Costa Calida 1 – 7 June 2023 Issue 1978

Issue No. 10 (1978) 1 - 7 June 2023

MIRACLE BABY

BEAUTIFUL baby Jesús, the first child born in Spain after a uterus transplant, is finally in Murcia with his incredibly strong and loving family.

Tamara, his mother, has Rokitansky syndrome which affects about one in 5,000 women worldwide. These women are born without a uterus and so cannot get pregnant.

Tamara was heartbroken when she was diagnosed with this condition at 15 years of age, but never gave up hope and when she heard on the news that a baby had been born in Sweden thanks to a uterus transplant she began her investigation.

She came across Francisco Carmona, head of the gynaecology dept at Clinic Barcelona who was prepar­

ing to carry out this type of transplant, and when he heard Tamara’s story he agreed to proceed with the complex procedure.

Tamara’s sister, who already gave birth to her

La Manga Sea ‘Taxi’

THE popular ferry between Santiago de la Ribera and La Manga cancelled the service in December 2022 without an explanation. Many were left wondering why the service was cancelled as queues lined the pier where it docked in La Ribera every day in summer.

They also received a €75,000 subsidy annually from the town council to maintain the service. This year with the service cancelled they obviously didn’t claim the subsidy and the Minister for Transport, Antonio Martínez Torrecillas said the reason given was ‘an internal problem of the company.’

Due to the demand the

112 to the Rescue

town council has arranged three sea taxis that can each hold 12 people and will begin to operate from June to replace the ferry. As these boats are smaller they will run more frequently, from 10am until 10pm. The three boats are pending authorisation from the Capitanía Marítima to begin.

The people of San Javier and the nearby towns are not happy with the cancellation of the ferry service. They feel the towns along the Mar Menor are more isolated than ever with growing frustration about the lack of transport available in the area.

own child, donated her uterus to her sister. The transplant took 15 hours to complete and was just the first step in a long process. Finally, after a fear­filled two years, Tamara gave

birth to her baby. He was born prematurely due to the complex nature of the pregnancy weighing 1.1 kilos, but he is growing stronger every day at Arrixaca Hospital.

THE storms that hit the region caused havoc to crops destroying them with hail. They inundated the Mar Menor with more polluted water and ripped through cities flooding homes and endangering lives.

Throughout all this, the 112 and other emergency services were out protecting and rescuing its people and even animals. They were also actively involved in the

clean­up after the storms, hosing and sweeping mud from the streets.

At one point they had a total of 152 calls dealing with people in difficulty or obstructions on the roads, and of course many calls related to the rescue of those in imminent danger.

Thanks to the dedication of the emergency services Murcia suffered no loss of life due to the flooding.

Catherine McGeer

Photo credit: 112 Facebook Page

BABY JESÚS: Tamara’s only dream was to be a mother.

112 dedicated to its protection of the region.

NO EXPLANATION: Popular ferry service cancelled.

Charity Swim

SONRISAS Harmony is pleased to be supporting Wendy Hamiliton in her swim across the Mar Menor for San Jose Obrero Childrens

Orphanage and PAPS animal charity.

Wendy will arrive at La Playa Bar in Los Alcazares at around 1.30pm. Please come down and support her for these worthy causes. Sonrisas is happy to support local charitable causes and if you would like them to perform at your events, please contact Lynda on mobile at 672 192 222 / WhatsApp; find us on FB Sonrisa Harmony A Cappella Chorus; email sonrisasharmony@out look.com or visit our website https://son risasharmony.es.

Terra Natura

THE Terra Natura nature park in Murcia held a round table discussion to mark International Biodiversity Day. Terra Natura cares for and protects nearly 500 animals of 50 different species. Thirty ­ two of those species are in danger of extinction such as the hippopotamus, rhinoceros, leopard, brown bear, Iberian lynx, colobus, giraffe, African marabou, and many more.

Terra Natura aims to protect them and so the park collaborates in different programmes, research projects, and clinical studies working with different associations and administrations such as the regional

Free airport bus

FROM June 5 Corvera Airport will have a free bus service to Cartagena and Murcia. This announcement was made by the Minister of the Presidency, Tourism, and Culture, Marcos Ortuño. The buses will run during the summer months only. This service that was previously suspended has been reinstated due to complaints from the employers’ association CROEM and COEC. They highlighted that travellers arriving in the region have no choice but to take a taxi and even that can prove difficult sometimes.

A grant of €75,000 has been approved to establish the free bus service. These buses will run from June 5 until September to cope with the increase in flights and passengers during these months. Corvera will have 76 weekly return flights connecting the region with 20 cities in seven countries during this period.

Ministry of the Environment, Mar Menor, Universities, and research, the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) and the Wildlife Recovery centre.

During the meeting, they spoke about the problems facing the conservation of wildlife and highlighted the important role that nature parks play in maintaining biodiversity and educating new generations in respect for animals. They also spoke about the need to make the difficulties they face more visible saying that in the region specifically ‘there are 20 species in a critical state of extinction and 48 species in danger of extinction’.

AN off­duty police officer Diego

Segado saved the life of a 19­yearold girl. The police officer who had just finished football training noticed a commotion in a local bar when passing. On further inspection, he realised a young girl had collapsed. She was unconscious, not breathing and her pulse was faint. While waiting

TWO people were injured on Monday morning shortly after 9.30 am, May 29 when their car plunged onto the train tracks from the bridge overhead. For reasons unknown, the car while passing over the CartagenaChinchilla railway line and the A­30 motorway crashed through the

Local hero

for the emergency services to arrive the police officer and the girl’s boyfriend performed CPR. After two rounds of CPR, the girl started breathing again. She is now recovering at the hospital.

Lucky escape

viaduct landing on the tracks and was completely destroyed. The two people miraculously survived and were conscious when emergency services arrived but were badly injured. They were taken to hospital.

Catherine McGeer

CONSERVATION: Terra Natura celebrates Biodiversity Day.

Photo credit: Terra Natura Facebook page

NIBS EXTRA

Golf tourism

THE Region of Murcia attracts thousands of golfers every year with Costa Calida one of the top destinations for international golfers. Figures show that 29,051 foreign golfers own a home in the region with Irish, British, and German golfers favouring the courses.

Midnight cinema

LAVISTA in the Port Mazarron will be transforming their roof terrace into a ‘state of the art’ cinema experience every Tuesday night from June 13 onwards. The movies will be shown in English on a three­metre screen. Entrance is €10 including a drink and popcorn.

Tickets on sale

VOLOTEA has released the sale of their tickets from Corvera Airport (RMU) to Madrid and Barcelona. They will begin the flights from the bank holiday weekend at the start of December and operate until March 2024.

Folklore Festival

THE 33rd edition of the International Folklore Festival in San Javier will take place on June 24. Ireland is the guest country this year. Many dance and musical groups will take part in the event organised.

Market returns

THE Flamenco Market has announced on social media that the popular market which takes place in Puerto Marina de las Salinas in San Pedro del Pinatar will return this summer. They have yet to confirm a start date.

Furniture fair

THE furniture fair in Yecla closed its 61st edition with the most international visitors and an overall 15 per cent increase in visitors even though the weather conditions made it difficult to get there. The fair was considered a success and will impact the economy positively in the coming months.

Grant go-ahead

Catherine McGeer

THE local Governing Board, chaired by Mayor Noelia Arroyo, gave the go ­ ahead for a variety of

projects to improve the sewage network of the Mar Menor area, on Friday, May 26. The first seven projects were ap ­

Green Light

LA MANGA DEL MAR

MENOR has installed six sets of traffic lights that are equipped with the Pasblue pedestrian crossing assistance system for the visually impaired.

The Cartagena City Council has installed six such devices at three traffic lights on Gran Vía. They are located next to the library, the Villa La Manga hotel, and just before the crossing to Plaza Bohemia.

These traffic lights are fitted with an acoustic bell which serves as a guide. It emits a characteristic sound while they are crossing the road.

The sound is activated by the visually impaired

thanks to a Bluetooth transmitter, this prevents the sound from being produced throughout the day when it is not required.

