Euro Weekly News - Costa de Almeria 24 - 30 December 2020 Issue 1851

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The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1851

24 - 30 December 2020

COSTA DE ALMERIA • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

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CHRISTMAS GOODIES Photo credit: Age Support Almanzora

VOLUNTEERS from Age Support Alman­ zora (ASA) are distributing Christmas hampers to members of the charity’s Lunch Club this year. Vanya Ager, president of ASA, thanked Sol Supermarket for helping to complete the hampers and Bar Lepanto for display­ ing and storing them before distribution. Sue Robinson, who organises the Lunch Club for ASA and is also a volunteer in the office, said she was sad that there could be no Christmas party this year for the Club. “As in previous years we had hoped to hold a Christmas Lunch on December 17 for our VIP guests but I’m sure that the Christmas goodies will be gratefully re­ ceived by the clients. The hampers look amazing,” Sue said. “If you would like any information or have any questions about the Lunch Club, please contact us via Facebook or our

ASA HAMPERS: (l to r) Sue Robinson with volunteers Janet and Anita.

Toy donation campaign EL EJIDO Town Hall’s Patio de Luces was, as in previous years, at the heart of the Toy Donation campaign. As always this took place dur­ ing Fr Jesus Zapata’s Radio Ejido radio programme Ventana a la Fe (Window on Faith) with the participation of the local mayor, Francisco Gongora, spokespeo­ ple for Opposition parties on El Ejido Council, councillors and representatives from local asso­

ciations and sports clubs. Led by the mayor, they called on the public to rally round the Citizens’ Participation depart­ ment initiative and donate new, unused toys so that the Three Kings would also be able to visit the homes of El Ejido’s less fortu­ nate children. The local population respond­ ed well to the appeal and be­ tween 9am and 12 noon demonstrated their generosity

by bringing in toys. Gongora also took the oppor­ tunity of sending the season’s greetings to El Ejido’s popula­ tion, asking them to put individ­ ual responsibility above all else, to avoid a third wave. He admitted that everybody will be enjoying a very different kind of Christmas this year but added that it would be as magi­ cal as ever in the company of close relatives.

“And if we do things the right way, we can soon return to something like normality,” Gongora said.

shop in Albox,” she added. “We are just down the road from Mercadona on the roundabout opposite the Peugeot show­ room.” Money raised in the Albox shop, at events or from donations, goes to help improve the quality of life for older people in the area, but the Lunch Club is just one of ASA’s services. It can also loan equipment, while offer­ ing both practical and emotional support, all of which are completely confidential and provided entirely by volunteers. This covers the Almanzora Valley area including Albox, Albanchez, Arboleas, Can­ toria, Partaloa and Zurgena. “Merry Christmas from Age Support Al­ manzora,” Sue said. “And if you know someone who would benefit from our support, do please call in to the ASA shop in Albox where you can have a chat with a volunteer from our team.”

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24 - 30 December 2020

ADRA’S mayor Manuel Cortes called for “calm and responsibility” following the re­ cent Covid outbreak inside the municipali­ ty. Cortes also revealed that vigilance had been stepped up in areas where most cases were reported to ensure that quarantine regulations were complied with. “The outbreak is very localised and under control by the Health department while tracing has been intensified in the affected

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Three Kings by appointment zone,” the mayor said. Meanwhile, Adra will be ready for the Three Kings who, as always, are due to ar­ rive on January 5. Fiestas and Traditions councillor Elisa Fer­ nandez, accompanied by Pedro Peña, her counterpart at the town hall’s Education department, distributed QR codes to pupils at Adra schools before the end of term.

They will be able to use the codes to make an appointment for a personal video­ call with Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar, the councillors explained to the children. The Kings will also be present at Adra’s Centro Cultural on January 5 where they will greet the local population, although there will be no physical contact on health and safety grounds.

Photo credit: Adra town hall

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ADRA SOLUTION: Distributing QR codes in local schools.

Lottery fail THE Guardia Civil arrested two people accused of rob­ bing 26 Christmas Lottery tickets from a Lucar bar. They also took bottles of alcoholic drinks and cash, taking advantage of the 10pm­7pm curfew, Guardia Civil sources explained. Investigators scouring the bar soon found sufficient clues to identify the alleged thieves who were arrest­ ed some days later. The cash and all of the lottery tickets have been re­ turned to their owner and the two suspects taken be­ fore the Purchena court.

Pure air THREE Macael schools now have air puri­ fiers. “We knew that the AMPA parents associ­ ation were interested in equipping schools with the purifiers, but not everybody has the same purchasing power,” Macael coun­ cillor Guillermo Casquet told the local me­ dia. The town hall had already helped local shops and the hospitality sector, and it was time to make the effort to safeguard the children’s health while they were at school.

