Costa Blanca North 4 – 10 May 2023 Issue 1974

GRASS ROOTS

UP to 80 new trees were planted in Villajoyosa last week as part of the yearly ‘Arbre per naixement’, or ‘tree per birth’ campaign.

The project consists of planting a tree for every baby born in the town the previous year, so this

time Villajoyosa celebrated the birth of 80 new residents in 2022.

The site chosen this year was the park next to the new school on Calle Busot in the Gasparot area, which is now named Jardí dels Nous Vilers III,

New bus shelters for Benidorm

BENIDORM Town Hall is installing 15 new bus shelters to improve the service for public transport users.

Old ones that had become ‘obsolete’ have already been replaced in Calle Primavera, Salt de l’Aigua car park, Calle Langreo and Avenida Beniardá, with several others set to be installed at different points throughout the town.

The new shelters include digital information systems with updated timetables and frequency of buses, as well as offering shaded benches for passengers.

“This was an important request by residents and was totally understandable, as waiting for a bus on a bench or standing up in the sun with these temperatures is very uncomfortable,” declared local Mobility councillor José Ramón González.

or ‘garden of new vileros’.

‘Arbre per naixement’ was launched by the Environment department of the town council with the double aim of celebrating the births while promoting the development of a bond between children and nature by caring for a tree bearing their name, thus encouraging love and respect for the environment.

Image by Villajoyosa Town Hall

Image by Benidorm Town Hall

PLANTING TREES: One for every baby born in the town.

Improving the service.

Sorry, we’re full

THIS week’s bank holiday weekend has shattered all predictions concerning tourism figures in Alicante Province.

Spokespeople for the sector reveal that hotels registered record­breaking profits of more than €20 million from Friday April 28 to Monday May 1, with occupation levels being even higher than over Easter.

Many establishments ­ especially in Benidorm, which accounted for half the total hotel income in the province ­ hung up the ‘No vacancies’ sign as bar and restaurant terraces were packed with visitors, mostly from other parts of Spain such as Madrid.

Analysts believe that the figures are an indi­

THIS year’s Walk For Life by the Bruised But Not Broken cancer support charity will take place on Saturday May 6.

The group will meet at the Tabarca booking office in the harbour at 8.45am to start the walk at 9am from where they will walk down the promenade in El Campello to the restaurant Costa Blanca on playa Muchavista, turning round there to walk back to Bernie’s Restaurant which will be the finishing point.

cator that this summer will also break all records and that visitor numbers will be even higher before Covid.

Walk for Life

Here all participants will receive a medal and an option of either a bacon or sausage sandwich which have kindly been donated by Bernie’s.

The walk is approximately 10 kilometres but it is not compulsory to walk the complete distance. There is no time limit and participants are encouraged to take as long and do as much as they can or

wish. Mobility scooters and pets are welcome.

Registration packs are available at the Bruised But Not Broken shop in El Campello. Please call 965 776 578 or 608 514 896 for more details. Follow Bruised But Not Broken on Facebook and visit bruised butnotbroken.co.uk for more information about the charity.

Image by Cktravels.com/Shutterstock

Tourists enjoying the sun in Benidorm.

Inside the Coronation

THIS first weekend in May will be full of royal celebrations as King Charles is set to be crowned alongside the Queen Consort at a grand ceremony in Westminster Abbey.

The long weekend will be filled with celebrations, from street parties to concerts, as King Charles becomes the oldest new monarch in history. Code­named Operation Golden Orb, plans for the much­anticipated event have been released over the past few months.

Starting on May 6 at 11am, the Coronation Service will kick off a weekend full of events following their Majesties’ crowning in the Abbey in London, in a service that will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The King’s Coronation will include many of the ceremonies that were seen in the late Queen’s service, such as anointing with consecrated oil, the delivery of the orb, the pledge to be “Defender of the Faith”, and the enthroning itself.

It is understood that the anointing will not be shown on television and is set to be hidden from the public, as it was for the late

Queen’s coronation in 1953.

During the ceremony, the King will be asked if he will govern the UK and the Commonwealth with law and justice, and if he will keep Christianity alive in the country.

He will sit in the Coronation Chair, also known as Edward’s Chair, holding the sovereign’s sceptre and rod to symbolise his power over the nation, as well as the sovereign’s orb to represent the Christian world.

After the Archbishop has anointed, blessed, and consecrated Charles, the crown of St Edward will be placed on his head, crowning him as King Charles III.

Countdown to Coronation

FOLLOWING the death of the Queen on September 8, 2022, King Charles became the king of the United Kingdom and the Com monwealth Realms. Born on November 14, 1948, at Buckingham Palace, he is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Charles attended several schools during his childhood, including Hill House School in London and Gordonstoun School in Scotland. He later

King’s Coronation:

Where to watch

KING CHARLES III and Camilla will be crowned on Saturday, May 6. Before and after the Coronation service at Westminster Abbey in London, there will be ceremonial processions which will be aired live on national television, radio, and online, as well as exhibited on giant screens at locations around the country.

If you are planning on tuning in to the King’s coronation on television, here are all the details you need about channels and timings so you don’t miss a moment of this major historical event!

On Sky News, Coronation day coverage will kick off at 6am on Saturday, May 6. Live coverage will also be available to view on BBC and BBC iPlayer throughout the day, with mirroring coverage also available on ITV.

Although exact timings may change, the official ceremony is set to start at 11am at Westminster Abbey, with broadcasters’ promising live footage from multiple angles to give you a front­row seat, complete with a running live commentary.

Those outside of the UK can watch the events and coverage on CNN, NBC, Fox News and other major US stations, as well as YouTube live streams and live TV subscriptions such as Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, Sling TV and FuboTV.

studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1970 and a Master of Arts degree in 1975.

Charles has been involved in public life for many years and has taken an active interest in a wide range of issues, such as environmental sustainability, architecture, and education.

He has also served as the patron or president of numerous charitable organisations including The Prince’s Wool Project, START, and The Cambrian Mountain Initiative.

In 1981, Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, who became known as Princess Diana. They had sons William and Harry before their divorce in 1996 and she died in 1997. Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005, and she is now known as the Duchess of Cornwall.

Throughout his life, Charles has been known for his advocacy for environmental sustainability and for his interest in traditional architecture. He has written several books on these subjects, including ‘A Vision of Britain: A Personal View of Architecture’ and ‘Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World’.

As king, Charles is expected to continue his advocacy for these causes while carrying out his duties as head of state.

The Coronation Concert

THE day after the King’s Coronation, on Sunday, May 7, viewers can watch the Coronation Concert live on BBC and iPlayer. Taking place on the East Lawn of Windsor Castle, exact timings are yet to be announced but the concert is set to start at 8pm and coverage is likely to start earlier in the lead­up to the event.

The star­studded musical show will feature performances from Take That, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Italian opera star Andrea Bocelli and Welsh singer Sir Bryn Terfel, amongst others. There will also be a performance from the Coronation Choir ­ a group of amateur singers and community choirs made up of refugees and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

‘Paddington’ and ‘Downton Abbey’ star, Hugh Bonneville will host the gig.

King Charles set to be crowned.

TAKE THAT: Just one of many performers taking part.

Charles married Camilla in 2005.

Image –Official Take That Facebook page

Image –The Royal Family Facebook page

A Visit from Germany Blood drive

A LEADING German travel programme on Sunday broadcast a report on Villajoyosa’s Bou Ferrer sunken shipwreck.

Boot sale treasure

A BRITISH woman who purchased two vases for €8 at a car boot sale in Alicante Province five years ago auctioned them in England for a starting price of £800 this week. Christine Rehm told a news source she discovered the vases at a stall when she was living in an undisclosed town in Alicante Province. She reported that the pieces were marked at €10 but the seller let her have them for €8 “as he wanted to get rid of them.” Ms Rehm admits that she did not know what the pieces were, but simply liked their

colour and style.

After keeping the vases in a cabinet for five years, Ms Rehm was reportedly remodelling her lounge and decided to take the vases to Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Burton Market Hall “to see if they were worth anything.”

Her surprise came when the antiques experts informed her the pieces were Loetz originals ­ a renowned Art Nouveau glass designer from pre­war Bohemia in the 1900s ­ and they could fetch up to £1,200 at auction.

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

A team for Wunderschön by Germany’s WDR broadcasting corporation sent a team to investigate and film sequences of the Bou Ferrer with show host Tamina Kallert in May last year.

Film settings included the maritime environment of the wreck and the Marina ­ the underwater operational base of the Bou Ferrer project.

The television crew were accompanied by the discoverers of the shipwreck, José Bou and Antoine Ferrer, with Alicante University providing high ­ quality underwater images.

Means that a foolish person spends money too quickly on unimportant things. The phrase was used by poet Thomas Tusser in a poem he wrote called Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry in 1557.

Special attention was also paid to the Vila Museu museum, where the cameras took in the work being carried out to restore the objects rescued from the Bou Ferrer including 700 Roman amphoras and a collection of lead ingots bearing the seals of Nero ­ which can be visited as part of the guided tours at Vila Museu.

The chapter is entitled From Alicante to Valencia and will be available to watch online in the WDR media library at

wunderschoen.wdr.de for up to a year.

Wunderschön is said to be one of the most popular travel and tourism programmes on German television.

53% of British tablet owners use an Apple iPad.

THE latest edition of the Llàgrimes de Santa Marta blood donation marathon in Villajoyosa was a resounding success. A total of 36 litres of blood were collected thanks to 72 donors, 12 of whom had never given blood before. They accounted for 90 per cent of volunteers who were allowed to donate, as the remaining 10 per cent sadly had to be refused. The event, which kicked off the local Santa Marta festivities, was held on the ground floor of the Cristóbal Zaragoza library and was organised jointly by the Health and Fiestas departments of Villajoyosa Town Hall, the Santa Marta Association and Alicante Transfusion Centre.

Villajoyosa Council thanked everyone who made the donation possible and reminded the public that around 650 units of blood are needed every day in the Valencia Region ­ 250 in Alicante Province ­ to deal with the demand from hospitals.

• Diagnostic imaging and ultrasound Rx

• Clinical tests and serological tests, internal medicine, parasitology

• Soft Tissue Surgery and Traumatology

• Ethology, behavioural disorders and animal behaviour

• Physiotherapy, acupuncture, custom recovery and Healing touch

• Ophthalmology

• Dentistry and dental surgery & more

• Import - Export

Image by Villajoyosa Town Hall

The German television crew filming in Vila Museu.

ART NOUVEAU: Examples of Loetz vases.

Image by Wikimedia Commons

“A fool and his money are soon parted.”

EXPERTS are closely analysing sea temperatures out of concern that this summer could see a return of last year’s heat spike.

The Mediterranean reached more than 30ºC in August 2022, a situation that can lead to severe short and longterm environmental consequences such as violent storms and breathing prob -

New health centre plans

THE plans have been drawn up for Pedreguer’s new health centre. The building has been designed to be energy-neutral and is a long-standing request by users of the old centre, which has become obsolete.

According to the plans, the centre will be ‘architecturally healthy and sustainable’, obeying current guidelines for new public buildings such as offering ‘climate comfort’ and with the entire energy supply coming from renewable sources, ie solar panels.

Every aspect including isolation, orientation, windows and ventilation have been designed to achieve thermal comfort and maximise energy consumption.

In addition, the building will surround an inside patio with vegetation that will be watered through a rainwater collection and storage system, with trees also planted on the outside of the centre.

The plans will shortly be put on public display for residents to examine. Work is expected to begin in June and take 18 months to complete.

Mediterranean ‘bath’

lems for fish and marine wildlife.

With April registering temperatures above 38ºC in some parts of Alicante, the sea off the province’s coast is currently at 20ºC - but this is expected to increase gradually as the summer sea -

Some tight lines

CARP-R-US fishing club returned to El Bosquet last week for Round 5 of their Spring Series.

Fortunately, the high temperatures of the previous days had gone and the match was fished in very pleasant conditions. At the draw ‘Golden Arm’

Steve Higgins drew the favoured peg 16 and was expected to win the match easily.

As it turned out it was ex-England international Vinnie Smith who gave a master class in fishing floating pole on peg 12 to

take 44.06kg using pellets and maggots as bait.

Steve Higgins did manage the runner-up spot with 22.74kg using pole and pellet tactics. Third place was for Steve Fell on peg 8 with 16.80kg, again using pole and pellet, and fourth was Paul Burton on peg 15 with 7.66kg caught using pole feeder and pellet.

For further information on Carp R Us visit www.carp-r-us.weebly. com and follow Carp-R-Us Fishing Costa Blanca on Facebook.

son arrives.

Coastline Ecology Institute technician Juan Guillén is cautious when it comes to making a prediction for this year, as he reveals that rising sea temperatures “is not lineal” and not always related to

atmospheric heat.

With swimmers last year describing the Mediterranean as “a bath” that was up to 10ºC warmer than usual, Sr Guillén explains that this often depends more on personal perception than scientific evidence, as “average sea temperatures have ‘only’ risen by half a degree over the last 20 or 30 years.”

RUNNER-UP: Steve Higgins at a previous match.

You’re being watched

ALTEA Town Council has renewed and expanded the municipal CCTV system.

Work has focused on changing old cameras, antennas and connections that had become obsolete for a new infrastructure that is more modern, with greater quality and capacity, as well as installing new cameras at strategic points.

“The priority has been to

surround Altea with cameras to have footage of every vehicle that enters and leaves the town, as well as controlling the entrances to the mountain urbanisations,” declared local Security councillor Miguel de la Hoz.

The new CCTV system is equipped with number plate readers and a search function to identify when and where a certain vehicle was spotted.

Sorry?

“We have also focused on black spots for illegal rubbish dumps to clamp down and fine those responsible for this uncivil behaviour that spoils the image of our town,” he added. A new control room has also been set up in the Local Police station with all the necessary screens and computer equipment to control the cameras and manage the footage.

Smaller and sweeter

It has been brought forward by two weeks due to the unseasonal high temperatures and sunny weather for the time of year, which will lead to the fruit being smaller and easily bruised. On the plus side, farmers predict that these conditions will also

mean that the loquats produced in Callosa d’En Sarrià and surrounding areas will be sweeter than usual, as the smaller size will make the nísperos more concentrated and “with an excellent balance of sugars and acids,” according to spokespeople for the district farmers’ union. The same sources reveal that they have been forced to shell out

an extra 30 per cent this year due to the rising prices of fertilisers, plastic and packaging, transport and water. They also report a dearth of workers to pick and process the fruit due to the shortness of the campaign, the fact that the collection process is entirely manual and that the tourism sector absorbs most of the jobs in the area.

Against the red weevil

VILLAJOYOSA Council this week completed the treatment of more than 200 palm trees to protect them against the red weevil.

The red palm weevil, or picudo rojo in Spanish, is a type of beetle that excavates holes in the trunks of trees, therefore weakening and eventually killing them, and is considered a major pest in palm plantations.

It spreads easily from tree to tree, usually requiring the felling of affected specimens to prevent greater damage.

The work carried out by Villajoyosa Parks and Gardens department this week was done following the advice of experts and guaranteeing the safety of the trees and the environment.

MORE than 70 per cent of teenagers up to 20 years old in Alicante Province do not understand a word of English.

A recent report published by the National Statistics Institute (INE) shows that, despite the increasing number of English words entering the everyday vocabulary of Spanish youngsters and the large British presence throughout the province, Alicante, and the Valencia Region as a whole, are second only to Galicia with the lowest levels of English language comprehension in the country.

According to the INE, seven out of every 10 Alicante teens do not understand the language and only one in 10 speak it fluently.

Worryingly, the figure worsens as age increases, with more than 81 per cent of Alicante adults aged between 40 and 59 admitting that they do not know any English. Figures improve only slightly among ‘millennials’ aged 20 to 39, with 68 per cent of those questioned reporting not being able to understand the language and 70 per cent admitting that they do not read or speak English at all.

THE yearly loquat collection campaign kicked off in the Marina Baixa this week.

CCTV SYSTEM: Cameras record every vehicle.

Image by Altea Town Hall

DENIA is one of the first four members of a Spanish network of ‘creative cities’ launched by the UNESCO.

The first meeting of the Spanish Association of Creative Cities, which so far also includes Manises and Llíria in Valencia and Burgos in Castilla y León,

THE Villa Romana openair museum in Albir and the Molí de Mànec in Alfaz are currently being studied by Alicante’s museum of fine arts (Mubag).

Students of a digital conservation course organised by the Mubag analysed both sites as successful examples of the application of digital tools in the interpretation of historical heritage remains. Villa Romana has recently incorporated a new technological resource, namely the use of virtual reality glasses allowing visitors to live an

Creative Denia

took place last week to discuss the incorporation of new members, with Granada (Andalucia) set to be the next to join.

Denia mayor Vicent Grimalt was part of the local delegation that met

with its counterparts from the other three members to also prepare the upcoming Spanish Creative Cities summit scheduled to take place in Valladolid after the summer.

Back in time

offer a 360º virtual dramatised documentary recreating three scenes of daily life in the Villa Romana.

The global Creative Cities Network was launched by the UNESCO in 2004 to encourage international cooperation between cities and towns that invest in creativity as an engine for sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural diversity.

immersive experience by travelling back in time to see how the area’s inhabitants lived back in the 5th century AD.

These glasses are suitable for all audiences and available in Spanish, Valencian and English. They

According to Villa Romana director Carolina Frías, “the main challenge of heritage interpretation is to ensure that the public enjoys being in a museum and, to do this, we have a number of tools that will allow users to connect with a historical past that has little to do with their everyday reality.”

Alfaz roadworks

RESURFACING work on Alfaz del Pi’s Avenida de Europa is now complete.

The revamp took four days to finish and was done at night to minimise inconvenience for residents. It is part of a larger project to improve the connection between the town centre and Albir beach and promote sustainable urban mobility, according to local Town Planning councillor Toni Such.

Work on the old N-332 includes extending

the cycle lane from the Camí de la Mar to the Avenida de l’Albir, connecting the TRAM train stop and the Avenida Sant Pere.

Two new roundabouts are also being built on the intersections between the Avenida de Europa and Camí de la Mar and the Avenida Sant Pere, among other improvements.

The overall goal is to order the traffic flow while increasing safety for pedestrians and cyclists and boosting public transport.

Virtual reality glasses.

Image by Alfaz Town Hall

Football against war

JAVEA has welcomed a group of young members of a cadet football team from Sumy - a Ukrainian town suffering the effects of the war - as part of a humanitarian aid programme promoted by the association Cultura contra Balas (Culture against Bullets).

The project is led by the family of Natalia Moskalenko, a Ukrainian woman living in Javea, with the aim of helping her compatriots through culture and art.

Natalia and her family received a great deal of support for the project, especially from the Mare de Déu de Loreto Festivities Commission. The festeros have mo-

CAMPER VANS are becoming increasingly popular in Alicante Province.

The purchase and rental of vans is on the rise, especially among young couples without children and mountain sports enthusiasts.

Users highlight the conve-

bilised other associations such as the housewives’ group and the Cáritas charity.

Several sports clubs have also been involved, such as CD Javea, which has organised a friendly match with the group, and Club Náutico Javea, which has organised a rowing trip for them.

On the go

nience and freedom afforded by being able to sleep on the go and change holiday plans without having to cancel hotel reservations.

Camper vans also offer certain advantages over caravans and motorhomes, such as the possibility of using them as regular vehicles when not on holiday and the ease with which they can be adapted to the user’s needs.

