Euro Weekly News - Costa de Almeria 7 - 13 January 2021 Issue 1853

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The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1853

7 - 13 January 2021

COSTA DE ALMERIA • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

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TREMENDOUS APPLAUSE

AS the end of 2020 loomed, Ann and Brad Swift, organisers of the annual New Year’s Day swim in Mojacar knew that due to Covid­19 this fun and ever grow­ ing event would not be able to take place. However, there was a ‘bubble’ of folk whose determination did not wane and stop them from greeting 2021 with their desire to raise much needed funds to help PAWS­PATAS Animal Charity. Es­ pecially after a year which halted all fundraising events creating ex­ treme financial stress. The animal shelter requires €9,500 per month in order to cover basic working require­ ments and care for the kittens, cats, puppies and dogs continual­ ly abandoned and often requiring medical treatment. On Friday January 1, 2021 at high noon; although the sun was shining, the Alboran Sea offered a chilly welcome to the 13 intre­ pid swimmers who braved the el­ ements and plunged into the wa­ ter. Enduring 15 minutes of bobbing in the Mediterranean and offering a roaring rendition of Auld Lang Syne. Eighty­five­year­old local writer and thespian Jim Dale­ Grey insisted on taking part as he is particularly concerned that Shoestring Productions has been unable to support PAWS­PATAS during 2020. Jim has written a new play which is waiting in the wings and the drama group are

TAKING THE PLUNGE: Those who braved the elements. ‘chomping at the bit’ to begin re­ hearsals when restrictions allow. Also returning from previous years were long­term PAWS­ PATAS volunteers from the shel­ ter, Kerry Clarke, Christine Logan and John Sutcliffe. Refreshments were served by The Swifts and Bunny and Trevor Willis supplied hot mulled wine. Last year saw 80 brave people join hands and run into the sea with a further 200 cheering them on from the beach. This is the sixth annual swim and in previ­ ous years hundreds of euros have also been raised in memory of Elaine McBride, Little Leo and MACS. However, these 13 Trojans raised the bar and with sponsor­ ship in Spain, the UK plus dona­ tions at the event; at the time of

going to print a staggering €2,958 has been raised. “PAWS­PATAS thanks everyone who took part. These are precious euros in test­ ing times and our gratitude is great”... says Committee Mem­ ber Chrissie Cremore. Chrissie continues to explain how a ‘little’ can go a ‘loooooong’ way and would also like to ex­ tend “extra special thanks to those who consistently donate and those who help when they can. The £1/€1 scheme has gen­ erated thousands over the past five years, providing an extremely ‘comfy cushion’ for the shelter and the animals.” PAWS­PATAS wishes you all a much happier, positive and pros­ perous 2021. Keep smiling and keep safe. THE EXECUTIVE COM­ MITTEE AND EVERYONE AT

PAWS­PATAS... we cannot exist without YOU! For further information, re­ garding donating or volunteering, please go to their website: www.paws­patas.org. Email: dogs@paws­patas.org or cats@paws­patas.org. Please do­ nate items to our outlets in Mo­ jacar, Turre and Las Buganvillas. For abandoned/neglected ani­ mals please contact: Seprona on 062 email: se prona@guardiacivil.org.

HIGH NOON: The Alboran Sea offered a chilly welcome.

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7 - 13 January 2021

A GROUP of young Huercal­ Overa volunteers finished 2020 by clearing the Rambla stream that runs through the town. The 17­year­olds explained they were all aware of the im­ portance of caring for the envi­ ronment now to ensure a sus­ tainable future where everyone could have some­ thing to contribute. Finance councillor Adrian Ramos accompanied the group as they removed litter from the Rambla, declaring that he was proud to be able to count on active young people who were so aware of the need to respect the environment. “Residents frequently visit our open spaces and although the majority cooperate by

Photo credit: Huecal-Overa town hall

Thinking of tomorrow

RAMBLA HAUL: Watercourse cleanup in Huercal-Overa.

leaving neither rubbish nor lit­ ter, we still have some way to go,” Ramos said. The councillor added that the town hall offered every­

thing at its disposal to help the young volunteers as well as anybody else wanting to carry out similar operations that benefited the municipality.

From Almeria to the UN ALMERIA economist Jesus Miranda Hita is now working in the UN’s Joint Inspection Unit (JIU). Until now, Miranda was assistant Director­General of Services at Spain’s Treasury, the Hacienda Ministry, and he will be the first Spaniard to occupy a post at the JIU. He will be part of the team that checks human and financial sources as well as the administrations of oth­ er agencies and international organisations.

NEWS

Fiesta days for 2021 A change TWO official non­working days ­ January 1 and January 6, the Three Kings fiesta ­ have already gone, but more remain for 2021. As Andalucia Day falls on Sun­ day February 28, this will be cele­ brated on Monday March 1. April 1 and 2, Maundy Thurs­ day and Good Friday, are fol­ lowed by Labour Day on Saturday May 1. San Juan brings another day off on Thursday June 24 and as the Assumption (August 15) falls on a

Sunday, once again this shifts to the following day, August 16. Saturday August 28 sees the fi­ esta in honour of the province’s patron, Virgen del Mar. Spain Day is held on Tuesday October 12 and All Saints on Monday November 1. December has three days off, with Constitution Day on Monday December 6, the Immaculate Conception on Wednesday De­ cember 8 and Christmas Day on Saturday December 25.

Honey Production Almeria THE honey season finished with Almeria leading the way in the Andalucian province, and it produced a massive 1,500 tons of honey. Sevilla was second with 1,352 tons and Malaga third with 1,248 tons. Almeria is home to an amazing 1,290,000 hives that have been registered and these are taken care of by over 1,000 bee­ keepers. Almanzora and the Alpujarras produce most honey for the province. The sweet honey is flavoured mainly by the orange blossom, rosemary and albaida plants that the bees feed on. In 2021 An­ dalucia will see an impressive €9.4 million invested in beekeep­ ing by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sus­ tainable Development.

Market stalls available ADRA councillors approved the norms for allocating stalls in the newly­renovated covered mar­ ket. More are available following the municipal market’s rehabili­ tation and all the parties repre­ sented on the council agreed unanimously on future rentals and conditions for the stalls, some of which will be bars and others retailing food products. All will be put out to tender, with anybody who is interested

in running one free to put in an application. The number of stalls selling the same products as those pro­ posed by an applicant will be taken into account, as will quali­ ty. Social and environmental policies will also play an impor­ tant part, together with employ­ ment conditions and potential job creation for the disadvan­ taged or those with functional diversity.

The Junta delivers ELEVEN Nijar neighbourhoods will soon be linked to the municipality’s main drainage system. Carmen Crespo, who heads the regional government’s Agriculture, Farming, Fisheries and Sustainable Development department, recently visited Nijar where work on the €11.6 million project has now begun. Crespo also announced that similar main drainage schemes have begun throughout the province. In Nijar, this involves installing a seven­kilometre principal sewage pipe, another 12 kilometres of secondary pipes and three kilometres more of impulse pipes. “This is an undertaking of great importance that will benefit some 30,000 people living in the area,” Crespo said. “It also means that wastewater which until now was discharged into local watercourses can finally reach the treatment plant in Nijar.” The Junta intends to spend €92 million on its plans for Almeria Province water and wastewater projects in a move that will generate approximately 4,000 ‘green’ jobs. “Moreno’s government came to deliver and that is what we are do­ ing,” Crespos declared.

of plan UNABLE to greet the Three Kings owing to health and safe­ ty regulations, Mojacar Town Hall instead welcomed their del­ egate, Santa Claus. Although equally affected by the many restrictions, Santa Claus fulfilled his mission by de­ livering gifts and toys to the lo­ cal children in their classrooms in the Bartoleme Flores school and the Garabatos Nursery. The event took place on the last day of term in small groups to avoid crowds and ensure so­ cial distancing. Each year Mojacar Town H all writes on behalf of the town’s youngsters but in 2020, as San­ ta’s work was cut out for him, he was helped by his team of elves with 60 gifts for the nurs­ ery and 400 for the older chil­ dren. Ordinarily the presents would have been delivered at the Cen­ tro de Usos Multiples after a street parade and following an official reception for the Three Wise Men and their entourage by Mojacar’s mayor Rosmari Cano and team. This year was very different but Santa Claus carried out his role to perfection and despite the restrictions, there was no lack of excitement, surprises or the magic of these special days, even in this difficult year.

No jobs lost THE Unicaja­Liberbank merger should not affect Unicaja employees in Almeria Province. Approximately 300 people work in 75 Unicaja branches in different parts of the province while there are no Liberbank of­ fices, explained sources close to the operation. Unicaja itself is the out­ come of a previous merg­ er that included the old Cajalmeria which was originally the Caja de Ahorros y Monte de Piedad founded 120 years by a cleric, Jose Maria Navarro Darax and a bish­ op, Jose Maria Orbera.

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NIBS EXTRA Holiday meals AS usual over the Christmas season, Almeria households chose locally-caught red prawns for their special meals, undeterred by the price of €200 a kilo for the largest, said stallholders in the province’s municipal markets. More affordable, lamb and kid were the principal choices for meateaters, they revealed.

New entry A 3.5-KILO boy named Oliver was the first baby to be born in Almeria Province in 2021. The second child of Rocio and Manuel, he came into the world at the Poniente hospital in El Ejido at one minute after midnight on January 1.

Turtle found GUARDIA CIVIL officers, assisted by the Equinac wildlife group, collected a loggerhead turtle washed up on El Ejido’s Playa de Guardias Viejas. Measuring one metre across, the turtle did not have a microchip and there was no indication that it had ever been treated at a wildlife recuperation centre.

Caught out AN Almeria man received a nine-month prison term for breaking a shop window in the city’s Avenida Pablo Iglesias and trying to steal a religious statue. He had clearly intended to make money out of the theft, the judge said, also ordering him to compensate the owner for the damage caused.

Doctors donate ALMERIA’S College of Physicians donated €6,000 to the city’s La Milagrosa social dining room which is run by the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul. The College board wished to continue helping those who most needed assistance in the province’s battle against the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, a spokesman said.

Second best ON the last day of the year, a coupon processed in Garrucha won a €160,000 second category Bonoloto prize with five correct numbers and the complementary number. As there were no first category winners, there was an accumulated prize of €1.1 million for the first day of 2021.

7 - 13 January 2021

Situation reversed THE local PSOE party has tacitly admitted that the former Junta ‘ill­treated’ Adra for four decades, municipal spokesman Jose Crespo revealed. What was more, they were implying that this occurred with the complicity of Adra’s social­ ists, Crespo continued. This situation was now com­ pletely reversed with a 56 per cent increase in the regional government’s investment in Adra over the last two years while satisfying historic claims, the spokesman said. Crespo’s accusation came shortly after PSOE councillors had proposed that the Junta should carry out work and infra­ structure that had been delayed for almost 40 years. They were asking for all of this to be carried out urgently, an attitude that Crespo de­ scribed as an insult to Adra resi­ dents’ intelligence.

JOSE CRESPO: Claims former Junta ‘ill-treated’ Adra. “The PSOE are mistaken if they believe that we are going to forget they unjustly punished the municipality,” he added. The socialists were now asking the Junta for projects already in the pipeline, wanti­ ng to take the credit for something they did not de­

serve, Crespo said. In contrast the present re­ gional government was ‘com­ mitted’ to Adra, spending €3.7 million compared with the €1.6 million that their predecessors invested in the town during the last four years of the former government’s last term.

El Ejido prize winner THOUSANDS of El Ejido resi­ dents entered the draw for a car in a campaign promoting local shops and businesses. Receipts for purchases in participating bars, restau­ rants and shops were placed in containers that on the big day were delivered to El Ejido Town Hall.

Here they were tipped into one huge box for the draw of the winning ticket that was broadcast live on the town hall’s YouTube channel. This belonged to Maria Lourdes Torres Bailon, for purchases she had made at a Matagorda supermarket. A great many people took

part in the scheme, hoping to win the car in a move to boost sales, said Commerce councillor Montserrat Cer­ vantes, who thanked the local population for their enthusi­ astic participation when El Eji­ do businesses were going through such a difficult peri­ od.

Magical display at Aula del Mar ROQUETAS Aula del Mar maritime museum has been invaded by thou­ sands of Playmobil figures. They will be on display until the end of the month during the Aula’s normal opening hours, with strict health and safety measures observed at all times. “Our Aula del Mar is very special and we wanted to begin the year with an activity like this that also complements the Christmas events,” said Roquetas’ Tourism and Beaches councillor Francisco Barrionuevo. The Playmobil exhibition has more than 3,500 pieces and 1,100 figures, the councillor revealed. “And, because it couldn’t be any other way, all the scenes have a mar­ itime setting, with pirates, mermaids, divers, sailors and explorers which, combined with our permanent exhibitions have filled the Aula del Mar with magic,” Barrionuevo said. “From the outset I felt that the idea was original and amusing and fitted in perfectly with the maritime theme,” he added. Barrionuevo went on to thank the six Almeria Province collectors who have lent their Playmobil figures. “Together with other enthusiasts and Aula del Mar employees they have created these amazingly realistic scenes that took more than a week to put together.”

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Ironclad opposition CARBONERAS mayor Jose Luis Amerigo Fernandez thanked Diputacion members for supporting local mis­ givings about unloading Alquife iron ore at its port. All parties on Almeria’s provincial approved a PSOE motion opposing a Junta de Andalucia decision autho­ rising the Alquife (Granada) mine to deliver an initial load of 100,000 tons of iron ore to Carboneras’ indus­ trial port. This could increase to 2.4 million tons over a period of nine years although once the mine is fully opera­ tional it could be sending an annual four million tons to Carboneras, Amerigo maintained. Logically, he added, Andalucia’s government should take note of the unanimous position taken by those with first­hand knowledge of the situation and act ac­ cordingly, halting the project and seeking alternatives. “This initiative reflects the feelings of Carboneras residents who oppose the deliveries owing to their negative impact on the population’s health and the en­ vironment inside the Gata­Nijar national park,” Ameri­ go declared. The mayor pointed out that the iron ore project also threatened Carboneras’ economic development. “This could be the beginning of the end for the na­ tional park as we know it, while affecting our image as a tourist destination,” Amerigo warned.

Park improvements THE Junta will spend €1.3 million on improvements for the Gata­Nijar national park. Carmen Crespo, who heads the regional government’s Sustainable Development department, made the an­ nouncement when visiting the park to inspect a recently­re­ paired 1.5­kilometre section of the Las Amoladeras path. Beginning this month, her department would be under­ taking a range of improvements to items and infrastructure used by the public. “This is essential if we are to introduce them to the Cabo de Gata’s extraordinary resources,” Crespo said.

Current dilemma MUNICIPALITIES in the Nacimien­ to area need a better electricity supply, their town halls claimed. The mayors of Abrucena, Fiñana, Nacimiento and Las Tres Villas accompanied by Gergal’s so­ cialist spokesmen, warned that their situation is critical. Important projects are stalled while others cannot commence for lack of a reliable supply, they said, calling on the regional gov­ ernment to keep its election promises to solve the area’s ener­ gy problems. Both the Junta and the Diputa­ cion should take immediate steps to provide the power the area needed, the mayors declared.

