Costa Blanca South 16 – 22 February 2023 Issue 1963

ROCK AGAINST CANCER

ROCK AGAINST CANCER has just received another generous donation from The Bridge Golf Club, which is based at the Stagger Inn in Rojales. The charity would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved for the donations and the hard work to raise the money.

In addition, on Tuesday, February 28, a group of local businesses are going to be holding their monthly charity event at the Stagger Inn, Mal. del Carmen, 7, 03170 in Rojales.

The local businesses that are joining in to help include Sandra Oracle Card Readings, Pink Ladies Creations etc as well Dutch’s Rugby Store with lots of different items, from Rock Against Cancer t ­ shirts, mugs, bracelets etc as well Hard Rock Cafe, Harley Davidson t ­ shirts and a lot more.

All the proceeds raised will go straight to the cause.

There will also be tile finger paintings, sweets, mugs, rugby shirts, ready for the 6 Nations and a raffle.

There are also a couple of spaces left, the entry fee is a raffle prize.

Why not join in the fun at the Stagger Inn, Mal. del Carmen, 7,

03170 Rojales, Alicante. All and any support is truly appreciated.

The next event after this will be on March 7 at the Oasis Bar in Benijofar, and adding to the fun will be Catanza Jewellery.

For more information about the charity or if you would like to offer your help, head to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ rockagainstcancertorrevieja

GENEROUS DONATION: Presentation of funds raised by the Bridge Golf Society.

Image: Rock against Cancer

Betty Henderson

AS the Russian invasion of Ukraine nears its first anniversary, the community in Torrevieja are determined to continue showing their solidarity with Ukrainians affected by the war.

One man in particular has been unwavering in his support for Ukraine, drumming up an incredible response from the local community. David Longworth most recently organised a Ukraine Appeal event at the Oasis Bar in Torreta III on Saturday, February 4, raising a huge €793 for hu­

Help for Ukraine

manitarian aid in Ukraine.

David took to Facebook after the event to thank the staff at Oasis Bar for their support in organising and setting up the event, as well as all of those who attended the fundraising afternoon for their generous donations. Guests socialised at the fundraising day as well as perusing a variety of craft stalls and enjoyed musical entertainment by Reke José Requena Camacho while eating delicious

meals provided by the venue.

David has been organising regular fundraisers to pay for three deliveries of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, the fourth leaves in March and still needs further donations. David is also seeking more venues to host monthly fundraising events.

David can be reached via WhatsApp: 615 623 847 or email: dvdlongworth@ gmail.com.

Carnival reincarnated

TORREVIEJA’S carnival got off to a roaring start on Sunday, February 12 with a dazzling parade of revellers dressed in a variety of flamboyant costumes, and what’s more, this year’s carnival is the most inclusive ever!

More than 1,500 people gathered in the city’s parade which kicked off the celebrations, with hundreds more spectators watching. Sunday’s parade was just the launch event for what promises to be a vibrant carnival, returning for the first time since the pandemic.

The festivities continue until Sunday, February 18 when the biggest parade will animate the city’s streets with lively music, passionate dancing and fantastic costumes.

In this year’s event, organisers also wanted to create some new traditions. Carnival is becoming more inclusive, with this year’s event offering a ‘low noise zones’ to provide some respite for autistic people and areas for people with limited mobility to still be involved in the fun, from a comfortable space.

NIBS EXTRA

Quiz win

ORGANISERS thanked quiz participants for their generous donations at a recent quiz held in aid of K9 Animal Rescue which raised an impressive €280. Another quiz for K9 Animal Rescue is taking place on Friday, February 24 at the Hillside Bar.

Top nomination

A MOVIE filmed in several locations around Orihuela has been nominated for a Goya, the top film awards in Spain. Orihuela born­and­bred Elena López Riera created ‘El Agua’ based on some of her childhood experiences growing up in the area.

Ryder Cup

DESPITE suffering a setback in a January meet, the English Players/Guys & Dolls expat team are feeling positive going into the next competition date against Escuela Golf Players in an ‘amateur Ryder Cup’ event. The Spanish side currently leads 3­1.

Spare time

LOCAL nursing charity, Paul Cunningham nurses have issued an urgent appeal for more volunteers to staff their charity shop in Playa Flamenca, south of Torrevieja. Anyone interested in volunteering their time is asked to contact the charity by phone: 966 790 363.

Donation drive

VOLUNTEERS at Orihuela Costa Community Foodbank are appealing for donations ahead of their Easter Fayre which is set to take place on Wednesday, April 12. The foodbank needs raffle and tombola prizes as well as chocolate eggs or bunnies.

Sailing success

THE ILCA6 sailing championships got off to a flying start this week with plenty of Olympic and amateur athletes putting their skills to the test in Torrevieja. Stakes are high as athletes compete to qualify for national and European championships.

‘DESSERT WEEK’ has returned to Torrevieja after a popular first edition last year, serving up sweet treats to all in the local area.

The event offers diners discounts and special menus with a variety of dessert items for one week, until Sunday, February 19.

This year’s ‘Dessert Week’ sees 11 local cafes and restaurants offering a range of delicious dessert creations, and there’s something for everyone! For a set price of between €3.50 and €6, set by the restaurant itself, diners can enjoy a hot drink and

THE struggle to park in Elche will hopefully be lessened as the public car park for more than 200 vehicles on the site of the future Palacio de Congresos is set to be operational this month.

