Costa Blanca North 16 – 22 November 2023 Issue 2002 by Euro Weekly News Media S.A.

Costa Blanca • Issue No. 2002 • 16 - 22 November 2023

FREE

ILMAINEN

GRATIS

VRIJ

FREI

IN an impressive feat, the Ali canteElche Miguel Hernan dez Airport has recently cele brated its best October ever, welcoming a staggering 1,586,073 travellers. This marks a remarkable 17 per cent increase com pared to the same month last year, showcasing the air port’s growing popularity. Out of this recordbreaking figure, 1,584,276 were com mercial passengers, with a notable surge in international travel. A significant 17.9 per cent rise in international flights was recorded, with 1,378,143 passengers jetting off to various destinations. Domestic flights also saw a robust 11.1 per cent increase, with 206,133 passengers choosing to explore their own backyard. Taking a closer look at the international travel land scape, the United Kingdom led the pack, contributing 536,480 travellers.

Image: Sorbis / Shutterstock.com

Record-Breaking BEST OCTOBER: At Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez airport.

Following closely were the Netherlands (113,129), Ger many (98,643), Belgium (84,720), and Norway (73,715).

Not only did the airport ex perience a surge in passenger numbers, but it also wit nessed an uptick in overall operations.

October saw a total of 9,939 flights, marking a 9.9 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2022. Zooming out to a broader perspective, the airport’s suc cess is not confined to a sin gle month. From January to October, a whopping 13,636,422 passengers passed through its gates, re flecting an impressive 19.1 per cent surge compared to the same period in 2022. The upward trajectory is not lim ited to passenger numbers alone; the airport managed a total of 86,445 flights during these months, indicating an 11.1 per cent increase over the previous year.

GRATUITO

GRATIS G

LIVREE

FFREE

GRATIS S

G GRATUIT

EWN

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

George Cunningham THE Costa Blanca and the province of Alicante, renowned as one of Spain’s major real estate hubs for in ternational buyers, are now attracting attention from the United States, according to Alibuilding, a prominent local developer. Alibuilding, a part of the Aligrupo business holding led by Juan and Pedro Alcaraz, founders of Goldcar, has re cently finalised initial sales of its residential projects to American citizens. Observing a rising trend, the developer notes a height ened interest from the Unit ed States market in its Costa Blanca developments. While the percentage of

LOCAL NEWS

US attention Illegal art Image: J.Paredes / Shutterstock.com

REAL ESTATE: Is now attracting attention from the US.

total sales to US citizens re mains modest, the inclusion of American homeowners in the early phases of Polop Hills (Polop), featuring 179

Anna Ellis IN the heart of Benidorm’s towering skyscrapers, a unique community thrives, and it’s not the bustling city life below, but the winged residents that call these heights home. Benidorm’s Environmental Depart ment, annually conducts a census, con trol, and monitoring of protected bird species that make their nests in the privi leged views and tranquillity of Benidorm’s skyscrapers. Councillor for the Environment, Móni

singlefamily homes, signals a noteworthy shift in market dynamics. Despite the relatively small sales volume, the pres

High homes ca Gómez, sheds light on the avian resi dents that grace the skyline. “Swifts (Apus apus), swallows (Hirundo rustica), and martins (Delichon urbicum) are among the protected species that choose the tallest buildings for their nests. In a delightful surprise, Benidorm is even privileged to host pairs of kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) that lay their eggs on these lofty structures.”

ence of American buyers un derscores a growing appeal in contrast to the more con ventional countries in the re al estate sector, as explained by Jose Antonio Izquierdo, the company’s general di rector. “Our development is cur rently 74 per cent marketed, with the new four phases set to be completed by 2024 at 59 per cent. “In these phases, though in an initial stage, we have seen sales to individuals from the United States materialise.”

But the avian spectacle is not confined to the skyscrapers alone. The Island of Benidorm serves as a haven for other re markable species. The European storm petrel (Hydribates pelagicus), the smallest seabird, and the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), capa ble of diving at speeds exceeding 300 km per hour, choose this island retreat to build their nests. It’s a flourishing wildlife ecosystem, a testament to the city’s com mitment to coexist harmoniously with its feathered neighbours.

Nora Shephard GANDIA was recently marred by the shadows of illegal art activities. The National Police have successfully apprehended two individuals, aged 35 and 40, suspected of or chestrating a series of dar ing art thefts, leaving a trail of stolen treasures valued at over €150,000. The alleged criminals now face a litany of charges, including five counts of burglary, home invasion, and association with a criminal organisa tion. Their modus operandi involved scaling ladders to access the interior of homes and utilising cutting tools to force entry. The investigation, spear headed by the Robbery Group of the Gandia Local Judicial Police Brigade, commenced after the re port of a forceful breakin at a residence. The thieves,

Image: Policia Nacional

Masterpieces stolen.

displaying audacious prowess, broke through the main door using a radio and made off with an array of artistic masterpieces, sculptures, vases, paintings, candelabras, and more. The plot thickened as further incidents unfolded. Four additional home bur glaries within the same building were brought to light. In these cases, the perpetrators executed ac robatic escapes, ascending through light shafts, forcing roof doors, and fleeing across rooftops to elude capture. The thieves, how ever, couldn’t evade the re lentless pursuit of the po lice for long.

LOCAL NEWS YOUR EWN HAS

132 STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

NIBS EXTRA Gandia glory GANDIA’S 28th Mini Marathon and 10K held on November 12, attracted over 3,000 runners world wide and proved highly suc cessful. Winners in the half marathon included Abdelali Razyn, Abdelmajid Elhissouf, and Luis Agustín Escriche for men, and Maurine Jemutai Toroitich, Ana Caleya Santia go, and Elisabet Martin Al mansa for women.

Finestrat felines FINESTRAT City Council, backed by the Alicante Provincial Council, secured €1,657.65 for sterilising stray cat colonies, preventing hy giene issues. Councillor Es tela Álvarez, citing collabora tion with the Finestrat Cats Association, notes over 50 felines were treated in the previous year’s campaign.

Nucia Fitkid THE 19th Fitkid European Championship, hosted at La Nucia’s Pavilion, saw the Spanish National Team emerge as the dominant force with 116 medals. The event, featuring 817 athletes from seven countries, sur passed expectations, selling out the venue and garnering over 120,000 views on the COE.tv platform, broadcast ed live across Europe.

Denia delight DENIA, a gastronomic haven, attracts enthusiasts with its diverse and afford able culinary options. Re cently, the spotlight was on Tamara Falco and Iñigo Onie va, a prominent couple who, while attending a wedding in Altea, seized the opportunity to savour the renowned three Michelin star cuisine at Quique Dacosta’s restaurant in Denia.

euroweeklynews.com IN a significant move to modernise and upgrade the Local Police fleet, Benidorm City Council has unveiled eight of the 11 vehicles that will soon join the ranks of the city’s law enforcement. This development fol lows the approval by the Local Government Board of Benidorm City Council in October. The approval paved the way for a groundbreaking financial leasing supply contract to renew the po lice fleet using a renting system, spanning four years and totalling an im pressive €641,319.36. The contract was struc tured into three segments,

16 - 22 November 2023

Police fleet Image: Ayuntamiento de Benidorm

MODERNISING: The police fleet is to be upgraded.

with the introduction fo cusing on the first two: four urban SUV tourism vehicles, proudly display

Blood donors ON Saturday, November 11, Gandia Town Hall transformed into a hub of goodwill and compassion as it played host to the Blood Donation Marathon. The day witnessed an overwhelming response, with over 100 people streaming into the town hall to gener ously contribute to this lifesaving ini tiative, facilitated by the dedicated team from the Transfusion Centre of the Valencian Community (CTCV). Liduvina Gil, the councillor responsi ble for Health, expressed her satisfac tion with the remarkable turnout and commended Gandia for standing out as a beacon in the realm of blood do nation. She emphasised that the city has earned its place as a reference munici pality, consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to altruism throughout the year.

ing police badges, were acquired for a combined €231,855.36, including VAT.

A SIGNIFICANT milestone has been achieved for the tourism sector in Alicante as the councillor for Tourism, Ana Poquet, alongside a notable repre sentation of professional associations, participated in the signing of a crucial decree at the Palau de la Generalitat Valenciana. This decree, spearhead ed by President Carlos Ma zon, marks the repeal of the tourist tax previously promoted by the Botanic government. In the wake of this piv otal moment, Councillor Ana Poquet expressed the importance of this decision for the Alicante tourism sector. She noted, “This is important for the Alicante

Additionally, four urban SUV tourism vehicles, also adorned with police badges and equipped with a detainee kit featuring protection elements for the officers, were secured for a total cost of €261,360 for the next four years. Looking ahead, the fleet expansion continues as three more vehicles, mir roring the specifications of their predecessors will soon be incorporated, with an expenditure of €184,000.

No thanks!

Image: Alicante City & Beach

TOURIST TAX: Has now been repealed.

tourism sector, which will be able to continue com peting on equal terms with the rest of destinations similar to ours.” The signing event gar nered widespread support from various sectors, in cluding key associations such as Apha and Alroa,

the hotel association Hos bec, and the CEV, among others. Poquet underlined President Mazon’s unwa vering commitment to the sector, emphasising that this support is not just a onetime gesture, but a sustained dedication that will persist.

EWN

Capturing Holy Week IN a celebration of visual storytelling, Antonio Mingot emerges victori ous in the Villajoyosa Holy Week 2023 pho tography contest. His striking image, ti tled ‘La Creu’, has claimed the coveted first prize in this compe tition organised by the Board of Holy Week Brotherhoods of Villa joyosa. This winning photo graph is set to grace the poster heralding the up coming Holy Week events in 2023. Felipe Jiménez’s pho tograph, ‘Capuchino’, secured the second prize, while Vicent Sivera clinched the third prize with his cap tivating image titled ‘Rosari’. The winners not only receive the wellde served recognition for their artistic prowess but also substantial prizes of €200, €100, and €20, respectively, along with trophies. These winning im ages not only freeze moments in time, but also become a part of the visual narrative that encapsulates the essence of Villajoyosa’s Holy Week.

Christmas vouchers

The Euro Weekly News

DENIA Council is unwrapping the gift of savings with its Christmas Voucher Campaign, spreading holiday joy and encouraging festive shopping in De nia, La Xara, and Jesus Pobre. The campaign, a beacon of season al spirit, will run until December 13, creating a buzz of excitement among shoppers eager to make their yule tide purchases. Applicants must be registered in Denia, La Xara, or Jesus Pobre and be over 18 years old when the campaign kicks off and can download vouchers

publishes more content both online at euroweeklynews.com and in its papers than any other English news publication in Spain. Even better, our news online and in print is FREE and we promise to

from bonsconsum.denia.es until the supply runs out. The discounts come in three de nominations: €10, €20, and €50. Shoppers can redeem them for pur chases meeting minimum amounts of €20, €40, and €100 respectively, spreading the festive spirit across nearly 110 participating establish ments. To keep the holiday spirit alive in dividuals are limited to one voucher of each amount, totalling a maximum of three vouchers worth €80.

always keep it that way.

FOR MORE NEWS STORIES euroweeklynews.com

EWN

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

LOCAL NEWS

Photographs by Michael

RBL Remembrance services Eurovision glory

Padre Jim Booker, Peter McNair, Roger Dawes President RBL Javea, Colin McNae RAF Association, Max Maxwell Chairman Aircrew Association, Geoffrey Wilson Air Crew Association, Juke Keene Royal Navy and Robert Hunt MBE RAF Association.

By Michael Allen THE Javea branch of the Royal British Legion held three Services of Remem brance, firstly in Moraira on Friday November 10 where they were joined by the Costa Blanca Male Voice Choir, then on Sun

day November 12 in the morning at Cumbre Del Sol, Benitachell and in the afternoon in Javea, accom panied by the pianist Abi Fletcher and the Lady Eliza beth School Choir. Both the Moraira and Javea Services were led by

Padre Jim Booker and ac companied by the Royal Air Force Association, the Air Crew Association and the Royal Navy Association and their Standards. Wreaths were placed at the alter by the associa tions along with Julie Keene and Liz Trafford from the Feral Cats Associ ation representing Animals at War. All three services in total attracted over 300 exser

Parade of standards led by Peter McNair from RBL Javea.

Roger Dawes President RBL Javea laying the first wreath.

vice personnel, their fami lies, friends and many oth ers paying their respects.

Anna Ellis NURIA MONTES, Benidorm’s councillor for Tourism, is exuberantly ushering in the anticipation for the next Benidorm Fest, set to captivate audiences at the Palu d’Esports l’Illa from January 30 to February 3, 2024. The event that converges millions of fans from Spain and across Europe, not only serves as a showcase for musical talent but also plays a pivotal role in promoting Benidorm as a premier tourist destination. As the curtain rises on the selection of the 16 participating candidates, including three from the province of Alicante, the countdown commences for what promises to be the most extraordinary edition of the Benidorm Fest. Nuria Montes emphasises that the festival, having adopted a format that garnered over 100 million views on social networks in the last two years is set to reaffirm its status as an unmissable event for Eurofans worldwide. The upcoming Benidorm Fest is poised to build on its previous successes, with Montes expressing the intention to make it the best in history. With audience peaks reaching three million viewers during the concluding spectacle, the Benidorm Fest is a testament to the city’s cultural vibrancy and its ability to shine as a beacon in the global music scene.

PROVERB OF THE WEEK “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This proverb highlights the need for steady persistence in achieving any goal and comes from the 6th century BC Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism.

68 years: the length of the longest bout of hiccups.

