Euro Weekly News - Costa Blanca North 24 - 30 December 2020 Issue 1851

The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1851

24 - 30 December 2020

News

COSTA BLANCA NORTH • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

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FABULOUS FUNDAY

ON a gloriously sunny Sunday the generosity, compassion and amazing community spirit of Moraira were present in spades. Tim O’Brien and Lisa le Mehaute were the driving force behind a fabulous Funday fundraiser in aid of the Preventorio Infantil Nuestra Senora del Amparo, a children’s home in Gandia. Customers and Milk Aid 2020 sponsors were royally entertained by John the Fiddler, Roger Saunders, Ann and Ian, Pete and guitarist Glen Marples who persuaded the entertainers to give freely of their time and talent to support this worthy cause. The Fiddler was certainly dancing on the roof that day! Spain ranks low on the list of countries in its care and support of children who are in desperate need of social and economic attention, and it is thanks to the efforts of ordinary people that children like those in Gandia’s Preventorio Infantil can benefit. Tim and Lisa’s passion for this children’s home was ignited af-

FUNDRAISER: Tim O’Brien and Lisa, owners of The Fiddler with Robyn Oldcorn and Anita Kelly.

ter a visit to the Preventoria last year. Accompanied by some of their customers, they were inspired to encourage their amazing clients to assist through monthly sponsorship and donations. These same customers became volunteers for the day, encouraging clients to take part in the Lucky Dip, Toss a Coin and the Luxury Hamper Raffle donated by Tim and Lisa. Making sure that the hungry were fed, Liz was on mince pies, mulled wine and sausage rolls. Hayley and Chris made firm friends at the Hotdog Stand while Gerri was on the Luxury Hamper Stall. All of these incredible people were on hand wherever they

were needed on the day and did an amazing job. The hamper was won by Mags and Colin who came to collect their goodies the next day. The finale to Milk Aid 2020 resulted in a very tidy sum, of which €510 was used to purchase the much-desired Nintendo Switch with the required three games and extra handsets. The rest of the monies raised will be handed over to El Preventorio to provide monthly milk for each resident child and to help the kitchen fund. “We’d also like to thank everybody, especially our valued customers, a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year,” Tim and Lisa said.

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Donations for ambulance

TEULADA­MORAIRA’S Protec­ cion Civil have a new SVB life sup­ port ambulance. Presenting the Proteccion Civil volunteers with the powerful and ultra­modern vehicle, local mayor Rosa Vila, accompanied by Public Safety councillor Maria Jose Vidal, emphasised the great work they carry out to protect and safeguard

the local population. The presen­ tation was also attended by repre­ sentatives from the Asociacion Benefica de Teulada, the Masonic Home of Valencia Association and the Lions Club. As on previous occasions, all have collaborated with acquiring the vehicle that will assist Protec­ cion Civil to carry out their work.

Much-travelled seal

VETS used a blowgun syringe to inject a grey seal with an­ tibiotic off the Altea­Javea coast. The seal, whose normal habitat is the North Atlantic, had made its way into the Mediterranean after being spotted off the Algarve and Gibraltar. Vets from Valencia’s Funda­

LONG DISTANCE: An Oceanografic vet delivers the antibiotic. cion Oceanografic found that it had a wound caused by a

fishing line still attached to its neck, but the animal had elud­ ed all attempts to catch it. In­ stead they used the blowgun to deliver the antibiotic. The medication’s effects last 30 days and the vets hope that this, together with the abundant food they have pro­ vided, can help it to fight off an infection.

Art for charity Tidying up remains

A POP­UP art gallery in the La Marina Shopping Cen­ tre (Finestrat) is raising funds to help children in Guatemala. The charity, Education for the Children (www.eftc.org.uk), is based in Nottingham although the founders are currently located in the Alicante area. They have been given the use of a rent­free shop, which is being used as a pop­up art gallery displaying contributions from British and Spanish artists who are keen to raise money for the children of Guatemala. All of the art works are for sale and there is a framed football shirt signed ‘Ronaldo from Brazil’ which is also up for grabs. All purchases can be shipped anywhere in Europe for €20. The initiative continues until February 5 at Unit 45, lower floor, La Marina Shopping Centre, Finestrat (just outside Benidorm).

WORK at Calpe’s Baños de la Reina that be­ gan in July has concluded. Financed by the town hall and carried out by specialist firm Alebus Patrimonio Histori­ co, the Roman remains and the mosaics in the central patio of the main building or Do­ mus, can now be seen more clearly. “We have marked out various zones with different­coloured gravel,” said Alicia Lujan, the archaeologist in charge of the site. “This makes it easier to make out the dif­ ferent areas, separating the patio from the passageway and other rooms. And above all the gravel also helps to keep the weeds down.”

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Christmas picnic THE U3A Marina Baixa Sunday Strollers recently broke with tradition and walked on a Monday, due to the lack of weekend parking. Fourteen members of the group walked from the car park to the Albir light­ house, then back for their traditional Christmas pic­ nic of mince pies, Christ­ mas cake, sausage rolls and biscuits plus cava and beer. The weather was fine and dry and there was time to catch up on every­ one’s news and plans for the Christmas and the New Year. For more information about the U3A Marina Baixa, visit the www.u3a marinabaixa.com website or their Facebook page. Those without internet access should contact their secretary Joan Flint (966 808 591 or 663 637 167).

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NIBS EXTRA Spanish group TO celebrate the end of term the U3A Marina Baixa’s Spanish group met for a meal in La Nucia where they enjoyed the opportunity to socialise before Christmas and presented their tutor with a range of beautiful gifts. Classes will resume on January 13.

Colour-coded VILLAJOYOSA Town Hall will reintroduce Blue Zone paid parking next year as well as Orange Zone parking in La Cala during Easter and in the summer. A six-year €601,000 contract to run the service has now been put out to tender.

Caged chimp CAMPELLO Town Hall has asked the Generalitat to intervene in the case of Suzi, a 48year-old chimpanzee known to be living in a cage on private property. Its Belgian owner, who inherited Suzi from his father, has no permit and the animal, which is not microchipped, lacks identity papers and veterinary records.

Seafront revamp THE second phase of the Altea seafront makeover is due to start in January and will cost an estimated €3.4 million. Focusing on the section of promenade between the L’Espigo and the La Roda beaches, work should be finished between October and December 2021, if all goes according to schedule.

Catch 22 A DENIA resident has offered a couple who lost their jobs when the pandemic struck a place to live, enabling them to register on the town hall padron. Unable to pay rent, they lived on the streets for six months and were not eligible for municipal help as they had no fixed abode.

Energy savings LED streetlamps are to be installed at the car park in Benidorm’s Calle Beniarda behind the Tram station as far as the roundabout at the water purifying plant. They will replace the existing streetlights at the entrance to the town, which are now obsolete, while bringing annual savings of €3,500 on energy bills.

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A Carol from Flanders By Frederick Niven ( 1878 - 1944) In Flanders on the Christmas morn The trenched foemen lay, the German and the Briton born, And it was Christmas Day. The red sun rose on fields accurst, The gray fog fled away; But neither cared to fire the first, For it was Christmas Day! They called from each to each across The hideous disarray, For terrible has been their loss: “Oh, this is Christmas Day!” Their rifles all they set aside, One impulse to obey; ‘Twas just the men on either side, Just men - and Christmas Day. They dug the graves for all their dead And over them did pray: And Englishmen and Germans said: “How strange a Christmas Day!” Between the trenches then they met, Shook hands, and e’en did play At games on which their hearts were set On happy Christmas Day. Not all the emperors and kings, Financiers and they Who rule us could prevent these things For it was Christmas Day. Oh ye who read this truthful rime From Flanders, kneel and say: God speed the time when every day Shall be as Christmas Day.

Historic mill

IT is now possible to visit the Moli de Manec, an 18th century watermill adjoining the Carbon­ eras stream in Alfaz. The mill has been municipal property since 1999 and its €250,000 rehabilitation was fi­ nanced via the EU’s Regional De­ velopment Fund. Moli de Manec is one of Alfaz’s five flour mills, a reminder of the times when cereal­growing played an important part in local agriculture. It is located on the Reg Major, the 17th century irrigation sys­ tem that brought water from Polop as far as Benidorm. “This project was necessary to conserve not only the mill but al­ so the immaterial heritage linked to irrigation agriculture,” said Al­ faz’s mayor Vicente Arques dur­ ing the first conducted tour of the mill.

Michel and Steven Euesden would like to wish everyone that reads this message a very Merry Christmas It has been a difficult year for everyone but hopefully as in 1914 - we can all find it in our heart to be festive during this holiday period…

A sweet donation

GARY of Giving4Giving, made three more donations this month. The first was for Caroline Tyszka’s A Treat for Christmas initia­ tive, which collects cakes, biscuits, sweets and treats for the Al­ faz Food Bank to give to local children. Caroline struggled with donations this year, so Giving4Giving went to several local supermarkets to top up her stocks. The second donation was €1,000 for toys for Altea children over Christmas and the third was €1,000 for the Fundacion Salud y Comunidad orphanage. Giving4Giving has now given €186,000 to local charities and will continue the good work next year. “We always need donations and offer a house and apartment service, so please call on 603 137 697,” Gary said.

All under the same roof A NEW €600,000 warehouse at San Juan hospital will be big enough to store several months’ supplies of PPE equipment. The hospital is already well­stocked with all the items necessary for protecting staff against Covid­19, but these are stored in different parts of the building. By late December or early January, all the PPE equipment can be stored on the top floor of the 800­square metre building while the ground floor will be used as offices for administrative staff.

Regeneration for Les Deveses

THE central government’s Envi­ ronment Ministry will approve regeneration plans for Denia’s Les Deveses beach early next year. The beach has practically dis­ appeared, suffering badly from erosion caused first by the Sep­ tember 2019 storms and then by Storm Gloria in January this year. Once the €14.4 million project has been approved, the contract to build the three breakwaters that will prevent further erosion can be put out to tender. The only setback is renewing the Declaration of Environmen­ tal Impact required for dredging the 600,000 cubic metres of sand that will be needed, as the Ministry has not yet decided where this should be carried out.

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Twelve brave men KAREN WAKEHAM recently contacted the Euro Weekly News asking if we could run a story about a charity cal­ endar. “Twelve brave lo­ cal men in Moraira have bared all to raise money for the Franciscan Shelter for Men in Gandia,” Karen told us. “It’s a great fun calendar to make 2021 a little bit better.” Not one of the men flinched when they were asked to take part in the fundrais­ ing initiative, Real Working Men of Moraira, she re­ vealed. All the profits from the calendar will go to the Men’s Shelter run by the Franciscan Brothers in Gandia. They provide a home and nursing care for around 65 homeless men who without this service would otherwise be on the streets and unlikely to survive. The shelter is fund­ ed entirely by chari­ ty, and not a cent is received from the State. The calendar can be obtained in Moraira from Sereni­ ty, HD Dreams Bar and Mex Y Go. Karen wished to thank Helen King for acting as intermedi­ ary with the Francis­ can Shelter and Gillian Devine for taking the February, August and Novem­ ber photos. Thanks also went to Positive Signs for the calendar’s design and layout and final­ ly to Jack, “inspira­ tion behind it all.”

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Vaccine WILL Work THE Minister of Health for Spain, Salvador Illa, assured the public on Monday Decmeber 21 that the coronavirus vaccine “is also effective with the new strain detected in the United Kingdom.” This more contagious strain has so far caused a torrent of flight suspensions against the UK. Several European countries-

and the list is growing - have closed their entrances and exits. Spain has not (at the time of going to print), saying it will instead reinforce the PCR tests. The governments of Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru have also cancelled their connections with the United Kingdom, as well as Canada in North America.

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PM in quarantine SPANISH PM Pedro Sánchez will be in quarantine until Christmas Eve after being in contact with French President Emmanuel Macron who has tested positive for Covid. The two leaders lunched together on Monday, December 14, just days before the French government made the announcement. Sánchez has suspended all of his activities scheduled for the next few days in compliance with health protocols, and will undergo a diagnostic test. The PM has informed the King Of Spain, Felipe VI that he will quarantine until December 24, to allow 10 days to lapse following his lunch with Macron in Paris.

Biggest ever job boost for region

IN a euphoric and truly elated way, one of the largest job offers has been made in the region. Valencia City Council has announced just over 500 vacancies for firefighters, police, administration, teachers, engineers and more. In an unprecedented move, the council has asked for applications totalling more than 500. This is the largest offer in 15 years. Once again it was noted the decision by all parties, in

talks previous to the offers being made, were in complete unison, a unanimous vote to secure so many jobs in the region. From a piano teacher to 24 admin staff to 50 new Local Police officers, and the document went on to describe in detail the requirements of the council and the need to fill vacancies as soon as possible. A long-awaited positive for Valencia for jobs and the region is how this news can be described.

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ON October 7 the Moraira-Teulada U3A lost Don Roberts, one of its well-respected and loved founder members. Don was a very enthusiastic and fun-loving character who was the first resident of the Steering Committee when the new U3A was being set up. One of his many hobbies was photography for which he formed a group, and he also

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A bench in memory started the U3A bowls group at the Inn on the Green. He became the first Photography group leader, and the group is still going strong and is just as popular today. When the idea was suggested for a memorial for Don it was felt

that a bench at the Bowls Club would be appropriate, as he spent so many happy hours there, playing and socialising. To this end a group of U3A members, including Don’s wife Margaret and friends, gathered on a gloomy day at the club for

All together now! CALPE Town Hall has mapped out its tourist strategy for the next 10 years. All political groups on the local council voted in favour of plans that will make Calpe a competitive and sustainable holiday destination while bringing better quality of life for the local population. The 2020­2030 plan is the outcome of intense work by the town hall, with input from residents and local business­ owners who answered online surveys. In­depth interviews with tourist sector profession­ als and focus groups were also taken into account. Steps to be taken over the next decade, which have the backing of all parties, will highlight Calpe’s strong points of gastronomy, sports and water sports. The mea­ sures include suggestions from Defendamos Calpe which proposed reorganising resources and increasing the Tourism department’s per­ sonnel. Compromis spokesman Xi­

mo Perles said the plan’s greatest challenge would be putting it into practice, while his PSOE counterpart said it was technically “very good” but potentially incompatible with the existing PGOU urban

development plan. Ciudanos spokesman Juan Manuel del Pino, who is also Territory councillor, predicted that the ambitious plan would give Calpe “a huge boost.”

the ‘unveiling’ of the bench. A collection was was made at Don’s funeral for the Alzheimer’s Centre in Teulada, raising the fantastic sum of €805. Don will be fondly remembered by all those who knew him.

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Speed limit monitors SEVEN radar traffic monitors have been installed on Benidorm’s principal streets. They are ready for the 30 kilometre per hour speed limit that comes into force throughout Spain on January 1. Exceeding the limit will not mean a fine as the radar monitors are “informative,” explained Mobility councillor Jose Ramon Gon­ zalez de Zarate. A green smiley will mean that a driver is keeping the rules but a red, angry face indicates excessive speed.