Interest reportedly began before the pandemic but spiralled with the arrival of Covid restrictions, as it of-

Image by Jávea Town Hall

School’s out for ‘summer’

THE regional education authorities authorised local councils to suspend classes at schools and colleges last week due to the extreme heat.

Cultura contra Balas said the experience is being “a balm for the kids,” who are psychologically exhausted after more than a year of war, some with their parents on the front lines and living in a city that has suffered serious attacks that have left it without basic services.

fered holidaymakers the possibility of spending time away without having to stay at hotels or interact with others.

This has resulted in demand quickly outgrowing supply, which has led to rental and sale prices increasing, according to the Spanish caravanning association.

Camper van prices two years ago averaged €40,000, with the price currently sitting at around €65,000. Campers have from accounting for 10 per cent of sales of mobile home vehicles to between 40 and 45 per cent, the association reveals.

Cash boost for Calpe

CALPE has received €2 million from the EU’s Next Generation scheme to carry out a series of improvements throughout the town.

The investment plan is based around four main areas, namely sustainability and green transition (€470,000), energy efficiency (€510,000), digital transition (€400,000) and competitivity (€621,000).

These improvements will include drawing up the Local Forest Fire Prevention Plan, restoring natural spaces and protecting them against impact from the tourism trade, and recovering marine flora and fauna.

New cycle lanes and walk-

ing routes will be created along the access avenues to the beaches and an energy efficiency system will be implemented for tourism-related resources.

Smart pedestrian crossings and street lighting systems that turn on and off automatically according to atmospheric lighting conditions will be installed, as well as new self-regulating watering systems in green areas.

Measures will also be introduced to mitigate atmospheric pollution and new car parks will be opened, while local museums will be equipped with digital tools to improve the experience for visitors.

With temperatures predicted to hit 37ºC in some inland areas, the Education department of the Generalitat sent out a list of recommendations to make classes more bearable for students and teachers.

They included moving physical education lessons to first thing in the morning, limiting sun exposure by changing break times if necessary, changing lunch menus to include more fresh fruit and keeping the blinds down during the hottest times of the day, among other advice.

The July-like heat was expected to be particularly dangerous for young children, whose bodies are reportedly not as effective at regulating temperature as those of adults.

Generalitat weather experts predicted that, while the extreme temperatures were expected to drop again after the weekend, the arrival of a cool weather front before the summer was “extremely unlikely” and that the heat is expected to continue through to at least late September.

They also warned that sudden temperature increases like the one registered last week “will become more frequent every year.”

CADET TEAM: Offering support to its young members.

By Richard Millington

PAUL JONES, the original frontman of Manfred Mann and acclaimed musician, was in Denia last week and was kind enough to attend the Denia Baptist Church along with his evangelist wife Fiona Hendley Jones.

On Saturday evening a packed audience was treated to harmonica versions of Do wah diddy diddy and 54321 by Paul, who is currently the president of the National Harmonica League and has been awarded the ‘Harmonica player of the year’ distinction in the

British Blues Awards several times.

There followed an interesting talk from Fiona

Vocational training

L’ARABÍ college in Alfaz del Pi will offer a new course in healthcare emergencies from next academic year.

‘Emergencias sanitarias’ will join the list of vocational training courses (Formación Profesional or FP in Spanish) on offer in the town and is said to be very popular among young people.

The course entitles students to work as medical transport professionals, health emergency technicians or as operators in teleassistance and emergency coordination centres.

Alfaz Education councillor

Dolores Albero last week met with staff at the IES L’Arabí to outline the new course, which from September will be the latest addition to the vocational training curriculum offered at the centre and which ranges from computer studies to dietetics, children’s education, nursing and gardening.

“Numbers of students looking to study an FP after finishing the ESO are gradually increasing,” declared Sra Albero. “The FP is adapted to the real needs of the labour market and registers high levels of employability.”

and Paul about how they found Christianity and its significance in their lives.

Back in the 1980s, Cliff Richards invited Paul and Fiona to attend a spiritualist event in London; at that time Paul was a confirmed and well ­ known atheist. Attending this event changed Paul’s view on Christianity and he and Fiona finally found what was missing in their lives.

Paul and Fiona’s visit was kindly organised by Brenda Muckley, a local Denia resident and lifelong fan of Manfred Mann, following a concert visit to Benidorm Palace last year organised through U3A Denia.

Manfred Mann in Denia Smart hotel rooms

Benidoleig walk

DOZENS of walkers from all over the Marina Alta and neighbouring districts took part in the sixth edition of the Caminada pel Seguili mountain walk in Benidoleig at the weekend.

The Caminada takes place every year to celebrate and highlight the importance of the scenic, botanical and historical richness of Benidoleig mountains as a first­class tourism resource.

The event was first organised when the official PR­CV45 walking route was established six years ago, since when the path is maintained by participants in the Labora public employment scheme by Benidoleig council.

The route takes in emblematic sites such as the Fonteta del Marquès, Voltes path, Buscana ravine, Cal Durà mountain farmhouse, Raspa pine forest, Badall del Gat calcium furnace and the Clot de l’Arena, among other elements.

According to Benidoleig mayor Pedro Antonio Seguí, most of these spots were previously unknown by younger generations, a situation that is now changing thanks to the official recognition of the walking route and events such as the Caminada.

Following the walk, participants enjoyed a paella in the Plaça de la Diputació with live music by the Loli Pop band.

Local grants

BENIDORM Town Hall has launched a series of grants to help local business associations to cover expenses.

Non­profit­making organisations have until the end of October to apply for subsidies of up to €9,000 to be spent on administration staff, office space rental and utility supplies at sede. benidorm.org.

HOTEL rooms in the future will be ‘smart’ and technological, according to a project launched by the Valencia Region Tourism department and the Hotel Technological Institute (ITH).

The goal is to design a new type of room with all the latest technological advances to improve the experience for customers and make work easier for hotel employees.

The next step will be to choose an establishment in the Valencia Region, possibly Benidorm, to test the pilot project that will then be rolled out in the medium to long term.

Ideas include making rooms more

sustainable and energy ­ efficient, enabling guests to control the temperature, lighting and the music to be playing when they arrive on their mobile phones, allowing guests to connect to their Netflix account on the television in their room, and devices to sweep and mop the floors without disturbing guests in other rooms, among other proposals.

An investment of €50,000 has been announced to cover the cost of adapting a room to try out the new systems, with plans to then invite private technology companies to get involved with new ideas.

The grants are aimed at entrepreneurial associations in Benidorm that have a stable establishment or premises, that are currently active and open to the public with set opening hours and which carry out activities to support entrepreneurs and companies in the town. The aim of the scheme is to “help business entities to maintain their staff and thus be able to continue providing support services to entrepreneurs who start or develop their activity in Benidorm,” in the words of local Employment and Local Development councillor Mónica Gómez.

Paul Jones visited Denia.

Image by Richard Millington

8% of the UK is covered with 15 National Parks.

The capital of culture Ban the bulls

BENIDORM hopes to become the next Valencian Cultural Capital.

The town council has officially presented its candidacy to obtain the title for towns of more than 5,000 inhabitants next year.

Several town hall departments came together to draw up the application including Historic Heritage, Culture, Fiestas and Events under the banner ‘An open­air museum’ with the focus on the town’s diversity, activities and festivals covering a wide range of artistic pursuits.

Mayor Toni Pérez declared that “it is a very powerful project in which we meet all the requirements set by the regional ministry of Education, Culture and Sport for this competition.

“In recent years Benidorm has made a firm commitment to culture, maintaining and improving activities that already had a long history in the city, generating and promoting new projects that have already become essential events, and

Aishe/Shutterstock

promoting urban spaces available for culture,” he added.

Among the events included in the candidacy are the Low Festival, the International Music Course and Benidorm Fest regarding music, the Skyline Benidorm Film Festival, the Amateur Theatre Festival, the International Poetry Festival, and the Urban Art Spaces featuring photography and illustration exhibitions.

Pick N Mix

ON Tuesday April 25 in the morning a combined group of amateur musicians from the U3A Denia guitar group and the Jamming Ukuleles of El Verger, the Jukes, performed an open­air concert for the residents of Bon Retir care home in Javea.

Pick N Mix, which is the Denia U3A guitar group and the Jukes combine to perform free of charge at many local venues in aid of local charities and are always well received providing a mix of old and new contemporary music from all genres.

The residents of Bon Retir were no exception, with many eager to dance and sing along to well­known classics.

For further information about the U3A Denia guitar group please contact guitar@u3adenia.com

A JAVEA resident has collected more than 60,000 signatures for a petition calling to abolish bull­running and the bous a la mar (‘bulls in the sea’) in the town.

Alana Serrano presented the document with the signatures to the town hall last week accompanied by representatives of animal welfare societies from Teulada Moraira, Denia and

Benitachell.

“It is clear that the majority of residents reject this form of animal mistreatment,” said Sra Serrano as she filed the petition with the municipal authorities and called on Mayor José Chulvi, whom she met in February, to hold a referendum on whether or not to cancel these festivities.

She added that the bullbased events could be re ­

The fruit of the vine

ALTEA Town Hall has planted 800 vines in the Molí dels Moros area.

The project was carried out in cooperation with agroecology students at Bellaguarda college to promote local agriculture, tradition and culture.

The next step will be to sign an agreement with a local wine producer to use the grapes grown in the Molí dels Moros to make a high­quality

product to be put on sale.

“The aim of the project is to recover one of our area’s most traditional crops while shining the spotlight on such an important part of Altea as the Molí dels Moros, as well as providing work experience for the students and promoting sustainable agriculture and the local wine trade,” declared Environment councillor Jose Orozco.

placed with cultural and fun celebrations for the whole town.

The council had previously dropped the bou embolat (bull with fire on its horns) from the local fiestas over animal welfare concerns.

“It is time for Javea to take a step forward and become free of animal cruelty,” the petitioner sentenced, adding that there are hundreds of injuries and even deaths every year at these events throughout the Valencia Region.

An open-air museum.

Image by

80% of the remains found in Machu Picchu are female.

Betty Henderson

AS Spanish Mother’s Day approaches, the Euro Weekly News would like to extend a heartfelt message to all the wonderful mothers out there.

This year, Mother’s Day in Spain falls on Sunday, May 7, and it’s a time to show our appreciation for

Mother’s Day in Spain

all the love, care, and support our mothers and mother figures have given us.

The tradition of celebrating Mother’s Day on the first Sunday of May in Spain began in the 1960s

when the holiday became more broadly recognised.

Like in many countries across the globe, Mother’s Day in Spain is a significant celebration, with children presenting their mothers with flowers, chocolates, and heartfelt messages. It’s a time to reflect on the sacrifices and selflessness that mothers make daily, and to acknowledge their rich contributions to our lives.

This Mother’s Day, we are taking a moment to appreciate the strength and resilience of mothers across the world. They have faced many challenges in recent years, from the Covid ­ 19 pandemic to economic hardship. Despite these obstacles, they have continued

to care for their families with unwavering love and devotion.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers in Spain and across the world!

British man drowns

A 62-YEAR-OLD British man died on Saturday afternoon, April 29, at a beach in the north­east province of Girona on the Costa Brava. The incident occurred at around 1pm in the idyllic holiday resort of Calella de Palafrugell, according to a news source.

The man is believed to have gone for a swim at Sant Roc Cove and when he didn’t return, a woman alerted the emergency services. Police and medical teams were deployed to the beach location surrounded by rocks and cliffs with old fisherman’s cottages perched on top.

His body was eventually found by the emergency services. A post­mortem examination will be carried out to determine the circumstances surrounding his death.

However, police sources revealed that early indications suggested that it was an accident and he tragically drowned. A local judge has reportedly taken charge of the investigation, which is already underway.

Driver smashes camera

Chris King

A DRIVER is under investigation in the A Coruña city of Santiago de Compostela for smashing a speed camera with a hammer.

The device is located on the SC­20 road and is the radar responsible for imposing the most speeding fines in the region. It was installed by Spain's Directorate­General for Traffic (DGT) in July 2020.

As reported by the city council, the incident occurred at around 2am. A resident of Milladoiro, a local municipality, approached the radar by car, got out of his vehicle and proceeded to break the protective glass of the radar with a hammer.

The radar in question controls the speed of drivers in a section limited to 50km/h on the outskirts of the city, where the speed is generally up to 70km/h.

During its first months of operation, this particular device captured more than 17,000 drivers driving at excessive speeds. It reportedly generated a total of more than €2 million in fines.

Motorists can be sanctioned with fines of between €100 and €600 along with the withdrawal of between two and six points from their driving licence. This driver’s action could have serious consequences.

95% of dragonflies are the most effective hunters in the world.

Dos de Mayo uprising Sacked employee reinstated

ON May 2 every year the community of Madrid cele‐brates its regional holiday. It commemorates the up ‐rising of May 2, 1808, when the people of Madrid took up arms to rebel against the French occupation of Spain. This event was the first of the Spanish War of Independence. This year this regional bank holiday is making all the headlines with the President of the Community of Madrid, Is‐abel Díaz Ayuso setting off metaphorical fireworks during the celebrations. The reason for the show‐down is the failure to for ‐mally invite the govern ‐ment’s representatives to the events being held in Madrid on May 2, more specifically the leader of the government, the presi‐dent, Pedro Sánchez was excluded from the celebra‐tions. These celebrations take over the city of Madrid with many free cul‐tural and musical shows

held around the city to commemorate this impor‐tant day. Isabel Díaz Ayuso is being accused of using this celebration to create a political battle.

The president of Madrid, Ayuso, not one to shy away from a confrontation chose to escalate the situation along with the Regional PP and the mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez‐Almeida accused Félix Bolaños, the Minister of the Presidency, of ‘sneaking in’ where ‘he is not invited’. They even went so far as to compare him to a squatter at ‘their’

event. This of course creat‐ed a media frenzy.

Part of the festivities is a military parade through the centre of Madrid in the Puerta del Sol where Ayuso presided over the tradition‐al tribute to the Heroes of the ‘Dos de Mayo’, laying a laurel wreath at the tomb of the 43 soldiers shot on the day of the uprising against the French troops

Now discussions are un‐derway about Ayuso’s ac‐tions with many politi ‐cians speaking out condemning her actions describing them as ‘lowly’

and ‘childish’.

The conflict between President Pedro Sánchez and Isabel Díaz Ayuso goes back a long time and at the same event last year Sánchez announced in the middle of the celebrations that he had been infected by the Pegasus virus. Many at the time saw this as a ploy to garner attention and take it away from Ayu‐so.

A SPANISH court ruled in favour of a man fired from his job as an electrician after he was found to have drunk more than three litres of beer in one day.

The high court in Murcia found in favour of a sacked employee after ruling his employer could not prove the man was ‘inebriated, intoxicat‐ed or drunk’, or unable to do his job despite the man drinking more than three litres of beer in one day. The court ordered the company to reinstate the worker or pay him €47,000 (£42,000) in compensation. The court also noted the company had failed to take into account the effect the hot summer could have had on the man’s drinking.

The man, who had worked for the company for 27 years, was sacked in September 2021 after a private detective hired by his em‐ployers followed him and his company van over a few days that July.

A dismissal letter from the company informed the man he was being sacked for: “repeated and excessive alcohol consumption dur‐ing the working day, which endangered his physical well‐being and that of his workmates”

No water rationing

ACCORDING to Teresa Ribera, the Minister for Ecological Transition, the Spanish government has no intention of implementing water rationing in the country to combat the current drought conditions. Speaking in Congress recently, the official pointed out that there are sufficient water resources in Spain to last until September.

However, she did ask consumers to “be extremely cautious” in the consumption of a resource that is becoming increasingly limited. “Our conviction is that we must be extremely cautious in the way we con‐sume water,” said Ribera. She continued: “In principle, with the volume of water in reservoirs and the contributions that can be made from emergency wells, we can cover the hardest months, until Septem‐ber.” Ribera warned though of the seriousness of a situation that: “we are experiencing more and more frequently.”

Supply systems with more than 20,000 inhabitants are obliged by law to have emergency supply plans. These include measures ranging from awareness‐raising to watering parks and gardens with reused water and even rationing. This is something that 40 per cent do not currently comply with.

FIREWORKS: Ayuso snubbed central government.

Photo credit: Shutterstock/ Diego_Radames

IN this week’s article we would like to offer our readers a series of useful tips for selling a property in Spain. To that end, we will analyse the most relevant issues that must be taken into account in these cases. We offer a brief guide so that you can avoid the most common mistakes made when selling a property in Spain.

Tips for selling a property in Spain. We explain how to avoid the most common mistakes: Land Registry. Cadastre. Capital Gains Tax. Plusvalía. Etc.

Whether selling or buying a property it is key to seek the advice of an independent lawyer. A solicitor expert in conveyancing will prepare deposit contract,

contract of arras or private contract of sale that protects you, as the seller, so that the status of the property is acknowledged and accepted. This is also very important when signing the contract with the real estate agent. So that it is drafted in such a way that it’s crystal clear at what point the agency fees are due, what happens if the sale is not completed at the Notary’s office, etc.

2. Checking the legal status of the property

An equally essential point is to check the Land Registry and Cadastre to verify whether the description of both coincides, or not, with the physical reality. It is also necessary to verify if there are any encumbrances, burdens or tax liabilities. One aspect that often causes confusion is mortgages. Many people believe that the payment of the last instalment of the mortgage loan automatically releases the existing burden on the property. However, this is not the case. A mortgage can be economically can­

celled, but still be registered in the Land Registry. If this is the case, it will be necessary to contact the bank and start the procedure to cancel the inscription in the Land Registry.

3. Knowing the taxes that the vendor is due when selling a property in Spain

One of the main tips for selling a property in Spain is to study in advance the taxes that the vendor must pay. Specifically, two: Plusvalia Tax and the Capital Gains Tax. The Plusvalía can be calculated using two methods: the objective method and the real method (the taxpayer can opt for the most favourable one). The Capital Gains Tax is obtained

through the difference between the acquisition price and the transfer price, although there are various cases in which this gain may be exempt.

4. Verifying the occupancy/urban planning status

One of the first tips for selling a property in Spain that we offer our clients is to check the urban planning status of the property, a common source of conflict between buyers and sellers. If the property has an occupation licence, if there are any open infringement proceedings, etc. At White­Baos Lawyers we have a pre­sale service that will allow you to obtain beforehand the reports from the town hall confirming that everything is correct, etc so that all the relevant documentation is ready before the appearance of a potential buyer.

5. Preparation of the Title

Deed to be signed before the Notary

The importance of the signing of the title deeds is often overlooked, under the false belief that the Notary will check everything. As we have explained on numerous occasions, this is not the case. There are many issues that are either beyond the notary’s scope (the IBI pro­rata, retention for utilities, etc) or that must be prepared in advance (CEE, certificate of debt in the case of communities of owners, etc). In addition, if you are not a Spanish national but have your habitual residence in Spain, it will be necessary to apply for a tax residence certificate. This will avoid the 3 per cent tax retention established in the Spanish tax legislation.

Conclusions

At White Baos Abogados we are experts in real estate law. If you want to sell your property in Spain, efficiently and clearly, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will review the documentation of your property and offer you expert legal advice.

The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice, but merely conveys information relating to legal issues.

1. Negotiation and terms of the agreements to be signed

RICHARD LEWINGTON, Chairman of the Madrid branch of Conservatives

Abroad ­ the international wing of the British Conservative Party, has been confirmed as a candidate in the upcoming municipal elections in Oñati, Guipuzkoa in the Basque Country on Sunday, May 28.

This marks a historic moment as Lewington will be the first British citizen to run for office in Spain’s autonomous Basque Country.