LOCAL NEWS

The British tourist George Cunningham AH, the British tourists, the connoisseurs of Costa Blanca! These sunseekers are a fascinating bunch, and their preferences paint a vivid picture of holiday bliss. They are a jetsetting legion arriving on 21 differ ent routes from every nook and cranny of the UK. In this grand mosaic of travel, Manchester emerges as the crowned champion, generously dis patching the largest con tingent of holidaymakers. London comes in sec ond spot. But what truly sets these Brits apart is their unwavering loyalty to the Costa Blanca experi ence. It’s not just a onetime affair; it’s a love story that keeps blossoming. Eighty per cent of them, like clockwork, planning to recreate the magic of 2023 in 2024

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

EWN

Memorial bowls day ON a beautiful Armistice Saturday in Calpe, bowlers gathered to share a day of reflection, respect and re membrance held by Javea Green Bowls Club. The Memorial Bowls Day, now in its third year, brings together fellow bowlers to reminisce over those who are no longer with us. Fortyeight competitors took part in the day with 16 Skips representing past members and hoping to gain the most shots on the day. Every game saw a new team for the Skips, and competitors enjoyed mixing with players from neigh bouring clubs. The bowling came to a halt at 12pm and two minute’s silence was held in respect of Armistice Day. All proceeds for the day were split between Javea Cancer Care and The Alzheimer’s Association (Teulada) and the event was proudly sponsored by Aval on Funeral Plans represent ed by Sue who presented

BOWLS CLUB: Forty-eight competitors took part.

the trophy. Javea Green Bowls Club would like to thank all who took part in

the day, Avalon for their sponsorship and Calpe Ten nis Club bar/restaurant.

+SHOP FOR POOL EQUIPM MENT & PRODUCTS: CHLORINE, PUMPS, FILTERS, T CLEANERS, COVERS, ETC. +POOLS & SPAS +CONSTRUCTION

Everything i fo or yourr p pool

Calle ll del d l Río í Sill, 2 Jávea 96 646 19 74 · tiendaa@construma.es www.constrruma.es

EWN

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

Speedy triumph Nora Shephard ON Sunday, November 12, the streets of Gandia played host to the 28th Mitja Marató and 10K, and what a spectacular event it turned out to be!

Over 3,000 runners, hail ing from various corners of the globe, gathered for a day of thrilling competition and boundless camaraderie. In the fiercely contested half marathon, the winners

emerged as true titans of the track. Abdelali Razyn, Abdelma jid Elhissouf, and Luis Agustín Escriche clinched the top three spots in the men’s category, showcasing a display of unmatched stamina and speed. The women’s category saw Maurine Jemutai Toroitich, Ana Caleya Santia go, and Elisabet Martin Al mansa seize the gold, silver, and bronze, embodying ex cellence in every stride. Notably, both Razyn and Toroitich shattered the pre vious records, earning the coveted €500 reward promised by the event’s or ganisers, the El Garbí Run ning Club, for surpassing last yearss achievements. Bob Marquess WHERE life unfolds grace fully under the sun, Help Marina Alta (HelpMA) has been a steadfast compan ion for those navigating the golden years. Candy Wright, the voice of HelpMA, shared in sights at U3A’s General As sembly on November 2, shedding light on the nu ances of ageing in Spain. Help Marina Alta has been a beacon of hope and assistance, providing crucial support to those in need within the communi ty. To ensure the continu

SINCE the revival of the TRAM service earlier this year, the road signs at the intersections along the De nia route have sparked a wave of questioning among drivers. The primary cause? The absence of barriers. Familiar cues of barriers lowering as the train ap proached were noticeably absent, leaving drivers in a state of uncertainty. While traffic lights and STOP signs stand in their place, a seg ment of the population continues to raise concerns about the safety of these crossings. In the months since the TRAM service recom menced, a few close calls have added fuel to these safety apprehensions. Collisions between the train and vehicles have oc curred, typically involving

LOCAL NEWS

Tram trouble

Image: Gerrit Bunt

TRAM SERVICE: Absence of barriers is causing problems.

drivers who failed to heed the signals. These incidents, while unsettling, have been limit ed to minor collisions. The TRAM’s reduced speed in urban areas allows for quick stops, preventing more serious conse quences. The absence of barriers

marks a shift in accustomed visual cues for drivers, ne cessitating a heightened re liance on traffic lights and STOP signs. While these incidents are testament to the need for increased vigilance, they al so underscore the effective ness of adherence to sig nals.

U3A Vall del Pop Image: U3A Vall del Pop

The nuances of ageing.

ity of their impactful work, the organisation re lies on the generosity and solidarity of individuals

who believe in the power of community care. For more information on what the U3A get up to, take a peek at their website (u3avalldelpop. com) which is a gateway to more information about the association. Their upcoming events, including a Dining Experi ence at Nou Portent, Murla, today Thursday November 16, an ELO Trib ute at Benidorm Palace on

November 19, and a Christmas shopping trip to La Zenia on November 29, present opportunities for community members to come together, and share experiences.

551,232: the number of pieces in the biggest jigsaw.

LOCAL NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

EWN

Anna Ellis IN the dynamic world of tourism, Benidorm has emerged as a resilient desti nation, with its allure undi minished by sensationalised news stories in the British press. Over the years, headlines ranging from mythical sharks to exaggerated safety alerts have attempted to cast a shadow over Benidorm, but the impact on British tourists

appears to be waning. The local tourism sector attests that Benidorm’s standing among British trav ellers is unshaken, thanks to its wellestablished reputa tion as a favoured destina tion. Loyalty to the vibrant city prevails, rendering the im pact of sensational news sto ries close to negligible. Benidorm, known for its diverse attractions and

warm hospitality, has etched its place as one of the best travel destinations, and this recognition prevails over iso lated negative narratives. Tour operators and travel agencies echo this senti ment, emphasising that sen sational news stories find lit tle traction when it comes to influencing travel decisions. Recent gatherings such as the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, a promi

Bob Marquess ON Sunday, November 19 at 10am, Ali cante’s Race against Pancreatic Cancer Alicante 2023 is set to take place. The race, open to participants of all ages, aims to raise funds to support re search in the fight against pancreatic cancer. This year brings some exciting new features to the event. One significant change is the reloca tion of the starting point to the Joaquin Villar Athletics Stadium in Alicante, situ ated in front of the Rico Perez stadium where participants will embark on a fivekilometre route. Another noteworthy development is the expanding reach of the Cities Race against Pancreatic Cancer. Apart from Alicante, several other cities within Spain, including Vilamartín de Valdeorras (Ourense), Madrid, Tar ragona, Estepona (Malaga), and Barcelona, will host the race on different

Image: pajtica / Shutterstock.com

Race Against Cancer

CITIES RACE: Now an international event.

dates in November and December. Notably, this year marks the first time the race is being held in Barcelona and Milan (Italy), making it an international endeavour. The Cities Race against Pancreatic Can cer originated in 2015 as a local race be tween Sant Joan and Muchamiel with 800 participants. Over the years, it has evolved into an international event, emphasising the global commitment to combatting pan creatic cancer.

nent tourism fair, provided a platform for industry profes sionals to affirm that tour operators dismiss such news as lacking credibility and im portance.

Image: Veja / Shutterstock.com

Benidorm allure

BENIDORM: Is seen as a resilient destination.

EWN

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

Image: Ayuntamiento de Benidorm

Brighter future ROTARY CLUB: A wonderful group that serves and understands the city.

THE Rotary Club of Benidorm has stepped up to support the city’s most vul nerable schoolchildren. The club’s recent donation of €10,000 in school supplies is poised to make a signifi cant impact on the lives of approximately 150 young boys and girls in need. Mayor, Toni Perez, took a moment to commend the Rotary Club, describing them as “a wonderful group that serves and understands the city.” As the Rotary Club of

Benidorm gears up to cele brate its 30th anniversary next year, they have set their sights on a noble mis sion one that aims to foster wellbeing, solidarity, and af fection within the communi ty. The club firmly believes that those who have more should share a portion of their abundance with those who have less. Throughout the coming year, the Rotary Club of Benidorm has estimated that they will allocate ap

proximately €60,000 to vari ous projects. The Rotary Club is not just a local organisation but part of a global network of 1.4 million volunteers. Collec tively, these volunteers ded icate a staggering 47 million hours of their time to vari ous charitable causes each year. The impact of their soli darity actions extends far beyond borders, with an es timated annual contribution of around $330 million worldwide.

IN a groundbreaking development, nursing professionals across Alicante are now autho rised to prescribe medications for patients in both public and private healthcare settings. This change marks a significant shift from the previous practice, which limited prescription privileges to doctors and dentists. The catalyst for this change is the Royal De cree 954/2015, a regulation that governs the in dication, use, and authorisation of medication and healthcare products for human use by nurses. Prior to this decree, nurses were permitted to prescribe drugs in five specific areas where their expertise is particularly valuable: wounds, diabetes, hypertension, burns, and ostomies. With 9,300 nursing professionals in the province, this new law heralds a momentous expansion of their roles in patient care. FOLLOWING the resounding success of its inaugural Mediterránea Festival, Gandia is gearing up for an even more extraordinary experience in 2024. The buzz is palpable after the lightningfast sale of the ini tial 500 tickets, which vanished within minutes of release. As the excitement builds, the festival organisers are de lighted to unveil the first wave of confirmed artists. True to its commitment to showcasing the finest in na tional Indie music, Mediter

LOCAL NEWS

Patient care The measure is set to be gradually imple mented in the Community, and its effects promise to alleviate the mounting pressure on the public Primary Care system. This pressure has forced doctors to double up on consultations in an effort to address de lays, which have, at times, stretched to a month in the province of Alicante. These circumstances have left physicians with an impossible task, trying to provide quali ty care in just five minutes for each patient.

Lineup unveiled ránea Festival is set to deliver an unparalleled lineup, bring ing together the crème de la crème of Spain’s indie scene to the vibrant Safor region. Among the confirmed head liners is the illustrious Viva Sweden, a powerhouse in the Spanish indie landscape. Joining Viva Sweden on the illustrious list of confirmed artists are the sensational Ladilla Rusa, the electrifying

duo Elyella, and the dynamic force that is Sexy Zebras. Save the dates, as these phenome nal acts are set to take the stage at the Parc de la Festa in Gandia on August 15, 16, and 17, 2024. Eager fans can secure their spot by purchasing season tick ets, available on the festival’s website for the exclusive price of €48 until the next phase of pricing.

10 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

LOCAL NEWS

bogdanhoda Image:

ALICANTE has proudly announced its sixteenth 'Autumn Photographic Com petition in the Old Town of Alicante.' This competition is a celebration of art, culture, and the vibrant heritage of the city's historic centre, all through the lens of black and white photography. In keeping with tradition, this year's competition will be celebrated by a splendid musical treat with a rooftop concert featuring Beatles Tribute ‘The Liverpool Band’. Set your calendar for noon on Sun day, November 26, to immerse your self in the magic of music. If you're a photography enthusiast with a keen eye for the Old Town's essence, here's your chance to shine. The deadline for submissions is open until November 28, inviting pho tographers to share their captivating black and white snapshots of the Old Town. Your lens can capture the area from the vantage point of Santa Barbara Castle, adding a unique perspective to your visual tales. The best part? There are three gen erous prizes of €300 each up for grabs, along with the privilege of having your work displayed in an exhibition

Autumn photo fun 20th Anniversary

Photo Fun

at El Claustro from December 13 to January 7. THE culinary showdown at Altea Burger Gourmet reached its crescendo as El Bar de Confianza’s hamburger emerged victori ous, crowned the best among 23 partici pants by the discerning jury. Mayor Deo Sánchez unveiled the thrilling results, revealing that a whopping 1,050 votes were cast by the public, a tes tament to the event's popularity. However, the true extent of the gastro nomic success extended beyond the vote count, with many more delectable ham burgers savoured during the event.

THE Villajoyosa munici pal market is donning its festive attire as it cele brates its 20th anniver sary, inviting both shop pers and history enthusiasts alike to par take in a series of lively activities. Shoppers at the mar ket have a chance to be part of a raffle, with the winners eagerly antici pated to be unveiled on Friday November 17. As a visual feast for history buffs, the exhibi

tion ‘The Shape of the Sea’ has been inaugurat ed, showcasing 16 navi gation maps of the Mediterranean basin spanning from the 13th century BC to the 18th century. These meticulously re produced maps, some sourced from the Library of Congress of the Unit ed States, offer a capti vating journey through the ancient cartography of the sea, from Homer to the Renaissance.

Burger brilliance Such was the triumph of Altea Burger Gourmet that plans are already underway to expand the event in the coming year, promising an even more extensive and tantalising showcase of gourmet burgers. The gastronomic extravaganza wit

The exhibition, a col laboration with Casa Mediterráneo, provides a unique opportunity to delve into the rich mar itime history that has shaped the region. Rosa Llorca, the Coun cillor for Commerce, con firmed: “To heighten the festive ambiance, an ‘af ternoon’ session has been planned for November 17, from 5.30pm to 9.00pm, fea turing shopping and great entertainment.”

nessed such overwhelming demand that local butcher shops found themselves working overtime to meet the soaring ap petite for hamburgers. This surge in business not only boosted the hospitality industry but also indirectly contributed to the prosperity of other local businesses, true winwin for Altea’s vibrant community. The esteemed jury, in addition to crown ing El Bar de Confianza as the champion, bestowed second place on Rumors Altea and third place on La Sidrería Escondida

LOCAL NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

Image: Ayuntamiento de Benidorm

Campello Nativity

ENCHANTING: A passion for preserving tradition.

Anna Ellis THE dedicated artisans behind the Municipal Nativity Scene of El Campello are already immersed in the enchanting process of bringing the festive masterpiece to life. With meticulous attention to detail and a passion for preserv ing tradition, members of the El Campello Municipal Nativity Scene Association have begun the installation in the Municipal Library. This sacred space, traversed by thousands each year, becomes a haven for a meticulously crafted scene that encapsu lates the spirit of Christmas. Every day, these skilled artisans convene at the workshop, striving to create not only new figures but to breathe life into traditional scenes and structures. The workshop buzzes with creativity, as they introduce more greenery, illuminate the scene with carefully placed lights, and unveil other novelties that promise to leave us all in awe. The Municipal Library, transformed into a sanctuary of cre ativity, is shrouded in a large mesh, guarding the magical cre ation from premature eyes.