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‘Bulky’ coat fine MOTORISTS face a new winter fine for driving in a ‘bulky’ coat. Similar to the fines for driving in flip flops during the summer months, motorists will be slammed with a fine of up to €200 for wearing ‘bulky’ coats during the winter months. This new penalty refers to the fact ‘a coat that is too large or that is too bulky can interfere

Charity continues THE Charity Shop of Calpe has been bringing some much­needed cheer to families in the town for whom Christ­ mas 2020 will be a difficult time. The shop has donated €1,000 to Cáritas and a further €1,000 to the Calpe Red Cross in the form of €20 food vouchers from Mas y Mas. President of the shop, Angie Roper, thanked all of the volunteers for their support in what has been a very chal­ lenging year. She also wished all of their customers a Happy Christmas and hoped that 2021 will see a return to better times. The shop is now closed for Christ­ mas, and will reopen on Monday Jan­ uary 4 with a half­price sale.

Freedom of movement.

with the functions of the seat belt.’ Article 18 of the General Traffic Regulations says: ‘The dri­ ver of a vehicle is obliged to maintain his own freedom of movement,’ which means it could be down to the traffic po­ lice whether a fine is issued. In short, wearing a chunky coat isn’t strictly prohibited, but drivers can be fined for it.

USEFUL NUMBERS

Emergency Services National Police Local Police Guardia Civil Ambulance Fire Brigade

112 091 092 062 061 080

Consulates British Ireland USA France Canada Denmark Germany Sweden

952 352 300 952 475 108 952 474 891 952 226 590 952 223 346 952 226 373 952 212 442 952 604 383

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What Papers To Carry

WITH the new restrictions revised for the Christmas period, the latest announcement brings with it a reminder to have all paperwork with you whilst travelling. The usual documents proving who you are, concerning the people you are visiting, brother, sister or mother perhaps will always speed up the process of verifying your reason to travel, Driving licence, insurance document, ITV (MOT) papers and sticker, logbook and an accident (blue) form are all legal requirements. During the Christmas period whilst travelling there are no strict revised rules sent down to the traffic police from authorities, however, there are recommendations, and they relate to medical certificates if travelling for that reason and that they must be current and signed. The rule regarding papers to be carried in a vehicle allows for photocopies, however they must be stamped with a notary mark. The recommendation from authorities is to have basically as much relevant documentation as you can to help explain who you are and why you are visiting a different municipality or province in your region.

Hotels Will Reopen SERVIGROUP are confident that all hotels in Spain will reopen in time for the high season in 2021. At an annual meeting of the Servigroup hotel chain in Benidorm on Thursday morning, December 17, CEO José María Caballé gave a message of hope when he expressed confidence that all of the hotels in Benidorm, La Vila, Orihuela, Castellón, La Manga and Mojacar would be back in business by the time the 2021 high season rolls around. The hotel giant has not taken a back seat while the majority of the venues remain closed during the pandemic. Instead, Servigroup has been working on launching a new website and has just recently unveiled a new corporate logo. This Christmas, Servigroup’s flagship hotel, the Diplomatic in Benidorm, remains open.

GUARD FOR VACCINE IN SPAIN SPAIN has announced the Pfizer, and BioNtech Vaccines will be dis­ tributed and ready to administer by December 27 and 29, 2020. This will happen once the Vac­ cine receives Full Approval from the (EDA) European Medicines Agency. The expected number of vac­ cines is unknown in the first distri­ bution. Still, they will reach 50 lo­ cations throughout Spain, those

exact locations have not yet been made public knowledge, but from those points, they will be sent un­ der guard to vaccination centres. The coordinated vaccine distri­ bution and administration is vital to ensure that persons receive the vaccine at the same time. It is the ministry of the interiors’ responsibility to ensure the securi­ ty of the vaccines throughout Spain and to the health centres.

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SEVILLA FERIA OFF

SADLY the Sevilla feria typically planned for April has had to be cancelled. The fair has been going since 1847, and even in the Civil War, it kept trade in livestock going to service demand. This will be the second year in a row it has been cancelled which is unheard of and represents the seriousness of the pandemic. The total loss to Sevilla infrastructure and Andalucia as a whole could be €800 million which is around 3 per cent of the G D P of the whole region. The mayor of Sevilla Juan Espadas has known that a

UNHEARD OF: Cancellation of the feria in April.

delicate decision lay ahead and it’s now been made. September 2021 is the

new April possibly, and this was the suggested month to postpone it to.

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And so this is Christmas!

CHRISTMAS CHEER: For the hostel for homeless men.

WHAT does Christmas mean to you? Last Wednesday, Jalon Valley Help joined forces with ‘The Entertainers’ to spend a few hours to bring some Christmas cheer to the residents of the El Cento de Acogida San Fransisco de Assis, a hostel currently providing a home and nursing care for 55 homeless men, many having a history of mental or physical illness and some being terminally ill. For many years the charity has regularly visited the hostel offering financial and practical support whenever possible and has always been very impressed by the care offered within the unit. Given the difficult experiences of 2020, the charity thought that the residents might enjoy the opportunity of some socially distanced entertainment. The weather was warm and comfortable outside, and with ‘the Entertainers’ singing popular carols and Jalon Valley Help making a financial donation of €3,000s to Her-

mano Guillermo, it is fair to say that it was a simply wonderful occasion. Reflecting on the experience Elaine Horton, President, commented “I have been to the hostel many times but today was very different, it was an extremely emotional day and will stay with me forever. Simply a favourite carol, a look into someone’s eyes and a whispered ‘Feliz Navidad’ resulted in tears from many. I think we touched their hearts and they definitely touched ours. Thank you to David Rohl and all the members of ‘The Entertainers’ for making the occasion so special and to all our hardworking volunteers for making this possible. It was a huge privilege to be there.’ Later the same day volunteers visited the El Preventorio Infantiles De Nuestra Senora Del Amparo, an establishment providing education and assistance to children in need, in order to provide brand new hand knitted jumpers and goodies as they do every year. Throughout all the problems experienced during 2020, Jalon Valley Help has continued to provide much needed services which includes providing a 24hr Help Line, an equipment loan service, maintenance of two care beds at Fontilles, regular donations of food for the needy/Caritas, monies to purchase ipads and phones for use by hospitalised Covid patients, and grants to such organisations as Adima, a charity providing care and assistance to learning disabled children and adults. It has to be said that the last 12 months have been a very difficult year and the need within the community is clearly increasing. Whilst appreciating the support which has been received from the community, there is so much more that Jalon Valley Help could do if only they had a little more help. They always need volunteers but if you are unable to make a regular commitment there are other ways you can help too, just give them a call on 659 624 643.

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NEWS

Tribute To Guitarist’s duet Health Workers with cat goes viral

Musical cat, Barney. A GUITARIST’S duet with a cat playing the piano has gone viral on TikTok. Russian Mars Gilmanov has posted several videos of his pet cat Barney playing the piano. The cat even seems to know what he’s doing. One of the videos was spotted by another musician, Akiz Guitar, who creat-

ed a very original duet video of himself playing along with the cat, who he calls a ‘maestro.’ He plays the same notes and pauses with the same flair as the cat, just proving that what the feline is doing, isn’t actually bad (for a cat!) The cute video has been very popular on TikTok.

MADRID leaders received a mixed welcome when they arrived in the capital to pay tribute to health care workers. Head figures in the government converged on the Plaza de los Sagrados Corazones in Madrid on Friday, December 18, to unveil a sculpture in tribute to health care workers who have died in Spain while fighting the Covid pandemic. Minister of Health, Salvador Illa, was met with boos and calls to “get out of the photo,” while Madrid Community President, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, and mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, were greeted warmly.

Warm Winter in Spain is forecast DON’T pack the shorts away just yet as experts predict that Spain is to have a warmer winter than usual this year Following an unseasonably mild autumn the good news keeps coming as experts at the State Meteorological Agency (Aemat) announced on Thursday, December 17 that winter throughout Spain is set to be warmer and drier than in previous years.

According to Aemet’s seasonal forecast, January, February and March 2021 will have less rain and higher temperatures than usual, with some areas such as the Balearic Islands seeing an increase of at least 0.7ºC above normal. Autumn 2020 was also an extraordinary season in Spain, with rainfall at 14 per cent below normal values for the time of year.

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Advertising Feature

Ciudad Patricia commended for its Covid care in lockdown AS the nation was plunged in­ to a lockdown and unchar­ tered waters, the physical and mental welfare of residents was, and remains, paramount at Benidorm’s Ciudad Patricia Senior Resort. Nestled in one of the most attractive settings in the re­ gion, the apartment and resi­ dential centre resort prides it­ self on offering all the comfort, safety and services to help resi­ dents enjoy a stress­free retire­ ment. But never in the resort’s 35 years has this been more im­ portant than in 2020, with the arrival of the coronavirus pan­ demic. Management immediately put safety and hygiene proto­ cols in place and did everything possible to ensure the safety and well­being of all residents during such uncertain times. And their commitment and dedication have not gone un­ noticed with mayor of Benidorm Tomi Perez present­ ing Ciudad Patricia with a spe­ cial award on behalf of the town hall in recognition of their

THE TEAM: Were presented with a special award.

efforts during the State of Alarm. The resort, which boasts a beautiful main central building with receptions, restaurant, and communal area, five resi­ dential buildings with 190 apartments, a Residents and Rehabilitation Centre, pools and gymnasium ­ was the only recipient of the award in its sector. To mark the accolade and thank all staff for their ‘incredi­ ble’ efforts, Manager Nadine Sweers, Sales and Quality Manager Elvira Koot and Man­ ager of the Residencia and Re­

habilitation Centre, Barbara Acevedo invited residents and employees to a celebration while respecting all Covid pro­ tocol. Manager Nadine said: “On March 14, 2020, we received news that we had to go into lockdown, something that was completely new for all of us, along with not being aware of what was going on and making new protocol,” she said. “It was a hard and difficult time and we have tried to do our very best to keep everyone as safe as possible. “On the day of the celebra­

tion of the Spanish Constitution on December 6, we were invit­ ed by Benidorm Town Hall, along with many, where we were given an award for all of the work we did in lockdown ­ the only recipient in our sector. “It was an honour to be part of the ceremony. We collected the award but did not do it on our own, we have the whole team behind us.” Nadine thanked the recep­ tion team who were on hand for residents every day, the residents’ committee, caretak­ ers and maintenance staff, restaurant employees who cooked meals and delivered, and Dr Arzuga for his contin­ ued medical support. Elvira added: “This award is for all of the staff here and every part they have played.” Residents Mr and Mrs Fisher have lived at Ciudad Patricia for seven years, having moved from Benitachell. Mr Fisher said: “Staff have looked after us in every way possible, keeping us safe, se­ cure and informed with weekly newsletters.”

Ciudad Patricia is nestled in an attractive setting.

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Peaky Blinders Brummies Needed Illegal immigration PEAKY BLINDERS is set to start filming season six, and Brummies are needed. Casting is open now, so get your applications in. The Birmingham based show is a major hit around the world, and many were disappointed when season six became delayed due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. The good news though is that the latest season is set to begin filming in Manchester soon. Talent agency LB Casting Ltd took to Facebook to search for Brummies to appear in the show. The casting requirements may rule out hopeful stars though, as requirements are strict. For men, no modern facial

CASTING OPEN: But the requirements are strict.

hair or beards are allowed, no modern haircuts or fades and you must be willing to shave if needed. Other requirements include not having a chest size over 44 inches. The list for women is slightly shorter and requires no dyed

hair or highlights, mid to shoulder length hair is a must and you must fit in a size 12 dress or under. Casting is only open until Friday January 3 and applications can be made via email to ap ply@lbcastingltd.co.uk.

NATIONAL POLICE have dismantled a network which brought hundreds of illegal immigrants from Morocco to Spain in small boats. Nineteen people have been arrested in Lanzarote, Murcia, Cadiz, Almeria, Granada, Huesca, Madrid and Malaga. They are suspected to have brought several hundred illegal immigrants into Spain, earning them more than €75,000. The investigation began when a witness reported the criminal organisation, which brought the immigrants mainly to Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. The National Police and Europol discovered that there were two parts to the network, one in Morocco, which organised the trips and found the passengers, who could book a place on the boats for between €500 and €1,500, and another, in Lanzarote, which organised the logistics side of the operation. If the immigrants failed to pay, the organisation held them against their will until they did. Seventeen of the detainees are Moroccan and two Spanish, who are charged with belonging to a criminal organisation, crimes against the rights of foreign citizens, money laundering and document falsification. Three properties were searched in Lanzarote, and National Police have seized three vehicles, eight mobile phones and computer equipment.

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Spanish ‘Kitchen Nightmares’

A SPANISH version of hit show ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ has gone viral after producers were forced to call the police because the restaurant was so filthy. Hit Spanish show ‘Are you going to eat it?’ has just had a new boost as a video posted on Twitter by TV chef Alberto Chicote of a disgusting Chinese restaurant in Zaragoza has gone viral. In the video, Chicote is heard calling the restaurant “a s### hole” as he explores the filthy kitchen where there is no refrigeration and fresh food is left out. Several Local Police officers accompanied the chef on his inspection, and after finding cockroaches immediately said “We must close this kitchen now.”

Best Holiday award for Jet2Holidays JET2HOLIDAYS was awarded a silver award in the Best Holiday Company to the Iberian Peninsula category and a bronze award in the Best Holiday Company to East and Southeast Europe category at this year’s virtual ceremony. Over 132,000 holidaymakers cast more than 240,000 votes across the categories to have their say on who they consider the best in travel.

This year, consumers were encouraged to vote for companies who had provided the best customer service during the pandemic whether that was by way of arranging refunds, rebookings or cancellations for customers whose plans have been affected. Jet2.com and Jet2holidays customer-first strategy during the pandemic won them praise from customers, consumer

organisations, media, and independent travel agents for how they have looked after customers who have been affected by any programme changes. Jet2holidays were also named ‘Best Short-Haul Operator’ at The Sun Travel Awards 2020 and emerged as the industry leader for customers for cancelled holidays in a review by Money Mail.

