Mallorca 10 – 16 August 2023 Issue 1988

Giving back Garden stories BARE OUTCRY

THE ONCE Social Group reached "historical highs in 2022 of social return for citizens”, in generating employment for 756 people with disabilities in the Balearic Islands. Payments of lottery prizes to lucky ticket holders totalled €47.7 million.

The data came from the Shared Value Report of the ONCE 2022 Social Group which, in the words of the ONCE delegate in the Balearic Islands, José Antonio Toledo, and the president of the territorial council, Alejandra Luque, are "the demonstration that it it is possible to combine the commitment acquired with society with a model of economic and social profitability based essentially on social return”.

They stated that this commitment is based "on returning to the public every last euro of what ONCE receives from them, multiplied by employment, training, education, accessibility, technology, innovation, autonomy or inclusion".

A GROUP of activists from AnimaNaturalis and CAS International stripped half naked in Palma to demand an end to bullfighting in the Balearic Islands.

As bullfighting season began in the Plaza de Toros in Palma, the animal rights group, AnimaNaturalis, supported by local protest group Mallorca Against Bullfighting held the demonstration outside Palma City Hall on Sunday, August 6.

“The new conservative government of the Popular

Party and VOX are promoting this type of show without listening to ethical reasons or looking at the statistics of low interest in this type of show” explained Eliana Guerreño, coordinator of AnimaNaturalis.

“Traditions are a way of expressing who we are, and Balearic society is far from identifying with spilled blood and the last breath of a tortured animal”, she added.

Turn to page 2

THE storyteller of Mercy reached its halfway point with more than 600 attendees. As every year, the Library of Craft Culture of the Mallorcan government goes out into the garden when the heat arrives, to encourage reading among the little ones. This year's programme includes eight sessions that combine theatre, music and entertainment by the Espill Theatre company.

Three

More days of storytelling remain in the programme, with the next sessions at the Misericordia cultural centre on Thursday, August 24, Thursday, September 7, and, finally, the last session will be on Thursday September 21.

The initiative last year gathered more than 1,100 attendees throughout the summer.

The protesters outside Palma City Hall

José Antonio Toledo and Alejandra Luque

Credit: ONCE

Walking wonder

ALMOST 7,000 people took part in the 49th edition of the Güell Charity March in Lluc a Peu, which this year coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Güell Group.

As reported by the president of the Güell Group, Francisco Bauzá, on Sunday, August 6, "nearly 7,000 people participated, of which around 3,000 were registered participants and another 2,500 people then joined the route on their own".

Bauzá said "this year, many families with children, foreigners and people from other Spanish provinces participated in the March from Güell to Lluc a Peu". "Each one for different reasons, some for sport and others for devotion to Our Lady of Luke".

The event was attended by the minister of families, Catalina Cirer, the president of the council of Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, and the mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez.

A COMPANY which offered illegal booze cruise trips has been fined €161,000 by Calvia council. According to the council the company was offering "party boat trips" at a cost of €45 per person

Police became aware of the fact that around 130 people had boarded a boat in Magalluf. On closer inspection police noticed that alcohol was being served on board. This sort of activity is banned under the new law. Police noticed that some of the clients were already slightly worse for wear before they even boarded the boat.

Once on board, the officers discovered the sale of alcoholic beverages, blackboards with price lists and beer dispensers. There were unlabelled alcohol bottles and plastic carafes full of beer in the hold. Amplified music equipment was also found to enliven

THE president of the government, Marga Prohens, attended the release of two sea turtles on Ses Covetes beach, in Campos last Wednesday. She was accompanied to the event by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, the mayoress of Campos, Xisca Porquer, and the general

the party.

Juan Feliu ­ general director of activities and commerce, offences and sanctionsconfirmed on Monday, August 8, that "this is a very serious infringement that has resulted in the corresponding fine of €161,000.

Returning home

director of the Palma Aquarium and president of the Palma Aquarium Foundation, Joan Rams.

The turtles belong to the species Caretta caretta and have been named Tita and Brotons. At the time of rescue, Tita weighed 31.6 kilo­

grammes and had a curved shell length of 64.2 cm. Brotons had a length of 68.5 cm and a weight of 37.7 kilogrammes. Tita was saved on June 5 in the Mallorca channel, while Brotons was found on June 11, also in the same area.

from Front page

Cease the bullying Boozy boat bother

According to official data from the Ministry of Culture, the number of bullfighting shows in the bullring has maintained a sustained decline from 2015 onwards, not counting the years of the pandemic.

According to the Ministry of Culture, said Guerreño, only 8 per cent of the population attended a bullfighting show in the 2018­2019 period.

Only 5.9 per cent of them attended a bullfight at a bullring, and a fifth of all attendees did so with free admission.

The same study indicates that 80 per cent of bullfighting events in Spain are concentrated in the provinces of Madrid, Toledo, Salamanca, Ávila and Cuenca.

At present, the Canary Islands and Catalonia are considering abolishing bullfighting.

In Asturias this type of event has also ceased to be held after the city of Gijón’s decision not to allow them.

In the Balearic Islands, regulations were approved in 2017 to follow in the footsteps of the rest of the Autonomous Communities that have prohibited bullfighting, but the Constitutional Court reversed this progress, at the request of the government of Mariano Rajoy, who had declared it as cultural heritage in 2013.

There are just two municipalities in Mallorca which allow bullfighting, and these are Inca and Palma.

Booze cruises are banned

Credit: Dirk Collins/Pixabay

NIBS EXTRA

Poor diet

COMPLAINTS are being made about the poor quality of the food offered to patients and staff of Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Palma. One diabetic patient was given pasta salad and meat and potatoes. The hospital management is aware of the situation, as it has received several complaints.

Electric carriages

Horse carriage drivers who operate in Alcudia intend switching to electric carriages. Plans to make the change from horsepower to electricity had been on the cards for some time, but required approval from the ministry of industry. The cost for each of them will be around €50,000.

Drugs intercepted

A 54­year­old Spaniard was arrested on Tuesday, August 8, after being caught with cocaine in Palma port, which he intended to bring in his car to Mallorca. They found 12 packages wrapped in a backpack, and seized a total of 10 kilogrammes of cocaine.

Red flag

TWO tourists in Llucmajor face a fine after ignoring a red flag on Cala Pi, for which reason Local Police officers proceeded to denounce

Hold the front page

EURO WEEKLY NEWS is thrilled to announce that our newspaper and website will feature in a TV programme to be filmed in Benidorm.

Hold the Front Page is a programme following two of the UK’s favourite comedians, Josh Widdicombe and Nish Kumar, as they embark on a journey as trainee local journalists attempting to get a story on the front page. Now they are coming to Spain for their training.

Josh and Nick are coming to Benidorm to receive editorial tasks from managing director

Michel Euesden, who is the driving force behind Spain's biggest free English language newspaper group. They will then be accompanied on a sales drive to see what they can achieve in the world of fast­paced journalism.

Exploring some incredible regions through their local papers, the series is a warm celebration of the world of local journalism besides the people and communities the papers serve.

Being a people’s paper, Euro Weekly News is looking for a charity or community group

Pollution pledge

TRASMED, the Spanish shipping company of the Grimaldi Group, has fconfirmed its membership to Lean & Green, the European initiative coordinated in Spain for the decarbonisation of logistics, and which currently has more than a hundred companies involved.

After joining the project, Trasmed and Grimaldi's first objective is to draw up an action plan to reduce CO2 emissions linked to their logistics activities by at least 20 per cent within a maximum period of five years, and follow a roadmap to achieve neutral emissions by 2050, as established within the objectives

defined at the Paris Climate Summit (COP21).

For the director of Institutional Relations of Trasmed, Miguel Pardo, this environmental initiative, aligned with the sustainable objectives of the shipping company, represents for the group "an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability , and collaborate with other members of the program to help reduce their emissions”. Lean & Green is an initiative that is present in 16 countries with more than 500 member companies throughout Europe, it is a leading community in sustainable logistics.

who would like to be featured in the programme. Please contact us to tell us about your needs.

The series is broadcast on Sky Max, a flagship channel in the UK and Ireland, and can be enjoyed on demand on Now TV too.

Series one of the Sky Original show was watched nearly two million times.

Josh and Nish also have a strong and engaged social following of their own on Instagram and Twitter, through which they promote the programme to their combined

audience of 1.6 million.

CPL Productions, a Red Arrow Studios company, is one of the most successful TV, radio and podcast production companies in the UK. The company creates and produces engaging, modern entertainment, factual formats and scripted television.

From primetime entertainment to comedy, drama and factual entertainment, CPL’s impressive roster of shows feature some of the UK’s best talent for broadcasters including Netflix, Sky, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and E4.

Residents choice

NINE projects will benefit from a €145,000 grant from the Calvià council budget.

The funds will be allocated to a series of projects and services chosen by the residents themselves, who were able to vote on how the funds from the budgets of this 2023 will be used.

The following approvals will go ahead.

Improvement of the perimeter of the skating rink and construction of changing rooms, €30,000.

Roof installation at the CEIP Son Ferrer entrances, €30,000.

Pine tree injections against the processionary moth in children's and dog parks, €5,000.

Containers for donations to the SOS Animal shelter, €30,000.

Canine support dog trainer, €5,000.

Drinking water sources, €30,000.

Annual beach polo tournament, €5,000.

Membership of leisure establishments in the prevention of sexual assaults, €5,000.

Snorkelling days on the town's beaches, €5,000.

82 STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

IN the first half of the year, almost 5.7 million tourists entered the Balearic Islands, who spent around €6,492 million. The rise in tourists was 9.8 per cent compared to 2022.