Objections continue over Baria development CUEVAS DEL ALMANZORA Town Hall ordered a halt to work at Baria in Villaricos. Baria was occupied first by Phoenicians and later the Romans, but Madrid­based develop­ ers who own a plot there plan to build 24 properties. The current owners, who acquired the land from a Villaricos firm, are not authorised to ex­ cavate the site, found Local Police officers who have cordoned off machinery while the situa­ tion is clarified. Cuevas’ mayor Antonio Fernandez empha­ sised that he hoped the cultural asset can be protected. “That will difficult because the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the previous owners in

2014,” he admitted in the local Spanish media. Fernandez revealed that he has been in contact with the Territorial Culture delegate Eloisa Cabrera who expressed interest in pro­ tecting the site. Junta de Andalucia inspectors recently visit­ ed the site, making soundings to analyse part of a Phoenician wall as well as fragments of pottery presumably of Phoenician, Carthagin­ ian and Roman origin. The ideal solution would be a decision on the part of the Junta de Andalucia to buy the plot but this is unlikely, bearing in mind that this would cost around €3 million after tak­ ing into account the developers’ loss of earn­ ings.

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NIBS EXTRA New premises ALMERIA City’s branch of the Cortefiel chain selling women’s clothes in El Paseo is closing down, although the shop selling male clothing remains open. Sources close to the long-established company, which has nationwide outlets, revealed new premises are being sought in a street adjoining the Paseo.

Sweet gesture WITHOUT the traditional Three Kings parade on January 5, it looked as though El Ejido children would miss out on the sweets distributed, and sometimes thrown, during the procession. In compensation, the town hall’s Culture distributed sweets in all the municipality’s infants and primary schools before the end of term.

Play safe AS families prepared to buy Christmas presents for their children, Adra Town Hall organised a talk on raising awareness of the need to eliminate sexist and violent toys. It was essential that these should amuse, teach and help children to socialise while avoiding discrimination and gender stereotypes, the audience heard.

Rugby date THE new rugby pitch at the Viator Spanish Legion base was inaugurated with a match between the national Army side and the Union Rugby Almeria, the province’s leading team. Military, political and civilian dignitaries also attended the match which was the last of the special events organised for the Legion’s 100th anniversary.

Lottery wins LUCK came early to Almeria Province before the mammoth Christmas ‘Gordo’ Lottery, as the 00677 number sold in Almeria City took the €300,000 first prize in the National Lottery’s weekly Thursday draw. The second prize of €60,000 went to the 80187 number sold by Velez Rubio’s No 1 Lottery Administration.

Better water WORK began in Berja on improving infrastructure for the Peñarrodada district’s water supply and main drainage. Trenches are being dug but the town hall said the road would not need to be closed while the €242,000 project was carried out.

24 - 30 December 2020

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.

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…

Seeing Poinsettias add Ready stars finishing touch to go

THIS month’s edition of the Traveller magazine devoted a long article to the Cala Alto Ob­ servatory. Escribano was quick to com­ ment on Almeria’s links to the movie stars who shot Hollywood films there in the 70s and the heavenly stars that Cala Alto has observed since it opened in 1973. He explained that the centre opened following an agreement between the Spanish and Ger­ man governments but was initial­ ly used solely by German scien­ tists although shared with their Spanish counterparts from 2005. Since 2019 it is entirely Spanish­ run.

THE poinsettias and red carpets to be seen outside Vera shops have been distributed free by the town hall’s Commerce department. The town hall has distributed more than 250 poin­ settias and 100 metres of red carpet in the town cen­ tre and Vera Playa to complement the Christmas dec­ orations in shop windows and throughout the municipality. Ana Lourdes Ramirez, the councillor who heads the Commerce department, has delivered the plants to all the businesses that are participating in the Tu comercio, tu gente (Your shops, your people) scheme aimed at boosting local commerce over the holidays. “We want to help revitalise commercial activity during this complicated period and at the same time encourage residents and everybody who visits Vera at Christmas to do their shopping locally,” Ramirez said.

GABRIEL AMAT, Roquetas may­ or, announced that the contract to build the new hospital would soon be awarded. All red tape and paperwork had been dealt with, said Amat who was accompanied by the Junta delegate, Maribel Sanchez. “Roquetas will have its much­ wanted hospital,” the mayor de­ clared. All procedures had been com­ pleted and it only remained for the town hall to grant the build­ ing licence, he explained. This has gone through and the regional government can now put the contract out to ten­ der.

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Virtual race ALBOX Town Hall re­ cently presented Almeria Province’s first Virtual Charity Run. The run, which will be held on January 9 and 10 and is called La Pequeñica, is ex­ pected to become one of the most im­ portant charity events in the Alman­ zora Valley or out­ side it. Funds raised will be used to restore the Saliente Sanctu­ ary, which is presided by the Vir­ gen del Saliente, af­ fectionately known as La Pequeñica and an object of local de­ votion. “The run is here to stay and future edi­ tions will be run in­ person,” town hall sources said. “This joins other Albox Town Hall charity initiatives that include helping Caritas and other as­ sociations based in the municipality. The virtual race, which has three, six and 10­kilometre categories, is open to all age groups, with no registration fee for under­10s. The 10­16 age group will pay €3, with a €10 fee all others. Once registration has been completed, runners receive an email with the par­ ticipation code as well as the app they need to compete in the race and which will also monitor their performance. La Pequeñica is not a competitive run and can be car­ ried out individually or as a family effort in one or several phases over the weekend of January 9 and 10.