NEWS

www.euroweeklynews.com

24 - 30 December 2020

Life sentence confirmed

for Gabriel’s killer

T H E S upreme C ourt has confirmed the life sentence handed down to the killer of eight-year-old Gabriel Cruz, Ana Julia Quezada. The boy was murdered on a property in Rodalquilar, Almeria, in February 2018, by his father’s girlfriend, a

former prostitute from the Dominican Republic. The Supreme Court has supported the decisions of the Almeria Provincial Court and the A ndalucia H igh Court of Justice by confirming the maximum sentenced for the murderer and reject-

Interest In Sierra Nevada INTEREST in buying a Sierra Nevada ski lodge is up 107 per cent on last year. The demand for owning a home in Spain’s iconic ski resort has risen exponentially in spite of the coronavirus pandemic and uncertainty over whether the facilities will even open this year, according to a report published by Idealista on Tuesday, December 15. “This situation could be due to the interest of families with medium/high purchasing power in having a second home in a natural environment in the event of a new confinement, but without giving up the services offered by the regions where sports can be enjoyed in winter,” according to the real estate portal. The greatest increase in demand has been in Granada, where searches for houses in Sierra Nevada have grown by 107 per cent compared to last year, closely followed by Madrid, Girona and Lleida.

ing her appeals. O n February 27, 2018, Gabriel went to play with his cousins and his father’s girlfriend convinced him to go with her to the house where she suddenly and intentionally hit him against the wall or floor and covered his nose and mouth until she killed him. T he search for the boy lasted 11 days, during which Quezada pretended to be upset and created false hope for the family by claiming to have found his tshirt. S he was arrested on M arch 11, 2018, upon arrival at her home in Vicar having dug up G abriel’s body and put it in the boot of her car. The investigation had focused on her secretly for several days before her arrest, but officers did not want her to think that they suspected her.

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FEATURE

Purchase and sale of assets forming part of an inheritance

QUESTION: Dear lawyer, we write with regards to my moth­ er’s estate as she has passed away and left a property in Spain. A neighbour wants to buy it, although we have not yet signed any inheritance documents in Spain. Is it possible to reach an agreement on the purchase or sale of inheritance assets even if we have not yet signed the in­ heritance documents? Answer: In response to your question, we must say that: • In the event that the heirs agree, then YES, it’s possible. That is, you can sign contracts for the sale of assets that are part of the inheritance, part of the es­ tate. Even if the corresponding acceptance and adjudication of inheritance deed has not been signed. But to avoid problems, all the heirs must be in agreement to the sale. • The reason is that although the formal adjudication of the in­ heritance has not occurred, (nor­ mally this is formalised when

signing before a notary public), the heirs who accept the inheri­ tance are owners from the mo­ ment of death. • Not only is it possible, but it is very common as it is reason­ able to try to get some returns on the assets of the inheritance. Thus, it is possible to agree, for example, to letting an inherited property, to obtain rental in­ come. Signature of the deed of sale at the same time as the inheri­ tance deed. Payment of Inheritance Tax One of the main reasons, to agree to the private sale of a property before even formally inheriting, is to make funds avail­ able in order to pay inheritance taxes. Thus, it is very common for the heirs to agree in a private contract to sell and for that con­ tract to be signed, before the

signing before a notary of the deed awarding the inheritance. This even happens before the property appears in the Land Registry in the name of the heirs. Thus, in these cases, normally, the deed of acceptance and award of inheritance will be signed before the notary on the same day and the deed of sale singed later. Normally, it will be money from the sale price itself, that will be used to pay the inheritance taxes. In these cases, it is essen­ tial that the parties are duly legally advised, as there are sev­ eral potential risks: If the inheritance deed is not registered for any reason: defect on the deed, lack of documenta­ tion, problem with inheritance tax, etc, the sale that depends on it may be frustrated. Thus, the deed of sale, can on­ ly be registered, if the inheri­

Carlos Baos (Lawyer) - White&Baos Tel: +34 966 426 185 info@white-baos.com White & Baos 2020- All Rights Reserved.

tance is registered before, so ex­ pert legal advice is essential. We also recommend that the transaction be guaranteed, with a retention of the price. That is to say, that the sale price is retained by the notary, or the parties’ lawyers. All this, with the idea of ensuring that the in­ heritance tax is paid which like­ wise ensures that the inheri­ tance deed is finally registered. Conclusion Although it is possible to agree purchase or sale of inheritance assets, even before formally signing the inheritance papers, a series of precautions must be taken to ensure the success of the two operations. You can consult our real es­ tate services on our website (www.white­baos.com) and to get expert advice on these mat­ ters. Contact us or stay informed through our Facebook page. The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice, it merely conveys in­ formation related to legal issues.

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AMAZON founder Jeff Bezos’ ex­wife MacKenzie Scott donated $4bn (€3.4bn) in four months as food banks and emergency relief funds received her generous support. Ms Scott, who is the world’s 18th­rich­ est person, said in a blog post that she wanted to support those most affected by the Covid pandemic. The 50­year­old benefited from being married to the world’s richest man and since their divorce has seen her wealth grow from $23.6bn (€19.3bn) this year to

Amazon

Ex Donates $60.7bn (€49.7bn). “This pandemic has been a wrecking ball in the lives of Americans already strug­ gling,” she wrote in a blog post on Tues­ day, December 15, adding that she had

www.euroweeklynews.com picked more than 380 charities to donate to having considered almost 6,500 organi­ sations. “Economic losses and health outcomes alike have been worse for women, for people of colour and for people living in poverty. Meanwhile, it has substantially increased the wealth of billionaires.” Last year she signed the Giving Pledge, promising to give away the majority of her fortune stating that: “I have a dispropor­ tionate amount of money to share.”

NEWS

Itinerant thieves arrested in Bilbao THREE women were ar­ rested in Bilbao charged with belonging to an itin­ erant criminal gang based in France and responsible

for numerous house rob­ beries. The Basque police, the Ertzaintza, arrested the Croatian women, aged be­ tween 35 and 39, who all had extensive criminal records and used as many as 43 fake identities to es­ cape the police in differ­ ent European countries. They were located in a car in Irun, Guipuzcoa, with which they travelled to Vitoria and then Bilbao, where they parked. It had been hired in Paris. They kept some dis­ tance from each other, so that police would not re­ alise they were together, and entered an apartment block. Upon leaving, they were stopped by the police car­ rying tools for picking and breaking locks, all hidden in socks under their clothes. All of the tools were seized, as well as €2,500 in cash, but police found that they had not entered any homes in the building or anywhere else in the Basque Country. They travelled from France to nearby areas to break into apartments and within days or just hours, return to their headquar­ ters with the stolen goods.

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No to rapid tests THE Spanish government will urge health centres not to prescribe rapid Covid tests amid fears they ‘do not serve to detect the virus.’ Self-diagnostic tests have been sold in pharmacies for the last 15 days, for around €25 and always with a prescription. But Health Minister Salvador Illa has asked for caution before using them. “The tests are not an absolute security passport nor are they a guarantee, they are a caption of a certain moment. It does not exempt us from taking security measures.” And a health source told La Sexta the department will ask doctors to stop prescribing the tests which detect if a person has antibodies against coronavirus in 10 minutes. The test is said to be 90 per cent effective. The Ministry of Health has warned that if you do a test at home, you must get confirmation from a health centre. “We are going to work on protocolising these self-diagnostic tests,” it was added.

False ID arrest A THIRTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Peru­ vian who used the identity of an 89­year­old woman she was car­ ing for in Petrer to traffic cocaine has been jailed for six years by Alicante court. The woman was convicted of using her client’s name without permission to re­ ceive a shipment of cocaine from Lima on December 9, 2019.

The Customs Surveillance Ser­ vice of the Adolfo Suarez­Madrid Barajas airport intercepted the package, which claimed to con­ tain golf clubs, and used the tele­ phone number provided to track the woman down. She was ar­ rested, held without bail and sen­ tenced on November 30 to six years in prison.

NEWS

McLaren

Mind

M C L A R E N F 1 announced it has raised £285,000 for mental health charity M ind through initiatives from its fans, partners and team members in 2020. T he Formula O ne team, which is the former home of B ritish World Champion driver Lewis Hamilton, has also announced that they will be continuing to support the vital work of Mind into the 2021 Formula 1 season by extending their relationship with the charity. M oney raised by McLaren for F1 charities as part of W e R ace A s O ne campaign brings McLaren’s total fundraising in response to the C ovid-19 pandemic to more than £420,000 since the Austrian Grand Prix.

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2 million fine SEBASTIAN PINERA, the President of Chile, has been fined two million pesos after a photo of him posing for a selfie with no face mask went viral on social media. The photo was taken at the start of December but has only emerged now, causing outcry in Chile with many criticising Pinera for breaking the rules imposed by his own government. He reported himself to health officials on Friday December 18 and was fined two million pesos (roughly €2,800) for ‘non-compliance with the use of a mask in a public place.’ The now infamous selfie was taken with a member of the public, who recognised the President while he was taking a walk on the

CAUGHT: Pinera broke his own rules while walking. beach in Zampallar, a resort town popular with Chile’s political and business elites. In a social media statement, Pinera said that “the walk was quite lonely until some people recognised me and asked me to take a picture,” adding “surely I should have put on the mask, but because of the speed with which the events occurred I did not do so.”

NEWS

Exodus of Madrid Nurses MADRID is experienc­ ing an exodus of nurs­ es ahead of a possible third wave of Covid­ 19. In the last few months alone over 100 nurses more than in the same period last year have already left, and more are set to do the same. The ongoing treat­ ment of Covid­19 pa­ tients has left nurses exhausted and many fear they are unable to face a third wave of the virus. One nurse Amanda Bielza has headed to Valencia and said, “ I did not see myself ca­ pable of facing anoth­ er wave,” while anoth­ er nurse has opted for a war zone in Afghanistan over stay­ ing in Madrid.

NEWS

www.euroweeklynews.com

24 - 30 December 2020

Fitting farewell to 2020 E L P OZ O K I N G, the youngest and now the most rebellious brand of El Pozo Alimentación, from Murcia sent a special farewell message to 2020 with a powerful statement and humorous goodbye to a long, hard and sad year. In a daring, creative and clear cut message, the banner reads: ‘F**KING YEAR 2020. So long,’ accompanied by a gesture that expresses more than words. T his message has been displayed on a large canvas and can be seen by thou-

sands of residents on the facade of the building located at C alle Z urbarán in Madrid. This action, which will be visible until December 31, is complemented by the different related messages that will be launched through the

SO LONG: To 2020.

Bournemouth to Bergerac RYANAIR has announced a new Bournemouth to Bergerac (France) route which will see the operation of two weekly flights. The announcement made on Thursday, December 17, will commence on June 2, 2021 as part of Ryanair’s British Summer 2021 schedule and to celebrate they’re offering some cheap seats. Ryanair launched a seat sale with fares available from just £30.99 (€34.46), for travel during the month of June 2021, which must be booked by midnight Saturday, December 19, only on the Ryanair.com website.

brand’s profiles in social networks and that can be shared through WhatsApp.

UNICEF Help UK FOR the first time in its history, UNICEF is set to come to the aid of UK children. According to reports, the United Nations (UN) agency, which has provided humanitarian aid to children around the world since 1946, is now set to fund a project to feed children in the United Kingdom after 900,000 more children have registered for free school meals this year. UNICEF will provide thousands of breakfast boxes, of which each will provide enough food for 10 breakfasts and will be distributed over the Christmas holidays to vulnerable children and families in Southwark, south London by giving £25,000 to the charity School Food Matters.

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NEWS

U3A - Goodwill Team Empty their Coffers for Charities

THE year 2020 has been a difficult and disrupted one for us all, which after a positive start saw us all in lockdown in March from which we only cautiously remerged into a new ‘normality’ in June/July. In an endeavour to reopen the social aspects of membership of a U3A association, our committee suc­ cessfully restarted our General Assem­ bly in September, under Covid regula­ tions and social distancing. After a second successful GA in Octo­ ber the Covid situation worsened again and in the interest of members’ health we were forced to cancel the GA for No­ vember and to substitute an online recorded GA for December, which has been well received by more than 100 members to date. With such disruptions the fund­ raising efforts of our Goodwill Team have been seriously inhibit­

CANCER CARE: Sandra Welham presented a cheque to Carole Wardle.

SCAN: A cheque was presented by members during their visit.

ed. However, the Group recognise the ever more urgent need for funds by the local charities and

have, with the agreement of the members, distributed whatever funds have been raised at the earli­

est opportunities. In consequence earlier in the year funds of €400 were distributed to Jalon Valley Help and Arc. In the last few days the Goodwill has emptied their coffers in order to make presentations of €125 each to Cancer Care, Gandia Men’s Hostel and Scan. Last Thursday Janet Duffield presented a cheque to Gandia Men’s Hostel and earlier Sandra Welham presented the cheque to Carole Wardle, on behalf of Cancer Care (see photo). The donations were completed on Saturday when Bob and Sandra Welham had a very inter­ esting visit to Scan, when the cheque from the members was presented (see photo). Scan, an animal charity in El Verger, has been going for over 11 years and have lots of projects moving forward. Our donation is going to help with the

planting of trees in an area earmarked for families and dogs, where the reha­ bilitation process and adoption visits can be convened. They have just com­ pleted a new compound for cats. When completed they will place a plaque next to the tree that we have sponsored. Our U3A is committed to helping lo­ cal charities wherever they can, and we hope the new vaccines will enable us to resume our learning and social events in the spring and summer with opportuni­ ties for fundraising activities again. Please stay safe, stay active and have as happy a Christmas as possible. Please remember to call a friend or acquaintance who is on their own to give them your seasons greetings and hopes to meet early in the New year. For further information on U3A Vall del Pop check our website www.u3a valldelpop.com.

Toy Drive from U3A THE Calpe U3A Padel Tennis Group held their pre-Christmas lunch at El Escorial restaurant in Calpe. It was attended by 20 members and partners who all enjoyed the good food and excellent service. Everyone enjoyed the wine and conversation. The Calpe U3A ‘Toy Drive’ is going well with the word spreading that we are asking our members to bring the unwrapped toys and games and donations of money to the Casa de Cultura on Tuesday December 29. There will be Calpe U3A members there to receive the gifts from 10.00am to 12.00pm. A representative of Calpe Red Cross will be there to collect the gifts which will be given out on the Three Kings Day to the disadvantaged children. The January meeting of Calpe U3A will be at the Salon Blau on Thursday January 21. Doors open at 10.00am and Carole Saunders will speak about what the future holds for everyone in Calpe during 2021. See www.u3acalpe.org and the Calpe U3A Facebook page for more details. A very merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All.

More than 30 different dimensions of pine timber in green, brown and thermo treated. Biggest selection of high quality joists, beams, t/g boards, planks and decking boards. You have never seen such a large selection. All planed and round edges.

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NEWS

Opticians in Costa Blanca launch Christmas Food Collection SPECSAVERS Ópticas stores across the Costa Blanca have teamed up to collect food donations for vulnera­ ble people in the region. The teams are collecting items throughout Decem­ ber to be donated to the Al­

icante Food Bank (Fun­ dación Banco de Alimentos de Alicante) and are en­ couraging their local com­ munities to give generously and ensure no one in the Alicante Pprovince goes hungry.

