Costa Blanca North 20 – 26 July 2023 Issue 1985

HELP PROMISED

THE mayor of Javea, Rosa Cardona and the councillor for Citizen Protection, Juan Ortolá, paid a visit on Thursday, July 14 to the weekly meeting of the Javea civil protection group. In the meeting, which was held at the group’ s base, they listened as José Vicente Serra and Rafael Bisquert explained about the work of the group of 50 volunteers, who were the first in the Marina Alta to receive accreditation to intervene in forest fires together with official firefighters.

After visiting the facilities, they took note of the requests made by the group, such as the renewal of two vehicles in the fleet, to expand the amount of PPE (personal protective equipment) so that each volunteer can have a spare, as well as other improvements at the headquarters that have been requested for some years. The group asked the political leaders to acquire a licence for a

mobile phone app that will improve internal functions and will enable the geopositioning of all volunteers in emergency situations.

The mayor and the councillor promised to attend to the requests related to the protection equipment of the vol­

unteers as soon as possible, and with respect to the rest said they will establish a calendar for compliance.

Cardona wanted to thank the “selfless work of all the volunteers who spend their free time watching over and protecting our town.”

Credit: Javea Council

CIVIL PROTECTION: The mayor and councillor learn about the group’s work.

Rent price hike revealed

ACCORDING to recent data released from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), rental prices increased by more than 10 per cent over six years of the Marina Alta. The data, which was

collected from 2015 to 2021, includes the towns of Denia, Javea, Calpe, Teulada­Moraira, Benissa and Pego. These are the 10 towns in the region whose population exceeds 10,000 inhabitants.

The only exception was Benissa, whose prices rose by 9.91 per cent.

Pego was the most expensive place to rent a home between 2015 and 2021, with a rise of 13.38 per cent. Denia prices rose by 12.35 per cent, Teulada­Moraira by 11.75 per cent, Javea by 11.51 per cent and Calpe by 10.64 per cent.

The INE has just published a series of maps showing hot spot areas of rental prices during that period. Access to housing is a growing problem in the Marina Alta, and in recent years it has worsened in the case of rental properties, due to a continuing rise in prices.

Mural restored

Jo Pugh

A MURAL by the artist Gastón Castelló, which has been restored by Benidorm Council, will be installed on one of the facades of the Boca del Calvari museum. It will be installed over the main entrance.

The councillor for Historical and Cultural Heritage, Ana Pellicer explained that “in a few weeks this piece of important heritage value will be exhibited a few metres from its original location at the municipal market.” Gaston Castello’s mosaic was displayed in the market until 2003, when it was removed to coincide with renovations.

“Twenty years later and after a careful restoration process this mural with a marine theme, and which talks about our past and links with the sea, will once again be on view to the public,” said Pellicer. The entire installation process will be supervised by Rafael Ramos, the professional who carried out the restoration of the mosaic and who was in charge of removing it from the market. “This mural is the second by Gastón Castelló that the council has restored and exhibited,” said Pellicer. The other mural ‘The arts’, is located in the entrance hall of the municipal library.

The restoration cost €15,000.

Beach house bulldozed

DEMOLITION work began last week on an abandoned and dilapidated house on Paradis beach, Villajoyosa. The single storey building presented ‘precarious conditions of stability and habitability’ stated the town hall.

The council approved the demolition of the isolated building, given the danger according to its state of ruin.

The demolition order came following a report presented by the department of urbanism, which certified its state of imminent ruin due to a lack of maintenance of the building. The condition was also aggravated by its proximity to the sea, which caused the foundations to become unstable and provoked fears of its collapse.

The house, located on public land, was built in 1957 with an area of 57 square metres.

MARINE THEME: Mural will go on view to the public.

Darker parts show areas with the highest prices.

Image:

Night rescue

A CLIMBER had to be rescued from Peñón de Ifach on Wednesday, after suffering chest pains and heatstroke. He called the emergency services just before midnight, who came to his aid. He was taken to a waiting ambulance by mountain rescue teams at 1.45am.

Bull drowns

A MIAMI news company has highlighted the ‘cruel’ activity of ‘Bous a la Mar’ following the drowning of a bull at Denia fiestas last week. The online newspaper published a lengthy article, stating it was a ‘cruel activity’.

Provoked attack

A JAVEA man is facing up to five years in prison for a brutal attack over a money dispute. The victim had asked his friend to repay a debt, to which the assailant responded by violently beating him. The victim lost two teeth and broke his nose.

Kennel service

THE dog pound in Calpe is now offering residential stays for dogs whilst their owners are on holiday. The daily fee is €10 for dogs under 10 kgs in weight, and €14 for over that figure. All dogs must be vaccinated and hold a pet passport.

Drinking water

JAVEA Town Hall, together with the water company, Amjasa, has installed two drinking fountains at each end of the Arenal in order to offer a refreshing drink. One of them even has a lowered tray for thirsty pets.

ITV mayhem

CAR owners are being advised to book their ITV test well in advance at the facilities in Ondara and Calpe due to the lack of appointment availability. Appointments at the Ondara centre are unavailable until September. Drivers are being forced to turn up and join a queue.

Tram line now fully open

Jo Pugh

THE tram line between Denia and Benidorm is now fully open following the temporary use of replacement bus services between Teulada and Calpe. The new Quisi viaduct is situated over the Barranco de Santa Ana in Benissa.

The new bridge had to be built by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV) after it was found that the original viaduct, dating back to 1915, could not bear the weight of the new trams purchased. The new viaduct, with a bud ­

get of €9,857,534, is located near the original, with a length of 370 metres.

The viaduct allows the passage of the new dual fuel trains (electric­diesel) incorporated by FGV as

part of the modernisation plan for the line.

It is planned to convert the original Quisi viaduct into a footbridge in order that walkers can enjoy the views.

Road safety improvements

Now the viaduct is open, the regional government plans to start renovation work on the Algar and Mascarat bridges, located in Altea in the coming months.

Off road track Cloners caught

THE National Police have arrested two men in Benidorm who had been paying establishments and hotels in the town with a cloned credit card from a person who resided in Barcelona.

The officers learned that two guests at a hotel had paid their bill of €462 with an allegedly fraudulent bank card.

After an investigation, the police found that the bank card belonged to a woman who lived in a town near Barcelona. They contacted the lady, who confirmed that there had indeed been charges on her credit

card from hotels and other establishments located in Benidorm, despite the fact that she had the physical card in her possession and was at her home in Catalonia at that time.

She had been scammed at a cash machine.

Given these facts, investigators went to the hotel where the fraudulent payment had taken place and located two men in one of the rooms who admitted to the fraud.

They were subsequently arrested and taken for questioning.

WORK has begun in Calpe to construct a ‘Pump track’ for skateboarders and cyclists. Located within the sports complex, it is on a plot adjacent to the skate track, with an area of approximately 1,800 square metres.

The track is to be a circuit containing banked curves, mounds and jumps.

It will be 226 metres long and 2.5 metres wide, finished with asphalt, while the slopes will be concreted.

The circuit will have plateaus, elevations, un ­

Second Lidl store for Calpe

GERMAN supermarket giant Lidl has announced the construction of a second store in the town.

The demolition project to make way for the supermarket has almost been completed, which forced the southern access road to be closed for a short while when an old house was knocked down. The demolition is exempt from the prohibition of works in summer because it is a commercial area.

The enormous scheme included the demolition of a chinese bazaar and an empty supermarket premises. Only a petrol station and the original car park remain. The

plot involved is a total of 9,300 square metres. The new establishment will have a 2,500 square metre supermarket as well as a car park with 185 spaces.

The other Lidl supermarket is at the opposite end of town behind Las Salinas lake.

dulations, cambers and necessary slopes appropriate to the dimensions and layout of the circuit.

The works have been awarded to the company Aglomerados del Sureste for a price of €75,504 and have an execution period of three months.

With this new sports facility, Calpe Council intends to meet the demands for the practice of non ­ conventional sports.

The sports complex, of which the Spanish name is Pabellon Deportivo IFAC, is located in Partida Gargasindi.

A NEW cycle lane and safer road markings have been created on the northern access road to Benitachell’s Cumbre del Sol urbanisation.

The cycle lane covers two kilometres on the uphill road and the double central axis has been painted to highlight the prohibition to overtake. Work has also included the demarcation of the hard shoulder side lines and repainting the pedestrian crossings.

The aim is to reduce traffic speed and increase safety for all road users and especially cyclists, as the Puig de la Llorença peak is a major attraction for professional and amateur bicycle users.

Another project is currently underway to build a new roundabout between the access to Pueblo Panorama and the road down to the coast to improve traffic circulation at the crossing.

and in print is FREE and we promise to always keep it that way.

QUISI VIADICT: The new bridge is situated over the Barranco de Santa Ana in Benissa.

Image: FGV

DEMOLITION WORK: Almost complete.

Image: Jo Pugh

Jo Pugh

FERROCARILS de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV), has put out to tender the project of doubling the track width and its electrification between the stops of Hospital Comarcal de la Marina Baixa, locat­

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

killed

Means that if you are inquisitive about other people’s affairs it may get you into trouble. This saying originated in a 1598 play, Every Man in his Humour, which was written by English playwright, Ben Johnson.

Tram track widening

ed in La Villajoyosa, and Benidorm station, both belonging to Line 1 of the Alicante tram service.

The initial budget is €48,499,160.59, and the execution period is 30 months.

The geographical scope of the project runs through the towns of Villajoyosa, Finestrat and Benidorm..

It is a section of approximately 6.23 kilometres. The

planned works consist of doubling the track at the infrastructure level (in the sections where there is no platform), track superstructure and electrification, including the adaptation of the existing drainage works, the execution of a network of ditches adapted to current needs and repair of damaged embankments.

In addition, there will be new security and railway

communications facilities and the adaptation of existing ones.

Included in the same project, the stops at Cala Finestrat and Terra Mítica will be adapted, the fencing along the stretch will be renovated or adapted, and the Moralet path will be extended from the existing car park to the north of the Benidorm station to enable it to be used as a hiking trail.

Police presence

TWENTY police officers will now patrol the streets and neighbourhoods of Villajoyosa each day in order to monitor all areas of the town.

brigades. The latter travel along the coast both by motorcycle and bicycle.

• Diagnostic imaging and ultrasound Rx

• Clinical tests and serological tests, internal medicine, parasitology

• Soft Tissue Surgery and Traumatology

• Ethology, behavioural disorders and animal behaviour

• Physiotherapy, acupuncture, custom recovery and Healing touch

• Ophthalmology

• Dentistry and dental surgery & more

• Import - Export

This is one of the first measures that mayor Marcos Zaragoza has introduced, in order that all areas are controlled and public safety is guaranteed. The patrols are distributed at strategic points, both static and mobile, in different areas of the town.

The town policing system coordinates the patrols so that each one follows a strategically defined itinerary, according to the characteristics and needs of each area.

This measure came into operation last week and, according to the councillor for Citizen Security, Jaime Santamaría, “the distribution of the patrols in each area will be modified according to the security strategy set by the council and the availability of the Local Police.”

The patrols are joined by the rural police and beach police

1957

The beach police also perform surveillance and assist lifeguards when required. The patrols will continue until September 15.

Bell tower

RENOVATION work has begun on the bell tower of the church of Sant Bertomeu in Finestrat.

The objective is to preserve, maintain and, above all, guarantee the condition and restore its original splendour.

“We are going to renovate the two parts that make up this complexthe bell tower itself ­ and in the upper part where there is a small viewpoint. The two parts currently present very deteriorated walls and ceramic elements. Likewise, work is being done on all the open cracks in its surroundings,” said town planning councillor Víctor Darío Llinares LLoret.

The work will be subsidised with a €40,000 grant from Alicante provincial council, which was almost 100 per cent of the amount requested for its renovation.

LINE 1: The section is roughly 6.23 kms.

“Curiosity

the cat.”

Image: Tram Alicante

The first package holiday to Spain.

Finestrat subsidies dog vaccinations

THIS week, until Saturday, July 22, Finestrat Council is offering a reduced price to help dog owners with vaccination costs.

The annual anti-rabies vaccination and deworming campaign will be held at Finestrat veterinary clinic, located in the town centre at Carrer Figueretes, 31.

People residing in Finestrat who have a dog can take advantage of this municipal initiative to give their pets the anti-rabies vaccine. The opening hours of the vets are from Monday to Friday, from 9.30am to 6.30pm, and on Saturday from 10am to 2pm. The price is €14 for each dog, and appointments should be made in advance.

“Our pets have to be protected and, with it, also the health of people in the event of an incident such as a bite. To do this, vaccination and deworming are key to guaranteeing that our dogs are in the best condition,” said the councillor for the Environment, Estela Alvarez.

“Once again we are supporting this campaign with a contribution. The price of the vaccine will be €14 to make it affordable for all residents. Therefore, from here I encourage you to join this campaign so that no pet is left unvaccinated,” concluded Alvarez.

By law, all dogs that have reached four months of age must have an anti-rabies vaccine and a microchip. In addition, in the case of the vaccine, it is recommended that a booster dose is given every two years.

Appointments can be made by calling the veterinary clinic on 965 878 163.

Council to construct affordable rental homes

A TOTAL of 67 homes are to be constructed in the Santa Anna area of Gandia.

The mayor of Gandia, José Manuel Prieto, announced that the building permit for the construction of the homes has already been awarded to the Valencian Housing and Land Authority ( EVHA), which will be in charge of developing the ‘Rubik’ project.

The Rubik project will enable those on lower incomes to affordably rent a property from the council, and will be located in front of the new

court building, which is soon to open its doors.

The plot has an approximate area of 7,000 square metres and has a budget of €9,635,000.

The facade of the new complex is designed in a zig-zag shape to allow all the houses to have a terrace, while inside, a large open space will be created to turn the courtyard into a community area.

The building will be constructed from prefabricated modules to lower the carbon footprint, and will also include solar and thermal energy sources.

“This is a project that

demonstrates its commitment to inclusion and equality by making all homes meet the conditions of adaptability, not differentiating between adapted and non-adapted housing. In other words, we do not expect

there to be a need but that we satisfy it in advance,” said the mayor.

Mascarell stated that the works will start in the first half of 2024 and should be completed during the first quarter of 2026.

Anti-rabies injections are compulsory by law.

Credit: Mirko Sajkov, Pixabay

Free bus service into town

REACHING the centre of Benitachell from its surrounding urbanisations will be easier from this month. The town hall plans to enable a free on ­ demand bus which will pick up residents from their door or at an agreed nearby point when they request it.

The objective of this new service, which began to be operational from Wednesday, July 19, is to provide the elderly, those with reduced mobility or do not have a driving licence, access to the town centre of the town so that they can visit the doctor or go shopping.

The bus service will run every Wednesday and Friday until the end of the year. It will depart at 9am on Wednesdays and at 8am on Fridays (blood tests are performed at the medical centre that day) with a flexible schedule depending on the route and demand for that day. It will make several round trips

during the day until 2pm. The town hall stated that the service is a pilot test which, if it works, will last for a whole year.

Persons interested in requesting the service can do so at least three days in advance, by calling 608 012 202, the number expressly enabled for this purpose. They must indicate the full name, address and a contact telephone number.

It will also be useful to indicate the reason for the visit or the place they want to go to, the preferred time and the length of time of their visit. Once a person has registered for the ser­

vice, they can send the pick up location by WhatsApp. The service has been subsidised by the town council and follows disability guidelines.

Initially, the intention was to offer this service to make trips to Denia Hospital. However, the government rejected the second proposal as there is already a regular service provided by the ALSA bus company with a stop in Benitachell. This bus leaves in the direction of the Denia Hospital from Calle Capelletes at 9.40am and at 11.25am. The return is at 10.55am and at 6.10pm.

