Costa Blanca North 27 October - 2 November 2022 Issue 1947

FREE­DIVING enthusiasts Luis Lens and Cesar Gimeno found eight gold coins off Javea’s small Portitxol island in September 2021.

As required by law, they in formed the Directorate Gener al of Cultural Heritage, whose experts were immediately aware of the value of the find.

Alicante University archae ologists and divers from the Guardia Civil’s GEAS underwa ter operations unit took over and, with collaboration from Javea Town Hall, found anoth er 45 coins.

These have now been iden tified as Roman solidus coins that were minted between the end of the fourth century AD and the beginning of the fifth.

The archaeologists also dis covered nails, possibly copper, together with fragments of lead which they believe must have belonged to a coffer. All the finds were taken to the

Valencian Institute of Conser vation, Restoration and Re search (IVCR+i) where they have been painstakingly re stored, removing traces of the sea creatures and polyps that had adhered to them over the centuries.

The coins are due to return shortly to Javea where they will be on permanent display at the Soler Blasco Archaeo

logical and Ethnological Muse um (IVCR+i).

“The museum has now in stalled a security measure to ensure the treasure’s safety, including a special display case equipped with anti­theft sys tems and a CCTV camera,” municipal sources said.

Linda Hall

ROMAN TREASURE: Gold coins discovered off Portitxol in Javea.

Full of thanks

THE Puerto de Xàbia Lodge No 58 had a very successful Ladies Night with almost 90 people at tending on September 23, at Salones Carrasco in Javea.

The lodge raised €1,236 for charity, and at the Worshipful Master’s re quest, John Beavis decid ed to donate that sum to Cancer Care Javea.

At the Installation of the new Worshipful Mas ter, a cheque was pre sented to the President and Lead Nurse, Jayne Nuttall Blake and their secretary, Jeannette Mis sons. Cancer Care Javea noted “Without the sup port of some incredible organisations, without your support, Cancer Care Javea could not continue to do the work that they do and we are full of thanks.”

Footie for all

FOOTBALL for all is on the cards with the ‘Valenta’ programme visiting La Nucia schools to promote fairness and equality in football. The programme’s main objec tive is to promote equality through sport and attract new female players.

The talk was attended by 150 students from 5th and 6th grade of the primary schools in La Muixara on Thursday, Octo ber 20. The aim was to make schoolchil dren aware that there is only football, there is no such thing as girls’ football and boys’ football.

The Director of Valenta (Women’s Foot ball Area of the Football Federation of the Valencian Community), Jose Andres Menchero, confirmed that: “In La Nucia we have an advantage because La Nucia Football Club has been working very well in women’s football for many years. In fact, there are already seven female foot ball players in the team, which is not the case in other locations. With this project, we want to promote equality through sport and encourage girls to play sport and if it can be football, all the better.”

FUNDS RAISED: John Beavis from the Lodge presenting the cheque to Cancer Care Javea.

Image:

PROMOTING EQUALITY: La Nucia football club has been working with women for years.

Image: La Nucia City Council

Clocks back

ON Sunday October 30, at 03.00, Daylight Saving Time ends and the clocks will be turned back one hour to 02.00. There will be more light in the morning, how ever the dark nights will be drawing in.

Bus busted

THE Tourist Bus, which op erated on Benidorm’s streets for 24 years, was or dered to cease activities. Operating without a licence and charging €7 per jour ney, it pays no annual fee to the town hall, but until now had successfully chal lenged all attempts to take it off the road.

Flu jabs

DENIA’S Health depart ment has launched its 2022­2023 flu vaccination campaign after receiving approximately 47,000 dos es of vaccine that will be administered at the same time as the Covid vaccine for those currently eligible. Marina Alta residents should make a prior ap pointment at their usual primary health care cen tre.

Open again

THE auditorium at Calpe’s Casa de Cultura reopens next month after renewing its air conditioning system to comply with current health and safety regula tions. After closing during the pandemic, reopening was delayed when the con tractor chosen to renew the ventilation system was unable to provide the re quired guarantee.

Life savers

TWO National Police offi cers, holidaying with their families in Denia, saved a fellow guest who collapsed in their hotel’s dining room with clear signs of asphyxi ation. Lifting him from the floor and performing the Heimlich manoeuvre, they expelled a trapped frag ment of ham, enabling him to breathe again

Multicultural moments

A VIBRANT multicultural festi val in Alfaz del Pi returned for its 15th edition on Sunday Oc tober 16. The festival cele brates the achievements and contributions of the interna tional community to the town and its rich multicultur alism.

Locals and international vis itors came together for live

music and dance perfor mances, delicious food and all­day entertainment. Inter national representatives from across Europe and as far as Bolivia celebrated their cul tural diversity and common values.

More than 50 stalls show cased tantalising dishes from all over the world as well as

cultural displays and interac tive activities for guests. Per formers from across the globe took to the stage to show guests traditional mu sic, dance and culture that is present in Alfaz del Pi.

The pioneering festival was launched in 2007 to celebrate Alfaz del Pi’s diverse commu nity which is made up of

more than 50 per cent inter national residents, with al most 100 nationalities living in harmony.

International organisations have been involved in the fes tival since its humble origins and have seen it go from strength to strength in recent years, now becoming globally recognised.

Chicas Amigas at Samar

CHICA AMIGAS are an expat social group who meet up each month for lunch and a natter in and around Moraira.

Thirty­nine Chicas Amigas arrived at Samar in Moraira port for their latest gather ing on Wednesday, October 12. The rain didn’t dampen their spirits though and af ter a welcome glass of cava the conversation was soon flowing.

The rain stopped and the wel comed sun returned and with the doors then wide open the ladies took to their seats and enjoyed a lovely lunch. Chicas Amigas want to thank Lynn

Breast Cancer History

EVERY year countries across the world observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

The month is marked with events to raise awareness about breast cancer and its detec tion. Breast cancer can occur throughout any stage of life, including in men and pregnant women. Do you know all of the symptoms to be aware of?

Symptoms include thickening or swelling in a part of the breast or the armpit, irritation or dimpling of breast skin, pain in the nipple area, discharge from the nipple, redness or flaky skin in the nipple area and changes in the shape and size of the breast.

There is no exhaustive list of breast cancer symptoms and self­examinations can be tricky, so make sure to check out any concerns you might have with a medical professional and at tend any breast examination appointments you are offered.

Early detection of breast cancer can save lives, so don’t delay in checking out any potential symptoms.

A close eye

VILLAJOYOSA’S weather website is now up and run ning.

Residents and tourists who visit https://info ratge.com/meteo­lavila joiosa can receive a weath er forecast in real time as well as temperatures, windspeed, rainfall and humidity from La Vila’s professional weather sta tion located in the town centre, which provides an uninterrupted flow of in formation.

Clark and her helpers for making the meal possible, and also welcome back Jan Adams Bareham, the group’s photographer who is now up on her feet again complete with a shiny new hip!

The majority of the ladies in the Chicas Amigas group are based around the Moraira area which is why Lynn, the founder, selects lo cal restaurants for their gettogethers, not just for ease of access, but also to support local busi nesses.

Caravan Park uproar

RESIDENTS are at odds with a company in Benissa known as Camp­Rafalet, which has re quested a Declaration of Com munity Interest (DIC) to enable a campsite for motor homes, caravans and bungalows next to the hamlet of Benimarco, Teulada.

There is currently a petition against the development by ad jacent residential owners which has now been submitted. A res ident who has been involved in the objection, John Woodford, confirmed that: “There are ap proximately 70 local residents who have signed to object to this project.

“An alternative site for a cara van park has been proposed to Teulada Town Hall in an area behind the Teulada Poligono with easy access to the main roads and the N332 that has ex

isting infrastructure faculties.”

John added: “The land is in a rural rustic area of 45,000sm in a prominent location. Known as Rafalet, off Ca. Sant Miguel about 3Kms from Teulada.”

The town hall signed an agreement with the Valen cia Meteorological Associ ation (AVAMET) last April, undertaking to set up the weather station at the Llar del Pensionista social cen tre. This has now been complemented with the website, which the town hall explained offers “de tailed and precise” fore casts based on the differ ent meteorological models and updates each day.

The new website also offers interactive maps and a blog on weather phenomena, historic local meteorological facts and a direct link to the weather station’s webcam that shows the state of the the Villajoyosa sky.

The https://inforatge. com/meteo­lavilajoiosa website is already accessi ble and will shortly be added to the municipali ty’s https://villajoyosa. com website.

LADIES LUNCH: Conversation was flowing.

Image: Jan Adams

Smart thinking

Linda Hall

BENIDORM has received a sought­after award from Premios Ciudadanos (Citi zens’ Prizes) for being the world’s first Smart Tourism Destination (DTI).

Each year, non­profitmaking Premios Ciudadanos, which are now in their 28th edition, recognise the people and bodies that share a vocation of educating and promoting a vision of a Society of Val ues. They also support a digital transfor mation that prioritises the role of the in dividual.

Benidorm mayor, Toni Perez, received the award on Friday October 21 at the Madrid offices of the Department of Digitisation and Artificial Intelligence, at tached to the Ministry of Economic Af fairs and Digital Transformation.

Accepting the prize, Perez emphasised Benidorm’s desire to pass every assess ment, increasing its performance in all areas.

“We want a town that is friendly, ac cessible and sustainable, one which nar rows the digital divide and favours activ ity in general and tourism in particular,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of constant work and collaboration, high lighting Benidorm’s cooperation with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and especially Goal 17, which focuses on partnerships.

New roadways

LIVING in rural areas can sometimes mean your roads get neglected, but Alicante has a new as phalting plan for these areas. The €1.3 million plan is being carried out in the streets and roads of Rebolledo, Moralet, Canada del Fenollar, Al coraya, Fontcalent and Monnegre.

The council’s plan for the rural parts of the city is to repair both rain damage and all roads to modernise, pave and improve their accessibil ity.

The councillor for In frastructures, Jose Ra

mon Gonzalez, is very pleased with these

works that have begun, stressing that for the government team “it is a priority commitment that is being fulfilled in our rural areas so that they can be in the best conditions of asphalting, infrastructure and ser vices, thus promoting a historic plan of more than €3 million approved in the last two years as we agreed with the neighbours.

“The aim of this plan is to repair both the dam age caused by rain and to modernise the roads and improve their acces sibility.”

BIG PRIZE: Benidorm recognised as the world’s first Smart Tourism Destination.

Improving accessibility.

Fined for feeding

BRITISH couple, Davy and Madeleine Cooper, who are ardent animal lovers are dis mayed at a ruling in Benidorm where you may be fined for feeding street cats.

The couple have just re turned from their 48th visit to Benidorm and are heart broken by what they wit nessed. The couple said: “We have worked for an ani mal charity in the UK for over 30 years and were ap palled to find out that Benidorm police actually fine you for feeding street/stray cats.”

The couple, along with an interpreter visited the Local Police station where it was indeed confirmed that you will be fined.

Davy expressed “In other areas, local councils work to gether with animal charities to trap, neuter and release the street animals in order to reduce the population and stop explosions of colonies.”

He added “during our travels to other countries we have witnessed many feed ing stations on council land where tourists and local peo ple are allowed and encour aged to feed the cats and dogs. I am sure Benidorm with the millions of tourists passing through every year could easily do the same. This would be much better than fining people for feed ing them.”

Social supper

A DELIGHTFUL social din ner was enjoyed by all in the Calpe 41 Club on Thursday October 20.

Both members and guests enjoyed a social afternoon of food, wine, and live music by Robby Derringer. There was a great turnout, as 34 din ers enjoyed a meal, con versation, and entertain ment. After such an excellent afternoon, the group is already plan ning to host a repeat.

The Calpe 41 Club is part of a global network of 41 Clubs with more than 17,000 members. It is one of eight affiliated groups in Spain. The club is made up of ex­mem bers of Round Table or ganisations to emulate connections with likeminded people experi

enced in Round Table.

Calpe 41 Club was formed in 2005, char tered in 2006, and has continued to build its membership to around 35 mainly British and Irish members who live in Calpe and surrounding towns.

All nationalities are

welcome in the group which regularly meets for a varied calendar of events including boule evenings and even fish and chips suppers.

Calpe 41 Club meets on the second Thursday of each month, except in July, August and Decem ber.

Town hall helps out

DENIA Town Hall will make one­off payments of €130 to help low­income families meet household expenses.

Applications should be made be tween November 7 and November 18, either online or in person at the Citi zens’ Attention Office in Plaza de la Constitucion 10 after making a prior appointment via the https://oac.de nia.es/es/inici/cita/pre.aspx website or ringing 966 467 009.

It is also possible to download the

application form from the https://oac.denia.es/va/index.aspx website.