Finishing touches REHABILITATION of Almeria’s original rail­ way station is almost finished. Work on this second phase was provi­ sionally signed off last month with Spain’s track operator ADIF to comply with the stipulated deadline, although some finish­ ing touches were still required. The fine building, inaugurated in 1893, will not be ready for occupation until the third phase is finished, after which Alme­ ria City Hall and the central government will decide its future role. As the station houses installations still in use, ADIF sources said that the most likely arrangement was a 20­year agree­ ment allowing city hall to use the remain­ der of the building at a token rent.

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Refusal of vaccine to be registered SPAIN has announced that it will become Europe’s first country to register all citi­ zens who refuse to take the Covid­19 vac­ cine as rollouts continue. In a statement on Monday, December 28, Spain said that it will register and track all citizens who refuse to be admin­ istered with the coronavirus vaccine. It will share its register with other Eu­ ropean countries, but it will not be made public. The identities of those on the list will be treated with the ‘utmost respect for data protection’ said the country’s health minister, Salvador Illa. In December a poll suggested that around 28 per cent of Spaniards will refuse to take the vaccine, a dramatic drop from 47 per cent in November. Illa told La Sexta TV that “the way to defeat the virus is to vaccinate all of us, or the more the better.”

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Family business donates grapes A GREENGROCER’S in Cantabria donated 400 kilos of grapes for New Year’s Eve to the regional Health Service. Fruterias Gama has donated the grapes which will go to the healthcare workers and patients in Valdecilla, Sierrallana and Laredo Hospital. The Laguatasig Arcos family, who represent Fruterias Gama, presented the grapes

THE Albanchez pig farm has been stopped, while the Cantoria chicken farm extension looks set to go ahead. Protestors recently took to the streets by car, to protest the plans for a pig farm in Albanchez in the Almanzora Valley. The plans had been heatedly opposed due to the smells and negative effects that a pig farm would have on the area. The farm had planned to house a massive 2,496 pigs.

on Wednesday, December 30, to the management of the Cantabria Health Department. The grapes were transported with all health requirements in place. The family said that they wanted to contribute something to make sure that everyone in hospital in the area would be able to see in the New Year with their 12 lucky grapes, and “for a few moments, forget

about the difficult situation which our country is going through.” Having started out as a small business, the company has now become a franchise, and they say that the donation is also a way to thank everyone who has placed their trust in them. Their shops also offer 10 per cent discount to anyone who is unemployed, furloughed or retired.

Albanchez Pig Farm Stopped The Albanchez City Council has denied approval for the farm after arguments were presented stating that the farm would not generate employment for the area, and would smell, which would affect residents. It was also considered that granting approval for one farm would make it easier for other farms to gain permission at a later date.

PIG FARM: Plans were opposed due to the smells and negative effects it would have on the area.

Aena Airport COVID testing AENA are set to launch Covid testing at 15 airports that have the highest throughput of travellers. They intend to create dedicated spaces for the tests to be carried out and private companies will be able to bid to run them. The companies will run and staff the testing areas, but will have to pay rent to Aena. It is expected that the lowest price point on the tests could win the six-month contract. The airports where testing areas are planned are Alicante-Elche, Barcelona-El Prat, Malaga-Costa del Sol, Madrid-Barajas, Bilbao, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, César Manrique-Lanzarote Menorca, Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Sevilla, and La Palma.

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POPE FRANCIS sent a powerful message to the world in a televised address from the library of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on January 3. Standing next to a Christmas tree and nativity after his traditional Sunday Angeles blessing, Francis said that people must ‘take care of each other’ as we wait to see what the New Year will bring. “We don’t know what 2021 will reserve for us, but what all of us can do together is make a bit more of an effort to take care of each other. “There is the temptation to take care only of our own interests. “The painful events which marked the life of humanity

Pope Francis ‘Saddened’

POPE FRANCIS: Said that people must take care of each other. last year, in particular the pandemic, taught us how necessary it is to take an interest in the problems of others and share their concerns.” The Pope also urged people to follow Covid guidelines in an effort to keep everyone safe,

AS one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year approaches, Spanish retailers are ‘moderately optimistic’ about the New Year sales. Both small and large retailers alike are fac­ ing uncertainty caused by the precarious health situation in the country. The New Year sales traditionally begin on January 7, after the Three Kings festival has been cele­ brated, and lasts until the second Saturday in March. According to ANGED, the Association of

and said he was “saddened” by news of individuals choosing to flout the restrictions for frivolous reasons. “They didn’t think about those who were staying at home, of the economic problems of many people who

New Year Sales Large Distribution Companies, the coron­ avirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have caused economic damage of ‘incalcula­ ble magnitude’ in 2020. Nevertheless, ANGED spokesperson, Joaquin Cervero, said that he is “moderately optimistic” about the upcoming sales cam­ paign and added that most stores have “suf­ ficient stock” to offer really good deals to en­ tice shoppers.

have been hit hard by the lockdown, of the sick people, only about going on holiday and having fun,” he said. “This really saddened me,” he added The Vatican City is expected to receive its Covid-19 Pfizer vaccines in the coming days with the plan to vaccinate everyone in the City State and Holy See in the second week of January. To read the full speech go to https://www.euroweek lynews.com/2021/01/03/pope -francis-urges-people-to-takecare-of-each-other/

SPAIN welcomed the first babies of 2021 on the stroke of mid­ night. A baby girl in Catalonia came into the world right on the stroke of midnight as the bells were ringing in the New Year through­ out the country. Little Yinara Car­ mona Jimenez weighed 3.15 kilos when she was born in Constani, according to the Ministry of Salut. Just minutes later, at 16 min­

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Rise in Bills THE year 2021 will see a hike in the cost of natural gas with bills set to rise by an average of 6 per cent per household, though there will be a freeze in the cost of electricity and public transport. While the cost of heating homes, water and cooking on gas will go up, the fixed part of the electricity bill has been frozen until April 1. The government also intends to launch a national fund for the sustainability of the electricity system this year in order to reduce the bill by up to 13 per cent in the next five years. “It is a new mechanism that will allow us to reduce the electricity bill,” announced the Ministry of Finance on December 15. Renfe looks set to freeze train rates for 2021, and the same looks likely for buses and the metro in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or Zaragoza. Toll costs are expected to fall by around 0.11 per cent this year. Meanwhile, the VAT on sugary drinks will increase to 21 per cent from Friday, January 8, and Correos is raising its parcel service rates. Sending a parcel nationally will be 5 per cent more expensive, and 2.5 per cent for those sent overseas.

First Babies Of 2021 utes past midnight, the commu­ nity of Barcelona said hello to two new borns almost simulta­ neously, while Madrid welcomed its first baby at the same time. Baby Iris got her first glimpse of 2021 at Madrid’s Hospital del Henares and is the third child of a Romanian couple. Both mum

and baby are doing well, accord­ ing to the Madrid Ministry of Health. Arnau Artero was born at the Igualada Hospital in Barcelona at the same time Valeria Anchundia came into the world, weighing 2.7 kilos at the Vall de Hebron hospital.

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REGISTRATION tax for new cars in Spain increased from, January 1. The tax is based on CO2 emis­ sions, and the method of mea­ suring vehicle pollution will be much more accurate with the new WLTP standard (World Har­ monised Light­duty Vehicle Test Procedure) with which the Traf­ fic Department will replace the previous European Driving Cycle

Car registration tax goes up (NEDC). Being more demanding, it shows pollutant values be­ tween 20 and 30 per cent higher. Data for each vehicle model will be updated to put them in the correct category. According to the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU), this will cause some cars to

change category, thereby in­ creasing the rate of registration tax applied to them. The rise is expected to be around €800 on average, making the purchase of the car more expensive. Cars which emit less than 120 gr / km of CO2 will not have to pay the tax.

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NYE in hospital ALMOST 14,000 Covid patients in Spain saw in 2021 from a hospital bed. According to health data, one in 10 hospital beds in hospitals across the country was occupied by a patient with coronavirus on December 31, and 21 per cent of ICUs have at least one. And the ‘Christmas effect’ is expected to raise pressure on the health service. In total, 11,905 Covid patients were

being treated for the killer virus on reg­ ular hospital wards. There are a further 2,035 ‘serious’ cases with patients fighting for their lives in ICU, with the highest figure in Catalonia (433), Valencian Community (306), Madrid (301), and Andalucia (212). This represents 21.3 per cent of the total ICU beds in Spain.

Smartphone for elderly A YOUNG Spanish engineer has developed a smartphone designed for elderly users. Two years ago, Jorge Terreu, a 22-year-old engineering student from Aragon, decided to make a way to stay in touch with his 86-yearold grandmother Maximilliana while he studied in France as she struggled with using technology and couldn’t learn how to operate a modern smartphone. Terreu decided to modify a phone that would suit his gran’s needs by answering calls automatically as well as reading messages and notifications out loud. Today, his invention which he named after Maximilliana is used by 50 families across Spain and is expected to rapidly grow in the near future. At the beginning of the pandemic, he donated five prototypes to a Zaragoza hospital to help reconnect elderly Covid patients with their families who were forbidden from visiting. His act of generosity grabbed the attention of the local media of Aragon’s capital, which led a shrewd investor to spot the potential in the young engineer and his invention. ELDERLY USERS: Now a way to stay in touch.

‘Macabre’ New Year’s Eve Drone A ‘MACABRE’ drone evaded security in Madrid to display its eerie New Year’s Eve message. A drone somehow managed to bypass all security efforts to fly in front of the iconic clock in Puerta del Sol in Madrid just as the bells struck midnight on New Year’s Eve. Local Police still don’t know who owns the device, but government delegate Jose Manuel Franco described as “macabre” the object which carried a black crepe ribbon and a Spanish flag just as people were ringing in the New Year. In an interview with the SER, collected by Europa

EERIE MESSAGE: A drone evaded security in Madrid.

Press, Franco stressed that “any kind of macabre joke is not the most appropriate at the moment.” The usually packed Puerta del Sol celebrated a much more muted December 31 as

people were prohibited from gathering on the streets for the midnight countdown. The silence was momentarily broken when musicians Nacho Cano and Kuve performed a tribute to the victims of Covid-19.

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A GROUP of nine British expats living in Spain were barred from boarding an Iberia/British Airways Madrid bound flight from Heathrow after staff told them their residency papers were invalid following Brexit, despite assurances from both the UK and Spain that this would not be the case. Among the passengers was Max Duncan, a Madrid based British journalist and photographer who took to Twitter to report on the confusion. Despite possessing a Spanish Foreign National Identification (NIE) card and a Foreign ID card (TIE), airline staff told him that they were no longer valid

Travel Confusion for residents following the UK’s exit from the EU on January 1. Duncan recorded a video interview with a British expat couple who said they were “absolutely gut­ ted” by the situation. The woman told Duncan that “my husband is in need of urgent medical care” and that “Spain is home.” Despite having all their re­ quired documents, the couple were not allowed to board the flight.

IN a statement issued by Spanish Health ministers it’s been agreed to use both vaccines indiscriminately. The director of Public Health Spain, Pilar Aparicio said on Sunday, January 3 that “there is no basic difference in their effectiveness. “Therefore, there is no need to establish any priorities when deciding which vaccine to administer and it will depend primarily on logistical issues.” Speaking to Ser, the minister added that the EMA was to evaluate the Moderna Vaccine on January 6 after which, with more information, Public Health would decide on a

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Spain use both vaccines

SPAIN: Will use both vaccines. course of action to effectively use both vaccines. Finally, the minister added that the vaccine had been tested in clinical trials on more than 30,000 people and no shortcuts had been taken in consideration of the vaccine’s safety.

Scooter rules AS of January 2, driving electric scooters on pavements or in pedes­ trian areas is banned and a maximum speed limit on urban roads has been imposed. New traffic regulations for the use of Personal Mobility Vehicles (VMP) were published a few weeks ago in the Official State Gazette (BOE), although city speed restrictions won’t be announced until May 12. The new rules basically mean that drivers of electric scooters will have to comply with traffic regulations in the same way as any other driver, and may even be subjected to breathalyser tests. An agreement has still to be reached as to whether or not a mandatory licence for scooters should be introduced. General Director of Traffic, Pere Navarro, said there will be a sec­ ond round of talks with local authorities to determine whether to “advance with a much more detailed regulation.” Local Police will be tasked with monitoring and controlling the new regulations and issuing fines. The measures are part of a package of legal reforms, approved by the government on November 10, which aim to cut deaths and seri­ ous injuries on roads in Spain by 50 per cent by 2030.

CONFUSED: Greater flexibility is needed from the Spanish government.

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The British Embassy in Madrid responded to Dun­ can’s tweets, saying: “This should not be happening, the Spanish authorities have reconfirmed again this evening that the green residency document will be valid for travel to return to Spain as stated in our travel advice.” The Embassy made a Facebook post saying it has received several similar complaints about post­Brexit travel confusion. It said that the Embassy has re­ quested ‘greater flexibility’ from the Spanish govern­ ment and have highlighted these recent cases of confusion to Madrid.

Cristina Pedroche’s Dress CRISTINA PEDROCHE’S New Year’s Eve Dress was ‘A tribute to masks’ and took over 350 hours to make. Cristina set out to amaze the audience at this year’s New Year’s Eve show aired on Ante­ na 3, from the Puerta del Sol in Madrid. Every year the dress is different and is bound not only to amaze, but also cause some controversy. The dress to welcome in 2021 took over 350 hours to make, was designed by Pedro del Hierro and as Cristina told the audience live, has 16,308 stones on the ‘mask tribute’ dress. Each stone had to be in­ dividually embroidered. Cristine said “With this dress

A TRIBUTE: To masks. I want to bring light to all the houses, it is a tribute to the masks that we use so much.”

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Expert committee finally revealed T H E Spanish government has revealed the names of the ‘expert committee’ which has advised on how to manage the coronavirus pandemic. On November 30, the Council for Transparency and Good Governance gave the Ministry of Health 10 days to reveal the names. T he M inistry of H ealth has revealed that they include the Head of the Centre for the Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies, Fernando Simon, 13 other experts and an external advisor. This is the panel which advised the government in May and J une on de-escalation in the autonomous communities during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, the experts

from the Ministry of Health are: Fernando Simon and Maria Jose Sierra, who led the committee; B erta S uarez R odriguez, P ello Latasa, Carmen Varela, Pilar S oler, E lena V anessa M artinez S anchez, L ucia Garcia San Miguel, Oscar Perez Olaso, Susana Monge, Carmen Olmedo, Silvia R ivera, M aria C V azquez and P aloma G onzalez Yuste. The external expert is the vice president of the Madrid Public Health Association (Amasap), Javier Segura del Pozo. Most of them signed a letter in scientific journal The Lancet in which Simon defended Spain’s management of the pandemic and criticised the fact that it has been made a political issue. T hey also pointed out that they have relied

on external experts who have advised them when making strategic decisions. The Ministry responded to the request presented to the C ouncil for T ransparency and Good Governance (C T B G) , informing them about the experts who prepared the reports on the de-escalation process in the autonomous communities. However, until recently the identity of these people was not known in detail. On December 13, the Minister of Health, Salvador Illa, had said that these experts are ‘officials’ who have the right to protect their privacy. The CTBG had already guaranteed that the rights of the experts to data protection would remain intact.

