Euro Weekly News - Costa Blanca South 10 - 16 March 2022 Issue 1914

THE BEST FINANCE NEWS ON PAGES 34 - 37

see our special on page 14

10 - 16 March 2022

GOING ELECTRIC TORREVIEJA Town Hall’s urban bus network re‐ ceived €3.4 million from the Ministry of Trans‐ port. This will be used to assist in creating low emission zones, acquir‐ ing electric vehicles, in‐ stalling charging sta‐ tions, digitising the system and transform‐ ing all existing bus stops.

COSTA BLANCA SOUTH • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

MUTUAL ATTRACTION

Photo credit: GVA.ES

Issue No. 1914

To help the situation in Ukraine

Turn to page 2 » ELCHE VISIT: Region needs ‘strong and powerful’ companies, Ximo Puig said.

FREE • GRATIS

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10 - 16 March 2022

Increased funding for Asoka ORIHUELA City Hall approved a new contract for its animal protection services while increasing its allocation.

Health councillor Jose Galiano announced that the con‐ tract had again been awarded to the Asoka association and the annual allocation had been increased to €202,758.

“The contract includes expenses for upkeep of the Asoka shelter’s exterior, including cleaning and removing vegeta‐ tion from the 9,000‐square metre plot and five employees,” Galiano said.

“Nobody could question whether or not our mayor, Emilio Bascuñana, and I are 100 per cent committed to ani‐ mal welfare, when it is obvious that the local government has assigned so much funding for such an important ser‐ vice,” he added.

Referring to reports in the local media that city hall was five months behind in settling Asoka’s bills, Galiano said that all outstanding payments had been approved and signed off. “Payment is guaranteed,” he insisted.

Covid victims honoured THE official poster an‐ nouncing Pilar de la Ho‐ radada’s Holy Week has now been shown to the public.

Local mayor, Jose Maria Perez, together with councillors from all parties, were present when the poster depict‐ ing the black‐gloved hands of a woman who is wearing a mantilla and holding a candle, was re‐ vealed after Mass.

The work of Pilar resi‐ dent Antonio Rodriguez Alamo from Fotoestudio Casablanca Digital, the customary Holy Week theme was also a symbol

Photo credit: Pilar de la Horadada town hall

EASTER POSTER: Pilar mayor and councillors present at unveiling.

of mourning and respect towards those who fell victim to Covid 19, he ex‐ plained.

“This is for all those who have left us, for the Brotherhood members who are no longer here and for all those families who lost loved ones dur‐ ing the years of the pan‐ demic,” Rodriguez said.

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from Front page »

‘Strong and powerful’ companies needed GENERALITAT president Ximo Puig recently highlighted the region’s capacity for attract‐ ing investors from outside Spain.

The Valencian Community has created perfect conditions for commanding attention from companies that are a driving force in the productive sector, Puig said on March 3.

He was speaking during a trip to Elche where he visited the new offices that the French multinational, Eiffage Structures, a major presence in the construction and con‐ cessions sector, recently opened in the city.

Eiffage had been active in Spain for decades but became a major presence in Alicante Province on taking over the Los Serranos group in 2013.

The company currently pro‐ vides more than 380 direct jobs in the Valencian Commu‐ nity. Accompanied by Eiffage’s director general, Eduardo Fer‐

nandez, Elche mayor Carlos Gonzalez and Carolina Pascual ‐ head of the Generalitat’s In‐ novation department ‐ Puig declared that the Valencian Community needed “strong and powerful” companies like Eiffage.

He also called for measures that would help to boost com‐ petitivity and increase the vol‐ ume of the region’s business sector. Lamenting the “author‐ itarian and imperialist vision” motivating Putin’s govern‐ ment, the regional president emphasised that the Generali‐ tat would continue to support the local companies which have been affected by Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“As it was during the pan‐ demic, Europe is the answer, because it is now against bru‐ tality,” Puig said, insisting on the importance of common European policies that would guarantee “maximum sovereignty” regarding energy.

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NIBS EXTRA Merit awards PILAR DE LA HORADADA’S mayor Jose Maria Perez and Public Safety councillor Mari‐ na Saez accompanied Pro‐ teccion Civil members to the Valencian Community’s Merit Awards. Nine volun‐ teers received individual awards while the entire group was rewarded for pro‐ tection and prevention oper‐ ations safeguarding the local population, resources and the environment.

Dig deep ARCHAEOLOGICAL sound‐ ings must be carried out be‐ fore installing a solar energy plant in Asprella, in the Cam‐ po de Elche’s agricultural zone, owing to the presence of Roman and Moorish re‐ mains. The site was first ex‐ cavated in 1855 with further digs carried out there in the 1940s and 1960s.

After school BIGASTRO Town Hall is or‐ ganising extra‐curricular ac‐ tivities for pupils between six and 14 from 4.30pm and 8pm at the Social Centre’s Function Room. The €62,000 programme, financed by the Ministry of Equality, assists families where both parents work while providing educa‐ tional and fun activities for the children.

Second opinion ELCHE wants the sixth centu‐ ry BC Dama de Elche sculp‐ ture to return, however briefly, to where it was dis‐ covered in 1897. Removing it from Madrid’s Archaeologi‐ cal Museum would damage it irreparably, experts insist, although Generalitat presi‐ dent Ximo Puig declared re‐ cently he believes a move is “technologically possible.”

New use THE regional government has given Algorfa Town Hall the go‐ahead to modify the municipality’s development plan and transform an un‐ finished shopping complex into tourist apartments. The project has been in the pipeline since 2016.

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Vital piece of equipment AGE CONCERN COSTA BLANCA SOUTH recently took delivery of a defibrillator for their Torrevieja centre.

“Age Concern would like to thank all the generous organisations who have donated money to us in the last few years, which has enabled us to purchase the defibrillator,” said Age Concern’s president, Maureen Payne BEM. “This is one piece of equipment which is great to have in

Photo credit: Age Concern Costa Blanca

NEW DEFIBRILLATOR: Now installed at Age Concern’s Torrevieja centre.

Terrace tax waived ELCHE City Hall announced that the hospitality sector will not have to pay the ter‐ race table tax in 2022.

Municipal spokesman Hector Diez also confirmed that city hall is waiving the fees for open‐market stalls for a further six months until December 31.

“This exemption sets out to continue assisting the eco‐ nomic recovery of the sec‐ tors that have been most af‐ fected by the health and safety restrictions imposed

during the pandemic,” Diez said.

“At a time when we are immersed in provocative de‐ bates regarding a possible lowering of taxes, we want to draw attention to the enormous efforts we have made with different help measures,” the spokesman added. “By eliminating these fees in 2020, 2021 and now 2022 this has amounted to €2.8 million for hospitality business owners and market traders,” Diez pointed out.

Making a start THE complete makeover for Torrevieja’s port area begins on Tuesday March 15.

This is when a start will be made on building a new harbourside Lonja (fish market) and rehabilitating the Aduanas (Customs) building.

There will also be a parking area for the local fishing in‐ dustry.

Before approving Torrevieja Town Hall’s plans for transforming the port, regional government the General‐ itat stipulated that Grupo Empresas del Sol, the develop‐ ers and future port concessionary, should include these improvements costing more than €1.5 million to the original plans.

Until the Lonja has been built, Empresas del Sol will not be able to start on the main part of the project, mu‐ nicipal sources revealed, as the fish auction market cur‐ rently occupies a 6,000‐square metre plot, some of which is needed for the six two‐storey buildings at the centre of the transformation project.

Work on the Aduanas building will begin at a later date, the same sources explained.

our centre,” said the charity’s secretary Alan Robson.

“Open to everyone, beneficiaries and others can enjoy the centre’s many facilities and social activities and also pop in to the daily coffee morning.”

For information regarding any of the services provided

by Age Concern, call 966 786 887 Monday to Friday between 10am and 1.30pm or check the www.ageconcern costablancasur.org website.

Nesting time for plovers DESPITE its name, the Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) has nested near La Mata’s Molina del Agua area for the last two years. Torrevieja Town Hall has now cordoned‐off a 400‐ metre area to ensure that the birds are safe in the beach zone where 13 chicks hatched last year, revealed Environment coun‐ cillor Antonio Vidal. The regional government’s Environment department currently lists these birds as a vulnerable species although Spain’s Ornithological Society has included them as endangered in the latest edition of its Libro Rojo (Red List), pub‐ lished last December. The plovers nest directly in the sand and owing to their small size and muted colouring, it is hard to de‐ tect their presence, the Environment department explained.

“It is very important not to cross the temporarily cordoned‐ off area and, if possible, to keep as far away as possible when out walking or sunbathing.” Dogs off the leash are one of the greatest threats to the plovers and their nests, and the depart‐ ment asked all owners not to walk their pets on the part of the beach that coincides with the Molino del Agua.

City hall goes to court ORIHUELA City Hall is claiming the right to repair a 60‐metre section of Avenida de las Adelfas and the La Glea prom‐ enade.

Meanwhile, coastal authori‐ ty Costas maintains that the Paseo and this stretch of road at the mouth of the River Nacimiento encroach on the state‐owned maritime strip.

Both were washed away during the devastating storms of September 2019 but Costas has authorised on‐ ly repairs to pedestrian foot‐ paths, specifying that remov‐ able concrete blocks should be used.

Meanwhile, this part of the road is closed to traffic, Ori‐ huela City Hall complained,

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obliging drivers to make a lengthy detour on less safe roads and cutting in half the Campoamar area with its thousands of residents.

City hall has now applied to Valencia’s Upper Court of Jus‐ tice (TSJCV), maintaining that it has the right to repair the road, based on Campoamor’s 1969 planning permission which in‐ cluded this road.

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Cala Mosca challenge SPAIN’S state roads sys‐ tem, Carreteras del Esta‐ do, launched legal pro‐ ceedings to halt the Cala Mosca development.

Valencia’s Upper Court of Justice (TSJCV) has ad‐ vised Orihuela City Hall that Carreteras has chal‐ lenged planning permis‐ sion granted on Septem‐ ber 2, 2021 to build 2,200 new properties on Ori‐ huela Costa’s remaining unbuilt coastal section.

Environmental implica‐ tions apart, Carreteras has argued from the out‐ set that the development would result in saturating the nearby N‐332 road, al‐ ready one of the busiest and most hazardous roads in Spain.

In an August 2019 re‐ port, Carretaras flagged up deficiencies in city hall’s Traffic Study, which failed to present “correct‐ ly and coherently” the N‐ 332’s protection zones In July last year the Roads authority issued yet another report, subse‐ quently ignored by Ori‐ huela City Hall, announc‐ ing that its decisions were binding and the develop‐ ment should be halted.

Opposition councillors welcomed the TSJCV’s announcement, prompt‐ ing the Cambiemos party to point out that Car‐ reteras’ decision to go through the courts sup‐ ported its claims that last September’s approval was based on irregulari‐ ties. Cambiemos called once more for city hall to halt the project as it would have “serious con‐ sequences.”

and finally...

CARP‐R‐US took a break from their winter‐spring series to fish the second round of the Murcia Cup on the River Segura. A warmish Murcia City morning greeted those taking part who hoped they would have a good day’s fishing. “Unfortunately, as is common at this time of year, the fish seemed to be in little pockets,” Carp‐R‐Us secretary Steve Fell said. “If you weren’t fortunate to find one, the match was a struggle.” Dave Hutchin‐ son, pegged just downstream of the road bridge, was the win‐ ner with 9.5 kilos caught. Willie Moons with seven kilos came second, just pipping Graham Patterson’s 6.9 kilos.

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NEWS

Our lucky giveaway winner!

AS part of the launch of our brand new website and to celebrate the once in a lifetime date of 02.02.20222, the Euro Weekly News held a give‐ away of €2,222 for one of our lucky readers!

We spoke with the win‐ ner of our giveaway, Ivy Grace Galicto, to find out how she felt when we drew her name out of the hat on Tuesday, March 1.

Twenty‐nine‐year‐old Ivy Grace, originally from the Philippines, now lives in Madrid and has been reading the Euro Weekly News since she moved to Spain two and a half years ago.

When we asked Ivy

GIVEAWAY: Ivy’s name was pulled out of the hat.

02.02.22: The once in a lifetime date.

IVY GRACE: The Euro Weekly News reader from Madrid.

and finally...

US Senator Lindsey Graham has called on Russians to assassinate President Vladimir Putin in light of the in‐ vasion of Ukraine.

“Is there a Brutus in Russia? Is there a more suc‐ cessful Colonel Stauffenberg in the Russian military?” he tweeted on March 3, referring to the army officer who tried to kill Adolf Hitler.

“The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out. You would be doing your coun‐ try ‐ and the world ‐ a great service,” he said.

Grace why she entered the giveaway and how she felt when she found out she had won, she said: “I was just trying my luck when I entered and this is my first time to win anything! I was eating my dinner late on Monday night while scrolling through my phone when I saw the video posted on the Euro Weekly News Facebook page and unex‐ pectedly heard my name being announced ‐ I start‐ ed jumping up and down in my bed and shouting loudly that I had won!”

We asked Ivy Grace what she plans to do with her winnings and she will be “saving it first and once I have enough mon‐ ey I am hoping I can get an apartment. The money is a big help to me.”

Congratulations again to our lucky winner, Ivy Grace!

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10 - 16 March 2022

Plastic treaty THE United Nations Envi‐ ronment Programme (UN‐ EP) has announced that nearly 200 countries have agreed to start negotiations on a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution.

The move is described as possibly the most ambitious environmental project since the 1989 Montreal Protocol which phased out ozone‐ depleting substances.

The agreement will see UN members tasked with actively reducing plastic, to deal with the ongoing prob‐ lem of discarded plastic that is destroying habitats, harming wildlife and con‐ taminating the food chain.

Prof Steve Fletcher of the University of Portsmouth who advises UNEP on plas‐ tics issues, said on March 4: “One country can’t deal with plastic pollution alone, no matter how good its policies are. We need a global agreement to enable us to deal with the

PLASTIC POLLUTION: Harms habitats and wildlife.

widespread challenges that plastic gives us as a society.”

The global treaty if

agreed, would set rules for production, use and dispos‐ al of plastics.

Bercow banned THE former Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, has been found guilty of being a serial bully and banned from parliament for life.

The bullying claims were upheld by an indepen‐ dent expert panel.

“All I can say is that the case against me would have been thrown out by any court in the land since it is based on the flimsiest of evidence, rooted in hearsay and baseless rumour, and advanced by old school dogmatists once intent on resisting change at all costs and now settling some ancient scores with me,” Bercow said on March 8.

“It is a travesty of justice and brings shame on the House of Commons. This has been a protracted, am‐ ateurish and unjust process which would not have survived five minutes’ scrutiny in court. To describe what I have experienced as a kangaroo court is grossly insulting to kangaroos,” he added.

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Brits donate SUPPLIES: Prices could at least double.

Oil and gas RUSSIA has warned that it will cut gas supplies to Eu‐ rope if Russian oil is banned.

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said, “A rejection of Rus‐ sian oil would lead to catastrophic consequences for the global market.”

Experts warn a ban on Russian oil could lead prices for the commodity to at least double.

Although Germany and the Netherlands have ruled it out, the US and the UK are considering a ban.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “We have to consider how we can all move away as fast as possible from depen‐ dence, reliance, on Rus‐ sian hydrocarbons, Rus‐ sian oil and gas.”

However, Novak added on March 8 it is “impossi‐ ble to quickly find a re‐ placement for Russian oil on the European market. It will take years, and it will still be much more expen‐ sive for European con‐ sumers. Ultimately, they will be hurt the worst by this outcome.”

BRITONS have donated more than £100 million (€120 million) to provide aid to Ukrainians fleeing the war. The donations, which continue to come in, were made after an appeal was launched by the UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).

Donors include the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge. Hun‐ dreds of thousands of members of the public have also responded to the call from the DEC, which brings together 15 leading UK aid charities at times of crisis.

The DEC said the funds are being used to give people food, water, medical assis‐ tance, protection and trauma care.

Jo Kitterick, head of supporter engagement at the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, one of the charities involved, said on Monday March 7, “This amaz‐ ing show of support for people fleeing the conflict has meant that we have been able to start spending money straight away to help more people.”