The applicant should own only one home whose value does not exceed €33,400 and their name must figure on the property’s IBI rates bill.

Families eligible for the payments should have an income of below €15,039 (two members), €17,295 (three to four members) or €21,054 (more than four members).

The Calpe 41 Club regularly hosts social events and talks.

Photo credit: Calpe 41 Club

Betty Henderson

A DEDICATED team of life guards in Javea ensured that no serious accidents were recorded during the busy summer season. Data for the summer season re leased by the Red Cross on October 20 revealed that beach lifeguards made a huge 2,139 interventions

The Red Cross expressed delight that no tragic inci dents were recorded and thanked its staff for their commitment in averting danger. It described the summer as “a quiet season with favourable weather conditions,” which also con tributed to a reduction in

Rescue reports

ties. Authorities only had to act in 18 cases involving bathers this summer, signif icantly lower than previous years.

The majority of incidents took place in beach coves, including 60 in Portitxol and 34 in Granadella.

dangerous incidents.

Statistics revealed that the most common inci dents on Javea beaches this summer were injuries re quiring basic health care,

EURO WEEKLY NEWS reader, Mike Knight, recently commented on Denia residents’ problems regarding main drainage.

“We are requested to connect to the public sewage system and have no problem with this,” Mike said.

“But there is no infrastructure to connect to in La Marineta, whose com munity have never refused to do what is legally required of them.”

The town hall has told them that as

and jellyfish stings which made up 1,615 of the total incidents. Teams carried out 174 sea rescue opera tions, mainly related to wa tersports and leisure activi

Lifeguard staff also showed excellent commu nity service in other areas including bathroom visits for disabled people, assis tance finding missing per sons, and transferring peo ple to hospital.

Where’s the connection?

well as their connection costs, they must pay some €650,000 for infras tructure, plus a deposit of nearly €180,000.

“If everything goes okay, this deposit will be returned after 12 months, but it is all totally unaffordable,” Mike said, accusing Denia Town Hall of bullying and using intimidating tactics.

“They are threatening a lot of things,

including seizing bank accounts and putting an embargo on all properties.”

Many residents and urbanisations have the same problem, Mike pointed out, but receive no help regarding costs from the town hall, which is do ing nothing to install a public service.

“Let’s see if this goes in your paper!” he declared, a challenge the Euro Weekly News was happy to accept.

Linda Hall

Another bike victimBusiness brains

A TRAILBLAZING business pro ject returns to Javea today, Thursday October 27 with a special focus on women en trepreneurs. This edition of ‘Beers & Bytes’ features an in teresting line­up of women speakers who are giving moti vational talks about their expe riences, followed by an infor mal networking session.

Beers & Bytes is an opportu nity for businesspeople, en trepreneurs, and digital no mads to develop professional and social networks. Attendees are treated to presentations by successful businesspeople be fore a social session to ex

change ideas and contacts with fellow entrepreneurs.

The women’s focus of this edition of Beers & Bytes will see four notable businesswom en give inspirational talks. Ana

Tourism experts

A PROMINENT national tourism conference got un derway in Benidorm on Thursday October 20, reflect ing the importance of the city for the national industry.

Benidorm played host for the second consecutive year as tourism and media indus try experts from all over ar rived for the National Journal ism and Tourism Congress.

Professionals from the tourism and media industries gathered at the annual event to discuss the relationship be tween the two sectors and strategies for promoting tourism following the pan demic.

Two­hundred industry pro

fessionals arrived for the first day of the conference which featured a packed pro gramme of debates, discus sions and lectures.

Influential organisations in cluding the World Tourism Organisation, national tourism agency, Turespaña, and the Spanish Hospitality Association presented their latest technological and me dia projects alongside promi nent travel journalists.

The theme of this year’s conference was sustainability with organisers pledging to plant trees to reduce the car bon footprint from delegates and speakers travelling to the event.

Acosta, Sienna Brown, Guiomar Ramirez and Dayana Santacreu will speak about the challenges of setting up businesses as women and career develop ment.

Acosta is an acclaimed writer, online blogger and social media personality who writes thought­provoking material about parenting. Brown is a New Yorker living in Javea who will discuss expatriate business life. Ramirez is a psychologist and life coach and Santacreu is a businesswoman and investor.

The event takes place from 7pm in Manuelita restaurant in Javea, with free entry.

THE road over the Carrasque ta mountain in Jijona was re sponsible for another death on Sunday October 16.

The winding CV­800 is beloved of bikers, some of whom stage improvised and illegal races there. Others ride alone, but in both cases the mountain continues to claim victims, with four mo torcyclists dead so far this year.

The latest was a 62­yearold man whose motorcycle for reasons not yet clarified left the road and hit a para pet before running into the crash barrier on the other

side of the road. The accident occurred at a point just be low the Carrasqueta’s peak, travelling towards Alcoy.

The Guardia Civil’s Traffic Police and emergency ambu lance with a medical team were soon on the scene but were unable to save the mo torcyclist’s life and could only confirm his death.

According to reports in the Spanish media, they are now considering installing radar on the section of the CV­800 where most accidents occur, while increasing the number of drones and helicopters keeping watch from the sky.

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BEERS & BYTES: A popular business networking event is returning with a women’s focus.

Photo credit: Ajuntament de Xabia

According to the Fire Pre vention and Rescue Service

(SPEIS) sources, the events occurred on Friday, Octo ber 14, when the man did not return home. The fami ly were in the area of the Rabasa Lagoons at around 10.00am on Saturday, Oc tober 15, where it was sus pected the missing man had gone for a walk when they bumped into SPEIS firefighter, Rafa Arnau, who was walking off duty with his furry friend ‘Nala’.

The family showed him the missing man’s photo graph informing him that he had disappeared. The

ENVIRONMENTAL excel lence in Gandia as the council announced the de velopment of a free public car park out of the city cen tre on Wednesday October 19. The council has pur chased the 1,400 square metre space in line with Eu ropean guidelines to re duce urban pollution and the associated health risks.

firefighter identified him self as a member of SPEIS and immediately launched a search operation for miss ing persons with his dog.

The firefighter traced several routes as he knows the area well, and after two hours of searching with his dog, which is trained to perform rescues of lost per sons, he managed to locate the man in good physical health, but showing signs of dehydration and very disoriented.

He was later taken home to his family.

Bowled away

Betty Henderson

THERE was a magical at mosphere at the start of a regional bowls tournament in El Campello on October 20. The county champi onships sees teams from El Campello, Sant Joan, Sant Vicent and Muchamiel bat tle for the top spot over three weeks.

More than 60 people from five teams got into the competitive spirit for the first of the county championship series on Thursday. The historic tour nament has been held ev

ery year without fail since 1992.

Competitors held a minute’s silence before the competition in honour of a dear El Campello player, Fernando Bellón (Nando) who recently passed away.

All of the games were hotly contested including by founding member, Juan López, from San Juan who has gallantly competed in every edition since 1992.

Matches will follow for the next three weeks be fore a presentation cere mony and meal.

Missing man found Pioneering parking

The sale cost the council €200,000 and will create 500 new parking spaces out of the city centre to limit urban pollution, while en suring the city remains well­connected. European guidelines state that cities

with more than 50,000 resi dents must have low­emis sion zones in city centres to protect residents’ health and the environment.

Local councillor for the Economy, Salvador Gregori, explained that the pur

chase is a step in the right direction, “This will ease parking issues for workers and shoppers who can now park their cars for free and complies with European environmental regula tions.”

A HEROIC dog and his fire fighter owner come to the rescue of an elderly man who had been missing for 24 hours.

Spain’s 2023 budget and tax plans

The Spanish state and autonomous community regional governments have been busy planning their bud gets for 2023. There have been vari ous statements over recent weeks, so here we summarise the key tax ele ments.

While Andalucía hit the headlines first with the announcement that it was effectively abolishing wealth tax in the region, this was quickly fol lowed by the national government outlining its plans to introduce a new state ‘solidarity tax on large fortunes’ for the next two years.

With inflation continuing to im pact households, businesses and the economy, the Spanish government is looking to redistribute wealth by in creasing taxes on the very wealthy and reducing taxation for those on low in comes.

Solidarity tax on large fortunes

The biggest announcement so far is the proposed introduction of the new impuesto de solidaridad a las grandes

By Brett Hanson, Senior Partner, Blevins Franks

fortunas. The bill has not been pub lished yet and details of how it will work are limited, but the key points we know so far are:

• It is proposed as a temporary measure for the 2023 and 2024 tax years.

• It will be imposed on those with a net wealth over €3 million.

• Progressive tax rates will range from 1.7% to 3.5%.

• Taxpayers will not pay both wealth taxes in full – the amount paid in the regular wealth tax will be de ducted from the solidarity tax liability.

• This tax is being imposed at state level

This all still needs to be debated and passed by parliament, so it is pos sible these proposals may change or it does not get approved.

Savings tax to be increased

Another key proposal to improve tax revenue next year is to increase the rate applied to high levels of savings income. This covers interest, divi dends, capital gains made on the sale or transfer of assets, income derived from life assurance contracts and pur chased annuity income.

If approved, the progressive rates applied to savings income above €200,000 will increase from 26% to 27%, and income over €300,000 will be taxed at 28%.

This measure is included in the

General State Budget Act for 2023 which will be debated, amended and approved by Parliament.

Tax cuts at state level

The Budget Act also includes re ductions in personal income tax rates for low earners for 2023 and 2024.

If approved, the reduced rate of in come tax will apply to individuals earning under €21,000 a year, an in crease from the current €18,000. Those earning less than €15,000 will be exempt from income tax (currently €14,000).

Corporate income tax will reduce from 25% to 23% for businesses with net annual turnover under €1 million.

Comunidad Valenciana and Murcia

On 27 September the Valenciana regional president announced a series of reforms to reduce income tax for those earning under €60,000 a year. This will be applied retroactively for 2022 income (as declared in your

2023 tax return). The local tax-ex empt minimums and deductions will also be increased.

These proposals still need to be confirmed.

The regional income tax rate in Murcia will be reduced by 4.1%.

These annual budgets are a good prompt to review your tax planning each year. Consider what rules have changed, bearing in mind that you may not be aware of all of them, and check whether you are making the most of all the available allowances and tax-efficient opportunities. For the best results, and to make sure you have not missed anything, take spe cialist, personalised advice.

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

Warm welcome

Betty Henderson REMARKABLE results for Ukrainian refugees taking part in an immersive edu cation programme in El Campello. Authorities an nounced that all partici pants passed a Spanish lan guage course with flying colours on October 19.

Refugees fleeing the con flict in Ukraine received a warm welcome in El Campello with a compre hensive introductory course to life in Spain.

The Department of Social Welfare have tailor­made a course for the Ukrainian refugees to assist them in settling into a new life. The course covers Spanish lan guage, employment and social guidance, and per sonal assistance.

The programme was de signed to help refugees with everyday situations such as introductions, shopping, housing, cloth ing, transport, health, leisure and employment.

Other aspects provided emotional support and counselling for trauma to ease their assimilation to Spanish culture.

The excellent results of the programme are testa ment to the refugees’ adaptability, resilience and willingness to learn.

Anyone for tennis?

GRAB your racket and tennis ball, the remod elling work on the El Vincle tennis court in El Campello has now been completed.

With a budget of around €60,000, the Sports Council, led by Cristian Palomares, an nounced on Wednes day, October 19, that the works involved the complete replacement of the clay courts with a synthetic resin tennis court that complies with the conditions of the NIDE 2005 stan dards and is approved to host national compe titions.

The strip of vegeta tion surrounding the court has been re moved, as well as the simple torsion mesh that was in poor condi tion and limited the in terior area, thereby al lowing the playing surface to be enlarged. The slopes have been modified and a drainage channel has been added.

The work has been completed with the in stallation of a reinforced nylon net, support posts and regulatory ac cessories, in accordance with regulations, com pletely anchored to the ground with aluminium tube posts.

A four­metre high fence made of metal mesh has also been added, with steel tube posts to match the fenc ing of the adjoining ten nis courts.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de El Campello

PASSED: Ukrainian refugees excel in Spanish language after completing an immersive cultural programme.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO vis ited Barcelona last week in a visit that largely went un noticed as per the actor’s re quest.

According to a national news site, on Monday, Oc tober 24 the actor had visit ed a number of venues in the city along with friends and stayed on a luxury

Star magic

yacht rather than in the city.

The actor’s security team ensured that no pho tographs or news of the ac tor’s visit were published prior to his departure. He apparently asked that peo

Inflation ‘cushion’

RELIEF has been shown at a suggested financial ‘cushion’ of €20 million to counteract the effects of spiralling infla tion in the Spanish govern ment’s new budget. The Spanish government sent their 2023 budget to the Eu ropean Commission on Oc tober 15 and are now await ing its approval.