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24 - 30 December 2020

Was he or wasn’t he

OLD theories have resurfaced about the Almeria ori­ gins of Mickey Mouse’s creator, Walt Disney. A recent programme on the Cope radio station re­ cently discussed whether it is true or an urban myth that Walt Disney was born in Mojacar, given that all biographers name his place of birth as Chicago, 1901. Rumours can be traced back to a visit that three grey­suited men paid to Mojacar in 1940. Maintaining that they represented Walt Disney Studios, they were looking for the birth certificate of one Jose Guirao Zamora, born in Mojacar in 1901. Claiming that Jose and Walt Disney were one and the same person they scoured the municipal archives for some days, as both Mojacar Town Hall and Alme­ ria Diputacion records reveal. Allegedly they discovered that Jose Guirao was the son of a Mojacar laundress who emigrated to Chicago where her brother already lived. She left young Jose­ Walt in the care of her neighbours, Elias and Flora Disney and the couple eventually took charge of the child. Other sources quoted in the Cope programme maintain that Disney himself told the Spanish painter Salvador Dali that he was born in Mojacar. Truth or urban myth? Who knows?

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Money management M OJAC A R councillors approved a municipal Budget of €11,392 for the coming year. With a 3.78 per cent increase of €431,000 next year’s Budget was based on efficient and effective control over public spending, said Mojacar’s mayor Rosmari Cano. This reflected the town hall’s commitment to financial stability and sustainability, Cano pointed out, while guaranteeing municipal employees’ wages and suppliers’ bills. The mayor stressed the Budget’s social significance during the current crisis added to the town hall’s commitment to helping those in need and assisting local businesses with direct aid and campaigns to shop locally.

2021 BUDGET: Extended lifesaving service for Mojacar beaches.

A €1.285 million allocation was aside for projects that include infrastructure for the future health centre, beach huts and walkways. Cash has also been assigned to extending the lifesaving service, with coverage for more beaches and an in-

creased number of lifeguards. Amongst the town hall’s many commitments, Mojacar Town Hall renewed its agreement with the local Red Cross branch, which will receive €10,000 to help the organisation carry out its work inside the town.

Thanks to the energy saving scheme, power bills were reduced by almost 5 per cent while the town hall’s Banco de Santander loan was cancelled two years in advance, reducing the municipality’s financial liabilities by 55 per cent.

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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24 - 30 December 2020

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.

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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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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24 - 30 December 2020

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Outbreak after Wedding Lottery seller hides tickets A WEDDING in Adra, which lasted several days is the possible cause of a new outbreak in Almeria. The wedding took place over the Constitu­ tion Bridge long weekend and the first cases started to show on December 11. An investiga­ tion has begun and it is currently thought that the wedding contravened the Covid­19 restric­

tions that were in place at that time. So far 29 cases have been identified and tracing is still ongoing. This outbreak comes amidst fears that a third wave of the Coron­ avirus will soon be seen. Juan de la Cruz Bel­ monte the delegate of Health for Almeria, has said people must act responsibly over the Christmas period.

A LOTTERY administration in Almeria has hidden 10 tickets in its neighbourhood in an aim to encourage local shopping. Lottery administration number 13 in Almeria, bet­ ter known as La Trece, is run by Jesus Ibañez who told the press that when work was going on last year in the Oliveros area of Almeria City, it made it hard for people to access so they had to go elsewhere. He then thought it would be a good idea to do some­ thing to encourage people to visit the area. He didn’t plan to do it again this year, but as busi­ nesses in the area are suffering due to Covid­19 re­ strictions, he decided to hide the tickets. The idea has been very popular with residents in the area, and is also attracting visitors from other neighbourhoods, with two people having already found the tickets. The numbers of the hidden tenths of tickets are 90612, for El Gordo Christmas lottery, which will

LA TRECE: Is encouraging local shopping.

be drawn on December 22. People have been calling for clues about where the tickets will be hidden. On its website and social network, the lottery ad­ ministration will be giving clues about where the en­ velopes are located. They contain a slip which can be exchanged for a lottery ticket at La Trece, as well as instructions. The lottery seller is hopeful the number might earn someone a prize in the Christmas lottery.

Easter 2021 Cancelled IN a statement to Telecinco on Friday, December 18, the president of the Junta de An­ dalucía Juanma Moreno stat­ ed that “everything seems to indicate that there will be no” Holy Week in 2021. If Mr Moreno’s fears come to pass, it will be the second year in a row that Easter cele­ brations have been can­ celled. He added that reli­ gious authorities agreed that it would be very difficult in “just three months, organise a Holy Week that generates crowds of tens of thousands of people.” Mr Moreno acknowledged that the cancellation of the spring celebrations causes

huge problems for the area and represents billions of eu­ ro in losses to the Andalucían economy; however, he is confident that next summer

things will have ‘nor­ malised’as that by June 2021, 50 per cent of the Andalucían population should be immu­ nised against Covid­19.

