News
The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1862
11 - 17 March 2021
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MAGNIFICENT SEVEN BENIDORM mayor Toni Perez recently attended a one-day conference on Sun and Sea tourism organised by Exceltur. Spain’s Tourism minister Reyes Maroto and junior minister Fernando Valdes attended the closing ceremony, while the mayors of Benidorm, Marbella, Torremolinos, Calvia (Mallorca), Lloret de Mar (Girona), Salou (Tarragona) and Adeje (Tenerife) took an active part in the agenda. The conference’s full title, Nuevos Paradigmas competitivos en los destinos de Sol y Playa (New competitive paradigms in Sun and Sand destinations) - reflected the concerns of the tourist sector overall and
EXCELTUR CONFERENCE: The mayors’ socially-distanced round-table discussion. the seven mayors in particular. Between them their municipalities represent 22 per cent of tourist activity along Spain’s Mediterranean coast. They contribute €108 billion to the economy, provide 1.6 million jobs and generate 8.7 per cent of Spain’s
GDP. Toni Perez pointed out during the conference’s round-table discussion that the pandemic had highlighted the importance of tourism, although the intangible ‘happiness factor’ that it offered visitors was equally important. Perez claimed that there was a
tendency not to pay attention to “what works,” in a clear reference to tourism. “There is a lot of talk about ‘Empty Spain’ but little about ‘Filled Spain’,” he said. Benidorm had a registered population of 70,000 inhabitants
although even during lockdown there were no less than 130,000, he added. “Town halls that are tourist destinations need economic aid that will help them provide the services they must offer their oversized populations.” Perez’s fellow-mayors agreed, describing underfunding as an “ongoing evil” that they all had to cope with. “What is needed is a law linking a specific type of economy to tourist destinations, with Benidorm as a profile,” Perez said, maintaining that tourist destinations should benefit directly by the IVA added-value tax generated by tourism.
Perez ended with praise for Benidorm hoteliers’ commitment to responsibility to the town and tourism by closing on March 15 2020, six days before they were required to do so by the central government. “It was a brave decision that put the health and safety of tourists and employees before their own businesses,” Perez said.
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Rain held off
A GREY day met the Pego Golf Society members as they arrived at Oliva Nova Golf for their captain Derek Lindley’s Drive-In. Some had not seen each other or played golf since
their last game on January 5 as strict lockdown was decreed for Oliva owing to rising Covid-19 figures. The golfers had been praying for a change in the weather as there was a 100 per cent
risk of rain but none fell that day. T he present C ovid-19 rules and restrictions meant no ‘ N earest the pin,’ no ‘Twos’ awards and no prizegiving in the clubhouse, which is closed at present. Brendan Young guessed the Drive-In distance of 185 yards correctly and Ian Robertson, Peter Cornes, Paul Trigwell and Dave O’Conner took first place with 79 points. Roy Jones, Jan Jones, Mick Farmer and C Ghost came second with 77 points and Charlie Miller, Fiona Sankey, Celia Cronin and Colin Foster were third with 76. Next week the Pego Golf Society will be playing a combined pairs competition and those wishing to play should contact penelopebarden@gmail.com. Pego Golf Society meet every Tuesday at Oliva Nova golf club, and readers who would like more information should email Penny Barden at pego handicapsec@gmail.com.
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Street markets reopen AS the Valencian Community’s ‘slow but sure’ de-escalation begins, La Nucia and Benidorm have reopened their street markets. In La Nucia, the town hall’s Local Government Board okayed the Sunday Rastro (flea market) after it had to cease trading during the January and February restrictions. The concessionary that runs the market signed a Declaration of
Responsibility last September, guaranteeing compliance with anti-Covid health and safety measures. This was still essential, La Nucia Town Hall pointed out, and the Local Police and Proteccion Civil volunteers will be present each Sunday to ensure that the regulations are not flouted. Benidorm’s municipal mercadillo held each Wednesday at the Mercasa site has also re-
opened, although with fewer stalls to comply with Covid regulations. Market traders whose licences ended with an even number were able to set up their stalls the first week, followed by those with odd numbers the next week. They will continue to alternate for as long as the regional government’s restrictions on visitor-capacity remain in place, the town hall confirmed.
Orange alert Lifesavers’ jobs on the A-31 safeguarded A PILE‐UP of three lorries and a car in Novelda caused eight‐kilometre tailbacks on the A‐31 Madrid‐Alicante motorway last week. Although all involved escaped without serious injuries, one of the lorries practical‐ ly overturned, losing a cargo of oranges which were scattered over one side of the motorway. Guardia Civil traffic police had to divert traf‐ fic through Elda almost as far as Monovar be‐ fore rejoining the A‐31, although dozens of lor‐ ries were trapped in the rush‐hour traffic while firefighters removed the fruit.
JAVEA Town Hall, which is currently putting the beaches’ lifesaving contract out to tender, has added an obligatory clause. Whoever is finally awarded the two‐year con‐ tract, worth an annual €453,100, must undertake to continue to incorporate the Red Cross lifesavers who were employed on permanent seasonal con‐ tracts. “Independently of whoever wins the new contract, they will keep their jobs,” the town hall explained. “It is important to provide these employ‐ ees with stability and at the same time ensure that the lifesaving and beach rescue service has trained and experienced personnel.”
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NIBS EXTRA Drain gain DENIA has spent €115,000 on extending its main drainage network by 430 metres to the Pinaret d’Elies district near the old Portland cement works. As well as providing a better service for the area’s residents, it will also help to prevent flooding during episodes of heavy rain.
New school THE old Gargasindi school building in Calpe has now been demolished at a cost of €148,882, financed by the Generalitat’s Plan Edificant scheme. The site has been cleared to make way for a larger and better-equipped special needs centre whose construction has been put out to tender.
Smart move ILUNION, a company belonging to ONCE, Spain’s official organisation for the visually-impaired, recently visited Altea prior to carrying out a study for the town’s Tourist Accessibility Plan, thanks to a €65,029 Generalitat grant. Once implemented, this should guarantee Altea’s future as a totally accessible Smart Tourism Destination.
Long weekend ALTHOUGH March 19 is a public holiday, Fallas bonfires are cancelled and the Generalitat recommended that schools should not close on March 17 and 18, originally designated as holidays. Not all municipalities have complied and in several Costa Blanca towns, including Denia, pupils will still have both days off.
Stay home SPEAKING to a Cadena Ser interviewer, Generalitat president Ximo Puig said that most autonomous regions favour closing perimeters over Easter to prevent further Covid-19 cases. Only Madrid is reluctant to close boundaries and Puig called on residents there to wait until the summer before visiting the Valencian Community.
Second chance BENIDORM Town Hall is repeating entrance exams for the Local Police force in 2018 that were annulled following suspicions of cheating. The 270 hopefuls who had already passed two of the selection process tests can now take the remaining written papers that were compromised 30 months ago.
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Happy and less happy CAMPELLO is already preparing for April when the 18 to 55 age group receive their anti-Covid jabs. This will be carried out, both for Campello’s residents and those from neighbouring Aigues, at the town’s Polideportivo sports centre. “It’s perfect and complies with every requirement,” said Beatriz Massa Dominguez, the Sant Joan d’Alacant Health Area’s manager. “There is even an infirmary for attending to possible reactions to the vaccine,” Massa pointed out as she toured the sports complex accompanied by
CAMPELLO: Beatriz Massa, Rafa Galvañ and Health officials at the Polideportivo sports centre. Campello’s Health councillor Rafa Galvañ. A little further along the coast, Finestrat’s Health councillor Nati
Algado was less than impressed with the municipality’s vaccination arrangements. Finestrat has a population of
9,894 registered residents and, as in other towns with a population of 10,000 or under, mass vaccinations should be carried out at the local health centre or a municipal installation. Instead, Algado revealed that Finestrat’s name is missing from the list of these municipalities and when April arrives, residents will have to go elsewhere for their shots. “We don’t understand what the Generalitat has done,” the councillor said, adding that Finestrat Town Hall will ask the Marina Baja Health Area to modify Finestrat’s mass vaccination arrangements.
Let’s get it right this time FIVE associations representing Javea’s hospitality industry and commerce called on clients and business‐owners to keep the rules. ARX, Xabia Historica, Port Xabia, Mer‐ cat Municipal and Xabia Arena issued a communique reminding them, “If one falls, they take everyone with them.” As bars, cafes and restaurants reopen their terraces for the first time in several weeks, and with shops’ opening hours extended, “irresponsible behaviour” was already noticeable in some establish‐
Help MABS with €1 a week MABS Cancer Support is there to any‐ one who needs help as a result of a can‐ cer diagnosis, whether for themselves, a spouse or a partner. Owing to the restrictions over the past year, it has not been possible to hold any fundraising events, which make up an important percentage of MABS’ income. Despite the difficulties, MABS is still offering help, support and assistance to those in need, but the charity needs your donations more than ever. Just €1 a week ‐ less than the price of a coffee ‐ can make all the difference, so please help MABS continue to help them. Donation details for this campaign can be found on the www.mabscancer foundation.com website along with contact numbers of the Cancer Helplines across the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida.
ments, the associations said. “We aren’t pointing the finger at any‐ one, but do ask for responsible be‐ haviour,” their joint statement declared, asking business‐owners, clients and the town hall to comply with health and safety regulations. The associations urged bars, cafes, restaurants and shops to observe the measures and visitor‐capacity regula‐ tions that the Generalitat announced on March 1. They also asked clients ‐ for their own
safety and that of employees ‐ to ensure that the hospitality sector did not be‐ come a focus of contagion. The authorities were also asked to play their part “by establishing firm po‐ lice control” to guarantee that all health and safety measures were complied with. The statement also reminded the hos‐ pitality sector and shops that the associa‐ tions would be happy to keep them in‐ formed about the current anti‐Covid measures.
Elderly fire-raiser JALON’S Guardia Civil arrested an 80‐year‐old Spanish man, suspected of starting four fires in Alcalali over the last year. All were near the River Gorgos on protected land classed as a Site of Community Im‐ portance (LIC) and similarities between the fires suggested they were deliberately start‐ ed by the same person. Three of the fires occurred on woodland, although a fourth was near an inhabited area, threatening to spread to an urbanisation and rural properties. The Guardia Civil’s investigations led to the octogenarian who, for reasons still to be determined, set the fires on his morning walks.
Motorway link slowdown JAVEA, Gata and Pedreguer are still waiting for AP‐7 access, Compromis senator Carles Mulet complained. The Ministry of Transport signed a contract in 2020 with a specialist firm to ‘evaluate redistributing traffic occa‐ sioned by the lifting of tolls,’ but the three towns are no nearer a solution. Mulet lamented the ‘vagueness and slowness’ of the study, asking the Ministry to fast‐track the project which also envisages a Gata‐Pe‐ dreguer link with better access to Javea.
40 days, 40 photos PHOTOGRAPHS taken during last year’s lockdown are now displayed at Calpe’s Ajuntament Vell (Old Town Hall) build‐ ing. Foto Club Ifac, in collaboration with the Culture department, set the challenge of photographing a set theme each day and uploading each person’s interpretation to the social media. The initiative continued throughout lockdown, resulting in 273 very different photographs, which have now been whit‐ tled down for the ‘40 dias 40 fotos’ exhibi‐ tion that can now be visited at the Ajunta‐ ment Vell’s exhibition room until March 31.
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‘Vaccines for all’ claim ALICANTE Province’s foreign residents will not miss out on the anti‐Covid vaccine. Although no official announcement has yet been made, Health department sources quoted in the provincial Spanish media maintained that there will be no r e p e t i t i o n o f M a l a‐ ga’s situation. Last week, Andalu‐ cia’s Health depart‐ ment announced that the vaccine would not be available to foreign residents out‐ side the Social Securi‐ ty system. Even in the Valen‐ cian Community there is a proviso, however, as it will still be necessary to be in possession of an up‐to‐date Popu‐ lation Information System (SIP) health card, which as the media report added, does not always mean that the medi‐ cal attention re‐ ceived is free. Alicante Province has approximately 340,000 foreign resi‐ dents, of whom 70,000 are British. Around 50,000 will have no problem re‐ garding SIP cards as they are legally‐regis‐ tered permanent resi‐ dents. The remainder will need to apply for a SIP card or, if they have one ‐ which could be temporary ‐ they should ensure that it is current, in order to be in line for the vaccine, the Health department sources said. Some are long‐stay tourists and others who are simply living under the radar, but all will need to apply for a SIP if they hope to be vaccinated.
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Albir Anglican Church is back! EVERY Sunday starting at 9.30am. Easter is approaching with amazing services to look forward to. The premises are large enough for social distancing to be adhered to. Masks must be worn throughout and at the moment we are not allowed to gather afterwards. We are a friendly congregation and you will receive a warm welcome. A service of Holy Communion is held in Albir every Sunday at 9.30am. You can find us in the centre of Albir, up the main road hill, Camino de la Cantera, (quite near the Consum Supermarket), signposted Rober Palas Hotel, turn right in front of the hotel and the Church (Norwegian Seaman’s Church) is just inside the next road on the left, Carrer Mart. Once restrictions are lifted at the Forum Mare Nostrum, we shall resume our Thursday healing services on the second Thursday monthly. For further information please call our Local Church Wardens, Elaine Mitchell on 636 164 467 or Paul Winter on 602 218 483. Albir is one of eight congregations in the Chaplaincy, from Gandia to El Campello. Costa Blanca Anglican Chaplaincy (the Church of England in Spain) you can find all the other service times, locations and contacts and much more on the website www.costablanca-anglicanchaplaincy.org click ‘ABOUT US’ - Churches and Services. Always a warm welcome for all.
