Costa Blanca North 23 – 29 March 2023 Issue 1968

YOUR PAPER IS INSIDE

YOUNG AT HEART

EVERYONE needs a social life, and that includes people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia! Luckily, David Cassim is in Calpe to give people with these diseases the fun and entertainment they deserve with his ‘Young at Heart’ respite programme and day centre.

David and his wife Caroline run a day centre and association devoted to serving the community in Calpe. David was a senior care worker in the UK before moving to Spain and seeing a lack of respite services for people affected by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in the local area, he started the Young at Heart Day Centre. It was clear that these people are often cooped up indoors and would rather be out and about.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, David takes groups of six out on fun excursions around the local area.

They have fun, singing, chatting and sharing jokes and then have lunch out, socialising in good company. Although there is a charge, all proceeds are invested in the community.

Meanwhile, Caroline Cassim runs Second Time Around, a second­hand shop that raises funds for the community and

Paws-itive impact

VICTORIOUS International School in Altea celebrated Red Nose Day on Monday, March 20. Children from the school showed their enthusiasm for the event by raising money for a charity of their choice, Benidorm Dog Homing.

The children contributed to the cause by bringing donations for the charity and wearing red accessories. The event was a great opportuni­

ty to instill the school’s values of empathy and kindness among students, by encouraging them to make a positive difference in the lives of these voiceless animals. The children raised nearly €90 which will be used by the charity to buy essential supplies.

The event also helped raise awareness about animal welfare and the need for responsible pet ownership.

provides essential equipment like wheelchairs, commodes and hoists, free of charge.

To request assistance, book respite service or to donate, drop into Second Time Around at Calle Corbeta 10 in Calpe or call David for more information on 684 174 722.

FUN FOR EVERYONE: Lunch and socialising in good company.

Photos: With David’s permission from Facebook

Spring Festival

ADOPTA BERNIA extends an invitation to attend their Spring Festival on Saturday, March 25. This will be held between 11am and 4pm at the Shelter in Arrabal Zval­30 Pedrera 38­18 in Benissa.

A flea market will be raising funds for the Shelter’s animals, with delicious appetisers and drinks available.

“There will also be a small but exciting raffle,” Tanya Elliott told the Euro Weekly News.

Adopta Bernia (Animal Protector Bernia­Benissa­Calpe), is a non­profit association that tries to give a second chance to animals that are suffering in the area. The shelter fosters them until responsible adoptions can be made, while helping sick animals and controlling the feline colonies.

The two shelters in Benissa always need more volunteers and, above all, economic help for food and veterinary expenses, the organisers explained. For further information, visit the www.facebook. com/AdoptaBernia or email the adoptabenissa@gmail. com address.

Doggy dream

DOG lovers who enjoy a trip to the beach with their furry friends will be pleased to hear that Alicante is putting a food truck out to tender for the animalfriendly beach at Agua Amarga.

The aim is to offer a better service to pet owners at the canine beach.

The tender includes the installation of a food truck with a terrace and an area for renting parasols and sun loungers.

The contract will run for three years and the period of operation will be from May 1 to October 15.

Both the food truck and the sunshade area are part of a single lot with an annual fee of €7,992, which means €15,984 for the two seasons.

Users doubled

ALICANTE City Council has almost doubled the number of users of the shuttle to the Santa Barbara Castle within the first month of operation.

The bus network, MIA, recorded a total of 7,682 passengers in February, up 117 per cent from 4,075 in January.

The councillor for Transport, Manuel Villar, highlighted “the good acceptance of the extension of the shuttle bus route to Santa Barbara Castle by users and tourists, who now

have the opportunity to go up to the fortress by bus from the Postiguet beach itself and then return to the same point.”

The new line to the castle starts running every day at 9.40am and runs until 7.40pm, which is the last departure from Puerta del Mar to the fortress, from where the last convoy returns at 8.00pm.

The departure frequency is every 40 minutes, which means that the bus makes 16 journeys a day in each direction.

The ‘Doggy beach’ of Agua Amarga beach already has a lifeguard and rescue service from June to September, so this tender completes the services in this area reserved for dog owners to bring their pets to the beach.

The food truck will occupy 20 square metres with another 50 metres for the terrace, while the rental area for parasols and sun loungers will occupy 120 square metres.

SOME of the most symbolic spots in Benidorm will go dark on Saturday March 25 to show the town’s commitment to the fight against climate change and biodiversity conservation. Once again this year, the town is taking part in Earth Hour from 8.30 to 9.30, turning out the lights for an hour as a sign of its environmental commitment.

Earth Hour is a global movement organised by the World Wildlife Fund every year to encourage individuals, communities

Earth hour

and the business world to turn off all non ­ essential electric lights for one hour from 8.30 to 9.30 on the last Saturday of March to symbolise a commitment to the planet.

Benidorm is already a benchmark town when it comes to sustainability, and was one of the first to create a Climate Change Action Plan, a document that serves as

a guide to its municipal policies and activities.

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Women are CEOs at Fortune 500 companies.

NIBS EXTRA

Clocks go forward

DAYLIGHT Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 26, 2023, at 2.00am. At this time, clocks will ‘spring forward’ as we welcome in the longer days and sunnier seasons of spring and summer.

Lottery jackpot

IT was a dream come true for one lucky lottery ticket buyer in Denia on Sunday, March 12. The fortunate player will enjoy a salary of €5,000 per month for the next 20 years, plus a €300,000 lump sum… dreams do come true.

Shop and win

SHOP in local stores in Benissa until April 4, and you will be entered into a raffle to win a basket of local products. Local businesses are participating in the free contest to persuade shoppers to spend and support local retailers.

Benidorm boom

THE Fallas and St Patrick festivities gave Benidorm’s tourism sector a boost, with occupation reaching 85 per cent last weekend. British visitors accounted for between 35­40 per cent of guests in the town’s hotels, and 1.5 per cent were Irish.

Nine trees per person

ACCORDING to a recent survey commissioned by the town council, there are 5,400 trees, many of which are palms, in public areas in Denia, La Xara and Jesús Pobre, equivalent to one tree for every nine inhabitants.

How happy?

SPAIN is ranked 32nd on the World Happiness Index. The top 10 countries are Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Israel, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg and New Zealand. Afghanistan is at the bottom.

FINESTRAT has opened a new dog park in the Balcó de Finestrat residential area, allowing dog owners to let their animals run about and socialise. The new 3,000­squaremetre facility is in Calle Oviedo. It is totally fenced off and even includes equipment for training in different doggy skills. There is a seesaw and a ramp, as well as a tunnel. There are also drinking fountains for people and dogs.

Local mayor Juanfran Pérez Llorca visited the dog park and explained that this is a new service for residents in an area with more and more

Off the leash!

dogs. “It is important to invest in these types of facilities where residents can come with their animals without worrying they will get lost or escape,” he said.

The town council has paid €48,000 for this facility, which includes a pergola for shade, benches, waste bins and dog waste bag dispensers to keep everything as clean as possible.

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

All aboard

FUNDACIÓN ARAGONÉS has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency by upgrading its photovoltaic solar installation to supply the Day Centre in Villajoyosa.

The town’s mayor, Andrés Verdú, who is also an engineer and teacher, was very interested to see the project, which may serve as an example for similar projects on private and government­owned buildings in

Solar savings

the town. The foundation has pioneered these installations on the town’s buildings. It is particularly interesting that the reduction in the facility’s energy bills will mean the investment will have paid for itself within a year and a half.

The project is a self ­ consumption installation of 20 kW of nominal pow­

Teulada Moraira, a child-friendly town

er with 41 solar modules that deliver a peak power of 22 kW, which added to the existing installation, now has a total of 61 modules and 35 kW, which will represent an estimated energy saving of 95 per cent.

The solar modules have been installed on the flat roof of the Fundación Aragonés Day Centre on prefabricated concrete supports that blend discreetly into the appearance of the building.

Denia for sport

DENIA is getting a new, €12 million sports hall, which will be built on a 6,500­squaremetre plot of land alongside the municipal sports centre.

THE free bus service between Teulada town centre and Moraira’s beaches will be back for Easter week. The service will run from April 5 to 19, (both inclusive). There will be six round trips a day at the same times as last year’s services to the beach (three in the morning and three in the afternoon).

EVERY child has the right to grow up in an environment where they feel safe and secure, have access to basic services and clean air and water, can play, learn and grow and where their voice is heard and matters. So says UNICEF, which is why associations in Teulada Moraira are being asked to help to renew its certification as a UNICEF Child­Friendly City and a series of meetings have taken place with agents for children and adolescents.

The council has explained the actions it has carried out for children and teens, and

those representing each group have contributed their ideas to the five objectives of the plan, which is represented by a multicoloured hand. It has also been confirmed that the town fulfils the requirements to obtain certification.

Verónica Martínez at the department for Children and Adolescents highlighted the importance of the meeting and called local associations to contribute their ideas and suggestions.

“This is a unique opportunity for the community to participate in the creation of a realistic, committed plan,” she said.

There will be a large central court with three transversal courts. There will also be fixed and extendible seating with space for 2,500 spectators, changing rooms, a concierge, offices, storerooms for equipment, a climbing area, rooms for sports clubs and lavatories, and possibly a warming up gym and a rock ­ climbing wall.

The courts will be fitted out to host basketball, football seven, handball, five­aside football, and gymnastics tournaments, among others. Additional outdoor courts will also be built. The budget allocated is almost €12 million , and the work should be complete within 20 months.

According to the mayor, recent improvements to sports facilities all over Denia have already benefited 1,980

boys and girls, with an investment of €650,000 by the town hall.

These have included upgrades and repairs to the facilities themselves and sustainability actions such as installing LED floodlights and installing automatic irrigation systems to maintain turf, as well as repairing lavatories and replacing sports equipment.

The town’s mayor, Raúl Llobell, said that “in light of the success of this initiative, and as we promised at the time, the free bus service will run again this Easter Week, because we understand that people need it.”

The bus runs from Teulada Town Hall Square to outside the Espai la Senieta Moraira Building, calling at Playa del Portet, Playa del les Platgetes, Cala de l’Andragó beaches.

DOG PARK: Including equipment for training in doggy skills.

Very healthy, veggie holidays

A STUDY conducted by the Association of Restaurants, Bars, Cafeterias and Night Recreation (Abreca) has shown that the availability of vegetarian and vegan food has become a major factor for some holidaymakers when choosing a holiday destination.

In large groups of tourists, there is almost always at least one vegetarian or vegan guest and having options on the menu can be the deciding factor when booking.

Ten per cent of hotel and restaurant guests are now asking for vegan food, and including these dishes in the main menu or a separate sec­

tion is an advantage. Hotel buffets in Benidorm are starting to devote part of the display to vegan and vegetarian food, which is also popular with athletes and guests who like to watch their figures while on holiday.

The Centre for Tourism (CdT) in Benidorm is now offering a specialised course for chefs wanting to learn more about vegan, vegetarian and functioning cooking, which will provide information about the benefits to health, the environment, and production costs of offering veggie options, such as 100 per cent vegetable risottos and rice dishes.

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

ONCE again the annual Club Championships at Benitachell Bowls Club (BBC) produced an exciting finale to the bowls competition which started back in September 2022. Over 100 hundred entries were received across nine bowling disciplines with the competition coming to an end with the Final’s Weekend on Friday March 10 to Sunday March 12.

The final game was a drawn pairs game that went to the last bowl. This excitement was followed by the presentation of the prizes, cups and trophies to the winners and runners­up and a selection of tapas for all. The photographs of the presentations and the full set of results can be seen on the BBC website at www.benitachellbowlsclub.com

Catering was provided by Petra and her team througout the weekend.

A special mention must go to Grace and Gary Murphy who are new bowlers and both won

Remote help

MORE than 200 patients in the Marina Alta have already benefited from remote physiotherapy appointments. The service, which was launched two years ago at Denia hospital, has been presented to family and community physicians and will gradually be rolled out in all the local primary care facilities.

in separate finals.

finals.

Bowling brilliance St Paddy’s golf

MONTGO GOLF Society played the St Patricks Day

Meaningyouarenevertoooldtofindlove;nevertoooldtoliveright;nevertoooldtolearn;and nevertoooldtobehappy.Ageisnotafactorintheequationofpassion.Itsorigincomesfrom Africa,thetimeframeisunknownbutisknownthroughoutAfricantribesandethnicgroups.

Medal sponsored by Alan Lowans. Alan was unable to play himself due to a severe injury, so the Society would like to thank Alan for the sponsorship and look forward to his return. The winner on the day was Pete Turner with a net score of 71. All three prizes were won on count back Bernard Ross coming

second with Caz Welch taking third place. There were two nearest the pin prizes on the 5 in 2 and the 16th with Susanne Duner and John Macritchie taking home the spoils. There were no twos so the stock of coveted balls remains intact. Next week’s competition is a Stableford sponsored by Caz Welch.

Remote physiotherapy is particularly recommended for patients with joint and muscle pain that can become chronic, such as lumbago, neck pain, and others.

Patients receive a personal exercise plan in person to do online under the supervision of the physiotherapist. The healthcare professional uses the ReHub online tool to monitor patients and assess their progress. The software platform contains more than 700 videos for each type of treatment.

A survey conducted among users showed a level of satisfaction above 85 per cent.

• Diagnostic imaging and ultrasound Rx

• Clinical tests and serological tests, internal medicine, parasitology

• Soft Tissue Surgery and Traumatology

• Ethology, behavioural disorders and animal behaviour

• Physiotherapy, acupuncture, custom recovery and Healing touch

• Ophthalmology

• Dentistry and dental surgery & more

• Import - Export

Also a special mention for Jeff Richards, Linda Richards, Brian Doggett and Bert McLean who won in multiple

“A woman is never old when it comes to the dance she knows.”

Image: Benitachell Bowls Club Grace and Gary Murphy first time winners.

Men’s Singles winner Bert McLean with club Captain Bob Bailey and President Brian Doggett.

Deportation order for British arsonist

A BRITISH man found guilty of arson has received a bill for €12,000 and a threeyear suspended sentence.

The Provincial Court in Alicante found the 63­year­old guilty of starting a fire that razed two and a half hectares of natural parkland in the Sierra Helada nature park in Benidorm. He will be deported on May 31 and cannot return to Spain for 10 years.

The man has also been ordered to pay a €7,200 fine and to compensate the governments of Valencia and Alicante for the costs incurred extinguishing the fire. Although the public prosecutor was originally pushing for a four ­ year prison sentence, the man has been in custody since June 22, 2022 and will not be released until he is deported on May 31.

The man intentionally set three fires in separate spots close to homes to damage the natural environment. Despite the windy conditions, he succeeded in lighting the fires and was arrested when he came down from the mountain.

The police found he was carrying the equipment he needed to commit the crime in his backpack.

Civil Defence Brigade

THE Civil Defence Brigade is important to the people of Benitachell; hence the efforts made by the local community to contribute to their work through private donations.

One community group that has donated material to help them to be better prepared for emergencies is Pam’s Dance Fitness Ladies. The group has donated a vest to teach people to learn the Heimlich manoeuvre. This vest is a simple and effective way of showing people how to do this life ­ saving manoeuvre. A piece of foam jumps into the air when the technique is performed correctly. It also features a pad for administering the back blows necessary to perform the ARC AND ERC protocols.

The second donation received by the organisation is an evacuation chair donated by two local residents of German nationality, Hermann and Angelika. The chair allows emergency workers to descend stairs smoothly in case of an emergency where it is not possible to use a lift. They are members of a group that recently provided bikes of different sizes, signs, mini ­ traffic lights and more for police and Civil Defence road safety circuits.

Exporting excellence

THE Valencian Community is the third most exporting Autonomous Community, with 11 per cent of the national total.

Exports from the Valencia Region reached a value of €3,395 million in the month of January 2023, which represents an increase of 13.2 per cent over the same period last year, according to data released by the Territorial Directorate of Trade of the Valencian Community under the State Secretariat for Trade.

The councillor for Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Labour, Rafa Climent, explained that “in January 2023 the trend of recovery and growth with which we had ended 2022 continues, although we see declines in some geographical areas that we hope will recover growth figures in the coming months.”

In the month of January, exports from the province of Valencia reached a value of €1,999.4 million, which represents an increase of 19 per cent compared to the same month of the previous year.

Fast food flurry

MAJOR international retailers and restaurant chains are moving into the centre of Benidorm, changing the town’s personality. In the wake of the arrival of McDonald’s in Plaza de la Hispanidad, known to most people as the Plaza Triangular, local businesses are being replaced by multinational names. The next one to open will be fast food restaurant Popeyes, which will open in Calle Valencia. This will be the fourth Popeyes to open in the region.

The restaurant is expected to open by this summer. However, the owners have not yet obtained planning permission to make the necessary changes to the premises, a 170­square­metre restaurant with a terrace, which is in an excellent position to attract passing traffic between the centre and the Levant beach.

There is already an American fast food restaurant in the square, KFC, which has taken over premises once occupied by Crevillent­based clothing firm Koala Bay.

At the same time, the coffee shop Starbucks is now installed in what was once the Cafetería Center Plaza.

COMMUNITY GROUP: Has donated material to help out.

Photos: Benitachell Town Council

White wine & cheese

MEMBERS of the Moraira ­ Teulada U3A wine tasting group discovered a new taste sensation at their final tasting of the season, held at the Hill Top in Moraira with six Corcovo wines brought from Valdepeñas by Domingo on his 15th visit to the tasting group.

Forty ­ five tasters ­ including several new members and a couple who thought being there was just the best way to celebrate their 49th wedding anniversary ­ sampled the three whites, two reds and one rosado.

Three of the bodega’s wines recently won Gold or Silver at the biggest wine tasting competition in Spain and two of

Support JVH

them were on offer.

The Gold ­ winning Moscato white is made from the usually sweet Moscatel grape, and which is picked and crushed by night to avoid the high daytime temperatures. The Silver winning Rosado with its hints of strawberry, raspberry and cherry was described by Franco as being “none of that blush stuff, it’s three of your daily five”.

Many thanks for another successful year must go to Pat and Brian Clarke who continue to give their time and effort to run the group. Thanks too to the staff at the Hill Top bar for the tasty nibbles provided.

Calpe is excellent

A TOTAL of nine companies and tourism services providers in Calpe have been awarded the SICTED seal. Regional tourism secretary Francesc Colomer handed out the awards.

