Mediterranean Gateway Gains Momentum
THE Mediterranean Corridor, a major transport project in Spain, is making significant headway, with 80 per cent of the planned segments now under construction.
Stretching from Algeciras to the French border, this critical infrastructure is moving forward despite calls from business leaders for faster progress.
By 2026-2027, the Region of Murcia is set to enjoy high-speed connections with Valencia and potentially Almeria. The travel time between Murcia and Valencia is expected to be between 60 and 75 minutes. This week, the Spanish government gave the green light for Adif to bid on the construction of tracks and electrification for the La Encina-Alicante stretch, a vital route
for freight. The project, which involves a €183 million investment, will include the installation of a third rail and new track configurations to accommodate 750-metre-long trains.
The Ministry of Transport emphasises that these updates are crucial for the Mediterranean
Corridor’s development and for boosting freight transport. However, regional business leaders are concerned about the lack of a dedicated freight line between Murcia and Monforte, noting that it will share tracks with passenger trains to both Alicante and Almeria.
The full completion of the Mediterranean Corridor is projected for 2030. In the meantime, significant improvements are anticipated in the next two years, with increased international gauge track and better connectivity for both passengers and freight in the Region of Murcia.
San Javier’s Jazz Festival success
SAN JAVIER’S International Jazz Festival has just wrapped up its most successful festival in years, according to David Martínez, the town’s Cultural councillor and festival director.
The 26th Jazz Festival, which concluded with a memorable performance by Diana Krall, saw a significant increase in both attendance and revenue.
Over the course of 13 nights, the festival drew nearly 25,000 attendees, marking a 33 per cent increase from the previous year. The economic impact is estimated at around €600,000, large-
ly due to the fact that over 60 per cent of the audience came from abroad. This influx of international visitors boosted tourism and local spending.
The festival also saw a notable increase in ticket sales, generating an extra €100,000 compared to 2023. Highlights included sold-out shows by Bill
Charlap and Diana Krall, as well as near-capacity performances by Gregory Porter, Calexico, and Cimafunk.
In addition to the main events, three free concerts in various locations around the city attracted large crowds and helped broaden the festival’s reach. Martínez stated the success was due to the festival’s quality, variety, and affordable pricing.
Looking ahead, preparations are already underway for next year’s edition, with hopes of continuing to offer a worldclass cultural experience in San Javier.
HOTELS in the Murcia region have hit new highs in the first half of 2024, seeing a record number of travellers and overnight stays. According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), the region welcomed 692,665 travellers and recorded 1,575,327 overnight stays, both the highest figures ever reported.
Traveller numbers increased by 7.6 per cent compared to the same period last year, outpacing the national growth rate of 6 per cent. Domestic travellers rose by 7 per cent, while international visitors grew by 9.8 per cent. Overnight stays also saw a significant boost, up 7.8 per cent year-over-year, surpassing the national average increase of 7.5 per cent. Domestic stays went up by 8.1 per cent, and international stays by 6.9 per cent.
June was particularly strong, with 142,607 travellers and 338,707 overnight stays, setting new records for the month. Occupancy rates in June hit 52.04 per cent, and both average daily rates and revenue per available room saw notable increases.
Costa Calida • Issue No. 2039 • 1 - 7 August 2024 FREE FREE FREI GRATIS
GRATIS GRATIS
GRATIS GRATUITO
Images: Facebook/ Festival Internacional de Jazz de San Javier Jazz San Javier breaks records.
Image: Shutterstock/ voyageur8
Major progress on Mediterranean Corridor.
Murcia sees historic growth.
Image: Shutterstock/ fokke baarssen
New bus service
AS of July 29, a new bus servi ce is in operation between La Parroquia and Lorca. The municipal investment of over €8,000 supports this service, which will run twice a week - on Mondays and Thursdays.
The bus departs La Parroquia at 10.00am from the usual bus stop and returns from Lorca’s Bus Station at 2.00pm. This schedule allows residents to complete their errands in Lorca before heading back to La Parroquia.
María Hernández Benítez, Lorca’s Mobility councillor, has praised the launch of this service. “We are pleased to address the transportation needs of La Parroquia’s residents with this new route,” she said.
Hernández Benítez also stated the importance of improving public transport and connecting rural areas to the urban centre, aiming to reduce private vehicle use and support sustainable mobility.
Feral cat programme
THE Cartagena City Council has unveiled a new programme aimed at managing local feral cat colonies.
To fund this initiative, the council has requested a state grant of €71,224 and allocated €18,993 from the municipal budget. This means the city will cover 21 per cent of the project’s costs with its own funds. The programme was approved
on July 26, during a Government Board meeting. It aims to improve the health and control of urban feral cat populations, with the project set to be implemented in 2025. Currently, there are 2,426 feral cats registered in the area. The goal is to address at least 70 per cent of this population through the new measures.
Benidorm Coach Trip
ANDREA’S Animal Rescue and The Henrietta Foundation are gearing up for a fun-filled coach trip to Benidorm on Sunday, September 22, and everyone’s invited! It’s the perfect chance to explore the lively Benidorm market - find unique items, enjoy local treats, or just soak in the sunny vibe of this bustling city.
You can spend your day however you like: shop, relax at a café, or simply people-watch while taking
in the beautiful surroundings. The coach will pick up passengers at 8.00am from Puerto de Mazarron bus station and at 8.30am from Camposol B sec car park. Not only will you have a great day out, but you’ll also be supporting a worthy cause. To grab your tickets, just give Andrea a call on 690 906 565 or Mandy on 604 129 024 . Don’t miss out on this chance for a fun day that makes a difference!
Explore Benidorm, support a cause.
Are the British Royals affordable?
THE British royal family is perpetually under scrutiny over their nancial cost to the public. This issue has gained increased relevance as the United Kingdom grapples with one of Europe’s most severe cost-of-living crises, compounded by rising in ation. With the monarchy reportedly to get a 45 million funding boost, is it
time for change?
A substantial part of the royal family’s expenses is met by the Sovereign Grant, an annual taxpayer-funded payment. In the 2021-2022 nancial year, this grant amounted to £86.3 million, equating to approximately £1.29 per UK resident.
Beyond the Sovereign Grant, the royal family possesses considerable
personal wealth from private art and jewellery collections and income generated by the duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, two extensive property portfolios.
Supporters of the monarchy argue that thenancial support they receive is minor compared to the economic and other bene ts they provide. Although the exact economic
WE asked Euro Weekly News readers if they felt the people of the UK receive value for money from the British royal family.
Brian Francis said, “There’s no doubting that no-one puts on a show like the UK. Certainly, the Royals have been groomed from birth to play their roles. However, the French have no Monarchy and, despite that, Paris is every bit
Royal income
ON July 24, a royal report from the Duchy of Cornwall revealed that Prince William’s annual salary from 2023 totalled €28 million.
The sum covers the ‘official, charitable and private activities’ of Prince William, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, and their three children.
The Prince started receiving the salary after becoming the Duke of Cornwall, when his father King Charles III ascended to the throne in 2022. The King, however, was revealed to receive just €13 million throughout 2023-2024.
The estate, established in 1337 by King Edward III to provide financial support for the heir to the throne, is valued at more than €1 billion and consists of approximately 52,450 hectares of land across 20 counties in the UK.
The salary was calculated before a voluntary income tax, which the Duchy stated Prince William has paid; “Prince William has no access to the Duchy’s capital value and pays income tax on the annual revenue surplus that he receives from the Duchy.” Household expenses were also subtracted from the salary, although unclear in which amounts.
According to the officials, the surplus revenue “funds the public, charitable and private activities of Prince of Wales and his family.”
impact is di cult to quantify, it is generally considered substantial.
The cost of the British royal family is a multifaceted issue, encompassing direct taxpayer-funded support, substantial personal wealth, and signi cant economic bene ts. As the UK continues to navigate economic di culties, the debate over the monarchy’s value is likely to intensify.
as visited as London. I’m not at all convinced that the Royals are value for money.”
Colin Wheeler feels the royals are a great asset to the UK - “The amount of money they generate for the country far outweighs what they spend. Apart from that, no other country in the world has a royal family as good.”
Chris McGovern said, “They bring a lot of income into the country from visitors, it must outweigh what they get.”
Richard Eastwood’s sentiment was simply put - “De nitely. Love the royal family!”
Do William and Kate have a secure future as royals?
Cabo de Palos in the dark
Turtle nesting in La Manga Sunset cruises & starlit tours
RECENTLY a loggerhead turtle laid 101 eggs on El Pedruchillo beach in La Manga del Mar Menor, marking the first complete nesting of the season in the Murcia region. This is also the sixth nest recorded nationwide this year.
The nesting was reported by an off-duty environmental agent, who alerted the Forest Coordination Centre. Following standard procedures, officials quickly moved the nest to a secure location at kilometre 15 on the beach, while 10 of the eggs were sent to the El Valle Wildlife Recovery Centre for controlled incubation.
The eggs are expected to hatch in about 60 to 62 days, with temperature closely monitored. This find highlights La Manga as a key nesting site for loggerhead turtles in Murcia. Since 2019, the region has seen 125 turtle births, with many equipped with GPS trackers to study their migration patterns.
CABO DE PALOS experienced a major power cut on July 29, leaving the town without electricity for 10 hours and putting a halt to its bustling tourist activities. The trouble started around 5am, affecting almost the entire coastal area until shortly after 2pm. The blackout was caused by damage to two underground cables serving most of the town. This left restaurants and bars unable to open, leading to significant losses as owners assessed the spoilage of their refrigerated goods.
