Mallorca 5 • 11 January 2023 Issue 1957

DAZZLING DECORATIONS Free bus rides

THE results of Calvia’s annual decoration competition are in, and some 20 local residents and businesses have won incredible voucher prizes. The announcement was made by the council on Friday, December 30 after online voting lasted more than one week.

The decoration contest saw locals vote on Facebook for their favourite festive decorations in Calvia and surrounding towns. Residents decorated the fronts of their homes and balconies for a shot at voucher prizes.

The biggest prizes were awarded to local residents, Juan Palma Nuñez for the best overall decoration, and Nerea Amelivia Suarez for her decorations using recycled materials. Each won vouchers worth €500 which can be spent at selected local businesses.

va, Ses Illetes, Costa d’en Blanes,

Bendinat. First place winners in each town received €300 in prize vouchers, while those in second

Tourism hotspot

NOW that 2022 is over, Mallorca’s tourism industry is reflecting on a year of record recovery from the global pandemic and looking ahead to another year of success in 2023.

The year started with a limit on the number of cruise ships allowed in Palma’s port. Palma is the first city in Spain to limit cruise ship arrivals with the rule which allows three cruises to dock each day, but each must have less than 5,000 passengers. A new tourism law was approved for Mallorca in February which tightened health and

safety and sustainability regulations for the industry.

During the summer, record numbers of tourists arrived in the Balearic Islands for their holidays. More than 2.1 million tourists visited the islands, an increase of 67.2 per cent on 2021 figures.

The year ended with a surprise business venture announced on Thursday, December 15 by Melia hotel magnate, Gabriel Escarrer and tennis legend, Rafa Nadal. Their first hotel is set to open in Mallorca during 2023.

place received €120 of vouchers. Locals took to Facebook to congratulate the winners, saying the prize money is an excellent way to start 2023.

THE government has announced free TIB public transport in Calvia.

From January 1, the whole TIB bus network will be free of charge for users who use the intermodal card. In this way, the government is extending free travel to the bus network, which in recent months has offered discounts of up to 70 per cent on all journeys.

In order to access the free service, it is necessary to obtain an intermodal public transport card, which can be purchased in Calvia. The offices are located at: Poliesportiu de Santa Ponca (Carrer Riu Sil, num. 4) and Poliesportiu de Magaluf (Avda. de les Palmeres, num. 23 or carrer Mino, núm. 1­21).

Other prizes were awarded by location to people in Calvia Vila, Es Capdellà, El Toro, Son Ferrer, Galatxó, Santa Ponça, Magaluf, Peguera, Palma No­

and

BEST DRESSED: Locals staged festive scenes and placed decorations in the entrances to their homes in a decoration competition in Calvia.

Photo credit: Ajuntament de Calvia

Photo credit: Melia Hotels International (Via Facebook)

Rafa Nadal’s recent hotel deal with Melia was one of the highlights for Mallorca’s hotel industry in 2022.

Rock climbers rejoice

ROCK climbing fanatics in Pollença received an amazing Christmas present on Monday, January 2 with the opening of a brand new rock climbing centre. The rock climbing space is located at the council’s sport centre, the Polideportivo Municipal de Pollença.

Work has been underway on walls at the site for several months, but has now opened with plenty of walls for climbers to get stuck to! The sport has been growing in popularity since its inclusion in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo and now all in Pol ­

lença can try their hand at climbing. The climbing centre offers

walls of varying difficulties to appeal to climbers of all levels, whether it’s a New Year’s

resolution to try a new sport, or you’re a lifelong climber, there is something for all at the climbing centre.

Residents can register to climb and reserve sessions at the wall online at: https://ajuntamentdepollen ca.matchpoint.com.es/Book ing/Grid.aspx or through the council’s fitness app, Sports App Pollença.

The town’s two multipurpose fitness centres also offer top of the range sports facilities for gymnastics, swimming, pádel, tennis, squash, and indoor and outdoor football.

MALLORCA celebrated its first New Year without pandemic restrictions on Saturday, December 31, and despite record numbers of incidents, no serious injuries or deaths were recorded. A total of 191 incidents took place during the night on the island.

The majority of incidents took place in Palma including a fire in the San Roca neighbourhood. Firefighters acted promptly to put out the fire which was caused by a stray firework that was released to celebrate the New Year at midnight.

One other fire was recorded before midnight on Calle Josep Maria Palau i Camps, after rubbish containers caught fire, and another two fires were put out in Sa Taulera and on Calle General Riera after the clock struck 12.

Elsewhere on the island, a fire was extinguished on the terrace of a property in Manacor and firefighters responded to a forest fire in Sa Torre Nova.

Meanwhile, the Local Police reported a ‘normal’ New Year’s Eve with one arrest for reckless driving and resisting arrest, three traffic incidents, and 26 ‘botellón’ public drinking offences recorded.

‘Normal’ New Year Firefighting funding

THE Department of Public Safety has invested €5,035,779 in improving Palma’s firefighting service.

Mayor, Jose Palma, ex ­

plained this in a letter summarising the work done during his term of office, which he sent to the staff of the Palma Fire Department and Fire­

fighters. In the letter, the mayor made a detailed account of the work done by the area in collaboration with all the staff.

Among the material resources, one of the priorities has been the renewal of the fleet, with an investment of €2.14 million. Among others, the purchase of a 32­metre long ladder (€848,800), a heavy rural pump (BRP) for €350,900, and two light urban pumps (BUL) for €273,500 and €388,400, respectively.

The total amount invested, €2.14 million, will increase as work is currently underway on a technical scale to acquire a personnel transport van and a supply pump.

As far as vehicle maintenance is concerned, work has focused on optimising processes. A total of €418,766 has been allocated, €200,000 of which are dedicated to the new contract for preventive and corrective vehicle maintenance.

BRAND NEW: Pollença residents can start the year with an active resolution at the town’s new climbing wall.

Photo credit: BearFotos / shutterstock.com

NIBS EXTRA

Bestseller back

LORD JEFFREY ARCHER has started writing his latest book at his Mallorcan island home. All his recent books, all best sellers, have been penned on the island. “Back in Mallorca, and watching the sun set on my first day of writing,” the top­selling author said on Instagram.

WHSmith

BRITISH travellers will be pleased to hear that Palma airport will be opening a number of WHSmith shops. Earlier this year, the British retail company won a contract from AENA to open stores at Palma, Madrid and Barcelona airports.

Moving house

RAFA NADAL and his family are hoping to move into their new home in Porto Cristo in May. An army of builders are working around the clock to complete the home for the tennis legend, his wife and their new baby.

Andratx six

THE six Andratx police officers who were on duty on New Year’s Eve were paid €400 in overtime. Unions representing the police officers had initially demanded €750 for the shift but in the end council officials reached an agreement of €400.

Three’s a crowd

THE Balearic government has confirmed only three ships will be allowed to visit the port of Palma at any one time and only one of these can be a mega cruise ship, that accommodate thousands of passengers.

Residents help

AS of Tuesday, January 3, residents of Port d’Andratx can go to the Tourist Office in the town, from Monday to Friday between 8.00am and 3.00pm to get help with applying for TIB and EMT bus cards and receive help with travel, census and cohabitation certificates, town hall appointments etc.

Pedalling around Palma

AFTER a months­long refurbishment project, Bicipalma public bike rental scheme is finally relaunching, just in time to make Palma residents’ active New Year’s resolutions come true. Bicipalma announced its return to service on Thursday, December 29.

All users of the old system have now received an email with instructions on how to convert their membership to the new system. New users can create accounts which will become operational from the second week of January.

The refurbishment project was designed with the goal of keeping Palma at the forefront of active travel developments.

The new service now offers 930 bikes at 85 stations around the city, 270 of which are electrical.

Authorities have also designed the system to create a sustainable alternative to driving, so the system is affordable, costing just €24 for an annual subscription.

The bikes will also appeal to tourists, with the option for threeday and five ­ day subscriptions as well as the longer term one, three, six or 12 month subscription options.

Those interested in pedalling around Palma can create an account online at: https://www.bicipalma. com/en/palma/.

Conserving history Majestic procession

SON PERETO Town Hall is set to receive a cultural subsidy to carry out conservation works on the Paleo­Christian basilica. The Son Pereto site is the only late antiquity site on Mallorca that has been made into a museum and can be visited.

The works to be carried out inside the basilica consist of two different sections. The first set of works involves the re­excavation of the whole basilica and, the second set will include the consolidation and conservation

of the basilica. With regard to the re­excavation, all the surface levels that were added to the basilica during the 20th century will be removed and most of the Romanesque elements in the basilica will be excavated and documented.

In terms of conservation, the architectural elements displaced from their original place will be identified and repositioned, the crests of the walls will be consolidated and the mosaic remains will be restored on site.

Active alliance

THE Three Kings is the main Christmas period celebration of the year in Spain and the celebrations in Mallorca are magnificent and most certainly a spectacle to enjoy if you are visiting at this time of year.

The Three Kings is a celebration of the arrival of Balthazar, Caspar and Melchior in Bethlehem to see baby Jesus, and is enjoyed all over Spain with a street parade, known in Spanish as a ‘Cabalgata de Reyes’, on the evening of January 5, with the first ­ ever parade that was recorded being in 1876 in Alicante.

Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, aboard the period boat, Rafael Verdera, will disembark at around 6.00pm at the Marina Moll Vel, Palma. Once ashore, they will walk through the streets accompanied by their floats and troupes.

From there, the route will go along Avenida Antoni Maura, Paseo del Borne, Plaza Juan Carlos I, Calle Union, Ramblas, Calle Baro de Pinopar, Via Alemania, Via Roma and return along Calle del Bisbe Campins, Ruben Darío, Paseo Mallorca, Jaume III and Paseo del Borne to the Casal Solleric.