To obtain this seal, candidates must comply with a series of requirements and complete training modules, individual and group technical sessions, improvement groups and evaluations.

This is the second time these certificates have been handed out in Calpe since the town joined the SICTED programme in December 2020. This time they were received by Audrey’s Restaurant, the Dive&Dive scuba centre, Beat Restau­

rant, Club Naútico Les Basetes, Komfort Restaurant, Restaurante Puerto Blanco, Mare Beach Restaurant, Casa Cultura Jaume Pastor I Fluixà and the Museum of the History of Calpe.

The system takes a holistic view of tourism. It seeks an equal standard of service in all services offered to hol­

idaymakers in a destination (accommodation, travel agencies, transport, restaurants, tourism offices, retailers, municipal services, cleaning etc.).

Calpe now has 39 member businesses and services provided, 28 of which have now qualified and eleven of which have started the process in 2023.

HOPEFULLY, following our recent articles, you will realise that JVH is a local charity that is well­deserving of our support, as it supports anyone in need in our community.

The next fundraising event is Games Night, based on the UK TV quiz shows, at 7pm Wednesday 5th April, Pepe’s Alcalali. Tickets €16, with a twocourse meal, on 635 873 133 or email at eventsjvh @gmail.com.

More rewarding support comes by volunteering.

JVH have three very interesting management roles to fill, if you have the skills or are willing to learn, please call 634 310 415.

Charity Secretary ­ position at the heart of the charity,

Shop’s Representativenew position managing, staffing, stocking decisions at three shops (Jalon/Alcalali/Orba), and

Events Managers –events are a major financial life blood of the charity, it is most rewarding/fun to lead a successful event.

JVH’s AGM is at 2pm on March 29 at the Animo Centre, Alcalali. Why not come along. Join the friendly bunch and discuss how you can support them to do what they do besthelping anyone in need.

Let’s volunteer our services today.

WINE TASTING: Many members sampled the wines.

SICTED SEAL: Awards were handed out.

Photo: Calpe council

ENTERTAINING MORNING: A good old sing song.

Toe tapping fun

ON March 16, the U3A Denia Ukulele group, otherwise known as the Ukaholics, spent an entertaining morning in Javea performing for the residents at the lovely Bon Retir Retirement Home. They played a selection of both Spanish and English songs spanning over 80 years of music. There was a great variety of sound, rhythm and depth due to vari ­

ous styles of Ukeleles, together with drum, bass, harmonica and banjo, not to mention great vocals ­ all under a blazing sun but in the shade! The Ukaholics had the audience singing along and dancing in the aisles. The group would like to thank the terrific staff who made the group very welcome, and a good time was had by all.

IN great economic news for the Costa Blanca, AENA has confirmed that airlines have scheduled 4.4 per cent more seats for the summer season of 2023 compared to 2019 (pre­pandemic).

AENA is the airport management group which covers Alicante­Elche airport.

Airlines have scheduled 221.8 million seats and nearly 1.3 million commercial operations in AENA’s network of airports for the summer season, which starts on March 26.

The airports of AdolfoSuarez Madrid­Barajas, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona­El Prat, Palma de Mallorca, MalagaCosta del Sol, Alicante­Elche Miguel Hernandez, Ibiza and Gran Canaria are the ones with the largest number of

Brilliant boost

Latin American and domestic markets stand out, which are above 2019 levels with an increase of 15 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively.

This seating and movement schedule may always be subject to changes by the airlines.

seats available Alicante­Elche Miguel Hernandez has seen an increase of 12.3 million seats which is a four per cent increase on the year prior to Covid.

TERRA NATURA’S donkeys have a new spring in their step since award­winning blacksmith José Alejandro Amat has visited them. The expert was called in to give the donkeys ­ called Peke, Frau, Meu and Lara, a ‘pedicure’ to keep them trotting about happy.

Firstly, he checked the condition of their hooves for troublesome cuts or cracks, and after checking that every­

The airports of AENA’s network have a total of 2,950 routes scheduled for the summer season, 39 more than in the summer of 2019.

By geographic area, the

Donkey manicure

thing was in order, he cleaned, filed and got them into tip­top condition. According to their keepers, all the donkeys were happy cooperating with the blacksmith. Hoof care is an essential aspect of donkey health, which is why the vets and keepers at Terra Natura are always

alert to any problems with their legs, and they receive a visit from the blacksmith every couple of months. The donkeys at the animal park live in an area with space to walk and run about. They are very sociable animals and love being with each other and with people.

AENA: Covers Alicante-Elche airport.

Image: AENA

The Ukaholics

21% of government ministers are women.

Booking the beach

JAVEA has requested a grant of €5.6 million from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism to protect the coast, some of which will be spent preventing overcrowding in its coves by implementing a pre-booking system.

Locals and visitors wanting to spend time on the beaches will have to use a system similar to that already running in the Cova Tallada and the Penyal d’Ifac in Calpe,

Shutterstock.com/ lunamarina

Funds will also be allocated to restoring the lighthouse.

which is in the process of being introduced for the

Moraig cove in Benitatchell. Javea wants to spend some

Javea Green closure

MEMBERS of Javea Green Bowls Club at the Inn on the Green are dealing with the impact of a notice given to the Club members in the first week of March by the owner, who has decided to close on April 30, 2023.

Many members, some of whom have been at the club since it opened in 1993 will miss the bowling facilities and the popular bar and restaurant. It has been a meeting place for league matches, open competitions, special days, and club mornings throughout the year. The club also arranged social occasions,

BBQs, Race and Quiz nights and many members ‘dropped in’ on a daily basis to watch games and catch up with the news, so provided a very supportive social group for the general well-being of members.

The club also made donations to local charities, raising between €3,000 - €5,000 each year and was well supported by local business sponsors who provided their support and prizes for competitions, with all sponsors having sufficient space around the Green for their advertising.

of the European money to provide the app that will allow beachgoers to visit the coves and marine caves of Els Òrguens and Llop Marí, as well as provide useful information about the safety and condition of the sea.

As well as this important measure to protect its priceless coves, it will use some of the funds to build a coastal path where visitors can enjoy the local plant life and on restoration work on the Sant Antoni lighthouse, which will continue to guide sailors on their voyages along the coast, as well as becoming a marine life interpretation centre.

10 countries have a female Head of State.

MBE for Benidorm mayor

THE late Augustín Navarro’s family has accepted the Order of the British Empire on his behalf. The British Ambassador in Spain, Hugh Elliott, handed the widow and children of Mr Navarro the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the

British Empire (MBE). The late Queen Elizabeth II bestowed this medal upon the city’s then­mayor between 2009 and 2015 in recognition of his services to the resident British community in Benidorm.

Mr Navarro’s widow, Olga Cascales, and her children Elena, Pablo and Didac, accepted this important recognition from the ambassador at a private event held on Tuesday March 14 in Benidorm.

Hugh Elliott praised Mr Navarro for his selfless assistance to charitable associations such as the Royal British Legion and commemoration of the traditional Poppy Appeal Parade.

The British ambassador also talked of the importance of the

Easter in Benissa

Foreign Tourist Service to British travellers. In the meantime, Olga Cascales said how proud the former mayor had been to receive this honour. “He always said it was an honour for his government to work so hard so that British tourists and residents would feel at home in Benidorm,” she said.

47.4%

RESIDENTS and visitors in Benissa this Easter week will not have time to get bored thanks to the exciting line­up of cultural, gastronomic and tourism activities the town council has prepared to keep everyone entertained.

From March 30 to April 17, there will be many Easter­themed, religious and non­religious events. For example, youngsters can attend disc jockey and discotheque courses and board game tournaments in the youth centre or Casal Jove.

Exporting excellence

THE Valencian Community is the third most exporting Autonomous Community, with 11 per cent of the national total.

Exports from the Valencia Region reached a value of €3,395 million in the month of January 2023, which represents an increase of 13.2 per cent over the same period last year, according to data released by the Territorial Directorate of Trade of the Valencian Community under the State Secretariat for Trade.

The councillor for Sus ­

tainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Labour, Rafa Climent, explained that “in January 2023 the trend of recovery and growth with which we had ended 2022 continues, although we see declines in some geographical areas that we hope will recover growth figures in the coming months.”

Castellon recorded a value of €790.4 million, with a decrease of 3 per cent and Alicante exported products worth €605.2 million, with an increase of 19.7 per cent compared to January 2022.

The sports department has organised a special excursion to Elda on April 15 to a low­difficulty Via Ferrata. The Tourism Department has organised three guided tours, two of which will be food themed to enjoy some of the town’s delicious local dishes, and one at night, which will explore the charming Ecological Coastal Path. With activities to please all tastes, Benissa is getting ready to offer its visitors and residents an unforgettable experience during the Easter holidays, promoting culture, sport, tourism and local gastronomy in a welcoming atmosphere.

Augustin Navarro’s family accepting the honour.

Photos: PSOE Benidorm

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AS Spain’s community of English­speaking expatriates continues to thrive, so does the Euro Weekly News ; and due to overwhelming demand we are now expanding into the Costa Calida!

Yes, the Euro Weekly News is coming to Murcia and we are so looking forward to seeing you all from Thursday, March 30 onwards.

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Always growing

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Expect a full local news sec ­

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Look out for the new Euro Weekly News Costa Calida edition on Thursday March 30!

TWO British men, aged 49 and 52, have been arrested in Madrid trying to leave a bar without paying their rather hefty champagne bill. The pair, who claimed to be millionaires, were drinking in the Commo bar in Madrid and are said to have tried to leave the nightspot around 3am on March 16, without settling a €2,200

Champagne shenanigans

(£1,930) drinks bill they owed.

Police sources cited by Spanish media said the men shouted 'We're millionaires' before inviting other revellers including several pret­

ty women to around 90 glasses of champagne and telling staff they would pay.

Bar staff are understood to have let them rack up the large bill because they had previously settled an earlier

bill for €1,000 (£880).

Police were called after the men allegedly refused to hand over any more cash and 'began to show a violent attitude', they were subsequently arrested on

suspicion of committing fraud.

It had not been confirmed if the drinks bill was eventually settled and whether the men, have appeared in court.

THE world’s first octopus farm is set to open in Gran Canaria which would seehundreds of thousands of octopuses commercially reared in cramped tanks every year before being slaughtered for food.

Scientists have warned that they would endure intense and prolonged suffering and concluded that “octopuses are sentient beings and that it’s impossible to farm them in a way that doesn’t compromise their welfare. Confining these fascinating individuals ­ or any other animals ­ to a barren tank is cruel.”

According to a national news outlet, Nueva Pescanova the Spanish multinational behind the plans denies that octopuses will suffer.

Elena Lara from CiWF (Compassion in World Farming) called on the Canary Islands authorities to block construction of the farm, which she said would

“inflict unnecessary suffering on these intelligent, sentient and fascinating creatures.”

The government of Gran Canaria has not responded to requests for information. Currently, there is no legislation in Spain that protects octopus welfare as they haven’t been commercially farmed before.

New voices

IN a historic first, the Montserrat Monastery, located near Barcelona, announced it would admit women and girls into its famous choir on Wednesday, March 16.

Escolania choir has been an all­boys choir for its 700 year history, but now it will be joined by a separate chamber choir made up of around 25 boys and girls aged 17 to 24. According to senior priests, the new mixed choir will also occasionally take over liturgical duties to give the all­male choir a break.

This move is a response to an increasing demand for girls to be included in the choir to reflect the changing times we live in. Father Efrem de Montellà, the monastery’s spokesperson described the issue as a “complex and difficult question” but said they realised that they had to respond, making changes.

No to octopus farm Tank training

AFTER undergoing intensive training in Zaragoza, a group of 55 Ukrainian soldiers are now ready to operate and maintain the Leopard 2 A4 tanks, which Spain is expected to send to Ukraine.

Officials announced on March 15, that the month ­ long training program had now concluded. Training consisted of a mix of theoretical and practical lessons using simulators and field manoeuvres using the Leopard tanks.

The soldiers, selected by Ukrainian authori ­

ties, included 40 tank crews and 15 technical specialists, the training also involved 30 Spanish soldiers and 10 translators.

The Ukrainian soldiers will now return home through Poland ready to enter combat.

The Leopard 2 A4 tanks are considered “superior” to other tanks already being used in Ukraine, and the soldiers are pleased with the training, according to Captain Contreras, the head of the Ukrainian delegation.

Hefty champagne bar bill was left unpaid.

Image: Shutterstock.com/ Africa Studio

18% of enterprises surveyed had a female Chief Executive Officer in 2020.

Licence exchange EWN radio star

NOW that the UK and Spain have agreed to the exchange of British driver’s licences, here is a guide to completing the required paperwork to obtain your Spanish licence if you hold a British one.

Starting on Thursday March 16, holders of a valid UK licence will be able to exchange it for a Spanish one (and vice versa) without having to take a practical or theory test. There is a document you need to complete and submit to the DGT.

You will find the form called TRÁMITES DE CONDUCTORES here: https://sede.dgt.gob.es/.../modelos... /03/Mod.03­ES.pdf

Section 1 ­ APPLICANT DETAILS

Here you need to fill out your NIE, Date of Birth, County of Birth, Nationality along with your email address and contact telephone number.

Section 2 ­ OWNER’S ADDRESS FOR NOTIFICATIONS

In this section you’ll fill out your address. Please note that street type could be Calle, Avenida, Partida etc and you don’t need to complete fields that don’t apply to your address.

Section 3 ­ TYPE OF APPLICATION

Here you’ll choose ‘Canje’ for Driving Licence change and ‘Otro Paises’ for other countries. Below you’ll need to fill

out the Class of Licence, your current Driving Licence Number, Country of Issue, Start Date of your existing licence and the expiry date.

At the bottom of this section there are three tick boxes that SHOULD BE LEFT BLANK, which gives DGT permission to check your ID documents electronically, which are padron, ID and residency status.

Next you need to fill out the town where you are signing along with the date and sign the document below.

Finally, in signing you are agreeing to the statement below your signature that says:

The applicant declares that they have not been legally disallowed of the right to drive motor vehicles and mopeds; are not subject to suspension or administrative intervention of their driving licence; are not the holder of a licence of the same class issued in another EU Member State that is part of the Agreement on the European Economic Area, nor have had their driving licence restricted, suspended or cancelled in another Member State.

Info provided for N332 by Car Registrations Spain S.L.

https://www.facebook.com/carregis trationsspain/

ON Monday, March 20, the Euro Weekly News was live on air at one of Spain’s biggest stations, TRE, to discuss the upcoming launch of its latest paper, the Costa Calida­Murcia edition.

Meeting with afternoon show host Hannah Murray at the station’s Cancelada studios, Euro Weekly News Editorial Director Sally Underwood spoke about the new paper, when it was coming out, what it would offer and how you can get a copy.

Sally explained: “People have been asking us to do this for a very long time. We know there is a huge English ­ speaking community there and it is an under ­ represented region.

“We will be the only weekly English ­ language newspaper covering the region.”

Explaining why the Eu ­

ro Weekly News is choosing to launch the Costa Calida ­ Murcia edition now, Sally said: “It’s something we’d looked to do in 2020 but didn’t for obvious regions.

“This year it feels like the time is right for growth.

“We have a huge base of loyal clients who have been very supportive and our first edition will be 24

pages. We see that growing very quickly.”

The pair also discussed the phenomenal growth Spain has seen since the end of the pandemic, with many businesses saying 2022 was their best year ever.

Watch out for the new Costa Calida ­ Murcia edition coming out on the streets and online on Thursday, March 30.

SALLY AND HANNAH: Murray (right) interviewed EWN Editorial Director Sally.

Frequently asked questions about Gift Tax in Spain

WHO pays the Gift Tax in Spain?

In Spain, the Gift Tax is always paid by the donee. That is, the person who receives and benefits from the gift. In the Valencia Region, this tax must be declared through form 651, within 30 days fol­

lowing the gift. Which agency is in charge of processing the Gift Tax?

Although the Gift Tax is a ‘State Tax’, the government has transferred it to the different Regions or ‘Comunidad autónomas’ and each one has its own regulation. Depending

on the circumstances of each case, the agency in charge of this tax, and the applicable regulation will be one (regional) or another (state owned).

What documents do I need to make a gift in Spain?

If the donation is formalised before a notary, it will be necessary to provide the identity document or passport of both (donee and donor), the NIE (if either of them is a foreigner), proof of the transfer (if the gift consists of money), title deeds and cadastral reference (if it is a property), etc. Depending on the case (gifts from parents to children that are exempt from tax) it will also be necessary to provide a copy of the birth certificate, which must be duly apostilled and translated if it was not issued in Spain.

How much Gift Tax is payable in the Valencian Region?

In the Valencian Community, gifts of less than €100,000 between certain family members are exempt from taxes. For instance, if a father donates a house valued at

€200,000 to his two children, they won’t have to pay gift tax. Above this amount, tax is payable at a rate ranging from 7.65 per cent to 34 per cent, depending on the value of the assets gifted.

What is the ‘Reference Value’ and how does it affect the Gift of a property in Spain?

The Reference Value is an indicator used by the Tax Administration for the payment of several taxes. Among them, the Gift Tax. If, when submitting the tax, the donee declares an amount lower than the Reference Value, the administration will most likely initiate a verification procedure and claim the payment of the difference.

If the gift consists only of money, is it compulsory to

sign a deed in front of a Spanish Notary?

No. If the gift is monetary, it could be formalised in a simple private document or made verbally. However, by law, if the donee wants to benefit from the reductions foreseen in the Valencian Regulations, he/she will be compelled to formalise the donation in a public deed. Therefore, although it is not compulsory, it is highly advisable.

What other taxes must be paid when making a gift in Spain?

When the gift consists of a real estate property, it will be necessary to pay the Municipal ‘Plusvalía’ and the Capital Gains Tax. The Plusvalia is paid by the donee, within 30 days. The capital gains tax is payable by the donor. The deadline will depend on whether the donor is resident or non­resident. If he/she is resident in Spain, he/she must declare the possible gain in his/her an­

nual tax return the following year. If, on the other hand, he/she is a non­resident, the deadline for declaring the gain is four months from the signing of the deed.

What is more tax beneficial, receiving assets through an inheritance or through a gift?

