Costa Blanca North 22 – 28 August 2024 Issue 2042

The Wow Factor

Donna Williams

THE 36th edition of the Castell de l’Olla was an extraordinary spectacle that captivated all who were fortunate enough to attend. The sheer scale and grandeur of the event left a deep and lasting impression on every single individual present. Unanimously, the resounding sentiment expressed by attendees was that the event was nothing short of ‘impressive’.

Drawing an astonishing crowd of over 80,000 people, the event attracted a diverse mix of individuals, including prominent gures from a wide array of societal sectors. In addition to those in attendance, the event was also seen by many more thanks to a broadcast on À Punt in a dedicated three-and-ahalf-hour programme.

Notably, the esteemed President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazon, graced

the occasion with his presence, further underscoring the event’s immense signi cance and widespread appeal.

President Carlos Mazon’s closing remarks were particularly poignant. They captured the essence of the Castell de

l’Olla and its ability to astound and captivate year after year. He described it as a harmonious blend of all the elements - our Altea, our sea, our re - in a way that never ceases to amaze.

The organiser of the event, President of the Brotherhood of the Castle, also expressed how happy he was when he described this edition of the Castell de l’Olla as ‘possibly the best’.

He congratulated Vulcan Pyrotechnic on their breathtaking choreography, and in particular, the awe-inspiring nale which he said brought stunning new shapes and colours.

Costa Blanca North • Issue No. 2042 • 22 - 28 August 2024

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Castella de l’Olla deemed ‘Impressive’.

Holidays in Peace

MAYOR Marcos Zaragoza of Villajoyosa warmly welcomed five Saharawi boys and girls who are spending their summer holidays in the municipalities of Villajoyosa, Finestrat, Calpe, and Javea as part of the ‘Holidays in Peace’ programme organised by the Coordinator of Associations of Solidarity with the Saharawi People of Alicante.

The children, aged between eight and 10, are not just spending their summer vacation, they are truly enjoying it with their host fa-

milies in the mentioned municipalities. These stays are part of a programme that not only allows the children to share experiences and activities, but also provides them with medical checkups, ensuring their well-being and happiness.

During their visit to Villajoyosa Town Hall, the children expressed their fondness for the municipality, its beaches, and their participation in the Moors and Christians festivities.

Two of the minors had visited Villajoyosa during the

previous summer and were excited to be back.

Mayor Zaragoza, along with the host families and members of the Association of Solidarity with the Saharawi People of Villajoyosa, received the children at the town hall and offered them small gifts. He expressed gratitude for the association’s solidarity work and hoped more children would visit Villajoyosa and the region in the coming years. He also encouraged neighbours to collaborate with this solidarity association.

Bottled water

ON Friday August 16, the mayor of Poble Nou de Benitachell, Miguel Angel Garcia, took proactive measures to address the current water crisis by organising the shortterm distribution of bottled water. The first distribution saw a significant turnout, and plans for another distribution event were scheduled for August 20 and then again on Friday August 23. Residents were asked to present their identification and proof of address to ensure an orderly process. This information was then used to organise three separate lines, allowing the distribution to proceed smoothly in alphabetical order. All in all, 1,500 6.5-litre bottles were distributed, with each resident permitted to take two bottles each, up to a maximum of eight per registered household. Furthermore, to ensure that the elderly or those

with reduced mobility were catered for, the Civil Protection delivered water to their homes. On Friday morning alone, they made 10 deliveries to different areas, with more expected. It has been confirmed that bottled water can be obtained only once a week, so the Tuesday distribution will be reserved for those who were not able to attend last Friday.

In addition to the water distribution, water tanks are being fitted in closed, guarded and shaded locations including at the entrance of the Santa Maria Magdalena School and the interior parking of the sports area. These can be used from 10.00am to 8.00pm, and residents are requested to act in moderation by only filling a maximum of four bottles per home per week.

Saharawi children visited Villajoyosa Town Hall.

Bottled water is being distributed to residents of Benitachell.

Credit: elpoblenoudebenitatxell.com

Villajoyosa.com

Was overtourism avoidable?

THE term ‘overtourism’ has gained popularity, with protests and demonstrations against excessive tourism reported across Europe.

Once a welcome economic boost, tourism has now entered a new era in which it has suffocated Europe’s most popular destinations.

Researchers warned about the need to address overtourism before it became uncontrollable back in December 2018. According to the Roland

Berger study, overtourism was far from inevitable and could have been avoided with the right interventions, such as aligning the city’s tourism strategy with its development strategy.

The study further highlighted that in recent years, cities have been working hard to attract tourists in increasing numbers and that urban tourism still needs to be expertly controlled to remain successful and sustainable over time.

Failing to do so results in residents becoming irritated by social factors such as noise pollution, traffic congestion, and overcrowded restaurants.

This finding is further supported by a model developed by George Doxey back in 1975, coined the ‘Irritation Index (Irridex). This suggests that a place initially welcomes tourists with enthusiasm, but as the numbers increase, residents become more apathetic

and irritated.

Richard Butler, an emeritus professor in hospitality and tourism management, believes that places experiencing overtourism did not take preventative measures in the past. He noted that the impact of tourism is perceived differently by locals, depending on their exposure to tourists. Some locals benefit from the influx of tourists by raising prices, leading to frustration among other residents.

Tourism restricted

A RECENT survey by Evaneos found nearly half of Spain’s residents want mass tourism restricted.

The survey demonstrated that nearly half of Spain’s residents are keen for the government to limit the number of tourists visiting the country, with a noteworthy 45 per cent in favour of this action.

As Evaneos head of Southern Europe, Viola Migliori, pointed out, “The Spanish are simply seeking a more sustainable approach to tourism, allowing inhabitants to live their daily lives without feeling the negative impact of an influx of holidaymakers.”

They aim to ensure the environment’s survival while protecting the customs of villages and neighbourhoods across Spain. They also desire for Spanish travellers to enjoy their homeland’s delights without competing against mass international tourism.

Pool rentals

PRIVATE pool rental has become a way for Spaniards to earn extra money during summer. Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding overtourism in Spain, some residents are capitalising by renting out their swimming pools privately.

Swimmy, an app speci cally created for this purpose, was designed by Frenchwoman Raphaëlle de Monteynard in 2017 and works in a similar way to Airbnb. With those using the app to rent out their pools earning between €1,000 - €10,000 during a single summer, it is easy to see the allure. In fact, between 2023 and 2024, the number of private pools registered rose by around 20 per cent, and the number of app users increased by a whopping 37 per cent, from 270,000 to 370,000.

However, not all of those who have rented out their pools have had a 100 per cent positive experience, with one pool owner describing a bad situation involving a large party of 25-30-year-olds, which not only left her feeling nervous, but was also a point of contention between the owner and her close neighbours.

Nonetheless, with the Swimmy platform assuring that the app will go from strength to strength, it would appear that the trend for privately hiring pools will continue. This is in spite of the many Spanish residents who want tourism in the country to be more limited.

Overtourism in Europe leads to very crowded beaches.

Mazeland Benidorm

MAZELAND BENIDORM is an exciting and one-of-a-kind tourism and educational project scheduled to launch in early 2025 within the stunning Serra Gelada Natural Park in Benidorm.

Every element of Mazeland Benidorm is carefully planned to respect and enhance the park’s natural beauty, as the designers are keen to ensure a harmonious coexistence with the environment. In fact, they aim to establish an immersive space that not only enhances Benidorm’s tourism landscape but also functions as an interactive outdoor learning facility, raising awareness about the park’s ecology, ecosystem, and diverse wildlife.

The design has been meticulously planned to o er visitors a perfect blend of entertainment and learning in a breathtaking setting. One of the main attractions will be

the magni cent Mediterranean cypress maze, spanning over 5000 square metres. This maze is not only designed to provide an exciting and challenging experience for visitors but also serves as an educational journey where guests can learn about the native ora and fauna of the region.

In addition to the maze itself, Mazeland Benidorm will include a didactic classroom, where informative talks on the park’s rich biodiversity will be given, highlighting the importance of ecological balance and environmental conservation.

The nal plans also include a large cafeteria, which will provide a relaxed ambience amidst gardens adorned with native vegetation and fruit trees. Visitors will be able to enjoy a healthy meal in perfect harmony with nature while gazing out from the panoramic terrace.

Virgin of the Assumption

FROM August 15 to 18, La Villajoyosa was awash with festivities in honour of the Virgin of the Assumption. The first day began with a traditional and beautiful mass held in the park adjacent to the Hermitage, where the Virgin’s image resides.

The service, a testament to the community’s unity, was graced by the presence of residents and members of the municipal corporation, with Mayor Marcos Zaragoza leading the proceedings.

The day continued with a jubilant procession as the residents of El Paradis paraded through the streets, carrying the image of the Virgin of the Assumption.

The festivities continued on the following day, offering a diverse range of activities for people of all ages to partake in. From popular games to karaoke, a lively costume party, and music from a resident DJ, there

was something for everyone to enjoy.

Then, on Saturday, August 17, taking centre stage and helping to combat the scorching temperatures, water attractions and a water cistern provided the fun, along with a face-painting workshop for the kids. A band and a DJ

provided more live music as the party atmosphere continued into the early hours.

On Sunday, a delicious paella and an exhilarating foam party brought the celebrations to a close and, no doubt, a well-earned rest for the residents of Villajoyosa.

Mazeland Benidorm is starting to take shape.

Virgin of the Assumption image paraded through the streets.

ONCE again, the Cala de Finestrat was the vibrant host of a thrilling beach volleyball tournament. This event, which has become a summer tradition, attracted top-level athletes from both national and international circuits, representing over 10 different nationalities.

Esteemed Olympians such as Javier Bosma and Raúl Mesa were among the participants, adding an international flair to the competition.

Now in its 47th year, the tournament continues to showcase the enduring appeal of 4 x 4 beach volleyball. What sets this event apart is not just the unique blend of professional and amateur players, but also

the inclusivity it promotes. This not only delivers an unforgettable showcase of talent but also fosters a strong sense of camaraderie among the participants, making it a truly special event that celebrates the spirit of community.

The three-day action included the eighth 4x4 Amateur Mixed Tournament, which was limited to 16 teams, and the Beach Volley Tour Communitat Valencia final, which qua-

All at sea Beach volleyball

DURING the summer, it has become increasingly common for migrants to embark on treacherous journeys in small boats, as exemplified by an incident that occurred in the early hours of Monday August 19. On this particular occasion, a total of 29 individuals had to be rescued from two small boats. Among those needing help, one required the use of a wheelchair, and two were children.

The first boat arrived in Poble Nou de Benitachell at around 10.00pm. Fourteen individuals were treated on this boat, two of whom were minors aged 16 and 13. Fortunately, all of them were in good health and the intervention concluded at around 2.00am.

Subsequently, a second boat was intercepted at around 2.00am in Albir. This one had 15 people on board, including one who required a wheelchair due to reduced mobility. All the occupants were taken to the port of Alicante to receive assistance from the Red Cross. This took approximately four hours to administer, although thankfully, no one was in poor health.

These two boats are in addition to a third that reached the coast of Moraira during the early hours of August 18. In this instance, the 15 migrants, three of whom were minors, managed to disembark on the beach of l’Ampolla.

lified the winner for the Spanish Championship. Unsurprisingly, the entire tournament drew more than 100 spectators who watched the games from the arena and the stands.

Vives-Prades won the Communitat Valencia Final for the men, with locals Laura Fernandez and Vivana Garzon winning for the ladies, and qualifying them for the Spanish Championship. Other winners included, women’s champions Nagy-Gubik from Hungary and men’s champions Sanfelix-Jimenez from Spain.

The crowds gathered to watch the volleyball tournament.

THE standout event of the Festes d’Agost de La Nucia 2024 was the highly anticipated costume parade, which more than lived up to expectations. The 25 participating penyas pulled out all the stops to the delight of the gathered spectators.

They showcased their creativity with a diverse range of unique themes, from horse races and ancient civilisations like Egypt and Greece to San Fermin, the circus, beautiful floral displays, scenes from ‘The Nutcracker’, and classic cowboys and In-

Costume parade

dians, to name a few.

The parade brought vibrant energy, music, and

ON August 18, two separate incidents of drowning were reported at the beaches of Gandia and Cullera, where prompt action by rescuers and emergency medical aid teams proved vital. The first incident occurred around 11.40am at the north beach of Gandia, when a bather was pulled unconscious from the water. Thanks to the quick response of lifeguards and the SAMU team, advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation manoeuvres were performed, ultimately leading to the successful reversal of the vic-

laughter as it made its way along Carretera Avenue and Marina Baixa, captivating the

thousands of onlookers who witnessed the stunning costumes and performances.

The spectacle came to an unforgettable close with a grand finale led by Queen Andrea Jumilla Pérez and her entourage of four ladies, who made a stunning entrance aboard a magnificent royal carriage. Before the royal procession, Penya Els Penjats treated the audience to a mesmerising ‘Circus’ themed presentation, adding an extra layer of grandeur and excitement to the already unforgettable event.

Bathers rescued

tim’s cardiac arrest. The individual was subsequently evacuated to the Francesc de Borja Hospital in Gandia for further medical care. Later in the day, at approximately 2.20pm, another distress call was made from the beach of San Antonio in Cullera, where a 75-year-old man was rescued unconscious. Rescuers provided immediate basic cardiopulmonary

resuscitation while awaiting the arrival of the SAMU team. Utilising advanced life support techniques, the SAMU team stabilised the victim, ensuring timely and effective medical intervention.

These incidents underscore the critical role of well-coordinated emergency response efforts in protecting beachgoers and ensuring their safety.

Queen Andrea Jumilla Pérez and her entourage.

THE Governing Board of the Javea Town Council has recently given the green light to the specifications for the transformation of Javea Park into a vibrant meeting point for the residents of Arenal.

The project, situated on Paris Avenue in the Arenal neighbourhood, will encompass comprehensive renovations, introducing three distinct spaces to cater to a variety of recreational needs.

The development aims to significant-

Javea Park

ly enhance pedestrian accessibility by introducing three entrances as opposed to the current single entry point. This reconfigured layout will accommodate a dedicated children’s play area featuring vibrant, multi-coloured fencing, as well as a sports court designed to federative

Band of gold

A HEARTWARMING story unfolded on the beaches of Calpe on Sunday August 18 as a couple’s lost wedding ring was miraculously recovered, thanks to the generous assistance of a local hobbyist equipped with a metal detector.

The couple had experienced the sinking feeling of losing something precious in the vast expanse of sand. Still, the tide turned in their favour when Salvador Sánchez, an avid detectorist from Calpe, received a call for help as the sun was setting.

Responding swiftly to the plea for assistance, Salvador hurried to the beach with his metal-detecting gear.

The fading daylight posed a challenge, but Salvador was determined to assist the distraught couple. The couple had a general idea of the

area where the ring had slipped off, as it had happened while the husband was playing with their son on the beach earlier in the day.

Salvador’s expertise and equipment proved invaluable, as he possessed an amphibious metal detector capable of detecting in water.

With skill and preci -

sion, he swiftly located the lost wedding ring in a mere five minutes.

His selfless dedication to helping others was evident as he recounted the heartwarming moment when the husband emerged from the water, jubilantly displaying the recovered ring to his wife, who was overwhelmed with tears of joy.

standards for hockey and futsal. Additionally, a half-court dedicated to basketball will complement these features.

The project will also include covered spaces equipped with tables for chess, as well as ping-pong tables, enhancing the park’s offerings. Furthermore, a multi-

purpose area will provide added flexibility for various activities.

A network of lighting points will be installed throughout Javea Park, along with drinking water fountains and a range of urban furniture such as bike racks, litter bins, and benches.

With a budget of almost €465,000 allocated for the works, the project is expected to be completed within two and a half months.

Wedding ring recovered on Calpe beach.

Credit: Shutterstock

Polop Hills Nature Promenade damage

ALIBUILDING, a company under the Aligrupo holding company, has recently obtained a construction licence for its latest development project in the charming municipality of Polop, located in the Alicante Province.

This new development, known as Polop Hills Nature, is set on a substantial plot of 28,793 square metres and is designed to feature 65 completely customisable homes.

The homes, ranging from 140 to 170 square metres with some featuring double height, have been conceived with utmost flexibility in mind. According to Alibuilding, clients will be able to have a say in the design, finishes, and distribution of their homes.

Polop Hills Nature benefits from its elevated position, providing stunning views of the coastline stretching

from Benidorm to Altea. Additionally, approximately 20 of the homes will enjoy captivating vistas of the forest area at the foot of the Ponoig, a prominent mountain in the Alicante Province with an elevation of 1,181 metres.

Notably, this marks Alibuilding’s second development in Polop, following the success of

DURING the weekend of August 17, the Fiestas de l’Albir were celebrated with great enthusiasm at Eucalyptus Park, attracting a large and lively crowd. The event, organised by the ‘Mayorales of the Fiestas del Santísimo Cristo del Buen Acierto’ in partnership with the Alfas Department of Festivities and Traditions, featured an extensive and diverse programme of activities.

its earlier project, Polop Hills, which comprised 179 single-family homes. The first project garnered significant interest from international buyers, particularly from the United States, reflecting a growing trend of interest in Costa Blanca’s real estate market for both secondary residences and investment opportunities.