The left­wing govern ment has introduced an in crease in various taxes to fund special measures to see the country through the cost of living crisis, and aims to raise an extra €10 million in tax in 2023 to fund measures including

the inflation ‘cushion’.

Part of the inflation ‘cush ion’ could be used to fund social services including pensions and minimum wage, but the majority of the funds will be used to fund subsidies including for energy bills, fuel costs and direct aid to the agricultural sector.

The government has not yet revealed its complete plans for the financial cush ion and critics have ex pressed concern that funds raised through borrowing and increased tax will not be sufficient to fund the proposed measures.

ple respect his privacy and allow him to enjoy the city without interruptions or be ing mobbed.

DiCaprio attended a small 30­minute magic show that was performed at El Rei de

la Màgia store. It is under stood that DiCaprio also vis ited the Basilica of the Sagrada Família, and Gatsby restaurant and nightclub.

News of the visit only came to light after images started to appear online, the main one being pub lished on the magic store’s Twitter feed.

More strike action

SPANISH airline Vueling is facing three months of crippling strike action fol lowing the call by their main union Stavla for stop pages.

The strike announced on Saturday, October 22 will see cabin crew members walk out every Friday, Sun day and Monday between November 1 and January 31.

The crew will also stop work on November 1, 6, 8, 24 and December 31 of this year and January 5, 2023, all key holiday dates in Spain.

A spokesperson for Stavla told a national news

outlet that the strike is a result of “the absence of significant progress in the negotiation of the collec tive agreement and the lack of any real intention demonstrated by Vueling to resolve wage demands of cabin crew.”

They added that the union has called for a pay rise of 13.4 per cent and are prepared to continue with the strikes indefinitely if there is no resolution.

Vueling’s owners IAG have accused the union of being impractical and claim to have already provided staff with a 6.5 per cent pay rise.

BARCELONA: DiCaprio visited various venues in the city.

Image @PereRafart

Disaster alert test

THE Spanish government is to test its disaster alert sys tem by sending messages to mobile phones over the next three weeks.

The Civil Protection service said from October 24 to November 16, that it would start the ES­Alert system tests in different regions on different days.

They have assured residents they should not be alarmed by the test nor should they think that it is a scam, but they should take note of how the test will work.

Phones that receive the alert will hear their device whistle and vibrate until the user confirms receipt of the message. The alert will contain a written message which once acknowledged, the alarm and vibration will stop.

Apart from acknowledging receipt, you don’t have to do anything else.

The government initially considered using text mes sages, however, they settled on a cell broadcast which has better, faster and wider coverage.

The only downside of the system, is that it only con nects to smartphones.

Betty Henderson

A GROUNDBREAKING rewilding project in areas of eastern Spain is bringing back ancient and near­extinct species. The revival project is introducing animals including semi­wild horses, the Iberian lynx, black vultures and ‘tauro’ cattle to rural areas in the Iberian Chain.

Rewilding Europe is carrying out its first project in Spain, in the Iberian Highlands Rewilding Landscape project, which aims to increase biodiversity and nature tourism op portunities.

Project leader, Pablo Scapira explained “Spanish cities have a lot of people who are looking for special places to see nature, so the tourist potential of this area is huge.”

The area in the Iberian Highlands is located around two hours from Madrid and two and a half hours from Valen cia.

The space was selected due to its low population density, where there are just two residents for every square kilome

REWILDING: The Iberian lynx was the world’s most endangered cat 20 years ago.

tre, as well as the natural landscape, featuring expansive valleys and canyons with pine and oak forests.

Scientists are releasing the species in small groups and will track them to monitor breeding developments and movements.

End of endangerment Square transformation

Chris King

THE British Netflix series ‘The Crown’ turned Plaza de Francesc Macià in Barcelona into a film set for scenes of the sixth season on Saturday, October 22. Filming had originally been inter rupted in September due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Specifically, scenes were being shot in which a replica of the car in which Lady Di died in Paris in 1997 ap peared. It was recreating a paparazzi chase of the princess, played by the actress Elizabeth Debicki.

There were more than 20 cars, four motorcycles, and a bus from the era, as well as other props that trans formed the street into a boulevard in Paris, along with extras dressed as

French police officers. The filming caused traffic cuts in a part of Plaza de Francesc Macià, in the uphill lane of Avenida Pau Casals, and

in some sections of the adjoining streets.

Filming continued on Sunday Octo ber 23, until late in the evening.

BARCELONA: Filming took place for the Netflix series, The Crown.

ON October 16th, the Decree 98/2022 came into force in the Valencian Community, regulat ing the Registry of Real Estate Agents. What does this Register consist of? Why has it caused such an earthquake in the prop erty market in the region of Va lencia? In today’s article we analyse the most important as pects of this new regulation. Obligatory nature. Professionals

New

affected. Requirements. Dead line. Timeframe. Etc.

Where does the controversy arise from? Legal background in Spain. Market liberalisation and new obligations

In Spain, since 2000 (by

means of Royal Decree Law 4/2000) it is not necessary to comply with any special require ments for the exercise of real es tate brokerage. No academic qualifications, no specific physi cal address, and no civil liability insurance, etc. It was enough to be registered as a self­employed person (freelance) to exercise the activity. The Decree ap proved by the Generalitat Va lenciana changes this situation abruptly. Following in the foot steps of other communities such as Cataluña, Madrid and Navarra, the Valencian Commu nity has created a Registry of Re al Estate Agents. In this case, of a compulsory nature. What will happen from now on? To be able to continue exercising their activity, agents are obliged to fulfil a series of requirements and to be duly inscribed in this Register. This regulation places a very high percentage of the peo ple currently working in real es tate at a crossroad. To comply with the new requirements es

Valencian Community.

The requirements can be clas sified in three groups:

tablished by the law or to stop working in the sector.

Does this rule apply to all pro fessionals? Any exceptions?

A real estate agent is defined as any person, natural or legal, who is dedicated, on a regular and remunerated basis, to pro vide consultancy and manage ment services in real estate op erations, buying and selling, renting, etc. Who is outside the scope of the regulation? Proper ty administrators. Estate agents who operate in the Valencian Community but have an estab lishment open to the public in another territory (with excep tions). Persons who carry out these services on a non­habitual basis and do not charge, etc. Requirements for registration in the Register of Real Estate Brokers

1. Location and service. Agents must have an establish ment open to the public. Those who provide services exclusively electronically must also have a physical address in the Valen cian Community.

2. Professional qualifications. It is essential to be in possession of one of the following qualifica tions:

Official Title of Real Estate Property Agent.

University degree in the branch of Social and Legal Sci ences, Engineering or Architec ture.

Certificate of attendance and successful completion of training courses of at least 200 hours (face­to­face or online).

3. Solvency. It will be compul sory to have:

A bank guarantee, or surety insurance, for an amount be tween €60,000 and €300,000. The amount will vary depend ing on the number of establish

ments open to the public, whether the activity is face­toface or exclusively online, etc.

A civil liability insurance, or similar financial guarantee, be tween €600,000 and €1,000,000, per claim and year, depending on how the service is provided.

Deadline for compliance with the requirements and registra tion in the Register How long do estate agents have to prove compliance with these require ments and proceed with regis tration? In the case of individu als, the deadline is one year. (that is, October 16th of 2023). For schools, professional or busi ness associations, the deadline is reduced to six months.

If you need information about the new registry of real estate agents in the Valencian Community, do not hesitate to contact us.

The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice, it simply conveys in formation regarding legal issues.

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

White & Baos 2022 - All Rights Reserved.

Restrictions scrapped

THE Spanish Ministry of the Interior announced on Thurs day, October 20, that from 00.01am on Friday October 21, all remaining Covid re strictions for travellers from non­European Union/Schen gen Area countries entering the country are now scrapped, as reported by SchengenVisaInfo.com.

A spokesperson for the Spanish Ministry of Health said that such a decision had been made after taking into consideration the Covid­19 situation in the country and further in the world, as well

as the vaccination rates.

“Taking into account the evolution of the pandemic at a global level and the epi demiological situation, it is advisable to leave without effect the sanitary control measures for people from countries not belonging to

THE government of Catalonia on Thursday, October 20, fined budget airline Ryanair €40,000 for making it difficult for users to re imburse flights that were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sources from the agency confirmed that fol lowing a complaint by the Federation of Ur ban Areas of the Canary Islands (Facua), the fine was imposed by the Agencia Catalana del Consum (ACC). The autonomous body ex plained that the sanction responds to ‘unfair’ commercial practices by action or omission practised by the airline that caused, or may

the European Union or with the consideration of coun tries Schengen partners,” the Ministry stressed.

With the UK half­term holidays this week, it means that holidaymakers were free to come and go at liber ty without the need to be vaccinated, prove their vac cine status, or present a Covid test.

Most of Europe had al ready done away with entry requirements, leaving Spain as one of the few destina tions still asking for entry re quirements post­pandemic.

Airfare fines

have caused, economic issues for users that they would not otherwise have had.

Facua denounced Ryanair in March 2020 for ‘excessively stretching’ the maximum term for the refund of the amounts. This came after the airline informed them that it could take up to 28 days after the refund request, despite the fact that European regulations (Article 8 of European Regulation 261/2004) require it to be done within seven days.

Pipeline plans

PEDRO SANCHEZ, the Spanish President, announced on, Thursday, October 20, that an agreement had been reached between Spain, Portugal, and France to construct a pipeline between the Iberian peninsula and the rest of Europe.

This decision sees a huge U­turn by French President Emmanuel Macron, who had until recently refused to admit the need for such a pipeline to be built.

The new project has been dubbed a ‘Green Energy Corridor’ by President Sanchez. Speaking on his arrival at an EU en

ergy crisis summit on Thursday October 20, Mr Sanchez explained: “We have agreed to a new project to be called the Green Energy Corridor to link the Iberian peninsula to France and therefore to the European ener gy market between Barcelona and Mar seille.”

These facilities are an asset that will now help the rest of Europe boost imports once the link is completed. France already has a large network of gas connections through out Europe but Spain currently only has two low­capacity connections to that network.

Record temperatures

AN autumn heatwave has brought record temperatures in parts of Spain with average temperatures running at 2.9ºC higher than usual

A meteorologist said on Tuesday, October 17 that the day was the hottest on record with temperatures set to reach near highs in the south, centre and north of the country.

The highest temperatures previously recorded on this day were in the Andalucian capital Sevilla in 2017 when the thermometer hit 35.7ºC.

The weather site says that tropical nights have continued into October with tempera tures remaining above 20ºC in many parts of the country since May. Both the high tem peratures in the day and the night are said to continue, although storms are set to ar rive.

Experts say that global warming remains a threat as an autumn heatwave in Spain brings record temperatures.

AGE IN SPAIN: Moving across Spain

IT’S one thing to move to Spain, find your dream home, and stay put. Learning all the ins and outs of an area is exciting and frustrating at the same time. Eventually, it becomes like muscle memory, and you barely have to think about it.

But what if the first place you land in Spain is n’t your forever home? If you thought moving to Spain proved interesting, moving to another Span ish region will throw you for a loop. Because now you have experience and expectations.

Moving to Galicia from Valencia meant we need ed to relearn all those things we took for grant

ed. Changing the address on our driving licences was almost more chal lenging than getting the permit in the first place. And locating peanut but ter in an unfamiliar gro cery store chain? Good luck. But the most diffi cult is completing our visa renewals in an area where we struggled to find the correct office to begin the process.

After determining how to submit the paper work, we celebrated our visa approvals. But our revelry would be shortlived. We needed the fin gerprint appointment with the National Police and to determine what we should bring to the meeting to obtain our new NIE cards. Each re gion is different.

I turned to Google, found the office, and made the cita previa on line. Even criminals leave Google reviews for the police in Spain. And I was pleasantly surprised to see they gave the place 4.3 stars. I eat at places and stay in hotels with fewer stars. Welcome news since the province where we lived previous ly had an Oficina de Ex tranjeria with a wellearned rating of 1.9 stars. Personally, I would have gone lower.

At last, the day arrived, and our NIE appointment in Galicia lived up to the Google hype. Who knew bureaucrats could laugh? Surely, the quickest and friendliest appointment in Spanish bureaucratic history.

Age in Spain. www.ageinspain.org Email: info@ageinspain.org - Tel: +34 932 209 741

Stability and unity

RISHI SUNAK has given an incredibly awkward first press statement as he vows to deliver for Brits by working “day in, day out.”

The statement on Mon day, October 24 comes af ter he was declared prime minister with his only ri val Boris Johnson with drawing from the race.