Although it is difficult to give a generic answer (because each case has its own particularities), it can be stated that inheriting is usually more fiscally beneficial than receiving a donation/gift. The number of deductions and allowances applicable in inheritances is higher. Also, the capital gain is not taxable in inheritances.

I am a British citizen, resident in Spain, and I want to gift money to my children, who are non­residents, and live abroad. Do they have to pay taxes?

If the funds you wish to gift to your non­resident child are not located in Spain, the transaction would, in principle, be exempt from taxation in Spain.

Expensive hitch

ACCORDING to the Statista portal, getting married in Spain costs, on average, almost €22,000, being the second most expensive place to get married behind the United States, among the 14 analysed countries that spends the most cash when going to the altar.

Countries like France (€16,500), England (almost €18,000), Italy (third on the list with €21,000) or Canada (€20,500), may surpass Spain in almost all economic indicators and especially in average salary, but they lag behind when analyzing the collateral expenses of marriage.

Luis Ayuso Sánchez, professor of Sociology at the University of Granada, explains why the Spaniards spend passionately on weddings: Traditionally, the wedding served to strengthen the bonds we had with the family. “When two people got married, their family network expanded. That is why it was important that the whole town attend the wedding, that the whole world find out. It was a way of showing society the support network.”

This is an average cost with many weddings far exceeding these amounts.

Ambitious plans

AHEAD of Spain assuming leadership of the EU in July as part of its rotating leadership model, the country has been laying out its priorities while in the role.

Speaking on Wednesday, March 15, President Pedro Sánchez said that it plans to reform the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum during a summit with neighbouring Portugal’s Prime Minister António Costa.

Sánchez described the issue as “particularly sensitive” in popular entry countries including Spain, Italy and Greece. The reforms to the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum are set to focus on making the

system fairer, with migrants distributed between EU countries.

Spain will press for the EU to prevent the closure of internal borders as a way to control so ­ called “secondary movements” of immigrants on European soil. France currently

Quick spend

SPAIN has been hard at work to speed up the allocation of funds from the European Union’s Next Generation funds. And in an announcement made on Thursday, March 16, the Spanish government said it has allocated 40 per cent of its budget for 2023 during the last two months.

has nine of its border crossings with Spain closed.

The Pact on Migration and Asylum is deeply complex and divides EU countries. Spain is currently sounding out the other 27 EU countries to understand their stances.

More opportunities

BEFORE the economic crisis of 2007, and before entering a recession in 2009, Spain’s economy was one of the strongest in all of the European Union. When the Covid ­ 19 pandemic struck in early 2020, the steady growth experienced in the previous decade was decimated and millions were affected. Amazingly, in just two years, the workforce in Spain is, again, experiencing a climb ­ with around 19.77 million people employed.

English speakers will see more opportunities for roles in the Spanish job mar­

ket. According to a LinkedIn ranking, some of the fastest growing professions in Spain are offering employment opportunities in 2023 for Spanish and nonSpanish speakers.

Leading the way are jobs in cyber security, sales, logistics, finance and sustainability, many of which include career opportunities for British workers in Spain, especially in the digital world. The talent acquisition field, graphic design field and real estate industry all have good prospects for job seekers in Spain this year.

Nadia Calviño, the Vice President of the government, appeared before an EU committee to share updates about Spain’s progress with Next Generation funds and Recovery Plan during 2022. Calviño also shared accomplishments using Next Generation funds and planned future uses of the money in the development of the Spanish economy.

The European Recovery Plan is a significant reason for Spain’s economic growth following the pandemic, with more than €10.7 billion authorised from Europe during the first quarter of 2023.

Much of these funds have already been put into place, benefiting almost 300,000 projects in the country, with more than €23.5 billion already spent on aid and funding for companies, research centres, and in the education sector.

PresidentPedro Sánchez dicusses contentious asylum policies with Portuguese premier António Costa.

Photo credit: Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón (via Facebook)

EXPLAINER: the DGT Environmental Quality Seal

AS cities across Spain cut down on car emissions, the DGT has begun issuing Environmental Quality Seal stickers to show whether vehicles are environmentally friendly. Some cities are now requiring these stickers to drive through them.

Our guide below tells you everything you need to know about the new scheme.

• What is the DGT Environmental Quality Seal?

The DGT Environmental Quality Seal is an instantly recognisable sticker that identifies the most environmentally friendly vehicles. There are two types of stickers: One for motorcycles and one for vehicles.

• What vehicles have the Environmental Quality Seal?

There are four quality seal categories based on the vehicle’s emission levels:

Zero emissions quality seal, blue. Applies to: Battery electric vehicles (BEV); Range­extended electric vehicles (REEV); Plug­in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) with a minimum range of 40 km; and fuel cell vehicles.

Eco­quality seal, green and blue. Applies to:

Plug­in hybrid vehicles with a range of less than 40 km; hybrid electric vehicles (HEV); natural gas vehicles; and natural gas (CNG and LNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vehicles.

C­quality seal, green. Applies to: Lightweight petrol cars and vans registered from January 2006; Lightweight diesel cars and vans registered from 2014; and heavy petrol or

diesel vehicles with more than eight seats registered from 2014.

Petrol vehicles must meet the Euro 4, 5 and 6 standards and diesel vehicles must meet the Euro 6 standard.

B­quality seal, yellow. Applies to:

Lightweight petrol cars and vans registered from January 2000; Lightweight diesel cars and vans registered from January 2006; and heavy petrol or diesel vehicles with more than eight seats registered from 2005.

Petrol vehicles must meet the Euro 3 standard and diesel vehicles must meet the Euro 4 and 5 standards.

• Where do vehicles need the Environmental Quality Seal?

Spain’s new low­emission zones are in place in Madrid and Barcelona. Spanish motoring authorities in these cities require you to have the official DGT Environmental Quality Seal sticker on the rear window of a vehicle indicating its emission levels. You also have to register your vehicle to drive through these cities.

• How do I get the Environmental Quality Seal?

The easiest way to get the DGT Environmental Quality Seal is through Correos, or any other post office, either in ­ person or online here: www.market.correos.es/product/dis tintivo­ambiental­dgt

Correos is authorised by the DGT to issue its environmental quality seals and the sticker costs just €5 to purchase.

First, find the relevant sticker for your vehicle or motorcycle and add it to your basket on the Correos website. You are required to submit your documentation including the registration certificate of the vehicle for which you are requesting the quality seal, and the ID of the vehicle owner or the person authorised to make the request.

You will receive the sticker within 48 hours of your request and you will need to stick it on the lower­right corner of your windscreen or another visible part of the vehicle.

Correos is authorised by the DGT to issue its environmental quality seals and the sticker costs just €5 to purchase.

Shutterstock.com/WH_Pics

Industry’s hoppy ending

SPAIN has secured the silver medal in beer production in Europe, with Germany taking the gold and Poland taking the bronze. That’s thanks to the 41.1 million hec ­

tolitres of beer that were produced in Spain in 2022.

The report by the Cerveceros de España association, was released on Friday, March 17, re ­

Breath of fresh air

SPAIN could become a green hydrogen powerhouse thanks to its potential in offshore wind energy. The national government approved the first Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) on Thursday, March 16, aiming to increase floating wind turbines.

The plan aims to reserve almost 5,000 kilometres squared of space at sea for floating wind turbines. It will also meet criteria set out in the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), which aims to achieve between 1 and 3 GW of offshore wind energy by the end of the decade, a technology that could be key to the development of green hydrogen projects.

However, floating wind turbines are costly due to the specific materials required and environmentalists have also raised concerns about the impact of floating wind turbines on the natural landscape.

Despite the challenges, Spain is moving forward with offshore wind farms, which could be critical for the country’s future hydrogen projects.

Applying for a blue badge

vealing Spain’s position as the second ­ largest beer producer in Europe.

The report revealed that the recovery of tourism is driving another key industry in Spain.

It is estimated that around 400,000 jobs in Spain are linked to beer, particularly indirectly through the hospitality sector.

However, while Spain is selling a considerable amount of beer, both domestically and abroad, beer consumption has not yet recovered to prepandemic levels. In 2022, beer consumption in bars, restaurants and cafes was down 4.1 per cent on 2019 rates.

While challenges remain, such as the ongoing effects of the pandemic and rising prices, the Spanish beer industry remains a vital component of the country’s economy and culture.

PEOPLE with reduced mobility or visual impairment can apply for a disabled parking badge in Spain, allowing you to park in designated disabled areas, or in green and blue zones.

Due to Brexit, British disabled parking badges are formally invalid in Spain, although some local authorities will give special dispensation, but essentially you need to apply for a new blue badge.

The disabled parking permit is non­transferable and you can use it as a driver or as a passenger, placing it on view inside the car.

You can then park in disabled parking spaces and in;

• Loading and unloading zones with no time limit

• Blue parking (ORA) zones with no fee payable

• In some cities you will be able to park in restricted traffic areas

How to apply for the disabled parking badge ­ the Tarjeta Europea

de Estacionamiento

• Go to your town hall where they will tell you of the requirements, what documentation you need and they give you an application form. It can be requested in any country of the European Union and can be used to park in any EU country.

• Make an appointment to apply, it may be in person or online.

• You must be regis ­

tered on the appropriate padron (empadronamiento)

• You will need recognition of your disability, that you obtain through your doctor, the degree of disability must be at least 33 per cent.

• If you are visually impaired, your recognized ophthalmologist must issue you with a certificate.

• You will need to submit two passport size photographs.

• And complete the corresponding application form.

There are stiff penalties for the misuse and falsification of the disability card. The regulation of the blue badge in Spain is covered by the Royal Decree 1056/2014 of December 12.

24% of women make up STEM degrees.

“You never hope in business; you either do it or you don’t do it. You’ve got to take the plunge.”

Jackie Groundsell, Business Leader

MADRID, Navarra, and the Basque Country topped a list of business competitiveness by autonomous region released by the General Council of Economists (CGE) on Monday, March 20.

Catalonia is ‘alone’ in a separate second tier with a medium­high level of efficiency in a surprising twist. The rest of the autonomous communities fell in medium­low or low brackets of business competitiveness. However, the 17 autonomous communities’ competitiveness did increase by 4.4 per cent since 2021,

SPAIN’S crime rate stands at 48.8 per 1,000 inhabitants at the end of 2022.

The total number of criminal offences recorded last year totalled 2,325,358 offences, of which 1,949,852 (83.9 per cent of the total) corresponded to the category of conventional crime, which represents a reduction of 1.6 per cent over 2019.

The year 2019 is the statistical reference year as it was the last one not affected by the restrictions im ­

Win or lose

surpassing pre­pandemic values.

At the other end of the scale, Extremadura, Andalucia, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands ranked the lowest in several of the indicators, painting a picture of a less competitive business landscape.

According to the CGE, business recovery started in the second quarter of 2021, thanks to an increase in hospi­

tality and general post­pandemic public spending, which allowed the country to end the year with a 5.5 per cent national GDP growth.

The data was calculated from 54 different variables grouped in seven different areas of competitiveness: economic environment, labour market, human capital, institutional environment, infrastructure, business efficiency, and innovation.

Low on crime

posed to deal with the Covid­19 pandemic.

Cybercrime recorded a total of 375,506 criminal offences (16.1 per cent of the total), an increase of 72 per cent over 2019.

Spain maintains a low crime rate compared to other European countries, such as the United Kingdom (79.5 per 1,000 inhabitants), Germany (60.7 per 1,000 inhabitants) and Bel­

Boost for beekeepers

gium (74.8 per 1,000 inhabitants).

The Security Forces were aware of a total of 2,325,358 criminal offences in 2022, a figure that places the crime rate at 48.8 known criminal offences per thousand inhabitants, according to the Crime Balance for the fourth quarter of 2022, published on the website of the Ministry of the Interior.

Betty Henderson SPAIN’S Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,

Luis

Planas,

announced on Monday, March 20 that the country will request aid from the European Union to support the struggling beekeeping industry. The ministry also put its support behind measures to address issues facing the wine industry due to problems with distilleries.

According to Planas, the Spanish beekeeping industry is in a difficult situation due to high imports of honey from third party countries, particularly China and Ukraine, which have reduced due to geopolitical issues.

Spain will request aid from Brussels for the industry and will also push for country ­ of ­ origin la ­

belling for honey, a topic that was previously discussed by EU countries in January, and which could promote the industry in foreign markets.

The Minister spoke about French plans to reduce surplus wine in the market. If the European Commission agrees to the French plan, Spanish ministers will also support it.

Planas will also pressure Europe to take ac ­

tion to address the tariffs imposed by the United States on some varieties of Spanish olives.

Spanish industry figures will push the EU for country-of-origin labelling for jars of honey to boost the beekeeping industry.

32% of senior management positions in the world are held by women.

AFGHANS who are desperately trying to escape the country after helping British forces during the war have been asked by the UK government to get approval documents from the Taliban before they can move to Britain, according to a national news outlet.

As per reports, people who applied for the Afghan Relocation and Assistance

Police Scheme were told by UK officials to provide their birth and marriage certificates in English and stamped by the Taliban gov­

ernment. The UK´s Ministry of De­

THINK!

fence has also admitted that such practices have been ongoing after previously denying it, and said that it was wrong while issuing an apology for it.

As per estimates by the UK government, about 4,600 people are eligible for sanctuary in the UK under the scheme which also includes family members, who have not yet been moved to the UK.

THE UK government is targeting rural roads in a new campaign in a bid to prevent deaths and injuries among young drivers.

THINK! campaign urges drivers to think about the dangers of driving too fast for road conditions.

Drivers are being asked by road safety experts to be aware of their current speed, the area around them and the road conditions before they put their foot down on the accelerator. The campaign, “Is

pushing it worth it?” is targeted at young male drivers, as statistics show male drivers aged 17 to 24 are 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than drivers aged 25 or over.

Research findings also

Unreal request Barber busted Heartbroken fans

show that 60 per cent of all serious and fatal collisions involving young male car drivers were on rural roads.

Safety experts raise further concerns as less than half (43 per cent) of young men consider exceeding the speed limit to be unacceptable, while over two­thirds (68 per cent) see drink driving as unacceptable and over half (52 per cent) think using a mobile without handsfree is unacceptable.

GINO D’ÁCAMPO has quit the foodie adventure show, Gordon, Gino and Fred, that has been running for five years, saying “It causes a lot of problems for me,” citing scheduling conflicts for his decision.

The popular ITV show follows chefs Gordon Ramsay, Gino and First Dates star Fred Sirieix who visit various countries across the globe, where they sample local cuisine and explore local culture.

However, the Family Fortunes presenter, 46, announced that getting the stars

together has been a little difficult this time round.

“Last week I decided not to film any more Gordon, Gino and Fred Road Trip, the reason is simple, nothing to do with Gordon and Fred ­ the friendship is very strong” he said in a video on social media.

“It’s just because we can’t get the dates together.”

Fans have spoken out on various social media platforms confirming their disappointment at the stars decision.

A BARBER from Wales who has been famous for winning several awards has been arrested by the police in connection with dealing drugs in the UK.

Anthony Hancock was detained by the police in Swansea after he left his car and tried to run away.

A local media outlet stated that the 37year­old is a well­known barber in the city and has also won the Welsh Men’s Style Awards in 2013, aside from coming third in the British Barber Awards in 2018.

The hearing for his sentence was held at

Swansea Crown Court, where the police stated that they tried to pull over “Hancock’s black Ford Focus, but he accelerated away at speed”.

Officials said that Hancock was eventuallydetained by the police, who later found a burner phone, cocaine and a knife.

Hancock pleaded guilty to intending to supply “Class A drugs, two counts of offering to supply Class B and C drugs, and possession of a bladed article”.

Slow down.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

Anne Frank

Image: Helen Hotson / Shutterstock.com

30% of the world’s researchers are women.

Dickens adapted

THE BBC will be screening a ´woke´ version of a Dickens classic to make it ´more accessible for younger people´

Written by Peaky Blinders creator Stephen Knight, the beloved Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations, has been given a new twist, referencing the evils of Empire which were not present in the original Victorian book.

Starring Ffion Whitehead as endearing orphan Pip and Olivia Coleman as spooky Miss Havisham, the 1861 novel has been adapted into a slightly more modern drama which creators hope will attract new audiences to it.

Missing payments

In one scene, criminal Magwitch, one of the central characters, describes the British Empire as having been 'built on the lies of privileged white men', a national news outlet reports.

Asked by the newspaper about whether he is concerned his version of the beloved tale may upset traditionalists, Knight said: 'It's everyone's right to react in the way they want to react.

The highly­anticipated six­part drama will be arriving on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from Sunday March 26.

Leading lady

JACQUELINE Gold, the boss of the lingerie and sex toys chain Ann Summers, has died aged 62. The businesswoman died on Thursday March 16 after seven years of treatment for breast cancer.

Ms Gold is credited from transforming the firm from four backstreet shops into a multi­million pound business with outlets across the UK. She was made a CBE in 2016 for services to entrepreneurship, women in business and social enterprise.

Jacqueline is bestknown for founding Ann

Summers and leading a business run by women, for women. She was also an activist for women in business, and championed female entrepreneurs with the ambition to better the working environment for women.

A statement from Ms Gold's family said: "It is with unspeakable sadness that Ann Summers confirm our amazing executive chair Jacqueline Gold CBE passed away with her husband Dan, daughter Scarlett, sister Vanessa, and brother ­ in ­ law Nick, by her side.”

THERE has been a worrying increase in the number of drivers having their vehicle road tax Direct Debits cancelled by DVLA after payments couldn’t be taken due to a lack of funds, figures analysed by the RAC show.

Almost one million drivers (950,377) had their Direct Debits cancelled in the financial year 2021 ­ 22, an increase of 9 per cent on the 862,529 on 2020 ­ 21. This is, however, still fewer than the 1.1m cancelled in 2019 ­ 20.

Pay dispute threat

SECURITY guards working at Terminal 5 in London's Heathrow Airport voted on, Friday, March 17, to go on strike. The 1,400 workers involved in the action are all members of the Unite union and employed by Heathrow Airports Ltd (HAL).

As reported by the union, their industrial action will commence on Friday March 31 and continue until Sunday, April 9, which is Easter Sunday, one of the travel hub's busiest weekends of the year. They are in dispute with the facility's bosses over pay and working conditions.

The Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, claimed that the workers deserved a fair pay increase because they are "fundamental to the airport's success". Passengers can expect to "experience severe delays and disruption this Easter" said the union.

A spokesperson for Heathrow said "contingency plans" were in place.

Perhaps even more concerning is that between April and December 2022, nearly threequarters of a million (721,486) had their Direct Debits cancelled which, if this trend continues during the cost­ ofliving crisis until April

2023, could mean an even bigger total than the 2019 ­ 20 financial year.

Under current procedures, a missed payment, or an unpaid Direct Debit results in the DVLA contacting the vehicle keeper to inform them it will attempt a further Direct Debit on a specified date. If this subsequently fails, the mandate is cancelled and the owner is advised that the vehicle is not taxed. Failure to tax it another way will lead to the DVLA taking

More are struggling to pay Image: Mr Doomits / Shutterstock.com

“Follow your passion because where there’s interest there’s ability. Have your niche and don’t try to speak to everyone- not everyone will like you.”

Jo Soley Numerologist

Woke adaptation of Charles Dickens Great Expectations

Work to be found

THE number of job vacancies has fallen in the UK for the eighth consecutive time, but figures are still buoyant. The number of jobs on offer in the UK fell by 51,000 between December and February compared with the previous three months.

However, despite this drop, job vacancies remain high at 1.1 million.

The rate of economic inactivity—people aged between 16 to 64 who are not in work and not seeking a job—dipped to 21.3% between November and Jan ­

Passport pandemonium

uary. This was driven by younger people aged between 16 to 24 either getting jobs or looking for work.

However, there are still nine million economically inactive Britons who are not part of the workforce either because they are students, have retired or are suffering from long­term illness.

The employment rate ticked higher to 75.7% between November and January, due to a rise in both part ­ time workers and the self ­ employed. The unemployment rate remained at 3.7%.

Sustainable travel

AN UPDATED framework with measures to protect the environment in new major road, rail, and rail freight schemes has been unveiled by the UK government. The framework has been updated to reflect legislation set out in the Environment Act, which requires developers to recognise new environmen­

tal targets and sets out further details on biodiversity net gains.

Transport Minister, Richard Holden, confirmed: “Transport has a vital role to play in levelling up our country, connecting people with good jobs and education opportunities across our cities, towns and villages and in growing the econo­

my.”

“This new framework is part of our mission to build a more sustainable transport system which protects our wonderful English countryside and wildlife .”

The updated framework supports plans for major infrastructure to be delivered in a greener, faster and more resilient. way.

MORE than 1,000 Passport Office workers will go on strike for five weeks over a dispute about jobs, pay and conditions.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union working across England, Scotland and Wales will take part in the action from April 3 to May 5.

Those working in Belfast are being balloted and could also join the strike.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the dispute was over an imposed 2% pay rise not being increased any further by the government. He added the strike action had come about because "ministers have failed to hold any meaningful talks with us, despite two massive strikes and sustained, targeted action lasting six months".

UK Cabinet Office minister, Oliver Dowden has announced on Thursday March 16 that TikTok will be banned from government devices, following in the footsteps of the EU Commission and several US administrations ­ amid growing concerns around the Chinese­owned video app.

The EU Commission and more than half of US states and Congress have already introduced a ban over concerns

He went on to say that the government was "ignoring our members" over their pay concerns but this would not make them "go away".

The union warned the action is likely to have a "significant impact" on the delivery of passports ahead of summer.

TikTok clean up

around potential cyber attacks.

In a statement to parliament, Mr Dowden said there "could" be a risk to how government data and information is used by the app.

He said that while TikTok use is "limited", banning it is good cyber "hygiene" ­ and brings the UK in line with the

US, Canada and the EU.

TikTok has been under increasing scrutiny over its security and data privacy, with concerns it could be used to promote pro­Beijing views or gather user data ­ something TikTok strongly denies.

TikTok said it was "disappointed" with the government's decision.

1 in 4 Passport Office workers will go on strike

YOUNG climate activists often make the news across Europe, but one group of older women activists are making waves as they prepare to sue the Swiss government for breaching their human rights by not doing enough to combat global climate change and cutting carbon emissions. KlimaSenniorinnen is taking its case against Swiss authorities to the European Court of Human Rights with the hearing scheduled for Wednesday, March 29, in Strasbourg.

Some 2,038 members, all above 64 years of age are making the case along

Older and bolder

with four other women, all aged over 80, who are named in the lawsuit as individual claimants. The case will be the first climate change lawsuit to be heard before the influential European court.

The women from KlimaSenniorinnen will be supported by their own legal team and Greenpeace Switzerland during the hearing. Their lawyers are expected to argue that Switzerland has breached articles two and eight of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Spy network busted

POLISH security forces detained six foreign nationals on suspicion of spying for Russia on Tuesday, March 14. Reports from a Polish radio station said the group has been accused of installing secret cameras to film aid deliveries to Ukraine.

The suspected spy network had allegedly installed several cameras near a small regional airport that has been converted into an international logistics hub delivering military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and had also reportedly developed sabotage plans.

Dozens of cameras were found at Rzeszow­Jasionka Airport and at railway junctions in the Podkarpackie region. The airport is an important strategic location for US military forces and is considered a sensitive location. Planes at the airport deliver supplies to waiting lorries that make the 100­kilometre journey to the Ukrainian border.

Poland is one of Ukraine’s strongest allies, and its security forces have arrested several people on suspicion of spying for Russia since the invasion last February.

NATO application advances

TURKEY hinted that it may ratify Finland’s membership of the NATO alliance. Speaking on Wednesday, March 15, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested that Ankara could withdraw its veto, allowing the Scandinavian country to join the military alliance separately from neighbouring Sweden. Finland and Sweden broke their long­standing nonalignment policies in the wake of

Ploughing through politics

A NEW political force has emerged in the Netherlands, shaking up the traditional political landscape. The farmer­led BBB Berkelland movement won a stunning shock victory in local elections on Wednesday, March 15.

The party is now poised to become the largest party in the upper house of parliament, winning 15 out of 75 seats with almost 20 per cent of the vote nationally.

BBB Berkelland was created in 2019 in response to government plans to reduce nitrogen emissions by cutting back on livestock farming and farm buy outs. This policy has outraged farmers, who see it as a threat to their livelihoods. However, the BBB’s appeal extends far beyond farmers, as they have adopted a populist platform that champions traditional, conservative Dutch social and moral values.

In addition to farming the BBB’s policies also express antiEU and anti­immigration sentiments.

the Russian invasion of Ukraine and applied to join NATO. All 30 NATO members approved the countries’ applications to join, with 28 already ratifying their accession, except for Turkey and Hungary who vetoed the application.

Turkey’s opposition to Sweden joining NATO centres around ideological issues including the country’s supposed light­handed approach to groups it considers ‘terror’ organisations or existential threats, including Kurdish groups. Officials in Turkey have also expressed their outrage at anti­Islam protests in Sweden.

Erdogan has less issues

with Finland’s application however, announcing “We will do our part. We will keep our promise. We will meet with the President and fulfil the promise we made.”

Turkish President Erdogan has been accused of stalling on ratifying Sweden and Finland’s NATO applications.

‘‘Never lose touch with your femininity. Sometimes we feel the need to be tough to survive in the business world which is dominated by men. However, our femininity is our Superpower and when we’re really connected to our inner woman we can make a big impact, maybe even change the world! Believe in yourself, keep pushing forward, stay with your purpose and vision and everything will work out for you.’’

Jennifer Haskins, Introductions Director - Two’s Company

Kids sporty camp

JAVEA Town Council is organising two sports camps for children over the Easter holidays. In collaboration with several clubs, from April 11 to 14, from 9.00 to 1.30, children born between 2017 and 2019 will be kept busy and happy

with activities that will improve their motor skills and stimulate their imaginations.

A multi­sports camp called Activate for children aged six to 14 will take place at the Palau d’Esports sport centre at the same times, playing the

Meatballs and craft

super­trendy padel tennis, badminton, and table tennis, to name but a few of the activities. The children will also have fun going on excursions with their groups.

The price of the camp is €35, and registration is available in the sportia app: https://app.sportia. com/scs/2359/profile.

As well as the municipal offer, other sports clubs where children can learn and improve their skills in tennis, gymnastics, football and more are planning on running camps during the school holidays.

A leaflet with full details is available from the council or the local authority website.

THE 19th Teulada Fun Run will take place on Saturday April 1. The event, organised by the Corremundos Athletics Club in collaboration with Teulada Town Council, will start in the Plaza de la Constitución for all categories. Participants can register at

IF you like crafts and traditional cuisine then visit the village of Senija on March 31 and April 1 and 2. Senija will be celebrating the 10th edition of the Ruta de la Pilota de Putxero with live music, attractions, performances, children’s games and an Arts and Crafts Fair.

The main street of the village will fill with stalls where locals and stores will offer their best products and artisans will sell their work. The bars and restaurants of the village will serve pilota de putxero (a typical meatball wrapped in cabbage leaves in a soup­like stew)

and other tapas and a lively and cheerful atmosphere is guaranteed by the musicians of Sol Redò and theatre and circus performances.

The fair will be open from 6pm to 9pm on Fri ­

day, March 31, from 11.00am to 11pm on Saturday and on Sunday from 11.00am to 6pm. The programme and more information can be found at https://www.puebloarte sano.es/senija.

Teulada Fun Run

www.somesport.com until March 31.

The children’s races will start at 4pm, and the main 10kilometre event will begin at

6.30 along the same route as in previous years. There is also a Veterans F category. Teulada Moraira Local Police are warning of road closures and

vehicles in areas restricted to traffic from 2pm until 9pm will be towed, except for Avda Santa Catalina, Plaza Constitución and Maestro Mulet, which will be from 7am until the end of the event.

There will be a detour to Avda Mediterráneo, which will be signposted and monitored by officers to redirect traffic. The Corremundos Club is encouraging residents and visitors to come along and enjoy this sporting festival, which has become a firm tradition after 19 years of being held there.

CRAFTS FAIR: Artisans will be selling their works.

Photos: email from organiser

SOCIAL SCENE

Pixie dust

ON April 8 and 9, the Auditori Teulada Moraira will host a super production of Peter Pan the Musical. With a cast of more than 20 artists and the latest theatrical technology with lights, sounds and magical sets, the legendary story of Peter Pan will come to life for a new generation of children. Fly off to Neverland and relive the adventures with all its characters.

From the recreation of a London house of your dreams where Wendy, John and Michael meet Peter for the first time to the prestigious Jolly Roger, the pirate ship of the terrifying Captain Hook with all his crew on board, this new production will recreate the magic of this legendary story with magnificent acrobats and spectacular dancers.

Tickets from https:// www.auditoriteuladamo raira.es VIP tickets are available that include a CD of the show, and a backstage pass.

Tech camp

ALTEA’S youth department is organising several activities for the town’s youngsters during the upcoming school holidays. One of these is a technology camp for youngsters of 12 to 17 years of age from April 11 to 15 between 9.30 to 1.30, which will stimulate young people’s interest in the technologies of the future.

The Easter camp will take place at the Youth Centre and will be a brilliant opportunity to learn about robotics, virtual reality,

LIONEL BART’S award­winning musical Oliver! enjoyed a record­breaking long run.

Jávea Players’ production is limited to six days so book your tickets NOW to avoid disappointment.

The streets of Victorian England, as penned by Charles Dickens, come to life as Oliver, a malnourished orphan in a workhouse, becomes the neglected apprentice of an undertaker. Oliver escapes to London and finds

how to pilot drones, programming, holograms and YouTube.

The technology camp is provided totally free of charge. All you have to do is register by writing to Joventut@altea.es or call 661 689 083 or 627 472 083.

The local council intends to provide attractive, alternative recreational activities for its young residents, which on this occasion will be an opportunity to learn about different technologies by playing.

Consider yourself at home

acceptance amongst a group of petty thieves and pickpockets led by Fagin. Captured for a theft that he did not commit, the benevolent victim, Mr Brownlow takes in Oliver.

Dickens’ passion behind Oliver Twist, was animated in part by his own childhood experiences and by his outrage

at the living conditions of the poor. Born poor, what are Oliver’s chances of a change in fortune?

From March 27 to April 1 at Union Musical, Gata. Curtain up 7.30 except for the matinée on Saturday 1st which is at 4pm. See for full details: http://www.javea players.com.

TECHNOLOGY CAMP: Providing alternative activities for young residents.

Mr. Bumble [Joe Rice] with Oliver [Oliver LewisMarconi].

Photos: email from organiser

Credit: Phil Mansell for the photos.

Feast like a Roman

THE 10th FESTVM ALONIS will recreate aspects of life in Ancient Rome in an initiative organised by the town councils of l’Alfàs del Pi and Villa Joyosa.

This five­month festival, with a battery of activities, which will run from April 20 to September 28.

The festival started in 2012, and over the years, the themes have been the army, gladiators, weddings, birth rites and the funeral world, however, this year the topic is gastronomy.

A historical re ­ enactment, organised

Musical moments

THE Trio Rodin will perform at Villa El Nido in Javea on April 1 and 2. This Spanish trio usually consists of Esther Garcia on the cello, Jorge Mengotti on the piano and Carles Puig on the violin; however, this season Blanca López will be standing in for Esther.

All the musicians are Spanish but have been

trained in the Netherlands and their performances feature Spanish composers, with music full of passion and romance.

On Saturday, April 1, the concerts will be at 1.30 and 4.30pm. Doors will open at 1.00 and 4pm respectively, with an open bar but no catering. The third con ­

cert will be on Sunday, April 2 at 3.30 (doors open at 3.00) and there will be an open bar and catering. Ticket cost for the first two concerts are €33 and €45 for the third.

There is an entrance fee of €2, which will be donated to ‘Caritas Javea’. Payment is by cash at the entrance.

by the Hispania Romana Cultural Association, will take place on June 10 and 11 in La Malladeta de la Vila Joiosa, next to the Roman sanctuary, and in the Roman villa of l’Albir in L’Alfàs del Pi respectively. Re ­ enactors from all over Spain will travel to both cities to play Roman families, the army, and gladiators.

The programme includes children’s workshops and special guided tours.

More information from https://vila museu.es/festumalonis.

Holiday concerts

THE Department of Culture in Altea is holding its traditional Route of the Chapels series of concerts. The free Easter concerts will take place from April 7 to 16 in Altea’s chapels and churches of Altea.

The 10 concerts will feature a varied programme of soloists and groups performing religious music, classical music, baroque music, and traditional music, among other genres. The musicians participating in the concerts will include

many talented local musicians and famous figures and voices.

On April 7 at 7.30, the Brass Quintet of the SRM will perform in the Church of Santa Ana de Altea la Vella, then on April 8 at 7.30pm there will be a performance of Musicaltea ­ Scherzo Strings in Villa Gadea. This will be followed by Camerata Ars Cantica from Benidorm in the Santa Bárbara Chapel.

For details of all the musical performances, see www.alteracultural.com.

TRIO RODIN: Music full of passion and romance.

EMMANUEL MACRON’S government faces several motions of no confidence in the National Assembly this week after his government forced through a deeply unpopular pensions reform bill.

Protesters took to the streets in major cities over the weekend, after the government invoked a controversial constitutional manouevre to pass its pensions reform bill in what was widely seen as a move likely to inflame social unrest.

The major reform is to increase the retirement age form 62 to 64 years.

Industrial action is expected to disrupt

No confidence

public transport, refineries, universities and further waste collection services this week, as trade unions hope to strong­arm the government into withdrawing the pensions reform.

The 573 lawmakers of the French National Assembly will vote on two motions of no confidence and although the French president would not be forced to resign in case of a defeat, a successful motion of no confidence would trigger a deep political crisis for Macron.

Re-election intention

AS of March 2023, Putin has not announced his intention to run for re­election on March 17, 2024. If no candidate receives more than half the vote, a second round will take place exactly three weeks later on April 7, 2024, with the inauguration of the winner being scheduled for May 7, 2024.

As was the case in the 2018 Russian presidential election, one of the most prominent opposition leaders, Alexei Navalny, was barred from running due to a prior criminal conviction which is widely seen by political analysts, jurists and human rights organisations as politically motivated. In addition, Navalny is currently serving a jail sentence that will be followed by another sentence which is set to expire in 2032, years after the 2024 election and the following election are set to take place.

A number of Russian politicians have expressed interest in running for President next year, including one woman.

Finland named ‘happiest country’

ACCORDING to the UN World Happiness Report 2023, published on Monday, March 20, Finland is once again the happiest country in the world. It maintains the top position for the sixth consecutive year.

The experts who prepare this annual report carried out surveys among the citizens of 137 countries and evaluated different factors. These included income, health, social connections, the feeling of free­

Decision u-turn protests

IN 2018, Maria Silvia Fiengo and Francesca Pardi were among Italy’s first same­sex couples to be registered as parents.

This was due to the progressive stance, of the mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, which allowed children born to parents of the same gender to be acknowledged in the absence of clear national legislation.

This week, however, what was then seen as a major victory for equality and acceptance by the LGBT community was reversed.

Italy’s right­wing government instructed Milan’s city council to stop registering the children of same­sex parents, reigniting a debate around Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s conservative agenda.

Children who are denied the right to have both parents recognised on their birth certificate are left in a legal limbo. Protests are set in Milan by families, activists and political rivals who are opposed to the ban.

dom to make road decisions, generosity, and the absence of corruption.

As highlighted by the report, the perception of the planet’s inhabitants about their lives continues to be ‘remarkably resilient’ despite having gone through a pandemic for three long years.

During this time, the report found that what had been most influential in keeping people’s spirits high has been the ‘pro­social’ acts and support that people had given each other, which was much higher than in previous reports

Finland is the least densely populated country in the Euro­

pean Union, one which usually stands out for its powerful public welfare system and its low corruption rates. It continues to lead the happiest countries in the world, followed by Denmark, and Iceland, both also with high rates of equality and vital evaluation of the respondents.

The Nordic countries ­ with the exception of Sweden ­ managed to maintain lower death rates from Covid­19 thanks to the rapid and effective measures adopted, which was considered highly relevant.

The World Happiness Report has been published every March 20 for the last 10 years.

FINLAND: Is the least densely populated country in the EU.

