Mallorca 15 - 21 December 2022 Issue 1954

SINGING CHEFS STAFF STRIKE

MALLORCA’S top British chef, Marc Fosh, has swapped his chopping board for a guitar and gathered leading local Spanish chefs on the island to sing for peace this Christmas and to raise money for the World Central Kitchen (WCK).

Marc Fosh of Michelinstarred restaurant ‘Fosh’ in Palma de Mallorca has composed the song Don’t Ask Me Why? and is the driving force behind an impressive lineup of 13 of the island’s top chefs with the objective of raising money for the WCK to help with the extraordinary work they do.

Marc’s song has been produced by local Mallorquin musicians Jaime Anglada and Sergio Llopis and mastered in the Abbey Road Studios in London with a video directed by Spanish award ­ winning photographer, Nando Esteva.

Founded in 2010 by Chef Jose Andres, World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a nonprofit organisation that is first to the frontlines providing fresh meals in response to crises, while working to build resilient food systems with locallyled solutions.

Applying their model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real ­ time, WCK has served more than 200 mil­

lion nourishing meals around the world.

When disaster strikes, WCK’s Relief Team mobilises with the urgency of now to start cooking and serving

meals to people in need. By partnering with organisations on the ground and activating a network of local restaurants, food trucks, or emergency kitchens, WCK

serves comforting meals to survivors of disasters quickly and effectively.

WCK know that good food provides not only nourishment but also com­

Image:

WORKERS at AENA, the Spanish airport operator, have confirmed that they plan to strike around the Christmas and New Year period, the Trade Union Confederation of Workers’ Commissions of the Balearic Islands (CCOO) confirmed on Tuesday, December 13.

Other Spanish unions such as UGT and USO said their members will not strike and a spokesperson for AENA said that the government­controlled company will keep negotiating with CCOO and seek to reach an agreement with the union by Thursday December 22.

fort and hope, especially in times of crisis. Learn more at wck.org

Donations can be made via the website: www.chefs mallorca.com.

If no agreement is made, workers affiliated with CCOO plan to strike on December 22, 23, 30 and 31 and then on January 5 and 6.

Island’s top chefs.

THE fantastic Classic Car Club Christmas get­together took place on Sunday, December 4.

Forty members and club associates met at the Eagle Restaurant at Golf de Bendina where the wonderful Mrs Santa Claus herself, Izzy Newman, was there to sing and create a lovely atmosphere.

Not only was a fantastic time had by all, but the Classic Car Club also raised money for the Allan Graham charity for Kidz. They have always tried to help the much deserv­

Image: Maryia_K/Shutterstock.com

This was the last event for 2022, but the Classic Car Club are looking forward to a fantastic new year of driving and meetups and hopefully, meeting new members.

The weekly car meetings still take place on Thursdays at Son Bonet airport from 5.00pm and will do so until March 2023.

ing local charity and this year was no different. An amazing €970 was raised on the day

which will go a long way to helping unfortunate children on the island.

The next organised rally will be organised by Jean Pierre on January 29 next year which is the Almond Blossom rally. More details to be published closer to the time.

Classic Car Club Energy nomads

vides non­EU citizens with the chance to live in Spain for up to five years while working freelance or as a contracted employee of a company outside Spain. It is also be­

lieved that the visa will deliver a tax rate of 15 per cent for digital nomads, instead of the usual 24 per cent.

While digital nomads await confirmation of the visa’s implementation, energy nomads are also eyeing up Mallorca. Between the cost of energy in the UK and the potential for supply problems over the winter, escaping to the warmth of the Balearic Islands is even more appealing than usual.

Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey Espana, Marc Pritchard, confirmed: “We have already seen an increase in the number of people buying second homes in Spain and then using them for work. Buyers are also staying in their properties for longer than they did pre­pandemic.

“We anticipate that this will increase as both digital nomads and energy nomads head to Spain to wait out the winter in the warm.”

SPAIN’S much­anticipated digital nomad visa, plans for which were first announced in January 2022, is rumoured to be introduced in early 2023. The draft proposal pro­

XMAS EVENT: The members also raised money for charity.

NIBS EXTRA

Hotels for sale

ACCORDING to data from the real estate portal Idealista, at the end of October, the number of establishments with hotel licences for sale in Spain increased by 13.6 per cent, exceeding 1,079 advertisements, which includes 91 hotels for sale located in the Balearics.

Heavy snow

EDUARDO GAMERO, the President of the Mallorcan Tourist Board, missed presiding over the big awards ceremony in Palma which recognises the best of the tourist industry on Monday, December 12, because he was stuck in Britain after heavy snow closed many of Britain’s airports.

Mask up

CAROLINA DARIAS , the Minister for Health, has advocated maintaining the obligation to wear a face mask on public transport, as well as on flights to and from Spain until the experts say otherwise, a measure that countries such as Portugal and Italy withdrew in the summer.

Freedom looms

BORIS BECKER will soon be a free man as he is set to be released from a UK prison. The former world tennis number one was declared bankrupt owing creditors almost £50 million, over an unpaid loan of more than £3 million on his estate in Mallorca.

THE newest addition to Pal

ma’s dining scene, Sa Placeta, has opened in Placa de la Pescateria in the Old Town of the Mallorcan capital. It promises an exciting new concept in small plate and shareable dining, standing out for its innovative flavours, positive­impact ethos and fresh local produce.

At the fore is an emphasis on supporting local farmers and farming methods, sourcing produce almost exclusively from independent suppliers around the Balearic Islands. For example, the sobrasada, which is woven into many dishes, comes from the Can Calo farm of legendary Biel

Fine dining

Image: Kzenon/Shutterstock.com

Torrens, who has long been at the forefront of ecological farming.

“Sa Placeta is a push to be creative with, and respectful of, Balearic products and food traditions. Our goal is to surprise our clients and friends with the result of our passion,” explains Pablo ‘Bocho’ Bianchi, Head Chef at Sa Placeta.

Sa Placeta opens from 9.00am until midnight every Tuesday to Saturday (except over Christmas, December 24 until 26 and New Year’s Eve, December 31 until January 1). A breakfast menu is served until noon and the kitchen is open all day.

Disability Day event

DESPITE the bad weather and periods of rain, a morning full of activities was held in the Parc de la Riera on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Saturday, December 10.

The head of the Infrastructure and Accessibility Office, Angelica Pastor, and the general director of Accessibility, Toni Martín, visited the activities which took place at the entrance to the sports fields of Riera Park.

SINCE its founding in 1978, the Strauss Festival Orchestra Vienna has established itself as a top ensemble and a byword for the authentic interpretation of Viennese music with brilliant performances at music festivals, sensational TV concerts and worldwide tours, as well as with its CD and DVD recordings in international music life.

True to style and genuine sound, Viennese charm and joy in making music are characteristic features of the Strauss Festival Orchestra Vi­

Strauss Orchestra

enna. Everywhere it receives enthusiastic applause and proclaims the eternally young fascination of Viennese music.

Don’t miss out. In Palma, there will be two concerts. The first takes you to the concert halls of Vienna and to the classical world of the waltz on Monday January 2.

The second concert on Sarueay January 7 is a tribute to two of the greats of

cinema music such as John Williams (Star Wars) and Hans Zimmer (The Lion King, among others).

Both performances are at

Palma auditorium, Av de Gabriel Roca, 18, 07014 Palma.

For more information or to purchase tickets, head to the website auditoriumpal ma.com or call (+34) 971 734 735.

ASPAS were present, showing different activities open to all citizens. ASPAS is a non­profit organisation, declared of public utility that offers comprehensive care to people with hearing disabilities and their families, defending their individual rights of freedom and equality in order to achieve their full social inclusion.

PALMA has now approved the new EMT bus pricing for 2023 and has confirmed that a 100 per cent discount will be given on the price of season tickets and multi­journey tickets.

The mayor of Palma, Jose Hila, explained: “This measure will allow the EMT to continue to be free for a whole year for everyone who has an active Citizen Card Targeta Ciutadana. It is a measure to support families in difficult times and brings them a lot of benefits. It also helps us to support the public transport system in Palma,” he said.

“We are the largest Spanish city to offer its citizens free public transport. This measure has been achieved with the collaboration of the central government, the regional government and also the city council of Palma.”