Warning that the coun try faced a “profound economic challenge” in a brief lasting less than 90 seconds, he said the country needed “stability and unity” to build a “bet ter, more prosperous fu ture for our children and our grandchildren.”

Thanking outgoing prime minster, Liz Truss, who he said had led with “grace and dignity” dur ing her brief stint in of fice, he added that a gen eral election was not on the cards.

He went on to tell Tory MPs to “unite or die’ with many pundits and MPs

Sunak delivered his first press statement.

within the party saying it was doomed unless they could unite around one candidate. Rishi Sunak has a mountain to climb and voters can only hope his performance is better than his incredibly awk ward first press state ment.

Piece of cake

IN a blatant act of vandalism, two Just Stop Oil activists on Monday, October 24, entered Madame Tussaud’s in London and threw chocolate cake over the waxwork of King Charles III.

Video footage posted on their Twitter profile showed two people approaching the waxwork display before removing their tops to expose white t­shirts. They then proceeded to smear the cake all over the King, with some also landing on the Princess of Wales. The wax models of the Royals are be lieved to have cost in the region of £200,000 to make.

The perpetrators were named by Just Stop Oil as Glaswe gian, Eilidh McFadden, and painter and decorator, Tom John son, from Sunderland. “The science is clear. The demand is simple: just stop new oil and gas. It’s a piece of cake,” they said.

Met Police officers were quickly on the scene to arrest them for criminal damage and take both activists into cus tody.

POLICE have intervened to stop news channels from recording protests in parliament by Green peace activists.

The protest on Monday, Octo ber 24 was held to raise aware ness of the plight of people in fu el poverty whilst MPs quibbled over policies and leadership. Many are concerned that the government has been distracted

Greenpeace protest

by its own problems leaving many struggling to pay their bills.

Greenpeace along with many others want the government to change tack and to give more support to those in need of it.

The protests were timed to co

incide with the appointment of a new party leader and prime min ister. In a rather odd incident, a policeman tried unsuccessfully and illegally to stop a news team from broadcasting at the event, providing some light entertain

ment for those worried about re cent events and the future direc tion of the government.

The protests were replicated elsewhere with those opposed to fossil fuels and other govern ment policies continuing.

Activists were protesting.

A royal tour

KING CHARLES is said to be planning the biggest­ever world tour undertaken by the royal family following com ments from a number of coun tries that question the role of the monarchy in their future.

According to an exclusive re port by a national news outlet on Saturday October 22, sources at the palace said the monarch is proposing two years of trips to “extend a hand of friendship and support.”

It is understood that King Charles will focus initial efforts on those countries where the future of the monarch is at most risk, including Australia,

New Zealand and countries in the Caribbean.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be included in the plans, as are a number of solo trips for the king. Un dertaking solo trips will allow the Queen Consort to under

take more engagements for those projects that she is per sonally involved in.

King Charles is said to be keen to help the country re build ties across the world in cluding with its neighbours fol lowing Brexit.

Stripping off

‘CAR CANNIBALISM’ is the latest crime wave to hit England’s streets according to a report by a national broadcaster on October 20. Cars are being broken into and then stripped of body and en gine parts, with Yorkshire and the Midlands said to be worst hit.

Most commonly broken into and stripped are Vauxhall Corsas and Toyota Yaris’ according to information obtained by the broad caster.

Although a dedicated police unit has been set up there have been no arrests or charges so far.

According to a spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs Council: “The force is aware of the incidents in the West Midlands and Scotland, but it isn’t something we’re seeing as a significant emerging trend on a national level at this stage, but we are moni toring the situation closely.”

The police have asked for anyone with any information about car cannibalism to come forward. In particular, they are keen for anyone offered car parts to contact them.

King Charles with Camilla.

JUST 44 days in the job gets you to hand out honours and a £115,000 stipend on leaving, ac cording to No10 Down ing Street, who said that is the convention.

The news came on Fri day, October 21 hours after calls were made on the outgoing prime min ister to forego the annu

Short term perks

al stipend of £115,000 that they are entitled to, despite being in the job for less than two months.

Accused of collapsing

the economy and push ing the average house hold’s expenses up, Liz Truss can sit back and live in luxury on the stipend should she

Care crisis

THE Local Government Association (LGA) in the UK has called on the gov ernment to invest in so cial services saying that urgent action is needed to deal with the recruit ment and retention crises facing the indus try.

A statement by Chair man of the LGA, David Fothergill, in response to the Quality Care Com mission report issued on Friday October 21 said: “The current crisis within social care reaches far and wide.

“Social care needs £13 billion of additional funding to address the long and short­term challenges the sector is facing.”

He added: “As this im portant report states there is gridlock in the health and social care system, meaning people are left waiting or are

getting stuck in the sys tem. All of this will im pact on the ability of peo ple of all ages to stay well, to work and to live the life they want to lead.

“There needs to be an immediate investment to end this.” Govern ment departments have been asked to make sav ings.

Vaccine campaign

A NEW country­wide marketing campaign urging millions of eligible people to get their flu and Covid­19 booster vac cines to top up their immunity will launch on Monday, Oc tober 24, as almost 10 million people in England have al ready received their boosters.

Adverts will air across television, radio, social and digital media, stressing the importance of people getting both vaccines to increase their protection this winter, according to the UK government.

Targeted communications for individuals with long­term health conditions, pregnant women and ethnic minority communities, with a particular focus on those with low vaccine confidence, will also appear.

The latest Covid­19 data has shown continued high rates of cases and hospitalisations in recent weeks.

Cases of flu have climbed quickly in the past week, indi cating that the season has started earlier than usual. This is leading to increased pressure on emergency departments, with hospitalisations and ICU admissions rising the fastest in children under five.

choose to. That has an gered opposition politi cians who have called on her to do the right thing and refuse the money, however, she may not be

able to do so given that it is government policy.

What is also angering the opposition, accord ing to a national news outlet, is that Truss

could now look after those who supported her by awarding them with honours, the convention when a prime minister leaves office.

Such is her short time of stay in the office, her predecessor Boris John son has yet to provide No10 with his honours list.

‘Spooktacular’ activities

Betty Henderson

AN interactive Halloween programme in Villa joyosa will entertain the whole family with a series of themed activities for different age groups next week.

A ‘zombie survival’ event organised by Azarkia on Saturday October 29 has got the fear factor as locals try to survive a terrifying trail around the town during the evening. The event isn’t for the faint of heart, with a horror film and camp out planned for the ‘survivors’.

Spooky fun is also on the cards for the little ones too, with a special Halloween party on Oc tober 31. The party will get underway with stalls, live music, bouncy castles, and work shops including balloon shape making in Bar bera dels Aragonés park.

The little ones will have a blast with the excit ing themed activities kicking off from 5pm.

GRAB a bite to eat whilst en joying a concert and a stroll around a vintage market.

The food trucks return to El Campello from October 28 to November 1, with five days full of concerts, chil dren’s shows and activities and a vintage market.

The Street Market returns to El Campello for the sec ond time with a new propos al to celebrate Halloween,

Two events will cater to all tastes this Halloween in Vila Joiosa

Villajoyosa mayor, Andreu Verdú, encour aged locals to get involved in the programme which promises to be a night of spooky fun with friends and family.

Tickets for the zombie survival event require a €2 deposit which can be made online at: https://www.azarkiae ventos.com/survival­zombie­azarkia

Food trucks

from Friday, October 28 until Tuesday, November 1.

A total of eight vintage food trucks will be set up, serving a variety of food from around the world in cluding Tex­Mex, hot dogs, burgers and crepes. In addi tion, this year’s event will

feature a party on Monday, October 31 from 5.30pm, with workshops, parades, terrifying games and a per formance by Eloise the Witch. To accompany the gastronomy, there will be drink bars with beer, soft drinks and mojitos.

Photo credit: Ajuntament de Vila Joiosa

Halloween Horrors

AN exhilarating escape room activity is arriving to El Campello, just in time for Halloween. ‘The Purge: Night of the Beasts’ escape room is part of an interactive Halloween programme on offer in El Campello on October 31. A ‘zombie survival’ themed trail will al so take place on October 29.

The ‘Love Zombie’ survival trail will open for registration at 7pm on Satur day October 29, before the trail gets underway from 11pm. Participants will fight to survive a ‘zombie apoca lypse’ on a scavenger hunt until they

are evacuated at 4am!

The escape room on October 31 will see teams of eight to 10 people crack complicated codes against the clock to break out of the room!

The councillor for Youth encouraged locals to get stuck in to the action and celebrate Halloween with the special ly designed programme.

Participants must be aged 14 and above or accompanied by an adult at all times.

The events will be popular, so par ticipants must register online.

A classical night

AN evening of orchestra will form part of cele brations for the 10th International Organ Fes tival which is currently underway in Benidorm. Acclaimed musicians Miriam Cepe da and Luis Alberto Requejo will take to the stage to perform a bill of nine songs on Friday October 28.

Guests will be taken on a melodical histori cal ride from 1653 with the ‘Sonata en Fa Ma jor no. 10, Op. 5’ by Archangelo Corelli up to 1937 with George Gershwin’s ‘Summertime’. The whirlwind tour will also feature pieces

by music’s most well­known creative genius Johann Sebastian Bach, and Sergei Rachmani noff, Russian virtuoso pianist.

The concert will be given by pianist Miriam Cepeda with clarinetist, Luis Alberto Requejo who have performed as a duo since 2006.

Requejo is a decorated clarinetist both in awards and educational honours. He is cur rently a resident performer at the Bilbao Sym phony Orchestra.

The concert will be held from 8pm at the Iglesia de San Jaime y Santa Ana.

Swing along

DO you love those good old tunes sung by Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Michael Bublé? La Fustera Church are de lighted to invite you to a concert by the wellknown local performer Roger B who will sing a selection of classic swooner songs.

The ticket price of €15 includes the per formance and a light buffet supper and will be held on Wednes day November 9 at La Fustera Church starting at 6pm.

The church is located at the Ermita de San Josep on the Avenida de La Fustera ­ the CV745

WHO better to direct the famous play ‘The Mousetrap’ than the Javea Players’ profes sional actress Claire Schoonover­Brown.

This mystery involves seven unusual peo ple trapped by a snow storm in a remote guesthouse ­ the detective has to reach it on skis. They all have hidden secrets in their closets, but which one is actually the mur derer?

road leading from Benis sa to the coast road be tween Moraira and Calpe. There is plenty of car park ing available.

Before Covid, the church had a break­in and the church silver was stolen. Roger kindly offered to per form this concert at no cost in order to raise funds to re place the silver. Due to cir cumstances, it has taken a long time to arrange, but we are most grateful to Roger for this very kind gesture.

To book tickets, please con tact Helen by email on hbchap man135@gmail.com. We do expect this to be a sell­out so don’t leave it too late.

Solve it!

Performances on November 22­26, 29­30 and December 1 at 7.30pm in the Jávea Play ers’ Studio Theatre, tickets cost €12.00.

For further information and to book tick ets: www.javeaplayers.com

THE Ruta de Tapas guiaME Denia cele brates its 20th anniver sary from Friday, Octo ber 21 until Sunday, November 13 2022. Thirty­eight bars and restaurants in the city will offer the tapa they have prepared for the route plus a glass of beer, a glass of wine or vermouth at the price of €4.

As in previous Ruta de Tapas, prizes will be awarded both to the participating establish ments and to those on

Tapas fun

the route who have tasted at least 15 tapas and have the stamp to prove it.

The participating bars are A Fer La Mar, Bavaria Brau, Bonan otte, Casa Benjamin, Casa Corina, D'Excaro, Doa, El Canto, El Con vent, El Greco Bistrot, El Jamonal de Ramon et, El Mosset, El Redoli, Entrearomas, Havan nam Il Mediterraneo,

TEULADA Moraira Lions are thrilled to an nounce that the much loved Hallowe’en Party will be back this year after a twoyear break due to the pandemic. It will take place in the Church Square in Moraira on Monday October 31 from 6pm. There will be games and treats for the children. Everyone is welcome and fancy dress encouraged! Entry is com pletely FREE.

This event has been hugely popular in the past and it creates a great atmosphere in and around the town. You do not nec essarily have to bring children along, the

La Cambra del Seny oret, La Cova Talla, La Cuarentena, La Sabrosa Taqueria, Les Monges de Magazions Lizarran, Melicatesen, Mediterraneo, Mistico, Movida Denia, Mr Fish er, No Ni Poc, Origen, Pantalan 02, Pointer, John GV, Tasca Eulalia, Tasca Les Monges, Tempura Bar, The Speak, Toma Jamon and Txoko Bar.

It’s back

young at heart are also welcome!

