Euro Weekly News - Costa Blanca South 26 May - 1 June 2022 Issue 1925

Check out our new compact, easy-to-read paper, still with all the same news you love!

Issue No. 1925

26 May - 1 June 2022

COSTA BLANCA SOUTH • EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

ALMOST COMPLETE

HOTEL: Being demolished.

DEMOLISHING the hotel on the Arenales del Sol seafront began in October but is only now nearing completion.

The operation was preceded by months of preparation which required first removing al‐ most two tons of asbestos from the hotel which was built in 1963 but had lain derelict for years.

A crushing machine is currently disposing of

the mountains of remaining rubble while an‐ other fills the hotel’s former basement with sand.

Once the site has been cleared, a top layer of sand from the neighbouring El Altet beach will be added to the 6,000 square metres of recovered beach, in an operation which Spain’s Environment Ministry believes sets a pattern for similar projects elsewhere.

FREE • GRATIS

2 EWN

26 May - 1 June 2022

euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Commitment to Spain

YEARLY TRADITION: Torrevieja chosen for the Pledge the Flag ceremony.

AS post‐pandemic life returns to normal, Torrevieja hosted Alicante Province’s Jura de Bandera (Pledge the Flag) ceremony on Saturday May 21. The Jura promise is a military event where civilians, who have made an application beforehand, can demonstrate their fidelity and loyalty to Spain via the flag. By pledg‐ ing their allegiance, they are also agreeing to “contribute to the common good, be an upstanding citizen and defend collective interests.”

This was the first time that the ceremony could be held since 2019, Torrevieja mayor Eduardo Dolon pointed out shortly returning from the ceremony which was held on the Vista Alegre prom‐ enade and attended by 1,000 people.

The Jura was presided by Francisco Garcia‐Almenta Alonso, Brigadier General of the Special Op‐ erations Command based in Rabasa and Alicante province’s military commander.

He was accompanied by the central government’s Sub‐delegate to Alicante Province, Maria Araceli Poblador, and Eduardo Dolon.

Many of those who pledged their allegiance to the flag were volunteers from the Torrevieja branch of Proteccion Civil or members of the different police forces but there were also private in‐ dividuals, often accompanied by family members, who wished to state loyalty to their country in public.

The ceremony concluded with a short speech from Brigadier General Francisco Garcia‐Almenta, followed a wreath‐laying in honour of the fallen.

euroweeklynews.com

NIBS EXTRA Good habits PILAR DE LA HORADADA concluded its Healthy Break‐ fast campaign that provided primary pupils with a roll, fruit and bottled water.

There was also a workshop for older pupils, presented as a fun activity, but aimed at promoting a healthy diet from an early age, the town hall said.

Work record MORE than 44 per cent of Alicante Province women were working outside the home during this year’s first quarter, according to Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE). This is the highest pro‐ portion in the country com‐ pared with last year, and higher than 2017’s previous record of 42 per cent.

Burnt out AN Audi A6 and Q5 were burnt out in Calle Ciruela in Orihuela Costa at 6am on Saturday May 21 for rea‐ sons as yet unknown. Resi‐ dents said that if the Emer‐ gencies Centre was open, firefighters would have ar‐ rived immediately, instead of the 15 minutes needed for the Torrevieja brigade.

Park request ALMOST 100 people attend‐ ed a peaceful protest march along a former drovers’ trail organised by Friends of Sier‐ ra Escalona (ASE) and the San Miguel de Salinas resi‐ dents’ association. They were calling for the Valen‐ cian Community authorities to protect Sierra Escalona and Dehesa de Campoamor as a national park.

Swim time ELCHE City Hall said it has no problem with the all‐en‐ veloping burkinis worn by some women in public swimming pools, although men may not wear Bermu‐ das. “We do not want users entering the pools with street clothes or garments not specifically designed for swimming,” the Sports de‐ partment said.

26 May - 1 June 2022

Something strange Photo credit: Vicki Lang

NEWS

Linda Hall

EURO WEEKLY NEWS reader Vicki Lang, who lives in Los Balcones in Torrevieja, contacted the newspaper recently.

“I captured a strange flying creature on my security camera during the eclipse in the early hours of the morning of May 16,” Vicki told us.

Intrigued by the bizarre flying spiral that disappeared as quickly as it appeared, Vicki searched the internet to discover more.

She found footage of a

STRANGE SIGHTING: Filmed on Vicki Lang’s security camera on May 16 this year,

similar creature zooming past a security camera that was filmed in Gloucester by Jason Potter, 38, in August 2019.

“I believe that this long, fast-flying creature zooming past the camera may well

River concerns CARP‐R‐US kicked off their Summer‐Autumn series on the River Segura at Bigastro‐Jacarilla.

“The last time we fished there it rained for most of the match and with the river rising, the fishing was hard,” said Carp‐R‐Us secretary Steve Fell. This time conditions looked particularly good as the river had a steady flow and everyone was looking forward to a good match.

“How wrong that turned out to be!” Steve said.

“Everyone struggled for bites and with at least 30 dead fish drifting down the river during the match there was a strong feeling that something in the river was affecting both the fish and the fishing. Incredibly sad.”

The match was won by Alan Davis who took a few carp for 3.23 kilos, with Steve Fell (1.65 kilos) second, followed

by Willy Moons (750 grammes) and Tony Flett, whose dozen bleak weighed 330 grammes.

“We are very concerned about the river and the possi‐ bility that pollution could be affecting the fish,” Steve said. “The club will do its best to contact the Confedera‐ cion Hidrografica del Segura and ask them to investi‐ gate.”

Further information about the club can be found on its website www.carp‐r‐us.weebly.com or on the Carp‐R‐Us Fishing Costa Blanca Facebook page.

ORIHUELA COSTA residents can soon choose who to vote for in the May 2023 elec‐ tions.

The Founders of Partido In‐ dependencia Orihuela Costa (PIOC) are currently in the process of registering a new party for Orihuela Costa.

“Residents will have a choice of candidates living on the coast,” said PIOC’s Press officer, Norah Bond.

be a flying rod,” he told Gloucestershire Live.

“They are said to be creatures that live in the ‘shadowlands’ and are invisible to the human eye but can be caught on camera,” he said.

Back in Los Balcones,

Jaguars’ spring tour JAGUAR ENTHUSIASTS CLUB COSTA BLANCA (JEC) embarked on their spring tour on Tuesday May 17, visiting Ciudad Real and Toledo.

After leaving motorway services in Santomera (Mur‐ cia) they made a specially‐ planned stop for refresh‐ ments in Tobarra (Albacete) to allow two more cars to connect with the group .

The next stop was in Ruidera (Ciudad Real), where two more cars await‐ ed JEC’s arrival and mem‐ bers enjoyed lunch in a beautiful lakeside setting before arriving in Ciudad Real at 6pm.

On the third day of the five‐day trip, the Jaguars left the hotel’s underground car park for the drive to Toledo.

Calling Orihuela Costa “They will campaign for equality, a fair share of the budget, improved services, infrastructure and better in‐ tegration for Orihuela Costa’s multicultural nationalities.”

PIOC believes that Ori‐ huela Costa should contest the May 2023 elections as a united community, and are offering the opportunity to

where she has lived for eight years, Vicki is used to seeing spiders, beetles, birds and snakes.

“We even get golden scarab beetles every year, but whatever is in that video is definitely very strange,” she said.

Vicki also told us that she supports the APAH animal rescue charity, and volunteers at their shop in the Via Park 5 centre.

And, as we pointed out when we spoke to her, at least there are few identification problems with the dogs and cats she helps.

all of Orihuela Costa associa‐ tions and the CLARO party to form a unique list of candi‐ dates. “We feel that if we all work together, we could gain between three and five councillors living on the coast who would obtain infrastruc‐ ture and services providing a better quality of life,” Norah Bond said.

“The beautiful sunshine made it a very pleasant journey on quiet country roads until amazing Toledo appeared on the hillside in all its glory,” said the JEC’S Sandra Brook.

Here the club had booked the tourist road train in ad‐ vance so members could sit back and enjoy the sights.

The next day was spent in Almagro, rounded off with a gala dinner in the hotel on the last night of the tour.

The final day began with breakfast and goodbyes as everyone made their own way back to various Costa Blanca towns while looking forward to the next tour in October. To join the JEC on any of their monthly meet‐ ings, ring Michael Book (640 866 711 or WhatsApp).

EWN

3

Rescued GUARDIA CIVIL officers saved the life of a new‐ born baby, abandoned immediately after birth, in Almoradi. They were alerted after a lorry‐driv‐ er saw a woman with bloodied legs walking along a rural lane near an industrial estate, carrying a bundle of blankets.

Certain that he could see a baby’s foot amongst the coverings, he contacted the Guardia Civil who advised a near‐ by patrol.

They soon located the woman, who was appar‐ ently in good health and roundly contradicted the lorry‐driver’s version.

She also refused any as‐ sistance from paramedics alerted at the same time.

Unconvinced by her contradictory explana‐ tions, the Guardia Civil of‐ ficers returned with the woman to the ruined house where she told them she had spent the night. On the way there an officer spotted piled‐ up blankets hidden be‐ side the road. When un‐ wrapped these revealed a new‐born baby, breath‐ ing and with the umbilical cord still attached.

He is now in hospital under observation, but in good health, and staff have named him Noa. The authorities will now decide what is best for Noa but meanwhile his mother, a Swiss na‐ tional, has been charged with abandoning a child.

and finally...

TORREVIEJA residents called for more control over bar and restaurant tables and chairs along the promenades.

Fees for occupying public spaces have been waived since the pandemic, prompting complaints that businesses are taking up more than they are entitled to. This was particularly noticeable in Paseo Juan Aparicio where tables and chairs often surround‐ ed the benches overlooking the sea, they said.

The town hall rejected residents’ claims, telling the local Spanish media that they have received few complaints and were unaware of any situations “that need correcting.”

FOR MORE NEWS STORIES euroweeklynews.com

4 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Puig’s citrus pressure Matthew Roscoe THE President of the Gener‐ alitat, Ximo Puig, urged Eu‐ rope on Monday, May 23 not to give in to pressure from South Africa and to protect European citrus fruit.

The European Commission had previously said cold treatments would be applied to citrus fruits imported from South Africa and other coun‐ tries in the area to avoid the risk of the ‘false codling moth’ entering the EU. However the Commission has since withdrawn its plant health proposal, causing con‐ cern among farmers.

Puig called on EU authori‐ ties “not to give in to pres‐ sure from South Africa and to

Citrus concerns. put the protection of the plant health of European cit‐ rus fruits before interests and considerations of any other kind.”

Puig is set to battle it out

with German and Dutch am‐ bassadors to get them to change their position against Valencian farmers after they backed the South Africa pro‐ posals.

Suspected hepatitis Chris King A SUSPECTED case of child hepatitis has been reported by the Min‐ istry of Health of the Re‐ gion of Murcia.

On Monday, May 23, the health region an‐ nounced that a suspect‐ ed case of non‐AE acute childhood hepatitis had been admitted to the Virgen de la Arrixaca Hospital.

The patient is being treated and is reported‐ ly recovering well.

Manuel Sanchez‐Solis, head of the hospital’s Pediatrics service, ex‐ plained that the analy‐ ses carried out in La Ar‐ rixaca have ruled out that the cause of hepati‐

tis is any of the five viruses that are usually behind this disease (from hepatitis A to E).

“There is no trace of any of the usual viruses, and that is why samples have been sent to the National Microbiology Centre, in Majadahon‐ da, Madrid.”

A call for calm among the public has been made by the health de‐ partment, as the patient is displaying a favourable prognosis.

The causes of this mystery disease among children world‐ wide are still un‐ known, although inter‐ national organisations are working hard to determine its origin.

NEWS

Murcia’s rural depopulation TWELVE rural munici‐ palities in the Region of Murcia are under threat of severe de‐ population and as a result tax relief for the ‘ageing residents’ has been promised.

The rural municipal‐ ities of Ricote, Pliego, Aledo, Abanilla, Ojós, Ulea, Moratalla, Cam‐ pos del Río, Al‐ budeite, Bullas, Ce‐ hegín and Calasparra are suffering from de‐ population, according to the region’s Eco‐ nomic and Social Council (CES) on Thursday, May 19.

The president of the CES, José Antonio Cobacho, said that the situation in the region is ‘peculiar’ as Murcia is “the second‐fastest‐ growing province in Spain in terms of pop‐ ulation, but at the same time, that in‐ cludes 12 municipali‐ ties which have been severely affected by depopulation.”

Within the group of rural areas, the ageing rate (the population over 65 ‐ among the population under 16) of Ojós, for example, is almost 400. That means that there are four residents over 65 for every child, a situ‐ ation dubbed “unten‐ able” by the CES. A CES study warns of a vicious cycle that will be generated by these ageing rates: the greater the age‐ ing, the lower the ac‐ tivity rate, the more unemployment, the negative migratory balance and, as a con‐ sequence, the greater the increase in that ageing.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Free park-and-rides Matthew Roscoe ALICANTE City Council has opened two free park‐ and‐ride car parks in the San Gabriel neighbour‐ hood, which will offer 223 places to leave your vehi‐ cle and travel to the city centre by public trans‐ port.

Councillor for Mobility José Ramón González said on Monday, May 23 that

the €427,486 investment in the new car parks “pro‐ motes public transport, improves mobility and achieves a more sustain‐ able and efficient city.”

Mr González also said that more park‐and‐ride car parks are planned for other parts of Alicante with the aim of offering more public transport, “which is one of the most efficient means of getting

to the centre, as well as by bicycle, leaving cars parked on the outskirts and using a sustainable way of accessing the cities.”

The first park‐and‐ride is situated by Calle Ramón Gómez Sempere and Calle Bahía and has a total of 170 spaces for vehicles.

The second is located by Calle Bahía and has a total of 53 spaces for vehicles.

Alicante’s low income TORREVIEJA, Elche and Benidorm in the south of Alicante Province are near the top of the list when it comes to having the low‐ est income in Spain, according to a National Institute of Statistics (INE) study published on Monday, May 23.

In fact, Torrevieja sits in first place with the lowest average annual net income in Spain, with €8.35 per resident.

Fourth place goes to Elche, with €9.61, while Benidorm takes eighth place, with €10.36. Finally, Gandia is in 13th position out

of 20, with €10.88.

Two Valencian municipalities did appear on Spain’s highest average income list, how‐ ever; Bétera, in 42nd place, with €14.71 per resident and Alboraya with €14.49.

In terms of employment, three cities in the Valencian Community have above‐average levels of employment; Alcoy (Alicante), in second position in Spain with 23 per cent; Sagunt, in fourth position with 22.9 per cent and Castellón de la Plana,12th, with 16.3 per cent.

EWN

5

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Body of boy, 6, found

POLICE divers of the Special Group of Under‐ water Activities of the Guardia Civil (GEAS), on Saturday, May 21, locat‐ ed the lifeless body of a six‐year‐old boy who had disappeared earlier

in the day.

According to local press, the child had been reported missing by his relatives on the beach of the Valencian town of Canet d’en Berenguer.

112 emergencies im‐ mediately mobilised firefighters, the Red Cross, and patrols from the Guardia Civil to the location. On arrival, they initiated a search operation for the young‐ ster, who had appar‐ ently gone missing af‐ ter last being seen playing in a sandbank.

The search teams were joined by a boat and rescue helicopter from Maritime Res‐ cue, along with a Red Cross boat, a SAMU ambulance with medics, and a boat and divers from the Guardia Civil's spe‐ cialised underwater unit.

As reported on so‐ cial media, two crews from the Valencia Provincial Firefighters Consortium were in‐ volved in the search, as well as the Special Height Rescue Group (GERA).

NEWS

Help for refugees THE government of Spain has granted more than 100,000 temporary protection permits to people displaced by the war in Ukraine since the conflict be‐ gan, according to recent data.

As of Tuesday, May 17, a to‐ tal of 102,732 temporary pro‐ tection permits have been is‐ sued to Ukrainian citizens and to date, a total of 24,983 identi‐ ty cards have been issued to the refugees.

The Director General of the Police, Francisco Pardo, report‐ ed that more than 2,500 refugees are currently being at‐ tended to in police stations ‘daily’ at the four centres set up in Madrid, Alicante, Barcelona and Malaga.