The mayor added: “We

help citizens in times of crisis and it is another measure to help families and businesses, such as the canteen vouchers, free schooling for children aged two to three years or the freezing of municipal taxes and tax rebates in terms of housing and the elderly.”

Councillor, Angelica Pastor, recalled the importance of the work done by the organisations in Palma’s Accessibility Committee. “We work efficiently and productively with the organisations to carry out everything they ask us to do in the city and to ensure that any activity we carry out is designed with inclusion and accessibility in mind,” she said.

Disney sounds

SINCE Mickey Mouse first appeared on the big screen, Walt Disney Studios has entertained children and adults around the world with some of the most popular films ever produced, creating a string of hit songs such as Search for the Most Vital Thing, Hakuna Matata, I Wanna Be Like You and With a Little Sugar.

Alongside the adventures of the world’s most famous mouse, audiences have come alive with lovable cartoon characters and fearless live­action heroes and heroines, including Bambi, Dumbo and Snow White, the plucky Toy Story team and the endearing nanny Mary Poppins.

This symphonic concert relives decades of memorable music from family favourites such as Aladdin, Fantasia, Frozen, The Jungle Book and, of course, The Lion King: the perfect opportunity to travel to An Ideal World, savour The Cycle of Life and make sure it’s all just Supercalifragilis­

ticoespialidoso!

The performance is on at the Palma auditorium, Sala Magna, Paseo Maritimo, 18, 07014 Palma on Sunday, January 8 at 6.00pm.

For more information or to purchase tickets, head to the website auditoriumpal ma.com or call (+34) 971 734 735.

IT looks as though things are starting to pick up as AENA (the airport management group which includes Palma de Mallorca Airport) closed November 2022 with 17,612,948 passengers. This figure is 4 percentage points from pre­pandemic levels, meaning 96 per cent of the traffic recorded in November 2019 has already been recovered.

In addition, 162,535 aircraft were in operation, which is equivalent to a recovery of 98.6 per cent compared to 2019, while 89,854 tonnes of cargo were transported, representing a decrease of 12.9 per cent compared to the same month of 2019.

Of the total number of travellers recorded in November, 17,533,381

EVERY month the CCA Studios hold an Open House, the next event is taking place on Saturday, December 17, between 11.00am and 2.00pm.

During the Open House, you will be invited to visit and meet the artists working in the CCA Studios, as well as to walk through the exhibitions currently on view.

In recovery

were commercial passengers, of which 11,077,841 travelled on international flights, 6.4 per cent less than in November 2019.

Meanwhile, 6,455,540 passengers travelled on domestic flights, which is 0.1 per cent less than before the pandemic.

Palma Airport saw

Open House

969,615 passengers representing a decrease of 3.3 per cent compared to November 2019.

As for the number of aircraft in operation, Palma Airport saw 9,050 aircraft movements representing an increase of 2.7 per cent compared to the same month of 2019.

During December, the CCA Studios are delighted to host the five talented artists Bianca Barandun, Miju Lee, Irina Ojovan, Jugoslav Mitevski and Catalin Pislaru in their studios.

CCA Studios are located at Carrer S’estanyera, 2, 07150 Andratx.

For more information head to the website www.ccandratx.eu or call (+34) 971 137 770.

WALT DISNEY ORCHESTRA: Will play all the hit songs.

Image: Walt Disney Orchestra

Image: AENA

PALMA AIRPORT: Passenger numbers are picking up.

CCA STUDIOS: Meet the artists.

Image: CCA

QUEEN FOREVER, arguably the best Queen tribute band in the world, will be belting out their tunes in Palma.

After their successful tours in previous years around Spain, filling venues such as the Hard Rock Hotel in Ibiza in front of more than 6,000 people or their participation in the Talent Show ‘Got Talent’, becoming semi­finalists and being the only tribute band to have won over Risto Mejide.

The band bring you their new tour ‘Back to the Light Tour’ that will take them to visit the main European cities.

From the hand of Tolo Sanders (Freddie Mercury) and Adrian Pujadas (Brian May) the Queen Forever Tribute project was born. The band also includes Juanjo Amengual (John Deacon), Haritz Caperochipi (Roger Taylor) and Sebastian Raimundo (Spike Edney) to interpret the musical and discographic work of Queen,

FOOTBALL fans will be jumping for delight as Real Mallorca has now been given permission to finish the refurbishment of Son Moix.

The plan is to remodel the home ground which has already seen the removal of the athletics track and the covering of the stands, among other facilities. The approved project

Kind of Magic Helping Bolivia

MALLORCA and the charity Fons Mallorqui have agreed upon a collaboration to contribute to the development of Third World countries through the creation and management of an Economic Fund.

QUEEN FOREVER:

Will be belting out their tunes in Palma.

a classic group of the 20th century.

With carefully crafted characterisations and meticulously designed staging, the band is fast becoming the most faithful tribute; the best Queen after Queen.

The performance is on at the Palma au­

ditorium, Sala Magna, Paseo Maritimo, 18, 07014 Palma on Saturday, December 17 at 9.30pm.

For more information or to purchase tickets, head to the website auditori umpalma.com or call (+34) 971 734 735.

Son Moix

will cost €13,504,605.

Son Moix is the football stadium located in Palma de Mallorca and serves as the home ground of RCD Mallorca.

It is the largest stadium in the Balearic Islands and

the 26th largest in Spain.

With the first phase already completed, Mallorca is waiting for the approval of the building permit for the remodelling work.

The works of the first phase consisted of the con­

struction of a new stand in the lower part of the Sol stand, with a new inclination to bring the spectators 8.5 metres closer to the pitch.

The second phase of the remodelling of the stadium, upon approval of the building licence, will consist of remodelling the Gol Norte, an action that will take the whole season.

The city council has an item in its budget for the 2022 financial year of €66,320, which is the same amount that was allocated in 2021.

With regard to 2021, the Fund has promoted a project that represents 90 per cent of the contribution and involves access to water and community management in the rural community of Larimarca (Bolivia), to which €59,688 are allocated. The rest of the money will go to the management and administration costs of the charity Fons Mallorquí.

“For yet another year we are maintaining our contribution to the Fund, an entity that contributes enormously to reducing inequalities between countries,” explained the councillor for Social Justice, Alberto Jarabo, who added that “the perspective that we must have from Palma and from Mallorca, in terms of our ability to help impoverished countries is essential in order to achieve a fairer and more peaceful world.”

CITY COUNCIL: Maintaining their contribution to the fund.

Image: Palma City Council

Image: Queen Forever

Property prospects

Betty Henderson

SWEEPING changes are expected in the Spanish property market in 2023 according to a new report. The report released by property portal, forecasts a good year for home buyers next year.

The report used data collected by the Unión de Créditos Inmobiliarios, on a ‘Property barometer’, and predicts changes based on stabilising inflation, but expects the property sector will still be defined by the

ONE of Spain’s biggest political parties, the Partido Popular is embarking on a major marketing change as it looks to make changes to its image. New leader of the conservative party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo will drop the Spanish flag on the party’s marketing material.

The party announced the changes on Thursday, December 8 as it begins to streamline its image in the run­up to regional elections next May. New leader, Feijóo is attempting to distance the party

2023 could be a better time

prices are expected to fall after two consecutive years of rising. Another report by Bankinter forecasts gradual falls in property value of around 3 per cent in 2023. The adjustment could be triggered by lower household savings and higher mortgage costs.

After a record year of property sales with 610,000 sales, numbers not seen since 2008, experts predict sales to fall by 13 per cent in 2023 before stabilising.

Branding break

from its past and restore electoral confidence after disastrous election results in recent years. The changes include removing the colours of the Spanish flag from the brand’s logo, a seagull, switching it to a more simple blue and white design, distancing the party from nationalism. The current design has been in place since the

party was led by Pablo Casado in 2003. The party will also drop the focus on the ‘popular’ term within its name, focusing instead on its initials ‘PP’ to stop the party being associated with populism.

Changes have already seen the party change its Twitter handle from @popu lares to @ppopular to highlight its initials.

Humanitarian aid hoax

A DRUG smuggling operation was busted by Spanish Guardia Civil officers with traffickers disguising marihuana as aid for Ukraine in an attempt to transport it around Europe. Police made various arrests in the Andalucia region after receiving a tip ­ off about Ukrainians storing marihuana in an apartment in Fuengirola, on the Costa del Sol.

