Euro Weekly News - Costa Blanca North 4 - 10 February 2021 Issue 1857

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The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1857

4 - 10 February 2021

COSTA BLANCA NORTH • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

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BENIDORM GOES DUTCH

BENIDORM is to star in a ‘Made in Holland’ documentary. The resort, its beaches and scenery have been the backdrop for two recent Spanish-produced films and are a favourite location for national and international advertising videos. But this time Benidorm is to be seen from another angle in the Netherlands thanks to the ‘Doe maar duurzaam’ (Make it sustainable) documentary, one of three that the RTL Z television channel is filming for the Spanish Tourism Office in The Hague. An RTL Z crew recently visited Benidorm to interview Leire Bilbao, manager of the Visit Benidorm Foundation, who

LEIRE BILBAO: The manager of the Visit Benidorm foundation outlines the resort’s Smart Tourism Destination initiatives.

outlined the municipality’s work in making it a sustainable and environmentally friendly smart tourism destination (DTI). The television channel’s presenters were particularly keen to know more about Benidorm’s multiple plans to make it both safe and sustainable, as set out in the town hall’s ‘New Travel, New Safe’ campaign.

Included in the town hall’s DTI+Segura campaign, this is viewed outside Spain as ‘an inspiring success story.’ The documentary also focuses on how Benidorm has managed to reduce pollution while using water and energy responsibly to make the resort an attractive holiday destination for a public increasingly concerned about the environment.

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Taking the right course FINESTRAT’S Youth Centre is closed but this has not interrupt‐ ed the courses held in the Old Town and La Cala. Spanish, English and Revision classes are now given on Zoom, announced Education councillor Maria Dolores Viudes. “Our annual courses are ex‐ traordinarily popular and they

play an important role in educa‐ tion and training for many peo‐ ple,” she said. The Revision class‐ es were especially important, Viudes added, as pupils lost so much in‐person schooling during last year’s lockdown. “We couldn’t just sit with our arms crossed and it was the right decision,” Viudes declared.

NEWS

Club Nautico

Last resting temporarily becalmed place

OWING to the regional govern‐ ment’s latest anti‐Covid restric‐ tions, Altea’s Club Nauticco has had to close its restaurant and sailing school. A statement from the yacht club explained that throughout lockdown and afterwards it has had to adapt to the Generalitat’s recommendations and mea‐ sures which have limited the ac‐ tivities of its different depart‐

ments. As this created an unten‐ able economic situation for the club, which is non‐profitmaking, it was necessary to furlough staff with ERTE temporary redundan‐ cies last March. With the latest measures that came into force on January 21, banning all sports activities or‐ ganised by clubs and sports cen‐ tres, Altea’s yacht club has once again had to furlough staff, af‐

fecting office personnel and the Bon Vent restaurant. Despite the restrictions, the club’s port services and dry docks are still 100 per cent oper‐ ative. “This is a positive factor that helps to support the club’s finances at a time like this, espe‐ cially as it is during the winter months when boats are re‐ paired and overhauled,” Club sources said.

Village asks for jabs MAYOR of Confrides, Ruben Pico, asked the Gen‐ eralitat’s Health department to vaccinate all resi‐ dents against Covid‐19. The small mountain town, which has a registered population of 187, is one of the few Alicante Province municipalities that has been free of the coronavirus since the onset of the pandemic last year. Pico has written to the regional Health depart‐ ment pointing out that 40 per cent of Confrides’ residents are over 65 while two are more than 90.

“An outbreak here could turn into a real depopu‐ lation problem owing to residents’ ages,” the mayor told the provincial Spanish newspaper, Informacion. “Once they have vaccinated those from the care homes, they should bear in mind the over‐65s in small municipalities where infections would be a se‐ rious problem,” Pico said. “We have asked for all residents to be vaccinated but if not, then they should vaccinate the elderly and those considered at risk. Prevention is better than cure,” he added.

CAMPELLO is to have a mu‐ nicipal pet cemetery. As well as providing a ser‐ vice appreciated by pet‐ owners, this designated space would also solve the problem of burying animals in unauthorised zones, point‐ ed out Merce Pairo, the councillor behind the pro‐ posal. “Interring our pets in a garden‐cemetery allows us to visit them and provide us with a way of showing our affection while offering them the place they deserve,” Pairo said. The councillor who belongs to the Ciu‐ dadanos party and is the town hall’s Social Welfare councillor, had the backing of her own party, REDcv and the PSPV socialists. The Partido Popular and VOX voted against the mo‐ tion.

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NIBS EXTRA More time THE regional government extended its Bonoviaje vouchers project for subsided holidays inside the Valencian Community after travel restrictions affected tourism inside and outside the region. With €12 million of Generalit cash still unused, the scheme will not end on March 24 but continue until May 31.

La-La land VALL DE GALLINERA has changed its name although the difference could take a second or two to sink it. From now on it is officially called La Vall de Gallinera now that the Academy of the Valencian Language has approved the addition of the definite article.

Parking ruse A HELPFUL 45-year-old Benitachell man who assisted drivers looking for parking spaces there and in Javea was arrested and charged with robbing vehicles. According to Guardia Civil investigators he frequently led motorists to secluded spots, later breaking into their parked cars and taking valuables that allegedly totalled €30,000.

Tower power CAMPELLO councillors from four parties approved a motion to prevent the collapse of the 16th century Barranc d’Agues defence tower. The proposal was not backed by Campello’s mayor, who said that the town hall had been working on the project but the €300,000 rehabilitation “was not a priority.”

Safe route REMODELLING access to Ondara’s western area has concluded and includes a safe pedestrian and cycling route between the Polideportivo Municipal sports complex and the Prado. Work began last September, with the Diputacion provincial council paying €337,000 of the €450,000 cost and the remainder provided by the town hall.

Gale warning MORE details emerged of an international firm’s plans for wind turbines in the Marina Alta. As well as Malla Verda, more are allegedly planned for Bernia, Seguili and Sierra de SeldetesCastellar affecting Gata, Teulada, Denia, Pedreguer, Alcalali, Orba, Benidoleign, Senija and Lliber, according to the local Spanish media.

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Weekend isolation goes on B E N I D O R M’S boundaries are now closed each weekend until February 15 and possibly longer. Acting on the Generalitat’s recently-introduced extra measures to halt the spread of the coronavirus, the Local Police and National Police now mount controls at the municipality’s principal access roads. This regulation applies not only to Benidorm, but all other Valencian Community towns and cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, affecting Alicante City, Elche, Torrevieja, Orihuela, San Vicente, Alcoy and Elda-Petrer in Alicante Province.

WEEKEND WATCH: Benidorm mayor Toni Perez confirms the weekend perimeter closures. From 3pm each Friday until 6am the following Sunday, only vehicles with valid reasons may enter or leave Benidorm via Avenida de Vil-

lajoyosa, Juan Pablo II, Beniarda, Comunidad Europea or Comunidad Valenciana. Police will also be keeping a watch on much-used sec-

ondary roads including the C V-735, while others have been closed off with concrete blocks. “Benidorm is always loyal to the decisions taken by higher administrations, aware that these are based on the necessary information and the agreement of the health authorities and experts,” said local mayor Toni Perez. He also called on “prudence and collaboration and above all responsibility” from the local population. “We must all contribute to stopping this,” Perez said, referring to the virus. “Together we can overcome it.”

Understanding your pet MARIANNE DANHIEUX is a Costa Blanca‐ based holistic veterinarian whose three new books are now available in English. Give your animal a flower, Understand‐ ing and helping your dog in a holistic way and The Eastern element of your animal are self‐published and more information about them can be obtained by emailing

Takeaways made easier WITH all bars and restaurants closed, Teulada‐Moraira Town Hall is supplying them with containers for takeaways. This will help owners cut down on overheads at a time when takings have plummet‐ ed, said Tourism councillor Adrian Ruiz. His department has also compiled a list of establish‐ ments providing a takeaway service, he said. Both the Tourism and Com‐ merce departments are cur‐ rently working on further ways of assisting the sectors hit hardest by the stringent new measures introduced as the number of Covid cases has shot up in the Valencian Com‐ munity. Bars and restaurants wish‐ ing to be included in Teulada‐ Moraira’s takeaway list should submit the establishment’s name and address, together with contact details to turis mo@teuladamoraira.org or ring 965 745 168 or 618 720 614 (WhatsApp).

Ms Danhieux at zanzibar7711@outlook. com or sending a WhatsApp to 636 561 919. Writing for other vets and universities but also pet owners, she gives an insight in‐ to understanding pets and helping them in a natural way with herbs, pet‐wellness, homeopathy and natural therapies.

Ms Danhieux’s training completed, she specialised in veterinary medicine, giving symposiums and lectures at universities all over the world. She now lives in La Marina (Elche) and works as an animal communicator, giving and sharing her advice and knowledge with animal hospitals and centres.

No charge for culture

Give an opinion

ADMISSION to Villajoyosa’s Vilamuseu and other munici‐ pal museums will be free until September 30. Historic Heritage councillor, Xente Sebastia, explained that the Local Government Board had decided that provid‐ ing easier access to the local museums would help coun‐ teract the damage the health crisis had inflicted on culture. “The gulf between people and culture is more evident than ever,” Sebastia said. The Vilamuseu team continued to adapt to the new health and safety regulations while continuing to intro‐ duce the public to history and La Vila’s past, he an‐ nounced. At present, only individuals or those from the same fam‐ ily may visit Vilamuseu and the town’s other museums. “Conducted tours for groups will recommence when the pandemic allows,” the councillor added.

CALPE Town Hall Citizens’ Participation is organising an online survey to gauge resi‐ dents’ views on the municipality’s princi‐ pal services. “This information will help us to anal‐ yse the present situation, make a diagno‐ sis and come up with proposals to im‐ prove services,” the town hall said. The local government also intends to increase transparency and accountability towards the public, learning more about what residents want. The municipality’s social media pages will be giving more in‐ formation about answering the survey online and taking part in this process.

Town hall reshuffle DENIA’S mayor Vicent Grimalt has reorganised town hall departments following Cristina Morera’s resigna‐ tion. Morera recently left under a cloud after admitting that she had failed to reveal jumping the Covid‐19 vac‐ cination queue until the story was leaked in the Span‐ ish media. The councillor was deputy mayor and headed the Equality and Inclusive Policies departments which also covered Social Welfare, Health and Housing. Melani Ivars takes over at Equality and Inclusive Policies and now joins the Local Government Board. She will also be responsible for Youth, Transparency and Education.

Get connected THANKS to an EU subsidy, Altea is in‐ stalling Wi‐Fi antennas in strategic parts of the town. These will provide a free internet con‐ nection at the town hall and Plaza Jose Maria Planelles including the Garganes Tram halt and the Casa de Cultura as far as the taxi rank and Plaza del Mestre de la Musica. There will also be coverage at the Ciudad Deportiva sports complex and the La Roda and l’Espigo beaches. “The system complies with the highest safety standards and is twice as fast as that required by the EU,” said New Tech‐ nologies councillor Pere Barber.

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Help Desk can help JAVEA Town Hall remind‐ ed British residents that the Help Desk was there to help clear up their Brexit doubts. This free municipal ser‐ vice is in permanent con‐ tact with the Consulate to keep up‐to‐date with information that could affect residents’ rights, explained Residents councillor Kika Mata. The Help Desk is locat‐ ed in the Oficina de Aten‐ cion al Ciudadano in Avinguda del Trenc d’Al‐ ba and it is necessary to make an appointment by ringing 965 790 500 (ext 3609) or email help@ajx abia.org address. Mata stressed the im‐ portance of being regis‐ tered on the municipal Padron and said more in‐ formation was available on Javea Town Hall’s website as well as the https://www.gov.uk/tra nsition link.

Help with overheads ALFAZ will receive €1.277 million from the regional government’s Plan Resis‐ tir destined for the sec‐ tors most affected by the Covid‐19 pandemic. The grants benefit all types of tourism activi‐ ties, the hospitality trade and the leisure industry as well as the entertain‐ ment and sports profes‐ sions. There will be direct aid of €2,000 for each self‐ employed person or busi‐ ness with fewer than 10 employees, with an extra €200 for every additional employee. The grants, which are intended to help cover day‐to‐day expenses, will be handled by the town hall. The Generalitat has contributed €100 million to the €160 million fund, with another €36 million from the region’s three provincial councils and €24 million from the town halls themselves.

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New Gambling Programme DENIA has launched a new programme to battle gambling addiction. Javier Milla Díaz, the psychologist responsible for the Addiction Treatment Support Centre in Denia, has announced a new intense and specialised intervention programme aimed at helping those with gambling addictions under the slogan: ‘Your life is not a game.’ The programme has been launched thanks to the help of personal income tax from the Generalitat Valenciana, 0.7 per cent of which is allocated to social funds. Thanks to help from AEPA Foundation’s new initiative this is free for residents and is aimed at people of legal age, with an addiction to gambling (slots, sports betting, lotteries, poker, roulette, casinos) and a ‘desire to get help.’ Another initiative will provide counselling to the families affected by this problem. The goal of the programme is to achieve abstinence in gamblers and help them regain their lives. To access the programme, email to deniacd@fundacion-aepa.org.

