Costa Blanca South 9 – 15 February 2023 Issue 1962

VALENTINE’S DAY FUN

HELP AT HOME has been a lifeline to many who have found themselves struggling.

The charity offers a wide range of services including respite care, companionship, befriending, shopping services, advice and guidance and help with transport needs just to name a few.

Help at Home can also provide mobility and rehabilitation equipment which is available for hire or for sale, ranging from hospital beds, wheelchairs, walking frames, commodes, and crutches to accessibility ramps.

Help at Home rely on charity events. So why not head along to support them at their Valentine’s Day Charity Fair at the Milk & Honey Bar & Bistro, Flamenca Beach, Commercial Centre, in what promises to be a fun­packed day.

The Charity Fair is open from midday until 5.00pm and will have over 30 stalls offering unique handmade products. From 2.00pm you

will be able to enjoy the fabulous voice of Melissa Fanning.

For more details on Help and Home and to find out more about what

they do explore the website helpathomecb.com .

For more information email charitycentre.help athomecb@gmail.com or call (+34) 965 328 794.

CHARITY FAIR: Over 30 stalls will be offering handmade products to raise funds for Help at Home.

Volunteering

YOUNG people wishing to volunteer in Europe will be pleased to hear that Murcia has renewed the European Solidarity Corps Quality Label.

Young people between 18 and 30 years old who are registered in the municipality will be able to volunteer or carry out work experience in Europe through the European Solidarity Corps.

“The European Solidarity Corps is a programme aimed at increasing the participation of young people and organisations in solidarity activities, especially volunteering, as tools for strengthening cohesion, democracy, European identity and active citizenship in the European Union and beyond,” explained councillor, Teresa Franco.

“In addition, the city council plans to plan and implement a promotional campaign, which will initially last for two months, to provide the necessary tools to young people in Murcia who wish to participate in this type of project.”

Information can be found on the website www.informa joven.org or by calling (+34) 968 231 589.

Tree-mendous

THE planting of over 800 trees is set to take place in Torrevieja in preparation for National Tree Day 2023 on July 30.

More than 600 pupils from local schools will take part in the environmental reforestation activity after receiving various informative talks on the importance of ecological regeneration and the planting criteria.

A total of 800 plants for 2.5 hectares will be planted by the pupils from the 14 local schools in a very important area of the Natural Park with native species such as kermes oak, mastic, taray, lavender, juniper, black hawthorn, palmetto,

Image: Torrevieja City Council

More IKEA

IKEA has now opened a new point of contact in the Zenia Boulevard Shopping Centre in Orihuela where you can pick up orders placed through online shopping, telephone shopping or placed in any physical shop, including the nearby IKEA Disena.

agile and fluid shopping experience. We are confident that this new delivery point will also be very well received.”

Almost eight decades ago, in 1943, IKEA was born in Sweden, and 25 years ago they landed in Spain.

santolina, Aleppo pine, aladierno, rosemary and carob.

The mayor, Eduardo Dolon, has stressed the importance of carrying out this type of activity aimed at young people, so that they are aware of the environmental values that the new generations should have and see first­hand how to reforest spaces and green areas of the municipality.

The mayor also indicated that these actions with all schools in Torrevieja will have continuity so that every year they are carried out and the local children have the opportunity to plant at least one tree.

Ainhoa Echavarri, the Market Manager at IKEA Murcia, confirmed: “Our experience in Zenia Boulevard, with the launch a year and a half ago of our IKEA Disena, has been so positive that we are now launching a second point of contact.

“This new point of contact is designed to offer a more accessible,

Since then, their mission has been to create a better everyday life for the majority of people with a concept that has changed homes forever: ‘democratic design’. That is to say, everyone can have access to functional, designed, sustainable, quality products at an affordable price.

This is the commitment of IKEA.

Virtual medieval Murcia

EVER wondered what medieval towns used to look like? Wonder no more as the Department of Tourism has presented a project to recreate Medieval Murcia with virtual reality and 3D.

Murcia is set to invest €250,000 to develop an immersive experience in the archaeological sites of San Esteban and Monteagudo.

The streets and neighbourhoods of medieval Murcia, the houses and the urban environment of that time, will soon be just a click away.

The councillor for Culture, Tourism and Sports, Pedro Garcia Rex, said: “Through virtual reality, and 3D, we will have the opportunity to see both sites in detail and in all their splendour.”

NATIONAL TREE DAY: More than 600 pupils will take part in the activity.

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.

Helping hand

LOCAL charity, HELP Vega Baja have launched an appeal for a new volunteer to moderate and administer their Facebook page ‘HELP CARERS CONNECT’ which supports carers in the area. Anyone interested can get in touch by email: presi dent@helpvegabaja.com.

Business bonus

ELCHE City Council has announced a funding boost for businesses who open up on the newly refurbished Calle Olegario Domarco Sellés. The street received an investment of €500,000 to pedestrianise it.

Sunny outlook

A FUN and friendly local singing group is inviting all music lovers to get involved. The Sunshine Singers rehearse every Thursday from 3pm­5pm at the Sports Complex in La Marina. The social group is welcoming and does not require auditions.

School success

TORREVIEJA is famous for its incredible diversity, including in education, and a local school was recently selected as the second­best public school in the country. The CEIP Ciudad del Mar reached the prestigious position in the list of 28,458 schools.

Teerrific funds

SUNNY CORNER Golf Society handed over a cheque for €850 to Elche Children’s Home last week. The money was raised during the group’s December golf day last year.

The Pink Ladies raise €1,035

THE Pink Ladies Event at Zenia Boulevard was a great success and they raised a total of €1,035 on the day.

The money was raised from donations from the good people of the Orihuela Costa who once again showed their support for Maria and the Pink Ladies and Panthers. There was live entertainment throughout the day provided by Simon Jackson MBE, Leroy Morales, Stevie Spitt, Moth­

TWENTY plus boxes of aid generously donated by Age Concern Costa Banca are now on their way to help those suffering in Ukraine.

Age Concern Costa Blanca south is looking for volunteers to become part of their great team by helping those in need.

If you are interested or would like more information call (+34) 966 786 887 or pop

er and son duo Project Duo, Margaret Macdonald and the day was closed with a performance by The Raquel

Peña Flamenco Dancers. A special thanks to Alfie G who hosted the whole day from 10.30am till 4.30pm.

A minute’s silence was held at 3pm where a large number of the public joined hands and respected the silence held in honour of all those who lost their fight to cancer.

The total amount raised will be passed on to the AACC to help in the fight against this heinous disease.

A big thank you to the Management of the Boulevard for all their help and support once again.

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S

Future of Dames

THE Dames of Turre held their AGM on Tuesday January 31 at the El Pago restaurant followed by lunch.

After the annual and financial reports had been read the floor was open for discussion.

into the Age Concern Day Centre in Calle Paganini, La Siesta, which is open Monday to Friday from 10.00am until 1.30pm.

Age Concern Costa Blanca South is a non­profit making charity registered with the Generalitat Valenciana, in

1998. Age Concern in Spain encourages people from other countries to integrate with the Spanish people and seek to establish relationships with Spanish associations that work for the benefit of older people.

Their aim is to promote the

well­being of all older people and help to make life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience. Through their network of volunteer workers, they aim to meet the needs of whoever calls on us, whether for friendship and support, counselling, information and advice.

Bus brilliance

Betty Henderson

Age Concern aid A cold day for fishing

THURSDAY February 2 saw Carp ­ R ­ Us returning to the El Bosquet complex, fishing pegs 17 to 40. Upon arrival it was showing ­2oC and a low cold mist hung over the complex. It did not bode well, especially as these pegs had not been producing many fish recently. However, the sun did come out later.