The discovery led to a string of international arrests including Ukrainian, Spanish, German and Moroccan nationals.

During Operation Marlin, police officers made 11 arrests for various crimes including drug trafficking, electricity misuse, possession of weapons and belonging to an organised criminal gang. They also seized more than 109kg of vacuum packaged marihuana at the address.

The operation had seen the gang package drugs in

cardboard boxes and use vans registered in Ukraine to carry the drugs towards the north of the continent. The Ukrainian vans trav ­

elled in convoy, posing as aid workers carrying humanitarian supplies for Ukraine to avoid scrutiny at border controls.

Stretching streets

YOU may have noticed that Spain has some impressive Roman architecture, including a large network of long, straight roads. And a new online map launched on Wednesday, December 7 has shed some light on the country’s longest roads.

The longest road in Spain is not in fact in either of the largest cities, but in the Murcian town of Cartagena. Here the Gran Vía de La Manga del Mar Menor stretches to an impressive 19 kilometres. The lengthy road was actually constructed in the 1960s to link up

new developments at Cartagena with San Javier and at nearly 20 kilometres long, along a coastal peninsula, it is quite a feat of engineering. The second and third longest roads in the country are both located in Barcelona, the Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanas at 13 kilometres long, and Calle València. The northern city is known for its long streets and hosts 13 of the 20 longest streets in the country. However, Madrid does make fourth and fifth place on the list with its 10 kilometre long streets Calle Alcalá and Calle Azalea.

global economic situation. The report highlights that

to buy property, as house

ACROSS EUROPE: Property sales and costs are set to fall slightly next year as inflation is stabilised.

Photo credit: No-Mad / shutterstock.com

Registering for Spanish Local Elections - A Simple Guide

WHO can vote in Spanish local elections?

NB. there is no automatic right to vote in Spanish local elections for non­Spanish residents. You need to register your intention.

EU citizens: Simply go to your local town hall with your passport and ask to register. You should be on the Padrón to do this. They will give you the form and do the registration on the spot.

Non­EU citizens: Only countries which have a reciprocal arrangement with Spain can stand and vote in Local Elections. IF you come from a country which has a reciprocal agreement with Spain for its citizens. These countries are currently: Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Korea, Ecuador, Iceland, Norway, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, United Kingdom, and Trinidad and Tobago.

There are conditions:

1. You need to be on the Padrón (Municipal Register)

2. You must have had legal residence in Spain for at least three years

3. You need to complete the form to register on the voters’ roll (available at your Council Offices)

4. You need to register before January

15, 2023.

Remember to take your TIE/Residencia document, and your passport with you. If your TIE is Temporary ie for five years, please try to bring with you something that will demonstrate that you have been resident for at least three years: maybe a photocopy of your original Green Paper Residencia.

Forms can also be downloaded from my website, complete at home and taken to our local town hall for registration. https://billandersonmijas.es/vote­inspanish­local­elections/

You may receive an invitation to register from the Oficina del Censo Electoral. If you do, you can simply tick the ‘Yes’ box and post it back, Freepost.

If you don’t receive this, you must register in person at your local town hall. A form must be completed for each person who wishes to register.

You have the right to vote in these elections. Don’t let others decide who will spend your money from May 2023. Get registered and you make the decision.

The above information has been provided by Mijas councillor Bill Anderson.

Fascinating sight

DISCOVER the cultures of Senegal through the eyes of photographer, filmmaker and Senegalese activist Ahmed Dame Ndiaye. His exhibition ­ Espejismos (Mirages) ­ is open to the public until January 8, 2023 at the Soler Blasco Archeological Museum (Plaça dels Germans Segarra 1, Javea).

While you are there, check out some of the other exhibits, such as a bronze replica of the famous Iberian ‘Treasure of Xàbia’ discovered in 1904, the original consisted of finely worked gold and silver pieces. There is also a fascinating underwater archaeology room with numerous

finds from the Javea coastline.

The museum is housed in one of the town’s most symbolic buildings, the Palace of Antonio Bañuls. The palace dates to the first half of the 17th century and its magnificent façade is made of the local ‘tosca’ stone. There are 13 exhibition rooms displaying remains from prehistory to medieval times.

During the winter, the museum is open from 10am to 1pm and from 5pm to 8pm and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10am to 1pm. Closed Mondays. More info at mvsev.xabia@ gmail.com.

Circus in town

THE art and colour of the circus go beyond language barriers. Add circus fun and excitement to the holiday season with ‘El Circo Encantado’ by El Circo Italiano. It was founded in 1958 by Claudio Rossi and is one of the most outstanding circuses in Europe.

Its shows are famous for using advanced technology: a raised stage, amazing sets, and an image projector bring

the show into the 21st century. This troupe has been touring towns and cities all over Spain and thrilling with its talent and creativity since 1980. The company transforms the usual atmosphere of the circus into a thrilling, fantastical world where nothing is as it seems.

Around 100,000 spectators see this circus annually to rave reviews. The circus is already in town and will be

here with one or two daily performances until Saturday, January 7 at Av Dr Rico, 21, 03005 Alicante. Prices start at €12. Tickets are available from https://www.elcircoen cantado.com/gira.

Going greener

NEXT year, Alicante plans to incorporate a further 23 zeroemission electric buses.

As for the recharging infrastructure, the new contract provides for the execution of both the connection and the chargers needed to recharge all of the 42 electric buses. In addition, the installation of photovoltaic panels in the bus depots is also envisaged for the self­supply of energy during the day.

The city council also aims to build a green hydrogen refuelling station that will include its own system for the production and generation of clean energy for mobility.

The council’s project, HyVus, pursues the application of renewable hydrogen as a vector for the decarbonisation of large­scale heavy vehicle mobility. The project ranges from the generation of clean energy (photovoltaic) to the self­production and supply of hydrogen and the transformation of fleets for the traceability of green certificates of renewable origin.

HyVus has set itself the objective of positioning Alicante at the forefront of European cities with an innovative solution for its public transport, as well as the territory of the Valencian Community as a national reference in the roadmap of green hydrogen in Spain.

EU travel requirements

Peter McLaren­Kennedy

ALL travellers to the EU from the UK will require to make use of the ETIAS authorisation system, which comes into

force at the end of the year.

ETIAS is not a visa, but is rather more akin to the American system, but an electronic system that will allow Schen­

gen member countries to better control movement in and out of the EU.

The system is being introduced primarily to allow the EU to better control its borders, but will also bring about the consistent application of the rules:

• Reduce procedures and application times

• Improve the management of EU country borders

• Assist in detecting and decreasing crime and terrorism

• Impede irregular migration

• Reinforce the visa liberali­

GO LOCAL

sation

policy of the EU

But most of all the EU believes that the new system will make travelling to the EU less of a hassle and a much safer

experience for everyone.

ETIAS Requirements for UK Citizens

Currently UK citizens do not require any prior approval or

visa to visit the EU, however, ETIAS changes that with a quick application required prior to travel. The application will take only a few minutes to complete, will cost the equivalent of €7.00 and will be valid for three years.

The fee will only apply to those aged between 18 and 70.

Duration of stay and moving around Europe

The ETIAS system does not change the current policy that restricts the visit of non­EU residents to 90 days in any 180­day period.

Once approval has been given you will be free to enter and move around Europe for business, tourism and medical reasons. It will also allow you to use Europe for transit whilst travelling.

Please note it does not give you the right to work, to live or to overstay the 90 days.

If you do overstay you could be fined, deported or refused entry in the future even if you broke the law unintentionally.

Applying for an ETIAS?

You will need to visit the official website or make use of the mobile application once it becomes available. There you will you need to complete the application, which asks for basic information such as name, address and passport details.

The process, which should take less than 10 minutes to complete, should result in your receiving authority to enter the EU within a few minutes of submitting your application.

Please remember that your application could be denied if you have a criminal record, pose a danger to society, have provided fraudulent information or pose a threat.

Entering the EU

As before you will need to be able to show a valid passport on entry (issue for no more than 10 years and have three months remaining at the time of your intended departure) and your ETIAS authorisation.

You may also be asked why you are travelling to the EU and whether you have the financial means to support yourself.

BORDER CONTROL: New system will allow better control of movement in and out of the EU.