Lisa James, a store direc­ tor at Specsavers Ópticas Guardamar, explains: “It’s that time of year where sad­ ly some families will miss out on the festive cheer for various different reasons, but this year in particular

the pandemic has had a dev­ astating effect. That’s why the work of our local food banks and charities is such an important lifeline for so many people in our commu­ nity and we’re delighted to support this incredibly wor­ thy cause. Please come in and bring healthy, non­per­ ishable food with a long shelf life and give families something to look forward to this Christmas and be­ yond.” According to FESBAL (Spanish Federation of Food Banks), demand has in­ creased by more than 40 per cent since the State of Alarm was announced and they are currently helping 1.8m peo­ ple to feed themselves and their families. Unfortunate­ ly, they do not expect this situation to improve in the short or medium term, so are relying on support from businesses and individuals to meet the demand. In September a FEBA (Eu­ ropean Food Bank Federa­ tion) survey revealed that over 85 per cent of food banks in Europe continue to experience growing demand. This is a result of the in­ crease in the total number of people in need, especially of

FOOD DONATIONS: Are desperately needed.

food, due to social and eco­ nomic consequences of the Covid­19 pandemic. Specsavers Ópticas is col­

lecting food donations in its Javea, Calpe, Benidorm, Tor­ revieja, Guardamar and La Zenia stores. The food bank desperately needs donations of the following items to re­ spond to demand ­ full fat milk, rice, sugar, oil, drinking chocolate and canned fish such as tuna. You can drop those items off at any Specsavers Ópti­ cas store on the Costa Blan­ ca during opening hours un­ til January 5.

Visit www.specsavers.es to find your nearest store and contact details. Find out more about the Alicante Food Bank on their website www.bancodealimentosalicante.org

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FEATURE

Advertising Feature

Avalon Funeral Plans celebrates a year of fundraising EMPLOYEES at Avalon Funeral Plans are celebrating a year of successful fundraising for local charities across the region throughout 2020 ­ a year in which the pandemic’s impacts mean charities and their services are more reliant on fundraising than ever be­ fore. Every year, Avalon employees com­ mit to supporting charities across the regions in which they operate and, de­ spite the challenges 2020 brought to companies and expats alike, this year was no different. Whether it’s making donations or at­ tending and sponsoring local events to raise funds, their employees are dedi­ cated to making a difference to the charities they support. One such chari­ ty is Help at Home, Costa Blanca. Help at Home provide support to vulnerable people in the local expat community in­ cluding advice on accessing benefits and carers and care homes, alongside providing a friendly face to talk to. Avalon also supports selected char­ ities to showcase their great work by supporting the funding of their events

SUPPORTING CHARITY: Avalon employees with Lions La Cala. and charity shops, as they do with Li­ ons La Cala and Lions Diabetic Sup­ port Group who provide important support for the local community in Malaga, including caring for the envi­ ronment, and help for vulnerable people. In addition to this, they have also supported the Samaritans in Spain at a time when the need for access to men­ tal health charities and services are as important as ever. Numerous other charities have been supported by Avalon across the year in­

cluding Easy Horse Care, a rescue cen­ tre for neglected horses, ponies and donkeys; The Royal British Legion who provide support for the armed forces community; and Alzheimer and De­ mentia Support International (ADSI) who support people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia and their carers, to name but a few. This year’s charity fundraising follows a period of success for Avalon in what has been a challenging year for many businesses. They recently took home the coveted title of ‘Best Funeral Plan

Provider’ for the second year running at the 2020 Personal Finance Awards. This award recognises Avalon’s dedica­ tion to its customers, as well as the high standard of its customer service. Speaking about this year’s fundrais­ ing efforts, Avalon’s CEO, Susan Steven­ son, said: “Caring for families is a funda­ mental part of what we do, and this year we have provided peace of mind for thousands of bereaved families through our funeral plans. We have seen first­hand the impact of the pandemic on families and chari­ ties and it was more important than ever this year that we continue to sup­ port charities across the region so they can continue to provide support to the people who need it most. We are so proud to be able to sup­ port a large variety of charities across the region who all provide such impor­

tant services to support their local com­ munities. From charities that provide support to vulnerable people, our armed forces, or animal rescue centres, we are pleased that every penny do­ nated to these charities will go towards helping the communities who need it most.” A spokesperson from Help at Home said “We are delighted with the sup­ port we will receive from Avalon. Aval­ on have donated a stand and various marketing aids to help the team when they are doing events and raising mon­ ey for the charity.” Avalon has over 26 years’ experience providing funeral plans for more than 85,000 customers across the UK and Europe and is the most trusted funeral plan provider.* The company provides specialist expat funeral plans, working in partnership with local funeral direc­ tors, so families always have support close by. Regulated in the UK by the Funeral Planning Authority (FPA), Avalon is based in the UK and Spain and operates across Europe.

For more information, visit www.avalonfuneralplans.com or call +34 966 799 070 • *Based on over 2,500 TrustPilot reviews

NEWS

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Soldiers Punished THREE Spanish soldiers have been punished after a video leak surfaced from a fascist party at a military base in Paracuellos del Jarama, Madrid. The party was held on December 8, 2019, where the military men can be seen dancing with several others to the rhythm of a Blue Division song and making a fascist salute. The video was broadcast last Wednesday, December 16, by the website La Marea. Sources from the Spanish Army said that those punished were a non-commissioned officer, responsible for organising the party, and two soldiers who behaved ‘inappropriately’ and who could be identified in the video. The three were punished for a minor disciplinary offence after the video shows a group of people, in uniform and in civilian clothes, dancing to a rock version of the song, some of them holding beers and waving. The army learned about the video in January when disciplinary proceedings were opened.

24 - 30 December 2020

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Wrong anthem for Carlos Sainz THE wrong anthem was played for Spaniard Carlos Sainz after winning the preparatory rally for Dakar, when the Saudi Arabians mistakenly played the one from the Franco era. The driver stood calmly on the podium, obviously trying not to allow his facial expression to show his surprise on hearing the hymn, which was written by Jose Maria Peman in 1928 upon the orders of Miguel Primo de Rivera and used during the Franco dictatorship. The Dakar Rally starts on January 2. Sainz, and his partner Lucas Cruz, won the second Baja Ha’il after Al Attiyah won the first.

PODIUM: Driver tried not to show surprise.

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EUROPEAN PRESS

EUROPEAN NIBS DENMARK

GERMANY

If Carlsberg

Break through

THE Danish brewery alongside SAB Miller and United Breweries control almost 90 per cent of the beer sold in India and now they have been accused of price fixing and could face enormous fine if the allegations are proven.

IN 2017, thieves stole a huge modern Canadian gold coin valued at €3.75 million from a Berlin museum. Police who believe that it has been melted down and used to make counterfeit coins raided 14 properties and seized gold and cash.

NETHERLANDS

FRANCE

Cash rich

Medal return

ACCORDING to a report in Dutch newspaper Trouw, food banks in the Netherlands have not used a €4 million grant in order to feed their 100,000 clients and now a further €8 million is due to be paid via the European Social Fund.

TWO prominent Italians have returned their French Legion of Honour awards in protest at the decision made by President Macron to give the award to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi who they believe was involved in the death of an Italian student in Cairo.

BELGIUM

NORWAY

Crayonism

Slimmer airline

THE owner of the Café Crayon in Ostend gained a great deal of publicity after jokingly announcing that he would start his own religion and turn his bar into a church which would allow him to serve 15 disciples every Sunday under coronavirus rules.

NORWEGIAN AIR currently still in business due to bankruptcy protection in Ireland looks to the long term and will almost certainly scrap its cheap intercontinental routes which have lost money for years, sell some of its aircraft and concentrate on European travel.

FINANCE Bitcoin booty WHEN the crypto currency Bitcoin broke the $20,000 (€16,334) barrier it was expected by many that that would be its limit and the price would drop back, but to their amazement it continues to prosper and recently nearly touched $23,000 (€18,784).

Healthy hydrogen AS hydrogen becomes the latest gas to be considered useful in creating energy without adding carbon, Enagás and Naturgy have announced that they will partner to build the largest hydrogen plant in Spain in La Robla, Leon.

Mortgage rates DUTCH owned bank ING is determined to increase its share of the Spanish mortgage market and is introducing a number of new, highly competitive options in both fixed and mixed rate prices and will now await competitors’ responses.

Palm oil RESEARCH is underway to create a synthetic alternative to palm oil which is used extensively in the beauty and food industries but is said to be responsible for the mass destruction of rainforests throughout the world and the permanent loss of wildlife.

BA cut routes BRITISH AIRWAYS’ owners IAG, desperate to save money after reporting losses of €4 billion in the first six months of 2020 is to cut a number of long-haul destinations from its 2021 schedules. Routes affected include Abu Dhabi, Calgary, Charleston, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Muscat, Osaka, Pittsburgh, Seychelles and Seoul and there are suspensions of summer flights to Bangkok, San Jose and Sydney. According to the BBC, the group has previously indicated that it doesn’t expect passenger numbers to return to normal until 2023.

STAT OF WEEK

€1.5 billion

is the amount of dividend that Spanish banks may be able to pay to shareholders following a decision by the European Central Bank.

Simon Manley and WTO

Inditex in good place AS companies around the world succumb to the downturn in business caused by the international pandemic, one Spanish gi­ ant shines as a beacon of how to not just cope but adjust to the change in the market and benefit. Inditex has just released its third quarter figures and whilst sales have dropped from the previous year, it has taken action to not only increase its online business

but also to reduce costs. It recorded a net profit of €866 million in the third quarter which taking into account losses from the lockdown still sees its nine­ month position as having an overall net profit of €671 million, but equally impor­ tantly it has more cash than ever before. The current cash in hand amounts to €8.3 billion which means that whatever may come along in 2021, it

LEGALLY SPEAKING

Will his Will be valid?

will have enough money to weather any storm no mat­ ter how harsh it may be. Should Covid­19 be con­ trolled successfully with the introduction of the newly developed vaccines then Inditex may well consider acquisitions of brand names that are either suf­ fering or have gone to the wall or introducing new ranges itself. Despite the fact that 21 per cent of the Group’s

shops remain closed, it still has plans to expand into new countries such as Panama and Puerto Rico af­ ter earlier expansion in Chile, Costa Rica, Honduras and Tunisia. For Spain and Portugal as well as other mature mar­ kets, it has launched its lat­ est brand Lefties which is aimed at all types of people of all ages and sexes with clothing and a selection of footwear.

Mini trade deal Credit: @USTRADEREP

BUSINESS EXTRA

www.euroweeklynews.com • 24 - 30 December 2020

30

I am an Engishman living in Spain with Span­ ish Residency. Some time ago I made a Last Will and Testament with my UK solicitor. I have also made a Spanish Will with my Spanish As­ sessor here in Spain. Last year I gave my only son Power of Attorney through his UK solicitor. My question is: On January 1, 2021, will both Wills be applicable or only one of them? Liz Truss in Zoom meeting with Robert Lighthizer.

B J (Costa del Sol)

Brexit will have no ef­ fect on Wills. But YOU AND THE LAW be careful. Does IN SPAIN your English Will specify that it disposes only of your estate in the UK? Does your Spanish Will specify that it disposes only of your property in Spain? If so you should be all right. If not, the Will dated last will take precedence. Be warned that a Power of Attorney dies with its maker. We are assured that UK citizens residing in Spain will continue to enjoy their EU rights after Brexit but you might want to confirm that your inher­ itance tax exemptions still apply. If your Spanish es­ tate is substantial you may face inheritance tax.

DAVID SEARL

Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana and Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.

WHILST the French are expecting a drop in the sale of Champagne this year, Spanish bodegas in Jerez are cheering up as market research suggests that it’s not just Santa who will be enjoying a glass of sherry this Christmas. Market research company Nielsen has released informa­ tion that shows that sherry sales in the UK are up by more than

REPORTS on Irish TV sug­ gest that the outgoing Trump administration is ready to offer Britain a mini trade deal which could see tariffs on certain products being reduced or removed. Trump’s trade chief Robert Lighthizer reported­ ly told the BBC “I’m talking to (International Trade Sec­ retary) Liz Truss, about try­ ing to work out some kind of a deal... I’m hopeful we can get some kind of an agreement out you know; we don’t have a lot of time left. “We have the advantage in that both the US and the UK ­ particularly the current government of the UK ­ are not big subsidisers, where

some other countries are more inclined to subsidise. So, it would be helpful if we could come to some kind of agreement.” This suggestion comes in response to a British gov­ ernment decision to reduce American tariffs on subsi­ dies currently given to air­ craft manufacturers after December 31 and may see a lifting of high import duties on Scotch whisky. A mini deal would be welcomed by the British government, especially in the event of a no deal Brex­ it and would, it hopes, act as a springboard for a more expansive trade deal with the new Biden administra­ tion.

Sherry isn’t just for Santa 17 per cent in the 12 weeks to December 5 and various super­ market buyers have told the BBC that they are stocking up for the festive season. According to Majestic Wines, the lockdown saw a lot more ex­ perimenting with drinks and

their spokesperson refers to the ‘tapas effect’ which has coincid­ ed with the introduction of dif­ ferent ranges of sherries in the higher price range. Drinkers are becoming more adventurous in their choice of sherries and although the sweet

FORMER British Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley CMG has been appointed the Unit­ ed Kingdom’s Permanent Rep­ resentative to the World Trade Organisation, United Nations and other Internation­ al Organisations based in Geneva. Speaking about his new ap­ pointment, which takes place in Spring 2021, Mr Manley tweeted “Excited to build on work of Julian Braithwaite CMG (who returns to the Diplomatic Service) to pro­ mote free trade, defend hu­ man rights, and secure effec­ tive multilateral solutions to our shared global challenges.” With Brexit and the need for trade agreements this is an important appointment which is bound to be busy.

OECD 60th SPANISH Prime Minister Pe­ dro Sánchez travelled to Paris to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Organisa­ tion for Economic Coopera­ tion and Development (OECD) alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. The pair co­hosted a num­ ber of Zoom meetings in­ cluding one with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc who sent the best wishes of the Vietnamese people to the organisation. It was upon his return to Spain that Prime Minister Sánchez learnt that he would have to self­isolate until Christmas Eve, as he had attended a meal with President Macron who test­ ed positive for Covid­19. versions are still the most popu­ lar, chilled, light­coloured dry versions are seeing a definite in­ crease in popularity as they are drunk as an aperitif. There will still be room for sherry in a trifle and it won’t be used to fire up the Christmas pudding but it looks as if Spain’s fortified wine is bouncing back with a vengeance.

