Costa de Almeria 16 – 22 February 2023 Issue 1963

Issue No. 1963 16 - 22 February 2023

A BRILLIANT DAY

THE prostate cancer day on February 12 at Bowlera / food and games centre was the best charity event at the bowling centre ever. Seventyseven people took part, a fantastic turn out.

Amigos Bowling raised €2,405, €600 of which has been donated to the daughter of one of the local residents who is running the London Marathon in aid of Prostate Cancer Research UK. The rest is going to a similar facility in Madrid. Centre Nacional Investigaciones de Oncológicas ­ CNIO.

Thank you to sponsors, Spanish Property Choice, Barbarella hairdresser, Lex gestors, Tetley (Steve), Almeria Radio, Zurgena Bowls Club.

Special thanks to Debbie Jackson, Annie Paton and Ginny Hills who sold far more raffle tickets than they could dream of. Along with the guess how many strikes in 20mins, they pulled in over €500. Well done girls.

Mark and Mandy Richards for bringing in their portable photobooth, great fun which raised over €100.

Thank you also to the bar and

AMIGOS BOWLING: The best charity event at the bowling centre ever.

kitchen staff at the centre and Rob of Almeria Radio who created a great atmosphere with the music.

Finally, thank you to Sharron Taylor for being there supporting them

in organising the day. Could not have done it without you.

LADIES, GET YOUR MAN TO HAVE A PSA BLOOD TEST DONE. IT COULD SAVE HIS LIFE.

FREE • GRATIS

Small and strong

THE small towns of Almeria look to be working their magic. The different initiatives put in place in recent years are beginning to bear fruit and a large part of these are gaining population.

Seven out of 10 municipalities in Spain are losing population. In Almeria, it is the other way around. Almost seven out of 10 have gained inhabitants.

The year 2022 was a magical one for a good part of the small municipalities of Almeria. A province that, unlike most other provinces, has enviable figures in numerous aspects related to demography. Almeria is, for example, the province with the highest birth rate on the peninsula. The Almeria province has a total of 740,534 inhabitants.

ALMERIA City Council has signed a deal with Vancouver Media production company, allowing the filming of new Netflix series, ‘Berlín’ in the city. The council welcomed film production teams on Monday, February 13.

Head of Production at Vancouver Media, Nacho Fernández met with Almeria City mayor, María del Mar

Film favourite

Vázquez to sign a deal ahead of the filming. He explained that the production of the series has brought a film crew of more than 70 people to the area and employed some local people in roles as ‘extras’ as well as catering companies.

Land, Sea and Flowers

Filming began on the same day in two locations in the city area, at the ‘Chiribús’ beach bar, in Cabo de Gata and the Las Salinas church and was expected to last for several days. The series, ‘Berlín’ is a spin ­ off from the popular Spanish TV series, ‘La Casa de Papel’ following a fictional bank heist.

Fernández thanked Almeria City Council for their support on this project and shared his satisfaction with the location, “whenever we have a beach shoot in the script, we try to come here because Almeria has so much to offer.”

FANS of photography are able to catch the Land, Sea and Flowers photography exhibition now on display at the Mojacar Municipal Art Centre.

The La Fuente Art Centre doors to the photography exhibition of Aitor Pablogorran will remain open until February 28.

Jaitor, as he is known in the artistic world, was born in Bilbao, and finished his degree in Technical Architecture in Barcelona, a profession to which he dedicated himself for 16 years.

A drastic change in his personal and work life leads him to a “complete recognition of himself,” as he himself defines it, from which he began to write poetry and reflect in his photographs the beauty, peace, silence and serene love that floods his existence.

Under the title ‘Land, Sea and Flowers’, he makes an intimate exhibition that shows a

strong mystical and introspective character.

The La Fuente Municipal Art Centre is open every morning from Tuesday to Sunday, from 11.00am until 2.00pm, and Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 6.00pm until 9.00pm.

Admission to the Art Centre is free.

‘Night of Lights’

HUERCAL­OVERA celebrated one of the town’s most important historical events on Wednesday, February 9. The ‘Noche de Lumbres’ or ‘Night of Lights’ marks the

transfer of the Catholic Blessed Sacrament to the Iglesia Parroquial de Huércal­Overa in 1739.

The event is significant in documenting the history of Huercal ­ Overa as a town, the Blessed Sacrament was moved from its previous location in a rural chapel to the heart of the town, reflecting changes in population.

This year marked the 284th anniversary of the event and locals held a candlelit procession, carrying the Blessed Sacrament

Women in Science

FOUR ­ HUNDRED

along the same journey from the now ­ roadside chapel to the church in the town centre, as a marching band performed.

Along the way, participants lit small fires by the side of the road, reenacting the original procession, before electricity.

Parish Priests Francisco

Jerónimo Ruiz and Rubén Checa led a prayer at the altar before a traditional community dinner of tapas and drinks organised by Manos Unidas to raise money for their charity work.

Almerian students joined together to participate in activities celebrating women in science. The event took place on Friday, February 10.

The councillor for Family, Equality and Citizen Participation, Paola Laynez, confirmed: “The objective of this very special day, proclaimed by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 is to achieve greater participation and inclusion of women and girls in the world of science.

“The activities organised by Almeria City Council aim to value the role of women and their contribution to the world of science, to encourage their equal participation in all the fields that science covers.”

The councillor added that: “This new initiative helps to continue walking towards a more equal society. This is an objective that the City Council will continue to push and promote in the educational field with young people.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: Exhibition now on display.

NIBS EXTRA

Pioneering shop

THE Swedish firm IKEA has announced that its new ‘pioneering’ shop in Spain will open its doors in July 2023 in the northern area of La Rambla de Belen in Almeria.

Licence ruling

THE Supreme Court has rejected Greenpeace’s appeal for the nullity of the licence for the hotel on the Algarrobico beach in Carboneras, and consequently its demolition. The Fifth Section of the Contentious­Administrative Chamber of the high court will release the ruling content in the near future.

Ghost net

TWENTY committed citizens from nine environmental groups in the province of Almeria took part in a volunteer activity to remove a ghost net that had been buried in the sand on the beach of the Cabo de Gata Nijar Natural Park for some 20 years.

Watermelons

ACCORDING to an assessment by ASAJA­Almeria, a reduction of watermelon production in 2023 which could be between 15 to 20 per cent is mainly in the Poniente area of Almeria. In the area of Nijar, a slight increase in watermelon production is expected.

Dream beach

THE Dream beach festival, held every summer in Villaricos has confirmed Hardwell as headliner. Hardwell is an artist linked to the history of the festival, having said goodbye to the stage in 2018 in Villaricos. The Dutchman chose the Almeria festival for his long­awaited return.

Largest possible

ROQUETAS DE MAR Town

Hall will host the Outlet Fair of the Local Trade on March 3 and 4 at the Palacio de Congresos de Aguadulce. The mayor of Roquetas, confirmed “the aim of this event is to bring together all the local businesses.”

IF you are looking for something to occupy your time, it looks like Almeria has something for everyone. Sports Almeria now offers a multitude of activities, from cultural, leisure, and gastronomy to sports.

The Municipal Sports Board (PMD) has started introductory courses and boat trips so that Almeria residents can immerse themselves in the depths thanks to the discipline of diving.

The councillor for Sports, Juanjo Segura, confirmed:

Head first

assistance of specialised instructors and all the necessary material to carry out the activity.

“At the end of the training, users will obtain a PADI Open Water Diver certification that will allow them to practise diving anywhere in the world up to 18­25 metres deep, depending on the country.”

DIVING COURSE: Includes theoretical and practical classes.

“The introductory course will be taught by the ISUB Diving Centre, in San Jose and is a programme that includes theoretical and practical classes, as well as the

WIND and rain couldn’t prevent the residents of Cerro de San Cristobal from waiting for Saint Valentine.

At 11 o’clock in the morning on Saturday, February 11, the fun began in Almeria.

San Valentin de Almeria is one of the martyrs from the catacombs which were dis­

Love is in the air

covered in the 18th century in Rome.

The remains of the martyr’s body that arrived in Almeria was one of many pilgrims who went to pray at the tomb of San Pedro.

Spread your wings

A BLACK vulture and a black kite now restored to good health have taken flight after their stay in the Centre for the Recovery of Threatened Species (CREA).

The release of the two birds took place at the foot of the castle of Velez­Blanco on Friday, February 10, in the presence of about 20 students from a local school who were able to see how the largest bird of prey in Europe, the black vulture, took flight.

The freed specimen of vulture (aegypius monachus) stayed at CREA cared for by its staff throughout its 83­day stay.

The councillor for the Economy and Environment, Manuel de la Torre Francia, highlighted the singularity of the black vulture: “It went through a very difficult situation last century, but in recent decades we have managed to recover its populations.

“In Los Velez, he has occasionally been seen accompanying the abundant griffon vultures and a few years ago he returned to breeding in the pine forests of the Sierras de Lorca, not far from here.”

They were Christians who martyred them and buried them with a cup of blood, alluding to their martyrdom.

When the catacombs of Rome were discovered in the 18th century and the bodies of several martyrs were exhumed, they were moved to various places, and one of

Anyone interested needs to sign up for the Municipal Sports Patronage User Card which can be done at the PMD offices in the Palacio de los Juegos Mediterraneo, Almeria.

these bodies arrived in Almeria.

The relics of the body were his wax ­ coated bones, remains that were placed under the altar of San Indalecio and were exposed to worship in August 1782.

Among the festivals celebrated in his honour, are those of February 14 and May 15 (Patron Day of Almeria, San Indalecio).

Castle improvement

HUERCAL-OVERA Castle has been improved in a bid to become more attractive to visitors.

Different works have taken place to improve the use of energy in the castle with the installation of solar panels which will reduce the consumption of electricity and lower the electricity bills.

New LED lighting has also been installed throughout the environment.

In addition, accessibility has been improved and enhanced with the installation of new signage, and informative and interpretive panels in the castle.

The castle has a new image that includes ways to access information with audio guides in different languages and QR codes, promotional material offline, and the improvement of toilets and shade in the rest area.

The mayor, Domingo Fernandez, confirmed: “We will

Return to Mojacar

THE Andalucian Iaido (Japanese Sword) squad returned to the beautiful town of Mojacar last weekend for the first time since the Covid epidemic of 2019.

continue to take care of our heritage making it more attractive to visitors while we continue to work towards the energy improvement of our municipality.

“We have changed the image of our castle in the hope of making it more attractive for visitors with new signage.”

The event was led by Antonio Gutierrez Velilla 7th Dan (Spain) and Karl Gibbons 5th Dan (UK). Karl, who has been wintering in Mojacar since 2016 said “it was good to see the squad back in action, the forced break caused by Covid has not damaged the enthusiasm, commitment and dedication of the squad, who continue to enjoy success at national level with several squad members having been selected for the Spanish National Team” The event which was held at the Nexa sports centre in Mojacar Pueblo was supported by sword clubs from all over Andalucia. The four­hour session attracted a number of intrigued spectators in the viewing gallery.

Even

ST VALENTINE: Festival celebrates his honour.

Image: Almeria City Council

FOOTBALL fans will be pleased to hear that Almeria is set to host the Spain­Switzerland sub­21 match on Friday, March 24.

Switzerland’s under­21 team return to Almeria, seven years after their first meeting, to play a friendly match.