Credit: Google mapsreza karami

Big buy out

SWITZERLAND'S largest bank, UBS, has agreed to buy the country's second­largest bank, Credit Suisse, for more than $2 billion, as reported on, Sunday, March 19, according to the press service of the Swiss National Bank (SNB). The deal was allegedly closed after USB increased its offer to acquire Credit Suisse to over $2 billion.

"The Swiss National Bank is providing substantial liquidity assistance to support the takeover of UBS Credit Suisse. This takeover was made possible with the support of the Swiss Federal Government, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, and the Swiss National Bank", it stated.

On March 16, the management of Credit Suisse (CS) announced that it would borrow up to 50 billion Swiss francs, or approximately $53.7 billion, from the Swiss

National Bank, as reported by Swiss media.

This would be done, they stated, in order to 'maintain the bank's core business' at an optimal level amid a sharp drop in share prices and to encourage customers to keep their existing deposits. It later it became known that UBS was in talks to acquire Credit Suisse.

IN A bid to make the European Union (EU) the home of clean technologies, manufacturing and green jobs a proposal for a Net Zero Industry Act has been made.

According to the EU, the Act will strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of net­zero technology manufacturing in the EU, and make the energy system more secure and sustainable.

The EU say that it will create better conditions to set up net­zero projects in Europe and attract investments, with the aim that the Union's overall strategic net­zero technologies manufacturing ca­

Unwanted invitation

RUMOURED candidate for US Presidency, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been invited to visit Ukraine after dismissing the Russian invasion as a "territorial dispute". The Republican's comments signal a potential scaling back of aid to Ukraine should he become president.

Ukrainian Defence Minister, Oleg Nikolenko expressed concern tweeting, “We invite him to visit Ukraine to get a deeper understanding of Russia's full­scale invasion and the threats it poses to US inter ests.” He added that he was “sure” that as a former military officer DeSantis would be able to tell the difference between a “dispute” and a “war” if he was in a conflict zone.

Net Zero

pacity approaches or reaches at least 40 per cent of the Union's deployment needs by 2030.

This will accelerate the progress towards the EU's 2030 climate and energy targets and the transition to climate neutrality, while boosting the competitiveness of EU industry, creating quality jobs,

and supporting the EU's efforts to become energy independent.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “We need a regulatory environment that allows us to scale up the clean energy transition quickly and the Net­Zero Industry Act will do just that.”

Wolves back in Belgium

FOR the first time in over 100 years, wolves have returned in force to Belgium, marking a resurgence of these predators in Europe. The issue is causing concern in the farming community, but excitement among some conservationists.

One researcher from the Flemish Institute for Nature and Forest Research,Jan Gouwy, confirmed that around 15 to 20 wolves are currently living in the country. One pack is in Flanders, another is in southern Wallonia, and a newly settled pair has been sighted recently.

According to legend, King Leopold II shot the last wolf in Belgium in the 1890s, but they have now returned. The return is being blamed on a changed law banning the deliberate capture or killing of a wolf.

While wolves primarily eat deer and wild boar, they also consume livestock. Sheep farmers in Belgium say that hundreds of sheep have been killed and call for stricter regulation.

While some are calling for stronger measures against wolves, others believe that it's possible to coexist with them.

“Belief is the DJ that gets the party started. You need to know who you are, but you also need to have a vision. It’s the vision that will pull you forward, and this will help you navigate the obstacles to move forward.”

Carole Pyke, Sparkle Navigator

Credit Suisse: Acquired by USB

Credit: Michael Derrer Fuchs / Shutterstock.com

22.000

is the average amount of words a woman speaks a day

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Your choice

A DANISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION survey found that more parents are giving children gender-neutral names, in some cases to allow them to choose their gender as they grow up. Approximately 6,300 new-borns received genderneutral names in 2021, an 8.6 per cent rise on 2019, Denmark’s Statistics Office revealed.

THE NETHERLANDS

Buried treasure

ELEVENTH CENTURY gold pendants and 39 12th century silver coins discovered in Hoogwoud in North Holland are now on display at the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden. They were found in 2021 by Lorenzo Ruijter, 27, who has been a metal detectorist since he was 10.

BELGIUM

New status

A DRAFT law now officially recognises Buddhism in Belgium, paving the way for federal funding, official delegates and school lessons, following a 2006 application from the Belgian Buddhist Union. Austria is at present the only other European Union country where Buddhism is a formally accepted religion.

GERMANY

Too slow

EVA HOGL, Germany’s parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, said that slow defence procurement was hampering the Bundeswehr’s much-needed upgrade. In a 170-page report to parliament Hogl predicted that it would take 50 years to complete if it continued “at its current sluggish pace.”

FRANCE

Foul play

POLICE called to the French Canicross championships, where dogs run in tandem with athletes, were confronted with three dead dogs and another that was seriously ill. All had eaten meatballs later found to contain poison, according to a statement issued by the Nimes public prosecutor.

NORWAY

Gas-fired

GOVERNMENT-OWNED Petoro, the company that represents Norwegian interests in oil and gas contracts, made a net profit of Kr 539 billion (€46.6 billion) last year, more than double 2021’s amount. Higher production in several fields and the Snohvit gas field’s return to production bolstered the results.

FINLAND

Heading out

FORTY-SEVEN per cent of international students would leave Finland on completing their studies, they told a recent survey. Thirtynine per cent of foreign professionals also said they did not intend to remain, citing difficulties in accessing networks and family members’ problems in adjusting to life in Finland.

IRELAND

Home and away

IRELAND will hold a referendum in November to delete references to a woman’s place being in the home from its Constitution. Despite amending the 86-year-old Constitution in recent years to permit abortion and same-sex marriage “outmoded” references to women’s roles remained, the government said.

ITALY

Second chance

ITALY’S highest court ordered a retrial for two young Californians convicted of stabbing a police officer in Rome in 2019. The defence argued that the plainclothes carabinieri didn’t identify themselves during an sting operation to recover a backpack that the Americans stole during a failed drug deal.

PORTUGAL

Homing in

EMIGRANTS sent €3.9 billion euros to Portugal last year, the largest volume of remittances ever recorded and a 5 per cent increase on 2021, the Bank of Portugal said. Most came Portuguese residents in France, who sent home €1.06 billion, as well as those in Switzerland who also transferred €1.06 billion.

UKRAINE

EU help

THE European Commission announced on March 16 the launch of a programme that will provide "inspiration and practical help" for rebuilding Ukraine. together with the country's own organisations. This follows on from the Kyiv meeting between the commissioners and Ukraine's government on February 2.

SWEDEN

Royal return

PRINCESS MADELEINE and her BritishAmerican husband Chris O’Neill plan to return to Sweden with their three children in August after having left in 2015. British residents wished him luck when having to apply for his residence permit “like other non-EU citizens planning a move to Sweden.”

The ‘wrong’ type of touris alcohol is harming Spa

La

been see

DESPITE Maria Dolores Corujo later saying “you are and always will be welcome here,” media across the world picked up on the news in March that Spanish islands were tiring of ‘drunken’ British tourists. Spanish travellers reportedly said they had ‘observed some pretty bad behaviour’ from British tourists both in the Canary Islands and other parts of the country.

But does Spain’s thriving hospitality industry really attract a particular type of tourist? And if so, is Spain’s sun, sea and sangria reputation causterm problems?

Here the Euro Weekly News looks at whether Lanzarote’s president has a point, or whether accusations that Spain’s bars encourage tourists to drink to excess are completely unfounded.

As the world’s second most visited country, Spain attracts millions of tourists a year, adding €97 billion a year to its economy and being responsible for more than two million jobs, according to the country’s ofiice for statistics (INE).

Among Spain’s obvious drawsgreat weather, stunning scenery, and rich history ­ it is true to say that food and drink are both substantially lower here than in the UK, with the average British pint costing £3.95 (€4.49) compared to Spain’s €2.50.

Spain’s tapas and menu del dia bargains also make eating out considerably cheaper here.

But does any of this mean Brits actually drink more abroad? And even if they do, is it the responsibility of bar owners to police this themselves?

In the 1990s and early 2000s a familiar scene for many in Spain’s most popular areas were touts lining the pavements offering free drinks on entry or bargain drink deals. But the Euro Weekly News has spoken to the

head of one of Spain’s most successful hospitality groups who says this kind of behaviour from businesses is rare, calling Lanzarote’s statements about Brits, “extremely offensive”.

Lina Hodgkins from the Linekers Group in Marbella said, “I find it quite offensive that everybody says British tourists are just drunks.”

Hodgkins who works as a marketing manager for the group that runs several famous bars including Portside, Babilonia and Bijou, added that, tourists drink roughly the same amount as they do in their own countries, saying “when tourists are in their own countries or towns, they are still drinking alcohol.”

She also claimed that popular areas, including Marbella, do not create the sort of culture of cheap drinks and club touts that areas like Magaluf, Mallorca, were once famous for. She said: “in Marbella we don’t do that,” stating that “I am not saying that in other European destinations, they don’t do it.”

She said “We don’t offer free drinks, it’s the media that makes these things up just for stories,” adding, “why would any bar offer free drinks.

“It’s ridiculous and I find it offensive because it’s not true,” stated Hodgkins.

“Whether you go to a bar, or a restaurant or the beach, you drink, it’s a part of our holiday culture,” Hodgkins said, adding, “And just because you have a drink on a holiday doesn’t mean that you are a drunk.”

Hodgkins added that that the number of tourists coming to Marbella from other European countries has also increased over the past few years.

Meanwhile, Jackie Fish, bar manager at Torrox bar Los Amigos in Axarquia, told the EWN: “I don’t think it’s true that the British get drunk more

A recent announcement by the president of

quality tourist’ on the island, has

st: Is Lanzarote right that ain’s tourism industry?

than other nationalities or that bars encourage this behaviour. Our bar certainly doesn’t accept that sort of behaviour.

“Yes, people get drunk but we don’t make them drink and if anything untowards kicks off they will be asked to leave.”

Paul, who runs the Emerald Isle in the Costa Blanca South, agreed, saying: “We at the Emerald Isle have been running our hospitality business for almost 25 years in this part of Spain and have catered to people of all nationalities during that time.

“I can only speak from our own specific experience but the area we are in is very family­orientated and we have not witnessed any of the behaviours reported recently in the media.

“Of course, there will be examples of anti­social behaviour in certain areas of Spain due to the influx of tourists every year, but this particular area is occupied by many families who have made their lives here, is very safe and incidents of anti ­ social behaviour are few and far between.”

Heidi, who runs Black Flame in Moraira, told the Euro Weekly News : “We don’t get customers like that. Ninety per cent are British, whether holidaymakers or they live here, and on St Patrick’s Day for example, they won’t be loud or rowdy. They’re just there to have a nice time.”

Alain, from Universal Lounge Bar in Albir, the Costa Blanca North, argued that the accusations by Lanzarote’s president shouldn’t be levelled at one nationality in particular. He said: “In the 15 years running the Universal Lounge Bar in Albir, and having over 150 beers we’ve never had any problems with whatever nationality with bad behaviour or drunk situations.

“And here we have 96 nationalities living together with the third biggest group of British origin.”

Several parts in Spain have now an­

nounced plans to cap the number of tourists with some even introduc ing tough regulations that target drunken behaviour.

The Balearic Islands, which have historically been party tourism hotspots, last year imposed rules that banned ‘happy hours, pub crawls, two ­ for ­ one drink offers, and the sale of alcohol in shops be tween 9:30pm and 8am’.

A drink limit was also imposed in several resorts in Magaluf, El Are nal and Ibiza.

One of Mallorca’s most famous party resorts, Playa de Palma also reportedly banned people from wearing football shirts in restau rants.

The government in the Balearic Is lands, which includes Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera, al so declared a cap on tourists last month, before the announcement made by Lanzarote. However, until the president of Lanzarote’s state ment that British had been singled out so explicitly.

Before the announcement, officials claimed that the reason for this is due to extremely high number of tourists.

“The number of visits reached this year is a maximum that should not be exceeded but should tend to decrease. There must be a clear trend towards the reduction of tourist places,” said Iago Negueruela, Balearic Islands tourism minister.

While a crackdown on irresponsible drink touting and cheap deals can only help everyone ­ businesses and tourists alike ­ the hospitality industry is firm that excess drinking is not limited to Britons.

And with Brits contributing around more than €17 billion of Spain’s tourism income each year up to the pandemic, Lanzarote may be wise to take note of this.

anzarote over a shift in focus towards a ‘higher en by many as an insult to British tourists.

FINANCE

Not convinced

STAT OF WEEK €88 million

was paid out in dividends last year to Juan Roig, president of the family-owned Mercadona supermarket chain in which he has a majority 50.66 per cent shareholding.

BUSINESS EXTRA Changing tastes

THE UK’s Competitions and Market Authority expressed concerns regarding Asda’s £600 million (€683.9 million) deal to take over 132 Co ­ op petrol forecourts, Warned that the deal could mean higher prices or less choice for consumers, Asda was given five working days to address the regulator’s doubts.

Iberdrola posts

THE board of Spain’s energy multinational Iberdrola is set to re ­ elect Juan Ignacio Sanchez Galan as its chairman until at least 2027, when he will be 76, while ratifying Armando Martinez as CEO. Both appointments will be formalised at the shareholder’ meeting in Bilbao on April 28.

NHS info

DOCTORS will sue the UK government over plans that could hand the medical records of millions of NHS patients to Denver­based Palantir, which makes FBI and CIA surveillance software. The £480 million (€447 million) privatelyrun database would include all health information held by the NHS.

More employees

THIRTY PER CENT of Spanish companies plan staff increases during 2023’s second quarter, a further 20 per cent foresee reductions but others expect to remain the same.

Businesses located in Andalucia, Extremadura and Canaries were the most optimistic, with 22 per cent taking on more employees.

Read it up

BLOOMSBURY PUBLISHING, buoyed by demand for fantasy novels and academic digital resources, expected full­year profits comfortably exceeding forecasts. The group envisaged a pre ­ tax profit of around £30 million (€34.2) for the year ending on February 28, instead of the forecast £26.9 million (€30.6). .

Best-ever year for Inditex

Linda Hall

MARTA ORTEGA’S first year as Inditex president brought a record profit and income.

The fashion empire, which was founded by her father Amancio Ortega, owns the Zara, Massimo Dutti, Bershka and Oysho brands and reported a net profit of €4.1 billion over its last fiscal year, a 27 per cent increase on 2021.

Even after a 5 per cent price increase introduced last year to offset rising costs, in­store and online turnover grew by 17.5 per cent to €32.6 billion, the company announced.

These results arrived at the end of a year of change, following the departure last April of Pablo Isla who took

BRITAIN’S government needs to help the UK’s car industry compete internationally in electric vehicle (EV) production.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) highlighted the fierce competition from other countries, as the US and European Union launch large­scale initiatives.

The warning came after reports that the Chinese car manufacturer BYD had ruled out Britain for its European production site.

Reduced energy costs, prompt funding for green technology projects and extended free trade agreements were some of the ac­

Merger boost

MASMOVIL’S revenue and profits enjoyed a boost last year ahead of its planned merger with Orange.

Earnings totalled approximately €2.9 billion in 2022, an increase of 17 per cent on 2021, while income from services increased by 19 per cent to €2.6 billion. At the same time MasMovil was also able to reduce its debt by €500 million while its portfolio of clients continued to grow with the addition of 800,000 new lines. Of these, 227,000 corresponded to broadband connections and 565,000 to mobile clients.

over from Amancio Ortega as Inditex president in 2011. His place was taken by non­executive president Marta Ortega and Oscar Garcia Maceiras, the company’s CEO.

Despite its higher overheads, the company’s exit from Russia and Chi­

na’s continuing Covid restrictions, last year was the best in the company’s history, easily overtaking Inditex’s €3.6 billion profits and €28.3 billion turnover in pre­pandemic 2019.

Inditex nevertheless surprised investors with a hike in capital expenditure from €1.1 billion in 2021 to last year’s €1.6 billion, higher than the market had foreseen and responsible for a 3 per cent fall in shares.

“It is the right thing, to keep on investing for future growth,” Maceiras insisted.

Zara led the group with a pre­tax 38.5 per cent compared with the previous year, although the pre­tax profit fell at Oysho and Massimo Dutti, by a respective 12 and 10 per cent.

It’s time to compete

lion) Inflation Reduction Act and the European Union’s Green Deal Industrial Plan, both of which included measures boosting EV production.

ALCOPOPs and CDs have been dropped from the monthly update of the cost of living in Britain.

Together with compact digital cameras, they are no longer included in the ONS’ typical shopping basket which is used to measure the annual inflation rate.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has dropped them following its annual review of spending habits in the UK which takes into account changing tastes and habits while ensuring that the official cost of living yardstick is as accurate as possible.

The three items were replaced by electric bicycles, frozen berries for making smoothies, and home security devices.

Tax breaks

SPAIN’S taxpayers can expect to save between €9 and €550 on their 2022 tax returns.

tions included in SMMT’s plans.

The trade body has launched a Green Automotive Transformation Strategy for the motor industry, calling for more openhanded subsidies and less red tape for proposed battery­pro­

duction schemes.

Its plan would position the UK as one of the world’s most competitive locations for advanced automotive manufacturing, Hawes argued.

It was vital to react to the US’s $369 billion (€343.7 bil­

Covid’s aftermath

COINCIDING with the third anniversary of the first Covid lockdown, the Bank of Spain warned that the pandemic’s effect on the nation’s health could also have an impact on the economy.

A survey assessing the economic effects of a possible overall decline in the general health of Spain’s population concluded that this could lead to an increase in health spending. This in turn would create the need for more health professionals, the report’s authors Samuel Hurtado y Mario Izquierdo said.

“Although at present this is very difficult to evaluate it could be a factor to take into account, together with the problem of an ageing society,” they said.

“Should this dynamic continue or even increase, it could be decisive for the economy's potential output in the medium to long term.”

Fully­electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for almost a third of all UK­built cars last year, worth £10 billion (€11.4 billion) in exports, Hawes said.

He added“The UK boasts a firm foundation of EV production, with outstanding research and a highly skilled workforce, we must not squander these advantages.”