16 - 22 November 2023

Bob Marquess THE El Panta municipal field in La Villa joyosa came alive with the thunderous cheers of over 1,000 fans on Saturday November 11, marking the kickoff of the La Vila International Rugby Cup. As the United States clashed with Brazil and Spain faced off against Canada in gripping matches, the stands rever berated with the infectious energy of rugby enthusiasts. The Spanish rugby team triumphed over Canada with a resounding 4220 victory, securing their spot in the cham pionship final. The journey to the summit has been paved with skill, determination, and the resolute spirit of competition. IN a proactive effort to ensure road safety, the Denia Local Police execut ed a targeted speed con trol campaign in the mu nicipality last week, resulting in a significant 143 citations for speeding violations. These infractions carry the potential for severe penalties, including the loss of up to six driving li cence points and fines ranging from €100 to €600, in addition to the

EWN 11

Rugby Cup Image: Ayuntamiento de La Vila Joiosa

KICKOFF: Held at the municipal field in La Villajoyosa.

The final showdown, scheduled for November 18 at 8.00pm, promises an electrifying clash between Spain and the United States. The North American team earned their spot in the final by de

feating Brazil with a scoreline of 4820. As the tournament enters its final stage, the excitement is palpable. On November 18, the battle for third and fourth places will unfold at 4.00pm.

Denia crackdown possibility of licence sus pension. From November 6 to 12, the Local Police con ducted preventive con trols at various times of the day across different areas of the city. The locations included prominent thoroughfares such as Avenida Joan Fuster, multiple segments of the Les Marines high

way, the historic highway from Dénia to Ondara, CV725, Calle Les Rotes, Camí del Cementeri, ac cess to La Pedrera, Aveni da Metge Manuel Vallal ta, and Calle Electra. In addition to the 143 citations for speeding, the enforcement operation revealed several other traffic violations. Three citations were is

sued for not having a valid MOT, one for using a mobile phone while driving, another for lack ing mandatory automo bile insurance, and one more for neglecting to wear a seat belt.

100,000: the number of times your heart will beat in a day.

12 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

MOFTAG (Mighty Oaks From Tiny Acorns Grow) ladies fundraising club will once again be holding a Christmas fayre, this Saturday November 18 at the Pub Delfin on Calle Delfin in Calpe. The fayre starts at 10am and finish es at 1pm with a raffle draw that starts at 12.30pm. There will be home made cakes and pastries, marmalades and chut neys, top class bricabrac and handmade Christmas cards. Hand knitted goods and lots of games are avail able for the whole family

including a treasure hunt and bottle tombola. MOFTAG has been in existence for 45 years making it the longest run ning ladies Englishspeak ing club in Calpe. The club has been raising funds to help the Calpe communi ty throughout these years. Apart from fundraising, the club also offers social events for their members every Wednesday. If you would like to know more about becom ing a member please con tact the president Jenny Godfrey on telephone 639 139 518.

THE BOND EXPERIENCE: Will feature many hit theme songs.

LOCAL NEWS

Barbarians Marina Alta Rugby IT was a quiet weekend for the Barbarians with only the under16s in ac tion, who travelled to Ali cante on Saturday for a league game against a combined Akra/La Vila side. The Barbarians were just too strong in all de partments for the home team, winning both set piece and open play con tests. Well done to the play ers from Akra and La Vila who put up a fine and gal lant performance against a much more disciplined THE name’s Bo... actually the name’s The Choir, The English Choir and their next perfor mance, ‘The Bond Experience’ will feature many of the classic hit theme songs from the muchloved Bond films from the last 60 years beginning with the first Bond movie, Dr No, released in 1962. Together with cameo intro

Credit: Benidorm Palace

Moftag Christmas fayre

euroweeklynews.com

BARBARIANS: Won both set piece and open play contests.

and welldrilled outfit. Two teams play this weekend with the Seniors

away to Elche, whilst the S16 entertain Elche as well but at home in De

nia. If you played before in the UK and still fancy a game and live in the Ma rina Alta, you are very welcome to have a run out at training with the squad every Tuesday and Thursday with players from Spain, Argentina, NZ, the UK, France, Italy, Canada, Chile and Ecuador. Free qualified coaching is available at all levels. Call Santi (Spanish) on 676 612 357 or Mac (En glish) on 609 646 349 for more information.

The Bond Experience ductions and supporting me dia displays, The Choir will take the audience on a journey through Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, Octopussy and Skyfall, to name just a few. The publicity spokesperson for The Choir said “the audi

ence are invited to dress for the event as their favourite ‘Bond Girl’ or ‘Bond Baddie’. The Choir will be performing ‘The Bond Experience’ across two venues. The first perfor mance is at the Ermita de Sant Josep, La Fustera, Benissa Cos

ta on Saturday November 25 at 7pm and the second will take place at the DAR Centre, Carretera de Jesus Pobre, Javea on Wednesday Novem ber 29 at 7.30pm. Tickets priced at €12.50 from englishchoir.com.

LOCAL NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

APROP Garden Party Peter Sockett

Photos by Th e Entertainer s

A BEAUTIFUL sunny ear ly winter afternoon saw a full house of 140 as semble in the Los Arcos garden for a show by The Entertainers Marina Alta performed on be half of APROP, the ani mal charity based in Pego. The Entertainers opened the show with Tina Turner’s Proud Mary, the crowd knew they were in for some thing special. As Run was fol lowed by Sway and Stop some of the audi ence couldn’t wait and abandoned their picnics to start dancing. By the time the first set ended with Another Brick in the Wall the whole crowd was on its feet grooving. A truly wonderful per

A wonderful event.

formance was closed, with the on going dance theme, by Mustang Sally and Is this the Way to Amarillo. Ev erybody went home humming their favourite tune and asking when is the next performance? All money raised is to be put to use helping the

many cats and dogs in the care of APROP. If you missed this per formance The Entertain ers will next by perform ing for SCAN on November 25 at El Verg er Auditorium.

EWN 13

14 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023 AS explained in previous arti cles, Law 8/2021 brought signifi cant changes in Spain in the reg ulation of the rights of persons with disabilities. In this week’s article we focus on a recent rul ing of the Spanish Supreme Court that addresses two of the novelties introduced by this law: curatorship and de facto guardianship. What’s new in Law 8/2021

euroweeklynews.com

FEATURE

We analyse the recent Supreme Court ruling on Curatorship and de facto Guardianship. Support measures for people with disabilities. Expert legal advice. The main change of Law 8/2021 was to emphasise the provision of support and assis tance measures for the dis abled, instead of simply incapac itating them. Figures such as tutorship, extended parental

authority and prodigality were eliminated. And others were in troduced, such as the curator and the de facto guardian. Both of them have the aim of pro tecting, caring for and assisting the disabled person, but they present important differences. Curatorship and de facto guardianship in the Spanish Civil Code The curatorship is a measure that is formally constituted. That is to say, it is decreed by a judge. Therefore, its scope and facul ties are clearly delimited. Since a judge will be the one who es tablishes its content. The cura torship can be of two types: as sistential or representative; depending on the degree of dis ability and the needs of the dis abled person. However, the de facto guardianship is an institution that exists by itself. That is to say, it has not been decreed ju dicially, nor by means of a vol untary measure such as a pre ventive power of attorney, etc. A de facto guardian is the per sona that, effectively, is in

charge of assisting the disabled person on a daytoday basis. It can be a relative who lives with the disabled person. A neigh bour, etc. It will depend on each case. Practical problems of the de fac to guardianship The de facto guardian gained prominence after the change in the law. In fact, the Civil Code es tablishes that if there is a prop erly functioning de facto guardianship, it will not be nec essary to establish a curatorship. This has led several courts to re ject the appointment of a ‘cura tor’ when there is a ‘de facto guardian’. The main downside of the de facto guardianship is that its functions are not clearly delimited. Therefore, in practice,

it is common for the de facto guardian to face problems on a daytoday basis when dealing with the bank of the incapacitat ed person, dealing with the ad ministration, etc. Supreme Court Ruling 1444/2023: The specific case For the first time since the en try into force of the law, the Supreme Court has ruled on the matter. The case is as follows. A man suffered a cerebral stroke in 2016 that left him with a se vere disability. From that mo ment on, his wife took charge, assisting him on a daytoday basis, informally, by means of a ‘de facto guardianship’. Faced with constant difficulties (deal ings with banks, the administra tion, etc), his wife asked to be appointed as her husband’s cu rator. Initially, her petition was rejected. The arguments of both the Judge and the Public Prose cutor’s Office were that there was already a de facto guardian

ship in place and functioning properly. And, therefore, there was no need for a curatorship. The Supreme Court has rejected this reasoning and has finally ap pointed his wife as curator. The reflection of the High Court is clear: the provision that the cu ratorship is not necessary if there is a properly functioning de facto guardianship cannot be interpreted rigidly. The specific circumstances of each case must be considered. Conclusion At White Baos Abogados we are experts in support measures for people with disabilities, cura torship and de facto guardian ship. If you have a family mem ber who needs help in this regard, or if you wish to put your wishes in writing, in a pre ventive power of attorney, for situations of dependency. Do not hesitate to contact us. We will study your case and offer you expert legal advice. The information provided here is not intended to be legal advice, but merely conveys infor mation relating to legal issues.

16 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA, the President of Por tugal, has announced the dis solution of parliament. He will leave António Costa as the head of government until the next elections, scheduled for March 10, 2024. On Thursday November 9, prior to making his highlyan ticipated announcement, Marcelo said that: “For the first time in democracy, a prime minister learned that he was going to be the sub ject of an autonomous pro cess under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.” This dictated the dismissal of the head of state, for: “rea

Credit: European Parliament/Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

Portugal dissolves parliament Nail in coffin?

Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

sons of indispensable dignity to the continuity of the cur rent mandate,” the President added. After the politician submit ted his resignation earlier the

same day, De Sousa accept ed António Costa’s resigna tion as Prime Minister of Por tugal on Tuesday, November 7. Costa’s resignation came after the Public Ministry re vealed he was the target of an autonomous investigation by the Supreme Court of Jus tice into projects involving lithium and hydrogen busi nesses. It was confirmed by the At torney General’s Office (PGR) that the investigation arose after: “knowledge of the ex ploitation by suspects of the name and authority of the

Prime Minister and his inter vention to unblock proce dures.” At least five people were arrested after around 20 searches were carried by the Public Ministry in several ministry offices plus Costa’s official residence on Tuesday. They included searches of offices belonging to public entities and companies. A to tal of 17 searches were also conducted in homes, with another five at a lawyer’s of fice and their home. Those detained reportedly included Diogo Lacerda Machado, the businessman and close friend of Costa. Ví tor Escária, the PM’s chief of staff, was also arrested. João Galamba, president of the Portuguese Environ ment Agency was accused as an ‘arguido’ or formal sus pect, along with Duarto Cordeiro, the Minister of the Environment, João Pedro Matos Fernandes, the former Minister of the Environment, and Nuno Mascarenhas, the mayor of Sines.

THE European Central Bank has confirmed that it plans to push ahead with the digital euro and the Bank of Spain is not only supportive, but six months ahead of other banks. It is difficult to trace the movement of cash and many banks like the con cept of a cashless society as they can benefit by charging merchants for ev ery transaction made by card or transfer. It is inter esting that the Bank of Spain, whilst still in favour of the digital euro, has been sounding out public opinion and had market research company IPSOS undertake two tiny sur veys of just 1,600 mem bers of the public and small businesses about their attitude to digital payment. Whilst the powers that be may have been sur prised by the answers they received; it seems unlikely that they will be swayed from the path of

digitalisation. Just 20 per cent of the public admitted to know ing anything about the digital euro and a similar number of businesses in dicated that they would be likely to accept pay ment by this method whilst 65 per cent (7 per cent more than those re sponded to a similar sur vey in 2022) said they pos itively didn’t intend to accept the digital euro. Even in the most pro digital age group (18 to 24) only 36 per cent said they were likely to use the currency and this percent age declined as the ages rose with a nominal 7 per cent of those older than 65 being in favour. Whilst the digital euro may be useful for use in major transactions between large organisations, it seems unlikely that you will be invited to pay for your beer and tapas with digital euros in the fore seeable future.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

SINCE the government announced it was in creasing the Single Circu lation Tax (IUC) in 2024, more than 400,000 mo torists have already signed a petition against the measure that was published in the 2024 State Budget. A maximum of €25 per year will be placed on cars and motorcycles registered before July 2007, and the tax will be progressive. The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by vehicles into the environment is in strumental in paying this tax. As confirmed by the Portuguese Automobile Trade Association (AP CA), more customers are turning up at dealers try ing to sell their cars in or der to ‘reduce the im pact of what could happen’ with the pro gressive increase in tax.

Credit: meowKa/Shutterstock.com

2nd hand car boom

MOTORISTS: Have signed a petition against the measure.

Nuno Silva, the APCA president, disagrees with the new OE2024 mea sure and suggested more incentives. “If people have older cars, it’s be cause they can’t afford to buy more modern ve hicles. There has to be an incentive, it’s not enough to increase the tax,” he explained to the news outlet. Secondhand car deal ers will experience many difficulties in selling old er cars, and will end up

closing, suggested Silva. “When people start sell ing their vehicles it’s be cause they don’t want to pay more expensive IUC. But others won’t buy these vehicles either, which will cause the cars to continue to depreci ate in value,” he contin ued. A ‘provisional suspen sion’ of the tax for at least one year, with the aim of easing the estab lishments’ bills, was a good idea said the APCA.