Iberdrola, the power company, said the outage was due to an unspecified fault in the two main lines. Because
Blackout disrupts busy week.
both lines failed simultaneously, they couldn’t use an alternative cable to restore power quickly. Instead, they had to bring in large generators to support the main transformers, gradually bringing electricity back between 1pm and 2.30pm. Even then, some areas reported intermittent power cuts past 3.30pm.
This outage hit during one of the busiest tourist weeks of the year, with high temperatures driving up air conditioning use. Despite the disruption, Iberdrola denied that the outage was due to outdated equipment or excessive demand.
THE Cartagena local council has announced a series of nighttime activities for August, and September, offering residents and visitors a chance to experience the city’s rich history under the stars.
Every Thursday evening in August, the sunset boat tours return. Departing from the Antiguo Club de Regatas at 9.00pm, the boat tour features live music by Cristina Sanchez, a local pianist and singer. Her gentle melodies and romantic piano tunes enhance the Mediterranean sunsets, creating a memorable experience.
On Fridays in August, an exclusive tour invites guests to explore ancient Roman Carthago Nova. This two-hour event takes place at the Museo del Foro Romano Molinete, where visitors can enjoy a cocktail and explore historical sites under the night sky.
Additionally, the Teatro Romano will host ‘Aulaeum, Abajo el Telón,’ (Down Comes the Curtain) a theatrical visit led by Vitruvio, on select dates from until September. The tour offers a unique glimpse into the Roman theatre experience.
Tickets for all events are available at puertodeculturas. cartagena.es and local ticket offices.
For more information, contact 968 50 00 93 or see Cartage na.es.
International Youth Day
MAZARRON’s mayor Ginés Campillo and Youth councillor Silvia García have unveiled the schedule for Youth Week, set to run from August 12 to 18. The event, celebrating International Youth Day on August 12, will feature a range of activities tailored for individuals aged 14 to 35.
Activities include kayaking, a boat party, paddle surfing, diving, and whale watching. Prices vary from €5 to €30 per activity.
Participants should note that spots are limited, and registration is open until Friday August 2. For more information or to sign up, interested parties can visit the Youth Council office at the La Aceña Sports Pavilion, call 968 591 810 , or email juventud@mazarron.es
San Pedro upgrades
Image: San Pedro del Pinatar Town Hall
THE Murcia Regional Government, through the Health Department, is drafting a project to improve the San Pedro del Pinatar health centre. An investment of €670,000 was allocated by the regional government to bolster local healthcare.
Recently Regional President Fernando López Miras met with San Pedro del Pinatar mayor Pedro Javier Sánchez to review this and other projects in the area.
In healthcare, the region is also building a new clinic in Lo Pagán, investing €3 million to expand patient consultations and space. Additionally, 13 new healthcare professionals will join the San Pedro del Pinatar team, including four family doctors, three nurses, a
physiotherapist, and a midwife.
Educationally, the region is planning an expansion of Los Pinos School with six new classrooms and a dining area. A new classroom for two-year-olds at Las Esperanzas School and an expansion of Manuel Tárraga Institute are also on the agenda.
Tourism in San Pedro del Pinatar is performing well, with a 90 per cent occupancy rate during the summer. The positive indicators are attributed to the state of the Mar Menor and local cultural events. The regional government and the town hall will continue to collaborate on promoting the area and attracting high-quality tourism year-round.
Lorca revamps old prison
LORCA is making strides to add new green spaces in its historic centre, focusing on the old prison area. The Municipal Plenary will discuss a plan to expropriate four plots of land on Calles Corregidor and Laberinto, with a budget of €111,365.85.
María Hernández, the city’s Urban Planning councillor, explained that this initiative is part of the Natur-W Project funded by the European Union. The goal is to create new recreational areas and improve the environment while also making energy upgrades to nearby buildings. Hernández stressed that this project is key for both enhancing public spaces and preserving the city’s historical charm.
This effort is part of the larger plan, which is steadily bringing new life to Lorca’s historic centre and making it a better place for residents.
San Pedro expands Health Services.
Lorca’s historic centre goes green.
Image: Lorca City Hall
Cartagena’s housing market
CARTAGENA’S housing market shows resilience despite a tight supply. The steady demand for properties is keeping prices stable, with the average cost per square metre at €1,228, according to Idealista.
In the heart of the city, the historic district leads with a price of €1,796 per square metre, nearing its peak from 2011. Similarly, Alameda de San Antón is also highly sought after, with prices around €1,588 per square metre, close to its 2010 highs. Cabo de Palos stands out as the priciest spot at €3,439 per square metre, favoured for investment and second homes, while Perín offers prices above €2,000 at €2,194 per square metre.
For those seeking more budget-friendly options, La Aljorra, Santa Lucía, and Pozo Estrecho offer great value, with prices from €660 to €897 per square metre. With a 3 per cent drop in housing supply in the Murcia region, compared to a 6 per cent national decrease, now is a good time to explore the market.
Murcia in Paris
AT the Paris 2024 Olympics, five athletes from the Murcia region will be competing for glory. Among the 10,500 participants from around the world, these Murcia representatives include Carlos Alcaraz in tennis, Eva Navarro in women’s football, Laura Gil in basketball, María Xiao in table tennis, and Miguel Ángel López in athletics.
Carlos Alcaraz, fresh off his Wimbledon victory, will compete in both singles and doubles tennis. He aims to add an Olympic medal to his list of achievements, with the finals scheduled for August 3 and 4.
Eva Navarro, who recently joined Real Madrid, will make her Olympic debut with the Spanish women’s football team. Her participation comes on the back of Spain’s recent World Cup triumph.
Laura Gil from Santo Ángel will represent Spain in women’s basketball. Miguel Ángel López, a 36-year-old athlete from Llano de Brujas, will compete in the new mixed relay
walking event, covering a marathon distance of 42 kilometres.
María Xiao, renowned as
Spain’s top table tennis player, has been a Murcia resident for 10 years. She has an impressive record with UCAM TM Cartagena, including three national
No-Covid bugs
A RECENT study has confirmed that Covid-19 is not present in key arthropod vectors such as ticks, mosquitoes, and sandflies in the Murcia Region. Conducted over the past two years, the research involved analysing over 7,000 arthropods and has also ruled out the presence of dengue, chikungunya, West Nile virus, and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus.
The study, which received co-funding from the European REACT-UE programme, aimed to monitor emerging or re-emerging pathogens that could pose a risk to human health. Among the findings, researchers observed very low levels of flavivirus (Usutu virus) in sandflies and Borrelia burgdorferi in ticks. Mosquitoes were found to carry flavivirus and maintain leishmania prevalence.
The analysis covered 1,970 samples, including 786 tick batches, 642 mosquito batches, 458 sandfly batches, 50 flea batches, and 34 louse batches. The study was a collaborative effort involving the Murcia Health Department, the University of Murcia, and other institutions.
Image: Facebook/Carlos Alcaraz
Murcia’s Olympians shine in Paris.
SINCE 2021, the Netherlands introduced new measures to limit noise pollution produced by aeroplanes. Since then, airlines were only allowed to take off and land between the allocated slots between 11pm and 7am.
Airline fines
The measures apply to the Netherlands’ busiest airports, including the Schiphol, Rotterdam, The Hague and Eindhoven Airports, with fines issued to all those violating the time slots. The sum of the fines depends on the sound category of the plane, making an exception to government flights, emergency landings and humanitarian flights.
Dutch transport inspectors have now fined four airlines a total of more than €1 million for flying at night without having a proper takeoff and not returning to their slots at the Schiphol and Eindhoven airports.
The Aviation Authority of the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate issued the fines, with €930,000 issued to easyJet Europe, Switzerland and the UK, €50,000 to British Airways, €120,000 to TUI and €25,000 to Vueling.
Early retirement dreams
RETIREMENT: Most Belgians would like to retire at 60.
MOST Belgians would like to retire at 60 but expect to work until they are 65, a recent survey found.
Payroll and Human Resources provider SD Worx asked 1,000 employed Belgians what they saw as the ideal retirement age and when they thought they could actually retire.
Researchers found that the gap between the hoped-for and expected ages remained largely unchanged since a similar survey in 2004, although the preferred ages did not. Twenty years ago when the retirement age had not yet been raised to 65, interviewees said 56
AT least 80 people were evacuated from the western Polish village of Chlebowo after a Katyusha missile from the Second World War was discovered.
Ten people were taken to a local elementary school and 13 refused to evacuate, when
was the best time to retire.
“This is because for a long time now people have been told by the government that we need to work for longer and people accept this,” Bart Polentier from SD Worx told the VRT news channel.
According to SD Worx figures, an average career in Belgium has a span of 31 years and people with a high level of job satisfaction were usually ready to work for longer. In contrast, those who were less happy in their jobs said they would prefer to work for a maximum of 25 years.
War missile
the local military officials set a safety zone of 1,500 metres.
The press officer of the District Chief in Gryfino, Jakub Kuzmowicz stated; “We are currently waiting for information from the sapper patrol, which is now on site, which is already working. We are waiting for the so-called ‘green light’ to close first of all the S3 road, the expressway on the section Gryfino Key.” He added that officers would also close the district road between the village of Stare Bryki Chlebowe and the district road number 119 that runs from the village of Chlebowa to the village of Radziszewaki.
The Katyusha missile which was first built by the Soviet Union during the Second World War, can fire up to 48 rockets. It was found in a field about 100 metres from the High Service Area, where heavy fighting took place near Chlebowo in March 1945.
Ronaldo in Portugal
AFTER spending several days with his partner Georgina Rodriguez and their five children in Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo flew to Portugal.
He and Georgina travelled to the coastal town of Cascais just a little west of Lisbon to enjoy a family dinner with his mother and sisters on Monday July 22.