Dave Hutchinson drew the lucky peg 26 which not only gave him €10 but saw him on the favoured peg. He fished pole and maggot for eight carp and a total weight of 6.12 kgs to come out overall winner. Alan Smith on peg 37 fished very fine using maggot and punched bread to winkle out a few small mullet, then a carp later on, for 3.22 kgs and winner of his section. Ken Willcock on peg 22 was the final section winner with 2.40kgs on pole and pellet. There were four dry nets.

On Wednesday February 8, the Club will be holding its 2022 trophy awards with lunch at Giovanni’s in Almoradi. Then on Thursday return to the Rio Segura at Bigastro / Jacarilla.

For further information visit www.carp ­ r ­ us.wee bly.com or the Facebook page Carp ­ R ­ Us Fishing Costa Blanca.

ELCHE has proved its commitment to sustainability and the environment, transporting nearly 10 million passengers by bus in 2022.

The figures released on Thursday, February 2 are a 23 per cent improvement on figures from last year. A total of 9.9 million passengers travelled by bus in Elche during 2022. Local councillor for Public Transport, Esther Díez explained, “This data reflects a return to normality after the pandemic, with passengers returning to public transport.”

Díez believes 2023 will be another crucial year in achieving the city’s public transport goals.

Elche City Council has been trying to incentivise local residents to travel by bus as it is more sustainable than travelling in their own vehicle. Policies include a free and reduced ticket price scheme, which meant that 60 per cent of

users travelled for free, and another 20 per cent used a longterm discounted subscription.

Data also revealed that the city’s B line bus was the most popular service in 2022, with 1.3 million passengers opting to travel on it. After national legislation changed on Tuesday, February 7, wearing a mask on public transport is no

The main topic was how the members wished to continue in the future as the membership has declined. It was felt that for the time being there would not be any speakers booked, but there would be a monthly luncheon meeting.

There will not be a February meeting but a lunch would be arranged for Wednesday March 8 to celebrate National Women’s Day. The venue for this will be announced nearer the time.

As the members do not wish to disband the club, there will be further discussions on what format the meetings will follow in the future.

A SUCCESS: The event at Zenia Boulevard.

Off to a good start

THE New Year got off to a good start for the Torrevieja branch of the U3A.

The first full meeting of the association featured the Groups Fair for the first time in its new spot. It was held on January 30 instead of its customary date in October and proved to be very successful as more than 265 people attended.

The Membership table was kept extremely busy with people renewing their membership or non ­ members wishing to join up before they visited the Group tables which were also kept busy experi­

encing a lot of interest in their activities and signing up a large number of new participants.

Later in the morning The Costa Blanca Morris dancers, who are also affiliated to the Torrevieja U3A, gave a demonstration of a selection of dances that was warmly appreciated by the audience.

For further details about the association, simply visit our website torreviejau3a.org where information about all aspects of the association can be found including how to download an application form to enable you to join.

PROVERBOFTHEWEEK

Football champs

LOCAL football fans will be pleased to hear that Pinoso Football Club has been named as winter champions.

The senior team of Pinoso Football Club which plays in Group VIII of the first regional league has been proclaimed winter champion as they are now leading the group after the first round. The numbers presented by the Football Club show that 15 games have been played. There have been 13 wins, two defeats and no draws.

They have scored a brilliant 33 goals, which averages out at two and a half goals per game. The goalkeeper has done his job and Pinoso have only conceded two goals.

Pinoso now lead the standings with 39 points. They are closely followed by Torrevieja who have 37 points and San Fulgencio who

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.

Image: Pinoso City Council PINOSO: Winter champions.

have 34 points.

Coach, Francisco Garcia Romero, better known as Francis, confirmed that Pinoso has found stability in the game, adding: “The contribution of all the players is fundamental, for example in the last home game the team played with six absentees.”

As a player, in addition to Pinoso, Francis has also played for Villena, Eldense and Monovar.

Elche against Cancer

Betty Henderson

RESIDENTS and authorities in Elche came together to pledge their commitment to the fight against cancer on World Cancer Day on Saturday, February 4 in the city centre.

The council showed their solidarity by holding a public meeting in the city’s Plaça de Baix where they read a manifesto against cancer detailing planned action including funding research, supporting cancer sufferers, survivors and their families as well as remembering those who have died from cancer. The council pledged a funding package worth €12,000 for the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AEC) as part of the manifesto.

Juanjo Licerán, President of a local cancer organisation also spoke at the event on the devastating impact of cancer, including reading statistics which suggest that one in two men and one in three women will suffer during their life by 2030.

ON Monday January 31, Roda Golf was the venue for this first game of 2023. Another joint venture with the Royal Oak golfers. From a chilly early morning first Tee, SAMM Captain for the day, Bob Lagden, led us off. Bob Threader won the longest drive while Rosalind Smith won both nearest the pin on the 13th and the Stableford with 35 points. Congratulations both.

Roda’s restaurant with its elevated views over the island green par 3 seventh and of the 18th green, played host to the after ­ game refreshments with much forensic discussions of the days highs and lows. Just remember one thing: a bad day on the golf course is still better than a good day in the office.

Thank you all for another great day out.

The next SAMM Society venue is La Torre on April 4. If you would like to join this game please mail sammgolfsociety @gmail.com

Following Covid and Brexit we are looking for new members. If you would like to know more about us, go to our Facebook pages, web site or email: mem bership@sailingmar menor.com.

SAMM ­ Sailing Association Mar Menor.

SAMM encompasses dinghy to catamaran sailing, cruising and motorboat groups.

If you like sailing and want to know more email sammgolfsoci ety@gmail.com or follow us on our new Facebook Page Sailing Association Mar Menor Golf Society.

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

Busy buses

THE Elche city bus registered more than 9.9 million passengers during 2022. This is an increase of 23.46 per cent over the previous year, the councillor for Sustainable Mobility, Esther Diez, has confirmed.

“These figures reflect the fact that citizens are returning to normality and making use of public transport after the pandemic,” said the councillor, who is convinced that 2023 will be a key year for increasing the number of

passengers.

Diez assured that the percentages are similar in terms of the type of tickets used compared to previous years, with 60 per cent of people travelling free of charge and more than 20 per cent using season tickets.

Diez also stated that since the last four­month period of 2022, around 10 per cent of users have travelled with the 50 per cent discount and she is convinced that with this poli­

ORIHUELA was unrecognisable to the 21st century visitor last weekend as the city transformed into a medieval market town. The 23rd edition of the event was declared open on Friday, February 3 before a weekend of festivities.

This year’s event saw more than 300 craft and food stalls line the streets of the city, offering their wares for passers­by to sample and purchase. As well as selling traditional artisan goods, stall owners held demonstrations and workshops for visitors to learn more about the city’s medieval past. Knights also battled it out in duels and birds of prey demonstrations entertained guests.

cy of reducing prices, the number of passengers using the passes will increase.

As for the use of the lines, the councillor pointed out that the B line, with 1,331,309 passengers, was the most used.

Medieval mania

Medieval Orihuela was also brought to life by merchants in costume, parades and historical reenactments carried out by a theatre company. Families from all over the country enjoyed a fun day out while learning about the city’s past.

Over the weekend the city’s museums also offered longer opening hours and interesting exhibitions on different historical figures including King Alfonso X, allowing visitors to discover more about the city’s roots.

Councillor for Sustainable Mobility, Esther Diez.

Image: Elche City Council

EUROVISION fans will be delighted to hear that Elche is representing Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest later this year.

Elche’s mayor, Carlos Gonzalez, has described the Eurovision singer, Blanca Paloma, as: “A woman with talent, creativity, intelligence, sensitivity and commitment.”

He also stressed that she

Elche on the map

has become “a cultural and musical reference that will give a lot of visibility to the city.

“She has made it happen. Elche will represent Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 this May in Liverpool, in the United Kingdom.”

