Euro Weekly News - Costa Blanca South 25 November - 1 December 2021 Issue 1899

THE BEST FINANCE NEWS ON PAGES 32 - 35 Issue No. 1899 25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

SAN FULGENCIO’S latest council meeting approved the Flood Risk Action Plan establishing a chain of command during freak weather conditions like those of the 2019 High‐Level Isolated Depression (DANA) storms.

Mayor Jose Sampere pointed out that owing to its geographic characteristics and network of irrigation channels, San Fulgencio was prone to flooding.

Photo credit: Linda Sheppard

Be prepared

COSTA BLANCA SOUTH • WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

PURRFECT BIRTHDAY Turn to page 2 » LOVE STORY: Michael and Rob with the Formentera kittens.

FREE • GRATIS

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from Front page »

Continued support for local charity MICHAEL HACK and Robert Smith held their joint birthday party last month.

The popular couple, 70 and 60 years’ young respectively, live in Quesada (Rojales) and are famous for their quizzes.

Rather than receive presents, they asked their guests to bring donations for a Formentera del Segura animal charity.

The Asociacion de animales Por los que no tienen voz (For those with no voice)

helps street cats in Formentera, working with the town hall to implement the Trap, Neuter and Return programme (CES).

Over the past few years the charity’s role has unfortunately increased, as many kittens are still handed to the police or left in boxes by bins.

It is not a sanctuary and relies entirely on volunteers to help, but although the charity receives some government money and funding from the town hall for the CES scheme, looking after so many kittens means many vet visits and special food.

“That is why Michael and Rob’s support over the years is so greatly appreciated,” Linda Sheppard told the Euro

Weekly News.

“The couple’s birthday bash raised €925 through the kind donations of their friends. This will go towards reducing some of our vet’s bills, which are very high this year.”

In addition to this large sum of money, Michael and Rob visited the kittens still looking for homes and fell in love with them all, but could only take one home.

She has now settled in with their other pets and is enjoying her new life, while the remaining five kittens looking for forever homes can be viewed on the Asociacion de animales Por los que no tienen voz Facebook page.

Weevils under control

Photo credit: palmeraldeorihuela.com

ORIHUELA’S PALMERAL: The second-largest palm forest in Europe.

CULTURAL association Amigos del Castillo de Orihuela claimed that red palm weevils are destroying the city’s Palmeral forest.

Owing to ‘considerable neglect’ and ‘progressive deteri‐ oration’ a great number of trees were affected, the associ‐ ation maintained.

Orihuela’s Environment councillor Damaso Aparicio, in‐ sisted that city hall was making huge efforts to maintain and conserve the Palmeral.

“The weevils have not gone, and nor will it be easy to get rid of them, but that does not mean that the situation is worse than it was some years ago, when we hardly knew how to control them,” Aparicio said.

Age Concern needs you to help out AGE CONCERN Costa Calida are now recruiting for volunteers. They are particularly looking for drivers and befrienders, explained Age Concern’s Gayle May. “We are nothing without our team of volunteers and due to a rise in clients we

need your help,” she added. “Can you spare a few hours a week to take our clients to medical appointments, go shopping or just get them out for a coffee as well as befriending them at home?”

Gayle said: “It makes such a difference

to someone in need, so if you can help us, please email ageconcerncostacalida@ gmail.com for further information and an application form. “Also look out for our upcoming Recruitment Fairs on A and B Sectors as well as Puerto del Mazarron.”

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NIBS EXTRA Early deadline DUE to the holiday on Mon‐ day December 6, for edition 1901, due out on Thursday December 9, can all content for advert changes be sent

by Tuesday November 30 to adverts@euroweekly news.com.

Jab drive THE regional Health depart‐ ment is intensifying its anti‐ Covid campaign with mobile vaccination centres on Black Friday and the following Sat‐ urday. These will be present in Alicante City’s Plaza Mar shopping centre on Novem‐ ber 26 (3pm‐8pm) and November 27 (10am‐8pm) and in Elche’s L’Aljub centre on December 3 (5p‐9pm).

Water war THE National Federation of Irrigation Communities (FE‐ NACORE) represents 40,000 Alicante Province agricultural growers dependent on wa‐ ter from the Tajo‐Segura pipeline and the Vinalopo’s over‐exploited aquifers. FE‐ NACORE warned of a “hot winter” of protests owing to insufficient irrigation water included in 2022 Water Plans that overlook the growers’ needs.

School meals FOR the second year run‐ ning, Torrevieja’s Education department and local bod‐ ies introduced school meal grants for pupils not meet‐ ing the regional govern‐ ment’s requirements for aid. During the last school year, the town hall and col‐ laborators assigned €27,000 to 3,241 daily menus and 7,488 afternoon snacks for 70 pupils.

Film event MORE than 600 people at‐ tended Pilar de la Horada‐ da’s fFifth International Short Film Festival, Cortopilar, watching 24 films previously selected from the 1,400 that were originally submitted.

First prize went to Carmen Cordoba’s Roberta, and the festival was rounded off with a homage to the actress Miriam Diaz‐Aroca.

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

Help from the Ministry TORREVIEJA Town Hall re‐ ceived €933,525 from the Ministry of Culture and Sport towards repairs to the Pala‐ cio de los Deportes.

Exhaustive €5.5 billion ren‐ ovations to the sports com‐ plex are currently converting the centre into a perfect facil‐ ity for Torrevieja’s sportspeo‐ ple as well as national and in‐ ternational competitions, said Torrevieja’s mayor Ed‐ uardo Dolon.

The first of these is the 2021 Women’s World Hand‐ ball Championship held be‐

Photo credit: Torrevieja town hall

SPORTS COMPLEX: Ready for Women’s World Handball Championship.

tween December 1 and De‐ cember 19.

Torrevieja, which is host‐ ing the championships with

Lliria (Valencia), Castellon and Granollers (Barcelona), will be the base for two groups, one of which in‐

A busy December AGE CONCERN Costa Colida’s Denim and Diamonds Bonfire Night party had a fantastic turnout, raising more than €200. The organisation’s Christ‐ mas Fayre at Mariano’s was also successful, bringing a staggering €1,500, said Age Concern’s Gayle May. The November Table Top sale at the Social Cen‐ tre made €155, with another €244 coming in from the Quiz Night at the Black Bull. Owing to a packed December schedule, the next Quiz Night will be held at 6pm on January 25.

“Thanks to everyone involved and look out for the Black Friday sale on November 26 at our Mazarron social centre from 10am until 1pm,” Gayle said.

Items cost €1 and there will be free tea and coffee.

Age Concern will be holding their Christmas carol singalong

and party on December 7 at 1pm at Trevi’s Bar on B Sector.

Tickets are free for Age Con‐ cern clients and €7.50 to volun‐ teers. Anyone can join in the fun for only €15, which includes Bucks Fizz on arrival, followed by a three‐course Christmas lunch. Tuesday December 14 sees a Carol Service at 1pm at the Social Centre, with €5 tickets that include soup and roll, mince pie and tea or coffee.

Please book in advance for both by calling 603 304 121, emailing ageconcerncostacali da@gmail.com or messaging via Facebook. And don’t forget the New Year’s Day Swim at 1pm, where Age Concern hopes to smash their €4,000 target.

Pick up a sponsorship form from the Social Centre, email agecon cerncostacalida@gmail.com or call Isabel on 634 344 589.

AVE slows down ELCHE mayor Carlos Gonzalez has requested an urgent meeting with Isaias Taobas, president of Spain’s railways oper‐ ator Renfe. It was es‐ sential to discuss modi‐ fications to the AVE high speed train between Elche and Madrid, Gon‐ zalez said. Two of Elche’s four daily AVEs now stop in Alicante City and Villena, adding more than 30 minutes to the journey and mak‐ ing the service less com‐ petitive, he pointed out.

Renfe’s decision had caused “logical concern and disquiet” both so‐ cially and economically, the mayor revealed.

News of the addi‐ tion of another two stops arrived only

A furry nice Christmas READER Lesley Eburne recently contacted the Euro Weekly News, describing a new twist on Advent Calendars. Animal lovers in her area in the neighbouring province of Murcia are asked to fill a box with goodies for furries, which can then be delivered to three local shelters, PAPS, LIPS or Malcolm’s Cats. Items can include food, treats, leads, toys, flea and worming pipettes, shampoo, Doxiclat, Meloxicam, Alupurina and Blastorstimulina cream.

“Wrap in Christmas paper, adding the name of your preferred shelter and then take the

cludes the Spanish side.

The national team will be facing Argentina, Austria and China in Group H, while the Netherlands, Sweden, Puer‐ to Rico and Uzbekistan be‐ longing to Group D will also be based in Torrevieja.

This important financial contribution from the Sports Ministry’s Sports Council (CSD) is allocated to munici‐ palities which support, en‐ courage and promote sport by organising national and international events, Dolon explained.

filled box to La Palmera, Los Urrutias (Murcia) on Saturday December 11 and also get free cof‐ fee and a mince pie,” Lesley said.

“Alternatively take the box to Roda Civico in San Javier on Tuesday December 14 where there will be free coffee and cake for the first 50 boxes.”

Lesley also explained that a raffle for two enormous Christmas hampers and other prizes donated by supporters, will be drawn at each venue at 1pm. The proceeds will go to the shel‐ ters to help cover their ever‐growing vets’ bills.

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days after Gonzalez had written to Taobas, ask‐ ing for more Elche‐ Madrid trains.

“More trains would mean increased de‐ mand,” Gonzalez ar‐ gued.

Orihuela mayor Emilio Bascuñana was equally unhappy, as the two extra stops added 40 minutes to the AVE journey between the city and Madrid.

“This decision impairs the service and adverse‐ ly affects users, precise‐ ly when we were asking for at least 14 trains a day in order to provide minimum coverage,” Bascuñana complained.

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Dama stays THE return of the Dama de Elche to the city where the Iberian sculpture was found is unlikely.

“There is no decision, in‐ tention, budget allocation or future plan that could dimin‐ ish the role of national muse‐ ums or affect the integrity of their collections,” declared Ministry sources quoted in the local Spanish press. The unequivocal statement fol‐ lowed the controversial resig‐ nation last week of the Min‐ istry’s Fine Arts director general, Lola Jimenez‐Blanco.

This was attributed at the time to her point‐blank re‐ fusal to reconsider moving the Dama and other archaeo‐ logical treasures back to the regions where they were dis‐ covered. There was no con‐ nection with Jimenez‐Blan‐ co’s departure from the Ministry, insisted the same sources ,who maintained that she wished to return to Madrid’s Complutense Uni‐ versity where she lectures in History of Art. The Dama de Elche, dating from the fifth or fourth century BC left La Alcu‐ dia (Elche) almost soon after it was discovered by chance in 1897. Although the bust re‐ turned briefly for the inaugu‐ ration of Elche’s Archaeologi‐ cal Museum and despite the city’s repeated requests, the Ministry’s recent statements suggest that the Dama will re‐ main in Madrid for the fore‐ seeable future.

and finally...

ORIHUELA shops are celebrating Black Friday with a draw for vouchers totalling €2,500.

“This is a vital week for Orihuela businesses, just before Christmas,” said Commerce councillor Victor Bernabeu as he launched the initiative accompanied by Ascensio Perez, president of the Orihuela Shop‐owners Association (AC‐ MO).

“We are working hand‐in‐hand with ACMO to give visibil‐ ity to the scheme and boost local commerce on Friday November 26 and Saturday 27.

Friday sees the ACM Ruleta (Roulette) and the chance to win a €10 voucher to be exchanged in participating Ori‐ huela shops on November 26 and 27. To enter, shoppers need tickets from any ACMO shop received for purchases made between November 22 and 26.

These should be taken on November 26 between 11am and 1pm to the Ruleta de ACMO which will be installed on the corner of Calle Mayor‐Calle Lopez Pozas.

There will also be an afternoon session in Avenida de Es‐ paña between 5.30pm and 8.30pm.

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Flagship First woman president store closing HOUSE OF FRASER’S flag‐ ship store on London’s Ox‐ ford Street is set to close in January 2022. The shop is owned by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group.

A spokesperson for the Group commented: “It is with regret that we have been served notice by the landlord to close House of Fraser, Oxford Street, fol‐ lowing granted planning permission to redevelop the site. “Since acquiring (House of Fraser) in 2018, despite challenges faced, we have worked collabora‐ tively with the landlord to keep the store trading

three years longer than what was initially pro‐ posed by the previous owner.” It is not yet certain how many jobs will be lost when the store closes.

Frasers believe that help is needed to help stores stay open and encourage the purchase of retail spaces.

The company comment‐ ed: “As a business, who is continuing to invest signifi‐ cantly into the British high street, we feel it’s only fair to recognise and request an urgent review of the current archaic business rates, which continue to be astonishingly outdated.”

IN a historic moment on November 19, the USA had a lady in charge for the first time. The moment came when President Joe Biden transferred power to Vice President Kamala Harris, mak‐ ing her the first woman Presi‐ dent of the USA, so that he could undergo a short medi‐ cal procedure.

The transfer of power is a

routine process in the USA when a sitting President is in‐ capacitated. Biden, who is the USA’s oldest President, was put under anaesthetic for a routine colonoscopy for one hour and 25 minutes, accord‐ ing to the White House.

Biden, who turned 79 the next day, was in good spirits following the procedure and has since resumed his duties.

It’s routine for a vice presi‐ dent to assume presidential powers while the president undergoes a medical proce‐ dure that requires anaesthesia.

Then Vice President Dick Ch‐ eney assumed office on more than one occasion under Presi‐ dent George Bush.

Although Harris is not the first woman vice president, she is the first woman president.

Britney reveals all

Britney Spears tells all.

FOLLOWING the end of her conservatorship, Britney Spears has promised a tell‐all inter‐ view with Oprah. The singer was released from the arrangement on November 12 after 13 years of her father, Jamie Spears, making all her personal and pro‐ fessional decisions for her.

Britney said she had been “used to keeping peace” and staying qui‐ et about her life, how‐ ever, she now wants to tell the world about her experiences. She said: “I might as well do a hint of my thoughts on the

gram before I go and set things square on @Oprah!!!!! I mean who knows … I do know how embarrassing it is to share the fact I’ve never seen cash or wasn’t able to drive my car.”

Since being released from the conservator‐ ship, Britney has been very active on social media, particularly In‐ stagram, documenting her life. She has claimed that the Free Britney Movement, spurred on by her fans, saved her life.

“I think you guys saved my life in a way.

One hundred per cent.”

Kamala Harris took the reins.

Prior to this there had never been occasion to hand over the reins during the term of a woman Vice President.

Delivered with a substantial €8.5m fine THE home delivery plat‐ form, Glovo, has been handed a fine of €8.5 million. The sanction was imposed by the Labour Inspectorate on November 19 after the company refused to reg‐ ister 1,316 distributors from the province of Sevilla with social securi‐ ty.

