Axarquia 13 – 19 April 2023 Issue 1971

EASTER SUCCESS

Saint George’s celebrations

NERJA is set to celebrate St. George’s Day in style thanks to the local dele‐gation of the Royal British Legion. The or ‐ganisation is hosting a family fun afternoon in honour of England’s na ‐tional day, and it’s all for charity!

THIS Easter Week was the most successful ever as far as number of visitors and money spent accord ‐ing to the Junta de An ‐dalucia.

It revealed on April 11 that a report from the Ministry of Tourism, Cul ‐ture and Sport concerning tourism figures for the Holy Week saw the whole of Andalucia receive more

than one million visitors who generated income for the community of around €403 million which places this recent holiday season as the best ever.

Compared to last year, there has been a 15 per cent increase in visitors and an increase in the av‐erage amount spent of 27 per cent and the improve‐

Paws for a cause

A WHOLE host of animal lovers are coming together to mark the ‘Day of the Po‐denco’ hunting dogs on Monday, May 1. The APARIV ‐ Asociación Protec‐tora de Animales del Rincon de la Victoria and The Under Dog will unite pod lovers for a six kilometre walk along Axarqu’a’s scenic coastline to honour the occasion.

Dog lovers and their four‐legged friends will meet from 7pm opposite the Messai Mara Beach Club at the Torre del Mar prome ‐nade, where participants can register and pay a dona‐

tion entry fee of €5 to the charities.

The walk will then get un‐derway from 7.30pm, cover‐ing three kilometres to La Caleta before returning to Torre del Mar’s promenade.

The Day of the Podenco advocates for the welfare and protection of hunting dogs in Spain, in particular for Podencos which are of‐ten abused or abandoned, despite being loving pets. Podencos and all other dogs are welcome at the walk.

For more information, participants can get in touch by calling: 711 031 414.

ment in income is not on‐ly thanks to the increased numbers but the fact the average stay was half a day longer than in the past, generating an esti ‐mated extra €76.94 per visitor.

The amount spent, saw the ‘lion’s share’ collected by restaurants and bars at 45.6 per cent, whist 24.7 per cent was spent on ac‐

commodation and 5.3 per cent on general purchas ‐es.

As far as hotels are con‐cerned, the greatest num‐ber of stays took place in coastal resorts and as far as Malaga Province is concerned, there was a very acceptable 81.4 per cent occupation rate which was beaten only by Sevilla.

The event will take place at The Chapel Bar on Calle Jaen in Nerja from 2pm on Sunday, April 23. Guests can look forward to an exciting afternoon of activities, including a tombola with fabulous prizes and a variety of games to try their hand at. Attendees can also indulge in a se ‐lection of food and

drinks while socialising and making new friends. All gifts and donations are welcome, and the support of local resi ‐dents is appreciated. The Royal British Legion relies on this essential support for their charity of choice, the Poppy Ap‐peal, which supports ex‐service people in the UK and the allied forces. Last year’s event raised almost €600 for the charity, which the group could beat this year!

For more information, those interested in at ‐tending can contact Dorothy by phone on: 643 212 944 or : 951 834 488.

Dog lovers at Curro’s walk with The Under Dog.

Photo credit: The Under Dog (via Facebook)

The friendly group often fundraises for the Poppy Appeal.

Photo credit: Royal British Legion Nerja (via Facebook)

SEMANA SANTA: The crowds gathered in Motril.

Credit: Ayuntamiento de Motril

ONE AxarquIa town is inviting visitors to step back in history to the dawn of mankind. AlcaucIn’s Cultural Interpretation Centre officially opened its doors on Saturday, April 1 with an inaugural exhibition about neanderthals.

This exciting exhibition space features two rooms packed with fascinating arte­

Prehistoric wonders

facts and information. The first room is all about prehistory and includes replicas of bone remains found in the Boquete de Zafarraya Cave, as well as lifelike silicone models of Neanderthal families. The second room, named

‘AlcaucIn Territory of Borders’, showcases the town’s rich heritage throughout history, including the impressive Castle of Zalia and the Alcazar Fortress.

The museum’s grand opening was attended by the President of the Mancomunidad de Municipios de Axarquia, José Juan Jiménez, and the lo­

Cursed to thrill

cal mayor, Ágata González, who marvelled at the unique displays and artefacts.

Authorities hope that the museum will complement Alcaucin’s active tourism industry by offering new avenues for tourists to explore, as well as inviting locals to learn more about their town’s lengthy history.

Discovering local towns

ALMUÑECAR Council is putting on an exciting trip to the picturesque AxarquIa towns of Nerja and Frigiliana on Sunday, April 23, as part of the ‘Sexitanos en Ruta’ regional discovery programme.

The trip is the perfect opportunity for local residents to discover the hidden gems in these neighbouring towns. According to Beatriz González Orce, the Deputy Mayor, this initiative aims to promote tourism and encourage visitors to explore the beauty of these towns, “We want our local residents to participate in this fantastic proposal of Sexitanos en Ruta to discover and enjoy the unique attractions in Nerja and Frigiliana,” she said.

The trip will leave from AlmuñEcar at 11am and return at 6pm. For €10, the package includes a guide, bus transportation, and an unforgettable experience. Interested participants can register for the trip until Friday, April 14, at the Casa de la Juventud on Calle Teatro.

The trip promises a chance to explore the rich culture, scenic views, and friendly neighbours in Nerja and Frigiliana.

Betty Henderson

TALENTED author, Katie

A Lewis, is set to take Nerja by storm with her upcoming book signing event at Smiffs Nerja on Wednesday, April 19.

Hailing from Cardiff in Wales, Katie was raised in Spain and has recently published her first book in ‘The Cursed Series’, entitled ‘A Curse of Love and Law’ on Amazon. Her maiden novel has received glowing reviews from readers worldwide, including Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.

Lewis’ ‘A Curse of Love and Law’ is a gripping fantasy novel about a divided world on the brink of destruction. The author has also translated her book into Spanish to offer her diverse audience more options to enjoy her gripping tale.

Katie is not only a gifted writer but also a

teacher, sharing her knowledge of English, science, and maths with Spanish students. She even studied psychology for a period at the prestigious Universidad de MAlaga.

Guests can join Katie and her fans from 12pm at the Nerja book shop for a fun afternoon of book signing, chatting, and sipping on a glass of cava. Readers can also follow her journey on Facebook under ‘The Cursed Series’.

Talented local author Katie Lewis launches her first book.

Photo credit: The Cursed Series (via Facebook)

Nonagram 69

UNFORTUNATELY there was a small error in the Nonagram puzzle in Edition 1969 where the wrong let‐ter was shown in the text and the centre of the puzzle. The correct letter should have been D. Apologies to all those who struggled to find the correct solution.

Easter success

VELEZ-MALAGA bid fare‐well to another successful Semana Santa, with an 85.04 per cent hotel occupancy rate, proving its popularity with tourists. The impressive numbers are down to its charming beaches, unique attractions and bustling streets.

Film spot

EAGLE‐EYED locals spotted ‘A Place in The Sun’ filming in two destinations in Axar‐quia. Residents saw the UK property programme’s pre‐senter Craig Rowe with a couple in La Burriana and in the Balcón de Nerja on Tues‐day, March 10.

Musical jam

MUSICIANS and singers are invited to get involved with an acoustic jam session in La Vinuela on Sunday, April 16. Musicians will join Albert '’he Irishman’ for an exciting live music experience from 3pm at Ziggy’s Street Food and Tapas Bar.

Market mania

TRAPICHE market is offering a unique shopping experi‐ence each Tuesday in Los Jar‐dines del Trapiche from 9.30am‐1.30pm. Discover a variety of local fresh pro‐duce, handmade artisanal goods, and trendy clothing.

Torrox

Tornadoes

THE first officially recognised walking football team in An‐dalucia is currently seeking male players for their 50+ and 60+ teams and female players aged 40+ to join their forward‐thinking club. Con‐tact: 711 006 992.

Betty Henderson

PROPERTY lovers are prepar‐ing for a unique initiative in Almuñecar. The town is get‐ting ready to host the first‐ev‐er ‘Tu hogar en la Costa Tropi‐cal’ Property Fair on Saturday, April 15 at the Casa de la Cul‐tura.

The event will feature around 30 companies from the construction, furniture, and decoration sectors, all looking to showcase their top‐quality products and ser‐vices.

According to Javier García, the councillor for Urban Plan‐ning, the event has the full backing of Almuñecar Coun‐cil. “We hope that this edition

AXARQUIA has enjoyed an‐other week of glorious sun‐shine with temperatures soar‐ing to 30 degrees Celsius, thanks to warm winds. The stunning weather is perfect for outdoor activities, and tourists and locals alike can enjoy the beautiful beaches and pic‐turesque countryside.

While it was reported on Monday, April 10 that La Viñuela reservoir is at a low

Home sweet home

packed schedule of activities, including two conferences. One will feature local authori‐ties discussing upcoming tourism and urban develop‐ment projects, such as a new five‐star hotel and a new ma‐rina.

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Culture week

will be the first of many prop‐erty fairs that we’ll organise”, he said. Meanwhile, Isabel Sabio, vice‐president of BNI Vanguardia business group,

added that the goal is to sup‐port local companies and pro‐fessionals in the regional property sector.

Visitors can expect a

Sunny spells

level of 10 per cent, authorities are exploring options to en‐sure that water shortages are not severe this year.

The forecast for the week ahead is a continuation of the warm and sunny conditions, with only slight drops in night time temperatures. The inland

parts of Axarquia will experi‐ence stable temperatures, making it a perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy the glori‐ous weather.

The Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet) forecasts clear skies with a few high clouds and some low clouds

The other, ‘The Evolution of Mediterranean Traditional Architecture’, will feature a special guest appearance from Michel Dupey, the man‐ager of Les Rivages, a French property developer investing millions in luxury homes in the area.

and mists on the coast, with the possibility of fog. Light winds make for comfortable conditions for enjoying out‐door activities.

With the region experienc‐ing a prolonged period of sun‐shine, Axarquia continues to be a top destination for those seeking a relaxing and enjoy‐able vacation with beautiful weather and stunning scenery.

Water lifeline Walking warriors

CANILLAS DE LA ALBAIDA

are putting their best foot forward with the second solidarity walk with the Es‐peranza Breast Cancer As‐sociation of Axarquia set to take place on Sunday, April 23. This event is open to everyone, and it promises to be a fun‐filled day of outdoor activity for a great cause.

Participants will meet at the Tourist Office in the Axarquia municipality at 9am, where they will receive a walker’s kit fea ‐turing a backpack, a cap, and breakfast. The walk is a low‐difficulty eight kilo‐metre circular route, with 70 per cent of the path running through a beauti‐ful forest path.

The trail is suitable for the whole family and of ‐fers stunning views from the Sierras Tejeda Almi ‐

jara Natural Park.

The mayor of Canillas de Albaida, Jorge Martin, launched the event, say ‐ing registration is open until Thursday, April 20, for a donation of €5. Funds raised will support Esperanza in providing es‐sential services for breast cancer patients and their families, such as coun ‐selling, and workshops.

It promises to be a fun ‐filled day of exercise, fresh air, and stunning views, all while support ‐ing a great cause.

ONE of the main industries of Axarquia is agriculture and it depends on two major climate events, warm weather and plenty of rain.

It currently has more than enough of one and very little of the other which has prompted a warning from Asaja Malaga (The Young Farmer’s Associa‐tion) that drought has become a constant problem.

This has also had an affect on those raising livestock and with hardly any new grass growing and precious little wa‐ter available, those farmers are also suffering as they are hav‐ing to buy fodder and use pre‐cious water reserves.

Apart from agricultural use, there is a major need for water for local residents as well as the ever‐growing number of tourist visitors but there is a glimmer of hope ahead as one way to cope with water short‐ages is to turn salt water from

the Mediterranean into clean water for irrigation.

It appears the Junta de An‐dalucia is looking to resolve the situation by finally pushing through long demanded legis‐lation to create at least two new desalination plants that would alleviate the situation.

FOLLOWING the success of last year’s Cultural Week in La Viñuela, the event re‐turns from Monday, April 17 for six action‐packed days of activities.

The event will get under‐way with a launch ceremo‐ny at the town hall at 6pm on Monday, April 17, which will be followed by the opening of a photo exhibi‐tion, a video showing and a concert given by local schoolchildren.

The action will continue on Tuesday and Wednes‐day with talks and work‐shops on topics including historical women and recy‐cling. On Thursday, April 20, the town is set to hold an inspirational charity walk to raise funds for the Axarquia Women’s Breast Cancer Association.

On Friday, April 21, the town will celebrate ‘Book Day’ along with storytelling and poetry recital sessions. The action will come to a close on Saturday, April 22 after another packed day of community workshops in‐cluding dance classes which are open to all.