A video of the event appeared on YouTube showing him with amongst others, Georgina Rodriguez, sisters Katia and Elma, mother Maria Dolores Aveiro some of his children and other members of the extended family.
Later on Instagram, Ronaldo’s mother published a photo of the two of them with the caption ‘My boy’ whilst according to The Portugal News, sister Katia was quoted as jokingly revealing that “My
next-door neighbour invited me to dinner. Then he asked to take a photo with me, he even wanted to take a selfie.” She followed this up with “The boy needs followers. His page is Cristiano. You can follow him at will, he’s a cool guy.”
Speculation continues as to whether the 39-year-old should now retire from International football, but according to former Chelsea player Adrian Mutu he is not going to end his playing career any time soon for one specific reason.
His 14-year-old son Cristiano Junior is currently on the books of the youth team of the same club as Ronaldo, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr and Mutu claims that he will keep playing until he can join his son in the same senior team for at least one match.
Swedish sambo
‘SAMBO’ has nothing to do with Brazilian dance but has everything to do with relationships in Sweden.
The term sambo is shortened from the adjective, ‘sammanboende’ (living together) and is used to describe couples in Sweden who have a serious and usually long-term relationship. There are, however, differences with marriage.
In marriages, in case of divorce property must be divided equally, affecting everything from cars to bank accounts. For sambos, the same 50/50 share applies but excludes cars, summer houses and bank accounts. Many couples choose to make a Cohabitation Agreement in case there are certain items they want to include or exclude from the list of joint properties.
Today, Sweden’s marriage rate is only 3.8 per cent, making it the 68th country out of 100 by The Economist , in marriages recorded; much lower than most European countries.
According to international data, marriage rates have fallen drastically in Europe over the past decade, and young people are much more likely to create new relationship models than to follow the patterns of the past. Eurostat revealed that in 2020, 42 per cent of child births were outside of marriage; making it seem almost unnecessary to ever get married, hence sambo’s popularity.
Credit: Georgina Rodriguez Facebook
The Ronaldo family enjoy a break in Saudi Arabia.
Reggae beats & Caribbean treats
Grace Meredith
AMIGOS Bar is gearing up for another exciting Caribbean night on Saturday, August 10, from 4pm till late. This event will feature the renowned DJ Pat Martin from Sunshine FM Costa Blanca, who will be spinning all the favourite reggae tunes.
Amigos’ previous events have been sell-outs, and this one promises to be just as popular. Attendees are encouraged to come in fancy dress to add to the fun atmosphere.
Tickets, priced at €10, are now available for purchase at Amigos Bar or via message. The ticket includes music from the fabulous DJ Pat Martin, a complimentary drink on arrival, and delicious snacks like jerk chicken.
This event is set to be a memorable evening of music, dancing, and Caribbean vibes. For more information or
to purchase tickets, call 0034 968 951 333.
Amigos Bar is located at Avenida de Murcia 34, Roldan, Murcia.
COSTA CALIDA
Sunset beats
ROCKOLA Summer Club, one of the most popular beach bar venues in La Azohía, Region de Murcia, is set to host an array of DJs this summer. Known for its stunning sunsets, the club has long been a favourite spot for music fans.
Although it no longer features live concerts, Rockola continues to offer a vibrant music scene through its extensive DJ lineup.
During July and August, visitors can enjoy performances by The Rooties,
Vincent Valera, Los Congrios, Suzukid, Carrie Palmer, Kutxu, Jungleo, and Sergio Galián.
The club opens daily at noon and stays open until late, except on Mondays, when it opens at 5.00pm.
Rockola Summer Club’s commitment to providing quality music experiences remains strong, ensuring that visitors can continue to enjoy memorable sunsets accompanied by dynamic DJ sets throughout the summer season.
Mar Menor anniversary concert
ON Saturday, August 10, there will be a special concert by Karmakadabra to support the Mar Menor. This event is organised by local residents and environmental groups, with help from the Department of Ecological Transition of Los Alcazares. It’s the fourth year in a row for this solidarity event, celebrating the approval of the ILP
MAR MENOR and the law that gave the Mar Menor legal rights two years ago. The concert will take place at Plaza del Espejo in Los Alcazares, starting at 10pm, and entry is free for everyone. It’s a wonderful chance to enjoy great music while supporting an important cause. Don’t miss out on this special evening!
Double act tribute show
ON Friday, August 30 at 7.30pm, Marianos in Mazarron will come alive with a spectacular double tribute show featuring the music of Elton John and Rod Stewart. Direct from Benidorm, this event promises an evening of unforgettable entertainment, showcasing live piano performances and outstanding vocals. Hosted by Carolynn May, this show has
already wowed audiences on ITV’s Benidorm and is now ready to captivate local fans. With tic-
kets priced at just €12.50, it’s an affordable night out that offers a high-quality tribute experience.
Tickets are selling quickly, so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. To secure your place at this must-see event, contact 0044 7944 511 101. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy the hits of two music legends in one fantastic show.
Image: Shutterstock/ AbElena
Fizz for a Czar
A TEAM of Polish scuba divers recently discovered a sunken 19th century sailing ship o the Swedish coast, still in a good condition.
The boat, lying on the seabed at a depth of 58 metres, was transporting at least 100 bottles of Champagne, together with wine, mineral water and porcelain, Baltictech’s lead diver Tomasz Stachura told a New York Times interviewer.
An archaeologist who has analysed the bottles of mineral water, said the labels belonged to a period between 1850 to 1876.
“We realised that this was a kind of treasure,” Stachura said, voicing suspicions that the cargo was destined for Czar Alexander II of Russia.
He revealed that Baltictech had been in touch with Louis Roederer who con rmed that they began producing Champagne specically for the Imperial court in 1876.
The dive team has informed the Swedish authorities of their nd
and it now awaits permission to investigate further and possibly retrieve some bottles, the New York Times revealed.
Business Insider, which has also covered the nd, spoke to Mark Robertson, a senior wine consultant at a UK auction house who predicted huge interest from wine collectors should Baltictech succeed in bringing up some of the bottles.
“I think if you were to ask anyone, ‘How would you preserve a bottle of Champagne?’ the bottom of the Baltic Sea would probably be as good as anywhere,” Robertson added.
Fishcakes versus VAR in Norway
A MATCH between top football teams Rosenborg and Lillestrom ended in chaos when fans objected to the use of video-assisted refereeing (VAR).
Supporters had come from far and wide to see the two teams play at Rosenborg’s Lerkendal Stadium but the match was continually interrupted as VAR-haters from both sides threw tennis balls, fishcakes and even smoke bombs onto the pitch.
At one point, the Lillestrom faction held up a banner declaring, ‘We shall never give up, VAR will go away’.
The teams left the pitch on two occasions before the match was eventually
abandoned after 32 minutes of play, a decision that supporters claimed was a victory for the opponents of VAR.
Later, Aftenposten , Norway’s most-read newspaper said that they were deluded.
“This wasn’t a victory for anything,” an edito-
Let the bees be
WHILE your first thought when seeing a wasp may be to kill it, in Germany, any violation of insects could lead to fines ranging from €5,000 to €50,000.
Under Germany’s Federal Nature Conservation Act, it is prohibited to harm or kill specially protected animals; bees and wasps included.
and destroying their reproduction or resting places.
If you discover a wasp nest in your home in Germany, it is advised to contact a pest control service. Experts, as beekeepers, are then in charge of evaluating the wasp nests and relocating them if necessary.
A German lawyer, An-
forced and is intended as a deterrence measure. Ackenheil also shared that if there is “immediate danger” to people, pets or allergy sufferers, the harming or killing of the bees is justified. Through pollination of the food crops, including a vast majority of fruits, vegetables and seeds start growing; products
rial maintained. “It was just an embarrassing defeat for public decency and fan culture.”
The newspaper also suggested that the management of the Rosenborg and Lillestrom clubs needed to have “a serious talk with their supporters’ groups.”
The same Aftenposarticle went on to say there were “good arguments” for dropping VAR, but added that any decision needed to be arrived-at democratically.
Whether that happens remains to be seen as only 10 of the 32 clubs in Norway’s top football leagues want the system removed. The remainder are either neutral or in favour of VAR.
llination would not occur and killing them would result in a decline
man food base; harm which is unreasonable
LOUIS ROEDERER: Shipwreck Champagne believed to have been produced by the French Champagne house.
Photo credit: CC/Louis Roederer Bees like flowers.
Credit: Pixabay, Pexels
VAR: Norway’s football fans don’t want it.
Photo credit: CC/Carlos Figueroa
INTERVIEW
Speaking European Emilia Lilius
Ugly lawn contest
REGION Gotland, the government of the remote Swedish island, initiated a unique competition two years ago by awarding the ugliest local lawn.
This unconventional idea has since spread to other parts of Sweden, with similar contests emerging.
What began as a year-long exploration turned into a decade-long love affair with Spain’s Medi terranean lifestyle. “Here we are 10 years later, and this is definitely my home now,” she says.
Emilia’s journey from substitute teaching in Finland to a freelance online marketer in Spain has been marked by both challenges and achievements.
“Transitioning to Spanish life wasn’t easy,” she admits. The structured order of Finland gave way to the more relaxed pace of Spain, where bureaucracy and
adjusting to local customs is a main challenge for many.
Yet, despite the initial barriers, Emilia has embraced the advantages of her new life.
Exactly 10 years ago, Emilia Lilius, 32, traded Finland’s winters for the sunny streets of Spain’s Costa de Sol. DRIVEN by a desire for sunnier climes and a break from Fin land’s frigid winters, she began one decade ago what was meant to be a temporary adventure in Spain. “Finland is so cold and dark and just depressing,” Emilia says.