If you would like to know more about what TM Lions do, visit our website on www.tmlions.com or pop into the Lions Den Charity shop a couple of doors away from Letters R Us beneath the Pepe La Sal supermarket on the Centro Comercial. Volunteering can be a great way to get out and meet people ­ we try to have fun in all we do! Why not give it a try?

Blame game

GREEK and Turkish authorities traded blows on Twitter over the most recent immigration incident in which 92 asylum seekers were found stripped naked on the Greek side of the River Evros. Both nations blamed each other for the shocking incident.

Greek police accused Turk ish border officials of stripping the men naked and sending them across the border in plastic dinghies. If true, it would be a violation of an in ternational agreement that Turkey has with the EU, to hold back migrants from crossing into Europe.

Meanwhile, Turkish au thorities warned Greece to stop spreading ‘false charges’ and to ‘stop its harsh treat ment of refugees’, in a mes sage posted by a government spokesperson in Greek on Twitter.

Most of the migrants came

from Afghanistan and Syria, as well as Iran and Morocco.

The United Nations con demned the apalling incident, issuing a statement calling for an enquiry, saying “we are deeply distressed… by such cruel and degrading treat ment.”

Sea soundscape

AN unconventional expedition made up of a group of scientists and an artist headed off to the Arctic circle to plant microphones that will record the sound of melting icebergs on Wednesday October 19. The ‘soundscape’ created will preserve an archive of ‘ocean memory’ in the Davis Strait over the next two years.

Irish artist, Siobhán McDonald is accompa nying scientists as they deploy the micro phones. McDonald plans to use audio files recorded to create a sound installation,

sculptures and paintings to preserve the unique sounds of nature.

The microphones have been released to different depths to create a comprehensive picture of the soundscape in the region. They will record sounds including earthquakes, wildlife, pollution, and landslides and will be used by scientists investigating the Arctic en vironment and climate change.

The international group of scientists are mainly from Europe with some researchers from the USA and Canada.

Sweet letters and vodka

ITALY’S soon­to­be prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, slammed former prime minister and coalition ally, Silvio Berlusconi, over a connection with Vladimir Putin.

Meloni made a statement on Thursday October 20 reiterating Italy’s unity with the Euro pean and Atlantic alliances, saying that whoever disagrees “cannot be part of the govern ment, at the cost of not having a government.”

Meloni gave Berlusconi the stark warning after news broke that he had ‘re­established’ connections with Russia and received a birthday gift of 20 bottles of vodka from Putin for the favour. The delivery was also accompanied by a ‘very sweet letter’. Berlusconi allegedly re turned the gesture with a case of Italian Lambrusco wine.

Leader of the Forza Italia party and three­time prime minister, Berlusconi, previously had a close relationship with Putin. Forza Italia have denied that Berlusconi made the remarks, but an audio

by a

appeared to show otherwise.

Photo

Petra Kahanek

THE new Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom dropped the country’s socalled ‘feminist foreign policy’ on Tuesday Octo ber 18, after saying that its label was distracting at tention away from the policy’s content.

The policy was intro duced in 2014 by the pre vious left­wing and selfchristened ‘feminist government’ and con tained the three Rs, ‘rights, representations, and resources’. It con tained sexual and repro ductive rights, rights to participation in civil soci ety and economic emanci pation.

Previously comments by the feminist Foreign Min ister, Margot Wallstrom, landed the country in hot water as Saudi Arabia re called its ambassador to Stockholm.

Ditching the policy, new Foreign Minister, ex plained “Gender equality

is a core value for Sweden and this government, but we will not conduct a fem inist foreign policy be cause labels on things have a tendency to cover up the content.” He insist

ed “We will always stand for gender equality.”

The announcement came as part of the new cabinet appointment after elections held one month ago.

Appearances matter Finding solutions

AMSTERDAM received 40 mayors from world cities for an innovation summit to work with experts on solutions to big­city problems.

The global city summit Bloomberg CityLab which fin ished on Wednesday, October 12, concentrated on ur ban problems and smart innovations. The focus was on areas such as climate change, digitalisation, tourism, a sustainable economy, refugee reception, pandemic re covery and bicycle traffic.

Besides panel discussions, interviews, interactive ses sions and cultural performances, participants also went on excursions to unique destinations in Amsterdam to see for themselves what Amsterdam has to offer in terms of solutions to major urban issues.

During the event, Amsterdam was pleased to an nounce it will have the world’s first fleet of self­pro pelled boats. They confirmed it will help reduce pressure on quaysides and bridges by transporting goods, waste and people. The first large self­propelled boat is current ly being tested.

THE most innovative country in the EU is Sweden, according to a new annual report re leased on October 19. The results came out on the European Union’s Innovation Scoreboard which completes a com parative analysis into various indicators in EU member states.

Top country innovators

Sweden topped the list with an innovation performance rating of 135.7 per cent, top ar eas of performance were noted as ICT spe

cialist quality, foreign doctorate students, contributions to inter national scientific copublications, public and private co-publications

and lifelong learning opportunities.

Sweden was closely followed by Finland, Denmark is in third place with only one

non-EU European coun try, Switzerland, being identified as an innova tion leader. In response to the report, the EU said it was committed

to “bridging the innova tion divide across the EU and positioning Eu rope as a leading player on the global innova tion landscape.” The World Economic Forum explained that innova tion is more important than ever, as was seen during the Covid-19 pandemic.

PRESSEUROPEAN

DENMARK

Flight tax

IT appears that the Danish people are in favour of a green air strategy as a recent survey by Epinion on behalf of DR Nyheder showed that the majority are happy to pay the new tax of 13 kroner (€1.75) with more than half prepared to pay even more.

THE NETHERLANDS

Polly gone

ALMOST as bizarre as the Monty Python dead parrot sketch, a court in Den Bosch fined a balloonist €55,000 plus costs as compensation to the owner of three rare parrots which died of fright as the balloonist fired up his burner just 50 metres above their aviary.

BELGIUM

Car sharing

IN order to try to reduce car ownership in the centre of Brussels, the city council now allows short term rentals (locally referred to as car sharing) of up to 14 days rather than the previous three and is encouraging new companies to offer their fleets.

GERMANY

Royal visit

HAVING had to postpone their state visit to Germany planned for last year due to the pandemic, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia finally arrived to a wet welcome in Berlin on Monday October 17, where they met with both the German President and Chancellor.

FRANCE

Red card

REPORTS have appeared in French media that Qatari owned football club Paris St Germaine appointed an agency to recruit expert hackers and Twitter users in order to carry out a campaign against anyone who criticised the club and targets included PSG’s own Kylian Mbappé.

NORWAY

Shaman shame

THERE is controversy in the Norwegian Royal Family as Princess Martha Louise, fourth in line to the throne, has been accused of exploiting her title to help promote the work of her American fiancé Durek Verrett, a selfproclaimed healer and shaman who sells a coronavirus ‘cure’.

FINLAND

Raking it in

IGNORING Halloween, there is another tradition in Helsinki where volunteers are invited to the pretty Kaivopuisto Park between 11am and 3pm on Sunday October 30 where they will be issued with garden rakes and bags and asked to rake up the tons of dead leaves which have fallen.

IRELAND

Safer Xmas

IN anticipation of a cold winter, the Irish government has introduced a ban on evictions should tenants fall into debt and although notice of termination may be issued now, the earliest date that tenants will be required to leave will be April of next year.

ITALY

Cemetery shock

LUCKILY there were no visitors to the Poggioreale cemetery in Naples on Monday October 17 after a huge wall collapsed (said to be caused by vibrations from subway work) and left a number of coffins literally hanging in mid-air for the second time this year.

PORTUGAL

Showtime

NO need for a dish as SkyShowtime, which arrived in Portugal on October 25 allows those who pay a flat fee of €4.99 per month to view a whole raft of different content including popular series and blockbuster films from a range of studios online.

UKRAINE

No arms

IRANIAN Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani has publicly declared that Iran takes a stance of “active neutrality” in the Ukraine war and was opposed to the continuation of the war from the beginning. In addition, he denies that Iran is sending arms to Russia.

SWEDEN

Green shock

THE new right-wing government in Sweden has decided to reduce the power of the Ministry of Environment and the green movement by scrapping it (previously its minister sat in the cabinet) and making green matters subject to control by a department within another ministry.

is the amount that Credit Suisse hopes to make through the sale of its shares in Spanish investment company Allfunds.

BUSINESS EXTRA Power surge

Pandemic funds not frozen

Wooing Madrid

WITH an eye not just on Spain but also the potentially lucrative Latin American mar ket, a group of business peo ple representing 20 compa nies from Monaco visited Madrid for two days to ex plore avenues of cooperation following a recent meeting between Prince Albert II and King Felipe VI.

Foreign workers

THE number of foreign work ers registered with the social security system in Spain con tinues to rise and by the end of September totalled 2,439,668, an increase of 19,791 on the previous month which represents slightly more than 12 per cent of the total of registered workers.

Zara seconds

FOLLOWING a trend set by a number of other clothing companies, Zara has an nounced that with effect from November 3, customers in the UK will be able to take advantage of an in­store ser vice to sell, repair or donate second­hand clothes to help the environment.

Profits down

INSURER Línea Directa’s in come from premiums charged increased by 4.1 per cent in the first nine months of 2022, to €710.7 million but net profit of €58.3 million was 32 per cent down from the previous year, caused in part by increased repair costs.

Sephora returns

IT was 17 years ago that French retailer of personal care and beauty products Sephora exited the UK, but it now intends to return to one of the top three European markets for these products, firstly online and then by opening a flagship store.

CLAIMS that the EU has frozen Span ish pandemic funds are false accord ing to EU Commission spokesperson Veerle Nuyts. For more than a week, there were claims on social media and even through some news outlets that because Spain had not complied with certain audit deadlines, the Euro pean Union had decided not to make any further payments from the Re covery Fund. It is suggested that re spected US news outlet Bloomberg had inadvertently fuelled the rumour after publishing the fact that Spain had missed a deadline last month to implement a new auditing system re

ORDINARY investors can see which banks have green roots and which are continuing to invest in environmentally un friendly operations.

There is a fine line to follow when one consid ers that regardless of long­term plans for the future, there is still a cur rent need for companies to produce petrol and diesel for vehicles and heating as well as for those who still wish to fly.

Some of us don’t really care about the affect on the environment whilst others want to take a stand and try to support green initiatives wherev er possible and a new website MotherTree has just created a ranking of

quired to unlock money from the EU’s Pandemic Recovery Fund.

Each country is required to supply evidence that they are using the mon ey received in a manner in accor dance with agreements put in place to ensure that they are complying with the laid­out procedure.

In the event that they don’t then the Commission has the power to freeze the funds until such time as the terms have been met.

According to a statement by Veerle Nuyts, Spain has so far received all of the money that it has requested al though when it asks for the third

tranche of payment, the European Commission will review the situation at the time.

Her actual words were “Spain has satisfactorily fulfilled all of the mile stones and targets linked to all pay ment requests submitted to date, and the financing linked to these has been disbursed, after approval by the Member States.”

It is currently expected that the next request will be placed before the EU sometime in the second week of November and that is when a deci sion concerning payment will be made.

Green roots

and is also the equivalent of the emissions caused if you ate a cheeseburger every day for a year.

MUCH has been said and written about Bitcoin over the years and the price has risen from the cost of a pizza to that of a decent luxu ry car and then bounced back.

Its latest problem comes from the European Commission which is considering inviting Member States to ban the mining of Bit coins (this is done using linked computers to create new Bitcoins) as there is a tremendous use of electricity to do this.

Energy consumption world wide in this mining has more than doubled in the last two years and some miners have resorted to tapping into public cables to steal electricity thanks to the energy cri sis.

Meta sale

GIANT social media group Meta (owner of Facebook) appealed a decision by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which instructed them to sell American company Giphy as it ar gued that the takeover would lim it other social media platforms’ ac cess to GIFs. Having taken an in­depth review of the situation, the CMA is sticking to its guns con cluding that by denying or limiting other social media platforms’ ac cess to Giphy GIFs it could push people to Meta­owned sites.

In addition, it could require Gi phy customers, such as TikTok, Twitter and Snapchat, to provide more data from UK users in order to access Giphy GIFs.

Britain’s banks and their green credentials.

It might seem strange to accuse a bank of being a creator of CO2, but it’s all to do with where they invest or lend the money that they look after for their customers and it turns out that according

to MotherTree, Barclays Bank creates the equiva lent of 0.29 tonnes of car bon a year for every £1,000 in a current ac count with them.

To put this into con text, flying from the UK to Rome and back seven times produces less CO2

Most of the big banks fare badly and in fairness, the free service does pre sumably receive some form of financial advan tage when it highlights green investments, which it says can offer better interest rates than the ‘big four’.

