Mallorca 22 – 28 June 2023 Issue 1981

Twin stars Warmer spring BRITISH MAYOR

THIS spring, which officially finished this week, was the sixth warmest in Mallorca since 1961.

POPULAR Spanish pop singer David Bisbal used his trip to Mallorca at the weekend to visit his friend Rafa Nadal in Manacor.

Bisbal, who performed at the Es Jardí festival in Calvia on Sunday in front of 4,000 fans on the first stop of his national Estoy Vivo Tour, teamed up with the tennis ace at his academy, where Nadal showed him round the installations and the museum.

The Almeria musician and the sports star have been friends for many years and are frequently spotted supporting each other at concerts and tennis matches, as well as during difficult times such as Nadal’s current recovery from an ongoing injury.

FOR the first time ever in the history of the Balearic Islands, a British man has been elected as the mayor of a small town in Mallorca.

Fifty­two­year­old, Richard Thompson and his wife, settled in Mallorca nine years ago, and he was sworn in as mayor of Sant Joan on Saturday June 17.

Sant Joan has a population of around 2,000 people and sits in the centre of Mallorca. However, it has found itself in the news recently thanks to its new British mayor, who puts his success partially down to taking part in the town’s tal­

ent contest every summer. Although married to a native of Sant Joan, Richard is not a Spanish citizen, but his resident status was enough for him to serve on the council and qualify to run as a mayoral candidate.

May 28 was when Thompson stood as the mayoral candidate on behalf of the eco­socialist Més per Mallorca (More for Mallorca) party and won five of the 11 seats on the local council. A deal was struck with the Socialists whereupon he will serve for a three­year term as Sant Joan’s mayor, with a Socialist coun­

cillor taking charge for the fourth year.

Thompson’s More for Mallorca Party’s campaign slogan was orgull sant joaner (Sant Joan pride). The manifesto included plans to create a day centre for the elderly, as well as to ensure the safety of children walking to school and the improvement of local sports facilities.

Speaking to The Guardian newspaper he said “although I am British, I don’t necessarily identify as British ­ especially after Brexit and after living in Spain for so long. I consider myself a sant joaner.”

April registered several record temperatures for the time of year as well as higher than normal minimum temperatures. ‘Tropical’ nights were recorded in Pollença on March 11 and in Portopí (Palma) on April 29, and the season as a whole left 39 per cent less rainfall than usual despite isolated episodes of heavy rain.

According to State weather agency Aemet, the average temperature in the Balearic Islands for the season was 15.7 ºC, which is 0.8 ºC higher than normal.

As well as being the sixth warmest register since 1961 for the region as a whole, it has been the single warmest spring in Lluc since 1943 and the second warmest in Portopí since 1978.

Credit:

Més per Mallorca

Mayor Thompson with his baton of office.

David Bisbal.

Image by Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock

All paddling around Memory and struggle

UP to 560 canoe, kayak and paddle surf enthusiasts took part in the 30th edition of the traditional Volta a Sa Dragonera ‘race’ at Sant Elm beach in Andratx on Sunday June 18.

The event is non­competitive and just for fun, but by no means easy as it entails more than three hours of constant paddling.

Organisers this year designed a shorter route for those unwilling or unable to go the whole distance, consisting of a direct trip to Dragonera port, where they were given refreshments and awaited the arrival of the participants in the longer route.

They then all headed back together to Sant Elm, where they enjoyed a healthy snack and took part in a raffle provided by the sponsors of the event.

A team of around 80 volunteers take part in the organisation of the Volta, including manning several safety boats dotted along

the route to ensure that participants are able to complete the event without any trouble.

The Volta began 30 years ago when a group of friends met up to paddle to Drag­

onera port and back. They decided to repeat it the following year with more people and it gradually escalated until becoming a major yearly social and sporting event.

PLAÇA Margalida Perelló Tous in Arta has been partly redecorated to honour the memory of the person who gives it its name ­ a local resident who was murdered by her partner 10 years ago.

A section of the square has been decorated with reused plastic waste by users of the municipal Social Services, who turned the unwanted material into colourful flowers,

shapes and two red stars drawn by Margalida’s son in reference to an ornament his mother used to have in the car. The ‘space of life, colour and struggle’ was inaugurated last week by the council in an emotional ceremony attended by Margalida’s sister Magdalena, as well as all the workers involved in the project and Primary students from Na Caragol school.

“The main aim of the project was to raise awareness about the environmental problems caused by the overuse of plastics and to stress the importance of reducing and reusing them,” declared acting Social Services councillor Aina Comas. “It is a space of celebration and memory and a struggle against the scourge of gender and domestic violence,” she added.

Student trips down

END­OF­TERM trips to Mallorca are becoming less popular.

End­of­term trips were expected to generate an estimated 90,000 overnight stays between June 10 and 30 in hotels located between Magaluf and s’Arenal, compared to the 140,000 stays recorded last year.

The figures suggest that the island is no longer the preferred destination for young students looking to let off

steam after the school year, mainly due to the high cost compared to cheaper offers from other resorts such as the Riviera Maya in Mexico.

A loss of purchasing power on behalf of families due to inflation and the increasing cost of living is forcing many students to look elsewhere, although analysts suggest another reason for the drop in reservations ­ the reluctance of the hotel sector to wel­

come this type of tourism. The number of hotels available to accommodate this type of clientele has dropped by at least 40 per cent this year, when up to 25 establishments housed the visiting students. A main reason for this is said to be an almost unbearable pressure exerted on hoteliers by the authorities, who carry out almost daily checks to ensure everything is in order.

VOLTA RACE: Around 560 people took part in the event.

Image by Agrupació Esportiva Voltors/Facebook

Amendment

LAST week the Euro Weekly News reported that Calanova Cancer Care donated €5,000 to the Aspanob charity for children’s cancer and their parents, when the real amount donated was €15,000. We would like to apologise for any confusion.

Sala Exclusive

THE Ocimax Palma cinemas have opened a new theatre with reclinable seats and Dolby Atmos surround sound. The Sala Exclusive was officially inaugurated last week with the premiere of the film Flash and makes Ocimax the first cinema in the Balearic Islands to offer this unique experience.

Well done!

THE Club Gimnàstic Palma has made history and next season will compete in the First Division of the Iberdrola League of women’s artistic gymnastics. The club obtained the second position in the season final last week thanks to a stunning performance by Leire Escauriaza.

Jaws scare

A GROUP of fishermen received a startling surprise while they were out on their boat in the Cap de Formentor area last week. A large but harmless Silky shark became caught on their fishing line, but they managed to release it and it swam away.

Man drowns

A 61­YEAR­OLD German man drowned in Cala Millor on Monday. The lifeguards got him out of the water when he showed signs of distress and performed resuscitation manoeuvres until the emergency services arrived, but nothing could be done to save his life.

Trailer crash

A LARGE trailer overturned on Inca motorway on Monday, causing heavy traffic jams and spilling its cargo. Luckily the driver was unharmed.

San Juan Festival

SPANISH and foreign citizens alike will flock to the beaches on the evening of Friday June 23 for the annual festivities of the noche de San Juan (San Juan night). This cherished tradition captivates people of all ages, offering a delightful mix of ancient customs and modern festivities.

The Spanish San Juan festival is renowned for its captivating bonfires, symbolising the purification and renewal of the soul. Locals and visitors gather on the beaches, creating a mesmerising ambience that truly sets this festival apart.

At midnight the night sky is illuminated by dazzling fire­

works, set off from various locations all along the Spanish coastline from Cadiz, through the Costa del Sol and Almeria to the Costa Calida and Costa Blanca.

It is not uncommon to see lines of people waiting to

jump over the embers of one of the many moragas (bonfires), an act based in the belief of fire warding off evil spirits and curing disease.

Whether taking a picnic and chairs down for a night on the beach, or enjoying a

YOUR EWN HAS

108 STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Access denied

RESIDENTS in Calle Can

Fonoll in Palma’s Ciudad Jardín neighbourhood are up in arms about a large wall that is blocking their access to a car park.

meal with friends in one of the many chiringuitos that the Spanish coast has to offer, food and drink will be a central feature, with espetos de sardinas and plenty of ice cold beer and tinto de verano consumed.

Mallorca vs Turkey Winging it

EUROWINGS is gearing up for a boom of flights to Mallorca this summer.

The low­cost airline, part of the Lufthansa group, announced this week that the island is “the most important and by far the most popular summer destination for German travellers” and has scheduled 400 flights a week between Mallorca and Germany over the holiday season.

The firm has also stepped up its hiring process to avoid a repeat of the chaos that led to mass cancellations last sum­

mer due to staff shortages. They currently have a team of more than 4,700 employees to cater for peaks of up to 100,000 travellers a day during the high season.

Spokespeople for Eurowings report that they are currently expanding their Mallorca base and that they are using the Airbus A321 for their connections with Germany ­ said to be the largest medium­distance plane with more than 230 seats and known internally by the company as “the Mallorca Airbus”.

MALLORCA is once again in the running with Antalya (Turkey) as the preferred tourist destination among clients of leading German travel firm TUI Travel.

According to the company, German holidaymakers are mostly booking short and medium­haul destinations this season, with Greece in the lead, accounting for one in every five trips and with Crete in the top spot.

However, Mallorca continues to be the single most popular island, but with Turkey gaining ground and currently accounting for 15 per cent of

Happy ending

A STRANGE traffic accident in Andratx had a happy ending at the weekend.

Two bikers were out for a drive between s’Arraco and San Elm when one of them suddenly disappeared without a trace.

When his friend realised he was missing he called the emergency services and a Local Police patrol, a detachment of the Guardia Civil’s Traffic department and an ambulance rushed to the scene within minutes.

A search was launched throughout the area focusing on roads and patches of deep

vegetation, until finally two hours later the motorcyclist was found near a local road. He had reportedly fallen off his bike and was lying injured on the ground, being unable to get up or call for help.

The ambulance crew performed a quick check­up and found that he had sustained various injuries, but none life­threatening. It appears that the motorcyclist lost control of his bike while going round a bend and fell through an area of vegetation that prevented drivers from seeing him from the road.

reservations made through TUI.

The ‘rivalry’ between Mallorca and Antalya dates back to before the Covid pandemic, with figures for this season already predicting an increase in German travel compared to 2019.

Interestingly, TUI is advising customers to look into the ‘smaller siblings’ of major destinations such as Mallorca and Antalya if what they are searching for there is already booked up, suggesting Menorca and Ibiza as possible alternatives or Dalaman in the case of Turkey.

The 36 parking spaces are located on a plot adjacent to their block of flats and the residents claim that they have the right of access, as stated in the property deeds.

However, shortly after the car park was ready, the plot was sold to an architect who is building a luxury home on the top floor of the building.

Palma Council granted the building permit for the project, although it requested that the limits of the plot in the basement, where the access ramp to the 36 parking spaces are located, be closed off.

The architect himself admits that he understands the residents’ anger but insists that the town hall ordered him to build the wall while work on the luxury house continues.

SAN JUAN: People flock to the beaches.

Running for charity

MORE than 1,000 people took part in the second edition of a charity fun run in Palma organised by the National Police on Sunday.

‘Kilómetros Solidarios Ruta 091’ aims to raise funds for the Fundación Asnimo, which has been helping people with Down’s Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) since 1974.

An initial 700 runners were inscribed for the race but finally up to 300 people more turned up to take part in the festive, sporting and family atmosphere.

The race was split into three and eight­kilometre routes for different age groups plus children’s races, with a batucada percussion band providing the soundtrack and various police units and sponsors setting up stands.

The general men’s race was won by Simón Sánchez with a time of 26 minutes and 25 seconds, while Margarita Adrover won the general women’s race with a time of 30 minutes and 14 seconds.

Spokespeople for the National Police thanked all the sponsors, participants and collaborators for “doing their bit to help build a more caring world.”

MALLORCA Island Council has removed more than 170 illegal advertising billboards from the roads over the last eight years.