According to surveys published on Wednesday, August 2, by the National Statistics Institute (INE) on tourist entries (Frontur) and associated spending (Egatur), the spending of international travellers has been making all­time highs month after month since last November.

The growth is the result of the higher average daily spend per tourist, from €155 in June 2019 to €188 at the end of last June, a rise of 21.3 per cent.

In the case of the Balearic Islands, the average expenditure per person stood at €1,192 per stay, 7.5 per cent more than in 2022, and €184 per day per visitor. The average stay in the Balearic Islands in the first six months was 6.1 days.

On the buses

A TRAFFIC jam caused chaos on the Serpentine Road to Sa Calobra in the north­west of Mallorca Saturday, August 5, when a bus broke down on the winding and steep route. It prevented 22 other buses and several dozen cars from going forward or back. At around 3pm the bus broke down on the upper section near the Nudo de corbata section.

It appeared the vehicle had a problem with the clutch. After a while, people got off the bus and bought drinks at a nearby kiosk

However, the kiosk owners then feared that supplies would run out, because of the number of people on the buses. There were also around 60 private cars in the traffic jam.

The local police and Guardia Civil intervened to direct traffic. The Ma­2141 provincial road was temporarily closed to prevent other vehicles from entering the blocked road.

In the early evening the bus was towed away and the road reopened.

THE Spanish King, Felipe VI. and his wife Letizia welcomed around 500 guests in the garden of the Marivent Palace in Palma on Thursday, August 3, together with the former Queen, Sofia. Over the years, the reception has become a fixed date during the royal family's summer vacation in Mallorca. Once again, representatives from politics, business, culture, society and the media industry on the Balearic Islands were invited.

The reception took place in front of the Marivent Palace in Palma's Cala Major district, which the Spanish royal family has now owned for 50 years. For security reasons, guests parked their cars at the nearby naval base, and were then taken to the property by shuttle buses. There, the crowd of guests first gathered in front of an adjoining building and then stood in line as Felipe VI, Letizia and Sofía shook hands with each one of them.

Supplied with Mallorcan

THE president of the Mallorcan government, Llorenç Galmés, and the vice president and minister of culture and heritage, Antònia Roca, announced on Tuesday, August 8 the creation of the Mallorca Archeology Centre. It will be located in Sa Tanca de Can Domenech in Alcudia, next to the roman remains of Pollentia.

The intention of the centre is to house and display all the ob­

Palace party

Shipwrecked

wines and appetizers by star chef Maca de Castro, the crowd then gathered in the palace's forecourt, which is lined with tall pine trees. Surrounded by crowds of people, accompanied by many selfie requests and guarded by members of the royal family security forces, the King, his wife and the Queen Mother walked through the crowd individually. Letitzia was friendly, likeable, interested and attentive, reported Mallorca Zeitung.

The Marivent Palace was

Relic display

jects that have been found in the archaeological sites of the island and that are now in storage. In addition, the Archeology Centre of Mallorca will make multipurpose rooms available to researchers so that they can carry out their work..

first bequeathed to the Balearic provincial administration by the Greek art collector Ioannes Saridakis, and then 50 years ago to the royal family. Since then, the royal family has used the property, which Saridakis actually intended as a museum , as a summer residence. The stays of Felipe VI and Letizia have become shorter and shorter . The reception also fuelled the demand for them to "return to the people", raised by a group of demonstrators in front of the gates of the palace.

Galmés did criticise the fact that, for years, “thousands and thousands of objects that have been found at sites on the island and that have great heritage value are stored in Son Tous”. He gave as an example the 300 amphoras and archaeological pieces that were recovered from the Roman ship of Ses Fontanelles, but there are some 40,000 in total from different sites on the island in storage.

LIFEGUARDS on duty at Cala Millor, Sant Llorenc, rescued a couple on Sunday, August 6 from a stranded boat. The fifteen metre boat listed onto its side a few metres from the shore. The crew members were transferred unharmed to land, while Civil Protection and Maritime Rescue volunteers made sure that no contaminants had been spilled. The boat was still stranded in the sea on Tuesday, as authorities waited for it to be refloated and transferred to port.

According to sources from the Sant Llorenc town hall and Maritime Rescue, the incident occurred around 7.30pm on Sunday. The Marsave de Cala Millor lifeguard service received a notice that a sailboat was in trouble due to a leak in the hull.

It was the Splendid, a fifteen ­ meter ­ long Slovakian registered boat.

732 movie theatres in Spain

Credit: Wikiloc

22 buses and 60 cars were delayed

The councillor for education meets the King

Credit: Cope del Rey

Plain to see

PLAIN clothes officers of Calvia Local Police made a total of 18 arrests in their first week of service. The operation is made up of four officers, the maximum number authorised by the Balearic government, and represents a new way of police action in the municipality.

“There is no place for crime in Calvia. It is always said that crime goes before the police. This is changing, we are gaining ground on them. Plain clothes agents are a step in the right direction”.

Cleaner coasts Bellver glow up

THE coastal cleaning service of the Ministry of the sea has removed a total of 5,692 kilogrammes of waste from the coasts of the Balearic islands during the month of June, thanks to the start of a campaign aimed at the prevention and sanitation of the bathing waters on all the beaches and coves of the Balearic Islands.

From the month of

June to the end of September, twenty­two vehicles will work in the archipelago to remove tonnes of waste from the sea that accumulates on the beaches. 17 of them are of on the beach and five on coastal areas.

The latter are larger and have a greater capacity for collection of plastics. In Mallorca they have a total of ten boats. Cleaning boats not only

collect floating waste but can help remove large logs and dead animals, as well as provide support in containing spills or cleaning areas without land access.

Plastic is the material that has been removed most frequently, representing 44.03 per cent of all the waste collected. By islands, in Mallorca 2,991 kilogrammes have been collected so far.

It is with a view to improving public safety during the tourist season. The Local Police of Calvia has nearly 200 officers under the direct command of Esther Ribas.

In one week, 18 people were arrested, 12 for alleged crimes against public health and 6 for crime against property. There were also 22 complaints for street vending and 6 for contravening municipal laws.

At the presentation of results on Thursday, August 3, in the quarter of Son Bugadelles, the mayor of the municipality, Juan Antonio Amengual, said

THE deputy mayor of tourism and culture, Javier Bonet, visited Bellver Castle on Monday, August 7, accompanied by the general coordinator of culture and visual arts, Fernando Gómez de la Cuesta, and the general directors of music and performing arts, Rafel Brunet, and heritage councillor, Pilar Ribal.

The group were received by the curator of the historic fortification, Magdalena Rosselló, who gave them an exhaustive tour of the castle and each of its spaces, including the museum of the

history of Palma.

Bonet highlighted the objective of "renovating and promoting Bellver's museum content by improving and updating its offer as an exhibition centre". Bonet also announced the next tender for the bar and cafeteria service, and the opening of a shop.

Bonet also stated that the city council will invest financially in order to recondition the grounds of Bellver castle that are currently surrounded by fences, which prevents visitors from accessing them.

Plastic is the most found item

A step in the right direction

Credit: Andrew Poynton/Pixabay

Credit: Palma City Council

Seed splurge

THE Balearic government, at the proposal of the Institute of Research and Training for Agrofood and Fisheries of the Balearic Islands (IRFAP) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, has authorised expenditure of €665,000 to buy certified seeds of cereals and legumes of conventional and organic cultivation for the 2023­2024 season. These are wheat, oat, barley, triticale, pea and fava beans.

IRFAP, formerly SEMILLA, has run different programmes in recent years to promote the use of certified cereal and leguminous seeds. The use of certified seed implies a number of advantages for farmers such as the guarantees of the seeds in terms of specific purity, purity of the variety, high degree of germination, homo­

Jo Pugh

THE mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez Llabrés, attended the delivery of three new vehicles for the Civil Protection volunteer teams at the Son Malferit Fire Station on Monday, August 7.

Llabrés confirmed the commitment of the new government team "to the Civil Protection volunteers of Palma", and highlighted the need to

geneity, healthcare, the traceability of genetic material and the guarantee of official labelling, among others. All this contributes to the maintenance of crops in the Balearic Islands and to the public values associated with agricultural activity, such as the fight against climate change and CO2 retention.

New Fleet

"reinforce this group of volunteers".

"Currently there are 30 active Civil Protection volunteers, plus 150 who are on the waiting list. At the moment, five new volunteers are being trained and will soon join the body of volunteers, which will

Taxi talks

THE minister of housing, territory and mobility, Marta Vidal and the minister of economy, finance and innovation, Antoni Costa, held a meeting on Friday, August 4, with the taxi sector to listen to their requests and to be able to establish guidelines to guarantee a quality public service to citizens.

During the meeting, councillor Vidal said that the taxi sector is essential for an autonomous community like the Balearic Islands, whose economic engine is tourism, and she showed her interest in obtaining appropriate regula­

Sporting stay

tions that both regulate the needs of the sector and guarantee a greater effectiveness of the public service for the citizens of all the islands. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Independent Taxi Federation of the Balearic Islands (FITIB), the Insular Taxi Federation of the island of Ibiza (FITIE), the Auto ­ taxi Association (CAEB), the Balearic Taxi Federation, the VTC Balearic Association, the National Taxi Association, the Menorcan Radio Taxi Association and the Formentera Taxi Association represented by FITIB.

AS he prepares for his final season as a tennis player, Rafael Nadal, the 22­time Grand Slam champion, has become a hotelier on the island where he was born. The first property from his new joint venture, ZEL lifestyle, launched last month in Palma Nova

enhance this essential service in Palma", said the mayor.