The 41 ­ year ­ old, originally from Southend on Sea, Essex, is a former

Chris King

A British first

cultural understanding, and supporting the town’s candidacy for UNESCO world heritage status.

90/180 Days

nurse who moved to Spain in 2007 where he lived in Oñati and worked as a freelance correspondent and English teacher.

Lewington’s platform focuses on supporting rural businesses, enhancing public services for young people, promoting cross ­

“I am extremely proud to be part of Ricardo Guisado Balanzategui’s list and to be running for office in Oñati as a candidate for the Partido Popular. As someone who has lived and worked in the town, I believe that Oñati has the potential to be a model for other towns in the region,” he said.

A CAMPAIGN called ‘180 Days in Spain’ has been launched with the aim of ensuring that every British person living in Spain (whether full­year or part­year) has their pre­Brexit rights as an EU Citizen properly protected and ring­fenced.

In addition, it hopes to improve and equalise the rights of all British visitors to Spain so that they get the same access after Brexit that Spanish people do in the UK today.

MORE than 50 records were reportedly broken on Thursday, April 27, according to the weather experts at eltiempo.es, as temperatures more typical of July hit Spain. They affirmed that this phenomenon has a recurrence period of once every 150 or 200 years. Cordoba experienced 38.8ºC on Thursday while the mercury reached 37.8º in Sevilla, breaking all temperature records to date in the process. Meteorologist Mar

More than 50 records broken

Gómez explained at a press conference that these high values occurred as the result of stability on the surface due to an anticyclone. This inhibits the formation of clouds and prevents the development of rain, which subsequently gives rise to high temperatures with clear skies. It also produces a high rate of solar radiation and a very high or extreme

risk of fire in a large part of the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands she warned.

In Jerez de la Frontera, which has collected weather data since 1946, its old record was beaten by more than one degree. Records for very high minimum temperatures have also been smashed in places such as the airports of Zaragoza and Lugo.

As explained to Euro Weekly News in a statement from Andrew Hesselden, the Campaign Director and founder, the organisers of ‘180 Days in Spain’ are asking for some very simple requirements. Firstly, they want Brits who were living in Spain before Brexit ­ whether living in the country for all or part of the year ­ to receive equal treatment. Secondly, they are asking for the equal treatment of British visitors to Spain, in the same way that

Spanish visitors to the UK receive. There are lots of ways that politicians could achieve these outcomes said Mr Hesselden, who hopes that the conversations being generated by the campaign are proving beneficial to British and European citizens everywhere. The campaign already has over 6,000 members and continues to grow. Its Campaign Director collaborates and coordinates with other similar campaigns in France, Italy, Greece, Germany and Cyprus as well as running a similar Europewide campaign. Together these all account for a further 6,000 members.

“We already know that certain regions of Spain and France want to eliminate the 90­in­180­day problem that Brexit has exacerbated, Mr Hesselden ­ who has a home in Mallorca ­ explained.

Visit https://www.face book.com/groups/180daysin spain to find out more.

Richard Lewington outside Oñati Town Hall.

Credit: Conservatives Abroad

Managing migration

Betty Henderson

IN an unprecedented move, the government of the United States announced a plan to send migrants to third countries including Spain and Canada. The plan was announced on Thursday, April 27, as part of the country’s efforts to manage the flow of immigrants into the country.

The migrants’ applications for residency will be processed through legal processing centres set up in South and Central American countries including Colombia and Guatemala.

The move comes as the US seeks to reduce

SPANISH authorities summoned the Russian Ambassador to Spain on Friday, April 28 over a controversial tweet.

A tweet from the Russian embassy insinuated that Spain has troops deployed in

the number of migrants crossing the border with Mexico, with the suspension of Title 42, a controversial policy allowing authorities to expel migrants without first hearing their cases.

According to a statement by the Department of State and Homeland Security, the measures will be implemented in close coordination with regional partners including the governments of Canada, Spain, Colombia and Guatemala.

Under the plan, migrants will be evaluated at processing centres where they will be given access to legal pathways for migration.

Twitter tension

Ukraine, something the Spanish government vehemently denies. Just days after presenting his credentials to the Spanish king, the new Russian ambassador, Yuri Klimenko, found himself in hot water with the Spanish government.

The tweet showed individuals wearing military gear speaking in Spanish, followed by a clip of the Spanish Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles. The montage insinuated that Spain was playing an active role in the Ukrainian con­

Irritating foreigners

A BIT like wasps around a jam pot, the British media is buzzing with stories about a so­called secret Spanish word for irritating foreigners which is Guiri.

This writer has owned a property in Spain for more than 20 years and neighbours have been calling him a Guiri for all that time, when they can’t think of anything more appropriate.

flict, a claim that the Spanish government has denied.

In response, the Spanish Foreign Minister demanded that the embassy remove the post, which they did. The ambassador was subsequently summoned where he received a warning.

Despite this incident, Spain continues to play an active role in supporting Ukraine. The country has already provided tanks, missiles, and other supplies and plans to train more Ukrainian troops soon.

To the Spanish it immediately explains something about the person who may like to think of themselves as either an expat or a holiday maker, but in fact is a just a foreigner.

It isn’t always insulting, just describes who the person is and is probably less offensive than the British word Dago or Chilean word Godo (and there is another but that

is too rude to repeat in a family newspaper) to a Spaniard.

There are at least two songs which spell out the meaning of the word, Guiris (go home) by La Maquineria del Fango and Guiris by Los Ratones, but if you are British or Irish, don’t worry, it’s aimed at any foreigner who gets into a Spaniard’s sights.

So emotive is the word

that various Spanish newspapers have picked up on the ‘storm in a tea cup’ as can be seen from an article in La Vanguardia.

In this woke atmosphere we live in today, ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me’ may no longer be the case, but at least we stiff upper lip Guiris can learn to live with it.

A bit of Spanish humour, Banksy it isn’t!

Credit: Dusty Dingo CC

48% of Britons wouldn’t go to space even if safety was guaranteed.

Betty Henderson

THE Spanish Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) recently conducted a survey to find out which Spanish cities are the cleanest and dirtiest. The results of the survey were released on Thursday, April 27, and some of them are surprising!

A total of 6,863 residents participated in the survey which found that the worst offenders when it comes to dirty streets are Palma, Alicante, and Sevilla, all of which are popular tourist destinations. San Sebastián de los Reyes, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Barcelona, and Madrid also made the list of the ‘worst’ cities.

But it’s not all bad news. Oviedo, Bilbao, and Vigo were praised by their residents for their clean streets. Pamplona and Albacete also received high ratings, with Albacete showing a significant improvement

from the previous survey.

However, the OCU warned that overall the results are mediocre, with one in three cities receiving a ‘poor’ rating. The main issues cited by residents were dog mess

on the streets, litter outside of bins, graffiti, and dirty suburbs.

The OCU has called on local authorities to increase street cleaning and to crack down on dog owners who don’t clean up their mess.

AUTHORITIES in Madrid went into uproar on Wednesday, April 27 after a Chilean artist placed a provocative sculpture in the capital’s iconic Puerta del Sol square.

Nicolás Miranda’s sculpture depicted former Spanish King Juan Carlos aiming a rifle at a larger statue of a bear, which is a beloved emblem of Madrid. The artwork is a clear reference to the disgraced monarch’s love of hunting, which has sparked controversy in the past.

Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014, has been heavily

Fierce controversy

the square by artist Nicolás Miranda and remained in place for just 10 minutes before authorities removed it.

criticised for his hunting trips, including one in which he allegedly shot a bear which was tamed using vodka.

The sculpture, made from polyurethane, was placed in

TOURISM returned to positive figures in March in the city of Madrid, as reflected in the data from the National Institute of Statistics published on April 24. Tourists increased by 21.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2022, reaching a total of 819,000 travellers, of whom more than half were foreigners.

This represents an increase in international travellers of 43.3 per cent compared to 2022.

In the accumulated calculation of the 12 months, the total number of travellers in the city was 9.1 million last year, which means an interannual increase of 55.8 per cent. In this same period, the growth of travellers through­

However, it has caused a sensation on social media and in the Spanish press. Miranda said that he studied CCTV footage of the square to choose the perfect moment to place the artwork.

The former king’s visit to Spain last week has also prompted renewed criticism, with prosecutors alleging that there are renewed issues with his finances.

Clean sweep Capital tourism

out Spain was 48.6 per cent.

As for overnight stays in hotels, in March they grew by 15.2 per cent and totalled 1.6 million.

In this case, 60 per cent of the total corresponds to overnight stays by foreign travellers, whose increase was 30 per cent.

The recovery of overnight stays in Madrid is now just eight points from 2019 when historic figures for tourism were recorded in the city and in Spain as a whole.

Photo credit: Lipasam Sevilla (via Facebook)

Photo credit: madridenacion (via Instagram)

Sevilla’s streets ranked low in terms of cleanliness.

Juan Carlos I in statue form fires a rifle at Madrid’s iconic bear.

No masks

FERNANDO SIMÓN , the Director of the Health Alerts and Emergencies Coordination Centre recently made a statement about the wearing of masks.

He said he believed that the ‘mask’ will soon cease to be mandatory in pharmacies and it won’t be too long afterwards that they won’t be required in health centres either.

However, he did state that people needed to be responsible and said that anyone with a respiratory infection should wear a mask to avoid contagion.

He said in a meeting with journalists, he has vindicated the lessons learned from the pandemic and he stressed that a mask is not a protection against Coronavirus, but rather to protect the rest of the population from respiratory infections.

NATIONAL LIBRARY: Despite the rain, queues formed.

Busy at BNE

Anna Ellis

ALMOST 1,700 visited the National Library of Spain (BNE) on April 22 to join in celebrations of International Book Day which took place on April 23.

From before 8.00am (doors opened at 9.00am), and despite the rain, visitors began to arrive.

Tickets were allocated in order of arrival and, in less than three hours, the 1,500 planned tickets had already been distributed.

This situation led the BNE to expand the groups and organise new routes and guides to meet the expectations of all those people who had been left without a pass.

The library was founded by King Philip V of Spain in 1712 as the Palace Public Library.

The Royal Letters Patent

that he granted, the predecessor of the current legal deposit requirement, made it mandatory for printers to submit a copy of every book printed in Spain to the library.

In 1836, the library’s status as Crown property was revoked and ownership was transferred to the Ministry of Governance, and renamed the Biblioteca Nacional.

93% of people don’t check facts they read on the internet.

Popular property

Betty Henderson

SPAIN continues to be a highly sought­after destination for homebuyers, as the country’s housing stock dwindles. According to a study released by European

property portal, Idealista, on Friday, April 28, the number of available homes for sale in Spain has decreased by 5 per cent in the last year.

This drop is even greater than the 3 per cent decline seen in the last quarter of 2022. While this may seem concerning to some, it is a sign of the growing popularity of Spain as a desirable location for homeowners and is also set to boost property value.

Major cities like Barcelona have seen a decline of 11 per

cent in homes for sale, while Madrid has experienced an unexpected 4 per cent increase in supply.

This trend is not limited to major cities, as even smaller towns have seen a decrease in available homes for sale. However, this has not deterred homebuyers, as Spain continues to be a popular destination for those seeking a beautiful and comfortable lifestyle, and property sales have continued to soar.

It is clear that Spain’s property market is thriving.

Pledge for Palestine

SPAIN plans to recognise Palestine as a state, but they want to make sure other European Union countries also support this decision.

The Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares met with his Palestinian counterpart, Riad Al Malki to discuss this and other issues on Wednesday, April 26.

Prior to his election, Pedro Sánchez promised to recognise Palestine if he came into power, but is still waiting for the right moment to do so. Currently, 10 out of 27 EU countries have recognised Palestine as a state.

The Palestinian territories

€163 million for drought

ON Tuesday, April 25, the Governing Council of the Junta de Andalucia approved the third decree against the drought. It entailed the allocation of €163 million in hydraulic works and aid. The measure is forecast to provide some 184 cubic hectometres for supply and irrigation and plans to benefit almost three million Andalucians.

The Andalucian Government revealed that this third decree brings the funding allocated in response to the lack of water suffered by the Community to €300 million.

are currently occupied by Israel, who are building illegal settlements and imposing a near ­ total blockade on Gaza, severely restricting Palestinian people’s abilities to access essential items and services.

In the past, Spain has been criticised for not being strong enough in their condemnation of Israel’s actions. However, the Spanish government assured the Palestinian Foreign Minister that recognising Palestine as a state is a priority for them.

Albares also met with the Israeli foreign minister, but it’s important for Spain to show support for Palestine, given the ongoing conflict and human rights violations.

There are also plans for the installation of irrigation pipes, the improvement of the water supply, the search for new water sources, the reduction of water losses, and the digitalisation of water management. It also includes a package of direct and exceptional aid for farmers, ranchers and fishermen, amounting to €43 million.

Among these is direct aid of €10 million, plus €6 million for the expansion of the line of drinking troughs. Subsidies for the construction of rafts, watering holes and connectivity infrastructures will receive €5 million.

Spain’s charm is driving property popularity.

Photo credit: Frigiliana (via Facebook)

Back for good?

SENSATIONAL boy band

Take That, have announced they’re back together and ready to release their new music.

To get fans ready, they have re­recorded Greatest Day, their 2008 numberone hit track with the help of another new singer, according to a news source, Thursday, April 27.

The band, now a threepiece consisting of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald teamed up with singer Calum Scott, who commented, “I was really nervous about jumping on a song that was already such a smash and recording on my vocal in

there but it was also such an honour.”

Thirty ­ four ­ year ­ old Calum, originally from Beverley, East Yorkshire, first appeared on Britain’s Got Talent where he received a standing ovation from the four judges.

He added, “Gary and I hit the studio together for a day working on a new section and doing new vocals and then we went to the boys [Mark and Howard] to re­record their parts.”

The revamped hit is due out on May 5 and will feature in the band’s film, Greatest Days, set for release later this year on June 16.

Bomb scare for shoppers

John Ensor

POLICE were alerted after a suspicious package was discovered in a shopping area, leading to customers being evacuated by authorities.

At about 12.15pm on Wednesday April 26 the alarm was sounded as shoppers were evacuated from Prospect Place retail park in Dartford, Kent, according to a news source. In the interests of public safety police cordoned off an area of 100m at the car park entrance, leaving vehicles at a standstill.

One eyewitness who had stopped to take a coffee

break said: “I was just having a drink when a man in a Hi­vis came in and the whole place was evacuated within three minutes. I saw police blocking the entrance of the retail park. There was a blue car with a bag and satchel next to it officers were looking at.”

A police spokesperson confirmed the area had been closed down ‘following the discovery of a suspicious package.’

The scene of the incident was also attended by British Army bomb squad experts and an explosive disposal robot was deployed.

BLACKPOOL ZOO: Wants to hire human scarecrows.

Seagull deterrents

BLACKPOOL is probably better known for it’s iconic tower and as a popular resort for stag and hen dos.

But it also has a zoo which is one of the top animal parks in the UK. It houses over 1,000 animals that include Giraffes, Elephants, Penguins and Monkeys.

Tourists visiting the zoo often want to have a rest and some refreshment as do the animals, but there is a problem.

Seagulls are swooping down on unsuspecting people and animals to steal food and it’s becoming a serious nuisance.

This has lead to Blackpool Zoo advertising for humans to dress up as large birds to help chase away the seagulls.

Zoo bosses said the candidates would join the “Visitor Services” team as “seagull deterrents.” In the advert it says those taking

on the roles would need to be “outgoing” and “comfortable wearing a bird costume.”

The advert reads: “At Blackpool Zoo, the seagulls are proving to be a bit of a nuisance! We need to do what we can to keep the seagulls away from our main visitor dining areas, so we are looking for people to join our Visitors Services team as ‘Seagull Deterrents. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, email your cover letter to us.”

20% of the mammal species on our planet are types of bats.

Uber offering coach rides

ALL over the UK people are preparing for the coronation, whether it’s making a King Charles bust or chocolate or decorating the house using red, white, and blue, the British people can always be relied upon to make the most of a royal celebration.

Now Uber have got into the act by offering a ride you might not have much chance of experiencing under normal circumstances.

A special carriage has been designed to look like a royal carriage with plush seats, embroided throws and cushions and four white horses to take you on a journey through Dulwich Park, London.

General manager at Uber, Andrew Brem, said “What better way to celebrate one of the most significant events of 2023 by riding like King Charles III in a horse drawn carriage.

“We’re always looking for ways to add a little Under Magic to peoples journeys, so we are over the moon to be

Naked man on train

A WOMAN passenger was in shock after she had nodded off on board a train only to find a naked man sitting next to her.

able to bring the Coronation Carriage to Uber.”

The rides can be booked through the Uber App between May 3 and 5. Uber has also confirmed that for every ride taken a donation will be made to Spana, a UK charity which helps to support the welfare of working animals.

Items to be sold

QUEEN singer, Freddie Mercury, who passed away in November 1991 will have 1,500 items sold at auction. After his death, his home and contents were left to his best friend, Mary Austin and she has decided to put some of his possessions to auction.

Included in the sale are Freddie’s handwritten lyrics to the song ‘We are the champions’, the nine­page document includes harmonies and chords and it’s expected to sell for between £200,000 and £300,000. Another lyric sheet written in black biro contains the lyrics to ‘Killer Queen’ and this is ex­

pected to sell for between £50,000 and £70,000.

Mary Austin said “the lyrics were particularly difficult to part with, because they show, for me, the most beautiful side (of Freddie).”

The Queen vocalist and Mary Austin met in 1970. They moved in together and got engaged. But then Freddie admitted he was gay. However, this did not end the close friendship and Mary helped to care for Freddie during his illness.

The collection will be sold by Sotheby’s, London in September, with some proceeds going to charity.

The unnamed train passenger fell asleep around 7.21am on Thursday, April 20 while travelling between Polmont, Falkirk and Edinburgh Waverley station, said a news source.

Upon waking, the woman became aware that a man had completely undressed and was sitting beside her. British Transport Police are treating the incident as ‘public indecency’ and have appealed for help to locate him. The horrified woman indicated that the culprit later put on black jogging bottoms, a black t­shirt and black walking boots, before getting off at Edinburgh Waverley.

39%

SPECIAL CARRAGE: Has been created for the coronation.

Only two in five men moisturize at all.

BIRD fans will be pleased to hear that the Hanuman Plover has been reinstated as a species in its own right, after spending almost a century classed as a subspecies.

Plovers are a family of shorebirds that live all over the world, except for the very poles. They feed on invertebrates, but otherwise have a range of different habitats and lifestyle.

In the 1930s, the ‘diminutive Kentish Plover’, Charadrius Seebohmi, was merged into the Kentish Plover Charadrius Alexandrinus, as both species were considered to be the same.

Now a team of scientists, including co­author of the study and Principal Curator in Charge of Birds at the Natural History Museum, Dr Alex Bond, have

Splendid species

concluded that enough differences do in fact exist between the two to elevate it back to the status of full species and given it the name of Hanuman plover.

Dr Alex Bond confirmed: “Over a century ago, these

Winner is new panellist

birds were considered to be their own species, so it’s not that these plovers have changed. Instead, it’s our understanding of what a species is, and how much variation is suitable to differentiate one, that is different.”

The UK in bloom

BLOSSOM Week is inspired by the Japanese tradition of Hanami, the popular custom where people of all ages get together to enjoy the transient beauty of cherry blossom.

Blossom Week has been designed as a natural peak to the campaign when the majority of the country will have some sort of blossom in bloom ­ from blackthorn and cherry, to apple and pear.