On Friday, March 24, Almeria’s team led by Santi Denia

It’s electrifying Spain versus Switzerland

will face Switzerland at the Power Horse Stadium­Stadium of the Mediterranean Games. It will be a special match for Santi Denia. The coach from La Mancha takes over from Luis de la Fuente, the current absolute national coach and will make his debut

in this match at the helm of the Spanish under­21 team.

The match against Switzerland will serve as preparation for the European Championship of the category, which will be held in Georgia and Romania in the coming months of June and July. From all the institutions involved, the enthusiasm with which Almeria will receive this match of the U­21 Selection stands out.

It is the second time that the national team will play in that stadium and the fourth time that it will visit the city of Almeria.

A TOTAL of 14 ADIF and ADIF Alta Velocidad stations in Andalucia will have new electric vehicle charging points. This is through an initiative financed with funds from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

The plan aims to contribute to the development of sustainable and connected mobility in urban environments and metropolitans.

The new charging points will be located in the car parks of the passenger stations in Algeciras, Almeria, Antequera Santa Ana, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Malaga Maria Zambra­

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

no, Puente Genil Herrera, Ronda, Sevilla Plaza de Armas, Sevilla Santa Justa and Sevilla Virgen del Rocío, as explained by the Delegation of the government in Andalucia through a statement.

The complete project, tendered for €28.8 million, provides for the installation of more than 1,000 charging points in 80 stations in the national territory, thereby promoting clean transport in transfers from and to the railway stations and increasing

services to travellers in these spaces, called to become nodes of sustainable and intelligent mobility.

112 is celebrating its anniversary by launching a new information channel, the Emergency Podcast.

Managed emergencies, self­protection tips and information on security and civil protection will make up the content proposal of the new podcast which has now started broadcasting.

112 attended a total of 796,296 emergencies in 2022. Health care and accidents are increasing; while the citizen population lowers.

The councillor of the Interior, Social Dialogue and Administrative Simplification, Antonio Sanz, congratulated the staff of the service with an audio message that has opened the new 112 information channel on the Spotify platform.

The secondpodcast has now been uploaded to Spotify and revolves around the emergency service itself giving guidance on how to make an emergency call.

New podcast Caring support

AGE SUPPORT Almanzora has started a new Bereavement Support Group, which offers empathetic support. Losing someone close to you is one of life’s saddest experiences. For many it can be difficult to contemplate life without a loved one. Age Support Almanzora offer a nurturing and caring environment to help you talk about your feelings.

Join them 2pm­3.30pm on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at Total Entertainment, Av. Lepanto in Albox. Contact 642 045 210.

The course of true love never did run smooth Meaning that true love is never easy and can incur difficulties. This expression derives from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 1598.

Foreign debt falls

Betty Henderson

SPAI N’S foreign debt will fall below France’s in 2024 for the first time since 2012 according to the latest report from the International Monetary

Fund, released on Wednesday, February 8.

The IMF’s latest economic forecast predicts that economic measures in Spain will cut foreign debt to 110 per cent of

Six arrested, seven to go

the country’s GDP by 2025. Meanwhile, France’s foreign debt is set to rise to 115 per cent of its GDP during the same period.

During 2023, the IMF expects that Spain’s foreign debt will fluctuate around 112.1 per cent, slightly above France’s which will hit 112 per cent this year. By 2024, Spain’s foreign debt is set to fall to just above 110 per cent while France’s will climb to 114 per cent of GDP.

The news is encouraging for Spanish economic ministers who are on track to bring foreign debt down more than 10 percentage points from around 120 per cent of GDP, during the pandemic.

The IMF has also asserted its prediction that Spain will lead economic growth in the Eurozone in coming years.

THE National Crime Agency and partners have renewed an appeal to help trace some of the United Kingdom’s Most Wanted fugitives.

Twelve months ago the NCA launched its most recent appeal to find 13 men on the run ­ all believed to be hiding in Spain or with strong links to the country.

In that time, six wanted men have been traced, arrested and are at various stages of the extradition and judicial process.

Today, the appeal ­ run in conjunction with independent charity Crimestoppers, Spanish law enforcement, and UK policing ­ is renewed.

The wanted men are:

Heavily tattooed Jack Mayle, 31, on suspicion of supplying Class A drug MDMA and other drugs.

Asim Naveed, 31, and 6ft 2in tall, is accused of playing a leading role in a highly organised crime group (OCG) that trafficked 46 kilos of co­

caine into Wales.

Calvin Parris, 33, who has gold upper teeth, is accused of being a customer of Naveed’s OCG and selling cocaine on in Cardiff.

John James Jones, 32, of Ormskirk, Lancashire, is wanted for wounding with intent.

Callum Michael Allan, 24, of South Shields, is sought for 12 alleged offences.

Mark Francis Roberts, 29, of Liverpool, is wanted for alleged grievous bodily harm.

Alex Male, 30, of Westonsuper­Mare, is alleged to be a regional distributor of

drugs across the south west of England. He has links to Spain, Portugal and Turkey.

Steve Reynolds, NCA regional head in Spain, said: “Spain is immensely popular with British people who live and take holidays there, but it is not a safe haven for criminals.”

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or fill out an anonymous online form at Crimestop pers­uk.org

Callers in Spain should dial the freephone Spanish number 900 926 111.

FUGITIVES: The appeal for information has been renewed.

Battery building

SPAIN is reportedly one of the final candidates being considered by Jaguar Land Rover as the company aims to expand operations to build more electric vehicles. Jaguar has committed to going 100 per cent electric by 2025 and needs infrastructure to support its pledge.

The British car makers’ parent company, Tata, announced last month that the company was planning to expand battery building within Europe and India, but sources revealed on Friday, February 6 that Zuera in Zaragoza and Aragon could be chosen as locations for the new factory.

One of the sites was formerly considered as a location for a Volkswagen factory, and although it was not selected, it is considered a good strategic location for vehicle manufacturing. The final decision on the manufacturing site has not been made yet, but it is expected to depend on national and European incentives.

If either of the Spanish locations are chosen, it would give a valuable boost to the automotive sector.

SWITZERLAND announced on Friday, February 11 that it would block Spain’s decision to send two Swiss ­ made anti ­ aircraft guns to Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invasion. The central European country said that this would break their centuries ­ long policy of neutrality.

The decision was announced on Friday after Spain submitted a request to send the weapons back in mid­January.

Switzerland’s policy of neutrality in conflict expressly bans the sale of

Neutral ground

before re­exporting them.

Switzerland has already blocked similar requests from other European countries including Denmark and Germany, but it is the first time it has happened to Spain. Last year, Swiss authorities moved

to block a German export of Swiss ammunition for Gepard tanks and a Danish request to supply Piranha III battle tanks. Despite Switzerland’s lengthy neutrality stance, the country has complied with the European Union’s economic sanctions against Russia, leading Russia to label Switzerland as a ‘hostile’ state since the beginning of the war.

Swiss ­ made products

be used in conflict scenarios, under its War Material

BARCELONA has officially recovered its population and has reached 1,656,725 registered people. These figures confirm that the city has broken the trend of the last two years.

The Municipal Data Office (OMD) shows that, in less than a year, the population registered in the city of Barcelona has increased by 16,744 people, 1 per cent.

This is revealed by the latest available data, which reach October 2022, and which evidence this stable and moderate upward trend, with the growth of one point compared to the last annual reading of the register, made on the first day of 2022.

The evolution of the population registered

Broken trend

in Barcelona during the first 10 months of 2022 reveals two phases, one of initial decline with a minimum reached in March, and one of subsequent recovery since then, which reaches the peak in October 2022, with 1,656,725 people registered.

With regard to the population registered by nationality, no major variations are observed in relation to the previous months. At the beginning of October 2022, the Spanish population represented 76.8 per cent of the total resident population.

Rental prices rocket

THE latest report from property platform, Idealista has found that home rental prices have soared to their highest levels ever in the first month of 2023. The data released on Friday, February 6, revealed that rent increased by an average of 1.5 per cent throughout the country.

Rent increases were the highest in Soria, which saw an enormous increase of 3.8 per cent in January, while Granada and Palma made up the top three with increases of 3.2 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively.

Barcelona also saw one of the biggest increases in rent cost, of 2.2 per cent, reaching its highest ever figure. Rent in the country’s second biggest city now costs an average of €19.80 per metre squared per month.

At the opposite end of the scale, some areas did register a decrease in rent cost with it falling by 5.5 per cent in Cordoba, more than 2 per cent in Albacete and just over 1 per cent in Caceres. The figures spell good news for landlords, but are troubling for renters.

to

Law. Any country purchasing weapons from Switzerland must gain permission

Switzerland prohibits the use of Swiss-made weapons in situations of conflict, including in Ukraine.

Zoom Photo Graphic Stock

Tunnelling through

Plans for a tunnel between Spain and Morocco are back on the table.

Pandemic recovery plan

THE Bank of Spain released its economic forecast for the pandemic recovery plan on Monday, February 6, saying that it predicts a direct GDP improvement of 1.15 per cent per year, which could rise to 1.75 per cent annually.

Economists at the Bank of Spain note that funding from the European Union would have the greatest impact on sectors related to digitalisation like the information and communication industries and technological services as well as the construction sector.

Increased productivity in the transport sector since material shortages have been re-

solved is also expected to have a positive knock-on effect. However, the Bank of Spain has warned that a skilled labour shortage could reduce the effects of the plan.

The plan was approved by the EU at the end of 2022.

MINISTERS assured the public that plans for a land tunnel between Morocco and Spain are still on the table after the two countries held a summit in Morocco.

The Spanish government included a sum of €750,000 in their budget for 2023 to fund studies into the viability of a tunnel which would run through the Strait of Gibraltar.

The most optimistic reports suggest that a 42 kilometre tunnel could be built and opened to the public between 2030 and 2040 if work gets underway soon.

While there are no official plans for the tunnel, it was one of the topics of discussion between President Pedro Sánchez and Moroccan Prime Minister, Aziz Akhannouch.

The long-awaited project was first proposed back in 1979 and a committee of North African and European delegates meets regularly to discuss it after plans were revived in Spain’s 2021 budget.

Cancer research Highly contagious

ON Tuesday, February 7, the Junta de Castilla­La Mancha activated the immobilisation protocol for all livestock in the Castilian­La Mancha provinces, except in Guadalajara. This was due to a new outbreak of sheep pox.

It is not transmitted to humans or to the milk or cheese the animals produce, but is a highly contagious disease with high mortality among farm livestock.

The measure affected 6,000 sheep and goat farms in Cuenca, Ciudad Real, Toledo, and Albacete, with some 3.5 million head of cattle.

Regarding the movement of animals, only those going to the slaughterhouse are authorised, although milk can continue to be collected on the farms and the animals can also be grazed.

Experts were said to be surprised by the rapid transmission of the virus. It began as an outbreak of sheep/goat smallpox in Granada, which then made the leap to Cuenca. Since then it spread in the Castilian­La Mancha region, causing 25 outbreaks and leaving livestock immobilised. As a result, 38,000 animals have already been slaughtered.

SPAIN’S Minister for Science and Innovation, Diana Morant, visited the Research Foundation of the Hospital Clinico de Valencia where she highlighted that in the period 2018­2022, the ministry allocated more than €480 million to research projects to tackle this disease.

Morant stated that the fight against cancer is a national priority for the government of Spain and pointed out that the largest amount of money invested in health research is directed at this disease, which has a great impact not only on patients, but also on their families and their environment.