All the members, both men and women, are aged between 18 and 70 . The volunteers intervene to support the emergency and security bodies in cases of fires, floods, storms and other situations.

ZEL is a fresh hospitality concept, "Born in the Mediterranean" and was created in collaboration with Meliá Hotels International. Founded in Mallorca, Meliá is one of Spain's leading domestic operators of holiday resorts and the 17th ­ largest hotel chain worldwide, with more than 400 hotels in 43 countries.

The ZEL concept takes inspiration from welcoming homes, outdoor culture and the spontaneous lifestyle of the Mediterranean. Its look and feel is based on open and dynamic spaces, inviting guests to feel the warmth of a Mediterranean house. In addition to two swimming pools and an inviting stretch of sandy beach, the hotel has a spa equipped with two jacuzzis, a steam room, and a sauna. Strangely, there is no tennis court at the hotel. There are also well ­ appointed workout facilities with personal trainers available to guests. The ‘beach club’ style restaurant on site, Beso Beach Mallorca, serves Mediterranean and Basque Country seafood dishes.

Wheat Crops

Credit: Balearic Government

Taxi representatives

Credit: Balearic Government

SOME lucky folk have swimming pools they can dip in and out of and air ­ con to keep them cool. But for the not­so­lucky out there, here are a few tips that might help keep you cool during the soaring temperatures.

Most of us keep our curtains and blinds closed on sunny windows to stop the sun from breaking in too much. Lots of houses have shutters but if your windows are shutter ­ less cardboard can be just as effective.

Though you may be inclined to cool down with a tall glass of iced tea, ice cream or watermelon on a sweltering summer's day, the effect is wonderful but doesn’t last long and before you know it you are back where you started – a little bit too hot under the collar! This is due to your internal temperature. When it is cooled too rapidly your body ends up compensating by raising your temperature and the result is you feel hotter.

Have you ever lay awake at night wondering why

Hot Stuff

some cultures in the hottest locations on earth enjoy hot and spicy foods?

These people have a trick up their sleeves! Spicy foods actually make you sweat and in turn, this helps to cool you down faster. Eating spicy foods works differently as it raises your internal temperature to match the temperature outside.

Some people sweat from the face ­ the lips, forehead, nose, and scalp ­ after eating hot and spicy foods. This causes your blood circulation to increase and you start sweating, once the moisture has evaporated you have cooled off.

Whilst some might not fancy eating hot food on a scorching hot summer day it

may be worth it to cool down. What do you think?

Will you be rustling up a spicy chilli or vindaloo to see if it works?

If spicy foods aren’t your thing, try popping your feet into a bowl of ice cubes and water. The shockingly cold temperature will cool you off quickly and reset your body's temperature so you feel comfortable even a few hours later.

The soles of your feet are especially sensitive to temperature changes, so the icecold foot bath could be all it takes to cool down.

In the sweltering country of Morocco in North Africa, they battle the midday heat by sipping on sweetened mint tea and have been do­

ing so in the desert for thousands of years. Mint has natural cooling properties that make it fresh and cooling on the nasal passages.

It can be difficult to sleep in hot weather. If it's too hot or too cold your internal body temperature may be affected disrupting your ability to drop off and stay asleep.

The best plan is to sleep in the lowest level of your home as the heat rises. Also, make sure all electrical items are turned off and not in standby mode as this still creates heat

Some who struggle terribly with the heat resort to taking sheets and bedding straight out of the washing machine and sleeping in a damp bed. But, keeping things damp need not just be a night time resort as a damp cotton t­shirt can provide some relief during the day.

Heat escapes through the skin, which is the largest organ in the body. So, the more skin you can cool down, the better.

If you'd rather not walk around in wet clothing, you can buy a cooling spray, or just having a cool shower can work just as well.

Wrists and ankles have lots of pulse points where blood vessels are close to the skin, so you will cool down more quickly.

Have we missed out your favourite fool proof way to staying as cool as cucumber in the summer months?

Send us your tips!

Is the heat keeping you awake at night and making you feel lousy during the day?

Relax your feet in a bowl of cold water

Sipping mint tea has been a go to for centuries

IN the past, the common summer sight of barechested individuals or those in swimwear on Spain's coastal prome ­

nades often extended to the streets of towns, leading to a backlash among local authorities. Many municipalities sub ­

sequently passed legislation to fine those choosing to go bare ­ chested or wear swimwear away from the beachfront.

In 2018, Marbella modified its regulations to prohibit "torsonudism" in public spaces, considering it a minor infraction for reasons of aesthetics and hygiene. Fines for such actions range from €300 to €750.

Other cities like Malaga, Alicante, Barcelona, Salou, and Palma de Mallorca have followed suit

with similar rules and fines. In Barcelona, going shirtless away from the beach area can result in fines from €120 to €500. In Palma de Mallorca, the lack of proper clothing throughout the city can lead to sanctions between €100 and €200.

The most recent city to impose these prohibitions is Granada, where wearing inappropriate attire at hen/stag parties could incur penalties of up to €750. These regulations reflect a broader trend in

ON a historic day in Verín, Ourense, Álvaro Rúa, a 32year­old bagpiper from Vilela, achieved an incredible feat. He recently shattered the Guinness World Record by playing the longest note ever heard, with a wind instrument, on his Galician bagpipes, according to a national news outlet. Surpassing the previous record of 1 minute and 23 seconds set by an Indian horn player, Álvaro held a stable sound at a minimum of 80 decibels for an astonishing 13 minutes, 26 seconds, and 95 hundredths.

Álvaro's passion for the bagpipes began at the age of seven when he started his musical journey at the Verín School of Traditional Music. Driven by his love for instru­

Spain towards ensuring proper attire in public spaces, particularly away from beaches and swimming areas. The rules

Wardrobe warning Note triumph

ments, he further honed his skills by enrolling in the Vigo Music Conservatory in Pontevedra.

Playing a single, continuous note for more than 13 minutes on the bagpipes posed an extraordinary challenge. The bag that stores the air in the instrument provided some advantage, although it still demanded immense skill and perseverance. As time passed, Álvaro faced the challenge of his fingers starting to fall asleep, making the feat even more complex.

Validating the world record required strict adherence to the regulations set by Guin­

have been instituted for reasons ranging from aesthetics to hygiene, and they now apply in many parts of the country.

ness. Alongside Álvaro, two sound engineers meticulously measured the decibels with a sound level meter. Experienced timekeepers, akin to those seen at sporting events, ensured accurate timing.

To maintain objectivity, two independent witnesses, unrelated to Álvaro, were present to observe the challenge. The entire process was recorded on video, showcasing the musician and the sound level meter's readings from a specified distance. Álvaro's dedication and training paid off when he remarkably accomplished the feat on his first attempt.

Deadline fast approaching

ON March 15 2023, the UK and Spain reached an agreement on driving licence exchange, which enabled UK licence holders living in Spain to swap their UK licence for a Spanish one without needing to take a practical or theory test.

The agreement gave existing residents who had not yet exchanged their UK licences for a Spanish one six months (until September 15) to do so, during which time they could continue to drive on their UK licences. As for newly arrived residents, the agreement gave them six months from the date they acquired their residency documents to exchange their UK licence. Licences can be exchanged after the six month period, but will no longer be considered valid for driving in Spain.

The Embassy has advised that anyone struggling to get an appointment at their local Dirección General de Tráfico Office go to their neighbouring one instead.

Last week, the British Embassy announced a resolution had been found to an issue which some holders of expired UK licences (typically those over 70) had been experiencing when trying to exchange their licences. Those affected should follow the established process for exchange, requesting their check code via gov.uk.

His Majesty’s Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott said,“We want this message to reach as many UK licence holders as possible, so please spread the word and refer to our Facebook page and the Living In Spain Guide on gov.uk for more information.”

UK licence holders who moved to Spain before March 15, 2023 and fail to make the exchange by September 15 will no longer be able to drive on their UK licence.

The process for completing the exchange is run by Spain’s Dirección General de Tráfico (see their website for more information.)

Naked man walking in the street.

32,688 the population of Gibraltar

Credit: Evgeny Gubenko/Shutterstock.com

Ethics of euthanasia

ASSISTED DYING a polarising and difficult conversation has once again captured the attention of the world. With cases like David Hunter’s who was released recently from prison for the death of his terminally ill wife and the retired nurse who allegedly sent ‘white powder’ to peers in an attempt to influence them to support the assisted dying bill in the UK have ignited the conversation yet again. Debate rages about the ethics of assisted dying, euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Spain made the pivotal decision to decriminalise euthanasia on June 25, 2021, and in the year following that decision 180 euthanasia were carried out. Traditionally, assisted dying laws focused on terminal illnesses and unbearable suffering. However, some jurisdictions have begun to include nonterminal conditions like mental health disorders as grounds for assisted dying. In Canada and the Netherlands,

psychological suffering and an ‘accumulation of old age disorders’ are now considered valid reasons for assisted dying.

This expansion of eligibility criteria introduces an ethical dilemma. Critics warn of a slippery slope, where the line blurs between compassionate end­of­life care and the potential exploitation of vulnerable individuals. The question arises: How far can the boundaries of assisted dying be stretched without compromising morality and legality?

Across the globe, several

Your hand

A NEW work by American author Rachel Zemach who lost her hearing aged 10 suggests that many people dislike the word ‘Deaf’ and want to see it replaced.

She argued as she launched her new book The Butterfly Cage that there should be a transition from the word ‘Deaf’ as it originally derived from the words ‘” empty,” and “barren” in Old English.

countries have embraced euthanasia, including Colombia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Canada. New Zealand voted by public referendum to approve euthanasia. Starting November 6, 2023, individuals above 18 years old can seek euthanasia with two doctors' endorsement.

