Mallorca 15 – 21 June 2023 Issue 1980

Dry islands Celeb spot BUN FIGHT!

THE Balearic Islands is the Spanish region with the lowest rate of alcohol consumption by residents.

According to the latest edition of the ‘Survey on alcohol and other drugs in Spain’ (Edades), just under 55 per cent of the Balearic population drink alcohol at least once a month.

The figure is 10 percentage points lower than the national average.

On the other end of the scale, the Valencian Community has the highest consumption percentage with 73.3 per cent of people questioned admitting to drinking alcohol at least once a month.

Analysts reveal that all indicators of alcohol consumption have dropped in the Balearic Islands over the last decade ­ the only Spanish region where this has occurred.

Among the reasons for the downward trend is the creation of the Platform for Quality Leisure, the only entity of its kind in the country to unite associations and institutions across the board to encourage healthier leisure activities.

A CONTROVERSIAL issue was settled on Tuesday June 6 when representatives from Ryanair met with Mallorca’s Minister of Tourism and decided that you can have your cake. . . and eat it!

On June 6, representatives from Irish airline Ryanair met Iago Negueruela, the acting councillor for Economic Model, Tourism and Employment in Mallorca, according to a news source. Some weeks ago there was a bit of a do regarding a passenger who was allegedly charged for taking ensaimadas on a Ryanair flight, thankfully the matter now seems to be settled.

For those not in the know, the ensaimada is a pastry made in Mallorca, its origins date back hundreds of years. Another product, popular in

Mallorca and Ibiza is called greixonera, and incorporates leftover pieces of ensaimada. However, the issue was ironed out and the official line is that Ryanair does not charge people for taking the pastry on their planes. In fact, it emerged that the airline has never charged ‘for the transport of ensaimadas on their planes’. It seems that the misunderstanding arose when the passenger in question was charged for carrying an unchecked suitcase.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Association of Bakers and Confectioners of the Balearic Islands. Negueruela confirmed that they will continue working to defend local products and that travellers can continue to carry ensaimadas.

The minister also praised Ryanair’s willingness to ‘collaborate with the government and that after this meeting it has been possible to clarify the situation, without upsetting anyone’.

SUPPLEMENT PAGES 12 PROPERTY INSIDE

BARCELONA Football Club star striker Robert Lewandowski is the latest celebrity spotted on holiday in Mallorca.

The Polish striker posted several photographs on his social media accounts of himself with his wife, world karate champion Anna Maria Lewandowska, together with fellow football ace and friend Bastian Schweinsteiger.

The foursome reportedly also enjoyed a meal at a vegan restaurant in Santa Ponça.

Lewandowsky (34) bought a holiday home near Calvia in 2021 and frequently shares photographs of his trips to the island. Bastian Schweinsteiger (38) retired from professional football in 2019 and currently lives in Son Vida with his partner and three children.

ENSAIMADAS: You can have your cake... and eat it!

Alcohol consumption low.

Image by Dario Rey/Shutterstock

New Bicipalma record New shop now open

BICIPALMA public bicycle renting service has increased its number of users by a whopping 250 per cent over the last three months, according to Palma Town Hall.

More than 9,580 new users have joined Bicipalma since the end of February bringing the total number up to nearly 15,930.

The service was renewed and given a complete overhaul at the end of last year and since then it has continued adding users and breaking records, with 16,000 people now regularly relying on it to get around the city and registering nearly

100,000 journeys in May alone.

Last month also set a new record with 3,984 trips registered in one day ­ the previous daily maxi ­

mum was 1,446.

The latest Bicipalma station to be installed was the one in Son Espases with 30 parking points. There are currently 75 stations throughout the city and the aim is to reach 85.

The busiest stations are Plaza España, Plaza París, Calle Blanquerna crossing with Pare Bartomeu Pou, Calle Josep Darder Metge, Calle Alexander Fleming, Parc de ses Estacions, Calle Jacint Verdaguer, Calle Bartomeu Barceló and Plaza Madrid.

CALANOVA Cancer Care last week officially opened their huge new charity shop at 356 Avenida Joan Miro, San Agustin in Palma ­ just three doors down from the old main shop.

The inauguration was attended by many people including staff from the British Consulate, John Hughes for the Caballeros Golf Society who gave a €7,000 donation to the Cancer Shop, Nick exPinmar who now runs Help the Homeless and Yachting

LUFTHANSA’S spectacular Boeing 747 Jumbo landed once again at Palma airport on Tuesday June 13 due to a high demand from German travellers.

The flight from Frankfurt landed at 3.15pm and constitutes the arrival of the legendary aeroplane one month earlier than last summer.

The Boeing 747 Jumbo, the largest passenger plane in the world until the arrival of the Airbus A380 in 2005, has a total capacity for 660 passengers and each arrival on the island is a major event for spotters, who take up posi­

Gives Back, CSG president Bronwyn, Marie from DIME, AECC vice­president Jaime Bellino, and Cristina Martin, social educator of ASPANOB.

Donations included €5,000 to Aspanob (children’s cancer and their parents), €10,000 to the AECC (Spanish Cancer Care Association), €3,000 to DIME (palliative care) and €3,000 to The Cancer Support Group.

The new shop offers a great selection of clothes for men and women, pictures, paintings and much more. The old shop on the corner that is currently being redesigned will house the furniture, books, films, records and the Children and Baby Shop.

For further information and to help out please call Angela on 609 848 622.

A sight for spotters

tions on a vantage point near Son Ferriol neighbourhood to photograph the impressive vehicle.

Lufthansa only activates the transoceanic aircraft at peak times of high demand. Its previous arrival at Mallorca was recorded at Easter, when it was only used once.

Last summer it was used from mid­July to August, making its early arrival this year all the more exciting for aviation fans.

Palma airport activated its

summer operation last weekend with up to 2,000 scheduled flights, a similar number to the usual figures for July and August.

Black flag

ENVIRONMENTALIST organisation Ecologistas en Acción has published its yearly report condemning the worst cases of pollution and bad environmental management in Spain.

Among this year’s surprises is a ‘black flag’ awarded to the Colonia de Sant Jordi due to the controversial party yachts that made headlines following complaints by residents and businesses due to loud noises late at night.

Ses Salines Council last week announced a new public ordinance regulating the beaches in the Colonia de Sant Jordi to prevent the problems reported in previous years.

Among other restrictions, the new legislation bans the use of music equipment, radios, musical instruments or loudspeakers that may cause a nuisance to beach users.

Ecologistas en Acción also points out that jetskis are a problem not just because of the noise they make, but also because they pose a threat to swimmers, as well as to ‘fragile species’ such as sea turtles in protected areas.

BICYCLES FOR HIRE: Last month set a new record.

Image by Bicipalma/Facebook

The Cavern

MALLORCA power pop foursome Marlovers had the honour of playing the mythical The Cavern club in Liverpool as part of the lineup for the International Pop Overthrow festival. Up to 100 bands from all over the world were present at the event.

Racist exam

AN incident involving racist insults directed at Real Madrid football player Vinicius at a match against Mallorca earlier this year became the protagonist of the university entrance exams in Extremadura, as the English reading comprehension test focused on an article on the issue by The Guardian newspaper.

Memory blank

SIGNPOSTS on several Mallorca roads that explain that they were built by Republican prisoners following the Spanish Civil War have been vandalised three times in just six months. Spray paint has been used to cross out the reference to their political condition and some have been covered by Spanish flags.

Sales down

THE purchase and sale of houses fell by nearly 20 per cent in the Balearic Islands in April compared to the same month last year, according to the National Statistics Institute. A total of 1,003 properties changed hands, of which 793 were second-hand homes.

Singing postman

A PALMA postman has gone viral throughout Spain after he was filmed singing and dancing while he delivered the mail in the city centre. The video was uploaded onto TikTok where it has received a wave of positive comments from users cheering him on.

Sea turtle sighting

LAST week marked a significant milestone in the environmental history of Mallorca as the island witnessed the first documented nesting of sea turtles.

An extraordinary event unfolded when a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) chose Can Pere Antoni beach in Palma as its nesting site and laid a remarkable 106 eggs.

The discovery was made by a group of biologists attending the ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting who decided to go for a midnight swim on the beach adjacent to their hotel.

Just a few metres away from the

From Tunisia to Mallorca

ENVIRONMENTAL experts from the Tunisian government were in Palma this week to share knowledge with the Balearic Islands authorities about the conservation of marine ecosystems.

Tunisia is said to be a strategic country for the international cooperation of the Balearic Islands and the work being carried out there to manage the marine environment is invaluable to combat the effects of climate change and to ensure sustainable development.

Conversely, the Tunisian Environment Ministry is especially interested in learning about the conservation efforts being carried out in the Balearic Islands for the Posidonia oceanica seagrass, as the African country is home to the largest Posidonia meadows in the Mediterranean.

Their visit comes 15 months after a committee of experts from the Balearic Environment and Cooperation departments travelled to Tunisia to supervise a series of projects being carried out there, as well as identifying new ones and strengthening collaboration bonds.

The regional government has invested €458,000 in Mediterranean cooperation projects since 2021.

PALMA has become the first Spanish city to receive a new 18­metre hydrogen bus to cover public transport routes.

Palma mayor Jose Hila presented the new vehicle in the Plaça de la Reina this week together with EMT Palma municipal transport company manager Mateu Marcús.

The ‘Urbino 18 Hydrogen’ vehicle will be trialled through the streets of the Mallorca capital this month to check its adaptation to the city’s layout, its turning ability, autonomy, energy consumption and general behaviour.

If successful, the council will purchase more of the environmentally sustain­

YOUR EWN HAS

water’s edge, they saw the turtle, visibly exhausted, making its way back to the sea after depositing hundreds of eggs in a nest in the sand.

According to the Mallorca Preservation Foundation, up to 46 of them were carefully transferred to the Laboratory for Marine Investigations and aquaculture (LIMIA) for artificial incubation, significantly enhancing their chances of successful hatching.

Climate change is reportedly prompting sea turtles to adapt to new conditions and search for nesting sites with more favourable temperatures to ensure the survival of their hatchlings.

Cave warning

EXPERTS are warning that the construction of a new house in the urbanisation above Pas de Vallgornera cave in Llucmajor could increase the risk of collapse.

Vallgornera cave is a protected site included in the Natura 2000 programme and considered a unique reference in the world due to its more than 65,000 square metres of galleries and 10,000 metres of lakes.

The Balearic Islands Environment commission

On the buses

has issued a warning that the building work could affect the cave underneath due to the vibrations caused by the traffic of heavy vehicles.

Furthermore, the commission believes that the construction project could become a ‘constant source of pollution in case of filtrations’ and affect the cave’s characteristics due to changes to the surface currents.

This is not the first time the Environment commission has alerted about these dangers, as it already issued a similar report last year due to the construction of two single ­ family homes in the area.

109 STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Father’s Day

WISHING a happy Father’s Day to our British dads. Celebrating special days, such as those dedicated to mothers and fathers, can be different when you are living overseas.

The actual day which is chosen as a tribute, and the style of celebration, sometimes leaves us confused as to where and how to celebrate.

Spain celebrates Father’s day every year on March 19, whether it be a Sunday or not! This coincides with the saints day of St Joseph ­ the father of Jesus.

In many parts of Spain, this day is so important it is a public holiday. A lucky bonus to the many Spaniards called José With that in mind we want to wish a very Happy Father’s day this Sunday, June 18 to our British readers who are living here in Spain, and to all their family.

able buses thanks to funding received from the EU’s Next Generation scheme.

Palma has received more than €13 million of Next Generation funds for five projects involving the implementation of low­emission zones and digital and sustainable transformation.

Palma municipal trans­

port service is currently in the second phase of a general overhaul that has entailed the arrival of 65 new vehicles that have increased the total capacity for passengers by 30 per cent, increased frequencies and improved punctuality, among other improvements.

The tracks left by the turtle as it returned to the sea.

Palma mayor Jose Hila (centre) during the presentation of the new bus.

Image by Palma Town Hall

Image by the Mallorca Preservation Foundation

THE National Police and leading holiday rental platform Airbnb have issued a list of guidelines for travellers to avoid falling prey to scams.

A press release issued by the police warns that online holiday bookers must never follow links to apparently official­looking sites through emails, other websites, text messages or posts on social networks, as fraudsters often replicate websites to trick users.

If an offer seems too good to be true, it could be a scam, warn the authorities, adding “be wary of offers that combine excessively low prices with very attractive images of accommodation. We can assess the experience of other users by carefully reading reviews, as well as checking that the host’s identity and other account details have been verified or confirmed by the site.”

Regarding online payment, the National Police advise to “pay by card and through the platform. Beware if you are offered to pay outside the platform or through money remittance companies, bank cheques or money orders.”

Regarding booking through Airbnb, the site insists that users “stay on Airbnb to book, pay and communicate with the landlord to take advantage of the site’s secure processes, refund policies and support. If someone asks you to leave the platform, please notify the Support service.”

Finally, other warning signs to look out for include landlords who claim not to be in Spain or near the property at the moment, seeming ‘too professional’ and attempting to steal the client’s identity by sending a rental contract and requesting a copy of the ID at the beginning of the reservation process, and ‘always being in a hurry and demanding a quick response’.

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

THE National Police has launched its ‘Operation Summer’ in Mallorca with the arrival of reinforcements to deal with the surge in visitors over the holiday period.

Officers have stepped up their presence at certain key points in the capital city such as Platja de Palma, the airport and the old town, and the force in other major towns such as Manacor has also been boosted.

The reinforcements ­ which include several specialities such as transport police, mobile units, public order and search dogs ­ will patrol the streets and keep watch over the ferry connections between the islands and the mainland, as well as

FIVE people had to be evacuated from the rooms they were renting in a house on Calle Corb Marí in the Palma neighbourhood of La Bonanova on Tuesday night when an enclosed first ­ floor balcony collapsed.

The accident took place at 11pm and no one was hurt, although the tenants,

Meaning people do things more quickly and easily when they work together. A very ancient proverb known to both the Greeks and the Romans – it first appeared in English by John Heywood in 1546.

buses, underground and trains.

So far the ‘Operation Summer’ force, consisting of both uniformed and plainclothed officers, has already arrested more than 50 people for petty theft in Mallorca, ie when the amount or items stolen are less than €400.

The authorities warn that most of these thefts take place on the beach at night, when tourists go for midnight swims or have sexual relations on the sand.

Another favourite target are hotel clients who leave their belongings at reception or by the entrance of the establishment.

Palma house collapses

all either young or middleaged, reported that they had the shock of their lives as “it sounded like the house was collapsing on top of us,” as quoted by a local news source.