The fine received by Glovo is broken down in‐ to two parts. First, there is the infringement act amounting to €6.1 mil‐ lion. Plus, a second amount of €2.4 million, for the settlement of the corresponding employee quotas. This is the largest fine against any compa‐ ny operating on the technological platform since the so‐called ‘rider law’ came into force in August. Glovo had been obliged to register its employees after the law was approved but had committed to employing just 30 per cent of its workforce over the next three years, a figure of 3,000 workers.

Daniel Moreno, Secre‐ tary of Union Action of the Workers’ Commis‐ sion (CCOO) of Sevilla, said he regrets Glovo “has preferred to expose itself to the sanction, rather than apply the legislation and respect labour rights.”

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Thrifty Christmas ACCORDING to a survey carried out by collection management company KRUK Spain, 14 per cent of the population said that they do not plan to spend money at Christmas due to their economic situation.

During the weeks leading up to Christmas each year, the number of products and services purchased skyrock‐

Spending will be down.

ets and many families’ ex‐ penses increase exponential‐ ly.

Driving law update THE UK is closing loopholes that allow driving while using hand‐held devices. The new ban will see actions such as film‐ ing or searching playlists barred while driving, bringing them in line with the already illegal calling and texting on mobile phones. The new 2022 driving ban will also prevent devices from being used to take photos or play games, with rule‐ breakers facing a £200 fine and six licence points.

Currently, if drivers are caught ‘using a hand‐held phone or other equipment’, they can be charged with dangerous driv‐ ing by the police, but the wording of the offence has led to charges being overturned. The new rules will clarify that it is still illegal to use a hand‐held device while stopped at traffic lights or in motorway queues.

Hands‐free devices are still allowed, if they are secured in a cradle.

But according to a recent survey, more than half of the participants (53.3 per cent) have recognised that, al‐ though the money they have is sufficient to cover their usual needs, they encounter problems with major expens‐ es such as Christmas.

Given this situation, 14 per cent of the population sur‐ veyed said that they do not intend to spend money at Christmas, as their economic situation is complicated. Fur‐ thermore, a large part of the population acknowledged that they do not plan for Christmas spending.

Specifically, 21.6 per cent say that they save money just a few weeks beforehand to have reserves, but do not plan their spending in ad‐ vance, and 13.7 per cent look for ways to finance their spending when it comes up, but do not plan.

At the other end of the spectrum, 20.9 per cent save months in advance for Christ‐ mas costs.

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House price rise A STUDY by online portal pisos.com suggests that 2021 has been the busiest period for Spanish home sales in more than a decade. The higher sales have been at‐ tributed to a combination of inflation fears and the pan‐ demic, the latter resulting in a higher accumulation of sav‐ ings and the need for a differ‐

ent type of home should lock‐ downs return. The upshot is that house prices in Spain will rise by more than 4 per cent in 2022. The forecast follows a busy September with 53,410 sales taking place, the highest number of transactions since April 2008 when 54,801 homes were sold. Comment‐ ing on the rise in demand Fer‐

ran Font, a director of pisos.com, said: “Once the lim‐ its to mobility were removed, interest was unleashed in allo‐ cating accumulated savings to real estate assets, but these peaks should not be interpret‐ ed as the prelude to a bubble, but rather as the logical re‐ sponse to the demand held during the coronavirus.”

Covid passport coming XIMO PUIG, President of the Valencia Council, confirmed on November 21 that the Valencian Community will implement a Covid certificate.

Puig pointed out this was necessary to achieve the “maximum security” of people.

Speaking to the press after attending a con‐ cert organised by the Generalitat Valenciana and the Federation of Musical Societies of the Valen‐ cian Community (FSMCV), Puig said, “I can’t say what day, but in the next few days I will.” He added that he believed the current situation of increased infections, incidence, and hospital oc‐ cupancy, “can be overcome if we do things properly, although we cannot have absolute se‐ curity.” Puig highlighted the situation in other Eu‐

ropean states, where things are a lot worse.

Through tools such as the Covid certificate, and measures including safe distancing, the president advocated seeking and guaranteeing “maximum security,” especially in closed spaces.

According to data, the percentage of vaccina‐ tion of the Valencian Community is already 92 per cent of the target population, a scenario that “is helping to defeat the pandemic that is still here.” For this reason, he has urged “to continue using the mask, which is a fundamental instru‐ ment,” and “to be prudent,” while again encour‐ aging the final 8 per cent of people who have not been vaccinated to get immunised against coronavirus.

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Rittenhouse acquitted KYLE RITTENHOUSE, the teenager who shot and killed two men with an assault rifle in the US city of Ke n o s h a , W i s c o n s i n , in August 2020, was acquitted of all the charges against him on November 19. Rit‐ tenhouse had pleaded not guilty, claiming self‐defence. The ver‐ dict came after a three‐week trial.

When the jury hand‐ ed their verdict, Judge Bruce Schroeder told the court: “The charges against the defendant on all counts are dismissed with prejudice, and he’s released from the obligation of his bond.”

Rittenhouse was just 17 years of age at the time of the inci‐ dent and was charged with two counts of homicide, attempted homicide, and other

felony charges. Armed with an AR‐15‐style assault rifle, he killed 26‐year‐old Anthony Huber, and Joseph Rosenbaum, aged 36.

Another person, 27‐ year‐old Gaige Grosskreutz was also wounded by the gun‐ fire.

The incident oc‐ curred after the shooting of Jacob Blake, aged 29, by po‐ lice officers. Violent demonstrations had ensued for two days in Kenosha, as the police tried to control the

crowds. Among them, armed men wearing military‐style combat outfits could be seen pointing their weapons at hostile demonstrators.

It was into this sce‐ nario that the teenag‐ er entered, carrying his weapon. Prosecu‐ tors depicted him as a vigilante figure who wanted to put his weapon to good use.

The high‐profile case has divided the public in America and reopened the debate on gun control.

and finally...

AUTHORITIES in a small Hawaiian town were alerted to a bad smell emanating from the local river. On checking the river and conducting tests, the river was found to have an alcoholic content of 1.2 per cent. An investigation found alcohol in contaminated runoff water from a nearby brewery. Free beer anyone?

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Alicante arrest A 45-YEAR-OLD Dutch man has been arrested for attempted murder in Ali‐ cante following a bar brawl with a fellow countryman.

The arrest on November 17 came months after the event as the man fled Spain shortly after the inci‐ dent. According to witness‐ es, the two men began ar‐ guing across the terraces of two neighbouring bars.

Under the influence of alcohol, the row turned vi‐ olent, and it is reported that pieces of furniture were used as weapons.

Emergency services were called to the scene and when they arrived, they

found the 50‐year‐old vic‐ tim bleeding heavily from a stomach wound.

The Guardia Civil found a knife believed to have been used to stab the vic‐ tim.

The victim was taken to hospital and was operated on for his injuries. The sus‐ pect left Spain for Holland before returning a few months later.

The police located him staying at a holiday flat in Benidorm and arrested him for attempted murder.

He has appeared at Benidorm Magistrates Court and has been re‐ leased on bail.

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Citizenship rule change A NEW rule change proposed by the Home Office could see people stripped of their British citizenship with no warn‐ ing as the government makes a move to quietly slip a new clause into the nation‐ ality and borders bill. Clause 9 ‐ ‘Notice of decision to deprive a person of citi‐ zenship’ ‐ exempts the government from having to give notice to a person before they remove British citizenship.

The clause states the government is free from the need to declare their in‐ tention if it is not ‘reasonably practica‐ ble’ to do so, or if the move is in the in‐ terests of national security, diplomatic relations or otherwise in the public in‐

NEW RULE: Described as draconian.

terest. There are already many op‐ posers to the measure who say that scrapping the requirement for notice is draconian.

The vice‐chair of the Institute of Race

Relations, Frances Webber, said: “This amendment sends the message that certain citizens, despite being born and brought up in the UK and having no oth‐ er home, remain migrants in this coun‐ try. Their citizenship, and therefore all their rights, are precarious and contin‐ gent.

“It builds on previous measures to strip British‐born dual nationals (who are mostly from ethnic minorities) of citizenship, and do it while they are abroad, measures mainly used against British Muslims. It unapologetically flouts international human rights obli‐ gations and basic norms of fairness.”

Imserso trips to go on sale THE Imserso Social Tourism packages for pensioners will go on sale in mid‐December, with trips starting between January and February 2022.

Originally, these trips should have begun in Octo‐ ber 2021. However, the delay in the publication of the spec‐ ifications, their challenge by

the hotel employers Hosbec and Cehat, subsequently re‐ sulted in a precautionary sus‐ pension. Added to this was a complaint between two of the companies that opted to tender for Imserso trips, causing the deadlines to be extended.

The final award took place

on November 2, and with no appeals lodged, letters will begin to be sent to all users after November 22, with the indications and information regarding the marketing of the trips. Next, the travel agencies will proceed to con‐ tract the services and put the packages on sale, which is

scheduled for mid‐Decem‐ ber.

This was confirmed by the Minister of Tourism, who pointed out that they do not depend on his Ministry. He did stress that he had been involved in a “very proactive” way to streamline the proce‐ dures of this programme.

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Flybe returns in 2022 THE collapsed airline Flybe has announced it will return in early 2022. The regional airline has also revealed that it will now be based in Birm‐ ingham and will serve “key regions across the UK and Eu‐ ropean Union” although it has not said what its new

routes will be yet. Flybe was a victim of the downturn in travel caused by the Covid‐ 19 pandemic and quickly went into administration in March 2020. This caused the loss of 2,400 jobs across the company. Previously it was based in Exeter, but had a

Harry and Meghan ditch the Queen MEGHAN MARKLE and Prince Harry will not be re‐ turning to the UK to visit the Queen this Christmas as they are worried about a media frenzy. This will be the Queen’s first Christmas without Prince Philip.

Some people have blamed a packed schedule for the decision, but one royal source believes they are worried that the visit would be met with negative at‐ tention.

It is possible that the royal couple may not see the Queen again until she celebrates her Platinum Ju‐ bilee.

STATS

120

The average Italian person drinks 120 litres of wine each year.

major presence in many oth‐ er UK airports such as Ab‐ erdeen, Belfast City, Manch‐ ester, and Southampton.

The business was bought

by Thyme Opco in April 2021.

Thyme Opco has now changed its operating name to Flybe Limited. The open‐ ing of the new headquarters is set to create about 200 jobs over three years in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

The chief executive of Fly‐ be Dave Pflieger said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Birmingham Airport (BHX), the city of Birming‐ ham, and the mayor of West Midlands to make BHX the location of our new head‐ quarters and first crew base.”

Andy Street, mayor of West Midlands, said: “It real‐ ly is such brilliant news that Flybe is coming back as a commercial airline, and even better that it has chosen Birmingham to house its new headquarters.”

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Identical triplets survive MUM: “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

KETTERING born identi‐ cal triplets have survived after beating odds of 200 million to one. The three boys, Archie, Albie and Arthur, were born 12 weeks early and parents

Ellie Dudfield, 21, and Billy Revell, 20, were told there was just a 40 per cent chance of survival.

Each of the boys weighed around 2lbs.

They have each had to

fight their own little bat‐ tles after being born on June 30 at 28 weeks and two days, surviving sever‐ al health issues including sepsis, jaundice and one of them had a bleed on his brain.

But the Kettering born identical triplets, who shared the same placen‐

ta, defied the odds and are now at home with their parents and older sister Lola, two. Ellie, who works for the NHS as an administrative assistant, admits “being a mum of four under two years old can be hard, but I would‐ n’t have it any other way.”

Gibraltar cancels Xmas THE British territory of Gibraltar has taken radical measures to prevent a large winter spike in coronavirus cases by cancelling the official festivities for the Christmas period. The move has puzzled many who live in the area as Gibraltar’s vaccination rate is close to 100 per cent.

With almost all of its population fully vaccinated it would seem the authorities could take a calm and measured approach to the festive season. However, in an

official statement, the British enclave has decided to have “the intention to cancel a number of official Christmas celebrations, official receptions and similar gatherings” over the end of the year.

They have put forward an argument that the steady increase of positive cases over the last month is continuing and has gained speed in recent days, stating: “There are 359 active cases of Covid-19 in Gibraltar, 57 new cases today (November 11), five hospitalisations and a total of 440 in isolation.

This partly reflects the high rate of screening tests for residents of Gibraltar, which allows us to detect many more positive cases than elsewhere.

“This means that it is essential for the public to behave in a prudent and reasonable manner bearing in mind that we are still in a global pandemic and people are losing their lives every day all over the world,” the government added.

and finally...

OIL prices are beginning to fall thanks to Xi and Biden. Both China and the USA have agreed to release strategic reserves in a bid to take pressure off supply.

According to the White House, the two leaders discussed the “impor‐ tance of taking measures to address global energy supplies” during their vir‐ tual summit last week.

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TMAS SH S I R H C E O H P T

NEWS

Gas hits six-year high THE price of natural and bottled gas is rising across the globe which spells un‐ welcome news for con‐ sumers as we head into the winter months.

Butane gas is used to heat many homes in Spain and people will feel the pinch as the price of bot‐ tled gas hits a six‐year high. In Spain alone, around eight million households still use the or‐ ange butane gas cylinders.

Fuel prices have been on the rise for the last few months, and from Novem‐ ber 16 a 12.5‐kilo canister will cost customers 80 cents more, with each con‐ tainer priced at €16.92.

This is an increase of 4.96 per cent and the most ex‐ pensive butane has been since 2016.

Authorities control the cost of the orange cylin‐ ders in Spain which does lead to a price cap on this form of fuel. Even with this in place, the cost has been rising exponentially

for a while now. The cost is revised every two months and will be re‐

evaluated in January. Cus‐ tomers will be hoping for a reduction.

New high-speed train IN a high‐profile presentation at Madrid’s Atocha station on November 17, Spain’s new high‐speed rail service was launched. It will operate under the com‐ mercial brand name of ‘iryo’ and is scheduled to come into service in the latter half of 2022.

The new operator will compete with existing brands Renfe and Ouigo and will offer powerful competition. According to the company, it will man‐ age 30 per cent of the Spanish high‐speed timeta‐ bles, and will connect Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Sevilla, Malaga, Cordoba, and Zaragoza in the first phase.

Sources of ‘iryo’ pointed out they will operate “the only fleet of totally new trains on the market.”

They will be the only trains in the world to have the Environmental Product Declaration (EDP), and are the “most sustainable, fastest and quietest in Eu‐ rope, made with 95 per cent recyclable materials, and saving 80 per cent of carbon dioxide per person and journey.”

STATS

270

Every day, people in the US spend 270 minutes watching television.

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NEWS

Brits import warning B R I T S are warned to ‘pay attention’ to import fees caused by Brexit when shopping online this Christmas as one woman was hit with a £70 fee.

Since Brexit, people have been hit with new taxes and duties on certain goods coming to and from the UK, causing people to end up spending more than they expected or intend‐ ed.