Assisted river dip

PEGO Town Hall has launched an adapted bathing service at the Bullent river, located in the Marjal natural park. This is an activity aimed at people of advanced age or with reduced mobility who have difficulties in being able to have a refreshing dip.

The service, launched on Tuesday July 11, is in collaboration with the Accio Urgent association, whose members are in charge of collecting bathers from their vehicles and accompanying them, both to the natural park and to the bathroom facilities.

“We have a special chair so that the user can get into the water, we take them out of the vehicle and accompany them at all times,” explained a member of Accio Urgent, Pedro Barranco.

The first two visitors to the new facility have already been assisted into the water. “It was a trial by fire” said Barranco. On this occasion the bathers came from the Sant Joan de Déu residence for the elderly.

“The service is mainly aimed at the users of this particular residence, although anyone from the municipality who needs our help can contact us and we will accompany them to help them spend a different and refreshing morning,” said Barranco.

“We all have the right to be able to take a refreshing bath now that the weather is heating up, and that’s why we think it’s

necessary to help people who can’t do it for themselves. We believe that it is an activity that makes body and mind happy.

One of the users, a man of around 85 years old, said that that he had not come to La Marjal for more than two decades and much more time had passed since his last swim in the river. “The look of happiness on his face was priceless,” explained Pego mayor, Enrique Moll.

The service is available on request and can be booked by calling 653 867 383.

Image: Benitachell town hall

Benitachell offers free bus service into town from urbanisations.

Image: Pego ajuntament

A special chair is used for entry to the water.

Public swimming pool contract ends

Jo Pugh CALPE T own Hall has announced a decision to initiate a contract termination procedure with the company in charge of managing the municipal swimming pool. “This action has been motivated by repeated breaches of the company’s contractual obligations, which include non-compliance with schedules, failure to provide supplies and lack of lifeguard service during opening hours,” said a statement from Calpe Council. The council has stopped

paying fees to the terminated company, and is evaluating a management model that will be adopted for the provision of the service in the future.

Due to the potentially long terms of the resolution process and the fact that the service cannot be resumed until a final resolution is reached, the town hall has issued a guide for users who have already paid for the service, but are unable to use it.

“These users are requested to ask for the return of their money at the town hall by

presenting proof of payment.

It has been communicated that Calpe Council will undertake to make all the necessary efforts to ensure the return of the money to those affected. Calpe Council appreciates the patience and understanding of citizens during this transition period, and underlines its commitment to providing a high-quality service to residents and visitors to the city.

“We are taking this action in the best interests of all,” the statement concluded.

PETER JOHNSON , CEO of Magnum Concert Productions was very pleased to meet with Sylvia Tatnell MBE, president of the Teulada Alzheimer’s centre on Tuesday July 11, to make a donation from profits of the latest in a series of concerts promoted by Magnum Productions.

The donation amounted to €2,000 and forms part of the total donations to charity by Magnum Productions who have been pleased to help local causes, including the hungry and homeless, and the Ukrainian appeal

MONTGO Golf Society

played for the John Costigan Memorial Trophy sponsored by the Society.

Donation to Alzheimer’s Centre Memorial trophy

with donations in excess of €8,000 since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With a whole series of shows planned for the autumn, including some great collaborations with Carlton Entertainment for 2023/ 2024, Magnum Concert Productions has a fabulous line up of first class talent to look forward to.

For more information and to join their mailing list email: magnum.con certs@gmail.com or call 618 017 201. www.magnumconcerts.com

The stableford competition was won by Willie Larkin with 45 Stableford points, well done Willie.

In second place was new

member John Quinn with 38 stableford points, taking third place was Helmut Pertler with 35 stableford points. There were two

nearest the pins prizes on offer on the third and the ninth in three with Helmut Pertler and Nigel Siddall taking home the spoils.

Well done to all the winners. Next week’s competition is a Medal sponsored by the society.

INDOOR POOL: Lifeguard services were not being provided.

Credit: Calpe Council

Beach recycling promoted

KEEPING beaches clean is a priority for every town. In order to encourage members of the public to help keep them tidy, the ‘Recycle for ConserMar’ has been reintroduced for the second time this year on 18 beaches of the Costa Blanca. The campaign aims to promote the collection of discarded recyclable items in the vicinity of beaches (cans, cartons, plastic packaging), and draw public attention to littering.

The campaign also strives to encourage people to separate recycling properly, and use the appropriate containers when depositing rubbish.

The campaign is in its

second stage. The first took place in April, when the towns of Alboraya, El Campello and Benicassim

took part. The current campaign has 18 participants from the provinces of Alicante, Castellón and Valen-

cia and will run until Monday July 24.

The initiative pursues ‘face-to-face’ interaction with the public, who will be able to visit a dedicated stall located in front of symbolic beaches of the town agreed with the participating municipalities.

At these information points, visitors will be informed of the benefits of recycling, and helping the environment.

In addition, they will be given help and advice regarding the correct separation of recyclable products. This in turn should resolve any doubts about which container certain items should be deposited in.

Benidorm suitcase contained marihuana

THE Guardia Civil arrested a 28-year-old Romanian man in Benidorm, who attempted to send more than five kilogrammes of

marihuana hidden in a suitcase to his country of origin through a transport company.

The drug was discovered on June 11 during a preventive security check in l’Alfàs del Pi. The suitcase was discovered during a routine check using a drug detection dog on a vehicle belonging to an international transport company.

The dog indicated at the suitcase, which was found to contain 12 packages of vacuum-packed marihua -

na. In total, the packages weighed more than five kilogrammes.

The suitcase was destined for Romania and the Guardia Civil took steps to identify and locate the originator of the shipment. They found he did not have an address in Spain, but was staying in a hostel in Benidorm where he was subsequently arrested for drug trafficking.

The investigators located the young man on June 15 and after arresting

him, they searched his room in the hostel where he was staying and seized €3,800 in cash, material for packaging and distributing the drug, and a suitcase with the same characteristics as the intercepted one that had been full of drugs.

The arrested man was released by the court awaiting a trial date, and his passport was confiscated.

Fishermen plan centenary celebrations

CALPE F ishermen’s Guild will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2024.

To celebrate the centenary, the town hall and the fishermen have already started to plan a programme of activities which will last throughout the year.

Among the proposals are requesting the printing of commemorative ONCE (lottery) tickets, and resuming the project of installing a sculpture at the access point of Calpe port.

The mayor, Ana Sala, promised her commitment and support to the seafaring collective.

RECYCLING CAMPAIGN: Information point for the public.

Image: Orihuela Town Hall

The first step on your financial journey in Spain – choosing your adviser

There are various reasons why people take financial advice. It may be for help investing their savings or with their pension funds, or they may have questions about taxation or need to establish an effective estate plan.

What many do not realise, however, is that their choice of adviser is possibly the most important financial decision they need to make, especially when trusting their recommendations for the savings you’ve worked hard to build up.

This is even more important when moving to or living in Spain. Here most people don’t just require help with one aspect or to buy a product, they need an adviser who can analyse their situation and guide them through all the financial planning steps they need to take to successfully manage their wealth in Spain. Ultimately, we’re all looking for longterm financial security and peace of mind, but achieving this in a new country with a foreign tax and succession regime and unfamiliar bureaucracy is harder than in your home country.

What you need is a holistic strategic financial plan based on your situation and aims, then ongoing, proactive support as your circumstances evolve and regulations and investment climates change.

With all this in mind, here are some points to consider when looking for a financial adviser.

A personal service

It is essential that your financial planning is based on your personal situation – your country of residence, future plans, family situation and concerns, who you wish to leave your assets to, your time horizon, investment risk tolerance

By

and key objectives.

Successful wealth management must take all these into account. Your adviser should take the time to get to know you, asking a range of questions and establishing your risk profile, before making recommendations or trying to sell you a product or investment.

You want to be able to build a good relationship with your advisers so they’ll be around to support you right through retirement, perhaps even guiding your heirs in the future.

Size and longevity

When looking for a long-term adviser covering a range of services, the size and longevity of the firm is relevant.

A firm with a history of longevity gives you peace of mind that they are likely to be there for as long as you need them.

And the larger the firm, the more specialists they will have covering the various services you need – local financial advisers, technical tax experts, pension professionals, investment analysts, succession law experts. In-house teams can seamlessly work together to provide integrated wealth

management advice and recommendations.

This is important. For example, how you hold your investments can impact how much tax you pay and how easily they can be passed onto your chosen heirs. So rather than using different advisers for each aspect and receiving isolated advice, you benefit from a comprehensive, strategic financial plan covering all of them.

A larger firm will also have more resources to apply effective compliance procedures to ensure regulatory rules are adhered to, which protects clients. It will also be in a position to keep on top of changing regulations, such as tax and pensions, analysing how clients are affected and establishing compliant solutions where necessary.

Local advice and knowledge

Using an adviser who lives and works in Spain will prove highly beneficial.

For a start, they will have personally experienced what it is like to move to and settle in Spain and how Spanish taxation impacts residents. They’ll have built up an in-depth understanding of the local tax and succession regimes –both very different to the UK’s –and the legitimate planning opportunities available here. And they’ll be in a position to react fast to changes.

While you may prefer to continue your existing relationship with your UK adviser, it is unlikely they will know the ins and out of local regulations or keep on top of Spanish reforms. The fact that Spain’s 17 autonomous communities have their own variations with regards tax rules makes it all the more complex. Continuing to use your UK adviser could result

in you buying inappropriate investments, paying more tax than necessary, or your beneficiaries having to deal with unnecessary complications on your death.

Another important issue here is regulation. Prior to Brexit, it was possible for UK advisers and financial firms to ‘passport’ their services into other EU countries. This ended when the UK left the Union, so unless your UK adviser has taken the time, effort and expense of getting set up and regulated in Spain, they would not be in a position to provide authorised advice to residents of Spain.

Regulation and qualifications

All the above considerations need to be combined with qualifications and high professional standards. Investing, pensions, estate planning and taxation are all very technical subjects which require specialist understanding. Ensure your advisory firm has professionals with officially recognised qualifications, who keep fully up to date with financial and regulatory changes.

In the UK, for example, the Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning meets the UK Financial Conduct Authorities (FCA) qualification requirements. Even though you’ve moved abroad, you still want your adviser to have achieved that level of qualification.

Last but not least, for security and peace of mind, choose a firm which is authorised to provide advice in Spain and abides by national and international regulations. When it comes to investing, check that both your adviser and the investment managers they are recommending are regulated.

Once you find an adviser who meets the above requirements, the

rest of your financial planning in Spain will follow smoothly on. You won’t need to worry about neglecting any key aspects or keeping up with tax reforms. Your adviser will talk you through all the issues you need to consider, helping you weigh up all your options before you take any final decisions. They’ll then keep you updated on any reforms that impact you.

So you can leave the hard work to them and enjoy your new life in Spain with peace of mind.

At Blevins Franks we meet all the above criteria and more. With a history dating back over 45 years, we have long established offices in Spain, France, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta. We have advisers living locally, some of whom have been with us for decades, as well as teams of tax, pensions and investment specialists based in our London and Malta offices.

We pride ourselves on providing cross-border, integrated financial planning and a high level of personal service. While we are always meeting new clients, our team of Private Clients Managers are dedicated to servicing existing clients, ensure everything is on track and fine-tuned where necessary.

We are authorised and regulated to provide advice in the UK, Spain, France, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta, and our advisers are qualified to the level, or equivalent, required to meet the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority standards. We impose high compliance standards on our teams and keep up to date with regulatory standards.

Everything we do is client focused, to provide peace of mind to you and your family.

Brett Hanson, Senior Partner, Blevins Franks

Testing out drone safety

Jo Pugh BENIDORM has once again been chosen as a pioneer in the development of air navigation safety systems by becoming a test site for drone flights.

The town council announced the U­Space project, which will establish the guidelines to achieve safe navigation throughout the continent, during a conference on Thursday, July 13.

The U ­ Space project is configured as a space for drones to receive services and information “with the aim of avoiding conflicts and collisions and flying safely,” explained Norberto Vera, a representative of Eurocontrol, the European organisation for air navigation safety.

“The purpose is to define the roles and responsibilities of the users of the system so that it is secure, that it allows privacy and that it favours the continuous growth of this industry,” he said.

“Benidorm, in fact, due to

its characteristics, has become an urban laboratory in which the guidelines are applied and analysed to guarantee safety in the navigation of drones in the future, or for the definition of national airspace in this matter,” he continued. Benidorm was chosen “because it has multiple scenarios, a wonderful environment such as its skyline, a natural park, an island and the urban sprawl which generates a model scalable to other cities and environments,” said professor Israel Quintanilla.

Among the advantages that Benidorm brings are “that it is a town open to changes in new technologies, with previous experience of projects with drones, and the fact that it is a very socially accepted technology,” summarised Quintanilla.

The professor explained some of the contributions that Benidorm must make. These include a coordination centre for the U­Space project, which will be located at the old police checkpoint on Poniente beach, a heliport ‘that can be used as a vertiport’ and the digitisation of

Fire prevention grant aid

the town with urban planning and population densities analyses. Quintanilla also clarified that for the planning of the airspace, the participation of all local institutions is required, including police, maritime rescue and even the theme parks.

“Benidorm is delighted that it has been taken into account for these innovation projects,” said the mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez.

The first project of drone flight tests for use in transport within the European DELOREAN project was held in Benidorm in February 2023.

A BENISSA association for fire prevention (ABAI) was one of the entities whose application was accepted for government grants to aid in fire prevention measures. Of the amount requested (€10,000), the ministry granted them €7,374.10, which is equivalent to almost 73.74 per cent of the amount.

ABAI has established itself as a voluntary association whose main purpose is to develop preventive actions against forest and core fires. It was founded in 1993, following an enormous fire that devastated the Bernia and Olta mountains, and left a desolate landscape.

The Ministry of Agriculture, environment, climate change and rural development requested applications for subsidies for environmental volunteering in the prevention of forest fires for the year 2023. In total, the Valencian government will invest €477,016.51 in this line of aid. This will allow surveillance campaigns of the mountains and natural sites during the summer.

The regulatory commission assessed the various applications submitted by the municipalities of the community, based on the fact that the proposals submitted are with the aim of promoting environmental volunteer activities in the field of forest fire prevention, awareness campaigns, education and awareness of visitors in natural and forest areas, through actions aimed at informing visitors about compliance with the different applicable regulations, dissuasive surveillance, and the application of environmental education programmes with special emphasis on knowledge of the forest environment.

Together with the Benissa group, other towns and entities in the Marina Alta have also seen rewards for their fire prevention proposals. These are Benidoleig, Calpe, Gata de Gorgos, Ondara, Pedreguer, Pego and Benitachell.

Credit: Benidorm City Council

Drone flights will be tested in the U-Space project.

17kms

long Castilla Beach, Huelva in Spain.

Scottish osprey chicks arrive in Pego

Jo Pugh

A PROJECT to reintroduce the osprey to the region saw the arrival of 12 osprey chicks in the Marjal natural park of Pego on Thursday, July 13. The dozen chicks, who arrived safely, were presented at their new habitat, where they will live for the next few months.

The 12 birds of prey arrived from Scottish soil (for the first time), courtesy of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, a foundation that works on species restoration and is at the forefront of bird migration research.

The foundation has participated in the reintroduction of birds in Switzerland and the Basque Country. The foundation has joined the project in conjunction with the Migres Foundation, the ministry of the environment, the town councils of Pego, Oliva, Denia and Javea, and the Iberdrola Foundation.

Only one chick has a name. “His name is Pepe in tribute to a person who helped us enormously at customs, because it seemed that we were not going to be able to take them,” explained Itziar Colodro, a member of the Migres Foundation.