Passport Control - Credit Policia Nacional

• December 15, 12am, Lay Onlie, Shamrock, Palma Mallorca

• December 16, 9pm, Malasana and The Claps, Shamrock, Palma Mallorca

• December 16, 9pm, URTAIN, Club Mutante, Palma De Mallorca, Spain

• December 17, from 3pm, Christmas market, Placa Major de Selva

• December 17, 10.30pm, Fiesta back 2 the 90’s, Momos, Palma

• December 18, 10.00pm,The Raggle Taggle Gypsies, Zeppelin Live Music Bar

• December 23, 10pm, DJs, Sala Fonica

• December 25, Xmas Day Dinner, María 5 Beach Bar, Palma Mallorca

WITH the aim of making the art of circus known to the whole city, Palma is offering free circus street shows titled Cicle de Circ 2022.

The festival opens today, Thursday, December 15 and runs until Sunday, December 18

Street circus

and will be held in the courtyard of Can Oms.

The mayor of Culture and Social Welfare, Antoni Noguera con ­

firmed: “The festival offers a wide range of acts and shows that give a broad, global vision of the circus world and all its facets.”

The General Coordinator of Culture, Miquel Angel Contreras added: “One of the singularities of the festival lies in the large number of shows that will be performed free of charge on the street.

The Cicle de Circ 2022 is now in its second year and the aim is for this artistic activity to occupy its rightful place on Palma’s cultural scene.”

Free circus street shows.

Image: Palma City Council

easyJet autumn 2023

EASYJET , Europe’s leading airline, announced on Wednesday, December 7, that its flights for autumn 2023 were now on sale and available to book. Seats across tens of thousands of easyJet flights between October 1 and November 30, 2023 are available.

Dates including October half term are

now available to book at low fares across the entire European network, at easyJet.com and via the Mobile App. easyJet serves 21 UK airports, offering over 463 routes to over 120 destinations from the UK to Europe, the Middle East and North Africa with low fares available to book now.

BP warning

MPs have told parliament that BP should donate its ‘wartime profits’ to Ukraine of face a special windfall tax.

MPs from both sides of the house also told the government during a debate to put pressure on the government to force BP to leave Russia altogether.

BP has a 19.75 per cent stake in Rosneft,

one of Russia’s largest and most important oil producers. The company had said that it would divest of its interests in Russia soon after the invasion of Ukraine, however, it has so far not reduced its interests in the country.

The debate took place after Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge raised an urgent question on

the matter. Opening the debate she said: “It is utterly shameful that a large, publicly listed British company profits from the sale of oil that is funding Putin’s war.

“BP must either voluntarily donate the entirety of its Russian dividends to the reconstruction of Ukraine, or the government must take action to force them to do so.”

Calvia Mallorca

CALVIA, located on the beautiful island of Mallorca, is one of the most popular destinations for tourists and expatriates to want to either move to or visit for holidays due to its warm climate, stunning white sand beaches, sparkling crystal­clear sea, historical value, and abundance of amenities.

With various beaches to visit all throughout Calvia and more than 10 beaches having been awarded and flying the blue flag for quality from the Foundation for Environmental Education.

The beach is the perfect place to go to relax and enjoy the sun, sand, and sea while you are visiting.

Go for a walk around the town and experience Calvia in its traditional way. With many of the buildings dating back to the 17th century, the homes are a delightful ochre colour and are well­

Supporting local business.

known to the area. The Cruz del Descubrimiento is a beautiful monument to visit with top­class views of the coast surrounding you.

Spend time at the port, with the luxurious yachts and boats coming in and out of the harbour, take the day to people watch and shop.

The adventures in Calvia are endless with the perfect spot for hiking on the CR1 Peguera­Cap Andritxol Trail. With the trail for all abilities, take the afternoon and enjoy what Calvia’s mountains and coasts have to offer. With ideal spots along the coast

Image - Bobex-73/Shutterstock

for snorkelling, enjoy the wildlife and seas, see if you can spot some of the fish from Finding Nemo while snorkelling and discovering the bays.

Another top spot to visit to get your heart rate going is Jungle Parc Mallorca. A tree­top adventure park with zip lines and climbs for an unforgettable and once ­ in­ a­ lifetime experience in Calvia. A perfect date or family daytime activity to keep everyone in high spirits.

With various delicious restaurants and exciting clubs, there is no shortage on what to do in the

evenings. One of the best clubs to visit while you are in Calvia is Nikki Beach, this trendsetter club has incredible food, glorious views, the most comfortable cabana beds and day beds to enjoy throughout your stay.

The best restaurants to visit all depend on your taste and what you are hungry for. If tapas, seafood or a real homecooked meal is on your mind here are just a few of the best restaurants to go to while staying in Calvia.

Many bars also serve creative cocktails and tasty small plates, with nights of live music as the sun is setting on the terrace. This is a must­do while in Calvia.

Get your shopping discounts in Calvia!!

ENJOY everything you are looking for in Calvia, with the added bonus of discount vouchers in your favourite establishments!

People over 16 years of age can easily apply for discounts at establishments such as restaurants, hairdressers, beauty salons and much more through the winter months ­ even do your Christmas shopping and receive discounts!

The campaign aims to support small local businesses in Calvia and is a fantastic economic effort from the town halls.

Sound good? Here is all you need to know about this amazing campaign!

• How does it work and where do I get the vouchers?

Every resident in Calvia can purchase four ‘bonos’

each from the town hall website at a cost of €10, with a value of €20. Check the web page comercio.calvia.com for information, but the scheme is now up and running.

• How do I get my vouchers?

To get the vouchers, register in the Calvia marketplace website comercio.calvia. com , buy the voucher for €10 and exchange it for a value of €20 in shops that accept vouchers.

To apply, you will need to be a resident of Calvia municipality and input your ID into the website.

• Where can I use my vouchers?

Many types of establishments will be involved in the campaign, including veterinary clinics, health

and beauty shops, cafes, book shops, restaurants, opticians, retail shops, bars and more.

You can find out which shops are taking part by checking on the Calvia marketplace website, here in the Euro Weekly News , and establishments will also display a fuchsia ‘C’ sticker on their door.

• How do I redeem my vouchers?

To make things easier, no physical vouchers will be issued, so you will not need to download or print anything. The voucher will be a QR code that will be shown at participating establishments.

For example, if you get a pedicure costing €20 you will give the business one voucher, and you will have just paid €10!!!

If you go out for a meal

at a participating restaurant and it costs €25, pay with a voucher plus €5, which means the meal has only cost you €15!!

If your neighbour or friend is a resident of Calvia and doesn’t use their vouchers, simply apply with their ID and use them yourself to enjoy the discount!!

These vouchers are limited so make sure you keep checking on the Calvia marketplace website to see how many are still available. The vouchers will usually be available until January ­ February next year.

Head to the website com ercio.calvia.com, and click on the image to choose your language. We will also be printing some of the businesses involved each week in the paper!

BUSINESS EXTRA Price pledge FINANCE

Gloompig

GREETINGS CARD supplier Moonpig which allows people to order cards online which are then dispatched by post, often from Guernsey, is having to reduce its 2023 sales forecast down by £30 million to £320 million due to the cost­of­living crisis and Royal Mail strike.

Foreign workers

ALTHOUGH Spain continues to have significant numbers of unemployed, there are still shortages of skilled workers in some industrial sectors so, in a change of government policy, Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, José Luis Escrivá has said that employers may recruit from abroad.

Merchant bankers

FLEXING its post Brexit muscles the UK government is rescinding many of the restrictions introduced through the EU following the banking crash of 2008 in order to allow Britain’s financial market to be more competitive and banker’s bonuses are now uncapped as an added incentive.

El Gordo

THIS year’s El Gordo Christmas lottery in Spain will have more numbers than last year with 180 distributed throughout Spain rather than last year’s 172 and according to one mathematician quoted in Espansion.com, chances of winning the top prize are one in 100,000.

Coal power

WITH the current very cold weather in the UK, demand for electricity has increased dramatically and in case it is greater than available supply, the National Grid has instructed power station operator Drax to put two coal fired plants on standby.

STAT OF WEEK €2.85 billion

UK mortgage support

THE UK government turned to Martin Lewis for advice as he was invited to a high ­ level meeting which included major mortgage lenders and the Financial Conduct Authority on December 7.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt is obviously very worried about the impact that the cost­of­living crisis and subsequent increase in base rates by the Bank of England will have on consumers, especially those with mortgages.