NEWS

Woman arrested endangering life A WOMAN was arrested in Benidorm, after cutting the safe‐ ty rope of a man carrying out rope access work on the 13th floor of an apartment building, al‐ legedly because she did not agree with the repairs, approved by the residents’ association. According to police, witnesses saw a person was handling the main rope from a 20th storey window, and realised that the secondary safety rope had al‐ ready been cut. The worker grabbed onto a ledge so he wouldn’t fall. Workers alerted the police who confirmed that the rope had

Safety rope had been cut.

been cut with a knife and went to the apartment where the wom‐ an had been seen. Although the woman denied having cut the rope, witnesses confirmed the allegations, and the woman, who may have psy‐ chiatric problems, was arrested and was later released with charges.

Connecting Madrid, Elche & Orihuela PRESIDENT, Pedro Sánchez, attended the inauguration of Spain’s new high‐ speed train line along with the Presi‐ dent of the Generalitat Valenciana, Xi‐ mo Puig. The new AVE service will offer a di‐ rect connection between Madrid and Orihuela in two hours and 22 minutes, and tickets will cost €71.10 per trip in

economy class. The train has 316 seats, 12 disability accessible cars and a maxi‐ mum speed of 300 kilometres per hour. Puig described the arrival of the AVE as, “the symbol of the cohesion that our territory needs. This new section opens the door to improving com‐ muter services between Alicante, Vil‐

lena, Elx and Orihuela. We hope that these cities will soon be two stops on the Mediterranean Corridor.” Initially two daily services will run in each direction between Madrid Puerta de Atocha, and the Elche Alta Velocity and Orihuela Miguel Hernández sta‐ tions, to be gradually expanded when conditions due to coronavirus allow.

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Mercadona ditches plastic MERCADONA has announced the with‐ drawal of plastic bags both in physical stores and home service. New style com‐ postable bags made using potato starch will be available for all purchases, and need to be disposed of in the organic matter con‐ tainer, as indicated in the pictogram includ‐ ed on the bags. This action represents a reduction of 3,200

Last to be Vaccinated VALENCIAN Health Minis‐ ter, Ana Barceló, confirmed that she has not been vacci‐ nated against Covid‐19 and in fact stated that she will be the last to do so: “Like the one who says, the cap‐ tain must always be the last one to leave the ship, therefore I will be the last one to be vaccinated.” Barceló, in an interview in the Open Debate of the 8 Mediterrani, asked about the irregularities de‐ tected in the order of ad‐ ministration of SARS‐CoV‐ 2 vaccines, and stressed that “all the autonomous communities must be vac‐ cinated by the order in which it has been estab‐ lished in the Strategy of the Ministry.” She warned that the sit‐ uation in the Valencian ter‐ ritory is “high risk,” stating that it is “the responsibility of residents to comply with all the measures that have been established.”

tonnes of plastic per year. Mercadona’s 6.25 Strategy goal for 2025, aims to reduce the use of plastic by 25 per cent, make all pack‐ aging recyclable and recycle all plastic waste generated in its facilities, representing a €140 million investment over the four years. In four months, Mercadona has adapted 72 stores to the 6.25 Store model, which will be extended to the entire chain in 2021.

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THE Council of Ministers planned to approve a decree on February 2 to al‐ low health workers infected by coron‐ avirus to access the same benefits available in case of occupational dis‐ ease, according to reports from SER. In September last year, the govern‐ ment equated the contagion of the virus to an accident at work and now, after the unanimous request of Congress, agrees that it should be con‐

New National Police website THE force’s Director General, Francisco Pardo, unveiled the new web‐ site which will be fully accessible for people with hearing or visual dis‐ abilities. The aim is to simplify procedures for users the page which is used by nine million people each year for procedures such as access to the electronic DNI or requests for prior appointments. “Starting today we open a new window to society that shows the essence of the National Police, that shows what we are,” said Pardo at the launch. The new “more visual and attractive” portal has been created by police officers and “has not been entrusted to an external company,” explained Director of the National Police, Fernando Grande‐Marlaska. “It is the result of intense work carried out during the last year. The objectives are to continue the process of digital transformation and to have an agile, direct and close relationship with citizens, to provide a more accessible service to the elderly and people with disabilities and, finally, to simplify procedures.”

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Health Worker Rules sidered as an occupational disease. According to reports, Congress agree that the consequences of Covid infections among professionals work‐ ing in the health and social health sec‐ tor are becoming more and more evi‐ dent, leaving the current regulation insufficient.

To date, there are more than 118,000 cases of positive profession‐ als; a large majority infected in health and social health centres. The planned change will come as good news for workers and unions ‐ who have been fighting hard for these regulations changes.

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Extortion gang arrested THE National Police have brought down a gang accused of extorting half a million Euros from victims, and arrested seven people on charges of extortion, money laundering and organised crime. According to reports, the group posed as a company bringing criminal proceedings in Russia and claimed to be acting as intermediaries for Russian authorities, before claiming prosecutions would be dropped if victims paid a large sum of money. The group allegedly showed falsified police reports addressed to a Spanish judge, claiming their target was

GANG CAUGHT: Raids carried out on several homes. being investigated. A member of the gang was said to have travelled from Russia to Madrid to secretly meet with people close to the victims to give them instructions on how to make the €500,000 payment. Police lay in wait at one such meeting, arresting a suspect

THE president of the Junta de Andalucia has demanded that the VAT rate on FFP2 masks be significantly reduced if their use is to be promoted in favour of cloth and home‐ made face shields. Speaking on January 27, he insisted that if the use of these masks is to be made mandatory, the Central Govern‐ ment must first reduce their cost. “That the use of these masks is mandato‐ ry, we will study it. But first we ask the gov‐ ernment to make an effort to make them

who had just collected €20,000 in cash from one victim. After investigating further, police carried out raids on homes in Marbella, Estepona, Mijas, and Madrid, confiscating more than 30 mobile phones, €45,000 in cash, four luxury vehicles, jewellery, watches and designer handbags.

Mask VAT Rate more affordable to the population,” he said. Austria became one of the first countries in Europe to trade‐in their cloth masks for the medical‐grade masks, and it looks as though many others will soon follow suit. Austria consequently reduced their price from €5 to just 59 cents.

Alicante School Closes THE province of Alicante has seen a recent surge in coronavirus cases, but so far educational facilities have been remarkably re‐ silient against Covid. However, that sadly changed on February 1 as it was announced that the Gargasindi public school, a special education school in Calpe has been forced to close due to an outbreak. It is the first in Alicante to close its classrooms due to the ‘uncon‐ trolled transmission’ of coronavirus. According to news outlets, in‐ fections were detected in nine out of the 13 classrooms; students attending this school all have disabilities and are exempt from face masks. A Public Health spokesperson reported that PCR tests have been carried out on the students and, given the high volume of infec‐ tions, the school will remain closed until further notice.

Nudist Nabbed ALEJANDRO COLOMAR, a 27‐year‐old IT consultant, was col‐ lared by the police of Aldaia in Valencia for the fourth time, for strolling around the town in the buff. Unfazed, Mr Colomar insists that what he is doing is not illegal “I have always liked to go naked. I am a nudist and there is noth‐ ing wrong with it. It is not even illegal. I don’t hurt anyone.” Police took his details again on February 1 in case a parent of a child complained, but there is little else they can do as technically, Mr Colomar is perfectly entitled to walk the streets naked. “My family knows it and is fine with it, my friends do too and I just want to claim the pleasure of going naked when it’s sunny, with‐ out hurting anyone.” The proud nudist previously had a case against him dismissed by a judge in Torrent, and carries the legal file in a bum bag every‐ where he goes in case he is stopped by authorities.

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Anti-Covid Nasal Spray RESEARCHERS from the Catholic University of Va‐ lencia (UCV) revealed at a committee of experts meeting that they are very close to developing a nasal spray and biodegradable face mask that are capable of killing the coronavirus ‘in less than a minute.’ The revolutionary re‐ search is being backed by scientists in Norway and Japan, and the developers have already been ap‐ proached by US investors. Lead researcher Angel Serrano, said that they have developed unique fil‐ ters for masks “capable of inactivating the SARS‐CoV‐ 2 and multi‐resistant bacte‐ ria in less than a minute,” which are environmentally‐ friendly because they are biodegradable. The team are currently developing a range of an‐ ti‐Covid nasal sprays that are so far proving incredi‐ bly effective against the virus.

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MUM Sees her child for the first time TINY baby Hassan was finally able to meet his mum, some three weeks af‐ ter he was born in Barcelona as the intensive care team carefully took his mother out of the hospital, complete with a hospital bed in order to meet him. Shamaila had been in the ICU un‐

Asteroid Streaks Through Spanish Skies A BLAZING asteroid en‐ tered the earth’s atmo‐ sphere at a speed of about 83,000 kilometres per hour snf flew over the sky of the Andalucian province of Granada on Friday 29 January. The incredible sight was seen from the south to the centre of the country due to its high luminosity. The asteroid began over the north of the province of Granada at an altitude of about 98 km, flying above the town of Benamaurel, and ended at a height of around 34 km. The event was recorded in the framework of the SMART project from five meteor‐observing stations in Andalucia. José María Madiedo, of the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalu‐ cia, of the Higher Council for Scientific research tweeted the exciting news to thousands of anxious star watchers.

der sedation and intubated, all due to Covid‐19. After arriving at the hospital on January 4, heavily preg‐ nant, she quickly became so sick that doctors performed a caesarean sec‐ tion to ensure the baby’s safety and allow her to receive lifesaving treat‐ ment.

The hospital’s intensive care team has a humanisation technique that al‐ lows them to take patients outside the hospital to help improve the patient’s mood and emotional well‐being. Mum Shamaila received a round of applause as she was able to meet her newborn son for the very first time.

National park plans THE Council of Ministers has approved the first step to declare the Sierra de las Nieves area in Malaga a National Park. After months of waiting, the bill was approved and the final step of the process, which has been going on for five years, is expected within a few weeks. If the Sierra de las Nieves, which currently has Natural Park status, is declared a National Park, it will be the 16th in Spain, and will focus its branding on its main species, the unique and endangered Spanish fir. The rocks, as well as the plants and animals in the area are also very rare. National Park status allows the maximum level of protec‐ tion for nature. Local towns Monda, Ojen, El Burgo, Ronda, Istan, Yunquera and Tolox, which would benefit from the National Park status, hope it will be a financial boost and encourage population growth.

Thrifty boom THE second‐hand market is ‘booming’ in the pandemic as con‐ sumer habits change and shoppers get thrifty. With 60 per cent of people in Spain admitting they favour buy‐ ing used goods, it is estimated that growth in the sector will be around 20 per cent per year in the next five years. Thredup, an American second‐hand clothes giant, predicts that by 2029 our wardrobes will be 19 per cent made up of second‐ hand clothing, compared to the current 3 per cent. The used clothing business will exceed €52,600 billion by 2024 with an expected €24,000 billion in the sale of second‐hand furni‐ ture. Star ‘Segundo mano’ products of 2020 were clearly linked to the pandemic; second‐hand computer monitors, office chairs and desks, exercise bikes and consoles seeing a 23 per cent rise. An‐ tique sales dropped by 80 per cent for the same period according to Martín Spasov, owner of El Ofertón.

WELCOME: Mum meets her baby for the first time outside.

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UK Covid spike in Vega Baja IN a worrying turn of events, vice president of the Counsel, Mónica Oltra, has confirmed that the Vega Baja area registered the most cases of the UK Covid variant in all of Valencia. The Minister for Equality and Inclusive Policy pointed out that the main cluster of UK variants occurred in the south of the Community, “especially

in the Vega Baja where most of the municipalities with English population are.” The Minister echoed the sentiment of the president of the Valencian Government, Ximo Puig, by calling on people to avoid social contact as much as possible. “It is the only certainty that we really know that it works,” she concluded.

Happy 100th THE President of the Aircrew Association Costa Blanca, Henry Horth, reached his 100th Birthday on January 26. Having received a congratulatory card from Her Majesty The Queen, Henry also had birthday cards and a Certificate of Achievement from the Association and other friends delivered by the Aircrew Association Chairman, Max Maxwell. Henry served in the RAF for 34 years until 1976 as both a Flying Instructor and fighter pilot. Henry flew aircraft including: Tiger Moth, Harvard, Spitfire, Chipmunk, Oxford, Tempest, Fury, Mosquito, Hornet, Meteor, Vampire, Hunter, F86 Sabre,

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Infected Nurse Bullied A N U R S E at Alicante Hospital has expressed her disappointment and upset after neighbours plastered her urbanisation with posters when she tested positive for coronavirus. Within a couple of days, notices appeared advising people of their responsibility to notify their neighbours if they tested positive. “I don’'t have to tell anyone that I’m positive,” the nurse insisted to news outlet Informacion. “I have been in isolation since I found out, but they are not supportive at all. I do not understand, if it were that I skipped the con-

finement, but I have not left for 10 days.” The posters read: “We hope that you comply with demand and responsibility with the protocol that exists for these cases, with the measures to be used in order to help your neighbours. “Nobody likes to see these notes but the virus does not treat the elderly at all well and we must ensure that it is as far away as possible from our community.” “We get infected by caring for those who suffer from this infernal coronavirus and they put up these little signs,” she added.

Fraudulent Family Ties HENRY HORTH: Celebrating 100 years. Heron, Beaver, Otter and a Hughes Helicopter. He received the AFC and an MBE for outstanding and valuable service. Henry moved to live in Javea in 1984 with wife Anne who sad-

ly died in 1998. He has five children, 11 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren! EWN join theAssociation and Henry’s many friends in wishing him a happy 100th Birthday!