One woman from Swansea bought a £250 paddle board online for her hus‐ band’s birthday, without realising the sellers were based in Denmark. When the paddle board arrived, she was hit with a £70 fine in import duties. She

said: “This information was not made clear on the UK website.”

T e c h n o l o g y e x p e r t D a v i d M c C l e l‐ land said buying online is “a mine field.” He said that many companies that are based in the EU appear as though they are UK based, however, people are only noticing because of the fees.

Before the UK left the EU, the only difference with ordering from other EU countries was the delivery time.

He added: “There are now these ex‐ tra charges that people aren’t expect‐ ing before you can take delivery of the product.”

Deliveroo leaving Spain D E L I V E R O O, the home delivery company, con‐ firmed on November 18 that it will leave Spain.

This decision was reached after the com‐ pany consulted with its employees in the coun‐ try. As of November 29, they will cease trading in Spain.

A statement from De‐

liveroo thanked all the restaurants and ‘riders’ for their collaboration.

They said the company was proud to have been a “lifeline” for delivery people during the pan‐ demic. It is believed that a series of compensa‐ tion packages have been agreed upon for both employees and riders.

T h e c o m p a n y a n‐ n o u n c e d i n J u l y i t i n‐ tended to leave Spain, after the approval of the so‐called ‘rider law.’

This law would have forced Deliveroo to con‐ vert all their distributors into employees or to subcontract fleets of ‘riders’ to third‐party companies.

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NEWS

First heart and liver transplant A M E D I C A L facility in Madrid, the Gregorio Marañon Hospital has performed a simulta‐ neous heart and liver transplant to a patient with congenital heart disease. This was made possible thanks to the coordination of the National Trans‐ plant Organisation (ONT). It is the first operation of its type in Spain.

As the Ministry of Health explained in a

statement, the patient already had a failed Fontan surgery, as well as heart and liver fail‐ ure, so his life was in danger.

It was an operation that involved 30 health professionals, lasting more than 30 hours.

The heart transplant was carried out first, followed by the liver, after which, the pa‐ tient was transferred to the ICU to recover.

After a few days, he

was moved to a regular ward, and has since been discharged.

In keeping with the standard procedure of the National Reference Centre (CSUR), the op‐ eration comprised dif‐ ferent departments in‐ cluding the liver transplant unit, the blood bank, healthcare workers from the adult congenital heart dis‐ ease programme, and other units from the Marañon.

Apple self-service repair TECH giant Apple will start enabling customers to repair their own devices by giving them access to genuine parts and tools.

The new self‐service scheme will launch in 2022 in the US, with more countries to follow. The first parts available will be for the iPhone 12 and 13.

The service will allow people who are comfortable with repairing their

own devices to do so, with the first stage of the new scheme offering gen‐ uine parts to repair the iPhone dis‐ play, battery and camera.

The tech company will also launch a new self‐service repair online store where customers can order replace‐ ment parts and tools. Used parts can also be returned for recycling which will give credit towards their pur‐ chase.

FEATURE

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25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

EWN 19

Why retirement planning matters Whether you are nearing retirement or it is several years away, it is never too early to start thinking about how you will finance your golden years. Even if you are already retired, you should regularly review your arrangements to ensure you continue meeting your retirement goals.

Approaching retirement Make sure you are on the right track financially by asking yourself the following questions. There may be steps you can take today to help make your retirement goal a reality.

• Will I be able to afford to retire when I want to?

• What is the best strategy for withdrawing from my business or employment?

• What options do I have for my pensions?

• Will I be able to retain my existing wealth and assets?

• Do I want to spend my retirement abroad?

Let’s say that you plan to retire in Spain within the next few years. You may have concerns

about whether you can afford your preferred lifestyle without

By Fiona Keogh, Private Client Manager, Blevins Franks

having to sell existing assets. Perhaps you have a business to sell and are unsure how best to convert your years of hard work into a retirement nest egg. Then there are the complex residence and tax implications of living in a different country.

Here, professional financial advice can prove invaluable, especially with an adviser who under-

stands Spain. They can take a holistic view of what you have – your savings, investments, assets, pensions – together with what you want – your timeline, income requirements, legacy wishes – and an objective assessment of who you are – your circumstances, goals, risk appetite – to design a personalised retirement plan for you.

Already retired Regular reviews allow you to adapt your strategy to suit your changing circumstances and goals, such as incorporating new family members, addressing health issues or relocating. It enables you to keep up with the ever-changing tax and pensions landscape, including new opportunities that could work in your favour.

Your pension options Pensions are usually the foundations of retirement, so deciding what to do here may be one of life’s most important financial decisions. Pensions are complex and there is more choice than ever, so you need to take care.

You might benefit from consol-

idating several UK pensions into one to provide a coherent, more cost-effective investment platform for your retirement income, but first establish what would be the most tax-efficient approach for a Spain resident. Receiving pension income in sterling also exposes you to conversion costs and exchange rate risk.

British expatriates have the option of transferring UK pensions to a Qualifying Overseas Pension Scheme. QROPS can unlock advantages such as flexibility to take income in euros and more freedom to pass benefits to chosen heirs. Transferred funds would be protected from further UK lifetime allowance charges.

Transfers an EU-based QROPS by an EU resident are currently tax-free, but transfers outside the EU/EEA invite a 25% UK tax penalty. So far this has not been extended to EU transfers post Brexit.

Take regulated, specialist advice before making pension decisions to protect your benefits and establish the best option for you.

Retiring in Spain If you plan to retire in Spain, review your retirement strategy early. You need to consider your residence status and crossborder tax implications in a post-Brexit world and adapt your estate planning to suit Spain’s different succession rules.

Careful planning is the key to minimising taxation and maximising the available opportunities so you can enjoy the retirement you want for as long as you need. For the best results, take specialist, cross-border advice.

Tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any statements concerning taxation are based upon our understanding of current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change. Tax information has been summarised; individuals should seek personalised advice.

Keep up to date on the financial issues that may affect you on the Blevins Franks news page at www.blevins franks.com.

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NEWS

EXCLUSIVE

Author’s look at crime and addiction WHEN Finnish author Paul Murphy Granholm began writing in 2012, he did not know that a chance encounter on the Costa del Sol would spark the idea behind one of his most successful books, Drug Hell.

Based on the life of former prisoner and drug addict Kimmo Harjula, who tried to murder his father three times following years of violence and abuse, Drug Hell was written after Murphy and Swedish Harjula met in Fuengirola in 2018.

In Drug Hell, Murphy tells the story of how Harjula, who had been placed in 46 foster homes before the age of 18, lived through violence at the hands of his alco‐ holic father, drugs, and prison before be‐ coming an occupational therapist in Fuen‐ girola to help others with addiction.

Murphy told the Euro Weekly News: “I met Kimmo Harjula in Fuengirola in 2018 and he told me he had an interesting au‐ tobiography.

“I read his manuscript and was so inter‐ ested in his story that I agreed to write it together.”

Murphy told the EWN the pair met over several months to work on the book to‐

DRUG HELL: Author’s most successful book.

gether before it was later published in 2019.

The author added that following 14 years in prison Harjula has now become an occupational therapist to help others overcome addiction, and is working with the Avominne addiction centre in Fuen‐ girola.

Murphy told the EWN that Kimmo’s sto‐ ry makes an interesting read and shows how he overcame a childhood that forced him into drugs to later help others.

Drug Hell is available now on Amazon and the writer added that his next book, Costa del Sol Gigolo, is now based in Fuen‐ girola and will be available in English next year.

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NEWS

Treasury cashes in MANY people in Spain have had a bank account for years, stopped using it, forgot about it, and never closed it. In the in‐ stance, when a customer makes no attempt to cancel the account, the Treasury can keep any money that is deposited within.

According to article 18 of Law 33/2003 of the State Patrimony, “The General Administration of the State is responsi‐ ble for the securities, money and other mov‐ able property deposited in the General Deposito‐ ry Fund and in credit en‐ tities, securities compa‐ nies or agencies or any other financial entities, as well as the balances of current accounts, books of savings, or oth‐ er similar instruments open in these establish‐ ments, with respect to which no management has been carried out by

the interested parties that implies the exercise of their property rights within a period of 20 years.”

Abandoned accounts normally occur when somebody dies, and heirs have no knowledge of the account’s existence.

If you are thinking this is probably a rare occur‐ rence, in 2019, according to data, the Ministry of Fi‐ nance reportedly collect‐ ed €12.57 million from in‐ active bank accounts. In

2018 it was €11.13 mil‐ lion, and in 2017, a total of €11.25 million. Before the State can ever trans‐ fer money from an aban‐ doned account, the bank must first notify the hold‐ er of the situation so that he has the opportunity to avoid the transfer taking place.

The entity sends the notification by registered mail at least three months in advance of the account turning 20 years old.

and finally...

DRINKING tea and coffee may be associated with a lower risk of dementia and strokes.

In a recent study, those who drank two ‐ three cups of coffee or three ‐ five cups of tea per day, or a combi‐ nation of the two, had the lowest incidence of stroke or dementia. There was roughly a 30 per cent lower risk of each when compared to individuals who did not drink coffee or tea.

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AN 11‐year‐old girl was the sole survivor of a plane crash in Michigan, US on November 14.

Her life was saved thanks to her father, Mike Perdue, holding her tightly in a bear hug. Mr Perdue died in the incident.

Laney Perdue was travelling on a regional airliner with her father and three other people when it crashed at Welke Airport on Beaver Is‐ land, Michigan, for reasons currently un‐

Sole survivor known. The girl was found in critical condition and suffered several fractures and had to un‐ dergo two surgeries, but she is already recover‐ ing satisfactorily, and her life is no longer in dan‐

ger. The other deceased were identified as Kate Leese, 35, and Adam Kendall, 37, a couple who appeared in a Detroit News article last week talking about their plans to open a win‐

NEWS

ery on Beaver Island. The identity of the pilot has not been revealed.

The mother of the girl, Christina Perdue, is‐ sued a statement: “We are heartbroken over the loss of my husband, father, brother, son and friend. He gave the best bear hug, took our daughter and protected her.” Mike Perdue was a real estate agent and co‐owner of Smith Realty Group. An investigation is ongoing.

Anxiety link to IBS I R R I T A B L E bowel syn‐ drome (IBS) is a common but poorly understood disorder. Genes may go some way towards ex‐ plaining why IBS is often linked to anxiety, say re‐ searchers. They hope

their discovery will stop IBS from being wrongly labelled as an emotional state or ‘all in the mind.’

More than 50,000 individ‐ uals with IBS were stud‐ ied. Their DNA was com‐ pared with that of

healthy people. The re‐ sults were published in the Nature Genetic Jour‐ nal.

Prof Miles Parkes, a consultant gastroenterol‐ ogist at Cambridge’s Ad‐ denbrooke’s Hospital, and his team have “identified at least six distinct genetic differences that might, at least partly, explain this link between the gut and the mind.”

Most of these genetic differences have roles in the brain, and possibly the nerves that supply the intestines, rather than the intestine itself.

The same genetic make‐ up that puts people at in‐ creased risk of irritable bowel syndrome also in‐ creases the risk for com‐ mon mood and anxiety disorders such as anxiety, depression, and neuroti‐ cism, as well as insomnia.

The discovery might ulti‐ mately help with develop‐ ing better tests and treat‐ ments for IBS.

NEWS

www.euroweeklynews.com

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

Back on the road!

THE Spanish government has decided to scrap the visa re‐ quirements for UK artists that had been in place since Brexit.

The move has been wel‐ comed by the music industry, but there are still issues that could affect some tours.

The announcement means that visas will not be required for musicians and their crew when touring for less than 90 days.

The culture secretary, Na‐

dine Dorries explained: “We’ve been working closely with the Spanish government to make touring easier ‐ and they’ve just confirmed that musicians no longer need visas to go on short‐term tours.”

UK Music chief executive Jamie Njoku‐Goodwin com‐ mented: “The lifting of visa re‐ strictions by the Spanish gov‐ ernment is a hugely welcome move. However, it is impor‐ tant to remember that major

issues remain, particularly cabotage [the transport of goods or passengers between two places in the same coun‐ try by a foreign operator], which makes many tours im‐ possible.

“We will continue to press the case with the government here and with EU nations to remove all the costly and bu‐ reaucratic restrictions that re‐ main when it comes to touring the EU.”

La Palma earthquake record ON November 17, the volcanic island of La Palma registered a staggering 300 earth‐ quakes. The previous two weeks had seen the number of earthquakes drop to below 200 a day. Experts from various scientific bodies are monitoring the situation carefully. They need to see if the increase in earthquakes is isolated or if the volcano’s activity is changing.

The highest number of earthquakes previ‐ ously recorded since the eruption was 271, which occurred on October 24 according to data from the National Geological Institute (IGN).

Most of the quakes registered at a magni‐

Is the volcano’s activity changing?

tude of between two and three with some earthquakes hitting a magnitude of between three and four. The island was shaken by one quake that was magnitude four.

EWN 25

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NEWS

€600m solar sale

NAVARRAN company STI Norland, the fifth‐largest global manufacturer of structures and solar track‐ ers for photovoltaic solar energy projects has been sold for €600 million. It was bought by US company Ar‐ ray Technologies through the private equity manager Aurica Capital and Amixa Capital. Aurica Capital re‐ portedly entered with a mi‐ nority stake of 41.5 per cent, through its Aurica III fund.

As reported in a state‐ ment, depending on whether the earnings be‐ fore tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for 2021 exceeds €47 million, then another extra pay‐ ment will be due. The clos‐ ing of the transaction is scheduled for the first half of 2022, once the required authorisations are ob‐ tained.

STI Norland, located in Pamplona, was founded back in 1996, and is a pio‐ neer in the development of

Supplying solar panels.

fixed structures for solar panels and trackers. Practi‐ cally all its sales are con‐ ducted outside of Spanish borders. Last year, the com‐ pany reached a sales figure close to €200 million.

Lidl top payers DISCOUNT supermarket Lidl has announced that new em‐ ployees in London will earn £11.30 an hour and those outside the capital will receive £10.10, this is 10p more than previous top payer Morrisons. The entry‐level increases will begin in March 2022.

Staff who are already employed by the supermarket will also have an increase in their wages to £11.40 outside the capital and £12.25 in London, depending on how long they have worked there.

Lidl claims to now be the highest‐paying supermarket in the UK, adding that the increase is in recognition of their hard‐working staff during the health crisis. It comes after a £200 bonus for all frontline workers this year, as well as £150 gift vouchers for all staff in 2020 during the pandemic.

The supermarket has said it does not expect to have to pass the cost of the pay rise onto customers.

STATS

100,000

There are around 100,000 km of blood vessels in the human body.

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FEATURE

Advertising Feature

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KEEPING YOU SAFE: Customer satisfaction is at the heart of everything they do.