NEWS

Families Lose Guardianship

FAMILIES that refuse to get their elderly relatives vaccinated against Covid-19 may lose their guardianship. The Prosecutor’s Office in Sevilla announced on Wednesday, December 30 that family members who refuse to allow their elderly relatives living in care homes to be vaccinated against Covid-19 could stand to ‘lose the guardianship of the person."’ Current legislation states that all residents of care homes in Spain should be vaccinated unless there is a medical contraindication; however, prosecutor Norberto Sotomayor has already faced his first case of a relative refusing to give

permission. Sotomayor is expecting many more cases of refusal in the coming days and weeks, and on Tuesday, December 29 requested information from all care homes on those relatives whose families expressed reluctance to give their loved one the vaccine. “A person with full capacity can refuse to be vaccinated,” Sotomayor said. “The problem is when the decision must be made by someone else on their behalf. It is the same case as minors whose parents refuse to have blood transfused, even though the doctors say it is necessary, such as in the case of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

Transport crisis

Valladolid Judge Against LGBTQ Flag

PUBLIC transport in Spain is facing its greatest crisis to date as passenger figures slump in favour of car use and the pandemic creates a fear of contagion. Bus and train use in Spain’s largest cities have seen travellers figures slashed by half. While traffic in the cities - predominantly cars - has fallen between 15 and 25 per cent, the use of public transport has dropped by 45 to 50 per cent, according to data from TomTom, Regional Transport Consortium of Madrid, Metropolitan Transport of Barcelona, Generalitat Valenciana, Junta de Andalucia, and City Councils of Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Sevilla, Valencia and Malaga, sourced by El Pais. It’s believed the fear of contagion in subways, trains and buses could be a major factor for this decline.

T H E L G BT Q flag has been hung on many public buildings in recent years to show support and inclusivity, and it was not the first time the flag had been hung in V alladolid. T he C hristian Lawyers group took the case to court and after six months a ruling has been made. This is the only time that a Spanish court has given a ruling a to prevent a flag being hung from a public building. The judge defended the decision stating that the Supreme Court had forbidden non official flags, in order to maintain the neutrality of public buildings.

NEWS

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7 - 13 January 2021

EWN 13

Memorabilia seized Paternity leave change

GUARDIA CIVIL discovered a warehouse full of Nazi memorabilia while raiding the premises of three suspected illegal arms dealers in Malaga recently. Three men, two Germans and a Brit, have been arrested following a year-long police investigation ‘Operation Nongreta’ into arms trafficking on the Costa del Sol and Campo de Gibraltar. In a warehouse in Alhaurin el Grande, police found a massive cache of weaponry alongside Third Reich memorabilia. Over 160 firearms

Uniforms were found too. and nearly 10,000 bullets were seized as well as 1.5 kilos of explosives. Police also discovered an enormous collection of Nazi items includ-

ing portraits of Adolf Hitler, SS Uniforms, emblems and medals. The trio of men allegedly imported the guns from Eastern Europe, modified them to remove serial numbers, and sold them to violent drug gangs across Spain’s south coast. One of the German nationals in custody has a history of far-right sympathy. The €700,000 in cash also seized by officers is testimony to the lucrative arms trade that exists among Spain’s criminals.

Roscons with Hidden Surprise TRADITIONAL Spanish Roscons have been made with a hidden surprise from bakers Horno Arguiñano in La Rioja. The baker is said to have hidden around 100 treats in the must have Christmas Roscons, in the hopes of boosting the local economy. The company is set to celebrate its 30th anniversary and to finish the year with a merry twist it has hidden culinary treats to help local bars, restaurants and cafes. The treats include a fantastic selection of meals out around the city,

and also winery visits. Owner, Eduardo Villar who is also the president of the Spanish Confederation of Bakery, Pastry, Pastry and Related Products said he wanted to “encourage the citizens of La Rioja and the provinces bordering on the consumption of local and regional products. The hotel industry, as we know, has been severely punished during the health crisis and needs now more than ever, to have our support, with that of all citizens.”

THE New Year sees changes to the paternity leave in Spain, meaning that it will be distributed more equitably between fathers and mothers. Until 2007, only the mother had the right to take leave after giving birth, but changes have been made since then, especially from 2017 onwards. The latest General state Budget shows that both parents are

entitled to 16 weeks leave and to share responsibility for the child’s care. The new leave will be divided into two parts. First, six mandatory weeks will be received by both parents, uninterrupted and fulltime, after the birth or the judicial resolution or administrative decision, in the case of adoption. Second, the remaining 10

weeks will be taken in weekly periods, within the year following the birth or the adoption. However, this second set of weeks off must be agreed with the company, which could force the parent to take the break part-time and/or on certain dates. This will allow them to choose how to reconcile their professional lives with the care of the child.

Squatters out Small town wins VIGILANTE neighbours took matters into their hands and scaled an apartment block to boot squatters out of a Barcelona flat. Frustrated, two young people had ‘taken over a neighbouring property,’ a group of residents armed with a ladder climbed over a balcony to get them out. A video shared on social networks shows five Terrassa neighbours climbing the ladder and storming the flat before dragging one of them out and forcing him down the ladder before he makes a run for it. The second flatly refuses to leave before Mossos d’Esquadra show up at the scene minutes later to ‘intervene and avoid public order problems.’ According to Mossos d’Esquadra, this was the pair’s second attempt to occupy the flat.

A TOWN of just 12 inhabitants in Teruel, has won €3.9 million on El Gordo Christmas lottery. Each of the 12 inhabitants of Luco de Bordon had a ticket for the number which has received one of the fifth category prizes, 49760. The mayor, Jose Maria Lecina, said that the prize money, up to €3.9 million, has been won by residents, visitors and people who spend their summer in the town, and neighbouring ar­ eas. The tickets have been sold through the Vir­ gen del Pilar Cultural Association in the town. The mayor also explained, that there will be no overnight millionaires, because the person who had the most tickets only had three, but that the whole town was happy with their win­ nings.

NEWS

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Valencia Euromillions Ticket

I T was a very happy Christmas for one lucky punter as they bagged the top prize in the Euromillions draw on T uesday, December 22 to net a cool €43.7million. T he winning ticket was purchased in Valencia. Spain’s newest multi-millionaire isn’t letting the grass grow under his or her feet however, as the ticket has already been validated at the R eceiving Office in Sant Pere de Riudebitlles in Barcelona. It was a fortunate night all round, as two other players, based in Madrid and Barcelona, walked away with almost €50,000 each.

7 - 13 January 2021

Nine-year-old hero Willie Thorne’s family feud ‘All heroes are now called Lucas.’

A BOY, nine, has become a hero after having the presence of mind to alert the emergency services when his mother fainted in their home in Toledo. The boy, named Lucas, called 112 and told the operator what had happened to his mum at around 5pm on Wednesday, December 23. He gave them the address to their home and opened the door to the Local Police who were the first to arrive, national Spanish daily ABC reports. Close on their heels was a team of paramedics in an ambulance, who took charge of the woman, who by then, was no longer unconscious. She was taken to hospital for

tests, accompanied by her husband, who had since arrived home. Lucas stayed with his aunt, who we imagine was very proud of him. The Local Police in Toledo reported the events on their Instagram account, saying that ‘now heroes are called Lucas.’ The mayor, Milagros Tolon, wished ‘Happy Christmas to all the heroes who do so much for others.’ Toledo Local Police have dedicated a section of the road safety lessons which they carry out at local schools on how to talk to the emergency services, although it is not known if the boy had attended one.

THE late snooker legend’s wife, former Miss Great Britain Jill Thorne, is locked in a bitter feud with Willie’s three children from his first marriage. Jill said that she wants to auction the star’s favourite cue to raise money for charity, but his children want the cue to ‘remain in the family.’ Jill told The Mirror: “His children said they wanted the cue back which I understand, but he had bequeathed it to me. “He would love it being sold off for charity.” Willie’s first wife Fiona, however, said that it was his wish for the iconic cue to be returned to his children after his death. “Willie was emphatic he wanted Tristan and not Jill to look after his affairs when he died, and there are several witnesses to that. “He was not very keen for Jill to have any involvement. “My family would not be supportive of Jill selling the cue and will not be stating anything to that effect. They were not Willie’s last wishes.”

EWN 15

Hotel Bill

Scam

OFFICERS of the National Police who arrested a 35-year-old Spanish man for ducking out on a whopping €2,524 hotel bill in Valencia nabbed the thief in another hotel. The perpetrator racked up the bill when he booked into the hotel from December 12 to 15, before extending his stay until December 20. Hotel staff claim that the man actually departed early, but left all his belongings in the room, meaning that the accommodation couldn’t be rented out. The hotel subsequently charged the man’s card, but the transaction was declined and they called the Local Police after he repeatedly refused to pay up. Officials finally tracked the man down in another hotel where he was staying and have arrested him for fraud.

SIERRA ‘NATIONAL’ NEVADA THE Sierra Nevada is now one step closer to becoming a national park of Andalucia. A report issued on Monday, December 28 which is to be submitted to the councils of ministers for approval is another step closer for the resort to become a National Park of Spain. The park will extend over 23,000 hectares across the municipalities of Malaga, Benahavis, El Burgo, Istan, Monda, Parauta, Ronda, Tolox and Yunquera.

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Young forger NATIONAL POLICE have arrested a minor in Barcelona accused of manufacturing counterfeit euro notes and selling them online. As reported by the police authorities, the young suspect moved to a town near the Catalan capital where he allegedly manufactured counterfeit notes of 10, 20 and 50 and sold them online to buyers in various countries including the UK and Portugal. S ources claim he also gave forgery courses online

and revealed where to buy the necessary material and how to make counterfeit notes. T he N ational A nalysis Centre of the Bank of Spain determined the counterfeit notes are ‘very good quality forgery,’ describing the illegal activities as ‘very dangerous’ due to the difficulty in detecting the falsification of them. T he investigation remains open and further arrests are expected to be made.

Beach Cleaning Volunteers THE beach cleaning volunteers of Moaña in Galicia, collected a massive 300 kilos of plastic in only a few hours, in the first of a series of beach cleaning operations. Over 30 locals including little ones, turned out to support the event even though it was raining and cold. It took several hours to clear the O Arnado beach of rubbish, most of which was plastic. The city council along with the Local Action Groups of the Fisheries Sector have set up the ‘Plastic-free Moaña’ programme. The aim of the programme is to clear the beaches especially of plastics, and to teach the next generation about the environment and the dangers of plastic.

NEWS

Spain’s First Female Pilot LIEUTENANT Elena Gutierrez is the first woman to pilot the Spanish Air force’s Eurofighter jet alone, and her first solo flight took place on December 22. The milestone flight was part of the conversion course for the pilots of Wing 11 and Wing 14 of the 113th squadron. Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister took to Twitter to congratulate Lieutenant Gutierrez and said “Overcoming barriers, breaking glass ceilings, moving towards complete equality between men and women. Our society takes another step on this path. Elena Gutierrez is the first woman to pilot an Air Force Eurofighter fighter. Congratulations!!”

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EUROPEAN PRESS

EUROPEAN NIBS DENMARK

GERMANY

Fewer deaths

Vaccine overdose

THE Danish road directorate Vejdirektoratet has announced that 155 people have lost their lives in traffic accidents in the country during 2020 which compares to 199 in 2019 and is the lowest number of fatalities for 90 years.

EIGHT workers in a care home in Stralsund were accidentally given five times the recommended does of the Pfizer vaccine and four were admitted to hospital after they started to exhibit flulike symptoms.

NETHERLANDS

FRANCE

Unfair fine

Fashion’s loss

A WOMAN who was receiving social service benefits has been taken to court by her local council after it discovered that her mother was buying her shopping and therefore demanded a refund of â‚Ź7,000, but this is to be reviewed after public outcry.

HAVING been born in Italy, Pierre Cardin who has just died at the age of 98, moved with his family to France when still very young and since then rose to become one of the most prestigious of French fashion designers.

BELGIUM

NORWAY

Serious breach

Striking Pastors

PHOTOS of police officers enjoying a Christmas lunch in the Molenbeek police station shared on social media have resulted in a senior police officer being removed from his position as those at the party were unmasked and ignoring social distancing.

A NUMBER of pastors in the Norwegian Church, which is mainly funded by the government, have reluctantly gone on strike over Christmas in protest about the potential loss of housing subsidies and to ask for higher guaranteed pay.

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7 - 13 January 2021

PCR tests stolen

SEVERAL PCR tests were stolen from a medical centre in Vizcaya, then wrecked and thrown in the street. Guenes Town Council shared on Twitter the im­ ages of the trashed PCR tests littering local streets. The Sodup Medical Centre was broken into, they re­ ported, since one of the win­ dows which accesses the room where the PCR tests to detect coronavirus are car­

ried out was left open. “Someone entered and took the tests, destroyed them and threw them around the town,” the council said in a statement. The table where the tests were kept was left empty. Once it is discovered who took the tests, they could face fines as it is “an unnec­ essary attack against the public health of local peo­ ple” the town hall said.

Sugar Loses Brother & Sister WITHIN two weeks after he lost his brother, Lord Alan Sugar announced that his sister had passed away from Covid. Lord Sugar took to Twitter on December 30 to reveal that his 88-year-old sister Shirley had passed away: “My eldest sister Shirley passed away today at the age of 88. She had been sick for a while but I guess Covid got her in the end to join our brother Derek who passed two weeks ago . RIP SHIRL” The sad announcement from the 73-year-old comes not long

after he revealed that his “longsuffering” brother Derek had lost his battle with coronavirus that “complicated” his underlying health issues on December 15. “Today I lost my long-suffering brother Derek - another victim of Covid, which added to his underlying health issues. He was a lifetime passionate Spurs supporter. “I never forget my sister-inlaw joking with me, thanking me for buying him the club. A sad day for us all in the family.”

NEWS

Spain calls for urgent clarification THE Spanish government called an urgent meeting with the Moroccan ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, to ask her for clarification over the statements of the Moroc­ can Prime Minister, Saaded­ dine El Othmani, in which he claimed that Ceuta and Melil­ la are “Moroccan like the Sa­ hara.” Ceuta and Melilla are both in North Africa, but officially belong to Spain. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Cristina Gal­ lach, informed the Ambas­ sador that the government “expects all its partners to re­ spect the sovereignty and ter­ ritorial integrity” of Spain. This comes despite both governments insisting that re­ lations are excellent. The Prime Minister of Mo­ rocco made the comment on December 10 after Donald Trump recognised the sover­ eignty of Morocco over the Western Sahara. To be specif­

ic, El Othmani said in an in­ terview with an Egyptian channel, regarding Ceuta and Melilla, that “the status quo has lasted for five or six cen­ turies” and added that “the day will come when we will reopen the matter of Ceuta and Melilla, Moroccan terri­ tories like the Sahara.” How­ ever, he indicated that now was not the time because the priority is to find a definitive solution to the Sahara con­ flict. Following Trump’s an­ nouncement the US recog­ nised the Western Sahara as Moroccan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, EU and Coop­ eration, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, maintained that this “does not depend on the will or unilateral action of a coun­ try, no matter how big this country is,” but rather “the centre of gravity is in the UN.” The UN considers the for­ mer Spanish colony a non­au­ tonomous territory.