In a world where medical possibilities collide with ethical uncertainties, striking a balance between personal autonomy, medical ethics, and safeguarding vulnerable populations remains an intricate challenge.

In addition, when using the word in machines with autocorrect it is often changed to “death” which obviously has negative overtones. When you ask someone what deaf means they will say “someone who can’t hear.” It’s all about what they can’t do. Even the sign means “can’t hear, and can’t speak,” according to Deaf educator and author Rachel Zemach.

Her preferred alternative then is ‘Sumain’ a French word meaning Your Hand.

The sign for it looks like a flower bud, twisting at the chest and bursting open. It represents the following concepts, all of which are treasure values in the Deaf community: collective, visual, spatial, global, tactile, light.

“If you were Deaf, wouldn’t you prefer that to being called empty and barren” she

asks. As times change so do words and it is possible that there is a need to change the definition, although equally this could simply be either another ‘woke’ concept from America. For those who want to learn more, the marketing for the new book explains “She shares captivating first­hand accounts from her life as a Deaf person and explores the differences in thinking between two major, and often conflicting, viewpoints on how to educate Deaf children, and how she saw the two different approaches impacting students.”

For many with all of their senses intact it is very difficult to understand how anyone, who exists without one, manages to cope, but those who are blind or deaf in particular appear to be able to react remarkably and live their best lives.

Compassionate end of life care or potential exploitation.

British sign language taught at 10 Downing Street

Credit: Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street flickr

Saving Water

HOW can municipalities effectively combat the challenges of a prolonged drought without compromising essential services?

Amidst the persistent drought plaguing municipalities in Spain, many municipalities have taken significant strides to address the water scarcity issue.

Typical measures include cutting off the water supply to beach showers, reducing potable water usage for park and garden irrigation by half, cutting back on watering of golf courses and temporarily closing water parks.

While the actual water consumption from beach showers is minimal, councils aims to use this measure as a means to raise awareness among the public about the responsible use of resources.

Traditional Spanish Methods Of Saving Water

RAINWATER harvesting: A common practice is to collect rainwater for various household tasks, such as watering plants, mopping floors, and cleaning things. This can be done by installing rainwater harvesting systems on the roof or in open areas of the home.

When preparing to take a shower take a bucket along. Instead of letting cold water run away while it gets up to temperature, use a bucket to collect it. This way, water can be collected that would normally go to waste, where it could be used for other household tasks.

Turning off the tap while washing dishes and brushing teeth. This helps save a significant amount of water that would otherwise be wasted if the tap remained open throughout the process.

Homespun Methods Of Water Conservation

FOR more ideas here are some methods gathered from residents in a Euro Weekly News survey.

• 'I have a tank and water is expensive, so if I have bath, I leave it in and use the water to wash my plates. I add soap! I also filled the toilet with bricks, so it only makes a little [flush] and saves 5 litres,' Judith van Trump, Benissa, Alicante.

• Another resident, Michael Santos, commented: 'Living in a small community of just eight properties, the most expensive cost we have is water for both the pool and gardens. We have cut the length of time that each garden receives communal water. . . reduced from 10 minutes to 3 minutes.'

• Another tipster said: 'Always use a dishwasher as it is far more environmentallyfriendly than washing by hand as it uses less water.' It is estimated that hand­washing dish es uses up to 3.5 times more water than a dishwasher.

• When visiting the toilet is it always necessary to flush? Without going into too much detail there is the well known phrase: 'If it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down,' a memorable contribution from Mayor Ed Koch, who reportedly urged New Yorkers to take up the practice during a water shortage.

• Although it seems sensible to run eco modes on both dishwashers

and washing machines in actual fact whilst they may use less electricity it is possible that more water is used is this longer cycle, so consider changing to quick more as it may cost more but could save precious water.

• Also, if you use a water softener do check whether it’s metered or unmetered as if unmetered, it automatically regenerates on a timer whether it needs to or not, thus using a lot of unnecessary water.

• The metered option regenerates only when it needs to and therefore uses less water says Angela Wright from Benidorm

• Animal lovers, if you are running the hot water tap, fill the dog’s bowl whilst the water is still cold so it doesn’t just disappear down the drain. Paul Chalmers Estepona

• An anonymous reader contributed, Save water – drink wine.

In Conclusion

BY taking decisive steps to conserve water resources, actions already taken have created an example for other municipalities facing similar drought challenges.

What we all hope to see shortly is some monsoon type weather lasting long enough to top up the aquifers (underground water catchment areas) and reservoirs in the short term and the creation of more desalination plants by the coasts in the long term.

Have a bucket in the shower to collect any excess water, before or during your shower.

Beach showers to be cut off

DENMARK

Berry soup

DANISH Berry Soup, known as ‘Rødgrød med Fløde,’ is a cherished dessert in Denmark. Bursting with the flavours of seasonal berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blackcurrants, it's a sweet-tart sensation. Served warm or cold with a dollop of cream, this traditional delicacy offers a delightful taste of Scandinavia's culinary heritage!

Danish dominance

THE Danish men's pursuit team sought redemption at the world championships in Glasgow defeating Italy and clinching the elusive gold medal in track cycling. The team secured victory, with a remarkable time of 3 minutes, 45.161 seconds. This triumph has propelled Denmark towards the next Summer Games in Paris, where they are now considered the favourites.

FRANCE

Paris explosion

FIVE people were injured after an explosion in an apartment block in the Montmartre district of Paris on Saturday, August 5.

The incident occurred at around 2:30 pm in a three-storey building whose residents were immediately evacuated.

Paris firefighters confirmed that one of those caught in the blast was in critical condition while the other four were badly injured.

Greenest games

PARIS 2024 Olympics committee has pledged to slash carbon emissions dubbing it the ‘greenest’ games ever. Organisers vow to halve the carbon footprint of previous games, striving to emit under 1.5 million tonnes of CO2, which will set an ambitious benchmark for future games too and the countries bidding to host them.

ITALY

Dog detective

IN A remarkable display of sensory expertise, Elio, a black Labrador police dog successfully foiled a cash smuggling attempt at a bus station in Italy. Prompted by Elio's excited interest in the bags, the police officers decided to investigate further. To their astonishment, they discovered stacks of cash totalling over €1,075,600 (£925,000) concealed within the luggage.

Football fines

ITALY has recently enacted a controversial law, imposing heavy fines and even prison sentences for those involved in the illegal use of IPTV technology, typically used to access sporting events. While distributors of illegal broadcasts can face up to three years in prison and fines of up to €15,000. Users caught accessing pirated content via IPTV could find themselves liable to pay fines of up to €5,000.

PRESS EURO

THE NETHERLANDS

Peeing polar bear

THE Museum Flehite in Amersfoort has found itself under fire from neighbours complaining about a sculpture of a giant polar bear which is peeing into the local canal. It’s part of an Art and Zoo exhibition but it makes so much noise as it pees that it has to be turned off at night.

It used to pee all night.

Frozen summer

Drone diversion

TWO flights had to be diverted after a drone sighting near a Dublin airfield.

A Dublin Airport spokesperson commented: ‘This led to two flights - one Aer Lingus flight from Frankfurt and one Ryanair flight from Birmingham - being diverted to Belfast.’

Unruly runway

THE year-old €320 million northern runway at Dublin Airport is facing the threat of closure following residents' complaints and a contravention of planning laws.

Following months of complaints from local residents, Fingal County Council issued an enforcement order for noise against the Dublin Airport Authority regarding noise levels at night since the new runway opened in August 2022.

ON August 4, Reutlingen, a southern German city, experienced an unexpected winter-like event when a heavy hailstorm blanketed the streets with accumulated hailstones.

The sudden weather phenomenon surprised residents, transforming the urban landscape into a scene resembling a winter wonderland.

Tragic collision

A TRAGIC accident in Germany claims the life of a young US Army soldier as a civilian semitruck collides with the armoured military vehicle she was traveling in during convoy operations.

Our hearts go out to her family and fellow servicemembers.

GERMANY BELGIUM

Godzilla burger

AMERICA has created a whole generation of professional eaters who spend their lives taking food challenges which are eagerly devoured by TV and Social Media viewers. Randy Santel stopped off at Plein 12 Restaurant in Belgium to take the challenge of eating their Godzilla Burger in less than 30 minutes and he triumphed in eight minutes and 41 seconds.

Robot delivery

CARREFOUR Belgium is testing the concept of using robots to deliver goods to your door this summer with the latest test taking place in Knokke.

They have created a pop-up store on the sea front in the town but there is a slight drawback as the delivery area covered by the three robots is just 400 metres from the store.

Motorhome mayhem

THE summer tourist season faces challenges as an influx of motor homes overwhelms narrow roads, posing safety risks and causing frustration among locals. The surge in traffic, drawn by domestic and foreign tourists, has led to concerns over space and safety, impacting businesses and prompting calls for balanced solutions.

Housing Crisis

NORWAY’S housing market grapples with a rental rate surge as residential real estate prices decline. Rental rates in Oslo skyrocketed by 17 per cent in July, hitting record highs. Thousands of students are on housing waiting lists, and state-subsidised student accommodation costs NOK 10,000 (€892) monthly. Nationwide, rental rates have risen by 12 percent year-on-year.

NORWAY FINLAND

European unity

VOLT, a Pro-European political party is seeking recognition in Finland by securing 5,000 supporter cards and eventually field candidates in the European elections. Established as a response to Britain's exit from the EU, Volt has emerged as the first pan-European party. Jani Laiho, the Chairman of Volt, joined the party to counter the rise of far-right ideologies and stress the importance of European unity.