During her visit to the hospital, the minister visited the Immune 4 ALL project which aims to detect biomarkers that can predict the effect of immunotherapy on tumours with high mortality rates such as those involved in breast, ovarian, cervical, colon, biliary tract and liver cancer. Eight autonomous communities and nearly 1,600 patients are taking part in this project.

The minister also conveyed the government’s commitment to promoting precision medicine, which combines healthcare and research through strategic projects.

1,000 electric vehicle charging points are to be installed across Spain by Adif.

Pensions is a topic dear to all our hearts. It represents a lifetime of professional effort, but also the rewards should be the fulfilment of that hard work to see us comfortably through our retirement years.

But it can be complicated, can’t it?

1) UK State Pension

To qualify for the full UK state pension you must have paid UK national insurance contributions for 35 years. Otherwise, provided you contributed for 10 years, the amount you receive is based prorata on how many years you secured. It is possible to make voluntary contributions to buy back six years to reach the 10.

If you are resident in Spain, your UK state pension is paid gross and taxed in Spain.

2) Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution pensions

People who worked for UK companies long term often have traditional company pensions called ‘defined benefits’ or ‘final salary’, where the accrual of benefits is based on the number of years worked for the company and your final salary.

However, since they created a

UK pensions – 6 key things for British expatriates in Spain to understand

the UK).

Spain also applies an annual wealth tax. Although pension plans are generally listed as exempt from wealth tax, in 2019 Spain’s Directorate-General for Tax ruled that non-EU pension plans do not qualify for this exemption. Wealth tax therefore now applies to UK pension funds (from the point a member can take benefits).

pension created to receive monies from UK pensions when the owner has moved abroad. They can provide various benefits, depending on your situation and objectives.

Importantly, currently not all QROPS transfers are subject to the charge. If you live in the EU and transfer to an EU QROPS, it won’t be applied.

By Jon Pemberton, Partner, Blevins Franks

panies, these days employers often favour ‘defined contribution’ (‘money purchase’) pensions, where the financial commitment is quantifiable.

3) Taxation in Spain

Generally, if you are resident in Spain and have an NT tax code, your personal pensions are liable to Spanish income tax (only govern

4) The ‘lifetime allowance’

The lifetime allowance is the maximum combined amount you can accumulate in UK pensions (excluding state pensions). It is frozen at £1,073,100.

Any amount above the allowance is subject to a one-off tax charge of 25% if the excess is paid as a pension or the fund is transferred abroad, or 55% for lump sums.

It applies wherever you live.

5) QROPS

A Qualifying Recognised Over

However, the 2021 Spanish Directorate-General for Tax binding ruling V2508-21 determines that unless a pension is either a Spanish pension contract or EU pension, a pension transfer from a ‘third country’ pension scheme to an EEA pension scheme is subject to a personal income tax charge on the fund value.

If you are still UK resident you could transfer to QROPS before you become resident in Spain and avoid the tax charge.

6) The ‘overseas transfer charge’

The UK introduced the overseas transfer charge in 2017 to deter people from transferring their pensions out of the UK for what the then Chancellor described as pure

If you move outside the EU within five UK tax years of making transfer, the overseas transfer charge may be applied retrospectively.

The bottom line is that pensions is an area that can be complex with some pitfalls not immediately visible and one to seek expert advice on.

Tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any statements concerning taxation are based upon our understanding of current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change. Tax information has been summarised; individuals should seek personalised advice.

You can find other financial advisory articles by visiting our website

Betty Henderson ALGERIA has knocked the USA off the top spot as the biggest natural gas supplier to Spain in data from the start of 2023. Figures released on Friday, February 10 showed that most of the liquified natural gas received in Spain came from the North African nation.

Providing 8,545 gigawatt hours (GWh) of natural gas to Spain, Algeria was the country’s biggest partner, leaving the USA in second place. The USA provided a total of 7,102 GWh to Spain in second place before Nigeria who provided 6,932 GWh.

The figures paint a picture of a shifting energy market in Spain. Although Algeria became the

New partner

biggest supplier of natural gas, the country actually provided 11.17 per cent less gas than this time last year. Meanwhile, the USA took a huge cut in natural gas sales, providing nearly 46 per cent less natural gas to Spain than in January 2022. Nigeria provid­

ed 37 per cent more natural gas than in January last year.

Spain imported less natural gas this year than last, partially due to warmer weather, as well as sanctions on the former biggest gas provider, Russia.

Driving forward

A BRAND­NEW study has revealed that Spain has the eighth­safest drivers in the world. The report by Compare The Market price comparison site was released on Friday, February 10, and had some surprising results.

The report assessed indicators of safety including speed limits, alcohol regulations, quality of motorways and annual deaths from traffic accidents to come up with an overall rating out of five.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Japan topped the list for driving safety partially thanks to the country’s low alcohol tolerance for drivers.

The Asian country came away with the top score of 4.57 out of five. However, aside from Japan, eight of the countries in the top 10 list were European countries.

Japan was followed by the Netherlands who similarly scored highly with 4.02 points and Norway with 3.99 points. The other countries to make the top 10 were Estonia, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Singapore and Portugal.

Spain made eighth place on the list with an impressive score of 3.72 thanks to a low rate of fatalities in car accidents and a good quality road network.

Dodging sanctions

RUSSIA’S invasion of Ukraine has caused many Western countries to issue broad packages of sanctions against the rogue nation. But one panel of experts has expressed their concern that in looking for new trading options, Russia is using the Spanish enclave, Ceuta, to dodge sanctions.

Oil industry experts spoke out on Friday, February 10, saying that Russia is using international waters around 20 kilometres from Ceuta as a strategic location to load and transfer oil cargos to transport onwards to China. In the past, these transfers were completed in ports in the United States or Denmark, but both countries have now imposed sanctions on Russia.

The experts believe that Russia has transferred between 600,000 and one million barrels of crude oil between ships in the ocean off Spain’s North African enclave.

Spain does not allow these ship­to­ship transactions in its waters, but it is believed that the transfers are taking place outside of Spain’s jurisdiction.

Spain is not permitted to act unless the ships cross into national water.

Dream jobs

A BRAND­NEW study completed by global financial service, Remitly, has revealed the most sought­after job in each country. And Spain’s most popular dream job might be a surprise to some.

In the report, Spain was the only European country to record an online role as the most popular dream job, with ‘online influencer’ being the top pick. By contrast, traditional jobs like ‘lawyer’, ‘firefighter’ or ‘teacher’ were the most popular dream jobs in most European countries.

The most popular dream job worldwide was ‘pilot’ with more than a million searches, followed by writer which saw more than 800,000 searches.

The majority of Spain’s natural gas which arrived in the country in January 2023 came from Algeria.

THE otter has reproduced in Spain’s Mogent River for the first time after more than four decades.

The Mogent River is in the north­east of the Iberian Peninsula, a tributary of the Besos, which runs through the province of Barcelona.

The new family group is made up of a female and two cubs, born in the summer, who already make daily trips accompanied by their mother. They will continue to do so until they reach approximately one­yearold, which is the average age of emancipation of this species. In recent years, individuals had been detected periodically in the River Mogent, a tributary

Baby otters

ing shows the relevance of the work for the conservation of habitats in order to preserve their biodiversity.”

NEW FAMILY: Two cubs were born in the summer.

of the Besos River, but they were otters who were passing through and who came from other areas.

Antoni Alarcon, Director of Barcelona Zoo, said: “This find­

SPANISH fiction for film and television will have the largest representation in the European Film Market (EFM) to date. This year in Berlin, Spain is set to participate with more than 20 companies from the audiovisual sector.

The European Film Market is one of the three most important meetings for the international audiovisual industry. In 2023 it will celebrate its 35th edition from February 16 ­ 22 at various locations in the city of Berlin. The event will coincide with the 73rd edition of the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival.

A total of 33 Spanish films will be screened at the festival by eight sales agents who, together with the nine film commissions, will make up EFM’s Cinema from Spain stand. For the first time, Spanish content and serialised talent will be present at the Berlinale Series Market. Berlinale Series Market is held in cooperation with Berlinale Series, a section that offers a first look at the latest series productions from around the world.

Image: Barcelona City Council

Film & TV

178

Leopard 1 tanks have been sent to Ukraine by Germany.

Supporting money-saving currency transfers for 20 years

1. Hi Peter, firstly, congratulations on your 20th anniversary with Currencies Direct! That’s an incredible achievement. Things have changed a lot over the last two decades, but what would you say have been the biggest changes for Currencies Direct?

Currencies Direct was established back in 1996, making it one of the first specialist currency providers in Europe.

Since then the company has experienced phenomenal growth, expanding across the world.

We now have branches across Spain (20+ and counting!) as well as branches in Portugal, the UK, South Africa, the US and India.

As the number of Currencies Direct branches has increased, so has the number of currency experts we employ to support our customers. In Spain alone we have a team of over 100, and watching our presence in Spain grow has been a pleasure.

As we’re always investing in our people and technology, our service offering has changed a lot over the years as we’ve adjusted to meet our customers’ changing requirements. A number of years ago we launched a market­leading online service and app, so while our customers can still come to see us in branch or give us a call, they also have the flexibility to manager their money on their terms and make 24/7 currency transfers.

While I’ve seen the number of currency providers increase during my time with Currencies Direct, we’ve managed to stay ahead of the curve by changing with the times and always putting our customers

first. However, one thing that hasn’t changed in the last 20 years is the unrivalled level of personal support we provide.

2. From an industry level perspective, what is the biggest change you’ve seen?

Brexit undoubtedly inspired a huge amount of change in our industry. The EU referendum and everything that followed created historic amounts of volatility in the currency market and extreme uncertainty for our customers.

Preparing for Brexit and the end of the transition period was a mammoth undertaking, but the measures we took (such as obtaining the required authorisation to operate in the EU from the Bank of Spain) meant that our customers experienced no disruption or loss of service.

3. How did Covid change your business?

Covid had a significant impact on all of us, but as a business our priority was to acclimatise to support customers as much and as safely as we could.

While we really missed being able to in­

teract with customers in person in our branches, we found many of our customers embracing our online service and app for the first time. The convenience of being able to check live exchange rates and make transfers 24/7 meant that our online service and app continued to be extremely popular even after restrictions were lifted.

However, we’re really enjoying seeing customers back in our branches again. There’s no substitute for real interaction!

4. In your opinion, what makes Currencies Direct different from other currency providers?

Factors like the exceptional exchange rates we offer, the fact we don’t charge transfer fees and our exclusive relationship with CaixaBank all help us stand out from the crowd, but it’s our individual account management and customer service that truly set us apart.

When customers register with us they’re assigned a personal Account Manager, a dedicated currency expert to work with them throughout their lifetime with our company. We take the time to really get to know our customers, understand their requirements and help them get more for their money. The success of this approach has led to multiple award wins (like MoneyAge Money Transfer Provider of the Year four times) and the highest TrustScore in our industry. We have an ‘Excellent’ five­star Trustscore on Trustpilot and thousands of wonderful reviews from happy customers, something which really means a lot to us.

5. Why have you been proud to work for Currencies Direct for so long?

Working for such a customer­centric company is a big source of pride for me, and I’ve really enjoyed playing a part in our evolution ­ it’s amazing to think of where we started to where we are now.

One of the best things about working for Currencies Direct has been working with such an incredible team. Without the dedication and exceptional performance of our employees the company wouldn’t have seen the success it has.

6. Looking to the future, has Currencies

Direct got anything on the horizon that our readers might be interested in?