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FEATURE

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

THE EURO WEEKLY NEWS is urg­ ing its readers to support local businesses in the community by going local through the lock­ down and for your Christmas shopping this year, instead of feeding online giants and super­ stores. This lockdown and festive peri­ od we challenge you to rediscov­ er your local high streets, mar­ kets, butchers, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky inde­ pendent businesses in your area. Due to the Covid­19 pandemic, you may have to support many local businesses by ordering on­

line and making use of any click and collect services they can op­ erate if you are unable to get out due to health reasons or lock­ down restrictions. The joy of shopping local means that independent busi­ nesses can help support the local community. Although it may be a euro or two cheaper elsewhere or online, consider where your money is ac­ tually going. By shopping at an in­ dependent 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 local charities, support and sponsor lo­ cal sports teams and in many cas­ es the small independent stores are actually much more than just a small high street shop, they’re a family’s legacy, often passed down through numerous genera­ tions and support not just the cur­ rent owner, but the generation before. For those stores which are new, that extra couple of euros spent there are supporting some­ one’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 indepen­ dent store and compete with the multi­national and chains. So be sure to pre­order your turkey from a local butcher and get your spuds from a local green­ grocer, let us revive that commu­ nity 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

7 - 13 January 2021

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

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 fi­ nances thinking about what friends and family may actually need is important too. Whilst it’s nice to give a glamourous gift per­ haps pre­paying a family mem­ ber’s phone bill for the month would actually be a better gift. Helping people alleviate stress and worry, give the gift of peace of mind through these difficult times. Choosing to spend your money locally will really make a difference in the recovery of the local econo­ my. When we buy local, our mon­ ey stays local, and it strengthens the local economy in two ways. First, buying local keeps money

circulating within the local economy. Studies have shown that local businesses recir­ culate a greater share of every eu­ ro 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 growing produce. First, they sell to a local restau­ rant, which in turn prepares the fresh produce and sells it to local customers. The farmer pays its lo­ cal employees and the restaurant uses revenue from sales to buy supplies from a neighbourhood hardware store. This example il­ lustrates how the recirculation of

money in the local economy leads to a stronger financial foundation for our neighbours and communi­ ties. Buying local also fuels new em­ ployment and job opportunities for people within our community. Studies show, locally owned busi­ nesses employ more people per unit of sales and retain more em­ ployees over time. While buying local is financially compelling to our communities; the benefits to our environment are equally impressive. Buying lo­ cally reduces the processing of goods, packaging and transporta­ tion waste, which leads to less pollution.

There’s a massive cultural shift underway redefining the way people make buying deci­ sions. We’re seeing more individ­ uals concerned about the envi­ ronment, about how products are made and sourced, where materials come from, and a com­ pany’s overall social and environ­ mental 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 May critical FORMER British Prime Minister Teresa May has been very critical about the Brexit deal that was finally signed off by Boris Johnson, saying that it did not adequately protect the financial services sector now or for the future.

Minimum wage PRIME MINISTER Pedro Sánchez gave beleaguered Spanish businesses some good news after confirming that there will be a temporary hold on the introduction of a higher minimum wage and also on certain aspects of labour reform.

Green spuds THE Albert Bartlett food company has reduced its annual use of plastic by 92 tons thanks to introducing reduced thickness, recyclable bags as well as removing plastic trays from its baking potato packs and thinner potato bags.

Sudden resignation MEDIA reports suggest that Emilio Lamo de Espinosa, President of the Elcano Royal Institute has resigned due to pressure from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Spanish Institute is a think tank specialising in international and strategic studies

Possible motorway charges AS the Spanish government looks to increase its income during 2021, through measures such as the Tobin and Google taxes, the fact that some former toll roads became free of charge has not been overlooked. Back in August 2020, Minister of Transport, José Luis Ábalos let it be known through an interview that he was considering charging for the use of the currently free roads although nothing was set in stone. Analysts suggest however that 2021 could be the year that charges of some sort are introduced on these and other major roads.

STAT OF WEEK

www.euroweeklynews.com • 31 December 2020 - 6 January 2021

€10,000

or more will have to be declared in advance if carried by anyone travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland after January 1, 2021.

Online beauty store

Bang goes your breakfast BREAKFAST in Spain for expatriates could be quite different as raw sausages if chilled fall foul of the agreements which cover chilled minced red meat and chilled meat preparations (eg raw sausages). Also falling fowl is any form of minced poultry meat plus certain dishes which include unpas­ teurised milk or cheese (eg lasagne).

Government guidance on Brexit, updated on De­ cember 28, states that UK producers of ‘chilled meat preparations,’ will be ‘prohibited’ from ex­ porting their goods to Eu­ rope as of January 1, 2021, including chilled raw sausages, chilled mince, ungraded eggs, and some unpasteurised milk, while some experts said they believe those goods will be allowed to

LEGALLY SPEAKING Will the 90-day rule change?

be exported if they are in a frozen state. The updated 1,426­ page Brexit deal between the UK and the EU says that each will have its own independent ‘sani­ tary’ rules on products of animal origin, which means that products from either side must first pass specific checks before being allowed to be exported. The chief executive of

the British Meat Proces­ sors, Nick Allen, speaking to The Mirror, is reported to have said, “We had given up hope that they would get this particular issue resolved before Jan­ uary 1. What we hope, and what one or two people have said to us, is that in the coming months we can negotiate an export health certifi­ cate, so this stuff can go to the Continent.”

Tesco Programme Credit: Salt Beer Factory

BUSINESS EXTRA

26

We have owned an apartment in Fuengirola for the past 19 years. We spend on average five to eight months there. I know there has been a longstanding law about the length of time we were allowed to stay in Spain, that is, 90 days in 180 days, but I have the impression that they have never strictly enforced the law. Do you think they will continue this relaxed implementation of the law, now that the UK is out of Europe? B W (Costa del Sol)

Investigation terminated NEW BRANDS: Thumbs up to Tesco.

Don’t count on it. We want to be very YOU AND THE LAW careful in using IN SPAIN terms like ‘never strictly enforced.’ Sometimes the 90­day rule has indeed been strictly enforced. People have been stopped at the border or at passport control at the airport and fined for exceeding the 90­day limit. The rule applies to all non­resi­ dents of Spain whether they are EU or not. There are tens of thousands of Britons who own homes in France or Italy or Spain who would like to spend more than 90 days in their second homes. The Spanish authori­ ties are aware of this problem and they are seeking a solu­ tion.

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.

THE Bank of Spain has indicated that it is very much in favour of Spanish bank mergers in order to ensure that they will be strong enough to weather any financial storm caused by the Covid­19 pan­ demic. Already Caixabank and Bankia have agreed terms whilst the pro­ posed merger of BBVA and Sabadell was called off after just

AFTER receiving a staggering bonus of £1 billion (€1.1 billion) and promising to pay his £750,000 (€825,000) annual salary to charity, Matt Moulding, the brain behind the UK Hut Group has gone on the acquisi­ tion trail. They have purchased online skincare firm Dermstore from US retailer Target for £259 mil­ lion (€285 million) and then added UK nutrition product sup­ pliers Claremont Ingredients and David Berryman for a further £59.5 million (€65.5 million). Only floating on the UK Stock Market in September of this year, the online beauty products company has seen share prices grow by 50 per cent since its launch.

ONE of the biggest prob­ lems that new brands have is in making contact with buyers for large supermar­ kets which is one of the reasons that Dragons Den is so popular as the entre­ preneurs in the show can easily make introductions, but at a price! Recognising this, Tesco in the UK started its Incubator Programme in 2017 in or­ der to choose emerging businesses who appeared to be likely to have a saleable product but may not have the knowledge of mass marketing and sup­ ply. Since then, Tesco has

worked with 28 different companies teaching them over one year all of the se­ crets of dealing with a mas­ sive group, understanding marketing, packaging and how to cope with dealing with supply across the UK market. This year, the Salt Beer Factory, a microbrewery sited in the UNESCO World Heritage village of Saltaire (Yorkshire) and only set up in 2018 has been chosen for the programme and has every chance of becoming a regular supplier to the su­ permarket chain from its already award­winning brewery.

Spanish banks merge

two weeks of discussions. The next joining of two banks is Unicaja and Liberbank which would make the new entity known as Uni­ caja Banco, Spain’s fifth­largest bank with assets in the region of €109 billion after agreeing terms in principle.

Unicaja with greater market value and assets is due to take 59.5 per cent of the new bank with Liber­ bank taking 40.5 per cent, with the two respective Bank chairmen tak­ ing senior positions for two years. With interest rates at all time lows and the fear of financial diffi­

AN investigation into the transfer of funds from Spain to Switzerland involving HS­ BC, directors of Santander and BNP Paribas in Spain has been concluded and no charges will be made at this time. The investigation started in 2017 and has now come to an end even though Anti­ corruption Prosecutors be­ lieve that a crime has been committed in as much as the transfer of money was hid­ den from the Spanish Trea­ sury. For technical reasons be­ cause of the way in which the transfer took place and the wording of current legis­ lation, it will not however be possible to lay charges against anyone. culty for lower paid workers as well as those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, many banks can expect to have to accept short term losses. This consolidation will however allow them to rationalise their busi­ nesses, reduce staff, cut costs and be in a position to tackle both na­ tional and international markets in the future.

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C LOSING P RICES J ANUARY 4

PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3I Group 1.165,00 1.179,00 Admiral Group 2.950,0 2.955,0 Anglo American 2.529,5 2.545,0 Antofagasta 1.482,00 1.487,50 Ashtead Group 3.499,0 3.518,0 Associated British Foods 2.269,0 2.303,0 AstraZeneca 7.455,0 7.467,0 Auto Trader Group Plc 605,40 606,80 Avast 538,39 544,00 Aveva 3.333,0 3.340,0 Aviva 325,71 332,20 B&M European Value Retail SA522,00 525,80 BAE Systems 500,80 504,12 Barclays 144,28 148,68 Barratt Developments 662,40 684,60 Berkeley 4.711,0 4.848,0 BHP Group 1.997,80 2.008,50 BP 261,05 264,90 British American Tobacco 2.751,9 2.761,2 British Land Company 486,30 500,00 BT Group 133,60 135,90 Bunzl 2.514,0 2.517,0 Burberry Group 1.811,0 1.824,0 Carnival 1.370,9 1.399,5 Centrica 47,18 47,76 Coca Cola HBC AG 2.390,0 2.401,1 Compass 1.390,50 1.401,00 CRH 3.172,0 3.197,0 Croda Intl 6.620,0 6.646,0 DCC 5.354,0 5.362,0 Diageo 2.968,8 2.982,0 DS Smith 383,50 385,20 EasyJet 815,60 836,60 Experian 2.866,0 2.870,0 Ferguson 8.876,0 9.018,0 Flutter Entertainment 15.410,0 15.585,0 Fresnillo 1.199,49 1.200,20 GlaxoSmithKline 1.371,20 1.374,40 Glencore 242,10 243,85 Halma 2.510,0 2.514,0 Hargreaves Lansdown 1.521,99 1.540,06 Hikma Pharma 2.558,00 2.562,00 HSBC 377,63 383,15 IAG 161,05 165,46 Imperial Brands 1.558,00 1.565,00 Informa 554,60 559,60 InterContinental 4.739,0 4.793,0 Intermediate Capital 1.719,00 1.759,00 Intertek 5.760,0 5.760,0 ITV 107,30 109,25 J Sainsbury 227,70 229,00

% CHG. 1.162,00 2.923,0 2.471,5 1.462,50 3.486,0 2.267,0 7.402,5 599,80 537,50 3.214,0 325,10 519,60 493,50 143,30 660,00 4.711,0 1.962,20 257,50 2.742,5 484,50 133,45 2.450,0 1.801,5 1.361,5 47,14 2.370,0 1.374,00 3.131,0 6.606,0 5.238,0 2.929,9 378,80 791,57 2.818,0 8.864,0 15.330,0 1.159,00 1.357,40 237,55 2.475,0 1.518,03 2.545,00 377,60 160,55 1.553,50 554,00 4.674,0 1.712,00 5.700,0 107,05 226,00

NET VOL 41,50K 20,22K 281,53K 6,85K 49,03K 68,90K 63,80K 98,42K 4,74K 48,16K 247,85K 91,80K 178,30K 1,06M 55,56K 1,34K 353,02K 1,23M 29,65K 142,08K 1,88M 30,16K 37,57K 29,38K 2,51M 7,26K 162,92K 67,64K 12,63K 6,67K 32,53K 48,21K 259,33K 22,64K 21,63K 1,67K 110,26K 164,61K 4,90M 23,65K 7,14K 10,03K 177,63K 2,59M 23,43K 10,58K 32,89K 45,71K 11,11K 913,73K 263,51K

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

Johnson Matthey 2.481,0 JSC MMC Norilsk Nickel ADR 33,11 JSC VTB Bank DRC 0,995 Land Securities 676,70 Legal & General 265,70 Lloyds Banking 35,30 London Stock Exchange 9.214,0 Meggitt 473,60 Melrose Industries 181,04 Mondi 1.750,00 National Grid 879,60 NatWest Group 161,25 Next 7.072,0 Ocado 2.282,00 Persimmon 2.775,0 Phoenix 707,39 Prudential 1.377,00 Reckitt Benckiser 6.642,0 Relx 1.819,50 Rentokil 526,20 Rightmove 666,00 Rio Tinto PLC 5.667,0 Rolls-Royce Holdings 109,60 Rosneft 5,88 Royal Dutch Shell A 1.321,11 Royal Dutch Shell A 1.320,6 Royal Dutch Shell B 1.278,6 RSA Insurance 679,40 Sage 600,20 Samsung Electronics DRC 1.915,00 Sberbank 14,97 Schroders 3.359,9 Scottish Mortgage 1.221,94 Segro 964,60 Severn Trent 2.314,0 Smith & Nephew 1.562,00 Smiths Group 1.537,00 Spirax-Sarco Engineering 11.550,0 SSE 1.523,50 St. James’s Place 1.130,50 Standard Chartered 461,40 Standard Life Aberdeen 284,80 Taylor Wimpey 161,45 Tesco 234,26 Tui 486,70 Unilever 4.463,3 United Utilities 904,00 Vodafone Group PLC 122,26 Whitbread 3.109,0 WPP 799,80