Reports reveal that when they tried to get out, they found that the debris from the fallen balcony

A FEMALE Mallorca football player is in the spotlight after becoming one of the best players of the Queens League, an alternative tournament organised by Spanish YouTube stars.

prevented them from opening the door, forcing them to leave through the window.

Fire crews and Local Police patrols rushed to the scene, checked that there were no injuries and cordoned off the area.

All five residents were forced to stay with family

Rental scam advice ‘Operation Summer’ launched Go Patricia!

The male edition of the Kings League phenomenon burst onto the sports and entertainment scene with a bang a few months ago. Thousands of fans were attracted by a competition that, once it was over, passed the baton over to its female version that is currently in its seventh week of matches.

Patricia Mascaró (34) is making a name for herself in the Las Troncas team, who

or friends while the fire department and technicians from the local council inspected the stricken building to determine the causes of the collapse.

Some of the residents claim that they had been noticing damp and cracks for some time and had complained to the owners.

beat rivals xBuyer this week thanks to two goals and a vital pass that enabled her team’s third target in a very equal game that ended in 5­4.

Mascaró just completed the regular football season with the second­division CE Europa and has extensive experience in the top flight of Spanish women’s football after playing for several first­division teams including Madrid CFF, Malaga and Sporting de Huelva.

She was also one of the first female players in Mallorca to pack her bags and travel to the mainland to make a living as a professional footballer.

Image by Edaccor/Shutterstock

WARNING: Never follow links from text messages.

Image by Natalia de la Rubia/Shutterstock

POLICE: Reinforcements have arrived.

14

The number of overseas territories the UK has across the globe.

“Many hands make light work”

New weather station

A NEW weather station has been installed in Cabrera national park.

The technology will record meteorological information every 10 seconds as part of the Balears Meteo information streaming system.

The station is located in the Campamento area of the maritime ­ terrestrial national park, at a height of 22 metres above sea level and will send information to the website regarding current statistics, tendencies, monthly data and record registers, among others.

The device is equipped to measure temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction, solar radiation and UV rays.

Crowd control

RESIDENTS living near tourist hotspots in Mallorca are concerned about the threat of overcrowding and traffic jams as the peak summer time draws near.

Homeowners in the Cala s’Almunia and Caló des Moro areas report that they have endured “an invasion of people and vehicles” over the last few weeks ­ a situation that is bound to worsen in July and August.

The main problem in the Cala s’Almunia is said to be a decision taken by Santanyí Town Hall to remove a restriction on non­resident vehicles that was implemented in 2017.

The controversial move

was recommended by the Local Police, who pointed out that limiting vehicle access simply moved the problem to Cala Llombards.

Santanyi Council’s solution has been to find a more equitable option for both areas, including painting yellow lines and installing bollards in the Cala s’Almunia area to prevent parking in restricted areas and placing a barrier at the entrance when the maximum number of cars has been reached.

A team of informers will also be on call every day from 10am to 6pm throughout the summer to help with parking.

THE Balearic Islands hit a new recycling record last year.

More than 52,000 tonnes of domestic packaging were sent to recycling plants in the region in 2022, an increase of nearly 13 per cent with regards to the previous year, according to waste treatment company Ecoembes.

The largest percentage corresponds to paper and cardboard packaging (21,946 tonnes), followed by plastics (21,780) and metallic packaging (8,384).

Ecoembes reports that 85.7 per cent of packaging sent for recycling came from the blue

Recycling record

recovered from reject plants where all types of unseparated waste arrive.

and yellow containers and from the coloured bins installed in busy public areas such as theme parks, airports, football stadiums, offices, bars and restaurants.

The remaining amount was

Each resident in the region separated an average of 41.5 kilos of packaging for recycling, according to the company. There were more than 6,000 yellow containers for plastics and metallic packaging available in the Balearic Islands last year, which is 213 more than in 2021, and many towns now collect this type of waste through the selective ‘door to door’ service.

Not enough workers

THE generalised lack of workers that is affecting many sectors in Mallorca is being particularly felt by managers of airport restaurants.

Owners report problems finding chef assistants and waiting staff, while the insufficient public transport makes it very difficult to organise shifts.

The same sources reveal that the main reason for the lack of available workers is that there is so much offer that potential employees prefer to work at hotels.

One company in particular criticises the “irre­

sponsibility” of workers, revealing that in just 15 days they employed 67 people, of whom 26 already left.

In addition, another four employees reportedly did not turn up for work after being registered with the Social Security.

This problem is not new and a similar situation was reported last summer at Son Sant Joan and even at hotels on the island, where workers frequently swapped jobs from one day to the next when they were offered better conditions elsewhere.

Waste sent for recycling.

Image by the Balearic Islands Government

TOURIST HOTSPOT: Cala s’Almunia.

Image by Xavi Martin/Shutterstock

DUE to a massive increase in new patients since the beginning of the year, we are launching an appeal for new volunteers.

Volunteering for Cancer Support Group Mallorca (CSG) can be a very rewarding experience; we don’t ask for a commitment of many hours, if you are able to just offer a

Cancer Support Group

few hours a month that would be a great help.

While speaking Spanish can help, it is not essential, as many tasks do not involve translation. Likewise, for those who feel hesitant to assist patients

directly, there are many other admin and fundraising tasks that they can help with.

We offer ongoing training and preparation so that volunteers feel comfortable and equipped for any task they are assigned.

There is currently a pressing need for Germanspeaking volunteers and

helpers to cover the eastern part of the island, but we welcome everyonewhatever language you speak and wherever you live, there is a place for everyone at CSG!

If you can help or would like to find out more, please email info@cancersupport mallorca.com or visit ‘Cancer Support Group Mallorca’ on Facebook.

Suncream warning

Hospitals on holiday

A LACK of staff, mainly nurses, as well as holidays being booked by healthcare workers, has once again led to hospital beds being closed in Mallorca for the summer.

So far it has been confirmed that Son Espases Hospital in Palma has closed 106 beds in both the adult and paediatric departments, with the prevision for them not to become available again until October 1.

In addition, the intermediate care unitwhich is usually used as a back ­ up for Intensive Care in times of high pressure, such as during the Covid pandemic ­ will also remain closed during this period.

A SPECIFIC ingredient in many types of suncream is damaging the vital Posidonia oceanica seagrass off the coast of Mallorca.

According to new research by the Mediterranean Institute of Advanced Studies ( Imedea ) , a compound known as oxybenzone is frequently used as a filter to protect skin from UV rays.

Scientists at Imedea detected large concentrations of the substance in the sea in tourist hotspots such as Santa

Ponça.

The investigators then analysed its effects on the Posidonia over a twoweek period and found that oxybenzone reduces the seagrass’ main properties by half, inhibits its nitrogen absorption capacity, causes oxidation and affects growth.

As well as playing a vital role in marine ecosystems by serving as food and shelter for fish and other species, the Posidonia also acts as a natural trap for carbon dioxide, reportedly absorbing more of the greenhouse gas than trees ­ a property that is compromised by the use of suncreams with noxious ingredients ­ and acting as a filter to keep the water clear.

Imedea strongly advises looking at the ingredients before buying suncream and checking that it does not contain oxybenzone.

However, hospital sources report that in case of ‘pressing need’ these intermediate care beds could be reopened. They add that the 12 beds used for the resuscitation, which have also been used at certain times to hospitalise critical patients, will remain open throughout the summer as scheduled surgical interventions will be maintained in order to reduce the waiting list.

On the other hand, Son Llàtzer University Hospital has announced plans to reduce surgical activity this summer by closing four of its 12 operating theatres.

Massage parlours ‘legal’

THE controversial oriental massage parlours in Son Armadans and El Terreno are ‘all legal’, according to the National Police.

Residents in the Palma neighbourhoods had alerted the authorities about the sudden surge in new establishments offering massage services and which appeared highly suspicious due to several reasons, including the fact that all customers were said to be men, especially tourists during holiday periods, and that they did not appear to keep normal opening hours for that kind of business.

But the authorities inspected nine establishments in both areas and found everything to be in order. However, the police did collect a wealth of documents and other information that is still being analysed, so the investigation remains open.

The inspections were part of a larger operation against people trafficking and enforced prostitution carried out by the National Police in Mallorca and Ibiza, with officers searching 40 establishments and private flats and identifying more than 150 people.

VOLUNTEERS: An appeal has been launched.

Check the ingredients in suncream before you buy.

Image by Ground Picture/Shutterstock

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The bloke who does voices

THERE is a long history of impersonators in the UK and the latest name to catch the attention is Danny Posthill who is a regular visitor to both the Costa del Sol and Mallorca.

Following a recent visit to see his aunt Sylvia who was celebrating her 90th birthday in her home in Fuengirola he was catching up with friend, popular local singer Mario Ross who asked if he would act as auctioneer at the Children with Cancer UK fundraiser at Villa Tiberio in Marbella on Sunday May 28.

After returning to the UK and then flying out to Cyprus for a show, Danny found time to speak exclusively with Euro Weekly News about his career and the way in which it has blossomed since reaching the finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2015.

Asked about how he discovered his talent for voices

Danny explained “I guess that most impressionists will tell you it dates back to schooldays, I wasn’t a great scholar but could make my friends laugh by mimicking the voices of various teachers.

“One day everyone was amused by my take on a science teacher and suddenly the room went quiet and I sensed a presence behind me

66 per cent

Anna Ellis

HOTELBEDS is seeing a notable rise in consumer demand for luxury travel with travellers around the world seeking more premium experiences than ever before.

though he suspects it may change as he gets older.

“Basically, I have a fairly high pitched voice which means that I can become Sarah Millican, Dianne Abbott, Priti Patel and Nicola Sturgeon, although I have to admit that my two favourite impressions are Donald Trump and Michael Mcintyre.”

If you visit Danny’s website https://dannyposthillofficial.c om/ you can arrange to have a personalised message from any of the above and many more to be sent to as a special greeting to a friend, family member or as a prank.

The United States, Mexico and Europe are among the largest source markets for luxury travel for Hotelbeds, while travellers from India (109 per cent), Australia (216 per cent), China (78 per cent) and Spain (66 per cent) have been increasingly looking for a premium experience over the past year versus the previous 12 months. Nicolas Huss, Hotelbeds’ Chief Executive Officer, doesn’t see this momentum subsiding any time soon. “The post­Covid carpe diem mentality shows no sign of abating.”

The CEO added: “Travellers want to make the most of every day and they don’t want to compromise. We’re seeing spending on travel remaining a top consumer priority with people actively seeking unforgettable trips and are willing to pay for a high­quality experience.”

Cultural crown

Betty Henderson

and sure enough it was that very teacher.

“Soon after I moved to a new class and the joke was on me, because my new teacher had obviously heard about that discovery and simply refused to allow me into his class in case I did the same, before telling me he was winding me up.”

As it happened, he went on to win the school talent show and then decided to get into entertainment, firstly working in holiday camps, being in charge of competitions for the kids and then it was off to Mallorca, but times were hard and he ended up sleep­

ing in a hotel sauna because he couldn’t afford a room.

Things got better and as he honed his skill, he got a job on a cruise ship but always wanted to be a full time entertainer and in 2013 he got an agent and became a full time professional.

“It’s not really a proper job, and although sometimes it’s stressful and there is a lot of travelling, I’m doing what I love and it’s so nice that I can make people laugh.”

Quite surprisingly, Danny mimics a number of female celebrities because he recognises his vocal range and doesn’t stray out of it, al­

“I think it helps that my partner Aimee Cole is a dancer and choreographer so we both have to make allowances for the other’s working pattern and it certainly makes life easier for us both.”

From early days working at the Yaramar Hotel in Fuengirola, to his time in Mallorca (where he still performs regularly) and of course his aunt being here means that he is drawn back regularly and he and Aimee will be holidaying in Spain in September.

That is if a prospective script for a TV series which he has written doesn’t suddenly take off!

SPAIN continues to bask in the glory of international recognition as it adds another accolade for its tourism industry. The Spanish city of Bilbao was named as one of the best cultural destinations in Europe by European Best Destinations. The tourism industry portal revealed their top picks in their Traveller Review Awards 2023, released on Thursday, June 8. Bilbao emerged victorious in the ranking, leaving popular destinations across Europe trailing behind.

Bilbao was the only city in Spain to make the top 12 list which was created based on more than 500,000 votes from travellers from more

than 178 countries globally. The north city rose above the competition to claim its spot among the world’s cultural elites thanks to its unique attractions. Bilbao’s charming old town, culinary delights, the iconic Guggenheim Museum, and its unusual spider sculpture helped to secure its well­deserved position on the European Best Destinations list.

These awards celebrate exceptional accommodations, transportation services, local experiences, in cities and regions and are highly regarded in the international community. The incredible rating goes to show Bilbao’s cultural wealth and its opportunities for visitors.

Credit: Dany Posthill Facebook

Danny and Aimee outside Villa Tiberio.

Classic Car Club events

THE Classic Car Club Mallorca has two events coming up in July.

The first is the Sunset Picnic & Drive on Sunday July 2. The drive will start from the fuel quay in Porto Portals at 5.30pm and go in convoy to the stunning hilltop Santuari de Cura in Randa. The picnic will be at the monastery overlooking the bay of Palma at 7pm. Drivers are requested to take their own picnic and drinks to enjoy in the private garden for the sunset at 9.21pm, although there will also be a bar to purchase drinks. All cars are

welcome.

Entrance fee is €10 per car. Confirmation of the number of cars is to be given to the venue by June 29 so participants are request­

The sound of music

SEVERAL excit ing and diverse music events are taking place in different parts of Mallorca this weekend.

Art exhibition

THE Casal Solleric in Palma is hosting an art exhibition by Dolores Sampol until Sunday July 2. Dolores Sampol (19542020) is an indispensable figure within the artistic and cultural scene of the Balearic Islands.

ed to reserve either online, by email or on the club’s WhatsApp group.

The second event is the Russell Stevens Memorial Party on Thursday July 6 at 6pm by the Blue Nest restaurant in Port Adriano.

There will be a barbecue available for €17 with the first drink included and other drinks available to buy from the bar.

For further information visit www.ccc ­ mallorca. com , email info@ccc ­ mal lorca.com or visit ‘Classic Car Club Mallorca’ on Facebook.

Today, Thursday June 15 is the Festival Palma de Primavera with Miquel Àngel Torrens (reciter) and Pedro Mateo (guitar) at 7.30pm at Can Oms in Palma. Free entrance.

Later on at 10pm, Drag queen, singer and comedian Candy Kane will be performing at La Movida, also in Palma. Tickets cost €15.

