Costa Blanca North 17 – 23 August 2023 Issue 1989

BEST SUMMER

THE Minister of Tourism, Innovation, Industry and Commerce, Nuria Montes, said on Monday, August 14, that the Benidorm summer “may be the best in history”. She was referring to the expected occupation and last ­ minute reservations “when we are reaching the dates of maximum occupancy”.

Montes also referred to the proposed tourist tax, to reiterate that it will not be applied and that its repeal will be a fact before the end of the year “It will be wet paper” she stated.

Montes visited Benidorm, where she was received by the city’s mayor, Toni Pérez, and the municipal corporation before meeting in the mayor’s office with representatives of the local tourism sector and business associations. After the appointment, she signed the city’s book of honour and took part in a walk along Levante beach accompanied by the mayor and members of the local government.

Regarding the forecasts for these dates, the councillor indicated that “we are going to touch what we call technically full in a large part of the region, and Benidorm is one of them.”

Montes has predicted that hotel occupancy will exceed 90 per cent in the Valencian Community. “It is true that prices have risen, not so much the profitability of the companies, which

are still recovering from what they have been through these years.” However, the minister advanced that “the entire sector, workers and the authorities agree that it is going to be a very good summer, perhaps one of the best in history.”

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, said he was “satisfied and happy” to receive the minister “and to be able to talk about tourism, share ideas with business associations and verify that the good progress of the tourist season also requires work to

draw the lines that mark where we are, and where we want to take our tourist industry.”

Issue No. 1989 17 - 23 August 2023

Credit: Benidorm City Council

VISITING BENIDORM: Nuria Montes with Toni Pérez.

Olympic trials

Ring found in sea

A TOURIST made a striking discovery during her holiday in Javea. Ann Van Campfort went swimming with her family on Saturday, August 5.

Ann and her in­laws had taken a boat trip to Portitxol bay, when the group decided to stop for a swim at around noon. They attached their boat to a buoy about 300 metres offshore. Ann, who had become a little seasick, was resting at the back of the boat when she saw something floating in the water.

THE president of the Valencian government, Carlos Mazón, held a meeting with the President of the Royal Spanish Gymnastics Federation, Jesús Carballo, and with the President of the Valencian Community Gymnastics Federation, Concepción Rico on Wednesday, August 9. The meeting took place to discuss the celebration of the 40th edition of the Rhythmic Gymnastics World

Championship, which will take place from Wednesday, August 23 to Sunday, August 27, at Feria Valencia.

This will choose 14 individual gymnasts and five teams from Spain who will participate in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

In this qualifying event for the Olympics ­ the biggest international sporting event of the year in this discipline ­ 24 teams and 88 individual

gymnasts from 62 countries will participate.

The Valencian Community is one of the regions with the highest number of rhythmic gymnasts. In 2022 there were 2,710 gymnasts, which demonstrates the potential of both the athletes and the Valencian gymnastics clubs.

This sport is the fourth most practised discipline among girls and adolescents in Spain.

“I jumped in and swam over to it. I fished it out and saw that it was a plastic rose,” she explained. “It had a Spanish message: ‘Quieres casarte conmigo?’ ( Will you marry me?). When I took a closer look at the rose, I saw that it was attached to a box. I opened it and it contained an engagement ring.”

The family would like to find the owner, because everything indicates that a special occasion turned into a very sad one for her beau.

School collection

BENIDORM library network has commenced a solidarity campaign in collaboration with the Red Cross. This is a campaign to collect school supplies that will run until Friday, September 8.

The collection of the school supplies is being carried out at the central library, and items needed are pencils, erasers, pens, pencil sharpeners, coloured pencils, markers, rulers, lined and grid notebooks, backpacks, cases, folio cases, glue, scissors, compasses, A4 size folders, coloured crayons and plastic covers.

Every person who hands a donation in at the central library will receive a gift in the form of a surprise book.

The councillor for Historical and Cultural Heritage, Ana Pellicer, indicated that “the objective of this campaign is to collect school supplies that will later be distributed among families in vulnerable situations before the start of the school year.”

GYMNASTICS: Individuals and teams will be chosen to represent Spain.

Credit: Buono del Tesoro/Pixabay

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 if 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 who would like to be featured

NIBS EXTRA

Market back

BENIDORM’S municipal market has returned to its usual location in the Mercasa car park next to the Guillermo Amor Sports City now that the summer music festivals have finished.

Popular town

ACCORDING to Idealista, during June and July, Benitachell was the town in which the highest volume of housing searches was recorded. The search was mainly from foreign buyers of whom 56 per cent searched for Benitachell in particular.

More jobs

UNEMPLOYMENT fell again in the Marina Alta region in July. The region is practically at historical lows, with 8,431 people registered as unemployed. This is the lowest number since September 2008, when there were 8,427 people seeking employment.

Hold the front page

in the programme.

Please contact us by calling 951 386 161 or emailing news desk@euroweeklynews. com 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.

YOUR EWN HAS

Better Benidorm Beach cleaning 105

DENIA has begun a beach clean up after a recent sea storm deposited large amounts of posidonia in the area.

The beaches of les Devesses, l’Almadrava, les Molins, les Bovetes and les Rotes were affected.

From midnight until 8am, cleaning staff have been working to condition

the nearly 20 kilometres of Denia’s beaches. In total, 1,060 tonnes of posidonia had been collected up until Tuesday, August 8.

The team uses a digger, three lorries and two sand scrapers every night to clean, comb and de ­ rock the beaches. In addition, on Fridays there is a special service for the areas of

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

the Girona River and Les Rotes.

The cleaning team has been working from south to north.

THE department of street cleaning of Benidorm City Council is carrying out an extraordinary cleaning campaign focused on the residential areas of the city. This is apart from the usual cleaning carried out in the areas closest to the beach and the downtown area, where there is a greater influx of tourists.

This campaign, as explained by councillor Luis Navarro on Wednesday August 9, is being carried out in the afternoons and is expected to last throughout the month of August. “If necessary we will also extend it until September,” he said.

The work consists of removing the remains of paper, leaves and other materials found under cars parked on public roads with the use of a blower. Likewise, any stains that may be next to the bins or containers are removed. The containers are then being washed down for complete cleaning. A team of four workmen are carrying out the clean­up.

New opportunities

DENIA Council, together with Labora, have co ­ financed employment programmes to give a one ­ year contract to unemployed people EXPLUS (over 30) and EMPUJU (under 30). The 19 selected people were received on Thursday, August 10, by the mayor of Denia, Vicent Grimalt, and the councillor of Employment Policies, María José García.

From the EXPLUS programme, a journalist, four people specialised in gar ­

dening, two painters, two construction workers and a caretaker started work on Friday, August 11. Labora contributed €197,874.96, while Denia Council contributed €69,105.38.

From the EMPUJU programme, one person started work in the IT department, while four administrative assistants, a social worker and three caretakers began their duties. Labora contributed €187,299.36 and the council €83,811.01.

STREET CLEANERS: In residential areas of the city.

Credit: Benidorm City Council

Josh and Nick are coming to Benidorm.

Credit: Sky TV

A SPATE of heatwaves stretching across southern Europe has pushed temperatures in parts of Spain to uncomfortable levels in recent weeks.

Meteorologists warned it could be the “most extreme of the summer” and triggered widespread weather alerts.

In the third heatwave in a matter of weeks, much of the southern part of the country was on orange alert and red alerts over the weekend, with temperatures expected to surge above 40 celcius.

The meteorological agency also issued maximum red alerts for parts of Andalucia in the south, the Madrid region in the centre,

Spain grapples third heatwave

and the Valencian community.

The heatwaves recorded in Spain this summer have also worsened a prolonged drought, lowering reservoir levels as water evaporation and consumption increase, prompting authorities in Catalonia to impose restrictions.

Although many may think that summer temperatures have always been high in Spain, the prolonged heat has usually been broken by summer storms, enabling the

RBL Javea is currently running a campaign to raise its profile across the Marina Alta area. The branch now stretches from Calpe up to Els Poblets and inland to Orba and Jalon.

Since starting the campaign a short time ago the Lancashire Bruja was the first organisation to join and offer a discount to their members. A current RBL Membership Card will need to be shown to access any discount.

Those organisations taking

land and air temperatures to cool down to a more comfortable level.

Advice during heatwaves is to keep out of the sun and stay in the cool. Traditionally, the Spanish close all of their shutters, keeping their homes in darkness during the daytime in order to keep the heat out of their homes.

Heat Map For Friday, August 11.

Raising profile

part will be given an A5 laminated flyer to display.

Michael Allen, the RBL Javea Publicity rep, presented the first flyer to Steve at the Lancashire Bruja. Steve said, “We are proud to continue our support of the British Legion.”

A big thank you to Steve and Christina at the Lancashire Bruja.

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“A jack of all trades is master of none.”

A person with some knowledge of several fields (jack of all trades) can’t be a master in any of them. Source - In 1612, the phrase appeared in the book ‘Essays and Characters of a Prison’ by English writer Geffray Mynshul (Minshull), originally published in 1618.

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Michael presents the flyer.

80% of Spaniards live in urban areas

Jo Pugh

THE mayor of Calpe, Ana Sala, who was accompanied by numerous councillors, visited the Baños de la Reina archaeological site on Monday, August 7 to assess the damage from a fire which occurred on Saturday, August 5 and affected one hectare of land.

Firework damage Seventeen parks closed

NATURAL parks, including the Montgo and Serra Gelada were closed to the public last Thursday due to extreme fire risk.

bers, and many fiestas occurring, steps had to be taken to prevent fire.

The damage is centered on the industrial area of the site closest

Accessible beaches

DURING the first two months of the summer season, nearly 5,000 people have used the three accessible beach points for disabled people in Benidorm.

The figure was provided by the councillor for the area, Mónica Gómez, on Tuesday, August 8, who said that “for two decades, Benidorm has been a pioneer in the implementation of this service, with which bathing is provided to people with functional diversity or who present mobility problems.”

According to the data provided by Gómez, in June 2,472 people made use of the accessible beach service. Slightly more than half of those used the accessible beach point at Elche Park. Almost 1,000 opted for the one on Levante beach, and 270 for the one in La Cala. In July the user figures were similar for each beach, with 2,360 users.

“During the 12 months of the year, the three accessible beach points of Levante and Poniente operate, with opening hours increasing as the season progresses,” he added.

to the Molí del Morelló and has not affected the domus and Roman baths or the paleo ­ Christian basilica. The affected area was going to be the object of this year’s archaeological campaign.

The council stated that the Roman site has not been affected and the area can be recovered.

According to the archaeologist ­ director of the site Alicia Luján “It will be necessary to reconsider the restoration of the burned structures, it will be the restoration technicians of the General Directorate of Heritage who determine the steps to follow, in some places the recovery will not be complicated, in any case we are waiting to determine the restoration process.”

The fire was caused by a stray rocket from the town’s firework display.

The Valencian government declared a preemergency level three of the Special Plan against the Risk of Forest Fires of the Valencian Community (PEIF) from Thursday, August 10, to Tuesday, August 15 inclusive.

The Ministers of Justice and Interior and Environment, Water, Infrastructures and Territory, Elisa Nuñez and Salomé Pradas, respectively, held a coordination meeting on Wednesday, August 9, to assess the measures that would be applied in response to the new episode of extreme temperatures in the Valencian Community.

Both departments issued a series of prohibitions and restrictions on forest land, especially in natural parks and closed the parks to the public.

The ‘declaration of coordinated Pre­emergency’ was established in view of the forecast of the arrival of a mass of warm air. With the lack of rainfall, a rise in tourist num ­

DAMAGE ASSESSMENT: The area can be recovered.

The Montgo was closed.

Credit: Rod Martin/Pixabay

Licence update Happy cats

Jo Pugh

UK driving licence holders resident in Spain before March 15 have been reminded by the British embassy that they have until September 15 to exchange their licence for a Spanish one if they have not done so already.

This follows an agreement in March between the UK and Spain for drivers to swap licences 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 to do so; during this time they could continue to drive on their UK licences until September 15.