Generally speaking, for home owners, their largest monthly outlay involves repayment of mortgages and any increase coupled with the inexorable rise in the price of energy could potentially be crippling for the average family.

At the meeting, lenders committed to help all their customers by:

a) enabling customers who are up­to­date with payments to switch to a new competitive, mortgage deal without another affordability test.

b) providing well­timed information to help customers plan ahead should their current rate

be due to end.

c) offering tailored support to those who start to struggle with payments which will vary by lender, but may include extending the term of the mortgage to make monthly payments lower, a short­term reduction in monthly payments or accepting interestonly payments for a period where appropriate.

d) ensuring highly trained and experienced staff are on hand to help where needed.

The government said that it would make support for mortgage interest easier to access and those receiving universal credit may be able to receive help with their mortgage interest payments after three months.

Mortgage lenders, the FCA and the government will continue working closely together to ensure that the mortgage market works well for all homeowners, in particular those facing financial difficulty.

Wholesale digital currency

THE Bank of Spain is considering the launch of digital currency and has invited involvement in a feasibility study by financial institutions and technology solution providers.

Since before the pandemic, the Governor of the Bank has warned individual investors of the danger of investing in cryptocurrency and whilst some made significant fortunes, especially when profits were untaxed, others have made considerable losses.

The bank does however recognise that there may be a distinct advantage for a Central Bank to be able to make digital transfers of its own created currency.

It has decided, separate to any research being undertaken by the European Central Bank for the creation of a digital euro, that it wants to investigate the possibility of improving the efficiency, speed and security of whole­

sale transactions using its own digital currency.

In addition, this study can help quantify to what extent Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) can contribute to adapting these channels to the needs and demands of a

growing digital society.

This study is therefore focused on three main areas: (i) simulating transactions involving CBDCs funds transfers; (ii) trialling the integration of a CBDC with the settlement of financial assets; and, in addition, (iii) analysing the potential advantages and disadvantages of a CBDC vis­a­vis traditional processes, procedures and infrastructures.

Those organisations who wish to cooperate with the Bank will have until January 31, 2023 to submit their proposals and apart from being able to show their ability to take part, must also agree to treat all of their work as completely confidential.

SPEAKING at a PSOE rally in Barcelona on Sunday December 11, where he was supporting the candidature of Jaume Collboni in next year’s Barcelona City elections, Presidenr Pedro Sánchez made one important pledge.

He said that he plans in 2023 to combat the real consequences of the war in Ukraine as they affect the ordinary people of Spain and one area that he intends to concentrate on is ways in which to combat the rise in food prices.

He said, “At the end of this year, when we approve the new aid package for people, the middle class and workers, we are going to incorporate mechanisms to contain the evolution of food prices.”

Santander fined

ON December 9, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced it has fined Santander UK Plc (Santander) £107,793,300 after it found serious and persistent gaps in its anti­money laundering (AML) controls, affecting its Business Banking customers.

It explained that between December 31, 2012 and October 18, 2017, Santander failed to properly oversee and manage its AML systems, which significantly impacted the account oversight of more than 560,000 business customers.

Santander had ineffective systems to adequately verify information provided by customers about the business they would be doing.

Ukraine aid

WITH Hungary consistently vetoing plans for the European Union to give financial support to Ukraine the other members had to be creative in pushing through this aid.

On Saturday December 10, it was agreed that aid amounting to €18 billion would be given to Ukraine during 2023 by circumventing the need for the funds to be guaranteed by the EU as each of the 26 states would give their own individual guarantees.

This has all come about because the EU won’t approve Hungary’s recovery plan and has threatened to freeze €7.5 billion that Hungary needs if it doesn’t rescind some of its allegedly undemocratic internal decisions.

is the cost to be shared by the European Union, France, Portugal and Spain to create the green hydrogen corridor (H2MED) which will eventually supply 10 per cent of the EU’s hydrogen needs.

COST-OF-LIVING: Martin Lewis offered his advice.

Digital currency attracts Bank of Spain.

3I Group 1.338,00 1.348,00 1.330,00 244,57K

Abrdn 186,00 193,30 185,88 408,77K

Admiral Group 1.994,0 2.004,0 1.975,0 72,87K

Anglo American 3.238,5 3.346,5 3.238,0 609,65K

Antofagasta 1.434,00 1.460,50 1.429,00 114,49K

Ashtead Group 4.916,0 4.971,0 4.915,0 65,97K

Associated British Foods 1.644,0 1.658,5 1.637,0 258,32K

AstraZeneca 11.346,0 11.388,0 11.266,0 212,78K

Auto Trader Group Plc 563,00 563,40 557,20 390,73K

Aveva 3.200,0 3.204,0 3.199,0 57,39K

Aviva 443,60 446,30 443,00 634,73K

B&M European Value Retail SA408,00 411,50 406,50 705,07K

BAE Systems 823,20 832,40 820,00 695,01K

Barclays 157,50 158,20 156,64 3,88M

Barratt Developments 406,70 408,50 403,60 613,04K

Berkeley 3.807,5 3.841,0 3.782,0 52,75K

BHP Group Ltd 2.612,00 2.626,50 2.596,00 282,84K

BP 456,95 463,45 455,05 9,76M

British American Tobacco 3.288,5 3.334,0 3.284,0 526,07K

British Land Company 395,60 398,90 393,70 366,76K

BT Group 113,00 113,80 112,50 2,88M

Bunzl 3.014,0 3.025,0 2.985,0 54,08K

Burberry Group 2.142,0 2.147,0 2.120,0 93,57K

Carnival 659,3 661,0 651,6 54,82K

Centrica 92,02 93,46 91,96 1,81M

Coca Cola HBC AG 1.986,5 1.993,5 1.970,5 51,53K

Compass 1.914,00 1.925,00 1.900,00 379,94K

CRH 3.232,0 3.245,0 3.207,0 176,02K

Croda Intl 6.830,0 6.838,0 6.722,0 3,68K

DCC 4.291,0 4.313,0 4.246,0 58,95K

Diageo 3.754,5 3.781,5 3.729,0 535,40K

DS Smith 325,30 327,30 313,00 1,43M

EasyJet 377,30 380,70 376,60 318,56K

Experian 2.914,0 2.926,0 2.881,0 100,37K

Ferguson 10.300,0 10.320,0 10.165,0 4,63K

Flutter Entertainment 11.985,0 12.055,0 11.950,0 29,76K

Fresnillo 864,80 893,00 860,20 130,14K

Glencore 542,20 556,00 539,80 8,43M

GSK plc 1.462,40 1.484,20 1.456,40 989,95K

Halma 2.092,0 2.094,0 2.069,8 12,30K

Hargreaves Lansdown 853,80 861,80 853,20 156,73K

Hikma Pharma 1.511,50 1.530,00 1.505,00 64,95K

HSBC 494,12 497,50 494,65 1,83M

IAG 132,94 136,00 132,88 1,63M

Imperial Brands 2.059,00 2.071,00 2.049,00 541,34K

Informa 628,00 631,00 622,20 423,96K

InterContinental 4.938,0 4.948,0 4.863,0 67,25K

Intermediate Capital 1.175,00 1.182,00 1.163,00 126,08K

Intertek 4.100,0 4.113,0 4.057,0 30,51K

ITV 74,46 75,30 74,28 1,41M

J Sainsbury 226,60 227,70 225,30 1,03M

Johnson Matthey 2.069,0 2.079,0 2.047,0 16,05K

Land Securities 622,00 627,00 614,80 193,31K

Legal & General 253,30 254,20 252,50 1,19M

Lloyds Banking 46,00 46,40 45,99 16,82M

London Stock Exchange 7.366,0 7.432,0 7.336,0 117,18K

Melrose Industries 127,60 129,05 125,90 1,70M

Mondi 1.492,00 1.497,00 1.471,00 254,04K

National Grid 1.022,00 1.026,00 1.020,00 865,74K

NatWest Group 261,80 262,90 259,80 2,42M

Next 5.882,0 5.908,0 5.810,0 43,11K

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

Ocado 695,20 698,80 681,00 293,27K

Persimmon 1.281,5 1.285,0 1.267,5 116,41K

Phoenix 602,00 605,60 601,80 141,32K

Prudential 1.078,50 1.082,50 1.061,50 971,35K

Reckitt Benckiser 5.866,0 5.892,0 5.846,0 156,09K

Relx 2.343,00 2.362,00 2.319,00 490,26K

Rentokil 536,40 539,00 532,00 265,19K

Rightmove 550,80 552,80 546,40 228,19K

Rio Tinto PLC 5.810,0 5.895,0 5.768,0 527,43K

Rolls-Royce Holdings 93,65 93,71 90,82 7,68M

Sage 781,40 785,00 779,40 229,38K

Samsung Electronics DRC 1.155,50 1.160,00 1.154,00 2,21K

Schroders 453,2 454,7 450,0 246,42K

Scottish Mortgage 773,54 784,00 770,60 403,39K

Segro 802,16 806,60 793,40 208,16K

Severn Trent 2.732,0 2.756,0 2.728,0 41,46K

Shell 2.289,0 2.314,5 2.279,5 2,85M

Smith & Nephew 1.105,50 1.108,00 1.100,00 472,99K

Smiths Group 1.621,00 1.625,50 1.604,50 83,64K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 11.005,0 11.020,0 10.830,0 142,85K