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WHY LÍNEA DIRECTA? Línea Directa has been providing comprehen‐ sive car, motorbike and home insurance to British expatriates and residents in Spain for over 25 years. With over three million customers na‐ tionwide, all services and documentation is in English. Your bike insurance protects you finan‐ cially against loss in the event of a motor vehicle accident or theft of your bike. From flat tyres and dead batteries to empty petrol tanks, Línea Directa is always on hand 24/7, 365 days a year for total peace of mind.

EXPAT2EXPAT Did you know that Línea Directa has its own Expat2Expat programme? Whenever an existing customer recommends a friend, then we re‐ ward the policy‐holder and the friend with €30 in cash. You can recommend up to 10 people and earn up to €300 in cash per year. Simply ask your friend to call 917 002 006 and quote your full name. Then once their application for car, bike or home insurance has been approved, Línea Directa will pay the reward straight into the bank account following payment of next or first premium. See terms and conditions at lin eadirecta.com.

Call their English‐speaking customer service staff on 952 147 834 or get a competitive quote now at lineadirecta.com

BEST PRICE. BETTER COVER.

EUROPEAN PRESS

www.euroweeklynews.com

EUROPEAN PRESS DENMARK

Third place

Great posters

AN annual survey, the English Proficiency Index, conducted by EF Education First, considers the average fluency in English of some 112 countries around the world and this year, Denmark came third with Holland at the top followed by Austria. Sweden and Finland showed in the top 10.

ELECTION posters around the world tend to be quite uninspiring, but this year’s regional elections have brought out some interesting options, with a boxer, a James Bond impersonator, a candidate’s dog with perhaps the most memorable being Janus Boye where the sun faded the J and E!

THE NETHERLANDS Racist rules

Plastic waste

COUNCIL feathers have been ruffled in the Dutch town of Medemblik after an estate agent advertised a property for rent with the proviso that it wasn’t available to foreigners as the council didn’t like them, which local councillors vehemently denied.

AN investigation by environmental organisation Natuur & Milieu has found that despite the commitment made by various supermarkets two years ago to phase out non-recyclable packaging by 2025, two-thirds of the plastic used is still difficult or impossible to recycle.

BELGIUM In Flanders Field

Party people

FOR the first time in three years, a member of the British Royal Family, the Duke of Kent visited West Flanders in Belgium for a special ceremony, the reburial of nine Great War soldiers, with full military honours, six of whom were recently identified.

A BAR in Holland has announced that as new restrictions on gatherings have been imposed, it has hired a room in neighbouring Belgium to hold a planned party and will be bussing around 240 revellers there so that they can still enjoy a night out.

GERMANY Tinder animals

Foul referee

AS was the case in many countries during lockdown, the Germans turned to cats and dogs to entertain and keep them company but as restrictions lifted, many sent them to refuges. Now one in Munich, has created Tinder profiles for seven cats and dogs.

THE German Football Federation is being investigated by public prosecutors over possible tax evasion during the period 2015 to 2020 when it was sponsored by Adidas and may not have declared the value of donations such as balls, shirts and boots.

FRANCE No canoes

Slow down

AFTER receiving requests to stop selling canoes from two Decathlon store managers in Northern France, the company has agreed that this should become policy as they are worried that the canoes are being purchased by immigrants who want to cross to England.

FOLLOWING the death of a pedestrian who was hit by an e-scooter in Paris last June, the authorities have told rental companies that they will have to ensure that a speed limit of 10 kmh is enforced automatically in designated pedestrian areas of the city.

NORWAY Takeover denied

Dead birds

IT was hailed a victory for the little guy as Norway’s competition authority blocked its pending takeover of Sbanken, a small independent online bank by Norway’s biggest bank, DNB and those against the takeover celebrated in the street outside DNB’s headquarters.

IN some countries, small birds are considered a delicacy which is why a group of Italian hunters travelled to Norway, but the purpose of their journey was stymied after a member of the public alerted local police and they were stopped with 2,000 dead frozen birds.

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NEWS

NASA’s bed offer NASA is offering €11,000 for people to stay in bed for two months. The two months will not be easy though, as all daily activi‐ ties would need to be car‐ ried out in bed.

The space agency is look‐ ing into how the body re‐ sponds to being weight‐ less. The research will be used to help space mis‐ sions in the future.

This will not be NASA’s first study of bed rest. Sev‐ eral years ago along with the German Aerospace Centre, NASA launched its first artificial gravity bed rest study. This new study hopes to gain further in‐ sights into how the body responds.

Anyone looking to volun‐ teer will need to spend 59 days in bed. All daily activi‐ ties including eating, exer‐ cising, dressing and bathing will need to be car‐ ried out in bed. Bodily re‐ sponses will be monitored

by NASA including partici‐

pants’ moods, muscle loss and blood pressures.

Applicants must be healthy, between 24 and 55 years old, between 153 and 190cm tall, have a

Body Mass Index of 19‐30 kg/m2 and be a non‐smok‐ er. They’ll also need good language skills and be able to travel to Cologne for the study.

Over-60s booster jab ON November 17, Spanish President, Pedro Sanchez, an‐ nounced Spain will give a third vaccine dose to the over 60s and health workers.

Speaking at a press conference in Ankara together with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Sanchez said that “the government is committed to continuing with the vaccination without pause.” He referred to his belief that the best remedy against a rebound in cases is to con‐ tinue with the vaccination process.

Spain has vaccinated more than 88 per cent of the popu‐ lation over the age of 12 and has of late enjoyed infection rates below those of its neighbours. Yet, there are signs that this is beginning to change. Current data shows Spain to be one of the most vaccinated countries in the world with 74,168,369 doses administered and 37,487,833 peo‐ ple vaccinated.

STATS

87

The longest time between two twins being born is 87 days.

EUROPEAN PRESS

www.euroweeklynews.com

EUROPEAN PRESS FINLAND

Peatered out

Ripped off

FOR years, the Finnish electricity industry relied on burning peat to generate around 15 per cent of its energy needs and although it is less environmentally damaging than coal when burning, it does release harmful gas when harvested so now, Finland is dropping its use.

ACCORDING to Finnish police, the amount of money scammed by crooks and hackers so far in 2021 has reached a record €33 million, compared to €25 million in the whole of 2020. Understandably, they are warning people to be very alert to unexpected emails and texts.

IRELAND Street name

Greek trial

TWO years ago, it was agreed in principle that Anglesea Street in Cork city should be renamed to honour former Lord Mayor of Cork, Terence MacSwiney and this was then amended to MacSwiney Street to recognise the family, but it now needs to be approved by residents.

SEÁN BINDER a 27-year-old man from Kerry is one of 24 people on trial in Greece charged with people smuggling, membership of a criminal organisation and espionage, although they deny the charges as they were aiding migrants through Emergency Response Centre International, a humanitarian organisation.

ITALY New coin

Lady Gaga

COIN collectors will be keeping an eye out for a new Italian €2 coin to be issued on January 2 in a quantity of just three million which honours the anti-Mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino who were killed within months of each other 30 years ago.

THE singer and actress who is herself of Italian extraction was in Italy to promote the new House of Gucci movie and when interviewed on TV, Lady Gaga described the recent defeat in the Italian senate of a proposed anti-homophobic law as a “total disaster.”

PORTUGAL Legal cannabis

Tourists return

A COMPANY which has taken three years to obtain a licence has decided that the Algarve is the ideal location to cultivate cannabis.

Whilst police across Europe close down cannabis farms, Cannprisma will be growing and producing the plant for medical purposes.

THE figures for 2021 to the end of September released by the Portuguese National Statistics Institute show that tourist income was already 33 per cent up over the 2020 figures, although still well below 2019 with highest bed occupancy in Madeira, the Azores and the Algarve.

RUSSIA Space reporter

Titanium deal

SOME suggest that the official Russian news agency TASS occasionally releases information whose truth is ‘out of this world’, but this will now really be the case as it has just signed an agreement to have its own permanent correspondent stationed on the International Space Station.

AS airlines look to replace some of their ageing fleets now that they are back in the air, manufacturers have to ensure that they have sufficient material to meet the demand which is why Boeing has signed a new deal with the Russian supplier of titanium VSMPO-AVISMA.

SWEDEN ABBA single

Green data

WITH their album Voyager storming the charts around the world, ABBA have announced that they will release one of the tracks from the album Little Things as their first Christmas single on December 3. The holiday related lyrical content make it the ideal seasonal song.

US GIANT Microsoft has partnered with Sweden’s Vattenfall energy group to create a series of three data centres in that country, powered entirely by carbon-free green energy as it plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 2030 at the latest.

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

EWN 31

FINANCE BUSINESS EXTRA AVE competition THERE is significant potential competition for Spanish train operator RENFE and French operator Ouigo as a new high speed train company Iryo is launched by Trenitalia and Air Nostrum aiming to capture up to 30 per cent of the AVE rail business.

Bank review HAVING taken over Novo Banco and Bankoa, the Galician based Abanca is now talking with unions about the redundancy of some 370 staff, but this is expected to be rigorously fought as the two banks themselves only employed around 400 people prior to the takeover.

Sterling gain AS UK retail sales rose by a higher than expected 0.8 per cent in October, possibly caused by early Christmas shopping, the news helped sterling to gain momentum against the euro and on November 19 was at its highest rate (1.19) since before the first lockdown.

Permanent jobs THE Spanish Government in the form of Minister of Finance and Public Function, María Jesús Montero has said it wishes to reduce the number of ‘civil servants’ employed on temporary contracts from 30 per cent to 8 per cent by the middle of next year.

Banksy bids SOTHEBY’S auction house in New York moved into accepting bids in cryptocurrency when it sold two artworks by Bristol based anonymous street artist Banksy for 6093 Ethereum which equates to £9 million. The auction on Thursday November 18 was the first in which this cryptocurrency was accepted for bidding and the two artworks Trolley Hunters and Love is in the Air (2006) were popular targets.

This is likely to become a regular option for those attending major auctions in the future although it is unlikely to be followed by small regional auctioneers in the UK.

32

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STAT OF WEEK

€1 billion

is the amount that the Spanish Government may have to repay to telecoms giant Telefónica in respect of overcharging of corporation tax in 2009 and 2010.

£402 million Tombola takeover FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT PLC which owns both Paddy Power and Betfair is due to purchase private com‐ pany Tombola for £402 million subject to merger control clearance by the UK Competition and Markets Authority.

Tombola, with teams primarily lo‐ cated in Sunderland and Gibraltar, is a successful bingo‐led gaming company with an emphasis on providing a low staking bingo proposition to what is described as a highly engaged cus‐ tomer base.

Assuming approval is received, the takeover is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2022 and the oper‐

ation has a fully regulated revenue base with over 80 per cent coming from the UK and 16 per cent from Italy and Spain It boasts around 400,000 average monthly players with over 700 em‐ ployees and in its financial year to the end of April 2021 Tombola generated pro forma revenue of £164 million and EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortiza‐ tion) were £38.5 million.

Peter Jackson, Flutter Chief Execu‐ tive, commented: “As the world’s leading online gam‐ bling operator, Flutter is delighted to

LEGALLY SPEAKING

Can they call EGM? Our community wishes to call an EGM to elect a new president. We have not had an AGM for more than two years. The sitting president lives in the UK and passes his instructions for expenditures and other matters directly by email to the administrator. He does not communicate with the committee and refuses to call an AGM. We have 90 members, most of whom live in the UK. Now we have assembled one‐quarter of the members in order to call an EGM. Our concern is whether we can use proxies by email to prove that we have enough members to make one quarter.

K D (Costa Blanca) Yes, you DAVID SEARL can. Prop‐ erly the proxy YOU AND THE LAW forms are on pa‐ IN SPAIN per, signed by the community member in his own hand and submitted to the callers of the meeting. However, because of the Covid restrictions on movement and limitations on at‐ tendance, the authorities now accept forms made by electronic means. Even so you would be wise to em‐ ploy your own lawyer skilled in community matters to make sure all your presentations of the proposed agenda of the meeting are in order and to respond ef‐ fectively to any objections.

Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana and Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.

THE Bank of Spain has been warning for some time about the risk of invest‐ ing in cryptocurrencies and on Novem‐ ber 10, a group of people led by Associ‐ ation of People Affected by Investments by Cryptocurrencies (AA‐ IC) started another court action.

It claims that a company known as Mind Capital based in Madrid and con‐ trolled by the former producer and roulette expert Gonzalo Garcia‐Pelayo

add Tombola, the UK’s premier bingo brand to the Group. Tombola is a busi‐ ness we have long admired for its product expertise, highly recreational customer base and focus on sustain‐ able play. “The brand aligns closely with Flutter’s safer gambling strategy, a key area of focus for us. I am excited to combine Flutter’s digital marketing expertise with Tombola’s operational capabilities within the UK and Ireland division.” Flutter confirmed that it was committed to retaining Tombola as a Sunderland‐based business after it re‐ cently moved into new premises in the city.

The different funeral plans from Golden Leaves THE funeral plan providers at Golden Leaves have been finding the right pre‐paid plan for their clients for years, making sure their wishes are carried out when the time comes.

Chose the right plan.

But what are the funer‐ al plans that Golden Leaves offers?

The Opal Plan This plan is designed for those who just want a simple cremation service and provides a simple funeral service that covers the essential items, including the removal and disposal of the deceased.

The Pearl Plan Offering all the services available within the Opal Plan, with the added benefit of a floral tribute and premium cof‐ fin, the Pearl Plan can give you a funeral similar in content to what you would expect in the UK. The Golden Plan This plan is designed for those who wish to be repatriat‐ ed to a country other than their current country of resi‐ dence.

The Golden Plan offers worldwide repatriation back home to the desired country, and a contribution to a sim‐ ple funeral service in the country of your choice.

www.goldenleavesinternational.com enquiries@goldenleaves.com Facebook: goldenleavesspain

Cryptocurrency risks has effectively committed alleged crimes of fraud and misappropriation.

According to Mind Capital it created a system which could accurately fore‐ cast movement in cryptocurrency and for several months paid out relatively high returns on investments but even‐ tually advised clients that it could not

return their original investments.

They only offered to return the de‐ posits in hard currency rather than bit‐ coins which investors had been made to pay over and which had increased in value dramatically.

This is the second time that a Span‐ ish cryptocurrency investment compa‐

Importance of Cobalt AS the world moves towards electric cars, manufacturers are facing yet another possi‐ ble supply problem.

Already having to reduce capacity due to the shortage of microchips, the next diffi‐ culty will be the demand for lithium batteries and it is be‐ ing forecast that there could be an annual shortfall of around 5 per cent of the bat‐ teries needed.

These batteries require the metal cobalt as part of the manufacturing process and more than 50 per cent of the world’s cobalt deposits are found in the Democratic Re‐ public of the Congo which is not the most stable of coun‐ tries. Some like Tesla set up their own battery production plants several years ago, but without cobalt, even they could be in trouble.

Avez vous un cuppa?

PG TIPS sold to European in‐ vestors alongside 33 other tea brands owned by Unilever for £4.5 billion.

It seems that Britain is no longer a nation of tea drinkers as more and more people, es‐ pecially the young, turn to cof‐ fee as their breakfast drink of choice.