It is not the first time that an at­

tempt has been made to reintroduce the osprey in the Marjal park, but this project has become more ambitious. On previous occasions the number of specimens was smaller, between two and five chicks. “Increasing the number of birds increases the chances of survival of the species in their first year,” remarked Colodro.

“The journey of the birds was complicated, especially to be able to get through customs, because Brexit has complicated everything expo­

nentially, and in the case of transporting animals, it is always a delicate situation,” said Colodro.

“Nothing has been left to chance,” said Colodro. In the selection of the specimens there are different parameters, one of the most important is their size, “The bird must be the right size, not too small because they can suffer more during the transfer, not too big, in order to prevent them from wanting to start flying earlier than expected,” Colodro explained.

Under this premise, the smallest

chicks are always chosen from each of the nests that are monitored on the Scottish coast, “thus increasing the probability other birds that remain will live, and thereby increasing the effective population.”

Regarding the new arrivals, the percentage of males is slightly higher than that of females. In previous introductions, the ratio was 50 per cent male and female. “Last time we were more concerned about the health than the sex of the chicks, this time the selection has been more specific,” said Colodro.

After the journey, the ospreys must now adapt to the environment. They will have the help of the project’s technicians. “We will try to have the minimum human contact, we don’t want them to consider us a friendly species.

For this, the ‘hacking’ method will be chosen when feeding them during their first steps of life in the Marjal. Hacking consists of raising the chicks in a state of semi­freedom.

They are placed in nests that simulate natural ones and they are provided with food artificially, we try to avoid as much as possible that the bird knows its food origin,” ex ­

plained Colodro.

After the first few weeks, in which the chicks barely leave their nests, they will begin to take flight, another crucial moment. On previous occasions, the migrations of these birds have led them to a tragic end, “it usually happens, because they have many hurdles to overcome on their routes, from electric lines to buildings. We put a GPS on them to track them but we can’t do anything else on this issue, just make their stay here the best because they perceive it as their home and want to come back,” Colodro clarified.

“We are delighted to welcome these birds once again. We want the project to work and for the species to establish itself in the area in the not too distant future. That’s why we have always been and will be supporting this proposal,” said the mayor of Pego, Enrique Moll.

The mayor highlighted “the incredible work that the technicians are doing, their obstinacy in making this project work is admirable. Hopefully in a short time we will be able to confirm the consolidation of this project and that way they will see all their efforts rewarded.”

Credit: Pego Town Council

INCREDIBLE WORK: A Scottish osprey arrives in Pego.

Robbers detained

THE Guardia Civil has released details of two arrested men allegedly involved in three robberies in Pedreguer, Xixona and Benissa. Various stolen tools worth €6,000 were seized, most of which have since been returned to their rightful owners.

The events occurred early in the morning on June 14, as the Guardia Civil of Altea carried out a checkpoint of vehicles and people in the Sierra Altea area, with the purpose of preventing burglaries in homes in that area.

During the operation, a car was stopped whose two occupants drew the attention of the officers due to their suspicious attitude. Both individuals, 52 and 53­year­old Romanian citizens with extensive criminal histories related to crimes against property, were wearing dark clothing and carrying flashlights and binoculars. Given these circumstances, the vehicle was inspected. In the boot, the officers found various work tools, val­

ued at approximately €6,000. The occupants of the vehicle could not provide a logical explanation about the origin of these objects, and began to contradict each other.

As a consequence, they were apprehended and taken to Altea for questioning. Upon examining their car, objects found were thoroughly examined and steps were taken to determine their origin.

During the inspection, a business card was found. After establishing contact with the person in charge of a construction tools company, it was discovered that the tools had been rented to another company.

It was this business that the tools were stolen from in Pedreguer. This line of investigation allowed the officers to establish a connection between some of the seized tools and two other robberies that occurred in Xixona and Benissa.

Once it was established that the pair had been involved in three burglaries, the pair were taken to court and released pending trial. The Guardia Civil returned the majority of the stolen tools to their rightful owners.

However, ongoing investigations continue, so it is not ruled out that these criminals are involved in other robberies committed in the area.

ALTEA CHECKPOINT: Two men were behaving suspiciously.

Image: Guardia Civil

A FEW weeks ago, we published an article where we analysed in detail the divorce maintenance of Art. 97 of the Spanish Civil Code. Today we turn our attention to another type of ‘compensation’ foreseen in our legal system. It also applies to separation or divorces. We are referring to the compensation in case of divorce and separation of article 1438 of the Civil Code.

Compensation in case of divorce and separation. Art. 1438 of the Spanish Civil Code. Family law. Expert legal advice.

What does the compensatory allowance of Art. 1438 consist of?

This compensatory allowance is established in article 1438 of the Spanish Civil Code, which states as follows: “The spouses shall contribute to the support of

the economic burdens of the marriage. In the absence of an agreement, they shall do so in proportion to their respective financial resources. Domestic work shall be counted as a contribution to the expenses and will entitle the spouses to obtain a compensation that the judge shall determine, in absence of an agreement, upon termination of the separation regime.”

Below we analyse the requirements that must be met to claim this compensation.

First requirement: it’s only possible under the separation of property regime

Compensation in case of divorce and separation only exists when the matrimonial property regime of the spouses is separation of property. What does this regime consist of? Under separation of property, the assets of each spouse are separated. That is to say: the assets or profits acquired by either of them, during the marriage, belong exclusively to them. There is no union or confusion of any kind between their assets or income.

Second requirement: Exclu­

sive dedication to the family

In order for a spouse to claim this compensation in case of divorce and separation, he/she must have contributed to the costs of the marriage solely and exclusively through the work done for the household. That is to say, by work on the domestic tasks of the house and the care of the children.

This dedication must be exclusive, but not excluding. In other words, the fact that the spouse who has stayed at home may receive outside help (a domestic helper, the ‘occasional’ collaboration of the other spouse, etc) in no way affects his/her right to claim this compensation.

Collaboration in the family business or professional activities

of the other spouse, under ‘precarious’ working conditions, in principle, should not prevent to claim this allowance either.

How is this compensation calculated?

Article 1438 doesn’t establish any guiding criteria on how to calculate this compensation. However, the case law of the Supreme Court has set out a parameter to quantify this compensation. The equivalent to the salary that the spouse would have received for carrying out this work for a third person. It is very common to use the minimum interprofessional wage as a reference. For instance, the Supreme Court has awarded a compensation of €108,000, by multiplying the cost of a domestic worker per month (€600) by the number of years that a marriage lasted (15 years).

Is the pension under Art. 97 compatible with the compensation under art. 1438?

Yes, both compensations are

compatible and can be claimed for at the same time, as they serve different purposes. Alimony of Art. 97 is intended to correct the economic imbalance between the spouses caused from the divorce. Compensation under Art. 1438 is used to pay off the work done for the household. When should I claim this compensation?

Compensation in case of divorce and separation can be claimed in different moments. Either in the divorce or separation proceedings. Or at a later point in time, in a separate declaratory judgment procedure.

Conclusions

In divorces or separations in which the matrimonial property regime is separation of property, the spouse who devoted himself/herself exclusively to the domestic work may be entitled to claim a compensatory.

At White­Baos Lawyers we are experts in Family Law. If you have any doubts about this issue, or any other, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will study your case and offer expert advice on the subject. The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice, but merely conveys information related to legal issues.

NEIGHBOURS were surprised when they saw an individual walking two cats which looked suspiciously like Lynx and contacted SEPRONA, the animal protection arm of the Guardia Civil.

They soon discovered the property where these two wild cats were being housed in the municipality of Santiurde de Toranzo (Cantabria) and asked for paperwork proving that the animals had been obtained properly.

Having established that the cats had been purchased without proper paperwork from a couple in Toledo, specialists were called in to determine the species of the two animals.

Two wild cats

It was clear that they were of the genus Caracal caracal (often called a Desert Lynx) and although not the scarce Iberian Lynx (and indeed not actually Lynx at all), these two cats were of a type found across Africa and the Middle East.

As such, they are a protected species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and should not be traded as there was no CITES import permit or a captive ­ breeding certificate.

Officers then contacted

the couple in Toledo and discovered that there was no legitimate invoice nor any supporting documentation concerning the ‘pedigree’ of the two cats.

In the meantime, the two cats which were being kept in small outdoor cages were confiscated and it was decided that they needed to be kept in much better conditions.

A specialist team from the APP Primadomus Foundation, took charge of the cats which were transferred to a reception centre that the Foundation runs in Alicante Province.

Ukrainian border guards training

THE Guardia Civil has completed the first canine training course for Ukrainian border and customs guards in the detection of explosives, weapons and ammunition.

A report published on Friday, July 14, gave details of the Guardia Civil’s Cynological (the study of dogs) Service in which eight Ukrainian students have spent five months being trained as expert dog handlers.

The scheme was the brainchild of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) geared toward the training of Ukrainian border and customs guards to combat illicit arms trafficking.

The OSCE requested the training of Ukrainian personnel back in 2021. The aim was to train personnel from its member states in combating illicit trafficking in arms, especially small arms and light weapons.

New police language centre

IN recognition of Spain’s multicultural society and the importance of tourism, the General Directorate of the Police has launched the National Police Language Centre.

On Friday, July 14, a press release from the National Police announced a new training programme aimed at civil servant personnel of the National Police and personnel attached to the Directorate General of Police.

The report specified an element of modernisation and updating of the capacities of the National Police and a firm commitment to language training.

Easier communication

On Thursday July 13, the Guardia Civil concluded the first training course in the instruction of explosives, weapons and ammunition detection canine teams for members of the Ukrainian Border and Customs Guard.

During the extensive months ­ long training, officers of the Guardia Civil’s Cynological Service have taught eight Ukrainian border and customs guards how to work with their police dogs to detect explosives, weapons and ammunition.

The farewell ceremony was held at the Guardia Civil’s dog training centre in El Pardo, Madrid, where the students received their certificates which accredited them as canine team instructors.

Initially, the training was scheduled to take place in Ukraine, but due to the current conflict there, it was reorganised to take place in Spain.

COMMUNICATION with authorities in a foreign land can be very difficult but imagine if it’s your country but you still can’t explain a problem!

Alert to this, the director general of the Guardia Civil, Leonardo Marcos, and the executive vice­president of the ONCE Foundation (which strives for Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities) Alberto Durán recently presented a guide with pictograms to improve communication between patrols and people with cognitive difficulties.

This simple guide which comprises of a number of drawings is intended to make it easier for people who suffer difficulties in communication to be able to explain any problems that they may have with officers from the Guardia Civil.

It is intended that the guide will be available this summer and officers will also have access to it on any electronic device they may carry such as tablets or computers.

To make the situation easier for some foreign visitors or residents, the 46­page booklet, will also be translated into English and French to make communication easier for those who speak no Spanish.

The Directorate General of Police has been put in charge of organising a system that would allow access to knowledge of a foreign language that would also enable career progression and internal promotion.

Promoting the knowledge of languages is a strategic priority of the Directorate General of Police and for this reason, the National Police Language Centre has been set up.

It will have its headquarters in Madrid, attached to the General Secretariat of the Training and Development Division, which will be fully qualified for training, evaluation and certification in language teaching. The report went on to say for the correct exercise of police work, knowledge of foreign languages was an essential tool.

CAGED IN: One of the two wild cats before transfer.

Rumours of Juan Carlos’ return

RUMOURS of former King

Juan Carlos I’s definitive return to Spain if Núñez Feijóo wins the elections sparked controversy, despite denials from his entourage.

The former king, Juan Carlos I, is planning to return to Spain at the end of July to participate in regattas in Sanxenxo, Galicia.

The king has made a few trips this year to Spain, after living in self ­ imposed exile after damaging financial allegations over tax fraud and questionable business deals with Saudi

Arabia came into the public eye. He currently resides in Abu Dhabi.

No stranger to controversy, he has had a contentious reputation, and despite being credited with leading Spain through its transition to democracy post ­ Francisco Franco in 1975, Juan Carlos later abdicated in 2014 in favour of his son, Felipe, due to a damaged legacy and multiple controversies surrounding financial dealings. In March 2020, his son and King stripped him of his annual stipend and

renounced his own personal inheritance from Juan Carlos to prevent reputational damage after reports that he was due to receive millions of euros from a secret offshore fund with connections to Saudi Arabia.

In April 2023, he visited Spain for the second time since his exile and spent some time in Sanxenxo with friend and fellow regatta competitor, Pedro Campos. His visit to Spain at the end of July will also coincide with the Copa del Rey Mapfre, held from July

29 to August 5 in the Bay of Palma. However, according to a Spanish newspaper, the king was rumoured to

have indicated his intention to return to Spain permanently, but only if Núñez Feijóo wins the elec­

tions on July 23. This rumour, as the elections draw near, has caused a flurry in the press.

Fantastic figures

AIRPORTS in the Aena network in Spain closed the first half of the year with almost 130 million passengers walking through their doors.

The network hit a grand total of 129,447,124 travellers, a figure which represents an increase of 23.4 per cent compared with the same period in 2022 and 1.2 per cent compared with 2019.

The number of operations recorded between January and June was 1,130,758, which is 10.5 per cent more than in the first six months of last year and 0.5 per cent more than in 2019.

Regarding the transport of cargo, airports in the Aena network handled 507,543

tonnes, up 2.8 per cent from the first half of 2022 and 1.6 per cent above the figure for the same period of 2019.

As for the data from June, airports in the Aena network recorded a total of 26,504,920 passengers, which is 9 per cent more than in the same month of 2022 and 2.8 per cent less than in 2019.

Demand in June remained high as demonstrated by high occupancy levels, which exceeded 88 per cent and were above 2019 levels and the levels recorded in the first few months of 2023, which were around 85 per cent.

In June, airlines reduced their flight schedules, more

so than in April and May, while in July, the schedule is similar to that for the same month of 2019.

Of the total travellers recorded in June, 26,443,843 were commercial passengers.

Of these, 18,142,980 passengers travelled on international flights, up 10 per cent from June 2022. Meanwhile, 8,300,863 passengers travelled on domestic flights, 6.9 per cent more than the same month last year.

Adolfo Suárez MadridBarajas Airport recorded the highest number of passengers in June with 5,134,856, representing an increase of 13.1 per cent compared with June of last year.

SPANISH AIRPORTS: Demand in June remained high.

Image: Toniflap / Shutterstock.com

Hotel thieves arrested

It is believed they were responsible for up to 16 robberies in Spain, two of which occurred in Alicante, according to the National Police on Friday, July 14.

Investigations were conducted with the help of Europol, as the gang operated throughout the EU. As well as Spain they have been linked to thefts in Germany, Portugal, Austria and the Czech Republic.

In a joint investigation between the National Police, and the Mossos d’Esquadra, two members of the group were arrested. Two robberies in Alicante and 14 robberies in Barcelona have been attributed to them.

Evidence revealed that the suspects entered the hotel posing as clients and

looked for possible victims who were leaving their rooms. The thieves would gain access to the room and steal the contents deposited within the safes.

On occasion, they had even stayed at the hotel the night before in order to check on the different clients staying at the hotel and choose those who they thought might have cash in the safes.

The suspects gained access to the hotel rooms without leaving any trace.

Granada’s cool 13th century tech

Once inside, they forced the safe by drilling a hole in the side, at the height of the pistons, to break them and thus release the locking mechanism of the safe door. When it was open, they would take money and jewellery left by the hotel guests, but not passports or other personal documents.

The robberies took place in different hotels, and the criminals managed to steal more than €50,000 and several items of jewellery.

DESPITE the advent of modern technology many struggle to keep their homes cool in the height of summer, but one place in Granada is living proof that the ancients knew a thing or two about it.

To escape the intense heat of the Andalucian summer many people go to the coastal areas to cool off, but there is one place in the interior that provides a haven for the hot and bothered traveller, according to a news source on Saturday, July 15.