The British Embassy in Madrid has also announced that a resolution had been found to an issue which some holders of expired UK licences (typically those over 70 years old) had been experiencing when trying to exchange their licences.

Those affected should follow the established process for exchange, requesting their check code via the https://www.gov.uk/viewdriving­licence website.

Ambassador Hugh Elliott

Credit: Wikipedia

said: “It is very important that UK licence holders who lived in Spain prior to March 15, 2023 and want to drive here exchange their licences on or before September 15”.

AFTER intensive work by the animal association of Bigatos and Altea Council, the council announced on Thursday, August 10 that the cat colony has dispersed.

The colony was located in the Passeig Mediterrani (Mediterranean path), which had almost 100 cats 10 years ago.

The origin of the solution to this problem of uncontrolled cats dates to 2012 when Raphaela Fischer, a resident of the area, affected by the situation, decided to start the sterilisation of the cats. She used her own funds to avoid their multiplication, suffering

PEGO Council has carried out the renewal of more than 100 traffic signs located in different streets of the municipality.

This was necessary due to the poor condition of many of them, and as a measure to maintain the circulation of vehicles and pedestrians.

Inclement weather and the passage of time were the main cause of the deterioration of signs, “they lose their colour and be ­

and the inconvenience to the public. At that time 94 cats lived in the area. She named them and bonded with them, essential to gain their trust.

Several feeding points were stationed along the path. The cats found shelter, dry food and fresh, clean water that was replenished daily, as well as veterinary care in case of illness or accident.

Today there is no cat left in the colony and it has been dissolved, as the last two members have found a home in which to spend their days.

New signs

come illegible for drivers and pedestrians, so they can be a danger,” said the councillor of Services and Urban Quality, Ricardo Sendra, on Monday, August 7.

There is also a percentage of signs that have had to be changed after suffering some deterioration due to acts of vandalism,

“Usually these are sprayed or have stickers that are very difficult to remove over time and also deteriorate the material with what they are made of.”

Sendra asked for “more civility with urban furniture, if it is taken care of and respected it will not be necessary to invest money in repairs.”

LAST CHANCE: To change your licence to a Spanish one.

BENIDORM City Council has incorporated 33 unemployed workers who will carry out duties for 12 months.

The employees started work on Wednesday, August 9, thanks to two subsidies obtained by LABORA of €258,264 and €253,716, both financed through the European Social Fund. The municipal contribution, in turn, will be about €300,000. The coun-

cil has incorporated 16 people under 30 years of age, and 17 who are over that age.

The mayor of the city, Toni Pérez, welcomed them at the assembly hall of the town hall, in which the new workers signed their contracts. Also present were the councillors for Employment and Human Resources, Mónica Gómez and Ana Soliveres.

Of the 33 new workers, 16

of them will be assigned to maintenance of municipal buildings and facilities. The rest will carry out their duties in social centres, administrative departments, and other departments such as statistics or the Local Police.

In addition, two contracts have been signed by two senior technicians with professional training in computer application programmes.

Spanish champions

PLAYERS from the Javea handball club children’s team received recognition at the town hall after winning the Spanish championship, the town hall stated on Tuesday, August 10.

During the event, the mayor, Martina Cardona, addressed all of them, but not before thanking the families for their support and accompaniment, as well as Elena and Pep Hierro, the coaches.

“We are a team that has shown what we want and that we help each other, we give everything on the field and this year will be un-

THE Villa Romana de l’Albir Open Air Museum has received a grant of €4,720 from the Valencian government to carry out actions to preserve the museum’s collections, modernise equipment and work tools, and renew the resources offered to the public.

The grant has allowed the acquisition of two more virtual reality viewers for an immersive experience of the

forgettable for all of us, we have reached something that we did not expect even in our wildest dreams. I hope that next season we will all meet again.”

The club’s president, Carol Cholbi, spoke, emphasising that despite the team’s young age “you have shown us to be great, strong and brave” which has allowed you to achieve the 2023 Spanish championship, a milestone that qualifies as “a dream come true”.

She thanked the club’s coaches “who make what has been achieved today possible.”

New employees Virtual reality

museum. Originally, Villa Romana Museum presented the use of this technological resource to the public in November 2022. It allows visitors to travel back in time and put themselves in the shoes of the people who inhabited the Villa Romana de l’Albir in the fifth century AD.

The project, carried out together with the Virtual Heritage group of the University of Alicante, represents a new commitment by the council of l’Alfàs del Pi for the use of technologies in museum and heritage interpretation, and hopefully becoming a benchmark.

Pérez welcomes new employees.

Credit: Benidorm City Council

Family care in Altea

ALTEA Town Hall is launching a free family service which will start operating on Wednesday, August 16 on the ground floor of the social centre. As indicated by the area councillor, Anna Lanuza and the technician, Nati Garcia, this is a free resource which aims to facilitate work­life balance for families, by allowing their children to be taken care of, be entertained and learn in the evening hours.

Lanuza explained that the department “will offer this resource as a means of balancing family and work life until December 31”. The service is possible thanks to

Beating loneliness

GANDIA has introduced a new project aimed at reducing loneliness among the elderly population.

The deputy councillor for Health, Liduvina Gil presented the ‘Radars’ programme on Tuesday, August 8.

the subsidy received of €69,000. The toy library will serve 40 families and will be attended by seven professionals. The service hours are from 2.30pm to 10pm from Monday to Friday, during August, and from September until December 31, the schedule will also be in the evening from Monday to Friday from 4pm to 8pm. The age range that will be served during August is from four to 12 years, and this will be expanded to 16 years from September as a youth toy library will be created for children who are 12 to 16 years old.

It is a joint initiative between the council and the Gandia health department to alleviate the effects of unwanted loneliness and prevent risky situations for the elderly. “Through the programme, an operation will be launched with neighbours, businesses, pharmacies, volunteers, organisations and facilities of Gandia, with the aim of transforming the neighbourhoods into humane, safe, participatory and supportive communities,” Gil said.

Loneliness has a negative impact on people over 65 years of age and on their life expectancy, as it can cause sleep disorders, fatigue, coronary diseases, nutritional problems and more.

“This situation leads us to reconsider, rethink and plan new public policies to attend to this, which guarantees dignified, happy and quality living conditions for all elderly people,” said Gil.

The programme will include the referral of elderly people in situations of social isolation from health and social care professionals.

FREE SERVICE: Anna Lanuza and Nati Garcia announce the resource.

Credit: Altea Town Hall

If you are quite new to living in Spain or in the process of organising your move here, it is important to adjust your tax, financial and estate planning. Spending a little time on it now will reap dividends in the future.

If you have been living here for a while, is your financial planning upto-date and designed for your life in Spain?

1) Legal and tax residence

There are two concepts of residence to be aware of and plan for. Lawful residence gives you the right to live in Spain. UK nationals now need to plan for Spanish residence in advance since the process is more bureaucratic following Brexit. Tax residence determines which country has taxing rights over your worldwide income and wealth. Understand the rules for Spanish tax residency and correctly declare your worldwide income, gains and wealth as required. If you hold assets or receive income in another country, follow the double tax treaty to pay tax in the right place.

2) Tax planning

Depending on your circumstances, Spain can offer compliant opportunities to reduce your tax liabilities to

Making a home in Spain? Five financial essentials to consider

If you have not yet moved to Spain, taking advice before you leave the UK could save you tax.

3) Inheritance planning

Understand how Spanish inheritance tax and succession law could impact your family.

By Brett Hanson,

on investment capital. Do not presume that what was tax efficient in your home country is tax efficient here. You may need to convert existing arrangements to ones more suitable for Spanish residents. How you hold your assets can make a significant difference to how much tax you

Spouses are generally not exempt from Spanish succession tax, while allowances and multipliers vary according to degree of kinship. The autonomous communities can adjust the rates and allowances and Valenciana, Murcia, the Balearics, Andalucía and Madrid have eliminated, or virtually eliminated, succession tax for spouses, descendants and ascendants.

Spain imposes forced heirship. UK nationals can use the EU succession regulation to opt for UK succession law to apply to their estate, if this is suitable for your family.

4) Your investment portfolio

ments to confirm they are suitable for you now. Are you holding the right spread of assets to meet your objectives, time horizon and risk tolerance?

Is your portfolio too risky for you?

Do you need to hold more assets in Euros and diversify away from UK investments?

5) Pensions

Retirees should review their pension funds and options to consider how to maximise their retirement savings without unnecessary risk. Weigh up the pros and cons of each option and establish if they will achieve your objectives.

Research the tax implications in Spain. For example, transferring a UK pension to QROPS after you are Spanish tax resident will incur a prohibitive Spanish tax charge.

Integrated planning

The sooner you review your finances, the sooner you can get on

best results, consider all these essentials in conjunction with each other. Often one will impact upon another so working on them in isolation could have unexpected consequences.

Ultimately, you want to achieve peace of mind that all your affairs are in order and designed to achieve your wishes. Taking professional guidance from a locally based adviser will ensure you have all the facts and understand your options.

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

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

Senior Partner, Blevins Franks

News from Montgo Golf

THE last two season the ladies have dominated this competition, today there was only one lady member playing, and you guessed it, she won. Mind the sponsor would have won, but alas sponsors cannot win their own competitions, unlucky Wille. The winner was Stella Fox with 36 points playing off 26 shots and John Day second with 36 points playing off 13 shots and in third place was Mick Farmer with 35 points playing also off 13.

There were two nearest the pin prizes on offer, with Nigel Siddall and John Day taking home the goodies on the 3rd and 18th in two. The sponsor also gave a prize for the strongest player, and that was Nigel Siddall supporting all

Jo Pugh

THE Grau sports centre in Gandia will be closed until Monday, September 4, due to staff holidays. Taking advantage of the closure, projects will be carried out which include various repairs and improvements to the centre, so that users can enjoy better use of the facilities.

The councillor for Sports, Jesús Naveiro, explained the areas where

Nosports

the action will be carried out during the nearly two weeks that the sports centre will be closed to the public. “All these actions have the aim of turning the centre into a better place for sports,” said Naveiro.

The actions that will be carried out are the following:

Improvements to the roof of the indoor swimming pool so that its opening and closing is optimal, maintenance in the machine room and to storage tanks, remodelling of the entrance to the site, maintenance actions to fitness machines and the cleaning of the two swimming pools.

above him. There was only one two and yes it was Captain George Braddick on the 16th taking home a coveted Montgo Golf Ball.

The competition prize winners on the day.

Pego prevention

SUNDAY, August 13 was exactly a year since the start of the tragic fire in the Vall d’Ebo that razed more than 11,300 hectares, a large part of them in the municipal area of Pego. The devastating incident destroyed the countryside and forced more than 1,500 people to leave their homes for a few days due to the proximity of the flames.

Despite the brutality of the events, the fire brought out

the best in the population, many of whom helped all the people affected. They

Swapping ideas

THE mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, received a visit on Wednesday, August 9, from the tourism adviser, Kirian Amorós from Benidorm, who is from the Spanish tourist office in Abu Dhabi.

At the meeting, the mayor was interested in the actions undertaken and developed by ‘Turespaña’ in the United Arab Emirates, where it has a permanent office, as well as the work that Amorós performs as ‘Tourism Advisor’.

During the meeting both exchanged perceptions on how the tourist season is working in the city and in other destinations, and on the opportunities that open up in the short and medium term for Benidorm.

The devastating fire.

opened the doors of their homes, local businesses offered everything they could, both to those affected and to the people working to extinguish the fire.

It was also a turning point for brand new guidelines to prevent an event of this magnitude from happening again.

Now the Forest Fire Emergency Plan and the Territorial Emergency Plan have been updated. Firewalls will now be constructed and the town’s fire hydrants will also be reviewed. This work will be carried out by a specialised company.

Credit: Pego Town Hall

EL CAMPELLO Town Hall announced on Wednesday, August 9, that it has joined the fourth awareness campaign of ‘Turtles in the Mediterranean’. This is an initiative of the Oceanografic Foundation, Sevilla Aquarium and the Blue Marine Foundation with the aim of informing people about how to act in the event of sighting a sea turtle.