A PALMA walking group has announced a new partnership with national bank, CaixaBank to offer the ‘Llenos de vida’ campaign, giving older people and retirees a taste of Nordic walking.

The new scheme will be led by experienced instructor, Antonio Brieba in Palma.

More than 15 societies and organisations are getting involved with the initiative, bringing the sport closer to local older people. Each group will receive four sport sessions in the scheme.

The activity is recommended for older people interested in doing more exercise since it offers a comprehensive but lowimpact workout. Furthermore,

Nordic walking is also a fun activity which allows participants to see new places and socialise.

Local loyalty

WITH the aim of promoting the values of small shops in schools, PalmaActiva is launching the fifth edition of ‘Shop and School’ to help the children of Palma discover local, traditional and neighbourhood shops.

According to Jordi Vila, councillor for Economic Promotion and Employment, the main objectives of Shop and School are: to make society aware of the importance and functionality of local shops through children and to promote knowledge of the historical, social and cultural environment of the city through its shops.

It is hoped the project will also create a culture of responsible consumption and critical thinking in children and help children to get to know and value the small shops in the neighbourhood.

In addition to being better for the environment, buying local stimulates the local economy. When you buy from a chain, that wealth is distributed elsewhere, but by buying local, you are supporting the local community and making sure that money can go back into your community.

Bicipalma boasts electric city bikes on its stations in Palma as well as traditional pedal-powered bikes.

Photo credit: Bicipalma (Via Facebook)

PALMA is creating a new road which will run along Camí dels Reis. The new addition will lighten traffic in this school zone of Palma, as well as creating a safe alternative for accessing the area on foot or by bicycle.

The project includes for the entire road, which totals 1,380 metres, with lighting, shade­generating trees, street furniture and two lanes for vehicles.

The budget for the works stands at €2,624,962.

The councillor for Infrastructures, Angelica Pastor, has confirmed the project already has funding. She said: “This is an important demand of the residents of Son Rapinya. We had already started the prepara­

Safe passage

tion of the land last term in order to be able to carry out this project.”

THE new Son Sardina walkway is now a reality as work will soon begin and is expected to take four months to complete.

The councillor for Infrastructures, Neus Truyol, was very positive about the start of the work, he confirmed: “The new walkway is a just and historic claim of the residents of Son Sardina that will serve to improve their quality of life.

“The cost of the works has increased by 50 per cent which has tak­

The project has been split into two sections. The rural section which totals

1,200 metres and the urban section which is almost nine metres wide.

Positive start

en into consideration the rise in inflation and the increase in the price of materials. The updated price has risen from €315,000 to €472,000.”

Truyol explained: “The new walkway aims to respect the rural character of the neighbourhood, which will

pedestrianise an area that is currently used by cars.

“The residents of Son Sardina want more sustainable mobility with improved cycle lanes, more green areas, more pedestrian walkways and more people than traffic.”

Refreshing orange

WORK on Placa Reina Maria Cristina, popularly known as ‘Orange Square’ will begin on Monday January 9 and is expected to take approximately six months.

Llucmajor Town Planning councillor, Guillermo Roig confirmed: “The fact that these works are starting is, without a doubt, one of the best pieces of news we could have. This work has been accumulating delays for reasons beyond our control and the residents of Arenal have suffered, which we deeply regret.”

The councillor also stressed that the project will take into account measures of sustainability and respect for the environment, such as the installation of drip irrigation for the trees that will be maintained in the square, changing the lights to LED technology to achieve energy savings and a reduction of CO₂

It is also expected that when the renovation is completed, the project will benefit the shops and hotels in the area, thanks to the conversion of different sections of the square into a pedestrian zone and more attractive spaces for visitors.

Bus bonus

THE start of the free public transport service in the city of Palma has begun in earnest. The first few days of 2023 have been characterised by the smooth running of the Municipal Transport Company (EMT) service.

On New Year’s Day just after 1.00am the free service with the NitBus began running.

From Monday, January 2, the first working day with the free public transport service in operation, a reinforcement service was prepared in case there was an increase in demand, but the service on the first working day was normal, as there were still many people on holiday.

On Monday, January 9, reinforcements have been prepared in anticipation of the increase in demand due to the end of the school holidays and the fact that a significant number of workers will also be finishing their Christmas holidays.

The EMT has also detected a particular increase in demand for information from the Customer Service Office and the Citizen Information Offices (OAC) to resolve queries about free travel.

Image: Palma City Council

SCHOOL SAFETY: The project has been split into two sections.

New Year’s honour

MICHELE MASSON, President of Help Vega Baja, has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to British Nationals in Spain in the New Year Honours List, published on Saturday December 31, 2022.

There are more than 2,000 British Nationals living in the area covered by Help Vega Baja and for many of them the charity has been a lifeline in difficult times.

Since becoming its President in 2015, Michele Masson has steered the charity through the twin challenges of Brexit and Covid, as well as the severe flooding that hit the Vega in September 2019 - providing a source of constant support to the community when they needed it most. More recently, she has corralled the charity’s volunteers to gather supplies of food and clothes for the local Ukrainian association to distribute to the high volume of refugees arriving in Torrevieja.

HMA Hugh Elliott said: “I know that my colleagues in our Alicante consulate find it hard to imagine the south of the province without Help Vega Baja and, indeed, without Michele. Under her leadership, the charity has become one of our key partners in the region - assisting with complex consular cases and acting as our eyes and ears on the ground. During the pandemic, Michele worked with us on a partnership pilot project to distribute consular funding via food vouchers to vulnerable families whose income had been lost due to Covid restrictions. Michele is a wonderful example

of leading by doing and I am delighted that she has been honoured for her work.”

Michele Masson said: “I am honoured to be awarded the British Empire Medal for services to British Nationals in Spain by his Majesty, King Charles III. The charity world has many challenges, but knowing at the end of each day we have made a difference makes everything we are faced with worthwhile. I extend my appreciation to colleagues, friends and family who support me. Thank you all.”

Michele Masson has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM).

Image: British Embassy Madrid

Cryptic bank balances

SPAI N’S T reasury has delayed the implementation of legislation requiring taxpayers to declare all cryptocurrency information. The decision was announced on Friday, December 30 and means virtual currencies will not be treated the

same as traditional currency until at least 2024.

As well as technological difficulties, the reasons for the 11th hour decision include a disagreement between the national tax agency and the State Council over the format

Controlling Covid

TRAVEL restrictions due to Coronavirus might be a thing of the past for most countries by now, but a recent outbreak of the virus in China is causing countries to rethink their entry requirements. After announcing the new restrictions on Thursday, December 29, Spain’s Department for Health confirmed that inbound travellers from China will now be required to present a negative test for Covid-19, or a vaccination certificate once more. Despite originally waiting for the EU to take action, Spain is the second country in the EU, after Italy to individually take measures to prevent the largescale return of the virus. The news comes almost three years to the day that China first declared the virus outbreak.

of declarations. Spain’s tax agency is in favour of collating as much data as possible from taxpayers, whereas the State Council is concerned about potential data protection issues. The tax codes that are under review and set to be amended from 2024 include 172, 173 and 721, which could change to require taxpayers to declare earnings in cryptocurrencies abroad and domestically.

Currently, data is only required on cryptocurrencies when it is used as a currency for domestic transactions. Taxpayers also do not currently have to declare the purchase of cryptocurrency. However, more stringent regulations apply to those whose assets are worth more than €2 million.

Four arrested

ACCORDING to the National Police on Wednesday, December 28, four people have been arrested in two different operations for undertaking illegal aesthetic treatments that have left at least one woman in a coma.

The most serious of the cases involves a woman in Madrid who attended a ‘clinic’ where she was given fat­burning injections at a cost of €3,500.

But the woman’s health deteriorated that afternoon and she was transferred to a local hospital where she remains in critical condition. Despite botching the procedure, the ‘clinic’ demanded another €6,300 to cover the cost of the hospitalisation and ambulance.

The victim’s friend when asked for the money refused and instead denounced the people involved. The police were able to identify the man

and woman involved, neither of whom had any medical qualifications.

A second operation in Pozuelo de Alarcón, resulted in two people being arrested as they were leaving a home where they were suspected of carrying out illegal treatments. A search of their car revealed a bag with numerous drugs, as well as different aesthetic treatments.

Investigations are continuing with the police trying to trace other victims.

Royal hot water

FELIPE JUAN FROILÁN DE MARICHALAR Y BORBON , the 24 ­ year ­ old nephew of Spain’s King Felipe VI has been implicated by the Local Police after a large fight broke out in a Madrid nightclub on November 25. According to a Spanish online news site, the National Police said that they are investigating a case related to the alleged involvement of Froilán, in a brawl that included 30 people, with some carrying knives.

Police officials said that the fight started after a vehicle was damaged, and upon reaching the scene, officers discovered bloodstains on the ground along with a broken car side view mirror.

Spanish authorities now state that the King’s nephew could face a prison sentence from three months to a year, if convicted. But the charges against him could be suspended due to the law in Spain, where sentences under two years are usually suspended for first­time offenders.

Aesthetic treatments.

DIGITAL CURRENCY: Users don’t yet need to declare all of their crypto assets.

Photo credit: Chinnapong / shutterstock.com

Streaming success stories New home in Spain

A TOTAL of 63.47 per cent of the people who have obtained temporary protection in Spain are women, while 33.69 per cent are under 18 years of age.

Becoming popular

THE Survey of Essential Characteristics of the Population and Housing (ECEPOV) of 2021, which has just been released, suggests that Spanish

remains the dominant and preferred language in Spain but that the use of English is increasing.

According to a report by a Spanish news outlet on Monday, January 2 tourism and the rise of business professionals who often work with technology or across continents are at the centre of the trend.

