Costa de Almeria 9 – 15 February 2023 Issue 1962

Issue No. 1962 9 - 15 February 2023

VALENTINE’S DAY

MOJACAR is bringing forward the celebration of Valentine’s Day and has organised for this weekend romantic proposals that will last throughout Friday February 10 and Saturday February 11.

The Mojacar Pueblo Traders’ Association, Mojacar Council and the Mariquita La Posá Women’s Association invite all those in love or incurable romantics to enjoy a day of surprises and a Mojacar that will make you fall in love even more in the days running up to Valentine’s.

On entering Mojacar you can choose the romantic route, following the trail of the Indalos and arches of the lovers which will welcome all visitors.

The visit by the King and Queen of Hearts is expected from 6.30pm onwards, and as well as being able to enjoy the beautiful decoration by Ferrero Rocher, this will be complemented by new illuminated romantic decorations, balloons and flowers.

Meanwhile, the restaurateurs of the old town will suggest romantic menus and snacks for inspiration for the photography competition on the

route of love.

For this competition, the rules of which are on the ‘Mojacar.es’ website, you only need a friend, pet,

family member, or of course, boyfriend or girlfriend or spouse, and to find the snapshot that most defines the moment.

FREE • GRATIS

Children’s marathon

MORE than 500 children gathered together to show their talent in the Almeria Children’s Half Marathon.

The councillor for Sports, Juanjo Segura, has confirmed that Almeria kicked off the 24th Half Marathon ‘Memorial Ramon Ruiz Andujar’ on the right foot on Saturday, February 5.

The first race at 5.00pm began with the ‘chupetines’ category. This was open to children born from 2016 to 2021. This race was followed by the under 10

categories, which include children born from 2014 to 2015.

In addition, an inclusive race was held for runners from the Association of Children with Disabilities of Almeria (ANDA).

Later, the children of the under ­ 12 and under ­ 14 categories ran to the finish line to put an end to a Saturday full of sport, joy and health.

This was a solidarity event as 100 per cent of the proceeds from this children’s race will go to ANDA.

MOJACAR: Follow the romantic route around the town.

IT seems that the rules surrounding traffic regulations with regard to electric scooters in Spain are somewhat of a grey area.

Almeria’s councillor for Safety and Mobility, Maria del Mar Garcia Lorca, has requested definitive rules and regu ­

Zooming past

lations from the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT)

The rules pertain to personal mobility vehicles (PMVs), mostly electric scooters, which have

WORLDWIDE FRIENDSHIP

arrived in cities as an alternative form of transport and are the object, in many cases, of incidents in the coexistence that occurs between pedestrians and drivers.

Garcia Lorca added that “these vehicles should not go on pavements or go through urban tunnels, nor circulate on interurban roads, motorways or dual carriageways, as well as establishing their maximum speed at 25 km/h and their drivers must comply with this like all the others.”

DAVE TURNER was more than happy to meet Vera And District Lions Club new President Zoe Rylett and swap ‘friendship banners’, especially as it meant joining their monthly meeting in Los Gallardos in Almeria rather than on a cold, dark night in the small town of Market Deeping in Lincolnshire.

Dave explained that the main charities The Lions support are Brain Tumour Support, British Heart Foundation and MacMillan Cancer Research. However, he is particularly proud of perhaps their greatest achievement which was the construction of a ‘sensory garden’ for the charity SENSE supporting badly disabled children. And apart from supporting the food banks in Turre and Vera which currently assists 1,400 families, they consistently give aid to the St Agustin Children’s Home in Vera and are now on a mission to raise much needed funds for major renovation work on the building which is 151 years old.

Dave and his wife first visited Spain in the winter months 13 years ago and their love affair with this region has continually blossomed. They return to the UK feeling refreshed and energised to face the year and raise money. For Further Information. Email: veralions secretary@gmail.com Tel: Zoe Rylett 639 036 051.

Working at IKEA

ARE you looking for a new career? Do you want to work in the new IKEA Almeria shop?

If you are you passionate about new challenges and

working in a team and retail and home decoration are your forte, then IKEA is waiting for you!

IKEA is finally heading to Almeria, opening the new XS format shop in the summer of 2023.

They are looking for the best talent for their teams in different areas. They are offering full­time opportunities in logistics (replenishment, order preparation, procurement, etc.), customer relations (checkouts and exchanges and returns), IKEA food (production, restaurant,

Orange day

bistro, Swedish shop) and sales (kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, etc.).

Over the next three years, the company will open new points of contact with different proximity formats in about 30 cities around the world, several of them in Spain. One of them will be the XS shop in the city of Almeria.

If you want to join the IKEA Almeria team, now is the time!

For more information or to apply head to: / ikea.ava ture.net/

GADOR is set to become the national capital of citrus fruits on Sunday, February 12.

In honour of Almeria’s Day of the Orange on Monday, February 6, the Provincial Council is set to host its annual event in Gador through the gourmet brand ‘Sabores Almeria’.

An array of oranges and citrus fruits will once again fill Gador with excitement and flavour. On Sunday from 10.00am at the Plaza de la Constitucion, Gador will celebrate its roots and close social, cultural and economic ties with citrus fruits.

Some of the activities that will take place in Gador this Sunday include the traditional street market, a large juice fountain, the tasting of orange papaviejos that will be made throughout the day, musical performances, children’s entertainment and a tourist train ride, among many others.

Parking will be available in the town and a bus will leave from the Intermodal at 10.30am to Gador and will return to the capital at 4.00pm.

Dave Turner supports the Lions.

Credit is the Vera & District Lons Club

NIBS EXTRA

Mask free

THE Minister of Health Carolina Darias has confirmed that the requirement to use masks on public transport was no longer necessary from Wednesday, February 8. The change means that no masks will need to be worn on aeroplanes, buses and trains, however, remain mandatory in health centres, hospitals and pharmacies.

Health centres

TORRECARDENAS University Hospital has joined the healthcare excellence programme. The Andalucian Health Service is maintaining its commitment to promoting excellence in care in healthcare centres through the Programme for the Implementation of Good Practices in Centres Committed to Excellence in Care which has incorporated new centres in the region.

Designer shoes

PATRICIA ROSALES, designer from Almeria, has shoed for Kylie Minogue, Beyonce and Madonna, as well as for clients in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Russia. A couple of years ago she turned her career around with Starlei, the brand under which she sells her ‘hybrid between a luxury shoe and an espadrille’.

Not alone

THE Andalucian Regional Government and pharmacists join forces as an antidote to combat the unwanted loneliness of people over 55 in Andalucia. This agreement aims to identify people in a possible situation of unwanted loneliness and offer them the possibility of improving their quality of life.

Fibre project

SPAIN’S Telefonica has been awarded a contract to supply the fibre optic connection for the Spanish­German Astronomical Observatory of Calar Alto, in Almeria, for just over €2m. The project is financed with ‘Next Generation’ funds and the award process has been managed by Red.es.

ONE local singing group is inviting new members to try something new this year while meeting new friends. All Aloud choir is welcoming singers old and new to join regular practices in Albox.

There are no auditions to join the group and skills like reading music are not required either. In the group’s own words, “If you sing in the shower or sing along to the radio then you are qualified to be an All Aloud member.”

All Aloud

members.

All Aloud choir rehearses every Tuesday from 2.45pm until 5pm at Charlotte’s Bar and Grill in Albox. Most members generally arrive before rehearsals begin to have a drink and a chat with friends before the music gets underway.

All Aloud’s emphasis is on socialising as well as singing and the group hold regular social events.

JOIN IN: All Aloud friendly singing group in Albox is inviting new members to get involved.

All Aloud sing a wide variety of music, from pop to musical songs, gospel to opera and everything in between. The choir is driven

IN a bid to fulfil its commitment to the Retmar and El Toyo neighbourhood in Almeria, the city council has confirmed that a peripheral office to cover digital facilities is set to open in March.

by its members and takes song suggestions from

Digital facilities

The councillor for Public Function, Juan Jose Alonso confirmed that these new municipal offices in Retamar and El Toyo respond “to the real needs of this part of the city”, which is becoming more and more consolidated in terms of population, facilities and ser­

vices, thereby extending the network of existing municipal peripheral offices spread throughout the municipality: Nueva Andalucia, Ciudad Jardin, Cabo de Gata, La Canada, El Alquian and the General Registry itself.

The announcement was made during the course of the ordinary plenary session held on Friday, February 3, in

Cat colony chaos

A COALITION of cat rescue organisations have come together with Nijar Council in an emergency appeal to rescue a colony of cats who are at risk due to a property development project.

Catnip TNR Worldwide and Asociación Animalista ELEOS announced their joint rescue appeal on Monday, February 6 after a development project began on a piece of land where a colony of cats is living.

Volunteers from both organisations are on the ground attempting to trap the cats and stop them from becoming lost and facing danger. Thankfully volunteers from the groups stopped the machinery which had moved in to begin construction, and 19 cats have been rescued, but donations are needed to rescue a further 20 cats thought to be trapped.

As well as being rescued, the cats will also need medical care, neutering and to find foster homes in the short team.

The organisation has created an online fundraising page to donate to their appeal which can be found at: Urgent appeal to save a feral colony

The group also has a Facebook page for more information: Singing Group with no Auditions. Community Choir based in Albox.

response to the motion presented by Ciudadanos requesting the establishment of a municipal administrative office for the elderly and people with disabilities, which was unanimously approved.

The councillor advocated that in these peripheral centres, “preferential attention to these groups, even establishing a specific time slot in the opening hours to facilitate the provision of services demanded by their users.”

World Cancer Day

ALMERIA joined in the commemoration of World Cancer Day on Saturday, February 4.

The event took place in the Plaza de la Constitucion and was presided over by the mayor of Almeria, Maria del Mar Vazquez.

The day began with a speech by cancer patient, María Angeles Arcos, who spoke on behalf of the patients, recalling aspects of utmost importance with regard to the prevention of this disease, such as healthy lifestyle habits, participation in early diagnosis programmes and support for research.

After her speech, Maria del Mar Vazquez confirmed that making cancer visible, “is giving a voice to the people who suffer from it. It is showing them that they are not alone. It is sharing their fight. Never surrender.”

Finally, the mayor stressed the importance of normali-

Theatre efficiency

WITH rising electric bills it’s no wonder town halls across Spain are moving to alternative power sources.

The Huercal­Overa Town Council has now installed solar panels in the Teatro Villa to improve energy efficiency in the stage space and other municipal buildings. This will have a consequent impact on sustainability such as reducing electricity consumption and therefore the cost of it.

The project is worth more than €92,000.

sation. “We must lose our fear of the word cancer. You don’t mention what you don’t understand or don’t master.

“We are understanding cancer, we are mastering it and we are defeating it. That is why we name it normally and without fear. Healing begins with normalisation,” she concluded.

The mayor, Domingo Fernandez, emphasised “with the installation of these more than 30,000 watts of solar energy we continue to transform and adapt our municipality to renewable energies.