We’ve actually got a very exciting development to share. In late March we’ll be introducing our customers to a better way to pay with the launch of our multi­currency debit card. Customers will be able to put funds in their EUR, GBP, AUD or USD currency wallets and spend seamlessly in over 200 countries.

They’ll also be able to withdraw money from ATMs and keep track of their spending in our app. We can’t wait to provide our customers with this great new service, and it marks another exciting chapter in our history.

7. Finally, how did you celebrate your anniversary?

I was taken out for a lovely meal and presented with a wonderful gift ­ a Spitfire experience for me and my son!

As Peter Loveday, Currencies Direct’s Managing Director of Southern Europe, is celebrating his 20­year work anniversary, we sat down with him to find out all about his time with the company and why he’s been happy to work with them for so long.

Drifters singer dies from cancer

By Peter McLaren-Kennedy

THE Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Drifters singer, Charlie Thomas has died at the age of 85 from liver cancer.

The singer’s death was confirmed on Tuesday, February 7 by long-time friend Peter Lemongello Jr who said that the star had died at his home in Bowie, Maryland on January 31.

Lemongello said: “He was ageing, but he was active almost every weekend. Unfortunately, he

GREG HANDS, the new Conservative Party chairman, believes that he was the target of a recruitment attempt by a suspected Russian spy many years ago. Speaking with Channel 4, the politician - who this week replaced Nadhim Zahawi - told them of the incident that occurred in a London pub in 2004. He was referring to an encounter with Alexander Kashitsyn who he originally met during a Tory party event. The man he now believes to have been a spy introduced himself as a worker

went from being active to being at home and he started going downhill.”

The lead singer on hits

including the 1961 hit ‘Sweets for my Sweet’ and the 1962 hit ‘When My Little Girl Is Smiling’, Thomas had been a member of the group for more than 60 years.

But despite the group’s popularity they only ever had one number hit, the all-time classic ‘Save the last dance for me’.

Despite his age, Thomas toured with the group until the start of the pandemic which resulted in the closure of venues.

Russian spy claim

at the Russian Embassy in the capital, as reported by the UK press.

Their meeting came at a time when Hands was looking to get himself elected as a Conservative MP he told the Dispatches documentary. In 2010, he finally became the MP for Chelsea and Fulham.

‘Strippers, Spies And Russian Money’ was broadcast on Channel 4 on Sunday. All allegations made in the doc-

Four Stylish Brit Awards

HARRY STYLES, the 29-year-old former One Direction star picked up four of the top awards at the Brits on Saturday, February 11. He was nominated in four categories and made a clean sweep by winning all of them at London’s O2 Arena.

Following his success at last week’s Grammy’s in Los Angeles, the British pop star won Pop/RnB Act, Song of the Year for As It Was, the Album of the Year for Harry’s House, and the big one, Artist of the Year. The young artist already has an incredible tally of eight Brit awards.

There was the expected controversy when no females were nominated in the category of the best artist. Accepting his award, Harry acknowledged that he was “aware of his privilege”.

Harry thanked his mother: “for signing me up for The X Factor without telling me, so I literally wouldn’t be here without you.” He also made a point of mentioning his former OD bandmates.

Beyonce was a big winner again, adding to her Grammy success, landing two awards. She picked up the ‘International Artist of the Year’ award as well as ‘Break My Soul’ being lauded as ‘International Song of the Year’.

umentary were declined replies by the Russian Embassy said Channel 4.

Comedy returns

IT was revealed on Tuesday, February 7, that Fawlty Towers, one of the most iconic British comedy series of all time, will return to television screens. The final episode of this classic 1970s show was last broadcast on BBC Two in 1979, more than 40 years ago.

Once again controlling the madcap comedy will be John Cleese, the show’s original star and co-writer. This time around, he will be joined by Camilla Cleese, his real-life daughter, according to a news source. The classic comedy revolved around the antics of Cleese’s manic character Basil Fawlty, a grumpy hotel owner in Torquay. In this reboot, Basil will meet his long-lost daughter and decide to open a boutique hotel. Brand new episodes will follow Basil’s attempts to deal with the modern world, with the 83-year-old comic genius explaining that the manic hotel owner will be relocating to a ‘small bijou hotel’ in the Caribbean. Fawlty Towers consistently tops alltime British comedy lists despite only 12 episodes ever being recorded.

Singer, Charlie Thomas.

Image Debbie Wong Shutterstock.com

Bomb blows

A SECOND World War bomb which was uncovered on Tuesday, February 7, by construction workers in the Norfolk coastal town of Great Yarmouth reportedly exploded at around 5pm on Friday February 10.

Norfolk Police tweeted: “We can confirm the unexploded Second World War bomb in Great Yarmouth has detonated. This was not a planned detonation and happened during slow burn work to disarm the explosives. All army and emergency service personnel are accounted for. We will bring you further info when we have it.” Homes and businesses were previously evacuated in the vicinity of the £121 million project to construct a third crossing over the River Yare. Bomb disposal experts have been at the location attempting to defuse the device.

Newly announced prequel

By Peter McLaren­Kennedy

THE popular TV murder series Dexter is to get a prequel that will detail his path to becoming a serial killer.

The new series, which will be set in Miami, is entitled Dexter: Origins according to a report by a UK news source on Tuesday, February 7.

It is understood the show will start around the time he attended university and will focus on real cases from the period which will be portrayed as having influenced his decision to become a serial killer.

The series, which follows the life of forensic technician Dexter Morgan, be ­

came the most ­ watched Showtime series in 2021.

A new series of Dexter: New Blood is also planned that will follow the emergence of his son Harrison according to Dexter creator Clyde Phillips.

There are other spinoffs to the series with The Trinity Killer with John Lithgow in the lead role, a perfor ­

Invited to Coronation

IT was revealed late on Friday, February 10, that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are on the guest list and will be invited to the Coronation of King Charles III in May, according to an exclusive report by a UK news source.

“They’re on the list and planning is well underway to make sure the proceedings run as smoothly as possiblewithout any drama,” a source told the news outlet.

After Harry disclosed Royal Family secrets in his recent best­selling memoir ‘Spare’, there had been doubts over whether his father would invite him to the massive event in a few

months’ time. The appearance of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could overshadow the occasion it was suggested by many.

Seating arrangements in Westminster Abbey are allegedly being done in such a precise way that Harry and his brother William will not be seen together.

The final guest list is expected to include around 2,000 names and should be confirmed in the next few weeks the source explained. Domestic and foreign royals will of course be on the list, along with world leaders and foreign dignitaries.

mance for which he received an Emmy for bestsupporting actor in a drama series.

The Dexter prequel is going ahead but there could be more if creator Clyde Phillips has his way.

More vapes removed

ALL the leading supermarkets in the UK have confirmed they have removed some vapes from their stores over health fears. The vapes were banned after an investigation by the UK press showed the items to contain more nicotine than the legal limit of 2ml or 2 per cent strength. Sainsbury’s confirmed on Friday, February 10 that Elf Bar products are the items that were found to be unsafe, with the vapes no longer for sale. A spokesperson for Elf Bar has apologised claiming some batches were overfilled in error. A Morrisons spokesperson said: “As part of our ongoing investigation into the legal compliance of Elf Bar 600 disposable electronic cigarettes with Trading Standards, we have made the decision to remove all flavoured variants from sale.

“The products will only be returned to sale once stock that fully complies with UK legislation becomes available.”

Elf Bar is one of the leading vape brands in the UK selling around 2.5 million Elf bars weekly.

DEXTER: The most watched series in 2021.

Migration tragedy

Betty Henderson NINE people, including a pregnant woman and a fourmonth­old baby were found dead after a small boat crossing from Tunisia to Europe lost its way. Around 50 survivors reached the Italian island of Lampedusa on Thursday, February 3 after being rescued.

Survivors said the tragic events unfolded in the central Mediterranean when the six­metre long boat became lost after leaving the Tunisian city of Sfax on the previous Saturday. Migrants began to suffer from hy ­

pothermia, including the baby’s mother who died from exposure and hunger before the baby slipped out of her arms.

THE Vatican dismissed two nuns on Monday, February 6, after they refused to leave the Santa Chiara monastery in Ravello on the Italian Amalfi coast. The sisters nicknamed ‘the rebel nuns’ were relieved of their duties in a letter signed by Pope Francis.

Massimiliana Panza and Angela Maria Punnackal were expelled by the Vatican after they flouted a request from the church to leave the 13th century monastery. The women were the sole residents of Ravello’s clifftop monastery for the last decade along with a 97­year­old sister,

A Tunisian fishing boat reported sighting a boat in distress to the Maltese Search and Rescue who assisted in bringing the surviving passengers to Lampedusa. Many were found to be suffering from hypothermia and extreme hunger.

The island’s mayor, Filippo Mannino appealed to the Prime Minister in the wake of the tragedy and the arrival of other boats in recent weeks saying, “Help, we cannot handle this much longer.” More than 5,000 migrants have arrived in Italy since the start of 2023.

Having nun of it

Maria Cristina Fiore who has resided there since 1955.

The church previously asked the nuns to transfer to another convent or monastery after an inventory report found the Santa Chiara property too costly to maintain due to it having only three residents.

The nuns asked to receive more nuns but the church stood by its decision to expel the women.

Survivors arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa after several passengers died during the journey.

Photo credit: photofilippo66 / Shutterstock.com

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Bonuses cut

THE tireless work of law enforcement workers across Europe often goes unnoticed, but a new photo contest aims to recognise this. Europol’s Capture22 photo competition winners were announced on Friday, February 3 after months of deliberation by a jury.

Europol asks amateur photographers to contribute photographs that capture and illustrate the ways that police forces keep European Union citizens safe everyday in the contest..

The 2022 contest comprised three different categories: ‘Making Europe safer’; ‘Caring for the community’ and ‘On the road’.

Pedro Manuel Reis Valongo won the ‘Making Europe safer’ category with an image of a Portuguese police officer at a train station, demonstrating the steadfast presence of police in public spaces.

Ricardo Rueda Fernandez won the ‘Caring for the community’ category with a

heart ­ warming image of a Spanish police officer helping a Moroccan citizen to the shore. A poignant image, it also highlights the versatility of police work in the EU.

The final category, ‘On the road’ was won by Romanian photographer, Florin Jugravu, depicting a police officer on duty in traffic in Bucharest. The photograph ‘encapsulates the frenetic nature of modern life and the reliability of police’.

The winning entries will now go on exhibition in The Hague. The winning images can also be viewed online: https://www.instagram. com/p/CoM78NVD1Zm/?hl= en.

THE scandal ­ hit Swiss bank, Credit Suisse, announced on Thursday, February 9 that it would cut bonuses for company executives as it records its worst financial year since the economic crisis of 2008.

Clients withdrew their money in droves and company shares plummeted causing the company to record a staggering net loss of nearly €7.4 billion. 2022 marks the second year that the company has reported a loss after losing nearly €1.8 billion in 2021.

The bank has been plagued with scandal since a 2022 court ruling that the Swiss bank helped the Bulgarian mafia to launder money as well as US hedge fund disasters, and implication in a scandal in Mozambique.

The shockingly poor performance led the company to announce that none of its executives, would receive a bonus this year. Senior managers also took significant pay cuts.

Europe’s central police agency, Europol holds a photo contest each year.