They also point out that whilst many politicians push the need to be patriotic and protect your own language, young people are learning that the ability to speak other languages has value in a globalised world.

The survey results suggest that one in four people can speak or understand English, although the research did not ask people to clarify their level of ability. As with Englishspeaking people learning Spanish, the ability to speak is far lower than the ability to understand or read.

Spain has exceeded 160,000 temporary protections for refugees from the war in Ukraine, more than 10 months after the start of the war.

Since its activation on March 10 and up to the close of business on Wednesday, December 28, the Office of Asylum and Refugees (OAR) of the Ministry of the Interior and the National Police have processed and granted a total of 160,756 protections to Ukrainian refugees in Spain.

This figure places Spain among the European countries that have granted the most protection to citizens and residents of Ukraine. All of this is possible thanks to the mechanism put in place urgently by the Spanish government to comply with the European Union agreement, which, for the first time in history, authorised the application of the Temporary Protection Directive.

THE last year was filled with changes in many industries in Spain, but one industry whose success hasn’t been as affected by the pandemic is the television streaming industry. And while the rankings appear to have stayed fairly constant, there were still some surprises in 2022.

Data on streaming platform use released on Friday, De­

cember 30 found that Netflix remains the most popular choice among consumers who use streaming services. In fact, nearly 57 per cent of streaming platform users opted to buy a subscription.

Amazon Prime closely followed, with just over 50 per cent of users also choosing this service. Third on the list was a surprise with HBO Max

which shot up five percentage points from last year to be used by nearly 27 per cent of streaming service users. HBO Max soared past Disney Plus which is used by 25 per cent of users.

The last service on the top five list was Movistar+, which although used by 18 per cent of watchers, has actually lost users in the last year.

2023 Holiday calendar

WITH 17 different autonomous communities, it can be tricky to work out all of Spain’s different bank holidays. But the new year is here, and today we’re sharing the bank holidays taking place across the country to help you to start planning your 2023!

Friday, January 6, The Epiphany is the first of the Spanish holidays in 2023, taking place this week to mark the Catholic tradition of the Three Kings arriving.

Friday, April 7, Good Friday.

Monday, May 1, International Workers’ Day Tuesday, August 15, Catholic feast day of the Assumption.

SPAIN’S President, Pedro Sánchez made a landmark visit to Lebanon, to strengthen relations between the two countries and offer a funding package. Sánchez is the first delegate from the European Union to visit the country as he touched down in Beirut on Wednesday, December 29.

During the visit, the Spanish leader affirmed Spain’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with Lebanon as well as the EU. Sánchez repre­

Get ahead on your 2023 planning by checking out the year’s national bank holidays.

Thursday, October 12, Spain’s National Day. Wednesday, November 1, All Saint’s Day

Wednesday, December 6, Spain’s 1978 Constitution commemoration.

Friday, December 8, the Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Monday, December 25, Christmas Day.

Link with Lebanon

sented the EU and Spain during the meeting with the country’s interim Prime Minister, Najib Miqati and Leader of Parliament, Nabih Berri.

Sánchez highlighted areas for improvement during the momentous visit, including developing better renewable energy networks and infrastructure. Sánchez also pledged financial aid for the

country from Spain’s ‘Apoyo Español’ funding.

Sánchez also greeted some of Spain’s 646 service people stationed at the Miguel de Cervantes base in Marjayoun, alongside the Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles. The troops work in the southern part of the country for the United Nations’ Unifil programme.

Ukrainian refugees.

Image: Maksym Kapliuk/Shutterstock.com

Photo credit: Madhourse / shutterstock.com

Of course, you can review your financial planning any time to ensure it is on the right path, but the New Year is the perfect prompt to do so.

One key reason is to ensure it is up to date. Establish whether any tax rules or financial regulations have changed and consider if developments in your personal circumstances mean you should adjust previous arrangements.

But an effective review of your financial planning, to ensure it is suitable for your life in Spain and future plans, needs to go beyond that.

Many people only consider segments of their finances at a time. They may have bought shares in companies or funds they like years ago. They may speak to a tax accountant about Spanish taxation, then to a lawyer about wills. At some point they look at their pensions.

For truly effective financial planning, however, you need to consider all these various aspects together. For example, how you hold your investments can make a difference to your Spanish tax liabilities. Estate planning in

Strategic financial planning for the New Year

was, you pretty much need to start afresh in Spain. What was tax efficient in the UK is unlikely to be tax efficient here. Explore the compliant arrangements available in Spain to establish what would work for your situation and how much tax you can save.

Estate planning

UK nationals can use the EU succession regulation to distribute their estate under the appropriate UK law, but research this first to confirm if it’s the right solution for you.

Financial structuring for life in Spain

By Cathal Rochford, Partner, Blevins Franks

on what you can achieve.

Spanish residency and taxation

The fact that you are resident in Spain, rather than the UK, has a significant impact on your financial and tax planning.

The way you own assets can impact on how you can distribute them on death and how much tax your beneficiaries pay, so take this into consideration early on. The Spanish succession tax rules differ greatly from the UK’s and you need to understand these to be able to plan around them.

Spanish succession law establishes forced heirship rules and protects children over your spouse, which can have unwel -

Perhaps the key rule for financial planning is that it must be specifically structured around your personal circumstances –your lifestyle today and plans for the future, family situation, income requirements, objectives, time horizon and risk tolerance.

If you don’t already have a strategic financial plan in place for Spain, you need to take a completely fresh look at your investments and consider if they remain suitable for you today. Are they too risky? Do you have adequate diversification? Could

At the same time, consider your tax liabilities on investment income and gains, as well as wealth tax, and whether you could use tax-efficient arrangements to hold your investments as resident of Spain. And how will these savings be passed to your heirs? What inheritance taxes will they pay? Can the funds be passed on directly or through a lengthy probate process?

Every family is different. Your strategic financial planning must be carefully designed for you. All the various aspects should work cohesively together to create an overall wealth management plan that provides long-term financial security for yourself and achieves your wishes for your heirs. For peace of mind take specialist advice.

All advice received from any Blevins Franks firm is personalised and provided in writing. This document/article, however, should not be construed as providing any personalised taxation and/or investment advice.

You can find other financial advisory articles by visiting our website

Unacceptable queues Bus lane chaos

NOTTINGHAM City Council has issued more than 39,000 fines to drivers inadvertently using a bus lane, raking in more than £1 million in fines.

PATIENTS in the UK are being forced to wait in huge queues for their turn outside emergency care, as one person reportedly spent over 99 hours last week to get a bed at a hospital, at the Great Western Hospital in England.

The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK is facing a major crisis, as a record number of cases due to flu, Covid, and Strep A, has resulted in thousands of people waiting outside emergency care.

According to Dr Adrian Boyle, Chief Royal College

of Emergency Medicine, quoted by a national newspaper, this winter has been the worst season on record, with regards to the amount of time each patient has to wait, before getting any medical attention at Accident and Emergency (A&E).

Due to this delay, hundreds of people are dying as a result, he explains.

“We think between 300 to 500 people are dying as a consequence of delays and problems with urgent and emergency care each week. We need to get a grip of this,” said Boyle.

Incredible achievement

A 53-YEAR-OLD man from England successfully completed his 365th marathon in a year on New Year’s Eve, raising over £1 million (€1.12 million) for charity. Gary McKee from Cleator Moor in Cumbria ran a total of 9,563 miles in a year, which helped him raise more money than he was earlier targetting for Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria.

The father of three, McKee works as a group leader at a nuclear site in Sellafield, and often ran 26.2 miles (42.1 kilometres) every day in the morning, before starting his shift. Last year, he went through over 22 pairs of trainers, completing his daily marathons, regardless of rain, snow, or sunshine.

Aside from this, McKee has climbed Kilimanjaro, trekked through New Zealand and completed the Three Peaks Challenge in less than 24 hours. He has previously run over 100 marathons in 100 days and 110 in 110 days.

According to a national newspaper on Saturday, December 31 many have managed to appeal their fines after a judge found the signage to be inadequate. But a Nottingham City Council spokesperson said: “We have met all legal requirements for signage and gone above and beyond these, previously adding additional advisory signage since the changes were first made to provide motorists with further warning and diversions towards the Southern Relief Route.

“We keep this under constant review and have made changes following feedback from the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which oversees PCN appeals, and we’d happily listen to any further suggestions from the public.

But drivers in the city aren’t satisfied saying that the signage is inadequate and difficult to see, with more than 2,000 successfully arguing that to be the case.

Dumping EU Law

RISHI SUNAK has pledged to rid the UK of all EU laws within 100 days, but sources are now suggesting that it could take up to three years to do so.

Government sources speaking to a national news

outlet on Tuesday, January 3 have said that the delay is unavoidable given the scale of the operation. Ministers will need to decide which of the more than 4,000 pieces of legislation are to be kept and which will be ditched.

Those that aren’t retained will need to be rewritten and will most likely need to go through parliament for approval, prompting some departments to ask for the deadline to be extended until 2026.

The bill to approve the wholesale dumping of EU legislation, the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) is expected to face fierce opposition when it reaches the House of Lords in February with any delay being further damaging for Rishi Sunak who had vowed to get rid of the laws within 100 days.

Photo by SeventyFourShutterstock.com

Over 500 die every week in UK due to emergency care delays.

Putin’s passport offer

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has approved the process by which Ukrainians in occupied territories can claim a passport, effectively renouncing their Ukrainian citizenship.

The process approved on Monday, December 26 also provides for the instant recognition of any ­

one under the age of 14 as a Russian citizen, with anyone else unwilling to be a Ukrainian citizen able to apply for the change.

Let it snow

means some ski stations will remain shut.