NEWS
Sevilla Oranges to Queen of England
THE Real Alcazar in Sevilla, Europe’s old‐ est functioning royal palace, has brought back the tradition of sending a crate of oranges to the Queen of England, a tra‐ dition, which was lost early in the 20th century, with the fruit then being used for marmalade for the Queen. Hugh Elliott, the British ambassador to Spain, said the fruit would be made into the marmalade in his residence. He wrote a letter of thanks to the Al‐ cazar’s director, Isabel Rodriguez. In it he said the oranges were “enor‐ mously appreciated” and the result would be “a blend of our cultures.” Built in the 12th century, the Real Al‐ cazar is surrounded by around 7,000
square metres of gardens with 1,053 or‐ ange trees and 39 lemon trees. A specialised firm has already begun the 2021 harvest, with a budget of €17,837. Rodriguez told one publication anoth‐ er official had told her about the lost tra‐ dition of sending Sevilla oranges to the British royals in 2019. She added: “Last year we got in touch with the honorary consul in Sevilla, Joe Cooper, and we prepared a 20‐kilogram crate of oranges from our trees. “This year, however, it was the consul in Sevilla who visited us last week to pick them up and send them to Madrid once more.”
BA Plans Rapid Antigen Tests
BRITISH AIRWAYS is offering discounted test kits from government-approved Covid19 testing provider Qured, at an ‘exclusive’ price of £33 (€38.18). Qured will deliver rapid antigen tests to travellers, who can take the kits with them to be used anywhere in the world. Following a video consultation with a health advisor, results will be available within 20 minutes and they will guide the customer through taking a nose and throat swab and processing the sample. Verified results are available after 20 minutes, and the customer can download a ‘fit to fly’ certificate if the test is negative. Qured said its test kits “remove uncertainty for customers who may be unsure how to source a pre-departure test while in a foreign country.” BA customers have access to preferential rates with several Covid-19 testing providers offering a range of PCR, lamp, antibody and antigen testing options. Before they fly, passengers due to fly on selected routes can upload their test results to the VeriFLY app - a mobile travel health passport. This will certify their test certificates before departure. The app is currently available to those who are eligible to travel between London and the US and Canada. It is also available on all inbound routes to the UK with BA.
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Rollout ‘Could End Pandemic’ A SPANISH expert has claimed the vaccine rollout could end the pandemic. Dr Antoni Castells, medical director of the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, said: “If we manage to extend the vaccine, it is the end of the pandemic.” Speaking about the situation, he said: “Like all health centres, we suffered from a shortage of protective equipment and respirators. The avalanche of patients overflowed the healthcare structure around the world and we had to manage as best we could, the first months were really dramatic. “In the first wave, the number of patients with non-Covid pathology dropped drastically. We were confined at home and patients were afraid of catching it if they came to the hospital. This was one of the concerns we had from the first moment. “We are especially proud that the hospital never stopped treating non-Covid patients, although the total capacity was limited to a third.” He added: “The favourable part of the pandemic is the appearance of the vaccine and the start of vaccinations.”
DR ANTONI CASTELLS: Proud hospital did not stop nonCovid treatments.
5000 people concert MANY may consider the thought of a concert with 5,000 people scary, but the idea will be trialled on March 27. Barcelona will welcome 5,000 people to the Palau Sant Jordi for a concert of the Love Of Lesbian group. During the concert there will be none of the normal Covid-19 prevention measures as we know them, as social distancing will not be required. Concert goers will be required though to wear an FFP2 mask and undergo certain requirements before the concert. A series of preliminary checks will be carried out and this will include an antigen test and also a temperature check before entering the concert. The announcement was made on Friday, March 5 at an event which was being held at Barcelona’s Estadi Olímpic. The event was also attended by representatives of Health and Culture of the Generalitat, and Ada Colau, the mayor. A smaller trial concert took place last December at the Sala Apolo, this time with around 500 people in attendance. It is hoped that the concert will allow new protocols to be established and used in the future at other concerts.
Birth Rate Falls
ACCORDING to new figures, Spain’s birth rate fell by 23 per cent in the year following the beginning of the pandemic. In December and January, 13,141 fewer births were registered than in the same period the previous year, a drop of 22.6 per cent.
In total, 45,054 babies were registered in December and January, according to information from 3,929 computerised civil registries in Spain, covering 93 per cent of the country’s population. The drop follows an ongoing decrease in the number of births in
Spain, with the 360,617 births in 2019 being the lowest figure since records began at the Spanish National Institute of Statistics in 1941. The Virgen del Rocio Hospital, in Sevilla, reported they had seen a 40 per cent reduction in deliveries attended in the last 12 years.
Organic growth SPAIN is the world’s 10th biggest market for organic products in terms of the total value of organic sales and the 11th when it comes to the percentage of organic consumption. A report by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food shows how the organic farming sector continues with its strong growth process and is becoming an important differentiated food sector within the entire Spanish food system. The estimated value of organic production at its origin surpassed €2.3 billion in 2019, up 8.32 per cent on the previous year. More than three quarters of this corresponds to organic production of plant origin and a quarter to that of animal origin. The data shows that on average, each person in Spain spends €50.22 on organic products, with the most spent on fruit (15.5 per cent) and fresh vegetables (13.9 per cent). Exports reached €995 million while imports totalled just over €1.07 billion. General Director of the Food Industry, Jose Miguel Herrero, said Spain is “moving towards a sustainable model that is committed to the environment,” adding that after the summer, the ministry will carry out its “most important campaign to promote organic production.” Chef Jose Andres will be the face of the promotional campaign that will be launched under the slogan: ‘The richest country in the world.’
Swifts Migrate To Spain THOUSANDS of swifts are currently making their way across the African continent towards the Iberian Peninsula to return to their old breeding grounds in Spain. The little birds, whose population is sadly in serious decline, cross thousands of kilometres of deserts, mountain ranges and seas to spend their breeding season here after over‐win‐ tering in the warmer climes of Africa. Aside from the breeding season, swifts spend most of their lives in the air, going months on end without perching. These dynamic little birds can reach top speeds of 100 km/hr and live for 12 years, travelling some 144,000 kilometres in their lifetime. However, the swift population has faced a troubling decline in recent years, with data from the SEO / BirdLife spring monitoring programme showing that the number of common swift in Spain has decreased some 27.2 per cent in the last 22 years.
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Bitcoin Could Replace All Currencies AS national curren‐ cies are already showing extreme signs of weakness, people will soon start measuring the price of things in terms of bitcoin, says Jesse P o w e l l , C EO o f c r y p ‐ tocurrency trading exchange Kraken. He told Bloomberg that bitcoin will even‐ tually be a global cur‐ rency because “you have to think it’s going to infinity.” “I think true believ‐ ers will tell you it’s going all the way to the moon, to Mars, and eventually it’ll be the world’s curren‐ cy,” Powell added. According to Powell, “In the near term, people see it (bitcoin) surpassing gold as a store of val‐ ue, so I think a million dollars as a price tar‐ get within the next 10 years is very reason‐ able. “Bitcoin believers expect the cryptocur‐ rency to replace fiat money and the market capitalisation of all na‐ tional currencies com‐ bined could make up its worth,” he said.
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Appeal for missing 17 yr old
A GIRL, 17, has been reported missing from her home in Barcelona since Monday, March 1. Sandra Plazas Prados is described as 1.63 metres tall, 65 kilos, with long, straight, black hair and green eyes and wellbuilt. She was wearing jeans, a military style jacket and white trainers with a turquoise stripe when she was last seen. She was going to a course in the Raval area of Barcelona
when she was last seen, but according to her sister’s Facebook post regarding her disappearance, she did not arrive. People have claimed to have seen her in the area. Anyone with information can call 674 926 577, 112, the National Police, the Mossos d’Esquadra or the Guardia Urbana.
MISSING: In Barcelona.
Fines for no ITV
THE General Traffic Depart‐ ment (DGT) has confirmed that it will fine drivers whose vehicle has not passed its ITV (Technical In‐ spection of Vehicles, equiva‐ lent to the MOT). In the past months, due to the pandemic and its mobility restrictions, many people are using their vehicles less and may have forgotten about the ITV. There is also a backlog caused by the first State of Alarm, during which ITV stations were closed, and drivers whose vehicles should have undergone the ITV test during lockdown have been given an extended deadline. However, this may not get them out of being fined, even if they can prove they have got an ap‐ pointment for the ITV. Some Guardia Civil officers
from the Traffic Department may be understanding, but by law, they can fine you, although the fine can later be appealed. What some drivers may be unaware of is the fact that you don’t have to be stopped while driving to get a fine. Any registered vehicle in circulation must under‐ go the ITV test, so even if you’re not using it, if your ITV is out of date or you didn’t pass the test and have failed to get it checked again, you can be fined. If a vehicle has not been taken for its ITV within the deadline, the fine is €200 (€100 if paid quickly). Driving with a vehicle which got a negative result at the ITV, a €500 fine. Driving with a vehicle which got an unfavourable result at the ITV, a €200 fine (€100 if paid quickly).
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Tobacco Sales Fall
THE coronavirus affected many businesses as the State of Alarm forced many premises to close. Tobacconists though were among the shortlist of those allowed to remain open during the State of Alarm. The government could have had multiple reasons for keeping them open including the avoidance of illegal sales, and the fact that closing them could have badly affected nicotine addicts. The fact that they remained open also would have prevented people from hoarding cigarettes and tobacco. Even with the tobacco shops remaining open sales still fell. Spain has registered a drop in sales in the last two decades and in Valladolid the trend was even more pronounced in 2020. Data released by the Tobacco Market Commission which in turn reports to the Ministry of Finance revealed that sales in the province fell by 4.6 per cent last year. This means that 2020 saw a level of sales that was almost half that of the 51 million packs of cigarettes that
PANDEMIC: People are quitting or smoking less. were sold in 2002. Many people have used their time during the pandemic to quit smoking or to smoke less, and according to the Ministry
of Health, “the decrease in frequency is more pronounced among younger people, students, people on ERTE and people living with family.”
Mercadona Face Masks SPANISH retail giant Mercadona has responded to the demand for masks which provide higher levels of protection than the reusable cloth ones they have provided to date, and have announced that FFP2-type self-filtering masks will go on sale this week. These masks are categorised as personal protective equipment (PPE) and according to the Ministry of Consumption, work by “filtering the air inhaled and avoiding the entry of polluting particles into our body.” They have already been rolled out in 1,600 stores across Spain. The new model on sale in Mercadona is non-reusable and currently available for adults only, but it boasts a total of five layers and a bacterial filtration efficiency of more than 94 per cent, according to the packaging.
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Catalonia Urged To Authorise Vaccine To The Over 55s
VACCINE: Only available to those of a certain age. DUE to a lack of research into the effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine on the elderly, the Spanish government decided to make it unavailable to people over the age of 55. Whilst this age group are still able to receive the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, many health professionals have expressed disagreement with the decision to limit the distribution of AstraZeneca. On Friday February 5, the association of doctors (Consell de Col·legis de Metges de Catalunya) and also pharmacists (Consell de Col·legis Farmacèutics), together with physiotherapists (Col·legi de Fisioterapeutes) publicly showed their opposition to the current limitations. Jaume Padrós, the doctors’ association’s president, took to social media to say that Catalonia should administer the vaccine “to all age groups,” arguing that “there is no scientific justification” to support not doing so. Equally, pharmacists have demanded that the Catalan ministry of health widen the age range to 65, or at least to all professionals working in pharmacies. They highlighted that other European countries have extended the range to 65, France and Germany approving the vaccine even for over 65s, on March 2 and March 4 respectively.
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Students Rally In Madrid
THE Union of Students and Freedoms and Combatives gathered dozens of students together at the Puerto del Sol in central Madrid at noon on Monday, March 8, despite a government ban on demonstrations for I nternational W omen’s Day. Participants in the rally were photographed carrying placards reading ‘March 8 without gags’ and ‘this government is not feminist.’ During the gathering, the union’s general secretary, Coral Latorre, told Europa Press that they felt it was “important” to take to the streets on this significant day “even if it was only symbolic.” “ T hey are not going to keep us at home,” she added. “M8 is not a crime.” T he M inistry of H ealth announced last week that
TikTok campaign To Join The Force THE Guardia Civil has launched a campaign on its TikTok profile, on Sunday, March 7, in order to encourage more young women to join the force. The campaign called ‘# ManyMás’ was run to tie in with International Women’s Day, which was celebrated on March 8, with a series of TikTok videos being published on the social media network, showing officers from the full range of services that the Guardia Civil offer, including Traffic, Maritime, Air Service, Seprona, and Criminalistics. The current campaign is aimed at transmitting the message to its users, who are on average between 16 and 24 years of age, as potential recruits, to show them that ‘there are no limitations or barriers to being a Guardia Civil.’ At present, there are more than 6,000 women at all levels of the Guardia Civil, across all the different fields, with four of them holding the rank of lieutenant colonel, the highest-ranking so far for a female officer.
all demonstrations for International Women’s Day would be prohibited on March 7 and 8 in Madrid, owing to the fact that the region still has one of the highest C ovid infection
rates in the entire country. The decision was appealed by unions and feminist groups, but the S upreme Court upheld the ban when it ruled on Sunday. However, Ms Latorre dis-
missed the government’s decision to ban the commemorations as purely “political” and called for the resignation of the government delegate in Madrid.
