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CostaBlancaPeople 25th - 31st January 2022

25th - 31st january - edition 925

Tel: 607 031 113 | claire@costablancapeople.com | costablancapeople.com

your Essential Weekly read

Government set to decide about the end of restrictions the regional government, the Generalitat Valenciana, has plans to meet in the coming days in order to discuss the end of restrictions put in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic. the interdepartmental table for Prevention and action against

Covid-19 is set to come together this week to assess the current situation in the Valencian Community and to decide whether to extend the current restrictions beyond january 31st.

President of the Valencian Government, Ximo Puig, has publicly

praised the good results that he believes the implementation of the covid passport has brought about, not so much to curb infections, but to encourage vaccination among the population that was not yet immunized. the most recent official information

indicates that there are 181,094 active cases of Covid-19 in the region, with 1,749 hospitalized, 183 of whom are in the iCu. the current restrictions, such as the mandatory use of the mask outdoors and the limitation on the number of diners in restaurants and the use of the covid passport, expire this coming Monday, january 31, so the Generalitat must make a decision before that date. in the event that the government decides to extend the compulsory vaccination certificate, they must once again request the endorsement of the superior Court of justice of the Valencian Community (tsjCV). therefore, for the next week, from january 24 to 31, the following regulations remain in place: Covid passport the covid vaccine passport must be presented to enter hotel and restaurant

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establishments that have a capacity of more than fifty people. also, in entertainment venues, such as discos and cinemas, in addition to betting shops and similar establishments.

Likewise, this document is necessary to access hospitals and residences for the elderly (public or private), and music events with more than 500 spectators.

Face mask the use of a face mask is mandatory in closed spaces and also outdoors when the interpersonal safety distance of one and a half meters cannot be maintained.

Customers per table the limit of ten people per table remains in place in bars, cafeterias and restaurants, in addition to the conditions of access with a covid passport.

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Torrevieja reveals census figures with 87,901 registered inhabitants torrevieja began 2022 with almost 88,000 registered inhabitants, it was revealed this week. of the total, 49,807 are of spanish origin and 38,094 are from abroad. uK nationals continue to be the most prevalent foreigners with 5,236, followed by russians with 4,484 and ukrainians with 3,203. Citizens from 123 countries and five continents currently live in torrevieja, according to data from the ‘padrón’, the municipal census. in terms of gender, there is an almost equal divide. across the whole population, there are 43,247 men (49.2%), while 44,654 (51.8%) are women. torrevieja continues to be the third largest town in the alicante province and fifth largest in the Valencian community after the three provincial capitals (Valencia, alicante and Castellón) and elche. after russia and the ukraine, there are Colombians (2,337) for the first time placed ahead of the Moroccan population (2,271), followed by romanians (1,580), Bulgarians (1,526), swedes (1,374) Belgians (1,206), Germans (1,038), italians (1,016), Chinese (844), algerians (720), norwegians (694), Brazilians (613), Poles (593), Finns (551), argentines (541) , French (526), indians (489), Lithuanians (474), and the netherlands (404).

torrevieja has residents from 123 countries, among which are citizens of Cuba, india, ireland, switzerland, hungary, Belarus, algeria, senegal, denmark, Paraguay, nigeria, Peru, el salvador, austria, Bolivia, Pakistan, united states of america, Cape Verde, Mexico, Guinea, egypt, nepal, Philippines, honduras, israel, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, thailand, Costa rica, australia, japan, south africa, democratic republic of the Congo, jordan, Mauritius, Guatemala, Cyprus , Malta, iran, iraq, Kenya, Vietnam, sri-Lanka, Malaysia, Gabon, Gambia, slovenia, Macedonia, Kyrgyzstan, uzbekistan,

azerbaijan, Kazakhstan or suriname. in relation to the distribution of the census population in torrevieja according to age, the number of children and young people under 20 years of age amounts to 15,709. also, the number of torrevejenses between 20 and 40 years amounts to 18,779; from 40 to 60 years old there are 26,905 registered; from 60 to 80 years old, a total of 21,375; and from 80 to 100 years, the number of registered is 5,108; while the residents in torrevieja with 100 years of age or more amounts to 25, of which 8 are men and 17 women.

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CostaBlancaPeople 25th - 31st January 2022

Green Party wants digital courses for over 65s torrevieja’s Green Party has proposed that the town hall runs a course for over 65s on the use of smart phones, computers and the internet. after the motion was presented, the party said, “From Los Verdes we highlight the difficulties experienced by a part of the population, especially the elderly, in accessing and using digital technologies.” israel Muñoz, spokesperson for the green party said, “having a broadband internet connection or knowing how to send an email, among other things, may seem to be within the reach of everyone, but it is not. it is not only necessary to take into account the use of these technologies, but also the capacities that people have so that this use is appropriate.” recent eurostat data revealed that almost half of people between 65 and 74 years of age who use the internet have low digital skills. according to the Greens, such data reveals that this sector of the population is deprived of the positive impact that new

technology could bring to their daily lives - benefits ranging from the reduction of loneliness and anxiety to simply using the internet for many day to day transactions.

With the pandemic, the use of technology has increased, leaving behind a large part of the most vulnerable population. the Green Party says that in the case of torrevieja town hall, drastic changes have been implemented in how the public can carry out administrative tasks which has resulted in part of the population not able to access essential services.

Jellyfish alert

Beachgoers on sunday reported a large number of jellyfish washed up along the beaches of the southern Costa Blanca. People in La Mata, torrevieja and Cala Bosque on the orihuela Costa reported a large number of jellyfish along the strand. nature experts Cronicas naturales de torrevieja revealed that an easterly wind pushed the jellyfish ashore. the species seen is the beautiful Pelagia nocticula, known for its luminescent characteristics. despite its beauty,

beach users are warned not to touch this species of jellyfish, even when it is out of the water as it can deliver a nasty sting.

Torrevieja carnival dates confirmed

the Carnival association of torrevieja and the Council for Fiestas met over the weekend to discuss the forthcoming ‘Carnaval’. a general assembly of ‘comparsas’ (the individual ‘troupes’ that make up the carnival parade in all its colour) was held on Friday night. at the meeting, a discussion was held about the current health situation and restrictive measures in place with a view to deciding whether or

not to postpone this year’s event. as announced on saturday morning by the town hall and the Carnival association, the matter was put to vote and it was decided by the vast majority to go ahead with the plan to celebrate this year’s Carnival as scheduled, between February 4th and March 6th. naturally, everyone agreed that all security and prevention measures should be in place throughout the event.

SpaceX satellite disintegrates over Spain in a spectacular fireball a spaceX satellite disintegrated in the skies over spain on sunday night resulting in a spectacular fireball. the satellite that created the spectacle entered the earth’s atmosphere at a speed of about 27,000 kilometers per hour at 11:00 p.m. on sunday january 23. the spaceX company put the satellite into orbit on january 24, 2021. the fireball was seen across many parts of spain and was recorded by the observatory network red de Bolides y Meteoros del suroeste de europa (sWeMn network) as part of the sMart project, coordinated by the institute of astrophysics of andalusia. the satellite would have had a mass of about 260 kilos. the sudden friction with the atmosphere at the enormous speed at which it was travelling caused the object to become incandescent, thus generating a fireball that began at an altitude of about 100 kilometers over a point located north of Morocco, almost on the border with algeria.