Tomorrow, Friday June 16 the International Ballet Company will be performing in the Auditorium in Palma at 8pm. Tickets cost €38/€45.

Also at 8pm in the Claustro Sant Domingo in Inca, Tomeu Moll ­ Mas will offer a piano recital as part of the Inclàssic programme.

In the Capilla Les Escolàpies in Sóller, Barry Sargent will be perform­

ing as part of the 10th edition of the Festival Nits Clàssiques de la Tramuntana. The concert starts at 8pm and tickets cost €15.

In Magalluf, the old Aquapark hosts Es Jardí, an ongoing music festival that takes place throughout the summer. On Friday June 16 the show is called Summer of Love and tickets cost €20.

In Lloret de Vistalegre, Mar Campo (contralto), José Manuel Sánchez (tenor) and Francesc Blanco on the piano offer a performance as part of the Clau de Sor music festival. Tickets cost €8.

For the full programme and further information visit www.mallorca.es.

She held her first individual painting exhibition at Can Balaguer in Palma in 1989 and participated in numerous collective exhibitions, beginning a career with a regular presence in both individual and collective displays in the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, the Basque Country, the United States, Cuba and Germany, among other countries.

She achieved what very few had done so before: to endow her work with a seal of its own, beyond formalism or artistic discourse.

This exhibition recovers a pictorial period of the painter's life that, for many, has been lost, has been blurred by the passage of time.

www.casalsolleric.palma.cat

AfterSun Market

THIS weekend is your last chance to visit the seventh edition of the Aftersun Market at Port Adriano.

This year the event continues its evolution and growth with more brands than ever: a total of 30 fashion, beauty and decoration proposals, most of them from the Balearic Islands and local commerce, and with a strong commitment to sustainability.

These brands are located inside 20 maritime containers, each one decorated by an urban artist. There will also be a careful selection of food trucks to enjoy something to eat while shopping or enjoying the concerts.

On Saturday there are workshops for children including urban art workshops led by two local artists, and the event also features musical entertainment, food tastings, carefully designed lighting, a fountain with water games and much more.

The market opens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7pm to 11pm in the main square in Port Adriano. Visit www.portadriano.com for further information.

JULY DRIVE: Drivers should take along a picnic.

Look Right, look Left

Linda Hall SPAIN, which was not due to hold a general election until December this year, will go to the polls on July 23.

Following dismal results for the governing PSOE and Unidas Podemos (UP) coalition in the May 28 local and regional elections, the president of Spain’s government, Pedro Sanchez, announced the new date the following morning.

Which way will the Spanish vote?

Partido Socialista Obrero Español (Spanish Workers’ Socialist Party) Written and referred to as PSOE (pronounced pay ­ soee) it is Spain’s oldest political, founded in 1879 by Pablo Iglesias. Middle­of­the road un­radical socialism, although the party shies away from mentioning or laying claims to being a centrist party. It has been in government since June 1, 2018 after a no­confidence vote defeated Partido Popular president Mariano

Rajoy. In power thanks to an uneasy alliance between the PSOE and far­left UP, which itself is a coalition of the Izquierda Unida and Podemos parties.

Party logo: a fist clenched round a red rose.

Partido Popular (People’s Party) Written and referred to as PP (pronounced paypay), the Partido Popular dates back to 1989 as the result of a rebranded Alianza Popular, founded in 1977 to stand in Spain’s first democratic general elections.

Middle­of­the­road conservatism now headed by Alberto Nuñez Feijoo who was president of the Galicia region between 2009 and April 2022 when he took over as the PP’s president.

The PP was phenomenally successful in the May 28 municipal and regional elections, and now controls all but two of Spain’s regional governments and most of its important city halls.

Party log: a blue seagull.

As neither the PSOE nor the PP is likely to wake up on July 24 with an overall majority, Sanchez will have to look further to the Left and Feijoo to the Right if either is to form a government.

Sanchez already knows that he will have backing from

Sumar A coalition of 15 parties to the Left of the PSOE that was only registered on June 9. Created by minister of Labour Yolanda Diaz, who belongs to Izquierda Unida and consistently overtakes Pedro Sanchez in popularity polls.

Feijoo will have no problem in enlisting the help of Vox Formed in 2013 by Santiago Abascal, Vox entered the Spanish parliament in 2019. It is old­school, antiimmigration, anti­LGTB, antiabortion, anti­EU. Although he knows Vox’s cooperation will be forthcoming, Feijoo also realises this could cloud the PP’s centre­right reputation and ambitions.

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Dry spell

ON June 7 Denmark’s meteorological agency DMI announced that the country had seen no rainfall for more than two weeks, the longest dry period in 17 years. Episodes without precipitation could be related to climate change, they said, although this was an area of ongoing research.

THE NETHERLANDS

Night out

A COMPUTER outage disrupted rail travel in Amsterdam and also affected other parts of the Netherlands on June 4 and 5, the Dutch railway company NS said. Hundreds were stranded and 150 people spent the night at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome concert hall, unable to return home after a Harry Styles concert.

BELGIUM

SpyING

BELGIUM’S public prosecution service launched an investigation following complaints from the BBTK union that ING had accessed the emails of around 2,000 of its employees. According to the union, the bank viewed email traffic following the dismissal of a BBTK member alleged to have leaked sensitive information.

GERMANY

More nurses

AS part of a bid to attract more skilled workers from non-EU countries to the German employment market, Germany and Brazil have signed a declaration of intent for “fair immigration.” The main focus is on nursing, a field in which Germany faces a growing shortage, Labour minister Hubertus Heil said.

FRANCE

Not trending

THE draft of a new law regulating the activities of social media influencers, approved by French politicians from all parties, will curb the promotion of dangerous products and trends with fines and even prison terms. “We can be proud of this unprecedented agreement,” declared senator Amel Gacquerre.

NORWAY

Helping hand

NORWAY’S emergency services rescued a Russian who needed medical assistance while on board a scientific vessel stuck in ice near the North Pole. The authorities dispatched a helicopter from Longyearbyen, which was 500 nautical miles (926 kilometres) away from the ship and only just within range.

FINLAND

Not safe

FIGURES released by the Finnish Crash Data Institute (OTI) revealed that half of the people who were killed in urban accidents between 2012 and 2021 were pedestrians or cyclists. The same figures showed that 44 per cent of the pedestrians who died in built-up areas were killed on zebra crossings.

IRELAND

New idea

SOME archaeologists are beginning to question the accepted theory that Ireland’s first human inhabitants arrived from Scotland. In prehistoric times the Irish and Welsh coastlines were much closer than they are now, they pointed out, suggesting they could have crossed from Pembrokeshire into southeast Ireland.

ITALY

Home again

LAST year the US authorities returned 58 looted antiquities worth $19 million (€17.7 million) to Italy. Very often stolen from archaeological sites and smuggled out of the country over the past 50 years, they included 27 items seized from the Met in New York and the collection of billionaire Michael Steinhardt.

PORTUGAL

Angola aid

ANGOLA and Portugal signed a new cooperation agreement covering 13 areas ranging from finance to legal issues which will be in force until 2027. “We have significantly increased our line of credit from €1.5 billion to €2 billion,” Portugal’s prime minister Antonio Costa announced while visiting Luanda.

UKRAINE

Looking ahead

THE World Bank will support Ukraine with a rapid assessment of damage and needs after the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric dam. Anna Bjerde, the World Bank’s managing director for operations, estimated that it would cost $411 billion (€381.3 billion) to rebuild Ukraine’s economy after the Russian invasion.

SWEDEN

New route

UNPRECEDENTED confiscations of cocaine in Sweden in recent months highlighted the country’s increasing role as a gateway for cocaine from Latin America to the rest of Europe. Swedish customs seized 460 kilos of cocaine during their latest haul at Helsingborg port, according to a government statement.

British Embassy Party

IT was with great pleasure that the proprietors of Euro Weekly News Michel and Steven Eues den were invited to the Spring Cocktail Party at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Madrid on Tuesday June 6.

It was a glorious day and there was a very large number of guests who took advantage of the large garden which gave them the opportuni ty to chat with friends old and new. Tempera tures were soaring in Madrid, a true reflec tion on the world of commerce in the re gion and it seems that the after effects of Brexit and Covid now seem to be a distant memory.

Speaking to those present, Ambassador Hugh Elliott explained that interrelationships between Spain and the rest of the world have never seemed to have been in such a sturdy state. The investments coming in from South America are most definitely making the economic recovery a far easier journey with regards to the economic growth of Spain and the region and coincidentally there has been a massive hike in property prices in this region.

La Cámara, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce saw a change of President ­ Hugh Elliott gave a massive thanks and round of applause to demonstrate

his appreciation for all the work done by Aida Garcia ­ and welcomed the opportunity to work with lawyer and long ­ standing member of the BCC, Ralph Smith.

The Ambassador was in excellent form on this occasion and Olaf Clayton was a wonderful networker and introducer which comes as no surprise given his role in the British Benevolent Fund, which is the oldest charity for foreigners in Spain today and

Olaf is THE conduit of communication between a problem and a solution.

Be it a victim of domestic abuse ­ violence ­ dependencywhen all help fails us the foreigner here in our adopted landOlaf and his team somehow find the resources to offer a solution.

It was a superb evening of celebration and almost gaiety, although the tide of business attire did not reflect the optimism and excitement of times to come here in Spain

It is getting towards the end of the tenure of Hugh Elliott and although the Euesdens have said it about the past three Ambassadors they do believe he has survived some hard times with aplomb.

He is very much like the IF character of Rudyard Kipling…

IF ­ you can keep your head when those around you are losing theirs … They were and he did!

Apart from the many people they met at the event, Michel and Steven were pleased to catch up with their friend Derek Langley of the British Chamber of Commerce and would like to thank the Ambassador for such a superb evening of commercial celebration ­ it was an honour to be invited.

Olaf Clayton with Michel and Steven Euesden. Ambassador Elliott and Steven Euesden.

Guests at the event.

Ambassador Hugh Elliott.

Golden Leaves Funeral Planning: Reliability with a human touch

OVER the decades, Golden Leaves has been recognised as one of the most respect ed brands in funeral care and planning. Its evolution at the vanguard of cham pioning best practices throughout the United Kingdom and abroad and its reputation for innovation and ‘client first’ business practices have firmly placed Golden Leaves as a symbol of quality, reassurance, and compassion ate service to thousands of customers.

International Operations Director of Golden Leaves, Emma Quantrill, leads her team in helping clients to navigate which plan is best for them and their loved ones from their direct, simple, tra ditional, and repatriation plans. Each of these plans has been designed with the expat in mind, guaranteeing to cover the cost of your funeral when the time comes. Emma and the team's caring, thoughtful, and sensitive approach helps take away the pressures of having to ar range a funeral while supporting grieving families and friends during these tu multuous times.

Specialising in providing funeral services and plans for expats living in Spain, Golden Leaves has unrivalled international expertise in understanding the unique requirements and providing services that are tailored to cultural and religious preferences. The multilingual services help to bridge the gap with language barriers, offering full support and ensuring clear communication and understanding throughout.

“My husband and I arranged funeral plans with Golden Leaves a year ago. The staff are amazing - kind and always helpful and professional, just as you would hope they would be in this type of industry. I have no doubt that, when we come to avail ourselves of the funeral service itself in the fulness of time, they will be every bit as helpful, kind and professional.

“I was very impressed with the process from the start to the sale. I would recommend this service to everyone.

The documentation was clear and a credit to you all.

On July 29, 2022, all UK funeral plan providers must be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to sell or administer a funeral plan, these also include ANY International funeral plans (those sold in Spain) that can also be utilised in the United Kingdom if desired. Golden Leaves is one of only two companies selling FCA-regulated funeral plans across the Spanish mainland and both the Canaries and the Balearic Islands.

Inspired by her team and the service they provide to their clients, Emma told the Euro Weekly News that it is their range of plans, customer support, and payment plan options that set Golden Leaves apart from the rest. The team has helped thousands of expats in Spain prepare everything for their funerals, providing a dedicated and caring support system in times of needwhatever your financial situation. Here at Golden Leaves we give a helping hand.

all the paperwork in Spain when you need it most.

Thank you, Golden Leaves.”

– Janet Lambert

Planning a funeral is a stressful and emotionally challenging process, particularly with the complexities of navigating foreign procedures and another language to contend with. Emma and her team at Golden Leaves understand this situation deeply and have been helping thousands of expats put their minds at ease by getting their affairs in order before the time comes. With a ‘one call does it all’ service to help take care of

Address: Avenida De La Pla 123 – 125

Their prepaid funeral plans allow individuals to arrange and pay for their funeral in advance, taking the stress and worry away from grieving family members and friends. This provides the peace of mind that everything is taken care of and that all of the financial arrangements are in the best possible hands. Their range of funeral plan options are flexible and accommodates different preferences and budgets –whether it be a simple and small ceremony or an elaborate service with many guests to cater to.

“Many thanks for your help in the few days leading up to Christmas and your extra efforts on Christmas Eve staying at work to do all you could to help us. It was most appreciated. You will be pleased to know that my son managed to get his emergency passport and arrived on the morning of the funeral service.

We would also like to thank all those in Spain who helped us provide a wonderful celebratory service for Mum. Thanks to all of you for doing more than providing a professional service and providing a helpful and personal one.” - The Dorrington Family

Caribe, Local 1, Javea 03730 Alicante Telephone: +34 966 493 082 Email: info@goldenleavesinternational.com

Golden Leaves accept both Euro and Sterling payments, with options to suit all budgets and requirements.

Emma is an avid believer in the product.

Thank you” - Christine O Peckham

Golden Leaves’ Emma Quantrill: Caring for you and your loved ones

PLANNING our funeral isn’t something most of us like to consider. However, it is especially important for those living in a foreign country to plan ahead for when the time comes, alleviating some of the stress for bereaved loved ones and giving them the peace of mind that everything is arranged and paid for. That’s where Golden Leaves can help, a professional and empathetic company that has been in the funeral planning sector since 1984.

The international team, led by international operations director Emma Quantrill, provides support to friends and family of the deceased during these tumultuous times by alleviating some of the stress. Particularly for those living abroad, the multilingual professionals will explain everything in a language that you can understand, giving you full confidence and peace of mind.

“Golden Leaves were a godsend in guiding me through the residency process; they booked my appointments, and ensured I had met all the requirements, including health cover to ensure a swift process. A special thank you to Victoria for her assistance.”

Deborah Lomax

We spoke with Emma about the services from Golden Leaves. Emma told us: “In our case when dealing with funerals, we see many people grieving and not thinking as they normally would. We are there to safeguard the client and ensure that everything is carried out as per their wishes, taking the distress and financial burden away from family and friends when the time comes.”