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

2.491,0 33,11 0,997 691,50 271,40 37,24 9.216,0 481,00 183,60 1.758,00 883,60 169,85 7.254,0 2.316,96 2.839,0 713,00 1.380,50 6.676,0 1.825,00 528,20 668,60 5.690,0 113,00 5,95 1.329,31 1.329,4 1.288,2 680,00 600,40 1.918,00 15,10 3.387,0 1.224,00 969,00 2.325,0 1.564,50 1.544,50 11.555,0 1.533,50 1.155,50 472,80 286,70 169,15 236,08 495,10 4.472,0 913,00 123,26 3.162,0 809,26

2.450,9 32,75 0,980 676,70 264,70 34,92 9.124,0 471,10 180,94 1.742,50 874,00 160,50 7.054,0 2.267,00 2.763,0 706,41 1.347,50 6.562,0 1.810,00 510,60 656,24 5.584,0 108,65 5,87 1.311,40 1.311,6 1.270,2 678,00 589,00 1.909,00 14,94 3.359,9 1.211,00 954,40 2.304,0 1.534,50 1.519,50 11.420,0 1.511,50 1.127,00 461,10 283,40 160,95 234,24 480,00 4.427,0 902,40 122,00 3.102,6 795,44

3,65K 137,80K 43,55K 16,80K 181,35K 24,96M 17,83K 173,35K 184,42K 28,82K 407,04K 1,88M 20,55K 16,24K 57,88K 3,46K 13,77K 56,44K 121,45K 192,82K 7,30K 24,89K 1,88M 403,24K 33,65K 408,57K 80,46K 220,49K 51,16K 2,53K 122,85K 0,54K 269,96K 127,16K 1,77K 115,50K 18,22K 2,86K 171,41K 80,61K 24,46K 371,29K 1,70M 322,75K 685,73K 26,05K 122,30K 3,58M 6,69K 23,73K

0.89694

1.11666 Units per €

US dollar (USD) ......................................1.22737 Japan yen (JPY)......................................126.175 Switzerland franc (CHF) .........................1.08256 Denmark kroner (DKK) ...........................7.44113 Norway kroner (NOK) .............................10.4491

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 J ANUARY 4

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 174,79 1.751,88 3.256,93 229,92 132,69 214,06 182,02 84,45 44,75 54,84 273,16 263,71 265,62 212,70 125,88 49,82 157,38 127,07 214,58 81,80 222,42 141,47 139,14 222,53 705,67 350,68 58,75 218,73 144,15 181,18

CHANGE 174,87 1.758,93 3.282,92 230,25 134,74 216,90 182,10 85,20 44,84 54,93 277,09 263,93 265,95 213,00 126,03 50,19 157,66 127,33 214,93 81,94 223,00 141,79 139,29 222,79 718,72 351,09 58,80 219,82 144,27 183,40

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) 173,18 1,84M 1.735,42 1,01M 3.241,20 2,96M 225,89 1,82M 131,72 99,12M 212,70 10,49M 178,75 1,72M 83,96 8,35M 44,16 15,11M 54,27 8,49M 269,81 12,90M 258,00 2,04M 263,58 2,61M 209,67 1,41M 123,99 3,57M 48,72 28,58M 155,11 5,10M 124,82 8,58M 210,78 2,61M 80,38 5,26M 219,68 20,94M 140,37 2,95M 137,39 4,08M 220,17 6,01M 691,12 49,65M 344,05 1,97M 58,02 12,91M 216,20 5,92M 142,85 5,94M 180,27 7,07M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES J ANUARY 4

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+1.00% +0.94% +3.08% +1.97% +0.71% +1.57% +28.63% +1.92% +2.71% +1.47% +1.23%

393.39M 1.85B 2.92B 209.59M 1.77B 35.04B 11.56M 171.48M 7.53M 122.72M 462.77M

-2.20% -0.88% -2.08% -4.55% -7.51% -5.91% -2.51% -13.71% -47.70% -9.15% -4.66%

426.30M 9.63B 632.76M 2.21B 17.22M 106.62M 785.43M 17.88M 236,838 996.86M 275.15M

Most Advanced Booking Holdings Inc. Alphabet Inc. Cl A Netflix Inc. Equinix Inc. Alphabet Inc. Cl C Tesla Inc. Sigilon Therapeutics Inc. Align Technology Inc. II-VI Inc. 6% Pfd. MarketAxess Holdings Inc. Charter Communications Inc. Cl A

Most Declined MercadoLibre Inc. Amazon.com Inc. Trade Desk Inc. Cl A Zoom Video Communications Inc. GRAVITY Co. Ltd. ADR Stamps.com Inc. Lam Research Corp. Kymera Therapeutics Inc. TS Innovation Acquisitions Corp. Cl A Bilibili Inc. ADR Seagen Inc.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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Plan your own funeral WHILE death is still considered to be a taboo subject by many cultures, it is becoming more and more commonplace for people to plan their own funeral for a variety of reasons. There’s no need to feel shy about it, start talking about final wishes and fu­ neral plans with your family and get in touch with the experts at Golden Leaves to put your wishes down on paper. Here are seven reasons why you should pre­plan for your funeral. 1. Save money. Times are tight for many families, unfortunately, funerals are an inevitable expense. With Golden Leaves you pay today’s prices and avoid inflation. 2. Have it your way. Of course, when you pass away, your family will work their hardest to honour you in your memorial service or funeral, but only you know yourself and exactly what you want. When you pre­plan your funeral, you are making the decisions for yourself. 3. Lift a financial burden. Funerals are not cheap. There are a lot of items that cost a considerable amount of money and they add up quickly. When you pre­plan, you pay for your own funeral and remove the burden of footing the bill for your funeral from the members of your family. 4. Take more time. Most funerals are thrown together in about a week, which can lead to hasty decisions. When you pre­plan, you get the opportunity to be more methodical about the process and can make the day go exactly as you wish. 5. Get the details right. When you have your funeral your way and take the time to plan it, you can focus on all of the smaller details that might get over­ looked if your funeral is planned by someone else, song choice, clothing, flowers etc are all personalised touches you can choose to reflect you as a person. If you’re environmentally friendly look at eco­caskets and bio­ degradable urns, seeds of memory for family members to plant, all these personal touches reflect you. 6. P r e v e n t additional stress. Your family will be un­ der an enormous amount of stress when you pass away. You can ease at least a little bit of it by making sure all of your affairs are in order before you die. 7. M a k e y o u r f i n a l w i s h e s k n o w n . I f you want to be cremated, pre­planning allows you to arrange for this before death. If you have a specific request for your ashes, you can also make this known in your funeral plan. We all want to plan our own weddings, birthdays, christenings and anniver­ saries, so why should a funeral be any different? In fact, more so than any other event a funeral is a celebration of your life and only you can tell that story from your perspective, and your perspective is the only one that counts when that day eventually comes. Golden Leaves have a team of experts with over 30 years’ experience and will work with you to create a funeral that is totally unique to you and your wishes. Now is the perfect time if you are an expat living in Spain to get your paper­ work in order before the Brexit transitional period is over and all Golden Leaves funeral plans are residency approved, they can even help with other papers you may need to help you obtain your TIE and residency.

7 - 13 January 2021

EWN 29

30 EWN

7 - 13 January 2021

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Town creates own cryptocurrency Credit: Lebrija Council

How 2020 hit exchange rates, and what to look out for in 2021

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

CURRENCY MARKET: Volatility can have a significant impact on transfers.

ASK THE EXPERT Peter Loveday

Contact me at euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com

IT can safely be said that the coronavirus pan­ demic turned 2020 into a year like no other. When last year dawned the world was a very different place from the one we’d come to know over the months that followed, and the currency market was one of many financial markets which experienced considerable upheaval. If you need to make currency transfers to or from Spain, you may have noticed the volatility in the currency market having a significant impact on how much your transfers were worth. 2020’s key exchange rates Highs • GBP/EUR ­ 1.20 • GBP/USD ­ 1.36 • EUR/GBP ­ 0.94 • EUR/USD – 1.23 Lows • GBP/EUR ­ 1.06 • GBP/USD ­ 1.14 • EUR/GBP ­ 0.83 • EUR/USD – 1.06 What happened in 2020? The pound was probably the strongest per­ former at start of 2020, with the currency still riding high on the euphoria that followed Boris Johnson’s landslide win in the 2019 general election. Sterling was supported by hopes that Johnson’s massive majority would aid the UK government when it came to pursuing a Brexit trade deal with the EU. However, priorities quickly shifted over the next couple of months as the coronavirus evolved from a localised epidemic (mostly contained to China) to a global pandemic. As a growing number of countries went into lockdown, we witnessed perhaps one of the most volatile months in currency market history. Driven by both a flight to safety as well as liquidi­ ty fears surrounding the world’s reserve currency, skittish investors flocked to the US dollar through­ out March. While most currencies suffered during this peri­

od the Sterling sell­off proved to be particularly dra­ matic. Currencies began to stabilise towards the end of March, and as the world began to emerge from lockdown at the start of summer the US dollar’s bullish run came to a close. The euro came into its own through the third quarter, with a strong rebound in growth and the announcement of a €750 billion coronavirus relief fund from the EU catapulting the single currency higher. The Pound also ticked higher during the sum­ mer in response to the UK’s sharp rebound in eco­ nomic activity and some Brexit optimism. However, as the days got shorter and tempera­ tures started to sink, it grew increasingly clear that the coronavirus was anything but beaten and a second wave of infections began to sweep across much of the world. Concerns over the second wave were tem­ pered somewhat by the announcement of multi­ ple coronavirus vaccines, which offered investors some light at the end of the tunnel. Other events started to drive currency market movement in the final quarter of 2020, including the US Presidential Election and the to­the­wire Brexit trade deal. 2021 and exchange rates With the UK no longer facing a no­deal Brexit the pound could see a lot more upside potential at the start of 2021 than it otherwise may have done. That being said, with the threat of another lock­ down looming, there may still be some dark days ahead for Sterling. 2021 will also mark the end of what is set to be Angela Merkel’s last term as German Chancellor af­ ter a decade and a half at the helm of Europe’s largest economy. The prospect of life after Merkel will prove unsettling to many EUR investors, and we could see the euro face some pressure as a result. At Currencies Direct we’re here to talk currency whenever you need us, so get in touch if you want to know more about the latest news or how it could impact your currency transfers. Since 1996 we’ve helped more than 325,000 customers with their currency transfers, just pop in­ to your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more.

Visit us at our Spanish offices in Costa del Sol, Costa Almeria, North Costa Blanca and South Costa Blanca. Telephone UK +44 (0) 207 847 9400 SPAIN +34 950 478 914 Email euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com • www.currenciesdirect.com.

LEBRIJA: Launch of the €lio to help promote the sale of goods by local businesses. THE town of Lebrija in Sevilla Province has come up with a novel way of helping those in need and promoting the sale of goods by local busi­ nesses. Alert to the fact that a number of families were suf­ fering financially from the Covid­19 pandemic, the council created the ReActiva Lebrija Plan which has made funds available to some 593 families. There is a twist however as it has created its own cryp­ tocurrency (like Bitcoin) called the €lio which is set on par with the euro (one for one) and depending upon in­ come and number of children aged under 18, families will be paid between €50 and €200 but in €lios. So far 165 local businesses

have been signed up to ac­ cept payment which must be 50 per cent €lio and 50 per cent euro in an effort not on­ ly to help those in need, but to also stimulate local sales. There are also several hun­ dred local businesses due to receive grants of up to €400 and they will also be paid in €lios in a bid to persuade companies to trade with each other. The payment of the amount granted will be made through a mobile application designed by the council which can be downloaded easily and free of charge through the play store or app store. At the moment however, the council has not explained whether it will exchange this cryptocurrency for euros if

Turkey trade deal A TRADE DEAL between Britain and Turkey was agreed during a video call on Tuesday December 29 when International Trade Secretary Liz Truss spoke with Turkey’s trade minister Rushar Pekcan. Last year, trade with Turkey was worth £18.6 billion (€20.5 billion) and the terms will be identical to those enjoyed whilst Britain was still a member of the European Union. According to Ms Truss, the UK has now agreed trade deals covering 62 countries plus the EU worth £885 billion (€974 billion) with more deals to be concluded.

asked to do so by the partici­ pating shops and businesses.

BUSINESS EXTRA Early Easter A SMALL range of Easter Eggs is already on sale in certain UK supermarkets according to numerous comments on social media wondering whether this was a ploy to get around Brexit hold ups or just to give people something to look forward to.

Tobin tax THE Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT) has published a list of 56 companies with a market capitalisation of €1 billion or more as at December 16, as from January 16, sales of shares in those companies will attract a 0.2 per cent tax.

No longer confused THE Admiral Group best known for its insurance division, is selling part of its business, which will include online portal Confused.com, to RVU which owns Zoopla in a deal reported to be worth £508 million (€559 million).

FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

7 - 13 January 2021

A step in the right direction LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT THIS year’s resolution should be for the white populace to declare they are utterly fed up from receiving all the unwarranted racism and prejudice they have been subjected to over the past year. Why is it only white people who can be racist? If even a small number of the accusations levelled at the whites had been used by Caucasians against non­ whites there would have been ‘offended’ demonstrations and a multitude of court proceedings that would probably have resulted in years of litigation. There really are far too many examples to go into. We have been accused of glorifying slavery ­ totally ignoring the fact that thousands of white lives were lost in the battles to abolish it ­ we’ve had our statues and culture attacked, with almost no retribution whatsoever; gone to unprecedented lengths to encourage diversity and still the non­white

populace continues to voice their discontent at the way they are ‘treated.’ A recent piece on SKY News actually for me took the whole tin. The subject they were airing introduced a number of black ladies complaining they weren’t allowed to wear their hair in a ‘natural’ way. They insisted that the reason they straightened it or wore wigs was because they were not welcomed into white society or work places with ‘afro’ styles. What a load of complete racist codswallop. Black ladies have been straightening their hair for years. Either because far more styles can be achieved or it’s more convenient, or purely because it enables them to actually get a comb or a brush through it! As the father of three daughters who have inherited afro hair and spent most of their lives attempting to straighten and control it, I do think I speak with some authority on the subject! Being made to feel ashamed to be white, has invoked such conscience stirring in the UK it has resulted in totally disproportionate reactions from the white population, especially those of the ‘woke’ genre. Despite black people making up a mere 17 per cent of

UK citizens, they are now witnessing unprecedented over exposure of black TV commercials, black pundits, black news people, black voice overs and black ‘experts.’ The programme I mentioned on SKY earlier went on for a full half an hour. I have NEVER seen Sky turn its newsroom over for this length of time on such an inconsequential subject. The woman who made a final comment on this marathon piece rather summed it all up for me. She ironically complained that black people were ‘under­ represented in the media!’ The mind boggles. This culture explosion is having a completely reversed effect on British society opinion. The indigenous white majority are seeing all their sincere efforts to overcome diversity now being destabilised by these utterly ill­advised and over the top acts of appeasement. The UK is not the USA and a simple recognition, or show of approval from ethnic recipients of the well intentioned efforts of the majority would be a far more positive step in the right direction. Keep the Faith. Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail,com expatradioscotland.com

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

What now for residency for UK citizens? CONSULAR MATTERS IN my career as a lawyer spanning some 30 years, this represents one of the biggest changes to UK citizens when it comes to living here in Spain. As of the end of the transition period December 31, 2020 British citizens and their non­EU family members will be subject to all Spanish immigration rules for third­country nationals, meaning the EU freedom of movement will come to an end. However, UK nationals and their fami­ ly members who have residence here in Spain before the end of the transition period in accordance with EU free move­ ment law, will maintain their free move­ ments rights after December 31, 2020. In compliance with EU Regulation 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council of November 14, 2018 British passport holders travelling to Schengen countries for holidays,

business or to visit family do not re­ quire a visa for stays of up to 90 days in a 180 day­period, provided the visit is not for gainful activity ie work. Please note that the 90 days will start from the date they enter any of the Schen­ gen countries, including Spain. British citizens and their family mem­ bers will need a visa for journeys under­ taken after December 31, 2020 for the purposes of residence, studies for a peri­ od longer than than 90 days, work, pro­ fessional, artistic or religious activities. The good news is that if you are living in Spain before the end of 2020 and you can prove it, then you can get residen­ cia in Spain under what i am going to call the ‘old rules.’ You have until March 2021 in order to make your application and the Spanish government has a three month period in which to re­ spond. So what about UK citizens who move to Spain after December 31, 2020?. Well the following ‘new rules’ will ap­ ply: A. You will need a criminal record check

B. Health insurance in Spain will still be required C. A medical certificate which states that you do not have a disease which is dangerous to public health D. You will need to prove income of €2,151.36 per month for the first per­ son and €537.84 a month for each fami­ ly member. The figures for 2021 have not yet been published, so I have used the figures for 2020 as a guide. If for ex­ ample you are a single person and you have a year’s money in your bank ac­ count ie at least €25,888.32 then you don’t need to prove your income. I would add that you need to have at least this amount in your account for six months prior to the application. There are of course minor details but the ones listed above are the main ones. As with all my posts this isn’t legal advice. If you need help with Residency then myself and my bilingual team can help or you can instruct a lawyer here in Spain. I will deal with employment, opening a business via autonomo or as a limited company at a future date.