It should also be noted that MotherTree makes it clear on its website that it does not offer fi nancial advice, but sim ply points out options that exist.

IF you are irritated with all of the ads that pop up on Facebook and other social media platforms, the next step will be when you are being transported by Uber.

The ‘mini cab’ company is up grading its software to create Journey Ads which will target your mobile application prior to the arrival of your car as well as during your journey with differ ent adverts from a single compa ny. This coupled with other new advertising formats means that the company hopes to increase annual worldwide advertising revenue to $1 billion by the end of 2024.

EU FUNDING: Pedro Sánchez and Ursula von der Leyen agreed terms.

3I Group 1.085,50 1.105,50 1.084,50 101,60K

Abrdn 149,75 152,50 148,85 590,97K

Admiral Group 1.949,0 1.975,0 1.943,5 57,06K

Anglo American 2.663,0 2.717,5 2.647,5 336,09K

Antofagasta 1.103,00 1.145,50 1.096,50 47,62K

Ashtead Group 4.253,0 4.347,0 4.234,0 48,56K

Associated British Foods 1.317,5 1.348,5 1.314,5 69,19K

AstraZeneca 9.660,0 9.747,7 9.630,5 8,14K

Auto Trader Group Plc 502,60 505,40 493,10 540,54K

Aveva 3.143,0 3.154,0 3.139,0 70,51K

Aviva 408,40 417,50 407,10 717,54K

B&M European Value Retail SA301,39 308,90 300,60 369,08K

BAE Systems 802,00 813,40 799,20 808,33K

Barclays 146,88 150,50 145,44 5,38M

Barratt Developments 350,90 359,90 349,90 608,71K

Berkeley 3.340,0 3.412,0 3.330,0 42,77K

BHP Group Ltd 2.158,00 2.193,00 2.146,00 323,74K

BP 461,05 467,85 458,29 403,37K

British American Tobacco 3.330,0 3.347,5 3.314,5 234,18K

British Land Company 342,80 353,50 341,50 297,36K

BT Group 124,20 126,55 124,03 630,63K

Bunzl 2.720,0 2.741,5 2.724,0 4,30K

Burberry Group 1.830,5 1.839,5 1.805,5 103,08K

Carnival 622,4 636,6 620,6 60,24K

Centrica 67,34 68,80 66,96 1,73M

Coca Cola HBC AG 1.935,0 1.950,0 1.930,5 30,12K

Compass 1.841,00 1.853,00 1.829,50 198,62K

CRH 2.980,5 3.023,5 2.962,5 73,92K

Croda Intl 6.606,0 6.652,0 6.554,0 27,41K

DCC 4.766,0 4.822,0 4.752,0 8,57K

Diageo 3.589,0 3.624,5 3.581,0 259,45K

DS Smith 282,40 285,30 278,30 403,87K

EasyJet 320,90 332,20 319,37 163,06K

Experian 2.704,0 2.735,0 2.699,0 128,10K

Ferguson 9.226,0 9.308,0 9.166,0 38,48K

Flutter Entertainment 10.665,0 10.880,0 10.625,0 16,04K

Fresnillo 704,20 724,40 700,60 172,87K

Glencore 492,30 501,60 489,45 5,43M

GSK

1.373,70

89,09K

Intermediate Capital 999,40 1.018,50 993,40 50,83K

Intertek 3.709,0 3.744,0 3.697,0 16,06K

ITV 65,36 66,70 65,05 242,81K

J Sainsbury 185,35 189,80 184,70 434,11K

Johnson Matthey 1.917,0 1.942,0 1.903,0 104,23K

Land Securities 527,40 545,40 526,00 248,76K

Legal & General 230,00 235,60 229,50 637,83K

Lloyds Banking 42,05 43,01 41,94 26,70M

London Stock Exchange 7.370,0 7.516,0 7.318,0 58,28K

Melrose Industries 103,95 106,50 103,35 3,04M

Mondi 1.473,50 1.479,00 1.447,00 85,14K

National Grid 905,00 916,20 902,00 1,01M

NatWest Group 237,70 242,70 236,00 3,86M

Next 4.790,0 4.897,0 4.783,0 33,15K

Norilskiy Nikel ADR 9,10 9,10 9,10 0

Ocado 478,30 495,80 472,80 473,29K

Persimmon 1.241,5 1.268,0 1.227,0 338,94K

Phoenix 537,20 546,00 536,40 228,97K

Prudential 828,80 867,60 820,00 1,87M

Reckitt Benckiser 5.909,0 5.964,0 5.888,6 4,81K

Relx 2.241,00 2.255,00 2.222,00 282,40K

Rentokil 508,00 510,20 503,60 477,90K

Rightmove 470,20 472,70 464,80 259,37K

Rio Tinto PLC 4.710,0 4.765,0 4.674,0 32,52K

Rolls-Royce Holdings 73,26 75,94 73,10 3,54M

Rosneft DRC 0,20 0,20 0,20 0

Sage 712,60 720,00 710,00 103,38K

Samsung Electronics DRC 987,40 996,00 986,00 1,88K Schroders 380,0 386,9 380,0 8,17K

Scottish Mortgage 732,29 748,98 731,00 309,69K

Segro 734,40 753,20 731,40 766,44K

Severn Trent 2.348,0 2.396,0 2.329,0 136,96K

Shell 2.290,0 2.308,5 2.268,2 204,00K

Smith & Nephew 1.007,50 1.016,50 1.004,00 171,24K Smiths Group 1.509,50 1.523,00 1.501,00 66,81K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 10.480,0 10.530,0 10.370,0 5,82K SSE 1.472,50 1.489,50 1.467,50 283,66K St. James’s Place 1.001,50 1.025,00 1.000,50 51,63K

563,20 552,00 154,13K

88,90 2,89M

3M 116,81 116,94 3,34M

American Express 140,04 141,32 132,21 11,67M

Amgen 251,94 252,38 247,01 3,53M

Apple 147,27 147,85 142,65 85,64M

Boeing 141,32 141,33 136,62 5,35M

Caterpillar 190,22 190,41 179,21 3,47M

Chevron 173,19 173,84 168,85 7,96M

Cisco 42,80 42,97 41,81 23,27M

Coca-Cola 55,96 56,10 54,99 14,90M

Dow 46,87 46,92 44,95 7,43M

Goldman Sachs 325,10 325,77 309,49 3,49M

Home Depot 275,53 275,71 268,00 3,43M

Honeywell 182,81 183,31 176,52 2,96M

IBM 129,90 130,85 127,59 7,18M

Intel 26,97 27,05 25,79 52,05M

J&J 168,71 169,37 164,43 8,12M

JPMorgan 122,23 122,39 116,33 20,37M

McDonald’s 254,55 255,36 249,50 3,25M

Merck&Co 95,67 95,96 92,64 10,23M

Microsoft 242,12 243,00 234,50 25,91M

Nike 88,50 88,78 86,71 7,85M

Procter&Gamble 128,58 128,95 126,48 6,30M

Salesforce Inc 160,17 160,43 154,82 6,13M

The Travelers 176,23 176,38 171,10 1,47M

UnitedHealth 533,73 536,53 518,01 2,80M

Verizon 35,35 35,70 34,55 50,20M

Visa A 190,37 190,95 185,05 7,57M

Walgreens Boots 34,30 34,54 33,21 9,80M

Walmart 136,80 137,41 134,00 6,04M

Walt Disney 102,04 102,30 97,89 9,82M

LMF Acquisition Opportunities -27.48% 4.84K

Sientra Inc -26.40% 7.24M

SVB -23.95% 5.60M

Starry Holdings -22.72% 1.55M

Xos

-21.33% 11.68K

Windfall tax

FORMER Spanish Minister of the Economy and now Vice­President of the Euro pean Central Bank, Luis de Guindos has called in a team of experts to study the sol vency of Spanish banks and expects to issue a non­bind ing opinion on the proposed banking windfall tax.

Greenwashing

IN what is believed to be the first action against a bank for so­called green washing, the UK Advertising Standards Authority has told HSBC that it may not run advertisements claim ing it is active in reducing harmful emissions as it ‘omitted material informa tion’ about its activities.

Fishing aid

ALTHOUGH announced ear lier in the year, the granting of aid totalling €49.5 million to compensate Spanish shipowners and aquacul ture companies for the ad ditional costs they have had to face due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine will now be allocated to those eligi ble.

Baking money

INSURANCE companies in the UK will be worried about an initial Court find ing in favour of a claim by Greggs the Bakers against Zurich.

The claim revolves around business interrup tion insurance and the amount that should be paid out due to closures during the pandemic.

Zurich argued that there should be a one­off payment under the policy with a maximum of £2.5 million, but lawyers for Greggs successfully con tested this, claiming that each time there was a change in government pandemic policy that a further £2.5 million claim should be accepted.

The next step is to agree the final pay out but this could be as high as £150 million.

Wasting energy

ON Sunday October 30, Spain will waste €300 million by putting the clocks back by one hour according to calculations by the Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE).

By abandoning this move from Summer Time to Winter Time, the evenings (when people are more ac tive) would remain lighter for one hour and could ensure a reduction in energy consumption of around 5 per cent.

In theory the decision to intro duce Summer Time was to give more light to farmers at the height of their sowing and harvesting times, but there are two interest ing facts about Spain, as during the Civil War, both sides observed dif ferent time zones and even today, the Canary Islands are one hour

ahead of the rest of Spain.

Well before the current energy cri sis, the European Union had studied the time changes and in 2018, the

European Parliament voted to give each country the right to decide if it wished to continue to change time zones twice a year.

Good and bad news for Spain

With Spain championing a green energy revolution, investing billions in subsidising energy costs and cur rently rumoured to be about to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), which protects invest ments in fossil fuels and other ener gy infrastructure, a simple decision to stay in Summer Time would be another way of saving energy.

There is a move in Italy to take the same action and a petition on web site change.org which concentrates on the Spanish situation already has nearly 250,000 signatures.

There is also a health issue as ac cording to US medical research, the number of people suffering heart at tacks on the day following the start of Summer Time can jump by 25 per cent compared to other Mondays in the year.

New stores

UK supermarket Asda plans to open some 30 Asda Express stores during the next year which will create some 500 new jobs.

Until now Asda has not owned any stan dalone convenience stores, but believes that there is a market for small shops situated in convenient neighbourhood locations and each will stock around 3,000 products.

Customers will also enjoy a range of hot and cold ‘food for now’ options from Asda and partner brands as well as ‘food for later’ choices such as ready meals and a selection of £10 meal deals for two people.

Stores will also offer parcel collection and return services and shortly after the first two are opened this year, they will also offer a rapid delivery service through Uber Eats.

Royal visit

SPANISH exports and imports both reached record highs in the period January to August 2022 according to a recent statement by Xiana Méndez, Secretary of State for Commerce.

Compared to the previous year, exports increased by 25 per cent to €252 billion and Méndez said “Spanish foreign trade continues to show dy namism despite the uncertain ty in a less favourable global context, reaching historical fig ures in the value of exports and imports.”

Conversely and equally im

portantly for the economy, im ports rose by 40.5 per cent to €298.5 billion so there is a sig nificant negative balance of trade which needs to be ad dressed especially as the cost of living continues to rise.

The bulk of the statement was devoted to information concerning exports with the biggest market being the Euro pean Union (62 per cent of the total) which was up by 26.1 per cent.

It was notable that the bulk of growth was to other mem bers of the euro zone with

much lower growth to those in the European Union who still keep their own currencies al though in August the situation had started to reverse.

The main positive contribu tions to the annual variation rate of exports came from the sectors of energy products, capital goods, food, beverages, tobacco, automobiles.

The autonomous communi ties with the highest year­onyear growth in their exports were the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and the Com munity of Madrid.

KING FELIPE VI visited the European Central Bank in Frankfurt on Wednesday October 19 during his State Visit to Germany.

Accompanied by Spanish Minister for the Economy and Digital Transformation, Nadia Calviño, Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares Bueno, and the Governor of the Bank of Spain, Pablo Hernández de Cos he met President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde.

After discussions concerning the current state of the world’s economy and its impact on the eurozone, the king accompanied Christine Lagarde to the ‘Holocaust Memorial’, which is located under the offices of the European Cen tral Bank and is a basement in which Jews were held before they were to be taken by train to the extermination camps.

ADJUSTING CLOCKS: Changing time zones also affects the body.

Credit:

XIANA MÉNDEZ: Issued a statement regarding Spanish foreign trade reaching record highs.