The vast majority, 144, have been taken down during the last four years following a modification of the island’s road regulations that tightened up the conditions for companies to install them.

According to Consell sources, the billboards were removed for several reasons.

The first is that they did not have a licence and were occupying public land next to roads, which is forbidden as many studies reveal that advertising can distract drivers and cause accidents.

Another reason was that the illegal billboards lacked a prior safety study before being erected, which in the past has led to accidents when they have fallen onto the road.

And a third reason for their removal was their effect on the scenery, as it is common for these advertising boards to form clusters at busy spots such as roundabouts.

An exception to the rule is the famous Osborne bull located on the road to Manacor, which is protected throughout Spain as a Cultural Interest Asset.

Bye bye boards

made an appeal by letter to remove them, which was answered by up to a dozen firms. The ones that failed to respond can face fines of up to €10,000 as well as the loss of their billboard.

Before initiating proceedings against the com­

THE regional Health authorities are warning of an increase in vaping among teenagers and young adults.

Official figures show that electronic cigarette use within that age group more than doubled in just four years. In 2016 up to 19 per cent of teenagers and young adults admitted to vaping at least occasionally, with the figure rising to 40 per cent in 2020.

While regular tobacco use continues to drop throughout Spain, the Health authorities warn that the increase in vaping can become a major prob­

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

panies that owned the billboards, the Consell

Up to 750 advertising boards have been reported in Mallorca since 2013, with the Consell opening proceedings in 633 cases. Several are still being processed and it is expected that the newly formed Island Council will continue to remove the ones found to contravene the law.

Up in smoke

lem as the devices are not harmless and often include nicotine, which could lead many users to become addicted to cigarettes later on.

In addition, the legislation regulating the use of ecigarettes is still in its infancy, a situation that manufacturers are taking advantage of to market them even among children by selling sweet­flavoured smoke cartridges and using popular cartoon characters to adorn the devices.

“Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You”

The regional Health department has launched a campaign targeting younger users on social media platforms and warning them of the health risks entitled ‘Que no et venguin fum’ (‘Don’t be conned’, a play on words as ‘to sell smoke’ is to con someone in Catalan/Spanish).

3.7 million passengers in Malaga airport during first quarter 2023

Image by Botond Horvath/Shutterstock

The Osborne bull is a trademark of Spanish roads.

Meaning don’t treat badly the person who is helping you or has helped you. This was originally used about 600 BC by the Greek poet Sappho, this metaphor of a dog biting its master was first recorded in English in 1711.

Mallorca Preservation Foundation

Sea turtle power

ONGOING efforts to save and protect sea turtles in Mallorca are paying off.

Since the first case of nesting on the island was reported two weeks ago, the issue has returned to the public spotlight and interest has been rekindled.

According to the latest Informe Mar Balear ­ a public report to check the evolution of marine wildlife in the Balearic Islands ­ a total of 1,058 stranded loggerhead sea turtles were located in the region between the years 1993 and 2020, of which 512 were found alive and 546 were discovered dead.

The main cause of strandings between 2015 and 2020 was entanglement in plastic waste or abandoned fishing nets, with a total of 92 turtles being recovered and returned to the sea. Although the figures do not appear to be positive, experts suggest that the combination of the good work carried out by conservation organisations and increasing public awareness is playing a vital role in ensuring the survival of the species, which is classed as ‘in danger of extinction’ by the International Union for Conservation of Na­

ture. Climate change is reportedly leading to an increase in the frequency of loggerhead sea turtles nesting on Mediterranean beaches over the last several summers, which makes it all the more vital for the public to be aware of what do to if they come across a nesting site.

Beach ­ goers are urged not to touch or go near the eggs or the turtles, keeping a safe distance of at least 15 metres and refraining from making loud noises or flash photographs.

The 112 emergency services must be called at once, who will set up a protection perimeter and take care of the eggs to ensure their successful hatching.

THE Mallorca Preservation Foundation has created a catalogue of autochthonous species grown in the nursery of the Balearic Islands Forestry Centre located in the Finca de Menut.

According to the Foundation, “our aim is to provide the public with an accessible resource to familiarise themselves with the native plants that flourish in its nursery.

“By highlighting these species, we offer an alternative to using non­ native plants, thereby mitigating the risk of invasive species invad­

A catalogue is available.

ing and dispersing throughout our natural environment.”

The Finca de Menut estate has a rich history, serving as a forest nursery since its establishment by the Forestry District in 1933. Today, it is an integral part of the Forestry Centre of the Balearic Islands (CEFOR). Throughout its evo­

lution, the centre has prioritised the production of highquality native forest plants endemic to the Balearic Islands. While the primary focus remains on native plant production, the centre has expanded its functions in recent years. It now encompasses forestry research, innovation, conservation of genetic forest resources, dissemination of forestry culture, and fire prevention awareness. Download the catalogue on PDF at www.mallorcapreservation.o rg/catalogue ­ of ­ auto chthonous­plants

Alcudia brothel protest

UP to 100 residents in the es Barcares area in Alcudia staged a protest in the children’s sports park on Sunday against plans to open what appears to be a brothel in the neighbourhood.

A spokesman for the group explained the details of the situation to the assembled neighbours, revealing that they are currently holding talks with the promoter of the project and the owner of a chalet where the suspected brothel will be opened, and who has already signed the contract to rent out the property.

According to the spokesman, the owner himself wishes to cancel the contract, although it is uncertain whether it will be possible to do so due to legal constraints. The newly elected mayor of Alcudia, Josefina Linares, attended the gathering together with several Local Police officers to show their solidarity with the protesting residents. It was agreed that they would have to wait to see if the project really does involve an establishment of that kind before taking further action against it.

Image by the MAPF

Efforts to protect are paying off.

Image by Dmitrijs Mihejevs/Shutterstock

Anchorage reservations open

THE inscription period is now open to reserve the low environmental impact anchorages for boats.

Regional ports authority Ports IB has launched eight ‘buoy fields’ for boat owners to moor their vessels without having to drop anchor and damage the sea bottom.

In Mallorca, these points are located in Cala Blava (Llucmajor), Sant Elm (Andratx) and Formentor (Pollença).

To make a reservation it is first necessary to register the boat in the system, where it will be validated by Ports IB. Once validated, the reservation, contracting and payment can be carried out.

Reservations must be made through the Ports IB website at www.reservas.portsib.es/boyaswebpublico, and owners are advised to validate their boat and make the reservation before heading out towards the anchorage point.

Stays can be for a maximum of three days, after which owners will have to wait another 10 days to access the same anchorage area. A series of novelties have been introduced this year, including daily (bono­día) and half­daily (bono­baño) reservations, the latter of which can be made for the morning or for the afternoon.

For further information visit www.portsib.es

MALLORCA experienced its first taste of summer this week with thermometers reaching up to 37ºC in some areas.

The State Weather Agency (Aemet) activated the yellow alert for high temperatures in the inland, north and northeast parts of the island, although the experts specified that the hot spell could not be described as a heat wave as it

A taste of summer

only affected certain areas and not the whole of Mallorca.

The episode of high temperatures began on Monday as a result of a mass of African air, which also caused suspended dust in the atmosphere, and was expected to

Officer saves neighbour

AN off­duty Guardia Civil officer saved the life of his neighbour in Inca last week.

The officer was at home when he was called by his neighbour’s wife, who was reportedly very nervous and said that her husband was unwell.

The officer rushed to their home and found her husband unconscious on the sofa and breathing with difficulty. He placed the man in a safety position and ascertained that he did not have a pulse.

The officer then placed the man face up and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation manoeuvres for two minutes until he began breathing again. Meanwhile the victim’s wife had called the emergency services, who rushed the man to Inca hospital where he was said to be stable.

The rapid intervention by the off­duty Guardia Civil officer was said to have been crucial to save the man’s life.

continue until yesterday, Wednesday June 21.

Aemet experts explained that the normal temperatures for this time of year are usually between 17ºC and 28ºC.

Soller valley was also affected this week by a phenomenon known as ‘the

Foehn effect’, which takes place almost exclusively in that area and is caused when the air currents from the southeast that cross the Pla de Mallorca collide with the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range.

This causes the air to become warmer and drier, and when it falls back down into the valley it causes a sudden rise in temperature.

Best in the world

MURO beach continues to receive international recognition.

This time, sailing mobile phone application Rightboat has placed it at the top of the list of most valued beaches in the world based on the opinions of more than 300,000 users.

Among the reasons to name Playa de Muro as the best in the world are its tranquillity, its crystalline and shallow waters and the width of the sand.

In second and third place are Spiaggia dei Conigli beach in Sicily and Falassarna in Greece.

A second Spanish beach made it onto the list, namely La Concha in San Sebastián (Basque Country), thanks to its idyllic scenery.

According to www.playademuro.net :

“Playa de Muro (Platja de Muro) is one of the most paradise­like destinations on the island of Mallorca. Turquoise waters, fine sandy beaches, dreamlike sunsets and a host of attributes that have made it one of the best beaches in Spain and Europe, according to user reviews.”

Virtual tennis tournament

FROM June 24 until July 1, the prestigious ATP250 tennis tournament taking place in Mallorca will be accompanied by a parallel online tournament that promises to unite the best of traditional sport with the vanguard of the gaming world.

Following the success of the past editions, Mallorca Championships and Infinity Talent are teaming up for the third consecutive year to celebrate the Torneo Mallorca Championships Virtual 2023, which will be played on Tennis World Tour 2, the famous tennis game by Nacon on PlayStation 4.

The winner will receive a game console, a pack of gaming products or a cheque for the same value.

Inscriptions are open until today, Thursday June 22 at www.infinity talent.es and the tournament kicks off on Saturday June 24.

BUOY FIELDS: For boat owners to moor their vessels.

Image by the Balearic Islands Government

Astronomical phenomena

SUMMER 2023 officially began in Spain on Wednesday, June 21, at 4.58pm local time.

According to calculations by the National Astronomical Observatory (OAN), the season will last for approximately 93 days and 16 hours. Summer will come to an end officially on September 23, when autumn starts.

Some interesting astronomical events will occur during the summer months. After the season begins, the only two planets visible to the human eye will be Venus and Mars.

As the months pass, Venus will get closer to the Sun and gradually disappear from the sky. At this point, it could be possible to catch a brief

glimpse of Mercury for a few weeks between July and August.

Saturn will also make an appearance in mid­August. The planet will rise in the east just as the sun is setting.

Groups of bright stars will also be visible in the sky dur­

ing the summer months. Probably the most beautiful of these is the so­called ‘summer triangle’. This shape is formed by Altair in the constellation of the Eagle, Deneb in the constellation of Cygnus, and Vega, in the constellation of Lyra.

Golf-ball size hailstones

NORTHERN Spain was subjected to an extreme hailstorm earlier this week with reports of hailstones the size of golf balls.

At around 9.00am on Tuesday, June 20, an intense and destructive hailstorm lashed the town of Eibar and swept across the region, according to a news outlet.

The Basque region has endured several days of recurrent storms since Saturday. The forecast on Tuesday showed little improvement with Euskalmet issuing a Yellow warning from 9.00am to 00.00 hours for showers, hail and storms.

Many areas were subject to flooding as the region was deluged with rain and hail. In Altzola, official reports showed that 12.2 litres fell in the space of just 10 minutes.

The area of Bizkaia was particularly badly affected when an intense downpour with large hailstones shocked the residents of Eibar at around 9.00am.

Reports and video evidence graphically showed hailstones the size of small marbles, with forecasters warning that the extreme conditions could be repeated throughout the day.

The storm in Eibar has caused flooding in some homes and businesses in Legarre, whose residents are working hard to drain the water.

The torrent was so intense in such a short space of time that the drainage system was unable to cope, resulting in misery for many homeowners.

France from €9

Also typical of these months are the constellations of Scorpio, with the bright reddish star Antares, and Sagittarius, whose position roughly indicates the centre of the Milky Way.

