Costa Calida 25 – 31 May 2023 Issue 1977

Issue No. 9 (1977) 25 - 31 May 2023

MAJOR DELUGE

TORRENTIAL rainfall hit the region of Murcia on Tuesday morning, May 23 as Cartagena experienced an accumulation of 100 litres/m² in a four­hour period.

A statement from Cartagena Town Hall explained that between 4am and 6am the city had been placed under a weather red alert after 60 litres/m² fell in one hour.

According to data from the Segura Hydrographic Confederation, in excess of 120 litres/m² hit the western part of the municipality, the statement revealed.

The urban drainage systems worked effectively and quickly throughout the area, apart from in the lower areas of El Ensanche where large quantities of water accumulated.

At least a dozen rescues of people trapped in vehicles in the urban area were carried out by the municipal emergency services.

The most complicated

was that of an individual who often took refuge under a bridge on a boulevard. Local Police officers went searching for him and with the aid of firefighters,

managed to rescue the man just as he was in danger of being swept away.

An orange alert level was put in place for rains of up to 30 litres/m² in one hour

Hot Rally 2023

THE international custom motorbike rally, the Hot Rally 2023, will take place between May 26 and May 28 in Santiago de la Ribera. It is expected to attract about 5,000 custom bike fans from all over Spain and Europe. This will be its 20th anniversary and they will celebrate with a special concert on Saturday May 27 at the Barnuevo Esplanade when the legendary Creedence Clearwater Revisited singer Dan McGuiness will perform.

There are plenty of other concerts planned along with a specialised market also on the Barnuevo Esplanade. The motorbikes plan various routes around the town during the rally to show off their fantastic custom motorbikes. Another highlight of the weekend is on Sunday May 28 when sculptor Abel Vicente will be carving wood with a chainsaw at 10am.

and up to 100 litres/m².

By midday, AEMET, the State Meteorological Agency dropped the alert level in Murcia from orange to yellow.

Long Way Home

TIKO the Lynx hiked an impressive 30 kilometres from the Peñarrubia mountain range all the way to the centre of Lorca. His route took him by Lorca Castle and then passed over the A­7 motorway tunnel. He was finally located in the playground of a creche in the Alfonso X neighbourhood.

Tiko is one of the lynx pups that was released in the highlands of Lorca. Tiko along with Torrealvilla and Tahúlla, two females and one male, form part of a project to breed and repopulate the area with the endangered species.

Local and National police officers along with the Servicio de protección de la Naturaleza (SEPRONA, the Nature Conservation Service) secured the area, and environmental agents then returned the Lynx home to the Puentes reservoir. The Dept of Environment later shared a picture of Tiko back where he belongs and they thanked everyone for their help. I guess we will never find out the reason for his trek to Lorca’s town centre.

Rescue work took place in the town.

Celebrating their 20th anniversary.

Credit: Cartagena Council

Photo credit: San Javier town hall Facebook account

FREE • GRATIS

Photo credit: Conserjería

Ambiente Twitter account

Low-cost trains

THE French company Ouigo has announced that they will launch their low­cost high­speed AVE trains between Murcia and Madrid in 2024. With this competitor in the region next year more competitive services and more affordable tickets are sure to be available.

Ouigo began operating their services from Alicante in April announcing tickets to Madrid from just €9, and just €5 for children, when they launched. They plan to announce similar fares along with timetables and schedules once the project has been authorised. Ouigo hopes to capitalise on RENFE’s failure to improve its services in the area.

Blue Sea Dragon

Catherine McGeer

THE rare Blue Sea Dragon (Glaucus Atlanticus) has appeared in the waters of the Costa Cálida weeks after reports of sightings in Alicante, Torrevieja, Orihuela, and Guardamar del Segura.

It is a type of mollusc and marine biologists think it has been carried into the Mediterranean by the Atlantic surface current. While there were reports of

Cartagena Casino

their appearance just after the pandemic they haven’t been documented in these waters since 1705 and are described by marine biologists as an exceptional find. The Blue Sea Dragon has been described by researchers as a small invertebrate approximately three centimetres long although larger examples have been found. They have ‘six highly branched lateral body expansions and a unique marine blue colouration on their belly and silver on their

Their colouring allows them to camouflage on the surface of the sea. They can be found floating up on the surface. Even though they are small they are certainly mighty, the Portuguese man of war is part of their diet! If you come across one don’t pick it up as their sting can cause a reaction like that of the Portuguese man o’ war.

THE Casino of Cartagena in the Palace of Casa Tilly on Calle Mayor dates back to 1853 and will be restored to its former glory. Once the heart of the cultural and social scene in the heart of Cartagena port in the middle of the 19th century.

The restoration will restore the modernist splendour of the palace which also has baroque elements.

The restoration will include some additions that will encourage the younger members of Cartagena to visit. The architect commissioned to take charge of the restoration is José Antonio Rodríguez Martín (JARM) who has carried out previous restorations on historic buildings in the city. The architect advised the restoration will cost approximately

THE political party PP in Caravaca de la Cruz has announced plans to create a large green area of more than 50,000 square metres as part of their electoral campaign. The project includes children’s play and leisure areas, a large landscaped area, a pond, a cycle path, and some rest areas. They went on to say that they will continue ‘the ‘Green Belt’ project by equipping

€2 million plus IVA which is higher than what was originally thought. The project will not only restore the historical building but create better access by installing a staircase and a lift that has been designed to respect the historic architecture of the building.

Green zone

the eight­kilometre path that surrounds the town centre with benches and lighting.

They also plan to open the orchard of the former Convent of San José during the day so people from the neighbourhood can enjoy the tranquil setting.

MIGHTY: Be careful they sting!

The Casino dates back to 1853.

Photo credit: Wikipedia/Nanosanchez

NEW SERVICE: Tickets available from €9.

Photo credit: Ouigo Twitter account

Photo credit: Wikipedia/Sylke Rohrlach

Direct flight

THE airline Volotea has released direct flights from Corvera to Menorca starting at €19 for the month of June. They increase to a maximum of €82 in July and August and drop back down to €24 in September. They also fly to Oviedo and Santander.

Playmobil life

A FREE Playmobil exhibition is on display until June 11 in the Atrium del Mar Hotel in Los Alcazares. The exhibition contains more than 1,500 figures interpreting important aspects of life in Los Alcazares including famous festivals and processions.

Full Moon route

AGENDAMENUDA has organised a free event that will take place on June 3 at 8 pm. A unique full­moon guided walk approximately nine kilometres long which should take around three hours begins at the Molino de Quintín (C/Campoamor) in San Pedro del Pinatar. For more information see agen damenuda.es.

Mazarron Gala

MAZARRON port has been chosen to host the Gala for the Region of Murcia on June 8 to celebrate the Day of Murcia. The event will feature the winner of Operación Triunfo (similar to the X Factor) Lorena Gomez. Many more famous names will perform on the night.

First hosting

THE president of the region Fernando Lopez Miras announced that Murcia will host the first Carlos Alcaraz Cup: an exhibition match between Alcaraz and another top player in the ATP ranking to take place at the end of the year or early next year.

Sheep rescue

THREE sheep trapped in a well in San Pedro del Pinatar were rescued by the emergency services on Sunday, May 21. The incident occurred in Molino de Chirrete.

€3 Million Investment

Catherine McGeer SAN PEDRO DEL PINATAR

will receive an investment of €3 million to boost tourism.

The project has been titled the Tourism Sustainability Plan. The Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism approved the budget allocation of this plan which will be financed by European funds.

The plan will be developed over the next three years.

The main objective of the plan is to promote the renewal of the tourism model based on digitalisation, intelligence, and sustainability.

central to the project as they plan to reorganise and adapt car parks to redirect and reduce the flow of vehicles through the protected area.