AN unwell man, hospitalised in Jativa in Valencia while suffering from coronavirus, was scammed out of €27,300 by his own family. The National Police began investigating the fraud which they believe began in mid-October 2020, and have arrested two men, aged 35 and 43, both relatives of the victim. Ac-

cording to officials, when the victim was transferred to hospital, one of the thieves got the key for his apartment and stole four AT M cards that were in the house. The men used the cards to withdraw a total of €5,500 across 10 different AT M transactions and make two money transfers to their own

account, totalling €15,800. Not content with this, the fraudsters also applied for a bank loan in the victim’s name to the value of €21,000, which was luckily rejected by his financial institution. Both men, with previous criminal histories,were charged with fraud and theft.

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Spanish Medieval castles in Top 15 MEDIEVAL castles are impressive, and an im‐ portant tourist attraction. Visitors can learn about their history, as well as now being able to relive scenes from some popular films and TV series. Castle remains, which in their day, between the 10th and 14th centuries, served defensive purposes can be seen in many places. National Geographic has compiled a list of its 15 favourites, of which two chosen are in in Spain. One is Loarre in Huesca, completed in the 12th century, set on a rock and surrounded by towers; and the second is Alcazar in Segovia, al‐ so dating from the 12th century and is one of the most visited in the world and is a Unesco World Heritage site.

ALCAZAR: One of the most visited castles in the world.

NEWS

Quick Burials THE Ministry of Health has speeded up burials and cre‐ mations of those who have died from Covid in the Valen‐ cian Community. The Ministry of Health of the Valencian Community has published a decree in the Of‐ ficial Gazette on Thursday, January 28, that recommends all people who have died from coronavirus be buried or cremated ‘as soon as possi‐ ble.’ The measure indicates that, having passed away, a body should not remain in

the facility where the person died, but should be removed immediately to a funeral home and interred as soon as the official death certificate is available. According to the Ministry, the death of someone from coronavirus ‘for obvious health reasons, makes their immediate burial or incinera‐ tion recommended and that they do not accumulate in the warehouse of the hospital or health institution where they were treated.’

Boeing 737 Ready to fly Hospital Covid Denier BRITAIN’S Civil Aviation Au‐ thority (CAA) announced the decision hours after the Boe‐ ing aircraft was declared safe by European authorities ‐ al‐ lowing a return to service of the troubled passenger jet following ‘software upgrades and electrical working re‐ work.’ The 737 Max was ground‐

ed worldwide after 346 peo‐ ple tragically died in two crashes almost two years ago. EASA executive director Patrick Ky said: “We have ev‐ ery confidence that the air‐ craft is safe, which is the pre‐ condition for giving our approval. “But we will continue to

monitor 737 Max operations closely as the aircraft re‐ sumes service. “We have reached a signifi‐ cant milestone on a long road,” Patrick Ky continued. “We asked difficult questions until we got answers and pushed for solutions which satisfied our exacting safety requirements.”

BOSSES at the General University Hospital of Elche have denounced to Local Police a video published by a young woman on so‐ cial media of the corridors in the building. Officials have also launched an investiga‐ tion into how she managed to gain access to much of the building without being thrown out, but have insisted that she was not able to enter the protected Covid ar‐ eas or intensive care.

In the footage, she is seen laughing as she walks around the hospital without a mask, repeatedly saying “And they say they are collapsed!” The 20 minutes of footage, which has since gone viral, shows her sneaking into the building with her mobile phone in hand and claiming that what the public has been told about hospitals being at breaking point is ‘a hoax.’

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Common Washing Machine Trial of 4 day working week Safety Flaw ‘Poses Injury Threat’ THE OCU is warning owners of Bosch, Siemens, Neff and Balay machines pur‐ chased between February 2019 and March 2020 a drum failure could risk injury. The fault was discovered by manufac‐ turers in March 2020,who want to locate remaining owners of machines with the batch number FD 9902 to come forward for a free replacement. The OCU advises consumers who pur‐ chased a machine at this time to locate the appliance’s identification number on the inside of the door, to check if it is af‐ fected at a specially‐made website https://productsafety.bsh‐

A HUGE fire blazed through the Cotes Altes area of Alicante between Alcoy and Cocen‐ taina on Sunday afternoon, January 31, burn‐ ing 20 hectares of crops to the ground. The fire was eventually brought under con‐ trol at around 4pm, according to reports from the Provincial Firefighters Consortium. However, earlier in the day, an alert level 1 was raised due to the prevailing winds in the area, which were in danger of fanning the flames out of control. Because of the risk, the ADIF cut off the Al‐

group.com/es/es/drums?_ga=2.17575369 8.1309393318.1611740795‐199320249. 1598868723. The organisation said: “Quality controls have detected a possible failure in the joint of the inner metal drum that can cause the drum joint to loosen at the time of spinning, with the consequent risk of injury. That is why faulty electrical appli‐ ances have been withdrawn from the market to be replaced by a model without problems, and at no cost to the user at home.” Manufacturers estimate there are around 2,000 affected machines.

Alicante Fire coy‐Xàtiva train line that runs through the af‐ fected area from 12.30pm until 3.30pm. Engi‐ neers conducted a thorough inspection of the track once the fire was brought under control, but no damage was reported. In ad‐ dition, a high voltage cable in the area had snapped, and was being investigated by Iber‐ drola technicians, according to GVA Emer‐ gencias.

SPAIN has announced plans to launch a pilot pro‐ gramme for its ambitious four‐day working week scheme that will provide funds to see employees given full wages for a day’s less work. The concept was proposed by Mas Pais, an off‐ shoot of the Podemos party who share govern‐ ment power with Pedro Sanchez’s centre‐left PSOE party. The government has now agreed to spend €50 million paying the salaries of workers who have had their working hours reduced to four days by the pandemic. Although the current rollout of the proposal is narrow in scope, proponents hope that it will in‐ centivise companies to adopt the four‐day work‐

ing week. Maria Alvarez, a leading campaigner, told local media it is a “sensible idea that should be in every government’s toolbox coming out of this crisis.” “The eight‐hour working day was unrealistic a century ago,” Mas Pais leader Íñigo Errejón said. Due to the rise in remote working, automation, and other factors of our rapidly changing employ‐ ment landscape, it is a concept that Spanish busi‐ nesses and lawmakers need to give consideration. Last year, the Valencian Community’s govern‐ ment launched a similar scheme to offer incen‐ tives for local employers to adopt the new work routine.

AVE Hospitality Protest TENSIONS were high as hospitality workers came out in force to protest at the Orihuela AVE inauguration. Dozens of business owners and staff from the hospitality industry converged at the Poeta Miguel Hernández de Orihuela sta‐ tion on Monday morning, February 1, to protest against the closure of bars, restau‐ rants and cafes and the lack of aid provided to the sector by the government. As the new Orihuela to Madrid line of the Spanish High Speed train (AVE) was being inaugurated, president of the government, Pedro Sanchez, and president of the region‐

al government of Valencia, Ximo Puig, were in attendance, along with the Minister of Transport, José Luis Ábalos. The peaceful protest included dozens of cars who approached the station in a cara‐ van, honking their horns and carrying plac‐ ards saying things like: ‘Pedro Sánchez un‐ dertaker’ or ‘Sanchez marionette. The EU condemns us to misery.’ Similar demonstrations have been taking place all over the Valencian Community, following the Ministry of Health’s decision to extend the closure of the hospitality trade until at least February 15.

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Spain Helps

Holidays Will be Back Portugal

SOURCES from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Spain con‐ firmed that department head Arancha Gonzalez Laya has con‐ tacted the Portuguese ambas‐ sador in Madrid, Joao Mira‐ Gomes, ‘to make available any help within the capabilities’ of Spain. Although Portugal hasn’t ac‐ tually asked for any support, the Portuguese Embassy con‐ firmed that “Spain has offered help to Portugal due to the pan‐ demic situation and support modalities are being studied.” “Sometimes Portugal helps us, other times we support Por‐ tugal, this is what we have been doing and that is how we will continue to do things,” the For‐ eign Minister added.

RYANAIR CEO Michael O’Leary made a promising prediction on BBC Radio 4’s To‐ day Programme on February 1, when he said he’s very confident that foreign ‘beach holidays WILL be back this summer’ 2021. “We are heartened by the fact that the UK is expecting to vaccinate all the over‐50s by the end of March, Europe is probably running a couple of months behind that by

the end of June,” the airplane boss re‐ marked. “So we think once all those high risk groups have been vaccinated, then travel restrictions should be removed, particularly on short haul intra‐European travel and we expect there to be a strong recovery of beach holidays and family beach holidays going to Europe this summer.”

NEWS

Electric Prices Down Thanks to Wind Energy

Police Warn of New Covid WhatsApp Scam THE Guardia Civil are warning the public about a Covid scam reportedly circulating on WhatsApp. The message chain claims to be from the Spanish government offering financial grants to those af‐ fected by the pandemic. In‐ stead, the Guardia Civil say the message is a scam to

steal users’ personal data. In Spanish, the message says: “Family Card Pro‐ gramme. Due to Covid 19‐the government is granting funds to families to help them stay at home. “These grants are available for everyone who needs them; single mothers, single fathers, young stu‐

dents, grandparents, chil‐ dren, foreign mothers, mar‐ ried couples, and others.” The scammers call on users to, “register to receive their free grant,” before adding a link. The Guardia Civil warn WhatsApp users not to click or share the link they say is used to steal victims’ data.

Paperboy Still Devoted to Delivering at 80 GEORGE BAILEY from Headcorn near Maidstone in Kent is one of the oldest paperboys in Britain having just celebrated his 80th birthday. The octogenarian paperboy recently received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine and was soon back on his rounds. Even with freezing cold temperatures and rain, lockdown and

the pandemic, great-grandad George gets up, whilst most people are still asleep, to deliver the news around the village. George has had many jobs during his 80 years, including being a stockbroker, but for the last decade he has enjoyed being a paperboy.

Increase in wind energy. SPAIN’S wholesale electric prices have dropped to their lowest levels since December 2019 thanks to an increase in wind energy. Consumers signed up to regulated tariffs are most likely to benefit from the drop, which could see it become almost free to use washing machines or charge electric cars early in the morning. Those on fixed contracts will not benefit from the changes. The end of January saw wholesale prices fall to €4.19 per MWh, de‐ spite starting the month at €94.99. Experts believe the drop is in part down to the windy weather in recent weeks. Prices in Germany and France currently stand at €48 per MWh, the United Kingdom at €60 per MWh, and Scandinavian countries stand at €45 per MWh. Storm Justine is expected to further boost wind energy, possibly breaking records both for daily production and for peak output. The previous record was set on December 28 when wind energy reached 404 GWh. According to State Meteorological Agency AEMET, January was a record‐breaking month for storms in Spain.

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FEATURE

Tax payable on the purchase or sale of furnished properties IN today’s article, we are going to review the taxes on the sale of furnished properties. The sale of furnished properties is really common, but the parties, buyer and vendor, often do not know if the value of the proper‐ ty should be separated from the value of the furniture and what the tax consequences may be. Transfer Tax In the purchase and sale of re‐ al estate or moveable assets, the acquirer or buyer must pay this tax. It is essential to know that it depends on each autonomous community (Spanish region). For example, in the Valencian Com‐ munity, this tax is regulated by Law 13/1997 in article 13. Thus, in the Valencian Com‐ munity: ‐ In the sale of real estate prop‐ erties, the buyer will normally pay 10 per cent of the purchase price by way of Transfer Tax. ‐ This is however reduced to 8

per cent in the case of acquisi‐ tion of a habitual residence by people under 35 years of age (depending on their income). ‐ It can be reduced to a mini‐ mum of 4 per cent, in the case of purchase of what are known as official protection properties under the special regime, espe‐ cially in the purchase of a habitu‐ al residence by large families, the disabled or other specified cases. However, it is established that as a general rule, 6 per cent will be paid in the acquisition of moveable property such as fur‐ niture. Conclusion: being that gener‐ ally, the buyer will pay 10 per cent for transmissions tax in the purchase of a property; It may be convenient to state that part corresponds to furniture (6 per

cent) which could result in some saving of tax. 3 per cent retention In the case of a sale by a non‐ tax resident of real estate, the buyer must retain 3 per cent of the price and pay it on account, as part of the seller’s income tax. This withholding does not in itself imply an expense or tax. Only a retention. In any case, it only applies to the sale of non‐ moveable properties. Therefore, it is not necessary to retain any money, in connection with the furniture. Capital Gains Tax In relation to the capital gain of non‐residents, we understand that, in principle, there could be no difference. All of this is according to Law 5/2004 of Non‐Resident Income Tax.

Carlos Baos (Lawyer) - White&Baos Tel: +34 966 426 185 info@white-baos.com White & Baos 2021 - All Rights Reserved.

In its article 25, it is stated that there is a 19 per cent tax for cap‐ ital gains made as a conse‐ quence of the transfer of assets. We understand it would apply to both real estate and personal‐ moveable property. Although it must be taken in‐ to account that there could be an exemption (art. 14.1.c) in the payment in respect of capital gains; in the sale of moveable property by tax residents in the European Union or member state of the European Economic Area. If you have questions about the taxes on the sale of fur‐ nished properties, or the pur‐ chase or sale of properties in Spain, contact us or you can ob‐ tain more information in our re‐ al estate services section on our website: www.white‐baos.com. The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice, it merely conveys information related to legal is‐ sues.

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NEWS

Guardia Civil Border death A GUARDIA CIVIL officer has been killed and two of his colleagues have been in‐ jured in a shock road accident as they carried out Covid restriction border con‐ trols. Angel Antonio Ambrosio, a 47‐year‐ old Guardia Civil officer from Mieres, As‐ turias, was reportedly killed by a van driver who ran over three officers as they set up a perimeter check Police believe a driver may have lost control of his vehicle or may not have seen the officers. According to one publi‐ cation, the driver said: “I did not see the signs.”