This white band, which represents the combined brightness of the millions of stars that make up our galaxy, can be seen in all its splendour in summer. It will cross the sky from south to north, although a dark sky is needed to distinguish it clearly.

Other phenomena of astronomical interest will be the delta aquarid meteor showers. Their maximum visibility is expected to be around July 30.

RENFE completed a new milestone in its internationalisation plan on Monday, June 19, after it announced historic new routes into France.

The company had already operated services on territory beyond the Pyrenees during its collaboration with the French state operator SNCF. When that deal came to an end, Renfe was left with access to the routes between both countries.

One of the new AVE France services (International AVE between Spain and France) will be a high­speed connection between the cities of Barcelona and Lyon from July 13.

Two weeks after this date, Renfe will start running AVE France fast and sustainable trains to link Barcelona and Madrid with Marseille. As a result, the company will re­establish the original routes it covered while working with SNCF. A total of 9,700 tickets will be put on sale for these weekly journeys between Spain and France.

These services will link Barcelona, Girona and Figueres Vilafant with Lyon. Similarly, Madrid, Zaragoza, Camp de Tarragona, Barcelona, Girona and Figueres Vilafant with Marseille.

Renfe’s arrival in France will be accompanied by a promotional offer to make itself known in the country. It will be possible to travel between Madrid and Marseille for €29, between Barcelona and Lyon for €19 and with special prices of €9 for those routes that will link the French cities.

Andalucia most sought-after community

ACCORDING to a recent report, 61 per cent of Spaniards would like to move to a different region.

The study, carried out by the Mutua Propietarios Group contained some startling revelations about the most popular areas with Spanish nationals, wrote a news source on Tuesday, June 20.

Sixty ­ one per cent of Spaniards would choose another area to live in. The top five most popular destinations are listed below, with first place going to Andalucia, with 11 per cent.

Second on the list was Valencia at 7 per cent, followed by Asturias and the Canary Islands both at 6 per cent, with the Basque Country at 4 per cent.

Laura López, a spokesperson for the group that conducted the study said: “The quality of the home, the environment and social interaction are three of the most important factors in determining the degree of residential satisfaction.”

The study found that on the whole, Spanish people are content with their country of origin, with 70 per cent per cent of those interviewed, saying they would like to continue living in Spain, while 30 per cent would be open to new foreign destinations.

However, in the under­35 age bracket, many said that they are certain or likely to change their home in the next few years. This is often driven by factors such as the type of tenure.

SUMMER MONTHS: Show up interesting astronomical events.

Credit: Siarakduz/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

The 2022/23 tax year proved to be yet another record year for UK inheritance tax (IHT) receipts. HM Revenue & Customs received an extra £1 billion over the last tax year, generating a total of £7.1 billion. The number of people paying this tax jumped 24%, up from 33,000 the previous year to 41,000.

The government expects IHT revenue to continue to increase, bringing in £38 billion over the next five years.

Frozen reliefs and rising property prices

The standard inheritance tax nil rate band has been frozen at £325,000 since 2009. It is scheduled to remain fixed until April 2028, by which time it would have been frozen for 19 years. In contrast, house prices have risen over this long period, pushing more estates into the IHT net.

The residential nil-rate band (RNRB) was introduced in 2017 to help protect families, but has limitations. It only applies to a main residential home directly passed to children and grandchildren, and where the estate is valued under £2 million. Higher value estates are

More families than ever caught in UK inheritance tax net

applies to their worldwide estate, regardless of residence. Non-UK domiciles are assessed on UK situated assets.

Your liability is calculated on your entire estate – property, savings and investments, insurance policies not in trust, household contents, jewellery, vehicles etc. Outstanding mortgages and loans are generally deducted from the total.

By Cathal Rochford, Partner, Blevins Franks

eliminates the RNRB entirely when an estate exceeds £2.35 million. The current £175,000 allowance is also frozen until 2028.

Is your estate liable for UK inheritance tax?

UK IHT is charged on death and

If the total value of your estate is lower than the two allowances, your heirs do not have to pay this tax. If it exceeds the thresholds, your heirs pay 40% tax on the excess. Where the allowances are not used on the first death, or only partly used, the balance can be transferred to the surviving spouse/civil partner – make sure your estate is set up to take full advantage.

Expatriates and the domicile issue

UK inheritance tax follows you around the world since your estate is liable for as long as you remain a UK domicile. Domicile is a complex and adhesive UK common law concept, and many British expatriates are UK domiciled their whole life.

That said, you can take steps and cut ties with the UK to adopt a domicile of choice in Spain, though it can take up to four years to shed a UK domicile for inheritance tax purposes. Getting your domicile status wrong could result in an unexpected large tax bill for your family, so professional advice is essential here.

UK inheritance tax planning

Inheritance tax is often referred to as a voluntary tax, since there are various steps you can take to eliminate or

and heirs. Don’t risk leaving it too late, especially if you are planning on making lifetime gifts (‘potentially exempt transfers’).

Cross-border estate planning can be a minefield – more so if you are subject to inheritance taxes in more than one country as is the case with British expatriates in Spain – so take specialist advice today to get it right and take advantage of the planning opportunities available.

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

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

Nit de Sant Joan time

TOMORROW , Friday June

23 is the Nit de Sant Joan, a major yearly celebration of the coming of summer.

A full programme of events has been organised in Palma’s Parc de la Mar, culminating in a spectacular correfoc (firecracker race) at 10.30pm followed by a concert by O­ERRA on a huge stage with a breathtaking sound and light show.

Before then there will be a children’s correfoc at 8.30pm, followed by traditional music and dancing.

The organisers have issued a series of safety rec­

ommendations for those wishing to take part in the correfocs as the sparks can singe hair and clothes.

They recommend wearing cotton clothing,

Tribufest

trousers and long sleeves, a head covering and old glasses to protect the eyes.

Participants are not allowed to use their own firecrackers and a distance of at least two metres must be kept from the ‘fire beasts’, the decorated carts that let off the firecrackers.

The Nit de Sant Joan as it is now has been celebrated in Palma since 1984, and all residents and visitors are invited to join in by taking their own picnic and jumping the waves at midnight while making a wish for the year ahead.

A LIVE music festival for all the family takes place in Felanitx on Saturday July 1.

Tribufest will be held in the Parc Municipal de Sa Torre from 11am to 10pm and is billed as a fun event for children and adults alike.

Confirmed artists include Damaris Gelabert, a Catalan musician with more than two million followers on YouTube; Xanguito, one of the leading groups of the Balearic music scene with a festive live performance for all the family; and Centimets & Familiy Band, offering a repertoire that is far removed from the clichés of children’s music and is committed to a familiar and modern genre, creating a

All the hits

THE soprano from the Canary Islands Raquel Lojendio, accompanied on piano by Alfredo Oyágüez, offer a programme of music from Hollywood and Broadway in this show entitled A Movie Concert at the Fundación Bartolomé March in Palma on Friday June 23.

It is one of the proposals of the Deià International Music Festival.

dynamic, lively and participative show

Other performers include Lali BeGood, offering a variety of styles and lyrics dedicated to conveying contemporary values in her first show on the island; Circ Bover, the leading circus performer in the Balearic Islands offering various different shows and workshops throughout the day where children and families can take part; and Siamiss Djs, resident DJs at Barcelona’s Razzmatazz venue offering their all ­ ages show We can be superheroes! There will also be games, workshops, foodtrucks and many other surprises.

For further information visit www.tribufest.com

The programme will include hits such as West Side Story, My Fair Lady, The rain in Spain, Mary Poppins, The hills are alive, Edelweiss, Put the blame on me, The Wizard of Oz, Over the rainbow, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Moon River, Hello Dolly!, The Way We Were and Funny Girl, among many others.

The 45th Deià International Music Festival is held until September 29.

Friday’s show starts at 9pm. Tickets start at €25, for further information visit www.funda cionbmarch.es

Masters of Dance

URBAN dance fans are in for a major treat next weekend.

The Masters of Dance (MOD) International Hip Hop Competition lands at Palma Auditorium on Sunday July 2.

MOD is an international competition with dance troupes from all over the world taking part in a wide range of styles including Locking, Popping, Whacking, Punking, Vogueing, House dance, Ragga ­ dancehall, Funky, B.boying/B.girling, Krumping, Gansta, Commercial Dance and Hip hop.

In addition, this year there is a new ‘all styles’ category bringing together on the same stage groups of contemporary, modern dance, heels and sexy style.

The spectacular choreographies presented by the different dancers give rise to one of the most important international urban dance events in Europe.

MOD takes place in the Sala Magna of the Auditorium in two sessions starting at 10am and 5pm. Tickets start at €20, for further information visit www.auditoriumpalma.com

A breathtaking sound and light show will take place.

Image by Sebas Adrover/Shutterstock

A fun event for children and adults alike.

Image by Tribufest/Facebook

Goalkeeper won’t be held back

LIVING with Down Syndrome, Pedro Payares from Puerto de Santa María has chosen not to let it hold him back. Whether as a goalkeeper for Cádiz Genuine or starring in a documentary Fanáticos de lo Real.

Pedro’s mother describes him with a single word: resilience. She acknowledges that since his birth, overcoming challenges has been a constant part of his life. Despite initial difficulties, Pedro has come a long way and continues to bring joy to everyone who knows him.

Being an advocate for his city, Pedro is well­known, enjoys an active social life and has many fans. One daily ritual Pedro never misses is hav­

SPAM sales phone calls will be banned in Spain from June 29. This will be a great relief to those who still pick up the phone to unknown callers who refuse to let you go.

You know the scenario. You’ve just got home from another long day at the office. Time to relax! No!

Time for a barrage of unsolicited sales calls, with some of the callers being more polite than others.

With phone, TV and internet calls, they’ve always got a better deal on your mobile and internet and won’t be talked

ing breakfast at his favourite bar. Every morning, he occupies his regular spot at the bar, surrounded by waiters and clients who have become his friends.

But his absolute favourite activity is going out to parties with his cousins. With a mis­

chievous smile, Pedro affirms that music makes him feel great, which is why he loves going to discos. Alongside his infectious enthusiasm for life, Pedro also nurtures a dream that he tirelessly works towards. Becoming a professional goalkeeper

CAN THE SPAM

down.

Then there are the energy companies. Now everyone needs a better deal for energy at the moment, but they are completely undeterred when you say the bills are not in your name.

They are often quite aggressive and rude, and refuse to go away.

However, the good news on June 29, 2022, the General Telecommunications Law was published in the Official State

Gazette (BOE) and this was the beginning of a one ­ year process for the motion to pass into enforceable law.

Under Article 66 of this law, end users have a right not to receive unsolicited sales calls.

This will bring a huge sigh of relief from those who spend their evenings hounded by persistent and very annoying sales reps, determined to grind you down and cash in on your hard­earned free time.

like his idol, Keylor Navas. He is already a goalie for Cádiz’s team in LaLiga Genuine Santander, a project that aims to provide a space for footballers with mental disabilities.

Pedro has already earned a place in the official Cádiz store. A poster of him there serves as a reminder to other people with disabilities that they too can succeed in football.

135 Number of years Sagrada Familia under construction.

New Air Baltic routes

LATVIAN airline Air Baltic announced on Thursday June 15, their intent to open a new set of routes to Gran Canaria, from Latvia and various Scandinavian countries.

Air Baltic will open a base at Las Palmas Airport on Gran Canaria and they hope to do it in time to bring some winter sun to passengers from colder climes.

Latvia can experience winter temperatures around ­ 40 degrees Celsius, similar temperatures experienced in Norway, Finland, Lithuania and Estonia from where they also will fly to Spain. Although much more temperate in winter, Air Baltic has also proposed routes from Demark.

President and CEO of Air Baltic, Martin Gauss said this on the new routes, as quoted in Aviation Source News: “When preparing for the upcoming season, we

always carefully analyse the market dynamics. For winter months, when the overall passenger demand worldwide is traditionally lower, we have identified an opportunity to optimise our capacity to be as efficient as possible.