Authorities officially launch a new property fair.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Almuñécar (via email)

Organisers launched this year’s charity walking event. Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Canillas de Albaida (via Facebook)

Northern delights

Betty Henderson

LUX MUNDI Ecumenical

Group are headed north on the ultimate Spanish adventure later this year. The organisation, based in Torre del Mar will set off on Monday May, 29 for a five ‐ day coach excursion to the beautiful cities of Segovia, Burgos, Vitoria, Bilbao, and Aranjuez. Guests will explore these stunning destina ‐tions, starting with Segovia, spending a night in a luxurious four‐star hotel. After a guided tour of the Monasterio de Las Huelgas in Burgos, guests will be invited to explore the old town.

Next up, guests’ taste buds are in for a treat at a tour and wine tasting at La Bodega Campo Viejo winery before free time in Laguardia. In Bil‐bao, guests will take a guided tour of the

Guggenheim Museum before exploring the city at their own pace. Then, it's off to Sepúlveda for a glimpse into Spain’s rich history, followed by a night in a four ‐ star hotel in Aran ‐juez. Guests will have

PROVERB OF THE

Cherry blossom Scientific spectacle

PREPARE for a taste of Japan right in the heart of Spain, as the mountain village of Alfar‐nate hosts its second annual Sakura Festival from Satur‐day, April 15 until Sunday, April 16.

Situated nearly 1,000 me‐ters above sea level, this vil‐lage is renowned for produc‐ing the juiciest, tastiest cherries in the Axarquia re‐gion, with locals suggesting that its high altitude and cool‐er temperatures are the se‐cret ingredients for these deli‐cious fruits. The Sakura Festival was created to cele‐brate the village’s unlikely link

with Japan’s unofficial nation‐al flower, cherry blossom.

For one weekend, the vil‐lage will be transformed into a mini Japan, complete with workshops on kimonos, danc‐ing, martial arts, processions and much more. The Sakura flower arch, the centerpiece of the festival, will be unveiled at 4pm on Saturday April 15, officially marking the start of the event.

Events on Sunday kick off at 10am. Visitors can indulge in the market and food trucks, and watch Japanese dancing and street processions throughout the day.

Glorious garden party

time to visit the palace and gardens of Aranjuez old town before the re ‐turn journey.

The ticket price of €550 per person for a double room and €730 for a single room in ‐cludes travel insurance.

PREPARE for the biggest gar‐den party of the year! St George’s Anglican Church in Malaga is pulling out all the stops for a spectacular Coro‐nation celebration fit for a king.

On Sunday, May 7, the church will play host to a ma‐jestic event unlike any other ‐the Coronation of King Charles III. Guests are invited to ‘dress to impress’ in the patriotic colours of the Union Jack: red, white and blue, as the church rolls out the red

carpet to welcome a new British monarch.

The garden party promises an afternoon of fun with live music, a sizzling barbecue lunch and an inviting bar serving refreshing drinks. Or‐ganisers are planning an un‐forgettable day of regal fun for everyone; reservations aren’t essential, but will help with plans for the epic cele‐bration.

Entry to the event is free and all are welcome to join the festivities at this historic location. Guests can express their interest in attending by visiting: www.stgeorges churchmalaga.org.

King Charles III’s Corona‐tion is a once‐in‐a‐lifetime event, marking the ascension of the monarch to the throne. The ceremony will be packed full of historic tradi‐tions, with guests worldwide joining the celebrations.

A SCIENTIFIC showcase is set to bring together more than 2,000 science lovers in Rincon de La Victoria from Monday, April 24 to Friday, April 28. The 15th Science Meeting has been or‐ganised by the Bezmil‐iana Scientific Club, of‐fering fascinating insights on a variety of scientific disciplines. With 21 tents hosting workshops, talks, and exhibitions, there will be plenty to see and do. Students and teachers from all over the region, will be showcasing their science experiments, and guests are invited to see the latest develop‐ments in several scientif‐ic fields.

Activities and talks will run from 9am until 2pm each day, offering guests plenty of time to explore all of the oppor‐tunities available. As well as demonstrations, there will also be talks, workshops and confer‐ences. More informa‐tion at: www.clubcien tificobezmiliana.org.

Lux Mundi are always discovering more of Spain.

Photo credit: Lux Mundi Centro Ecumenico (via Facebook)

WEEK

“The quiet sow eats the food of the grunting one.” This is a medieval proverb meaning, whilst you’re busy complaining about your lot, someone else will have enjoyed it.

28% of white collar workers’ time is spent dealing with emails.

UK budget abolishes pensions lifetime allowance

The main tax changes announced in the UK spring 2023 budget related to pensions. The predicted rise from £40,000 to £60,000 in the annual tax-free has now been confirmed, with the big surprise being the scrapping of the lifetime allowance (LTA).

First introduced by Gordan Brown in 2006 to bring in more tax from society’s wealthiest, the lifetime allowance was significantly reduced over recent years and arguably disincentivised pension saving.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is hoping that abolishing it will help retain the senior workforce within the NHS and tempt some to return.

What do these changes to pensions mean?

With the lifetime allowance in place, anyone whose pension funds (excluding state pension) amount or grow to over £1,073,100 (unprotected LTA) would have to pay additional tax penalties of 55% for lump sums or

By Kelman

25% for income or overseas transfers. As of 6 April 2023, however, the LTA tax rate will effectively reduce to zero before being scrapped entirely in the 2024 Finance Bill.

Other pension changes effective from 6 April 2023 include:

The Annual Allowance for pension contributions increases from £40,000 to £60,000 and the Money Purchase Annual Allowance and minimum Tapered Annual Allowance from £4,000 to £10,000. The adjusted income

threshold for the Tapered Annual Allowance also increases from £240,000 to £260,000.

The maximum Pension Commencement Lump Sum for those without protections is retained at £268,275 and frozen for those without protections thereafter.

Do you need to act now?

For many people who have pension funds above £1 million (or likely to swiftly exceed it) there may be options to transfer to a suitable alternative pension scheme depending on their personal situation. It’s worth seeking specialist, regulated advice to look at your situation now. Pension transfers can take several months and the clock is ticking towards the next UK general election which must be held by 24 January 2025, and which may well see things change radically.

Following the budget, Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated the move was “ the wrong priority, at the wrong time, for the wrong people” and that “a Labour govern-

ment will reverse this move”. Recent poll numbers suggest that Labour could very well form the next UK government.

The reinstatement of the lifetime allowance on pensions is certainly not guaranteed, but given that senior members of a political party that could win the election made a definitive statement that could easily belong to an election manifesto, the possibility should not be ignored.

Other budget changes

The starting rate for savings will be frozen at £5,000, enabling individuals with less than £17,570 in employment income to receive up to £5,000 of savings income free of tax. Annual ISA subscription limits remain unchanged.

The government will formalise and extend an existing income tax concession for low-income trusts and estates. Calculations and reporting will become more straightforward and HMRC intends to amend inheritance tax regulations to remove non-taxpaying trusts from reporting requirements.

The various income tax allowances and the National Insurance contributions thresholds remain frozen until April 2028, and the additional rate threshold reduced to £125,140.

The two inheritance tax nil rate bands also remain frozen until 2028, and the cuts to the capital gains tax exemption threshold and the dividend allowance, announced in the Autumn Statement, go ahead as planned.

Take personalised advice to ensure your tax planning is up to date, both for the UK and Spain, and to full benefit from any positive tax reforms.

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

Keep up to date on the financial issues that may affect you on the Blevins Franks news page at www.blevinsfranks.com.

Chambers, Partner, Blevins Franks

Home makeovers

RESIDENTS in Velez‐Mala‐ga are in for a treat thanks to an exciting event at the Centro del Exilio on Friday, April 21 at 11am. The event will give out the details about how residents can get grants to spruce up their homes and buildings.

The regional govern ‐ment is teaming up with the Official College of Ar ‐chitects of Malaga to give attendees the lowdown on the subsidies available

for the restoration of their properties. The ar ‐chitect, Rafael Pozo Gar ‐cía ‐ Baquero will give the talk in Spanish covering everything from the reha‐bilitation of buildings and houses to neighbourhood regeneration and afford ‐able rental housing.

Guests will learn how to make their properties more comfortable, sus ‐tainable, and energy‐ effi ‐cient. The talk will also cover measures to fight

Record visitor numbers

poverty and help people with disabilities by giving advice on how to create safe and accessible build‐ings.

The grants can be claimed online through the Junta de Andalucia’s website until the official deadline on Friday, June 30. The programme has been designed to help lo ‐cal residents revamp their properties, to make them more livable, sustainable, and energy‐efficient.

Iconic site restored

WORK has begun to give Nerja’s iconic Bal‐cón de Europa a much‐needed makeover. Work began to partially replace the flooring on Monday, April 10.

Thanks to a whopping €108,299 grant from the Andalucian Tourism Board, the damaged white marble slabs will be re ‐placed and the pedestrian spaces will be widened between the planters to make it easier for visitors to get around.

This project is part of the ‘Municipal Plan for Infrastructure and Equipment to Pro‐mote Local Employment’, which was launched as part of the town’s efforts to combat the devastating effects of the Covid‐19 pandemic.

The Balcón de of Europa is a popular tourist destination and a symbol of the town’s cul‐tural heritage, so this investment has been welcomed by locals and visitors alike.

Betty Henderson RECORD numbers of visi ‐tors flocked to the Holy Week ‘tronos’ thrones ex‐hibition in Torre del Mar, with more than 10,000 people attending the event held at the Paseo Larios. The exhibition showcased the finest throne floats from Easter processions during Velez‐Malaga’s Holy Week, and visitors from all over Spain and Europe turned out to see them.

The largest number of visitors was recorded on Thursday, April 8 with a whopping 3,900 entries, doubling the number of visitors on any other day.

The councillor for Tourism, Jesús Pérez Atencia, announced the fantastic news, highlight ‐ing the importance of the event in promoting the region’s Holy Week cele ‐brations.

He added that most vis ‐itors were keen to know more about the Velez ‐

Malaga Holy Week cele ‐brations and had request‐ed information from au ‐thorities and locals about the processions, itineraries, and special bus schedules.

The event’s popularity is evident, with visitors coming from all corners of Spain, including

Madrid, the Basque Coun‐try, and Catalonia, while an increased number of tourists from the UK, Ger‐many, France, and Bel ‐gium also visited. The lo ‐cal tourism department continues to encourage more visitors to explore the region's unique cul ‐tural heritage.

Spanish military members based in Melilla also made a visit during the event.

Photo credit: Tenencia de Alcaldía de Torre del Mar (via Facebook)

British buyers still rule

GOOD news for the Spanish house market as a new report, from leading international property portal Kyero, has revealed that British buyers remain the biggest overseas spenders when it comes to buying property in Spain, three years on from Brexit and despite a 17 per cent fall in enquiries from British buyers last year.

In an analysis of one of the largest data sets in the industry (consisting of buyers from 194 countries and 154,460 properties for sale with over 3,000 estate agents) it was found that the British, who have long played a significant role in the Spanish property market, have (just) managed to cling on to their number one spot.

This is despite losing significant ground to German and Dutch buyers since Brexit, but overall the number of international property buyers in Spain increased by 80 per cent in 2022 compared to 2019. British buyers continued to make up the largest proportion of overseas property spending in 2022 (12.54 per cent of the total market value).

However, compared to 2019 pre­Brexit figures, the increase in spending is one of the smallest of all nationalities.

ADRIÁN BARBÓN, the President of the Principality of Asturias, reported on Monday, April 10, that five complaints will be filed about five individuals identified as allegedly responsible for some of the forest fires that have affected Asturias recently. He was speaking after participating in the meeting of the advisory and management committee of the Emergency Civil Protection Plan for Forest Fires of the Prin­

SPANISH party resorts waging war against boozy Brits have been warned their efforts are “backfiring spectacularly” as demand for trips has since skyrocketed.

In what was dubbed the ‘Costa crackdown’, authorities in Malaga threatened rowdy British stags and hens with huge three figure fines if they stripped naked or brandished a blow­ up p***s in public, while plans were even floated to install noise monitors in rooms.

Tougher rules were introduced in Ibiza and Mallorca, with drinks limits imposed to try and curb drunken bad behaviour.

They have been part of a wider EU wide crackdown, which came to prominence

Party on

PARTY

Companies say bookings are increasing.

when stags and hens from the UK were urged to ‘stay away’ from Amsterdam as part of a major campaign launched by officials in the Dutch capital.

5 identified for fires

cipality of Asturias (Infopa). Barbón indicated that there is also another line of investigation that could affect at least another 10 suspects, although this is still in an early phase. This latest wave of fires represents an “attack against Asturias”

the President insisted, in which there is “clearly” an intention. These fires, he continued, “mark a before and after” in government policies, with aspects from which they should “humbly learn” such as improving the defence of towns.

However, the boss of Britain’s leading stag and hen do provider said the only thing the “crusades” had succeeded in is making groups more determined to party in these destinations ­ with Brits seemingly undeterred by threats from the Spanish authorities.

“Our Amsterdam stag do bookings are up 50 per cent since that campaign launched last week, so clearly the message to ‘stay away’ isn’t getting through,” said Matt Mavir, Managing Director of stag and party provider ‘Last

Night of Freedom’.

And in the sunny Spanish party resort of Benalmadena, in Malaga Province, the company reported that bookings have increased by an astonishing 200 per cent since the new rules ­ aimed largely at stags and hens ­ were publicised last June.