TYPICAL Labour attitude; always attack adversaries when their prob lems run high. Rather like a boxer endeavouring to compete in the ring after his rival has sprained a wrist or twisted an ankle. They are actually fully aware that their chances of winning a general elec tion on their own are virtually nonexistent. The best result they could possibly expect is a coalition with a couple of other parties, all piling in to number 10 in an effort to gain as much power as possible.

They accuse the Conservatives of ‘in fighting’; believe me, if a coali tion occurred it would be akin to WW3! You could forget the poor old British public. Things would be crumbling around them for years. Can you imagine this whole mob of power happy, cross party individu als, screaming at each other around the number 10 ministerial table, or brawling for positions in the house as the country went to the dogs?

Give us a break. The lefties don’t actually care of course. They are in reality, at this present moment, ful

Complete chaos

ly prepared to let the country sink into chaos while they concentrate their whole resources on at least three months of electioneering. Starmer has stated that should he be elected they could fix some of the worst problems in one day!

How ridiculous to expect the long suffering British public to vote them in because they offer to repair many of the enigmas which are ac tually affecting the whole global economy, in 24 hours? Typical left wing propaganda slurry of course.

The last time they won an elec tion they took the country and its public for mugs and ultimately fin ished up on the floor. That same re sult of a left wing communistic atti tude, which is also as we speak crushing the American constitution under the Biden administration.

That is of course one of the rea sons he keeps decrying the UK. They too want a lefty government to prevail as political partners in global affairs; making it easier to adopt the attitude of Republican crook George Bush when he sided with ‘New Labour’ Blair to nick the

Iraqi oil. This resulted in thousands of our troops dying in a war that finished up precisely nowhere.

Don’t get me wrong, as stated re cently I don’t really give a toss for any of them. Having stated that I wouldn’t have minded Penny Mor daunt, already leader of the house getting in; I truly do enjoy the pre sentations of highly intelligent beautiful ladies. If I had the oppor tunity and was 30 years younger, I probably would have voted to elect her. Ah well, dream on Leapy. Sunak is in. Never fancied him of course! Ah well. Keep those mails arriving; I promise I do read every one.

Keep the faith.

Love Leapy. leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com Mon. Wed and Fri. 1pm till 4. (Noon UK time)

LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

Power is within you

DISCOVERING

WITH

VON HOHENDORFF

THE power to create your dreams in your life with your words and your faith that you are going to achieve it is in you.

We desire many things, we have goals and dreams but many times we don’t believe we are worthy and we doubt ourselves.

Asking the Universe or Prayer is like going to an International Restaurant.

You have many choices and you de cide for what you want.

You place your order and wait until it comes to you with no doubt that you will receive it.

But the restaurant is easier than the reality.

Why?

Because having faith in what we call God or the Universe is more difficult than we usually believe. Believing in Di vine Providence, believing that there is a powerful energy that can make reali ty your dreams is so distant from you.

Your limiting beliefs prevent you from having faith in this invisible en

ergy.

All universal religions and philoso phies speak about faith. Ask and you shall receive if you have faith.

Your words can build both, positive and negative realities.

My advice:

Find out in your memories where your limiting beliefs began.

Look in the mirror and speak posi tively to yourself about yourself.

I love myself and I am grateful for who I am.

Love Betina www.mindovers.com 0034­699 327 363

By Clinica Britannia

Skin cancer diagnosis

IN the diagnosis is skin can cer, there are several treat ment options available, but catching an issue early makes for the best possi ble outcome regardless of the type.

The ABCDE rule for skin cancer checking can help you to confirm that you need to see a skin special ist TO HELP PREVENT skin cancer.

A stands for asymmetri cal. One part of a cancer ous spot or mole may not match the other half. Noncancerous moles are typi cally symmetrical.

B is for border. The out line of a cancerous spot or mole may be irregular, pink, or red in colour. A typical spot or mole gener ally has well­defined bor

ABCDE: Try to catch the issue early.

ders.

C for colour. A typical mole tends to be an evenly coloured shade of brown. A cancerous spot may show various colours and shades.

D is for diameter. A mole is suspect if it is a di ameter of 6mm or more. Melanomas are often diag nosed late as are harder to detect due to being the same colour as your skin.

E lastly is for evolving. A mole that looks different from the others, changing in size, shape, colour, or texture; or is bleeding or itching.

Remember prevention is always a best option rather than cure, so make sure that you have your skin checked on a regular basis by a specialist and use sun protection all year round.

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

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

By Clinica Britannia

What is DAO deficiency, can it really be detrimental to my health?

DIAMINE OXIDASE (DAO) deficien cy is one of the most common causes of histamine intolerance. The DAO enzyme is responsible for breaking down histamine in your body. When it cannot do this then a build­up occurs, a build­up oc curs causing histamine intolerance symptoms.

There are several factors that can inhibit DAO activity and contribute to histamine intolerance, but one of the most common causes is leaky gut syn drome, the reason being that most of the DAO in the human body is pro duced in the gut, so when gut health is compromised, the amount of his tamine rises above normal levels, causing adverse effects.

Symptoms of histamine intolerance can include:

• Irregular menstrual cycle.

• Digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, stom ach pain, and diarrhoea.

• Nausea and vomiting

BAD STOMACH: Can be a symptom.

• Chronic fatigue.

• Migraines, headaches, and dizzi ness.

• Nasal congestion.

• Cardiovascular issues of hyperten sion, hypotension, arrhythmias.

• Skin issues like psoriasis, hives, itching and dry skin.

• Asthma.

• Fibromyalgia and muscle aches and pains.

• Anxiety.

the cause of this.

Sleeping soundly

EVERY woman experi ences varying effects of the menopause at some stage of her life. Menopause symptoms can be unex pected and difficult to deal with, particularly when

they affect your quality of sleep. To mark World Menopause Awareness Day on October 18, we share three top tips on how to get the best night’s sleep.

1. Create a cool, dark sleeping space

Having a comfortable sleeping space is crucial to getting as close as possible to the recommended sev en to eight hours of sleep a night. Investing in blackout curtains or shutters can help increase the quality of your sleep. Also keep your room well ventilated.

2. Try to stick to a rou tine

Try to go to bed and get up at the same time and avoid napping to maximise your sleeping potential. When suffering from in somnia, it can help to get out of bed and try a calm ing activity until tired.

3. Pay attention to your diet

Avoid eating dinner too late at night to get a com fortable night’s sleep. Caf feine, nicotine and alcohol can all disrupt your sleep, so avoid them during the evening. Spicy and acidic foods can also trigger hot flushes.

your GP if you have been suffering with any of the above symptoms for

elongated period to check if DAO deficiency

YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION

Letters should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: euroweeklynews.com Views expressed and opinions given are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements.

TAXI FIASCO

WE went to Frigiliana on October 20, by bus.

Being our first visit there we went sightseeing, had lunch and decided to re turn to our hotel by taxi.

We waited for over one hour and not one, I repeat not one taxi came.

The couple in front rang all the numbers suggested on the rank board.

And was told “he’s on his way.”

“He’s a minute away,”

What sort of service is this?

Very angry. A good day spoiled

We shall not be return ing.

Steve Wagstaffe

Fed up

Absolutely fed up and shocked by Leapy Lee’s continued enabling of the racist LL. Presumably you will justify this hate speech all in the name of free speech.

Your disclaimer does not convince.

A Fowles

Correcting confusion

Am glad you printed Alan Robinson’s letter cor recting the confusion which some people seem to have regarding the re strictions that have arisen since Britain left the EU. Previously you printed an earlier letter (30 June this year) in which it offensive ly accused Spain of ‘pig headedness’.

Clearly, this person has still not got the message! Please do not print any more of the informed let ters... it would be much more helpful to use the

Our View column to set the record straight and prevent further misunder standings.

OUR VIEW

FACT NOT FICTION

OLDER readers will probably remember TV comedy The New Statesman starring Rik Mayall as Conservative MP Alan B’Stard which ran from 1987 to 1994.

According to Wikipedia, B’Stard was a selfish, greedy, dishonest, lecherous, ultra-right-wing Conservative back bencher who intentionally mismanaged a Tory election campaign so Labour would be blamed for an economic crisis.

During the period that the comedy was first on TV and then took to the stage, almost anything and everything happened to take the rise out of the Tory Party and politi cians in general, but even the writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran would have been hard pushed to dream up what has now become reality.

In 1865, politician and reformer John Bright said “Eng land is the mother of parliaments” and certainly until re cently, Westminster was considered a beacon of democra cy around the world for centuries, but sadly no longer.

The last 10 years or so have seen so many scandals and misjudgements by the UK parliament especially with the Brexit referendum that for many of us it reinforces the fact that we are lucky to have found a new home in our adopted country of Spain.

Naturally, not everything is perfect here and there have been plenty of allegations of corruption, nepotism and simple mismanagement, but things don’t appear to be as bad as they are in the UK.

There will be a general election in Spain before the end of 2023 and there could well be some changes, but whilst many are calling for a British general election now rather than another leadership competition, it seems unlikely when so many Conservative MPs face losing their seats according to opinion polls.

Hispanophile Cabopino

What have sunflowers done to deserve this?

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

CLIMATE activists who threw tomato soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers in protest against new oil and gas projects then joined Extinction Rebellion’s protests.

Such hooliganism, such disrespect for someone who never benefited from his art. How did poor old Vincent and his sunflowers contribute to climate change? Why don’t eco­terrorists protest/glue themselves to the shiny skyscrapers where business decisions GET made?

Or go to Ukraine and help with aid efforts? If that’s too ‘boring’, then get THEM to manage the British economy without destroying the whole thing in the pro cess.

Couldn’t make more of a mess of it than the current lot. You might call it a U­turn, I couldn’t possibly comment.

But regardless of their hypocrisy, since they use many items derived from oil, there’d be mass starvation within six months if oil was removed from all our lives. We can feed the world population because of fertiliser, made from fossil fu el, enabling the planting, harvesting and processing of crops. Re move that, and no food will be cultivated with disastrous consequences.

Can these idiots prac tise what they preach and make themselves EXTINCT? Now, that’s a thought: that’s what might well happen in my next thriller...

Nora Johnson’s criti cally acclaimed psycho logical crime thrillers (www.nora­johnson.net) all available online in cluding eBooks (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, au diobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc.

Profits to Cudeca cancer charity. NoraJohnson’sopinionsareherownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

LPL Commercial embraces new generation

EXPERTS in all Worldwide Debt Recovery related issues including the recovery of out standing Community Fees in Spain, Cyprus and Portugal. The respected 45­year­old UK debt collection agency enters a new digital era under the new management of founder’s sons. Following the untimely demise of founder Alan Levene and retire ment of business partner Stephen Lewis, respected Essex­based commercial debt collection agency LPL Commercial Investiga tions is resurgent under the leadership of Alan’s sons Gavin and Richard. Trading as LPL Commercial Investigations, the new en tity is not only maintaining the legacy of transparency and integrity the brand is known for, it is also undergoing a major modernisation of the company’s processes and systems, and a greater shift online.

Personal touch + new tech “Dad and Stephen established the busi ness in 1978 and were brilliant at their jobs. Having been mentored and trained in their ethos whereby the approach of a profes

credit policy procedure, ensuring ‘the cash flow cogs continue to turn’ for our clients,” comments Gavin Levene, Director. “While the personal touch and relationships LPL is known for will remain, we have invested heavily in a new website and customer rela tionship management systems that will mean our growing customer base will have an even speedier resolution to their aged debtor requirements.”

Continuing the legacy

The brothers may be new company di rectors, but they are not new to commer cial debt collection. “Gavin has been in the industry for 30 years, and I’m still the new boy with ‘only’ seven years’ service,” laughs Richard. “But in reality, this business has al ways been part of our lives and it is an hon our to continue our father’s legacy.”

Noraistheauthorofpopularpsychological

Nora’s

Richard

Brian

products and great offers to meet customers’ real needs!

WHEN it comes to choosing an insurance policy, price will (of course) be a significant factor, but you really need to consider what you’re going to get for your money.

Are you paying for what you actually need? Will you have the backing of a reputable company that really understands your re quirements ­ and can they offer the right advice on the right product(s) for you?

The insurance market is now more competitive than ever be fore, so it’s not surprising that consumers are increasingly look ing for more competitive pack ages that can be tailored to their own circumstances. Liberty Se guros understands this, which is why it continues to innovate its range to be able to offer prod

ucts that can be personalised to suit customers’ real needs.

Furthermore, it regularly offers fantastic deals not only to new customers, but also existing cus tomers to reward their continual loyalty.

For example, from now up un

til November 24, 2022, Liberty Seguros existing clients will re ceive €60 Cashback on each new policy that they take out.

New clients can make great savings too, with €30 Cashback on their first Life, Home or Car policies and €60 Cashback on

subsequent new policies there after*.