Jo Joyner’s IVF battle E X EastEnders’ star Jo Joyner has opened up about her IVF battle.

Jo is the proud mum of twins Freddie and Edie. She announced in 2009 that she had finally become pregnant after undergoing IVF treatment. The twins are now 12 years old.

“I started journalling as it’s like a form of CBT [cognitive behavioural therapy] really, because a lot of it is laugh or cry.

But there are funny situations which arise during IVF. It sounds a bit harsh to

say, but there are such stupid scenarios that happen, let alone men giving their ‘samples’, bless them,” Jo said on March 7.

Jo had tried everything to get preg‐ nant including reflexology.

She added, “We tried everything ‐ acupuncture, fertility diets, reflexology ‐ but nothing worked. We had tests and knew there was a slim chance anything would work and that was when we made the decision to try IVF.”

NEWS

Wet market NEW research into the ori‐ gins of Covid‐19 points to animals sold at a wet mar‐ ket in Wuhan city not a lab‐ oratory leak, according to scientists.

The extensive research released on Saturday February 26 found no sup‐ port for the theory that the coronavirus escaped from a Chinese government run laboratory.

Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona, said: “When you look at all of the evidence together, it’s an extraordinarily clear picture that the pandemic started at the Huanan mar‐ ket.”

However, not all scien‐ tists are prepared to accept the hypothesis. Dr Jesse Bloom, a Virologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, said there remains a glaring absence of direct evidence that ani‐ mals at the market had themselves been infected with the coronavirus.

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NEWS

Refugees arrive Maldives welcomes Brits THE Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Jose Luis Escriva, has confirmed that the government is finalising plans to accept at least 6,000 Ukrainian refugees.

“Ukrainians who come will have a protection framework through‐ out Europe and Spain that simpli‐ fies all papers, gives immediate access to work, aid and protection from the first moment,” Escriva said on Monday March 7.

Madrid is working with the con‐ sular services of Romania, Poland, Hungary and Moldova to facilitate

transport. Discussions are also taking place with the Ukrainian authorities to “channel in a more institutionalised way” transport for children who live in orphan‐ ages or who have lost their fami‐ lies as well as those who are sick or disabled. Three reception cen‐ tres are being established in Madrid, Alicante and Barcelona.

“There they will know their rights, an interview will be done to know their needs and to be able to refer them to the most ap‐ propriate resources,” Escriva added.

L E G E N DA R Y British rock band, the Rolling Stones, will celebrate their 60th anniversary with a Eu‐ ropean tour due to be an‐ nounced later this month.

The Stones are expected to re‐ veal details of the tour on March 14 and insiders say it will in‐ clude a date at Liverpool’s iconic Anfield football stadium.

By performing at Anfield, the Stones join an exclusive list of less than 20 acts who have played at the venue. Bon Jovi,

Stones to tour Paul McCartney, Pink, and Take That are among the star names to have performed at the Reds’ stadium. The final date on Sir El‐ ton John’s world tour is also due to be staged there later this year.

Fo l l o w i n g A n f i e l d , t h e b a n d will play two concerts at Lon‐ don’s Hyde Park as part of the British Summer Time festival.

TRAVELLING for vaccinated Brits is getting easier and the latest popular holiday desti‐ nation to scrap additional Covid‐19 restric‐ tions is the Maldives.

Under new rules, vaccinated tourists will not have to undergo a Covid test when heading to the islands after pre‐arrival Covid tests were scrapped. Previously the Maldives required tourists to undergo a pre‐arrival test even if they were fully jabbed.

Tourists are also not required to have a booster jab, but they must have had the second dose of the vaccine a minimum of 14 days prior to travelling.

PCR tests are also no longer needed

CHANCELLOR of the Exche‐ quer Rishi Sunak must cut fuel duty to soften pump prices, MPs have warned.

Fuel prices are rocketing in the UK due to Russia’s war on Ukraine and sanc‐ tions placed against Russia.

Prime Minister Boris John‐ son believes that the sanc‐ tions imposed on Russia are worth the cost to Brits in a

Travel to the islands is now easier. when travellers leave the islands. Families should be aware that children too young to have been vaccinated will need to be tested. The test should be taken no more than 96 hours before arriving in the Mal‐ dives.

Cut fuel duty bid to beat Russian Presi‐ dent Vladimir Putin but MPs have called for cuts to help drivers out.

Experts predict that prices will continue to rise. Howev‐ er, Johnson said: “There are going to be impacts. But it’s the right thing to do.

“We have to consider how we can all move away as fast as possible from depen‐ dence, reliance, on Russian hydrocarbons, Russian oil and gas. Everybody is doing that. Everybody is on the same journey,” he added on Monday March 7.

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NEWS

Fish battered by Russia THE rising cost of fish, batter, fat, wrapping pa‐ per and energy may lead a third of Britain’s fish and chips shops to go out of business over the next 12 months.

According to the Nation‐ al Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), one in three fish and chip shops could be forced to close this year.

Andrew Crook, president of the NFFF, said the situa‐ tion was about to get

Fish & chips in trouble. much worse due to sanc‐ tions against Russia.

Roughly 60 per cent of haddock and cod are im‐ ported from Russia.

According to Crook, “We’re expecting a third of fish and chip shops to go out of business.”

He added, “Whitefish comes from Russia be‐ cause they are a very big fishing nation in the Bar‐ ents Sea. So, if we lose that, the price of fish will go significantly higher and this is on top of the cur‐ rent record prices we are seeing. If that happens, we are in real dire straits.”

Masks abolished soon PRESIDENT Pedro Sanchez said the mandatory use of masks inside build‐ ings as a Covid‐19 prevention measure is set to be abolished soon, possibly as early as mid‐March.

He made the announcement during a PSOE party meeting on Sunday March 6 called to address the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

The head of the Executive highlight‐ ed the “formidable response” of citi‐ zens to the pandemic. He praised

Spain’s “extraordinarily high” vaccina‐ tion rate and said that the country has reached the lowest reported cumula‐ tive incidence in Europe.

Sanchez however stressed that the new rules can only be confirmed by the Ministry of Health following con‐ sultations with representatives of the autonomous communities at the next Interterritorial Council of Health meeting which is scheduled for today, Thursday March 10 in Zaragoza.

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AN 11‐year‐old Ukrainian boy made the incredible 600‐mile trek to Slovakia, all by himself.

He fled the country carrying just a plastic bag and a contact phone number written on his hand.

His amazing feat has been verified by the Slovakian gov‐ ernment. The boy was picked up at the border by volunteers.

He was given food and drink af‐

Freedom walk ter his epic trip. “He won them over with his smile, fearless‐ ness and determination, wor‐ thy of a true hero,” a spokesman for the Slovakian government said on Sunday March 6.

Thanks to the number his

Debris hits Moon A PIECE of a rocket launched years ago crashed into the Moon on March 4. It was proba‐ bly the first time a piece of a spacecraft has hit the Moon accidentally.

The impact took place at 12.25pm UTC on the far side of the Moon, near the equator, out of view of ground‐based telescopes and probably also far from the immedi‐ ate view of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

The impact was pre‐ dicted in late January by Bill Gray, who writes the

10 - 16 March 2022

Project Pluto software widely used to track near‐Earth objects, aster‐ oids, minor planets and comets.

He initially identified the culprit as the second stage of a Space X Falcon 9 rocket launched in 2015. But in February, he changed his opinion on the origin of the object and said that it belonged to the Chinese experi‐ mental lunar mission Chang’e 5‐T1, launched in October 2014.

The Chinese govern‐ ment denies this.

mother had written on her son’s hand, it was possible to contact her from Slovakia to let her know that her son was safe. Yulia Pisecka, the boy’s mother, from the town of Za‐ porizhzhya, the location of se‐ vere fighting for possession of a nearby nuclear power plant,

Hydrogen-fuelled engines

Contact phone number.

said she had no choice but to save him by sending him to Slo‐ vakia.

Meet and greet THE Queen has held her first in‐person engage‐ ment since beating Covid‐ 19. The in‐person audi‐ ence was held at Windsor Castle on March 7.

The British monarch met Canadian Prime Min‐ ister Justin Trudeau.

Prime Minister Boris John‐ son also held talks with Trudeau along with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The heads of state were discussing Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine.

The Queen, 95, caught

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Covid in late February. At the time Buckingham Palace said that she expe‐ rienced “mild cold‐like symptoms.” Numerous virtual events were can‐ celled due to her illness.

Following the Queen’s Covid‐19 battle, she also welcomed two new High Commissioners to the UK. The engagement was held virtually last week.

The Prince of Wales re‐ cently confirmed that the Queen is “a lot better now” following her brush with the virus.

TESTS: Are part of the company’s plan.

EUROPEAN aircraft company, Airbus, will test hy‐ drogen fuelled jet engines using modified versions of the now discontinued Airbus A380 planes.

The tests are part of the company’s plan to be‐ come the manufacturer of the world’s first zero‐ emission commercial aircraft by 2035.

Glenn Llewellyn, Vice President for zero emis‐ sion aircraft at Airbus said on the company’s YouTube channel: “Our ambition is to take this (A380) aircraft and add a stub in between the rear doors at the upper level. That stub will have on the end of it a hydrogen powered gas turbine.”

According to Llewellyn, the aim of the “flight laboratory” is to learn more about hydrogen propulsion systems in real ground and flight con‐ ditions, thus enabling Airbus to press on with its plans for a zero‐emission aircraft in just over a decade.

Airbus has unveiled three hydrogen concepts which they hope to begin testing in 2026.

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NEWS

Chicken Kyiv Lack of humanity TESCO is considering renaming Chicken Kiev as Chick‐ en Kyiv to show support for the Ukrainian people.

Other supermarkets including Morrisons and Sains‐ bury’s may also change the name of the popular dish.

The capital of Ukraine was known as Kiev under So‐ viet rule, but Kyiv has been favoured on an interna‐ tional level since the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Af‐ fairs started the online campaign #KyivNotKiev in 2018.

Waitrose and Marks & Spencer do not currently in‐ tend to rename their products, but some smaller companies have been boycotting Russian goods. Oth‐ er supermarkets are refusing to stock Russian vodka.

British company Finnebrogue Artisan tweeted that they had decided to rename their vegetarian version of Chicken Kiev “in solidarity with the Ukrainian peo‐ ple.”

Changing the spelling is a small yet significant and peaceful way of showing support for Ukraine and tak‐ ing a stand against Russia, it is argued.

B R I T A I N has been ac‐ cused of lacking humani‐ ty after 150 Ukrainians were turned away in Calais.

According to Gerald Darmanin, the French in‐ terior minister, refugees were told to go to Paris or Brussels to obtain visas from UK con‐ sulates.

Darmanin has called on the UK to set up a con‐ sular presence in Calais.

“It is imperative that your consular represen‐ tation, exceptionally and for the duration of this crisis, is able to issue

visas for family reunifica‐ tion on the spot in Calais.

Our coasts have been the scene of too many hu‐ man tragedies. Let’s not add to that those Ukrainian families,” he wrote to Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Hundreds of Ukrainian people have travelled to Calais after it was an‐ nounced by France that the UK would set up a visa centre in the city.

Patel however hit back saying the Home Office’s response was adequate and launched “within a matter of days.”

UKRAINIANS: Were told to go to Paris or Brussels.

Putin’s alleged mistress RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin is believed to have sent his alleged mis‐ tress, Alina Kabaeva, to Switzerland where she is hiding out in a private chalet.

Famous for its neutrality, the Swiss country is also where her twin girls are thought to have been born.

It has never been confirmed that Putin is the father of any of her four children.

Kabaeva won two Olympic medals during her glittering career as a rhyth‐ mic gymnast, becoming one

of Russia’s most decorated athletes. She won bronze in the 2000 Sydney Games fol‐ lowed by gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics. There were also 21 European Championship medals and 14 World Championship medals.

Putin’s private life has al‐ ways been shrouded in mys‐ tery. He was married for about 30 years to air hostess Lyudmila Putina. They di‐ vorced in 2013. “I have a pri‐ vate life in which I do not permit interference,” he once said.

and finally...

CHINA has been working on high‐speed Maglev train technology for some years, with the latest prototype expected to reach a top speed in excess of 620kph.

Unveiled in China in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, the sleek 21 metre long prototype runs on high‐tem‐ perature superconducting (HTS) power that makes it look as if the train is floating along the magnetised tracks.

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Endangered Koalas A REPORT published by the Australian Koala Foun‐ dation claims that koalas could be extinct within 30 years. A decision has been made by the government

to place the marsupial on the list of endangered species.

According to the Aus‐ tralian Koala Foundation, their population has dwin‐

HPV for boys SPANISH experts are arguing that boys, along with girls, should be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV).

A vaccination against HPV, the biggest cause of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide, reduces cancers in both men and women, according to Maria Garces Sanchez, a primary care paediatrician and member of the Vaccine Ad‐ visory Committee of the Spanish Association of Paediatrics.

It is best for the jab to be given before the start of sexual relations because the antibody response is greater the younger the person is, she said on March 4.

More than 80 per cent of sexually active people will con‐ tract an HPV infection at some point in their lives. It is re‐ sponsible for approximately five per cent of all tumours and is linked to almost 100 per cent of cervical cancers, 40 per cent of penile cancers, 40 per cent of vulvar cancers and 90 per cent of anal cancers.

dled from 80,000 in 2018, to 58,000 in 2021.

Drought, disease, defor‐ estation, and devastating forest fires, have led to the decline. Koalas depend on eucalyptus forests which are sensitive to fire and other changes. At least 6,400 Koala bears perished in the summer forest fires of 2019 and 2020 alone. As a result, the government has changed the legal sta‐ tus of Koalas and decided to allocate 74 million Aus‐ tralian dollars to preserve the species and the habi‐ tats on which it depends.

Deborah Tabart, presi‐ dent of WWF Australia, said the decision “is wel‐ come, but it will not pre‐ vent Koalas from slipping into extinction, unless ac‐ companied by stronger laws.”

STATS

61,000

In an average hour, there are over 61,000 Americans airborne over the United States.

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UKRAINE SPECIAL

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What is happening in Ukraine?

ON February 24, 2022, Russia launched a devastating large‐ scale military invasion of Ukraine ‐ a European democracy of 44 million people ‐ marking a major escalation to a conflict that began in 2014. Several officials and ana‐ lysts called the invasion the largest conventional military at‐ tack in Europe since the Second World War. Russian President Vladimir Putin consistently denied that he would invade Ukraine, but then tore up a peace deal and began what Ger‐ many calls ‘Putin’s war’, sending forces into Ukraine’s north, east and south.

On February 24, Putin claimed the constant threat from modern Ukraine meant that Russia could not feel ‘safe, develop and exist’, from there, airports and military headquarters have been attacked, warplanes have

RUSSIA: Launched an attack on Ukraine on February 24.

bombed major cities and Russia has seized control of the impor‐ tant port in Kherson.

Putin claims he wants to pro‐ tect people from genocide and the ‘demilitarisation and de‐Nazification’ of Ukraine. However, Ukraine is actu‐

Free Airbnb housing for Ukrainians FOLLOWING Russia’s attack on Ukraine that began on February 24, up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees will be housed for free by online rental company Airbnb. Brian Chesky, the company’s CEO, has al‐ ready contacted the leaders of Hun‐ gary, Romania, Poland, and Ger‐ many offering this help.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, February 28, Chesky urged: “We need help to meet this goal. The greatest need we have is for more people who can offer their homes in nearby countries.”

Airbnb.org, which is chaired by Joe Gebbia, the Airbnb co‐founder, is the lesser‐known non‐profit branch of the company that is dedi‐ cated to helping to house people during such moments of crisis glob‐ ally.

The specific needs of Ukrainian refugees in each country will be done by liaising specifically with each government and longer peri‐ ods of stay will be investigated.

Airbnb will fund these stays through Refugee Fund, the main donor, and also by other hosts of Airbnb.org.