Under the slogan ‘Here we save turtles’, the aim is to inform bathers, visitors and residents of the presence of sea turtles on the coastline. During the summer season,

the females come to the beaches to lay their eggs at the points they consider appropriate.

In the event of a sighting, it is essential to call 112 and inform authorities. In the Va­

lencian Community, the team in charge of rescues is the Oceanografic team, who will travel to the area to assess the state of the

animal and transfer it, if necessary to its facilities, where it would recover until it returned to the sea.

Marcos Martínez, from the department of the environment, said the town hall is committed to the conservation of species and to inform citizens about the causes that threaten sea turtles, such as pollution, degradation or actions derived from human action.

Photographic history

BENIDORM City Council has installed 50 black and white photographs from the municipal archives in public areas, such as traffic light control panels and underground bins, which have become ‘exhibition supports’.

The councillor for Historical Heritage, Ana Pellicer, explained that “until now these elements had only logistical functionality, while now they also operate as artistic exhibition spaces integrated into our urban fabric.

“Just over two years ago, within the framework of the ‘A Pie de Calle’ campaign, we

installed old photographs of Benidorm on the facades of the El Torrejó municipal building and the Boca del Calvari Museum, on the stairs that connect Pescadores street with Elche Park, and in the last stretch of access to La Creu,” said Pellicer on Thursday, August 10.

“This initiative has grown and expanded to exceed 50 photographs and 50 improvised ‘canvasses’ on our streets, in different areas. The intention is to continue adding spaces and thus advancing in our concept of Benidorm as a great open­air museum,” concluded the councillor.

Saving turtles Villajoyosa music success

AROUND 1,500 people attended the musical and urban art performances organised by Villajoyosa Town Hall during the 17th edition of Art and Street. The six performances of dance, music and theatre were held from Tuesday, August 1, to Saturday August 5, at different outdoor venues in the town.

The festival started on Tuesday with a musical theatre for children in the auditorium. On Wednesday, the central beach promenade be­

came a dance stage with a performance by Maduixa. Four women danced on stilts to represent the struggle of immigrant women. On Thursday, Otra Dansa surprised the audience with a stage that enhanced the historical value of their performance, the oppression of women in past eras. On Friday, the Barbera auditorium hosted the live music show ‘Full house’, by the company Electric 28, which told a modern fable about urban co­habitation.

PHOTOGENIC BINS: Operating as artistic exhibition spaces.

Credit: Benidorm City Council

Summer: separations and divorces. Expatriates with assets in Spain

FROM White Baos Solicitors experience, we can say that statistically during the summer months, and especially in September (as the family courts are closed in August), it is when consultations on divorces and separations and the num ­

ber of family court claims presented increase.

It is a time when the children are usually on school holidays, and the whole family, parents and offspring spend more time together, and in some cases, in unusual circumstances

which are different from the rest of the year, with different people, etc.

Thus, while on holiday we might think that having more free time, and without the stress from work and childrens activities, etc, that it is an ideal time for couples and families. The truth is that the numbers say otherwise, and the fact may simply be that as we spend more time together there are more possibilities of potential conflicts.

The truth is that this reality also takes place repeatedly every year, and after holiday periods, also, January, after the Christmas holidays, is a month when more families breakdown than what normally occurs.

If unfortunately, this happens, it is essential to prepare efficiently the divorce or separation and make sure that you have in place all the necessary or important documentation and information.

Also, if you are an expatriate living in Spain or liv ­

ing in your country: United Kingdom, France, Germany, etc, there are legal and practical issues that must be considered.

If you live in Spain, there are concepts of international law that may be of vital importance and could determine the law applicable for the divorce, the applicable law and the matrimonial property regime, and the application of the rules of

one country or another, that could be very relevant.

If you do not live in Spain, and your intention is to initiate the divorce or separation process in your country, your assets in Spain become a part of it, therefore it is essential that an expert Spanish Law Firm in this field helps you and your lawyers. For example in divorces by mutual consent, drafting the agree ­

ments one way or another may involve higher costs or taxes to be paid, the possibility to register the court order directly and or the direct change of ownership of properties in Spain at the Land Registry, etc.

If you find yourself in this situation, and unfortunately it is not possible to resolve your family problems, if you are a foreigner with properties or assets in Spain, whether resident or not, you should seek legal advice about the correct steps to be taken, because the consequences can be very different. Contact us and our family law department, and we will help you.

The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice, but merely conveys information related to legal issues.

Anna Ellis

THE Special Scheme for the Self­Employed (RETA) closed the seventh month of the year with a monthly loss of 1,314 self­employed workers in Andalucia (­0.2 per cent), with Sevilla being the province with the largest loss (­0.6 per cent). This decline was marked by the fall in enrolment in education (­4.6 per cent) and com­

merce (­0.2).

The total number of self­employed workers has reached 3,344,562 self­employed workers in Spain and 570,615 in Andalucia.

The president of ATA An­

dalucia, Rafael Amor, confirmed: “The data known today on enrolment in Andalucia are within normality.

“Of the fall in self­employed workers, more than half are in education, a sector that tends

to reduce its activity in the summer months.

“Nevertheless, we continue to be a leading region in terms of the number of self­employed, with more than 570,000.

“So far this year, one out of every three self­employed people who have registered in Spain is Andalucian,” said Rafael Amor, who believes that the growth of the self­employed in Andalucia is due to the fact that “Andalucia is a land of entrepreneurship and there are many facilities for starting up your own business.”

Comparing 2023 with 2022:

In the data on the self­employed, if we compare with July 2022, the Social Security data show that the communities with the greatest weight of tourism have increased their enrolment in Spain over the last year, while nine have lost self­employed workers, in addition to the two autonomous cities.

In other words, if we compare July 2022 with July 2023,

Self-employed Food safety warning

the two archipelagos show an increase of 2.2 per cent in enrolment of the self­employed, and there is also a notable increase in the Autonomous Community of Valencia (+1.1 per cent), Madrid and Andalucia (0.6 per cent) and Catalonia (+0.2 per cent).

The average in Spain is an increase of 0.1 per cent of the self­employed, a total of 3,617 more self­employed.

John Ensor

ON Friday, August 11, the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (Aesan) issued an alert regarding the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in smoked salmon of the brand JOALPESCA, with an expiration date of August 14, 2023, according to a news source.

The initial distribution was to the autonomous communities of Madrid, CastillaLa Mancha, Castilla y León, Catalonia, and Murcia, but other areas may also be affected.

“The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (Aesan) issued on Friday an alert on the presence of Listeria monocytogene in smoked salmon brand JOALPESCA with expiration date August 14, 2023,” Aesan announced. They learned of the situation through the Coordinated System for the Rapid Exchange of Information (SCIRI), fol­

lowing an alert notification from the health authorities of the Community of Madrid.

The specific product in question is smoked salmon host c/p­e, of the Joalpesca brand, corresponding to lot E675C1528 three and weighing between 1kg and 1.5 kg. The initial distribution was to the autonomous communities mentioned above, but redistribution to other areas is not ruled out.

Aesan advises against consuming the product. The information has been transferred to the competent authorities through the Coordinated System for the Rapid Exchange of Information (SCIRI), to ensure the withdrawal of the affected products.

If you have consumed any of the products from the affected lots and are experiencing symptoms of listeriosis (vomiting, diarrhoea or fever), it is recommended to seek medical attention.

SELF-EMPLOYED: The numbers are decreasing.

Currency concern

COINS are a very important part of almost everybody's day­to­day activity in Spain. Of the ones in circulation, one­euro coins are arguably, one of the most commonly used. They are in circulation in greater quantity and are said to be the coins that move the most throughout Europe.

There is however thought to be a large number of counterfeit euro coins in circulation, a number that is said to be increasing every day and which must be stopped, hence this decision.

On June 22, 2023, an authorisation was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) for the Bank of Spain to withdraw some one ­ euro coins.

Specific guidelines were introduced that will help to decide which ones are withdrawn and which ones can continue in circulation. This new measure has been in force in Spain since July 1, with the clear objective of

avoiding possible scams and fighting against counterfeiting.

From now on, the Bank of Spain follows a new classification for the one euro­coins, with three different types:

• Suitable: Coins which can circulate without problem since there is nothing in them that makes one suspect that they may be false.

• Presumably counterfeit: Coins which in their shape, texture or design, show that they are not original.

• Unsuitable: Coins which

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.

will be rejected in an authentication process, or that may have been altered. This includes deteriorated or badly damaged coins that cannot be determined to be authentic.

If you are unsure of a coin, take it to your bank where staff will check that the coin meets all the guidelines. It is also recommended that from now on, people should review all their one­euro coins, refusing to accept any that may be thought not to be suitable.

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.)

Check all one euro coins

Nº 1 ranked university in UK –Oxford

THE recent wave of thefts from Spanish lorries on French roads has forced the Paris government to take urgent measures.

Specifically, the French gendarmerie has set up the emergency telephone number ’17’ so that hauliers can report lorry theft and police checks can be carried out quickly.

According to sources from Fenadismer, the transport employers’ association, in recent months there has been a considerable increase in theft from lorries on French territory, especially of diesel fuel from vehicle tanks. Hauliers normally fill up with fuel in Spain (an average of €3,000 worth of fuel) just before crossing the border, as prices are much lower than in the rest of Europe, making them a prime target.

Spanish drivers who are victims of theft on the road, whether of fuel or goods, are being urged to report any theft through the emergency telephone number.

Emergency number 17 connects the caller directly with the National Gen­

AN off­duty National Police officer heroically detained an unruly passenger on a flight between Palma de Mallorca and Seville last Wednesday, August 2.

The flight had taken off from Palma de Mallorca International Airport, heading to the city of Seville, when the passenger began to exhibit aggressive behaviour. Although initially calmed by the cabin crew, his actions soon escalated, according to a national news outlet on August, Thursday 10

On the date of the incident, the passenger became violently disruptive, harassing young female passengers and

Diesel heist

darmerie’s Operations and Intelligence Centre (CORG).

Drivers have been advised to remain with their lorry at the site of the theft to facilitate the French authorities’ intervention. By dialling the emergency number 17, a unit will be deployed on the ground for emergency action.

The gendarmerie has units on all mo­

torways and main roads, so it can easily deploy a patrol to the location of the lorry to initiate the first actions and take the driver’s report.

Failing that, the force can indicate the nearest gendarmerie to contact. This procedure is essential when it comes to making a claim with any insurance company, as reported by a national news outlet.

In flight hero

threatening another passenger who came to their defence. As the plane approached Sevilla­San Pablo International Airport, he told the intervening passenger he was going to 'slit him open' when they landed in Seville. It was at this point that the National Police officer identified himself.

The officer asked the individual to cease his aggression and sit down to allow the plane to land. The man's threats quickly turned on the policeman, stating that he

would kill him, and even attempted to punch the officer. Skilfully avoiding the punch, the officer subdued and arrested the man despite significant resistance.

The pilot informed Sevilla's control tower of the situation and on landing, a team of the Guardia Civil met the plane on the runway, and the individual continued to resist as he was taken into custody. He was presented by the National Police officer and accused of crimes including attacking an agent of authority, threats,

and crimes against air traffic. The airline's management contacted the officer the following morning to express their gratitude for his courageous actions in ensuring the safety of both passengers and crew.

Nº 1 Valencia fresh food market in Europe

Gendarmerie has set up an emergency phone number

The complex case of David Hunter

IN a tragic and emotionally charged case, Cypriot prosecutors are appealing the manslaughter conviction of David Hunter, a British man who ended the life of his seriously ill wife. The case highlights the complex legal and moral considerations around assisted death, mercy killing, and the boundaries of the law.

David Hunter, a 76­yearold retired miner from Northumberland found himself involved in a legal battle after being accused of murdering his 74 ­ yearold wife Janice at their

home in Cyprus in 2021. Janice was suffering from cancer and the prosecution alleged that David took her life intentionally. However, during the trial, David maintained that his wife begged him to end her suffering.