On Wednesday, April 20, the president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, visited the Ukrainian refugee centre in Malaga before flying out to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelen‐ skyy. The visit to the centre in Malaga concluded Sánchez’s tour of the four centres set up in Spain which aim to provide

@sanchezcastejon

6 EWN

Ukrainians with a temporary protection permit, valid for one year, allowing them to live

SANCHEZ: Visited the refugee centre in Malaga.

and work in Spain together with temporary accommoda‐ tion.

No Covid passport

THE requirement for travellers from non‐EU countries to pre‐ sent a Covid passport to enter Spain is to be scrapped.

Reyes Maroto, Spain’s Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, announced on Thursday, May 19, that “in a matter of days” Spain will stop requiring tourists from out‐ side the EU to have a Covid vaccination certificate to enter Spanish territory. The move will see Spain begin to dispense with the EU’s Covid Digital Certificate. This requirement came into force in July last year to try to make travel safe, ini‐ tially between member states. It was later extended to pas‐ sengers from third countries, who currently present their own vaccination certificates.

The Covid passport will not be necessary, but it is believed travellers might still be obliged to present a certificate that shows that they have recovered from the virus within the last 180 days or show a negative diagnostic test, PCR or anti‐ gen test, performed 24 hours before travelling.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

F1 animal rights Joshua Manning PETA supporters staged a pet funeral at Spain’s Grand Prix on Sunday, May 22 in protest against Formula One’s sponsorship of a con‐ traversial dog sled race.

Supporters from Spanish animal rights party PACMA also attended, holding signs proclaiming: “150 dogs have

died in the Iditarod.” The demonstration was the latest in PETA’s campaign to stop F1 owner Liberty Media, through the company’s Alas‐ ka‐based subsidiary GCI, from sponsoring the controversial dog sled race that has killed more than 150 dogs since its inception, often from aspira‐ tion pneumonia (caused by inhaling their own vomit), as

reported by PETA. “No rep‐ utable company would sup‐ port an event that forces dogs to cross more than 1,600 kilometres of ice and wind, leading to their death,” said PETA Vice President Mi‐ mi Bekhechi. “PETA is urging Formula 1 to stay away from this death race, as Coca‐Cola, ExxonMobil, and other past sponsors have done.”

Vaccine success Chris King

DR Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Direc‐ tor‐General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) congratulated Spain for its ‘excellent’ vaccination coverage on Saturday, May 21.

He was attending a bilateral meeting in Geneva with Carolina Darias, Spain’s Minister of Health.

He also thanked Spain for its support in the fight against Covid‐19 with initiatives such as the release of the patent for the Covid‐19

serological antibody test developed by the CISC, the first to be carried out under the C‐ TAP initiative.

Among other issues discussed in their meet‐ ing, were the key points of the Covid‐19 vacci‐ nation campaign in Spain, and the donation of more than 70 million doses to third countries .

This meeting formed part of the parallel agen‐ da of the 75th World Health Assembly being held in Geneva from May 22 to 28. This is an assembly that revolves around the concept of ‘Health for peace, Peace for health’.

EWN

7

8 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

NEWS

Monkeypox cases higher than thought FERNANDO SIMON, director of the Centre for the Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies (CCAES), ad‐ mitted on Saturday, May 21, “the transmission of monkeypox between humans was higher than expected.”

Speaking in Zaragoza, he confirmed the detection of 30 positive cases of the disease in Spain. With more sus‐ pected cases under investigation, Mr Simon conveyed a message of calm to citizens.

“Caution must always exist, but right now we must not give a feeling of excessive anguish, since it is a dis‐ ease with particular characteristics, and against which the smallpox vac‐ cine for those born before 1977 pro‐ tects to a certain extent,” he ex‐ plained.

He assured: “In general, it is not one of the most serious or the most fre‐ quent conditions. Now there is not

Fernando Simon, director of the CCAES.

enough information to assess every‐ thing, and we have to be careful about declaring a risky situation that may change completely in a few days. That does not mean that we professionals do not have to be very attentive though, and it implies importance in terms of health.”

Monkeypox is transmitted by pro‐ longed and close respiratory contact.

Russia expels Spanish diplomats THE Russian government has ordered the expulsion of 27 Spanish diplomats, in a tit‐for‐tat move.

According to a press re‐ port, Spain’s Ambassador, Marcos Gómez, was called

to the Russian Foreign Ministry, where he was told that Spain must re‐ move the 27 diplomats.

According to the report, the expulsion is a direct ‘protest’ by Russian Presi‐

Border reopens THE first 12 hours of operation of the Beni‐En‐ zar post between Spain and Morocco in Melilla, after its reopening at 12am on Tuesday, May, 17, saw 1,656 people and 530 vehicles cross from one side to the other.

The first morning of border activity resulted in the transit of 904 people and 255 vehicles in both directions and the early hours of Tuesday saw an even higher figure when 752 people and 275 vehicles were counted from 12am to 7am, as reported by the Spanish press.

According to official figures from the Spanish government, 662 people entered Melilla from Morocco on foot. In the opposite direction, from Melilla to Morocco, 562 people crossed the border on foot in the early hours of Tues‐ day and 432 in the morning. As for vehicles, 163 entered from Morocco to Melilla in the early hours of Tuesday and 127 in the morning, while 92 left Melilla for Morocco between midnight and 7am and 148 from 7am to 12 noon.

dent Vladimir Putin at the expulsion of the same number of Russian diplo‐ mats earlier this year.

The Russian govern‐ ment were by all accounts clear that this was a sim‐ ple reciprocal response to the expulsion of diplomats from the Russian embassy in Madrid.

Sergei Lavrov’s depart‐ ment declared the 27 diplomats persona non grata and gave them sev‐ en days to leave Russia once formal notification is received.

It is understood that both France and Italy were also summoned to the Foreign Ministry where they were told that 34 and 24 diplomats would be expelled, each being given seven days to leave.

Spain does not see the expulsion of 27 diplomats as justified, with the Span‐ ish team in Moscow of no threat to Russia or its se‐ curity.

10 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

UK retail recovery

A SMALL recovery in April retail sales was driven by strong alcohol sales and fashion, ac‐ cording to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Figures released on Friday, May 20 suggest that more people are staying at home rather than going out as infla‐ tion drives prices up‐ wards in pubs and restaurants. That com‐ bined with the warmer weather saw better‐

ALCOHOL SALES: Better than expected.

than‐expected alcohol and fashion sales.

Economists had pre‐ dicted a slight fall after a dip of 1.2 per cent in

War crime conviction A RUSSIAN soldier who pleaded guilty to murdering an unarmed 62‐year‐old Ukrainian civilian after he shot through an open car window has been sen‐ tenced to life in prison. Sergeant Vadim Shishi‐ marin, is the first to be sentenced for war crimes in the conflict, after the 21‐year‐old Russian tank com‐ mander pleaded guilty to firing shots at am un‐ armed man on February 28. Appearing in court dressed in a blue and grey hooded sweatshirt, Shishimarin showed no emotion as the verdict was read out.

March, in anticipation of rising bills in the growing cost of living crisis.

Heather Bovill, ONS Deputy Director for Sur‐ veys and Economic Indi‐ cators, said: “Retail sales picked up in April after last month’s fall. Howev‐ er, these figures still show a continued longer term downward trend.

“April’s rise was driven by an increase in super‐ market sales, led by al‐ cohol and tobacco and sweet treats, with off‐li‐ cences also reporting a boost, possibly due to people staying in more to save money.”

NEWS

Elizabeth line opens

Peter McLaren‐Kennedy

AFTER nearly four years of delays, London’s Elizabeth I line has finally opened to the city’s commuters.

Massively over budget and well past the pro‐ posed completion date, the £18.9 billion (€22.25 billion) Crossrail project is expected to give the city a massive boost as it cuts travel times from the east to the west.

Stretching from Reading in Berkshire and Heathrow Airport in the west to Abbey Wood in the southeast and on to Shenfield in Essex, travel‐ ling times will be more than halved. But for now the train will only operate as three separate sec‐ tions, with end to end trains only expected to begin operating after summer.

The delay in operating the end to end service will mean longer travel times and the need to change

trains, however it is still expected to save a signifi‐

cant amount of travel time.

Death Star designer dies THE designer of the Death Star and the X‐ Wing made famous in the Star Wars series, has died, aged 90.

Although not a household name, Colin Cantwell was a man who left his mark on the world for his sci‐fi designs that appeared in many of the best‐selling movies of the 70s, 80s and 90s.

Cantwell died at his Colorado home on Sat‐ urday, May 21.

Born in 1932 in San Francisco, he studied animation at the University of California in Los Angeles, where he also attended Frank Lloyd Wright’s renowned School of Architec‐ ture.

Besides working in film, Cantwell had a long career working with NASA, creating educa‐ tional programmes for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the 1960s. In addition to help‐ ing people better understand space flight, he also acted as a go‐between giving live updates to US newsreader Walter Cronkite during his famous moon landing broadcast in 1969.

An author of two science fiction books, Cantwell worked as a computer graphics con‐ sultant on many films, including the 1983 film War Games.

12 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

NEWS

Big Ben is ready to chime again Canada storms Anne Ellis IT finally looks like Big Ben will chime hourly again as work on Parliament’s Elizabeth Tower nears an end.

The famous London attrac‐ tion has had a huge makeover with costs spiralling to at least £80 million, running over budget by around £51 million.

The abundance of scaffold‐

Pitch invasion

MANCHESTER CITY fans have been charged after a pitch inva‐ sion following their Premier League title win, and for an assault on the Aston Villa goalkeeper on Sunday, May 22.

The FA said it is “very concerned” with the series of incidents that have taken place this week during end‐of‐season pitch inva‐ sions, with former players believing it won’t take long before someone is seriously hurt.

During the pitch invasion, Aston Villa’s goalkeeper Robin Olsen was attacked by fans, resulting in Sky pundits Gary Neville and Roy Keane calling the perpetrators “idiots” and “scumbags”.

ing has finally been removed to show Big Ben restored to its former glory with the clock hands and Roman numerals having been transformed back to their original blue from black.

The famous London attrac‐ tion has been largely silent since 2017, although it has been reconnected for signifi‐ cant occasions such as Re‐ membrance Day, the UK’s de‐ parture from EU and New Year’s Eve. Modifications have includ‐ ed adding a lift and reglazing and repainting the clock dials.

Over 500 workers have been involved in upgrading the lighting, repairing roof tiles

and various other improvements.

BIG BEN: Now restored.

WHILE Spain was basking in a heatwave, severe storms have been raging through Canada, leaving five dead and hundreds of thousands without power.

The storms, which battered Ontario and Quebec, resulted in damage to trees, power lines and build‐ ings.

Thunderstorms that developed near Ontario on late Saturday, May 21 tracked over southern On‐ tario and into Ottawa leaving a trail of destruction.

More than 350,000 customers without power, and “many power outages continue today,” a weather agency said on Sunday, May 22. They added that many trees were uprooted, buildings damaged, roads left unpassable.

Nearly 500 crews were mobilised on Sunday to try and deal with the storm damage, working to restore power to the more than 500,000 properties affected.

According to reports at the peak of the storm, more than 550,000 homes were affected by power out‐ ages.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Monkeypox quarantine Anna Ellis BELGIUM is the first country to introduce compulsory quaran‐ tine for those who test positive to monkeypox.

Health authorities there have confirmed that those who con‐ tract the virus will have to self‐ isolate for three weeks.

The World Health Organisa‐ tion has confirmed worldwide cases of monkeypox with out‐ breaks in 12 different countries.

Spain has reported 30 cases whilst there are 23 confirmed cases in neighbouring Portugal.

The UK Health Security Agen‐ cy has detected 11 additional cases of monkeypox in England.

Monkeypox can be caught from infected wild animals in parts of west and central Africa.

It’s thought to be spread by ro‐ dents, such as rats, mice and squirrels. You can catch mon‐ keypox from an infected animal if you’re bitten or you touch its blood, body fluids, spots, blisters or scabs.

The Director of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Kremlin bans US Chris King

ON Saturday, May 21, the Kremlin published a black‐ list including 963 Americans who are now banned from entering Russia.

The list comes in re‐ sponse to the recent US sanctions imposed on the Kremlin, with each person listed subsequently banned permanently from entering the country.

“We emphasise that the hostile actions taken by Washington, which boomerang against the United States itself, will con‐ tinue to receive a proper re‐ buff.

“Russian counter‐sanc‐

tions are forced and aimed at forcing the ruling Ameri‐ can regime to change its be‐ haviour, recognising new geopolitical realities,” said the Kremlin.

President Joe Biden had already been banned back in March, but his name was again included, as was his son, Hunter.

Facebook/ Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg also fea‐ tures on the blacklist. One name missing though was that of former President, Donald Trump.

At the time, the Russian sanctions were mocked by the White House, claiming that nobody wanted to travel to Moscow anyway.

EWN 13

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

NEWS

Musk’s Brazil deal Chris King

ELON MUSK has agreed to deploy an internet satellite network over the Amazon for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

The president on Friday, May 20, described the al‐ liance that he is trying to forge with American busi‐ ness tycoon Elon Musk, as “a courtship that will end in marriage”.

Musk had arrived as a sur‐ prise guest of the far‐right government to analyse the economic potential of the country.

He was expected to an‐ nounce a plan to ‘monitor’ the Amazon and also help to expand the nation’s internet

Credit: Twitter@jairbolsonaro

14 EWN

SATELLITE NETWORK: Elon Musk with Jair Bolsonaro.

network to reach the most remote points in the region, thanks to his large Starlink network of satellites.

The world’s richest man held a meeting with the Brazilian head of state and a group of soldiers at a luxury

Hero celebrity Anna Ellis COOKERY legend and loveable TV presenter, Ainsley Harriott MBE, was hailed a hero after saving a woman from drowning at the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday, May 23.

The opening day of the Chelsea Flower Show made a dramatic start when a lady fell into a water feature. Onlookers were shocked as they watched events unfold.

According to reports, Harriott was part of a group of several people who helped pull the woman to safety. She was treated by paramedics, but her condition, as yet, is not known.

The 65‐year‐old presenter is perhaps best known for much loved cooking shows, Ready Steady Cook and Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook. Ad‐ mired for his fun and no nonsense approach to cooking, he is also the best selling author of nu‐ merous cookbooks. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a gardening show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society, the UK’s leading gardening charity.

hotel in Porto Feliz, located in the interior of the state of Sao Paulo.

There he announced his in‐ terest in bringing the Internet to 19,000 schools which op‐ erate in areas far removed from the main cities.

Queen cancels IT has been reported that for the first time in 70 years the Queen will not receive the salute from the Trooping the Colour parade on Thursday, June 2, and pass this honour on to Prince Charles.

The Queen used to attend on horseback herself, but in recent years has travelled by carriage.

Instead, this year, the Prince of Wales, and the Princess Royal will ride in the parade as colonels of the Welsh Guards, the Irish Guards and the Blues and Royals.

Her Majesty still reportedly hopes to attend some of the cere‐ mony, which starts four days of celebration to mark the Queen’s official birthday and Platinum Ju‐ bilee. Earlier in May, the Queen did not attend the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years, handing over the baton to Prince Charles and Prince William to act jointly at the event on her behalf.

Diana’s tiara exhibited ON Saturday, May 28, Sothebys is open‐ ing a new exhibition featuring the tiara Princess Diana wore during her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981.

Called ‘Power and Image: Royal and Aristocratic Tiaras’, the exhibition is ded‐ icated to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and will have stunning display of 40 pieces of jewellery.

The most famous tiara in the exhibi‐ tion is the Spencer Tiara, famously worn

by Princess Diana during her wedding to Prince Charles.

Lord Spencer, Diana’s younger broth‐ erl, has reportedly loaned the garland‐ style tiara to Sothebys London and it will be showcased for the first time since the 1960s. According to the auction house, it was a go‐to accessory for Diana, who re‐ portedly wore the piece seven times be‐ tween her marriage in 1981 and her death in 1997.

16 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Westminster claims Peter McLaren‐Kennedy

F O R M E R Lib Dem MP Mark Oaten has spoken out about a culture of drugs, public chat ups and abuse of junior staff in Westminster.

Oaten, once a rising star, told Andrew Marr that he blames the toxic environment in which MPs work, adding that he is surprised that there are not many more scandals caught up in the culture of drink‐ ing, drugs and late night votes that is life in par‐ liament.

The former politician, who resigned after be‐ ing caught liaising with a male sex worker in 2006, said: “I’m afraid drugs are commonplace.