A statement from the company released on Monday, February 28 said, “We know that hosts and guests on Airbnb around the world will be eager to stand up and assist this massive effort to help those fleeing Ukraine.”

ally a modern democracy led by a Jewish president, Volodymyr Ze‐ lensky, who has drawn parallels with Russia’s invasion and that of Nazi Germany in the Second

World War. Russia has long resisted Ukraine moving towards the European Union and Nato, and following the rejection of Ukraine’s former pro‐ Russian president Viktor Yanukovych in 2014, Putin has fre‐ quently accused Ukraine of ex‐ tremism.

Last year, Russia started to send large numbers of troops close to the borders of Ukraine, while still denying any attacks would hap‐ pen. Now, it’s clear Russia wants to take over the big cities and overthrow the Ukrainian Govern‐ ment, although Putin’s long‐term plans are still unknown.

As the death numbers increase, Putin stands accused of disinte‐ grating peace in Europe, however, Russia refuses to use the terms war or invasion.

Cooking for Ukraine

Torrevieja welcomes refugees THE Costa Blanca city of Torrevieja has reportedly begun to welcome refugees from the Ukraine‐Russia crisis and is said to be sending food to Ukraine to help the county’s resi‐ dents.

The city of Torrevieja, with more than 3,200 Ukrainian resi‐ dents, is already receiving the first applications from people fleeing Ukraine after the country was invaded by Russia.

The Alicante municipality, which is believed to have one in 10 residents either from Russia or Ukraine, has already been sending food to Ukraine. The Department of NGOs and Vol‐ unteers in Torrevieja has also set up a solidarity collection point to send humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

THE former mayor of Cox and professional chef Miguel Gambin has announced he is travelling to Poland on Friday March 11, to feed Ukrainian refugees.

The popular creator of Abuelo‐ Chef will travel this Friday to the town of Przemysl in Poland, to help the NGO World Central Kitchen run by famous chef Jose Andres.

Locals have been donating food at the parish office in Cox, while a campaign has also been launched to collect funds for travel expens‐ es, which Cox Council is working together on.

Gambin had been asking for donations of pasta, rice, milk, oil, and tomato purée.

Help in your area ITEMS required include: generators, ban‐ dages, antibiotics, painkillers, First Aid kits, torches, blankets, batteries, personal hygiene products, mats, military boots, petrol chain‐ saws, nuts, chocolate, energy bars, other food items that don’t need to be cooked, ba‐ by food and nappies.

Torrevieja Lizarran. Avenida Marineros No 4, 03182.

Anna Shop. Calle Bazon, 5.

Sadco Shop. Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia, 37.

La Zenia Ibex Office. C/ Flores, ground floor 3. 10am until 5pm.

Orihuela Costa MABEQ shop

C Parana 50 9am to 3.30pm Campoverde Jenny’s Bar is holding a concert on March 26 where donations will be taken. Av. del Taray, 161, 03191 Pinar de Campoverde.

Alicante Emerald Isle is holding an event on March 9 from 1pm for donations. Urbanizacion La Flori‐ da, Calle Marte, 2, 03189.

Ciudad Quesada Ibex Office. C/Turismo 4A. 10am until 5pm Gran Alacant Carabassi Comercial Cenrer. Avda Noruega 214, local 15. 10am until 1pm and 5pm until late.

FEATURE

How you can help online Donating online From donating clothes to signing peti‐ tions, there are many ways you can help the Ukraine crisis. Here is a list of charities you can donate to directly on‐ line: Red Cross Your donation will help in areas where medical services are limited and hu‐ manitarian aid is required. https://redcross.org.ua/en/donate/ With Ukraine The website states: “The Embassy of Ukraine in the UK set up a special fund to provide humanitarian assistance to the victims of Russian war against Ukraine.” https://www.withukraine.org/en Revived Soldiers Ukraine (RSU) This nonprofit organisation helps fund medication and essential supplies for army hospitals that are on the front line. https://www.rsukraine.org/ Voices of Children This charitable Voices of Children foun‐ dation provides immediate aid to fami‐ lies affected by the invasion and helps children to recover from the psycho‐ logical effects of war. https://voices.org.ua/en/donat/ UNCHR Refugee Agency This organisation is providing shelter for Ukrainians who have been dis‐ placed from their homes. https://donate.unrefugees.org.uk/ Petitions you can sign There are various national and interna‐ tional petitions that will be debated by governments and leaders once a set number of signatures have been raised: (Parliament.uk) Pledge any necessary military support to defend Ukraine (38 degrees) An open letter to Priti Pa‐ tel: The UK must give safe passage to those fleeing war in Ukraine (Change.org) Tell the UK govt: Help Ukrainian refugees!

(Open petition) Ask NATO to close the airspace over Ukraine (Avaaz ‐ worldwide) Stop this war Get your information from verified sources With a lot of misinformation circulat‐ ing on social media, it is very important to get your information from reliable sources. Here is where you can follow: www.gov.uk

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NEWS

UK dockers stand firm A GERMAN-FLAGGED tanker is sitting in the docks at Birkenhead full of Russian oil, because dock workers have refused to unload it.

The vessel is moored near the Stanlow Oil Refinery.

Sharon Graham, the Unite general‐secretary told opera‐ tors Essar its members “will under no circumstances un‐ load any Russian oil regard‐ less of the nationality of the vessel which delivers it.”

Britain has a ban on Rus‐ sian ships entering any UK docks, but the ban does not

TANKERS: Unable to offload their Russian oil.

apply in this case as the vessel is German, and only its cargo is Russian.

Dockers in Kent have also refused to unload a shipment of liquefied natural gas, leav‐ ing the Russian vessel, Boris

B I L L GATES, the co‐founder of Mi‐ crosoft, is predicting that an electronic tattoo will become an integral part of everyday life in the future.

An electronic, or digital tattoo, is an innovative method that collects and analyses data from the human body using a Near Field Communication chip.

Gates said that even though the technology is still in a very early stage of development, it has all the poten‐ tial to replace today’s smartphones.

Vilkitsky, stuck out in the En‐ glish Channel with a full cargo. According to the ship‐ tracking website MarineTraf‐ fic, the tanker is currently near Nantes off the French coast.

Future tattoo The company behind this pioneering technology, Chaotic Moon Studios, is currently focusing specifically on the medical field.

The billionaire envisages a future where the use of sensors, trackers, and other wearable devices akin to digital tattoos can be used to commu‐ nicate, send messages, and make phone calls.

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NEWS

Renfe offers free travel to Ukrainians THE Spanish national railway network Renfe has an‐ nounced that it will offer free travel on all its trains to refugees arriving from Ukraine.

Minister for Transport Raquel Sanchez said on Thursday March 3 that all Renfe trains will be free for Ukrainian citizens arriving in Spain, including those who wish to travel to France and elsewhere in Europe.

Renfe will handle the man‐ agement of all such move‐ ments of Ukrainian refugees in Barcelona, which has been set up as a hub for refugees arriving in Spain. The terminal is served by the Elipsos cross‐ border trains which connect France with Spain and are al‐ so free of charge for Ukraini‐ an refugees.

Once in Barcelona, refugees can take any Renfe train and continue their jour‐ ney. Ukrainian citizens should

carry a passport or identity card and present it at Renfe sales points, service centres or station ticket offices.

Worries for Kate Garraway GOOD MORNING BRITAIN host, Kate Garraway, has suffered another blow as her husband’s business is set to go bust.

Kate had taken on a directorship at the company in a bid to keep the business alive, but she recently revealed that they face cash problems as Derek Draper, who con‐ tracted Covid‐19, needs round‐the‐clock care.

“Astra Aspera was primarily Derek’s company, he was the director. Kate was made director last February so that she could attempt to keep it going,” a source said.

“Kate has done her very best to do that while Derek has been incredibly ill. However, he has been unable to work, his revenue has stopped entirely and is unlikely to return in the near future. Kate has other jobs on GMB and Smooth Radio, but with her massively increased costs it wasn’t possible to keep the company going, so has to be folded,” the source added.

STATS

Free travel by train.

100

A chef’s hat has 100 pleats.

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NEWS

Sex toy win for cyclist NOT every sport has success in finding the level or type of sponsorship they are look‐ ing for and cycling is no different, with the recent winner of the Tour de Friesland Chrono seeing the funny side in winning a selection of sex toys.

Dutch cyclist Ellen van Dijk, six‐time road cycling world champion, won the first leg of the race and received a box including a vibrator, lubricant, some socks, an eye mask, a pumice stone and a deck of cards to play the Kama Sutra.

Van Dijk, who was presented the box on the podium, was not offended and asked her followers on social media what they advised she should do with the gifts.

EasyToys.nl, the sponsoring company, is

WORLD CHAMPION: Ellen van Dijk.

currently enjoying more coverage than they expected, with the story around the box getting more attention than their usu‐ al advertising efforts.

Spain sending oil to Ukraine SPAIN will send two million barrels of crude oil from its re‐ serves to Ukraine, the govern‐ ment announced on Friday March 4.

Government spokesperson Isabel Rodriguez said the oil will be voluntarily transferred to Ukraine in coordination with the International Energy Agen‐ cy. The shipment represents

roughly the amount of crude oil Spain would use in two and half days.

Spain has already sent 20 tons of medical supplies and other items which are being de‐ livered to Ukraine by road from the Torrejon de Ardoz airbase in Madrid.

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, humanitarian aid for

the country is crucial as Russian forces continue to bombard cities, Rodriguez said. More than 1.5 million people have left the former Soviet territory in order to escape the crisis which continues to escalate while a diplomatic solution proves evasive. Roughly one million of those have crossed the land border into Poland.

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NEWS

Bye-bye Buckingham Palace QUEEN ELIZABETH is to leave Buckingham Palace in London to ‘work from home’ mak‐ ing Windsor Castle her main residence and per‐ manent address.

“Windsor is the place she loves. She has her memories with Prince Philip there, she has her ponies there and family nearby.

It makes sense,” said royal ex‐ pert Hugo Vickers.

The move will mean that the monarch will meet officials in her

Queen to live at Windsor.

Berkshire home and cut down on the amount of travel she faces.

The Queen spent much of the Covid‐19

pandemic at Windsor Castle including her fi‐ nal weeks and months with Prince Philip.

Sources said the el‐ derly couple “rediscov‐ ered the happiness of their early years togeth‐ er” during their time at Windsor Castle and en‐ joyed relative privacy with only a limited number of staff at the estate.

Buckingham Palace is undergoing renovation work which is expected to be complete in 2027.

Doctor stranded with big cats A N Indian doctor is stranded with a jaguar and a panther in war‐torn Ukraine. Girikumar Patil, who lives in Severodonetsk, has been looking after the animals he bought from a zoo.

He said will not leave without the big cats. At the moment the only time he dares leave the basement he is sheltering in is when he needs to buy food for them.

Girikumar said: “My big cats have been spending nights in the basement

with me. There has been a lot of bombing happening around us. The cats are scared. They are eating less. I can’t leave them. This is the second war I am living through. But this is scarier.”

Previously Girikumar, who studied medicine in Ukraine, lost his Indian restaurant in Luhansk.

“My parents have been calling me and asking me to come home but I can’t leave the animals,” he said.

NEWS

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10 - 16 March 2022

Sanctions are “war” RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has claimed that the Western sanctions against Russia are a “declaration of war”.

Speaking on state television, Putin said sanc‐ tions were “methods of fighting against Rus‐ sia”.

“These sanctions that you can see are equiv‐ alent to declaring a war. Thankfully it has not come to an actual war, but we understand what these threats are about,” he said.

He also insisted that the invasion of Ukraine is going according to plan and that the Russian army would “meet its objectives”.

He dismissed suggestions that he would place Russia under martial law. Thousands of anti‐war protesters have been arrested across Russia.

Moscow, Putin added, would consider any

PUTIN: Invasion going according to plan.

declaration of a no‐fly zone over Ukraine by any third party as “participation in the armed conflict”.

He also denied reports that there were con‐ scripts fighting in Ukraine claiming that only professional soldiers were involved.

Great white shark attack in Australia AN Australian swimmer has survived an attack by a 3.5‐ metre‐long shark. The inci‐ dent took place at a popular beach near Perth.

The swimmer was rammed by the shark when he was 150 metres from the shore. The authorities swung into action and alerted beachgoers. A search for the

shark was also launched.

According to the Depart‐ ment of Fisheries Shark Op‐ eration Unit, the attack took place at Florida Beach.

“To reduce the threat to people, Florida Beach has now been closed and will re‐ main closed for 24 hours when the city of Mandurah will reassess the situation,”

the Department said.

One local told an Aus‐ tralian newspaper: “There’s not many whites, they’re normally out way deep, they come in if there’s schools of fish. They go where the food is. It obviously wasn’t inter‐ ested in the person it bumped. That’s not really predatory behaviour.”

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NEWS

GB’s first gold at Winter Paralympics NEIL SIMPSON won Britain’s first gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Para‐ lympics on Sunday March 6.

The 19‐year‐old from Scot‐ land put in a stunning per‐ formance at the visually‐im‐ paired super‐G event.

The gold medal win has “not really sunk in yet” ac‐ cording to the young athlete.

“We went in with a clear game plan and it worked out pretty well. We put it all down on the line and really went for it and I’m just very happy with the perfor‐ mance. It felt good. I could tell it was quick, but I didn’t know how special it was,” he said.

“I’m just really thrilled. It’s not really sunk in yet. Initial‐ ly when we came down there was a bit of an anxious

wait. I wasn’t thinking about it being a winning perfor‐ mance, I was just thinking

that it was a good run. It’s such a high. It’s almost inde‐ scribable,” he added.

Pregnant Harry Potter star suffers Covid HARRY POTTER star Jessie Cave has been admitted to hospital with Covid‐19. The actress played Laven‐ der Brown in the famous JK Rowling franchise. She is pregnant with her fourth child.

The 34‐year‐old actress took to Instagram to share the news with her fans. She posted a photo showing herself in a hospital bed. She told fans: “Triage, once again… Anyone else had Covid in third trimester and had it hit them like a tonne of bricks for weeks?”

Later on, she posted again and said: “Also ‐ has anyone taken the anti‐nausea drug and it made them feel worse?”

After her latest post, she has received plenty of support from Harry Potter fans. One fan comment‐ ed: “Oh honey. I’m so sorry. Like your body hasn’t got enough to deal with. Sending you lots of love lovely.” Another added: “Oh Jessie I’m so sorry this is rotten.”

STATS

Gold medal for athlete.

100

A chef’s hat has 100 pleats.

NEWS

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Jet2 ditches masks Jet2 change their policy.

Putin faces jail THE British Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Sec‐ retary has warned Vladimir Putin that UK prison cells are ready for him.

It has been hinted that Putin could well stand in the dock at the Hague, and face trial for slaughtering innocent civilians. Russia is currently under investi‐ gation by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already accused the Russian president of committing such crimes by dropping cluster bombs on blocks of flats in Ukraine, killing many innocent people.

“The UK has a role to play, and we are sending a message out now that we will not just turn the other way. However long it takes, if you commit a war crime on Ukrainian soil, expect to be held to ac‐ count,” warned Raab.

JET2 has become the first ma‐ jor UK airline to ditch face masks on flights.

This is in line with the latest regulations from the govern‐ ment. Face masks will no longer be necessary on flights from Northern Ireland and England. The airline though has recommended that cus‐ tomers still wear their masks on board and at the airport.

A spokesperson from Jet2 explained: “It is no longer a le‐ gal requirement to wear a face mask in England and Northern Ireland, including at our airports or on board our aircraft.”

They went on to add: “However, as per UK Govern‐ ment guidance, we recom‐ mend that customers contin‐ ue to wear a face mask in these spaces, and we remind customers that they will need to wear one when they get to their overseas destination.”

For flights travelling from Wales and Scotland travellers aged six and over will still need to wear their masks.

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Football bloodbath

AN on‐pitch brawl broke out at a Queretaro v Atlas FC game on Saturday March 5 in Mexico. Initial reports suggest that at least 17 people were killed and 22 people taken to hospital.

Local officials said: “The rest are stable. It should be men‐ tioned that all of those injured are male and at this moment it’s been confirmed that four were from the state of Jalisco.”

The bloodbath began as Queretaro were losing the match. At the 62nd minute the

game had to be suspended.

Metal bars were used as weapons as fans rushed onto the pitch. The teams escaped the violence by retreating to their locker rooms.