The trial concluded with a verdict of manslaughter rather than murder. The three judges that presided over the case ruled the act was not premeditated murder. He was immediately released from custody and he visited his wife’s grave the following day.

The Cypriot prosecutors’ decision to appeal both the verdict and the sentence introduces further complexity to an already heart­wrenching case. This appeal raises the possibility of David facing charges of premeditated murder once again. This case

draws attention to broader discussions around euthanasia and assisted death.

In Spain the law allows individuals with serious and incurable illnesses causing intolerable suffering to request aid in dying, subject to specific conditions. This includes being of legal age, having proper medical information, making repeated voluntary requests over a period of time, and having Spanish nationality or legal residence in Spain. Spain’s legislation underscores the complexities in striking a balance between an individual’s right to choose and the need to ensure proper safeguards and procedures.

Public sentiment regarding euthanasia varies across societies. In Spain, surveys show that 86 per cent of the Spanish popula­

tion supported the legalisation of euthanasia for terminally ill patients. The opinion held by a resident of Murcia, Encarna Sánchez Moreno, said “Personally, I believe that legalising assisted dying is about giving people the choice and control they deserve at the end of their journey. When someone’s pain becomes too much, having the option to pass away peacefully surrounded by loved ones is an act of empathy and understanding.”

A Controversial Choice: Exploring assisted dying’s ethical landscape.

91.1% of British residents: English is the first language

WHILST discussions continue to take place over the forming of a new Spanish National Government, work has to continue with the PSOE coalition still running the country.

The acting Minister of Finance and Public Function, María Jesús Montero, visited San Roque on Tuesday August 8 to sign a series of collaboration agreements with the eight municipalities of Campo de Gibraltar.

The total amount involved is €7.3 million, with just over a

million going to San Roque which is home to Sotogrande.

The signing of the documents took place in the Palace of Governors, and mayors and other representatives of the Campo Gibraltarian consistories attended, as well as Juan Lozano, acting president of the Commonwealth of Municipalities, the entity that will be in charge of distributing this aid.

A proportion of the money being given to the municipalities is to help with the problem of water shortage and waste management although Minister Montero made special mention of her personal pleasure that the Government had been able to advance the improvement of the AlgecirasBobadilla railway.

The Campo de Gibraltar is

an area in Cadiz Province close to but not including Gibraltar which consists of Algeciras, La Linea de la Concepcion, San Roque, Los Barrios, Tarifa, Jimena de la Frontera, Castellar de la Frontera and San Martin del Tesorillo.

€7.3 Million for Campo Flag champions

SPAIN has, once again, been recognised as the destination with the most Blue Flag­accredited beaches internationally.

Blue Flag, an international certification awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education, recognises beaches, marinas and boats that are following the FEE’s sustainability guidelines.

Meeting and upholding a set of rigorous standards pertaining to the environment, education, safety, and inclusivity are prerequisites to attaining the Blue Flag status.

For over 35 years, Blue Flag has been the benchmark for sustainable beach and marine tourism, and the organisation is a key contributor towards the UN’S 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Being certified as a Blue Flag beach highlights an area

or team’s commitment to meeting sustainability credentials and showcases their dedication to working towards sustainable environment management.

Today, many beachgoers are more aware than ever of the environmental impact that human action is having on coastal and marine environments.

Beaches with a Blue Flag accreditation are a clear indicator to visitors and locals

that measures are being taken to limit the environmental impact of tourism in that area. As a result, the Blue Flag label is trusted by millions of travellers across the globe.

Since the accreditation began in 1987, Spain has received recognition for 729 of its beaches, with 10 beaches having acquired their Blue Flag for the first time and 22 beaches having regained their title in 2023

88.5 litres of beer per capita in Spain

Minister Montero with representatives of the Campo de Gibraltar Councils

Credit: San Roque Council

Flag Champions

Image: Turismo Santa Pola / Facebook

Swimmers wanted Charity football

THIS year in El Campello, the fourth edition of the ‘Adrián Soler’ football memorial is celebrated on Saturday, August 26, in El Vincle. The participating teams will be AD Betis Florida, CFI Alicante and CD. El Campello, all youth category teams. The matches will begin at 6pm.

For this edition there will be the sale of commemorative key rings of the tournament and a ham will be raffled. The benefits will go entirely to AESPANC and the Pancreatic Cancer Association, in order to advance research on the disease.

There will also be a space in row zero to be able to make donations, which will be

added to the rest of the funds. Any contribution is welcome.

The first and only objective of the participating teams is to be able to help medical research, and to do so on behalf of such an important figure for everyone as Adrian Soler, the captain of El Campello

TEULADA MORAIRA Lions Club presents a night with the entertainers. Tickets are now available, and the performance is for one night only on Wednesday September 20 at the Senieta Moraira. Tickets are €15 and can be purchased at the Lions Den charity shop Moraira which is open six days a week from 10am to 1pm Contact by telephone on 654 191 227 or

Credit: Phillip Kofler/Pixabay

who died from pancreatic cancer in 2018 aged just 18.

The organisation thanked Adrian’s family for authorising the event along with the Spanish Gastroenterology Association, the endorsement of AESPANC and the Pancreatic Cancer Association.

Lions Club bash

EL CAMPELLO has announced the fifth Relay Swim Journey event.

On Sunday, September 17, the 700­metre relay swim will be held. It has been organised by the department of sports. The event will take place on Carrer a Mar Beach, next to the monument to the fishermen. At 10am, the men’s and women’s relay categories will begin, while at 11.30am, the mixed group race will take place.

The competition will be held in teams of four people, and each of the team members has to complete the swimming circuit, individually and in the order agreed upon registration. The maximum number of participants is 480, 240 per event.

The price is €5 per person from August 1 to 31, and €7 from September 1 to 13. More information on www.conxip.com

EL CAMPELLO: Adrián Soler Memorial will be celebrated.

Japanese flair

VILLAJOYOSA will host the third Manga and Japanese Culture Fair on Saturday, September 16.

It is expected that more than 2,000 people will attend the fair, held in the park of the La Barbera dels Aragonès estate, and aimed at families.

Children can participate in a myriad of activities throughout the day such as pocketball workshops, Harry Potter potions, cat necklaces, live role playing, Quidditch tournaments, Pokemon geocaching, Japanese cooking workshops, fan meetings, movie screenings, karaoke, board games, K­Pop dance, a Cosplay contest and the Gatetemon concert.

“We want it to be an interesting and fun day of coexistence between young fans of Japanese culture. The previous editions recorded a significant success of participation and we hoped to exceed these figures, since the expectation of

both participants and visitors is very positive,” said the councillor for Youth, Carlos Soler.

Registration for the workshops will take place at the stands installed in Barbera park on the same day of the fair.

Young art

THE youth department of Denia Council has organised the second edition of the Art Jove travelling exhibition in the Marina. The art exhibition opened on Friday, August 11 in the youth building (Joventot, Ronda de les Muralles, 42).

The participants, young people aged 16 to 30. Their works cover modalities such as painting, sculpture, digital drawing, photography and illustration. This initiative aims to give visibility to the art made in the region by young people, showing

their work of different themes. The exhibition can be visited until Saturday, September 9, from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 1pm, and from 4pm to 9pm.

Credit: Sasin Tipchai/Pixabay

JAPANESE CULTURE: An interesting day.

Exhibition poster.

xxx

Credit: Denia City Council

DENMARK

Danish royalty

COUNT NIKOLAI OF DENMARK was spotted down under in Sydney recently. The 23-yearold who was recently stripped of his HRH title is spending a trimester in Sydney with his girlfriend Benedikte Thoustrup. Although he is ‘very sad’ and ‘shocked’ about this decision he looks to be adapting well to his new lifestyle as a student and a model.

Stagebox struggles

COPENHAGEN’S Stagebox CPH, a once vibrant music venue, has declared bankruptcy due to a series of financial and administrative hurdles. The termination of its lease agreement following a subsidiary's bankruptcy filing left the venue without a space to host events. The venue's demise underscores the challenges of maintaining artistic ventures amidst financial woes.

FRANCE

Lorry theft

THE recent wave of thefts from Spanish lorries on French roads has forced the Paris government to take urgent measures by setting up the emergency telephone number '17'. This will allow hauliers to report theft of fuel or goods. Lorries on international routes from Spain usually have an average of €3,000 worth of fuel on board.

Cottage fire

A HOLIDAY cottage was devastated by a fire in the town of Wintzenheim near Colmar in the Alsace region of northeastern France. It was later confirmed 11 people died as a result. Ten adults with mild intellectual disabilities and one caregiver, all visiting for the summer holidays from the French city of Nancy were thought to have been among the victims.

ITALY

Killed by cheese

AT a warehouse in Romano di Lombardia, Bergamo, racking that contained 25,000 wheels of Grana Padano cheese collapsed crushing the owner, 75-year-old farmer Giacomo Chiapparini. The search for the elderly man was time-consuming, as rescuers had to painstakingly remove 25,000 wheels that fell over an area of 2,000 square metres.

Blue crabs

ITALY is Europe's largest producer of clams and ranks third globally, after China and South Korea. However, the influx of Blue Crabs endangers their seafood industry. Clam farms in the delta of the Po River have faced significant losses, with a marine biologist claiming that up to 90 per cent of young clams were consumed by the crabs.

PRESS EURO

BELGIUM

Steam mecca

A BELGIAN steam wagon will take part in a locomotive festival hailed as Europe’s ‘mecca of steam locomotives’. The Tubize 2069, named after the village 30km south of Brussels where it was constructed in 1927, will undertake the journey of almost 1,000km to Wolzstyn in western Poland to take part in the iconic Parade of Steam Locomotives.

Tubize 2069

GERMANY

Sandal icon

GERMAN sandal maker Birkenstock is poised to go public. Despite its name not directly translating to ‘sandal’ in German, Birkenstock has become synonymous with this style worldwide. Founded in 1774 the family-run business ceded control to L Catterton. Now, as it approaches its 250th anniversary, Birkenstock eyes a listing on the NYSE and is estimated between $6 billion to $10 billion.

True cost

GERMAN discount supermarket Penny implemented a bold initiative by adjusting prices to account for the actual environmental and health impacts of certain products. The move involved raising the prices of meats and cheeses, the price adjustments aimed to incorporate costs related to climate, soil, health, and water use.

THE NETHERLANDS

Slippery donation

RECYCLING shop workers in the Netherlands were in shock when a python was found amongst its donations. Fortunately, the furore caught the owner's attention who confirmed: "His name is Antonio, my son forgot to lock his terrarium. I gathered the bags that were ready for the recycling shop and donated them without knowing Antonio was inside.”

Bats 1 Companies 0

THE saga of wall cavity insulation and bats in the Netherlands has just seen a major precedence set following a landmark ruling. A court found that insulation company Best didn’t do enough to check whether bats could have been living in the wall cavity of a house they insulated and this will affect other companies in the future.

Surgery update

Storm Hans

A POWERFUL storm named Hans unleashed havoc across Norway, leaving a trail of destruction, casualties, and widespread disruptions in its wake. The torrential rains, gale-force winds, and thunderstorms led to a series of catastrophic events including two deaths, landslides, power outages, flooding and massive property damage.

Footballer flees

NORWEGIAN footballer Mathias Normann parts ways with Dynamo Moscow due to security concerns following a drone strike near his residence amidst Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Normann’s decision to continue to play in Russia had a significant effect on his career as the Norwegian Football Federation decided not to select him for Norway’s national team.

NORWAY FINLAND

Ugliest vase

EVER been gifted a vase so ugly that it's hidden away in a closet? The Lepaa 2023 garden exhibition in Finland is due to host the first-ever competition to find Finland's ugliest vase. Visitors will be invited to vote from categories including old-fashioned, modern, kitsch, humorous, souvenirs, self-made, heirloom vases, valuable vases, seasonal themes, and inventive.