This is part of a programme that began in January, approximately 90 devices have been fitted throughout Cartagena’s city centre already.

proved and they have a budget of €959,000.

These projects plan to improve, renovate, and waterproof pipes and other municipal facilities in La Puebla, Los Urrutias, Los Nietos, Islas Menores, and La Manga. They are part of the overall project called Priority Actions to Recover the Mar Menor and the Recovery Transformation and Resilience Plan.

The overall project has a budget of over €20 million.

One of the main objectives of these projects is to speed up the deadlines and procedures to help reduce the pollution that ends up in the Mar Menor as a result of poor wastewater treatment.

Hidrogea have been contracted to carry out the work and they aim to begin as soon as possible.

New hospital

LORCA Town Council is pushing for a new hospital to be built in Carraclaca.

They have sent letters to the central and regional governments asking about the availability of land from the Defence Department.

They are considering the former Army firing range in Carraclaca. The mayor of Lorca Diego

Medieval Festival

TORRE Pacheco is holding their 27th ‘Trinitario and Bereriscas’ Festival from June 1 until June 4. They have concerts planned as part of the festivities, a medieval market which will be locat ed on the Plaza Ayuntamiento Torre Pacheco from Friday, June 2 at 8.30pm.

The parade will start at 8pm on Saturday, June 3 and the route is Av da Estacion, Puerta del Sol, Calle Mayor, Avda Fontes. On June 4 at 12pm, the children’s parade will take place, all children are welcome to take part, they just need to wear a pirate outfit or bring a toy sword, etc. There will also be plenty of activities for children. Other activities include a beer tasting and a bird of prey display and race.

For more information check out the Torre Pacheco Town Hall Facebook page.

oasis

A PROJECT to create a river beach in Murcia City along the banks of the río Segura has been authorised.

It will be the first river beach in the region and it will be located in the area of the river near Rincón de Beniscornia, La Raya, and Rincón de Seca.

José Mateos said his demands for a new hospital are justified as the Rafael Méndez “has become too small.”

The population of Lorca has grown from 60,000 inhabitants in 1990 to 100,000 inhabitants.

And now that the government has advised that another 850 affordable homes are to be built in the region the mayor is eager to find out the plans the government has to provide the facilities and services that will be needed also.

He finished by saying “a new hospital is necessary to improve healthcare and reduce waiting lists.”

The budget for this project is €42,460. They plan to adapt the banks of the river Segura, widening them and creating an area where the public can then have access to the water.

The plan also includes the addition of a riverside woodland where they will plant trees such as white poplars, hackberry trees, willows, elms, and fig trees among others. They will plant shrubs and climbing plants in this area also. The idea is to create a relaxing, biodiverse area in the city.

that way.

Over 90 devices fitted throughout Cartagena.

Full programme of medieval activities.

Photo credit: Torre Pacheco Town Hall Facebook page

Photo credit: asociaciondoce website

11th Dog show

THE 11th edition of the National Dog Show in Mazarron will take place on June 3 at the Plaza de las Comunidades Autónomas in the Port of Mazarron. The event is organised by the Canine Society of Murcia in collaboration with the town council of Mazarron. The councillor for animal welfare commented that ‘once again we will have hundreds of dogs competing at a national and international level.

‘As always we will en ­

Hornillo pier

sure the safety of the animals by providing veterinarians and it will begin at 6pm so that the weather conditions are better and they are not affected by the sun.’ The councillor for Sports Francisco José Garcia and a representative of the Canine Society also attended the presentation of the event. For more information or to register your dog for the show check out the following website: www.sociedadcani nademurcia.es.

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

Catherine McGeer

THE first phase of the restoration work on the Hornillo pier, the old mineral wharf, in Águilas was completed a few days ago and will be open to both residents and visitors from June 3.

This pier has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest and was one of the main bridges in Spain linking the sea and mining. The work in the first phase concentrated on reinforcing the iron structure and replacing wooden planks. The mayor

Mari Carmen Moreno and the councillor for Culture Maido Simó said “The first phase of remodelling has been completed after painstaking work which has allowed this imposing architectural work to recover all its splendour.”

You can take a free guided tour every Saturday morning, you just need to register with the Tourist Office and online registration will be available soon.

The first phase of the work cost approximately €1 million, made up of a grant from the central government and the local council added to that grant. They are now applying for a €3 million grant for the restoration of various buildings and for the completion of the pier.

MULTIPLE BENEFITS: The group meets twice a week.

Nordic Walking

SAN PEDRO DEL PINATAR’s senior citizens visited Calasparra and Cartagena as part of an event organised by the town hall. The event was organised as part of the 2022­2023 pioneering Nordic walking course. Nordic walking is a Finnishorigin total body version of walking and specially designed walking poles are usually used.

This group meets twice a week to walk in the various nature reserves and parks in the region. One member

of the group commented ‘it has multiple benefits both physically and mentally.’

As part of the programme trips were arranged to the Cañaverosa Nature Reserve for a sixkilometre route along the Segura River between Moratalla and Calasparra.

As part of that trip, they also visited the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Hope, the patron saint of Calasparra, and on another occasion Cartagena where they enjoyed some sailing.

School cash

THE Los Narejos Town Council has approved an investment of €700,000 from the European ‘Next Generation’ funds to extend the Los Narejos nursery. They advised the investment was approved in order to meet the growing demands from families for nursery places for children under three years of age. The plan is to extend the playground and other outdoor areas, add three new classrooms, three bathrooms adapted for children, a multipurpose room, and an office.

The work means the nursery will be able to accommodate a further 41 children. The work is expected to begin this year.

“No man is an island.”

Meaning no-one is truly capable of living alone. We need human connection to be healthy. This orginated from a sermon by the 17th century English author John Donne.

5,000 the world’s oldest wooden wheel is this old.

THANKS to the Cartagena Town Hall you can now get married on the beaches of the Costa Calida. Sixteen different locations have been authorised for these celebrations to be held along the beautiful coastline of the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean in La Manga, Cabo de Palos, La Azohía, San Ginés, and Los Urrutias. Two hundred weddings and civil ceremonies will be held along the coast this year already proving to be popular with both Spanish couples and foreign couples. This decision will work wonders for year ­ round tourism with wedding parties usually staying in the area for three or four days, the wedding party and their guests use more than just the hotel and the facilities of the venue.

Save the date

Fernando López Miras won the support of more than 40 per cent of the voters.

PP for Murcia

They often use local businesses like hairdressers, taxis, florists, and photographers along with shops, bars, and

Today’s chuckle

SUPPOSEDLY some passengers travelling First Class on certain British Airways flights were worried about a redesign which meant some lavatories have windows. A woman travelling to New York complained that there were no blinds.

She was told by a quick thinking stewardess “Madam if some pervert is clinging to the side of this aircraft at 35,000 feet, they deserve to see everything!”

restaurants. This is a big plus for the area and the local businesses that are always looking for ways to extend the high season. Venue owners have reported that October is proving to be a popular month with some couples even choosing early November due to the wonderful climate along the Costa Calida. The beaches cannot be used from June 15 to September 15.

THE Partido Popular (PP) has won the regional elections in the Region de Murcia with 21 seats. It was a clear victory for PP but they were two seats short of an absolute majority which means they can govern alone as long as VOX does not vote against the investiture of Fernando López Miras and abstains. PSOE, the socialist party, suffered a setback with only 12 deputies in the Regional Assembly, five less than in the previous elections in 2019. VOX continues to grow in popularity in the region with nine seats, more than double the number they won in 2019. Podemos main­

tained its two deputies. PP recovered practically all the ground it lost in 2019 with López Miras winning the support of more than 40 per cent of the voters, 10 points more than in the last elections. López Miras stated after the results “a strong, solid and solitary government of the Partido Popular. And today the citizens have given us what we asked for. The majority that we wanted so much.”

Cartagena also chose PP in the elections with Mayor Noelia Arroyo holding on to her position for another four years.