“By establishing a seasonal base and operating two aircraft from Las Palmas we can serve the demand for sunny and leisure destinations. Such expanded presence in Gran Canaria not only enhances connectivity but also provides passengers with a wide range of convenient travel options.”

Air Baltic began direct flights between Riga and Las Palmas in 2022, but will now look to connect Gran Canaria to nine new airports around Scandinavia and Baltic states, putting them up against the likes of Norwegian Airlines and SAS.

Gran Canaria ­ Tallinn, Estonia: one weekly flight from December 7. All tickets went on sale on June 21, but as yet no pricing had been announced, so get ready to hop online in the next few days and hopefully grab yourself a bargain winter break to this perfect holiday destination.

PEDRO PAYARES: Wants to succeed in football.

AIR BALTIC: Will open a base at Las Palmas airport.

Betty Henderson

THE summer season is nearly upon us and Ryanair is surging ahead. The low­cost airline is overpowering rivals including Iberia and Vueling. That’s according to the latest industry data released on Wednesday, June 15.

In May, Ryanair commanded an impressive 23 per cent of shares in the market, serving nearly 5.8 million passengers across its 12 airport bases in Spain.

According to data collected by airport operator Aena, Ryanair continues to dominate over its closest rivals, Iberia and Vueling.

Vueling saw a 14 per cent improvement in May on last year’s figures, welcoming a total of 4.1 million passengers. Meanwhile, Iberia achieved a respectable 17 per cent growth on last year’s figures, transporting 1.8 million passengers during the month of May.

Air Europa secured the fourth spot with remarkable

figures, experiencing a significant resurgence. The airline welcomed 1.36 million passengers, surpassing both last year’s numbers and pre­pandemic levels. Despite potential disruptions from pilot

Tapas culture in India

strikes, Air Europa bosses are anticipating a busy summer.

Foreign carriers, including Jet2, easyJet, and Eurowings, also made their mark, entering the top 10 airlines during May.

Reign over Spain Job seekers delight

SPAIN’S job market is experiencing an unprecedented surge with 149,645 unfilled job vacancies, setting a new record.

The Quarterly Labour Cost Survey (ECTL) by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), released on Friday, June 16, revealed approximately 9,000 more vacancies than during the previous quarter of 2022.

Interestingly, Spain stands out in Europe with less than 1 per cent of job vacancies remaining unfilled, much lower than the European average of 2.8 per cent. Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands have the highest vacancy rates at 4.7 per cent.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment highlights that these vacancies are relatively small compared to Spain’s employed population of 20.8 million. They also cite data from the final quarter of 2022, indicating constant improvements in Spain’s employment figures.

Minister Yolanda Díaz is confident that Spain doesn’t face a job vacancy crisis, stating that companies are not struggling to fill employment needs statistically. Spain’s thriving job market, with a record number of unfilled job vacancies,reveals its potential for economic growth by attracting job seekers and bridging the employment supply to demand gap.

IT would appear that the world is embracing Spanish tapas culture, with the casual and social eating style reaching the plates of top Indian restaurants.

In Spain, tapas is more than just food. It is a way of life, a way of socialising. It is woven into the social fabric, when you are hanging out with loved ones. It is the perfect accompaniment to a good glass of wine or a beer.

Tapas is also a great way to explore a wide range of Spanish foods quickly. Bite­sized portions mean you can try a regional cheese, cured ham, olives, tortilla, bread, seafood and much more.

Numerous Indian restaurants have pounced on the idea of serving tapas, introducing specially curated menus. These are prepared to be enjoyed in a social environment with drinks just like in Spain.

The tapas culture bares some resemblance

TAPAS: Perfect with a glass of wine or beer.

to Indian appetisers, with the likes of onion bhajis, samosas and pakoras being perfect bitesized accompaniments to a beer or wine.

Tapas in Spanish literally means lids. The tradition comes from 13th­century tavern owners who would cover customers’ drinks with a slice of bread, ham, or cheese to keep out insects and dust.

A Dangerous trend

John Ensor MEDIA outlets in Spain are warning of a new food preparation fad that originated in America which could potentially have serious health consequences.

In what is called a danger­

ous viral trend that is starting to gain acceptance around the world, Spanish health authorities have had to issue a warning not to follow the advice of certain influencers as the likelihood is it will make you ill.

Shark spotted in hotspot

ACCORDING to recent reports a shark has been spotted in Spanish waters. This report comes not long after another one was spotted in Alicante.

The sea­going predator believed to be a tintorera or blue shark was spotted early on Thursday, June 15 in the port of Ciutadella, in Menorca according to a news source.

Video footage emerged of what was thought to be a blue shark swimming among the boats and almost reaching the coast, images which thanks to social media went viral.

There was much excitement in Ciutadella as the only topic of conversation seemed to be about this rare shark sighting so close to land.

According to eyewitnesses, it is believed that the huge fish may have been injured or sick, as this particular species of shark does not usually swim almost to the coast and in such shallow waters.

The blue shark is not considered a serious threat to humans.

One man posted footage of the shark accompanied with the message: ‘The security measures have already been installed so that people do not jump into the port of Ciutadella for Saint John’s Day.’

This latest sighting comes hours after a large shark was seen off the beach at Aguamarina Beach in Alicante, again this was believed to be a blue shark approximately two metres long.

There has been much debate in Spain about the practice of preparing chicken prior to cooking. It is not that they wash the chicken with a little water before putting it in a casserole, the new trend is to actually use soap to clean it. A practice which they claim helps get rid of impurities during cooking.

The reality is it has the exact opposite effect. It actually releases bacteria out of the chicken and contaminates the kitchen. Chicken is usually cooked unwashed, and any bacteria will disappear under high cooking temperatures. If the chicken is washed with soap, any bacteria is spread from the sink to the kitchen.

In the US, health authorities here have already warned that it can cause diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and, in extreme cases, even high fever. Consumers have been urged not to copy this trend.

1,298,000 Malaga Metro number of passengers in April 2023.

WORLD TAPAS DAY arrived with a burst of flavour on Friday, June 16. The mouthwatering event, organised by Saborea España, the leading brand in Spanish gastronomic tourism aimed to honour a quintessential aspect of Spanish cuisine and society, tapas. Now in its fifth year, World Tapas Day is a favourite event among food enthusiasts and an excuse to discover more of Spain’s rich culinary scene.

To mark the date, a series of exciting initiatives took place across the country.

The National Tapas and Pintxos Competition was held in Valladolid on Friday. This year marked its 25th anniversary bringing together top culinary talents to create

JET2 have announced plans to expand its services to Spain and Europe in order to meet the increasing demand for spring vacations.

Starting early next year the holiday airline is going to add extra services from Manchester Airport to Spain and other popular destinations across Europe, according to a news source.

As of March 2024, Jet2 will offer flights

Jet2 adds more flights

to Girona, while also boosting its capacity to destinations such as Ibiza and Reus.

Jet2’s Chief Executive Officer, Steve Heapy said: “As the UK’s largest tour operator, we are continuing to react quickly to the demand we are seeing by adding on even more capacity for Summer 24

from Manchester Airport.”

He went on to explain how the company was quick to spot new trends and meet demands: “Customers and independent travel agents in the region have been flocking to book holidays for the early summer season, so we are delight­

incredible miniature dishes.

Tapas takeover Seat for Nadal in Parliament

World Tapas Day also made its mark on the international scene with an appearance at the Taste of Dublin fair. Experts showcased top culinary destinations like Cambrils, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Mallorca, and Zaragoza along with their standout dishes.

The prestigious Paul Bocuse Institute in Lyon also hosted a presentation with representatives from destinations such as Cambrils, Denia, Pamplona, and Sevilla.

Representatives from the Chinese market also visited Spanish cities like Sevilla, Segovia, and Valladolid, aiming to promote culinary tourism and to strengthen trade relations.

ed to be offering even more choice and flexibility to eight sun destinations and giving holidaymakers many opportunities to get away on our award­winning flights and holidays.’ Speaking about the exciting new development he concluded: “By adding additional services during peak times such as the Easter holidays, we are giving customers exactly what they want ­ an early slice of summer sun.”

RAFA NADAL is to take his place in the Balearic Parliament, representing the People’s Party, but by way of clarification, it isn’t the legendary tennis player, but rather his namesake cousin.

The 26­year­old cousin of tennis player Rafa Nadal has won a seat in the Balearic Parliament. Rafael Nadal Barceló will take the seat that belonged to the secretary general of the party, according to a news source on June 14.

The relative of the former world’s number­one tennis ace will fill the void left by the secretary general of the party, Sandra Fernández, who resigned after being designated number 2 on the PP Balearic candidacy for the Congress of Deputies in the general elections on July 23.

Not much is known about Rafael Nadal Barceló, however, his father, Rafael Nadal Homar, was a councillor for the PP in Manacor Town Hall.

World Tapas Day celebrations kicked off in Ireland.

Ryanair’s ban on alcohol on board

OVER recent days, Chris King, online news reporter with the Euro Weekly News has reported on the Ryanair ban prohibiting passengers from taking alcohol on board its aircraft when travelling from the UK to Spanish destinations. Passengers had reportedly been sent an email stating that any customers would not be able to carry alcohol on board, and any alcoholic drinks purchased in the airport would be placed in the baggage hold.

With most people boarding a flight from the UK to one of the popular Spanish resorts for a relaxing holiday, the consumption of alcohol is a common occurrence. However, when does this become a problem?

The Euro Weekly News was inundated with comments and responses from readers on our website and Face ­

book.

Among the online commenters, John McLean, said “They wouldn’t have so much trouble if they stopped the drunks from getting on the aircraft at the gate in the first place,” while Dave Moores added “There is nothing new about this, but Ryanair do not check! They also allow passengers who are clearly drunk to board the aircraft, pushing the problem on to the flight attendants who also do nothing.”

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Last act

WARNER BROS INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION PRODUCTION (WBITVP) is closing its Denmark production centre and centralising Scandinavian operations in Sweden. The decision was prompted by ‘ongoing uncertainty’ in the Danish media market and the rising costs of content creation, Warner Brothers said.

THE NETHERLANDS

Screen scheme

FINLAND

Cry wolf

FINLAND’S wolf population has increased by an annual 10 per cent since 2017, with an estimated 310 now living in the country, the Natural Resources Institute said. Wolf packs are nevertheless creating tension after allegedly killing 1,261 reindeer and 518 sheep and attacking approximately 50 dogs last year.

IRELAND Big data

On Facebook the comments heated up with Ben Brady stating “Nothing has changed, they’ll still buy alcohol on board” with Michael Stanton agreeing “Ryanair makes more money” (from buying on board).

Social media feedback also included responses from people who see the step as positive: Susan Stewart said “about time.” and Hans Albert commented, “not everyone likes to fly with drunken lads.”

SUN cream dispensers will be available this summer in schools, universities, at festivals, parks, sports venues and in open public spaces in the Netherlands. Skin cancer levels have soared, and it wants everyone to have access to sun protection without concerns about cost or inconvenience, the government said.

BELGIUM

Bittersweet

A YOUNG Ukrainian refugee now living in Brussels won €500,000 after buying a €5 lottery scratchcard. The unnamed winner had “very mixed feelings”, a lottery spokesman said, as his mind was clearly in Ukraine and it was difficult to be happy with all that was happening in his country.

GERMANY

Rare find

ARCHAEOLOGISTS in Bavaria announced that they had found a well-preserved Bronze Age sword in the town of Nordlingen. The discovery of the 3,000-year-old sword was extremely rare for this part of Germany as most burial mounds were looted during antiquity or opened during the 19th century.

FRANCE

Red line

NUCLEAR power was an absolute, non-negotiable red line, declared France’s Finance minister Bruno Le Maire following Franco-German disagreements over nuclear energy in Europe. “France will not relinquish any of the competitive advantages linked to nuclear energy,” Le Maire insisted at the Electricity Union’s annual conference.