“In Magaluf, bookings are up 60 per cent and it seems these rules are having absolutely no impact on people’s desire to party in Spain and the EU.

“That’s why we are seeing unprecedented demand for budget­friendly Spanish resorts like Benidorm, and even though there are tough rules, that’s unlikely to put people off partying there,” he concluded.

RESORTS:

1st Helsinki has the cleanest air of all world cities.

Ship’s oil spillage

ACCORDING to the group

‘Verdemar Ecologists in Action’, the remains of oil from the ‘OS 35’ ship that has been stranded east of Gibraltar since August 30 last year, are reaching the coast of the Cadiz region of Campo de Gibraltar.

In a statement published on Thursday, April 6, they argued that oil has appeared on beaches in the municipalities of Algeciras and Los Barrios.

“Today there were frequent oil stains from the Palmones river in Los Barrios to the beach of La Concha, in El Rinconcillo, in Algeciras,” they

claimed. “Specifically, these were balls of oil mixed with seawater and oil stains. We believe that the vessel still has the remains in its holds and oil circuits of hydrocarbons that may come out as a result of the storm,” they added.

Jose Ignacio Landaluce, the mayor of Algeciras, confirmed in a statement the arrival of

Andalucia’s reservoirs low

the remains of the spill on the Rinconcillo beach and called on Gibraltar to take responsibility for this situation.

Landaluce recalled that he has been warning of the danger of the ship remaining aground. It is a warning that: “the governments of Spain and Gibraltar have ignored,” he insisted. “These problems are the result of these mistakes,” the mayor stressed.

The mayor reported that since early on Thursday morning, work had been carried out to remove the fuel oil deposits that had appeared on the coast.

To tip or not to tip? New system dispute

THE system of tipping that exists when paying a restaurant bill in countries like the United States appears to be catching on in Spain. There are already reports in recent months of establishments in big cities like Madrid and Barcelona operating in this fashion towards their customers.

Some are known to be asking their customers for an extra 5 or 10 per cent of the total cost of the meal. This is a practice that has never existed

in Spanish restaurants before. While the hospitality industry claims that it is not mandatory to leave a tip, many consumers believe that this action ‘somehow replaces decent wages’.

The bills being given by the restaurants in question allegedly show the total without a tip, and then the amount with a suggested percentage of 5, 8 or 10 per cent, while some offer the option of a free tip at the customer’s discretion.

SPEAKING on Thursday, April 6, Ramón Fernández ­ Pacheco, the minister of Sustainability and spokesman for the Andalucian government, said that the data on the levels of the reservoirs in Andalucia cannot be described as “anything other than dramatic” as none of the basins currently reaches 30 per cent of their capacity.

“Andalucia today has more than 500 cubic hectometres less than we had the same week last year,” the minister stressed during an institutional visit to the town hall of Gador in Almería.

He continued: “We have been experiencing a series of months in which it has hardly rained and this has had a series of consequences that we are all noticing. In the agricultural sector, it is more evident, but also in the natural envi ­

ronments themselves that are suffering from this drought, as well as for industry and tourism.”

Fernández ­ Pacheco stressed that water is “fundamental” for Andalucia. Given the state of the reservoirs, the responsible public administrations can only “invest, invest and invest in infrastructures that make us more resistant

to this drought situation,” he emphasised, as reported by a news source.

He also referred to climate change and its effects, such as the lack of rain and the high temperatures that are being recorded in an “unusual way for the time of year.” All of this contributes to a greater risk of forest fires he pointed out.

RESERVOIRS: Are currently below 30 per cent capacity.

Clean-up operation on a beach in Cadiz Province.

Credit: EMJAY SMITH/Shutterstock.com

Credit: Twitter@Verdemar_EA

Tourism triumph

SPAIN is the place to be!

That’s according to the country’s phenomenal tourism data for the beginning of 2023. Data released on Monday, April 3 revealed that the country welcomed a whopping 8.5 million international tourists during the first two months of the year.

The data revealed that Spain smashed last year’s figures by more than 50 per cent. And in a further positive turn, tourists are spending more than ever before, with a staggering €5.33 billion spent in February alone, beating pre­pandemic figures.

The Minister for Tourism, Héctor Gómez, is thrilled with the results and predicts that figures for this

Las Canarias registered the best tourism data in the first two months of 2023, in part due to Tenerife’s world famous February carnival.

year’s Semana Santa will also break records for occupancy and spending.

In February, 4.3 million international tourists arrived in Spain, an incredible 35.9 per cent increase compared to last year. The visitors spent €1.5 billion more on their trips than in February 2022, a 41 per cent increase.

The UK continues to be

the top source of inter national tourists, followed by France and Germany, but other countries including the USA, Italy, and Switzerland have also seen significant increases in tourist numbers.

Las Canarias remains the most popular destination for tourists, with 1.2 million visitors in February.

Worries over workshops

IN a move considered shocking to many, Spain is funding workshops on ‘sex toys’ and

‘trans identity’ in Latin America. It was reported on Friday, April 7 that the Spanish

Holy shift

Betty Henderson

SPAIN is traditionally associ­

ated with a strong Catholic identity, but recent reports show that Catholicism is on the decline in the nation. A report by the Ferrer i Guardia Foundation, released on Friday, April 7 revealed that a shift in religious attitudes is underway.

The report found that four out of 10 Spaniards now consider themselves agnostic, atheist, or non­believers, while new spiritualities are on the rise. The trend towards atheism began during the transition to democracy after the end of the dictatorship in 1978.

The pandemic also appears to have contributed to the rise in non­belief, as people re­evaluated their moral and spiritual beliefs during a time of crisis. The younger generation appears to be leading this shift, with six out of 10 peo­

ple aged between 18 and 35 now saying that they do not believe in God.

However, the rise of nonbelief does not necessarily mean a rejection of spirituality. Many Spaniards are turning to new spiritual practices and beliefs. As Spain becomes increasingly diverse and open­minded, it is embracing new ways of understanding the world.

The news came at a fascinating time as the religious festivals of Easter, Passover and Ramadan coincide in a rare overlap which only happens three times every century.

Agency for International Development and Cooperation (AECID) is financing workshops covering sexual issues, inclusive language, feminism, and gender ideology, including topics such as the use of sexual toys and transgender identity in 10 Latin American countries.

The Spanish government’s policies of gender and sexual liberation have made waves within its borders. However, perceived attempts by the government to export its policies on the matter to Spanish­speaking countries, have sparked outrage in countries including Honduras.

What many Spaniards find most disturbing is that this practice, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has now spread to 10 Latin American countries, with funding for workshops on sexual toys, indigenous feminism, and ‘trans poetry’, among others. The funding comes from taxes paid by citizens of the European nation.

The workshops have been offered through the AECID, 18 cultural centres in Latin America and as well as Equatorial Guinea (the only Spanish­speaking African country).

Easter processions attract huge crowds.

Photo credit: Hermandad del Baratillo (via Instagram)

Photo credit: Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife (via Facebook)

Betty Henderson RESIDENTS in Albox are warning others about a father and son who allegedly swindled hundreds of euros from local businesses and individuals, taking advantage of the community's kindness.

The pair arrived in the town claiming to be divorcees in need of a fresh start and established relationships with sympathetic locals who offered assistance. However, it later emerged that the men borrowed money from kindhearted members of the community without any intention of paying it back.

Kindness exploited

Sums of money borrowed are said to range from approximately €200 to €800, while the pair also reportedly have outstanding bills with local bars. At least three denuncias (complaints) have been made to the police, one of which the Euro Weekly News has had sight of.

Tenerife and Turre. Local resident, John Hillen explained “We are doing this to warn others and to put a stop to their activities if we can.”

While the allegations against the pair have yet to be proven, those affected are warning others to be cautious and have informed the appropriate authorities. The pair allegedly drove a Nissan Niro car with the registration plate PN70 NGZ.

Four-day working week

Residents are being warned to keep an eye out for two scammers who allegedly operated in the Albox region.

Investigations by local residents suggest that these individuals may have a history of similar fraudulent activities in other locations including

Dutch drug domination

IN an unexpected turn the Netherlands and Belgium have overtaken Spain as the primary gateway for cocaine entering Europe, with cartels using Mexican cartel techniques to control the market.

The news announced in an United Nations report on drugs (UNODC) on Friday, April 7 also revealed that these cartels have become so powerful that they have even displaced Spain as the main hub for drug trafficking in Europe.

Recent reports suggest that several cartels are taking over the drug markets in the Netherlands and Belgium and are now producing more and more methamphetamine locally. The availability of cocaine in Europe has increased dramatically over the past decade, with Holland and Belgium now being the key players in the trade.

The rise in prominence of these ports has been linked to their location in the

North Sea, which have seen a surge in trafficking activity. According to the UNODC report, Albanian gangs controlling the drug market in the southeast of the UK are also supplied by Dutch ports.

The days of Spain being the primary entry point for cocaine into Europe are now a thing of the past, as the Netherlands and Belgium have taken over the illicit industry.

STARTING on Monday, April 10, the city of Valencia began experimenting with the four­day working week. It coincides with three consecutive bank holiday Mondays after moving a holiday from January to this current month.

In a pilot project promoted by the city council, its objective is to test the impact of the application in the city of a four­day working week. It will analyse the subsequent consequences on productivity, leisure, mobility, the economy, and the health of the people involved in working 32 hours a week.

The scheme spans the four weeks of April 10, which includes Easter Monday, and April 17, which has the San Vicente Ferrer holiday. It also includes April 24, which becomes a holiday replacing January 22’s San Vicente Mártin celebration, and May 1, which is Labour Day in Spain.

Once the four weeks have ended, the city council’s Las Naves innovation centre will evaluate the results in order to have the conclusions of this test prepared by July 20.

Similar experiments have recently been conducted in other countries, including Lithuania, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, Iceland, Portugal and Japan.

Photo credit: Maura Hillen (via email)

UK emergency alert

A NATIONWIDE test of the UK’s emergency alert service will take place at 3pm on Sunday April 23.

The government said it would only be used in “life ­ threatening emergencies”, including extreme weather events like the wildfires and flooding seen last year.

Messages will pop up on mobile phones across the UK, along with a sound and vibration that will automatically stop after 10 seconds.

Minister Oliver Dowden said the alert service could one day “be the sound that saves your life.”

The government has worked with emergency services and other entities, including the Football Association, to ensure it has minimal impact on major events for the test later in April.

It will coincide with some Premier League football matches and the London Marathon.

The government said the test was important as it will ensure people can recognise a real alert providing clear instructions about how to respond in an emergency.

The alerts are expected to be sent very rarely, only when there is an immediate threat to life, so it may be months or even years before you receive one.

Headache for The Crown

PRODUCERS of the highly acclaimed and controversial Netflix series The Crown have not succeeded in getting US actress Gillian Anderson to reprise her role as PM Margaret Thatcher, said a news source on Saturday April 8.

Gillian Anderson, 54, was praised for her portrayal of ‘Iron Lady’ Margaret Thatcher, winning an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her part in series four.

Anderson’s no­show has created a headache for Crown producers to rewrite the script after it was planned for Maggie to return in an episode about the golden wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.

The highly anticipated sixth series has already come under fire as to how it will handle the death of Princess Diana on August 31, 1997.

A spokesperson for the show said, ‘Gillian’s portrayal of Thatcher was met with global critical acclaim and she was a huge asset to The Crown.

‘It had been hoped she would be able to make an appearance in scenes around the golden wedding but sadly that has not been the case due to scheduling issues.

Coronation performance

THE American singing and acting legend Bette Midler is reportedly being lined up to make an appearance at King Charles’ Coronation concert on Sunday, May 7. According to a news outlet, the 77­year­old star will allegedly fly to Britain to perform for the new monarch at Windsor Castle. She will join a line­up of top acts, including Take That and Lionel Richie. It has proved a daunting task to acquire some of music’s biggest names for the free show. The Spice Girls, Ed Sheeran, Sir Elton John, Robbie Williams, Adele, and Harry Styles have all reportedly turned down the opportunity for various reasons.

Dragons love Mood Bears

“Although booking performers hasn’t been easy, due to busy schedules and the last­minute nature of the gig, bosses are quietly confident that a very special event is coming together,” a source told the news outlet.

“Landing a Hollywood star like Bette is a real coup and she will add real old­school glamour to the line­up. Bette is delighted to be taking part, she thinks it’s an honour. Organisers are pulling out all the stops to give people a real spectacle, there’ll be something for everyone,” they added. The icon has already appeared in 2009 and again in 2014 at the Royal Variety Performance.

Housing asylum seekers

ON Wednesday April 5, the UK Home Office announced that an accommodation barge in Portland Port, Dorset will be used to reduce intense pressure on the UK’s unsustainable asylum system and cut taxpayers’ costs caused by the major increase in Channel crossings.

Currently hotel accommodation for asylum seekers is costing Britain £6 million (€6.86 million) per day.

The barge, called the Bibby Stockholm, will be moored in

Portland Port and will accommodate about 500 single male adults during the time their asylum claims are processed.