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Buddhist Community THE ongoing global coron‐ avirus pandemic has caused a change in working habits for many as people have tak‐ en to working from home and using videoconferencing to carry out meetings. There are many people though that are getting tired of the con‐ stant video calls over Zoom, Microsoft teams and other software. The Buddhist community in Barcelona though have made the most of the issues and found a unique selling point for their retreats. In a bid to attract customers to spend time at their silent monastery they are trying to tempt them away from con‐
SILENT RETREAT: Disconnect and breathe pure air.
stant calls and ‘Zoom fa‐ tigue.’ They wrote, “Tired of so many Meet, Zoom and Teams meetings? If you need to disconnect, breathe pure air and find your internal bal‐ ance once more, give your‐
self the gift of an Inner Peace Retreat and recharge your batteries!” Although not everyone will be tempted with a silent re‐ treat, scientists are backing the notion of ‘Zoom fatigue.’ Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab have published a study on the ef‐ fects of videoconferencing and the phenomenon they have called ‘Zoom fatigue.’ They have found that addi‐ tional stress can be created from calls where people con‐ stantly see a mosaic of faces and spend all day sat in a chair, rooted to the comput‐ er.
New Delivery Company Scam SPANISH police are warning of the latest scam where fraudsters pose as a parcel delivery service in order to get their victims to click on a malicious link. According to Spanish officials, it has emerged at the beginning of March that the new ‘SMSing’ scam is in play, which sees the perpetrators posing as companies such as Fedex, Correos or DHL and messaging people to tell them there is a package waiting. The fraudster’s message then directs the victim to follow an internet link, which automatically downloads an app to the mobile or computer which gives the scammers access to personal data. In addition, the malicious app can then install a banking Trojan that allows the criminals to access data from the most sensitive accounts. In a statement, the National Police recommended paying particular at‐ tention when receiving an electronic communication and not acting impul‐ sively by clicking on the links. They added that there are usually some clues in the messages that indicate all may not be as it seems. Officials also advised customers to only use the official websites of the de‐ livery companies to track their packages or make enquiries.
Police Voice Their Discomfort THE Asociación Pro Guardia Civil ‐ APROGC ‐ in Andalucia, has sent an official letter to Juanma Moreno, the President of the Junta de Andalucia, in which they express their displeasure at no mention being made about the work of the Guardia Civil during the pan‐ demic, neither in the comments nor in the videos shown, during the ceremony at the Real Maestranza theatre in Sevilla on Febru‐ ary 28, which awarded the titles of Favourite Son and Medals of Andalucia 2021. In the letter, they showed their discomfort at the Andalucia Day celebratory speech having remembered all police forces, except that of the Guardia Civil.
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Courtyards Festival THE regional government of Cordoba is hopeful that this year the famous Festival de los Patios ‐ or Courtyards Fes‐ tival ‐ will be able to cele‐ brate its 100th year on May 3 to 16 if the health situation continues to evolve favourably. One of the most popular destinations in the world, Cordoba depends heavily on tourism and is feeling the effects of already having Holy Week celebra‐ tions, the Cordoba Fair and Cruces de Mayo cancelled. “We have to learn to live with the virus and continue working,” the Delegate of Tourism, Isabel Albas, told Traveler.es. “The good thing about this festival, and what differentiates it from other events, is that patios are out‐ doors.” The Courtyards Festival is a tradition that began in 1918 and celebrates the art of elaborately decorating out‐ door areas with hundreds of colourful plants and flowers, and about 50 courtyards par‐ ticipate every year.
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Alonso Fully Recovered FERNANDO ALONSO is now fully recovered from the bicycle accident he suffered in Switzerland and will be 100 per cent prepared for the Bahrain cartesting that starts at the weekend, according to Laurent Rossi, the CEO of the Alpine team that he is racing for this season. Rossi said, “Fernando told us immediately, almost after the accident, that he would be in Bahrain, and that has been confirmed now by the doctors, so it seems he was right. He is absolutely fit and we are looking forward to seeing him in the car next week.” Rossi admits that the rapid recovery of the Spanish rider has surprised the team, who did not
ALONSO: Will be in Bahrain. expect to see him 100 per cent fit so soon, saying, “He had an accident with his bicycle, which is rarely minor, but he was lucky.” He added, “He only suffered
jaw injuries, so beyond the jaw surgery and necessary care, the rest is perfect. Fernando is completely in shape. We are even surprised that he recovered so quickly.”
Asleep in middle of road
A DRUNK driver was arrested after falling asleep in his car in the middle of the road in Zaragoza. Local Police reported that at around 1.25am on Sunday, March 7, they found a car in the middle of the street in Las Fuentes district. The engine was running and the lights were on, when the officers found the driver asleep inside. The driver, aged 39, was given an alcohol test, which confirmed he had been drinking. He was arrested and charged with a crime against road safety and later released and summoned for a rapid trial.
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Casino ban within 500m of Schools MALAGA City Council has said it wants to ban casinos within 500 metres of schools. The news was announced by Malaga’s councillor for Land Management, Raul Lopez, who has said the council is likely to approve the measure. Several other towns in Andalucia have already put this in place, and will include a ban on the opening of betting shops and casinos within 500 metres of all schools, sports areas and green fields, however it does not have the backing of the Junta de Andalucia The Ministry for Finance said: “Municipalities cannot regulate minimum distances or limits over the opening of gambling establishments, hence the Ministry… has informed the municipalities that promote changes… they cannot carry out this type of action because they do not have the powers to do so.” Councillor Lopez responded saying, “We must defend local competition. We are not regulating gambling, we are not limiting the powers of the Junta, it is a matter of urban regulation.”
Donkey rescued by helicopter FIREFIGHTERS from Madrid used a helicopter to rescue a donkey that was trapped in brambles and wires in the town of El Boalo. A spokesman for the 112 Emergency Services said that the animal is owned by a livestock association in the area that called at 4.45pm on Thursday, March 4, after finding the animal trapped. They said the donkey had been missing since that morning and explained she is quite ‘mischievous’ and a real ‘escape artist’ unlike the other donkeys. Firefighters found the donkey was ‘very exhausted’ and could not be moved without the help of a helicopter. A vet had to sedate her so that she could be harnessed and airlifted out.
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Electric first Vaccine Side Effects
SPAIN is set to see its first electric car factory in a publicprivate consortium with SEAT-Volkswagen and Iberdrola. The Minister of Industry, Reyes Maroto, has announced the creation of the first electric car factory in Spain revealing the consortium is open to other partners. During a speech at the 28th Federal Congress UGT-FICA, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism said the project aims to “transition towards the electric and connected vehicle” which she claims will guarantee that there are “the infrastructures and facilities necessary to manufacture autonomously and competitively.” Maroto said the move is a government commitment to enable Spain to become a “leader in the automobile industry” at a global level, with a focus on sustainable mobility. “We have worked together with three priorities: protecting the health of workers, protecting the productive fabric and employment and launching a Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan to promote a battery of investments,” she said. The minister also spoke of a pact by the industry to diversify, balance and modernise the productive structure and promote strategic sectors. For this, she said, the coalition government already has a “draft of the bases of the State Pact that must be approved by the High Level Industry Forum for submission to Congress.” This is a “good moment,” she added, to approach a pact that will give “stability and reinforce productive capacities.”
SEVERAL members of the Na‐ tional Police in Sevilla called in sick or were forced to leave work early on Thursday, March 4 after receiving the Oxford‐As‐ traZeneca Covid vaccine the day before. The vaccination cam‐ paign for the Security Forces be‐ gan in Sevilla on Wednesday, March 3 with officers of the Na‐ tional Police in the mass vacci‐ nation centre at the Hispalense University in Los Bermejales. The vaccinating of the staff should be completed within a couple of weeks, and officers of the Guardia Civil will follow. Officials have insisted that the side effects being experienced by the officers are within the ex‐ pected range and should last no longer that 24 hours; however, the very nature of the illness makes carrying out police work very difficult. The majority of offi‐ cers are receiving the As‐ traZeneca jab which is well‐ known for producing unpleasant side effects such as fatigue, mus‐ cle pain and fever. The remaining officers aged over 55 will receive a different jab, most likely the Pfizer vaccine, at a later date.
NATIONAL POLICE: Have been receiving the vaccine.
Evictions In Spain Drop
A NEW report published by the General Council of the Judicial Power (CGPJ) on Thursday, March 4 showed that mortgage fore‐ closures and evictions plummeted by 45.6 per cent in Spain in 2020 compared with the previous year. The figures of course co‐ incide with the coronavirus pandemic; while the State of Alarm is decreed, the government has put a halt to such procedures. According to the study, the number of renters evicted last year was down 42 per cent from 2019, while 51.3 per cent fewer peo‐ ple lost their homes due to foreclosures. The latest ‘Report on the effect of the crisis on judicial bodies’ revealed, however, that there has been a marked upturn in exe‐ cutions or embargoes filed in this same period, which increased by 17.5 per cent to 20,460 proceedings. This is the first rise since 2012, although the records are still far lower than the 91,622 recorded that year.
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Workmen left hanging A CABLE connecting a mobile scaffolding snapped and two workers plummeted to the first floor where they were left hanging. The two men who were working on the facade on the third floor, fell sharply but thankfully their safety har‐ nesses stopped them plung‐ ing to the ground and they were left hanging a few feet from the ground in a street in Torrente. Dozens of passers‐by wit‐ nessed the terrifying moment at around 1pm on Wednes‐ day afternoon, March 3. Witnesses alerted the emergency services. But before firefighters ar‐ rived, a man who was passing by with a van and carrying a ladder inside his vehicle, stopped and helped the two workers to safety. They were both taken by ambulance to the General Hospital of Valencia where they were treated for differ‐ ent cuts and bruises. It’s not known what caused the cable to snap.
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Gender Equality at home
WITH the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, most people saw their lives altered beyond recognition, with one of the main changes being the amount of time spent in the home. A striking observa‐ tion is that the health crisis seems to have had a very negative impact on the perception that Spanish wom‐ en have of gender equality in the home. According to a study conducted by DMY and pub‐ lished in Spanish daily 20 minutos, while 59 per cent of
women felt that equality had been achieved at home in 2019, this figure dropped to just 45 per cent in 2020. The survey coincided with the celebration of Interna‐ tional Women’s Day on Monday, March 8, and on a positive note, 51 per cent of Spanish women surveyed feel that equality in politics has improved in the past year, compared with 48 per cent in 2019. The men questioned paint a more positive picture, with more than 60 per cent believing that equality has improved.
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Goya Awards Blunder
Streamed live on RTVE. IN an extremely embarrassing blunder for Spanish channel RTVE, several men could be heard making sexist comments about the celebrities arriving at the Goya awards on their live Facebook feed of the event on Saturday night, March 6. As the stars were photographed walking the red carpet and RTVE streamed it live on social media, the unidentified ‘commentators’ laugh and joke while calling one woman
a ‘wh**e’ while approving of another because she doesn’t look like a ‘skeleton.’ TV and radio presenter Sergio Lopez published the unfortunate incident on Twitter shortly before the station removed the video from Facebook, and it quickly went viral. It is not known who the men are, but given their proximity to the microphone many media outlets have suggested that they could well have been working at the gala at the So-
ho Theatre in Malaga. Speaking about one actress who was posing for a photo, one of the men said: “Introduce her to me, man! She is good right? Well, I tell you one thing, she is the best of them. The others... they were all skeletons.” Referring to singer Nancy Peluso, another commented that she looked like “a wh**e” because of her tattoos. “I’d say this one charges,” he added, before repeating the slur.
Leroy Merlin Creates jobs HOME decor giant Leroy Merlin has announced its plan to create 5,000 new jobs across its stores in Spain, reiterating its commitment to guaran‐ tee the immediate availability of products and an unbeatable customer experience. The company has said that the majority of job opportunities will be for staff working in their terrace and garden departments, an area which has seen increased demand since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and one which is certain to grow as the weather improves.
The Director of learning Development, Celia Cisneros, explained the incorporation of new workers. “We want to continue offering the best customer service so that they can con‐ tinue creating environments where they can live better. “For this, our collaborators are the force that helps us to respond in real time to the de‐ mands of our customers,” she said. New staff will receive specialised training de‐ pending on their department and will be offered contracts from March to August.