The mayor of Elche, Carlos Gonzalez, confirmed: “Between 200 and 250 parking spaces will be created by provisionally treating the plot with gravel and asphalt watering to

Sweet start

restaurants and cafes. Other desserts included in the offer include crepes, cupcakes and cheese boards.

The initiative was launched by the council last year to combat the effects of the pandemic on the local hospitality industry. The event stimulates activity for local businesses by encouraging locals and visitors to eat out.

dessert from a broad menu.

Cakes are in the spotlight of this year’s edition with choco­

late, coconut, carrot, and apple as just a few of the flavours available in the 11

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Being independent

A full list of participating restaurants and cafes is available online: https://torrevie ja.es/es/noticias/2023­02­0713­19­febrero­11­cafeteriasrestaurantes­participaran­2oedicion­pastel­cafe.

IT was 197 years ago on Sunday, February 12, that Pinoso became an independent municipality.

fix the surface. The spaces will be marked with paint, the lighting will be reinforced and information panels will be installed to facilitate access and exit to the car park.

“Access to the car park, which will maintain the perimeter fencing, will be via

Calle Jose Sanchez Saez and this new parking area will facilitate parking for people who want to access the historic and commercial centre of the city during the day and at night for residents of the La Zapatillera and Altabix neighbourhoods.

The mayor added: “We are

Parking galore Not willing

ROUND 9 of the Carp­R­Us Winter League was fished on the Rio Segura at Jacarilla. Rain during the days beforehand had left the river high and running fast and dirty but with slack areas in most swims and the level dropping slowly, some decent sport was anticipated.

However, this proved not to be the case as the fish were just not willing to cooperate and six of the 10 fishing failed to catch.

The match was won by Steve Fell with 1.16kg, second was Terry Screen with 0.32kg, third was Paul Burton with 0.28kg and fourth Tony Flett with 0.22kg.

The day before the club held its annual presentation meal. This was held at Giovanni’s in Almoradi where members enjoyed an excellent meal and were well cared for by the owner, John. Willy Moons was pre­

sented with one of his three trophies by club president Roy Dainty and winner of the Murcia Cup, Alan Smith received his trophy from Vinnie Smith.

Further information can be found at www.carp­rus.weebly.com or on the Facebook page Carp­R­Us Fishing Costa Blanca.

working on the adaptation of approximately 1,100 new parking spaces which will be distributed throughout the neighbourhoods and which will contribute to the objective of making more parking spaces available in different areas of the city.”

New health centre

THE new Pau II health centre in Alicante has begun the construction process.

The future health centre is increasing the Primary Care benefits to the citizens in an area of Alicante that has experienced a significant population increase in recent years due to the increase in construction in the area.

The area of influence of the centre will be around 16,620 inhabitants, a figure that could exceed 20,000 in the future because this residential area of the capital continues to expand.

The centre will be built on a plot ceded by the city council and access, both to consultations and to the ER and to the car park will be via Avenida Cardenal Francisco Alvarez. The estimated area of the centre is 5,500 square metres, to which must be added another 1,800 square metres

of parking, and will involve an investment of €10.7 million. The work is expected to be completed in 26 months.

The new health centre will consist of a ground floor and two upper floors, in addition to the parking area, with 56 surface spaces.

The people of Pinoso have always commemorated the event on special anniversaries, but it was in 1997 when the best way of celebrating was discovered with Town Day and the Pinoso Fair. The events continue today.

In this time, little by little the event has grown with the incorporation of new activities in a bid to raise awareness of the cultural, tourist and gastronomic resources of the town.

Pinoso is a traditional Spanish town in the countryside of the mountainous Alicante and Murcia border. As well as its astounding natural beauty, Pinoso is also known for its fine wine production as well as its marble and rock salt.

Pinoso has a long history, and it dates back to the Iberians although it didn’t stay Iberian. The Romans settled here and later the Moors called Pinoso home during Arabian occupation.

Councillors launch Torrevieja’s ‘Dessert Week’, a popular business incentive that began last year.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja

Alan Smith received his trophy from Vinnie Smith.

Match for Montesinos

CLUB Deportivo Los Montesinos scooped another three points in a weekend meet against Club Fútbol Rafal. Heavy showers on Saturday, February 11 had thankfully abated by the time the teams took to the field in CF Rafal’s ground. Poor weather conditions meant a smaller crowd than usual was supporting, but that didn’t stop CD Los Montesinos soaring to a 3­0 lead at half time.

Three goals from players Pato and Girona secured a solid lead for Los Montesinos going into the second half.

CF Rafal looked for a comeback at 65 minutes with a

Pawsome fundraiser

goal scored from a free kick. Los Montesinos’ faithful supporters from The Full Monte became frustrated and increasingly vocal in the second half as CF Rafal began to dominate play, but ultimately could not see it through with the match ending 3­1 to Los Montesinos.

Twelve fixtures remain in the season, with CD Los Montesinos sitting in fifth place in the league currently led by Pinoso CF.

More information about The Full Monte group of CD Los Montesinos supporters is available by email: thefull monte2011@hotmail.com.

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

Betty Henderson

A LOCAL dog rescue group is holding a charity dog walk to raise money for its shelter in La Murada. Walkers and their four­legged friends are set to meet at 10am in El Rancho in Los Montesinos on Sunday, February 26.

Dog owners are invited to bring their dogs along for the walk, and some volunteers from the shelter will also be walking some of the rescue dogs that are up for adoption. The walk costs €5 to join, which will be donated to the shelter.