The use of vessels to house migrants brings the UK in line with other European countries, for example in the Netherlands where migrants have successfully been accommodated on vessels, and Scotland which has also used vessels for Ukrainian refugees.

Last week the government announced that surplus mili­

tary sites will also be used to accommodate migrants who have entered the UK illegally.

A NEW enterprise has been hailed as a project underpinned by empathy and caused quite a stir on the season finale of Dragon’s Den in the UK.

Jo Proud stood in front of the intimidating dragons Deborah Meaden, Sara Davies, Touker Suleyman, Steven Bartlett, and Peter Jones and gave an emotional pitch while introducing her Mood Bears.

The Mood Bears were born from Jo Proud’s own struggle with mental health and while these bears were designed with children in mind, they have been known to help even

adults cope with their mental health issues also.

There are currently eight Mood Bears from Happy Bear to Sad Bear, and Nervous Bear to Angry Bear, the main emotions are represented. These bears certainly were emotive as one of the dragons Peter Jones, clearly moved by the project, called on all of the dragons to get behind this ‘movement’ as he described it.

He invited all the dragons to invest £4,000 for 5 per cent of the company.

Jo Proud was visibly moved by the reaction and could not believe it when

all five dragons agreed to invest all of the money, £20,000, for 25 per cent of the company between them.

With that amount of expertise on board, this is a product that is sure to succeed.

Each Mood Bear has its own colour and a small poem to help young and old cope with their emotions beginning ‘With feelings all confused and all in a muddle, each bear is unique and give the best cuddle’.

And really who doesn’t love a bear hug so if you want one visit https://moodbears.com/.

MOOD BEARS: The new project caused quite a stir on Dragon’s Den.

36% of British adults are bilingual. That’s over 24 million people.

ABBA guitarist passes away

IT was revealed on Sunday, April 9, that Lasse Wellander, the guitarist who played on some of ABBA’s biggest hit songs, passed away on Friday April 7, at the age of 70. He performed not only on their hits but also during the 1970s and 80s, he was was an integral part of the Swedish band’s huge concert tours.

“It is with indescribable sadness that we have to announce that our beloved Lasse has fallen asleep. Lasse recently fell ill with what turned out to be cancer that had spread, and early on Good Friday he

passed away surrounded by his loved ones,” Lasse’s family wrote in a statement paying tribute to him.

“You were a fantastic musician and humble like few, but above all, you were a wonderful husband, brother, grandmother, and grand­

father,” they continued, as reported by a news outlet.

When ABBA took to the road for a series of sellout concerts across the world in 1979 and 1980, Lasse appeared on stage nightly with the legendary members, Benny Andersson, An­

ni ­ Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog, and Björn Ulvaeus.

Lasse featured on no less than 24 of the group’s studio recordings as well as every one of their eight albums. He was also involved with the 2021 album ‘Voyager’.

Deportation delayed

THE temporary reprieve granted to Kathleen Poole, a 74 ­ year ­ old British grandmother with Alzheimer’s who was facing deportation from Sweden, has been met with relief from her family and the community.

On hearing the announcement of a pause on her deportation order on Thursday, April 5, Kathleen’s family have renewed their pleas for a permanent solution to the widow’s residency woes.

Kathleen Poole, who has been living in a care home in Sweden for 10 years, was told to leave the country after her application to remain after Brexit was rejected. Although her removal has been put on hold until a new decision is made, her family remains fearful that the deportation could be ordered at any moment.

Despite being bedridden, having spent the last decade in a care home,

Poland’s pledge

Betty Henderson

POLAND has pledged to send more fighter jets to Ukraine as the country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, visited its westerly neighbour on Thursday, April 5.

and having no family in the UK, Kathleen’s application was rejected in September 2022. Her family has been left confused by the situation and has been seeking a resolution for more than a year now.

The family are currently exploring options including making a new application for a UK passport. Meanwhile, MP Hilary Benn has urged the UK foreign secretary, James Cleverly, to intervene.

During the visit, the Polish President, Andrzej Duda, promised to send his country’s remaining fleet of MiG­29 jets to Ukraine should they be required, demonstrating Poland’s unwavering support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. Duda also said that Russia must be punished for war crimes committed in Ukraine. In response, Zelensky expressed his gratitude for the support, which has been critical in Ukraine’s fight against Russia since the beginning of the conflict last year.

Tensions between Russia and the West continue to simmer, as Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western intelligence services of being involved in terrorist attacks on Russia. Putin provided no evidence to support his claims, but asserted that third countries and Western intelligence services had plans to sabotage and commit acts of terrorism against Russia. Meanwhile, the Polish Minister for Agriculture resigned on Thursday over an ongoing dispute and protests about cheap Ukrainian grain which has flooded the Polish market, slashing the value of Polish grain. An EU tax break on Ukrainian grain has exacerbated the issue.

Crowds greeted Ukrainian President Zelensky as he met with the Polish President, Andrzej Duda across the border.

Photo credit: Andrzej Duda (via Facebook)

63% of Google searches are on mobile devices.

War crime justice

FRENCH judges ordered three top advisers to the Syrian President Bashar al­Assad to stand trial for their role in complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes in a court order signed on April 5.

The accused include Ali Mamlouk, head of security in the Ba’ath party, and intelligence officials Jamil Hassan, and Abdel Salam Mahmoud.

French prosecutors believe the trio is responsible for the deaths of Mazzen Dabbagh, a pedagogical adviser at the French school in Damascus,

A French court has launched an investigation.

and his son Patrick, who were arrested in 2013 and subjected to horrific torture that was “so intense that it killed them.”

The trial will be the first in

PRESS EUROPEAN

France directly directed at the Syrian regime, but not the first in Europe. In January 2022, a German court sentenced a former Syrian colonel, Anwar Raslan, to life in prison for crimes against humanity. While the accused are not expected to attend the trial or have lawyers represent them, French judges have taken the unprecedented decision of issuing international arrest warrants for them. The indictment was described as “historic” by the International Federation for Human Rights.

Catholic clampdown

THE Vatican City accused China of breaking a bilateral pact in an announcement made on April 4 after it appointed a new bishop to Shanghai, the largest Roman Catholic diocese in China.

The Holy See was reportedly informed of the decision to appoint Shen Bin as bishop of Shaghai several days ago, and the news has caused a stir in the Catholic community worldwide, who fear that the Chinese Communist Party may be trying to exercise greater power

DENMARK

Face the music

HEDGE fund trader Sanjay Shah, a British subject, will be extradited to Denmark, after a Dubai court threw out his final appeal. Shah, who was arrested in Dubai last June, is wanted in connection with an alleged €1.7 billion scam that helped companies defraud Denmark’s tax authorities.

THE NETHERLANDS

Beach stop

ALTHOUGH work on the station began in 2017, the Rotterdam metro made its first stop at the new halt on the Hoek van Holland beach only recently. The multimillion-euro station’s design takes into consideration its proximity to the sea, with specific measures protecting it against sand, wind, and salt.

within the church.

Meanwhile, the Vatican has said that the city’s auxiliary bishop, Ma Daqin, should administer the diocese, but he has been under house arrest since 2012 when he publicly rejected the ‘Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association’.

However, in a positive step between the Vatican and China, both sides have recognised the pope as the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church for the first time since the 1950s.

BELGIUM

Dearer food

BELGIUM’S government needed to freeze the prices of 100 basic products for three months to ensure people can afford to buy basic products, said consumer-protection organisation Test Achats. Groceries were 20 per cent dearer in March this year than they were in March 2022, Test Achats said.

GERMANY

Success story

RYYA ALSHEBL, a 29-year-old who fled Syria in 2015 and is now a German citizen, was elected mayor of Ostelsheim (Baden-Wurttemberg) with an overall majority and 55.4 per cent of the vote. Alshebl, who worked for the council in neighbouring Althengstett, described his campaign as “overwhelmingly positive.”

FRANCE

Official help

THE town of Denain in northern France is handing out €50 to every resident, regardless of income, in a bid to combat rising inflation and soaring food prices. This is the second consecutive year that the town council, statistically one of the poorest in the country, has run the scheme.

NORWAY

Salmon tax

SHARES in Norway’s salmon-farming industry plummeted last September after the government revealed plans to tax the industry, the country’s largest source of national income. Six months later the government said it still would press ahead with a 25 per cent tax on the sector’s biggest producers.

FINLAND

Be prepared

FINLAND’S Ministry of Defence announced in early April that the country intended to spend €316 million of acquiring the David’s Sling long range missile defence system from Israeli armaments firm, Rafael. The official announcement arrived a day after Finland was accepted into NATO.

IRELAND

Pro-choice

IRELAND’S Health minister Stephen Donnelly, announced that 8,500 pregnancy terminations were carried out in the country last year. Abortion was legalised in Ireland in January 2019 after a referendum held in May 2018 in which voters repealed the pro-life Eighth Amendment from the Irish constitution.

ITALY

Free speech

FRATELLI D’ITALIA (Brothers of Italy), the right-wing party led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, proposed a new law to “defend and promote” the Italian language by penalising the use of English and other foreign words in official communications. Transgressors would risk fines of between €5,000 and €100,000.

PORTUGAL Polly stops play

A PORTUGUESE youth league match between the Estoril and Estrela da Amador teams was interrupted for several minutes when a parrot invaded the football pitch. Two men ran onto the field and used their jackets to try to catch the parrot which evaded them each time before finally deciding to fly off.

UKRAINE

Sleep well

UKRAINE therapists have received training from British psychologist Dr Justin Havens in helping those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) nightmares. He wanted to support people in Ukraine who suffered “a double trauma” during the day and in their dreams at night, Dr Havens said.

SWEDEN

U-turn

SWEDEN, formerly a pioneer in LGBTQ rights, has for the last year begun restricting genderaffirming hormone therapy for minors, which is now allowed only in very rare cases. In December 2022 it also limited mastectomies for teenage girls wanting to transition, citing the need for “caution.”

STAT OF WEEK €22.8 billion

was added to the personal fortune of Amancio Ortega, founder and principal shareholder of Inditex last year, thanks to the increased value of shares in parent company Zara.

BUSINESS EXTRA No energy FINANCE

Going down

SPAIN’S Industrial Production Index (IPI) fell by 0.8 per cent in February compared with February 2022. This was 2.2 points lower than in January, the National Statistics Institute (INE) announced on April 5, marking a return to negative year­on­year rates following January’s 1.2 per cent rise.

What goes up

TESCO chairman John Allan told a BBC interviewer that he could not forecast when food prices would peak. He countered claims that Tesco took advantage of higher prices to make bigger profits and said the supermarket chain’s 4p (€0.045 cents) in the pound margin was “slender” compared to other industries.

Time out

UNDER Spain’s recentlypassed Family Law, new parents may now take eight weeks’ leave, confirmed junior Employment Minister Joaquin Perez. Following pressure from the EU, the leave, which can be taken in one block or partially at any time until the child has reached the age of eight, will be paid.

Doing well

BANCO SANTANDER loans increased by 4 per cent so far this year and deposits by 6 per cent, executive chairwoman Ana Botin told shareholders. The bank was seeing a double­digit increase in earnings compared with the same period last year and had gained another million clients, Botin said.

Banks blanked

INSIDERS revealed that 4,000 of the UK’s 5,500 high street bank and building society branches could close between now and late 2024 as the sector refashions its services. Opening hours and, counter services will be drastically reduced and customers encouraged to use in­branch ATMs and machines, they predicted.

Brussels’ Orange alert

THE planned €18.6 billion merger between Orange and MasMovil can expect scrutiny from Brussels.

The European Union’s Competition Commission, headed by Magrethe Vestager, is launching an in­depth investigation that will assess all aspects of the Orange­MasMovil merger.

“The Commission is concerned that the transaction may reduce competition in the retail supply of mobile and fixed broadband services as well as of multiple­play bundles in Spain,” a Commission statement said.

Orange and MasMovil are respectively the second and fourth largest operators both at retail and wholesale level for fixed broadband and mobile services in Spain, the Com­

mission pointed out, citing Telefonica, Vodafone, Orange, and MasMovil.

“There are also several mobile and fixed virtual network operators which use these operators’ infrastructure to offer mobile and fixed telecoms services to their consumers,” the release continued.

The Commission concluded that by

reducing the number of Spain’s network operators, the merger would also eliminate “innovative and significant rivals” which could then lead to higher prices and lower­quality telecom services for customers.

Once merged, Orange and MasMovil would have “the ability and the incentive” to restrict virtual operators’ access to the wholesale mobile network, the Commission said.

“This could reduce the ability of such operators to compete, and in turn lead to higher prices and lower quality of services for end customers in Spain.”

The Competition Commission now has 90 working days, until August 21, to come to a decision.

Long drawn-out privatisation

THE UK government has given itself more time to gradually sell off its holding in NatWest. The rescue of the former Royal Bank of Scotland Group cost the taxpayer approximately £46 billion (€53.4 billion) when the government acquired an 80 per cent stake in 2008.

UK Government Investments (UKGI), which manages the holding on behalf of the Treasury, revealed that the scheme to reduce its NatWest Group holding, announced in mid­2021 and

Worst award

MEMBERS of the consumer group FACUA have chosen CaixaBank as Spain’s Worst Company of the Year in 2022.