Marisa Moreno Castillo, Senior Lawyer at Just Law Solicitors and Consul for Denmark.

www.justlawsolicitors.com • contact@justlawsolicitors.com

EWN 31

Former Vox In Prison A FORMER Vox leader has been sentenced to 14 years in prison in Leri­ da for abusing the dis­ abled and will have to compensate one of the victims with €15,000 ORTIZ CAMBRAY: Reported and another with to police. €5,000. The Audiencia of Llérida sentenced José Antonio Ortiz Cam­ bray, to 14 years and three months in prison after proving that he offered money in exchange for different sexual acts, accord­ ing to sources from the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Llérida. In the trial, held on November 25, the former leader of Vox denied having had physical contact with the two men with dis­ abilities: “I swear to God and the memory of my parents, I did not have these meetings.” Ortiz Cambray was arrested at the car dealership in Lérida where he worked at the beginning of March 2019, after the Alosa Foundation of Lérida, which protects two of the victims, discovered the messages by WhatsApp from him and one of the disabled men and reported him to the Mossos d’Esquadra police station.

Spanish are the happiest SPANIARDS once again topped the list of Gallup’s hap­ piness survey in Europe, with 65 per cent of those polled de­ scribing themselves as happy. Only 7 per cent of Spain said they were unhappy, while 26 per cent described themselves as being neither happy nor un­ happy. This marks a 7 per cent decline in Spanish happiness since 2019 when almost three­ quarters of the population de­ scribed themselves as happy. Meanwhile, Europe is the most pessimistic continent on Earth, with only 46 per cent of EU citizens anticipating 2021 to be better than 2020 and 29 per cent believing it will be

worse. Italians top the conti­ nent for pessimism, with only 13 per cent holding hope that things will improve in the New Year. Overall, half of all Euro­ peans said they were happy, 46 per cent said that 2021 would bring economic difficulty, and just 25 per cent believed that we can look forward to eco­ nomic prosperity next year. Finland is the most optimistic country in Europe, at 57 per cent. Indians (64 per cent) and Latin Americans (61 per cent) are the happiest people on Earth, while 54 per cent of the world’s population said they are happy.

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Escape to the Country The Farmers' Country Showdown The Bidding Room Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Pooch Perfect Death in Paradise

4:15pm 4:45pm 5:50pm 6:15pm 7:00pm

The Farmers' Country Showdown The Bidding Room Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show Garden Rescue EastEnders A Question of Sport Would I Lie to You?

5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm

Final Score BBC News BBC London News Weather Match of the Day Live: The FA Cup Casualty Michael McIntyre's The Wheel Mrs. Brown's Boys BBC News Match of the Day Live: The FA Cup Garden Rescue BBC News BBC London News Weather Match of the Day Live: The FA Cup Countryfile A Perfect Planet The Serpent

Countdown A Place in the Sun A New Life in the Sun Four in a Bed The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News George Clarke's Amazing Spaces The Big Fat Quiz of Everything

2:45pm 3:20pm

Steph's Packed Lunch Countdown A Place in the Sun A New Life in the Sun Four in a Bed The Simpsons The Simpsons Channel 4 News Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast Gogglebox

4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

Four in a Bed The Great British Bake Off Escape to the Chateau: Make Do and Mend Location, Location, Location Channel 4 News Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Skyscraper

4:55pm 5:00pm 6:00pm

3:05pm 4:05pm

10:00pm 11:10pm

The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons A Dog's Purpose The Spiderwick Chronicles Channel 4 News Scotland's Coastal 8:45pm The Great Pottery Throw Down The Great Gogglebox

ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Bradley Walsh and Son: Breaking Dad Coronation Street The Pembrokeshire Murders

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Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me Steph's Packed Lunch Countdown A Place in the Sun A New Life in the Sun Junior Bake Off The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Food Unwrapped

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Lingo ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale South Africa with Gregg Wallace Martin Clunes: Islands of Australia

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Come Dine with Me Steph's Packed Lunch Countdown A Place in the Sun A New Life in the Sun Junior Bake Off The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News How to Lose Weight Well 24 Hours in A&E

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ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London Party Political Broadcast ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Cornwall and Devon Coronation Street The Pembrokeshire Murders

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Countdown A Place in the Sun A New Life in the Sun Junior Bake Off The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Kirstie and Phil's Love it or List it Grand Designs Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back

The Best Dishes Ever Made in Great Britain Meerkat Manor Flog It! Richard Osman's House of Games Rick Stein's Cornwall Cornwall: This Fishing Life Saving Lives at Sea QI XL A Teacher

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Lingo ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Tonight Emmerdale The Martin Lewis Money Show: Live

3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

Made in Great Britain Flog It! Richard Osman's House of Games Rick Stein's Cornwall Cornwall: This Fishing Life Gardeners' World The Wife Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands

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ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Britain's Busiest Airport Heathrow Coronation Street Beat the Chasers

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Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers Black Narcissus Natural World Flog It! The Real Marigold Hotel Saving Lives at Sea Cornwall: This Fishing Life Dad's Army Mark Lawson Talks To Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy The Big Short

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ITV London Weather South Africa with Gregg Wallace You've Been Framed! Tipping Point The Chase ITV News and Weather ITV News London Celebrity Catchphrase The Masked Singer The Voice UK

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Live Snooker: The Masters Flog It! This Farming Life Ski Sunday Inside the Factory Dragons' Den Last Woman on Earth with Sara Pascoe Miriam Margolyes: Almost Australian

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Lingo Bean ITV News and Weather ITV News London Family Fortunes Mr. Bean Mr. Bean Happy Birthday Mr Bean Beat the Chasers ITV News and Weather ITV London Weather

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Live Snooker: The Masters Meerkat Manor Flog It! Richard Osman's House of Games Rick Stein's Cornwall Match of the Day Live Mastermind Only Connect University Challenge Death in Bollywood

4:59pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm

Live Snooker: The Masters Meerkat Manor Flog It! Richard Osman's House of Games Rick Stein's Cornwall Celebrity Antiques Road Trip Inside the Factory Death in Bollywood Elis James: Funny Nation Mandy

4:00pm 4:59pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm

Live Snooker: The Masters Meerkat Manor Flog It! Richard Osman's House of Games Rick Stein's Cornwall Celebrity Antiques Road Trip This Farming Life Death in Bollywood Top of the Pops Newsnight

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Escape to the Country The Farmers' Country Showdown The Bidding Room Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show Panorama EastEnders My Family

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The Farmers' Country Showdown The Bidding Room Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show Panorama EastEnders My Family Traces

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Escape to the Country The Farmers' Country Showdown The Bidding Room Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News Party Political Broadcast The One Show The Bidding Room The Repair Shop The Truth About...

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Neighbours The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door Young, Stalked and Pregnant 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Secrets of Your Supermarket Food

8:00am 9:00am 4:30pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

Sky Sports News Live Test Cricket Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live PGA Tour Golf

Killer Desire 5 News at 5 Home and Away Neighbours 5 News Tonight The World's Most Expensive Cruise Ship Susan Calman's Grand Day Out The World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys

10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 11:30pm

Sky Sports News The Football Show The Football Show Live: Good Morning Football Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live British Basketball Sky Sports News EFL Highlights Sky Sports News

Access Sing Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly 5 News Weekend Cruising with Jane McDonald Posh Hotels with Sally & Nigel Secrets of the Royal Palaces

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Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Saturday Social Soccer A.M. Live EFL Gillette Soccer Saturday Live NFL Live NFL Live NFL

A Year in the Wild Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild Natural History Museum: World of Wonder 5 News Weekend The Big Fat Lies About Diet & Exercise Filthy House SOS Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun

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Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sports Sunday Sports Sunday Scottish Premiership Live Live NFL Live NFL Live NFL

Neighbours The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door My Daughter Vanished 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Gallagher Premiership Rugby Highlights Police Interceptors

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The Football Show Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Scottish Premiership Live Sky Sports News Sky Sports News

The Crossword Mysteries: A Puzzle to Die For 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight How to Lose a Stone in a Month Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild

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Sky Sports News The Football Show The Football Show Live: Good Morning Football Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live Premier League Live Premier League Sky Sports News

Deadly Jealousy: The Killer Cousin 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys London's Greatest Bridges With Rob Bell The Thames: Britain's Great River with Tony Robinson

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Sky Sports News The Football Show The Football Show Live: Good Morning Football Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live Premier League Sky Sports News

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FEATURE

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EWN 33

Advertising Feature

Brexit - Currencies Direct

here to support you through 2021 and beyond IT’S safe to say that 2020 has been an extremely difficult year for all of us, with considerable disruption to our lives as we ad­ justed to life amid a pandemic. This disruption has been clearly reflected in the currency market, which has seen some dramatic volatility over the past 12 months. This was particularly notable at the start of the year when the GBP/EUR exchange rate shed al­ most 15 cents in the span of a sin­ gle month. Such extreme movements have created issues for people looking to move money to and from Spain. As was the case for most busi­ nesses, the coronavirus pandemic meant our team at Currencies Di­ rect had to adjust to rapidly changing circumstances. However, adjust we did and we’re proud that we’ve been able maintain our high level of service throughout the crisis and contin­ ue meeting our customers’ cur­ rency requirements without dis­ ruption. At the end of a challenging year, and after being overshad­ owed by the coronavirus pandem­ ic for many months, Brexit started to dominate headlines from Octo­ ber onwards. This injected fresh uncertainty into not just GBP ex­ change rates but also the lives of many expats living in Spain. Brexit and currency In terms of the pound, the fourth quarter of 2020 saw the currency touch some of its worst levels since the start of the pan­ demic against the euro before re­ bounding, but achieve new multi­ year high against the US dollar. This volatility only became more pronounced as December 31 approached without any clear indication of whether the UK and EU would agree upon a trade deal

Currency market has seen some dramatic volatility over the last year.

before the transition period ex­ pired. While the lack of certainty over the UK’s post­Brexit relationship with the EU made planning for the future difficult, at Currencies Direct we took steps to ensure a smooth continuation of service regardless of the outcome, offer­ ing certainty in trying times. Our company acquired a licence with the highly reputable Banco de Espana (the Bank of Spain) so our customers would experience no disruption to services no mat­ ter what. This also ensures that

our customers can be confident that their currency transfers are in safe hands and that we’re regu­ lated to the highest standards. Our commitment to security Peace of mind is key when mak­ ing international money transfers and at Currencies Direct we make the security of your funds our pri­ ority. Our top credit rating At Currencies Direct we’re proud to hold a level one credit rating with Dun & Bradstreet, meaning we have the lowest level of risk.

Segregated accounts At Currencies Direct we keep your money in segregated ac­ counts*, completely separate to the funds we use to run our busi­ ness. Award­winning service We feel that customer satisfac­ tion is a real testament to the dedication of our teams and the level of service they provide, so our five­star ‘Excellent’ Trustscore on Trustpilot is really important to us. We’ve also won a number of awards over the years, including

the 2020 MoneyAge Money Transfer Provider of the Year award. After a year like 2020, who know what 2021 has in store for us! However, if you need to move money to or from Spain in the year ahead our expert team at Currencies Direct are more than ready for whatever might be thrown at us. As always, using our services means you’ll also benefit from excellent exchange rates, no transfer fees and flexible transfer solutions.

At Currencies Direct we’re here to talk currency whenever you need us, so get in touch if you want to know more about the latest news or how it could impact your currency transfers. Since 1996 we’ve helped more than 325,000 customers save time and money with excellent exchange rates, no fees and expert support. With 20+ global branches, including 16 across Portugal and Spain, we’re never far away when you need us. Give us a call to find out more. *Please note, our bank providers do not monitor the funds we place on safeguarding accounts or how we operate these accounts, it is our responsibility to segregate funds.

34 EWN

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7 - 13 January 2021

Facebook Enhanced Security

SOCIAL MEDIA giant Facebook is set to offer enhanced security to more users during 2021. During the US elections over 70 per cent of those involved had the Facebook’s enhanced security, called Facebook Protect that used two-factor authentication. Facebook is now looking to offer this to more users. According to Axios, Nate Gleicher, head of security policy at the social media giant, said that Protect includes real-time monitoring, and is going to be offered to human rights advocates and reporters. Physical security keys for two-factor authentication will also be provided to significant users. Regular Facebook users will be able to get their hands on the keys too, but at a cost. It is predicted that social media will face continued criticism over security and new laws may be implemented in the next few years.

Police prevent suicide NATIONAL POLICE prevented the suicide of a Belgian girl living in Alicante Province after being notified of her intentions to take her own life by the Greek police. The police report that the girl had expressed her intention to commit suicide on social network TikTok, and it had been reported to the Greek Cybercrime Division. After investigating, they discovered that the girl was in Spain and alerted the International Cooperation Division of the National Police via Interpol. Thanks to this international cooperation, the officers in Alicante were able to locate the girl and check on her at her address near Benidorm. They discovered that she had cut marks to her wrists and with her parents’ consent, she was taken to hospital for evaluation and treatment.