OFFICER: Was hit by a van driver. Witnesses reported that several vehi‐ cles had been stopped at the border

check when a collision was heard and they saw a van run over the officer who was left trapped underneath the vehicle. Two of his colleagues were also injured and thrown several metres by the mpact. Tributes to the Angel Antonio Ambro‐ sio have poured in on Twitter, with Spain’s President Pedro Sanchez saying, “A heartfelt hug to the relatives and col‐ leagues of Angel, the Guardia Civil officer who died after being run over in a mobil‐ ity control in Mieres. And a wish for a speedy recovery for the people also in‐ jured in this incident.”

Semaf Calls Strike R E N F E machinists have called a five-day strike after new AVE line inauguration. The Spanish Union of Train Machinists and Railway Helpers (Semaf) has called a five-day strike in February and March to denounce t recent workforce cuts and a lack of maintenance forcing the suspension of some services.

The move comes just hours after Spanish President Pedro Sánchez attended the inauguration of the new high-speed train line between Madrid, Elche and Orihuela According to Semaf, more than 700 jobs have been lost in the last year and the complete maintenance of the

trains is not being carried out, decreasing the number of trains safe for service. Semaf also accused Renfe of pressuring workers to drive trains in unsafe conditions to circulate, and of coercing the drivers to work shifts that are not in their contracts to cover personnel shortages. “The only solution that the company offers is to pressure workers to drive trains that are not in safe conditions to circulate, in addition to coercing the drivers to work shifts that do not correspond to them, to cover the personnel deficit. Increasing the risk assumed by company workers and users and continuously violating labour rights,” says the union.

Royal pay freeze in 2021 Budget SPAIN’S King Felipe VI has frozen the Royal budget and will spend the salary of his disgraced father Don Juan Carlos on new technol‐ ogy. According to an official State‐ ment, King Felipe’s salary for 2021 will be the same as 2020 ‐ €253,850. Queen Letizia, will re‐ ceive €139,610 and his mother Queen Sofia €114,240 from tax‐ payers’ money. The King decided not to avail of a 0.09 per cent salary increase given to all civil ser‐ vants, which technically includes Royals. Meanwhile, the €200,000 salary for disgraced former King Juan Carlos was withdrawn in March 2020 and will be spent on improving the technology of the Royal Institution. Juan Carlos is currently living in exile in Abu Dhabi.

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EUROPEAN PRESS

EUROPEAN NIBS DENMARK

FRANCE

Burning effigy

Cannes canned

COPENHAGEN has seen three weekends of violent clashes between demonstrators opposed to lockdown and the police culminating with an effigy of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen being hung from a pylon and then being set on fire.

THE Cannes Film Festival which was cancelled last year is now to be postponed from May to July 2021 in the hope that by then, the pandemic will be under control in France which will then allow people to actually attend.

NETHERLANDS

NORWAY

Possible corruption

Charging points

WORRIED about the possibility that an energy project in Russia funded by the United Nations is being manipulated so that money is being diverted to private individuals, the Dutch Government has reduced its annual contribution to that fund by €10 million.

CONSIDERATION is being given by the Norwegian government to passing a law requiring that all new housing development in the country should include charging stations for electric vehicles as part of the ongoing efforts to phase out diesel and petrol.

BELGIUM

FINLAND

Sworn statement

Blackmail scare

AS all non-essential cross border travel in Belgium has been banned, the government has put online a template for a signed ‘declaration on honour’ whereby those who are having to travel for accepted reasons confirm that their journey is necessary.

SINCE it emerged last year that private mental health services company Vastaamo was hacked with access to patient files which led to fears over blackmailing, patients have been leaving in droves and because of this, the company has now called in liquidators.

GERMANY Relatives found RELATIVES of a Jewish woman who was forced to sell two handwritten scores by Franz Liszt to the Nazis before being sent to a concentration camp have been found in Argentina by a German classical music foundation which will compensate them financially.

SWEDEN Weapons drawn THERE was some shock when commuters in Central Stockholm saw armed soldiers with weapons drawn in the streets last Monday, but it turned out that it was an exercise which the Swedish Armed Forces had not bothered to publicise.

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Captain Tom Dies Aged 100 CAPTAIN SIR TOM MOORE, who raised almost £33 million for the NHS, has died at the age of 100 after testing positive for Covid-19. In a statement, his daughters Hannah and Lucy said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our dear father, Captain Sir Tom Moore. “We are so grateful that

we were with him during the last hours of his life; Hannah, Benjie and Georgia by his bedside and Lucy on FaceTime. “We spent hours chatting to him, reminiscing about our childhood and our wonderful mother. We shared laughter and tears together. “The last year of our father’s

life was nothing short of remarkable. He was rejuvenated and experienced things he’d only ever dreamed of.” A message posted on Sunday, January 31 from his daughter Hannah revealed that Captain Tom Moore had been admitted to Bedford Hospital after experiencing breathing difficulties.

Europe and America drift apart A SCIENTIFIC investigation has revealed that the Atlantic Ocean is widening due to a geological phenomenon never before observed, increasing matter deep within the earth’s crust, which appears to be pulling the continents of North America and South America away from Europe and Africa.

The new research published in the journal Nature, found that plates are moving four centimetres further apart per year. The findings provide a greater understanding of the plate tectonics which cause many natural disasters around the world, including earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.

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Comic campaign THE deadline for exchanging pesetas at the Bank of Spain is June 30, 2021, and an online comics store has teamed up with a Madrid kiosk for a ‘solidarity campaign’ to benefit Alzheimer’s research. The kiosk

in the Chamberí neighbourhood is selling comics for pesetas. Director of Wash Comics and promoter, Nacho Marugán, said the campaign draws on nostalgia, adding: “The cam-

paign is a nice way to say goodbye to a coin that was with us for more than 130 years.” A 2019 Bank of Spain report estimated over 268 billion pesetas or €1.6 billion are still unredeemed.

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FEATURE

Captain Tom Dies Aged 100 CAPTAIN SIR TOM MOORE, who raised almost £33 million for the NHS, has died at the age of 100 after testing positive for Covid-19. In a statement, his daughters Hannah and Lucy said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our dear father, Captain Sir Tom Moore. “We are so grateful that

we were with him during the last hours of his life; Hannah, Benjie and Georgia by his bedside and Lucy on FaceTime. “We spent hours chatting to him, reminiscing about our childhood and our wonderful mother. We shared laughter and tears together. “The last year of our father’s life was nothing short

of remarkable. He was rejuvenated and experienced things he’d only ever dreamed of.” A message posted on Sunday, January 31 from his daughter Hannah revealed that Captain Tom Moore had been admitted to Bedford Hospital after experiencing breathing difficulties.

Europe and America drift apart A SCIENTIFIC investigation has revealed that the Atlantic Ocean is widening due to a geological phenomenon never before observed, increasing matter deep within the earth’s crust, which appears to be pulling the continents of North America and South America away from Europe and Africa. THE deadline for exchanging pesetas at the Bank of Spain is June 30, 2021, and an online comics store has teamed up with a Madrid kiosk for a ‘solidarity campaign’ to benefit Alzheimer’s research. The kiosk in the Chamberí neighbourhood is selling comics for pesetas.

The new research published in the journal Nature, found that plates are moving four centimetres further apart per year. The findings provide a greater understanding of the plate tectonics which cause many natural disasters around the world, including earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.

Comic campaign Director of Wash Comics and promoter, Nacho Marugán, said the campaign draws on nostalgia, adding: “The campaign is a nice way to say goodbye to a coin that

was with us for more than 130 years.” A 2019 Bank of Spain report estimated over 268 billion pesetas or €1.6 billion are still unredeemed.

NEWS

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Transgender Rights In Spain THE First Vice President of the Government, Carmen Calvo, and the Minister of Equality, Irene Montero have begun meetings to introduce new transgender and LGBTI laws in mid‐February which aim to guar‐ antee equal rights in Spain for all. The ‘first working meeting’ took place on Monday, January 25 to discuss the working on the proposals which will ‘guarantee

the LGBTI and trans peoples’ rights.’ In the new text, transgender people will be able to register their sex as the gender they identify with without requiring a medical document or treatment to change their physical appear‐ ance. This change has sparked a great deal of controversy, partic‐ ularly among feminist group

Hikers to pay for rescue operation TWO hikers who got lost in Queralbs, Ripolles, when they should have been in lockdown, will have to pay €2,600 for their rescue. They got lost in the area of the Coma de Vaca moun‐ tain refuge on March 15, 2020 without appropriate equipment. According to the Catalan News Agency (ACN) their ac‐ tions, which they carried out when outdoor activities were banned, are considered negligent based on laws from 2009 put in place by the Catalan Regional Govern‐ ment. The aim was to dissuade people from getting in‐ volved in negligent situations on the mountain by mak‐ ing payment of the rescue operation obligatory.

Confluencia Movimiento Femi‐ nista, who claim that allowing trans people to self‐determine their gender will cause untold damage to the fight for wom‐ en’s rights.

Cadiz teacher Jailed THE director of a school in San‐ lucar has been sentenced to three years behind bars by the Provincial Court of Cadiz for stealing more than €12,700 be‐ tween November 2008 and June 2009. The teacher was found guilty of writing nine cheques from the school’s cheque book and forging the secretary’s signature before cashing them. As well as the hefty prison sentence handed down for the crimes of fraud and falsification of public documents, the pro‐ fessor has been ordered to re‐ imburse the school for the stolen €12,718.34 and pay a fine of €6 per day for 10 months. He has also been banned from teaching for a to‐ tal of six years.

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NEWS

Saints Image Discovered Taxi fare AN image has been discovered under‐ neath the painting ‘La Virgen de la Leche’ by Sevilla artist Bartolome Esteban Muril‐ lo (1618‐1682) during restoration work carried out by experts from the National Gallery of Antique Art of Rome. The painting has been restored on sev‐ eral previous occasions, but this time was subjected to new procedures and diag‐ nostic investigations allowing the discov‐ ery by the Gallery’s restoration laborato‐ ry. The image is the face of the figure of a saint, almost certainly Saint Francis in a moment of prayer which was in ‘an ad‐ vanced state of completion.’ According to Alessandro Cosma, the cu‐ rator at the Gallery, “it was normal for painters to reuse canvases to repaint and there would be remains of the original

lottery

The painting, also known as the ‘Gypsy Virgin,’ was painted in 1675 and is in the Galeria Corsini. work, but here the exception lies in the use of parts belonging to a previous fig‐ ure reused as a basis for the new paint‐ ing, like the folds of the saint’s habit that form the draping of the Virgin’s leg.”

Prime Minister Propaganda THE Popular Party of the Alicante Provincial Council criticised the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, as “irresponsible,” for attending the inauguration of the new AVE train line between Orihuela and Madrid on Monday, February 1. Spokesman Eduardo Dolón, stated that “the Central Executive is concerned about organising an act which is purely propaganda to sell an infrastructure that we have been demanding for years.”

“The Valencian Community has sadly become the epicentre of the third wave of Covid, leading the accumulated incidence figures of the virus in Spain,” explained Mr Dolón “It is incomprehensible that Pedro Sánchez comes to take a walk in the province, accompanied by dozens of members of his team and with a call to the media to sell a project that we have been crying out for a long time to connect the capital of the country with the Vega Baja.”

A STUDY by Facua Con‐ sumers in Action has compared taxi prices in 56 cities and found a staggering 77 per cent difference in charges between the cheapest and most expensive. For the second year running, Tarragona has the most expensive taxi fares. Points were awarded based on a simulation of nine routes of one, five and 10 km trips during the daytime, nighttime and week‐ end, as prices can vary. Tarragona scored 77 points out of a possi‐ ble 90, followed by San Sebastian (74), Vitoria (67), Madrid (63) and Barcelona (57). At the opposite end of the spectrum, Ceuta (11) points, Cadiz (22), Huelva (24), Jaen (26) and Almeria (29) ap‐ pear as the cities with the cheapest taxi rates. However, if only the average price per km was analysed, Barcelona is the most expensive city in Spain, with €1.18, a far cry from 70 cents in Cadiz, the cheapest.

FINANCE Arcadia news THE online retailer Asos, having seen Next drop out of the queue to purchase Arcadia brands which had debts of £750 million (€825 million) is reportedly interested in reopening the Topshop store on Oxford Street as an important fashion shop window.

Commission change CAR salesmen in the UK may well be a little poorer from now on as the practice of paying them higher commissions by lenders if they sign customers up for more expensive loan deals has now been banned.

Overspend ICONIC football club Barcelona runs the risk of being refused entry to future UEFA competitions such as the Champions League as it is currently spending more money than it earns and has unsettled debts with third parties.

Jobs saved PAPERCHASE which called in Administrators will survive and will sell its products online and from a reduced number of smaller shops, thus expecting to save around 1,000 jobs although it will be closing larger shops and losing 500 staff.

More in work EMPLOYMENT in Spain has risen slightly in the fourth quarter of the year according to the National Statistics Institute (INE) with 19,344,300 in work, an increase of 167,400. There are now around 3.7 million out of work, although this figure does not take into account those who are on furlough (ERTE) or are self-employed and receiving benefits. There are significant regional differences with higher unemployment in areas such as the Balearics and Andalucia, where the lack of tourism has devastated the hospitality sector.

STAT OF WEEK

www.euroweeklynews.com • 4 - 10 February 2021

€5.06 billion

is the amount that Australian investment fund IFM is prepared to pay for 22.69 per cent of the issued shares of Spanish company Naturgy.