Mikel Arriola, President of Liga MX, said on Twitter: “Un‐ acceptable and unfortunate vi‐ olence at the Corregidora sta‐ dium in Queretaro. Those responsible for the lack of se‐ curity in the stadium will be punished in an exemplary manner. The safety of our players and fans is a priority!”

ITV expands streaming ITV has announced that it is set to launch its new ITVX streaming platform.

The platform will provide free content with adverts and viewers will also be able to opt for a subscription ser‐ vice that will remove all the adverts. Viewers will be treated to new content first on the platform before it even hits TV. According to ITV: “There will be some‐ thing for everyone on ITVX, with more fresh new con‐ tent dropping every week of the year than any other British video on demand platform.”

ITV’s Chief Executive Car‐ olyn McCall revealed: “The

ITVX: Viewers can opt to remove all the adverts.

digital acceleration we are announcing today builds on

everything we have achieved in phase one of our More Than TV strategy.

ITVX will be a free service supported by adverts, with a compelling subscription proposition. This is fantastic for viewers ‐ it will provide a simplified and seamless ex‐ perience with thousands of hours of free content.”

Travel update SPAIN has changed travel rules for unvaccinated holi‐ daymakers in a boost to the country’s tourism sector.

When entering Spain holi‐ daymakers previously had to be fully vaccinated to avoid undergoing tests or quarantine. As part of the new measures, unvaccinat‐ ed travellers who have beat‐ en the coronavirus in the last six months will be able to enter Spain.

Holidaymakers from the UK can head to Spain under

the new rules if they can prove they have been vacci‐ nated or that they have re‐ covered from Covid. The re‐ covery must have taken place in the last six months before travelling.

After taking a first positive Covid test, 11 days must have passed before travel‐ ling. This can be a PCR test or similar or a rapid antigen test.

In Spain, the recovery cer‐ tificate will only be valid for 180 days though.

NEWS

and finally...

DA N I E L A N D R E W S, the Premier of the Australian State of Victoria has offered the family of crick‐ eter Shane Warne a state funeral after his sudden death.

Warne, who died on holiday in Koh Samui, Thailand, was 52.

Andrews said: “Shane Warne didn’t just inspire a cricket generation ‐ he de‐ fined it. To us, he was the greatest ‐ but to his family, he was so much more. Our hearts are breaking for Shane’s family and friends ‐ and they are in the thoughts of all Victo‐ rians.

“I have offered a state funeral to his family so Victorians can pay tribute to his legacy and contribu‐ tion to our state, community and coun‐ try.”

NEWS

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A SCOTTISH expat and his family made it out of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on the last train on Wednesday, March 2.

Managing to catch the last train after a 15‐hour wait, the couple and their child made it to western Ukraine.

Chloe told the media: “We managed to get into the train only around midnight. It was

Homeless pensioners PENSIONERS are among those who have been sleeping rough at Manchester Airport.

Two of the people have been helped into temporary accommo‐ dation. Speaking for the Reach Out to the Community charity, Steph Moore revealed that around 15 people regularly sleep at the airport.

She told one publi‐ cation: “It’s very tran‐ sient, “It’s not the same people we’re seeing all the time. There are a handful of regulars.

People go, come back and go again.”

Steph added: “If you’re homeless, where can you go where it’s dry and in‐ doors? And where have they got toilets?

“It’s all those kind of things we all take for granted.

“To a lot of people in the community, the airport feels safe.

There are cameras there. It’s warmer than some places.

“People don’t want to go into the city cen‐ tre. Homelessness has steadily increased and Piccadilly is just bed‐ lam at the moment.”

She went on to add: “And we had a couple of women recently at the airport. One wom‐ an came from Europe.

During the pandemic there were a lot of Eu‐ ropean people work‐ ing who lost their jobs in hospitality and end‐ ed up on the streets.”

10 - 16 March 2022

Expat escapes the Ukraine very cold, very dangerous, very loud.

“There was a possible chance of them bombing the actual building, so people were panicking. It was our last chance. We knew if we didn’t get in we’d probably

have to spend the night there.”

Chloe added: “I knew this day might come so I’ve been preparing as much as I can. I have food and basic clothes for [my son], I didn’t want him to get cold.

“We’re all exhausted but we’re in a more safe place and we also have people around ‐ they’re all helping each other, they’re giving us food and water. So we’re not that bad. I think it’s worth it to take this chance.”

FAMILY: Managed to escape to the west of the country.

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EXPAT ULTRA

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Quarantine eased

TV

ALL THE CHANNELS YOU LOVE

EXPAT ULTRA

TV

NEWS

FROM Saturday, March 5, new rules came in‐ to force in Spain for close contacts of Covid cases.

The decision to ease the rules were made by the Public Health Commission. Coronavirus quarantine rules for close contacts will be eased regardless of the person’s vaccination status.

The rule changes were announced on Tues‐ day, March 1. From March 5, close contacts of Covid cases will not need to quarantine, ac‐ cording to La Sexta.

The Public Health Commission though has recommended that precautionary measures for vulnerable people be increased.

The Commission has advised that for 10 days after being exposed to a positive case close contacts should reduce social interactions and

BIG ON QUALITY LOW ON PRICE

A TEXAS-BASED Airbnb host has been accused of record‐ ing more than 2,000 photos and videos of people at his cabin.

A Jay Allee, 54, was caught out in July last year. Accord‐ ing to the police, the hidden camera resembled a power adaptor for a Wi‐Fi router. Af‐ ter becoming suspicious, a couple staying at the cabin googled how to spot hidden

take precautions where possible. The commis‐ sion has suggested constant mask‐wearing and following hand hygiene measures. The organi‐ sation has also said that close contacts should avoid being in contact with vulnerable people.

The incidence rate in Spain is falling which has led to this decision.

Fully vaccinated people in Spain were already able to avoid quarantine. The new measure will affect people who have not yet been fully vacci‐ nated. It will also affect young children who have not had the full vaccine schedule.

Children below five years old are not being vaccinated in Spain. Just under 20 per cent of children between five and 11 years old have been vaccinated.

Anyone who has been infected with the virus though will have to self‐isolate.

Airbnb hidden camera cameras and searched the property.

An investigation was car‐ ried out by the Kendall Coun‐ ty police and they discovered that the man had allegedly been recording his guests for more than a year.

The police seized the fake router along with laptops,

phones and a tablet. The guests had been caught out in compromising positions and were partially dressed or naked.

The Airbnb host was arrest‐ ed in November. He is facing multiple charges, although he has insisted he is innocent ac‐ cording to his lawyers.

NEWS

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A sugary secret ON February 21, Guardia Civil officers in the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria port of La Luz seized two bags with about 100 kilos of cocaine hidden between bags of sugar in a container arriving from Brazil.

This is the second bust of the same kind at the port in recent days. On February 17, a total of 268 kilos of cocaine, also from Brazil, was report‐ ed seized. These seizures, clarify the force, are the re‐ sult of monitoring and joint surveillance carried out by both the Guardia Civil and

HIDDEN DRUGS: Found in sacks of sugar.

the Tax Agency in the port fa‐ cilities. In recent months this has led to exhaustive docu‐ mentary analyses of the ships coming from Brazil, as well as of inspections of con‐ tainers suspected of contain‐ ing cocaine hidden among

the sacks of sugar they were transporting. The narcotics have remained at the dispos‐ al of the corresponding judi‐ cial authority, while the au‐ thorities continue their investigation to identify and locate those implicated.

I’m A Celeb comeback I’M A CELEB is set to return to Australia for an epic comeback in November.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the show had taken place in Wales for two years. For the 2022 season though the series will return to Australia. Rosemary Newell, Director of Content for ITV confirmed that the show will soon return home. She revealed: “We expect a celebrity to return in Australia in November,

when it will generate an audience over 11 mil‐ lion.” Ant and Dec had reportedly been hoping to head back to the jungle in Australia. The pair appeared on The One Show last month. Ant re‐ vealed: “Well, the plan is the jungle, so if all things...” Dec interjected: “Nothing against Wales!” Ant defended Wales too and said: “We love Wales but you know, Australia is its home and we’d like to get back there if we can.”

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EUROPEAN PRESS

EUROPEAN PRESS DENMARK

Citizenship refused

Electric cars

A 64-YEAR-OLD Irishman Billy O’Shea refused to shake hands officially with a Copenhagen councillor because he believed the requirement “is un-Danish, undemocratic and in conflict with the constitution,” so even though he shook hands privately to prove he could do it, his refusal meant he lost citizenship.

FOLLOWING a landmark agreement signed with energy group EWII to set up 1,350 new electric car charging points at Copenhagen Airport (which boasts 14,000 parking spaces), it will become the site of the largest charging station in the country within the next 10 years.

THE NETHERLANDS Unaffordable

Amsterdam Museum

THERE is something of a conundrum for politicians in Holland as a new initiative on climate requires that 1.5 million Dutch homes be removed from the gas network by 2030, but a survey has found that more than half of local councils say it can’t be afforded.

ALTHOUGH an independent organisation, the Hermitage Amsterdam is effectively an arm of the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg and because of this, the Amsterdam Museum which was due to temporarily relocate to the Hermitage on March 5 has decided to postpone the opening.

BELGIUM Iodine tablets

Office closure

IN 2018 the Belgian Government made supply of iodine tablets free as part of its defence against radioactivity and according to the Pharmacists Association on the day that Russia invaded Ukraine, just under 30,000 people asked for tablets which supposedly prevent thyroid cancer.

CONFIDENT that the pandemic is now under control, the Corona Commissioner’s office, which was responsible for the coordination of Belgium’s coronavirus policy and giving advice to the government will close on April 8, although it may be reconstituted if there is a sudden spike.

GERMANY Unable to fly

Greeting refugees

MAIN Russian airline Aeroflot doesn’t own a great number of aircraft but leases them from many European owners and now will be required to return them under new sanctions and as Russian aircraft are banned from European airspace, several planes are stuck at German airports.

AN estimated 1,000 Ukrainians and African guest workers who had fled the conflict initially via Poland arrived at Berlin Central Station on March 3 to be met by volunteers who either helped them find trains to onward destinations or to find accommodation in the city.

FRANCE Hijab ban

Émigré actor

WHEN the Bar Council in Lille issued a ruling that no lawyer could wear religious or political dress in courtrooms, a 30-year-old hijabwearing female lawyer of Syrian descent challenged the decision on the grounds that it was discriminatory, but her case was rejected

by France’s highest court.

IN 2013 as a protest against a hike in taxation on the very rich, French actor Gerard Depardieu applied for Russian citizenship which was personally given to him over dinner

by Vladimir Putin. On March 1, speaking to AFP he called for peace with Ukraine.

NORWAY Peace Prize

National income

IRONICALLY in the year that Russia invaded the Ukraine, 2022 has seen the second highest number of nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize with 343, mainly individuals, including British broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, with the final presentation to be made in Oslo this December.

ALTHOUGH Norwegian exports fell dramatically during the start of the pandemic in 2020, they soon recovered and according to new figures from Statistics Norway (SSB), the ongoing increase of the price of crude oil and natural gas saw the country’s Gross National Income increase by 22.2 per cent.

EUROPEAN PRESS

www.euroweeklynews.com

EUROPEAN PRESS FINLAND

English please

Airline furlough

WITH a much more multi-cultural society, some politicians in Finland believe that many new citizens are missing out on all sorts of opportunities including health care because they don’t speak Finnish. As English is the ‘lingua franca’ for many, it is suggested that it should become a ‘service language’.

FINNAIR has had to react to the crisis with Russia as many of its flights into or overflying have had to be temporarily halted which means in turn that it has decided to enter into negotiations with unions over possible 90-day furloughs for cabin crew.

IRELAND Radioactive surprise

Irish census

AN appeal has been put out to thieves who broke into a parked van and stole a Nuclear Moisture Density Gauge in Drogheda, to contact the Garda and arrange to leave it at a prearranged location as it could potentially harm them if they try to dismantle it.

HAVING been postponed from last year due to the pandemic, the next Irish census will take place on April 3 and for the first time the Roma community will be identified as an ethnic group which leaders have been demanding for many years.

ITALY Venus identified

Special train

A MINIATURE limestone statue known as the Venus of Willendorf and believed to be more than 25,000 years old was so named as it was dug up in the Austrian region in 1908, but a researcher at the University of Vienna has declared it to be from northern Italy.

A COMMUTER train on Rome's underground line which entered service on March 3 has been decorated with the blue and yellow colours of Ukraine's flag, with the word for peace in Italian and Ukrainian appearing alternately on each seat as a sign of solidarity.

PORTUGAL Ryanair ultimatum

Abramovich controversy

IRRITATED by so called ‘ghost flights’, Ryanair issued an ultimatum to the Portuguese Government that unless it redistributed a number of slots allocated to State Airline TAP (which it isn’t using) in time for the summer, then it would reduce its fleet of seven aircraft at Lisbon Airport to four.

IT was only recently that Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich was granted a Portuguese passport but now, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Portugal, has asked the government to impose sanctions on Russian citizens with Portuguese nationality such as Abramovich.

UKRAINE Foreign Legion

Paralympic Games

ACCORDING to a statement by the Ukrainian multimedia platform Ukrinform, the country is creating an International Legion of Territorial Defence manned by foreigners who want to join the resistance to Russian aggressors, with 16,000 reportedly already in or en route to Ukraine.

THE International Paralympic Committee (IPC), has, following representations from Ukraine and other national committees, announced that entries of athletes from the Russian Paralympic Committee (PRC) and the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Belarus for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games will be declined.

SWEDEN Cat control

Suspended sentence

FOR more than a decade, Animal Welfare Sweden has been demanding that cats be treated the same as dogs with its Stop the Catastrophe campaign and finally, the Swedish Parliament has voted in favour of all cats being registered and chipped.

THE Court of Appeal in Gothenburg has suspended the sentence of one year imprisonment for a doctor who issued false corona certificates which showed that every individual who applied was declared negative, despite the fact that he never tested the samples taken.

10 - 16 March 2022

EWN 31

FINANCE BUSINESS EXTRA Euro fall THE Russian invasion of Ukraine has seen a major knock‐on effect on the euro which has fallen to a two year low against the dollar and has broken the €1.20 level against sterling due to perceived threats of rampant inflation fu‐ elled by additional rises in en‐ ergy costs.

On the go SWISS company Selecta which cur‐ rently operates 200 ‘Starbucks on the Go’ self‐service stands across Spain has announced plans to ex‐ pand dramatically to at least 1,000 outlets situated in airports, petrol stations, large offices and universi‐ ties offering the usual range of spe‐ cialised coffees.

AENA action AFTER being refused permission by the government to increase landing fees at airports in Spain, airport management group AENA is on a campaign to reduce interest on loans and is reportedly considering issuing ethical ‘Green bonds’ with a value of up to €3 billion.

Inditex quandary AS a number of Spanish and Eu‐ ropean companies took action to either close their stores or stop supplying goods to Russia, fashion leader Inditex finally de‐ cided to close its 521 stores in that country which employ around 9,000 people.

Car sales down THE UK Society of Motor Manu‐ facturers and Traders (SMMT) has confirmed that 58,994 new cars were registered in Britain during the month of February.

It believes that this figure which is some 25 per cent lower than February 2020, the month before the start of the pandemic is not simply a sign of depressed demand, but has been hurt by the shortage of semiconductors, so necessary in modern cars.

With less stock available, prices are not being reduced but there is now a very healthy take up of electric vehicles as they become available with longer ranges.

www.euroweeklynews.com • 10 - 16 March 2022

34

STAT OF WEEK

€7.2 billion

is the amount that Dutch bank ING says that it has in outstanding loans to companies and individuals in Russia and Ukraine.

UK Funeral Plan Providers must be registered FCA UK now requires Funeral Plan Providers to register with them, as from July 29, 2022 if they aren’t autho‐ rised then it will be a criminal offence to sell or administer a funeral plan con‐ tract.

Many people have been prudent and taken out such a plan in order to ensure that their families are not sud‐ denly burdened with the cost of bury‐ ing them and having to find thousands of pounds or euros at short notice.

Although this new law will only be effective in the UK, it must be noted that some funeral plans aimed at the British residents in Spain are actually administered from a UK base so it is important that everyone is aware of the situation.

