Costa de Almeria 23 Feb – 1 March 2023 Issue 1964

Issue No. 1964 23 Feb - 1 Mar 2023

NEW HOLLYWOOD

BRIGHT lights, big city, is Almeria set to become the new Hollywood?

The city council and ‘Vancouver Media’ signed a collaboration agreement for the filming of the series Berlin, which is set to be broadcasted on Netflix.

Shooting took place on February 13 and 14 in the straight of the church of Las Salinas and in the Beach Bar Chiribus, in Cabo de Gata.

There was a film crew of about 70 people, part of which, such as extras, were hired in Almeria, as well as workers for other services, such as generators or catering, among others.

The production company will include Almeria City Council in the credits.

Almeria’s mayor, Maria del Mar Vazquez, said: “This generates an impor­

tant economic impact of direct and indirect employment in low season, with which we also contribute to fight against

the deseasonalisation.

“Last year more than 20 productions of all kinds were filmed in our city and our objective, as a

council is to continue facilitating filming so that production companies continue to have Almeria as a reference point.”

FREE • GRATIS

Los Bandidos award

THE theatre in Huércal­Overa hosted the first Levante Sports Gala, organised by Total Sport Mediterranean, representing 14 municipalities: Antas, Bédar, Carboneras, Cuevas del Almanzora, Huércal Overa, Los Gallardos, Lubrín, Lucainena de las Torres, Mojácar, Níjar, Pulpí, Turre, Sorbas and Vera. The event was attended by representatives of each municipality as well as the award­winning athletes and their companions.

Representatives from Los Bandidos were honoured to attend the gala to receive their award, which Mojacar Town Hall gave in recognition of Los Bandidos’ passion and commitment to promoting sport in Mojacar, and for the important work Los Bandidos do to integrate all those who participate.

Founder member, Kevin Rowe accepted the award on behalf of all Los Bandidos and thanked everyone for making the group so special.

Los Bandidos was set up in June 2018 with a small group running the 5k Mojacar Paseo, and now has road cycling, sea swimming and triathlon groups.

If you would like more information please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/490933409 244200.

BRIGHT LIGHTS: A new series for Netflix was filmed in Almeria.

20,000 plants

THE recovery of La Hoya is now in process. The Jardines del Mediterraneo project implemented by Almeria City Council begins the start of the campaign to plant more than 20,000 trees and shrubs.

There will be over100 different species, including trees, shrubs, herbaceous, aromatic and ornamental plants, among others, which will dress up the area which is embraced by the Alcazaba, San Cristobal and the Jayran Wall.

At the same time as the project begins, work will continue with the execution of the hydraulic works (pools, canals, etc). The work will include the finalisation of the roadbeds and paving, which will also begin to reach the so-called ‘soft floors’.

Finally, the work will continue with lighting, furniture and fencing of the enclosure.

All the works are expected to be completed in time for the second quarter of the year.

Full steam ahead

AFTER weeks of discussions, the national Ministry of Transport reached an agreement with the regional government, the Junta de Andalucia on Friday, February 17 regarding a rail expansion scheme that will bring high speed AVE trains to Almeria.

The authorities agreed to cede ownership of the car park next to Almeria train station to Adif rail company, a decision which will allow the project to move to the next stage, with the contract for construction work expected to go out to tender in due course.

The issue of ownership of the car park had repeatedly stalled discussions about the rail project as it caused problems with the financing of the entire scheme.

The regional government of Andalucia has also scheduled a meeting with the national Ministry of Finance and the Treasury to discuss the

possibility of using European funds in the project to bring high speed rail connections to Almeria.

The news comes just days after national train company Renfe launched a new journey option, creating a connection from Almeria to Madrid via Granada’s high speed AVE rail line.

Royal visit

QUEEN SOFIA will visit the province of Almeria on Friday, February 24.

Her Majesty will go to the town of Roquetas de Mar, where the Food Bank Foundation of Almeria Fundacion Banco de Alimentos de Almeria has its headquarters.

Her Majesty is scheduled to arrive at 11.00am.

After her meeting at around 11.45am, Queen Sofia will have a tour of the facilities and meet with the wonderful volunteers who enable this non­profit organisation to carry out its charitable work in the province of Almeria.

Queen Sofia, executive

president of the Queen Sofia Foundation, is promoting this meeting as part of her commitment and collaboration with food banks throughout Spain, in order to familiarise herself with the reality of the Almeria organisation.

The queen wants to see first­hand how it operates at such a delicate time for many families in the province.

The event will be attended by representatives of the public administration of Almeria and the Spanish government, accompanied by members of the organisation in the province and representatives of the Spanish Federation of Food Banks (FESBAL)

Flights on track

OFFICIALS in Almeria announced the excellent data recorded in the city’s airport in January during a meeting on Friday, February 17.

Airport Manager, Ignacio Tejero met with regional government representative José María Martin where he explained that 25,565 passengers passed through Almeria airport during the first month of the year. The figures show that Almeria’s tourism industry remains on track on a pandemic recovery trajectory that began last year.

The figures represent a 48.3 per cent increase in passenger traffic through the airport compared with January 2022, reaching 74.8 per cent of pre ­ pandemic figures in January 2019.

The officials attributed the great data to the continued emphasis of domestic and international travel and local tourism strategy.

Authorities reached an agreement last week which will allow plans for a new high speed rail service from Almeria to progress to the next stage.

Photo credit: HrAd / Wikimedia Commons

NIBS EXTRA

Tomato possibilities

THE gastronomic possibilities offered by Almeria tomatoes, specifically the fantastic Tomate de Sabor are not infinite, but ‘almost’. This highly prized raw material is the star of the gastronomic event entitled Espacio Gastronomico which is being organised in conjunction with renowned chefs.

Win for Adra

FEBRUARY 20th’s ONCE draw left a part of its fortune in Adra where eight tickets have won €35,000 each. This means €280,000 will be shared between Adra neighbours. ONCE street vendor, Antonio Alguilera, said: “Some of the winners were financially struggling, so I am very happy.”

Think pink

A SURPRISE on February 19 when some areas of Almeria, especially in the Levante and Alzamora regions, inhabitants detected that the water coming out of their taps was pink. The reason? An operational incident in the drinking water treatment plant caused an increase in the dosage of manganese.

Musical return

THE fourth International Music Festival Almeria 2023 culminated the first part of its programme on February 19 but it won’t be long till music returns to the Casa de Cultura of Almeria. Flute and violin master classes will be held on March 3 and 4 with recitals on March 5, 9 and 16.

Choo choo

ALMERIA recovers two new train frequencies with Granada that were lost with the pandemic. The 6.20am train is resumed. In addition, for the first time, it is possible to combine the AVE with a medium­distance train to get from Madrid. However, the journey time is practically the same.

FILM fans will be pleased to hear that the municipal cinema of Huercal­Overa is set to reopen its doors on Friday, February 24 after intense work by the town council to get it back up and running.

The Covid ­ 19 pandemic forced the closure of movie theatres throughout the country and after that, they ceased their activity in the municipality.

The councillor for Public Contracts, Adrian Ramos, explained that “from the town council we set out a few months ago to get the Municipal Cinema back in busi­

CUEVAS DEL ALMANZORA have put a contract out to tender for the renovation of the medical practice in Villaricos. The announcement was made on Monday, February 13 and has a budget of around €100,000.

Cinema reopens

releases without having to go to large cinemas.”

YOUR EWN HAS

88

REOPENING: So that everyone can enjoy the latest films.

ness, following the suggestions of our neighbours and thereby giving them new leisure opportunities.

“We wanted the cinema up and running so that children and adults can enjoy the latest cinematographic

The councillor added: “After the administrative process of adjudication, Exhicine is the company that will take over the operation of the cinema. They will open its doors with all the latest film releases and tickets can be obtained online.

“Our cinema has all the attractions required to enjoy a pleasant trip to the cinema.”

Action on accessibility

The project, which has been subsidised by the re­

gional government of Andalucia, aims to improve the social well­being and health of residents living in the Cuevas del Almanzora region. The renovation project will provide more efficient services and comfortable facilities for peo­

Days of Dyslexia

ALMERIA became the capital of dyslexia awareness over the weekend through the event Andalucian Days of Dyslexia.

Under the title ‘United by Dyslexia’, the initiative aims to make the specific learning difficulties (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and dysortografia) more known every day by institutions, medical staff, the educational community and families.

Almeria City Council joined the Dyslexia Association of Almeria (AXDIAL) and the Spanish Dyslexia Federation, over the weekend of February 10 with the objective of training and raising awareness among families and professionals regarding specific learning difficulties.

The councillor for Health, Juan de la Cruz Belmonte, emphasised the importance of coordination between education professionals and the different health specialists who treat this disorder.

“Early detection is essential to deal with this situation and obtain the best results in the evolution of the affected persons,” he confirmed.

The councillor for Equality, Paola Laynez, praised the work of associations that, like the Association of Dyslexia Almeria and other learning difficulties, “reach where the administration often does not reach.”

ple seeking medical attention in the area.

The contract covers renovation work to the facilities themselves in Villaricos’ medical practice, bringing buildings up to scratch, to comply with the latest health and safety regulations. The project also covers improvements to first aid facilities in the practice,

AFTER recently announcing a date for their 2023 walking challenge, a local cancer support fundraising event has received an outpouring of support from the public. Walkforlife Arboleas is set to take place on Saturday, April 29.

The event is a three or six kilometre sponsored walk covering a scenic route in the historic town of Arboleas and the surrounding countryside.

Local residents have taken to Facebook in recent days to announce their participation in the walk, asking for sponsorship from friends and family.

Alongside the walk, organisers promise an exciting weekend of entertainment beginning at 6.30pm on Friday, April 28, before registration for the walk opens on Saturday afternoon ahead of a 5pm start. There will also be entertainment after the walk, including a dog show!

Sponsorship forms for the walk are available on-

making them more accessible.

