Costa de Almeria 12 • 18 January 2023 Issue 1958

Swimmingly successful NEW FUREVER HOME

Betty Henderson

A LOCAL animal rescue organisation has launched a fresh appeal for help in finding a new headquarters in a New Year message on Sunday, January 1. Maz’s Canine Rescue, which works all over Almeria, is seeking a new place to house their rescue animals after being served an eviction notice from their current location.

The charity rescues dogs from across Almeria which are often starving, neglected and abused, so requires a suitable piece of land to provide some sanctuary for the animals while they recover and search for their forever homes.

With only five months left until they need to leave their current premises, the charity are stepping up fundraising efforts online at https://www.gofundme.com/f/hel p ­ save ­ our ­ canine ­ rescue ­ sanctury and in person, to fund the building of a new headquarters.

The organisation also continues to require donations for their charity shop in Albox, which is open every day except Sundays. Donations

of clothing, furniture, and bric ­ abrac are desperately needed by the organisation to fund their life ­ saving work with local abandoned ani­

mals. The charity also has a collection service for donations for those who are unable to travel to the charity shop.

A FANTASTIC amount of money (which is still being counted) has been raised for the Paws­Patas animal charity in Mojacar at the New Year’s Day swim organised by Ann and Brad Swift and friends involved in the Mojacar Forum.

For eight years, the Mojacar Forum has been enticing brave folk to join in the fun. Some 120 people registered to swim, although there were many more who joined in the fun without registering.

The eldest swimmer was 85­year­old Bernard Tate and the youngest swimmer was four­yearold Leo.

With over 22,000 members, the Forum, which can be found on Facebook is for people who love Spain and Mojacar and offers a wealth of information on Mojacar. For more information head to: https://www.facebook.co m/groups/399166826954

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The Paws­Patas animal charity has been rehoming abandoned cats and dogs in and around Mojacar since 1989 and is always in need of more hands and more funds! The charity needs to raise €9,500 every month simply to cover basic running costs and vet bills.

Maz’s Canine Rescue needs all the donations it can get to build a new sanctuary for abandoned and abused animals in the Almeria area.

Photo credit: Maz’s Canine Rescue (Via Facebook)

Celebrations begin

ALMERIA City centre is set to come to life with a packed programme of cultural events to mark the feast day of one of the city’s patron saint, San Antón, who was also the patron saint of animals. Celebrations begin today Thursday, January 12 and last until Monday, January 16.

The local cultural association has organised a wide programme of events including religious celebrations as well as cultural community activities. Events will include the traditional transfer of a San Antón statue to the Church of San Juan Evangelista, a flamenco evening and a talk from a university professor, as well as various masses.

This year’s celebrations will finish with a traditional bonfire from 8.30pm on Monday, January 16 at La Alcazaba and a culinary session with a variety of local artisan products on offer.

The city has had links with San Antón, or Anthony the Great since the 17th century when locals began to celebrate his feast day which falls on

Running into 2023

RUNNERS in Almeria’s Los Bandidos put their best foot forward for the 2023 season with a new year’s run on Wednesday, January 4. Organisers were happy to see old members return and some new faces at the start of a new year.

Runners of all ages and abilities got together for a seafront stroll, jog or run near to the beach in Mojacar. The group brings together running fans of all nationalities at Mojacar promenade every Wednesday and Sunday.

Los Bandidos is an inclusive running group with supportive community values, encouraging members whether their target is to run one kilometre or a marathon. With hundreds of members, the group has a strong presence at athletics events throughout Almeria and beyond, often winning prizes and titles.

The group has also evolved beyond running into other athletic disciplines in recent years, including swimming with a dedicated division of the group for sea swimming.

Anyone who wants to take up a new sport in 2023, spend some more time outdoors or meet like­minded people can join the Facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/490933409244200

Written Word Group Bus boost

ITHE Written Word Group are looking for fellow writers and lovers of the written word to join them. Ten have already signed up but it’s not too late to join in the fun.

The brains behind the group, Berni Albrighton, moved from the UK to Spain over two years ago. In 2009 she began to write The Old Man of Tiritiri Matangi, a book inspired by 12 months of volunteering on a conservation island in New Zealand.

Berni belonged to a group of writers who met regularly to discuss their work. The group held events that gave

a platform for writers to publicly read their work to an open, non­judgemental audience. The meetings were so inspiring that Berni would love to create a group along similar lines.

From January 13 every Friday from 10.00am until 1.00pm at the Almanzora Group of Friends library in Albox they will meet to talk about their writing, share ideas and see what develops. They would welcome people who like to write, whether that be poetry, stories or scripts.

For more information email: balbrighton@gmail.com

ALMERIA steps into 2023 in sustainable style with a new policy of reduced price season passes.

Residents can enjoy a whopping 50 per cent off monthly transport passes thanks to a decision made by the city council on Thursday, January 5.

The discounts are available on monthly transport passes for the council’s bus service, Alsa Surbus, and could last for the whole year. Ten trip passes will fall from €7.40 to €3.70, and monthly passes from €32.55 to €16.30.

The decision was made to bring the city in line with other parts of the country who have introduced similar schemes and to conform with government transport regulations to reduce emissions, which came into force on December 28.

Announcing the decision, Almeria’s mayor, María del Mar Vázquez said that the scheme is evidence of the council’s commitment to providing quality sustainable public transport for Almeria residents and visitors.

The council pledged €300,000 in funding for the scheme.

Betty Henderson

January 17. Anthony the Great was a holy man from Egypt who is thought to have founded the later Christian system of monks and monasteries.

Photo credit: Thanasis F / shutterstock.com

Photo credit: Los Bandidos (Via Facebook)

Almeria will mark one of the city’s patron saint’s days with a whole host of cultural events over the weekend.

There was an excellent turnout for Los Bandidos’ first run of the new year.

Three Kings joy Royal

visit

TOWNS across Almeria welcomed the Three Kings on their traditional ‘cabalgata’ parades through town centres and Almeria City centre. Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar threw sweets and toys from floats in parades before bringing gifts to homes last week.

Rail route

PASSENGERS travelling between Almeria and Barcelona can now enjoy a new connection between the cities with an AVE service leaving Barcelona at 8.35am to arrive in Almeria at 5.52pm. The journey requires only one ticket and offers travellers more flexibility.

Affordable living

A NATIONAL report released at the end of 2022 revealed that Almeria remains one of the most affordable places in the country to buy property. Almeria’s average house costs €1,055 per square metre compared to the national figure of €1,507/m2.

Donation drive

MOJACAR is aiming to boost its blood bank ahead of a busy 2023 with a blood donation session today, Thursday, January 12 from 5.30pm until 9pm in the Salón Tercera Edad. Carboneras also has a donation drive on Monday, January 16.

Charity calendar

THE Almeria Association for People with Down Syndrome, Asalsido, launched a special charity calendar for 2023. The sustainablythemed calendar is on sale now and features images of local people that the organisation helps and will raise money for the group’s work.

Sporty solidarity

SPORTS fans came together for a pádel tournament in Huercal­Overa on Saturday, January 7 which aimed to raise money for a local charity supporting locals living with Alzheimer’s.

Record-breaking year

Betty Henderson

REGIONAL authorities have hailed 2022 as a record­breaking year for sports in Almeria. In an announcement on Thursday, January 5, the Department for Sports said that 2022 saw record numbers of participants in events.

Sports reached every corner of Almeria in 2022, and for the first time ever, sporting events were held in each of the 103 towns in the region. Sports funding in Almeria hit an incredible €1.2 mil­

More than 30,000 people took part in sporting events in Almeria in 2022.

lion which is thought to have benefited 30,000 people, 20,000 of which took part in the events themselves.

A TALENTED company of ballet stars took to the stage in Almeria for a production of ‘Sleeping Beauty’, which delighted audience members. The performance on Tuesday, January 3 was the perfect festive period outing for families in the city.

The International Classic Ballet company put on an incredible rendition of the traditional fairytale ballet which premiered in St Petersburg back in 1890. Ballerinas pulled off impressive

As well as directly funding events, the money has also funded the training of more local people in sports indus­

Ballet bonanza

choreography created by A Sharaev, Mariana Rusu and Andrey Sharaev to Tchaikovsky’s original soundtrack. Ballet lovers packed into the Maestro Padilla auditorium for the performance and admired the dancers’ talent and marvelled at the dreamy story of Princess Aurora’s fairytale. Dancers clad in pastel coloured leotards performed as Princess Aurora and other

Beach pilgrimage

THE Epiphany wasn’t the only religious event that was observed on Almeria’s coast during the last week. One town in Almeria also celebrated the 520th anniversary of an apparition of the Virgin Mary on Sunday, January 8 with the ‘Romería’ pilgrimage to Torregarcía beach, near to Retamar.

Catholic groups and visitors interested in the cultural heritage of the area made a special pilgrimage to the chapel on Torregarcía beach. This year’s pilgrimage was the first event since the pandemic and saw an impressive turn­out of visitors who travelled from across the region and even further afield. The traditional pilgrimage is held each year on the second Sunday in January, and sees pilgrims commemorate the apparition of the Virgen Mary to Andrés de Jaén on the beach. Our Lady, Star of the Sea was made the patron saint of Almeria by the Vatican in 1806, after the events.

The distinctive white and blue chapel which stands on the site today was built in 1953 on the site of the visions more than 400 years earlier.

tries and events for schoolchildren and disabled people.

Regional sports representative, José Antonio García also highlighted the importance of high­profile sporting events like La Vuelta, the Titan Desert Challenge, and regional Andalucian events being held in the area, saying they have helped to raise the profile of Almeria. These events have showcased the region’s excellent sporting facilities and outdoor opportunities for local athletes and tourists.

well­known characters in this version of the story including Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood.

The Moldovan ballet company counts some of Europe’s most talented ballet dancers among its performers and is known for its intricately detailed performances. The company recently completed a busy festive period with simultaneous performances of other Tchaikovsky works including ‘The Nutcracker’.

Full steam

AUTHORITIES in Almeria have praised the progress on a local rail project. Regional government representative José María Martín visited construction work on the AVE line in El Puche on Wednesday, January 4.

The construction job aims to bring a high speed AVE trainline to Almeria, improving local and regional connections. Martín visited the site with Pablo de la Fuente, deputy director of construction for Adif train company.

Martín expressed his satisfaction at the current progress on the project saying, “During 2023 we’re going to see a huge change. I am certain that the planned construction schedule will go ahead as planned and we’ll be looking at a highspeed train connection for Almeria by 2026.”

Work is underway in various different project areas including an 878 metre tunnel which covers some of the distance

from Nijar into Almeria. The tunnel’s location on a slope means special construction techniques have been used to ensure its structural stability.

Other planned work on the 25.5 kilometre stretch include the construction of 16 viaducts, four bridges over roads and nine underpass sections.

THOUSANDS of locals and visitors lined Almeria’s streets for the city’s traditional Three Kings Parade on Thursday, January 6. As well as bringing buckets of excitement to the city, the Wise Men also gave out a whopping 13,000 kilogrammes of sweets and soft toys to the watching crowds. This year’s parade was the city’s largest since before the pandemic, and included more than 500 people on 14 floats, horses, and marching bands.

In addition to the traditional parade, this year’s celebrations also included four shows to bring the festive cheer to all watching the parade.

Well­known characters appeared in the parades to the delight of local children who had eagerly awaited the arrival of the Three Kings for a whole year! The parades also had special appearances from a DJ, dancers, and circus performers, and giant puppets who welcomed Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar to the city.

In an inclusivity initiative, this year’s sweets were also gluten­free, suitable for all locals with coeliac’s disease.

Overnight, the Three Kings visited homes in the local area, leaving gifts for children.

Photo credit: Diputación de Almería

Torregarcía’s distinctive beach chapel stands out against a backdrop of rocky mountains and the ocean.