It has been made a little easier to check as the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority has a list giving details of some 71 providers where you can check their status to see whether they have applied or not, or in some cases

don’t intend to apply for authorisation, which means that they should have contacted clients to advise them.

The list is at https://www.fca. org.uk/consumers/funeral‐plans/ providers‐list#revisions.

The majority of the larger providers will already have applied for authorisa‐ tion, amongst them popular and much used Golden Leaves who supply such plans across the whole of Spain which are administered from the UK and has issued the following statement: “Golden Leaves is aware of recent press coverage of the fact that funeral plan providers like ourselves are re‐ quired to become authorised and reg‐ ulated by the Financial Conduct Au‐ thority (FCA) from the end of July this year.

“We have received inquiries as a result of this from customers asking about our intentions and what regu‐ lation by the FCA might mean for those with existing Golden Leaves

funeral plans.

“Please be assured that Golden Leaves, in common with many other funeral plan providers, submitted its application for authorisation to the FCA in late 2021 and this is under re‐ view by the regulator at the current time.

“While this remains under consider‐ ation, Golden Leaves remains free to promote its funeral plan services to new customers and to administer those plans that are already in place.

“Golden Leaves is confident that its application will proceed and wishes to reassure its customers that business will be conducted as normal until such time as the regulator confirms its au‐ thorisation.”

In some cases, the company that sold you the funeral plan, may actually have sold it on behalf of a third party which may be on the FCA list, so if you can’t see your provider, don’t panic but just double check with them.

Explaining the Golden Plan WHEN looking at funeral plans, it can all get a little overwhelming, that’s why Golden Leaves is here to help.

The Golden Leaves Golden Funeral Plan is de‐ signed for those who wish to be repatriated to a country other than their current country of residence. The plan includes administration of the plan, attending to all necessary funeral arrangements, advice to executors re‐ lating to repatriation and all legal documents required.

It also includes the funeral director’s services, a quality wood veneer coffin and a simple coffin for international travel, use of the chapels of rest, a hearse, provision of conductor, service and committal at crematorium and bearers and minister services. Golden Leaves will arrange the preparation for international travel, delivery to the airport in a closed hearse, delivery from UK airport to fu‐

Find the right pre-paid funeral plan for you.

neral directors, freight free allowance and contribution to UK funeral director’s fee.

To find the right pre‐paid funeral plan for when the time comes, contact Golden Leaves today.

For more information, visit their website: www.goldenleavesinternational.com, send an email to info@goldenleavesinternational.com, or call for free on 800 098 309.

AFTER the German Government can‐ celled the Nord Stream 2 pipeline prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine it seems that the company organising it has encountered serious financial diffi‐ culties.

The concept to pipe more natural gas from Russia to much of Europe was becoming unattractive even be‐ fore the invasion as it appeared that too much control over energy supply

Nord Stream 2 would rest with Gazprom and there‐ fore the Russian Government.

Soon after the announcement by Germany and the imposition of sanc‐ tions by the US and EU, it was ru‐ moured that the company handling the $11 billion pipeline intended to file for bankruptcy in Switzerland.

This has since been denied although the company has terminated the em‐ ployment of its entire staff.

The company’s website now simply contains the following statement; “We cannot confirm the media reports that Nord Stream 2 has filed for bankrupt‐ cy. “The company only informed the

£170 million pay cut BRITAIN’S highest paid woman Denise Coates, co‐owner of gambling firm Bet 365 took a drop in pay of some £170 million in its last financial year.

The pandemic saw the cancel‐ lation of all sporting events which meant that even with on‐ line gambling less money than expected was spent, but the overall figures were however similar to those earned in the year before the pandemic struck.

All in all, she managed to ac‐ cept almost £350 million from her combined salary and bonus, so whilst taking a pay cut, she is hardly likely to be left in financial difficulty.

Smart marketing WHILST many bands com‐ plain about low income from music sites such as Spotify, one is promoting its new al‐ bum with an unusual free of‐ fer for fans.

A number of London taxi cabs are emblazoned with the artwork for Marillion’s 20th album ‘An Hour Before It’s Dark’.

Anyone who hails one of those cabs until March 14 and says the secret password (the name of the album) will be entitled to a ride to any destination within the capital completely free of charge.

In return, those taking ad‐ vantage of the offer are asked to take a photograph of themselves with the cab and to post it on social me‐ dia, thus promoting the al‐ bum and the band. local authorities that the company had to terminate contracts with employ‐ ees following the recent geopolitical developments leading to the imposi‐ tion of US sanctions on the company.

“We can confirm that we have tak‐ en down this website due to serious and continuous attacks from outside.

“Unfortunately, our mobile and fixed network lines are also not reach‐ able ‐ at least for the time being.”

36 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

10 - 16 March 2022

LONDON - FTSE 100

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US See our advert on previous page

C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 7

COMPANY PRICE(P) 3I Group 1.101,50 Abrdn 171,40 Admiral Group 2.390,0 Anglo American 4.000,5 Antofagasta 1.595,50 Ashtead Group 4.493,0 Associated British Foods 1.642,0 AstraZeneca 8.476,0 Auto Trader Group Plc 613,40 Avast 635,20 Aveva 2.318,0 Aviva 369,50 B&M European Value 590,40 BAE Systems 729,35 Bank VTB DRC 0,010 Barclays 147,66 Barratt Developments 524,40 Berkeley 3.589,0 BHP Billiton Ltd 2.837,50 BP 353,00 British American Tobacco 2.947,5 British Land Company 454,00 BT Group 159,50 Bunzl 2.792,0 Burberry Group 1.567,0 Carnival 1.135,0 Centrica 69,34 Coca Cola HBC AG 1.434,0 Compass 1.521,50 CRH 2.898,0 Croda Intl 6.966,0 DCC 5.298,0 Diageo 3.357,5 DS Smith 286,70 EasyJet 451,40 Experian 2.770,0 Ferguson 10.615,0 Flutter Entertainment 7.896,0 Fresnillo 765,00 GlaxoSmithKline 1.460,37 Glencore 477,40 Halma 2.298,0 Hargreaves Lansdown 990,14 Hikma Pharma 1.788,50 HSBC 459,90 IAG 115,90 Imperial Brands 1.467,00 Informa 510,60 InterContinental 4.456,0

CHANGE(P) 1.125,50 174,25 2.465,0 4.141,5 1.605,00 4.517,0 1.671,5 8.624,0 619,80 635,60 2.320,0 379,00 594,00 741,00 0,010 150,08 531,20 3.597,0 2.852,50 363,70 3.033,5 461,20 164,05 2.803,0 1.588,0 1.171,6 71,02 1.513,0 1.540,00 2.902,0 7.012,0 5.350,0 3.421,5 293,50 454,20 2.793,0 10.790,0 7.920,0 783,40 1.483,92 489,90 2.312,0 1.000,50 1.840,50 463,40 119,28 1.505,50 523,60 4.500,0

% CHG. 1.071,00 164,80 2.346,0 3.973,0 1.537,00 4.410,0 1.585,6 8.385,0 608,40 625,20 2.264,0 361,20 579,40 684,60 0,010 142,06 511,80 3.490,0 2.797,50 350,95 2.915,0 442,90 153,70 2.751,0 1.536,0 1.070,6 67,66 1.403,5 1.494,00 2.775,0 6.868,0 5.050,0 3.319,0 279,40 417,40 2.729,0 10.520,0 7.600,0 753,60 1.445,40 475,85 2.227,0 976,00 1.767,00 449,20 109,42 1.434,50 496,80 4.300,0

NET VOL 320,58K 1,41M 139,95K 1,28M 189,95K 207,98K 58,11K 521,41K 366,53K 253,70K 70,77K 4,75M 302,80K 4,25M 0 20,53M 521,68K 76,86K 931,88K 2,05M 1,15M 60,59K 7,25M 154,38K 429,45K 435,08K 4,66M 386,58K 623,70K 446,02K 55,32K 60,75K 1,03M 928,28K 3,84M 203,28K 119,58K 130,60K 581,28K 280,71K 2,58M 127,74K 280,41K 95,42K 13,77M 20,08M 511,81K 962,40K 88,84K

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

Intermediate Capital Intertek ITV 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 Sage Samsung Electronics DRC Sberbank Schroders Scottish Mortgage Segro Severn Trent Shell Smith & Nephew Smiths Group Spirax-Sarco Engineering SSE St. James’s Place Standard Chartered Taylor Wimpey Tesco Tui Unilever United Utilities Vodafone Group PLC Whitbread WPP

1.350,50 4.794,0 72,20 240,10 1.738,0 690,00 233,50 39,93 7.356,0 746,20 114,05 1.281,50 1.081,60 192,50 5.716,0 1,89 1.150,50 2.244,0 574,80 1.031,50 5.552,0 2.199,00 468,20 642,40 6.168,5 87,09 0,60 653,00 1.420,50 0,0453 2.750,0 852,96 1.204,50 2.839,0 1.926,2 1.187,50 1.357,00 11.050,0 1.556,50 1.180,00 441,60 127,25 267,45 180,95 3.326,5 1.035,00 119,06 2.474,0 890,20

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

1.379,00 4.833,0 75,20 245,70 1.748,0 703,09 239,40 45,10 7.450,0 750,60 116,35 1.284,00 1.099,40 196,35 5.886,0 1,89 1.195,00 2.254,0 576,00 1.055,50 5.705,0 2.225,33 476,30 644,00 6.282,0 87,76 0,60 653,00 1.431,50 0,0453 2.784,0 874,20 1.217,00 2.854,0 1.951,8 1.223,00 1.359,50 11.100,0 1.577,50 1.208,50 460,00 130,75 274,65 183,40 3.366,5 1.042,00 121,08 2.497,0 909,00

1.285,00 4.718,0 69,30 236,30 1.650,0 681,42 225,50 38,12 7.164,0 743,80 109,40 1.233,50 1.061,20 182,85 5.578,0 1,89 1.127,00 2.183,0 559,20 992,60 5.502,0 2.170,00 467,00 629,80 6.123,0 83,50 0,60 633,60 1.414,00 0,0453 2.674,0 834,80 1.194,00 2.813,0 1.853,4 1.170,00 1.323,00 10.785,0 1.525,50 1.156,50 431,30 125,65 264,45 166,70 3.294,0 1.022,00 115,88 2.384,0 868,80

341,17K 41,85K 8,18M 1,24M 266,38K 47,58K 4,84M 61,73M 395,42K 298,69K 3,99M 560,92K 1,41M 10,54M 57,67K 0 300,13K 226,85K 725,49K 1,34M 239,97K 42,51K 749,11K 920,33K 885,84K 20,58M 0 539,36K 6,32K 0 57,80K 2,36M 294,44K 84,10K 5,62M 488,79K 183,02K 20,84K 679,98K 382,72K 1,96M 3,81M 5,92M 4,92M 2,14M 195,06K 18,89M 140,46K 1,16M

1.21219

0.82475

Units per €

US dollar (USD) ........................................1.0857 Japan yen (JPY)........................................124.91 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................1.0023 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4396 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................9.7633

currenciesdirect.com/la-zenia • Tel: +34 965 994 830 THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER

DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 7

COMPANY 3M American Express Amgen Apple Boeing Caterpillar Chevron Cisco Coca-Cola Dow Goldman Sachs Home Depot Honeywell IBM Intel J&J JPMorgan McDonald’s Merck&Co Microsoft Nike Procter&Gamble Salesforce.com The Travelers UnitedHealth Verizon Visa A Walgreens Boots Walmart Walt Disney

PRICE 146,73 172,95 232,91 163,17 180,84 195,66 158,65 56,51 62,57 58,83 329,67 324,26 187,43 126,62 48,07 169,48 134,40 235,81 77,83 289,86 131,18 155,14 203,01 173,40 498,65 55,11 200,29 47,72 142,82 140,72

CHANGE 147,69 176,83 235,74 165,55 188,32 196,01 159,95 56,90 62,59 58,88 330,66 326,66 187,67 127,35 48,26 169,86 135,42 236,39 77,86 295,66 133,62 155,35 206,38 173,96 499,66 55,39 206,37 47,79 142,94 144,26

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) 145,74 3,23M 170,82 5,32M 230,14 3,76M 162,10 83,16M 178,97 12,96M 190,31 3,99M 155,09 29,00M 55,25 16,55M 61,20 17,06M 57,83 5,87M 324,00 3,25M 319,51 3,52M 184,52 5,06M 124,21 4,39M 47,37 37,30M 166,85 6,14M 132,40 20,67M 231,64 4,18M 76,02 12,04M 287,17 31,93M 130,70 7,08M 152,55 8,55M 199,26 6,38M 169,51 1,15M 477,49 4,15M 54,26 26,80M 196,86 10,87M 46,05 9,59M 137,59 11,57M 139,55 12,77M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 7

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+211.38% +101.83% +84.47% +53.64% +52.09% +49.42% +42.86% +35.21% +34.90% +32.87% +32.53%

65.38M 66.37M 7.36M 148.20M 286.12M 11.32M 6.22M 1.99M 53.68M 4.58M 1.28M

-25.74% -25.16% -24.89% -24.66% -23.81% -23.78% -23.43% -23.14% -23.10% -22.31% -22.02%

2.29M 61.40K 7.38K 1.06M 29.10K 11.68M 444.18K 564.74K 34.06M 11.97M 23.20K

Most Advanced Atreca Indonesia Energy Mexco Energy Imperial Petroleum VEON Ion Geophysical Nine Energy Origin Agritech EHome Household Service Holdings Houston American Energy Marine Petroleum

Most Declined Cerberus Cyber Sentinel LAIX Immuron Cambium Networks Cazoo Group Wnt. View DBV Technologies iClick Interactive Asia Ocugen WeWork Skylight Health Prf A

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

www.euroweeklynews.com

Victoria’s Secret UK returns

Credit: Victoria’s Secret

BOUNCES BACK: All 25 shops in the UK were closed due to the pandemic.

VICTORIA’S SECRET UK has bounced back after entering into liquidation in 2021 with all 25 shops being closed due to the pandemic.

A joint rescue bid under‐ taken by US parent L Brands and the Next Group saw the UK business resurrected and they now trade from 27 UK stores and a popular website.

It was known that the company had some difficul‐ ties in the US as well where it operated around 1,000 stores and at one time was responsible for 25 per cent of all US intimate lingerie sales.

Although business picked up considerably in 2021, it has now had to lower its 2022 first quarter forecast to around $80 to $110 mil‐ lion which compares un‐ favourably with sales of $225 million in the same quarter last year.

It said that the reasons are two‐fold, firstly because of increased supply chain

costs and also because it didn’t receive the federal stimulus support it did last year.

Despite this, actual sales volume is up by some 25 per cent and it reported that overall operating in‐ come for 2021 was $869.5 million which saw a com‐ plete turn around from the overall operating loss of $101.5 million for 2020.

Having recognised that the mood of the market has swung away from the overt‐ ly sexual nature of the Vic‐ toria’s Angels and their an‐ nual runway shows, the company has positioned it‐ self as being more aware of the average woman who wants to look and feel at‐ tractive.

Their 2022 Love Cloud Collection features a total of 18 models of different age, ethnicity and size likely to appeal to a very wide range of customers including those based in Spain and the UK.

Inflation soars INITIAL figures released by Spain’s National Statistics In‐ stitute (INE) indicated the highest monthly inflation rate since 1989 with February coming in at 7.4 per cent.

Although the Bank of Spain and the European Central Bank (ECB) had previously warned that inflation would continue into 2022, they both expected it to be short term, but the current main culprits are the cost of food and energy.

This will not be helped by the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine as crude oil prices have jumped, even though Spain doesn’t rely heavily on Russian gas.

BUSINESS EXTRA Higher prices EVEN though Spanish leg‐ islation precludes tech‐ nology companies from simply increasing prices in line with inflation, Tele‐ fónica Chief Operating Of‐ ficer Angel Vila has pub‐ licly stated that the company is currently con‐ sidering ways of recover‐ ing profits by offering higher internet speeds and more data at higher prices.

Part refund THERE was a great deal of criticism when Ladbrokes’ owner Entain gave no in‐ dication that it planned to repay the £101.5 million it received from the British Government in furlough payment, but it now plans to return £44 mil‐ lion after declaring 2021 pre‐tax profits of £393 million.