First aid facilities are currently located on the first floor of the practice, and authorities plan to move it to the ground floor to make it more accessible for disabled users and pushchairs.

The local mayor, Antonio Fernández Liria explained, “We are responding to the needs of our community with this project.”

Warming up

line on the organisation’s website: http://www.walk 4lifearboleas.com/ or by emailing: claire.walk4life @gmail.com.

Walkforlife Arboleas raises money to provide caring support for cancer sufferers and those who are affected by the disease living within a 25-kilometre radius of Arboleas.

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Andalucia Day

DÍA DE ANDALUCÍA also known as Andalucia Day is celebrated on February 28 each year and marks the anniversary of the referendum held in 1980.

The referendum allowed Andalucia to become an autonomous community in Spain, meaning that Andalucia has the right and freedom from the main authority. Andalucia is self-governing and taxes can vary throughout the regions.

The Andalucian flag is green and white with the crest of the mythical Greek hero Heracles between two columns. The columns represent the Pillars of Heracles. The rocks on either side of the Straits of Gibraltar.

Even

that way.

Image: Huercal-Overa City Council

Cuevas del Almanzora Council plan to make the Villaricos medical practice more accessible.

Credit: Ayuntamiento de Cuevas del Almanzora

The Andalucian flag.

Photo.credit:shutterstock

A WHOLE

host of local businesses

are coming together to hold a charity 10 kilometre run or walk on Saturday, April 15. The exciting initiative is set to get the community moving while raising funds for the incredible work done by Arboleas Community Foodbank. The event has been organ­

ised along a beautiful route of the Vía Verde which connects Arboleas with Fines, where work is finishing up on a new path for residents and visitors to enjoy the incredible landscape, tucked inside a valley.

Organisers include All Box Boxing for Fitness club, Casa Li­

maria Holiday Home Rentals, and Get Branded, who are coming together to support the foodbank in purchasing essential items and food products for the most vulnerable in the local community.

Participants are also seeking sponsorship for the event. To offer a donation or your time as a volunteer, please contact Craig 711 050 868 or the foodbank by Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arboleascommunityfoodbank.

The foodbank recently reached its second anniversary of operating in the area and is so grateful for all the support.

MOJACAR’S branch of the Red Cross held a successful open day on Saturday, February 11, inviting members, donors and volunteers to learn more about the group’s work in the local community in the last year.

Open day excellence Foodbank fundraising

laborators better.

Mojacar Red Cross threw open the doors to its centre located on Mojacar beach, inviting the public to take a closer look at the vital community work that the group does.

The group’s board of directors reported data on the group’s recent projects and got to know a group of around 40 volunteers and col­

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

International collaboration with the group has grown, with a significant number of British volunteers, so information on the day was delivered in English and Spanish.

Collaborators heard about the organisation’s biggest projects in 2022 which included 2,166 actions taken to support elderly people and 1,140 actions to support vulnerable families in the area.

President Concepción

Rivera Puche explained that the group has come under

‘‘A Chain is Only as Strong as Its Weakest Link’’

This means that a group or organisation can only be as successful as its least successful or powerful person. The first form of this proverb appeared in Thomas Reid’s ‘Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man’, which was published in 1786.

pressure in recent years and needs donations and more volunteers.

Anyone interested in supporting the group can visit the seafront Red Cross centre and buy a membership for €13 or offer to volunteer.

Time machine

FOR one weekend only, Huercal-Overa is set to be transported back in time to the Baroque era with a market and historical reenactment from Friday, March 3 until Sunday, March 5.

The event has been organised to mark Villazgo Day, which commemorates the town’s independence from the Murcian city of Lorca 355 years ago on March 3, 1668.

The town’s streets and Plaza de la Constitución are set to be filled with the hustle and bustle of a 17th century market town with convincing historical reenactments by talented actors and passionate local residents as well as market stalls offering a wide variety of historical wares and traditional produce.

The event aims to reconnect local residents with the history of their town and teach visitors more about the way of life in the town in days gone by. As well as market stalls and historical scenes, there will also be interactive activities aimed at getting visitors engaged with the town’s history.

There will also be a historical reenactment of the emancipation of the town from Lorca with the mayor receiving a title deed.

A more detailed programme is set to follow.

A BOWLING fundraiser in Arbloeas has been hailed as a massive success, raising nearly €2,500 for several prostate cancer charities. Guests enjoyed socialising while engaging in some competitive fun in a party atmosphere.

Local resident, Phil Taylor organised the charity day which raised a whopping €2,405, €600 of which will be donated to a community member’s daughter’s London Marathon fund, going to Prostate Cancer Research, while the rest will go to a Madrid­based prostate cancer charity.

Guests enjoyed a fantastic day at Bowlera bowling lane in Arboleas on Sunday, February 12. As well as com­

Bowled away

for their bowling skills. Tony and Julie Mason with Charles Hayes took the public bowling prize with an impressive score of 725. Meanwhile Mike and Heather Brosnan bowled spectators away with a total score of 1,277 in the league bowling contest.

petitive fun on the lanes, organisers kept guests entertained with fabulous fundraising games including a raffle, a ‘guess how many strikes in 20 minutes’ contest and a photobooth.

The atmosphere was elec­

tric throughout the day thanks to entertainment from Almeria Radio.

Competition winners were also presented with trophies

ALBOX is once again celebrating the Almond Blossom Route, taking full advantage of the fact almond blossom is reaching its full splendour in all parts of the province.

The route will take place on Sunday, February 26, leaving from Albox at 8.30am.

Walkers will have the opportunity to see the full bloom of the almond trees of the Sierra de las Estancias. This year, due to weather conditions, the blossoming of the almond trees has not been brought forward and begins at the end of February and throughout March.

Phil took to Facebook to thank all that helped to organise the event, including the bowling alley staff who provided excellent service during a busy day and local businesses who gave generously for the raffle.

Phil closed with a plea for all men to get regular PSA blood tests, to check for prostate cancer as it may literally save a life.

Almond Blossom

The length of the walk will be 11 kilometres with a medium difficulty rating.

This year, only a maximum of 100 registrations will be accepted.

Payment of €3 per person must be made by bank transfer to account number ES 7700 7301 0051 0505 0582 5993 indicating your name, surname and the wording ‘Ruta Albox 2023’. Also email: somosalbojenses1@gmail.com

The guests enjoyed a fantastic day.

Puppy Rescue AGM

IF you’re looking for an opportunity to get more involved with animal rescue in your community, Puppy Rescue Spain might have just the chance for you! The charity, based in Albox, is set to host their Annual General Meeting on Thursday, March 2.

The meeting will be an opportunity for volunteers new and old to get to know the charity and its administration better. Planned ac­

THE companies

tivities include a presentation of the current President’s annual report, a report on the state of the charity’s accounts, discussions about Puppy Rescue’s future and planned events, and the reelection of the charity’s Board of Directors.

There will also be a questions and answers session for any new members to find out more about the charity. Organisers invite anyone with fundraising

from Almeria that attended this year’s agri­food fair in Berlin left feeling happy, the main objectives of promotion, loyalty and attracting new clients having been achieved.

ideas, or who would like to get involved to come, there is no membership fee!

The meeting is set to take place from 11am at Bar Terraza Lamarlo behind the old Lidl in Albox.

The charity is a dog rescue organisation which has worked in Albox since 2005. More information about the charity is available online at: https://www.face book.com/puppyrescuein spain.

Feeling happy

are not yet known but, from January to November last year, Almeria’s agricultural sector has already exceeded the figures for 2021 with more than 3,400 million in turnover.

The deputy for Agri ­ Food Promotion, Maria Luisa Cruz, explained that “the Almeria businessmen have told us that this edition of Fruit Logistica has been a success.

“Our agriculture continues to lead the world in this sector. It is a clear reference point for its sustainability and excellence.”

In addition, Cruz recalled that the fruit and vegetable export figures for December 2022

These figures make it the Andalucian leader with more than 50 per cent of exports, and the national leader, with more than 20 per cent at the level of the whole of Spain.

“These figures reveal the importance of our agriculture and ‘Sabores Almeria’ will always be with our farmers to promote their activity because it benefits all 103 villages,” added Cruz.

CATNIP AND TUCK!

A LOCAL feral cat colony in Burjulú is now tucked up in their own specially built ‘Cat Hotel’ thanks to a new groundbreaking project that combines animal welfare, including neutering of colony cats alongside an educational programme delivered in local schools. CatnipTNR are a new non­profit organisation, based in the UK but with a global remit who have recently estab­

lished a project­base in Vera and are now working in partnership with other charities and town halls across the region.

The colony has existed for many years alongside a local school and now the school has been selected as the flagship project for the scheme which includes the installation of the hotel, together with the implementation of a special curricu­

THE latest data released by Andalucia’s Department for Exports and Investment has revealed that the province recorded its third highest level of exports ever in 2022.

The report released on Monday, February 20 showed that the region took in €5.76 billion in profit from exports in 2022. The figures represent an increase of 17.7 per cent on 2021 with a staggering profit increase of €866 million.

Statistics from December are highlighted in the report as being particularly ‘historic’, boosting export profits by 4.4 per cent in one month alone.

Vegetables were the most lucrative export for Almeria in 2022, accounting for 57 per cent of the total sales, followed by masonry exports then fruit.

The report described the state of Almeria’s export sector as ‘very healthy’, recording its third

lum including elements of animal welfare, nutrition, healthcare, pet ownership and information on careers in the field.

Babs Williams, co­founder of CatnipTNR said “We are absolutely thrilled at the positive response from all of our local partners here in the region and we will now be fundraising to enable us to rollout these Hotels and programmes across the province.”

Export excellence

highest profit from exports ever. Almeria also recorded the highest boost in profit from exports out of all of the provinces in Andalucia, accounting for 13.4 per cent of exports from the whole region.