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Lorca Museum Celebrates
THE museum first opened its doors on March 7 in 1992 in what was a much awaited and
anticipated addition to the city of Lorca. The opening saw people gather in the Plaza de
First female president
THE Chamber of Barcelona has elected its first female president. Mònica Roca has become the first woman to head the public law corporation, which has a 135 year history and has seen 32 presidents. Roca was already acting president, but has secured her position ROCA: President. with 32 of the 42 votes cast, with candidate José María Torres receiving just four. There were six blank votes. Roca has been acting president since December 14, 2020, after Joan Canadell made the leap into politics to join the candidacy of JxCat in the Catalan elections of February 14, obtaining a seat in Parliament. In the extraordinary plenary session held on Monday, March 8 - International Women’s Day - in the Chamber of Commerce, Jaume Aragall was also elected as a member of the executive committee, with 31 votes in favour and four blank. In her speech, Roca said her objective as president will be to “influence” public administrations to legislate in favour of companies.
Don Juan Moreno. The museum was officially opened when the ribbon was cut by Carlos Collado Mena, the president of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia along with José Antonio Gallego López, the mayor of Lorca. The museum is located in the centre of Lorca and the building dates from the late 16th to early 17th century. Lorca’s museum is home to 10 different rooms which take you through a fascinating journey of archaeology throughout history. The museum helps visitors travel ‘from the Palaeolithic through to the construction of Lorca Castle, including Romanisation,’ it also showcases the ‘Iberian and Moorish cultures’ according to Spain.info. The museum is now considered an indispensable cultural organisation that not only exhibits, but also conserves the archaeological heritage of the town. The museum is open to the public and visitors can see Lorca’s history in a Covid safe environment.
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FEATURE
Claim for the valuation expenses paid at the signing of your mortgage loan deed Valuation expenses When you approach a bank in Spain to apply for a mortgage loan, the bank re‐ quests a valuation (tasa‐ cion). It is an economic ap‐ praisal of the property, to know the value of the prop‐ erty (guarantee of the loan). But, can you claim for the valuation expenses? Can you claim against the bank? Invalidity of the expense clause As we have said on many occasions, many of the ex‐ pense clauses of mortgage loans are nullified. Because they say that all expenses will be paid by the clients. In these cases, they are ABU‐ SIVE. Consequently, if they are declared null, the valuation expenses paid could be claimed back, if according to the law the client is not re‐ quired to pay them. Who should pay the valu‐ ation expenses? The Spanish courts have
ruled in different ways. But the truth is that the appraisal or valuation, (as we understand the situa‐ tion) is mainly useful for the bank. Because: ‐ The valuations tell that entity the value of the prop‐ erty, which will serve as a guarantee of the loan. ‐ In addition, it is a re‐ quirement for the bank to be able to undertake a di‐ rect court execution of the mortgage. Supreme Court Decision Finally, the Supreme Court has resolved this is‐ sue. In its decision of the 27/01/2021, number: 35/2021 which basically says: ‐ The so‐called valuation expenses are the cost of the appraisal of the property, that will be the mortgage
guarantee. ‐ The valuation is not a re‐ quirement of validity of the mortgage. ‐ That none of the regula‐ tions (until 2019), indicated who should pay it. ‐ That with the approval of Law 5/2019, it was estab‐ lished that the valuation ex‐ penses correspond to the borrower, that is, the client. ‐ But what happens with the loans to which the law 5/2019 does not apply, be‐ cause they were signed be‐ fore that date? What must apply is the decision of the Court of Jus‐ tice of the European Union, of 16/7/2020. This says that in the ab‐ sence of a rule that imposes costs on the client and in the event that the expenses clause is declared void, the
Carlos Baos (Lawyer) - White&Baos Tel: +34 966 426 185 info@white-baos.com White & Baos 2021 - All Rights Reserved.
bank must return the amount paid to the client. Conclusion Therefore, we can con‐ clude that: ‐ It will be possible to claim for the valuation ex‐ penses, and get them back; for the loans signed prior to the law 5/2019. ‐ For those mortgage loans regulated by law 5/2019, these expenses must be paid by the client ie, the borrower. In principle, those who completed their mortgage NO more than five years ago may claim, due to the dead‐ line for this kind of action. If you have questions about how to claim against the bank, contact us via our‐ website wwwwhite‐baos. com and stay informed on our Facebook page. The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice, it merely conveys information related to legal issues.
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NATIONAL POLICE officers in Xàtiva, Valencia, have arrested four people, three women, and one man, aged between 19 and 36 years of age, on charges of shoplifting items from a commercial establish‐ ment, with one man charged with allegedly posing as an un‐ dercover CNI officer. The incident occurred in mid‐February, in a clothing
NEWS
Impersonating a CNI Student, 24, offered support officer leads to arrest store in Xàtiva, when the man allegedly tried to pass himself off as a CNI officer, explaining to the store’s security guard that he was there after a tip‐ off about a robbery that was
going to take place . The man allegedly showed the guard a plaque‐emblem fixed to his belt, so he auto‐ matically believed the man was an undercover officer and accompanied him outside the store to talk, distracing the guard, giving the women the freedom of the store to steal clothing to the value of €750. Once the garments had been safely stolen, one of the women went to the fake CNI officer to inform him that she had received a message about the ‘robbers,’ who were ap‐ parently heading for Valencia, and that they should go quick‐ ly, in order to try and catch them. As soon as the security guard realised what had hap‐ pened, a check of the store’s camera footage quickly showed the modus operandi used by the four criminals, and police officers were able to identify and arrest the sus‐ pects, three of whom had pre‐ vious police records.
CARLOS ALEGRE, a 24‐year‐old student who was praised for his dedication after being snapped studying in the lamplight while he waited for an order for deliv‐ ery, has been offered at least three grants. According to reports, he has been contacted by companies in Alicante, Toledo and Belgium, offering him grants and intern‐ ships to reach his goals. He is currently studying mechanics at the EMA Competicion school in Malaga, and will soon begin the practical side of his studies. Meanwhile, he works as a de‐ livery rider for Uber Eats, but said that as he is forced to wait a lot of the time, he likes to take advantage of that situation to study, a view which was ap‐ plauded by many after his photo went viral on social media. His photo was taken by a Lo‐
CARLOS: Has been offered grants and internships. cal Police officer who shared it, then it was shared on a Guardia Civil Facebook group by another officer who said “while some are smashing windows, ransacking businesses and destroying the streets to support a repeat delin‐ quent, others find a way and make time whenever they can to build a promising future for themselves.”
Within hours, the image, which has become a symbol of dedication, was shared thou‐ sands of times. While many have applauded him, others asked why he should be forced to study in such conditions or why he should have to accept a job like the one he has to make a future for himself.
Alligator For Sale
THE Alicante Guardia Civil have rescued a large 1.6-metre alligator living in terrible conditions from a farm in Sax. The animal rescue department of the police, Seprona de Monovar, became involved when they were notified that the reptile had been put up for sale on a buying and selling site for €2,000. When officials arrived at the property, they found that the dangerous animal could easily have escaped to the nearby Vinalopo river, where it would have posed a serious risk to the frequent walkers and people who play sport on the river bed. Working in coordination with the College of Veterinarians and the Official Export Inspection, Surveillance and Regulation Service (Soivre), the
Seprona officers were eventually able to identify the property where the alligator was being kept and conducted a search on Monday, March 1, where in addition to the reptile, they discovered a Harris’s eagle. The owner of the farm was unable to produce any legal documentation or licence for the alligator, but he did have transfer papers for the eagle. The alligator, who appeared to be in reasonable health despite being kept in unsuitable conditions, was transferred to the Rio Safari Zoo in Elche, but the farmer was allowed to keep the eagle for the time being while officials continue to investigate how he came into possession of it in the first place.
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Dr Seuss Banned
FURIOUS sellers of six iconic Dr Seuss children’s books found that they were blocked from selling them on eBay, receiving a message informing them that they had violated the compa‐ ny’s ‘offensive material poli‐ cy,’which bans content that promotes ‘hatred, violence or discrimination.’ The news comes after Dr Seuss Enterprises announced earlier in the month that it would no longer publish certain books because of ‘racist and in‐ sensitive imagery.’
BANNED: Six books.
The six books now on the ‘banned’ list are ‘And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street’, ‘If I Ran the Zoo’, ‘McEl‐ ligot’s Pool’, ‘On Beyond Ze‐ bra!’, ‘Scrambled Eggs Super!’, and ‘The Cat’s Quizzer’. The decision to cease print‐ ing the books came after a 2019 study published in the journal ‘Research on Diversity in Youth Literature’ found 43 out of 45 characters of colour across 50 of the books had ‘characteristics aligning with the definition of Orientalism.’
Kilimanjaro On Bikes AN all‐female expedition will set out to scale Mount Kilimanjaro, in June, by climbing 5,895m on their bikes. If the restrictions allow, a group of seven women will head for Tanzania, among them two athletes from Alicante, Lola Martinez and Gloria Pérez. As part of ‘The Magic of Kilimanjaro’ initiative, the women will take a few days to acclimatise to Africa before beginning the ascent. The journey will be six different stages and take place during the winter season in the southern hemisphere, so the weather conditions should be favourable. Their path will pose a challenge as in several places it will be impassable for bikes so the women will have to carry them. As well as giving a voice to women in Tanzania, the initiative will raise funds through the ‘Bike‐ forgirls’ project, which purchases bicycles for young women who often have to travel long dis‐ tances to get to school.
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No to wolf being Run Pushed Back Royal Yacht Docks protected species In Malaga
NINE regions have joined forces to prevent the wolf from being a protected species throughout Spain. Castilla y Leon, Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia, Aragon, Andalucia, Madrid, Murcia, the Basque Country and the autonomous city of Ceuta, together with agricultural organisations Asaja, COAG and UPA have promoted a common project to demand that the gov‐ ernment withdraw the approval procedure of the order that in‐ tends to include wolves on the List of Wild Species under the Special Protection Regime (LESPRE). In an open letter, they defend managing the Iberian wolf from the point of view of respect for the rural world, social consensus and coexistence with livestock. They ask that, once the process for changing the legal status of the wolf is suspended, a process of dialogue and consensus be opened by the Minister for Ecologi‐ cal Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, in which all parties are involved, with the aim of negotiating a glob‐ al management plan for the Iberian wolf that guarantees its preservation as well as the future of extensive livestock farming.
THE Elche Half Marathon, which was scheduled for this Sunday, March 14, has been suspended due to the Covid‐19 pandemic. The organisation, formed by the Decathlon Athletics Club and Elche City Council, has announced that the 49th edition of the race will be held, if the pandemic al‐ lows it, on October 17. The previous year’s event was Elche Half Marathon. also suspended and then can‐ celled last year due to the pan‐ demic. It was first scheduled to take place on March 15 and then on Oc‐ tober 18. Speaking at the time, the Decathlon Elche Athletics Club, expected the highly‐anticipated event to experience a good turnout for what they said was the “most important half marathon in the province.” Last year, the Elche Half Marathon, said to be the oldest in the world, had already exceeded the record number of registrations from the previous year. The organisation has once again been forced to change its date and sadly push it back to October. Fingers crossed the event will run this year.
PRINCE ABDULAZIZ: On its fourth visit to Malaga. THE magnificent Prince Abdulaziz, the royal yacht of Saudi Arabia docked in the southern pier of Malaga port, just before midnight on Wednesday March 3, after
sailing from Gibraltar. This is the Prince Abdulaziz’s fourth visit to Malaga, and it is not known if any member of the Saudi royal family is on board. This luxurious vessel is ranked number eight in the list of the largest private yachts in the world, being built in 1984 in the Danish shipyards Helsingor Vaerft. It underwent a reform in 2005, and then a second reform was carried out over an 11-month period in the Cartagena Navantia in 2018. The Prince Abdulaziz holds the record as the largest yacht built in the entire 20th century, having the distinction of being the largest pleasure boat in the world, and was reported to have been built at a cost of around €450m, with its original design carried out by Maierform Maritime Technology, a German company, with its interiors being signed by David Hicks, the designer of private boats.
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Venomous Snakes found
POLICE in central Spain found 45 venomous snakes in a house af‐ ter the owner was bitten by one of the animals. The suspect reportedly first told police he was walking in a field when he came across the snake. The animal was later found on the road several hours later after it had been run over in the area. After investigating, po‐ lice allegedly found the man col‐ lected exotic animals on his farm. Upon obtaining a search warrant, police accessed the farm, finding 45 snakes and 12 scorpions. Exotic animal specialists were called in to catalogue the ani‐ mals, finding more than 30 species of reptiles, including two green mambas, a king cobra, a boa constrictor and other snakes. They also found 12 deadly scorpi‐ ons as well as food for the ani‐ mals, including a freezer full of mice and small animals. After finding the man was un‐ able to prove where the animals came from, officers from the Guardia Civil’s nature protection service, Seprona, confiscated them before handing them over to a zoological centre approved to breed and keep the animals.
SNAKES: Were found on a farm together with other exotic animals.
Podemos Investigation THE National Court in Spain has announced that it has opened an investigation into charges of inducing violent protests in de‐ fence of jailed rapper Pablo Hasel against the deputy and spokesman for Podemos, Pablo Echenique. According to Spanish daily OKDIARIO, Judge Jose Luis Calama has initiated preliminary proceedings following complaints filed by Vox claiming that Echenique committed a “crime of public disor‐ der” when he tweeted his support for “the young anti‐fas‐ cists” who engaged in days of violent protests in Barcelona. In the midst of the violent clashes where countless protestors were arrested and dozens of civilians and police of‐ ficers were injured, the spokesman wrote on Twitter: “All my support for the young anti‐fascists who are de‐ manding justice and freedom of expression in the streets. Yes‐ terday in Barcelona, today at Puerta del Sol.” Vox sued Echenique for “having encouraged and clearly in‐ dicated the carrying out of these serious violent actions, and thereby committing a crime of incitement to the commission of crimes of alteration of public order (article 559 CP) and even the aggravated modality contemplated in article 579 CP.”