They will also improve the footpaths and bicycle routes in this area while continuing to ensure the conservation, maintenance, and enhancement of the Regional Park.

They also plan to introduce tourist information portals and create ‘smart beaches’ that will have UVA sensors to collect weather data and buoys that will provide information on water quality.

The Day of Murcia Hydro-aviation

THE Mar Menor aims to be the third­largest hydro surface in Spain. The town council of Los Alcazares and the Spanish Hydro Aviation Association have started the process to bring seaplanes flying back to Los Alcazares more than 100 years after the first seaplane base was established in 1915.

“We have sent all the necessary documentation and we hope that in two months they will be able to land seaplanes in Los Alcazares, in the Mar Menor,” announced Miquel Buades, president of the association. The first step

in the project is to make sure the deaplanes can land and take off in Los Alcazares while respecting the environment and the people of Los Alcazares. “The first thing is respect for the environment and the surrounding population. Hydro aviation is one of the most environmentally friendly means of transport,” added Buades. At the moment the plan is for private seaplanes, but they haven’t ruled out the possibility of establishing a commercial route. The project hopes to promote tourism in the area.

THE Day of the Region of Murcia (Día de la Región de Murcia) is celebrated on June 9 every year. It is an annual public holiday in the Region of Murcia only and it marks the anniversary of the statute of autonomy of Murcia on June 9, 1982.

Schools, businesses, and government offices usually close for this holiday.

This year the holiday falls on Friday. Many towns will arrange events such as arts and crafts ex­

Corvera Duty-Free

THE Swiss company, Dufry, which specialises in the management of duty­free shops has won the 12­year contract for the duty­free shops at the International Airport of the Region of Murcia. It was between them and the French company Lagadère, but Dufry submitted the highest economic offer and so was chosen by AENA the airport management company.

Aena announced that Dufry proposes a ‘profound renovation of the shops,’ while focusing on the passenger experience and the history and culture of Murcia.

Dufry aim to install smart shops, in which customers interact physically and

digitally, with new features such as animation spaces.

It is also committed to expanding brands and concepts such as collaborating with chefs in gourmet bars. No timeline has been given for the project yet.

hibitions, live music, sports events, etc to celebrate the regional bank holiday.

You may also notice some people display the flag of Murcia on public buildings or even their homes during the holiday.

Families usually get together to celebrate the day by enjoying dishes like ‘Caldero de Mar Menor’ or ‘Michirones’.

Make sure to check the timetable of your local supermarket as they may close for this regional bank holiday.

THE Los Alcazares Town Hall in conjunction with the Department of Social Policy, Women and Equality is launching its Co­responsibility Service: presenting ‘Noche en la Biblioteca’ (Night at the Library) an event for children aged between six and 12 years who attend school in Los Alcazares. This is a free event financed with funds received by the Ministry of Equality, Secretary of State for Equality, and against Gender Violence and in collaboration with the government of Murcia. This free event will take place in the Municipal Library of Los Alcazares on Saturday, June 10 beginning at 5pm and finishing on Sunday, June 11 at 1pm. The children will ‘camp’ at the library, enjoy planned activities and discover the secrets of literature and culture. If you are interested you need to register on or before May 26 by downloading a form from www.losalcazares.es.

The Regional Park of San Pedro del Pinatar is

Photo credit: Catherine McGeer

SMART BEACHES: European Funds to boost tourism.

Swiss company Dufry wins the contract.

Photo credit: International Airport of Murcia website

Antarctic Expedition

THE Spanish polar research vessel ‘Hespérides’ returned to Cartagena Port after 190 days at sea on an Antarctic expedition which was described as successful. This was their 27th campaign which began in November. The ship was built in 1990 in the Shipyards of Cartagena and is equipped with 11 fully equipped laboratories. They studied seven multidisciplinary research projects including how climate change affects penguin behaviour,

PROVERB

High-Speed progress Night of the Museum

THE Noche de los Museos (Night of the Museums) event in Cartagena was again a huge success attracting more than 42,000 people to the event.

The event opened 30 museums to the public free of charge including the Ro­

man theatre. Many events such as free concerts, workshops, street theatre, etc were organised as part of the special night. Murcia City and Lorca among others hosted their own version of the event.

THE Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (Adif), the Spanish public business under the Ministry of Transport whose objective is the construction of railway lines and their management, have announced plans to lay highspeed tracks between Murcia and Lorca next year.

They advised that the work should be completed within the year and the work on the Murcia­Almeria line is progressing well. The Minister for Transport’s forecast is that the line, or a large part, could be operational by 2026.

as well as human and natural pressures on marine life. Family and loved ones waited with tears in their eyes and welcome home signs at the Cartagena docks on Saturday, May 20.

Woolly thirsty

A HERD of Barbery Sheep has taken to the fountains on the grounds of the Los Baños Archaeological Mu­

seum in Alhama de Murcia. Barbery Sheep usually found in Northern Africa were introduced to the Sierra Espuña in the 1970s. This herd of 27 that live on the Castle Hill pop down to the fountains to drink the water and sometimes take a refreshing dip surprising passers­by and the visitors to the museum.

Adif also highlighted that the total investment for the first direct railway between Murcia and Almeria will be approximately €3.5 billion.

THIS year the Salinas de San Pedro Regional Park has joined the celebrations of World Migratory Bird Day celebrated on May 13. This celebration is held all over the world during the months of May and October, coinciding with the two great annual migrations. The slogan given to the

Bird Life

event was ‘Water: sustaining bird life’. The information service of the Regional Park set up a bird­watching area with binoculars, monoculars, and a telescope so visitors could take a closer look at the aquatic birds like the flamingo.

Cave paintings

IN the last five years the number of cave paintings that have been discovered in the Region of Murcia has doubled. The total is now 150 documented cave paintings, many of which are still in the study phase. The cave paintings range from the Palaeolithic period and from around 15,000 years ago to the historical period (16th and 17th centuries). They have been discovered in Cueva de la Higuera in Cartagena, Jumilla, Mula, Ricote, Abarán, Calasparra, Lorca, Caravaca de la Cruz, Totana, Cehegín, Yecla, and Moratalla.

21 nations speak Spanish on a daily basis.

Catherine McGeer

The ‘Hespérides’ returned to Cartagena.

OF THE WEEK

“Laughter is the best medicine.”

Laughter relaxes the whole body, relieving tension and stress. This phrase originates from the Bible - Proverbs, Chapter 17, verse 22.

Catherine McGeer

THE Central Government has activated its heat plan bringing it forward by two weeks due to the high temperatures experienced so far this year. The main points of this year’s plan are the updated health risk thresholds and the inclusion of outdoor workers as a risk group.

The updated risk threshold for the region of Murcia is 38.8 degrees four degrees higher than last year. This is the temperature that marks the barrier above which the risk to health and the associated mortality rates rise. As part of the heat plan, the government also announced that companies will be obliged to adapt the working conditions of their employees and their schedule so they are not working outdoors during the hottest time of day. They went on to say there will be work inspections to make sure the employers are complying with these rules. AEMET has agreed to continually

THE Pilarmonics Barbershop Chorus, who are members of the Spanish Association of Barbershop Singers (SABS), invite you to sing with them.

They meet every Wednesday evening at Dolores, Centro Civico from 6.45pm until 9pm.

Heat alert

algae.

Lagoon oddity

update every region of Spain on the predicted temperature so they can issue orange and red warnings if necessary and the region can then implement the plan corresponding to the level of the warning. The government also issued its yearly

guidelines about how to avoid heatstroke, especially for those in a risk group like the elderly, children, and pregnant women. The plan will be activated until September 30 but can be extended to mid­October if necessary.