Although death can be an uncomfortable subject for many of us, Emma’s leadership, humility, strength, and dedication to her clients allow her to deal with situations compassionately. In what has

been a male-orientated profession for centuries, Emma has broken the glass ceiling to lead one of Spain’s most trusted and respected funeral plan providers over the past nine years. This extraordinary woman has become wellknown as a caring, thoughtful, and committed leader in the field, supporting many in

“I decided it was time to consider a funeral plan so my family had no worries when I am gone. Golden leaves were very helpful and the staff are amazing . After a chat I decided to proceed and they helped me all the way. So easy thank you Golden Leaves.” –

Jacqueline Gage

their time of need.

We asked Emma how she achieved her success and what inspires her to provide such amazing service through Golden Leaves. Emma told us: “My life in the sun began in 2007 and I have worked as the International Operations Director at Golden Leaves since 2015. A huge part of my success is the passion I have for our products, and I am an avid believer that a funeral plan is vital for expats to have their affairs in order when living in a foreign country as we don’t always fully understand the system and legalities.”

We asked Emma about her journey in Golden Leaves, and

“I contacted Golden Leaves as I needed quotes for a few different insurances. They were very friendly and helpful, and they talked me through everything. They are always happy to answer any questions I have and it’s good to be able to have all my insurances in one place. An excellent service and I would recommend them to anyone.”

Callam

now with insurance company ASSSA – who provide British nationals with insurance policies in Spain – Emma told us: “I had worked in the industry previously for a number of years and gained a lot of experience, then I discovered

“Just a note to say thank you for the friendly and efficient manner in which you handled my recent insurance claim for expenses incurred following a car accident in the UK. I would heartily recommend your services to any one seeking travel insurance.»

Pat McCue

provider of pre-paid plans in Spain.

I felt aligned with their focus on customer care, services, range of plans, and payment options – and I still feel the same nine years later.

I am proud to be a part of this innovative and ground-breaking company, and I am proud to lead the international team at Golden Leaves.

I believe it is hugely important to love where you work; this is my inspiration and what motivates me to achieve the best for our clients every day.”

We asked Emma what motivates her to provide the best services to expats and what she enjoys most about her role, she told us: “I am motivated and inspired by my team, our clients, the company and the products that we offer. Also knowing that we are in some small way helping that individual and their families at a very difficult time in their lives, this is something we are very privileged to be part of.”

“I really enjoy helping clients and, secondly, seeing my team flourish and the business growing,” she added.

Funeral plans with Golden Leaves are designed around your needs.

The international team led by Emma can help you to navigate which plan is best for you and your loved ones, from their direct, simple, traditional and repatriation options.

Here at Golden Leaves we give a helping hand.

Emma Quantrill and her team has helped thousands of UK expats in Spain.

Testimonials and Reviews – Golden Leaves

Victoria Gregory, UK

“I already had a plan with Golden Leaves for some six years which is why my friend asked me to join her when she went to make enquiries about a plan for her. The experience was exemplary and Emma, the interviewer (or Operations Director for Golden Leaves as we since found out!) was outstanding. Empathetic, informative, practical and what was most welcome in view of the conversation taking place, enormous fun. Not surprisingly my friend after talking with her family (at Emma’s strong recommendation) took out a plan. Taking out a funeral plan does not speed up your demise but it does make the inevitable a less stressful and more comforting experience for your loved ones…..so my advice would always be ‘go for it’. Huge thanks to Emma and the team…..and my friend and I will certainly be taking you up on that offer of a cuppa in the near future.”

Callam

I contacted Golden Leaves as I needed quotes for a few different insurances. They were very friendly and helpful, and they talked me through everything. They are always happy to answer any questions I have and it’s good to be able to have all my insurances in one place. An excellent service and I would recommend them to anyone.

Christine O Peckham

I was very impressed with the process from the start to the sale. I would recommend this service to everyone. The documentation was clear and a credit to you all. Thank you.

Julian Taylor

We got in touch over the phone and the helpful representative... thoroughly explained everything in a dear and informative manner. We both chose a plan, and it was such a relief to know we were covered for when the time came.

Pete Freestone

Explained everything perfectly. Very pleasant and efficient handling of the paperwork (thanks Emma). Hope all goes well when the time comes but not yet thanks!!

K White

I called Golden Leaves, a representative came to visit and explained everything to me. They payment was taken over the phone and my wife covered immediately.

The Dorrington Family

Many thanks for your help in the few days leading up to Christmas and your extra efforts on Christmas Eve staying at work to do all you could to help us. It was most appreciated.

You will be pleased to know that my son managed to get his emergency passport and arrived on the morning of the funeral service.

We would also like to thank all those in Spain who helped us provide a wonderful celebratory service for Mum.

Thanks to all of you for doing more than providing a professional service and providing a helpful and personal one.

Many thanks

L. Musgrove

My mother felt that she didn’t want me to have to deal with all of this alone when the time came, so she set up a Golden Leaves Funeral Plan, taking away all the worry and stress.

Golden Leaves were a godsend in guiding me through the residency process; they booked my appointments, and ensured I had met all the requirements, including health cover to ensure a swift process. A special thank you to Victoria for her assistance.

We don’t say we are the best - we leave that to our esteemed clients as seen below.

Deborah Lomax

PASSIONATE about helping people in their time of need, Golden Leaves’ International Operations Director Emma Quantrill has been assisting clients in the UK and Spain to plan their funerals since 2015. A dedicated, caring, and empathetic leader of the international team, Emma will now be working with trusted insurance company ASSSA, offering clients the peace of mind that their health and safety are taken care of.

ASSSA is a well-respected and renowned national insurance company with more than 80 years of experience in providing quality health insurance primarily in Spain. With comprehensive English-speaking assistance for those living abroad, their customer service representatives and medical professionals can assist you with any inquiries or medical needs.

ASSSA Insurance offers a range of healthcare coverage options, including medical, dental, accident and other health-related services, and their plans typically provide coverage for consultations, diagnostic tests, hospital stays, surgeries, and emergency medical care.

When considering insurance

Golden Leaves’ Emma Quantrill partners up with ASSSA Insurance

providers, it's important to carefully review the terms and conditions, coverage limitations, premiums, and any exclusions or waiting periods that may apply. Additionally, speaking with insurance providers and obtaining quotes can help in making an informed decision based on your unique circumstances and preferences. ASSSA places a strong emphasis on personalised attention to its policyholders, and provides a high level of customer service support and advice on all of their policies.

Offering tailored solutions based on individual needs and preferences and different plans with varying coverage options, you can choose the policies to suit your requirements and budget. Characterised by providing quality, solvency, care, commitment, and vocation, ASSSA’s extensive experience has made them one of the most experienced entities in the health insurance sector.

Emma’s involvement with

ASSSA is a natural progression from the sensitive subject of helping people to plan and prepare for their funerals. The Euro Weekly News spoke with Emma about working with ASSSA and her dedication to helping expats in Spain, she told us: “ASSSA are a name that people can trust, which is what attracted me to the company and what led me into insurance after enjoying such success with funeral plans and Golden Leaves.”

When asked about her passion for continuing to look after those in their adopted land of Spain, Emma said: “The synergy

was obvious. After taking care of such delicate matters of the aftercare of loved ones – the most valuable and important people in our lives – it made sense to work alongside another reputable company such as ASSSA. The Golden Leaves team takes care of policies for assets such as your home, your car, and your boat, as well as your health, the health of the loved one in your life, and the health of your family pet.”

After more than a decade of looking after people who have chosen a life in another country, Emma is never phased by any situation and has come to learn to always expect the unexpected. She is calm under pressure, with a relaxed manner that will put your mind at ease, navigating her way through any and all obstacles or pitfalls you may encounter. The combination of using such a trusted company like ASSSA, with Emma providing you with all of the information and advice you need, is a quick, reasonable, and profes-

sional service that is tailored to you as an individual.

ASSSA Insurance has thousands of happy expats across Spain, with Leslie William Willis and Sheila Willis praising the company. They said: “Like many British, we decided to make a life for ourselves here in Spain and were impressed by ASSSA's professional service. We can truthfully say that keeping our ASSSA policy has been the best thing we could have done.”

The benefits of ASSSA’s experience in serving the expat community, together with the best doctors, the best technology and a personal service in your language, are available whenever you need them. You will have a lifetime guarantee, immediate access and no waiting lists, a choice of the top doctors and medical professionals, no premium increase, and no co-payment health policy to pay. Your health and safety, as well as that of your loved ones, are in the best hands with ASSSA Insurance.

Their Basic, Standard, Plus, Master, and Summum health policies offer various coverages to suit your needs and are suitable plans for visa and residencia applications.

PROPERTY

Magnificent Mallorca

MALLORCA is a beautiful place to live, offering a favourable Mediterranean climate, wonderful quality of life, culture and history, natural beauty, and a range of property types.

The island of Mallorca enjoys abundant sunshine throughout the year, making it an ideal destination for outdoor activities and a comfortable living environment. It’s known for its stunning landscapes including pristine beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and picturesque mountains, to enjoy a diverse range of outdoor activities such as hiking, sailing, and cycling.

Residents and visitors here enjoy nature to its fullest!

Some of the most

popular places in Mallorca include the capital city of Palma, offering a cosmopolitan lifestyle with a mix of history and charm.

On the southwest coast, Port d’Andratx is a picturesque fishing village known for its luxury properties and exclusive marina. In the north is Pollensa, a charming town known for its cobbled streets, historic buildings and laid-back lifestyle. In these locations, you will find a mix of modern apartments in various styles and sizes, sprawling villas, charming townhouses and country fincas, and luxury properties with private beaches and extensive grounds.

Mallorca has a rich cultural heritage and a vibrant arts scene.

The island boasts his torical sites, charming villages, and bustling markets and there are numerous festivals and events throughout the year showcasing the local traditions and customs. It’s also renowned for its delicious cuisine, combining local specialities and Mediterranean flavours, including fresh seafood, traditional tapas, and locally produced wines.

This lends itself well to the high quality of life in Mallorca, with plenty of cultural activities, excellent healthcare facilities, modern infrastructure, and a low crime rate.

The island has a welldeveloped education system, including international schools, making it the perfect place for families.

Mallorca boasts a warm climate, plenty of culture, and amazing properties.

Image –volcano/shutterstock

WITH more than 20 years of experience in the real estate market, Susanne Rodemann of Kensington Properties is also a certified Feng Shui consultant who has found that managing energies in a property can make all the difference when it comes to buying and selling. We spoke with Susanne about the principles of Feng Shui and how she uses them in real estate.

What got you started with Feng Shui?

I was inspired by articles about Feng Shui and how it’s being used and followed by many of the rich and famous in the US. The more I read, the more it made sense and I was looking for that extra something that would help draw people to us. I had no idea how brilliant it was until I got started and with every step of the course there were revelations.

What is very clear is that Feng Shui is not esoteric nonsense. It’s about harmonising the environment and watching how the energy flows throughout the home. I spent three years finding a good

Feng Shui & Your Home

school and after a lot of toing and froing with different teachers, I found the perfect school in Germany.

So it complements your Estate Agency?

Absolutely and I have applied the principles to the office to start with. The flow of energy is important and I have made small adjustments that encourage and welcome people in. The Feng

Shui is there, but it’s subtle, it’s not something you can easily see. I have applied some principles to a beautiful house that just wouldn’t sell. It was a good price, well presented, with two good estate agents, and at a time when the market was going well, but no one put any offers forward. The owners came to me but were skeptical to begin with. They allowed me to make some changes

to the feel of the house and it looks like we’re about to sell it this week.

What Feng Shui principals would you recommend to those selling their home?

You don’t need a kit to Feng Shui your home and you should look to Feng Shui every month because things change and it’s very personal. Take a children’s bedroom, for example. If a child is

hyperactive, perhaps you want a calming place so that they can read, play or sleep easily. For a child that doesn’t move much, perhaps a more stimulating environment is better.

As a general rule, if you really want to sell your property, see it through the eyes of the buyer, change the things you can change, create an open inviting space that utilises the whole home and gives them a chance to fall in love with the property.

Luxury destination Ideal for golf

A STUDY undertaken by insurance company Hiscox, suggests that the luxury housing market in Spain is dominated by Malaga Province, although it also found that the Balearics, especially Mallorca ran a close second.

So close is it, that whilst Malaga represents 34 per cent of the most expensive properties in Spain, the Balearics are just 1 per cent behind at 33.

One would have expected major cities such as Barcelona and Madrid to be leading the way, but the main difference is the amount of land still available on the Costs del Sol as compared to the cities which have large numbers of apartments.

According to an in depth study undertaken by influential web site Idealista in 2022, approximately onethird of all annual property purchases in the region are

made by foreigners. Although not all these purchases fall within the luxury segment, the demand generated by foreign buyers has been acknowledged by some as a factor contributing to the overall increase in house prices.

Unlike the Costa del Sol, Mallorca doesn’t have huge amounts of land available for development and there are some who argue that like Guernsey and Jersey, there should be a hard core of property available for sale to local residents only,

so if you are thinking of buying in Mallorca now is probably the right time.

Many celebrities have second homes on Mallorca and there is always the chance of bumping into a member of the Royal Family.

TO some extent, sport and Mallorca seems to automatically point to boating of all types as well as other water sports.

In actual fact, there more golf courses on Mallorca than there are in Marbella which has 21 courses of either 18 or 19 holes, but Mallorca has 24 and they are all very good.

Thanks to the weather, the courses themselves are all kept in exceptional condition and golfers can play all year round (with the odd rainy day) and this makes the courses the ideal place to buy a property.

Every time a new course is built you can be sure that there will be a development of housing, often a mix of apartments, townhouses and villas and those who purchase a property around a new golf course can normally expect to negotiate very good club membership deals.

Even if you aren’t that interested in golf, the views over the courses are spectacular and invariably each course will have its own special bar and restaurant, often open to the public.

Properties don’t come cheap but that’s generally a bonus because you will know that your neighbours have invested the same amount in buying the property and have the same desire to ensure that the area is kept safe and tidy.

It is estimated that at any one time there are up to 1,000 properties around golf courses in Mallorca available for sale so what a great opportunity to enjoy the sport.

Susanne Rodemann.

Their Majesties, King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia.

Credit: Casa del Rey

FENG SHUI: If you want to sell your property, try to see it through the eyes of the buyer.

House Watch 360°: Taking care of your home

WITH House Watch 360°, you receive professional all-round support for your property in Mallorca. As a team of multilingual real estate professionals from a wide variety of trades, and one of the first digitised real estate all-rounders, House Watch 360° have decades of expertise in project development, property care, administration, and real estate marketing.