The mild winter season has greatly disrupted the plans for ski sta ­

Mobile ban Hair brain idea

GIORGIA MELONI’S right­wing government has compared the effects of using mobile phones with the use of cocaine as it moves to ban them from schools in Italy.

The Minister of Education, Giuseppe Valditara, was reported by an Italian news outlet at the end of December, as having sent a circular to all Italian schools and institutes prohibiting the use of mobiles in schools.

He said in his opinion, they represent a “distraction both for those who use them and for classmates. I’m not saying you can’t get into class with your mobile. But you can leave it at the entrance or in any case outside the lesson: you go to school, to study, not to chat.”

It is understood the circular was accompanied by a Senate report that compares mobile phones with cocaine, however this research has been based on specialist opinion only.

Those that do apply will have to provide proof of citizenship from the DPR, LPR or Ukraine along with proof of residence. Those documents then need to be submitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia or its territorial body. The ministry told Kommersant that new passport applications will be processed in less than 10 days.

A bill before the Duma will see Ukrainians formally renounce their citizenship on the day the application for a Russian passport is submitted.

Russia is moving ahead with its plans to make the annexed areas permanent regions of the country, allowing Ukrainians in ‘an ­

HAIRDRESSERS across Belgium are sweeping up and bagging hair clipped from their customers, and then handing it over to the Hair Recycle Project which is part of the non­governmental, non­profit organisation Dung Dung. The organisation then recycles the hair to protect the environment.

The Hair Recycle project feeds locks and tresses into a machine that turns them into matted squares that can be used to absorb oil and other hydrocarbons polluting the environment, or made into biocomposite bags.

Project co ­ founder Patrick Janssen, explained that one kilogramme (2.2 lbs) of hair can absorb seven to eight litres of oil and hydrocarbons, and the matted squares can be placed in drains to soak up pollution in water before it reaches a river.

“Our products are all the more ethical as they are manufactured locally, they are not imported from the other side of the planet,” he told a news outlet. “They are made here to deal with local problems.”

tions in the French Alps and the Pyrenees this year, due to not enough snow. According to a report by a French news outlet on Tuesday, December 27, this has resulted in over half of the ski slopes across France remaining shut, at a time of the peak holiday season.

The Southern Alps which have over 75 per cent of the slopes opened along with the Northern Alps, have been the least affected. However, the situation is particularly worrying in the Pyrenees, with only 25 per cent of the slopes open so far. Aside from this, the Vosges and the Jura also witnessed a lack of snow, as only 25 per cent of the slopes have been opened to date.

PROCESS APPROVED: Ukrainians can claim a passport.

Image Iv-olga / Shutterstock.com

SKIERS may be met with disappointment as a lack of snow in the Pyrenees and other French ski slopes

Medieval hall

IF you are interested in the characteristic elements of medieval domestic architecture the Medieval Hall of Can Balaguer will be the perfect trip. When the refurbishment work on the medieval hall was completed in 2016, some remains of wall paintings dating from the 14th century appeared inside the walls of the property.

Most of the building dates from the Baroque period. These remains give us information about the previous constructions. With free entry, it is well worth a visit. The Can Balaguer is located at C de la Unio, 3 and is open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10.00am until 7.00pm.

For more information email: canbalaguer@palma.cat or call (+34) 971 225 900, ext 1729.

THE Fiesta Sant Sebastia is one of the biggest festivals in Mallorca. It takes place every January to celebrate the patron saint of the capital, Saint Sebastian.

For two weeks, the city celebrates with cultural activities, sports events, and lots of entertainment for children (especially at Sant Sebastia Petit, a kid’s party with live music, workshops and other activities for the little ones).

The big night is on January 19, the day of Saint Sebastian, a bonfire is lit in the Placa Major to mark the beginning of the festivities.

Giants and the dragon ‘Drac Na Coca’ parade across the square to the music of the traditional ‘xeremiers’ or bagpipe players. This is also when the ‘revetlla’ takes

1st Rally of 2023

MALLORCA Classic Car Club is set to cruise into the new year with its first rally of the year on Sunday, January 29.

Drivers from all over the island will gather for the Almond Blossom Rally outside the Es Cruze restaurant in Palma at 10.30am. Refreshments and drinks will be on sale at the meeting point to fuel drivers ahead of a busy day of driving and sightseeing. Classic car connoisseur, Jean­Pierre Allemann has organised the latest installation in the rally series, which will traverse some of the island’s most breathtaking scenery on the way to Cala Ratjada.

Car lovers will take in the scenic countryside en route, before a lunch stop at Restaurante La Trattoria on the harbour promenade at 1.30pm.

Further details about the race are being finalised including prices, but a link will be

available shortly on the car club’s website with information about booking: https://ccc­mallorca.com/ events/almond­blossom­rally29th­january­2023­at­10­30am/.

Saints fiesta

place (a music event that fills up all the squares of Palma with free concerts).

Another very popular event is the ‘Correfoc’ which is a fire run that takes place on Thursday January 26.

There will also be exhibitions, music, guided tours and parades for the duration of the festival.

For more information head to the website www.palma cultura.cat

SANT SEBASTIA FIESTA: A bonfire is lit in Placa Major.

Image: Palma City Council

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Fewer crimes

QUITE often it’s not Santa Claus who arrives at the homes of families in Copenhagen on Christmas Eve, but enterprising burglars looking to liberate presents as owners are out visiting family, although this year, police figures reveal an all time low of just 47 reported break-ins.

THE NETHERLANDS

Keep it local

WORRIED by the number of overseas students (mainly from the EU) being actively recruited by Dutch Universities, which cause housing problems across the country and lecture hall overcrowding, Education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf has written telling them to concentrate on admitting Dutch students.

BELGIUM

Bum note

PLANS to affix a 725 kilo, seven-metre-long harmonica to the front of the new Toots Thielemans metro station in the Zuidlaan suburb of Brussels to celebrate what would have been the musician’s 100th birthday have been blocked due to health and safety fears.

GERMANY

Going ape

CONSIDERED to be gentler than chimpanzees, the bonobo apes are as curious as their cousins and a zoo in Stuttgart makes sure that they receive plenty of Christmas presents as they love to unwrap boxes and study the wrapping paper before eating their treats.

FRANCE

Racist vandals

A STATUE of Victor Hugo in Besançon created by Senegalese sculptor Ousmane Sow had its face painted white after rants by right-wing extremists on social media declared that its face appeared to be too much like an African and two young men have been arrested.

NORWAY

Unique find

ALTHOUGH Viking artifacts have been found in Oslo over the years, for the first time a complete Viking grave has been discovered by builders constructing a new house on a small hill overlooking the Holmendammen lake just north of the city centre.

FINLAND

Holy smoke

WORSHIPPERS at a wooden chapel in the town of Rautjärvi were lucky to escape unharmed as it was burned down Christmas Day and police believe that an elderly man who later set fire to his own property and died was the probable arsonist.

IRELAND

Dusk busk

ANOTHER survivor of the pandemic is the annual Christmas Eve busking event in Dublin’s Grafton Street which raises funds for the Simon community. Quiet for the past two years, in the past it has attracted stars such as Bono and Sinéad O'Connor who played unannounced.

ITALY

Wild boar

ANIMAL rights activists are not happy with a new proposal to be debated in the Italian Parliament which would allow for the culling of wild boar. It is estimated that there are now more than two million and increasing numbers cause health and road safety problems in cities.

PORTUGAL

More routes

EASYJET has announced that this coming summer, it will add 15 new routes from Lisbon airport which will include Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca and Menorca as well as increasing capacity to a number of destinations thus adding more than one million extra seats.

UKRAINE

McChristmas

ON December 23, 2020, burger chain McDonalds opened in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, but the restaurant was damaged following the Russian invasion. Now just in time for this Christmas, the outlet has reopened with its own generator and joins 63 other McDonalds still serving.

SWEDEN

Earworm

A SWEDISH couple, Tomas and Hannah Mazzetti hate the Wham song Last Christmas so much that they want to raise enough money to buy the rights so that they can then take it off air forever, but they are about €15 million short of the likely price.

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

known to the area. The Cruz del Descubrimiento is a beautiful monument to visit with top ­ class 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 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

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.

The perfect place to visit.

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, re­

tail 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 JanuaryFebruary 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 Sellers market

A Handbag!

WITH stock markets still suffering following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and central banks attempting to tackle inflation, some investors are looking for other areas to put their money and currently high quality, expensive handbags with limited production runs are considered a good longterm bet.

Pork scratching

BRITISH pigs in blankets may have ended up in South Korean festive celebrations after the UK government secured the removal of rules banning the export of certain pork products such as bacon and sausages to that country opening an estimated £1 million market opportunity.

Petrol war

WITH the removal of the 20 cents per litre government fuel discount for private vehicle owners, Spain’s two largest suppliers of diesel and petrol Repsol and Cepsa have confirmed that they will both maintain their additional discounts at least for the first quarter of 2023.

Foreign workers

ALERT to the fact there were simply insufficient people available or prepared to work in flower and vegetable picking in the UK in 2022, the government has increased the number of seasonal workers visas for 2023 by 15,000 to 45,000, in time for the daffodil season.

Best customer

SPAIN has emerged as Nigeria’s largest export destination with total exports valued at N873.6 billion (€1.84 billion) according to a report from Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics with the bulk being made up of oil and liquid gas although leather from goats came third.

Tackling rising prices

ON Tuesday December 27, the Spanish government agreed a package of measures designed to keep inflation low and to help households cope with rising prices.

The measures are:

• A reduction in the rate of VAT

The VAT rate on all items that attract the current rate of 4 per cent will be reduced to zero, and a basket of basic items like pasta and olive oil will see the VAT rate fall from 10 to 5 per cent.