Photo credit: Tobias Arhelger / Shutterstock.com

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Hidden riches

ROMAN gold coins, rings and precious stones now on show in Denmark's National Museum in Copenhagen were all discovered by amateurs who used metal detectors. The treasure trove is the result of a Danish law obliging detectorists to hand over their finds in exchange for a finder’s fee.

THE NETHERLANDS

Crying shame

CLIMATE change is affecting onion production in The Netherlands where they have fetched a record wholesale price of 70 cents a kilo. Growers blamed the increase on increased costs initially triggered by the pandemic, followed by the Ukraine war, high temperatures last summer and insufficient rainfall.

BELGIUM

Royal fans

FIFTY-EIGHT per cent of Belgians are in favour of the monarchy, with support for the royal family lower in Flemish-speaking Flanders where the population wants more regional autonomy. Walloons are more accepting of monarchs Philippe and Mathilde who, although multilingual, are francophone by birth.

GERMANY

Stuck fast

MORE than 10,000 police officers in Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia region will be given training in dealing with climate activists who glue themselves to the road. This will speed up removal procedures and also reduce traffic incidents, as currently very few officers know how to unglue the protesters.

FRANCE

Stay-at-home

MORE than 40 per cent of French residents who ski each winter told the Campsider Winter Observatory that they would not be doing so this year. They could no longer afford the average outlay of between €900 and €1,000 per person plus another €1,350 for equipment, they said.

NORWAY

Owning up

NORWAY’S 29-year-old Justice and Public Safety minister, Emilie Enger Mehl, finally admitted that she had installed TikTok on her official phone after several days of giving only evasive answers in parliament. Critics said that the Chinese app could be used by the Beijing government’s intelligence services.

FINLAND

Fur exports

FINLAND is Europe’s largest fur-producer and importer although a large proportion of its imports are re-exported to South Korea and Vietnam amongst others. According to animal protection charity, Humane Society International (HSI), Finland exported fur worth €126 million in 2021, compared with €477 million in 2013.

IRELAND

Jobs axed

MICROSOFT will cut 120 jobs from its Irishbased workforce as it carries out the global cost-cutting plan affecting 10,000 global jobs announced last month. The company employs more than 3,500 people in Ireland in different roles that cover operations, sales, engineering and product development.

ITALY Left out

GIORGIA MELONI, Italy’s prime minister criticised France and Germany for excluding her from a Paris dinner with Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky. This was in marked contrast to 2022 when Meloni’s predecessor, Mario Draghi, cooperated with Macron and Scholz on Ukraine.

PORTUGAL

Joint effort

PORTUGAL’S prime minister Antonio Costa suggested that Portugal and Spain should join forces and work together to exploit the large reserves of lithium that are located on both sides of the border. Instead of separate battery factories, both countries should develop a common strategy, Costa said.

UKRAINE Ukraine helps

KYIV sent 88 rescue workers to assist in rescuing Turkey’s earthquake survivors and build temporary shelters. “There is a war in our country, but we have to help. There is no other way to do it,” said Oleksandr Khorunzhyi, a spokesman for the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

SWEDEN

Wolf clash

HUNTERS shot 54 wolves last in Sweden’s largest cull ever, provoking the ire of conservationists and satisfying farmers. The Swedish government has authorised the shooting of 75 wolves this year, while scientists warned that wolf numbers were insufficient for a healthy population.

STAT OF WEEK €257 billion

is the record-breaking amount paid to Spain’s tax authority Hacienda last year, just over 15 per cent more than in 2021, and outstripping a predicted 8 per cent.

BUSINESS EXTRA Ticket to ride FINANCE

Tighter belts

AS shoppers spent less and awaited increased energy bills, UK retail sales growth more than halved at the start of the year. The country’s total retail sales grew by 4.2 per cent last month compared with 11.9 per cent in January 2022, British Retail Consortium (BRC) revealed.

Art lovers

SPAIN’S millennials born between the early 80s and mid90s are not investing in art, according to several Madrid auctioneers and dealers, accounting for between 3 and 4 per cent of sales. In contrast, their international counterparts accounted for 34 per cent of new buyers, London­based Christie’s said.

Lidl surprise

MARKETING data company

Kantar revealed that customers who habitually shop at Marks & Spencer, Waitrose or Sainsbury’s spent £120 million (€135.5 million) at Lidl last year. The equivalent of £10 million (€11.3 million), this rose to (£11 million (€12.4 million) in January, suggesting a new trend.

More jobs

THE number of workers working for Spain’s largest companies rose last year by 5.2 per cent compared with 2022, tax authority Hacienda revealed. Their salaries rose by 3.7 per cent in the largest increase recorded since 2008, but well below late December’s 5.7 per cent inflation rate.

Gone to waste

MILLIONS of pounds’ worth of UK energy vouchers have not been cashed as one in five homes with pre ­ payment meters have failed to redeem approximately 380,000 of them. The government urged energy firms to ensure that vulnerable customers received the help they were entitled to.

Nissan’s veiled message

THE “economics must work” if Nissan decides to make its new Juke and Qashqai electric vehicles in the UK.

Speaking to the BBC recently, Nissan’s CEO Ashwani Gupta said that Britain faced a challenge if it was to remain competitive in comparison with other car­making countries.

Manufacturing costs were higher than in other countries owing to higher energy bills and overall inflation, he pointed out, warning that lower costs were key to keeping the UK competitive.

Also prominent in making the UK attractive to car makers was continuing government support in the transition to electric vehicles, coupled to dependable supply chains, Gupta added.

Nissan is committed to producing the Leaf electric car’s successor at its Sunderland factory which employs 6,000 people. At the same time the CEO said that the company “needed to have the economics to justify it” when allocating production of the new Juke

and Qashqai models between its 44 plants worldwide.

Determining where to build the Juke and Qashqai will not be immediate, as the new models of these Sunderlandmade best­selling cars are not due until 2027­28 and decisions are usually made two or three years earlier.

Nissan recently secured approximately £100 (€112.5 million) in public money towards the £1 billion (€1.125 billion) it will invest in expanding a Chinese­owned battery plant adjoining the Sunderland plant.

Meanwhile, as the global car manufacturing is reshaped, the US is offering tens of billions of dollars in subsidies to the car industry and EU is expected to respond with its own enticements.

Hacienda blacklist ruling

RAIL tickets in the UK could soon be priced like airline seats, based on a demand­based system now being tried out.

Mark Harper, Transport secretary, announced recently that the cost of tickets on some long­distance trains on the East Coast line run by the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) will vary according to availability.

The state­run train company would eventually phase out return tickets across its network, dependent on a pilot programme determining whether to introduce this nationally, Harper said.

The current trial follows a successful scheme selling only single­leg tickets on some longer intercity routes including London­Edinburgh.

Game over

SPAIN’S Blacklist of tax

defaulters will henceforth name only those with definite, confirmed debts.

The Supreme Court analysed four cases before announcing a decision that will now set jurisprudence. Two cases arose from the alleged debts of public bodies, including the Social Security Fund. Two others were related to two businessmen who lodged an appeal against Spain’s tax authority, Hacienda, after they appeared on its notorious 2018 Blacklist.

In all four cases, the

New clients

SANTANDER’S online Openbank is making a €50 payment to the holders of new accounts opened before February 20.

Unlike other banks whose sweeteners depend on new clients paying in their salary, Openbank is asking them only to deposit a minimum of €1,000 before March 8 and to keep it there until March 31 when they receive the €50.

The bank emphasised that there was no charge for opening, maintaining or closing the new account, and standard transfers in euros were free within the European Union.

Supreme Court concluded that the Blacklist should name only those with confirmed debts. This was the first time that the tribunal had ruled on the scope and interpretation of Blacklists

referred to in Spain’s General Tax Law.

Legal sources explained that this latest decision questions the future of this type of list, although it appears that Hacienda has asked for time to study the decision and assess its implications and consequences.

According to these same sources, the Supreme Court’s decision was based on “overwhelming common sense” as it allowed taxpayers to exhaust all available options before they could be added to the

Cosentino fined

MULTINATIONAL marble company, Consentino, was ordered to pay €1.1 million compensation to five stoneworkers who contracted silicosis.

The company’s owner Francisco Fernandez Cosentino also received a sixmonth suspended prison sentence.

In a later statement he admitted providing insufficient information to a Vigo (Galicia) firm regarding the composition of Silestone, the company’s star surface composed of minerals, quartz and recycled materials.

This posed a “much greater health risk” to the five Vigo employees than natural stone, ruled judge Montserrat Delgado.

Accepting both the sentence and compensation, Fernandez Cosentino went on to say that the five affected staff members worked at a specific workshop.

Blacklist.

The tribunal’s decision also suggested that an affected taxpayer appealing against a Hacienda decision or demand could not be included while a case was ongoing, even if the debt was not paid.

This, the Supreme Court said, was the only way of ensuring that the Blacklist complied with the Constitution “and the right to honour and privacy”, bearing in mind that the alleged defaulter could later win an appeal after appearing on the list.

Unhappy staff

PERSONNEL at privatised air traffic control towers at 16 Spanish airports intend to continue stoppages each Monday throughout February.

The 162 employees work at airports in Alicante, Valencia, Ibiza, Sabadell, Vigo, Jerez, Sevilla, La Coruña, Madrid­Cuatro Vientos, La Palma, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Murcia, Castellon, Lleida and El Hierro.

In 2020 two companies, Ferronat and Saerco, paid the Spanish government €102 million to operate 12 of these airports for seven years.

The controllers decided to strike after negotiating the sector’s fourth collective bargaining agreement broke down in January.

The stoppages arrived at the same time as government plans to privatise the service at another seven control towers.

MICROSOFT’S acquisition of Activision was in question after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) predicted harm to gamers.

The (CMA) already expressed concerns about Microsoft’s plans last year, but declared recently that the deal could adversely affect fans of video games.

The CMA has now published the provisional findings of its investigation into the Microsoft and Activision deal after deciding that this could result in higher prices, fewer choices, or less innovation for UK gamers.

The CMA suggested possible remedies that include Microsoft being forced to sell off Activision Blizzard’s business associated with the Call of Duty game.

Plenty space

MARK BOGGETT, Seraphim Space’s CEO, described last January’s failed Virgin Orbit satellite launch from Cornwall as “a slight setback.”

The UK, whose space industry currently supports nearly 50,000 jobs, remained a global leader, and was currently attracting more investment in space projects than any other country apart from China and the US, Boggett insisted.

Despite the Virgin Orbit setback, Boggett believed there was still “significant dry powder” by way of cash reserves that corporations and private equity funds were prepared to deploy for attractive investment opportunities in Britain’s space industry.

Photo credit: Nissan Global

ASHWANI GUPTA: Nissan CEO said company committed to producing Leaf model.

Photo credit: Zarateman

SUPREME COURT: Judges rule Hacienda may only name confirmed defaulters.

DOW JONES

Not so cheap

UK consumer association

Which? found that shopping at the big supermarkets’ convenience stores could add more than £800 (€902) to a family’s yearly food bills. Tesco Express charged higher prices, Which? said, and also found that Sainsbury’s Local outlets were more expensive for essentials.

On the payroll

ANTONIO GARAMENDI, president of Spain’s Confederation of Business Organisations (CEOE), is no longer registered as a self­employed ‘autonomo’. Instead Garamendi now draws an annual salary of €400,000, an improvement of 9 per cent on his income during his first term as CEOE president.

Not me

LIZ TRUSS admitted to a Spectator interviewer that cutting the 45p (88 cents) tax rate was “perhaps a bridge too far.” She also argued that it was not fair to blame her for rising mortgage rates and said she believed that there were other factors involved apart from the mini­budget.