Tourism grant

THE European funds granted for the Tourism Sustainability Plan in La Manga, Santiago de la Ribera have been assigned. Three floating pontoons will be installed in La Manga to aid the ar­

rival of boats. Forty ecological moorings will be installed on the coast of Santiago de la Ribera, they are designed for boats no longer than eight metres. Boat owners will be able to pay an annual fee to anchor their boats there. The fee will be less than that charged at a port and so should discourage illegal anchoring of boats in the Mar Menor.

The funds will also be used for the installation of charging points for electric vehicles, a WIFI network and to create an un­

derwater museum. The underwater museum will be located between La Manga and Isla Grosa. They plan to submerge replicas of historic anchors and underwater shipwrecks from other periods. The aim is to convert the area into a recreational area for scuba divers.

They also plan to rebuild four ‘balnearios’ in Santiago de la Ribera, extend the Socaire sailing school, and update the Miramar jetty so more water sports can be practiced.

Say ‘I do’ on the Costa Calida.

EXCLUSIVE: True Brothers in Arms

HISTORY shows that Brothers in Bands are often initially a recipe for success and then can quickly become a saga of fights and falling out.

The Everly Brothers, the Gallaghers in Oasis, the Knopflers in Dire Straits and many more bear witness to this reality.

There is one band however that completely bucks the trend and although not everyone will have heard of them, The Jets have been playing together since 1978 and are constantly in demand.

There are three brothers, Bob, Ray and Tony Cotton and whilst their music is most easily explained as Rockabilly, oldest brother Bob doesn’t quite agree.

Speaking exclusively to Euro Weekly News following two triumphant gigs in Benidorm, Bob said “We understand that everyone likes to buttonhole music, but we are really more than Rockabilly as we play a blend of 1950s Rock and Roll.

“Funnily enough we are coming back to Spain for the Psychobilly Meeting which takes place in Pineda de Mar (Barcelona) between July 4 and 11 as one of the headline bands.”

Bob said “We really enjoying playing in

Spain and normally visit two or three times a year with our next visit to the Costa del Sol in the autumn in Torremolinos where we find a very mixed audience of British, Spanish and other Europeans who love their music.

Back in 1974, Bob and Ray were members of the Boy’s Brigade in their hometown of

Northampton and they decided to form a band with two friends to entertain at one of that organisation’s concerts.

Bob explained that “I got hold of a KTEL album of rock and roll’s greatest hits and had seen Showaddywaddy on Top of the Pops so that was us, we learnt all of the numbers and

seemed to go down pretty well.”

They kept going and youngest brother Tony who started off with them before he was in double figures was too young to play officially but was there with tambourine and percussion in the background until he became old enough to join the band full time.

So, The Jets released the first of 16 albums in 1978 and had a couple of hit singles in the 1980s with Yes tonight Josephine and Love makes the world go round which saw them playing in a host of TV programmes like Tiswas and Crackerjack and they have just kept going.

To show how close the brothers are, two of them suffer from an inherited kidney complaint so Bob donated one of his kidneys to brother Roy and then happily Tony was able to obtain a transplant from a general donor.

During lockdown, they recorded two albums at home and according to singer and double bass player Bob, “it was quite an experience as we are so used to recording together in the studio that for myself, Ray on guitar and drummer Tony it was quite a challenge to adapt to doing everything at out home studios independently but it worked!”

Rocking with The Jets.

Photo competition

SPANISH airlines have swiftly dismissed the possibility of Spain implementing a law similar to France’s ban on short­haul flights after the law came into force in the neighbouring nation on Wednesday, May 24.

The pioneering measure, aimed at reducing carbon emissions by promoting train travel over regional flights, has been met with scepticism by the Spanish aviation industry. Spanish airlines argue that enforcing a comparable restriction would be unfeasible and ineffective.

The Association of Airlines (ALA) contends that eliminating flights under 500 kilometres or two hours would result in only a marginal reduction in emissions, of around 1 per cent.

Furthermore, airlines believe such a ban would have severe consequences for the aeronautical sector and tourism, vital for the country’s

economy and employment. They argue that imposing additional taxes or flight restrictions would hamper Spain’s competitiveness and negatively impact livelihoods.

Commentators have also highlighted the disparity in rail infrastructure between Spain

and France, which is thought to have more options in terms of long distance rail travel.

The environmental impact of domestic flights remains a topic of debate in Spain as they strive to strike a balance between the environment, economy, and tourism sector.

BUDDING photographers will be pleased to hear that for the fourth consecutive year, the National History Museum in Madrid is organising a photography competition open to anyone over the age of 18.

Entitled Next Station: Madrid, the theme of the competition is any type of image related to public transport in the city: vehicles, platforms, stops, passengers and stations, etc.

Madrid is a city with a very extensive and efficient transport network that links all parts of the city and its periphery. In addition, the Museum has many photographs from other periods in its collection that document the history of these means of transport, and this competition thereby becomes another tool for continuing to tell that story.

Each entrant may submit a maximum of three photographs on the website www.madrid.es.

The deadline for submitting photographs is Sunday June

11 at 11.59pm.

Forty finalist photographs will be selected and will receive a diploma and a Museum catalogue. The finalist photos will also be publicised on the Madrid City Council

Flight dispute Fast & Furious

website and social networks and will form part of an exhibition to be held at the History Museum.

From the 40 finalists, the jury will choose the three winning top­prize photographs.

SPAIN has once again become a film set as the Aldeadavila Dam in Salamanca was chosen by Universal Pictures for the 10th instalment of the Fast & Furious.

The Aldeadavila dam, owned by Iberdrola, has become one of the most coveted film locations in the country.

This hydroelectric installation, which continues to amaze by its grandeur and the place where it was built, in a rugged area of granite rocks whose beauty attracts hundreds of visitors every year.

On its way through the province of Salamanca, with more than half a century behind it, Aldeadavila is 140 metres high by 250 metres wide and is capable of reserving 115 cubic hectometres in an area of 368 hectares, equivalent to almost 97 stadiums such as the Bernabeu.

Nestled in the impressive canyon of the lower section of the Duero River in the Arribes del Duero Natural Park, it has also been the setting for other major film productions such as the latest Terminator saga, Doctor Zhivago, and the Spanish film La Cabina, by Antonio Mercero.

Spain’s aviation industry bosses reject adopting the policy.

Photo credit: Asociación de Líneas Aéreas

Shocking charge

Betty Henderson

THE race towards electric vehicles is on, but Spain seems to be stuck in the slow lane, trailing behind the rest of Europe. Findings from the latest Barometer of Electromobility report released by Anfac on Thursday, May 25 reveal that despite a growing array of electric car models, Spain’s adoption of these eco­friendly vehicles is dragging its wheels.

According to the report, Spain only managed a 0.6 point increase in electric vehicle purchase and public charging in­

Anna Ellis

IN Spain’s Catalonia region there are 27 species in critical danger and 84 in danger of extinction.

In this scenario of the silent extinction of biodiversity, places like Barcelona Zoo play a vital role in halting the disappearance of species that are on the verge of extinction.

Since its creation in 2013, the Barcelona Zoo Foundation has created

frastructure during the first three months of this year. With a total score of 11, they’re far from the 2030 goal of 190,000 electrified cars needed to tackle high carbon dioxide emissions.

Madrid may be leading the pack with a score of 27.6 out of 100, but the rest of Spain can’t seem to catch up. The charging infrastructure situation is no better, with a 4.5 out of 100 score.

The report also found that a total of 6,475 charging points are out of service, leaving electric vehicle owners frustrated.

Saving species

multidisciplinary teams with the aim of planning and carrying out conservation projects ex ­ situ and in the environment itself, as well as global conservation plans to reverse the progressive disappearance of the most endangered native species.

Projects such as the reintroduction of the trito, the peat bog or the

ferret endorse this project.

Within the framework of the study The State of Biodiversity in Spain, the Barcelona Zoo Foundation will carry out an educational project on citizen science through the iNaturalist app.

The aim is to raise awareness and increase public awareness.

THE EU Commission has put forward proposals for the most ambitious and comprehensive reform of the EU Customs Union since its establishment in 1968.