• Fuel discount

The fuel discount scheme has been extended for a further six months, however, it is to be discontinued for private individuals (excepting Repsol and Cepsa). Only professionals in transport, agriculture and fisheries will continue to benefit from the scheme.

• Property rental

The cap that prevents rental rates from being increased by more than 2 per cent annually

will remain in place and will be reviewed annually in line with the inflation rate. Any contract that expires between now and July will have the rental price frozen, that is no increase in the rental.

• Public transport

The free transport scheme currently in place will be extended for a further 12 months.

• Direct financial support

Households with an income of less than €27,000 could be eligible for a monthly cheque of €200,

essentially anyone who does not meet the Minimum Vital Income level or who is a Spanish pensioner.

That measure is expected to cost the government in excess of €1.3 billion, with more than 5.5 million Spaniards thought to be eligible for direct assistance.

More details will follow once the legislation is published, particularly in regard to the foods that will benefit from a VAT reduction.

WASPI women wait

SINCE the pension age for women in the UK was raised from 60 with effect from 2011 a special group WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) was formed in 2015 to lobby parliament.

According to their estimates, more than 212,000 affected women died since they were formed, saving the UK government some £3.18 billion.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is in the process of conducting a very long­term review of the situation and having decided that the Department of Works and Pension had failed to communicate State Pension age changes to the women affected in July of this year, they have now completed stage 2 of the investigation.

For reasons of their

own, they are not however publishing their report until the entire investigation is complete and at a recent meeting the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs committee Amanda Amroliwala (Chief Executive Officer at the PHSO) told WASPI that this will be ‘within the first

quarter’ of 2023.

WASPI hope and believe that the PHSO will have the evidence needed to prove that there was maladministration which has caused injustice for up to 3.8 million women and they are currently seeking legal advice on what their next steps should be depending on the

outcome of the review.

In addition, they have appointed a new PR and Consultancy agency to obtain more coverage for their campaign and during the latter part of the year, the story was picked up by several national newspapers as well as Sky News and the BBC.

UNLIKE the UK where the sale of houses appears to be in the doldrums and the government are still trying to prop up the market, Spain seems to be heading in the opposite direction.

For years, the volume of unsold (and often unfinished) property flooded the market due to the 2008 financial crisis, but finally there are plenty of buyers around.

According to the latest Tinsa IMIE Local Markets statistics published on December 30, the value of new and used housing in Spain rose 2.5 per cent between the third and fourth quarters, placing the year­on­year increase in the last quarter of the year at 8.8 per cent, around 2 per cent above inflation.

On track

SPAIN is to spend €24.2 billion between now and 2026 in order to boost the strength of its railway system both nationally and by increasing the number of international routing agreements across Europe. Part of the strategy is to ensure that passengers receive a better and safer experience when using the railway system which will be modernised as much as possible and where feasible expanded with some new lines.

The other intent is to encourage greater passenger and freight usage as part of its ongoing environmental strategy which looks to reduce the amount of traffic on the roads.

SPAIN’S Ministry of Science and Innovation, through the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), allocated €325 million in 2022 to promote biomedical and health R&D&I.

Of the total investment, the ISCIII granted €248 million through the Strategic Action in Health (AES) 2022, the main annual tool to finance biomedical and health research in Spain. This investment represents 5 per cent more than the previous year.

The balance of €77 million was utilised by way of subsidies corresponding to past annual payments for biomedical and health R+D+I in the country.

NEW MEASURES: Support announced by Spanish Council of Ministers.

WASPI WOMEN: Outside the Houses of Parliament.

is the amount that British company Howden is believed to have paid to take over Banca March’s insurance business in Spain.

3I Group 1.337,50 1.345,50 1.331,50 139,82K

Abrdn 189,55 190,90 188,70 677,32K

Admiral Group 2.136,0 2.148,0 2.128,0 58,05K

Anglo American 3.246,5 3.261,5 3.235,0 214,34K

Antofagasta 1.557,00 1.561,00 1.545,00 83,15K

Ashtead Group 4.753,0 4.800,0 4.751,0 44,28K

Associated British Foods 1.578,5 1.597,5 1.576,5 100,45K

AstraZeneca 11.254,0 11.326,0 11.250,0 87,13K

Auto Trader Group Plc 518,80 525,00 518,80 273,73K

Aveva 3.217,0 3.218,0 3.215,0 46,95K

Aviva 445,30 448,50 443,80 332,05K

B&M European Value Retail SA413,80 415,10 408,60 243,56K

BAE Systems 857,00 863,40 856,40 574,68K

Barclays 159,36 159,74 158,24 2,56M

Barratt Developments 399,30 411,80 398,80 431,24K

Berkeley 3.788,0 3.854,0 3.787,0 35,33K

BHP Group Ltd 2.571,50 2.582,50 2.554,00 63,58K

BP 477,75 480,30 477,06 606,19K

British American Tobacco 3.296,0 3.304,0 3.278,0 169,02K

British Land Company 397,60 400,30 396,60 147,04K

BT Group 113,25 116,00 113,10 1,30M

Bunzl 2.751,0 2.783,0 2.751,0 40,55K

Burberry Group 2.036,0 2.047,0 2.028,0 70,75K

Carnival 582,3 588,8 580,8 37,47K

Centrica 96,20 96,84 96,12 1,05M

Coca Cola HBC AG 1.966,5 1.971,5 1.923,5 83,61K

Compass 1.924,50 1.936,00 1.923,50 104,46K

CRH 3.302,5 3.313,0 3.281,5 53,05K

Croda Intl 6.640,0 6.694,0 6.648,0 2,08K

DCC 4.119,0 4.177,0 4.115,0 32,09K

Diageo 3.650,0 3.659,5 3.637,5 438,98K

DS Smith 321,32 322,00 319,70 396,64K

EasyJet 325,50 329,10 322,60 308,43K

Experian 2.834,0 2.860,0 2.831,0 70,00K

Ferguson 10.410,0 10.545,0 10.410,0 72,80K

Flutter Entertainment 11.260,0 11.445,0 11.240,0 132,75K

Fresnillo 899,00 899,00 875,98 16,19K

Glencore 557,00 559,50 556,10 4,51M

GSK plc 1.442,60 1.447,80 1.434,20 456,62K

Halma 1.988,5 2.020,0 1.988,5 81,36K

Hargreaves Lansdown 862,20 868,00 856,00 150,92K

Hikma Pharma 1.566,50 1.578,00 1.564,00 28,10K

HSBC 517,70 519,20 515,60 2,15M

IAG 124,50 125,72 124,10 2,29M

Imperial Brands 2.073,00 2.077,00 2.065,00 367,40K

Informa 622,00 623,20 618,00 291,18K

InterContinental 4.760,0 4.766,0 4.732,0 28,78K

Intermediate Capital 1.157,50 1.167,85 1.155,26 15,14K

Intertek 4.043,0 4.065,0 4.043,0 17,69K

ITV 75,40 76,03 74,87 267,99K

J Sainsbury 219,48 220,00 217,88 65,29K

Johnson Matthey 2.123,0 2.141,0 2.074,0 41,69K

Land Securities 627,40 634,00 626,60 128,04K

Legal & General 250,40 253,90 249,80 1,43M

Lloyds Banking 45,74 46,17 45,67 11,35M

London Stock Exchange 7.176,0 7.230,0 7.164,0 48,15K

Melrose Industries 134,10 134,45 132,85 2,22M

Mondi 1.413,00 1.423,50 1.413,00 70,58K

National Grid 1.002,00 1.008,50 996,60 506,01K

NatWest Group 266,50 267,80 265,90 879,45K

Next 5.824,0 5.848,0 5.726,0 54,95K

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

Ocado 621,80 638,40 620,80 154,50K

Persimmon 1.225,5 1.253,5 1.224,0 109,92K

Phoenix 611,31 616,20 610,60 127,51K

Prudential 1.137,50 1.149,00 1.132,50 572,93K

Reckitt Benckiser 5.759,4 5.762,0 5.714,0 98,44K

Relx 2.299,00 2.313,00 2.297,00 324,07K

Rentokil 511,80 521,00 511,80 255,78K

Rightmove 515,60 523,60 515,60 177,78K

Rio Tinto PLC 5.808,0 5.846,0 5.787,0 184,91K

Rolls-Royce Holdings 92,61 92,68 91,45 4,30M

Sage 745,40 752,80 744,80 114,74K

Samsung Electronics DRC 1.102,50 1.107,00 1.094,50 2,65K

Schroders 438,9 450,2 438,9 368,06K

Scottish Mortgage 709,72 714,60 709,00 296,26K

Segro 767,60 778,80 767,20 236,33K

Severn Trent 2.668,0 2.702,0 2.667,0 35,93K

Shell 2.343,0 2.346,5 2.330,0 1,21M

Smith & Nephew 1.108,00 1.113,50 1.102,50 208,26K

Smiths Group 1.603,50 1.621,00 1.601,50 89,96K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 10.650,0 10.770,0 10.650,0 7,19K

SSE 1.709,97 1.721,50 1.709,50 152,41K

St. James’s Place 1.103,00 1.116,00 1.098,50 115,15K

Standard Chartered 627,00 629,60 624,80 360,51K

Taylor Wimpey 101,15 103,45 100,95 1,71M

Tesco 225,00 225,80 222,98 257,24K

Tui 134,25 135,15 131,75 852,90K

Unilever 4.191,5 4.201,0 4.174,5 172,46K

United Utilities 996,80 1.007,00 996,80 129,32K

Vodafone Group PLC 84,53 84,86 84,23 15,38M Whitbread 2.592,0 2.618,0 2.581,0 37,61K WPP 817,60 823,40 817,40 120,61K