The Alhambra is one of the most important and most visited monumental sites in the autonomous region of Granada. Its centuries­old architecture continues to surprise technicians today because it was designed to be a refuge from the stifling heat of summer.

The high 40­degree temperatures of the city are much higher than those experienced by visitors to the ancient palace, usually around 25 to 29 degrees.

plained why. “Thanks to its clever design the living space of the building stays cool: It’s like a natural air conditioner.” In addition, all the vegetation that surrounds the building helps to ‘generate shadows,’ especially the large trees. “It’s essential,” says Peral.

ral elements, is “the thickness of the walls.” Peral added: “They are very wide and with their wall construction system, the interior temperature is much better preserved, it takes longer to heat up,” he argues.

NATIONAL POLICE: Were involved in a joint investigation.

Curator of the Alhambra, architect Antonio Peral ex­

Another major factor is the importance of the availability of water, “which refreshes the atmosphere, brings life to the Alhambra, calms and soothes, and its murmur is a relaxing element.” It is present in fountains and ponds within the gardens.

In addition to these natu­

Credit-Alfonso de Tomas-Shutterstock.com

87% of the Spanish drink coffee.

A GANG that specialised in robbing hotel safes in different countries across the European Union have been arrested.

Purchasing decisions Spain buys Russian gas

STATISTICS show that last year Spain increased its dependence on Russian gas, despite their invasion of Ukraine.

Figures have been released which show Spain was the second largest buyer of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Europe during 2022, with 3.72 million tonnes, a 51 per cent increase more than the previous year, according to a news source on Friday, July 14.

The International LNG Importers Group, which brings together the main importing companies, such as Naturgy or Iberdrola, released its annual report last Friday. Spain came second behind France, which import­

ed 5.24 million tonnes, compared to 3.59 million a year earlier.

France and Spain were also the ones that saw the most increased imports by ship, despite the political will expressed to reduce dependence on hydrocarbons from Russia due to the war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the United States was by far and away the leading exporter of LNG to Europe. It sold 51.74 million tonnes in 2022, compared with 21.47 million tonnes the previous year. Second place, just ahead of Russia, went to Qatar, which exported 18.72 million tonnes to Europe, compared with 15.99 million tonnes in 2021.

Market plans to beat the heat

ONE of the largest markets in Andalucia is trying something different by opening at night when the heat of the day has subsided to attract more people and get them to stay.

The El Arenal street market, the largest organised in the Cordoban capital, is being badly affected this summer by the high temperatures. When it gets too hot, customers go home to escape the heat, wrote a news source.

With temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius, it isn’t wise to be going out in the streets when the sun is at its hottest, something that is forecast for the next few weeks.

According to the Association of Street Traders of Cordoba (Comacor): “People come from eight to 10

or 11 in the morning, then they leave.

“Older people can’t be out here in the heat,” it is believed that sellers are potentially losing up to 50 per cent of their takings. Faced with this situation, they have asked the city council to try and schedule the market for a different, cooler time.

So on Friday, July 21 the

market will be held at night, from 8.00pm until 1.00am, instead of its usual time, when it’s normally all wrapped up by 2.00pm.

Many regular customers have welcomed the idea and it is hoped that traders too will be able to sell more, and at the same time be working in more comfortable working conditions.

SEVENTY ­ FOUR PER CENT of Spanish consumers consider environmental issues important in their purchase decision, according to the latest AECOC Shopperview report.

In addition, 50 per cent of Spanish society has stopped buying products from brands that they consider unsustainable, and has even changed establishments to continue buying cheaper sustainable products.

Cinta Bosch, AECOC Sustainability Manager, confirmed: “Even at a time like the present, in which the price factor is decisive in the purchase decision, consumers demand healthy, convenient and sustainable products.

“In fact, eight out of 10 distribution companies in Spain use recyclable or reusable plastic in their products or processes and 34 per cent of them plan to increase their use.”

“In addition, 95 per cent of them have measures for the separation or recovery of waste.”

STREET MARKET: Will now be held in the evening.

Credit-Coamcor.es

BIRD strikes although not an everyday hazard can be extremely dangerous and on the morning of Sunday July 16, Vueling 2112 aborted prior to take off from Barcelona El Prat Airport.

As the Airbus A320 was speeding down the runway, a bird flew into one of its engines and the pilot decided that it was safer to apply brakes at full power rather than continue the take off whilst the plane was around two thirds of the way down the runway.

AIR quality in Spain in 2022 shows improvement compared to the previous year.

The Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge has just published the 2022 Air Quality Assessment Report for Spain which presents the results that will be reported to the European Commission before September 30.

The report details the situation in each of the air quality zones with respect to the legislated values. It aims to give an overview of air quality, as well as describe how air quality is assessed and managed.

The report incorporates a climatological summary of the year with data produced by the State Meteorological Agency, including episodes of Saharan dust intrusions.

Overall, the results show improvement compared to the number of times the values were exceeded in 2021.

Although the annual limit value for nitrogen dioxide

Flight aborted

The brakes and tyres were overheated by the action but no fire was caused and the captain authorised the cabin crew to carry out an emergency evacuation using emergency slides on runway 24L.

The runway was immediately cleared

Air quality

and emergency services attended the aircraft, spraying water on the tyres to cool them down and passengers were picked up by bus and taken to the terminal.

Some aircraft waiting to take off were

redirected to runway 24R and there was considerable delay as air traffic control had to arrange a rota whereby both arriving and departing aircraft could safely use the single runway.

A new aircraft was assigned by Vueling and the passengers, (with no significant injuries, although some were hurt during the evacuation) from the aborted flight eventually departed Barcelona at 12.30pm, with a story to tell about what happened to their flight.

IMPROVEMENT: Compared to previous years.

and the daily limit value for PM10 have both been exceeded in one zone (Aviles in Barcelona), there has been an improvement in terms of the annual limit value for PM10 and also for the target value for the protection of health and vege­

tation for ozone. Particles are defined by their diameter for air quality regulatory purposes. Those with a diameter of 10 microns or less (PM10) are inhalable into the lungs and can induce adverse health effects.

Image: Stokkete / Shutterstock.com

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Turtles nesting in record numbers on Spanish coast

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ACCORDING to researchers, climate change has seen record numbers of turtles nesting in Spain and Italy, what was once a rare oc currence is now becoming more common.

The sea turtle’s habits are changing be cause of the warming of Mediterranean wa ters. At least 15 sea turtle nests have been de tected in recent weeks on beaches along the Spanish coast, with two cases in Mallorca, ac cording to a news outlet on Tuesday, July 11.

Italy too has seen a huge increase with around 100 or so nests, laid in Italy, which is a record number of nest sites on the coasts of the western Mediterranean in a single season.

The details have been confirmed by various experts from the universities of Vic, Barcelona and the Polytechnic of Valencia, which, with the collaboration of the University of Valencia and the Doñana Biological Station, has begun work on the InGeNi­Caretta project. A project which has been financed by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the European Union.

According to biologists, climate change is modifying the nesting area of the loggerhead turtle (scientific name: Caretta caretta) and has taken it to regions where it had not nested before, which poses new challenges for biodiversity manage­

ment in these territories.

This emerging colonisation is occurring in areas popularised with humans, as is the case on the Spanish coast, another reason why appropriate management is needed if the turtles are to succeed.

The first sea turtle nest detected this season in Spain appeared at the beginning of June on Can Pere Toni beach in Palma, Mallorca. It was soon followed by more nests detected on beaches in Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia and Andalucia.

Scientists hope that the results of the InGeNiCaretta project will make it possible to improve conservation measures for the species, particularly with regard to nesting activity on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts.

Temu conspiracy

MANY people enjoy a conspiracy theory and the latest concerns brash newcomer, the online company Temu which is giving Amazon a run for its money.

Arriving in America as if from nowhere less than a year ago, Temu (stands for Team Up Price Down) is undoubtedly very cheap and has attracted a huge number of customers who can’t afford brand names.

This company which is a subsidiary of a Chinese based organisation which offers a very similar service in China basically sells cheaply produced Chinese products at incredibly low prices.

Indeed, many people pay nothing for their goods as they can receive significant discounts on the already low prices by introducing friends and family.

Temu is now advertis ­

ing heavily in Spain but if the American experience is anything to go by, whilst it may attract many customers initially, poor quality of product and/or service could see it suffer quite quickly.

This is all fact, but the conspiracy theory considers that it is just a front to obtain information about individuals around the world and then feed it all back to the Communist Chinese Authorities.

In addition, because it appears that most of the revenue earned by Temu

is from selling information to third parties, by signing up, especially if using the mobile App, consumers are effectively providing access to a huge amount of their personal information.

Taken a step further, if companies such as Amazon have to cut their prices in order to compete with Temu, then they in turn will demand reductions in price from suppliers and also potentially either cut the workforce or drive wages down.

SEA TURTLE: Its habits are changing.

Credit: Screenshot Temu advert

NEWCOMER: Temu offers some unbelievable prices.

Wine worth €111,000 stolen

The theft occurred at around 1pm on Sunday, July 9, when the store was open to the public. Undetected, the three criminals went upstairs and entered the wine cellar, where the company’s most prestigious wines were kept in a locked cabinet, according to a news source.

They reportedly forced the protective glass with a suction cup and stole nine bottles, some of which were worth up to €30,000.

While they were busy committing their crime, an employee heard suspicious noises and activated the burglar alarm. He subsequently located the thieves and chased them through the wine bar.

However, the robbers managed to jump over the counter with the bottles al­

ready stored in their backpacks. They ran out onto the street where they had a getaway vehicle parked up ready to escape.

The wine company provided the Mossos d’Esquadra with the vehicle’s registration plate and images from the video surveillance cameras.

Workers at the establishment suggested the outrageous theft could have been ‘commissioned by a mafioso boss’ as there are very few wineries in Spain with such an exclusive selection.

“Customers come from abroad to get the bottle they want,” said one employee.

In fact, when a customer enters the store, the bodega obliges them to purchase a case containing one of the most expensive bottles, valued at €30,000. The remainder of the case is then completed with 11 other bottles usually worth around €5,000 each.

150 Earthquakes in one month

FEARS have been raised on the island of Tenerife following statistics which show the level of seismic activity within the space of just one month.

The National Geographic Institute has revealed that since June 11, over 150 earthquakes were recorded near Teide Volcano in Tenerife, with a staggering 112 of them logged in just over 24 hours between July 5 and July 6, according to a news source.

Recently, tremors were detected at around 40 to 50 kilometres under the surface. Meanwhile, it has emerged that magma reservoirs are present at just five kilometres underground.

Astonished researchers on the island discovered that basaltic magma has

cooled underground, causing its chemical composition to change, which they say is resulting in a ‘potentially explosive’ type of magma.

Canary Islands­based research group INVOLCAN has been constantly monitoring Teide for over a year now after 400 quakes were detected in June 2022.

Matthew Blackett, a professor at Coventry University, said: “It remains a very active volcano. This means that there is an active magma chamber below the island.”

Apparently, the seismic tremors are caused by the magma shifting around: “Think about when you touch a pipe with water flowing through it. You can feel a vague vibration.”

Teide has been likened to

the notorious volcanoes, Vesuvius and Etna. The last time Teide erupted was in 1909, an event which lasted for 10 days and spewed out rock fragments 20 km and ash almost 130 km, at the time there were no direct casualties.

Thankfully it has been concluded that the risk is low and that there were ‘few’ indicators an eruption would occur any time soon.

THREE thieves stole nine bottles of wine valued at €111,000 from the headquarters of Vins and Licors Grau, in Palafrugell, Girona.

WINE CELLAR: Vins y Licors Grau bodega in Girona.

40.3 degrees. The max temp in the UK in 2022.

ONE in six people (8.5 million) in the UK ended up buying something they didn’t want, need or came to regret because of online shopping traps used by some retailers according to new research by Citizens Advice.

Deceptive online tactics commonly used include auto­renewing subscriptions and ‘drip pricing’ techniques ­ where a website or app hooks a shopper in with headline prices, only to reveal at checkout the real

Online trap

price is higher when necessary add­ons are factored in.

These tactics, while legal, are catching shoppers off guard and leading to serious buyer’s remorse.

At a time of mounting financial pressures on households, these online shopping traps cost consumers almost £2.1 billion last year through purchases they did­

Robber bitten by police dog

A VIOLENT thief who stole a motorcycle is taking police to court after he was apprehended and bitten by a police dog.

During a police chase, 24­year­old career criminal, Sonnie Stow sustained a broken leg and an open wound. He later required muscle reconstruction, a skin graft and treatment from a plastic surgeon according to a news source on Tuesday, July 11.

In an effort to bring Stow to a halt, police officers in Hull deliberately knocked him off his bike, where he was then repeatedly bitten by one of the force’s dogs.

Stow and his accomplice, Dawid Kajzer, 18, both from Hull were reported riding around the Orchard Park area on a stolen motorcycle. The pair had earlier been involved in a serious attempted robbery that left a bike owner with a ‘nasty’ leg fracture, which required surgery.

On the night of the incident, Stow was riding the motorcycle with Kajzer riding pillion. Their erratic driving was deemed by police to be a danger to members of the public.

Police managed to bring them to a halt by tactically knocking into the motorcycle. Stow resisted arrest and tried to escape but was brought down by a police dog.

Both men have extensive criminal records. This latest judgement saw Stow jailed for four­and­a­half years and Kajzer sent to a young offenders’ institu­

n’t want, need or came to regret.

Worryingly, two­thirds of those who fell victim to these traps said it negatively impacted household finances (an estimated 5.6 million customers).

It’s costing people time as well as money, with people spending, on average, one day per year dealing with

BRITISH AIRWAYS has proudly assisted customer Brian Hickman to take his first flight in 15 years, accompanied by his service dog Lily, after he got in touch with the airline to ask for help fulfilling his dream of flying again, and showing others that flying can be accessible to everyone.

Brian suffered life­changing spinal injuries 15 years ago whilst on duty as a police officer.

With the help of the charity Dog AID, Lily the cockerpoo was trained to become a fully qualified and certified service dog. Lily helps Brian with day­to­day practical tasks and supports his independence by alerting him of any nearby dangers such as trip hazards, meaning Lily is essential to Brian when travelling.

Brian was keen to embark on his first flight since his accident, to understand the end­to­end journey of flying with a service dog, regain his confidence to take to the skies and raise awareness to other service dog users that flying with additional requirements can be a stressfree experience.

Following his successful journey to Newcastle, Brian now has the confidence to fly again with Lily by his side.

the consequences of these features, including chasing refunds or making a complaint afterwards.

With the government already targeting subscription traps in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill, Citizens Advice is calling for proposals to go further and ban auto­renewing subscriptions.

Needless buying.

A WOMAN From Lincolnshire has revealed how she woke up one morning with a Welsh accent, despite never ever visiting Wales.

Thirty ­ six ­ year ­ old Zoe Coles, reported that she woke up about six weeks ago and was shocked to discover that overnight she had developed a new accent, wrote a news source on Friday, July 14.

The Lincolnshire mother of two had hoped that it would wear off, but six weeks later it hasn’t. Now she is often asked if she’s from Cardiff, and until the mysterious overnight phenomenon took place said that she’s never been able to do a Welsh accent or roll her Rs.

Because of her new condition, she has also suffered from anxiety attacks and said that she feels like she ‘doesn’t fit in anymore’ because of the way she speaks.

Zoe, who is mum to Zak, 16, and Brooke, 11, and worked as a bartender at a Wetherspoon pub said: “When people would get drunk, I knew I would be a target. I tried to drive to work one day and I just had a massive anxiety attack and I just couldn’t go in.”