EWN 17

18 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Spanish gastronomy THE upward trend of culi nary tourism is a testament to the fact that, wherever they are in the world, every one loves trying new food. Europe has long been the centre of diverse and quality cuisine and Spain is a leading gastronomic light in the con tinent. Culinary tourism is grow ing increasingly popular, with the market worth €743 billion in 2022 and expected to exceed €872 billion by 2028, an increase of 17.44 per cent. In an Internet age, for bet ter or worse, foodies rely heavily on rating apps and recommendations from So cial Media influencers, but the one recommendation that has held the heaviest weight for the last 100 years is that of the Michelin Guide and its star rating system. A traditional view of Span ish cuisine is that it’s simple, cheap, simple food that’s wholesome and varied. However, Spain holds the fifth most Michelin stars in

MICHELIN STARS: Spain ranks third in the world.

the world and its restaurants rank third in the world for the coveted threestar award. The Basque Country town of San Sebastian holds the crown for the highest densi ty of Michelinstarred restaurants in Europe and is regularly named by many of the world’s top chefs as their favourite foodie destination. In 2022 Spain boasted 226 one, two and threestarred restaurants, 38 Green Star

restaurants and 232 Bib Gourmand. In 2023 the number of Michelinstarred restaurants in Spain has risen to 248, demonstrating the rise of Spanish gastrono my on the world stage.

126 feet: the diameter of the world’s largest pizza.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

Morel of the story

THE recent story of deadly mushroom poison ing in Australia has highlighted Finland’s love af fair with Gyromitra esculenta, commonly known as the false morel mushroom. The false morel mushroom is discarded by many because of its toxicity. However, Fin land’s gastronomic scene holds the false morel in high regard, deeply rooted in its cultural palate even making it onto Finnish postage stamps in 1974, despite its potentially harmful nature. Strict guidelines surround its sale, ensuring that each transaction is accompanied by a stark warning of the mushroom’s toxicity and a com prehensive guide on how to eat it safely. These procedures include extensive boiling and rins ing to remove the gyromitrin, the mushroom’s toxic compound. Yet, the health implications of longterm con sumption, including the risk of carcinogenic ef fects, remain a subject of scientific debate. This uncertainty underscores the Finnish approach to the false morel which is a delicacy to be re spected and feared. The hazards of gyromitrin, once they have metabolised into monomethylhydrazine (MMH) within the human body, are severe. MMH poses a significant risk to the liver, diges tive, and nervous systems, potentially leading to convulsions, unconsciousness and organ fail ure. Interestingly, MMH does have its uses, its high reactivity has been harnessed as an ingre

Credit: Post of Finland/Public domain

FINNISH POSTAGE STAMP: False morel.

dient for rocket fuel by space agencies including NASA and Elon Musk’s SpaceX. To counteract the dangers, Finnish legislation enforces strict culinary protocols for handling false morels. Consumption of the mushroom in its raw state is expressly forbidden, and specific preparation methods must be followed to the letter to avoid the risk of serious health implica tions. The Finnish affinity for the false morel mush room exemplifies the complexities of local tastes balanced with global health perspec tives. It is an extreme example of the lengths to which cultural traditions will go to preserve their culinary heritage, even in the face of po tential danger. One can only assume they taste amazing.

16 - 22 November 2023

EWN 19

20 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023 Anna Ellis PARIS’ bustling airports are set to experience a wave of flight cancellations in the early months of 2024 as France embarks on a critical mission to mod ernise its ageing air traffic control systems. The current French air traffic control system, rooted in the 1970s and sometimes relying on old school paper strips to man age incoming flights, is long overdue for a sub stantial makeover. With the skies over France becoming increas ingly crowded due to surg ing air traffic, a compre hensive overhaul is in the works, and it’s bound to create some hiccups for travellers in the first two

euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Cancellation deluge Fugitive found Image: Air France / Facebook

AIR FRANCE: Bearing the brunt of the disruptions.

months of the year. With a staggering 2.5 million flights navigating French airspace each year, any disruptions have the potential to send ripples across the European travel landscape. During this upgrade

phase, approximately 16,500 flights are expected to be cancelled, as report ed by the everwatchful business news channel, BFM. Airlines have been given a stern warning to scale back their operations at

Paris’ major airports, in cluding Charles de Gaulle, Orly, Le Bourget, and Beauvais, with a targeted reduction of 20 per cent from January 9 to February 14. All of this hustle and bustle stems from the need to put the new air traffic control system through its paces at the AthisMons control centre, France’s largest, oversee ing all air traffic in the Paris and Beauvais regions. The effects are being felt by travellers, with Air France bearing the brunt of the disruptions.

A 58-YEAR-OLD Portuguese businessman previously con victed of fraud on the Algarve has been captured in Brazil. Luís Estiveira was a fugitive from the law after going on the run. He was reportedly detained in a restaurant in the city of João Pessoa in the state of Paraíba by Federal Police officers. The detainee was wanted by Interpol and had an international arrest warrant against him. While running a petrol station concession in Portugal’s Algarve region, Estiveira was subsequently sentenced to seven years in prison by a court in the town of Portimão for nine crimes of aggravated document forgery. According to the court, he used false bank guarantees to buy fuel from oil companies, on consignment. He had pre viously already been convicted of similar crimes in the town of Faro in the same southern region of the country. The fraudulent scheme, which Estiveira reportedly set up in 2010 and 2011, was eventually dismantled by the Polícia Judiciária in 2014. The businessman will now be presented to the Brazilian authorities for extradition to Portugal.

Munich take-off STARTING in the summer of 2024, Lufthansa is plan ning to significantly ex pand its longhaul flight of ferings at Munich Airport. Currently, Lufthansa op erates approximately 150 longhaul flights every week from Munich. However, in the sum mer of 2024, the airline in tends to boost this num ber to over 190 flights per week, marking an un precedented growth of more than 20 per cent. Munich is the second largest German airport and the secondlargest

Lufthansa location, after Frankfurt. As part of this expan sion, Lufthansa will intro duce new intercontinen tal destinations from Munich. Travellers can look for ward to flights to Seattle, Hong Kong, and Johannes burg, along with a signifi cant increase in routes to North America and Asia. The airline’s longhaul fleet includes the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the A380, some of which were previously moth balled.

Lufthansa plans to reac tivate all eight of its A380s, with four already back in service and the remaining four set to return over the next two years. Despite these positive developments, Lufthansa’s CEO expressed frustration with Munich Airport’s subpar rail con nections. In contrast to Frankfurt, there is no ICE (InterCity Express) connection, and the SBahn (suburban train) service in Munich is plagued by frequent breakdowns and delays.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

AS the calendar flips to November, we take a closer look at the Spanish rental mar ket. According to the latest re port from idealista, October passed with little movement in rental prices, which remained steady at €11.8 per square me tre. However, when we delve deeper into the data, we dis

16 - 22 November 2023

October rent trends cover a fascinating mix of trends and surprises. In the past quarter, the rental prices have dipped slightly, by 0.6 per cent. Yet, over the course of the last year, the landscape tells a dif ferent story, with a notable 9.4

per cent increase in rental costs. Zooming into the map, we find a mosaic of changes across the capital cities. A total of 38 capitals witnessed variations in rental prices over the past month.

Camino de Santiago record breaker WITH less than two months of 2023 still re maining, Santiago de Compostela announced a new annual record for the number of visi tors on its famous Camino de Santiago. On Sunday, November 12, José Manuel Borrás, a 79yearold resident of Huelva, brought the total number of pilgrims visiting the Galician capital to 433,308. He took 30 days to complete his 1,200 km journey from the city of Malaga. “I feel overwhelmed, but very happy, 1,250 kms is a record for me” exclaimed Borrás, be fore pointing out that he had unspecified reli gious and family reasons for walking the Camino de Santiago. One month ago, the Huelva native em barked on the Camino from Malaga, along the Vía de la Plata to Astorga. There, he FAMOUS museums, Rijksmu seum and Van Gogh Muse um were among venues that were heavily defaced with paint during Amsterdam’s Museum Night, bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘paint the town red’. Two arrests have been made in Amsterdam, after the annual Museum Night ended in disaster and de struction of public property. Several museums, includ

Credit: Twitter@AlfonsoRuedaGal

Camino de Santiago’s record-breaking pilgrim.

joined the Camino Francés, the most popular among pilgrims. “I’ll remember it for the rest of my life,” joked Borrás, as he recalled experiencing the recent storms, and even snow, in O Cebreiro. This was not the first time that José Manuel undertook the Camino to Santiago, as he had already done it 10 years ago from Huelva.

Painting the town red ing the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum, were de faced with paint on Saturday November 11. Two suspects have been detained. The defacing included the underpass at the Rijksmuse um, which was splattered with bright red paint in vari ous areas at around 9.45pm.

Some of the windows of the Van Gogh Museum were also targeted with the same paint. A spokesperson for the po lice told a local TV station that “a few bystanders were also covered in paint.” The motive behind these crimes against the buildings is still unclear but many thought it to be some kind of protest.

The city of Segovia steals the limelight with a remarkable 7 per cent surge in rents, while Valencia and Ciudad Real fol low closely behind, both expe riencing a 4 per cent increase. Further, cities like Albacete, Caceres, and Ourense also saw

their rental markets perk up by 3 per cent. On the flip side, Huesca ranks as the capital with the most significant decline, with a 2.1 per cent drop in rents. Leon, San Sebastian, and Avila also experienced marginal decreases of 1 per cent, 0.7 per cent, and 0.6 per cent, respectively. Moreover, the most popu

EWN 21

lous cities of Spain witnessed their rental markets expand. Palma, Barcelona, and Malaga experienced notable rises, standing at 2.2 per cent, 2 per cent, and 1.6 per cent, respec tively. Even cities like Bilbao, Ali cante, Madrid, and Sevilla weren’t left behind, showing growth between 0.3 and 0.8 per cent.

22 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

Eyjafjallajökull Volcano, Iceland in 2011.

of Grindavik, located about three kilome tres southwest of the quake’s epicentre, is on high alert. Approximately 4,000 resi dents are ready to evacuate if needed. Late on Friday, two powerful tremors were felt, the largest measuring a magni tude of 5.2, affecting areas as far as Reyk javik some 40 kilometres away. In light of the recent seismic activity, lo cal authorities have taken precautionary

measures. A key road to Grindavik was shut down after suffering damage from the earthquakes. The region has experi enced over 24,000 tremors since late Oc tober. The Reykjanes peninsula has wit nessed three eruptions since 2021, occurring in March 2021, August 2022, and July 2023. Each of these eruptions was safely distant from populated areas and critical infrastructure. Iceland, with its 33 active volcanic sys tems, holds the record for the most in Eu rope. The current threat is reminiscent of the events of 2010 in which a series of eruption in Eyjafjallajokull affected trav ellers around Europe and further afield. The danger lay in the volcanic ash and its effect on jet engines, hence the closure of European airspace in what was the largest airtraffic disruption since the Sec ond World War.

Internal border controls

THE Swedish government has decided to reintroduce internal border controls from and in cluding November 12 to May 11, 2024. This decision was announced on Thursday, November 9, and comes because the govern ment assessed there was a seri ous threat to public order and internal security in the country. Sweden is undergoing a dete riorating security situation and faces several threats to internal security at the same time. In August this year, Charlotte von Essen, the chief of Säpo, Sweden’s Security Police decid ed to raise the terror threat level from three to four on a five point scale from an elevated to

a high threat. According to the govern ment’s assessment, the deci sion to reintroduce border con trols is one of several measures that are currently required in or der to respond to the threat posed to Sweden’s internal se curity. It was taken in accor dance with the EU’s common legislation. A reintroduced border con trol at the internal border is, in the current context, the only available measure that provides the conditions for being able to identify individuals entering a country who may pose a securi ty threat or otherwise threaten public order and internal securi ty.

NEWS

Olympic interest Credit: Pawel Maryanov/Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

Iceland volcano threat Credit: Nasa Public Domain/Creative Commons Attribution

ICELAND has been bracing itself due to the high risk of a volcanic eruption, with many of its citizens now prepared to evacuate if need be. This follows a series of potent earthquakes on the Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest of the coun try. Iceland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs an nounced on X/Twitter: “The Government of Iceland continues to monitor the situa tion in close collaboration with the De partment of Civil Protection and Emer gency Management and the Icelandic Meteorological Office,” later adding: “The Department of Civil Protection and Emer gency Management has declared an Emergency/Distress Phase on the Reyk janes peninsula, due to increased seismic activity. All residents of Grindavik are obliged to evacuate the town.” Experts are closely monitoring the es calating seismic events, which according to the Icelandic Met Office (IMO), could cause an eruption within days. The village

euroweeklynews.com

Speed skaters at 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

THE Swedish Government confirmed on Sunday, November 12, that a po tential bid for the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is being tak en very seriously. Officials in Stockholm notified the Swedish Olympic Committee, the Swedish Paralympic Com mittee and the Swedish National Sports Confedera tion of their decision. Jakob Forssmed, the Minister of Social Affairs and Sports, explained: “We will now test the con ditions for providing guar antees for the games. Fi nancial guarantees, guarantees that the au thorities cooperate with the organisers, and guar antees for safety.” Asked how much the

2030 event could cost tax payers, Forssmed told the news outlet: “It is not in tended that the Swedish taxpayers contribute mon ey to the Olympic budget. The Olympics must stand on their own financial mer its.” He indicated: “We need games that take place in democratic countries, which can be based on economic and environ mental sustainability. “No showy construc tions, but rather that we use what we have in a good and wise way and get Games that are more reasonable and something for the Swedish people to look forward to,” Forssmed continued. While Stockholm is planned as the main loca tion, other locations could include Falun, Åre and Östersund. However, the politician suggested that some of the competitions could be staged in neigh bouring countries. For ex ample, ice skating in Nor way, and bobsleigh, luge and skeleton in Latvia. While admitting that many obstacles still re main, Forssmed pointed out. “We will investigate the conditions for the guarantees required for this, but basically, we have a positive view.”