“Everything is more relaxed... I can give [my child] more quality in his life here,” she says, “Because we can go to the parks, walk, swim. It’s like beach, pool, mountains and everything is quite cheap.”
Socially, Emilia found her niche quickly through her passion for jujitsu. “It was easy because I do jujitsu, so I found local friends right away through jujitsu,” she says.
“The language barrier was difficult at first because I didn’t speak any Spanish when I moved here.” Now, the 32-yearold Finnish speaks Spanish fluently and said: “I’m fluent, I gave birth in Spanish!
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The latest iteration of this challenge sees Öland, another large Swedish island, competing with Gotland to determine which region boasts the most unsightly lawn.
This quirky trend may seem confusing, but it has a logical explanation rooted in environmental conservation, specifically water conservation during the summer months.
With the global average temperature reaching unprecedented highs over the last 13 months, there is an urgent need to be mindful of groundwater usage.
Watering lawns to maintain lush, green grass is increasingly viewed as a wasteful luxury.
Mimmi Gibson from Region Gotland expressed pride in Gotland’s approach to water conservation: “Now we have the chance to show that Gotland is the best at not watering lawns.
“The people of Gotland are well equipped and have many years of tra -
ining and good knowledge of garden smoothing and water saving.”
Klara Johansson of Borgholm Energi responded by highlighting Öland’s preparedness: “We have practised with irrigation bans for several years now, it is time to take up the fight. I believe that the winning lawn is on Öland, now we just have to find it.”
Seagate Wealth Management are pleased to open their new office
la Horadada
ON July 31 we opened a new office in Pilar de la Horadada. Providing qualified pensions and investments advice with qualified financial advisers from the UK who have now chosen for Spain to be their home.
Seagate can provide advice on pensions and investments and are a local adviser. We only advise in Spain where we understand what works for people who live here. We specialise in finding suitable arrangements for people from the UK as we understand that for many Spain is their home, but their family may remain in the UK. We only deal with compa-
nies who have a long track record and offer plenty of choice of investment funds.
At Seagate Wealth Management, we all come to work every day to help people who’ve moved to Spain make the most of their finances.
We are a team of In dependent Financial Advisers that previously
the town. Telephone: 602 665 795 www.seagatewealth.es
worked for some of the UK’s leading financial institutions including Marsh, Deloitte, Halifax and Lloyds Bank.
We have chosen the new Pilar location due to parking and accessibility. The town is 10 minutes’ drive to some of the best beaches on the edge of the Costa Calida. Importantly the area is growing and we wanted to be part of the development.
This office will service clients in Murcia and Almeria plus of course Pilar itself. We felt it was important to invest in an area that is expanding rapidly. Fiona Keogh who heads up the office lives in the town.
Emilia Lilius.
Credit: Emilia Lilius
Image: Region Gotland / Stadshus
Kathleen Murray, Winner 2023.
IRELAND
Data drama
DATACENTRES used more electricity in 2023 than all of the country’s urban homes combined, the Central Statistics Office announced. Ireland’s increasing number of datacentres used 21 per cent of all electricity produced, a 20 per cent increase on 2022 and the first time the tech sector used more than households.
Baby boom
THE Births and Deaths at Local Electoral Areas report for 2021, the latest year with available figures, revealed that Carrick-on-Shannon had the highest fertility rate in Ireland. The town had a 61.2 fertility rate per 1,000 women aged between 15 and 49, followed by Enniscorthy (60.8) and Ballybay-Clones (60.6).
EURO PRESS
BELGIUM
Oxford degree
PRINCESS ELIZABETH, Belgium’s future Queen, has graduated from Oxford, where the 22-year-old began a History and Politics degree at Lincoln College in 2021. The royal, whose formal title is Duchess of Brabant, will now begin a master’s degree in Public Policy at Harvard University in Boston.
PRINCESS ELIZABETH: Belgium’s future Queen has an Oxford degree.
Store closes
FINLAND NORWAY SWEDEN
Cold facts
THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) agreed that France could host the 2030 Winter Olympics although there are strings attached. The IOC said that it had chosen France only after President Emmanuel Macron said he would ask the next prime minister to provide a “financial guarantee” for hosting the Games.
Dance on
THE Games’ opening ceremony featured 3,000 dancers as planned after they called off a threatened strike once the organisers agreed to last-minute pay increases following union accusations of “outrageous disparities” between performers. This meant the lowest-paid saw payments increased by between €160 and €240.
ITALY
Sore throat
JANNIK SINNER, the World Number One in tennis from Italy’s South Tyrol region, said that to his “huge disappointment,” tonsillitis had prevented him from playing in the Paris Olympics. He explained that although he had spent a couple of days resting, his doctor had diagnosed tonsillitis “and strongly advised against playing.”
Easy terms
LUXURY carmaker Ferrari began accepting payment in cryptocurrency from European dealers in late July after successfully introducing the system in the US in 2023 and will extend the method by the end of 2024. It was also working with several cryptocurrency payment companies to ensure safe transactions, Ferrari said.
Photo credit: Belgian Royal Family
THE French sporting goods chain Decathlon announced that it was ceasing business operations in Sweden at the end of July. “The current global economic situation and its impact on our activities in Sweden have forced us to sadly make this difficult decision,” a Decathlon spokesperson said.
Bugs are safe
NEW research by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Uppsala, which analysed insects collected at four different locations in Sweden over the past 35 years, showed that insects had not dwindled during this time. “In Alnarp (Skane), they have even increased,” Mattias Jonsson, leader of the study, revealed.
GERMANY FRANCE
No-fly zone
THREE climate activists were removed from runways at Oslo’s Gardermoen airport after they cut through the perimeter fence and unfurled a banner in an unsuccessful bid to disrupt air traffic on July 24. Norway was one of the 10 countries in Europe and the US where activists targeted airports on the same day.
Sporting chance
NINE Ghana nationals disappeared after entering Norway on Schengen visas obtained with forged documents identifying them as a Paralympic team competing in the Paris Games. Ghana’s National Paralympic Committee said the team was unknown to the organisation and did not represent it “in any capacity.”
Spending less
CARD payment figures collated by the Nordea bank revealed that Finland showed the most noticeable decline in spending in June, with a 4 per cent reduction on the same period last year. Although spending dipped slightly in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, nominal value of payments differed little from 2023.
Paris date
AFTER a three-day road journey, Nalli and Quattro, two sniffer dogs and their handlers, are assisting the French police with security patrols during the Olympic Games. Although both are trained to detect explosives, Nalli earned the title of Hero Dog, after helping to track down a child lost in a snowdrift in 2023.
DENMARK PORTUGAL
Decision time
A DANISH court will decide on August 15 whether to extradite anti-whaling activist 73-year-old Paul Watson to Japan. The US-Canadian environmentalist who was arrested on an international warrant in Denmark’s autonomous territory, Greenland, is accused of damaging a Japanese whaling ship in the Antarctic in 2022.
Berry nice
A THIRTEENTH century law allows members of the public to pick berries wherever they grow, including the hedges or fences of private land providing these can be reached without trespassing. They should not be sold and each person may pick enough to ‘fill a hat’, usually interpreted these days as a small container.
Waste not
PASSENGERS arriving at Faro airport on July 23 were confronted by a baggage carousel with transparent suitcases, each filled with 40 litres of seawater. The suitcases, part of the Algarve-wide Save Water campaign, were there to remind tourists that careful use of water could bring daily savings of 40 litres per person.
Copper-plated
ENVIRONMENT minister Maria da Graça Carvalho announced that the government was launching a national strategy for “critical raw materials” including important minerals like copper. Experts explained that Portugal’s complex geology gave it “enormous potential” in metallic and non-metallic resources.
War-weary
THE government intends to reduce its financial aid to Ukraine, while at home politicians criticised the amount of money that is given to refugees. Iryna Shulikina, who heads a Ukrainian association in Berlin, said members had noticed that there is now less support in Germany than when Russia first invaded their country.
Kebab kerfuffle
GERMANY has objected to Turkey’s claim for EU protected status for the doner kebab, which it hopes to register as a named speciality like Serrano ham or Neapolitan pizza. Arguing that this would drive up the price of the popular street food, Germany filed an objection only hours before the July 24 deadline ended.
NETHERLANDS
Cashing up
SMALL online banks fear they might have to accept cash from clients now that a newly-introduced law endeavours to ensure that cash does not stop circulating. The banks complained that this would oblige them to work with the Geldmaat cashpoint system installed by ING, ABN Amro and Rabobank.
Namesakes
THE HAGUE now has a bridge named Golden Earring after the Dutch rock band formed in 1961, while another is called Pim Fortuyn in memory of the politician assassinated in 2002. The town hall decided on a bridge for Fortuyn, reasoning that owing to his radical views few would like living in a street with his name.
Your
VOICE
Do international residents still feel welcome in Spain?
THIS summer has seen a number of protests in Spain, during which an anti-foreigner sentiment has been present. How has this impacted international residents who have made Spain their home?
We asked our readers whether they still felt welcome within their communities.
Kathryn Eden said - “Yes, we have been here now for eight years and only found about three Spanish people who have not welcomed us. We did lessons in Spanish as soon as we arrived and continue to do so. We get by with our knowledge of the language, even if some of it is not grammatically correct.”
Birgitta Danielsson agrees - “Yes, I’ve lived here for 11 years and have friends among the Mallorquins and Spanish people.”
Kerry Summers feels that the media is painting a negative picture of life in Spain - “According to the news, no. Where we live, absolutely yes! In our small Communidad of about 36 houses, we have Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Irish, English and Welsh households. Language can be a barrier when we all get together but what a wonderful multi-cultural mix.”