NORWAY

Going up

NORWAY’S krone rose to €0.088 on June 14, the strongest it has been since steady growth began in June, attributed by currency strategists to unexpectedly high core inflation. The value of the krone against the euro had declined steadily since spring last year, when it was worth more than €0.1.

WHILE Ireland is failing to meet climate targets, its data centres consumed almost a fifth of the country’s electricity in 2022, the same amount used by all the country’s urban homes. Central Statistics Office showed that this was a 31 per cent increase on 2021 and nearly 400 per cent more than 2015.

ITALY Uber exit

IN line with the company’s policy of focusing on markets with opportunities for sustainable growth, Uber is winding up its food delivery business in Italy where it trails Just Eat and Glovo. Chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi previously said Uber will invest only in markets where it can be the largest or second-largest player.

PORTUGAL

Not going

COLM MURPHY, a senior cybersecurity advisor at Huawei said that Portugal appears to have gone further than other European countries regarding 5G restrictions. Asked whether this could lead to Huawei’s departure Murphy said, Huawei had “legal and contractual obligations” in Portugal and “would never let customers down.”

UKRAINE Cood reception

ELIZABETH GILBERT, author of ‘Eat, Pray, Love’, announced on Monday that her upcoming book set in 1900s’ Siberia will not be released as scheduled. She made the decision following a backlash from Ukrainian readers who feared the book would romanticise Russia at a time when the country is accused of war crimes.

SWEDEN

No harm done

THE Monet painting, The Artist’s Garden at Giverny, daubed with red paint by environmental activists, is undamaged, said the Orsay Museum in Paris, which loaned the picture to Stockholm’s National Museum. The Restore Wetlands campaigners had also glued their hands to the protective glass without harming the picture.

RYANAIR: Banning alcohol being taken on board.

BUSINESS EXTRA Linda Hall

Sun spots

UNIVERSITIES and tech companies will receive £4.3 million (€5 million) in funding from the government to develop spacebased solar power, which collects energy from the sun using satellite­mounted panels and beams it to Earth. The scheme has huge potential, Energy Security Secretary, Grant Shapps, said.

Shanghai deal

GRIFOLS, Catalonia ­ based multinational pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturer, is taking steps to reduce its debt with a corporate manoeuvre within the Chinese company, Shanghai RAAS. If the transaction goes ahead, Grifols will receive $1.5 billion (€1.4 billion) while remaining ‘a significant’ Shanghai RAAS shareholder.

Shell payout

SHELL intends to boost its dividends by 15 per cent as part of the company’s plans to hand back more cash to its shareholders under its new chief executive Wael Sawan. Shell has told investors that the dividend increase would become effective from the second quarter of its financial year.

No vote

PORTUGUESE company Western Gate, with a 2.18 per cent stake in the Dia supermarket chain, will vote against Benjamin Babcock as a major shareholder­director representing LetterOne, which owns 77 per cent of the company. Minority shareholders should have more weight on Dia’s board, Western Gate said.

Not the same

FREETRADE, the investment app, has slashed its pre­money valuation by 65 per cent while blaming current conditions and a “different market environment.” Freetrade’s valuation rose to £650 million (€760 million) during the pandemic, but the company announced that it has since fallen to £225 million (€263 million).

THE UK economy recovered from the impact of strikes and returned to growth in April. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) registered a 0.2 per cent upturn owing to increased car sales and more spending in shops, bars and restaurants.

Growth over the first quarter increased by 0.1 per cent.

“Gross domestic product (GDP) bounced back after a weak March,” announced Darren Morgan, ONS’ director of Economic Statistics.

Bars and pubs had a comparatively strong April while car sales rebounded. Education partially recovered from the effect of the previ­

STAT OF WEEK €649 million

was the record turnover figure which Ayesa, the Sevilla-based IT consultancy firm, announced for 2022, a 130 per cent increase on 2021 following a year that included several acquisitions.

Networks merge The road to recovery

4.5 per cent.

Analysts explained the regulator is concerned that core inflation, which does not cover energy and food, remains stubbornly high.

VODAFONE and the owner of Three will merge their British networks to create the UK’s largest mobile phone operator.

ous month’s industrial action, he said, although health output was affected by the junior doctors’ strikes.

“There were also falls in computer manufacturing and the often­erratic pharmaceuticals industry,” Morgan added.

April was a poor month

HAWALA has existed for centuries as an informal method for transferring money.

“It is used to transfer funds from one location to another through service providers, known as hawaladar, regardless of the nature of the transaction and the countries involved,” according to an International Monetary Fund report.

Requiring no documentation, it is an anonymous way of moving money in Muslim communities in the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa and India although its use is not limited to Muslims.

Illegal in the US, and some EU member nations, the practice is allowed in the UK, where the hawala system must comply with regulations set in England

More Waitrose reductions

WAITROSE has invested £100 million (€116.9 million) in lowering the price of its own­brand range.

After cutting the prices of more than 300 items in February, the supermarket chain has reduced another 200 products as it competes with cheaper rivals like Aldi and Lidl.

More than 100 items have been slashed by at least 10 per cent, Waitrose announced, as it hopes to woo shoppers looking out for bargains.

“We want customers to benefit every time they shop with us,” Charlotte Di Cello, Waitrose’s commercial director said.

for house builders and estate agents, under pressure from rising interest rates and falling property values, the ONS report revealed.

The latest ONS figures coincided with the certainty that the Bank of England was about to hike interest rates for the 13th time in succession from its current

The UK’s Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said he backed the Bank over increased interest rates, and the country was in a situation very different from last autumn’s.

“The International Monetary Fund, the international commentators, think the British economy is on the right track and the government is doing the right thing to support the Bank of England.”

Old custom, new uses

minimal documentation make it vulnerable to abuse by individuals and groups transferring funds to finance illegal activities.

Misuse of the system has been linked to the financing of terrorism and money­laundering, although it is also used to bypass sanctions against Iran.

The companies are the UK’s third­ and fourth­biggest operators respectively and, once the merger is completed, will have more than 27 million subscribers between them. This will put them ahead of EE, owned by BT, and Virgin Media O2, jointly owned by Spain’s Telefonica and the US­listed company Liberty Global.

The deal will be closely examined by competition regulators, although the UK’s telecommunications’ regulator, Ofcom, announced last year that it was less opposed to consolidating the sector than in the past.

Mega-station

DIF has announced a €514.3 million contract connecting the highspeed networks linking northern and southern Spain.

The project will create a huge Madrid station with terminals in Chamartín and Atocha connected by a tunnel, explained the stateowned company which maintains and manages Spain’s rail networks.

HAWALA: Exact scale unknown, said EC’s Executive vice-president Valdis Dombrowskis.

and Wales, register with HMRC and comply with UK money laundering. Although routinely used by legitimate businesses, hawala’s anonymity and

Everest not climbed

CARMINE DI SIBIO, global chief executive at Ernst & Young (EY) will retire next year.

Di Sibio, aged 60, was responsible for Project Everest, a plan to separate the consultancy and audit divisions of the Londonbased company, which was scuppered by EY’s New York office.

This would have involved spinning off EY’s consulting arm and listing it on the stock market, bringing multimillion­dollar windfalls to the firm’s partners.

The initiative cost more than $600 million (€554.2 million) but Di Sibio still maintains that the deal was necessary to free consultants from conflict­of­interest rules that restricted them from advising audit clients.

Di Sibio will not step down immediately, he said, but would oversee the organisation through a transition period lasting until the end of the next financial year in June 2024.

Valdis Dombrowskis, the European Commission’s Executive vice­president admitted in 2020 the hawala system was regarded as a matter for concern.

“Its exact scale in the EU is unknown,” he said. “Tracing the value flow is virtually impossible for law enforcement agencies.”

Far reaching

LEADING aerostructures company

Aernnova is taking part in building the new Honda Jet 2600.

The Basque company will design the aircraft’s wings and their components, including the flaps, ailerons, the spoilers that open during landings, and the empennage or tail fin.

The Honda Jet 2600 takes its name from the aircraft’s range target of 2,625 nautical miles (approximately 4,861 kilometres) and is designed to be the world’s first light jet capable of non­stop transcontinental flight across the United States.

Honda plans to market the aircraft, which will have seating for 10 passengers and cost between $11 and $13 million (€10.1 and €12 million), in 2026.

The project will ensure maximum capacity for the second phase of Spain’s rail liberalisation, providing Atocha with four new tracks and two platforms under the existing station and Calle Mendez Avaro.

This will connect with the new high­speed southern access ­ operational since July 2022 ­ and allow trains to stop at either Chamartin or Atocha.

Bending rules

ANTONIO GARAMENDI, the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations (CEOE) president, allegedly wants to lift restrictions on the number of terms a president may serve.

When re­elected in November, Garamendi was adamant changes to the statutes, were “out of the question.” Seven months later, however, Garamendi has met the CEOE’s vice­presidents to discuss altering the rules and “modernising” the election process.

All involved insisted any modifications were at an early stage and would first need to be discussed at the June board meeting and the General Assembly in July.

ONS HQ: UK’s Statistics Office, based in Newport (Wales).

Photo credit: ONS

Photo credit: audiovisual.ec.europa.eu

DOW JONES

Top changes

SANTANDER, which is currently renewing its top executives in Europe, announced the appointment of Pedro Castro e Almeida, until now chief executive of Santander Portugal, as its new Regional Head of Europe. He takes over on September 1 from Antonio Simões, who is leaving the bank to join the British insurer Legal & General.

Football fund

TWENTY top­flight UK football clubs were consulted over making permanent a funding package that was set up during the pandemic. Sources revealed the government proposed to increase the existing £100m (€116.7m) allocation for grassroots, community and other football projects to £133m (€155.2m), subject to future increases in Premier League revenue.

No good options to hand

LEADING market analysts at CMC Markets hardly predicted a wave of cheerful news after UK inflation failed to fall as low as hoped.

The latest Ofgem price cap changed little for household bills, they pointed out, but the end of the two government schemes helped to lower inflation.

Experts at CMC, a leading global provider of online financial trading and institutional technology solutions, foresaw a further squeeze

Zara soars high

INDITEX shares have shot up since the textile giant, which owns Zara and other fashion labels, presented record quarterly figures on June 7.

The shares went above €34 for the first time in six years and now approach their all­time high of €34.85 in June 2017

On June 14 they stood at €34.21, an increase of 7.5 per cent following Inditex’s

quarterly figures, giving the company a value of €106.6 billion.

According to financial daily Cinco Dias, 65.7 per cent of investment and trading analysts recommend buying Inditex now. A further 28.6 per cent advised those who already had shares to hang on to them, while just 5.7 per cent said they should sell.

Riders law

on consumers and a possible rise in the base rate.

Nor did they rule out a recession like Germany’s, with reduced household and business expenditure, reduced demand for debt, and a rise in unemployment.

“We already know from the Kantar grocery numbers earlier that food inflation is slowing down. In May, it came in at 17.2 per cent, but the process looks increasingly glacial,” said Michael Hewson, CMC Markets’ chief market analyst.

“For now, the central bank is in the invidious position of having no good options,” he declared.

“Do nothing and inflation will take longer to work its way out of the system, squeezing consumers further. Raise by 0.25 percentage points to show they are trying to do something,” Hewson said. “Or be more aggressive and push the economy into recession.”

THE majority of Labour Ministers from the EU’s 27 member states voted in favour of a directive setting out the working conditions for the food delivery and other riders employed by digital platforms. Spain abstained, as Yolanda Diaz, who is also second vice­president, considered that the new measures were insufficient and were “difficult to understand in democratic terms.”

Export fiasco

FIGURES from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) revealed that the UK’s goods and services exports had a value of $813 billion (€756 billion) in 2012 but rose only 6 per cent by 2021. Overall, the EU’s 27 member enjoyed a 29.1 per cent increase in the value of their exports during the same period.

UK REGULATOR: Tricky choices for Bank of England.