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NEWS
Drone over strategic buildings
A DRONE was intercepted by National Police after it was spotted flying over Congress and other strate‐ gic buildings in Madrid. National Police fined the man operating the drone af‐ ter he was located in Plaza de Cristina when landing the drone. The drone was detected on Saturday, March 6, at around 5pm, by command centre drone detection alert systems. A warning was is‐ sued as the device was flying over strategic buildings such as Congress, the Ministry of Health and the Prado Muse‐ um. The officers travelled to the area and set up a search operation, which located the man operating the drone, which was seized. The officers have pro‐ posed a fine for the man for flying the device in a re‐ stricted area, lacking docu‐ mentation and authorisa‐ tion, as well as lacking both the aircraft and the control command identification plates.
DRONE SEIZED: After flying over a restricted area.
1 in 4 fear dying
A SURVEY of 3,000 Spanish people found that almost 25 per cent have regularly experienced a ‘fear of dying due to coron‐ avirus,’ with a breakdown showing that this applied to 28 per cent of women and 18 per cent of men. By age, those who have felt the most fear of dying from Covid are aged between 55 and 64 years old (26 per cent). The figures are far higher when it comes to fear a family member or loved one may die of the virus with 69 per cent, while 72 per cent admitted that they have ‘a lot of concern’ that a family member or loved one is or may become infected. The survey was carried out by the Centre for Sociological Re‐ search (CIS) to determine the mental health of Spaniards during the pandemic, and also includes questions related to the mental health. Thirty‐six per cent admitted to having ‘cried regularly’ (53 per cent women and 17 per cent men), with those aged between 18 and 24 accounting for 43 per cent of the total. Since the start of the pandemic, 42 per cent have had prob‐ lems sleeping, 52 per cent feel more tired/lethargic and 39 per cent have experienced more headaches/dizziness/fainting. And two‐thirds of those surveyed said they feel far more con‐ cerned about their health than before the pandemic.
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EUROPEAN PRESS
EUROPEAN NIBS DENMARK Sahara dust
FRANCE Brazilian beef
SIXTY-ONE years ago, the French Government detonated four nuclear bombs in the desert of Algeria and now, a cloud of Saharan nuclear dust has entered into Danish airspace making for some very attractive sunsets. Happily, the amount of radioactivity is not considered likely to be dangerous.
RELYING upon a 2017 law concerning loss of livelihood, indigenous people from Brazil and Colombia have sued retailer Casino in a French court claiming that it is selling beef linked to land grabbing and deforestation in the Amazon. Casino denies the allegations and insists that it is opposed to such activities.
NETHERLANDS Going Dutch
NORWAY Wolf packs
TWO years ago, the European Medicines Agency moved 83 per cent of its staff from London to Amsterdam due to Brexit, but the transition for mainly English speaking staff has not been as easy as expected due to the pandemic and many are finding it difficult to learn Dutch.
A CONTROVERSY concerning the culling of wild wolves in Norway has now found its way to the Supreme Court which must decide whether or not the decision to eradicate two packs in 2018, where farmers scared of the predators, allowed hunters to kill them was lawful or not.
BELGIUM Dr No WORRIED about social media comments on the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccinations, Belgium’s Order of Physicians has told doctors that if they have personal doubts, they should not share them as by doing so could contribute to the spread of conspiracy theories which would be bad for the vaccination campaign.
FINLAND Sniffer dogs at airports AFTER spending around a year training dogs to sniff out coronavirus on passengers, the Customs department has discovered that they will not now be allowed to operate as a special clause was left out of legislation making the use legal.
GERMANY Under suspicion
SWEDEN Vegan Volvo
ACCORDING to German magazine Der Spiegel, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has placed the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the largest opposition party in parliament under surveillance prior to the elections. Whilst BfV refused to comment, its parent Interior Ministry would neither confirm nor deny the idea.
SWEDISH vehicle manufacturer Volvo has announced that not only will it stop producing any oil fuelled cars (including hybrids) by 2030, it also intends to remove leather from its new models and will also aim to use 25 per cent of recycled material by 2025.
FINANCE Bankers fight ITALIAN banker Andrea Orcel, who is due to take over as UniCredit CEO is expected to appear in court in Spain with his lawyers demanding that Santander Bank either installs him as its CEO or pays damages in the sum of €112 million for allegedly breaking a commitment made to him.
M&S Bank THE UK retailer Marks & Spencer is shutting current and saver accounts for its banking customers by this summer as well as closing all of its in-store bank branches. It will continue as a bank as it has three million customers, but only 150,000 hold current accounts, hence the decision.
New builds THE Catalan developer Jordi Llauradó Conejero has announced that he is purchasing 20 per cent of Extremaduran property company Civitas Pacensis, which is planning to create 8,000 new homes in the Badajoz area and has already revealed plans for its Campus Civitas development which puts people first.
London Stock Exchange UNDAUNTED by the fact that the London Stock Exchange (LSE) saw Amsterdam overtake it as Europe’s largest share trading centre, its latest report shows that the organisation saw an increase in pre-tax profits of 5 per cent to £685 million (€753 million) for 2020.
Ikea hub SWEDISH company Ikea has indicated that it will locate one of its four global digital hubs in Madrid where it is expected to employ at least 100 members of staff. The plan is for this office to develop new business concepts for Ikea Business (which targets companies and the self-employed), the Ikea Food division and its ‘customer experience’ sector. With the other three hubs based in Holland, India and the Philippines, the Madrid office will be looking at ways to improve online marketing and create an Ikea App
STAT OF WEEK
www.euroweeklynews.com • 11 - 17 March 2021
€1,480
is the price of a single loaf of bread from the Pan Piña de Algatocin bakery in Malaga which bakes edible gold and silver into the crusts for the very rich.
Blockchain Business Council
Amazon opens UK grocers HAVING started to com‐ pete with the supermar‐ kets in the UK with its on‐ line grocery business, Amazon on March 4 took things a step further by opening it’s first food store outside of the USA. Amazon Fresh offers a range of food in its Ealing Broadway store and cus‐ tomers simply use the Amazon App to enter, put all of their items into Amazon Fresh bags and walk out with no queue‐
ing and no stopping at a till to pay. Thanks to the technolo‐ gy in use in the store, when customers scan in on arrival, their chosen method of payment is noted and as they place items in their bags, so the bill is prepared and once they leave, the charge is made directly via the App. Initially, there will be around 10,000 different items available to cus‐ tomers, either from Ama‐
LEGALLY SPEAKING
zon’s own ‘by Amazon’ brand or from items sup‐ plied by Morrisons and Booths and it is even pos‐ sible to buy hot food as well as special ready made meals. It is not as big as an out‐of‐town superstore but should have every‐ thing available that high street shoppers would want to purchase. Whilst there may be no long queues to check out, one of their safety mea‐
sures is that at certain times there will be a max‐ imum of 20 customers given admittance to the shop, which could mean queues outside or lost business as shoppers look elsewhere. Certainly, this new ven‐ ture by tech savvy and very rich Amazon is bound to give competi‐ tors something to think about especially if they expand across the coun‐ try.
Supplying new technology Credit: El Corte Inglés
BUSINESS EXTRA
26
Can they cancel AGM? The Pandemic prohibition of large gather‐ ings has created many problems for com‐ munities and the AGM. The HPL specifies that the AGM must be held at least once a year and indicates the agenda. So our 2020 AGM was cancelled and we were asked to pay community fees based on a budget not agreed by the owners. We have now been asked by the President and Ad‐ ministrator to pay for 2021 the same as last year. We have not received a budget for this year or ac‐ counts for the year 2020. There is no provision in the HPA for postal voting or online meetings. Is the community of owners the supreme authority? R P (Costa del Sol) The com‐ munity is not above the law YOU AND THE LAW but it must find a IN SPAIN way to obtain op‐ erating funds. Some communities have decided to mail out the agenda and the accounts and others have used emails and voting by email. These are not ‘legal’ but if no one protests the results will stand. However, if the president and administrator simply take matters into their own hands with no attempt to consult or inform the members this can be challenged.
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.
ALERT to the fact that it needed to try to replace some of the income lost from tourism, in May of last year the Spanish Government introduced new tax breaks for foreign film producers. With a relatively strong understanding of the techniques of filmmaking here in Spain, there are plenty of technicians
JOINT VENTURE: Signing of the new agreement. THERE is a new player in the telecommunications sector in Spain as Más‐ Móvil and El Corte Inglés have signed an agreement to market mobile phone and fibre services to con‐ sumers. This joint venture will be promoted under the Sweno banner and in a joint state‐ ment the two groups con‐ firmed that after several months of discussion an agreement which will be advantageous to both com‐ panies and customers has been signed. The agreement, signed on March 4 by Víctor del
Pozo, CEO of El Corte In‐ glés, and Meinrad Spenger, CEO of MásMóvil Group, will allow El Corte Inglés to market these services in the confidence that clients will be secure in the knowl‐ edge that two strong and trusted organisations are involved. Although full details of the services to be offered are awaited, it has been re‐ vealed that this agreement will be helpful for El Corte Inglés as it expands its of‐ fers aimed at options for the new generation of smart home products which continue to grow.
Spain attracts filmmakers and locations which make it attractive to film around Spain and filmmakers are very aware of the fact that there are an estimated 450 million Spanish speakers around the world. Now, despite the lock-
downs and State of Alarm, foreign producers are attracted by the increased cap on tax credits and the fact that rebates for local spending have risen from €3.28 million to €10.8 million. Netflix has been an impor-
tant purchaser of Spanish language films and TV series and not only supplies its Spanish speaking outlets, but also dubs into other languages hence the worldwide popularity of creations such as Money Heist now in its fifth season.
THE Government of Gibraltar has strengthened its ties with the Global Blockchain Business Council which has members from 76 different countries and territories. Gibraltar Minister, Albert Isola has been appointed Ambas‐ sador of the GBBC for 2021 and participated as a speaker in the Virtual Summit for Members of the EMEA region. Gibraltar joined the GBBC which was launched in Davos in 2017 in November 2020 as an observer and has now been ac‐ cepted as a full member. Blockchain technology looks to decentralise the storage of data so that such data cannot be owned, controlled or manipulat‐ ed by a single entity and sup‐ ports cryptocurrency such as Bit‐ coin.
Female health workers WITH International Women’s Day on March 8 and the impor‐ tance of health services across Europe over the past 12 months, UK company Lenstore has anal‐ ysed the best countries for wom‐ en to work in. According to the report which takes into account a number of different factors including aver‐ age annual salary, hours worked and holidays, France offers the best opportunities for women health professionals with the UK in sixth place and Spain in ninth. There is a big disparity in pay between the sexes in Spain with the average male annual salary €37,400 and female salary at €28,270. Almost every region in Spain is trying to attract filmmakers and the Canary Islands with a somewhat different tax regime has enticed big names like Apple TV and HBO to its shores. Whilst movies won’t replace tourism, the industry is certainly helping to plug part of the hole in the economy.