“With the installation of solar panels in the Theatre, we are reducing the electricity consumption of the Theatre as well as the electricity bill on behalf of the town hall. The excess will be passed on to other municipal buildings such as the Virgen del Rio School.”

Even

and in print is FREE and we promise to always keep it that way.

Singing group with no auditions.

Volunteers from Catnip TNR Worldwide and Asociación Animalista ELEOS are working to rescue a cat colony from a development project in Níjar.

Photo: Tatiana Kochkina / shutterstock.com

A LOCKDOWN initiative by a woman from Mojacar has earned her a special commendation in the Good Neighbour Award scheme, launched recently by Age in Spain.

The scheme is designed to acknowledge the often­unsung heroes who go beyond the call of duty to help in their community. The awards were

Good Neighbour Kay is rewarded

judged by an international panel and endorsed by the UK Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott.

Kay Rowbottom, also known by her stage name, Kay Frances, was nominated by some of the many women she has helped at difficult stages in their lives. Inspired by a chance encounter with someone who had lost members of her family and was feeling very isolated, Kay, who was not sure how she could help directly,

set up a Facebook page to attract support for the woman. Not long after, Kay changed it to a closed group to give women a means of online support and information, a non­judgemental safe haven where they could provide mutual support

to one another. It was welcomed by Spanish women and English speakers alike.

Since that small beginning in Mojacar, Kay Frances SturdygirlsRus has grown to include almost 1,500 members all over the world.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

“Some of our original members were so lonely and isolated, that they only needed people who could say good morning or good night to them through the group. But others were self­employed and breadwinners for their families and during lockdown were not able to work. Hearing this, those in our group who could afford to help, provided food for around 24 families throughout lockdown.

Kay has worked to support the Lions and in return they have offered support to SturdygirlsRus. A professional singer, Kay has helped organised large scale concerts such as ‘Party in the Park’ to raise funds for the Lions and for Macs cancer support.

Great Hotel

THE Great Hotels ‘Ciudad de Almería’ will soon be added to the hotel offer in Almeria city.

It is the former NH, located opposite the Intermodal Station, which will soon reopen under the Great Hotels chain with the intention of becoming one of the hotel complexes of reference.

The facilities are undergoing an in­depth refurbishment.

The reopening date is not yet official. Although there was speculation it would be in March, the owner prefers to say that it will be “soon.”

In the last few weeks, the hotel’s name and the chain’s logo have been installed on the façade of the hotel. Inside, work has been going on for several months to modernise the facilities and repair damage to the water pumps and air conditioning, as well as the installation of new boilers and many other repairs.

Kay Frances.

Meaning you must begin something if you hope to finish it; something that takes a long time to finish begins with one step. The origin comes from the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, the quotation is from Chapter 64 of the Dao De Jing ascribed to Laozi, written around 700 BC.

Valentine’s choice

THE Spanish company, eBooking, a leader in offering online tourist accommodation bookings, has analysed the national destinations preferred by couples to spend the night of Saint Valentine’s and the following weekend. In 2023, Madrid is the city with the highest number of bookings by couples to celebrate Valentine’s Day, followed by Granada, Cordoba, Barcelona and Cadiz.

The company eBooking, which operates in 205 countries and has more than 380,000 accommodation references, places the Spanish capital in first place, with 7.8 per cent of the bookings registered by eBooking are for accommodation in Madrid.

“The incredible gastronomy of the city, its good connection with the rest of the territory and the wide cultural offer, together with the multitude of romantic plans available:

Last tin workshop

WITH reference to a recent statistic in the newspaper, there have been some enquiries as to what a tin shop is.

MADRID: City with the most bookings.

watching the sunset in the temple of Debod, a boat ride on the Retiro pond, a picnic in Casa de Campo, etc. have made Madrid this year the preferred destination for Valentine’s Day for many Spanish couples,” confirmed Toni Raurich, Director of eBooking.

As for international destinations, Paris (3.1 per cent), London (1.9 per cent) and Venice (1.6 per cent) are the cities that have registered the most bookings.

Tourism triumph

IN 2022, 71.6 million international tourists visited Spain, spending €87.061 billion, up 86 per cent and 95 per cent, respectively, compared to 2019.

This means that Spain outperforms pre-pandemic data in terms of average spending and length of stay by international travellers.

The average stay of these travellers was 7.5 days in 2022, exceeding 7.1 days in 2019. The average spend of international tourists in Spain in 2022 was 10.5 per cent higher than in 2019. This is reflected in the data from the surveys on Tourist Movements at Borders (Frontur) and Tourist Expenditure

(Egatur), published by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

On Thursday, January 2, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, confirmed: “The data we know today confirms the strong recovery of the tourism sector in 2022. The expectations we had of recovering the majority of international tourists from before the pandemic have been fulfilled, but the most important thing is that spending and the average length of stay are growing, and this means an improvement in the quality and profitability of our sector.

“According to our forecasts, tourism will complete its recovery in 2023.”

The tin workshop is in in the town of Pedraza, in Segovia Province. The workshop itself has been running for over 55 years and was once a booming business with over 14 artisans. The Estaños de Pedraza workshop now only has three, who are all set to retire this year.

Founded by Paco Muñoz in the 1950s, he came to the town of Pedraza and fell in love with it, buying dilapidated real estate and began renovations.

Due to his investment both monetarily and physically, the mayor years later asked that he help prevent the brain drain of the town and to help build something that would make Pedraza worth visiting and living in again.

With only one restaurant in the area, Muñoz took on the challenge. He and a few apprentices went to Portugal to learn the true art and crafting of tin. Afterwards, they set up a workshop where they created over 400 original pieces, such as bowls, jugs, candlesticks and more.

Tin is a metal that is constantly fluctuating in price and because of that there were times when profit wasn’t made after the man hours and labour put behind it and is one of the contributing factors as to why Estaños de Pedraza is one of the last tin workshops in Spain.

Image: Catarina Belova / Shutterstock.com

£220,000 is the cost to the public of Boris Johnson’s Partygate defence.

Passage to Portugal

Betty Henderson

WITH the return of international travel and a focus on sustainable transport, Spanish train company Iryo’s plans for a new link between Spanish cities and the Portuguese capital of Lisbon seem to have charmed the European Union.

The European Commission announced its endorsement for a rail link between A Coruña and Lisbon, placing it on their top 10 list of rail projects to be carried out in the near future.

The train company expressed their delight at being selected but said that “obstacles” remain in their path to creating the rail link, particularly in the lack of infrastructure agreements between Portugal and Spain.

Portugal currently has very limited rail infrastructure which the company believes will “serve as an impetus for other companies to develop their own sustainable transport”.

However, Iryo remains

ambitious about the project saying, “This train will become the most popular choice with travellers since it will be comfortable and sustainable”. Iryo already

operates several train lines in Spain including a highspeed service from Madrid to Barcelona and connections to the south of the country.

Best Villages

THE United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has included three Spanish villages in a list of 32 worldwide destinations of ‘Best Tourism Villages 2022’

This figure is more than any other country worldwide.

The list recognises villages which are excellent examples of rural tourism with accredited cultural and natural assets, that preserve and promote rural and community-based values, products, and lifestyle. Included destinations must have a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects: economic, social and environmental.

The three villages in Spain included in the list: Alquezar in Aragon; Rupit in Catalonia; and Guadalupe in Extremadura, all meet the criteria.

Manuel Butler, the Director of the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK, confirmed: “We are delighted that the United Nations World Tourism Organization has placed Spain as the country with the most appearances in their list of Best Tourism Villages around the world.”

“We aim to promote community-led tourism across Spain and are thrilled at the international recognition of Spanish sustainable tourism in all aspects.”

PARADORES, Spain’s staterun network of luxury hotels, is offering stays in historic and cultural properties in top cities, regional gems and areas of natural beauty.

Paradores has now extended its nature­based project, Nature for the Senses ‘Naturaleza para los Sentidos’, to include Parador Almagro and Parador Manzanares, both located in La Mancha.

The project aims to revitalise rural areas and amplify opportunities for sustainable development, as well as promote economic and social growth in surrounding areas,

State-run hotels

giving travellers the opportunity to discover the local traditions, culture and environmental diversity.

A number of experiences have been made available at

both Paradors including a workshop on how to cultivate pistachios and olives and uncover their health benefits, a visit to an eco­friendly farm, home of the Castilian black hen which is currently in danger of extinction, and a wine tour that highlights the link between the product and nature and includes a tasting of artisan wines and regional tapas.

For more information head to paradores.es

Iconic fashion designer dies

THE iconic Spanish fashion designer Paco Rabanne, real name Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo, has died aged 88.

A French news source reported Rabanne’s death on Friday, February 3 in the French town of Porstall, where he lived.

Rabanne, who hailed from San Sebastian, was a pioneer on the catwalks in the use of materials such as metal, plastic and paper, joined by welds and rivets. The son of the chief seamstress of the design­

er Balenciaga and the colonel of the Republican forces, Francisco Rabaneda Postigo, he was born in 1934.

Rabanne, who had experienced somewhat of a renaissance following the death of Pierre Cardin in 2020, was also renowned for some unusual views but was by all accounts well­liked by villagers in his adopted home town.

In recent years Rabanne is said to have kept a low profile enjoying the restaurants of the region.

“Breaking inside”

THE wife of convicted footballer Dani Alvez has taken to Instagram to say that “Yes, she knows how to smile while breaking inside.”

Model Joana Sanz said that her life has become a living hell since the conviction of her husband of sex abuse charges on January 20 and the recent death of her mother.

Sanz made use of Instagram to thank the many people who have sent messages of support, saying they give her the strength that she needs right now.

She has also made use of the social media platform to debunk many of the false claims including that she has filed for divorce.

Accordion to a local news site on Friday, February 3 Alvez appeared in court this week to try and bring to an end

his preventative detention. But so far the judge has refused saying “there was more than enough evidence of rape.”

Sanz has posted many heartfelt messages including that she and the disgraced Brazilian footballer are still very much in love, but that there is a long way to go yet.

Major network problems

DOWN detector reported major network problems in Spain with mobile, fixed, broadband and television services all experiencing issues.

According to the service on Friday, February 3 the companies that appeared to be most affected were Movistar, Orange, Yoigo, Simyo and Jazztel.

The problems were said to have started around 9.30am with users taking to the site and social media to complain about service issues. Among the complaints were weak connections, dropped connections and calls.

According to Jazztel they were suffering general issues with their telephone service. The company posted online: “Our technicians are working to solve it as soon as possible. We hope that in the next few hours everything will be resolved and the service restored.”

Parador Almagro 167exterior architecture.

Image: Spanish Government Tourism

SANZ: “A living hell.”

Image Christian Bertrand Shutterstock.com

Lifetime gift

THE Euro Weekly News’ latest columnist, Emma McGrath, has had a gift for insight since birth and has been providing professional readings for the past seven years. Here, she talks to the EWN about angel readings, tarot, and how she now plans to help our readers.

Known as The Angelic Medium, Emma, 40, told the EWN she first noticed her gift at a young age: “When I was little, I started crying once and saying my twin sister had been hurt. About 20 minutes later she fell and hurt herself in the garden while I was still upstairs. Lots of things like that happened when I was younger.”