Photo credit: Cabrerafoto / shutterstock.com

Flamenco fundraising

Betty Henderson

A WHOLE host of local fla menco performers will showcase their musical tal ent in an incredible charity concert in Vera. The concert on Sunday, January 15 will raise much ­ needed funds for a local girl’s fight against an eye condition.

Skilled local performers including Cristo Heredia, José Bellido, ‘El Grillo’ Kiko Romero, Aire Flamenco, and Toni Santiago ‘El Negrillo’ will take to the stage in the charity concert.

The concert has been organised to raise money for a 12­yearold local girl’s sight condition. Toni, who

ALMERIA’S Three Kings procession returned to its former glory after two years of limited events due to the pandemic.

After their arrival in the city in the morning on Thurs­

lives in Cuevas Del Almanzora is currently suffering from a tumour in her eyes which is causing painful ulcers. Her family has been fundraising for a €10,000 operation to remove the ulcers which will allow doctors to also remove her eye before the damage goes further.

Toni’s mother took to Facebook encouraging all locals to come to the concert and thanking artists and all those who have already donated for their generosity.

Tickets for the concert cost €5 and proceeds will go towards Toni’s operation

The concert is set to be held in Vera Auditorium from 6pm on the night.

Three Kings magic

day, January 6, the Three Kings brought some magic to local children in the Teatro Apolo where they were greeted by the mayor, María del Mar Vázquez and hundreds of girls and boys who came to welcome them to the city.

Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar were also sure to stop in to greet residents at the Santa Teresa Jornet de La Cañada care home, giving out sweets and tidings of goodwill with messages for the new year and festive carols.

The Wise Men made another generous gesture, as they stopped in at the Torrecárdenas Hospital, bringing gifts to the 50 children who spent the holiday in hospital. The Kings went from room to room giving toys and games to every child.

After a quick rest, the Three Kings hit the streets again in a vibrant ‘cabalgata’ procession which saw more than 500 locals get involved on 14 floats decorated by local art groups and organisations.

Local flamenco talents including Cristo Heredia will take to the stage in aid of a local girl’s eye condition later this month.

Photo credit: Cristo Heredia (Via Facebook)

Reduction of VAT

THE Facua­Consumers in Action association has denounced seven large Spanish supermarket chains for not passing on the VAT reduction to all affected foods.

The complaint was made to

the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) after the Spanish government lowered or removed VAT on essential foods at the beginning of January.

After a review carried out

between December 30 and January 3, Facua looked at changes in 676 prices in Alcampo, Aldi, Carrefour, Dia, Eroski, Lidl, Hipercor and Mercadona. Of all the companies analysed, Mercadona was the only chain without any anomalies in how they had implemnted the VAT reduction. The consumer association found the supermarkets with the most price issues were Dia and Carrefour. Since January 1and for the next six months ­ the Spanish government has decreed that 0 per cent VAT will be applied to bread, bread flour, milk, cheese, eggs, fruit, vegetables, pulses, potatoes and cereals. For oils and pasta, on the other hand, the tax rate has been reduced from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. This analysis is the first of the price monitoring campaign that Facua has launched and will continue to carry out in the coming months.

Military missions

SPAIN is expected to send four military missions overseas in 2023 according to officials at the annual armed forces parade in Madrid on Friday, January 6. Forces will work for the United Nations, the European Union and NATO in military operations in Iraq, Lebanon, Mali and the Horn of Africa.

The annual military event took place at the Royal Palace in Madrid, with King Felipe VI making a speech.

The King praised Spanish armed forces’ commitment to their country and the international organisations they serve.

This year’s event saw a return to pre ­ pandemic scale proceedings, and authorities spoke about the most pressing military issues for the upcoming year.

The situation in Ukraine was at the top of the agenda for officials, with the King describing it as one of the

biggest challenges facing Europe and threatening security across the continent and in the entire world.

Defence spending has been increased in the 2023 budget to deal with the pressures of the war.

Spain’s response to the war in the last year has included welcoming refugees and increasing Spanish military presence in Latvia and other surrounding countries.

Phone increases

MOVISTAR and Vodafone customers in Spain face increased rates this month. Telefonica will raise Movistar’s rates from Friday, January 13 while Vodafone’s new rates will come into force on Sunday, January 22.

As announced to customers by the multinational, Movistar will put its prices up by an average of 6.8 per cent. The company also pointed out that this increase is lower than 2022’s average CPI of 8.4 per cent.

Telefonica explained that this new price rise is not due to inflation but is a result of an increase in costs in the telecommunications sector.

Vodafone announced at the end of last year that from 2023 it would update its packages according to the averaged annual CPI. This will mean approximately an extra €2.50 on average for mobile­only plans, and €5.50 on average for its convergent plans. The company has justified the price rises by pointing out that it is the first increase in 18 months.

It is being done with the aim of curbing the impact of inflation on costs, energy, and suppliers the company insisted. The increases will also enable the operator to cope with the pace of investment in the infrastructure of its innovative network and services.

According to a recent analysis by the price comparator Kelisto.es, Telefonica and Vodafone could generate up to €486 million in additional revenue with these new charges.

MILITARY PRESENCE: The Royal Family greeted Armed Forces in the annual Epiphany parade held in the capital last Friday.

Photo credit: Familia Real Española (Via Facebook)

Mega star spotted

HOLLYWOOD A ­ lister Morgan Freeman surprised locals when he was spotted dining at Mallorca restaurant Sandro on Sunday, January 8.

Freeman said: “It’s the best Bolognese I’ve ever eaten in my life,” according to the Italian restaurant’s owner Sandro Putignano.

The restaurateur told one publication: “Until they turned up I didn’t know it was going to be him. At first we were a little doubtful and we were looking for photos of him on the internet, until we were sure.

“They arrived early in the service, around 7.15pm, and left around 10pm. They were a group of five people and they were having dinner quietly, like any other client.”

The actor later posed for photos with the Sandro, which the business owner later posted to Instagram saying: “We still can’t believe it. Morgan Freeman at home, we couldn’t be more excited. We will never forget this moment, thank you!”

Tragic ending

HAYATE , a young mother of four children, was murdered around midnight on Sunday, January 8, allegedly by her ex ­ partner who is already in custody.

The mayor of Adeje, Jose Miguel Rodriguez Fraga, and Adeje residents held a minute’s silence at midday on Monday, January 9, to express their unanimous repulsion against this kind of violence and as a mark of respect for Hayate’s family and friends.

The Adeje Town Council declared official mourning in the municipality for the murder of Hayate, suspending all leisure activities and flying the flags at half­mast on Tuesday, January 10.

The mayor said: “I want to strongly express our rejection of any type of violence, especially gender violence, which we are experiencing this week. From Adeje, we want to express the repulsion and pain of the whole town. We would like to send our support for the family, as well as give thanks to the intervention of the neighbour who made it possible to arrest the aggressor.”

Sustainable supermarket

THE Spanish supermarket giant, Mercadona has become the first in the sector to carry out mass testing of a new sustainable scheme using

electric­powered haulage. The supermarket announced it was aiming to transition to electric power on Monday, January 9.

Grumpy but loved

READERS of the Euro Weekly News will be delighted to know that one of the paper’s best loved columnists, Grumpy Old Man Mike Senker, is set to be back in the writing saddle once again following a break while he moves house.

The popular writer, whose musings on everything from modern customer service to cancel culture have entertained readers over more than 300 columns, is expecting to complete his move later this month and begin contributing to the EWN again.

Explaining that he is busy with multiple projects these days, while Mike will not be returning with a column every week, he will be entertaining readers with his sharp insights into life on the Costas again in the following weeks.

Mike said: “I want to thank readers for their very kind wishes and I look forward to being back on the Euro Weekly’s pages very soon!.”

The company has made no secret of its commitment to the environment and its goal to adapt to global climate goals by reforming its haulage scheme, including by acquiring its first two all ­ electric trucks at the end of 2022.

In recent months, the company has conducted several pilot schemes with logistics companies Disfrimur and Acotral to assess the efficiency of electric haulage.

The scheme aimed to assess the practicality of using 100 per cent electric lorries given the limited charging infrastructure in the country and the time constraints of charging vehicles up. Project coordinators devised the most effective routes in two project areas, Madrid and Murcia, and were able to efficiently supply and stock six supermarkets.

Credit: Instagram/Sandro Restaurante

MORGAN FREEMAN: Was spotted in Mallorca.

Culinary credit

THE famed Spanish cuisine is once again in the global spotlight thanks to a new ranking which placed Spain in third place for the ‘World’s Best Cuisine’. TasteAtlas released its 2022 rankings on Friday, January 6, giving Spain an overall score of 4.59 stars out of 5.

The ranking of global cuisines is released by gastronomic experts at the platform

each year who identify top dishes, ingredients and restaurants in each country and compile reviews from diners to find the most popular global cuisine. The last year’s list was topped by Italy with a score of 4.72 stars. The country’s speciality ingredients of Parmigiana Reggiano, pesto and prosciutto were highlighted as favourites. Greek cuisine came a close second in the rankings with a score of 4.69 stars,

AMID the increasing cost of living, many of us are looking for changes to save money. One study has found the cheapest city to live in, in Spain, so if you’re looking to switch it up, check out this city in northern Spain.

The study released by insurance specialists, Kelista, on Monday, January 8 revealed that living costs in Palencia are 30 per cent lower than the Spanish average. During the project, cities were compared on 14 key economic indicators including housing, transport, taxes, and leisure.

Residents in the city make an average of €23,500 per year, meaning they get better

SPANISH officials have announced their bid for the EU to extend the price cap on gas until at least the end of 2024. Speaking on Monday, January 9, government minister, Teresa Ribera said that Spain is asking Brussels for the measure to stabilise utility prices in the coming year.

The current price cap on gas used to generate electricity is nicknamed the ‘Iberian Exception’ as it

thanks to its top rated foods of Kalamata, Gyros and Moussaka.

Spanish cuisine came in third place in the global ranking thanks to delicious dishes including Gambas a la Plancha, Jamón Iberico, and Manchego cheeses. Restaurants in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Santiago de Compostela and Barcelona were highlighted as the best places to try authentic Spanish dishes.

Cheapest city

value for their money than most other cities in the country.

Second place went to the enclave of Melilla, with costs of living 17 per cent below the national average. Other cheap places to live include Lugo, Logroño, Cáceres, Zamora, and León. On the other hand, the most expensive places to live were unsurprisingly Barcelona and Madrid. San Sebastian in the Basque Country was also ranked as having one of the highest costs of living.

Gas cap extension

applies to Spain and Portugal. Both countries have been paying €40 per megawatt hour for the gas since the scheme came in on June 15, but the rate is set to increase by €5 per megawatt hour each month until the current proposed end date of

the scheme in May. Ribera said that the Spanish government has developed a proposal for the extension of the scheme until European regulations on gas and electricity production have been updated, which will stabilise the market.

She explained “We want to keep the gas cap in place until at least the end of 2024, with a rate of €45 to €50 per megawatt hour.”

Betty Henderson

Dishes including Spain’s gambas a la Plancha earned the country third place on a global cuisine ranking.

Photo credit: hlphoto / shutterstock.com

Stub it out

TOBACCO companies in Spain could be forced to pay to clean up all the discarded cigarette butts, as per the new environmental regulations.

The law, in accordance with the European Union rules, aims to limit singleuse plastic after it came into effect from Friday January 6 onwards.

It is a part of several measures that have been designed by the Spanish

government to reduce waste and increase the amount of recycling in the country as well as obligating polluters to clean-up.

According to a study done in Catalonia, cited by a national news source, the total cost of cigarette butt clean-up is estimated between €12€21 per smoker per annum, which in total amounts to over €1 billion.

Although it still remains unclear how the clean-up will be implemented, experts suggest that the tobacco companies will eventually pass this cost on to the customer.

According to environmental experts, each butt takes over 10 years to decompose. Several toxins including arsenic and lead are also released into the atmosphere during their decomposition process.