The walk has been organ­

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.

ised by behavioural specialists at Dog Training Costa Blanca, and will take walkers on a scenic route around the local area, giving them the chance

to meet other local dog lovers and discover new walks to try out, while supporting the rescue shelter.

The event follows the successful first dog walking morning of 2023 which was held on Sunday, January 22, raising a staggering €480. The walk was well attended by animal lovers who took to Facebook afterwards to thank organisers, calling it “the perfect morning”.

More information is available online: https:// www.facebook.com/photo/ ?fbid=716763750144414&set =a.251925936628200

Chain reaction

ORIHUELA played host for the first stage of the Vuelta Valenciana pro cycling race last week. City mayor, Carolina Gracia, cut the ribbon on the start line on Wednesday, February 1, setting the 74th edition of the race in motion.

Eritrean cyclist, Biniam Girmay raced to victory in the first stage of the race, which covered a huge 189.4 kilometres before ending in Altea. Fresh from victory in the Mallorca Challege, Portuguese star Rui Costa took overall victory in the five stage race.

Speaking at the start of the event, Gracia expressed pride that Orihuela had been chosen for a high profile event, bringing sporting professionals and their support teams to the city. Gracia also highlighted the values of the event, which promotes good sportsmanship and healthy lifestyles.

ELCHE City Council announced that the city recorded the best employment data in a decade during 2022 in a press conference on Saturday, February 5. In the announcement, city mayor, Carlos González, said that 2023 figures were already headed in the right direction.

The figures include the largest ever Social Security register, with 84,793 people paying into the system. Similarly, the lowest unemployment figures in a decade were registered, with 20,752 people of working age unemployed.

The excellent data means that employment has grown by 26 per cent since the economic crisis of 2008 hit, with the city having the most economically active population in around 20 years.

Unemployment in the city has similarly been falling constantly since the employment crisis of 2012 when 36,744 people were registered as unemployed.

González expressed his satisfaction with the figures saying, “These figures are not a coincidence. They are proof of the dynamism of Elche, the strength of our local economy, businesspeople and workers”.

He also highlighted the success of the city in spite of other national and regional employment trends.

Photo credit: Charity Dog Walks (via Facebook)

Dog lovers soaked up the sun on their recent walk.

New home

Betty Henderson

ORIHUELA’S tourist information office successfully relocated to its new home, within the City Hall building, a more central and convenient location for tourists and authorities.

The city’s tourism information services department made the move on Tuesday, February 8 and authorities visited to check out the new services that will be on offer to tourists. The new location within the City Hall means it

will be easier for the council to run a smooth and efficient service to visitors and residents.

Speaking at the launch of the new offices, local councillor for Tourism, María García explained that the new tourism information office, “is located in an important space, near to the old town. We need modern, accessible facilities that meet our visitors’ needs.”

The new office has two entrances, one through Plaza del Carmen and one through the

ORIHUELA City Council has now issued the last step for the granting of the building permit for the extension of the Vega Baja Hospital. The Municipal Technical Board of Activities issued a favourable environmental report, which is mandatory prior to the granting of the building permit requested by the Generalitat for the extension of the Vega Baja Hospital. Orihuela’s mayor, Carolina Gracia, confirmed, “the collegiate body, having seen the corresponding technical reports, has given the go­ahead to the granting of the environmental licence and the building permit.

“The step that has been taken brings closer the start of some long­awaited works, not on­

main entrance of the City Hall, making it more accessible to disabled visitors and families.

As well as being more accessible, the new office also features modern interior design with interactive features and information on the city’s fascinating heritage.

Hospital extension

ly for the residents of Orihuela but for the whole Vega Baja region.”

The mayor confirmed that the works that are the subject of the licence “will mean the extension of the hospital’s surface area by 40 per cent, thanks to an investment of €62.5 million by the Generalitat.

“This is an administrative procedure that will end with the granting of the building permit and the environmental permit after the 15­day period established by law in which the applicant can make allegations.”

RUNNERS grab your running shoes as Alicante is all set to host its Half­Marathon and 10kilometre race known as Aguas de Alicante on Sunday February 19.

With 2,500 participants covering 37 different nationalities expected to take part, the two distances of the course are approved and controlled by the judges of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation, so all the marks achieved will be official.

At the moment, international participation is led by athletes from the United Kingdom, followed by France, Poland and the United States.

This year the number of prizes has increased and the total amount of prizes is worth €1,500.

All participants will receive

20storey building, 60 metres is the height of the Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down by the US.

Run for fun

an official and sustainable tshirt as a gift, with the design of the Esplanade, which is made from 50 per cent recycled plastic fibres from bottles.

Also, everyone who reaches the finish line will receive an of­

ficial medal with the image of the Plaza de Toros, following the series of emblematic buildings of the city of Alicante.

The start will be at 9.30am with the Alicante anthem as the starting gun.

Checking out the new tourist information office.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Orihuela (via Facebook)

Biodiversity recognition

ELCHE has received recognition for its good practices in terms of biodiversity

The awards ceremony, took place in Madrid on Thursday, February 9, and highlighted Elche City Council in the category of Citizen Awareness.

The councillor for the Environment, Esther Diez, stated

that “nearly 100,000 people participated in the outreach activities organised by the Department of the Environment in 2022 and this award represents recognition of the important task that is carried out from the area to promote and preserve biodiversity in the areas of our municipality, actions in line with

One-tonne doors

THE original entrance gates to the Castle-Fortress of Santa Pola were removed for restoration on Sunday, February 12.