Andalucia Cafe Rules IN a change of rules, Andalucia cafes will be allowed to open from 6pm until 8pm. Jesús Aguirre, the Junta de Andalucía Minister of Health and Family, announced that cafes in Andalucia will be allowed to stay open from 6pm to 8pm, but they will not be permitted to sell al­ cohol during this time. The change was made after an overwhelming number of complaints over the restrictions had been received. The problem is considered to be the lack of masks being worn after lunch, when alcohol is involved. Due to this, restrictions for other establishments will remain in place, meaning they have to close from 6pm until 8pm for the Christmas period.

Hotels to sue Moreno Asks For Spanish state ‘Best Behaviour’ THE hospitality sector in Spain has finally had enough, with an estimated 85,000 establish­ ments already gone under, representing a third of the total number of bars and restaurants that were open for business before the coronavirus pandemic. President of Hostelería de España, José Luis Yzuel, told ABC that thousands of law­ suits will be brought against the Spanish govern­ ment. “Hundreds of thousands of businesses will claim against the state. And we are going to create tools so that no one is left unclaimed,” Yzuel to ABC. According to the most recent figures from the sector, end of year data shows that turnover in 2020 fell by €67 million with 670,000 jobs at risk in the industry, and 226,000 working in the food and drinks sector were on ERTE at the end of Novem­ ber.

VISITING the Sierra Nevada ski resort on Sat­ urday morning, December 19, the president of the Junta de Andalucia Juanma Moreno re­ peated his message of caution and common sense this festive season. “We will have another Christmas next year, the ski resort will always be open, everything we are going to enjoy we will do if we are alive,” Mr Moreno said. “If we are alive we will have another Christmas, we will be able to enjoy our family,” he added. The regional president also thanked the people of Andalucia for their ‘patience’ and commended them for their hard work, stat­ ing that the reduction on the coronavirus in­ fection rate was made possible by the ‘firm commitment on the part of the An­ dalucíans.’

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24 - 30 December 2020

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 peo-

ple 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.

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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 GDP 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.

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 Mo-

jacar 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.

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24 - 30 December 2020

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.

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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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Amazon Ex Donates AMAZON founder Jeff Bezos’ ex­wife MacKenzie Scott do­ nated $4bn (€3.4bn) in four months as food banks and emergency relief funds re­ ceived her generous support. Ms Scott, who is the world’s 18th­richest 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 $60.7bn (€49.7bn). “This pandemic has been a wrecking ball in the lives of Americans already struggling,” she wrote in a blog post on Tuesday, December 15, adding that she had picked more than 380 charities to donate to hav­ ing considered almost 6,500 organisations. “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 Giv­ ing Pledge, promising to give

away the majority of her for­ tune stating that: “I have a dis­ proportionate amount of mon­ ey to share.”

Itinerant thieves arrested in Bilbao

THREE women were arrested in Bilbao charged with belong­ ing to an itinerant criminal gang based in France and re­ sponsible for numerous house robberies. The Basque police, the Ertzaintza, arrested the Croatian women, aged between 35 and 39, who all had extensive crimi­ nal records and used as many as 43 fake identities to escape the police in different 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 distance

from each other, so that police would not realise they were to­ gether, and entered an apart­ ment block. Upon leaving, they were stopped by the police carrying 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 build­ ing 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 head­ quarters with the stolen goods.

NEWS

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APSA Animal Rescue

THANK YOU: To all those who donated food this Christmas.

APSA Animal Rescue have sent a big Christmas thank you to all those who have helped this year. APSA is a non­profit charity that was founded in 2002 by a group of expats to improve the welfare of ani­ mals in the Almanzora Valley. The main focus of APSA is the rescue and care of aban­ doned animals, and they aim to find loving fur­ever homes for their dogs. They have re­ homed around 100 dogs this year despite the Covid­19 pan­ demic. A spokesperson for APSA told Euro Weekly News, “It un­ doubtedly has been one of the

hardest years yet. Due to Covid we have not been able to hold events throughout the year, which has had a tremendous impact on fundraising and do­ nations in general. “It’s been tough but with all things considered we could not do what we do without our volunteers, also a big thank you goes out to everyone who has thought about the dogs and have donated food, beds and toys this Christmas. We are still accepting donations both at the Albox shop and at the mar­ ket stall at Los Llanos, so hope­ fully every dog in our care will enjoy their Christmas too.”

AND THE WINNING NUMBERS ARE.....