Counterfeit euros

Sánchez attends Virtual Davos EVERY January since 1971, the World Economic Forum has taken place in the Swiss resort of Davos where the ‘movers and shakers’ of the world’s economies meet to discuss strategies. This year, due to the pandemic, it became a vir‐ tual operation with the theme ‘A Crucial Year to Rebuild Trust’ and dis‐ cussed current challenges such as Covid‐19 vaccina‐ tion, job creation and cli‐ mate change.

One of its participants at a video round table was Spanish Prime Minister Pe‐ dro Sánchez who spoke about the challenges still facing the world and his plans for Spain where there are still a number of prob‐ lems to resolve. He said the high level of youth unemployment in Spain was ‘unacceptable,’ a special fund had been cre‐ ated in order to address the problem especially in the field of qualifications, digi‐

LEGALLY SPEAKING

tal skills and finding work for young women. He said that he under‐ stood that the pandemic has highlighted blatant in‐ equalities and that women have become more vulner‐ able economically adding that his government had taken steps to help protect families, workers and com‐ panies. Like other countries, fur‐ lough options existed for those unable to work in a full‐time capacity and fi‐

nancial support was also to be given to the self‐em‐ ployed and this alongside the government’s recovery plan as well as European Union funding would allow for job creation and in‐ creased productivity. Another area of impor‐ tance is the creation of a much greener community with the aim that by 2030 almost three quarters of Spain’s energy require‐ ments would come from renewable resources.

Don’t close branches

How Much for a Visa?

Credit: Twitter

BUSINESS EXTRA

24

Readers have received varying information from Spanish consulates in Manchester, Lon‐ don and Edinburgh about how much income they need to apply for a Spanish residence permit now that the UK is out of the EU.

All of the consulates, YOU AND THE LAW however, agree on IN SPAIN one thing. They in‐ sist that a visa ap‐ plicant appear in person at the consulate and that each application will be individually judged on its merits. Some people have regular pension income and others may have no regular income at all but hold capital assets or own property in Spain. Here is my recommendation: Do what they say. Contact your nearest consulate and make an appointment. Take the documents that justify your income or assets and they will tell you. Unless you have a job you will apply for a one‐year permit, which you can then renew for a longer period. You must show you can support yourself for one year. I offered last month my own rough estimates of about €13,000 a year, which is the Spanish minimum wage, and about €22,000 for a lump sum. This will need to be deposited in a Spanish bank account. These amounts can vary and can be substantially less.

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.

GERMANY’S Viafintech has arrived in Spain to turn busi‐ nesses into cash machines as through its Viacash service, it will allow users to withdraw or deposit money from their bank account from their mo‐ bile phone. The model, already used in several European markets is not new in Spain, since

Indian asset confiscation A WARNING: Banks asked to keep branches open. THE Financial Conduct Author‐ ity (FCA) has warned UK banks not to close branches if doing so would harm vulnerable customers during the Covid‐19 lockdown. In September 2020, it published guidance on branch and cash machine clo‐ sures and was designed to protect consumers by setting expectation that firms should assess customer needs and consider the availability and provision of alternative ar‐ rangements where closures or conversions are planned. It requires firms to treat their customers fairly and communicate with them in a fair, clear and not misleading way with the expectation that banks exercise particular care with vulnerable customers.

In January 2021, the gov‐ ernment and devolved au‐ thorities announced new re‐ strictions across the UK due to Covid‐19, but some banks and building societies have said that they are either going ahead with branch closures al‐ ready announced, or an‐ nouncing new branch closures during the current lockdown. The FCA is concerned that these activities could have sig‐ nificant consequences for cus‐ tomers. It may be harder than usual to reach all customers under the current restrictions and engage with them on clo‐ sure proposals effectively (for example, small businesses that are temporarily closed). They advise banks to delay closures for the time being.

Easy cash withdrawal ING customers can withdraw cash at Dia and El Corte In‐ glés supermarkets, Shell and Galp garages. Initially, it will be opera‐ tional in some 3,000 stores belonging to the Bon Preu

A EUROPE‐WIDE distribu‐ tion of fake €50, €100 and €500 bank notes which reached from Romania to Spain ended with arrests and the seizure of €450,000 in counterfeit notes. Production took place in Romania and distribution took place in 10 eurozone countries including Spain whose Guardia Civil assist‐ ed Europol and the Roma‐ nian authorities in uncov‐ ering the crime. In all 28 properties were searched with 10 arrests and it has been discovered that the counterfeiters who had very sophisticated printing machinery were about to distribute a fur‐ ther €50,000 in fake notes.

and Esclat Group and in pre‐ paid mobile recharge points CSQ Non‐Stop Shops. According to its director for Spain, Sergio Kvaternik users will be able to with‐ draw or enter up to €300 in

the associated establish‐ ments, although they calcu‐ late the average of these op‐ erations will be around €50. The company maintains that its service reduces finan‐ cial exclusion in an increas‐

AN international tribunal has awarded UK energy firm Cairn Energy $1.2 bil‐ lion (€990 million) in damages against the Indi‐ an Government. Using retrospective powers, the Indian tax authority demanded pay‐ ment of taxes and when they were not forthcom‐ ing (as the rules didn’t exist when Cairn first in‐ vested in India) the com‐ pany’s 10 per cent stake in a subsidiary was seized. Now, a month after the tribunal verdict, which re‐ quired immediate pay‐ ment, Cairn has indicated that it is considering seiz‐ ing Indian assets overseas in order to recover what is due. ingly digitised world, where access to cash is complicated by the constant closures of bank offices and cash ma‐ chines. According to a study by the European Central Bank, Spain leads the use of cash to pay in the EU and 83 per cent of payments in the country in 2019 were made in cash.

26 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

4 - 10 February 2021

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C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 1

COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) 3I Group 1.133,50 1.133,50 Admiral Group 2.926,0 2.932,5 Anglo American 2.521,5 2.538,7 Antofagasta 1.455,50 1.465,50 Ashtead Group 3.756,1 3.779,0 Associated British Foods 2.182,6 2.189,3 AstraZeneca 7.497,0 7.536,0 Auto Trader Group Plc 569,60 573,12 Avast 478,40 484,00 Aveva 3.639,0 3.692,0 Aviva 339,90 341,60 B&M European Value Retail SA553,00 555,40 BAE Systems 464,74 467,20 Bank VTB DRC 0,928 0,935 Barclays 136,00 136,74 Barratt Developments 665,40 671,60 Berkeley 4.365,0 4.398,0 BHP Group 2.080,00 2.088,00 BP 271,23 276,22 British American Tobacco 2.654,7 2.673,6 British Land Company 447,90 454,30 BT Group 127,72 127,95 Bunzl 2.395,0 2.401,0 Burberry Group 1.727,5 1.735,5 Carnival 1.188,7 1.207,0 Centrica 52,58 52,90 Coca Cola HBC AG 2.183,0 2.193,0 Compass 1.318,00 1.335,00 CRH 3.109,0 3.131,0 Croda Intl 6.337,0 6.337,8 DCC 5.618,2 5.618,2 Diageo 2.922,5 2.956,0 DS Smith 371,27 374,30 EasyJet 740,80 748,00 Experian 2.618,0 2.622,0 Ferguson 8.582,0 8.664,0 Flutter Entertainment 13.770,0 13.885,0 Fresnillo 1.152,99 1.193,50 GlaxoSmithKline 1.357,91 1.363,80 Glencore 255,78 257,60 Halma 2.496,0 2.515,0 Hargreaves Lansdown 1.634,00 1.753,50 Hikma Pharma 2.446,00 2.463,00 HSBC 385,38 387,40 IAG 142,95 146,65 Imperial Brands 1.468,50 1.486,00 Informa 501,40 506,80 InterContinental 4.592,0 4.604,0 Intermediate Capital 1.703,00 1.713,00 Intertek 5.592,0 5.610,0 ITV 108,95 109,05

% CHG. 1.110,00 2.889,0 2.452,0 1.436,00 3.676,0 2.126,0 7.467,0 568,68 472,40 3.638,0 334,10 535,80 460,40 0,925 133,08 644,00 4.189,0 2.025,50 268,88 2.642,2 444,90 124,75 2.361,0 1.711,5 1.169,4 51,50 2.162,0 1.301,00 3.036,0 6.283,2 5.551,2 2.898,0 365,20 726,20 2.577,0 8.476,0 13.390,0 1.090,50 1.351,80 249,04 2.463,0 1.634,00 2.399,00 377,68 141,30 1.464,50 499,90 4.439,0 1.687,00 5.528,0 104,90

NET VOL 202,23K 3,67K 62,99K 283,12K 22,29K 12,71K 90,87K 24,34K 379,88K 51,67K 1,59M 205,69K 271,37K 293,56K 2,64M 836,80K 120,52K 1,44M 2,63M 179,23K 450,54K 3,72M 73,35K 139,87K 99,38K 4,20M 75,05K 585,79K 342,59K 4,86K 2,59K 595,82K 224,56K 315,44K 424,77K 35,76K 71,13K 1,27M 2,90M 2,20M 141,15K 106,26K 82,15K 561,52K 4,31M 500,09K 358,10K 104,60K 89,57K 19,76K 816,07K

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

J Sainsbury Johnson Matthey Land Securities Legal & General Lloyds Banking London Stock Exchange Meggitt Melrose Industries Mondi National Grid NatWest Group Next Norilskiy Nikel ADR Ocado Persimmon Phoenix Prudential Reckitt Benckiser Relx Rentokil Rightmove Rio Tinto PLC Rolls-Royce Holdings Rosneft DRC Royal Dutch Shell A Royal Dutch Shell A Royal Dutch Shell B RSA Insurance Sage Samsung Electronics DRC Sberbank Schroders Scottish Mortgage Segro Severn Trent Smith & Nephew Smiths Group Spirax-Sarco Engineering SSE St. James’s Place Standard Chartered Standard Life Aberdeen Taylor Wimpey Tesco Tui Unilever United Utilities Vodafone Group PLC Whitbread WPP

245,60 2.978,0 621,60 247,79 33,90 8.866,0 396,04 172,18 1.752,53 857,20 152,05 7.895,6 32,64 2.804,09 2.655,0 681,00 1.179,00 6.254,0 1.832,00 505,80 613,55 5.717,5 93,38 6,20 1.327,4 1.327,20 1.264,3 676,60 603,88 1.859,00 13,88 3.431,0 1.267,93 963,00 2.347,5 1.549,44 1.457,00 11.335,0 1.501,50 1.177,00 447,40 303,60 152,40 243,00 339,90 4.269,1 934,60 126,19 2.843,7 770,84

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

246,20 2.991,0 629,80 249,20 34,22 8.904,0 399,90 172,73 1.761,50 858,80 152,80 7.950,5 32,91 2.820,00 2.670,0 684,80 1.187,50 6.280,0 1.838,50 507,20 615,40 5.745,0 94,49 6,29 1.345,8 1.343,75 1.281,8 677,40 608,00 1.866,00 13,95 3.446,0 1.276,00 974,20 2.349,0 1.555,50 1.463,94 11.415,0 1.507,00 1.184,50 450,00 305,40 152,95 243,32 351,70 4.303,3 937,20 126,77 2.860,5 774,00

243,00 2.942,0 612,60 243,70 33,08 8.672,0 393,50 169,11 1.729,50 848,60 146,80 7.756,0 32,38 2.770,00 2.560,0 673,20 1.158,00 6.194,0 1.822,00 499,10 602,70 5.599,0 92,02 6,17 1.316,8 1.316,70 1.252,4 675,00 599,20 1.848,00 13,75 3.381,0 1.257,00 958,40 2.310,0 1.538,00 1.428,97 11.140,0 1.485,50 1.171,00 440,80 301,10 147,35 239,84 338,50 4.247,6 925,00 124,59 2.770,7 762,90

1,59M 123,81K 1,47M 1,26M 24,62M 99,77K 34,22K 404,58K 18,87K 941,35K 3,41M 5,80K 533,03K 25,75K 235,68K 158,02K 1,83M 152,55K 408,30K 263,66K 28,32K 103,02K 7,53M 448,34K 113,83K 113,81K 412,84K 1,47M 140,81K 7,95K 1,49M 33,74K 1,45M 317,35K 8,61K 180,49K 25,07K 17,26K 232,82K 19,01K 1,19M 858,73K 4,68M 3,09M 1,14M 67,09K 345,71K 2,62M 67,56K 73,59K

0.88314

1.13484 Units per €

US dollar (USD) ......................................1.37186 Japan yen (JPY)......................................143.858 Switzerland franc (CHF) .........................1.08149 Denmark kroner (DKK) ...........................7.43740 Norway kroner (NOK) .............................10.3817

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

DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 1

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 175,66 1.835,74 3.206,20 241,43 131,96 194,19 182,84 85,20 44,58 48,15 258,33 271,17 270,82 195,37 119,11 55,51 163,13 128,67 207,84 77,07 231,96 133,59 128,21 225,56 793,53 333,58 54,75 193,25 140,49 168,17

CHANGE 182,98 1.857,28 3.236,99 246,47 136,74 201,57 188,82 87,34 45,37 49,12 266,56 277,40 277,06 200,94 121,30 57,16 166,00 131,72 209,40 78,37 238,02 135,03 130,29 228,79 842,41 339,02 55,27 203,05 143,75 169,81

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) 174,87 4,22M 1.810,20 1,61M 3.184,55 4,29M 240,25 3,79M 130,21 177,52M 193,12 13,68M 180,73 4,54M 84,92 14,70M 44,48 22,61M 48,11 18,67M 254,85 30,39M 270,62 3,41M 270,03 4,08M 194,55 4,64M 118,90 11,83M 55,36 37,26M 160,55 22,51M 128,19 14,81M 203,11 5,20M 76,39 10,18M 231,35 42,50M 132,15 7,17M 128,07 8,34M 223,02 6,47M 780,10 34,99M 330,63 3,90M 54,48 26,23M 192,81 21,50M 140,35 10,84M 165,79 12,85M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 1

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

Most Advanced Novavax Inc. MicroStrategy Inc. Big Rock Partners Acquisition Corp. Un Quidel Corp. Koss Corp. Fulgent Genetics Inc. Biogen Inc. Credit Acceptance Corp. Atea Pharmaceuticals Inc. Moderna Inc. Strattec Security Corp.