Climate crisis

IN Finland's capital, residents are bracing themselves for devastating floods, torrential rains, and prolonged heatwaves. Helsinki’s climate division said: “We know trees do the best job at absorbing water, delaying the flow of storm waters, provide shade and cool the air through evaporation.' With roughly 200,000 trees in parks and 30,000 on streets, Helsinki is well-prepared.

IN January, it was revealed that Michael Flatley had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, some 20 years after his successful battle with melanoma. A defiant Flatley recently broke his silence: “It’s a long hard road. I will not be defeated. Somehow or other I will beat this. I've beaten cancer before, I'll beat it again.”

‘Ridiculous’ rules

THE national police service of Ireland has faced criticism for sending three cadets home from training due to tattoos on their lower arms. This incident has ignited debate over their strict dress code, especially amid a recruitment crisis. As the force struggles to meet recruitment targets, the dismissal of these cadets for tattoos is seen as a reflection of 'outdated' views, hindering efforts to address the shortage of officers.

Legal battle

THE Venezuelan government announced on Wednesday, August 9, that around €1.3 billion (US$1.5b) held in Portugal had been released by order of a court in Lisbon. This money was said to have been retained in the accounts of Venezuelan institutions and companies at the country's Novo Banco sine February 2019.

Tourists evacuated

WILDFIRES raged across some rural areas of Portugal last week, with 'three significant occurrences’, in Odemira, Cinfães and Mangualde'. Municipal emergency plans were initiated in Castelo Branco, Proença-a-Nova and Odemira. A total of 1,424 people were preventively removed from the São Miguel campsite, but were later allowed to return. Twenty villages were also evacuated.

IRELAND PORTUGAL SWEDEN

Gothenburg flooded

THE city of Gothenburg in Sweden was underwater last Tuesday after the River Göta burst its banks due to the presence of Storm Hans. This sudden increase in water levels caused sewage to flow into the river. Gothenburg's fishing harbour was flooded, with some 70-80 centimetres at its deepest point. In the city’s southern archipelago, all ferry traffic was cancelled.

City relocated

DUE to the discovery of what could be the largest rare earth mine in Europe, the Swedish city of Kiruna is to be relocated. It is home to approximately 23,000 inhabitants and 6,000 residents will gradually be moved to a new location some three kilometres to the east.

Credit: vzw / Facebook

A Guiness bout

IS a new era of Irish brewing on the horizon? Mixed martial artist Conor McGregor’s stout, Forged, was introduced in over 350 ASDA shops across the UK last week.

Forged Irish Stout, initially brewed in late 2020, soared to prominence as the premier Irish stout at McGregor’s personal pub, The Black Forge, not far from his residence in Dublin. Since then Conor McGregor‘s beer has been eclipsing its main competitor, writes Beer Today.

However, the brand has reached a critical stage. Recent procurement of a brewery by McGregor himself has allowed increased production, now allowing him to present his stout to a bigger audience.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over,” stated

IRISH

McGregor. “This launch comes as a culmination of two years of hard graft from myself and the Forged Irish Stout team, and I’m immensely proud to finally get it into the hands of the British public. We’ve huge plans for Forged in the UK, Ireland, the US, and beyond, and I can’t wait for you all to join us on the journey.”

As Conor McGregor’s stout prepares to make its mark in the UK, it also holds the promise of a

broader adventure, with a major international launch event being planned for later this year.

121,070

communal swimming pools in Spain.

STOUT: A pint of Forged.

Credit:

BUSINESS EXTRA

Vegan beef

US vegan burger sales fell by approximately a third as Beyond Meat reduced its revenue forecast in a trend also noticed in the UK. After several years of brisk expansion boosted by private equity investment, meat substitutes have disappeared from many UK menus, with sales falling by 6 per cent last year.

Working week

ALMOST three ­ quarters of Spanish firms said the four­day week was “out of touch with reality.” A survey by human resources consultancy Adecco found that although companies had successfully adopted the 32­hour week, 73.5 per cent doubted its viability, while 60 per cent of the self­employed questioned the initiative.

Summer washout

UK retailers have slashed prices to tempt buyers as a cheerless summer and steadily­increasing interest rates discouraged consumer spending in July. Reports from the British Retail Consortium, consultants KPMG and Barclays noted that spending rose slightly in early July but fell once 7.9 per cent inflation entered the equation.

Yoghurt slump

DANONE registered a €10.8 million profit in 2022, 36.8 per cent less than in 2021 despite turnover of €768.9 million, a 9.6 per cent increase on 2021. The company attributed the dropoff to its Local First restructuring project that has given increased autonomy to each country’s Danone subdivision.

Home and dry

FASHION chain Superdry has secured fresh funding with restructuring and refinancing specialist Silco lending the clothing company £25 million (€28.98 million). The deal will provide Superdry with “improved liquidity to help accelerate a turnaround plan and cost­reduction programme”, a spokesperson said.

STAT OF WEEK €1.99 billion

turnover for La Liga, Spain’s top professional football division in 2022, 2.5 per cent more than the previous year, putting it in the black after three years of losses.

Britishvolt complications Open and shut cases

Linda Hall

THE Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has written to more than 20 UK banks, asking how many customer accounts they had recently closed, suspended or denied.

They were also asked to explain why they had withdrawn their services and were given until August 25 to respond. An FCA report is expected by mid­September.

Earlier, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt had called on the FCA to step up its investigation into lenders’ large­scale “debanking” of clients for what he said were their “lawfully held political beliefs.”

Lenders will also be obliged to reveal how many complaints they have received from vetoed customers.

Although the practice is by no means new, it aroused public interest and outrage after Coutts debanked UK leader Nigel

SPAIN’S Ministry of Consumer Affairs announced fines for several airlines not providing a free­phone service for clients.

Even when this did exist, the unnamed airlines “put obstacles” in users’ way, the Ministry explained.

“This means they are not complying with their legal obligations to clients,” a Ministry statement said.

Regulations specify that an airlines' telephone should be accessible to all consumers and not linked to a special tariff or a certain area. It should be free and prefixed by 800 or 900, known technically as “automatic reversed charge.”

As air transport is a “basic service of interest”, companies were obliged to

Private talks

ACCORDING to reports in the Spanish media at the beginning of June, Elon Musk was in talks with the Valencia’s regional government to build a €4.5 billion gigafactory.

Sources close to the deal to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles explained that Tesla owner and chairman Elon Musk was allegedly “infuriated” after what he supposed was a “confidential negotiation” should have attracted so much media attention.

Two months later, the deal seems to be on once more and speeding up the compulsory purchase of land in Cheste (Valencia province).

Farage. The ensuing scandal prompted the resignation of Dame Alison Rose, chief executive of NatWest to which Coutts now belongs.

Farage, who has now launched a website to assist other people ousted by their banks, obtained Coutts documents which

showed that he had not met the bank’s “commercial criteria” for some time.

This requires customers to hold €1.16 million in investments or loans or savings of €3.48 million but the decision to close his accounts was also based on disquiet that Farage’s “views” endangered Coutts’ reputation.

The FCA said that closer monitoring by banks could be partly responsible for the recent increase in shutdowns. It is also suggested that banks have become too cautious and dependent on AI when investigating and flagging fraudulent behaviour.

Freephones not obstacles

introduced to protect consumers considered to be vulnerable.

Failure to observe these modifications will result in fines of between €150 and €10,000 for minor infractions and between €10,001 and €100,000 in cases deemed to be serious.

RECHARGE INDUSTRIES, the Australian company which rescued Britishvolt in February, failed to make the final payment on April 5. Although Britishvolt, based in Blyth (Northumberland), was worth £800 million (€926.18 million) before its collapse, Recharge Industries bought the business and its assets for £8.57 million (€9.92 million) in February.

“The final instalment remains unpaid and overdue. As a result, the buyer is in default of the business sale agreement,” Britishvolt’s administrators EY said.

“We dispute that we are in default,” declared Scale Facilitation, Recharge’s Manhattan­based parent company whose Australian offices were raided by police in June, following tax fraud allegations.

Lithium plans

CORNISH Lithium will extract an annual 8,000 tons of battery­grade lithium from a repurposed China clay pit at Trelavour Downs in Cornwall.

AIRLINES: Should provide freephone lines for customers, government said

make one of these lines available, the Ministry said.

This stipulation came into effect following modifications to the Consumers’ Defence Law during the last legislation,

Time to Zoom back

VIDEO communications platform Zoom, which made it possible to work remotely during the pandemic, wants its employees in the office.

At one stage the company said staff could work from home “indefinitely” but announced recently that it now believed a “structured hybrid approach” was more effective.

The US­based company will introduce the new policy in August and September, with staff living within 80 kilometres of their office working there at least twice a week.

In the US where Zoom is based, 12 per cent of workers were fully remote in July, while 29 per cent split their time between the home and the office.

Meanwhile, Stanford University researchers found that working from home is much more common in the US and English­speaking countries but less usual in Europe and Asia.

In cases where the benefits to an airline not providing a free­phone exceeded the amount of the fine, the sanction could be increased by between 200 and 400 per cent for minor infringements. When considered serious, the fine could be between 400 and 600 per cent higher.

Deal takes the biscuit

CEREALTO SIRO FOOD'S Palencia plant will remain open for another four years.

The Palencia installation was earmarked for closure last year in Madridbased Cerealto Siro Foods’cost­savings plans. The company has now reached agreement with 184 employees who agreed to a €130 per month pay cut in exchange for guaranteeing the immediate future of Siro's Venta de Baños factory.

Juan Manuel Gonzalez­Serna, founder of the indebted household name, sold a 75 per cent stake to Afendis Capital Management and Davidson Kempner Capital Management in 2022 for a reputed €80 million which included debt settlement, while he held the remaining shares.

The company is receiving £53 million (€61.36 million) in a funding package that has been provided by the UK Infrastructure Bank, the Energy & Minerals Group (EMG) and Cornish Lithium's largest shareholder, TechMet.

“The funding will help to support the development of the UK’s critical minerals supply chain and accelerate growth towards the commercial production of lithium, vital for the UK’s transition to netzero,” Treasury minister Andrew Griffith said.

The bright side

A EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK (BCE) survey revealed that the Spanish are generally more positive than other Eurozone citizens. They viewed with optimism their prospects regarding future earnings, property prices and economic growth, with consumer affairs the only area where they were more pessimistic. Spanish optimism regarding earnings increased by 3 per cent, compared with the 1.2 per cent Eurozone average, the BCE said. In the Netherlands, for instance, expectations regarding salaries shrank by 1.5 per cent but rose slightly in Germany by 1.2 per cent.

EXCLUSIVE: Coutts branch in Eton (Berkshire)

Photo credit: CC/Bill Boaden

Photo credit: Pexels/Victor Freitas

DOW JONES

Zielo sale

UBS is selling the upmarket

Zielo shopping centre, located in the affluent Pozuelo de Alarcon (Madrid) suburb which has Spain’s highest per capita income. The bank bought the shopping centre from real estate developers Hines in 2015 for approximately €70 million although market sources maintain that UBS now expects offers of around €60 million.

Next best thing

BUMPER sales for Next prompted a second profits upgrade in just over six weeks. After an exceptionally wet July did not dampen demand, the companywhich has around 550 stores in the UK and Ireland ­ said it expected £845 million (€978.6 million) in annual profits, £10 million (€11.6 million) more than it previously forecast.

Back to the paperchase

DIGITISING the health certificates required to export the UK’s fish and chilled foods to Europe would have saved £3 million (€3.48 million) in post­Brexit paperwork.

Now the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra, has told companies taking part in a 2022 pilot scheme that the trials will end.

The sector had welcomed the electronic certificates which would have reduced the paperwork involved, obliging lorryloads of chilled fish to pass through thirdcountry controls in Boulogne (France).

Grifols tightens its belt

THE Grifols family, which founded the multinational pharmaceuticals firms of the same name, saw their income dwindle by 97 per cent last year.

In 2021, the family­owned firm Deria, the laboratory’s principal shareholder, received €16.4 million in dividends.

In contrast, the company announced that there would be no shareout for 2022, owing to Grifols high level of indebtedness after

buying out German rival, Biotest, increasing its net debt to €9.42 billion by June 2023.

