covid experts from the Preven‐ tative Medicine and Public Health of Alicante has directly contradict‐

ed the latest advice coming out of the US, which has suggested that citizens should wear a double mask to increase protection against infection. On the contrary, those in the know in Spain have suggested that doubling‐up on

face shields can actually have the opposite effect because of the chance of not having the masks on properly.

“It can even be counterproduc‐ tive, because wearing two masks means that one of the two is not well adjusted,” warned Juan Fran‐ cisco Navarro, president of the Va‐ lencian Society of Preventive Medicine.

“It is proven that a 2 per cent fit deficit causes the mask to lose 70 per cent of its filtering power.”

Much better, the experts agree, to use one mask and ensure that the nose piece and straps are all prop‐ erly and securely fitted, so that there are no gaps for aerosols to enter through.

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83 Per Cent Drop

AIRPORTS: The number of passengers during 2020 dropped hugely.

SPAIN’S airport operator, AENA, has reported the number of air passengers in Spain has dropped by more than 83 per cent during the pandemic.

The figures from last month showed just 2.8 million passengers travelled in Spain, significantly less than the same month last year.

In total, there were 2,814,424 passengers across 61,440 flights, with the number of passengers on international flights dropping by 88.7 per cent and the number of domestic ones falling by 74 per cent.

The news comes after Fernando Valdes, Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism, said the country will once again welcome foreign holidaymakers in summer 2021.

Speaking with one publication he said: “We’re putting all our efforts into making sure we have a decent summer from a health and tourist point of view.

“By summer we want to see a gradual recovery of international tourism beginning with our European neighbours.”

18 - 24 February 2021

No Quarantine for Brits

SPAIN’S Tourism Minister Fernando Valdes has fuelled hopes of the return of tourism. According to one publica‐ tion, the politician has said that the country is likely to use a vaccine pass‐ port system this summer and British tourists will not have to quarantine.

Mr Valdes said: “In Spain, we aim to have at least 70 per cent of the adult population immune by summer so I’d say to British people, ‘Keep open your expectations regarding holidays in Spain. We’re looking forward to wel‐ coming you again’.”

He added, “a vaccine passport or

similar documentation” would help travellers “regain flexibility.”

The politician said Spain did not have any plans to place a quarantine on tourists. He said: “We have other means beyond vaccines to control the transmission such as test before travel, facial masks, social distancing.

“We’re going to keep all these mea‐ sures as long as necessary to let tourism recover gradually and as the pandemic evolves.

“New vaccines approved will give us the necessary impulse to achieve our plan.”

Fishing Licences Furore THE UK Government has already grant‐ ed dozens of fishing licences to EU firms to allow them to operate within the 12‐ mile limit of British waters, even when Brussels refused to lift the block on live shellfish exports into Europe from UK firms, as reported by Express.co.uk.

Since Brexit, a new regulation pro‐ hibits UK firms exporting live shellfish to the continent, crippling the fishing industry, and there had been reports that in retaliation to this regulation, the British Government would with‐ hold fishing permits.

Michael Gove, when asked about

the possibility of stopping those fishing licences, in the House of Commons on February 11, replied, “It is important that we reserve our own rights when it comes to making sure that the EU lives up to its side of the bargain.”

It has been revealed that licences to allow EU member state fishermen to operate within the 12‐mile limit had al‐ ready started being given out as far back as January 29, by the UK Single Is‐ suing Authority (SIA). As many as 80 li‐ cences have been approved, including 59 for French firms, and 17 for Belgian firms.

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Catalan results THE PSC socialist party and their leader Salvador Illa are celebrat‐ ing a ‘very good’ result in the Catalan elections of February 14.

“Catalonia has given a lesson in civics and maturity,” said Illa.

“Hope is always stronger than fear.”

The former Health Minister celebrated saying “change is here to stay.” The victory, he added, “is a step forward” and change “is unstoppable” be‐ cause “Catalonia loves Spain and Spain loves Catalonia.”

Miquel Iceta, the party’s First Secretary, has celebrated the re‐ sults. “You had to go to vote, it was safe to vote.” In addition, he wanted to remember “all the victims of the pandemic” and the healthcare personnel “who continue to fight on the front line.”

Regarding the elections, he stressed that such a result had not been achieved “since the time of Maragall” and the result validates “the commitment to dialogue made by Pedro Sanchez.”

Illa “has made it possible for change in Catalonia to begin to‐ day,” he ended up saying.

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18 - 24 February 2021

AFTER presenting two new songs Memoria and Voy a Quedarme (I’m Going to Stay), as his proposed entry, Spain’s Eurovision Song Contest candidate, Blas Canto and composers were accused of plagiarism.

A Twitter user pointed out that the song Memoria was identical to Thai Food, a song by Rakky Ripper.

Rakky Ripper responded quick-

Euro-plagiarism? You be the judge ly, saying that the song demoed in 2016 was uploaded to SoundCloud in the summer of 2019, when he says he approached several major record companies, such as Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music, the company to which Blas Cantó belongs.

Rakky Ripper released his al-

bum independently in September 2019, and hinted that his song might have been used to create Memoria. “It might be coincidence,” he said “don’t blame me, it was other people who found the similarity, I just retweeted it.

“Of course there are other sim-

Urgent Recall THE Spanish Medicine Agency (AEMPS) has recalled all bottles of Lot N‐01 of cough syrup Tuselin Descongestivo.

AEMPS say there is a defect in the product and has demand‐ ed that they be returned to the laboratory.

It is used to treat coughs and nasal congestion and produced by the Serra Pamies Laboratory.

It is generally used for non‐ productive coughs, for patients over six years old.

The affected lot is in 200ml bottles, 2 mg/ml + 1 mg/ml syrup.

The product recall of Tuselin Descongestivo Cough Syrup ap‐ plies nationwide.

ilar songs, but here the phrasing, tone, rhymes with the letter ‘i’ and we even say the word ‘I’ at the same time, technically if I wanted to, I could sue,” he said.

The public can now vote for their favourite via phone call, SMS, web or app to choose which one they prefer.

NEWS

Sanchez’s Future Strategy

Forty-five new traps THE Spanish Traffic Department (DGT) plans to install 45 new speed cameras in the coming months, bringing the number of speed traps in Spain to over 1,400.

The government has said that the speed cameras will mainly be section radars which could be operational before the end of the year.

It was announced last year that surveillance on the roads and radars would increase and more drones would be used. The Traffic Department has been collecting more than €1 millon per day since 2008 in fines for drivers who violate traffic regulations.

Prostate Cancer ‘Game Changer’ ‘PROSTAGRAM’ technology could save thousands of lives each year us‐ ing a simple scan that only takes 15 minutes.

In Britain 12,000 men each year die from prostate cancer with a stagger‐ ing one in eight getting the disease, making it Britain’s biggest killer.

The ‘Prostagram’ technology from Imperial College can recognise double the cases of the standard blood test and it is thought that many men would prefer the ‘Prostagram’ over a traditional rectal exam, that can be off putting to many.

Professor Hashim Ahmed, Senior Author and Chair of Urology at Impe‐ rial College London explained that, “Prostagram has the potential to form the basis of a fast, mobile national screening programme for prostate cancer and could be a game‐changer.

“Prostagram also has the potential to detect more aggressive cancers ear‐ lier and pass over the many cancers which don’t need to be diagnosed.

“By finding these aggressive can‐ cers at the earliest opportunity, men have the chance to be offered less in‐ vasive treatments with fewer side ef‐ fects.”

SANCHEZ: Unveils Spain’s new strategy.

PEDRO SANCHEZ has officially presented the ‘Spain: Entrepreneurial Nation Strategy’ - a set of 50 ambitious new measures aimed at enhancing the country’s economic and social recovery.

The President explained “we want to see Spain as a beacon for entrepreneurs and start-ups from around the world. This strategy seeks to attract investment and make our country a place where start-ups can be born, receive financing and reach a global scale.”

The strategy sets a roadmap for Spain to become a leading entrepreneurial nation by 2030, speeding up investment into Spain and boosting the country’s troubled economy.

It plans to develop youth training and education to produce new talent - as well as attracting top workers from overseas. It also aspires to promote start-up companies and the expansion of small businesses to compete internationally, as well as encouraging innovation and sweeping modernisation in Spain’s public sector.

As Spain prepares for major reforms in order to claim its EU investment fund - allocated to aid member states in their Covid recoveries - the success of the scheme could be a positive step in moving the Spanish economy away from its dependency on tourism and the service sector and providing top jobs to the country’s talented youth who are often forced to find work overseas.

Civil War mass grave THE second phase of excavations in the Porreres cemetery has uncovered the remains of 20 victims from the Civil War, according to the Balearic Government.

The team has continued to return to the cemetery to uncover two suspected graves numbered 10 and 11 and whilst working found some fragments of bones in two new plots which were disturbed earlier when a chapel was built in the middle of the cemetery.

Grave number 10, was located under a concrete slab and when dug out was found to be very deep, containing the remains of nine bodies of males alongside a number of cartridge cases.

In grave number 11, initially the remains of just three individuals were found, but it is believed that additional bodies were buried deeper in the pit and after the exhumation of the three bodies, work will continue to expose those below.

Work continues in the cemetery and although this may not be the final number, at least 20 bodies have so far been found or await excavation.