28 EWN
www.euroweeklynews.com
11 - 17 March 2021
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C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 8
COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) 3I Group 1.143,50 1.145,50 Admiral Group 2.928,0 2.967,0 Anglo American 2.944,5 2.968,0 Antofagasta 1.728,50 1.753,50 Ashtead Group 3.927,0 3.940,0 Associated British Foods 2.377,0 2.399,0 AstraZeneca 6.906,0 6.927,0 Auto Trader Group Plc 553,40 555,00 Avast 436,60 445,40 Aveva 3.355,0 3.368,0 Aviva 394,19 395,00 B&M European Value Retail SA535,60 539,80 BAE Systems 493,55 495,46 Bank VTB DRC 0,952 0,967 Barclays 174,72 175,23 Barratt Developments 723,40 724,54 Berkeley 4.359,0 4.367,0 BHP Group 2.201,00 2.227,00 BP 322,05 324,56 British American Tobacco 2.594,0 2.630,0 British Land Company 510,80 514,60 BT Group 139,25 141,40 Bunzl 2.175,0 2.185,5 Burberry Group 1.866,0 1.888,5 Carnival 1.619,0 1.640,0 Centrica 52,34 52,50 Coca Cola HBC AG 2.350,0 2.362,5 Compass 1.576,21 1.584,00 CRH 3.319,0 3.335,3 Croda Intl 6.070,0 6.106,0 DCC 5.928,0 5.928,0 Diageo 2.918,5 2.944,7 DS Smith 405,70 405,70 EasyJet 1.013,24 1.013,24 Experian 2.355,5 2.366,2 Ferguson 8.464,0 8.506,0 Flutter Entertainment 14.610,0 14.895,0 Fresnillo 890,16 901,67 GlaxoSmithKline 1.233,44 1.248,20 Glencore 287,35 289,25 Halma 2.241,0 2.251,0 Hargreaves Lansdown 1.516,50 1.526,48 Hikma Pharma 2.197,00 2.201,02 HSBC 448,00 447,89 IAG 211,76 211,99 Imperial Brands 1.391,50 1.410,00 Informa 564,40 567,00 InterContinental 4.955,0 4.965,0 Intermediate Capital 1.825,00 1.825,00 Intertek 5.394,0 5.422,0 ITV 119,85 119,85
% CHG. 1.137,00 2.912,0 2.926,5 1.718,50 3.913,0 2.359,0 6.853,0 550,40 435,00 3.334,0 390,99 531,60 486,60 0,952 173,11 713,74 4.305,0 2.195,00 321,24 2.582,0 501,00 137,00 2.164,0 1.864,5 1.604,5 51,74 2.348,5 1.563,50 3.303,5 6.032,0 5.848,2 2.910,5 399,70 991,28 2.345,5 8.402,0 14.535,0 885,72 1.231,73 284,90 2.227,0 1.510,00 2.182,04 443,30 207,25 1.378,50 553,00 4.894,0 1.803,00 5.378,0 117,85
NET VOL 38,78K 39,03K 230,91K 80,02K 49,04K 28,99K 270,68K 150,71K 58,53K 11,02K 267,33K 215,29K 68,13K 52,05K 1,25M 21,87K 15,90K 334,30K 1,87M 361,70K 122,26K 3,49M 3,12K 52,30K 113,66K 1,05M 3,15K 13,17K 2,42K 15,11K 0,35K 31,41K 317,50K 121,45K 4,35K 46,34K 16,32K 23,36K 196,24K 2,58M 39,43K 13,67K 1,10K 196,93K 2,80M 182,73K 75,34K 24,33K 17,68K 24,20K 162,96K
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
228,50 3.205,0 680,06 282,00 41,17 7.940,0 430,70 175,10 1.768,00 821,60 190,80 7.476,0 29,48 2.048,00 2.968,0 746,00 1.485,49 6.166,0 1.699,00 474,70 558,61 5.906,0 112,39 7,46 1.566,31 1.564,6 1.507,8 677,60 588,62 1.792,00 14,99 3.345,0 1.019,94 877,75 2.214,0 1.362,00 1.509,00 10.780,0 1.306,50 1.230,00 509,40 312,50 173,18 221,46 432,10 3.845,7 885,80 125,58 3.497,0 895,60
CHANGE(P)
% CHG.
NET VOL
230,80 3.205,0 686,20 283,30 41,28 8.104,0 431,40 176,85 1.769,50 832,60 192,50 7.498,0 29,71 2.102,00 2.975,0 750,20 1.487,50 6.286,0 1.712,00 484,30 564,84 5.947,0 112,99 7,46 1.577,70 1.578,0 1.518,0 678,80 594,21 1.796,00 15,03 3.353,0 1.055,90 878,15 2.235,0 1.367,50 1.510,00 10.900,0 1.324,00 1.231,50 509,40 314,10 174,50 223,90 432,76 3.880,9 892,40 125,58 3.497,0 896,60
227,90 3.172,0 678,60 280,30 40,29 7.932,0 416,00 173,90 1.754,97 819,20 187,60 7.400,0 29,48 2.041,00 2.883,0 735,20 1.476,50 6.166,0 1.692,00 472,80 555,06 5.874,0 109,54 7,41 1.562,01 1.563,0 1.502,4 677,40 585,89 1.789,00 14,88 3.325,5 1.013,00 870,10 2.211,0 1.351,00 1.498,50 10.705,0 1.301,50 1.213,00 500,00 308,90 171,50 220,51 422,84 3.837,3 882,80 124,82 3.433,0 888,60
174,85K 22,83K 13,11K 906,62K 17,57M 100,13K 166,20K 435,73K 6,70K 377,95K 2,52M 13,32K 0,78K 76,95K 137,65K 136,21K 19,20K 103,51K 213,66K 236,29K 28,37K 237,28K 3,68M 43,62K 28,13K 36,73K 176,12K 205,77K 24,77K 1,81K 115,85K 1,88K 1,48M 27,71K 15,83K 119,98K 23,41K 4,01K 124,08K 45,45K 40,63K 476,67K 300,79K 433,33K 327,31K 30,29K 120,64K 433,53K 30,85K 111,95K
0.85992
1.16346 Units per €
US dollar (USD) ......................................1.18862 Japan yen (JPY)......................................128.911 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................1.1093 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4359 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................10.190
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 M ARCH 8
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 180,80 2.108,54 3.000,46 227,73 121,42 223,22 220,16 109,00 46,25 50,79 264,28 327,37 253,52 206,58 122,83 60,74 156,10 150,91 207,37 73,13 231,60 133,35 125,98 210,76 597,95 347,10 56,00 215,41 129,12 189,99
CHANGE 181,56 2.118,11 3.009,00 228,15 121,94 229,92 220,78 109,13 46,74 50,95 265,45 335,58 254,20 207,46 123,75 61,18 156,69 153,49 208,23 73,41 233,27 133,68 126,33 212,35 627,84 348,29 56,20 216,10 129,75 190,57
CHANGE% VOLUME(M) 176,95 2,26M 2.046,42 2,20M 2.881,00 5,39M 221,45 3,02M 117,57 153,77M 213,80 20,03M 211,50 3,60M 106,15 23,64M 45,27 33,20M 49,90 21,31M 255,61 26,82M 316,47 3,74M 246,59 6,35M 201,78 2,86M 120,25 6,95M 58,51 39,51M 153,13 8,33M 147,97 18,47M 202,96 3,61M 72,01 11,68M 226,46 41,87M 129,19 5,96M 122,55 10,49M 203,22 11,41M 539,49 89,40M 335,02 4,56M 54,92 23,60M 209,63 7,58M 126,75 11,36M 183,34 10,27M M - MILLION DOLLARS
NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 8
COMPANY
CHANGE NET / %
VOLUME
+3.95% +3.10% +2.90% +5.30% +3.50% +0.77% +5.50% +4.01% +3.57% +3.19% +10.59%
435,602 2.65M 2.20M 1.31M 56,353 5.39M 128,078 612,890 2.22M 78,229 5.83M
-2.04% -3.94% -3.78% -6.13% -5.19% -20.40% -4.67% -15.51% -4.54% -5.11% -2.36%
18,461 1.35M 89.40M 1.88M 28,811 65,567 2.69M 464,042 6.90M 9.44M 4,394
Most Advanced Booking Holdings Inc. Alphabet Inc. Cl A Alphabet Inc. Cl C CoStar Group Inc. First Citizens Bancshares Inc. Cl A Amazon.com Inc. Credit Acceptance Corp. MarketAxess Holdings Inc. Lam Research Corp. Amerco Novavax Inc.
Most Declined Broadcom Inc. 8% Pfd. Series A MicroStrategy Inc. Tesla Inc. MongoDB Inc. II-VI Inc. 6% Pfd. Tian Ruixiang Holdings Ltd. Cl A Coupa Software Inc. ALX Oncology Holdings Inc. Okta Inc. Cl A CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. Cl A Daily Journal Corp.
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
www.euroweeklynews.com
USA drop Scotch Whisky tariffs
WELCOME NEWS: Karen Betts of the Scotch Whisky Association. ONE quickish concession following the election of Joe Biden as US President has seen a four‐month sus‐ pension of the 25 per cent tariffs imposed by Donald Trump on the import of Scotch Whisky. Amongst other exports also now allowed into the US tariff free are cheese, pork, cashmere and ma‐ chinery. It comes in response to the suspension of UK tariffs on certain goods effective from January 1, 2021 when Britain ceased to be part of the European Union. The argument and tit for tat measures came about as the US Government was ac‐ cused of giving financial support to Boeing and Eu‐ rope of giving support to Airbus. The matter will still have to be resolved between the UK and US in the long term, but in a joint statement the
UK and the US said that the suspension would “ease the burden on industry and take a bold, joint step to‐ wards resolving the longest running disputes at the World Trade Organisation.” Karen Betts, head of the Scotch Whisky Association, said the industry has lost around £500 million (€550 million) in export sales to the US in the 16 months that the tariffs were in place and welcomed the news. The USA in particular is worried about the possible emergence of new compa‐ nies producing aircraft from countries such as China which could cause serious competition to Boeing so therefore wants to resolve disputes with the UK to en‐ sure solidarity. In the meantime, the Eu‐ ropean Union will have to consider its position, possi‐ bly with a view to helping
Record unemployment THE month of February is traditionally the transition between the fall in employment after the Christmas period and the increase in jobs ahead of Easter. This year however is unusual in that the figures for unemployment have more than doubled compared to the same time last year. The effects of the pandemic, the increase in restrictions and the lack of a reopening horizon for the holidays, has helped pushed unemployment to 4,008,789 - a level that Spain hasn’t seen since May 2016.
to find a settlement benefi‐ cial to both Airbus and Boe‐ ing.
BUSINESS EXTRA Apple App AFTER complaints from App developers that Apple’s terms and conditions are unfair and anti-competitive, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will undertake an investigation into the organisation’s dominant position in order to decide whether consumers have had to pay higher prices for apps.
Rato review FORMER Minister and President of Bankia, Rodrigo Rato may be in hot water again as a new investigation is taking place which has seen a court consider additional allegations of corruption, money laundering and tax evasion also connected with his role at Bankia.
Underpaid pensions THE UK Department of Works and Pensions has admitted that it has identified underpayments of pension to some older women which will cost around £3 billion (€3.3 billion) between now and 2026 with some of the underpayments going back to 1992.
11 - 17 March 2021
EWN 29
30 EWN
www.euroweeklynews.com
11 - 17 March 2021
FEATURE
Any chance we can now get a break?
LEAPY LEE SAYS IT
OTHERS THINK IT IF ever there was less of an exponent of the old adage ‘never a borrower or a lender be,’ it has to be the British Government. They have now managed to borrow and create a deficit of some £393 billion! As a pure layman in these high financial dealings and with my curiosity well and truly aroused, I decided to try and discover where, or who on earth they turn to when they require these astronomical sums. Actually it’s all pretty simple. What they do is print ‘Bonds’. Although this sounds very grand, all these bonds are is a rather posh IOU! The moneylenders who buy these ‘markers’ and charge the appropriate interest of course, are generally those who control the likes of pension funds, banks or insurance companies. There are however also a number of private individuals who also purchase bonds. Yes, I’ll bet there are. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out who those might be! It gets even more
BRITISH GOVERNMENT: Where does all the money come from?
complicated by the fact that deficit, although linked, should not be confused with debt. The government is actually in debt to the tune of £2.11 trillion! Have you nodded off yet? These astronomical sums seem to roll off the tongues of politicians so easily these days, that a mere million or
two now seems like so much chicken feed. With this observation in mind, let me attempt to give you some idea of just how much a billion pounds actually is. If you earned one pound sterling a second, you would have a million in two weeks. If your aim is a billion, at the same rate of saving it
would take 32 years to reach your goal! If you’re Jim, a normal working person earning a respectable £16.50 an hour and doing 39 hours a week, it would take 60 million hours to earn a billion ‐ that’s nearly 7,000 years! Just to give you some idea of ‘us and
them,’ Facebook founder Zuckerberg earns as much as Jim’s yearly income in one and a half minutes. Jeff Bezos, who created Amazon, earns it in 35 seconds! Ever feel you’re in the wrong job!? Well, at the time of writing I’ve only heard extracts from THAT interview. The only royal ambitions this young lady harboured was to be a member of Hollywood royalty. Well she has undoubtedly achieved this. She is now at the top of the LA celebrity pecking order and earning very nicely thank you. With unfailing predictability the racism card soon popped out of the ‘Vuitton.’ The claims there were ‘concerns’ about the colour of the baby she was expecting can also be observed as speculation. Millions of people throughout the world, both black and white were following this train of thought. Most of it was not connected with racism, merely curiosity of something that, despite the rubbish in Bridgeton, had never been experienced in the royal household before. Is there any chance that this privileged couple of whingers can now give us a break? Somehow I doubt it. Keep the faith. Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com
Leapy Lee’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.