32 EWN

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C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 21

PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3I Group 1.137,50 1.141,50 Admiral Group 2.972,0 2.974,0 Anglo American 2.455,0 2.456,5 Antofagasta 1.445,00 1.446,50 Ashtead Group 3.324,0 3.324,0 Associated British Foods 2.131,0 2.181,2 AstraZeneca 7.542,0 7.547,0 Auto Trader Group Plc 582,40 583,06 Avast 529,50 529,50 Aveva 3.233,0 3.235,0 Aviva 314,60 316,83 B&M European Value Retail SA504,20 504,80 BAE Systems 487,40 487,90 Barclays 138,54 140,44 Barratt Developments 623,29 628,87 Berkeley 4.266,0 4.280,9 BHP Group 1.980,20 1.981,00 BP 260,29 261,95 British American Tobacco 2.755,5 2.757,0 British Land Company 455,90 468,60 BT Group 130,40 131,95 Bunzl 2.442,0 2.451,0 Burberry Group 1.776,0 1.783,5 Carnival 1.245,0 1.312,0 Centrica 41,49 42,18 Coca Cola HBC AG 2.323,0 2.329,0 Compass 1.362,30 1.374,00 CRH 3.092,9 3.094,0 Croda Intl 6.400,0 6.400,0 DCC 5.368,0 5.414,0 Diageo 2.933,2 2.935,5 DS Smith 377,90 380,80 EasyJet 696,05 700,00 Experian 2.801,0 2.805,0 Ferguson 8.792,0 8.802,0 Flutter Entertainment 14.846,1 14.857,4 Fresnillo 1.174,50 1.174,50 GlaxoSmithKline 1.370,40 1.374,47 Glencore 239,18 239,40 Halma 2.445,0 2.448,0 Hargreaves Lansdown 1.494,40 1.503,00 Hikma Pharma 2.605,00 2.606,00 HSBC 384,00 384,80 IAG 132,74 139,20 Imperial Brands 1.550,88 1.557,50 Informa 514,40 526,00 InterContinental 4.503,0 4.536,0 Intermediate Capital 1.615,00 1.628,00 Intertek 5.836,0 5.836,0 ITV 101,85 103,55 J Sainsbury 221,20 223,10

% CHG. 1.118,50 2.935,0 2.405,5 1.422,50 3.279,2 2.063,0 7.452,5 575,50 524,00 3.156,0 309,30 499,30 479,20 135,46 606,40 4.192,7 1.956,80 252,30 2.734,5 447,90 127,65 2.418,0 1.748,5 1.160,5 40,71 2.290,0 1.334,39 3.063,6 6.294,5 5.316,0 2.899,0 367,70 670,38 2.769,0 8.710,0 14.648,6 1.147,50 1.366,80 236,02 2.423,0 1.466,90 2.553,00 378,90 124,15 1.526,14 504,00 4.427,0 1.578,00 5.779,2 99,48 220,48

NET VOL 24,32K 8,24K 182,02K 42,50K 1,34K 31,94K 19,18K 8,08K 8,82K 13,32K 473,95K 18,81K 106,26K 2,15M 74,48K 4,40K 200,17K 1,24M 21,10K 185,31K 1,57M 20,16K 6,41K 106,19K 345,75K 17,08K 14,58K 3,63K 0,52K 3,10K 21,77K 543,76K 467,25K 44,87K 8,58K 0,38K 192,81K 43,01K 404,56K 22,51K 16,16K 22,80K 222,79K 4,65M 38,91K 70,43K 34,64K 16,85K 0,30K 434,13K 23,60K

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

Johnson Matthey 2.443,0 JSC MMC Norilsk Nickel ADR 31,18 JSC VTB Bank DRC 0,967 Land Securities 639,60 Legal & General 244,78 Lloyds Banking 32,97 London Stock Exchange 8.960,0 Meggitt 414,83 Melrose Industries 161,35 Mondi 1.745,50 National Grid 860,00 NatWest Group 150,52 Next 6.557,6 Ocado 2.274,00 Persimmon 2.623,1 Phoenix 693,00 Prudential 1.301,00 Reckitt Benckiser 6.574,0 Relx 1.802,50 Rentokil 521,80 Rightmove 652,40 Rio Tinto PLC 5.734,0 Rolls-Royce Holdings 104,31 Rosneft 5,79 Royal Dutch Shell A 1.338,00 Royal Dutch Shell A 1.335,6 Royal Dutch Shell B 1.289,8 RSA Insurance 678,60 Sage 583,20 Samsung Electronics DRC 1.640,00 Sberbank 14,47 Schroders 3.245,0 Scottish Mortgage 1.206,54 Segro 912,34 Severn Trent 2.277,0 Smith & Nephew 1.526,00 Smiths Group 1.520,00 Spirax-Sarco Engineering 11.325,0 SSE 1.451,99 St. James’s Place 1.109,50 Standard Chartered 457,85 Standard Life Aberdeen 279,45 Taylor Wimpey 155,89 Tesco 225,00 Tui 372,69 Unilever 4.358,5 United Utilities 897,60 Vodafone Group PLC 122,92 Whitbread 2.921,0 WPP 790,36

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

2.462,0 31,45 0,972 647,50 247,70 33,23 8.960,0 415,86 164,45 1.751,50 860,40 151,95 6.578,0 2.336,00 2.650,0 696,20 1.304,00 6.594,0 1.807,50 522,60 655,00 5.738,0 104,50 5,91 1.338,31 1.338,8 1.293,2 681,60 586,00 1.640,00 14,62 3.267,0 1.208,92 919,80 2.280,0 1.526,00 1.523,32 11.360,0 1.452,48 1.112,50 468,12 279,70 155,95 226,30 379,50 4.376,7 899,00 124,44 2.938,3 792,55

2.397,0 31,11 0,967 625,80 239,49 32,01 8.830,5 398,45 156,59 1.718,00 850,00 146,40 6.402,0 2.215,00 2.538,0 683,89 1.286,00 6.434,0 1.792,00 515,60 642,20 5.601,0 95,10 5,78 1.313,40 1.313,0 1.275,2 676,80 574,80 1.620,00 14,28 3.193,0 1.192,00 903,33 2.245,6 1.502,50 1.495,50 11.085,0 1.433,00 1.088,50 449,10 272,10 149,10 223,62 367,00 4.342,6 888,18 122,18 2.830,0 776,60

11,41K 73,33K 89,17K 12,20K 596,00K 26,43M 1,62K 47,32K 329,81K 122,30K 395,52K 2,74M 2,21K 21,44K 12,24K 21,67K 356,07K 62,22K 12,81K 100,31K 95,37K 116,27K 5,55M 671,28K 23,06K 37,08K 153,23K 164,15K 113,80K 2,08K 406,76K 7,16K 177,30K 13,78K 5,59K 6,25K 1,75K 3,68K 35,42K 72,96K 250,87K 67,35K 636,34K 462,38K 194,30K 17,37K 25,44K 1,18M 16,02K 24,65K

0.91694

1.09039 Units per €

US dollar (USD) ......................................1.21915 Japan yen (JPY)......................................126.292 Switzerland franc (CHF) .........................1.08166 Denmark kroner (DKK) ...........................7.44077 Norway kroner (NOK) .............................10.6902

currenciesdirect.com/moraira • Tel: +34 966 265 072 THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER

DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 21

COMPANY 3M Alphabet C Amazon.com Amgen Apple Boeing Caterpillar Chevron Cisco Coca-Cola Facebook Goldman Sachs Home Depot Honeywell IBM Intel J&J JPMorgan McDonald’s Merck&Co Microsoft Nike Procter&Gamble Salesforce.com Tesla UnitedHealth Verizon Visa A Walmart Walt Disney

PRICE 176,42 1.731,01 3.201,65 228,49 126,66 219,75 180,96 87,19 45,44 53,74 276,40 242,13 270,45 210,04 125,85 47,46 154,51 119,08 215,08 79,53 218,59 137,28 139,04 227,43 695,00 338,38 60,46 211,31 145,95 172,89

CHANGE 177,46 1.755,11 3.249,42 232,04 129,10 223,46 181,30 88,71 45,57 53,84 278,00 245,39 275,74 212,51 126,40 50,68 155,10 119,88 216,85 80,18 219,69 141,14 140,07 227,82 695,00 342,61 60,78 211,98 147,18 175,84

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) 175,11 4,68M 1.720,22 4,02M 3.171,60 6,00M 227,25 5,89M 126,12 192,54M 218,61 19,09M 177,47 5,26M 86,26 27,43M 44,77 41,03M 52,62 35,48M 271,14 26,69M 240,56 4,09M 270,30 9,82M 208,62 6,69M 124,97 7,55M 47,11 119,30M 151,67 17,14M 118,27 28,95M 213,82 7,93M 78,45 31,64M 216,02 63,35M 137,17 17,97M 137,45 19,99M 224,40 11,85M 628,54 222,13M 334,00 8,74M 59,79 31,91M 209,87 13,30M 145,16 13,79M 172,28 21,17M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 21

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+2.60% +5.96% +145.00% +2.07% +16.33% +18.67% +9.99% +2.95% +11.92% +8.88% +6.75%

531,934 222.13M 4.22M 9,142 2.73M 2.80M 15.26M 34,063 2.48M 1.24M 132,672

-36.34% -1.06% -0.97% -0.82% -0.65% -36.54% -2.00% -4.32% -6.08% -5.01% -18.39%

1.17M 6.00M 4.02M 4.26M 536,194 1.82M 104,635 466,217 839,008 9,694 2.68M

Most Advanced MercadoLibre Inc. Tesla Inc. 908 Devices Inc. Broadcom Inc. 8% Pfd. Series A CyberArk Software Ltd. Qualys Inc. CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. Cl A Atrion Corp. Proofpoint Inc. Varonis Systems Inc. GRAVITY Co. Ltd. ADR

Most Declined Wunong Net Technology Co. Ltd. Amazon.com Inc. Alphabet Inc. Cl C Alphabet Inc. Cl A Booking Holdings Inc. Scopus BioPharma Inc. First Citizens Bancshares Inc. Cl A LendingTree Inc. Medpace Holdings Inc. Investors Title Co. AlloVir Inc.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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Advertising Feature

Different funerals

FUNERALS around the world and the difference between celebrating a life lived or mourning a lost life? The ways we handle death differs not only from person to person, but also from community to community. Funeral plan expert Haylee from Golden Leaves explained, “The different processes each religion goes through is really very interesting. In my role as a funeral planner, I have had to learn so much about different cultures and their beliefs. Every culture has its own traditions and customs regarding death, funerals, and burials. In some cultures it’s a real celebration of life as opposed to mourning which is totally different from how people in England approach death.” Some religions cremate their dead while others prefer burial. Some faiths go through grieving ritu­ als that last long after the funeral, while others prefer to end the observances when the funeral is complete. Traditions within religions themselves can also be rather diverse, varying from religion to religion and country to country. Vietnamese Buddhist Usually, bodies are cremated in Buddhism, to follow the example of the Buddha, but families might choose to bury their loved ones, too. In either case, there will be a three­day period of worship after the person is buried or cremated, to wish for a peaceful departure for their soul. Memorial services are traditionally held on the third, seventh, 49th, and 100th day after the death and the family will come back to the temple during these days for more services. It’s a long process, but the belief is that the soul needs to pass seven ports before going to heaven. Islam Cremation is forbidden in Islam, so the body is buried as soon as possible from the time of the death. Funeral preparations begin immediately and the body has to be washed for burial. This is usu­ ally done by family members. After that, the body is covered in three pieces of clean white cloth and the body is put into a position of prayer, if possible, with one hand on the chest and the other hand on top of it. Hinduism Traditionally, when a person dies, they are cremated. It’s done as quickly as possible after a person dies so that the soul can find a new body to inhabit. After the cremation, there are no prayers or ritu­ als for the next 13 days, because it is believed that for the first nine days after the cremation, the soul is still connected to the body. Days 10 to 12 are so that the soul has time to leave the body. Then, there is a celebration on the 13th day to mark that the soul has left. Judaism In Judaism, the funeral occurs ideally within 24 hours of one’s passing. Shiva (‘sitting,’ in Hebrew) begins right af­ ter the funeral, lasting for seven days. This practice is really beautiful; it is a time in which mourners refrain from work, receive vis­ its from loved ones, recite mourner’s kaddish (memorial prayer), and simply sit. It is a mitzvah (good deed) to visit mourners and comfort them. Christianity As you can see, funerals around the world are different depending on religious belief and Chris­ tianity is no different. Christians believe that when someone dies, they are judged by God. The right­ eous go to Heaven and the sinners go to Hell. When a Christian dies, it is seen as the end of his/her life on earth. A funeral is held for friends and family to grieve for the person who has died and give thanks for their life. Since 1984, Golden Leaves has helped tens of thousands of customers from both the UK and over­ seas to plan ahead and purchase a funeral plan. By erasing concerns about the arrangement and costs of your funeral, pre­planning your funeral can deliver peace of mind for you and your family whatever your religion or beliefs. You really can’t put a price on peace of mind, but to help reduce costs in the last few weeks before Brexit, Golden Leaves are offering a fabulous €150 off all pre­paid Funeral Plans throughout the month of December.

24 - 30 December 2020

EWN 33

34 EWN

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24 - 30 December 2020

FEATURE

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Merry Christmas everyone LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT ‘THOSE who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.’ So paraphrased Sir Winston Churchill in 1948. As the Germans stand on the brink of losing their third attempt to take over Europe you would have thought they may have just learned something from the errors of past disasters. The irony is of course that it is once again the British who are the instigators of their highly probable downfall. Despite their attempts to make us believe this whole Common Market exercise was intended to unify a European community with equal opportunities for all, its actual goal (however they have tried to disguise it) has always ultimately been the forming of a super state with Germany at the helm. France, with its historical hatred for all things British, has predictably tagged along and ‘Vichy like’ revelled in siding with its German masters in putting down

or impeding the UK at every opportunity. With their forces of occupation this time replaced by its economic ‘troops,’ the Germans have so far managed to keep the member states in line. Now their whole plan is beginning to fall apart, it is imperative, as an example to other countries, for them to make Britain’s departure as difficult as they possibly can. There are a number of highly disillusioned and disgruntled countries out there and if the UK is seen to ‘get out’ too easily, they will be following suit before you can say Drachma, Lira or even Peseta! In my personal opinion, within the next decade we will see the whole antiquated project fall apart, leaving the Germans once again stuck in a bunker vainly trying to prop up their egos, along with the dregs of their under financed and ill equipped ‘ally’ nations that we have all had to subsidise for years. Brussels has now most certainly inherited the dubious title of ‘Sick Man of Europe’ and it is no more than this outdated, obsolete bunch of arrogant wasters deserve. After its third victory in just over 100 years, God bless the UK and

a whole sparkling new beginning. Driving around London of late you find your eyes assaulted by ginormous electric hoardings. Normally used for advertising commodities, these sites are now being freely exploited for black racist propaganda. They now promote messages akin to ­ ‘I want to live in a country that celebrates black history all year round,’ or ‘I want to live in a country where a black person can confidently say, I want to be Prime Minister.’ This last statement is an utter disgrace and implies that certain races cannot reach the highest position in British politics. With at least a half dozen ethnic MPs who could at this moment quite easily qualify for the position, it is a blatant, unacceptable racist slur on the UK’s white populace. I hasten to remind the UK’s black citizens that it is qualifications, quality and votes that elect Prime Ministers. Not the colour of their skin. Sorry Diana Abbott didn’t quite attain the criteria! Merry Christmas everyone. Keep the faith. Love Leapy. Leapylee2002@gmail.com. Expatradioscotland.com Mon. Wed. Fri.