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18 - 24 February 2021

NEWS

Chinese Visitors Coming Soon SPAIN is to welcome Chinese tourists at the end of the Coronavirus pandemic. Turespaňa, is the promotional agency for the Spanish national tourism ministry and they have plenty of plans in place.

Many Chinese travellers are eager to begin travelling as soon as deemed safe. In the past Chinese travellers tended to visit in large groups, sightseeing and shopping in major cities. Other areas, especially rural areas are neglected by this part of the tourist industry.

Trends are changing and future visitors are expected in small groups and will prefer to visit smaller cities and get to know nature. Turespaňa set up the ADVANTAGE: TOURISM

PLANS: Are in place for future tourism. programme in conjunction with the COTRI China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, to boost the number of tourists visiting other areas.

Prof Dr Wolfgang Georg Arlt, CEO of COTRI explained that, “Chinese travellers do not fly all

the way to Europe to go to the beach and most of them do not even come for the sunshine.

Provided with the right offers and interesting stories, they will not only add to the number of visitors to Spain, but will bring benefits to new regions.”

Five million apply to stay THE Home Office has now received 4.9m applications under the EU settlement scheme and has granted permanent resident status to 4.3m applicants so far.

Croatia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus, Luxembourg and Malta all have populations of less than five million.

Michael Gove said: “It is a great advertisement for this country. People have chosen to

stay in unprecedented numbers.

It gives a lie to some of the nonsense that was propagated at the time of the Brexit vote that somehow the UK was less welcoming or that EU citizens would leave, or that there would be harm to our universities or to our healthcare sector.”

The ONS (Office for National Statistics) reported that around 700,000 foreign workers from

across the world are believed to have left Britain during the pandemic between July and September.

Home Secretary Priti Patel welcomed the figures, saying: “That is why we put people at the heart of the scheme, knowing that behind these applications are stories of those who have established roots here. We promised we would make it as

Jab at work?

FIVE large associations of the mass consumer industry Aces, Aecoc, Anged, Asedas and Fiab have sent a letter to the Ministry of Health and the autonomous communities proposing the scheme to innoculate staff in the workplace.

And if the plan is given the go-ahead, workers at the likes of El Corte Inglés, Ikea and Carrefour could receive the jab within the next few months without having to go to a health centre.

More than a million employees work in mass consumption companies, but at a national level the number of staff in other large companies exceeds 5.5 million.

“We do not want there to be a bottleneck due to lack of health personnel during vaccination,” said Aurelio del Pino, President of ACES which represents Carrefour Eroski, Lidl and SuperCor supermarkets, among others.

The administrations would still set the guidelines and the associations assure they have made a ‘solid proposal with sanitary guarantees.’

straightforward as possible for them to continue living their lives here. So I’m immensely proud that figures will show five million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme.”

Glovo Expands

SPANISH home delivery service Glovo has flourished during the pandemic. With many bars and restaurants reduced to offering take-out only, many business owners turned to the Barcelonaborn service. The Spanish company closed 2020 with more than 18,000 new associated establishments.

“In 2020, the different restrictions derived from the pandemic have had a great impact on the economy as a whole,” the company told Spanish daily OKDIARIO. More than 9,000 restaurants and establishments have joined Glovo since the start of the pandemic, of which 90 per cent are small and medium-sized companies, some of which wouldn’t have been able to facilitate food delivery without an outside agency.

Glovo partnered up with pharmacies last year to deliver medication, and plans to invest €20 million throughout 2021 to strengthen its ties with supermarkets.

Its objective “is to connect users not only with restaurants but also with supermarkets and other establishments in their city, including toy, electronics and video game stores, gifts, beauty or perfumery, among others, and with delivery in less than 30 minutes.”

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Complex cross clash THE Association of Christian Lawyers ‐ a Val‐ ladolid‐based organisation launched several le‐ gal proceedings against local officials across Spain, and are currently in a legal battle with the mayor of Aguilar de la Frontera, a small town near Cordoba that recently removed a large reli‐ gious cross.

The mayor claimed that the religious cross was in violation of Spain’s 2007 law on his‐ torical memory ‐ which bans symbols deemed to be tied to General Franco’s 1939‐

1975 fascist regime.

The Christian lawyers have gathered petition signatures from 25,000 Spaniards to prevent the removal of religious monuments, and are partic‐ ularly active in Spain’s western Extramadura re‐ gion where 34 municipalities have announced plans to remove their crosses.

Spain still has a deeply complex relationship with its troubled 20th‐century history and the legacy of General Franco’s dictatorship ‐ which was heavily tied to religion.

Bye Bye Booths

WITH the public on average making one call per week and usage that is dropping year by year, the 14,824 telephone booths that are stationed throughout Spain will cease to be a mandatory universal ser‐ vice after this summer ‐ just seven years before reaching their first centenary, which

would have been in 2028.

The new state Telecommu‐ nications Law, up for review between September or Octo‐ ber, will decide if both phone booths and directories should still be considered as a manda‐ tory universal service. It is un‐ derstood that it is a foregone conclusion that although they

Bar Code for Hospitality Statins Lower

THE Spanish region of Castilla‐ La Mancha will require diners to use a QR code to enter bars and restaurants, in the latest in a series of moves to prevent the spread of Covid.

According to local politicians, the information will be used to track customers in case of a Covid infection, allowing any‐ one they have been in contact with to be traced and contact‐ ed.

The data compiled will not be publically accessible, accord‐ ing to media reports, but Span‐ ish authorities will be able to

BARS: Will have to operate a QR code system.

use it to locate contacts.

Customers who do not have a mobile phone to use a QR code will be allowed to use their identity cards instead.

The news comes after the lo‐ cal government announced

plans to relax restrictions and allow hotels to open to a third of their normal capacity.

In addition, movement be‐ tween provinces will now be allowed, among other mea‐ sures.

NEWS

will remain in operation until December 31, after which they will be scrapped and taken of‐ fline.

According to data, at the end of 2020, there were 14,824 phone booths, with an average of 0.17 calls per day; an average one weekly call per inhabitant ‐ making the service financially unvi‐ able.

Risk Of Death

RESEARCH suggests that people with Covid‐19 who take statins are less likely to die from the disease than those who do not. Prescription cholesterol drugs taken by around eight million Britons could slash the risk of death from coronavirus, a new study has claimed.

Statins, taken to reduce ‘bad’ blood cholesterol, were found to cut mortality by 43 per cent compared to non‐ statin users. The British Heart Foundation says that statins are typically prescribed more than 70 million times a year.

It was discovered that giving statins to patients in the hospital at the early stages of Covid infection cut the mor‐ tality rate by close to half ‐ the tablets are taken once a day and come in brands including Lipitor, Lescol and Crestor.

PHONE BOOTHS: Will cease to offer a service.

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EUROPEAN NIBS FRANCE

Thin ice

Hate crime

WITH the drop in temperature in Denmark, police have been forced to keep an eye open for ice ramblers who can be fined for walking on frozen lakes if no council sign has been erected giving permission to access the ice.

THE French far-right leader Marine Le Pen who is likely to contest the next Presidential election against Emmanuel Macron claims that the government is trying to silence her after she was charged with hate crime for tweeting images of Daesh atrocities.

Easy access

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DENMARK

NETHERLANDS

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IN UNCERTAIN TIMES, WE SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE

NORWAY

THE OLVG hospital group in Amsterdam has been fined €440,000 by Dutch privacy watchdog Autoriteit Persoonsgegeven for allowing unauthorised individuals unlimited access to patients’ medical files when they should have only been accessible by doctors and nurses.

Dark chapter

BELGIUM

FINLAND

No close shave

Wolf poo

BELGIAN hairdressers and barbers have reopened but due to anti-coronavirus regulations, barbers will not be allowed to give shaves or trim men’s beards for the time being. Shaving and other facial treatments will not be permitted until March 1.

WITH the march of science, researchers in Finland are relying on volunteers to collect wolf faeces, which they freeze and then send to the University of Turku, where the scientists analyse contents and DNA in order to monitor the population.

GERMANY

SWEDEN

BioNTech

Two dead

WITH criticism of the German Government’s ability to obtain sufficient stocks quickly, the good news is that BioNTech has commenced production of the Covid-19 vaccine it developed with US group Pfizer at a new facility situated in the German town of Marburg.

TWO men died when a train carrying 20 passengers crashed into a lorry believed to belong to a driving school near the town of Uddevalla in the early evening with snow falling. The deceased were travelling in the lorry.

THE release of a new film and the publication of two books has highlighted allegations that more than 700 Norwegian Jews were sent to Nazi death camps during the war, with it is claimed, help from the Norwegian authorities.

LÍNEA DIRECTA: It’s good to know that your vehicle is in safe hands.

AS a road user you’re accustomed to expecting the unexpected. However, if you have concerns about the impact of Brexit or the Coronavirus pandemic may have on insurance policies, Línea Directa would like to reassure its customers that their car insurance policies are one constant to be relied on in these uncertain times.

UK DRIVING LICENCE If you have lived in Spain for at least six months, your UK driving licence must be exchanged for a Spanish driving licence before June 30, 2021. You need to book an appointment at your nearest DGT (Departamento General de Trafico) by calling 060 or via their website. You will need your NIE document to do this. If your licence has not yet been verified, you will be allowed to drive in Spain for six months from January 1, 2021.