The measures proposed present a world ­ leading, data­ driven vision for EU Customs, which will massively simplify customs processes for business, especially for the most trustworthy traders.

Embracing the digital transformation, the reform will cut down on cumbersome customs procedures, replacing traditional declarations with a smarter, data­led approach to import supervision.

At the same time, customs authorities will have the tools and resources they need to properly assess and stop imports

which pose real risks to the EU, its citizens and its economy.

The reform responds to the current pressures under which EU Customs operates, including a huge increase in trade volumes, especially in e­commerce, a fastgrowing number of EU standards that must be checked at the border, and shifting geopolitical realities and crises.

It will make the customs framework fit for a greener, more digital era and contribute to a safer and more competitive Single Market.

EU Customs Redefining history

ADOLF HITLER’S birthplace in Braunau am Inn, Austria, is undergoing an unexpected transformation according to an announcement made by the Austrian government on Tuesday, May 23.

Instead of demolishing the house that holds significant historical weight, the Austrian government has decided on an alternative path, the house will be revamped into a hu­

man rights training centre for police officers.

Back in 2016, the government acquired the property through a compulsory purchase order, and long­awaited construction work is set to begin later this year. However, this unique decision has sparked lively discussions among the public.

Some argue that the house should be demolished to pre­

vent it from becoming a potential magnet for neo­Nazi groups. On the other hand, proponents believe preserving the structure in a constructive way is essential in confronting Austria’s troubled past.

Anticipation builds as the house construction project is expected to conclude in 2025, transforming it into the new headquarters for local law enforcement.

RENOWNED Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan was acquitted of rape charges by a Swiss court on Wednesday, May 24, bringing a sense of relief to his supporters and igniting speculation about what lies ahead.

The case, launched by a Swiss woman who accused Ramadan of raping her in a Geneva hotel in

Court clears scholar

2008, has been a turbulent journey for both the alleged victim and the defendent.

Ramadan thanked his legal team and supporters in a Twitter post.

Norwegian connection

AFTER a lengthy three­year wait, Dumfries in Scotland is eagerly gearing up to celebrate its extraordinary wartime connection with Norway. Originally planned for September 2020, the event had to be put on hold due to the pandemic.

However, the town is now poised to host a magnificent commemoration, marking the 80th anniversary of its historical alliance with Norway. Although plans to celebrate fell through in 2020, they have now been resurrected for this year, it was announced on Wednesday, May 24.

The highlight of the event will be the unveiling of a memorial stone near Devorgilla Bridge, organised by the Scottish Norwegian Connection Association.

Approximately 300 Norwegians found solace in Dumfries after landing in Hamilton in June 1940, fleeing imposing German forces at home. As their numbers grew, Dumfries became a headquarters for the Norwegian army.

Some reports say up to one third of Dumfries’ residents were Norwegian following the Second World War. Nowadays, the town celebrates its Norwegian heritage and enjoys a strong bond with the Scandinavian country.

Ramadan was once hailed as a leading voice in Islamic thought and academic at Oxford University, but his reputation came into question due to the trial. Known for his condemnation of terrorism and opposition to the death penalty, his career took a drastic turn in 2017 when he faced similar rape allegations from a French woman, leading to multiple charges against him. Maintaining his innocence throughout, Ramadan argued that the accusations were politically motivated to discredit him.

After a tense courtroom atmosphere and detailed testimonies, Swiss judges delivered their verdict, declaring Ramadan not guilty. However, the possibility of future trials in France continues to linger.

Photo credit: Tariq Ramadan

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Own choice

DENMARK is lowering the age of abortion without parental consent from 18 to 15, Gender Equality minister Marie Bjerre announced on the 50th anniversary of the law granting women the right to terminate a pregnancy. “We want young people to choose whether or not to involve their parents,” she said.

THE NETHERLANDS

Too darn hot

A GROUP of people with Dutch citizenship living on the Caribbean island of Bonaire, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, have asked the government to protect the island from global warming. Failing to do so would result in a court case along with Greenpeace, the islanders said.

BELGIUM

Riot act

LEFT-WING political parties and unions in Belgium are opposing a proposed law banning ‘rioters’ from protests. The new legislation could be misused to curtail the freedom to participate in protests and strikes, they said, voicing doubts shared by the High Court and the Federal Institute of Human Rights.

GERMANY

Climate crims

GERMAN police swooped on the homes of climate activists from the Last Generation environmental group in Hesse, Hamburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, Bavaria, Berlin, and Schleswig-Holstein. They are charged with having organised a campaign to raise funds that would have been used to finance ‘criminal actions’.

FRANCE

Fizzled out

BORDER police in Le Havre destroyed 35,000 bottles of a bright orange soft drink called Couronne Fruit Champagne originating in Haiti but destined for consumption in France. Only sparkling wine products from the French Champagne region can use the word, according to a ruling accepted by 121 countries.

NORWAY

Spy whale

NORWAY’S Fisheries Directorate asked the public to protect a friendly beluga whale living in the inner Oslofjord from accidents or injury by limiting contact with him. Hvaldimir became famous in 2019 when he appeared wearing a camera harness, suggesting that he was trained by the Russian military.

FINLAND

Overpowered

FINLAND produced so much clean electricity on May 24 that the price was “slightly below zero,” energy provider Fingrid announced. The price drop was triggered by an abundance of renewable energy thanks to a new nuclear reactor while spring floods pushed up production at hydroelectric plants.

IRELAND

Meta cutback

META, parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, announced that jobs are to be cut at its Irish headquarters. Inside sources revealed that the reductions, thought to number approximately 490, would affect several teams including finance, sales, marketing, analytics, operations, and engineering.

ITALY

Bear appeal

MAURIZIO FUGATTI, governor of Trentino, is awaiting a court decision on his latest attempt to put down the bear believed to have fatally attacked and killed Andrea Papi. The 26-yearold runner’s parents oppose Fugatti’s reprisal, arguing that killing the young bear “will not give us back our son.”

PORTUGAL

Law row

PORTUGAL’S president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa signed a euthanasia and assisted suicide bill last week. The law is not yet in force and opposition from the medical and political establishments, including the president himself who is a practising Catholic, could make it difficult to put into practice.

UKRAINE

Future plans

EUROPEAN companies are already earmarking locations and planning projects in Ukraine for reconstruction worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Most projects focus on restoring infrastructure damaged or destroyed since the Russian invasion, but also anticipate a wave of investment once fighting ends.

SWEDEN

Fewer homes

SWEDEN is experiencing its worst construction crisis since the 1990s, affecting young adults hoping to get a foot on the property ladder. Sweden’s Housing minister, Andreas Carlson, blamed the worsening conditions on external factors that were related to rising interest rates, inflation and increased energy prices.

FINANCE

STAT OF WEEK €128 billion

- 7 June 2023 is combined worth of the portfolio of current projects that belongs to Spain’s multinational infrastructure and construction companies ACS, Ferrovial, Acciona, Sacyr, OHLA, FCC, and Grupo San José.

BUSINESS EXTRA Green hydrogen

Front runners

JD SPORTS expect profits of £1 billion (€1.15 billion) this year as it expands into the US and Europe, foreseeing a continuing trend for trainers and sports leisurewear. Re gis Schultz, chief executive, said that JD’s young shoppers had more work opportunities, enabling them to “buy the gear they love.”

Cigarette break

SMOKING has been banned in all Spanish workplaces since 2011, but a study by the Jobatus employment agency found that each employee who smokes spends an average of 16 minutes a day smoking outside. This costs companies a yearly total of €26 billion, the agency calculated.

Damage done

FORMER CBI president and outgoing Tesco chairman John Allan will also step down as chair of housebuilder Barratt Developments on June 30. The latter company announced that Allan was resigning to prevent allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ against him from becoming ‘disruptive’ to the company.

Opposing views

SPAIN has 140,000 unfilled jobs, the highest proportion in its history, and eight out of 10 companies cannot cover vacancies, according to professional services company KPMG. Meanwhile, the unions claim that with a 13 per cent unemployment rate, three million people were unable to find work.