Profits down

SPANISH insurance company Mapfre earned €29.5 billion last year with premiums growing by 10.8 per cent to €24.540 billion. Profits fell by 16 per cent to €642 million, owing to the impact of inflation, an increase in the number of accidents and ongoing drought in some regions.

On the road

CAR sales in the UK last month grew by 14.7 per cent compared to January 2022 with a total of 131,994 vehicles registered. The MG HS hybrid was the best­selling car while Nissan’s Qashqai ­ the UK’s mostbought new car in 2022 ­ fell to third behind the VW TRoc.

Recharging Britishvolt

Linda Hall

RECHARGE INDUSTRIES, an Australian company was named preferred bidder for Britishvolt which collapsed last month.

The company manufactured batteries for electric cars and would have built a £3.8 billion (€4.3 billion) factory near Blyth in Northumberland with government funding had it found investors. Instead, it went into administration.

As reported in the Euro Weekly News, Recharge Industries, an Australian start­up, showed an immediate interest in Britishvolt and outbid rivals for the company.

Recharge Industries put together an ‘aggressive’ package that revived hopes of going ahead with the £3.8 billion (€4.3 billion) gigafactory in the north of

England, which could supply UK­built electric vehicles without relying on Chinese materials. It would also provide 3,000 skilled jobs.

The Australian company, a start­up linked to the New York­based Scale Fa­

Russian exit

cilitation investment firm, overcame three other offers to become the preferred bidder and take Britishvolt out of the administrators’ hands.

Recharge will work simultaneously on rebuilding Britishvolt and the new plant while going ahead with its own plans for a battery factory in Geelong, the former car manufacturing hub in Australia.

Thanks to Australia’s mineral deposits, the proposed lithium­ion plant would not be dependent on China or Russia and risk supply­chain delays.

Recharge’s proposals to Britishvolt’s administrators, which stressed both strategic and diplomatic ties, also received backing from the British government’s trade envoy for Australia, the ex­English cricketer Ian Botham.

Spain’s desirable renewables

GOLDMAN SACHS announced the launch of Verdalia Bioenergy involving an investment of more than €1 billion in Europe’s biomethane sector.

The American multinational investment bank and financial services company will focus on ‘developing, acquiring, building and operating’ biomethane plants across Europe, contributing to the European Union’s decarbonisation agenda.

Verdalia will invest in early­stage development projects and larger operational assets and has already signed its first agreement, subject to regulatory approval.

Once given the go­ahead, Verdalia will purchase a portfolio of biomethane projects in mid­stage development in Spain, with a total capacity of approximately 150 gigawatts per year. Goldman Sachs is joining forces with Fernando Bergasa and Cristina Avila.

The former chiefs of Spanish electricity, oil and gas distribution company Redexis, they have a strong track record in the natural gas sector, Goldman Sachs sources said. Under their leadership, Verdalia aims to become a leading biomethane operator, starting in Spain and subsequently expanding across Europe, deploying more than €1 billion over the next four years.

BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (BAT), which formerly dominated 25 per cent of the Russian market, intends to leave this year.

Following the Ukraine invasion BAT, which makes Rothmans and Lucky Strike, announced that it intended to leave Russia and would sell its operation there to a local partner. It is also making plans to transfer its unit in Belarus in 2023.

The group reported an adjusted profit of £12.4 billion (€13.9 billion) in 2022, an 11 per cent increase on 2021 thanks to demand for its e­cigarettes and oral nicotine products.

Glass ceiling

“We are excited to work with Goldman Sachs Asset Management and benefit from their investment experience,” Fernando Bergasa, Verdalia’s executive chairman said.

“Renewable gas will be a key tool to assist Europe in its commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2050.”

BBVA and Turkey

TURKEY’s disastrous double earthquake puts more pressure on BBVA’s investments there.

BBVA is the owner of Turkey’s largest bank, Garanti, which has 972 branches and more than 21,000 employees.

Adversely affected by galloping inflation and the weak Turkish lira over the past 12 months, Garanti had a bad start to 2023 with shares devalued by 31.2 per cent since January 1. They fell by 6.57 per cent on the

Istanbul stock exchange the day after the earthquake.

Garanti is proving a headache for BBVA and in the 2022 financial year its Turkish subsidiary had a €324 million impact on results owing to hyper­inflation that had reached 64 per cent by the end of December. BBVA was counting on Garanti to generate neither profits nor losses for the group, but instead the bank improved on forecasts, with benefits of €509 million.

Fish on the menu

FISHING plays a minor part in the UK economy but featured prominently in the Brexit campaign to regain control of British waters.

In 2020, when Boris Johnson announced details of his new Brexit trade agreement with the European Union, he promised that Britain would catch and eat “quite prodigious quantities of extra fish.”

Fisheries minister Mark Spencer told

MPs in December 2022 that the country was 30,000 tons better off now that it was outside the EU, although fisheries biologist Dr Bryce Stewart from York University maintained that the government had overestimated the long­term impact.

Much of the benefit arrived in 2021 when 15 per cent of the EU’s overall 25 per cent share was transferred to Britain, with much smaller transfers due between now and 2026, Dr Stewart said.

THE Women Matter España survey by McKinsey & Company, found that women occupied few senior executive posts in Spain. After studying more than 45 companies with approximately 300,000 employees between them, the international management consultants found that the glass ceiling remained relatively intact.

Only 6 per cent of director general positions were filled by women in 2022, compared with the European Union’s 8 per cent.

On the other hand, Spanish companies had more female board members, with an average of 33 per cent against 31 per cent in the EU.

Nice earner

THE UK’s 4,185 speed cameras cost almost £29 million (€32.7 million) in maintenance over the last five years.

They also brought in £391 million (€441.7 million) in fines, according to research by the new and used­car comparison site Carwow.

Councils spent £3.2 million (€3.6 million) between 2018 to 2022, police forces paid £4.6 million (€5.2 million), and transport authorities, including Transport for London, spent a hefty £20.9 million (€23.6 million).

Many authorities willingly shared their costs for running their speed cameras with Carwow but others declined, claiming that this could affect maintenance negotiation in future.

Some police forces also preferred not to divulge speed camera numbers, citing crime prevention.

BRITISHVOLT: Australian Recharge Industries has revived its hopes.

BIOMETHANE PLANT: Goldman Sachs are investing in renewable energy.

Dangerous breeds

HEART rending photos last week of fouryear­old poppet Alice Stones, savagely mauled and subsequently killed by a pet dog. How long is it going to be until the authorities realise that a number of canine breeds are actually no more adaptable to the living conditions of human beings than many dangerous wild animals?

To my mind the likes of Pit Bull Terriers, Doberman Mastiffs, Rottweilers etc should be viewed in one place and one place only; the local Zoo.

In the last 10 years there have been 34 deaths in the UK due to dog attacks, many on children, with over 200,000 reports of dog bites in the last year alone! These are horrendous figures and the most tragic fact of all is that the majority of victims were extremely young.

Many of these tots, now scarred for life, have had their whole futures altered beyond redemption, simply because the two­legged animal that should be the most responsible of all, deems for some unknown reason to allow unpredictable, potentially life destroying four legged canines to share their homes. When are they going to recognise the devastation these animals are actually capable of?

I do actually shudder when I see pho­

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

tos, or postings of dangerous dog breeds, cuddling up or licking the faces (not too hygienic anyway!) of babies sometimes a few months old. One split second vicious snap and those faces could be gone or ravaged forever.

When is the government going to see some sense and ban certain dangerous breeds altogether? Personally I am myself a true dog lover. My beautiful pet is a cross between a Boxer and a Labrador and consequently quite big. You would find it hard to meet a more loving and faithful animal.

However I can quite honestly say that if my children were still young and living with me, the chances of my precious animal actually sharing our home would be completely zero.

It’s time some of the parents who allow dangerous breeds to mix with their youngsters were locked up. Doing a bit of jail time in an environment which may

very well contain only dogs that can tear you apart, may just bring them to their senses.

I do actually remember the last time I included dangerous dog owners in my weekly blurb; I almost had to run for the hills. Once again I await the slings and arrows of DDO’s with my usual full metal jock strap firmly in place.

Just a quick final word here to those woke fantasisers, who seem to have completely lost the plot of our human existence with their paltry trans gendering pronouns and other misanthropic diversity nonsense; turn your hearts and minds to the true horror in our world; the suffering of the men, women and children, caused by war in the Ukraine and the disastrous earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Thank our true Spiritual Father it’s not you.

ARMCHAIR DETECTIVES OUR VIEW

THE hunt for missing dog walker and mother of two Nicola Bulley is almost reaching the end of its first month and police are still making repeated calls for “armchair detectives” to stop hindering their investigation.

While interest in true crime has always held a fascination for the UK public, social media and the rise in Netflix cold case documentaries has only helped increase interest.

This poses important questions about the role of the press in solving crimes. Police have traditionally issued public appeals for information via the press, often with incredible results.

However, when does this go too far? Rather than providing useful information, in the case of Nicola Bulley, many people have used her disappearance as an opportunity to vent their own theories, criticise the police, or even further their own YouTube followings with videos shot from where she is thought to have gone missing.

For more from our columnists please scan this QR Code

Police have now issued a rare order preventing the latter behaviour, but how much of their time went into following spurious leads and tackling online misinformation rather than trying to find the missing mother?

More importantly even is the effect this has on the families involved, including Nicola’s small children, who are surely the most innocent victims in this tragic tale.

LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

GOD BLESS YOU

HI Leapy

Due to Brexit, which I voted for and still wholeheartedly believe is the best option for the United Kingdom, I have to adhere to Schengen rules which is not a problem as my husband and I get the best of both worlds in our lovely homes in Javea, Costa Blanca and Weston Super Mare, North Somerset.

So that I don’t miss your weekly column I get the Euro Weekly online each week when I am in England.

Keep doing what you’re doing and God bless you for doing it

Best wishes

Julia

I need to retire

HOW amazing is it that we are part of the 71.6 million tourists that come along to Spain every year. I can remember coming to Spain when there were no real tourist attractions other than the beach, fishing huts and predominately all Spanish­speaking. I have been coming to Spain for the best part of 40 years and the only linguistic knowledge and ability that I have found to do me well is ‘la cuenta por favor’ and ‘cerveza’. The life over here is so much better, I am in in my 70s and still haven’t retired, but I know that I need to. Spain is calling my name and I know that I need to enjoy it before it gets too late. Three weeks in the sun in July isn’t enough, I need it and want it 24/7.

Need to retire

BYE BYE FLYBE

ry and Meghan are about to do next regarding Archewell. It says in their usual way of talking ‘the key pillars are building a better online world, restoring trust in information and uplifting communities.

We’ve rolled up our sleeves, opened our arms, and opened our hearts, creating connections through care and compassion’ ­ I think that is enough of that rubbish. How can they be for caring about mental health when they are causing so much in their own families? Poor Camilla has been targeted and used as a punch bag, all because Ginge’s father loved her. It was obviously OK for Meg to be married before.

Obviously that woman who went to Buckingham Palace looking to trap someone into being an alleged racist would never have done that without Harry’s stupid lie, that he later retracted, about the Firm being racist. That didn’t do a lot for the victim’s mental health. I guess only he and Megan’s mental health matters.