50 the times the average person smiles in a day.

24 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023 A BOY blissfully lying on a so fa, loaded onto the roof of an old white Fiat Panda driving through the traffic on the streets of Catania in Sicily, as if it was nothing out of the or dinary. All captured in a short video that ended up on social media on the afternoon of Saturday November 4 and went viral in a few hours on TikTok.

euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Easy rider The next day, local police tracked down the driver of the Panda, who was charged with several traffic violations. Through the analysis of the images and after a brief in vestigation, the officers of the

Borgo Ognina police station identified the owner of the car, a 43yearold woman, and then traced it back to the driver of the car, her 41year old husband. According to what the police reconstruct

Photo: TikTok

LAID BACK: The driver was fined.

ed, the 41yearold, together with a friend, after collecting a sofa from an acquaintance who wanted to get rid of it, loaded it onto the roof of the car to take it home. Once back in the car, a young man climbed onto the roof of the Panda, lying on the sofa and

being carried along the city’s ring road. The driver, after justifying himself by telling the officers that he,”did not realise he was carrying a young man ly ing on the sofa,” (which the police obviously considered implausible), was fined sever

al hundred euros and several points were deducted from his driving licence. A few days ago, also in Catania, a 15yearold boy was caught on video going around the city sitting on a sofa mounted on an electric scooter.

Vampire grave THE remains of a child buried face down, held in place with an ‘antivampire’ triangular pad lock, were discovered near Pień in south eastern Poland by researchers from the Nico laus Copernicus University in Toruń. The 17thcentury burial was found near the grave of the ‘vampire from Pniu’ discov ered a year earlier a woman buried with a sickle around her neck and a padlock locked on her toe. Vampires were feared not only in popular fiction, but in real life by people living several centuries ago. This is why those suspected of supernatu ral powers were often buried in very specific ways: with their faces downwards, tied with ropes in an embryonic position, with their heads cut off, pressed to the ground with a boulder or their chest pierced with a sharp tool. Researchers from the University discov ered the skeleton of a woman doubly pro tected from rising from the grave.

The people burying the girl had placed a tri angular padlock on her left big toe and addi tionally pinned her neck to the ground with a sickle. The bones were very quickly dubbed ‘vam pire’ in the media. “Our discovery does not necessarily indi cate that a vampire was buried here,” said the head of the research in Trunks, Dr Dariusz Poliński, Professor of the UMK Institute of Ar chaeology. I would treat these treatments more as ‘antivampiric’ activities. Maybe the woman had some kind of phys ical or mental defect, her fellow inhabitants treated her badly while she was alive and were afraid that she would haunt them after death.

90 days: the time an average person will spend kissing.

euroweeklynews.com Image: Akira

PAW-SOME: Dress your four-legged friends festively.

Furry fun Anna Ellis GET ready for a pawsome Christmas celebration with Akira Animal Charity on December 2! Expect a day of furry fun at Como en Casa Restau rant, where the magic be gins at midday. At 12.45pm enjoy Furry Fashion Galore! Dress your fourlegged friends in their most festive attire and strut your stuff for the cos tume competition. It’s a chance for your pets to steal the spotlight and spread some holiday

cheer. At 1.30pm: The awards ceremony will take place. But that’s not all! In dulge in the holiday spirit with a specially crafted menu and let the rhythm of live music fill the air. Ready to make a differ ence? Book your slot now or gather more informa tion by emailing cumbre delsol@vapf.com. This Christmas, let’s come together for a festive celebration that warms the hearts of both humans and furry friends alike.

MARK your calendars for a heartwarming musical cele bration! On Wednesday, December 13, at 7.30pm, a special event, ‘A Christmas Festival’, will grace the stage in association with the Alfas del Pi Town Hall. This enchanting evening aims to raise funds for the Al fas del Pi food bank, adding a charitable touch to the joyous holiday season. The choir behind this magi cal night is a harmonious blend of talents, comprising members from seven differ ent nationalities. Their multi lingual repertoire, featuring English, Spanish, Dutch, and Latin, promises a truly inter national musical experience.

16 - 22 November 2023

EWN 25

Christmas Festival Image: Canto Mundial

SOCIAL SCENE

MUSICAL CELEBRATION: All proceeds will go to charity.

Under the guidance of the accomplished musical direc tor, Philip Ashley, the concert will showcase a diverse range of musical styles, spanning classical masterpieces, pop hits, and, of course, a selec tion of heartwarming Christ

PREPARE for an enchanting evening as Adagio, an eightperson singing group, takes the stage at the DAR Social Centre on Jesus Pobre Road in Javea. This musical extravaganza promises an unforgettable blend of captivating melodies, infectious fun, and hearty laughter. Beyond delivering a memorable per formance, the concert holds a deeper purpose.

mas melodies. What sets this performance apart is the dy namic presentation by Canto Mundial, with some songs de livered by smaller groups or soloists within the choir. This ensures a programme that is not only melodious but

also fun and entertaining, a perfect kickoff to your Christ mas celebrations. Your attendance at this fes tive concert comes with a unique opportunity to make a difference. In lieu of a fixed ticket price, the choir kindly requests a donation of €7 per person. All proceeds will di rectly benefit the Alfas del Pi food bank, supporting their crucial work throughout the Christmas period. Secure your tickets today by reaching out to choir mem bers, visiting the Casa de Cul tura, or calling (+34) 965 581 483.

Adagio in concert Adagio is joining hands with the com munity by dedicating a portion of the ticket proceeds to support the DAR Community Centre. Adagio is renowned for infusing its unique style into wellknown tunes, ensuring a performance that res

onates with both familiarity and inno vation. Mark your diaries for Wednesday, November 22, at 7.30pm. For more information and ticket in quiries, please contact the DAR Commu nity Centre on (+34) 615 930 039.

26 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

SOCIAL SCENE

Anna Ellis IMMERSE yourself in the en chanting spirit of the season at Cantãmus choir’s festive concert, ‘Christmas Joy’. This joyous celebration of

the holidays will unfold at the Ermita del Pòpul in Javea on Friday, December 15, starting at 4.00pm. As an added treat, each €12 ticket includes

delectable mince pies and mulled wine. Prepare for a musical jour ney that transcends tradi tional carols. The choir has breathed new life into wellknown car ols with fresh arrangements, promising a delightful expe rience for even the most sea soned holiday music enthusi ast. But the magic doesn’t stop there, the repertoire extends beyond carols, featuring iconic tunes such as ‘Over the Rainbow’ and ‘New York, New York’, as well as captivating classical pieces. Escape into the warmth of the Ermita del Pòpul in Xabia and let the melodic notes of Cantãmus choir fill the air. Picture yourself savouring delicious mince pies, sipping on mulled wine, all while surrounded by the uplifting sounds of the season. For more information, contact Philip Ashley on (+34) 965 581 483.

Bob Marquess SPREAD some festive cheer in Javea at the Christmas Fayre on November 26. The event is in aid of The Friends of the Children of Emaus Charity, an organisa tion dedicated to improving the lives of children. Gail, the dedicated stall holder liaison, is orchestrat ing a delightful array of stalls. She confirmed: “We’re thrilled to offer a diverse range of stalls. “For the little ones, we’ve got Christmas gifts galore: sweets, cakes, children’s stocking fillers, and an en

Image: yackers1 / Shutterstock.com

Concert Joy Christmas Fayre CAKE STALL: Just one of the many items on offer.

chanting visit to Santa. “This year, we’re especial ly excited about our unique craft stalls, offering every thing from paintings, acrylic art, knitwear, handmade jewellery, pebble pictures, Christmas cards, decora tions, needlecraft, quilting,

and more. The Fayre is being held at Salones Carrasco, Cam. Ca banes, 15, 03730 (Xàbia) Jávea from 11.00am until 5.00pm. The location offers ample parking in its two large car parks.

Floral extravaganza George Cunningham PREPARE to deck the halls and kick off the festive season in style at the Salon de Actos, La Senieta, Moraira. The Marina Alta Costa Blanca Floral Club brings you a Christmas extravaganza on Thursday, November 23 with David Mason, a seasoned pro who still revels in the joy of show

casing his craft to flower enthusiasts. There is also the chance of being a lucky win ner of the Christmas Hamper Charity Raffle with every penny raised going to good local causes. Doors open at 2.00pm, so grab a seat, raise a glass of cava, and soak in the holiday spirit. Visit www.marinaaltafloralclub.com.

SOCIAL SCENE

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

EWN 27

ALONG the picturesque coast lines, where the sea meets the land, there’s more than just sand and surf to be discovered. Nowadays, coastal regions are teeming with new restau rants and bars that offer a wide array of experiences, making it crucial to venture out and try them. The reasons are many, ranging from diverse and delectable cuisines to cap tivating entertainment op tions, eclectic cocktails, and the opportunity to connect with the vibrant tapestry of new Eu ropean residents. Here’s why it’s important to make the effort and explore these coastal culinary gems. 1. Culinary Adventure: One of the primary reasons to ex plore new coastal restaurants and bars is the opportunity to embark on a culinary adven ture. These establishments of ten offer a diverse range of food options, from fresh seafood platters to exotic inter national cuisines. Whether

Credit: PXHere

A Culinary and cultural adventure

Enjoy all that the beachfront has to offer.

you’re a food enthusiast or someone looking to broaden their palate, trying these new establishments can be a de lightful journey of flavours and gastronomic discoveries. 2. Entertainment for All: Coastal restaurants and bars don’t just serve food and drinks; they offer entertain ment that caters to a wide range of tastes and ages. From live music performances span ning various genres to family friendly activities and themed events, there’s something for

everyone. These venues have been transformed into hubs of entertainment where people can gather, socialise, and enjoy memorable experiences to gether. 3. Eclectic Cocktail Choices: For those who appreciate mixology, coastal bars are be coming known for their eclec tic cocktail menus. Talented bartenders are crafting innova tive and unique concoctions, often featuring locally sourced ingredients and regional influ ences. Exploring these bars al

lows you to savour creative and expertly crafted cocktails that are a far cry from your typical drink menu. 4. A Multicultural Experi ence: Coastal regions often at tract people from all around the world, including a growing number of new European resi dents. By visiting these restau rants and bars, you have the opportunity to engage with these newcomers and learn about the rich tapestry of their cultures. It’s a chance to foster cultural understanding and ap preciation, all while enjoying delicious food and drink, from

a wide range of different cul tures. 5. Inclusivity for All Budgets: Another compelling reason to explore new coastal establish ments is their inclusivity. Whether you’re on a tight bud get or looking to indulge in a luxurious dining experience, you’ll find options to suit your financial constraints. The range of eateries and bars along the coast ensures that everyone, regardless of their budget, can take part in the excitement and enjoy ment of these venues. The coast isn’t just a place to

bask in the sun and sea; it’s a dynamic and evolving culinary and cultural landscape. By making an effort to ex plore new restaurants and bars opening along the coast, you can embark on a thrilling journey of flavours, entertain ment, and cultural exchange. So, the next time you find yourself by the shore, be sure to venture out and savour the myriad experiences that these coastal gems have to offer. You’ll be rewarded with un forgettable memories and a deeper connection to the vi brant coastal communities.

28 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

PREPARE to be dazzled in Alicante! On Wednesday, November 29, at the enchanting Teatro Chapi, Plaza Chapí, witness the magic unfold as the ‘Great Acrobatic Circus of Chi na’ defies gravity at 8.30pm. Step into the realm of the ex traordinary as the audience em barks on a journey through un

Night of wonder charted spaces, guided by a fear less child with an insatiable thirst for adventure. Behind the doors of fantasy, a world unfolds, and the stage becomes a portal to the un known. To secure your seat, the Box Office is open from midday un

SOCIAL SCENE

til 2.00pm then 5.00pm until 9.00pm. For more information email: in formacion@teatroprincipaldeali cante.com. Expect an unmissable evening of acrobatic feats, magical encounters, and a celebration of the extraordinary as the circus comes to town.

Iconic celebration DIRECT from the West End, Some video backdrops have all come on Guys Have All the Luck celebrates a lot. Fortunately, the audience the career of one of rock’s great seem to agree.” est icons, Rod Stewart’s incred ‘Some Guys Have All the ible journey from street Luck’ charts Rod Stewart’s busker to international super career chronologically and star. highlights some of the sig Paul Metcalfe delivers both nificant strokes of luck an authentic and charismatic which helped the rock leg Image: Some Guys Have All The Luck / Facebook performance as Rod Stewart; end during his stellar career. PAUL METCALFE: Delivers from the distinctive vocals to the The show also features songs an authentic performance. swaggering showmanship and from Rod Stewart’s time with sheer fun that has made Rod one of the most ‘The Faces’ as well as a full concert production in loved performers of all time. the second half of the show with classic hits in Paul says: “I absolutely love it and I feel very cluding Maggie May, Baby Jane, Da Ya Think I’m lucky that other people seem to love it as well. Sexy, Sailing and You’re in My Heart. When I’m onstage I go into another world and Make a note in your diary for December 10 at do things I wouldn’t normally dream of doing. 8.30pm at the Benidorm Palace. “The show has come on massively since we For more information email: info@benidorm started. The music, the lighting, the set and the palace.com or call: (+34) 965 851 660.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

HÉCTOR GÓMEZ, Spanish caretaker Minister of Indus try, Trade and Tourism has just attended World Travel Market in London. Having made it clear in a statement that “tourism adds almost three million workers and creates one in four new jobs in the econo my” it has become apparent that the British market is still of major importance despite Brexit. There is a large body of opinion which believes that action needs to be taken to redress the problems caused by the 90/180 re strictions on visiting Schen gen countries by nonEU passport holders and al ready the French Senate is considering a bill which would grant long stay visas to British second home owners without the usual problems of red tape delays. It is reported that Minister Gómez took the opportunity whilst in London to visit the

Credit: WTM

Can Spain change?