It wasn’t all plain sailing though. Emma explained: “I was born with this gift and was in and out of using it for a while. In my 20s I started using it again and it became overwhelming.

“About seven years ago I woke up one day and I felt ready though.

“First I started doing readings for friends and family members. All their readings came

A close call

AN Iberia passenger jet had a close call after lightning pierced the nose of the aircraft as it was approaching the airport in San Sebastian.

The A319 Airbus was reported by a news source on Monday, January 30 to have suffered damage to the radome.

The radome is the nose cover that provides the plane with improved aerodynamics but is also the protection for the plane’s radar equipment.

The lightning bolt is said to have pierced the cone coming out the opposite end of one of the horizontal stabilisers, which burst as a result.

Although the strike caused damage to the passenger jet it is understood that it managed to land safely and without harm to any of its crew and passengers.

true and they started recommending me.

“I then started an Instagram account and it went from there really.”

For the past seven years, Emma has been helping clients around the world, even predicting public events, including Bianca Gascoigne’s pregnancy, when she would give birth and the baby’s gender. She also predicted she would do a dancing show in Italy and the position she would come in at.

“I’m sometimes asked for things like lottery numbers but this is a gift for the greater good so I don’t use it in those ways,” she added.

Instead, Emma says she’s most often asked about love and work. She explained: “I am a medium and do readings, angel readings and tarot.

“In my column I want to talk about how to work the law of attraction, gratitude, and moon cycles. I want to get a lot of positivity in there ­ you may be going through a tough time but there are the reasons for it and

ways you can improve things.

“It’s important to go back to basics and be positive.”

She added: “I’ll be doing a different card pull every week. I will sit with my cards and tune in to what people are feeling and what they can do with those emotions.

“If I reach just one person I will have done my job.”

Emma will also be encouraging readers to get in touch. She explained: “I will do a reach out at some point so readers can write in and then I’ll do a reading with them and publish the results.”

The medium, who is based in the UK, but often does readings in Marbella and the Canaries, is also planning live events in the Canary Islands later this year.

You can read Emma’s column every Thursday in EWN

Smoothing tensions

THE Spanish President, Pedro Sánchez arrived in Morocco on Thursday, February 2 for a summit with top officials in the country. Among other topics, the countries are looking to recover their bilateral agreements on migration after relations broke down in recent years.

Pedro Sánchez declared a “new era” in relations between the two countries at the start of the summit adding, “We are committed to transparency and keeping all channels of communication open”.

During the first day of the conference, Foreign Ministers, Fernando Grande­Marlaska and Abdelouafi Laftit met to discuss immigration issues.

Agreements reached include strengthening relationships between law enforcement agencies working on trafficking cases, tightening migration controls and developing better repatriation proce­

dures to fight illegal immigration.

The Spanish delegation expressed their satisfaction at Morocco’s economic development, particularly with a new trade deal between Spain’s North African enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla, for which testoperations have been running smoothly.

Sánchez also highlighted the Spanish government’s objectives of developing better social and cultural ties with its North African neighbour, saying education and employment exchanges will be the focus of discussions.

€36

billion is how much Shell Oil company has made in profits in 2022.

EMMA MCGRATH: The medium is the Euro Weekly News’ latest columnist.

Credit: Emma McGrath

SPAIN’s P resident, Pedro Sanchez has confirmed that: “The High-Level Meeting between Spain and Morocco consolidates the new stage of bilateral relations.”

The meeting was held on Thursday February 2, in which 11 Spanish ministers and 13 Moroccan ministers took part.

Sanchez highlighted achievements in four areas: “First, monitoring mechanisms have been adopted for the effective implementation of the agreements. Second, Spain and Morocco have agreed to move forward on migration issues from a constructive perspective, seeking to open up new channels for regular migration.

“Third, Spain highlighted the impetus that both countries have given at this HighLevel Meeting to a new advanced economic partnership. Spain wants to be a benchmark investor in Morocco. To this end, a financial protocol has been announced, endowed with up to €800 million, to promote investments in sectors such as railways, water, agri-

Spain and Morocco

food and tourism.

“Finally, the two countries are strengthening their cooperation in the fields of culture, education and voca -

tional training and higher education. Several agreements have been signed to allow the opening of bilingual teaching centres.”

Leading currency provider celebrates special anniversary

CURRENCIES DIRECT have been helping people save time and money on their currency transfers since 1996, making them one of the longest­standing currency providers in Europe.

This month they would like to celebrate one of their longest­standing employees, Peter Loveday, Managing Director ­ Southern Europe.

In the 20 years Peter has been with the company he has been instrumental in overseeing and supporting its growth across Southern Europe. Under his leadership Currencies Direct has opened 20 branches across Spain, and now employs over 100 people and that expansion is set to continue.

The team at Euro Weekly News would like to join Currencies Direct in congratulating Peter on this incredible milestone.

Flybe slots

LUFTHANSA and Air France / KLM are said to be competing to buy Flybe which went out of business last week.

GOSH: Even a spare £1 can keep this fabulous facility going.

Can you help?

ON January 20 last year, Carly Lesley’s beautiful little boy, Reggie, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at eight years old. Carly confirmed: “As a parent, there is nothing that can ever prepare you to hear the words that your child has cancer, it’s heartbreaking, to say the least. Reggie was transferred from our local hospital to Great Ormand Street within 48 hours where he is currently receiving treatment.

“There will never be enough words to express our gratitude to GOSH they truly are amazing, the doctors and nurses go above and beyond every day for Reggie and the

children going through this awful illness, but to continue the work they do saving many children lives and making the huge difference they make every day to families they need as much support as possible.”

Carly never thought she’d need the help of Great Ormand Street and as parents, we hope and pray we never need to call on them. But we are lucky to have such a pioneering children’s hospital in the UK. Even a spare £1 can help keep this fabulous facility going.

To donate head to www.justgiving.com/fundrais ing/Carly­Lesley.

According to a news source on Monday, February 6 the two companies are not bidding to reinstate the airline but to acquire their landing rights in the UK. In particular, the companies are said to be after Flybe’s landing slots at Heathrow airport.

Flybe also had landing slots at Schiphol in Amsterdam adding to the value of the defunct company and the interest of the two leading European airlines.

For both Lufthansa and Air France / KLM the landing slots are vital to their ability to grow their transit offering, as the Dutch government has restricted the number of flights that can operate from Schiphol.

Image: Carly Lesley / Just Giving

Violating sovereignty

THE entry of two Spanish Customs Surveillance Service officers onto Gibraltar’s Levante beach while attempting to abort a cache of smuggled tobacco on Friday, February 3, has been described by the Government of Gibraltar as a “very serious breach” of its sovereignty and jurisdiction.

During the intervention by the two Spanish officers in the early hours of Thursday morning, they were in­

jured to varying degrees after being hit with stones by a group of people allegedly linked to tobacco smuggling.

This intervention “would constitute a very serious breach of the law,” if “it were confirmed that the Spanish officers fired their weapons in Gibraltar,” said the government. It was also a “reckless and dangerous” action in an area, they stressed, “with a high density of civilian population,

EARLIER this month, the UK and Welsh governments announced a new study to improve transport connectivity between south­east Wales and the west of England.

The study, which is backed by £2.7 million of UK government funding, will look at options for new railway stations and rail services on the South Wales Main Line.

This project will focus on relieving congestion on the M4, a vital connector between south Wales and the rest of the UK UK Transport Minister, Richard Holden, confirmed: “Delivering better transport links is a vital part of how we transform opportuni­

given the proximity of a residential development.”

In this context, the Gibraltar and UK governments considered that the events “will require careful assessment as to the nature and level of the diplomatic response.”

They explained that they “will contact Spanish officials to seek clarification on this violation of Gibraltar's sovereignty before making a final decision on the action to be taken.”

Rail links

ties for people from across the United Kingdom.

“That’s why I am so delighted that, working with the Welsh government, we are getting the ball rolling on in­depth work to boost connectivity and drive growth.”

The Secretary of State for Wales, David TC Davies, said: “Good transport connections between south Wales and western England are essential for the economy in Wales.”

Clarkson backlash grows Firefighters strike looms

By Peter McLaren­Kennedy

THE backlash against Jeremy Clarkson following his trashing of Meghan Markle is growing with at least three stars due to appear on a celebrity ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ refusing to appear with the host.

According to a news source on Saturday, February 4, ITV has had to shelve plans for the show as a result of the refusal by the three unnamed stars to appear with Clarkson. They are said to have made their opposition to appearing with him, “very loud and very clear.”

Filming of the show was postponed earlier this month due to “scheduling issues” but it is now apparent that was not the reason. A source said: “ITV were left with no choice but to postpone the show.

“The feelings were made loud and clear that they didn’t want to share a platform

A NEW online tour gives the public ‘virtual’ access to beavers for the first time.

The National Trust has launched a virtual tour of its beaver closure on the Holnicote estate on Exmoor in Somerset, three years after beavers were first introduced. A first for the UK, the new tour can be accessed on the charity’s website and uses cutting­edge technology to provide users with virtual access

with Clarkson and, in doing so, risk being seen to legitimise his misogynistic comments.

“They were appearing on the show to raise money for charity, and were acutely aware they didn’t want causes special to their heart to be caught up in any backlash. They just had to walk away.”

Beaver access

to the 2.7 ­ acre enclosure where beavers were released by the Trust in January 2020. The footage was captured using professional, high­resolution 360° video equipment. The immersive experience features trail camera footage of the beavers’ everyday lives,

FOR the first time since 2003, members of the Fire Brigades Union in Britain on Monday, January 30, voted in favour of industrial action. According to a union spokesperson, with a 73 per cent turnout, 88 per cent of its 32,000 members chose to down tools. Similarly, in Northern Ireland, on a turnout of 68 per cent, 94 per cent of firefighters voted to strike.

The union bosses offered the government one last chance to improve its offer by giving

drone footage of the enclosure and wider estate with links to other National Trust projects and a ‘question and answer’ session with the charity’s beaver expert, Ben Eardley.

Other wildlife captured on the 360° video and trail cameras include kingfishers, stoats, roe deer and bullfinch. The tour will add additional footage as the site develops.

them another 10 days to think about it. A 5 per cent increased pay offer was declined by the union last November.

It claimed one in five jobs has been cut since 2010, with firefighters’ real ­ terms earnings also dropping by 12 per cent.

“Firefighters have faced a sustained attack on pay for more than a decade, with average

pay falling by about £4,000 in real terms. Our members face hazardous situations every day and sometimes risk their health to do the job,” stated FBU general secretary Matt Wrack.

According to reports, office and cleaning staff have been undergoing emergency training in anticipation of any industrial action occurring.

Led by Donkeys treatment

MICHELLE MONE, the Tory peer who was found to have used her connections within government to make millions out of supplying PPE during the pandemic has had her luxury yacht branded by the ‘Led by Donkeys’ group.