SSE 1.700,50 1.709,50 1.697,00 133,26K

St. James’s Place 1.131,50 1.140,00 1.129,00 220,76K

Standard Chartered 594,40 597,20 590,40 550,90K

Taylor Wimpey 103,65 104,05 102,65 1,57M

Tesco 229,70 231,30 229,30 3,07M

Tui 144,75 146,75 143,35 651,38K

Unilever 4.160,0 4.165,5 4.134,5 95,48K

United Utilities 1.037,39 1.047,37 1.037,00 15,55K

Vodafone Group PLC 86,30 86,55 85,70 15,06M

Whitbread 2.628,0 2.637,0 2.599,0 97,26K WPP 836,10 840,40 833,60 228,59K

3M 126,00 129,44 3,79M

American Express 154,12 156,42 153,45 1,62M

Amgen 285,57 286,59 283,74 1,75M

Apple 142,65 143,52 141,10 61,77M

Boeing 179,08 184,88 178,61 6,63M

Caterpillar 230,92 232,50 229,54 2,18M

Chevron 173,54 176,40 172,03 7,95M

Cisco 48,99 49,20 48,62 15,96M

Coca-Cola 63,81 63,85 63,35 9,88M

Dow 50,56 51,43 50,31 3,81M

Goldman Sachs 358,08 362,59 356,05 1,96M

Home Depot 324,09 324,52 318,55 3,47M

Honeywell 213,35 214,59 212,21 2,17M

IBM 147,78 149,15 147,37 2,66M

Intel 28,44 28,60 28,07 28,36M

J&J 177,20 177,47 176,34 4,79M

JPMorgan 132,88 132,98 131,43 8,85M

McDonald’s 273,39 273,57 270,62 3,02M

Merck&Co 110,85 111,02 110,12 7,17M

Microsoft 247,40 248,74 243,06 22,54M

Nike 111,36 111,49 108,46 6,12M

Procter&Gamble 151,32 151,38 149,01 5,14M

Salesforce Inc 130,13 131,46 127,02 15,07M

The Travelers 187,72 189,21 186,97 848,62K

UnitedHealth 547,92 551,29 543,78 2,26M

Verizon 37,10 37,24 36,87 19,52M

Visa A 209,10 210,30 207,75 4,89M

Walgreens Boots 40,90 40,97 40,40 3,59M

Walmart 148,78 149,27 148,14 4,50M

Walt Disney 92,55 93,43 91,67 9,31M

Most Advanced

Melco International Development Limited +102.28% 17,731

Universal Robina Corporation +32.33% 26,000

DiDi Global Inc. +24.10% 34.704M

Wynn Macau, Limited +23.10% 60,515

Alibaba Health Information Technology Litd +22.55% 23,200

Prometheus Biosciences, Inc. +22.35% 4.447M

Wynn Macau, Limited +21.46% 28,105

Ping An Healthcare and Technology Co. Litd +21.21% 63,600

Ciena Corporation +19.96% 10.71M

GDS Holdings Limited +16.87% 2.466M

FIT Hon Teng Limited +15.95% 29,795

Most Declined

Oi S.A. -50.00% 100,006

Chart Industries, Inc. -12.45% 3.83M

Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. -11.57% 4.69M

Green Thumb Industries Inc. -11.43% 919,108

Lincoln National Corporation -10.86% 8.922M

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. -10.20% 1.067M

Lenovo Group Limited -9.40% 74,870

Trulieve Cannabis Corp. -9.20% 423,019

Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. -6.73% 1.897M

Avery Dennison Corporation -6.54% 1.303M

Embracer Group AB (publ) -6.54% 40,000

BUSINESS EXTRA

Not allowed

FOLLOWING complaints from those receiving an email promoting a fruit beer created by Scottish Company Brewdog which claimed ‘One of your five a day’, the UK Advertising Standards Authority has banned this wording, even if it was supposed to be ‘tongue in cheek’ as Brewdog claims.

Low rates

A REPORT by American investment company Morgan Stanley suggests Spanish banks are unlikely to increase interest on deposits for individual account holders as they appear to have plenty of cash available to lend and are increasing rates to generate profits.

Prices down

WHILST the cost of living keeps rising, UK house prices saw their biggest drop in 14 years in November, falling 2.3 per cent according to Halifax which is considered one of the most accurate pointers to the market.

Oil shortage

IT’S not just fuel oil that is seeing price hikes but due to a particularly poor harvest in 2022, the price Spanish olive oil in all its qualities has reached record highs and due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, sunflower oil prices have also risen.

West Africa

CONTINUING its ‘love affair with Africa, the Agency for International Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) worth €1,496,000 with ECOWAS on December 6. The Economic Community of West African States is a regional political and economic union of 15 countries located in West Africa with a combined population of almost 350 million. This MOU is intended to help support Gender, Agriculture and Sustainable Energy in the Region.

Second hand temptation

BEWARE temptation to buy second­hand electrical goods online as Christmas during a cost­ of­ living­crisis is the ideal time for unscrupulous traders.

This advice from James Farmer, director of the Appliance Recycling Group in the UK is just as relevant to those of us living in Spain.

“Appliance poverty is a real issue, and the cost ­ of ­ living crisis means people are being forced to find new ways to save money,” he said. “When their washing machine or fridge breaks, they have no choice but to look for a quick and cheap replacement online.

James said sites like eBay had systems in place to protect buyers, but others were not so robust.

Facebook Marketplace in particular is a huge draw for people looking for bargains. It does have measures in place for users

First UK Freeports

GOVERNMENT approves first UK Freeports in a bid to generate business as few significant trade deals have been signed since Brexit.

The Freeports becoming fully operational on December 7, is according to the government, a major milestone in its mission to level up communities across the country and will help spread opportunity and drive economic growth.

Each of these Freeports in Plymouth, Solent, and Teesside will now receive up to £25 million seed funding and potentially tens of millions of pounds in locally retained business rates to upgrade local infrastructure and stimulate regeneration.

Freeports are special areas within the UK’s borders where different economic regulations apply and they essentially exist outside its borders for tax purposes.

They are not a new idea and the famous Cinque Ports created in medieval time were effectively Freeports and Britain still had a number until they

were abolished in 2012, although one still exists in the Isle of Man.

Businesses in Freeports can take advantage of tax incentives, unlocking muchneeded investment and bringing high quality jobs in industries of the future to some of the nation’s most overlooked communities.

The Levelling Up Ministry says that combined, the first three Freeports are expected to bring millions of pounds in investment and thousands of highly skilled

jobs, turbocharging local economies and benefiting the whole of the UK.

Parliamentary Under­Secretary of State Dehenna Davison said when announcing the formal approval:

“We are taking full advantage of the freedoms of leaving the EU and these Freeports will generate prosperity and spread opportunity throughout the UK by driving innovation and throwing open our doors to trade with the world.”

to report scammers and fraudulent posts, but people are still falling victims to unscrupulous sellers.

Always look for a picture of the item in situ ­ if it’s a fridge or washing machine it should be pictured in a kitchen or utility room. Pictures of the item outside or in a garage should ring alarm bells.

Don’t buy an appliance based on a photo; ask to see the appliance on a video call. A photo cannot indicate whether that appliance is capable of working.