+64.87% +6.73% +95.78% +10.41% +52.53% +19.46% +5.50% +3.84% +23.44% +8.53% +21.67%

36.66M 1.44M 1,216 1.42M 11.61M 2.58M 4.79M 318,193 937,470 39.69M 73,642

-4.41% -32.90% -3.54% -7.19% -5.02% -0.97% -38.81% -3.59% -1.47% -1.39% -4.61%

536,327 7.51M 694,819 2.39M 34.99M 4.29M 13.87M 582,363 1.61M 2.23M 2.83M

Most Declined Booking Holdings Inc. iRhythm Technologies Inc. MercadoLibre Inc. Charter Communications Inc. Cl A Tesla Inc. Amazon.com Inc. eHealth Inc. Trade Desk Inc. Cl A Alphabet Inc. Cl C Alphabet Inc. Cl A Lam Research Corp.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

www.euroweeklynews.com

Currency outlook: Pound firms on economic optimism, euro undermined by vaccine woes

SUBDUED START: But the GBP/EUR exchange rate has steadily recovered ground.

ASK THE EXPERT Peter Loveday Contact me at euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com

Euro EUR/GBP: Down from £0.90 to £0.88 EUR/USD: Down from $1.22 to $1.20 The euro has had a rocky start so far in 2021, with concerns over the EU’s slow start to its vaccination programme particularly undermining the single currency. With new, more‐infectious strains circu‐ lating throughout Europe, many countries have been forced to extend their lockdowns, and the slow rollout of vaccines could hold back the Eurozone’s economic recovery by delaying the easing of these restrictions. Also putting pressure on the euro was the European Central Bank (ECB), as policymak‐ ers have grown increasingly vocal with their concerns about how the appreciation of EUR exchange rates through the second half of 2020 could negatively impact efforts to boost inflation. Looking ahead, the euro looks to remain vulnerable so long as the EU’s vaccination rollout remains sluggish, whilst political un‐ certainty in Italy could also pose a risk to the single currency. Pound GBP/EUR: Up from €1.10 to €1.13 GBP/USD: Up from $1.34 to $1.36 The pound has trended steadily higher over the past month, even rising to a new 32‐month high against the US dollar, as Ster‐ ling sentiment was bolstered by optimism over the UK’s economic outlook in 2021. This comes amidst relief that the UK and EU reached a Brexit trade deal at the end of 2020 as well as the UK’s success with its vac‐ cination rollout, which is fuelling hopes for a

swift economic rebound in the coming months. In addition, the Bank of England Gover‐ nor, Andrew Bailey, triggered a sharp rally in GBP exchange rates in mid‐January after downplaying the chances of the BoE slashing interest rates below zero. However, going into next month we may see the pound face some headwinds. Boris Johnson is set to review England’s lockdown on February 15, and a likely extension to re‐ strictions are likely to reflect poorly on Ster‐ ling. US Dollar USD/GBP: Down from £0.74 to £0.73 USD/EUR: Up from €0.81 to €0.82 Trade in the US dollar has been mixed over the past month as fluctuating market sentiment has infused volatility into the safe‐haven currency. One major source of optimism has been the change in US leadership, with risk ap‐ petite improving amid hopes for President Joe Biden’s stimulus package and an admin‐ istration that will be more engaged in tack‐ ling the pandemic. On the other hand, driving demand for the US dollar over the past month has been concerns over the continued rise in global coronavirus cases, riots in the US Capitol, as well as some strange movements in stock markets. Looking ahead, the direction of the US dollar next month will largely depend on the size and timing of Biden’s stimulus package, with the ‘Greenback’ likely to firm if he is forced to compromise in order to get it through Congress. Currencies Direct have helped over 325,000 customers save on their currency transfers since 1996. Just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more about how you can save mon‐ ey on your currency transfers.

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.

4 - 10 February 2021

EWN 27

28 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

4 - 10 February 2021

FEATURE

There are some things I’ve enjoyed LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT ALTHOUGH I am fully aware of the tremendous hardship and agonies caused by the Covid restrictions, I must confess there are a number of things I have rather enjoyed during this lockdown. Less traffic on the roads, easier parking, more orderly queues ‐ particularly at checkouts and a little more time to pause and ‘smell the roses.’ I also don’t miss the distraction of baying hordes at some sporting events. But to me the most welcome experience has been the overall reduction in noise levels which, apart from a few rowdy demos, has been pure bliss. I truly do think noise, particularly unnecessary noise, can often be an affront to the senses and is one of the biggest polluters of the planet. No, when we come out of all this horror and enter the era of the ‘great reset,’ let’s hope that many of the

positive aspects are taken on board and retained for the greater good of us all. What a supercilious, nasty bunch the EU bureaucrats have turned out to be. As usual the Germans have been the most arrogant of all. In the aftermath of the disgraceful article16 fiasco, which has left Brussel faces drenched in egg, it also emerged that Germany had already stockpiled a whole cache of the vaccine for themselves. This in itself was bad enough (albeit pretty typical), but by some warped reasoning Ursula von Leyan, the Commission President, refused to release it to the German people until all the other EU countries had amassed the same amount – err!? What this basically meant was that she had decided to let her fellow country men and women die, rather than lose face! It sounds to me as though this woman should not only be relieved of her post, but be put on trial for mass manslaughter. Some chance. One thing that does emerge from the whole farcical incident is that even many staunch UK

remoaners now agree that getting out of the EU was a far better move than most of them envisaged; particularly as the UK now has the chance to join the exciting £9 trillion massive CPTPP free trade area. Watch the whole sorry EU debacle tumble like a house of cards in the not too distant future. Biggest waste of time and money so far this year? The WHO contingent sent to China to investigate the origins of the Covid‐19 virus. This lot has about as much chance of getting the truth out of this devious and highly dangerous regime as I have of dancing with Princess Anne in Harrods window. Mind you, personally I wouldn’t believe any answers the WHO organisation came up with anyway. To my mind they are more likely to be negotiating the price of concluding that the virus probably originated from the three‐humped desert camel or the long haired North African dung beetle, with nothing whatsoever to do with China ‐ if you get my drift! Keep the faith; love leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com Mon. Wed. Fri.

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

Advertising Feature

The death of a loved one is never easy to handle TRENDS are ever‐changing, adapting to the times, and this doesn’t only mean for the liv‐ ing. With changing times, everything has to be adapted to new needs, and this includes the way things are done in the funeral busi‐ ness. While the death of a loved one is never easy to handle, over the past decades there has been an increasing tendency to talk about dy‐ ing and make preparations in advance, which in many cases can slightly soften the blow, with funeral planners taking away the stress of procedures which relatives need to handle af‐ ter death, as well as lighten the moment in cases where the deceased has chosen before‐ hand to make the funeral more about cele‐ brating their life than mourning their death. Nowadays, it is becoming more and more frequent to plan the details of a funeral in ad‐ vance and there is a growing tendency to make them as unique as the person whose life is being remembered. So apparently, putting

the fun in funeral is something which is be‐ coming increasingly popular with themes rang‐ ing anywhere from Harry Potter and super heroes to rock and roll or sports, services will often now reflect the hobbies or interests of the person who has died. Apart from lightening the mood and proba‐ bly encouraging attendees to reminisce about happy moments spent with their deceased friend or relative, it makes the ceremony much more meaningful as it reflects the life of the person who died rather than just including a series of standardised components. A funeral director can help in the process of planning a special tribute by sharing ideas and recom‐ mendations with families. Not everyone thinks that a funeral should be a sad or sombre occasion, and having a wake which is more like a party, even if it’s not a themed one, is becoming the norm. Part of this celebration of the person’s life can include writing letters to them to remem‐

ber good times, and addressing them not as if they had left forever, but as if they had simply gone away for a while. The letters can later be buried or cremated with the deceased or kept as part of a memorial together with photos and other items. A light‐coloured or custom‐made coffin, in‐ cluding the cardboard variety often used for cremation, can allow for another novel funeral activity; that is, sign‐ ing or decorating it with dedica‐ tions for the deceased. Decorating will also allow young attendees to take part, and there are many ways to it, with some of the most popular in‐ cluding permanent markers or water‐ colours. This can also be done before death, as an increasing number of people have taken to designing their own coffins. This can have a therapeutic effect for the person themselves and can also help relatives to prepare for what

is to come by becoming involved in the design. So, while it may not be to ev‐ eryone’s taste, as everyone has their own way of dealing with grief and some may still prefer to remember their loved one in a more subdued and solemn manner, don’t feel that you can’t plan something based on a theme that the deceased really loved as a true celebration of their life.

www.goldenleavesinternational.com • info@goldenleavesinternational.com • Facebook: goldenleavesspain

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Steph's Packed Lunch Countdown A Place in the Sun A New Life in the Sun Mend It for Money The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Devon and Cornwall Undercover Police: Hunting Paedophiles

3:15pm

ITV London Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale South Africa with Gregg Wallace Joanna Lumley's Home Sweet Home - Travels in My Own Land

1:30pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

Steph's Packed Lunch Countdown A Place in the Sun A New Life in the Sun Mend It for Money The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Secret Safari: Into the Wild 24 Hours in A&E

4:15pm

Judge Rinder Lingo ITV London Weather Tipping Point NewThe Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Cornwall and Devon Walks with Julia Bradbury

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

NewCountdown A Place in the Sun A New Life in the Sun Mend It for Money The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Kirstie and Phil's Love it or List it Extraordinary Escapes Britain's Most Expensive Houses

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

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Cruising with Jane McDonald A Bride's Revenge 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Paul Merton in China Adrian Dunbar's Coastal Ireland The Drowning

6:00am 7:00am 2:00pm 3:30pm 9:00pm 1:00am 1:30am 4:00am 5:00am

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

Cruising with Jane McDonald Roux the Day: A Gourmet Detective Mystery 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show Susan Calman's Grand Day Out

6:00am 7:00am 2:00pm 3:30pm 6:30pm 9:00pm 11:30pm 1:00am 2:00am 3:00am 4:00am

Live Test Cricket Live Test Cricket Live European Tour Golf Live PGA Tour Golf Live EFL Live EFL Live PGA Tour Golf Live: Total Access Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Live NBA

Access Maid in Manhattan 5 News Weekend Cruising with Jane McDonald Britain's Most Expensive Houses with Sally Lindsay Secrets of the Royal Palaces When the Fergusons Met the Monarchy

6:30am 7:00am 1:00pm 4:00pm 6:00pm 9:15pm 12:00am 1:30am 2:00am 3:00am 4:00am

Live Test Cricket Live Test Cricket Live EFL Gillette Soccer Saturday Live Premier League Live PGA Tour Golf Live NBA Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News Sky Sports News

City Life to Country Life City Life to Country Life City Life to Country Life 5 News Weekend Greatest Hits of the The Wonderful World of Chocolate Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun Rich Holiday, Poor Holiday When... Goes Horribly Wrong

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Cruising with Jane McDonald FilmSecrets at the Lake 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Gallagher Premiership Rugby Highlights Police Interceptors A&E After Dark

6:00am 7:00am 2:00pm

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11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm

Killing Your Daughter 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Inside Iceland: Britain's Budget Supermarket Secrets of Your Supermarket Food The Disappearance of Shannon Matthews Adults Only

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FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

4 - 10 February 2021

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

THE EUROWEEKLY NEWS is urging its readers to support local businesses in the com‐ munity by going local through the lockdown and for your all your shopping this year, in‐ stead of feeding online giants and superstores. This lockdown and with Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day upcoming, we challenge you to rediscover your local high streets, markets, butchers, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky indepen‐ dent businesses in your area. Due to the Covid‐19 pan‐ demic, you may have to sup‐ port many local businesses by ordering online and making use of any click and collect services they can operate if you are un‐ able to get out due to health reasons or lockdown restric‐ tions. The joy of shopping local means that independent busi‐ nesses can help support the lo‐ cal community. Although it may be a euro or two cheaper elsewhere or on‐

line, consider where your mon‐ ey is actually going. By shop‐ ping at an independent store you’re putting food on a local family’s table, and there is no better time than now to give back to your community by making a small gesture and shopping in this way. Many local stores support lo‐ cal charities, support and spon‐ sor local sports teams and in many cases the small indepen‐ dent stores are actually much more than just a small high street shop, they’re a family’s legacy, often passed down through numerous generations and support not just the cur‐ rent owner but the generation before. For those stores which are new, that extra couple of euros spent there are supporting someone’s dream and ambi‐ tion, and also the courage it took them to step out alone, which is no easy task. It takes quite a large chunk of money to set up an independent store and compete with the multina‐

tional and chains. So be sure to pre‐order your meat from a local butcher and get your spuds from a local greengrocer, let us revive that community spirit and get to know our neighbours again. You could also consider pur‐ chasing gift vouchers from local businesses to help them over the coming weeks, thinking outside the box can often lead to some fantastic ideas. Why not buy a meal for two, an hour’s tattoo time at a local studio, a hair cut at a local sa‐ lon or an online study course for someone looking to change

their career path. As people are struggling with finances thinking about what friends and family may actually need is important too. Whilst it’s nice to give a glamourous gift perhaps pre‐paying a fami‐ ly member’s phone bill for the month would actually be a bet‐ ter gift. Helping people allevi‐ ate stress and worry , give the gift of peace of mind through these difficult times. Choosing to spend your money locally will really make a difference in the recovery of the local economy. When we buy local, our money stays

EWN 31

32 EWN

4 - 10 February 2021

local, and it strengthens the lo‐ cal economy in two ways. First, buying local keeps money cir‐ culating within the local econ‐ omy. Studies have shown that lo‐ cal businesses recirculate a greater share of every euro as they create locally owned sup‐ ply chains and invest in their employees. Data shows that local retail‐ ers return 52 per cent of their revenue back into the local economy, compared to just 14 per cent for national chain retailers. Money circulating through the local economy benefits ev‐ eryone who is a part of each transaction. For example, let’s look at a local farmer growing produce. First, they sell to a local restaurant, which in turn pre‐ pares the fresh produce and sells it to local customers. The

farmer pays its local employees and the restaurant uses rev‐ enue from sales to buy sup‐ plies from a neighbourhood hardware store. This example illustrates how the recircula‐ tion of money in the local economy leads to a stronger fi‐ nancial foundation for our neighbours and communities. Buying local also fuels new employment and job opportu‐ nities for people within our community. Studies show, lo‐ cally owned businesses employ more people per unit of sales and retain more employees over time. A fantastic example of how to support your local commu‐ nity is with a Charity Gift certifi‐ cate, why not donate to your loved one’s favourite cause. Just remember to follow the latest government advice and any guidance businesses have to keep everyone safe.