Oil recoil

REPRESENTATIVES from Trinity and Jesus colleges in Cambridge and the Universities of Newcastle, Sussex and Bristol have written an open letter to the asset management industry. All are calling for ‘bold action’ on their part to rebel against the boards of fossil fuel companies and their backers.

Linda Hall

EU red tape on wine will unlock £180 million (€206.9 million) and give the UK’s wine industry the freedom to flourish.

SCRAPPING

Cheers for British wine

“The UK has over 800 thriving vineyards at home with hundreds of millions of pounds worth of wine trade that goes through UK ports every year,” said Food and Drink Secretary Therese Coffey.

“But for too long our producers have been held back by cumbersome inherited EU regulations. We can now give them the freedom that they need to thrive.

“These reforms will put a rocket under our wine makers’ businesses, growing the

economy, creating jobs and supporting a vital part of our food and drink sector,” Coffey declared.

Thanks to the proposed changes to retained EU laws on the production and marketing of wine, makers will now be free to select from a wider range of vines, includ­

IGNACIO GONZÁLEZ steps down as the Nueva Pescanova Group’s chief executive on June 16, seven and a half years after joining the company.

A statement from the frozen fish group, a household name in Spain which is popularly referred to by its original name of Pescanova, announced that González’s reasons were “strictly personal” and had been reached “by mutual agreement.”

His resignation comes not long after the news last April that Nueva Pescanova’s largest shareholder, the Galician bank, Abanca, was selling 80 per cent of its holding to Canadian seafood company Cooke Inc. The transaction, which put an €800 million value on the company, has yet to be definitively formalised.

The outgoing chief executive’s role will be taken over by José María Be­

Loophole

SPAIN’S banking sector has found a way of reducing the amount of the temporary windfall tax it must pay the government since 2022.

Currently subject to a 4.8 per cent levy applied to income from net interest and net fees over €800 million, the banks insist they are complying with regulations introduced to help the government ease the cost of living crisis.

Banks also admit that they are making their own interpretations of what constitutes the tax base. As a result, the majority exclude income from their overseas branches and operations that are not related to the granting of credits.

ing more disease­ resistant varieties.

Domestic wine makers will also be free to show a variety and vintage of any wine without having to go through laborious, previously EU­mandated applications processes.

“Needless red tape stifles

innovation and growth. Now we have taken back control of our laws, we can ensure they work in the best interests of our businesses,” Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said.

Meanwhile, Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association welcomed the new measures, many of which it had already publicly proposed.

“By introducing greater flexibility, wine producers and importers won’t be forced to do anything differently but will be able to innovate,” he said.

Pescanova exit

process,” a Nueva Pescanova communique announced on May 23.

Gonzalaez, who is also president of AECOC, which represents 26,000 Spanish companies dedicated to manufacturing and distribution, has been Nueva Pescanova’s only chief executive since its creation in 2015 following the collapse of Pescanova.

CHEMICALS and sustainable technologies company Johnson Matthey signed a three­year supply agreement with Norway’s Hystar to increase green hydrogen production.

The London­based firm, most of whose income is earned from catalytic converters, is increasingly focused on new sustainable technologies, including green hydrogen. This zero­carbon fuel is produced using renewable wind and solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen and Johnson Matthey will supply Hystar with membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) to ramp up its green hydrogen production. The latest partnership follows a similar Johnson Matthey deal this year with Plug Power, a US company which is producing green hydrogen.

Co-op concern

NINETY­SIX per cent of the Cooperative Group’s 32,000 members voted at the last annual meeting to improve welfare for chickens reared for meat.

navent, who has been the group’s executive chairman since 2020 and chairman of its board of directors since 2019.

“His extensive experience in the company will allow him to continue with the

Strong M&S results

DENIM, dresses, office wear and more affordable food increased sales and profits at Marks and Spencer over the past year.

The retailer will restart dividend payments to shareholders after underlying pre ­ tax profits rose by 21.4 per cent to £475.7 million (€546.4 million) in the year ending on April 1, with sales increasing 9.6 per cent to £11.9 billion (€13.7 billion).

Chief executive Stuart Machin nevertheless warned of a challenging year ahead as costs continued to rise but stressed that, unlike many other retailers, the number of clothing and food items sold had risen at M&S, helping to increase the company’s market share.

The company had made changes to its ranges, Machin added, taking a hit on profit margins to hold down prices relative to rivals, while improving its clothing styles.

In 2021, the last year for which figures were available, Nueva Pescanova made a net profit of €7 million ­ its largest to date ­ with a turnover of €1.09 billion. In contrast, its principal shareholder Abanca’s 2022 accounts revealed losses of €60.5 million during the first nine months of the company’s financial year.

Increased hold

LONDON­BASED Amber Capital has increased its holding in Indra to 7.239 per cent, equivalent to 11 million shares.

This provides the investment fund, which is also a majority shareholder in Prisa (El Pais and Cinco Dias publisher), with the opportunity of sitting on the technology, transport and defence company’s board, which requires a minimum holding of 7.14 per cent.

There also happens to be a seat to spare on Indra’s board, following the resignation of former director Axel Arendt on May 18.

Arendt announced his own departure after that of Indra’s former chief executive, Ignacio Mataix, and his substitution by José Vicente de los Mozos.

A motion led by the Humane League UK campaign group asked the mutual to adopt the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) standards already accepted by Waitrose, Marks and Spencer and Greggs, reporting on welfare improvements in a year’s time.

They were partly overruled by the company’s directors, who explained that they wanted to keep prices down, but warned that profits were likely to fall over the coming year.

Phasing out

THE European Commission (EC) called on Spain to phase out its energy support measures by late 2023.

Introduced in October 2022 to counteract high energy prices caused by the Ukraine war, these should be totally eliminated in 2024, Brussels said.

This would limit spending and make savings that could be used to reduce the public debt.

Should future energy price increases make further support measures necessary, these should be fiscally affordable and introduced to protect only the most vulnerable households and businesses, the EC said.

BRITISH WINE: Camel vineyard in Bodmin (Cornwall).

IGNACIO GONZÁLEZ: Nueva Pescanova’s CEO steps down next month.

Photo credit: CC/Nilfanion

Photo credit: Nueva Pescanova

DOW JONES

Flight fight

SPANISH airlines will not follow France’s lead in banning domestic flights for journeys that can be completed in two and a half hours by train. Javier Gándara, president of the Spanish Airlines Association dismissed it as “more theatrical than effective” while Willie Walsh, director general of International Air Transport Association (IATA), described it as “completely absurd” and “useless.”

On the spot

STATE­OWNED Ineco intends to open a permanent office in California as plans are reactivated to build the first high­speed railway line between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Spanish engineering company will now seek short­ and mediumterm opportunities to participate in the $400 billion (€93 billion) project.

Tata plum for Bridgwater

INDIAN carmaker Tata has reportedly chosen the UK and not Spain for a multi­billionpound electric car battery plant.

According to the BBC, the owner of Jaguar­Land Rover intends to build its new factory in Bridgwater (Somerset) near to the M5 motorway.

Tata’s chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran is due to fly to London within days where he will meet the UK prime minister Rishi Sunak. Although the

No time to relax

THE days of fiscal relaxation are numbered.

The European Commission (EC) announced that it will no longer turn a blind eye to countries that exceed their debt limit stipulated by EU regulations­

In recommendations to members states issued by Brussels on Thursday May 25 Spain ­ along with 13 other EU countries ­ will be placed under fiscal

surveillance in spring 2024 owing to its excessive debt.

According to Brussels’ forecasts, Spain’s debt will rise to €50 billion, 4.1 per cent of its gross domestic product (PIB) by the end of this year, although the Spanish government places it at 3.9 per cent.

Whichever figure is accepted, this is still above the EU’s 3 per cent threshold.

deal has yet to be signed, proceedings have progressed from negotiations to drafts and outlining how the project is to be presented, sources close to the initiative have said.

The plant will be the most significant investment in UK car manufacturing since Nissan came to Britain in the 1980s, industry insiders said, and will create up to 9,000 new jobs.

Money was not mentioned, and while the government has not confirmed subsidies of around £500 million (€576.8 million), “hundreds of millions of pounds” will be involved, the BBC said.