PAWS-PATAS Animal Charity sends massive applause to Bunny and Trevor Willis... Queen and King of the mighty PAWS-PATAS Christmas Raffle. Weeks of preparation and dedication did not go unrewarded as a grand total of €1,623 was raised from the drawer on Tuesday December 15 at the PAWS-PATAS outlet in Mojacar. During these ‘testing times,’ this amount of money is a fantastic boost to the ‘purse strings’ at the animal shelter; which requires €9,500 per month to keep the shelter working and the animals safe. Thank You to Carrigans, Bar One, Lemon Lounge, Salty Dog, The Roof Garden and Mimi’s for offering to sell tickets and to everyone who supported PAWS-PATAS and Thank You to the four people who spent 10 hours folding the raffle tickets! For further information regarding volunteering or donating, etc please visit our website: www.paws-patas.org.

Thank You Everyone WALK FOR LIFE want to send out a huge thank you to Jenni at Gladrags and Rod Oxley for raising the fantastic amount of €1,290 with their Christmas video. Thanks to all the businesses who participated and donated and for all the other donations. The video can be seen on our website walk4lifearboleas and our Facebook page. The team at Walk for Life would also like to wish all our clients and supporters a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful and Happy New Year. It has been

a difficult year for everybody and we are grateful for the continuing support and the imaginative ways that people have found to support us. We especially want to thank Amanda Oakley, Richard Clarke, Jenni Rock and all the people who did the 6k challenge really going the extra mile! Thank you too to all those who have sponsored people, bought raffle tickets, bought a calendar, donated or put coins in our tins helping us to help people affected by cancer. We really could not do it without you.

24 - 30 December 2020

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NEWS

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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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.

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Exodus of Wrong anthem for Carlos Sainz 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.

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

PODIUM: Driver tried not to show surprise.

and used during the Franco dictatorship. The Dakar Rally starts on Janu-

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.

ary 2. Sainz, and his partner Lucas Cruz, won the second Baja Ha’il after Al Attiyah won the first.

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.

NEWS

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.

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.”

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FEATURE

GO LOCAL

THE EURO WEEKLY NEWS is urging its readers to support lo­ cal businesses in the communi­ ty by going local through the lockdown and for your Christ­ mas shopping this year, instead of feeding online giants and su­ perstores. This lockdown and festive pe­ riod we challenge you to redis­ cover your local high streets, markets, butchers, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky independent businesses in your area. Due to the Covid­19 pandem­ ic, you may have to support many local businesses by order­ ing online and making use of any click and collect services they can operate if you are unable to get out due to health reasons or lockdown restrictions. The joy of shopping local means that independent busi­ nesses can help support the lo­ cal community. Although it may be a euro or

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

two cheaper elsewhere or on­ line, consider where your mon­ ey 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 Christmas to give back to your community by making a small gesture and shopping in

this way. Many local stores support lo­ cal charities, support and spon­ sor local sports teams and in many cases the small indepen­ dent stores are actually much more than just a small high street shop, they’re a family’s legacy, often passed down through numerous generations and support not just the current owner, but the generation be­ fore. For those stores which are new, that extra couple of euros spent there are supporting someone’s dream and ambition, and also the courage it took them to step out alone, which is no easy task. It takes quite a large chunk of money to set up an independent store and com­

pete with the multi­national 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 out­ side the box can often lead to some fantastic ideas. Why not buy a meal for two, an hour’s tattoo time at a local studio, a hair cut at a local salon or an on­ line study course for someone looking to change their career path. As people are struggling with finances thinking about what

FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

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 alleviate stress and worry, give the gift of peace of mind through these difficult times. Choosing to spend your mon­ ey locally will really make a dif­ ference in the recovery of the local economy. When we buy local, our money stays local, and it strengthens the local econo­ my in two ways. First, buying lo­ cal keeps money circulating with­ in the local economy. Studies have shown that local businesses recirculate a greater share of every euro as they create locally owned supply chains and invest in their employees. Data shows that local retailers return 52 per cent of their rev­ enue back into the local econo­ my, compared to just 14 per cent for national chain retailers. Money circulating through the local economy benefits everyone who is a part of each

transaction. For example, let’s look at a local farmer grow­ ing 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 employees and the restaurant uses revenue from sales to buy supplies from a neighbourhood hardware store. This example illustrates how the recirculation of money in the local economy leads to a stronger financial foundation for our neighbours and communi­

ties. Buying local also fuels new employment and job opportuni­ ties for people within our com­ munity. Studies show, locally owned businesses employ more people per unit of sales and re­ tain more employees over time. While buying local is financial­ ly compelling to our communi­ ties; the benefits to our environ­ ment are equally impressive. Buying locally reduces the pro­ cessing of goods, packaging and transportation waste, which leads to less pollution. There’s a massive cultural shift underway redefining the way people make buying deci­

24 - 30 December 2020

SPENDING LOCALLY: Will make a difference to the local economy. sions. We’re seeing more indi­ viduals concerned about the en­ vironment, about how products are made and sourced, where materials come from, and a company’s overall social and en­ vironmental impact. Many businesses are joining our Go Local campaign by offer­ ing 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 23

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

26

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.