In the annual poll that was held between March 15 and 30 this year, 39 per cent of FACUA members put CaixaBank at the top of their list.

CaixaBank won the dubious honour on several counts, which included failing to return all of the excess fee that was erroneously charged on mortgage agreements. Interest on loans was described as “usury”, commissions were condemned as “abusive” while the bank was also criticised for refusing to return sums lost to phishing and smishing scams.

originally due to be completed by mid­August 2023, would continue until 2025. The government’s stake fell from 54.7 per cent to 41.5 per cent between 2021 and 2023.

Doubts have been raised

as to whether the UK government will be able meet its self­imposed 2026 deadline to fully privatise the bank, approximately 18 years after coming to its rescue during the financial crisis.

The government gave no reason for the extension to its trading plan but the decision was made in what has been a turbulent period for large banks, including NatWest, all of which were affected by the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank in March, followed by the

Down to earth

SIR RICHARD BRANSON’S Virgin Orbit filed for bankruptcy protection in the US after last­minute attempts to find funding for the struggling space firm came to nothing.

Its share price dropped 17 per cent to a new record low the same day, valuing the company at less than $60 million (€54.8 million), more than 95 per cent below its $3.5 billion (€3.2 billion) peak in January last year.

In January, when Virgin Orbit unsuccessfully attempted to launch the first­ever satellite from British soil, Branson’s LauncherOne rocket reached space but fell short of reaching its target orbit.

The mission was hailed as a milestone for UK space exploration and was intended to represent a leap forward in converting Britain into a world player, from manufacturing satellites to building rockets and creating spaceports.

THOUSANDS of small UK businesses said they risked bankruptcy now that the government’s energy support scheme has ended.

Companies prepare for huge increases as support for nonhousehold power bills comes to a close and fixed rate deals terminate.

Their combined impact means that bills for many companies could soar by up to 133 per cent, according to Cornwall Insight, which provides energy market intelligence and analysis.

The hospitality industry, still recovering from the pandemic, could be particularly hard­hit, with one publican admitting that he might consider selling his pub to a developer who wants to convert the building into apartments.

forced rescue of Credit Suisse by its Swiss rival, UBS.

“The recent banking sector turmoil has sent shares in NatWest down by more than 10 per cent over the past month,” Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor, pointed out to the Guardian. “This complicates the picture for the government which is trying to offload its stake at a time when investors are feeling nervous towards the sector,” she said.

Seat near the top

CAR manufacturer Seat is reaping the benefits of an improved supply of chips.

The Spanish company was particularly affected by the semiconductor shortage because the Volkswagen Group, to which it belongs, had consistently allocated chips to its most profitable firms.

SEAT has now seen its registrations rise 52.1 per cent to 18,040 units during the first quarter of 2023, boosting it to second place behind Toyota with 20,749 registrations. As a result Seat is once again jostling for a top position in the Spanish market after a grim 2022 when its domestic sales fell 30.2 per cent, after enjoying four years as Spain’s most­sold make.

Outside view

SPEAKING recently in Barcelona, Professor Paul De Grauwe from the London School of Economics said the EU was better off since Brexit.

Had the British remained, it would never have been possible to launch the Next Generation Funds introduced to offset the effects of the pandemic, De Grauwe told the Cercle d’Economia business forum.

“Let’s be realistic, the British would have been opposed to it,” he said.

“The reason they were in the EU wasn’t to strengthen it, but to weaken it from inside. That’s been their strategy for centuries.”

Moving off

OKYO PHARMA has applied to delist from the London Stock Exchange. The departure of the pharmaceutical company, which specialises in medication for ocular diseases, was seen in the City as another blow to London’s reputation as an international financial centre. The decision was prompted by the expense of ‘negligible’ trading on the main market, the ophthalmology drug developer told its investors. Okyo also reassured shareholders that the move would not affect its American Okyo Pharma Depositary Shares, which trade on the New Yorkbased Nasdaq exchange.

Magrethe Vestager: Heads the EU’s Competition Commission.

NATWEST: Due to be fully privatised by 2026.

Photo credit: CC/European Parliament Photo credit: Flickr/Emily Alexander

DOW JONES

BUSINESS EXTRA

Picture that

CINEWORLD will seek new funding as it announced having dropped plans to sell its US, UK and Ireland businesses after failing to find a buyer. The world’s largest cinema chain said it had struck a $2.26 billion (€1.9) deal with lenders to restructure its substantial debt and exit bankruptcy.

Gender gap

SPAIN’S National High Court in Madrid voiced gender discrimination concerns since cabin crew, 94 per cent of whom are female, receive lower travel expenses than pilots. Air Nostrum rejected employees’ claims, arguing that the groups were governed by different collective agreements and “did not perform work of equal value.”

A bite of the apple

APPLE’S principal subsidiary in Ireland, Apple Operations International Ltd, paid €7.7 billion in corporation tax last year.

At the same time, the company paid out $20.7 billion (€19 billion) in dividends to its California parent company, after reporting more than €63.5 billion in profits, a 2 per cent increase on 2021.

This meant the Cork­based company and its subsidiaries delivered a daily pre ­ tax €173.6 million over the 12 months to September 24 last year. Annual revenues rose

by $11.7 billion (€10.72 billion) to $223 billion (€207.92 billion).

It remains unclear which governments received the Irish company’s taxes, which

Outlook cloudy for many

FEW of Spain’s self­employed have noticed an improvement in their economic situation. This was the same or worse than a year ago, they said.

A survey by the Spanish Association of Self­employed Workers (ATA) found that, compared with the first quarter of 2022, their finances had improved for only 21 per cent of the self­employed.

It had remained the same for 46 per cent of Spain’s ‘autonomos’ while a further 33 per cent of participants in the poll maintained that their situation was now worse. Meanwhile, only 20 per cent believed their business interests would improve in the coming months, while 70 per cent calculated that it would remain the same or could even deteriorate.

Legitimate decision

amounted to 11 per cent of profits. Ireland charges a 12.5 per cent corporation tax rate, which would have resulted in a bill worth $8.7 billion (€7.9 billion)

Including deferred tax charges, Apple Operations International paid a total tax bill of $11 billion (€10.1 billion) for the period in question.

Apple has been present in Ireland since 198, currently employing approximately 56,600 staff, 6,000 of whom are based in Ireland.

In 2020, the European Commission ordered the Cupertino (California) technology company to pay a record €13 billion in back taxes to Ireland, on the grounds that it benefited from a sweetheart tax deal.

This amounted to illegal state aid between 2003 and 2014, Brussels said, enabling Apple to pay a maximum tax rate of just 1 per cent and as low as 0.005 per cent in 2014.

THE UK’s largest insurance broker warned of impending disaster if the industry had to pay claims arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The sector was not designed as a ‘backstop’ for the costs of war, David Howden, CEO of the Howden Group, told the Sunday Telegraph. “We’d all go bankrupt,” he maintained.

Howden’s comments came as the owners of approximately 500 commercial aircraft seized by Russia shortly after the invasion prepared to sue Lloyd’s of London insurers who refused to pay out around £8 billion (€9.12 billion).

Their decision not to pay up was legitimate, Howden argued. War had never been something covered by insurance, he said.

There was not enough capital in the insurance market to cover the impact of the conflict, he said.

“If policies were expanded the government would need to bail out bankrupt insurers,” Howden added.

APPLE: Irish subsidiary made €63.5 billion in 2022

Photo credit: Apple

Too much

RIO TINTO, which has raised its chief executive’s pay by 70 per cent, now faces a rebellion from shareholders at the next meeting. Jakob Stausholm took home £4.8 million (€5.48 billion) in 2022 after the FTSE100 mining giant made record profits on the back of soaring commodity prices.

Going down

SPAIN’S Industrial Production Index (IPI) fell by 0.8 per cent in February compared with February 2022. This was 2.2 points lower than in January, the National Statistics Institute (INE) announced on April 5, marking a return to negative year­onyear rates following January’s 1.2 per cent rise.

Holding on

MORRISONS said that cutting £700 million (€800 million) in costs over the next three years would allow it to reduce prices during the squeeze on consumer spending. The supermarket chain also announced a 0.1 per cent increase in samestore sales during the three months to the end of January.

RIP Josep Pique

JOSEP PIQUE, a Catalan politician, economist and businessman who headed several ministries between 1996 and 2003 during the governments of Jose Maria Aznar, died on April 6 in a Madrid hospital. The former president of Vueling, who was 68, had been suffering from cancer for some time.

Online flatline

UK customers return £7 billion (approximately €8 billion) of internet purchases each year, while more than a fifth of all clothes bought online are sent back. Increased returns owing to the cost of living crisis, were responsible for Boohoo’s 94 per cent slump in pre­tax profits, the retailer said.

It’s a tough job

Linda Hall

FOUR out of five UK companies and organisations still pay male employees more than females.

An analysis of the government’s report on wage inequality by the Guardian found an average pay gap of 9.4 per cent, the same level as in 2017­2018 when employers first had to publish this information.

The public sector’s gap has remained larger at 15.1 per cent compared with 8 per cent in the private sector. Both are similar to last year’s figures, the analysts found.

In practically half of companies and public bodies, males earned at least 10 per cent more than their female counterparts. In contrast, women

earned 10 per cent more than men in only 3 per cent of companies. Meanwhile, new research has found that women wanting to advance their careers must provide more evidence of their skills to reach leadership posts.

Alexandra Niessen­Ruenzi, head of

The next thing

the department of Corporate Governance at the University of Mannheim Business School (UMBS), and PhD candidate, Leah Zimmer, analysed the biographic details of 103,461 male and female directors.

Focusing on observable signals of professional and educational qualifications, plus past professional experience, the investigators established that women were consistently required to provide more observable skill signals. This was because employers found it harder to judge their unobservable qualifications for leadership, including emotional intelligence, communication skills, creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability, they said.

Chatting up Vodafone

BRITISH telecoms group

Vodafone has been approached by potential buyers for the operator’s business in Spain, market sources revealed.

While not officially seeking a sale, Vodafone would allegedly consider an offer if the price were right, added the same sources who were recently quoted in the Spanish media.

The company’s Spanish operation is estimated to be worth around €3.6 billion but although discussions are said to be ongoing it is not a foregone conclusion that these will result in a sale and Vodafone has declined to comment on the rumours.

Between 2018 and 2022, Vodafone saw its Spanish earnings dwindle by 16 per cent to approximately €4.2 billion and the company’s share of the Spanish market has undeniably gradually shrunk as it has had to face competition from Telefonica, Frances Orange and MasMovil.

Vodafone’s former CEO Nick Read, whose departure was announced last December, earlier failed to pull off the mergers and acquisitions that might have produced more competitive players.

Instead the company was completely outma ­

MOSCOW has approved the sale of Inditex’s business operation in Russia to the Daher group, which owns the Dubai Mall shopping centre. The Spanish fashion chain originally announced that the sale would affect 514 shops in Russia which had provided work for more than 9,000 employees. Nevertheless, Inditex explained when presenting its 2022 results

noeuvred when the proposed Orange ­ MasMovil merger was announced in July 2022.

In the meantime, Read’s successor, Margherita Della Valle has downgraded Spain ­ previously one of Vodafone’s principal markets ­ to a smaller group of lesser operations like Ireland or Greece.

Inditex exit

that only 245 shops would finally be affected by the sale, which was announced in October while still awaiting the Russian government’s definitive agreement. Inditex reported that it had lost €840 million on its Russia investment totalling €1.02 billion, with the €183 million difference

REPORTING a record annual profit of £870 million (€994.65 million, Next announced that it expected to raise prices more slowly as inflation eased.

The company’s profits rose by 5.7 per cent in the year that ended on January 31, while its total sales from trading of £5.1 billion (€5.8 billion) were 8.4 per cent up on the previous year.

The clothing and homeware retailer also warned that 2023 would be “very challenging” as its customers coped with the cost of living crisis.

In consequence Next said that sales were forecast to fall by 1.5 per cent, while it also foresaw that profits would drop back.

Real & unreal

corresponding to the sale of its shops via the recentlyauthorised operation.

According to an October 2022 report by the online specialist publication, Retail Detail, the Doher real estate group also owns the Inditex franchise rights in the Middle East and North Africa.

Saga losses multiply

SAGA’S losses soared last year amid stiff competition and regulatory changes affecting its insurance division.

Losses for the firm, which offers insurance, holidays and cruises to the over­50s, shot up to £259.2 million (€296.5 million) for the year that ended in January 2023, compared to £23.5 million (€26.9 million) in January 2022.

During the first six months of 2022 Saga took a £269 million (€307.6 million) good­

will charge after insurance sales dropped in the wake of Financial Conduct Authority rules. These were aimed ‘price walking’ where new customers pay less for the same services.

At the same time Kent­based Saga also reported returning to an underlying pre­tax profit of £21.5 milion (€24.6 million) owing to an upturn in overseas travel, which reduced losses in the firm’s cruise and travel divisions.