Deria, which has left 25 million shares as collateral with Banco Santander, received €454,784 in 2022, mainly from interest and providing services, but reported losses of €139, 177.

The company also revealed that some board members received €238,333 “in remunerations.”

Settling in

Producers had hoped that the digitised system would have been introduced first in the UK and subsequently in Ireland, the Netherlands and Scandinavia.

Salmon is Britain’s biggest food export and Defra had left companies with ongoing red tape costs, said Salmon Scotland, which represents the farm­raised sector.

“These have already been racking up for more than two and a half years,” Tavish Scott, Salmon Scotland’s chief executive.

“The salmon industry is worth £760 million (€881.41 million) to the economy,” Scott said. “Other sectors selling chilled food, including poultry and cheese, could have also benefited from the digital certification,” he added.

The organisation called on the government to act quickly, given the impact of the extra paperwork and inevitable delays on perishable goods.

SPANISH multinational infrastructure giant Ferrovial recently signed off its first quarterly accounts in Amsterdam after controversially moving its headquarters from Madrid. The company is now seeking new offices in the Dutch capital which will be more central than those that were until now the headquarters of its Netherlands subsidiary, Ferrovial International SE, in Kingsfordweg near the A10 ring­road.

Racing ahead

LOTUS produced a record number of sports cars in the first six months of 2023 as it prepares for a new electric SUV under Chinese owner Geely’s expansion plans. Lotus, founded 75 years ago, produced 2,200 vehicles between January and the end of June at its factory in a former Second World War bomber factory in Hethel (Norfolk).

FARMED SALMON: Britain’s biggest food export

Photo credit: CC/Tim Harrison

Sowing the seed of discontent

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

WHY is everyone still screaming that Britain needs more diversity? The UK is now recognized as one of the most diverse nations on the planet. Instead of wasting energy by constantly complaining, why don’t those affected welcome this situation with open arms and start acting with some positivity? As Shakespeare observed; ‘Methinks thou doth protest too much’. I can’t help becoming even more convinced that those who continue to condemn British society actually thrive on animosity, refusing to accept the truth in case they are deprived of something to vent their hatred on! Let’s just have a brief look at these ‘lack of UK diversity’ accusations. To date, with very few exceptions, almost every family based commercial on British TV depicts a mixed marriage. Practically all the ads that use a number of actors, portray an (often ludicrous) cross section of casts with ethnic backgrounds. Neither of these situations is a

true reflection of life across the UK and is therefore either a minority appeaser, or some form of majority brainwashing ­ and is also by its very definition blatantly racist! A large number of major league football teams are partially, or in some cases predominately ethnic. Athletes, particularly runners, are almost all from immigrant heritage and any accusation of racism (predominately aimed at the indigenous population) is dropped on by the law like a ton of bricks. The long suffering British population has bent over backwards to accept and encourage diversity into a country which, after recovering from two World Wars, became open and ready to accept many from other less fortunate cultures. But to see its generosity and welcome rewarded by ‘no go areas’, terrorism, religious fanaticism, culture attack and nothing but insults and ingratitude ­ is quite understandably getting large numbers of them the terrible hump! The ‘far right’ was initially blamed as instigators of this UK dissent, and was quite rightly chastised for it. Unfortunately, with the blatant, unchecked reversed racism of so called ‘comedians’, plus some of the

SHAGGY DOG STORY OUR VIEW

disgraceful racist material of Rapper culture, exponents of the not­so far right are actually beginning to think those a bit ‘further over’ may have had a point. Almost every award presentation is criticised for not including enough diversity among the winners. Well, possibly there weren’t enough who were worthy of awards! We cannot fall into the trap of favoring people simply because of their ethnic heritage or gender. If we do, we will not only lower our standards, but also be in real danger of provoking even further disquiet by denying recognition of those who may be far more deserving. This whole diversity and ‘woke driven’ human rights situation is sowing seeds of discontent that, if unchecked, will continue to grow and flourish into a full scale civil conflict that could leave large sections of the UK’s major cities resembling Beirut. An example of which actually landed in London’s Oxford Street this week! Exactly the warning I wrote in this column twenty years ago, originally considered ‘another Leapy rant’. Oh really!

Keep

Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com

MANY Spanish laws which seem a good idea in principle seem to fall at the first hurdle as they are often impossible to enforce except individually.

The latest is the pioneering Animal Welfare Law which comes into force in September and has two major and possibly contentious obligations for dog owners.

Firstly, every owner will be required to obtain third party insurance valid for the lifetime of their pet and the intention is that should their dog be responsible for any injury to another animal or person, there will be an insurance policy in place which will ensure that the victim doesn’t lose out financially. Certain parts of Spain including Madrid already require owners to have such an insurance which also covers the owner against claims alleging their culpability for misbehaviour by their pooch and cost is currently from around €25 to €100 per annum depending on value of cover purchased.

Introducing such a law and enforcing it are two different things and it seems hardly likely that police officers will stop owners walking their dogs and demand to see proof of insurance.

Even if they did, then lack of insurance basically results in a ticking off and only in the most blatant of offences where a third party is injured is there any likelihood of a fine.

Animal shelters are overflowing with abandoned dogs and now that the new law also requires new owners to pass a ‘dog ownership’ test it hardly seems likely that the number finding forever homes can do anything else but drop.

Many lonely elderly people find companionship thanks to a dog but this is just another cost to add to the ever spiralling expense of ownership.

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

Liberty Seguros resolves some queries about home insurance

Q. Is Home Insurance obligatory in Spain?

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

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

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

Q. Does Liberty Seguros Home Insurance Cover Tenant Vandalism?

A. Yes, you can add an optional cover: ‘act of vandalism by tenants’ guarantee, with up to €3,000 cover, which will allow you to forget about any hassle and get a profitable rental income.

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

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

simply

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

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

nishings for every room, clothes and personal belongings.

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

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

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

Make sure that you provide your insurance policy number and details of the claim; and inform about what, when and how it happened. Please be aware that claims should usually be reported no later than seven days after the claim date.

FIXING TIME - WE CAN MAKE IT WORK!

IF I were to say ‘Watches and Clocks Are Us’ I would not be far wrong, but that doesn’t quite cover all we can do. We also have extensive experience repairing or restoring pocket watches, which do seem to be enjoy ing a bit of a revival lately from what we have seen. Word has it that this renewed liking for pocket watches may be linked to the popularity of the TV series Peaky Blinders. Who knows if this is true, but we have seen an in flux of customers wanting us to restore their family heirloom pocket watches for 18th, 21st, Graduations, Wed ding celebrations etc.

Back in 2018 in UK, we accepted a most chal lenging job! Our cus tomer’s father had gener ously passed on to him his own father’s pocket watch a very nice 18 Carat Gold Chronograph. It was a piece to treasure, and our customer had been thrilled to receive it. Except, on his route home, with said pocket watch in his motorbike

top box, the top box parted company with the bike and was crushed by another passing vehicle. Remarkably the watch was not totally destroyed, but was in very poor shape outwardly and inwardly. Our customer never confessed as to what had happened to his father, but he retained all the parts he could retrieve for many years until he found FixingTime and brought it to us. The watch was in

pieces, inwardly the list of needs was extensive, but doable. Out wardly the dial was badly dam aged and the case was badly dented and mis shapen.

I am glad to say we were able to return the watch to its former glo ry, and our customer could hardly believe what we achieved..

Before setting up our watch and clock work

shop in Valle del Sol, Alicante we operated our UK business ­ FIXING TIME in Prescot, Lancashire, which was the epicentre of watchmaking in the UK in the 1800s. Prescot pocket watches were renowned at that time as the finest in the world. FIXINGTIME has restored many hundreds of pocket watches over the past 45 years, in UK and internationally. We have a vast and unrivalled collection of spare parts, which we brought with us when we relocated to Costa Blanca nearly three years ago, and if necessary, we can manufacture parts utilising the machinery we also transported.

We thrive on repairing all manner of clocks and pocket watches and watches. They do not have to be antique, you just need to love them enough to want them working once again. Modern quartz watches need regular servicing just like your car, and its important to remove the batteries when they run out of life otherwise they will leak and damage the inside of the watch.

HOME INSURANCE: Tailor-make your own policy so you only pay for what you really need.

A cherished heirloom carefully restored.

ACCORDING to a news report today, Albania, the hidden gem of the Balkan peninsula, is experiencing a tremendous boom in tourism.

The report published in a UK newspaper, explains how the emerging holiday spot is attracting many British holidaymakers due to its picturesque landscapes, affordable amenities, and rich history. But how does this small nation compare to Spain, one of Europe’s prime vacation spots? Could Albania ever pose a threat to Spain’s tourist industry?

Where is Albania?

Situated in southeastern Europe, Albania shares its coast with the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, with Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north. Its main international airport is in Tirana, and a third airport near the country’s best beaches is under construction. Spain, located in southwestern Europe, has a coastline along both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

In terms of size, Spain far

Albania’s rising tourism, could it topple Spain off the top spot?

surpasses Albania, spanning around 505,992 square kilometres, while Albania covers only about 28,748 square kilometres.

The difference in flight duration is minimal, with a flight to Albania taking just a bit longer than a flight to southern Spain. A direct flight from London to Tirana, the capital of Albania, typically takes around three hours, whereas a direct flight to Malaga takes approximately two hours and 45 minutes.

Both destinations are conveniently accessible for UK travellers looking for relatively short flights to enjoy a Mediterranean holiday.

How does the temperature in Albania compare to Spain?

Albania’s summer temperatures average around 24 ­ 31°C (75 ­ 88°F), with coastal areas enjoying milder conditions. Spain’s

summer temperatures can be higher, often ranging from 27 ­ 35°C (81 ­ 95°F), particularly in southern regions. Both countries offer beautiful beach experiences, but Albania’s cooler climate might attract those seeking a more temperate holiday.

What makes Albania attractive to tourists?

For British holidaymakers,

BIG, SPLASHY WEDDINGS

NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS

AFTER a few years of uncertainty, the wedding season’s back in full swing. Post ­ lockdown, everyone deserves a party but if, with the cost­of living crisis, it’s a choice between a big wedding or house deposit, I know what I’d choose.

Expensive weddings are a rip off. The bride and groom are a salesperson’s dream and the more extras they can flog you the better their bonus. Anybody who considers a big party to be more important than a roof over your head is bad news. A wedding day only lasts 24 hours. A marriage lasts (hopefully) a lifetime. It makes far more sense now to spend potentially limited funds

on property as the length of marriage is invariably inversely proportional to the amount spent on the wedding...

Oh, and a few tips. Always get married early in the morning, so if the marriage doesn’t work out you haven’t wasted the whole day! And check the organist’s familiar with the wedding music because one hapless bride who’d asked an aged organist to play the theme tune from Kevin Costner’s ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ found herself galloping down the aisle to ‘Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen . . .’ Oops!

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

ture, vibrant nightlife and diverse culinary delights. It also offers a broad spectrum of experiences, from beach vacations in Ibiza to cultural tours in Barcelona with its iconic landmarks like the Sagrada Familia.

Tourism growth compared to Spain

from the UK in 2022. Its mature and diverse tourism industry, coupled with strong international connections, keeps it ahead of Albania.

While Albania’s tourism is undoubtedly on the rise, offering a unique and budgetfriendly alternative to other European destinations, it’s unlikely to pose a significant threat to Spain’s well­established tourism industry.

Albania offers long sandy beaches, historical cities like Berat, archaeological sites such as Apollonia and Butrint, and an emerging festival scene. The cost of living is notably low, with meals for two averaging £29, and three ­ star hotels available for around £31 a night.

Spain, on the other hand, is famous for its rich cul ­

Albania’s tourism sector is thriving, with over 3.4 million foreign nationals visiting in the first half of 2023, a 33 per cent increase from 2022. British nationals are a growing segment with around 120,000 visiting each year. Many are now drawn by new budget flights from Ryanair and Wizz Air. Additionally, Albania’s favourable social media presence has boosted its appeal to a younger clientele.