I mean, I used to know of MPs who were snort‐

Former MP Mark Oaten.

ing coke off their office desks, I saw political ed‐ itors of national news‐ papers snorting it off toilet seats.

“I saw widespread drug taking, I saw widespread treatment of researchers, which w a s t o t a l l y u n a c c e p t‐ able.

“I saw MPs in chat ups with members of the public as they queued to get into Prime Minis‐ ter’s Question time in return for a free ticket.”

Stun gun accident

A POLICE officer in Flori‐ da, Miami, has now been charged after acci‐ dentally activating his stun gun, setting a biker on fire during an arrest on February 27.

Osceola County Sheriff Marcos López speaking to journalists on Thurs‐ day, May 19 said that the deputy is being charged with culpable negligence, while the

biker faces charges of reckless driving, fleeing law enforcement and re‐ sisting arrest.

The biker was record‐ ed weaving through traf‐ fic by a police helicopter before stopping for gas in neighbouring Orange Country. Deputies fol‐ lowed the biker out of their jurisdiction believ‐ ing that he had been part of a group of bikers

brandishing guns at peo‐ ple, according to the sheriff.

He explained that the biker’s motorcycle was knocked over during the arrest, spilling fuel.

While the biker was on the ground, a deputy ac‐ tivated his stun gun, set‐ ting the petrol‐soaked biker alight and leaving burns on 76 per cent of the biker’s body.

Alex Davies guilty ALEX DAVIES, a founder of the neo‐Nazi group National Action, has been found guilty on terrorism charges.

A former philosophy undergraduate at Warwick University, Davies was de‐ scribed by the prosecution as the “ex‐ tremist’s extremist”. They said he held a unique place in British history, managing to create two far right groups that were both banned under terrorism legislation.

A former campaigner for UKIP and a former member of the BNP youth wing, Davies is the last of the 25 members of

the neo‐Nazi group National Action to face jail after he was convicted of keep‐ ing the organisation running following a ban for encouraging the killing of MPs. Described by prosecutors as an “in‐ nocuous‐looking, educated and intelli‐ gent,” Davies used the internet to spread neo‐Nazi views and memes.

Barnaby Jameson QC, prosecuting said that National Action described itself as a “white jihadist” group, a “throw‐ back to the 1930s, dedicated to all‐out race war.”

NEWS

Russian defence AS with most wars, there is no shortage of propa‐ ganda, but one Russian defence columnist has gone on national TV to give his damning assess‐ ment of the war in Ukraine.

Aired on Twitter with English subtitles, Mikhail Khodarynok, said that the stories carried by Russia’s state TV are false.

He has also claimed that Ukraine is able to do something Russia can’t and that is to mo‐ bilise a million soldiers, which when equipped as they now are by the West have become a formidable force.

His damning assess‐ ment gives credibility to the claims by Ukraine that they will win the war in the end.

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Beckham rift rumours

ACCORDING to reports, tensions are grow‐ ing between Brooklyn Beckham’s new wife, Nicola Peltz, and brother Romeo’s fi‐ ancee, Mia Regan.

The boys’mother, Victoria Beckham, has reportedly been forced to get involved in an attempt to clear the air between the two.

Speculation is rife that the two ladies are not getting along as they have not been pictured together yet and rarely acknowl‐ edge each other on Instagram. They have been pushed together on family occasions, most recently at Brooklyn and Nicola’s wedding in Palm Beach last month.

Nicola has been part of the Beckham family since she publically started dating Brooking in November 2019 with Mia and Romeo making their relationship official on Instagram just four months later.

Actress Nicola, is thought to have a net worth of $50 million. Her father Nelson Peltz is one of the wealthiest people in the USA. He has a net worth of approximately $1.8 billion, but Nicola’s net worth comes from her movie roles.

Model Mia, signed with the prestigious Storm Models is thought to have a hugely successful career whilst combining her studies.

FBI warrant Chris King

A SEARCH and arrest war‐ rant was issued by the FBI on Monday, May 23 against the Spanish citi‐ zen Alejandro Cao de Benos.

The president of the Friendship Association with Korea is accused by the Americans of ‘conspir‐ ing’ in favour of the Py‐ ongyang government in order to avoid some of the sanctions imposed by the United States.

According to a state‐ ment released by the FBI, Cao de Benos, in collabo‐ ration with ‘an American citizen’, would have ma‐ noeuvred to ‘illegally pro‐ vide blockchain technolo‐ gy and cryptocurrency services’ to North Korea.

If proved to be true, he would have been violating the International Emer‐

Credit: fbi.gov

18 EWN

SEARCH WARRANT: Image of the FBI wanted poster.

gency Economic Powers Law I (IEEPA).

Cao de Benos was previ‐ ously accused of recruit‐ ing a US expert in cryp‐ tocurrencies when organising a conference on this matter which took place in Pyongyang in ear‐ ly 2018. This person’s trip to the North Korean capi‐ tal in April 2019, would

have also been seen as ‘violating US sanctions’.

“Cao de Benos allegedly coordinated the approval of the North Korean gov‐ ernment for the expert’s participation in the con‐ ference, and later contin‐ ued to conspire to hold a second one on cryptocur‐ rencies in 2020,” the FBI statement said.

NEWS

Manchester memorials

TRIBUTES poured in on Sunday, May 22 as the UK remembered the fifth anniversary of the Manchester Arena bombing.

The public was encouraged to pay their respects to those who lost their lives at new memorial, the Glade of Light, which was officially opened ear‐ lier in May by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Designed to be a living memorial and a tranquil garden space for re‐ membrance and reflection, the space is a setting for commemorative events in the city relating to the at‐ tack.

A white marble ‘halo’ ring stands at the heart of the memorial. The names of those who lost their lives are set in bronze upon it. Personalised memory capsules, filled with memories and mementoes of them provided by loved ones, have been embedded within the stone.

On May 22, 2017, an Islamist Ex‐ tremist suicide bomber detonated a shrapnel‐laden home‐made bomb as people were leaving the Manchester Arena following a concert by Ameri‐ can singer Ariana Grande. The blast killed 22 innocent victims and left more than 1,000 injured.

FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

EWN 19

Why time in the markets matters When you have worked hard to build up your savings, it is not always easy to decide how best to look after them, especially for your retirement years. You probably have some or all of the following objectives: • Protect your capital and maintain financial security • Generate an income • Grow the capital, but with an acceptable level of risk • Leave a healthy inheritance to your family You know that you need to invest to earn enough capital growth but may also be wary about taking on too much investment risk.

When invested, geopolitical events and market volatility can make you nervous. But by getting a better understanding of investment principles you can avoid some common pitfalls and turn your goals into reality.

The risks of trying to time the market Successful investors are

By Jon Pemberton, Partner, Blevins Franks

marathon runners, not sprinters. Staying invested in the markets over the long term usually gives the best returns. When markets fluctuate it can be tempting to buy and sell investments, to chase short-term gains or out of fear. Unfortunately, this can often result in entering or exiting the market at precisely the wrong time – reacting to current conditions is usually too late.

Then there is the risk of missing out. It’s surprising what a

difference certain days in a market cycle can make to returns. If, for example, you are not invested because you are waiting for share prices to stabilise after volatility, you could miss benefiting from rebound days if the market suddenly rallies.

To illustrate this, if you had invested £100,000 in the FTSE All-Share index for the ten-year period up to 31 December 2021, staying invested the whole time, you would have enjoyed a profit (before fees and charges) of £110,700 – your investment would notionally have more than doubled to £210,700, including the original investment.

Investors who missed the five, ten and twenty best days saw profits (before fees and charges) drop to £64,090, £40,540 and £6,820 respectively. Those who missed the best 30 days saw a loss of £15,800.

The importance of diversification Ensure your investment strategy is well diversified and suitable for your situation, risk appetite

and goals.

The best strategy for minimising risk is to diversify by spreading investments across multiple areas. This should include a range of different asset classes as well as geographical regions and market sectors. Diversification gives your portfolio the chance to produce positive returns over time without being vulnerable to any single area or stock underperforming.

Establishing a suitable investment approach Carefully assess your situation, income requirements, goals and timeline alongside your appetite for risk. This is best done objectively by an experienced professional who can then build a diversified portfolio with the right balance of risk/return for your peace of mind. Your arrangements should also be structured tax-efficiently for Spain.

If you have capital to invest but today’s climate makes you nervous, you could consider spreading the timing of your investments over a period by in-

vesting in tranches. The ‘pound cost averaging’ approach can help smooth out volatility and potentially improve average returns over longer periods.

Ultimately, a long-term, diversified investment approach is vital to help protect and grow your capital. While a ‘keep calm and stay invested’ approach usually gives the best overall results over time, make sure you still review your planning once a year to realign your investments with your risk profile and continue meeting your financial goals.

These views are put forward for consideration purposes only as the suitability of any investment is dependent on individual circumstances; take individual personalised advice. The value of investments can fall as well as rise as can the income arising from them. Past performance should not be seen as an indication of future performance.

Keep up to date on the financial issues that may affect you on the Blevins Franks news page at www.blevinsfranks.com.

20 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Credit: Wikipedia By Tasnim News Agency

Assassinated in Tehran

VOWED TO AVENGE: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

ACCORDING to the Tas‐ nim News Agency, Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, a high‐ranking member of Iran’s Revolu‐ tionary Guard has been gunned down outside his home in Tehran on Sun‐ day, May 22.

They claimed that he was killed in an attack by two assailants on a mo‐ torbike, who shot him five times then quickly fled the scene.

Shortly after the shooting, members of an Israeli intelligence net‐ work were arrested, added the news outlet, which is believed to be linked to the Revolution‐ ary Guard.

Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Ebrahim Raisi, the Presi‐ dent of Iran has vowed to take revenge for the attack. Without men‐ tioning either Israel or

the US, the shooting was blamed on ‘global arro‐ gance’, a term normally used in reference to the two nations.

Raisi is said to have commented that frustra‐ tions were starting to show from those defeat‐ ed on the battlefield. It is thought he was referring to ongoing fighting be‐ tween Iranian‐backed Shia militias and the US military in Iraq.

NEWS

Damages for migrant workers HUMAN rights organisation Amnesty International on Thursday, May 19, made a de‐ mand of world football’s gov‐ erning body FIFA to pay com‐ pensation to migrant workers. These migrants have been involved in the construc‐ tion of new stadiums for the prestigious sporting event in the Middle Eastern nation.

Amnesty has suggested a fig‐ ure of at least $440 million (€416 million) in damages would be about right.

Ever since work began on the new football venues,

Qatar has been heavily criti‐ cised for its treatment of the labour force. In a statement, Amnesty International said: “FIFA should spend at least $440 million to repair the damage suffered by hundreds of thousands of migrant workers who were victims of human rights abuses in Qatar during preparations for the 2022 World Cup.” This figure, according to the NGO, is equivalent to the amount of World Cup prize money on of‐ fer that the 32 participating countries will share.

“With six months to go be‐ fore the World Cup kicks off, abuses will continue unabat‐ ed unless the action plan put in place by FIFA and its part‐ ners is properly implement‐ ed,” the statement continued.

“However, it is already too late to erase the past suffer‐ ing, and it is time for FIFA and Qatar to put things right.”

The number of deaths quoted to have occurred on the construction sites have al‐ ways been vehemently de‐ nied by the authorities in Qatar.

Demanding refunds

Laura Kemp BRITISH AIRWAYS has bowed to furious pas‐ sengers, agreeing to refund hundreds of thou‐ sands of travellers who were given vouchers for bookings cancelled during the Covid pan‐ demic. British Airways, which has retained some customers’ money for two years and is‐ sued 3.3 million vouchers instead, has begun to process refunds to those who qualify.

The airline, which has received thousands of complaints for issuing vouchers instead of re‐ funds, made a minor concession in March by

letting travellers refund their voucher if it was two years old, however, it only applied if the airline had cancelled the booking and not the passenger.

In a significant U‐turn, British Airways has now started the pay automatic refunds ‐ some worth several thousand pounds ‐ to more pas‐ sengers.

The airline has not explained why some pas‐ sengers with vouchers have not received a re‐ fund. It has also refused to say the number of vouchers that will be refunded.

22 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

BA cancellations Peter McLaren‐Kennedy BRITISH AIRWAYS continued to cancel flights from UK airports on Thursday, May 19, weeks after it first experienced IT prob‐ lems and staff shortages.

One hundred and thirty short and medi‐ um haul flights were cancelled from Lon‐ don Heathrow, with more expected over the following days, in what the airline said included planned cancellations. One hun‐ dred and eight long‐haul flights were also

cancelled, with departures removed from the schedules weeks ago.

BA said all passengers were notified in advance, however according to one publi‐ cation, that was not always the case, with some 10,000 people’s travel plans affect‐ ed.

The company, whose problems have been well documented, has brought in planes and crew from its OneWorld part‐ ner Finnair in an effort to stabilise its schedules, as it has staff from Spain.

Weapons for Moldova THE UK´s Foreign Secre‐ tary Liz Truss has re‐ vealed she wants to sup‐ ply weaponry to Moldova to defend the nation from any Russian inva‐ sion During an interview on Friday, May 20, Truss said: “I would want to see Moldova equipped to NATO standard. This is a discussion we’re having with our allies,” ex‐ plained Ms Truss.

She added: “Putin has been absolutely clear about his ambitions to create a greater Russia ‐ and just because his at‐ tempts to take Kyiv weren’t successful it doesn’t mean he’s aban‐ doned those ambitions.”

Moldova is not a NATO member and for some weeks there has been growing concern that the tiny nation could become the next target for inva‐

sion by the Russian lead‐ er.

Its military force is cur‐ rently equipped with So‐ viet‐era equipment. This would subsequently be replaced with modern weaponry should the plan to arm them come to fruition. Full instruc‐ tion and training would also need to be given to Moldova’s military on the use of this new equip‐ ment.

NEWS

A special Eastenders party Laura Kemp THE Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will be joining the residents of Albert Square in an episode to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, taking part in a street party held in honour of the monarch’s 70 years on the throne.

The scenes were filmed in March when Charles and Camilla visited the set in El‐ stree and met members of

Prince Charles and Camilla will be joining the residents of Albert Square.

the cast.

The episode is set to be broadcast on Thursday June 2 on BBC One.

Mick Carter, played by Dan‐ ny Dyer, decided to throw a jubilee party for the residents of the square and will tease in later episodes of the much‐ loved soap that there will be some very special guests at‐ tending.

Chris Clenshaw, executive producer for Eastenders, said the show was “truly hon‐ oured” to have Charles and Camilla make an appearance in “one of EastEnders' most special episodes.”

Starbucks to leave Russia IN a statement released on Monday, May 23, American coffee giant Starbucks an‐ nounced its intention to pull out of Russia completely. The company had already sus‐ pended its business in the country last March, following the invasion of Ukraine.

Starbucks has a total of 130 coffee shops throughout Russia, employing around 2,000 people. The company has pledged to look af‐ ter them and will cover the salaries of these employees for six months.

“As we mentioned on March 8, we have suspended all business activity in Russia, in‐

cluding the shipment of all Starbucks prod‐ ucts. Starbucks has made the decision to exit and no longer have a brand presence in the market,” read the statement.

All Starbucks locations in Russia are oper‐ ated by the Alshaya Group, based in Kuwait.

By pulling out of Russia they are following in the footsteps of fast‐food burger giants Mc‐ Donald’s, who recently closed its 850 restau‐ rants.

The first Russian Starbucks opened in 2017, and by 2015 the company expanded its presence to 100 cafes across the country.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

Floods affect millions Anna Elli DAYS of flooding and landslides in some parts of Bangladesh and east‐ ern India, have affected millions of people and left at least 57 dead.

At least two million people have been ma‐ rooned by the worst floods in the northeast of Bangladesh for nearly 20 years.

Bangladesh and India are both countries that are prone to flooding and experts say that climate change is increasing the likelihood of events like this there and around the world Assam authorities said that more than 850,000 people in about 3,200 vil‐ lages had been affected by the floods, triggered by torrential rains that submerged swathes of farmland and damaged thousands of homes.

Nearly 90,000 people have been moved to state‐run relief shelters as water levels in rivers run high and large swathes of land remain submerged in most dis‐ tricts.

26 May - 1 June 2022

Putin ‘bracing for a coup’ SIR RICHARD DEARLOVE, the 77-year-old former MI6 chief, on Sunday, May 22, claimed all was not going well for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he was bracing himself for an attempted coup.