CHARITY GIFTS

FROM the money raised at their pantomime in December, Treasure Island, the Rojales Pantomime Group are pleased to be able to donate €2,000 to the very worthy cause, the Stroke Association. The Group’s President, John Fagg presented the money to the Stroke Association President/Physio, Paul Owen and Maria a member of the Association who said the gift would be put to good use within the community. The sum of €500 has also been gifted to Help Vega Baja.

This year’s pantomime has now been chosen which is going to be the very funny Snow White and the Seven Christmas Elves, with auditions being held early April. The Group are looking for new members for all areas within the theatre, either performing or helping backstage with props and costumes. Also members of the Group can enjoy an organised monthly social.

An AGM will be held on March 8 so, if you are interested in joining the Group, contact us by email on ro jalespanto@yahoo.com.

Blanca will be signing ‘Ea, Ea’, a particular family lullaby that fuses flamenco with electronic music.

The artist from Elche swept the EuroFest final in Benidorm with her flamenco proposal in homage to her grandmother, Carmen.

Blanca won the consensus of both the professional jury and the popular vote, leaving Agoney and Vicco a long way behind. Blanca Paloma scored 169 points, 24 points ahead of Agoney, the second choice and one of the favourites (145) and 40 points ahead of Vicco (129), who came third.

Elche’s mayor, Carlos Gonzalez, and Eurovision singer, Blanca Paloma.

Image: Elche City Council

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.”

Car hijacking fail

A 47-YEAR-OLD man who attempted a car hijacking failed miserably after it turned out he did not know how to start the vehicle.

Although the event took place in January the story has only come to light now being covered by a local news source on Saturday, February 4.

According to the driver’s statement, the would­be thief said: “Give me the car or I’ll shoot you, I have a gun.”

Not wishing to be injured the driver jumped out of the vehicle only to see the man fail to make his escape as he couldn’t turn the car on. The driver contacted the police who were on the scene quickly to arrest the man. During the arrest, it became clear he did not have a gun, but he did resist injuring one officer in the process.

It also turned out that he was known to some of the officers who had

evicted him from a local bar after an altercation earlier in the day.

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.

Man was arrested.

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.

Parador Almagro 167exterior architecture.

Image: Spanish Government / Tourism

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,

Valentine’s choice

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.

Chaos in Cantabria

“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: 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.

IT has been discovered that new Cercanias trains designed for railway routes in the Cantabria region do not fit through the tunnels.

Miguel Angel Revilla, the President of Cantabria in northern Spain on Friday, February 3, demanded answers from the government. It was discovered that the dimensions of the new Cercancias suburban trains designed to run on routes in the region are actually too wide to fit through the tunnels.

As a result, there will be a

lengthy delay in rectifying the fault before the fleet can be finally rolled out. He called the design error “a monumental botched job” and said he hoped that “heads will roll.”

Speaking to RNE, the Cantabrian president said

AFTER months of speculation, the Spanish Royal Family revealed that Princess Sofía will head to the UK to finish her high school education in a press release on Monday, February 6.

The Royals’ youngest daughter will follow in her older sister, Princess Leonor’s footsteps, as she heads to the UWC Atlantic College of Wales in the UK. The Palace announced that the 15year­old has completed the application process for the prestigious international school and has now been accepted.

Princess Sofía is expected to start the school in time for the next academic year in September 2023, where she will study their International

that he expected Raquel Sanchez, the Minister of Transport, to “give explanations” during her planned visit to Castro Urdiales.

Renfe has reached an agreement with CAF, Adif, and the Agencia de Seguridad Ferroviaria (AESF) to unblock the problem with the gauges of the new metric gauge trains. They were destined for suburban and medium­distance services mainly in Cantabria, but also for Asturias, the Basque Country, Galicia, Castilla y Leon, and Murcia.

Packing her bags

Baccalaureate programme. As well as academic subjects, the school has a community­centred approach with volunteering opportunities. The UWC Atlantic College is a boarding school for students aged 16 to 19 and is located in south Wales around 20 miles west of the capital, Cardiff. As well as her older sister, the school’s other regal alumni include Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, who currently studies there and members of the Belgian and Jordanian royal families.

Cercanias trains too big.

£220,000

is the cost to the public of Boris Johnson’s Partygate defence.

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

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

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

Credit: Emma McGrath

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.

Passage to Portugal

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 infrastruc-

Best Villages

ture which the company believes will “serve as an impetus for other companies to develop their own sustainable transport”.

€220However, 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 high-speed service from Madrid to Barcelona and connections to the south of the country.

Important congress

BARCELONA is set to host the International Social Housing Festival ( ISHF), the most important international social housing congress in Europe

On June 7, 8 and 9, the fourth edition of the ISHF will be held at the Palau de Congressos de Barcelona, which expects to bring together between 1,500 and 2,000 attendees from all over the world.

While habitat systems around the world have experienced a decline in the role of the public sector in the regulation and direct provision of habitat in recent decades, in some cities - including Barcelonainnovative habitat policies are being implemented to respond to the social emergency, as a result of the financialisation of habitat, the lack of affordability, inequalities, and the increase in sentiment or migratory flows, among other phenomena.

In addition to the main events at the Palau de Congressos, the ISHF will feature around 100 activities, including parallel sessions and visits, and is expected to attract between 1,500 and 2,000 visitors.

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 Organisation 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.”

has been charged to thousands of self-employed people in Spain accidentally.

A LANGUAGE school that does more than teach language, a help line for vulnerable women, and a support group for new arrivals in Spain have earned their organisers accolades in the Good Neighbour award scheme, launched recently by Age in Spain. The scheme is designed to acknowledge the often­unsung

Good neighbours rewarded

heroes who go beyond the call of duty to help in their community. The awards were judged by an international panel and endorsed by the UK Ambassador to Spain, HMA Hugh Elliott.

Outright winner of the award was Lucia Miguel Bores who lives in Carrion de los Condes. Lucia was nominated for the Good Neighbour Award because the language school she started, Forum Idiomas, has be­

come a portal for newcomers to Spain. As well as teaching them language skills, she helps students with the challenges of everyday life in a new country.

There was a special commendation for Kay Rowbottom in Mojacar whose action during lockdown to help local women led to the setting up of a support group ­ Kay Frances SturdygirlsRus.

Pat Love, one half of the ‘Love Team’ in the Loja area of Granada won special commendation for the group she started for English­speaking migrants to Spain. With her husband, Peter, who passed away recently, Pat co­ordinated with UK Consular services in Granada and Malaga to help newcomers navigate aspects of a new country.

The winners received certificates from Age in Spain and commendation from HMA Hugh Elliott, who said: “These

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.

awards are a great recognition of the difference people make to their communities and I was truly delighted to see the number of English speaking­nationals nominating their Spanish neighbours and vice versa. “

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.

Kay Frances.

Lucia Miguel Bores.

Pat and Peter Love.

€200,000 found in boot

MUNICIPAL Police officers in Madrid had a huge shock on Tuesday, January 31, when they stopped a vehicle during a routine control in the city centre.

A car circulating on Madrid’s main street, Gran Via, was found to

Gang crackdown

By Peter McLaren-Kennedy

THE National Police said on Monday, January 30 that efforts to clamp down on gangs had paid off with guns and other dangerous objects also being seized.

Following the success of the intervention ministers have issued an order to enforce better surveillance of weapons and calls for violence on social media.

According to the police, the reinforcement plan resulted in more than 600,000 actions being taken to reduce the incidence of youth violence and to prevent a repetition of the scenes seen last year.

Some 1,700 sites were also inspected resulting in action being taken against nearly 220,000 people for alcohol and drug abuse.

It is understood that the experience gained from the crackdown on Madrid gangs that resulted in more than 500 arrests is being shared with divisions throughout the country in an effort to reduce crime generally.

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.

have €200,000 of banknotes in its boot.

As reported by the force through their Twitter account, the occupants of the vehicle could not justify why they were travelling with such a large amount of money in their vehicle. The identities of the two persons have not been revealed.