FinnFest 2023

FINNFEST 2023 40th anniversary held recently marked the celebration of Finland's NATO membership. FinnFest is an annual gathering of Finnish Americans. It includes educational workshops on culture and history, musical performances, and Finnish film presentations, with a pop-up cafe featuring Finnish food.

Deadly device

AN 'extremely dangerous' device discovered on a beach in the Troia peninsula of Portugal was subsequently deactivated by the Portuguese Navy. A member of the public located it on a beach. When the tide came in, the object became submerged so it was necessary to evacuate people from the area as a precaution.

Inspiring change

THE third day of Pope Francis's visit to Lisbon saw the pontiff urging young people to get their hands dirty for poverty.

In the context of World Youth Day (WYD), and on a day with a lot of contact with young people, he urged the young people gathered in the Portuguese capital not to be disgusted by poverty.

IRELAND PORTUGAL SWEDEN

Mass brawl

HUNDREDS of people were arrested and at least another 55 injured after a pitched battle broke out at an Eritrean festival in Järvafältet in Stockholm, Sweden. Visitors to the four-day event clashed with demonstrators who had turned up to protest against it. The Eritrean festival grounds turned into a battleground as the two sides clashed, armed with stones and sticks. Among those injured were three police officers.

Historical win

SWEDEN clinched victory in a nail-biting Women's World Cup clash, ending USA's journey in the round of 16. After a goalless tie through regulation and extra time, penalty kicks decided the fate. USA's Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith, and Kelly O'Hara faltered, handing Sweden a 5-4 shootout win. This untimely exit marked USA's earliest World Cup departure.

Credit: CLS Facebook

FINANCE 16

BUSINESS EXTRA

Fuelled up

ASDA became Britain’s first retailer to publish diesel and petrol prices charged at its local forecourts online after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that the chain’s fuel prices had tripled since before the pandemic. The sector had increased these to unnecessarily high levels, the CMA said.

Nicely played

CASILLAS WORLD, founded eight years ago by Iker Casillas, former goalkeeper for both Real Madrid and Spain’s national side, earned €350,287 euros in 2022, 88 per cent more than in 2022. The company, based in the leafy Madrid suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcon, handles the footballer’s image rights.

New face

SARAH BREEDEN was named the Bank of England’s deputy governor and will also serve on the Monetary Policy and the Financial Policy committees. A senior executive, she led Bank’s response to the Northern Rock crisis in 2007 and takes over from Sir Jon Cunliffe, who has held this role since 2013.

Not you

EL CORTE INGLES sold its holding in the Only You hotel chain and will instead focus on its future hotel in Madrid’s Goya district, leaving the Matutes family’s Palladium Hotel Group as Only You’s sole shareholder. The sale went through in July 2022 but was not made public until early August.

Downsizing

HOUSE OF FRASER revealed that it could close more stores, after shutting eight in the past year. Michael Murray, the chief executive of Mike Ashley’s retail empire, which rescued the chain in 2018, said its department store portfolio was “continually under review” and some outlets were “still too big.”

STAT OF WEEK €8.9 billion

in revenues for the Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) bottling plant during the first half of this year, an 8.4 per cent increase on the same period in 2022.

Government does its duty Membership scam alert

DON’T find yourself up the creek without a paddle by falling into the trap of a phony Amazon scam.

The online e­commerce and digital streaming multinational recently alerted to the dangers of being fooled by unexpected calls, texts or emails that claim to refer to a costly membership fee or other membership issue.

These will ask you to confirm or cancel the charge, Amazon warned.

“Scammers will try to convince you to provide payment or bank account information in order to reinstate a membership,” the company said.

Amazon would never ask

you to provide payment information for products or services over the phone, a recent statement stressed. Never pay over the phone, it added.

“Visit the Message Centre on the Amazon website or on our app to review authentic emails from Ama­

THE UK government announced plans to grant hundreds of new oil and gas licences.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed on July 31 that the government would continue to back the North Sea oil and gas industry in its drive to make Britain more energy­independent.

Adopting a more flexible application process, licences could also be offered near currently licensed areas, he said. This would unlock vital reserves due to existing infrastructure and previous assessments, Sunak explained while visiting Aberdeen’s Shell gas terminal.

The independent Climate Change Committee predicted that approximately a quarter of the UK’s energy demands would still be met by oil and gas

TV turn off

ITV’S earnings fell 52 per cent to £152 million (€176.5 million) during the first six months of this year.

Total advertising revenues dropped by 11 per cent to £811 million (€940 million) between January and the end of June, compared with the same period in 2022.

The broadcaster admitted that it was enduring its worst advertising downturn since the 2008 financial crisis although chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall said that although advertisers were cautious, ITV had not experienced any difficulty in attracting sponsors for its programmes.

zon. To verify your Prime Membership status or to make payments, log into your Amazon account, and go to the Your Account section.”

Amazon also recommended always going through the Amazon mobile app or website when

Licensed to drill

seeking customer service, tech support, or to make changes to an account.

“Be wary whenever someone tries to convince you that you must act now,” the company said.

“Go directly to our website when seeking help with Amazon devices, services or orders.

“If you receive communications — a call, text or email — that you think may not be from Amazon, please report it to us,” the company said.

For more information on how to stay safe online, visit Security & Privacy on the Amazon Customer Service page.

tensive to ship oil and gas from abroad, he said.

The government was taking steps to slow the rapid decline in domestic production of oil and gas, securing the UK’s domestic energy supply and reducing reliance on hostile states.

“We have all witnessed how Putin has manipulated and weaponised energy, disrupting supply and stalling growth in countries around the world,” Sunak pointed out.

DUTY on pub drinks will be up to 11p lower than at UK supermarkets.

The changes would help pubs compete on equal terms, explained Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

“British pubs are the beating heart of our communities and as they face rising costs, we’re doing all we can to help them,” Hunt said. “Through our Brexit Pubs Guarantee, we’re protecting the price of a pint.”

Taxing drinks by strength for the first time reflected the popularity of low alcohol drinks, the Chancellor added.

Small Producer Relief would also help small businesses and start­ups create new drinks, innovate and grow, he said.

Go like the wind

IBERDROLA’S US subsidiary, Avangrid, has completed construction of an electricity substation off the Massachusetts coast.

Iberdrola has, through Avangrid, a 50 per cent stake in the €2.5 billion Vineyard Wind undertaking, together with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).

when the UK reached net zero in 2050. More licences were compatible with net zero commitments, the prime minister insisted. Bearing in mind the anticipated part­reliance on fossil fuels for years to come, it was more carbon­in­

Penalty imposed

TELEFONICA must pay €5 million for breaching its €725 million contract with DTS on acquiring the digital channel in 2015.

At the time, Spain’s National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) required Telefonica to make concessions preserving market competition by maintaining DTS’s existing contracts.

Telefonica was also obliged to make available wholesale offers of premium channels ­ with access to major sporting events ­ to other television operators.

Despite this proviso, Telefonica reached an agreement giving sports streaming service DAZN exclusive rights to broadcast the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Formula 1 seasons. The deal also allowed Telefonica to access all DAZN content.

This fine is the latest from the merger, including a €6 million CNMC sanction last March for preventing client transfers.

As well as easing the need for higheremission imports, granting further licences would protect more than 200,000 jobs, and expand the UK economy, Sunak added. It would also provide the next generation of skilled apprentices.

Unicaja movements

UK hedge fund Oceanwood announced the sale of up to 117 million of its Unicaja shares.

Oceanwood has assigned the Bank of America (BofA) to manage the €124 million sale, equal to 4.4 per cent of its 7.4 per cent holding, according to a filing with Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV).

If the sale materialises, Oceanwood would no longer have a sufficient stake to justify Unicaja board membership, with the likelihood that its representative, David Vaamonde Juanatey, will resign as director.

News of the sale came a day after the Unicaja board announced that Isidro Rubiales was to substitute its chief executive Manuel Menendez.

The substation’s high voltage cables connecting the Vineyard Wind I’s 62 turbines to the onshore network are key to the project’s viability, Iberdrola explained.

Located 24 kilometres south of Martha's Vineyard and 55 kilometres south of the Cape Cod peninsula, this is the Spanish multinational's first and largest windfarm in the US and will meet the energy needs of more than 400,000 homes.

War pays

ARMS multinational BAE Systems increased its profit forecast as military spending soared.

The London­based company posted half ­ year underlying earnings of £1.3 billion (€1.5 billion), a 10 per cent increase on last year, plus £21.1 billion €25.5 billion) in orders including 246 infantry fighting vehicles from the Czech Republic. It now has a record backlog of £66.2 billion (€76.9 billion).

BAE said that 2023 earnings per share would grow between 10 to 12 per cent, compared with the rise of between 5 and 7 per cent that it forecast in February.

AMAZON HEADQUARTERS: Advice on avoiding scams

ABERDEEN VISIT: Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak at the Shell refinery

Photo credit: Flickr/GoToVan

Photo credit: 10 Downing Street

DOW JONES

Sad song

SINGER, composer and poet Joaquin Sabina must pay Hacienda €2.5 million in back taxes after Spain’s Supreme Court turned down his appeal against an April 2022 High Court decision that ruled in favour of a 2019 claim. He must now pay tax due on royalties ceded to family­owned companies in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

By the book

DEMAND for English language learning in the first half of 2023 boosted sales and profits for publishing and education company Pearson. Sales rose 5 per cent to £1.8 billion (€2.09 billion) during this period while pre­tax profits rose by 24 per cent to £236 million (€274.3 million), with Pearson expecting to meet full­year targets.

A paler shade of green

BRITAIN’S Business secretary Kemi Badenoch suggested that electric vehicle directives could hinder UK investment and even result in job losses.