32 EWN
www.euroweeklynews.com
11 - 17 March 2021
FEATURE
Advertising Feature
Somewhere beyond the sea
THE sea seems to go on forever, much as we feel about the memo‐ ries of our loved ones. This and the calming effect which it can have on people are among the reasons that for centuries people have chosen burials at sea. For many people, looking at the sea when they are going through a difficult time can help them to feel at peace. Just listening to the sound of the waves and feeling the sea breeze can blow some of the pain away from the mind and soul. Add to this the knowledge that in a way their de‐ ceased loved one is part of that vast blue expanse, can make them feel close to them and seek guidance from them. About 71 per cent of the surface of our planet is water, and we are deeply linked to it, not only because studies show that the first life forms most probably came from the water, but also because we are made up of it too, about 60 per cent. So while we
usually hear the sentence ‘ashes to ashes, dust to dust’, we could also say ‘water to water’, as our lives be‐ gin surrounded by water in the womb, so returning to the water af‐ ter death completes the circle of life. While sending the bodies of the deceased out to sea is a well‐known practice of the seafaring people of the past, notably the Vikings, it may have been carried out in earlier stages of history. Of course, the same practices are not used nowa‐ days, but there are natural burials which include placing cremated re‐ mains inside concrete coral reef balls which are ceremoniously placed in the sea as part of a reef ecosystem. These balls are used to repair dam‐ age to coral reefs, and to provide new habitat for fish and other sea life. This option is kind of an urn, scat‐ tering of ashes and sea burial all combined into a permanent and en‐ vironmentally friendly tribute to the
life of a loved one. A more literal interpretation of burial at sea is also used where it is permitted, which is also seen as nat‐ ural when no formaldehyde is used. There are organisations which organ‐ ise such burials, where the deceased is placed in a shroud and, where au‐ thorised, the body is placed in the
sea where it will de‐ compose naturally or be consumed by animals. This can be done from a ship or aircraft, and is quite common amongst those who have been in the Navy. However, the most common op‐ tion involving the sea as a place of
rest is to take the cremated re‐ mains to a special and meaningful location in the water, and some families hire boat services to do so. A type of urn has been created which floats before disintegrating so that the loved one’s ashes enter the water in a gradual and graceful way. Another innovative option is an ice urn, which con‐ tains the ashes and floats on the water before obviously melting to spread the ashes. Doing so may seem inoffensive but remember that a per‐ mit may be needed to avoid any possible fines for en‐ vironmental reasons. In Spain there are funeral homes which have the necessary permits or can advise rela‐ tives on where they can allow the re‐ mains of their loved one to become one with the sea.
www.goldenleavesinternational.com • info@goldenleavesinternational.com • Facebook: goldenleavesspain
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FEATURE
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I don’t see a happy ending MIKE SENKER IN MY OPINION
Views of a Grumpy Old Man IN a wide-ranging interview Harry and Meghan described painful discussions about the colour of their son’s skin, losing royal protection and the intense pressures that led the Duchess of Sussex to contemplate suicide. Of course, there has been a massive backlash. Obviously there are two sides, sometimes three to every story, but I actually believe Meghan and Harry’s side. Let’s be honest they can only lose in this situation. They have already lost financially, titles and security for their child, soon to be children, and themselves. Their accusations aren’t that outrageous. We have witnessed a lot of this before with Princess Diana. The Palace ‘Firm’ are notorious for being totally out of touch with the real world. Charles has plenty of previous, he was carrying on with Camilla through his courtship and marriage, so, for me, has absolutely no credibility and, according to Harry, Charles is not even taking his phone calls. The big difference here is that Meghan is mixed race and the racist element is a massive problem. We have all read about Prince Phillip’s gaffs over the years. Although Meghan and Harry
both said that it was not the Queen or Phillip that made the outrageous comment about the possible skin tone of their baby. So it has to be another senior Royal. Meghan’s dad was interviewed by Piers Morgan and if it was a court drama it was obvious that Morgan was leading the witness. I can’t stand Piers Morgan’s way of just dismissing everything Meghan says because she dropped him as a mate. He also is not in a position to discuss whether remarks are racist or not or argue with members of his own team, who are actually mixed race when they confirm what it’s like to be on the receiving end of those comments. You can’t make the comparison of saying, ‘I wonder if the baby will have your nose or your colour eyes or hair.’ It’s just not the same. Harry and Meghan want to be in control of their own lives but The Firm once again don’t come out of it well. Royal interviews that aren’t tied to a specific topic are rare, and prior televised sessions have often proved problematic. Prince Andrew’s 2019 BBC interview about his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein led to his own departure from royal duties after he failed to show empathy for Epstein’s victims. This is just my view, and I’m sure you all have yours, but I don’t see a happy ending here. Email: mikesenker@gmail.com
Mike’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.
11 - 17 March 2021
EWN 35
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11 - 17 March 2021
FEATURE
GO LOCAL
THE EUROWEEKLY NEWS is urging its readers to sup‐ port local businesses in the community by going local through the lockdown and for your all your shopping this year, instead of feed‐ ing online giants and su‐ perstores. This lockdown and with M o t h e r ’ s D a y a n d Ea s t e r upcoming, we challenge you to rediscover your local high streets, markets, butchers, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky independent busi‐ nesses in your area. Due to the Covid‐19 pan‐ demic, you may have to support many local busi‐ nesses 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 restrictions. The joy of shopping local means that independent businesses can help sup‐ port the local community. Although it may be a eu‐ ro or two cheaper else‐ where or online, consider where your money is actu‐ ally going. By shopping at an inde‐ pendent store you’re putting food on a local family’s table, and there is no better time than now to give back to your communi‐ ty by making a small ges‐ ture and shopping in this way. Many local stores sup‐ port local charities, support
BUY LOCAL: By shopping locally, independent businesses can help support the local community.
and sponsor local sports teams and in many cases the small independent stores are actually much more than just a small high street shop, they’re a fami‐ ly’s legacy, often passed down through numerous generations and support not just the current owner but the generation before. Fo r t h o s e s t o r e s w h i c h are new, that extra couple of euros spent there are supporting someone’s dream and ambition, and also the courage it took them to step out alone, which is no easy task. It takes quite a large chunk of money to set up an inde ‐ pendent store and compete with the multinational and chains. So be sure to pre‐order your meat from a local butcher and get your spuds from a local greengrocer,
11 - 17 March 2021
SPENDING LOCALLY:Will make a difference to the local economy.
let us revive that community spirit and get to know our neighbours again. You could also consider purchasing 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 lo‐ cal studio, a hair cut at a
local salon or an online study course for someone looking to change their ca‐ reer 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 glam‐ ourous gift perhaps pre‐ paying a family member’s phone bill for the month would actually be a better 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 re‐ covery of the local econo‐ my. When we buy local, our money stays local, and it strengthens the local econ‐ omy in two ways. First, buying local keeps money
circulating within the local economy. Studies have shown that local businesses recirculate a greater share of every eu‐ ro as they create locally owned supply chains and invest in their employees. Data shows that local re‐ tailers return 52 per cent of their revenue back into the local economy, compared to just 14 per cent for na‐ tional chain retailers. Money circulating through the local economy benefits everyone who is a part of each transaction. For example, let’s look at a local farmer growing pro‐ duce. First, they sell to a local restaurant, which in turn prepares the fresh produce and sells it to local cus‐ tomers. The farmer pays its local employees and the restaurant uses revenue
from sales to buy supplies from a neighbourhood hardware store. This exam‐ ple illustrates how the re‐ circulation of money in the local economy leads to a stronger financial founda‐ tion for our neighbours and communities. Buying local also fuels new employment and job opportunities for people within our community. Studies show, locally owned businesses employ more people per unit of sales and retain more em‐ ployees over time. A fantastic example of how to support your local community is with a Chari‐ ty Gift certificate, why not donate to your loved one’s favourite cause. Just remember to follow the latest government ad‐ vice and any guidance busi‐ nesses have to keep every‐ one safe.
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EWN 43
Advertising Feature
Take advantage of cashback offers with Liberty Seguros
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11 - 17 March 2021
FEATURE
PUBS AND THEIR SIGNS DAVID WORBOYS
A R E T I R E D comedian in our village opened a pub and tried to register its name as The Three Poofs. Even in the lib‐ eral swinging 60s, freedom of expression did not extend that far. Perhaps he would have got away with The Two Poofs. To‐ day, the very idea of anybody even sub‐ mitting such an application is about as likely as a pantomime horse winning the Grand National. The identification of inns by their names and their signs goes back to the middle ages, when many houses displayed a sign, often denoting some heraldry, which indi‐ cated that the premises were under the special care and control of a nobleman or landowner. The sign would portray a vivid image that impressed the theme on the memory. Hence the names were taken from images incorporated in coats of arms, family crests etc.
PUB NAMES: Some of today’s alternatives make a refreshing change. Alternatively, The Plough, The Harrow and The Stag all conjure up rural images of a bygone age. But many new pubs and signs which opened in the modern era are not tied by such traditions. Why, in the last hundred years, has the more recent naming of pubs been so unad‐
venturous ‐ so repetitive? In the 60s there were hundreds of pubs in England called The Crown, The Bell and The Swan. Not so many were called The Stetson, The Foghorn or The Puffin. The Duke of Wellington is still proving far more popular than The Mayor of Huddersfield. The
George is preferred to The Cuthbert. With a little imagination there could have been so many colourful alternatives. The Purple Penguin (rather than the Red Lion), The Thrush and Manhole (for The Rose and Crown), The Twenty Bottles (The Three Tuns), The Cleaner’s Knees (The King’s Arms or The Queen’s Head). Of course, there are an increasing num‐ ber of pubs which have broken ranks. The Old Monkey in Manchester for example and The Old Devil near Maidenhead are re‐ freshing changes from The New Inn. The Ape and Apple (Manchester) and The Queen’s Head and Artichoke (London) are two further innovative examples. In Cornwall there is a pub called The Bucket of Blood; this is also the name of a beer brewed in the area, marketed as “a spooki‐ ly spicy red classic ale which has become a feature of Halloween. It is full with a malty toffee palate and a good bitter skeletal backbone finish.” Hmm, thanks, but I’ll go for a pint of London Pride. I have also seen a pub with an advertise‐ ment outside. “Seven‐course Irish meal ‐ six pints and a potato.” It sounds more inviting than six potatoes and a pint.
David Worboys’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.
46 EWN
www.euroweeklynews.com
11 - 17 March 2021
HEALTH & BEAUTY
I’m not a ‘ride or Benefits of BHRT die’ kind of girl
By Clinica Britannia
YOUR body’s hormones are the internal communication system between the cells in your body, coordinating everything from your appetite, digestion, im‐ mune function, libido, and mood. When these hormones become even a fraction out of balance, it can directly impact your health and well‐being. Hormone replacement ther‐ apies are prescribed to rebal‐ ance the body’s hormones. One such, natural therapy is Bioiden‐ tical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). These Bioidentical hormones are derived from plant oestro‐ gens and are chemically identi‐ cal to those produced by the hu‐ man body. Oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are those most replicated and can be administered in various
MS BIPOLAR UP AND DOWN WITH BALANCE UNEDITED
ways. Personalised gels and creams manufactured at spe‐ cialised pharmacies are especial‐ ly effective as are tailored specif‐ ically for the individual patient. BHRT can be used to treat men and women but is mostly used to ease symptoms of peri‐ menopause and menopause. Common symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, sleep problems, con‐
centration issues, mood swings and lack of libido can be success‐ fully treated. It is also used to ease symptoms of cancer treat‐ ment and to treat adrenal, in‐ sulin, thyroid disorders, osteo‐ porosis, and fibromyalgia. Contact your Doctor as addi‐ tional clinical information and several tests must be taken to decide if the benefits of BHRT outweigh the risks.
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
I SCROLL through social media and see others posting about their #rideordie and #squadgoals. It makes me feel empty, boring and self-defeated. I mean, I’m pretty cool. I can be fun. I’m nice. I’m a good listener. I would drop everything to help someone who needed me. I can be spontaneous (at times!) But on Fridays you will find me at home. You can also find me there Saturdays through Thursdays. It’s easier to be home than make plans. And besides, making plans risks it going wrong or having to cancel because I am not feeling well and who needs one more thing to stress about anyway? So I sit at home, in my comfy clothes, and scroll through social media watching everyone else on these last minute unplanned adventures and wonder why can’t I be like that ? It’s the ultimate vicious circle, it seems. My whole energy goes on getting through a normal day with not having a wobble that ac-
tually doing something that isn’t usually in my routine can send me into a complete meltdown. Will an hour date with a few friends fill my happy bucket, or drain me with stories that I simply don’t get because it’s not part of my lifestyle? The adrenaline rush of knowing gossip, and the desire to check out new bars and passion for high heels is simply not a part of me anymore. But then I deal with the guilt. Guilt at missing out on being young. Guilt at not being involved with my friends. Guilt on not going on those fun nights out. I’d like to shake these feelings away but it’s hard, emotionally it hurts. I long for having fun stories to tell. Maybe it will ease up in time or maybe, I am not #rideordie material. I am however lucky that my friends stick by me through the good, the bad and the ugly. Their love for me is unconditional as is mine for them. And isn’t that what they really mean by #rideordie? Love Ms Bipolar x
msbipolar@euroweeklynews.com
The drug of love
IN LOVE: Meeting someone special can give you a buzz. MEETING someone special and falling in love can give the same buzz as being high on drugs. Findings have shown that those feelings of excitement, anticipation and butterflies in our stomach triggers certain brain cells and activates the ‘feel good’ hormone dopamine. This chemical is also released after taking recreational drugs such as cocaine. Researchers from Emory
University in Atlanta, USA, who carried out the study on prairie voles, which, like humans, are one of the few monogamous mammals, say they believe the findings give insight into how we can influence social interactions. T hey believe this may one day be used to benefit patients suffering from autism as by controlling the release of dopamine, it may help improve interactions in socially awkward people.