3M 120,57 120,86 2,06M

American Express 147,32 147,62 144,40 1,76M

Amgen 263,16 264,88 262,14 1,45M

Apple 129,61 130,48 127,73 75,34M

Boeing 188,91 190,25 186,19 4,51M

Caterpillar 240,20 241,61 238,27 1,65M

Chevron 178,32 179,20 176,65 4,14M

Cisco 47,50 47,74 47,26 11,36M

Coca-Cola 63,95 64,15 63,70 7,16M

Dow 50,65 50,80 50,00 2,74M

Goldman Sachs 343,43 344,64 341,24 1,27M

Home Depot 320,41 321,83 317,59 1,55M

Honeywell 214,75 215,25 212,77 1,88M

IBM 141,06 142,26 140,45 2,32M

Intel 26,21 26,29 25,75 30,54M

J&J 177,56 178,30 177,07 2,82M

JPMorgan 133,22 133,27 132,31 6,53M

McDonald’s 265,93 267,81 264,88 1,39M

Merck&Co 110,82 111,70 110,75 4,46M

Microsoft 241,01 241,92 235,65 19,73M

Nike 117,35 118,07 115,80 4,56M

Procter&Gamble 152,59 153,24 152,14 3,80M

Salesforce Inc 132,54 132,95 129,50 5,76M

The Travelers 189,44 190,04 187,96 676,54K

UnitedHealth 529,88 533,68 528,86 1,38M

Verizon 39,26 39,53 38,81 17,31M

Visa A 208,06 208,53 205,50 3,68M

Walgreens Boots 37,47 37,97 37,36 5,24M

Walmart 142,15 143,02 141,75 3,04M

Walt Disney 87,18 88,24 84,97 12,96M

Most

628,159

Bank of Communications Co., Ltd. +11.23% 31,557

AppLovin Corporation +10.96% 2.601M

Symbotic Inc. +10.52% 157,934

Fluence Energy, Inc. +10.21% 1.525M

Most Declined

PT Hanjaya Mandala Sampoerna Tbk -22.86% 296,078

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. -14.50% 6.09M

Federal National Mortgage Association -10.42% 32,035

PetroChina Company Limited -5.63% 138,900

Woori Financial Group Inc. -5.24% 58,353

Harbour Energy plc -4.53% 433,487

Alpha Services and Holdings S.A. -4.35% 22,588

MINISO Group Holding Limited -3.94% 529,044

Rolls-Royce Holdings plc -3.28% 894,663

POSCO Holdings Inc. -2.60% 201,582

Deutsche Lufthansa AG -2.60% 24,597

Currency outlook: Hawkish ECB turbocharges the euro, Pound rally undermined by dovish BoE

Euro

EUR/GBP: Up from £0.85 to £0.88

EUR/USD: Up from $1.04 to $1.06

The euro enjoyed strong support through December. Supported by positive data including an upwardly revised Eurozone GDP print and stronger-than-expected German industrial releases.

The bulk of the euro’s gains were linked to the European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest interest rate decision. The ECB hiked rates by 50bps and signalled that it will continue to tighten monetary policy at its current pace through the first part of 2023.

However it wasn’t all plain sailing for the euro, with concerns over a potential escalation of the war in Ukraine weighing on EUR sentiment throughout the month.

Looking ahead to the start of 2023, it’s likely the primary focus for EUR investors will be on the Eurozone’s latest GDP release. While a slump in the bloc will not surprise markets, the focus is on the size of the contraction.

A larger-than-expected slowdown could stoke concerns over the size of the recession facing the Eurozone and push the euro sharply lower.

Pound

BUSINESS

EXTRA

Dropping sales

NOVEMBER was a bad month for Spanish retail sales which fell 0.6 per cent compared to last November after rising 1 per cent in October according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Oil ban

FOLLOWING the decision by the European Union and G7 members to put a price cap on the purchase of Russian oil, Putin has issued a decree banning the sale of oil to those countries running from February 1 to June 30.

Inflation drops

ALTHOUGH core inflation in Spain stands at 6.9 per cent, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for December which is a more immediate indicator of price rises is estimated by the National Statistics Office as 5.8 per cent, the lowest figure since November 2021.

GBP/EUR: Down from €1.16 to €1.13

GBP/USD: Up from at $1.19 to $1.20

The pound initially firmed in December as some above-forecast PMI releases bolstered hopes the UK may see a milder recession than previously feared.

However, Sterling then faced a major setback as the Bank of England (BoE) concluded its final interest rate decision of the year.

While the BoE also raised rates by 50bps, two members of the Monetary Policy Committee called for rates to be left unchanged. Stoking speculation the BoE could pause its tightening cycle in early 2023.

GBP exchange rates then trended broadly lower through the latter half of December amid concerns over the UK’s ‘winter of discontent’, with GBP investors fearing widespread industrial action would severely disrupt economic activity at the end of the year.

Turning to January, ongoing strikes could see the pound face an uphill battle. Although some positive data releases could still garner some support for Sterling.

US Dollar

USD/GBP: Down from at £0.83 to £0.82

USD/EUR: Down from €0.96 to €0.93

December confirmed the US dollar’s bullish

First time buyers

THE UK Mortgage Guarantee Scheme will be extended by a year, having already helped over 24,000 households get onto the property ladder.

Launched in April 2021, the scheme supports firsttime buyers, who make up 85 per cent of scheme transactions, buy a home with a 5 per cent deposit.

Under the scheme the government offers lenders the financial guarantees they need to provide mortgages that cover the other 95 per cent, subject to the usual affordability checks, on a house worth up to £600,000.

It was originally planned to close at the end of this year but will now be extended until the end of 2023 and will help to boost the flagging UK property market.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP said:

“For hard­working families facing today’s challeng­

ing economic conditions, it’s right that we continue to help them secure their first home or move into their dream house.

“Extending this scheme means thousands more have the chance to benefit, and supports the market as we navigate through these difficult times.”

To also support people to get onto the property ladder, the government has increased the level where first­time buyers start pay­

ing stamp duty from £300,000 to £425,000. Furthermore, first­time buyers can get relief on properties costing up to £625,000, as opposed to £500,000 previously.

Other government home ownership options available include Shared Ownership which gives first time buyers the option to buy a share of their home (between 25 per cent and 75per cent) and pay rent on the remaining share.

run was well and truly over, with USD exchange rates plummeting to multi-month lows.

The ‘greenback’ slumped through the first half of the month amid a prevailing risk-on mood and expectations for a dovish pivot from the Federal Reserve at its December policy meeting.

A larger-than-expected drop in US inflation further undermined Fed rate hike bets and sent the US dollar sharply lower in the middle of the month.

However, the Fed surprised markets by proving more hawkish than expected. With the US dollar rebounding from its worst levels as the Fed signalled interest rates will peak higher than previously forecast next year.

A cautious mood and stronger-than-expected GDP release then offered additional support to the US dollar in the run up to Christmas.

USD investors will be keeping a close eye on the latest US employment figures in January. A below forecast payrolls print could see the US dollar get off to a poor start in 2023.

Currencies Direct have helped over 325,000 customers save on their currency transfers since 1996. Just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more about how you can save money on your currency transfers.

EU sued

US energy giant ExxonMobil which markets fuel in Europe under the Esso and Mobil brands has announced that it is going to take legal action to try to make the EU cancel its proposed windfall tax on oil firms.

The EU hopes to raise around €140 billion by charging a new 33 per cent tax on major energy suppliers by way of a ‘crisis contribution’ from their increased 2022 profits caused in part by the hike in energy prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

ExxonMobil argues that Brussels is not only exceeding its legal authority, but could hurt the European economy in the long­term as it would have second thoughts about further investment in the EU.

Good advice

FORMER Spanish government minister Luis de Guindos and now vice­president of the European Central Bank (ECB) said at a meeting of the Spanish Confederation of Young Entrepreneurs’ Associations (CEAJE) that the ECB expected Spain to enter into a short­lived recession in the first quarter of 2023.

He also told those present that “My advice for all young entrepreneurs is to persevere, and to always do so with caution, despite the challenges. And I would encourage all young people to study, learn languages and get to grips with new technology so as to be prepared for the future and able to better manage situations of uncertainty or instability.

GUARANTEE SCHEME: The key to home ownership.

Credit: Hippopx CCO

Almeria, North Costa Blanca and South Costa Blanca.

STERLING: Faced a major setback as the BoE concluded its final interest rate decision.

Peter Loveday

WITH their plastic bottles, food cartons and litter left laying everywhere in their wake, plus the output of untold thousands of vehicle exhausts as they idled in traffic jams, badly misled young protesters of 2022 have left a carbon footprint that will probably not be ‘offset’ until they reach their coming of age.

This present generation has to be the most spoiled, self­centered, misinformed bunch of youngsters the civilised world has ever produced.

They have air­conditioning in the classrooms, mobile phones and gismos, they ride in cars to school, they suck up junk food like hoovers and insist on the latest trendy outfits at all times. All of these luxury products, which they seem to think is their God given right, are manufactured or supplied by ginormous companies that pour billions of tons of carbon dioxide emission into the Earth’s atmosphere.

These children’s selfish attitudes and life styles cause far more damage to our environment than the previous generations they are so keen to accuse. The generations preceding them were mobile and ‘designer’ free and took bicycles or walked to their destinations.

Most had never experienced jet travel or air conditioning and opened windows when it was hot, instead of closing them. They received new shoes or clothes only when the previous attire needed replac­

Spoiled rotten

If we truly wonder who is responsible for these utterly disruptive attitudes and protests, it’s all pretty obvious.

ing, ate home­made sandwiches instead of Whoppers and read books.

However, in these modern day youngsters’ defence, most have of course been brainwashed and misled by the ‘usual suspects’! Many of the culprits are those who laughably profess to be ‘schoolteachers’.