They wrote: “€200,000 in a control of a vehicle on the Gran Via. Its occupants could not justify the movement or the origin of the money, so the officers of #CentroNorte proceeded to transfer them to the PN Police Station and start proceedings for money laundering. #PMM".

Given the fact that the origin of the money could not be explained, proceedings for money laundering have subsequently been initiated against the two individuals. The cash was transferred to the National Police Station in Madrid.

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.

The cash found in a car boot in Madrid.

Credit: Twitter@policiademadrid

€36 billion is how much Shell Oil company has made in profits in 2022.

Flybe slots

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

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.

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

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

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

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/fundrai sing/Carly­Lesley.

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.”

1.5% to 3%

Report from French economist proposes a progressive rate for tax fortunes over $100 million.

Image: Carly Lesley / Just Giving

Funds investigated

THE National Audit Office (NAO) is considering a formal investigation into how £220,000 of public money was used to fund Boris Johnson’s legal Partygate defence.

According to a news source on Wednesday, February 1 no formal decision had been made on whether to investigate the issue although discussions are taking place between the NAO and the Cabinet Office.

The six­figure sum is, however, not the end of the story with more money potentially being set aside to cover ongoing investigations by the privileges committee.

Labour’s leader Sir Keir Starmer has called on the prime minister to cut the funding saying that he should tell Johnson “that as he made the mess, he can pick up the bill.”

It is understood that the initial contract issued to Peters & Peters to cover Johnson’s defence was for £129,000, but that the contract had been extended until this month given delays in obtaining information from the government. That extension provides for a budget of £220,000.

Whilst there is legal precedent for funding of this nature, critics say that the circumstances are different and that the public funding for Johnson’s Partygate defence needs to be investigated.

Talks “very constructive”

EUROPEAN Commission

President Ursula von der Leyen has called talks on Northern Ireland with the UK very constructive.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, February 1, von der Leyen said that no deal had yet been reached.

She said: “You know the principle: that everything is only negotiated at the very end when you know what the result is and you give a final signature.”

According to a news outlet she said a deal had all but been agreed upon after she spoke of the good relationship that she has with British Prime Minister

Rishi Sunak. She added that: “our teams are working together to find solutions” on the issue.

Although technical discussions have gone on for months, the combative approach from the UK and the threat of unilateral action yielded few results.

With the third anniversary of the deal signed by Boris Johnson that put a border between the UK and Northern Ireland,

all parties are keen to bring an end to differences and to resolve the issues without endangering the Good Friday agreement that brought peace to the region.

Von der Leyen has refused to be drawn on how close to the two parties are to a deal but the recent intervention of more senior staff would suggest the two parties are close to a deal.

River search for dog walker

DOG walker Nicola Bulley who seemingly disappeared into thin air days ago is now thought to have fallen into the river according to an update from police.

According to the police, an extensive search of the area along the River Wyre had not resulted in Bulley being found, which they now believe may be because she fell into the river. A search of the river started on Friday, February 3 a week after she disappeared.

Friends have retraced the route taken by Bulley but that has not yielded results either. Police searches found her springer spaniel running loose, as well as her mobile which had been left on a bench.

The 45­year­old’s partner had said earlier that he will “never lose hope.”

Paul Ansell told a news source that he kept playing “every scenario” in his head “around and around” but that his focus had to be supporting their two young daughters.”

Ansell continued: “We’re never, ever going to lose hope, of course we’re not, but it is as though she has vanished into thin air.”

Bulley, a mortgage adviser, dropped her six and nine­year­old daughters at school, shortly before taking the dog for a walk. She has never been seen since.

Northern Ireland border.

JOHNSON: Partygate defence.

Image Jonny McCullagh / Shutterstock.com

Image Michael Tubi Shutterstock.com

€4.5 million Subway co-founder leaves his share of company to be given away to charity.

Art exhibition

THE 20 finalists’ works of the International Painting Contest ‘Palmeral de Orihuela’ are on show at the Exhibition Centre in Orihuela until May.

The councillor for the Environment, Guillermo Canovas, confirmed:

“We are lucky to live in a municipality with an extraordinary historical and natural heritage.

“Events like this are ways of enhancing the value of Orihuela through art,” confirmed the councillor who added that the exhibited works of art are also available to purchase.

This is the first time that Orihuela has held its International Painting Contest and due to its success, the council has confirmed that a second event will be held.

For more information head to the Exhibition Centre, Plaza de Europa, s/n. 03300 Orihuela or call (+34) 966 340 101.

Guitar virtuoso

Betty Henderson

THE talented 90s and 00s guitarist and singer, David DeMaría will perform a moving concert in Rojales on Saturday, February 11.

The musical star will perform a passionate medley of songs and is sure to bring the house down at the event which is set to be held in the town’s Capitol Theatre from 10pm on the evening.

The 47­year­old guitarist and singer from Cadiz is acclaimed throughout the country for his incredible composition and emotional ballads about lost love and

Charity Music Festival

GRAB your dancing shoes and join Alannia in Crevillente for their long ­ awaited charity music festival. The event will take place on March 25 and 26 featuring a variety of musical shows and activities with the proceeds from ticket sales going to charity.

On both March 25 and 26 doors will open from midday until 6.00pm. On Saturday March 25 you can enjoy Cher, Abba, Status Quo and Eagles tribute shows. On Sunday March 27 the dulcet tones of Elvis, Westlife, Il Divo and the Beatles tribute groups will be in fine form.

heartbreak. The Andalucian single has also gone triple platinum for one of his top albums, ‘Barcos de papel’ David’s performance in Rojales is the first in a tour of the region. The skilled guitarist will also take to the stage in Atarfe, Granada and Beniel, Murcia on Friday, February 24 and Saturday, February 25.

Tickets for the performance in Rojales are currently on sale for €20 and are available for purchase online from: https://www.giglon. com/todos?idEvent=davidde­maria­capitol­rojales

The money earned from the sale of all the tickets will be shared between the Cruz Roja Crevillente, Easy Care Horse Rescue Centre and Rock Against Cancer charities.

In addition, a number of special activi­

ties are planned to offer a much more complete experience with a car show, craft stalls and a full gastronomic offer and more surprises to come.

For more information head to the Alannia Resort, Salida 730, AP ­ 7, 03330 Crevillent, Alicante, or call: (+34) 965 484 945.

Roaring performance

A THEATRE production of ‘The Lion King’ in San Fulgencio promises an afternoon of ferocious fun for all of the family. A talented cast at the Cardenal Belluga Theatre are set to entertain all with the performance on Saturday, February 18 from 8pm.

Organisers promise a vibrant and full­filled performance, packed with kaleidoscopic coloured costumed

performers. The musical will be performed in Spanish, but will tell the original coming­ofage tale of lion cub Simba’s rise to become the head of the animal kingdom. A story of moral values, emotion and elation, the show will give the audience something to think about. Based on the 1994 Disney classic, the musical has become a firm favourite with musical theatre fans and has

been performed on stages across the globe, including on Broadway.

The performance, organised by the local council, is completely free until the venue reaches capacity. More information about the performance can be found on the theatre’s website or: https://www.facebook.com/ photo/?fbid=5665418988484 97&set=a.464900995679255

Interested in the theatre?

THIS is an appeal for all men out there of any age to join Studio32 in their forthcoming production of ‘Hello Dolly’. They are also on the lookout for a young male aged between 18 and 30 for a principal role that is still to be cast.

If you have experience in Musical Theatre in the areas of singing, acting and dancing they would like to hear from you. Even if you don’t have experience, go along to one of their rehearsals and see what they do.

If you think you have what it takes, then go along and see them at Casa Contenta restaurant, Rojales on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7.00pm and 9.30pm. Guidance and

coaching will be given for those less experienced. Also anyone else, male or female of any age are welcome to go along to their rehearsals if you are interested in taking part in the show, working backstage or have experience working with stage props, lighting and sound. You will be made most welcome.