The doors date from the 16th century and weigh approximately one tonne. The restoration period is expected to take approximately one month.

The Castle-Fortress was built in 1557 as part of the project to defend the coasts of the Kingdom of Valencia and to protect and defend sailors and their families from frequent attacks by pirates and corsairs on our coasts, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries.

This square, stone building with rectangular two towers and two bastions at opposing corners, was built in the renaissance military style. The soldiers lived within the walls in homes that gave onto the interior weapons courtyard. It was garrisoned by 33 men who lived there with their families. These included the mayor, his second lieutenant, 30 soldiers and a chaplain, who remained in the castle until the 18th century.

the sustainable development goals set by the UN and framed in the Elche 2030 agenda.

“In Elche, among other ecosystems, we have spaces of great biological value such as the Clot de Galvany, the Pantano or the Fondo, which are home to a wide variety of species that contribute to increasing the resilience of the planet and of people to climate change.”

She added: “For this reason, all the environmental education and dissemination work is carried out so that citizens can value this natural heritage, appreciate it and take care of it are vital.”

€230

million Spain has spent on trains that are too big to fit through tunnels.

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 Swiss­made antiaircraft guns to Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invasion. The central European country said that this would break their centuries­long 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 Swiss­made products to be used in conflict scenarios, under its War Ma­

Neutral ground

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.

terial Law. Any country purchasing weapons from Switzerland must gain permis­

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

sion before re­exporting them.

Switzerland has already

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.

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

Zoom

Photo Graphic Stock

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.”

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.

178 Leopard 1 tanks have been sent to Ukraine by Germany.

Film & TV

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.

NEW FAMILY: Two cubs were born in the summer.

Image: Barcelona City Council

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

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.

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.

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.

Moroccan in serious condition

A 41-YEAR-OLD man is in serious condition in a Madrid hospital after deliberately setting himself on fire in the Spanish capital on Tuesday, February 7. This was confirmed to the local press by sources from

Madrid’s Municipal Police and Emergency Department.

The incident occurred in front of the Consulate of the Kingdom of Morocco on Calle Serrano and involved a male of Moroccan origin.

Several people who witnessed what happened called the emergency services. They said that the man had taken a plastic container from his coat and sprayed the liquid it contained all over himself.

He proceeded to light himself with the flame of a cigarette lighter, clearly with the intention of burning himself alive. Bystanders rushed to his aid and ripped his burning clothes off in an effort to save him. Another person grabbed a fire extinguisher and aimed it at the man, eventually extinguishing the flames.

The unidentified male was subsequently transferred to the city’s La Paz Hospital by members of the SAMUR­Civil Protection after they treated him at the scene. He is reported to have suffered burns to 40 per cent of his body.

400,000 trees are to be planted throughout Malaga Province to balance its own footprint.

Rare discovery

ARCHAEOLOGISTS in the Andalucian town of Utrera have rediscovered a staggeringly rare medieval Spanish synagogue, later used for seven centuries as everything from a hospital and home for abandoned children to a restaurant and nightclub.

The find makes the 14thcentury building one of the few valuable medieval synagogues that survived the aftermath of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.

References to the lost temple go back more than 400 years. In his 1604 Historia de Utrera, Rodrigo Caro, a local priest, historian, and poet,

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.

described an area of the city centre as it had been in previous centuries, writing: “In that place, there were only foreign and Jewish people who had a synagogue where the Hospital de la Misericordia is now located.”

Caro’s claim was verified late last year when a team led by archaeologist Miguel Angel de Dios discovered the area of the Torah ark and prayer hall. “It was like deciphering hieroglyphs. Once we had that key, it all came together,” he confirmed.

Utrera mayor Jose Maria confirmed the significance of the “extraordinary” find was hard to overstate.

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.

MADRID EMBASSY: The man suffered 40% burns to his body.

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.

Drifters singer dies from cancer

By Peter McLarenKennedy

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 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 mem-

Comedy returns

ber 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.

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’.

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-yearold comic genius explaining that the manic hotel owner will be relocating to a ‘small bijou hotel’ in the Caribbean. Fawlty Towers consistently tops all-time British comedy lists despite only 12 episodes ever being recorded.

160

Spanish workers were to take part in an airline strike every Monday between January 30 and February 27.

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.

Charity Easter Fair

Betty Henderson

A CHARITY Easter Fair is set to welcome spring in La Marina while raising money for a deserving local cause. The AAN charity Easter Fair will take place on Friday, April 7, and there is still time to register as a stallholder for the event.

The Easter Fair will begin at 10am in the Kosy Korner Bar in La Marina, with family fun lasting until 2pm. As well as stalls offering a varied range of home ­made and artisan products, there will also be chocolate treats to tuck into, a raffle and tombola with excellent prizes to be won.

FOR one night only in Febru­

ary a venue in La Marina is set to be transformed to a 1980s disco. The Hillside Bar and Snooker Centre is set to host a ‘Back to 80s’ party night on Saturday, February 25.

Guests are set to get their disco on and party the night away at the event in La Marina. And what’s more, the evening is raising money for a great cause, for San Fulgencio Men’s shed.

There will also be food available at the venue.

There is still plenty of time to register to hold a stall or to donate prizes for the raffle and tombola which can be arranged by contacting Brenda on: 634 301 070. Alternatively, you can call into the AAN charity shop in La Marina to arrange a stall.