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

FEATURE

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24 - 30 December 2020

EWN 35

Advertising Feature

The perfect time to get your pool back into top condition IT’S been a strange year for most of us. As a pool technical specialist, one thing we’ve seen is more people spending time in their villa and enjoying their pool. That is, until something goes wrong. That’s where we come in. At Pool Technical Services (PTS), we specialise in the building, maintenance and repairs of pools of all shapes and sizes. It’s surprisingly technical work for which we’ve invested heavily in all sorts of diagnostic equipment. It usually starts with a phone call saying something like “we’ve got a small leak in our pool and we’ve tried to fix it, but it just keeps coming back.” What we usually find is that an unqual­ ified person has simply scraped away a bit of grouting and put some fresh grouting in its place. It might work for a while, but it’s never going to fix the problem. It needs more than just a sticking plaster. At PTS, we always start with trying to find the real cause of the problem. Sadly, we find that in many cases the

POOL REPAIRS: We use many different types of diagnostic equipment to find out exactly what the problems are. pool has been constructed wrongly. When constructing a pool, you start with a steel cage. This needs to be made with steel bars of the right thick­ ness. This ensures the integrity of the pool. Then you add the concrete, again of the correct spec, then add a water­ proof coating layer, then tiled and

grouted, and of course filled. Through­ out this process, plumbing is built in for filters and heating etc. Most repairs we do are where the steel cage is compromised because the steel bars making up the cage are sim­ ply too thin. It saves money initially, but, in time, the pool will leak.

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HOW TO SURVIVE A (POLITICALLY)

BOASTFUL CHRISTMAS NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist. To comment on any of the issues raised in her column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/3.0.15/nora-johnson

JEFFREY ARCHER has something of a ‘reputation’ but sometimes it helps to have someone with a reputation on your side. Many years ago, I was a minor participant in a disastrous attempt to put on the world’s biggest carol concert in, if memory serves, Central Hall, London. Jeffrey was the MC, with the BBC doing a live radio broadcast of the vast, as­ sembled throng singing en masse. But practically no­one turned up! It was utterly humiliating and dispir­ iting for everyone. Except Jeffrey. As the radio broadcast was about to begin, he turned to the few hun­ dred of us there, gave us an encour­ aging grin and, speaking into the live

mic, proclaimed in awe, “Ladies and gentlemen, you wouldn’t believe the spectacle I see all around me tonight...,” going on to describe the huge crowd and the incredible at­ mosphere. Electrified by his enthusi­ asm and drawn into the conspiracy by sheer admiration for his bravado, we yelled our hearts out and got away with it. Heck! Almost sounds like Boris and Trump have taken a leaf out of Archer’s playbook. Remember Boris’s boasts that post­Brexit Britain will soar like Superman? His oven­ready Brexit deal? His flawed ‘world­ beating’ Test and Trace sys­ tem? Or The Donald’s biggest boasts? On his 2012 maybe­presidential can­ didacy: “I was leading in every poll. I was doing great.” Or this: “I have millions of followers. Millions. I don’t do press releases any more. If I want a press release, I put it out on Twitter. It’s like owning the New York Times without the losses.” Or

this: “I happen to be, in my own way, an environmentalist. I’ve won many awards.” Or, finally, this: “I have great feelings of compassion and helping people.” Is this man trustworthy? No. Would I buy a second­hand car from him? No. Am I glad he’s (almost) gone? Absolutely. Have I started talking to myself? Apologies, it’s this damn virtual lockdown. Let’s leave it at this: A HAPPY, HEALTHY XMAS to all readers ­ this message coming to you through the Inter­National ’Elf Service! Nora Johnson’s psychological crime thrillers ‘No Safe Place’, ‘Be­ trayal’, ‘The Girl in the Woods’, ‘The Girl in the Red Dress’, ‘No Way Back’, ‘Landscape of Lies’, ‘Retribu­ tion’, ‘Soul Stealer’, ‘The De Cleram­ bault Code’ (www.nora­johnson.net) available online as eBook (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, paperback and audiobook.vAll profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer charity.

36 EWN

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24 - 30 December 2020

FEATURE

GO LOCAL

THE EURO WEEKLY NEWS is urging its readers to support local businesses in the com­ munity by going local through the lockdown and for your Christmas shopping this year, instead of feeding online giants and super­ stores. This lockdown and festive period we challenge you to rediscover your local high streets, markets, butchers, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky indepen­ dent businesses in your area. Due to the Covid­19 pan­ demic, you may have to support many local businesses by ordering online and making use of any click and collect ser­ vices they can operate if you are unable to get out due to health reasons or lockdown re­ strictions. The joy of shopping local means that independent busi­

nesses can help support the local community. Although it may be a euro or two cheaper elsewhere or on­ line, consider where your money is actually going. By shopping at an independent store you’re putting food on a local family’s table, and there

is no better time than Christ­ mas to give back to your com­ munity by making a small ges­ ture and shopping in this way. Many local stores support local charities, support and sponsor local sports teams and in many cases the small inde­

pendent stores are actually much more than just a small high street shop, they’re a family’s legacy, often passed down through numer­ ous generations and support not just the current owner, but the generation before.

FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

24 - 30 December 2020

BUY LOCAL: By shopping locally, independent businesses can help support the local community.

For those stores which are new, that extra couple of euros spent there are supporting someone’s dream and ambi­ tion, and also the courage it took them to step out alone, which is no easy task. It takes quite a large chunk of money to set up an independent store and compete with the multi­ national and chains. So be sure to pre­order your turkey from a local butcher and get your spuds from a local greengrocer, let us revive that community spirit and get to

know our neighbours again. You could also consider pur­ chasing gift vouchers from local businesses to help them over the coming weeks, thinking outside the box can often lead to some fantastic ideas. Why not buy a meal for two, an hour’s tattoo time at a local studio, a hair cut at a local sa­ lon or an online study course for someone looking to change their career path. As people are struggling with finances thinking about what friends and family may actually

need is important too. Whilst it’s nice to give a glamourous gift perhaps pre­paying a family member’s phone bill for the

month would actually be a bet­ ter gift. Helping people allevi­ ate stress and worry, give the gift of peace of mind through

EWN 37

38 EWN

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24 - 30 December 2020

FEATURE

BUYING LOCAL: Helps keep money circulating within the local economy.

these difficult times. Choosing to spend your money locally will really make a difference in the recovery of the local economy. When we buy local, our money stays lo­

cal, and it strengthens the local economy in two ways. First, buying local keeps money cir­ culating within the local econo­ my. Studies have shown that local businesses recirculate a

greater share of every euro as they create locally owned sup­ ply chains and invest in their employees. Data shows that local retail­ ers return 52 per cent of their

revenue back into the local economy, compared to just 14 per cent for national chain re­ tailers. Money circulating through the local economy benefits

FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

24 - 30 December 2020

SPENDING LOCALLY: Will make a difference to the local economy.

everyone who is a part of each transaction. For exam­ ple, let’s look at a local farmer growing produce. First, they sell to a local restaurant, which in turn pre­ pares the fresh produce and sells it to local customers. The farmer pays its local employ­

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

waste, which leads to less pol­ lution. There’s a massive cultural shift underway redefining the way people make buying deci­ sions. We’re seeing more indi­ viduals concerned about the environment, about how prod­ ucts are made and sourced, where materials come from, and a company’s overall social

and environmental impact. Many businesses are joining our Go Local campaign by of­ fering customers special offers and discounts throughout the festive period, more details to follow here soon. Just remember to follow the latest government advice and any guidance businesses have to keep everyone safe.

EWN 39

THURSDAY 24 DECEMBER

FRIDAY 25 DECEMBER

SATURDAY 26 DECEMBER

SUNDAY 27 DECEMBER

MONDAY 28 DECEMBER

TUESDAY 29 DECEMBER

WEDNESDAY 30 DECEMBER

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Operation Crossbow The Heroes of Telemark Great British Christmas Menu The Snow Wolf: A Winter's Tale Inside the Factory Last Woman on Earth with Sara Pascoe QI XL Mock the Week

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ITV London Weather The Masked Singer In for a Penny Despicable Me ITV News and Weather ITV News London Jurassic World The Chase The Story of SM:TV Live Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 1:30pm 1:55pm 3:00pm 3:10pm 5:10pm 7:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

The Simpsons The Simpsons Sunday Brunch The Simpsons Reindeer School at Christmas Channel 4 News Edward Scissorhands Shrek Forever After Eddie the Eagle The Supervet Back to the

2:10pm 3:10pm 5:10pm 6:10pm 6:15pm 7:35pm 7:40pm 8:40pm

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YOUR STARS FOR NEXT 7 DAYS ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Awkward situations usually bring out the best in you and this week proves that. In the longer term, you will be grateful to those making things difficult now.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) Get out in the fresh air as much as possible and be kind to your body. You may have neglected yourself because you have been such a busy bee of late. What about a trip to the seaside or a walk in the hills? Maybe a trip to the local cocktail bar is more your style! Whatever puts a spring in your step will be good.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) A fleeting meeting stirs feelings that you thought were dead. This could be good if it reminds you of how life can be, or bad if it makes you think of missed opportunities. It is never too late to make a fresh start. Why not go on that painting holiday or stampcollecting weekend? Pole dancing anyone?

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) Someone really has rattled your tree, but try to refrain from throwing coconuts on their head. It is much more effective to be charming and get them confused.

LEO (July 24 - August 23) Are you feeling that you have been dealt a rough hand? Consider this: there are some who are not dealt a hand at all. Many are missing those few cards that mean they are never really in with a chance. Instead of lurking on the shady side, walk out into the sun. You will soon see the bright side.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) A chance remark opens a can of worms. Trying to get them back in could turn out to be very messy. We all open our mouth and put our foot in it sometime. However, overreacting won't help. You will need help with something this week.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Someone who is usually quite the opposite to you will surprise with an offer. Although you are naturally suspicious, give them the benefit of the doubt. Leopards do not change their spots but they are capable of behaving for the bigger good.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) An intimate meeting is less exciting than anticipated. This should not bother you because time could yet change that. You need to be in the right place at the right time, so don't give up hope, just have a little patience. A change of plans will be more beneficial than irksome, at least in the longer term.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) While counting your pennies, also count your blessings. Money can be a big problem or merely an irritation but the lack of it must be kept in perspective. You are right to think twice about accepting something that seems to be for nothing.

HEXAGRAM The purpose of the Hexagram puzzle is to place the 19 six-letter words into the 19 cells. The letters at the edges of interlocking cells MUST BE THE SAME. The letters in the words must be written CLOCKWISE. The word in cell 10 (CAROLS) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues.

AGREES ALLEGE ALLELE ASSAIL BEHEST CAROLS (10) CEREAL CHOOSY ENSURE ESCORT GARISH HEREBY INTUIT MILIEU SOCIAL TALENT TALLOW UNLOAD WIDGET

LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY Sat 19 December

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) The goat in you is keen to find pastures new. It isn't a nibble that is needed at the moment, but a feast. Accepting anything less would be a mistake because someone is watching your reaction to an offer. If you feel unsure of your worth, then ask a few trusted friends. It is so hard to see ourselves. Heed their words.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Don't allow an open-ended offer to muddle your mind. There is no need for an immediate decision and this may be too soon for a positive move. A sense of urgency may be put down to practical reasons when, in fact, it is no such thing. A feeling of insecurity is more likely to be the trigger to uncertainty.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Are things going swimmingly? Good. Maybe you had forgotten how to have real fun. Remember when you were a child? Life was so simple. Relax and be that child again. If some old fogey accuses you of being silly, feel sorry for them.

TIME OUT

4-10-14 21-27-28

BONUS BALL

23

IRISH LOTTO Sat 19 December

9-14-16 28-33-38

BONUS BALL

22

EURO MILLIONS Tue 15 December

BONUS BALL

1

9-13-21 29-35

2

Fri 18 December

BONUS BALL

2-3-13 17-21

7 8

EL MILLON: JBR42859 LA PRIMITIVA Thurs 17 December

BONUS BALL

3-11-24 38-40-43

8 6

JOKER: 8188800 Sat 19 December

BONUS BALL

4-6-9 11-19-23

10

JOKER: 7039088

4

TIME OUT

42

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CODE BREAKER

ENGLISH-SPANISH

The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English.

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 2 represents N and 17 represents V, so fill in N every time the figure 2 appears and V every time the figure 17 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

Across 1 Sacred (art, musical) (5) 3 Bañera (7) 6 Marido (7) 8 Pencil (5) 10 Opal (5) 11 Del este (7) 14 Raffle (draw) (6) 15 Detalle (6) 17 Bufandas (7) 20 Salmo (5) 21 Verde (5) 22 Farol (7) 23 Delay (hold-up) (7) 24 Broad beans (5)

Down 1 Colegios (7) 2 Sunset (5) 3 Insignia (distintivo) (5) 4 Tejas (5) 5 Letterbox (5) 7 Escalera (9) 9 To get ready (9) 12 Añade (4) 13 Twelve (4) 16 Lemons (7) 17 Azúcar (5) 18 Sale (commerce) (5) 19 Stamp (postage) (5) 20 Ponche (5)

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION QUICK Across: 1 Cerebral, 7 Spoon, 8 Sitar, 9 Answer, 10 Wren, 12 Leak, 14 Cattle, 17 Spear, 18 Scald, 19 Stumbles. Down: 1 Cross, 2 Runner, 3/16 Bass drum, 4 Actor, 5 Establish, 6 Orangeade, 11 Damsel, 13 Adept, 15 Tears.

BOGGLED

ENGLISH-SPANISH

sand sands safe safer safes iffy jiff jiffy nays naff fays fret fern ferny feta fetal felt feat cyan oxter oxters recto recti recta rectal real reals exit tern tesla teal teals tael taels tale tales iota sect sexy sext serf seta seat seal slat slate slater slaw late latex later alec ales alto alter altern alters water waters wait waiter waiters wale waler

Across: 1 Inside, 3 Pepper, 8 Stapler, 10 Hielo, 11 Salad, 12 Airline, 13 Every, 15 Frase, 20 Esquina, 22 Gifts, 24 Hueso, 25 Charlar, 26 Drowsy, 27 Straws. Down: 1 Insist, 2 Snail, 4 Echar, 5 Precios, 6 Reopen, 7 Broad, 9 Lider, 14 Vaquero, 16 Regla, 17 Method, 18 Catch, 19 Ostras, 21 Irons, 23 Falda.