CAR INSURANCE All vehicles must be registered and have insurance before using or parking on Spanish roads. Car insurance from Línea Directa comes with a wide range of covers designed to provide peace of mind and all manageable online from the comfort of your home. Their fast and ef-

ficient telephone service is managed by English-speaking customer service. You can also visit their website 24/7.

PERSONAL ATTENTION Línea Directa has been providing personal attention and expert advice to customers for over 20 years. They guarantee to provide the best expat car insurance with the right coverage. Fully personalised policies that fit both your needs and that of your wallet. And their qualified English-speaking customer service staff can guide you through any claims you may need to make.

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS Customers can rest assured that all Línea Directa employees, experts and support services abide by the most stringent Covid-19 guidance protocols to ensure effective sanitisation, cleaning and disinfecting. Repairs on your car will be carried out in well-ventilated areas, using disposal gloves, and proper personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times.

BEST PRICE. BETTER COVER In these uncertain times, it’s good to know that your vehicle is in safe hands. You can request a free no obligation quote by calling local area number 952 147 834. Línea Directa will provide the most competitive price, backed by the most comprehensive service.

BEST PRICE. BETTER COVER.

FEATURE

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18 - 24 February 2021

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Two week Update

ALTHOUGH the FX market in general ran out of steam towards the middle of February, sterling managed to hang on in there and was on average unchanged over the last two weeks. There was little among the UK economic data to affect the pound and there was no lessening of the gentle upward pressure exerted by the success of the NHS vaccination programme.

Bank of England leaders were broadly helpful to the currency. Governor Andrew Bailey turned down the heat under the case for negative interest rates and predicted a spending spree when lockdown restrictions are lifted. Chief Economist Andy Haldane predicted that in spring the economy will be firing on all three cylinders.

Where sterling benefited from the vaccination programme the euro suffered. The EU pursued AstraZeneca regarding its alleged failure to fulfil contractual obligations. A threat to close the internal Irish border came to nothing but rang warning bells.

There continues to be excitement among investors at the prospect of Mario Draghi forming a

government in Italy. He is a skilled political operator who made his international name when, as president of the European Central Bank, he promised 11 years ago to “do whatever it takes to preserve the euro.” The hope is that he can work similar magic on Italy and the EU Budget.

After a fairly comfortable week at the turn of the month the US dollar lost its way, eventually falling by an average of 0.6% over the fortnight. It gave up a cent to sterling. In retrospect, the turning point appeared to be the US employment data. Although the headline numbers looked respectable there were big downward revisions to the previous two months’ job counts.

US inflation was steady at 1.4% and the Federal Reserve expressed no appetite for higher interest rates. The Fed chairman made the point that full employment, not the inflation target, is the main policy objective nowadays.

The reflation theme, which has become popular among investors in February, worked in the Loonie’s favour as it took oil prices higher. WTI crude is up by more than 11% since the beginning

of the month, and back to the levels it occupied prior to the pandemic. With the AUD, the CAD is the joint top performer over the two weeks, with an average gain of 0.5%.

January’s Canadian employment figures were less than magical, with an unemployment rate of 9.4% and 858k fewer workers than at the beginning of last year. Luckily, the release of the data coincided with the US employment report, which drew investors’ fire.

Where oil helped the CAD, iron ore worked in the same direction for the AUD. The Aussie matched the Loonie, booking an average gain of 0.5%. It took more than a cent off sterling, helped along by stronger consumer and business sentiment.

The AUD somehow managed to dodge an aggressively dovish monetary policy announcement from the Reserve Bank of Australia. Against expectations the RBA decided to increase quantitative easing asset purchases by $100 billion, shrinking the bond market by $1.5 billion a week.

The Kiwi was unable to match the pace of the

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She can be contacted on Tel: +34 902 887 243 • Mobile: +34 687 932 472 Email:mallorca@moneycorp.com.

mallorca@moneycorp.com.

AUD and CAD, though it did strengthen by an average of 0.3% over the fortnight. NZ economic data were mostly positive for the currency. As before, New Zealand’s self-imposed Covid isolation worked in the NZD’s favour.

Employment increased by 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2020, with unemployment down from 5.3% to 4.9%. It was enough to cast doubt on the previously glib assumption that NZ interest rates could do no other than fall further. Building consents were strong, rising 4.9% in December. ANZ’s Business Outlook and Business NZ’s Performance of Manufacturing Index both reported stronger activity.

To find out more about suitable solutions, please call us on +44 (0) 207 823 7400 or email partners@moneycorp.com Moneycorp is a trading name of TTT Moneycorp Limited which is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Service Regulations 2017 (reference number 308919) for the provision of payment services

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Virgin Changes VIRGIN ATLANTIC: Extending their rebooking horizon for all customers.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC has introduced an unprecedented scheme to allow an unlimited number of date and flight changes as part of changes to its terms offering increased flexibility.

Changes also include an extension of the rebooking horizon for all customers to April 30, 2023. The updated commercial policy enables Virgin Atlantic customers making a new booking for travel up to April 30, 2022, or those with a cancelled flight up until August 31, 2021, to make as many free-of-charge changes as necessary to their travel dates, origin or destination until April 30, 2023, and one free name change.

The changes also apply to customers who already have an open ticket with credit due to flight disruption. Also, the cost of fare difference will be waived if the new travel date takes place on or before May 31, 2021 - a two-month extension on the previous policy.

Virgin Atlantic customers with a pre-existing booking made up to and including February 5, 2021, also have the flexibility to reschedule their travel for a new travel date up to and including April 23, 2023. If their rebooked travel is between June 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022, any fare difference will be waived up to the value of £60 for Economy, £120 for Premium and £350 for Upper.

Experts all agree that leisure travel is likely to have greater resilience over the long term, given the public’s ‘tremendous pent-up demand’ to return to the skies.

EXPERTS at the University of Nottingham are developing a ‘universal Covid‐19 vaccine’ that would effectively beat all variants of the virus, which could be ready in as little as 12 months and end the need to keep tweaking vaccines as the virus mutates.

UK company Scancell ‐ which develops cancer jabs ‐ are working to create the new variant‐proof vaccine which is

Brits Developing Universal Jab hoped to be ready in 2022.

Human trials will begin in the second half of this year, after positive results from testing the jab on mice.

Chief medical officer Dr Gillies O’Bryan‐Tear said: “We don’t necessarily claim it will be a pan‐coronavirus vaccine, but it has got the potential to

be so, simply because of where it is targeted.”

Existing vaccines like the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs target Covid’s spike protein ‐ however, the new universal vaccine is hoped to target a different protein in the core of the virus which will allow the jab to knock it out even

Jorge Drexler Signs Deal in Spain JORGE DREXLER, the 57‐year‐old Uruguayan five‐time Latin Gram‐ my‐winning singer‐songwriter has signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music, Spain, and will release his 14th studio album later this year.

Drexler won an Academy Award for his song Al Otro Lado del Río, in the ‘Best Original Song’ category, when it was featured in the 2005 film ‘The Motorcycle Di‐ aries,’ and his recently penned song Codo Con Codo, about the Covid‐19 pandemic, received a nomination for ‘Best Song’ at the 21st annual Latin Grammys.

Jorge’s big break came in the 90s when Spanish songwriter

NEWS

DREXLER: New album on way.

Joaquin Sabina invited him over to Madrid to collaborate with a wide range of Spanish artistes, and as a result, through the years, Drexler has collaborated in writing songs for many artistes, including Shakira, Rosario, and most recently for one of Spain’s biggest young tal‐ ents, C Tangana.

as it mutates.

Britain is currently one of the world’s leading nations in administering vaccinations and a universal vaccine would be another major victory in helping to steer the world back to normal after almost 2.4 million people have been killed by Covid.

‘Vaxi Taxi’

A NEW ‘Vaxi Taxi’ scheme aims to give Londoners without transport greater access to jabs.

The pilot programme, funded by the Covid Crisis Rescue Foundation will carry people to pop‐up vaccina‐ tion centres across London.

Director Dr Sharon Raymond, said: “We are aiming to have pop‐up vaccination clinics across London even‐ tually, with a fleet of Vaxi Taxis to help set them up in community centres and faith centres. “We hope that by doing these pop‐up vaccination centres in commu‐ nity centres and faith centres it will reassure people that this is a good way forward.

“It will be a familiar place, not having to go to their own GP surgery.”

Dr Raymond added: “It’s about collaborating with the community with the NHS to try and achieve the common goal of getting this country vaccinated.”

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THE EUROWEEKLY NEWS is urg‐ ing its readers to support local businesses in the community by going local through the lockdown and for your all your shopping this year, instead of feeding on‐ line giants and superstores.

This lockdown and with Moth‐ er’s Day and Easter upcoming, we challenge you to rediscover your local high streets, markets, butch‐ ers, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky independent businesses in your area.

Due to the Covid‐19 pandemic, you may have to support many lo‐ cal businesses by ordering online and making use of any click and collect services they can operate if you are unable to get out due to health reasons or lockdown re‐ strictions.

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

GO LOCAL

community.

Although it may be a euro or two cheaper elsewhere or online, consider where your money is ac‐ tually going.

By shopping at an independent store you’re putting food on a lo‐ cal family’s table, and there is no better time than now to give back to your community by making a small gesture and shopping in this way.

Many local stores support local charities, support and sponsor lo‐ cal sports teams and in many cas‐ es 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 genera‐ tions and support not just the cur‐ rent owner but the generation be‐ fore.