In 2022, Zoe was diagnosed with Functional Neu­

rological Disorder (FND). Because of this, Zoe often has ticks, memory problems, slurred speech and chronic pain in her legs.

However, there is also a condition known as Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS), an extremely rare condition where people develop speech patterns that are taken as a foreign accent.

WELSH ACCENT: Despite never having visted Wales.

A dream come true

Swan Lake in Teulada

WITH one of the bestknown works in classical ballet, the Kiev Ballet brings Swan Lake to Teulada auditorium on Wednesday, August 2. The performance begins at 8.30pm, and tickets are €12. Goldberg Productions will donate €1.50 from each of the tickets sold to UNICEF to support their work in the Ukraine emergency. This is the first tour of Spain by the Ukrainian Ballet company, whose objectives are the upholding of traditions and keeping the essence of the purest classical ballet. Each performance is a feast for the senses due to the pureness of the choreography. All of the costumes and sets have been exclusively designed by the best masters of the Kiev workshops.

Tickets from Teulada auditorium or by visiting www.balletdekiev.com.

Moors and Christians

MAKE your way to Villajoyosa to experience the Moors and Christians festival. The events of this festival, in honour of Santa Marta and declared an ‘International Festival of Tourist Interest’, kick off on Monday, July 24, with the musical bands parade.

On July 25 and 26, the Moors and Christians parade takes place. Both troops make their entry into Villajoyosa wearing their best clothes in a great show which impresses everyone. It’s sure to be a spectacular sight.

Thursday, July 27 is the presentation of Moorish troops to their King and Bedouin Embassy. Both smugglers and

Bedouins offer themselves to their respective kings to help them achieve their objective: to defend and conquer Villajoyosa respectively.

‘Nit del Fester’ will be held on Friday, July 28. This is a night of partying.

On Saturday, July 29, Santa

Five star circus in town

Jo Pugh

Marta will be celebrated with a mass and procession, with a firework display in the evening.

Finally, on Sunday, July 30, there will be paellas and, lastly, on Monday, July 31, you can watch a children’s float parade.

Charity quiz night in Alcalali

THE Make a Smile children’s charity is holding a fun quiz night at Los Amigos restaurant in Alcalali on Wednesday 16 August at 7.30pm.

The cost is €12 and includes a meal, and a raffle will be held on the night. At­

tendees are advised to arrive in plenty of time for the start of the quiz. Hosted by Derek and Anne Martyr, it promises to be a fun evening for all. Booking by emailing themartyrs103@gmail.com is essential.

THE famous and prestigious Great National Acrobatic Circus of China comes to Teulada auditorium on Thursday, August 17, and is a delight for the senses. Qualified as unique in the world and with more than 30 artists on stage, most of them are Olympic medalists and some are from the famous Cirque du Soleil.

Given five stars by the New York Times , pirouettes, balancing and juggling come together with different acrobatic exercises, which combine sports and mental concentration, forming part of a sublime show.

With 18 acrobatic programmes divided into two parts and four acts, oriental culture is highlighted during the show.

The stunning acts, combined with technical skill make this circus a visual marvel. In the show, a colourful wardrobe is combined with a carefully chosen soundtrack which accompanies each of the acts that are presented, full of mysticism and symbolism. The show invites the audience on a journey with the show’s protagonist, a dreamy boy who enters an unexplored world of fantasy, where he discovers a beautiful phoenix fairy who can fly over the sea. The boy succumbs to the visual wonder, attracted by the beauty of the character who plunges into the ocean.

The show begins at 8pm. Tickets are €35 and can be purchased online from www.auditoriteu ladamoraira.es.

Watch the boat landings on Thursday, July 27.

Credit: Villajoyosa Tourist Office, JULIAN SANCHEZ PEREZ

Garden concert

Jo Pugh

THE stunning setting of Albarda gardens in La Sella, Pedreguer, will be the venue for an evening music concert on Tuesday, August 15. The concert features rock classics from the 60s, 70s and 80s, with covers from bands such as America, The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel and The Eagles.

The event begins at 7pm, and ticket prices are €15 per person. Tickets can be purchased online from jardinalbarda.com.

The event is hosted by Fundem, a private nonprofit organisation dedicated to the conservation of Mediterranean fauna

TICKETS are now on sale for La Tomatina ­ the crazy, fun filled tomato throwing festival in Buñol, Valencia. The event starts at midday on Wednesday, August 16 and tickets are €15 each.

The story of La Tomatina

and flora since 1996.

The gardens are also open to the public, and are well worth a visit. They are open daily from 10.00am to 2pm, and 6pm to 9pm daily. Tickets are €7 per person on weekdays, with

Classic guitar tones

Credit: Jo Pugh

children under seven free, and €9 at weekends and holidays. A family ticket (includes two adults and two children between seven and 14 years) is €15, and €22 at weekends and holidays.

Insane tomato time

began on the last Wednesday of August 1945, when some boys caused a participant to fall from a passing parade of floats. The participant, filled with anger, began to throw everything that was in his path. By a whim of fate, in the middle of it all was a vegetable stand which was used by the angry crowd to release adrenaline: those present began throwing tomatoes until the public enforcers put an end to this strange fight.

The following year, the young people deliberately

repeated the altercation, even taking tomatoes from their homes. Far from accepting this event as a custom, the police prohibited it from being repeated in order to prevent it from taking root as a tradition.

The Tomatina was banned in the early 1950s, a decision that did not dissuade its participants, even though some were arrested. The people protested and the festival was authorised again, adding more participants every year and becoming more and more crazy.

ON Wednesday, August 9, at 10pm, the talented Pancho Varona will perform at the parador in Javea, as part of his Punto y Seguido 2023 Tour. Pancho Varona, renowned guitarist and composer, has collaborated with some of the biggest artists in the Spanish­speaking world, including Joaquín Sabina. His skill on the guitar is simply exceptional. He enthralls his audience with an evening filled with timeless Sabinero classics and captivating melodies in a magical setting. Tickets must be purchased in advance for €17 through www.entradi um.com.

Finally, the Tomatina was authorised and institutionalised as a local festival.

Over the years this celebration has drawn crowds from the rest of Spain. Since then, year after year, the excitement for it and the number of participants has grown. The overwhelming success led to La Tomatina of Buñol being declared a festival of interest in 2002.

Tickets sell out very quickly, so it is advisable to purchase them early. They can be purchased from the official website www.latomati na.info.

Buñol is located inland, west of Valencia.

ALBARDA GARDENS: The venue for a musical evening.

The music of Bond

A CONCERT revolving around the music of Agent 007 will take place in the Ondara bullring on Saturday, August 26 at 11pm.

As is tradition, the concert will be given by the Universal Symphony Orchestra, which will offer a repertoire of the best symphonic film music. On this occasion, the show will revolve around the music of one of the best­known film sagas, that of agent 007.

‘The Music of Bond’ will be a journey through the best pieces of six decades of history and will include the participation of the incredible voices of the solo singers Cristina Ramos, Esther Ovejero and Fran León, who will accompany the 70 musicians that

Help of Marina Alta Shindig

make up the orchestra.

In addition, Diego Navarro will take the baton to offer what will undoubtedly be one of the best film music symphony concerts ever held in the region.

James Bond themes such as From Russia with Love, Skyfall, Quantum of Solace, Diamonds are Forever, On her Majesty’s Secret Service, Moonraker, Licence to Kill, For Your Eyes Only, Goldeneye, Die Another Day or Goldfinger will be, among others, some of the themes that will be performed in this concert of more than two hours duration.

Tickets can be purchased online from www.sona film.es or at the box office two hours before the concert.

MUSIC lovers are invited to attend the Help of Marina Alta summer night shindig, which takes place today Thursday July 20 in the beautiful gardens of restaurant Los Arcos in Pedreguer. Tickets are €12 per person.

“Gather your friends, book a table, pack a delicious picnic. With All proceeds going to Help of Marina Alta. It’s going to be a stunning jam fest!,” said the president, Candida Wright.

Attendees are asked to bring a picnic, and drinks must be purchased from the bar. The gates open at 7.30pm, with the music starting at 8.15pm.

The unique event brings together nine musicians and vocalists covering music from ballads to rock, and much more in between. The fundraiser is continuing from last month, in order to fund and install a children’s nursery in a local women’s DV shelter (safe house).

The home gives a safe place to seven women, and often their children, from babies to teenagers. Some ladies arrive before their baby is born and need everything. Toddlers who have arrived with no toys, no school books, and sometimes only the clothes they are wearing on arrival.

Recently Help of Marina Alta was asked if a new nursery room could be

created for them, as the little ones being cared for during the day were in a tiny box room. Help’s president, Candida Wright suggested installing a form of cabin, big enough to be the nursery outside on the large back patio of the shelter.

A 19 ­ square ­ metre free ­ standing resin cabin has been sourced and once a new level cement base can be built then the cabin can be installed along with electricity and water, a toilet and sink. Air conditioning has already kind­

ly been donated.

They hope the event tonight will be a sell out to help them complete the fundraising to purchase everything for this project. If anyone would like to help by being a sponsor then please let Help know.

You can book tickets and pay at the Help office in La Xara or call 966 427 044 between 10am and 2pm to pay by card or request bank transfer details. For more information please email events@helpmarinaalta.org

SUMMER NIGHT SHINDIG: Raising funds for a new nursery room.

Images: Help of Marina Alta

DENMARK

Wind project

DENMARK'S Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners have proposed a €1.158 billion plan to develop a groundbreaking 500MW commercial offshore wind project in Bangladesh's Bay of Bengal. With a five-year timeline, the project aims to compete with India's offshore wind projects and address Bangladesh's energy challenges while combating climate change.

Betfair breaches

DENMARK'S regulators have taken action against Betfair International, for breaching Denmark's Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Act. Betfair must address deficiencies in risk assessment, business procedures, and controls within specific timeframes. Compliance with AML regulations and national gambling laws is crucial for a secure betting environment.

THE NETHERLANDS

Unusual perk

DUTCH TV Station Nieuwsuur has discovered that at least seven international companies based in The Netherlands are offering to reimburse female staff for the cost of freezing their eggs. Also included in the offer to staff is purchase of donor sperm, extra IVF rounds or costs for surrogacy and adoption.

Slow checkout

A DUTCH supermarket, Jumbo has opened around 200 slow checkouts aimed at the elderly who might be lonely and want to have a chat. Working with the Dutch Government, Jumbo is trying to make life better for the estimated 10 per cent of the population who are elderly and may live alone.

ITALY

Serious blaze

AT least six people died and more than 80 were injured, some seriously, after a fire broke out in a nursing home in the Italian city of Milan. The blaze occurred at around 1.20am local time in the Casa per Coniugi nursing home. Forensic experts will inspect the premises to establish how the blaze started, but the initial hypothesis points to a lit cigarette.

Italian Guinness

KIERAN PATTEN, from Dublin opened The Irishman on St Patrick’s Day, an authentic Irish bar in Siena in Tuscany, Italy. However, in order to give customers a true taste of Ireland, he launched an urgent request for staff who know how to pour a proper pint of Guinness and speak Italian.

PRESS EURO

BELGIUM

Offensive poster

THE Belgian town of Aalst is no stranger to controversy and accusations of racism and the latest lapse of good taste has seen an anti-littering poster complained about as it features three young black boys surrounded by cigarette butts with the legend ‘At every cool spot in Aalst something filthy is spoiling the fun’.

Anti-littering poster is causing controversy.

Tank repair

Plane damage

A MAJOR accident at Dublin Airport ripped the door off an American-bound plane leaving it stranded. On Sunday, July 9, an accident involving a jetbridge, which malfunctioned while it was attached to the aircraft, ripped off the second left door of an American Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

They’re off

SKY SPORTS RACING (SSR) has threatened to withdraw from Irish television if the Gambling Regulation Bill becomes law. SSR said a provision for a blanket ban on gambling advertising between the hours of 5.30am and 9pm may render its channel “economically unviable in Ireland” and added It is “extremely concerned” and sees its withdrawal from air possible.

Silent seas

GERMANY and Poland's joint tank repair workshop for damaged Leopard battle tanks from Ukraine is facing delays due to challenges such as contract finalisation, profit distribution, spare parts availability, and concerns about other military projects. Resolving these issues promptly is crucial for sustainable support for Ukraine and bilateral cooperation.

Airport protests

CLIMATE activists from the group 'Last Generation' caused delays and cancellations at Hamburg and Dusseldorf airports by accessing the tarmac and immobilising themselves. The disruptions resulted in flight cancellations and delays. The activists called for emission reduction plans and the phasing out of fossil fuels.

GERMANY FRANCE

Sculptor dies

A 50-YEAR-OLD man ended his life in France using a home-made guillotine. Richard B was due to appear before a judge in the correctional court of Draguignanin charged with with three acts of domestic violence. The sculptor, residing in the commune of Flayosc, who had previously attempted suicide on numerous occasions, was found dead in his home by police officers.

Fireworks ban

THE sale of fireworks in France ahead of Bastille Day celebrations was prohibited in a decree by the government. 'In order to prevent the risk of serious disturbances to public order during the July 14 festivities, the sale, carrying, transportation and use of pyrotechnic articles and fireworks are prohibited’, said a statement.

Record cancelled

Doctors strike

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE has decided to put an end to all the high-seas espionage and undercover antics by banning walkietalkies onboard. The move follows a fan ban earlier this year, proving that this cruise line is really committed to keeping their passengers safe from excessive coolness and communication!

NIMSDAI PURJA'S record for the fastest ascent of all 8,000-metre peaks has been cancelled by Guinness World Records due to not reaching the highest point of two mountains. Norwegian climber Kristin Harila, who climbed all 14 mountains in one year and five days, now holds the world record.

NORWAY FINLAND

Energy plans

OLEG FOLKIN claims his company, Tornado Logistics, based in Finland, has devised technology that will revolutionise the energy sector. He claims the device can produce more power than it consumes, creating free and clean energy. According to Fokin, if the device is successful, it will make Elon Musk’s Teslas useless.

NATO HQ

NATO’S newest member, Finland, is considering a bid to become the northern headquarters for the military alliance, Pekka Toveri, a Finnish member of Parliament, who argues the case for NATO’s northern base to be in Finland. He states it would boost Finland’s security and influence within the Alliance.

Animal abuse

WITH strikes in the sector due this week, the FNAM doctors’ union in Portugal called the latest government proposal 'a completely medieval model’. The latest 20 per cent supplement obliges doctors to work more than twice as many hours a year they claim. As a result, doctors could end up working an extra 350 hours per year.

THE trial of the famed Portuguese picador João Moura is scheduled for September 18. Moura is accused by the Public Ministry (MP) of a total of 18 crimes, 17 of which are for the mistreatment of companion animals. The other is a charge of aggravated mistreatment of companion animals, for incidents that allegedly occurred on the 59-year-old picador's property in Monforte.

IRELAND PORTUGAL SWEDEN

Application delayed

HUNGARY'S approval of the Swedish NATO application will now be delayed until at least October. Zsolt Németh, a member of the ruling Fidesz party in the Hungarian parliament, explained that the summer break is about to begin. There was no reason to convene the parliament during this break he insisted, while pointing out that the parliament in Budapest will not resume its work until mid-September.

Malmo chosen

THE Swedish city of Malmö has been chosen to stage the 2024 Eurovision song contest. Sweden was given the prestige of hosting the annual music event after Loreen emerged victorious in Liverpool with her track Tattoo. Malmö Arena will host the participants on May 7, 9 and 11 of next year.

People smugglers stopped

John Ensor

A BI-NATIONAL operation between France and the UK has dismantled a people­smuggling organisation.

A report published on Thursday, July 13, told how an organised crime group used pleasure boats to smuggle illegal migrants across the channel.