New Year’s greetings

THE Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, sent New Year wishes to the Guadarrama XII Brigade, who deployed a contingent of 400 soldiers to the NATO mission Enhanced

Forward Presence (eFP) in Latvia on Sunday, January 8.

Robles announced in her congratulatory message that she will visit them in Latvia at the end

Spanish tourists

SPAIN was visited by 4.3 million international tourists in November 2022, which reached almost the same amount who arrived in the same month of 2019. These travellers spent €5,387 million on their trip and stay, €319 million more (6.2 per cent) than in November 2019, according to data published by the National Statistics Institute (INE). The Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto said, “2022 will be remembered as the year of the recovery of tourism after the impact of the pandemic. According to our forecasts, during 2022 the number of international tourists who will have visited Spain will exceed 71.5 million and the accumulated expenditure will reach €87.1 billion.”

During her speech on Wednesday, December 4, the Minister of Tourism added: “The control of inflation in the last months of the year, together with the measures implemented by the government to deal with the impact of the war in Ukraine are facilitating the arrival of tourists to our country, with increases in spending and average stay, which makes us optimistic about the year 2023.”

of this month.

“The army and the Ukrainian citizens have shown that with morale, bravery and heroism, anything is possible,” said the minister, adding that “the army, and in particular this brigade, has all of this, and is always on the front line.”

Robles stressed that the professionalism and dedication of the Spanish army is highly valued abroad, and later she spoke with the brigade’s personnel and wished them all the best, both personally and professionally.

“This has been a very difficult year for the world, with a war that we never thought we would suffer, but at the same time a year in which the Guadarrama Brigade and all its units can feel very proud of the work they have done,” Robles remarked.

Take years to decompose.

Shutterstock.com/

Larina Marina

Police search resumes at landfill for missing 11-year-old

THE National Police in Madrid are continuing to search a landfill in Toledo near Madrid for an 11­year­old boy who went missing on December 15.

According to a local news source on Saturday, January 7 police began searching the site after they found the body of his 17­year­old cousin whose body was found at the site.

The police are said to have thoroughly searched around 20 per cent of the landfill which is roughly the size of a football field and contains in the region of 10,000 tonnes of waste. Sniffer dogs are working with the police, members of the Operational Group of Technical Interventions (GOIT) and agents of the Scientific Police to try and find the boy´s body.

Fernando, Angel’s cousin, was found lifeless in the landfill site on December 27 since

when the police have been searching for the missing youngster.

The case, which is under summary secrecy, has gripped that nation after the two boys went missing near the Hiper Usera on General Ricardos Street in Madrid on December 10. They have not been seen since, although CCTV images place them at the bus station Toledo, in a local hotel and in a shopping centre before they disappeared.

Betty Henderson

AN amusing study claims to have found the top 10 rudest cities in Spain, and there are some surprises on the list!

The research, released by Preply data analytics site on Thursday, January 5 is based on interviews with 1,500 residents in 19 regions of the country.

Participants in the study were asked to categorise rudeness in different cities on a scale of one to 10 and to define rude behaviour that they had come across in each of the locations.

Announcing the results of the survey, researchers explained that although some cities are considered ruder than others, people in Spain are generally thought to be polite, or at least they are in public!

The top 10 rudest cities in Spain are Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Granada, Elche, San Se ­

Rudest cities

bastián, Bilbao, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Malaga, Valladolid, and Madrid.

On the other hand, the study also revealed the most polite cities in Spain.

The northern city of Vigo came out on top thanks to the generosity of its residents and openness to strangers.

ONE person was killed and four more injured after a tractor lost control during a Three Kings parade in the municipality of Marchena in Sevilla on Thursday, January 5.

For reasons as yet unknown, a tractor carrying the carriage of King Balthasar lost control while travelling down an incline.

One of those seriously injured in the incident which occurred at around 8.15pm was said to be a child. After running through a crowd of people, the tractor eventually collided with a wall in Plaza de San Andres.

Emergency services deployed two ambulances complete with two teams of medics. They also dispatched patrols from the Guardia Civil and the Local Police, as well as a

Parade tragedy

team of firefighters from the Sevilla Fire Brigade.

The child was transferred to the Virgen del Rocio Children's Hospital in Sevilla. Another seriously injured person was transferred to the Traumatology department of the same hospital. Two other people were treated for minor injuries.

were treated at a health centre in Osuna.

According to witnesses, the trailer somehow became unhooked from the vehicle pulling it and it fell on top of the people who were waiting for the parade to pass.

RUDE RESIDENTS : Santa Cruz de Tenerife was voted as Spain’s rudest city in a recent study.

Photo credit: RossHelen / shutterstock.com

ANGEL: Still missing.

Image National Police

New royal traditions

THE Sovereign’s birthday is officially celebrated by the ceremony of Trooping the Colour (King’s Birthday Parade) which this year will be the first one to celebrate the birthday of King Charles

III on Saturday, June 17, 2023.

This impressive display of pageantry will involve the Regiments of the Household Division, on Horse Guards Parade, with His

Majesty The King attending and taking the salute.

His Majesty King Charles III will hold the appointment of Colonel ­ in ­ Chief of the Regiments of Household Division. Each Regiment has a Colonel who is normally either a member of the Royal Family or a senior officer.

The Trooping of the Colour has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign for over 260 years.

This year will mark His Majesty King Charles III’s first Trooping of the Colour as Sovereign. Over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians come together each June in a great display of military precision, horsemanship and fanfare to mark The King’s official birthday. The parade moves from Buckingham Palace and down The Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade, alongside Members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages.

Upstairs Downstairs

THE prolific novelist, author and playwright Fay Weldon whose works include the popular ITV drama series ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ died on Wednesday, January 4 according to a family statement.

According to the family she had been admitted to hospital with a broken bone in her back, but had suffered a stroke prior to her passing.

Born in Britain but raised in New Zealand, Weldon went on to write more than 30 novels as well as short stories and plays for radio, television and stage. She is perhaps best known for ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ and her adaptation of Pride and Prejudice for the BBC. But she was also a prolific novelist writing children’s books, non­fiction books and newspaper articles.

Among her bestsellers was her 1978 novel Praxis which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction. She later went on to chair the judges’ panel for the prestigious award in 1983.

The death of the prolific novelist has resulted in many fans and colleagues taking to social media to express their sorrow at her loss, perhaps best summed up in the words of Jenny Colgan “She was formidable, fierce and wonderful.”

Hotel hospitals

UNDER pressure NHS hospitals in the southwest of England have resorted to using hotels as they work to free up beds for patients needing hospitalisation.

With the problem of bed blocking still to be resolved, NHS Trusts in Plymouth and Bristol are moving medically fit patients waiting for care packages to be put in place to enable them to return home, into local hotels.

According to a report on Friday, January 6, hotels have been using city centres hotels in Plymouth, Bristol and De­

von as far back as October 2022.

A spokesperson for NHS Devon said: “Care hotels are just one of many positive measures health and care partners have put in place to reduce pressure on busy health services this winter.

“They are not used for hospital patients and are used to provide social care for people who are medically fit and do not require hospital care, but do need additional living support after a stay in hospital or to prevent them from needing to be admitted.”

FAY WELDON: Formidable and wonderful.

Image Instagram Georgina Capel

Blame the sick

THE UK’s Health Select Committee Chair, Steve Brine, lays the blame for the state of the NHS on ‘sick’ England.

According to a report by a national news outlet on Wednesday, January 4, Brine argued that the NHS

A never event?

AN increasing number of foreign objects have been found inside patients after surgery in the UK.

According to recent figures revealed by the National Health Service (NHS), this is being described as a ‘never event’, after cotton swabs, blades, drill bits, wire cutters, and others items have been left inside patients over 291 times in England.

Objects were found in all different age groups of patients, from babies to people over 90.

Such a huge number of patients with foreign objects postsurgery is the highest recorded in the UK in over 20 years.

As per the NHS, leaving an object inside a patient after surgery is classified as a ‘never event’. This means that, such an incident is so serious, it should never have happened.

NHS also issued a statement on this issue after its spokesperson said, “Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff, incidents like these are rare, however, when they do happen, the NHS is committed to learning from them to improve care for future patients.”

has never had more money and that it did not need more cash saying that the “ill health of the nation” was the problem.

He added that along with exhausted staff following the twin demic of Covid ­ 19 and flu, structural issues were also to blame for record waiting lists and cancelled operations.

Brine admitted that the NHS is in crisis but did not think money, facilities or staffing were the issue. He said demand for care is “phenomenal” and “through the roof” adding that it’s more the fact that the NHS just “can’t keep up.”

Not everyone is in full agreement with the Health Select Committee chair’s assessment, with many in the sector having criticised the government for not taking ownership of the health sector’s shortcomings.

No more gas

AS announced on the official Twitter account of the British Foreign Office, as of the beginning of the year, the United Kingdom has stopped importing Russian liquified natural gas (LNG).

The department emphasised that this action is being taken as a direct result of said gas supplies allowing Russia to finance its

ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

On October 28, the British Foreign Office announced plans to stop LNG supplies from Russia. The decision was made in order to reduce dependence on Russian fuel. According to the research company ICIS, as of December 2022, the EU and the UK had

AFTER the UK government’s latest advisory to wear masks, scientists have raised concerns about the new Covid variant XBB.1.5, which has already been reported in over 4 per cent of cases in the country. The new variant, which has already been rapidly spreading across the United States, threatens to cause a fresh wave of cases.

XBB.1.5 was already responsible for a massive surge in cases in the UK last winter, which resulted in thousands of people losing their lives.

Several offshoots of the Omicron variant have dominated the number of Covid infections globally ever since XBB.1.5 evolved from the XBB variant.

purchased almost 21 per cent more Russian LNG than in 2021.

According to the UK Office for National Statistics, in 2022 the United States became the largest source of LNG supplies to Britain. In 2023, it is planned to replace Russian LNG with supplies from Qatar and Azerbaijan.

On the rise

Meanwhile, scientists in the UK said there is still uncertainty around the XBB.1.5. variant as only a fraction of Covid samples have been analysed.

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The “ill health of the nation” is the problem.

Shutterstock.com/ angellodeco

New Omicron variant XBB.1.5 raises concerns of rise in Covid-19 cases in UK.

Coronation Street actor passes at 82

THE Coronation Street and Love Actually actor, Wyllie Longmore, has died at the age of 82 after a cancer battle.

The news was announced by his daughter on Friday, January 6 saying that he had passed away peacefully on Wednesday.

She said: “I want to share the news that my father, Wyllie Longmore passed away yesterday evening. He had been living with cancer but passed away peacefully with my mum by his side. Wyllie was a muchloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle and will be very sadly missed.”

Longmore was best known for his role as Dr McKinnon in the longrunning soap Coronation Street, but had also worked alongside Hugh

Grant in Love Actually where he played the role of the prime minister’s associate. He had also enjoyed roles in The Bill, Between the Lines, Casualty, Merseybeat, Waking the Dead and Cold Feet.

Born in Jamaica, Longmore moved to the UK in 1961 quickly making a name for himself in theatrical circles before going on to secure roles on national TV.

‘Grown-up’ talks

RISHI SUNAK is making a bid to end the strikes that have hamstrung the country, inviting all union leaders to “grown up, honest” talks.

On Friday, January 6 the leader called the urgent meeting in the hope that he can engineer a breakthrough in discussions.

The full details of the proposed talks have yet to be made clear but it is understood that he has not ruled out discussions around pay. It is also not clear whether he intends to put offers on the table or whether he intends to make unions aware of government red lines, bearing in mind his declaration to bring inflation and government borrowing down.

Pressed on the issues that would be discussed and whether pay was one of these he said: “What we have said is we want to have a grown­up, honest conversation with all union leaders about what is responsible, what is reasonable, and what is affordable for our country when it comes to pay.

“I’m hopeful that those talks can be constructive.”