If you require any further information, contact Linda on 679 062 272 or visit their Facebook page at Studio32 Musical Theatre Company. The show is on at the Cardenal Belluga Theatre, San Fulgencio from May 31 to June 3.

To book tickets visit www.studiothirtytwo.org or call 679 062 272

Proceeds from the event go to charity.

Image: Alannia resort, Crevillente

Photo credit: David DeMaría (via Facebook)

David DeMaría is a talented guitarist who attracts huge crowds for his renditions of Spanish guitar pieces.

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

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.”

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 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

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 to the 2.7­acre enclosure where beavers were released by the Trust in January 2020. The footage was captured using professional, high­resolution 360° video equipment. The im­

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.

Beaver access

mersive experience features trail camera footage of the beavers’ everyday lives, 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.

JEREMY CLARKSON: Facing backlash.

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

No longer historic drama

HELENA BONHAM CARTER, who played Princess Margaret in the third and fourth seasons of the ‘The Crown’, said it’s time to bring the show to an end as it’s no longer a historic drama.

Variety magazine quoted Bonham Carter on Wednesday, February 1 as having told a news source that the fifth season of the show brought it out of the past. The fifth season covers events in the 90s, which she said: “I should be careful here too, but I don’t think they should carry on, actually.”

Saying she was proud of her role in the series, it was no longer a period drama. She said: “When ‘The Crown’ started it was a historic drama, and now it’s crashed into the present. But that’s up to them.”

This is not the first time she has been at odds with the producers. In 2021 she said the show should be accompanied by a warning that it is “a historical fiction.”

The show has received a negative reaction from many within the Royal family, supporting Bonham Carter’s view that they have “a moral responsibility” to make it clear the storyline is fiction.

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, 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.”

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

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

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.

Pressure mounts

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 population, 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”.

Protest sparks outrage

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 earli­

er on Thursday.

Oslo’s Police Commissioner, Martin Strand released a statement saying, “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”.

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.

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.

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.

300 million + olive trees in Spain.

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.

Former NATO commander and pro-western army general, Petr Pavel is Czechia’s new President.

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 Iraqi­German 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 UKRAINIAN man accused of directing the theft of a €1.5 million piece of artwork went on trial in Paris on Monday, January 30. The anonymous suspect allegedly masterminded the raid on the Musée de Beaux ­ Arts in Nancy, France in 2018.

The suspect was arrested in Kyiv one year later by police who had been searching for a murder suspect, when they came across the century ­ old painting that had seemingly disappeared with ­

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.”

Art theft trial

out trace.

The valuable painting by Paul Signac, ‘Le Port de La Rochelle’ was stolen from the gallery by three people.

Museum staff reviewing the footage were shocked by the thieves’ brazen attitude which saw them enter the museum with only head coverings and their faces visible before removing the painting from its frame with a box cutter.

The thieves supposedly rolled up the canvas and carried it out of the museum under one of their coats, all in broad daylight.

The man on trial has repeatedly accused fellow Ukrainian, Vadym Huzhva of coordinating the attack. Huzhva has denied any link to the robbery, and was himself serving time in an Austrian prison for another art robbery at the time.

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 ­

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

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.

No more meat

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.

Couple abandon baby

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

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

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.

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. Keep

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SELLING THROUGH AN AMIGO?

REBECCA SERWOTKA ­ “We sell houses! It’s what we do, it’s ALL we do!” Your favourite local resale property expert, of Inmobiliaria Real Estate Agents in Ciudad Quesada. Published author of ‘Moving Forward ­ 25 Essential Rules For Buying & Selling Real Estate Without Going Crazy’. Request your FREE copy! Featured on Best Buy Spain. Prestige Award Winner for ‘Real Estate Agency Of The Year 2021/22 & 2022/23’.

Using a friend to sell your home? This choice is full of risks, but more importantly, it could jeopardise the success of your home sale.

Using a family member or friend can become fraught. They’ll find it difficult to advise you on price.

You’ll naturally want as much as you can get, but they daren’t tell you the true value as they could hurt your feelings. It’s difficult to disagree on price when it’s between family or friends.

If the house doesn’t sell quickly enough, tension grows, and things get awkward.

Even friends want paying! Using a friend, you may think would save you money. However they’ll be expecting to be paid too! This is the ultimate cringeworthy dialogue, that no­ one wants to have with a friend.

Money is the highest reason for destroying friendships the fastest. If you want to keep your friendly relationship going ­ use an independent Real Estate Agent!

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.

Shellacking for UV lamps

PROFESSIONAL manicurists questioned scientists’ claims that ultraviolet lamps used to harden shellac nail lacquers are a skin cancer risk.

Doug Schoon, a chemist from the Nail Manufacturing Council, said the findings were “biased and unfair” as the researchers used high­powered UV lamps and exposed cultured skin cells 20 minutes a day for three consecutive days.

He added a customer typically puts a hand under a lamp for three minutes each session and most go only two or three times a month.

“Millions have regularly used these lamps for more than 20 years and the bulk of scientific evidence shows that UV nail lamps are safe, when used properly,” Schoon said.

Three tips

MARGARETA MAGNUSSON, author of The Swedish Art of Ageing Exuberantly, agreed that ageing is hard. No ­ one 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

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.

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

worth living.

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

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.

Photo credit: Pixabay/Pasja1000

5.51 million estimated gym memberships in Spain.

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.

Transform your home with sparkling floors

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Care has been restoring and polishing marble and other stone surfaces in Spain for just over 15 years. Working mainly in the Alicante and Murcia regions, Mike has experienced many different problems with stone floors other than just a lack of shine, such as acid etchings, seepage, large cracks and holes. Also, marble tiles that have been left with sharp edges (lippage) can be ground down and fully restored!

Simply Pro Floor Care can clean, repair, polish and restore your marble, limestone, granite, travertine and terrazzo, specialising in:

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• Indoor and outdoor ­ no job too small

Simply Pro Floor Care are fully qualified in stone restoration, repairs, cleaning and polishing, and uses only the most up ­ to ­ date machinery, tools and products.

Mike uses the crystallisation system that restores an excellent shine to the marble and then fin­

burns (chemical or natural) or scratches, these can be ground down and polished; when finished, you wouldn't even know they had been there!

During the crystallisation process, Mike uses a rotary machine equipped with steel wool, and sprays small amounts of crystallising solution on the floor, working the solution with the rotary ma­

ishes off with a highspeed buff that leaves your floors with a mirror sheen. The same process is used on marble and composite stairs, furniture, kitchen and bathroom tops, mantles and ledges. If there are deep marks made by acid

spun under the machine’s weight and the solution is crystallised due to the friction and the corresponding temperature generated.

This type of work is carried out over small sections of the floor to ensure that the solution works before it dries.

Many people get used to dull marble and forget how amazing this natural stone can look. Take the plunge and give him a call, you have nothing to lose, but could gain amazing shiny floors that you will be proud of.

Mike is happy to come out and give you a noobligation quote, but you can also have a chat with him and he will give you an idea of costs or is happy to just give you some advice. Transform your home by letting Simply Pro Floor Care restore your floors and other stone wear!

Stone restoration, cleaning and polishing that you can trust.

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

ing most of the calls.” Many of the calls led to clinicians responding and sometimes ambulances were even dispatched.

“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!

Or how about a woman complaining that she’d been sent three saveloy and chips from the chip shop instead of one? Or a man asking for the time, and another complaining about a packet of biscuits being out of date?

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 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 dur­

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!

Now, tourists may think exorbitant London prices are daylight robbery, but police see things differently. A woman called 999 because she was outraged that a clown was selling balloons for £5 each, which was ‘much more than other clowns were charging’. She was one of the 10 worst offenders for time­wasting revealed by the Metropolitan Police in an urgent appeal not to make unnecessary calls.