Barbershop Chorus

The women’s harmony chorus who have sung at the SABS competition in Calpe in April and performed in a bilingual Cabaret show recently in San Javier, is recruiting

new members.

They are planning more events singing for local groups and charities in the near future.

If you like to sing you can come along to their

‘Recruitment Saturday’ on October 21 in Dolores, contact the secretary at secretarywg.pilar monics@gmail.com , or check out their Facebook page.

SCIENTISTS from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) have detected a large mass of water with an unusual whitish colouring in the Mar Menor in recent weeks. The differentiated body of water is located off the coast of Los Alcazares and Los Urrutias and is about 15 kilometres squared.

The IEO began an investigation into the anomaly and their conclusion seems to be related to a phytoplankton bloom which is basically a sudden explosion of microscopic algae.

The IEO will continue its investigation and hopefully find a solution as the rapid growth of this algae can create problems. If the algae grow faster than consumed

it can create a ‘dead zone’ where marine life is essentially suffocated as it uses up the oxygen in the water.

A lot of speculation has begun about the cause of this anomaly and most seem to think it is related to the pollution of the Mar Menor but this anomaly has been reported in the USA also.

NASA satellite images detected a similar white mass. Research carried out along the coast of British Columbia seemed to conclude that this ‘bloom’ was related to the rising temperatures of the water.

Government officials for the Region say the white mass has been there since 2016 and it is no cause for alarm.

Disney Dream

THE Disney Dream Cruise

Ship arrived in the port of Cartagena on Friday, May 19 with more than 3,500 passengers on its transatlantic crossing for the start of its summer season in Europe.

The Disney Dream replaced the Disney Magic cruise ship in 2011. It has 14 decks, seven restaurants, nine lounges, and a large theatre that holds more than 2,000 spectators. This cruise ship has all kinds of entertainment

with fireworks, cartoon shows, animations all day long, giant screens, 3D movies as well as a big Water ­ Coaster that runs along the deck and outside of the ship! This is the first time the Disney Dream has stopped in Cartagena Port.

HEAT PLAN: Risk threshold for Murcia 38.8 degrees.

CRUISE SHIP: Entertainment and more on board.

Photo credit: Disney Cruise Line Website

Photo credit: Shutterstock/kieferPix

ON Saturday June 3, the very popular From the Jam will make their first ever Spanish appearance at the Benalmadena Auditorium.

Prior to their arrival, one of the founding members of The Jam spoke exclusively to Euro Weekly News about his long career and how this band was formed.

It was in 1977 that The Jam obtained their first recording contract and the trio consisting of former Woking schoolboys, Bruce Foxton, Paul Weller and Rick Buckler burst on the scene.

They couldn’t really be categorised as punk but with their Mod image and biting music certainly ruled the record charts until 1982 when they broke up.

During that time, they had 18 consecutive top 40 singles before Paul Weller decided to call it a day in 1982 and they disbanded.

Bruce, the bass player spent 15 years in punk band Stiff Little Fingers and then formed another band Casbah Club with Russell Hastings and more by luck than judgement they

Bruce Foxton is From the Jam

sell for so long and having seen the reaction from fans who enjoyed the music so much, the pair decided to keep on playing the songs that they and their audience loved so much.

They are still going strong with literally hundreds of gigs booked through to 2024 but there was an opportunity to visit Spain for the first time, so the expanded band which has added Andy Fairclough on keyboards and Mike Reddon on drums decided it was time to bring their brand of music to a Spanish audience.

“The closest I’ve been to Spain is when my wife came as part of a hen party” laughed Bruce “but why ignore a chance to bring our music to both an established as well as a hopefully new audience.”

were booked to play a gig with a band which included former Jam drummer Rick Buckler.

Bruce explained, “we had no intention of forming a new band but thought it might be fun to play a couple of old numbers during the sound

check and it sounded and felt really good!

“There were a few more similar sessions and we kept in touch with each other and then in 2007 decided to form From the Jam.”

That lasted a couple of years but in

2009 Bruce said “I received an email from Rick simply saying he was leaving the band with no explanation and I still don’t know what happened, although he appears to have wanted to become a writer.”

Having worked with guitarist Rus­

When asked if he ever got bored with playing the same songs, Bruce said ”Although the set will be pretty much all Jam songs apart from a couple from my album with Russell Butterfly Effect there are so many Jam songs, we can change the set list every time we play.”

Tickets for the June 3 event (where they are supported by veteran British punk band The Wasps) are available at https://www.ticketsource.eu/wag-promotions and let’s hope for viewers of BBC 1’s Have I Got News For You that they play News of the World, a definite Jam favourite. If you can’t make the gig then visit https://www.fromthejamofficial.com/ to get their live album.

FROM THE JAM: The latest line-up on stage.

Credit: Steve White

New rules for holiday lettings

SPAIN’S holiday letting market faces new rules according to information compiled by Spence Clarke & Co.

Air Force jet crashes

A SPANISH Air Force F­18 fighter jet aircraft crashed at the Zaragoza airbase on Saturday, May 20. Thankfully, the pilot managed to eject before the plane hit the ground.

As reported by the Air Force, the jet was participating in an aerial exhibition when the incident occurred just after midday.

The plane came down on one of the runways at the airbase in the Aragonese capital.

The pilot was immediately rushed to the Miguel Servet Hospital in

Zaragoza. He was said to have suffered trauma and injuries to his legs, hips and arms on impact.

According to a news outlet, the pilot was a veteran captain with more than 1,000 flight hours experience.

At the time of the crash, he was conducting aerial manoeuvres in preparation for an exhibition that will be staged during an event at the facility in Garrapinillos on June 10.

The F ­ 18 Hornet was completely destroyed after exploding on impact with the ground.

Whilst there is a continued boom in new builds of all sorts, particularly in popular tourist destinations as well as a glut of abandoned builds handled by ‘bad bank’ Sareb, there never seems to be enough reasonably priced social housing.

A bit like Jekyll and Hyde the current Spanish government welcomes tourists many of whom want holiday lets whilst at the same time is making it more difficult for small home owners to let their properties out.

There are some new requirements to report information to the Spanish government for property owners renting on a holiday basis further to the Spanish Real Decreto 933/2021, of October 26 and in theory these

changes are effective from June 2023.

This Royal Decree requires digital platforms and hosts to provide additional information about the reservations (hosts, guests personal details, property details, accommodations, etc.) to the Spanish national authorities (Ministry of the Interior).

This needs to be reported within 24 hours from the booking and the information must be reported on the following website: https://sede.mir.gob.es/ opencms/export/sites/default/es/procedimientos­yservi cios/hospedajes ­ yalquiler­de­vehiculos/

So far it is only possible to complete this with a Spanish digital certificate (DC) and you have to apply for it in person at an appropriate Government Office, although agents such as Spence Clarke may well be able to assist if you are out of Spain. When complying

with this requirement you need to have previously alerted guests to the fact that you are transferring their information to the government in order to observe Data Protection requirements.

It appears that the Spanish government has indicated that it will provide the option of reporting the da­

ta without using this online procedure, although the details about this have not yet been released.

Incorrect reporting of guest information can attract a fine of between €100 and €600 whilst failing to appear on the registry is a serious offence and can be punished by a fine of up to €30,000.

Brits wanted

IF you would like to get your 15 minutes of fame, have an eye for a bargain and are a British expatriate living in Spain then here is your chance to get on TV.

This opportunity to get your face and story on the small screen is here so if you fit the bill it’s time to apply. The TV company are looking for contestants based in Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca.