The National Trust hopes to encourage people across the UK to get outside to enjoy the fleeting beauty of this spring phenomenon either in their own gardens or local parks.

Andy Jasper, Head of Gardens and Parklands at the National Trust said: “We are at the epicentre of a truly magnificent show of blossom.”

To encourage the public to visit their local parks and gardens and share their best blossom moments, the conservation charity is further hosting a blossom picture competition.

Social media users can share their favourite nature shots using the hashtag #BlossomWatchComp for a chance to win a year’s worth of holidays with the National Trust (worth £6,000). The competition will run until May 12.

ON Tuesday April 25 the producers of Loose Women announced a new panellist for the ITV programme.

The Strictly Come Dancing winner, Rose Ayling­Ellis was a panellist in a special which marked Deaf Awareness Week on Wednesday May 3.

The appearance was a oneoff and Rose appeared with fellow Loose Women, Nadia Sawalha, Jane Moore, and Kaye Adams, who also had hearing difficulties and wears a hearing aid.

Those watching the show were able to read subtitles and there was to be a fully ac­

cessible recording of the programme available on ITVX with subtitles and an ‘in vision signer.’

The special programme is collaborating with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, Sign Health and the Deaf Collective. The show’s audience was made up of members of the deaf community.

Rose Ayling­Ellis has always spoken out about her experiences as a deaf person, and she has campaigned to have British Sign Language (BSL) become legally recognised in England, Scotland and Wales.

Prince William in documentary

A NEW documentary is to be screened as it follows the dayto­day life of Prince William.

The ITV series which focuses on Prince William and his work around the UK will be in stark contrast to the much­criticised Prince Harry documentary, which gained notoriety for his and his wife’s axe­grinding rhetoric.

Labelled as a fly­on­the­wall documentary the heir to the

throne will be joined by a camera crew as he promotes his homelessness initiative around the country.

Insiders say it will give viewers the most honest and intimate depiction of the future king and his family.

“This is pretty extraordinary; it’s never been done before,” said a TV spokesperson. “Generally, access to senior royals is very limited and totally con­

trolled, but William clearly wants to change that.

“He’s keen to highlight his work, particularly on a homeless project which was a subject very close to his mother’s heart, and to connect with the public on a new level.”

The new series will give a positive slant on the work done by Britain’s royals after the negativity that William’s brother Harry generated.

13.6% of Spain’s population goes to church every Sunday.

Rose Ayling-Ellis.

Plunged head first

A 30-YEAR-OLD British tourist is in a hospital’s intensive care unit on the

holiday island of Hvar in Croatia after falling while attempting to climb up to a

Food blockades lifted

AS announced by the European Commission on Friday, April 28, five European nations have agreed, in principle, to lift their blockade on the transit of Ukrainian food exports.

Specifically, the governments of Slovakia, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania and Hungary will all remove the temporary bans they implemented after farmers raised complaints about the entry of cheaper produce.

Grain and other Ukrainian products are traditionally exported via routes through the Black Sea. However, the conflict with Russia and the subsequent military activities in the region have forced exports to be moved overland using routes through neighbouring countries.

The problem subsequently arose of products entering the markets at a cheaper price. Members of the EU voted to allow the import of goods from Ukraine without quantitative restrictions with customs and official inspections also being scrapped.

This led to serious protests by farmers in the five aforementioned nations after the price of similar home­produced products slumped. In order to appease their agricultural sector, restrictions were placed on these imports from Ukraine.

Dial up diplomacy

balcony. He reportedly plunged head ­ first to the ground from a height of around 10ft.

According to a news source, the man fell off a wall while trying to reach up to a balcony at a rented apartment. Local reports said that prior to his accident, he had been out drinking with a group of other British holidaymakers.

After returning to his apartment block, he apparently climbed onto a wall and tried to grab the balcony above him. He subsequently lost his balance and fell.

The unidentified male is said to currently be in a lifethreatening condition in the regional hospital of Split after suffering serious head injuries.

He was airlifted 15 miles from Hvar to the Adriatic port on the mainland after the medics who initially responded realised that he needed intubation.

THE Ukrainian President, Volodymr Zelensky held his first wartime phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, on Wednesday, April 26. The hour­long call was a bid to end the devastating conflict with Russia.

In their first contact since Russia’s invasion began, Zelensky hailed the call as “long and meaningful,” saying he hopes it will lead to a strong bilateral relationship between the two nations.

China has never condemned Russia’s full­scale invasion of Ukraine, and President Xi’s recent visit to Moscow drew criticism from the West.

However, in the call, Xi said China “always stood on the side of peace,” and offered to send a special representative to Kyiv to engage in “indepth communication” on a political settlement.

FRENCH Air Traffic Control (ATC) strikes have taken their toll this year which have affected Ryanair more than any other airline, and now they’ve said enough is enough.

The budget­friendly airline, not to mention its passengers have suffered at the hands of French ATC industrial action, leading the Dublin­based company to mount a petition to keep the skies over France open for business.

This has raised hopes that China’s vast wealth and global influence could swing the outcome of the war. While some doubt the effectiveness of China’s potential mediation, Xi has previously convinced Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties and may have an economic incentive to help end the war, as China’s economy is dependent on export trade.

Join Ryanair petition

In just this year alone French ATC has held 39 days of strikes leading to the cancellation of over 3,500 Ryanair flights mainly overflying France.

Overflights are when aircraft need to fly over a country’s airspace, even though it is not the take­off location or landing destination. This has led to cancelled flights for Ryanair,

but French ATC have kept a minimum service in operation which has meant French flights have been protected.

In a statement on Ryanair’s website, they said, “The EU must act now. Ryanair calls on all passengers to sign our petition.”

So far the petition has 565,354 signatures.

Zelenskiy spoke with Xi Jinping for an hour.

Betty Henderson

GERMAN political sources accused the UK of delaying other European countries’ rescue efforts during the current crisis in Sudan on Thursday, April 27. German sources said that British attempts to evacuate embassy staff caused the Sudanese army to refuse access to the airfield, which was supposed to be used for the rescue of other European nationals.

According to the sources, the unannounced presence of British military personnel in Sudan without permission angered the Sudanese army, who then refused access to the airfield.

Negotiations to use the airfield meant that German rescuers ‘lost at least half a day’ during a crucial window of opportunity during the country’s ceasefire.

The UK Ministry of Defence denies these allegations, calling them “complete nonsense”. The MoD has stated that the UK had permission to land in Sudan and that their efforts did not delay any other country’s rescue mission.

However, German military leaders are still said to be “not

Sudan standoff

amused”, with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius even taking a dig at the UK government’s handling of the crisis.

German forces have ended their evacuation.

The German rescue mission has now ended, having airlifted more than 700 people to safety.

Links controversy

THE Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the most right­wing government since the Second World War, joined Italians in commemorating National Liberation Day on Tuesday, April 25. The annual event marks the end of fascism and Nazi occupation in 1945, but this year’s celebrations were marked by controversy. The Senate Speaker, Ignazio La Russa, a collector of fascist memorabilia, was criticised for saying there was “no reference to anti­fascism in the Italian constitution.”

La Russa’s links to Italy’s fascist past, including his home adorned with busts and mini­statues of Benito Mussolini, have caused controversy in the past. Meloni has refused to condemn him, but tried to distance herself from fascism.

The Prime Minister has sought to brand herself as a credible leader in Europe, but her efforts to display a moderate stance have been challenged by outspoken members of her party, including her brother­in­law, who was accused of white supremacy.

National Liberation Day is meant to bring Italians together, but Meloni has some way to go to make it a moment of ‘rediscovered national harmony’, as she said she wishes it to be.

Photo credit: Auswärtiges Amt (via Facebook)

Sisters, act

Betty Henderson

POPE FRANCIS broke tradition in a historic move on Wednesday, April 26 as the Vatican announced that women will be given voting rights at an upcoming meeting of bishops in October.

In a move that has been praised by many as a significant step forward, five religious sisters will be permitted to cast votes at the synod, which is an advisory body for the papacy.

This decision marks a significant shift in the Roman Catholic Church, which has been heavily dominated by men for centuries. The Women’s Ordination Conference praised the reform, calling it “a significant crack in the stained glass ceiling.”

Pope Francis also announced that 70 non­clerical members of the religious community will be given voting rights, in another break from tradition that will make the synod more inclusive by

including women and young people.

This groundbreaking move has not come without resistance, with some parts of the Church likely to push back against the decision. However, it is clear that Pope Francis is committed to making the Church more representative and inclusive, and this is just the beginning of a new era for the Catholic Church.

Justice delayed

THE world’s oldest convicted war criminal, Josef Schütz, died in Germany at age of 102 on Wednesday, April 26.

Schütz was found guilty last June of aiding and abetting the murders of thousands at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp near Berlin between 1942 and 1945. He was given a five year sentence.

Schütz always denied being an SS guard at the camp,

NORWAY criticised Sweden’s response after a research rocket malfunction which saw it crash­land in Norway’s territory. Sweden is investigating the matter, but Norwegian officials released a statement on Wednesday, April 26, expressing their concerns.

The rocket was launched from the Esrange Space Centre on Monday, April 25 and then fell into a mountain range in neighbouring Norway, without prior warning.

The Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), which owns and

claiming instead that he had worked as a farm labourer. However, documents showed his name and birth details as an SS guard at the camp. During his trial, Schütz expressed no regret, saying, “I don’t know why I’m sitting here in the sin bin. I really had nothing to do with it.” Despite his claims, he was found guilty of aiding the murders of a shocking 3,518 people.

Germany has been working to bring Nazi war criminals to court in recent years, prompted by a landmark case in 2011.

Schütz’s death marks the end of a long journey to bring him to justice. While he never served a day in jail due to a series of appeals, his conviction stands as a reminder of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust.

Going off-course

runs the centre, apologised and said that they are investigating the matter. However, Norwegian officials claim that Sweden failed to inform them formally about the launch.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Ragnhild Simenstad stated that proper communication channels must be used to inform them about such launches. The SSC reported that the rocket was carrying out experiments in microgravi­

ty for potential carbon­free fuels and creating more efficient solar cells.

SSC spokesman Philip Ohlsson confirmed that the rocket’s first stage motor landed close to the Esrange base site in Sweden, while the second stage motor and the payload parachuted onto Norwegian territory. Norwegian authorities have since confirmed that no injuries or damage have been reported.

The Pope celebrated Earth Day recently.

34% of adults sleep with a stuffed animal or a blanket.

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Viking treasure

METAL detectorists discovered a hoard of Viking silver near the ruins of the Viking castle Fyrkat, in Hobro, North Denmark. Their find contained over 300 items which included Danish, German and Arab coins, dating back to the 900s, when King Harald ‘Bluetooth’ united Denmark and Norway.

THE NETHERLANDS

Flower quandary

THE Netherlands account for 80 per cent of the EU’s flower exports and 60 per cent of global flower production, including those sent to Russia. Dutch growers said that flowers were not affected by sanctions but admitted they were faced with the dilemma of whether to stop exports on moral grounds.

BELGIUM

Fizz fuss

BELGIAN Customs officers crushed 2,352 cans of Miller High Life bearing the ‘Champagne of Beers’ slogan. The US shipment en route to another country was intercepted and destroyed in Antwerp after the French authorities issued a formal complaint regarding the infringement of Champagne’s protected status.

GERMANY

Chips are down

GERMANY could limit the export of the chemicals that are used to manufacture semiconductors as the government attempts to reduce its economic exposure to China, Bloomber said. Chemical companies Merck and BASF, who would be affected if exports were curbed, declined to comment.

FRANCE

Porn rules

FRANCE’S audiovisual and digital communications regulator Arcom could receive new powers to block websites not complying with age verification regulations. Under modified rules, Arcom would not require judicial approval to force telecoms operators and search engines to block access to Pornhub or YouPorn

NORWAY

Oslo fight

ASYLUM-SEEKER Andrey Medvedev, a Wagner mercenary who crossed into Norway from Russia in January, pleaded guilty to fighting outside an Oslo bar and carrying an air gun in public. He felt very ashamed, Medvedev said, but denied assaulting police officers in the Norwegian capital.

FINLAND

Snakes alive

ADDERS, Finland’s only dangerous snakes, will become a protected species in June. In future, people will no longer be permitted to kill them without reasonable cause or disturb them in their natural habitats, although Turku Animal Protection Association’s president, Britt-Marie Juup, foresaw “heated discussions.”

IRELAND

Too good

IRELAND has one of the highest rates of overqualification in the EU, according to newly released Eurostat data. Just under 29 per cent of the country’s employees were working in occupations not requiring a third-level degree despite having one, making the country's workforce the EU’s most educated.

ITALY

Free pill

ITALY will make free contraception medication available to women of all ages, a move applauded by women’s rights activists nationwide but condemned by anti-abortion advocates. The Pricing and Reimbursement Committee of AIFA, the Italian Medicines Agency now awaits approval from the agency’s board of directors.

PORTUGAL Stony broke

FORMER Banco Espirito Santo (BES) bank boss Ricardo Salgado, out on €3 million bail since 2014, owes more than €30,000 in court costs, which his defence team claims he cannot pay as his assets were impounded by the state. The costs mounted up in unsuccessful appeals to the Constitutional Court.

UKRAINE

Looking ahead

UKRAINE lost a third of its economic output in 2022 as eight million people fell into poverty, creating a 15-year setback in poverty reduction goals. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development pledged that when the time came for reconstruction “people will be there, human capital will be there.”

SWEDEN

New fashion

DRUG busts involving designer drug 3-CMC increased dramatically in Sweden after gaining a foothold during the pandemic, the country’s media said. Between 2019 and 2022 Swedish Customs and the police seized quantities ranging from four to 104 kilos, saying 3-CMC was now more common than cocaine.

THIS year’s edition of the Xàbia Folk Festival takes place from Friday May 5 to Sunday May 7.

The two main concerts will be at the marquee at the Plaça de la Constitució at 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Portuguese singer Teresa Salgueiro, with more than 30 years’ experience as a professional musician and having performed over 1,000 concerts in some of the most prestigious venues all over the world, will take to the stage on the Friday to present her latest album

Xàbia Folk 2023

Plaça de la Constitució, Noèlia Llorens ­ a representative of the new generation of folk singers ­ will offer a selection of popular and new songs.

A fun-filled day for the whole family

Dins del Silenci. Saturday will offer two performances, the first at the Casa de Cultura at 7pm with

Cati Plana (diatonic accordion) and Pau Puig (Valencian dolçaina and bansuri).

On Saturday night at the

The 21st edition of Xàbia Folk will close with a performance by long­running traditional Valencian musician Artur Blasco and violinist Marién de Casimiro in an intimate setting at Santa Llúcia hermitage at 12pm on Sunday May 7. All concerts are free and open to all.

Altea Photography Rally

INSCRIPTIONS are now open for the sixth Photography Rally in Altea. The competition takes place from May 12 to 14 and places are limited. Inscriptions cost €10 until May 7 and €12 from May 8 to 10 and can be made at alteacultural.com/rally

Photographs must be taken with a camera and cannot be edited. A total of six photos will be submitted. Prizes total €800, divided into

€400 for first place, €200 for second place and €100 for third place, plus another €100 for the photograph voted the best of the whole competition.

The event starts on Thursday May 12 at 8pm with the presentation of the objectives that participants will photograph followed by a welcoming ceremony at the Casa de Cultura.

The photographs are to be handed in from 11am to 1pm on Saturday May 13 and the jury will announce the winners on Sunday May 14 at 12pm, after which the prizes will be awarded in the Casa de Cultura.

The competition attracted up to 60 participants from throughout the Valencia Region and Murcia last year.

ON Saturday May 6, the Hotel Meliá Villaitana in Benidorm will vibrate with family activities at its Iguana Family Fest, organised by Amata.

From 11am to 8pm, both guests staying at the hotel and visitors from the surrounding area can participate in arts and crafts workshops, theatre performances, storytelling, sports activities, and games for the whole family.

There will be bouncy castles, a magic workshop and an authentic Arts and Crafts fair. And to recharge your batteries, there are several restaurants, a food truck, a buffet and an ice cream parlour.

The programme of activities stands out for its great variety to

make sure that there is something for all tastes: theatre and storytelling, arts and crafts workshops, football and beach volleyball, paddle surf and yoga, pilates and GAP, circus games and magic, bouncy castles, swimming pools and a children’s playground.

For clients staying at the hotel, participation in all activities is free, visitors from outside can buy tickets at igua nafamilyfest.dtouch.es, where you can also find all the information about the activities, schedules and prices.

Hotel Meliá Villaitana is located on Avenida Alcalde Eduardo Zaplana (next to Terra Mítica). The complex has ample free outdoor parking.

FOLK FESTIVAL: All concerts are free and open to all.

THE Fundem organisation is organising a theoretical and practical permaculture workshop at the Jardí de l’Albarda gardens in Pedreguer on Saturday May 6.

Permaculture is an approach to land management and settlement design that adopts arrangements observed in flourishing natural ecosystems. It includes a set of design principles derived using whole­systems thinking and applies these principles in fields such as regenerative agriculture, town planning,

Green fingers

rewilding, and community resilience.

Participants will learn about the principles of ecology, the basics of permaculture applied to a garden, orchard or agricultural project, strategies for promoting biodiversity and creating fertile soil, preparations with beneficial microorganisms, regenerative agriculture techniques, improving soil and plant health, and how to build a permaculture gar­

den. It will be a one­day intensive workshop, taking place at the Jardí de l’Albarda (C/ del Baix Vinalopó, 8, Pedreguer) from 9.30am to 2pm and then from 4pm to 7.30pm.

The price of the workshop is €60.

For further information and to book, contact Fundem at fundem@fundem.org, telephone 696 975 290 or visit jar dinalbarda.com or Jardín de l’Albarda on Facebook.

Open Mic at La Bresca

A GREAT Open Mic night was enjoyed by patrons at La Bresca (El Verger) on Thursday April 27 with a host of amateur musicians turning up to play and enjoy themselves whilst entertaining the audience.

Players this week were Cazzie Millington, Doug Kerr, Jos Ooms, The Clearys family (Pete, Jo and Mom), Ian and Gladys Cummings, Mario, Vince, Paul and Terry.

Open Mic nights are held every month and are an opportunity for amateur musicians to perform for free at La Bresca and provide the evening’s entertainment. Any local musician is welcome to come along and all the necessary

plug­in equipment is provided to perform, although backing tracks are not allowed.

The next Open Mic night is on May 18 at La Bresca once again.

Amateur musicians entertain audience.

Walk Against Cancer

THE sixth edition of the ‘Camina contra el Càncer’ (Walk Against Cancer’) fundraising event takes place in Els Poblets on Sunday May 7.

Participants will perform a five­kilometre walk starting at the Plaça del Salvador at 10am.

Inscriptions are €4 for the walk, €4 for breakfast and €2 for pets taking part, and can be made before the event at Perruqueria Eva, at the local pharmacy and at the tourism office.

The first 300 people to put their names down will receive a free t­shirt and a gift after the event.

The commemorative t­shirts can be collected from the Escoles Velles in Mira­Rosa on Friday May 5 from 7pm to 9pm and on Sunday from 9am.

Moftag Spring Fayre

By Anita Becker

THE Moftag club of Calpe held their Spring Fayre on Saturday April 29. Once again, the event was hosted by Pub Delfin and support was truly amazing, with €2,470 being raised for local charities.

A lot of preparation goes into the Fayre months beforehand with the making of foodstuffs, and good quality bric­à­brac is collected throughout the year and donations are organised for the Grand Raffle at the end of the morning. Without the help and support of local businesses and the local community none of this would be possible.