For those stores which are new, that extra couple of euros spent there are supporting someone’s dream and ambition, and also the courage it took them to step out alone, which is no easy task. It takes quite a large chunk of mon‐ ey to set up an independent store and compete with the multina‐

tional and chains.

So be sure to pre‐order your meat from a local butcher and get your spuds from a local greengro‐ cer, let us revive that community spirit and get to know our neigh‐ bours 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 pre‐paying a family mem‐ ber’s phone bill for the month would actually be a better gift.

Helping people alleviate stress and worry , give the gift of peace of mind through these difficult times.

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

First, buying local keeps money circulating within the local econo‐ my.

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 retailers

FEATURE

return 52 per cent of their rev‐ enue back into the local economy, compared to just 14 per cent for national chain retailers.

Money circulating through the local economy benefits everyone who is a part of each transaction.

For example, let’s look at a local farmer growing produce.

First, they sell to a local restau‐ rant, which in turn prepares the fresh produce and sells it to local customers. The farmer pays its lo‐ cal employees and the restaurant uses revenue from sales to buy supplies from a neighbourhood hardware store. This example il‐ lustrates how the recirculation of money in the local economy leads to a stronger financial foundation for our neighbours and communi‐ ties. Buying local also fuels new employment and job opportuni‐ ties for people within our commu‐ nity. Studies show, locally owned businesses employ more people per unit of sales and retain more employees over time.

A fantastic example of how to support your local community is with a Charity Gift certificate, why not donate to your loved one’s favourite cause.

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

FINANCE Pop-up charging THE Scottish Parliament has announced that it is considering installing temporary charging points at bed and breakfast accommodation in popular parts of Scotland in order to encourage drivers of electric cars to visit during the coming summer.

Spanish Sandbox JOINING major banks in the experiment, insurance company MAPFRE will also participate in the proposed ‘Spanish Sandbox’ project which features special government approved supervisors who monitor financial sustainability to minimise risk in the financial sector.

Brexit problem JD SPORTS has indicated that due to more difficult than expected regulations following Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, it is considering opening a European based warehouse where goods manufactured outside of the UK can be delivered.

Rato release AFTER being in prison since October 2018, former Spanish Minister and president of Bankia, Rodrigo Rato has been told by the National Court that due to his age and good behaviour he will be released from prison without serving the full sentence.

MWC Barcelona returns ONE of the very first major international exhibitions to suffer from the appearance of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 was the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona. As different exhibitors from the Far East started to drop out, it became obvious that the show which is considered the world’s most influential exhibition for the connectivity industry had to be cancelled. Now however, it is returning to its Barcelona home and will run from June 28 to July 1 with the expectation of some of the industries market leaders exhibiting and attending seminars.

STAT OF WEEK

www.euroweeklynews.com • 18 - 24 February 2021

€500 million

is the amount that Google has announced it is budgeting to spend in Spain over the next five years to help with the country’s digital transformation.

Amsterdam bourse

Reform before receiving funds THE European Commission has called on Spain, and oth‐ er EU countries, to make massive reforms in order to avail of the bloc’s multi‐bil‐ lion Covid investment fund.

Spain must reform its pub‐ lic administration system and labour laws among oth‐ er areas in order to receive the €150 billion recovery fund allocated to it by the European Commission.

The commission’s Vice President, Margaritis Schi‐ nas, said that “nobody is go‐

ing to sign 27 blank cheques” ‐ saying that the EU would need to see “the compatibili‐ ty of national plans within the fund’s criteria” in order to avail of the much‐needed support. She warned that there would be “no invest‐ ments without reforms.”

The Vice President stressed that the EU’s €750 billion bailout fund for Covid‐ hit member states presents “a unique opportunity, not only to spend the money to‐ gether but also to finance

LEGALLY SPEAKING Can president share emails?

The president of our community has set up a system of communication where he sends out emails collectively to all owners, often asking opinions, but any replies are sent only to his own mailbox. Even if the owners click ‘reply to all owners.’ We ask if this is legal? We have veri‐ fied that this system is being used by our current president. (by email) Spain’s law of da‐ ta protection pro‐ YOU AND THE LAW hibits the publica‐ IN SPAIN tion of private information without permission. So the distribution to all community members of the emails of all the other members certainly amounts to ‘distribution.’

Perhaps some community members prefer that their private comments and opinions are not publicly shared out. So, yes, the system is not only legal but required by law. It seems that your president is sim‐ ply obeying the law and not trying to keep secrets. If all the emails were sent out and one member com‐ plained to the authorities, the president could face serious charges if he did not comply with the data protection law.

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.

FOR the last four years, the Spanish Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CEPYME) has recorded the country’s fastest growing companies.

STI Norland, one of the largest manufacturers of solar trackers and fixed structures in the world, has been included in the

the new European econo‐ my.” She stressed that in Spain’s case, the country’s emergence from its current recession is “a challenge for Europe, not just a challenge for Spain.”

Schinas called for closer collaboration between Pe‐ dro Sanchez’s leading PSOE party and their longtime ri‐ vals the People’s Party (PP) ‐ saying that both groups “must share the responsibili‐ ty for making the fund a suc‐ cess.”

Madrid is currently in the process of drafting its ambi‐ tious reform strategy for the EU, and officials claim they are devising a scheme to pay back the multi‐billion‐euro fund by 2058.

With the Spanish econo‐ my paralysed by Covid, it is possible that the country is on the brink of a massive transition period as it pre‐ pares to leap into reforms and claim a potentially game‐changing investment package.

UK economy Chancellor Rishi Sunak has to hope for a spring turnaround.

LATEST figures released by the UK Office for National Statis‐ tics (ONS) show that the British economy showed a downturn of a record 9.9 per cent in 2020.

In this report, it was re‐ vealed that the current de‐ cline in the economy was the largest annual fall in UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on record and was mainly due to the lockdowns caused by the Covid‐19 pandemic.

After a very poor Novem‐ ber with GDP shrinking 2.3 per cent, as more businesses were allowed to open in De‐ cember and with online pur‐ chases for Christmas, the economy grew by 1.2 per cent.

The ONS says that it is very

Credit: Pippa Fowles / No 10 Downing Street.

BUSINESS EXTRA

18

difficult to accurately forecast likely quarterly results for 2021 until it becomes clear that the pandemic is abating and therefore business can re‐ turn to a semblance of nor‐ mality.

In addition, there is an on‐ going uncertainty of how Brexit will affect the economy which depends upon the speed in which trade agree‐ ments are reached, especially with the European Union where there is still much to be decided.

The general opinion ap‐ pears to be that the British economy will continue to lan‐ guish until spring but will then be likely to see a resurgence, especially if vaccinations con‐ tinue at reasonable speed.

STI Norland success CEPYME500 list that is issued annually.

After a rigorous evaluation of its turnover, sustained growth, size and profitability, CEPYME has decided to recognise the

work in research and development carried out by the company from Navarra.

The decision to include any company is reached by taking into account the economic results obtained dur-

ing recent years, the capacity of a company to generate activity and employment, as well as its potential for innovation and international projection.

“Our growth goes on and

PERHAPS as many feared, Ams‐ terdam has overtaken London as Europe’s most valuable trad‐ ing capital quadrupling trades in January according to the Finan‐ cial Times (FT).

The paper revealed that share dealing on the Amsterdam ex‐ change (bourse) managed by Eu‐ ronext, averaged €9.2 billion per day which is four times more than its December figures.

In London, by contrast the re‐ ported daily volumes fell to €8.6 billion per day and the FT re‐ ports that the shift is due to a ban on EU‐based financial insti‐ tutions trading in London as the EU is yet to rule that UK ex‐ changes enjoy the same supervi‐ sory status as their European counterparts.

Whilst turnover is down sig‐ nificantly, there is no indication that there will be any further London job losses as those com‐ panies that intended to move will have done so already and it doesn’t really matter where the traders are situated as so much is done electronically.

Bitcoin risks AS the value of a single Bitcoin soared to over €39,000 follow‐ ing a $1.5 billion (€1.24 billion) investment by Tesla, the Bank of Spain warned about the high risk of investing.

It wasn’t so many months ago that the Bank indicated that it saw some positive rea‐ sons for Spanish banks to de‐ velop their own cryptocurren‐ cies but it immediately acted alongside the Spanish Nation‐ al Securities Market Commis‐ sion (CNMV) to warn investors to be prudent.

Since its early days of buy‐ ing a pizza online, Bitcoin has seen huge rises and equally mega‐falls in value. we will close the current year with sales of around €100 million in Spain and €200 million across the whole group,” said President Xabier Blanco, adding “We thank CEPYME for the initiative and hope that our experience serves as an inspiration to other companies.”