Bill Cobbet has found that some areas are friendlier than others“Maybe not so much where we used to be in Valencia, but down in An -
dalucia the locals are very friendly and helpful. We tend to avoid the expats who aren’t making the effort to integrate.”
June Johnson points out that effort needs to be made on both sides - “We never had one moment in 17 years where we didn’t feel made welcome. The people we met, who were Spaniards or any other nationality were always friendly. The young are polite and friendly to the old. The old love the young. They never moaned about the children, like they do in UK, maybe that’s the reason the young and old get on with each other in Spain. We certainly smiled every day and were always met with smiles from others.”
John Lyons said - “We have lived in Ontinyent for nearly seven years and have never had any issues. Just integrate with the locals and they will accept you. We have many Spanish friends.”
The overwhelming conclusion is that international residents in Spain still feel largely welcome. They appreciate the friendliness of the locals, the respect young people show to older people, and the fondness older people have for the young.
Despite media negativity, Spain is still the place people from many different nationalities love to call home.
SPAIN IS PLACE INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTS ARE PROUD TO CALL HOME.
Credit: Expats in Andalusia, Spain/fb
FINANCE
BUSINESS EXTRA
Small change
ACCORDING to the UK media, the Treasury has given the Royal Mint no orders to mint new 1p and 2p coins over the coming years now that fewer cash payments are made. Should officials scrap them entirely, it would be the first time a coin was taken out of circulation since the halfpenny in 1984.
Data mart
BLOOMBERG revealed that Spanish real estate company Merlin Properties will raise €921 million by issuing 94 million shares at €9.8 per share to finance the expansion of its €2.1 billion data centre business. The company posted a net income of €132.8 million in the first half of 2024, compared with a €47.5 million loss in 2023.
Chip in
FORTRESS INVESTMENT
belonging to Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Capital wealth fund invested $100 million (€91.7 million) in one of the UK’s principal microchip companies, Imagination Technologies, which supplies technology to companies including Apple. The loan could eventually be converted into shares, Imagination said.
New routes
NATURAL gas and electricity company Naturgy reported a net profit of €1.04 billion for the first half of 2024. Following the failed takeover bid by Abu Dhabi’s Taqa and the Spanish investment holding company CriteriaCaixa, chairman Franciso Reynes said Naturgy would be announcing a new roadmap at the end of 2024.
Clean up
RECKITT announced plans to sell its £1.9 billion (€1.26 billion) portfolio of domestic cleaning brands including Air Wick, Cillit Bang and Calgon as it studies further options for the Mead Johnson nutrition company it acquired in 2017. Reckitt now intends to focus on health and hygiene produces, company sources said.
STAT OF WEEK
half-year net profit for energy company Iberdrola, 64 per cent up on the same period in 2023 and due in part to the sale of Mexican assets.
The Telegraph saga continues
ANOTHER hat has been thrown into the ring as the fight for the Telegraph newspapers and Spectator magazine continues.
The hat belongs to Britain’s former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi who, according to media sources, has approached backers prepared to finance a £600 million (€714.4 million) offer.
Zahawi, who did not stand again in the July 4 general election, was instrumental in introducing the Telegraph’s owners, the Barclay family, to the UAE-backed consortium which enabled them to repay loans of £1.6 billion (€1.9 billion) to the Lloyds Banking Group in 2023.
The ex-Chancellor was expected to become the Telegraph Media Group’s chairman had RedBird IMI finalised the takeover, which was thwarted when the UK government intervened to pre-
SPAIN’S government, specifically its Defence ministry, has three months in which to authorise or reject STC’s Telefonica holding.
STC, 64 per cent controlled by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, acquired 4.9 per cent of Telefonica’s shares in the summer of 2023. It also owns a further 5 per cent in derivatives that could be converted into shares, giving STC a theoretical 9.9 per cent stake in Spain’s principal telecommunications company.
Foreign investors may hold up to 10 per cent of a strategic company before the government looks
A plus for London
FRENCH mass-media company Vivendi will float its Canal+ television channel in London.
The City welcomed the announcement at a time when companies like Cambridge-based microchip giant ARM have decided to leave London and move to New York.
Vivendi said it had decided to list in London to emphasise the international orientation of Canal+ which is currently involved in a £2.2 billion (€2.6 billion) takeover of Multichoice, Africa’s leading pay-TV operator.
Investments regarding a bid for the newspapers.
IMI, a privately-owned Abu Dhabi investment company with a portfolio of international media assets, owns a majority stake in RedBird IMI.
Amongst others, Zahawi is believed to have approach the Reuben family, which owns a stake in Newcastle United Football Club, and whose wealth is based on property. So far, media reports have not clarified whether Zahawi was actively participating in the Telegraph auction.
vent foreign ownership of British newspapers.
RedBird IMI is now selling the Telegraph titles and Zahawi, appointed chairman of the Barclay family’s online retailer Very Group in May 2024, is reportedly in talks with International Media
Other potential bidders include David Montgomery’s media group National World, Lord Saatchi, a former Conservative party co-chairman and co-founder of the M&C Saatchi advertising group, and the Belgian media group Mediahuis.
STC crunch time
Holds
A bright future
BANCO SABADELL, holding off a hostile takeover bid by BBVA, reported a net profit of €791 million between January and late June, 2024. This was 40.3 per cent more than the same period in 2023 and outstripping by 8.2 per cent Bloomberg analysts’ predicted €731 million. As a result, Sabadell will now pay out €2.9 billion in dividends 2024 and 2025, an increase of €500 million.
Chairman Josep Oliu expressed his satisfaction with the bank’s activity and first-half results, while chief executive Cesar González-Bueno noted that Sabadell’s performance reflected its “radical transformation” over the past three years.
“As we look ahead, we know we have a bright future,” Gonzalez-Bueno said.
more closely, but owing to Telefonica’s Defence contracts this was lowered to 5 per cent. The Spanish government meanwhile bought 10 per cent Telefonica shares to offset STC’s acquisition.
Market sources are said to be unworried by the STC holding, owing to the strong presence of other Spanish shareholders including Criteria, CaixaBank’s investment company, which also possesses a 9.9 per cent Telefonica holding.
Down the drain
CREDIT ratings agency Moody’s have downgraded Thames Water’s highest-ranked bonds from Baa3 to Ba2, equivalent to junk.
Thames Water needs to maintain two investment-grade ratings in order to retain its licence unless water services’ regulator Ofwat decides to accept only one. At the same time, Ofwat has opposed Thames Water plans to increase consumer bills by 44 per cent over the next five years, and instead will permit a 23 per cent hike to £535 (€637.10) over the same period.
The Ofwat decision was directly responsible for the downgrade, Moody’s explained, as this had contributed to Thames Water’s “weakening liquidity.”
AMANCIO ORTEGA has reached an agreement to pay approximately €53 million for Mint Building, an Edinburgh office block.
The Inditex founder’s Pontegadea Family Office, the private company that handles his wealth, will take over the building that was owned until now by the Texas-based Hines property investment group.
Built in 2019, the nine-storey, 5,500-square metre building in St James Square in the centre of the city is fully occupied by tenants who include wealth management platform FNZ, Nationwide and the Franco Manca and Tattu restaurants.
IAG’S hopes of taking over Air Europa crumbled after the British Airways and Iberia owner failed to allay Brussels’ monopoly concerns.
The airline’s proposed remedies, which would have relinquished half of Air Europa’s slots to rival companies, were not enough to permit a merger, EU officials told IAG and Air Europa on July 22.
The Competition Commission will announce its decision on August 20 although the Financial Times revealed that insiders believed the likelihood that the €500 million deal could be blocked were “very high.”
THE UK government will not rescue Harland & Wolff with a £200m (€238.3m) Export Development Guarantee. There was a “very substantial risk” that taxpayers’ money would be lost, the government told the shipbuilder, which employs more than 1,500 people.
Harland & Wolff also announced on July 22 that its chief executive John Wood was taking leave of absence “with immediate effect” and said the company’s talks with lenders regarding new loan facilities were expected to last “several days.”
NADHIM ZAHAWI: Britain’s former Chancellor involved in Telegraph auction.
Photo credit: CC/Number 10
Photo credit: Telefonica
TELEFONICA:
strategic Defence ministry contracts.
Euro
EUR/GBP: Unchanged at £0.84
EUR/USD: Up from $1.06 to $1.08
The euro traded with notable volatility as we entered July, following the French legislative election.
While EUR investors were relieved that the far-right National Rally party and its ‘unsustainable’ fiscal policies were blocked from office, the resulting hung parliament raised concerns over political deadlock in the country.
The euro then fared better in the second half of July as the single currency was buoyed by its negative correlation with the US dollar. Although some dovish forward guidance from the European Central Bank (ECB) ultimately tempered these gains.
As July comes to a close the focus will be on the Eurozone’s latest GDP figures. The preli-
Currency outlook: French elections infuse volatility into the euro, US dollar pressured by Fed rate cut bets
minary figures for the second quarter are expected to report a slowing of economic growth, which could weigh heavily on the euro.
Pound
GBP/EUR: Up from €1.18 to €1.19
GBP/USD: Up from $1.26 to $1.29
After facing some pressure at the end of June, the pound got off to a solid start in July amid a sense of optimism as Labour emerged from the UK general election with a massive majority.
The upswing in Sterling then accelerated in the following weeks as GBP investors began to trim their bets for an August interest rate cut from the Bank of England (BoE).
This was initially driven by comments from BoE Chief Economist Huw Pill, expressing concern about ‘uncomfortable strength’ in services price inflation, before being cemented by a stronger-than-expected UK inflation print, which propelled the pound to new multi-month highs.