THE recent heavy downpour was a relief for many of us seeking respite from the heat, but unfortunately, it led to significant damage on one of Calpe’s iconic promenades. The ageing La Fossa beach promenade suffered the collapse of a segment due to a waterspout, causing concern among residents and local authorities.

Approximately five metres of the parapet have given way, specifically on the rocky coastline area rather than the sandy stretch of La Fossa beach. This affected promenade runs through a steep coastal area between La Fossa and Calalga Cove, both of which are highly urbanised.

This unfortunate event isn’t the first time the promenade has been impacted by natural forces. It previously endured

damage during the 2020 Gloria storm, which affected both the La Fossa promenade and the one along Arenal-Bol beach. These promenades were built without considering the natural drainage paths to the sea, leading to such incidents.

In fact, following the 2007 flood, municipal workers had to utilise excavator shovels to breach sections of the Arenal-Bol promenade, allowing water to flow to the sea and prevent even more extensive flooding of the tourist area, which had already been submerged for several days.

In response to the recent collapse, the Local Police have taken proactive action by cordoning off the affected portion of Passeig de la Fossa and sealing it off to ensure public safety.

Albir celebrates

Sandra Gomez, councillor for Fiestas, expressed her delight with the turnout, stating, “We have carefully planned activities to cater to all audiences, and we are thrilled with the positive response. I commend the organisers and attendees for their res -

ponsible and joyous participation.”

The entire weekend programme left nothing to the imagination and included live music, engaging children’s games, pétanque matches and delicious food including an incredible giant paella. In addition, two of

the main highlights bringing colour and a vibrant atmosphere, were the mermaid and triton costume parade, and the proclamation by the queen and her ladies.

To aid accessibility to the fiesta, Alfas Town Council put on a free night bus which was very welcomed and allowed revellers to enjoy the festivities without having to worry about how they were getting home.

First look at Polop Hills Nature.

La Fossa Beach, Calpe.

Water tanks

Donna Williams

IN response to the ongoing water crisis in Teulada-Moraira, Mayor Raul Llobell has taken proactive measures by installing two water tanks in strategically shaded areas to align with current regulations and provide relief to residents.

The first water tank is situated in the parking area of the Teulada football field and is accessible from Monday to Saturday, during the hours of 10.00am to 2.00pm.

The second water tank is located at the red court on the Moraira Sports Centre and can be accessed every day except for Friday, from 5.00pm to 8.00pm.

For those supported by the Home Help Service (SAD) and unable to access a water station, Social

Services will arrange home deliveries, ensuring no one is left without water.

In addition to the water tanks, the town council has also arranged for bottles of water to be available for collection from the weekly town markets.

To coincide with their operational hours, a distribution will be available between 8.30am and 2.00pm on the market days, with Teulada being on Wednesdays and Moraira on Fridays.

Residents are reminded they must present their ID card and water bill to withdraw water from the distribution points. Each person is entitled to a maximum of 20 litres from the tanks or three bottles per week.

Rubbish penalties

THE Alfas del Pi Town Council has announced an increase in penalties for improper disposal of rubbish, debris, pruning remains, and other items in public areas and throughout the municipal area. The fines for such offences can now go up to €3,001. The town council has implemented this measure to deter non-compliance with the Municipal Ordinance and curb uncontrolled dumping. Various municipal departments, including Technical Services, Cleaning, Environment, and Citizen Security, are actively involved in monitoring and addressing this issue.

Councillor Government Spokesperson Toni Such has highlighted the crucial role of citizen collaboration in enforcing the law. In just one week, the Local Police issued nine fines for minor offences and four for major ones, thanks to

the submission of photos denouncing these uncivil acts. He expressed his gratitude and urged residents to continue supporting these efforts by reporting similar incidences through photos and videos.

Furthermore, the councillor highlighted existing facilities such as clean points, home collection services for belongings, and a mo-

bile recycling service held every Friday at the market. Despite these provisions, incidents of uncontrolled dumping persist, posing public health and image problems for the town. The town council aims to denounce both individuals and companies that violate the law and seeks to raise awareness about the severity of these events.

Water tanks have been installed in TeuladaMoraira.

Credit: teuladamoraira.com

Bigger fines for illegal dumping.

The Sleepless Night

ON August 17, ‘The Sleepless Night’ in San Juan, around 15,000 residents gathered to immerse themselves in an enchanting atmosphere. This event, known as ‘La Noche en Vela 2024’, illu-

minated the urban cen tre with 20,000 candles for the second year in a row, bringing radiance to the town that captured the hearts of all who attended.

Visitors were treated to a captivating show of the senses, curated by the Department of Culture. The eve ning featured a diverse array of performances, including captivating dance exhibitions by the talented students of Nuria del Alba, delightful children’s storytelling sessions in the Plaza de España, soul-stirring

concerts at the church of ‘Musica Celestial’, an enthralling performance by the Repiques Quartet and Da Good Band, an

impressive art exhibition, and a bustling market boasting dozens of stalls.

The evening was truly memorable, with the highlight being a mesmerising midnight performance by Albaladre. He captivated the audience with his diverse repertoire of melodic and soulful South American songs. The atmosphere was electric as he showcased his immense popularity by drawing a large crowd that filled the Josep Carreras Square, making it a night to remember.

More parking

Donna Williams FINESTRAT Town Council has taken a significant step to address the parking challenges in the area by increasing the parking spaces in El Salt by 200. The Salt de Finestrat car park, under the leadership of Mayor Juanfran Perez Llorca and the deputy mayor, Nati Algado, has been expanded to accommodate the growing demand for parking space in the historic centre.

Given that the festivities will begin on Thursday August 22, this has not come a moment too soon. During the announcement, Mayor Juanfran Perez Llorca highlighted the significance of this expansion. He emphasised that the newly acquired lands by the town council in the Partida El Salt, at the entrance of the urban area, have enabled the additional parking spaces.

These additional spaces complement the existing 200 in the municipal car park of European Union Square and the parking space of Calle Saint Vincent, where plans for an underground car park are in progress. In total, a combined 500 spaces will be available to meet the parking needs of residents and tourists, particularly during peak seasons and major events such as the patron saint festivities.

Credit: santjoandalacant.es

The church illuminated with candles.

FOLLOWING the recent sighting of turtle eggs on Poniente beach in Benidorm, a subsequent turtle nest has been discovered in Denia, along with 100 hatchlings.

The discovery was made at Punta Raset beach in the early hours of August 18, with the Local Police and the Marine Environment Service going to the scene.

The nest was located next to a sand dune 52 metres from the shore. Upon inspection, experts from the University of Valencia were surprised to see evidence of 124 eggs,

of which 92 had hatched successfully. Of those, 89 had reached the sea on their own, while the

remaining three were located on the beach and transferred to Oceanografic to be taken care of.

No bathing Turtle hatchlings

It is estimated that the hatchlings had come into the world two hours prior to the alert going out.

It is further believed that the nest belonged to a turtle that was seen by a group of young people on June 27. However, a search for either the turtle or the nest was unsuccessful at that time.

The entire operation was a coordinated effort involving the University of Valencia, the Oceanografic Foundation, the Denia Local Police and Denia town’s Marine and Fisheries Environmental Service.

On the move

SPIRITUAL FRIENDS

Costa Blanca would like to announce that they have a change of venue. As from Wednes day September 4, all future meetings will be held at Marley’s Bar and Bistro, Moraira.

Spiritual Friends

Costa Blanca are a group of like minded people interested in the afterlife, holistic subjects etc. The meetings are held on a Wednesday afternoon once a fortnight from 2.30pm4.30pm.

For more information please email sp.fr.cb@gmail. com or visit their website www.spiritualfriendscosta blanca.com.

CALPE Town Council has taken precautionary steps after identifying a potential issue with the collector that transports treated water from the sewage treatment plant to the sea at Arenal-Bol Beach. As a result, a section of the beach near the Quisi ravine mouth has been closed off to the public. Buoys have been placed to mark the prohibited area, and a sand dyke has been constructed to prevent further water from entering the sea. Additionally, the area has been cordoned off to prevent unauthorised access. Further, the treated water has been chlorinated to reduce microorganism levels and maintain optimal bathing conditions for beachgoers. However, to assess the water’s suitability for ba- thing, samples have been taken

from both the location of the possible collector break and the bathing area. Pending the results of these samples and as a precautionary measure, the Blue Flag of Arenal-Bol Beach will be taken down temporarily.

Calpe Town Council would like to reassure residents that the relevant authorities, including the Directorate General for Water and ADEAC, have been informed. They further advise that these preventative measures will remain in place until the water analysis confirms that the beach is safe for bathing.

Turtles born on a beach in Denia.

Credit: denia.com

Arenal-Bol beach temporarily loses Blue Flag.

Credit: Calpe Town Council

THE NON RESIDENTS INCOME TAX

AS we do every summer, from White Baos Lawyers we wish to remind readers who are Non Tax Residents in Spain and maybe they are in Spain just for holidays, that they are still obliged to pay Income Taxes in Spain for Non Tax Residents, even if they do not have any income in Spain, just for the fact of owning a property here.

Wealth Tax . If you are non tax resident in Spain, or even if you live in Spain and but are not registered with the taxman as a tax resident or you do not submit taxes as tax residents, you could be legally considered as Non Tax Resident, as no notice has been given to the Tax Authority. Non Tax Residents could be liable to pay Wealth Tax, but only if the value of their assets in Spain (after deducting debts, ie: pending capital of the mortgage, etc) is above €600,000. This is in

the Valencian Region.

Income Tax . If you are Non Tax Resident in Spain (or you are not legally tax resident in Spain), you will need to pay tax for income in Spain (Income Tax for Non Residents, IRNR): ie: rents from a letting, interest on bank accounts, etc. If you do not have any income but you own a property or a share on a property, your tax bill will be based on a calculation as per the Cadastral Value (value that appears on your Spanish Local Rates receipt from the town hall, the SUMA office or the equivalent).

Even now it is quite common for people who are Non Fiscal Residents in Spain ( or not legally Tax Resident in Spain) to simply not pay this tax; usually due to ignorance or neglect and especially when they have no income in Spain and only own a house.

Please notice that if you let your property in Spain, you have an obligation to submit the taxes every three months and not only once a year.

If you are not sure if you are legally or officially tax resident or non tax resident, if you want to know what is the most convenient for you, we can assist you, studying your personal situation.

If you are non tax resident, do not forget to meet your tax obligation if you want to avoid a possible tax inspection, penalties, etc. Contact us and we will help you.

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

Carlos Baos (Lawyer) White & Baos.

Tel: +34 966 426 185 - info@white-baos.com - White & Baos - All Rights Reserved.

Wild weather

AFTER a tumultuous July filled with heatwaves, Spain then saw the complete opposite in many regions.

Floods have occurred throughout Spain in the first half of August.

Known for its hot sun and clear skies, Spain dramatically turned from 40-degree heat to storms and floods in less than 24 hours after a cold front swept across the Peninsular on Wednesday August 14. Forecast by AEMET, the state meteorological agency, the cold front came from the Atlantic and quickly evolved into a DANA resulting in cold winds, torrential rain and thunderstorms.

The worst hit areas were the Balearic islands and the Mediterranean coast as the AEMET issued its highest level warning, a red alert, due to the 100 kilometre per hour winds entering Mallorca.

Other regions saw similar alerts due to the chaotic weather, including Catalonia, Valencia and the region of Murcia. Holidaymakers in Mallorca were seen sunbathing in the last moments as the skies opened and rainfall came crashing down, forcing the tourists to scramble and collect their belongings before running for cover.

Ibiza, one of the first to be hit by the severe weather, saw the crash of a luxury sailboat and nine Italian tourists injured.

In mainland Spain, Valencia was battered by continuous wind and rain, leading to floods and even the collapse of a supermarket roof.

ABOGADOS / SOLICITORS

Stay home

A 2023 EUROSTAT report revealed that prices of property across the EU have surged by 47 per cent between 2010 and 2022 and are only continuing to increase. Due to the high prices, many young people can’t a ord property, despite being employed.

In Ireland, where rents have doubled since 2013, 40 per cent of employed people between the ages of 25-34 still live with their parents. The Eurofound research stated; “it is now common for young people to live with their parents either due to necessity or as part of a family decision to help save money.”

While southern countries are known to house large families, it has become a necessity, rather than a choice. In Croatia, 65 per cent of the employed young people live with their parents; in Greece, it is 57 per cent, and in Portugal 52.

In Spain, seven out of 10 employed young people share a home with their parents, revealed the Consejo de la Juventud.

The average rental cost in Spain is

now €968 per month. Considering the average wage of young people, they would have to use 92 per cent of their salary for rent, with hardly anything left to live o .

Eurofound disclosed these young people “were found to feel more socially excluded if living with their parents, and had lower mental well-being, linked to feelings of lack of autonomy and freedom.”

Stonehenge didn’t come from Wales as thought

ARCHEOLOGISTS have been saying for more than a century that the megalithic stones were taken from Wales to make the monument on Salisbury Plain, but it turns out they travelled a lot further.

A new study has just come up with evidence that says it actually came all the way from Scotland on a 466 mile (750km) trip. The astonishing discovery following studies of what is known as the ‘Altar Stone’ which would have been transported from around the area of Inverness, or even from as far as Orkney, now calls into question all sorts of previous assumptions made about civilisation at the time of the Neolithic age. Anthropologists are now trying to reassess what kind of relationships and communications networks civilisations on the British Isles had.

The centrepiece is not of

the same material as the immense, lintel-topped Sarsen stones that formed the circle, but a ve-metre-tall, six-tonne fallen megalith that lays partially covered by two other rocks which remains mostly hidden from view, is actually made of old red sandstone.

It was always thought to have been brought from Pembrokeshire in Wales,

which would have been an astonishing enough feat in itself, but now geologists have concluded it actually came from much further a eld. While the precise point of origin is still being studied, experts have narrowed it down to somewhere probably near John O’Groats, not far from Elgin.

Many young people can’t afford property, despite being employed.

Megalithic centre stone came from much further afield.

FRANCE with its quaint rural villages, stunning seaside towns and historically renowned cities makes it an obvious contender for the most visited country, but has it been surpassed?

GlobalData released a report in 2023 announcing France was on track to become the most visited country by 2025, when 93.7 million international travellers were set to visit the country annually.

However, this was seemingly short-lived when it was overtaken by another country set to attract

SPAIN: Sun, sand and blue skies - hard to argue.

even more tourists annually: Spain.

High speed slowdown Spain surpasses France?

(105 million) and the United States (100 million) Frankly, it’s hardly difficult to see why; averaging 300 days of sun per year, with sandy beaches and blue skies, affordable drinks with distinctive, delectable tapas, it’s hard to argue against Spain.

In a report conducted by Google and Deloitte, entitled NextGen Travelers and Destinations, it showed Spain - currently in the second spot - was a strong competitor against France for the top spot.

HIGH speed trains between Brussels, the UK and France have been slower since mid-August owing to maintenance work.

State-owned Infrabel, which builds, operates and maintains Belgium’s rail infrastructure said that the Eurostar and France’s TGV services would be using standard tracks until August 29.

Forecasted to be welcoming 110 million tourists annually, Spain is predicted to surpass France

This has added around 30 minutes to the Brussels-London and Brussels-Paris journeys. The high-speed line between Brussels and the French border opened in 1997 and Infrabel, which announced a €310 million investment in the 74-kilometre high speed network earlier this year, will overhaul infrastructu-

This European country’s appeal is hardly new, especially for Brits looking for extra vitamin D, but the 110-million-visitor prediction would make an increase of over 24 per cent.

re over the next 10 years. Most of the work will be done at night and entail closing the line for two weeks each summer.

The high speed renovations will also affect Brussels-Hainaut and Brussels-Mons domestic services while they share their tracks with the high speed trains.

Italian YouTuber outing pickpockets

IN 2022, visitors to Italy reported 1,906 times being pickpocketed via travel websites, making Italy the European country with the biggest street theft problem. Statistically, Italy was followed by France, the Netherlands, and Spain as being the worst in Europe for pickpockets.

Simone Cicalone is on the Rome underground every day keeping a keen

eye out. The train stops at the Colosseum station when he spots a man in shorts and sunglasses sitting among the tourists. ‘Pickpocket!’ He shouts, pointing at the man which causes him to jump up and run off the train with police running after him

Each time, Cicalone travels accompanied by one of his team of four, videoing each incident,

ready to upload the evidence to YouTube at a moment’s notice, where his three-quarters of a million followers are waiting for the next action-packed instalment of this vigilante pickpocket-outer.

Two members of Cicalone’s team include a Peruvian immigrant who says he’s helping because he is sick of the bad name these pickpockets are giving the

Peruvian community. And another, a young migrant from the Ivory Coast, who has been the victim of thieves on the trains himself, says it was never this bad when he arrived in Italy 10 years ago.

While the hits on his YouTube account mount up, Cicalone is resilient in his mission who says he is doing this for the poor who travel by public transport.

Nord Stream saboteur

GERMANY issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian believed to belong to the team that blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022.