Sofie Hegre Olsen is looking for potential candidates for this Red Sauce TV production with this post on Facebook:

“Hi everyone! If you are interested in joining the next season of Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun please feel free to contact me on the email below or message on Facebook. sofie.hegre olsen@redsaucetv.com Looking forward to hearing from you!”

F-18 HORNET: The aircraft was completely destroyed.

Credit: Bernardo Fernandez copado/Creative

Adventurer’s record stay

SCIENCE teacher Chris Cameron, a 53­yearold adventurer, is embarking on a two­month solo expedition to Rockall, a desolate islet located deep in the Atlantic Ocean.

In his quest to break the record for the longest occupation of this inhospitable lump of granite, Cameron will set sail for Rockall this week, where he plans to spend 60 days on a small ledge raising money for charity.

The lump of granite in question is situated northwest of Scotland and is permanently exposed to the elements making the decision to do this challenge over the summer months

wise, or maybe just a little less crazy. Rockall is located around 230 miles from the nearest inhabited place in the Outer Heb Rockall has bountiful fishing grounds and has seen ongoing territorial disputes between Ireland and the UK, with British ownership established in 1955. Mr Cameron hopes to beat the previously held record of 45 days set by Nick Hancock from Edinburgh, in 2014. Hancock had also planned to last 60 days on the islet, but bad weather conditions caused him to lose essential supplies and necessitated an early end to his stay.

Avoiding speeding ticket

UK Home Secretary Suella

Braverman has been accused of asking civil servants for special treatment to avoid a ticket or fine it has been claimed. Labour called for an investigation on Saturday, May 20.

Braverman has been accused of asking for a private speed awareness course, a one­off measure that ‘retrains’ drivers rather than giving them a direct penalty.

The speed awareness

course is only available once every three years, so a second penalty within that time frame would result in a ticket and fine.

Ms Braverman was accused of first consulting civil servants who refused to help her, and then asking course providers who also turned her down, eventually having to accept three points on her licence. She had allegedly petitioned for a private 1­to­1 session or a video course in

which she could turn her camera off and use a false name. She was thought to have had concerns about being recognised.

A Tory MP reported that Ms Braverman asked on her first day in parliament whether she could claim a speeding ticket as an expense. The Cabinet Office has declined to comment on this latest misdemeanour as the Home Secretary continues to agitate opponents.

FOREIGN embassies in Beijing, including European embassies, have been instructed to remove what China’s foreign ministry calls “politicised propaganda” from their buildings according to reports released on Wednesday, May 17.

It is believed that this directive is aimed at the Ukrainian flags proudly displayed by several missions as a show of solidarity following Russia’s invasion. The notice, issued earlier this month, cautioned against placing provocative displays on the exterior walls of embassy buildings that could incite disputes between nations.

The UK, Canadian, US, and EU embassies, along with others, have been exhibiting the Ukrainian flag as a symbol of support. Embassies often display flags or banners to express solidarity with var­

Flag fiasco

ious countries or causes, such as the LGBTQ+ Pride flag.

However, at least one diplomat told Reuters that their mission has no intention of complying with the request.

China’s stance on the Russia­Ukraine conflict has drawn attention. While Western nations have condemned Russia’s actions, China, a staunch ally of Moscow, has remained notably silent.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has attempted to position himself as a mediator in the conflict while openly expressing support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Race against nature

ITALY’S northern Emilia­Romagna region has been plunged into chaos as torrential rains triggered catastrophic flooding, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

The deluge has claimed the lives of nine individuals, with several others still missing. Desperate scenes unfolded as 10,000 residents were forced to evacuate, some desperately clinging to their rooftops until rescue helicopters swooped in on rescue missions.

The flooding caused fourteen rivers to burst their banks, submerging 23 towns in the region. Landslides have severed crucial roads, isolating communities and exacerbating the already dire situation.

The devastation came just days before the Emilia­Romagna F1 Grand Prix, which was scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 20, which had to be cancelled.

With further rain on the horizon, Emilia­Romagna has

braced itself for the possibility of more devastation. Regional President Stefano Bonaccini has spoken out, urging residents to steer clear of rivers and seek shelter on higher ground.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also chaired a crisis meeting and expressed gratitude to the brave rescuers risking their lives to save others. Volunteers have flocked to the region to provide support to overwhelmed emergency services.

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Shook up

SEISMOLOGISTS could not understand why they recorded minor tremors on the Danish island of Bornholm on May 13. They called the recordings “acoustic pressure waves” and after ruling out earthquakes and explosions as the source, now believe that “some unknown atmospheric event” is the only answer.

THE NETHERLANDS

Short read

CHILDREN'S reading skills have deteriorated faster in the Netherlands than other countries, education experts found. They concluded that lessons missed during the pandemic were unlikely to be the only cause and believe the short texts used in Dutch schools do not prepare pupils for longer passages in literacy texts.

BELGIUM

On mute

BELGIAN workers now have the legal right to switch off their work phones outside working hours without fear of complaints from their employer. The new regulations apply only to firms with 20 or more employees and excludes those working in emergency services or the aviation sector.

GERMANY

Print job

HEIDELBERG will boast Europe’s largest 3Dprinted building, which will be 54 metres long, 11 metres wide and nine metres high. The ground-breaking project, which commenced on March 31 this year and should be completed by late July, will eventually house an IT company’s cloud and data centre.

FRANCE

Green scheme

FRANCE is promoting green initiatives and tax credits to attract billions of euros in investment, boosting French industry and countering Biden’s $369 billion (€422.3 billion) Green Plan. Measures include linking subsidies for electric vehicles to environmental restrictions that favour European manufacturers.

NORWAY

Wedded bliss

MORE couples are marrying in Norway and staying together longer than in the past, with approximately 21,000 people formalising their partnerships in 2022, an increase of 4,700 compared to 2021, the Norwegian Statistics Agency said. Although 17,000 spouses separated, this was the lowest number since the 80s.

FINLAND

War-torn

FINLAND awaits news regarding the European Union’s position regarding Russians who fled the country to avoid conscription. The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) said 1,109 Russian citizens so far have sought asylum in Finland to avoid being called up to fight in the Ukraine war.

IRELAND

Cool it

JIM CHAMBERS, 62, and Stephen Cole, 40, who operate rival ice cream vans, appeared at Falcarragh District Court (County Donegal), the pair accused of fighting over the same beachside pitch. Both faced breach of the peace charges but were let off after agreeing to put aside hostilities for the summer.

ITALY

Fewer babies

FOR the first time, the number of annual births fell below 400,000 in Italy, averaging 1.25 babies per woman, official figures for 2022 revealed. The replacement rate is now negative, with the number of deaths currently exceeding the number of births, with 12 people dying for every seven babies born.

PORTUGAL

Home again

DOZENS of European Jewish community leaders attended a conference on communal strategies in Porto, whose 1,000-strong Jewish community has tripled in recent years. This was partly thanks to a 2015 law giving Portuguese citizenship to descendants of Jews expelled during the Inquisition, which began in 1536.

UKRAINE

Grain deal

AGREEMENT has been reached on extending by two months the deal allowing grain exports from Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea. The agreement between Ukraine and Russia, signed last year and brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, would otherwise have expired on May 19.

SWEDEN

Smoke-free

SWEDEN could become one of the world's first ‘smoke-free’ countries, with less than 5 per cent of the adult population smoking. With smoking rates falling from 15 to 5.6 per cent over the past 15 years, it is on course to reach this milestone within months, 17 years ahead of the EU's 2040 target.

STAT OF WEEK €1.4 billion

will go to Spain’s rolling stock manufacturer for supplying a second delivery of 56 trains under the contract it signed with Germany’s rail operator Deutsche Bahn in 2019.