The AAN or Asociación de Ayuda al Necesario de San Fulgencio is a local charity that works to support vulnerable people in the community. It relies on donations and charity shop proceeds to do its vital work.

Disco night

Fancy dress costumes are welcome but not necessary, although your dancing shoes are a must! Even if you don’t fancy dancing all night long, DJ Caz Matthews promises back­to­back top hits that will bring back plenty of nostalgia all night long.

Tickets to the 80s night cost €5 and include a hot and cold buffet that will be avail­

Bulgarian beats

ROJALES is preparing to discover more about Bulgarian and Eastern European music as the incredible Sukarije group arrives in the town for a free performance on Sunday, February 26.

The dynamic music group is set to give an upbeat, passionate performance in Cuevas del Rodeo in Rojales as part of a national tour that the group are currently on. The Barcelona ­ based band is made up of three full­time and two other female performers who play a range of instruments including the accordion, clarinet and drums.

able from the start of the event. Doors open at 7pm before the night starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are selling fast, so hurry and contact the venue: https://www.face book.com/groups/1571783

906380884/user/100063605

978764/ San Fulgencio Men’s Shed provides support for retired people in the area.

As well as Bulgarian music, the talented performers blend Eastern European folk sounds and traditional style music and dance to all of their songs. Cultural heritage is at the heart of the group’s performances who also wear tra­

ditional dress during their performances.

The group will perform the free concert in Cuevas del Rodeo in Rojales on Sunday, February 26 after another performance in Alicante at the Casa de Cultura de la Villena one day earlier. After the performances, the group will head back to Barcelona before returning to the region with a performance at Murcia’s Carmela Music Festival in March.

More information about the group is available online at:https://www.facebook.co m/sukarijetriobcn.

Dazzling charity gala

A FABULOUS solidarity gala in Rojales is set to literally ‘make the world a better place’. The fundraising gala, set to be held on Sunday, February 26, will raise money for local NGO, Educas’ project fighting child malnutrition in Gikore, Rwanda.

The event will take place in the Capitol Theatre in Rojales from 5.30pm with an exciting array of entertainment and information about the charity and their project in Rwanda.

All money raised will go towards Educas’ project working on hunger alleviation. The NGO works on a variety of health, welfare and educational projects to make the

work a better place.

Tickets for the event will go on sale on Monday, February 20 from several locations around the town including the Tourist Information Office, Papelería Leila and ‘La Tiza’ Modas y Complementos shop, as well as the box office on the evening. Tickets cost just €3 and will remain on sale

until sold out.

More information about the NGO, Educas can be found online at: https://www.facebook.com/ permalink.php?story_fbid=pf bid0n4PCQZnwfjSrCeGiy CAmfpqcjjGr23FDzMJ FAbQo1oAsfymQA8b6megH PGzEJDLyl&id=100070232926 349.

Tchaikovsky in Torrevieja

CLASSICAL music fans in Torrevieja are in for a treat as the city prepares to host a dazzling Tchaikovsky concert. The Tchaikovsky violin concerto and grand over ­

tures will come to audiences in Torrevieja on Saturday, February 23.

Talented musicians from Torrevieja Philharmonic Orchestra will perform the seminal Russian composer’s violin concerto and grand overtures. The orchestra will also be joined by Russian musical prodigy, Stanislav Tkach for the evening performance.

Musicians are set to perform Tchaikovsky’s only violin concerto which he composed back in 1878 in Switzerland where he was recovering from depression

and a disastrous marriage. The concerto is now one of the most famous and widely renowned violin concertos in the world.

The performance will take place in the Auditorio Internacional de Música with the evening beginning at 7pm.

Tickets for the event range between €10 and €25 and can be purchased online at: https://torrevieja.com/en/p rogramme­municipal­theatre­torrevieja­ticket­sales/ Alternatively, tickets can be purchased at the auditorium box office or by calling 628 810 467.

Sukarijie, a talented musical group.

Photo credit: Sukarijie (via Facebook)

Educas organises regular fundraising events in Rojales and surrounding areas for health, education and welfare projects.

Photo credit: ONG Educas (via Facebook)

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A MAN posing to be a pizza chef has been arrested in Italy on mafia charges dating back nearly 17 years. 63­year­old Edgardo Greco had been working in a pizzeria for several months in the French city of Saint Etienne where he was arrested on Thursday, February 2.

The mobster is believed to have formed part of the infamous ’Ndrangheta mafia group in Calabria for which he carried out the brutal double murder of brothers Stefano and Giuseppe Bartolomeo in 1991 and the attempted murder of Emiliano Mosciaro during a mafia war.

Slice of justice

Greco was convicted for the murders and ordered to serve a life sentence in Italy before he fled more than 17 years ago. He was wanted by international authorities until his arrest last week with Interpol describing him as a ‘dangerous fugitive’.

The mafioso is thought to have purchased a restaurant in Saint Etienne in 2021, the Caffe Rossini Ristorante where worked himself as a pizza chef for approximately four months under the alias of Paolo Dim­

Earthquake baby

itro.

Greco is currently being held in detention awaiting likely­extradition to Italy.

Dublin’s drone dilemma

FOUR further flights were diverted at Dublin Airport after more drone sightings were reported. The reports on Monday, February 6 marked the third time in four days that drones were spotted in the airport’s proximity.