Identified by Politico Europa as Volodymyr Zhuravlev, the diving instructor was last located in Poland although his whereabouts are now unknown.

The German authorities accuse him of diving 80 metres to the seabed where, seven months after Russia invaded Ukraine, he planted explosives on the pipelines taking Russian gas to Germany.

Four important gas leaks were detected on the two Nord Stream pipelines off Denmark’s Bornholm Island, putting them out of commission. Although they contained gas, they were not pumping at the time of the attack.

Denmark, Sweden and Germany began investigating what was obviously sabotage, but although the two former countries eventually dropped their enquiries into the inci-

dent, Germany did not.

Germany first asked Poland to detain Volodymyr Zhuravlev in June, although he has since gone to ground.

“Ultimately, he was not detained, as he left Poland at the beginning of July this year, crossing the Polish-Ukrainian border,” the Public

Prosecution Office told the AFP news agency.

The Nord Stream operation was apparently backed by high-ranking Ukrainian military officials but president Volodymyr Zelensky stated that his country was not behind the attack.

Prohibited

WHILE few things feel better than sipping a cocktail by the pool, one has to be equipped with knowledge about the drinking bans in different regions of Spain to stay safe from pricey fines and an upset community. As mass tourism continues to be a key issue across the country, the government is allocating up to €16 million to enforce the ban on public drinking. With today’s laws being applied until the end of 2027, here’s everything you need to know to avoid being fined.

The areas to which the drinking ban applies are Llucmajor, Palma and Calvia in Mallorca and San Antonio, extending 1.85 km off the coast in all four destinations in Ibiza. Tourists could be fined between €750 and €1,500 if their public drinking disrupts peace. In severe cases, the fine can reach up to €3,000.

The laws signify no drinking is allowed on public roads and all alcohol sales are prohibited from 9.30pm until 8am. Party boats are also barred from picking up or dropping off passengers in the listed areas. Moreover, visitors who have booked all-inclusive packages in hotels will be limited to six drinks per person, per day.

Simone Cicalone, videos and posts all the pickpockets he spots on the Rome underground.

Credit: Simone Cicalone. Instagram.

1,024th birthday

HUNGARY celebrated its 1,024th birthday on Tuesday August 20, uniting residents with dance, cake, and reworks to commemorate Hungarian independence and achievements.

The symbol of Hungarian autonomy, the day was rst celebrated on August 20, 1092, when King Ladislaus declared it a sacred day and proposed the canonisation of Stephen; the Saint and founder of Hungary, who transformed the nation into a European, Christian country.

Today, August 20 o cially marks the State Foundation Day of Hungary. The celebration began with the ceremonial raise of the national ag on Kossuth Square, followed by an awards ceremony for the most inspiring Hungarian citizens.

The unique Cake of Hungary competition, organised by the Hungarian Confectionery Industry Association invites residents to compete for Hungary’s best cake, which was then publicly carved during the ceremony. Remembering the religious roots, processions for the St Stephen took place, followed by the Hungarian Festival of the New Bread; featuring the public blessing and slicing of fresh bread.

During this time, Hungary’s Folk Dance Festival was also held, highlighting this national heritage.

As the lights went out after a mesmerising air parade above the Hungarian Parliament building on the Danube River, the country lit up in spectacular reworks; the largest one being in Budapest.

‘Lion’ of film

THE French cinema star Alain Delon died at the age of 88 on August 18, devastating friends, fans, and lmmakers across the world.

Delon’s family released a public statement; “Alain Fabien, Anouchka, Anthony, as well as (his dog) Loubo, are deeply saddened to announce the passing of their father.”

Delon had health concerns after he su ered a stroke in 2019.

His family stated; “He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family.”

The French lm star was known for his charismatic, tough-guy persona, starring in lms like The Samurai, Borsalino, and the iconic Visconti’s The Leopard.

The actor’s last major public appea-

rance was in 2019, when he received an honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. In deteriorating health, he bid an emotional farewell to the cinema world; “It’s a bit of a posthumous tribute but from my

lifetime. I’m going to leave, but I won’t leave without thanking you.”

Former president of the Cannes festival, Gilles Jacob called Delon “a lion...an actor with a steely gaze,” while Alberto Barbera, director of the Venice Film Festival

Hungary´s birthday celebration.

Credit: zoltanspox, X

Alain Delon French film star.

Credit: Nuță Lucian, Flickr

Your

Is it fair to reserve a spot at the beach early in the morning?

WITH the influx of tourists, another problem has arisen: appropriate beach etiquette. In fact, there have been so many complaints that one town council in Costa Blanca North has been forced to take action.

It is now no longer permitted to set up chairs, hammocks, or umbrellas on the beach before 9.30am.

Aside from the annoyance it causes to others wishing to use the beach, it hinders beach cleaning and often results in these items being left unattended, effectively reserving space for their owners.

Those found behaving in this way will face a fine of €250, but have they got it right?

We asked Euro Weekly News readers if it is fair to reserve a spot on the beach early in the morning?

Susan Marshall said, “Surely, a lot of people set out their chairs and brollies, etc, then at lunchtime, go to a Chiringuito to have a meal, come back and spend the rest of the day there. Are they supposed to cart all their belongings into the restaurant, then go back and re-set up again? It seems crazy to me. Surely, there’s enough space for everybody?”

Karen Callander also does not see it as an issue and shared, “Our local beach is mainly Spanish families. They take their chairs down, have their breakfast, and then head

down. The young ones set the old ones up, and they all spend the day together. I have no problem; there is plenty of room on the beach. When I wander down, they always invite me to sit with them.”

However, Jane Murrell feels generally ‘no’, but quantified that with exceptions when she said, “No. The only exception is if you or somebody from your group are 1. On your sunbeds or ‘reserved’ area from that time and 2. Leaving everything there and going to the nearest place for lunch for no more than an hour - hopefully, your sunbathing neighbours could vouch for that!!”

Judith Dominique Wolfenegg feels very strongly that it is not acceptable, saying, “Neither at the pool nor on the beach. Only people without manners do that. These are public places that cannot and must not be reserved. The worst are those who get up at 5 or 6am, lay towels everywhere and don’t even turn up until the afternoon.”

Emma Monks also believes that it is not right and says, “It’s a beach. It’s a public place. You can’t ‘reserve’ anything on a beach. If I were on a beach with lots of chairs out and the owners neither in the sea nor ‘in residence’, I’d simply fold them up, put them to one side, and take their place.

BEACH CHAIRS OR BROLLIES ARE OFTEN LEFT UNATTENDED.

HUNDREDS of Hengelo residents lost three weeks of mail after a postal worker at PostNL dumped the mail in a waste paper container. PostNL disclosed that the blame was on the temporary worker covering for the regular employee.

“The temporary deliverer withheld and threw away the mail, resulting in the loss for these neighbourhoods,” stated PostNL, adding that the offender was immediately dismissed.

Missing mail

PostNL realised that something had occurred when multiple residents reported to the local Press that they hadn’t received mail in weeks. Residents said they had been waiting for important mail, including credit cards, medical results, and court documents, among others.

Alternative nicotine

EUROPE’S future of nicotine may just become tobacco-free, as the synthetic nicotine product, snus, continues to spread across the EU countries.

The tobacco-free nicotine small pouches come in white and brown strips, typically in metallic boxes, and are placed discreetly between the gum and the cheek.

Snus contains synthetic nicotine, along with microcrystalline cellulose or sodium carbonate that is absorbed through the buccal mucosa as they mix with saliva.

The product originated in the 16th century in Sweden, which is the only European country in which snus is legal.

According to the Swedish government, the product fuelled the reduction of cigarette smokers from 15 per cent in 2005 to 5,2 per cent in 2023.

A country is considered smoke-free when less than 5 per cent of its population are smokers; Sweden may be close to becoming smoke-free, yet, levels of nicotine addiction remain

Although still illegal in the rest of Europe, snus has been particularly popular in Spain and France; the substance can be purchased at some tobacco stores, as well as online, without legal age verication. The substance exists in a legal grey area, claimed a ‘healthier’ alternative.

Yet, as synthetic nicotine becomes extracted from the tobacco plant, nitrosamines are present; these are recognised by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as carcinogens, provoking the threatening disease, and posing the same risks as regular tobacco.

Hengelo’s residents were baffled at the incident, as an affected resident Linda Koel said to the local Press; “I hope PostNL takes measures to prevent situations

Twente Milieu, managing the local container confirmed that the mail was gone without return; “We could no longer do anything for them. The contents were immediately taken to the waste processor.”

like this from happening again. Because this can’t be right. The only good thing is that our mail isn’t lying on the street somewhere, ending up in the wrong hands.”

PostNL spokesperon Tessa de Jong referenced the incident as “a very annoying and unacceptable situation,” and advised residents to “contact the sender of their mail for a suitable solution.” The residents will soon receive an apology letter from PostNL.

Snus use in Europe.

Credit: abvrockgroup, Pixabay

Donna Williams

WHILE we all want to embrace a new life when we leave our homeland for a new country, there are some things that we find hard to let go of. Take supermarket shopping, for example; we naturally find ourselves seeking out the brands we are familiar with, at least in the beginning anyway. Change is something that humans generally find quite a challenge, that some rise to and others shy away from.

So, it would make sense that embracing a whole new system in education may be a step too far for some, especially if your child is already a teenager. Sticking to ‘what we know’ may be a better choice, even if it means paying for the privilege.

There is a significant presence of British education in Spain, evident in the 301 International Private Schools spread across 28 different cities.

The good news is that A-Levels are still recognised as a gateway to some great universities across the globe, as testified by Dr Ludovic Allenspack, co-CEO of Academia Schools, who said, “A-Levels are an important credential regardless of where you apply to university. We have had students who have studied A-Levels go on to top universities in the US and Switzerland, to name a few examples.” This, coupled with the fact that the world of work is also becoming more international, has led to A-Levels gaining in popularity. Without a doubt, they are academically rigorous, trusted and a pre-tertiary qualification.

But what about A-Level students obtaining an education in the UK to study at a university in Spain? For one student, Brexit has seriously complicated matters as he must now study an additional A-Level to the three he has already achieved and take Pruebas de Competencias Especificas (PCEs).

He is studying for both at the British School Xativa, but understandably, this has been frustrating. Naturally, stress also plays a part, and some parents are concerned about the pressure their kids put themselves under to

achieve good grades. Just passing is no longer enough, and perhaps social media has played a part. After all, every parent likes to brag about how well their kids are doing, but has it become a little too much like a competition?

One parent said, “It can be a little irritating when you see people bragging about A* grades while my kid ‘only’ received an A in his. What happened to the days when passing A-Levels was an achievement in itself?”

Study, anywhere

“WITH my experience of taking A-Levels in Spain, I feel qualified to live and work in any country,” shared Anna Akopyan, a former student of the Lady Elizabeth School in Spain who is now finishing her major in English Literature and Creative Writing at an English university without ever having visited the UK.

Anna was 11 years old when her family made the life-changing move from Russia to Spain; the couple sought an unrestrained future for their two daughters.

In Spain, Anna’s passion for languages was amplified by the diversity of European culture and British education; “It was so much easier to learn Spanish when you could actually practise it in real life.”

For her A-Levels, Anna chose English Literature, English Language, Drama, and Spanish. In her drama class, there were only two students; “It was just me and one of my best friends and I loved it.” She mentioned that the most popular subjects were PE, Business and Economics.

Anna scored As and A* and was accepted into multiple British universities, including Sheffield Hallam and Essex University. But with the increased fees for non-European students, she struggled to finance her studies abroad, and feeling so attached to Spain, she joined the Open University, based in London, which she plans to visit sometime in the future.

Olivia Wood

AS a student myself currently in Sixth Form at an International school in Marbella, I have spent the last few days immersed in both my own and peers’ results which seem to determine our futures.

The pressure is off now that A-Levels are over.

One parent living in Orihuela, on the Costa Blanca, shared, “Leading up to her A-Levels, my daughter cried every night, thinking she had failed. I don’t put pressure on her, and it was upsetting to see how motivated and determined she was to get three As, even to the point of not doing anything fun because she felt ‘guilty’ not to be revising.”

Jo, whose son has just completed his A-Levels at El Limonar International School Murcia and thankfully got the grades he wanted, said: “I don’t think the A-Levels themselves are too pressured, but young people are now told over and over they need to get ‘amazing’ grades or life is over.”

Conversely, Sam, whose stepdaughter has just completed her A-Levels at the English International College in Malaga, feels that they are not too stressful and that 18-yearolds should have developed some resilience to what is a perfectly normal event. He said society is the problem in protecting kids from anything deemed ‘difficult’.

Overall, more than a quarter of students were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.6 percentage points compared to the previous year, so perhaps 18-year-olds are more resilient than they give themselves credit for.

In recent years, it appears that results have fluctuated like never before, with this year being no different. Speaking to classmates of mine in Year 12, who have just received their AS level results which contribute to half of an A level, many of those who take specifically English and essay based subjects generally seemed to be satisfied with their results, with a majority of students from my year group obtaining high grades such as As and Bs. This however, does not seem to be the case amongst others, especially those who took maths and other science based subjects, who were left disappointed on results day. Many felt both confused and shocked as they not only didn’t meet their predicted grades but some even failed, leaving them with no other choice but to resit later on this year.

Overall, as a cohort however, we produced a successful array of results, with just under 60 per cent of results being As and just over 75 per cent being As and Bs. Whilst it may be true that results day left some having mixed feelings, I personally was content with my own results as they have put me in good stead for next year.

Graduating from the Lady Elizabeth School

INTERVIEW

Speaking European –Paula Van Oudheusden Saenz

It’s an adventure,” said Paula about her journey of moving to Spain. Half Dutch, half Spanish, Paula was born in the Netherlands, but despite frequent trips, has never lived in Spain.

“MY mother used to say that we would move to Spain once I finish high school,” said Paula, sharing that the family was unable to move after all due to her mother’s illness and consequent passing.

“I decided to move seven years ago. It took two years to actually relocate and feel at home here,” said Paula. She moved to a little town in the Granada Province with her husband and kids, seeking ‘freedom’ from the Dutch routine.

I didn’t know about the bureaucracy and the laws in Spain. Working here was completely new to me.” Paula works as a real estate agent, lawyer and international recruiter.

Paula identifies with both the Dutch and the Spanish but notes; “It’s still weird for me to see such a big difference culturally.”

Strange stunt

THE British influencer Chloe Lopez has become the talk of social media, as she accepted yet another ‘challenge’ of leaving her underwear in public places. This time, the victim was

for the health of its customers, I will never buy bread at Mercadona again,” said another.

Stunned by Lopez’s action, people highlighted her behaviour as “dis -

Although Paula was raised bilingual, she felt rather lost in Spain during the first two years; “Even though I’m fluent in Spanish, there were a lot of things

In Spain, she learnt that you can’t have six appointments in one day and that there’s no use to hurry.

But she loves living here and believes; “In Spain, nothing goes as expected but everything works itself out in the end.”

THE Baden-Württemberg Public Swimming Pool Association in Germany has confirmed the integration of AI in swimming pools is expected to become increasingly common.

This follows a year-long pilot project at the Panorama-Bad in Freudenstadt.

Despite the ongoing shortage of lifeguards, this advancement does not imply that humans will be replaced by machines.

The pilot project involved training an AI system to monitor water movements and alert lifeguards to potential issues.

For instance, the AI camera can signal if it detects a person who is motionless in the water or if the pool becomes overcrowded.

While the system experienced several false alarms during its training phase - a normal part of machine learning - there have been no incidents requiring AI intervention to save lives thus far.

AI monitoring is currently being utilised in swimming pools in Freu-

AI lifeguards

denstadt and Karlsruhe, with other operators, such as those in Pforzheim, planning to adopt similar technologies.

The increased use of AI in swimming pools will necessitate that lifeguards become proficient in operating these systems.

Necdet Mantar of the Baden-Württemberg Public Swimming Pool Association explained that AI-related topics will be incorporated into the master

craftsman examinations for lifeguards. This approach aims to reduce apprehension and bias towards AI systems. While systems designed to detect drowning have been in use for years, the new AI-supported technology offers the advantage of identifying potentially dangerous movements before an emergency occurs. Importantly, the system does not store images, thereby maintaining privacy.

Paula Van Oudheusden Saenz; half Dutch, half Spanish, living in Spain.

Chloe Lopez on Instagram.

Credit: Chloe Lopez, Instagram

Image: YanLev Alexey / Shutterstock.com Currently being tested.

On the open road

CHRISTOPHE KHIDER, 53, has spent the last 29 years in prison and is not eligible for release until 2044.

Nonetheless, Khider will be allowed to leave high-security Vendin-le-Vieil prison for unsupervised driving lessons despite a record that includes multiple robberies and a murder as well as several escape attempts.

The Douai Appeals Court dismissed an objection from the Public Prosecution Office and upheld a lower court’s decision to allow Khider to leave prison for 10 lessons.

A statement from the UFA-UNSA prison employees union said it was “flabbergasted” by the Douai ruling and stressed that Khider was classed as a

gued that authorisation to take his driving test was part of the rehabilitation process for a prisoner with “above-average intelligence.”