The group posted a video of them giving her luxury yacht the treatment on Wednesday, February 1. Mone, it is alleged, profited from the supply of defective PPE equipment during the 2020’s pandemic. The company, with whom she has links, supplied more than £200 million worth of equipment but is now being sued for the return of £130 million.

Mone’s yacht has been given the ‘Led by Donkeys’ treatment with a banner that reads ‘pandemic profiteer’.

JEREMY CLARKSON: Facing backlash.

Image Eeli Purola

Photovoltaic complex

IBERDROLA announced on Monday, February 6, that it obtained an environmental permit to build the largest photovoltaic project in Europe. With 1,200 megawatts (MV) of installed power, it will be located in the municipality of Santiago de Cacem (near Sines, a logistics hub in southern Europe), in Portugal. The plant will be called ‘Fernando Pessoa’ in homage to the Portuguese poet and is expected to be operational in 2025. It will be capable of supplying clean energy be capable of supplying the annual needs of 430,000 homes. Its network connection will be contracted with the Portuguese operator REN. The new plant will avoid the con ­

sumption annually of 370 million cubic metres of gas and act as an example of the coexistence of new renewable developments.

Portugal recently announced a regulatory programme to promote and expedite the deployment of clean energy, attract investor confidence, achieve climate targets, and accelerate the response to the double challenge of the climate and energy crisis in Europe.

Iberdrola affirmed an investment of an “additional €3,000 million in wind and solar energy” in the country for the next few years. As a result, it will operate more than 92 MW of wind power distributed over various parks.

By Peter McLaren-Kennedy

LIDL is reported to have said that it will drastically reduce its meat offerings in the coming years and that it will ramp up its ‘veggie’ offerings.

Christoph Graf, Chief Buyer for Germany, told a news source at the end of ‘Green Week’ on Saturday, February 4 that the need for climate protection was dictating the change.

Echoing the words of climate protesters he said that there is “no alternative” because there is no second

A COUPLE who had not bought a travel ticket for their baby abandoned it at the Ryanair check-in at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.

The couple, who were travelling on Belgian passports, were detained by police according to the UK press on Wednesday, February 1.

The baby’s parents when they realised they did not have a ticket for the baby simply strolled across to passport

planet. He continued by saying that we must learn to eat in a way that takes into account the limits of the planet with the world only able to sustain 10 billion people if we reduce our meat consumption.

Asked whether he was concerned about what the change meant for the chain he said that he hoped it would improve Lidl’s image in the market, especially

among younger people. Referring to the wider population he said it was about motivating people to eat products other than meat. As a result, Lidl would be holding more themed weeks to promote meatless products.

Timing is perhaps good for Lidl to announce the change with the cost of meat soaring and becoming less affordable for many.

No more meat Couple abandon baby

control, put the baby who was in a car seat down and tried to leave. A shift manager is said to have taken the couple ‘back to the flight counters and called the police and a security guard.

The couple were taken for questioning. According to the Israel Airports Authority, the couple had arrived late for their flight with the counter having already closed.

The Ryanair desk manager

Your Belgian estate agent at the coast!

said: “We couldn’t believe what we were seeing.”

€200,000 in banknotes discovered in boot of vehicle in central Madrid.

PROPOSED PARK: Will be the largest photovoltaic project in Europe.

Credit: Iberdrola.com

Victory, Czech!

Betty Henderson

THE hotly­contested Czech leadership election came to an end on Friday, January 27, with former army general, NATO commander and pro­western politician, Petr Pavel sweeping to power.

Pavel won the election with 58.3 per cent of votes, a landslide victory over rival and former Prime Minister, Andrej Babiš who won 41.68 per cent of the vote. The result is the most decisive victory ever recorded in a Czech leadership election.

Russia’s invasion of

Ukraine appears to have been a key factor in making voters’ minds up in this year’s elections. Pavel’s victory over Babiš, a populist billionaire, has been widely seen as a victory for liberal democracy.

The two leaders repeatedly butted heads in the leadership contest where Babiš’ strong opinions, including saying he would not send troops to defend ally Poland in the event of Russian invasion appears to have backfired.

Pavel attracted support from younger and more liberal swathes of the pop­

Pressure mounts

ulation, including the gay community as he endorsed gay marriage which remains illegal in the country. Pavel has called his win a victory for “truth, dignity, respect and humility”.

300 million + olive trees in Spain.

POWERFUL western nations have given Serbia an ultimatum over normalising relations with Kosovo after tensions between the Balkan states simmer on.

Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic announced on Monday, January 27 that his government had received a proposal from western nations including France, the USA, Germany, Italy and the European Union in a bid to put an end to the tensions.

Vucic said his government was under pressure to accept the demand to normalise relations saying the western leaders told him, “Accept the conditions or you will face the interruption of the process of European integration, the halting and withdrawal of investments and comprehensive economic and political measures that will cause great damage to the Republic of Serbia”.

The Serbian President said that his country’s parliament would need time to discuss the proposal, but emphasised that Serbia needs the EU, else it would become “isolated”.

Discussions between the countries have repeatedly faltered in recent months over fears that key Serbian ally, Russia could interfere in the region, distracting from the war in Ukraine.

Protest sparks outrage

THE Norwegian Ambassador to Turkey is the latest diplomat to have been summoned by the country over Quran protests. Police in Oslo banned a planned protest in

the country’s capital on Thursday, February 2 over security concerns.

Police stepped in in response to reports that a group of protestors planned to burn copies of Islma’s holy book, the Quran at a demonstration outside the Turkish Embassy in Oslo on Friday, February 3. The police are believed to have acted in response to Turkey summoning Ambassador, Erling Skjonsberg earlier on Thursday. Oslo’s Police Commissioner, Martin Strand released a statement saying,

Global Gateway

OFFICIALS from the European Union announced a major investment of €280 million for South Africa, for the ‘Just and Green Recovery’ in Pretoria on January 27. €87.5 million of the funding will come directly from the EU’s budget, while further sums will come from EU member states. The project is aiming to support South Africa in goals established by the country to tackle its pressing socioeconomic challenges, improving infrastructure and improving policy dialogue.

“The police emphasise that burning the Quran is a legal political statement in Norway, but this event can’t go ahead due to security concerns”. In recent weeks Turkey has summoned the Swedish Ambassador to Turkey and denounced protestors in Kurdistan over similar Quran burning protests. Turkey has also reportedly struck a deal with Swedish authorities to tighten laws on terrorism in a bid to reverse the country’s objections to Sweden joining NATO.

The EU funding aims to help South Africa achieve these goals through a sustainable framework which will foster biodiversity within the country and support an environmentallyfriendly circular economy. The funding will be used in various different ways including supporting the repurposing of the country’s coal mines in compliance with global objectives of moving towards sustainable energy generation.

The project is part of the Global Gateway project which is providing a total of €300 billion to African countries.

Doppelganger death

PROSECUTORS in a murder case in Germany believe the suspect got in contact with a lookalike online in order to fake her own death. Police issued arrest warrants for the

suspect and an alleged accomplice at the end of January. The body of a young woman discovered in August 2022 was originally identified as ‘Sharaban K’ a 23­year­old Iraqi­Ger­

Hands off Africa

POPE FRANCIS condemned ‘economic colonialism’ in a message directed towards western and European powers in a speech given in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Tuesday, January 31. In the speech, given in Italian at the capital, Kinshasa’s presidential palace, the Pope said that “terrible forms of exploitation, unworthy of humanity” are responsible for the ongoing conflict in the country.

Natural resource wealth has led to decades of economic and political turmoil after the Democratic Republic of the Congo won its independence from Belgium in 1960.

man beautician. Members of the woman’s family assisted police in identifying the body, but the next day it was identified as another person, ‘Khadidja O’, a 23­year­old Algerian beauty blogger in a postmortem report.

Police believe ‘Sharaban K’ and an accomplice reached out to ‘Khadidja O’ via Instagram message and lured her to an address where they stabbed her and feigned ‘Sharaban K’’s own death.

German police described the women as looking “strikingly similar” due to make­up, complexion and hair styles, leading the cases to be referred to as the “doppelganger murder.”

Muslims across the world have been outraged at Quran burning protests in several places including a planned protest in Norway.

Photo credit: Loredana Sangiuliano / shutterstock.com

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Best place

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL’S annual report on 180 countries pronounced Denmark as the world’s least corrupt country in 2022, awarding it 90 points, followed by Finland and New Zealand in second place with 87. Somalia in Africa, embroiled in ongoing conflict, was ranked last with 12 points.

THE NETHERLANDS

Coffee joint

CANNABIS sellers in The Netherlands are developing a national quality certificate for coffee shops to assist in improving relationships with local governments and the law. The PCN shop-owners’ union explained to members that obtaining the certificate would involve training for coffee shop employees and introduce product quality control.

BELGIUM

Powered down

BELGIUM shut down its Tihange 2 reactor on January 31 as the country winds down its reliance on nuclear power. The 40-year-old installation near to the German border was also a source of friction with its neighbour, who cited security concerns after cracks were found in the reactor’s pressure vessels.

GERMANY

Old-timers

ARCHEOLOGISTS believe Neanderthals lived in larger groups than previously thought, hunting elephants that tripled the size of today’s. After studying 125-year-old skeletons of straight-tusked elephants found near Halle in central German where Neanderthals once lived, researchers found these were clearly hunted by “large social units.”

FRANCE

Beetling off

A FACTORY in Dole (France) is the world’s largest vertical insect farm, accommodating approximately three trillion mealworm beetles which are raised from larvae to adults. When mature, they are humanely dispatched before being harvested for oil and fertiliser as well as protein for animal feed.

NORWAY

All alone

SINGLE men were likely to have lower quality of life than single women and were less satisfied with their social relationships, a survey by Statistics Norway, the country’s official data agency, discovered. It also found that men without a spouse or partner usually had poorer living conditions.

FINLAND

Cold comfort

JANUARY was “unusually and exceptionally mild” in much of Finland, the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) said. Average temperatures in some regions ranged between a benign two and five degrees while Rovaniemi City in Finnish Lapland saw its warmest January since monthly records began in the late 1950s.

IRELAND

Another patron

IRELAND observed a public holiday honouring St Brigid of Kildare who is steadily gaining a following in Ireland and abroad rivalling the country’s traditional patron, St Patrick. Devotees see Brigid, and the ancient Irish goddess whose name and attributes she shares, as personifying feminine spirituality and empowerment.

ITALY

Home truths

ITALY’S Supreme Appeals Court ruled that children need not see their grandparents unless they wished. The decision followed an appeal by the parents of two children after lower courts backed the grandparents’ complaints that they never saw the children, who allegedly did not enjoy the visits.

PORTUGAL

Deadly bug

THE Xylella fastidiosa bacterium which has attacked trees in some parts of Spain is spreading fast in Portugal. Unlike Spain where the infestation has been largely limited to almonds, vines as well as trees bearing citrus fruit, cherries, peaches and olives have been affected in the Oporto area.