From there it moved in a northwesterly direction and along its trajectory the satellite was fragmenting, so several fireballs could be seen travelling in parallel. according to the information available at the moment, the fireball would have crossed the entire peninsula and finally would have reached asturias, where it would have finished its trajectory over the Cantabrian sea. any possible fragments of the satellite that had survived its sudden passage through the earth’s atmosphere would have fallen into the sea. experts have pointed out that the incident is still being studied.

the progressive digitization of banks and the closure of branches is also contributing to this exclusion of the elderly.

“We ask for unanimous support for this motion, because it is necessary that the elderly, and those who are not familiar with digital environments,

can have the appropriate training and help to have the services that we have enjoyed without any problem.

We cannot leave any person behind,” concluded Muñoz. this motion proposes, among other things, that the City Council of torrevieja work on initiatives such as training for the elderly in digital literacy, the creation of a bank of computer equipment on loan for vulnerable people and the digital integration of older people.

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AUTOMÓVILES CRESPO THE BIGGEST AND BEST FOR PRICE CHOICE AND QUALITY New sports centre for La Mata in the pipeline

the town hall has begun the process of establishing a new sports pavilion in La Mata with the first step, the beginning of the environmental study, kickstarted this week. the secretary of the Local Government Board (jGL), Federico alarcón, announced that works

could begin as early as this summer. the first step, which is the environmental assessment procedure, needs to happen before the plans for the proposed location (between Calle delfín and Calle danes) can be modified in the interior reform Plan (Pri).

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Hospitality employment returns to normal

the municipality of orihuela, including orihuela Costa, has seen unemployment drop to pre-pandemic levels. according to statistics, the service and hospitality sectors continue to enjoy the biggest increases in new jobs. there are still 5,283 people unemployed, however with 778 less than a year ago, the figures look promising.

Free online courses for unemployed torrevieja’s local development agency, the adL, has launched a series of free online courses aimed at unemployed people in the town. ten courses were revealed by the Councillor for employment and development, domingo Paredes, who said that the town hall, in collaboration with the adL and thanks to the support of agamed launched the courses in response to the “needs detected in the city of torrevieja and try to improve access to employment for its participants.” the ten courses, offered in spanish, are set to take place between February and May and torrevieja resident registered in LaBora as a job

seeker is eligible to sign up. the courses are as follows: - Food handler (February 28, 5 hours).

- english B1 (February 28, 90 hours).

- school canteen monitor

(March 7, 8:00 p.m.).

F o o d handler (March 14, 5 hours).

Maintenance of swimming pools in tourist accommodation (March 14, 9 hours).

Web page design (March 28, 50 hours). sanitary hygiene “tattooists” (april 4, 3:00 p.m.). russian a2 (april 26, 90 hours). a P P development (May 2, 50 hours).

- introduction to video game design (May 16, 50 hours). domingo Paredes said that all those interested should enrol at https://adl-torrevieja.es/ formacion-web/cursos

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CostaBlancaPeople 25th - 31st January 2022

Drugs seized from luxury yacht in Cabo Roig Four people have been arrested after police seized 27 bales of hashish from a luxury yacht in Pilar de la horadada. the bales weighed around 30kg each. authorities intercepted the boat in the early hours of january 17th when the Provincial Maritime service detected the vessel off the coast of Cabo de Palos sailing towards

torrevieja. according to police sources, the yacht, about 15 meters long, fled at full speed when they realised Guardia Civil boats were in pursuit, seeking to check the status of the boat and its crew. during the chase, several people on board are said to have thrown large packages overboard until the boat was

finally intercepted about half an hour later in the waters of Cabo roig.

Guardia Civil confirmed that four people were on board the boat and that 27 bundles, with a total of 810 kilograms of hashish, were seized. Four men aged between 24 and 43 were arrested and are set to appear in court in orihuela.

Palm tree pruning underway in Torrevieja

torrevieja’s Councillor for Parks and Gardens, Carmen Gómez Candel, revealed that the annual pruning of the palm trees in the municipality of torrevieja has begun. Guidelines set by the Ministry of agriculture, Fisheries and Food, establish mandatory measures for the control and eradication of the red palm weevil. the legislation states that “local corporations will ensure that in their municipality, the pruning of the palm trees they own is carried out in winter, in january to February.”

Carmen Gómez has indicated that the pruning work that began last Monday, january 17, will continue until the end of February. some road closures will be necessary while work is carried out but all closures will be notified locally by the Local Police in order to avoid causing

inconvenience to local residents. the Councillor indicated that, in parallel with palm tree maintenance, the pruning of the city’s trees is being carried out.

Finally, Carmen Gómez pointed out that torrevieja City Council continues to carry out periodic treatment against the red palm weevil in publicly owned palm trees. in order to be able to treat privately owned palm trees, torrevieja council has made the municipal technical services available to the owners of infected palm trees in order

to offer advice with the aim of preventing and eradicating the red palm weevil plague.

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Local tourism boosted at FITUR the annual international tourism Fair (Fitur) is currently under way in Madrid and local municipalities are all being given the opportunity to promote themselves under the Costa Blanca umbrella. the offering is vast and varied with each stand highlighting local tourist attractions from food, sport, beaches, heritage and general attractions. the Mayor of dolores josé joaquín hernández gave an excellent presentation on FeGado, the municipality’s livestock fair and the areas bird watching routes.

Los Montesinos also successfully presented a great gastronomic, cultural and sports offering with routes and trails galore. ‘orihuela awaits you’ is the name of the promotional campaign this municipality has taken to Fitur, where the Mayor emilio Bascuñana and the Councillor for tourism, Mariola rocamora, have travelled to present all the attractions that the city has such as its monuments and heritage, festivals, gastronomy, golf, sun and beach, sports and the renowned poet Miguel hernández. the mayor of almoradí, María Gómez, and the Councillor for tourism, josé antonio Latorre, have been in charge of showing the municipality’s tourism offering through a promotional video entitled “almoradí,

a wonderful place” with a clear commitment to sustainable tourism. almoradí has also taken advantage of this window to the world at Fitur to publicise the ecomuseum, another tourist commitment to maintain traditions and show its agricultural past and present. the Councillor for tourism of the albatera City Council, amparo Pérez, has pointed out that “the objective of participating this year in Fitur is to promote its agricultural products par excellence, such as the breva (a type of fig) at a national level, and to publicise the gastronomy that is prepared from the breva during the months of May and june. the Mayor of torrevieja, eduardo dolón, accompanied by the Councillor for tourism, rosario Martínez, have presented the general lines of the smart tourist destination Plan (dti). it has also been announced at Fitur that the city has been one of the eleven chosen, from among the 45 candidate cities of the Valencian Community, to carry out its proposal for the tourism sustainability Plan, which will be financed by the 3 million euros from the european union.

