Chris Grayling was accused by Labour of running scared after the government sent the Health Secretary Matt Hancock to answer an urgent question on the pay out to Eurotunnel. Labour 's Andy McDonald described the Transport Secretary as an "international embarrassment" who should be sacked without delay. The Government settled with Eurotunnel at a cost of £33 million over the award of Brexit contracts to ferry firms Eurotunnel, which operates the Channel Tunnel, has now dropped its challenge to the Department for Transport's decision to award deals worth £108 million to Seaborne Freight, DFDS and Brittany Ferries to lay on additional crossings to ports other than Dover in the case of a no-deal Brexit. Today Downing Street was yet again forced to confirm that the Prime Minister continues to have full confidence in Mr Grayling. Mr Grayling's catalogue of controversies gained international recognition in a New York Times article questioning how he survives. The … [Read more...] about Chris Grayling accused of ‘running scared’ as Health Secretary forced to step in
New york tunnel run
EXPANSION: Pole position as long-running expat agent opens fifth office in central Marbella
ON a key strategic corner of central Marbella, an elegantly-dressed lady holds court, surrounded by half a dozen men. Welcome to Kristina Szekely Sotheby’s Realty’s brand new agency. Wall to wall glass, travertine marble floors and the distinctive navy blue signs, this is exactly what you would expect for one of Spain’s most experienced expat agents. Now in four separate bases along the coast, including Puerto Banus, Sevilla, Gibraltar and Sotogrande, the agency, closely allied to Sotheby’s in the UK, is clearly doing well. It certainly looks this way at the new office, where a team of agents beaver away on phones and writing emails, while a pretty receptionist smiles and offers everyone tea and biscuits. It only opened last month and is a good barometer of the year ahead for the company, believes Kristina, who has lived in Spain for over four decades. “It’s strategic to cover the central Marbella area and great for listings,” she explains. … [Read more...] about EXPANSION: Pole position as long-running expat agent opens fifth office in central Marbella
Maldonado’s Mijas is like nowhere else says Bill Anderson as just five are running the town council
IN the 1960’s, Manuel Fraga coined the phrase, ‘Spain is different’. If he were around now he might be tempted to add, ‘but Mijas is unique!’ I would suggest that Mijas is the only Council in Spain, maybe in Western Europe, with five times the number of councillors in opposition than in government. Yes, we have five councillors ‘running’ the Council and 20 in opposition. This has arisen due to Mayor Maldonado breaking his third pact with the other parties. It’s not a problem for them to divide around 70 departments between them and to manage 850 staff and 300 workers on the minimum wage scheme. Apparently, this is the result of a 40-year-old law preventing a vote of no confidence within 50 weeks of an election. But fear not, Mayor Maldonado has randomly hand-picked five individuals to help. These are clearly not elected people, but when you add together the ‘consultants’ they already have, there are more unelected officials … [Read more...] about Maldonado’s Mijas is like nowhere else says Bill Anderson as just five are running the town council
El Chapo wipes away tears in new footage released after kingpin is jailed for LIFE as he’s found guilty in biggest drug trafficking trial of all time
MEXICAN drugs lord El Chapo wipes away tears in newly released footage showing him land on American soil ahead of a trial that saw him jailed for life yesterday. On Tuesday, jurors found the kingpin - real name Joaquin Guzman - guilty of all 10 counts in the biggest drug trafficking trial of all time. The 61-year-old will be sentenced on June 25 but is guaranteed to spend the rest of life in a high security US prison after a New York jury convicted him of running an industrial-scale smuggling operation. After the verdict was announced, the US Justice Department released unseen footage of Guzman looking teary-eyed as prepared to face justice when he landed in the States in 2017. He had been extradited from Mexico and handed over to US authorities in January of that year - just a day before Donald Trump took office as president. Guzman broke out of Mexican jails twice - exploits which made him a Robin Hood-style folk hero in his native country - before he was finally recaptured and … [Read more...] about El Chapo wipes away tears in new footage released after kingpin is jailed for LIFE as he’s found guilty in biggest drug trafficking trial of all time
Malton firefighter Justin takes on 1,000 running challenge to raise funds for the Allied Forces Foundation
Malton-based firefighter Justin Rowe is running 1,000 miles from Bar Harbor, Maine, to the US Marine Corps War Memorial Arlington County in Virginia for charity. All the money he raises will go to Allied Forces Foundation. He will be running over 44 days, pulling a Burley Nomad Trailer carrying all of his equipment along the route.Justin served with HM Forces (Army) for 12 years and is due to retire from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in March after 21 years’ service.He has been running and fundraising in the UK and USA for the over 20 years, during 2013, he was part of a team of four firefighters that ran to all of the 215 fire houses in the Five Boroughs of New York City. The team ran a total of 376 miles in seven days with support from Fire Department New York and raising money for the Stephen Siller Tunnel 2 Towers Foundation.Justin said: “I would like to say a big thank you to my main sponsors Providence UK & Burley USA.“ I would also like to thank … [Read more...] about Malton firefighter Justin takes on 1,000 running challenge to raise funds for the Allied Forces Foundation