Hot footing it

THE ‘Carrera del Fuego’ fireman’s run in Almeria received a blazing reception on Sunday, February 19 with members of the emergency services and the public posting excellent times in the five and 10 kilometre disciplines.

This year’s race was the second edition of the event and saw more than 1,300 runners take to the streets of Almeria to enjoy a spec­

tacular route through the city’s historic old town. Hundreds of spectators lined the streets to cheer on the runners as they raced past.

As well as members of the public, there was also a discipline specifically designed for firefighters who ran five kilometres dressed in firefighting kit which added an extra eight to 10 kilometres of weight. Forty firefighters competed in the

THE Cuevas del Almanzora Town Council is set to open one of the 20th­century Villaricos mining tunnels to the public.

The mining tunnel is one in which ore was transported from the Sierra to be shipped to the coast.

Work has already begun on the improvement and pedestrianisation of ‘Tunnel 1’ with the aim of adapting it and making it suitable for guided pedestrian visits.

The Villaricos tunnels date back to the beginning of the 20th century. In 1906, the Herrerias­Villaricos mining railway was inaugurated, built by the illustrious archaeolo­

category this year.

The race was also organised in aid of a local charity, the URA CLAN rugby Foundation.

Youness Belyamna sped to first place in the 10 kilometre discipline with an impressive time of 34 minutes, two seconds. Alejandro Estévez Martín won the five kilometre category with a time of 17 minutes, 13 seconds.

Tunnel vision

gist Luis Siret in order to reduce the cost of transporting ore from the mines of Las Rozas to the Villaricos jetties, located on the coast.

The route was 5.60 kilometres long and access to Villaricos was by means of a double tunnel. His interest in reducing the cost of mineral transport led him to the construction of a railway line between Poetronila and Los Hortelanos in Villaricos, whose construction was carried out in 1897.

Profits from exports from Almeria reached their third highest rate ever in 2022.

Photo credit: Ismael Olea / Wikimedia Commons

Singing the dream

ORIGINALLY from the UK, singer ­ songwriter Debbie James has now settled in Calahonda in Malaga spending her time making people’s dreams come true.

As well as being a phenomenal performer, Debbie is also an A&R (artistes and repertoire) Manager for the AMG media company.

Having been involved in showbiz since a young age Debbie confirmed: “I have always been involved with music, either performing or producing.

“I am currently working on a project with Loris Holland; he is a legend and I am really excited because he is so utterly talented. My first official cut will be on an album that he has produced.”

Lori Holland is a Grammy/Emmy Award­winning performer/producer/com poser/arranger and conductor who has developed a clientele of greats including Mariah Carey,

George Clinton, Whitney Houston, Billy Ocean and Aretha Franklin, to name a few.

In between living the dream, Debbie has somehow found the time to create a global songwriting network and is also the co ­ founder of the Jud Friedman Workshops.

The singer said: “We have already completed

very successful workshops worldwide, in the UK, Canada, Italy and also in Los Angeles. We are delighted to be able to add Spain to the list as we are bringing a songwriting retreat and workshop to Fort Ingles in Malaga from March 4 until March 7.”

Debbie added: “The workshops are great and we encourage all levels of experience from experienced songwriters/ artists/producers to those who are just starting out! Teamwork really does make the dream work!

“Jud is amazing, he is a six ­ time Grammy, Oscar, Golden Globe ­ nominated, award ­ winning, Billboard No.1 Hit songwriter and producer and is now offering workshops to share his wealth of knowledge.”

For more information or to book your place head to www.globalsongwrit ersnetwork.com

Debbie added: “Anyone based in Spain is lucky enough to receive a 30 per cent discount. Just input the code SPAIN at the checkout.”

Debbie James.

Image: Debbie James

The Sofa Saga

WHEN we moved to Spain in 2018, we sold everything. But there were things I couldn’t let go of. Mostly my Louboutins and some expensive handbags. But there were a few other things that were coming with us. My husband, Jeff, moved his motorcycle over. And I moved my sofa in a container ship through the Panama Canal and the Atlantic. Did people in Spain think I was crazy to move a sofa? Yes. Did I care? Nope.

The sofa took five months to arrive. So, in the meantime, I bought a filler sofa. Jeff just rolled his eyes. When my fabulous American sofa arrived, I was ecstatic,

nearly jumping up and down when the lorry pulled up. But my euphoria would be short­lived. When they went to get it into the lift, it wouldn’t fit. Fine. The two strong men carried it up seven flights of stairs to our apartment. And it was then that we learned it wouldn’t fit through the door. I was horrified.

But the men had an idea. We could crane it in through the window. So, we put the sofa in our parking spot, and they left. I called a crane company, and they came out two weeks later.

In the meantime, our Valencian neighbours gave us weird looks. Likely wondering if all Americans store their sofa in the parking garage of

their homes.

The day came, and the furniture crane arrived. We then discovered, as it was dangling above the street, our sofa was ½ inch too large for the window. No amount of pushing or pulling would make it budge. My American sofa was dead on arrival.

The moral of this story is that when you move to Spain, get rid of everything. And I mean everything, including the Louboutins. Don’t remind Jeff, but I haven’t worn them once in five years.

Coming soon: Age in Spain’s Guide to Moving to Spain, a free ­ e ­ book for you to download. Reserve a copy at www.ageinspain.org

Age in Spain. www.ageinspain.org

Email: info@ageinspain.org - Tel: +34 932 209 741

EXPLAINER: What is the ‘Only yes is yes’ law and why was it needed? Hacker sent packing

THE introduction of the ‘Only yes is yes’ law in Spain has received significant negative publicity after it led to the reduction in the sentences of many convicted of sex crimes.

Although Spain signed up to the Istanbul Convention agreed in 2012 by the 34 member states of the European Union, significant opposition in the House of Deputies meant that concessions were made in trying to get an agreement on changes to existing laws.

But it also meant revising existing laws to meet the wording of the convention, which recog­

nised the need to protect women from violence, to end discrimination and to ensure equal rights. In terms of Article 1 of the convention Spain is required to:

1. Protect women against all forms of violence.

2. Contribute to the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and promote substantive equality between women and men.

3. Implement policies and measures for the protection of and assistance for all victims of women affected by violence.

4. Promote international

cooperation with a view to eliminating violence against women and domestic violence.

5. Support and assist organisations and law enforcement agencies to cooperate and adopt an integrated approach to eliminating violence against women and domestic violence.

But in making concessions and in adopting the wording from the final agreement, it opened the door to challenges by convicted sex offenders looking to have their sentences reduced.

The law came into force in

August 2022 after narrowly making it through the House of Deputies with 205 votes in favour, 141 against and 3 abstentions.

Broadly speaking the law was intended to take away the assumption of consent, which could not be provided through silence or by default. Essentially the law was intended to make consent only if it is explicitly given, hence ‘Only yes is yes’.

The problem is sexual abuse was removed from the penal code and is instead deemed to be assault. Under the changed law, sexual violence will be considered assault, harassment, exhibitionism, street stalking or harassment, sexual provocation, prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, corruption of minors, female genius mutilation, forced marriage, sexual femicide and, in the digital sphere, sexual violence transmitted by technological means, sexual extortion and non­consensual pornography.

A SPANISH court ruled in favour of deporting a suspected hacker to the United States in a ruling announced on Friday, February 17. The suspect is accused of hacking public figures including Bill Gates, Joe Biden, Barack Obama’s Twitter accounts.

The suspect identified by his initials J.J.O or alias Plugwalk Joe is a British citizen who was arrested in Estepona in Malaga province back in 2021 on 14 different criminal charges related with hacking.

The charges include belonging to a criminal organisation, fraud, extortion, illegal hacking, money laundering and propagation of confidential information. The individual is also accused of hacking hundreds of Twitter accounts including those of important public figures, robbing and blackmailing people through the internet.

The Spanish court ruled in favour of the suspect being extradited to the US, rejecting the defence’s arguments that a sentence given in the US would likely be harsher and therefore disproportionate to the crimes committed. The court said that an American court would be in a better position to judge the facts since the events had a greater impact there.

A suspect accused of committing multiple internet crimes could be deported to the USA after a Spanish judge ruled extradition was necessary.

Betty Henderson

THE only pyramid in Spain is reportedly set to be demolished under the country’s democratic memory law. The decision to knock down the ‘Pirámide de los Italianos’, near Burgos, was announced early in February.

The 20­metre stone pyramid was erected 83 years ago by Francoist troops to pay homage to the nearly 400 Italian soldiers who died fighting Republican forces during the Battle of Santander during the Spanish Civil War. Franco, used slave labour from Republican prisoners to build the mausoleum in Puerto del Escudo, which was constructed over a mass grave of

RESEARCHERS at the Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra have given prostate cancer patients in Spain a reason to feel optimistic. The results of their recent study showed that 85 per cent of patients treated with irreversible electroporation saw their tumours controlled.

Of these patients, 100 per cent retained their urinary continence capacity and 91.8 per cent retained their sexual

Pyramid toppled

The Italian government also shared concern “Why erase history with the stroke of a brush, wouldn’t it be better to remember this war so that it is never repeated?”

Spain’s Pirámide de los Italianos is now to be demolished.

the buried Italian soldiers.

The pyramid is now dividing public opinion with some saying the structure is no longer a symbol of fascism, especially since the Italian soldiers’ remains were removed in the 1970s.

Optimistic study

potency prior to the intervention.

According to the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), cancer continues to be one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. In Spain, it is estimated that new cancer diagnoses will reach 279,260 cas­

100,000

es in 2023. Of these, prostate cancer is the most common among men.

In fact, the Cancer Centre of the Clinica Universidad de Navarra has been the first in Spain to offer the entire diagnostic and therapeutic arsenal for the management of benign and malignant prostate pathology, as reported by a national news outlet on Tuesday, February 14.

Photo credit: Basotxerri / shutterstock.com

cruise passengers expected in port of Malaga this summer.