With this investment torrevieja will launch an ambitious plan to improve its tourist offer where sustainability and digitisation will form the basis of actions to be carried out.

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Booster shots required by visitors travellers heading to spain will be required to show proof of a CoVid-19 booster dose starting next month, becoming the latest country to rely on the extra shot. starting in 1st February, most international travellers, including from the united states, will be required to show proof they have received a booster dose of a coronavirus vaccine no more than 270 days (about 9 months) after the last dose of their initial vaccine series, according to spain’s tourism site. as with the initial shots, travellers will have to wait at least 14 days after their booster dose to enter.

Local tourism predicted to recover from February

British tour operators attending the Fitur tourism Fair in Madrid this week estimate that 50 percent of summer package holiday to the Costa Blanca have already been sold. With this in mind, the Valencian region’s hotel association hosbec is now predicting a recovery in tourism from February.

MASSIVE JANUARY SALE NEW2YOU... MASSIVE JANUARY SALE second hand furniture chain new2you has reduced the prices of a large quantity of stock until the end of the month.

Customers have all this week to avail of the massive january sale with items reduced in the three shops – Mar azul, and the sunday Zoco market. new2you said, “We have a huge selection of furniture reduced, across many styles and types including sofas, wall units, table and chairs, bedroom furniture and more.” not only that, but more items are being added to the sale every day. new2you is famous in the area for quality second hand items but they also have a very successful new department items including pictures, bedding, vases, ornaments and much more. there are also large reductions in the new department, again until the end of

january. new2you have been established for over 25 years,

offering a fast, friendly and efficient service. they have a large selection of quality new and used furniture which changes daily. all items are sold at a fraction of the new price offering fantastic value for money – even moreso now that the sale has reduced prices even further. usually, delivery is free (unless out of the normal area, in which case there may be a small charge). new2you also buy quality second hand furniture and household items, ranging from one item to a full house clearance.

To get in touch or to find out more, see New2You’s advert in the Costa Blanca People or log on to www. new2you-furniture.com

BUSINESS PROFILE

Please note that all information contained within this Costa Blanca People Business Profile has been provided by the client, and is therefore deemed correct and accurate. any errors, omissions or inaccuracies are the sole responsibility of the client.

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CostaBlancaPeople 25th - 31st January 2022

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La Regia residents complain a resident of the La regia urbanisation has taken to local spanish radio station radio orihuela Cadena ser to voice his disgust at the state of the streets.

Miguel Ángel Córdoba explained on air that only half of the roads that weave through the urbanisation have been laid with tarmac. he pointed out that work began in july last year and were supposed to be completed

in a four-month period. however, as we move towards the second month of 2022 the roads are still in an unacceptable condition. according to Miguel Ángel, “about 1,700 meters of roads have been paved and the other half remain as they were” and he also pointed out that the tendered project stated that not only would the roads be worked on, but the placement of about

15 or 16 trees would also be addressed and this has not been completed either.”

“We would like them to finish paving all the streets. We will take a letter to the town hall so that they can clarify why things have been left like this. the awarded contract was signed in december 2020... what happens in orihuela, in terms of deadlines, is not normal”, he complained.

World’s oldest man dies in Spain

the world’s oldest man has died just three weeks before his 113th birthday, leaving 14 grandchildren and 22 greatgrandchildren, his family has confirmed. saturnino de la Fuente García, from León city’s Puente Castro neighbourhood, earned his place in the Guinness Book of records as the oldest living man on earth on 10th september last year, aged 112 and 211 days, shortly after the death of Puerto rico’s emilio Flores at the same age. although the Caribbean islander said he was born a few months before saturnino, he was unable to show a birth certificate or registry entry, since at the time – late 1908 – this was not common practice in his home country. in fact, despite saturnino’s id card showing his date of

birth as February 12, 1909, he was actually born on February 8 – but parents in the early 20th century did not normally bother to register their children’s births for several days. infant mortality was very high, and it was generally considered that there was no point in going through the red tape and paperwork of registering a birth

until the parents were fairly confident the newborn was going to survive. had they known their son was going to survive for nearly another 113 years, they might have decided it was worth grappling with the bureaucracy straight away rather than leaving it for the standard four days after labour.

RESERVED A HOME TO BUY? 3 TIPS TO PREPARE FOR THE DAY OF COMPLETION Rebecca Serwotka Rebecca Serwotka – “We sell houses! It’s what we do, it’s ALL we do!”Your favourite local property expert, of Inmobiliaria Real Estate Agents in Ciudad Quesada & published author of “Moving Forward – 25 Essential Rules For Buying & Selling Real Estate Without Going Crazy.” Request your FREE copy today! Featured on Best Buy Spain.Prestige Award Winner for “Real Estate Agency Of The Year 2021/22”

have outstanding to pay. it will also tell you how payment is to be made and to whom.

Be aware: you will be making more than one payment. your outstanding amount will be divided up between the figure your vendor is to receive, the notary and Land registry fees, Property transfer tax and your Lawyer’s fees.

Congratulations, you’ve found a home to buy! at this point you’ve probably already signed a reservation contract and paid your deposit. you’d have agreed a date for completion. But what happens next?

3. Make an early appointment with your spanish bank for the day of your completion. you will need to prepare the requested payments, i.e. Bank Cheque before you go to the notary to sign the new title deeds.

Buying a property on the Costa Blanca is a little different to that in the u.K. When we real estate Professionals talk about a completion date/day, we mean the day you pay the balance for the property, sign the new title deeds in front of a notary and have the keys to move in.

once you are in the notary’s office, you will hand over the Bank Cheque to the Lawyer, sign the new title deeds of purchase/sale, and have the keys to move in!

here are 3 top tips on how to prepare for your completion day.

1. Be sure your funds are in your spanish bank account at least one day before the agreed completion day.

2. request a statement of accounts from your Lawyer. this will tell you the exact amount you

Bonus tip! don’t forget you will need proof of identification, i.e. passport and your n.i.e. number if you have one.

Ready to buy your home in the Costa Blanca?

Head to www.BuyMyHomeInSpain.com to download your complimentary Spanish Property Buying Guide for 2022.

see our advert in the centre pages of this newspaper! www.homes4u.es

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CostaBlancaPeople 25th - 31st January 2022

Where to Invest With Minimum Risk For many ex-pats this is the big question, M&G PLC (the name Prudential use where can i put my money to get a good throughout europe now) has around 24 return, but a safe return? million customers worldwide and have £341bn of assets under management. there are literally thousands of funds and hundreds of companies out there they have 500 investment professionals managing those funds, but where do you across the world and is centrally costart? ordinated by the treasury & investment office which is responsible for all high For most of our clients we recommend level investment decisions.

Prudential international, a trusted uK household name with a proven track For spanish tax residents Prudential record. offer the international Prudence Bond, which offers life assurance as well as the Prudential has been helping people being fully tax compliant. this means plan for their future for over 170 years. its there is no need to put this information size and experience puts it in a strong on your spanish tax declaration nor position to invest customers’ money the Modelo 720. By being spanish tax wisely for the medium to long term. compliant your capital can grow tax free

whilst invested.