My main question this week is thoughdoes he realise what a major thing that was for the late Queen, allowing Harry and Meg to marry in church in pomp and circumstance, designer dressed in white, when she was a divorcee. What a favour the royal family did them. Charles and Camilla slipped away quietly and married. You cannot please that awful man.

Rant over. Sylvia

Thank you

David

IT is awful to see so many airlines go down the drain these days, so many livelihoods gone. I remember the first time I went on a plane it was to the Isle of Man to watch the TT. It was like a tin shack in the sky, and I was holding on for dear life. I felt like what I would imagine the motor cyclist most have felt like going around the track but a day prior and a further drop. The pilot’s name was even ‘scary’. That was something for the books.

With love, Mairie

Beaver access

HOW incredible, something positive and something the kids can learn now and watch before they fall asleep. Thank you, Euro Weekly , for putting these snippets of information in. You don’t know how much it helps.

Thank you! Jessica

What interesting Breaking Views articles, thank you, Nora. Long may you write your amusing column for the Euro Weekly News . I always read it. Well done and keep it up!

Alex Walker

Slow down

UK car production has slowed down, that is not a surprise to me. It just feels like we are outsourcing more and more these days. Long gone are the days for many car producers and producers of ‘British’ products. It was something to see in its day. My father was a mechanic, and everything had to be so pristine and perfectly done. Even down to the shining of the chrome in places where it is least likely to be seen by a normal eye. The old car shows, show you a snapshot of what it was like, the human assembly line of what it used to be, and all the men in their blue boiler suits. My father looked so handsome in his. It seems so trivial these days, but these are the things that stand out for me. I wish we were able to have more British things, it makes you proud of where you come from. Obviously, these days it is easier to get things from abroad, but it was nice to relive a memory I haven’t thought about in a long time.

LEE,

I was just reading the report of what Har ­

Yours, Sandy

NEW & EXCLUSIVE LISTING TO VOSS HOMES ­ A deceptively spacious (105m2), recently improved, three bed, two bath semi­detached two storey house with H&C air con, fibre optic internet, private, low maintenance garden / driveway of 150m2 and use of two large communal large swimming pools and gardens. Walking distance to the amenities in La Alfoquia village with shops, bakers, butchers, restaurants, bank, doctors, vets, schools, bowling green etc.

The villages of Zurgena and Arboleas both with shops etc are four and eight mins drive away. The major market town of Huercal­Overa is approx 12 drive minutes away. The coast at Vera, Garrucha and Mojacar are approx 30 minutes drive away.

The furniture is also for sale, making this an ideal ready to move into main residence or ‘lock up and leave, home from home’ holiday home. The property has great long term rental potential ­ €450 per month plus bills is achievable.

The community fees are approx only €380 per year. Property tax is approx €238 per year plus rubbish collection of €148 per year.

Property of the week Ref. VH2136

Tyrella in La Alfoquia

Both pools are very well maintained and are only for residents with lockable gates. The pools are open usually from Easter to the end of October.

Downstairs the house has an open plan living / dining room with H&C air con. A large fitted kitchen with door leading out to the garden and utility room. There is also the third bedroom downstairs which is a large single bedroom with a recently modernised ensuite shower room with recently fitted walk­in shower.

To the front is a gated driveway for one large car plus plenty of room for bikes etc, plus there is plenty of safe on­road parking. To the side and rear is the low maintenance garden with attractive block built pergola and it looks over one of the main, attractive communal gardens and large swimming

pool. There is a lockable gate leading out to the pool area.

Attached to the house is a lockable storage / utility room in the garden for bikes, pool and beach equipment etc.

The other communal garden with large swimming pool (13m x 6m) is also approx 50m away from this house.

Marble stairs lead up to the family bathroom and two large double bedrooms, both with H&C air con and their own terraces. The main bedroom has a walk­in wardrobe and a good sized terrace that looks out to the front of the property. The second bedroom has a small terrace which looks over the rear garden and pool area and has built­in wardrobes.

Voss Homes is a British family­run business with an office in this village of La Alfoquia and the thriving, market town of Huercal­Overa.

SEMI-DETACHED: This two-storey house has access to a large swimming pool and gardens.

Upset tummy

GASTROENTERITIS frequently hits more often in the winter because norovirus, one of its common forms, prefers cooler temperatures.

People can also pass on gastroenteritis without suffering from it themselves, or before their own symptoms have developed.

Although the illness can be more serious for infants, the elderly and those who are immune­compromised, most people will recover in a few days as the body fights off the infection and recuperates on its own.

Treatment involves drinking plenty of liquids to

prevent dehydration although doctors reject the old standby of a fizzy drink that has gone flat, as the sugar only makes diarrhoea worse. Small amounts of bland food are also recommended.

150% shortage of medicine in Spanish pharmacies.

Take a break

SPAIN’S siesta, a tradition still practised by those with the opportunity to take an afternoon snooze, now has academic backing.

University of California professor, Gloria Mark, said that brain slumps are real.

“The antidote to this mid ­ afternoon mind sludge isn’t muddling through,” she declared. “It’s the opposite: You should take a break.”

A review published in 2022 also found that short breaks of no more than 10 minutes helped to diminish mental fatigue and improved the ability and willingness to produce quality work.

These breaks improved performance when performing creative tasks, the experts found, rather than activities like basic arithmetic.

Long Covid Burning issue

DOCTORS writing in the British Medical Journal’s Open Sport and Exercise concluded that golf was good for the health and “probably” better than Nordic walking. Shortly afterwards, more experts described ways to burn calories without leaving the home.

Their recommended cold shower might not prove popular during Spain’s current cold snap and few women need to be told that housework is one way of working up a sweat.

calories.

Meanwhile, eating celery burns more calories than those consumed and chewing gum uses an extra 11 calories an hour, the investigators found.

A HARVARD study suggested that Long Covid rates could drop by half if people ate healthily and exercised.

Using data from more than 32,000 female nurses, scientists wanted to determine how underlying health dictated a person’s risk of fatigue, brain fog and shortness of breath.

Those living healthily were nearly half as unlikely to suffer lingering symptoms after overcoming Covid. They also found that sleeping less than seven hours a night and a body mass index below 25 were the greatest risk factors.

Dry February

DRY January was introduced to compensate for the alcoholic excesses of the Christmas season.

Now that it has ended, health experts suggest that the one in seven Brits who stayed on the wagon last month would benefit from dry February, or even longer. They would sleep better, as alcohol ini­

tially acts as a sedative but actually raises adrenaline levels which act as a stimulant.

The liver has to work overtime to break down alcohol, which also disturbs sleep patterns, and, because alcohol is a diuretic and produces more urine, drinkers have to make extra trips to the bathroom during the night.

HOUSEWORK: Burns excess

Photo credit: Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio

THE AGE OF LIGHT

What the universe has in store

HELLO my angels, this week is all about love, but not in the way you are all assuming, it’s all about self love ­ some of you may be in a relationship, just coming out of a relationship, or single!

Any situation you are in, what I am about to explain to you is very simple and anyone can start this today. “Ego says once everything falls into place i’ll find peace” spirit says “find your peace and everything will fall into place.” Every single one of us has an ego, this is something we build up over time. The ego can stop you from practising self love, it forms a barrier that stops anyone from enjoying this feeling. So remove the ego you might say and problem sorted? And this is exactly what I am going to teach you today.

Children are not scared to express their emotions, they are not scared to say what they think or what they feel, they live in the present moment. In the first part of our own personal inner growth, we try

to adapt to different people and situations to feel worthy and accepted. Our mind starts to work and our egos start to grow and begin to take control of our life and our thoughts. I have five ways to start you on your journey of self love:

1. Practise forgiveness and letting go.

“The weak can never forgive.”

The most powerful tool to learn to let go of our egos to make life easier is to practise forgiveness. We have to learn to forgive the people who hurt us and most importantly we have to learn to forgive ourselves. Accept, let go and keep moving forward. Forgiveness will open the windows to your soul, and remove the negativity to allow room for new happiness.

2. Practise honesty and being open.

The most important sentence I’ve ever heard, and I’m sure you’ve heard it too. “The truth will set you free.” Suppressing our emotions can develop depression and anxiety. Learn to say no to the things that dont add value in your life, and open your arms towards the things that do.

3. Surrender your need for control.

Break the fears and trust life! Don’t be scared to love. Take risks. Be curious. Explore. Do what makes you happy.

4. Enjoy silent moments with yourself.

Every day perform a selfless act of love, and enjoy giving without the expectation to receive.

5. Practise gratitude

“It’s not happy people who are thankful; it’s thankful people who are happy.”

Grateful people feel more love and compassion, take five minutes each day and write down three things you are grateful for every day and watch your life change.

Right, back to the card, ‘The Age of LIGHT’ you have been training for this for lifetimes, self love is the most important progression you are ever going to do for yourself and everyone of us can start today.

I challenge you to try this for one week and write in and let me know how you feel and you will see the positive changes unfold, your thoughts are powerful, what we think we become, I will be going more in to this next week!

If you would like to know more or have a reading please go to my website to book your own personal privet reading with myself you can find me on Instagram @theangelic.medium or visit my website. https://www.theangelicpsychicmedium.com sending lots of love yours Emma.

In financial distress

THE Brish Benevolent Fund tries to help those Britons in extreme financial distress often for no fault of their own.

With the after effects of Brexit still being felt by many people we have an increasing number of cases of people who have found themselves without residency rights, which include the ability to work legally in Spainyet they remain.

For those people, many of whom are living in precarious circumstances, living off casual cash in hand and temporary jobs ­ many people have done this for years and been able to make a living and lead a life.

With those who do not have residency rights that also means the right to work.

Once that work dries up difficult choices need to be made including repatriation to the UK.

Once such applicant came to us over Christmas. He had been living rough for some months aer years of living and working in Spain.

He lost his job and no wages were given. He had no rights and soon found himself in the

downward spiral of depression and ill health due to his circumstances.

He had placed his belongings in a station locker but no longer had the funds to retrieve them.

The British Benevolent Fund was able help him with recovering his possessions, and provide emergency accommodation and a flight back to the UK, where we had arranged for him to be met by an aiport care team.

For many like him a return to the UK is not a welcome one. There is no cup of tea and a help to get yourself back on your feet. From being homeless in Spain he went to being homeless in the UK.

Like so many he had to prove that he was living in the UK by passing the Habitual Residency Test ­ which takes up to three

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months before it is processed.

In the meantime he was on the streets begging and spending nights in homeless sheltersas far away as can be imagined from his life in Spain.

He still has one month to go before he can apply for state support and housing so he can put his life back together.

Please visit our website www.britishbenevolentfund.or g or contact me olaf.clayton @britishbenevolentfund.org.

WE are excited to announce that some of the Grupo Platinum Estates team, will be attending the show in Manchester. We look forward to meeting new clients to show them the Almeria area, and showcase properties we have to offer. We are the only Agency who will attend this show to represent the Almeria area this year, and we will have a prime position!!

We have decided to attend this show after the phenomenal success of the

show we attended in Dublin in October. We have a high number of clients coming over to stay with us and buy properties, and in January so far we have had record

sales.

If you have a property you really want to sell, contact us urgently!

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Rabbit bonding

INTRODUCING rabbits who don’t know each other needs to be done carefully. Begin by building up the time they spend together gradually. Once they’re spending one to two hours together without problems, they’re ready to start sharing living space.

The best way is to neuter both rabbits before they meet. Male rabbits can take up to six weeks to become sterile after they’re neutered. Females shouldn’t be bonded with another rabbit immediately after neutering to reduce the risk of injury.