There’s still a chance

SPEAKING exclusively on Sunday evening, January 8, with ITV’s Tom Bradby, Prince Harry told him he believed there was still a chance of reconciliation with the Royal Family. Despite this, he claimed the ‘institution’ had ‘shown no willingness to reconcile’.

The interview was designed as a precursor to the release of Harry’s autobiography ‘SPARE’, due to be released on Tuesday January 17.

Bradby suggested that by publishing a book which lifted the lid on a lot of topics that should have stayed private, Harry had probably ruined any chance of making peace with the royal family.

The Duke also chose to broach the subject of Kate and Meghan’s relationship, pointing out that from day one, they never got along.

Talking about where Meghan was accused of making Kate cry. It was actually the other way around said Harry. Kate was the one who made Meghan cry he claimed and said Kate appeared the next day carrying flowers to apologise to Meghan.

Questioned about Camilla, Harry insisted: “There’s no part of any of the things that I’ve said that are scathing towards any member of my family, especially not my stepmother.”

WYLLIE LONGMORE: Was Dr McKinnon in Coronation Street.

Image Twitter GHLinks

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Holocaust survivor Bea Franklin serves as a real-life witness to history

HOLOCAUST survivor Bea Franklin really is an incredible lady. At 98 years of age, 99 in June, when most people her age would be taking it easy, Bea never stops! She sat down with the Euro Weekly News to discuss her fascinating life.

Bea’s marriage to Corporal Jerry Franklin exposed her to some of the most historic moments of the Second World War. “Jerry was a US Army photographer,” Bea explained. “He was there for invasions all throughout Europe and Africa and, most notably, took graphic photos at The Liberation of the Dachau Concentration Camp.

“My husband was a very positive person, he never spoke about the holocaust, the photographs spoke for him. He just wanted to focus on the positives of life.”

Bea added: “One of his most

iconic photos of him that we have in his photo album is one of then­president Franklin Roosevelt with future president Dwight Eisenhower. The pair are sitting in a jeep with General Patton at Castelvetrano Airport in Sicily, Italy, after the conferences at Tehran and Cairo on December 8 in 1943.”

Bea explained how her husband often crossed paths with some of Hollywood’s legendary film stars. “When film stars visited the frontlines Jerry took some great photos including Humphrey Bogart, Mickey Rooney, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Joe E Lewis, who became famous from his role in Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe.

“Even though Jerry took the photos, they don’t belong to him,” Bea confirmed. “As he was working for the US Army and they own the photos, we cannot use them without their

permission.

“Jerry has got copies of all the pictures he took and put them in albums, but this was back when you had to develop the photos yourself,” she quipped.

Bea was even present for the iconic ‘Kiss’ of the unknown sailor in New York’s Time Square just eight days after the two atomic bombs exploded in Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Japan) at the end of the Second World War. “I was at university in New York when we heard the war in Europe was over” she said. “Everyone knew that Time Square would be the place to celebrate, people flooded the subway.

“We arrived in New York and witnessed the sailor kissing the nurse.”

When asked about her secret to longevity, 98­year­old Bea simply responded, “positive thinking!”

Your Belgian estate agent at the coast!

BEA FRANKLIN: Spoke about her fascinating life.

Credit: Bea Franklin

Double standards

CHAIRMAN of Russia’s State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, has issued a threat to the German leadership and reminded them to take a look at their own country’s history when it comes to war.

Taking to social media on Thursday, January 5, Volodin said: “The German leadership should remember from their own coun ­

try’s history how attempts to encroach on someone else’s property ended.”

He was speaking about the proposed decision from the German government to “seize Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine.”

He added: “As soon as such a decision is made, we have the right to take similar actions in relation to the assets of Germany and oth­

er states.”

The State Duma official added that “recently, former German Chancellor Merkel admitted how she and former French President Hollande deceived the international community.

“By signing the Minsk agreements, they had no intention of abiding by them, but merely used them to militarise the Kyiv regime.”

Record exports

ON Monday, January 2, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the country had achieved a record high in exports during 2022. Year­on­year growth of 12.9 per cent had been registered he detailed, with a total of US$254.2 billion (€241.61 billion) in exports.

Speaking in the city of Istanbul while addressing the Turkey Exporters Assembly, Er­

tice and Development Party first came to power, exports stood at only US$36 billion (€34.22 billion).

In the space of 12 months, he added, the number of Turkish firms exporting had increased to more than 111,000 from 33,523 in 2021. Similarly, 24 cities were now involved in the export business as opposed to just five one year ago.

Temperatures soar

TEMPERATURES across Europe soared higher in January than ever recorded in most countries, as scientists say human-caused climate change made it more likely to happen

As metrological departments across the UK, Ireland, France, and Spain had already declared 2022 as the hottest on record, countries across Europe are now recording the highest temperatures ever in January.

Poland, Hungary, and Switzerland which would normally have average temperatures in single dig-

Climate change affecting rising temperatures.

its, recorded as high as 19 degrees Celsius, in the first few days of 2023.

In France, New Year’s Eve recorded the warmest temperature, since the

records began, with the mercury climbing to nearly 25 degrees Celsius, at night.

Temperatures in Spain hit 25.1 degrees Celsius, as per the records at Bilbao airport in the Basque Country.

Meanwhile, weather stations in Germany, recorded over 20 degrees Celsius, the highest temperatures since the records began in 1881.

Scientists who are analysing the temperature data are still trying to confirm the specific ways in which climate change is affecting rising temperatures.

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VladisChern

Robbery-free Increased imports Step forward

DATA has showed that a total of 20 EU countries increased their imports from Russia in 2022 despite the sanctions placed on Moscow.

This was according to figures available between February and August of last year. According to reports, the volume in general of European imports from Russia, fell from more than 20 million tons in January 2022 to 13 registered in October. The value did the same, going from €22 billion a month to €12.8 billion in October.

This shift is not seen so clearly though if it is broken down by Member States as 20 EU countries have increased imports to a greater or lesser extent. Spain increased its imports by 51 per cent, with a value of €4.7 billion in the aforementioned period.

At the top of the scale though, Slovenia saw its imports rise by 346 per cent, Luxembourg by 262 per cent, and Austria by 139 per cent.

THE US Treasury Department exposed a major Islamic State (ISIS) network that had been operating in Turkey since 2016.

This individual had allegedly been actively recruiting members to the terror organisation and distributing funds. Steps have subsequently been taken to freeze the assets of the network’s members by Turkish officials.

A statement from the US Treasury Department read: “Today, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated critical nodes of a key financial facilitation network of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).”

It continued: “This included four individuals and two entities in Turkey, who have enabled the terrorist group’s recruitment and financial transfers to and from Iraq and Syria.

“This network played a key role in money management, transfer, and distribution for ISIS in the region.” Brukan al­Khatuni, an Iraqi national, was named as the head of the network.

THE number of bank robberies in Denmark fell to zero last year, as beefedup security and reduced use of cash in the Nordic country make hold­ups a lot less lucrative than they used to be.

Since the year 2000 when 221 bank robberies took place, bank heists have been steadily declining. According to data from Finance Denmark, an industry group for lenders, in the year 2021, Denmark had just one bank robbery.

Bank robberies are on the decline in other countries too, as the move away from cash to digital banking gives rise

to cybercrime, such as hacks and phishing scams, which target bank details and other personal information.

Online banking fraud is increasing in Denmark, confirmed Michael BuskJepsen, Finance Denmark’s director of digitisation. “In the olden days, the robbers went to the banks, now they go to the customers instead.”

Busk­Jepsen added: “It is very nice to see this statistic, especially because of the people working in the banks, and that they’re not being exposed to that anymore.

7 day week

a week with immediate effect in an effort to relieve pressure on emergency units.

The move is to ensure

ONLINE

that patients are discharged from hospitals over the weekend at the same rate as they are during the week.

It is believed that the seven ­ day working week will affect all staff including consultants and diagnostic services.

Unprecedented overcrowding is said to be causing delays of up to 24 hours in emergency departments, with some 67,000 patients having had to wait a day for admission in 2022.

HSE Interim Chief Executive Officer Stephen Mulvany said on ­ site presence by senior clinical decision ­ makers is planned for the rest of this month, with support staff being asked to make themselves available for the same period.

Peter McLaren ­ Kennedy

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland has told hospitals to begin working seven days

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ON THE DECLINE: Bank robberies are falling, while banking fraud is increasing.

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Danish discovery

SCIENTISTS have uncovered the remains of a huge building that likely dates to the era of Denmark’s first king. Archaeologists at the Historical Museum of Northern Jutland report they’ve discovered an ancient Viking hall, the biggest one found in more than a decade.

THE NETHERLANDS

Doubled Dutch

THE overall population in the Netherlands grew twice as fast last year compared to 2021. While the number of deaths has risen in the Netherlands, immigration remains a key factor for the sharp increase. Towns Eindhoven and Almere made it to the top in population growth.

BELGIUM

Belgium boost

ACCORDING to figures published by analysis firm NapoleonCat on January 6. Social networks gained more Belgian users in 2022. After a slight drop in user numbers in 2021, Facebook and Instagram saw increases last year, while Messenger's user base remained stable.

GERMANY

Tour tax

A PROPOSED tax on German holidays sold by companies outside of the EU has been scrapped for at least one year. The tax law would have made holidays to Germany more expensive and would also have required nonEU tour operators to file tax returns in Germany.

FRANCE

Limited Louvre

THE Louvre Museum in France has announced that it will limit the number of daily visitors to the famed institution in order to create a more enjoyable experience. Museum staff have decided to cap daily admissions at 30,000 because of a surge of visitors.

NORWAY

Oil profits

NORWAY once again saw record oil and gas profits in 2022. With energy prices soaring last year, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent scarcity of oil and gas in Europe, Norway recorded significant profits throughout the year.

FINLAND

Bee bacteria

THE US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the world's first vaccine for honey bees. Developed in Finland, the vaccine works against a bacterial condition known as American foul-brood disease that attacks bee larvae. The vaccine introduces inactive bacteria into the royal jelly fed to the queen.

IRELAND

Growing Ireland

A REPORT by the US Census Bureau has predicted that Ireland will experience the second-highest rate of population growth in Europe. Ireland's population will rise by 33 per cent above six million by 2050, according to the study.

ITALY

Fake serum

ITALIAN tennis star Camila Giorgi is under investigation for allegedly using fake Covid vaccination papers to enter Australia in 2022. Giorgi's family doctor was arrested in February and charged with administering hundreds of fake serums and paperwork to high-profile Italians.

PORTUGAL

Cheese Festival

THE Serra da Estrela de Oliveira do Hospital Cheese Festival which is considered to be ‘the biggest Cheese Festival in Portugal’, will take place on March 11 and 12, in the heart of the city in the district of Coimbra.

UKRAINE

Bye to Banksy

INVESTIGATIVE actions are ongoing against a group of people who dismantled a graffiti by UK artist Banksy ‘Woman in a Gas Mask’ in Hostomel, Kyiv. The police estimated the value of the graffiti to be UAH 9M (€229,489). The alleged organiser of the crime has been charged.

SWEDEN

Swedish getaway

DESPITE a weak start to the year due to the Omicron variant and other global concerns, Sweden’s airports welcomed nearly 28 million passengers in 2022 which is a 130 per cent increase on the 12 million that passed through the country’s gateways in 2021.

FINANCE

BUSINESS EXTRA

Dubai’s trillions

DUBAI has set out its 32 trillion dirham (€8.2 trillion) economic plan and aims to double the size of its economy in the next decade to become one of the ‘top three economic cities around the world,’ Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, tweeted.

Economic sentiment

EUROPEAN COMMISSION data on January 6 showed eurozone economic sentiment has improved for the first time since the start of the Ukraine war. The Commission’s monthly economic sentiment index rose to 95.8 in December from 94.0 in November, the first upward movement after a slide from a record high of 114.0 scaled in February.