LONDON: The very busy World Travel Market.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to discuss the very problem of restrictions on visits by UK residents to Spain to try to find a solution. Currently, the UK allows Spanish citizens to spend up to six months per visit and this is what campaigners such as the 180 Days in Spain group believes should be the norm for British visi tors to Spain. Spain still holds the Presidency of the EU un

til the end of this year and even with a caretaker gov ernment still has more chance of gaining traction for a change in the rules whilst in this position. The argument up to now has been made that Schen gen rules can’t be changed for just one or two countries, but with the French prece dent already set, this may be the right time for Spain to make its own bid for special treatment.

THE world of wine often grap ples with the unpredictable quirks of Mother Nature. This year, it faced a series of challenges, including early frosts, heavy rains, mildew, and droughts. Global wine production took a hit, declining by a sub stantial 7 per cent, marking its lowest point since 1961, ac cording to estimates from the International Vine and Wine Organisation (OIV). Amidst this turbulent year, France has once again claimed its title as the world’s leading wine supplier, sur

EWN 29

Fine whine

passing Italy whose produc tion fell by a discouraging 12 per cent. However, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The OIV highlights the po tential for ‘particularly large’ volumes in renowned wine regions such as Cognac, the sundrenched shores of Corsi ca, and the lively hills of Champagne. This is a silver lining that re minds us that even in the face of adversity, the world of

wine retains its capacity to surprise and delight. Surprisingly, the decrease in wine production doesn’t nec essarily spell doom and gloom. The OIV emphasises that, in a world with declining global wine consumption and suffi cient wine stocks in various parts of the globe, this expect ed low production might ac tually act as a natural stabilis er, bringing balance to the global wine market.

First aircraft factory WORK on a factory that will produce the first Portuguese aircraft is expected to start in 2024. As announced on Thursday, November 9, by Hugo Hilário, the municipality’s president, it will be constructed in Ponte de Sor, Portalegre. “The first prototype of the plane is expected to be launched in the first half of 2026 and the second prototype in the second half of 2026,” he explained to Lusa. “We hope that by October or November 2024, at the time of the PAS, we will already be starting construction of the factory,” he detailed. Ponte de Sor is involved in three mobilising

programmes of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), worth more than €200 million. It is hoped to create around 500 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs. The first pro gramme is ‘Aero.next Portugal’ (a consortium), which will be responsible for producing the first Portuguese aircraft, the LUS 222. ‘Neuraspace’ is the second project, which aims to help solve problems related to space de bris, with a radar being created in Ponte de Sor to respond to this need. “Around €200 million is being invested” and it is expected to create 20 to 30 direct jobs.

30 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

NEWSDESK

NEWS ACROSS THE REGIONS FROM THE PEOPLE'S PAPER RECORDBREAKING IN an impressive feat, the Ali canteElche Miguel Hernandez Airport has recently celebrated its best October ever, welcom ing a staggering 1,586,073 trav ellers. This marks a remarkable 17 per cent increase compared to the same month last year, showcasing the airport’s grow ing popularity. Out of this recordbreaking figure, 1,584,276 were com mercial passengers, with a no table surge in international travel. A significant 17.9 per cent rise in international flights was recorded, with 1,378,143 pas sengers jetting off to various destinations. Domestic flights also saw a robust 11.1 per cent increase, with 206,133 passengers choosing to explore their own backyard. Taking a closer look at the international travel landscape, the United Kingdom led the pack, contributing 536,480 travellers. Following closely were the Netherlands (113,129), Ger many (98,643), Belgium (84,720), and Norway (73,715).

COSTA DEL SOL

ELECTRIC ESTEPONA

Photo: Estepona Town Hall

COSTA BLANCA SOUTH

STREET LIGHTING: The project will take two months to complete.

By Kevin Fraser Park ESTEPONA Town Council is re ducing its electricity consumption by 30 per cent through the re mote management of street lighting. The council is implementing a remote management system of 46 control centres in the town centre which will be telematically controlled. That equates to more than 3,000 public lighting fix

COSTA CALIDA

tures. The project will take two months to complete and will re sult in a saving of more than €40,000 a year on the council’s electricity bill. The mayor explained that, with this pioneering system in the city, the council will be able to im prove the energy efficiency of public lighting by instantly regu lating the lighting of roads ac cording to their use. In addition,

the new IT service will provide automatic warnings in the event of breakdowns or malfunctions, as well as an alarm system that will automatically warn of at tempted theft or sabotage. The system will also prevent more than 61.5 tonnes of pollut ing gases being released into the atmosphere each year, thereby also reducing the current carbon footprint.

COSTA ALMERIA

REMEMBRANCE DAY ALIENS IN ALMERIA

IN the heart of Camposol residents joined forces to create a touching tribute for Remembrance weekend. The community witnessed an outpouring of unity as individuals came together to honour those who had fallen in the line of duty. The Green Fingers Camposol maintenance team and dedicated volunteers kicked off the preparations. They worked diligently to tidy up and create a beautiful memorial garden and they even collected an impressive €176 in the collection buckets. In the leadup to Remembrance Day, the community diligent ly prepared the memorial gardens. Weeding, debris clearance, and pine needle removal were among the tasks undertaken to ensure the Circle of Remembrance stood as a pristine and solemn tribute. The collective efforts of the Camposol communi ty resulted in beautiful and meaningful spaces, allowing resi dents to come together, reflect, and honour the sacrifices made by servicemen and women.

ALMERIA has long been known to be frequented by our aliens ami gos, particularly Aguadulce, an area abundant in terms of records of UFO sightings. An expert in ufology, writer JJ Benítez, stated that “Almeria is a land of UFOs” at the El Ejido Book Fair in 2008. Its beaches and cliffs are a perfect point to observe strange flying objects, and several ufological groups from Almeria often meet on the El Cañarete high way at night. One of these, the AVANCE Cultural Association, made one of many calls on the infamous alien night of March 23, 1977, to report a UFO in the sky over Roquetas de Mar and Aguadulce. That night, a famous actor from Almeria experienced something unex plainable. Paco Barrilado said he got in the car with his wife in Roquetas de Mar, and in less than three minutes he was on the outskirts of Almeria capital. Neither of them remembered anything about that trip. However, the next day he saw a headline that read: “Several UFOs seen near Roquetas de Mar.”

AXARQUIA

TWINNING

A PLAQUE that gives the name of Almuñecar to a beau tiful square in the Zaragoza town of Cariñena has been un veiled. Located next to the town’s cultural centre of the town, it celebrates the 50th anniver sary of the twinning between the two municipalities. Juan José Ruiz Joya and Sergio Ortiz, the mayors of both towns re spectively, performed the un veiling on November 11. After signing Cariñena Coun cil’s book of honour, the may or then held a meeting with the local council members. He also met with members of the Association of Elderly People, and a group of young people who had visited the Sexita town a few months ago on an exchange programme. Both municipalities commit ted themselves to: ‘promote a meeting between their respec tive associations to promote initiatives and collaboration that will benefit the economic sectors of Cariñena and Al muñecar,’ the mayor said. The twinning of Cariñena and Almuñecar took place in 1973, when José Antonio Bus tos was mayor. Since then, the Sexita town has had a central street that bears the name of Cariñena.

MALLORCA

YORKIE RESCUE

ON Sunday, November 12, in an extraordinary rescue operation in Mallorca, emergency teams saved a Yorkshire Terrier who had fallen off the edge of a cliff in Llucmajor. The incident oc curred near Calle Cristobal Colon in Bahia Grande, with the dog becoming lodged in a tree some 30 metres below. Llucmajor Civ il Protection volunteers, a Guardia Civil member, and Mallorca Firefighters collaborated in the rescue. A local Civil Protection volunteer was the first on the scene. Alerted by the dog’s barks, she promptly mobilised the rescue operation. Additionally, an offduty Guardia Civil officer from the drone unit, who happens to live in Bahia Grande, helped by us ing a drone to confirm that the little dog was still alive. Firefighters then descended the cliff and safely returned the dog to its owner. The dog miraculously escaped with no broken bones. This is not the first rescue of its kind in the area under scores the dedication of Mallorca’s emergency services.

+34 951 386 161 • www.euroweeklynews.com

SOFAS - CHAIRS - CORNER SUITES - SOFA BEDS - OCCASIONAL PIECES - FIRESIDE CHAIRS - RECLINER CHAIRS - POWER RISER RECLINER CHAIRS

32 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

DENMARK 3D flats DANISH design company SAGA Space Architects working with 3DCP Group have announced that they will build the largest ever 3D produced building in 2024 which will consist of 36 student homes, situated near to VIA University College’s Holstebro campus. The apartments will include wood floors, a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and living room.

Green fuel LIKE some other countries, the Danish government has announced that it is considering imposing a tax of around Kr100 (€13.4) on all domestic air travel in order to help finance the transition to 100 per cent sustainable fuel by 2030 with the cash collected being used to reduce the cost of fuel to the airlines operators.

NORWAY

euroweeklynews.com

EURO PRESS BELGIUM

Credit: volleyballworld.com

Got the gold BELGIUM had never won a medal at the FIVB Beach Volleyball U21 World Championships before setting foot in RoiEt, Thailand. The pressure was on for young Belgians, Van Langendonck and Vercauteren, as they faced a wellexperienced and confident Austrian pair. However, they emerged from the ashes to clinch the gold medal, following their down-to-the-wire win. “We are world champions,” Van Langendonck exclaimed.

GERMANY

EUROPEAN PRESS

IRELAND Health Fest THE 'Keep Well, Keep Movin' Older Persons Community Health Festival will be held at Mallow GAA and Sports Complex on November 15. Organised by Cork Kerry Community Health Care, it offers older adults a chance to connect with health services, featuring activities like drum fit, relaxation exercises, and talks on nutrition and brain health.

THE WINNERS!

Dire display A SCOOTER rider, aged 20 was arrested in Linkeroever, Antwerp last week. He was found to be carrying over 13 kilograms of fireworks and was detected by Local Police due to his erratic behaviour whilst riding his electric scooter against traffic on the Beatrijslaan cycle track. The confiscated fireworks are set to be destroyed in the near future.

FRANCE

Dubliner honoured DUBLIN-born Richie Baneham, a two-time Oscar winner for visual effects, will be honoured at the 18th Oscar Wilde Awards. A Ballyfermot College of Art & Design alumnus, Baneham's notable works include 'Avatar' and 'The Lord of the Rings'. The US-Ireland Alliance event celebrates the contributions of Irish Americans to cinema.

PORTUGAL

National Park

Cyber winners

Country of origin

Minimum wage

AFTER 11 years of argument, it has been confirmed that a new National Park will be declared in Østmarka a popular recreational area to the east of Oslo. Apart from having to gain agreement from five different local governments bordering the area, those behind the scheme also had to combat farmers frightened by the protection given to predators such as wolves.

GERMANY is the winner of the 2023 European Cybersecurity Challenge (ECSC) followed by Switzerland in second place and Denmark in third place. The ECSE held in Hamar, Norway had a total of 34 teams representing EU Member States as well as five guest teams: Canada, Georgia, Serbia, Costa Rica, Singapore and the USA, took part in this year’s challenge

ON supermarket shelves around France, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned. For several days now, a number of Internet users on TikTok have been reporting the presence of avocados from Peru or Mexico that actually come from Israel. While the display shows a different producer country, the boxes where the avocados are stored indicate the opposite: ‘Country of origin Israel’.

'THE Council of Ministers has now approved the decree-law that determines the increase in the national minimum wage to €820 from January 1, 2024, in compliance with the commitments assumed within the scope of the Reinforcement of the MediumTerm Agreement on Improving Income, Wages and Competitiveness', indicated a government statement.

Housing crisis

Last journey

90th Anniversary

THERE is a bit of a housing crisis in Norway, not as is sometimes the case, a shortage of property but a glut with almost 20,000 properties currently unsold and with that number due to increase as new builds are completed according to Estate Agents Association Eiendom Norge and this is the highest figure since 2009.

BERLINERS affectionately dubbed them ‘Coke Cans’. For decades, the Model Series 485 trains dutifully traversed Berlin's S-Bahn tracks. These stalwart vehicles, initially commissioned and constructed in the German Democratic Republic during the era of the Berlin Wall, are bidding farewell. On November 12, the final 22 of these iconic trains will make their last journeys through the city, marking the end of an era.

MARKING 90 years of elegance in Paris, Air France extends its jubilation globally. Commemorating this milestone the airline highlights a legacy of technology, innovation, and comfort. Exhibitions featuring vintage memorabilia and fashion shows spotlighting uniforms, past and present, adorn iconic locations in Rome, Delhi, Accra, Washington, Shanghai, and Buenos Aires.

THE death of a Groundforce/TAP worker at Porto Airport has been blamed on the facility's emergency policies. After being taken ill while taking a shower at the end of his shift, the Transport Workers Union of Portugal claimed that protocols prevented him from receiving immediate medical assistance. Airport rules state that an internal nurse must first be called and only then can the INEM medical emergency service be alerted. They arrived 40 minutes after he was taken ill.

FINLAND

SWEDEN

ITALY Italian refugees PRIME MINISTER Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama have reached an agreement on building centres for refugees and asylum seekers in Albania. Once rescued in the Mediterranean by Italian ships, these people will be sent to the other side of the Adriatic Sea, where procedures will be started to verify whether or not they are entitled to international protection.