UKRAINE

Clean sweep

UKRAINE launched a far-reaching anti-corruption drive that included raids on high-profile persons following increasing pressure from its Western partners, notably the EU, to tackle corruption. When voted into power in 2019, Ukraine’s president Volodymir Zelensky cited the fight against corruption as a principal priority.

SWEDEN

Hard task

SWEDEN’S Climate minister, 27-year-old Romina Pourmokhtari, said she would resign if the country’s ambitious climate and environment goals cannot be reached. This could prove difficult as the coalition government elected in October 2021 includes the Sweden Democrats party which regards climate change as ‘a myth’.

BUSINESS EXTRA Drink up FINANCE

Pastures new

DE LA RUE’S chief financial officer Rob Harding will be leaving the banknote printer to join retail payments business PayPoint, the company announced. Harding will remain for up to six months to assist with an orderly transition, sources said.

Helping out

SPANISH companies working with plastics have “serious doubts” about applying the new tax on non­recyclable containers as well as paying it. The government is offering a six­month moratorium and tax authority Hacienda is operating an online service to answer queries.

Wage gap

BANKERS’ pay rises have tripled those of nurses since the 2008 financial crisis, found a TUC study. Pay and bonuses in finance and the insurance sector rose by an average 6 per cent compared to 2 per cent for nurses.

Turn-off

BRITONS cancelled approximately two million subscriptions to services like Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ in 2022 as they cut down on non­essentials. Households with at least one paid­for subscription fell from 17.12 million in 2021 to last year’s 16.24 million.

Sunny outlook

ENERGY COMPANY Iberdrola received the go­ahead to build Europe’s biggest solar power plant in Santiago de Cacem (Portugal). As well as providing 2,500 jobs the installation will produce enough electricity for 430,000 homes, equivalent to double the population of Oporto.

Hacked off

SOME customers of car retailer

Arnold Clark learnt their personal information could have been stolen in a cyber­attack. The car retailer, which sells more than 300,000 cars each year, said the stolen data included bank details as well as ID documents.

STAT OF WEEK €87 billion

129.5 per cent more than in 2021, was the amount spent by the 71.6 million tourists who visited Spain last year according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Record year for BBVA

Linda Hall

BBVA bank reported a record year with its biggest­ever net profit of €6.42 billion, up 38 per cent on 2021.

Outstripping both the €6.12 billion that the bank posted in 2007 and 2018’s €5.32 billion, this year’s showing was aided by a double­digit increase in lending income and a strong performance in Mexico.

Thanks to these results, BBVA announced its largest cash dividend for 14 years, paying out 31 cents per share, and also revealed a share repurchase plan of €422 million. In all, the bank is assigning €3 billion to shareholder distribution, 47 per cent of the bank’s 2022 net profit.

ALMOST 13,000 offshore companies which hold UK property have not declared their ultimate owners.

They now face fines and a ban on selling their land, the government said, as Martin Callanan, minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility, commended the new register listing the overseas owners of UK properties.

This was “invaluable” for tax and revenue services, Callanan declared, as it brought transparency to opaque offshore trusts.

Nevertheless, as only 19,510 of 32,440 registered overseas organisations have disclosed the identities of their beneficial owners, this

Renting out

BUYING a garage space with a view to renting it out could be an enticing option for modest investors.

Acquiring one ranges from €20,256 in the Basque Region in northern Spain to €7,170 in Murcia, according to the online property portal, Fotocasa.

On average, this will bring a return of 7.5 per cent nationwide, while another real estate website, Idealista, put it at 7.1 per cent.

Fotocasa’s Maria Matas also pointed out that both garage and house or apartment rentals were at present more profitable than any other financial product.

“2022 was a year of growth for BBVA,” said the bank’s chairman Carlos Torres Vila. “We had the highest profit in our history, with significant growth in lending and major advances in our strategy, focused on digitisation, innovation and sustain­

ability.” Torres Vila added that looking ahead, and despite world uncertainty, BBVA would continue to create opportunities and contribute to the economic and social growth of the countries where it had a presence. Mexico accounted for more than 60 per cent of BBVA’s net earnings in 2022, with a net profit rising 64 per cent and income from lending increasing by 44 per cent. This year the bank has predicted mid­teens growth in lending income and double­digit growth in loans there.

At the same time, some analysts have cited risks from BBVA’s exposure to Turkey where the bank has started to implement hyper­inflationary accounting.

No hiding place

Guernsey and Luxembourg.

ALCOHOLIC drinks brand Diageo exceeded first­half predictions as prices rose and people drank more spirits.

Organic net sales rose by 9.4 per cent instead of a predicted 7.9 per cent in the six months to December 31 for the Londonbased multinational which makes Tanqueray gin, Captain Morgan rum and Ketel One vodka. Net sales during the same period rose 18.4 per cent to £9.4 billion (€10.6 billion).

The group will return approximately £500 million (€563 million) to shareholders in addition to this financial year’s buyback commitment.

Athlete first

PABLO FERNANDEZ from Madrid entered the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest swimmer to cover five kilometres in the open sea with shackled feet.

indicates that 12,930 did not.

Roughly 75 per cent of those registering their ultimate owners are based in the British Virgin Islands, Jersey, the Isle of Man,

Callanan said that Companies House and the Insolvency Service would receive more investigatory powers, along with approximately £20 million (€23,632 million) to spend on dealing with money laundering via companies that own UK property. Callanan warned there was no hiding place for “criminals and corrupt elites” now that the January 31 deadline for registering had passed.

“We will be using all the tools at our disposal, including fines and restrictions, to

A family affair

BARCLAYS and Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) face questions about their links to Roman Abramovich. The Oligarch files, leaked documents seen by the Guardian newspaper, reveal that the banks held at least $940 million (€860.5 million) on Abramovich’s behalf before the Ukraine war.

Shortly before Moscow entered Ukraine, much of Abramovich’s vast assets had been transferred to his children.

The Guardian files suggest that in the last week of February 2022, once the reorganisation had been completed, Barclays and UBS were told that Abramovich’s children were now the ultimate beneficial owners.

Following the UK and EU’s sanctions, Barclays and UBS will almost certainly be asked to explain how they responded to the modifications and whether the children have benefited from assets that belonged to their father.

crack down on foreign companies who have not complied,” he said.

Unregistered overseas companies are now automatically rejected from registering ownership of new land by HM Land Registry, while UK buyers cannot transfer their title to the deed of any property acquired from non­compliant organisations.

“If you ignored warnings and failed to register before the deadline, you will face consequences,” Louise Smyth, CEO of Companies House, said.

Recycling plan

FASHION label Ralph Lauren is collaborating with a recycling programme for no longer wearable cashmere.

Consumers living in Britain, the European Union and the US can obtain a printable, postage­paid label from the Ralph Lauren website to send unwanted 100 per cent cashmere items from any brand for reprocessing.

The discarded woollies go to ReVerso in Tuscany (Italy) which recycles yarns and fabrics for fashion companies that include Stella McCartney.

Some fast­fashion companies offer textile recycling, although there is uncertainty regarding the clothes’ destination, and they increasingly use recycled materials but this is the first time that a designer label has embraced large­scale recycling efforts.

The 42­year­old is also a businessman who in 2016 founded online car sales company Clicars which he sold in 2022 for more than €100 million. Despite his entrepreneurial success, he recently told an El Pais interviewer that he views himself principally as an athlete.

“Businesses come and go but swimming is constant,” he said.

Fernandez also swims 15 kilometres in a counter ­ current swimming pool installed in the Clicar’s repair shop which he visits each day.

Streamlining

APPROXIMATELY half of the staff at a Hanley (Stoke­on­Trent) government call centre which closed in January are relocating or will be redeployed.

Shutting down 13 sites by June is expected to bring savings of between £80 and £90 million (€90,514 and €101,857 million) annually from 2028 onwards, government sources said.

Seventy­four Hanley employees agreed to the changes, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed, with others preferring to take voluntary redundancy.

The DWP said the closure, which formed part of wider plans to modernise and streamline its estate, involved only back office staff and would not impact public­facing roles.

Photo credit: BBVA

BBVA: Chairman Carlos Torres Vila announced best-ever year.

Photo credit: CC/Chris McAndrew

MARTIN CALLANAN: Business minister welcomed register of the overseas owners of UK properties.

DOW JONES

BUSINESS EXTRA

Record year

SANTANDER, like BBVA, Sabadell and Bankinter, has had a record year, with profits of €9.6 billion, 18 per cent more than in 2021. The bank will distribute 40 per cent of this, more than €3.8 billion, amongst shareholders split evenly between dividends and share buy­backs.

Job choice

UK supermarket chain Tesco is cutting 1,750 shop manager and team leader jobs, offering staff the option of moving to lowerpaid shift leader roles or redundancy. Those staying can take a lump sum to compensate the shortfall or receive the same pay for two years.

Slowdown

UK car production fell by 10 per cent last year in its worst performance since 1956, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said. The struggle to obtain parts during the pandemic and semiconductor shortages hit the sector worldwide, but Britain was also affected by factory closures.

Rare minerals

SUSANA TIMON, who heads Spain’s Geology and Mining Institute, said that Spain is geologically complex with “great mineral wealth.” As a leading producer of copper, strontium and wolfram, she said evidence suggested it would be “interesting” to exploit Spain’s lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earths.

Iceland record

CHRISTMAS sales broke records for £4 billion (€4.5 billion) family firm Iceland whose share of frozen food spending now rivals Tesco. Chairman Richard Walker, who has taken over from his father Malcolm, also plans to enter politics but insisted this would not be a distraction.

All change at Orange

LUDOVIC PECH, currently Orange Middle East and Africa’s chief financial officer, takes over as the telecom giant’s CEO in Spain next April.

He will replace Jean­François Fallacher who in turn substitutes Fabienne Dulac, head of the French operation for the last eight years.

Fallacher will retain his links with Orange Spain on the board of directors while supervising the ongoing merger with rival MasMovil, the company announced.

Pech joined Orange in 1998 and since then has worked in Romania, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain. Insiders at Orange explained that he was more than familiar with the

ORANGE: Change of posts at French telecoms company.

Spanish market where he held the position of financial director between 2000 and 2010 with internet service provider Wanadoo and former mobile operator Amena.

Water on tap

Announcing the changes, the company emphasised that the new appointments underlined Spain’s importance within the group, coinciding with the MasMovil merger which was signed last July.

Once completed, this will put Orange at the head of Spain’s telecoms sector, with more telephone clients and broadband users than any other company, accounting for 31 million lines.

The combined joint venture controlled equally by Orange and MasMovil will be worth €18.6 billion, compared with the €19.6 billion originally announced when the agreement was first made known in March 2022.

UK is on the right track

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded the UK’s gross domestic product (GDP) in its latest World Economic Outlook update.

This would contract by 0.6 per cent instead of growing by 0.3 per cent as predicted last October. The UK was also expected to perform worse than other high­income economies, including Russia, as the cost of living continued to affect households, the IMF said.

Nevertheless the IMF update added that it believed the UK was on the right track despite high energy prices, increased mortgage costs and raised taxes, together with worker shortages.