Best of all though, their com petitive products now come with more benefits and advantages than ever before!

As an example, all your car’s extras are covered as standard,

for free, if they have been fitted by the vehicle’s manufacturer.

When it comes to Home poli cies, for example, you can get compensation for additional wa ter costs due to a broken pipe up to the value of €1,000; and up to €600 per claim/year to help with the unblocking of pipes.

With regard to Life policies, you have the option of taking out Level Term Life Insurance with no premium increase for 10 years, guaranteeing the same death benefit and the same level of payments for the full length of the term.

Liberty Seguros really does have you covered and always has your real needs in mind, so it’s not surprising that it is still the expat’s preferred insurer in Spain.

LIBERTY SEGUROS: The expat’s preferred insurer in Spain.

Camping cash injection

Autumn escapes in Almeria

SPAIN undoubtedly offers some incredible camping ex periences, but the diverse cli mate means not all camping destinations are suitable all year round. Warm yearround temperatures mean that Almeria is the perfect autumn camping escape. We investigated why.

cabins mean that even those with an aversion to camping can get cosy and enjoy them selves.

Other sites in the south of the region offer beachfront or river front stays, like in the

Cabo de Gato and Roquetas de Mar. The region stays warm enough for camping throughout the season, and even pleasant enough for campers to take a dip in the Mediterranean sea.

THE Spanish camping industry just got a huge boost as the government threw its sup port behind the ‘Spanish Camping Experi ences’ project, which will now receive Next Generation funds from the EU. It’s also great news for campers who will see even more camping opportunities and experiences with this new investment.

The funding will be directed towards de veloping new camping experiences, to keep up with the ever­evolving tourism market, as well as making camping more accessible and maintaining sustainability goals.

Proposed areas to receive more funding include ‘glamping’, ecotourism, pet­friendly and wellness experiences. The project also aims to increase camping opportunities for

people who complete water sports such as kite­surfing, diving or sailing.

The plan proposes increasing campervan and caravan camping opportunities for this ‘Blue Tourism’ market, allowing campers to stay closer to the sea. The project also tar gets ‘wine tourism’, to provide unique expe riences for tourists interested in vineyard tours and wine tasting. Finally, increasing ac tive experiences for campers will also be a focus of the project, to offer affordable and comfortable camping accommodation for athletes competing in triathlon and moun tain biking style events. The president of the Spanish Camping Federation, Ana Beriain, celebrated the decision saying “This shows the huge significance of camping within the tourism sector and its enormous potential.”

The region of Almeria has a rather special landscape, featuring rugged mountains in the north, dramatic desert areas reminiscent of North Africa and stunning beaches with unique wildlife. Its varia tion means there is plenty to do for every kind of camper at this time of year.

Campsites in the north of the region in the Sierra Cabr era, the Parque Natural de Sierra de María­Los Vélez and the Almerian La Alpujar ra all offer unique accommo dation and activity options.

Campers can enjoy beauti ful natural landscapes while taking long autumnal walks before indulging in a soak in a saltwater swimming pool or a hot tub. Accommoda tion options including log

The rise of the staycation

A NEW report by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), has revealed that camping holidays in Spain this August were even more popular than in 2019, up to 40 per cent more popular than before the pandemic. Here we take a look at some of the reasons for this boom in the post­pan demic Spanish camping industry.

The pandemic caused many foreign holidays to be can celled and people to look for closer escapes. Camping proved to be the perfect example of this, and the self­con tained nature of camping experiences meant it soared in popularity. The diverse Spanish landscape has also been a defining factor in the increasing popularity of camping holi days in Spain. Campers looking for mountain adventures can find that in the rolling hills of Galicia or the rugged land scape of the Pyrenees, while campers seeking beach experi ences can find dreamy beachfront destinations in Andalucia and the Costa Blanca or forest escapes in Catalonia.

New innovations in the camping industry also mean that campers now don’t need to lug all their equipment with them. Rather, they can just show up to a pre­assembled tent or camping accommodation at glamping sites across Spain. This has been a huge factor in attracting northern Eu ropean campers.

Betty Henderson

A European funded project aims to diversify camping experiences in Spain to be more accessible to all.

PLANTS might not be your first thought when getting

but some house plants can cause problems

our animal

Keep your interior de sign how you like it while keeping

Dogs’ most common health problems

A STUDY from the RVC has found the most common health problems in dogs are dental dis ease, obesity and ear infections.

• The most common health problems of dogs are dental dis ease (12.5%), ear infection (7.3%) and obesity (7.1%)

• 65.8% of the observed dogs had at least one disorder in the single year of the study

Work closely with a vet.

dogs; but by knowing more about why dogs get sick, owners are better placed to keep them safe.

ALONG with exercise and mental health, diet has the most significant impact on your dog’s well­being. A healthy diet can be the differ ence between a long, fulfilling life and life­limiting health conditions. So what should you be feeding your fourlegged friend for the best quality of life possible?

Doggie diet

safe

following these top tips.

Choose plants that are not toxic for your pet

Keep the most curi ous members of the household safe. Avoid hydrangeas, aloe vera, ivy, holly, rhododen dron and daffodils in side the house as they can have dangerous side effects for pets.

Take care with nontoxic plants like cacti, that can cause injuries. Instead, opt for plants like fern, orchids, bam boo or money plants which have no toxic ef fects for pets.

Distract your pet

Buy your pet a new toy to keep their paws off your plant and keep them busy. Alter natively you could try training your pet to stop them battling your plants.

Out of reach

Your first line of de fence against damaged plants is keeping them out of your pets’ way. Try putting your plants on a shelf or a ledge. If you want to keep plants at ground level, consider a plant that doesn’t need soil that could stain your floor if knocked over.

• Male dogs had higher risk than females for 10 disorders: ear infection, aggression, cough ing, seizures, foreign body, drug reaction, moist dermatitis, wound, laceration and arthritis

• Female dogs had higher risk than males for four disorders: urinary incontinence, urinary tract infection, mammary lump and overgrown nails

• The study showed that health in dogs generally deteriorates as dogs age, with older dogs gener ally having more health prob lems per year than younger dogs

• These findings highlight the complexity of caring properly for

These findings can also assist veterinarians and owners to de cide on the best preventive care for their dog, especially as they get older. Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer, Companion Animal Epidemiology, at the RVC, and lead author of the paper, said:

This study shows interesting and strong correlations be tween human and canine healthcare: the need for good dental and bodyweight mainte nance.

Owners should work closely with their vet to plan appropri ate dental and weight care pro grammes at each visit to their veterinary clinic.

Try out different things. No two dogs are the same, and the same goes for diets. Some dogs do better on meatbased diets and others on plant­based diets. Speak to your vet and research diets for your breed of dog.

Introduce fresh foods. Fruits and vegetables can give your dog a new burst of ener gy. They contain enzymes and nutrients crucial for digestion and energy levels. But avoid citrus, grapes and onion which can be toxic for dogs.

Avoid processed foods. Just like for humans, processed food is not nutritious for your pet. Dry food can be a more convenient and affordable option for your dog, but try to supplement it if you can with some fresh food or raw meat.

Doris Rämisch, a canine nu tritionist based in Mallorca

said “You notice the differ ence of feeding your dog a natural diet, their hair shines more and they are more ac

tive among other benefits.” Rämisch recommends meat­based natural diets for optimal dog health.

Photo credit: New Africa

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byMarkSlack

WHEN you find the flagship model of a range is priced from just under €29k/£25k you’re looking at a manu facturer who knows how to package cars. When you find out we’re talking Skoda it comes as no surprise. The Scala sits between the Fabia and Octavia in terms of size and is a five door hatchback that looks a little bit more like an estate than tradi tional hatch.

My test model was the Monte Carlo finished in op tional, and rather smart, Race Blue Metallic. Add the standard panoramic glass roof and extended glass of the tailgate and this is an unusual and rather stylish bargain.

The range starts at €23,210/£20,120 and comes with a good range of standard equipment, al though not navigation, but you can link your smart phone. The Monte Carlo

Skoda Scala Monte Carlo

counter are almost identical, so a quick glance can be con fusing. Thankfully there is a digital speedometer and you can remove the rev counter with one of the view changes.

The build quality on the Scala is excellent and it feels and drives like a more ex pensive car. With superbly comfortable seats and a spacious interior for both

passengers and luggage, it makes the Scala a bit of a bargain. If you don’t need the slightly larger frame of the Octavia, then the Scala fits the bill perfectly.

I’m lucky to be able to drive a different car every week, and some very nice cars, but the Scala Monte Carlo is definitely one I’d be happy to keep in my garage.

Facts at a Glance

Model: Skoda Scala Monte Carlo

including 18­inch black al loys, powered, heated and folding door mirrors, priva cy glass, navigation, air con ditioning, rear view camera and very comfortable sports seats that look the part for a car bearing a Monte Carlo badge. It’s a very nice place to be seat ed.

choice of 1.0­litre, threecylinder turbocharged petrol engine or, as in my test car, a 1.5­litre fourcylinder petrol. Mated to a six­speed manual gearbox, with nicely slick gear change, it’s a pleasant drive that rides well with rather decent handling too.

Despite the Monte Carlo

certainly pick its feet up when required, yet returns around 50 mpg.

The interior, unlike so many VAG cars, has a pleas ing number of buttons and sensible digitisation. One mi nor issue with the instru ment panel, which has a multitude of optional views, is the speedometer and rev

Prices: €30,356/£26,315

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol developing 150PS

Gears: 6-speed manual

Performance: 0-100 kph (62 mph) 8.2 secs

Maximum Speed Petrol 223 kph (139 mph)

Economy: Petrol 5.6 l/100km (50.4 mpg) WLTP

Emissions: 133 g/km WLTP

Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.

PORSCHE became the most valuable car brand in Europe on October 6, overtaking its parent company, German giant Volkswagen. Porsche reached the coveted posi tion with its value rising to €92.6 billion, as Volk swagen reached a value of around €82 billion.

The change in stock markets also propelled Porsche to become the fifth most valuable Ger man brand. The brand outperformed expecta tions by market experts in overtaking its parent company so significantly.

The change came just one week after Volkswa gen was forced to sell 12.5 per cent of Porsche due to a grim economic forecast. VW raised €9.4 billion with the sale.

Experts remarked that the change echoed the phenomenon when Ital ian sports car brand Fer rari surpassed the value of its parent company, Fi at in 2015.

The third most valuable car brand in Europe is Mercedes­Benz, followed

Motoring market shifts gear

by BMW with values of €57.03 and €47.5 billion respectively.

Today’s motoring mar ket does not follow the same rules as in the past. Brands’ value corre sponds with more subjec tive measures, such as their equity rates.

For example, despite producing a fraction of the cars of European car manufacturers, pioneer ing American brand Tesla is worth more than the top five European car brands combined, with a market value of around €766 billion.

PORSCHE: Now Europe’s most valuable brand at almost €93 billion.

Photo credit: Camerasand coffee / shutterstock.com

ASTON VILLA, on Mon day, October 24, con firmed 50­year­old Spanish coach Unai Emery as their new manager replacing Steven Gerrard. He will join the club from LaLi ga side Villarreal, but will reportedly not start his new role until Tues day November 1.

The Midlands club is believed to have paid the £5.2million release clause in Emery’s Villar real contract to secure the services of one of Europe’s most accom plished coaches.

A statement on Aston Villa’s official site read: “Aston Villa is delighted to announce the ap pointment of Unai Emery as the club’s new Head Coach. Unai joins from Villarreal, whom he led to Europa League success by beating Manchester United in the final in 2021 as well as the semi­finals of the Champions League last

Out with the old New leadership

RICHARD GOULD has been announced as the new England and Wales Cricket Board CEO. The 52­year­old will take up the post at the end of January 2023 moving from his current role as Chief Ex ecutive Officer (CEO) of Bristol City Football Club.

He brings significant leadership experience from major organisa tions across sport, having served as CEO at first Somerset County Cricket Club and then Surrey County Cricket Club before taking up his current role in 2021, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Sunday, October 23.

The Nominations Committee unanimously recommend ed Mr Gould to the ECB who ratified the decision. Clare Connor will continue as Interim CEO until Mr Gould’s ar rival.

season.”

It continued: “A highly experienced top­level coach who has managed over 900 games, Unai

has also previously managed in the Premier League during a spell with Arsenal, leading the Gunners to a Europa

League final. Unai will take over from Novem ber 1 after his work per mit formalities are com pleted.”

As CEO, Mr Gould will work to deliver the vision set out by ECB Chair Richard Thompson to make cricket the most inclusive sport in the country.

Richard Gould said: “I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to lead our game forward in England and Wales.”

Image: EWB

UNAI EMERY: The Midlands club paid the £5.2 million release clause.