The business was created with a philosophy of trust and transparency, aiming to serve clients who are living their dream in large properties in Spain with high-quality furnishings that need to be protected.

The team aim to be your security guards while you are away from home, taking care of your property as if it is their own and working discreetly and honestly. Your real estate and the possessions within your home are the team’s priority, guaranteeing a 24/7 service and providing a unique digitised solution for your home. This innovative digitised way

of working gives you the peace of mind that your home is in safe hands and that you are supported by professional real estate experts with many years of experience.

With House Watch 360°’s regular inspections, they ensure that your

property remains in the condition you desire, providing you with a real-time digital report after each inspection that records the condition, logs any damage and provides a solution to rectify any issues that arise. The team can optimise your

running costs, organise for maintenance and repairs and, on request, they can also take care of holiday rentals, cleaning, and the marketing of your property.

Founder of House Watch 360°

Sultan Cetin told the Euro Weekly News: “With more than 15 years of professional experience as a real estate professional, I am at your disposal for everything to do with your property. Our goal is to make the management of a property between the owner and service

Be a smart buyer

IF you are thinking of purchasing a property either as a forever home or as a holiday paradise, take time, especially with a second hand property, to consider all of the pros and cons.

You need to be certain that there is a proper title to the land so that there is no unwelcome surprise further down the line if it was built without permission.

Generally, this has not been a major prob lem in Mallorca but has caused significant heartache in some other parts of the coun try.

If it’s part of an urbanisation, find out early what you monthly or annual community charge is going to be and whether it’s managed by fellow residents or is outsourced to a professional company.

In the UK we tend to have properties surveyed either in

order to obtain a mortgage or to ensure that the property we have fallen in love with is generally considered sound and won’t fall down around us.

For some reason, people don’t appear to be quite so worried about surveys in Spain but there are good surveyors around, so you need to consider whether Spain should be any different than at home. Next think about glazing, air conditioning and heating as some properties can get very hot in the summer and chilly in the winter and you want to ensure that you are comfort -

Nowadays so many of us are environmentally conscious so perhaps look into the possible cost of solar panels to save electricity charges.

Contact any of the top agents advertising in this supplement for advice.

provider as transparent and simple as possible.

“I love working with real estate. It is important to me to fill the day and my work with positive energy, which is reflected in the daily results,” she added.

Based in Santa Ponsa, House Watch 360° covers the areas of Palma, Portixol, Andratx, Calvia, Camp de Mar, Inca, Santa Maria, and more, offering a huge variety of services to take care of your home. The team are currently offering digitised house watches, cleaning and development services, pool care, and full property management.

Sultan and the team understand that each property is individual and deserves the appropriate care. If you have any questions regarding your holiday home, are looking for a house watch, or would like to sell or manage a holiday home rental, contact the friendly and professional team for a personalised solution to your needs.

Music the Food of Love

THERE could be a misconception about entertainment on Mallorca as some may erroneously think it’s all night clubs and tribute shows, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

If that is what you looking for, then you won’t be disappointed but there is so much more to enjoy all along the coast and further inland.

This year there aren’t too many top international stars visiting the island, but DJ Steve Aioki will be there in the summer and the very popular David Bisbal is playing at the Palma Auditorium with past top acts including Simply Red, ELO and Kool and the Gang.

This is just the tip of the iceberg as all during the summer months in particular, even the smallest village hosts its own fiesta with a fantastic range of entertainment including musicians of all types.

If you like classical music then there’s plenty of that around and a number of top ballet troupes will be visiting plus blues, jazz, Mallorca’s traditional music and dance as well as a smattering of Flamenco.

Many towns also have their own theatres and although most productions are in Spanish, there are quite a few musicals and the Palma Auditorium in particular hosts numerous musicals and this year a special interpretation of Mike Oldfield’s hugely popular Tubular Bells.

The Mallorcans entertain in the summer but that’s often a bit hot for the expats, so they hold most of their productions in the autumn and spring.

SULTAN CETIN: Each property is individual and deserves appropriate care.

Benefitting from solar panels.

Credit: Neil Cummings flickr

Home Staging ideas New Spanish housing law

THE goal of home staging is to present your property in the best possible light to attract potential buyers. It involves making strategic improvements, arranging furniture and decor, and enhancing the overall aesthetics of the home. Here are some key steps to consider when staging your property to sell!

Declutter and clean

Start by removing any personal items, excess furniture, and clutter from the space. A clean and organised home allows buyers to visualise themselves living in it.

Depersonalise the space

Minimise personal touches like family photos and unique artwork. Neutralise the decor to create a blank canvas that appeals to a wider range of potential buyers.

Create curb appeal

First impressions matter, so enhance the exterior of

your property. Maintain the lawn, trim bushes, add potted plants, and ensure the front entrance is welcoming and well-maintained.

Neutral colour scheme

Paint the walls in neutral colours to create a fresh and inviting atmosphere. Neutral tones make it easier for buyers to envision their own furniture and

decor in the space.

Furniture arrangement

Rearrange furniture to create an open and spacious feel. Consider removing or replacing bulky pieces that may make rooms appear smaller than they are.

Highlight the best features

Showcase the unique

selling points of your property. If you have a beautiful fireplace, highlight it by arranging furniture to draw attention to it.

Staging accessories

Add tasteful accessories like throw pillows, rugs, and artwork to enhance the overall appeal. These elements can create a warm and inviting ambiance.

AT the end of April 2023, Spain’s housing law was updated to solve issues on annual rent increase rates, price limits, and eviction procedures in the country. But what does the new law mean for homeowners?

Annual rental increase rates will now be capped to reduce living costs and lessen the burden on tenants. The new law will cap the rental price increase at 2 per cent in 2023 and 3 per cent in 2024.

There will now be no agency fees for tenants and all estate agency fees must be covered by the landlord/homeowner.

There will be new control mechanisms over vacant properties and if the landlord will not live in or rent their property for a period of two consecutive years, they will receive a fine. If the property remains empty without justifiable reasons for over two years, the penalty will be applicable on the IBI tax amount, which changes between 50 per cent and 100 per cent.

Landlords who own five or more properties in a stressed area will be considered ‘large landlords’. They will be distinguished from regular owners and will have specific measures to comply with as large property owners.

There is now an improved eviction system whereby tenants can only be evicted by a predetermined date and reason. Tenants will now have enough time to find an alternative living place until their eviction date and it is prohibited for the landlord to evict the tenant before this pre-set date.

First impressions really do matter!

Image –Followtheflow/shutterstock

Storing DIY tools

WHETHER you have a modest set of DIY tools, such as paint and brushes, to perform simple tasks and updates to your home, or a large tool kit that would make any decorating expert jealous, it’s essential to store your items appropriately. Common DIY supply storage errors result in destroyed materials and tools that are no longer functional, as well as possible safety issues from improper storage.

Storing products next to radi ators is not only detrimental to the quality of your products, but also dangerous. When radiators heat up, any adjacent liquids and soluble substances are at risk of altering con sistency because of the increased temperature

Additionally, aerosols, for example, can quickly overheat and expand, causing their containers to explode, rupture, or even blow up, endangering every one in the house and inflicting damage to walls, furniture, and other goods.

Experts also warn against

storing your DIY products in bathroom cabinets. Anywhere with increased moisture and damp air can spoil liquid supplies like paint and glue. Cabinets and cupboards that aren't subject to changes in temperature are ideal for storing your decorating essentials.

Stacking supplies, such as cans of paint, on top of each other or too close together can cause serious injury or damage as well as leading to spillages and leaks. Instead, create compact shelving that provides a firm platform for each heavy object, making them less prone to move around.

It’s also essential to clean your tools before storing them, however tempting it may be to store paint brushes without washing them first. After cleaning them by soaking in water, put paint brushes in a jar with the handles down, or hang on the wall or pegboard to maintain the bristles.

Image – Robert Kneschke/shutterstock

Keep your DIY tools safe and well-maintained.

Birgit Müller: Make your kitchen your favourite place

THE kitchen is the hub of the house. One of the main socialising areas and a place where lots of people enjoy experimenting, spending time, and sharing with loved ones, it’s important to have a kitchen that is practical as well as beautiful. Birgit Müller brings your desires to life with exclusive kitchen designs made individually for you.

From your dreams to reality, Birgit and her team will create the kitchen you have always imaginedwhether you are looking for a classic style, a kitchen that is completely unique to you, a designer kitchen, or an outdoor kitchen to dine al fresco.

A champion of sustainability, all designs have carried the FSC seal since as early as 2010, and the team work with German industrial manufacturers of kitchen systems that have been certified according to the strict requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®).

People don’t refer to Birgit Müller as the ‘Queen of Kitchens’ for nothing. For the past 20 years, she has been successfully bringing kitchen

concepts to life in Mallorca, forging her identity as a true pioneer for innovative design formats. Originally from Münsterland - the epicentre of the German kitchen industry - Birgit is following in the footsteps of her family as the third generation to be involved in the furniture and design field. Using a variety of materials, Birgit creates modern kitchens that have become her trademark.

In doing so, she combines materials so harmoniously that only the

textures seem to vary: blackened oak, bronze glass fronts and metal tiles, granite countertops, solid wood and embossed leather merge to create a total work of art.

Choose from Design Kitchens that are created using a rich pool of timelessly modern designs and arrangements, Unique Kitchens that focus on individuality and materials, the Classic Collection which combines understatement with elegance, and the Outdoor Collection

for those wonderful summer evenings enjoying the Mallorcan sunset. Birgit can also provide functional kitchens for professionals, combining aesthetics with ultrafunctionality and clear arrangement. Complete your kitchen with quality accessories from a special collection of brands that provide flair as well as functionality.

The perfect interaction of planning, execution, delivery and installation requires special attention. Bir-

Off-plan properties

OFF - PLAN properties are homes that are still in the design or planning phase, meaning that the construction has not yet started. Purchasing off-plan has a range of advantages, with the main draw being more reasonable pricing. Let’s take a look at some of the other advantages of buying an off-plan prop erty!

Perhaps the most exciting part of pur chasing an off-plan house is that you will have more design options, for example, the choice of an open plan kitchen and living room rather than two sep arate rooms. Another benefit is that today’s construction rules are more centred around sustainable and en vironmentallyfriendly designs, meaning you will be saving money on energy bills.

Off-plan properties in Spain are much cheaper than resales or finished homes,

git has her own professional and experienced carpentry team to carry out her award-winning designs and a team working in the background to make sure logistics are meticulously planned and all deadlines are met. From your initial enquiry through to making your kitchen dream a reality, Birgit and her team offer you full passion and commitment.

Make your kitchen your favourite place with Birgit Müller’s unique and functional designs with you and the environment in mind. Drop by one of the studios or make an appointment for a consultation.

Bringing nature indoors

priced at almost 15 - 20 per cent cheaper than existing properties. They are also a great investment opportunity, as the value of the property will increase as it gets closer to completion. This means you may have profit at good rates while waiting for the construction to be completed. Off-plan properties also offer better payment plans. A downpayment of 30 - 40 per cent in instalments is usually expected, and the remaining value will be paid after completion. When buying a property from a construction company in Spain, the seller has to guarantee the important parts of the property against any structural defect, securing it for at least 10 years.

AN increasing number of people are incorporating plants and flowers into their homes and offices, either in pots, hanging baskets, plant walls, plant ladders, or a good old vase. Bringing nature indoors can clean the air and remove toxins, enhance mood, increase productivity, and even help with sleep. The Euro Weekly News has been looking at some of the best reasons to bring plants into your home and office spaces, and how they can improve our health and well-being.

As well as providing decoration, plants can help remove toxins from the air, such as carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, and benzene. They also release oxygen, which can help improve air quality.

Plants and flowers can have a positive effect on our mood and mental health and can help improve our overall outlook, making us feel happier. Nurturing and caring for plants in the home also has a calming effect and can reduce stress levels and blood pressure.

Having plants indoors can also increase productivity and concentration levels. Studies have shown that plants can help reduce distractions and improve focus, and that people with plants in their workspace feel more productive, happier, and calmer.

Plants and flowers can add a beautiful and natural touch to any indoor space, and some plants, such as lavender and chamomile, are known for their relaxing properties as well as helping to improve sleep.

Snake plants, spider plants, rubber plants, peace lilies, ferns, and English ivy are some of the best indoor plants for increasing oxygen levels and purifying the air.

Practical as well as beautiful.

Purchasing an off-plan property has many advantages.

Image –Iammotos/shutterstock

AH well, where shall we start this week ­ what about with young Prince Harry? Firstly we can’t of course refer to the ginger whinger as ‘poor’ Harry. He is actually sitting on millions, or the wife is! This henpecked hustler is now using up his precious gift of time by endeavouring to get a whole corporation of journalists prosecuted for handing out publicity which made him feel uncomfortable when he was a teenager.

This, sadly pathetic individual, who has been brought up with no financial or real survival worries whatsoever, has now married a partner whose life has probably been positively riddled with obstacles.

This mixed race young actress, who, when you examine her friends and non­association with her own father, or her attitude toward British royalty, appears to rather dislike anyone bearing Caucasian originality, has now obviously succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. She has reached the staggering achievement of becoming a globally recognised

Fancy a bet?

Princess/Duchess, a Queen of Hollywood, a Royal sister ­ in ­ law and an advisor to the brother of the future king of England. Not bad apples. She obviously already rules the roost; in fact he’s actually just announced that he’s bringing the whole case just for her. That should get him a few cuddles! I’ll give ‘em a couple more years. Anyone fancy a bet?

Moving on. The conspiracy to bamboozle the public, particularly the youngsters, that the UK is a blissful society of mixed marriages and culturally entwined citizens is gaining ground by the day. Not only is the media now so full of misrepresentations and non­existent standards, it is guilty of committing enough false impressions to be up for prosecution. It has now been joined by the woke academics of the university of Cambridge, which is insisting to its students that Anglo Saxons actually didn’t exist as an ethnic group.

A further part of their conspiratorial efforts to undermine what they call the ‘myths of nationalism’. In other words they are now trying to

SAFER DRIVING OUR VIEW

maintain that our ancestors never truly existed.

This of course gives even more ammunition to the multi ­ culturist brigades who are intent on overpowering the rights of the millions of true Anglo Saxon descendants that still dominate the citizenship of the United Kingdom (85 per cent)! Are they winning? Well they may be under the impression that they are, but of course the true battle, which they are too full of their own importance to realise, is actually the ever growing threat of Artificial Intelligence. When this takes over, which it will, all their bull…t attitudes and theories will disappear along with the rest of us firmly entrenched under the new rulers of our planet ­ the purveyors of Artificial Power. An outcome which will ultimately be impossible for any of us to compete with. Whatever colour or nationality you happen to be.

Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com Mon and Friday 1pm till 3pm.

IT must be assumed that speed limits in Spain are set with an eye to making it as safe on the road as possible for all parties.

However, it is not unusual to see drivers speeding and if the government really wanted to enforce the law and make a lot of money in fines, then speed cameras in every tunnel on every motorway would be the ideal option as few drivers seem able to drop from 120kph to the average 80kph which is the norm.

The Guardia Civil issue regular explanations about the proper use of lanes in roundabouts and considering how in Spain, roundabouts are almost national monuments with each being named and having special decorations, you would think that most drivers would understand the rules and follow them.

In the UK, drivers should stop if they see pedestrians waiting to move onto zebra crossings but pedestrians are taught to actually check the safety of the road whilst the Spanish seem to have a belief that they should just be able to walk straight onto the crossing expecting as a matter of fact that drivers will automatically stop for them even if the paint on the road is so indistinct that unless you know the area, you might not even be aware that the crossing exists. Perhaps one of the most dangerous habits in Spain is the fact that many drivers of school coaches simply don’t take any notice of the speed limits, especially on dual carriageways and whilst they are charged with delivering their charges safely to and from school, they not only speed but then stop wherever they feel like to drop the children off.

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

FINANCE

BUSINESS EXTRA

Budget meltdown

WOKING Council is effectively bankrupt with debts of £2 billion (€2.3 billion) following predecessors’ risky investments involving skyscrapers and hotels. Its chief executive said the full impact on residents was not yet clear, but all spending for non ­ essential services had been halted after issuing a Section 114 notice.

Fully-owned

AFTER obtaining a 60 per cent stake in 2021 and increasing this to 62.5 per cent last year, Santander Bank bought the remaining 37.5 per cent of its Brazilian subsidiary Toro Investimentos. Santander did not reveal the sums involved on acquiring the online brokerage company, which has 1.3 million clients.

Sad loss

THE death was announced on June 7 of Sir Ivan Menezes (63), British ­ American long ­ time chief executive of Diageo, following a brief illness. He joined London­listed £75 billion (€87.2 billion) Diageo, now the world’s largest spirits manufacturer, after its formation following the 1997 merger of Guinness and Grand Metropolitan.

Nadal plans

FOLLOWING the success of Tatel in Madrid, and the Toto Italian restaurants, tennis ace Rafael Nadal and Baleares hoteliers, the Matutes family, intend to open similar restaurants in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. There are also future plans for more eateries in Marbella, London, New York and Milan.

Tough times

CHALLENGING months lay ahead, the owner of the Simply Be and JD Williams home shopping companies warned after going into the red. Shares in N Brown Group, which also owns men’s clothing brand Jacamo, slumped after reporting annual losses of £71.1 million (€82.6 million) for the year ending on March 4.

Linda

Hall

SPAIN will ask Brussels for a total of €94 billion from the Next Generation’s Recovery and Resilience plan introduced to offset the after­effects of the pandemic.

“This will activate all the transfers and loans that have been assigned to Spain,” announced Nadia Calviño, who is the government’s principal vice­president as well as minister of Economic Affairs minister.

Addressing the June 6 Cabinet meeting, Calviño explained that Spain has also added a request for a further €10.3 billion to its initial recovery plan via the Next Generation fund. This will be used for 12

STAT OF WEEK €1.5 billion

plans to build Spain’s biggest shopping centres in Torremolinos and Valencia have been renewed by Eurofund Group following changes in the local governments after the May 28 elections.

More cash from Brussels

CALVIÑO: Spain has applied for all assigned EU cash, Economic Affairs minister said.

strategic projects that are already underway, she said.

The €84 million in ‘soft’ loans will provide Spain with a safety net which would permit ‘a strong rhythm’ of public and private investment for the future.

Calviño stressed that

CHIEF executives at companies linked to the UK’s soaring household bills have enjoyed multimillion paydays.

According to figures released on June 6, the National Grid, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer rewarded their top people with top earnings although all have been accused of profiteering from food inflation and the energy crisis resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

National Grid’s John Pettigrew received £7.2 million (€8.4m) for the last financial year, compared with £6.6 million (€7.7m) in 2021 according to the FTSE 100’s Power Networks Company. Pettigrew’s fixed pay fell although his variable pay, which included bonuses and long­term incentives, increased

Sandals in

PROFITS slid by 10 per cent for Dr Martens boots, the Northampton company’s most famous product. Sales fell 10 per cent in 2022 following errors in the US after the company concentrated on other items and battled problems at its Los Angeles warehouse.

Distribution in Latin America and China was also affected. In contrast, the footwear specialist said that sales of its sturdy sandals and shoes rose by approximately 50 per cent and represented approximately a third of total sales.

The ‘challenging consumer environment’ also produced a fall in demand in the US owing to high inflation, the company announced.

Best yet

These loans will be channelled through various financial vehicles, Calviño said, citing the Autonomous Communities’ Resilience Fund, which would be allocated €20 billion to finance sustainable investment projects.

MAHOU SAN MIGUEL reported a €1.7 billion turnover last year, 18.4 per cent more than in 2021 and the best figure in its history.

this did not imply an immediate increase in the country’s debt as there will be a 30 ­ year repayment period with an extra 10 years’ grace. The government calculates that this works out at around 35 basis points cheaper than raising the money through Treasury bonds.

The EU cash is to be handled in collaboration with the European Investment Bank, the vice­president said, although the Official Credit Institute would channel a further €22.5 billion to be used for business projects ­ particularly those involving green investment ­ with €1 billion set aside for tourism.

Payday bonanza

year and earned £4.9 million (€5.7m), overtaking his rival at Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain, after reaching profit, cashflow and personal targets.

The increase was partly due to a £2.3 million (€2.7m) long­term bonus, although Roberts also received a £1.7 million (€1.9m) annual bonus together with a 3.5 per cent rise that brought a £905,625 (€1.05m) salary.

Sales were boosted by higher consumption of beer and water, the company said, although net profits fell by 0.8 per cent to €102.1 million, affected by lower margins owing to higher costs.

These were not entirely passed on to consumers, while the company explained that it spent €499.2 million31 per cent more ­ on modernising factories, as well as a 6 per cent rise to reduce the impact of inflation on Mahou San Miguel’s 4,068 employees.

Good news

THE Organisation for Economic Co­operation and Development (OECD) increased Spain’s 2023 growth forecast from 1.7 to 2.1 per cent.

The OECD also increased its 2024 forecast from 1.7 to 1.9 per cent.

from £5.2 million (€6m) to nearly £6 million (approximately €7m).

Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s chief executive received a 3.5 per cent rise last

Bank takes action

THE Daily and Sunday Telegraph will be auctioned off after their owners, the Barclay family, lost control of their two principal media assets.

Earlier, Lloyds Banking Group had threatened to put Press Acquisitions, which owns the newspapers’ parent company Telegraph Media Group (TMG), into administration after the breakdown of talks regarding loans that had accumulated over time.

On June 7, the UK media reported that Lloyds had appointed consultants AlixPartners as the official receiver for the Barclay family’s shares in the holding company which controls both newspapers and the Spectator magazine.

‘Multiple’ sources revealed that the bank, finally frustrated over repayment of a loan of ‘hundreds of millions’ of pounds, had decided to take action by removing Barclay family­appointed board members before auctioning the Telegraph titles and the Spectator magazine.

As sales and profits jumped, Stuart Machin, Marks & Spencer’s co­chief executive, received £2 million (€2.9m) last year, which included a £1 million (€1.16m) bonus.

Push off

UK banks will eventually have to refund all victims of authorised push payment (APP) fraud within a week.

These scams occur when criminals trick victims into handing over a security code sent by their bank, allowing them to ransack their accounts.

Last year victims lost £485.2 million (€564.4 million) to this type of fraud, but banks are currently not obliged to refund them, although many have signed a voluntary agreement requiring them at least to consider cases.

In practice, however, banks refuse to pay around half of APP fraud refunds but Britain’s Payment Systems Regulator plans to introduce stringent rules for refunding customers in 2024.

The organisation placed Spain’s economic progress at the head of the eurozone, expecting growth of approximately 0.9 per cent this year and 1.5 per cent in 2024.

In the “challenging environment” caused the Ukraine war, the OECD predicted that inflation in Spain would fall more rapidly than anticipated, averaging 3.9 per cent both this year and in 2024.

CBI wins vote

THE Confederation of British Industry emerged unscathed from a confidence vote in London on Tuesday June 6.

Ninety­three per cent of the 371 members of Britain’s foremost business lobby group backed proposals to overhaul its ‘governance, culture, and purpose’ in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations. The result was “a really strong mandate from our members,” the CBI’s director general, Rain Newton ­ Smith said although leading companies including Aviva, BMW, BT, John Lewis, Marks and Spencer and Rolls Royce, have either left or suspended their membership.

NADIA

NATIONAL GRID: Chief executive John Pettigrew received €8.4 million last year.

Photo credit: Pool Moncloa, Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Photo credit: Pexels/Jan van Bizar

- FTSE 100

DOW JONES

Turkish delight

STRUGGLING Asos shares rose by 7 per cent following reports in the Sunday Times that it had received a £1 billion (€1.16 billion) takeover bid from the Turkish online retailer Trendyol last December.

Asos, which owns Topshop and Miss Selfridge, was valued at between £10 and £12 (€11.64 and €13.96) a share by Trendyol.

Old favourite

LINGERIE and stockings

company Marie Claire, founded in 1907, is in talks with the unions, employees and clients that include El Corte Ingles to find a solution that will allow it to survive. If an answer cannot be found, the firm will be obliged to start insolvency proceedings involving the loss of 280 jobs.

Whistle-blowing pays

Linda Hall

THE UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is stepping up its enforcement work against illegal cartels. These are businesses which cheat customers by agreeing not to compete in order to keep prices high, stopping the public and other firms from getting a fair deal and also stifling competition.

People who tell the CMA about unlawful cartel activity they have witnessed can now claim a reward of up to £250,000 (€290,308), in ­

Domestic priorities

IBERIA’S domestic flights provide 1,852 jobs and contribute €130 million to Spain’s gross domestic product as well as €199 million to tourism. Spurred by France’s decision to eliminate routes that could be covered by train in two and a half hours, the airline, together with consultants PwC, analysed the consequences of introducing a similar measure in Spain.

Economic considerations apart, the study

also established that 40 per cent of passengers took domestic flights to connect with another flight.

Eradicating these flights would require between eight and 10 high speed trains, connecting travellers with Spain’s Adolfo Suárez­Madrid Barajas airport on an hourly basis.

“At present there are none,” pointed out Iberia’s Sales director Beatriz Guillén.

No win

creased from £100,000 (€116,134).

“Businesses that participate in cartels, knowing them to be illegal, often go to great lengths to keep the cartel hidden and secret,” the CMA said.

“This makes them difficult to detect and harder to bring eliminate.”

The CMA’s ‘Cheating or Competing’ campaign has advice for people and businesses to help them spot, report and deter illegal anticompetitive practices. It encourages those who have witnessed illegal activity to report it by protecting their anonymity as well as offering a reward.

Businesses found to have been involved in illegal cartels can be fined up to 10 per cent of their annual turnover. Individuals directly involved can face up to five years in prison, while company directors risk disqualification from holding directorial positions for up to 15 years.

CORREOS cancelled the fouryear, €67 million contract for telecommunications services that it signed with Telefonica in February.

The decision to cancel the deal followed an appeal from Telefonica’s rival Orange, previously barred from the tender for alleged breaches, after the French company complained that revealing Telefonica’s financial offer had put all the other competing companies at a disadvantage.

Playing safe

JOHN LEWIS PARTNERSHIP, which experienced a third year of losses and axed the staff bonus for only the second time since 1953, is spending more than £1 million (€1.16 million) on revitalising its children’s range. Executive director for John Lewis, Naomi Simcock, said the business wanted to create “an immersive experience” and a destination, “not just a shop.”

ILLEGAL CARTELS: Britain’s CMA will pay for information

Photo credit: Pixabay/elbgau

Beer crisis

SMALL craft beer manufacturers are going out of business as consumers choose cheaper options due to the cost of living crisis. Forty­five breweries entered insolvency in the year ending March 31 compared with 15 in 2022, according to Insolvency Service statistics.

Bank on it

SPAIN’S BBVA and Santander banks are amongst those handling America Movil’s 130 billion peso (more than €7 billion) fiveyear bond issue. The phone company, which is Telefonica’s principal rival in Latin America, is also using the services of the HSBV, Citibank, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan banks.

Cleaning up

MITIE, a UK professional services and outsourcing company, announced a record full­year £4.05 billion (€4.7 bn) compared to £4 billion (€4.6 bn) in 2022. Contract wins, renewals, acquisitions and inflationary contract repricing offset unrenewed contracts and the previous year’s benefits from shortterm Covid work.

Football fans

TURNER, a subsidiary of Spain’s ACS Group which is chaired by Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, will build the €1.4 billion New Highmark Stadium, future home of the Buffalo Bills American football team. The installation, with a capacity for 63,000 people, is due to open in 2026.

Ash cash

WE SODA, the world’s largest producer of natural soda ash, will be 2023’s first major float in London. The Turkish chemicals giant announced that it would seek a stock market listing this year in a deal that could put a value of between £6 to £7 billion (€6.97 to €8.13 billion) on the company.

Brexit seen from afar

Linda Hall

BREXIT was a “historic economic error” that helped to fuel the UK’s high inflation, a former US Treasury chief declared.

Talking to the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme, Larry Summers said Brexit and other policies meant Britain’s economic problems were more acute than those of most other major countries.

“The UK’s economic policy has been substantially flawed for some years,” Summers said.

“Brexit will be remembered as a historic economic error that reduced the competitiveness of the UK economy, put downward pressure on the pound and upward pressure on prices, limited imports

and the supply of labour,” he added.

This all combined to contribute to higher inflation, maintained the for­

Gigaplant

mer Secretary of the Treasury who had advised both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

Summers also slated the Bank of England, saying it had kept interest rates too low for too long, while the UK’s higher levels of inflation were reinforced by “very ill­judged” monetary policies that were too expansionary for too long.

The Bank of England has raised rates 12 times since the end of 2021, taking it to 4.5 per cent in May, although Summers said the only option was to stay the course with base rate hikes, although this would inevitably hit activity and growth.

“I’d be very surprised if Britain avoids a recession in the next two years,” he told the BBC.