Jobs affected A DECISION by Sains‐ bury’s bosses to close around 200 of its in‐store cafes as well as some hot food counters in April will affect 2,000 workers and although the company plans to offer vacant posts to many, there is no guarantee that there will be no redundancies.

10 - 16 March 2022

EWN 37

38 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

10 - 16 March 2022

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT DON’T mention the war! Despite the devastating military onslaught Putin has released on the beleaguered people of Ukraine, in my opinion this pumped up steroid of evil has now unleashed one of the most demoralising and dangerous weapons of all ‐ on his own people.

He has virtually quashed the freedom of speech. By closing down the free media outlets and threatening up to 15 years in prison to anyone he regards as spreading anti‐government narrative, he effectively now commands all the data both leaving and entering his iron domain. The control of information is a crushing power.

This move will now ensure the majority of decent, ordinary Russian citizens will, through his own carefully contrived propaganda, still consider his bloodthirsty incursion on Ukraine a legitimate and moral effort to liberate the people and ‘denazify’ its corrupt government. Let’s just pray that modern day social communication will be able to overcome his efforts of misinformation and encourages the Russian citizens to overthrow his regime of wicked malevolence. It is also a further reminder that the freedom of speech and open

Freedom discussion is one of our most basic of human rights and something we need to protect at all cost ‐ lest we all becoming victims of the dictators and politically correct that seek supremacy in our precious world.

When are the rational authorities (assuming there are any left!) going to get off their complacent derrieres and start prosecuting some of these woke wallies for child abuse? This latest outrage truly should finish up with someone standing in the dock. Not content with traumatising young pre‐pubertal girls by insisting schools have gender free toilets and promoting fully dragged up transvestites as teachers of four‐year‐olds, these dangerous individuals now have the sheer audacity to label a six‐year‐old child, confused by a fellow schoolmate, who identified themselves as a ‘gender fluid,’ (apparently someone who changes their appearance from day to day!) as Transphobic!

Don’t bother looking this up, it’s another of those contrived terminologies set to join the categories of racist, homophobic, non‐ PC and all the other expressions conceived to suppress the freedom of speech. This

little boy has now been made to feel an outcast. An innocent six‐year‐old, who should be playing with his friends and learning to read and write, is now identified as an enemy of the politically correct.

You really couldn’t make it up. Both he and his sister, who also had trouble identifying the ’gender fluid’, have now been pulled out of the school by their naturally concerned parents, who no doubt will now be accused of homophobia themselves.

Thank you all for your marvellous support in the recent ‘popularity poll’.

Although I consider all out wonderful scribes top notch, it is nice to know I still have so many readers backing my weekly wanderings. Bless y’all.

Keep the Faith Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland Mon. and Fri. 1pm till 4.

To read more articles from our columnists and to have your say in the comments go to www.euroweeklynews.com

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

FEATURE

TV & Film Review by Laura Kemp

A personal family look BELFAST is a deeply personal look at a family during the Troubles in Ireland from writer‐ director Kenneth Branagh, based on his own experiences.

Belfast, directed, written and produced by the legendary Ken‐ neth Branagh, is a personal look at his experiences of being a young child during the late 1960s Troubles in Ireland. This film has an impressive 87 per cent critic rating and 92 per cent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is definitely worth a watch. Despite its sub‐ ject matter, Belfast is an uplifting and humourous film starring some acting greats including Dame Judi Dench (James Bond), Ciaran Hinds (Harry Potter), Jamie Dornan (50 Shades of Grey) and Caitriona Balfe (Mon‐ ey Monster). Belfast is a black and white coming of age movie set against a bouncy Van Morri‐ son soundtrack, focusing on a tight‐knit family in which Hinds and Dench play the grandpar‐ ents superbly, adding more hu‐ mour and a feeling of comfort.

Buddy and his family are Protestant, watching the attacks

on the Catholic people living on their street ‐ people they think of as their friends and neigh‐ bours. The movie doesn’t go in‐ to too much context around the Troubles, something that Bud‐ dy’s family feels somewhat sep‐ arate from and something they don’t want to get involved with ‐ no matter how hard people try and recruit Buddy’s father to their Protestant vigilante groups.

The credits say the film is “For the ones who stayed,” “For the ones who left,” “And for all the ones who were lost” and it does exactly that, as the audience fol‐ lows Buddy and his family as they decide whether to move away from Ireland with heavy hearts. I really enjoyed this movie, it’s a feel‐good film de‐ spite the backdrop of the Trou‐ bles, as we watch Buddy form a crush for a Catholic girl at school, the funny conversations he has with family members and the growing tension in religion ‐ all tied up with the famous Irish hu‐ mour. Belfast can be rented on‐ line via Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, YouTube, Redbox or Vudu.

FEATURE

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10 - 16 March 2022

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OFCOM’S LATEST LIST OF OFFENSIVE WORDS annoyingly enough, when there is an actual problem and that is why you are speaking to them in the first place. Whatever happened to ‘you’re welcome’ or ‘I’ll see to that straight‐ away’?

And finally, the most annoying six words: ‘Your call is important to us’. Plus: ‘We are ex‐ periencing unusually high call volumes.’ Since we invariably have to wait 15 minutes to get through to someone, this is a blatant lie.

They’re simply too mean to employ enough staff to take calls.

What words do you find offensive? Let me know and ‘I’ll circle back to you’. No problem!

How I love a good grumble!

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

I’M aware it’s not currently the biggest news story, but reports that the media regulator Ofcom added ‘boomer’ and ‘snowflake’ to its list of terms that TV and radio audiences might find offensive are nonetheless thought‐ provoking.

Well, what about ‘trigger’ warnings that seemingly precede nearly every TV pro‐ gramme? I think people have the intelligence to work it out from the title. (And then you watch the programme and wonder what it was that was supposed to be upsetting!)

And then there’s ‘journey’ used to refer to basically any amount of time that’s passed in a person’s life eg “my journey has brought me to my new role with this life‐affirming company.”

Roughly translated as: “I hated the last place I worked and the pay here is better.” And ‘lived experience’ which actually means opinion, not events that occurred. Makes me cringe!

And how about I’m ‘living the dream’ (It’s Nora Johnson’s opinions

THOUGHT-PROVOKING: What words do you find offensive?

Nora Johnson’s psychological crime thrillers ‘The Sentinel’, ‘No Safe Place’, ‘Be‐ trayal’, ‘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.nora‐johnson.net) available online as eBook (€0.99; £0.99), Ap‐ ple Books, paperback &and audiobook. All profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer chari‐ ty.

time to wake up!), ‘it doesn’t get better than from saying ‘hard‐working’ people, ‘we’re in this’, people ‘speaking their truths’, ‘reaching this together’, ‘working tirelessly’ and ‘working out to you’ or saying they’ll ‘circle back to you’. 24/7’. Are they really? Basically, all govern‐ Urgh! ment‐ese for: ‘we’ll get round to you eventual‐ To read more articles from our columnists ‘For your comfort and convenience’ almost ly’. and to have your say in the comments go invariably means you’re about to enter a And what about ‘no problem’? Always said to www.euroweeklynews.com ‘world of pain’. Politicians should be banned when people are either just doing their job or, are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

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BBC News BBC News Politics Live Ready, Steady, Cook Eggheads Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is The Heights Murder, Mystery and My Family The Real Marigold Hotel Flog It!

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Michael Wood's Story of England If Beale Street Could Talk Lilies of the Field Female Filmmakers: BBC Introducing Arts The Lakes with Paul Rose Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam Michael Wood's Story of England

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This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Dickinson's Real Deal Lingo ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale

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John Denver: Country Boy John Denver in Person Country & Beyond with the Shires Michael Kiwanuka and Laura Marling at the 6 Music Festival TOTP: 1992 TOTP: 1992 Country Kings at the BBC Harry Belafonte

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Lorraine This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Dickinson's Real Deal Lingo ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News

11:30am

Ireland's Treasures Uncovered Arctic with Bruce Parry Pain and Glory The Human Voice Wogan: The Best Of Yes, Prime Minister Keeping Up Appearances Cornwall's Red River Arctic with Bruce Parry Ireland's Treasures Uncovered

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Ted's Top Ten ITV News Saturday Morning with James Martin Simply Raymond Blanc James Martin's Islands to Highlands ITV News and Weather ITV London Weather Six Nations Live Six Nations Live ITV News and Weather

10:00am 12:55pm 1:25pm 2:55pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm

Steps of Freedom: The Story of Irish Dance The White Handkerchief Seamus Heaney: The Music of What Matters Songs of Ireland The Beauty of Diagrams The Beauty of Diagrams The Birth of British Music Seamus Heaney: The Music of What Matters

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Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh Love Your Garden The Pet Show ITV News and Weather ITV London Weather The Masked Singer US Live Gallagher Premiership Rugby Union The Chase: Celebrity Special ITV News and Weather

Britain's Lost Masterpieces The Golden Age of Canals Ian Hislop's Stiff Upper Lip: An Emotional History of Britain Imagine: Louise Bourgeois, Spiderwoman James May's Cars of the People Canal Boat Diaries Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam

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Lorraine This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Dickinson's Real Deal Lingo ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News

11:30am

Keeping Up Appearances Yes, Prime Minister Britain's Most Fragile Treasure The Treasure Hunters The Treasure Hunters James May's Cars of the People James May's Cars of the People Canal Boat Diaries Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam

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Secret Life of Farm Animals Princess Margaret: The Rebel Royal Undercover OAP: The Mole Agent - Storyville Takaya: Lone Wolf Canal Boat Diaries Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam Secret Life of Farm Animals

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Sunny Bunnies Jeremy Vine Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords 5 News Lunchtime Home and Away Neighbours The Killer Affair Filthy House SOS 5 News at 5 Neighbours Eggheads

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Entertainment News on 5 Friends: Best of Joey & Chandler Friends: Best of Joey & Chandler George Clarke's Build a New Life in the Country George Clarke's Build a New Life in the Country Susan Calman's Grand Day Out

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FEATURE

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CLAIRE GORDON FINDING BALANCE IN AN UNEVEN WORLD THERE is nothing like a cri‐ sis to bring out the inepti‐ tude of various govern‐ ments and organisations.

As people flee conflict in Ukraine, leaving behind the lives they spent years building in their past in or‐ der to protect their future, the UK government umms and ahhs over letting refugees to safety on their shores.

Even the communica‐ tions that were given to British people in the affect‐ ed areas were confused, badly worded and delayed repeatedly.

While other countries al‐ low streams of the dis‐ placed and disillusioned through their borders, UK border police stop people in their hundreds from boarding the Eurostar into London.

As Boris bumbles his way through another an‐ nouncement dedicated on‐ ly to his ego and his ulti‐ mate dream of playing a cut‐price Churchill, riling up tension that could see even more devastation wrought

10 - 16 March 2022

Aid in focus upon innocent people, no meaningful action is taken to assist Ukraine unless it involves the sale of arms or the tit‐for‐tat propaganda that attempts to make the UK seem like a strong pow‐ er on the world stage.

These empty gestures fil‐ ter down to the general public also. The missteps made by ordinary people may not have such sinister undertones as the ones made by people in office, but they can be just as dis‐ tracting and unhelpful as the ones that come from ‘above’.

While the changing of profile pictures on social media and boycotting of Russian (or not Russian, as in the case of British‐ owned Smirnoff Vodka) is rife, relevant aid is left be‐ hind.

The buying up of Airbnb nights is a frankly bizarre way of offering help to a war‐torn country when there are legitimate chari‐ ties on the ground that

could take that money and help many more people than the few who have the ability to get onto the in‐ ternet and have spare rooms available in their homes.

While I understand the need to help in the grand scheme of things, following non‐Ukrainian Facebook posts may not be the way to actually assist.

The posts that have the most shares are obviously visible and palatable, a way to connect to others and show that you care, but lis‐ tening to people who actu‐ ally understand the crisis is preferable.

The feeling of over‐ whelm when looking for ways to help is legitimate and understandable but we have the privilege to be at least one step removed from the panic. The use of critical thinking and under‐ standing of where our news and information comes from is more impor‐ tant than ever. I have a

To read more articles from our columnists and to have your say in the comments go to www.euroweeklynews.com Claire Gordon’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

friend who has lived in Ukraine for a few years now and has slowly made his way out of the country

over the last few weeks.

He has given me this website as a guide for peo‐ ple to choose a charity that

EWN 41

can make a direct differ‐ ence, with enough choices that people should be able to pick an organisation that aligns with their general beliefs too.

Please do take a look and donate what you can: https://how‐to‐help‐ ukraine‐now.super.site/ help‐translate/united‐king dom/donate

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

OLD AND WISE?

From our Facebook

OPINIONS: Might not necessarily accord with yours.

Dear Sirs, Possibly you quite correctly place a disclaimer on Leapy’s column, that his opinions do not necessarily accord with yours.

Certainly not the case this week where Leapy correctly called Putin’s move and your leader column is little more than an extension of his column.

Plenty of wisdom in the old boy musings. Maybe he’s not ‘woke’, but he’s certainly awake!

Yours sincerely, Barry

On the lookout Hello Euro Weekly News, There was an incident where a person masquerading as a Repsol technician and carrying a clipboard came to my property in Moraira saying that he had to check my gas equipment. I do not use gas in my house, and when I did previously, my contract was with Cepsa. This guy was evidently a fraudster.

I am writing to you in case you wish to tell your readers that this scam is again operating in Moraira. The man was wearing a blue uniform with the logo of a Repsol techni-

OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT THE response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine

by Spanish residents, businesses, charities and councils has been incredible.

There has been an outpouring of sympathy for those badly affected by the Russian aggression which seems to be much greater compared to the last major European conflict which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Perhaps on this occasion because it is not considered an internal struggle but a brutal invasion, a David and Goliath scenario, so many are taking a positive stance to try to help people in trouble.

Schoolchildren are already collecting goods to send to refugees. Companies and caring individuals are arranging to transport these much-needed items overland to try to help those who have fled with so very little.

All across Europe, people are offering to assist

CORRECTIONS

cian, is of slim build, around 1m 70cm tall with darkish complexion, dark brown hair with a receding hairline and thinning on top.

I took a photo of him, much to his annoyance, which unfortunately I know that legally you cannot use. He was on foot, and as far as I could see, was alone. I didn’t allow him onto my property. I phoned the Teulada Local Police immediately after I sent him on his way. They are aware of the incident, when and where it took place and that I have a photo of him if they need it.

Kind regards, John

OUR VIEW

those in need and rail companies are in many cases offering free transport across the continent for those who are able to find accommodation with family. Others are being offered free accommodation while they decide what to do in the future.

Councils are acting as depots for goods and some are offering access to beds in hostels or council run accommodation to those fleeing the conflict.

Apart from public protests against the actions of such a dangerous man as Russian President Vladimir Putin, there is little that individuals can do other than offer aid. But one thing is certain, no-one wants this unprincipled attack to escalate into a Europe-wide war which is how Putin is able to get away with his shameless incursion into Ukraine.

PRESIDENT PUTIN: Can anything be done to stop him?

Heather JJ Sewell-Bullock Putin has lost the plot and is nothing less than an arrogant dictator of the modern age. He’s on a par with Hitler, Batista and the likes. He needs to be taken out!

Theresa Attwood Two sides to a story and after the Corona virus media and politician brain washing, I don’t believe this is being done for no reason.

Gilbert Jassey The only thing that can stop him is our fear, all out war against him. Nothing less, nothing more.

Robert Miller Snr USA and NATO and the EU created this dreadful situation, they must have been well aware that trying to push further eastwards would provoke the Russian Bear.

Sandra Howells Take a vote all over Europe and United States, every country give your opinion, do we lock together or be frightened and abused by a bigger country when he takes the rest over. We are all frightened because of nuclear war, but it makes no difference, he will have his hand on the button if we do or if we don’t.

Jacqueline Leathem Hard to believe that one insane man is doing all this???? ...

People of Russia need to rise up before the war comes to their towns and homes too ... as he is pushing it that way.