Don’t fall for an offer of free delivery. Ask to collect the item, even if you are unable to. By engaging the seller, you have an address. When engaged, scammers will often tell you that the item is sold once you press for more details.

Don’t pay cash ­ a credit or debit card, bank transfer or PayPal is best.

Corruption crackdown

FOR a territory with a similar population to the town of Perth in Scotland, Gibraltar does, without doubt, enjoy an extraordinary influx of money from various quarters.

For decades there have been rumours and often unproven accusations, of corruption and there is no doubt that many have, over the years, managed to build impressive property portfolios.

Now, the government has decided to set up an independent Anti ­ Corruption Authority with apparently sweeping powers of investigation and protection for whistle blowers and this will be debated in Parliament with the opposition being promised the possibility of having the bill strengthened if appropriate.

It will be retrospective so there may be some sweaty palms although sometimes, in a small community, it’s not what you know, but who you know.

Legal loophole

ALTHOUGH Spain is one of its busiest European markets, according to El Periódico de España, holiday rental organisation Airbnb paid just €286,337 tax in Spain in 2021 and in the past 10 years total tax paid amounts to €1.15 million.

Much has been made over the years that certain countries such as Ireland offer special tax rebates to international companies locating their headquarters in such countries and this has been the legal loophole that Airbnb took advantage of.

Its Spanish subsidiary is only responsible for marketing and advertising so that the bulk of profits made end up in Ireland, although it is anticipated that new European wide rules will soon close this option.

PROTECTING BUYERS: Take note of where the appliance is.

Credit: Carlos Lindner Unsplash

TRADE DEALS: New Solent Freeport.

Credit: Solent Freeport Twitter

OTHERS THINK IT

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT It never ends

WITHOUT question, the news media from most major TV channels is absolutely running riot with derogatory and depreciating reports attacking the Conservative government.

Headlines are positively bursting with accounts of strikes that are causing chaos; people’s homes dripping with leaks and mould, thousand waiting for NHS treatment and attention, derogatory reporting on cost of living crisis and finance, and never ending plans of rescue from a future Labour government.

It’s all quite unbelievably left wing strategy to depict the country and its society falling apart under the present government.

Recently a report dropped into the anti ­ government media like an early Christmas present.

A black woman calling herself Ngozi Fulani complained that she had been racially insulted at a Buckingham Palace function by an elderly member of the Royal staff. Apparently she had been asked

‘where she really came from’.

This could have meant nothing more than where her ancestors originated.

To this woman however the remark was slam dunk, and didn’t the media love it. Every TV news channel, particularly the BBC, screamed headlines concerning this ‘poor woman’ who headed an African domestic abuse charity organisation being racially insulted by one of the royal household.

No doubt by the time you read this article you will have learned her original name was Marlene Headley. The charity she represented was paying her £65,000 a year. She was a supporter of Meghan Markle and Black Lives Matter.

The next day social media, including Nigel Farage and even a number of black correspondents, ran a complete rampage over her allegations and accused her of plotting every move.

This second day of emerging news should have been plastered

over every news report on national TV. But was it? Of course not. Obviously under instruction from ‘upstairs’ the British media dropped the story of her name change like a ton of bricks. After all it didn’t run akin to their woke propaganda and leftie equivalence at all.

Rather than inform their viewers of something that simply didn’t adhere to their media narrative; they quickly reverted to pumping out their whole package of infested antigovernment rhetoric, all contrived to win Labour the next election. Never ends.

Keep the faith

Love Leapy. leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com Mon and Fri. 1pm.

BE ALERT OUR VIEW

ALTHOUGH Christmas is the ‘Season of Goodwill’, it’s also the time when scammers and crooks can take advantage of people buying for Christmas and Three Kings.

Whilst children (and quite a few adults) love the thought of Christmas trees surrounded for days by wrapped presents, there are also plenty of burglars around the world who are dreaming of the same thing.

There will be a lot more value in your property over the Christmas period than any other time of the year so it is worth while checking your home insurance policy to ensure that in the unfortunate event of a break­in that the loss of your goods is covered and keep receipts to prove what you have spent.

In addition, if you have locks, shutters or burglar alarms make sure that they are in use as if your property is obviously well protected, the burglar could well decide to give it a miss.

This is not to say that you are likely to be a target, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

The same goes for online scammers and Amazon has issued a general warning about the ways in which these scammers will try to trick you into giving them financial information, often purporting to be sending information from major companies.

Again, be alert in case you receive an unexpected email or call from a company regarding an order that you have supposedly placed and never give bank or credit card details in response and you can always check your orders separately with the company that the scammers claim to represent.

Have a great and safe Christmas and New Year.

Advertising Feature

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Tinnitus

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uated, if there is a hearing loss, in many cases it is advisable to use hearing aids and auditory stimulation. Audifonos Llompart have special hearing aids for cases with tinnitus, easing the issue for you and giving you a more comfortable quality of life.

They also offer great discounts for people over 65 years of age and various discounts throughout the year, as well as finance without interest.

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AUDIFONOS LLOMPART:

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LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

OVER many years Neater Heaters have become the first choice of many expats living in Spain.

Behind our stylish Scandinavian designs are a modern state­of­the­art convector heater that can match any on the market for economy and efficiency, and beats all the serious competition hands down on price.

The real secret of these heaters is the computer­age technology in the form of extruded aluminium in the construction of the heating element. This material and the design creates a huge surface area for heat transfer, which means more air can be heated for less cost.

Neater Heaters use convection principles and are designed so that the electricity you put into the heater is converted to heat as cheaply as possible. When you turn on the heater the element warms up rapidly and heats the air around it, this air rises and draws more cold air into the heater. Because the element is extremely efficient and is designed to have a huge surface area, a

large quantity of air is heated very quickly. If your room has the correct sized heater it will take about 20 minutes to warm up from cold, after which the heater eases off and works at about two thirds capacity, (de­

and economical, but as you would expect from a Scandinavian product, they are extremely stylish and practical. There is a model

that will suit anyone, from the BEHA, (Bluetooth option or Wi­Fi option) and the NEO Fi, so that you can control your heaters easily via a Wi­Fi app but still being able to control them manually if preferred, or the trendy original style Neo with digital controls and a choice of colours and if you are limited for wall space, then available for purchase are factory designed feet to enable the heater to be freestanding.

However, a few years ago we went one stage further and added the Turkish made Vigo heater. This heater shares the design technology and ethos of the current Neater Heaters, but it has two differences: The Vigo comes with a carrying handle, wall bracket, and feet included in the price; The larger Vigo models take up less wall space and go up to 2.5kw. They also have a digital display that indicates the reduced wattage that the heater regulates once the room has reached desired temperature, thus saving more money through reduced running costs.

DO you remember the traditional butchers that your grandmother used to shop at? Are you missing the high­quality meats and home­made products that we used to buy in days gone by? Gastrocarne is just that ­ a long­established and authentic butchers where you will find a large selection of meats, fresh cuts and other high­quality delicatessen products.

With 30 years of experience, his love of being a butcher and passing on his knowledge to clients, Jose can advise you on all things meat from their amazing selection! This butchers and delicatessen has become an essential shop for many in Calvia, trusting Gastrocarne to provide high­quality, fresh products to create the best meals at home.

Christmas is just a few weeks away and many of us will be planning our dinners, buffets and snacks, and Gastrocarne is undoubtedly the best place to go! From store to home, you can be sure that everything has been prepared on­site, and they are making it even easier for you this year by preparing plates of stuffed chicken, traditional Mallorcan Christmas soup, stuffed meats, turkey, pork sausage with bacon, dates with bacon

and a wide selection of birds such as duck, geese, and partridges.

If you want to try a typical Spanish Christmas dinner this year, Gastrocarne has the freshest suckling pig, lamb and suckling lamb to make your day special.

They also have a huge range of homemade hamburgers, sausages, marinated meats, skewers, batters and fillings for amazing meals you can make at home! Not forgetting their featured products such as Iberian sausages, cured cheeses and their delicious artisan cachopos ­ crispy breaded beef fillets stuffed with oozy cheese and serano ham. Gastrocarne are passionate about their products and what they do, offering a variety of national products like Galician blonde beef, free­range chickens raised on the ground and beautiful Mallorcan lamb.