The IMF report on January 31 arrived three years on from the day that the UK left the European Union although it forbore to name Brexit as an element in the country’s failure to perform as well as others.

Only days before the IMF’s pronouncement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt Jeremy Hunt had disparaged gloomy interpretations of the UK economy, taking on the “declinists” whom he described as “permanently pessimistic” regarding Britain’s future.

Responding to the IMF update, Hunt also maintained that the UK was

JEREMY HUNT: The UK is strong, Chancellor declared

strong and had outperformed many forecasts in 2022.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman pointed out that the UK was predicted to grow faster than Germany and Japan in coming years while adding that the IMF itself had said that the UK was on the right track.

Iberdrola rumours

IBERDROLA reportedly intends to sell some of its renewable assets in Spain.

Three different sources told news agency Reuters that Iberdrola was working with Deutsche Bank on selling the portfolio, which could raise more than $700 million (€637.3 million).

The bank is said to have begun the sale process and is contacting potential buyers who include infrastructure investors, fund managers and industrial groups.

The portfolio includes a 1.6 gigawatt combined cycle power plant (CCGT) and 300 megawatts of onshore wind capacity, together with projects for developing 500 megawatts of solar plants that would integrate with the gas plant.

The sale is still at an early stage and Iberdrola could delay or even abandon plans to sell them, the sources said. Meanwhile both parties have declined to comment on the issue.

Back to the office

COMPANIES introduced remote and flexible working during the Covid pandemic and many employees are reluctant to lose their newfound freedom.

Tony Danker, director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said recently that most bosses wanted to end work­from­home.

“The whole world of work has gone crazy since the coronavirus pandemic,” Danker told the BBC.

“This led to a shift to working from

WATER bills in England and Wales will rise by 7.5 per cent in April, their biggest increase in 20 years.

A normal household’s annual bill could set them back around £448 (€502), with customers paying an average £31 (€34.7) more than in 2021.

Consumer groups warned that the increase would adversely affect households when one in five already found it difficult to pay bills.

Water UK argued that the rise for most customers would still be below inflation, maintaining that in real terms, bills were lower than 10 years ago.

It’ll cost you!

SPANISH shoppers who buy online from Zara must now pay if they want to return a purchase.

“Returns after February 1 will cost €1.95, deducted from the amount reimbursed,” the Zara web page explained. This applies only to postal returns, as no charge is made for items bought online if they are taken to a Zara outlet in the same region or country.

Referring to the returns policy, Oscar Garcia Maceiras, CEO of parent company Inditex, said that this had been “wellreceived” in other countries, with “absolutely no impact on sales.”

A no show

DAME ALISON ROSE, NatWest’s CEO, was accused of avoiding scrutiny by failing to appear before the Treasury select committee on January 21

The UK’s four biggest bank chiefs were called to explain savings rates, as politicians believe that lenders are procrastinating over an increase but pass on higher mortgage and other costs.

home for many people who used to work solely from the office.

“You ask most bosses, everybody secretly wants everyone to come back to the office,” added Danker, who represents the interests of 190,000 UK businesses.

“I just don’t think that is going to happen overnight,” he admitted.

“I think we are all coping with this but we’re going to be talking about it for a few years. We have no idea where it will end.”

Lloyds CEO Charlie Nunn and HSBC head Ian Stuart agreed to attend, while Barclays will send Matt Hammerstein, CEO of Barclays UK, since Vencat, the group’s chief executive is receiving cancer treatment.

The taxpayer owns 46 per cent of NatWest, but Rose claimed she was too busy to attend although insiders predict she will finally appear to silence her critics.

NOT only is Vladimir Putin a gangster, he is actually your classic gangster. I think the facts speak for themselves. He is undoubtedly an ego maniac and a bully. He is surrounded by thugs, hit men and bent politicians. He rubs out or ‘subdues’ any opposition. As a warning to others, those he considers ‘ratfinks’ are ruthlessly hunted down and ‘eliminated’. Both he and his henchmen are worth billions, and the general public of his domain consider him a hero. You don’t get more classic than that. Of course, that is where the resemblance ends.

His operation makes the Capone, Gambinos and Mafia Dons of yore look like *******. However, in my opinion, through all this worrying new ‘subzero war’ era, I believe we can all console ourselves with one fact; Putin won’t attack the West, certainly not nuclear.

Why would he? He still earns a big chunk of his ill­gotten gains from the West. He’s not involved in his skullduggery operation from a view of patriotism, or the old communistic idealsheaven forbid. He’s in it purely for the power and the money. To take out Boris, which would presumably include London, would be like Al Capone destroying Chicago. He definitely doesn’t want to terminate a future golden egg layer of our magnitude.

All that aside, with the advent of the

Kremlin

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

Ukrainian war I do truly believe that at this moment in time we are nearer to the ultimate holocaust than we have ever been ­ even during the Cuban missile crisis. At least in those days the USA and the USSR pulled most of the strings. Both of these powers were fairly stable and had reasonably sane leaders. Now they are all at it, and in my opinion a number are nowhere near stability.

North Korea, still run by a man/boy who thinks he’s playing video games. Iran, who probably have a few tucked away by now, is run by a fanatical regime who have vowed to destroy Israel, also a nuclear power. India is still in an uneasy extremely precarious ‘truce’ with fellow nuclear power Pakistan. Saudi Arabia, threatening to develop nuclear weapons if Iran doesn’t halt its own programme (some chance), France mmm! The ever­unpre­

UNFORGIVEABLE OUR VIEW

dictable China. And, top o’ the bill, two megalomaniacs in the shape of Biden and Putin, who both think they are infallible. Sounds pretty volatile to me.

Oh, I forgot about the good ol’ UK. Well I wouldn’t worry too much about us. If Starmer gets elected we’ll probably all be sheltering behind our Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament badges. Perhaps that means they’ll leave the UK alone? Ha ha! Good luck all!

As most of you know, I have always believed in free speech. Thank the Lord I write for a publication that, although it may not always agree with my views also considers free speech a ‘uman right!’ Have a woke free week y’all.

Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland. Mon. & Fri. !pm till 4.

For more from our columnists please scan this QR Code

THE week that Gary Glitter was released from prison after serving around half of his sentence for child sex crimes has raised the general question; are some crimes just too awful to ever allow the perpetrator to be released?

The prison system ­ developed by the Victorians ­ is based broadly on three basics principles. It is there to punish criminals, to keep members of the public safe from them, and to rehabilitate them.

But are some people simply beyond rehabilitation?

Glitter had already been convicted twice previously for child sex crimes before his most recent stint at a prison in the UK. Does that suggest that mindset of someone who has been reformed and is safe to be among the general public, or the pattern of someone who will offend again?

Beyond the danger to the public that some convicts pose, there is the cost involved in then keeping them safe once they are outside of prison. In Glitter’s case, there was a disturbance outside his bail hostel a day after he was released.

Taxpayer money will now need to be used to protect Glitter from the general public, not the other way around should there be any threats to his safety. This hardly seems to serve as either vengeance to his victims or as any form of common sense, particularly at a time when the UK is going through a cost of living crisis.

Of course, keeping him in prison is expensive too. But at least that way, the disgraced pop star’s victims could have slept a little sounder.

LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

IGUANA CAUGHT

WHAT is it these days and people having extraordinary but unconventional pets. The closest thing we got to majestic back in my day was a tortoise or a parakeet. Now people have Iguanas as pets! How and why I, I will never understand and them getting out on the loose is becoming extremely common too. Does anyone else remember about the big cat that ended up in somebody’s garden a few weeks ago. It is shocking.

More needs to be done to make sure that these animals don’t get out of their enclosures or owners’ homes. It is so unsafe; these things could attack anyone or anything and who would be responsible then? I hope I don’t find some majestic animal in my back garden anytime soon. I can’t even deal with the mosquitos, never mind a big cat or something that resembles a dragon making their appearance known around me.

Yours faithfully, Joan

Fixing football

FIXING football games and over 23 people involved in the process, how sick. It took a lot in my day and it takes a lot now to become a professional athlete and to get yourself to a certain level and schemes like this aggravate me. I will say I don’t agree with how much footballers are paid. However, I do think you should give credit where credit is due and respect the sport. So many young kids look up to these sports men and women. They are inspirational. Especially from some of the stories that you hear from the players that came from nothing. It is just sad that something so special for so many people can just be taken advantage of, just to make sure somebody else’s pockets are nicely lined up with money. I hope more is done to prevent this and catch this out sooner in the future. It is so hard to know what is real and what is not anymore.

Annoyed, Jett

The ‘ole boy’

DEAR Sirs,

Reading Leapy over the past couple of weeks, I cannot but wonder if a little bit of ‘wokery’ is subduing the ‘ole boy’.

I guess the freedom of speech we used to have as expats has been curtailed by the omnipresent agents of the increasingly dystopian world around us.

As an aside it can get a little silly, Leapy often refers to himself as an ole boy, I recently got an email from my old school ‘advertising’ forthcoming old boys’ events. I was surprised to notice the inaugural LGBT dinner (tickets 40 quid!), it seems the promoters are also puzzled as it would surely be non pc to call it an old boys dinner.

Nonetheless as it is a boys’ school there can be little doubt that the attendees, at least at the age of 11 had grown a *****. (column 2­8 Feb).

Keeping up the good fight!

JD cyber attack... you’re never going to get me

THESE days the internet is a wonderful but mischievous place, and I can’t believe that things such as cyber ­ attacks are a thing. My grandson first told me about this and then I came across it in the newspaper. I think sometimes the less you have the better it is, and I will tell you now that these attackers won’t be getting me. I keep it simple, no Facebook, no Instagram, no social media. Just a phone and a phone book and if you need me or if I need you well you will have my number and I will have yours. The old way of thinking works and people do need to be more cautious!

Don’t leave or put just anything on the internet. It has such an impact and I enjoy having my diary, I think more young ones need one these days.

Best, Harry

Sir Paul McCartney

IF there had been another disaster of a Beatles member I don’t know if I would have been able to take it. They were and are my youth.

They have given me my best memories and continue to do so today. I have grandchildren and with all this earache that is called ‘music’ today it is funny to see what way they react when I put on my old tunes. I think the older style of music breathes a bit of fresh air in comparison to all those drums and bass. Yesterday is Julie, my eldest granddaughter’s favourite while Kylie loves Norwegian Wood. They both take after me with their impeccable taste in Beatles songs. I think they didn’t believe me when I told them the Beatles had a song called Octopus’ Garden or Yellow Submarine.

These days I wish sometimes I could just go deep dive in the yellow submarine and get some peace and quiet. But duty calls when you’re a grandmother.

Dancing in strawberry fields, Martha

Wrapping up

WHOEVER oversees the pictures that go into the paper ­ thank you for the tremendous laugh you gave me when I saw the Dachshund with a bright yellow jacket on, in page 45.

That has made my day and is now living on my fridge cut out.

The simplest things in life make it the best and I can tell you this, that has made my day.