One of the organisations supported by Moftag is The Lynwen Nurses Cancer Care who had two representatives present on the day to advise people of their services. Other local charity organisations supported by Moftag are Cruz Roja Calpe, Caritas

Calpe and the Maite Boronat Centre. Moftag is a social club as well as a registered charity organisation and they hold events every Wednesday for their members.

If you would like to know more about the club please call Jenny Godfrey at 639 139 518 . New members are always welcome.

La Creueta

ONCE again this year, the district of La Ferrería in Alfaz del Pi will dress up to host the traditional La Creueta festivities from Friday May 5 to Sunday May 7.

Highlights include a giant paella for 600 people at 2pm on Saturday in aid of local charities, with rations costing €2 each and live music by the La Gran Babylon orchestra, followed by traditional games for all the family at 4pm with traditional music and a live performance by the Orquesta La Pato from 11pm.

SCAN Paella Party

Before then, local band Daños a Terceros will perform a selection of pop and rock hits from the 80s and 90s on Friday at 9pm, while Chef Yordan will prepare a gourmet supper.

Sunday will see a street parade with traditional Valencian music at 11am, followed by an open­air Mass by the Creueta and traditional dancing open to all at 12pm and a children’s party at 5pm with music, giant bubbles, games and free chocolate and sweets.

SCAN (Society for the Care of Animals in Need) will hold a Paella Party at its shelter in El Verger (Carrer Alcoi) on Sunday May 14 at 1pm. The main event will be a paella valenciana with other menu options available. There will be live music, bar service and a raffle.

To reserve your place email scaneventscostablan ca@gmail.com or call Adele or Chris on 711 081 095. Visit ‘Society for the Care of Animals in Need’ on Facebook or scancostablanca.com

€2,470 was raised for local charities.

EXHIBITION: Painting by women artists from the Marina Alta.

Women show talents and skills

UP to 150 people inspected the 31 paintings by eight women artists from the Martina Alta at Javea Golf Club.

The exhibition was part of the celebration of the 70 years of the European Union of Women, who has a delegation in the Marina Alta.

“We were founded just after the Second World War in Salzburg in Germany in the belief that women could make a better job of keeping peace in Europe than men,” explained President Margaret Hales.

“We have over the last 70 years stood for peace, democracy and for women to have their rightful place in decision making. We don’t raise money, we raise

Let’s eat & have fun!

By Sally Ellis and Paula Heffron

THE Vall del Pop U3A have been focused on eating and having fun in recent weeks.

Last month up to 42 ladies gathered for their monthly lunch, this group has gone from strength to strength in a relatively short time. They visited the restaurant La Solana in Alcalalí, which served a selection of shared platters followed by fillet of salmon or

sea bream, pork in mushroom sauce or slow­roasted lamb, with a vegetarian option also available.

It was a delicious meal and great value with a lovely friendly atmosphere.

The U3A ladies, as usual, had plenty to discuss and chat about and they are all looking forward to their next lunch, which will be on Tuesday May 16. If you would like to join them please find fur­

ther information on their website U3avalldelpop.com

Then a few days later on Saturday April 22, the U3A Vall del Pop Goodwill team organised a fabulous cheese, wine and live music evening at the Polivalent in Murla.

The Goodwill team have lots of exciting events planned for the coming months so please keep an eye on their website and Facebook.

awareness of women’s issues. We inform ourselves ­ and others ­ about gender violence, femicide, people trafficking and inequalities in employment and in society.”

The eight artists from four different nationalities were each presented with a certificate of appreciation.

The next event is the European Union of Women ‘Mujeres en Igualdad Marina Alta’ birthday celebration with stories of women from around the world, taking place at Javea Golf Club and Restaurant on May 22 at 10.30am.

For more information email euwmari naalta@gmail.com and follow European Union of Women Marina Alta on Facebook.

Benidorm charity run

BENIDORM will host the fourth edition of its charity run in favour of the Doble Amor occupational centre and people with intellectual disabilities in the Marina Baixa on Sunday May 7.

The event will take place at El Moralet park from 9am, with the children’s races beginning at 10.30am. The route is eight kilometres long and easy and accessible to all, and participation is also open to walkers who wish to take it easy. The children’s races take place over various different distances according to age group, ranging from babies with their parents to 16­year­olds.

The ‘Cross Solidario Benidorm’ was presented

by Benidorm Sports councillor Mariló Cebreros, together with Benidorm Athletics Club president Manolo Martínez and Doble Amor director José Manuel López.

“Registration is for charity and comes with the gift of an exclusive t­shirt for the event,” said councillor Cebreros, encouraging “everyone to take part and register on the Brotons Group website, which is in charge of managing the event (www.grupobrotons.com).”

All participants will receive a goodie bag and the male and female winners will win a serrano ham.

No-Mad Albir: For love

Serving breakfast, international snacks, tapas, lunch and dinner dishes, No­M close to the buzzing Alfaz del Pi promenade.

WHEN owner Mike Munier, originally from the Netherlands, opened this bar and restaurant last summer alongside his second ­ in ­ command Pico, the team had a vision to create a space that was friendly and unique.

Having already worked in restaurants in the area for 10 years and coming from a family of experienced restaurateurs, Mike’s hard work paid off and No ­ Mad is now wellknown as one of the coolest spots in Albir.

Adding to their fresh and colourful dishes, No ­ Mad also has great live entertainment and singers, an open terrace to enjoy the gorgeous Spanish sun, and an enormous screen

to watch all of the biggest sporting games including Formula 1 and football.

You’ll have the perfect start to your day at No ­ Mad with their breakfasts and an amazing variety of coffees. Small but well ­ rounded, the breakfast menu has something for carnivores, lovers of fish, veggies, and vegans.

Choose from the Spanish classic pan con tomate (toast with tomatoes and olive oil), their popular toast with creamy Philadelphia cheese and smoked salmon, toast with serrano ham and oozy brie cheese au gratin, or their sausage with fried eggs cooked to your liking.

You can also grab freshly squeezed juices, granola, yo ­

ghurts and fruit.

For those who love brunch, No ­ Mad has a great ‘BetweenBreads’ special, offering a delightful smoked salmon club sandwich with shrimp, creme fraiche, lettuce and tomato accompanied by fries mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard. They also offer a choice of juicy roast beef with red wine pear, parmesan and rocketaptly named ‘The Holy Cow’and a grilled club sandwich with chicken, bacon, lettuce and tomato (served from 10am until 3.30pm.)

As lovers of good food and innovation, the team’s experience and dedication are shown through their dishes. Taste their Hawaiian ­ inspired poke bowls, a fresh and

healthy dish that con tains rice and marinat ed raw fish like tuna and salmon or vegetari an falafel, accompanied by fresh vegetables and wakame seaweed. Or their colourful meat and veggie salads prepared with fresh, local ingredi ents and designed to sat isfy all tastes.

All options offer the possibility of choosing a vegetarian version and the freedom to create your own perfect meal.

Renowned for their meat dishes, created from cuts that are fresh and locally sourced, the talented chefs at No ­ Mad prepare each plate on the grill to your liking, in cluding burgers and fajitas, juicy steaks and chicken breast.

Mike told the Euro Weekly News : “People love the meat, it’s from the local butchers and we work closely with local suppliers of produce and wines.

“People really love the poke bowls and the plates do very well. We always try to have a variety and no waste.”

No ­ Mad’s tapas selection includes tempura prawns with sweet chilli sauce and crispy homemade goat cheese croquettes, the perfect light bites to share with friends over drinks.

Choose from their fabulous hot and cold starters including a buttery carpaccio of Norwegian

Focused on providing customers w using local produce and minimal waste, No­Mad has become a fi

NO-MAD: The perfect place to celebrate birthdays, company dinners or special events. Choose from a fabulous range of tapa

Enjoy a Between-Breads special.

ers of good food

Mad Albir is a hub of innovation and good food located

salmon with wakame and caviar, rich tuna tartare and tuna sashimi, flavourful Thai mussels, excellent garlic prawns, and fried octopus that will tantalise your taste buds until your main course arrives.

Their outstanding seafood dishes include perfectly grilled Norwegian Salmon, and sole a la meu niere ­ a meaty yet delicate flavour. Not forgetting their tuna tataki with toasted black and white sesame crust that creates an explosion of flavours and textures.

End on a sweet note with the dessert menu, including classic cheesecake, Dama Blanca, buttery Dutch apple pie and chocolate cream terrine.

All dishes and light bites are accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beers, with Mike telling us: “Our wines are local and from the Alicante region, we also have special Belgium beers.”

Mike, Pico and the team invite you to celebrate birthdays, company dinners or special events in the restaurant or on the terrace, with personalised menus accord ing to your preferences, as well as a children’s menu for little foodies. Due to its popularity, we recom mend booking your table at No Mad and taking your palate on a journey that fills the senses.

Website and menu: www.no-mad.es

Opening hours: 10am until 12am, closed on Tuesdays

Address: Albir Avenue, 20, 03580 El Albir (Alicante)

Bookings: (+34) 865 815 832 or email: info@no-mad.es

Facebook: @nomadalbir

with unbeatable service in a laid­back atmosphere, rm favourite with locals and visitors.

s, or hot and cold starters, perfect to share with friends.

Sip a delightful cocktail.

Hawaiian-inspired poke bowls, tasty tapas and sweet desserts.

FINANCE

STAT OF WEEK €1.164 billion

was the amount of telecom company Orange España’s turnover during the first three months of this year, a 2.8 per increase on the same period in 2021.

BUSINESS EXTRA Telefonica’s Virgin

Coffee break

PRET A MANGER is increasing the cost of its monthly subscription service by a fifth to £30 (€33.9) for a daily five coffees but will give a 10 per cent discount on food and snacks alongside free drinks. The sandwich chain warned that the “inflationary challenge” was ever­present.

Payback time

RENTING state­owned Sareb’s 50,000 properties at affordable prices will repay taxpayers’ money, Spain’s Economy Minister Nadia Calviño, said. She added that after taking control of Spain’s “bad bank” the government’s “good management” was returning to society its contribution to the 2011 bank bailout.

Takeover bid

MEDICA GROUP is the latest London­listed business targeted by private equity buyers following IK Partners’ £269 million (€303.7 million) bid for the teleradiology provider. Medica’s board advised shareholders to vote for the deal, saying this would allow investors to recognise the business’s growth potential.

New post

GERMAN­BORN Miguel Angel Lopez Borrego, who has Spanish nationality, replaces Martina Merz as CEO of the German group ThyssenKrupp on June 1. Lopez Borrego, who is 58, and currently interim CEO of Norma Group, is a former director of Siemens Spain and a member of the Siemens Gamesa board.

Desert song

UMAR KAMANI, former CEO of the PrettyLittleThing fastfashion chain, sold 30,000 square feet (2,787 square metres) of undeveloped sand in Dubai that cost him £6.42 million (€7.3 million) for more than £27 million (€30.5 million). Kamani’s buyer is believed to be a member of the Saudi royal family.

Lifeline needed for landline

Linda Hall

TALKTALK, Virgin Media and SSE have been accused of overcharging landlineonly customers by almost €219 million (approximately €247.3 million).

Almost 600,000 UK landline­only customers were charged ‘excessive’ prices since 2009, maintained Fideres, which specialises in providing industry expertise for financial markets’ disputes.

The consultancy, which also aims to identify corporate wrongdoing, found that TalkTalk ­ and the now­merged Virgin Media and SSE ­ have between them overcharged consumers when their prices were compared with those of their rivals. Fideres pointed out that as well as a pricing abuse that possibly breached competition rules, the three

companies were also infringing equality laws since two­thirds of customers with landline­only deals were aged 65 or older.

In 2017, Ofcom published research showing that landline customers were getting ‘poor value for money’.

Providers had increased line rental charges by 25 and 49 per cent since 2009 even though the underlying wholesale cost of providing a landline service had fallen by 26 per cent.

As a result, BT, which accounts for about 80 per cent of the UK’s 2.9 million landline­only clients, cut charges by around 37 per cent, reversing the increases by returning pricing to 2009 levels in real­terms.

Ofcom said in 2017 that it expected other providers to follow suit as did the Post Office, unlike Virgin Media and TalkTalk. If providers rolled back their prices to match the 2009 levels, TalkTalk’s customers would have saved £103 million (€116.3 million) and Virgin Media and SSE’s customers £48 million (€54.2 millon), Fideres calculated.

Airports group flies high

AENA reported a net profit of €133.6 million for the first quarter of 2023, compared with losses of €41.7 million during the same period in 2022.

The total number of passengers in Spain, Luton and airports in northeast Brazil recovered 100 per cent of their pre­pandemic levels, state­owned Aena announced on April 26.

Traffic volume at Aena’s Spanish airports reached 53.6 million in the first three months of the year, a 41.6

Barça deal

FC BARCELONA finally secured funds for the Espai Barça project which includes renovating the Camp Nou stadium.

The club has now signed a €1.45 billion agreement with 20 investors, although this is €50 million less than it originally hoped for.

It has taken the club almost two months to obtain sufficient financial backing to start work at the Camp Nou ground. Setbacks that coincided with club president Joan Laporta’s funding mission included the scandal over Barça’s payments to football referee José María Enríquez Negreira and the hike in interest rates, followed the Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse banking crises.

per cent increase on the same period last year and 1.6 per cent higher than during the first quarter of 2019.

Commercial sales showed a 12 per cent improvement on their pre­pandemic lev­

els,. Total consolidated revenue for the first quarter of 2023 increased to €1.03 billion, 34.3 per cent up on the first quarter of 2022.

Aeronautical revenue of €523 million was 26 per cent

Salmon tax

THE price of Norway’s farmed salmon could rise by up to 10 per cent, industry insiders warned.

Norway produces more than 1.5 million tons of salmon each year and the Oslo government now intends to slap a 35 per cent tax on their profits.

As a result, consumer prices are expected to rise by as much as 10 per cent or even more.

“We all know it is coming,” said Lance Forman, owner of London­based H Forman and Sons, which supplies leading restaurants and Harrods.

After fossil fuels, salmon farming is the country’s largest source of national income. It is also very lucrative, with operating profit margins of around 45 per cent.

Despite the salmon farmers’ efforts, the Norwegian parliament is expected to approve the measure in the coming weeks.

TELEFONICA has strengthened its position in the UK with a partnership between its strategic digital business subsidiary, Tech&I, and Virgin Media 02 Business.

Virgin’s customers can now be supported by Telefonica Tech’s cloud team of professional and managed services. Based in the UK this company currently employs more than 1,000 technology professionals following its takeover of CancomUK&I and Incremental.

This will enable Virgin Media O2 Business to offer enhanced services to medium and large organisations. These will range from local authorities wanting to unify data and processes, healthcare providers migrating sensitive data to the cloud and retailers looking to evolve e­commerce opportunities in the cloud.

higher than in 2022 while commercial revenue ­ again surpassing 2019 levelsreached €337.9 million, 40.1 per cent more than during the first three months of 2022. “The performance of commercial activity in the first quarter of the year is noteworthy, where pre­pandemic activity levels improved markedly,” Aena said. Aena’s gross operating result between January and March of this year rose to €368.6 million, representing growth of 153.2 per cent.

Light fantastic

NATIONAL POWER, owner of the Drax power station in Selby (Yorkshire), reported its highest ever annual profits.

Shareholders in the FTSE 250 company can look forward to a £150 million (€169 million) windfall, thanks to record electricity prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This had helped to increase the group’s annual profits for 2022 to £731 million (€824.7 million), up from £398 million (€499 million) in 2021.

Drax also announced that in the meantime it was putting on hold its much ­ debated £50 million (€56.4 million) carbon capture project, as it awaited details from the government regarding a possible subsidy.

Turned off

NETFLIX lost more than one million Spanish viewers in the first quarter of this year, consultancy company Kantar found.

Vetoing shared accounts was responsible for the plunge and the future looks even bleaker now that 10 per cent of current subscribers plan to leave Netflix within the next three months.

“Losing some users was to be expected,” said Mayte Gonzalez, from Kantar’s Worldpanel division. “But losing more than one million in so little time has major consequences for Netflix and will influence its decision to continue with this measure worldwide.”

Loud and clear

MARSHALL GROUP is more likely to increase its commitment to Britain than leave, its new owners said.

The family­owned amplifiers firm was bought by Swedish company, Zound Industries, which makes Bluetooth speakers, in a deal that valued the combined group at £325 million (€367 million).

All Marshall brands were acquired by Zound, for an undisclosed amount.

“We will preserve and probably enhance our UK presence even more, because it is so important to who we are,” said Jeremy de Maillard, who heads the new business.

LANDLINES: Users tend to be over 65.

AENA HEADQUARTERS: Spain’s airports group makes a profit.

Photo credit: Pexels/Rodnae Productions

Photo credit: CC/Gemmarz

DOW JONES

Family affair

SPAIN’S National High Court in Madrid is investigating Santiago Alarco, the former brother­in­law of ex­Cabinet minister Rodrigo Rato, for hiding money abroad. Alarco has been summonsed to give evidence on May 24 to answer charges of money laundering and creating a financial network to keep cash out of the reach of Spain’s tax authorities.

Deaf ears

HSBC’s biggest shareholder said that it was “extremely disappointed” in the bank’s refusal to consider splitting up and separating its Asia business, criticising its inflexibility towards restructuring proposals. Ping An Asset Management, which has an 8 per cent holding in the banking giant, would prefer to see a separate Honglisted business headquartered in Asia.

PM’S own goal

GERRY MURPHY, chairman of luxury retailer Burberry described axing VAT ­ free shopping for foreign visitors as a “spectacular” own goal.

“It makes the UK the least attractive shopping destination in Europe,” Murphy added.

The criticism came after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s visit to a Business Connect meeting in London when he was quizzed about the measure introduced while he was Chancellor.

The Burberry boss told

the prime minister that it appeared “somewhat perverse” that the VAT refund

for tourists was removed on the day the UK left the single market.

Powering up profits

IBERDROLA made a €1.48 billion net profit in the first quarter of 2023.

This was more than 40 per cent up on the same period last year, which coincided with the start of the Ukraine war.

Thanks to improvements in Spain and the UK, the group reported a marked increase in results despite the new 1.2 per cent windfall tax applied to energy com­

panies’ net turnover. This increased the group’s total tax bill by €200 million this quarter compared with the first three months of 2021. It has also been paid in full, announced Iberdrola, although payments have increased by 102.2 per cent to €1.18 billion this quarter, compared to €583 million in 2021.

Ocado relocates

“Leaving the EU has had a significant effect on trade,” Murphy said, claiming that the UK was experiencing “by far” the weakest recovery from the pandemic compared with other major economies.

A group of business leaders has now called for the reintroduction of tax­free shopping for overseas tourists.

In a letter to the UK’s Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, retail, hospitality and tourism chiefs maintained that reinstating the VAT concession would benefit both businesses and the taxpayer.

Tax­free shopping would bring a multi­billion­pound boost to the economy, they argued.

“The cost of 20 per cent VAT refunds would be outweighed by the enormous benefits of encouraging more visitors to Britain,” they said.

IN a move that will affect approximately 2,300 employees, Ocado plans to close its oldest distribution centre in Hatfield (Hertfordshire) later this year.

This centre accounts for a fifth of the online grocer’s weekly customer orders each week, but sources explained that Ocado now intends to shift towards robotic warehouses, transferring to a new state ­ of ­ the ­ art warehouse in Luton.

Logo no-go

LIDL won its legal standoff against Tesco.