Alert to this, Unilever which owns such household brands as PG Tips, Brooke Bond and Liptons through its ekaterra subsidiary announced on November 18 the sale to CVC Capital Partners Fund VIII. ekaterra is the world’s lead‐ ing Tea business, which gener‐ ated revenues of around €2 billion in 2020, but Unilever want to invest and develop new brands in areas where they see growth. ny has been accused by investors of fraud, with the first, allegedly unable to repay some €210 million to its many clients.

It appears clear that whilst there are some large potential profits to be made by buying and selling Bitcoins and other similar currencies, there is a significant danger in putting money in an until recently mainly uncontrolled investment vehicle.

34 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

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

LONDON - FTSE 100

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C LOSING P RICES N OVEMBER 22

COMPANY PRICE(P) 3I Group 1.436,50 Abrdn 256,20 Admiral Group 2.986,0 Anglo American 2.839,0 Antofagasta 1.418,50 Ashtead Group 6.394,0 Associated British Foods 1.927,0 AstraZeneca 8.433,0 Auto Trader Group Plc 737,90 Avast 594,20 Aveva 3.432,0 Aviva 395,69 B&M European Value....

606,00 BAE Systems 566,05 Bank VTB DRC 1,288 Barclays 194,64 Barratt Developments 690,00 Berkeley 4.472,0 BHP Group 1.901,00 BP 327,95 British American Tobacco 2.550,0 British Land Company 532,20 BT Group 165,13 Bunzl 2.873,0 Burberry Group 1.930,0 Carnival 1.409,2 Centrica 65,82 Coca Cola HBC AG 2.478,0 Compass 1.490,50 CRH 3.660,9 Croda Intl 10.075,0 DCC 5.785,0 Diageo 3.904,0 DS Smith 385,90 EasyJet 565,80 Experian 3.422,0 Ferguson 12.100,0 Flutter Entertainment 11.441,7 Fresnillo 951,00 GlaxoSmithKline 1.523,51 Glencore 368,10 Halma 3.148,1 Hargreaves Lansdown 1.500,50 Hikma Pharma 2.299,00 HSBC 437,00 IAG 151,97 Imperial Brands 1.599,00 Informa 512,80 InterContinental 4.933,0 Intermediate Capital 2.287,01

CHANGE(P) 1.450,00 256,20 3.006,0 2.860,5 1.436,00 6.396,0 1.932,5 8.552,0 740,40 596,00 3.466,0 397,50 608,80 567,20 1,364 194,80 690,00 4.532,0 1.917,20 331,40 2.557,8 533,20 167,80 2.875,0 1.953,0 1.425,6 67,90 2.489,0 1.496,50 3.676,0 10.140,0 5.876,0 3.919,0 390,30 569,60 3.423,0 12.105,0 11.635,0 959,20 1.533,00 372,05 3.171,0 1.508,50 2.317,00 437,70 153,28 1.601,50 519,60 4.953,0 2.300,00

% CHG. -0,45% +1,15% +0,20% -0,18% +0,71% +1,40% +1,42% -0,54% +0,41% -0,20% -0,20% +0,99% +0,53% +0,18% -4,45% +1,95% +0,79% +0,40% +0,88% +0,43% +0,22% +0,64% +2,77% +1,27% -0,15% +1,22% -2,49% +0,45% +0,74% -0,27% +0,40% -0,31% +0,67% +0,18% +1,91% +0,65% +0,67% -0,87% -0,19% +0,13% -0,36% -0,57% +0,13% -0,04% +1,23% +2,28% +0,95% -0,27% +0,57% +0,13%

NET VOL 270,58K 281,95K 50,23K 806,16K 149,27K 96,89K 197,07K 387,24K 314,55K 357,20K 139,35K 1,67M 306,88K 543,67K 442,08K 6,63M 239,74K 62,58K 999,36K 10,81M 46,87K 300,92K 5,01M 64,32K 97,32K 158,43K 3,95M 50,86K 294,40K 168,84K 20,79K 20,00K 289,08K 176,62K 997,75K 95,21K 46,13K 90,37K 156,21K 821,20K 4,72M 81,50K 56,13K 63,81K 4,32M 10,95M 458,01K 226,15K 37,49K 73,97K

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

Intertek ITV J Sainsbury Johnson Matthey Land Securities Legal & General Lloyds Banking London Stock Exchange Meggitt Melrose Industries Mondi National Grid NatWest Group Next Norilskiy Nikel AD Ocado Persimmon Phoenix Prudential Reckitt Benckiser Relx Rentoki Rightmove Rio Tinto PLC Rolls-Royce Holdings Rosneft DRC Royal Dutch Shell A Royal Dutch Shell A Royal Dutch Shell B 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 Taylor Wimpey Tesco Tui Unilever United Utilities Vodafone Group PLC Whitbread WPP

5.244,0 120,17 294,90 2.207,0 749,60 294,00 49,49 6.801,4 742,00 160,65 1.823,00 985,20 224,80 8.314,0 29,26 1.907,78 2.800,3 664,80 1.436,55 6.255,0 2.368,00 631,20 763,60 4.489,5 139,40 7,71 1.604,8 1.604,50 1.605,8 795,00 1.574,00 16,96 3.654,0 1.525,36 1.405,15 2.821,0 1.274,50 1.511,00 16.550,0 1.604,50 1.567,00 455,20 157,70 280,60 214,30 3.848,5 1.063,00 115,69 3.051,0 1.108,00

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

5.248,0 120,75 296,00 2.247,0 751,80 294,10 49,55 6.856,0 743,60 160,70 1.842,50 992,70 225,00 8.338,0 30,30 1.921,83 2.804,0 665,20 1.452,00 6.310,0 2.370,00 632,60 772,20 4.499,0 139,74 7,96 1.622,0 1.622,11 1.622,2 801,60 1.581,50 17,64 3.692,0 1.530,16 1.414,50 2.829,0 1.290,42 1.515,50 16.640,0 1.619,00 1.567,00 456,20 158,00 281,50 216,60 3.866,5 1.066,97 116,32 3.072,0 1.110,00

-0,04% -0,44% +0,79% -1,21% +0,81% +0,75% +0,89% +1,43% +0,24% +0,75% -0,11% +0,21% +1,90% +0,48% -2,24% +0,54% +0,50% +0,82% -1,00% +0,11% +0,04% +0,10% 0,00% +0,77% +2,50% -3,89% -0,29% -0,35% -0,27% -0,57% +4,55% -4,12% -0,03% +0,65% +0,18% +0,39% -0,23% +1,04% -0,09% +0,50% +0,90% +0,82% +0,86% +0,59% +2,15% -0,01% +0,62% +1,83% +1,26% +0,59%

24,81K 553,72K 484,80K 131,83K 540,66K 1,76M 22,54M 156,42K 30,88K 841,11K 157,73K 826,06K 2,38M 24,57K 1,08M 300,00K 105,67K 126,10K 594,45K 181,40K 420,72K 150,83K 250,64K 441,59K 2,20M 1,98M 945,38K 938,60K 1,02M 348,45K 6,41K 4,90M 9,51K 437,41K 359,30K 33,84K 308,67K 35,10K 8,03K 188,28K 63,53K 645,53K 1,82M 2,62M 1,07M 484,95K 44,12K 20,38M 141,07K 366,61K

1.19062

0.83914

Units per €

US dollar (USD) ......................................1.12812 Japan yen (JPY)......................................128.827 Switzerland franc (CHF) .........................1.04741 Denmark kroner (DKK) ...........................7.43709 Norway kroner (NOK) .............................10.0364

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 N OVEMBER 22

COMPANY 3M Alphabet C Amazon.com Amgen Apple Boeing Caterpillar Chevron Cisco Coca-Cola Goldman Sachs Home Depot Honeywell IBM Intel J&J JPMorgan McDonald’s Merck&Co Meta Platforms Microsoft Nike Procter&Gamble Salesforce.com Tesla UnitedHealth Verizon Visa A Walmart Walt Disney

PRICE 179,23 2.999,10 3.676,57 206,08 160,55 214,13 200,44 111,91 53,25 55,13 387,39 408,69 218,49 116,05 49,52 162,89 160,92 251,95 80,70 345,30 343,11 174,88 146,82 301,17 1.137,06 440,00 50,86 200,86 142,39 154,00

CHANGE 180,81 3.037,0 3.762,15 206,20 161,02 225,33 202,92 113,15 53,69 55,49 390,24 410,10 221,20 116,56 49,73 163,19 162,11 253,32 82,75 352,10 345,10 177,20 148,23 306,00 1.138,72 449,45 51,31 203,50 144,00 155,21

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) +0,26% 2,47M -0,50% 982,79K -0,53% 4,89M +1,01% 3,21M +1,70% 114,94M -5,77% 20,68M -0,49% 2,94M -2,22% 13,50M -0,71% 29,85M -0,51% 15,77M -1,02% 2,59M +0,70% 3,52M -1,00% 2,08M -0,52% 5,33M -0,32% 26,29M +0,30% 7,62M -1,31% 11,36M -0,60% 2,72M -2,83% 17,36M +1,95% 25,75M +0,54% 21,09M +2,06% 6,11M -0,20% 5,27M -0,60% 4,63M +3,71% 21,16M -2,11% 3,52M -0,74% 20,87M -1,21% 17,94M -0,54% 9,32M -1,02% 16,52M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES N OVEMBER 22

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

Most Advanced Aurora Innovation Inc. Wt Greenland Technologies Holding Corp.

Snow Lake Resources Ltd. Jupiter Wellness Inc. Wt Aurora Innovation Inc. Longeveron Inc. Orion Biotech Opportunities Corp. Wt 10X Capital Venture Acquisition Corp. II Wt Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. Cl B Wt Citius Pharmaceuticals Inc. Wt Medicus Sciences Acquisition Corp. Wt

89.60% 89.46% 73.33% 53.56% 51.42% 46.00% 38.61% 37.95% 24.79% 22.98% 22.67%

3.96M 165.91M 24.57M 49.89K 36.79M 102.96M 150 303.1K 12.36K 200 60.44K

-59.71% -57.72% -50.47% -41.97% -41.19% -35.44% -30.17% -30.09% -28.86% -27.06% -25.93%

3.43M 6.28M 66.41K 9.43M 12.17M 4.61K 912.1K 3.38M 2.54K 4.23M 999

Most Declined Advanced Human Imaging Ltd. ADR Connect Biopharma Holdings Ltd. ADR ENDRA Life Sciences Inc. Wt ReTo Eco-Solutions Inc. Flora Growth Corp.

Zimmer Energy Transition Acq. Corp. Wt Dermata Therapeutics Inc. Exicure Inc. Gesher I Acquisition Corp. Wt RedHill Biopharma Ltd. ADR Nova Vision Acquisition Corp. Rt

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

www.euroweeklynews.com

BBVA launches Turkish take-over

Credit: BBVA Media Centre

BBVA CEO: Onur Genç (right) has an in-depth knowledge of banking in Turkey.

SPANISH bank BBVA has launched a take‐over bid for Turkey’s largest private bank Garanti at an expected cost of €2.25 billion.

If the bid is approved by Turkish Authorities, it will purchase the 50.15 per cent of Garanti that it does not al‐ ready hold and as it is offer‐ ing a 34 per cent premium over average share price, it is confident that sharehold‐ ers will accept the deal.

In the event that not all shareholders do agree, then BBVA will still be able to in‐ crease its stake in the Turk‐ ish bank even without a take‐over.

The Board of BBVA be‐ lieve that Turkey is a good market to invest in and that the long‐term results, should the sale be agreed, will be good for the Spanish bank

and its own shareholders.

BBVA Research estimates that the country’s GDP has a growth potential of 3.5 per cent per annum and it is an important partner for Eu‐ rope as in 2020, 56 per cent of Turkish exports went to this continent.

In addition, it believes that growth opportunities in the banking business are very high as household debt ac‐ counts for 17 per cent of Turkey’s GDP, compared to an average 69 per cent for the European Union.

It is probably no coinci‐ dence that Turkish born Onur Genç, who was ap‐ pointed CEO of BBVA Spain in 2019, had previously worked in Garanti has an in‐ depth knowledge of banking in Turkey and sees that country as a good invest‐

Wooing Zimbabwe THE Spanish Government’s wooing of African countries continues as its Ambassador to Zimbab‐ we Santiago Gómez‐Acerbo paid a courtesy call to the Speaker of Parliament, on November 16.

During the meeting, he explained that al‐ though there are not strong economic links be‐ tween the two countries at the moment, Spain has greatly assisted in the development of the health and education sector in the country.

It looks forward to increasing trade with Zim‐ babwe and to welcoming the Speaker to Madrid shortly as the leader of a delegation to the Inter Parliamentary Union Assembly.

The Ambassador also offered Spain’s assis‐ tance in the development of democracy in Zim‐ babwe.

ment home for the money raised from the sale of a BB‐ VA American subsidiary.

BUSINESS EXTRA Car prices THE Office for National Statistics has highlighted the fact that popular sec‐ ond‐hand cars in the UK are in some cases up to more than 50 per cent higher than they were in 2020 due to the shortage of components which is forcing up new vehicle prices.

Plusvalía tax THE new Spanish Plusvalía tax used to calculate capital gains on the sale of proper‐ ties will be lower for those who purchased prior to 2016 according to a report by the Registry of Tax Advi‐ sory Economists (REAF) which has 6,000 members throughout Spain.

House of Fraser FOR years, the Art deco building at 318 Oxford Street housed the DH Evans department store, but since 2001 it has been the House of Fraser flag‐ ship store. It will close in January for conversion to an office block with shops, a gym and a rooftop restaurant.

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

EWN 35

36 EWN

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT I SEE President Biden called for ‘calm’ in the aftermath of the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. This was the case of the teenager who shot three demonstrators at a BLM protest march, resulting in the death of two of the victims. The event has gripped America for weeks and has probably been the highest profile trial since the Floyd affair. However, until the not guilty verdict was announced, the British media hardly touched on the case at all. Why? Indisputably because all three victims were white.

For certain, had they been black, the left‐wing media would have covered it from the outset; no doubt gleefully whipping up public furore and swelling the hordes of demonstrators and protesters that would undoubtedly have gathered outside the court throughout the trial. Well, I watched this case from the start and can assure you that there were always only relatively small numbers of demonstrators present and those that did gather appeared peaceful and controlled.

However controversial the result,

www.euroweeklynews.com

Trial reaction there were no violent demonstrations anywhere. Unnecessarily, and almost unbelievably immediately calling out the National Guard, Biden’s over‐reaction to what did take place was a typical clumsy left‐wing attempt to introduce racism into the equation; making it appear that the fatalities among white victims will instigate public disorder and violent reactions in the same way as if they were black ‐ which of course is utter patronising poppycock.

Had these victims been black, the not guilty verdict would have unquestionably resulted in widespread rioting, looting and uncontrollable mayhem. Grieving relatives would have appeared on camera, surrounded by nodding supporters and assuring the world that their sons were ‘wonderful boys’ and victims of white injustice.