“I think he’ll be gone by 2023 - but probably into the sanatorium, from which he will not emerge as the leader of Russia,” said the ex-spy boss. “I’m not saying he won’t emerge from the sanatorium, but he won’t emerge as the leader of Russia any longer. That’s a way to sort of move things on without a coup.” Andrei Soldatov, the respected Russian investigative journalist, and co-founder and editor of

Peter McLaren‐Kennedy SOME workers in the UK are reportedly being ad‐ vised that they will be bet‐ ter off on benefits than in work.

Speaking to media, Safeguarding Minister Rachel Maclean, suggest‐ ed people protect them‐ selves from the cost of liv‐ ing crisis by working longer hours or moving to work at a better job.

However a policing union suggested this could lead to many peo‐ ple leaving the public sec‐ tor. One police officer who is on the lower rung of the pay scale for full time, qualified officers said her accountant had shown her she would be better off claiming Univer‐ sal Credit.

On the benefit she

Agentura.ru, while speaking to the Centre for European Policy Analysis, also made similar claims about the Russian leader.

Putin is thought to be ‘very worried’ said Soldatov, with security in and around the Kremlin being tightened.

Relations are also strained between Putin and Russia’s Federal Security Service, claimed Soldatov.

Two senior FSB officers were reportedly put under house arrest by Putin last month. Sergei Beseda, the foreign intelligence branch chief of the FSB, along with his deputy, Anatoly Bolyukh, both allegedly being detained.

Benefits pay

SOME WORKERS: Perhaps better off on benefits.

could be entitled to £334.91 per week and if she supplements that by working 22 hours a week at minimum wage, she could see that figure rise to £543.91 a week. That would leave her over

£125 a week better off.

If you then take into ac‐ count child care, which currently averages out at around £53 a day in the UK, that could see her save a further £100 a week.

EWN 23

24 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

NEWS

Sweden signs NATO application SWEDEN formally signed their NATO application on Tuesday, May 17.

The application follows confirmation that the ruling party would support an application to join the defence bloc fol‐ lowing Russian threats to its security.

Sweden, who has remained neutral for many years, had indicated that the political landscape had changed and it was necessary to take steps to protect the country and its people.

Although the move has been wel‐ comed by Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, question marks remain whether Turkey will block their accep‐ tance. Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, has flip‐flopped in recent days over whether he will or won’t block Swe‐ den’s membership of NATO. On Tuesday, May 17, he however

ANNE LINDE: The Swedish Foreign Secretary signed the application.

confirmed that he could not support the application.

It is understood talks will be held with Erdogan and NATO to try and re‐ solve the impasse.

Obstruction tactics PM Boris Johnson was accused of unacceptable and obstruc‐ tionist tactics after meeting with the political parties in Northern Ireland on Monday, May 16.

Johnson travelled to North‐ ern Ireland to try and encour‐ age all the parties to return to Stormont following the recent elections, following the Demo‐ cratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) refusal unless ‘decisive action’ was taken on post‐Brexit trade arrangements.

Boris Johnson was at Hills‐ borough Castle to encourage the parties to reform Northern Ireland’s institutions after the assembly election.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has withheld its support until the government takes ‘decisive action’ on post‐Brexit trade arrange‐ ments.

Johnson has said a “legisla‐ tive solution” was needed to resolve the issue.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “We would love this to be done in a consensual way with our friends and partners, ironing out the problems, stopping some of these barri‐ ers east‐west.”

According to official sources, 53 of the 90 members elected are in favour of retaining the protocol, a clear majority.

In the meantime, Sweden have pressed ahead, signing their application to become a member of NATO, which if accepted will make the country the 31st member.

The Bill rebooted THE popular TV series, The Bill, is returning more than a decade after it was axed, with a reboot slated for early next year.

As reported in the British press, the soap opera could be making a comeback in the first quarter of 2023 nearly 40 years after it was first aired. Axed in 2010, it ran for a whopping 26 seasons.

Originally shown on prime‐time TV, the comeback will apparently be shown on UKTV with producers and execs said to believe that it is just sitting, waiting, to be rebooted.

The Bill collected a loyal fan base who watched as the programme launched the ca‐ reers of many top names including Keira Knightley, David Tennant, James McAvoy, Sean Bean, David Walliams and Paul O'Grady.

The Bill, will be joining a number of other shows that have enjoyed a successful return, after they too were rebooted.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

EWN 25

RULE CHANGES: Could see people facing fines.

Famous babies SINGER, actress and designer, Rihanna, announced the birth of her first child on the same day that Ed Sheeran announced the arrival of his second.

Rihanna, who has more than 129 million followers on Instagram, posted many pictures of herself during her pregnancy, setting a number of style trends.

She had said at the time of announcing her pregnancy that she wanted to have four or more children.

Rihanna and artist partner A$AP Rocky have yet to share the little name or actual birthdate.

Ed Sheeran, announcing his news on Instagram and his wife Cherry Seaborn posted a picture of baby socks, adding: “Want to let you all know we've had another beautiful baby girl. We are both so in love with her.”

Congratulations poured in for both Rihanna and Sheeran, two proud parents that have welcome baby girls into the world.

Peter McLaren‐Kennedy IT is expected that new driv‐ ing rule changes set to be im‐ plemented across England and Wales in May could bring an avalanche of fines.

The new laws, which come into effect on May 31, will al‐ low councils to fine drivers up to £70 for offences such as making illegal turns, stopping in yellow boxes at junctions and driving through no entry signs.

In the past only the police were able to penalise drivers for misdemeanours on the road, however the new changes will see that respon‐ sibility pass to councils. This could mean more fines for drivers, with councils typically having more enforcement of‐ ficers on the road as well as the use of CCTV. According to the Depart‐ ment for Transport, the mea‐ sures will bring benefits in‐ cluding protecting cyclists and helping buses be more punc‐ tual as the roads are freed up of illegal parkers, intersection blockers and illegal turners.

DOZENS of people were reported injured, 13 seriously, after a freak triple‐tornado ripped through a German city.

German meteorologists had forecast strong winds of around 80mph with rain and hail for Friday, May 20, but they never expected the freak triple‐tornado that ripped through parts of the North Rhine‐Westphalia region.

According to reports, at least 13 people were seriously injured, with dozens more hurt. Three tornados were generated by the freak storm which reportedly ‘snapped trees like matches’ in the western state of central Germany. Images on social media showed vehicles overturned. Lo‐ cal authorities in North Rhine‐Westphalia had warned people to stay indoors as the storm hit Paderborn, in nearby Lippstadt, on the edge of A COMPETITION run in honour of the Queen on her Platinum Jubilee has resulted in eight new cities being created, the first time Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories were allowed to apply.

The cities announced on Friday, May 20, cover every nation as well as the Falk‐ land Islands and the Isle of Man. Those towns looking to

Credit: Twitter@ac_11x

New UK driving rules Tornado injures dozens DESTRUCTION: Caused by tornado in Germany.

the town of Hoexter.

Michael Dreier, the mayor of Paderborn said that 43 people had been injured. He told how buildings had their roofs ripped off and windows were blown out. A trail of destruction around 300 metres wide was left behind by the torna‐ dos.

Queen’s honour be afforded the royal hon‐ our were required to show their cultural heritage and royal links, as well as how their local identity and communities were deserv‐ ing of city status.

Being afforded city sta‐ tus is a bonus for local communities according to

the Cabinet Office, with the status opening up new op‐ portunities for those that live and work there.

The addition of the eight new cities takes the tally across the UK to 76, with 55 in England, eight in Scot‐ land, seven in Wales and six in Northern Ireland.

26 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

NEWS

Record billionaires Russia control steelworks Peter McLaren‐Kennedy THE Sunday Times Rich List for 2022 was released on Friday, May 20 with a record number of UK billion‐ aires making the list.

Included on the list was the man tasked with managing the UK economy, Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer and his wide Akshata Murty, with their estimated joint fortune of £730 million.

Topping the list are the London‐based Hinduja brothers, Sri and Gopi, whose fam‐ ily are the richest people in the UK with a £28 billion fortune.

That is up a stag‐ gering £11 billion on last year.

The average wealth of those on the rich list rose an inflation busting 8 per cent last year.

IT has been claimed that Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks are now totally un‐ der Russian control.

Unverified reports by Russian authori‐ ties on Friday, May 20, claimed the last remaining Ukrainian fighters defending the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol sur‐ rendered. It is believed these last men were from the feared Azov Regiment.

“The territory of the Azovstal metallur‐ gical plant has been completely liberat‐ ed,” said a statement from the Russian Defence Ministry. It added: “The under‐ ground facilities of the enterprise, where the militants were hiding, came under

the full control of the Russian armed forces.”

Ukrainian troops have fought and held out for four weeks inside this huge Mari‐ upol facility. If the Russian claims prove to be true then it means the Black Sea port city will be totally under the control of Vladimir Putin’s military forces.

On Monday, May 16, the remaining sol‐ diers were ordered to stand down by the Ukrainian authorities. It is claimed by Russia that 531 fighters have now surren‐ dered. If confirmed, this would bring the total number of troops to have recently surrendered from Azovstal to 2,439.

Ryanair steward shame GOPI HINDUJA: Part of the richest family in the UK.

Dropping down the list are the Russian oligarchs, many of whom have had to of‐ fload assets as sanc‐ tions bite, including Roman Abramovich, who slid 20 places out of the top 10.

For some, the an‐

nouncement that the UK has a record num‐ ber of billionaires will be signs of a strong economy, while oth‐ ers will see the list as a further sign of a growing divide be‐ tween the rich and the poor.

Chris King A RYANAIR steward who allegedly knocked back booze during a flight on Wednesday, May 18 was arrested and subsequently sacked.

Twenty‐six‐year‐old Sam Thompson is be‐ lieved to have been breathalysed by the cap‐ tain during a flight to London Stansted airport in Essex, from the Polish airport of Rzeszow operated by Ryanair’s sister company, Lauda Europe. Thompson, from Cheshunt, Herts, was duly arrested when the aircraft landed af‐ ter the captain is thought to have alerted the

police. He is reportedly due to appear on June 8 at Chelmsford magistrates’ court.

Speaking to one publication, a passenger said: “I don’t know what he was thinking. I asked for a drink and when he came over he said to me, ‘Shush, don’t tell anyone but I will have one, too’.”

He continued: “Then he started necking a shot of whisky. He also had a 187ml bottle of rosé. He sounded drunk and looked like he had been drinking for longer than just on the flight. I asked to speak to the captain and he was furious.”

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Eurovision irregularity

EUROVISION has once again been the subject of controversy, with irregular‐ ities in the voting on the night of the second semi‐fi‐ nal.

The European Broadcast‐ ing Union (EBU) responded to these rumours after un‐ dertaking an investigation, and what it found was that the votes of six countries were recalculated.

In their statement, the organisers said an algo‐ rithm is used to detect any irregularities in the voting, with countries unable to vote for themselves. Nor are they supposed to col‐ lude with others when it comes to voting, hence the use of software to detect any such transgressions.

The issue was picked up in the second semi‐final, which is believed to stem from an agreement among themselves to vote for each other.

What the computer algo‐ rithm detected was that

EUROVISION: Some countries questioned the voting.

their votes did not coincide with that of the popular ju‐ ry (50 per cent of the vote), which resulted in their votes being discounted. As a result the six countries Romania, Georgia, Mon‐

tenegro, Azerbaijan, San Marino and Poland, lodged a complaint.

But following the investi‐ gation, organisers were found to have adhered to the rules.

Legendary music icon dead THE death of legendary Oscar‐ winning composer and world‐ renowned music icon, Vange‐ lis, was confirmed by his representatives on Thursday, May 19. No cause of death has been revealed for the 79‐ year‐old Greek national, who reportedly died in a French hospital.

He will be remembered for some stunning film themes he composed. These included his Oscar‐winning Best Origi‐ nal Score in 1981 for the epic, Chariots of Fire. Vangelis was also responsible for compos‐ ing music for The Bounty, and the original Blade Runner, for Ridley Scott’s epic 1982 sci‐fi film starring Harrison Ford.

In 1967, Vangelis was among the Greek musicians who formed the progressive rock band Aphrodite’s Child, with the latter’s album ‘666’, released in 1972, going on to be recognised as a progres‐ sive‐psychedelic rock classic.

Among the band’s members was another future music leg‐ end, Demis Roussos.

Recognised as one of the

forerunners of electronic mu‐ sic, Vangelis has composed and played on more than 50 albums. In the early 1980s he formed a formidable partner‐ ship with Jon Anderson, the

lead singer of progressive rock band Yes. As a duo, Jon & Vangelis released four albums which resulted in the smash worldwide hit ‘I’ll Find My Way Home’, in 1982.

Spy claims Putin is ill

By Chris King

ACCORDING to former British spy, Christopher Steele, Russian Vladimir Putin is under the constant supervision of doctors.

He revealed this in a recent interview on Wednesday, May 18, but said the exact nature of his illness is unclear.

Mr Steele claimed Putin seems unable to complete any substantial period of time in meetings without the interven‐ tion of one of his doctors to administer treatment. The ex‐in‐ telligence officer for MI6 said: “He’s constantly accompanied by a team of doctors.”

“Meetings of the security council that are supposed to last for an hour are broken up into several sections. He receives some kind of medical treatment between those sections,” continued Steele.

He explained: “And so clearly he is seriously ill, I mean how terminal or incurable it is, is not clear... we can’t be sure. But it’s certainly having a serious impact on the governance of Russia.”

Speaking of the possibility of Putin being replaced, Steele said: “The talk is that if anyone is going to replace Putin it’s go‐ ing to be somebody more ‐ well, not hardline, but more hard‐ line than Putin. That isn’t necessarily good news.”

EWN 27

28 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Food price warning

THE Bank of England Gover‐ nor, Andrew Bailey, has warned of “apocalyptic” food prices, with further sharp increases expected as a result of the war in Ukraine.

Referring to the effect of the invasion of world sup‐ plies, he said the war had re‐ sulted in a global shortage of wheat and cooking oil that would continue to drive up prices.

The bank predicted that in‐

flation will hit 10 per cent this year and is forecasting a sharp slowdown in economic growth. That has led to the bank increasing interest rates to 1 per cent.

Speaking to MPs on the Treasury Select Committee he said the potential for fur‐ ther inflation in food prices was a “major worry” adding that “Ukraine and Russia is the big risk in a way.”

Support for the governor is however waning with a

Apocalyptic questioned.

growing frustration amongst MPs that the bank did not move quickly enough to deal with the inflation problem and some ministers have since questioned the Gover‐ nor’s use of the word ‘apoca‐ lyptic’.

Kay Mellor dies aged 71

A ROLLEM PRODUCTIONS series Playing The Field and in spokesperson has reported the 2010 received an OBE. actress and Fat Friends cre‐ But she was probably best ator, Kay Mellor, died on known for creating and Sunday, May 15 at the age writing the ITV series Fat of 71.

Friends, which helped Mellor began her career launch James Corden’s ca‐ writing plays, worked on reer. The show which ran Coronation Street and creat‐ from 2000‐2005 also ed the award‐winning chil‐ starred Ruth Jones, Sheridan dren’s drama Children’s Ward.

Smith and Alison Steadman.

Kay received an OBE. She also wrote comedy and dra‐ The spokesperson said: “It is ma series such as The Syndicate, with profound sadness we an‐ Girlfriends and Band of Gold. nounce the untimely and sudden passing of our She also wrote BBC One’s women's football beloved friend, mentor and colleague Kay.”

NEWS

Fight Covid with salt water

DAYS after supreme leader Kim Jong‐un said the Covid‐19 outbreak was a national disas‐ ter, the country has told citi‐ zens to gargle with salt water.

The secretive country shut its doors to the world as the pandemic took hold, with the country denying the existence of any Covid‐19 cases. Howev‐ er, since relaxing the rules, the virus has spread like wildfire through the unvaccinated country.

Not willing to follow west‐ ern customs, norms and meth‐ ods, the country has told its cit‐ izens that they should gargle with salt water. That they said will help fight the virus. It also does not have the resources to acquire the vaccines that have been used elsewhere.

According to sources, North Korea had recorded more than 1.7 million cases of fever and 62 deaths. This within a few days of the outbreak.

With the country lacking the facilities to carry out testing and with a history of hiding bad news, actual numbers are likely far higher than the re‐ ported figures.

NORTH KOREA: Shut its doors to the world.

Russian armoured train blown up THE Ukrainian Defence Force have said they blew up a Russian armoured train in an occupied part of Ukraine on Wednesday, May 18.