20 EWN

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COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) 3I Group 1.172,30 1.174,49 Admiral Group 3.015,0 3.023,0 Anglo American 2.775,0 2.775,0 Antofagasta 1.562,00 1.567,50 Ashtead Group 3.955,6 3.969,3 Associated British Foods 2.289,0 2.298,0 AstraZeneca 7.406,0 7.470,0 Auto Trader Group Plc 602,61 603,57 Avast 512,50 513,50 Aveva 3.857,0 3.861,0 Aviva 358,99 359,30 B&M European Value Retail SA566,40 572,60 BAE Systems 486,26 486,53 Bank VTB DRC 0,986 0,992 Barclays 153,49 153,58 Barratt Developments 694,40 694,80 Berkeley 4.373,9 4.374,4 BHP Group 2.193,00 2.208,50 BP 267,00 268,66 British American Tobacco 2.767,5 2.768,8 British Land Company 469,00 469,00 BT Group 127,15 127,15 Bunzl 2.338,0 2.344,0 Burberry Group 1.820,9 1.820,9 Carnival 1.304,7 1.308,7 Centrica 54,36 54,40 Coca Cola HBC AG 2.360,0 2.380,0 Compass 1.470,98 1.470,98 CRH 3.254,0 3.268,0 Croda Intl 6.564,8 6.606,0 DCC 5.932,0 5.970,0 Diageo 3.031,2 3.033,8 DS Smith 405,50 407,00 EasyJet 807,80 813,35 Experian 2.623,0 2.654,0 Ferguson 8.914,0 8.956,8 Flutter Entertainment 14.150,0 14.200,0 Fresnillo 1.031,15 1.041,09 GlaxoSmithKline 1.269,76 1.283,72 Glencore 277,36 277,47 Halma 2.569,0 2.573,0 Hargreaves Lansdown 1.658,49 1.658,49 Hikma Pharma 2.358,74 2.372,00 HSBC 408,30 408,75 IAG 156,25 156,66 Imperial Brands 1.516,34 1.518,88 Informa 524,10 525,30 InterContinental 5.028,0 5.036,0 Intermediate Capital 1.898,00 1.903,00 Intertek 5.879,3 5.881,0 ITV 112,40 112,75

% CHG. 1.154,97 2.996,0 2.717,4 1.556,00 3.923,0 2.243,0 7.376,7 596,60 505,00 3.813,0 351,40 563,00 478,85 0,986 148,08 683,60 4.322,6 2.163,50 264,00 2.713,1 460,80 124,50 2.326,0 1.794,0 1.269,0 53,40 2.343,6 1.425,50 3.239,0 6.549,0 5.900,0 3.002,5 398,74 775,44 2.606,0 8.907,5 14.058,0 1.027,25 1.261,72 272,70 2.552,0 1.644,71 2.336,51 403,25 151,80 1.498,88 517,47 4.914,0 1.870,00 5.833,3 111,20

NET VOL 24,13K 20,21K 52,40K 110,22K 4,17K 104,65K 28,34K 12,76K 134,78K 8,59K 336,64K 213,47K 113,17K 37,44K 4,42M 156,76K 6,53K 607,74K 2,18M 32,03K 98,09K 2,06M 23,24K 18,23K 69,38K 762,26K 18,54K 15,06K 84,52K 2,15K 36,01K 19,23K 661,65K 855,24K 194,23K 1,82K 0,61K 37,78K 264,75K 1,54M 35,54K 6,02K 6,74K 587,76K 3,96M 67,41K 21,17K 16,81K 17,12K 16,97K 1,21M

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

J Sainsbury Johnson Matthey Land Securities Legal & General Lloyds Banking London Stock Exchange Meggitt Melrose Industries Mondi National Grid NatWest Group Next Norilskiy Nikel ADR Ocado Persimmon Phoenix Prudential Reckitt Benckiser Relx Rentokil Rightmove Rio Tinto PLC Rolls-Royce Holdings Rosneft DRC Royal Dutch Shell A Royal Dutch Shell A Royal Dutch Shell B RSA Insurance Sage Samsung Electronics DRC Sberbank Schroders Scottish Mortgage Segro Severn Trent Smith & Nephew Smiths Group Spirax-Sarco Engineering SSE St. James’s Place Standard Chartered Standard Life Aberdeen Taylor Wimpey Tesco Tui Unilever United Utilities Vodafone Group PLC Whitbread WPP

233,00 3.031,0 620,10 268,40 38,31 9.860,5 416,30 173,05 1.862,40 863,26 177,05 7.816,0 35,28 2.633,00 2.769,0 718,80 1.359,24 6.298,0 1.853,00 526,00 629,06 6.100,0 95,15 6,94 1.399,11 1.399,0 1.342,0 677,80 596,49 1.918,00 14,73 3.570,0 1.411,48 965,40 2.356,0 1.578,00 1.514,50 11.750,0 1.440,00 1.233,00 475,90 326,00 164,52 244,70 335,69 3.955,0 948,72 134,95 3.340,0 849,00

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

233,50 3.040,0 620,37 269,00 38,47 9.918,0 418,80 173,90 1.870,89 863,20 177,70 7.818,0 35,40 2.645,00 2.780,0 719,80 1.363,99 6.384,0 1.867,00 528,80 629,60 6.104,0 95,84 6,99 1.405,31 1.404,8 1.349,0 678,20 596,80 1.920,00 14,80 3.574,0 1.413,00 974,80 2.359,0 1.579,00 1.517,00 11.825,0 1.463,50 1.236,00 476,30 327,10 165,06 244,90 337,66 3.970,4 953,60 135,46 3.352,0 850,00

229,00 3.013,0 610,11 263,00 37,74 9.770,0 408,50 172,20 1.852,10 854,60 174,25 7.664,0 35,14 2.599,00 2.735,0 710,56 1.337,00 6.240,0 1.850,00 524,60 622,40 6.020,0 92,36 6,91 1.372,40 1.371,5 1.318,2 677,00 588,80 1.918,00 14,66 3.541,0 1.398,31 964,00 2.332,0 1.568,00 1.499,50 11.690,0 1.436,30 1.224,54 468,00 324,00 161,55 239,80 321,30 3.916,0 937,80 133,93 3.227,2 826,20

477,81K 22,50K 24,22K 563,22K 32,19M 32,94K 634,96K 1,13M 1,36K 549,03K 2,35M 38,72K 101,42K 93,12K 58,18K 19,28K 58,64K 99,57K 15,11K 171,45K 11,76K 260,04K 6,80M 497,10K 119,42K 120,66K 257,63K 17,60K 47,17K 0,03K 595,56K 5,31K 547,93K 101,21K 8,96K 57,07K 29,69K 3,91K 28,88K 19,11K 513,52K 231,88K 613,95K 276,47K 976,33K 72,54K 49,57K 971,99K 21,24K 231,75K

0.87365

1.14526 Units per €

US dollar (USD) ........................................1.2139 Japan yen (JPY)........................................127.85 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................1.0818 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4365 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................10.210

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 F EBRUARY 15

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 178,76 2.104,11 3.277,71 237,21 135,37 210,94 198,20 92,56 47,29 50,70 270,50 306,29 277,62 203,63 120,84 61,81 166,62 141,25 213,98 75,00 244,99 142,17 127,63 240,47 816,12 328,17 54,20 209,95 144,50 187,69

CHANGE 178,80 2.108,82 3.280,25 237,35 135,53 213,14 198,71 92,73 47,69 50,84 271,18 306,70 278,71 203,79 121,35 62,51 166,83 141,61 214,70 75,11 245,30 143,35 128,11 241,38 817,33 332,31 54,68 211,13 144,61 193,79

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) 177,28 867,01K 2.083,13 855,87K 3.233,31 2,34M 233,49 1,46M 133,69 60,15M 209,74 5,57M 196,76 1,57M 91,41 6,98M 46,91 15,24M 50,42 11,68M 268,34 9,10M 301,99 1,78M 276,61 1,63M 201,69 1,57M 120,10 3,01M 60,43 26,21M 164,29 4,40M 139,06 8,26M 213,00 2,74M 74,54 5,03M 242,73 16,56M 141,43 3,60M 126,59 7,37M 238,94 3,64M 785,33 23,77M 327,93 2,38M 54,19 17,46M 207,81 6,05M 143,67 4,01M 186,58 26,15M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 15

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+11.87% +13.75% +2.41% +1.50% +102.33% +13.22% +14.42% +2.95% +0.48% +1.61% +2.44%

3.38M 1.18M 767,428 9,767 22.16M 935,019 2.72M 324,957 2.34M 107,360 2.01M

-73.83% -9.12% -3.82% -11.24% -10.07% -7.69% -1.90% -26.83% -2.77% -3.05% -5.78%

0 3,636 4,746 2.71M 4.90M 679,319 9.37M 739,785 148,847 2,095 1.40M

Most Advanced Illumina Inc. Coherent Inc. MicroStrategy Inc. Broadcom Inc. 8% Pfd. Series A Wunong Net Technology Co. Ltd. ACM Research Inc. Cl A EHang Holdings Ltd. ADR IDEXX Laboratories Inc. Amazon.com Inc. CoStar Group Inc. Lam Research Corp.

Most Declined urban-gro Inc. II-VI Inc. 6% Pfd. Atrion Corp.

BlackLine Inc. Affirm Holdings Inc. Cl A Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. NVIDIA Corp.

Sanara MedTech Inc. arGEN-X SE ADR Daily Journal Corp.

Fulgent Genetics Inc.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

www.euroweeklynews.com

BA flights and sustainable fuel The Freedom Pines facility in Georgia.

BRITISH AIRWAYS is to power future flights with sustainable aviation fuel produced from sustainably‐sourced ethanol, as part of a new partnership with sustainable jet fuel com‐ pany LanzaJet. The partnership, which re‐ flects the importance the air‐ line is placing on sustainability and its continued investment in sustainable aviation fuel, will see British Airways invest in LanzaJet’s first commercial scale Freedom Pines Fuels fa‐ cility in Georgia, USA and ac‐ quire cleaner burning sustain‐ able aviation fuel from the plant.