On the up

SEAT is out of the red with a 2022 operating profit of €33 million, compared with €233 million pre­tax losses in 2021 and €339 million in 2020. This was possible thanks to Cupra, Seat’s high­performance road car branch whose 179,632 units represented 40.6 per cent of last year’s global production. Two­thirds were Formentor models, produced at Seat’s Martorell ( Barcelona) branch. Seat and Cupra sales of 386,000 vehicles fell by 18.1 per cent worldwide last year although production contracted by 0.8 per cent, with 420,000 units.

The semiconductor crisis was responsible for the downturn, as Volkswagen prioritised microchips for brands generating the biggest profit margins.

The changes are the result of adjustments made by the central government for incomes below an annual €21,000 and the updating of autonomous regions’ minimum rates.

Taxpayers earning between €16,000 and €20,000 will benefit most, with savings of between €540 and €300, depending on region where they live, while those earning more than an annual €100,000 will, on average, pay €150 less.

However, those on €30,000 will hardly benefit, with discounts of less than €10.

Freehold deal

SAINSBURY’S is taking full ownership of investment vehicles Highbury and Dragon in which it holds a 49 per cent stake.

It will pay £430.9 million (€491.5 million) for Supermarket Income REIT’s 51 per cent holding in Highbury and Dragon, created in 2000 and comprising freeholds of 26 stores that it leases.

Britain’s largest chain after Tesco with 600 supermarkets and more than 800 convenience stores, will acquire the 21 premises that it previously rented from Supermarket Income REIT and which will continue to operate as Sainsbury’s supermarkets.

WORLDWIDE EMPIRE: Zara store in Battersea

EV OUTPUT: Charging ahead (SMMT) said

Photo credit: Inditex

Photo credit Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders

DOW JONES

Energy plan

CENTRICA, which owns British Gas, announced that it would extend the lives of two nuclear power stations in Heysham (Lancashire) and Hartlepool (County Durham) until 2026. It hopes in this way to “strengthen the UK’s energy security in uncertain times”, Centrica chief executive Chris O’Shea said.

An all-rounder

VOLKSWAGEN gave a preview in Barcelona on March 15 of its ID.2all prototype, an electric car that will be produced at the Martorell plant from 2025 onwards. Priced at under €25,000 it would be “as roomy as a Golf and as affordable as a Polo”, VW said at the presentation.

Pay scale

JUNIOR doctors will challenge the government over pay by pointing out that they could earn more at Pret a Manger. Pret employees’ April rise – their third in 12 months ­ will bring them up to £14.10 (€16.06) an hour, compared with the £14.09 (€16.05) doctorss earn during their first year.

Online fans

A SURVEY by Adevinta, which owns several web portals, found that 97 per cent of those interviewed said they had bought or sold products online. A further 67 per cent said that they did so habitually, an increase of 16 per cent on a similar Adevinta survey in 2021.

Losing out

MORRISONS suffered a £1.5 billion (€1.7 billion) loss during its first full year in private­equity ownership, the supermarket chain’s latest results revealed. The grocery retailer was bought in October 2021 by the US private equity firm, Clayton, Dubilier and Rice for (CD&R) for £7 billion (approximately €8 billion).

Roig states his case

MERCADONA had a net profit of €718 million last year, 5.6 per cent more than in 2021, while its €31 billion turnover rose by 11 per cent thanks to inflation.

Speaking to the media on March 14 as the family ­ owned company announced its 2022 results, its president Juan Roig admitted that Mercadona had put up prices tremendously.

“But if we hadn’t, there would have been an unbelievable production chain disaster,” Roig said.

“Making a profit is a very good thing, just so long as it’s shared between employees, suppliers, clients and society,” he added. “A business is not synonymous with capital.”

The price increases could have been worse, Roig maintained. The company “had given its all” to mitigate the effect of the higher

OBR omens

prices on consumers, acting as a retaining wall between the value chain and the public.

Mercadona raised its prices by an average of 10 per cent in 2022 but outgoings grew by 12 per cent, Roig said, and the 2 per cent difference of €600 million was absorbed by the company.

Referring to the possibility of creating a “shopping basket” like that of France, Roig did not mince his words.

“Capping prices isn’t possible, it’s a pointless gesture, like wanting water than doesn’t make you wet,” he declared.

“Measures like these only have a negative impact on the quality of the products.”

Tin mining revival

BRITAIN’S mining industry was founded on tin, long before coal fuelled the country’s industrial revolution.

Although Cornwall still comes to mind when thinking of tin, the world’s principal producers are currently Chinese companies that include Yunnan Tin, Yunnan Chengfeng and Minsur.

Like copper and lithium, tin is fundamental to the technology sector’s growth and the transition to a lowcarbon economy.

“It has seen very strong price increases since early 2021,” said Richard Williams, chief executive of Canadian mineral exploration company Cornish Metals.

In May 2022 the company announced that it had secured £40.5 million (€46.3 million) in funding which it would use to drain its South Crofty mine in Pool, located between Camborne and Redruth, where production was first recorded in 1592 and continued until 1998.

It will also construct a treatment plant for the mine water and complete a feasibility study.

South Crofty, which has the world’s fourth­largest tin deposit, has now turned up attractive tin grades from newly­explored areas on the company’s land.

THE Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR) warned that Britons faced their worst decline in living standards since records began in the 1950s.

The Treasury watchdog pointed out that they also bore the greatest tax burden since the Second World War.

The OBR added that the economy was on track to shrink by 0.2 per cent this year, despite Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s announcement that the UK would avoid technical recession. He would meet debt targets only by a narrow margin after the big childcare outlay and freezing fuel duty, OBR said.

Down to earth

VIRGIN ORBIT, founded by billionaire Richard Branson, has halted operations and furloughed stuff as it seeks a funding lifeline.

“Discovering a new highgrade zone in the middle of a historic mining district is a tremendous outcome, and again demonstrates the exploration potential of the region,” Cornish Metals chief executive Richard Williams said, following the most recent set of drill results.

New exec appointed

JOHN LEWIS and Waitrose have appointed a group chief executive.

Former Hovis and Burger King executive Nish Kankiwala, currently a John Lewis Partnership non­executive director, takes up the new post on March 27.

The news arrived as the staff­owned business prepared to announce its second­ever full­year loss, with employees missing out on their annual bonus for the second time in three years.

The group is expected to report an annual pre­tax loss before one­offs of ap­

proximately £50 million (€57.14 million) compared with last year’s £181 million (€206.9 million), mainly due to Waitrose’s problems.

Retail director Naomi Simcock and Waitrose James Bailey who previously reported directly to the partnership’s chairwoman, Sharon White, will now report to Kankiwala, as will five other directors.

These include Finance director, Berangere Michel, and Transformation and Technology officer Zaka Mian, who was engaged in November 2022.

Staff layoffs at Ford

FORD ESPAÑA announced staff reductions that will affect 1,144 employees at its Almussafes (Valencia) plant.

The company explained that this labour adjustment had been included in the restructuring of European operations made necessary by the transition to electric vehicles.

Ford also assured the Almussafes employees in an internal memo that it was “resiz­

ing” its Spanish workforce but intended to “work together and in a constructive manner” with the unions to minimise the impact on employees and the local community.

At present 600 Kuga models come off the assembly line each day, as well as 300 Transit vans and 200 of the S­Max and Galaxy cars that Asmussafes will cease producing in April. The future of the factory’s engine section is also uncertain.

The California­ based satellite launch company is putting all activities on temporary hold with only a skeleton team still working. Employees learnt at a March 15 staff meeting that remaining personnel would be put on unpaid furlough, although they could cash in annual leave.

The news follows Virgin Orbit’s failed attempt to launch the first satellite from UK soil at Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay last January. Putting them on furlough would buy time to finalise a new investment plan, the company’s chief executive, Dan Hart, told staff.

No thanks

FIFTY­FIVE THOUSAND people in Spain, the majority in Andalucia, Cataluña and Madrid, ignored bequests last year.

The General Council of Notaries (CGN), which processed 355,000 inheritance claims in 2022, revealed that rejections had risen to 15.6 per cent.

The CGN’s spokeswoman, Maria Teres Barea, attributed this to the “difficult” economic situation, as heirs were reluctant to pay death duties or accept a legacy burdened with debts, she said. In other cases, beneficiaries felt that it would be unfair to accept a bequest left by a distant relative they hardly knew.

JUAN ROIG: Mercadona president and majority shareholder

Photo credit: Juan Roig Alfonso

SOUTH CROFTY: Tin production first recorded in 1592

PROMOTING women in business and supporting International Woman’s Day is of course thoroughly commended by this ol boy. As a Spiritualist, with a firm belief in re incarnation, I’m pretty convinced, having materialised in female form so many times, my belief in equality knows no bounds.

Having to exist in a male dominated society, which doesn’t recognise or promote female equivalence in any form is of course extremely difficult; something I discovered when I experienced that exact situation some years ago. I can assure you trying to live a normal life in a male dominated environment can be very bemusing and often extremely perilous. During my eight years in Saudi Arabia, I found my respect for the ladies put me in all sorts of problems.

The only working girls were in fact the prostitutes, mainly Ethiopian, who would walk down the streets heavily burqa and hijabed with their ‘availability’ adverts being nothing more than a large dan ­

A woman’s life

gling bunch of keys! The affection of my life for some time was actually an attractive English Saudia airways hostess.

She would wait for me in a secluded part of the Saudi airport and when I drove up, quickly enter the car and literally throw herself on to the floor next to the passenger door, where she would stay curled up a ball until I got into the drive of my apartment. No moonlit walks or romantic restaurants to look forward to on these visits; all completely against the law, unless you carried a letter of parental (father) permission!

On one occasion however I did decide to throw caution to the wind and find us a secluded beach. As the Saudi desert reaches down to the Red Sea, the ‘beach’ actually goes on for nearly 2,000 kilometres, so after around half an hour’s drive over some rough terrain I decided we had gone far enough to find a little privacy.

With no habitation or inhabitants in sight we were soon on our towels and splayed out in our brief cos­

NO LAUGHING MATTER OUR VIEW

tumes to enjoy the sun.

After about half an hour I suddenly caught a movement out of the corner of my eye. Carefully peering around I soon observed, standing on top of a few of the small sand dunes that surrounded our spot, a number of swarthy looking young Arabic men, all attired in grubby thobes, unmoving and staring fixedly at us. We were actually suddenly in a very menacing situation.

Miles from anywhere, in a desert area that had, according to rumours, already been used to ‘lose’ a number of missing Filipino Airline girls and there we were, a foreign male, laying there with a bikini clad Western girl, already considered second class trash by our hosts, miles from anywhere.

We were in trouble. Are the ladies going to respect an old boy that utterly believes in female equality and lived to tell the tale? Find out next week.

BY the time this article is published the world should have a better idea of how much former UK prime minister Boris Johnson knew about lockdown rule breaking at Number 10.

Partygate, the issue that has rumbled on seemingly for years, shone a light on one thing at least; an us and them attitude between some of our leaders and the general public.

Boris claimed he has solid evidence that he was not aware that birthday celebrations and others at No 10 broke the rules but at this stage is there any level of evidence he could show which would change the public’s opinion of him?

Regardless of whether the Parliamentary Select Committee he appears in front of judges Boris harshly or not, stories and images of Downing Street officials sharing birthday cake, drinking wine and taking drives across the country ‘to test their eyesight’ will remain with the public for a long time.

Anyone who lost a loved one during Covid, or whose business struggled while the world went into lockdown, knows this is no laughing matter.

No matter how hard the government tries to make light of it.

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

YES, it was a sport blackout ­ and aliens landing from space might have been bemused to find the BBC facing an existential crisis over a retired footballer’s recent tweet criticising government’s asylum policy.

But then the BBC’s faced a number of controversies, hasn’t it? Most recently, criticism of its impartiality and independence following the appointment of Richard Sharp as chairman. Sharp’s close ties to the Conservative Party (helping Boris Johnson with a dodgy loan) raised concerns about his ability to remain impartial and independent in his new role.

But perhaps the organisation’s most serious controversy in recent years was the Martin Bashir scandal. In 1995, Bashir, a journalist working for its flagship news programme, Panorama, secured an interview with Princess Diana that became one of the most watched television events in history. However, in 2021, it was revealed that Bashir had used deceptive tactics to secure the interview, including falsifying bank statements and lying to Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer. The revelations led to widespread criticism of the organisation and calls for accountability.

1-O LINEKER!

and adults over several decades. Critics argued that the BBC, which had employed Savile for many years, had turned a blind eye to his behaviour and failed to take action to protect vulnerable people.

Another controversy that has also plagued the BBC involved allegations of pay inequality. In 2017, it was revealed that many of its highest­paid presenters were men, leading to accusations of gender bias and discrimination. The controversy led to the resignation of several high­profile female presenters like Carrie Gracie and Jane Garvey.

portant and influential broadcasters in the world. It continues to produce, generally speaking, a wide range of high­quality content, including news, current affairs, drama and entertainment, and remains a trusted source of information for millions around the world.

But looking to the future, it faces several significant challenges, including increasing competition from streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, changing audience habits and ongoing pressure to remain financially sustainable.

Then there was the criticism the BBC faced over its handling of the scandal involving Jimmy Savile who was posthumously revealed to have sexually abused hundreds of children

In addition to these scandals, the BBC has also suffered from the loss of key presenters. Notable departures include Jeremy Clarkson, fired from its flagship motoring show, Top Gear, after a physical altercation with a producer, Chris Evans, who stepped down as the host of its flagship breakfast show, Radio 2 Breakfast Show, after just one year and Fiona Bruce, who quit her role as presenter of ‘Antiques Roadshow’ in 2020. These departures certainly raised concerns about the organisation’s ability to retain top talent and to continue to deliver high­quality programming.

Despite these controversies and challenges, the BBC remains one of the most im­

Overall, while the BBC has faced significant problems and crises in recent years, its future success will undoubtedly depend not only on its ability to remain true to its core values of impartiality, quality and innovation but also on its ability to adapt to a fast changing world.

But above all, BBC, cut the controversies and scandals ­ just TELL the story, don’t be it!

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

The exterminator

CASSANDRA NASH

ON March 16, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, president of the Madrid Community, messaged Pedro Muñoz Abrines, the Partido Popular’s spokesman in the regional parliament.

“The Left is finished… kill them,” Ayuso’s WhatsApp declared.

The message was leaked shortly before the regional president’s visit to Rome during the Jubilee celebrations in honour of the city’s patron, San Isidro.

Ayuso revealed later that the Madrid delegation enjoyed a “cordial” meeting with Pope Francis who, amongst other things, encouraged them to promote political unity inside Spain.

Ayuso was accompanied by the Bishop of Madrid, Carlos Osoro, and Madrid’s mayor Jose­Luis Martinez Almeida, whom Francis addressed as “the heir to the great Manuela.” He was referring to Manuela Carmena, the retired Supreme Court judge who founded the Mas Madrid party and was Almeida’s predecessor at city hall. The greeting was guaranteed not to have delighted anyone in the group.

Ayuso later failed to recognise incon­

gruity between the Pope’s message and her WhatsApp. “I didn’t send the message to a group chat,” she protested.

“Declarations like that aren’t made in public or in a group. It was a conversation between two people,” she said, adding that she’d like to see other people’s WhatsApps when they discussed someone else.

“That’s how people talk. For me, it’s very colloquial and normal between two people,” the president said, dismissing the issue as a “fictitious controversy.”

Not everyone shared Ayuso’s insouciance regarding her advice to exterminate the Left like irritating flies. Nor did they necessarily swallow her argument that the WhatsApp was forgivable because it wasn’t meant for public consumption.

When describing Ayuso, it’s tempting to recall Ronald Reagan who once said that Margaret Thatcher was “the best man in Britain” although in her case this would be limited to the Partido Popular.

Because the dangerous but interesting thing about ambitious Ayuso isn’t just her desire to kill the Left, but the fact that she is feared by so many of her fellow PP politicians.

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

Nora’s latest thriller.

Noraistheauthorofpopularpsychological suspenseandcrimethrillersandafreelancejournalist.

By Clinica Britannia

Restoring a confident smile

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Get an instant boost to your smile in as little as just one visit with Veneers. These thin shells of ceramic act like false nails to your teeth, bonding to the front of the tooth. Ideal for treating unsightly, cracked, or discoloured teeth or to close gaps between teeth. Veneers can dramatically alter your entire smile, restoring confidence quickly.

Straighten your teeth to give you that perfect smile with adult invisible braces. These discreet solutions can act in as little as 10 weeks.

Now with leading technology, Complex procedures such as white fillings, dental crowns, bridges, inlays, and veneers can be done in a single appointment, making treatments quick, effective, and hassle­free.

Professional tooth Whitening is one affordable way to transform your

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FASHION designer Bill Blass once said “always choose red” when in doubt about what to wear

Many people use the same yardstick when choosing a wine, but Harvard pro fessor Eric Rimm questioned whether red wine really was more healthy than white.

Many studies showing that red wine had greater benefits for the heart were of limited duration, he pointed out.

“There isn’t any conclusive science which says there is a true benefit of red wine over

Red or white

white,” Rimm said.

Red wine contained more polyphenols – com ­

pounds which can protect against developing certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurodegenerative conditionshe conceded.

“But both dark chocolate and blueberries contained more,” the profes ­

“Maybe the conversation shouldn’t be driven by health but by which wine makes food taste better,” he said.

The sneezing season

SPRING brings hay fever but there are ways of avoiding it.

“Everyone can tolerate a certain amount of pollen before suffering an allergic reaction,” explained Dr Clare Morrison. “If you keep enough pollen out, symptoms won’t be triggered.”

Shower and change your clothes when you get home, keep windows shut and avoid drying your washing

By Clinica Britannia

outdoors, she advised.

Vacuum regularly, especially beds and fabrics, and damp ­ dust surfaces to remove pollen without dispersing it into the air. If you own a pet, ensure that it is groomed and shampooed as often as possible to remove pollen particles.

Use an allergen barrier balm around the nostrils and decongestant eyedrops throughout the day.

Bone health is so important

Osteoporosis is a "silent disease" that causes bones to weaken and become more susceptible to fracture, even from minimal impact and occur gradually over many years without your knowledge. So, the only way to know how strong your bones are is to have a scan known as a bone densitometry scan as until about the age of 30, we produce bone faster than we lose it but around the age of 40 it tends to plateau. After this time, the reverse is true and bone mass declines and for women this bone loss is particularly accelerated during the menopause.