Photo credit: CC/Colin Smith

Stoked up

NATIONAL GRID is in talks with power generation group Drax over bringing two coal­fired units at its Selby (North Yorkshire) plant out of retirement. ESO, the grid’s system operator, has discussed restarting the units, shut down this year after 50 years of coal­fired power generation, to prevent power cuts in winter.

Prove it

SPAIN’S Supreme Court ruled temporary public­sector employees who are not covered by the 2021 Employment Stability Act and sacked after working for several years, are not automatically entitled to compensation. Instead, they must demonstrate that dismissal has caused them significant ‘moral or financial’ damage.

Pigging out

SWIZZELS, which also makes Refreshers and Parma Violets, will redesign the Pig Mugs it has sold since 1996, after M &S argued they were too similar to their own product. M & S sells 271 bags a minute of Percy Pig fruit gums since their 1993 launch, generating a £131.7 million (€153.9m) turnover since then.

Des res

ANA GAMAZO HOHENLO­

HE, who is the wife of Juan Abello, one of Spain’s richest businessmen, intends to sell one of her properties in Calle Padilla in Madrid’s Salamanca district, equivalent to London’s Mayfair. The sale of the 8,500sqm five­storey building is expected to raise around €80 million.

Ashes to ashes

ALASDAIR WARREN, WE Soda’s chief executive, said New York could eventually be a “credible alternative” for a stock market flotation. The world’s principal natural soda ash producer abandoned plans to list in London, claiming valuations were “unrealistically low.”

More HORSEpower for Madrid

HORSE, the new Renault company, will be based in Madrid.

Romania, which produces the Dacia range, was competing with Spain to be chosen by the joint venture initiative between Renault and the Chinese automotive company Geely. Instead, the June 14 announcement has underlined Renault’s commitment to Spain, its second­most important industrial hub after France.

The new company, Horse, will focus on developing internal combustion engines, hybrids and new technologies including e­fuels, although the announcement will not have immediate investment repercussions.

Nevertheless, the presence of Horse in Madrid will put Spain at an advantage regarding decision­making by a company that foresees an annu­

al turnover of €15 billion for its 15 production plants worldwide.

Renault’s currently operates a gearbox factory in Sevilla and an engine factory in Valladolid, both of

Letting go

which will become Horse assets.

While the future Renault spinoff Ampere will focus on electric vehicles, Horse represents Renault’s endeavours to continue producing combustion engine vehicles using less polluting technologies both in Europe and outside it.

The company believes that synthetic fuels will prolong the combustion engine’s life inside Europe, although the European Commission is banning the sale of polluting vehicles, including hybrids, from 2035 onwards.

While Italy totally opposes the ban, Germany is calling for an exemption for vehicles that use climate­neutral synthetic fuels, although at present these are exceptionally expensive compared with petrol or diesel.

Inflation’s toll on salaries

PAY in the UK has fallen once it has been adjusted for inflation, even though most salaries have increased.

Global employee pay company, CloudPay, warned that more sustainable benefits packages needed to be adopted to offset this problem.

“It’s clear that the rising cost of living is continuing to put significant pressure on businesses as staff and potential recruits seek higher pay packages in what remains a tough economic climate,” CloudPay’s John Pearce said.

Inflation had created a scenario where salary rises were having little or no impact on household budgets and firms seemingly faced an unsustainable level of demand for more increases, he added.

“The challenge, of course, is that employers are already struggling with skills shortages, meaning that many are having to use pay inflation as an attraction and retention tool,” Pearce said said.

“But this can only be sustained for so long and businesses will need to find an alternative soon,” he warned.

Benefits packages, which were more cost­effective long­term for businesses, would be increas­

SPANISH engineering and construction company Elecnor will cede a controlling interest in its wind power subsidiary, Enerfín.

It no longer seeks a financial partner to take a ‘relevant but not majority stake’ in Enerfin, as it did a year ago.

Until now Elecnor has been able to finance growth and pay shareholders dividends of €31 million last year and €29 million in 2021, but now requires more cash to maintain commitments.

Parallel to the Enerfin operation, Elecnor, worth an estimated €1 billion, has launched a new programme to place €400 million in promissory notes. This will finance multiple projects in Spain and internationally, the company announced.

Top secret

ingly relied on, CloudPay foresaw.

“That includes flexibility around pay solutions allowing individuals to control when and how often they access their pay to help mitigate against some of the budget challenges that the UK population is facing,” Pearce said.

5G comes in to land

AIRPORTS group Aena and Cellnex Telecom are launching the first private network based on 5G technology at Spanish airports.

The pilot project at San Sebastian airport in the north of Spain is one of the first at a European airport, Aena announced.

The agreement with Aena will takes Cellnex a step

forward in developing a strategy based on organic growth within the company rather than the multi­million acquisition of telecommunications infrastructure it has made recent years.

Aena regards 5G as a key technology in its digital transformation process, a source at the state­owned company explained.

THE UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has rebuked Sainsbury’s and Asda for irregular land agreements that hindered rival chains from opening up nearby.

It had found a total of 32 examples where the chains had placed restrictions on land agreements which, the regulator said, were anti­competitive.

Sainsbury’s and Asda respectively hold the second and third highest market shares in the UK, but both had breached the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010, the CMA said.

This had been brought in precisely to

Connectivity at its airports has existed for years, but the new technology would enable the development of applications in important fields, Aena said.

These included the advancement of the internet of things (IoT), which connects and exchanges data with other devices and systems via the internet.

Big players’ stitch-up

stop supermarkets imposing new restrictions to stop rivals from opening competing stores nearby.

“By ensuring that supermarkets can compete freely, the CMA is ensuring that shoppers have more choice and so benefit from a wider range of groceries and access to cheaper prices,” the watchdog said.

TUFAN ERGINBILGIC, chief executive who took over £12 billion (€14 billion) engineering company RollsRoyce in January, has joint British and Turkish citizenship.

Owing to his dual nationality, Erginbilgic cannot access top secret UK government documents relating to its submarines business, RollsRoyce sources told the Guardian Rolls­Royce’s submarines division builds the nuclear reactors powering Britain’s submarines, including the Vanguard armed with nuclear warheads, and Whitehall security protocols prevent him from viewing ‘UK eyes only’ documents.

Chris Cholerton, the group’s president since March, has instead been given responsibility for handling sensitive information.

Pilot scheme

SPAIN’S BBVA bank is trialling a scheme to close less­used urban branches for two or three days each week.

This does not affect staff, who provide support for busier branches in the same locality, BBVA sources explained.

The pilot scheme is currently operating at 12 branches in Valencia, according to unions quoted in financial daily, Expansion.

The bank ‘constantly’ tries out new projects, it insisted, adding that the current trial did not entail staff reductions or branch closures. Neither did it mean that BBVA would leave more towns in future.

RENAULT HORSE: Madrid, CEO Luca de Meo announced.

PAY INFLATION: More pressure on businesses and staff.

Photo credit: Pixabay/Joergalman

I HAVE never trusted the SNP. Because I retain quite a number of Scottish friends I have always kept my views pretty much to myself.

Many rather agreed to the quest for independence and despite the fact I would have simply hated to have seen the rebuilding of Hadrian’s Wall and Lord knows how many rules and regulations, including border passport control, a change in currency and a slow decline into oblivion as they endeavoured to rejoin the EU, I always respected their opinions and ideas for an independent Scotland.

To me Scotland will always be independent. To have this glorious country for a partner has always instilled a great deal or pride into the ol boys psyche. Touring and appearing all over, including the notorious Glasgow Empire, has always granted me lifelong wonderful memories.

In my opinion all the SNP were after was control. Nothing they ever did was beneficial to the people of Scotland. All they are truly interested in, is the power and financial gain Scottish independence would bring them. For

Not trusted

15 years they’ve achieved precisely nothing. The Royal Hospital opened nine years late and cost the taxpayer £23 million. Drug deaths have tripled. The NHS maintenance backlog is over £1.3 billion.

The SNP tax rises mean the Scots pay more income tax than any other part of the UK. They are wasting over £8 million a year employing 52 members of staff in overseas offices. They have spent £7 million on government car services with a fleet of chauffer driven cars at their disposal and between 2020 ­ 21 spent over £1.3 million on car trips. They attempted to cover up their loss of a £10 billion Chinese investment. Crime rates are rocketing. I don’t really need to go on.

They are all power mad crooks. Sturgeon’s resignation, in the middle of her ambitions and promise to continue the fight for independence to her last breath, was almost unbelievably suspicious and now with half of her cabinet hurriedly resigned and both she and her husband arrested and questioned, this whole affair

TRAIN STRAIN OUR VIEW

looks like becoming the scandal of the century. The idea of Sturgeon in prison uniform waiting for her dinner in line with fellow female prisoners simply defies the imagination! Welcome back Scotland. The only country in the world I never purchased a brandy ­ not with all that wonderful whisky available.

I’m just trying to take in the reports of the horrendous slaying of the two young students and caretaker of the Nottingham University. Repetitively, as usual, the woke inveigled immigrant authorities are attempting to rule out terrorist connections.

At the time of writing I have no idea of the final decision, but can once again assure all of them that the UK is now impregnated with thousands of these people, all waiting for the call to arms. Heaven help the plunder of the innocents when that time arrives. Which, unless they rid themselves of woke diversity doctrine, most surely will.

Keep the faith. Love Leapy.

leapylee2002@gmail.com

IT seems quite incredible that with the Costa del Sol being such a major tourist attraction there is no way to travel by train from Fuengirola to anywhere along the western coast.

As Spain takes advantage of so much European Funding and is expected to persuade travellers to move out of their cars and use public transport as much as possible there is just no way of catching a train.

There are more and more relatively low cost connections from Malaga City to Cordoba, Madrid and Sevilla, as well as Granada, but apart from a short route to Velez­Malaga nothing east to Axarquia and of course nothing past Fuengirola heading west.

For decades there have been calls to at least extend the suburban rail link to Marbella, if not Estepona, but it seems unlikely that this will ever happen.

The problems of course are three­fold, firstly the cost, secondly the need to take over huge amounts of land currently in private hands and thirdly the time it would take to complete such an operation.

Good news for taxi drivers, the ubiquitous private hire companies and car rentals, but this is not going to help reduce pollution or the number of vehicles currently clogging up the main roads and making parking an often impossible task made worse by those who park on pavements or double park. There are of course bus services, but they can be quite a slog for even the most hardened holidaymaker, often laden down with baggage and maybe a baby carriage and young child.

The same need exists across much of the nation but it’s probably too late to do anything about it.

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

NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS

EVER thought of writing a novel? I’m often asked what it’s really like, so here goes...

Writing novels, a whimsical journey filled with unexpected twists and turns, offers both great benefits but mind­boggling challenges. It’s a wild ride that can be controversial and, at times, downright off­the­wall.

One of its greatest perks is the power to fashion extraordinary worlds out of thin air. You can create realms where pigs fly, people can communicate with plants and gravity decides to take a day off. The boundless freedom to construct unique landscapes and bend reality to your will is like having a backstage pass to the circus of your imagination.

Yet, lurking in the shadows are challenges that would make Sisyphus rethink his boulder­pushing gig. Writer’s block, the bane of your existence, strikes when inspiration is but a distant memory. Your characters may be waiting with bated breath, but your creative juices have gone AWOL. Overcoming this tormenting challenge can be as elusive as finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Creating characters is like playing matchmaker with bits of your own personality, sprinkled with a dash of chaos. As a novelist,

THE WRITE STUFF - THE CHALLENGES OF WRITING A NOVEL

greatest critics. Writing novels grants you the extraordinary ability to create characters that are often far more interesting than the people you encounter in real life!

However, be warned! These great characters often develop a mind of their own. They might hijack the plot, taking it in directions you never intended. They’ll insist on having longwinded conversations or make decisions that leave you scratching your head in bewilderment. Trying to rein them in and keep them on track can feel like herding caffeinated cats.