Stringy haired trendies, who actually started the rot when the first long haired leftie ‘free thinker’ plonked his behind on his desk and told the class to call him John! The same leftie brigade who welcome drag acts into the classrooms to ‘enlighten’ four­year­olds and abolish winning and losing.

A whole generation of youngsters who not only have no respect for their elders but truly do believe they are actually superior. Ever increasing numbers of them would rather walk into the class with a knife than a ruler.

The main contributors are the third generation of children who have been raised by the children of another generation whose own parents suffered abominably when their very existence was threatened by the death and destruction of a world war. Rather than allow their offsprings to relive the horrors and deprivations their ancestors experienced themselves they have often quite understandably spoiled their descendants rotten ­ and all this public disruption and rampant disorder is the unfortunate result. The lefties absolutely love it. It could actually win them the next election.

Happy New Year everyone. Keep the faith.

Love Leapy. Leapylee2002@gmail.com

CHRISTMAS OVERLOAD OUR VIEW

ALTHOUGH most people enjoy Christmas, even the most tinsel­hardened Britons in Spain may be forced to admit that marking both December 25 and January 6 ­ and every holiday in between ­ is perhaps becoming a little too much.

The imposition of British traditions on Spanish culture now mean that what was previously a few days of festive celebration is now almost a fortnight extravaganza.

The Spanish may always have marked December 25 with a bank holiday, but in recent years they have also adopted the very British traditions of exchanging gifts and taking children to see Father Christmas, stretching the holiday period even further.

This assimilation of UK values into Spanish traditions do tell us two important ­ and rather lovely ­ things about the country we have chosen to call home however.

Firstly, that the Spanish really do love a fiesta. And secondly that they are quick to welcome the traditions of others with open arms.

For all the UK’s multiculturalism, festivities like Diwali aren’t widely adopted, yet over the past decade or so the Spanish have taken to a British Christmas like a turkey to gravy.

You can have too much of a good thing however and after the December hooha of ever­changing shop hours, bank holidays, overeating and overdrinking, it can be comforting to get back into the routine of work.

January is a time for reflecting on the past year’s achievements and failings as well as to plan ahead. And just as a change is as good as a rest, the familiar Monday to Friday routine can add the perfect backdrop for some reasoned contemplation on what’s ahead.

LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

Brexit backtrack

SALLY UNDERWOOD POLITICAL ANIMAL

ACCORDING to a poll for The Independent, two thirds of Britons now support a future referendum on rejoining the EU.

While I was (and still am) firmly in the remain camp, is another referendum really the answer? Does it not just open the door for yet another referendum another 5/10/insert appropriate number of years time?

And more than anything else, did the last one really not just teach us that using such a blunt tool to give answers to nuanced questions just isn’t a great idea?

The UK’s political system largely runs on the basis of indirect representation, ie we elect people who take decisions on our behalf, rather than us voting on those decisions directly.

Yes, it often means getting any sort of solid answer to big political questions is a bit slower ­ but then Brexit itself wasn’t exactly speedy was it?

It made me think though, how do countries that make a high number of their politi­

cal decisions through a ‘yes’ ‘no’ vote normally fare?

Somewhat ironically, given the huge internal battles caused by Brexit in the UK, the country which normally uses referenda the most is the one generally considered the most peaceful, Switzerland.

By 2016, the year of the Brexit vote, the Swiss had held 180 referendums in the previous 20 years on everything from plans to abolish their army to making August 1 a bank holiday (the first vote lost and the second won by the way for anyone thinking of launching a sneak attack on Switzerland).

So how have the Swiss ended up the paragon of internal harmony when the UK is still so divided after one referendum seven years ago?

Perhaps it’s because Brexit deals with issues that, at their heart, are actually quite personal; everything from how we feel about our freedoms to how we believe those coming from other countries should be treated.

Maybe it’s just that they’ve had more practice than us.

Either way, perhaps we can agree that referendums ­ unlike their chocolates ­ are something that are better left to the Swiss alone.

A Permacrisis Omnishambles

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

THE ousting of two prime ministers, rising inflation and war led to ‘permacrisis’ (an extended period of instability) being named the 2022 Collins Dictionary word of the year. Other words include Carolean, (the reign of King Charles), splooting (the way animals stretch to cool down) and quiet quitting (doing no more work than contractually required).

Apart from Kiev and, ahem, Partygate (don’t ask!), there’s lawfare (using legal proceedings to intimidate), sportswashing (sponsorship/promotion of sporting events to enhance a tarnished reputation), vibe shift (a significant change in a prevailing trend) and warm bank (a heated building where people who can’t afford

their own heating may go).

Well, let’s see if I got them all in the following version:

In the post­Partygate permacrisis that greeted the vibe shift to a new Carolean age, while war raged in Kyiv and the unseasonably warm autumn left dogs splooting at warm banks, the quiet quitting generation crowdfunded lawfare to keep sportswashing in the headlines. This time we have ‘permacrisis’. In the past we had ‘omnishambles’ and ‘fustercluck’ [anagram!]. Is it just coincidental that new words to describe the misery suffered by millions appear when we have Old Etonian school mates in charge?

Nora Johnson’s 11 critically acclaimed psychological crime thrillers (www.nora­johnson.net) all available online including eBooks (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, audiobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.

A sense of relief

OVER the festive period most of us feel a sense of solidarity with those less fortunate than ourselves.

The British Benevolent Fund receives many calls for help from individuals in dire financial situations, often aggravated by the inability to work due to circumstances beyond their control. One such case came last Christmas when we received a distressing mail from a married British lady living in northern Spain.

She had lost her job as an English teacher at the start of the pandemic, her teacher husband lost his soon after. They had two young children.

They received little by way of compensation or state help and soon ran out of savings to support themselves and keep their rented apartment.

Her mother­ in­law offered space in her house ­ for her husband and the kids ­ but not for her! Given it was winter with Christmas coming, it was the only offer around and they literally were down to a few

Euros. They had no choice.

From one day to another she found herself without her family and children ­ she felt alone, depressed and with an overriding feeling of failure.

She contacted the British Benevolent Fund out of desperation ­ could we help?

It was in the run up to the festive period, she knew she would find work and hoped he would too in the New Year but nothing was certain.

We provided an emergency grant for the family to be together in a rented apartment over Christmas and some living expenses.

It changed everything ­ from desperation came hope ­ and a determination to overcome.

On Christmas Eve he was of­

fered a job with a decent contract that would start in the New Year.

As they sat down as a family on Christmas Eve, they felt a sense of relief and joy.

It was the best Christmas imaginable.

The BBF supports our community in Spain who face up to the worst life can throw at them.

We can only do so with your support and generosity. If you can please support our work with a donation. www.british benevolentfund.org or contact me olaf.clayton@britishbenev olentfund.org.

The long awaited Digital Nomad Visa here in Spain

MATTERS

ON December 2, 2022, the BOE (Spanish State Official Gazette) published the new approved Law n. 28/2022, of December 21, promoting the system of emerging companies, also known as the ‘Startups Law’. The law came into force on December 23, 2022.

The law will not only affect companies, but will also introduce a new kind of visa for so­called ‘Digital Nomad Visa’, ie thirdcountry nationals (non EU), for example United Kingdom, Canada, United States etc who will be authorised to stay in Spain to carry out a professional activity at a distance for companies located outside the national territory, through the use of computer systems, telematics and telecommunications.

What could be termed very loosely as working from home in Spain for a company located outside of Spain, for example, in the United Kingdom or any other non EU country.

The new type visa, will have a new type

of residence permit connected to it, valid initially for one year and extendable for two or three year periods, depending on your circumstances, there is no limit to the number of extensions, of course provided that the conditions and requirements required by law remain.

Finally, the rule also regulates in a new way income revenues and tax declarations of this type of workers and enterprises.

If you are a non­EU country worker, again for example the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, both self­employed or a dependent of a foreign company, and your work can be carried out mainly at a distance by computer or telematic means, we can give you advice and help you get your new visa as Digital Nomad as well as your next residence in Spain, so that you can continue your work, enjoying the climate and quality of life of the Costa del Sol or Spain in general.

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

NoraJohnson’sopinionsareherownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

Noraistheauthorofpopularpsychological suspenseandcrimethrillersandafreelancejournalist.

Nora’s latest thriller.

Marisa Moreno Castillo Consul for Denmark and Senior Lawyer at Just Law Solicitors.

Sally’sopinionsareherownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

WOKE OR NOT

I WAS shocked by the recent article ‘The norm’ by Leapy Lee. (December 22 ­ 28 , 2022)

Leapy is definitely an old ‘lad’ of the 60s or more like the dark ages.

He compared old drag queens to today’s transsexuals.

No facts, just silly right ­ wing hysteria about gender neutral toilets.

How more outdated, out of touch and offensive could old Leapy be?

It sticks in his craw that minorities are allowed to shout their beliefs from the rooftops.

I’m surprised he didn’t use the old phrase about it being rammed down his throat!

I will shout loud and proud from the rooftops for equality, diversity, fairness and compassion. And if that’s being woke then I’m proud to be woke.

Leapy is absolutely not the norm, he’s from the dark old past.

Darren Bradshaw (Torreblanca, Fuengirola)

Christmas specials

I would just like to say how much I have enjoyed the Christmas articles in the paper over the last few weeks. I am of a certain age, and being the biggest Christmas fan, thought that there is very little that I didn’t know about Christmas, and was fascinated reading about the meaning behind certain songs and traditions. Well done.

Joy Lovall

Pick it up

Fed up now of seeing dog muck on the street. If you are going to have a dog please be responsible and pick up their mess, it is not the street cleaners or anybody else’s job to do this.