A High Court judge found in favour of the German­owned chain which accused Tesco of “riding on its coat tails” by promoting its Clubcard deals with a similar blue and yellow logo.

Mrs Justice Joanna Smith made the ruling late last month after an earlier hearing between the two supermarket giants.

BURBERRY: Chairman Gerry Murphy lamented end of taxfree shopping for tourists.

Euro

EUR/GBP: Unchanged at £0.88

EUR/USD: Up from $1.07 to $1.09

Easing concerns over Europe’s banking sector initially helped the euro to firm at end of March, before these gains were swiftly eased by a weaker-than-expected Eurozone inflation print.

Hawkish comments from a European Central Bank (ECB) policymaker, put a spring back in the single currency’s step at the start of April, before rally sputtered out in the face of fresh tensions between Russia and Europe as Finland formally joined NATO.

The euro continued to waver into mid-April as a disappointing Eurozone retail sales reading was offset and the single currency’s negative correlation with the US dollar infused volatility into EUR exchange rates.

A stronger-than-expected Eurozone services PMI then lent support to the euro toward the end of April.

While the ECB’s next interest rate

BUSINESS EXTRA

Scot-free

P&O Ferries believe that the possibility of a fine arising from the 2022 mass sacking of 786 employees was “remote.”

The Dubai ­ owned ferry operator’s annual report maintained that sacking its entire UK­based crew without the prior consultation required by UK law was a “solution to gaining essential operational flexibility.

Good result

BARCELONA­BASED construction company FCC, controlled by Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim, earned €97 million in the first three months of this year, 14 per cent more than 2021’s first quarter. Revenue increased by 21.2 per cent to €2.03 billion thanks to increased activity and double­digit growth in most business areas.

Currency outlook: US dollar slumps amid fading Fed rate hike bets, Euro underpinned by ECB interest rate speculation

decision will undoubtedly be the main focus for EUR investors over the coming month, the potential start of Ukraine’s long-rumoured spring offensive could also inject some volatility into the euro.

Pound

GBP/EUR: Unchanged at €1.13

GBP/USD: Up from $1.22 to $1.24

The pound wavered over the past month as mixed UK economic data and a fluctuating market mood left the currency to trade without a strong directional bias.

At the end of March Sterling zigzagged in response to hawkish comments from Bank of England (BoE) Governor Andrew Bailey and a cautious market mood.

Thin trading conditions due to the long Easter weekend then left the pound trapped in a narrow range at the start of April. Before GBP exchange rates stumbled after UK growth was revised lower in the first quarter.

The pound then spiked on the back of the UK’s latest consumer

sale of Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty to Microsoft.

The CMA halted the $69 billion (€63.2 billion) deal - the biggest deal ever in gaming - on the grounds this would hinder competition in cloud gaming.

The regulator said on April 26 that Microsoft’s pledge to allow leading cloud gaming platforms to access Activision’s multibillion-dollar Call of Duty franchise had not allayed its concerns.

The company remained fully committed to the acquisition and would appeal the decision, Microsoft president Brad Smith announced in a statement. Activision in turn said it would “work aggressively” with Microsoft to reverse the CMA’s decision.

“This was not the news we wanted,” Activision’s CEO Bobby Kotick told staff, “but it is far from the final word on this deal,” he added.

“We will reassess our growth plans for the UK,” the company said in a separate statement. “Global innovators large and small will take note that, despite all its rhetoric, the UK is clearly closed for business.”

price index after reporting domestic inflation remained in double digits in March.

The hotter-than-expected inflation print cement expectations for a May rate hike from the BoE, while also prompting some analysts to speculate rates could rise as high as 5 per cent by the end of 2023.

Looking ahead, the BoE’s May policy meeting could trigger a sharp appreciation in the pound if the bank signals it needs to take more action to bring inflation under control.

US Dollar

USD/GBP: Down from $0.81 to $0.80

USD/EUR: Down from €0.92 to €0.91

The US dollar trended broadly lower over the past month as an improving market mood sapped the appeal of the safe-haven currency. USD was supressed as we entered April, as USD investors were split on whether the Federal Reserve would pursue another rate hike in May.

The US dollar continued to be

CMA won’t play

To date this was the biggest deal between technology companies that the CMA has blocked and its stance was interpreted by insiders as proof

that the UK watchdog was ready to take on Big Tech.

It is now up to Brussels to reach a decision by May 22 on the Activision deal.

Tax breaks for all

ALL religions in Spain can now enjoy the same tax breaks.

The government has reached an agreement with the Orthodox Church, the Buddhist Union, Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses who between them account for 1.3 million followers. Of these, one million belong to the Orthodox Church, half of whom are Romanian.

They will be exempt from paying IBI rates on properties that are used for worship and will no longer be liable for Corporation Tax. This will put them on an equal footing with the Catholic Church, the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities, the Federation of Jewish Communities and the Islamic Commission.

pressured through the first couple of weeks in April, as some upbeat US data releases helped to reinforce the cheery market mood. While a weaker-than-expected core PCE price index saw the odds of a May rate hike fall as low as 40 per cent.

USD exchange rates then struck new multi-month lows in mid-April after a dramatic cooling of US inflation and dovish minutes from the Fed’s last policy meeting further undermined rate hike bets.

However, the US dollar was quick to rebound from its worst levels after a worrying decline in US retail sales spooked markets and revived safehaven demand. While increased confidence in a May rate hike also supported USD.

Looking ahead, the direction of the US dollar over the next month will largely depend on the Fed’s forward ward guidance following its next rate decision. If the US central bank signals it might be done with its current hiking cycle, USD exchange rates may plunge.

Out of pocket

ASSOCIATIONS representing recruitment firms called for changes to existing legislation. The lower end of the supply chain of temporary workers faced unfair financial pressure, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo UK) and APSCo OutSource maintained.

Payment was often required between seven and 28 days of timesheet submissions, while end clients enjoyed payment terms of between 30 and 60 days, they pointed out. This meant the middle-supplier was out of pocket for an increasing length of time which was unsustainable in the current climate, causing undue financial strain on small and medium-sized businesses. They routinely footed the initial bill for large numbers of contractors without rapid reimbursement, Melanie Forbes, APSCo OutSource’s managing director explained.

They are now asking for an extension of Payment Practices and Performance regulations to reduce financial pressures.

Mercadona nears its target

MERCADONA continues to modify its growth strategy inside Spain.

The supermarket chain, with 1,637 stores here, is slowing down acquisition of premises and land for new branches. Instead it is switching to renting.

By the close of the 2022 financial year, it had allocated €76 million - almost 40 per cent less than in 2021 - for new stores, according to Mercadona’s annual accounts submitted to Spain’s Mercantile Registry.

The chain has tripled the number of its supermarkets since 2000, although Mercadona’s president and principal shareholder Juan Roig said when presenting the 2022 results last March, that the company planned to stop at 1,700 inside Spain.

APRIL: Stronger-than expected Eurozone services PMI lent support to the euro.

THE UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has blocked the

ACTIVISION-MICROSOFT: Deal could hinder cloud gaming, CMA said.

Photo credit: Pexels-jeshoots

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

ONE of the real problems with the social media is that it allows the woke snowflakes and utter ec ‐centrics to seek each other out. Whereas, at one time someone with totally off the wall ideas would hardly come across any like‐minded individuals, they can now contact each other at the touch of a button. It stands to reason if you can air your views to millions, you are go‐ing to find more supporters than standing on a street corner handing out leaflets. Although there seems to be a positive glut of gaggle heads these days, there are in fact no more than they ev‐er were, they are just a bit more linked up that’s all. So‐lo individuals have now been turned into ‘minority groups’, a part of the flavour that seems to get all the preferential treatment these days!

These latest ensembles are a glaring example. Drunk with the power of getting national media coverage, they are now advocating that not only wolf whistling, but ANY praise by a male of the species, including refer‐

One-track

ence to articles of dress or attire be classed as a misogynistic hate crime. I suppose praise from a fe ‐male is ok? We’ll be a bit careful lady, the woman ad‐miring your hat at Ascot could be a gender bender; another load of codswallop dreamed up by these peo‐ple.

To be honest I’m surprised most of ‘em even have the courage to walk out of their own front doors. They seem to have totally one ‐ track minds and, because they all appear to share complexes of utter inadequacy, are completely unable to accept, or even listen to any other points of view.

One example is their on‐going insistence that babies, and young children who show a tendency to play with toys or enjoy dressing up and indulging in the games of their opposite sex, should be immediately and relentlessly encouraged to grow up in that sexual gen‐der.

This was actually shot down by one eminent psy‐chiatrist who, on examina‐tion of a young boy who had displayed a great deal of in‐

terest in feminine toys etc, discovered he had in fact a younger sister, who suffered a debilitating illness. This had led to the parents showing her more attention.

In the little boy’s mind he interpreted this as favouritism toward girls. The lad thought that if he acted more like a girl, he would at‐tract the same attention as his sister. It had nothing to do with his gender whatso‐ever! This example also ex‐poses some of the dangers presented to children of same sex parents.

Another ‘offspring impres‐sionable’ situation I was ac‐tually witnessing as far back as the 60s. Notting Hill where I spent my youth ex‐perienced many progres ‐sions, including a multitude of gay influence and of course the first of the Win‐drush immigrants. I actually caught a lot of it many moons ago. And frankly have never been too happy to see how it’s all panned out.

Keep the faith.

Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com

Mon. Fri.

LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthe publishers,advertisersorsponsors.

FLYING HIGH OUR VIEW

LAST weekend, we reported on our web‐site, news of a massive fight onboard a plane travelling from Norway to Alicante in Spain. It appears that the fight was fuelled by the drunken behaviour of a number of passengers and when it arrived in Spain, no fewer than 15 people, all said to be Norwe‐gian were arrested.

There was an unprecedented number of views of the stories and almost 100 readers felt that it would be helpful to make com‐ments, for which we are grateful.

As often happens, some people simply read the title without taking in the content and rushed to blame boozy Brits abroad but on this occasion, they were completely wrong. It rather looks as if these idiots who are used to paying high prices for alcohol in their home country might have been tak‐ing advantage of cheaper in‐flight booze

and overdid it!

No excuse and probably 50 per cent of the comments are calling for a ban on alco‐hol sales on all flights, 25 per cent want to see tougher checks before passengers are allowed on board or automatic travel bans if they are convicted of misbehaving on a flight. Roughly a quarter feel that it’s unfair to stop those who drink in moderation from being allowed a beer or glass of wine to help them relax after the flight takes off but all want to see flight attendants try to refuse sales to drunks.

That may be easier said than done as the attendants themselves could leave them‐selves open to verbal abuse or physical at‐tack, but it is clear that something needs to be done to ensure that the majority of trav‐ellers can enjoy (subject to leg room) their flight in peace.

CORONATION QUICHE DOESN’T DESERVE ONLINE ROASTING

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

FOR some people, Coronation Quiche with its spinach and broad bean filling may seem a bit unexciting and unglamorous for such a grand occasion this weekend. On the other hand, it’s part of just the type of nostalgic, comfort food that’s currently enjoying a revival. Or maybe it’s to do with the UK being hit with strikes in multiple areas? People in the UK struggling on a daily basis with the increased cost of living and higher food prices, inflation and interest rates, let alone China flexing its muscles and war in Ukraine continuing to disrupt world trade. Who doesn’t remember the 70s, say, with nostalgia ­ a time of relative peace and calmness?

And foods from that period inevitably bring back memories. Who made it. Who you ate it with. What your life was like at that point in time...

For me, it’s onion soup served in one of those made­for­purpose bowls with a little handle. Or perhaps cheese fondue ­ wine, kirsch, bread. Anything smoth ­

ered in bubbling hot melted cheese! What else? Prawn cocktail, steak Diane, peach Melba or butterscotch Angel Delight with chopped banana and Bird’s Eye Dream Topping (eaten straight from the bowl given half a chance…)

Or toad in the hole, shepherd’s pie,

lemon meringue pie and Arctic Rollcake AND ice ­ cream in one pudding. What more could you want? And as for snacks, what about jelly cubes eaten straight from the packet? Squashed fly biscuits (Garibaldi, weren’t they?). Or Wagon Wheels ­ though should be renamed Trolley Castors thanks to shrinkflation.

After all that, who’d feel nostalgic for Quinoa salad?

And as for the height of sophistication in my youth: Vesta Chow Mein with crispy noodles! Or oeufs Mornay ­ a ‘posh’ starter. A boiled egg cut in half and smothered in a dodgy ‘sauce’ that invariably tasted like salad cream with a bit of wilted mint sprinkled over it. Also avocado vinaigrette ­ half a rock hard or ridiculously mushy avocado with bitter vinaigrette filling the hole. And, in the more upmarket restaurants, a couple of sad ­ looking prawns floating around in the liquid.

Actually, Delia Smith was way ahead of her time and her recipes are still incredibly reliable crowd pleasers. They’ll surely long outlive the dreadful recipes you regularly come across these days where the ‘chef’ believes you can chuck anything together and just camouflage

the tasteless result with chilli. Yuk! But frankly, I’ve never understood this ‘comeback’ thing. If something is good, it’s good. End of. Do you stop eating a certain food (like the humble quiche), drinking a certain drink, watching a certain movie or reading a certain book (a suspense or crime thriller, like me?) because somebody else tells you it’s outdated, and that’s the thing to do?

Do you throw away all your clothes or shoes every year when some magazine tells you: ‘They’re so last season!’? (Clue: it’s a business ­ that’s their job.) There’s absolutely nothing wrong with trying new things and being experimental, but it’s good to have the classics locked away too. After all, it’s the classics that are your gold standard for comparing quality.

So, in brief, all I’m saying is: Give Quiche a Chance...

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

Mediterranean diet Mark II

LINDA HALL

SOME years back, a friend who hadn’t been here long grumbled that she’d put on weight thanks to the Mediterranean diet.

Hardly surprising, because eating Mediterranean Spain’s food doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re following its rules. In fact you’ll usually be eating, and doubtless enjoying it very much, a Spanglish diet, which is notorious for adding kilos you’d rather lose.

As I found when living in the rural outskirts of Altea my neighbours ­ elderly people who knew nothing other than the Mediterranean diet ­ ate what they produced.

That meant killing it too.

We lived in the bottom half of a rambling house, some of it new, some of it probably a couple of centuries old. Each Friday Marcela, our landlady who lived on the top half, would select a rabbit from the corral and kill it in a process that I was careful not to witness, but couldn’t avoid overhearing.

It was brutal but rapid and in no

time at all, she’d skinned and gutted it, ready for the Sunday paella.

Pigeons, chickens, even turkeys at Christmas, met the same fate but who was I to shiver in disgust? Not when I bought the remains of dead animals that had lived in miserable conditions and were bred purely to satisfy the appetites of supermarket customers.

A couple of my neighbours were also directly linked to the fish they ate and one day shortly after we’d moved in, Marcela’s cousin Teresa appeared with some mackerel so fresh that they shone.

Did I want any, Marcela asked me. As it happened, I didn’t as I’d bought fish that morning, which also happened to be mackerel. Obviously there’d been a good catch the night before.

“Teresa often brings me some,” she said.

“I suppose she had some left over,” I remarked.

Marcela looked at me sternly. “Oh no. These aren’t leftovers. We share what we have.”

And there spoke someone who knew what the Mediterranean diet really meant.

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

Nora’s latest thriller.

Noraistheauthorofpopularpsychological suspenseandcrimethrillersandafreelancejournalist.

By Clinica Britannia

A more youthful appearance

DERMAL fillers are one of the most popular, cost­effective cosmetic treatments available with results seen immediately. In your youth, your skin is like a rubber band, that gravity can pull as hard as it wants to, and nothing will happen. But that’s not the case as you age, gravity pulls on your skin, causing it to stretch, with that stretched skin, over time forming fine lines and wrinkles.

Just imagine a balloon, when it’s full of air, it looks nice and smooth, but as it deflates, wrinkles begin to form. Dermal fillers work by refilling the balloon, helping to dissipate lines and wrinkles, giving a more youthful and radiant appearance.

Fillers are also specially designed to interact with your body in a very special way, encouraging the release of collagen. This collagen then

goes on to help your body rejuvenate, leading to healthier and fresher looking skin with longer lasting effects.

Botox injections are used primarily to reduce the appearance of wrinkles on the

Cooling system

THERE’S no need to stop exercising in hot weather, especially if you start early before temperatures start to rise.

Remember, though, that exercise will increase your own body temperature and if you’re exposed to soaring temperatures for too long, your natural cooling system can start to fail.

don’t make the mistake of drinking too much as overhydration can lead to hyponatremia or low blood sodium.

Photo credit: Pexels/Jopwell

KEEP DRINKING: Hydration essential while exercising in hot weather

forehead and around the eye area by temporarily relaxing the muscle injected. They are also successfully used to treat excessive underarm sweating and chronic migraines.

Make an appointment here at Clinica Britannia with our Aesthetic Doctor, she will have you looking more radiant and wrinkle free in no time at all.

That in turn could result in heat exhaustion, the debilitating fatigue that makes you feel that one more step will be your last. At worst, it could develop into heat stroke.

To avoid this and to keep cool, drink plenty of water every 20 minutes while exercising and more when you’ve stopped. At other times of the day, drink when thirsty.

On the other hand,

Sleep tight

MELATONIN, a hormone which is released by the brain as night falls to makes us sleepy, is a prescription medication in the UK.

Nevertheless, although serotonin supplements are available in Spain without a prescription, experts recommended that people consult their doctor before taking it.

The supplement does not address underlying health problems, like anxiety and sleep apnea, that may disrupt sleep and require treatment. Lifestyle changes including a cutdown on alcohol and regular exercise are more efficient at helping people to sleep better, they said.

Here comes summer

CHERRIES are a seasonal treat, with Spain’s best grown in Jerte (Extremadura) as well as inland in the provinces of Alicante and Valencia.

Drinking the juice of sour cherries is said to get you get a better night’s sleep and will also reduce post­workout pain. Meanwhile, the tarter varieties should help you to slim down, owing to their anthocyanin content which activates the molecules

CHERRIES: Give you a good night’s sleep and reduce blood pressure

that assist in speeding up fat burning and decreasing fat storage.

To eat or not to eat?

SOME mouldy foods needn’t be discarded although it’s wiser to steer clear of others.

Food hygiene consultant Sylvia Anderson explained that firm fruit and vegetables can be eaten if you cut away the mouldy part, because moulds cannot penetrate deep into them.

The same thing goes for hard cheese, hard salami and chorizo, as they have a low moisture content.

Soft fruit, soft vegetables like tomatoes, bread, yoghourt, creme fraiche, soft cheeses and ready­made sauces like pesto are a different matter and should be thrown away. However, jams and marmalades can be salvaged by removing the inch below the mould.

The sweeter varieties of cherries have an abundance of potassium, a natural blood­pressure reducer, and are rich in beta carotene, vitamin C, anthocyanins and quercetin.

66% of British people feel they are in ‘good health’

DERMAL FILLERS: Help to dissipate wrinkles.

Photo credit: Pixabay/Pasja1000

By Clinica Britannia

Enjoy your smile within days

LIVING with missing teeth is not a viable option for most people, as it causes them embarrassment when smiling or talking, inhibits the basic daily activities, and unfortunately negatively affects how others perceive them.

You may think you can hide a missing molar, but a missing front tooth is impossible. But also, importantly if a gap is left, the other teeth will shift position causing them to become misaligned, changing the natural shape of your face.

At Clinica Britannia we make custom made high quality partial or full dentures, to give your smile a full and natural look. With proper fitting den­

tures you will have no problems chewing food, talking, or smiling confidently.