Others to call 999 in London included people complaining about being served a cold kebab, being kept awake by noisy foxes and asking where to get a bacon sandwich. One of my favourites has to be the woman who said there were ‘men’ in her house trying to take her away. The ‘men’ were in fact police officers who had come to arrest her!

Avon and Somerset Police received a

call from someone enquiring about their application to Avon the cosmetics company. They also received a call from a man who reported criminal damage had been done to his noodles, another claiming a badger was chasing him, and yet another to say a seagull had stolen and eaten his sandwich.

Police Scotland’s emergency call handlers were amazed when a woman reported the theft of her snowman. Other calls included a request to check a woman’s height, another reported a ‘dirty look’ from a neighbour and a woman asked for help with a large spider in her home.

You couldn’t make all this up, could you? Well, let’s finish where we began: on a low note, and the poster recently seen in a maternity ward. “The first three minutes of life are the most dangerous,” it read. Underneath someone had scribbled: “The last three can be pretty dodgy too.”

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.

Nora Johnson’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

Nora’s latest thriller.

Noraistheauthorofpopularpsychological suspenseandcrimethrillersandafreelancejournalist.

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

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.

DAVID WORBOYS THINKING ALOUD

I OFTEN notice surly waiters and shopkeepers giving the impression that customers are a nuisance. They must surely realise that their jobs or their businesses would rapidly cease to exist if it were not for the paying customer. The truth is that they are not happy with what they are doing. Customers are therefore not welcome.

Here in Nerja, businesses are opening and closing all the time as people give it a try but soon fail for a variety of reasons. Bad planning, bad budgeting, bad research, bad location, bad luck… Or bad service?

There are some jobs I could never do. As I suffer from hemophobia I could never work anywhere near a hospital. And how about spending eight hours every day inflicting fear and discomfort while peering down people’s throats and

IT’S A GOOD JOB

presumably enjoy. But behind the scenes it cannot be an easy life. Fitness training and practice every day, added to the pressures of adapting tactics to changing circumstances and of somehow winning or keeping their place in the team, is not often visible to the fans. Social life is always in the spotlight and constantly disrupted by travel. In principle this applies to some extent to film directors, actors and pop stars.

amount of pressure and stress. Farmers and fisherman have fresh air and freedom of movement but also challenges with unsocial hours and dependence on nature.

Female models enjoy good pay and celebrity status. But they usually look haughty and miserable at the same time. Are they taught that the public prefers a scowl to a smile as they parade the catwalk or pose for photos? Ah, photos!

prodding their teeth and gums with instruments of torture? No wonder dentists are well paid.

Driving a bus in a major city is rather different from driving an open BMW along the scenic, sunny motorway up to Granada. Apart from the daunting responsibility for the passengers and the sheer size of the bus, it must require enormous pa ­

tience to cope with other road users, traffic lights, zebra crossings, congestion and the pressures of a schedule at bus stops. Let alone rowdy passengers.

And the seemingly more pleasant occupations? The life of a top professional tennis player or footballer is glamorous and undisputedly lucrative for doing something they

Journalism sounds an attractive career if you can handle pressure, deadlines, competition and can take criticism. The life of a novelist is more relaxed. No deadlines and last minute editing but a more introverted life, dreaming up new ideas of plot and characters and conducting the research for background details in their own time.

Most careers have a certain

It seems to me the successful professional freelance photographer, being master of his own destiny, has the ideal career. He is making a living from a hobby; he can take his time and is accountable only to himselfand the demand for his work.

For more from our columnists please scan this QR Code

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

Dentists may enjoy the power they have over their victims, but catwalk models don’t appear to enjoy their work.

Photo Credits: David Shankbone and glowsly.com

Here be monsters

LINDA HALL

A BRITISH family returned from Lanzarote not long ago complaining that they all came down with food poisoning after eating their hotel buffet’s half­cooked beef.

Worse still, they said, they spotted cockroaches near the outdoor dining area. Undercooked beef? Possibly, as the Spanish happily eat it dripping with blood, but I’m surprised about the cockroaches.

They’re still around but less in evidence than formerly, thanks to town hall fumigation programmes. When I first saw people wearing hazmat suits carrying weird equipment and peering into drains in the small inland city where I now live, I was initially worried, but reassured to learn they were killing off the cockroach population.

That wasn’t the case many years ago when I lived in a semi ­ rural area on the coast and cockroaches were still free to roam, along with rats and snakes.

We lived in the bottom half of a

IGUANA CAUGHT

rambling old house surrounded by fruit trees, vegetable patches and fallow land which our cats patrolled and hunted. One day, Skittles, the biggest and fiercest, returned with a small snake in his mouth and dropped it at my feet.

I was outside with Marcela our landlady as we gardened together, and I stopped talking and shrieked in horror. Marcela, a countrywoman practically twice my age, raised an eyebrow, bent down and picked up the snake with her secateurs. Reaching for mine she proceeded to snip the dangling snake into neat sections.

“You don’t want one of those getting into the house, now do you,” she said, sensing that I was going to shriek again.

Mopping the porch not long after, I lifted the doormat outside the front door and saw what appeared to be a neatly coiled belt stuck to it. A closer look revealed that it was a slim snake with pretty marking which was quite flattened and very dead. But I shuddered then and shudder now to wonder how many ever made it indoors without my knowing.

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

Best Site UK Sneaky peek

A WELSH campsite has scooped the Best Certificated Site Award for 2022.

Members of The Camping and Caravanning Club have voted Hill View campsite near Llandysul in Carmarthenshire the best Certificated Site for 2022.

Certificated Sites (CSs) are small campsites that can accommodate up to five caravans or motorhomes plus 10 tents at any one time. They are privately run and range from basic sites with no or limited facilities through to sites with showers and toilets.

There are over 1,200 Certificated Sites across the UK,

and Club members nominated their favourite small sites throughout 2022 across five categories.

Emma Canning, the owner of Hill View campsite, said: “I lost my job in hospitality due to Covid and I’ve always loved talking to people, so I spoke to my mother­in­law who owns the land about setting up a site.

“She told me to go for it, as long as I was responsible for running the site and taking bookings.

“We have been open for just over a year and we’ve been doing quite well ­ we opened at the right time with the staycation trend.”

UK motorhome rules

YOU need the right licence to drive a motorhome or campervan, and your vehicle needs to be within UK size limits.

The licence you need to drive a motorhome depends on your age and the vehicle’s maximum authorised mass (MAM). This is the vehicle’s weight plus the maximum load it can carry.

To drive a motorhome

with a MAM of between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes, you need a category C1 licence.

To drive a motorhome with a MAM of over 7.5 tonnes, you need a category C licence.

Licence requirements may be different in Northern Ireland.

To import a motorhome into the UK permanently you’ll need to register it. The size of motorhomes is

restricted in the UK, you can’t register one more than 12 metres long and 2.55 metres wide. These measurements don’t include driving mirrors, rear bumpers, lamps, or reflectors.

There’s no height limit, but if the motorhome is over three metres, tall you must have a notice showing the height where the driver can see it.

HOBBY VANS and motorhomes, what does the 2023 season have in store?

The announcement of a new addition to their range of vans is particularly exciting but Hobby fans will have to wait until the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf at the end of August, which is where the new Hobby MAXIA VAN will be launched, for more information.

The details released so far have increased the sense of anticipation as the MAXIA name alone hints at what to expect from the interior of the latest van in the Hobby range.

Bernd Löher, Managing Director of Hobby, confirmed:

“The ‘hygge’ design will also be found in the MAXIA VAN, it represents a new style of camping, where mobile homes are just as cosy and stylish as people’s homes.”

Löher is well aware that the collaboration with Volkswagen has huge advantages: “Our customers are already familiar with many of the features found in cars; something they truly appreciate, especially when it comes to safety and assistance systems.”