BUSINESS EXTRA Sorry about that

Tasty pasty

GREGGS announced that sales have increased by 17 per cent over the last year, saying its products remained “compelling” to customers in the cost ­ of ­ living crisis. The bakery chain, which first opened in Newcastle in 1951, opened 63 new shops this year and extended some opening hours.

Defence gambit

AEROSPACE, defence and security company, Escribano Mechanical & Engineering, acquired 3 per cent of Indra, Spain’s leading IT and defence systems multinational. The €65 million transaction makes Escribano’s Indra’s second industrial partner and strengthens its presence in the Defence sector.

Winter duels

STRIKES wiped out more than 2.8 million working days in the UK during the ‘winter of discontent’, with 566 lost in March alone, official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed. Industrial action between October 2022 and the end of March was the worst since 1989, the ONS said.

Main concern

DESPITE the cost of living crisis, 30 per cent of Spanish consumers are more concerned about sustainability than price, EY consultants found. The tendency to take environmental factors into consideration before looking at price tags was usually generational, and more common amongst the young, researchers said.

Helping hand

FAMILY members spent £38 billion (€43.76 billion) on assisting relatives over the last five years, according to a survey by insurance firm SunLife. The most common reason amongst the over ­ 50s was helping their children to buy a house, with 26 per cent contributing an average of £26,680 (€30,730).

Linda Hall

THE European Commission (EC) gave the go­ahead to Microsoft’s $69 billion (€63.21 billion) merger with Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard.

Brussels made the proviso that Microsoft had to ensure that Activision’s game catalogue was freely available on other cloud gamestreaming providers over the next 10 years.

The decision was announced weeks after the merger was blocked by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), whose chief executive Sarah Cardell defended the watchdog’s earlier decision.

It was not her intention to

Game on, Brussels says

countable” regulator, maintaining the English Channel had never seemed wider for attracting businesses.

“There’s a clear message here, the EU is a more attractive place to start a business than the UK,” Smith declared.

HUW PILL, the Bank of England’s top economist, apologised for suggesting that people should accept they were poorer.

create a hostile environment for businesses in the UK, Cardell told MPs a day after the European Commission approved the merger.

The CMA wanted to “create and support” the best conditions for competition, enabling companies big and small to thrive, she insisted.

REPSOL and Italian energy company Eni could begin importing Venezuelan gas and gas condensates by June.

The news was announced by Pedro Tellechea, president of state­run Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), who confirmed that both companies wanted to increase the volume of their operations inside the Latin American country.

The agreement increases Europe’s supply options in the context of the energy crisis created by the Ukraine war, while bringing investment and royalties to Venezuela’s beleaguered economy.

The deal will allow Repsol and Eni to concentrate on their Perla gas field, a joint project located in the Cardon IV block in the Gulf of Venezuela. Regarded as having ‘enormous potential’, the offshore operation has increased activities reccently, up 30 per cent on 2019.

Apollo backs off

PRIVATE equity firm Apollo abandoned its £1.66 billion (€1.91 billion) takeover of the oil and gas services company, Wood Group.

The Aberdeen­based company said earlier that it would “engage” with Apollo’s final offer of 240p (€2.76) per share, after rejecting four earlier proposals which it said were too low.

Instead the New York firm announced on Monday May 15 that it would not make another offer for the business, two days before the deadline for making a firm bid or turning its back on the deal.

The European regulators said the commitments offered by Microsoft and Activision to maintain competition provided significant benefits for competition and consumers.

Meanwhile, Microsoft’s vice­chairman Brad Smith referred to the UK’s “unac­

“Global innovators will take note that, despite all its rhetoric, the UK is clearly closed for business,” Smith had said following the CMA’s decision to block in April.

Microsoft and Activision are currently setting up legal team to challenge the UK ruling.

Gas from Venezuela

stepped up sanctions against Venezuela.

Washington hopes this will encourage Nicolas Maduro’s government ­ regarded as a dictatorship ­ to allow more political freedom inside the country.

“Economic projects like these benefit both Europe and Venezuela,” said EU’s High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.

Censured by unions, businesses and the public, Pill’s critics included his own chief, the governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey, who said the economist’s choice of words “was not right.”

“If I had the chance again, I would use somewhat different words to describe the challenges we all face,” Pill said.

“Although we have some difficult messages to bring. I will try to bring them in a way that is perhaps less inflammatory than maybe I managed in the past.”

Google’s Spanish profits

GOOGLE SPAIN made a €44.7 million profit in 2021, a 79.5 per cent increase on 2020.

Income rose to €214 million, 44 per cent more than during the previous year, thanks to increased demand for the company’s services, according to Google Spain’s accounts filed with the Registro Mercantil.

The Venezuela exports also required US State Department authorisation as its oil­for­debt arrangement was halted two years ago when Washington

No quick solution

MARGHERITA DELLA VALLE, Vodafone’s new chief executive, confirmed on May 16 that the company would “strategically review” the future of Vodafone España.

The telecoms company faced stiff competition in a country that was “obviously very complicated,” Della Valle acknowledged on the same day that she announced worldwide staff reductions of 11,000, approximately 10 per cent of Vodafone’s workforce.

She was reluctant to specify whether this review envisaged a sale of Vodafone Spain, as analysts already suspect.

“We cannot jump to conclusions about the steps we will take,” she said, while admitting that there were no quick solutions for Vodafone’s Spanish business.

The company had a turnover of €3.9 billion in its fiscal year that ended on March 31, a 6.5 per cent reduction on the previous fiscal year’s €4.18 billion.

“Venezuela is at present burning gas it cannot use, although its gas is not subject to sanctions, only oil,” he told news source last month. “It is one of the countries that produces the most methane but this is benefiting nobody, while in the EU we need gas,” Borrell said.

Up for sale

THE Center Parcs chain of holiday villages has been put up for sale by its owners, the Canadian private equity firm Brookfield.

The company, which bought the business for approximately £2.4 billion (€2.77 billion) in 2015, expects to raise between £4 and £5 billion (€4.61 and €5.76 billion), the Financial Times said.

Center Parcs real estate was independently valued at £4.1 billion (€4.7 billion) in April and Brookfield has also spent £100 million (€115.19 million) on technology upgrades.

Revenues for the year ending April 21, 2022, reached £503.4 million (€571.9), with £245.6 million (€282.9) profits returning the company to the black following 20202021’s pandemic losses.

As is habitual with US technology multinationals who operate abroad, these figures do not reflect the company’s real business in this country.

Google Spain registers its sales in Ireland and only takes into account earnings from marketing and support services to Google Ireland and research and development services for Google LLC.

Bank offers

SPANISH banks continue to vie with each other to attract new customers.

Banco Santander, for instance, promotes online accounts by paying €50 for each recommendation resulting in a new customer whose salary is paid directly to the bank.

The new customer also receives €150 thanks to this offer which ends on June 12.

Another Santander offer, which continues until June 30, pays €150 to new customers who open an account and pay in a monthly salary of at least €600. This rises to €350 for salaries of more than €2,500.

SARAH CARDELL: Defended CMA’s opposal to MicrosoftActivision Blizzard merger.

VENEZUELA: Huge gas deposits will help to ease Europe’s energy crisis.

Photo credit: CC/British Government

Photo credit: Luis Noguera for PDVSA

DOW JONES

No break

SEAT plans to take on 900 temporary workers between June and September to ensure that production need not be affected during the holiday period. Above all, this should prevent the Martorell (Barcelona) factory from having to close in August and allow the plant to produce an additional 14,000 cars, principally the Cupra Fomentor model.