According to their Facebook post, Ukrainian fighters used an explosive device to blow up the train in the southern city of Meli‐ topol.

The unverified reports have not met with a response from Russia’s Ministry of Defence.

Little information is provided in the post other than acknowl‐ edging the Ukrainian Territorial Defence’s role in the explosion.

The reservist branch of the armed forces, apparently, placed the device under a carriage carrying armed servicemen.

It is not known whether or how many casualties there were or the extent of the damage.

The area of Melitopol, where the armoured train was blown up, has been under Russian control since the start of the inva‐ sion.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Plane crash intentional?

DATA taken from the black box of the China Eastern Airlines plane which crashed earlier this year, suggest the accident may have been intentional.

A report out on Wednesday, May 18 suggests someone in the cockpit had input controls which sent the plane into a near‐vertical descent.

Citing people familiar with US officials' preliminary assess‐ ment of the disaster, an un‐ named source said: “The plane did what it was told to do by someone in the cockpit,” result‐ ing in the death of 132 passen‐ gers and crew.

Although the investigation is being undertaken by Chinese authorities, the US is involved, with the plane having been manufactured in the US by Boeing.

The investigation is now fo‐ cused on the actions of one of the pilots. Investigators, howev‐ er, haven’t ruled out the possi‐ bility that someone else on the plane gained access to the cock‐ pit and intentionally caused the plane to crash.

The China Eastern Airlines flight was en route from Kun‐ ming to Guangzhou and was cruising at a steady altitude and speed before its rapid descent.

A video recording showed the plane drop vertically to the ground within minutes from its cruising altitude of 8,800 metres.

Plane crashed to the ground within minutes.

Women’s equal pay deal

WOMEN’S soccer in the US has secured a land‐ mark pay deal that will see them earn an equal amount as the men’s team.

According to a local news channel, the men and women’s team agreed to identical collec‐ tive bargaining agreements on Wednesday, May 18. The deal is believed to be a world’s first that will see the two teams split World Cup prize money equally.

Becky Sauerbrunn, USWNT player and Play‐ er’s Association President, said: “We hope that this agreement and its historic achievements in

not only providing for equal pay but also in im‐ proving the training and playing environment for National Team players will similarly serve as the foundation for continued growth of wom‐ en’s soccer both in the United States and abroad.”

The deal puts an end to the lawsuit brought by the USWNT players against US Soccer, or it will do once the courts approve the settlement.

The two teams will, it is understood, benefit from the same health and safety, travel, accom‐ modations, staffing, and field standards.

EWN 29

Tasers for UK police

THE Home Office has said that special consta‐ bles, volunteer police officers, will be armed with Taser stun guns so that they are “not at a disadvantage” when facing attackers.

The announcement on Tuesday, May 17, was questioned by Amnesty International, who called it “a dangerous expansion” in their use.

However, the Home Office believes it is justi‐ fied with more than 8,900 volunteer officers in England and Wales, not provided with any defensive equipment.

Home Office Secre‐ tary, Priti Patel, has said that special constables should be able to use the electric stun guns if

they complete the spe‐ cific training. The choice of using the Tasers is being left to individual police forces.

The use of Tasers, which were introduced in 2003 was initially lim‐ ited to firearm officers, with their use extended in 2008 to include non‐ firearm officers.

Emitting a high volt‐ age charge, the stun gun temporarily dis‐ ables those that have been “shot” with the unit.

It is understood that to carry a Taser, special officers will have to have completed a year’s service and have at least 200 duty hours af‐ ter they have achieved ‘directed patrol status’.

30 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

REMAKES, REBOOTS & REVIVALS version will always be better than copies or dubbed versions.

‘House of Cards’? The UK version was BREAKING VIEWS typically British and concise, dark humour Nora is the author of popular psychological throughout with one of the most terrifying suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist. final episodes ever. The US version, for ‘TEN PERCENT’, the re‐ many a typical soap opera make of a popular French of politics, ended up being a TV series, recently opened vast multi‐season vehicle to mixed reviews in Britain for an actor who shall not which makes you wonder be named. Both produc‐ if you view a show differ‐ tions had their merits but ently depending on the differences are typical whether you’ve seen the of UK/US cross pollination. original or not. Series like Now you might think ‘The Killing’ and ‘The that too, but as crime writer Bridge’ were such quality I couldn’t possibly com‐ shows which many didn’t ment... think could be bettered so Nora Johnson’s critically I wasn’t interested in acclaimed psychological watching the remakes, but crime thrillers (www.nora‐ maybe they were highly johnson.net) all available enjoyable for those who online including audio‐ missed out on the origi‐ books. Profits to Cudeca Nora’s latest thriller. nals. cancer charity.

Similarly, I haven’t seen the US version of ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ since For more from our having read the book and enjoyed the orig‐ columnists please inal film, it would have been serious, um, scan this overkill.

QR Code Watching any series or film in its original

NORA JOHNSON

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

EUROPEAN PRESS

EUROPEAN PRESS DENMARK

FINLAND

Top scoff

Historic signature

A SURVEY of the world’s most popular sandwiches undertaken by CNN has included the Danish smørrebrød, the open rye bread which can be topped with almost anything and says that it is even more important to Danes than smorgasbord is to the Swedish.

A FINNISH journalist Jari Hanska lent Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto an €8 pen purchased from Stockmann's online store, so it would stand out as he signed Finland's NATO application letter on May 17. Since then, stocks of the pen have sold out to souvenir hunters.

THE NETHERLANDS

IRELAND

Double Dutch

Outdoor drinking

DUTCH Jews who were sent to concentration camps and returned home at the end of the Second World War often found that their houses had been allocated to local officials who refused to move out. Thousands of surviving relatives are still fighting for compensation.

ALTHOUGH the Republic is known for having plenty of bars, it is thanks to Covid-19 that it will still be possible to drink alcohol in adjacent approved outdoor seating areas on public land until 11pm as the government extends the legislation for another six months.

BELGIUM

ITALY

Historic experience

Howling wolf

BELGIAN radio station VTR interviewed rock journalist Jean-Noël Coghe who revealed that he picked up a beer mat from Brussels bar Le Coq in 1967 but only recently realised that on the back was ‘Are You Experienced’ doodled

by Jimi Hendrix months before his debut album was released.

THANKS to the legend of Romulus and Remus, Italy is very fond of wolves although farmers may not be so pleased to learn that according to the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research there are now some 3,300 wild wolves in the country.

GERMANY

PORTUGAL

Thirsty summer

UFO investigation

OKTOBER FEST could be in trouble this year as according to media site DW, Germany's brewers have warned that there might not be enough beer bottles for this coming summer season due to rising production costs and logistical issues which will affect smaller breweries in particular.

NOT claiming to be convinced that there are aliens among us, a group of researchers including lawyers, former police officers and engineers have created the Centre for Investigation of Aerospace Phenomena in Porto, with the intention of studying what they refer to as ‘extraordinary phenomena.

FRANCE

UKRAINE

To little girls

Real thing

FRANCE’S first female prime minister for more than 30 years, Elisabeth Borne, was formally welcomed by President Macron on May 16 and in her inaugural speech, said "I want to dedicate my nomination to all little girls and tell them to go all the way pursuing your dreams."

LATEST company to restart production in the Ukraine is Coca-Cola as its plant in Kyiv Oblast has reopened after closing in February following the Russian invasion according to Forbes. Although not in full swing it is gearing up to supply drinks locally and resume exports to Moldova.

NORWAY

SWEDEN

a-ha

LGBTQI inclusivity

NOTHING to do with ABBA and Alan Partridge, a-ha The Movie is a full-length documentary, released this May, dealing with the rise of Norwegian band a-ha who although they only had one hit in the USA, managed to sell 55 million records worldwide.

AS Sweden and Finland upset Russia over their application to join NATO, they also managed to upset another country as they both flew the rainbow flags on May 17 over their Embassy buildings in Lusaka, Zambia where homosexuality is against the law.

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT LAST week’s ‘conspiracy’ piece seems to have caused quite a furore.

Contrary to a number of reader’s opinions, including the correspondent published on the Letters page, I was not stating that all the conspiracy theorists were talking insecure rubbish.

My views were directed more at those that appear to find a conspiracy in almost every major and often minor event that ensues.

I do actually believe in a number of conspiracies. For example, I think it highly possible that Kennedy was taken out by the mob. I consider Marilyn Monroe was murdered, as was Steven Ward and I’m convinced the tragic Dr David Kelly was ‘removed’ before he could reveal the truth about the so‐called weapons of mass destruction preceding Blair’s Iraq war fiasco. So ya see the ol’ boy is not averse to the occasional conspiracy theory, just those that are besotted by them.

At this stage I would like to warn everyone that watching too many BBC news programmes is highly likely to make you lose the will to live. Every single bulletin contains so much doom and gloom, I’m surprised British institutions aren’t

26 May - 1 June 2022

Naughty boy

completely over‐ flowing with cases of depressive mania.

There is of course method in their cheerless and miserable attitude. Most of their news reports blame the government for just about every UK malady under the sun. If they can manage to turn the whole country into one great big lump of human misery, they may just get the voters opting for a change in the next election ‐ if only to cheer them up!

Don’t laugh (whatever you do!) their dejection and misery methods were highly successful in the local elections.

Coupled with a relentless, never ending rake up of ‘birthday‐gate’ (and their utter lack of enthusiasm for Starmer’s ‘beer‐ gate’) including the attitudes of every carefully selected interviewee ‐ who almost without exception were predominately left wing, government accusing moaners ‐ they managed to overturn 500 conservative council seats without any new Labour policy declarations or ideas whatsoever!

How quickly they have also managed to cause people to forget the billions the Conservative government handed out to people and businesses in their efforts to help them survive and get through the

Covid pandemic.

As for the rising cost of living, plus threats of a possible recession; most of the world’s major countries, après pandemic, are in exactly the same position. It’s not the British government’s fault.

Don’t look to Starmer’s bunch for answers; outside of an energy company ‘windfall tax’ ‐ which would actually be akin to putting a sticking plaster on an amputation ‐ their precious Labour government actually have no ideas whatsoever on how to solve the problems.

I know who I would rather trust to bring the country out the other end of this global nightmare and it aint the likes of Starmer, Angela Rayner or Diana Abbott.

Let old Boris have his cake and eat it I say.

I’m sure he won’t be such a naughty boy again’.

Keep the faith.

Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com.

Mon. and Fri. 1pm till 4

For more from our columnists please scan this QR Code

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

EWN 31

FINANCE Investment banker SWISS bank Credit Suisse has reportedly persuaded the head of investment banking at Barclays in Spain, Nacho Moreno to become head of investment banking and capital markets for Spain and Portugal as it replaces senior executives who have moved on to other companies.

STAT OF WEEK

£3 billion

is the amount that the Hinkley Point C, nuclear power station being built in Somerset is over budget which was originally set at £23 billion.

Growth drops Credit: Bank of Spain

BUSINESS EXTRA

euroweeklynews.com • 26 May - 1 June 2022

34

Little luxuries

Amazon Spain TO celebrate the Day of Cultural Diversity on May 21, Amazon Spain revealed that it employs staff from more than 100 different countries across five continents in its different Spanish operations and apart from Spain, there are many staff of European Union nationality as well as Latin America.

Senior discount THE Iceland chain of supermarkets is to offer a 10 per cent discount to its UK customers aged over 60 every Tuesday in an effort to help them cope with the dramatic rise in the cost of living as supermarkets battle for custom.

Green Product VALENCIA based Recover, a leading materials science company and global producer of low‐impact, high‐ quality recycled cotton fibre and cotton fibre blends, has won the Green Product Award 2022 in the Fashion category. Announced on May 18, the company was recognised for its innovative, environmentally friendly products, which are created in partnership with the supply chain, offering an end‐to‐ end sustainable solution for major brands and retailers. Over 1,500 participants from 52 countries applied for this year’s awards, before Recover was chosen as a winner.

Bank of Spain Governor Pablo Hernandez de Cos.

THE Bank of Spain has published its Annual Report for 2021 which also looks forward to 2022.

Released on May 18 with a fore‐ word by Bank Governor Pablo Hernandez de Cos, it outlines the situation which saw the country recover from the pandemic and obtain significant financial support from the European Union.

Rather than concentrate on what has been, it is important to look at the future and the Bank now concurs with the recent ob‐ servations from the European Commission that the economy will grow more slowly than ex‐

pected.

Originally forecasting a growth of 7 per cent, the Russian invasion of Ukraine which has helped to add to the dramatic rise in energy costs has seen inflation rocket which in turn meant that in April the government reduced growth forecast to around 4.5 per cent.

In his review however de Cos has admitted that even this may be optimistic and that he wouldn’t be surprised if it dropped further to 4 per cent.

This is born out by a statement in the report which said “in the absence of any additional consid‐

erations, this would lead to a me‐ chanical downgrading of about half a percentage point in the av‐ erage GDP growth rate in 2022.”

Currently, it is very difficult to make accurate forecasts due to the Russian government whose actions are not predictable and current belligerence towards NA‐ TO members and those wishing to join could easily affect the econo‐ my during the second half of 2022.

With constantly increasing infla‐ tion, the rest of the year could be difficult for the whole of Europe although the capping of electricity prices may benefit Spain.

New investment from Qatar A STATE VISIT by the Emir of Qatar saw promise of huge investment in Spain prior to the controversial FIFA World Cup finals later this year.

In his first official visit to the country, Sheikh Tamin Bin Hamad Al Thani met with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia before spending much of Wednesday May 18 in Madrid with President Pe‐ dro Sánchez.

The visit, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries is part of a European tour which will take in Germany, Slovenia and the UK. Spain and Qatar have agreed to up‐ grade their bilateral relations to a

FINANCE

Credit: La Moncloa

FIGURES for UK April spend announced by the Office for National Statistics saw an unexpected jump of 1.4 per cent.

Overall, however, this jump is put down to increased sales of alcohol and tobacco, suggesting consumers are staying at home to save money.

The Emir of Qatar with Pedro Sánchez.

strategic partnership, deepening eco‐ nomic and political ties between the two countries and the Emir confirmed that his country would invest almost €5 billion into the Spanish economy in the near future.

A total of 12 agreements and mem‐ oranda of understanding (MoU) have

been signed, covering economic, trade, education, military and judicial cooperation, health, science and inno‐ vation.

Apart from the fact Qatar is one of the top 10 investors in Spain and it is still a long way behind leaders Switzer‐ land and the USA, it is also an impor‐ tant producer of natural gas, having the third largest reserves in the world.

As the European Union looks to be increasingly less reliant on Russia for energy resources and Algeria dis‐ tances itself from Spain due to its sup‐ port of Morocco’s claims on the West‐ ern Sahara, Qatar which is already said the be a major supplier of gas to Spain, becomes increasingly more attractive.

Surprise speech

PERHAPS somewhat unwise‐ ly, a senior HSBC banking offi‐ cial Stuart Kirk accepted an invitation to speak at a Finan‐ cial Times Moral Money Sum‐ mit.

As global head of responsi‐ ble investing at the bank’s as‐ set management division, Mr Kirk was happy to talk about financial risks of climate change but his comments which included the statement “There’s always some nut job telling me about the end of the world” came as some‐ thing of a surprise to listen‐ ers.

Now, the Financial Times has reported that despite the fact that it claims his speech was vetted and approved, he has apparently been sus‐ pended and HSBC directors are publicly distancing them‐ selves from his opinions on the over exaggeration of cli‐ mate change.

Victims of lockdown success ALTHOUGH not quite ‘easy come, easy go’ certain online companies which saw huge growth in the UK during lock‐ down have seen their busi‐ nesses shrink as Britain and the world went back to work.

At one time, fitness brand Peleton couldn’t put a foot wrong and even had to ration sales of its static bikes due to the demand but that is a thing of the past and with its share price dropping significantly it saw its founder leaving and could now be up for sale.