I remain, Yours faithfully

Barry Morgan

Just waiting for the missus to notice and see what she thinks. Let’s hope she lets me keep the wee doggo up.... going to need a name for it now.

Let’s hope I don’t get a woof time, David

NEXT HOUSE ALMERIA is proud to present this impeccable, high quality three bedroom, three bathroom rustic­style Villa with a double garage, impressive swimming pool and breathtaking views located off the hamlet of Rambla de Oria (Almeria).

Arriving at the property, there is a pedestrian gate and large sliding electric gates which open up to space for parking. To your left is a good sized double garage (43m2) which has electric. The house has over 6,000m2 of land, part is fully enclosed around the house. The fenced garden of approx 1,700m2 has been landscaped to perfection, with a mixture of mature plants and shrubs. The rest of the land is a combination of mountain and flat land with some olive trees.

There are beautiful stone steps leading down to the immaculate property, next to the stairs there is a ramp. To the left is a useful storage/ changing room with a pathway leading to an enchanting secret garden, with a lovely water fountain and covered terrace. To the right is the impressive swimming pool with outdoor shower, surrounded by patio. On the other side of the pool there is a BBQ area and a covered terrace with an outdoor kitchen. A terrace wraps around the side of the house, positioned to really make the most of the breathtaking views and it is covered, creating a shady haven in summer.

Back around to the front, the front door opens up to an entrance hall with a guest toilet. A

Property of the week

rustic style villa

doors opening onto the terrace. On the second floor there is another storage room which houses the boiler.

Everything has been finished using the highest quality of materials and must be seen to really appreciate the attention to detail throughout this home. The house benefits from gas powered underfloor central heating. Fly screens, rejas and persianas on all windows, two solar panels, two water deposit tanks and a brand new boiler with two years guarantee. Connected to mains electricity and water and all paperwork is in order.

hallway continues to another hall which houses a storage/utility room. To your left you have the spacious lounge with traditional feature beams, a charming fireplace and patio doors opening out to the pool and terraced areas. An archway opens up to a spacious dinning room and there is a downstairs double bedroom with a fully fitted ensuite bathroom. Back into the hall and in front, is the unique kitchen, built into part of a cave, designed beautifully, equipped with high

quality appliances and granite worktops. The stairs to the second floor are entirely marble and have an enchanting design. On the right is the impressive master suite with a spacious bedroom, dressing room and ensuite shower room equipped with his and hers sinks. From here patio doors open up to a large roof terrace with views across the mountains and valley. Next is the third double bedroom with an ensuite fitted with a bathtub and shower, also with patio

It is perfectly located, in a small, peaceful hamlet off the Rambla de Oria, within walking distance of two bars. The property is located just 10 minutes from the village of Oria and the commercial town of Albox, which has everything you can need such as a 24­hour medical centre, many shops, supermarkets, banks, schools and restaurants. Various costal areas can be reached within 40 minutes.

This property is ready for moving straight into, and is available fully furnished.

Don’t waste time and book your visit with us now! We have the keys to your Next House in Almeria!

Three tips

MARGARETA MAGNUSSON, author of The Swedish Art of Ageing Exuberantly, agreed that ageing is hard.

No­one can stop the march of time but there was nothing to you from keeping a clear and positive mind, the 86year­old explained from her Stockholm home.

“You can be young upstairs in your head even if your joints creak,” she said.

Magnusson passed on three tips for making life worth living.

First off, she recommended regarding each obligation or irritation as something to appreciate, like resenting having

Winter warmers

AS those with arthritis already know, a Mediterranean winter can strike cold once the sun goes down in the early months of the year.

The Arthritis Foundation explains that although the cold doesn’t cause arthritis, it does increase joint pain, although there are various ways of dealing with it.

to pay a bill, but being glad you have the wherewithal.

Secondly, surround yourself with the young, who supply fresh ideas and perspective.

Thirdly, say “yes” whenever possible. “Give it a try, whatever it is,” she urged.

Stay warm and protect hands, knees and elbows with layers which can be removed if it gets too warm.

Swim in a heated pool which, even if yours is not, should be easy to find on the Costas where most towns boast a heated municipal pool.

Failing either, a soak in a hot bath will bring relief when temperatures plummet. Regular exercise also helps to cope with arthritis, increasing strength and flexibility while boosting energy and easing discomfort, the Arthritis Foundation recommends.

AGEING EXUBERANTLY: Remain young in your head.

Photo credit: Pixabay/Pasja1000

Vital vitamins

WINTER woollies are all very well, but vitamins can help to keep colds and flu at bay. For the immune system to do its job, it needs four big hitters: Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Vitamin K.

As well as meat and blue fish, don’t forget potatoes and bananas as a Vitamin B6 source. Vitamin C is present in fruit and greens, but it’s there in potatoes, too.

BANANAS: A great source of Vitamin B6.

For Vitamin D take cod liver oil, eat sardines and calves’ liver while soaking up Spanish sun. And for Vitamin E, feast on avocado and reach for the olive oil.

Natural wonder

DRUGS containing butylphthalide, a chemical that occurs naturally in celery seeds, could assist the recovery of stroke patients.

Those prescribed the medication in China had less severe neurological symptoms and better mental skills than those receiving a placebo.

“This is the first trial to show the benefit of using medication that protects the brain from damage caused by a lack of oxygen to brain tissue,” said Dr Baixue Jia, from the National Clinical Research Centre for Neurological Diseases in Beijing.

Mask masquerade

AS face masks are gradually phased out ­ now necessary only in Spain’s health and social care centres ­ South Korean researchers discovered that some people are still reluctant to discard them.

As well as the ultra­cautious who fear Covid, they found that people who saw themselves as unattractive preferred to continue masking up.

“We saw that self­perceived attractiveness has significant effects on mask­wearing intentions in the post­pandemic era,” the Seoul National University investigators concluded after quizzing Americans with three different questionnaires. Their findings suggested that mask­wearing could sometimes shift from a Covid self­protection measure to a belief that face­coverings could enhance looks.

My card pull of the week is Trust your Path

What the universe has in store

NOW we have come to the end of January that brought a lot of us challenges, changes and fear. You may be feeling a sense of why is this happening to me? I don’t understand or I feel alone? The answer is the universe puts us in a position in our life path that removes any negative energies that may include, relationships, family, friendships and work opportunities, to clear your path for your true purpose in life.

Now at this time you may be feeling on a low vibration and loss of faith however, if it was that easy to get to your main goal in life you would never learn the lessons that we are all here to learn. Each of us has a purpose, a gift that we are given at birth and it is our job to work out what that is,

this all starts with our mind set. If we wake up in the morning and feel like every day is the same or you are not happy with the way your life is going then you have the power to change it. This all starts with you. It’s the little goal settings that will help you lift you.

When you go to bed at the end of each day and you start counting the things in your head what you haven’t done, this causes the reaction of over thinking and this starts of anxiety if you go to bed and start counting the things you have done even if it is the smallest thing then you have a win. Count the things you have achieved and be grateful, the more gratitude you have the more you will receive.

So, let’s start with goal setting. I find it really helpful to physically write down my goals for the year. then gradually start to break down how I am going to achieve them. I find doing this on

a weekly bases is manageable. Every Sunday I think of three things I want to achieve this week whether it’s making the beds every morning (my house is so busy in the morning trying to get three boys ready and off to school. On time) or making sure I have time for myself even if it just 15 minutes in the morning to do my affirmation.

Once I have achieved my weekly goals it resets my mindset in to a positive state which attracts positive vibrations in to my life which will help me achieve my bigger goals and start ticking off my goals for the year.

Right, back to the card, ‘trust your path’ the universe always has your back, keep on going you will always get to where you are meant to be and keep the faith. If you knew you would be supported what would you do? I’m going to leave you with that question, set goals and count your little wins!

If you would like to know more or have a reading please go to my website to book your very own session with myself, you can find me on Instagram @theangelic.medium or visit my website.

https://www.theangelicpsychicmedium.com sending lots of love your friend Emma.

DON’T CALL 999 AND PUT YOUR FOOT IN IT!

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

“MY boyfriend won't kiss me!” ­ this is just one of the weirdest 999 calls revealed by police who urge a sensible use of the emergency number as people use it to discover train times and dentists’ contact details. Last year a woman even called 999 because she’d been refused entry to a nightclub for being ‘past it’. Good grief!

But top prize goes to the man who admitted making hundreds of nuisance calls to the NHS 111 line in order to indulge a ‘sexual foot fetish’. The offender from Worthing, West Sussex, made over 1,000 calls, costing the NHS £21,000.

Pretending to be an elderly woman and using ‘false personal

The downsizing trap

details, false telephone numbers and false ailments’, he’d ask call handlers about their feet according to Sussex Police who stated he “had a sexual foot fetish which he indulged during most of the calls”. Many of the calls led to clinicians responding and sometimes ambulances were even dispatched.

Heck, if crime writers like myself came up with motives as weak as these for calling out the cops or calling the NHS 111 line in our thrillers, we’d be nicked for wasting readers’ time! And that’d be a fair cop!

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

THE British Benevolent Fund tries to help those Britons in Spain who face extreme financial hardship. Many people seek help in difficult circumstances such as following the death of a loved one.

In mourning for their loss, they often also seek closure so they can continue with their lives. Sometimes this involves facing up to the harsh reality of the partner’s death meaning a drop in income whilst having ongoing mortgage or rent for a property that is now too big for one. Which might sound relatively easy, but in a recent case of a widower with an ongoing health condition and poor mobility who did not have the finances to downside.

His income was no longer adequate for the large property he had lived in when his wife was alive, and he knew that he would have to move out to a smaller and more affordable property or eventually face eviction. He decided to act but realised that this was not as straightforward as he had thought. He was physically

unable to move large household items, nor did he have the recourses for the upfront deposit and rental of a new property while he was still paying the old one and the added uncertainty of not knowing if the old landlord would be difficult in repaying his original deposit. He contacted the British Benevolent Fund to see if they would be able to help. To us it was a clear yes. A man in emotionally difficult circumstances who was trying to move on and was taking the decisions to do so but didn’t have the resources. He needed a helping hand. Working with a local partner ­ one of many that can be found at the British Embassy supported resource www.supportinspain.info ­ we were able to help him pack a lifetime of shared memories

and pay the removals firm to his new apartment where he lives to this day. We receive hundreds of requests from people that find that a relatively small amount can go a long way. We can only do so with your support. If you would like to make a donation please visit our website www.british benevolentfund.org or contact me olaf.clayton@britishbenev olentfund.org ­ Thank you on behalf of our recipients.

GO LOCAL

WHEN YOU GO SHOPPING - GO LOCAL!

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

Noraistheauthorofpopularpsychological suspenseandcrimethrillersandafreelancejournalist.

Nora’s latest thriller.

NoraJohnson’sopinionsareherownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

Epileptic attacks

EPILEPSY is a problem suffered frequently by dogs under the age of five, which usually causes convulsions or epileptic attacks.

Canine epilepsy has a genetic factor and there are breeds, including Beagles, St Bernards and German Shepherds which are more likely to suffer.