Going up

CURRYS increased its annual earnings outlook following better­than­anticipated sales across the UK after initially reducing its full­year prediction to £104 million (€120 million). The electrical goods retailer adjusted its forecast and now expects pre­tax profits of between £110 million (€126.8 million) and £120 million (€138 million) for the 12 months ending on April 29.

Royal Mail in red

ROYAL MAIL reported a £1 billion (€1.15 billion) loss for the year ending March 26.

Bosses blamed industrial action by employees and a failure to increase productivity during 12 months in which 10,000 jobs were cut.

International Distributions Services (IDS), Royal Mail’s owner, announced an overall loss of £748 million (€869 million) compared with a £577 million (€861 million) profit a

Home comforts

WORKING from the office should be employees’ default mode, according to the UK’s Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt.

Speaking on Wednesday May 17 to business leaders attending the British Chamber of Commerce conference in London, Hunt said that he believed working from home could stifle creativity.

He added that he felt firms were gradually reversing the shift to teleworking that began during the Covid ­

19 pandemic.

Despite the Chancellor’s conviction that employees would return to offices “unless they had a good reason not to,” flexibility was a top reason why employees accepted new jobs, post ­ Covid research confirmed.

In deciding between jobs with similar pay or benefits, the opportunity to work flexibly could become a deciding factor, investigators found.

Wind power

7

year earlier.

IDS said Royal Mail was in the red mainly due to strikes by “unionised staff” over pay and working conditions. This unrest ultimately led to the departure of Royal Mail’s chief executive Simon Thompson who resigned on May 12 after only two years in the post, although he will remain until October as IDS seeks a fourth chief executive in as many years.

Royal Mail’s owners also attributed the postal service’s losses to its “inability to deliver the in ­ year benefits of planned productivity improvements.”

Although the company has finally thrashed out a deal which the union agreed to put to its membership in April, Royal Mail has been affected by the consequences of a drop in demand for Covid test deliveries. There was also a dip in delivering online shopping, which had flourished during the pandemic.

ARDIAN, a leading private investment company, agreed to sell for an undisclosed sum its ASR Wind portfolio of 12 windfarms as well as a hybrid solar energy plant, to Naturgy, the Spanish renewable energy group. The windfarms, which are located in several regions across Spain and have 422MW of installed capacity, were all built between 2005 and 2012.

Boo-hoo!

ONLINE fast fashion retailer Boohoo.com plunged almost £91 million (€105 million) into the red as annual sales dived and the retailer had to cope with higher levels of returned products.

The label aimed at the 16 ­ 30 age group announced that sales fell 11 per cent to £1.8 billion (€2.1 billion) in the year ending on February 28.

POSTAL SERVICE: £1 billion (€1.15 billion) loss for last fiscal year.

BUSINESS EXTRA

All change

BRITISH American Tobacco’s finance director Tadeu Marroco took over immediately after the announcement of his appointment as new chief executive. Marroco, who has worked for the tobacco giant since 1992, replaces boss Jack Bowles, who stepped down after four years as CEO and 20 with the company.

Cloud cover

CAIXABANK and Google

Cloud signed an agreement to speed up the Catalan bank’s digital transformation. Under the deal the bank will use the cloud to boost data analysis technologies in the coming years while creating new products and services by personalising its commercial offer.

Worse off

BRITONS’ overall wealth fell to a 10­year low as a third had to dip into their savings over the last year, taking out an average of £3,500 (€4,033). More than half told LifeSearch insurance firm’s Health, Wealth and Happiness 2023 Index that they were worse off financially than last year.

Cheap labour

WOMEN residents born outside Spain account for 6 per cent of the population but occupy 160,000 ­ 44 per cent ­ of the 368,000 new jobs that were created over the last year. They earn an average €11,800 pre­tax, lower than the minimum wage and less than half the national average.

Course work

OVERHAULING apprenticeships would help to kickstart the economy, Tesco chief Ken Murphy said. Despite a huge increase in the number of courses equivalent to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree between 2014 and 2022, courses equivalent to GCSEs had plummeted by 70 per cent, Murphy pointed out.

Negotiation needed

STELLANTIS, which manufactures Vauxhall and Fiat vehicles in the UK, called on the government to renegotiate Brexit rules.

“The UK must reconsider its trading arrangements with Europe,” Stellantis told a House of Commons enquiry.

Not doing so could mean closing some UK operations and endangering thousands of jobs, said the world’s fourth­biggest carmaker, which also produces Citroën and Peugeot vehicles.

Two years ago, Stellantis declared that the future of its plants in Ellesmere Port and Luton were assured, but it now warns that it can no longer meet Brexit trade deal requirements.

These stipulate that 45 per cent of

the value of a vehicle’s components should be sourced in the UK or the EU by 2024, but the manufacturer can no

Aussie takeover

longer comply with these conditions, owing to an increase in the cost of the raw materials used for electric car batteries.

This means the electric vans made at the Ellesmere Port plant will face 10 per cent tariffs when exported to mainland Europe in 2024 as they will have too few locally­sourced parts.

This would put the future of the plant in question, the company said.

Ellesmere Port, where electric vehicle production is due to start later this year, provides jobs for 1,000 workers, while another 1,200 make Vauxhall and Fiat vans in Luton.

Thousands more work in UK businesses dependent on the plants.

Rafa hits a winner

TENNIS legend Rafael Nadal is as successful off the court as on it.

The Mallorca ­ born sportsman’s investments in several companies made an €11.4 million profit ­ a 104 per cent increase ­ in 2021 via his Aspemir company, according to accounts submitted to Spain’s Registro Mercantil, equivalent to the UK’s Companies House.

Nadal owns, or has invested in, companies in the sports, real estate, hotels, renewable energy and brokerage sectors. He is involved in Netflix series like Soy Georgina and La Marquesa through Mabel Capital, in which he has a 33.3 per cent holding.

This company has also built luxury apartments in Madrid and owns restaurants in Madrid, Ibiza and Valencia as well as six other cities outside Spain, together with projects in the Costa del Sol, Portugal and California.

The holding company’s turnover improved by 15 per cent to €20.75 million, of which €12.6 million originated outside Spain.

The 2021 result also profited from currency fluctuations to the tune of €3.3 million.

THE GMB union wants the government to intervene if Australian banking group Macquarie gains control of a vital section of the UK’s gas grid.

The Macquarie Asset Management­British Columbia Investment Management Corporation consortium acquired 60 per cent of the equity in National Grid’s gas transmission and meter business in a £7.5 billion (€8.6 billion) deal last January. This covers 4,000 miles (6,437 kilometres) of gas pipes.

According to a UK news source, a clause in the deal allows the consortium first refusal to buy the remaining 40 per cent later this year.

Digi digs in

Aspemir’s principal holding is the Centre Esportiu Manacor, which runs the facilities and accommodation linked to the Rafa Nadal Academy. Centre Esportiu Manacor had a turnover of €19.7 million, a 40.9 per cent year­on­year increase, in 2021, and showed a profit of €2.3 million.

Taxed to death

SIR JIM RATCLIFFE, one of Britain’s richest men, warned that the UK government’s windfall tax could destroy the North Sea’s oil and gas industry.

“Taxes are so high that profits no longer fund future investments,” the Ineos chemicals group founder told a UK news

source.

The government resorted to ‘primitive politics’ when Rishi Sunak, who was Chancellor at the time, put an extra 25 per cent tax on industry profits following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This was later raised to 35 per cent by Jeremy Hunt, who took over as Chancellor.

Ratcliffe argued that the levy ­ in effect a 75 per cent tax on North Sea profits which helps to fund government support schemes for household fuel bills ­ jeopardised the energy industry. No thought was given to the long­term consequences of this “tax it to death” concept he said.

Knotty Banco Popular tangle

THE European Central Bank (ECB) had never expressed concerns about the situation of the defunct Banco Popular.