Why should you choose seagate to advise you? all our advisers were trained at banks in the uK. We pride ourselves on putting our clients first. unlike other advisers on the Costas we believe in regular six monthly reviews with our clients to ensure that their pension or investment is on track. We have a fully staffed office in Benijofar with a backup team to support all our clients with withdrawals, encashments and top ups. do not delay and call us.

For a free no-obligation chat with a uK qualified adviser, call 965 704 338 or email: contact@seagatewealth.es

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Processionary Pine Caterpillars

orihuela environment department has started treatment against the processionary pine caterpillars across the municipality including orihuela Costa. the contract specialists have already started work in 62 areas known to attract the pesky critters. this first treatment is carried out with a biological product to avoid the formation of nests and involves spraying the needles of the pine tress which the caterpillars feed on. at this time of year, januaryFebruary, it is very common to see the processionary

caterpillars forming a long line and marching across the ground. unfortunately, the hairs on the caterpillars can cause sever allergic and respiratory reactions to children, the elderly and pets. the Councillor for the environment, dámaso aparicio, said that, although there is a planned and organised treatment schedule, residents can email: medioambiente@orihuela.es if they locate a pocket of nests or see numerous columns of caterpillars.

Treatment already underway

Terrace Tax to be suspended the Councillor for the treasury, rafael almagro, has announced that the suspension of the terrace tax is a step closer. this is the tax bars, restaurants and hotels have to pay to put chairs and tables outside their premises. the motion will be taken to the next council meeting where it will ‘definitely’ be approved. the suspension will be backdated from 1st january, 2022 and will run until 30th june 2022 and is a result of the economic struggle still being experienced by the hospitality sector due to the global pandemic.

The Mayor and Councillor make announcement

the Mayor of orihuela, emilio Bascuñana, promised ‘to show and give our support to the hospitality sector and contribute to its recovery, since it has been seriously affected during this pandemic due to the restrictions established both here and with global tourists since March

2020”. the Councillor for Finance also said: “We hope that it will not be necessary to make this type of modification to the tax collection again, because that will be a sign that everything has returned to normal, which is what we all want.”

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CostaBlancaPeople 25th - 31st january 2022

Chorus open new Costa Blanca South Office!

By Sam Kelly dipPFs, eFa, Ba (hons) Managing Partner Chorus Financial We are delighted to announce the opening of our new office in Benijofar, south Costa Blanca. Chorus Financial have clients across the whole of spain, but with many hundreds of them based in the popular area between alicante and Murcia, and with more people moving to Chorus each day, this new office is both much needed, and indeed long overdue!

told, in writing, exactly how much your financial adviser is earning, in pounds, shillings and pence, and have all costs and charges detailed in simple, transparent terms. this means that advice and product fees are separated, and your adviser is 100% focussed on providing you with the best possible solution for your circumstances.

We had originally planned to open an office in this area in 2020, but just as we were about to put pen to paper on the lease, Coronavirus hit and the rest, as they say, is history! although in modern life, with emails, video calls, home printers and scanners, financial services can easily be provided remotely, we appreciate that having a local office is both beneficial and reassuring for clients making such significant life decisions.

the alternative to this is spain is some opaque, complex, often multilayered charging structure, generally with a long tie-in and exit penalties, where you really have no idea who is getting their hands on your hardearned pensions and savings, and for what! often advice is focussed more on how much the adviser is being paid in hidden commissions, rather than what is best for you. sadly,most firms still operate in this way in spain, but at least now those in Costa Blanca south can sit down with a Chorus Financial adviser, and get truly client focussed, ethical advice without any of the usual nonsense that has given financial advisers such a bad name in spain.

over the last half a decade Chorus Financial have grown to become by far the most trusted financial services company in the region, indeed arguably across the whole of spain. We were the first firm to openly insist on ‘fee-based’ advice and full transparency and remain one of the only firms with this policy in spain. What this means in a nutshell is that as a Chorus client you will be

well-known financial adviser here in spain, who started his career in the uK working as a financial adviser for Lloyds and has been based in south Costa Blanca for the last 6 years. Chris has been very active in the local community for many years, running regular seminars, and talking finance on radio and in local newspapers.

Mael joins us as a Client relationship Manager, having spent the last few years working for a popular law firm in spain specialising in expat legal advice. Mael brings an incredible amount of experience into the role

andhuge value in terms of overall client care.

Chorus Financial now have the entire Costa Blanca covered from our javea and Benijofar offices, along with our remote advice options which are available across the whole of spain.

For those of you considering financial advice in 2022 who want to work with an ethical and client focussed company, contact Chorus Financial by email on info@chorusfinancial.es, by phone on +34 965 641 163 or visit www.chorusfinancial.es for more information.

With the opening of the new office, we are also very happy to welcome Chris shaw and MaelCampi to the Chorus team for 2022. Chris is a popular and

Investment contracts are intended as medium to long term investments, and all investments have some level of risk. Figures in our articles are examples of what can be achieved and cannot be guaranteed; the value of your investments can go down as well as up. Fees and charges can vary and will be fully explained to you before any advice can take place. This article should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular product.

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GBP / EUR UPdatE GBP as far as the national media were concerned, the whole week was about the precarious position of the prime minister and those in the ruling Conservative party who were competing to replace him. as far as international investors were concerned, all of that was a side issue. they carry no torch for Boris johnson and see little chance of his replacement, if any, making any change to uK economic policy. Partly for that reason, the GBP was unchanged on average. it lost 2.2% to the leading safe-haven jPy. data on the uK economy tended to be helpful, or at least not damaging to the GBP. unemployment continued to edge down from last February’s hump, coming in at 4.1%. there were 43.3k fewer jobseeker claimants and average earnings including bonuses were 4.2% higher on the year. inflation accelerated to 5.4%, a 30-year high. the reading was above forecast, but not by enough to give the GBP a lift. the old retail price index came in at 7.5%, while the ons’s favourite measure, CPih (CPi plus owner-occupiers’ housing costs) was up from 4.6% to 4.8%. retail sales volumes fell by 3.7% in december 2021, but were 2.6% higher than their pre-pandemic February 2020 levels.

EURO although the eur lost a third of a cent to the GBP and fell by a similar proportion: 0.3% on average, the mood in europe was more positive than it was in the united states. one reason for that is the european Central Bank. Where the central banks in north america and Britain are making noises about tighter monetary policy, the eCB is sticking to its belief that inflation will subside of its own accord this year. eCB President Christine Lagarde reckons that high energy prices and supply bottlenecks are already doing much to act as a drag on growth, reducing the need for monetary activism.

Whether or not they embrace every aspect of that assumption, investors in Germany and the eurozone as a whole are “significantly more optimistic” about the outlook, according to surveys carried out by ZeW. they saw nothing to worry about in the finalised consumer price index data for december, which put inflation at a record high of 5% (bear in mind that the eur has only been around for 20 years: a simulated single currency saw higher inflation in 1991). as in Britain, rising prices are posing a challenge to european political leaders, especially in countries with much higher rates of inflation such as Lithuania (10.7%) and estonia (12%).