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

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPONSOR GO TO WWW.LINEADIRECTA.COM

IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK GO TO WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM FOR THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS

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Why hip injuries affect women three times more often than men HIP injuries can make day‐ to‐day life very difficult and may have permanent con‐ sequences for mobility.

Sometimes fractures are small enough to heal on their own, but larger frac‐ tures may need to be sta‐ bilised via surgery.

Hip fractures affect three times as many women as men because they lose bone density faster than men. The menopause reduces oestro‐ gen levels, which accelerates the loss of bone mass.

Factors that increase the risk of hip injuries Diseases Osteoporosis is the dis‐ ease that is most likely to lead to a hip fracture. The bones become so fragile that a simple blow or sud‐ den movement can break them.

There are also other dis‐ eases that affect bone strength, such as certain dis‐ orders of the endocrine sys‐

side effects of certain medicines can affect our bal‐ ance or make us dizzy (seda‐ tives, sleeping pills, etc).

Lack of nutrients Vitamin D and calcium are essential for good bone health. We get this vitamin mostly from sunlight and it helps us to absorb calcium.

Sedentary lifestyle A lack of physical activity

Sleeping badly? Here’s how your bedroom should be for the best sleep possible

SLEEP WELL: Pay special attention to your bedroom.

HIP FRACTURES: Women lose bone density faster than men.

tem (eg hyperthyroidism), as well as certain diseases of the intestine that affect the absorption of vitamin D and calcium.

Medications Certain medicines, such as cortisone, directly affect the bones. If you are prescribed them, remember to watch out for falls and blows. We are also at greater risk if the

HEALTH & BEAUTY

weakens bones and mus‐ cles, causing us to have more difficulty holding our‐ selves up without strain.

Smoking and excessive drinking Alcohol and smoking both impair bone regeneration and proper bone mainte‐ nance, which leads bone mass to degrade more rapidly.

WE all know the impor‐ tance of a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, regular exercise and enough sleep. Good sleep is vital for our bodies to function prop‐ erly in everyday life, and when we do not have it, it can lead to cognitive problems and serious illnesses.

How to get a good night’s sleep Given the importance of sleep and the conse‐ quences it has on our lives, we need to pay special attention to the bedroom.

The first thing to bear in mind is that the tem‐ perature in your bed‐ room should always be between 18 and 22 de‐ grees Celsius.

A room that is too hot or too cold will affect your quality of sleep. In addition, the humidity must be higher than 50 per cent to stop the en‐ vironment from becom‐ ing too dry. This is why it is so important to ventilate the room ev‐ ery day.

Of course, you need to make sure that the bedroom is as quiet as possible, which means selecting the room that is furthest away from external noise to be the bedroom.

It should also be dark, as it has been shown that artificial light has a negative effect on sleep.

Never skimp on mon‐ ey when buying a mat‐ tress and pillow.

They are a must, as is comfortable, hypoaller‐ genic bedding. Finally, try to keep electronic devices such as phones and laptops out of the bedroom, as their blue light can affect the qual‐ ity of sleep.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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10 - 16 March 2022

Two essential vitamins for a healthier you WRINKLES, sagging and blemishes are natural and in‐ evitable over time. As we age, cell renewal slows down and lipid, collagen and elastin production decreases, lead‐ ing to the appearance of wrinkles and the loss of elas‐ ticity, radiance and firmness.

Although factors such as age and genetics cannot be helped, external elements such as sun exposure, pollu‐ tion, diet and smoking can cause excessive production of free radicals, which contribute significantly to early signs of ageing.

The B vitamins are essential for helping to maintain healthy and beautiful skin, and there are two that are particularly important.

Vitamin B3 or niacin Due to its low molecular weight, this vitamin is easily absorbed and is able to act in

VITAMINS: Essential for helping to maintain healthy and beautiful skin.

the skin’s deepest layers.

From there, it stimulates mi‐ crocirculation in the dermis, preventing water loss and helping to keep the skin hy‐ drated.

It also participates in the synthesis of keratin, collagen and elastin, meaning that it improves the appearance of wrinkles, prevents sagging and helps to fade age spots.

It is also beneficial for prob‐ lems such as acne, rosacea and dry or sensitive skin.

Sources of niacin include brown rice, tuna, chicken, mushrooms, peanuts and av‐ ocados.

Vitamin B7 or biotin Biotin has vital functions in the body that go far beyond the surface, but it also pre‐ vents irritation, dryness and

cracking of the skin, keeping it healthy and preventing the appearance of wrinkles.

Biotin also stimulates the action of certain essential en‐ zymes in cell replication, which then stimulates the re‐ generation of tissues, skin and hair.

Foods rich in biotin include milk, spinach, avocado, straw‐ berries, seeds, nuts and liver.

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5 shower mistakes affecting your skin MOST people probably don’t put too much thought into showering ‐ but this daily habit could be having a huge effect on your skin.

The water is too hot Showering in hot water will strip your skin of oils making it dry and itchy. A good tip is to warm the bathroom with steam from the water before you get into the shower, then turn the water cooler when you begin showering.

Your soap is too harsh It feels great getting out of the shower all squeaky‐ clean, but your soap could be doing more harm than good ‐ especially if it contains anti bacterial and de‐ tergent. Try fragrance free soaps and products that contain oils.

Too much scrubbing Scrubbing and exfoliating too much will strip your skin of good bacteria and oils, resulting in dry skin.

Water and a gentle soap will do just fine, if you need to exfoliate try oil based products.

Dirty razors Razors that are not regularly changed are a breed‐ ing ground for bacteria and infections, especially for cuts and microscopic tears in the skin.

Heavy handed drying Rubbing your towel on your body too vigorously will also contribute to removing oils and is especially harsh on sensitive skin. Try to air dry as much as pos‐ sible!

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FEATURE

GO LOCAL THE EURO WEEKLY NEWS has urged its readers to support local businesses in the community by shopping locally in recent times. Now things are heading back to normal, we challenge you to maintain that habit by supporting local high streets, markets, butchers, green‐ grocers and all of the wonderfully quirky independent businesses in your area.

Local businesses make our villages, towns and cities what they are. They add unique character. They are convenient.

And they offer excellent produce from known suppliers. The joy of shopping lo‐

cally means that independent businesses can support the local community. You may find something a euro or two cheaper online but have you considered where your money is actually going?

By shopping locally you’re putting food on a local family’s table and there is nothing better than giving back to the communities that have given us so much. Local stores support charities and they sponsor local sports teams. In many cases, they are much more than just a business, they’re a legacy. They may have supported generations of the same family. Likewise, brand new local stores

and bars may help the generations of the future fulfil their dreams and ambitions.

Remember, your local store is going up against multinationals and chains.

They can’t win that battle on their own.

So give them your support. Spending your money locally will make a real dif‐ ference to the local economy. Local busi‐ nesses recirculate a greater share of ev‐ ery euro they receive at local level. They create locally owned supply chains and they invest in their employees.

So remember.

When you go shopping ‐ go local!

SOCIAL SCENE

Lending library THE lending library at Age Concern Torrevieja is run by friendly volunteers and opens every Tuesday from 10.30am to 12.30pm. There is a large selection of fiction and non‐fiction books avail‐ able, including a wide range of large‐print books and audio cassettes.

Visitors can also have a coffee and a chat at the Day Centre, open Monday to Friday between 10am and 1.30pm. Find out more at www.agecon cerncostablancasur.org or call +34 966 786 887.

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U3A Morris Dancers THE Costa Blanca Morris Dancers from Torrevieja U3A are the only Morris team in Spain that provides the oppor‐ tunity to learn traditional En‐ glish dances and enjoy a fantas‐ tic social group.

They have restarted their re‐ hearsals and are looking for new members to join them.

There is no need for previous experience ‐ just a willingness to learn something new and join in the fun whilst support‐ ing local charities at dance events.

The Morris Dancers meet at Dilly’s Bar, San Luis, on the first and third Fridays of every month and in the hall at the

Traditional English dances.

back of the town hall in Pinar de Campoverde on the second and fourth Fridays from 4pm to 6pm.

Find out more on their Face‐ book page or email them at costablancamorrisdancers@ya hoo.com.

International Rotary Club of Alfàs del Pi FORMED in 2017, the International Ro‐ tary Club of l’Alfàs del Pi aims to pro‐ mote tolerance, talent and peace through different activities throughout the year. It is committed to serving the community, education and the most dis‐ advantaged sectors.

They recently managed to raise a total of €1,068 with a flamenco concert by

Rocío Montoya at the Casa de Cultura.

The money is being donated to Corazón Exprés, a charity that seeks to provide resources to those in need.

The Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at the Hotel Sun Palace in Albir at 9.15.

Those interested in attending or donat‐ ing should get in touch via their website at www.rotaryalfaz.com.

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Our Monsters of Popular Valencian Culture exhibition THE exhibition Our Monsters of Popular Valencian Culture will be at the Municipal Library in El Campello throughout the month of March. The exhibition has been specially designed to receive morning vis‐ its from local primary schools. There will be three guided visits a day, each lasting 60 minutes.

The guided visits will be led by a theatre group called Conta3, which has a long his‐ tory of storytelling and educational shows in schools. The project seeks to share some of the Valencian tales, legends and traditional rondalla ensembles which have been passed down from generation to generation. The library is open from Mon‐ day to Friday from 9.30am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm.

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Music, Gunpowder and Disembarkation THE exhibition Music, Gunpowder and Disembarkation was inaugurated last Au‐ gust and will be open to the public at the Municipal Museum of La Villajoyosa until April 2024. The exhibition is dedicated to the famous Moors and Christians festival of La Villajoyosa, which has its origins in the Berber pirate attacks from between the 16th and 18th centuries.

Every three months, two companies from La Villajoyosa, one Moorish and the other Christian, take over the exhibition space to share their customs, traditional dress and history. The new companies that will be the protagonists of the exhibi‐ tion are the Moorish troupe ‘Negres’ and the Christian troupe ‘Destralers’.

The museum is currently open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm and on Sundays from 10am to 2pm (win‐ ter opening hours).

PETS

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SPONSORED BY

www.euroweeklynews.com • 10 - 16 March 2022

Who will look after your pets when you’re away?

IF you are planning a trip later this year you still need to plan early for pet and house‐sit‐ ters. Perhaps you are already making plans for a staycation get away. Even if you are planning just a short trip, you’ll know that you simply can’t travel with some pets.

Young pets in particular may benefit from staying behind so they can follow their rou‐ tines at home. So, plan ahead.

Take a moment to plan ahead for pet and house‐sit‐ ters, if you have trips planned later this year. Now is the time to get ready. We will help you as much as we can. Our philos‐ ophy is that we are all in this together. These are the steps to take: 1. Register as a home‐ owner on HouseSitMatch.com 2. Choose a Premium ac‐ count (£89 per year) to ensure you can help online when needed 3. Create a profile with photos of your pet and the house 4. Post a house‐sit advert stating your plans for next year’s holiday Covid permitting Do you need a pet‐sitter in 2022? Then get started right now.

How does it work?

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable sitters. Join

our network for a small annual fee. You get ID checked for safety and then build your ad‐ vert saying when you are going on holiday. House‐sitters see your advert, they respond and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets.

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

HouseSitMatch found us a perfect house‐sitter while we were away in Canada and we

were delighted with the care and attention that HouseSit Match took in helping us find the right person.

Ros Morris ‐ Dog owner How do you join?

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

Do you need a house-sitter? Get in touch. Housesitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either house-sitter or homeowner with a 50 per cent discount using coupon code SUPER50 - an exclusive offer for readers.

To find a house or pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com

Advertising Feature

Advantages of the minimal invasive surgery for pets MINIMALLY invasive surgery uses an endoscope to visu‐ alise internal body structures, instead of making a large inci‐ sion to access the area. The endoscopy unit contains a high‐ definition camera on the end of flexible or rigid tubing that can be inserted through a small incision, typically less than an inch, into a body cavity, such as the thorax, abdomen, or a joint. The camera transits an image onto a screen that the surgeon can view. Infusing gas or saline water into the cavi‐ ty the surgeon improves visualisation. More instruments can be inserted into the body cavity through the scope or additional small incisions to make interventions, collect tis‐ sue samples, or place ligatures.

What advantages can minimally invasive surgery offer your pet?

• Less tissue trauma: The incisions are much smaller than those used in traditional surgery, that means less tis‐ sue trauma.

• Less pain: Smaller incisions and less tissue disruption cause less pain for your pet, quick recovery and less pain medication during her recovery.

• Faster surgeries.

• Less bleeding.

Examples of minimal invasive surgeries that are per‐ formed are ovariectomies, gastropexy (to prevent stomach torsion), liver or kidney biopsy, lung lobectomy, pericardiec‐ tomy (open the sac surrounding the heart) or arthroscopies (to diagnose and treat problems inside a joint).

In Costa Blanca Sur: www.resonanciaveterinaria.es Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico por Imagen de Levante C/Los Arcos 23 Ciudad Quesada, Rojales. Tel: 609 779 109

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10 - 16 March 2022

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

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SERVICES

ALARMS

AUCTIONS

BALUSTRADES

BLINDS

BUILDERS

CONSTRUCTION

BOILERS

SERVICES

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ENERGY

DRAINS

GRILLS

DRAINAGE

GATES

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INK CARTRIDGES

LOCKSMITHS

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56 EWN LOCKSMITHS

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PAINTERS/DECORATORS

MOTORING

POOLS

STORAGE

SERVICES

PLUMBING

AIR CONDITIONING

POOL MAINTENANCE

SERVICES

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REMOVALS & STORAGE

HAIR AND BEAUTY

PLUMBERS

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REMOVALS & STORAGE

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SERVICES

SERVICES

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TV & SATELLITE

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WINDOW TINTING

INSURANCE

CLASSIFIEDS ARCHITECTS

BUILDING SERVICES J & J PAINTERS. Inside outside - clean - fast - low cost. Torrevieja - Orihuela Costa and surrounding areas. Tel: 650 363 159 (290728) BUILDER, ARCHITECT, NEW HOUSES, EXTENSIONS, PLANNING PERMISSIONS, 697834934 (295169)

BUY & SELL PRIVATE collector will buy your Gold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

CARS FOR SALE

078 or Costa Calida 679 385 105 All calls are treated in the strictest confidence. AA in German: 645 456 075; Spanish: 679 212 535; Flemish: 635 047 053; and Scandinavian: 659 779 222. www. aa-costablanca.org (93323) CAMPELLO CONTRA CANCER in conjunction with AECC Association Español Contra Cancer. Please support your local Cancer charity and if you wish to obtain literature or simply talk to someone.

Please contact Mina or Trisha.

Tel 650 071 278 or 610 921 413 e-mail aecc_campello @hotmail.com (95475) CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (MABS) MURCIA/MAR MENOR Help and support is just a phone call away, Avda Rio Nalón, Tel: 693 275 779 (95462) CHURCH SERVICE IN ENGLISH Tel: 950 617 549 www.givinglight.com.(10006) FREEMASONRY. Are you aware that Freemasonry is thriving on the Costa Blanca?

There are various Lodges meetings up throughout the Valencia region. If you already are a Mason or simply wish to know more about Freemasonry in Spain please contact sec@glpvalencia.com Tel 600 841 064 (95477) HELP VEGA BAJA. We are a non-profit making organisation that helps and supports anyone, without prejudice, in times of need or crisis within the Vega Baja area. Our offices are based in San Miguel at Calle Lope de Vega 46 (Tel 966 723 733), Torrevieja at Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 4 (Tel 965 704 282). We are online at www.helpvegabaja .com and also on Facebook.

You can email the San Miguel Centre at office@helpvegaba ja.com. We also have a 24hour Emergency helpline

CARE HOME

CARS WANTED

CARE home in Torrevieja, family run,reasonable rates.

Carers available for your home. 697834934 (294568)

CHARITY ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS IS ALCOHOL COSTING YOU MORE THAN MONEY? Drinking to excess not only affects your health it can spill over into every other aspect of your life – damaging everything that is important to you.