FEATURE

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE? - NO, SWANSEA! 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

IT’S often said that fact is stranger than fiction. Well, consider a few of these facts. A sleepless person and someone else who got onion juice in their eye were among the people who made 999 calls in 2020. One caller reported a pigeon with an in­ jured wing and another said they thought they had got faeces in a cut. Yet another had trapped their finger in a door. The Welsh Ambulance Service shared the examples while reminding people to call 999 only for serious or life­threatening emergencies. It said of the 457,375 calls made to the service

between October 2019 and September 2020, almost a quarter were ‘non­es­ sential’ ­ code for just plain daft! Other examples included someone with toothache and another person with a buzzing sound in their ear. Chief Executive Jason Killens said: “Our ambulance service exists to help people who are seriously ill or injured, or where there is an immediate threat to their life. That’s people who’ve stopped breathing, people with chest pain or breathing difficulties, loss of consciousness, choking, severe allergic reactions, catastrophic bleeding or someone who is having a stroke.” He added, presumably through, err, gritted teeth: “People with toothache and trapped fingers still have a clinical need, but calling 999 for that need is ill­judged and misguided when there are so many other ways to access more appropriate help.” Pitiful, really pitiful; bring on the vaccine! I remember reading a story about

the 1950s when boys were taught as Wolf Cubs (and maybe still are) how to make an emergency telephone call from a GPO red call box. Even at less than 10 years of age, they had far more accrued wisdom than all the ex­ amples of ‘adults’ quoted here. Heck, if crime writers like myself came up with motives as weak as these for calling out the ambulance service in our thrillers, we’d be nicked for wasting readers’ time! You really couldn’t make it up if you tried! Fact really is stranger than fic­ tion... Nora Johnson’s psychological crime thrillers ‘No Safe Place’, ‘Betrayal’, ‘The Girl in the Woods’, ‘The Girl in the Red Dress’, ‘No Way Back’, ‘Land­ scape of Lies’, ‘Retribution’, ‘Soul Stealer’, ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.nora­johnson.net) available online as eBook (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, paperback and audiobook. All profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer charity.

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

PALMA SPEED LIMITS

K Bryan

OUR VIEW As One Door Closes

JUST two days before the UK finally leaves the European Union, the British Parliament voted to approve the deal and thus we can all look forward to a future which may hold a few surprises. Whether you were for or against Brexit, the die is now cast and we all have to be prepared to discover how it affects not just Britain but expatriates, especially those of us in Spain. Spanish councils have benefited because so many people have signed on to the padron in order to be allowed to apply for residency and each additional body means increased financial support from Central Government. We are all still reeling from the effects of the pandemic which has hurt so many people not just from infection but the financial knock on caused by the lockdown and the Spanish states of alarm. Looking dispassionately at the UK situation at the moment, it would appear that those of us in Spain have probably had a slightly more comfortable time than friends and families in the UK. There have been mistakes on all sides, but everyone has to salute the health workers for their continued hard work and feel proud of the many who have worked to collect funds or cook for those unable to cope. Spare a thought for Gibraltar which had appeared to miraculously come through with no deaths and few infected and now not only does it have to cope with the uncertainty of Brexit, but also with the huge escalation in those suffering from Covid-19.

CORRECTIONS

Ironic, on the departure from the EU, Eddie’s entering the EU.

DW That’s a look of sadness of a future for the UK that the UK will lose with a national front government. Imagen de Nicole Pankalla en Pixabay

MOTORWAY 80km speed limit: Our car has a fuel consumption guage. At 120km it uses 8L /100km, At 80km this drops to 7L /100km a saving of 12-13 per cent ! So this means a reduction in pollution of a similar amount, however the journey will take 50 per cent longer so the overall level of pollution increases by 50 per cent - 12 per cent resulting in a pollution increase of 30-40 per cent! Traffic congestion also increases 50 per cent. Traffic Noise (which comes not from engines but from tyres on poorly designed surfaces, the normal on the Via de Cintura) will also increase by 50 per cent less a little for reduced speed. The Via de Cintura is already congested so a 50 per cent increase will be a disaster. Palma 30km Speed limits: Please ask the government how much valueable funds are being wasted on this project in the time of a pandemic when funds could be better spent. How much is the budjet? It would be better spent cleaning up all the vandalism caused by Graffiti? Mallorca is becoming like the Bronx, not welcoming to quality tourism, Now the vandals are graffiting the natural stone walls. The Via de Cintura is a disgrace, and it has become widespread. Prison sentences should be introduced.

The first lorry exits the Eurotunnel and marks the UK’s departure from the European Union

Not welcoming.

MD

Protests after a black man is shot dead by police outside Dublin Black, white or bloody any other colour, instead of demonstrating why don’t those gathering have a collection to give to any victims that have been threatened or attacked by a knife wielding attacker.

PH

Thanks Hi Leapy You so totally say what the normal man and woman are thinking, but do not have the voice to say. Hope you and yours have a great New Year and here’s to many more posts. PS Little Arrows was a massive fave of mine in my childhood. Best regards David

Incredible Health Service Hi, I had an incredible health experience earlier this month. Having had a heart attack 11 years ago and being treated at Velez-Malaga Hospital, they have on occasions had me back for a check -up. So I had this appointment. A problem! I was informed and after five days of intense tests, I was told I had to have a ‘Pacemaker.’ Do you feel tired? Do you have pains? No was the answer. Well you need the operation! When I asked? Tomorrow at 3.30pm, as quick as that! The operation was performed perfectly and the staff were outstanding, although I had to be in Intensive Care for one night, they could not do enough for me. This all happened from start to finish in less than 10 days! With the Covid virus isn’t it incredible and shows what a wonderful health service we have here. I consider myself very lucky and wish to thank everyone at Velez Hospital for all their help and what professional people they all are. P.S. this might not make the news, But I feel much better for letting out my feelings and admiration for these wonderful workers in the health system, especially under these hallowing and difficult times.

Black, brown, white, yellow, pink or whatever colour. The colour is immaterial it’s the crime that’s the subject and until reports like this stop mentioning colour we will have racism.

AM Take on the Police anywhere in the world now with a weapon of any sort and expect to get shot dead. Colour is irrelevant stupidity, hate, death wish, criminal intent, lunacy, religious fervency, sheer big headedness, trial of your Human Rights in reality, all count more than the colour of your skin.

D JA S Instant justice for a violent criminal it would seem. Well done the Irish police.

A MC

Boris Johnson’s Father Stanley Applies For French Passport Boris Johnson is not to blame for Brexit. It was David Cameron who held the referendum. The British people voted to leave. T May and Johnson had to carry out the instruction the people voted for. Stanley Johnson seem to have the correct background for French nationality French mother etc.

PG I bet he said to Boris “If you get Brexit done, I’m a Frenchman.”

AN

D Lowe

HAVE YOUR SAY

Even he has no trust in his son! Or he has been told more

All letters by email or post should carry the writer’s address, NIE and contact number though only the name and town will be published. Readers who have missed correspondence can see all letters - which can be edited before publication - posted on: www.euroweeklynews.com.

than us.

JH

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

37

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YOUR STARS FOR NEXT 7 DAYS ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Is someone that you are closely involved with trying to drive a hard bargain? Are you surprised at the amount of time and energy that they are throwing at it? It could be that they are more passionate about it than you realised.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) You have been learning about certain people very fast. Do you feel as though you are in the middle of a soap opera? With the winter sun now low, it is possible that passions will fire up. Everything seems to revolve round one person and it is upsetting everything else.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) This is your week to sparkle and show how clever you are. Why be modest? Let others know what you are capable of; your talents will come out sooner or later. Don’t be embarrassed when paid a compliment, for it is richly deserved. You have put on a jolly good show of late and it is now time to listen to the applause.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) Something that you had set your heart on, although still coming, is terribly slow. This is not a time to be a pessimist. Please don't, however, allow your tendency to put all your eggs in one basket trip you up. It is not necessary to go about things the way that you normally do.

LEO (July 24 - August 23)

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) This is not a time to take anyone for granted. At this time of the year people tend to look at their situation and ask if they are getting enough out of it. Neglecting someone now could store up a lot of problems for the future. Avoid doing anything that could lead to you being blamed later.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Now is your chance to go straight for what you want. The shock of having this opportunity could cause you to hesitate. Do bear in mind, though, that he who hesitates is often lost. The temptation to keep something for yourself is not selfish but sensible.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) A big change means big chances, so don’t let small things get you down. In the past six months you have come a long way. You are not back where you started. You are being given the chance to start again, but this time you have far more experience.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Challenges that do not please you are inevitable. That does not mean that your attitude towards them could not change. Indeed, unless you want to continue to be upset, it must. Luckily, you have mostly had your own way recently.

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

ARTERY CHEERY COERCE DIRECT (10) EASILY GORGON HEATER HEREBY HEROIC INGEST MASTIC NUTMEG POTENT SEARCH SECOND SHEATH SIESTA TREATY TRIUNE

LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY Sat 2 January

6-8-9 36-39-57

BONUS BALL

37

IRISH LOTTO Sat 2 January

3-6-18 26-42-47

BONUS BALL

1

EURO MILLIONS

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19)

You are moving on in an important area but do not burn bridges before you have others to cross. You will know why I mention this later in the week. You are able to influence others far more than you realise, but with your wish to keep things on an even keel you may be giving away too much. You need to keep a balance.

You have a chance to give someone great delight, so why not go ahead? Your insecure side tells you that it is too good to be true and there must be a catch. Why should there be? This is a situation that you may relax into as only you know how.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23)

PISCES (February 20 - March 20)

Is there a chance that you are burying your head in the sand? It is likely that something happening right in front of you is being overlooked or ignored. You are able to deal with this more easily than you think. Just take one step at a time and stick to your plan. Simply telling someone what to do instead of asking them to do it can work wonders.

Don’t look for spooks in the closet when there are none. Not only does it look silly but it wastes good time. Basing your actions on past disappointments can only lead to more of the same. Show confidence in others and they will show it in you. Sometimes, your patience wears thin but it is in your best interests to remain calm.

TIME OUT

Tue 29 December

BONUS BALL

3

7-32-39 40-45

8

Fri 1 January

BONUS BALL

16-28-32 44-48

1 9

EL MILLON: JHB90817 LA PRIMITIVA Thurs 31 December

BONUS BALL

4-5-7 15-24-38

41 0

JOKER: 2 876 717 Sat 2 January

BONUS BALL

6-13-19 37-38-43

15

JOKER: 8 180 708

9

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, 11 represents W and 16 represents Z, so fill in W every time the figure 11 appears and Z every time the figure 16 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 Toalla (5) 3 Cascos (7) 6 Llega (7) 8 Cap, top (of a bottle) (5) 10 Visera (5) 11 To adapt (7) 14 Outdoor (6) 15 Oysters (6) 17 Error (7) 20 Cocina (aparato) (5) 21 Good-looking (5) 22 Pill (7) 23 Allergy (7) 24 Sonido (5)

Down 1 Tram (7) 2 Hígado (5) 3 Until (5) 4 Letter (of alphabet) (5) 5 Sir (5) 7 Answer (9) 9 Robin (9) 12 See 13 13/12 Puerta trasera (4,4) 16 Camarero (náutico, aéreo) (7) 17 Magic (5) 18 Entre (más de dos elementos) (5) 19 Spy (5) 20 Vende (5)

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION QUICK Across: 1 Create, 4 Pair, 8 Scrap, 9 Helps, 10 Criticises, 13 Unfinished, 17 Crane, 18 Organ, 19 Sell, 20 Affect. Down: 1 Cash, 2 Error, 3/18 Tip off, 5 Atlas, 6 Resist, 7 Checks, 11 Tender, 12 Quacks, 14 Frail, 15 Eagle, 16 Knot.

BOGGLED

ENGLISH-SPANISH

mine miaou main mane matt inept inapt iamb nipa nape napa natty nope cone coney cope cotta bane baton batt batty boat amine amino ambo atone atop pine piney pinata piano peon pain pane patty pone potty potto opine open otto apian auto tambour tabour tape tapa tone topi tope taut tout iota watt weir utopia utopian

Across: 1 Derecha, 5 Dolls, 8 Rozar, 9 Vacunar, 10 Donkeys, 11 Slice, 12 Speak, 14 Blusa, 19 Evoke, 21 Go to bed, 23 Aquatic, 24 Equal, 25 Setas, 26 Pescado. Down: 1 Dorado, 2 Razón, 3 Cerveza, 4 Advise, 5 Ducks, 6 Lentils, 7 Street, 13 Product, 15 Letters, 16 Petals, 17 Eggcup, 18 Adulto, 20 Éstos, 22 Bruja.

NONAGRAM

CRYPTIC

Across: 1 Dallas, 4 Campus, 9 Pumas, 10 Adoring, 11 Observed, 12 Toot, 14 Evades, 16 Pauses, 19 Comb, 20 Valencia, 23 Condone, 24 Teeth, 25 Afresh, 26 Editor. Down: 1 Deplore, 2 Lambs, 3 Asserted, 5 Avon, 6 Poisons, 7 Sight, 8 Taper, 13 Talented, 15 Almoner, 17 Smasher, 18 Wages, 19 Cocoa, 21 Chest, 22 Dogs.