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Celeb Gogglebox star wanted In tribute to rob Bonovox people to see ‘nice guy’ Dad

Roman Kemp has made appearances in many reality shows outside of his regular day job as a Capital FM’s DJ. So far he’s taken part in the celebrity edition of First Dates, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and Celebrity Gogglebox, which he signed up to four years ago.

The 28-year-old is not shy to participate and is more than willing to give shows like this a go. On the other hand, he admits that his father Martin Kemp wasn’t quite so keen.

As a huge fan of the Channel 4 show, Roman Kemp was more than happy to join the other celebrities in the line up but he couldn’t do it alone and needed his dad on board with

it too. In an interview Roman Kemp gives to the Daily Mirror, he said that when his dad was approached by producers, his immediate response was no but it had to take a lot of convincing on Roman’s part for him to reconsider.

“I’ve always loved it but I had to convince my dad to do it. They approached us and I was like ‘oh my God let’s absolutely do it’.

“And he said, ‘No, I don’t think so. I don’t want want people in the house. I don’t want people to see me scratching my bits and all that’.”

The main reason that Roman felt strongly that his dad should take part in the show, aside ffrom it being fun and something

he’s always wanted to do, is for people to see that he’s a ‘nice guy’.

Martin Kemp is known for playing tough and raging characters including his starring in crime drama, The Krays as Reggie Kray and more widely as Steve Owen in EastEnders.

Roman says “That is the nicest thing about doing Gogglebox, that finally people get to see my dad and who he really is - and he’s not some scary bloke.”

Roman had won the hearts of the nation since his stint on I’m A Celeb, winning third place and now the pair have been strong favourites on the show, so his hard work has finally paid off.

The local community was shocked and saddened last week to hear it had lost one of its much loved and respected singers. Rob Bloomer performed a U2 tribute act as Robert Bonovox and died of a heart attack aged 68 years of age.

Rob and wife Sue lived in Orihuela Costa for many years and even though they had moved back to the UK, Rob would return regularly to perform local gigs and support charity events. Robs larger-than-life personality and sense of humour, alongside his undeniable talent saw him make friends wherever he went and he appeared on Britain’s Got Talent and Come Dine with Me, making him even more fans.

Sue said in a facebook post: “No easy thing for me to do but I have to tell you all the fantastic entertainer Robert Bonovox died of a Heart attack last night. I am sure he will be sadly missed by many. Rob was my rock and we certainly had plenty of good times together.

We thought we had plenty more to come but sadly not he was called home well before his time. Can’t imagine what my life will be without him, we had a life that was filled with fun and excitement. He will always be with me and in my heart. Rest In Peace BONO...... Sorry if this was a shock to you but an even bigger one to me.”

Local artists have taken to Facebook to pass on their condolences and share their memories. The team at the Costa Blanca would also like to pass

Wallace & Gromit set to return

Wallace & Gromit fans rejoice - a new special has been announced. The BBC has confirmed the comedy franchise is set to make a comeback over a decade after A Matter of Loaf And Death aired.

The spin-off of the animation will be created by the team at Aardman, who are also behind popular kids’ shows such as Shaun The Sheep.

It will be directed by creator Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham and the

latest instalment of the popular show is expected to air in 2024. It will see Gromit worry that Wallace is becoming too dependent on his selection of inventions. The worries come true when Wallace’s “smart gnome” invention somehow develops a mind of its own.

As events start to get out of control, Gromit has to put his worries aside and take on the sinister forces before Wallace loses the ability to invent anything ever

again. It follows in the footsteps of the Wallace & Gromit spin-off ’s previous caper, The Flight Before Christmas, which was shown on BBC One last year.

Charlotte Moore, chief content officer at the BBC, said: “It’s incredibly exciting to be taking British audiences on a cracking new adventure with Wallace & Gromit and to be continuing our long relationship with Aardman and Nick Park following the success of

Shaun the Sheep this Christmas.”

Managing director of Aardman, Sean Clarke, added: “Wallace and Gromit are so loved by everyone at Aardman - they’re like family to us - and we couldn’t be more excited to be creating a brand new film for them to star in.

‘When Nick came up with the concept for a ‘smart gnome’, we all agreed that Wallace would find the idea irresistible - despite warnings from Gromit, who is

on our sympathies to Rob’s wife Sue and his family. Rob worked with us to support our charity events on many occasions.

wise beyond his (dog) years. We’re sure audiences will find the story irresistible too.’

The upcoming film will premiere on the BBC in the UK and on Netflix in the rest of the world. Netflix also announced that Aardman are also working on a new Chicken Run movie. The sequel is set to be named Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget and is expected to air next year.

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Your tech questions answered by Brian Hoile of the Costa Blanca Technology Help Group, helping over 200 members with their PCs, smartphones and more. Find the group on Facebook (Costa Blanca Technology Help Group) or attend the meetings in person or online via Zoom.

If you have a question or a problem that needs my help then please send an email to Brian at cbtechnology.help@ gmail.com. If I receive the email by lunchtime on Friday it will appear in the next edition. If you want to join the Technology Help Group search Facebook for “Costa Blanca Technology Help Group”. If you do not use Facebook you can still join by sending an email with your details to cbtechnology.help@ gmail.com.

When joining on Facebook please make sure that you scroll all the way through and answer all questions and give your email address. I use your email address as the primary means of communication.

Mike of Torrevieja asks” i changed a folder title starting with p to starting with L i expected it to relocate to the folders list starting with L but it did not. i opened a menu and choose “Move“. i tried to drag and drop it to the folders starting with L but after several attempts gave up what must i do to relocate this folder”.

With Windows 10 you can display folders in different ways.

To sort files in a different order, click the view options button in

News

CostaBlancaPeople 25th - 31st January 2022

the toolbar and choose By Name,

By Size, By Type, By Modification Date, or By Access Date. As an example, if you select By Name, the files will be sorted by their names, in alphabetical order.

Joan of La Siesta asks” i have tried many times to get rid of Discover!! Which comes on to my phone before the home screen. have followed instructions from google but they do not work. Many people have the same problem, with this?”

Google Discover - How Discover is different from Search With Search, users enter a search term to find helpful information related to their query, but Discover takes a different approach. Instead of showing results in response

to a query, Discover surfaces content primarily based on what Google’s automated systems believe to be a good match with a user’s interests.

As a highly personalized feed, Discover actively tunes itself to a user’s interests and displays content that aligns with those interests. The content in Discover is automatically refreshed as new content is published, however Discover is designed to show all types of helpful content from across the web, not just newly published content.

Here’s how to add the Search bar widget to the Home Screen on Android: 1. Tap and hold free space on the Home Screen.

2. When the launcher menu appears, select Widgets.

3. Look for Google. Tap, drag, and drop the widget on the Home Screen.

4. Just tap on the Google icon in the bar to quickly access the Google Discover feed. google Widgit With Discover, you can get updates for your interests, like your favourite sports team or news site, without searching for them. You can choose the types of updates you want to see in Discover in the Google app or when you’re browsing the web on your phone.