It expects the fuel to be available to power a number of its flights by the end of 2022. In addition, the partner‐ ship will involve LanzaJet im‐ plementing early‐stage plan‐ ning and design for a potential commercial facility for British Airways in the UK.

The plant in Georgia is due to begin construction this year. It will convert sustain‐ able ethanol (a chemical com‐ pound widely blended with petrol to reduce its carbon in‐ tensity) into sustainable avia‐ tion fuel using a patented chemical process.

The fuel produced at the plant will deliver a reduction of more than 70 per cent in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional fos‐ sil jet fuel, equivalent to taking almost 27,000 petrol or diesel cars off the road each year.

Sean Doyle, British Airways’ CEO, said: “Despite the crisis in global aviation, it is vital for our future that we continue to address climate change and we remain focused on playing our part to reduce the impact we have on the planet.

“For the last 100 years we have connected Britain with the world and the world with

Brazilian investment THE Brazilian subsidiary of Spanish bank Santander is investing more heavily in Brazil’s agriculture industry and sees this as a major option for growth.

This is just part of the bank’s focus on Brazil which it sees as one of the most important economies in South America and it considers that the pandemic is allowing it greater freedom to step in to invest where other banks are pulling out according to Bloomberg.

Food is always going to be saleable and both soy and coffee in particular are exported on a worldwide basis.

Britain, and to ensure our suc‐ cess for the next 100, we must do this sustainably.”

BUSINESS EXTRA Whinging Poms AUSTRALIAN boss of accountancy firm KPMG UK has stepped down after reportedly accusing staff of moaning and ‘playing the victim card’ after an internal survey indicated that large numbers of staff were having difficulties coping during the coronavirus pandemic.

Storm Filomena THE latest edition of the AON Global Catastrophe Recap report reveals that Storm Filomena, caused severe snowfall in parts of Spain, leading to business interruption and property losses estimated at €1.8 billion, although claims from the agricultural sector were minimal.

Unrealistic and dangerous IN his annual Mansion House speech to the city of London and prior to March negotiations with the EU, the Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said it would be “unrealistic” and “dangerous” for the UK to stick to EU banking rules after Brexit.

18 - 24 February 2021

EWN 21

22 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

18 - 24 February 2021

FEATURE

Equality not sought, but retribution LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

SONGS OF PRAISE: Has been a much-loved presentation for many years.

OTHERS THINK IT THIS week I came out in full sympathy with DUP MP Gregory Campbell. I too was offended and indeed angered at last week’s BBC ‘Songs of Praise.’

There was not one white face in the whole programme. This is a much loved presentation that has strived for many years to nurture its religious content in an atmosphere of unbiased love and wonderful diversity; last week it was turned into an all‐black gospel song competition. With three judges sitting in ornate golden chairs, it was akin to a Simon Cowell offering of ‘Britain’s Got Talent.’

Had this been an all‐white presentation there would have been an almighty outcry from the likes of the BLM and woke brigade, and probably noises of displeasure from the church hierarchy for bringing the church into disrepute. Mr Campbell voiced his concerns in much the same way and subsequently was actually asked by the ‘usual suspects’ to apologise for it. He quite correctly refused, citing the

fact that he was telling the truth in that it was a programme with no attempt at diversity whatsoever, and as the whole cast, musicians, singers and judges, were all black was indeed a racially biased presentation. He added that he abhorred

racism in any form, but if we had to apologise for stating the truth, then we had come to a very sorry state indeed. I couldn’t agree more.

If we are to defeat racism it has to be a two‐way street. In fact it has to be a

multiple‐way street. Where are all the Asians, Sikhs, Orientals, Balkans and Orthodox Jews in this overall diversity row? What we appear to be witnessing is a purely black dispute with the white populace. All of it reminds me of SA during

apartheid. The whites hated the blacks and both black and whites hated the Asians, who were derogatorily known as ‘Cape Coloured’s.’

What actually worries me is that the black races will NEVER forgive the white for the past ‐ even though they certainly didn’t have the monopoly on slavery.

Throughout history, untold thousands of whites have also been bought and sold.

The difference is that we’ve stopped blaming it for every misfortune that befalls us and moved on.

I worry that it is not equality that is being sought here but retribution. If we don’t somehow curb the wokers, I have a vision of the white populace one day finding themselves in the same position as many SA whites today ‐ and it’s not pretty!

The Seaford Head School in East Sussex has recently accused Winston Churchill of being ‘a racist who imprisoned and tortured many.’ They have announced that the ‘Houses’ in the school named after Churchill would be renamed. Nelson Mandela House will remain of course.

Keep the faith. Love Leapy. leapylee2002@gmail.com/ expatradioscotland Mon Wed Fri.

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

Advertising Feature

Cremation jewellery a memory you can carry on you forever WHEN a loved one passes away, there is no doubt that the memory of them will never leave us, but cre‐ mation jewellery is a lovely way to carry them with us forever.

Families tend to choose jewellery in sterling silver or gold, as they will be long lasting, and that means that not only can the direct family have their loved one close to them, it also means that the piece of jewellery can become a family heirloom to pass down to coming generations.

Lockets with photos of family or spouses have been popular for cen‐ turies and still are, but cremation jewellery is a way to keep not only the image of the deceased but also a real piece of them long after they are buried or cremated.

The variety of cremation jewellery nowadays is huge, and there are many different options.

There are simple tiny containers,

in the form of pendants, which can carry a small amount of the ashes of the deceased if they have been cre‐ mated. These can often be engraved with the name, dates or words which have special meaning to the wearer. Ashes are not the only op‐ tion to include within these pieces of jewellery, as they can also contain keepsakes.

Some of the popular designs for pendants for wearing on necklaces or bracelets are crosses, capsules, hearts, infinity knots and feathers, but the designs can be personalised to reflect your loved one's personali‐ ty, likes or hobbies. They can also, of course, be styled to suit the taste of the wearer.

Several of these can be made, al‐ lowing more than one family mem‐ ber to have a piece of jewellery by which to remember their special re‐ lationship with the deceased after

cremation.

For those who don’t want to carry ashes with them, as it is not to ev‐ eryone’s taste, pendants can also be made with finger or thumbprints of the deceased, which after the memorial is held, can be a comforting keep‐ sake to carry. It means that at any time when they are grieving, they can feel the actual touch of their loved one.

These unique pieces of jewellery are all ideal to hold and to look at, so they bring peace and comfort after such a sad loss.

The funeral planner can point people who wish to make cremation jewellery in the right direction.

Another option which has be‐ come popular and which mean that

loved ones can be with us be‐ yond their passing is memorial dia‐ monds. These are syn‐ thetic gems which are made in a lab with the ashes of the de‐ ceased. The process takes close to a year, but the resulting diamonds are well worth the wait and look spec‐ tacular.

There are also companies which can make medallions with the ashes of a loved one, which can also carry engravings to reflect the person’s faith, achievements, relationship or

a special quote and can also include gems in different colours.

Some people may choose charms for bracelets. These can be picked to reflect the tastes of the deceased, so for example if the person loved to travel, their relatives may pick an aeroplane and the shape of a heart containing their ashes.

Whatever you choose, being such a personal keepsake, the creators will make sure that they are made with respect and paying the utmost attention to including all the details requested by the person who orders them.

www.goldenleavesinternational.com • info@goldenleavesinternational.com • Facebook: goldenleavesspain

THURSDAY 4:00pm 4:45pm

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ITV London Weather TV Racing Live Tipping Point: Best Ever Finals The Chase ITV News and Weather ITV News London Celebrity Catchphrase Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Take Away The Voice UK

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10:00pm

Fatal Friend Request Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight How to Garden with Carol Klein This Week on the Farm Wartime Britain

9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 8:00pm 12:00am 1:00am

Sky Sports News Sky Sports News The Football Show The Football Show Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live PGA Tour Golf Live PGA Tour Golf Sky Sports News Live: Total Access

Neighbours Kill Thy Neighbour Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show Kate Humble's Coastal Walks

8:00am 9:00am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 8:00pm 11:30pm 12:30pm

Sky Sports News America's Cup Sailing The Football Show The Football Show Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live PGA Tour Golf Live EFL Sky Sports News Sky Sports News

Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly 5 News Weekend Cruising with Jane McDonald Britain's Most Expensive Houses with Sally Lindsay Secrets of the Royal Palaces Princess Anne: Loves of Her Life

8:00am 9:00am 11:05am 11:30am 1:00pm 3:45pm 6:00pm 8:45pm 11:00pm 12:00am 1:00am

Sky Sports News America's Cup Sailing Sky Sports News Soccer A.M. Live EFL Live Premier League Live Premier League Live Premier League Live Fight Night Live NBA: San Antonio Live: Total Access

Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild Adrian Dunbar's Coastal Ireland Adrian Dunbar's Coastal Ireland 5 News Weekend The Day After Tomorrow Million Pound Mega Motorhomes Rich Holiday, Poor Holiday

8:00am 9:00am 10:00am

Goals on Sunday Goals on Sunday Pakistan Super League Renault Super Sunday Renault Super Sunday Renault Super Sunday Scottish Premiership Live Live PGA Tour Golf

FilmThe Obsession Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Gallagher Premiership Rugby Highlights Traffic Cops 22 Kids & Counting

8:00am 9:00am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:45pm 8:00pm

Sky Sports News America's Cup Sailing The Football Show The Football Show Live: Good Morning Football Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live Netball Superleague My IconMy Icon Live MNF

Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2 + 2 = Murder Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Highland Vet Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild

12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 9:00pm 11:15pm 12:00am

The Football Show The Hundred Live The Hundred Live The Hundred Live The Hundred Live The Hundred Live Sky Sports News Live Premier League Live EFL Gillette Soccer Special The Cricket Show

Home and Away Neighbours A Killer in My Home Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Ice Road Truckers Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords Murder in a Small Town

12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm

The Football Show Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live Pakistan Super League Sky Sports News Gillette Soccer Special Live EFL Soccer Special PostMatch Sky Sports News Live: Total Access

12:30pm 3:00pm 5:15pm 8:00pm 11:00pm

7:00pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 11:15pm 12:00am 1:00am

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 AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Is someone trying to sidetrack you by casting doubt on a relationship or plan? Something is going on so make sure that you have all the facts. It would be gullible of you to take everything at face value. You have good supportive colleagues and may seek their advice. Be optimistic as the weekend comes and remember your sense of humour.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Showing confidence means others see you as being very much in control. They need to see that you can be trusted. If a plan is not going in the right direction, be prepared to change tack. Changes should not be made to financial plans until you are sure of your ground. Romantically, you are being admired.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) It is all go for you at the moment. Not only will you be particularly clear-thinking but your intellect will be sharp as a knife. Your enthusiasm spills over from your business life to personal matters, leading to a hectic and eventful time all week. When it comes to romance, a positive and dynamic approach stands you in good stead.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) It is now important that you are clear about the person you wish to spend your time with because you may have more than one option. Plans that you started last week are now showing progress. Keeping the pace growing is essential to beat rivals. It is not an easy week by any means but it should not be boring.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) A tendency to be emotional because of a setback should be avoided. When you feel the pressure rising, remember that nothing is worth risking your health for. Sound out friends and colleagues to avoid overreacting. It is a week when you realise how someone close is able to be a great help. The question is, can you accept it?

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) There is sensitivity in your chart.

It is possible to overlook someone who needs your time and consideration. You are not a mind-reader and they may not directly seek your help. Be aware, then, of how others are faring.

LEO (July 24 - August 23) When someone asks you this week where you are going, will you know the answer?

You will make progress if you do. If you're not sure, then there is no point in going full steam ahead. This is a week to consider your options on all fronts, particularly in business.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) A personal decision needs to be made. No major changes are necessary so long as you have a firm plan. It is not so much that caution is required, rather more that you should give yourself time to consider.

In the longer term, you may see this week as a turning point.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) This is a week of planning and making changes. Some things click into place and you realise that you are on your way to completing an ambition. The trick is to manage it without upsetting people on the home front.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Are you putting off a decision affecting others? This is a good time to take the bull by the horns. Keep an eye on finances involving younger people.

Sometimes, you are better able to help in other ways, perhaps by giving encouragement or advice.

SAGITARIUS (November 23 - December 21) Your activities this week may seem to be ones best done alone. To a certain extent this is true.

However, if you wish to make others feel important and gain their support in the future, you should involve them. You don't have to take advice which is given but be diplomatic when not acting on it. Hurt feelings can cost money.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Are you feeling less positive than usual? We all do at times. If energy is low get out for a long walk in a relaxing place.

Perhaps watch a film that raises your spirits. There is about you a kind of regret and fondness for the past, but there is nothing wrong with sentimentality so long as it does not cloud your picture of the future. That can be bright indeed.

TIME OUT

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

ALLURE BEYOND CAREER DYNAMO HITHER INGEST MARAUD MORTAR ODIOUS SCALAR SODIUM SPLASH STANCE TABLET TALCUM (10) TANNER TREBLE TROPHY TROUPE

LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY Sat 13 February

15-16-37 42-44-50

BONUS BALL

48

IRISH LOTTO Sat 13 February

11-12-21 30-35-38

BONUS BALL

36

EURO MILLIONS Tue 9 February

BONUS BALL

9

05-10-24 31-37

10

Fri 12 February

BONUS BALL

07-23-30 32-36

8 12

EL MILLON: KRT75040 LA PRIMITIVA Thurs 11 February

BONUS BALL

02-03-08 10-39-48

44 3

JOKER: 3925366 Sat 13 February

BONUS BALL

09-10-25 35-37-40

45

JOKER: 1609880

9

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, 5 represents Q and 26 represents X, so fill in Q every time the figure 5 appears and X every time the figure 26 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 Lapel (6) 4 Vacas (4) 8 Blonde (5) 9 Agreement (7) 10 Promesa (7) 11 Grueso (pared, libro, tronco) (5) 12 Unemployed (11) 17 Spy (5) 19 Buscar (persona, objeto perdido, trabajo) (4,3) 21 Bather (7) 22 Wide (street, river, trousers) (5) 23 She (4) 24 Caballos (animales) (6)

Down 1 Raya (en tela, diseño) (6) 2 Lip (5) 3 Perfil (7) 4 Corte (tribunal) (5) 5 Preocupado (7) 6 Oruga (11) 7 Rocoso (5) 13 Spanish (7) 14 Angry (7) 15 Hierbas (5) 16 Escobas (6) 18 Anxiety (5) 20 Caras (5)

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION QUICK Across: 1 Lies, 3 Whole, 8 Rectangle, 9 Fixed, 10 Asks, 14 Rare, 15 Camel, 18 Prominent, 20 Often, 21 Free.

Down: 1 Lack, 2 Earlier, 4 Heal, 5/19 Log off, 6 Acres, 7 Feast, 11 Sweater, 12 Drops, 13 Eager, 16 Bite, 17 Gale.

CRYPTIC

Across: 1 Saveloy, 4 Coped, 7 Array, 9 Chasten, 10 Inexact, 11 Enter, 12 Granny, 14 Prop up, 18 Lumps, 20 Lincoln, 22 Garbled, 23 Edith, 24 Rally, 25 Sponger.

Down: 1 Soaking, 2 Verge, 3 Yachts, 4 Cease, 5 Pit stop, 6 Dinar, 8 Yearn, 13 Admiral, 15 Rinse, 16 Panther, 17 Glades, 18 Lager, 19 Splay, 21 Owing.

ENGLISH-SPANISH Across: 1 Seller, 3 Flight, 8 Retired, 10 Leona, 11 Wheel, 12 Escuela, 13 Sport, 15 Vasos, 20 Insecto, 22 Until, 24 Girar, 25 Breathe, 26 Rasgar, 27 Bakery.

Down: 1 Straws, 2 Litre, 4 Lilac, 5 Grosero, 6 Tea bag, 7 Edges, 9 Ruler, 14 Postres, 16 Amuse, 17 Ginger, 18 Combs, 19 Sleepy, 21 Carta, 23 Title.

CODE BREAKER

BOGGLED

FUTOSHIKI

asea sauna sate seat suet ease etas hues teas tease tuft nape napa newt neap nett neat neath heat heft heap heal helve weft wheat whap when whet wheal wean weal wealth welt feta fetas fete fetus five anus anew ewes thus thew theft than thane then twelve teal tael tapa tape tale pane panel pean petal peat peal pelt paean path pate paten pale althea alto lean leap lath lathe lathes late

NONAGRAM agar amir aria carp cart crag cram gram grim grip grit marc mart pair para part pram prig prim raga ramp rapt rata tarp tram trap trig trim trip acari apart atria atrip carat carpi cigar cramp crimp maria prima raita tapir tiara tramp agaric amrita armpit impart tarmac tragic PRAGMATIC

HEXAGRAM

WORD LADDER

1 BEHEST 2 LOAVES 3 MEMBER 4 REOPEN 5 BLUISH 6 TIPTOE 7 SPLINT 8 MORTAL 9 FREEST 1O NUANCE 11 MYRTLE 12 MUTTER 13 SCANTY 14 JOYFUL 15 ARCANE 16 SMOOTH 17 MARVEL 18 BLANCH 19 ARREAR

WILD WILL WALL WAIL PAIL PAIR or

KAKURO

SUDOKU

WILD WILL PILL PALL PAIL PAIR

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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: 27 Very good: 39 Excellent: 50

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 In hospital I'm possibly drooping (4) 3 Hand over wine for travel document (8) 9 Feral horse has to, nag is different (7) 10 More towards the rear later (5) 11 Adhesive out of the reach of engineer (5) 12 Charm listener by the finish (6) 14 Quiet class got smaller (6) 16 Crazy bird (6) 19 Prepared no part for a supporter (6) 21 Was including the National Trust in people's needs (5) 24 No cat goes astray in West London (5) 25 Everyone was in debt, that's permitted (7) 26 Sweet courses back under pressure (8) 27 Black stuff covering small ruler once (4) Down 1 New palm pots designed to brighten the road (8) 2 Israelite leader some confused with Samaritan leader (5) 4 Fishes in corners (6) 5 Draws back the turf (5) 6 The bush is to the rear of the building (7) 7 Bird often seen in the afternoon (4) 8 Rave organised in Tennessee pub (6) 13 I scorned eccentric Judge (8) 15 Actual rock for estate agent (7) 17 A French source of water that makes you sick (6) 18 How chess game ends for prisoner (6) 20 Ran Kansas classes (5) 22 News about last of giant amphibians (5) 23 Settles in the French country (4)

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 Scholars (8)

2 Lag or linger behind (5)

8 Once more (5)

3 Declare untrue (4)

9 Unit of length (5)

4 Drink of the gods (6)

10/15 Woman's elaborate full-length

5 Have in common (5)

dress (4,4)

6 Without interruption (10)

11 Most current (6)

7 Sandwiches consisting of fried cakes

13 Iterate (6)

of minced beef served on buns (10)

15 See 10

12 Equipment for taking photographs (6)

18 Rub or scrape out (5)

14 Pointed tops of mountains (5)

19 Perfection (5)

16 Large body of water (5)

20 Setting out (8)

17 Present (4)

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

LOCK

QUIZ BACK CART

UP TO THE MINUTE QUESTIONS 1. According to pop artist Andy Warhol: ‘In the future everyone will be world-famous for...’ how many minutes?