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

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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

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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/mojacar • Tel: +34 950 478 914 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 29

30 EWN

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24 - 30 December 2020

Property of the week 169,950

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FEATURE

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cious, light and airy living room / dining room with electric fire and H&C aircon. Opposite the dining area is the large modern style fitted kitchen with plenty of cupboards. A breakfast bar separates these two areas. A corridor leads down to the three double bedrooms all with

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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.

THURSDAY 24 DECEMBER

FRIDAY 25 DECEMBER

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Zootropolis Frozen Pointless Celebrities BBC News at Six BBC London News Weather Penguins: Meet the Family EastEnders MasterChef: The Professionals Black Narcissus

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Paddington: The Man Behind the Bear The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show The Two Ronnies Sketchbook Carols from King's Remarkable Places to Eat University Challenge Cinderella; A Comic Relief Great British Christmas Menu

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ITV News London The Masked Singer Katherine Jenkins 5:10pm ITV Evening News ITV News London Tipping Point: Lucky Stars Celebrity Catchphrase Emmerdale Coronation Street Alan Carr's Epic 10:15pm Birds of a Feather

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George Clarke's Amazing Spaces A Christmas Carol It's a Wonderful Life The Snowman The Snowman and the Snowdog The Tiger Who Came to Tea Reindeer School at Christmas The Great British Bake Off One Night In Hamleys

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The Snowman and the Snowdog The Great British Bake Off Channel 4 News The Alternative Christmas Message The Italian Job Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Clown Escape to the Chateau

2:05pm 2:10pm 4:10pm 5:10pm 5:15pm 7:00pm

Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who Clown Channel 4 News Jamie: Keep Cooking at Christmas Home Alone 3 Shrek the Third Hidden Figures Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2020

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Talking Pictures Singin' in the Rain Some Like it Hot Cue the Queen: 5:15pm To the Manor Born The Queen Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes Dad's Army Victoria Wood's All Day Breakfast

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2:30pm

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Poirot: Murder on the Orient Express Death on the Nile Michael Palin: Travels of a Lifetime Mastermind Only Connect University Challenge Two Doors Down Charlie Brookers Anti-Viral Wipe

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Access Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Ben-Hur Access Ben-Hur Jason and the Argonauts 5 News Update Friday on the Farm Wartime at Christmas Shirley Valentine

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34 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

24 - 30 December 2020

THE protest against the new pig farm in Cantoria in the Valle de Almanzora, saw protesters drive through the streets blast­ ing their horns in opposition to the proposed pig farm. The motorised protest oc­ curred on Wednesday Decem­ ber 16, as residents and mem­ bers of the Association of Friends of the Palacio del Al­

NEWS

Pig Farm Protest manzora, and the women’s as­ sociation travelled from the Plaza del Almanzora to the town of Cantoria. The planned farm would house nearly 700 pigs and resi­ dents are concerned over the environmental issues that

would arise. Miguel Ángel Alonso said, “This type of pro­ ject is not of general interest to any town. The only thing they bring are negative elements,” Residents are worried that the smell for the farm would make the area unviable to live in.

Mountaineering Competition THE event was organised by the city council and the Almocita Ac­ tiva Sports Club amongst others, and saw 70 hikers compete in a gruelling 10­hour hike. The event had been adapted to en­ sure all Covid­19 measures were followed. Sixteen clubs from Almeria entered with over 70 hikers tackling the near 40km route. The event started in Almocita and passed through the Sierra Nevada. Francisco Garcia and Rafael Garrido won awards on an indi­ vidual basis and for the clubs, CM Condor came first with CM Traparriscos in second place, and CM Ararat finishing in third place.

36 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

24 - 30 December 2020

Chefs make dinner for needy

FORTY of Spain’s chefs cooked a special Christmas dinner for 1,000 people in need. In the eighth edition of charity campaign ‘Te invito a cenar,’ 40 chefs, including Maria Jimenez, Juan Pozuelo, Ruben Cordero, Jose Luis Inarejos, Chema de Isidro, Pepe Gorines, Santiago Abad and Nico Rios, Eduardo Cas­ quero, David Rubio and Anita Be Cool, prepared meals which were later given out to families in Madrid. The dishes were prepared at the Mirador de Cuatro Vientos while more than 400 volunteers prepared the gifts and treats for the families, previously selected by NGOs, and then delivered them to their homes last night, Sun­ day, December 20. The meal had aperitifs, first course, second course and a

dessert, but the families also received basic food and other products, as well as toys in the households with children. The beneficiaries are home­ less, poor, unemployed immi­ grants, drug addicts, refugees, minors in care and youths with difficulties, according to the organisers, Compañia de las Obras. Whereas other years they have been invited to come to a dinner, this year, it was tak­ en to them, but it included a video connection so they could share the fun with mu­ sic, carols, games, raffles and other surprises. They added that every year, the number of chefs wanting to take part has increased, and highlight that it has also been possible thanks to dona­ tions from numerous compa­ nies.