According to UK media reports, Badenoch passed on “major concerns” to her colleagues in the Cabinet regarding plans to fine manufacturers who fail to meet electric vehicle production quotas.

This has been interpreted as a sign that the government could be wavering on another green pledge.

The

Clarel deal off

SUPERMARKET chain Dia cancelled a €60 million operation to sell its Clarel perfumery subsidiary to the C2 private equity fund.

Dia told Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) on August 1 that the deal was off after C2 failed to comply with all the terms of the agreement to buy 1,015 Clarel stores, three distribution centres and other assets.

Conditions included the CNMV’s approval, which was confirmed in May, but Dia announced that since C2 had not financially secured the Clarel merchandise before July 31, it had automatically rescinded the contract.

Meanwhile, C2 denied Dia’s allegations and said that it reserved the right to take legal action over the “unilateral” breach of the agreement.

Small mercies

et regarding rules which comes into effect in January and oblige manufacturers to ensure that at least 22 per cent of new sales in Britain are emissions­free models, increasing annually to reach 80 per cent by 2030.

Manufacturers will be fined £15,000 (€17,431) for every polluting car they sell over the limit, unless they can buy extra allowances from other companies.

“If major car companies employing thousands of people are saying that there’s a problem, then it’s her job to look at ways of easing that problem,” a Badenoch spokesperson told Politico magazine.

The UK ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars is due in 2030 despite widespread concerns that Britain does not have sufficient infrastructure and capacity for the growth of electric vehicles.

THE UK’s national debt reached 101 per cent of its gross domestic product in the last quarter of 2022, compared with 84.4 per cent in 2020’s pre ­ pandemic first quarter. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) also revealed that Britain’s £2.5 trillion (€2.9 trillion) debt improved in the first quarter of 2023, falling to 100.5 per cent of GDP.

On track

SPAIN’S passenger rail service Renfe will pay rolling stock manufacturer Talgo €181 million to maintain its fleet of high­speed AVE trains until 2027, an extension of their existing contract. Talgo obtained a net profit of €7 million during this year’s first half, a 31.7 per cent increase on the same period in 2022, thanks to increased industrial activity.

Business secretary referred to industry disqui­

KEMI BADENOCH: Business secretary said electric vehicle directives could hinder investment

credit: UK Government

A diverse dilemma

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

THINK IT

PLEASANTLY, but not unexpectedly surprised at the large number of readers who have contacted me to agree with my views on the excessive use of nonwhite actors on British TV. According to a couple of correspondents the UK is not the only country experiencing this.

Apparently Holland and Denmark are also witnessing the phenomena. One of the readers actually sent me a set of photographs announcing species that have become extinct. These included Wooly Mammoths, Saber toothed Tigers, Dodo birds and adverts featuring undiversified white families. Oddly, this somewhat light hearted observation actually made some sense. In fact just 7% of British people are in a marital relationship with people of the same ethnic group. If the vast majority of actors depicting UK families in ads are actually non­white, it gives the impression that the advertising mafia is pushing some agenda known only to them. It rather smells like leftie missions

to normalise inter racial relationships; an exercise called social engineering, which unfortunately, because members of the white populace are petrified to give opinions or utilize their freedom of speech, is actually working. Personally I will endeavor to use my own freedom of speech until I face prosecution, a situation I would actually welcome. Putting someone in the dock for exercising their legal right to express a perfectly legitimate opinion is exactly what is needed to bring the whole conspiracy brigade out into the open. Wouldn’t you just love to hear the prosecution attempt to heap guilt on a white member of the public who stated publically and correctly that despite making up only 13% of London’s total population, black Londoners account for45% of the city’s knife murder victims, 61% of knife murder perpetrators and 53% of knife crime perpetrators? It would also be interesting to see if they would even consider prosecuting the guest who declared on national television that there were ‘too many whites on the Buckingham palace balcony’? Somehow I don’t think so. This practice is a sordid attempt to undermine and frighten the majority of UK

ENTER THE ROBOT OUR VIEW

citizens into surrendering their hard fought country to one of destabilized diversity. When this prevails and the majority realise they have been duped into relinquishing their whole ancestral existence, the street riots and warfare will ensue. This will then give the conspirators the opportunity to send the army and riot police into the UK towns and cities. When the mayhem and body count brings the fighting to an end, the schemers will have gained control and presented the opportunity to bring about a complete restructuring of the rules and laws of our once great country. These people don’t really care about ethnicities; they merely want to create chaos, martial law and curfews. Once the young have been utterly brainwashed into the new order, they will happily and thankfully fall into the wishes and propaganda of the new leaders. Bit like China! Another Leapy rant? Strange how many in past columns have actually materialized! Keep the faith. Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com

Mon. Fri. 1am till 4.

PART of the enjoyment of a meal out is the relationship that you have with the serving staff and their ability to advise you on the food and drink on the menu. The occasion can also be ruined if the waiter or waitress is in a bad mood, is surly, unhelpful, or simply keeps you waiting. Although unemployment, especially amongst the young, in Spain is still very high, it seems that many restaurants find it hard to recruit and keep staff and whereas years ago Spanish and Portuguese staff tended to head off to the UK and other parts of Europe to work, now restaurateurs are starting to rely on staff from Eastern Europe. There’s a lot of cost involved in employing staff on a contract, especially when the current (although who knows for how long?) government has enacted several laws to protect the rights and benefits of workers.

So, enter the robot! It has been possible for some years to obtain robot serving staff offering different grades of service from simply delivery of plates to a full service including ordering from a digital menu and there are even robot chefs who can be programmed to create a range of dishes.

Science Fiction films have for decades imaged sophisticated robots, often made to look like humans, who can cater to every diners needs but now Spain is beginning to see more robots entering the scene.

They are not widespread as yet but as staff become more difficult and expensive to obtain and robots get cheaper to rent (plus they don’t need holidays, social security payments or keep tips) expect to see then becoming more widespread.

RICHARD is in his 50’s, a retired forensic accountant from Scotland. After falling into an alcoholic coma, following a binge, he knew he had a choice, keep drinking and die, or stop and live. Here is his story…

“I started drinking aged 15. The sensation was amazing, I loved the feeling, was immediately hooked, and wanted more. I come from a big family, and a culture that promotes the use of alcohol. It wasn’t frowned upon, and for many years my behaviour wasn’t unusual.

I had a senior position in a prominent role and managed to keep a lid on my alcohol use. It became a chronic problem when I retired from work – that is when I became a daily drinker (morning, noon, and night). Gambling could have become a problem, but I needed the money for alcohol. Eating became a chore. Relationships became a thing of the past. Alcohol always came first.

My rock bottom was probably

A design for living... that saved my life

in the period leading up to my hospitalisation. By then I was depressed, lonely and I had no interest in people, places, or things. Alcohol had become my life, and I would have been happy to go into a blackout and never wake up.

Then I was told by my GP that I had cirrhosis of the liver and if I continued drinking my lifespan was 3­5 years. I reacted by going on a four ­ week long drinking binge. The result was me ending up in an alcoholic coma.

At this point realisation hit, I

knew I had a choice and that I had to do something; keep drinking and die or stop drinking; but I just couldn’t fathom how that would be possible.

I was full of fear at the prospect of my first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. I hoped that I would hate it and that would justify never going back. However, what I found was love and understanding; and a realisation that there were many other people just like me.

Life now? I believe that I have

found (as we say in the fellowship) a “bridge to normal living”. I have new relationships, family support and have rediscovered sports. Impatience and intolerance are managed. I am human, and my character defects will always be there; but with the help of the fellowship of AA, they are shared and understood by other alcoholics.

My advice? Try it and see. It’s free, if you don’t like it there is no obligation to return but the door will always be open. Get to meetings and listen. Obtain phone

numbers, and call when you need help. I recommend for any newcomer, the Alcoholics Anonymous book called Living Sober. It’s easy to read; and contains advice on everything you will experience as you begin a sober journey. “

There are meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous, with friendly people who will understand, held daily, throughout the Costa del Sol. Meetings are free to attend, and anyone who thinks they may have a problem with alcohol is welcome.

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

OTHERS

LETTERS

Holiday bookings: A summer decline

LAST week we shared a report from GMTV that revealed UK bookings to Southern Europe have experienced a notable dip of 10 per cent, while autumn bookings also showed a 3 per cent decline.

The article then goes on to explain that there could be several reasons for this including the formidable heat with recordbreaking temperatures that we’ve experienced we will continue to experience this summer. Another is the rising cost of living in the UK, for many such as 27 ­ year old Lauren Pugh from Bournemouth, a holiday abroad is a luxury that she just cannot af­

Comments

‘The main problem is British tourists have had a close connection with Spain since the 1950’s under General F Franco, and because of this fact the infrastructure was built up all along Spains coasts to accommodate this fact, and it is now suffering. In addition, this offered much employment for Spain. As a result the hospitality is suffering with tourism and more importantly the revenue that this created has been impacted. This problem has now come to a head with various autonomous regions lobbying Madrid to end the 90 day rule and move along the line of the UK with the 180 days, which will help in the main holiday periods for Spain and it’s future revenue shortfalls.’, M

‘Nothing could have hit tourism as much as Brexit did, let the Spanish drag their feet, they have every right to do whatever they want … the English seem to think it’s their right to anything….. perhaps the people who voted to leave the EU should have looked at the benefits of being in it rather than finding fault and reasons to leave it.’

Alan

‘Yes some of the factors are true, however It is obvious by it omission, any none EU Tourists e.g British Tourists who travelled to EU country’s at Easter time are barred from a summer holiday, due to Spain dragging it’s heels over the 90 day rule despite their

ford ­ especially with mortgage rates increasing by £550 a month. Coupled with this are the extra costs of going away during the peak summer season. Holiday firms are reporting a shift towards autumn bookings as more and more people look to take advantage of the lower prices and travel out of season.