Tata has important UK steel interests which include its Port Talbot plant in South Wales and the government will offer approximately £300 million (€346.1 million) to subsidise, upgrade, and decarbonise operations there.

The two investments will not be announced simultaneously but are linked, government sources confirmed.

VAT gaffe

BURBERRY’S chief executive Jonathan Akeroyd said the UK was at a “competitive disadvantage for global shoppers” after scrapping the VAT tax break for tourists. Sales to foreign visitors rose by 19 per cent in London during the first quarter of 2023, but increased by 300 per cent in Paris and 43 per cent in Milan, Akeroyd pointed out.

Going down

THE UK government’s holding in NatWest now stands at below 40 per cent after selling £1.26 billion (€1.45 million) of its stake. The government has set itself a 2026 target for reprivatising the bank, 18 years after the taxpayer paid £46 billion (€53 billion) to save NatWest Group, then known as Royal Bank of Scotland Group, from collapse.

BRIDGWATER: Practically confirmed as site of Tata’s new electric car battery factory

Photo credit: visitbridgwater.co.uk

Euro EUR/GBP: Down from £0.88 to £0.87

EUR/USD: Down from $1.10 to $1.07

The euro weakened at the end of April after Eurozone GDP missed forecasts, before the start of May brought more headwinds for the single currency as markets responded to the European Central Bank’s (ECB) interest rate decision. The ECB slowed its pace of policy tightening and did not commit to further rate hikes, triggering an EUR selloff.

Hawkish comments from ECB officials cushioned the euro’s losses. ECB President Christine Lagarde insisted that ‘we’re not pausing’, while other rate setters advocated more tightening.

However, consistently weak German data raised fresh concerns about a recession in the Eurozone’s largest economy, keeping pressure on the common currency.

A strengthening US dollar also

BUSINESS EXTRA

Crashing down

VIRGIN ORBIT, billionaire Richard Branson’s satellite launch company, is shutting down and selling off assets worth $36 million ( €33.1 million ) Branson had little luck with the venture, which included the failed orbital mission in the UK that received funding of more than $20 million ( €18.5 million ) from British taxpayers.

US project

COSENTINO, the marble multinational based in Almeria, will build a production plant in the US. The company announced that it has signed an agreement with city hall in Jacksonville ( Florida ) to acquire land for the future factory which will require a total investment of approximately $270 million ( €250 million).

CURRENCY OUTLOOK: EURO WEAKENS AS MARKETS REIN IN RATE HIKE EXPECTATIONS, US DOLLAR REBOUNDS ON FRESH FED BETS

weighed on the euro due to EUR’s negative correlation with USD, although ongoing hawkish ECB rhetoric saved the single currency from steeper losses.

The ECB’s June policy decision is in the spotlight for EUR investors over the coming month. A 25bps hike is expected. But could a dovish outlook see the euro fall further?

Pound

GBP/EUR: Up from €1.13 to €1.14

GBP/USD: Down from $1.24 to $1.23

Sterling found success through late April and early May, despite a scarcity of impactful UK economic data. Market bets on another Bank of England (BoE) interest rate rise boosted the pound.

An upward revision to the UK’s final services PMI then lent GBP further support. Activity in the UK’s vital services sector hit a one-year high in April.

However, the middle of the month brought headwinds. Following the BoE interest rate decision, the

bank’s Governor Andrew Bailey said inflation is set to fall sharply from April, which saw markets pare back expectations for further tightening.

Mixed GDP data then saw Sterling waver. The UK economy expanded by 0.1% in the first quarter of this year, but unexpectedly contracted by 0.3% in March.

The pound still rose against its weaker peers, despite a shock rise in UK unemployment, as concerns about second-round inflation effects kept BoE bets alive and GBP afloat.

The BoE will meet towards the end of June to set interest rates. If persistently high core inflation prompts the bank to raise rates again, Sterling could soar.

US Dollar

USD/GBP: Unchanged at £0.80

USD/EUR: Up from €0.91 to €0.92

A pullback in Federal Reserve rate rise bets put the US dollar on the backfoot through the end of April.

Fresh turmoil in the US banking sector saw markets revise their expectations for further policy tightening,

Inflation-food seesaw

Linda Hall

UK inflation fell last month although the reduction was less than hoped for.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that annual inflation as measured by the consumer prices index (CPI) dropped to 8.7 per cent in April, following March’s 10.1 per cent cutback. The rate peaked at 11.1 per cent last October.

Electricity and gas prices contributed approximately 1.4 percentage points to the fall according to the ONS.

This was partly counterbalanced by food prices which continued to rise at their fastest annual rate since 1977, with the increased cost of the weekly shop shooting up by 19 per cent in the year ending in April owing to soaring food and non-alcoholic drink prices.

Economists had predicted a larger drop to 8.2 per cent, while the Bank of England said earlier this month it had expected inflation to fall to 8.4 per cent in April.

These latest ONS statistics were announced as analysts warned that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s target of halving

the rate of inflation this year would be closer run than was originally envisaged.

The ONS announcement prompted financial markets to

forecast it was practically a given the Bank of England would increase the base interest rate by a quarter-point from4.5 per cent when they next meet in June.

while weaker-than-forecast GDP added to the downside.

USD faced further losses through the first week of May. Although the Fed raised rates by 25bps, it signalled a potential pause in its hiking cycle.

A souring market mood helped the safe-haven ‘greenback’ recover as the month went on, despite some disappointing US economic data.

Hawkish comments from Federal Reserve policymakers also helped USD continue to claw back its earlier losses.

Looking forward, the Fed’s rate decision in mid-June is the key event. If the bank leaves rates unchanged, USD could slump. Before then, investors will use the latest inflation and jobs data releases to gauge how the Fed might act.

Currencies Direct have helped over 430,000 customers save on their currency transfers since 1996. Just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more about how you can save money on your currency transfers.

Ace year for Acerinox

THE Acerinox Group’s 2022 results were the best since its creation in 1970, announced chief executive Bernardo Velázquez. The Spanish stainless steel group’s €8.69 billion turnover was 30 per cent up on 2021 thanks to good demand, although net profits of €556 were 3 per cent down, owing to €204 million losses by Bahru Stainless in Malaysia.

Acerinox had an EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) of €1.27 billion, Velázquez announced, despite the instability caused by the geopolitical situation with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The company also had to contend with inflation - especially energy prices in Spain - supply chain problems and the collapse of nickel prices on the London Metal Exchange in March, he added.

Following an unsuccessful merger attempt with the Mittal family’s Aperam last year, the company continues to look for opportunities to continue growing especially in the US.

Damm good A toxic situation

BREWERY group Damm foresees a record turnover this year. Announcing sales of €1.87 billion for 2022 at the recent shareholders’ meeting, executive chairman Demetrio Carceller Arce revealed that the Barcelona-based company expected an even better 2023 despite inflation and its consequences for consumers and monetary policies.

Damm’s €101 million net profit last year was 10 per cent down on 2021 and the lowest since 2016, although Carceller pointed out that the company had increased its market share.

ROYAL MAIL’S woes do not abate. A vote by employees on a deal intended to end a rancorous dispute over pay, jobs and working conditions while securing the future for all involved was suspended owing to differences between the postal service and the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

The environment in which it was endeavouring to deliver the agreement remained ‘toxic’, the CWU said on May 24.

As a result, it suspended the timetable for a member vote until it is satisfied that what it described as “attacks” on members in the workplace had come to an end.

Royal Mail had agreed a new deal with the union in April following months of tense negotiations and a series of strikes which it blamed for losses of £1 billion (€1.15 million) and the departure of its chief executive Simon Thompson in mid-May.

FOOD INFLATION: Families still spending more on food.

Photo credit: Pexels/Julia M Cameron

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

WITH their, plastic bottles, food cartons and litter left laying everywhere in their wake, plus causing the output of untold thousands of vehicle exhausts as they idled in traffic jams, badly mislead young ‘climate changers’ are leaving a carbon footprint that will probably not be ‘offset’ until they reach their coming of age.