33

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YOUR STARS FOR NEXT 7 DAYS AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Keep up the pace this week so that you have plenty to discuss and ‘write home about.’ With your mind so active, you are capable of doing in a day what would normally take a week. Bypass those who try to slow you down. There will be plenty of time to be a plod later.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Others may be changing their minds, and generally being a bit of a pain. That may irritate you but it is no reason to change your plans. Both you and your colleagues will be glad that you did in the longer term. You may need to find some peace and space for yourself come the weekend.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Looking back over the past few months you will realise that fine adjustments are needed. Both your working life and diet need attention, so be determined that progress made will continue apace. Certainly, you have no qualms about facing any problems straight on. You thrive on responsibility and there is no shortage of that at the moment.

TAURUS (April 21 - May21) Now that you are feeling much better, it will be tempting to put aside your healthy eating and exercise, but if you remember what a difference it makes it would be silly to stop now. Enlist the help of a friend or two in keeping the momentum going.

GEMINI (May 22 - Juny 21) There are so many things to do or try that you should be spoiled for choice. No, don’t settle down in front of the TV. Get out, make some friends and aim to learn something new every day. That may only be the name of your neighbour on the bus but it counts. You are charming and urbane, so don’t keep it all to yourself.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) When your feelings are so positive, which they should be now, it is hard to remember that they have ever been any other way. You may have a plan in mind for a new activity to get the adrenalin flowing. How much more enjoyable, though, to find someone to share this with you. Book that course and maybe you will meet them there.

LEO (July 24 - August 23) After a few recent excesses, bad habits can prove hard to shake off. Remember that any time of the year is a good time to make a fresh start. Don’t put off looking after your health any more than you would put off stashing a cheque in the bank. Use it or lose it? You know it makes sense. Think about combining health with a holiday.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) It happens that energy is sometimes low. Take the chance to read up on why this could be. You may think that you know it all, but in this world there is no chance of that. Maybe you are out of touch generally, or just out of touch with your own needs. Give building your strength priority. How much better you will cope with extra energy.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) With so much going on, you are in danger of burning yourself to a frazzle. You won’t realise until you have done it, so make a point of getting some peace and quiet, preferably both of them at the same time. Relax and don't even think about things that are unchangeable. Time will sort out most things for you.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Leave nothing to chance when it comes to your health. Although you are feeling good now you will soon have problems because you are more concerned with others than yourself. This can be good but can also be overdone. You know how good you can feel. Increase this by simply not accepting secondbest treatment.

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

AMIDST ANNEAL DANGLE EDGING ERRANT GARAGE INBRED LABOUT (10) MARINA OBTAIN ORIENT PARLEY PIECED RADIUS REASON SCHIST SERIES SPREAD SUNDRY

LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY Sat 30 January

4-28-31 36-51-55

Your tendency to see yourself through the eyes of others can lead you to undervalue your worth. This could see you going pear-shaped, emotion-ally. Try not to believe everything that you are told because there are always at least two ways of seeing things. Be positive. You are capable of so much. Take care of your needs on a daily basis.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Concentrate on your physical needs this week and spend much more time on yourself. There will be plenty of opportunities to look after others when you are feeling 100 per cent yourself. Stay in control of day-to-day plans.

BONUS BALL

42

IRISH LOTTO Sat 30 January

7-17-21 28-38-41

BONUS BALL

23

EURO MILLIONS Tue 26 January

SAGITARIUS (November 23 - December 21)

TIME OUT

BONUS BALL

2

05-07-25 37-40

8

Fri 29 January

BONUS BALL

01-05-27 36-42

1 6

EL MILLON: KFF37185 LA PRIMITIVA Thurs 28 January

BONUS BALL

03-26-31 35-46-49

17 3

JOKER: 2946326 Sat 30 January

BONUS BALL

13-14-26 33-36-40

18

JOKER: 4461785

4

TIME OUT

34

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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, 9 represents C and 13 represents J, so fill in C every time the figure 9 appears and J every time the figure 13 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 Bufandas (7) 5 Quinto (5) 8 Lean (meat) (5) 9 Más afortunado (7) 10 Acontecimiento (5) 11 Seno (5) 12 To call (6) 14 Geese (domestic) (6) 18 Patata frita (de bolsa) (5) 20 Áspero (5) 22 Church (7) 23 Liqueur (5) 24 Kisses (5) 25 Toasted (7)

Down 1 Weekly (7) 2 Ángulo (5) 3 Violet (7) 4 Saludo (6) 5 Seals (animals) (5) 6 Amigos (7) 7 Duele (5) 13 Rings (on finger) (7) 15 Grandmothers (7) 16 Pay (wage) (7) 17 Pechuga (de pollo) (6) 18 Subir (5) 19 Raisins (5) 21 Axe (5)

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION • LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION QUICK Across: 1 Abhor, 4 Basin, 7 Terminate, 8 Dusk, 10 Chides, 12 Sonnet, 13 Drab, 16 Brigadier, 18 Rigid, 19 Aides. Down: 1 Avoid, 2/17 Hot rod, 3 Rare, 4 Bright, 5 Slander, 6 Needs, 9 Singing, 11 Reward, 12 Sober, 14 Bonus, 15 Diva.

CRYPTIC

Across: 1 Spliced, 5 Minus, 8 Venom, 9 Spotted, 10 Risking, 11 Exile, 12 Jaded, 14 Stern, 19 Libel, 21 Exposed, 23 Harvard, 24 Lease, 25 Traps, 26 Masters. Down: 1 Severn, 2 Links, 3 Combine, 4 Design, 5 Moose, 6 Nattier, 7 Sodden, 13 Alberta, 15 Tipples, 16 Old hat, 17 Seldom, 18 Adders, 20 Loans, 22 State.

BOGGLED

FUTOSHIKI

nett netty undo undoer doge dogie doer hoer tube tuber tumble tumbler tumbrel tumbril ogle ogler jetty john bene bend betty butt butte butene buttv butler bumble bumbler belt tend mute mutt goer geode gelt glebe gilbert gilt girl liger lire bleb brig lilt rebut rebbe riel rile trig

ENGLISH-SPANISH Across: 1 Comida, 3 Asleep, 8 Enlaces, 10 Algas, 11 Prado, 12 Refugee, 13 Usado, 15 Mando, 20 October, 22 Dummy, 24 Trozo, 25 Cordero, 26 Moneda, 27 Throat. Down: 1 Cuerpo, 2 Multa, 4 Staff, 5 Engaged, 6 Poster, 7 Users, 9 Cloud, 14 Sit down, 16 Arder, 17 Bottom, 18 Brick, 19 By boat, 21 Broad, 23 Miedo

CODE BREAKER

NONAGRAM alee alit aril earl evil lair late lave leer leva liar lira lire lite live rail rale real reel rial riel rile tael tail tale teal tile vail vale veal veil vela vial vile alert alive alter elate elite elver later laver leave lever liter litre liver livre ratel ravel relit revel rival tiler trail trial valet velar viler viral vital elater leaver levier railer realer relate relive retail reveal revile travel varlet atelier earlier elative relater retrial reviler trailer relative retailer traveler RETRIEVAL

HEXAGRAM

WORD LADDER

1 HECTOR 2 RASTER 3 RETORT 4 STANCH 5 HORROR 6 TETHER 7 ARDENT 8 ECHOES 9 SCANTY 10 DOCTOR 11 THIRST 12 STEREO 13 TERROR 14 SPEEDY 15 METEOR 16 FERRIC 17 SPOTTY 18 MOROSE 19 TEETHE

HALT MALT MALE MILE MITE KITE

KAKURO

SUDOKU

35

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Costa Blanca TODAY

DENIA JAVEA CALPE ALTEA

WEATHER

BENIDORM ALICANTE

ORIHUELA TORREVIEJA

TOMORROW

DENIA JAVEA CALPE

Malaga TODAY: MAX 21, MIN 9 Fri 18 9 Sat 19 9 Sun 19 9 Mon 21 10 Tues - 21 11 Wed 20 11

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 21, MIN 11 Fri 21 11 Sat 21 11 Sun 19 12 Mon 19 11 Tues - 19 11 Wed 20 13

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

TIME OUT

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

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

ALTEA BENIDORM ALICANTE

ORIHUELA TORREVIEJA

SATURDAY

DENIA JAVEA CALPE ALTEA BENIDORM ALICANTE

ORIHUELA TORREVIEJA

S: Sun

C: Cloudy

Th: Thunder

Cl: Clear

Sh: Showers

Sn: Snow

Bilbao TODAY: MAX 18, MIN 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

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: 17 Good: 23 Very good: 34 Excellent: 44

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 The first man seen by a duke in the morning (4) 3 Eccentric recites nothing, how odd (8) 9 Lance brings evil changes in short month (7) 10 Freely available sort of panto (2,3) 11 Stop at 'turning cool by mid-evening' (5) 12 One who relates to a bank employee (6) 14 Damson is chopped up for the Wanderers (6) 16 Traditional roof in yonder church? (6) 19 Paint a textbook (6) 21 Some Kenyans could be as I am (5) 24 Take over and use Earp from the sound of it (5) 25 Italian city designed for romance? (7) 26 Auditor is unusually silent before the Queen (8) 27 Female expected flipping argument (4) Down 1 A disc jockey with a little money nearby? (8) 2 Smith's block found in Roman villa (5) 4 After treatment, stay in normal frame of mind (6) 5 Goblin right in charge (5) 6 Tree rat built a hideaway (7) 7 Imitate policeman at the Yard (4) 8 Smoothed timber put back in hidden alpine chalet (6) 13 Asian country Ali hadn't converted (8) 15 Noble king penetrates resistance (7) 17 Trounce in athletics event (6) 18 Credit note on revolutionary nursery (6) 20 Some could help a man to climb a tree (5) 22 Poles damaged pitch (5) 23 Start pick-up, leave luggage, bring in (4)

TIME OUT

36

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SUDOKU

QUICK

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

Across 1 Profundity (5) 4 Hops (5) 7 Crude oil (9) 8 Genuine (4) 10 Mix together (5) 13 Blanket (5) 14 Inform (4) 17 Unsafe (9) 19 Concluded (5) 20 Elevates (5)

Down 1 Leave (6) 2/18 Postpone (3,3) 3 Boxing punch (4) 4 Makes off with (6) 5 Huge (7) 6 Rescue (4) 9 Stayed away from (7) 11 Was the author of (6) 12 Shuts (6) 15 British nobleman (4) 16 Cure (4) 18 See 2

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

ROOM

QUIZ BACK SPIN

CALL MY BLUFF Below are 10 obscure words, each with three different definitions, obviously only one of which is correct. You have to guess/deduce which is the true one. 1. ABERUNCATOR: (a) lady’s maid, (b) long tool for pruning tall branches or (c) somebody who lacks the ability to make a decision? 2. CAMPAGNOL: (a) male midwife, (b) short-tailed field mouse or (c) songbird? 3. EMACITY: (a) desire or fondness for buying, (b) ringing noise in the head or (c) upward slope? 4. HIMATION: (a) anonymous works, (b) divination using needles or (c) loose outer garment worn by ancient Greeks? 5. JUGLANDACEOUS: (a) accidental or casual, (b) of or relating to walnuts or (c) piled in heaps? 6. NACARAT: (a) bright orange-red, (b) over-refined or (c) threetoed sloth? 7. PECULATION: (a) becoming white, (b) burning or scalding or (c) embezzlement? 8. RARISSIMA: (a) craving for strange foods (b) extremely rare book or (c) love sonnet? 9. TEPHRA: (a) ash and debris ejected by a volcano, (b) compound interest or (c) shortness of breath? 10. VARUS: (a) army biscuit, (b) marginal note or (c) pigeon-toed?