Join the group by searching Facebook for “Costa Blanca Technology help group” Send your questions to cbtechnology.help@gmail.com

Demand for mental health services up by 50% due to pandemic The demand for mental health services is up by 50% according to new figures released this week. Hospitals such as the Vinalopó in Elche have warned about the impact of the pandemic on mental health. Lockdown, restrictions on socialising, masks and social distancing are all aspects of the pandemic that have been aggravating mental health problems.

Many experts voiced their concerns since March 2020, but it seems that mental health remains a casualty of coronavirus.

Statistics from a number of health departments have shown an increased demand for mental health services. The latest to publish findings is Vinalopó University Hospital in Elche, which says that there has been an increase in between 30 and 50% in patients needing this type of treatment.

The hospital has warned of growth, at a community level, of feelings of feelings of emotional discomfort, loneliness and hopelessness and stressed the

importance of paying more attention to feelings of sadness.

Head of psychiatry, Dr Luis Fabián Mahecha explained, “We are sadder. Maybe not always.

It is possible that this primary emotion catches us only for a few moments or a few days.” He said that the pandemic and social

restrictions have increased the emotional discomfort of many people. Other factors such as illness, loss, complications at work or in our personal lives also exacerbate the situation.

“Sadness is a human emotional state that we have all experienced, probably in the face of adverse life circumstances, vicissitudes or problems that appear in life,” he

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added. Specialists maintain that it is normal to feel sadness as it is a normal feeling, like anger or joy. Machecha said, “When we are sad, we cry. We think negatively, we have less desire to carry out activities and perhaps we seek solitude. The problem comes when sadness turns into depression, terms that we tend to confuse.” This enduring sadness can affect all facets of a person’s life and is usually accompanied by a lack of interest or the ability to experience pleasure, apathy, insomnia, eating disorders, loss of energy and difficulty concentrating.

The experts in Elche revealed that there is no single profile of a person with depression. National data indicates that one in ten people in Spain will be affected by this disease at some point in their life. “It is advisable to go to a specialist or ask someone close for help when the psychological pain is very intense, lasts longer than expected and there are other symptoms that accompany it,” concluded Mahecha.

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Twelve fugitives revealed in new Most Wanted campaign A new appeal has been launched to trace and bring to justice 12 of the UK’s most wanted fugitives believed to be hiding in Spain.

The offenders, all men, are wanted for crimes including murder, largescale drugs trafficking and supplying firearms and ammunition.

The NCA’s Most Wanted campaign is run in conjunction with independent charity CrimeStoppers, Spanish law enforcement, UK policing and comes on the back of the extremely successful Operation Captura fugitives campaign, which resulted in the arrests of 86 offenders.

Spain is one of the most popular countries for British ex-pats and the two nations have a very strong law enforcement partnership.

Today, Steve Rodhouse the NCA’s Director General of Operations was joined by the Security Minister Rafael Pérez Ruiz of Spain’s Interior Ministry, Deputy Head of Mission Sarah Cowley and Mark Hallas, CEO of CrimeStoppers, at the campaign launch in Madrid.

Steve said: “Spain is not a safe haven.

“We have a brilliant relationship with the country’s various law enforcement agencies and work together daily to protect the public.

“With 86 offenders arrested in our last fugitives campaign, criminals know we will never give up and we’re never far behind them.

“Our Spanish partners were crucial to many of those arrests, and in 2021 arrested and returned more than 25 wanted UK fugitives.

“The NCA’s International Crime Bureau and International Liaison Officers work on behalf of UK policing to exchange information and intelligence with partners abroad leading to the tracing and arrests of criminals globally.

“Fugitives usually continue offending while on the run and these men will be known in criminal circles wherever they are.

“The last thing the fugitives’ associates will want is the combined determination and capabilities of the UK and Spanish law enforcement focusing on them.

“Many of these fugitives will be trying to blend in to the large British communities who have made their

homes in Spain, and if you are resident, you may know one of them from your town or village.

“Loyalties change over time and we urge anyone with information about these men to help us find them.”

All the men featured on the campaign are believed to have links to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands.

Among the Most Wanted is Nana Oppong, 41. Oppong is wanted by Essex Police for the drive-by murder of grandfather Robert Powell, 50, who was shot eight times with a 9mm pistol on 13 June 2020. It is alleged that the victim and Powell were from rival criminal factions.

Also wanted is heavily tattooed Jack Mayle, 30, on suspicion of supplying Class A drug MDMA and other drugs.

Mayle is suspected of running a drug line in south London and allegedly worked with a dark web drugs supplier.

When he fled, Mayle, who is from Croydon in south London, had a tattooed neck, a diamond tattoo under his left eye and ‘Croydon’ inked on the outside of his left forearm. He may have tried to alter his appearance and is known to carry weapons.

The Most Wanted appeal also features Callum Halpin, 27, who is wanted by Greater Manchester Police for the murder of drug dealer Luke Graham, 31, and the attempted murder of Anton Verigotta.

Graham, a dad-of-two, was ambushed and shot dead in a drugs turf war in broad daylight on a street in Ashton-under-Lyne as children played nearby in June 2018. In July 2019, five men were jailed over the execution.

Two men from Cardiff are wanted

by South Wales Police for Class A drugs offences allegedly organised by using the encrypted comms platform EncroChat.

Muscularly built Asim Naveed, 29, and 6ft 2in tall, is accused of playing a leading role in a highly organised crime group (OCG) that trafficked 46 kilos of cocaine into Wales between February and June 2020, worth up to nearly £8m.

Calvin Parris, 32, who has gold upper teeth, is accused of being a customer of Naveed’s OCG and selling cocaine on in Cardiff.

Also, Scotsman James ‘Jamie’

Stevenson, 56, is wanted by the National Crime Agency and Police Scotland over the seizure of approximately one tonne of cocaine and 28 million Etizolam ‘street Valium’ tablets.

The cocaine was found in a shipment at the Port of Dover in September 2020 and the tablets were seized following a raid on a suspected pill factory in Kent in June 2020.

Stevenson, who is stocky and has a scar on the left side of his face, is also wanted in connection with two suspected arson attacks on properties in the Lanarkshire and Forth Valley areas in May 2020.

Lord Ashcroft, founder of the charity CrimeStoppers UK said: “We know it can be difficult for people to speak up about crime, which is why our charity is here to give you an option.

“We guarantee you’ll stay completely anonymous, just like the millions of people who have trusted our charity with their crime information since we were formed back in the 1980s.

“Please do the right thing by passing on what you know about these fugitives’ whereabouts and help us ensure these criminals are no longer a danger.”

Sarah Cowley, Deputy Head of Mission, said: “The Most Wanted campaign is just one example of the successful cooperation that takes place between British and Spanish law enforcement.

“We stand united as partners against common threats and challenges, sharing not only expertise but goals and values too. In doing so, we can

make both countries safer for citizens.

“I would like to thank our Spanish colleagues in the National Police and the Guardia Civil for their role in this campaign and for their ongoing collaboration in the face of common challenges more broadly. I would also like to thank the Spanish and British public for their help, as without them the Most Wanted campaign would not be possible.”