Twenty-nine years had passed since the first time Khider was taken into custody, Violleau said, and it was 15 years since his last, and only successful, escape in February 2009. He was picked up the following

DRIVING TEST: Longterm French prisoner can take 10 unsupervised lessons.

“I have to tell you that part of my time is taken up with finding a way to escape,” he told an investigating judge afterwards.

The present decision to allow Khider to take unsupervised driving lessons was the “culmination of an extremely rigorous assessment,” Violleau insists.

“This shows that he is beyond reproach,” she added.

Bambie’s price

IRELAND’S 2024 Eurovision Song Contest entry, Bambie Thug’s Doomsday Blue which came sixth, cost national broadcaster RTE a total of €389,999. The largest part of the outlay went on the €101,090 European Broadcasting Union’s participation fee, although this was 3.18 per cent lower than the charge in 2023.

A long life

PHYLLIS FURNESS, believed to be Ireland’s oldest inhabitant, died in Galway on August 13 after celebrating her 109th birthday on May 23 at the nursing home where she lived. Born in Nottinghamshire (England) she and her husband, an angling enthusiast, retired to Ireland in 1981 to live near Lough Corrib.

EURO PRESS

BELGIUM

Flower power

A CORPSE FLOWER at the Meise Botanic Gardens reached a height of 3.225 metres, assuring it a place in the Guinness Book of Records, as it was 12 centimetres higher than the current record-holder. The huge flower, which blooms for only two or three days and emits a powerful stench, is also known as the Voodoo Lily.

MEISE RECORD: Botanic Gardens officials with the record plant.

Denmark trips

PRIVATE vehicles averaged a daily 5,471 journeys across the Oresund bridge linking Sweden and Denmark, 11 per cent up on the first six months of 2024. As cross-border commuting returned to normal levels, lorries accounted for only 1,619 crossings each day, a reduction of 2.6 per cent on the first half of 2023.

Net immigration

FOR the first time in more than 50 years, people leaving Sweden between January and May 2024 outnumbered arrivals, the government announced. Migration minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said that asylum applications were “historically low” and asylum-related residence permits continued to fall.

GERMANY FRANCE

IRELAND FINLAND NORWAY SWEDEN

Cab snag

A FLYING taxi initiative by Paris airport operator ADP and Germany’s Volocopter was unable to debut its airborne cabs as planned during the Olympics after engine certification delays. They now hope to introduce a passenger service with taxis taking off from a platform in the Seine by the end of the year.

Red alert

AS France’s wine consumption declines, winemakers, particularly in the big red wine-producing regions, face an excess accumulation of between four and five million hectolitres. Some are turning to exports but others are distilling their production into ‘white alcohol’ for the pharmaceutical and perfume industries.

ITALY

Colour blind

A MURAL outside the Olympic Committee offices in Rome that portrayed gold medallist Paola Egonu was sprayed with pink paint, obscuring the colour of her skin. Government and opposition parties condemned the racist gesture, while deputy PM Antonio Rajani wrote on X that Egonu “is our pride.”

Coin-op

AN Indian national was fined €550 and temporarily banned from Rome after entering the Trevi Fountain in an attempt to steal the coins that tourists traditionally throw there to assure their return to the city. The 40-year-old entered the fountain at 6.30pm but was immediately removed by patrolling police officers.

Warming up

THE Svalbard archipelago inside the Arctic Circle experienced its highest-ever August temperature on August 11, when Norway’s Meteorological Institute recorded 20C degrees at Svalbard airport. On average, the islands’ August temperatures should range between 6C and 9C degrees, weather experts said.

Legalise claim

GREEN PARTY leader Arild Hermstad called for the legalisation of cannabis, which he said would dismantle gangs and combat drug-related crime. The government’s existing strategy would not succeed, Hermstad claimed, suggesting that the State should take over the sale of cannabis to neutralise the illegal market.

PORTUGAL

Early tourists

DINOSAUR footprints made 120 million years ago, but now hidden between two vertical layers of rock, have been identified on a cliff at the Praia dos Arrifes beach in Albufeira. The site with 12 well-preserved footprints that can only be seen at low tide was originally documented in 2016 but was not studied until now.

Pay rise

AVERAGE pre-tax monthly salaries rose to €1,650 during the second quarter of this year, an increase of 6.4 per cent on the same period in 2023, the National Statistics Institute (INE) announced. The findings were based on analyses of the 4.7 million salaries of employees paying into the Social Security system.

Look elsewhere

DEFENCE minister Antti Hakkanen confirmed that the government was preparing legislation to prevent Russians from purchasing properties in Finland. He also revealed that several Russian attempts to buy Finnish real estate had been blocked over the last six months due to “concerns regarding their backgrounds.”

Old problem

FINLAND’S Navy is investigating the wreck of the Ilmarinen, a coastal defence vessel that sank in the Baltic during the Second World War. The ship hit a mine in September 1941 and its fuel tanks still hold 100,000 litres of fuel oil, which the authorities fear could start to seep from the increasingly-corroded vessel.

DENMARK

German visitors

MORE than 25 million foreign and domestic tourists spent at least one night in Denmark during the first six months of 2024, a 1.4 per cent increase on the same period last year. Statistics Denmark figures also showed a notable rise in visitors from Germany who accounted for 7.5 million of the bookings.

Bag it

SUPERMARKETS owned by the Coop Group will begin selling minced pork products in pillow-shaped bags instead of trays in September, hoping to save on plastic and packaging. It will be the first time the system is used for meat in Denmark but is already common in other countries, including the Netherlands.

Able to wed

SASHA SKOCHILENKO, jailed for two years for her anti-Ukraine invasion activities, was included in Russia’s August 1 prisoner exchange with the US. She now lives in Germany where she has married her partner, Sonya Subbotina, which was impossible in Russia, as Moscow does not recognise same-sex marriage.

Flying free

A NORWEGIAN without a ticket managed to board two flights at Munich airport by squeezing through behind another traveller as they scanned their boarding pass. The ruse was discovered on the first occasion because the aircraft was full, but a second attempt was more successful and he managed to fly to Stockholm.

NETHERLANDS

Match point

POLICE unions intensified their campaign for a new early retirement scheme by deciding to time meetings to coincide with top division football matches, leaving key games without a police presence. “Football matches in particular highlight just how difficult policing can be,” the Politie In Actie union said.

Fireraiser

AN 2022 Audi Q3 E-Tron belonging to Leeuwarden mayor Sybrand Buma was set on fire in his driveway during the early hours of the morning of August 13. The badly damaged hybrid car had to be towed away by a salvage company, firefighters said afterwards, and police investigators now suspect arson.

FEEL free in nature in El Fonoll, a 1,000-year-old village in the heart of Catalonia, which has become a hotspot for nudists.

El Fonoll is located in central Catalonia, in the Corb River valley region.

Natural in nature

Starting in 1998, El Fonoll has been restored into a naturist resort, ‘amid a magnificent natural environment’, as stated on their tourism site.

and packaged produce, including locally-produced wines and artisan foods.

Not just a place to get naked, the naturist resort offers 200 hectares of forested estate providing a vast land to fill with tracks and hikes, and ‘enjoy healthy living without clothes’, as described by the resort, adding that ‘when the weather permits’.

live ‘in harmony with nature’.

There is accommodation on offer for visitors and facilities open to the public, allowing anyone and everyone to come and

All you can fly

WIZZ AIR has announced a new scheme for frequent yers, but is it too good to be true?

The Hungarian ultra-low-cost airline has a new scheme - ‘All You Can Fly’ - unlimited ights for an annual subscription fee. It sounds like a good deal.

Yet the title has divided passenger opinions, with some praising the seemingly low cost of €499 (£426) providing great value on trips, with the airline reporting being “overwhelmed” by the positive response.

However, others have been more wary of the airline’s scheme, recalling their own experience of ight delays and disruptions, and remaining suspicious of the scheme’s terms and services.

Accommodation in the resort ranges from apartments, camping, bunkhouses and cabins.

El Fonoll is a fully functioning village, equipped with supermarkets stocked with fresh

O cially starting in September, Wizz Air markets its new membership scheme as allowing frequent yers to “save money, visit friends and family more regularly and spontaneously visit o -the-beatentrack destinations.”

According to the airline, it sold out in most markets within 24 hours, but some customers have been alerting to what they describe as a ‘catch’, pointing out that the scheme

only allows for passengers to book ights up to three days before departure, and an extra fee of €10 must be paid per ight.

Additionally, ights do not include ‘trolley bags’ to stow in overhead compartments or checked baggage, and, whether you get the ight or not is dependent on whether there are any seats left.

Finally, the scheme is limited to just 10,000 people, with many of the spots already sold according to the airline.

Additionally, the resort has a community dining room that opens at regular meal times, offering all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffets, usually ending the night with ‘music and dancing in the adjoining ballroom’ as said on the resort’s website.

Wizz Air introduces new scheme ‘All You Can Fly’.

Credit: Shutterstock

COSTA BLANCA NORTH

Finestrat 2024

Donna Williams

FINESTRAT’S August festivities began on August 17 and will continue until August 25. There is still plenty to look forward to.

Thursday August 22

Highlights include the parade through La Cala at 4.00pm and the ‘Mascleta’ in the European Union Square, which will proceed after the proclamation in the Torreta Square. Expect this to be a noisy one as the Spanish do like to make a bang!

Friday August 23

Dedicated to the younger generation, activities include the fiesta train from 11.30am to 2.00pm and from 4.00pm to 6.00pm. A playground in the European Union Square will be available from 12.30pm. The day will finish with mu-

sic from DJs Ismael Lora, Jose Conca and Jose Coll until the early hours.

Saturday August 24

Highlights for Saturday include the popular Great Comedy Parade at 7.00pm, followed by DJ Rollazo providing the tunes in the European Union Square until midnight.

Sunday August 25

A lunch in ‘gratitude to our elders’ will be held at 2.00pm, dedicated to the senior residents of Fi-

nestrat, and organised by Finestrat Town Council.

With this being the final day, it is set to go off in style with a grand fireworks display at midnight that Vulcano Pyrotechnics has choreographed. This will take place at the ‘Parc Font de Carre’ and will be followed by the La Platino Orchestra music in the Town Square.

The full schedule can be found by visiting www. ayto-finestrat.es.

Open-air Music

THROUGHOUT July and August, nine concerts have been planned each taking place on a Thursday at the Placa de l’Aigua in Altea from 9.00pm. As we come to the end, there are just two more remaining, both of which promise to bring a new cultural experience.

The first will take place on August 22, when Sons d’Embat will perform. Considered by many a folk group, these six musicians will deliver a unique interpretation of some of

the more popular Mediterranean songs, adapting them to their style. Hailing from Valencia, Catalonia, and Andalucia, their instruments include voice, diatonic accordion, flamenco guitar, cello, violin, ethnic flutes, square tambourine, and a percussion section.

Then, bringing the open-air music to a close on August 29, Luis Prado & Band will deliver a piano concert. The Spanish pop singer, pianist and composer also founded

the band Señor Mostaza. He is a sought-after session musician who has recorded and toured with M Clan, Miguel Rios, Malcolm Scarpa, Tequila and Caballero Reynaldo, among many others. Tickets for each concert cost €10 (or €8 if purchased online) and are available at www.alteacultural.com. Alternatively, they can be purchased in person at the Casa de Cultura or at the box office one hour before each concert is due to start.

Credit: Facebook: Finestrat

Beach festival

BENIDORM is gearing up to be even more vibrant (if that’s possible!), with an upcoming beach festival scheduled to take place between Thursday, August 29, and Sunday, September 1. This festival is being hailed as the ‘biggest bachata all-in-one festival’ and promises to be an exciting extravaganza filled with entertainment.

The event lineup boasts an impressive array of performers, including Frank Santos, Carlos Espinosa, Alfredo & Andrea, Alex JT & Adriana, Natali, Falco, and Lety. In addition to the musical performances, there will be exciting pool parties and engaging social nights. This event is anticipated to draw over 3,000 attendees, promising a fantastic atmosphere.

The highlight of the Beach Festival will un-

doubtedly be a concert by Prince Royce. A Latin superstar and multi-platinum award-winning singer/songwriter, Prince Royce has scored 17 #1 radio hits and won more than 80 awards and recognitions. Some of his collaborations include Shakira, Chris Brown, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Snoop Dogg and Pitbull to name a few.

This incredible event will take place at the Gran Hotel Bali, Calle del Actor Luis Prendes 4, 03502, Benidorm.

Prices for a Full Pass, including all parties, workshops, event shows, and access to the concert, start from €130. There is also an option to purchase a Full Pass but without the concert and that starts from €75.

Passes and accommodation at the Gran Hotel Bali can be booked via www.goanddan ce.com.

Bike show

GET ready for the highly anticipated 12th Costa Blanca Custom Bike Show, set to rev up on Sunday, August 25. This annual tradition is open to all and offers free admission. It’s a day packed with thrills and entertainment, especially for riders and bike enthusiasts.

The show’s reputation for its warm and inclusive atmosphere has drawn over 1,000 visitors each summer, and this year’s event will be no exception.

The highlight of the event will undoubtedly be the unique bikes on display, which never fail to impress. True to form, there promises to be a vast array of motorcycles to marvel at again this year. However, the excitement doesn’t stop there. There will be something for everyone in the family to enjoy, ranging from cold beer, live music, interesting shops, tempting food stalls, and a delicious

BBQ. In addition to these attractions, there will be five prestigious trophies awaiting their rightful owners, including an audience choice award. As an extra incentive, cash prizes will be awarded to the lucky winners.

As it does every year, the Bike Show will take place at Eucalyptus Park, full address Avenida Oscar Espla 11, 03581 Albir. The fun begins at 10.00am, and the Show closes at 6.00pm.

Joy of Shopping

ON Thursday, August 22, Moraira’s Urban Centre will be buzzing with anticipation for the 13th edition of ‘Shopping Night,’ a highly anticipated event that has become a highlight of the municipality’s summer calendar.

From 8.00pm to midnight, the event will transform the streets into a vibrant hub of activity as local businesses showcase their products in a festive and lively atmosphere.

The ‘Shopping Night’ is organised by the Association of Entrepreneurs and Merchants of Teulada Moraira (AECO) in collaboration with the Department of Development of the Teulada Town Council, under the direction of Pilar Vidal. This event aims to rejuvenate patronage of

local businesses and create an inviting ambience for residents and visitors alike.

As part of the tradition, the evening will be filled with musical entertainment in the main shopping streets, along with showcases, tastings, discounts, and extended opening hours for participating establishments until

midnight. This event not only strengthens the bond between merchants and customers but also promotes leisure and cultural engagement in the heart of Moraira, making ‘Shopping Night’ a community-driven occasion for those who appreciate the joy of shopping and a vibrant atmosphere.

Donna Williams

Credit: javeaconnect.co.uk

Street Music

TO boost local commerce, the Department of Economic Dynamisation, together with the Federation of Javea Organisations (Forxa), organised a series of music and dance shows throughout August.

As we move into the latter half of the month, several

incredible performances remain to look forward to. On Thursday, August 22, get ready to be blown away by the sounds of the German Blues Trio as they take over Calle Andres Lambert with their mesmerising African-American music. The following day, on August 23, the talen-

ted Summer mic will grace the Plaza de Baix / Placeta Convent with an unmissable performance. To wrap up the month on a high note, mark your calendars for August 30, when The Renegades will be igniting the Church Square with their mix of soul, blues, funk, rock and reggae.

Beatlemania

Donna Williams

IF you are a fan of The Beatles’ iconic sound, then you won’t want to miss The Flaming Shakers, who are widely regarded as the foremost European tribute. The good news is that they will perform at the El Parador Hotel in Javea on August 23, from 9.30pm.

Endorsed by critics, they offer an unparalleled experience; an immersive journey through time, artfully recreating the iconic music and image that profoundly impac-

ted a society yearning for change and artistic exploration.

BUTTERFLIES

In addition to the musical extravaganza, don’t miss out on the daily craft market at the Arenal.

And on August 29, brace yourself for an afternoon filled with the rhythmic magic of ‘Clandestine Lindy Hop’ led by the esteemed Lindy Hop School. The festivities will kick off at 8.00pm, right next to the tourist office.

Carrer Pare Pere, 19, Denia, Alicante

We are open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 24:00 www.reinamoradenia.com

Their tribute not only evokes nostalgia in those who lived through the era but also introduces younger generations to the electrifying essence of experiencing The Beatles’ music live. Said to be the next best thing to listening to the actual Beatles, The Flaming Shakers deliver a musical extravaganza of some of their timeless classics and chart-topping hits from their heyday as that famous quartet from Liverpool, England.

Menu August SALAD • COUSCOUS OR TAGINE • DESSERT AND A

Book with us:

You will have dinner on a table to enjoy the concer t TAPAS MENU WITH 5 DIFFERENT DISHES AND A DRINK INCLUDED 35 EUROS (Inc. admission to the concert)

Aside from the music, their attention to detail is what really makes them a standout tribute. They have meticulously crafted the image and gestures of ‘the Fab Four’ even down to the famous Beatle hairstyle. With their authentic-looking instruments and exceptionally detailed costumes, you will feel like you have been transported back to the 60s! Ticket prices start from €18 and can be purchased via www.event brite.es.