A joint operation between the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and its French counterpart, led to an investigation into an organised crime group and resulted in the imprisonment of a man in France. Thanks to the collaboration between British and French authorities they were able to link the group to two separate vessels. One of the boats, named Moon, was involved in a smuggling run which saw 11 migrants brought ashore in Rye, East Sussex, in February 2022.

A 36­year­old Iraqi national was arrested by NCA officers in Barnet, north London, in connection with that particular incident. He was later released on bail pending further enquiries.

During the investigation, a second yacht, the Lady Ann, was identified as being located in Belgium and travelled from there to Boulogne­sur­mer.

On June 1, 2022, a 43 ­ year ­ old Georgian national, Igor Romanovi, who skippered the vessel was arrested by French

police while the boat was docked in Boulogne.

Romanovi was prosecuted for people smuggling offences and on June 26, 2023, he was sentenced to four years in prison by a court in Dieppe. He has also been banned from French territory upon his release.

The regional manager for NCA International, Tom Outhwaite, commented: “Tackling people smuggling is a priority for the NCA and we are working closely with our partners in France, Belgium and beyond to target the organised criminals involved on both sides of the Channel.”

The NCA’s successful operation was supported by the authorities in France and Belgium, as well as Sussex Police, Border Force, Immigration Enforcement and the Crown Prosecution Service.

First Dates off to Bath

Jo

Pugh

AS part of its 10th anniversary, the BAFTA awardwinning Channel 4 dating show First Dates is changing its location to the romantic city of Bath.

The TV series helps singletons to hopefully find their dream match over a romantic dinner in a restaurant. Each couple is meticulously matched based on their likes and dislikes, and if cupid strikes his bow, it could be the night that changes their lives forever.

Returning matchmaker, and maître d’, Fred Sirieix expressed his delight in a statement on Channel 4 and said: “Making this new series feels special, celebrating a decade of bringing people together on the show, but there’s always more love to be found. They say Bath is the most romantic city in the UK and it's true, so what better place to set the scene for romance to blossom than there!”

It isn’t the first time the restaurant has moved since its premiere in 2013, the two previous locations being in London and Manchester.

Along with the location change, a few more modifications will be made. The Channel 4 series will feature new cast members and a refreshed format, and will have “some of the most unforgettable dating moments the show has ever featured.”

Channel 4’s commissioning editor Rita Daniels said: “After 10 years of love stories, I’m thrilled that First Dates has the stunning and

romantic city of Bath as its brand new location. I’m in no doubt that this special place will mesmerise and enthrall all our daters, which in turn will ensure they have a special evening full of romance.”

3

MOON: Was involved in a smuggling run.

FRED SIRIEIX: “No better place for romance.”

Different police forces in Spain.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Tipping point

EMPLOYEES at The Ivy restaurant chain complained that they are losing out after Troia UK Restaurants, part­owned by billionaire restaurateur and fashion tycoon Richard Caring, has cut their share of the service charge. The modification came into force once the legal minimum wage rose in April, the Unite union said.

Helping hand

SPAIN’S National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) launched proceedings against renewable energy company, Ecoener, maintaining that it helped two company executives to acquire shares when the company was floated in April 2021. Ecoener has since insisted that only “ minimal” sums of money were involved.

Dead letters

HM Revenue & Customs office has had to create a special taskforce to deal with letters that are still unanswered after a year. The new team will tackle the backlog of more than 37,000 pieces of correspondence that are at least 10 months old to prevent the accumulation reaching the 12­month stage.

Digi prodigy

DIGI COMMUNICATIONS’ board of directors will propose a dividend of one Romanian leu per share (approximately €0.2) at the August 18 annual general meeting. The parent company’s dividends have grown in recent years, thanks to Digi Spain where the company is now a telecoms leader owing to its ‘aggressive’ tariffs.

Living dead

ZOMBIE companies, which formerly avoided bankruptcy through cheap borrowing costs, are now under pressure and unlikely to survive rising interest rates. Insolvency specialists Begbies Traynor, whose revenues climbed 11 per cent to £121.8 million (€142.1) last year, predicted that practically all would fail within 18 months.

Linda Hall

INDITEX shareholders approved the company’s 2022 results and payment of a €1.20 share dividend at the Annual General Meeting on July 11.

They also voted in favour of setting the number of Inditex directors at 10 and re­elected Inditex’s founder Amancio Ortega Gaona, aged 87, as the company’s proprietary director.

The 2022 and early 2023 figures were the result of the “incredible work” carried out by the company’s teams, said Ortega Gaona’s daughter, Marta Ortega Perez, who is now Inditex chairwoman.

Ortega’s address to the meeting, which was held

STAT OF WEEK €1.45 billion

in record sales for the Catalan-based fashion group Mango during the first six months of 2023, showing a 20 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Inditex magic

which owns the Zara, Massimo Dutti, Bershka and Oysho labels amongst others, reported a €4.13 billion profit in the fiscal year ending on January 31, a 27 per cent increase on 2022.

Schools of thought

IF Labour carries through plans to strip independent schools of their charitable status, thousands of children would have to leave their current schools.

at the company’s headquarters in Arteixo (La Coruña), was streamed on the Inditex website.

“The magic of Inditex lies within our team and our values, which are heavily influenced by selfimposed high standards,” she said during the meet­

ing. “The future is not predetermined and we must never forget that.”

Inditex was close­knit, like a family where successes were celebrated together but mistakes taken on board “as if they were one’s own”, Ortega added.

The fashion chain,

Turnover grew by 17.5 per cent to €32.569 million despite 2022’s economic turbulence and the sale of Inditex’s operation inside Russia, which cost the group €230 million.

The first quarter of 2023 was even better, Ortega said: “In these months we faced challenges that were overcome thanks to the magic of Inditex.”

No need for nationalisation

THAMES WATER has raised £750 million (€879.7 million) from shareholders.

Last month there were rumours that the company, which provides water and sewage services for 15 million people in London and southeast England, could enter special administration.

Cathryn Ross, who took over as interim co­chief executive following Sarah Bentley’s surprise departure in June, insisted during a BBC interview that nationalisation “was not on the cards.”

Thames Water had not pulled off plans to secure a hoped­for £1 billion

Still ugly

BIRKENSTOCK sandals, once dismissed as ugly but comfortable, are still ugly but are now fashionable. The brand founded in 1774 is contemplating a $6 billion (€5.39 billion) stock market listing, two years after selling a majority stake to consumer­focused private equity firm L Catterton in a deal that valued the company at €4.9 billion. Brothers Christian and Alex Birkenstock, who are still involved with the brand, are each believed to be worth around $1.7 billion (€1.54 billion) after selling to L Catterton, which has backing from Bernard Arnault, chief executive of LVMH and the world’s second­richest man after Elon Musk.

(€1.17 billion) lifeline, Ross said, although its £4.4 billion cash pile (€5.16 billion) was “absolutely enough” to cover costs for 2023, 2024 “and into the future.”

Postal agreement

ROYAL MAIL employees accepted an offer that ends their ongoing dispute over pay, jobs and working conditions.

Almost 76 per cent of Communication Workers Union (CWU) members voted for a 10 per cent increase spread over three years, plus a £500 (€584) lump sum.

The ballot result ended disagreements that culminated in stoppages by more than 115,000 workers at the end of last year.

“This has been the most challenging period in the history of the union and the company, and I want to thank every single member who has voted in this ballot,” the CWU’s general secretary Dave Ward said

At the same time, the below ­ inflation agreement will leave some Royal Mail employees worse off than a previously­rebuffed offer of 9 per cent over a year and a half.

Nevertheless, another £2.5 billion (€2.93 billion) will be required by 2030 as the company buttresses its finances, shareholders were told.

Thames Water, owned by a consortium of pension groups and foreign funds, has met censure for polluting rivers and was recently fined £3.3 million (€3.86m) for sewage spills in 2017.

At a time when Thames Water has paid huge dividends to shareholders and generous salaries to its executives, the company had also accumulated a £14 billion (€16.4 billion) debt.

Cryptic clues

A STUDY by cryptocurrency experts CryptoGambling.tv named Slovenia as Europe’s most ‘crypto­obsessed’ country.

Analysis revealed that approximately 100,000 internet searches each month were linked to cryptocurrency, averaging out at 4,789 crypto­related searches for information per every 100,000 people.

Spain, with a monthly 907,000 searches was ranked sixth, with around 1,927 searchers for every 100,000 inhabitants.

Luxembourg was the secondmost interested country with a monthly average of 2,634 searches, ahead of the Netherlands which sees 2,608 cryptocurrency searches for every 100,000 people although Holland is one of the few countries which taxes unrealised gains.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think tank calculated that parents would remove around 40,000 children from paying schools. These would then enter the UK’s state system, costing the taxpayer another £300 million (€350 million) annually.

The IFS also warned that the proposed tax raid could encourage tax avoidance as schools and families looked for loopholes that would enable them to cut bills.

Big surprise

IGNACIO GUTIERREZ­ORRANTIA will not, after all, be moving to the Spanish gas and electricity company, Naturgy.

Gutierrez ­ Orrantia has informed Citigroup that he plans to remain at the bank in his current role as the Londonbased head of the Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory Division for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Gutierriez­Orrantias’s decision, announced by Bloomburg on July 11, was met with generalised surprise as his move to Naturgy as chief executive, where he was to have shared executive powers with company president Francisco Reynes, was regarded as a certainty.

Indian buyer

INDIAN businessman Kabir Mulchandani is buying Pacha nightclubs and hotels through his Five company. The nightlife and tourism group, based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, will pay a little over €320 million according to reports published in a local news outlet on July 12.

Initially, the Trilantic, GPF and MCH private equity funds, which owned the discos and hotels, had asked for more than €500 million, before accepting a significantly lower amount.

Trilantic, GPF and MCH, which entered Ibiza’s nightlife sector in 2017, are divesting themselves of Pacha after having survived Covid­19 thanks to a bailout using public money.

INDITEX RESULTS: Chairwoman Marta Ortega and the board praise ‘incredible work’.

THAMES WATER: 15 million clients in London and southeast England.

Photo credit: Inditex.com

Photo credit: Thames Water

LONDON - FTSE 100

DOW JONES

Uber fast

WAITROSE has joined forces with Uber Eats in a deal that will deliver grocery orders in just 20 minutes. Available at present for online London shoppers in Finchley Road, West Hampstead, Clerkenwell, St Katharine Docks and Greenwich, the service will extend to more than 200 stores throughout the UK by the end of August.

Selling up

THE US real estate investment firm AEW is putting 22 Carrefour supermarkets up for sale in Spain in an operation expected to top €120 million. The majority are located in Madrid and Catalonia and some, which are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, have an ‘enormous turnover’ according to industry sources.

Petrol still going strong

Linda Hall

CCAR manufacturers Renault and Geely announced a €7 billion joint venture to build engines for hybrid and petrolpowered vehicles, Renault and Chinese firm Geely, which owns Volvo and holds shares in Aston Martin and Mercedes, intend to produce an annual five million internal combustion, hybrid and plug­in hybrid engines and transmissions.

The newly­formed company will focus on becoming the leader in next­generation hybrid and highly efficient powertrain solutions to meet worldwide demand for the

Accentuating technology

KUTXABANK has engaged 94 professionals on permanent contracts, with more appointments expected before the end of the year.

Anton Arriola, chairman of the Bilbaobased bank, announced that more than half of the new employees will be assigned to the group’s network of branches to improve levels of personalised services for customers.

As with earlier recruitment drives, the majority ­ in this case 65 per cent ­ of the new workers are women.

When further staff are taken on later this year, they will have a ‘more technological profile’, the bank explained, to meet digital transformation objectives set out in the government’s Acelera plan.

Breakup

years to come, a Renault statement announced.

The company will supply engines and other components to several global brands, including Volvo, Nissan and Mitsubishi, as well as Renault and Geely’s own vehicles.

The initiative will provide work for around 19,000 people, with 17 factories and five research and development centres located in three continents, would have an expected annual revenue of €15 billion, according to a Reuters report in March this year.

The initial organisation will establish two operational centres in charge of the respective operations, with Renault based in Madrid and Geely in Hangzhou Bay on the East China Sea.

An executive team will be based at the new company’s headquarters which Renault revealed would, in principle, be located in the UK in order to consolidate operations and define future plans.

BRITISH defence group Cobham’s fragmentation continued as its US private equity owners sold the company’s Aerospace Communications division to French firm Thales in a £850 million (€993.25 million) deal. The Paris­based company, which has been part of the Cobham group since 1989, makes aircraft antennas and communication systems and expects revenues of £154 million (€180 million) this year.

Charged up

ANFAC, Spain’s vehicle manufacturers’ association, is working on proposals to improve the Moves III subsidies plan introduced to boost electric car purchase. It was a great programme, Anfac said, but because it was “enormously complex,” the association was contacting political parties in hopes of introducing a “much more efficient substitute” when Moves III ends on December 2023.

RENAULT CHAIRMAN: Luca de Meo announced €7 billion joint venture with Geely.

Photo credit: Renault Group

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

THOUSANDS of black Christian men women and children are still being slaughtered and enslaved in Nigeria. Black genocide is still a daily occurrence in many parts of the world and even in the UK black youngsters are being killed on the streets in ever increasing numbers. All in all it is an appalling and utterly tragic situation.

But why are we seeing no demonstrations concerning these issues? Where are all the marchers and protesters? What’s happened to all the black leaders appearing in the media, decrying the situation and urging government to ‘do something’?

Personally I only discovered most of these facts with research. So can anyone please enlighten me why it is that black lives only appear to really matter when members of the white community are involved? It simply doesn’t make sense; is there is some ulterior motive afoot? Ah well, only time and tide will answer that question.

Personally of course I have watched the whole situation deterio­

It’s got worse

rate almost from the beginning, certainly in London. During the1950s with the influx of Windrush immigrants into the Bayswater area, where I resided, Rackman was renting large numbers of run down Victorian houses to these early immigrants.

Never the less, we all seemed to be enjoying the diversity and I even witnessed the early beginnings of the Notting Hill carnival. In the back of my little Portobello shop, I also had quite a merry fling with a bouncy happy faced lady from Nigeria ­ but we won’t get into that!

What is more worrying is the fact that some years later, after I had achieved some recording success, I decided to take a taxi and peruse some of my old Bayswater happy hunting haunts. To my amazement the taxi driver utterly refused to even drive down my chosen road.

Somewhat puzzled but still undeterred, I subsequently decided to walk down and visit one of my past favourite pubs; an establishment I had on many an occasion enjoyed

with an interesting mixture of the new immigrants and locals. Gazing around, with a warm feeling of déjà vu, I observed the whole pub was now in fact completely dominated by black clientele. You could also cut through the haze of marihuana with a knife. As I began to make my way to the bar a number of heads began to turn in my direction. Slowly and almost unbelievably the whole room began to sink into an extremely ominous silence. Not even getting close to the bar, I definitely had no choice but to turn towards one of the handy side doors and leave as quickly and carefully as I could. Not exactly the wonderful diversity the media keeps trying to brainwash us with was it? Nothing’s changed; it’s actually got worse. And a few of the readers have the audacity to call this ol boy a racist? Give me a break.

Keep

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WRITE OUR VIEW

THE hysteria on social media following the allegations that an unnamed BBC presenter had behaved improperly with a person apparently aged 17 saw the worst of some people reflected in their posts.

Immediately, there were a flood of ‘suggestions’ of who that person could be and suddenly BBC presenters including Ryland, Jeremy Vine, Nicky Campbell and Graham Norton were being wrongly ‘named and shamed’ by ignorant members of the public. The word ignorant has several meanings but ill­informed and rude are probably those which are closest to the truth about those naming names

They were ignorant for two reasons, firstly because they were simply speculating and had no knowledge and secondly because they don’t understand the fact they lay themselves open to civil lawsuits whereby they could end up bankrupt.