Rafael Pérez Ruiz, Minister for Security of the Spanish Ministry of Interior, said: “The campaign allows us to reinforce and strengthen police collaboration between Spain and the United Kingdom with the aim of creating a hostile environment which impedes criminal organisations from setting up in Spain and criminals from settling in our cities.

“Now more than ever it is necessary for everyone to join forces to give a coordinated and effective response to new security challenges.”

Anyone with information about one of the Most Wanted is urged to call the freephone Spanish number 900 926 111, which will be answered

by CrimeStoppers in the UK (using translation if required). Callers in the UK should call CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Alternatively, members of the public can fill out an anonymous online form at the UK charity’s website crimestoppers-uk.org/fugitives.

We encourage anyone living or visiting Spain to visit the NCA and CrimeStoppers websites and look at the Most Wanted subjects.

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Health & Beauty

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Are you ‘ageing’ your eyes?

We all know that there are parts of our body which can ‘age’ quicker if we don’t take care of them properly – such as our skin, joints and even organs like our heart.

But what many people may not realise that there are some everyday things we all might be doing which could be causing damage to our sight, making it appear as our eyes are ageing more quickly too.

Specsavers Ópticas is highlighting the importance of regular eye tests and is sharing advice on how we can help to keep them healthy and avoid inflicting damage.

Sunglasses aren’t just for summer Giles Edmonds, Specsavers clinical services director, says: ‘UV rays can damage our vision as well as our skin – even in winter. Prolonged UV exposure has been linked to cataracts, macular degeneration, and even some types of eye cancer. Especially in sunny Spain, sunglasses are not just fashion accessories – It’s particularly

My Boss called me in to his office one evening as I was leaving for home. He complained that I was not working overtime like the others in the office; it had been noted by him and all of my colleagues apparently. His attitude was really quite bullish and he said that if I didn’t work the overtime (which is not paid), he

important that you wear a good pair that offer high levels of UV protection throughout the year.

‘Sunglasses don’t need to be expensive, but they should always conform to agreed safety standards.

Look out for a CE (European Community Standard)or UV400 markings and aim for a pair that offer 80 percent light reduction.’

poor diet ‘A well-balanced diet full of fruit and vegetables is important for keeping our eyes healthy,’ says Mr Edmonds. ‘If yourdiet is full of highly processed food lacking in nutritional value then you may not be getting enough nutrients to support optimum eye health. In fact, a diet high in fat and junk food could also increase your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).’ poor cardiovascular health Mr Edmonds says: ‘Studies show that good cardiovascular health could

would replace me with someone who would. I stood up for myself and told him that I did put in the hours. He laughed at me and said ‘prey tell when do you do this overtime, because no one has seen you’. I explained that I regularly come in early every morning before anyone has arrived, and also do work when I am at home at

be associated with a lower risk of eye disease so it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to reap the benefits it brings to our heart and eyes.

‘If there are problems with our blood vessels in the eyes not only can it cause sudden vision changes such as blurriness, dark patches of vision but it could also be linked to stroke. Evidence also suggest that subtle, early damage to these tiny blood vessels in the eyes could be linked to cardiovascular disease .’

Avoiding eye appointments ‘A huge factor in eye deterioration is not keeping up with regular eye tests,’ says Mr Edmonds. ‘Eye tests are so important for not only detecting any changes in vision but also picking up signs of eye conditions such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, cataract and diabetic retinopathy that you may not immediately be aware of.

‘What many people do not know is that an eye test can also detect any the weekend. When I told him this, he said that I needed to work over at night like everyone else and it was not acceptable that I ´claimed´ to come in early in the mornings. I felt that he did not believe me. I reminded him that when he and everyone else arrives for work in the morning, I am already at my desk. I prefer to come in early and in a quiet office, and so that I can have some family life with my wife and child at the end of the day. I asked him if he thought my work was suffering as a result, and all he said that wasn’t

indications of wider health concerns too so it is so important to stay on top of these checks to help keep you healthy for many more years to come.’

For more information, to find your nearest store or to book an appointment visit www.specsavers.es

the point. My results continue to surpass those of my colleagues, but apparently that is not important to this guy.

You are putting in the hours, and your results speak for themselves. It looks like you are being picked on. You could dig your heels in of course, or comply; however, you may find that things do not improve. You have told me what you job is, and you could easily look elsewhere; or have you considered setting up on your own?

Write to Sara in confidence. a pSeudonym Will be uSed if you WiSh. Sara readS all letterS and can give a perSonal reply. email your queStion to Sara@coStablancapeople.com or Sara iS available for private conSultationS, telephone 650 054 467.

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How to Act in a Traffic Accident Involving Children

Children, along with the elderly, cyclists, and motorcyclists, are amongst the most vulnerable road user group.

According to data from the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), in 2020 a total of 3,692 children suffered injuries in road accidents, while 201 had to be hospitalised and 17 died.

As for the latter, between 30 and 50% of deaths occur within 5 minutes of the accident occurring, and the proportion increases to 75% after the first 60 minutes, according to the Spanish Alliance for Road Safety (AESVi).

To reduce the risks in the minutes immediately following an accident, the DGT has compiled a series of measures to follow in case, unfortunately, we witness a traffic accident in which children are involved.

How should you act?

The golden rule to assist any person, whether a child or not, is to follow the PAS (Protect, Warn and Help) protocol.

As the name suggests, the first thing is to protect the accident area to avoid taking additional risks, including placing warning triangles or the V-16 light signal. All this, always whilst wearing the reflective vest if you leave a vehicle.

Afterwards, the norm dictates you notify the emergency services on 112 so that they will attend. Finally, help potential victims.

If the witnessed accident takes place while you are driving a vehicle, it should be parked in a safe place and, if the

situation requires it, with the hazard lights activated.

When helping victims, it is essential to bear in mind that trespassing on the road entails an added risk for the person providing the aid. In fact, on motorways it is expressly forbidden to walk or travel on the road. Therefore, it is recommended to do the minimum and essential, and always with the reflective vest. In any case, there should always be a person next to the child until the medics arrive.

In these situations, and even more so when children are involved, family members are often in shock, so it is advisable to remain calm as much as possible. An altered attitude can be detrimental to the health of the minor.

It is very important not to move the

victim under any circumstances. As explained by the DGT, doing so “can cause injuries that affect the spine.” If there is bleeding, the wounds should be covered and pressed with the hand until the medics arrive at the scene. Also, it is advisable to lightly cover the child with a blanket so that they do not lose heat, but without overheating or making them sweat.

It is also important to remember that the child should not drink water, food, or medication, as this may cause vomiting or loss of consciousness.

After a serious accident, and if the minor was traveling in a child restraint system (CRS), it should be thrown away and replaced or checked by a specialist, since internal damage could have occurred, hidden from the naked eye.

Huge Spike in ITV Absenteeism According to data from the Spanish Association of Collaborating Entities of the Administration in the Technical Inspection of Vehicles (AECA-ITV), 2021 closed with 40% absenteeism in the technical inspection of vehicles. Or to put it another way, four out of ten vehicles that had to pass the ITV did not attend the inspection.