Did you know that a completely new set of dentures can now be made within four days, allowing you to enjoy your NEW smile within record time, you could even have them made without interrupting your vacation.

We are also happy to

Frozen assets

Fat chance

AN Edinburgh University study found that women aged over 45 who reduced calories for a month lost 10 per cent of their body fat.

offer our existing and new patients an Express Service for the repair of any type of Dental prosthesis ( denture ) within as little as one hour, due to our onsite laboratory and technicians.

If you already have existing dentures and want them to look like new again, then why not have them cleaned and polished, we can make that happen whilst you wait.

Appointments Landline: 965 837 553 / 965 837 851 • 24H/365D Emergency Number: (+34) 607 255 755

Clinica Britannia Calpe Av. Ejercitos Españoles 16 BIS, 1st Floor, Calpe

THANKS to the UK’s recently launched medicinal cannabis card, patients carrying the drug can prove they aren’t breaking the law. The size of a bank card, it shows the holder’s name, photograph, date ­ of ­ birth and address as well as a QR code.

It’s on the cards

Some patients can access cannabis legally on the NHS after medicinal use was made legal in the UK in 2018 for patients with severe epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, as

well as adults suffering vomiting or nausea due to chemotherapy.

Only specialist hospital doctors can prescribe it and even then, solely as a last resort.

CONTRARY to popular belief, frozen fruit is as good for you as newlybought fresh produce.

Professor Gunter Kuhnle, a nutrition expert from the University of Reading, explained that levels of vitamin C in fruit, which is essential for maintaining healthy skin and bones, fall by 50 per cent in just a couple of days.

The interval between picking and consuming fruit is usually even longer, he pointed out, while natural enzymes found in fruit can also cause nutrient levels to drop, resulting in loss of colour and flavour.

Freezing, in contrast,

can preserve nutrients almost immediately, Professor Kughnle said.

First, the fruit is blanched by briefly exposing it to boiling water or steam, which inactivates these enzymes, preventing nutrient loss.

Younger women following the same diet lost 8 per cent, while males aged under 45 lost more than the females.

The difference between sexes disappeared after 45, prompting the Edinburgh team to conclude that men found it harder to lose belly fat with age, hence their “beer bellies.”

Women, whose oestrogen levels steadily decline, probably lost more fat because they no longer needed to support a possible pregnancy, the research suggested.

Wrong message

A TOP nutritionist criticised the NHS’s “soup and shake” diet hailed by experts for reversing Type 2 diabetes.

Professor Tim Spector told the UK media that the extreme 800 calories per day diet would assist “'a very small number of highly­motivated individuals” in reversing their diabetes.

It sent the wrong message to tell people desperately trying to lose weight that they could do so with ultra­processed substitutes, Professor Spector said.

DENTURES: Can now be made within four days.

FRESH FRUIT: Loses Vitamin C from the moment it is picked

Photo credit: Pexels/Joshua Woroniecki

How to report an abandoned car on the street or community

CONSULAR MATTERS

IT is still quite common to see cars, vans, or motorcycles that are completely deteriorated, covered in dust, and with deflated tyres occupying a parking space. In fact, the Spanish traffic authorities (DGT) estimates that there are about 20,000 abandoned cars in private facilities (abandoned cars in garages, in a community of owners, in workshops...) and that around 50,000 vehicles are abandoned each year. This can result in a hefty fine for the owner, as their obligation is to deregister it and remove it from the obligation, as indicated by the Law.

Until now, you could only request the removal of the vehicle if it was on the public road. However, with the Spanish VEH 2022/26 instruction, you can also request it if the vehicle is abandoned in a community of owners, in a shopping centre, in a workshop, in a private zones, etc. In each case, the time to file the

THE Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) confirm a food web is the interplay of different food chains, each made up of a sequence of ‘what eats what’.

An example of a simple food chain is nasturtiumblackfly­ladybird­swallow, where each link in the chain eats the one before it. But of course, there are many other things which for instance eat blackfly, which takes us into other food chains, hence the concept of a bigger ‘food web’. Sometimes species are grouped together by how they feed into what are called ‘functional groups’.

We help to find solutions

complaint is different. In a private area, it must be proven that the vehicle has been abandoned for a minimum of two months. In a public parking lot, at least six months must elapse to report abandonment.

You can report an abandoned car to your town hall by phone, internet, or in person.

It may happen that you go on a trip for a period exceeding one month or any other circumstance that prevents you from moving the car and someone has reported it. To prove that the vehicle is not abandoned, you will have to provide the valid vehicle documentation, with the latest ITV passed, car’s insurance, and payment of taxes. You will also have to pay the fine and the expenses of the crane and deposit before you can take it away.

For more from our columnists please scan this QR Code

Food web

THE British Benevolent Fund has over a century of providing emergency financial relief for Britons in Spain who have no other recourse ­ to find solutions for people who are in a desperate situation and who see no way out.

Money can’t by love but it can be an enabler for people who have found themselves in difficulties. Many of these cases are triggered by illnesses, breakdown in relationships, loss of jobs and bereavement.

Into that mix comes Brexit, which for some Britons who have been living in Spain mean that if they are not resident under the terms of the withdrawal agreement, they have to face the prospect of being classed as illegally staying in Spain. If that wasn’t enoughfor vulnerable people ­ many of whom are advanced in years means that they no longer have the access to Spanish state support and healthcare that they might have been eligible for before. Which means some difficult decisions for those that need

care, housing, and support to return to the UK where many have not lived for years if not decades. Many are under the illusion that they will be automatically entitled to UK benefits including crucially access to housing. The UK’s welcome for returning vulnerable Britons is far from what extends to other nationalities. The Habitual Residency Test means that a returning British national may have to wait for up to three months before they can be eligible. The BBF will help those who have no other resources, and we are increasingly being asked to help them in the UK whilst their applications are processed. These are people who have long lost touch with their networks at home and could face homelessness on arrival without our support.

One such is Tom, a 60­yearold Briton who left the UK nearly 40 years ago and has been told by his local authority he can only apply for housing and other benefits when he arrives. He has multiple medical issues which need continual treatment as well as aggressive MS which will mean permanent disability ­ he needs to get home for treatment ­ but the Habitual Residence Test means he will have to overcome an enormous hurdle with no income, savings or resources.

We can only help people like Tom with your support ­ if you would like to help him and others with a donation, please visit our website www.british benevolentfund.org. Thank you for any help you can give.

Olaf Clayton, Chair BBF

There are four primary groups; herbivores (these eat living plants), predators (these eat other creatures), detritivores (these feed on decomposing material, of plant or

A NEW study of yellow water lilies growing in British ponds has thrown up some surprising results for an aquatic plants expert and scientists at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE).

Yellow water lilies at 23 sites across Britain, previously recorded as the non­native Nuphar Advena from North America have now been identified as a hybrid between the introduced Nuphar Advena and the native Nuphar Lutea.

As part of ongoing studies to clarify the status and identification of aquatic plants in Great Britain, fieldwork was carried out by Richard Lansdown, an aquatic plants expert from Stroud in Gloucestershire.

animal origin; animals that eat fungi and algal growths are often included in this group) and omnivores (these feed on both plants and animals). In a garden with a healthy ecosystem, all of these groups will be well represented. To enjoy sharing our gardens with wildlife further up the food chain, such as hedgehogs and robins, it’s important to remember that they need a plentiful supply of beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, etc.

Water lily

Richard explained: “At all the populations visited, the distribution of plants, as well as the anther and filament measurement, suggested that only a single Nuphar species was present.

“It soon became clear that some populations recorded as Nuphar Advena had been misidentified, however, many populations included a taxon that was neither Nuphar Advena nor Nuphar Lutea but had a combination of traits characteristic of both, suggesting a previously undescribed hybrid between the two.’’

Marisa Moreno Castillo Consul for Denmark and Senior Lawyer at Just Law Solicitors. www.justlawsolicitors.com • contact@justlawsolicitors.com

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

Image: Anne Coatesy / Shutterstock.com

Shopping spree

EXPAND YOUR SPANISH

SOME things are the same the world over.

That includes never finding a sales assistant in a department store when you want one, although a flock of them descends on you when you want to wander round and look.

At best they make you feel guilty because you’re not buying and at worst they look at you as though you are a potential shoplifter. It’s always best to say something in these circumstances and you use a phrase that’s similar in English and Spanish:

I’m just looking, thank you….. estoy sólo mirando, gracias

On those occasions when you do find a salesperson you’ll need to explain what you want:

Can I try this on….. ¿puedo probar esto?

I want a small/medium/big size….. quiero la talla pequeña/mediana/grande

Do you have this dress/blouse/shirt/suit/coat in another size?.....¿tiene este vestido/esta blusa/esta camisa/este traje/este abrigo en otra talla?

I’d like to see this dress/blouse/shirt/suit in another colour…..

me gustaría este vestido/esta blusa/este traje/estos zapatos en otro color

And because it’s often so difficult to get exactly what you want:

This dress is too small/big/tight/ loose/long/short….. este vestido es demasiado pequeño/grande/ajustado/suelto/largo/corto

These shoes are too small/big/tight/wide… ..estos zapatos son demasiado pequeños/ grandes/apretados/anchos

I take a size 37 ­ gasto un 37

I’m sorry but I don’t like it/them….. lo siento, pero no me gusta/no me gustan

I’m going to think about it….. me lo voy a pensar

Then there’s the saddest phrases of all:

It’s too expensive….. es demasiado caro/cara They’re too expensive….. son demasiado caros/caras

Is there something cheaper?….. ¿hay algo más barato?

On those occasions when you can splash out:

Can I pay by debit/credit card…..¿puedo pagar con tarjeta?

Do you want cash?..... ¿lo quiero en efectivo?

And if it really doesn’t suit you:

I’d like to change this.…. quiero cambiar esto, por favor

By the way, the person you look for or evade in a department store (grandes almacenes) is un dependiente/una dependienta but not un asistente, who is an attendee.

Meanwhile una asistenta is the person who cleans for you on a daily basis.

Insurance help LETTERS

May I suggest that Gwendeline Ottley contact Staysure Insurance as they have no upper age limit. We have used them for many years and many trips around the World and find them excellent.

Regards

Same problem

Terry and Shirley

In reply to your correspondent Gwendoline Ottley in edition April 27 to May 3, re lack of travel insurance for older expats, can I say that we have the same problem. My partner is almost 90 and is probably fitter than most 60 ­ year ­ olds in that there is nothing whatsoever wrong with him. Like Gwendoline, we like to travel, but contact insurance companies and they don’t ask anything about health, just your age. This is not fair, I wish some of them would realise this.

Last Christmas and New Year, we went on a Caribbean cruise, the only way to do this was that we booked through a British travel agent (but their office is in La Zenia) and because there is nothing wrong with us, we were able to take advantage of their insurance for €139 each (+€35 for Covid cover). This compared with the £1,400 wanted by another company. We have never claimed in 50 years of use.

We want to take a Danube cruise next spring, which was cancelled twice due to Covid, but it will depend on whether or not we can get insurance. Companies are missing a trick here.

So no help to the lady, but she has a lot of sympathy. We would like to know if she does eventually manage to get covered.

Kind regards,

Diana Wiltshire and Patrice Satur

Hello Leapy

We look forward to your candid comments in your column in EWN each week. We mostly tend to be in accord with you, although occasionally not so, but then that makes for good discussion between ourselves and friends.

Whilst trawling through family photographic archives and memorabilia this week ­ end, my wife (Su) came across an amusing, relevant item. In a faded copy of the mag Fabulous’208, dated 21st December 1968 that she had unearthed from the piles of stored stuff, she was featured as a model in an article titled ‘Right Gear for a Rave Up!’. (During the late 60s and 70s she was a DJ on P&O liners and had modelling and promotion work.)

But, over the page in FabTalk, there was a piece about you ­ ¡Leapy banked on it¡. Attached is a scanned copyeven though it mentions your damaged Cadillac, I thought you might like to see it.

Please keep up your comments and views in your articles ­ someone’s got to voice it before the wokes take over the world!!

Kind regards ­ David

M­S

Bull dies

I read about the fighting bull that plunged to its death from a bridge during the Bou de les Penyes festivities in Ontinyent, Valencia. This is extreme animal cruelty. These people are of no benefit to this planet. They’re relics of a medieval mindset. Pure evil at work here. They bring shame on their country. It needs to stop.

Deborah Hall

Housing market

Spain has more space and a diverse landscape, however, one point to highlight is if the 90 ­ day rule is not addressed, this will have a significant impact on tourism and potential home ownership with properties tied to service charges. Time will tell…

Mark

Stars in Barcelona

After seeing that the Obamas, and Steven Spielberg and his wife were spotted in Barcelona, does Spain want these Warmongers in the country? Is Spain a bit white for the Obamas? Just saying, because of Michelle complaining. Have we forgiven Obama for forcing USA nuke ships in our harbours? Obama go home.

Michael Fisher

DAVID WORBOYS THINKING ALOUD

I LEARNED the facts of life at the age of nine or 10 but the world has moved on since the late 40s. Nowadays little boys are raping girls by the age of 10 and murdering them by the time they are 12. Not all of them, but in growing numbers. Guns and knives are preferred nowadays to pea ­ shooters and catapults, while playground scuffles have given way to shootings or stabbings as a means of settling scores.

When I was five, I was attracted to girls in general (and Rosalind in particular) and enjoyed sitting next to them. I realised they were different from boys, who were perhaps more fun, but I had no idea about sexual communion nor how I arrived on planet Earth.

It was a schoolfriend who eventually told me, but he omitted to explain that the act normally took place in a horizontal position in a bed and normally between a man and his wife.

Hmmm. I had visions of perpendicular liaisons between a mother and a father, while (more or less) fully dressed and anywhere out of view. Perhaps behind the potting shed or in the

CAMPING in a group is great fun, you can bond and spend quality time with people without the distractions of daily life, but have you ever felt like going it alone?

Solo camping can also be a fulfilling experience, you can hike at your own pace without feeling like you need to rush or hang back and connect with nature on a deeper level.

Sometimes when camping in a group we can spend time entertaining people or maintaining the status quo, when you are alone you can just be at peace without these stressors. You can also improve your skills as in a group some

FACTS OF LIFE

teenage boys wore jacket and tie in restaurants, in many of which the menus were presented only in French.

This meant that nine out of 10 customers hadn’t a clue what they were ordering.

The other 10 per cent were probably eating out fairly regularly ­ not just on birthdays. Some men even put on a jacket and tie especially to go into a bank.

garage.

It was also a fact of life that, at the age of nine, I had been taught to raise my school cap on meeting a woman, and at 11 I would offer my seat on a bus to any woman or elderly man. The following members of society had to be treated with special respect: teachers, policemen, vicars, friends of my father and fathers of my friends ­ normally addressed as “sir”.

We had fights at school but had to rely on our hands and, in extreme cas ­

es, our fists ­ but not our feet, let alone weapons. Things began to change in the 60s. Skinheads and bovver boots, followed by punk ‘music’ signalled the emergence of a less gentle society. The facts of life were clarified for the wider public when the Rolling Stones released ‘Let’s spend the night together’. The culture of free love was born.

In the 50s many working people felt uncomfortable in banks and restaurants, much the preserve of the more affluent or more educated. Men and

Solo camping

alone you should try it but don’t jump in at the deep end, take it slow. Maybe try a campsite first and build up to an area you know really well.

Connect with nature on a deeper level.

people may take over the tasks, but alone you can get a sense of satisfaction when

THE best camping advice will usually tell you to travel light. Even so, if you are an avid camper or if you like your rustic trip with a hint of comfort here are some cool camping gadgets you didn’t know you needed!

First­up solar lights, they are powered by the sun and nowadays most brands are bright enough to light the path at night or just have extra light in the camp when the sun goes down. Another good gadget to acquire is a lightweight compact stove.

you manage to do every thing yourself.

If you have never camped

Make sure to be competent at the basic skills alone before you try, pack light, and let people know your plans and your whereabouts. Make sure to bring a book or some form of entertainment just in case you miss the people that usually surround the campfire.

Camping gadgets

They are handy for a mid­hike cup of tea and they are super easy to set up and clean.

Camping experts recommend purchasing a small water filtering pump if you don’t plan to stay on campsites. They now make lightweight portable versions and they can safely filter out any sediment or anything that could cause you harm.

For a touch of luxury and especially for coffee lovers that can’t go without you can now get a portable french press. They are stainless steel so durable and can usually provide four cups of coffee in one sitting. There you go, with these cool gadgets along with a tent and a sleeping bag of course, you will have the best camping trip.

A friend pointed out to me that Paradise was being a 20s­year­old heterosexual male in swinging London in the 60s, when there was an inexhaustible presence of slender, elegant women of all nationalities. There was no political correctness but, by today’s standards, it was a harmless, if not innocent, world.

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That hammock life

CAMPING along the coast of Spain, where you are pretty much guaranteed good weather from Easter onwards, makes camping with a hammock a good option. Studies show that you can achieve a deeper, more restful sleep when you opt for a hammock over a sleeping bag or even a tent. No more rocks or roots in your back, in fact hammock use is recommended to relieve pressure on your back and shoulders. For people with hip or knee problems who find it difficult to get up off the ground, a hammock could be right up your tree!

Camping in a hammock can give you greater access to wild camping and beach camping as setting up tents in some places is off limits, but you can hang a hammock pretty much anywhere. They are portable and lightweight.

Sleeping on a hammock keeps you away from a lot of the bugs and critters that crawl on the ground and if you add an insect net to your hammock you can pretty much protect yourself from them all.

Hammock fans even use them at home instead of a bed, but that might be taking it too far, they certainly make a good case for choosing a hammock for your next camping trip.

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

In the 50s a hand-catapult was considered a dangerous weapon. We have moved on since then.

Photo Credit: Flickr Charlou dj

Hang a hammock anywhere.

Photo Credits: Dreamstime and Huffington Post

GEN Z Pets

ACCORDING to a recent study of 2,066 adults from Generation Z (adults aged between 18 and 26 years old) prioritise their pets over their partners and children when buying a home.

This study showed that Gen Z pet owners would consider moving if their home no longer worked for their pets even if this did not suit their partners.

The study also showed that 60 per cent of Gen Z house hunters are prioritising fenced ­ in outdoor space for their pets whereas before an office or a children’s playroom would have been top of the list.

Fifty­five per cent of Gen Z pet owners said a pet ­ friendly home was more important than a childfriendly home. Gen Z adults are putting off parenthood choosing to start a family later in life but not pet parenthood. Thirteen per cent even admitted they would prefer to share the master bedroom with their pet instead of their partners!

Real Estate agencies have stated they have already begun to see these decisions impacting the market with petfriendly properties more in demand.

Dogsitter will mind your pets

A DOG-SITTER is a companion as well as a pet minder to your pets. It is good to find someone who will play with your pets, as well as look after them. Housesitmatch can help you find such a dog­sitter and companion at very little cost.

If you’re planning a trip register now to find pet­sitters in time.

Whether your trip is short or long, you’ll know that sometimes you must leave pets at home.

Young and senior pets in particular benefit from staying at home, so they can follow their routines undisturbed. Join our pet and house­sitting network, and the sitters come for free!

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

Advertising Feature

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.

Trustpilot Testimonials – 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 CosgraveDog and cat owner, Malaga How do you join?

Please register online via our website www.Housesit match.com.

Need a pet or house-sitter? 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 house-sitter or homeowner with a 20% discount using coupon code 20EWN – Reader exclusive offer. To find a house pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Shockwaves used in human physiotherapy are now used also in dogs

ESWT: Helps with tendon pain and other conditions.