NONAGRAM

CRYPTIC

Across: 1 Debated, 5 Split, 8 Idaho, 9 Granted, 10 Tubas, 11 Tardy, 12 Elated, 14 Ballet, 18 Mitre, 20 Amour, 22 Nonstop, 23 Haifa, 24 Mason, 25 Nursery. Down: 1 Dwindle, 2 Beast, 3 Trouble, 4 Digest, 5 Scant, 6 Lateral, 7 Today, 13 Attends, 15 Another, 16 Tiffany, 17 Sampan, 18 Minim, 19 Eaten, 21 Rhine.

CODE BREAKER

FUTOSHIKI

alar area aria aril earl lair leer liar lira lire rail rale rata rate real reel rete rial riel rile rite tare tart tear tier tire tree aerie alert altar alter areal atria attar eater irate later liter litre raita ratel relit retie tater tetra tiara tiler titer titre trail trait treat trial trite aerate aerial atrial attire elater lariat latria latter letter litter rattle relate retail tilter atelier iterate rattail retitle laterite literate RETALIATE

HEXAGRAM

WORD LADDER

1 RETAIL 2 INTERN 3 NETTLE 4 BECALM 5 ATTAIN 6 TANNED 7 ARCTIC 8 INTENT 9 FARINA 10 CANCEL 11 RENTAL 12 VENIAL 13 CINDER 14 ANNULI 15 AVERSE 16 TINDER 17 SQUEAL 18 SENIOR 19 CLERGY

DIVE DIRE DIRT DART PART PAST

KAKURO

SUDOKU

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Costa Blanca TODAY

DENIA JAVEA CALPE ALTEA

WEATHER

BENIDORM ALICANTE

ORIHUELA TORREVIEJA

TOMORROW

DENIA JAVEA CALPE

Malaga TODAY: MAX 17 MIN 8 Fri 15 10 Sat 12 10 Sun 12 9 Mon 11 8 Tues - 13 9 Wed 15 9

Alicante TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 12 Fri 16 10 Sat 17 13 Sun 16 12 Mon 16 11 Tues - 19 11 Wed 19 12

Almeria TODAY: MAX 18, MIN 7 Fri 17 9 Sat 15 8 Sun 13 10 Mon 15 11 Tues - 16 12 Wed 17 11

Benidorm TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 9 Fri 19 9 Sat 18 8 Sun 17 8 Mon 19 9 Tues - 17 9 Wed 17 9 Mallorca TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 11 Fri 19 13 Sat 17 12 Sun 17 11 Mon 18 11 Tues 17 12 Wed 19 11

43

TIME OUT

FUTOSHIKI Fill in the squares so that each digit from 1 to 6 occurs exactly once in each row and column. Greater-than and less-than signs indicate the relationship of the two adjacent squares. There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing.

BOGGLED How many English words can you find in the Boggled grid, according to the following rules? • The letters must be adjoining in a ‘chain’. They can be adjacent horizontally, vertically or diagonally. • Words must contain at least four letters and may include singular and plural or other derived forms. • No letter may be used more than once within a single word, unless it appears twice. • No vulgarities or proper nouns are permitted.

ALTEA BENIDORM ALICANTE

ORIHUELA TORREVIEJA

SATURDAY

DENIA JAVEA CALPE ALTEA BENIDORM ALICANTE

ORIHUELA TORREVIEJA

S: Sun

C: Cloudy

Th: Thunder

Cl: Clear

Sh: Showers

Sn: Snow

Bilbao TODAY: MAX 18, MIN 10 Fri 17 9 Sat 14 11 Sun 14 11 Mon 13 10 Tues 16 13 Wed 15 15 Madrid TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 13 Fri 16 15 Sat 15 12 Sun 14 12 Mon 16 13 Tues 17 14 Wed 17 16

Barcelona TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 7 Fri 17 7 Sat 16 8 Sun 15 8 Mon 16 9 Tues 18 9 Wed 19 7

Euro Weekly News strives for accuracy, but cannot be held responsible for any errors in published forecasts

TARGET:

SCORING:

Average: 24 Good: 34 Very good: 48 Excellent: 62

4 letters: 1 point 5 letters: 2 points 6 letters: 3 points 7 letters: 5 points 8 or more letters: 11 points

KAKURO Fill all the empty squares using the numbers 1 to 9, so that the sum of each horizontal block equals the ‘clue’ on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once.

CRYPTIC Across 1 Clap a very quiet boy going round university (7) 4 Wrote about part of a castle (5) 7 Calls for some jewellery (5) 9 Accounts signed initially by Conservatives (7) 10 Firm must order Eastern outfit (7) 11 Open ended attempt at the doorway (5) 12 Voucher for new kit etc (6) 14 Churchman a nuisance about religious instruction (6) 18 Have Charles informally round in pandemonium (5) 20 Give a foolish archer a guinea and you will receive a horse (7) 22 Greedy for cooked caviare (7) 23 Brave group from Mount Ribense (5) 24 Laid out, exhausted (5) 25 Such places of worship go to my head! (7) Down 1 Fruit transported to Capri (7) 2 Doesn't find breathing easy, covering legs (5) 3 Cleaning item badly rusted (6) 4 Treasure discovered in a controversial place (5) 5 Produce a shrill sound with Les in trouble (7) 6 After religious instruction, heaven appears unsafe (5) 8 Dressing required impudence (5) 13 Race had degenerated into farce (7) 15 Severe criticism will warm (5) 16 Really bad films or The Birds seen in a farmyard? (7) 17 Admit there's a metric measure in tangled tape (6) 18 Chews the fat in a church at suppertime (5) 19 Garment Trish repaired (5) 21 Question the fence (5)

TIME OUT

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SUDOKU

QUICK

Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3X3 box contains the digits 1-9. There’s no maths involved. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.

Across 1 Sugary (5) 4 Army officer (5) 7 Ready for use (9) 8 Earth (4) 9 Makes fit or suitable (6) 12 Mentally quick and resourceful (6) 13 Bakery product (4) 16 Magnifier of images of distant objects (9) 18 Inn (5) 19 Revolves (5)

Down 1 Rescues (5) 2 Check closely (7) 3 Squad (4) 4 Song feature (6) 5/17 Miscellaneous collection of things sold together (3,3) 6 Tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems (5) 10 Trailblazer (7) 11 Utensil for holding something (6) 12 Take hold of, especially something in motion (5) 14 Movies (5) 15 Ship (4) 17 See 5

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

SOCK

QUIZ BACK DATE

Christmas cheer 1. ‘“Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug’ is the opening line of which famous novel, which was originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869? 2. In which fantasy novel, first published in 1950 (the best known in a series of seven works), is there ‘a century of perpetual winter with no Christmas’? 3. In which US city was Kevin M0cCallister (Macaulay Culkin) accidentally left home alone in the 1990 Christmas comedy film Home Alone? 4. What is the name of the rich Italian bread made made with eggs, butter, sultanas and candied peel, traditionally eaten at Christmas? 5. Which 1999 film James Bond film features model-turned-actress Denise Richards as nuclear physicist Dr Christmas Jones? 6. Which celebrated English journalist, short-story writer, poet and novelist wrote the first Royal Christmas Message, a radio broadcast by King George V on the British Broadcasting Corporation's Empire Service in 1932? 7. Which cricketer, born in Gloucester on Christmas Day in 1984, is England’s most-capped player and has captained the team in an English record 59 Tests and 69 ODIs? 8. Which famous actor played the part of Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1992 film The Muppet Christmas Carol? 9. Which Tamla Motown superstar appeared on the 1993 album Christmas in Vienna, alongside the Spanish tenors Plácido Domingo and José Carreras? 10. Which television cartoon family owns a pet dog named Santa’s Little Helper?

NONAGRAM

RACHEL AND FRIENDS

How many English words of four letters or more can you make from the nine letters in our Nonagram puzzle? Each letter may be used only once (unless the letter appears twice). Each word MUST CONTAIN THE CENTRE LETTER (in this case R) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.

Not a lot of people know that… US scientists calculated that Santa Claus would have to visit 822 homes a second to deliver all the world’s presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second

TARGET:

audreyquinton99@gmail.com

Average: 11 Good: 15 Very good: 22 Excellent: 28

Answers 1. LITTLE WOMEN (Louisa May Alcott), 2. THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (part of The Chronicles of Narnia), 3. CHICAGO, 4. PANETTONE, 5. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, 6. RUDYARD KIPLING, 7. (Sir) ALASTAIR COOK, 8. (Sir) MICHAEL CAINE, 9. DIANA ROSS, 10. THE SIMPSONS

FEATURE

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Advertising Feature

Dormitienda donates to AECC

DONATION: For the benefit of cancer research. ONE year on and the commit­ ment made by the Valencian company Dormitienda, a leader in the national rest sec­ tor, with AECC the Spanish As­ sociation against Cancer, the handing over of a €50,000 cheque has been made official, as a result of the action solidar­ ity in which the ‘LIFE’ mattress was developed and specially designed for this initiative, where for each mattress sold 10 per cent of its sale has been donated to the AECC, for the benefit of cancer research. This collaboration constitutes a commitment in the RSC of the Dormitienda company for the prevention of this disease, in the research and financing of projects that allow a better di­ agnosis and treatment of can­ cer, to reduce the impact caused by the disease and im­ prove people’s lives. According to data from the AECC, one in three women and

one in two men will develop cancer in Spain. Thanks to re­ search, cancer survival has in­ creased 20 per cent over the last 20 years. This improvement in results comes from the development of new early diagnostic tools and more specific and effective treatments. Research is the en­ gine to make cancer a pre­ ventable, curable or chronifi­ able disease. With this donation, Dormi­ tienda, who is very socially com­ mitted to different institutions and NGOs, allows us to face dif­ ferent problems, raise aware­ ness about the need to support solidarity initiatives and meet the needs of the most vulnera­ ble groups. In the words of its CEO Móni­ ca Duart, “it is time to act and provide real solutions to the most vulnerable groups, in diffi­ cult times we must intensify our commitment to society.”

About Dormitienda It is currently the most important rest store chain in our country. Since 1996, with the opening of their first store in Valencia, they have not stopped growing, being today a consolidated business, with a strong presence throughout the national territory through its more than 85 stores and an ambitious expansion plan, in which they continue. With a high quality service and personalised customer service, they offer free transportation, removal and assembly of their products. Its points of sale distributed throughout the different cities, neighbourhoods and towns throughout Spain, are for its customers a reference as a local rest system store, offering a very close and trustworthy relationship with all of them.

24 - 30 December 2020

EWN 45

A FRUSTRATING DAY DAVID WORBOYS SOME days are better than others. A sunny spring morning heralds a day of enjoyment, achievement and fulfil­ ment. It’s good to be alive! And then there are days like Thursday, October 22. I was awakened by heavy rain and a howling wind at about three in the morning. I had to get out of bed and close the window to subdue the sound and eliminate the draught. I failed to get any more sleep and was tossing and turning until half past six. It’s time to get up. I remembered I had planned to meet friends for lunch at a seafood beach restaurant in Rincon de la Victo­ ria. This was not going to happen in weather like this. I stumbled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. There was not enough toothpaste in the tube, so I had to hunt for the new one; I found it in a kitchen cupboard. After I finished shaving, I realised I had forgotten to

Heavy rain and howling winds. remove the dust­cap from the Philishave. So I repeated the opera­ tion without the dust­cap and this time it was more effective. Then it was time for the daily ride on the porcelain pony. Oh, dear! The last thing I needed at this stage was a five­minute battle with a stubborn floater. Three more flushes later and the problem solved, I headed for a hot shower. But while it was pouring with rain outside, the water had been cut off. I started shivering. I returned to the bedroom and put my socks on inside out. After eventu­ ally dressing, I felt ready for breakfast. As there was no water, coffee was out of the question. Then I realised I had not taken the unwrapped butter from the fridge over night. It was as hard as

a brick. A cherry jam baguette with butter would have been nice.... I had no intention of going out in this weather, so I decided to review the investments and switched on the television. The stock markets had been going up and down like a bride’s nightie. But now, thanks to conflicting news about Covid 19, the world’s economies, and Trump’s threats to disrupt the election and impose more sanctions, they were heading south again. I had no idea whether to buy, sell or let it be. I switched on the TV for the Simpsons. Once the programme was over I de­ cided to go back to bed. The last thing I was aware of before falling asleep was the rain splattering on the bed­ room window.

A happy Xmas to all LETTERS FROM

CANARIES DEAR all, here we are in December and Christmas is coming. What a short, and very dry, year it’s been, but near drought conditions here have been alleviated by recent rain, hallelujah!, brought by Theta, Barbara and Clement. ‘Barbara Causes Havoc’ headlines caused some family concern, but I was blameless. All three were tropical storms that swirled eastwards towards us across the Atlantic, bringing rain and high winds. Clement seems a weirdly in­ appropriate name for bad weather. Coming at us from the west, despite the dangerously high seas and afore­ mentioned wind, a very different phe­ nomenon continues: thousands of Africans in small boats called cayucos trying to get to Europe. In one weekend alone, 2,000 people arrived in the Ca­ naries from Senegal, minors and preg­ nant women among them. Over 32,000 Africans, 25,000 of them Senegalese, have arrived here this year. People emi­ grate in flimsy boats only out of necessi­ ty.

Fishermen like Amidou Fall from Guet­Ndar in Saint Louis, Sengal, speak of lost livelihoods due to the sale of fish­ ing rights to European countries. “There’s no fish left for us to eat ­ let alone sell ­ so we leave, knowing in Eu­ rope we could earn 16 times more, keep our children at school and add 20 years to the family’s life expectancy,” he says. Canarian president Ángel Victor Tor­ res’ repeated requests for help have fall­ en on deaf ears in Madrid. The situation in Arguineguin, Gran Canaria has been critical, with thousands of people sleep­ ing under canvas on the jetty, attended by overstretched Red Cross, emergency and medical personnel. Immigrants are moved on to any available shelter. These often makeshift arrangements can cause problems, such as the bizarre situation on Tenerife, where Ministry of Defence work to adapt Las Raíces barracks for 1,450 im­ migrants and Las Canteras for 1,800, has been stopped because no licence was requested, and the area sealed off. Meanwhile, it’s (nearly) all systems go on the more lucrative tourism influx. This is our high season, when our trump cards of winter sun and low Covid are played.

Flights are on sale, but only those with negative antigen tests can come. Torres downgraded the Madrid PCR require­ ment for the Canaries, knowing the lift­ ing of lockdown in the UK meant a po­ tential Brit rush for holidays here. Unfortunately, antigen tests aren’t read­ ily available there either, so let’s see what happens. What’s sure is that it’ll be a different Christmas, New Year and Reyes. The most urgent problem to grapple with is plotting a safe course through where, how and when we can gather without incurring a Festive Fine. One sad, but not entirely surprising, result of family lockdown in Spain is the high incidence of parents attempting to legally disinherit their children. Coupled with soaring domestic violence, this bodes ill for festive family harmony, but we’ll be fine, dear readers, as I know we’re civilised personages who’ll re­ member we love our kids, siblings, par­ ents and partners very much. Here’s wishing us all a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY (and normal?) NEW YEAR. Barbara Belt. barbarabelt@gmail.com EWN December 2020.