Another victim has been Netflix as fewer people sign up to the online channel and it has even had to sack 150 staff who are mainly em‐ ployed in the USA to save money.

to read more FINANCE scan this QR Code

36 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

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

LONDON - FTSE 100

See our advert on previous page

C LOSING P RICES M AY 23

COMPANY PRICE(P) 3I Group 1.240,00 Abrdn 187,35 Admiral Group 2.203,0 Anglo American 3.601,0 Antofagasta 1.432,00 Ashtead Group 3.884,0 Associated British Foods 1.599,0 AstraZeneca 10.511,8 Auto Trader Group Plc 557,00 Avast 484,20 Aveva 2.207,4 Aviva 419,70 B&M European Value Retail 418,13 BAE Systems 759,78 Bank VTB DRC 1,000 Barclays 153,72 Barratt Developments 494,16 Berkeley 4.157,6 BHP Billiton Ltd 2.705,50 BP 425,00 British American Tobacco 3.442,0 British Land Company 525,24 BT Group 185,40 Bunzl 2.818,0 Burberry Group 1.605,0 Carnival 974,6 Centrica 88,32 Coca Cola HBC AG 1.693,0 Compass 1.711,50 CRH 3.160,0 Croda Intl 6.890,0 DCC 5.812,0 Diageo 3.616,0 DS Smith 297,00 EasyJet 523,70 Experian 2.569,0 Ferguson 9.400,0 Flutter Entertainment 9.352,0 Fresnillo 794,40 Glencore 505,20 GSK plc 1.765,97 Halma 2.167,2 Hargreaves Lansdown 867,40 Hikma Pharma 1.744,50 HSBC 492,70 IAG 127,58 Imperial Brands 1.777,00 Informa 552,00 InterContinental 4.752,4

CHANGE(P) 1.241,00 189,30 2.224,0 3.623,0 1.450,00 3.952,0 1.622,0 10.582,0 563,60 486,40 2.241,0 421,00 426,90 761,40 1,000 155,62 496,85 4.178,0 2.735,50 426,65 3.466,5 527,05 187,30 2.845,0 1.614,5 995,8 88,43 1.731,5 1.736,00 3.200,0 6.890,0 5.898,0 3.651,0 302,70 529,00 2.600,0 9.548,0 9.488,0 799,00 508,70 1.785,40 2.202,0 873,60 1.754,50 494,00 128,50 1.806,00 558,40 4.784,5

% CHG. 1.233,61 186,70 2.188,0 3.557,5 1.426,50 3.875,0 1.599,0 10.454,0 555,80 480,90 2.201,0 407,10 417,70 748,40 1,000 153,42 492,30 4.125,0 2.700,00 422,80 3.423,0 523,00 184,85 2.807,0 1.595,5 969,8 87,56 1.690,5 1.711,50 3.152,0 6.776,0 5.800,0 3.614,0 296,30 519,87 2.557,0 9.380,0 9.250,0 780,00 497,45 1.764,00 2.166,0 861,80 1.737,00 490,85 126,58 1.776,00 551,00 4.752,0

NET VOL 48,46K 711,65K 70,44K 388,79K 68,88K 93,61K 11,10K 189,54K 239,22K 68,73K 24,63K 3,94M 395,42K 125,66K 0 4,05M 41,07K 16,42K 438,12K 7,20M 331,01K 43,47K 1,91M 53,92K 214,25K 196,19K 748,51K 34,61K 315,15K 142,56K 30,84K 24,40K 335,35K 339,58K 226,63K 219,38K 54,61K 184,23K 163,37K 3,17M 636,67K 11,76K 54,24K 59,56K 2,70M 4,18M 383,59K 496,41K 4,85K

ºCOMPANY

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

1.425,50 4.657,5 71,54 229,98 2.353,9 755,00 254,58 43,91 7.302,0 777,20 119,05 1.469,50 1.214,50 212,92 6.134,0 1,89 760,60 2.140,0 630,00 1.002,50 6.194,0 2.279,00 495,10 564,20 5.506,0 83,09 0,60 670,20 1.334,50 0,0453 2.848,0 733,44 1.108,50 3.123,0 2.381,5 1.269,50 1.529,50 10.460,0 1.919,50 1.241,00 590,60 128,20 259,20 201,00 3.493,5 1.136,00 123,10 2.670,0 949,40

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

1.443,50 4.880,0 71,94 234,40 2.394,0 755,00 256,80 44,20 7.416,0 777,40 121,55 1.501,50 1.223,00 213,70 6.242,0 1,89 774,60 2.159,4 635,00 1.024,00 6.356,0 2.295,00 497,10 570,00 5.587,0 84,81 0,60 681,80 1.340,50 0,0453 2.880,0 756,60 1.129,50 3.134,0 2.384,0 1.294,00 1.544,00 10.580,0 1.933,00 1.264,00 595,00 129,24 264,30 207,20 3.535,0 1.138,00 123,64 2.710,0 956,00

1.413,50 4.658,0 71,22 230,00 2.350,0 746,60 253,80 43,67 7.274,0 771,00 118,65 1.463,00 1.208,50 212,30 6.132,0 1,89 756,80 2.129,7 628,20 999,80 6.190,0 2.278,00 490,10 560,80 5.500,0 82,84 0,60 669,20 1.332,00 0,0453 2.838,0 733,07 1.107,50 3.115,0 2.348,5 1.268,50 1.528,00 10.440,0 1.908,00 1.238,00 588,60 127,80 259,10 200,60 3.493,0 1.132,50 122,34 2.666,0 945,00

82,97K 38,87K 1,16M 1,02M 42,66K 121,94K 1,46M 8,65M 46,87K 71,15K 624,86K 126,46K 692,52K 1,63M 32,29K 0 664,79K 50,95K 118,40K 452,56K 118,66K 258,23K 736,47K 242,08K 309,47K 4,65M 0 218,37K 1,79K 0 38,29K 588,08K 483,47K 33,62K 3,25M 221,60K 77,38K 10,73K 163,26K 85,71K 788,04K 448,79K 3,27M 1,86M 207,08K 21,23K 7,89M 65,70K 880,38K

1.18378

0.84738

Units per €

US dollar (USD) ........................................1.0658 Japan yen (JPY)......................................135.929 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................1.0320 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4414 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................10.261

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 AY 23

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 143,83 153,24 247,50 137,59 120,70 197,82 167,82 42,94 60,98 68,11 306,80 287,19 189,75 128,48 41,65 176,98 117,34 233,91 93,55 252,56 108,00 141,79 159,65 168,24 485,73 49,53 199,03 40,96 119,20 102,42

CHANGE 147,94 154,80 247,66 140,70 128,85 206,63 171,04 43,00 61,24 69,73 312,59 290,50 194,21 130,37 42,29 177,16 119,67 234,06 94,08 258,54 109,69 142,45 160,73 170,34 487,47 49,60 201,66 41,04 120,84 104,80

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) -2,13% 4,19M -0,49% 2,97M +1,12% 3,86M +0,17% 135,43M -5,07% 18,75M -4,32% 5,36M +0,58% 9,60M +2,92% 45,91M +1,63% 28,39M -0,95% 5,18M -0,45% 2,18M -0,20% 5,57M -1,51% 3,88M -0,91% 6,87M -0,86% 44,63M +1,75% 7,46M -0,82% 13,02M +2,14% 3,17M +1,59% 11,48M -0,23% 38,90M +1,47% 7,58M +0,06% 7,76M +2,60% 8,87M -0,63% 1,94M +1,50% 2,99M +0,88% 24,12M +0,84% 6,93M +0,86% 7,36M +0,11% 16,39M -0,70% 14,53M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES M AY 23

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+90.18% +63.56% +53.38% +43.35% +40.54% +40.00% +36.56% +33.68% +33.67% +30.06% +26.77%

35.21M 2.13M 1.51M 75.10M 1.27M 41.46M 22.13M 352.52K 2.51K 111.65M 4.01M

-65.54% -63.17% -51.81% -33.33% -28.34% -27.87% -26.08% -24.93% -23.32% -22.86% -22.47%

45.02M 21.11M 0.21K 2.76M 2.96M 3.07M 28.80K 64.98M 406.25K 3.43M 34.52M

Most Advanced GeoVax Labs Redbox Entertainment Leju Holdings SIGA Tech NanoViricides Inc Redbox Entertainment TherapeuticsMD Ebet Inc Insu Acquisition Immix Biopharma Beachbody

Most Declined Athersys Evofem Biosciences Lixiang Education Creative Medical Tech Holdings Bright Green Visionary Education Technology Immuron Molecular Data Millicom BEST Ross Stores

38 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

NEWS

Advertising Feature

Full financial freedom while living your dream in Spain

SPAIN offers so much; great weather, amazing food and a fascinating culture. It’s not surprising that so many British choose to live here when they retire.

But a big part of living your dream retirement in the sun is ensuring that all your financial affairs are also taken care of, allowing you to enjoy your life with the peace of knowing that all formalities are sorted and you will have enough funds to have financial freedom for the rest of your life.

One part of this is getting your various pensions in order, your residencia sorted out, and having a Spanish Will in place so that you know your assets will go where you want them to when the time comes.

However, one of the biggest parts of finding true financial freedom during your retirement is knowing that on top of your own affairs being in order, you will still be able to look after your loved ones wherever possible.

FUNERAL PLANS: Golden Leaves will take care of everything for you.

From the bank of mum and dad to helping your grandchildren pay for flights when they come over and visit, and even splurging on extra treats for them for those graduations, weddings and other special occasions, being able to look after the people you love most is an important part of financial freedom.

And that is true even when you are no longer around.

While it’s true that nothing will

protect your family from the pain of losing you, there are certain practical measures you can put in place while living abroad to spare your loved ones the often considerable difficulty of organising and paying for your funeral.

Spain’s own customs see most funerals take place within 24 to 48 hours of a death, giving grieving family and friends an extremely small amount of time to deal with

Spain’s various legalities, organise a service, and fly family in from abroad for the funeral.

Not only does this short time frame and Spain’s difficult administrative procedures make this a tough task, the language barrier can make this even harder.

A pre-paid funeral plan from Golden Leaves takes care of those problems, and any financial concerns you may have, as soon as you take out a plan however.

Offering a price guarantee, your pre-paid plan means that no matter how much funeral costs rise, your loved ones will have nothing to pay for your service.

Not only that, but a funeral plan allows you to set out your exact wishes ahead of time, sparing your family from having to guess what you would have wanted.

In fact, their expert team will organise everything for them according to your wishes, also saving them the difficulty of arranging your service in another country and a differ-

ent language.

The team at Golden Leaves will deal with all other administrative aspects too, from the paperwork to organising the funeral home, all in Spanish so your loved ones do not have to worry.

And perhaps one of the most important benefits for anyone living abroad but with loved ones in the UK, Golden Leaves can give your family up to five days following your death to fly in to Spain, giving them peace of mind that they will not miss such an important moment due to Spain’s short funeral customs.

Living in Spain offers some of the very best aspects of life and is an amazing place to spend your retirement, however many people want true financial freedom to be able to enjoy their lives here fully.

If you have already taken control of your residencia, foreign asset tax forms, and pensions, take the next step today and protect both you and those you love the most.

Contact Golden Leaves today at www.goldenleavesinternational.com, or call 800 098 309.

No Penny Black IN 1840, it was possible to pre‐pay for the delivery of a letter almost anywhere in the UK for one old penny, now the privatised Royal Mail says it needs more money to cover costs and is considering increasing a first‐class stamp to 95p.

On your bike USING some €500 million from the EU Recovery Fund, Spain intends to pro‐ mote the safe use of bicy‐ cles for travel and to create 1,000 kilometres of new bi‐ cycle lanes and 4,100 park‐ ing spaces in 30 cities.

Gender divide A REVIEW by Sky News of data from the UK Office for National Statistics reveals that over the past five years whilst the price of clothing and toiletries has escalated, women have been the worst hit.

Spanish fishing industry SPAIN is the largest employer in the fishing sector in the EU with an estimated 38,000 workers.

It is also a major importer of seafood generally and prior to Brexit was one of the countries purchasing fishing licences from UK based fleets.

Nowadays, there is an ever‐in‐ creasing emphasis on sustainabil‐ ity, catch traceability and regula‐ tory compliance and this is one of the major talking points due to be aired at the Navalia fair to be held in Vigo which runs from May 24 to 26 with some 500 ex‐ hibitors from 90 countries taking part.

Vigo which sits in Galicia is cur‐ rently home to 357 fishing com‐ panies which generate more than €3 billion in turnover annually and whilst the exhibition covers many different aspects of ship‐ building and naval trade, the fishing industry will be particu‐ larly interested in various devel‐ opments that will benefit their businesses.

Communications are an impor‐ tant part of the fishing puzzle as with fuel for these vessels sky‐

Credit: Evgeniy Isaev flickr

BUSINESS EXTRA

FISHING SECTOR: Spain is a massive consumer of fish.

rocketing from 40c to €1.20 per litre it is imperative that owners are able to be kept completely up to date with weather forecasts and also underwater movements of shoals of fish so that no fuel is wasted.

Spain has a fleet of some 8,000 commercial vessels, with the vast

majority being used for fishing, from tiny boats seen off the shore of coastal towns to mas‐ sive trawlers and all need to en‐ sure that they are managed effi‐ ciently and cost effectively in order to continue to supply the consumer demand at home and abroad.

More foreign workers THE number of registered foreign workers in Spain has risen to 2,343,637 people ac‐ cording to a report by SchengenVisaInfo.com.

The number of foreign workers has been increasing over the past 11 months but interestingly only just over one third are from member states of the European Union with the balance coming from far and wide.

The gender balance is sim‐ ilar although males account for 56 per cent of all those registered and the three largest foreign groups come from Romania, Morocco and China, although follow‐ ing the Russian invasion, the number of Ukrainians work‐ ing in Spain is rapidly in‐ creasing.

The number in January 2022 was 139,755 more than January 2020 prior to the arrival of the pandemic.

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Not Banksy Laura Kemp IN a bizarre turn of events, a Welsh councillor has re‐ signed following repeated ac‐ cusations that he is the anonymous street artist Banksy.

William Gannon said the accusations are “undermin‐ ing my ability to do the work of councillor.”

The Pembroke Dock Town Council member announced on Monday May 23 that he will be resigning in a state‐ ment on Facebook.

Banksy is believed to have started out in Bristol, howev‐ er, the Welsh town sits by the coast around 136 miles from Bristol.

Mr Gannon said: “As you may be aware an allegation has been repeatedly made that I am not who I say I am but that I am the Artist Banksy.

“A number of people be‐

STREET ARTIST: Banksy is believed to live in Wales.

lieve that this allegation is true.

“This allegation is under‐ mining my ability to do the work of Councillor and Coun‐ cil Rep properly.

“I do not want this allega‐ tion to undermine the repu‐ tation of Pembroke Dock Town Council. Therefore, I have decided to step down as both Town Councillor and Council Rep to The Port with immediate effect.

“Thank you for all of the support that you have given me in the past.”

Mr Gannon thanked peo‐ ple for their kind responses and said: “I have not gone away.”

A Banksy mural was re‐ moved from its home in an‐ other area of Wales earlier this year and taken to a se‐ cure location after ‘fanatics’ attempted to damage the artwork.

Advertising Feature

BUDGETING FOR YOUR LEGAL COSTS REBECCA SERWOTKA ‐ “We sell houses! per cent = €10,000 It’s what we do, it’s ALL we do!” Your Notary and Land Registry fees. Allow favourite local resale property expert, in Ciu‐ around €1,000 for both these fees together. dad Quesada. Author of ‘Moving Forward ‐ (‘The Notary’ are government appointed of‐ 25 Essential Rules For Buying & Selling Real ficials that draw up the Title Deeds. They Estate Without Going Crazy.’ Request your don’t work for the buyer nor seller).

FREE copy! Prestige Award Winner Lawyers fees. At a cost of around for ‘Real Estate Agency Of The Year €1,000, they are worth every pen‐ 2021/22’. ny! More than checking for debts Buying a home in Spain? You’ll and making sure the property is need to budget for legal costs legal, they will give you peace of that are on top of your purchase mind that your investment is price. safe. By budgeting for these legal Here’s a brief summary costs upfront, there’ll be no based on purchasing a hidden fees once you’ve property on the Costa found your dream home!

Blanca without a mort‐ For award‐winning gage, for a purchase guidance on the buying price of €100,000. process in the Costa Property Transfer Tax Blanca, head to (Stamp Duty). Buying a www.BuyMyHomeIn resale property this tax Spain.com to download is 10 per cent of the a complimentary ‘Span‐ Rebecca agreed purchase price. ish Property Buying Serwotka.

Example: €100,000 x 10 Guide for 2022’.

Selling your property? Call me today for a free valuation on 966 718 392!

We have buyers waiting!

See our advert in the centre pages of this newspaper! www.homes4u.es

EWN 39

40 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Look amazing without make-up Tamsin Brown DID you know that you can look amazing without the need for make‐up? Follow the tips in this article to find out how to let your skin breathe while looking radi‐ ant and healthy.