Sterling subsequently re-
treated from its best levels, following a slowing of UK wage growth and contraction in retail sales.
Looking ahead, the BoE will deliver its latest rate decision at the start of August. Analysts are currently split on whether the bank will cut rates next month, which could trigger some notable volatility in the pound.
US Dollar
USD/GBP: Down from £0.79 to £0.77
USD/EUR: Down from €0.93 to €0.91
The US dollar trended broadly lower over the past four weeks, with the currency striking new multi-month lows in the process.
The bulk of these losses were linked to a repricing of Federal Reserve rate cut expectations, as cooling US inflation and employment cemented bets for a September rate cut.
The Fed is set to deliver its latest interest rate decision at the end of July. Will the bank’s forward guidance push back against market rate cut bets or will policymakers concede a September cut is on the cards?
Currencies Direct have helped over 430,000 customers save on their currency transfers since 1996. Just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more about how you can save money on your currency transfers.
A positive disgrace
LEAPY LEE SAYS IT
OTHERS THINK IT
AS far as I’m concerned this ol boy, along with millions of others around the world, consider the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris a positive disgrace. Of course the reports on British TV don’t echo the same sentiments, but then they wouldn’t would they?
The reason for this is that the same attitudes that are destroying France are also held by the woke contingency that are hell bent on eradicating the very core values of our beloved UK.
Personally I watch news programmes from around the world and can assure you that a number, particularly the USA, were positively disgusted by the way Christianity was insulted and scoffed at during a ceremony that, irrespective of beliefs and political conflict, is supposed to bring all nations and faiths together; thereby competing in equal and unbiased fashion celebrating the fitness and courage of the blessed human race.
Well to depict drag queens portraying Jesus Christ and the disciples during the last supper, coupled with the anti-Christian golden calf and a whole host of gushing woke sentiments, most of the true intention of the Olympics went completely out of the fanaticism infested window.
It wouldn’t have surprised me if the boats had not simply kept going, arriving the next day crammed with illegals off the coast of the UK. At least some force working somewhere made sure it rained heavily on their parade, so someone up there for sure didn’t like it. In fact, to my mind, this opening ceremony was far worse than the offering which had previously held the title.
This went to the British contingent for the rhetoric and influence they heaped upon the world with the dreadful leftie infused ceremony that introduced the British Olympics in 2012. I was however most impressed with Celine Dion and her wonderful rendering of ‘L’Hymne a l’Amour’.
Just as much as I was revolted by the performance of Lady Ga Ga and her black clad bunch of cavorting creeps. Ah well let’s just hope the rest
of the games follow the correct procedures of the competition.
A quick word about last week’s article on the dismissal of the manageress for tackling a shoplifter. Since then I have been contacted by two other supermarket staff members who were also sacked for very similar acts; rather overcoming the depreciating couple of letters I received declaring the report a fallacy.
It also appears that shoplifting crime has risen some 50 per cent in the last year; well well, there’s a surprise. And finally, as despicable (and completely debatable) as the whole incident that occurred among the yobbos and Police at Manchester Airport last week certainly was, I did also find it rather odd that the video showing a recent attack by half a dozen Asian youths, who knocked a police officer off his bike and proceeded to stamp on and kick him unmercifully, was only shown on social media and to my knowledge not covered by the main British news channels at all. Funny that.
Keep the faith
Love Leapy.
leapylee2002@gmail.com
Leapy Lee’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.
Tortoise on the tracks
A TORTOISE named Solomon took his motto of ‘slow and steady’ to new heights, causing a commotion on the train tracks near Ascot station in the UK.
The ambitious shelled wanderer decided to explore beyond his usual back garden and ended up starring in a railway drama that left commuters scratching their heads. South Western Railway reported that Solomon was spotted making a beeline for Bagshot - well, more of a ‘tortoise line’ - which led to a brief but unexpected delay. According to eyewitnesses, the train driver saw Solomon moving with impressive speed for a tortoise, proving that even the slowest creatures can have a moment of glory. Engineers quickly scooped up Solomon and gave him a VIP escort to the Ascot platform, where he was treated to a special ride on a train.
Despite the minor hiccup in service, Network Rail Wessex was quick to apologise for the inconvenience and explained that Solomon’s escapade was due to a gap in a fence. They urged the public to remember that railway tracks are no place for a casual stroll and reminded everyone that trains need a considerable distance to stop, especially when it involves a tortoise doing his best impression of a high-speed chase.
As for Solomon, he was reunited with his owner.
Causing a commotion.
Image: Network Rail Wessex /
Extreme weather
SPAIN, like much of southern Europe, is sweating amid smothering heatwaves, while northern Europe is seeing uncharacteristically high rainfall and below-average temperatures.
In the south, this is causing an increase in wildfires and deaths from heat stroke, and in the north, record rainfall is causing flooding and mudslides. The warm and cold fronts that are currently taking place in Europe’s north and south, respectively, are products of the intersection between the El Niño phenomenon and climate change.
World Meteorological Organisation observed to have begun last July. Also known as a ‘warm event’, El Niño has far-reaching effects on the planet’s weather that are still the subject of vigorous study by scientists to try to understand.
El Niño and La Niña work on a complex cycle that can range from several years to less than a year. Currently, the earth is in an El Niño phase, which the
The European Travel Commission has reported that since 2022, tourism to southern Europe has decreased by 10 per cent.
In a survey among Europeans considering where to vacation conducted by the ETC, 76 per cent of respondents reported to have adjusted their travel plans based on climate change and 17 per cent of respondents said they would avoid places with extreme temperatures, with that figure rising to 32 per cent among people 55 years of age or older.
Launch in the EU
A NEW digital payment app, Wero, was launched in Germany, becoming a strong rival to Visa, Mastercard and PayPal; soon to be available across Europe.
With Wero, users can make transactions within just 10 seconds through phone numbers, emails or personal QR codes, with no IBAN required. The banking system works 24/7 and is free of charge on all devices.
Launched by the European Payments Initiative, Wero is a network of 16 European banks and financial institutions.
Today, there is not a pan-European payment option, but Wero may be the first one to reach it.
“The launch of an entirely European pay-
ment service like this has great potential to diversify the banking and payment systems which can bring benefits to consumers and those that are financially excluded,” stated a Brussels spokesperson from the campaigning organisation Positive Money.
Anna Martin, the financial services policy officer from Wero,
shared some of the app’s upcoming developments; “providing payment cards, making sure that consumers are safe when shopping online by offering a charge-back mechanism and being able to use it in all EU countries.” The app will be available in Belgium in late July, in France this autumn and later in 2024 in the Netherlands.
Paying online.
Credit:Mikhail Nilov, Pexels
RECORD HIGHS: Europe continues to set records for high temperatures at this time of year.
Credit: Kuki Thief of Guevara
Happy City Index
HAPPY CITY INDEX has released its rankings for the 2024 list of happiest cities to live in.
The Happy City Index based its rankings on di erent factors, taking into account all the variables, stating on its website “A city of happy people will always mean something di erent to a ve-yearold expecting places to play.”
Due to this, they added that instead of determining one ruling city, they established “a group of cities committed to happiness cultivation and growth,” adding that they must value “education, inclusive policies, economy, mobility, environmental protection, access to green areas and innovation.”
The Happy City Index separated the countries into three groups; Gold, silver and bronze.
The bronze category ranked from 101 to 250.
The silver category ranked from 38 - 100.
Finally, the gold category
The #HappyCityIndex has been released showing which cities rank highest for happiest residents.
had no rankings (although included total scores), but showed the top 37 countries.
The ve cities with the highest scores on The Happy City Index were as follows; Aarhus, Denmark, was at the top of the list, with a total score of 1,749.
Zurich, Switzerland, came second, scoring 1,737.
Berlin, Germany, was third, with a total score of 1,720.
Gothenburg, Sweden, came in close fourth with a
score of 1,719.5.
Amsterdam, Netherlands, listed fth in the gold rankings, with a total score of 1,718.5.
Spain had multiple cities featured on the list, with two being in the silver category; Vigo at rank 58 and Bilbao, ranked very close at 59.
Then, the bronze category saw Valencia at 106, Barcelona at 139, Zaragoza at 165, Madrid at 192, Malaga at 216 and nally Las Palmas de Gran Canaria at 242.
Open borders
THE UK’s PM Sir Keir Starmer and the Spanish President Pedro Sanchez were reportedly discussing a youth mobility scheme.
While the Brexiteers are growing concerned, many argue it would bring significant financial benefits for the two countries. As reported, Pedro Sanchez introduced a proposal to Starmer during a private meeting at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in early July.
The British Prime Minister didn’t reject the idea and said he will “consider” it.
Today, the UK already has a youth mobility scheme, including 13 nonEU countries. This scheme allows a partially free movement, requiring visas, evidence of sufficient funds and health service surcharges.
The former deputy leader from Reform UK, Ben Habib spoke
to the Press, explaining that although he has concerns about the potential deal, it would be “no problem,” as long as it follows the same conditions as the one currently in place, allowing to manage it “with control.” Habib did, however, highlight that; “our society, our territo-
rial integrity, our borders, have been under assault.”
The Shadow Home Secretary of the UK, James Cleverly had a similar response; “The British people have been betrayed once again by Starmer.” He emphasised; “Labour said they wanted to bring migration down and ruled out a Youth Mobility
Bruges’ Masked Lover
IT was in early July that Dutch born tour guide Pascal Gerritsen was pushed into a Bruges canal by a masked man who calls himself the Masked Lover of Architecture.