Perhaps, times are changing and preferences are evolving. Millennials are increasingly seeking more immersive experiences, exploring adventure tourism, cultural heritage and the hidden gems found off­thebeaten­path.

luke warm attempt to alter this. It hurts Tourists and Tourism alike and until bureaucrats get their selfs together the problem will fester.’

‘Unfortunately, holidays will just be out of people’s grasp soon.’

Theresa Marie

‘Cost of living. Another interest rate rise this week for UK Mortgages. Got to realise people do not have a money tree in the garden. Increase in Hotels and Flights. I know people not holidaying this year. They cant afford it.’

Andy Aris

‘Andy Aris Have you seen the prices for Air B&B & Booking.com @ €100 plus per night just for one bedroom apartment.’

‘Strange our transfer bookings are way up this year.’ Costa Blanca TRANS ­

FERS

‘Because people don’t have the money’,

Brian Rae

‘Because of the scaremongering about the heat’,

Archie Rainier

‘Archie Rainier you mean it’s not been hot?’,

Emma Monks

‘Emma Monks not as hot as last year no about 6­ 8 degrees cooler in fact’, Archie

Rainier

DAVID WORBOYS THINKING ALOUD

DURING my lifetime the population of our planet has grown from 2.2 billion to 8 billion and is clearly out of control. It has been reduced by natural disasters and human actions (wars) but, in the past 252 million years, never really controlled. It seems inevitable that, in the future, at least one catastrophic event or development will occur in order to reduce the population drastically. But when?

First, why should this be necessary? There seems to be adequate space for many times our present population. But how much of this space is truly habitable? Conditions in Myanmar, Sudan and Yemen alone point the way. Even without war, the relentless heat, abject poverty, lethal insects and diseases in so many countries are unimaginable to us here in Spain. Millions have inadequate food and

POPULATION CONTROL

water, no medicine, no refrigerators, no fans and certainly no air­conditioning. If left undisturbed, nature has always provided enough food for all of us yet millions starve to death. It may be possible to help everybody to forage and to fish; to grow, conserve and distribute food, but the terrain is becoming more arid and the oceans more polluted. Drought and floods play havoc with agriculture, leading to climate migration.

Second, the human race faces correction. In addition to neglect of the environment, increasing violence, decline of moral standards and serious health issues, social interaction is disappearing in large parts of the world as the computer, phone and conference calls replace face­to­face dialogue. The “solution” could come from several sources, some more immediate than others. A global nuclear war could break out at any time. Unstable dicta­

tors need to be cleansed in the great correction; and they may be the ones to activate it. Hundreds of millions could be killed.

Artificial Intelligence could go badly wrong. Assuming that individuals or nations may soon be able to misuse it to control sections of humanity, it couldintentionally or accidentallyeliminate many of us; maybe hundreds of millions. This could well happen before we are all destroyed by

King of Cozy Mysteries

YOU could call Steve Higgs the King of Cozy Mysteries and he is a genuine phenomenon in the brutal world of publishing having produced some 80 books since turning full time author in 2017.

Speaking to Euro Weekly News he explained “I wasn’t very interested in much at school except for writing and was delighted to win an award when I was 10.

“To some extent my future was preplanned as I come from a military family and it was always expected that I would join the army which I duly did, being commissioned and spent my time on the mechanical side.

“Happily, I was offered the chance to leave, with a reasonable pay off, in my early 40s and I took advantage of the offer.”

After leaving the army he took jobs in the corporate world, got married and is now the proud father of a boy (Hunter) and girl (Hermione) but writing started to call.

He wrote his first book whilst still working and decided that this had to be the future but realised that trying to get an agent and then a publishing deal could be a long and torturous process, so he decided to learn about self­publishing.

The process of writing comes easy to him and he tends to write a new book every two weeks or so which explains how he has published so many is such a relatively short period of time.

“Although I work quite long hours when I am writing, a lot of my time is involved in promotion and marketing, as well a weekly newsletter to everyone who signs up via my website”

Several authors bemoan the effect that Amazon has had on booksellers but Steve, recognised from the beginning that as a self­publisher and with Amazon hogging about 80 per cent of the world market, not only did he want to work with them but is quite happy for his books to be made available on Kindle Unlimited where for a small monthly fee customers can download a select number of books at no additional cost.

The income per download may be small but when you have 80 books and growing the actual amount is better than might be expected and half of his annual income comes from Kindle Unlimited.

A definition of cozy mystery is a gentle and often humorous subset of the broad

genre of crime writing which is a comfort read. With characters such as retired policeman Albert Smith and his Alsatian Rex Harrison (who was thrown out of police school for being too clever), Housewife come detective Patricia Fisher, Wedding Planner, Felicity Phillips and The Paranormal Blue Moon Detective Agency, the novels are both gently amusing and genuinely mysteries and always include a dog, a cat or both.

“I am in discussion with a production company about the possibility of three of my creations becoming TV or even Film franchises and I like to network with other authors and recently spent a few days in Mallorca at a special event for selfpublishers.”

With an eye to the future, Steve is working with a select number of other writers who will be co­authors of books based on his concepts.

He will take on the risk of publishing the books which will be produced to an agreed ‘script’ and will then share any profits on a 50/50 basis.

global warming which is a more gradual process. This could lead to starvation, heat­strokes and other fatal diseases, again causing the death of hundreds of millions. But, as the population declines so should the number of cars, flights, cattle, forest destroyers, factories, plastic and most of the causes of climate change.

An end to intensive farming could reduce methane emissions while, at the same time, reducing our dependence on meat, which should result in improvements in health ­ and ironically a further increase in population!

The long term and more gradual depletion (or demise) of the population could be the recent phenomena of transgender and confusion over sex. If the distinction between men and women continues to become more blurred, the already declining interest in sex could threaten future human procreation. We could have a new form of birth control ­ yet another example of man(kind) interfering with nature.

Austria's Tirol has enough space for the world´s population. But it doesn´t work like that.

Photo credits: David WorboysDavid Worboys

Highly successful author Steve Higgs

Credit: Steve Higgs

David Worboys’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors

Greener credentials

WITH effect from October 1, a range of polluting single use plastics will be banned in England as part of the government’s plan to clean up the environment.

The restrictions will include single ­ use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks and certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers.

Future plans include introducing a deposit return scheme for drinks containers and commitment for simpler recycling collections for every household and business in England.

All this, even though the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak flew to Scotland to announce that the government planned to sell off more licences for exploitation of additional North Sea Gas and Oil reserves.

The government is also congratulating itself over the fact that more than seven billion harmful plastic bags have not hit the

streets and countryside thanks to the single­use carrier bag charge, according to new figures announced by Environment Minister Rebecca Pow on July 31.

A 5p charge was first introduced in supermarkets in 2015. Since then, the report shows that usage at the main retailers has dropped by more than 98 per cent.

To support its green credentials the government explained that in 2018 it an­

MIXED REVIEWS FOR BRITAIN’S TOP SPOTS

NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS

THERE is just no pleasing some people. The UK’s got world heritage sites, a vibrant and cultured capital city and great landscapes. But not all visitors are impressed. As some recent less­than­glowing TripAdvisor reviews reveal.

glimpse of Britain for many visitors, would fare better? Not exactly: “Except for the historical significance, there isn't anything exciting about the cliffs as they are today. Glistening white? They’re more like a filthy brown.”

nounced one of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in rinse ­ off personal care products and in 2020 introduced restrictions on the supply of single­use plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds.

The government also introduced a tax of more than £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in or imported into the UK that does not contain at least 30 per cent recycled plastic in April 2022.

Put your trust in the expert!!!

Take Stonehenge for instance. An acknowledged wonder of the ancient world and UNESCO heritage site? Not so for one reviewer: “Just a bunch of rocks.” For another: “The definition of a tourist trap. Miles and miles of travelling to arrive at a park where you’re given an audio guide to some really uninteresting, boring old rocks.”

Surely the white cliffs of Dover, the first

Trip Advisor ­ by the people, for the people ­ is a site that encapsulates the internet conundrum. Its benefits to the paying public are obvious but its misuse can be devastating. Undoubtedly a useful tool, it’s obviously only as good as the reviewers. Aim to get corroborating information from other travel sites…or, better still for this year’s holidays, simply rely on your instinct and common sense!

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.

WHAT is it with experts - these people that know what’s best for me? They have never met me. I am me and I don’t know what’s best for me so what chance do they have?

I keep hearing adverts for financial advisers who know the absolute best way for me to earn squillions by using them. Well if they are so good why don’t they use their knowledge and earn the squillions themselves instead of nicking a bit of commission off the top from my investment? I love the end bit of the ads where they talk at about 500mph telling you how basically it’s not safe and the risk is all yours and your investment may not only drop but actually plummet. Or the expert at my bank that advised me to put my savings into some scheme they had going and which, after four years had earned nothing! I’m no expert but that ain’t good advice and when I complained he got all arsy and said it only ever guaranteed I wouldn’t lose money. Great! Thanks for that!

What about the experts who say that studies show that everybody will be seen within four hours of arriving at A & E ... not going to happen. And now, of course, we have all sorts of experts advising what will happen now the UK has left the EU. They can’t all be right but they all think they are!