Exfoliate Exfoliate the skin on your face about once a week.

Avoid doing it every day, as this could irritate your skin.

You can buy exfoliating products, but home‐made ones also do the job just fine.

Moisturise Moisturising helps to pre‐ vent both dryness and oili‐ ness. Apply in the morning and at night to allow your skin to retain moisture and have a healthy glow. Also, remember to drink plenty of water.

Take care of your smile One of the most impor‐ tant aspects of a healthy

face is your teeth. Regular visits to the dentist and good dental hygiene are a must.

Use sunscreen The sun is responsible for many of the spots that ap‐ pear on the face and skin with age. These make the face look aged and tired, so sunscreen is essential, even on cloudy days.

Take care of your eye con‐ tour In many cases, dark circles under the eyes are due to a lack of hydration, so using some eye cream may help to diminish their appear‐ ance. Avoid touching the skin around your eyes too much, as it is thinner and more easily wrinkled.

Get enough sleep We all know about the concept of ‘beauty sleep’.

Ideally, you should get sev‐ en to eight hours of sleep a night for a healthy body and mind.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Common mistakes while w T H E benefits of walk‐ ing are not to be un‐ derestimated. It is a low‐impact, simple and effective exercise that strengthens our whole body.

However, this does not mean that it re‐ quires no preparation at all. Avoiding the mistakes below will help you to avoid in‐ jury and enjoy walking as much as possible.

Not drinking enough water Hot weather makes us sweat more and get thirstier. We do not feel as thirsty in cold weather, but the body still needs hydration.

It is important to re‐ plenish fluids, even if you are not thirsty.

Ignoring pain There is a difference between a few creaky

NORDIC WALKNG STICKS: Help you to keep your balance.

joints at the start of a w a l k a n d p a i n t h a t a c‐ tually limits exercise.

If you regularly expe‐

rience discomfort while walking, see a doctor. Perhaps you need insoles, which

may also stop the pain from spreading else‐ where.

Overestimating your

HEALT & BEAUTY to read more Health & Beauty scan this QR Code

HEALTH & BEAUTY

walking

fitness No matter how fit you were in the past, even if you did competitive sports, things change naturally over time.

Overexerting yourself may lead to injury.

Using unsuitable footwear You need appropriate clothing and footwear for walking. Wear shoes that you have already worn and do not cause chafing. A pair of train‐ ers that fit well and pro‐ vide support will be fine for a regular walk.

Being embarrassed to use sticks Nordic walking sticks are very useful for peo‐ ple of all ages. They help you to keep your balance and stop you from having to put all of your weight on one leg, which is especially im‐ portant if you have suf‐ fered an injury in the past.

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

EWN 41

42 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

NEWS

Owl adoption Laura Kemp

Over the years, he has been docu‐ menting the relationship between a pair A WILDLIFE artist in the UK managed to of mating owls called Luna and Bomber, capture the moment when a with the pair raising several tawny owl whose eggs owlets in his makeshift had failed immediate‐ hollows. ly adopted two res‐ Fuller has cue chicks ‐ cud‐ w a t c h e d dling and Bomber and cleaning them.

Luna raise six Raptors can owlets at be some of once before the most de‐ and rates voted parents them as and home‐ highly devot‐ makers, and a ed parents. video of a tawny Bomber, in owl adopting two particular, will rescue chicks is an attack anything Tawny owl whose eggs had failed adorable reminder that comes close to immediately adopted two rescue of that. his nest. chicks.

Wildflife artist “Not only did her Robert Fuller is a devoted observer of eggs fail to hatch this year, but she also wild animals, with his website contain‐ lost her clutch last year,” Fuller explains ing blog articles about the wildlife in his on his YouTube video. garden and the area around it ‐ includ‐ “Luna the tawny owl is finally a ing several tawny owls who nest in box‐ mom.” es and hollows which Fuller has rigged Luna is a rescue owl herself, and her with nest cams. story completes the circle in many ways.

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

EWN 43

€1m mural A BRITISH artist who moved to Marbella, famous for creating the ‘most expensive’ version of everything from shoes to cakes, has now created a mural worth €1 million in Marbella on the Costa del Sol. Artist Debbie Wingham unveiled the mural last week, celebrating Puerto Banus marina, which includes the Beatles, Cartier jewellery, Rolexes, supercars, designer handbags and various toy dog breeds.

It also features lots of diamonds, including in the frame of an oil painting of the landscape of Puerto Banus.

The 40ft long, 7ft tall artwork will be on display until the middle of August on Calle Muelle de Levante and is expected to have two million viewers, with tourists urged to share their photos on social media networks.

Unfortunately, if you want to see the original you are out of luck because the diamonds originally used at the unveiling were on loan and have now been returned. Debbie told the launch ceremony: “I wanted to create something that people of all ages would enjoy, including children. It is not just a flat mural; I have made a space where people can take photos and get close up. It is a complete experience.”

She added that the mural “had to be not on-

Debbie Wingham Instagram

Laura Kemp

Artist celebrates Puerto Banus, Marbella.

ly enchanting and embody subtle nautical themes reaffirming the port location, but it needed to be an incredible background for everyone to visit, something that would appeal to all age groups, genders, and nationalities.”

The mural is thought to be one of the most expensive contemporary murals in the world and the original artworks will be sold off later this year to benefit numerous charities, including human trafficking, families suffering from malnutrition, and the Ukraine Crisis.

EXPAT ULTRA

TV

ALL THE CHANNELS YOU LOVE

EXPAT ULTRA

TV

BIG ON QUALITY LOW ON PRICE

44 EWN

26 May - 1 June 2022

euroweeklynews.com

SOCIAL SCENE

World Environment Day Tamsin Brown TO mark the occasion of World Environment Day, celebrated every year on June 5, the De‐ partment of the Environment of the Orihuela Town Hall has organised a series of activities to be held over the final weekend of May and the first weekend of June.

The activities planned for May 28 and 29 in the Orihuela Palm Grove include workshops, walks, inflatables, theatre, climbing walls and games.

On the weekend of June 5, there will also be performances and entertainment in La Apareci‐

da (Plaza del Auditorio), Molins (Plaza de la Igle‐ sia), La Murada (Plaza Obispo Almarcha), San Bartolomé (Parque de la Cruz) and on the es‐ planade of Playa Flamenca.

The World Environment Day activities are be‐ ing held in collaboration with ADIS (Association of People with Functional Disabilities).

The town hall hopes to raise awareness of im‐ portant environmental issues among children and adults alike. To see the full programme of activities, visit https://www.orihuela.es/ori huela‐organiza‐actividades‐por‐la‐celebracion‐ del‐dia‐del‐medio‐ambiente/.

Networks Theatre presents: Ugly!

Tamsin Brown NETWORKS THEATRE in Orihuela is back with their most successful musical ever, Ugly!, Nick Moore’s fabulous ver‐ sion of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling.

Full of quacks, Drake and Mother wel‐ come their eight little babies to the farm and then HONK!!! Number nine appears!

Sent away by his siblings, the newest member of the family ends up being chased by a colony of cats while he tries to find his way home. When all seems lost, help appears in the rather unex‐

pected guise of a dog.

Great songs, a really funny script and super choreography, delivered in the usual Networks style, make for a great show. Book now while there’s still room in the nest!

There will be performances at Net‐ works Theatre on Calle San Agustín in Orihuela on June 2 at 7.30pm, on June 3 at 7pm and 9pm and on June 4 at 7pm.

Tickets cost €6 for adults and €4 for stu‐ dents. To book, visit https://www.net workstheatre.com/ or call/WhatsApp 683 373 413.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Sweet Caroline

Laura Kemp A TRAVELLER at Manchester Airport took over a tannoy and sang the Neil Diamond classic Sweet Caroline after being fed up with the delays.

The moment was captured

by Anees Iqbal in the baggage area in Terminal 3 on May 22.

He said other bored passen‐ gers started to join in the singing after they had been waiting for over two hours to collect their baggage.

Mr Iqbal described the scenes in the airport as “abso‐ lutely manic” and said that there were no staff around to enquire about the delays. He said the unknown passenger became so annoyed with the waiting that he plugged his phone into the tannoy and played the popular song!

He said: “Everybody was that bored they were all singing along ‐ it was the only thing to laugh about. I don’t know how many areas it was connected to ‐ if it was playing in the whole airport or just the baggage area ‐ but the alarm‐

Image - Anees Iqbal

TRAVEL DELAYS: A traveller at Manchester Airport took over a tannoy and played Sweet Caroline.

ing thing was nobody came over and told him to stop. He played the whole song.

“We had no issues getting through passport control, but as soon as we got into the bag‐ gage reclaim area it was abso‐ lutely manic. There were flights from Alicante and Bor‐ deaux where people told me they’d been waiting two‐and‐ half hours for their bags.”

A Manchester Airport spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear that some pas‐ sengers faced extended waits in baggage reclaim over the weekend. After a very damag‐ ing two years, our whole oper‐ ation is facing resourcing chal‐ lenges at present, including many of the third parties oper‐ ating on our site, such as bag‐ gage handling agents.”

EWN 45

TIME OUT

46

euroweeklynews.com • 26 May - 1 June 2022

euroweeklynews.com • 26 May - 1 June 2022

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

47

TIME OUT

48 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

LETTERS

EW YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION Letters should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: 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.

SAME PROBLEMS Dear Editor, Reading Rita’s letter, I had the same problem I contact‐ ed the DVLA and waited over four months. I think they were Shirking From Home. The answer finally came too late to do anything and despite my driving for 55 years in many countries, Spain were saying British people should take a new test, in Spanish that even many Spanish people fail, and the queue meant it could be in 10 months’ time or more. Meanwhile Spanish people driving in Britain have no problems.

Michael Hill Benidorm

Left stranded Peter McLaren‐Kennedy writes: “Despite adequate notice from the Spain gov‐ ernment and significant warnings from the British Embassy in Madrid and oth‐ ers, many British people resi‐ dent in Spain have failed to swap their licences. That has left some stranded without transport.”

I’m sorry to say, I did not ‘fail’ to swap my licence. I ar‐ rived in the country in Octo‐ ber 2020 and applied for res‐ idency before December 31, 2020. When attempting to register to exchange my li‐ cence in the dying days of 2020, the Spanish authori‐ ties turned me away ‐ telling me I wasn’t a resident.

I’m well aware many didn’t even attempt to ex‐ change their licences. To claim I failed, when I was ac‐ tually prevented from swap‐ ping my licence by the local authorities, is not only hurt‐ ful: it demonstrates a lack of understanding of the com‐ plex issues at hand.

Benoit Simoneau

CHANGING LICENCES: People are waiting months.

OUR VIEW DISABLED DISCRIMINATION IN Animal Farm George Orwell wrote ‘All animals are created equal but some are more equal than others’ which could actually apply equally to British holders of blue disabled badges.

The European Union boasts about equality and inclusion for the disabled and Spain has even passed a law declaring pets as sentient beings (although hunting and bull fighting will still be allowed).

Following Brexit however it appears that some Spanish authorities have decided that UK holders of disabled blue badges are no longer equal to disabled people from the European Union as there are reports of people being fined for using their UK blue badges to park in disabled spaces.

According to the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the member states of the International Transport Forum (ITF): EU and EEA, along with USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Korea, have agreed in principle to reciprocity for each other’s disabled citizens: “To provide people with reduced mobility with a document (Parking Card / Permit) _ _ _ and to give the same parking facilities to holders of this document coming from another member or associated member country as they do to their own nationals.”

So, in theory, a protocol exists that should allow any non-EU passport holder with a blue badge issued by their country to park in a disabled space in Spain but the UK government says on its section concerning Blue Badges that Spain, amongst other countries is undecided with regards to usage and the matter continues to be negotiated.

Many councils around Spain appear quite happy to let British badge holders park in their disabled spaces, but there is an element of trial and error, so be careful and hope for the best.

50 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

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, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky inde‐ pendent 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 locally means that independent businesses can support the local communi‐ ty. You may find something a euro or two cheaper on‐ line but have you consid‐ ered where your money is actually going?

By shopping locally you’re putting food on a local fami‐ ly’s table and there is noth‐

ing better than giving back to the communi‐ ties that have given us so much.

Local stores support charities and they BUY LOCAL: By shopping locally, sponsor lo‐ independent businesses can help support cal sports the local community. teams. In many cases, they are much your support. Spending your more than just a business, money locally will make a they’re a legacy. They may real difference to the local have supported generations economy. Local businesses of the same family. Likewise, recirculate a greater share brand new local stores and of every euro they receive at bars may help the genera‐ local level. They create local‐ tions of the future fulfil their ly owned supply chains and dreams and ambitions. they invest in their employ‐ Remember, your local ees. store is going up against multinationals and chains.

So remember.

They can’t win that battle on When you go shopping ‐ their own. So give them go local!

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

Expensive lesson Laura Kemp A MOTHER who left her phone unlocked and with her two‐year‐old learnt an expensive les‐ son when he ordered 31 cheeseburgers online for delivery.

Kelsey Golden’s two‐ year‐old son Barrett used her phone while she was working to or‐ der the meals from home delivery company DoorDash, Texas. Bar‐ rett managed to order the 31 McDonald’s ‐ much to his mum’s sur‐ prise.

Golden received a message saying her or‐ der was taking longer than usual, and al‐ though she hadn’t or‐ dered anything, she knew that sometimes her school‐going chil‐ dren did.

She called a colleague to check, only to find her children were eat‐

Kelsey Golden FB Page

HOME DELIVERY: A mother who left her phone unlocked learnt an expensive lesson!

ing the packed lunches she had sent for them: “A car pulls in and I was like, ‘what’? so I went over to it, and she gets out a giant McDonald’s bag and is like ‘31 cheeseburgers’?

“It dawned on me that Barrett was playing with my phone.

“I went back and looked at my phone and an order was placed at the time that he was playing with my phone.

“I thought, oh my

gosh, he really did this.”

Sadly, no one in her family likes cheese‐ burgers, so Golden of‐ fered them to locals through her Facebook page, and then she said: “It kind of blew up from there.”

The ordeal cost her a little under $100 (€90), however, she is san‐ guine about the whole affair, saying that she hopes it helped bright‐ en the day for a few people.

EWN 51

52 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

DAVID WORBOYS

THINKING ALOUD LAST week there was a large sign in the window of a restaurant in Marbella ‘Eat as much as you like.’ Instead of an actual price there was an almost imperceptible addendum underneath ‐ ‘for a price’. This reminded me of the ploy in certain super‐ markets of appearing to offer a product normally costing, for example, €5.45 for €3.25. When you scrutinise the tiny, virtu‐ ally invisible print in the corner of the price label, you only qualify for the €3.25 price if you buy the first one at the full price of €5.45. As we all know, the price that catches the eye can be very mislead‐ ing.

It’s the same with the small print on in‐ surance exclusions, banks’ conditions, rental contracts, estate agents’ fees and numerous other potential pitfalls in the business world. This can be much more se‐ rious for those whose homes have been bulldozed, owing to the oversight of an ob‐ scure clause in small print invalidating the escritura signed on purchase ‐ and hence the legitimacy of ownership.

I have seen many amusing signs, espe‐ cially when corners have been cut in trans‐ lation. We all know the Spanish word for

FEATURE

STRANGE SIGNS AND SMALL PRINT

Are such signs the result of daring humour or unbelievable negligence?

wine ‐ ‘vino’, but fewer of us are familiar with ‘vino’, meaning he or she came. The first photo shows what was included in the menu of the day in a Nerja restaurant.

Some years ago, I was delighted to find a publican with a wonderful sense of hu‐ mour. Not only did he tell a good story (and pull a good pint), but he rebelled against the mundane names of most of our pubs. As a variation on the ubiquitous ‘Coach and Horses’, his pub proudly boast‐ ed the sign: ‘The ‘Orse and Cart’.

The most outrageous example of appar‐ ently lax thinking was by the UK’s beloved NHS, as shown in the second photo. But surely this must have been intentional! In this case I hope the authorities cherished the humour and spared the ‘b****r’ who organised it.

A long time ago there was a sign at the entrance to a swimming pool in Bedford‐ shire: ‘no animals allowed in the pool area’. A family party, when challenged for having brought in a spaniel, pointed out

that the sign precluded just animals. “It doesn’t say ‘no dogs’; it says ‘no ani‐ mals’.” The wonderful response of the se‐ curity officer was: “It doesn’t actually say ‘no giraffes’, but they would not be al‐ lowed in.”