Fatal incident

THE 19 ­ year ­ old Spanish pro ­ cyclist Estela Dominguez of the Sopela Women’s team has died in a hit ­ and ­ run incident while out training in Salamanca.

Her death was confirmed by her team on Friday, February 10 with a local news outlet saying that the accident happened at the junction of the A ­ 62 with the N ­ 620 as you leave Villares Polygon. It is understood that she died at the scene after paramedics were called at around 6.32pm

on the Thursday evening.

The daughter of former pro ­ cyclist Juan Carlos Dominguez who had a successful career in the 90s, Dominguez had a promising cycling career

Religious coalition

Betty Henderson RELIGIOUS leaders came together in Madrid at the Spanish Episcopal Conference to sign a new declaration on topics including euthanasia and abortion on Wednesday, February 15.

Leaders from the Catholic church, Russian Orthodox church, Reformed Episcopal church, Romanian Orthodox church, Orthodox Ecumenical church and the Spanish Islamic Commission signed the agreement on ‘the dignity of human life’ at the Spanish Episcopal Conference in Madrid.

The statement announced that the leaders are “increasingly concerned by how for decades Spanish law has, in some cases, left human life seriously unprotected,” in relation to laws on abortion and euthanasia. They say that, “respect for the dignity of life” is a sign “of progress” in a society.

The religious leaders also expressed their concern at the Constitutional Court’s decision to reject an appeal from the conservative PP asking them to cut the deadline for permitting abortions.

Representatives of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain refused to join in signing the accord.

ahead of her having recently signed up with Sopela. She had also finished seventh in the Spanish Cyclocross Championship and had been called up by the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC), to participate in the Cyclocross World Cup.

Dominguez, the 19year ­ old Spanish pro ­ cyclist killed in the hit ­ andrun incident, was attending Salamanca University where she was studying Labour Relations and Human Resource Management.

Man caught

SPAIN’S National Police have arrested a French fugitive wanted for the theft of 11 million Swiss francs, as reported on Thursday, February 16.

The French fugitive, who had a European Arrest Warrant issued by France for a robbery which dated back to August 2019 in Switzerland when two armoured vans were held up by 10 hooded and heavily armed individuals who made off with 11 million Swiss francs.

Subsequently, a police investigation into the crime was set up and in October 2020, officers managed to track one of the thieves to Spain.

The man had been living in a small isolated rural property on the outskirts of Girona’s Llers.

Inside the property, officers found a marihuana drying shed, as well as narcotic substances in different quantities with a total weight of approximately 7.83 kilograms.

They also found an illegal firearm, a magazine with 12 cartridges, €2,625 in cash, a French identity card and a French passport with a fake name.

Estela Dominguez.

Image Twitter tonimuntanerho2

9.2% is the inflation rate across Europe.

Sir Lloyd Webber’s anthem

SIR ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER announced on Sunday, February 19, that he has been bestowed the great honour of composing a new anthem for King Charles’ Coronation. On May 6, Charles will be officially crowned as the King of England in a spectacular ceremony in Westminster Abbey.

Posting on his official Twitter profile, the legendary British musician wrote: “I am incredibly honoured to have been asked to compose a new anthem for the Coronation. My anthem includes words adapted from Psalm 98. I have scored it for the

Westminster Abbey choir and or gan, the ceremonial brass and orchestra. I hope my anthem reflects this joyful occasion.”

The ceremony will be followed the next day, May 7, by a massive Coronation concert at Windsor Castle. Its organisers are hoping to attract some of the biggest stars of the entertainment world to perform in this unique event to be broadcast by BBC. But two stars have confirmed they are unable to attend.

Ed Sheeran has a prior engagement in Texas while there was no explanation offered on Adele’s part. It is believed The Spice Girls and Lionel Richie are close to confirming their participation in the event.

Blackmail uncovered

GAVIN BURROWS, the leader of a team of private investigator looking into the disappearance of Levi Davis have uncovered a network of blackmailers associated with the X­Factor TV series. Burrows told a news source on Tuesday, February 14: “We have received valuable information from a number of former contestants on the X­Factor show.” He continued saying they have spoken to people involved in or have

been part of the show adding “they have confirmed that the claims of blackmail made in Davis’ video appear to be true and verified by third parties.” He added: “We believe these people remain hidden because they fear for their safety.” Burrows had said people connected with the show had taken extraordinary interest in their investigations, but had been less interested in finding Davis.

Your Belgian estate agent at the coast!

Credit: Twitter@OfficialALW

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with King Charles.

ONE year ago today, on February 24 in 2022, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, launched an invasion of Ukraine from the north, east and south.

At the time Putin explained that the “special military operation was aimed at demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine in a bid to

One year later

protect ethnic Russians, prevent Kyiv’s NATO membership and to keep it in Russia’s sphere of influence.”

As of February 12, 2023, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) tragically verified a total of 7,199 civilian deaths during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Of them, 438 were chil ­

Party

Betty Henderson

ITALY’S former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been cleared of allegations that he bribed witnesses in a previous trial into his infamous ‘Bunga Bunga’ parties. A Milan court cleared the 86­yearold billionaire on Wednesday, February 15, putting an end to the case which has overshadowed his reputation for the last decade.

The former trial accused Berlusconi of paying a 17year­old Moroccan nightclub

dren.

Furthermore, 11,756 people were reported to have been injured. However, OHCHR specified that the real numbers could be higher.

Innocent civilians have been cruelly caught up in the conflict and over 5.9 million people have been internally displaced.

There has also been catas­

pardon

dancer for sex at one of his ‘Bunga Bunga’ parties. Speculation began during and after the trial that the politician had paid off 28 people to give false testimonies about the events at his infamous gatherings.

Some women deny any wrongdoing at the parties, while others said orgies took place and female guests dressed as nuns to give erotic dances. Berlusconi has always denied charges describing it as a smear campaign.

trophic damage to civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and schools.

And now? It has been a year since Russian forces rolled into Ukraine and there does not appear to be any real signs of a way out of this terrible conflict.

Neither Ukraine nor Russia, Zelensky or Putin appear primed for an outright military victory, and progress at the negotiating table is highly improbable.

Flight delays

AN IT fault left thousands of passengers stranded on Lufthansa flights across Europe on Wednesday, February 15. Flights across the German carrier and its associated groups were grounded for much of the day after construction work damaged glass­fibre cables in Frankfurt. The technological fault caused disruption to the company’s digital systems which forced airport staff to check in passengers using pen and paper and disrupted luggage check in services.

UKRAINE: One year since an invasion was launched.

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Old-timer

INVESTIGATORS examining dead hedgehogs brought in by members of the Danish Hedgehog Project discovered that Thorvald, who died in a Silkeborg rehab centre, was later found to be 16, making him Europe’s oldest ever. The record was previously held by an Irish hedgehog aged nine.

THE NETHERLANDS

War wounds

THE NETHERLANDS’ 32-million page war archive will become available without restrictions in 2025, announced the War in Court (Oorlog voor de Rechter) group. The descendants of Second World War collaborators now fear the reopening of old wounds as data protection laws do not cover the dead.

BELGIUM

Hacker deal

BELGIUM’S Cyber Security Centre (CCB) has promised protection from prosecution for hackers or organisations reporting security vulnerabilities affecting systems, networks, or applications located in Belgium. Protection would depend on meeting “strict” conditions, the CCB said.

GERMANY

Wrong turning

A WOMAN of 82 inadvertently drove into a Munich shopping centre, breaking through its side entrance and crashing into an escalator. The driver escaped with minor injuries, but was taken to hospital as a precaution while an 18-year-old on the damaged escalator was able to jump to safety.

FRANCE

Lynx warning

FRANCE’S lynx population, reintroduced in the 1970s, is at risk of disappearing and requires special measures to increase numbers, experts said. A recent study found that around 150 adult lynxes currently inhabited the mountains of north-eastern France, separated from healthier groups in Germany and Switzerland.

NORWAY

All alone

EXPERTS completed the reconstruction based on the skull of a teenage boy who lived 8,300 years ago in modern Norway. Nicknamed Vistegutten, ‘the boy from Viste’ his skull was deformed and he apparently died alone, as his remains were found as though resting against the wall of a cave.

FINLAND

Fell swoop

FOREST MOVEMENT activists disrupted treefelling operations for the fourth time in Aalistunturi in Finland, an area which is likely to become a national park. Loggers, who must stop work whenever anyone enters the area near their machinery, said the protests were costing them €15,000 a day.

IRELAND

Gold reserve

IRELAND has cancelled ‘golden visas’ for nonEU nationals worth at least €2 million who invest in the country. Ireland's Minister for Justice, Simon Harris, said that the scheme, established in 2012 in return for creating jobs had had been under review for “quite a period of time.”

ITALY

Electric shock

ITALY intensified its opposition to EU plans to ban the sale of all petrol and diesel cars after 2035 to achieve 100 per cent zero-emissions for new vehicles. Transport minister Matteo Salvini condemned a rapid switch to electric mobility as “suicide” and a “gift” to Chinese industry.

PORTUGAL

New airlink

ETIHAD AIRWAYS are expanding their European network this summer with a new direct route between Abu Dhabi and the Portuguese capital Lisbon, starting in July. The new service, the Middle Eastern airline’s first route into Portugal, will operate weekly flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays.

UKRAINE

Look ahead

BUSINESSES worldwide are jockeying for position for multibillion reconstruction contracts in Ukraine once the war ends. Tymofiy Mylovanov, former Economy minister and now president of the Kyiv School of Economics, said with funding from all over the world “businesses want to be part of rebuilding.”

SWEDEN

Shut out

A CYBERATTACK temporarily prevented access to the website of Sweden’s national broadcaster SVT on February 14. The attack was not unexpected as the hacker group Anonymous Sudan called for cyberattacks against Swedish authorities and banks following the Koran burning in Stockholm.