2. As of January 1, 2019 golfers can search for up to how many minutes before their ball is deemed lost?

3. Dedicated to the Countess Delfina Potocka, who was the composer of the Waltz in D-flat major, Op. 64, No. 1, Valse du petit chien, popularly known in English as the Minute Waltz?

4. How many minutes are there in one week?

5. In which year did Roger Bannister run the first sub-four minute mile?

6. On average, how many minutes does it take light from the Sun to reach Earth?

7. The Minutemen were civilian colonists who independently organised to form militia companies self-trained in weaponry, tactics and military strategies from the American colonial partisan militia during which 18th century conflict?

8. Which actor was paid an unprecedented $3.7 million to play the title character’s father Jor-El for 13 days work and less than 20 minutes on screen in the 1978 superhero film Superman?

9. Which singer topped the UK singles charts in April 1965 with the song The Minute You’re Gone?

10. Who was the chairman of the BBC Radio 4 radio comedy panel game Just A Minute for almost 52 years?

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

Not a lot of people know that… on average, during one minute, lightning will strike the Earth 360 times, a hummingbird will flap its wings 4,000 times, you will blink about 12 times and 1,800 stars will explode

TARGET:

audreyquinton99@gmail.com

Average: 18 Good: 25 Very good: 35 Excellent: 46

Answers 1. 15, 2. THREE – prior to that date, players had five minutes to search for a lost ball. 3. FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN, 4. 10,080, 5. 1954 (May 6), 6. EIGHT MINUTES (and 20 seconds). 7. AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR also known as the AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, 8. MARLON BRANDO - in comparison, Christopher Reeve earned $250,000 in the title role, dominating most of the 143-minute running time, 9. CLIFF RICHARD, 10. NICHOLAS PARSONS

FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

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

HAVING written here about how badly Boris dealt with the pandemic initially compared with his current success with the vaccination roll‐out (unlike the EU), I risk being awarded an OBE. That’s not an Officer of the Most Ex‐ cellent Order of the British Empire (so stop that curtsying at the back!), but the dubious honour of being ‘overtaken by events.’ Writ‐ ing about Covid‐19 carries that risk in spades.

You’ll recall the EU’s much‐criticised row with both the UK and AstraZeneca over vaccine shortages. In particular, it was condemned over its threat to put checks on the Northern Ireland border to prevent vaccines produced in the EU from reaching the UK. This could have been an opportunity to strengthen the EU and help to break down the nationalism that constantly plagues its deci‐ sion‐making process. Instead, it reinforced all these tendencies, hugely embarrassed the EU internationally and robbed it of sorely‐needed credibility for its own citizens.

But the UK is lucky to have AstraZeneca at all. It was nearly sold off with the enthusiastic

18 - 24 February 2021

EWN 29

A SHOT IN THE ARM: FROM EUPHORIA TO EU THREATS

HERD IMMUNITY: Has to stretch across borders or else it is unachievable. backing of Conservative ministers in the UK Government some years ago to: Pfizer! And As‐ traZeneca itself is the result of the merger be‐ tween Sweden’s Astra and the UK’s Zeneca ‐

the latter the offspring of the ICI group.

Finally, let’s not forget that we need to get through this virus crisis together. When people can move freely within their countries and

across borders because it’s safe and without lockdowns, then that’s what we should all be aiming for.

The UK needed to move particularly fast be‐ cause of its high death rate and massive eco‐ nomic contraction (both among the worst in Europe). Whether it will have done well in managing this crisis say a year from now is un‐ knowable. My hunch is the EU will still have done quite well on a global scale.

For now, we need to be patient and not con‐ fuse people with blame games and a one‐sided focus on the day‐by‐day speed of vaccinations.

Herd immunity has to stretch across borders or else it is unachievable.

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‐ ra‐johnson.net) available online as eBook (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, paperback and audiobook. All profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer charity.

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

Advertising Feature

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www.euroweeklynews.com • 18 - 24 February 2021

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The purrfect cafe experience THE past few years have seen a rise in ‘cat cafes’ all over the world.

Originating in Taiwan, the idea was popularised GREAT INITIATIVE: People have the by the Japanese chance to give the cats their furwhen the first ever home. ‘neko‐cafe’ opened its doors in Osaka in 2004.

Japan as a whole has over 150 cat cafes, and they are the perfect spot for feline lovers who live in buildings which prohib‐ it pet ownership. Owning a pet can help to relieve the stress of busy city lives, making us healthier and happier, so it is no sur‐ prise that the phenomenon has gone international.

Cafes are consistently popping up in cities across the UK, France, Korea, America, Germany, and even Spain. The estab‐ lishments are designed with felines in mind, embracing wide open spaces and lots of toys, and many have strict rules in place to protect the animals. Customers must be respectful and the cats cannot be picked up, annoyed, or disturbed whilst sleeping.

Many of the cafes have a second and very admirable pur‐ pose, operating as cat rescue and rehoming facilities. Interest in rehoming the cats is exceptionally high, with people falling in love with the friendly felines every day.

Home Breathing Rate Evaluation of your pet can help you spot signs of heart failure I N C R E A S E S of your pet’s breathing rate while rest‐ ing calmly or sleeping is a very important early clini‐ cal sign that your pet may be developing heart fail‐ ure and needs to see your

veterinarian.

In general, normal dogs and cats, have a breathing rate of between 15‐30 breaths every minute when they are resting or sleep‐ ing. If resting/sleeping

breathing rates are greater than 30 breaths per minute you can consider it abnor‐ mal.

How to count the rest‐ ing/ sleeping breathing rate in your pet: Watch the movement of the chest of your pet. One breath is when the chest has moved in and out once. Using a watch or phone to time 30 seconds and count the number of breaths during 30 seconds and multiply it by two to get the number of breaths per minute (60 seconds).

Count the breathing rate a few times over a couple of hours to ensure it is a con‐ sistent finding. If it is con‐ sistently increased, then you should contact your veterinarian.

If you see also other signs such as laboured breathing, restlessness, coughing , gagging, change of usual sleeping position, you may need to go to a veterinary emergency cen‐ tre.

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SPORT

32

18 - 24 February 2021

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Thrilling thrashing Best in Budapest THE Camp Nou in Barcelona is one of the most frightening sta‐ diums in the world to play a football match, with one of the most incredible atmospheres you can imagine as a footballer, but, in the middle of a pandem‐ ic, with no crowd, it would seem as though the playing field has been levelled for both teams, and it’s a case of ‘may the best man win.’

P S G went to Barcelona for this first‐ leg quarter‐fi‐ nal tie and abso‐ lutely thrashed them, 1‐4, in a thrilling encounter of European football at its finest, with some of the biggest names in world football on the pitch, but it was not to be Lionel Messi’s night, although he did have the honour of scoring the opening, and the only goal of the match, for his side.

The star of the show was the

22‐year‐old Frenchman, Kylian Mbappe, who is currently la‐ belled the most desirable foot‐

ball player in the world, and on this showing, he has lived up to that tag, as he smashed in three goals, to surely put the contest to bed before the second leg is even played.

Interviewed after the match

by French broadcaster RMC Sport, Mbappe said, “We are very pleased. It was a very im‐ portant match for us. We wanted to come here and win and we have done it in style.”

The scary statistic of this humbling of Spain’s legendary club is that it was done without Neymar, or Angel Di Maria, who are both to return, to what looks a very good PSG right now.

MBAPPE: The most desirable footballer in the world at present.

Liverpool Bounce Back to Beat Leipzig in Budapest.

IT has been a disastrous few months in the Premier League for the reigning champions so an escape out of the country must have been a welcomed change for the side who lost 3‐1 to Leicester at the weekend ‐ a result that has seen the club’s title chances slip away and even calls for manager Jurgen Klopp to step down.

After being forced to give up home‐field advantage due to coronavirus restrictions in their country, German side RB Leipzig must have felt a little hard done by but in truth, they gift‐ ed the game to the English side ‐ which ended Liverpool’s run of three straight defeats ‐ after this 2‐0 victory in the Champions League on February 16.

Both goals were handed to Liverpool within a five minute period in the second half. First Marcel Sabitzer, the Leipzig captain, misplaced a pass in behind his own defence for Mohamed Salah to latch onto, slotting the ball home easily past former Liverpool goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi on 53 minutes.

Then in the 58th minute, Curtis Jones set a ball over the top for Sadio Mane who capitalised on some inexplicable de‐ fending from Nordi Mukiele to punish the Bundesliga side.

Leipzig will travel to Anfield for the second leg on Wednes‐ day, March 10 but before that Klopp’s side have a Merseyside derby to look forward to on Saturday, February 20.

SALAH: Scored on the 53rd minute.