Thousands of BLM demonstrators would have been marching across America, closely followed by cities of the UK and other European countries.

Properties would have been razed to the ground, the cost would be in the billions and no doubt the death toll

would have risen considerably. After the chaos, the whole devastating event would have probably culminated in heavily compensated relatives with statues of the victims cast in bronze outside some town hall or other.

Sometimes it all truly does make you want to give up!

Have you noticed that even the Christmas movies that are beginning to creep up on us also contain strong diversity matter? Someone is certainly going to a great deal of trouble to continue gaslighting the public.

Somewhere in the murky media depths, people are actually being instructed by their leaders to comb the movie archives and come up with those containing favourable diversity subjects.

Heaven help us all.

Keep the faith Love Leapy. leapylee2003@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com Mon. Fri. 1pm till 4.

To read more articles from our columnists and to have your say in the comments go to www.euroweeklynews.com

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

FEATURE

Film Review by Laura Kemp

Streaming now: Bruised B R U I S E D, released on Netflix on November 24, marks Halle Berry’s di‐ rectorial debut as she takes one last shot at re‐ demption in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world.

Berry plays MMA fight‐ er Jackie, and the movie picks up four years on from her humiliating de‐ feat in the ring against Lady Killer, played by professional MMA fight‐ er Valentina Shevchenko.

Jackie gave up her son and turned to alcohol while in an abusive rela‐ tionship with a man who brings her back to fight‐ ing. He takes her to a ‘basement brawl’ where she is spotted by a fight league promoter.

When Jackie’s son Manny, who refuses to talk, unexpectedly re‐en‐ ters her life, she decides to get back in the ring and fight Lady Killer again in one last shot of

redemption.

There are a couple of storylines running along‐ side the main thread: Jackie’s growing relation‐ ship with Manny. Her re‐ lationship with her mother, which reveals she was abused as a youngster. And her rela‐ tionship with seasoned trainer Bobbi Buddhakan Berroa.

Set in the gritty back‐ drop of a rough area of New Jersey, Bruised is a classic story of redemp‐ tion, portrayed by a woman who has been living on her fight or flight instincts. It builds empathy as you root for Jackie and raises tension as the grand finale in the ring nears.

The film is a little cliched and predictable.

However, a wide‐eyed Berry puts in a convinc‐ ing performance as a spent fighter on the comeback trail.

THURSDAY 25/11

5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:40pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

FRIDAY 26/11

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:35pm 9:05pm 9:30pm 10:30pm

TUESDAY 30/11

MONDAY 29/11

SUNDAY 28/011 SATURDAY 27/11

11:00pm 6:20pm 6:30pm 6:35pm 6:40pm 7:10pm 7:55pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 10:35pm 6:15pm 6:20pm 6:25pm 7:25pm 8:20pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:20pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:40pm 9:10pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:25pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 8:50pm 9:30pm 10:00pm

WEDNESDAY 01/12

11:00pm 8:00pm 8:30pm

9:00pm 10:00pm

11:00pm 11:25pm 11:30pm

The Repair Shop Pointless BBC News at Six; Weather BBC London News; Weather The One Show EastEnders Sort Your Life Out with Stacey Solomon MasterChef: The Professionals

7:00pm

BBC News at Six; Weather BBC London News; Weather The One Show A Question of Sport EastEnders MasterChef: The Professionals Have I Got News for You BBC News at Ten

4:10pm 4:40pm 5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm

BBC News BBC London News; Weather Weather Celebrity Mastermind The Hit List Strictly Special Strictly Come Dancing Michael McIntyre's The Wheel Blankety Blank Casualty

2:15pm

BBC London News; Weather Weather Countryfile Doctor Who: Flux Strictly Come Dancing: The Results Top Gear Showtrial BBC News BBC London News; Weather

1:00pm

BBC London News; Weather The One Show MasterChef: The Professionals EastEnders MasterChef: The Professionals The Outlaws BBC News at Ten Regional News and Weather

7:00pm

Pointless BBC News at Six; Weather BBC London News; Weather The One Show EastEnders Holby City The Bidding Room Who Do You Think You Are? BBC News at Ten

7:30pm 8:00pm

The One Show Delivering Christmas: What's in Store? Panorama The Repair Shop Paddy & Christine McGuinness: Our Family and Autism BBC News at Ten Regional News and Weather Weather

6:15pm 7:00pm

7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:10am

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Richard Osman's House of Games Strictly: It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip Mary Berry - Love to Cook Nadiya's Fast Flavours Surgeons: At the Edge of Life Mock the Week Newsnight Weather

8:00pm

A Vicar's Life The Best Dishes Ever Reindeer Family & Me Flog It! Richard Osman's House of Games Strictly: It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip The Wild Gardener Womanhood Newsnight

9:00pm 10:00pm

Live Snooker: UK Championship Universe Dad's Army The Lakes with Simon Reeve Queen at the BBC Freddie Mercury: The Final Act Queen: The Legendary 1975 Concert Snooker: UK Championship

8:00pm 8:10pm

The Hairy Bikers' Comfort Food Live Snooker: UK Championship Flog It! Cornwall: This Fishing Life Celebrity Antiques Road Trip Antiques Roadshow The Lakes with Simon Reeve The Office

8:00pm 8:30pm

Richard Osman's House of Games Strictly: It Takes Two Villages by the Sea Mastermind Only Connect University Challenge The Princes and the Press Frankie Boyle's New World Order Newsnight

9:00pm

Strictly: It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby Impeachment: American Crime Story What We Do in the Shadows Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby Newsnight

8:00pm

Flog It! Richard Osman's House of Games Strictly: It Takes Two Walking with Shappi Khorsandi Between the Covers Inside the Christmas Factory Universe Live at the Apollo Newsnight

8:00pm

8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 1:15am 2:05am 2:35am

11:00pm 12:00am 12:30am 1:00am 2:00am 3:00am

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The Joy of Painting: Winter Specials Great British Railway Journeys A303: Highway to the Sun Walt Disney All the President's Men Watergate Inside Museums B Catling: Where Does It All Come From? - Arena

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

TOTP: 1991 Lindisfarne's Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story Folk Hibernia at the BBC Sounds of the Sixties The Old Grey Whistle Test Sings Musicals TOTP: 1991 Lindisfarne's Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story

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FEATURE

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25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

Please pray for the people of La Palma LETTER FROM

CANARIES DEAR reader, Forgive this late missive. La Pal‐ ma’s volcano and frequent earth tremors and volcanic ash here at home on neighbouring La Gomera have complicated life.

This is all minimal, compared to the life‐changing horror the poor Palmeros have been experiencing 24/7, day and night, since the volcano blew on September 19.

I last wrote from La Palma, covering a three‐day‐old event. Radio reports I did then make me cringe at their breezy tone. That there’d be an erup‐ tion was predicted, evacuation and general civil protection protocols had been implemented. The volcano was impressive. There were high anxiety levels, but a feeling of preparedness prevailed.

Homes and farmland had already been lost to two existing lava flows. It was heartbreaking to witness families losing everything, but the forecast of a relatively meagre 11,000 cubic me‐ tres of magma waiting to explode over the area, already heading for the sea in two lava flows, offered com‐ forting parameters to the rest of the threatened villages, as did the sup‐ posed ‘10 days to a month’ average Canarian volcano lifespan.

The reality is other. 50 hellish days and nights later, it shows no sign of stopping, with 80 million cubic metres

of lava spewed out to date.

Several slow‐downs in lava emis‐ sion were the volcano apparently composing itself to emit more sulphur dioxide and lava than ever, often through new vents with faster flowing lava.

How must it feel to live with the stress of probably losing your home, having had 15 minutes to save pos‐ sessions, then watching as a 15m high lava flow moves towards it, just miss‐ ing as it veers off to one side or, unac‐ countably, stops?

Lava covers the village school, streets, houses, the places you played as a child, where your children play.

You’ve watched the church tower and everything else in its path crum‐ ble like matchwood as it’s buried by lava, but miraculously your house and a few others are saved.

You’re allowed back to save more possessions. To the dreadful noise of the volcano, you stand there pole‐ axed by the devastation, unable to believe you didn’t lose everything too, helpless with relief.

You go back to where you're shel‐ tering with family, (only 400 of nearly 7,000 evacuees are in official shelters) stash your posssessions as best you can and perhaps for a week try to come to terms with it all, with your good luck, with your neighbours’ bad luck, with the situation. Or maybe two days, or two weeks.

Then a new mouth blows, or the volcanic cone collapses. Either way, massive quantities of lava spew out and stream down.

At first, new flows tended to follow

previous flows, with minimal new de‐ struction, but as new mouths blew la‐ va streamed out in an extended hand shape, fingers fanned. Islanders whose homes escaped suffered the unbearable stress of watching them threatened various times, to be even‐ tually obliterated by lava. Or not.

This nightmare’s been suffered by thousands. Most say it’s almost a re‐ lief when it finally happens, when you know you’ve lost everything, that it would have been less stressful had it happened sooner.

The stress of losing everything, at the beginning or later, or still having a home and hope, is exacerbated by the dreadful, ever present roaring of the volcano, poor air quality, high vol‐ canic ash fallout which kills gardens and crops and requires daily removal to avoid roof collapse, and total un‐ certainty about the future.

These are strong people, accus‐ tomed to their volcanic environment, but so many days of high‐level stress and danger are unbearable, especially given the uncomfortable evidence that seismic movements are far from decreasing.

I’m no believer, but please pray for them.

You can donate here: IBAN ES06 2100 1921 1902 0014 1752 Add your name and concepto: ‘Donación Volcán La Palma.’

To read more articles from our columnists and to have your say in the comments go to www.euroweeklynews.com

Barbara Belt’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

EWN 39

By heck, I was steaming!

MIKE SENKER IN MY OPINION

Views of a Grumpy Old Man I WAS asked the other day what sorts of things make me happy. My answer was that actually it’s very simple to keep me happy - things like a hotel key that works first time after lugging your luggage for a mile and a half.

Or, like yesterday, when we had to go and pick up our TIE cards, there was a parking space right outside the police station. Does life get any better you may ask?

Well yes it did - we went into the police station and were out in less than 10 minutes. So that’s what makes me happy. But let’s get back to why you are here - what’s ticked me off this week?

I’ve been thinking about getting a new car, but before I do I decided to phone my insurance company to check approximately what the new cost was going to be and as I’m over 70 will they all of a sudden decide not to cover me anymore. I called them, got through the normal press one for this, two for that, three for something else. I thought I’d got to my right destination only to have to listen to a recording of

about five minutes of rules and regulations and my rights and their rights and well just blah, blah. I finally got through to a human being who informed me I’d pressed the wrong button and he couldn’t help me, but if I could hold for a second he would put me through to the right department - very nice of him. I thought very helpful chappy. Yes of course I can hold for a second. Bit of music for a couple of seconds and then nothing! I just got cut off - gone!! Was I going to phone them back?

Was I heck, I was steaming.

So I decided I’d do it another day. How many years does it take for a waiter to perfect the art of walking through a restaurant without noticing that you are frantically doing the international ‘I want the bill’ sign? It’s an art!

I wrote, when HS2 was announced, that it was train crash waiting (pun absolutely intended) and I was right.

The cost spiralled to astronomical proportions and, in my opinion, it was a total waste of money and wouldn’t happen as promised.

Well guess what, I was right, and now the thieving, lying toe rags are trying to put a positive spin on it and they are failing miserably.

Email: mikesenker@gmail.com

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

40 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

TONI C. EASTWOOD OBE, MBA

#TheWomanBeyond I MENTIONED last week that I am sens‐ ing there is an element of madness and disruption going on in the world, I feel times are a bit strange, how about you?

Although if we think about it, when has there not been a state of flux? Noth‐ ing stays the same does it and there al‐ ways will be some sort of change hap‐ pening!! The inevitable ups and downs of life.

I love this concept. ANTIFRAGILE. How do we become ANTIFRAGILE so that, no matter what is happening ‘out there’, we can always choose to respond in our most optimal way?

I have been having this very discussion with some of my current Visionary Wom‐ en Programme Clients this week. Some of them have seen business tank in the last couple of months, some of them have seen a real change and challenge in their markets, like nothing they have ex‐ perienced before and others have seen opportunities and managed to pivot and

ANTIFRAGILE capitalise on these opportunities, either way the common theme for these wom‐ en business owners and leaders is how to remain focused and strong, no matter what is thrown at them.

In his great book Antifragile, Nassim Taleb walks us through the fact that there’s a big difference between being fragile, being resilient, and being AN‐ TIFRAGILE. In short this is what ANTIFRAGILE is all about: If you’re fragile and life hits you hard, guess what? You break.

If you’re resilient and life hits you hard, well you withstand more and maybe a little bit more, BUT eventually… you break.

However,…

If you’re ANTIFRAGILE, when life hits you hard you actually get stronger.

I LOVE that, think about it.

The more you get kicked around and challenged by life, the S T R O N G E R you get.

Wouldn’t that be awesome?

Antifragile reveals how some systems thrive from shocks, volatility and uncer‐ tainty, instead of breaking from them, and how can we adapt more antifragile traits ourselves to thrive in an uncertain and chaotic world.

Nassim reminds us and his wisdom would be good to remember: “A wind extinguishes a candle but fuels a fire.”

Human bones get stronger when sub‐ jected to tension and stress. And we have all seen how rumours and riots in‐ tensify when repressed.

Many things in this life benefit from disorder, volatility, stress, and turmoil.

Which also reminds me about this lit‐ tle gem from Rumi: “I am burning. If anyone lacks tinder, let her set her rubbish ablaze with my fire.”

Let’s get ANTIFRAGILE, let’s build a bonfire.

FEATURE

Stay Focused, Keep Positive and Choose to +1 in Every Moment. Fulfil Your Dreams and Awaken Your Great‐ ness!

Love, Hugs, High Fives and Fist Bumps Toni x P.S. Want PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION or BUSINESS SUCCESS, to get laser focused on your Vision or Biggest Most Audacious Goals? We have a couple of places left on my Visionary Women Programme. In just four, three‐hour online sessions you could Reach Beyond Your Limits, Soar Beyond Your Barri‐ ers and Live Beyond Your Dreams. Twenty‐ five per cent off for Euro Weekly News read‐ ers ‐ Just Quote Offer Code EWN25 ‐ for more info and to book head on over to https://quantumvantage.co.uk/visionary womenprogramme Don’t hold back another moment. Get ready to dive into the experience and explore your BIGGEST MOST AUDACIOUS GOALS. To read more articles from our columnists and to have your say in the comments go to www.euroweeklynews.com

Please do get in touch if you have any questions. Follow me, chat and share your thoughts and network with other fabulous women in my Visionary Women Facebook Group.