SHOCKWAVE THERAPY or extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is an innovative, evidence­based treatment for tendon pain and other conditions throughout the body.

Shockwaves are acoustic waves which carries high energy to painful spots and myoskeletal tissues with subacute, subchronic and chronic conditions. The energy promotes regeneration and reparative processes of the bones, tendons and other soft tissues.

Shockwave is beneficial in the following applications in dogs:

• Osteoarthritis

• Joint injuries ­ hips, elbows, knee and shoulder

• Chronic back pain, lumbosacral disease

• Non­union or delayed union fractures

• Ligament and tendon injuries

• Chronic soft tissue wounds

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

Gen Z prioritise pets.

Photo credit: Flickr Natasha

A dogsitter is also a companion to your pets.

WASHING MACHINE

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

THE SALVATION ARMY

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

EVEN INSURE YOU FOR UP TO A €1,000 OF WATERLOSS. CALL 686 116 297 (WHATSAPP TOO) OR VISIT www.sosin suranceinspain.com or email tracey@sosinsuran ceinspain.com (290139)

METALWORK

NURSING

BRIDGE CLUB ALBIR: Hotel Rober Palas, Calle Jupiter 7, Albir. Monday, Wednesday, Friday. 2.00pm registration for 2.30pm start.

Richard: 965 848 434.

Henriette: 661 744 423. (294628)

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

I BUY RECORDS 50s to the 90s. Best prices for good records. Tel: 622 750 117 / 962 851 809 (303212)

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

BEDDING

CHARITY

El Campello Christian Community - Life and Family Sunday Service at 11am Bilingual (English and Spanish) at C/ San Bartolome, 35 (Bajo No. 6), El Campello. For more information visit www.el campellochristiancommuni ty.org , email campellocc@ gmail.com or call Juan Zúñiga - 686 203 183 (Spanish) or Sue Bishop610 639 426 (English) (233602)

www.helpbenidorm.org and on Facebook VOLUNTEERS NEEDED, particularly if you speak Spanish, and have a car (although this is not essential). Tel President 607 387 040. We are an English-speaking charity that assists residents and tourists of all nationalities in times of crisis. We meet every Thursday at 11am in Jose Llorca Social Centre C. Goya s/n. Benidorm. We loan out mobility and medical equipment including oxygen concentrators on a short-term basis. (288658)

ELECTRICIAN

MB ELECTRICS. Approved electrician. Any electrical repair. Iberdrola paperwork. Affordable prices. Miquel 655 282 175 www.mbelectrics.es (286325)

FOR SALE/WANTED

BENEFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES. Car, Home, Business, Travel, Life, Funeral, all insurances available. Policies in English. BEST rates, covers & service. Immediate quotes. Tel 961 129 215 / 622 275 561, (WhatsApp) info@beneficialinsurancein spain.com or visit www.be neficialinsuranceinspain.com for online quote. (303063)

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

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

MISCELLANEOUS

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

MORTGAGES

GUARANTEED MORT

AGE 100%. Acceptance. EX Pat Mortages. Non Resident Mortages. Spanish Resident Mortgages. Highest LTV in Spain. Call Damian today on: 655 141 092 (302913)

MOTORBIKES

OTHERS

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PAINTERS/DECORATOR

CAMPING

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

HEALTH & BEAUTY

WIGS

WWW.WIGS-R-US.ES Indoor Market Rincon de Loix, Benidorm. Monday-Saturday 10-3. We also have Scrunchies, Extensions, Ponytails. Catalogue orders. Private appointments after 3pm. 681 049 502 (302420)

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MINI CLUBMAN bows out with FINAL EDITION

ROAD TEST

byMarkSlack

IN 1969, the first Mini Clubman rewrote the rule book. It was an instant hit in the 1970’s automotive market with its long wheelbase, extended shooting­brake body, and character istic split doors at the rear.

Reimagined by BMW in 2007, the first modern MINI Clubman delivered a contemporary interpretation; rear passenger seats were accessed through a rear hinged door, and unfortunately for the UK only on the right hand side of the car. With the third generation in 2015, the Club ­

in length offering more space and two full ­ size rear doors. Today, the MINI Clubman Final Edition is a globally limited run of 1,969 units ­ paying homage to the launch year of the original car.

Powered by a Cooper S engine that delivers 178 hp the Final Edition has a single specification with a choice of three exterior

paint colours ­ Enigmatic Black, Nanuq White or Melting Silver. Shimmer Copper details can be found on the surrounds and upper third of the radiator grille crossbar, side scuttles and Cooper ‘S’ blade on the rear.

The 18” Final Edition two­tone alloy wheels are finished in a tinted clear

lacquer to give a copper hue, while exclusive ‘Final Edition’ lettering on the rear and ‘1 of 1969’ badge on the C ­ pillar side completes the exterior.

The interior features door sill trims embellished with ‘Final Edition’ lettering which are also found on the lower spoke of the Nappa leather steering wheel. Leather sports seats

finished exclusively in leather ­ offer sewn­in edition­specific badging, seat heating and adjustable thigh support. Anthracitecoloured Piquet fabric inserts, and blue contrast stitching further complement the seat design. It’s a well worked mix of materials and design. There’s also a Panoramic Glass Sunroof and rear privacy glass.

A dark dashboard trim is accentuated by trim strips finished in Sage Green and Shimmer Copper. On the passenger side, the trim is decorated with a ‘1 of 1969’ badge which is also found on the floor mats. Graphic lettering on the model’s key cap completes the design. Based on the Exclusive trim, the Clubman Final Edition offers a high level of specification, including an 8.8” touch display with MINI Navigation System, Apple CarPlay and a Digital Dashboard.

Also offered is Comfort Access, Reversing Camera, Parking Assistant including Front Park Distance Control and Harmon Kardon Surround Sound.

The MINI Clubman Final Edition is available to order now and is priced at £37,000.

All-New C3 Aircross Motorrad Days

CITROËN has now revealed the All ­ New C3 Aircross, a family B ­ SUV that is tough outside and caring inside, and intelligently created with regional input to meet the

specific needs of customers in key markets of India, South ­ East Asia and South America.

All ­ New C3 Aircross is, above all, unmistakably a Citroën, and at the same

time a pure B ­ SUV which will compete at the heart of each market by offering car buyers compelling value in a tailor ­ made package combining unique and muscular design, with Citroën comfort signature and wellbeing, plus versatility for up to seven people.

This new SUV model and the already launched compact New C3 represent key steps in Citroën’s international growth strategy, under which the brand is target­

ing 30 per cent of its global vehicle sales to be in regions and markets outside of Europe by 2025.

India, South ­ East Asia and South America are high ­ potential and fastgrowing markets that will positively contribute to Citroën’s international ambitions. In 2022, the brand’s Asian and Asian Pacific registrations increased by 56.9 per cent compared with 2021 and those in South America rose by 21.2 per cent.

THE 21st edition of the BMW Motorrad Days in Berlin from July 7 to 9 will draw fans from all over the world under the banner of ‘100 years of BMW Motorrad’.

The fans of music, motorcycle culture, skateboarding, BMX and art will also get their money’s worth at the Pure&Crafted Festival.

At the festival, which was launched in Berlin in 2015 and initiated by BMW Motorrad, fans

can once again experience the special mix of handcrafted music, motorcycle culture and new­heritage lifestyle on July 7 and 8.

While the last two Pure&Crafted festivals took place in the Sommergarten at the Messe Berlin trade fair grounds, the cult event has now found a perfectly tailored home in urban Friedrichshain­Kreuzberg with the Napoleon Komplex.

Motorcycle culture.

FAMILY B-SUV: Tough outside, but caring inside and unmistakably a Citroën.

Image: Stellantis

Kia comfort

THE Kia EV9 claims to offer superior cabin comfort even in the most extreme conditions.

Pothole problems

RAC patrols went to the rescue of 10,076 UK drivers who had fallen foul of potholes in the first three months of the year, a 39 per cent increase on the same period a year ago, new breakdown data shows.

Damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels ­ issues most likely caused by poor road surfaces ­ accounted for more call­outs than in any other threemonth period since January to March 2021.

In addition, the number of potholerelated breakdowns more than doubled from the 4,915 seen in the fourth

quarter of 2022.

The RAC also saw a 14 per cent spike in wheel changes compared to the same period last year.

RAC roads spokesman, Simon Williams, said: “The high number of call ­ outs our patrols have attended in the first three months of the year ­ and the enormous increase compared to a year ago ­ is nothing short of scandalous.

“Drivers are telling us that the UK’s local roads are in a worse state than ever and it’s hard to disagree looking at some of the craters that litter so many of our carriageways.”

In the development process, Kia vehicles are tested in extreme heat and cold to ensure ­ among other things ­ their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are up to the challenge.

The thermal system of the all ­ new Kia EV9 includes a heat pump, climate control system, and defrost and de ­ icing features.

In addition, a new, userfriendly climate control panel and improved roof vents offer customers maximum comfort and convenience.

Engineers tested these features in wide ­ ranging environments such as northern Sweden and southern Spain to ensure maximum performance and efficiency, even in ex­

treme ambient temperatures.

“The all ­ new Kia EV9

proves customers don’t have to make sacrifices to be sustainable,” said Richard Peiler, Group Manager HVAC & PT Cooling at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre.

“With these high ­ tech features, the EV9 sets new standards in the e­SUV segment, delivering all the comfort and convenience of a modern SUV with none of the emissions at the tailpipe.”

KIA EV9: The vehicles are tested in extreme cold.

POOR SURFACES: Local roads are in a worse state than ever in the UK.

12.1% of total market share of electric vehicles is in Europe

Leeds to sack Gracia

LEEDS UNITED’S problems continued at the weekend when they lost 4­1 to Bournemouth. Javi Gracia’s team are without a win since April 4 when they beat Nottingham Forest at home. Leeds are 17th in the Premier League, above the relegation zone on goal difference only, with four games left this season. It won’t come as a surprise that there are reports that they will sack manager Javi Gracia and they are in talks with Sam Allardyce as his replacement.

Gracia was appointed in February as Jesse Marsch’s successor but has won only three games out of 11. Leeds are now reportedly looking to the ex ­ Bolton, West Ham, and Everton manager to work his survival magic for one of the toughest relegation battle run ­ ins. Leeds are due to face league leaders Manchester City on Saturday, then third­place Newcastle followed by West Ham and then finally they will face Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road to finish the campaign.

There are also rumours that the Leeds United Director of Football Victor Orta is also set to leave the club. Whatever they do they need to act fast as they need a reaction and the players need a boost with fans tired of the lacklustre performances. Will ‘Big Sam’ Allardyce be the one to revive their fighting spirit?

Perez wins Azerbaijan GP

MAX VERSTAPPEN’S lead at the top of the F1 driver’s table was cut to six points after Red Bull’s Sergio Perez won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez took the chequered flag in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku on Sunday afternoon, April 30. This was the Mexican’s second victory of the season and cuts the gap at the top of the driver’s table to just six points.

His teammate and current championship leader Max Verstappen had to settle for second place on the podium at the fast street circuit. The Dutch world champion was unable to catch Pérez who stretched his lead to three seconds as the race entered the final laps.

Charles Leclerc started this fourth Formula One race of the season in pole position but quickly found himself being overtaken by both Red Bulls.

The Frenchman managed to keep the Ferrari in third place despite constant pressure from Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin who crossed the line just eight­tenths behind him.

A safety car was deployed on lap 10 after Nyck de Vries shunted his Alpha Tauri into the wall at Turn 5. This allowed the rest of the field to bunch up with Perez taking advantage of the situation to pit. His decisive move saw the Mexican exit the pits ahead of the pack after the safety

car was removed.

Carlos Sainz brought the second Ferrari over the finishing line in fifth, followed by Lewis Hamilton. The Brit tried his best to pass the Spanish driver but his Mercedes simply could not find the extra power, even under DRS.

Lance Stroll clinched another impressive finish in the Aston Martin to romp home in seventh position. George Russell failed to capitalise on some excellent qualifying sessions and finished in eighth.

The McLaren of Lando Norris took ninth with Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda

rounding out the Top 10.

An incident in the pit lane on the final lap involving the Alpine of Esteban Ocon could have ended badly. As he headed towards his garage for a tyre change, the Frenchman was confronted by a group of FIA officials and photographers crowded in the pit lane.

They had allegedly been mistakenly allowed into the zone when it was still closed off while the race was still ongoing. An investigation was conducted by race stewards who apparently instructed the officials that this should never happen again.

SECOND VICTORY: Red Bull’s Sergio Perez after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Soccer Saturday icon quits Sky Sports Goals return Manchester City to the top

BROADCASTING icon Jeff Stelling has announced his inten tion to leave Sky Sports when the current football season comes to an end. The 68 year ­ old has been at the helm of ‘Soccer Saturday’ for the best part of three decades.

When he joined in 1994 the show was originally called ‘Sports Saturday’. Speaking with Sky Sports on Saturday, April 29, he said: “I’ve been at Sky for more than 30 years and loved every moment of my time as part of the Soccer Saturday team.”

He continued: “It is now the right time to move on and give Sky Sports viewers a break from my relentless rants, bad gags and over­ the ­ top celebrations of Hartlepool United goals. It’s been a lot of fun ­ for me at least!”

This is the presenter’s second time of announcing his departure. He initially decided to quit at the end of last season before returning for another spell fronting the popular weekly football show. No replace ­

ment has been named yet by Sky

“It is groundhog day, it is that time of the year, every year, where I announce I am leaving Sky Sports and Gillette Soccer Saturday. But this time it is true,” Stelling concluded.

Jeff was unhappy with a decision made by Sky back in August 2020 when his co ­ presenters were fired. Former footballers Matt Le Tissier, Charlie Nicholas, and Phil Thompson were removed by the broadcaster as part of a revamp. He described the move as: “one of my saddest days ever at Sky Sports.”

He lost another pal at the end of last season when the ever ­ popular Chris Kamara quit as a pundit on the show. The former football star revealed that he had been diagnosed with a speech apraxia disorder.

In a statement at the time, Chris said: “My long career at Sky Sports has never felt like work. I’ve spent 24 terrific years at Sky, and leave with the best of memories.”

MANCHESTER CITY moved back to the top of the Premier League after a victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Manchester City returned to the top of the English Premier League on Sunday afternoon, April 30. Pep Guardiola’s men travelled down to Craven Cottage in London to face Fulham knowing that a win would take them above Arsenal.

It was Erling Haaland who inevitably opened the scoring. The Norwegian juggernaut buried the resulting third ­minute penalty after Tim Ream fouled Julian Alvarez inside the box.

As a result, the formidable striker became the first player in English top­flight football since Aston Villa’s Tom ‘Pongo’ Waring back in 1931 to bag 50 goals in one campaign.

The goal also brought Haaland level with Newcastle’s Andy Cole and Blackburn’s Alan Shearer for the most Premier League goals scored in one season. As it stands,

Olympic gold champion passes away

JIM FOX, the British modern pentathlon Olympic gold medal­winning athlete has passed away at the age of 81. The Wiltshire ­ born sportsman picked up a team gold medal at the Montreal Games in 1976.

After retiring from competitive sports, Jim was appointed chairman of Pentathlon GB. A statement paying tribute in his memory was released on the Pentathlon GB Twitter account. It read: “Pentathlon GB are deeply saddened to confirm the 1976 Modern Pentathlon Olympic Gold medallist and former Pentathlon GB Chairman, Jeremy (Jim) Robert

Fox OLY MBE OBE passed away yesterday Friday, April 28 at the age of 81.

“Born in Pewsey, Wiltshire, on September 19, 1941, Jim Fox was an army sergeant in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).

“Jim Fox, a fierce and established competitor, represented Great Britain at four Olympic Games. He competed in Tokyo 1964, Mexico 1968 and Munich 1972, before securing a Team Gold in Montreal 1976 alongside British teammates Danny Nightingale and Adrian Parker.

“The 1976 Montreal Games is one that sits firmly in many people’s memories after Fox made headlines when he exposed the tampered sword of Boris Onishenko, leading to the elimination of the Soviet athlete for cheating.

“He finished fourth in the individual event in Munich in 1972, having been dissuaded from retiring by coach Ron Bright after the 1968 Mexico City Games.

“All I could think about was that Onishchenko had a weapon that was not properly working,” Fox later told the

goals apiece, but, City’s man still has the rest of this campaign to go yet.

If the fans thought that this was going to be another match totally controlled by City, they were stunned after 15 minutes. Fulham surged forward and a stunning strike from Carlos Vinicius left Ederson for dead after being teed up by Harry Wilson.

England star Jack Grealish had an opportunity to put his team in front after 27 minutes but his shot was tipped onto the bar by Leno. After 36 minutes, Argentinian striker Julain Alvarez did ex­

actly what Guardi ola bought him for as he smashed a shot home from outside the box for 1­2.

Grealish tweeted after the game: “Great result at a tough place to go! Away support was Juliiiiii wow what a finish.”

Sunday’s win moved Manchester City a point clear of Mikel Arteta’s side and they played one game less than Arsenal. The Gunners had been perched at the top since mid­February but under the current circumstances, it would seem oddson that City will retain their crown.

BBC about the

fencing cheat. “And then, over a period of minutes, because he was going to put it back in his bag and because of the way he wanted to put it back in his bag, I felt there was something dramatically wrong,” he added.

As a result of a subsequent investigation, Onishchenkowho won five gold medals in total ­ was disqualified. “The weapon had definitely been tampered with. Someone had wired it in such a way that it would score a winning hit without making contact,” explained Carl Schwende, one of the officials at the Montreal games.

“We are saddened by the news that 1976 Modern Pentathlon Olympic Gold medallist and former @PentathlonGB Chairman, Jeremy (Jim) Robert Fox OLY MBE OBE passed away April 28, 2023 aged 81. Jim Fox retired as a Capt in the @Official_REME and opened the ‘Jim Fox’ Gym in Lyneham in 2016,” tweeted British Army Sport.

58.1% of the population play sport at least once a month in Spain

Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling.

Credit: Twitter@JeffStelling

JIM FOX: The sportsman picked up a gold medal in 1976.

LUIS DE SOUZA who finished on the podium in the race of fortuna Murcia in the senior category of the CKRM champi‐onship. Luis, who started from the seventh position on the starting grid and after a good start was placed in second po‐sition and battling for first place, until with five laps to go he ran out of tyres due to loss of tyre pressure and even though he tried he was losing pace and could not do any ‐thing to keep the second posi‐tion and finished in third posi‐tion.

How annoying! He said to us after we had a very good start and we were fighting very well to be first and we would have got it because it was going very well and with a very good feeling if it wasn’t for the tyres. In spite of everything, I’m happy with third place, it’s good for the championship.

Luis, who this year is part of the Valencian NM motorsport team led by Miguel Martí,

The Pilot of Alfaz del Pi

with a lot of experience in the world of motorsport.

Luis is already preparing for the next race, which is the sec‐ond round of the Valencian championship at the Chiva cir‐cuit. His physical preparation

is thanks to his physical trainer

Fran Palomar in the gymnasi ‐um of the sports centre in Al ‐faz del Pi.

Luis would like to thank his sponsors and the people who support him, Fernando and

the ZeBlack group, Miguel Olmedo and the BRICOL group, Julio Borda from Altea, Antonio Nunez from Monster Energy, thanks to all those who support me, without you, I would not have made it.

LUIS DE SOUZA: Would like to thank everyone who supported him.

PODIUM: Luis finished in third position in the senior category.

A big hug to all the mechanics of the NM motor Sport team, THANK YOU!