DEPARTMENT FOR

WORK AND PENSIONS (DWP) statistics revealed that 8.8 million UK residents earned more than £1,000 (€1,143) a week during the year ending in March 2022.

In real terms the average household income after housing costs was a weekly £565 (€645) ­ approximately £29,500 (€33,722) a year ­ according to the DWP figures.

The department’s statistics also showed that median incomes were 1.2 per cent, or £7 (€8) a week lower in real terms than when these were at their peak in the 12 months ending in March 2020.

More clout

IBERDROLA has sold 78 per cent of its Mexican business interests to one of the country’s publiclyowned companies for €5 billion. The sale follows regulatory problems ­ and what were described as confrontations ­ with Mexico’s president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The move will give the energy giant more financial clout and fits in with growth plans for networks and renewables in the United States and Europe.

It will also improve debt ratios while strengthening the company’s financial positioning, the group’s Chief Financial Officer, JoseSainz, said.

PAY GAP: Women have to work harder for less.

Photo credit: Pixabay/David Mark

VODAFONE: Share of Spanish market has shrunk.

Photo credit: Vodafone

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

I’VE never had much respect for politicians. Back in the 60s I witnessed a number of the ‘Old Boys’ club members with their trousers down, both metaphorically and in reality. Well I remember a prominent London MP rushing up to me at a Chelsea party.

Clad in a string vest and very questionable Y Fronts, he implored me to ‘take over upstairs’. Apparently the nubile and extremely eminent London agent he was cavorting with had become rather too much for him. I didn’t accept his offer I may add!

Another told me he thought smoking marihuana was ‘such fun!’ No I’m afraid politicians in general have never impressed me much. Boris and PartyGate was a mere bagatelle!

There is one overriding problem with the elder male occupants of the Westminster power corridors. The majority went to public school. These male dominated institutions meant that its students never really learned to mix with the female of the species. Their only experiences with the opposite sex were annual school dances and over bearing Nannies. This accom­

Seeing the light

panied by the odd fondle of the slightly more promiscuous young ladies from the local ‘St Trinian’s’, left women reduced to nothing more than subjects of locker room humour and ribald banter in the dorms.

The outcome of this attitude, resulted in the total absence of respect for those of a gender they considered not only mere objects of sexual titillation, but also intellectually inferior and subsequently had no important standing in the male dominated corridors of their future political ambitions.

Most of these elder statesmen on the benches fall into this category and still consider Westminster nothing more than an extension of their public school education and debating societies. As attitudes change, and more and more women are elected into the house, (over 50 per cent of the Labour party) these ex­public schoolboys are slowly becoming the dinosaurs of the political arena.

Frankly, apart from serious offences, consistently raking up ancient knee brushings and somewhat innocuous schoolboys sexist innuendoes is a complete waste of time and energy. (You

listening Ms Rayner!?)

Time to get back to more serious issues, like running the country for example! Thank the Lord the Labour Party has actually seen the light. At least they can use their female membership numbers against the Conservatives mere 24 per cent. Yet another weapon in their armoury of schemes and skullduggery to keep the government on the back foot till the next General Election!

Picked up a lovely piece of terminology in the news this week. ‘Non erotic cognitive distraction’. This is the condition of ladies having their moment of intense sexual arousal being spoiled by suddenly remembering they didn’t pay the milkman, or something of that ilk. Apparently sufferers of this unfortunate malady are encouraged to ‘stay in the moment’. The moment? Personally I would recommend a change of partner! Keep

STRIKING OUT OUR VIEW

AT the time of writing, up to 60,000 junior doctors across the UK are striking for four days, delaying everything from routine appointments to vital cancer treatment.

Despite the obvious risks to health however, one poll found that 74 per cent of the British public supported the strike. Which begs the question, just how broken is the NHS that we support lives being put in danger ­ by the very people who have taken an oath to do no harm ­ to fix it?

It had always generally been accepted that doctors (particularly at the junior end) are overworked and underpaid. But the heavy weight that the pandemic put on those at the front line coupled with the resulting treatment backlog and a cost of living crisis seem to have equalled a work environment for doctors that we can no longer accept.

Where did it all go so wrong though? Launched an astonishing 75 years ago, the NHS brought universal health care to a population who, until then, may simply have died from a simple infection or injury because they could not afford to be treated.

The envy of the world for many years, the NHS also inspired many other great nations to roll out their own equivalents. We now regard free healthcare as one of the main marks of a civilised country.

Like anything though, a great concept only stays great if it moves with the times. And it’s fair to say that relying on a habitually underpaid, overworked workforce to simply put up and shut up forever is not a long term strategy.

Equally, with an ever growing population how long can we expect the NHS to roll on for without massive change before more wheels start to come off?

AT LIBERTY SEGUROS they know how important it is for you to receive personalised attention and quality service tailored to your individual needs.

Thanks to more than 200 dedicated expat Brokers and Agents all over Spain who really understand your needs and speak your language, you will be able to receive a more bespoke, more agile and more tailored service, with firsthand expert advice ­ whether in person or by phone, email or WhatsApp.

They will not only recommend the most appropriate insurance for your current circumstances, but will also talk to you about the different covers that you can take out. Many coverages go unnoticed or are simply not asked about because it can be assummed that they will make the policy much more expensive; but this is not always the case.

In addition, whether you need to make a claim or want to modify or clarify a point in your policy, you can always speak directly with the

First-hand expert advice plus great offers… That’s Liberty!

breaks down ­ as standard, at no extra cost and book value plus 30 per cent compensation in case of total loss or theft for vehicles over four years old. Damages caused by collision with wild animals will be also covered, without the policy holder paying excess either.

take out a new Car, Home or Life policy with LIBERTY SEGUROS will receive €50 Cashback. Whilst this offer is not available for renewals or replacements, there’s no limit on the number of new policies that can be taken out per customerand therefore, there’s no limit on cashback rewards.

With Home policies, LIBERTY SEGUROS offers extended cover for garden and terrace furniture, repair of white goods and TVs and cover for jewellery outside the home. When it comes to Life policies, with LIBERTY SEGUROS you can also opt for Level Term Life Insurance with no premium increase for 10 years, as well as international repatriation cover or cover for critical illness.

person that you dealt with in the firstplace; the person who knows your case and who will attend to you personally. For your Broker or Agent, you will never be a case number or just another client!

What’s more, LIBERTY SEGUROS looks to always make things that bit better with fantastic offers for both existing and new customers.

From now up until June 27, 2023, both new and existing clients who

There are many advantages of relying on a reputable insurer such as LIBERTY SEGUROS, which has high quality products that can be fully customised to your needs and at very affordable prices.

There’s more; you can get a courtesy car ­ even if your vehicle

It’s not hard to understand why LIBERTY SEGUROS has become in the preferred expat insurer in Spain with over 150,000 international clients.

With this in mind, there couldn’t be a better time to switch to LIBERTY SEGUROS for even greater savings with the very best cover for all your main insurances.

LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

LIBERTY SEGUROS: The preferred expat insurer in Spain.

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

A RECENT report moves the spotlight on to the fire and rescue services just after the Met was found guilty as charged of institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia in a similarly condemnatory report that showed public confidence in the force at rock bottom.

According to this latest scathing review, there may be ‘predators’ like Wayne Couzens lurking in the fire service’s shadows as the toxic culture uncovered was ‘just the tip of the iceberg’. Examples of this ‘hotbed of racism, misogyny and homophobia’ included firefighters acting out a rape, expecting women to make tea and viewing racist language as ‘having a laugh’.

A ‘hotbed of racism, misogyny and homophobia’: seriously? Then we read that ‘some’ examples of unacceptable conduct were found in only 11 of the 44 fire services. But, we are assured, this ‘could be’ the ‘tip of an iceberg’. So, no evidence was found in 33 out 44 services.

How on earth is that rampant? More likely it ‘could be’ a report determined to trash the reputation of the entire fire service. And yet another lesson in how to de­

Which will be trashed next?

ridiculous. There seems to be a growing appetite to label all our public services as racist, homophobic and sexist. Largely, it would seem, from those who like to feel morally superior while sitting safely behind their desks. God forbid they actually get out of their chairs and contemplate putting their own safety at risk for others (remember Grenfell?). And then they wonder why these services struggle to recruit and retain good people!

All our public services are being attacked one after another by the same band of people. It has to be stopped. This is a total waste of public money pandering to the politically correct and woke movement. Who next?

moralise the vast majority of firefighters, police officers etc who are honest and do a hard job very well.

Which British institution is going to be trashed next week? This is getting beyond

Supporting those in distress

THE British Benevolent Fund was founded over a century ago to provide assistance to Britons in Spain facing extreme financial hardship.

Financial difficulties is something most people face in their lives and whilst challenging can be overcome with thought and planning. Both of these are almost impossible when the person has mental illness where making the right decision is difficult and where holding down a job is even more so.

In the case of John, a 34­yearold single British man who lived in Spain, having moved with his parents from the UK when they retired. His condition was such that social interaction caused distress and he lived in his room and his parents looked after him ­ he had never worked and relied on his parents for food, lodging and all life’s necessities.

Except that they could not cope ­ they lived modestly off a small pension and had little to spare for their grown forever at home child who required constant attention ­ and medication. Then came Brexit and the realisation that the social service

support, medical cover and local help was at risk as they had never registered as residents ­ and were no longer eligible.

They got in touch with a local charity for support to apply belatedly which would take some time to process ­ however they were confident that having been settled here before the deadline date they were still in with a chance.

But in the meantime, the medicine costs were now high and beyond their small means.

The charity ­ one of many at the Support in Spain website contacted the BBF to see if we could help.

The BBF mission is to support those in distress and with a child with needs we wanted to help. The issue for the BBF is that wherever possible we seek that any funds are used to overcome

a particular challenge ­ not ongoing support. In this this case all revolved around their chances of being approved ­ which if they were not would mean an unsustainable situation in Spain. We agreed to provide a grant to cover the following six months of medicine costs which would be reviewed depending on the outcome of their application.

Thankfully within three they were given the green light and their application was approved meaning that all state support would be available as well as that they would be able to continue living in Spain.

The BBF can only help with your help. If you would like to support our mission for Britons in distress in Spain, please visit www.britishbenevolentfund.org

Thank you. Olaf Clayton, Chair

Firstly, firefighters do a difficult and dangerous job ­ nobody doubts this. Nobody says otherwise. Firefighters demonstrate bravery, courage, self sacrifice etc. They can be, and frequently are, saints, but that is not a job requirement. The willingness to run towards a fire when everyone else is running away, and to keep returning until everyone inside has been rescued and the fire extinguished, as well as a technical insight into controlling fires from different sources, are the primary characteristics. We are fortunate that such men and women exist and put their lives on the line for us. They may not always behave as squeaky­clean choristers, but they get the job done.

First it’s the Met, now it’s the fire and rescue services throughout Britain. Where will other revelations of racism, misogyny and bullying in sordid corners of British society be exposed next? The NHS? The Coastguard? The Monarchy?

Good grief, are the justices of self­righteousness making it their mission to denounce every last British public service as ‘hotbeds’ of bad behaviour? How profoundly demotivating for the many fine staff members in all our emergency services.

How I love being told who to dislike every week! Who do I get to hate next week?

Nora Johnson’s 12 critically acclaimed psychological suspense crime thrillers (www.nora­johnson.net) all available online including eBooks (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, audiobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.

Thank the Borgias

LINDA HALL

SPAIN has had three or four popes, depending on whether or not you include the antipope Benedict XIII or Papa Luna (1328­1423), born in Peñiscola (Castellon).

Little attention is paid to Damasus I, born around 304AD, whose Spanish parents might or might not have lived in Spain. That leaves the Borgias, Callixtus III (1378­1458) and Alexander VI (1431 ­ 1503) whose family name was Borja.

They were two Valencian boys done good who didn’t have a good press then and whose mention today still brings to mind corruption, ill ­ gained wealth, poison and incest. Both were born in Xativa and met hostility and distrust in Rome, prompting grumbles that more Valenciano was heard in the Vatican corridors than Latin or Italian.

Ultimately, though, the Italians owe a huge culinary debt to the Borjas because they took with them the coca which Valencianos will tell you evolved into Italian pizza.

Admitted, the cocas you see in bakeries or those that emerge from a home cook’s oven have little in common with the cheese ­ heavy, sauceladen pizzas we have come to expect outside Italy.

Traditional cocas are more austere and the base ­ which at its best is light and airy but substantial ­ will be dotted with sparing amounts of sausage, chorizo, a sardine or an anchovy if you’re lucky, plus modest additions of red and green peppers.

To someone who has never tried one, a word of warning: you will either like or hate it. Naturally, this depends on the part of Spain where you are eating and buying coca, but newly ­ rich Mediterranean areas haven’t yet forgotten frugality.

Interestingly, Valencianos who emigrated to work in Algeria in the 19th and early 20th centuries took their cocas with them. Possibly it was not entirely a coincidence that the first time I ate pizza was in Benidorm in 1972 in a newly ­ opened Italian restaurant that was owned and run by an Algerian couple.

I think the Borgias would approve of that.

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.

BBF.