Unpaid taxes AIRBNB is alleged to have evaded taxes in Italy on more than €3.7 billion. The accusation comes from the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office, which is investigating for tax fraud the short rental giant and three top managers of the company. According to investigators, Airbnb did not pay 21 per cent withholding tax between 2017 and 2021. Guardia di Finanza has seized over €778 million in assets.

THE NETHERLANDS

Unusual location AFTER the collapse of the Dutch coalition government earlier this year, the Netherlands are hosting elections on November 22, with an unexpected twist. One of the poll stations available will be none other than the iconic Anne Frank House! It will be closed to the public on that day and open to voters from 9am to 7pm.

Better beds THE Dutch Cabinet plans to improve the status of sex workers with a new proposed plan. This is necessary as these workers often face unequal treatment due to prejudices about their profession, stated State Secretary for Justice and Security Christophe van der Maat. A plan of action has been sent to the lower house of the Dutch parliament.

Airport death

Game Oscars

Going strong

THE highly acclaimed video game 'Alan Wake 2' by Finnish company Remedy leads The Game Awards nominations and is aiming to be crowned Game of the Year. This horror adventure, blending Finnish culture, got rave reviews, scoring 87-94 on Metacritic. Released for PS5, PC, and Xbox, the game is reportedly, ‘Finland's most expensive cultural product of all time.’

IT has been reported by Sweden's national export credit agency that North Korea owes Sweden $267 million (€249) for 1,000 Volvo cars that were sold to North Korea in 1974 but although they have never been paid for, it appears that several are still in service as taxis in the capital Pyongyang.

Ex-PM’s book FORMER Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who at 34 became Finland’s youngest prime minister has now made the transition to author with her book: ‘Our Turn: Fearless Leadership for a New Generation’. Marin continues to maintain a strong media presence and recently signed with Range Media Partners. As yet no release date for her book has been confirmed.

Exotic taste THE Swedes are well-known for their love of food and those living in Gothenburg now have the option to enjoy a different culinary experience at Restaurant Saga which is run by a young chef from Singapore Pearly Teo. Her tasting menu features special dishes based on the taste of her grandmother’s cooking.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

Kay Caldwell EWN in partnership with Age in Spain is launching the Good Neighbour Award this week and we’re looking for the best neighbour in Spain. This doesn’t have to be your nextdoor neighbour, but someone who has gone out of their way to help you practically or of fered you emotional sup port when you’ve needed it. Or it could be someone you know who has done something special for your community. The winner will receive a celebratory dinner for two, a certificate to frame, and congratulations from the UK Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott. And we’ll highlight their achieve ment here in EWN. But every person nomi nated will be acknowl edged by Age in Spain, so they’ll know their good deed has been appreciat

Credit: Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash

Good Neighbour Award

Extending the hands of friendship.

ed. It’s a great way to say thank you to someone who has done you a favour. The award scheme is open to anyone who lives in Spain. You have until December 12 to make your nomination and you can do that very easily by visiting the Age in Spain website at www.agein spain.org/goodneigh bouraward. Just say who you’re nominating and what they’ve done to help you

or your community. An in ternational panel of judges will select the winner and runners up. You don’t need to live in Spain, but your nominee does. Last year’s winner was a Spanish woman, nominated by her English speaking neighbours! Age in Spain helps En glish speakers of all nation alities settle in Spain. We know there are some very neighbourly people out there and they want to hear about them!

EWN 33

FINANCE Cleaned out BRITISH STEEL, owned by China’s Jingye Group, plans to close its Scunthorpe blast furnaces, putting up to 2,000 jobs at risk. They will be replaced by an elec tric arc furnace in Scunthorpe and another in Teesside in a £1.25 billion (€1.43 billion) pro ject to turn British Steel into “a clean, green and sustainable business.”

Ill wind SPAIN’S Association of Petroleum Product Operators (AOP) warned that extending Spain’s windfall tax on large en ergy companies endangered €16.5 billion in investments. Rep sol has already delayed plans for a hydrogen plant in Bilbao, while Endesa’s chief executive con demned the tax as “discriminato ry and unjustified.”

Naked truth NAKED WINES shares plummet ed more than 30 per cent after the group cut its annual fore casts, with adjusted pretax earn ings cut to between £2 and £6 million (€2.3 and €6.9 million). The company’s chief executive Nick Devlin announced he was stepping down from the busi ness “with immediate effect.”

Settle up MADRID’S Provincial High Court handed Carlos Iglesias, brother of singer Julio Iglesias and his former manager, a sixmonth prison term and a €30 million fine for failing to pay corpora tion tax on land he sold in Madrid. The transaction was carried out by a Panamaregis tered company where Carlos Iglesias was also the manager.

Prime time ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS, which owns Primark, attributed rising profits and sales to al liances with celebrities who have included Rita Ora. The group’s total revenue grew by 16 per cent to £19.7 billion (€22.6 billion) in the first three quarters of 2023 with Primark sales rising 15 per cent to £9 bil lion (€10.3 billion).

euroweeklynews.com • 16 - 22 November 2023

STAT OF WEEK

paid by Inditex founder Amancio Ortega’s investment company Pontegadea for the purchase of a 49 per cent stake in Repsol’s Spanish windfarms and solar power plants.

€490 million

M&S recovers its spark Linda Hall MARKS & SPENCER share holders will receive £20 mil lion (€23 million) in dividends next January for the first time since 2019. Pretax profits climbed by an unexpected 56 per cent to £326 million (€374.5 mil lion) in the six months end ing on September 30 as the company focused on re vamping stores, clothing lines and its digital offer. Clothes sales rose 5.5 cent while profit margins in creased to more than 12 per cent compared with 9.8 per cent during the same period in 2022, with fewer items sold at reduced prices. Food sales have increased

Photo credit: marksandspencer.com

BUSINESS EXTRA

TURNAROUND: Marks & Spencer’s pre-tax profits rose 56 per cent.

by almost 12 per cent while the Remarksable budget range rocketed by 45 per cent. Despite the buoyant half year results, chief executive Stuart Machin viewed the remainder of 2023 and the coming year with caution,

TELEFONICA will spend approximately €1.97 billion on buying up the 28.19 per cent of its German subsidiary Telefonica Deutschland it does not already own. The Spanish multinational has con firmed an offer of €2.35 per share, a 37.6 per cent premium on the closing price of November 6. Telefonica said the takeover bid, which involves 838, 452,647 shares, would reinforce its position in its four strategic markets together with Spain, Brazil and the UK. This would also sim plify the structure of the group while im proving its cash flow in euros. Responding to the offer, Telefonica Deutschland, listed on the Frankfurt

warning on November 8 that the recent and favourable market condi tions might not persist. High interest rates, slower price rises, global conflict and erratic weather could hit trading, he said, although he was “hopeful” that the com

pany’s growth would contin ue. “Against more challenging comparatives, we expect profit before tax and adjust ing items to be weighted to wards the first half,” the chief executive added. One drawback for Marks & Spencer has been the company’s association with online grocer which regis tered a £23.4 million (€26.9 million) operating loss in the first six months of the year. Although the company admitted earlier that it “was not happy” with the online grocery retailer’s perfor mance, Machin said he re mained positive about its po tential.

Plans to fully control Deutschland Telefonica fol low on from the loss of a major roaming contract last August when the 1&1 mo bile operator announced stock market since 2021, an that it would be nounced that its “management switching to the and supervisory boards” Vodafone Ger would consider the bid. many network in It would comment after June 2024. Photo credit: telefonica.com the fulloffer document The company’s TELEFONICA: had been approved by share price fell by Multinational’s the financial services 18 per cent, which chairman Jose Maria regulator and pub resulted in a 7 per Alvarez wants lished, the company cent drop in the par Telefonica added. ent company’s shares. Deutschland takeover.

Telefonica takes over

Mapfe in Turkey

Christmas cheer

Debanking rise

SPANISH company Mapfre is selling its Turkish life insurance division to Swiss group Zurich. The Madridbased firm headed by Antonio Huerts will now cen tre its Turkish operation on the nonlife segment, company sources told the financial daily, El Economista. “We aim to guar antee stable growth and main tain financial sustainability by concentrating on the longterm strategic areas where we will develop our activities,” said Ed inc Yurtseven, director general of Mapfre’s Turkish subsidiary, Mapfre Sigorta. The amount in volved in the Zurich sale has not been revealed and awaits ap proval from Turkey’s Regulatory and Supervisory Authority for Insurance and Private Pensions.

A SCIENCEDIRECT study used Spain’s Gor do de Navidad to gauge the impact of lot tery winnings on consumer sentiment and consumption. Researchers found that residents in win ning towns or cities even those who won nothing were “significantly” more opti mistic about the Spanish economy than people elsewhere. There are now 180 series of each num ber sold in the Christmas lottery and as the participants usually buy at least one Deci mo (10th), the distribution of the biggest prizes influences local spending. The Sci enceDirect article noted a 10percentage point rise in the number of cars sold in mu nicipalities where a big prize had been sold, while unemployment dropped 0.3 of a percentage point. Both were linked less to an improvement in the region’s overall wealth than to increased optimism, the study’s authors concluded.

THE Nigel Farage debanking scandal has opened the door to a spate of complaints regarding unilateral ac count closures. The GB news presenter and the Brexit party’s former president changed to Lloyds after Coutts, now owned by NatWest, closed his account for motives that ranged from his financial position to his po litical views. Figures quoted in the UK media show that the Financial Ombuds man opened 1,613 cases linked to bank account closures between March and September alone. With 2,708 debanking cases re ported throughout 2022, com plaints are likely to have risen by 20 per cent to approximately 3,200 by the end of 2023, Financial Ombuds man sources said.

Call for openness BANK OF ENGLAND governor An drew Bailey said on November 8 that Brexit had modified the UK economy’s “openness.” Speaking at the Financial Sys tem Conference in Dublin, Bailey said that as a public official he took no position on Brexit, which had been the British population’s decision. But he stressed that free trade required “strong regulation” based on agreements with for eign supervisory bodies. He hoped to see further close regulatory cooperation with his counterparts in Ireland, Bailey said, to “minimise fragmentation of financial markets after Brexit.”

Bad loser AIRPORTS operator Aena said on November 8 that it hoped Iberia would not hinder the imminent changeover to new handling com panies. Although it retains Madrid Barajas, Iberia Airport Services lost its licences for eight airports after the contracts were put out to tender. These have gone to Menzies, Aviapartner and Groundforce, a decision which Iberia has now appealed against to the Central Appeals Tribunal, (TACRC), attached to the Finance Ministry (Hacienda). The TACRC has now suspended the alloca tions while it investigates Iberia’s objections, a process which could take weeks to complete.

Chipping in PENNSYLVANIABASED Vishay Intertechnology paid $177 mil lion (€168.5 million) for the UK’s largest microchip factory in Newport (Wales). The sale ar rived after the UK government blocked a Chinesebacked takeover on national security grounds and ordered Dutch company Nexperia to sell New port Wafer Fab in November 2022. Nexperia, which is owned by Chinese giant Wingtech, ap pealed against the order, but put the plant up for sale. The compa ny has done well out of the deal which doubled the worth of Newport Wafer Fab when Nex peria bought the 86p per cent that it did not own for £63 mil lion (€72.3 million) in 2021.

FINANCE

36 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

LONDON - FTSE 100

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US See our advert on previous page

CLOSING PRICES 13 NOVEMBER

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

47,79K

InterContinental

288,85K

Intermediate Capital

5.944,40

1,43%

19,97K

1.390,50

3,5

0,25%

16,73K

Intertek

16,20K

3.822,00

0,39%

1,29%

293,00K

3,41K

ITV

59,82

0,08

0,13%

517,58K

0,62%

46,58K

J Sainsbury

268,1

1,1

0,41%

61,05K

4.979,00

1,08%

203,95K

Johnson Matthey

1.513,90

-26

-1,69%

53,18K

Associated Brit Foods

2.334,00

0,13%

75,26K

Land Securities

614,4

14,6

2,43%

222,80K

AstraZeneca

884,47K

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

3I Group

2.038,50

0,59%

Abrdn

165,6

-0,15

-0,09%

Admiral Group

2.559,30

0,35%

Anglo American

2.044,50

Antofagasta

1.307,00

Ashtead Group

NET VOL

1.1454

0.8729

Units per €

US dollar (USD) ........................................1.0690 Japan yen (JPY)........................................162.21 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................0.9642 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4587 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................11.892