Here at Clinica Britannia we offer a non­inva­

Bone density tests can be done quickly and affordably

sive Achilles bone density test that offers a quick and affordable way for an initial osteoporosis assessment and the risk of bone fractures. The exam is quick and comfortable and is performed with the patient seated with one

foot placed on the Footplate. The machine uses high frequency sound waves to evaluate the os calcis (bone status in the heel ) , The patient will receive the results immediately from the specialist performing the test.

Remember it is never too early to start looking after your bones so book your Achilles Bone density test as soon as possible.

DARK CHOCOLATE: Contains more polyphenols that red wine

Photo credit: Pixabay/Elsenaju

ROUNDED, leafy houseplants give the biggest boost to well­being, new research reveals.

Attractive plants that are happy and healthy give the biggest boost to well­being in homes and offices, while neglected plants can be worse than none at all, the Rural Horticultural Society (RHS) and the University of Reading have found.

The study looked at people’s perceptions of well­being and the indoor environment as affected by viewing different houseplants. People

A COOLING housing market is likely to spell trouble for the UK construction sector, with a potential decline in employment levels on the cards for the first time since 2014.

All signs are currently pointing towards a slowing property market across the UK.

The latest figures on the level of new homes reaching the market show that housing delivery is down by ­2.6 per cent across the

Big boost

scored plants on how beautiful, interesting, uplifting and relaxing they found them, with preferred plants found to give the greatest benefit to people’s well­being.

Healthy plants with a dense canopy resulted in the most positive effects on the way people felt about their indoor environment.

Palms were found to have particularly positive associations, as they reminded peo­

ple of holidays and happy memories. People thought the most ‘beautiful’ plants were those with a softer, rounded canopy, such as devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum) but there was no preference for any particular shape.

On the other hand, unhealthy plants were found to reflect negatively on people’s perception of their indoor environment, and researchers recommend removing them.

Cooling market

UK when compared to the pre­pandemic market.

A look at homebuyer appetites shows that so far in 2023, buyers are snapping up just 43 per cent of available stock on the market, down from 60 per cent in 2022 and 63 per cent in 2021.

Figures on mortgage approvals also support this downward trend where

Flavour your rosemary

buyer activity is concerned, with the number of approvals having already fallen by 20 per cent between 2021 and 2022.

This is partly due to the fact that, following September’s mini­budget, the number of higher loan ­ to ­ value products available to buyers was dramatically reduced.

RESEARCH from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has shown that the addition of mycorrhizal fungi to soil leads to increased production of essential oils in rosemary, making the plants more aromatic and flavoursome.

Mycorrhiza are beneficial fungi that grow in association with plant roots, increasing the area from which plants can absorb nutrients and water.

The fungi are widely available commercially for gardeners to add to their soil to help plants become more vigorous, overcome plant problems and cope with conditions of drought, amongst other uses.

The research also found that the fungi

more consistently colonised the root area when it was mixed in with soil prior to growing on.

Adding mycorrhizal fungi did not affect the shape or structure of the plant, just the production of the compounds that enhance the flavour and taste of rosemary. This means that home gardeners and trade growers will be able to produce rosemary plants with a consistent appearance but with the potential for extra flavour.

The RHS saw a dramatic increase in interest in herbs over autumn, with searches increasing by close to 600 per cent compared to 2021.

Image: Royal Horticultural Society

ADDING FUNGI: Increases the production of essential oils, making the plant more aromatic.

St Patrick’s Day LETTERS

What a noise! LINDA

HALL

I LOVE a good Mascleta.

Sound, not colour is the principal idea behind these daytime fireworks displays that pyrotechnicians lovingly create so that those in the know can detect cadences and rhythms in the noise.

Originally they were let off in front of Valencia’s city hall at the culmination of the Fallas fiestas in honour of San Jose on March 19, although these days there is a daily Mascleta from March 1 onwards.

And nor is it merely a theory that Covid­19 was spread through the city in 2020 by the thousands who crammed into the Plaza del Ayuntamiento each day until the Fallas were cancelled on March 10, four days before lockdown.

It’s now possible to see ­ and hearMascletaes much further afield than Valencia and they won’t be limited to Fallas. Furthermore, the kind of village, town or city that loves a good Mascleta will also subject you to a

Desperta during their fiestas.

People who have caroused all night either wake up early or don’t go to bed at all and parade through the streets, accompanied by a brass band if their funding can run to it, throwing firecrackers on the assumption that if they’re awake, everybody else should be too.

A Desperta was actually my introduction to deafening, not pretty, fireworks in Benidorm on a package holiday more years ago than I can remember.

Arriving shortly before dawn after departing from Luton when it still resembled an RAF aerodrome, I was no sooner asleep than I was woken not only by whooshes, bangs, crackles and blasts, but also the screams of a woman in a neighbouring room which were as unnerving as the explosions.

She explained afterwards that she had lived through the war and while she slept the noise had taken her back to the East End and the Blitz.

All of which confirms that there’s many a good Mascleta but every Desperta will always be a bad one.

Losing trust

SALLY UNDERWOOD POLITICAL ANIMAL

ON March 20, 2003, the UK became part of something that would change the public’s view of politics forever; the invasion of Iraq.

One of the most contentious and debated issues of our time, the decision on whether to invade Iraq following George W Bush’s ‘war on terror,’ after 9/11 ­ despite no connection between the terror plot and Iraq ­ saw searing Parliamentary debate and thousands take to the streets in protest.

Wherever you sat on the issue at the time, the subsequent discovery that Iraq in fact had no weapons of mass destruction ­ the main draw for the UK getting involved in the conflict ­ and a public inquiry into the invasion have had a lasting impact on trust in politics.

With pickets emblazoned with ‘Bliar’ (quite an unfortunate surname

in hindsight), protestors confronted former prime minister Tony Blair daily as he made his way from the Iraq Inquiry. He is still repeatedly asked about whether he lied about the government’s reasons for entering the war even 20 years on.

Mistrust is one of those emotions that isn’t contained however, and the public’s lack of trust in the Labour government eventually spread to judgement of many of the politicians around at the time.

The ‘us and them’ stage was already set when politics overall saw another blow in the form of the expenses scandal in 2009. With all parties being caught up in the fallout, the effect on public trust was almost terminal.

What is the answer then?

As with most things, transparency can only help.

The expenses process has at least been cleaned up and our public inquiry system helps to bring decisions made in the shadows into the light.

Sally’sopinionsareherownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

IT was great to see so many events go on along the coast, it was a sea of green and Guinness hats around me. The laughter, the music, the fun. How it is great to be Irish on St Patrick’s Day. I wish there were more parades and activities but hopefully that will just come with time. The events obviously differ depending on what region you are in but wow did it seem to go well in Benalmadena. The Irish Association did really well to organise that, my cousin lives on the Costa del Sol and gosh was I jealous. I know where I’ll be going next year!

Susy, Mallorca

Mother’s Day

I HAD such a great Mother’s Day and the fact that it coincidentally fell on Spanish Father’s Day, how great to be able to celebrate both parents on the same day! Great for celebration purposes, killing two birds with one stone, but my wallet felt it. We are originally from Birmingham and moved over here in ‘98 but we like to celebrate both UK and Spanish holidays. Tt can get a bit confusing at times but it is good so we’re in tune with home and the local culture.

Tony, Birmingham

Driving licences

I CAN DRIVE AGAIN!!!! Nobody understands how excited I am that I can drive again. I can’t wait for the trips to the other regions bringing my dog and taking her out on the beaches. Living in the campo is great, but with no real way of getting down and going places you can be restricted when you don’t have a car. Hopefully this process is nice, easy and simple... wouldn’t it be nice. Time to get the licence out of the safe and exchange it over. I wonder how different it will look in comparison to the UK one...

With love, Julie

Rental prices

WITH the rental prices going up no wonder young people are finding it difficult to move out and go to university with the 8 per cent increase here in Spain. Over a year I know how much it is affecting me and it is a genuine worry I have for my daughter. Her dream is to study in Madrid and by studying it also means living and I don’t know how it is going to work out. We need more help for the young ones studying, they should all be given the opportunity to study, go to the university that they have been accepted to and just study ­ not have to work. But I am afraid that is what Ellie might have to do. Has anyone got any advice? An expat not wanting to say bye.

The weather!

I CAN’T believe how spectacular the weather has been over the last few weeks and if anyone is reading and trying to figure out when to come to Spain, book your tickets now! I am getting photos and videos, my Facebook is filled with pictures of the snow back home but here it is gorgeous! I can’t get over it. It’s 22 degrees and getting higher. I am excited for my tan to come back and to be able to swim in the pool and sea. That is something I will say though and be warned the pools and sea are still a bit nippy.

Betty

The Mediterranean Diet

AFTER reading that article last week I totally agree, the lifestyle, food and more is something that has helped me a lot. I was two stone heavier in the UK, rarely ever got out and it was too cold to walk throughout the winter months, while over here it is the complete opposite. I have a quality of life over here and I am able to do and experience things I never would have thought possible. I go out, I am walking all the time and I have new friends.

Mary

Investment in Spain

THE amount of FDI sent into Spain is amazing and I think this is something that should really be taken into consideration. The likes of Marbella being called the Golden Mile isn’t for nothing and the fact that there is constant and consistent investment says a lot and I think that the close­by neighbourhoods are what will be built up next. Of course, people can say and do whatever they like about things, but I think I will be putting some of my funds into a nice flat for me and the missus and even if we don’t see anything out of it well hopefully the kids do.

Thoughtful thinking from Jo

Dropping off

WELL we always say nodding off over here and its typical for me to nod off to sleep in less than five minutes and apparently that means I am sleep deprived. I just sleep when I can and I think I do get the recommended hours I can. You know how people say about being something in a past life, well I must have been an email that slept an awful lot, Sloth perhaps? Even after coffee I fall asleep, does it have that affect on anyone else? I am out like a light.

Too much sleep, Glenn

HELLO my Angels, how are we all feeling this week? The card I have pulled for this week is ‘leap’ and the universe will catch you. This week we are seeing the first signs of spring!! The sun is out a little longer and the dark evenings are coming to an end, this will make everyone feel a bit brighter and a little more hopeful for the summer, it feels like it was only a few weeks ago that we were at the beginning of January and setting our little goals?

How are we doing with the little goals? I have kept up with my little goals. I have slipped all in all for three days and it really made me feel a bit funny like I had done something wrong and my vibration went down a little and I only I could change the way I was feeling so I picked

myself up and started again. But adding a few more to my list in turn brings my vibration up higher and starting to see results, so what I am trying to say is don’t worry if you have fallen off, you can always pick yourself back up and be stronger then when you first started!

It happens to everyone, spring is a time for new life, and that is how you can look at yourself. It’s time for all the hard work you have put in, you can now start seeking the rewards, so again just drop the fear and leap, whatever your intention is you will be fine.

If you’re at a crossroads and do not know what way to choose just take a moment have a breath and look at each one, what one makes you feel good and what one makes you feel scared. In any decision you make in life there is never a wrong choice. You may need to learn a little extra lesson if you go a different way but that is okay, never

feel like you have failed because you have to keep getting back up and moving. And what you learn this year you can pass on to someone else.

You will always meet people in life for a reason and if you come across anyone they may need some advice or guidance that you have learned through your journey then pass it on and see how you have helped someone.

It makes you feel good and proud and those feelings are the feelings you need to have in order to achieve your manifestation. How are we all doing with this by the way? I would love to hear from you?

Also if anyone would like a small reading and then would like to say what you thought after please write in and let me know? So just remember you are where you are meant to be, the universe always has your back and never be afraid. Keep writing your little goals and keep going you are doing any amazing job.

If you would like to know more or have a reading please go to my website to book your own personal private 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.

What the universe has in store

My tarot card I have pulled of this week is ‘Leap and the universe will catch you’

Beniconnect – Leaders in Airport Transfers

START your trip off right with an efficient and trusted transfer to your end destination with Beniconnect! Known for reliable, punctual, comfortable and affordable airport shuttle transfers to all destinations on the Costa Blanca, Beniconnect offers a friendly, safe and professional service with no hidden or extra charges.

Beniconnect Travel Agency provides an incredibly low cost airport shuttle, serving all the resorts in the Costa Blanca such as Benidorm, Albir, Altea, Calpe, Javea and Denia, and is the only company offering airport shuttle transfers to and from the Marina Alta areas.

If you are travelling during the upcoming Easter Holidays with family or friends then Beniconnect´s Express Connect is a fast, economical and efficient form of transport to your resort, saving you allimportant time waiting with your belongings and children that are ready to get into their swimsuit and head to the

beach!

Travelling as a family can sometimes be stressful, checking that everyone still has their bags and that everyone is safe – and this doesn´t stop when you vacate the plane. Beniconnect understand the importance of safety, leading them to only use widely renewed vehicles with

approved child restraint systems for the little ones to travel safely.

Operating 7 days a week, their trusted shuttle service will deliver you to your destination quickly and safely via their meet and greet airport service. From Alicante train station they offer their exclusive Alitren Connect Shuttle Service,

For booking: www.beniconnect.com

which connects Alicante train station with Benidorm, Albir Altea and Calpe.

Beniconnect also offer your own personal, reliable, professional door to door private services to and from Alicante, Valencia, and Murcia airports and train stations! Using their large fleet of Mercedes Vito and Mercedes V people carriers. All of them are brand new, black in colour with tinted windows, leather seats and free WIFI.

Travel in comfort with their full fleet of coaches from mini buses to larger coaches of 35 and 55 seats.

In a hurry and need to book your airport transfer? Beniconnect is the only company offering late bookings on request with a customer service centre open every day to assist you with any questions or concerns.

Let Beniconnect take the stress out of your travel – sit back and relax!

Beniconnect ………the EXPERTS in connecting people.

Reliable, punctual, comfortable and affordable airport shuttle transfers

Pizarro/Shutterstock

Camping boom

OVERNIGHT stays in alternative holiday accommodation in Spain, ie tourist flats, campsites, rural tourism establishments and hostels, increased by 23.7 per cent in January with regards to 2022, according to statistics published by hotelier association Hosteltur.

Overnight stays in campsites recorded an increase of 8.5 per cent this year, with more than 45.4 per cent of plots occupied.

The figures also show that 79.6 per cent of overnight stays in campsites were made by non­resident travellers. Germany was the main source market, accounting for 38.3 per cent of international campers, and the Valencia Region was said to be the preferred destination.

Declining registrations The cost of comfort

By tourist areas, the Costa Blanca in Alicante was top of the list with 352,315 overnight stays in January and the highest occupancy rate, 84.4 per cent. By cities, the top three destinations were Benidorm, Cartagena (Murcia) and Velez­Malaga (Andalucia).

In general, 72.3 per cent of overnight stays in January in all tourist accommodation corresponded to hotels. British visitors accounted for the largest percentage with 23.3 per cent, followed by Germans (17.2 per cent) and French (5.9 per cent).

The Canary Islands were the most popular destination with eight million stays, followed by Andalucia with more than 3.1 million.

INFLATABLE mattresses are by far the best solution for camping fans who need a little more comfort when sleeping out in the wild or staying at a campsite, but how to choose among the many models and types available?

The Spanish Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) has analysed the various options and published a set of guidelines to help select the best mattress according to each camper’s needs.

Inflatable mattresses are usually made out of PVC and are blown up by hand or with a pump, but some models are self­inflating, with an inner layer of foam that expands when the valve is open. This is an important point to look out for if you don’t want to spend a tiresome hour working away with a foot pump.

Certain models have a laminated structure with

two layers, including one made out of polyester fibres. This reinforces the structure and could be important depending on the type of ground you plan on sleeping on.

There are also models with different heights. Those with a single height are ideal for open­air camping as they

weigh less and are easier to set up, but are also smaller and can deflate faster than those with double height. In addition, double­height mattresses are more similar to a bed are therefore much more comfortable, and usually have an electric pump to inflate them within minutes with no effort.

ACCORDING to data from the Spanish Association of the Caravanning Industry and Trade (ASEICAR) new caravan registrations continue to decline.

A total of 406 new motorhomes and campers were sold in February 2023, which represents a decrease of 31 per cent compared to the same month in 2022 (589).

The same applies to caravans, which fell from 139 in February 2022 to 123 last month (­11.5 per cent).

As for the second­hand market, sales of motorhomes and campers are also down compared to a year ago: 1,424 compared to 1,610 (­11.6 per cent). The same is true for caravans: 474 compared to 524 in February 2022 (­9.5 per cent).

The slight stabilisation of the economic situation and a slight improvement in the manufacture of caravanning vehicles is encouraging some customers to reactivate their interest in buying motorhomes, campers and caravans.

High Life – Low Life…

THE British Benevolent Fund was established over a century ago to provide financial help to those Britons in distress in Spain.

Over the years the BBF has provided funds to many individuals and families in extreme difficulties.

Many times the situation is exasperated or caused by alcoholism for which the abundance of bars and cheap alcohol in Spain is a continual challenge for carers and concerned friends and family.

One such case took place towards the end of the pandemic – the lady in question was her mid­50s and came to Spain to work the party scene in Marbella and Puerta Banus as a PR rep and organiser in the 2000s.

She knew her way around, lived well and partied hard on the Costa del Sol where she had a high income and a lifestyle to envy.

The years however took their toll emotionally and over time she lost her shine and became addicted to drugs and alcohol.

Eventually the work stopped

– but the lifestyle continued and before too long she was running out of her savings.

One by one, her friends gave up trying to get her back on the path and then her family. Her parents sent her a stipend but this was not enough to live off and in any event was spent on the drink.

The catalyst was that in all the time she had been in Spain she had not taken residency and when the day came that she was picked up off the street comatose by an ambulance the penny dropped.

The big step was that she now recognised she had a problem which needed treatment – the issue was that she was not entitled to it in Spain and would need to be repatriated.

Working with the consulate we were able to do that –

emergency accommodation was found and she was now back in the UK system to seek health and state support – a far cry from the party yachts of Puerta Banus – but the first step in a long journey of recovery.

We can only help with your help. If you would like to support our work with a donation or in any other way please visit our website www.british benevolentfund.org.

Olaf Clayton, Chair

Benevolent Fund.

British

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

Image by Jose

INFLATABLE MATTRESSES: Providing more comfort.