Years ago a friend of mine asked me for a really good accountant for advice about going bankrupt. I said I could do better than that and gave him the name of another friend of ours. He said, “He’s not an accountant.” I said, “I know.” So why him? … Because he’s been bankrupt and he knows what it’s really like! I wanted house insurance when I lived in the U.K. The insurance company sent their expert round, who in turn recommended a locksmith and safe company, which of course they get commission from as they have to have the right spec etc. The neighbourhood local police also came and gave me advice. It was all very confusing. So I called my mate and said, “Who do you use to sort out your house insurance?” He told me to call Martin. I said, “Is he police or an insurance company man?” He said, “No he is an ex burglar and he knows exactly how to secure your property … he’s an expert in fact!”

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

Restrictions will be levied on some single use plastic cutlery and food containers

PETS

Find pet sitters now for your trip Run rabbit run

MANY of our pet owners in Spain choose checked pet sitters from our listings. Our HousesitMatch sitters are checked, they are pet lovers and they won’t charge you a cent for the house or pet sitting services. Instead, they offer a fair exchange free accommodation for free pet care. It’s a win win! The housesitters are for free when you are a member of the Housesitmatch network.

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 petcare. These are the steps to take:

1. Register as a Homeowner on HouseSitMatch.com

2. Choose a Standard account (£ 69 GB 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

If you’re planning travel later this year don’t delay, Find your petsitters now with HouseSit Match

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

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

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

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

STEPPING into the world of exotic pets can be a journey filled with unique encounters and newfound understanding. From the spiky charm of hedgehogs to the awe­inspiring allure of tarantulas, these unconventional companions offer a pet ownership experience quite unlike any other.

Hedgehogs, with their distinctive spiny coats and noctur­

WHEN it comes to ensuring your rabbit lives a comfortable, healthy life indoors, creating the right environment is of paramount importance. As most rabbit owners will agree, rabbits are sociable creatures that require ample space and stimulation to thrive.

First and foremost, size matters. A rabbit’s habitat should ideally be as spacious as possible, allowing room for the rabbit to hop, play, and explore. The minimum size should be at least three times your rabbit's length, though bigger is always better. Next, consider the flooring. While wire­bottomed cages are often promoted in pet stores, they can cause discomfort and even injuries to your rabbit's feet. Instead, opt for a solid floor lined with absorbent, soft materials like hay or recycled paper bedding.

Rabbits are intelligent and curious animals. Provide toys, tunnels, and hiding spots to cater to their inquisitive nature. Chew toys, in particular, are vital, as they help keep your rabbit’s teeth healthy. Temperature and lighting are two other key considerations. Rabbits fare best in temperatures between 1020°C, so avoid placing their habitat in direct sunlight or near heat sources. More­

Exploring exotic pets

nal habits, are rapidly becoming popular among pet enthusiasts. These little creatures require a specific habitat, diet, and handling, but their endearing nature makes the effort worthwhile. Owners are often

fascinated by their self­anointing behaviour ­ an unusual spectacle where hedgehogs lick to create a frothy saliva, then spread it on their spines!

On the other end of the spectrum, tarantulas, although

not everyone's first choice, offer a different kind of companionship. Contrary to popular belief, most tarantulas are not dangerous to humans. Their incredible diversity, spanning various sizes, shapes, and

colours, can spark a fascination for nature's marvels. However, they do require intricate care in terms of habitat and diet, with some species living up to 20 years.

Ownership of exotic pets requires a commitment to un­

over, ensure the cage is situated in a well­lit, quiet, and peaceful area to mimic their natural environment.

Lastly, cleanliness is paramount. Regularly clean the rabbit's living area to maintain hygiene levels and keep your furry friend happy. Remember, a well­designed habitat can greatly enhance your rabbit's quality of life, contributing to their physical and emotional wellbeing.

derstand their unique needs and behaviours. Careful research and preparation are crucial to provide these extraordinary creatures with a suitable environment and proper care. Delving into the world of exotic pets can indeed be rewarding, but prospective owners should remember that respect for these animals and their natural habitats is paramount.

Shutterstock/ ArtEvent ET

Exotic pets are becoming more popular

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Rabbits like to hop, play and explore

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Toyota BZ4X - An interesting car

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack

BZ4X is probably one of the strangest names ever for a car, and appears to have been spared any imagination in Toyota’s vehicle naming department. It’s not as random as it may appear though, the ‘BZ’ stands for Beyond Zero, so you may guess from that it’s an EV, and the 4X signifies the size and type within Toyota’s hierarchy. Despite the rather boring name it’s an interesting car.

It’s Toyota’s first EV, surprising when you consider they were pioneers having launched the first Prius Hybrid back in the midnineties. Four trim levels, two and four­wheel­drive and comprehensive standard equipment across the board make the BZ4X a tempting package.

Range varies whether

you select two or fourwheel­drive and surprising ly the wheel size. The highest range quoted by Toyota is 317 miles in the twowheel ­ drive and 286 miles with four ­ wheeldrive. As with all EVs that’s not up to combustion engine range and of course the EV charging network, although improving, is not improving anywhere near fast enough to make longer journeys a worryfree experience. It almost

goes without saying if you’re read any of my EV reviews, that they make

Facts at a Glance

• Model: Toyota BZ4X Pure

Engine: 71 kwh battery

Gears: Automatic

Price: €53,506/£46,110

great commuter cars. The BZ4X is, as one would expect from Toyota,

Performance: 0-100 kph (62 mph) 7.5 seconds/Maximum Speed 161 kph (100 mph).

Manufacturer quoted range: 317 miles on single charge

Emissions: 0 g/km

Model tested was UK-specification

Beach car care

level steering wheel obscures some of the driver information screen but like many things you soon acclimatise and these aren’t huge issues.

IF you can find a parking space, driving to the beach can be quick and convenient, but it also comes with its risks, in regard to the health of your vehicle.

Many people decide to take the car to the beach because of the convenience it offers when it comes to moving around with all the necessary equipment. But it is good to keep in mind that parking too close to the sea is harmful to the vehicle, especially if it is going to be stationary for several days.

The salty sea breeze pro­

motes corrosion of the bodywork, but it can also damage the interior of the car, as well as the metal parts and the engine. In fact, the longer the car is exposed, the more serious the impact will be. Rubber seals, for example, cannot be repaired, they have to be replaced.

Just like seawater, sea breezes carry sand, which can also damage the bodywork. It is recommended to wash the car with water or compressed air afterwards and, as a precaution, al ­

ways park with your back to the sea and, if possible, cover the vehicle with a car cover. Also, when getting into the car, it is advisable to shake out shoes and even clothes, along with the use of seat covers. In this way, the upholstery will be protected

Vehicles left in direct sunlight are particularly at risk, with potential damage to plastics and tyres. Always using a sun visor and performing regular tyre checks are ways to reduce the damage.

aimed at making life practical with an extremely generous amount of space inside the car and lots of storage. It is a large car too and the build quality is pretty good, but given it’s a Toyota one almost expects that to be the case.

As with the external looks the interior is a bit Marmite, some will love it, and some won’t. The usual pattern of a large central screen is adopted, the low

On the road there’s a distinct absence of road noise and despite its lofty stature and complaint ride the BZ4X makes admirable progress along twisting lanes. Rough roads, and there’s lots to choose from in the UK, make little disturbance to the ride and while not sporty it’s a decent drive.

Like most EVs the BZ4X isn’t cheap with prices starting from €53,506/£46,110, but you do get an awful lot of car for your money. The fact it’s a Toyota will also count for a lot with practical folk and those who want to go safely green with useable and family friendly transport.

Parking at the beach.

Credit: Anetlanda/Shutterstock.com

Despite the rather boring name it is an interesting car

Silverware shootout

IT was a victory that needed a penalty shootout to decide the winner between Arsenal and Manchester City after a 1­1 draw in open play, on Sunday August 6, at a Wembley Stadium that unveiled its new state­of­the­art pitch.

Incredibly, two of City's biggest players missed penalties, first Kevin De Bruyne crashed his kick against the bar and then Rodri saw his rather feeble spot­kick saved with ease by England keeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Although this annual battle for the first piece of silverware of a new season is not held in the highest of esteem, today's win will serve as a psychological boost to Mikel Arteta and his men as they look to go one better this season in the title race.

Arteta gave starts to his three big summer signings, with Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber all making their competitive debuts for the Londoners. The German was guilty of wasting two golden opportunities in the first half.

The match looked to be heading towards an all too similar conclusion

after Cole Palmer's magnificent strike in the 70th minute. On as a sub, the youngster curled a stunning shot beyond the Arsenal goalkeeper to make it 1­0.

A clash of heads between Kyle Walker and Thomas Partey in the 92nd minute saw play halted for a substantial period. The game resumed with 12 added minutes.

It was Leandro Trossard who put

Lionesses roar

THE England women's football team has been showcasing exceptional form in their recent matches, emerging as one of the prominent contenders in the World Cup which is being jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

With a blend of experience and youthful energy, the Lionesses have managed to secure victories in key games, against Haiti, Denmark, China and Nigeria.

Fans are eagerly awaiting their next World Cup fixture against either Colombia or Jamaica, scheduled for Saturday August 12, at the Australia stadium in Sydney. England's recent performances have instilled confidence, and supporters are optimistic about their chances in this crucial game.

The upcoming fixture will undoubtedly be a defining moment in their World Cup journey.

his team level, in the 101st minute. His shot was deflected in off Manuel Akanji's thigh beyond a wrong­footed Stefan Ortega to send the noise levels inside Wembley through the roof.

Pep Guardiola now has the task of inspiring his players for their UEFA Super Cup clash against Sevilla next Wednesday 9, in the Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis in Piraeus, Greece.

Arsenal winning the Community Shield 2023.

Credit: Twitter@Arsenal

The starting lineup for the match against Nigeria

Credit: englandfootball.com