La Paz 63, Jacarilla, Alicante 03310

Holi festival

EXPERIENCE the vibrant and energetic spirit of Bollywood dances and the rich, vivid colours of India at the unique Holi Hindu festival at Terra Natura Benidorm. This dazzling spectacle, set to take place on Saturday, August 24, at 11.00am, is not to be missed. With over 200 kilos of pigmented powders and more than 5,000 bottles of coloured water meticulously prepared, this year’s celebration will mark the 52nd birthday of their beloved elephant Petita.

Petita’s story is one of resilience and hope, as she was once shunned by her own herd for not meeting the conventional standards of beauty within her species. Today, she symbolises strength, perseverance, and friendship.

As the festivities kick off at the park’s en-

trance in the Pangea area, visitors will be treated to enchanting Bollywood dance performances. As part of the warm welcome, both men and women will have the unique opportunity to receive the traditional bindi or tilak on their foreheads. This crimson dot, deeply significant in Hindu culture, represents enlightenment and wisdom at the sixth chakra level. After a captivating display of birds of prey, the Indian delegation will proceed to Petita’s habitat, bearing a heartfelt offering of specially prepared fruits and vegetables for Petita. The devoted zookeepers will then adorn the gentle giant with intricate, colourful paintings, adding to the joyous ambience. This special moment will be marked with a heartfelt rendition of the traditional ‘happy birthday’ song. Following this, visitors will partake in the much-anticipated and exhilarating battle of colours.

Horseback riding

EMBARK on an unforgettable horseback riding experience through the stunning mountains of Villajoyosa, just a short 10-minute drive from Benidorm. The location is also conveniently situated just five minutes from the Villajoyosa motorway exit, making it easily accessible. Choose from a variety of routes, including relaxed one-hour rides, slightly longer hour-and-a-half excursions, and more extensive two-hour journeys, all led by a seasoned instructor and suitable for riders of all skill levels.

As you arrive, you’ll have the opportunity to meet your knowledgeable guide and familiarise yourself with your equine companion before commencing your journey. Throughout the adventure, you’ll be

treated to breathtaking views of the picturesque mountain landscape, making for an unforgettable ride through the scenic countryside. Whether you opt for a onehour, hour-and-a-half, or two-hour route, you’re sure to have an enriching and enjoyable experience navigating the mountains of Villajoyosa.

This excursion is not suitable for children under 10 years old, and all riders need to wear long trousers. In addition, a weight limit of 110kg has been applied to protect the animal’s welfare.

Prices start from €40 per person, with a minimum of two and a maximum of nine participants. Full details are available at www.getyourguide.com

Donna Williams

Credit: Facebook: TerraNaturaZoo

Credit: getyourguide.com

Tirolinas Go!

ARE you in the mood for an exhilarating adventure that will make you feel like ‘Tarzan’ for a day? Located in a natural setting in La Nucia, this park offers an array of thrilling adventures amidst the trees. You can soar down zip lines that stretch up to 300 metres, some of which are even double lines, making you feel like the king of the jungle as you navigate through the course using vines.

Tirolinas Go has over 70 games for all skill levels, inclu-

enjoy authentic Mediterranean cuisine with the most beautiful beaches in La Marina just 2 minutes away

ding nets, bridges, and zip lines. There are two circuits: ‘Family’ and ‘Sport’. Children five or older can join in if they meet height requirements and are with an adult. The family circuit has four modules increasing in height and difficulty, featuring walkways, bridges, vines, and nets, with 28 games and four zip lines.

The Sport circuit is desig-

ned for individuals aged 11 and up, with 13-year-olds able to participate without adult accompaniment. It has 47 games, including four zip lines and a unique 300-metre zip line. It also features a ‘jump into the void’ element for added excitement. All games have escape routes for more accessible play to ensure everyone has an enjoyable time.

Moreover, they have implemented Forest Experience’s innovative ‘Continuous Lifeline’ system to ensure participants’ safety. This advanced safety feature ensures that users are securely harnessed from the moment they leave the ground until they return to land.

Prices start from €20 per child and €25 per adult, and tickets can be purchased www.tirolinasgo.com

Riu Grande, 1, 03779 Dénia, Alicante 965 75 53 32

Of fering a wide variety of amazing rice dishes and burgers to spectacular pastries and sweets.

Carr. de les Marines a Dénia, 196, 03700 Dénia, Alicante.

625 77 52 45

Chiringuitos & Beach Bars

AS the scorching temperatures of August start to fade away and we transition into the delightful warmth of September, we witness a gradual decline in the tourist crowds, allowing the beaches to return to being tranquil and inviting.

With this in mind, why not indulge in relaxation and serenity at one of the numerous chiringuitos and beach bars dotting the picturesque coastline of Costa Blanca North? Here are just a few of them to inspire you:

Coconuts: Calpe

Coconuts is a unique, family-friendly restaurant and cocktail bar located on the shores of Levante Beach. The establishment boasts an extensive menu featuring pizzas and dishes suitable for all ages. What sets Coconuts apart is its tropical Caribbean ambience and comfortable terrace that offers breathtaking sea views.

Cala Clemence Beach Bar: Javea Cala Clemence is located along the picturesque seafront, gracing the most exquisite cove in the Mediterranean, Cala del Portixol. The bohemian decor further enhances the enchanting aura, creating an idyllic paradise. Meticulous service and a delightful selection of fresh Mediterranean fare, alongside the finest cocktails, aim to elevate the senses and transport patrons to blissful contentment.

Chiringuito Olala: Benissa

Within the tranquil shade of pine trees in the beautiful town of Benissa, Chiringuito Olala emanates a truly unique and captivating charm. This hidden gem offers an idyllic dining experience atop a picturesque cliff overlooking the sparkling sea. The restaurant boasts a splendid terrace that provides a breathtaking panoramic view of the sea and the iconic El Penon de Ifach.

Sunset Tours

Donna Williams

DURING the long, scorching summer months, one of the best things to look forward to is the warm, pleasant evenings. This is the perfect time to plan a sunset cruise or boat trip and make the most of the beautiful weather. If you’re in Denia, you have several fantastic options to choose from. Here are some examples to help ignite your imagination:

Sunset Catamaran Cruise

Leaving from Denia Pier, the catamaran sails across the bay as you take in the views of the Denia coast, cliffs, caves, castle, faraway

mountains, and, of course, the beautiful sunset with cava in hand.

Summer prices are €22 per person and the cruise takes approximately 1.5 to two hours.

Catamaran Sailing Trip

This trip can be taken from either Denia or Javea, depending on your preference. Marvel at the sunset over the Costa Blanca mountains as you relax on board the catamaran, savouring the picturesque end to the day. Once the sun has set, the catamaran will take you back to your starting point.

Summer prices are €16 per

person and the trip takes roughly one to 1.5 hours.

Electric Sailboat Cruise with Dolphin Sighting

Cruising the stunning Denia coastline and Cabo de San Antonio at sunset, you can enjoy a tranquil ambience as you look for dolphins and whales. This cruise is led by an expert marine guide, further enhancing the trip. It is limited to 10 people at a time, and as you might imagine, it is extremely popular.

Summer prices are €75 per person and the trip takes approximately 2.5 hours. Full details can be found at www.getyourguide.com.

Carrer

Rat

Pack

Donna Williams

IF you yearn for a time when musicians oozed class and style, then you are in luck because Bellavista Restaurant is hosting another Rat Pack Swing Night Concert, performed by Kenny of ‘Kenny’s Musical Cabaret’ fame.

Come along on Saturday August 24 for an unforgettable evening of the big band sound as he pays tribute to the iconic era of jazz and swing. Step back in time and immerse yourself in the timeless classics from legendary musicians such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, and Ray Charles, to name a few.

Aside from the live music, Bellavista offers a delightful dining experience with superb food including traditional paellas and grilled meats cooked with natural firewood to obtain the best flavour and aroma. Pair your meal with a selection of fine wines and refreshing beers as you relax at this stunning garden restaurant, atop a mountain.

The performance will begin at 8.30pm, and if last time is any indication, it will be extremely popular. Therefore, it is strongly advisable to contact the restaurant directly at 0034 605 373 333 to reserve a table.

The full address of the venue is Bellavista Restaurant Monte Pego, Calla de las Rosas 14, Pego.

Kenny will be performing at Bellavista Restaurant

Food Festival

THE highly anticipated Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival of 2024 is held from August 16 until August 25, in the Danish world-class gastronomy metropolis.

The annual festival will mark its 20th anniversary, paying tribute to top chefs contributing to Danish gastronomy. At least 80,000 visitors are expected to participate, celebrating and renovating Nordic cuisine and sharing national, as well as personal cooking secrets.

This year, the Festival’s headliner is the nutritious

and delicious product; cabbage. Throughout nine days, cooking experts will share their favourite recipes featuring cabbage, from grilled servings and crispy salads to everything in between.

Every year, the Festival chooses a town across the globe to discover its authentic local cuisine; in 2024, it

is Flanders in northern Belgium. Known as a UNESCO-recognised Belgian beer hub and a top chocolate producer; the inventor of pralines, the town’s rich gastronomy will be thoroughly studied and celebrated.

The city will also present its Flemish concept of ‘Goesting’; a craving for the good things in life; when it

comes to food, this means Michelin chefs, local produce and home-made dishes made with love.

From Italian summer dinners to traditional Polish dishes, the Festival teaches visitors how to make unique dishes and score products of the highest quality, to make cooking a real cultural and personal treat.

Fisherman found alive

A FISHERMAN, reported lost in the storms on Wednesday August 14, was found alive and safe after getting caught up in the extreme weather.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms caused chaos across the Balearic Islands for a couple of days and the fisherman, who hasn’t been named, found himself out of his depth, quite literally, when storms hit the coast of Formentera.

Reported missing by family and friends after the storm hit, the rescue operation was launched immediately. The Maritime Safety and Rescue team began an active search of the La Mola area of Formentera and the fisherman was found alive on his boat around 5.6km to the south of the island.

The search was supported by aeroplane, helicopter and patrol car.

Weather warnings in the Balearics continued for the rest of the week, although by the weekend the weather was back to normal.

Copenhagen Cooking and Food Festival is a real cultural treat.

Credit: Copenhagen Cooking, Facebook

Wrong location

POP star Katy Perry is under investigation for filming her latest music video ‘Lifetimes’ in ecologically sensitive dunes in the Balearic Islands.

The music video for Perry’s latest song, Lifetimes, was released on August 9, showcasing the pop star living her best life, lounging on the beaches and partying on the islands of Ibiza and Formentera. However, not everyone was impressed.

Spanish environmental authorities spotted that some scenes were filmed in protected dunes on the isle of S’Es palmador and raised an alarm; this dune system is an unin habited islet to the north of Formentera, and has been part of the Ses Salines de Ibiza and Formentera Natural Park since 1980.

On August 14, the Environment department of the Balearic Islands issued an official claim that Katy Perry’s video production company hadn’t obtained the necessary authorisation before filming the music video.

The department stated that al though filming in the area was not a “crime against the environment,”

Perry’s team failed to obtain the authorisation for “cinematographic or videographic” reports with “commercial exhibition purpose.”

A label spokesperson for Katy Perry spoke out, stating that “the local video production company assured us all necessary permits for the video were secured.” They stated to the BBC; “Our crew received verbal approval on July 26 to proceed with the filming on July 27. We adhered to all regulations associated with filming in this area.”

ZERO-HOUR contracts, or informal employment, keep the employee vulnerable, and the rate in Europe remains high in several countries.

Informal employment refers to work without a contract, legal protection or social security, and opens the worker up to potential problems.

According to the International Labour Organisation, in 2023, 58 per cent of the global workforce is engaged in informal employment; removing agricultural workers, the figure then drops to 50 per cent.

In Europe, informal employment accounted for one in five workers, and while it is lower than the global average, a considerable number of workers in European countries still work under zero-hour or ‘casual’ contracts.

According to the International Labour Organisation’s dataset for 2023, Hungary and Poland hold the highest rates of infor-

Informal employment

mal employment among EU countries, with 17.8 per cent and 9.8 per cent, respectively.

For context, in other EU member states informal employment is much less prevalent, with rates falling below 2 per cent in a third of EU countries.

The UK’s informal employment rate for 2018, the last recorded dataset, stands at 6.5 per cent,

the highest rate among Europe’s top five economies.

Professor Mihails Hazans, who has extensively researched informal work across the continent, attributes this to the fact that “a written contract is not required in the UK,” in addition to the gig economy, which often lacks formal contracts.

Katy Perry in her latest music video Lifetimes.

Credit: Katy Perry, Instagram

Credit: Shutterstock

Informal employment is dangerous for the employee due to the lack of legal and social protection.

FINANCE

BUSINESS EXTRA

Olympic figures

COMPARED with the previous week, sales of wine went up by 35 per cent in the UK on the evening of Friday July 26, as the British settled down to watch the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games. Viewers bought 60 per cent more nuts, while crisps sales rose by 10 per cent.

Fine thing

THE Bank of Spain fined Wizink €2.7 million for ‘offering and marketing’ revolving credit cards in 2018 and 2019. The online bank failed to inform clients that the debt resulting from use of the card was ‘rolled over’ each month, incurring interest rates of up to 20 per cent, Spain’s banking regulator said.

Offer accepted

INVESTMENT and financial services firm Hargreaves Lansdown has agreed to a £5.44 billion (€6.37 billion) takeover from a consortium that includes Abu Dhabi’s wealth fund. Under the offer, which must be approved by shareholders, investors will receive 1,110p (€11.84) and a dividend of 30p (€0.35) per share.

Inflation down

SPAIN’S overall inflation fell to 2.8 per cent in July, while food inflation dipped to 3.1 per cent, its lowest since October 2021, Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) revealed. Cheaper fruit and moving olive oil to the group of foodstuffs without the IVA value added tax contributed to the reduction, INE said.

No obligation

AMALGAMATED HOLDINGS

WILKINSON LIMITED (AHWL) the company belonging to the Wilkinson family which founded the bankrupted Wilko chain, have no plans to plug their employees’ £70 million (€81.9 million) pension hole. Lawyers believe that they are under no obligation to do so, AHWL said.

STAT OF WEEK

€1.75 billion

in Caixabank financing for hotels and the tourist accommodation sector during the first six months of 2024, 43 per cent up on the same period last year.

Hefty BT stake changes hands

INDIAN billionaire Sunil Mittal, who has a net worth of around $19.7 billion (€18.03 billion), is buying a 24.5 per cent stake in BT.

The acquisition from another billionaire businessman, French-Israeli Patrick Drahi, will make Bharti Global - the investment division of the Mittal family’s telecommunications’ group Bharti Enterprises - BT’s largest sharehol der.

BT welcomed the deal on August 12.

“This scale of investment from Bhar ti Global is a great vote of confidence in the future of BT Group and our strategy,” BT’s chief executive Allison Kirkby declared.

Bharti Enterprises will first of all acquire a 9.99 per cent holding in BT, followed by the re maining 14.51 per cent once this has received security clearance from the UK government.

Bharti is applying voluntarily

for clearance although the threshold for this type of transaction is 25 per cent, the group said.

A Bharti Enterprises’ statement to the London Stock Exchange also made clear that it has “no intention” of making a bid to take over BT.

Details of the sums involved were not disclosed, although New Street Research analysts quoted by the Telegraph , said the 9 per cent stake was worth about £980 million (€1.15 million).

It is no secret that Patrick Drahi’s telecommunications and media company Altice, is burdened by a €60 billion debt pile and has been in crucial talks with lenders over the last few months.

The company has been hit by rapidly-increasing interest rates and is also having to handle accusations of corruption that triggered a criminal investigation in Portugal.

Not much of a bargain

SPAIN’S railway operator Renfe saved €1.15 billion in 2016 by selecting Talgo to build and maintain new high speed trains. Siemens, Alstom, Bombardier and Spanish company, CAF, all put in higher tenders but the Talgo bid, 43 per cent below the contract’s €2.64 billion limit, was less of a bargain than it appeared at the time.

The first consignment of Talgo Avril 106 trains were to be deli-

vered within 38 months but only arrived in April 2024 after Renfe put in a claim for €116 million, plus €50 million for loss of earnings.

Renfe said on August 10 that 11 of the trains which came into service in May were operative but another 11 were not, owing to “faults and other circumstances.”

There have now been 479 “incidents” linked to the new trains,

one with a “domino effect” that involved 11,768 passengers and will cost Renfe €390,000 in compensation payments.

Historically normal Towers of strength Power from Scotland

BRITAIN’S energy regulator

Ofgem has givens the goahead to a £4.3 billion (€5.03 billion) electricity ‘superhighway’.

A 300-mile (483-kilometre) undersea cable - the country’s longest - will transport electricity from offshore windfarms in north-east Scotland to Yorkshire in the north of England.

Once installed, this first phase of the Eastern Green Link will transport enough electricity to power two million homes and businesses for an hour, Ofgem said. Work is due to begin later this year, and should be completed by 2029.