BUSINESS EXTRA All at sea FINANCE

Shrinkflation

CHOCOLATE makers Cadbury have reduced the sizes of their medium and large Easter eggs while their prices remain the same, shoppers found. Amongst other scaleddown products, a Twirl egg now weighs 198 grammes compared with 237 grammes in 2022, but still costs £3 (€3.40).

Women’s work

SPAIN’S gender wage gap fell to 20.9 per cent in 2021, almost six percentage points below 2018 thanks to a higher minimum salary, a Comisiones Obreras survey found. Differences persisted for carers’ posts as well as part­time jobs and the lower­paid traditional “women’s jobs”, the union said.

Closing time

A TOTAL of 512 UK pubs and bars went into administration last year owing to higher overheads and falling sales, revealed accountancy company UHY Hacker Young. The government could alleviate pressure by extending the energy bill relief scheme to the hospitality sector, the company suggested.

Sail away

THE Italian­Swiss cruise company MSC expects a record 2023 following last summer’s good results and increased sales for cruises this winter. The company plans to make 500 stopovers in Spanish ports this year, a 23 per cent increase on last year’s 407, announced director general Fernando Pacheco.

Big money

CARLOS TORRES VILA, president of BBVA, which made €6.42 billion profits in 2022, earned €8.29 million last year, 5.8 per cent more than the €7.83 million he was paid in 2021. Onur Genç, BBVA’s CEO, earned €7.15 million, 4.9 per cent more than the €6.81 million he received last year.

STAT OF WEEK €125 million

in compensation and a six-year prison sentence await Pescanova’s former president, Manuel Fernandez de Sousa-Faro, for irregular financial practices while he headed the company between 1985 and 2013.

Good inflation news

Linda Hall

UK inflation fell for a third consecutive month in January, but remained in double digits.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the annual inflation rate measured by the consumer prices index fell to 10.1 per cent last month, following December’s 10.5 per cent and October’s 11.1 per cent peak. City economists had forecast a more modest drop to 10.3 per cent.

The latest fall was assisted by the ongoing fall in petrol and diesel prices for motorists earlier in the year, as well as reductions in air and coach travel after their hefty rise last December.

Restaurant, cafe and takeaway prices also fell, with the cost of furni­

ture dropping during the January sales.

Nevertheless, food and drink inflation remained close to their highest rates since the 1970s as milk, bread and the cost of other essentials soared by almost 17 per cent in a year.

The ONS figures came as the Bank of England contemplated another interest rate rise to tackle the highest inflation levels since the early 1980s.

UK inflation is still higher than in the European Union’s 20 eurozone countries or the US, which some forecasters attributed to the UK’s chronic worker shortages and constraints including Brexit that have added to inflationary pressure.

“While any fall in inflation is welcome, the fight is far from over,” Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said.

“High inflation strangles growth and causes pain for families and businesses. That’s why we must stick to the plan to halve inflation this year, reduce debt and grow the economy.”

Spain’s Top Three

INDITEX, Mercadona and El Corte Ingles have been listed amongst the world’s 120 largest family­owned firms.

Multinational auditors

EY and Switzerland­based St Gallen University, who publish their Family Business Index every two years, placed the three Spanish companies high on their list.

Inditex, which owns Zara, Pull & Bear and other labels, was ranked in 51st place in the 2023 edition, followed by supermarket chain Mercadona (54) and

On the hunt

HUNTER BOOT whose £125 (€140.7) wellingtons are worn by royalty and rained­on festival goers, is seeking a buyer.

The company, which was founded in 1856 and holds two royal warrants, is seeking potential acquirers amid a postCovid boom. Sales plummeted during the pandemic but demand surged during the summer festivals once restrictions were lifted. The Edinburgh company is nearing completion of a £7 million (€7.8m) cash injection, in addition to separate sale discussions. Its most recent accounts revealed a £5.1 million (€5.7m) loss on £10.8 million (€12.1m) sales in the year to January 2022.

the El Corte Ingles department stores (117).

Eight other Spanish companies, Acciona, Gestamp, Ferrovial, Grifols, Catalana Occidente, Antolin ­ Irausa, Prosegur y Tecnicas Reunidas were named in the Index’s 500strong list.

Between them, these 11 companies, all of them family ­ owned, had a turnover of €120 billion, and employed a total of 445,000 people. Worldwide, family businesses earned more than €8 trillion and provided jobs for 24.5 million people, a 10 per cent increase on the 2021 index.

“According to the International Monetary Fund, the global economy grew by 6 per cent in 2021 and is forecast to grow by 2.7 per cent in 2023,” said EY’s Global Family Enterprise

FCA gets tough

BARCLAYS is allegedly under investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regarding possible flaws in compliance and anti­money laundering measures.

The FCA requested an independent review of the bank’s systems last year after noticing a high volume of money­laundering and “know your customer” incidents, the Financial Times said.

“Know your customer” checks, which focus on a new client’s identity and risk factors, are aimed at preventing the concealment of funds obtained from criminal activity.

The Financial Times stated that the FCA had written to Barclays’ requesting a “skilled persons review” by an outside party like a legal or accounting firm.

The financial regulator has brought several high­profile money laundering and compliance cases in recent years as it attempts to lose its reputation for being over­lenient when dealing with financial offences.

EXTENDING Barcelona­El Prat airport could involve a 3,400­runway, one nautical mile (1.8 kilometres) out to sea.

A private consultancy firm has sent details of the €2.1 billion project to Catalonia’s regional government, where sources said all options should be studied and it was “positive” that experts were working on the issue.

The chosen location would lessen the environmental impact on the area, the scheme’s supporters maintained, although Barcelona city mayor Ada Colau immediately criticised the project.

It would be very expensive and the money would be better spent on the Mediterranean Corridor rail link between Catalonia and Valencia, she said.

No problem

leader, Helena Robertsson.

“This shows that family enterprises have been growing at nearly twice the rate of advanced economies and at around one and a half times the rate of emerging market and developing economies.

“In fact, their contribution is so significant that if they were a national economy, they would be the third largest among the club of 19 ‘trillion­dollar economies’ that exist in the world, after the US and China,” she said.

Top earners

SPAIN has 11,113 taxpayers who earn €601,000 a year or more.

Almost half live in the Madrid Community, the only region in the country which charges no Wealth Tax at all although those who would be liable to pay it elsewhere must make a yearly declaration.

This strategy has clearly paid off, as 5,176 (47 per cent) of the country’s biggest earners live in the Madrid Community, Tax Authority Hacienda revealed.

Next comes Catalonia which has 2,334 taxpayers earning an annual €601,000 or more (21 per cent) followed by the Valencian Community’s 887 (7.9 per cent) and Andalucia with 799 top earners (7.2 per cent).

THE European Banking Authority’s president said he did not believe that Spain’s bank windfall tax would have a negative impact on banking or limit credit.

Referring to the 4.8 per cent tax on a bank’s net income and net commissions above €800 million, introduced to subsidise inflationbusting measures, Jose Manuel Campa told an El Pais interviewer that the tax was valid.

It had been proposed by the government and approved by parliament, the Oviedo ­ born economist and former politician pointed out. “It is legitimate. There’s nothing more to be said,” he declared.

Spy game

COURIER firm DX Group admitted that rival Tuffnell Parcels Express was taking legal action against the company following accusations of corporate espionage. The admission followed a Sunday Times report which revealed that three DX staff members, all former Tuffnell employees, had conspired to obtain daily customer service reports.

A DX employee allegedly offered a Tuffnell traffic clerk a £50 (€56) payment in exchange for the confidential information.

Sheffield­based DX declined to comment further, “as matters are now subject to legal proceedings,” a company statement added.

JEREMY HUNT: Welcome inflation fall but said fight not over.

INDITEX: Headquarters in Arteixo (Galicia)

Photo: Simon Walker/Downing Street

Photo credit: CC/Nemigo

DOW JONES

BUSINESS EXTRA

Six-year deal

DEFENCE and aerospace

heavyweight Babcock secured a £400 million (€449.3m) contract to operate the UK Ministry of Defence’s military satellite communications system. The company has signed a six­year deal to manage the Skynet 6 programme, which provides work for 400 in south­west England.

Grifols cuts

BARCELONA­based multinational, Grifols, announced plans to let go 2,300 employees as part of a cost­cutting plan aimed at saving an annual €400 million. Most of the workforce cuts will be in the US, but 100 of the 300 administrative job losses correspond to Spanish staff.

Long wait

SECOND­HAND car sales fell last year with fewer used models reaching the market, according to figures from the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). A shortage of parts during the pandemic meant fewer new cars were produced, prompting people to keep their cars longer.

Mask gloom

FREEDOM from maskwearing on public transport earlier this month was welcomed by Spain’s population but greeted with less enthusiasm by manufacturers. Having spent €1 million on equipment, one factory owner said that she was now in a position where she saw no possibility of recouping her investment.

Cough up

SPAIN, together with Portugal, Canada and New Zealand was another of the countries affected by the new Netflix limit on password sharing. Customers are being asked to pay an extra fee if they want friends and family not living with them to be able to share their subscription.

Mum and Dad contribute

Linda Hall

PARENTS in the UK are gifting or informally lending millions to their adult children.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) estimated that this year they would help out with around £17 billion (€19.13 billion) on marriage or buying a house.

Around 30 per cent of young adults in their late 20s and early 30s can expect to receive at least one substantial transfer of £500 (€563) or more over any eight­year period from their parents, the IFS revealed.

“These transfers are very unequally spread,” IFS inves­

PARENTS: Increasingly likely to provide financial assistance.

tigators said, as the children of university ­ educated, home­owning parents received up to six times more in their 20s and 30s than those who families rented.

White young adults were

also three times more likely to receive a substantial gift than Pakistani or Bangladeshi young adults, the IFS said.

The report found that children in the highest­income

Five-day week

fifth of society received 26 times more than their peers in the lowest fifth during early adulthood. Help amounted to £6,300 (€7,094) on average for the wealthiest, compared with £240 (€270) for the poorest.