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

DAVID WORBOYS THINKING ALOUD

YOU can do it! How many examples have we seen of personal victory over adversity achieved through pure determination and courage? Throughout history, in many different fields, success has been attained against all the odds.

It’s no different in the world of music. Two of the greatest examples are from the unlikely pairing of Beethoven and Sutherland. Each had to overcome huge obstacles to produce the pinnacle of their art.

Beethoven’s triumph over tragedy and his journey from adversity to eternal glorification is one of the most inspiring in history. As a child he was bullied by his drunken father who was his first musical tutor and who beat him and locked him in the cellar whenever he made a mistake. From early childhood he suffered intestinal problems and was dyslexic ­ unable to read or write properly. His beloved mother died a lingering death when he was young. At 24 he developed a lung infection and then started hearing a buzzing noise in his ears. At 34 he had a fever for several months, abscesses in his jaw and finger and a septic foot.

For the rest of his life, his hearing suffered a gradual deterioration until he became

MUSICAL MIRACLES

ed and overcome so much suffering.

While Maria Callas is regarded as the greater operatic actress, Joan Sutherland was the Voice ­ the greatest of all coloratura singers. She took bel canto to new heights.

Joan Sutherland, a kind and modest person, was already, in her mid­20s, performing at Covent Garden, despite suffering severe sinus and dental problems. In addition she had to battle against acute back pain. She then had to take the risk of sinus surgery to clear the nasal passages. She was not a natural beauty but, despite her back, became strikingly elegant. Apparently, when Fellini was touring Rome seeking attractive female extras for a film, he singled her out in the street.

Despite the setbacks, she wanted to succeed and she worked on her voice. At Covent Garden in February 1959, she took the music world by storm with her performance of ‘Lucia’ and a global superstar emerged. The rest is history.

completely deaf by the time he was 46.

He became lonely and his love affairs were unhappy; he never married nor had children. But, despite this, he could transmit love and joy through music. In his last 10 years, totally deaf, he produced much of the greatest music ever conceived. At the premiere of the monumental Ninth symphony,

Beethoven, in the front row, was unable to hear the thunderous applause behind him. He was motioned to turn round to face the rapturous audience.

His only opera, Fidelio, with the emotional depth of its own story of triumph over adversity could only have been conceived and expressed by somebody who has confront­

Many celebrities have moved upward from difficult beginnings. So have even more who are only known within their immediate circle.

more from our columnists please scan this QR Code

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

Yurt glamping

DISCONNECT: From daily life’s hustle and bustle.

Top tips for camping

SPENDING time in nature, sleeping under the stars, and disconnecting from daily life’s hustle and bustle. If this all sounds idyllic then camping is for you, it is sure to help you destress. To make your trip as stress­free as possible here are some top tips to help you plan your trip.

1. Research the campsite/destination in advance. Make sure you check the weather forecast, the services available, and regulations and restrictions. For example, camping is not allowed in Spain’s national parks except in high mountains.

2. Don’t over­pack; if you

are new to camping, try a one­night trip first and just take the essentials as a trial run.

3. Regardless of the weather forecast or destination, always bring warm clothes with you. For example a fleece or a windbreaker.

4. Bring the correct footwear. For example, if you are camping in the mountains wear boots that offer protection and stability.

5. Charge your travel lamp, GPS, mobile phone, and other electronic devices fully before you leave, and make sure to bring a powerpack with you, also fully charged!

EXPERIENCE the latest trend in glamping with brand new wooden yurts at Daleacres campsite in Kent, England, from Experience Freedom.

Set in a pocket of grassy Kentish countryside close to sandy beaches in Hythe, the wooden yurts at Daleacres include comfortable rustic double beds and two single beds ­ one which becomes a sofa ­ ideal for couples and families, electricity and appliances to help prepare simple breakfasts and light snacks during the day.

After a long summer day at the beach or visiting the traditional market town of Hythe, glampers can enjoy a cosy summer ­ night settingwith fairy lights turned on to set the mood and

the fire roaring for some tasty campfire s’mores.

With the campsite’s proximity to Port Lympne Wildlife Park, guests fall asleep to the magical sounds of the park animals ­ giraffes, bears, rhinos and more.

During the cooler evenings or autumn

The main attraction

CARAVANNING continues to gain popularity year after year.

The freedom of movement (today beach/morning mountain), without depending on weather conditions, without haste or timetables and in direct contact with nature continues to be the main attractions of a sector that is already consolidated in Spain.

months, as the yurts are available until the end of October, a wood ­ effect electric heater can keep you warm inside for a relaxing escape.

To find out more about Experience Freedom or to book, please visit www.experiencefree dom.co.uk

The Spanish Association of the Caravanning Industry and Trade (ASEICAR) estimates that more than 100,000 motorhomes, campers and caravans will travel our roads over Easter in search of beach destinations, especially on the Mediterranean coast and in mountain areas.

Although it was still possible to find available rental vehicles, 90 per cent of them have been booked for weeks, many of them since the beginning of the year.

In addition to the 8,000 motorhomes and campers in the rental fleet, there will be more than 90,000 owned vehicles, including caravans.

David Worboys’s

Two incomparable but very different talents in the world of music overcame immense challenges.

For

photo credit Andril Lutsyk

WOODEN YURTS: Experience the latest trend.

Image: Camping & Caravan Club

Hello Leapy LETTERS

Further to your article in EWN this week, I presume that you are referring to Shoiba beach. I worked (for my sins) at the National Guard King Khalid Hospital in Jeddah from 1982 to 1984. When we first went to Shoiba as a BSAC dive group it was virgin, totally unspoilt. I went back in 1989 when the ragheads had found it and it was disgusting. Nappies, tin cans, rubbish everywhere. Ugh!!

Having said that, the diving in the early days was unbelievable! Probably the best in the world!

I attach some old photos for your interest. It was me who got the bus stuck in the sand!!

Best regards

Max Kite

Dear EWN

Just seen the article you posted about my art exhibition. Very grateful to you, as always. Happy Easter to all at Euro Weekly News.

Regards

Margaret Riordan x

Hi Bill

Bill took great care to avoid mentioning Nicola Sturgeon’s husband’s criminal activity; of course she will deny any knowledge of it and continue to bang on about Scotland’s ‘Independence’.

Leaving Britain and joining the EU is NOT independence.

Good article about Semana Santa though Bill.

Yours sincerely, Brian

Johnston Benalmadena

Editor , please let me know if you still require our NIE and address etc in order to make a comment !

Yes I am from Scottish heritage ­ the Johnston clan in Dumfries !

Dear EWN

I recently had my teeth whitened by a dentist in Fuengirola at a cost of €150. Whilst there was no guarantee that it would be permanent. I was very disappointed with the results. I was advised to eat only white foods and no coloured drinks for three days, which I did. The results were far from white. Just to let people know before they part with any money to get a guarantee. I did go back to complain but was told that at my age what do you expect. I am 83. I should have been told that in the first place and I would not have had it done. I gave since used a toothpaste whitener with better results for €4.00.

Yours, Mary

Dear all,

Lux Mundi Torre del Mar would like to thank you for the excellent coverage you have provided in this week’s issue. Best wishes to you all ,hope you had a good Easter.

Hi Leapy

Kind regards, Patricia

Rothwell

I am very sorry Leapy but I am going to hold you responsible for the state the world finds itself in.

Over 30 years ago I agreed with everything you said and asked you to take up the challenge and lead the world to a better future. You refused this challenge when you were obviously the only person that was talking any sense, and making your views known.

I am shocked and bewildered every day by the decisions our world leaders make, and feel so sorry that we are leaving our grandchildren such a catastrophic mess to deal with. Thank you for agreeing with me on most subjects and it is good to know there is someone else out there with some common sense. Keep up the good work.

Kind regards,

T Wiggins

Dangerous dogs

All these predatory breeds should be banned and current owners identified and told to surrender the dogs to the RSPCA. It’s time to get tough and protect ourselves and our families from people who feel the need to own these animals. Dog licences should be obligatory and priced to ensure that only genuine dog lovers can apply to keep a dog.

Alan

Big game

All endangered species are carefully watched by thousands of scientists, vets, field officers, ecologists, rangers and other professionals. You cannot hunt endangered animals and still get a hunting permit and import permits. The Southern Giraffe is the most numerous trophy ­ there are 30,000 and ranchers can raise as many as the market demands. They are not endangered. With rhinos, some private rhinos are offered for hunts in order to raise funds for protecting the rest, while wild rhino hunts are restricted to older males who deny younger, more virile bulls access to the cows.

The whole subject is far too complex and important to listen to deceptive emotionalism from HSUS/ HSI, an organisation that collects $200 million per year but little of it gets to save the wildlife of Africa.

John Nash

PETS

Caring for Nellie and Maisie

MANY of our pet owners find trusted pet ­ sitters through our network because the pets love the company. Nellie and Maisie have dog­sitter Chloe to care for them while their owner is away on holiday. This collaborative arrangement suits everyone perfectly. 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 homeowner on HouseSitMatch.

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

4. Post an advert for the dates when you want to go away. Sitters apply and you choose.

How does it work?

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.

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4.9 / 5 Excellent 10 out of 10 for housesit match.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.Housesit match.com.

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

SPAIN’S new Animal Welfare Law has been published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and the countdown to its entry into force on September 29 now begins. In the meantime, all guardians of dogs, cats, and other pets should inform themselves about the new legislation and make the necessary changes so as not to breach it

Can animals speak

SOME people say the best conversations they have are with their pets, they listen and sympathise with us, but here is the question do they understand us? Can we actually communicate with our pets?

The answer is yes. We communicate with our pets verbally and with facial expressions and gestures. Our pets then answer us with certain postures, and facial expressions, by barking and meowing, etc.. in fact, some animal experts have detected up to 21 different meows! Obviously, we cannot chat with animals in the same way we can with our friends and family, but it has certainly been proven we can understand each other

New Animal Welfare Law

when the time comes.

One of the rules brought about by this new legislation is the compulsory sterilisation of cats living in the home. It was announced a year ago that the new law would lead to greater sterilisation in general, but in the case of cats, it

has been accentuated.

This measure is driven by the data on pet abandonment in Spain that the Affinity Foundation prepares and presents each year. The latest report detailed that unwanted litters were the main reason for abandonment in our country in 2021 and the second in 2020.

This figure is related to litters of cats that are produced in an uncontrolled manner due to the lack of sterilisation and the freedom that many owners offer their animals to leave the home, despite how dangerous it can be for cats to wander around outdoors, as reported by a news source.

For this reason, one of the purposes of this law is the promotion of identification and sterilisation campaigns, responsible breeding and sale, among others. It is aimed at preventing animal abandonment and unwanted litters.

Article 26, concerning specific obligations with regard to pets, establishes that, in addition to identification by microchip, it will be compulsory to carry out: “the surgical sterilisation of all cats before the age of six months, except those registered in the identification register as breeding animals and in the name of a breeder registered in the Register of Pet Breeders.”

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

perfectly. Scientists have completed many studies to show that dogs can follow human communication. We all know that we can train a dog to follow certain demands like sitting, but a study also found that dogs interpret voices in the same part of their brain as we do. Not only that but it’s been shown that dogs use the left part of their brain to process the meaning of a word and the right side to interpret the tone of voice used also just like us and have been known to master words in the same manner as young human children.

So, feel free to continue chatting with your pets but maybe not in public!

Turtles perfect pets

IF you are considering the introduction of a new pet or even a child’s first pet, choosing the ideal type of animal is paramount. Turtles tend to be the perfect pets for children, especially as their first pets. They are an ideal starting point for children as turtles are easy to care for and so children can get involved with the tasks. Another plus point for turtles is their longevity, when cared for a turtle can be part of the family for a very long time.

A typical pet turtle can live

from 10 to 80 years ­ some have been known to live until 150 years of age!

Many studies show the benefits of children growing up with pets. Children tend to grow up happy, social, and more responsible. Turtles are a perfect first choice as they are undemanding and will be happy when they are cared for and well­fed. Children can get into a good routine helping to take care of and preparing them for possibly more complex pets in the future.

PET SPEAK: Dogs can follow words.

FIRST PET: Turtles tend to be ideal.

Chloe the dog-sitter loves dogs and here she’s looking after Nellie and Maisie.

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Lexus ES300h Takumi - driving luxury

ROAD TEST

byMarkSlack

IT takes a lot of time, money and hard work to build a new brand, and many automotive giants have tried and failed over the years. One manufacturer who succeeded is Toyota, with their luxury brand Lexus. Launched in the UK back in 1990 with the LS400, early second hand models with large mileages still fetch surprisingly good money. It was a car that was never going to set your driving senses alight but used the best quality materials and engineering and was supremely refined.

Although style is very subjective Lexus models have become less conventional in their looks but continue to major on quality and reliability. The ES300 follows that theme with a drive train that’s

Decarb package

MEASURES have been announced to increase the use of electric vehicles, as well as the production of sustainable aviation fuel in the UK.

The UK government has now launched the £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund alongside an additional £15 million for the On­Street Residential Charging Scheme (ORCS).