Soon after his action, the man contacted VRT NEWS via email to explain that he was annoyed by the behaviour of the guide who often stands or sits on the walls of the historical bridges of Bruges to address his group.
According to his assailant, this isn’t allowed and he claimed that Gerritsen is turning his tours into “circus acts”.
Understandably Mr Gerritsen, who was uninjured by his fall, reported the incident to the police but unexpectedly on July 22, the Masked Lover contacted the police and admitted that he was responsible and is now possibly facing a charge of causing
Grievous Bodily Harm.
Mr Gerritsen, the founder of Ambassador Tours, has received a huge amount of publicity in Belgium following this unexpected drenching but he says that he is not amused and wants to discuss the matter with his assailant in order to explain that he was doing nothing wrong.
He stated on his Facebook page “I am absolutely against the violation of the police regulations (the use of street furniture such as benches, garbage bins and lamp posts that could possibly be damaged).”
He added “The main reason I sit on the bridge, why I stand on the quay walls in certain spots is to not obstruct the pavements. I honestly don’t see much harm in that and at the same time it’s not forbidden.”
Sir Keir Starmer with Spanish President Pedro Sanchez.
Credit: sanchezcastejon, X
Pascal Gerritsen sitting on a bridge in Bruges.
Drop-off rip-off
AS UK airports enter their peak summer season, new RAC analysis reveals that seven of the top 20 airports have increased their drop-o parking charges since last summer.
London Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham, and Bristol have all raised their fees by £1, while Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, and Aberdeen have increased theirs by 50p.
Fortunately, nine airports have kept their prices the same this year.
Only London City, Cardi , and Inverness airports still o er free drop-o zones.
London Luton provides a temporary free drop-o zone at its Mid Stay Car Park, a 10-minute walk or shuttle bus
ride from the terminal due to last year’s re closure of the usual drop-o area.
London Stansted is the most expensive, charging £7 for up to 15 minutes, followed by Leeds Bradford at £6.50 for 10 minutes, and London Gatwick and Bristol at £6 for 10 minutes.
Manchester o ers the worst value, charging £5 for just ve minutes, equivalent to £1 per minute. Leeds Bradford follows, charging 65p per minute.
An RAC survey shows that 81 per cent of drivers who have used airport drop-o zones in the past year consider the charges a “rip-o ,” with 71 per cent believing all airports should o er free drop-o s. Only 13 per cent understand why these charges exist.
Running on empty
THE gods on Olympus might have been served ambrosia and nectar, but teams competing at the Paris Olympic Games are unimpressed by the food.
The Netherlands Olympic committee (NOCNSF) has now ordered five microwaves so that the athletes can supplement the food on offer.
“The food is good, French cuisine is good, but it has to be there,” NOCNSF director Andre Cats told the media on July 26.
To make up the shortfall, the Dutch committee is despatching top-quality frozen meals for its athletes, who are not the only competitors to complain about the insufficient provisions.
Eggs, chicken and some carbohydrates were already in short supply on the eve of the Games and Sodexo Live, the company responsible for catering, has had to
increase its daily orders of the most-requested items from the Carrefour Group, which provides the fresh produce.
Meanwhile Team GB are flying in another chef to prepare meals at the Performance Lodge in Clichy, a hub for the athletes, their families and friends away from all the activities and buzz
at the Olympic Village.
The British Olympic Association’s chief executive, Andy Anson, told the Times the food was “not adequate” and required a “dramatic improvement.”
Anson also questioned the quality of the food, pointing out athletes were being served with raw meat.
BASIC SUPPLIES: Olympic Village ran out of eggs on eve of the Games.
Prehistoric package holidays!
RECENT research showing that Neanderthals came to spend the summer on the south coast of the Iberian peninsula puts a new gloss on package holidays in the sun.
Thirty thousand years ago, when Europe was going through an icy period and snow covered practically everything north of the River Ebro, hominoids searched for somewhere warmer to give them a greater chance of survival - and show off their cave art.
We now know that Neanderthals ‘holidayed’ in what is today the south of Portugal and Spain after their most recent footprints were found in a quarry in Gibraltar.
Not only that. Red markings, discovered on a stalagmite dome in a cave system, were created by Neanderthals more than 60,000 years ago. The staining was applied by a process of splattering and blowing
red ochre pigments about 20,000 years before modern humans arrived in Europe.
The site in the Cueva de Ardales, located in a mountain range in the province of Malaga, was discovered in 1821 after a concealed entrance was exposed following an earthquake.
In 2014, experts said that an engraving found at a separate cave in Gibraltar provided compelling evidence for Neanderthal art. The geometric pattern identified there was uncovered beneath undisturbed sediments that have also revealed Neanderthal tools. (And no long queues at the Palaeolithic equivalent of IKEA guaranteed!)
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A Blood test revolutionises Alzheimer’s
A GROUND-BREAKING study
has unveiled a potential game-changer in the fi ght against Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have developed a blood test that accurately diagnoses the condition in a staggering 90 per cent of cases, far surpassing the capabilities of traditional methods employed by primary care physicians.
The fi ndings, published in the prestigious journal JAMA, mark a signifi cant leap forward in the quest for a simple, accessible, and affordable Alzheimer’s diagnostic. Currently, diagnosing the disease often involves complex procedures like cognitive tests, CT scans, and even invasive spinal taps. These methods, while informative, are not without limitations in terms of accuracy and accessibility.
In contrast, the new blood test offers a far more precise and convenient approach. When compared to dementia specialists and primary care doctors
relying on standard diagnostic tools, the blood test demonstrated superior accuracy. This breakthrough could revolutionise how Alzheimer’s is detected, potentially leading to earlier interventions and improved patient outcomes.
Experts believe that this development brings us closer to a future where routine blood tests for cognitive impairment become a standard part of heal-
thcare check-ups, like cholesterol screenings. Such a shift would enable earlier identifi cation of the disease, allowing for timely treatment and potentially slowing its progression. While the study’s results are undeniably promising, further research is needed to validate these fi ndings and refi ne the blood test for widespread clinical use.
Fighting the fuzz
ACHIEVING a full, even beard can be challenging, but there are several tips to help fix a patchy beard. First, be patient. Growing a beard takes time, and sometimes, patchy areas will fill in naturally over a few months.
Regular trimming is essential. Shaping your beard to enhance its natural lines can make patches less noticeable. Invest in a good quality trimmer and scissors for precision.
Additionally, maintaining a healthy diet rich in vitamins and proteins promotes hair growth. Foods like eggs, nuts, and leafy greens can boost beard health.
Incorporate beard oil or balm into your routine to keep the hair soft and hydrated, reducing breakage and improving appearance.
Rosemary oil is really good for hair growth.
Regularly exfoliate the skin beneath your beard to remove dead skin cells and stimulate hair follicles.
If patches persist, consult a dermatologist for professional advice.
Credit: Credit: Garrondo/wikimediacommons
Costa del Sol Home prices surge
THERE are eight towns in the Malaga region where prices of newly-built properties have been rising above 6 per cent each year. Malaga City has seen a 6.5 per cent rise in the price of new builds, but an even higher price hike has occured in Benalmadena with prices 7 per cent higher on last year. The Costa del Sol town is having a boom.
Malaga City, now the most expensive area in Andalucia, will close the year with an average square metre costing €2,337, whereas the next most expensive, Sevilla costing a median of €2,254 per square metre. Marbella, Estepona, Torremolinos, Fuengirola too all registered rocketing price tags for new builds this year.
The index confirms a recovery of optimism in the property sector in Andalucia, breaking with the negative trend of the last year and a half. In fact, the recent de-escalation of interest rates helped in June by the ECB acting as a stimulus to gradually reactivate demand, both in terms of sales and mortgages.
Axarquia Petition yields results
THE Euro Weekly News previously reported on efforts to improve beach accessibility for people with mobility challenges in Salobreña.
On July 1, a petition was launched to enhance the beach experience for Marcelino and others with similar needs. The campaign quickly gained traction, gathering over 36,000 signatures in just under three weeks.
Recently, significant progress has been made. On Friday, Marcelino discovered that a crane had been brought to the beach, along with new boards and an extended walkway leading closer to the shoreline. This development aligns with the goals of the petition.
Marcelino expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am deeply thankful to the more than 36,000 people who supported our petition on Change.org/PlayaParaMarcelino. Without their help, this achievement would not have been possible. This change is crucial, not just for me but for everyone with mobility issues who deserves to enjoy the sea.”
Mallorca Refuge on the island
ACTOR Michael Douglas accepted the honorary Masters of Cinema award at the Atlantida Mallorca Film Fest in Palma on July 28. Presented by Queen Letizia, the accolade marked a highlight in a career filled with iconic roles.
Douglas opened up about his decision to slow down his career and embrace a “semi-retirement.” The actor plans to spend at least half the year on the island, enjoying the tranquillity that contrasts sharply with the political climate in his home country. Expressing deep concern over the current state of American politics, Douglas criticised the increasingly polarised environment and the excessive length of election cycles.
The Hollywood veteran’s affinity for Mallorca is evident in his plans to remain on the island for at least six months a year. His stunning estate, S’Estaca, offers the perfect escape from the pressures of fame and the complexities of the political world.
Costa Blanca North By Royal Appointment
AUGUST means one thing in Calpe - fiesta time, with the Virgen de las Nieves taking place from August 1 to 11. Of course, no fiesta is complete without a royal presence, and this year, not only were two queens selected, but for the first time, a young king too.
Unlike the title may suggest, the selection is not based on a beauty contest but is one of a lottery, ensuring that every candidate for a queen, young queen or young king has a fair chance of being appointed.
More than 2,000 people attended the Gala at the Plaza Mayor. They waited with anticipation to see who would be chosen for the royal honour.