This present generation has to be the most spoiled, self­centered, misinformed bunch of easily led youngsters the civilised world has ever produced. They have air ­ conditioning in the classrooms, mobile phones and gismos, they ride in cars to school, they suck up junk food like hoovers and insist on the latest trendy outfits at all times.

All of these luxury products, which they seem to think are their God given right, are manufactured or supplied by ginormous companies that pour billions of tons of carbon dioxide emission into the Earth’s atmosphere. These children’s selfish attitudes and life styles cause far more damage to our envi­

No respect

ronment than the previous generations they are so keen to accuse. Those preceding them were mobile and ‘designer’ free and took bicycles or walked to their destinations. Most had never experienced jet travel or air conditioning and opened windows when it was hot, instead of closing them.

They received new shoes or clothes only when the previous attire needed replacing, ate home ­ made sandwiches instead of Whoppers and read books. However, in these modern day youngsters’ defence, most have of course been brainwashed and mislead by the ‘usual suspects’!

Many of the culprits are those who laughingly profess to be ‘school­teachers’. Stringy haired trendies, who actually started the rot when the first long haired leftie ‘free thinker’ plonked his behind on his desk and told the class to call him Jon! The same leftie brigade who welcome drag acts into the classrooms to ‘enlighten’ fouryear­olds, abolish winning and losing and teach tiny tots to ‘touch’ and ‘feel’ themselves. Well this is the

result.

A whole generation of young children who not only have no respect for their elders, but truly do believe they are actually superior. Unfortunately, ever increasing numbers of them would rather walk into the class with a knife than a ruler. What I did find interesting this week however was the reaction to something I shared on FB. I literally received hundreds of ‘likes’ to the following notice, publicly displayed on a notice board by a youngster of around seven or eight. It read. ‘I’m not old enough to drink, let alone choose my sexuality or gender. How about you let me enjoy being a child and leave me alone?’ Sounds good to me; perhaps there is still some semblance of true stability in their young lives yet?

You listening out there? All you woke infested imbeciles that should actually be locked up ­ and would be if I had any say in the matter. Keep the faith. Love Leapy. Leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com

Mon and Fri. 1pm till 4.

WATER WOES OUR VIEW

AFTER the devastating rainfall which hit Almeria as well as parts of Costa Blanca and Murcia last week it seems that the weather simply isn’t being favourable to Spain at the moment. Certainly, there have been repeated fears of drought conditions across parts of the country which is threatening the livelihood of a very large number of farmers, yet torrential rains are also likely to devastate crops.

There is internal wrangling, some of it clearly political, about the allegedly illegal incursions on protected areas of wetlands where farmers are being allowed to drain water and to some extent, we must recognise commerce may on occasion be stronger than conservation.

The governments of Spain and Portugal are now jointly approaching Brussels asking for the adoption of measures to alleviate the

effects of the drought on European agriculture and this of course means that they want more money and to be able to give more money to the agriculture section. Water however doesn’t grow on trees although it does help trees to grow and neither does money, although with €2.2 billion already allocated by the Spanish Government to drought relief it might appear that it does. If aquifers are being raided and there isn’t enough rain, it seems that one option is to build more desalination plants in order to provide water, hopefully potable, but if not, at least suitable for agricultural purposes. Another option is to ensure that sewage plants, many of which simply seem to exist to cause nasty smells around their vicinity are updated so that they can supply more water for agriculture and the ever thirsty golf courses that so many people enjoy.

Leapy

HARNESSING the abundant energy from the sun is one of the benefits of living in southern Spain, creating a renewable, environmentally friendly, and cost­effective energy solution. In the current climate and due to recent energy price increases, more and more people are going green ­ and it’s clear to see why.

Having lived off­grid for over 30 years and installing solar power for the last 22 years, owner of Sunergy Almeria, Phil Reynolds understands the benefits behind this type of energy. Sunergy Almeria can design and supply solar and wind power systems for on­grid (auto consumption) and off­grid systems across Almeria, Murcia and Granada.

The team use only the highestquality equipment with the longest warranties, such as Victron, Dyness, Pylontech, Canadian Solar, REC, and Kostal, so you can be sure your equipment will stand the test of time.

Electricity supply is often an expensive business for properties that are in more rural areas and not on the local power grid. But Sunergy Almeria can provide a solution to

Sunergy Almeria: Renewable energy solutions and installations

nance, and enhanced safety.

Sunergy can also help you save money on your swimming pool costs by installing a Lorentz solar pool pump that is suitable for any size pool. Compared with traditional pumps, you could see a quicker return on your investment and much lower running costs in the future. These pumps have a longer life expectancy, are quiet and efficient, feature a smart modular design, and offer speed control to match your pool size exactly.

your needs with auto­consumption and off­grid systems. Auto consumption systems are increasingly popular and can provide your home or business with free power during the day while accumulating excess power on the grid ­ also known as ‘virtual battery’ or ‘cloud storage’. With most suppliers, your power

can be stored for later use, for example, to generate excess power during the spring and summer months to use during the winter. Any leftover excess may be bought by some suppliers, currently at a rate of €0.11 per kWh, meaning that you may pay absolutely nothing for your supply.

Off­grid systems use batteries as the main source of power for your property, with Sunergy Almeria mainly using lithium batteries. The benefits of off­grid power lithium batteries include higher energy density, longer lifespan, efficient energy conversion, faster charging, greater depth of discharge, minimal mainte­

As a Lorentz­approved partner, Sunergy can install Solar PV systems that are an economic alternative to borehole pumps. Solar water pumps reduce dependence on electricity or diesel and, once installed, there is no recurrent cost for electricity or fuel. Compared to conventional water pumps, solar water pumps require very little maintenance. The team will size a system unit to suit your water consumption levels.

Get in touch with Phil and the friendly team now to find out the best renewable and low­cost energy solution for your home or business.

Talking canned wine

LOUIE ON WINE

Article by Louie Rodrigues

THE world of wine can be intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be!

I’m Louie and I’ve made it my mission to explore wine and all its jargon, and report back to you in a way that makes sense.

I run a digital agency, Corking.Digi tal, that helps wineries with their so cial media presence, and during that time I’ve tasted my fair share of wine … and food to go with it. If you like what I write, you can head to @Corking.Wine on Instagram, where I snap photos of things I eat and drink ­ it’s not as boring as it sounds, I promise.

This week we are talking canned wine ­ the portable and sustainable little sister to the glass bottle. Although not necessarily the cheapest option, canned wines are becoming a popular staple amongst those picnic hampers and beach bags. In fact, I’m finding that the quality of canned wines often surpasses many of their glass bottled brethren.

Quick tip: look for canned whites

Cheers.

with Macabeu or Verdejo grapes, and rosés from Garnacha.

Head online to find my full article with recommendations, including my favourite ­ Can Vi.

SUNERGY ALMERIA: Get in touch with Phil and the team now to find the best solution for your home or business.

Problem solved LETTERS

Hi all, I would like to thank you and your readers for your help re my travel insurance.

I contacted the people you suggested and I now have insurance.

The people in their office were very helpful, and the price was reasonable.

Once again I thank you all, I can now enjoy my holiday.

Regards Gwendoline Ottley

Thank you

Thank you for what you are writing.

I’m a Dutch guy currently residing in Spain. Reading your article on Propaganda in the Euro Weekly. It is a relief to find you and read what you are saying.

So, just saying: THANKS!! Stay strong.

Dear Leapy

With Love, Louis

I am an avid reader of your column every week but am surprised you have not mentioned the dangerous antics of the, fast becoming more popular, scooters on the roads, or pavements! Risking life and limb to themselves and other road users. However, there seems to be no action taken by the police! Would love to read your comments in one of your weekly comments.

Best regards, DMP, Albatera

Dear Editor

A simple question for Remainers

Do you want to be ruled by the unelected EU or our own elected Parliament?

I know Leapy’s answer!

Spain joined the EU and have prospered with approximately €800 billion in loans. Greece borrowed approx €2 trillion.

I wish I could get a big money interest free loan that never needs to be paid back or does it?