Renewable energy

THE European Investment Bank (EIB) and Iberdrola have signed a new agreement to accelerate Spain’s energy transition by developing new renewable energy capacity. The EU bank will provide a €550m green loan for the construction of a portfolio of projects with a total capacity of around 1 800 megawatts (MW).

Euro-flation

A BIT of good news is that Europe ended a bad year for inflation with some relief as price gains eased again. While the cost of living is still painfully high, the slowdown is a sign that the worst might be over for weary consumers.

Ethical investments

TO invest ethically, look for funds with high Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards, which will not invest your money in harmful sectors. ESG look at the conservation of the natural world and social factors and examine how a company treats people both inside and outside the company.

STAT OF WEEK

Future of payments

PAYTECHS are disrupting the future of payments. The time is ripe for banks to rethink strategies for participating in this complex ­ but opportunisticecosystem, or risk being left behind.

Ernst & Young’s (EY) recent report The Rise of PayTech ­ seven forces shaping the future of payments assesses the level of innovation enabled by PayTechs across the most dynamic areas impacting the sector. These include areas such as open banking, real­time payments, cross­border payments, buy now, pay later (BNPL), digital wallets and super apps, embedded payments and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and digital currencies.

Digital currencies are gaining momentum, rising to the top of the agenda for payments providers seeking regulated alternatives as first industry solutions emerge. The ultimate benefits of digital currencies lie in the instant and atomic settlement,

increased automation, transparency, and efficiency.

Open banking has allowed consumers to be firmly in control of their data, identity, and payments. The practice of securely sharing financial data by connecting merchants and customers directly has created compelling ‘open payments’ or ‘pay by bank’ options.

Elsewhere, digital wallets and super apps are helping to reduce payment transaction fees whilst offering

a single destination for consumers to manage their finances. By leveraging data, they have the potential to fulfil almost any financial, leisure or lifestyle need.

For banks, the shift in payments is both a threat and an opportunity. Banks must continue to embrace digitalisation and transform their current payment models and, by leveraging these forces, they can deliver better, far more efficient and frictionless experiences for their customers.

Climate finance

ACCORDING to the World Economic Forum (WEF), “the climate and biodiversity crises loom large but sadly, so does the gap in global finance. Estimates for the cost of emerging market countries’ adaptation to climate change range from $140 ­ 300B per year by 2030. Not to mention the costs of energy transition and mitigation efforts and the rest of a country’s development agenda.”

So where will this money come from? The WEF say “access to grants and low­cost concessional finance is limited. With rising interest rates in advanced economies and the subsequent ‘risk off’ environment in the international capital markets, emerging market countries that previously had

market access have mainly lost it. Debt burdenswhich include official debt service payments postponed throughout the pandemic ­ are increasingly difficult to refinance and sovereign debt restructuring practices are cumbersome and time­consuming.”

The WEF confirm that: “To solve these two financial challenges ­ climate finance and

sovereign debt ­ we need to find creative, scalable solutions. Failure to do so quickly will create a downward spiral where debt crises undermine the capacity of countries to adapt to climate change, making them less creditworthy and even less able to finance adaptation and mitigation.

“Many developing countries are eager to

consider climate and nature ­ related key performance indicators (KPIs) as part of their debt issuance and debt workout operations. They see the environmental sustainability linkage as enhancing their attractiveness to capital markets, and they see the additional resources accelerating the implementation of agreed environmental goals.”

International borrowing

THE European Commission is empowered by the EU Treaties to borrow from the international capital markets on behalf of the European Union.

It is a well ­ established name in debt securities markets, with a strong track record of successful bond issuances over the past 40 years. All EU­Bond issuances executed by the European Commission are denominated exclusively in euro.

The European Commission uses the proceeds of EUBond issuances to fund EU policy programmes. Landmark policy programmes currently funded by EU­Bonds include the NextGenerationEU recovery instrument of up to around €800 billion in current prices and the Commission’s Macro­Financial Assistance + programme for Ukraine.

EU borrowing is executed using multiple instruments, including EU­Bonds, EU­Bills, and NextGenerationEU Green Bonds.

Help for Scots

SOCIAL SECURITY of Scotland is now actively encouraging people to check they are not missing out on extra money from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The government confirmed that it is highly likely that more people could be eligible for certain benefits, some of which are only available in Scotland.

The benefits, which have been introduced over the past four years, are available to people on low incomes responsible for children under 16, those who need help paying for a funeral, people living with a disability, carers, young people entering the workplace and householders needing help to heat their homes.

Data from Bankrate found that 27 per cent of shoppers will go into debt for holiday or Christmas shopping.

RECENT REPORT: Banks must continue to embrace digitalisation.

Image: NicoElNino/Shutterstock.com

CLIMATE CHANGE: Creative, scalable solutions are necessary across the world.

Image: MUNGKHOOD STUDIO/Shutterstock.com

3I Group 1.390,50 1.391,50 1.371,00 237,97K

Abrdn 193,25 193,50 190,15 411,82K

Admiral Group 2.230,0 2.237,0 2.221,0 26,87K

Anglo American 3.552,0 3.585,0 3.528,0 193,99K

Antofagasta 1.695,50 1.702,50 1.677,50 159,86K

Ashtead Group 5.022,0 5.056,0 5.016,0 35,71K

Associated British Foods 1.765,5 1.774,0 1.762,0 37,58K

AstraZeneca 11.670,0 11.754,0 11.658,0 109,43K

Auto Trader Group Plc 542,60 544,80 539,40 156,85K

Aveva 3.220,0 3.222,0 3.219,0 42,54K

Aviva 459,30 459,70 456,00 279,31K

B&M European Value Retail SA450,60 454,60 448,00 255,27K

BAE Systems 840,40 857,80 839,60 592,52K

Barclays 173,84 174,08 171,88 1,71M

Barratt Developments 434,70 435,60 431,30 138,95K

Berkeley 4.117,0 4.118,0 4.080,5 2,01K

BHP Group Ltd 2.725,00 2.745,50 2.721,50 9,73K

BP 482,55 485,10 477,60 2,81M

British American Tobacco 3.315,5 3.341,5 3.308,3 13,26K

British Land Company 414,10 415,50 410,50 149,86K

BT Group 127,40 130,80 127,35 3,46M

Bunzl 2.906,0 2.927,0 2.904,0 34,87K

Burberry Group 2.216,0 2.221,0 2.198,0 84,25K

Carnival 662,6 671,8 658,4 46,39K

Centrica 92,54 93,12 91,28 720,43K

Coca Cola HBC AG 1.970,0 1.980,9 1.969,5 1,30K

Compass 1.906,50 1.915,50 1.905,00 125,19K

CRH 3.598,5 3.606,5 3.570,0 34,91K

Croda Intl 6.610,0 6.656,0 6.594,0 29,37K

DCC 4.305,0 4.326,5 4.289,2 2,03K

Diageo 3.617,0 3.655,5 3.617,0 183,42K

DS Smith 350,51 351,40 347,70 587,83K

EasyJet 378,30 381,00 373,50 297,30K

Experian 2.868,0 2.877,0 2.862,0 27,55K

Ferguson 11.470,0 11.530,0 11.390,0 78,22K

Flutter Entertainment 11.995,0 12.120,0 11.945,0 31,12K

Fresnillo 951,00 961,80 941,20 43,73K

Glencore 534,80 541,00 531,70 4,85M

GSK plc 1.414,80 1.432,40 1.412,80 68,09K

Halma 2.084,0 2.094,0 2.079,0 31,47K

Hargreaves Lansdown 876,00 877,00 860,80 106,58K

Hikma Pharma 1.681,50 1.690,00 1.674,00 6,74K

HSBC 565,80 566,80 562,40 2,36M

IAG 140,90 141,34 139,54 2,13M

Imperial Brands 2.071,00 2.080,00 2.052,00 255,23K

Informa 639,80 642,80 638,20 98,92K

InterContinental 5.110,0 5.138,0 5.106,0 35,46K

Intermediate Capital 1.217,50 1.221,00 1.203,50 22,87K

Intertek 4.232,0 4.266,0 4.224,0 14,08K

ITV 81,02 81,30 80,10 1,82M

J Sainsbury 244,54 246,20 242,69 109,01K

Johnson Matthey 2.196,0 2.204,0 2.178,0 25,13K

Land Securities 665,60 669,60 660,80 75,96K

Legal & General 262,15 262,70 259,10 520,60K

Lloyds Banking 48,52 48,54 47,99 35,53M

London Stock Exchange 7.236,0 7.290,0 7.200,0 48,45K

Melrose Industries 143,45 143,60 142,20 508,32K

Mondi 1.498,50 1.505,50 1.497,50 48,82K

National Grid 1.050,00 1.054,50 1.047,00 477,69K

NatWest Group 275,60 280,50 274,60 2,48M

Next 6.476,0 6.526,0 6.420,0 19,55K

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

Ocado 725,40 733,80 716,80 342,45K

Persimmon 1.336,5 1.338,5 1.325,0 46,27K

Phoenix 625,00 626,80 624,00 88,45K

Prudential 1.254,50 1.256,00 1.239,50 435,90K

Reckitt Benckiser 5.886,0 5.884,0 5.830,0 116,23K

Relx 2.334,00 2.352,00 2.330,00 160,35K

Rentokil 504,00 506,60 500,80 620,81K

Rightmove 547,40 548,80 540,80 107,61K

Rio Tinto PLC 6.063,0 6.125,0 6.046,0 207,06K

Rolls-Royce Holdings 101,82 103,08 100,98 4,22M

Sage 773,40 775,20 770,20 71,52K

Samsung Electronics DRC 1.216,50 1.220,00 1.210,50 3,98K

Schroders 449,3 450,1 444,4 175,22K

Scottish Mortgage 728,91 731,00 725,00 161,28K

Segro 794,20 796,40 787,60 118,67K

Severn Trent 2.772,0 2.796,0 2.772,0 10,06K

Shell 2.376,5 2.387,5 2.360,5 595,75K

Smith & Nephew 1.165,50 1.172,50 1.160,50 204,83K

Smiths Group 1.625,00 1.634,00 1.621,00 25,86K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 10.970,0 10.985,0 10.865,0 7,01K

SSE 1.667,00 1.681,00 1.666,50 300,35K

St. James’s Place 1.156,00 1.159,50 1.147,50 0,83K

Standard Chartered 689,80 693,20 688,00 724,70K

Taylor Wimpey 109,30 109,60 108,00 884,90K

Tesco 242,70 244,20 240,40 920,05K

Tui 147,76 148,95 147,45 785,43K

Unilever 4.170,0 4.202,0 4.160,0 197,63K

United Utilities 1.039,50 1.046,00 1.039,50 40,32K

Vodafone Group PLC 87,77 88,80 87,52 6,10M

Whitbread 2.792,0 2.812,0 2.790,0 22,79K WPP 870,60 873,60 865,60 230,69K

3M 126,72 127,13 2,41M

American Express 150,17 150,43 145,48 2,90M

Amgen 275,20 276,82 269,03 2,89M

Apple 129,62 130,29 124,89 86,76M

Boeing 213,00 213,04 203,55 11,19M

Caterpillar 248,86 249,91 242,24 3,84M

Chevron 176,56 179,39 175,70 7,17M

Cisco 48,32 48,58 47,28 19,35M

Coca-Cola 63,40 63,67 62,58 9,97M

Dow 55,02 55,24 53,32 6,10M

Goldman Sachs 348,08 349,00 340,95 3,09M

Home Depot 317,53 318,85 309,00 4,01M

Honeywell 210,27 211,06 205,87 4,02M

IBM 143,70 144,25 141,58 3,53M

Intel 28,73 28,83 27,38 31,52M

J&J 180,25 180,93 179,39 5,64M

JPMorgan 137,94 138,38 134,49 9,94M

McDonald’s 269,47 269,89 263,39 2,85M

Merck&Co 114,84 115,49 114,05 8,58M

Microsoft 224,93 225,76 219,35 42,92M

Nike 124,53 125,36 121,77 9,32M

Procter&Gamble 153,92 154,46 151,75 7,88M

Salesforce Inc 140,51 141,65 135,55 9,00M

The Travelers 193,87 194,45 189,55 1,28M

UnitedHealth 490,00 492,87 487,54 4,81M

Verizon 42,19 42,58 41,88 25,87M

Visa A 217,75 218,14 213,09 6,83M

Walgreens Boots 36,61 36,74 35,11 10,00M

Walmart 146,78 147,55 144,24 7,07M

Walt Disney 93,92 94,69 91,32 9,78M

World

JinkoSolar

Roivant

Iridium Communications Inc. +12.81% 1.721M

Perseus Mining Limited +10.67% 35,153

Nel ASA +10.38% 16,796

R1 RCM Inc. +10.20% 9.972M Barclays PLC +10.01% 76,788

Most Declined

AMTD Digital Inc. -23.41% 21.064M

PT Bumi Resources Tbk -16.00% 64,775

XPeng Inc. -15.04% 41.107M

iQIYI, Inc. -14.87% 22.648M

Dave Inc. -13.53% 91,840

Dada Nexus Limited -9.70% 5.397M

Li Auto Inc. -9.16% 14.485M

Trinity Industries, Inc. -8.95% 971,367

NovoCure Limited -8.22% 3.002M

Baxter International Inc. -7.84% 11.099M

Waters Corporation -7.15% 1.27M

BUSINESS EXTRA

Finance fallouts

IN 2022 research from Royal London found that three in five couples have argued about money, with 62 per cent falling out over overspending. A quarter of respondents said they believe their partner is financially irresponsible, and a third admitted to keeping details of their savings and debts a secret.