Once something is published (and this is true for social media and websites as well as in the press), any wrong and malicious statement could be argued in a court of law to be either libel or defamatory.

As the world changes, so more celebrities are turning to the law to sue those maligning them and some large sums have been won by those taking such action.

We at Euro Weekly News made sure that we didn’t join the ‘feeding frenzy’ and didn’t suggest any names until the wife of Huw Edwards confirmed it was him.

This is clearly responsible reporting and we ensure that any comments on our website are checked by a human being before being posted to ensure that no libel, profanity or even hurtful statement appears.

Be careful what comments you put on Facebook or similar, because it’s now open war against the trolls.

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

By Clinica Britannia

Giving your confidence a boost

NO matter how well you look after your teeth, you will find that over time they will dull or discolour, especially with staining foods and drink.

If you want to get that bright white smile, then tooth whitening may be just what you are looking for. Modern tooth whitening is safe, easy, and effective at restoring your teeth to their natural gleam, or even more dazzling if you like.

It is the most popular, affordable permanent non­invasive cosmetic dentistry procedure available that can amazingly change the look of your teeth and have a powerful impact on your overall appearance.

The treatment can be performed both in­office by using a powerful and effective gel or in the comfort of your own home with custom made trays and gel. With

professional treatment you will not suffer any damage or sacrifice the strength of your teeth. Results can be seen within as little as an hour, and your teeth can become up to 10 shades lighter than their original colour.

If you want to give your confidence a boost, then contact our Dental Department at CLINICA BRITANNIA who can give advice on what tooth whitening method would be best suited to you.

Yoghurt : Sunburn soother

SUNBURN can be painful, but live yoghurt offers a soothing solution. Its cooling effect provides immediate relief, while its probiotics help repair damaged skin. The lactic acid in yoghurt also gently exfoliates, removing dead skin cells and promoting healing. Plus, its natural antibacterial properties can prevent infection. To use, simply apply a layer of live yoghurt to the affected area, leave for 10 ­ 15 minutes, then rinse. Always remember to apply sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. But if you do get burned, reach for the live yoghurt ­ it’s a natural, ef fective remedy. So next time you’re feeling the burn, remember this dairy wonder!

Natural hair solutions

EMBRACE the power of nature with non ­ chemical hair dyes. Derived from natural ingredients like henna, beetroot, and black tea, these dyes offer a safer alternative to traditional hair colouring methods. They’re free from harmful chemicals, reducing the risk of dam ­

age and allergic reactions. Plus, they nourish your hair, enhancing its health and shine. With a variety of colours available, you can achieve your desired look without compromising your hair’s health. It’s time to say goodbye to harsh chemicals and hello to natural beauty with nonchemical hair dyes

BACK and neck pain can be debilitating, but relief is within reach. Regular exercise, particularly stretching and strength training, can help alleviate discomfort and improve flexibility.

Good posture, both when sitting and standing, is crucial to prevent

Easing pain naturally

strain. Ergonomic furniture can support proper alignment, especially for those working long hours at a desk.

Heat therapy, such as warm baths or heat

packs, can soothe stiff, aching muscles. Regular breaks to move and stretch during the day can also prevent tension build ­ up.

Remember, it’s impor ­

tant to seek professional advice if pain persists. Don’t let pain hold you back ­ take steps towards relief today! Embrace these strategies for a pain ­ free life and enjoy the freedom that comes with improved health.

NECK PAIN: Good posture is crucial to prevent strain.

Embrace low sodium living

A LOW-SODIUM diet can be a game ­ changer for those over 50. High sodium intake is linked to hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. By reducing your sodium intake, you can significantly lower these risks. Opt for fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Avoid processed foods, which are often high in sodium.

Remember, it’s not about deprivation, but about making healthier choices. Embrace the

low ­ sodium lifestyle and enjoy the benefits of improved health and wellbeing. It’s never too late to start!

12m Spaniards have private healthcare.

Yoghurt gives cooling relief.

Henna is a natural dye.

TOOTH WHITENING: Safe, easy and effective.

Liquid gold Dental revolution

ARGAN OIL, often dubbed ‘liquid gold’, is a powerhouse of benefits. Extracted from the Moroccan Argan tree’s kernels, this oil is rich in essential nutrients, antioxidants, and anti­inflammatory compounds. It hydrates the skin, reduces signs of ageing, and helps manage conditions like acne and eczema. For hair, it promotes growth, adds shine, and tames frizz. Additionally studies suggest it can lower cholesterol. With its versatility and myriad benefits, Argan oil is a must for your beauty and health regimen.

A REVOLUTION is underway in Spain’s dental health sector, and it’s not just about sparkling smiles. A new understanding of dental health as a cornerstone of overall well­being is taking root. Spanish dentistry is embracing modern technologies like 3D imaging and laser treatments, providing less invasive, more effective solutions. Specialised dental care for seniors, acknowledging age­specific concerns such as gum health and tooth loss, is gaining attention. Preventive dentistry is on the rise, with educational initiatives stressing the importance of regular checkups and daily oral care. Additionally, the market for dental products is evolving, featuring everything from advanced electric toothbrushes to natural toothpastes. Spain’s dental health landscape is a testament to the fact that a healthy mouth is a vital part of a vibrant life at any age.

Skincare superstar

AVOCADOS aren’t just for guacamole ­ they’re a skincare superstar too! Rich in vitamins A, D, and E, avocados nourish the skin, promoting elasticity and combating ageing.

They also contain antioxidants that fight free radicals, keeping your skin healthy and glowing.

Whether in a home­made face mask or a store­bought product, avocados can hydrate, soothe, and rejuvenate your skin.

So, why not add some avocado to your skincare routine? Your skin will thank you! Embrace the avocado revolution and experience the natural, nourishing benefits of this green wonder

By Clinica Britannia

AVOCADOS: Your skin will thank you!

New revolutionary blood test

DO you have a history of lung cancer in the family or do you or have you smoked in the past. Then this new revolutionary treatment and simple test may be suitable for you.

We all know that smoking is bad for us and many of us have tried to quit and failed various times. Now available is a new revolutionary tablet that works simply by relieving the withdrawal symptoms that we suffer when stopping smoking, leading to successful results.

Lung cancer is a tumour type cancer that is notoriously detected at the later stages, usually stage 3 or 4, when treatment outcomes are poor and curative treatment is usually no longer as the disease has spread outside the lung area.

Early detection could save millions of lives as cancer survival rates soar when tumours are detected in their earliest stages. Some stage 1 cancers can be cured with treatment alone. In

STOP SMOKING: Relieve withdrawal symptoms.

other types of early ­ stage cancer, there is a good chance of remission and a low chance of recurrence with prompt treatment.

Now available is a new revolutionary blood test, which by using as little as a drop of blood can reveal the early onset of lung cancer. This is true even in patients that may be harbouring the disease with no diagnosis, or if it will develop within four years if you stop smoking.

Contact us at Clinica Britannia for further information to discuss if this treatment is suitable for you.

DENTAL HEALTH: Not just about sparkling smiles.

Resolving queries about home insurance

Q. IS Home Insurance obligatory in Spain?

A. No, it is not obligatory, but it is certainly highly recommended. Nowadays, very few properties are without home insurance. However, every customer’s needs are different. This is why Liberty Seguros has created additional coverages to allow customers to tailor­make their home policy, from the most basic cover to a wide range of additional guaranties and services to make sure that you only pay for what you really need.

Q. Does Liberty Seguros Home Policy include Public Liability cover for me and my family?

A. Yes, as long as the property contents are insured in the home policy. The policy Includes a standard cover that can be extended up to €1,000.

Q. Does Liberty Seguros Home Insurance cover Tenant Vandalism?

A. Yes, you can add an optional cover: ‘act of vandalism

by tenants’ guarantee, with up to €3,000 cover, which will allow you to forget about any

hassle and get a profitable rental income.

Q. Are my garden and its contents covered by my home insurance?

A. Yes, Liberty Home Insurance has a specific standard cover for garden and terrace furniture, that can be extended up to €12,000. Our policy also includes a garden reconstruction guaranty, including replanting of trees.

Q. What should I consider to calculate my home policy contents amount?

A. This will always depend on the size of the property, the property use, number of people living at the property, etc, but please make sure that you consider, at least, the following: Kitchen furniture and appliances, furniture and soft­furnishings for every room, clothes and personal belong ­

ings. Do not forget that jewellery and valuable objects are considered part of the contents cover, but you will need to consider the value of each item.

Q. What should I do in case of a home insurance claim?

A. Please make sure that you and any other person at home is safe and can move to a safe place. Then, take steps to minimise any damage and contact your Home Insurance Assistance Department to report the claim (Liberty’s 24/7 home assistance phone number is 900 556 000).

Make sure that you provide your insurance policy number and details of the claim; and inform about what, when and how it happened.

Please be aware that claims should usually be reported no later than seven days after the claim date.

In response LETTERS

I refer to Tony North’s letter. My apologies; it was an editing slip on my part.

I missed out the word WESTERN (Europe). None of the countries listed by Tony North is in Western Europe (apart from the UK).

I agree it is misleading, so thanks for bringing this to my attention. My apologies to you and all the other readers for this. However, you may have noticed that my name was misspelt it is Worboys, not Worboy.

David Worboys

In favour

Morning Leapy,

I have just read your latest piece and particularly like the bit about the idea of having separate areas in London for blacks and whites.

I personally think that is a great idea and would be all in favour of it being put into place, as it could be the way to solving a lot of problems.

I seem to remember that many years ago this did actually happen in a country somewhere, and as far as I know it worked perfectly well. Not sure if it still is in operation or not.

I think in that country it was the whites that put it in place, but I get from the sound of it its the blacks who are wanting to put it in place in London.

Anyway look forward to reading more next week.

Jacob

Passenger habits

I used to fly from Frankfurt to Malaga in the 70s.

Often there was a round of applause on touchdown.

I assumed that, rather than relief at survival, it was celebration of deliverance into the sunshine.

David Worboys

Traffic cops

You lose points from your driving licence in Spain as a penalty, you only gain them for experience and training (if you commit certain offences you can take a specific driving course and win some lost points back). A new driver starts with eight points, which, if they don’t commit any offences, goes up to 12 as you pass the three year mark. Then, if you continue without any infractions for three more years, you gain another two points = 15, which is the most you can hold.

Concha

Confusing signs

Yes, agreed for those junctions where there is a sign, a line, and the white wording on the road. But when turning left from a main road, often via a slip lane… yes a line in the road…

...yes a stop wording in the road, but no stop sign, on the (absent) post, arguably needed to authenticate the legal requirement.

So many of these particular turnings, cause confusion, rights of way inconsistencies and so many drivers just not stopping at all. So, come on... what IS the legal requirement ?

Beiderbeck

Chelsea move

Bravo Aaron, you are the first honest British writer who is telling the truth about our Moroccan star Ziyech, and I quote “his confidence has taken a beaten since joining Chelsea being shunned by several managers over the years.”

Too many British newspapers are blaming Ziyech. While it’s the favouritism that’s taking place in Chelsea and football generally. I would advise any Moroccan football star to stay away from English football.

Destroyed Boufal, Chamakh before and Ziyech now … what a trap.

Mourad Oumouh

Hot wind

Last night here in Sax, Alicante, we had a gale for about an hour. I managed to record a wind temperature of 38.6ºC. No damage here but it did do some damage nearer Alicante. I can’t remember feeling that hot a wind before.

Mike Curtis

Bull runs

I totally agree. I can’t sleep during these festivals as I’m so worried about the mistreatment of the bulls.

I wish to join a group to help stop these.

Catherine Kerr

The truth

Hi Lee

I’ve just read your piece headlined ‘British Media’ and was shocked to read it, because I’ve at last found someone who’s got the balls to spell out the truth with what’s going on in the UK.

I used to love England but we have been betrayed by politicians who have lied to us along with the MSM and have decided to come and live in Spain where we feel safer and just wished I had done it earlier because the country is quickly going downhill and anarchy is just round the corner.

Thank you for spreading the truth with what’s going on because there’s not many out there that are willing to do that and it’s really sad to see that the UK’s now fallen.

Regards ,

Andy Walsh

At Watson European, we’ve got you covered

IN a conversation with company owner Andrea Watson, the EWN has learned about the significant role that removals have played in the history of Watson European. Starting from humble beginnings, the company initially catered to the road haulage needs in Europe. Today, Andrea’s experienced team meets the demand for regular and professional removal services.

Over the years, Watson European has expanded its services to include wrapping and packing, storage, vehicle relocation, and customs clearances. They specialise in movements between the UK, France, and Spain.

The dedicated and skilled team at Watson European strive to provide a friendly and welcoming experience while maintaining professionalism and courtesy. From the first point of contact to the final delivery, their goal is to make your move stress­free and enjoyable.

We also discussed the impact of Brexit

on the company. Andrea acknowledged that Brexit has changed the process of moving goods

between the UK and the EU. Dealing with customs can be overwhelming, especially when combined with the natural stresses of moving overseas. However, at Watson European, they take care of all customs formalities for various types of moves, including permanent house moves, second home/holiday home movements, and vehicle movements. They have also

European offers modern and secure storage solutions at competitive rates. For clients moving between the UK and the EU, they provide up to 60 days of complimentary storage as part of a relocation package.

This storage option relieves some of the time­sensitive pressures associated with international moves, allowing clients to travel at their own pace, find the perfect new home, finalise completion dates, or carry out renovations before the arrival of their belongings.

The possessions are safely stored at Watson European’s main operating base in Lincoln, UK, or their newly acquired facility in Gandia, Spain.

Lastly, we asked Andrea for her top tip when considering a home move, and she provided a straightforward response: “Take some time to call our team and have a chat. They will assess your specific needs and ensure a positive moving experience.”

We will get things moving in a positive manner.

Ten safest beaches in Spain

John Ensor

BEACH tragedies often make the news, but it begs the question where are the safest ones? Here’s a list of places where a young family with children should head to, rather than a list of places to avoid, according to a news source on Monday, July 10.

Nutriben, a company which specialises in infant nutrition and health, has selected the 10 best beaches in Spain to go to with children so that ‘they can play in the sand, swim in shallow water and enjoy fun activities near the water.’

• Playa de Misericordia, Malaga

Children’s playgrounds, open­air cinema in the evenings and a calm sea make this beach perfect for family holidays.

• Playa Fluvial de A Calzada, Galicia

With a blue flag distinction, it has an area for adults separated from the children's area, as well as one for pets.

• Playa de Bolonia, Tarifa, Cádiz

Its large size means that there are no crowds and its sand dunes make it the ideal place for children to climb and play in the sand.

• Playa de Maspalomas, Gran Canaria

Another beach with dunes, a suitable space for children to play and avoid crowds.

• Playa Norte, Peñíscola, Castellón

This beach has also been awarded the blue flag every year, an indicator of its safety.

• Playa de Comillas, Cantabria

A blue flag beach, is considered one of the best beaches on the coast of Cantabria.

• Playa de Alcudia, Mallorca

Its waters are shallow and it is spacious, so it is the largest beach in the Balearics.

• Playa de Cambrils, Tarragona

This beach as a Family Tourism Destination, giving it a seal of quality thanks to its calm, shallow waters.

• Playa Poo, Llanes, Asturias

This beach has no waves. It also has all kinds of safety services, such as parking, security, showers and a health centre.

• La Concha Beach, Oropesa del Mar, Castellón

This urban beach has calm waves and shallow waters, as well as a warm temperature.

Sun, sea, sand & civil war

NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS

IT has sun, sea and a wealth of historical remains. It is also fighting wars on multiple fronts, with regime opponents regularly being rounded up for torture and imprisonment — but that hasn’t deterred the first wave of tourists to book holidays in Syria since the pandemic.