Anticipation overflowed into excitement as the names of the Queens and the King were announced.
The lucky ones chosen were Maria Avargues Llopis and Martina Maragon Yuste, along with Leandro Bonaldo Chico.
Almeria Time-travelling circus
THE circus came to Mojacar on Sunday, July 28, and took its residents back to the 1920s.
The Kanbahiota Troupe, a four-person circus group, gave a spectacular show entitled, ‘I’m Coming Flying’, on the Paseo del Mediterraneo.
Set in the 1920s, dressed in plain white tees, suspenders, dungarees, peaked caps and some groomed moustaches, these four gymnasts took to the flying trapeze to portray the story.
As described by the organisers, the show displays “four characters performing the great flying trapeze number, but not before overcoming an endless number of problems, blows and failed attempts.”
The problems and blows referenced consisted of getting trapped in ladders, falling from atop the platform, crashing into one another and more. It was a truly entertaining slap-stick acrobatic show.
Accompanying their performance was an array of musical numbers to take you back to the ‘20s, consisting of classic circus melodies and the odd Star Wars jazz songs.
Costa Blanca South Leading destination
ELCHE has experienced notable growth in its tourism sector during the first half of 2024.
Data from hotel establishments integrated into the Association of Tourist Companies of Elche (AETE) reveal the standout month was May, with a hotel occupancy rate of 91.25 per cent, the highest recorded for May in the historical series.
Tourist occupancy in Elche has consistently increased throughout the year compared to 2023.
This positive trend is reflected in the sustained improvement of the city’s tourism indicators.
The hotel occupancy rate in May exceeded May 2023 by 5.1 percentage points and April 2024 by 5.7 points.
To sustain this growth, improving infrastructure and transport services is a priority.
Furthermore, fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors is essential to develop initiatives that enhance the tourist offer and improve the visitor experience.
Organic bug busters
NATURAL remedies can effectively help protect your pet from fleas and ticks without the use of harsh chemicals. One popular remedy is lemon juice. Mixing equal parts lemon juice and water in a spray bottle creates a solution you can lightly mist onto your pet’s fur, making it less appealing to pests.
Horse events at the Games
Additionally, regular grooming with a fine-toothed flea comb can help remove fleas and ticks from your pet’s coat. Diatomaceous earth, a non-toxic powder, can be sprinkled around your home and in your pet’s bedding to kill fleas by dehydrating them.
Combining these methods can keep your pet comfortable and free from pests.
Another effective remedy is a home-made flea collar. Soak a bandana or cloth collar in a mixture of lavender or eucalyptus essential oil and water, then let it dry before placing it on your pet. These oils act as natural repellents.
THE Paris 2024 Olympic Games promise to be an exciting showcase for equestrian sports, featuring three main disciplines: Dressage, Eventing, and Jumping. Dressage involves riders guiding their horses through a series of
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predetermined movements known as ‘tests’. Judges score based on precision, smoothness, and overall performance. This event emphasises the harmony between rider and horse, demonstrating their training and mutual trust.
Eventing, also known as the triathlon of equestrian sports, includes three phases: Dressage, Cross-Country, and Jumping. Over several days, horse and rider showcase their versatility and endurance. The Cross-Country phase, featuring a challenging
course of natural obstacles, is particularly thrilling and tests the courage and stamina of both horse and rider. Show Jumping focuses on speed and accuracy as horse and rider navigate a course of fences, walls, and other obstacles within a set time. Penalties are given for knocking down obstacles or exceeding the time limit. This event requires exceptional agility and precision. Fans can look forward to a spectacular display of skill, elegance, and teamwork.
ROAD TEST
By Mark Slack
THERE are a few cars that stand out, in a classy way, to the normal run of stan dard, bold and doubtful looks. Think of the Mercedes Benz CLA, the Volkswa gen Arteon Shooting Brake and the Ge nesis G70 Shooting Brake. Another ad dition to that list, albeit slightly smaller, is the Kia Proceed. This is a car that doesn’t at first glance seem to have a point, it’s less practical than the Ceed estate, is more-costly than the exceptional Ceed hatchback. So why would you buy it?
Well, to begin with style, it stands out from the crowd and for all the right reasons, especially if you opt for the extra cost Orange Fusion paintwork. It’s a classy and sporty looking car that’s more practical then you might imagine, despite the rather narrow load aperture. For those wanting a family holdall with a dash of sporting good looks the Proceed fits the bill nicely.
Just three versions make up the range, the GT Line in manual or automatic form and the GT Line S. Prices start at €31,821/£26,855 and top out at €38,273/£32,315. My GT Line with seven-speed DCT automatic transmission weighs in at €32,952/£27,810. For that you get a lot of standard kit including
Kia Proceed - everyday style, competitive price, nice drive
auto lights and wipers, LED lights, privacy glass, auto dimming rear view mirror, powered, heated and folding door mirrors, heated front seats and steering wheel, dual zone air conditioning, navigation, Apple Car Play and Android Auto, tyre pressure monitoring and a reversing camera and parking sensors.
Facts at a Glance
Model: Kia Proceed GT-Line
Engine: 1.5-lire 4-cylinder 16-valve turbocharged petrol developing 138 bhp
Gears: 7-speed DCT automatic
Price: @32,952/£27,810
Performance: 0 to 100kph/62mph 9.9 secs Maximum speed 198 kph/123 mph
Economy: 5.9 l per 100km/47.9 mpg
Emissions: 134 g/km Co2
Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.
Launch of Ariya NISMO in Europe
THIS year marks a significant milestone for NISMO, Nissan’s renowned performance division, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary. With a legacy of 30 years in the European market, NISMO is set to make a thrilling return with the introduction of the sporty Ariya NISMO, Nissan’s first fully electric model in the region.
The Ariya NISMO combines cutting-edge electric vehicle technology with NISMO’s legendary
aerodynamic design, advanced suspension tuning, and a powerful electric drivetrain. The Ariya NISMO is poised to set new standards in the electric vehicle market, offering both eco-friendly credentials and high-performance capabilities.
NISMO’s return to Europe with the Ariya NISMO underscores Nissan’s commitment to innovation and sustainability. The model is equipped with state-of-
all-wheel-drive system, ensuring superior handling and stability. Inside, drivers will find a luxurious and tech-savvy cabin, featuring the latest in connectivity and comfort.
As NISMO celebrates four decades of engineering excellence and motorsport heritage, the Ariya NISMO symbolises a new era of performance for Nissan in Europe. This launch not only commemorates NISMO’s illustrious past but also
The 1.5-litre engine develops 138 bhp and isn’t especially quick at 9.9 seconds to the benchmark 100 kph. However, it’s not all about speed and the Proceed is more than capable of holding its own in the cut-and-thrust of day-to-day driving. It has super handling and can be a lot of fun if you find some nice cross country routes. Ride quality is on the firm side but still manages to soak up the bumps to produce a comfortable ride.
One of the many nice aspects of the Proceed is the fact that there are buttons and knobs instead of a plethora of touchscreen menus for every control. Not only are buttons easier they’re also safer. The rear view is not great as the stylish rear tailgate only affords a letterbox style view.
Set to retire
SIR ANDY MURRAY is the only tennis player ever to win Olympic singles gold twice in back-to-back Olympics, Rio 2016 and London 2012, so it’s fitting that the 37-year-old, three-time Grand Slam singles champion and former number one Glaswegian hang up his trainers forever after Paris 2024.
Unfortunately, just as he had to do at Wimbledon, Murray announced he has withdrawn from the Paris 2024 Olympic Singles event, so he will only compete in the Paris 2024 Doubles event with Dan Evans.
“I’ve taken the decision to withdraw from the singles to concentrate on the doubles with Dan. Our practice has been great, and we’re playing well together,” Murray said. “Really looking forward to getting started and representing GB one more time.”
Sir Andy’s dealt with a series of injuries, including a hip replacement in 2019
and most recently requiring surgery in June to remove a cyst from his spine.
Dave Haggerty, Inter national Tennis Federa tion President and Mem ber of the International Olympic Committee, re cently said of Sir Murray, “He has lived and brea thed the values of tennis throughout his long career. Championing equality and helping to send the messa ge that our sport is for everyone.”
Murray will compete in Olympic dou bles on the red clay of Roland Garros, not his favourite surface, but fans will anticipate this last chance to see the British ten nis icon perform against the world’s best.
Breakthrough
AN inspiring video was shared on social media, showing the French Paralympian Kevin Piette carrying the Olympic Torch while wearing a robotic exoskeleton.
The French tennis player, Kevin Piette lost the use of his legs following an accident when he was only 11. Thanks to the ground-breaking technologies, he was able to walk again.
“In spite of the accident that left him a paraplegic 11 years ago, Kevin has not thrown in the towel,” stated the International Olympic Committee in a blog post, calling Piette “the embodiment of sporting commitment.”
Piette became one of the first testers of the robotic exoskeleton developed by the French company Wandercraft, which launched the innovation in December. The exoskeleton is a battery-powered device which supports the user’s legs and detects when the user wants to walk or stand through a back sensor.
With the exoskeleton, the user can sit, stand, walk and climb stairs, managing the direction and speed with a hand-held controller.
Held from August 28 until September 8, the Paralympics will be supported by a mobility equipment spe-
cialist Ottobock.
With a team of 164 experts from 41 nations, speaking 32 languages, Ottobock will be present to repair, replace or fix any devices of the athletes which may be broken or damaged, making sure that they’re in perfect condition in time for the Games.
MURRAY VICTORIOUS: Murray atop the podium after his gold medal performance at Rio 2016.
Paralympian Kevin Piette carrying the Olympic Torch.