Novels provide a welcome escape from the mundane realities of life. They whisk readers away on a journey, allowing them to engage with fictional heroes and solve convoluted plots. As a novelist, you have the power to create this captivating escape for others, offering them a much­needed respite from the current cost­of­living crisis.

ing to navigate a particularly treacherous maze blindfolded. Every sentence, every paragraph, every page becomes a battleground to get it right.

Writing novels is a bittersweet experience that brings both benefits and challenges. From the thrill of crafting extraordinary worlds and breathing life into characters to the struggle against writer’s block and the torment of editing, the journey of a novelist is wild, controversial and occasionally downright off­thewall.

So, dear aspiring novelists, embrace the chaos, savour the perks and buckle up for the exhilarating rollercoaster ride that awaits you! Who knows? You may just create the next great literary sensation or, at the very least, provide your friends with endless amusement when they discover your unfinished manuscripts buried in a drawer years later...

you get to breathe life into these figments of your imagination, making them walk, talk and embark on adventures. They become your mates, your confidants and occasionally your

They make it easy!

I KNOW I’m a grumpy old sod but the world around me don’t half make it easy.

I have written about my car before and people spoke to me and said it was something that ticked them off too. But this one has given me the serious hump.

I got in my car after being away for two weeks and two warning lights came on, one saying ‘code 82’ and the other was a filter light. So having three years warranty and three years free servicing, I wasn’t too worried. I looked up ‘code 82’ in the hand book and it just said ‘change oil soon’. I thought that was strange as I’ve only done 18,000 miles in two and a half years.

I take it to my local garage where I purchased the car but who now don’t sell them as Chevrolet has pulled out of Europe. The mechanic then proceeds to tell me I’ve been driving the car wrong and it’s all my fault and it’s not covered by god knows how many warranties I have on the car.

What? How can I be driving it wrong? It’s a

fully automatic turbo diesel and, for your information young man, I’ve been driving for 50 years and never had an accident! What came next left me flabbergasted like never before. He says I can’t turn the engine off; I mustn’t drive it out of the garage because if I do and I quote ‘you will break the engine. We have to change the engine oil immediately!’

Wait - it gets better. He asks me if when I stop, the engine fan carries on after I turn the engine off? “Yes, it does sometimes”. “Oh. Well if it does, start it up again and take it for a run getting it up over 3000 rpm”. “Are you loco?”

“I’ve just got home why would I want to go out again?” “You have to take the car to Malaga once a week reaching 4000rpm. Don’t use the automatic gearbox.” “Whoa, whoa hombre, what are you talking about?

Why on earth would I want to do that?” “Because these cars, and many others, have this problem with big diesel engines.” I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing. That just doesn’t make any sense that the car I paid extra for to have an automatic gearbox I have to drive manually, at speeds that break the law, to a place I don’t want to go to at least once a week! “Oh and it’s going to cost you €207 too.”

I now have to phone GM Europe and find out exactly what’s going on because surely this can’t be right. I’ll let you know!

But once the final word’s been written, the editing process rears its head. It’s a necessary evil that requires a sharp eye, merciless red ink and the willingness to murder the characters you’ve been ‘living’ with for ages. Revising and refining your manuscript can feel like try­

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.

Wine friend summer

LOUIE ON WINE

Article by Louie Rodrigues

WHILST most are preparing for their Hot Girl Summer ­ becoming the healthiest, happiest version of yourself ­ I’ve been focusing on something a little, well, different. I’m prepping for my Wine Friend Summer (WFS). Having just moved to Spain, this will be my first WFS here, and it’s essential I do some prep.

So what is a WFS? Well, it’s being the friend who’s always good for a wine recommendation, the friend you want to pick the wine for your special occasion, the friend you ask to try the wine at a restaurant: that friend, is me.

The prep list:

You need at least three obscure wine references. Telling the truth is optional.

Example:

If you like this, I’ll ship over a bottle of my favourite, this is nothing compared. Oh, there’s no way you’ve had it, it’s made by monks. I actually helped press the latest vintage, with my feet.

Tasting notes that are hard to disprove:

Oh, this brings me right back to the grass my auntie’s summerhouse in the south of France, on a day three cut.

Stock of a good quality wine that you can whip out of every party invite:

My favourites right now are absolutely anything from Recaredo. Miranius from their Cellar Credo range is a party pleaser.

And knowledge:

Channel your inner master of wine and give the movie ‘Somm’ a watch. You’ll soon be smelling fresh tennis balls and wet forest floor in every glass.

Watch out summer, hear I come. Or here WE come.

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

NORA’S LATEST THRILLER.

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

Pagan Spain II

LINDA HALL

SPAIN’S biggest celebrations often coincide ­ not entirely by chance ­ with a solstice or equinox.

Valencia’s Fallas are ostensibly burnt in honour of San Jose whose feast­day falls on March 19 near the spring equinox. In Alicante City you have Hogueras on June 24, San Juan’s day, and midsummer as near as dammit, so there is a pagan pedigree too.

Bonfires were always lit in the city and the surrounding countryside on June 24 when pieces of wood and anything that no longer served a useful purpose went up in flames.

Hogueras only left their humble beginnings behind and entered the big time in the 1920s, when Alicante businessmen decided to upgrade them into a Fallas rival.

Meanwhile San Juan bonfires were always lit throughout Spain, often on beaches but also where you wouldn’t expect to find them.

That happened in the small square where I live in inland Valencia Province

A medical emergency

when San Juan fell on a Saturday, a working day for me but nobody else.

The jollity began mid ­ morning as people ate and drank their way through industrial quantities of food and alcohol, accompanied by the usual thumping music until late.

It was the last straw when they started hammering away at something and I could hear them breaking up what sounded like wooden pallets.

The shutters were halfway closed and I couldn’t be bothered to investigate even though there was a great deal of shouting. I had been subjected to shouting all day, since silence is a vacuum that people in this part of Spain feel obliged to fill, and it was pointless to look for its source.

That was when I heard a dulzaina, a kind of recorder, and glimpsed a flicker of flames through the shutters. Opening them I saw my neighbours walking with linked hands round a small bonfire.

And yes, some of the younger men did jump over the flames, although at its outer edge, not the centre. Nothing organised, nothing bigtime, just pagan and Christian Spain together.

THE British Benevolent Fund was founded over a century ago to provide assistance for UK nationals in Spain facing extreme financial hardshipwhether resident, visiting or in between. Over the weekend the BBF was alerted to a case of a young man of 28 who suffered a medical emergency whilst on a trip to Benidorm with his friends.

A medical emergency that is continuing to this day.

Jack was taken to A&E after he had collapsed on a night out.

He is Type 1 diabetic.

The initial diagnosis was that he had collapsed due to extremely low blood glucose and admitted to ICU.

He needed a tracheotomy and feeding tube. He had seizures and swelling of the brain and was moved to a specialist traumatology ward where the doctors concluded he had most likely also suffered brain damage.

At one point the doctors were contemplating the worst.

But Jack’s time is not yet. Jack cannot travel yet but he needs to be returned home to receive ongoing treatment and care.

It is likely that his life will be significantly impaired even with the best care.

His parents came over straight away and visit him as much as they are allowed.

They cannot stay indefinitely. Their insurance company will not cover the cost of Jack’s repatriation because he did not declare his condition.

The family have set up a crowdfunding page and we are working with the consulate and our partner charity Help Benidorm to get Jack home.

It’s a lot of money.

A private medical flight is a king’s ransom ­ but there is no other way of getting him home. The BBF is supporting Jack’s family to our best ability ­ we can only do this with your support and donations that allow for people who have to face the worst that life can throw them alone ­ Jack is one of many who need all our help.

If you would like to support our work, please visit www.britishbenevolentfund.o rg to make a donation. Thank you, Olaf Clayton, Chair BBF.

NEATER HEATER WANT ‘SQUIRRELS’ AS CUSTOMERS

RICHARD and Tony from NEATER HEATER are urging all our readers to start prepar ing for next winter now. “We really want people to imitate squirrels,” said Tony “As we know; all the other woodland creatures just laze about in the summer, relaxing.

“So when the winter comes they have to furi ously compete with each other for the scraps left over or hide away and hibernate, waiting for next summer.

But not the squirrels! Squirrels plan for the winter by hoarding nuts, berries and seeds in the summer, so when winter comes they are well pre pared for it, and are able to

be.

enjoy themselves on those nice bright winter days when the sun does come out. They are obviously the wisest creatures in the wood. And that is what we want our customers to be.”

“What Tony is trying to say” interjected Richard, “is that when winter finally arrives in Spain, northern Europe has been cold for months. This means that Chilly Czechs, Frozen Fins and Shivering Swedes have been stripping the shelves for months. Every year we have panicking customers calling us in Decem ­

ber, desperate to have heaters supplied and fitted by Christmas. Frequently these customers have to compromise on their choice, or be put at the back of a long queue.

Every year we think to ourselves ­ ‘It’s a shame you didn’t order them in the summer when we had loads of them in stock and, equally as important, the time to process the orders’.”

NEATER HEATER is the sole Spanish distributor for BEHA and ADAX NEO convector heaters. We currently have more stock than ever before at various locations, just waiting for the ‘squirrels’. Please feel free to call us on 634 312 171 for more information, or visit our web site www.neaterheater.es , or email info@neaterheater.es.

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

SQUIRRELS: Are well prepared for the winter during the summer and so should you

Jack Stone.

Spanish beaches LETTERS

I lived for almost 10 years close to Nerja in southern Spain where the beaches were supposed to be safe as it is an upmarket tourist spot. Raw sewage was pumped directly into the water as the local authorities had not finished building the waste treatment plant, even though they had been allocated the money to do so. The EU fined them thousands of euros yet it still didn’t get completed. That is only one instance reported whilst I was living there, as another previously named blue flag beach was at Caleta and Torre del Mar, yet it was reported the mussel farms had to be closed because the sea water was contaminated.

Alan

Cooks warning

You wrote: Neither meat nor fish should be washed and do not need any additional treatment such as washing. You have no clue what you are talking about. Even the Spanish health authority mandatory classes for restaurant workers tell you to wash all fresh meat in water (no soap) before cooking, to remove bone fragments and specks of fecal matter. As long as proper kitchen cleanliness rules are followed, there is little chance of cross contamination.

Ernst Tibres

Thank you

Editor’s letter

We thank you and everyone who spoke about our cause and supported us, and we hope that everyone will stand with us because there is a humanitarian issue that must be highlighted and that the detainees of the Religion of Peace and AlNour Al ­ Ahmadi detainees in Turkey be immediately released and this tragic file be ended as quickly as possible.

Shadi Mahdi

Sad subject

Thank you so much Euro Weekly News for cover up on this sad subject in the injustice, torture and violation of human rights, it is a criminal act against humanity and we hope that human rights organisations will intervene immediately and save the lives of innocent people.

Nesrin

A better world

Hey, Euro Weekly News it’s so amazing to see a beating heart behind a news report. We thank you for collaborating with humanity and making this world a better world just by bringing to light important

matters that otherwise have no voice and are shouting at every second “help!” and “injustice!” Thank you.

Veronica

Short flights

Agree with Alexander, this is just headlining actions without real facts and data. Are they going to keep prices low and services as at least equal to flying, no stop changes and in some cases longer travel times?

DJH

Vaccine passports

This is another attempt at a controlling mechanism. It is quite clear from the Covid era that none of the so called ‘vaccines stopped or prevented transmission’, and were there for monitoring and control purposes. People are now aware of this overwatch mentality under the guise of ‘Virus control’. Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me!

Mark

Very fair

Dear Sir,

Not one for usually adding comment to newspaper articles, I would just like to thank you for your recent article Leapy.

Absolutely fantastic piece to which I concur 100 per cent and written in such a frank, common sense and experienced tone and yet very fair.

It is rare these days to hear a voice that reflects mine and my wife’s view, as we become more ignored by the powers that be in the UK or Spain.