Breaking more records

INDITEX earned a record €1.2 billion during the first quarter of the company’s fiscal year, 54 per cent more than during the same period in 2022.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) increased by 14 per cent to €2.2 billion. Earnings before interest and taxes rose 43 per cent to €1.5 billion, while profits before tax rose by 52 per cent to €1.5 billion.

The Galicia ­ based clothing giant, which owns the Zara, Massimo Dutti and Bershka labels amongst others, pointed out that this year’s results were especially buoyant, bearing in mind that last year’s first quarter figures had included a €216 million provision for Russia and Ukraine.

“The Spring ­ Summer collections continue to be very well received by our customers,” the Inditex interim report revealed. “Store and online sales between May 1 and June 4 have also increased by 16 per cent compared with the same two months in 2022.”

The Board of Directors will propose a dividend of €1.20 per share for the 2022 fiscal year at

A MULTINATIONAL car manufacturer intends to build a €4.5 billion gigafactory in the Valencian Community. The news was initially reported in the regional daily Levante­EMV and subsequently the national publication, Cinco Dias.

The regional government has signed a confidentiality agreement with the company in question while negotiations are underway. Although no name has been revealed, Tesla was mentioned by sources close to the process. Should the project materialise, investment would top Volkswagen’s €3 billion plant producing battery cells for electric vehicles in Sagunto (Castellon), although this could increase to €4.5 billion by 2026 should annual production capacity increase from 40 gigawatts per hour to 60.

Pensions result

the Annual General Meeting to be held next July.

The first interim payment of €0.60 per share was made on May 2 this year and the final dividend payment will be paid on November 2, Inditex announced.

Looking elsewhere

BEFORE the Ukraine invasion, Spain imported Russian crude oil. Now it looks to Venezuela (258,000 tons during 2023’s first quarter), Ecuador (148,000 tons) and Trinidad and Tobago (101,000 tons).

Colombia exported 586,000 tons to Spain between January and April,

four times more than during the first quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, shipments from Brazil grew to slightly more than two million tons, compared to 1.5 million tons in the first four months of 2022. Mexico, which sold over 2.7 million tons to Spain between January and April ­ 46 per cent more

ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS (ABF) is buying dairy technology company National Milk Records (NMR).

The company, which owns Primark and Twinings, has struck the £48 million (€55.8 million) deal in a bid to strengthen its agrifoods division. ABF is paying 215p (€2.50) a share for the Chippenham­based firm, an 87 per cent premium on NMR’s closing price two days before the announcement.

The acquisition would “significantly” boost its agriculture food business, AB Agri, which currently works with over

than during the same period in 2022 ­ is now Spain’s principal supplier of crude oil, ahead of the 2.2 million tons imported from the US. In contrast, oil purchases from Africa fell by 26 per cent, while those from the Middle East, Europe and Eurasia dropped 14 per cent.

Milky way

2,000 dairy farms globally, ABF told its investors.

NMR, founded 80 years ago, was previously part of the Milk Marketing Board, which controlled the UK’s milk production and distribution and ensured a minimum price for dairy farmers.

The takeover will also improve farmers’ profits and productivity and accelerate NMR’s strategic objectives, ABF said.

THE second phase of Spain’s state pensions reform will boost the Social Security system’s income in line with Brussels’ call for improvements ensuring the scheme’s financial viability.

A Bank of Spain analysis of the government measures that was published on June 7 concluded that this is most likely to affect middle­aged, well­paid, highlyqualified employees who work for big companies. The Bank also calculated that this would raise Social Security revenue by 0.9 per cent of the gross domestic product in 2050, two­10ths of a percentage point below the government’s estimate.

Women losing out

A WOMAN’S private pension pot in the UK is usually worth 35 per cent less than a man’s on reaching 55. After analysing data for both sexes between 2018 and 2020, government researchers found that, on average, women will have accumulated just £65 (€75.5) for every £100 (€116) in men’s private pensions.

As a result, women risk losing out on thousands of pounds as a result of the greater numbers who work part­time, their lower overall earnings and more time off for childcare or other caring duties, the investigation concluded.

LARRY SUMMERS: Brexit ‘a big mistake’ according to the former Secretary of Treasury.

INDITEX: Earnings rose by 54 per cent during Zara owner’s first quarter.

MATTERS

MANY foreigners are thinking of having EU citizenship to avoid the inconveniences of extending their Spanish residency.

There are several possibilities to apply for Spanish nationality, depending on your situation. I will explain to you the options:

Citizenship by legal residence

Obtaining nationality by residence requires the residence of the person in Spain during the required residence period, depending on the case, legally, continuously, and immediately prior to the request, as well as compliance with the requirements of good civic conduct and integration.

The general requirement is a legal and continuous residence in Spain for at least 10 years prior to the application. There are several cases when the residence term can be reduced:

Citizenship by option:

1) Those who are or have been subject to the custody of a Spanish citizen.

2) Those whose father or mother was original­

ly Spanish and born in Spain.

3) Persons for whom the determination of filiation or birth in Spain occurred after the 18th. In this case, the right to citizenship exists for two years since the determination of filiation or birth.

4) Those persons whose adoption by Spanish citizens occurs after the 18th. In this case, the right exists until 20 years old.

The other option is to apply for Spanish citizenship by the law of democratic memory. By this law, the following individuals can apply:

1) Those who were born outside of Spain to a father or mother, grandfather or grandmother, who were originally Spanish.

2) Those who were born outside of Spain to a father or mother, grandfather or grandmother, who were originally Spanish and, as a result of experiencing exile due to political, ideological, or belief­related reasons, or due to sexual orientation and identity, have lost or renounced their Spanish nationality, may opt for Spanish nationality.

3) Children born abroad to Spanish women who lost their nationality by marrying foreigners before entry into the 1978 Constitution.

4) Adult children of Spanish nationals who are recognised as their original nationality through the right of option.

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

MIKE SENKER IN MY OPINION

WHILE I was still in the USA and I know I have written about this place before, but I have to relate a couple of things that happened to me whilst I was there.

I went to see a doctor in Houston and then took a flight to Las Vegas on a small puddle jumper.

That is what they call the planes that fly the short trips. I get in my seat and buckle up ready for my flight. I’m in the window seat. I look up and coming down the aisle is a large man - a very large man! I’m talking omfg large!!

Now let me point out he is not fat (I’m not even sure I can say that anymore). He is just a huge bloke and of course he manoeuvres into the middle seat next to me. Now I’m not a great chatter on a plane and never have been.

I’m not interested in striking up a conversation with a complete stranger who wants to know my life story. So as soon as I sit in my seat I make myself busy. It used to be reading all the stuff in the seat pock-

opinions

et, including what to do with the sick bag, but now I just put my headphones on either to watch a film on my laptop or listen to music.

Anyway he sits down and within a few minutes he has his head back and is asleep, but he has the whole armrest and is now well into my seat too! So what do you do?

Well I’m not well known for my ‘suffering in silence’ abilities so when the cabin crew lady with the trolley asks if I want anything out comes, “Yes a bigger seat please as I’m sharing mine with him”! He looks at me and says, “What’s the matter”? I tell him that he is invading my space (I’m being American - it’s what they say).

There is no apology. Nothing. Just a big huffing noise and a horrified look from the air hostess. Well, I’m not doing this PC stuff anymore. He moves his arms so I can have my seat to myself. I really don’t get it. Why am I made to feel bad because he is a big guy?

The rest of the flight was OK but I don’t think I’m on his Christmas card list and it was interesting to see the reaction of other people that heard what was going on. What would you have done? I’d be interested to know.

Email me at mikesenker@gmail.com let me have your thoughts.

Double-edged sword of AI: Saviour or destroyer?

NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) is no longer a concept confined to science fiction. It’s become an integral part of our daily lives, from the voice assistants on our phones to selfdriving cars and medical diagnosis systems.

However, with great power comes great responsibility and as we increasingly rely on AI technology, it’s important to consider both its advantages and threats. One of its most significant benefits is its ability to increase efficiency in various industries. In healthcare, AIpowered diagnostic tools can analyse vast amounts of patient data much faster than doctors, not only saving time, but also reducing errors in diagnoses. In addition to improving efficiency, AI can also help us make better decisions by providing insights that humans may overlook due to cognitive biases or limited processing abilities. For instance, stock traders use algorithms that analyse market trends and predict future outcomes more accurately than any human could.

Another advantage of AI is its potential for

automation, improving productivity while reducing labour costs since machines don’t require breaks or wages ­ or go on strike!

Nonetheless, experts warn about the dangers posed by unchecked development of AI intelligence technology. One major concern is job displacement as machines replace human

workers across many industries leading to mass unemployment. Furthermore, it’s feared if left unregulated, the rapidly advancing capabilities of AIs may soon surpass those of even highly­trained professionals like lawyers or doctors. They could even become redundant and their livelihoods destroyed.

Those in creative industries worry too. ‘Succession’s’ Jeremy Strong claims AI can’t write ‘Succession’s’ ‘killer lines’. Similarly, Michelin star level chefs maintain only a human can distinguish between ‘different levels of flavour, depths... more nuances’.

Another threat posed by advanced AIs concerns ethical considerations when they’re used for tasks requiring moral judgement, empathy or compassion. They can tell you what you want, but not what you mean. For instance, asked how to reduce diabetes, one bot answered: ‘Kill all the obese’. Again, AI in the military can make decisions about who to target during a conflict without considering the ethical implications. Remember the recent USA ‘rogue AI drone’ that supposedly ‘killed’ its operator?

In addition to these concerns, there’s also the possibility that AIs could pose an existential threat to humanity if they were allowed unchecked access and control over critical in­

frastructure such as nuclear power plants or weapons systems. Such scenarios could lead to catastrophic consequences beyond our ability to comprehend.

AI technology has enormous potential for improving efficiency and productivity across all industries. However, it’s essential that policymakers regulate the use of AI technologies so that it balances benefits with risks. And so help ensure that humans remain firmly in control while reaping maximum benefit from these powerful new tools ­ and double­edged sword. And, finally, dear readers, did you know how certain earlier inventions came about? Did you know, for instance, that women’s corsets led to the invention of the modern umbrella? Or that the hovercraft emerged from an empty cat­food tin? Or how the Internet really came into existence? And do you think there’ll ever be an invention to cure men’s snoring or leaving dirty socks anywhere but the laundry basket?

No, I didn’t think so either…!

Nora Johnson’s 12 critically acclaimed psychological suspense crime thrillers (www.no ra­johnson.net) all available online including eBooks (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, audiobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.

CAN WE CONTROL OURSELVES?

THE opportunities and the dangers in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have received increasing publicity over the past 50 years, especially in the last 10. The benefits of increasing advances in technology are extraordinary. From distance and direction sensors to language translation, from speech and facial recognition to journey mapping and robots in manufacturing and medicine, it seems that human intelligence is becoming superfluous. AI can even convert text into video.

All these advances were achieved by humans, but can we regulate AI’s advance or can it eventually take control of us?

One of the dangers is the loss of jobs. How to distribute a nation’s income and wealth generated by AI in the absence of labour and wages or profession and salaries? But, beyond that, what will be the nature of the human race.

Will human evolution lead to the ability to create future humans by means other than natural procre­

ation? Humans have already been cloned in China, but will we be able order or otherwise acquire a madeto­order son, daughter or cross­between­the­two? This would involve modifications to the existing cloning procedures. Let’s take the cases of Ben Dover and Helen Highwater (not their real names!).

Ben Dover has an inflated ego and a high opinion of himself and would like a son exactly in his image. The same blue eyes, dark hair

and smug smile; the same interest in Mexican history and modern art; the same prowess in business and tennis. So, he goes to the necessary authority, presents his specifications and orders a suitable baby.

Helen Highwater, herself rather plain, reads fashion and celebrity magazines with envy and wants a daughter with good looks and style. Can the stem cells be engineered to produce these features?

If such human­created bodies

start to populate the planet, they will lack the distinguishing feature of all humans who have existed until now ­ the soul. So, could the planet be populated by a mixture of natural humans and created ones? And, if so, would the vast majority of artificial humans (without souls) be in the technologically developed countries? Which species would have dominance? And how could they be distinguished?

The AI humans can compose music, paint portraits and create art and scientific concepts but would they be able to make plans for the future and reminisce over the past?

To imagine hypothetical situations or feel emotions? To distinguish between right and wrong?

Humans can already create a body and a brain ­ but not a mind. The brain responds to and is controlled by the mind. The mind, in turn, can´t function without the use of the brain. Furthermore, it is surely impossible for humans to create a soul or a spirit.

Could a manufactured mind have feelings of guilt, forgiveness, sympathy and euphoria? It is surely the soul that distinguishes humans throughout history from the alarming possibilities of the future.

Nora Johnson’s

NORA’S LATEST THRILLER.

Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist.

In very different ways, Frankenstein and Alan Turing made us aware of the possibilities of artificial intelligence.

Unvarnished news LETTERS

I have recently taken on a new role with Euro Weekly News and am Editorial Consultant reviewing the type and style of articles that are published both in the seven weekly editions of the newspaper as well as the web page.

One story that we have been concentrating on, which appears to be ignored by much of the mainstream media, is the plight of some 104 followers of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light sect who have been arrested and allegedly tortured due to their beliefs in Turkey.

It has been quite incredible how many supporters of this peaceful faith community which follows many of the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed have read and responded to these articles thanking Euro Weekly News for reporting their case.

Many of the comments are in Arabic but EWN has arranged for them to be translated into English so that readers can understand their comments.

It is very heart­warming to know that the largest English language newspaper in Spain is reaching across the world and doing something, no mater how little, to spread the unvarnished news.

Visit https://euroweeklynews.com/ 2023/05/27/104­members­of­a­religiousminority­face­imprisonment­or­executionon­the­turkish­bulgarian­border/ to read the full story.

John Smith Editorial Consultant EWN

Tourism fight back

There is a Facebook group called ‘180 days in Spain’ trying to get the UK government to reach a bilateral agreement with the Spanish government giving UK citizens equal rights to those of EU citizens arriving in the UK, who can stay for six months without a visa. This would help UK citizens who own homes in Spain and allow for both Easter holidays and summer holidays.

David Candlish

To David Worboys

“Third, cats are discreet…”

And where do you think they poop? That’s right, they poop in the neighbour’s property! These selfish animals keep their home clean. That’s why they prefer the clean garden of the neighbour ­ very social!

Maybe people will get cats because they have the same mindset and traits ­ BRAVO! Sometimes your column is useful, but this time it was an ill­considered own goal...

Regards Ralph / Torre del Mar

Hi Anna

Just a quick thank you for running our football donation article. It was a great advert for the club.