People were more likely to receive a large gift on marrying but were unlikely to receive transfers when facing adverse events like losing their job.

Those in the least­wealthy third also tended to use gifts to purchase a new car, to pay off debts or for educational expenses, the IFS added.

Spending big in Navarra

VOLKSWAGEN intends to spend more than €1 billion on electric vehicle production at its Landaben (Navarra) plant.

The future Volkswagen ID.2 and a Skoda urban crossover will be built there, thanks to what the regional president Maria Chivite described as the region’s greatest­ever investment.

Visiting the VW headquarters in Wolfsburg (Germany) on February 14, Chivite met Christian Vollemer, who heads the Production and Logistics department, and Michael Hobusch, president of Volkswagen Navarra.

All coincided during the meeting on their desire to maintain the present “very good” level of cooperation between Volkswagen and Navarra regarding transformation, training and environmental measures.

“It’s crucial that we all row in the same direction, especially in a time of change,” Hobusch said, while Chivite stressed Volkswagen’s importance to the region of Navarra.

The regional president also drew attention to the need to work together on the electrification project, while both underlined the group’s “positive evolution” in the region, which confirmed that the “future was assured.”

Addressing the regional parliament on her return,

ELIMINATING Saturday letter deliveries would save Royal Mail hundreds of millions of pounds in its battle to curb soaring losses. The Universal Service Obligation (USO) requires Royal Mail to deliver letters six days a week although a 2020 Ofcom report found that five­day letter deliveries would meet the needs of 97 per cent of users.

The group could save £250 million (€282.1 million) annually by abandoning Saturday deliveries, helping to slash projected losses of between £350 million and £450 million (€506.2 million and €393.7 million) by more than half.

Good news

ORGANIC pearl company Majorica, which filed for bankruptcy in 2020, has emerged from administration.

Chivite said Volkswagen’s investment was a vote of confidence in Navarra’s worth, capacities and potential, together with guaranteed future employment and activity.

“This is great news for the community, the company, its employees and the automotive industry,” she said.

Waiting for permission

ORANGE and MasMovil have given the European Commission (EC) formal notification of their merger plans.

The EU’s antitrust regulators now have until March 20 to decide whether to approve the €18.6 billion deal between the French company and its Spanish rival.

If they have serious concerns regarding the merger they could also decide to launch a further, more extended investigation.

Last July MasMovil and Orange signed an agreement which, if allowed to go ahead, would create a forceful mobile and broadband offer to challenge Telefonica. Analysts predicted at the time that this could open the door to similar agreements in the UK, Italy and Portugal. If the EC says ‘yes’ to the deal it would leave third­ranked Vodafone stranded, although insiders point out that it enjoys a more consolidated market.

Farm subsidy chaos

FARMS risk going out of business after receiving a minimal amount of the government fund that was created to replace European Union subsidies.

To compensate for losing the Brussels’ Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which provided financial support for agriculture, the UK government introduced its own scheme.

This commenced with the sustainable farming incentive (SFI) that pays farmers for looking after their soil.

With each passing year, the UK government has reduced the payments that farmers received under the old system, cutting them by an average 22 per cent in 2022.

Last year £10.7 million (€12.05 million) was paid out under the SFI scheme from a budget of £2.4 billion (€ 2.7 billion).

Only 0.44 per cent was assigned to them under this new system, raising the question not only of where the money has gone, but how farmers can survive.

Now the property of Gregoire Bontoux Halley, a member of the family that founded Carrefour, the company foresees a turnover of approximately €22 million this year with sales equalling those of the pre­pandemic years.

The company, which has 120 employees, announced plans for expansion in markets which include Germany, the US and Mexico where the brand is already well­known. There will also be an increased presence in Asia, where the fifth Majorica outlet opened recently.

All right for Aldi

NO­FRILLS supermarket chain Aldi will open 40 new stores this year in locations that include Norwich, Newcastle, Huddersfield and Shrewsbury.

Plans involve an additional 6,000 employees, the Germanowned company revealed.

Like Lidl, Aldi’s brisk trading over Christmas has continued through 2023 as the cost of living crisis prompts shoppers to forsake pricier rivals and choose their lower­priced options.

Both increased their share of the UK’s grocery market by one percentage point over the past 12 months, data company Kantar said.

Aldi’s 9.2 per cent share of the UK market makes it the country’s fourth­biggest chain ahead of Morrisons and behind only Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda.

Photo credit: Pixabay/J Henning

WOLFSBURG MEETING: Christian Vollmer, María Chivite and Michael Hobusch.

Photo credit: Volkswagen Navarra

OTHERS THINK IT

IN the light of the left bending over backward to portray the UK citizens as grovelers at the bottom of the Conservative catastrophe barrel, I have decided to run in the next British election. I hereby present my manifesto for The Leapy Loopy Party. (I thought this title would meet with the approval of a few readers!) As follows.

1. All legal British citizenship applicants required to pass more stringent entrance examinations, including basic English, oral and written and knowledge of British history and culture. Examinations to be set and overseen by a committee of British nationals who have resided in the UK for at least three generations.

2. No free NHS for unregistered non­European nationals, except in dire emergencies.

3. Genuine asylum seekers grants capped at 6,000 per year. Only exceptional circumstances considered after this figure reached.

4. A restriction on numbers of specific religious buildings allowed per capita.

5. Rigorous inspections of schools suspected of disproportionate religious curriculums. With no gender or major sex ed­

My manifesto

ucation for pupils under the age of eight.

6. ‘Young’ and ‘Juvenile’, offender ages reduced.

7. A reintroduction of two years National Service for male and females at age 16. (Bona fide students exempt)

8. Strict boot camps for young offenders, to be run on army lines by the military.

9. Immigrant boats and/or occupants immediately returned to country of embarkation.

10. Working camps for illegal immigrants and those without papers or proof of nationality.

11. All lawyers’ dealing with immigrants and immigration matters, to have legal fees capped.

12. ‘Stop and search’ immune from all charges of racism or discrimination.

13. A total ban on full face masking of any description in public places.

14. Solitary confinement prisons built specifically to house serious terrorist offenders.

15. All overseas aid to be examined in depth and cut by at least two­thirds.

16. A court of frivolity. Selected judges to hear appeals from those who feel they have been accused for frivolous reasons, ie political correctness, health and safety is­

sues, racism etc. Heavy punishments for claims considered to have contained malicious or irresponsible content.

17. Numbers of non­white media performers restricted to population percentages.

18. The hierarchy of the BBC dismantled, dismissed and replaced.

19. All historical criminal accusations against service men and women dropped.

20. MPs to attend the house for at least three full days a week except during canvassing periods

21. A force of highly trained specialised, armed rapid response police/army units to be assigned to reported trouble spots.

22. Verbal abuse of police officers treated as seriously as physical attacks and heavy punishments for similar attacks on all medical workers.

23. Proven fake news in any form treated severely, ie falsified derogatory statements appearing to issue from the mouths of politicians or leading figures, to result in heavy fines and/or suspensions of media licences.

24. Legal gender decided by genital type. Chance would be a fine thing! Keep the faith Love

ONE YEAR ON OUR VIEW

ON Friday, February 24 it has been exactly one year since Russia invaded Ukraine, targeting some of its most populated areas, including the capital Kyiv.

Since then, tens of thousands on both sides have lost their lives, cities have been destroyed, and communities changed forever.

In that year, several things have become clear. First on that list is how fragile peace is, and how quickly life as we currently understand it can change.

In that year, we’ve also learned more about the astonishing courage and ingenuity of human nature when it is pushed to its limit.

Even more heart ­ warmingly though, we’ve also seen the kindness of ordinary people all around the globe who, touched by what they have seen in Ukraine, have donated, fundraised and even given their lives to help people they have never met. Many of those people are here in Spain.

While the war has also given us plenty of insight into the darker parts of the human experience ­ its irrationality, its cruelty, and its unfairness ­ it is that light in the dark that we must focus on.

Because it’s only through doing this that we will see an end to this conflict.

NOT SATISFACTORY

ON visiting San Javier Health Centre, I was handed a paper. For over three months I have been attempting to obtain an appointment at the Social Security Office, Cartagena to register a form S1 to obtain access to the Spanish healthcare system.

Every time I attempt to obtain an appointment, by phone or online, I am told ­ no appointments available. I am aware many other people, including translators/solicitors are having the same problem ­ no appointments available.

It appears the Murcia healthcare system is not functioning as it should.

Linda Rogers

Dangerous dogs

Helping you navigate the circle of strife

THEY do say that life comes round in cycles, and the team at Neater Heater are inclined to repeat a phrase that Derrick Trotter might say: “It’s Deja­vu all over again, Rodney.”

NEATER HEATER started life in the last cost of living crisis after the world’s economies were crashed by the banks in 2008. Primarily looking for ways to heat their kids’ bedrooms, Richard and Tony had both decided separately on electric heaters. However, when shopping around they had discovered that the ones on offer were either very expensive to buy, but not too expensive to run, or were very cheap to buy but cost a small fortune to run.

One thing they all had in common was that they were not very efficient. This story is told in detail on their website www.neatrheater.es but the gist is that through luck they discovered a Norwegian Convector heater that they could import at a reasonable cost and was cost effective to run. It enabled them to heat a room for less money. It is not a magic solution, it is a solution borne of efficiency and effectiveness. It is like buying a more efficient car when petrol prices go through the roof.

Reign of Spain

REIGN reign go away never come back again. I don’t know why in this day and age there are such things as royalty, kings and queens or princes and princesses. The real age of royalty and true royalty is gone, all it is these days is tabloid this and tabloid that. They aren’t doing anything for us but giving us TMI, especially with Harry’s book. I did not need to know about Elizabeth Arden cream. The royals haven’t seemed to bring along any happiness in the longest time. Even the Spanish royals. It all just seems dreer and drab. The real royalty left when the Queen and Prince Phillip sadly passed.