Spain, however, remains a leading tourist destination, reportedly welcoming over 15.1 million tourists

The growing interest in Albania showcases its potential as a charming destination with unique features that appeal to cost ­ conscious travellers. Its continued growth could complement rather than compete with traditional holiday spots like Spain, providing travellers with more varied options for their European getaways.

For those seeking a blend of historical intrigue, natural beauty, and affordability, Albania might just be the new go­to destination. Yet, Spain’s established reputation, diverse offerings, and warmer climate ensure that it will continue to reign as a premier vacation choice for many tourists worldwide.

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.

Spain remains a leading tourist destination.

By Clinica Britannia

Myth: All cholesterol is bad for you.

FACT: Certain types of cholesterol are essential for good health. Our body needs cholesterol to perform important tasks, such as aiding in the production of sex hormones, acting as a building block for human tissues and assisting in the bile production of the liver.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in our blood and cells, with our liver making most of it in the body. The rest comes from the foods we eat and travels in our blood bundled up in packets called lipoproteins and comes in two main forms LDL and HDL.

Low­density lipoprotein (LDL) is the unhealthy cholesterol, it can build up in our arteries and form fatty, waxy deposits called plaques. Over time LDL can damage your arteries, contribute to heart disease, and

strokes. This can be easily diagnosed with a carotid ultrasound.

High­density lipoprotein (HDL) is the healthy kind of cholesterol, it transports excess cholesterol out of your arteries to your liver, excreting it from your body.

Triglycerides are the main type of fat in our body and are measured together with

K powered wellness

AS we age, maintaining good health becomes paramount. A key player in this pursuit is Vitamin K. Often overlooked, this nutrient plays a vital role in supporting bone health and blood clotting.

Found abundantly in leafy greens like kale and spinach, it's a natural addition to a balanced diet. Including Vitamin K in our daily intake not only aids in reducing bone fractures but also promotes overall wellbeing. For the ageing population, it's a simple step towards a healthier future.

By Clinica Britannia

Prevention is the best cure

THE stress and lifestyle many of us live today, trying to fit in work, family and travel, this can have a negative impact on our overall health. But surprisingly for many of us a general health checkup is not a PRIORITY, until we are diagnosed with any specific illness or disease. “Surely prevention is better than cure.”

An Annual General Health check­up will help your doctor keep an eye on the wellbeing of your body and give early diagnosis to any underlying problems; they will generally ask for the following tests:

cholesterol by a blood test and are linked to being overweight or eating foods that are high in fat and sugar. High levels also increase our risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Make an appointment now at Clinica Britannia for your cholesterol check as prevention is always a better option than cure.

• Height, weight BMI and blood pressure.

• Standard blood test.

• Electrocardiogram.

• Spirometry to check lung function.

• Consultation with Gynaecologist inclusive of ultrasound, smear and breast ultrasound for women.

• Prostate check for men.

• Dental consultation.

With the results, the GP here can ad­

vise if any further treatment is necessary, for example seeing a Nutritionist if you suffer with diabetes, cholesterol or are over or under weight.

“Health is Wealth”, and with the rising number of diseases, it always helps to detect them early.

Do not neglect your health, contact us here at Clinica Britannia and book your annual check ­ up, it will for sure bring in a significant difference to your overall health.

IN today's digital age, we're constantly exposed to screens – be it our laptops, smartphones, or televisions. While these devices offer convenience, they also emit blue light, a silent perpetrator potentially harming our skin.

Recent studies suggest that prolonged exposure to blue light may lead to premature ageing, contributing to wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.

Defending against digital light

Protecting our skin from this modern ­ day threat is essential. Start by using skincare products fortified with antioxidants, especially vitamin C, which can counteract blue light's harmful effects. A dditionally, consider investing in a good quality screen protector designed to filter out blue light. Regular

breaks from screens, coupled with practicing the 20­20­20 rule – every 20 minutes, gaze at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds – can also be beneficial.

Ultimately, while screens have become an integral part of our lives, taking mindful steps can shield our skin from their unseen side effects.

Book a cholesterol check, it could save your life

Early detection is key to recovery

LETTERS

LAST week we discussed the latest figures surrounding the issue of 2.8 million television viewers who believe that they should not be required to pay the £159 annual charge for a TV licence as they no longer watch BBC channels or any kind of live television.

The rise of streaming services such as Netflix, Disney Plus and Paramount Plus have been giving traditional channels like BBC and ITV a run for their money over the past few years, with the above figure showing an increase of more than 360,000 people in the previous 12 months.

There’s been a significant uplift in the amount of people who watch live television through social media channels such as

Comments

Pay per view would sort out this antiquated policy, and then the BBC will see the exact figures willing to tune in to the channel.

I object to the BBC using the licence fee as their own bank account paying obscene wages such as £1.3 million to Gary Linaker for hosting a programme for one hour a week, and paying one of their news readers £350,000 for three days work and a total of 12 hours on radio which I never listen to.

William Hughes

Where have you seen these shows already? The licence is free for over 75s in receipt of Pension Credit. You’re on £52k a year so probably too rich to get pensions credit though.

Jase

The BBC has now become a game show channel and a repeat channel with nothing too exciting in the middle.

Les

The BBC send letters to intimidate people who don’t own a licence.

Anonymous

The BBC is a self serving and obsolete service. Yes, they have a few series that are good, but with over three billion from stealth enforcement of li ­

YouTube. According to TV Licensing.co.uk, even if you’re watching live TV through YouTube indirectly, you are still required to have TV licence coverage to be compliant with the law.

Toby Young, the Founder and Director of the Free Speech Union told the Daily Mail: “These figures show that the TV licence fee is not a viable funding model for the BBC going forward.”

He added: “The obvious alternative is to become a subscription­based service like Netflix and Amazon Prime.”

Perhaps, times are changing and preferences are evolving. Will streaming services eventually render traditional live television as irrelevant and outdated?

cence paying they should have! Why it still exists is beyond me and paying 44p is far to much for a generally mediocre service, that unless you want to be hounded by Television Licensing as if you were a criminal, you will pay under duress!

Rob

Why do we have to pay the BBC to watch all the other channels who pay their own way. Shocking.

John

Do away with the TV licence. We live in the 21st century, not the 20th century when BBC was created.

Stephen Nield

It’s disgraceful that the BBC charge pensioners £159 for a TV licence. Shame on you.

John

Repeats and more of them. Then there are the quiz / game shows giving obscene amounts in prize money, that and the astronomical salaries paid to some of their presenters. My husband is over 80, I am in my 70s, the only reason we watch BBC is no adverts, we are not into streaming, so watch more DVDs than TV these days, but still we have to pay the licence fee. We have just over the limit in pension between us not to be able to get pension credits.

Jacqueline Drew

British turn to streaming as 2.8 million claim they no longer need to pay TV licence fee

PETS

Fancy pet-sitting as a way to travel?

WE are always looking for new pet­sitters with experience of and a deep love of pets. We have house­sits in Spain, the UK and all over Europe in fact and we are in need of honest reliable pet­sitters to join our network.

If you are a pet owner our HousesitMatch sitters are checked, and they won’t charge you a cent for the house or pet­sitting 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 Housesit match 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 pet care. These are the steps to take:

1. Register as a homeown­

er on HouseSitMatch.com

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

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

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

How does it work?

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable sitters. Join our network for a small annual fee. You get ID checked for safety and then build your advert saying when you are going on holiday. House sitters see your advert, they respond and you

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

To find a house pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com

Horses: Spain’s heartbeat

choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets.

Trustpilot Testimonials ­ 4.9

/ 5 Excellent

10 out of 10 for housesit match.com

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

Tristram Cosgrave ­ Dog and cat owner, Malaga How do you join?

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

THERE’S something uniquely captivating about the sound of hooves on Spanish cobblestones or the serene sight of a horse grazing in a sun­dappled meadow. In Spain, horses are more than just a cultural icon or a means of transportation. For many, they are cherished members of the family, loved and pampered as any pet would be. Imagine the bond one feels when a horse, with its soulful eyes, gently nuzzles up seeking affection, or the joy of watching it frolic with sheer delight. It’s not just about riding; it’s the conversations whispered between a horse and its owner during quiet moments, the shared sunsets, and the mutual trust.

Caring for a horse is undeniably demanding. It goes beyond providing shelter and food. It’s about understanding their emo­

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

tions, ensuring they have companions to play with, and tending to their health needs. Yet, ask any horse owner, and they’ll likely say the rewards far outweigh the efforts. Increasingly, city dwellers are finding ways to

bring horses into their lives, be it through weekend riding clubs or adopting retired racehorses. The trend underscores a simple truth: In Spain’s rhythm of life, the heartbeat often sounds like galloping hooves.

Cool companions

KEEPING pets cool during the hot Spanish summer is essential for their well­being, just like it is ours. Here are some strategies to ensure your animal companions stay comfortable:

Water availability: Always provide fresh, cool water. Consider adding ice cubes to keep it chilled.

Shady spaces: Create shaded areas where pets can escape the sun, either indoors or in a sheltered part of the yard.

Cooling products: Invest in cooling mats or bandanas specifically designed for pets.

Avoid hot surfaces: Walk pets during cooler parts of the

day to prevent their paws from burning on hot pavements.

Air circulation: Keep air flowing with fans or air conditioning, especially if leaving pets indoors.

Paddling pools: Small pools can offer a fun way for pets to cool down.

Grooming: Regular grooming can help, as matted fur traps heat.

Remember, different pets have varying needs, so always observe them for signs of overheating and consult with a veterinarian for specific advice. Spanish summers can be enjoyable for pets too, with the proper care and attention.

Owning a horse is a big responsibility and a worthwhile long term commitment.

Ever thought of exchanging your love for, and experience with, pets to stay somewhere for free?

A paddling pool (or plant pot) can be a great way to cool down

PLUMBERS

PLUMBING

WASHING MACHINE BROKEN? Call Bluesky Repairs for ALL your domestic appliance repairs. 626 430 671 (WhatsApp) (304141)

residents and tourists of all nationalities in times of crisis.

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

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

scrunchies, ponytails, toppers, fascinators, headwear etc. Private appts after 3 pm 681 049 502 (302420)

FED UP OF NOT BEING SENT YOUR RENEWAL?

CUT YOUR INSURANCE COSTS AND STILL HAVE 100% COVER. YOU HAVE TRIED THE REST NOW TRY THE BEST WITH SOS INSURANCE. WE CAN EVEN INSURE YOU FOR UP TO A €1,000 OF WATERLOSS. CALL 686 116 297 (WHATSAPP TOO) OR VISIT www.sosinsurancein spain.com or email tracey@sosinsurancein spain.com (303525)

Villamartin apartment or can travel to all areas. 693 357 526 (302810)

RELAX CENTRE in BENIDORM - Excellent atmosphere. Expert Masseuses. 24/7 Outcalls - Tel: 603 324 564 (290194)

NATURIST male gives relaxing massage. Half price 1st time offer €25. For men and women. Private premises in Jávea, WhatsApp Rob on 613 831 380 (304057)

QUALIFIED MASSAGE THERAPIST, INTUITIVE, RELAXING, HEALING with Teya in beautiful studio Denia Centre. Whatsapp +34 692450679. (302934)

AUTO BASTIAN mobile mechanic. Tel 608 860 725. (301133)

CAR BODY REPAIRS AND MECHANIC. ORBA AND SURROUNDING LOCAL AREAS. CALL TONY: 669 633 257 (302957)

LOOKING FOR Silent Business Partner for small Private Care Home. Invest 10K and get 20K back in 14 months. Call telephone 747 438 225 (304048)

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

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

ALL USED / SECOND HAND HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE URGENTLY REQUIRED. COLLECT 50KM RADIUS FROM BENISSA: 711 02 92 41 (302974)

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

PRIVATE CARE HOME Full Board and Care. British Owned near Alicante. Luxurious Villa. €1,200 per month. Call 747 438 225 (304150)

EL CAMPELLO CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY – Life and Family Sunday Service at 11 a.m. Bilingual (English and Spanish) at San Bartolome, 35 (Bajo No. 6), El Campello.For more information visit www.el campellochristiancommunity.or email campellocc@gmail. com or call Juan Zúñiga –686203183 (Spanish) or Jim Eaton - 680594134 (English). (233602)

THE SALVATION ARMY English Speaking Church of Denia Worship Service. Sunday 10.30am followed by a time of Fellowship. Everyone is welcome. Come as you are! For more information: Dieter Zimmerer +34 698 609 658 or Barbara Zimmerer +34 652 319 810 Email dieterzimmer er@hotmail.com, www.cen trosaron.com (10008) www.helpbenidorm.org and on Facebook VOLUNTEERS NEEDED, particularly if you speak Spanish, and have a car (although this is not essential). Tel President 607 387 040. We are an English-speaking charity that assists

MB ELECTRICS. Approved electrician. Any electrical repair. Iberdrola paperwork. Affordable prices. Miquel 655 282 175 www.mbelectrics.es (302561)

WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel678 716 693 (288662)

ALL METAL WORK AND MOBILE WELDING. +44 7787 585 714 (302963)

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

MOTOR INSURANCE . For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 952 147 834, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 952 147 834 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! (200726)

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

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

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

WIGS

WWW.WIGS-R-US.ES Iindoor market, Rincon De Loix Benidorm. Monday to Friday 10 -4pm Sat 10 – 3pm

FRENCH, ELÉGANTE , SLIM SOPHIE, 3 languages spoken. Experienced in a large variety of full body massages.