UBS repeated its Cellnex Telecom ‘buy’ recommendation and maintained its €41.1 target share price, suggesting a 23 per cent increase in value for the Spanish telecommunication towers group.

Not only UBS, but also analysts at Sabadell and Bankinter have approved the recent sale of Cellnex’s Austrian business which they described as “positive.” Cellnex chief executive Marco Patuano maintained that the €803 million sale to an investor consortium was a step further towards a “new chapter” for the company.

“This is in line with a strategy that centres on consolidation, on simplifying our structure and focusing our efforts on opportunities for growth in the principal markets where we operate,” Patuano said.

THE UK’S grocery inflation rate rose 1.8 per cent in the four weeks ending on August 4, Kantar World Panel revealed. This was the first food inflation increase in 17 consecutive months, with vitamins, diet supplements, drinks and chocolate amongst the most affected items.

Despite the rise, Kantar’s Retail and Consumer Insight chief, Fraser McKevitt, said that grocery inflation had now returned to a “historically-normal level.”

While this was especially noticeable after 17 months of falling rates, the latest figure signalled a return to average levels over the five years that preceded the onset of the cost-of-living crisis, McKevitt added.

HSBC pledged that it would not close any outlets until 2026 at the earliest.

Since 2015, Britain’s high street banks have between them closed more than 6,000 branches, of which 743 belonged to HSBC.

According to UK media reports, the bank now wants to reassure customers, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, that its promise to keep all of its 327 branches open this year will extend to 2025 “and probably beyond.”

The bank also intends to spend £50 million (€58.5 million) on renovating its offices.

GRIFOLS shares fell by 5 per cent to €8.22 on August 13, after Los Angeles law firm Schall launched a class action lawsuit against the Barcelona pharmaceuticals company. The company’s shares are listed both in Spain and the US and Schall Law maintained that Grifols issued “false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors.”

Shareholders in the company, targeted by short-sellers Gotham City Research in January 2024, have been invited to contact Schall Law to discuss their rights, free of charge.

SPANISH households’ disposable income grew by 1.5 per cent during 2024’s first quarter, according to Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) figures. This was also comfortably above the average 0.9 per cent increase for OECD member countries.

Although Spain’s disposable income has now climbed for two consecutive quarters, this latest rise was less pronounced than 2023’s last quarter which was up 3.74 per cent on the previous three months.

SUNIL MITTAL: Indian billionaire has acquired 25 per cent of BT Photo

Photo credit: CC/Falk2

TALGO: An Avril 106 train waits at Valencia’s AVE station.

3I Group 3.142,00 3.148,00 3.108,00 207,77K

Group 3.043,00 3.048,00 2.973,00 206,95K Airtel Africa 111,3 111,8 110,9 323,78K

American 2.184,50 2.195,00 2.176,50 549,38K Antofagasta 1.878,00 1.890,50 1.873,00 140,67K

Group 5.266,00 5.317,00 5.254,00 118,96K

British Foods 2.500,00 2.507,00 2.487,00 93,02K

13.136,00 13.206,00 13.130,00 295,71K Auto Trader Group Plc 818 821,4 814,8 297,31K Aviva 500,4 504,8 499,5 1,24M

B&M European Value Retail SA 446,5 449 445,3 418,63K BAE Systems 1.358,50 1.362,50 1.355,50 819,75K

227,87 228,79 225,35 7,94M Barratt Developments 539,6 542,2 535,6 455,4K Beazley 746,5 748 739,79 366,69K Berkeley 5.270,00 5.330,00 5.265,00 43,88K BP 439,75 446,6 439,45 6,07M

789K

3.228,00 3.254,00 3.224,00 78,32K

Group 678,8 685,4 666,4 915,93K

127,7 128,2 127,05 1,96M

2.756,00 2.738,00 90,29K

2.385,00 2.390,00

Not happy

VODAFONE and Jazztel received more complaints from their clients than any other telecommunications companies in Spain last year, according to the annual report from the government’s Telecommunications Consumer Service Centre (OAUT). Digi and Pepephone, in contrast, received the fewest.

Biggest yet

ASTRAZENECA became Britain’s first £200 billion (€234 billion) company after shares in the pharmaceuticals colossus rose by 1 per cent on August 13. Already the largest London-listed company ahead of Shell and HSBC, its shares have soared by 21 per cent this year.

Shein eyes the Midlands

SHEIN is said to be looking for a UK warehouse as the Chinese fast fashion group prepares for a £50 billion (€58.4 billion) London Stock Market float.

The company, originally founded in Nanjing (China) but now based in Singapore, is believed to be interested in buildings with a minimum area of around 28,000 square metres and up to as much as 56,000 square metres.

Despite the rumours, a Shein spokesperson stressed that Shein was

“actively exploring” warehousing locations world-

Going strong

DURALEX, the French company producing the table and glassware accompanying many a modest Spanish Menu del Dia, will become a cooperative.

After 20 years of financial setbacks and a suspension of payments announced in April, the iconic firm’s 226 employees have rescued the firm taken over in 2021 by International Cookware, which also owns Pyrex.

To avoid bankruptcy, an Orleans court authorised Duralex workers to take over the brand as a cooperative company, which gives them 51 per cent of the capital and the deciding vote on key issues.

Turning Duralex into a cooperative was a “more solid solution” for the company’s future than two offers received from other companies, the Orleans tribunal concluded.

wide.

“Shein has no immediate plans to acquire warehouse space in the UK,” the statement continued.

Nevertheless, UK media reports revealed that Shein is focusing on the Midlands and what is known as the ‘Gold Logistics Triangle’, that covers 289 square miles (approximately 748,507 square kilometres). According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures, this area is within a four-hour drive from 90 per cent of the UK population.

Shein switched original plans for a New York listing following misgivings in the US owing to its clear links to China.

In the UK, Shein has been in touch with senior politicians regarding the future listing and, according to media reports, ‘confidentially’ submitted the preliminary paperwork with Financial Conduct Authority in June.

Early days

TENNIS star Rafa Nadal and Cantabria Labs spent €1.2 million on the October 2023 launch of NDL Pro-Health, a diet supplement specifically aimed at sportspeople. Accounts submitted to the Registro Mercantil by their company Canra 2022 revealed sales of €42,904 and a loss of €878,948 owing to personnel costs of €300,000 and other overheads of more than €800,000.

MANOLO BLAHNIK sales fell to £91.2 million (€106.8 million) in 2023, 10 per cent down on 2022, while profits dipped almost one-third to £13.2 million (€15.45 million). The sought-after shoe brand has been affected by reduced spending on high-end fashion, especially in the US and China, although the company insisted that results were “robust.”

SHEIN: One of the online group’s temporary pop-up shops.

Anxiety of flying

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

NEVER really been too keen on flying. Even after my extended affair with an attractive female crew member during which I also became friends with a number of airline pilots, did I ever really take to rising into the ‘great blue yonder’ ensconced in in a tin tube with rockets or windmills attached.

In fact, I remember on one occasion I had been appearing in Sweden and on discovering that my flight back would entail two take offs and two landings, subsequently changed my passage to a somewhat antique cargo boat, which on reflection was probably far more risky than my original means of transport.

This anxiety of flying probably started as a young lad. Around the age of 15 I was on the Eastbourne sea-front watching a seaplane touch down off the coast. The plane was carrying a number of high ranking air force personnel who were attending a conference to be hosted

by the Duke of Edinburgh; luckily because of a business appointment the Duke was following later aboard a helicopter. As the plane skimmed across the water it suddenly hit a half-submerged object which stopped it dead and plunged the nose straight down into the choppy sea.

Later the plane was attached to ropes and I joined other volunteers in pulling it closer to the shore. The divers went down to search for bodies. I was observing one stretcher being carried past me up the beach when the victim’s jacketed arm suddenly dropped down at the side.

The sleeve was decorated with gold arm bands and insignia depicting the prominence of the owner. I remember thinking that if Air Force personal of this caliber could be killed in an air accident, then no one was actually that safe. Oddly, since then on many subsequent flights, I have experienced a number of problems, including three aborted landings. On one journey from Africa to Saudi Arabia, we were actually at the halfway point when I heard one of the plane’s two engines change pitch and slowly fall into silence.

After a short while the pilot came on to announce we had lost an engine and would be returning to Kenya for attention. He then tried to ease the situation by telling us the plane was ok on one engine! That certainly didn’t help me too much as we now actually only had one more to go! I subsequently proceeded to get hopelessly drunk on the half-bottle of brandy I was planning to smuggle into Jeddah. Frankly I don’t remember much else, but we obviously made it. Or did we? Am I now on a different plane altogether? On another occasion in 1972 I actually drove by the wreckage some 10 minutes after BEA 548 crashed at Staines. I well remember being horrified at witnessing large numbers of paper cups and serviettes blowing across the road from the accident which killed 118 people. Worry not; the odds on a fatal crash are millions to one against. Sit back, relax, and partake a large one (or two). Believe me, there are far more risks on your transport to the airport - or so they say!

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.

Drink preferences

SPAIN is worldknown for its ability to relax and enjoy the simpler leisures of life, like enjoying a caña de cerveza, or a small beer.

However, times are changing and with it goes the traditional choice of drink, as the consumption of beer in Spain has reduced by 14.03 per cent in the first half of this year.

On the other hand, a clara or shandy, the combination of beer and lemonade or soda, which is more refreshing and has lower alcohol content, has shot up in popularity by 35.4 per cent in the same period.

Although not everyone has simply swapped drinks but instead removed them altogether, with the nation’s overall alcohol consumption decreasing by 2.64 per cent in the first half of this year.

These figures refer to a report carried out by the Delectatech platform, which analysed the comments on digital platforms of more than 250,000 hospitality establishments throughout Spain.

Much of the change in drink choices can be attested to the change in habits but is also a knock-on effect of the price increases on alcoholic drinks that occurred in 2023. Additionally, there is a growing concern for health and healthier living, especially in the younger generation.

Redhead Days

TREATED with hostility in the past and considered witches or vampires in the Middle Ages, redheads in the modern world are thriving and celebrating their unique traits; the Redhead Days Festival marks one of the occasions to embrace the distinctive nature of gingers.

Held annually on the last full weekend of August, this year the Redhead Days Festival will take place on August 2325 in Tilburg, the Netherlands. Growing in size every year, the festival anticipates tens of thousands of redheads to unite in the world’s most spectacular redhead festival.

“The festival is based on three core values: connection, pride, and recognition,” stated the organisers. The festival was founded accidentally by the painter Bart Rouwenhost in 2005. Rouwenhost

sought out 15 red-haired models for an exhibition in Asten; with the help of an advertisement, 150 redhead models turned up instead.

Having trouble saying no, Rouwenhost invited all of the models to take a group photo; and so demand for future festivals was created. Since then, the Redhead Days Festi-

val has been uniting redheads across the world, reaching as many as 1,672 gingers in one photo, as noted in the Guinness Book of World Records. The festival is free of charge and lasts three days, with Sunday being the group photo day, in which thousands of redheads make an image to remember for a lifetime.

Drink preferences are evolving in Spain alongside the change in lifestyles.

Redhead Days Festival 2022.

A BEDS - OCCASIONAL PIECES - FIRESIDE CHAIRS -

RECLINER CHAIRS - POWER RISER

RECLINER

CHAIRS

WE have all heard someone say that they are wearing the same clothes to dirty them out, but how often should you wash your clothes (that are not obviously dirty) to maintain hygiene and keep bacteria at bay.

kout gear should be washed after each use due to their close contact with sweat and bacteria. T-shirts and camisoles, worn directly on the skin, should also be washed after every wear.

worn three to four times before washing. Washing jeans less frequently helps preserve their colour and fabric integrity.

Sweaters, especially if layered over other clothing, can be worn three to five times before nee-

delicate materials may require more careful handling and less frequent washing.

Jackets, coats, and blazers, typically worn over other clothing, can go five to six times between washes or even longer

jamas should be washed after three to four wears, ensuring

Hair care SOS

SWIMMING pools, though a delightful way to stay fit and cool, can wreak havoc on your hair due to the chemicals used to keep the water clean.

Chlorine, a common disinfectant, strips natural oils from the hair, leaving it dry, brittle, and prone to split ends.

Wash or wait Shine free routine

MANAGING oily skin can be a challenge, but with the right skincare routine, you can keep excess shine and breakouts at bay. Begin with a gentle foaming cleanser to remove excess oil and impurities without stripping the skin of its natural moisture. Look for ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, which can help unclog pores and prevent acne.

lines, you can effectively tine while keeping bacteria

It can also cause discolouration, particularly in lighter shades, sometimes giving a greenish hue due to the reaction with copper compounds in the water.

To protect your hair, wet it thoroughly with fresh water before swimming; this helps reduce the amount of chlorinated water your hair absorbs.

Using a swim cap can provide a physical barrier against chemical exposure. Post-swim, rinse your hair immediately with fresh water and use a clarifying shampoo to remove any residual chlorine.

Deep conditioning treatments can restore moisture and vitality, while specialised swimmer’s shampoos and conditioners help maintain your hair’s health and shine. Regular trims and avoiding excessive heat styling also contribute to keeping your hair in top condition.

Follow up with an alcohol-free toner to balance the skin’s pH and remove any leftover residue. Witch hazel is a great option as it soothes the skin and tightens pores.

Next, use a lightweight, oil-free

moisturiser to hydrate your skin without adding extra grease. Gel-based moisturisers with ingredients like hyaluronic acid can provide necessary hydration while keeping the skin matte.

Incorporate a weekly clay mask to absorb excess oil and deep-clean pores. Look for masks containing kaolin or bentonite clay for optimal results. Finally, always apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen during the day, as oily skin is still prone to sun damage. Opt for a non-comedogenic, mattifying formula to keep your skin protected and shine-free.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

IN our fast-paced world, beauty is often seen as something external - a reflection of how we present ourselves to others. But true beauty begins within.

At Sunyata Health & Wellness Moraira, we believe that when you prioritise your well-being and take the time to relax, your inner peace radiates outward, creating a natural and youthful glow.

Relaxation is more than just a luxury; it’s a vital part

of maintaining your health and beauty. When you allow yourself to unwind and release the stresses of daily life, your body responds in remarkable ways.

Tense muscles relax, allowing for better circulation and a sense of lightness that can make you feel and appear younger and more vital.

As your body and mind find balance, the stress that often shows on your face begins to fade, replaced by

a serene, youthful ra diance.

At Sunyata, we offer a range of treatments de signed to help you achieve this inner calm and outer glow.

From soothing massages that melt away tension to holistic therapies that align your mind, body, and spirit, each experience is tailored to enhance your natural beauty by nurturing your well-being.

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Balmy benefits

VASELINE, also known as petroleum jelly, is a versatile beauty staple that can enhance your skincare routine in numerous ways. Here are some top beauty uses for Vaseline: Moisturiser: Vaseline is an excellent moisturiser for dry skin. Apply it to your face, hands, or any dry patches to lock in moisture and create a barrier against harsh weather.

Lip Balm: Keep your lips soft and smooth by

using Vaseline as a lip balm. It helps to heal chapped lips and prevent further dryness.

Cuticle Care: Massage a small amount of Vaseline into your cuticles to keep them moisturised and healthy. This can help prevent hangnails (a small, torn piece of skin next to a fingernail or toenail, related to ingrown nails) and keep your nails looking neat.

Make-up Remover: Vaseline effectively removes

make-up, including waterproof mascara. Apply a small amount to a cotton pad and gently wipe away make-up.

Highlighter: For a natural glow, dab a tiny amount of Vaseline on your cheekbones, brow bones, and the bridge of your nose as a subtle highlighter.

Incorporate Vaseline into your beauty routine for an affordable and effective solution to various skincare needs.

A Simple effective exercise

THE dead hang, a simple yet highly effective exercise, is gaining popularity for its surprising benefits. All you need is a sturdy overhead bar and a few minutes each day. A dead hang involves

gripping an overhead bar and letting your body hang freely, with your arms fully extended. While it may seem easy, this exercise offers numerous physical and mental benefits.

Dead hangs are excellent for improving grip strength, which is essential for many daily activities and other exercises. They also decompress the spine, relieving tension and promoting better posture. Over time, dead hangs can enhance shoulder mobility and stability, reducing the risk of injury.

Beyond physical gains, dead hangs can also boost mental resilience. The simplicity of hanging in place encourages mindfulness, helping you focus on your breathing and the present moment, which can reduce stress and anxiety.

The best part? Dead hangs require no special equipment or advanced fitness level, making them accessible to almost everyone. Just a few minutes each day can lead to significant improvements in strength, posture, and overall well-being.

By Karan Sud Dental

Good oral hygiene

BLEEDING gums can be a concerning oral health issue that many individuals experience at some point in their lives. It is important to understand why gums bleed, whether it is a serious condition, and how to effectively treat it.

Why Do Gums Bleed?

There are several reasons why gums may bleed, ranging from mild to severe.

The most prevalent cause of bleeding gums is gingivitis, which occurs due to the buildup of plaque along the gumline. This leads to inflammation and irritation, making the gums more prone to bleeding which can be due to poor oral hygiene, caused by inadequate brushing and flossing techniques.