ISA idea

LUCINDA O’BRIEN , savings expert at money.co. uk has suggested putting money in an ISA to save for the future. She said: “As much as we may try to put it to the back of our minds, money is something that can be a major source of stress, especially in the current economic climate.

Transfer debt

A MONEY saving expert suggests: “A balance transfer credit card lets you shift existing debt to a new card, you still owe the money but it’s interest ­ free for up to 30 months. Aim for the longest zero per cent deal to pay off your debt, then look for the lowest fee.”

Bank of Dad

IN his new memoir entitled ‘Spare’, Prince Harry alleges that his father, King Charles III, told him that the royal family just didn’t have the funds to financially support his wife, Meghan Markle.

According to the Duke of Sussex, the king said he was already having to pay a huge amount to support not only Prince Harry but also to support his eldest son, Prince William, and his wife, Kate Middleton, and family.

“Pa didn’t financially support Willy and me, and our families, out of any largesse,” Harry, 38, claims in his memoir. “That was his job. That was the whole deal.”

E-commerce spending

E­ COMMERCE turnover in Spain increased in the second quarter of 2022 with a year ­ on ­ year growth of 33.1 per cent to a total €18.190 billion, according to the latest e­commerce data available on the CNMCData website.

The activity sectors with the highest revenue were travel agencies, with 10.2 per cent of the total turnover; followed by air transport, with 6.6 per cent, and clothing taking third place with 6.5 per cent. As regards the number of transactions, in the second quarter of 2022 more than 325 million transactions were registered, up 16.4 per cent. Restaurants lead the ranking in terms of sales (7.1 per cent).

In terms of geographical segmentation, 46.8 per cent of the revenue from the second quarter

of 2022 was to Spain. The remaining 53.2 per cent corresponds to purchases originating

Sustainable banking

SANTANDER has ranked among the world’s most sustainable banks in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2022 and among the top three in Europe.

The bank scored 83 points out of 100, placing it in the 98th percentile of all banks reviewed.

Santander has been featured on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the past 22 years.

The bank scored well in every category: economic (86), environmental (76) and social (83). It also highlighted areas where the bank has improved, such as financial inclusion, environmental and social reporting, climate strategy, privacy protection and customer relationship management.

The group ended the first half of the year as the world’s leader in renewable energy finance, with over €2.4 billion in 33 funding transactions and a

worldwide market share of 6.4 per cent, according to Infralogic’s ranking. In the past decade, Santander has been a leading bank in renewable energy finance, ranking among the top three in the world in the number of transactions and the top five in funding volume.

In supporting the fight against climate change and the green transition, Santander continues to make progress on its goal to reach net zero carbon emissions group ­ wide by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement. In 2022, Santander outlined three new interim targets to decarbonise its portfolios by 2030: a 29 per cent reduction in absolute emissions financed in the energy sector; a 33 per cent reduction in emissions intensity in the aviation sector; and a 32 per cent reduction in emissions intensity in the steel sector.

Image: Pop Tika/Shutterstock.com

what is purchased in Spain from foreign locations and what is purchased from Spain to foreign locations) shows a deficit of €7.046 billion.

The turnover of transactions originating in Spain that were sent to foreign locations totalled €9.683 billion, up 20.9 per cent on the figure from the second quarter of the previous year. A total of 92.3 per cent of purchases from Spain with destinations in foreign locations was sent to businesses within the EU.

Meanwhile, transactions from foreign locations to Spain have reached a turnover of €2,638 million, up 106.1 per cent on the figure from the second quarter of the previous year. Some 61.3 per cent of purchases from foreign locations originated in countries within the EU.

Student financing

WITH the aim of improving access to education, the European Investment Bank (EIB) recently commissioned a study on student finance.

Technopolis, the consultancy that is part of the consortium carrying out the study said more and more students need to finance their studies.

“Recognising the need to improve the financing gap experienced by higher education students that is preventing them from access to education and training, the EIB has asked the consortium to analyse ways to incentivise more financial or non­financial institutions to provide financial solutions for students,” Technopolis confirmed.

The consultancy said the study will map out the student financing market in EU member states and compare it with other countries.

Irish inflation

INFLATION is “at or close to the peak,” confirmed the Irish Finance Minister, Michael McGrath, on Wednesday, January 4.

“We do think that we are at or close to the peak at this point and that we will begin to see a moderation of inflation, particularly across the second quarter and beyond,” he added.

However, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe sounded a note of caution: “While the change in inflation is something that is to be welcomed and to be acknowledged, I think it’s too early to be able to conclude yet that it’s the sign of a trend that we can expect to continue across all of next year.”

in Spain carried out through foreign locations. The external balance (the difference between

TURNOVER INCREASED: Activity sectors including travel saw highest rise.

Making progress towards goal.

Access to education.

Image: Krisana Antharith/Shutterstock.com Image: giuseppelombardo/Shutterstock.com

I DUNNO, perhaps it is me. Of course I sympathise with the victims of accidents in the home. Of course I find the initial results of many fire hazard investigations extremely worrying.

What I can’t get my head round is all those who come out of the woodwork and use these tragedies to whine about the conditions they all ‘have’ to live in. Among others, those who reside in areas resembling the notorious Broadwater Estate are a case in point.

“Why should we have to put up with these awful slum conditions?” they moan. Why doesn’t the government (natch!) do something about it? Well just a minute, ill­advised as this high rise accommodation may have been, they were initially built in good faith.

The rules governing public buildings were and are, far more stringent than private projects. None of them began their existence as slum dwellings. None of them started out covered in graffiti, with lift shafts stinking of urine, or knee high in rubbish, used condoms and drug paraphernalia.

Flats originally built to accommodate families of four to six persons were never meant to cope with benefit scroungers boasting 10 or 15 offsprings, or jam packed with scores of ‘sub lets’.

All these conditions are brought on by those who move into them. Human beings create the environments they reside

In good faith

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

in. It’s time many of these residents started to get their own houses in order, rather than blaming all and sundry for their woes. Stop thinking about their so called ‘rights’ and start concentrating more on their own wrongs would be a start.

All over the UK there are scores of high rise estates, which are proudly and properly run by local councils and caring tenants. With their carefully tended gardens, playgrounds for the children and hardworking responsible residents, they are wonderful examples of how decent human beings, however diverse their cultures and backgrounds, can live in perfectly harmonious and orderly surroundings.

I suggest those who feel all the blame for their ‘misfortunes’ lay outside their own walls, either shape up or ship out. They are a drain on resources, a threat to democracy and utterly useless contribu­

tors toward any future of the country that nurtures them.

I do feel sorry for the Yemenis. I always found them an extremely happy and caring people. I shall never forget their kindness when I found myself hopelessly stranded in the desert. Believe me, if I’d also known the steel runway reinforcing I helped deliver to that secret Saudi air base would one day be used to launch death and destruction among them, I would have ‘accidently’ allowed my truck to topple off that extremely precarious mountain pass! (It’s in the book!)

Let’s hope that this year peace and tranquility will once again prevail for these likeable people; they’ve suffered long enough.

Keep the faith

Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com Mon and Fri. 1pm till 4.

ROYAL MESS OUR VIEW

PRINCE

10.

Regardless of whether you agree with the principle of Harry and his wife’s original decision to step back from royal life or not, the result of this continued public airing of dirty laundry is an ongoing backlash ­ particularly in the UK ­ that cannot possibly be what anyone would want. This leads to the obvious question then, “what are they actually trying to achieve here?” If what the couple wanted was a chance to make tens of millions and to get off their chests their perceived grievances then job done. But what they are actually seeking seems to go further than this; rather than simply air their version of events, they are giving the impression of wanting the public on their side to acknowledge the harms they feel have been done to them. Is the best way to achieve this by publicly sharing personal family information when you know your counterparts do not have the same privilege though? Probably not. Equally, sharing information about your family in the weeks and months surrounding the deaths of the two most respected people at the top of it ­ The Queen and Prince Philip ­ was probably also very badly judged.

On the positive side though, what the Tom Bradby interview represents was at least a small win for journalism. In contrast to the couple’s Oprah interview two years earlier, this one did at least ask some of the harder questions of Harry the public must have been wanting to know the answers to. In increasingly uncertain times, that at least is something,

LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

HARRY has been at it again, giving in­depth detail about his family first in an interview with ITV’s Tom Bradby and then with the release of his memoir ‘Spare’ on Tuesday, January

REGIFTING XMAS PRESENTS

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

Noraistheauthorofpopularpsychological suspenseandcrimethrillersandafreelancejournalist.

FALSE teeth, a scorpion in formaldehyde and a lamb castrating tool were among the weirdest items dropped in a charity’s donation boxes last year.

Barnardo’s revealed a list of bizarre items left by donors at its 620 UK stores in an appeal for people to bestow their unwanted Christmas gifts.

Jaws dropped when staff in South Yorkshire were given a pot containing nine human molars and a bag of infant clothes containing a baby’s dried umbilical cord and belly clip.

The false teeth were inside a handbag donated to the charity’s Glasgow store, while the bottled scorpion has since been passed on to a local university by Barnardo workers in St Andrews.

Staff in Staffordshire were amused by a message accompanying a pair of men’s shorts which read: “Wear these at your leisure, wear with pride and pleasure, and keep them safe to treasure. Geoff. X.”

Other quirky deliveries included a dead bird and a hamster cage still containing its deceased former occupant.

According to Barnardo’s, “Most of us have received Christmas presents that may be of good quality and costly, but just aren’t suitable for us.”

They might have added: “And not suitable for regifting Xmas 2023 either.”

Nora’s latest thriller.

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

NoraJohnson’sopinionsareherownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

Quitting time

SALLY UNDERWOOD POLITICAL ANIMAL

THE news that former MP for Devizes, Claire Perry, has torn up her Conservative membership card over the party’s environmental policies was clearly aimed as an indictment on the current government. But it also shines a spotlight on the once popular notion of being a card­carrying member of a political party

While for years, being a member of a political party was a way of publiclyand often proudly ­ showing allegiance to a particular party, rates of membership card ownership declined roughly as rapidly as that of blockbuster cards until 2013 when figures seemingly bottomed out at just 0.8 per cent of the electorate.

In a sign of some amount of increased political activism, this rate now stands at 1.5 per cent but the figures are still far from the 4 per cent of the

electorate who were card ­ carriers in 1983.