ANA SLIM ELEGANT LADY. PROFESSIONAL RELAXING TANTRIC AND PROSTATIC MASSAGE. ALICANTE. HOME VISITS ONLY 24HRS. TEL 697 207 715.

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

MOBILE WELDER: GATES, RAILINGS AND GRILLS. ALL REPAIRS. +44 7787 585 714 / +44 7470 059 469 (302924)

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

GUARANTEED MORTGAGE

100%. Acceptance. EX Pat Mortgages. Non Resident Mortgages. Spanish Resident Mortgages. Highest LTV in Spain. Call Damian today on: 655 141 092

PETER ZWAAN MOTORBIKES, A+ Occasions Showroom, Honda Sevenfifty, 750 cc, yr 1997, 38.000 kms, Euro 3.600,= CostaBlanca Motorbikes.com

VIAGRA / KAMAGRA / CIALIS. BEST PRICES. FREE DISCREET DELIVERY. ALL AREAS COVERED. TEL: PETER 644 139 274 (303521)

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DECORATORS W.D. GILMOUR. Painter & Decorator. Established 35 years in Moraira. ESTIMATES FREE. Call William on 609 691 776 or 966 490 602 (303340)

PAINTER & DECORATOR. WINDOW CLEANER / MAINTENANCE. CALL NEIL ON +34 642 577 442 OR +44 753 586 6419 (302909)

PETS

NEED YOUR PETS TAKEN CARE OF? Not kennels, just a friendly home. Large fenced area. 699 790 080 Altea (294597)

PETS TRANSPORT

PETS BACK HOME Family pet transporters Spain/UK. Travel with your pets for free. All air conditioned vehicles (no vans) www.petsbackhome. co.uk Removals also arranged in other vehicles Tel: UK (0044) 01256 244657 (302827)

POWER WASHING

M-POWER Commercial and Domestic Pressure Washing Services. Professionally cleaned and restored. 633 061 946 (302966)

PROPERTY TO LET

LOVELY WINTER RENTAL APARTMENT DENIA. 750€ per month + charges. +34 607 733 998. patriciabuigues @gmail.com 302962

PROPERTY WANTED

RETIRED couple looking for long term rental in La Marina Baixa - prefer two beds. Needed urgently - call Janice on 0044 7736 251 800 (279523)

APARTMENT REQUIRED FOR WINTER LET. OCT/NOV/DEC.

400€ - 500€ PM. ALBIR & SURROUNDING AREAS. +44 7787 585 714 (302964)

REMOVALS/STORAGE

BENIDORM and surrounding areas. Two-man removal. 622 658 992 (301436)

MAN & VAN for hire, cheap & reliable. Jalon Valley & surrounding area. Call/Whatsapp 636 100 873

ROLLER SHUTTERS

ROLLER SHUTTER REPAIRS, awnings, motors, mosquito blinds. Calpe + 50 kms. 659 464 992 www.toldosalchemy.com

REMOVALS

COSTA LESS EXPRESS , small removals and deliveries. Spain/UK budget prices. Urgent jobs undertaken www.costalessexpress.co.uk

Pet transport also arranged in our air conditioned pet/people carriers. Tel: UK (0044) 01256 244657 (302827)

STRUCTURAL SURVEYS INSURANCE

MARK PADDON BSc Hons. MCIOB, CAAT – for buyer’s survey & defects advice. Tel: 653 733 066 / 962 807 247 www.costablancasurveyors. com (293633)

Bentleyesque styling and imposing

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack

FOR a brand new marque, Genesis, the luxury arm of Hyundai, has made an im­

pressive start and with their first all­electric model, the GV60, the good news continued. As part of Hyundai, whose own EVs are good sellers and very popular, the technology base for Genesis

is a proven one.

All Genesis models are head turners, it’s a mixture of Bentleyesque styling and an imposing stance that sets them apart from other luxury models. They have the ability to immediately make you feel that you are in something rather upmarket and special. There is a real feeling of quality in everything you can see and touch with some splendid detail touches from quilted stitched seating to slim linear air vents.

The GV60 has three versions ­ Premium, Sport and Sport Plus ­ with prices starting at £53,905 and standard equipment across the board including full LED lights with high beam assist, double glazed soundproofed glass with solar glass at the front, wireless phone charging, smart cruise control, power

seats, heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats and artificial leather upholstery.

On the road the GV60 feels and drives like it looks, premium luxury. You expect an electric car to be quiet but there’s usually a hum from the electric motor and a touch of road and tyres noise. Not in the Genesis! It is one of the smoothest and quietest cars you’re ever likely to travel in, even by EV

standards. It’s also one of the most comfortable and even the lead­in model test model performs well with the benchmark 62mph passing by in 7.8 seconds.

There’s a decent range with the lead ­ in Premium version covering 321 miles and even in real world driving around 290 should be possible. As ever though that changes with the weather conditions and where you’re driving, in the depths of win­

ter I think mid­200s in range

Likes include being able to turn off the dreaded lanekeep easily and quickly, excellent levels of space inside, solid build quality and a light and airy feel compared to many rather claustrophobic interiors.

One thing that surprised was the lack of a rear wiper. I’m sure Genesis would say it doesn’t need one but, trust me, if you’re in the wrong kind of weather it needs a rear wiper.

It may not be mainstream but that can be a distinct advantage in terms of exclusivity, and I suspect any buyers venturing into a Genesis, EV or otherwise, will be smitten.

GENESIS GV60: Feels and drives like it looks - premium luxury.

Emergency measures

BREAKING down in Spain can be daunting, but the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) offers guidance.

Firstly, ensure your safety by turning on hazard lights and put on your high visibility vest before placing the warning triangle at a safe distance (approx. 50 metres from your car).

If you have the new V16 warner beacon light, place this on the roof of your car without getting out of the vehicle and you will immediately become visible.

Call your insurance recovery company or if required 112 for assistance and provide your location, details, and ve­

ACCORDING to the latest data from the Auto Trader Retail Price Index, which is based on circa 800,000 daily pricing observations across the whole retail market, UK second­hand car prices are accelerating at their fastest rate in eight months.

With an average retail value of £17,756, June marks a year­on­year (YoY) price growth of 3.2 per cent on a like­forlike basis and the 39th consecutive month of YoY growth. Over that period, the average retail price of a used car has increased by circa £3,900.

Although retail prices in June softened

hicle type. Stay in your car if it's on a busy road. If you're on a motorway, exit your vehicle from the right side and wait behind the safety barrier, if safe to do so. The DGT emphasises

staying visible and following their guidelines for a safer breakdown experience. Remember, following these steps can help ensure your safety and prompt assistance.

Rapid rise

slightly on a month­on­month (MoM) basis, decreasing ­0.3 per cent in May, this is near to seasonal norms, with prices falling as much as ­0.9 per cent over the same period in 2019.

Auto Trader’s Director of Data and Insight, Richard Walker, said: “The used car market has enjoyed a strong first half of

the year, with the rise in retail values doing little to dampen consumer demand. Although the current health of the economy does add a degree of uncertainty for the months ahead, based on what we’re currently tracking across the market, our outlook for the rest of 2023 remains an optimistic one.”

The first thing to do when your breakdown is to stay calm

Shutterstock/New Africa

Disaster at Real Madrid

LA LIGA giants Real Madrid suffered an enormous blow on the eve of a new season when Thibaut Courtois injured his knee in training.

The Belgian international goalkeeper reportedly sustained a torn cruciate liga ment during a recent session. In an offi cial statement, the Spanish club con firmed: “After the tests carried out on our player Thibaut Courtois, he has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The player will undergo surgery in the coming days.”

As the new season started in Spain on Friday August 11, the injury to 31­year­old Courtois leaves Carlo Ancelotti with a major headache. Such an in jury and the recuperation after an operation could see him out for most of the season.

Real Madrid kicked off the new cam paign on Saturday with a tricky away fixture against Athletic Bilbao in the Basque Country.

The Italian coach has his 24­year­old Ukrainian reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who has been at the Bernabeu since June 2018, and has faced a difficult

task in hoping to dislodge Courtois who has appeared 230 appearances in all competitions for Madrid.

Whether Ancelotti has confidence in the player’s ability to step up to the first team on a regular basis remains to be

World Basketball Champions

THE Spanish basketball team suffered a narrow defeat to the United States in the FEB Centenary Tournament in Malaga.

seen. The fact that he is reported to have contacted De Gea probably answers that question anyway.

It has already been reported by several news outlets that Los Blancos have made an emergency call to David De Gea’s representatives, according to Melissa Reddy at Sky Sports. She tweeted recently ‘Real Madrid exploring their options in light of Thibaut Courtois’ ACL injury. Contact made over David de Gea and checks being done on Kepa Arrizabalaga’s situation. The Chelsea keeper is Bayern’s top target between the sticks’.

The Spanish international keeper is currently unemployed and a free agent after quitting Manchester United when his contract expired at the end of

Melissa also commented on Chelsea’s Kepa Kepa Arrizabalaga. However, the Spanish international is thought to be a new target for Bundesliga outfit Bayern Munich while they also continue their pursuit of Tottenham and England captain, Harry Kane.

The two nations clashed in Malaga’s Palacio de Deportes José María Martín Carpena on Sunday, August 13, with the US winning 88­98.

Sergio Scariolo’s players held their own for most of the game against the North Americans, who were the favourites on paper.

Despite the loss, this game served as a superb warm­up for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 which is being hosted jointly by the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia from August 25 to September 10.

Spain will be looking to retain the prestigious Naismith Trophy that they earned after defeating Argentina 75­95 in the 2019 tournament final that was hosted by China.

After a thumping 99­79 victory over Slovenia last Friday, the Spanish are hitting form at just the right time ahead of the tournament. They beat Venezuela in Madrid last week as well.

Willy and Juancho Hernangómez demonstrated their NBA quality on their first appearance back in Europe for a while. In only his third match in the national top, Aldama shone again, while Juan Núñez took another step forward.

The United States gave no quarter and demanded a perfect 40 minutes from Spain. They are desperate to reclaim the crown they lost in China four years ago. Spain fought to the very end under the direction of Juan Núñez, who once again demonstrated why Scariolo has not hesitated to include him in his final World Cup squad.

Although the challenge was enormous when facing the defender of the year, centre Jaren Jackson, Willy Hernángomez was the beacon of the Spanish attack.

The United States demands excellence and when it was not reached, the visitors opened the gap. As a result, Spain lost eight points with four minutes to go. This proved to be a distance that was already impossible to overcome despite a final attempt by the valiant Spanish players.

Real Madrid suffered a blow.

Credit: Real Madrid Press Centre