HILL VIEW: The small campsite won a recent award.

CAMPERVANS: You must have the correct licence to drive one.

Image: Andrei Armiagov / Shutterstock.com

One in 10 pets will develop a tumour in their lifetime

CANCER is one of the biggest concerns for dog and cat owners. It is the leading cause of death in geriatric animals. For this reason, owners and veterinarians have been becoming aware of the need to provide special care for their pets. There have been great advances in veterinary medicine and surgery, especially in the field of cancer treatment. Early diagnosis is essential. The checkup that is carried out on your pet every year should be more exhaustive from six years of age.

Any patient suspected of having a malignant process should be thoroughly investigated by the veterinary team.

This information will help us to know which treatment to use and will inform us of the prognosis, time and cost necessary for the treatment.

We can only establish a complete therapeutic protocol and with probability of success if we have information on the extent of the process. This way we can answer the pet owner’s questions about the prognosis and quality of life. Specific laboratory tests, ultrasound, endoscopy, CT or MRI may be necessary.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

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

Springtime diseases

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.

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 running it through its fur. Next try a water ­ soaked 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.

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.

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.

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

BUILDERS

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CONSTRUCTION

BALUSTRADES BLINDS

CONSTRUCTION

BLINDS

BOILERS

GLASS CURTAINS & SCREENS INSURANCE

MOTORING GRILLS

J & J PAINTERS. Insideoutside - clean - fast - low cost. Torrevieja - Orihuela Costa and surrounding areas. Tel: 650 363 159 (294244)

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

TOLDO with box & stabilisers. 3.5m x 3m. Yellow & beige strip. As new. €500 ono 616 226 986 (302749)

MOBILE homes & static caravans bought, sold and transported. +34 630 055 418 or elsyd7@hotmail.com (294686)

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS IS ALCOHOL COSTING YOU MORE THAN MONEY? Drinking to excess not only affects your health it can spill over into every other aspect of your life - damaging everything that is important to you. English-speaking AA meetings are held throughout the Costa Blanca from Valencia City to Murcia. Anyone wishing to attend a meeting or discuss a possible drinking problem contact Costa Blanca North: 648 169 045 or Costa Blanca South: 625 912 078 or Costa Calida 679 385 105 All calls are treated in the strictest confidence.

AA in German: 645 456 075; Spanish: 679 212 535; Flemish: 635 047 053; and Scandinavian: 659 779 222. www. aa-costablanca.org (93323)

CAMPELLO CONTRA CANCER in conjunction with AECC Association Español Contra Cancer. Please support your local Cancer charity and if you wish to obtain literature or simply talk to someone. Please contact Mina or Trisha. Tel 650 071 278 or 610 921 413 e-mail aecc_campe llo@hotmail.com (95475)

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

(MABS) MURCIA/MAR MENOR

Help and support is just a phone call away, Avda Rio Nalón, Tel: 693 275 779 (95462)

CHURCH SERVICE IN ENGLISH

Tel: 950 617 549 www.giving light.com.(10006)

FREEMASONRY . Are you aware that Freemasonry is thriving on the Costa Blanca? There are various Lodges meeting up throughout the Valencia region. If you already are a Mason or simply wish to know more about Freemasonry in Spain please contact sec@glpvalen cia.com Tel 600 841 064 (95477)

HELP VEGA BAJA. We are a non-profit making organisation that helps and supports anyone, without prejudice, in times of need or crisis within the Vega Baja area. Our offices are based in San Miguel at Calle Lope de Vega 46 (Tel 966 723 733), Torrevieja at Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 4 (Tel 965 704 282). We

are online at www.helpvegaba ja.com and also on Facebook. You can email the San Miguel Centre at office@helpvegabaja. com. We also have a 24-hour Emergency helpline which is available to both members and non-members on 966 723 733 (95456)

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY, TORREVIEJA Calle Beniajan 16, Torrevieja 03185, Alicante Evangelical non-denominational church. Sunday morning Services at 11.00am. All nationalities welcome - Contact 966 752 543 / 966 799 273. For other church matters phone: 966 799 273 / /617 215 463 www.icatorrevieja.org (95476)

LA SIESTA EVANGELICAL CHURCH on Urbanisation La Siesta, Torrevieja is a friendly, English-speaking church. For more information, including details of our services, see our website www.lasiestaevangeli calchurch.org (10005)

PHILIP SCOTT LODGE No 10671 of the RAOB. Please call the secretary, Colin Bird on 693 287 614 for further information. (95459)

PILAR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH. All welcome from any church background or none. For further information, www. pilarchurch.org Reg No: 2009SG/A (95463)

ROYAL Air Force Association Costa Blanca Registered Members Group: The RAFA Costa Blanca RMG replaces the RAFA Costa Blanca Branch 1359 which is now closed. The RMG is a social group of caring people and remains affiliated to the parent Association. Contact with the Royal Air Force Association and the RMG can be made via the RAFA website rafa.org.uk Tel:0044 800 018 2361. (238593)

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - Why not make this year the year you volunteer? See how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbuddyhhvis its@gmail.com. If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well 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, http://branches.britishle gion.org.uk/branches/orihuela -costa - covering from Punta Prima to San Javier. More info can be found on branch website www.orihuelacostarbl.co.uk. (95457)

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Gran Alacant & La Marina Branch. For info, contact the branch Secretary at granalacant.secretary@ rbl.community

ROYAL MARINES ASSOCIATION (Costa Blanca) The aim of the Association is to bring together not just ex Royal Marines, but ex Service personnel with an affinity to the Royal Marines. For further details contact Hon Sec P S Wilkins Tel: 966 194 158 email: inkin spain@yahoo.co.uk (10004)

ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION

For information please contact Chairman Anthony Jenkins +34 693 866 709, Vice Chairman Dusty Miller +34 711 006 670, Secretary Mike Cockman +34 670 224 822, Treasurer Carl Louden +34 678 518 202, email rnatorrevieja@aol.com (95455)

STROKE ASSOCIATION Spain (formally known as Torrevieja stroke support) Our aim is to help and support stroke survivors and their carers, with rehabilitation, speech therapy, OC therapy and a very active social group. For info please contact 653 588 475 English and 620 907 474 Spanish or email strokesupportgroup@hot mail.com, website: torreviejas trokesupport.org. We are always looking for volunteers who have the skills and knowledge to support. (95473)

THE AIRCREW ASSOCIATION

COSTA BLANCA BRANCH. Former & serving aircrews of the UK or Allied Armed Forces are welcome to join this convivial & friendly organisation, now in its 21st year. www.acacostablanca.org or call the Secretary on: 966 495 042 (95465)

THE ANGLICAN CHURCH, La Fustera. For more info: contact Frank Bentley on 966 495 188. (95461)

THE BAKER Foundation

Spiritual Centre Playa Flamenca. Calle Luis Gordillo, 1 Playa Flamenca Alicante 03189. You can join us on Facebook, The Baker Foundation spiritual centre. Or contact Linda Schug Tel. 606 990 665 for more details (95458)

THE PATIENCE LODGE No 2177 of the R.A.O.B Please call Secretary Dave Tonge on 688 704 091 for further information. (253807

THE SPIRITUALIST CENTRE, Benijofar meets at Hamilton’s Bake House, 62 Calle Vicente, Blasco Ibañez, Benijofar 03178. We hold a Sunday Sevrice at 11.30am. For further information: www.spiritualistcentre-be nijofar.com . Telephone 711 060 171. Email martindroute 66@hotmail.com . Fiscal G54713789

MOVERS AND SHAKERS We are a non-profit organisation that supports people and their families with neurological diseases such as; HUNTINGTON’S, ATAXIA, MOTOR NEURONE, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS and PARKINSON’S. Our MOVERS AND SHAKERS CLUB held every Friday @ 1pm –3pm, is a chance for members to meet up socially, for a drink and a chat on a full range of topics and to exchange ideas and information. The club is held at O’Briens Bar in El Raso, Guardamar del Segura (except July and August).