RABBIT LOVER

LEAPY, always love your articles. You seem to know everything that is going on. What about this strange idea of the Spanish to ban keeping pets that have been kept by children for many years. Rabbits and guinea pigs are amongst them. I have never heard of an invasion of guinea pigs, obviously turfed out by their owners when bored with them. They wouldn’t last five minutes what with all the feral cats about. And tame rabbits don’t get on well if they escape.

What is the government going to do, knock on every door and demand the children hand over their beloved pets for slaughter? I hope this is not the case. Are they foreseeing dangerous mad rabbits taking over Spain.

When you see all the abandoned dogs in shelters and useless owners that allow them to crap all over pavements and park areas, surely cutting down on dog ownership would be more useful. Rabbits do not usually maul their owners or attack strangers ­ only in Monty Python of course.

Do you know the truth of this?

Veggie view

their new lives but still feel the need to stir the pot about the past.

Andrea, Alicante

Different tone

Leapy, I always enjoy reading your columns, I find them so refreshing however controversial. Must say though that I found the tone of last week’s column about Diana Dors rather sad, for such a wonderful friendship to turn so sour and to then have to deal with the loss of a friendship and at the same time deal with anger at the betrayal.

H Moore

Bleak sales

Sylvia

I love reading your column Nora, I find you write with such open sincerity and I enjoyed reading your latest column ‘Dinner parties from hell.’ I am vegetarian and have been for over 30 years and it was simply a food choice, yes I may be reducing my carbon footprint and alleviating my part in animal cruelty, which is obviously an added bonus, I will not however force my choices on other people or make anyone feel bad about the choices they make. Thank you.

G Farran

Royal fuss

I have been hearing about the release of the new Netflix series re Harry and Meghan and I am just wondering if I am the only one who couldn’t give a hoot for either of them and certainly wouldn’t want to waste several hours of my life watching them portray themselves as victims. I don’t understand why people proclaim to be so happy with

The Black Friday/week sales were more like the bleak sales, it was either overpriced goods reduced to an average price or goods reduced in price that nobody would want to buy or would only fit a size 50 (UK 141/5) feet.

All the hype about the sales weeks before to be sorely disappointed, and to top it off you get stuck in traffic on the way to the shopping centre, then there is nowhere to park and when you do eventually finish your shopping, all the restaurants are full so there is nowhere to have a coffee or a bite to eat. Only winners here are the shops.

Fed up consumer

Giving time

Following the sacking of Eddie Jones I can’t believe anyone would be thinking of getting rid of Gareth Southgate after England’s impressive performance in the World Cup.

In an age of social media, we’re far too quick to judge people based on their latest result instead of their overall work.

We need to give professionals more time to be good at their jobs and show what they can really do.

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.

Mr E Jenkins

TAME RABBITS: Wouldn’t last five minutes outside on their own.

IT truly is the most wonderful time of year. And what better way to spend it than with your furry friends?

But Christmas can also be a dangerous time of year for pets with unexpected decorations, trailing wires and lots of guests around. Take these tips to keep your pet safe and happy throughout the festive season.

Decorations

Decorating your home is one of the most exciting parts of Christmas. But as a pet owner, you should take extra care to ensure that your decorations are pet ­ friendly. Many

decorations can look like toys to pets and can lead to accidents from curiosity. Supervise your pet while in the living room or keep them away from small decorations that could cause choking or strangling.

Electrical cords

Lots of holiday decorations need extra electric cords, and they seem to be everywhere in the Christmas period. Keep cords out of

your pet’s mouth by taping them to walls where possible and unplug them when you’re out of the house.

Distraction

Christmas is a very social season, but this can also be an overwhelming time for our pets. Distraction is your best friend to keep your pet calm and happy. Try introducing your pet to a puzzle toy and ensure your pet gets its usual exercise.

Photo credit: Agata Kowalczyk / shutterstock.com

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Lions crash out

ENGLAND and France contested the fourth quarter­final of the 2022 Qatar World Cup on, Saturday, December 9.

Didier Deschamps named an unchanged side for the game after Sunday’s last­16 win over Poland. Gareth Southgate also kept the same lineup that disposed of Senegal in the previous game.

Aurelien Tchouameni put France in front after 17 minutes. He found himself in space and picked out the bottom corner of the England net with a vicious shot, beyond

Jordan Pickford.

In the 52nd minute, there was no disputing a penalty as Aurelien Tchouameni turned from hero to villain as he took Bukayo Saka out with a very clumsy challenge on the Arsenal Winger.

Harry Kane stepped up to face his Tottenham teammate Hugo Lloris and smashed the penalty kick past him to level the scores. Kane’s strike draws him level with Wayne Rooney as the all­time leading goalscorer for the country.

Ousmane Dembele missed a golden opportunity in the 69th minute, but after 78 minutes France had the lead again. Olivier Giroud was on hand to convert a fine pass from Antoine Griezmann, giving Pickford no chance.

A big moment arose in the 81st minute with a further England penalty, Kane had the chance to become the outright top scorer for England, but somehow lofted his resulting kick over the bar resulting in France holding out for a 2­1 win.

The French team won.

Credit: Twitter@equipedefrance

Restoring national pride

FOLLOWING Spain’s loss to Morocco in the round of 16 of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, manager Luis Enrique was relieved on Thursday, December 8, from his position by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. His replacement has been named as Luis de la Fuente, the current Under­21 national coach.

The board of directors had a deadline of Monday, December 12 before which they had to approve the appointment of a new coach. Luis de la Fuente, will now step up to manage the senior men’s side.

As a player, he made his debut as a left­back for Athletic Bilbao. He also played for Athletic Club, Sevilla FC and finally

New principal

FRENCHMAN, Frederic Vasseur, 54, has been named as Ferrari’s new team principal, the current boss of the Alfa Romeo/Sauber team, will replace Mattia Binotto on January 9.

Fifty­three­year­old Binotto, who has been with the team since 1995, had resigned, according to a statement issued by Ferrari.

Andreas Seidl, 46, ex­McLaren team principal will join Sauber in January as Vasseur’s replacement, as the team build up to Audi’s takeover in 2026.

Vasseur will be charged with turning Ferrari into a team capable of winning the world championship.

Ferrari chief executive officer Benedetto Vigna said: “Throughout his career, Fred has successfully combined his technical strengths as a trained engineer with a consistent ability to bring out the best in his drivers and teams.

“This approach and his leadership are what we need to push Ferrari forward with renewed energy.”

retired at Deportivo Alaves. He won two league titles in the First Division, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup, all with Athletic Club.

At the age of 61, Luis de la Fuente faces one of the most important positions of his coaching career as the Spain coach. After the World Cup defeat, he now has to rebuild the national team and restore the nation’s pride in its football team.

Rugby poor form

EDDIE JONES has been sacked as head coach of England’s rugby union team ­ just nine months before the start of the team’s World Cup campaign.

The 62­year­old Australian, who coached England to the finals of the last Rugby World Cup in 2019 and three Six Nations titles, was sacked fol lowing a review of his team’s recent run of poor form dur

Break a leg

THE FC Bayern and German goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, has broken his leg in a skiing accident putting paid to the rest of his season.

Neuer broke his leg and had to undergo an operation that has meant a miserable end to a disappointing season for the German captain.

He told a national news site “While I was trying to clear my head while skiing, I suffered a fracture in my lower leg. It pains me to know that the current season is over for me.”

Bayern wished their leader a rapid recovery and said that the operation on his leg had been successful. They also con firmed that he would be out for the rest of the season. This after a disappointing end to the World Cup with a shock defeat.

ing the autumn internationals.

England won just one game out of four in the series and

were embarrassingly defeated by Argentina at Twickenham for the first time in 16 years last month, in their opening game.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU), announcing Jones’ dismissal in a statement on Tuesday December 6, said the team’s forwards coach, Richard Cockerill, would take over the ‘day­to­day running’ of the team.

Jones won three Six Nations titles during his seven years in charge of England ­ including a Grand Slam in 2016 ­ as well as two series wins in Australia, an unbeaten run of 16 matches and an Autumn Nations Cup. He leaves his post with the highest­ ever win ratio (73 per cent) of any England coach.

The next Rugby World Cup will be held in France, between September and October 2023.

Eddie Jones sacked as England’s Rugby Union Team head coach.

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