Brian Johnston ­ Benalmadena

Well done

To Lee Graham

Fantastic, keep up the good work.

Regards

Are you watching?

will send an email, but I thought you probably get too many emails in your busy life. However, having just now read your article in EWN I thought I would email anyway. I am not racist and all the people in the programme were very nice. It’s just a matter of fair representation of course and it is annoying.

Best Wishes, Graham PS I remember you on the telly with Little Arrows

Hooked

In my nearly 40 years of residence here I have never had much interest in the English language media but I am becoming hooked on your comedy page featuring Lee. I use the surname as he refers to a knight of the realm as Starmer. His ultra right wing, and often racist, rantings are hilarious in their eccentricity, but as one of the few expat socialists on the coast I know that he is preaching to the converted.

Philip Flaxman Mijas Costa

Closer ties

The UK left the EU because the government didn’t want to accommodate the ‘humanising’ rules imposed by the EU and wasn’t prepared to relinquish any sovereignty. The vote was really close. The UK has to undertake a new referendum to see what the outcome might be. It could be a lot different. Also, wanting to re­apply will require that the UK follows the requirements of the EU, will less protest.

Dik Coates

Stormy forecast

Biblical storms and hailstones have battered the area here hard with the aftermath of cleaning up yet to start, let’s hope every drop of water is not wasted, and will give us a head start in the coming months. Mark

Deportation

Shirley Hunt

I was watching CH5 Rich House Poor House recently where they swap houses for a week. The Poor House ­ Single mum was black and the Rich House featured two gay men. This programme often includes minorities. I thought at the time, I wonder if Leapy is watching this. Perhaps I

This article sheds light on the heartbreaking situation faced by the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light at the TurkishBulgarian border.

It’s truly disheartening to see how they are being denied entry, facing violence, and the threat of deportation. Their religious beliefs should not be a reason for persecution. We must stand together to protect the rights of all individuals, regardless of their faith.

K Jula

PETS

FINDING suitable cat­sitters for when you go on holiday can be a challenge. You want your cats to be cared for where they are comfortable, their routines maintained. It means that when you get home after your absence, your pets are relaxed and happy to see you, just like you’ve both had a lovely holiday.

Finding a cat­sitter through Housesitmatch means you have someone to care for your pets at home that doesn’t cost you any more than the annual membership fee!

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 HouseSit Match.com

2. Choose a Standard account (£69 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

Doggy day-care

DOGGY day­care or pet play schools are becoming more popular around the world. Pet parents are opting to pay approximately €350, in Spain, to leave their pets at daycare rather than leave them home alone.

Keeping cats safe and happy at home while you are away.

want to go away. Sitters apply and you choose. How does it work?

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

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

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

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These centres say they offer a solution to loneliness which can sometimes cause behavioural problems and help dogs socialise with other dogs. Some of these centres provide an individualised training programme for your dog. Your furry friend will be fed and walked all while you are at work. They promise that when you pick up your dog you will find them relaxed and happy.

The day­care centres have a sleeping area and playrooms where the dogs are usually separated into groups selected by size, temperament, and age.

In Spain, people are adopting or purchasing more and more dogs with an increase of 38 per cent in the last three years. According to experts, there is a ‘greater sensitivity’ to their needs saying ‘People who have dogs focus a lot on giving them everything they need.’ With this combination, it is clear to see why these services are on the rise.

Doggy day care owners said they noticed that after the pandemic more people chose

Photo credit: Wagwag guarderia website

These services are on the rise.

to leave their dogs with them. Dogs suffered from separation anxiety in the wake of the pandemic and this prompted pet parents to seek solutions to reduce their pet’s stress.

Better with pets

PURINA the pet nutrition company announced the winners of their Better With Pets Prize 2023. The objective of these awards is to fund impactful organisations that are ‘striving to change society in a positive way through the power of the pet­human bond.’

Two UK charities and one Spanish charity were chosen as the winners from more than 110 organisations across Europe.

The first prize went to Pets As Therapy, a national charity that enhances the health and well ­ being of thousands of people across the UK by providing therapeutic pet visits to establishments such as care homes, hospitals, hospices, schools, and prisons. Pets As Therapy was awarded a two ­ year grant of €50,000 per annum.

The second prize went to the Spanish organisation Center de Teràpies Assistides amb Cans(CTAC). CTAC is a charity that provides dog­assisted therapies and

activities at care homes, schools, prisons, and residences for people with disabilities and hospitals. They were awarded a two ­ year grant of €30,000 per annum.

Photo credit: CTAC website

to Street Vet, a team of professional vets and veterinary nurses that provide essential care to over 2,000 people and their pets across the UK. They were awarded a twoyear grant of €20,000.

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SITUATIONS VACANT

Sailing Mar Menor

End of the road

REAL MURCIA fell at home in the Nueva Condomina to Eldense, losing by 2­0. Midfielder Alex Bernal of Eldense scored first in the 10th minute but Alberto Toril Domingo equalised before half­time. Murcia battled throughout the second half, but the Eldense defender Diego Gonzalez Cabanes scored in the 90th minute to crush Murcia’s hopes.

In the end, their result on the day did not matter as the teams above them Real Sociedad B and Barcelona B both secured the points they needed to stay in the playoff positions. Murcia will stay in the Primera RFEF to battle it out again next season.

SAMM enjoyed one of the best days of racing of the SAMM Spring Season on Sunday, May 21 with good conditions, although overcast.

It was a close race between the five competing boats. They reported that ‘the wind was from the east all day but varied in strength from 3.5 knots at the start of the day and up to 10 knots at the end. It was up and down but without excessive gusts so all boats man ­

aged the conditions well.’

Race 1 started at 11.15am and Vision was first across followed by Dos and Tres with Uno and Cuatro crossing neck and neck after one minute. Uno completed the first lap 22 seconds ahead of Cuatro but made a big mistake and ended up losing 22 and a half minutes to Cuatro and never made it back.

Race 2 started at 12.30pm and ‘was the best seen for many weeks

with all boats across within 16 seconds.’

The results show just how close and competitive the racing was with the average laps times after applying the handicaps

Race 1, Vision 557 secs, Cuatro + 31 secs, Dos + 25 secs, Tres + 8 secs, Uno + 6 secs

Race 2, Vision 380 secs, Cuatro + 11 secs, Dos + 29 secs, Tres + 5 secs, Uno + 4 secs

Last defeat

CARTAGENA suffered a 3­1 defeat in their last game of the season when they travelled to Santander to face Racing Santander in the Estadio El Sardinero. The home team made it 3­0 in the first half an hour with goals from Mario Garcia, Yeray Cabanzon, and Cedric Omoigui. Pablo Vazquez Perez got a goal back for Cartagena just after half time but with both teams with nothing to play for the game fizzled out. Cartagena finish the season in ninth position and many feel it was a successful season overall in the La Liga SmartBank.

UCAM MURCIA CB faced Liga Endesa league leaders Barcelona in the last game of the season. Murcia needed to win to finish in the playoff­quarterfinal positions but Barcelona needed to win to secure the top spot. UCAM travelled to the Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona but Barcelona dominated the game and their victory was never in doubt. They beat Murcia by 86­57 and Valencia kept their playoff spot even though they lost at home to Breogan. Murcia finish the season in ninth position. Barcelona now faces Valencia in the quarter­finals to continue the fight for the title of the ACB Liga Endesa 2023.

Ibiza revival

UCAM MURCIA CF was able to turn it around in the second leg of the playoff beating Pena Deportiva in Ibiza by two goals to nil. Pito Camacho scored after 11 minutes to make it 1­0 and level on aggregate. The playoff second leg went to extra time after a goalless second half and UCAM striker Chumbi scored in the 102nd minute to make it 2­0 putting UCAM through to the final of the playoffs for promotion to the Primera RFEF.

REAL MURCIA: Hopes were crushed in the Condomina.

Photo credit: Real Murcia Twitter Account

FIZZLED OUT: Racing crush Cartagena.

A close and competitive race.

Photo credit; SAMM Terry Chapman

UCAM fall in Barcelona.

Through to the final.