@tonieastwood

@SixSecretsToSuccess @VisionaryWomen

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NEWS

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25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

GO LOCAL

THE EURO WEEKLY NEWS has urged its readers to support lo‐ cal businesses in the commu‐ nity by shopping locally in re‐ cent times. Now things are heading back to normal, we challenge you to maintain that habit by supporting local high streets, markets, butchers, greengrocers and all of the wonderfully quirky indepen‐ dent businesses in your area.

Local businesses make our villages, towns and cities what they are. They add unique character. They are conve‐

nient. And they offer excellent produce from known suppliers.

The joy of shopping locally means that independent busi‐ nesses can support the local community. You may find something a euro or two cheaper online but have you considered where your money is actually going?

By shopping locally you’re putting food on a local family’s table and there is nothing bet‐ ter than giving back to the communities that have given us so much. Local stores sup‐

port charities and they sponsor local sports teams. In many cas‐ es, they are much more than

just a business, they’re a legacy.

They may have supported gen‐ erations of the same family.

EWN 47

48 EWN

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

www.euroweeklynews.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Beauty on a budget DECEMBER can leave us all feeling the pinch a little.

After the yearly round of presents, par­ ties, and plane tickets, we can all feel like we need to cut back a little on spending.

But is it possible to save money and continue to use high­quality hair, body and face products? Happily, the answer is yes.

From face masks, bath salts, hand creams and moisturisers, making your own beauty products at home can be an extremely low­cost and effective way to take care of yourself even when the cof­ fers are less than full.

For a multi­purpose product which you can take everywhere, melt down beeswax (available in most health food shops and online) in a double boiler, before adding between 20 and 30 drops of orange es­ sential oil. Next, add around a tablespoon of sunflower oil and pour the mixture into a small pot.

Allow the mixture to cool for an hour or two, and afterwards use the balm for ev­ erything from a cuticle cream and lip salve to a treatment for split ends. You can cus­ tomise the balm to include your favourite scent by using alternative essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, rose, or lemon.

GREAT PRODUCTS: Don’t have to cost the earth.

Just be sure to steer clear of harsher oils such as eucalyptus, tea tree or cinnamon which may not be gentle on the skin.

For a cheap alternative to a shop­ bought body scrub, why not combine one of Spain’s best exports ­ olive oil ­ with sea salt and essential oils for a moisturising and effective product.

Mix equal parts of the oil and salt in a kilner jar and add around 30 drops of your chosen scent. Just make sure to take care in the bath or shower as this scrub can get slippery.

If you usually use a body moisturiser, make a DIY alternative using jojoba, apri­ cot kernel or argan oil, and combine them with between 10 and 15 drops of essen­ tial oil. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle for a quick way to keep your skin healthy and hydrated during the winter months.

Just avoid citrus oils as these can make skin more sensitive to the sun.

Finally, make your own face mask by mixing honey with equal parts mashed av­ ocado and apply for 10 minutes, for a boost of hydration.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

www.euroweeklynews.com

Sun seekers AT one time or another, most of us have all over‐ done it a bit in the sun.

Whether forgetting to reapply SPF, or getting caught out on an unex‐ pectedly sunny day, most people will have been ex‐ posed to UV rays whilst un‐ protected at some point.

While this can have wor‐ rying health conse‐ quences, sun damage can also cause cosmetic dam‐ age in the form of uneven pigmentation and sun spots. Luckily, it is possible to treat this unwanted side effect, as well as prevent‐ ing further damage.

This common skin com‐ plaint, known as ‘hyperpig‐ mentation,’ is caused by an excess production of melanin; the chemical nat‐ urally produced in the body to protect us from UV rays, which occurs when we take too much sun.

SUN DAMAGE: Can leave uneven skin tone.

These dark spots can oc‐ cur anywhere, but are most common on the face, chest and hands. Lasers can be an effective way to remove these marks, working to break down the excess pigmentation and leaving an even skin tone.

This can be expensive, however, and is not advis‐ able for all skin tones.

Another option is a chemical peel. These treat‐ ments create a superficial burn, removing several lay‐ ers of skin and in turn

sloughing off hyperpig‐ mentation. Peels can also help to treat fine lines and wrinkles for the same rea‐ son. If going for a profes‐ sional‐grade peel, make sure to do your research and select a reputable clin‐ ic or dermatologist to carry out the procedure.

The strength of chemical peels can vary enormously so talk through with a pro‐ fessional what results you are hoping for and whether there is any downtime afterwards.

Finally, make sure you prevent any further dam‐ age and don’t undo any progress you make, by wearing a high factor sun‐ screen with a broad UVA and UVB protection.

While it seems unneces‐ sary in the winter, UV rays will do damage whether or not the sun seems strong so be sure to use a factor 30 to 50 daily.

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

EWN 49

50 EWN

www.euroweeklynews.com

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

FEATURE

Travel

Rough justice

CLAIRE GORDON FINDING BALANCE IN AN UNEVEN WORLD “JUSTICE! Justice!” Right-wingers will cry out and celebrate as this week in America, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of murder. He fatally shot two people, injured another, and attempted to shoot two more. His argument was self-defence, made after a person hit him with a skateboard while trying to disarm him. Rittenhouse was carrying an AR-15 rifle that he had brought from his home, a 30-minute drive away from where he was attending the scene of violent protests, to ‘defend property’, according to his defence. He was also pretending to be an EMT, an American paramedic.

He has no medical certification.

The protests had begun because a man, Jacob Blake, was shot by a police officer. Blake was walking to his car, in which his three children were sitting, and from which they saw the whole event unfold. Blake was shot in the back and is now paralysed from the waist down. The police officer was not charged. His plea was self-defence.

Kyle Rittenhouse is the same age as

Trayvon Martin. Martin was walking home from the shops with a bag of skittles in his hand. He was shot and killed by a neighbourhood watch zealot, who was charged with seconddegree murder and then acquitted at trial. His plea was self-defence. If there seems to be a theme running through these stories, there is: plead self-defence and the murder charge goes away. But hold on, this cheat code to life does not apply to everybody. Women who kill their abusive partners in self-defence situations spend on average 60 per cent longer in prison than the men who kill the partners they are abusing. One of the main factors in this type of sentencing according to psychologists, is the widespread societal belief that women are not meant to be violent, therefore these accused women must be in the wrong.

The ‘get out of jail free’ card also misses out black people. Studies have shown that when the same actions are carried out by people of different races, the actions of the black participant are recorded as being more vio-

lent. In a particular study conducted at Irvine University, when two participants pushed each other after a heated argument, 75 per cent of people classed the black participant’s action as ‘violent’, versus just 17 per cent when the white participant did the same thing.

These beliefs are widely held and not spoken about enough. They seep into all facets of our lives and skew the system of so-called justice in the favour of certain people. Social context plays a huge role in how we judge a situation. For example, 92 per cent of judges in the UK are white. Less than a fifth are women. These numbers matter because if a person cannot relate to you, they are more likely to judge your actions harshly.

Unsurprisingly, there have been protests since the Rittenhouse verdict.

A system cannot be just, if the same level of justice is not given to all.

To read more articles from our columnists and to have your say in the comments go to www.euroweeklynews.com

Claire Gordon’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

Andalucia heritage SPAIN has 49 World Heritage sites including seven in Andalu‐ cia. The most famous is the Al‐ hambra Palace in Granada, which was built by the Mus‐ lims who ruled al‐Andalus for over 700 years.

The whole of Cordoba City centre has been designated a World Heritage site, including the beautiful Mesquita. Origi‐ nally a mosque dating back to the eighth century, it was pre‐ served after the reconquest, and a Renaissance style church was built within.

Outside Cordoba, the city of Medina Azahara was built in 40 years, flourished for 40 years, and then perished in flames and to be forgotten for a millennium.

In Sevilla, UNESCO sites in‐ clude the Royal Alcazar, a suc‐ cession of palaces started in the Muslim era and continued into the Christian period; the cathedral, a very Catholic struc‐ ture apart from the 12th cen‐ tury Muslim tower at one end; and the Archivo General de In‐ dias, which charts the con‐

ALHAMBRA Palace in Granada.

quest of the Americas with 43,000 volumes on nine kilo‐ metres of shelving.

Baeza and Úbeda were both reconquered in 1227 and re‐ built in a style Unesco de‐ scribes as Renaissance Monu‐ mental Ensembles.

Andalucia’s only World Her‐ itage site dedicated to nature is the Doñana national park.

In Malaga, the Antequera megalithic dolmens, Menga, Vera and Romeral, were built between 3,800 BC and 2,500 BC by the Neolithic people in the area.

By Nick Nutter of visit‐andalucia.com

THROWING AWAY THE PANDEMIC PAST NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist.

To comment on any of the issues raised in her column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/3.0.15/nora-johnson

I’M sure everyone would like to forget the past 20 months, but do we all want to get rid of things that helped us get through such a significant and challenging time?

In total, UK households spent more than £6.6 billion on pandemic purchases they no longer want or use ‐ gaming and home gym equipment, tools and clothes the most commonly regretted items. Nine out of 10 people spent money on ‘treats’ from hot tubs to pizza ovens at a collective cost of more than £57.6 billion. Phew!

Sales of super yachts, though, are still booming thanks to a big rise in the number of billionaires, who are splurging up to $600 million on luxury vessels in an attempt to avoid places hit by future pandemics. (Yes, I’m looking at you, Mr Bezos!)

One of my acquaintances (and no, not a billionaire) bought a cheap recliner rocker for those long hours of TV bingeing. You

UNWANTED PURCHASES: UK households spent more than £6.6 billion during Covid.

know the ones: they make you feel like you’re going to do a backward somersault when you sit down, and be launched onto the carpet when you press the button to get up. And in‐between you’re almost guaran‐ teed to nod off and miss all the best bits.

Another acquaintance bought a trampo‐

line that uses about 10 per cent of the gar‐ den and has killed 30 per cent of the grass…

But what about all those impulse puppy purchases? I’m less bothered about the types of items listed above than I am about the number of puppies bought by

people who simply didn’t know what they were doing. Thousands of dogs are going to end up abandoned or handed into res‐ cues, with psychological problems because they haven’t been either properly so‐ cialised or trained. You can’t simply dump your new puppy in the corner of the garage next to your broken pizza oven.

One neighbour, though, has no pandem‐ ic purchase regrets whatsoever, having bought a cocktail shaker and SHED‐LOADS of booze. Maybe the biggest sign of over‐ doing it is that he now gets a Christmas card from his local Amazon delivery drivers...

Nora Johnson’s psychological crime thrillers ‘The Sentinel’, ‘No Safe Place’, ‘Betrayal’, ‘The Girl in the Woods’, ‘The Girl in the Red Dress’, ‘No Way Back’, ‘Landscape of Lies’, ‘Retribution’, ‘Soul Stealer’, ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.nora‐johnson.net) available online as eBook (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, pa‐ perback and audiobook. All profits to Cos‐ ta del Sol Cudeca cancer charity.

To read more articles from our columnists and to have your say in the comments go to www.euroweeklynews.com

Nora Johnson’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

SOCIAL SCENE

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Sports for charity THE 10th edition of the Subida Raco de la Mor‐ era charity race on Sun‐ day December 12 is ex‐ pected to attract around 900 participants.

Councillors Vicente Al‐ berola and Fe l i p Sanchez, together with the manager of Involucra Asfaltos y Construc‐ ciones, Francisco Irles, sports chief Jose Vicente Albadalejo, and Isabel Girona and her daughter Celina Jacobo, from the Valencian Association of Hosea Dysplasias, Ava‐ dos Alpe, presented the event.

Alberola explained that the route consists of an extra‐urban circuit along the Ferriol roads, with a summit of Raco de la Morera, and thanked Girona and Ja‐ cobo for their presence because “the objective of this race is to give visi‐ bility to this associa‐ tion.”

CHARITY RACE: Will be run through natural landscapes.

Councillor Sanchez added: “It is one of the most demanding races, but also the most beauti‐ ful, and it will run through natural land‐ scapes which are well‐ known by the people of Elche.”

The council said that all of the entertainment and sporting activities at the race will be held in compliance with the san‐ itary measures set by the authorities.

A DJ will be performing at the start and finish

line at the UMH car park and there will be up to three refreshment points and other entertainment meetings throughout the route.

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

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PETS

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Take a moment to plan ahead for pet and house‐sit‐ ters, if you have trips planned later this year. Now is the time to get ready. We will help you as much as we can.

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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 ad‐ vert saying when you are go‐ ing on holiday. House‐sitters see your advert, they respond and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets.

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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 a house-sitter or homeowner with a 50% discount using coupon code SUPER50 - an exclusive offer for readers. To find a house or pet-sitter go to www.Housesitmatch.com.

INVESTIGATORS at Va‐ lencia’s CEU‐Cardenal Herrera university have warned of the possible dangers of keeping turtles as pets. In a study led by veterinary professor Clara Marin, investiga‐ tors discovered the presence of salmonella

Advertising Feature

Could your pet give you salmonella? One in 10 pets will in 29 per cent of 96 privately‐owned tur‐ tles kept as pets.

The reptiles show no

symptoms, yet this considerable number of carriers is extreme‐ ly likely to pass the bacteria on to its own‐ ers, especially chil‐ dren, the elderly or people with weak im‐ mune systems, Marin said.

This should be taken into account by par‐ ents who choose tur‐ tles as pets for their children due to their small size and conve‐ nience, and pet shops should warn of the dangers, the investiga‐ tors said.

In Europe 100,000 cases of salmonella are diagnosed each year and although most are due to con‐ taminated food, it’s estimated about 6 per cent are from contact with turtles and rep‐ tiles.

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 ani‐ mals. 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 checkup that is carried out on your pet every year should be more exhaustive from six years of age.

Any patient suspected of having a malignant process should be thoroughly investigated by the veterinary team.

This information will help us to know which treat‐ ment to use and will inform us of the prognosis, time and cost necessary for the treatment.

We can only establish a complete therapeutic proto‐ col and with probability of success if we have informa‐ tion on the extent of the process. This way we can an‐ swer the pet owner’s questions about the prognosis and quality of life. Specific laboratory tests, ultrasound, en‐ doscopy, CT or MRI may be necessary.

In Costa Blanca Sur: www.resonanciaveterinaria.es Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico por Imagen de Levante C/Los Arcos 23 Ciudad Quesada, Rojales. Tel: 609 779 109

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POOLS

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HAIR AND BEAUTY

REMOVALS & STORAGE

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REMOVALS & STORAGE

INSURANCE

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SERVICES

CLASSIFIEDS ARCHITECTS

BUILDING SERVICES J & J PAINTERS. Inside outside - clean - fast - low cost. Torrevieja - Orihuela Costa and surrounding areas. Tel: 650 363 159 (290728)

BUY & SELL PRIVATE collector will buy your Gold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

CARE HOME CARERS /CARE HOME. COMPLETE PROFESSIONAL CARE. REASONABLE RATES. CALL 697 834 934 (293504)

CARS FOR SALE

CAMPELLO CONTRA CANCER in conjunction with AECC Association Español Contra Cancer.