For more from our columnists please scan this QR Code

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

PETS

euroweeklynews.com

Laura Kemp WITH thousands of aban‐ doned animals in rescue centres all across Spain, there is a desperate need for people to give loving homes. Adopting a pet is a wonderful and reward‐ ing decision, so, we have taken a look at some top tips to consider when you adopt a new dog.

Which dog is the best fit for me?

From health history to behavioural needs, it is important to ask why the dog is in a rescue shelter ‐ was it abandoned, a stray or rescued from an abusive home? This will help you understand the potential needs required of you.

Where was the dog found and in what condi‐ tion?

A dog who was surren‐ dered by an owner may be in a different physical condition then a stray found on the street. Un‐ derstanding where a dog

26 May - 1 June 2022

Adoption tips has been helping you to be the best owner that you can be!

Has this dog been adopted before?

It helps to know if

there have been unsuc‐ c e s s f u l a d o p t i o n a t‐ tempts in the past and whether the dog has had issues living with young children or other

animals.

Is this dog housebro‐

ken and/or leash trained?

Do you have the time to housetrain and/or leash train a dog? Under‐ stand your abilities as a new owner before falling in love with an untrained pup!

EWN 53

Other things to consid‐ er are the size of the dog and your home, medical conditions, the activity levels of the dog, the age of the dog and the physi‐ cal maintenance such as the type of fur the dog has.

So many rescue animals need loving homes

Advertising Feature

Home breathing rate evaluation of your pet can help you spot signs of heart failure INCREASES of your pet’s breathing rate while resting calmly or sleeping is a very important early clinical sign that your pet may be developing heart failure and needs to see your veterinarian.

In general, normal dogs and cats, have a breathing rate of between 15‐30 breaths every minute when they are resting or sleeping. If resting/sleeping breathing rates are greater than 30 breaths per minute you can consider it abnormal.

How to count the resting/ sleeping breathing rate in your pet: Watch the movement of the chest of your pet. One breath is when the chest has moved in and out once. Using a watch or phone to time 30 seconds and count the number of breaths during 30 seconds and multiply it by two to get the number of breaths per minute (60 seconds). Count the breathing rate a few times over a couple of hours to ensure it is a consistent finding. If it is consistently increased, then you should contact your veterinarian.

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

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

PETS PAGE

to read more PETS scan this QR Code

54 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

SERVICES

ALARMS

AUCTIONS

AIRPORT TRANSFERS

BLINDS

CONSTRUCTION

BALUSTRADES BLINDS

BUILDERS

BOILERS

SERVICES

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

CONSTRUCTION

DRAINAGE

GATES

GRILLS

POOL MAINTENANCE

INSURANCE

PLUMBING

LOCKSMITHS

EWN 55

56 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

DRAINS

PAINTERS/DECORATORS

MOTORING

ENERGY

POOLS

REMOVALS & STORAGE

SERVICES

SERVICES

euroweeklynews.com

REMOVALS & STORAGE

26 May - 1 June 2022

EWN 57

58 EWN

26 May - 1 June 2022

euroweeklynews.com

SERVICES

REMOVALS & STORAGE

TV & SATELLITE

WINDOW TINTING

CLASSIFIEDS ARCHITECTS

BUILDING SERVICES J & J PAINTERS. Inside outside - clean - fast low cost. Torrevieja Orihuela Costa and surrounding areas. Tel: 650 363 159 (294244)

BUSINESS INVESTMENT INVEST IN BUILDING PROJECTS. WE PAY 15 % INTEREST. ALL INVESTMENTS COLATERALISED BY PROPERTY. CALL 747 438 225 (301038)

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

CARS FOR SALE

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. Englishspeaking 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: 625 912 078 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-costablan ca.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 w w w. g i v i n g l i g h t . c o m .

(10006)

CARE HOME Care home in Torrevieja, full care, full board from €800 per month. Call 747 438 225 (295552)

CHARITY

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 organi-

60

sation 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@helpvegabaja.com.

We also have a 24-hour Emergency helpline which is available to both members and nonmembers 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 w w w. l a s i e s t a e va n g e l i calchurch.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:004 4 800 018 2361. (238593) ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Why not make this year the year you volunteer? See how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit benefi-

26 May - 1 June 2022 • euroweeklynews.com SPONSORED BY

ciaries 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, http://branches.britishle 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)

INSURANCE

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Gran Alacant & La Marina Branch. For info, contact the branch Secretary at granalacant.secretary@rbl. community 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 Se cretary 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 strokesupport group@hotmail.com, web-

site: 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.aca costablanca.org or call the Secretary on: 966 495 042 (95465) 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)

CLASSIFIEDS 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)

ELECTRICIAN MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge.

698 320 434 (289282)

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

FUNERALS CREMATION plan. 2575 euros. One-time payment.

Full paperwork. Call 747 438 225. (295351)

GENERAL SERVICES LITTLE AMIGO Jet Washing, Pool & Outdoor Maintenance services. Also Garden and Painting service available. Orihuela Costa.

Call: 711 041 330 or Email: mersey blue1965@gmail.com (295924)

euroweeklynews.com

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@beneficialinsurancein spain.com or visit www.be neficialinsuranceinspain.com for online quote. (295676) STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbeygateinsure.com

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

Mob 747 438 225 office 865 970 169 spancrim law@outlook.com (295578)

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

MOTORING

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

(290268)

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 (295679)

NAUTICAL INTERNATIONAL SKIPPER LICENCE, VHF/DSC-Radio or Radar Courses held in English individual or small groups starts soon. 626 245 098 (295607)

PERGOLAS TAILOR-MADE in durable canvas, pergola covers, sails, car port, umbrella, spa and CAR COVERS. Mazarron based, and at Procomobel, Guardamar periodically.

Also Google KrugerCanopies.com. Online and mail ordering 667 879 399 krugercanopies@yahoo. co.uk (292245)

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 952 147 834. (200726)

MOTORHOMES MOTORHOME / Campervan wanted. Left or right hand drive. Cash waiting for right van. Tlf 650 722 905

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

POOL MAINTENANCE

RENT Long Term. Playa Flamenca. Ground floor with garden. 2 bedrooms. 1 bath. Comunity pool. Parking. carobrlo@yahoo.es (294118)

REMOVALS

S P A M A 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 w w w . s p a m a - s a for.blog.com.es PLEASE HELP US TO HELP THEM (95707)

PLUMBERS M R F I X I T . For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (289282)

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.

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

XXX FEMALE SOPHIE naughty, slim, elegant, sexy French lady. 3 languages spoken. Visit all areas, also private apartment in Villamartin. 693 357 526 (295405)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS 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

SITUATIONS VACANT

EWN 61

ATTRACTIVE, Girlfriend, Escort, Professional Masseuse. Tel: 693 357 526 (293267) MISUKY, 45 ASIAN Q U A L I F I E D M A SS E U SS E . U N F O RGETABLE EXPERIENCE..

Campoamor (opposite CEPSA) 663 088 170 (295800)

PROPERTY FOR RENT

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)

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.pepa spain.com (95708)

WANTED

POOL MAINTENANCE Repairs, Spares and Leak Testing. Call 965 725 565 / 676 945 360 www.pooltechspain.com (287790)

PET CHARITY

GATAMI ORGANISATION, to help kittens and cats, looking for good homes, also spaying wild cats in the community.

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

GOLD WANTED

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

26 May - 1 June 2022

HELEN, 30 WONDERFUL CARIBBEAN NICE BODY..

SO SWEET.. DEUTCH SPEAKING.. LA ZENIA (CLOSE to CONSUM) 665 736 488 (295800) TORREVIEJA 3 friends Colombian, big ass, busty babes, bride kisses, massage, outcalls 644 699 100 (1296044) TORREVIEJA - Mulata dominant, expert in prostatic massage, vibrators, harness games outcalls 602 698 120 (1296060) LADY ROX.. ARGENTINIAN..FETISH DOMINATION SPECIAL SPANKING. LA ZENIA HOUSE 75. CLOSE CONSUM 656 314 941 (301058)

XXX FEMALE

EXPERIENCE the best with a 1hr unique massage with Veronica. Shaving or permanent hair removal available. For appointments call 679 292 678 (294870) SPANISH lady - classic.

Playa Flamenca, private house, 40 years, attractive.

All erotic services, massage, sexy lingerie. From €40. Ana 657 603 495 (295413) TORREVIEJA CENTRE Girls big ass, tits & transvestite big cocks. Credit cards accepted. 24hr appointments 691 128 099 (293695)

XXX MALE RELAXING MASSAGE FOR MEN - Mario qualified masseur in Alicante - Special Massage for Men - 7 days 10AM to 10PM - APPOINTMENTS visit: www.masajeyrelax. es/en or WHATSAPP 649 761 607 (295342)

XXX MASSAGE LA ZENIA Incall or outcall Sensual Massage service offered for men by either a Male or a Male/ Female couple. Outcalls within 15km of La Zenia area. Call or Whatsapp 711 059 849 (295924)

XXX VARIOUS KAMAGRA Gold 100mg plus Kamagra Jellies. Collection or Delivery. Roy – 602 579 481 (289485) tp Male/Female viagra, cialis, kamagra jelly, mixed trial packs available, all areas mail order. 604 385 476. viagra4you19@ gmail.com

62 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack WHENEVER I get behind the wheel of a Ford Fo‐ cus my mind always goes back to the launch of the first Focus. Back in 1998 it was a game changer for anyone who enjoys the act of driving and has meant that every succeeding Focus has had a lot to live up to, and stiffer competition.

The good news is that the latest Focus is still a class leader in the fun factor league.

My test model, a heav‐ ily equipped Active Vig‐ nale provides a pseudo‐ SUV style (hence the Active moniker) and with a 1.0‐litre mild hy‐ brid power that pro‐ duces excellent perfor‐ mance and economy plus helps reduce emis‐ sions too. Despite all this sensibleness the Focus can still make the wind‐ ing road home some‐

MOTORING

Ford Focus Vignale - practical enjoyment thing to anticipate with relish.

The 1.0‐litre EcoBoost, three‐cylinder tur‐ bocharged petrol engine with electric assistance, making it a mild hybrid, develops 155PS ‐ there’s a lower powered 125PS ‐ and my test car is priced at €31,217/£29,160.

Even at this top line level there are still options and they meant my test model tipped the price scales at €38,371/£32,510.

Give the car a gentle poke with the prover‐ bial sharp stick and it will fairly gallop along, and it also feels lively and responsive in cor‐ ners. It passes the benchmark 62 mph in 9.0 seconds and on to a top speed of 131 mph.

This might not sound fast but it isn’t always about speed, the audibly

MOTORING

characterful EcoBoost engine is a delight and combined with Ford’s handling skills makes it a spirited drive.

The generous standard equipment list includes every‐

Subtle changes on this model but a definite improvement.

thing from LED lights and a proper heated wind‐ screen to selectable

drive modes and rough road suspension with in‐ creased ride height. On a more practical level, the newest Focus has enough space in the back seat for a couple of l a n k y

adults and the boot is big enough for family duties.

There’s a distinct lack of buttons in the latest Focus, but thankfully Ford have kept their in‐ tuitive streak and the ex‐

Facts at a Glance Model: Ford Focus Active Vignale Engine: 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol with electric mild hybrid assistance – 155PS Gears: 6-speed manual Performance: 0-100 kph (62 mph) Petrol 9.0 secs Maximum Speed Petrol 210 kph (131 mph) Economy: Petrol 5.4 l/100km (54.3 mpg) WLTP Emissions: 118 g/km WLTP Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.

tra‐ large touch‐ screen has all the ‘buttons’ visible without needing to drive through sub menus. The changes for this latest model may be subtle, but they have definitely improved on the already

excellent package, and with prices starting from £23,500 the range is af‐ fordable.

In a world where the SUV seems to rule there is still plenty of reasons for a hatchback to exist, and the Focus, even in its more normal guise, more than delivers.

to read more MOTORING scan this QR Code

MOTORING

euroweeklynews.com

Charging laws ROYAL Decree‐Law 29/2021 requires the in‐ stallation of charging points in private non‐ residential car parks with more than 20 spaces.

The implementation of charging points for electric vehicles in large parking areas is es‐ sential to boost sustainable mobility in Spain.

The scarce availability of public chargers represents a barrier for electric car users, who find in the parking areas of shopping centres, hotels, hospitals, leisure areas or workplaces the solutions they need to make the most of electromobility.

Royal Decree‐Law 29/2021, approved at the end of 2021, defines the mandatory in‐ stallation of one charging point for every 40 parking spaces in all private non‐residential car parks with more than 20 spaces. In addi‐ tion, one extra charging point will have to be provided for every 40 available spaces.

This includes private paid parking areas, workplaces, factories and offices, supermar‐ kets and shopping centres, hotels and restaurants, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, educational facilities, such as uni‐ versities or colleges, and entertainment and leisure centres.

In the coming months, many infrastruc‐ tures will need to be upgraded to comply with regulations.

26 May - 1 June 2022

EWN 63

Drivers with vision problems MOST driving information comes through the eyes, however, almost 80 per cent of Spaniards have a vision problem.

In addition, 30 per cent of Spaniards suffer from at least two vision problems and 14 per cent three. When drivers receive 80 per cent of information through their eyes, this is an important is‐ sue.

The main disorders are presbyopia (42 per cent), myopia (39 per cent), astig‐ matism (39 per cent) and hy‐ peropia (18 per cent).

Here are some recommen‐ dations from the DGT, for those with vision problems: Wear your glasses or con‐ tact lenses to get the best vi‐ sion behind the wheel.

If you need to use ‘near’ glasses, it is recommended that you use progressive glasses to better observe the information you receive.

Sunglasses that prevent excess light make driving more comfortable.

Slow down ‐ increasing speed reduces the field of view.

If you take any drugs that affect your vision, follow your doctor’s advice and avoid night driving.

Get the best vision when you are behind the wheel.

64 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

26 May - 1 June 2022

CBWFL BATTLE FOR THE TOP!!!

LAST Tuesday morning Moraira WFC played host to second placed Hondon Valley Flyers at the Polideportivo in Moraira. At stake was a place at the top of the League.

Well not quite, and depending on the result. A win for the Flyers would give them top spot one point in front of cur‐ rent leaders Portobello, although they will have played two more games than the Yellows.

However should Moraira win they will go joint top with the Portos, although al‐ so having played two more games and the Yellows have a better goal difference.

So the race to be first Champions of the CBWFL gets hotter.

Unfortunately due to the Euro Weekly News going to print on a Tuesday it was not possible to include the result in this week’s edition, so make sure you get next week’s edition to see the result and

SPORT

how it affects the League Table.

Also next week a report on Esquina Park Rangers’ latest sojourn to partici‐ pate in the prestigious Majorca Tourna‐ ment.

The Euro Weekly News supports Walk‐ ing Football from Axarquia to Estepona on the Costa del Sol, Almeria, Murcia and throughout the Costa Blanca... dis‐ tributed at many sites in these areas, so pick up your copy and read about the clubs and how you could join them.

SPORT

Wimbledon stripped of ranking THE ATP has announced that male players at this year’s Wimbledon tour‐ nament will be stripped of ranking points.

Following the decision by the All England Club in April to ban Russian and Belarusian stars from this summer’s Win‐ bledon tennis tourna‐ ment, the ATP an‐ nounced on Friday, May 20, its intention to strip male players of ranking points.

“The ability for players of any nationality to en‐ ter tournaments based on merit, and without discrimination, is funda‐ mental to our Tour,” said a statement from the body that controls men’s tennis worldwide.

It continued: “The de‐ cision by Wimbledon to ban Russian and Belaru‐ sian players from com‐

WIMBLEDON: Russian and Belarusian players banned from compting. peting in the UK this summer undermines this principle and the integri‐ ty of the ATP Ranking system. It is also incon‐ sistent with our Rankings agreement.

“Absent a change in circumstances, it is with great regret and reluc‐ tance that we see no op‐ tion but to remove ATP Ranking points from Wimbledon for 2022,” it concluded.

Among the top players

to be banned is Russian star Daniil Medvedev, the world No2. The con‐ troversial ban has been criticised by fellow top stars including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.

An announcement last month by the All England Club admitted that their banning of players was made ‘with sadness, that they will suffer for the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime’.

to read more SPORT scan this QR Code