Side ­ by ­ side enclosures help the rabbits to get familiar with each other from a safe distance. Provide a barrier between their enclosures that still allows them to see and smell each other, and to lie side­by­side.

There may be some unrest in the beginning. This is normal and may last about seven days.

Prepare a neutral area separate from their enclosures. This area needs to be somewhere neither rabbit has been housed before. Have hiding places and toys ready to put in the area, but leave it empty for when you first introduce them.

Once the rabbits are comfortable with the sight and smell of each other, they can be introduced for short periods in the neutral area.

Oldest living dog

AS certified by Guinness World Records, a pooch on a farm in Portugal has become not only the oldest dog in the world but also of all time. At 30 years and 266 days old, on Wednesday, February 1, Bobi received the outstanding accolade.

He replaced Spike the Chihuahua, who had only been crowned as the oldest canine in the world two weeks ago. Prior to those two, an Australian cattle dog held the title for almost 100 years. Bluey died at the age of 29 years and five months, living from 1910 until 1939.

Bobi was born and raised on a family­run farm in the village of Conqueiros in Portu­

PETS can serve as important sources of social and emotional support for “everyday people,” according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

“We observed evidence that pet owners fared better, both in terms of well­being outcomes and individual differences than

gal’s Leira district, not far from the town of Nazare, famous for its huge surfing waves.

His owners ­ the Costa family ­ believe that the secret to Bobi’s longevity is the fact that he lives in the countryside, where they said he enjoys playing with their four cats.

The family dog obviously

Purr-fect play

suffers the typical ailments that arrive with the onset of old age. He struggles to walk and has difficulties with his eyesight. His food needs to be soaked in water to remove any seasoning before he can eat it, as he shares the same meals as his owners.

Bobi also drinks a lot of water his family added.

Better adjusted

non­owners on several dimensions,” said lead researcher Allen R McConnell, PhD, of Miami University in Ohio.

“Specifically, pet owners had greater self­esteem, were more

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

physically fit, tended to be less lonely, were more conscientious, were more extroverted, tended to be less fearful and tended to be less preoccupied than non­owners.”

A study involving 217 people (79 per cent women, with a median age of 34) answered surveys aimed at determining whether pet owners differed from people who didn’t have pets in the areas of well­being, personality type and attachment style. Several differences between the groups emerged, and in all cases, pet owners were happier, healthier and better adjusted than non­owners.

PLAY is often considered an indicator and promoter of animal welfare. Playing with your cat may also nurture closer cat­human bonds. In a new study, scientists have investigated these links by applying in­depth empirical methods to analyse data gathered from around the world.

Researchers at the University of Adelaide created an online survey in consultation with veterinarians, animal behaviourists, and cat guardians, to investigate play­related factors associated with the welfare of cats.

“Our survey results, based on responses from 591 cat guardians from 55 countries, indicated greater cat playfulness and more types of games played were significantly associated with better cat quality of life,” said the University of Adelaide’s Julia Henning, a PhD Candidate, who led the study.

“Also, longer amounts of daily play, greater number of games, both cat and guardian initiating play, and heightened guardian playfulness were also associated with better quality catguardian relationships.”

GETTING ALONG: Rabbits need time to adjust.

Smart cats

A NEW study at a Japanese university is once again backing up the age ­ old cat lovers’ theory that felines are just as clever as dogs.

Forty ­ nine domestic cats were used for the study at Kyoto University, which tested their ability to remember which food bowl they had eaten out of after 15­minute intervals.

The cats, reported psychologist Saho Takagi, appeared to remember exactly which bowls should still contain food, suggesting they had what is referred to as episodic memory.

“Cats may be as intelligent as dogs, as opposed to the common view of people that dogs are much smarter. Also, an interesting speculation is that they may enjoy actively recalling memories of their experiences just like humans,” the scientist said.

Credit: Guinness World Records

A LONG LIFE: Bobi, the oldest dog of all time.

Image: krithnarong Raknagn / Shutterstock.com

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

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

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

- Why not make this year the year you volunteer? Call and see how you can help either

as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbuddyhhvisits@gmail.com. If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well as the big, sometimes talking to someone is the first step to feeling more in control. It can be a personal need or some help with your home or information on what or who to speak to on a medical issue, we help with signposting if we cannot help directly, just call and have a chat with Pam who will try to guide you to where you need to be. If you would like to go to a branch meeting then find your nearest one at, www.britishlegion.org.uk/cou nties/spain-north ZURGENA Branch meeting on the first Thursday, Coffee Morning on the third Thursday and Buffet & Quiz Night on the last Tuesday of the month all at Bar Trinidad, Arboleas, for further details please email zurgenarblchairman@ gmail.com - (253989)

ABBOTT ELECTRICS .

From a Light Fitting to a Full Rewire. Tel: 950 137 208 / 638 010 691 (301356)

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

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

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UPHOLSTERY

Isuzu D-Max - urban trend setter

ROAD TEST

byMarkSlack

AT a point not that long ago you would only have ever associated pick ­ up trucks with builders, tradesmen and farmers. They would have been of a specification and look that made utilitarian seem sumptuous. How things have changed! Most now look rather smart, don’t look like they’ve spent much time in the local building supplies yard or farm and can cut it on the style stakes with the best SUVs.

Manufacturers realised that they were missing a trick and a pick ­ up with good levels of standard equipment and a variety of optional hard tops and accessories can appeal to a whole new range of potential buyers. Add in the possibility of all­wheel­drive and the chance to carry five people, as well as a decent load bay and towing ability, and

the appeal is obvious.

Isuzu have long been a ‘go to’ manufacturer for those wanting a comfortable, rugged and stylish pick Good standard equipment with excellent accessory packs and options means the Isuzu D range can

there are single, extended and double cab options.

Prices start at €25,690/ £23,149 and peak at

D­Max does bounce around on rougher surfaces but things are better with a weight in the rear. For such

Facts at a Glance

Model: Isuzu D-Max V-Cross

Engine: 1.9-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel Euro 6D developing 164PS

Gears: 6-Speed manual, all-wheel-drive

Price: €45,247/£33,499 + VAT at 20% in UK

Performance: 0-100 kmh (62 mph) 12.7

seconds/Maximum Speed 180 kmh (112 mph)

Economy: 9.2l/100km / 33.6 mpg Combined driving (WLTP)

Emissions: 220 g/km (WLTP)

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

the other issue with the D­Max is noise. Pickups are never the most refined, but the D ­ Max does get rather vocal under acceleration, not helped one suspects by the modest engine size.

cover every scenario from building site to trendy wine bar. The range is essentially split into two halves, the business line­up and the VCross and Artic models and

€56,058/£47,999.

Power comes from a fourcylicinder 1.9 ­ litre turbo diesel that propels the Isuzu well for such a large vehicle. With an empty load bay the

a large vehicle the D­Max is an easy drive and can be piloted through bends with much more aplomb than might be expected. Bouncy unladen weight ride apart

The build quality and equipment in the D­Max is excellent, and betters some cars, with an interior that lacks the ‘bolt­on iPad’ style touchscreen in favour of a

neat built ­ in screen. Softtouch materials are also evident and although some of the touchscreen functions look a little dated they all work very smoothly.

If you’re into your pick­up trucks, the Isuzu looks the part too. If you’re looking for something a bit different on the rugged transport front, then the D­Max can be a surprisingly sensible choice.

PICK-UP TRUCK: The D-Max is a surprisingly sensible choice.

Price checker

DO you think that pump price prices should be freely available to the public?

The UK government has confirmed that it is now considering a scheme whereby petrol stations would have to share live prices, potentially bringing more price transparency for drivers.

Following reports of the government’s proposal, RAC fuel spokesperson, Simon Williams, said: “The Competition and Markets Authority is already investigating the way fuel retailing operates, so we hope its eventual recommendations to the government result in better value at the pumps for drivers.

“An online fuel price checker that resembles those available to drivers in Germany where prices are displayed for individual forecourts in real ­ time could be helpful, but may

not, on its own, lead to fairer prices.”

He added: “Certainly, we don’t think any UK ­ wide system should mimic what already exists in Northern Ireland where fuel prices are only updated once a week and there’s no indication of which forecourts

are cheapest.

“One issue that often leads to widely varying prices locally, which badly needs addressing, is the fact major retailers operate regional pricing which can mean much higher prices where there is little or no competition.”

Image: Aleksandar Malivuk / Shutterstock.com

PUMP PRICES: New scheme being considered.

AN argument in a Vienna café led to the shooting of the former Austria international and Feyenoord star Volkan Kahraman.

It is understood the 43year­old former professional met a friend for a coffee but that an argument ensued resulting in Kahraman being shot in the head.

A local news source said that the argument on Wednesday, February 8 ended when the shooter then committed suicide.

Although no motive for the shooting has been given, bystanders suggest that “jealousy” may be involved describing the atmosphere as “heated.”

Karhaman, of Austrian Turkish descent, was born in Vienna and is considered one of the country’s all­time greats. Feyenoord signed the youngster in 1995 while still playing for Austria Wienm, with his first team debut coming just two years later.

He played three times for Austria before moving on to other Turkish and Austrian clubs in the twilight of his career.

THE Premier Game Match Officials (PGMOL) called a meeting of all officials after a disastrous weekend in which major decisions changed the result of at least two matches.

According to PGMOL on Monday, February 13, Howard Webb both called the meeting but also the clubs to apologise for what they termed “human error.” As a result, both games finished a one­all draw affecting both clubs’ chances of taking the title and of securing European Championship places.

VAR operators at the Arsenal and Brighton matches were both acknowledged to have got it wrong.

The error in the decision in the Arsenal v Brentford match was put down to a missed offside with PGMOL saying: “VAR was looking to see if there was an offside and whether Ethan Pinnock had blocked off Gabriel in the build­up. He looked at the possible foul and decided there hadn’t been one and therefore referee Peter Banks hadn’t made a clear and obvious error.

“However, in the build­up to the goal, Christian Norgaard ­ whose cross Toney heads in ­ is in an offside position.

“The truth is that VAR didn’t fully investigate with the lines. The lines, simply, didn’t go down.

“And that counts as hu ­

SPORTS fans will be pleased to hear Europe’s famous passion for sport remains as buoyant and resilient as ever, with fans racing back to gyms and stadiums over the past 12 months according to the Mastercard Sport Economy Index 2023.

The survey of over 11,000 Europeans reveals that more people attended live sporting events and regularly exercised in 2022 than they did in 2021.

The region’s enthusiasm for sport also translated into a significant increase in consumer spending across the sector. Analysis shows that consumer card spending on sporting

man error. Had the lines gone down the goal would have been disallowed for offside.”

Fans will be waiting to see what action PGMOL takes against premier League referees after another disastrous weekend of VAR decisions.

Former Austrian star shot dead Disastrous weekend decisions Thriving sports

goods, services and experiences was up 37 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021.

Over the past 12 months, the digital footprint of sport continued to rise, with more than six in 10 (61 per cent) Europeans stating that technology was a major lifeline in how they enjoyed favourite events.

The top five ways in which Europeans enjoyed sport in 2022 were: to follow events on social media, watch multiple matches at once, experience a sporting event via VR, watch esports competitions via streaming platforms, and listen to sporting podcasts.

KAHRAMAN: Shot in the head.

ARSENAL VAR DECISION: Was termed “humour error.”

Image Arsenal News Channel