Taken together, the funding will support the installation of tens of thousands of new chargers across the country, increasing EV infrastructure in every area and ensuring the UK’s charging network can support the increasing number of EV drivers.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Transport is one of the most important sectors for achieving net zero by 2050 and so we must accelerate our efforts to decarbonise how people get from A to B while growing our economy and supporting thousands of green jobs. From expanding our charging network to boosting production of cleaner aviation fuel, today’s announcement is a great stride forward.”

smooth, refined and economical, but not one to thrash across a twisting cross country road.

Priced from €45,561/ £40,000 the ES sits just below the largest Lexus offering, the LS, and has just one engine option of a 2.5 ­ litre four ­ cylinder petrol/ electric hybrid, mated to a CVT auto matic gear box. It’s a happier engineering union than a lot of CVT and double

Facts at a Glance

• Model: Lexus ES 300h Takumi

clutch transmissions. Changes are smooth and can be encouraged via flappy paddles. There’s a more noticeable rise in engine revs compared to

remain high until the speed catches up. However, being a Lexus, everything remains pretty refined and quiet.

above a sporting drive. It’s a car that doesn’t particularly entertain, but isn’t designed to in fairness. The comfort levels

the seats are heated and recline. Other standard fare in the Takumi models includes, in a very long list, a fantastic 17­speaker audio system, an electric rear sunblind, large multimedia screen, head ­ up display, powered tilt and slide sunroof, LED lights with cornering headlights and a veritable plethora of other comfort, convenience and safety features. The interior as a whole is a very nice and impressive place.

• Engine: 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol-electric hybrid

• Gears: CVT automatic

• Performance:0-100kmh (62mph) 8.9 seconds. •

Maximum Speed 180kmh (112mph)

• Economy:5.3l/100km(53.2mpg) combined driving-WLTP

• Emissions:120g/km-WLTP

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

The ES is at its best as a comfortable cruiser and definitely for drivers who value quality and comfort

feeling of quality wherever you look. The front seats have heating and cooling along with a substantial array of individual controls even in the rear where

At €64,202 / £56,365 the ES Takumi isn’t cheap but it offers a size and level of equipment that puts others to shame.

If you like your automotive luxury, and want to be wafted along, then the ES should be on your shopping list.

Corsa in space

SPACE, the final frontier.

FUEL PRICES: Have fallen for the fifth straight month.

Price drop

UK fuel prices fell for the fifth straight month in March with another penny coming off petrol and 4p off diesel, according to data from RAC Fuel Watch.

By the end of the month, a litre of unleaded was 146.5p (down from 147.56p) ­ a price last seen at the end of January 2022, while diesel was reduced to 162.94p (down from 167.06p) ­ its cheapest price since early March last year.

This means the price of petrol has fallen nearly 20p from 166p at the start of November, saving drivers almost £11 every time they fill up a 55­litre family car (£91.3 in November 2022 to £80.57 ­ March 31, 2023).

Diesel, however, has dropped 27.5p from 190.5p, saving drivers £15 a tank (£104.77 to £89.62).

While the diesel pump price reduction appears dramatic, the RAC believes it should have been far greater as its wholesale price was very similar to petrol for most of March.

In fact, diesel became cheaper than petrol on the wholesale market on March 23 and has stayed that way since.

With space tourism becoming increasingly likely, it is time to address the mobility needs of extraterrestrial exploration and Opel is once again pioneering this new era.

The Rüsselsheim ­ based brand has just released advanced information and images of its new space mobility concept: the Opel Corsa Moon II.

The brand with the Blitz will be the first mobility provider to start to offer tourism on the moon as of mid ­ decade, once again sticking to its credo of making innovations accessible to everyone.

Consequently, Opel’s lunar vehicle is based on the German brand’s best­selling battery­electric Corsae. The Corsa Moon II is equipped with space ­ age technologies to offer the optimum balance between ride comfort, reliability

SPACE TOURISM: Opel is pioneering this new era.

and moon driving performance.

Based on the extensive knowledge gathered with the 1997 Corsa Moon concept car, the Opel R&D team identified solar energy as one of the best options for powering a lunar vehicle.

Built ­ in solar cells effi ­

ciently will power the 500kWh battery of the Corsa Moon II in a sustainable way.

The Corsa Moon II can cover up to 7,000 km in the ULTP (Universe ­ wide harmonised Light­duty vehicles Test Procedure) cycle on a single charge of the battery.

LUXURY: The interior is a very nice place to be.

On the move Malaga CF have three points in the bag

MALAGA CF headed up to Castellon to take on Villarreal B in their second consecutive match away from La Rosaleda in the last seven days. A loyal band of 500 Blue and White fans made the journey to the Estadio de la Cerámica on Friday, April 7, as reported by malagacf.com

Sergio Pellicer made some changes from the team that lost narrowly to FC Andorra on Sunday April 2 as the Costa del Sol club tries to keep pace at the top of Segunda B.

From the outset, Malaga CF came out with intensity, showing clear ideas both in defence and attack. Despite several attacks from the home side, Pellicer’s team dominated the first half.

It took just 14 minutes for Pablo Chavarría to open the scoring. After a great assist from Julian Delmás, the Argentinian striker popped up at the near post to put his team 0­1 up.

Continuing to press Iker Álvarez’s goal, Malaga once again, managed to generate a great chance.

Aleix Febas found Rubén Castro inside the penalty area and the number 24 crossed the ball to score his 194th goal in the Second Division. As a result, the legendary achieved a second milestone on the same day.

Castro is now the equal all ­ time top scorer in the history of Segunda B along with Nino. On the same day, he became the player to make the most appearances in LaLiga, accumulating an astounding 710 appearances.

At the start of the second half, Pellicer brought on Ramalho to replace Escassi ­ who had been shown the yellow card. Shortly afterwards, Lago

Junior came on for Chavarría, but with his first touch of the ball, he sustained an injury.

Whilst the Malaga striker was limping, Villarreal took advantage in the 63rd minute with Sergio Carreira’s shot making it 2­1. Immediately after the goal, Álex Calvo came on for the injured Junior.

Malaga maintained their lead until the final whistle to seal an important victory. Next Sunday, the team will return to La Rosaleda to face Cartagena on LaLiga SmartBank matchday 36. A large crowd is expected as the fans will once again be decisive in the search for a second consecutive win.

Candidate for Turkey AKP party

MESUT ÖZIL, the former Arsenal and Germany midfield star has put his name forward in Turkey as a candidate for President Erdogan’s political party.

After hanging up his football boots, Mesut Özil, the former Arsenal and Germany legend, has positioned himself for a move into politics. According to welt.de, his name appears on the list of candidates for Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s party.

This was also backed up by the Turkish news portal Haber7 which reported that the name of the 34 ­ year ­ old ex ­ international player was on the candidate list of the Turkish governing party AKP. Presidential and parliamentary elections will take place in Turkey on May 14. President Erdogan recently announced that ‘surprising names’ would appear on the list of candidates ­ including a name from sports.

It comes as no surprise that Özil is running for Erdogan’s party. The former footballer has openly acknowledged his friendship with the President for years, and in

2019 Erdogan was even the best man at Özil’s wedding.

Before the 2018 World Cup, Özil caused a stir by posting a photo online with the authoritarian head of state. The midfielder, then a German international, did not distance himself from Erdogan but did not want the image to be understood as a political message. In the course of the debates, Özil later withdrew from the national team.

Born in the city of Gelsenkirchen in western Germany, Özil has regularly commented on political issues in the past. Just two days ago, he called on his followers on Twitter to show solidarity with the Palestinians.

The ex ­ professional posted a photo in which he was wearing a top with the inscription ‘Freedom for Palestine’, in a message directed against the State of Israel.

Özil is on course with President Erdogan: the 69­year­old politician has played down the Holocaust several times by comparing the Jewish state with the Nazi regime.

LIVERPOOL stalwart Roberto Firmino will be leaving Liverpool after eight years it has been confirmed.

Brazilian international and Liverpool star Roberto Firmino, 31, has decided he will not renew his contract with Anfield bosses at the end of this season, wrote a news source, on Tuesday, April 11.

Full name, Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira signed for Liverpool in 2015 and has scored 109 goals in 359 appearances for the Merseyside club.

Firmino’s place in the football marketplace, who is available on a free transfer, is sure to attract much interest, with no less than Real Madrid throwing their hat into the ring.

As reported by El National , the president of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez is interested and could be set to ask the star to join them at the Santiago Bernabeu later this year.

Real’s Karim Benzema has yet to confirm his contract, which is also due at the end of this season but if he does resign the combination of him working with Firmino could be a powerful one.

In addition to the earlier comments from El Nacional, the choice of strikers available to Real Madrid is limited, as they are either too expensive or not trusted by the club.

Madrid are treading carefully at the moment after spending £52 million on Luka Jovic, who struggled at Los Blancos, before being released.

40,000

The number of registered association football clubs in England.

Leicester City new manager

ENGLISH Premier League club Leicester City announced its new first­team manager on Monday, April 10. Dean Smith will replace Brendan Rodgers who was fired on April 1 after four years in charge at the King Power Stadium.

The former Aston Villa and Norwich manager will take charge until the end of the season. He takes the reins with the Foxes languishing in the relegation zone and facing the dreaded drop into the Championship.

A statement from the club read: “Leicester City Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Dean Smith as the Club’s First Team Manager until the end of the 2022/23 season.

“The former Norwich City, Aston Villa, and Brentford manager will take charge of First Team training from Tuesday in preparation for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Manchester City.

“Smith brings a wealth of managerial experience and expertise to the role and, along with his coaching team, will be tasked with helping the Foot­

ball Club retain its Premier League status as we head into the final eight games of the current season.”

Speaking of his new appointment, Dean Smith said: “I’m really happy to have the opportunity to lead the team during these final weeks of the season. The challenge in front of us is clear, but it’s one myself and my coaching team have experienced before and, with the quality in this squad and the number of games remaining, it’s very much achievable.

“Our first job is to rebuild confidence and instil belief in the team and I’m looking forward to getting to work with the players this week. Saturday will be a big test, but it’s the kind of occasion that reminds us all what it means to be a Premier League club, competing on the biggest stages against the best players in the world.

“I know we’ll be well supported by our travelling fans. We have to connect with them and give them a performance they can be proud of. We go there positive, looking for points.”

ROBERTO FIRMINO: Is sure to attract much interest.

Malaga CF played against Villarreal B at the weekend.

Credit: Twitter@MalagaCF_en

Walking football end-of-season race is on!

EWN Over 50s League

• El Canadon 1 v 9 AC Benahavis

Bottom of the league El Canadon found the going really tough against a well‐organised, confident and creative Benahavis side, who showed why they are top by outclass ‐ing their opponents and scoring freely in each half. There are still games to go but, on current form, it’s going to take something special for anyone to catch them!

• Walking Dead 0 v 4 Malaga

From the first whistle, Malaga’s crisp passing, quick thinking and sharp movement made it diffi ‐cult for the home side, and they controlled the first half with three fine goals. Walking Dead tried hard to fight back after the break but Malaga maintained their discipline and carved out several more scoring opportuni ties, adding another goal

Spain’s Jon Rahm wins the 2023 Masters in Augusta, Georgia

to an impressive display and finishing 0‐4 winners.

EWN Over 60s League

• Walking Dead 2 v 0 Malaga

Walking Dead took their opportunities well, while Malaga lost concentration and gave away two care ‐less goals, one in each half. The visitors tried to make amends, but the Walking Dead defence re‐mained solid, often forc ‐ing the opposition to mis‐place their passes, whilst creating chances of their own, ending up deserved 2 ‐ 0 winners to maintain pressure at the top.

SPAIN’S Jon Rahm won the 2023 Masters after holding off the challenge of American golfer Brooks Koepka.

Rahm turned things around on the final day of the 2023 Masters at the legendary Augusta National Golf Club to win his first‐ever Masters tournament on Sun‐day, April 9.

American golfer Brooks Koepka led the field by two shots at the start of play. However, 28‐year‐old Rahm stunned his opponent by finishing on 12‐under after carding a three‐under last round of 69 to win by four shots and take the famous green jacket.

Koepka had to settle for second place, tying with the legendary Phil Mickelson. The 52‐year‐old American pulled out all the stops to finish on eight‐under after a stunning seven‐under round of 65. Further down the field, two previous champions, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, tied in sixth spot in this 87th edition of the event.

Scottie Scheffler, the defending 2022 Masters champi‐on could only manage a disappointing finish of four un‐der. The highest‐placed player from Great Britain and Northern Ireland was England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, the cur‐rent US Open champion.

Continuing a fine history of producing golfing champi‐ons, Rahm becomes the fourth Spaniard to win the pres‐tigious golf tournament.

Quite fittingly, his victory came on what would have been the birthday of Seve Ballesteros, the two‐time Masters champion in 1980 and 1983.

The other two Spanish golfers to win in Augusta were Sergio Garcia in 2017, and José María Olazábal who was victorious in both 1994 and 1999.

Spot two of our league clubs participating in next week’s Eurocopa.

EWN Walking Football Over 50s League Table.

40,000

The number of registered association football clubs in England.