Officials from the Irish Department for Transport responded to the sightings on Wednesday, February 8 describing the action as the “unacceptable disruption to passengers.” Authorities said passenger safety was their priority and that the airport had a drone detection system in place to protect passengers and staff.

Ministers also affirmed their commitment to “working closely” with the airport to tackle illegal drone use.

The flights affected were mainly domestic flights, three of them being to Shannon, with one flight to Manchester also diverted as a result of the drone sightings. Flights were also suspended for approximately 40 minutes following the sightings.

Airport regulations stipulate it is illegal to fly drones within five kilometres of the airport due to the risk of damage to aircraft.

By Peter McLaren­Kennedy

A MIRACLE baby girl was born under the rubble of Syria’s earthquake, but sadly neither of her parents survived.

The baby girl was removed from the rubble after her mother went into labour. According to a news source on Tuesday, February 7 she was rescued in Jenderes in northeast Syria.

The story is just one of many heartbreaking stories that are coming out of Syria and Turkey, where the 7.7 magnitude early morning earthquake caused immense damage. Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed and more than 5,000 have already been certified as dead, with some suggesting that number could rise into the tens of thousands.

Bonuses cut

Image Twitter Snirmaq

Many people are still trapped in the rubble.

Vice President Fuat Oktay of Turkey has called the earthquake the “disaster of the century” sparking an international response as emergency workers race to free those buried under the debris.

Rescue teams from all over the world have descended on the two countries as many people are still trapped, including children, but time is running out and the scale of the damage is such that as every hour passes by, hope fade of finding anyone alive.

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.

litres/m² of rain deposited in parts of Malaga Province on February 7.

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 ­

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

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

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

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, 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

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

maintain due to it having only three residents.

The nuns negotiated with the Vatican, asking for the monastery to receive more nuns saying the cloistered community is a crucial part of Catholic history and the town of Ravello, but the church has stood by its decision to expel the women from the nunhood.

Capture22

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

9.9 million passengers Elche registered travelling on their buses in 2022.

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.in stagram.com/p/CoM78NVD1Z m/?hl=en.

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

Photo credit: photofilippo66

Europe’s central police agency, Europol holds a photograph contest each year aiming to capture the hard work of law enforcement agents across the continent.

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.

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THE 3 BIGGEST MISTAKES HOME SELLERS MADE IN 2022

REBECCA SERWOTKA ­ “We sell houses!

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

If your home has been sitting on the market for sale with no offers, this is why! Here are the three biggest mistakes home sellers made in 2022:

Interior wall colours ­ Even in Spain, a whopping 98 per cent of buyers prefer seeing neutral colours inside a home. A neutral and light ambience makes it easier to imagine themselves living there.

Clutter ­ Leaving everything out and on show makes the property look like there isn’t enough storage space. Pack away anything you’re not using on a daily basis.

Price ­ Overpricing your home will prove you’re just not ready to let it go. Buyers don’t make offers on overpriced properties. If you’re really ready to sell, sort your price out!

Price fixes everything!

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.

Little green men

SALLY UNDERWOOD POLITICAL ANIMAL

ARE aliens really hovering above the earth? The more cynical might say that recent behaviour by some politicians was proof that aliens have in fact been roaming among us for some time now.

In all seriousness though, the objects found floating above the United States over the last week have caused consternation among politicians and the public alike.

Certainly the almost coy statements from the White House over the unidentified objects have done little to prevent tin hat enthusiasts all over the globe sharing their conspiracy theories.

Surely much more sinister than the thought of an advanced race embarking on some mild intergalactic tourism though ­ or even than ‘Project Blue Beam’ (the theory that governments across the world would unite to fake an alien invasion just to gain more control of the earthling electorate) ­ is the much­morelikely prospect that tensions really have

In financial distress

increased between China and the west.

Rishi Sunak has since vowed to do “whatever it takes” to keep Britain safe and that he is in “constant touch” with the UK’s allies abroad.

One thing this global issue has shown though is the relative stability we enjoy in the west; and how much having allies matters.

The partnerships the UK has built up over decades are the very thing that prevents some of the worst global issueswar, famine, genocide ­ from knocking directly on our door.

One of the strongest arguments for staying in the European Union was just this ­ that we are stronger together.

In matters like the balloons however, it becomes clear how much more partnerships mean than sheer safety in numbers.

As the UK government works with its allies to share information, it’s this sharing of ideas, of technology, that will ultimately be our biggest strength in defending ourselves.

Perhaps rather than politicians seeking ways to constantly undermine each other then, they should remember that idea sharing ­ working together ­ is one of the strongest weapons we have.

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

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.

Sallysopinionsareherownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

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.

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 calories.

THE WALTER MITTY FOR OUR TIMES

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

HAVE you heard of the recently elected New York congressman George Santos?

He campaigned as the openly gay son of Brazilian immigrants, the Jewish grandson of Holocaust survivors and a Wall Street banker, but has seen a catalogue of untruths unravel in recent days. He has confessed to lying about working for two Wall Street banks and has been exposed for claiming that his mother was killed in the World Trade Centre on 9/11 ­ she died in 2016.

Santos also said his grandparents fled the Holocaust, but no record of them can be found. He has falsely claimed to have been the target of an assassination attempt and victim of a daylight mugging on Fifth Avenue but has admitted he is not Jewish, as he claimed, but “Jew­ish”. Additionally, he faces local, state and federal investigations in the US, and a fraud case in Brazil.