HEALTH & BEAUTY By Clinica Britannia

46 to read more visit

17 - 23 December 2020

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Abdominal ultrasound ABDOMINAL bloating occurs when the gastrointestinal tract (GI) is filled with air or gas causing the abdomen to feel tight, distended, swollen and painful. Frequent burping, flatulence and abdominal rumbling is a common symptom of GI as this is the way swallowed air leaves the body. There are numerous conditions that can be the cause of abdominal bloating, so it is advised to have an abdominal ultrasound to help your doctor evaluate the cause of the problem. This can also check for kidney or gall stones, liver disease, tumours, and other related conditions. Dysbiosis which is an imbalance of bacteria in the (GI) tract can also be the cause of bloating and stomach upset, this can be checked with the simple diagnosis of a stool sample. If your symptoms continue for an extended period, it is advisable to undergo a colonoscopy which checks for colon polyps or bowel cancer and will help to diagnose symptoms such as unexplained diarrhoea, abdominal pain, or blood in the stool. Early cancers and polyps are generally removed at the same time of the test. Please contact us at Clinica Britannia if you are worried about any of the above issues, we are here and always happy to help.

PETS

48

www.euroweeklynews.com • 24 - 30 December 2020

SPONSORED BY

Happy holidays from all of us at HouseSitMatch AS we look back to a unique year with all kinds of global chal­ lenges because of Covid­19, to say nothing of the travel restric­ tions, we at HouseSitMatch are looking forward to 2021 with great optimism. Hope is very much on the hori­ zon. We read daily about new vaccines, automated fever scan­ ners being added to airports and public buildings, and general awareness of how the virus can be managed. All these initiatives will help us all to get back to our normal routines. In that spirit we’d like to take a moment to wish all our members and followers the very best of health and good fortune in the

Advertising Feature

Spanish vets remove a tumour from a lion

Jackson is looking forward to a quiet time.

OPERATION: The veterinary team removed two masses from Bala.

coming year. Stay well and keep in touch. We look forward to

helping you find house and pet­ sitters again soon!

To find a house pet­sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com.

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

BALA, a lion that has lived in Ter­ ra Natura Benidorm since 2007, is recovering satisfactorily after suc­ cessfully undergoing the opera­ tion that has been performed to remove two masses located in the liver and biopsy a tissue sam­ ple in order to have a forecast. A few months ago the first symptoms appeared, such as vomiting and episodes of anorex­ ia. The veterinarians decided to carry out an ultrasound that con­ firmed the existence of a mass that was compatible with a possi­ ble tumour next to the stomach, so a sample was taken for cytol­ ogy to determine if it was an ade­ nocarcinoma. The veterinary team that has intervened in the operation, made up of two veterinarians and four specialised caregivers from Terra Natura Benidorm, and by veterinarian José Rial and technician Oscar Blázquez from

Anicura Hospital Veterinario Ma­ rina Baixa, has succeeded in re­ moving two masses located in the liver, one of them of great di­ mensions that measured around 15 centimetres and another one of a smaller size. Due to the characteristics of the animal, in order to carry out this intervention in safety condi­ tions (both for the specimen and for veterinary professionals) it has been carried out in the interi­ or shelter of the lions, where it has been necessary to move an operating room table and a ma­ chine inhalation anaesthesia. This operation, carried out for the first time in Terra Natura Benidorm, lasted four hours. Once the intervention was car­ ried out, the specimen was re­ turned to the facility where this animal lives, keeping it separated from the group of lions during the postoperative period and during the recovery period. The objective of carrying out this operation was, on the one hand, to determine the extent of the tumour in this great feline and, by removing it, to extend its life expectancy, ensuring the highest possible level of welfare for the animal. The results of the biopsy are expected in a few weeks. The evolution of the postoper­ ative period has been a complete success, since Bala has returned to his pasture and interacts with the rest of the group of the species with total normality. Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico por Imagen de Levante. Los arcos 23 Cuidad Quesada Rojales Tel: 966 716 176 • www.resonanciaveteri naria.es

50 EWN

24 - 30 December 2020

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AIR CONDITIONING

PLUMBERS

CHIMNEY SERVICES

POOLS

REMOVALS & STORAGE

SERVICES

SERVICES

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24 - 30 December 2020

EWN 51

TV & SATELLITE

PLUMBERS

REMOVALS & STORAGE

MOTORING

52 EWN

24 - 30 December 2020

REMOVALS & STORAGE

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SERVICES

CLASSIFIEDS ARCHITECTS

campellochristiancommunity.org For more information call Juan Zuniga – 686 203 183 (Spanish) or Sue Bishop - 610 63 94 26 (English)

CHIMNEY SWEEP PROFESSIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP Sooty & Son, Family Business established over 60 years. 660 478 881 (289460)

CLUBS/SOCIETIES APPLIANCE REPAIRS WASHING MACHINE BROKEN? Call Bluesky Repairs for ALL your domestic appliance repairs. 626 430 671 (Whatsapp) (290860)

BUSINESS OPP. Coyote Street Food bar, business opportunity for sale. Modern container installation. Tacos , pancakes, waffle, gofre,Smoothie Coctails, Yogurt Ice cream ( best Italian Gelmatic machine), display fridge , fully equipped. 648 603 343 michaelmaj11@gmail.com (290080)

BUY & SELL BUY FUR Coats & Jackets, handbags, designer bags, oriental & Persian carpets, jewellery & watches. All kind of Silver, sliver plated 90/100/800. Cutlery, tin, amber, coral, coins, medals, porcelain. Radio, musical instruments. Military items until 1945, photos, medals etc. Fair price paid in CASH. Phone 688 335 497 (290436) BUY vinyl records, record players, CD’s & Radios. 688 335 497 (290436) PRIVATE collector will buy your Gold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

SPIRITUAL FRIENDS Costa Blanca is a non-religious group of spiritually minded people who meet on Wednesday afternoons. Each week different clairvoyance, discussions, talks and demonstrations on spiritual or holistic subjects. email sp.fr.cb@gmail.com website www.spiritualfriendscostablan ca.com or contact Jan. 600 837 054 (10000)

ELECTRICIAN MB ELECTRICS. Approved electrician. Any electrical repair. Iberdrola paperwork. Affordable prices. Miquel 655 282 175 www.mb electrics.es (288732)

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

GARDENING SERIVCES DAVID THE TREE GUY Cutting, trimming & removal of trees. Torrevieja, Alicante, Benidorm areas. 722 652 173 (290501)

GENERAL SERVICES MISTER Fix-it handyman, available in Jalon Valley area, hourly rates, 657189519 (290302)

GOLD WANTED

CAMPING

54

WIGS WWW.WIGS-R-US.ES Indoor Market Rincon de Loix, Benidorm. Monday - Saturday 10 - 3. Hundreds of wigs in stock, private appointments after 3pm and home visits. 681 049 502 (290625)

CARER NURSE ENGLISH carer, former registered nurse in UK. References available. Altea and surrounding areas. Available for home care and services. Call Dean on 633684893 (290722)

CHARITY El Campello Christian Community Evangelical Church - Life and Family Sunday Service in English at 10.00 a.m. and a Spanish Service at 11.45am. C / San Bartolomé 35 bajo, No.6 campellocc@gmail.com www.el

SOLEMATE MOBILE FOOT HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL. 692 031 849 (2898171) CHIROPODIST/PODIATRIST, Philip Mann, clinics in Benissa, Moraira, Javea, Calpe and Albir. 686 912 307 (279267)

THERAPIST COUNSELLING PSYCHOTHERAPIST. TEL: 634 35 48 92 / www.feelgood cs.com (286340)

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

MOTORING

CASH BACK OFFER! 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 €1000 OF WATERLOSS. CALL 686 116 297 (WHATS APP TO) OR VISIT www.sosinsur anceinspain.com or email tracey@sosinsurancein spain.com (290495) 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@beneficialinsuran ceinspain.com or visit www.ben eficialinsuranceinspain.com for online quote. (289158) MOTOR INSURANCE. For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 902 123 309, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 902 123 309 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbeygateinsure. com (2887610)

LEGAL www.iurisunited.net Lawyers. Tax advice and bookkeeping. All Gestoria Services. Experts in Brexit and Residence Permits. NIE Numbers. FREE 1st.consultation. Ask Oliver. Tel: 606 051 000 info@iurisunited. net (290541)

GENTLEMAN 77yrs old clean, loving & giving, seeks lady for long-term relationship. Must be non-smoker, solvent & dog lover, as my best friend is a Springer Spaniel. Likes eating in or out, is a drinker (but not a drunk!). Can cook simple meals & very domesticated. All enquiries answered, I currently live in Olvia, 447514 468 474

METAL WORK

PROPERTY FOR SALE

STRUCTURAL SURVEYS

PEDREGUER detached Villa, 2 Bed, 2 Bath. Garden with fruit trees. €190,000. 633 813 774 (290033)

MARK PADDON BSc Hons. MCIOB, CAAT - LOCKDOWN REMOTE WHATSAPP VIDEO ADVICE available for reduced fee Tel: 653 733 066 / 962 807 247 www.costablancasurveyors.com

PROPERTY TO LET DOGS & ALL PETS VERY WELCOME - 500 year old beamed cottage set in beautiful valley of the charming Jesus Pobre village, Javea. Beautiful pool & garden. www.littlehousein spain.com (290312)

INSURANCE

MEETING POINT

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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

PROPERTY WANTED

AUTO BASTIAN mobile mechanic. Tel 608 860 725.(289159)

FOR SALE CITROEN C4 Picasso 2010, VTR plus, diesel, silver, 60k miles, RHD, on full UK MOT etc, excellent condition, Air- con, tow bar. Denia +447976 722 351 WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309. (200726)

PAINTERS/DECORATORS DECORATORS W.D. GILMOUR. Painter & Decorator. Established 35 years in Moraira. ESTIMATES FREE. Call William on 609 691 776 or 966 490 602 (290369)

PEST CONTROL BUGBUSTERS BENIDORM: Fully Legal Costa Blanca Pest Control Company. EST 1994. For all pest problems, commercial and domestic. Call Lois Clark 619 054 939/96 686 5204. bug busterslois@hotmail.com. ROESB 05552 CV (286372)

PETS NEED YOUR PETS TAKEN CARE OF? Not kennels, just a friendly home. Large fenced area. 699 790 080 Altea (288697)

PLUMBING RIGHT PLUMBER - plumbing & drainage for a honest, affordable, professional service call 656 303 236 (288474)

POOL REPAIIRS

RETIRED couple looking for long term rental in La Marina Baixa – prefer two beds. Needed urgently – call Janice on 0044 7736 251 800 (279523)

REMOVALS/STORAGE BENIDORM and surrounding areas. Two-man removal. 678 067 163 (288644)

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)

TRANSLATIONS SPANISH INTERPRETER for all your appointment needs, has car. Effective, Friendly & Affordable service. Call 609 679 808

WANTED

KLF TRANSPORT REMOVALS AND STORAGE. VAN GOING TO ENGLAND AND BACK TO SPAIN. SPACE AVAILABLE BOTH WAYS. ALSO, LOCAL REMOVALS FROM A SINGLE ITEM TO FULL HOUSE. TEL: 604 129 344 (288110) TRANSCONE TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS Fortnightly collection & deliveries to & from UK. All areas covered from Alicante to Valencia. Tel. 603 307 962, (0044) 7925 553625 Email - aaron richards88@live.co.uk (290322)

REFURBISHMENT REFURBISHMENT We specialise in refurbishing homes and restaurants. For more information please visit us on www.muxasari.com/english/ or Tel: 687070164

ROLLER SHUTTERS ROLLER SHUTTER REPAIRS, awnings, motors, mosquito blinds. Calpe + 50 kms. 659 464 992 www.toldosalchemy.com (286464)

SITUATIONS VACANT

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 CALPE. ELENA RUSSIAN Girl Massage. Tel: 601 281 426 BENIDORM: Pretty lady, excellent full body massage €50 per hour. Above Restaurant Toni Roma’s. 646 667 604 (288166) SOPHIE naughty, slim, elégant lady. 3 languages spoken. Visit all areas, also private apartment in Villamartin. 693 357 526 (281656) SEXY NOELIA: ESCORT - LADY. SLIM, ELEGANT, NAUGHTY. ONLY VISITS HOMES AND HOTELS 24 HOURS. TEL: 667 861 513 SOFIA, Mature lady, 45yr old. Home and hotel visits only. All services. Tlf 600328786 Alicante

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24 - 30 December 2020

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MOTORING

BMW M135i - not worse, just different to the outgoing M140i ROAD TEST by Mark Slack BMW are famed for rear wheel drive cars that have enthused keen drivers for many years. So you can imagine the howls of BMW devotees, matched only by the howl of the famed BMW straight six under full throttle, when an M car emerged with a four­cylinder engine and essen­ tially front wheel drive. The M135i is actually all­ wheel­drive, but unless addi­ tional traction is required it’s pulled rather than pushed along the road. It loses some of its character compared to the previous car which had a straight six and rear wheel dri­ ve. So it’s a different car but most drivers wanting a com­ fortable, fast and premium badged performance car will love it. Priced from €38,217 (£34,995), as ever with German cars the price is prone to escala­ tion once you tick a few option boxes. My test car came very

well loaded with three option packs at €1,638 (£1,500 each, including larger alloys, en­ hanced Harmon Kardon sound system, keyless entry, park as­ sist, wireless charging, head­up display, adaptive LED head­ lamps and high beam assist. Other options included a panoramic roof €1,092 (£1,000), adaptive suspension €546 (£500), gesture control €327 (£300), front seats lumber support €164 (£150) and through loading aperture in the rear seat €164 (£150). Phew! That brings the total cost to €46,724 (£42,785). A lot of money for a five­door hot hatch, but it’s something a bit more than a normal hot hatch. It has quicker steering, tweaked suspension and sits lower than the standard 1­Series. On the road it rides very well on even the firmest suspension setting from the op­ tional adaptive ride settings. This compliant ride isn’t at the expense of handling though as through the most twisting cross

country roads it has plenty of grip and excellent steering. It takes fast corners with con­ siderable ease and a confident feel. Seating is comfortable and there’s decent space for people

and luggage. Build quality seems good with quite tactile materials that I think would prove durable in use. Externally the dominating factor is that grille. It looks bet­

ter in darker colours rather than chrome effect where it’s far too Kardashian. This latest incarnation of the famous kid­ ney shaped grille is a bit too in your face for me. That and the

loss of the straight­six rear drive set­up shouldn’t detract from what is a great performance car. It’s no worse than the out­ going 135i/140i, it’s just differ­ ent.