José María Sanz Olmeda, a PwC audit partner who examined the Banco Popular books between 2009 and 2015, told an investigating National High Court judge that he detected “no anomalies” during this period. Meanwhile, the ECB decided on June 6, 2017 that Banco Popular was “failing or likely to fail” and noti­

fied the Single Resolution Board. According to the financial daily, Cinco Dias, legal sources familiar with the proceedings maintained that this was one of the cases “most relevant testimonies.”

This, they say, could clarify contradictions in various reports from expert witnesses regarding whether or not the Banco Popular should have reflected losses before the 2016 capital increase of more than €2.5 billion.

SPAIN’S mobile phone operators announced their first quarter accounts in a period that was dominated by fierce competition from the low­cost segment.

Romania ­ based Digi again demonstrated its strength compared with the bigger companies’ modest growth while the sector is at fever pitch owing to the MasMovil­Orange merger and the Vodafone crisis.

Digi, meanwhile, increased its earnings by 29.4 per cent to €143.3 million, owing to its aggressively low tariffs. At the same time, the company’s commercial aggressiveness also reduced the average spend per client by 4.1 per cent to €9.3.

Kid glove treatment

NEW regulations coming into force on July 31 will ensure that people receive better treatment from companies providing them with financial products.

Banks, building societies, insurers, investment firms and other businesses have been warned to prepare for one of the UK’s biggest­ever consumer­finance upheavals. The Financial Conduct Authority’s new regime will see the introduction of the ‘consumer duty’, which sets higher and clearer standards of protection, while explicitly requiring companies to put customers’ needs first.

The FCA want the initiative to produce ‘good outcomes’ for consumers, with reduced call­waiting times and an end to rip­off fees.

FIAT VANS: Manufactured by Stellantis in Luton.

RAFAEL NADAL: Savvy businessman as well as a tennis champion.

Photo credit: Flickr/Tanya Cicconte

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

TRULY don’t quite know where to start this week. So much has occurred I would need a couple of pages to achieve some kind of completion.

It actually started out with a number of letters (some obviously not for publication) thanking me for using subject matter that would simply not be allowed in the woke infested PC society that has now impregnated the UK.

One missive from a friend informed me that were my views publicised in a UK national I could be expecting a ‘knock on the door’­ What! Some PC authority knocking on my door presumably to threaten me for doing nothing more than applying my totally lawful freedom of speech?

Don’t scoff; I’m utterly convinced that if Starmer’s lot finishes up in Downing Street there will undoubtedly be an Orwellian department created to impose this devious control. The diversity dealers are already ensconced among the media hierarchy and they are not even in power yet.

The casting and presentation of TV programmes has

Where to start

now gone completely off the non­equality scale. Mixed marriage contestants are now being featured in a totally disproportionate number of quiz shows. These special quizzers must be extremely difficult to find as the majority only actually make up 0.2 per cent of the population. Presentations such as ‘Rip Off Britain and ‘Front Line Fightback’ which are aimed at the seedier side of the UK, predominately feature the white populace appearing as investigators, victims and of course perpetrators.

Programmes displaying run down living accommodation and poorly treated tenants mainly depict nonwhite or immigrant residents. ‘Homes under the Hammer’ now primarily promotes property investors of non UK descent. If a news subject is considered ‘racist and possibly undermines black residents, it is given minimum coverage or ignored altogether.

This was exampled this week by the disgraceful attack on a fairly elderly teacher by a young black student after the teacher had confiscated his phone. Not only was he unassisted by any

member of the now utterly brainwashed teenage youngsters that were present, but the attack was actually filmed by a number of his classmates. Naturally none of this was featured on the main news media, but a considerable number of disgruntled observations were prominent on social outlets.

Recently I was informed from a very highly placed source that large numbers of immigrant staff employed by hospitals are so low in understanding that they are actually affecting the running of many establishments. As bosses are unable to sack any at the risk of being accused of racism (or the knock on the door!) they are promoting them to different departments, (bit like the civil service!) which is resulting in whole organisations teetering on the brink of disaster.

If you honestly don’t consider the UK in the grip of a conspiracy to reshape the whole of British society, then I truly believe that these faceless people will one day take over the whole shebang. Assuming they haven’t already done so.

Keep the faith

Love Leapy

leapylee2002@hotmail.com

MASK SHAMING OUR VIEW

AS fewer people are required to wear masks in public places, so at least one Human Resources Department has come up with new advice for employers as how best to deal with those who still want to wear a mask for a variety of reasons.

Employees are to be advised that they should be tolerant of those continuing to wear masks, as to make fun of them or comment about their decision is an example of what is now termed mask shaming!

Indeed, they go as far as to insist that anyone who needs to speak to someone who is wearing a mask should put their own mask on as a mark of respect and understanding.

Whilst it is difficult to see what anyone could gain from teasing or criticising someone who wants to continue to wear a mask, it seems surprising that HR advisors should

actually go into print to require this and at least one entity requires individual staff members to confirm in writing that they will comply with the instruction.

There is no doubt that HR guidance in many areas is very useful, especially as far as bullying in the workplace is concerned, but nowadays it almost seems that some of these apparent professionals are creating rules that really aren’t needed just to justify their position.

Interestingly, during times of global depression, HR advisors aren’t particularly needed as staff are generally anxious to keep their jobs or management who can’t see the point of employing them but in times of financial growth, with staff more mobile and difficult to retain, a good HR department is useful for both sides.

Leapy Lee’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

Suppliers of timber products in Almeria

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Wood2Go install the majority of the structures made for their clients and also offer a kit form if self­installation is desired.

All timber used in the fabrication of any project, except the redwood roof battens, is ‘Glulam’ ­ or Glued Laminated Timber. Glulam is made by gluing together, under pressure and heat, laminates of timber that have been accurately planed. The resulting product is strong, stable, and corrosion­proof

with significant advantages over structural steel and concrete. This type of product is perfect for the hot climate in Spain as it’s less likely to twist or warp and is stronger than ordinary timber. The team have been using this material in their pergola kits, sheds, skirting boards, T and G boarding, and decking boards with great success over the past 15 years. Wood2Go deliver to a wide range of areas, including Murcia,

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WOOD2GO: Will custom-make for their clients anything they wish, be it a pergola, gazebo or carport.

Dear Leapy LETTERS

Everything you said is absolutely true. Yes, you are totally free to say what you believe to be the case, but at what cost? If you said this in Britain your ability to continue earning a living would be made almost impossible. The direction Britain is heading is very frightening.

Keep up the fight.

Justice

Phillip Walker

Having happily lived in Spain since 2003 my wife suddenly and unexpectedly passed away a little over a year ago.

I need to return to the UK to be close to family but have to realise the equity from the house sale.

This is proving to be a huge problem despite numerous viewings.

The problem is three noisy dogs next door, when would­be buyers hear the dogs they immediately write the property off.

I have spoken to the neighbours on several occasions but they choose not to take action.

Can you please help me with this health threatening predicament.

Paul Greswolde

Good morning Lee

I know you often get flack for your printed views. I would like you to know that I look forward to Thursdays to hear your latest rant. I moved to Mallorca in 1997 and I did meet you a couple of times and have seen you perform several more.

I think it’s a pity you never moved in to politics. You have some great ideas.

Greetings from the Spanish Aragonés Mountains.

Bruce

Mrs Feelgood

Something seriously amiss within the BBC. All part of the conspiracy I sometimes mention. Onward all.

With thanks

Thank you very much indeed, again, for including our article, about Celebrating the Coronation, in last week’s EWN!

It was good of you to have included our article and is much appreciated.

Thank you for your continuing support, also much appreciated.