English-speaking AA meetings are held throughout the Costa Blanca from Valencia City to Murcia. Anyone wishing to attend a meeting or discuss a possible drinking problem contact Costa Blanca North: 648 169 045 or Costa Blanca South: 625 912

CHARITY

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which is available to both members and non-members on 966 723 733 (95456) INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY, TORREVIEJA Calle Urbano Arregui, 23, Torrevieja 03185, Alicante Evangelical non-denominational church. Sunday morning Services at 11:00am. All nationalities welcome - Contact 966 752 543 / 966 799 273. For other church matters phone: 966 799 273 / /617 215 463 www.icatorrevieja.org (95476) LA SIESTA EVANGELICAL CHURCH on Urbanisation La Siesta, Torrevieja is a friendly, English speaking church. For more information, including details of our services, see our website www.lasiestae vangelicalchurch.org (10005) PHILIP SCOTT LODGE No 10671 of the RAOB. Please call the secretary, Colin Bird on 693 287 614 for further information. (95459) PILAR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH. All welcome from any church background or none. For further information, www.pilarchurch.org Reg No: 2009-SG/A (95463) ROYAL Air Force Association Costa Blanca Registered Members Group: The RAFA Costa Blanca RMG replaces the RAFA Costa Blanca Branch 1359 which is now closed. The RMG is a social group of caring people and remains affiliated to the parent Association. Contact with the Royal Air Force Association and the RMG can be made via the RAFA website rafa.org.uk. Tel:0044 800 018 2361. (238593) ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Why not make this year the year you volunteer? See how you can help either as a case-

10 - 16 March 2022 • www.euroweeklynews.com SPONSORED BY

worker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbuddyhhvisits@gmail .com. If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well as the big, sometimes talking to someone is the first step to feeling more in control. It can be a personal need or some help with your home or information on what or who to speak to on a medical issue, we help with signposting if we cannot help directly, just call and have a chat with Pam who will try to guide you to where you need to be. If you would like to go to a branch meeting then find your nearest one at, h tt p : / / b ra n c h e s . b r i t i s h l e gion.org.uk/branches/ori huela-costa - covering from Punta Prima to San Javier.

More info can be found on branch website www.ori huelacostarbl.co.uk. (95457) ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Gran Alacant & La Marina Branch. For info, contact the branch Secretary at granala cant.secretary@rbl.communi ty

THE ANGLICAN CHURCH, La Fustera. For more info: contact Frank Bentley on 966 495 188. (95461) THE BAKER Foundation Spiritual Centre Playa Flamenca. Calle Luis Gordillo, 1 Playa Flamenca Alicante 03189. You can join us on Facebook, The Baker Foundation spiritual centre. Or contact Linda Schug Tel. 606 990 665 for more details (95458) THE PATIENCE LODGE No 2177 of the R.A.O.B Please call Secretary Dave Tonge on 688 704 091 for further information. (253807) THE SPIRITUALIST CENTRE, Benijofar will be closed for the immediate future due to Covid-19. To join the centre on ZOOM on a Tuesday evening at 7pm download the ZOOM App. To enter use ID Number 8451471869, then Password 3uf5TE. Identification Fiscal G54713789 (95454)

CLEANING SERVICES RELIABLE, experienced home and deep cleaning service including key handovers plus many other services. Call +34 634 679 668 (292081)

INSURANCE

ROYAL MARINES ASSOCIATION (Costa Blanca) The aim of the Association is to bring together not just ex Royal Marines, but ex Service personnel with an affinity to the Royal Marines. For further details Hon Sec 692 938 664.

(10004) ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION For information please contact Chairman Paul Edwards on 618 644 934, Vice Chairman Danny Kay on 966 716 274 or Secretary Margaret Forshaw on 966 921 996. (95455) STROKE ASSOCIATION Spain (formally known as Torrevieja stroke support) Our aim is to help and support stroke survivors and their carers. With rehabilitation, speech therapy, OC therapy and a very active social group. For info please contact 654 801 260 or email stroke supportgroup@hot mail.com, website: torreviejastrokesup port.org. We are always looking for volunteers who have the skills and knowledge to support.

(95473) THE AIRCREW ASSOCIATION COSTA BLANCA BRANCH. Former & serving aircrews of the UK or Allied Armed Forces are welcome to join this convivial & friendly organisation, now in its 21st year. www.acacostablanca .org or call the Secretary on: 966 495 042 (95465)

TESTIMONIALS

ELECTRICIAN MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (287514)

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

GOLD WANTED

HOME IMPROVEMENTS BATHROOM & KITCHEN Conversions Costa Blanca, contact 698 320 434.

(289486) If you can read it, so can your clients. Contact us and have your business grow at + 34 951 386 161

CLASSIFIEDS INSURANCE FED UP OF NOT BEING SENT YOUR RENEWAL? CUT YOUR INSURANCE COSTS AND STILL HAVE 100% COVER. YOU HAVE TRIED THE REST NOW TRY THE BEST WITH SOS INSURANCE. WE CAN EVEN INSURE YOU FOR UPTO A €1,000 OF WATERLOSS. CALL 686 116 297 (WHATSAPP TO) OR VISIT www.sosinsuran ceinspain.com or email tracey@sosinsurancein spain.com (294938)

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

MOTORING

LAWYER/SOLICITORS SOLICITOR. CRIMINAL LAW, drug cases, Private investigations, debt collection. 30 years’ experience.

Mob 697 834 934 office 865 970 169 spancrimlaw@out look.com (294976)

LOCKSMITHS ALARMS TORREVIEJA, Install & Repair all types of Alarms & CCTV. Call/Whatsapp 600 933 667 www.alarmastorrevieja.com (294577)

INSURANCE

PIANO, Keyboard, Organ, Qualified Teacher. Please call 606 984 535 (294805)

NAUTICAL INTERNATIONAL SKIPPER LICENCE, VHF/DSC-Radio or Radar Courses held in English individual or small groups starts soon. 626 245 098 (295374)

PERGOLAS TAILOR-MADE in durable canvas, pergola covers cushions, sails, car port, umbrella, spa and CAR COVERS. Mazarron based, and delivery to Costa Blanca. Also online and mail ordering 667 879 399 krugercanopies@yahoo .co.uk (291448)

BENEFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES. Car, Home, Business, Travel, Life, Funeral, all insurances available. Policies in English. BEST rates, covers & service. Immediate quotes.

Tel 961 129 215 / 622 275 561, (WhatsApp) info@bene ficialinsuranceinspain.com or visit www.beneficialinsuran ceinspain.com for online quote. (295006) STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbey gateinsure.com

MUSIC TUITION

PET CHARITY

FOR SALE JAGUAR XK8 CABRIOLET 1998, 4L, RHD. Red. Cream Leather interior. Excellent condition.

ITV August. €9,500.

609 931 647 (295519) WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309. (200726)

EASYHORSE CARE RESCUE CENTRE. We aim to rescue HORSES. If you would like to DONATE please call 965 967 033 or sales@easyhorsecare .net www.easyhorsecare.net or call Sue 652 021 980 (95706) GATAMI ORGANISATION, to help kittens and cats, looking for good homes, also spaying wild cats in the community.

Kittens require adoption, fully vaccinated, de-wormed, deflead. volunteers to Tel Anna: 966 806 976 / 654 729 977 (95709)

MOTORING

10 - 16 March 2022

P.E.P.A. VOLUNTEERS & FOSTER HOMES URGENTLY NEEDED. By fostering an abandoned dog or spending a few hours each week on our telephone helpline, you could help save the lives of many animals. Please call: 650 304 746. For more information browse our website: www. pepaspain.com (95708) SPAMA GANDIA SHELTER. Dog and cat rescue registered charity, La Safor area. 500 animals awaiting re-homing. Phone Gail 962 896 118. Visit our website for directions. www.spama.org and view our new blog at www.spa ma-safor.blog.com.es PLEASE HELP US TO HELP THEM (95707)

REMOVALS

WANTED

SPAS & JACUZZI

XXX RELAXATION Please note that in Spain there is NO legislation banning adverts in this section.

Neither regional nor national governments are able to pass such a law due to rules governing freedom of publication and printing.

PLUMBERS MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (287514)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

POOL MAINTENANCE POOL MAINTENANCE Repairs, Spares and Leak Testing. Call 965 725 565 / 676 945 360 www.pooltech spain.com (286740)

PROPERTY FOR RENT RENT Long Term. Playa Flamenca. Ground floor with garden. 2 bedrooms. 1 bath.

Comunity pool. Parking. caro brlo@yahoo.es (294118)

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FED UP PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR MOBILE PHONE CALLS? THEN CONTACT TELITEC TODAY. CALLS TO SPAIN 7C PER MINUTE INCLUDING MOBILES. CALLS TO UK 5.3C PER MINUTE. NO MONTHLY FEES, NO CONTRACT. WWW.TELITEC.COM TEL: 902 889 070 (2001) If you can read it, so can your clients. Contact us and have your business grow at + 34 951 386 161

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10 - 16 March 2022

www.euroweeklynews.com IN Spain, many second‐ hand cars are given much longer lifespans as they are passed from one indi‐ vidual to another.

The most immediate consequence of this is the very high level of emis‐ sions released into the at‐ mosphere due to the low energy efficiency of en‐ gines that were manufac‐

MOTORING

Second-hand cars hinder goals tured years ago.

The difference in the amounts of emissions produced by a car made 10 years ago and one manufactured two or three years ago is enor‐ mous, according to ex‐ perts.

The boom in the sale of second‐hand cars, espe‐ cially those over 15 years old, complicates the ob‐ jective of reducing emis‐ sions from vehicles. Ex‐ perts say that it also highlights the need for a plan for their removal from circulation.

According to industry data, 859,477 passenger cars and SUVs were regis‐ tered in Spain in 2021, 1 per cent more than in 2020. Only 66,915 (7.8 per cent) were labelled 0 (electric and plug‐in hy‐ brids) and 233,463 were labelled ECO (27.1 per cent), while the remaining

65 per cent had a tradi‐ tional combustion engine.

The sale and purchase of used cars grew by 9 per cent to a total of 1,989,662 transactions, of which 680,477 were vehi‐ cles over 15 years old and 509,370 were cars be‐ tween 10 and 15 years old.

Together, these two categories accounted for nearly 60 per cent of the second‐hand market, which means that for ev‐ ery new car sold in Spain, 1.4 cars over 10 years old changed hands.

“The average age of sec‐ ond‐hand vehicles sold is over 11 years old. If we look only at transactions between private individu‐ als ‐ more than 50 per cent of the total ‐ the av‐ erage age rises to 14.5 years,” Raúl Palacios, president of the sellers’ association Ganvam.

MOTORING

www.euroweeklynews.com

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack WE’RE used to cars being adapted from combustion en‐ gine vehicles to accommo‐ date the change to battery power. Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 is different in that it was de‐ signed as a battery electric ve‐ hicle. It looks striking compared to any‐ thing else and one of the best com‐ ments de‐ scribes it as looking very digi‐ tal. From matrix style lights to pop‐out door han‐ dles it’s futuristic without looking odd.

It’s a surprisingly large vehi‐ cle, inside and out, and you might reasonably expect it to be something along the lines of the i30, but it’s much larger and almost feels like a mini‐ SUV. It attracts attention!

Rarely have so many people stopped me to talk about a car. The top‐of‐the‐range 20‐ inch wheels are particularly

10 - 16 March 2022

Hyundai IONIQ 5 attention seeking style

IONIQ 5: Inside it looks and feels very premium.

unique and add to the futuris‐ tic look. Oddly, there is no rear wiper despite an obvious need, water may disperse off the screen at speed, but dirt doesn’t!

Inside it looks and feels very premium, with the lighter inte‐ rior especially upmarket. A near flat floor and seats that are more like aircraft than car seat, particularly good comfort

levels and an exceptionally good range of adjustment.

Clever battery saving devices such as switching off passen‐ ger heating are well thought out. Equally good thinking with doors that open beyond the sill to keep your legs clean when exiting the car.

Many manufacturers are moving towards completely digital controls but the IONIQ5

is very digital, but it’s a double‐ edged sword. There’s a clean‐ er and more modern interior look, but many functions re‐ quire delving into sub menus making it somewhat of a has‐ sle. Buttons are quicker, easier and more readily useable with‐ out taking your eyes off the road. I could rant on further about the far too intervention‐ ist lane‐keep and other auto‐

matic systems, but this is something common to all manufacturers.

The IONIQ 5 starts at a not unreasonable, in EV terms, €44,964/£37,600 with three trim levels and two battery op‐ tions of 58kwh or 73kwh. The driving range is 383km/238 miles or 479km/298 miles re‐ spectively, but bear in mind those are ideal world figures.

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On the road the IONIQ 5 is a superb drive, 62mph in just over five seconds and a sus‐ pension system that very suc‐ cessfully irons out the bumps with generally decent handling given its size and a ride obvi‐ ously aimed at comfort.

If you’re thinking of making the change to electric motor‐ ing, then the IONIQ 5 really should be on your shortlist.

SPORT

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10 - 16 March 2022

to read more visit www.euroweeklynews.com

PORTOBELLO GO TOP OF THE CBWFL FIFA allows leave THE yellows reached top spot after playing their latest ‘catch up’ game against Pinoso on Monday, February 28. A game which Portobello dominated from start to fin‐ ish. They took an early lead and only some fine saves from Taffy in the Pinoso goal kept the score at 4‐0 at half time. The yellows took up from where they left off in the first half and again only some superb saves from Taffy kept the score from go‐ ing to double figures. The fi‐ nal score of 7‐0 was enough for Portobello to oust Hon‐ don Valley from top spot.

The yellows’ man of the match was Mick with a hat trick.

On Friday, March 11, at Pi‐ lar de la Horadada Portobello have the chance to increase their lead at the top when they take on bottom club For‐ mentera.

On Saturday, February 26, Esquina Park Rangers made the long trip south to Torrox

Esquina Park Rangers competed in the Challenge Cup.

Portobello ousted Hondon Valley from the top spot.

(Malaga) to compete in the Euro Weekly News sponsored Iberian Challenge Cup. With an array of guests from the lo‐ cal council and the Galicia Football Association the 10 competing teams were out to impress.

EPR after a slow start beat‐

ing League side Viñuela 1‐0 warmed to their task and had an easy 4‐0 win against new club Boca Seniors of Compe‐ ta. A Malaga Select next up provided stronger opposition but EPR came out on top 1‐0.

A 0‐0 draw against Atheltic Bilbao Fundacion ‘B’ saw

them top their group unbeat‐ en and no goals conceded.

The semi final paired them against Bilbao’s ‘A’ team (all ex‐pro footballers) saw them keep up their good form and took the lead 1‐0. A place in the final seemed assured until Bilbao equalised with 30 sec‐ onds remaining.

The ensuing penalty shootout saw EPR lose out 5‐4 with Ath. Bilbao going on to beat the Malaga Select 3‐1 to become the first winners of the trophy.

While there was obvious disappointment at coming so close to reaching the final in the well‐organised tourna‐ ment, the team were happy and determined they will win the trophy next year.

Finally the Walking Football Association of Iberia an‐ nounced the retirement of President Ronnie Waugh who stepped down after helping set up the Association in 2020 taking it from nine teams to the current 23.

FIFA confirmed a measure on Monday, March 7, that had been rumoured for the last few days. It announced that it is authorising foreign football players and coaches cur‐ rently signed to clubs in the Russian and Ukrainian leagues to unilaterally break their contracts immediately.

This decision, adopted by the highest body in interna‐ tional football, allows these players to be able to sign for another club anywhere in the world, and be registered immediately, without waiting for the next transfer win‐ dow.

A special transfer window will end on April 7 and will al‐ low players to join clubs until June 30, 2022, with no con‐ sequences.

In the case of Ukraine, FIFA has decided to automatical‐ ly suspend all players’ contracts with the country’s clubs, unless the club and the player mutually agree otherwise.

FIFA argues in its statement that it has made this deci‐ sion to “give players and coaches the opportunity to work and earn a salary,” as well as to “protect Ukrainian clubs” that obviously lack income in a war situation.

With the Russian clubs, FIFA has given them three days to reach agreements with their foreign players, but has given them the freedom to unilaterally terminate their contracts from Friday March 11 if they so wish.

This is a measure that could collide though with the labour laws that govern these two countries, especially in the Russian case, given that their league continues to be played normally.

This unforeseen window of opportunity could alert clubs across the world, being able to reinforce their squad with players from these leagues without paying a euro.