The authorities in Damascus have begun issuing tourist visas again, which were in theory available throughout the decadelong civil war but were stopped during the pandemic.

Travel companies across Europe have organised tours emphasising the country’s cultural heritage, while also stressing that they’re not conventional package holidays. “Syria has en­

dured a turbulent few years with most of the country ravaged by civil war,” one UK­based company specialising in tours to “difficult” countries, disingenuously admits on its website brochure.

Nonetheless, the tour operator’s taking participants (paying £1,500+ for the week’s visit) to Damascus, the second city Aleppo, recently divided between government and rebel forces, and the classical site of Palmyra, once occupied by Islamic State. The first tours were at the time of writing all fully booked, although “the Foreign Office advises against all travel to Syria,” according to its official guidance.

So where will you be spending the Summer? I’d rather stay here in Spain…

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

It’s a bloody liberty!

packaging was in bits.

a

I NEEDED a new pair of scissors so I went to our local Chinese shop to get a pair. I paid for them and took them home. That’s when the fun started. How do you get them out of the plastic packaging? You need a pair of scissors to open the bloody thing! What I finished up doing was getting a very sharp knife and stabbing at the packaging like the shower scene in Psycho.

Eventually I got them out. This is not the first time this has happened. I once had a similar experience with a cable I needed for my TV.

I got it home, did six rounds with the packaging, got it out then realised it was wrong. I took it back to the shop to change it with the 'original' packaging.

When I got back to the shop they didn’t want to change it because the

How was I meant to get it out if it’s sealed in there like the crown jewels? They had no answer and replaced it with another one which was fine. I’d love to know who thinks these things needs to be hermetically sealed. Why can’t it be just two bits of plastic that are held together with sticky tape?

Whilst on the subject of packaging it seems to me that everything I buy now is getting smaller and costing more. I picked up an ice cream the other day and it cost three euros. Now let’s get this into perspective.

That’s about £2.50. My first week’s wages was a fiver and I’m now paying the equivalent of half a week’s wages for something that is half the size it was last year but still in a package the same size! It’s the same with all chocolate bars.

You have a look. Every one of them has gone up in in price but look up what the weight and size was last year or the year before. Manufacturers have all slyly made everything smaller but now charge more … .bloody liberty!

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.

Views of

Grumpy Old Man

Playa de Misericordia in Malaga.

creditplaya de la Misericordia/Facebook

PETS

A house-sitter relaxes your pet

YOU may be planning a trip 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. And what’s more our house­sitters are for free!

If you’re planning a trip register now as a member of our network to find an affordable home and pet care solution. Whether your trip is short or long, you’ll know that sometimes you must leave pets at home. Young and senior pets in particular benefit from staying at home, so they can follow their routines undisturbed. Join our pet and house­sitting network, and the sitters come for free!

Choose Housesitmatch.com for affordable travel, home and pet care. These are the steps to take:

1. Register as a homeowner on HouseSit Match.com

2. Choose a Standard account (£69 per year) to ensure you can help online when needed

3. Create a profile with photos of your pet and the

house

4. Post an advert for the dates when you want to go away. Sitters apply and you choose.

How does it work?

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 /

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

Therapeutic companions

DID you know your lovable fur­ball at home could double up as a healer? Yes, our four­legged friends are making headlines, not just for their Instagram­worthy antics, but also for their powerful therapeutic abilities.

Just imagine, you’ve had a tough day, and when you get home, there’s that wagging tail and those trusting eyes. Right away, it feels like your burdens lighten a little.

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.

Research shows that hanging out with pets can lessen anxiety, lower blood pressure, and can even help us bounce back from surgery faster. Many schools and hospitals are catching onto this. They’ve been inviting volunteers with their pets for ‘pet therapy’. These pets aren’t your regular housetrained sweethearts. They’ve gone through special training to be patient, friendly and comforting in various settings. Max is a therapy dog

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

who works in a hospital. Every Thursday, he’s there in the paediatric ward, working his magic. His handler, Lisa Taylor, said, “It’s nothing short of incredible. Kids just light up when they see Max, and the ripple of that joy spreads to parents and staff. The whole place feels differ­

ent.” The very presence of these furry companions sparks social connections, which is great for mental health. So next time you’re scrolling through pet videos online, remember they are more than just cute; they could be your next therapy session.

Pet passport

SAY ‘hola’ to Spain’s burgeoning pet­friendly hotel scene. For those of us who consider our pets family, vacationing without them seems incomplete. Thankfully, Spain’s hospitality industry is evolving, ensuring our four­legged family members are welcomed and well­accommodated.

From bustling city centres to tranquil beach resorts, an increasing number of Spanish hotels are extending their hospitality to pets. They offer a range of pet­friendly amenities, ensuring both you and your furry friend enjoy a comfortable stay. These petfriendly accommodations typi cally offer spacious rooms with easy out door access for walks and playtime. Many pro­

vide pet beds, feeding bowls, and even a welcome pack of treats to make your pet feel at home.

Some establishments go the extra mile with dedicated pet play zones, grooming services, and special pet menus. One traveller said: “It’s amazing to find places where my furry companion is treated with the same care and respect as any other guest.” Before booking, it’s crucial to check each hotel’s pet policy as size limitations and extra charges may apply.

Also, consider the surrounding area for petfriendly activities such as parks or trails for walks.

A pet passport is essential for travelling.

Spain’s warm welcome to pets illustrates the changing dynamic in travel and hospitality.

Caring for pets in their own home means they are more relaxed.

THERAPY DOGS: Can be great for your mental health.

PLUMBERS

PLUMBING

APP REPAIRS

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ARCHITECTS

I BUY RECORDS 50s to the 90s. Best prices for good records. Tel: 622 750 117 / 962 851 809 (303212)

VARIOUS music CDs, DVDs and DVD box sets. Job lot €100. Listings available. 604 185 014 (302958)

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CAMPING

MOBILE homes & static caravans bought, sold and transported. +34 630 055 418 or elsyd7 @hotmail.com (302142)

CARAVANS CARS FOR SALE CHARITY

El Campello Christian Community - Life and Family Sunday Service at 11am Bilingual (English and Spanish) at C/ San Bartolome, 35 (Bajo No. 6), El Campello. For more information visit www.elcampellochristian community.org , email campellocc@gmail.com or call Juan Zúñiga - 686 203 183 (Spanish) or Sue Bishop - 610 639 426 (English) (233602)

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www.helpbenidorm.org and on Facebook VOLUNTEERS NEEDED, particularly if you speak Spanish, and have a car (although this is not essential). Tel President 607 387 040. We are an English-speaking charity that assists residents and tourists of all nationalities in times of crisis.

We meet every Thursday at 11am in Jose Llorca Social Centre C. Goya s/n. Benidorm. We loan out mobility and medical equipment including oxygen concentrators on a short-term basis. (288658)

THE AIRCREW ASSOCIATION COSTA BLANCA This association, formed in 1988, exists to foster comradeship amongst those who, having been awarded an official flying badge, have qualified to operate military aircraft and are serving or have served, as military aircrew in the armed forces of the United Kingdom or those nations which are allies of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING THIS POPULAR ASSOCIATION, CALL the Secretary on 966 495 228. (295990)

HEALTH & BEAUTY

WIGS

WWW.WIGS-R-US.ES Iindoor market, Rincon De Loix Benidorm. Monday to Friday 10 -4pm Sat 10 – 3pm scrunchies, ponytails, toppers, fascinators, headwear etc. Private appts after 3 pm 681 049 502 (302420)

INSURANCE

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BENEFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES. Car, Home, Business, Travel, Life, Funeral, all insurances available. Policies in English. BEST rates, covers & service. Immediate quotes. Tel 961 129 215 / 622 275 561, (WhatsApp) info@beneficialinsuran ceinspain.com or visit www.ben eficialinsuranceinspain.com for online quote. (303574)

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GOLD WANTED

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PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR, Solicitor, Debt Collections, Bad Tenants. 747 438 225 (304048)

LOCKSMITH /ELECTRICIAN

ALBIR , ALTEA, MORAIRA, 24 HOUR EMERGENCY. 686 513 510 (294632)

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TRANSLATIONS

SPANISH INTERPRETER for all your appointment needs, has car. Effective, Friendly & Affordable service. Call 609 679 808

RAREST UPCYCLED ELECTRIC VEHICLE

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack

LUNAZ DESIGN has unveiled what it bills as the rarest classic car ever to be

transformed to full electric power.

Dating from 1961, this specific Bentley S2 Continental is one of only four examples built. Today, now completely restored and reimagined, it’s

equipped with Lunaz’s in house designed electric powertrain.

This specific Conti nental was built in 1961. In period, a small number of luxury car bodies were still being produced by independent coachbuilders to the customer’s specification, on a ‘rolling chassis’. According to the build sheets, the first owner initially commissioned a four ­ door body from leading London coachbuilder James Young; but he evidently had a change of heart at the last minute, since research shows the car has only ever existed in its present two­door form.

In 1967, the car changed hands for the first time. Over the decades that followed, it would reside with various owners as far afield as Germany and Japan before returning to the UK. This Bentley Continental is the rarest S2 variant and today is one

of only a handful left in the world.

All Bentley S2 variants were powered by the thennew ‘L’ Series 6.2­litre V8 engine.

The electrification process starts with a detailed inspection and assessment to determine the chassis, powertrain, and suspension configurations. Lunaz Design’s engineers use 3D scanning to create detailed Computer Aided Design (CAD) models as the basis for any renovation and reconstruc­

tion work required.

The car body is then stripped down to a bare metal shell and returned to asnew condition using traditional coachbuilding and restoration techniques. The internal combustion engine and its associated systems, lubricants and other fluids are carefully removed and reclaimed, then replaced with Lunaz’s proprietary fully­electric powertrain. The modular design is developed entirely in­house.

Other vital systems, includ­

ing brakes, steering, suspension and electrics, are all modernised to bring them into line with current safety standards.

The now fully electric Bentley is equipped with a clean ­ air 400 bhp powertrain, producing ft of torque. 0100kph/62 mph is achieved in 6.9 seconds. To ensure handling capability suspension is uprated to a fully adjustable coil­spring suspension with a lever arm damper. Likewise, its brakes, which also incorporate a battery regeneration system, have been upgraded.

In its new incarnation, the Bentley retains its luxurious character; but in keeping with its zero­emission powertrain and Lunaz Design’s culture of upcycling, the interior now incorporates a much higher proportion of sustainable materials than the original.

BENTLEY S2 CONTINENTAL: Retains its luxurious character.

Alcaraz wins Wimbledon final

CARLOS ALCARAZ is the new king of Wimbledon after completing a stunning five ­ set victory over Novak Djokovic on Sunday, July 16.

The young Spaniard took revenge for the defeat inflicted on him by the Serb in their last encounter in the French Open semi ­ final at Roland Garros.

Following that loss, the Murcian admitted that nerves had got the better of him, but on today’s showing, he had well and truly psyched himself up for the challenge.

An epic five ­ set thriller saw Djokovic lose his head with the scores level as they entered the final set. Alcaraz broke the legendary player’s serve which resulted in the usually so level ­ headed 36 ­ year ­ old Serb receiving an umpire’s warning after smashing his racket against the net’s post, leaving a dent.

Djokovic was seeking a recordequalling eighth title on the All England Club’s famous Centre Court on Sunday afternoon. He was also aiming to equal the Australian women’s tennis star Margaret Court’s all ­ time record of 24 Major singles titles.

After winning the first set with

ease at 6 ­ 1, it looked like a no­ contest, and he was well on the way to continuing his 46 ­ match winning streak at SW16 that has lasted an incredible 10 years.

However, Alcaraz fought back in dramatic fashion to finally win 1 ­ 6 7 ­ 6 6 ­ 1 3 ­ 6 6 ­ 4 in an astounding comeback. With the crowd firmly on his side, he played some tennis that was truly outstanding.

Umpire Fergus Murphy Djokovic eventually handed Djokovic a time violation for delaying his serves, which was met with great joy by the fans.

The US Open champion also ended Djokovic’s run of 15 consecutive Grand Slam tie ­ break wins. Then came an unbelievable game in the third set that lasted a full 26 minutes. Finally breaking the reigning champion’s serve, it included 13 deuces.

The new Wimbledon champion played under the watchful eye of Spain’s King Felipe VI, with his press office issuing a statement prior to the match.

Alcaraz was presented with the iconic trophy by the Princess of Wales.

STUNNING VICTORY: Carlos Alcaraz winning Wimbledon 2023.

McIlroy wins Scottish Open

RORY MCILROY won the Genesis Scottish Open played at Gullane Golf Club on Sunday, July 16, to notch his first­ever victory in Scotland.

A stunning sequence of play on the two final holes saw the Northern Irishman steal an incredible victory out of the hands of Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre.

The 26­year­old Scot went into the par­3 17th hole on his home major one shot ahead of his opponent. However, McIlroy suddenly produced a shot of near perfection to leave his ball just four feet from the pin. His resulting putt left the two players tied as they headed into the final hole.

With what he later called his best shot of the year, the man from County Down landed another shot only 10 feet from the pin with his 2iron. The resulting par saw him finish with a round of 68 and 2­under, to wrap up a stunning win.

Scotland’s notorious weather had not helped either player as they made their way around the course located on the Firth of Forth with the 20 mph wind blowing relentlessly.

MacIntyre appeared to be heading for a first PGA Tour win and a famous victory on home soil. Instead, it was 34­year­old McIlroy who finished the back nine in 31 to claim his first major tournament win since the Dubai Desert Classic in January. His timing could not be better with the final major of the season beckon­

Aston Villa sign Torres

VILLARREAL centre­back Pau Torres has completed a move to Aston Villa.

The Spanish international will link up with his former La Liga manager Unai Emery at Villa Park. Fabrizio Romano, the respected football transfer expert once again had his finger on the pulse.

He tweeted: ‘Official, confirmed. Pau Torres joins Aston Villa on permanent deal from Villarreal for €32.5m fee plus €5m add ons. #AVFC Sealed and completed’. The Premier League club announced the new arrival: “Aston Villa is delighted to announce the signing of Spanish international Pau Torres from Villarreal!”

Villa’s 26­year­old signing took to Twitter on Thursday, July 13, writing: “First day @avfcofficial Villans, I’m here! Thrilled to begin this exciting new chapter #UTV.”

Torres had been with Villarreal since signing as a youth. He made his full La Liga debut on November 26, 2017, in a 2­3 home defeat at the Estadio de la Cerámica by Sevilla.

Ten days later, he found himself playing in a European competition for the first time in a UEFA Europa League group match with Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv. Once again he found himself on the wrong end of a 0­1 scoreline at home.

Things didn’t go so well for Torres at the beginning and on August 6, 2018, he was loaned out to Malaga CF in Spain’s Segunda Division for 12 months. He helped the Costa del Sol side to the promotion playoff places before rejoining his parent club.

ing as he tries to end nine years without a win in any of the majors.

The players will be battling for the famous claret jug at the 151st British Open when it kicks off today, Thursday July 20 at Royal Liverpool for the first time since 2014. McIlroy was victorious at Hoylake on that occasion.

This time around Torres quickly solidified his place in the Villarreal first­team and never missed one match all season in 2019.

The La Liga side reached the final of the Europa League on May 26, 2023, where they eventually beat Manchester United on penalties, with Torres at the heart of Villarreal’s defence.

On October 4, 2019, Roberto Moreno called Torres up to the men’s UEFA Euro 2020 national squad. The team was preparing for qualifiers against Norway and Sweden. However, he didn’t see any action until November 15 when he scored on his debut in a 7­0 victory over Malta.

RORY MCILROY: His first-ever victory in Scotland.

Credit: Image of golfer Rory McIlroy./Creative Commons Attribution