So Santos, the almost perfect self­inven­

tor, has made himself up ­ and I’m not referring to his past as a drag queen in Brazil. But then George Santos’s election

has come at a time of great liars. In politics, the one declared 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump is a persistent, shame­free liar. Podcasts and Netflix series have brought the fake heiress, Anna Sorokin, to the notice of millions. Last November, Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos went down for 11 years.

So we can place the George Santos phenomenon in the wider social (identity politics) and political context (a culture of alternative facts). But to be honest, it boils down to the fact that he is a chancer and a liar, a con man and a fantasist with serious problems, whom the Republican party shamefully and shamelessly is, at best, willing to suffer, at worst, embrace, because it suits its interests.

A bit like our Boris then?

However, the fact is Santos got further than he would have done 20 or more years ago. Forty years ago, he would have been forced to resign and shunned by all. Sixty years ago, he would probably have been charged and put in prison. That progression is part of the current problem of identity politics and the ending up in the ‘my truth’ era.

There used to be a time when honour

was an essential part of a politician’s make up, or at least the expectation, that they were honourable. It seems that we, as an electorate, have lost that requirement. We all knew Boris lied, it was part of his cheeky chappy personality. He was the one we wanted to drink with down at the pub. Matt Hancock has sought to “redeem” himself by willingly humiliating himself on TV and, for Santos, notoriety is an electoral plus, at least he stands out.

The problem is we have forgotten that the job of politicians is to govern. We now judge them on their entertainment value. So our own two political leaders, Starmer and Sunak, are considered boring, not inspiring. Yet they both work hard, think deeply about the decisions they take and don’t overpromise.

If the trend set by George Santos continues, he is not an outlier ­ he is the future. Help!

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

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

Nora’s latest thriller.

Noraistheauthorofpopularpsychological suspenseandcrimethrillersandafreelancejournalist.

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 David

BYE BYE FLYBE

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

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

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

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.

Packing picks Best Campsite

Betty Henderson

IT can be tricky to always remember everything when you take a camping trip, but there are a few unquestionable pieces of kit that deserve a space in your luggage, however light you’re travelling. Here we’re sharing four unmissable pieces of kit that you need to take on every camping trip.

Water container

Wherever you’re off camping, a refillable water container is a must. A water bottle is an essential if you plan to hike and makes cooking on­site easier too. If you’re going somewhere particularly remote, consider investing in a water purifier.

Penknife

Whether it’s to open a packet of sausages to cook on your campfire, to crack open a well­deserved beer after setting up camp or cutting some rope, a penknife is a brilliant addition to any camping trip.

Many have plenty of functions and fold up nice and small.

Towel

Even if you can only fit a small towel in your luggage, this little luxury will take your camping trip to the next level. There are also plenty of microfibre, lightweight towels on the market if you’re tight on space.

Laundry bag

It might sound excessive, but even if you bring a plastic bag to separate your dirty clothes from clean clothes, it can make a difference to your whole trip.

Tourer training courses

WITH 2023 bringing a focus on exploring further while spending less, the Caravan and Motorhome Club launches its 2023 driving training courses.

The aim is to help tourers make the most of the great outdoors. Course attendees will be able to gain confidence and perfect their manoeuvring skills with expert trainers.

Whether you are new to caravanning, motorhoming

and campervanning, or a seasoned tourer who just needs a refresher, the Club makes sure you feel comfortable and safe in your vehicle before you head out on your holiday adventure.

The Club has over 40 years of experience running these courses. Operating at 16 locations across the UK, each course is led by friendly, expert trainers with firsthand experience, who are members and well ­ sea ­

soned tourers themselves. Courses are open to both Club members and nonmembers.

Harvey Alexander, Director of Marketing and Membership Services at the Caravan and Motorhome Club said, “We are delighted to help new and old tourers alike to journey safely while making the most of the great outdoors through our driving training courses in 2023.”

CAMPING & Resort Sanguli

Salou in Tarragona on Spain’s Costa Dorada has won the Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB) 2023.

The ANWB is a Dutch association dedicated to mobility, tourism and leisure since 1883, and has more than four million users.

More than 1,800 campsites from all over Europe were considered for this award. To select the winners, independent inspections were carried out at all the tourist establishments during the summer of 2022. These inspections assessed the sanitary facilities, grounds, swimming pools, leisure facilities, shops, and restaurants. Since its inauguration, Sangulí Salou has known how to evolve and adapt to the trends and needs of the market; for almost half a century it has maintained its essence and has become a point of reference for European tourism. The lodges and tents of Africa, or the new villas of the Mediterrània, are just some examples of the different themes that can be found throughout the resort.

With so many functions, a penknife is a great addition to any camping trip. COURSE ATTENDEES: Can gain confidence and perfect their manoeuvring skills.

The reign in Spain LINDA

HALL

THE Spanish are not born monarchists but benevolently damn Felipe VI with faint praise by admitting that he “does his best.”

Nor is there a political divide, as even those who vote to the right are not necessarily royal groupies.

In Xativa (Valencia) where I now live, Felipe V’s portrait hangs upside down in the local museum because he set fire to the city in 1707 after it backed Archduke Carlos of Austria’s claim to the Spanish throne.

Interestingly, the portrait was reversed in the 1940s by a Franco ­ supporting mayor during the dictatorship. It has remained upside down ever since, during local governments of all colours and will stay that way until a Borbon king visits Xativa and apologises.