What does this decline in membership say about the current state of politics? Are we more cynical? Perhaps in a world where we can switch our banking, house or car insurance with the click of a comparison site button we’re just no longer used to committing to ideas like our political ideologies longterm? Or are we just disillusioned?

This also begs the question, what’s the alternative when it comes to funding politicians? Where campaign fundraising on a constituency level is often done by the sort of cheese and wine evenings you would expect from local politics, a drop in membership funding leaves a shortfall that now seems to be picked up by an array of billionaires with one company, MPM Connect Ltd now apparently the third largest donor to individual politicians.

If the alternative to anonymous companies funding our politics beyond the scene is paying for political party membership, I’d encourage us all to sign up.

Providing support

THE British Benevolent Fund provides financial assistance for British nationals in distress.

Some of the applications come from people living in extreme destitution ­ many times aggravated by poor and deteriorating health.

One such case was brought to our attention by a concerned neighbour who lived in the rural hills near Granada.

A woman in her mid­60s who had suffered a stroke and was paralysed down one half of her body, had facial paralysis on the other and whose medical report summarised that she was extremely dependent and needed 24­hour home assistance.

She lived alone off a small UK pension in a modest rented property in a small and isolated village.

Despite living in Spain for many years she did not have residency and she would have great difficulty accessing the necessary health and welfare support that she would require to have any chance of

managing her life ­ in addition to the enormous practical difficulties that she now faced.

The BBF was able to liaise with the Consulate to explore any possible repatriation to the UK so she would be able to receive the support she needed.

However, repatriation of a vulnerable person is a challenging process at the best of times ­ in the case of bed ridden and extremely ill people this challenge is multiplied many times over.

The good news was that the Consulate was able to make arrangements for her access to UK health support ­ if only we could get her there.

Thankfully with partners from https://www.supportin

spain.info/ we were able to do this, and we are indebted to the medical volunteers who gave up their time to help this lady, who now receives round the clock residential care in the UK.

The role of the BBF was a simple one ­ to fund her repatriation ­ but it would not have been possible without the donations we need in order to do this.

We support many cases such as this throughout the year ­ please help us to help those who have no other recourse. Olaf.clayton@british benevolentfund.org

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

Boost your zinc intake

ZINC is perhaps one of the less well ­ known minerals, but it is a crucial part of our diets, especially during the winter thanks to its credentials in supporting our immune systems.

What does zinc do for our bodies?

Zinc is an essential vitamin that helps our immune systems to fight bacteria and viruses, making it a particularly valuable mineral during the winter. As well as reducing the symptoms of colds and flus, zinc can also prevent the onset of these viruses.

How can I boost zinc naturally?

Zinc is present in many foods which make up a healthy diet. Particular sources include meat, poultry, seafood, nuts, seeds, breakfast cereals and dairy products.

What about a supplement?

Dieticians generally

Zinc is present in lots of foods in our daily diets, but you can take a supplement during the winter to help boost your immune system.

recommend getting your daily intake of zinc from eating a healthy diet, but if you know you have a deficiency of zinc, a supplement can be a useful way of getting it. Nutritionists also recommend boosting zinc intake if you feel sicknesses coming on as it can help you feel better more quickly.

The recommended daily dose of zinc is 15mg for men and 10mg for women. You can take zinc in tablet form, but exceeding the recommended dose is not advisable as it causes flulike symptoms and reduces your body’s ability to absorb other essential minerals including copper.

Photo credit: Evan Lorne / shutterstock.com

Regimented skin care

WHETHER Santa brought you a new skincare product, or you’ve been using a product without seeing many results, we’re here to help you to get the most out of those anti ­ ageing products. Here are our top tips to actually see a change in your complexion.

Routine

The new year is here, which means it’s the perfect time to create a new routine. Scientists say it takes between 18 to 65 days for a habit to become a routine, so now is your chance to create a skincare routine and stick to it. This means using your antiageing products every day of January and into February until it becomes automatic.

Lifestyle

Those skincare products might promise youthful complexion,

but they can’t do all the work alone. Ensure you aren’t counteracting the benefits of your skincare products with unhealthy habits. For glowing skin, you need to eat fresh foods and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle with regular pulse ­ raising exercise.

Supplementary skincare

If you’re after healthy­

looking skin, supplement your daily anti ­ ageing creams and lotions with facial massage. Facial massages are an excellent way to stimulate skin cell production which keeps your skin looking fresh and dewy. Professional massages are costly, but you can invest in a skin roller or self ­ massage kit to care for your skin at home.

A facial massage is a great way to take better care of your skin and help anti-ageing products to work their magic.

Photo credit: Olena Yakobchuk / shutterstock.com

DIVERSITY AND FUN

I LOVE reading the Euro Weekly every week. It always has such a diverse amount of content, and it always gives me ideas on what to do with the kids during the week, I never knew there was a parade for the Three Kings! The kids really enjoyed it and we collected bags of sweets, it was so nice to see the community come together and do something nice.

Thank you, Euro Weekly News

Woof woof

IT’S so great to see so many people come together and collect toys for children in need, especially to children that really need them. I hope they all enjoyed their gifts. It was so thoughtful. The front page made me giggle seeing grown men with beards driving around with dog teddy bears. Fair play boys!

Bus lanes!

HOW dare Nottingham fine their own city and people such money, people are going through enough these days to be fined. I wouldn’t be surprised if the signing is inadequate! All of them these days tend to be. I just want to drive around in peace and not have to worry about constant fines. Don’t even get me started on cycle lanes.

Disgruntled

British Benevolent Fund

IT is so eye opening seeing these stories every week on expatriates who have unfortunately not been able to come to Spain and live their dream just like they probably thought they would have when they were back home in the UK. Such tremendous work done by the organisation and I have been forwarding these articles to everyone I know at home who is thinking about coming to live in Spain.

Janice Smith

Fighting festive flab

My festive flab I believe will be going nowhere this January. However, I will be keeping it in mind for February after the hubby gets me a great deal of chocolates (fingers crossed). I will keep you up to date, these lunges and oblique climbers seem quite intense, but I am excited to give them a go, I don’t think I’ll be able to do the cycling sit ups they have in mind. I haven’t thrown my leg over a bike since I was a young lass.

With love, Gwen

Leapy Lee

I DON’T usually agree with Leapy Lee, however, the beginning of last week’s column made sense. The stress that the NHS are under now is gastronomical and the treatment of Britons in the UK when it comes to living conditions is becoming horrendous. Especially that of single mothers, more needs to be done for them and their children.

Mould is unsafe and can cause long term problems and trouble to anyone and the fact that people are living in these conditions in the 21st century and in a country that is labelled as ‘one of the best’ in the world is outrageous. I don’t know who it is that can help us governmentally wise, I won’t be sharing that opinion in this letter. But more does need to be done to help those who need health care and safe and secure housing. The UK needs to do better, we shouldn’t have to rely on food banks to feed the population. The government needs to do more with their big pay checks.

Patricia Gordon

Furry friends

THE articles based on our furry friends always bring a smile to my face and I can’t wait for next week’s addition, I have an Akita mixed with a Staffie and he is my pride and joy. The pictures always make my day and bring a smile to my face.

If you can keep on doing them do! and insert more! I think if more people saw and spent time with animals that they would be more relaxed and considerate towards others. I won’t get into the debate of what is better, cats or dogs. But dogs are better!

Rebecca D

Coming together

IT is so nice to see all the events on and organised every week for those who are in need. The generosity of others is nice to see, especially with the current circumstances of the world right now.

The event in Mijas for all the children was so sweet and it warmed my heart, especially everything those children have had to go through. They deserved that experience and deserve more things like that. Especially when it is so easy to be mean in today’s society.

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.

Graham West

Sally West

FUN TIME: It’s so nice to see children enjoying themselves.

Credit: altanaka/Shutterstock.com

DAVID WORBOYS THINKING ALOUD

CRISTIANO RONALDO (not to be confused with the great Brazilian Ronaldo ­ whose name is on his new shirt) is moving to Saudi Arabia on a reported annual income (including €130 million commercial rights and sponsorships) amounting to €200 million. This equates to €16.7 million monthly, €3.85 million weekly or €550,000 daily. Each day he will be earning 17 times the average annual salary in Spain, which is about €32,600.

Every day our hearts beat 100,000 times and we breathe in and out 22,000 times. This means that by the age of 80, we will have taken 673 million breaths (in and out, of course) and chalked up almost three billion heartbeats. On average we have between 6,000 and 8,000 thoughts a day (and night).

The fairy­fly, although smaller than a grain of salt, has a brain containing several thousand cells. The brain of an ant contains

AMAZING BUT (ROUGHLY) TRUE

galaxy (the Milky Way) is 100 billion, which is about the average number per galaxy. There are two trillion galaxies in the universe. This means there are 200 septillion stars in the universe (200,000,000,000,000,000,000,00 0,000). There must therefore be 133 stars for every grain of sand in the Sahara.

In the past 25 years, Antarctica has lost three trillion tons of ice to global warming.

Over 98 per cent of pigs and chickens in the United States are confined in factory farms.

250,000 cells. The average human brain has 40,000 times more (a mere 10 billion out of 37 trillion cells in the entire body).

There are three trillion trees on our planet ­ 400 for every human being. Not a lot of people know that! There are also 17 million flies for every human.

This means there are almost 120 quadrillion of them (120,000,000,000,000,000). Don’t ask me how they discover this ­ or

who worked it out. It must be somebody tired of doing crossword puzzles. Obviously, these are rough estimates by various institutions and in some cases estimates vary quite widely, but some of the statistics are mind­blowing, nevertheless.

The black hole is three million times the size of the Earth and is 54 million light years away. As the speed of light is about 300,000 kilometres per second, this means

one light year is 21 trillion kilometres. On this basis, the black hole is over one sextillion (1,134,000,000,000,000,000,000) km from the Earth.

Somebody has managed to estimate that the number of grains of sand in the Sahara is more than 1.5 septillion (1,504,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000). But is this staggering fact of any practical use?

The universe contains 6.5 billion suns. The number of stars in our

The amount of plastic in our oceans would cover the entire area of Spain and Portugal. Unless there is action against climate change it is estimated that there will soon be more plastic in the Atlantic Ocean than fish and marine life.

GO LOCAL

WHEN YOU GO SHOPPING - GO LOCAL!

BUY LOCAL: By shopping locally, independent businesses can help support the local community.

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

There are 17 million flies for every human on the planet.

Photo Credits: Tom Myers and crowdcontrolwarehouse

Personality type by pet

Saving the pennies

HAVING a pet can sometimes put financial pressure on our household budgets, particularly as inflation and the cost of living have increased during the last year. Today, we’re sharing four tips to help you save money on pet care without neglecting your pet’s needs.

1. Work out the essentials

The first step towards saving money on pet care is deciding what is actually

Scared of the dark

necessary for their daily lives. Ensuring your pet is healthy, well­fed and gets enough exercise should be your financial priorities, and should take precedence over buying new accessories or additional grooming.

2. Take preventative measures

THERE might be some truth to the phrase ‘pets take after their owners’ according to a new study which has found that in many cases owners do indeed opt for pets with personality traits that emulate their own.

Today we share what your choice of animal companion says about you!

Dogs

Canine owners tend to have more extroverted characters, and are more energetic and agreeable people. Those who go for a dog as a pet typically excel in teamwork activities and are excellent companions themselves.

Cats

Those choosing a feline friend tend to be more introverted people, cat owners have a keen eye for detail and are usually more emotionally sensitive people. Cats are well ­ suited to night owls, who spend more time awake during the night.

Birds

Like birds themselves, pet owners who choose a bird are usually free ­ spirited individuals who are optimistic about life.

Fish

Pet owners opting for fish are trusting, calm people who respect their pets’ independence. Some studies have also found that fish owners deal well with mental health issues and report lower stress levels than other pet owners.