Certain medications, such as blood thinners, can increase the risk of bleeding gums. It is crucial to consult with a healthcare professional regarding potential side effects. Hormonal fluctuations during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause can make gums more sensitive and susceptible to bleeding. While occasional bleeding gums

may not necessarily indicate a severe problem, it should not be ignored. Persistent bleeding can be a sign of underlying issues,

If left untreated, gingivitis can progress into periodontitis, a more advanced stage of gum disease. This condition can lead to tooth loss and damage to the supporting structures of the teeth.

Fortunately, there are effective treatment options available to address bleeding gums and prevent further complications. It is crucial to consult a dentist for a proper diagnosis and personalised treatment plan.

Practising good oral hygiene is fundamental in preventing and treating bleeding gums. This includes brushing twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush, flossing daily, and using an antiseptic mouthwash. Dentists can perform a thorough cleaning to remove plaque and tartar buildup, reducing inflammation and bleeding. If you would like an appointment with our dentist or hygienist you can book online at www. ksuddental.com.

Too much of a good thing

ITALIAN mothers complained that schools’ 14-week summer holidays are too long.

Children’s charity We World is petitioning the government to extend the school year so that pupils spend more time in class and less in the home.

The petition, which already has more than 60,00 signatures, is also backed by Sarah Malnerich and Francesca Fiore, authors of the irreverent Mammadimerda (S—t Mums) blog.

Traditionally children helped to bring in the harvest but although society has changed, the school year remains the same, Fiore told the media.

“I find it absurd that schools close for three months of the year,” she said.

Family holidays take only a small chunk out of those interminable 14

weeks, and there is another problem now that more Italian women work outside the home and have to arrange summer childcare.

Grandparents often come to the rescue, while some women work from home, but still need to keep their children fed and occupied. Others send them to summer camps, an out -

lay of €1,200 per child and a financial burden for large families.

Should the campaign get results, Francesca Fiore nevertheless saw a future problem.

If children remained in school into July air conditioning would be needed.

“Hardly any classrooms have it at present,” she said.

Scotty future

A GERMAN breakthrough in teleportation can change our perception of time and space; after researchers at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam developed a teleporting appliance, scientists across the globe began to question the direc tion of our future.

“We present a sim ple self-contained appliance that allows relocating inanimate physical objects across distance,” said the scientists behind ‘Scotty’. The state-of-theart appliance was named after the cat chphrase ‘beam me up, Scotty’, from the iconic science fiction series, Star Trek, referencing human teleportation.

A wolf-free zone

THE pro-countryside Farmer-Citizen Party (BBB) wants a Netherlands that is free of wolves.

Party leader Caroline van der Plas recently came out in support of Henk Vermeer, another BBB MP, who said he would be happy to see a “wolf-free zone the size of the Netherlands.”

Wolves were beautiful animals that should not live near people, Van der Plas said.

“There have already been two attacks on children,” she added, citing two recent incidents in Utrecht. “The wolf must go.”

A wolf knocked a three-year-old to the ground in the Utrechtse Heu velrug area in early August, but was more interested in pur suing a dog than hurting a child, Dick Klees from the Zoogdie renvereniging group maintai ned after spea king to her fa ther.

A DNA test will reveal if this was the same animal that ni -

Although still in the early stages, ‘Scotty’ is being improved to potentially serve in the production and supply chain environments.

The appliance functions through 3D printing, utilising destructive scanning techniques. The scanned data is effectively sent to a 3D printer at a different location, even to a different country.

The application could be used to post objects across the world, rapidly and affordably. However, the breakthrough in teleportation comes with concerns. As thrilling as it is, changes always come with concerns and the public is not yet sure what to expect of the new application. Questions have been raised about the potential loss of valuable artifacts or meaningful objects. Moreover, so far it cannot transport large or alive objects. Teleporting your pet or your loved one, is still just a fantasy today, but we are discovering the malleable nature of time and space, which with the right control, could benefit our future.

pped a child and attacked a small dog in the nearby Den Treek estate which has since been closed to the public.

BBB has formerly pushed to modify the wolf’s protected status in the Netherlands, making it possible to shoot those that attack sheep, although this was the first time the party has demanded an outright ban.

Henk admitted that he did not expect parliamentary support but said he hoped that Agriculture minister Femke Wiersma, who belongs to the BBB party, would persuade Brussels to remove some of the protection currently given to wolves.

Now it’s their turn

I TURNED 75 a couple of weeks ago. All in all I feel OK and consider myself pretty fortunate as I am still active and get around OK. I try to look presentable and like modern clothes. I wear lots of hats and scarves and still have my long hair. There is, of course, a but - I am old.

That’s it in a nutshell - 75 is old. Nothing is really done for old people. Take supermarkets - tills are being taken away and you have to serve yourself. If you live on your own it’s just another loss of interaction with another human, along with everything being done online. I went to a clinic the other day.

There were six chairs, four had adults in them, and two had kids in them with their heads buried in their phones. They didn’t look up and the parents never said anything. When we were young, you would always give up your seat for an elderly person or pregnant woman (am I allowed to say that now or is it a person having a baby?) Any way I stood there for a couple of seconds hoping so-

meone would notice I was struggling. (I have orthostatic tremor and can’t stand still) But in the end I just asked one of the kids if I could sit down. The look on his face was one of shock. Luckily his parent’s reaction was fine and they apologised and told him to get up. The point is I had to ask. What’s gone wrong?

My friends don’t feel safe going out at night in the UK. And for the younger readers, if an old person starts telling you a story about the past or just likes to reminisce, give them your time, they deserve it and you may be surprised, it might be very interesting and amusing. I know mine are!! And if your kids don’t have as much time for you as they used to, like not phoning so often or not coming over remind them of all the times you reacted to ‘Mum, Mum or Dad, Dad, can we do this, can we do that, take me here or take me there or when they were not feeling too good. How many times you had to kiss things better? Now it’s their turn to look after you a bit.

What’s with breakdancing in the Olympics? Aussie girl got zero points. What a load of nonsense.

Email: mikesenker@gmail.com

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

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS: Fourteen weeks is too much, Italian mothers say

Photo credit: Pexels/Jessica West

VIEWS OF A GRUMPY OLD MAN MIKE SENKER IN MY OPINION

PROTECTED SPECIES: Netherlands’ BBB party wants a ban on wolves.

The future of teleportation.

Credit: Jason Jacobs, Flickr

What’s in a name?

HARRIS, Trump, Obama, Clinton - names that echo through the corridors of history. As my grandpa would say, “What’s above and before all things?” The punchline: The Name.

Speaking of names, here’s one of my favourite jokes: I asked my grandpa, “After 65 years, you still call Grandma darling, beautiful, and honey. What’s the secret?” Grandpa replied, “I forgot her name five years ago and I’m too scared to ask.”

Names can be inherited and dishonoured, inherited and honoured, or simply made on one’s own. This brings us to a question posed by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet: What’s in a name?

Today, let’s explore the name Kamala Harris.

Born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, Kamala Harris is the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, embodying a rich and diverse heritage. Her journey is nothing short of dazzling. She began her academic adventure at Howard University, a beacon of Black excellence, and then cruised to California to earn her law degree from UC Hastings. By 2004, she was making headlines as San Francisco’s District Attorney, tackling crime with style and a fierce sense of justice. Talk about starting strong!

Her rise to prominence reads like

Five years of mood

SINCE July 2019, YouGov has been tracking the mood of the British public on a weekly basis.

This ongoing study has captured the fluctuations in national sentiment, including the seasonal uplift in happiness during Christmas, the emotional impact of significant events such as the Ukraine war and Queen Elizabeth II’s death, and the feelings of boredom and loneliness during the Covid lockdowns.

Examining the data over the past five years reveals key trends.

a blockbuster movie script. In 2010, she stormed California as the state’s first woman and person of colour to serve as Attorney General. Not resting on her laurels, she became a sharp-tongued US Senator in 2016, where her incisive questioning at Senate hearings was mustwatch TV.

Then came 2020. Mrs Kamala Harris teamed up with President Mr Joe Biden and made history as the first female, first Black, and first South Asian Vice President of the United States. Since taking office on January 20, 2021, she has championed immigration reform, voting rights, and tackled the root causes of migration from Central America. From the courtroom to Capitol Hill to the White House, her journey has been extraordinary!

Mrs Harris has certainly made a splash, representing the Democratic Party with style and keeping Biden’s policies rolling with flair. Her mastery of the law and sharp debating skills make her a formidable contender against Trump, all while leading in the polls.

While some might have wondered, “Where in the world is Kamala?” recently, the answer is clearshe’s been backstage, not lounging around but diligently preparing for the biggest role of her life. Far from the media spotlight, she’s been deeply engaged in running the country and gearing up to make history. Congratulations, Mrs Kamala Harris! You’ve not only made an outstanding name for yourself, but also shown us that everyone’s voice matters and that dreams are definitely within reach.

Happiness has generally been the most prevalent emotion, averaging 45 per cent and being the dominant feeling in 80 per cent of weeks.

However, feelings of stress (averaging 40 per cent) and frustration (35 per cent) are also common.

On average, about a quarter of Britons report feeling content (26 per cent) or sad (25 per cent), with around 22 per cent feeling bored and 17 per cent lonely each week.

Optimism is less frequent, experienced by only 20 per cent of people, while inspiration is the rarest emotion, reported by just 10 per cent.

Age is a significant factor in mood variations.

Younger individuals

tend to experience a broader range of moods more frequently, with contentedness being notably higher among those aged 65 and over (3233 per cent) compared to those under 55 (22-33 per cent).

Optimism follows a ‘U-shaped’ pattern, peaking in younger adults (23 per cent among 1824s and those over 75) and dipping among middle-aged individuals (17 per cent among 45-54s).

Selfie restraints

Anna Akopyan ITALY urges tourists to be more careful when taking selfies on holidays, as summer overcrowding reaches peak levels, forcing Italian authorities to impose safety restrictions.

Italian tourist operators’ association Assoturismo Confesercenti reported that at least 216 million tourists are expected to visit Italy between June and August 2024.

With the ancient national holiday, established by the founder of the Roman Empire to grant all workers rest, on August 15, Italy’s Tourism Ministry reported that 13 million Italians alone will be travelling within the country in Au gust.

Italian Minister of Tourism Daniel Santache referred to Italy’s popularity as “blas phemy” but said that au thorities are preparing for an even further tou rism increase in the coming years. “For me, overtourism is a blasphemy; the pro blem is to manage and govern it, as we have begun to do since we have been in the government,” he said to

the Press.

Attempting to control overcrowding, Italian officials have imposed restrictions, including the prohibition of late-night swimming and only access to popular Italian beaches through prior booking.

In major cities, the government has been discouraging people from stopping on roads and pavements to take selfies. Temporary stop lights have been installed in areas of high pedestrian traffic to prevent people from blocking the flow, as they pause to take holiday photos.

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

BY: LUCCA MOVALDI PRESIDENT AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL CLUB MARBELLA

The study tracked the mood of the British public.

Bar closes to avoid tourists

Sausage champions

MID-AUGUST, one of the most profitable months for the restaurant industry in Spain, when most bars and restaurants are preparing for the trade of their year. However, in Galicia, a small bar has made the unusual decision to close for a week in the middle of the summer season.

The Puerto Martina Bar in Mera, Galicia, posted recently on Facebook that they would be temporarily closing their doors at the busiest time of the year. And why? People

from Madrid. As an ex-resident of Madrid of 22 years, this story peaked my interest. But it turns out that the reasons of the management do make for good business acumen.

The main cause for them closing from August 12 to 19 is to avoid the deluge of tourists that instead of bringing in plenty of sales, cause massive stress and wear on the staff. So popular is Galicia at the moment with Madrid holidaymakers that, according to what the restaurant ow-

Credit: Samuel Minguez Saez, Facebook

ner said on social media ‘If the bomb dropped on Galicia this weekend, it would wipe out the population of Madrid’.

She went on to claim that Galicia didn’t need this class of tourist who orders the minimum possible, occupying tables but spending hardly anything, while the younger ones order booze, and don’t want to show their ID cards. This not only has an affect on their takings, but also exhausts the staff who dread this time of year.

IN the UK, while chicken skewers, bread rolls, and chicken breasts are among the most popular barbecue options, it’s the simple sausage that truly steals the spotlight.

Despite an unpredictable summer, many Brits have taken the chance to fire up their barbecues.

But what are the most sought-after items when it comes to grilling?

The ‘top-tier’ of British BBQ items - those favoured by over 80 per cent of people who’ve tried them - includes essential favourites like chicken skewers, bread rolls, chicken breasts, pork sausages, beef burgers, garlic bread, and baked potatoes.

In terms of overall preference, chicken skewers, bread rolls, and chicken breasts

emerge as the top choices, each earning approval from 82 per cent of Brits who have sampled them.

However, when it comes to the single most cherished BBQ item, pork sausages take the lead.

A full 58 per cent of Britons say they “like a lot” of pork sausages, narrowly beating out beef burgers at 57 per cent and chicken breasts at 56 per cent.

Steak is liked by 74 per cent of Brits, while sides such as coleslaw, potato salad, and corn on the cob are enjoyed by approximately 71-72 per cent of the population.

At the bottom of the popularity scale are vegetarian alternatives, which clearly struggle to win over the British BBQ crowd.

Bar Puerta Martina closing because of tourists.

• News from Our Other 6 Newspapers

Costa del Sol Holiday rentals limited

FUENGIROLA Council has announced that they are going to start limiting new tourist rentals following a report they commissioned which quantified the growth of tourist homes at 30 per cent since 2020 and confirmed that they now make up a whopping 65 per cent of tourist accommodation in Fuengirola, with nearly 28,000 beds spread over more than 5,500 holiday rental apartments.

Faced with the pressure of tourism demand in Fuengirola, they estimated that tourists accounted for around +9 per cent of its regular population (compared to 3 per cent in Sevilla or 4.5 per cent in Malaga), the council has decided to follow the path of town councils such as Malaga and refuse, from now on, authorisation to those tourist apartments that are not independently owned.

Last week, the Euro Weekly News reported on an online incentive in which Fuengirola residents could vote on changes or improvements they wanted their local authority to action.

Axarquia Velez-Malaga price jump

A RECENT Tinsa report highlights Velez-Malaga as experiencing the second-largest rise in housing prices among Spain’s coastal towns. With a 10.7 per cent increase, the town is surpassed only by Orihuela, which leads nationally.

This increase reflects a broader trend of rising property values, with 70 per cent of towns and cities studied showing annual price growth above the national average.

In the second quarter of 2024, Velez-Malaga saw a significant 6.8 per cent increase in housing prices, the highest recorded during this period. Other towns with notable price increases include Motril, Cartagena, and Vigo, all seeing substantial gains.

The current national average for housing prices stands at €1,778 per square metre. Madrid as usual tops the list with the highest prices at €3,833 per square metre. Coastal cities and towns like Marbella and Benidorm, along with city areas around Madrid, Barcelona, and the Basque Country, are also among the most expensive.

Mallorca

Richard Gere in Mallorca

RICHARD GERE and his family have chosen Mallorca as their latest holiday destination and are staying in a luxury hotel in Formentor, enjoying the island’s sunshine, sand and sea as well as also relaxing.

The actor, aged 74, is spending a few days in Formentor’s luxury new Four Seasons Hotel, along with wife, activist Alejandra Silva, the couple’s children, Alexander and James, and Silva’s son Albert.

The hotel, which has undergone an extensive and costly renovation, has only been open since last Friday, meaning Gere and his family are some of the first guests to explore and enjoy the new facilities on offer. Previously known as the Hotel Formentor, the establishment has a long history of celebrity guests ever since it first opened back in 1929.

An average stay at the newly refurbished Four Seasons hotel costs more than €1,200 per night.

Gere has starred in many successful films, but is possibly most famous for his role in Pretty Woman (1990).

Costa Blanca South A true holiday hero

DURING his holiday on the Costa Blanca, Private Josué David Lozano Parra of the Army’s 11th Extremadura Brigade became a true local hero by rescuing several people from drowning.

The incident took place on a busy beach in Orihuela where two young children were caught in a strong current.

Without hesitation, Private Lozano dove into the water and rescued the children.

Meanwhile, two more people had entered the water in a bid to help but they soon found themselves in trouble too. Once again, Private Lozano stepped in, helping them to safety.

However, Private Lozano then noticed two more people in distress. A man had lost consciousness but was brought to shore with the help of a human chain formed by other beachgoers.

His mother, however, was stranded and exhausted so Private Lozano entered the water once more to bring her back to safety.

Almeria

Women’s tribute

TEN years on and Almeria continues to recognise and rejoice the women of its province at the Almeria fair.

Organised by the Almeria City Council, the city came together on Sunday, August 19, for the traditional tribute to women.

Maria del Mar Vazquez attended the tribute, accompanied by Paola Laynez, the councillor for Family, Inclusion and Equality, and the entire municipal government team.

A photo booth was also set up so guests could immortalise the 10th edition with a fun souvenir.

Maria Vazquez expressed her gratitude and honour of the event, stating “I feel proud to be able to share with you the 10th anniversary of the Tribute to Women during the Almeria fair.”