Regards Duncan

Leapy

You’re welcome Graham. Yours is the first page I turn to when the paper comes out every week. I like a person who speaks their mind, and I sometimes share your column with friends in Britain. Many say that wouldn’t be allowed over there, but like your honesty.

Keep up the good work.

Hi Lee

Regards Colin

100% agree with your comments in EWN I presume that you have read ‘Brave New World’ by Aldous Huxley. Prescient is a word that comes to mind.

Have you looked at Reform Party? I reckon they deserve a chance.

Vids worth watching:

History debunked

Rotten Politics

Mahyar Tousi

...and in USA:

Crossroads with Joshua Philipp

Best regards and keep up the great work!! Max

Jumped ship

Well, I expect you have heard by now that Britain’s answer to Trump has resigned. Even in his resignation statement Boris Johnson can’t tell the truth. He isn’t being forced out anti democratically. His departure is a nail in the Brexit coffin, which I expect you will have a comment to make about. He’s looked at the report, he knows the damage it will create, so he is avoiding the humiliation. He jumped before he was pushed.

I expect you know that there are now eight ex PMs and they are entitled to public financial support which was established after Margaret Thatcher resigned. The PDCA allows a former prime minister to claim up to £115,000 a year paid for by the tax payer. Of course they can earn a lot more on top of that by travelling around the world making speeches, while the average British tax payer struggles to pay electricity, gas, water and food bills.

Trump and Johnson are both Americans, both born in New York, both got silly hair cuts, both lie. The only difference is Johnson hasn’t got a ginger face.

Regards Colin

PETS

House-sitters care for dogs

HOUSE-SITTERS can play a vital role in the care of pet dogs, especially in the summer months when we tend to holiday away from home. Most of our house­sitters have dog care experience and know that keeping them cool and entertained and healthy while you are a way is vital. House­sitters can help you with that.

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

Caring for birds

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable sitters. Join our network for a small annual fee. You get ID checked for safety and then build your advert saying when you are going on holiday. House­sitters see your advert, they respond and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets. Trustpilot Testimonials ­ 4.9 / 5 Excellent 10 out of 10 for housesitmatch.com

I have had nothing but good and helpful service from the people who run this site, and my experience has been excellent.

Tristram Cosgrave ­ Dog and cat owner, Malaga

How do you join?

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

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

SUMMER is officially here, and that means it’s time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine with your furry best friend by your side.

From dog­friendly festivals to outdoor concerts, and outdoor movie nights there are plenty of petfriendly summer events that will have tails wagging in delight.

Summer fun

Summer is a perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors with your furry friend! Whether you’re headed to the beach or a nearby lake, there are so many activities you can ex­

plore together. You can go for a relaxing hike or even try your hand at camping. If you’re looking for some water­based fun, there are plenty of dog ­ friendly beaches and lakes where you can swim and play fetch together.

Just make sure you keep your pet safe and hydrated, especially if the weather is hot.

So why not grab your dog’s leash and start planning your next adventure? It’s a great way to bond and enjoy the sunny weather together!

PET birds are unique and fascinating companions, offering a different ex perience compared to more tradi tional pets such as dogs and cats. Caring for these exotic creatures may seem daunting, but with a little knowl edge and dedication, you can pro vide a loving and nurturing environ ment for your feathery friend.

A bird’s cage serves as its home, providing a safe and comfortable space for it to live in. Ensure the cage is spacious enough for your pet bird to stretch its wings and move about freely. Also make sure it is away from direct sun light, draughts, and extreme temperatures and filled with everything it needs like perches of various sizes and materials for foot ex ercise and comfort, food and water dish es that are easily accessible and easy to clean, and safe toys for mental stimula­

Unique and fascinating companions.

tion and entertainment. Regular cleaning is a must.

A well­rounded diet is essential for your pet bird’s overall health. Avoid feeding your bird an all­seed diet, as this can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Offer your bird a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables just make sure to avoid feeding your bird avocado, chocolate, caffeine, or alcohol, as these can be toxic to them.

Finally, dedicate time each day to interact with your pet bird through play, training, and cuddling, and allow your bird to spend time outside of their cage daily, under close supervision. Ensure the room is safe, with all windows and doors closed, and remove any potential hazards. This time outside of the cage allows your bird to explore, stretch their wings, and bond with you.

Cat-proofing hacks

AS much as we love our feline friends, their playful nature can wreak havoc on our furniture. Scratched couches, chairs, and tables are a familiar sight to most cat owners. However, cat­proofing your home does not mean sacrificing style for function.

Thankfully, there are some easy hacks you can use to keep your home safe and kitty­friendly. One simple trick is to cover up any exposed wires or cords so that your cat can’t chew through them.

Another is to keep fragile or valuable objects out of your cat’s reach by placing

them on high shelves or in cabinets with secure doors.

Finally, make sure to keep all household cleaning products stored safely away from your cat’s reach. With these simple hacks, you can create a safe and happy home for you and your feline friend.

When it comes to having cats in the house, it’s important to set some boundaries right from the start. One of the best tips is to block off ar­

eas that are off­limits to your feline friends, such as stairs or high counters. This will help keep them safe and prevent any potential accidents from happening. Using childproof locks or gates is a great way to secure these areas and ensure that your cat doesn’t explore where it shouldn’t. Remember, creating a safe and comfortable environment for your cat is key to keeping them happy and healthy.

Photo credit: Pixabay/JamesDeMers

HAPPY & HEALTHY: Simple kitty-friendly hacks.

Photo credit: Pixabay/luxstorm

Benji loves swimming in a pond to keep cool in the summer months.

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

LEARN TO DRIVE IN MALLORCA . Scottish Driving Instructor now qualified to teach in Mallorca. Classes in English or Spanish. Obtain your Spanish licence easier or have refresher lessons and get behind that wheel. Interested? Call 648 133 929

WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel - 678 716 693 (288662)

STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbeygateinsure. com

TAO MASSAGE – Sensitive relaxing massage. Good for impotence problems. Tel 655 162 535 (302289)

GOLD & SILVER Bought & Sold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel - 678 716 693 (288662)

WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 952 147 834. (200726)

Male/Female viagra, cialis, kamagra jelly, mixed trial packs available, all areas mail order. 604 385 476. viagra4you19@ gmail.com (294955)

MG3 - well priced, endearing and fun

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack

MG are making a bit of a name for themselves producing affordable EVs, and pitting themselves against more established makers charging a premium for their EVs. MG’s main models though are SUVs, understandable given their popularity, but the non ­ electric MG3 (available when MG started under its new Chinese owner) remains in the price lists.

This five ­ door hatchback is smart and equipment laden and by today’s standards a bit of a bargain. The two models start from €16,162/ £13,820 with standard equipment including powered and heated door mirrors, air conditioning, power windows, DAB sound system with Apple Car Play, Bluetooth, re ­

Facts at a Glance

• Model: MG3 Exclusive NAV

• Engine: 1.5-Litre, 4-cylinder, petrol

• Gears: 5-speed manual

• Performance: 0-100 kmh (62 mph) Petrol 10.4 secs

• Maximum Speed Petrol 173 kph (108 mph)

• Economy: Petrol 6.6 l/100km (43.3 mpg) WLTP

• Emissions: Petrol 147 g/km Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.

mote steering wheel controls, eight ­ inch colour touchscreen, hill hold and auto door locking. The higher trim version at €18,151/£15,520 adds navigation, cruise control, parking camera and sports seats.

The Achilles heel of the MG3 is its engine, a fourcylinder, 1.5 ­ litre petrol

unit that is best described as old school technology. Mated to a manual fivespeed gearbox the combination is adequate, but lacks sufficient power and at cruising speed you always find yourself going for a sixth gear that isn’t there.

At 70mph the MG sits at around 3,200 rpm,

New campaign to monitor the safety conditions of vehicles

SPAIN’S General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) announced that it launched a new campaign to monitor the conditions of vehicles.

Controls were carried out from Monday, June 5, until Sunday June 11, but they were not focused on speeding. The campaign was being conducted with the aim of reducing the accident rate on the road network under the premise: ‘Investing in maintenance is investing in safety’.

The entity referred to the Spanish Road Safety Strategy 2030, which read: “The age of the vehicle is related to its level of safety, and the risk of dying or being injured in hospital increases with its maturity.”

So much so, that the risk of dying or being seriously injured is multiplied by two when comparing the accidents that occurred with vehicles from 10 to 15 years old, in relation to vehicles less than five years old.

One of the aspects that influenced the most is the validity of the ITV. That was the second factor for which the people of Malaga Province received the most fines (23,152) after speed (250,178 fines).

The DGT recalled that, currently, the av­

erage age of the fleet of cars in Spain under 25 years old ranges between nine years for industrial tractors and 14.2 years for lorries weighing more than 3,500 kilograms.

In recent years, data show that the average age of cars in Spain has aged alarmingly, increasing to more than 13 years. This is one of the highest figures within the European Union, which is why the authorities pay a lot of attention to the older cars.

Vehicle safety is proportionately linked to its age. Another aspect linked to vehicle safety and its contribution to road safety is the need for its maintenance, which is proportional to its age.

“A vehicle with deficiencies in the braking, suspension, steering or tyre systems is a vehicle that is more likely to suffer an accident,” the entity insisted.

Officers from the Guardia Civil’s Traffic Group collaborated with the Local Police of the Malaga municipalities in this latest initiative to monitor the proper maintenance of vehicles in the province.

Although the DGT also recommended controlling the state of the injection, lights, battery, levels and filters, air conditioning and windows and wipers.

which makes things a tad busy where a more relaxed gearing pattern would help. The need to work the engine also doesn’t help the economy, my mainly local driving week saw a 7.2 l/100km (39mpg) average.

On cross country roads the MG comes alive with

decent steering and a slightly firm suspension set ­ up that keeps the car sitting quite flat through energetic cornering. The power is at the higher end of the engine’s rev range and with a nice gear change makes it a fun drive.

As an example the admittedly more adept and capable Vauxhall Corsa will still set you back €22,296/£19,085, that’s a

substantial difference. Of course, the Corsa will depreciate less, most likely prove as, if not more, durable on the quality front and overall feel more polished. Keep the MG for a longer time though and allied to that cheaper price tag it makes for an appealing proposition. Despite some misgivings the MG is an endearing car, it handles well, is good fun and very well priced. It’s comfortable with a good driving position and for those on a budget the cheapest way to get a new car that is a bit different to the normal mass of budget cars, and actually doesn’t look like a budget model.

End of an era as production ceases on iconic Ford Fiesta

WITH the spectre of electric cars hanging over it, a decision has been made to cease the production of the classic Ford Fiesta at the Almussafes plant in Valencia. Henry Ford II decided back in the 1970s that he wanted to locate one of his factories on Spanish soil. As a result, a car­manufacturing plant was constructed in the Ribera Baixa region of the Valencian Community.

A previous facility in Barcelona had closed down in 1930, but Almussafes became the new location for the multinational. Mass production commenced at the factory on October 18, 1976.

The world was first introduced to the small but trusty Ford Fiesta in 1973, just after the oil crisis. Ford believed that there was a hole in the European automobile market for a small, manageable car.

It is said that Henry Ford II was the person who personally christened his new car after various names had been thrown around for it.

At the time, their engines were quite a revolution, marketed as a 957 cubic centimetre petrol engine with 40 CV in the normal version and 45 CV in the luxury version. It was also Ford’s first frontwheel drive car.

One of the most exclu ­

sive versions of the Fiesta was the 1.1 ­ litre with 53 CV. Some of the most significant features of this first version were the fourspeed manual gearbox, MacPherson suspension, front disc brakes, and rear drum.

The brand has lasted five decades, but now, at the end of this month, production of the iconic Fiesta will stop, at least at the Spanish plant, as reported by a local news source.

CLASSIC: Image of a Ford Fiesta L in 1980.

MG3: Smart, equipment laden and by today’s standards a bit of a bargain.

England Ace off to Real Madrid Messi set for Inter Miami

AFTER much conjecture, the news is that Lionel Messi, arguably the world’s greatest football player, has finally made up his mind about his next team.

Lionel’s father Jorge has been very outspoken about his son’s future team and said that by Wednesday, June 7, a decision would be announced, according to a news source.

Although no official signing has taken place as yet, and despite strong offers from Barcelona and Saudi Arabia, the smart money is on Inter Miami, which is partly owned by David Beckham.

There was strong speculation that the seven­time Ballon d’Or winner would follow his heart and return to Barcelona. A decision that was also his wife Antonella’s preferred choice.

Sadly, a return to the Spanish club isn’t likely, partly because of a persistent lack of trust with La Blaugrana president Joan Laporta.

Even Guillem Balague, Messi’s biographer was confident enough to post even a message early on Wednesday afternoon: ‘Messi has decided. His destination: Inter Miami. Leo Messi goes to Inter Milan.’

An extremely lucrative offer to play in Saudi Arabia wasn’t enough to turn the player’s head it seems, as Lionel and his wife reportedly do not see themselves and their three boys settling in the Gulf desert.

All of this leaves Inter Miami currently sitting in pole position. If Messi’s destination is indeed Florida, Barcelona fans’ disappointment may be short­lived, as talk of a much­anticipated loan spell at Barça could be on the cards.

Messi is expected to announce his decision in a statement on his social networks as soon as it becomes confirmed

ENGLAND’S rising star Jude Bellingham has signed a dream contract with Real Madrid at the tender age of 19. A €103 million deal has been agreed as reported on Wednesday, June 7.

Fabrizio Romano posted on Twitter saying: “Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid, here we go! Agreement in place with Borussia Dortmund. It’s a done deal. Fee: €100 million plus add­ons. Bellingham will sign six­year deal valid until June 2029 agreed in April. Medical tests already booked as Madrid wanted to get it done this week.”

His move from Borussia Dortmund will see the continued ascent of Bellingham, whose agreement could be worth closer to €130 million with add­ons.

Manchester City and Liverpool were amongst other suitors, but Real Madrid acted quickly and decisively to bag the England star who becomes football’s third

most expensive teenager af ter Kylian Mbappé and Joao Felix.

Bellingham was one of the stars of England’s last World Cup campaign and also Bundesliga player of the year and is set to become Real Madrid’s second most expensive signing after Eden Hazard.

The move will see Bellingham join a team that could help him become one of the world’s top players. Of

course, his future is still very much down to his drive and determination as Hazard

failed to deliver to his po tential when he arrived at Madrid from Chelsea in 2019.

Jude Bellingham’s true worth may be determined at this juncture in his career, but if he can continue to grow with a super­successful club like Real Madrid backing him, England may have a generational talent on their hands in what we all hope will be a win ­ win situation.

1,872 golf courses in England, the largest number in Europe.

Bellingham has signed a dream contract.