B Simpson

Keep on doing

Leapy, I love reading your column, it really does make me smile, not just because you say what other people are thinking, but you stand by your thoughts, never apologetic, which takes a real strong character. Keep doing what you are doing and don’t mind the woke generation.

Brian James, Marbella

Total shambles

We will still be unravelling from the Brexit referendum in 10 years time. Ok it may in the long run make good on some of the promises made during the Brexit campaign, but on the whole it will only cause misery. I live in Spain and like thousands of expats who have recently moved abroad or are thinking about moving abroad it has caused nothing but heartache and headaches and for some destroyed long held hopes and dreams of living outside of the UK. Complications with driving licences, residencia applications, visas etc is not the problem of the host country they are simply following the EU rules for non EU citizens, blame the politicians and the UK population that voted for it the first place. Total shambles from the start.

New junction numbers

I read your article shifting gears about the new road numbers, and I have to agree that this is so confusing. I understand about them being replaced due to duplication, but the hassle that faces many landlords and businesses having to explain the new junction numbers to holidaymakers and consumers alike. Sometimes a small problem for the few, can become a bigger problem for many.

Cathy Moore Malaga

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.

G Barry

THE NORM: Woke or not, everybody has a voice.

Winter cat care

PET experts often talk about winter care for pets that spend lots of time outdoors, but this isn’t always the case with cats. Today we’re bringing you some expert advice from vets on how you can take the best care of your cat now that temperatures have dropped.

Healthcare The first step towards happiness for your cat is its health. Ensure that your cat is up­to­date with all necessary vaccinations against seasonal and gen­

eral sicknesses, particularly at this time of year when immune systems are often weaker.

Nutritious diet

Vets warn against overfeeding your cat during the winter. Cats tend to exercise less during cold

spells of weather, so adjust their diet accordingly to avoid excess weight gain which can cause health problems. Nutritious food and fresh water are essential aspects of your cat’s winter well­being.

Sleeping space

Ensure your cat has a comfortable and warm place to sleep. Take advantage of sunny spots by opening curtains for daytime cat naps and use blankets or a heater during the night if necessary.

Physical activity

Encourage your cat to stay active during the winter. Playing simple games with your cat has physical benefits for your cat as well as keeping them warm, and developing your bond with your pet.

Top 10 names

YOUR dog’s name is one of the most important decisions you will make during their lives, you’re giving a name to another member of the family and you’re sure to use it many times every day!

But naming your dog isn’t the easiest job in the world, it needs to work well with their appearance, character and be appropriate for all of the stages in their lives. According to dog training experts, your dog’s name should also be simple enough that it will be easily recognisable for them when you call them.

Today we’re sharing a list of the top 10 dog names in

Spain in 2022, to give you an insight into the latest pet trends in the country, or to give you some inspiration if you’re searching for the perfect name!

This year’s top names were exclusively one or two syllables long showing the popularity of catchy names that you can easily call and your dog can pick up quickly. Movie names also tended to be particularly popular this year with Thor, Rocky and Nala making the top 10 list.

Female dogs

Luna, Kira, Nala, Lola, Bella

Male dogs

Coco, Thor, Max, Leo, Rocky

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

lessons and get behind that wheel. Interested? Call 648 133 929 (292226)

WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel678 716 693 (288662)

STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbeygateinsure. com

our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 952 147 834. (200726)

Male/Female viagra, cialis, kamagra jelly, mixed trial packs available, all areas mail order. 604 385 476. viagra4you19@ gmail.com (294955)

GOLD & SILVER Bought & Sold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel - 678 716 693 (288662)

LEARN TO DRIVE IN MALLORCA . Scottish Driving Instructor now qualified to teach in Mallorca. Classes in English or Spanish. Obtain your Spanish licence easier or have refresher

WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995,

FED UP PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR MOBILE PHONE CALLS? THEN CONTACT TELITEC TODAY. CALLS TO SPAIN 7C PER MINUTE INCLUDING MOBILES. CALLS TO UK 5.3C PER MINUTE. NO MONTHLY FEES, NO CONTRACT. WWW.TELITEC.COM TEL: 902 889 070 (2001)

PORTUGUESE football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is believed to have finalised a mega ­ deal with Al Nassr football club in Saudi Arabia. This is according to a tweet on, Friday, December 30, from Al Arabiya, which read: ‘Al­Nassr Saudi Arabia officially contracts with Cristiano Ronaldo for two seasons’.

Currently, after seven wins from their opening 10 games of the season, Al Nassr lies in second position in the Saudi Pro League table. Since leaving Manchester

£173 million a year

United in November when his contract was terminated following the explosive Piers Morgan interview the 37year­old captain of Portugal has been free to search for a new employer.

Community shock

THE Champion of Spain and the World Champion in the cycling master’s category Agustín ‘Guti’ Navarro has died unexpectedly on New Year’s Eve afternoon in Sama de Langreo (Asturias), according to a national news outlet.

The death of the 44­year­old has come as a great shock to the cycling community, with Guti having won the Champion of Spain in the category of master 30 in 2011 and six years later in 2017 the master’s category 40­44 in the Belgian town of Mol.

Revolutionary golf

AUSTRALIA is about to witness a revolutionary new golf format with a new teams­based event, the Ultra Golf Championship, set to be launched following next season’s major tournaments with the rest of Europe to follow.

The Ultra Golf Championship (UGC) will debut in December 2023, played over nine holes with a unique and exciting scoring system. Dates and venues will be announced shortly.

There will be 10 city­based teams from around the world who will compete for the inaugural title which will feature four players, including a marquee captain, with the competition set to be

played over four days, the teams of four split into pairs for the competition.

The scoring system is designed for thrilling golf: 10 points for an ace, eight for an albatross, six for an eagle, four for a birdie and two for a par. It also includes four feature hole opportunities that must be used during the nine­hole round, including the longest drive, power­play, alternate­shot and a best­ball.

With the teams playing seven rounds and a final series, there will be 74 matches played over four days, with the top four playing off in the finals ­ 1 v 2 Grand Final, 3 v 4 playing for third place.

The hype surrounding Cristiano’s future subsided during the World Cup in Qatar where he was representing his country. Prior to the tournament though there had been a series of rumours claiming that he was being offered £173 million a year to play in the Middle Eastern kingdom, something he denied during the interview with Morgan.

According to an astonishing report in a national Spanish publication on Monday, January 2, the mega deal contract will allow Cristiano Ronaldo to sign for Newcastle United.

This clause would be triggered in the event of the Premier League club qualifying for the Champions League they claimed.

In 2018 he was proclaimed European champion and runnerup of the world. He did it already as a member of MMR Bikes, with which he raced in recent years.

Professional cyclist Aida Nuño, current General Director of Sports, said Guti was a quiet but sociable individual who will be greatly missed: “He was a much­loved person in cyclocross.

“For his passion for cycling and sport, and for his cheerful character. He leaves us great memories and great deeds.”

The cause of death has not been released but it is believed that the Champion of Spain died due to natural causes.

Cristiano Ronaldo.

Credit: Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley /Shutterstock.com

Agustín Navarro.

Image YouTube El Universal

Next generation

THE Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have announced the launch of the Accelerator Programme.

The groundbreaking initiative is designed to accelerate the careers of young aspiring tennis players in 2023.

The programme will see playing opportunities at ATP Challenger Tour ­ level reserved for the world’s top junior players, creating an accelerated pathway into professional tennis. The new initiative supplements the 2023 Challenger Tour changes announced in September, which signal ATP’s long ­ term strategy for the circuit through significant prize money increases, a balanced calendar and an increase in total and premium playing opportunities.

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, confirmed: “Tennis has always been a sport that rewards hard work, and we must create an environment that allows young, aspiring players to reach their potential. It is our responsibility to open the door to opportunity and allow them to thrive in the sport. The Accelerator Programme is creating a pathway for the next generation of champions and we look forward to seeing it come into play in 2023.”

World mourns

BRAZIL f ootball legend Pele passed away on, Thursday, December 29, at the age of 82. The footballer had been in hospital for the last four weeks battling cancer but his body had reportedly stopped responding to treatment. His death was confirmed in his homeland by the country’s government.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento was arguably the greatest footballer to have graced the game. During a glittering career, the No10 became the only player to even win the World Cup three times. His nation landed the trophy in 1958, 1962, and again in 1970.

At the age of 15, Pele made his debut for Santos FC, and broke into the national side when he was just 16. In Sweden on June 29, 1958, Pele became the youngest player to appear in the final of a World Cup tournament aged 17 years and 249 days.

Such was the demand for this incredible footballer that in 1961, Janio Quadros, the President of Brazil, declared Pele an ‘official national treasure’ to prevent him from being transferred to any team abroad.

During his career, he racked up an astonishing 1,279 goals in 1,363 games. This total though included friendly matches, but is still recognised as an official Guinness World Record. His record of 77 international goals was only this month broken by Neymar at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

New manager

AFTER being sacked by Bournemouth, Scott Parker made a dream return to top­level management on Saturday, December 31. The 42­year­old has been named as the new head coach of Belgian giants Club Brugge.

He was welcomed with a tweet on the club’s official Twitter profile that read: ‘The Englishman has just been appointed as our new head coach’.

Fabrizio Romano, the esteemed sports journalist also announced Scott’s new position with a tweet that read: “Official. Club Brugge have appointed Scott Parker as new head coach after he was sacked by Bournemouth in August. #Brugge Parker will be managing in the UCL knockout stages.”

As a result, he faces the prospect of Champions League football for the first time in his management career. The Belgians are in the last 16 of the tournament where they will play the first leg at home against the Portuguese giants Benfica on February 15.

After a 9­0 thrashing by Liverpool at Anfield, Parker was fired by Bournemouth, only four matches into the new season.

Shutterstock.com/ Nelson Antoine

Football legend passed away aged 82.