The mayor went on to say “I also want to congratulate (the women) for the great work carried out in the three municipal women’s centres, where more than 250 training courses, workshops and activities are offered every quarter and nearly 3,000 places.”

Costa Calida Murcia on track

HIGH-SPEED rail services in Murcia are set to expand with the introduction of trains between Almería and Madrid. The Spanish Ministry of Transport plans to integrate Almeria into the Mediterranean and Levante corridors within the next three years. This new connection will offer faster travel options between Almeria and Granada also with trips taking over two hours for just 110 kilometres at the moment.

Once completed, the high-speed line between Murcia and Almeria, covering 220 kilometres, will reduce travel time to just over an hour. This will increase the number of trains passing through Murcia’s Carmen station, benefiting both Renfe and private operators.

The government sees this project as a key part of the Mediterranean Corridor, enhancing connectivity and cohesion across regions. The investment totals €3.5 billion, with 65 per cent of the work already completed.

Heavier than a Yorkshire Terrier Kebab clash

AN enormous aubergine grown in Iowa, USA, weighing 3.778 kg (8 lb 5.3 oz), has been officially recognised as the world’s heaviest aubergine (eggplant).

Comparable in weight to an adult Yorkshire terrier, this colossal vegetable is over 10 times the size of an average aubergine.

Dave Bennett, the gardener behind this record-breaking achievement, planted the globe eggplant (aubergine), also known as the American eggplant, in early April.

By the time it was harvested on July 31 in Bloomfield, Iowa, the aubergine measured an impressive 71.12 cm (2 ft 3.9 in) in circumference and stood 35.56 cm (1 ft 1.16 in) tall from stem to base.

The weighing was conducted at Bennett’s home using calibrated digital scales, with oversight by Ivan Hankins from the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship’s Weights & Measures Bureau.

Monday money meltdown!

LET’S just say my usual Monday supermarket visit turned into a €2,000 lighter experience after pickpockets relieved me of my purse between the checkout and the car!

The supermarket’s security was less than enthused. So off I trotted to the bank, only to discover €2,000 had vanished using my debit card, and a police report (a ‘denuncia’) required for reimbursement.

The Local Police? Not interested, try the National Police. The National Police station? Bustling on a Monday, with a two-hour minimum wait: try back after five, with more officers on duty.

NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS

NORA IS THE AUTHOR OF POPULAR PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE AND CRIME THRILLERS AND A FREELANCE JOURNALIST.

Five pm rolls around and, after another hour, a helpful officer informs me I need a form from the bank for the denuncia. Back to the bank, form acquired. Back at the station for another wait, the denuncia is complete. But wait! My insurance company insists the denuncia needs THEIR name on it!

Hankins initially mistook another large aubergine in Bennett’s garden for the record-breaker, only to be corrected and amazed by the actual contender.

“I thought for a moment we had close to a 10-pounder!” he remarked.

This aubergine eclipses Bennett’s previous personal best, a 2.54kg (5-lb 9.6-oz) aubergine from 2022, which was a North American record at the time.

The seeds from that 2022 fruit were used to grow this new world record holder.

Bennett credits the size of this year’s aubergine to the improvements he made to his soil and favourable weather conditions, though the growing process wasn’t without challenges, including bug infestations and severe storms.

One more trip to the National Police and finally, result! A cautionary tale, readers - always keep your valuables up-close.

Apologies for sounding so grumpy but then, NO country’s safe from professional thieves. But all’s not lost! Not only has my latest thriller, ‘The Girl across the Lake’, just been published on Amazon but the previous one, ‘The Couple across the Street’, is now an audiobook on Audible!

Nora Johnson’s 13 critically acclaimed psychological suspense crime thrillers ( www.nora-johnson.net ), all available online at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.

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

THE Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the dominant political party on Heilbronn’s council in Germany, has proposed capping the number of kebab shops in the city centre.

The party argues that the growing concentration of these establishments is creating a “negative magnet effect” that harms urban development.

The CDU believes this effect stems from the clustering of kebab shops, which they claim also attracts an increased number of barbershops, nail salons, and betting offices.

Essentially, the Heilbronn conservatives are concerned that the proliferation of kebab shops is contributing to a form of urban decline, opposite to gentrification.

The Christian Democrats advocate for a city centre that boasts a wide variety of businesses and offerings.

They propose a better distribution of shops across the city, ensuring not all are concentrated in the central area. Importantly, the proposed upper limit would not impact existing kebab shops.

The CDU’s proposal is scheduled for debate after the summer break, but it faces significant opposition from political rivals, particularly the Social Democrats (SDP) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP).

The SDP argues that the proposal lacks a legal basis. While zoning laws could technically restrict certain types of food establishments, such a ban would also impact currywurst stands and pizza stalls, not just kebab shops. They warn that such a regulation would be a “drastic intervention in the market economy.”

World’s heaviest aubergine.

Image: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship / Facebook

A negative effect.

Image: Christian Mueller

PETS

Dealing with ticks

TICKS are common parasites that can pose serious health risks to your pets, including Lyme disease and other infections. Here are some steps to effectively deal with ticks:

1. Inspect your pets for ticks daily, especially after they’ve been outdoors. Pay close attention to areas like the ears, neck, underbelly, and between the toes.

2. If you find a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers to

grasp it as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Avoid twisting or jerking, as this can cause the tick’s mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. After removal, clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

3. Use veterinarian-recommended tick prevention treatments. These can include to-

pical treatments, oral medications, and tick collars.

4. Keep your garden tidy by mowing the lawn regularly and removing leaf litter and tall grasses where ticks thrive.

5. After a tick bite, watch your pet for signs of illness such as fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, or joint swelling. If you notice any unusual symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.

CLICKER training for cats is a positive reinforcement method that uses a small device, the clicker, to mark desirable behaviours. The process begins by associating the sound of the clicker with a reward, usually a tasty treat. Once the cat understands that a click equals a reward, the clicker is used to signal that the behaviour being performed is correct.

This method works effectively for training cats to perform tricks, use a scratching post, help with problem behaviour or even come when called.

Kitty click tricks

Clicker training leverages a cat’s natural curiosity and intelligence, making the training sessions engaging and enjoyable for both the cat and the owner.

Success with clicker training depends on consistency, patience, and timing. While results can vary, many cat owners find this method highly effective. It not only teaches desired behaviours but also strengthens the bond between the cat and the owner, leading to a more harmonious household.

What the experts say

THE question of whether dogs and cats know when they are dying is one that has intrigued pet owners and experts alike. While animals can’t communicate their understanding in words, many experts believe that pets may have some awareness of their impending death.

Veterinarians and animal behaviourists often observe that dogs and cats exhibit specific behavioural changes as they approach the end of

their lives. They may become more withdrawn, seek solitude, or display unusual calmness. Some pets may also become more affectionate, seeking comfort from their owners during their final days.

Experts suggest that this behaviour could be linked to an instinctual awareness of their physical decline. Animals in the wild often withdraw when they are sick or dying, a behaviour that may carry over to domesticated

pets. This instinct could be a way of protecting themselves and their pack or family.

Additionally, as pets experience pain or discomfort due to terminal illness, they may recognise that their bodies are failing. This recognition might not be the same as human understanding of death, but it does indicate a level of awareness. As pet owners, it’s crucial to provide comfort, care, and support during these final moments.

Credit:

Rio and Fee stay at home with their pet-sitter

RIO and Fee stay at home whenever their owners go away. They’re not on their own. They stay with a pet-sitter from HouseSitMatch.

By joining a house-sitting platform like HouseSitMatch we facilitate an old-fashioned barter exchange where a pet owner provides the pet-sitter with free accommodation and the sitter cares for the pets and property with due care and attention, just like old fashioned barter.

Plus HouseSitMatch Saves Money because the Pet-sitting is Free!

If you use HouseSitMatch.com you find free checked pet-sitters who pay their way to stay in your home caring for your pets in your absence. It’s an arrangement facilitated by a managed online system. Our house and pet-sitting works as an exchange of services - free accommodation for free pet care!

HouseSitMatch is Safe - All Members Are Checked

All members are checked for safety, you choose which house-sitters come to care for your pets in your absence.

Your pets stay at home - Safe and Undisturbed

All pets benefit from staying at home, so their routines are undisturbed. Choose Housesitmatch.com for affordable travel, home and pet care and peace of mind for you and your pets.

If you’re travelling in 2024 join now and get organised today:

1. Register as a homeowner on HouseSitMatch.com

2. Choose a Premium account (£89 pa) to ensure you get help online

3. Create a profile with photos of your pets and home

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

Trustpilot Testimonials - 4.9 / 5 Excellent

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Tom C - homeowner in Mojacar How do you join? Register online via www.Housesitmatch.com

Need a pet or house-sitter? House-sitting is a win-win, free house and pet-sitting exchanged for free accommodation! Reader exclusive offer - 20% Off Any New Membership Register as either house-sitter or homeowner. Get a 20% discount - Use coupon code PERFECT20.

Pet cloning

TECHNOLOGICAL developments in genetics now permit the commercial cloning of family pets, even animals as large as horses.

Celebrities such as Barbara Streisand, who lost her beloved dog Samantha in May 2017, turned to modern science after Samantha’s passing. Scientists took cells from late Samantha’s mouth and stomach and used them to make two clones, who Streisand named Miss

Scarlett and Miss Violet. In an interview with Variety Magazine, Streisand talked about her new pets. “They have different personalities,” said Streisand “I’m waiting for them to get older so I can see if they have her (Samantha’s) eyes and seriousness.”

While the process creates a genetic clone of the original animal, personalities will differ as they will have different lived experiences, shaping their

Dolly the sheep became the first mammal successfully cloned in 1997.

character differently.

Simon Cowell has publicly stated his intent to clone his three dogs: Squiddly, Diddly, and Freddy. “I am 100 per cent cloning the dogs, all of them.” Said Cowell “We’ve thoroughly looked into it, got all the details and I can prove to you I’m going to clone them.”

Marbella Laboratory Ovoclone now offers pet cloning starting at €50,000 depending on the animal you want cloned.

REGULAR grooming keeps your pet’s coat and skin healthy by removing dirt, preventing matted hair, and distributing natural oils. It helps spot parasites, skin issues, and abnormalities early. Grooming also strengthens your bond with your pet.

Rio and Fee happy at home with Lamia the pet-sitter.

PLUMBING

POOL

ROAD TEST

By Mark Slack

GENESIS, one of the more imaginative names for a car company, is the luxury division of Hyundai, which in turn owns Kia.

With more than a touch of the Bentle yesque in the styling, all Genesis models 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.

Along with saloons, all be they with more modern curves and sweeps rather than a traditional three box design, SUVs, both petrol and electric models, Genesis have built a comprehensive offering.

The G80 saloon line-up is priced from, for its class, a not unreasonable €50,588/£43,100 and there are three trim levels - Premium, Luxury and Sport - with a 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylin der engine across the range. It develops 304PS/300 bhp and is mated to an ei ght-speed automatic transmission with a classic rear-wheel-drive configuration. Additionally, there is an all-electric version along with an SUV model, the GV80.

Genesis G80 - pleasingly different in a world of similarity

such items as LED lighting, intelligent cruise control, power adjustable steering wheel, navigation with premium sound system and connection for Apple Car Play and Android Auto, auto dimming mirrors and a host of other items including comprehensive safety technology. As you might expect with such a large vehicle there is plenty of leg and headroom in both front and rear with extremely comfortable, multi-adjustable seats.

Depending on what you’re driving it’s not unusual for people to engage you in conversation, but it’s rare when you’re continually about the car you’re driving. That kind of attention is usually reserved for more exotic machinery. Even though Genesis has become much better known they still attract complimentary atten-

All Genesis models draw the eye because they do look impressive in both style and stance, and in a motoring world of similarity they’re pleasingly diffe-

On the road it’s a quiet and refined performer, with more than sufficient pull when required, and is high in the wafting stakes. All the best luxury cars

bustle and aggravation of the dai ly grind. The Genesis G80 has this ability in excess. It’s no ultimate driving machine of a BMW, or Vorspurng durch technik of an Audi, more Bentleyesque. Which given some of the Genesis styling cues is quite appropriate.

Standard equipment levels are good with a basic spread that encompasses

Model: Genesis G80 Premium

Engine: 2.5-litre turbo charged 4-cylinder petrol developing 304PS/300bhp

Gears: 8-speed automatic

Price: €50,588/£43,100

Performance: 0 to 100kph/60 mph 6 seconds. Max speed 250kph/155mph

Economy: 8.5 l per 100km/33 mpg combined.

Emissions: 189 g/km Co2

Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets

Facts at a Glance

Impressive in style and stance.

Secure Start Robotaxis

AS the allure of driving along the Costa del Sol captures more hearts each year, the importance of safeguarding one’s vehicle becomes paramount.

Vehicles like Range Rovers, BMWs, and Mercedes not only represent luxury but have also become prime targets for sophisticated thieves.

These high-value cars can be stolen in less than a minute using advanced techniques.

The Costa, with its abundance of luxury cars, offers a hunting ground for organised crime syndicates.

In response to this alarming trend, SecureStart has positioned itself as a beacon of defence, offering products and services designed to counteract vehicle theft.

As certified installers of Pandora Alarms, SecureStart provides top-tier security systems that are nearly impervious to methods of bypassing defences.

Additionally, SecureStart is also the exclusive provider of Can-Phantom immobilisers in Spain, bringing an added layer of security that seamlessly integrates with your vehicle’s systems.

SecureStart offers tailored installations for convenience and can be performed at your preferred location.

ROBOTAXIS, autonomous vehicles designed to operate as taxis, are poised to revolutionise urban transportation. These self-driving cars promise to offer safer, more efficient, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional taxi services.

Powered by advanced artificial intelligence and equipped with sensors, cameras, and lidar systems, robotaxis navigate complex urban environments without human intervention. These technologies allow them to detect and respond to traffic signals, pedestrians, and other vehicles, ensuring safe and reliable transportation.

One of the key advantages of robotaxis is safety. By eliminating human error, which is a leading cause of accidents, these vehicles can significantly reduce traffic collisions. Moreover, robotaxis can operate 24/7, providing consistent and timely service, which is particularly beneficial in densely populated cities.

Robotaxis are often electric, contributing to reduced emissions

and promoting cleaner air. Their integration into public transportation networks can decrease the reliance on private car ownership, further mitigating traffic congestion and environmental pollution.

Despite their potential, robotaxis face several challenges. Regulatory hurdles, technological limitations, and public acceptance are significant barriers to widespread adoption.

As technology advances and regulatory frameworks evolve, the deployment of robotaxis is expected to increase. Companies like Waymo, Tesla, and Cruise are leading the charge, conducting extensive testing and pilot programmes in various cities.

No regrets

DAME LAURA DAVIES has played in every AIG Women’s Open since making her debut in 1980. However, she’s decided not to use the final year of her exemption as a former champion to make one last appearance.

Davies boasts an illustrious career that spans from her debut as a 16year-old 44 years ago, appearing in every edition since. This year’s edition though is one step too far, as Davies has chosen not to make a record-breaking 44th consecutive Women’s Open start.

Davies explained to Sky Sports that she’s, “just not playing enough golf now to warrant a spot in the field.” Instead, she will be part of the televised coverage of the event.

The 60-year-old admitted she feels, “sadder and sadder with the fact that I’m not going to be

playing there,” explaining that it’s a week she’s always looked forward to. However, a lack of sharpness due to conflicting schedules and a wrist injury put paid to any thoughts of signing off her sparkling career at the Open.

Davies doesn’t want to be there simply to make

up the numbers; a sign of a true champion. “I like to be the centre of attention for playing great golf, not just for the sake of being there,” she explained.

As it is, Davies has no regrets. As her career in front of the camera draws to a close, fans can still enjoy her experience behind it.

Matt Richardson joins Team GB

BRITISH-BORN track cyclist Matt Richardson, who secured three medals for Australia at the Paris Olympics, has decided to switch his sporting allegiance and will now represent Team GB. The 25-year-old, originally from Kent, relocated to Western Australia at the age of nine, where he lived for 16 years while holding dual citizenship.

Matt Richardson will join the Great British Cycling Team’s sprint squad, under the guidance of Bolton-born Sir Jason Kenny - a seven-time Olympic gold medallist.

After announcing the news on his Instagram, Matt Richardson shared that the choice had not been something he had decided on “quickly or easily.”

The two-ti me Com monwealth Ga mes champion explained in a post: “It was a personal choice, made after careful consideration of my career and future.

“I deeply respect Australia and the AusCycling Team and it will always be a part of who I am.

“But this decision is about following my passion and pushing myself to new heights.”

Jesse Korf, AusCycling’s executive general manager of performance, expressed surprise and disappointment at Richardson’s decision to leave a programme that had brought both personal and national success.

However, Jesse Korf added: “We also understand that the desire to compete for a country one was born in can bring forth strong emotions.”

During the Paris 2024 Olympics, Matt Richardson won silver medals in the indivi-

Matt Richardson.

Laura Davies receives her PGA Recognition Award.

Credit: Martin Dempster. X.

Credit:Instagram.