CODE BREAKER

FUTOSHIKI

dale dare dart date deal dear deer dele dell derv deva drat lade lard lead read reed retd teed trad veld alder dater dealt delta delve deter eared elder evade ladle lated laved rated raved tared trade tread treed veldt advert dealer delver derate elated evader leader leaved alerted altered averted raveled related treadle valeted ravelled traveled TRAVELLED

HEXAGRAM

WORD LADDER

1 MATURE 2 MORTAR 3 PRESTO 4 FRIEND 5 MUSLIN 6 DETOUR 7 VISION 8 COLEUS 9 INGEST 10 VIOLIN 11 REASON 12 INTENT 13 CARTEL 14 SQUINT 15 SORTIE 16 USURER 17 STEREO 18 STUPOR 19 THEORY

CATS CARS CARD HARD HERD HERO

KAKURO

SUDOKU

39

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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 6 Fri 15 7 Sat 12 8 Sun 12 7 Mon 11 9 Tues - 13 9 Wed 15 9

Alicante TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 8 Fri 16 7 Sat 17 7 Sun 16 8 Mon 16 9 Tues - 19 8 Wed 19 7

Almeria TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 6 Fri 17 9 Sat 15 7 Sun 13 8 Mon 15 8 Tues - 16 9 Wed 17 8

Benidorm TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 9 Fri 19 9 Sat 18 9 Sun 17 8 Mon 19 8 Tues - 17 10 Wed 17 8 Mallorca TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 7 Fri 16 7 Sat 17 8 Sun 17 8 Mon 18 9 Tues 17 7 Wed 16 8

Bilbao TODAY: MAX 18, MIN 5 Fri 17 9 Sat 14 9 Sun 14 8 Mon 13 8 Tues 16 9 Wed 15 8 Madrid TODAY: MAX 13, MIN 8 Fri 16 8 Sat 15 7 Sun 14 7 Mon 16 8 Tues 17 9 Wed 17 10

TIME OUT

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

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

Barcelona TODAY: MAX 16, MIN 9 Fri 17 9 Sat 16 9 Sun 15 11 Mon 16 11 Tues 18 9 Wed 19 10

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

TARGET:

SCORING:

Average: 25 Good: 35 Very good: 50 Excellent: 64

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 Strange patterns found in the chapel (8) 4 Payment for travel and food (4) 8 Come round again about dog (5) 10 Drug present in diets or otherwise (7) 11 Prisoner opening religious community (7) 12 Appear to be trapped by perverse employer (4) 14 Stick a commercial at this place (6) 16 Quietly allude to and like better (6) 19 Determination shown by Greek leading Italian (4) 21 Field worker finding insect on vegetables (7) 24 Love to put a limit on speech (7) 25 Tends to disrupt races (5) 26 Instead it's in part of Chelsea (4) 27 Trek less confusing for flighty hunters (8) Down 1 Reversible jacket for defector (8) 2 Operator not getting on with sudden increase (5) 3 See Pat exchanging former currency (6) 5 Only an advance, say (5) 6 Little Edward's in a whirl (4) 7 Meals the queen found a problem (6) 9 Commander-in-chief goes to hospital: it's easy (5) 13 Demonstrations in support of experiments (8) 15 Keep damaged retina (6) 17 Natural ability held back by dictatorial fellow (5) 18 Cadge a light cake (6) 20 Spare change, one gathers (5) 22 One from Glasgow, perhaps, seen in racecourse (5) 23 Gave birth to a dull person (4)

TIME OUT

40

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SUDOKU

QUICK

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

Across

Down

1 First drawing (6)

1 Unaccompanied (4)

3 Travel through water (4)

2 Rubbed out or off (6)

7 Advance of money (4)

4/18 Eat hastily (4,4)

8 Screamed (6)

5 Up to date (6)

10 Answered (7)

6 Below (7)

13 At the middle (7)

9 Changed to suit (7)

16 Reference point to shoot at (6)

11 Tracked down (6)

17 Become dimmer (4)

12 Building for housing cars (6)

18 See 4 Down

14 Ship's company (4)

19 Rigorous, harsh (6)

15 In this place (4)

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

ITEM

QUIZ BACK GLOW

THE BELLS ARE QUIZZING 1. Abba-Esque EP was a 1992 UK number one hit single for which English synth-pop duo, consisting of Andy Bell and Vince Clarke? 2. Between 1966 and 1979, England international midfielder Colin Bell played for which football team 394 times, scoring 117 goals? 3. Currer Bell was the pseudonym of which English novelist and poet, who was born in Thornton near Bradford on April 21, 1816? 4. Derived from the Latin for ‘bell’, what name is given to the art or practice of bell-ringing? 5. First published in 1940, For Whom The Bell Tolls is a novel by Ernest Hemingway that tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a guerrilla unit during which conflict? 6. The Scottish-born scientist and engineer Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing and patenting the first practical telephone in which decade? 7. Tubular Bells, the debut studio album by Mike Oldfield, was released on May 25, 1973 as the first album on which, now famous, record label? 8. What is the name of the bell kept at Lloyd's in London and rung whenever there is an important announcement to be made to the underwriters. It had been salvaged from a ship that sank in 1799 with a large cargo of gold and bullion on board. 9. What is the principal reason to ring the division bell in parliament? 10. Where would you go to see the 216-ton Tsar Bell (also known as the Tsar Kolokol III)? Not a lot of people know that… the largest bell ever made was the Great Bell of Dhammazedi, which was forged in 1484 and weighed 330 tons. Unfortunately this bell was lost to the floods of the Burma River in 1608.

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

TARGET:

audreyquinton99@gmail.com

Average: 12 Good: 17 Very good: 25 Excellent: 32

Answers 1. ERASURE, 2. MANCHESTER CITY, 3. CHARLOTTE BRONTË, 4. CAMPANOLOGY, 5. SPANISH CIVIL WAR, 6. 1870s (1876), 7. VIRGIN RECORDS, 8. LUTINE BELL, 9. CALL MEMBERS TO A VOTE, 10. MOSCOW KREMLIN

HEALTH & BEAUTY Dealing with asthma NOWADAYS it almost appears as if the term asthma is used as a catch­all for any problem with breathing and to some extent it may be overused, especially when the problem is temporary

rather than permanent. It is one of the most common long­term lung diseases of chil­ dren, although it often becomes less difficult to cope with as they get older but adults can have asth­

ma, too. Asthma is best associated with wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing at night or early in the morning. Generally, doctors don’t know what causes asthma and there is no cure for it, but it can be man­ aged and kept well under control. Sometimes allergies can cause dif­ ficulty with breathing and if there is a regular problem where the classic symptoms are displayed then, especially with children, it is best to take medical advice. An asthma attack can happen when a person is exposed to what are known as ‘asthma triggers’ which will be different for differ­ ent people but it is important that you know your triggers such as cigarette smoke, air pollution and dust mites and try to avoid them. Asthma medicines come in two types, quick­relief and long­term control. Quick­relief medicines control the symptoms of an asth­ ma attack whilst long­term control medicines help you have fewer and milder attacks. Always take medical advice and living with asthma can be easily achieved.

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2020 The End MS BIPOLAR UP AND DOWN WITH BALANCE UNEDITED I’M back! So here is the thing, last week I had a wobble - not a big one but enough to make my head and thoughts feel all scrambled up! But I’ve gathered my thoughts, sat down and here I am writing my article. My Christmas tree and decorations are down. I’m done with all the celebrating - I am ready to take on 2021. A new year can be hard for some people, because it’s a time to think about what has happened to you over the course of the last year. Resolution - it’s such a big scary word - I don’t like it. I’m not a great believer in New Year Resolutions only because I don’t think I have ever stuck to them for more than two weeks. All that ‘I want to be healthy and not eat rubbish’ - knowing full well that I will eat a piece of cake in two weeks time when I’m crying my eyes out for some unknown reason. What’s the point! ? Bipolar Disorder is a beast of its own - and during the holidays it can be so much worse. There are such high expectations of happiness and joy. I’m just trying to make it through the day, hoping no one will realise I’m struggling and putting a damper on their

joy. However just because I don’t like the word, doesn’t mean I don’t like the meaning behind it - so I am going to set myself little goals - one of them being to acknowledge the little improvements. Instead of beating myself up that I didn’t do something right or if I didn’t do anything at all, I need to recognise my efforts and the fact that good intentions were there. As long as I am trying to better myself even in the smallest way possible, I know I will be taking baby steps in the right direction. Going into the new year I plan to stop judging myself so harshly. I think this is going to be the hardest one for me. I am going to try to start off small, but by the end of next year I want to change my mindset that if I make a mistake, it isn’t going to be the end of the world. It doesn’t matter what you end up choosing as your New Year’s resolution, as long as you find something you want to work towards. It can be a small goal you wish to accomplish relatively soon or a large goal you plan to work on for a long period of time. This new year doesn’t necessarily mean a new you, it just means you plan on bettering yourself in any way you can. Write to me and tell me yours - email me or follow me on Facebook @Mswillowbipolar. Love Ms Bipolar X

msbipolar@euroweeklynews.com

PETS

44

www.euroweeklynews.com • 7 - 13 Jan 2021

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Looking forward to a brighter new year WHAT a challenging year for all of us! We’d like to take a moment on behalf of us all at HouseSitMatch to wish you the very best of health and good fortune in 2021. Let’s all look forward to a brighter new year for all. And in the meantime, if you are planning a trip for later in the new year consider your plans… Take a moment to plan ahead for pet and house­sit­ ters if you have trips planned next year, to see family and friends or just to get away. Now is the time to get ready. We will help you as much as we can. Our philosophy is that we are all in this together. These are the steps to take: 1. Register as a Homeowner on HouseSitMatch.com 2. Choose a Premium ac­ count (£89 per year) to ensure you can help online when needed

PLAN AHEAD: Some dogs love their regular walks. 3. Create a profile with pho­ tos of your pet and the house 4. Post a house­sit advert stating your plans for next year’s holiday Covid permitting Do you need a pet­sitter in 2021? Then get started right now. How does it work? HouseSitMatch can help you

find suitable sitters. Join our network for a small annual fee. You get ID checked for safety and then build your advert saying when you are going on holiday. House­sitters see your advert, they respond and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets. Trustpilot Testimonials ­

4.8 / 5 Excellent rating (New Trustpilot rating scale) Here’s what members have said about us ­ HouseSitMatch found us a perfect house­sitter… HouseSitMatch found us a perfect house­sitter while we were away in Canada and we were delighted with the care and attention that HouseSit Match took in helping us find the right person. Ros Morris ­ Dog owner How do you join? Please register online via our website www.Housesit match.com ­ Choose a membership plan ­ Please note prices go up soon so sign up now on sub­ scription to secure these prices: • Standard (DIY option) = £69 pa • Premium (with support at each step) = £89 pa

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Cats are just as smart A NEW study at a Japanese university is once again backing up the age­old cat lovers’ theory that felines are just as clever as dogs. Forty­nine domestic cats were used for the study at Kyoto University, which tested their ability to re­ member which food bowl they had eaten out of after 15­minute intervals. The cats, reported psy­ chologist Saho Takagi, ap­ peared to remember exact­ ly which bowls should still contain food, suggesting they had what is referred to as episodic memory. “Cats may be as intelli­ gent as dogs, as opposed to the common view of people that dogs are much smarter. Also, an interest­ ing speculation is that they may enjoy actively recalling memories of their experi­ ences just like humans,” the scientist said.

CLASSIFIEDS AIR CONDITIONING

BUILDERS ALMERIA BUILDERS: Fully Legal, Fully Insured, All Work Guaranteed. 659 685 133 www.almeria builders.com (253556)

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

BUILDERS

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/c ounties/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

46

at The Heathers La Alfoquia, for further details please email zurgenar blsecretary@yahoo.co.uk (253989)

DAMP PROOFING

7 - 13 January 2021 • www.euroweeklynews.com SPONSORED BY

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

PLUMBING

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PLUMBERS KNOWLES PLUMBING No 1 for all plumbing jobs big or small. Central heating, solar hot water and water deposits. Tel: 606 807 797 or 684 143 560 (283894)

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MOTORING

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

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PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

47

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Audi A3 S-Line saloon GERMAN cars have been loved by us Brits for many years and we are one of the best markets for all German car makers. What is it we like about German cars? Well in many respects their character plays a part. They are seen as effi­ cient, the interior layout is always sensible and ordered, they tend to look discreet and are very well bolted together in most respects. They’re a clever lot the Ger­ mans in that they have halo cars such as VW’s R models and Audi’s S models. However, look at most of the lower ranks of their ranges and they still manage to make them look rather more than they actually are in terms of upmarket looks and style. Audi has many good examples of this and one is their A3 saloon. Saloons always seem classier de­ spite the fact that hatchbacks are more practical, and my test exam­ ple was no exception. The range starts at €28,064 (£25,255) and there are four trim levels, two petrol and two diesel engines, plus a choice of manual or automatic gears. My S­Line with 150PS petrol power and automatic gears

looked suitably expensive, which at €34,467 (£31,010) with some options isn’t actually the case by today’s standards. The €2,489 (£2,240) worth of options includ­ ed metallic paintwork, only solid black or white are offered at no cost, superb Matrix LED lights and a flat bottom steering wheel. On the road its four­cylinder, 1.5­litre engine is delightfully smooth and the automatic gears are an object lesson in how to do dual­clutch gearboxes. Passing the benchmark 62mph in a whisker under 8.5 seconds proves even the more mundane Audis are ca­ pable of rapid movement. S­Line models were once pos­ sessed of suspension that was on the firm side of firm, but my test model offered a nice line between comfort and handling. The usual smart interior offers an essentially digital dash instead of buttons, sadly, but it works bet­ ter than in some VAG models. Be­ ing a conventional three­box­sa­ loon, rather than a lowered rear roofline, means headroom isn’t sacrificed at the expense of neck contortions to enter and exit the rear seats.

It’s a very tempting package that offers the looks of a more sporting, more expensive A3, very decent levels of equipment and a level of build quality and finish that is hard to beat. Choose one in red and it looks a million dollars!

MOTORING

SPORT

48

7 - 13 January 2021

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Maddison Strikes Again Chelsea beaten at home COVID­DEPLETED Man City beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as they ran Chelsea ragged in the first half.

Back On Top

GOAL: Leicester City won 2-1.

JAMES MADDISON scored again to help Leicester City move up to third in the table following a 2­1 win over Newcastle at St James Park on Sunday, January 3. City bounced back after drawing their last two Premier League games and James Mad­ dison continued his scoring run for the Foxes, opening the scor­ ing on 55 minutes with a great

first­time effort. Youri Tielemans doubled their lead with a powerful long­range strike on 72 minutes and hung on despite Andy Carroll netting late on for The Magpies ­ his first goal since his return to the club ­ as they registered a seventh away Premier League win this season. The result sends Leicester

third in the table above Totten­ ham, a point behind joint leaders Liverpool and Manchester Unit­ ed, as they now move their at­ tention to the FA Cup as they travel to Stoke City next week­ end. Newcastle remain in 15th and next visit Arsenal in the FA Cup hoping to upset in the in­form Gunners.

LUIS SUAREZ scored a late winner to secure a 2­1 win over Alaves and fire Atletico Madrid back to the top of the La Liga table. Uruguayan Luis Suárez popped up in the 90th minute to spare the blushes of Felipe Au­ gusto who scored a late own goal against 10­ man Deportivo Alavés. Marcos Llorente put the visitors ahead after 41 minutes with his latest long­range effort and they looked good for the win when Victor La­ guardia’s 63rd­minute red card seemed to put an end to any comeback from the home side. However, an outrageous own goal from Fe­ lipe on 84 minutes meant an unlikely draw was on the cards until superstar striker Suarez scored a record­breaking goal ­ setting the record for the best start at the club in the 21st century. Atletico Madrid restored their two­point ad­ vantage at the top of the league ­ over Real Madrid who beat Celta Vigo on Saturday (Janu­ ary 2) ­ after a fourth consecutive league win. The defeat leaves Alves in 13th place with 18 points.

A Manchester City team seriously de­ pleted due to the coronavirus outbreak at the club, finished a miserable Chelsea team off at Stamford Bridge within the first 45 minutes, with a dominant display of attacking football, and scoring three goals without reply. Goalkeeper Ederson was a notable ab­ sence, with his American, reserve team stand­in, Zack Steffen, having a shaky start to his first Premiership match, when he was penalised for picking up a back­ pass after only a few minutes. German midfield general Ilkay Gundo­ gan opened the scoring with his strike in­ to the bottom of the net, and just three minutes later, 20­year­old Phil Foden dou­ bled the score, with Kevin DeBruyne fin­ ishing off a Raheem Sterling effort, to send City in 0­3 at the break. The second­half was plain sailing for Pep Guardiola’s team, although Callum Hudson­Odoi managed to slide a goal in at the back post on 90 minutes, but City ran out easy winners, and find themselves in fifth spot, four points off the top of the league. Another home defeat for Frank Lampard builds the pressure on him, and it remains to be seen if he will become another man­ agerial casualty this season.