For more details, contact Marion Smith on 711 008 250, or email: marion.smith@am scb.org.es, or you can find us on Facebook : fb@movers and shakers www.amscb.org.e s (295976)

SALT CHURCH Poligono Ind. Los Montesinos. Sundays at 10.30 a.m. We look forward to meeting you.

PERSONAL TRAINER, WEIGHT LOSS, TONING, RESULTS GUARANTEED. CERTIFIED WITH 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE. FORMER US KICKBOX CHAMPION. CALL 747 438 225 (301319)

BATHROOM & KITCHEN Conversions Costa Blanca, contact 698 320 434. (293206)

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BENEFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES. Car, Home, Business, Travel, Life, Funeral, all insurances available. Policies in English. BEST rates, covers & service. Immediate quotes. Tel 961 129 215 / 622 275 561, (WhatsApp) info@beneficialinsuran ceinspain.com or visit www.ben eficialinsuranceinspain.com for online quote. (302516)

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MR FIXIT . For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (290288)

ELECTRICIAN FOR SALE/WANTED

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

FRENCH, ELÉGANTE , slim, Sophie, 3 languages spoken. Experienced in a large variety of full body massages. Villamartin apartment or can travel to all areas. 693 357 526 (295405)

EXPERIENCE the best with a 1hr unique massage with Veronica. Shaving or permanent hair removal available. For appointments call 679 292 678 (295446)

CLASSIC SPANISH LADY , Playa Flamenca area, private premises, all massage services from 40€. Ana 657 603 495 (302128)

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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.

Decarbonising roads

Lower prices

UK fuel prices have fallen for the third month in a row but lower prices at the pumps may be at an end.

and diesel at 167.49p (down 2.79p).

THE UK is set to spend £30 million of government funding for innovative projects to decarbonise UK highways.

Seven projects spread across the UK, from Lanarkshire to Devon, have been awarded funding through the Decarbonising Local Roads competition.

The programme supports projects led by local highways authorities focused on tackling the long­term decarbonisation of highways infrastructure, such as street­lights, and transform­

ing local authorities’ approach to decarbonising roads.

Other projects plan to drive changes to the design, construction and maintenance of typical UK highway construction, as well as plans to develop a first­ofits­kind system approach to creating a net carbon­negative model for green infrastructure delivery.

Roads Minister, Richard Holden, confirmed: “The UK is a world leader in technology and innovation and we must use that strength

to drive decarbonisation and the next generation of high ­ tech jobs that go alongside it.

“We are supporting this vital agenda to help level up through £30 million funding for ground­breaking projects and boosting regional connections to support growth.”

The minister added: “The government is determined to create good, well­paid jobs ­ via innovation and investment across the UK as we accelerate the road to net zero.”

After three consecutive months of falls the average price of petrol bottomed out at 148.35p towards the end of January and has now started to slowly rise again, data from RAC Fuel Watch reveals.

Having at one point been as much as 3.5p lower than at the start of the month, unleaded closed January at 148.89p, 3p lower than it began (151.85p). The last time drivers filled up at this price was in mid­February 2022 before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Filling up at one of the big four supermarkets was around 3p a litre cheaper for both fuels, with the average price of petrol at their sites finishing January at 145.71p (down 2.25p)

RAC fuel spokesman, Simon Williams, said: “Although January saw fuel prices fall for the third

month in a row, there is now more cause for concern than celebration as petrol has already begun to creep back up very slightly.”

Image: UK Government Department for Transport

Seven UK projects.

Messi to return to Barcelona Calling time on his career

LIONEL MESSI, 35, has confirmed in an interview with a Spanish newspaper that he will return to Barcelona, however, it won’t be to play football.

In the interview on Saturday, February 4, Messi describes Barcelona as his home saying that’s where he will return once his football career is over. But he has also not ruled out a return to the club where he won so many trophies. He said: “When I end my career, I will re turn to Barcelona, it’s my home.”

Asked whether he would once again play for Barcelona, he said “that is still open.”

It is known that the club’s Chair Joan La porta is keen to bring the Argentine interna tional back to the club, sparking spec ulation about his return.

The Barca legend, who scored an incredible 672 goals in 778 competitive games, is contracted to Paris Saint­Germain (PSG) until the summer of this year. After that he will be a free agent, perhaps opening the door to his return. Messi left Barca on a free transfer in 2021.

PSG are said to be keen to keep Messi

and is said to want talks as soon as possible to extend his contract. There has been talk of a one ­ year contract but the club have neither confirmed nor denied the speculation.

A WORLD CUP winner with Germany, Mesut Özil, is reported to be calling time on his career and with immediate effect.

A reporter with the newspaper ‘Fanatki’, Yakup Sycamore, revealed the news on Twitter on Friday, February 3.

It is understood that his contract with Istanbul Basaksehir is also coming to an end, with the 34 ­ year ­ old apparently not turning up for training this week.

The source of the information was not revealed by the journalist, however, there were said to be reports that the former German international has said that he wanted to quit football.

Neither Özil nor his club has issued statements regarding his future.

Özil, who was born in Gelsenkirchen, enjoyed a

RESCUED ALIVE from rubble

CHRISTIAN ATSU

ball international who had spells with both Chelsea and Newcastle in England has been rescued alive from rubble after the Turkey earth quake.

According to a Portuguese news outlet, Atsu was rescued alive from the rubble of a col lapsed building after the earth quake. They reported that Atsu was in the hospital with in juries to his right foot and has breathing difficulties.

The former Newcastle United and Chelsea player is currently on the books of Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor. Along with his teammates and coaching staff, Atsu was inside a building in the city of Hatay at the time of the massive tremor.

Rescue

teams also pulled Onur Ergun and Burak Oksuz from the remains of the building, while Kerim Alici managed to escape by his own means. The Portuguese player Ruben Ribeiro and Cape Verdean Ze Luis have also been found alive added the publi­

There was no indication however that the club’s sporting director, Taner Savut, and a club interpreter ­ who had been located. Atsu represented Newcastle United between 2016 and 2021 and in 2017 helped them gain promotion from the Championship back into the top tier of

His spell at Chelsea was not such a suc cess. he joined the Stamford Bridge outfit in 2013 but found himself being loaned out to Everton, AFC Bournemouth and Malaga, and never played one competitive game for the Blues.

very successful career in Germany, Spain and England playing for Werder Bremen, Real Madrid and Arsenal.

In total, he collected six league and cup trophies.

He played for Germany 92 times and in 2014 was

instrumental in helping the team to World Cup glory.

Özil, whose recent form hasn’t matched his high standards of the past and has as a result become another World Cup winner to call time on his career.

No longer wanted

SPORTSWEAR company Nike has confirmed they have dropped the Manchester United star Mason Greenwood.

A statement sent to the local press on Monday, February 6 confirmed that: “Mason Greenwood is no longer a Nike athlete.”

It is understood that one of the reasons for the decision is the failure by Greenwood to adhere to the terms of his sponsorship deal.

The player had been suspended by his club following rape allegations, however, these were dropped on Thursday last week following new evidence. He was due to face trial in November for one count of attempted rape, a count of assault and repeatedly engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour.

As a result of the charges Greenwood was dropped by most of his sponsors and was removed from the FIFA football games, however, Manchester United have yet to take action saying they will now conduct their own internal investigation. He is contracted until June 2025.

Greenwood, who found himself becoming increasingly isolated, said in a statement released on his behalf, said: “I am relieved this matter is now over. I would like to thank my family, loved ones and friends for their support.”

Barcelona is Messi’s home.

CHRISTIAN ATSU: Along with teammates and staff, he was staying in Hatay.

Mesut Özil.

Charges were dropped against Mason Greenwood.

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.