Felipe VI has not yet set foot there and is unlikely to do so. The same can be said for his self­exiled father, Juan Carlos I, who now lives a life of luxury in Abu Dhabi after blotting his copybook in multiple ways.

The interesting thing about Juan Carlos is that during the period when he helped to steer Spain through the transition to democracy, even republicans eventually became Juancarlistas, including the Communist leader Santiago Carillo.

Few could have foreseen when he was proclaimed king in November 1975 that Juan Carlos would uphold democracy and extricate the country from a military coup in February 23, 1981.

Everybody around at the time was relieved that he pulled it off for a variety of reasons. Apart from my own political leanings I was exceptionally glad as my husband was in Valencia, one of the coup hotspots where there were tanks on the streets. It was even worse for my Benidorm neighbours, a socialist lawyer and his teacher wife who were politically active and hurriedly burnt incriminating papers and books.

Juan Carlos, his reputation shot, might now resemble a florid Borbon in one of Goya’s more unflattering portrait, but every February we still have much to thank him for.

Xilitol poisoning signs in dogs

IT’S regularly found in sugar ­ free chewing gum, toothpaste, mouthwash, vitamin supplements and other sugar­free products.

Xylitol can cause in dogs hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) because the dog’s pancreas will confuse it with real sugar and makes it release more insulin. The insulin then removes the real sugar in the body, leading to plummeting blood sugar levels.

The clinical signs that may appear are: vomiting, disorientation, lethargy, collapse, seizures and tremors and coma.

• The signs of poisoning can appear rapidly or be delayed, but you should never wait before seeking veterinary help; this can put your dog’s life at risk.

• If you suspect that your dog has eaten something containing xylitol, you need to get them to the vets straight away because it can be absorbed into the blood stream rapidly.

If the decrease in blood sugar levels is prevented or brought under control quickly, the prognosis is good, but delays in veterinary intervention can cause further complications, irreversible damage and increase the likelihood of xylitol poisoning becoming fatal.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

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 family ­ run farm in the village of Conqueiros in Portugal’s Leira

Purr-fect play

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.

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 suffers the typical ail ­

ments 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

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

“Specifically, pet owners had greater self ­ esteem, were more 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 well ­ being, 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.

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.”

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 side ­ byside.

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.

Credit:

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

PET OWNERS: Were healthier than non-pet owners.

Image: Bachkova Natalia / Shutterstock.com

ALARMS EWN 16 - 22 February 2023 SERVICES euroweeklynews.com 47

AIR CONDITIONING

ARTIFICIAL GRASS

APPLIANCE REPAIRS AUCTIONS

CONSTRUCTION

BALUSTRADES

BLINDS

BLINDS

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

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

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

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

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

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

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (MABS) MURCIA/MAR MENOR

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

CHURCH SERVICE IN ENGLISH

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

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

HELP VEGA BAJA. We are a non-profit making organisation that helps and supports anyone, without prejudice, in times of need or crisis within the Vega

Baja area. Our offices are based in San Miguel at Calle Lope de Vega 46 (Tel 966 723 733), To rrevieja at Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 4 (Tel 965 704 282). We are online at www.helpvegaba ja.com and also on Facebook.

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

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

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

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

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

ROYAL Air Force Association

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

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - Why not make this year the year you volunteer? See how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info 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, http://branches.britishle gion.org.uk/branches/orihuelacosta - covering from Punta Prima to San Javier. More info can be found on branch website www.orihuelacostarbl.co.uk. (95457)

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

ROYAL MARINES ASSOCIA -

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

ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MOVERS AND SHAKERS We are a non-profit organisation that supports people and their families with neurological diseases such as; HUNTINGTON’S, ATAXIA, MOTOR NEURONE, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS and PARKINSON’S. Our MOVERS AND SHAKERS CLUB held every Friday @ 1pm –3pm, is a chance for members to meet up socially, for a drink and a chat on a full range of topics and to exchange ideas and information. The club is held at O’Briens Bar in El Raso, Guardamar del Segura (except July and August). For more details, contact Marion Smith on 711 008 250, or email: mari on.smith@amscb.org.es, or you can find us on Facebook : fb@movers and shakers www.amscb.org.es (295976)

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

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HOME IMPROVEMENTS INSURANCE

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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.”

ACCORDING to the latest data from the European Union Oil Bulletin on Thursday, February 9, the average price of fuel in Spain dropped for the first time this year. Specifically, petrol dropped by 0.33 per cent to €1.65/litre and diesel by 1.5 per cent to stand at €1.68/litre.

Since the beginning of 2023after the government discount of 20 cents was stopped ­ petrol has accumulated a rise of 4.5 per cent, compared to a 1 per cent rise for diesel. However, even with these price levels, both fuels remain far from the highs they reached last summer when in July petrol reached €2.141, and diesel hit €2.10.

Compared to a year ago, the price of a litre of petrol is 6.2 per cent more expensive, and that

Fuel prices drop

of diesel is 16 per cent higher. As a result, filling an average 50litre tank costs almost €5 more with petrol, and about €12 more in the case of diesel. With these levels, the price of 95 unleaded petrol in Spain remains below the average for the Euro­

pean Union, located at €1.73/litre, and at €1.78/litre in the eurozone.

In the case of diesel, the price in Spain is also lower than the EU average, which is 1.76/litre, and also in the eurozone, where it stands at €1.79/litre.

Image: Aleksandar Malivuk / Shutterstock.com

PUMP PRICES: New scheme being considered.

67% of Spanish workers use cars as their predominant means of transport.

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