Yours, Anthony

An anecdote from one of their first customers will explain how you can reduce your bills with a Neater Heater. They had a customer ­ let’s call him Geoff. Now Geoff had bought a couple of small oil filled heaters from the ferreteria near him, but he wasn’t happy with them. He thought they were defective as his electrics frequently tripped when he was using them. He then called NEATER HEATER and told them the size of the rooms he wanted heating. Both small bedrooms at 9sqm. He was provided with two 600Watt heaters.

When fitting these heaters Tony and Richard looked at the small ferreteriabought heaters and saw that they were each 2,200 Watts. In total 4.4 kilowatts. Geoff said that they just about took the edge off the cold. (He also only had a 5kW allowance, so when he put the kettle on the electrics tripped). Anyway, his bedrooms are warmer now, his electrics no longer trip, and he is saving 3.2 kilowatts every hour! In fact, possibly more as NEATER HEATERS have thermostats to further reduce consumption.

NEATER HEATER ­ Letting your money go further.

WAS reading your thoughts on dangerous dog breeds and the amount of recorded bites, but you don’t count the bites reported by other breeds. I have had both big and very small dogs in my life time. I have had rottweilers, German shepherds, mastiffs and pitbulls and out of all these never once have I had any that where aggressive, even my last dog which was a rescued ex fighting dog who turned out to be the softest thing on four legs and I have vets who can confirm all my dogs were no danger to anyone. But what is the problem is HUMANS who get the dog they want not the dog they need, why get a high maintenance dog if you don't plan on putting in the work and what I suggest you do is tell people to study the breeds of dogs and what requirements they need to be a calm submissive pet, not a dog that you leave in a garden when it actually needs to be kept very active and a job given for it to focus. There are no bad breeds but bad humans, so many dogs are already put to sleep because of their breed.

Paulle Milner

Busy times

NO shortage of people in Barcelona. Barcelona has got its population back? Whoever thought it would have been low! The amount of times I have gone down Las Ramblas and all you could see was quite literally a sea of people. When the kids were young, we always had them dressed in brightly coloured clothes so we could easily find them if they somehow got lost. It is crazy to think that the population was low. Ok the areas I was in were quite touristy but even in the not so touristy parts it was always filled with so much fun and people just enjoying life. Life really is sweet when you get the chance to live it.

Thanks, Barbra

Burning issues

IF cleaning really does help you burn the calories Tommy will be in for a shock tomorrow! I am restyling the living room and it is going to be cleaned from head to toe. You know one of my most favourite things about all this new technology nowadays is the fact that you can have the world at our fingertips and even our wrist with all these fitness watches. I got one with my Easter egg last year from Tommy, I don’t really know what he was trying to say doing that... But I will be wearing it tomorrow when I am doing the cleaning to see just how many calories I do burn. Hopefully it is enough to make up for all the chocolate I’ll be eating on Pancake Day.

Love Glen

Sleeping helps!

HA turns out I wasn’t such an idiot at school and sleeping actually does help, 10 minutes does you the world of good. Ok I don’t think I should have been sleeping in class, but if I had to hear another second of Shakespeare, I think I would have jumped out the window (this is when we were all studying in mobiles, I’m not that dramatic). Some subjects were good, but some were just blatantly awful. The only good subject for me was Home Economics where you got to eat what you made, the girls used to take pity on Patrick and I. We would just sit there like the numptys we were and still get the truffles out of it. Ah how I miss the good old days of school and then they would just slide over the bowl for us to lick the spoons. Of course, the teacher always kicked up a fuss but how could you know you weren’t supposed to lick the spoon and how unhygienic it was... always took the fun out of everything. We still did it though and I still do it now.

Joe

Spring into action

Linda Hall

SPRING, almost here, is an in ­ between time with some sunny days and others when we freeze again.

As the weather changes, we require extra vitamins and minerals, so start with Omega 3 to promote brain and heart health, while protecting against chronic conditions.

Severe allergies require medical treatment, but people reacting to the burgeoning blossom and blooms can benefit from a zinc supplement to boost

Get stinging

the immune system.

Magnesium also makes a big difference to spring allergies, helping to relax airways and lungs while reducing congestion.

Spring, when we shed our winter woollies and spend more time out of doors, calls for multivitamins, with special emphasis on Vitamins B and C. Finally, ever­important and immune­boosting Vitamin D compensates for reduced sunlight exposure on those chilly days when winter temporarily returns.

GWYNETH PALTROW’S fame as an actress has since been eclipsed by the wacky wellness products touted by her Goop brand.

Known for promoting a goat ­ milk cleanse and vaginal steam, the 50year ­ old also recommends being stung by bees.

Paltrow believes that the bee stings, which have been described as an organic alternative to Botox, eradicate inflammation and scarring, leaving radiantly­transformed skin.

“I’ve been stung by bees,” she told an interviewer. “It’s a treatments that’s thousands of years old, called apitherapy.”

The actress and apitherapy’s other devotees maintain that the bee stings stimulate blood flow and collagen in the face, which smooths out wrinkles. All admit, however, that the process “is painful.”

Eat less, live longer

CUTTING calories helps to lose kilos but investigators found that it also halted ageing in those not overweight.

Researchers worked with 220 volunteers living in New Zealand aged between 26 and 45, one third of whom reduced their calories by 25 per cent for two years. The remaining two­thirds ate normally.

OWNING a domestic animal brings health benefits. Scientific studies have shown that interaction with a pet can have a powerful impact on mental, physical and social health. Pets are recognised as helping to buffer stress and address social isolation. Medical research also

Cutting calories by a third also cuts ageing.

Testing for higher blood pressure and cholesterol was matched with genetic activity

Get a pet

demonstrates that pet owners generally have lower blood pressure. Dog­owners in particular were more likely to achieve recommended levels of daily exercise and less likely to be obese.

Wet hair warning

ANYBODY who has ever been tempted to go to bed with wet hair should think twice. It will do more than leave you with damp pillows, a top haircare expert warned. Hair is at its most fragile when it is wet, she explained and the friction between wet hair and the pillow will cause serious breakage and frizz.

within the body to gauge the degree of ageing that was present in the final blood test.

Investigators found that those on fewer calories appeared to age up to three percent more slowly.

“This study is very exciting,” said Dr Daniel Belsky, who led the study. “Slowing down biological aging means living longer and getting ill later.”

Stay seated

THERE are still February days when it is more inviting to remain indoors than venture outside. But that’s no reason not to enjoy simple chair exercises that will ensure muscles and bones remain strong, reduce pain resulting from arthritis and assist in controlling blood pressure.

Begin with ankle rolls, before continuing with seated marching accompanied by some vigorous arm­swinging. Finish by stretching the chest muscles five or six times.

Photo credit: Pixabay/Jesshoots

What the universe has in store

HELLO my Angels, how we all feeling this week? The card I have pulled for this week is boundaries, so this is for anyone that is a yes person! You know who you are the people pleasers of the world! I know because I am one myself, I find it very difficult to say no to anyone and if I do say the word no, well I start to feel a little bit weird like I have done something wrong.

I start to sweat a little and overthink things like oh my goodness what have I done, this person really needed my help and I have said the word no. It just doesn’t sit right, however this is not okay within itself, because how can I give from an empty cup? This meaning there is a reason why I have said the word no to whatever it is I couldn’t give it, because who is there to support me when I have nothing left to give? Yes I have family and friends, but as I am the people pleaser I am often the giver not receiv­

er, so when I do need something from others I tended not to ask because again it makes me feel all of those things I felt before when I have said no to someone.

Now the universe is always preparing you for your future so it is time to make a change, get confutable being unconfutable, let’s start making some boundaries. You see when you have boundaries everyone will start to respect you and appreciate you in every way, if you keep doing things for people how are they going to learn their own lessons in life, if you are there to keep picking up the pieces every time they ask? And they are only asking you because you have set the boundary at a very low level because your own vibration is low. If you gave time to do everything that everybody asked you to do before giving some time to your elf, it’s because you still have the lid on and we need to take the lid off. You see the universe has a plan for you, each one of us has been born with a gift but to many people because they

refuse to sign the lease on their gift, you keep looking outside of your self, stop!! What is it you do at the absolute best with the lest amount of effort? This is your gift but if you keep looking outside and you don’t start from within you will never find your purpose and every one of us has this. So just start taking time for yourself even if it’s early in the morning start using the word no if it is putting you out and you have to rearrange your day to please other people, start pleasing yourself. I am not saying start to be unkind or saying no to everyone, just set some clear boundaries with the small things and watch your life become better so you can get to the goals you have set for yourself.

Right back to the card ‘Boundaries’. Every morning when you wake up you need to power up get your mind going in the right direction say to yourself, I am strong, I am confident, I am excited at the start of the day. Set your victory, remember every little win counts.

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.

My tarot card I have pulled of this week is ‘Boundaries’

Advertising Feature Grupo Platinum Estates

Property of the week

A Place in the Sun MANCHESTER 3 to 5 March EXCLUSIVE!

WE are excited to announce that some of the Grupo Platinum Estates team, will be attending the show in Manchester. We look forward to meeting new clients to show them the Almeria area, and showcase properties we have to offer.

We are the only Agency who will attend this show to represent the Almeria area this year, and we will have a prime position!!

We have decided to attend this show after the phenomenal success of the show we attended in Dublin in October. We have a high number of clients coming over to stay with us and buy properties, and in January so far we have had record sales.

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

Let us showcase your home and get it sold.

Remember we are a team with over 50 years of experience, we are open seven days a week, speak seven languages, and have three offices covering

a large area. Call us now on 950 466 112 or email info@grupo platinum.com. Don’t delay, do it today, and get your property sold.

GRUPO PLATINUM: Will be attending the show in Manchester.

Age-related care

AGE can creep up slowly on our pets and every pet ages different, so changes can happen at anytime. What’s more, age ­ related changes can be easy to miss because they appear so gradually.