From a very soggy Moraira.

Warmest regards.

James Bond

who only payed him once. After Roger Moore I gave up, they just didn’t have the authenticity.

Naimah Yianni

Intruder arrested

How can you get arrested when you are on public property, not on private property? you can go and stand in any street anywhere surely? As long as you are not committing a crime then how can you be arrested? No sympathy for these idiots as it goes.

Life of Brian

Symbolic of his struggle against reality. Absolutely says it all. What is going on in our country. Now we have a theatre that wants to put on a play for a black audience, no whites allowed. God help us all and I am not religious.

John Little

Good evening,

It is wonderful to have our own regional newspaper ­ thank you. But, it would be nice to have the two motoring pages which you print in the Costa Blanca South edition.

Best regards Annie

Busch

Dog attacks

Far too much of this is going on throughout the UK and Europe. Maltreated, fighting dogs that turn on their owners. I have no sympathy for the victim, only regret that the animal had to be destroyed. From my point of view, a huge crackdown on the breeders/owners of fighting dogs is long overdue.

Bob Saunders

Brexit fail

It must be something in the water, or the food, or the air. Or all three, to produce such brain­dead people. Sadly, though, Brexit was never about making the public more prosperous, only to bring more prosperity to a chosen few. And that doesn’t even appear to have been successful ­ yet.

Stephen Ashley

War on Wagner

Max, Aircrew Association

That makes it sound like Sean Connery only played Bond once, but it was George Lazenby

I as well as my guys were actually digesting the good ideas from your website then at once I had a terrible feeling I never expressed respect to you for those secrets. The men ended up for that reason warmed to read them and have really been enjoying them. Appreciation for actually being quite kind as well as for making a decision on certain amazing subject matter most people are really wanting to be informed on. My sincere regret for not expressing gratitude to you earlier.

Cornwell

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Pet allergies

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PETS can suffer from allergies just like you and me, especially dogs and cats. They tend to be determined by their genes and their breed but in the last 20 years, we have seen an increase in pet allergies. This increase is due to an increasingly artificial diet, and a polluted environment. The most common types of allergies in dogs and cats are atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and flea bite dermatitis.

If your dog is scratching more than usual and you notice redness in the folds of their skin, especially around their armpits and neck areas, their paws, and ears it is possible they have an allergy. They may also have conjunctivitis.

Cats tend to have more specific allergic reactions, it is also called Feline Cuta­

COMPLICATIONS: Cats can suffer from asthma.

neous Atopic Syndrome. They can have respiratory complications like asthma, which is rare in dogs, and digestive or food atopic syndrome which basically means they have an intolerance to certain foods.

Some breeds of dogs are more likely to suffer from allergies like the French bulldog, the West Highland

white terrier, the German shepherd, and the golden retriever.

If you suspect your pet has an allergy their vet can help you determine if they do and then take steps to find the cause. They will then look for a treatment that can ease the symptoms like a hypoallergenic diet.

THE Ifema events, trade fair and congress centre in Madrid are hosting the 100x100mascota (100x100pets) show on May 27 and 28. This will be the 12th edition of the fair turning Madrid into the dog capital of the world. They expect to welcome around 3,000 dogs from more than 250 different breeds and more than 12,000 visitors.

Special guests at the event will be the Chongqing Dog, one of the rarest and most unknown breeds in the world. They have a long history in China and have become the symbol of the area of Chongqing in the southwest of the country.

The fair is aimed at dog lovers but also cats and pets in general as there will be 20 different breeds of cats such as Russian Blues, Persian and British shorthairs.

Fifty animal shelters will

also be present at the fair as many people take their first steps to adopt a pet at this fair.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

SPECIAL GUEST: Chongqing one of the rarest breeds.

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ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS IS ALCOHOL COSTING YOU MORE THAN MONEY? Drinking to excess not only affects your health it can spill over into every other aspect of your life - damaging everything that is important to you. English-speaking AA meetings are held throughout the Costa Blanca from Valencia City to Murcia. Anyone wishing to attend a meeting or discuss a possible drinking problem contact Costa Blanca North: 648 169 045 or Costa Blanca South: 625 912 078 or Costa Calida 679 385 105 All calls are treated in the strictest confidence. AA in German: 645 456 075; Spanish: 679 212 535; Flemish: 635 047 053; and Scandina vian: 659 779 222. www. aa-costablanca.org (93323)

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (MABS) MURCIA/MAR MENOR

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

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MOTORING

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PERGOLAS

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REMOVALS & STORAGE

REMOVALS & STORAGE

Murcia dominate

REAL MURCIA played their penultimate game of the season at the Estadio El Collao in Alcoy, Valencia as they faced Club Deportivo Alcoyano. Murcia dominated the play but couldn’t break down Alcoyano until the 47th minute when Alberto Toril Domingo scored. Sergio Moyita made it level with a goal in the 52nd minute and was later sent off for a second yellow card. Pedro Leon, from Mula, showed his experience and class putting Real Murcia in the lead once more and clinching them the all­important three points. Murcia is now two points behind Barcelona B and a playoff position with one match left to play this season. They need to win at home against 2nd­place Eldense on Saturday, May 27 and they need Barcelona B to lose at home to 8th­place UD Logrones.

Cartagena Triathlon

Cartagena fall

FC CARTAGENA played at home in the Cartagonova on Saturday, May 20 against Unión Deportiva Las Palmas. Cartagena got off to a flying start when Mikel Rico put them ahead in the 11th minute but it was all downhill from there. Las Palmas equalised with a goal from Enzo Loiodice in the 15th minute and soon after Sandro Ramirez put them ahead. Cartagena’s Kiko Olivas scored an own goal to make it 1­3. Sandro Ramirez scored his second goal of the day in the 79th minute. The game finished 1­4 destroying Cartagena’s hopes of reaching the playoffs.

Sailing Mar Menor

THE Sailing Association Mar Menor (SAMM) was tested on their recent race with ‘fickle winds’ making life difficult for the sailors. Ten competitors in five boats competed in the race. It was a slow start, with the wind at only W 3.5 knots it took all boats over 21 minutes for the first lap. At one point the boat ‘Uno’ grounded on the reef and the crew ‘had to clamber out and stand on the reef to push her off.’

Fickle winds during the second race ‘kept all crews on their toes’ and continued until the end with the wind dropping catching everyone out in the final lap.

Results: First race Uno 618 secs, Cuatro 712 secs, Dos 779 secs.

Second race Cuatro 391 secs, Tres 419 secs, Vision 457 secs.

16TH EDITION: Triathletes from all over Spain took part.

THE 16th edition of the city of Cartagena Sertri Triathlon took place on Sunday, May 21. Five­hundred triathletes took part from all over Spain, but it was Salvador Martínez from Cartagena who finished first in the men’s category with a time of one hour, three minutes, and nine seconds. In the women’s category Eva Pastor from Valencia finished first with a time of one hour 10 minutes and 53 seconds.

Marina Alcaraz from Cartagena finished second. The triathletes also used the occasion to pay tribute to Antonio Gomez Luna, 36, who was tragically killed in a hitand­run while training. The driver was later located and tested positive for alcohol.

defeat

UCAM MURCIA CF played the first leg of the playoffs at home in the BeSoccer La Condomina stadium facing Sociedad Cultural Recreativa Peña Deportiva. Manuel Salinas scored the only goal of the match for Peña Deportiva in the 82nd minute, his goal deciding the first leg. UCAM will travel to Ibiza on Sunday, May 28 for the second leg, still hopeful they can turn it around.

SAMM: Fickle winds tested the crew.

Photo credit: Terry Chapman SAMM

Pedro Leon saved the day.

still in with a chance.