The figure represents a new record for absenteeism, doubling what was the highest figure until now (20%).

This situation, in the assessments of AECA-ITV, represents a high risk for road users, since many of the vehicles

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that travel on the streets and highways do so without verifying that they meet the minimum quality standards.

In fact, the age of the fleet and the poor condition of the vehicles are two risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of road accidents. This is confirmed by the DGT report Main figures on Road Accidents in Spain in 2020, according to which “there is a relationship between the age of the vehicle involved in the accident and the state of its technical inspection”.

In the case of passenger cars, the percentage of vehicles that suffer an accident is 7% between the ages of five and nine, while it rises to 15% when they are over fifteen; and in vans and trucks up to 3,500 kg, the percentages range from 10% (between 5 and 9 years) to 25% when they exceed 15 years.

“Going to the Technical Inspection of Vehicles is an exercise in social coresponsibility, since the preventive work carried out by the ITV ensures that all vehicles circulating on public roads are in good condition and comply with both safety and security regulations.

Citizens as a whole must understand the importance of carrying out the ITV of their vehicle”, assures Guillermo Magaz, managing director of AECA-ITV. In turn, the association point out that, according to a recent study by the Carlos III University of Madrid, mandatory vehicle inspections prevent 539 fatalities per year, more than 12,000 people injured of different considerations and at least 17,700 vehicle accidents.

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Another week passes us by in football and not much has changed. Sure, we’ve had drones, concussion subs, floodlights going out and a net being repaired in the most Sunday football league way imaginable. But, Man City will still win the Premier League title despite a minor slip, West Ham are still not a real top four side, Newcastle’s net gain since being owned by a country is a right-back and an overpriced striker who doesn’t score and Liverpool are not missing Mo Salah.

I mean, why would Jurgeylad’s team miss their main man? Diogo Jota has been asked to step into Salah’s shoes and if that means winning the team dubious penalties in a manner that would befit a certain Egyptian currently on AFCON duty, then so be it.

Liverpool ended up winning 3-1 at Selhurst Park against Palace in a game they will chalk off as three points wellearned in the end. Palace, on the other hand, will feel very hard done by that they did not get a point - mainly due to their finishing but also the insane VAR decision depriving them of a final push in the last ten.

It was only a fraction of a step to his right, but let’s just say Jota didn’t make much effort to get out of the way of the keeper who was simply doing his job of blocking where the ball should have gone had Jota’s touch not gone further than I tend to kick it.

But hey, clear and obvious, right?

Liverpool’s three points combined with City dropping two against Southampton means that the title race is marginally more on than it was this time last week which, in reality, is not on at all.

Peppy G has failed to win just five times in the Premier League this season and two of those have come at the hands of Ralph Hassenhuttl and his Southampton team. If only they could get some other teams under their spell and they’d find themselves in the top half of the table.

Kyle Walker-Peters won the personal Kyle Walker derby battle, scoring his first top-flight goal with a finish that would have social media in meltdown had any of the other English right-backs better known for attacking than defending pulled it off. Armando Broja, one of the hundred Chelsea players learning their trade out on loan and most certainly not part of the reason FIFA have changed the rules for loaning players out, caused the champions-elect all kinds of problems and was fractionally offside when believing he’d put the Saints two to the good.

Top teams find a way not to lose and Laporte thumped home a header - about the only time Salisu hadn’t headed a ball clear.

Chelsea and Spurs met at Stamford Bridge, giving Antonio Conte a chance to return to a stadium where he used to win things.

Tottenham’s starting XI certainly added more fuel to the theory that Conte might do one from Tottenham if he doesn’t get the reinforcements he is asking for. Chelsea have been pretty meh for a few weeks now, but that was good enough to win this one - though, the result would have almost certainly been different had Harry Kane’s opener not been disallowed. Yes, I know the result would have been different had Spurs actually scored but you know what I mean.

Now, I happen to think the goal was right to be disallowed under the “anywhere else on the pitch that’s a foul” theory I try to stick to. But, given the goal that was given for Norwich against

Watford after Pukki literally threw the Watford defender into the stands before crossing - well, consistency is still missing. That’s all I am saying.

Credit to Thiago Silva, though.

He managed to get a full slide on to convince Tierney it was a foul - and then ended up scoring Chelsea’s second in the second half. Not a bad day for the Brazilian - it almost made me regret leaving him on the FPL subs bench this week.

Man United’s 1-0 win over West Ham at Old Trafford means that Ralf Rangnick can now truly call himself a United manager. Chucking a load of strikers on when Plan A isn’t working? Check.

Winner late into injury time? Check. All three subs having something to do with it? Check. Had he been brave enough to haul off Ronaldo again after another anonymous performance then he’d have had the complete set.

Marcus Rashford has had his critics in the last couple of months but with two goals off the bench in the last couple of games is showing that he could be a key part of Ralf’s revolution - even Anthony Martial put a brief shift in - though his cameo was more about reminding other club’s he still exists this window.

United are back in the top four - West Ham were a bit naive in losing with the last kick but also suggests that they are now a team that thinks they can win at Old Trafford in the last minute. I mean, they were wrong, but you have to admire their self-belief.

Newcastle United can head off to Saudi Arabia with clear consciences and undertake some very intense warmweather training that is absolutely not a PR campaign or anything to do with the fact they are controlled by a state.

That long-haul flight will certainly feel a bit better with three points on the board - you suspect many a glass will be raised on the flight to Leeds’ goalie Ilan Meslier after he managed to let Jonjo Shelvey’s ‘shot’ squirm under him.

There was a raised eyebrow in this household at the sight of Mikel Arteta screaming for Nick Pope to be booked for timewasting in the Arsenal vs Burnley clash. It was reported that Arsenal are being investigated for a curious yellow card that allegedly coincided with a lot of bets being placed on when it would happen. Given the frequency of engagement with the referee’s notebook, you could suspect it might have something to do with Granit Xhaka - though I doubt you’d get that good odds on the Swiss midfielder getting booked in a game of professional football.

Brentford and Wolves provided the most drama of the weekend - and some of it was even on the pitch. They finally wrapped proceedings up well after Jeff Stelling and the boys had knocked off for the weekend - Wolves won 2-1, by the way, but that was fairly irrelevant.

First, two Brentford players had to be concussion subbed after knocking each other out in midair - cue the Sunday football screams of “TALK” whenever two players in the same team go for the same ball. Then the players were taken from the field of play as there was a drone flying around. When they finally returned, safe in the knowledge that a helicopter was now protecting the stadium from the small, plastic aircraft (the classic case of using a sledgehammer to kill an ant) the referee’s radio pack didn’t work - causing another delay. The game lasted so long that Ivan Toney seemed to go bald during the official 90 minutes plus - I am sure he used to have some wicked dreadlocks.

Still, the new-look Toney scored unfortunately for Wolves, two of their Portuguese contingent got one each. I know, I know - that doesn’t really narrow it down.

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