Being aware and proactive is the best thing pet owners can do to help their pets stay healthy as they age and it’s recommended that pets have a full ‘MOT’ at about age six or seven. This allows the vet to address any current concerns or potential health risks, including nutritional considerations.

When selecting your pet’s diet ensure food includes key nutrients important for older pets such as, high ­ quality protein, balanced levels of phosphorus and sodium, essential amino acids, Vitamins E and C, and L­carnitine.

In addition to making nutritional adjustments it is essential to provide regular exercise and interaction with family members which will help keep older pets in shape and their minds actively engaged.

Regular veterinary check ­ ups are so important for diagnosing and or monitoring any health issues your pet may have.

Image: Shutterstock.com/ fongbeerredhot

Feline facts

Picture purr-fect

CAPTURING that magic moment of your family pet to share with your family and friends or post on social media can be a tricky task, not least because many of them refuse to sit still for any length of time. Here are a few tips on how to get that perfect picture.

Pets all have their own distinct personality, whether you own a sleepy house cat or a cocker spaniel that can’t stand still, try to photograph your pet in a situation that best sums up their personality, also try and set your focus point on the pet’s eyes or head, just as you would when photographing a person.

CATS are caring and funny creatures with quirky and mysterious personalities that become a part of our family and steal a place in our hearts. But, how much do you really know about your cat? We have put together some fun facts that you may not know!

In terms of development, the first year of a cat’s life is equal to the first 15 years of a human life! After its second year, a cat is 25 in human years. And after that, each year of a cat’s life is equal to about seven human years. Domestic cats spend around 70 per cent of the

day sleeping and 15 per cent of the day grooming, leaving only 15 per cent for other activities.

The hearing of the average cat is at least five times more advanced than that of a human adult and cats can rotate their ears 180 degrees and can hear much higher pitches than we can, and their range goes even above that of dogs!

A cat cannot see directly under its nose and most cats have no eyelashes. Meowing evolved in order for cats to communicate with humans ­ cats don’t meow to each other, only to humans!

Sometimes putting a person in the shot can give scale and extra meaning to a photo. Zoom in tight, so that you fill most of the frame with them, otherwise they might get lost in the background.

Because pets are generally much smaller than humans it’s a lot easier to play around with interesting angles rather than just shooting side­on or head­on.

A prop can also change the mood of a photo, maybe a large pair of sunglasses or a hat, so long as it doesn’t cause your pet discomfort, anything goes.

The most important thing is to be patient, the best shots nearly always come to those that wait.

HEALTH ISSUES: Just like us our pets have additional needs as they age.

Fur no more

Betty Henderson

FLUFFY and soft, your pet’s luscious coat is one of its best features! But that doesn’t mean you want pet fur all over yourself and your lovely furniture. Today we’re bringing you some top tips and tricks to help you in the battle to get pet fur out of your clothes.

• Solid strategy

Prepare your clothes for the washing machine by doing a quick onceover with a fabric brush or lint roller. Other tricks include rubbing clothes with latex gloves or even tape to pick up loose fur.

• Household hacks

Pet owners swear by

vinegar as a tool to get fur out of clothes. Vinegar can soften clothing fabric, making fur much easier to get out.

• Clean equipment

Don’t make your job harder than it needs to be, wipe down your washing machine and dryer often to stop fur residue getting stuck to your next load of washing.

• Specialist products

There are lots of products on the market designed specifically to remove pet fur from clothes, by catching it in the washing machine or pet­specific dryer sheets to loosen fur from clothes.

CARING CREATURES: Cats become our feline family.

AIR CONDITIONING

BUILDERS

ALMERIA BUILDERS: Fully Legal, Fully Insured, All Work Guaranteed. 659 685 133 www.almeriabuilders. com (253556)

BUY & SELL CARS FOR SALE

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

BEDS

INSURANCE

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

CARAVANS CHURCHES

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

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

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - Why not make this year the year you volunteer? Call and see how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training)

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

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

TESTIMONIALS

DRAINAGE

INSURANCE

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

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

LANGUAGE CLASSES

with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 952 147 834. (200726)

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

ELECTRICAL

ABBOTT ELECTRICS

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

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

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

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

MISCELLANEOUS MOTORING

FOR SALE

WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service

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

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

NAUTICAL OTHERS PETS

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

PLUMBERS

KNOWLES PLUMBING No 1 for all plumbing jobs big or small. Central heating, solar hot water and water deposits. Tel: 606 807 797 or 684 143 560 (302581)

REMOVALS & STORAGE

PLUMBING SOLAR ENERGY

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

PROP FOR RENT WANTED

REMOVALS

UPHOLSTERY

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

Used car market

IT’S good news for the UK motoring industry as the results for UK used car transactions for the fourth quarter of 2022 have now been released.

“Against an uncertain economic and political backdrop, the used car market remains in good health,” confirmed Ian Plummer, Commercial Director at Auto Trader.

“The ongoing dearth in

supply caused a softening on 2021’s exceptional performance, but the market closed 2022 in a strong position, and critically, carried some great momentum with it into the new year.”

Ian added: “January 2023 saw a record 80 million visits to our marketplace ­ nearly 10 million more than a year ago ­ and according to our data, a

circa 8 per cent year ­ onyear increase in used car sales across the market.

“2022’s EV boom is however at risk as our data shows demand for used electric vehicles has been dampened by high energy prices in the last few months. A surge in supply over the last year has resulted in five consecutive months of decline in used EV values.”

Image: Auto Trader

LATEST FIGURES: UK used car transactions for the fourth quarter of 2022.

Our customers can feel at home

AUTOMÓVILES ROBE is the official KIA dealer in Almeria and province. We have more than 25 years of experience and service in the automotive market.

At our Kia dealership, we make our customers feel at home. That is why we put at your disposal the experience accumulated in these 25 years, guaranteeing you the security, guidance and quality you need for the choice, maintenance and repair of your Kia car.

We have new cars, as well as the possibility of choosing from a wide range of 0 km and second­hand cars, with very competitive offers and prices.

The KIA Automóviles Robe customer service is aimed at offering the customer a new experience in the search not only for a vehicle, but we want to accompany you throughout the process by offering you a new way of approaching the purchase process. The most important thing for us is not to sell a vehicle, but to add a new member to our big Kia­Automoviles

Robe family.

That is why we are the official Kia work shop in the province of Almeria, offering the maintenance solution for your vehicle. Among other areas, we are specialists in: comprehensive maintenance, mechanics, paintwork, tyres, spare parts and acces sories.

Kia Automóviles provides solutions, we know that there are times when we need a vehicle for a specific job or we simply want to change our car.

Renting is synonymous with savings and convenience, as it is a way of acquiring a vehicle that especially benefits companies and professionals thanks to its tax ad vantages, its flexibility in con tracting and all the other services that make ve hicle management much more convenient. And it can be adapted

KIA MOTORS: We are waiting for you.

Additional funding Dickie Davies passes at 89

UK Sport has confirmed an additional £4 million of funding for summer Olympic and Paralympic sports as preparations gear up for the Paris 2024 Games.

The increased investment which was confirmed on Monday, February 13, will spread across 33 sports and will support athletes in their preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This includes allowing athletes to attend extra competitions that have been added to the international calendar and are essential to qualification for the Paris Games, in addition to training camps.

DICKIE DAVIES , a giant among sports commentators, passed away on Sunday, February 19. His death was confirmed by fellow broadcasting legend, Jim Rosenthal on his Twitter profile.

Posting on behalf of Dickie’s family, the post read: “With huge sadness, we an­

Paris Olympic Games in 2024.

Following last year’s significant uplifts of £11.2 million of additional investment in summer sports on top of the original Paris cycle awards the latest round of investments prioritised support on activities and requirements that will have a direct impact on Paris 2024 qualification.

Within the additional £4 million of funding, 26 World Class Programmes will benefit from £3.5m of extra investment.

A further half a million pounds of investment will be invested across Progression sports, those with identified longterm medal potential and National Squads Support Fund sports, where funding is designed to support the costs associated with forming and fielding squads for competition on the Olympic and Paralympic qualification pathway.

nounce Dickie Davies passed away this morning. So proud of his 20 years of World of Sport, three Olympic Games and a brilliant career on the telly. He is survived by a loving wife, two adoring sons, four grandkids and two beloved dogs.”

Jim added: “Would appreciate some privacy as we

mourn and celebrate his life. Dickie was a wonderful friend and colleague… RIP DD.”

Dickie’s career in broadcasting is legendary, and he will be remembered as one of the greatest British television sports presenters of all time. Among other things, he

anchored World of Sport from 1968 until 1985. After World of Sport ended in 1985, Davies stayed with ITV, presenting boxing, darts, and snooker, as well as playing a part in their coverage of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He left ITV Sport in August 1989.

Women’s Rugby

RUGBY fans will have seen the Rugby Europe Women’s Championship began with a win for the Netherlands.

On what was a highly emotional day in Amsterdam on Saturday, February 11, the Netherlands kicked off the Rugby Europe Women’s Championship 2023 with a convincing 38­12 win against Sweden.

Playing in their first game since the death of teammate Inge van der Velden from cancer last month, aged 30, the Dutch ran out with a framed number 11 shirt in memory of the former winger whose sis­

ter, Linde van der Velden lined up at number eight.

In the build­up to the match, head coach Sylke Haverkorn had said: “We’ve never had more reasons to win than now, especially after the past intense and emotional weeks. The girls are ready to show what they’re made of.”

Backing up the words of their coach, the Dutch were on it from the get­go and raced into a 33­5 half­time lead.

Spain, ranked in 11th, hosted the Netherlands on Sunday February 19 with Sweden travelling to face Las Leonas on Saturday February 25.

SAD NEWS: Legendary sports commentator Dickie Davies at St Mary’s Southampton in 2012.

Credit: Wikipedia - By Hrse12

Image: UK Sport