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

Not a lot of people know that… ‘schoolmaster’ is an anagram of ‘the classroom’ and ‘moon starers’ is an anagram of ‘astronomers’

TARGET:

audreyquinton99@gmail.com

Average: 14 Good: 19 Very good: 27 Excellent: 35

Answers 1. B - LONG TOOL FOR PRUNING TALL BRANCHES, 2. B - SHORT-TAILED FIELD MOUSE, 3. A - DESIRE OR FONDNESS FOR BUYING, 4. C - LOOSE OUTER GARMENT WORN BY ANCIENT GREEKS, 5. B - OF OR RELATING TO WALNUTS, 6. A - BRIGHT ORANGE-RED, 7. C - EMBEZZLEMENT, 8. B - EXTREMELY RARE BOOK, 9. A - ASH AND DEBRIS EJECTED BY A VOLCANO, 10. C - PIGEON-TOED

38 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

4 - 10 February 2021

HEALTH & BEAUTY

By Clinica Britannia

ESWT - A solution for ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION ESWT: Shock wave therapy.

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (ED) is a more common problem than we think affecting about 5

per cent of men under 40 and rising substantially to 15 per cent in men over 70 years of

age. Some of the most common causes being related to stress, anxiety, tiredness, over-

weight, depression or the excessive intake of alcohol. Other conditions also associated with ED are diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol and side effects from prescription medication. Over time there have been major advances in the treatment of ED and the majority of sufferers can be treated effectively, firstly with some lifestyle changes and with a non-invasive treatment called Extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a clinically proven method and has been used for various medical conditions. ESWT is a treatment which works by producing a painless microtrauma in the way of shockwaves to the penis area enhancing the generation of new arteries, thus improving the blood circulation. Three to six sessions are advised and there is also an exceptionally low risk of having any side effects. Daily exercise and a healthy diet plan are also recommended when taking the treatment. Contact Clinica Britannia for more information or to book an appointment with our specialist.

Appointments Landline: 965 837 553 965 837 851 • 24H/365D Emergency Number: (+34) 607 255 755 • Opening Times: Mon - Fri: 9:00am / 5:00pm

Clinica Britannia Calpe Av. Ejercitos Españoles 16 BIS, 1st Floor, Calpe

40 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

4 - 10 February 2021

USEFUL NUMBERS Emergency Services National Police Local Police Guardia Civil Ambulance Fire Brigade

112 091 092 062 061 080

FEATURE

Andalucia Vaccination Programme CONSULAR MATTERS A NUMBER of citizens have been asking me about the vaccination against Covid‐ 19, the current position is as follows: On December 27, 2020 the vaccination programme against Covid‐19 began in An‐ dalucia, in coordination with the strategy which is being followed throughout Spain. Initially this campaign was started, focusing on people in nursing homes and the health and social health professionals who work in them, as well as the health professionals and other personnel who work in the first line of action against Covid‐19 (health cen‐ tres, hospitals, medical consultations, etc). The vaccine will only be available in the public health system. At the present time there are no plans to have the vaccine in private hospitals, health centres or for sale in pharmacies. Due to the necessity to store the vac‐ cine in refrigerated conditions, at the pre‐ sent time vaccinations are being carried

out in selected vaccination centres with their vaccination teams, which are also be‐ ing mobilised to nursing homes. Currently, the only two vaccines being put in place are the Comirnaty® vaccine (Pfizer‐BioNTech) and the Moderna® vac‐ cine, both based on messenger RNA. You cannot choose which vaccine you want to have, they are given at the discretion of the medical authorities. Regarding the most appropriate place for the injection, given that the people to be vaccinated are aged 16 years and over, it is recommended to administer it prefer‐ ably in the deltoid muscle (arm). The vaccine is not recommended at any time during pregnancy, but it can be ad‐ vised for at risk workers (nurses, medical personnel and other workers) who may be exposed to the virus through their work. Currently, although trials are just begin‐ ning in 12‐16‐year‐olds, there are no effi‐ cacy and safety data in this age group. This, together with the low severity seen at this age, means that its use is not cur‐ rently recommended in children under 16 years of age in the case of Comirnaty® or

in children under 18 years of age in the case of the Moderna® vaccine. There is currently no data on the possi‐ ble effects of the vaccine during breast‐ feeding, or on milk production or on the infant, but as they are mRNA vaccines and not attenuated virus vaccines, they are not considered to pose a risk to the infant. The objective is to reach the maximum number of people in the shortest time possible, without interruptions, seven days a week. Regarding the second stage of vaccination, it is foreseeable that vaccina‐ tion will continue with people over 70 years of age. The plan envisages vaccinat‐ ing them in a period of six weeks, from March 15 to April 25, 2021. The rest of the population will begin to be vaccinated after this period, without there being a specific timeframe for the time being, so the authorities will inform them of the vaccination campaigns and where to go. The vaccination will be car‐ ried out, in principle, in coordination with the health centre and the doctor assigned to it by the Andalucian public health sys‐ tem.

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

contact@justlawsolicitors.com • www.justlawsolicitors.com

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Will your dog need a playmate TAKE a moment to plan ahead for pet and house‐sitters 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 philoso‐ phy is that we are all in this together. These are the steps to take: 1. Register as a homeowner on House SitMatch.com 2. Choose a Premium account (£89 per year) to ensure you can help online when needed 3. Create a profile with photos of your pet and the house 4. Post a house‐sit advert stating your plans for next year’s holiday Covid permit‐ ting Do you need a pet‐sitter 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. House‐sitters see your advert, they respond and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets. Trustpilot Testimonials ‐ 4.8 / 5 Excellent

Find them a friend while you’re on holiday. rating (New Trustpilot rating scale) Here’s what members have said about us ‐ HouseSitMatch found us a perfect house‐ sitter… HouseSitMatch found us a perfect house‐ sitter while we were away in Canada and we were delighted with the care and attention that HouseSitMatch took in helping us find the right person.

Ros Morris ‐ Dog owner How do you join? Please register online via our website www.Housesitmatch.com ‐ Choose a membership plan ‐ Please note prices go up soon so sign up now on subscription to secure these prices: • Standard (DIY option) = £69 pa • Premium (with support at each step) = £89 pa

PETS

Unconventional pets NOT all people have a place in their hearts for the tradition‐ al pet. Some prefer the challenge and thrill of owning some‐ thing unique and eye‐catching. However, many are put off by the thought of owning and caring for a non traditional pet, but would be surprised to know that some are actually relatively low maintenance. Hedgehogs, for example, are often mistaken for prickly and unintelligent, but these gentle souls are actually quite shy. Only stiffening their spines when threatened, they are a humble and easy pet, often comparable to hamsters. With time and commitment, owners can expect to develop a strong bond with this interesting pet. On the other end of the spectrum is the Axolotl, a unique pet that looks a little like a domesticated alien. Proving to be very weird pets, it is able to regenerate any part of its body in due time, ideal for anyone with a feisty aquarium environment. The Axolotl is a type of salamander which originated in Mexico. They grow to be quite large and require quite spe‐ cialised care and equipment, making it a little more high maintenance, but otherwise a fantastic pet for those with a taste for the unique.

LEGAL ALIEN: The Axolotl is incredibly unique.

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

Advertising Feature ALTHOUGH offering all our love and enhanced care, our dog is very important and it helps them live better. The truth is that the longevity of our pet is largely related to its breed, weight and size. In fact, dogs with greater weight and size, as a general rule, tend to live less years than small dogs. Also breed, diet, genetics and envi‐

5 Tips on Caring for Older Dogs ronment have an impact on a dog’s life expectancy. Although Veterinary medicine has extend‐ ed the lives of dogs, with the right combination of attention and preventive care, it is impor‐ tant to incorporate some strate‐ gies . 1. Watch your dog’s diet. Ma‐ ture dogs often have food issues,

including problems chewing, lack of appetite, obesity and digestive difficulties. 2. Exercise your dog’s body. Like people, ageing dogs experi‐ ence pain and have difficulty per‐ forming physical activities they used to enjoy, but exercise con‐ tinues to be imperative to their health and mind. 3. Dental hygiene is particular‐ ly crucial. Regular brushing and professional cleaning can prevent dental disease. 4. Visit the vet more often. Take your dog in for a vet check‐ up at least twice a year. Monitor changes in behaviour, appetite, weight loss or gain, dental issues, and any lumps or lesions and bring them to your vet’s atten‐ tion. 5.Make your house comfort‐ able for an old dog. Keep food and water in areas they can easily reach, heated beds can alleviate painful joints in case colder days, avoid sliding floor and use ramps to get into the car. In Costablanca Norte: Anicura Marina Baixa Hospital Veterinario www.veterinariamarina baixa.com

SERVICES

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4 - 10 February 2021

AIR CONDITIONING

PLUMBERS

CHIMNEY SERVICES

REMOVALS & STORAGE

INSURANCE

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SERVICES

PLUMBERS

REMOVALS & STORAGE

MOTORING

ROOFING

TESTIMONIAL Hunter: Picked up a copy of your paper at Frankie's this morning. Thanks very much. You have made my day, week, month etc....

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REMOVALS & STORAGE

TV & SATELLITE

TV & SATELLITE

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CLASSIFIEDS ARCHITECTS

COMPUTERS COMPUTER REPAIRS – Laptops/PCs Qualified Technician – 648 065 224 No Call Out Charge No Fix No Fee andy@wiz ard-computers.biz (290467)

ELECTRICIAN

APPLIANCE REPAIRS WASHING MACHINE BROKEN? Call BlueSky Repairs for ALL your domestic appliance repairs. 626 430 671 (WhatsApp)

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

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

GARDENING SERVICES DAVID THE TREE GUY Cutting, trimming & removal of trees. Torrevieja, Alicante, Benidorm areas. 722 652 173 (289581)

GENERAL SERVICES MISTER Fix-It handyman, available in Jalon Valley area, hourly rates, 657 189 519 (290302)

GOLD WANTED

CARE HOME

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CHARITY www.helpbenidorm.org and on Facebook VOLUNTEERS NEEDED, particularly Spanish speakers for interpreter service, and car owners. Tel President 607 387 040, Welfare 607 386 964, Interpreters 607 385 842, Equipment 663 495 396. We are an English speaking charity that assists residents and tourists of all nationalities in times of crisis, we also organise social events for members. We meet every Thursday at 10.30 in Jose Llorca Social Centre C. Goya s/n. Benidorm. It is opposite the Foietes Car Park where there is a Wednesday market. Everyone welcome. It is 400m from Benidorm tram station and on bus routes 1 and 8. We loan out mobility and medical equipment including oxygen concentrators on a short-term basis. (288658)

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

FRIENDSHIP

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COMPLETE Tailormade set Callaway Big Bertha Golfset & bag & cart for men (1.75 /1.80), irons 3,4,5,6,7,8,9, PW, SW & putter, graffiti shafts (abt 10 years old) & metalwood 3. All together €595. 1 careful owner. 655 919 418 (291361)

HEALTH & BEAUTY SOLEMATE MOBILE FOOT HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL. 692 031 849 (2898171) CHIROPODIST/PODIATRIST, Philip Mann, clinics in Benissa, Moraira, Javea, Calpe and Albir. 686 912 307 (282699)

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SITUATIONS VACANT

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Reliable quality - it’s a Honda ROAD TEST by Mark Slack IT’S rare that I drive a car and subsequently struggle to form any kind of strong opin‐ ion for the write‐up. Honda’s Jazz Crosstar has succeeded though. Essentially the Crosstar is an SUV style pack‐ age added to a standard Jazz. Priced at €26,288 (£23,385) it comes with increased ride height, black sill and wheel arch cladding, 16” alloys, a different front grille and wa‐ ter resistant upholstery. Based on the standard EX the Crosstar is essentially all about dressing. Power comes via a 1.5‐litre petrol‐electric hybrid engine with twin electric motors and a CVT transmission to drive the front wheels. It’s a smooth and refined affair un‐ til you press on with any seri‐ ous acceleration, when it be‐ comes somewhat frenetic while it gathers momentum. A quite common CVT trait

found in other similarly geared cars apart from Hon‐ das. The Crosstar rides well, successfully ironing out the worst excesses of the multi‐ patched roads common in my part of the world. From a pure driving point of view though it’s a rather anodyne affair and will most likely be bought by those who need transport rather than some‐ thing to set the driving sens‐ es aflutter. That’s no bad thing either because being a Honda it’ll be uber reliable, there’s plenty of space for such a small car and it’s a comfortable place to be for your daily commute. There is, again unsurpris‐ ingly being Honda, a quality feel with a nice interior mix of fabric and other trim ma‐ terials. Lots of space for your in‐car detritus and my test model had a rather cool inte‐ rior look compared to most superminis of the same price and ilk. Externally my test model came in a shade of

paint called Surf Blue that many people commented up‐ on in favourable terms. I was‐ n’t quite so taken not least because of the extra €1,067 (£950) cost. The standard equipment in

the Crosstar is very good with such goodies as keyless entry and start, parking sensors, satellite navigation, adaptive cruise control, heated seats, powered mirrors, auto lights and wipers and rear parking

camera. The infotainment system is very comprehen‐ sive and the sound quality is better than in some premium cars I have sampled. The Jazz Crosstar certainly has appeal if you want a

commuter car with the look of something more, but from a purely practical and com‐ mon sense approach the standard EX model seems a better bet and €1,444 (£1,285) cheaper too.