The first epileptic attack usually happens between the ages of six months and five years and comes completely unexpectedly in the form of convulsions, peddling movements of the legs, excessive salivation, uncontrolled urination and loss of conscience.

Although the attacks in themselves don’t put a dog’s life at risk, they are in danger of biting their tongues, falling or bumping into things and injuring themselves. Knowing how to react during an attack will help you remain calm and help your dog.

First, lay it down on a soft surface. Avoid high places like the sofa to avoid the risk of a fall. It’s important not to try to pull your dog’s tongue out as it could end up biting it. Attacks usually last two minutes at the most. When over, let the dog rest in a quiet place as they are usually tired and confused after an attack.

Pet-friendly travels

GETTING away and travelling to new places is one of life’s great pleasures, and can be even fun if you take the family’s faithful companion along too.

There are many destinations in Spain which pet owners can enjoy in the company of their canine friends, from rural mountain retreats to the country’s extensive and varied coastline; these days there are even beaches with dedicated dog­friendly areas.

Cities too can be an option for travellers with their pets by their side, as a growing number of hotels and hostels do now admit dogs.

Planning ahead and checking out accommodation with a pets welcome policy is a good idea: some establishments have certain limits, perhaps on the size of dog they admit.

Even if a hotel is pet­friendly, dog owners should use their common sense during their stay. Most establishments do not want dogs to be left on their own in rooms. Keep them on a lead in communal areas, not only so they won’t run off, but to prevent altercations with other four­legged guests.

Also recommended is dogs wearing collars with name tabs, just in case they do manage to wander off on their own.

Springtime diseases Purrfect pet nutrition

WE hear a lot about how to adapt our own diets during the winter to make sure we get all the right vitamins and minerals to deal with temperature drops, but how can we do the same for our pets?

Size matters

The first thing to have in mind when feeding your pet over the winter is its size and age. Some pet owners increase their pets’ meal sizes during the winter to keep them warm, but vets advise against this, particularly in cats as overfeeding can lead to health issues and obesity.

Plush fur

Vets also recommend increasing oily foods, particularly in dogs’ diets over the winter. This can give their fur an outward

shine and also build fur strength, essential to keep their bodies warm. Hydration is also crucial.

Active lifestyle

It is important to keep

your pet active during the winter. If you want to stay in, or have a cat, play with your pet to keep their body and mind active.

Rub-a-dub pup

LOVE it or loathe it, bath time is a key part of having a dog, and in the winter it can be a little harder to get your pet into the bath. Today we’re bringing you some vet­approved tips on how to get your dog squeaky clean despite the cooler temperatures!

How often?

While your dog might love to splash around in the summer to cool off, the bath is less appealing in the winter. Experts recommend bathing your dog no more than once a month during winter, but it’s important to brush your dog more often.

Gently does it

If bathing isn’t your dog’s favourite activity, introduce it to the water slowly. Start by wetting your hand and run­

ning it through its fur. Next try a water­soaked sponge before moving into the bathtub. Experts also recommend talking to your dog in a gentle voice throughout.

The aftermath

Reward your dog for good behaviour with a treat afterwards and make sure you have a warm, dry towel on hand to dry it off quickly.

EACH season has its own pitfalls and hazards. These are some springtime diseases and dangers for dogs:

Wasp and bee stings are frequent in spring and can sometimes cause significant allergic reactions.

Adders come out of hibernation and their bites can cause major injuries. Fertilisers and insecticides are used more at this time and it is necessary to avoid the contact of these products with pets.

Some plants and flowers such as daffodils, tulips, amaryllis, azaleas and rhododendrons can cause severe gastrointestinal upset, even death if ingested by your dog.

Encounters with other animals may be more frequent and problematic this time of year as many dogs tend to be more excitable and restless during the spring months, and this can lead to fights when interacting with other dogs.

Inciting factors can lead some dogs to escape the their homes which can lead to accidents.

The activity of the sand flies that transmit Leishmaniosis begins and repellents must be used

Many of these dangers will require veterinary care to correct.

Photo credit: Svitlana Hulko / shutterstock.com

A diet rich in protein, carbohydrates and washed down with plenty of water is recommended to keep your pet active through the winter.

Follow these tips for bathing your dog.

Photo credit: masarik / shutterstock.com

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)

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

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)

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 tbuddyh hvisits@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 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.british legion.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

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)

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)

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

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)

INTERNATIONAL SKIPPER LICENCE: Courses held in English and starts soon. RYA VHF and Radar Courses. 636 444 929 (301483)

Male/Female viagra, cialis, kamagra jelly, mixed trial packs available, all areas mail order. 604 385 476. viagra4you19@gmailcom

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

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)

PLUMBERS

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

PLUMBING

If you can read it, so can your clients. Contact us and have your business grow at + 34 951 386 161

SOLAR ENERGY

SOLAR WIND POWER SOLUTIONS. Over 20 years installation experience. Established 17 years in Spain. Call Phil for competitive prices on 636 261 240 or email info@sunergyalmeria.com (295779)

PROP FOR RENT WANTED

UPHOLSTERY

Mazda 3 - an attractive package

ROAD TEST

byMarkSlack

TWO quick glances and out ­ might well be enough to put this Mazda high on your list of desir able medium sized hatchbacks. The Mazda 3 line ­ up offers both hatchback and saloon priced from €25,963/ £23,265 and €29,307/ £26,265 respectively.

All engine options are based on a 2.0­ litre, four cylinder, naturally aspi rated petrol unit with mild hybrid assistance and mated to either a manual or automatic transmission.

Six trim levels, five in the saloon models, offer an excellent standard features list and in the GT Sport Tech on my driveway the list is extremely comprehensive.

Powered and heated door mirrors, auto dim ­

ming mirrors, adaptive LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors with 360 ­ degree camera, auto lights and wipers, power sunroof, privacy glass, dual zone climate, head­up display, heated front seats and steering wheel, intelligent cruise control and a comprehensive sound system that incorporates nav­

igation and Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

My test model was finished in Soul Red, a particularly head­turning colour and for the right reasons even if it does add €972/£870 to the final bill. However, this latest Mazda 3, priced at €33,992/ £30,465, has more than colour on its side.

Facts at a Glance

• Model: Mazda 3 2.0 GT Sport Tech

33,992/£30,465

• Engine: 2.0-Litre, 186PS, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder petrol with mild hybrid assistance

• Gears: 6-Speed manual

• Manual Performance: 0-100kph (62 mph) 8.1 seconds

• Maximum Speed 215 kph (134 mph)

• Economy: 5.3l/100km (53.3 mpg) Combined driving WLTP

• Emissions: 121 g/km WLTP

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

The GT Sport Tech has a clever 2.0 ­ litre petrol engine that comes with what Mazda calls spark controlled compression ignition which mixes conventional petrol engine technology with a touch of diesel cleverness to produce better economy and emissions.

Developing 186PS and

mated to a six­speed manual gearbox the car returns 5.3l/100 km (53.3 mpg). There is also mild hybrid assistance courtesy of a 24 ­ volt battery to further improve economy, performance and help reduce emissions.

The rest of the car is more typically old school Mazda, which is nearly all a positive. You will find a

cockpit that’s well put together but veers (correctly) on the side of simpler usability, with switches and knobs rather than taking the full touch screen route that looks sexy but is simply annoying to use. Add the sharp styling package and the Mazda makes for a competitive and attractive motoring package.

MAZDA 3: Makes for a competitive and attractive motoring package with sharp styling.

Electric minis for the UK

IF a government grant said to be worth around a £75 million is agreed by the British government, then BMW will go ahead and build electric minis at its Oxfordshire plant.

According to a news source on Saturday, February 4 the company is in talks to secure funding from Whitehall’s Automotive Transformation Fund.

The application is said to have the support of both the business secretary and the chancellor, with talks possibly being finalised within weeks.

What isn’t clear is how the funding will be used and when it would be used, but it would provide a major boost for an industry that has just experienced its worst output since the 50s.

Production in 2022 dropped nearly 10 per cent falling to around 775,000 vehicles according to the Society of Mo ­

tor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Supply chain issues and BREXIT have all impacted on the industry, which is struggling to return to pre ­ pandemic levels of production. To make matters worse Britishvolt, the electric vehicle battery manufacturer that hoped to supply the local industry has collapsed.

BMW, which employs 4,000 people at the plant,

is said to be committed to the UK although it had indicated in 2021 that it would produce the electric mini elsewhere.

Then it said the electric mini would be built in China, however, with the world a different place it is thought the company has revisited its plans.

Neither the government nor BMW would however comment on the talks.

ELECTRIC MINIS: Could be built at the Oxfordshire plant.

Verstappen keeps focused Another manager fired

MAX VERSTAPPEN, the Red Bull World Champion, is reported to have installed a F1 simulator in a private jet to enable him to train whilst travelling between racing venues.

A Dutch sports site reported on Monday, February 6 that Verstappen had the simulator installed so that he could make good use of travelling time to brush up on his knowledge of individual racecourses.

Verstappen, a competitive individual, is apparently very happy with the addition to his Dassault Falcon 900EX believing that it will help to keep him focused and give him some competitive advantage.

Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko said: “Verstappen has had his private jet converted so that he can fly around with a simulator in the future.

“That’s a good thing, because Max needs this distraction. In any case, it didn’t do him any favours when you look at his two world championships.”

Formula 1 drivers are pushed to the limit of endurance. But they also spend as much time in the air as they do on the track.

This Marko suggested, could give Verstappen up to 240 more hours of practice time in comparison to the competition.

ENGLISH Premier League side Leeds United sacked their American manager Jesse Marsch on Monday, February 6. The club has gone seven games without a win and is languishing near the foot of the table. The news was confirmed by

Sunday February 5. A string of terrible results probably gave the Elland Road hierarchy no other option as they try to salvage their season and survival in the top flight. They are without a win since early November 2022.

Marcelo Bielsa. The 49year ­ old kept them in the Premier League thanks to a vital victory on the final day of the season.

It is rumoured that Carlos Corberan, the 39year ­ old current manag ­

er of West Bromwich Albion could be considered for the vacant job. He was at Leeds previously as a coach with the U23 players, and last season led Huddersfield Town into the Championship play ­ offs.

Boxing star’s comeback

ANTHONY JOSHUA will go toe ­ to ­ toe with Jermaine Franklin in a bout confirmed for April 1 in London.

The Brit has been out of action since suffering back­

€450,000

to­back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.

However, Joshua will now take on Franklin on April 1 at The O2 in the capital, with the American having lost in his last fight against Joshua’s long ­ term rival Dillian Whyte in 2022.

Weighing up the the fight, Joshua said: “I’m looking forward to stepping back into the ring on April 1 at The O2 in London. Mentally and physically, I feel ready.

“Franklin has a good style and a great attitude, which he has shown in recent fights.”

JESSE MARSCH: Joined Leeds less than one year ago.

Photo credit: Leonard Zhukvosky/Shutterstock.com

Alessia Russo has been paid and makes her the most expensive player in women’s football.

D rivers p ushed to the limit.