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
Advertising Feature
Seek medical advice for abnormal skin growths AN abnormal growth on your skin can cause you worry and discomfort as well as looking unattractive. This happens when there is an abnormal cell build up on the surface of the skin causing abnormalities that can range in colour and size. Overexposure to the sun and harmful ultraviolet rays are one of the main causes, although well covered areas like your palms or genital area, also can be affected. A biopsy can be performed to quickly diagnose if the skin cells are benign or cancerous and the necessary treatment prescribed. What kind of skin biopsy is per‐ formed will depend on the type of skin condition or cancer sus‐ pected and the extent of the sus‐ picious cells. Shave biopsy: This is taken with the use of a tool similar to a razor
ABCDE: How to check out several warning signs for skin cancer. to scrape the surface of your skin. Punch biopsy: A circular tool is
used to remove a small section of the deeper layers of the skin. Incisional biopsy: A scalpel is
used to remove a small area of skin. Stitches may be necessary to close the biopsy site depend‐
ing on the area of skin removed. Excisional biopsy: This is where an entire lump or area of abnor‐ mal skin is removed to be diag‐ nosed. After your Doctor obtains a tis‐ sue sample, it will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. The re‐ sults help your doctor determine whether the cells are cancerous. If this is the case, the biopsy re‐ sults can tell your doctor where the cancer originated,the type of cancer and how aggresive it is. A skin biopsy may also be nec‐ essary to diagnose or to help treat skin conditions and dis‐ eases, including Dermatitis, Psori‐ asis, skin infections and suspi‐ cious moles. If you notice any abnormal skin growth or notice any changes to your skin then it is essential for you to seek medical advice.
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 NO time to exercise? Don’t worry, just do the housework. Studies have found that doing the household chores burns more than 2,000 calories a week with cleaning the bath, doing the washing and hoovering the house able to amount to the equivalent of doing a gym session. The findings also researched which chores are best for working out certain areas of the body. So what jobs around the house are the most beneficial to burn calories and tone? Scrubbing the bath
Housework workout Cleaning the bath with a bit of added elbow grease for 15 minutes can burn up to 100 calories, which is roughly the same as 30 jumping squats. This chore is great for toning arms and shoulder muscles. Laundry Factoring in loading and unloading the washing machine, hanging up the clothes and putting them away, doing the laundry can burn 78 calories which
is the same as doing 100 sit-ups. Washing up Scrubbing away at the dishes can burn over 500 calories over a week if you spend 15 minutes doing it every night, around the same as swimming 2,500m. Hoovering Giving your carpets a good clean can burn 90 calo-
ries in half an hour, which is the same as 15 minutes of kick-boxing. Depending on the size of your house, hoovering can also get you nearer to the daily recommendation of walking 10,000 steps. Mopping and sweeping Cleaning the floors for 30 minutes can burn 145 calories. Gardening Half an hour of pottering in the garden can burn 213 calories, which is the same as 45 minutes of cycling on flat terrain. Digging also works your shoulder and abdominal muscles.
PETS
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Who cares for your outdoor cats when you are away? IF you are one of the many households that took in a new stray or rescued cats during the Covid pandemic, then your newly adopted pets will need special care and attention when you go on holiday later this year. Even if you are planning a short trip, plan ahead. Take a moment to plan ahead for pet and house‐sitters, if you have trips planned later this year. Now is the time to get ready. We will help you as much as we can. Our philosophy is that we are all in this together. These are the steps to take: 1. Register as a homeowner on HouseSit Match.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 your next holiday, Covid permitting. 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 holi‐ day. House‐sitters see your advert, they re‐
Finding the right care for your feline friends is important. spond and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets. Trustpilot Testimonials ‐ 4.8 / 5 Excellent rating (New Trustpilot rating scale) Here’s what members have said about us ‐ HouseSitMatch found us a perfect 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 help‐
ing 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 sub‐ scription to secure these prices: • Standard (DIY option) = £69 pa • Premium (with support at each step) = £89 pa
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.
How fit is that doggy in the window? SPRING is about new beginnings and brushing away the cobwebs, after being cooped up inside. Dogs are out on the streets and in the parks with their owners, but are they protected enough? The warmer weather could easily present issues for your dog’s health, including heartworm, so make sure the dog receives a year‐round monthly heartworm preventive. This is also the time of year for mosquitos, fleas and ticks; so protect your dog well in advance and your dog will thank you for it. It is worth asking your vet about the latest products in flea protection. Dogs, like their owners, need exercise, especially after living the sedentary lifestyle that winter encourages. How‐ ever, don’t rush your dog, as he needs to warm up before doing anything too strenu‐ ous, otherwise he’ll end up with an injury. Therefore, it is wise to build up a fitness regime grad‐ ually, giving the dog time to adapt.
DON’T RUSH: Your dog needs to warm up before exercise.
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One in 10 pets will develop a tumour in their lifetime CANCER is one of the biggest concerns for dog and cat owners. It is the leading cause of death in geriatric animals. For this reason, owners and veterinarians have
been becoming aware of the need to provide special care for their pets. There have been great advances in veterinary medicine and surgery, especially in the
field of cancer treatment. Early diagnosis is essential. The check‐ up that is carried out on your pet every year should be more ex‐ haustive from six years of age. Any patient suspected of hav‐ ing a malignant process should be thoroughly investigated by the veterinary team. This information will help us to know which treatment to use and will inform us of the progno‐ sis, time and cost necessary for the treatment. We can only establish a com‐ plete therapeutic protocol and with probability of success if we have information on the extent of the process. This way we can answer the pet owner’s ques‐ tions about the prognosis and quality of life. Specific laboratory tests, ultrasound, endoscopy, CT or MRI may be necessary. In Costablanca Norte: Anicura Marina Baixa Hospital Veterinario www.veterinariamarina baixa.com
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CLASSIFIEDS ARCHITECTS
APPLIANCE REPAIRS WASHING MACHINE BROKEN? Call BlueSky Repairs for ALL your domestic appliance repairs. 626 430 671 (WhatsApp) (291565)
BUY & SELL PRIVATE collector will buy your Gold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)
CAMPING
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)
CLUBS/SOCIETIES SPIRITUAL FRIENDS Costa Blanca is a non-religious group of spiritually minded people who meet on Wednesday afternoons. Each week different clairvoyance, discussions, talks and demonstrations on spiritual or holistic subjects. email sp.fr.cb@gmail.com website www.spiritualfriendscostablan ca.com or contact Jan. 600 837 054 (10000)
COMPUTERS CARE HOME
COMPUTER REPAIRS – Laptops/PCs Qualified Technician –648 065 224 No Call Out Charge No Fix No Fee andy@wizard-computers.biz (290467)
ELECTRICIAN
CHARITY El Campello Christian Community Evangelical Church Life and Family Sunday Service in English at 10.00 a.m. and a Spanish Service at 11.45am. C / San Bartolomé 35 bajo, No.6 campellocc@gmail.com www.elcampellochristiancom munity.org For more information call Juan Zuniga – 686 203 183 (Spanish) or Sue Bishop - 610 63 94 26 (English) THE SALVATION ARMY English Speaking Church of Denia Worship Service. Sunday 10:30 am Followed by a time of Fellowship Everyone is welcome. Come as you are! For more information: Dieter Zimmerer +34 698 609 658 or Barbara Zimmerer +34 652 319 810 Email dieterzimmerer@hot mail.com, www.centrosaron. com (10008)
MB ELECTRICS. Approved electrician. Any electrical repair. Iberdrola paperwork. Affordable prices. Miquel 655 282 175 www.mbelectrics.es (288732)
FOR SALE WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)
GARDENING 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)
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GOLD WANTED
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LEGAL www.iurisunited.net Lawyers. Tax advice and bookkeeping. All Gestoria Services. Experts in Brexit and Residence Permits. NIE Numbers. FREE 1st.consultation. Ask Oliver. Tel: 606 051 000 info@iurisunited.net (291473)
the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309. (200726)
PAINTERS/DECORATOR
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WIGS WWW.WIGS-R—US.ES Indoor Market Rincon de Loix, Benidorm. Monday-Saturday 10-3. We also have Scrunchies, Extensions, Ponytails. Catalogue orders. Private appointments after 3pm. 681 049 502 (290625)
INSURANCE FED UP OF NOT BEING SENT YOUR RENEWAL? CUT YOUR INSURANCE COSTS AND STILL HAVE 100% COVER. YOU HAVE TRIED THE REST NOW TRY THE BEST WITH SOS INSURANCE. WE CAN EVEN INSURE YOU FOR UPTO A €1000 OF WATERLOSS. CALL 686 116 297 (WHATS APP TO) OR VISIT www.sosinsurancein spain.com or email tracey@sosinsurancein spain.com (290495) BENEFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES. Car, Home, Business, Travel, Life, Funeral, all insurances available. Policies in English. BEST rates, covers & service. Immediate quotes. Tel 961 129 215 / 622 275 561, (WhatsApp) info@beneficialin suranceinspain.com or visit www.beneficialinsurancein spain.com for online quote. (290871) MOTOR INSURANCE. For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 902 123 309, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 902 123 309 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! (200726) STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbeygatein sure.com (2887610)
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XXX RELAXATION Please note that in Spain there is NO legislation banning adverts in this section. Neither regional nor national governments are able to pass such a law due to rules governing freedom of publication and printing. READERS OF A SENSITIVE DISPOSITION MAY FIND SOME OF THE ADVERTISEMENTS IN THIS SECTION OFFENSIVE.
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Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro is a limited edition gem! ROAD TEST by Mark Slack ICONIC is a very overused word in many arenas but particularly in regard to cars. However, there are a few cars that can genuinely claim to be iconic and the Fiat 500 is certainly one of them. In its modern incarnation, like BMW’s MINI, it is heritage reborn and continues to be a huge success for Fiat. It is hard to believe it has been around since 2008 and in Abarth form is a particularly fun drive. It’s not especially fast but really emphasises that cars don’t need to be fast to be fun. Priced from €20,488 (£17,760) the Abarth 595 line‐up is all
Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro.
powered by a 1.4‐litre tur‐ bocharged petrol engine driving the front wheels through either a manual or CVT automatic gearbox. There’s a firm but still com‐ fortable ride with the benefit of confident cornering across more twisting roads. The engine is in various states of tune from 145 hp to 180 hp. The Abarths come in five trim levels with each having distinc‐ tive paint finishes and badging depending on the particular edi‐ tion. There are hatchback and cabrio models along with a lim‐ ited edition Scorpioneoro which was my test model. The limited edition run is just 2,000 and it certainly looks distinctive with black paintwork and gold detail‐ ing wheels. Priced at €25,777
(£22,345) the 165 hp Scorpione‐ oro offers standard fare such as navigation, Bluetooth, climate, power mirrors, automatic lights, rear parking sensors, special Scorpioneoro carpet floor mats and headrest stitching plus a numbered plaque. Where the 595 shows its age
is on items such as seating which offers little adjustment, a steering wheel only adjustable for height not reach and a de‐ sign that means the interior is cosy. What seat height adjust‐ ment there is comes via a lever adjacent the handbrake ‐ not ideal ‐ because the door side of
the seats are so close it is not possible to fit it on that side. That said this is a car that was originally launched back in 2008. Apart from looking the part the Abarth sounds gorgeous at tickover, not in a broken ex‐ haust kind of way, but there’s a lovely burble from the exhaust
and once on the road pushing the revs the sounds continue to impress. It has such character compared to many modern cars and also broad appeal. My young supermarket delivery chap went into verbal overdrive when he saw it. This was one I was very sorry to hand back.
SPORT
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Chelsea Keep Climbing CHELSEA have now gone 11 games unbeaten under new boss Thomas Tuchel after a comfortable 2‐0 victory over in‐ form Everton on Monday, March 8. Everton came into the con‐ test at Stambridge on the back of a three‐game winning streak however, a Jorginho penalty and Ben Godfrey own goal helped the Blues open up a four‐point cushion in the race for the top four. Kai Havertz was the star man for the home side and it was his deflected shot that got the ball rolling. Havertz, who unimpressed under previous manager Frank Lampard, turned a Marcos Alonso cross towards goal, which took a wicked deflection off Godfrey, leaving Joran Pick‐ ford with no chance of stop‐ ping it. The 21‐year‐old German was then tripped in the box after skipping around Pickford to earn his side a second‐half
THOMAS TUCHEL: The new boss of Chelsea. penalty, which Jorginho fin‐ ished neatly with his trade‐ mark hop, skip and jump. Everton drop to sixth posi‐
tion in the Premier League, four points behind Chelsea who have some serious mo‐ mentum on their side.
Hammers Up WEST HAM’S wonderful season continues as sensational signing Jesse Lingard scores again to see off Leeds 2‐0 at the London Stadium ‐ a victory that sees the Hammers move up to fifth place. Lingard, on loan from Manchester United, is enjoying life in London and was pivotal for West Ham on Monday, March 8, opening the scoring in the 21st minute when he con‐ verted the rebound from his own penal‐ ty. The England midfielder was tripped by Luke Ayling and saw his penalty saved by Illan Meslier before making no mistake from the gifted opportunity. Craig Dawson then doubled West Ham’s lead seven minutes later, capitalising on Leeds’ inability to defend set‐pieces, to bury a free header from a corner. Patrick Bamford was guilty of missing some decent chances for the away side and substitute Rodrigo’s effort cleared off the line late on. Interestingly, Dawson and Lingard have now been scorers of seven of West Ham’s last 13 Premier League goals ‐ to leapfrog Everton into fifth, two points off a top‐four spot.
LINGARD: Scored again.