Thank you once again and continue your wonderful articles. Keep up the good work and keep the faith : )

Steve (60 years) Jalon, Marina Alta and Leeds UK

San Juan

Having bonfire night and fireworks so near the summer solstice is pretty silly. Much better to have them at a time when it gets dark earlier, so that you can enjoy the fireworks and then still get a good night’s sleep. November is much better.

Joe

Flamingo colony

Tell them to come to our salt water lagoon near Obidos, Portugal. It’s the biggest salt water lagoon in Europe and it’s fed by the Atlantic so never dries up.

David Goulty

PETS

Dog-sitters come to your home

YOU may be planning a trip this summer and thinking about how to find dog­sitters who come to your home. Well we can help. We have dog­sitters and house­sitters who love to come to Spain to care for your pets as part of their working holiday in exchange for free accommodation.

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.

Revolutionary injection

Catherine McGeer

Sometimes our dogs need to be cared in their own home.

How does it work?

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

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

How do you join?

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

BRAIN games for dogs are a fantastic way to mentally stimulate and entertain your furry friend. Dogs, like humans, benefit from exercises that challenge their minds. Here are some engaging brain games that will help keep your dog’s cognitive abilities sharp.

Treat­dispensing toys are a popular choice for interactive

Pawsome puzzlers

play. These toys require your dog to solve a puzzle to access the hidden treats inside. By engaging their problem­solving skills, dogs remain focused, stimulated, and rewarded for their efforts.

Hide­and­Seek, this classic game is perfect for dogs with

a strong sense of smell. Hide treats or favourite toys in different spots around your home or back garden, and encourage your dog to find them. It’s a great way to exercise their scent­tracking abilities and provide a mental challenge.

Incorporating brain games into your dog’s routine is a wonderful way to keep them mentally sharp and entertained. Whether it’s solving puzzles, searching for hidden treats, or playing interactive games, these activities provide a fun and engaging experience that strengthens the bond between you and your furry companion.

CAT sterilisation is widely recommended by veterinarians and animal welfare organisations as a responsible approach to cat care, population control, and promoting the well ­ being of both individual cats and the community as a whole. For this reason, veterinarians recommend sterilising cats to improve living conditions and prevent certain health issues associated with uncontrolled reproduction.

The CER method (capture, sterilisation, and return) is commonly used to manage cat colonies and prevent overcrowding. A recent study published in Nature Communications introduced a new injection developed in the United States for sterilising female cats.

RESPONSIBLE: Injection initiative safer and kinder.

The injection delivers a hormone called anti­Müllerian hormone (AMH) that inhibits ovulation and prevents pregnancy.

The study involved nine female cats, with six receiving the treatment and three serving as a control group.

The initial results showed the method’s effectiveness without any observed side effects after four years.

While there may still

be considerations and further research needed, the injection method for sterilising cats shows potential as a positive step towards improving the welfare of domestic cats and those in colonies.

The use of injections is seen as preferable to invasive surgeries with open wounds, especially when considering the subsequent release of cats into the environment.

Fur-bidden mess

LIVING with pets brings immense joy and companionship, but it also comes with the inevitable challenge of dealing with pet hair.

Whether you have a lovable dog or a cuddly cat, the sight of their hair scattered around the house can be a bit overwhelming. However, fret not we will discover the tricks to effectively clean the hair that our beloved pets leave behind. One of the most effective ways to combat pet hair buildup is through regular grooming sessions.

Depending on the type of pet you have, establish a

PET HAIR: Keep your home clean and fur-free.

grooming routine that includes brushing or combing their fur. This not only helps to remove loose hair before it has a chance to scatter around the house, but also promotes healthy skin and reduces shedding.

To efficiently tackle pet hair, it’s essential to invest in the right tools. Consider purchasing a high ­ quality pet brush or de ­ shedding tool that suits your pet’s coat type. Additionally, lint rollers and vacuum cleaners with pet­specific attachments can be helpful.

To prevent pet hair from

embedding itself deep into upholstery and bedding, consider using protective covers or throws. These covers are easy to remove and wash, making it simple to keep your furniture and bedding free from pet hair.

Living with pets doesn’t mean you have to surrender to the constant battle against pet hair. Remember, regular grooming, investing in the right tools, and maintaining a cleaning routine are key to keeping your living space clean and comfortable for both you and your furry friend.

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Abarth 595 is a characterful gem!

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack

ICONIC is a very overused word but particularly in regards to cars. However, there are a few cars that can genuinely claim to be iconic and the Fiat 500 is certainly one of them. In its modern incarnation, like BMW’s MINI, it is heritage reborn and continues to be a huge success for Fiat. It is hard to believe it has been around since 2008 and in Abarth form is a particularly fun drive. It’s not especially fast, but really emphasises that cars don’t need to be fast to be fun.

Priced from €27,251/ £23,225 the Abarth 595 line­up is all powered by a 1.4 ­ litre turbocharged petrol engine driving the front wheels through either a manual or CVT automatic gearbox. There’s a firm but still comfortable ride with the benefit of confident

cornering across more twisting roads. The petrol powerplant offers two power outputs, 165 hp or 180 hp, and compromis es of the 595, 695 and 500e all­electric, with both saloon and cabrio versions in the line ­ up. The Abarth 500e will take you 164 miles on a single charge, so not long­distance ma terial, but a strik ing commuter car.

The lead ­ in 595

Facts at a Glance

• Model: Abarth 595

• Price: €27,251/£23,225

• Engine: 1.4 T-Jet turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol developing 165 hp

• Gears: 5-speed manual

• Performance: 0-100 kph (62 mph) Petrol 7.3 secs

• Maximum Speed: Petrol 217 kph (135 mph)

• Economy: Petrol 5.8 l/100km (40 mpg) WLTP

• Emissions: 158 g/km WLTP Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.

ABARTH 595: This is one I was very sorry to hand back.

offers standard fare such as dual ­ drive electric power steering with a sports function and fabric sports seats. Also present is air conditioning, Bluetooth, Car Play, Android Auto, front seat height adjustment, auto lights and wipers, rear parking sensors and powered and heated door mirrors and 16 ­ inch alloy wheels.

Where the 595 shows its age is in terms of practicality with a small boot and only three doors. Huge fun on cross country roads and

easy round town, things are not so settled on major A roads or motorways. It tends to be a bit noisy with a drone from tyre noise. Although it has been recently tweaked these are tweaks rather than a major overhaul to its design. Therefore, it may be beaten by competitors in terms of practicality and equipment, but the Abarth has a character lacking in more mainstream rivals Apart from looking the part the Abarth sounds gorgeous at tickover, not in a broken exhaust kind of way but there’s a lovely burble and once on the road and pushing the revs the sounds continue to impress.

It has such character compared to many modern cars and also broad appeal. My young supermarket delivery chap went into verbal overdrive when he saw it. This was one I was VERY sorry to hand back.

Gaming and driving Prices drop

IN-CAR GAMING: Games that are easy to pick up and play and intuitive to control.

THE BMW Group is partnering with the gaming platform AirConsole to bring a unique kind of in­car gaming to the road for the first time in the new BMW 5 Series.

It allows the driver and passengers to play so­called casual games while the vehicle is stationary as a way of passing time while waiting for the vehicle to charge, for example.

For the in­car gaming experience, the players simply need their smartphone, which acts as a controller, and the BMW Curved Display. After starting the AirConsole app in the vehicle, the connection be­

tween the smartphone and the vehicle is intuitively established by scanning a QR code on the Curved Display. Then players can get straight down to playing.

The AirConsole app supports multiple players simultaneously. The rear passengers can also participate in the in­car gaming fun during stops. It is possible to play alone or with all vehicle occupants together or in competition mode.

With AirConsole, players can play socalled casual games. These are games that are easy to pick up and play and intuitive to control.

Pump prices are now much lower than last summer.

RAC Fuel Watch data shows diesel prices in the UK fell from 158.91p to 146.99p cutting the cost of a full 55­litre family car fillup by £6.50 while petrol reduced by 3p from 146.35p to 143.26p ­ a saving of £1.70 a tank compared to the start of the month.

May was the seventh consecutive month in which pump prices fell. This means diesel is now

52p lower (£28.60 a tank) than the all ­ time high of 199p last summer and unleaded is 48p lower (£26.40 a tank) than its record of 191.5p.

While the diesel drop may be record ­ breaking, the RAC argues that the reduction is both long overdue and smaller than it should be, given the wholesale price of diesel has been lower than petrol for 10 whole weeks.

After repeatedly calling for lower prices for months, the motoring organisation says it seems ironic that the latest price cuts have finally come in the two weeks following the Competition and Markets Authority’s announcement that it would be interviewing supermarket bosses about their fuel margins increasing significantly compared to four years ago.

DIESEL:

Image: StockLeb / Shutterstock.com

Image: BMW

Spain wins Nations League Canadian GP victory

MAX VERSTAPPEN drove his Red Bull to a relatively easy victory in the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on Sunday, June 18. The reigning world champion led from start to finish at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to increase his lead in the driver’s championship to a stunning 69 points.

In the process, the Dutchman racked up his 100th win for Red Bull Racing in his very short career in Formula One, with his sixth win from eight races this season.

He also equalled the total of 41 wins achieved by the late Ayrton Senna. At 25, Verstappen is nine years younger than the Brazilian legend who died tragically in 1994 after a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso was in incredible form in the Aston Martin to finish in second place. One can only imagine how unbeatable the Spaniard would be if he was to sit behind the wheel of the Red Bull.

By the time he crossed the finishing line, he was 9.5 seconds adrift of the winner. He managed to fight off a late challenge from Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes, with whom he had endured a game of cat and mouse throughout the race.

Going into Turn 1, Hamilton got the jump on Alonso who had started on the front row of the grid alongside Verstappen. It took him until the final chicane on Lap 23 to regain second.

The final podium featured three of the biggest names in F1 at this moment. Charles LeClerc managed to bring the Ferrari home in fourth followed by his teammate, Carlos Sainz.

Sergio Perez simply lacked the pace to get any higher than a disappointing sixth in the other Red Bull. Alex Albon continued his spectacular form to allow the British­born Thai driver to cross the line in seventh in the Williams.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon finished a respectable eighth, ahead of Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin. Valtteri Bottas proved that there is still a fight in him by rounding out the Top 10 in the Alfa Romeo.

SPAIN are the new holders of the UEFA Nations League trophy after overcoming Croatia on penalties in Rotterdam on Sunday, June 18.

A 0­0 scoreline after open play saw the two teams head into a penalty shootout which the Spaniards eventually won 5­4. This was Spain’s first trophy since 2012 when they won the Euros.

Croatia came into the match in the famous De Kuip Stadium looking to pick up their first piece of silverware in an international tournament but Unai Simon’s save from Bruno Petkovic’s spot kick ended that hope, after previously saving Lovro Majer’s kick with an outstretched leg.

On that occasion, Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte delayed the win when his shot hit the crossbar. Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal eventually cheekily chipped the decisive 12th penalty into the Croatian net to seal victory for Spain.

In the process, Spain emulated France in winning the treble of the World Cup, the European Championship and the Nations League. The French achieved this historic feat after beating Spain in the previous final.

Luis de la Fuente has the honour of being the first Spanish coach to pick up international silverware in 11 years although he will probably admit that it did

not all go according to plan this evening.

Real Madrid playmaker Luka Modric did all that he could to inspire his team in the middle of the park. The 37­yearold was playing in his 166th match for the Balkan side.

In a remarkable season, two of the Spanish side, Aymeric Laporte and Rodri, have now picked up a total of four major medals each.

Both are part of the incredible all­conquering Manchester City side that won the historic treble of the Champions League, FA Cup, and Premier League.

Rodri also became the first player to be named Man of the Match in the UEFA Champions League Final and to also win the UEFA Nations League Finals Best Player award.

Another record fell to Jesús Navas who entered the match as the oldest player in Spain’s history. He is now the first player to ever win the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League.

In the third­place playoff that took place earlier in the day, Italy beat the Netherlands 3­2.

VICTORIOUS: This was Spain’s first trophy since they won the Euros in 2012.