Please support your local Cancer charity and if you wish to obtain literature or simply talk to someone. Please contact Mina or Trisha. Tel 650 071 278 or 610 921 413 e-mail aecc_campello@hotmail.com (95475) CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (MABS) MURCIA/MAR MENOR Help and support is just a phone call away, Avda Rio Nalón, Tel: 693 275 779 (95462) CHURCH SERVICE IN ENGLISH Tel: 950 617 549 www.givinglight.com.(10006) FREEMASONRY. Are you aware that Freemasonry is thriving on the Costa Blanca?

There are various Lodges meetings up throughout the Valencia region. If you already are a Mason or simply wish to know more about Freemasonry in Spain please contact sec@glpvalencia.com Tel 600 841 064 (95477) HELP VEGA BAJA. We are a non-profit making organisation that helps and supports anyone, without prejudice, in times of need or crisis within the Vega Baja area. Our offices are based in San Miguel at Calle Lope de Vega 46 (Tel 966 723 733), Torrevieja at Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 4 (Tel 965 704 282). We are online at www.helpvegabaja.com and also on Facebook. You can email the San Miguel Centre at office@helpvegabaja.com. We also have a 24-hour Emergency helpline which is available to both members and non-members on 966 723 733 (95456) INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY, TORREVIEJA Calle Urbano Arregui, 23, Torrevieja 03185, Alicante Evangelical non-denominational church. Sunday morning Services at 11:00am. All national-

CARS WANTED CHARITY ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS IS ALCOHOL COSTING YOU MORE THAN MONEY? Drinking to excess not only affects your health it can spill over into every other aspect of your life – damaging everything that is important to you. English-speaking AA meetings are held throughout the Costa Blanca from Valencia City to Murcia. Anyone wishing to attend a meeting or discuss a possible drinking problem contact Costa Blanca North: 648 169 045 or Costa Blanca South: 625 912 078 or Costa Calida 679 385 105 All calls are treated in the strictest confidence. AA in German: 645 456 075; Spanish: 679 212 535; Flemish: 635 047 053; and Scandinavian: 659 779 222. www.aa-costablanca.org (93323)

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ities welcome - Contact 966 752 543 / 966 799 273. For other church matters phone: 966 799 273 / /617 215 463 www.icatorrevieja.org (95476) LA SIESTA EVANGELICAL CHURCH on Urbanisation La Siesta, Torrevieja is a friendly, English speaking church. For more information, including details of our services, see our website www.lasiestaevangeli calchurch.org (10005) PHILIP SCOTT LODGE No 10671 of the RAOB. Please call the secretary, Colin Bird on 693 287 614 for further information.

(95459) PILAR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH. All welcome from any church background or none.

For further information, www.pi larchurch.org Reg No: 2009SG/A (95463) ROYAL Air Force Association Costa Blanca Registered Members Group: The RAFA Costa Blanca RMG replaces the RAFA Costa Blanca Branch 1359 which is now closed. The RMG is a social group of caring people and remains affiliated to the parent Association. Contact with the Royal Air Force Association and the RMG can be made via the RAFA website rafa.org.uk. Tel:0044 800 018 2361. (238593) ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - Why not make this year the year you volunteer? See how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbud dyhhvisits@gmail.com. If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well as the big, sometimes talking to someone is the first step to feeling more in control. It can be a personal need or some help with

25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021 • www.euroweeklynews.com SPONSORED BY

your home or information on what or who to speak to on a medical issue, we help with signposting if we cannot help directly, just call and have a chat with Pam who will try to guide you to where you need to be. If you would like to go to a branch meeting then find your nearest one at, http://branches.britishle gion.org.uk/branches/orihuelacosta - covering from Punta Prima to San Javier. More info can be found on branch website www.orihuelacostarbl.co.uk.

(95457) ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Gran Alacant & La Marina Branch. For info, contact the branch Secretary at granalacant.secretary@ rbl.community ROYAL MARINES ASSOCIATION (Costa Blanca) The aim of the Association is to bring together not just ex Royal Marines, but ex Service personnel with an affinity to the Royal Marines. For further details Hon Sec 692 938 664. (10004)

STROKE ASSOCIATION Spain (formally known as Torrevieja stroke support) Our aim is to help and support stroke survivors and their carers. With rehabilitation, speech therapy, OC therapy and a very active social group. For info please contact 654 801 260 or email strokesup portgroup@hotmail.com, website: torreviejastrokesupport.org.

We are always looking for volunteers who have the skills and knowledge to support. (95473)

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THE SPIRITUALIST CENTRE, Benijofar will be closed for the immediate future due to Covid19. To join the centre on ZOOM on a Tuesday evening at 7pm download the ZOOM App. To enter use ID Number 8451471869, then Password 3uf5TE. Identification Fiscal G54713789 (95454)

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 €1,000 OF WATERLOSS. CALL 686 116 297 (WHATSAPP TO) OR VISIT www.sosinsurancein spain.com or email tracey@sosinsurancein spain.com (294212) 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.

(293334) STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbeygatein sure.com

THE AIRCREW ASSOCIATION COSTA BLANCA BRANCH. Former & serving aircrews of the UK or Allied Armed Forces are welcome to join this convivial & friendly organisation, now in its 21st year. www.acacostablan ca.org or call the Secretary on: 966 495 042 (95465)

THE PATIENCE LODGE No 2177 of the R.A.O.B Please call Secretary Dave Tonge on 688 704 091 for further information.

(253807)

HOME IMPROVEMENTS BATHROOM & KITCHEN Conversions Costa Blanca, contact 698 320 434. (289423)

ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION For information please contact Chairman Paul Edwards on 618 644 934, Vice Chairman Danny Kay on 966 716 274 or Secretary Margaret Forshaw on 966 921 996. (95455)

THE BAKER Foundation Spiritual Centre Playa Flamenca. Calle Luis Gordillo, 1 Playa Flamenca Alicante 03189. You can join us on Facebook, The Baker Foundation spiritual centre. Or contact Linda Schug Tel. 606 990 665 for more details (95458)

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25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

POOL MAINTENANCE POOL MAINTENANCE Repairs, Spares and Leak Testing. Call 965 725 565 / 676 945 360 w w w. p o o l t e c h s p a i n . c o m (284911)

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Kittens require adoption, fully vaccinated, de-wormed, deflead. volunteers to Tel Anna: 966 806 976 / 654 729 977 (95709) P.E.P.A. VOLUNTEERS & FOSTER HOMES URGENTLY NEEDED. By fostering an abandoned dog or spending a few hours each week on our telephone helpline, you could help save the lives of many animals. Please call: 650 304 746. For more information browse our website: www.pepaspain.com (95708)

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25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

P E R E N AV A R R O , head of the General Direc‐ torate of Traffic (DGT), announced on Tuesday, November 16, his plans for 2022. His intention is to add more drones, and the installation of new radars on the Spanish road network.

There are currently 780 fixed radars on the

DGT plans for drones and radars Spanish road network, to which, 26 new de‐ vices will be added in 2022.

The DGT’s long‐term plan is to reduce the number of traffic acci‐ dents on the roads, as they see this as a way of increasing road safe‐ ty.

The DGT director also highlighted his other proposed measures for the year 2021/2022.

These include imple‐ menting 30 km/h speed limits on streets with a single lane of circula‐ tion in each direction, and eliminating the 20 km/h margin for over‐ taking on secondary roads.

He also plans to ap‐ prove the technical conditions of personal mobility vehicles, and promote the introduc‐ tion of compulsory in‐ surance for their users.

The prohibition of circulating on pave‐ ments with scooters and bicycles is also in his sights.

During the meeting, Navarro was asked by Francisco Jose Alcaraz, the Vox parliamentari‐ an, about tolls on Spanish roads. Alcaraz made the suggestion that since the govern‐ ment wants to estab‐ lish charges on high‐ca‐ pacity roads, this will lead to many drivers using secondary roads “to avoid paying this tax.”

“It is not true. If you are going to make a trip of 300 or 400km, you are not going to do it by conventional road. God forbid! Pay attention to common sense, how are you go‐ ing to do it by conven‐ tional road?,” respond‐ ed the DGT director.

MOTORING

Repsol electrifies Spain

CHARGING POINTS: Most are located in service stations.

ENERGY companies in Spain are in the pro‐ cess of carrying out a significant deploy‐ ment of public charging points for electric vehicles across the country. Endesa, Iber‐ drola, and Repsol are three of them.

Josu Jon Imaz, the director of Repsol has made an important announcement. He claims that by the end of 2022, Repsol is committed to installing 1,000 public charg‐ ing points. Of these, 610 will be fast or ul‐ tra‐fast charging points, and will be in‐ stalled during the next 12 months.

An investment of €42.5 million is in‐ volved, which will allow there to be a recharging point for every 50km of the main Spanish road network. A similar pro‐ ject will be carried out in Portugal. The Of‐

ficial Credit Institute (ICO) will contribute €40.7 million of this funding. Repsol has al‐ so requested state aid for this develop‐ ment through the Moves III plan.

Of the 610 charging points, 18 will be ul‐ tra‐fast, with a charging power of up to 180 kW. Another 592 will be fast charging, with 50 kW. Spain will get 577 installations, and 33 will be in Portugal, mainly in the Mediterranean and Atlantic corridors. In all cases, the energy they will use will have a 100 per cent renewable guarantee of ori‐ gin.

There are currently 350 points in the Repsol network, 70 of which are fast charg‐ ing and most are located in service sta‐ tions.

MOTORING

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25 Nov - 1 Dec 2021

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Mazda 3 saloon - discreet looks hide automotive quality ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack IN a motoring world where cars, to the average person, all look vaguely alike, Maz‐ da’s 3 saloon is ar‐ guably no different. It looks pleasant enough, but in reality is a design that could carry any automotive badge. Sit be‐ hind the wheel though and you find those discreet looks hide a car whose quality, drive and equipment belies its price tag.

Mazda’s 3 comes in both saloon and hatchback with prices starting at €25,901/ £21,955 for the hatchback and €29,442/£24,955 for the saloon, and it’s the saloon we’re concentrating upon here, although many of the features are the same in both formats.

Hatchbacks account for by far the greatest number of sales with saloons notching up a very small percentage. If you thought saloons are less

MAZDA 3 has nailed it!

Facts at a Glance Model: : Mazda 3 Sport Tech GT 6-speed manual saloon Engine: 2.0-litre eSkyactive, mild hybrid, 4-cylinder petrol engine developing 186PS Price: €34,277/£29,055 Gears: 6-speed manual Performance: 0-100 kph (62 mph) 8.1 seconds/Maximum Speed 215 kph (134 mph) Economy: 5.0l /100km (56.5 mpg) Emissions: 114 g/km Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.

practical than a hatchback then you’re right... some of the time. How often do you remove the parcel shelf from your hatchback? How often do you lower the seats in your

hatchback? For many people the answer is not that often.

The Mazda has a very de‐ cent boot and the aperture is a good size too, often a practi‐ cality failing on saloons, and

despite its four‐door status there are split folding rear seats. Saloons can be practical! There’s also, in my view, a good argu‐ ment for saying that saloons are quieter than their hatchback counterparts by na‐ ture of their fully en‐ closed load area.

A single 2.0‐litre petrol en‐ gine is offered on all saloon models, developing 186PS, and with clever hybrid engi‐ neering returns commend‐ able fuel economy. I averaged 56mpg in a top‐of‐the‐range manually geared GT Sport Tech. Standard fare on the Sport Tech GT is very compre‐ hensive to say the least with everything you would expect to find on a much more pre‐ mium brand.

On the road the car drives beautifully and has an interior that feels extremely premium and high quality. It’s a really nice place to be and there’s a reassuringly positive feel to the controls, and well done

Mazda for having buttons and not over‐the‐top touch screen control for everything. A cen‐ tral display, crisp white on black dials and a head‐up dis‐ play make for easy reading.

Mechanically there’s a wonderfully smooth six‐speed manual gearchange (auto is

available), refined ride and handling and very tidy accel‐ eration. It’s not a car to excite petrolheads, but for those wanting comfortable luxury and a choice away from the usual automotive suspects then the Mazda 3 saloon has nailed it!

SPORT

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25 November - 1 December 2021

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Hamilton closes gap LEWIS HAMILTON nar‐ rowed the deficit at the top of the F1 drivers’ champi‐ onship to just eight points with a faultless drive in the Qatar Grand Prix on November 21. His main ri‐ val Max Verstappen fin‐ ished second to maintain the tension ahead of the fi‐ nal two races of the sea‐ son.

A faultless drive in Qatar.

The Dutchman was hand‐ ed a five‐place grid penalty

for ignoring yellow safety flags during qualifying. That placed him seventh on the grid, but within five laps he had already guided his Red Bull up into second position, just 3.7 seconds behind race leader Hamilton.

By the time Verstappen pitted, the Brit had extend‐ ed his lead to 8.2 seconds.

Hamilton pitted on the

News from walking football HONDON VALLEY FLYERS top the league after an emphatic 6‐1 away win at Pinoso. They face a tougher test tomor‐ row, Friday November 26 when they host Formentera.

Formentera with games in hand will be out to bring the Flyers run to a halt and stop them opening up a gap at the top of the League. Also on Friday, Moraira play Pinoso in a League match.

Match Report in next week’s Euro Weekly News.

Tomorrow’s game will be a tough one.

next lap, maintaining his lead. After their second stops on laps 41 and 42, the situation remained the same until the chequered flag. However, Verstappen gained an extra point for the fastest lap.

Fernando Alonso was the surprise face on the podi‐ um. The 40‐year‐old is the oldest driver on the circuit and stormed to an impres‐ sive third place in the Alpine, keeping the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez at bay. It was his first podium since Hungary 2014.

The Mexican had been in‐ volved in a battle with the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas earlier on, until a puncture to the Finn’s car midway through the race ended his challenge.

With Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi coming up in De‐ cember, the season is set for a nail‐biting climax.

Southgate extends contract GARETH SOUTHGATE signed a new contract with Eng‐ land on November 22, keeping him in the manager’s role until December 2024. His previous deal was due to expire at the end of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Southgate guided England to the final of Euro 2020 in July. His next big challenge is the Qatar World Cup, which runs November 21 to December 18, 2022. The new contract means he will also take charge for the Eu‐ ro 2024 qualifiers and tournament, should England progress.

He said: “It remains an incredible privilege to lead this team. We have a great opportunity in front of us.”

He added, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the players, and support team for their hard work. I know they and the fans are all excited about what this squad could achieve in the future.”

Assistant manager, Steve Holland, also agreed on a new deal that carries him through to the end of 2024.

Southgate was originally given the job of caretaker manager following the departure of Sam Allardyce, but two months later, he was handed the job on a full‐time basis.

“Over the last few months, I’ve managed some of the biggest games in world football. There are no shortcuts to those moments,” the 51‐year‐old explained. “It’s dif‐ ficult to win major tournaments, we’ve only won one World Cup, but we have to believe that’s possible. It’s an aim we have as a team.”