Illegal Tobacco Gang Busted FIFTY people were arrested following raids on 40 properties across Romania, with huge amounts of production machin­ ery and illegal tobacco products seized from warehouses, businesses, and homes across the country. The Guardia Civil’s Central Operation Unit assisted Ro­ manian and European authorities in the operation, and the gang reportedly once ran illegal Spanish cigarette factories in Toledo, Sevilla, and Cordoba. Those arrested are of Ro­ manian and Moldovan nationality, though their operation spanned the majority of the continent. The recent series of raids and arrests mark the successful conclusion of a Europe­wide crackdown on the lucrative ille­ gal tobacco trade. Beginning in 2017, the operation has seen 200 arrests across Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, and Belgium. Overall a staggering 95 million illegal cigarettes were seized alongside 300 tonnes of tobacco.

‘Bulky’ coat fine Freedom of movement.

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

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.

FEATURE

Making Choices ROBERT SHALLIS ON a daily basis we make small choices and to varying degrees throughout life. Our choices in life can define us, they can make or break us and even haunt us. Best­selling author John C Maxwell, said ‘life is full of choices and every choice you make, makes you.’ We always make a point of reminding our 16­year­old son before he goes out with friends to make the right decision and wise choices. Where we find ourselves in life can very much be down to the initial choices we have made and therefore, our results are often symptoms of those decisions. So how do we know when to make the right choices when faced with making an im­ portant decision? Firstly, it’s important to understand that perception can be very different from one person to another, therefore, it can seem that whatever choice you make could be the wrong one depending on whom you talk to.

However, if it feels right and feels good, it usually comes from a space that will benefit most for the greater good. Making a decision from your heart tends to come from your true self which can be a good indicator. Decisions are also made from the head as well as the heart, understandably so, it can be easy to become confused as each can contradict the other and lead to procrastina­ tion. But whatever choice you make depending on its relevance can sometimes be frighten­ ing, which is why many of us just cannot commit to making a decision at all. Too many of us play it safe and therefore deny our­ selves the opportunity to grow, develop, benefit and expand in life. Years later we can have regrets and can find ourselves saying, ‘if only I’d decided to do this or that all those years ago, look where we’d be now.’ However, faced with the op­ portunity to have the same choices again, you’d be surprised how many people would repeat the same pattern over again. People are so concerned about making the wrong choices they simply make none. So, make a choice, make it from the heart and take a leap of faith. If it’s the wrong choice, at the very least, you’ll find out quicker.

I see making a choice as a fork in the road analogy, asking myself, which one I should take and often naturally think that if I take the wrong one, it’s a bad choice. Again, I go with my heart and choose what feels right however, I accept that circumstances can change and what may have felt the right thing to do at the time can sometimes turn out with hindsight to be the wrong decision. It’s ok to make mistakes, we’re human af­ ter all. Wrong decisions are a part of life al­ though, understanding why we’ve made them helps us grow. It is an opportunity to learn, accept the consequences and not to dwell on the choice you’ve made, simply move on knowing you are a little wiser than you were before. Remember, the quicker you learn what is wrong, the quicker you can unravel what is right. So start to make those all­important choic­ es today and understand that the right choice is not always the easiest, but making a decision one way or another can lead to some wonderful opportunities. Mistakes can be rectified and forgotten but regret can last a lifetime. The choice is yours! Rob Shallis www.robshallis.com

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.

37

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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

38

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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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Almería TODAY VELEZ RUBIO ALBOX

HUERCAL OVERA GARRUCHA

WEATHER

MOJACAR ALMERIA RETAMAR ROQUETAS

ADRA

TOMORROW VELEZ RUBIO ALBOX

HUERCAL OVERA GARRUCHA MOJACAR

ALMERIA RETAMAR ROQUETAS

ADRA

SATURDAY VELEZ RUBIO ALBOX

HUERCAL OVERA GARRUCHA MOJACAR

ALMERIA RETAMAR ADRA

S: Sun

C: Cloudy

Th: Thunder

ROQUETAS

Cl: Clear

Sh: Showers

Sn: Snow

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

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

39

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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.

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

HEALTH & BEAUTY RUNNING may not be as good for your health as you think. Re­ search by the College of Podia­ try found that running typically leaves people nursing injuries for around 26 days each year. Their study found that ignor­ ing foot or leg pain meant 13 per cent were forced to give up sport or running completely because it

Poor fitting footwear can lead to injuries got worse and half of people who take up a new sport or run­ ning get injured by wearing the wrong footwear.

Two thirds of those asked ad­ mitted they do not replace train­ ers or running shoes until they fall apart and 43 per cent con­ fessed they’ve carried on using uncomfortable footwear, be­ cause they look good, despite the pain. Wearing the wrong shoes for running can lead to injuries such as shin splints, calf problems, lower back pain and hamstring strains. One in four had to get hospital treatment for their in­ jury which also then puts people off their good intentions to run and exercise. The average Brit has two pairs of trainers, but only 19 per cent had a proper fitting before buy­ ing and 33 per cent never tried them on having bought online. The College of Podiatry recom­ mends shoes are professionally fitted, should be at least 1cm longer than the longest toe and should be fitted in the afternoon or evening when feet are at their longest.