Image by Sergey Ryzhov/Shutterstock

PETS

WHILE cat­sitting recently for one of our regular clients I met Montgomery, Monty to his friends. To say Monty has a character you have to meet to believe is understating his charisma. On this occasion I was the lucky cat­sitter. One of the reasons I love house­sitting is that I can meet such adorable pets, and their owners of course. Perhaps I the founder of Housesitmatch might turn up one day as your personal pet­sitter.

Our house­sitting and pet­sitting network can help pet owners meet great checked pet­sitters, and secure care for their pets, for free, no matter where they are!

Meet Monty a cat-sitter’s dream pet Pet food banks

4. Post an advert for the dates when you want to go away. Sitters apply and you choose. How does it work?

Chocolate poisoning in cats and dogs

INGESTION of chocolate is one of the most common causes of poisoning in dogs. Chocolate contains theobromine and dogs and cats metabolise theobromine more slowly than hu mans.

FOOD banks for pets are on the rise in the UK to help owners who are struggling with the cost of living crisis ­ and the trend looks set to continue expanding given their success and rising demand.

One case is in Coventry, where Melinda Anthony runs a pet food bank by the Betty Ennis Foundation charity, supplying pet food and other animal essentials.

She set it up last year after encountering a plea on social media from a local couple who were in dire straits after he was laid off due to injury and she had been put on Universal Credit.

A call for help was put out and I received “loads of donations of food,” Melinda told the BBC, adding that she believes the cost of feeding pets is leading increasing numbers of owners to abandon them.

The idea is also catching on in Spain, especially since the Covid crisis. The first pet food banks opened in Catalonia several years ago and have since spread throughout the country.

The only requirements to use these centres are for the pet owners to be able to prove that they are struggling financially and that the animal is registered in their name.

If you are planning a trip later this year, register now to find pet­sitters in time. Even if it’s just a short trip, you’ll know that sometimes you just have to leave pets at home. Young and senior pets in particular benefit from staying in their own home, so they can follow their routines undisturbed. Let us help.

Choose Housesitmatch.com for affordable travel, home and pet care. These are the steps to take:

1. Register as a home owner on HouseSit Match.com

2. Choose a Premium account (£89 per year) to ensure you can help online when needed

3. Create a profile with photos of your pet and the house

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable sitters. Join our network for a small annual fee. You get ID checked for safety and then build your advert saying when you are going on holiday. Housesitters see your advert, they respond and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets.

Trustpilot Testimonials ­ 4.9 / 5 Excellent 10 out of 10 for housesitmatch.com

I have had nothing but good and helpful service from the people who run this site, and my experience has been excellent. Tristram Cosgrave ­ Dog and cat owner, Malaga How do you join?

Please register online via our website www.Housesitmatch.com.

Do you need a house-sitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either house-sitter or home owner with a 50% discount using coupon code 20EWN – an exclusive offer for readers. To find a house or pet-sitter go to www.Housesitmatch.com.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

The lethal dose (LD50) for dogs is 300mg / kg and for cats 200mg / kg. Cats are more sensitive but have little desire to eat chocolate. A dose of 80mg / kg is enough to cause severe poisoning. Even with an ingestion of 20mg / kg, slight signs such as polydipsia / polyuria (drinking and urinating a lot) and diarrhoea may appear.

Chocolate is not healthy.

The amount of theobromine depends on the type of chocolate. Only 24 grams of pure chocolate coverage would cause the poisoning of a 20kg dog and it would be necessary four times more if it was treats of milk chocolate.

The clinical signs are vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle tremors, rapid breathing, cyanosis, hyperthermia, hypertension, restlessness and if the poisoning is significant, seizures, coma and death. Symptoms appear after four to 12 hours.

If you think that your pet has been able to eat a significant amount of chocolate, you should go to the vet immediately.

In Costablanca Norte: Anicura Marina Baixa Hospital Veterinario www.veterinariamarinabaixa.com

Monty is a Burmese who loves company, his own and the catsitters.

Feeding our beloved pets has become a struggle for many.

CLASSIFIEDS

APP REPAIRS

WASHING MACHINE BROKEN? Call Bluesky Repairs for ALL your domestic appliance repairs. 626 430 671 (WhatsApp) (303019)

ARCHITECT

BUY & SELL

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

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CARS FOR SALE

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

CARAVANS CARE HOME CHARITY

El Campello Christian CommunityLife and Family Sunday Service at 11am Bilingual (English and Spanish) at C/ San Bartolome, 35 (Bajo No. 6), El Campello. For more information visit www.elcampe llochristiancommunity.org , email campellocc@gmail.com or call Juan Zúñiga - 686 203 183 (Spanish) or Sue Bishop - 610 639 426 (English) (233602)

THE SALVATION ARMY English Speaking Church of Denia Worship Service. Sunday 10.30am followed by a time of Fellowship. Everyone is welcome. Come as you are! For more information: Dieter Zimmerer +34 698 609 658 or Barbara Zimmerer +34 652 319 810 Email dieterzimmerer@hotmail.com, www.centrosaron.com (10008)

www.helpbenidorm.org and on Facebook VOLUNTEERS NEEDED, particularly if you speak Spanish, and have a car (although this is not essential). Tel President 607 387 040. We are an English-speaking charity that assists residents and tourists of all nationalities in times of crisis. We meet every Thursday at 11am in Jose Llorca Social Centre C. Goya s/n. Benidorm. We loan out mobility and medical equipment including oxygen concentrators on a short-term basis.

ELECTRICIAN FOR SALE/WANTED

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INSURANCE

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RELAX CENTRE in BENIDORMExcellent atmosphere. Expert Masseuses. 24/7 Outcalls - Tel: 603 324 564 (302452)

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PROPERTY WANTED

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AUTO BASTIAN mobile mechanic. Tel 608 860 725. (295111)

WE are currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 952 147 834.

NURSING

BLUE SQUARE REAL ESTATE is currently searching for Sales Executives to work in the Moraira / Javea and Denia area. A training package is provided and excellent incentives. Multilingual candidates, Spanish, French, Dutch and German are sought after. Please email hr@blue-square. com your CV (290140)

SKIP HIRE

JAVEA SKIP HIRE. CALPE TO DENIA. 2.5M AND 3.5M SKIPS. GARDEN OR RUBBLE.TEL:692 588 088. (302905)

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DECORATORS W.D. GILMOUR. Painter & Decorator. Established 35 years in Moraira. ESTIMATES FREE. Call William on 609 691 776 or 966 490 602 (301487)

PETS

NEED YOUR PETS TAKEN CARE OF? Not kennels, just a friendly home. Large fenced area. 699 790 080 Altea (294597)

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

MARK PADDON BSc Hons. MCIOB, CAAT – for buyer’s survey & defects advice. Tel: 653 733 066 / 962 807 247 www.costablancasurveyors. com (292966)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FED UP PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR MOBILE PHONE CALLS? THEN CONTACT TELITEC TODAY. CALLS TO SPAIN 7C PER MINUTE INCLUDING MOBILES. CALLS TO UK 5.3C PER MINUTE. NO MONTHLY FEES, NO CONTRACT. WWW.TELITEC.COM

TEL: 902 889 070 (2001)

TRANSLATIONS

SPANISH INTERPRETER for all your appointment needs, has car. Effective, Friendly & Affordable service. Call 609 679 808 (290313)

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Jeep Renegade - one of the most likeable off-roaders

ROAD TEST

byMarkSlack

EVERYONE knows that Land Rover has a fine, and well deserved, reputation for offroad ability. It seems that every other 4×4 takes second place to the Solihull masters of all terrain.

However, there’s another brand that has an equally fine reputation that precedes, indeed inspired, the genius of Maurice Wilks who founded Land Rover. Jeeps are synonymous with the Second World War and it was their ability to traverse seemingly any kind of landscape that led to some of the best off­road vehicles ever produced.

Jeep still produce chunky Tonka­toy like off roaders, and my test model was the Renegade 4xe in plug ­ in hybrid form. The petrol part of the power equation is a 1.3­litre 4cylinder turbocharged unit, the electrical assistance is provided by an 11.4 kwh battery.

The Renegade line ­ up is

priced from €34,173/£30,050 with the Renegade 4xe offered in Limited, or as with my test model, top­spec Trailhawk trim. All the usual charging options are available including a standard domestic socket. Being a hybrid, smaller battery, on a domestic socket the charge time is as little as 4 hours. For that you have a commuting range of around 26 miles, maybe more depending upon your driving style, and modes for hybrid,

electric and e ­ save (which helps charge the battery along with maximum braking regeneration).

On the road the Renegade is probably one of the most practical hybrids I have driven, with a decent turn of speed, 62 mph in just 7.1 seconds, and a smooth 6­speed automatic gearbox along with that allwheel­drive ability. That offers simple dial technology for the kind of surface you’re dealing with and even the ability to

lock the system into low range for real mud­plugging. In hybrid mode the transition between electric and petrol is smooth and as long as the battery isn’t extremely low e­save mode and maximum regeneration means you can see the battery charge climb.

Standard fare is good with all the usual motoring accoutrements even on the lead­in version with my €43,328/£38,100 Trailhawk model especially well appoint­

ed. The Jeep feels durable and is nicely appointed, but it battles against the fact that at this price it’s in Discovery Sport territory, albeit mild hybrid form rather than plug­in.

The Discovery will be seen as a more premium choice and

I’m not sure the plug­in versus mild hybrid systems will make much difference. It makes the Renegade’s job somewhat harder, which is a shame as the Jeep is one of the most capable, characterful and likeable off roaders you can buy.

JEEP RENEGADE: A capable and characterful off-roader.

Three year ban

A 24 ­ YEAR ­ OLD football fan has received a landmark stadium ban for sending racial abuse to Brentford striker Ivan Toney on social media.

Antonio Neill was last week found guilty of sending the offensive message following Toney’s goal against Brighton in October last year.

Tennis teen on top

SPANISH tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz crushed Russia’s Daniil Medvedev 6­3, 62, in the early hours of this Sunday, March 19, to win the Indian Wells Masters 1000 trophy in California. In doing so, he also recovered the No.1 world ranking.

His opponent arrived on a winning streak of 19 games unbeaten but the Murcian teenager showed that record very little respect as he proceeded to

thrash the Russian star. After just one hour and 10 minutes, the contest was all over. This victory was the third Masters 1000 that Alcaraz had achieved in his short tennis career. He already had this year’s ATP 250 in Buenos Aires under his belt. On Monday March 20, he was announced once again as the leader of the ATP ranking, 240 points above the legendary Novak Djokovic.

Neill apologised to Toney in court in January for sending the message, which was described by a judge as “exceptionally offensive” and with “racial overtones”.

He has been banned from every football ground in the UK for three years, the first such sentence issued under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

In addition, the ban

prevents Neill from travelling abroad for international friendlies, qualification matches and tournaments.

The new legislation was brought in last year to widen the scope of banning orders for online hate crimes.

Toney also received racist and abusive messages after scoring the

equaliser against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium in January, prompting Brentford Football Club to issue a statement declaring that, “Ivan Toney has been subject to sickening racist abuse on a regular basis, and we want to see tough action taken against anyone found guilty of such abuse.”

TENNIS SENSATION: Carlos Alcaraz with the Indian Wells Masters 1000 trophy.

BRENTFORD FC: Taking tough action against abuse.

Image by Michael715/Shutterstock

Title race over?

THIS season’s LaLiga title race looks to be virtually all over after Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2 ­ 1 on Sunday, March 19. A dramatic last few minutes at the Spotify Camp Nou saw Franck Kessie grab the winning goal with 92 minutes on the clock. This win moves them 12 points clear of Carol Ancelotti’s side, with 12 games left to play.

Marc ­ Andre Ter Stegen was called into action as early as the first minute to stop Karim Benzema from scoring for the visitors. Against the run of play, Los Blancos were ahead after only nine minutes when Ronald Araujo headed the ball into his own net.

“The league is not decided but it’s a huge win of course. I think we deserved the win and we were better than Real Madrid, we created

Finally found

MORE than one year after he was first reported missing, the body of Rugby League star Bryn Hargreaves has been found. The discovery was confirmed by his family on social media late on Sunday, March 19.

A massive search operation was launched after the former prop forward’s disappearance in January 2022 when he failed to turn up for work, where he had a job in the oil and gas industry.

Police units with tracker dogs combed large areas of West Virginia but they failed to detect any sign of him. To raise the money to pay for a private detective, his family even started a GoFundMe page.

Bryn’s older brother Gareth broke the tragic news on Facebook, posting: “RIP Bryn Hargreaves. With incredible sadness I can confirm after 14 months we have finally found Bryn. We still do not know the cause of death or what actually happened on 3/1/22. Thanks to all those that have helped in the search. We would appreciate a little space.”

An icon’s journeys

FOUR sporting icons are set to feature in a new brand campaign from Eurosport to unlock the power of sport through authentic storytelling of their sporting journeys.

The campaign will centre on double Olympic gold medallist Tina Maze, former tennis world number two Alex Corretja, seventime world snooker champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and cycling trailblazer Iris Slappendel.

The series kicks off with an episode starring Slovenian alpine skiing legend Tina Maze to coincide with the end of the winter sports season.

more opportunities,” said Barcelona coach Xavi after the match.

Sergio Roberto stressed: “You can never say the title is over but we have now gone 12 points clear so it’s diffi ­

cult for them. It’s down to us and that’s the most important thing. I’m just glad to have helped the team with a goal. It was epic at the end and I’m pleased for Franck to get the goal.”

Going live ahead of the World Snooker Championships in April, the second part of the campaign will see Ronnie O’Sullivan elaborate on how he overcome significant hurdles in his life to reach the pinnacle of his sport.

From mid ­ May and ahead of Roland­Garros, a tournament which saw Alex Corretja reach the final twice, the Spanish personality and Eurosport tennis expert will explain why sport continues to bring him good vibes.

The fourth and final part in the series, which goes live in June ahead of the Tour de France, will see former Dutch cyclist Iris Slappendel reveal her inner

she overcame them.

43 % of girls make up team sports.

TEN years after rising tennis star Jack Draper sat on the sidelines watching Andy Murray in action on the court as an 11­year­old, the pair met in the ATP Tour in California on Monday, March 13 with the Englishman coming out on top.

The atmosphere was charged as the two British tennis players took to the court in an epic sporting clash at the BNP Paribas Open, an opening stage of the ATP Circuit. The 21­year­old British tennis sensation stunned fans and experts alike on Monday night with his brilliant performance against fellow countryman, Andy Murray.

Draper proved that he was a force to

be reckoned with, defeating the legendary Murray 7­6(6), 6­2 to book his place in the next round. It was a remarkable achievement for the rising star, who had already beaten Daniel Evans in the second round and showcased his potential in the ATP circuit.

Draper’s win was anything but easy. In the first set, Murray had a set point at 65, but Draper saved it with a clutch ace, then went on to win the set in a tiebreak. From there, he turned on the style, winning the second set 6­2 before sealing the match with a double fault from Murray, breaking him for the third time in the match.

thoughts about the gender bias she encountered and how

NEW CAMPAIGN: Snooker ace Ronnie O’Sullivan.

English young tennis talent Jack Draper embraces Scottish superstar Andy Murray after beating him in Indiana Wells.

Photo credit: Jack Draper (via Instagram)

Image: WBD Sports

Credit: Twitter@FCBarcelona_cat

Draper stuns Murray

PROPOSALS have been unveiled in a bid to limit hitting distance for elite golfers.

In what is certain to be a major story in the months and years to come, the R&A and USGA have re vealed their joint propos al for a Model Local Rule (MLR) that gives competition organisers the option to require use of golf balls which are tested under modified launch conditions to address the impacts of hitting distance in golf.

The MLR is intended for use only in elite competitions and, if adopted, will have no impact on recreational golf.

Golf balls that conform to the MLR must not exceed the current Overall Distance Standard (ODS) limit of 317 yards (plus three yards tolerance) at modified Actual Launch Conditions (ALC) with a clubhead speed of 127 mph and based on a calibration set­up for 11 degrees and 37 revolutions per second (2220 rpm) as part of this proposal.

All other balls, including those typically used by recreational golfers with lower swing speeds, would continue to be tested using the existing ALC values (120 mph, and a calibration set­up of 10 degrees and 42 revolutions per second ­ 2520 rpm).

England suffers defeat

IN a thrilling conclusion to the T20 series, Bangladesh pulled off an incredible 3­0 clean sweep against a stunned England side on Tuesday, March 14 in Mirpur, Pakistan.

Despite looking in control at 100­1 while chasing 159, the pressure mounted on England’s middle order after the fall of Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan in consecutive balls in the 14th over. The hosts’ well­handled conditions and smart running between the wickets put Eng­

land on the back foot early on.

The defeat caps off England’s winter on a sour note, but it still marks their joint most successful winter of all time with 14 wins across all formats. The highs came from their T20 World Cup triumph in November and an excellent Test Series win in Pakistan, while the lows included the anti­climactic ODI series against Australia that followed the World Cup and this Bangladesh defeat at the end of the winter season.

England looks to regroup ahead of a packed summer season including a one­off Test against Ireland followed

by an exciting Ashes contest. Despite the disappointment in Bangladesh, England will be hoping to bounce back.

Sudden death

CHARLOTTE VELLAR , the talented young German football star from MSV Duisburg has passed away suddenly at the age of 16.

Football fans in Germany were on Monday, March 20, mourning the tragic loss of one of the country’s brightest rising talents at the age of only 16. Charlotte Vellar’s passing was confirmed on Sunday March 19, on the social media account of her club, MSV Duisburg.

The club’s statement read: “There is no comfort in this unbelievable pain. MSV mourns the loss of Charlotte Vellar, who died

far, far too early at the age of 16. Our condolences to family, friends and team members. We wish you strength for these incredibly difficult moments”.

Charlotte was hailed as one of Germany’s most talented young defenders. She made the switch from TV Kapellen to MSV Duisburg in 2018.

Charlotte’s final match was a 9 ­ 0 defeat of Bayer Uerdingen in the U17 Lower Rhine League on February 26. No cause of death has been revealed.

Messages of condolences poured onto social media in memory of the young football prodigy.

Bangladesh National Cricket team received a cheque after beating England with a stunning victory to close the T20 Series.

Photo credit: Bangladesh Tigers (via Instagram)

For elite golfers.

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