Rabbit

Rabbit owners are thought to have several shared qualities with cat owners. They are often introverted, creative people who also have a tendency to be sensitive at times.

THE festive period is the most popular time of year to get a new dog, which means that many homes set about settling in their new pet in January. But what should you do if you discover your four ­ legged friend suffers from a fear of the dark?

We consulted some advice from a vet to find out how you can ease the fear of darkness in your dog.

Understanding

The first step towards helping your dog to overcome a fear of the dark is to understand its reasons and what triggers it. This could stem from a vision problem, so it is crucial to check your dog doesn’t have sight issues.

The fear could also come from a

traumatic experience. You should provide comfort and reassurance in this care.

Patience

Helping your dog to confront a fear of the dark takes time and effort, so you should be prepared to put in some work.

Gradual exposure

Vets recommend gradually exposing your dog to dark spaces, starting in a safe place, at home. Try playing games with a tunnel where your dog has to cross a dark patch to get a treat.

Another trick to try is gradually delaying evening walks each day, even by a few minutes, until your dog feels comfortable with night walks.

Neglecting a pet’s health is not only abusive, it can also be more costly in the long run. Instead, take care of your pet’s health by making sure they eat a substantial, healthy diet containing all the necessary nutrients for their growth and development. This will help to prevent against worrying health concerns and costly vet bills.

3. Shop around Don’t just accept the first price you see for your pet’s favourite food products. Instead, compare by visiting different pet shops or looking online for the best deals, and you could save money on pet essentials like food and medications. It can also be worth checking out the ingredients in options by competitor brands, as ingredients are often similar.

Photo credit: Eric Isselee / shutterstock.com

Your choice of pet could speak volumes about your personality according to scientific research.

Photo: NikomMaelao Production / shutterstock.com

Always check out the ingredients listed on pet foods if you want to save money on essential pet care

ALMERIA BUILDERS :

Fully Legal, Fully Insured, All Work Guaranteed. 659 685 133 www.almeri abuilders.com (253556)

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

LOCAL ANGLICAN (C of E) church services at Mojacar Los Llanos Del Peral and Alhambra. Communion every Sunday in Mojacar at 11am. Communion at Los Llanos every Sunday except the last Sunday in the month when there will be Prayer and Praise all at 11am. The services that were being held in the South American church Albox have now returned to the chapel and Communion is held on the second Thursday of the month at 11am. Priest in charge Rev Canon Alan Bennet telephone number 680 243 436. For further information, please go to The Anglican Chaplaincy of Costa Almeria and Costa Calida web page. Or contact Tony Noble 950 069 103. (10002)

TURRE EVANGELICAL CHURCH We meet every Sunday at 10.30. For worship. We believe you’ll find us ‘relaxed’, welcoming’ and ‘informal’. Find us on Turre’s main street, towards the motorway at the far end on the left. To know more contact 617 914 156 (10021)

as the big, sometimes talking to someone is the first step to feeling more in control. It can be a personal need or some help with your home or information on what or who to speak to on a medical issue, we help with signposting if we cannot help directly, just call and have a chat with Pam who will try to guide you to where you need to be. If you would like to go to a branch meeting then find your nearest one at, www.britishlegion.org.uk/ counties/spain-north ZURGENA Branch meeting on the first Thursday, Coffee Morning on the third Thursday and Buffet & Quiz Night on the last Tuesday of the month all at Bar Trinidad, Arboleas, for further details please email zurgenarblchairman@ gmail.com - (253989)

ABBOTT ELECTRICS

From a Light Fitting to a Full Rewire. Tel: 950 137 208 / 638 010 691

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

VOSS HOMES are a professional, British family-run Estate Agents with an office in Huercal-Overa town. They specialise in selling and renting properties in the Huercal-Overa, La Alfoquia, Zurgena & Taberno area. Andy, Anna, Jess, Adele, Hannah, Amy & Karen look forward to helping you buy, sell or rent your ideal property. Please call 678 002 006 for more information (283824)

WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

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MOBILE homes & static caravans bought, sold and transported. +34 630 055 418 or elsyd7@hotmail. com (302142)

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - Why not make this year the year you volunteer? Call and see how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbuddyhhvis its@gmail.com. If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well

MOTOR INSURANCE

For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 952 147 834, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 952 147 834 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! (200726)

FOR SALE

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, 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)

THE FIVE BONE HOTEL, TURRE. Little dogs €7.75, medium dogs €8.50, big dogs €9.25, cats from €7.00 a day. 630 234 556 / the5bonehotelturre@ gmail.com fivebonehotel. com (301372)

KNOWLES PLUMBING No 1 for all plumbing jobs big or small. Central heating, solar hot water and water deposits. Tel: 606 807 797 or 684 143 560 (296493)

INTERNATIONAL SKIPPER LICENCE: Courses held in English and starts soon. RYA VHF and Radar Courses. 636 444 929

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REMOVALS

Korando - a worthy SUV contender

ROAD TEST

byMarkSlack

YOU could be forgiven for thinking that it’s an SUV from a mainstream European manufacturer.

It has a somewhat old school premium look and although a little ‘heavy’ on the rear styling is obviously no automotive bargain basement in the quality department.

SsangYong made its name, as all such car makers do, with bargain price vehicles, but it has a long history that goes back to the mid­1950s in its native Korea.

The range starts with the Tivoli hatchback, there’s the Korando and Rexton SUVs, plus the Musso pick ­ up.

Prices for the range start from €22,310 (£19,645) for

modest, by today’s standards, €24,757 (£21,795) and comes very well equipped.

Cruise control, auto lights and wipers, powered folding and heated door mirrors, Bluetooth, air ­ con and a plethora of safety kit.

In top­line Ultimate trim, the Korando tested here (1.5­litre petrol automatic) is €34,239 (£30,145) and the equipment list climbs dramatically with every possible

of toy and gadget you’ll ever need.

This includes a remote operated power tailgate, a nine­inch touchscreen, privacy glass, navigation, Bluetooth with Apple Car Play and Android Auto, leather upholstery, eight­way power ­ adjustable front seats, heated seats and a steering wheel and more besides.

Power comes from either 1.5­litre turbocharged petrol

KORANDO: Offers tremendous value for money.

speed is 117mph. The majority of the time the Korando doesn’t feel slow or underpowered, long hills apart when your right foot resolves the problem albeit with some audible protest.

place to be with a premium feel.

or 1.6litre turbocharged diesel engine, two ­ wheel ­ drive and sixspeed manual or automatic gears. On the road, my 1.5litre petrol proved a refined drive with smooth changes from the auto box.

Performance isn’t earthshattering in that a smallish engine pulling a fairly hefty SUV is not a recipe for the SUV Grand Prix. Hence 60 mph takes a leisurely 12 seconds and the maximum

Inside a modern, nicely laid out dash is dominated by a usefully large touchscreen and (hurrah!) buttons. Generous seat adjustment and space ensures the occupants are well catered for and it’s a rather nice

There are downsides such as thinly spread dealerships, potentially larger than average depreciation and euro rivals that offer more power and a better economy.

The Korando is still a genuinely good entry into the SUV arena and offers tremendous value for money, especially lower down the range. It deserves a much wider audience.

Facts at a Glance

• Model: SsangYong Korando Ultimate

• Engine: 1.5-litre, turbocharged, petrol

• Gears: 6-speed automatic

• Performance: 0-100 kph (60 mph) 12 seconds/Maximum Speed 188 kph (117 mph)

• Economy: 7.9 l/100km (35.5 mpg) combined WLTP

• Emissions: 182 g/km

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

Spot the radar

THE Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) in Spain has over 780 permanent and hundreds of mobile traffic radars scattered across its roads that are often hidden from view.

In order to avoid high­speed road accidents, Spain’s DGT has a wide network of fixed and mobile radars across the country that assist in controlling the speed of vehicles while ensuring drivers comply with traffic regulations.

But despite the fact that anybody can see the position of these radars on the official DGT website, these devices are frequently out

of the drivers’ direct line of sight. Due to this, the DGT is now suggesting that drivers can easily locate these radars the next time they are driving.

The trick is to look at the supports of the gantry (overhead structure with signboards and cameras) to see if they include a ladder on any of their posts. If they have a ladder, the reason why they are there is to help the operators get on top of the structure, in order to carry out maintenance or calibrate the sensors. This increases the probability of a fixed radar on that section of the road.

Photo by Marques Shutterstock.com

CONTROLLING SPEED: DGT explains ways to find hidden fixed radars in Spain.

Gareth Bale retires New Portugal coach

WELSH team captain Gareth Bale has announced his retirement from football.

The Wales football captain Gareth Bale announced his decision to retire at the age of 33, from international as well as club football.

Football legend Gareth Bale took to social media and announced his decision to retire from professional football.

According to a post made by the Welsh player on Twitter, he said “After careful and thoughtful consideration, I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football.”

The post further adds, “I feel incredibly fortunate to have realised my dream of playing the sport I love.

“It (football) has truly given me some of the best moments of my life.

“The highest of highs over 17 seasons, that will be impossible to replicate, no matter what the next chapter has in store for me.”

Considered as one of the greatest football players to ever come out of Wales, Bale was born in the capital Cardiff and started his football career at Southhampton at the age of 16.

His talent eventually led him to be a part of Tottenham Hotspur and helped Real Madrid win five champions league titles.

Bale later moved to the US in June 2022 to play for the Los Angeles Football Club, after his nine­year­old contract at Real Madrid expired.

PORTUGAL has officially announced former Belgium boss Roberto Martinez as their new international football coach. Roberto Martinez has been officially announced on Monday, January 9, as the new coach of Portugal’s national men’s team. After being fired as manager of Belgium following the Qatar World Cup, Martinez landed himself a top job almost instantly, signing a deal until 2026.

He replaces 68­year­old Fernando Santos, who was also relieved of his position after the World Cup campaign steering them to victory in the 2016 Euros. Martinez previously managed Wigan and Everton before spending six years as the boss of Belgium. Leaving behind a

selection of players that was dubbed Bel gium’s ‘golden era’, Martinez now inherits an abundance of Portuguese talent. The 49 old Spaniard now faces the monumental task of making a decision about the international future of Cristiano Ronaldo. “I’m very happy to be here, I’m delighted to be able to represent one of the most talented teams in the world.” he said as he was unveiled at a press conference.

On the subject of Ronaldo, the new coach offered: “Football decisions have to be

taken on the pitch. I’m not a coach that makes decisions ­

ing point is to get in touch with all the players, the list of 26 from the World Cup, and Cristiano Ronaldo is on that

VICTORIA LEE, a rising star in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has tragically passed away aged just 18. The young fighter’s death was confirmed by her older sister Angela, who said in an Instagram post that Victoria died on December 26. No cause of death was revealed.

Angela’s post read: “On December 26, 2022, our family experienced something no family should ever have to go through… It is incredibly difficult to say this… Our Victoria passed away.”

MMA star passes at age 18

“She has gone too soon and our family has been completely devastated since then. We miss her. More than anything in this world. Our family will never be the same. Life will never be the same,” she added.

As reported by the Bleacher Report, Victoria first burst onto the MMA scene at the age of 16 when she signed up in February 2021. She had an undefeated

record of three wins in three fights with the MMA promotion company ‘ONE’. Victoria was scheduled to appear in her fourth fight for ‘ONE’ on January 13. According to Yahoo! Sports, it was being broadcast through Prime Video 6.

Competing as an amateur at the junior level, Victoria had already made a name for herself by becoming the junior world

champion in the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF). She was also a Hawaii state wrestling champion and won the Hawaiian pankration junior world championship twice.

Her sister Angela is the atomweight champion with ‘ONE’, while her brother Christian, during 2022, also picked up both the lightweight and welterweight titles.

A celebration of Victoria’s life is being planned for January 22, after which she will be buried.

Roberto Martinez is moving to Portugal as coach.

Image: Portugal FC/Twitter.com