24 - 30 December 2020

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PERFECT DOESN’T MEAN PRISTINE MS BIPOLAR UP AND DOWN WITH BALANCE UNEDITED

HOW can I, someone with Bipolar have a column and not go completely insane? I know that whenever I write something down, even my shopping list, I have to write it out four times before it’s right, even tear the pages out and start again! Crossing it out makes it stand out, so that’s not an option writing over the error makes the mistake even more obvious.. I’m not catastrophising... this is a real curse! So just like this column, I sometimes worry that I may come across as being self absorbed, selfish or full of myself. Whether people find me annoying or simply are just not bothered about reading my column. However, I am learning that my lists are just like my life… it’s okay to make mistakes, cross them out, scribble with a different colour and even make a mess of it. Not everything has to be perfect. You can take that mistake or messiness and find the lesson and move on. You have to move on because it

can’t be undone, but if you sit with the error and let it become part of you, it’s then that you find the reason it happened and you can move on from it. I write everything down, things I need to do, things I need to buy, list of things I’d like to do but most likely won’t ever do, absolutely everything! It helps me keep on track... I don’t always get around to all of my to dos, but it helps me focus. I tend to get side tracked quite a lot (who would have thought!). I actually breathe more and stress less because my day is planned and my lists are made, I even make adjustments. I’m beginning to not care about the scribbles and see past the messiness. It didn’t make me less of a person. I didn’t feel out of control. There hasn’t been a major life threatening event because I spelt something incorrectly. It feels like freedom. So here I am, throwing myself to this week’s column. I’ve spilt my drink over me, I’ve worried about what to write and what not to write. So for god’s sake - if you make a mistake, make it big cross that sh*t out and move on! Love Ms Bipolar X

msbipolar@euroweeklynews.com

PETS

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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

Jackson is looking forward to a quiet time.

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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.

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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)

CHURCHES LOCAL ANGLICAN (C of E) Church Services Mojacar, Sundays at 11am Llanos Del Peral, Sundays at 11am Aljambra Chapel, 1st Thursday monthly at 11am Priest

in Charge, Rev. Vincent Oram 603 659 139. For directions, details and to find out more about our church activities please see our website http://www.almeriaanglican.com (10002) ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - Why not make this year the year you volunteer? Call and see how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbuddyhhvisits@gmail.com . If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well as the big, sometimes talking to someone is the first step to feeling more in control. It can be a personal need or some help with your home or information on what or who to speak to on a medical issue, we help with signposting if we cannot help directly, just call and have a chat with Pam who will try to guide you to where you need to be. If you would like to go to a branch meeting then find your nearest one at, www.britishlegion.org.uk/cou nties/spain-north ZURGENA Branch meeting on the first Thursday, Coffee Morning on the third Thursday and Buffet & Quiz Night on the last Tuesday of the month all at The Heathers La Alfoquia, for further details please email zurgenarblsecretary@y ahoo.co.uk - (253989)

46

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PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

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BMW M135i - now different 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.

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Brilliant Benzema

Return Ruined

BENZEMA: Continues his goalscoring run. REAL MADRID bullied their way past Eibar and move up into second in the La Liga table as Karim Benzema con­ tinues his goalscoring run. Real Madrid forward Ben­ zema also provided two as­ sists as Zinedine Zidane’s side extended their winning league run to four games in the Basque Country following

a 3­1 away victory on Sun­ day, December 20. It wasn’t all plain sailing for the Madrid side though de­ spite early goals from Benze­ ma and Luka Modric as a spectacular Kike Garcia strike before the break made victo­ ry less certain. However Real, who are now level on points with La

Liga leaders Atletico Madrid, wrapped up the game with a late goal from Lucas Vazquez. The result was their fifth win on the bounce across all competitions easing the pres­ sure on Zinedine Zidane who had been under intense scrutiny at the start of De­ cember due to a run of poor results.

ASTON VILLA: Took an early lead over West Brom.

ASTON VILLA’S victory spoils Sam Allardyce’s re­ turn to management after his West Brom side struggled with 10 men. Big Sam suffered defeat in his first game in charge of West Brom after the Baggies lost 3­0 at home on Sunday, December 20. The Villans took the lead early on through An­ war El Ghazi with five minutes on the clock be­ fore matters got worse for the home side when Jake Livermore was sent off after a VAR review

upgraded his yellow card for his challenge on Jack Grealish. Although Dean Smith’s side pro­ vided an attacking onslaught they had to wait until six minutes from time before notching their second after Bertrand Traore provided a sublime finish to secure the game. Anwar El Ghazi scored his second from the penalty spot in a comfortable result that meant Villa climbed up to ninth and left West Brom sec­ ond bottom.