10.286,00

196

1,94%

244,65K

Legal & General

224,17

3,6

1,63%

Auto Trader Group Plc

690,2

8,2

1,20%

282,45K

Lloyds Banking

42,03

0,28

0,67%

7,12M

Aviva

409,5

5,2

1,29%

339,51K

London Stock Exchange 8.512,00

-42

-0,49%

55,84K

B&M European Value Ret SA 525,8

0,38%

197,67K

Melrose Industries

528,4

13,4

2,60%

186,60K

currenciesdirect.com/moraira • Tel: +34 966 265 072

BAE Systems

1.109,59

0,54%

515,94K

Mondi

1.387,25

0,36%

47,65K

THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER

Barclays

136,6

1,02

0,75%

3,02M

National Grid

990,3

0,61%

341,71K

Barratt Developments

446,5

2,3

0,52%

102,05K

NatWest Group

196,3

-0,65

-0,33%

1,27M

Berkeley

4.273,00

0,73%

5,51K

7.434,00

0,70%

13,14K

BHP Group Ltd

2.395,50

34,5

1,46%

114,90K

Ocado

512,4

-2,2

-0,43%

118,45K

478,9

0,95

0,20%

2,04M

1.158,10

7,5

0,65%

61,15K

Persimmon

British American Tobacco 2.519,50

1,70%

209,77K

Phoenix

497,6

33,1

7,13%

896,78K

British Land Company

331,1

17,4

5,55%

593,38K

Prudential

BT Group

122,95

1,45

1,19%

493,67K

Reckitt Benckiser

893,6

11,2

1,27%

151,50K

5.564,00

1,31%

Bunzl

2.936,00

0,51%

11,68K

Relx

66,77K

2.968,00

0,44%

192,27K

Burberry Group

1.678,30

-0,5

-0,03%

28,83K

Rentokil

452,4

5,9

1,32%

313,13K

Carnival

921,2

17,8

1,97%

31,61K

Centrica

152,2

0,05

0,03%

659,53K

Rightmove

485,12

3,7

0,77%

201,84K

Rio Tinto PLC

5.323,00

1,22%

Coca Cola HBC AG

2.096,00

0,53%

24,33K

155,55K

Rolls-Royce Holdings

237,6

5,6

2,41%

Compass

2.100,00

0,86%

2,09M

129,42K

Sage

993,2

-1

-0,10%

46,69K

CRH

4.841,00

Croda Intl

4.513,00

0,56%

50,03K

Samsung Electr DRC

1.338,00

0,00%

1,62K

0,04%

7,24K

Schroders

388,3

0,3

0,08%

32,68K

DCC

4.624,30

Diageo

2.852,00

0,50%

4,11K

Scottish Mortgage

691,71

0,88%

225,03K

0,07%

655,16K

Segro

774,8

0,8

0,10%

92,88K

DS Smith

297,6

EasyJet

400,5

3,3

1,12%

135,68K

Severn Trent

2.647,00

0,46%

23,13K

6,4

1,62%

134,33K 30,27K

Shell Smith & Nephew Smiths Group

2.632,50 1.010,00 1.638,50

3 21 5,5

0,11% 2,12% 0,34%

393,11K 222,54K 23,80K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 8.522,00 SSE 1.685,50 St. James’s Place 649,2 Standard Chartered 625,4 Taylor Wimpey 118,1 Tesco 279,5 Tui 449,93 Unilever 3.961,50 United Utilities 1.076,00 Vodafone Group PLC 77,18 Whitbread 3.278,00 WPP 702,6

-14 5,5 -1,6 3,6 1 1,7 5,6 12,5 7,5 0,77 14 1,8

-0,16% 0,33% -0,25% 0,58% 0,85% 0,61% 1,26% 0,32% 0,70% 1,01% 0,43% 0,26%

6,77K 162,23K 172,84K 212,86K 1,05M 531,88K 40,11K 207,55K 91,65K 3,98M 53,65K 71,56K

Experian

2.680,00

-3

-0,11%

Ferguson

13.030,00

0,46%

1,91K

Flutter Entertainment

12.415,00

260

2,14%

24,18K

518,4

1,8

0,35%

77,23K

Glencore

432,05

4,95

1,16%

1,48M

GSK plc

1.413,60

15,2

1,09%

262,76K

Halma

1.932,00

0,5

0,03%

64,86K

Hargreaves Lansdown

711,33

-1,8

-0,25%

82,78K

Hikma Pharma

1.758,50

0,28%

12,11K

HSBC

607,2

8,1

1,35%

1,84M

IAG

151,75

0,25

0,17%

1,94M

Imperial Brands

1.788,50

1,94%

390,64K

711

-0,8

-0,11%

159,39K

Fresnillo

Informa

DOW JONES CLOSING PRICES 13 NOVEMBER

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE

CHANGE% VOLUME(M)

3M American Express Amgen Apple Boeing Caterpillar Chevron Cisco Coca-Cola Dow Goldman Sachs Home Depot Honeywell IBM Intel J&J JPMorgan McDonald’s Merck&Co Microsoft Nike Procter&Gamble Salesforce Inc The Travelers UnitedHealth Verizon Visa A Walgreens Boots Walmart Walt Disney

92,81 154,38 267,31 186,4 196,65 239,68 142,95 52,59 56,72 49,48 325,51 291,59 186,71 149,02 38,86 147,25 146,43 267,79 101,39 369,67 106,11 151,41 213,63 169,96 541,21 35,71 245,25 20,76 166,19 88,27

+1,11 +2,01 +3,25 +4,23 +3,32 +5,53 +1,01 +0,59 +0,06 +1,12 +4,73 +3,72 +3,03 +2,4 +1,06 -0,17 +2,14 +0,88 -0,99 +8,98 -0,89 +1,06 +3,62 +1,37 +2,21 +0,09 +3,61 +0,31 +2,27 -2,07

+1,21% 2,39M +1,32% 2,02M +1,23% 2,02M +2,32% 64,87M +1,72% 4,76M +2,36% 2,51M +0,71% 11,36M +1,13% 17,00M +0,11% 11,66M +2,32% 3,80M +1,47% 1,56M +1,29% 3,55M +1,65% 2,13M +1,64% 3,17M +2,80% 37,58M -0,12% 6,92M +1,48% 7,38M +0,33% 2,60M -0,97% 7,19M +2,49% 26,85M -0,83% 8,89M +0,71% 5,23M +1,72% 3,90M +0,81% 880,68K +0,41% 2,46M +0,25% 12,78M +1,49% 4,04M +1,52% 8,55M +1,38% 4,75M -2,29% 25,04M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ CLOSING PRICES 13 NOVEMBER

COMPANY Most Advanced Doximity, Inc. James Hardie Industries plc Light & Wonder, Inc. Synaptics Incorporated AppLovin Corporation Onto Innovation Inc. Alarm.com Holdings, Inc. FormFactor, Inc. Stantec Inc. Palantir Technologies Inc. Isuzu Motors Limited

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+16.24% +15.77% +11.21% +10.75% +10.36% +10.14% +9.95% +9.91% +8.98% +7.66% +7.65%

8.462M 20,701 1.789M 944,585 5.643M 1.026M 545,569 776,132 304,294 92.956M 49,911

-19.79% -16.66% -11.72% -10.33% -9.77% -8.05% -7.95% -7.45% -6.90% -6.85% -6.64%

1.893M 42.502M 3.155M 5.549M 27.811M 9.077M 173,632 130,867 4.698M 36,27 7.239M

Most Declined MSP Recovery, Inc. The Trade Desk, Inc. Diageo plc RB Global, Inc. Affirm Holdings, Inc. Illumina, Inc. Shiseido Company, Limited Nitori Holdings Co., Ltd. Flowers Foods, Inc. Worldline SA TKO Group Holdings, Inc.

‘

FINANCE

euroweeklynews.com

BUSINESS EXTRA High rise Levi’s LEVI STRAUSS’S Spanish subsidiary reported sales of €45.5 million last year, 12 per cent more than in 2021 but still 9 per cent below the €49.9 million registered in 2019 before the pandemic hit. Spain accounted for 96 per cent of the company’s 2022 turnover, while Portugal’s 4 per cent was one per centage point more than in 2021.

PwC cuts ACCOUNTANCY firm PwC announced that it is prepar ing to lay off between 500 and 600 employees, explain ing that it finds itself over staffed owing to a reduced call on its services. The group will cut between 500 and 600 jobs via a voluntary re dundancy scheme, in a move affecting 2.4 per cent of its 25,000 employees in the UK..

16 - 22 November 2023

Food inflation slims down FOOD price inflation in the UK fell to single digits for the first time since July 2022. According to data compa ny Kantar, inflation on gro ceries dipped to 9.7 per cent between October 1 and 29. Describing the reduction as a “big milestone” for shoppers and retailers, Fras er McKevitt, who heads Kantar’s Retail and Con sumer Insight department, said people were still “feel ing the pinch.” He also pointed out that

FOOD INFLATION: Supermarkets have cut some prices.

Madrid hotel venture BRITISH private equity investment firm Maya Capital is finalising the purchase of Hotel Mayorazgo in Madrid’s exclu sive Gran Via. According to sources quoted in the fi nancial daily Cinco Dia, Maya Capital made a formal offer of €60 million last August for the 200room hotel, and at the same time requested a comprehen sive “due diligence” audit.

Normally completed with one or two months, this is taking longer than ex pected, the same sources said. According to the latest accounts pre sented by the hotel’s owners, Salazar Hermanos, the hotel was back in the black last year, with a turnover of €8.62 million and a profit of €1.7 million, com pared with 2019’s record €8.01 million and €1.45 million.

yearonyear price reduc tions were limited to major staples like milk, butter and dried pasta. Kantar found that Lidl was again the fastestgrow ing retailer, with sales over the quarter ending on Octo ber 29 up 14.7 per cent. Aldi, where sales in creased by 13.2 per cent, at tracted 207,000 more cus tomers than during the same period in 2022. To gether with Waitrose, where sales rose by 5.4 per cent, it was the only super market which increased its number of shoppers year onyear. Aldi and Waitrose took 9.7 per cent and 4.6 per cent of the market. Sainsbury’s was the fastestgrowing traditional supermarket in October, and sales increased by 10.1 per cent over the previous quarter. Sainsbury’s also an nounced recently said that it had spent £118 million (€135.5 million) since March on trying to keep prices down.

EWN 37

Record results CAR component manufactur er Gestamp’s turnover grew by 17.9 per cent to €9 billion by the end of 2023’s third quarter with net profits of €225.3 million, up 23 per cent on the same period last year. These were the best results since the Spanish multination al was floated on Madrid’s stock exchange six years ago.

Normalised METRO BANK deposits fell by 5 per cent from £16.4 billion to £15.6 bil lion (€18.8 billion to €17.9 billion) during the third quarter of this year. Cus tomer withdrawals have normalised after Octo ber’s emergency £325 million (€379.2 million) rescue deal from in vestors and bondholders plus £600 million (€688.4 million) in debt refinanc ing, the bank said.

38 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT AND so this is Christmas. Well perhaps not quite, but if you’re reading this on the day of publication you have just 39 days to gear yourself up for yet another precious celebration of the Christian majority. Surrounded by family and friends, hopefully many of you will, once again enjoy this time honoured and much loved occasion. I’m pretty sure most of you will also observe the ritual Christmas day tradi tions that we have become familiarised with over the generations. In the begin ning we are the babies, crawling around the base of the tree with the young mums of the family lightly ad monishing us as we endeavour to pull baubles and shiny bits of tinsel from the lower branches. Over the next few years we morph into the youngsters, excitedly tearing off the paper from presents, brought by a Santa we are becoming slightly

more sceptical about but still prepared to give the benefit of the doubt just as long as we receive at least a proportion of the presents we asked him for! The next stage in our Christmas gen eration game sees us become one of the young and mid aged adults who, having finally got the youngsters off to bed, are pouring copious measures of alcohol and consuming about a million calories in Quality Street and mince pies, while relating what we consider hilarious tales of past Christmas turkey disasters. All being played out against a back drop of East Enders, Coronation Street, the Monarch’s message and yet another rerun of Dr Zhivago on the box. Generations later, if we last long enough, we find ourselves in the twi light of our years, quietly enjoying the utterly spoiled and most loved exulted position you can attain. You become Grandpa/Grandma. And that’s actually just where this ol’ boy has finally found himself. Grandpa (or in my situation Great Grandpa) is expected to do just about nothing. He is not required to wash up, clear up, lift up furniture or

top up the drinks. He occupies the most comfortable chair in the room (general ly in the corner). Periodically, he is asked by various family members if he ‘wants anything’. He is then allowed to doze off, without being labelled a party pooper and is subsequently not particularly worried that his chair is a little out of the way just as long as he is close enough to oc casionally interject the conversation with an ‘I remember when’ recollection of his own. These narratives are usually deliv ered to reassure the room (and him self) that he hasn’t actually ruined the whole Christmas celebrations by self ishly deciding to slip away and meet his maker; thereby decidedly becoming an ‘I remember when’ subject for a whole host of future family Christmas gather ings. Let’s also hope our religious and peaceful beliefs have not by this com ing yuletide, been ripped asunder by those who consider violence and may hem the true answer to any future exis tence on our precious planet. 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.

No kids allowed

THE owner of a restaurant in Italy has banned un der14s from his establishment saying: “They break everything” The restaurateur went to say, “I am exas perated. When I tried to report it to the parents, they just defended the out of control children.” A notice on the premis es of the ‘Hostaria Oasi Marina’ in Bacoli near Naples reads: “For reasons out of our control, we are forced to not accept bookings with children or young people under the age of 14. Don’t hold it against us, but it is the fault of many parents who are irre sponsible.” The restaurateur de fended his choice and, speaking on ‘Uno Matti na in famiglia’ broadcast on Raiuno, said: “I am ex asperated by various

Photo: Shutterstock

Christmas Day ritual

FEATURE

Children banned.

events. To name a few, I had to remove all the wine glasses on the ta bles, because they were breaking everything. They were chasing each other between tables and it’s dangerous. With the parents undaunted, unmoved. In fact, when I tried to point it out, they defended their children. “I want to add that I am also a teacher and encounter the same diffi culties at school. There are children who are an gels. I am also a father. But with certain parents, it is difficult to inter vene,” the restaurateur concluded.

FEATURE/NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

A RENOWNED Spanish holiday hotspot has recently declined a proposal from the Spanish government to provide accommodation for migrants. The request emerged as part of an initiative by human rights groups, urging regions on the Spanish mainland to aid in housing the substantial influx of asylum seekers arriving at the Canary Islands. The proposal included providing shelter at some of Benidorm’s premium hotels at a rate of just €40 per night. In the month of October alone, the islands witnessed the arrival of nearly 15,000 individuals. The total count of asylum seekers reaching Spain in 2023 has surged to over 44,000, marking a significant 57.5 per cent increase compared to the previous year. The Valencian Hotel Association HOSBEC, representing Benidorm’s hotels, stated its position clearly. The association announced it would not accommodate additional migrants unless the request was directly issued by governmen-

Credit: Aishe/Shutterstock.com

Benidorm migrant housing

BENIDORM: Has said no to providing accommodation.

tal authorities. A spokesperson for the association expressed the collective surprise of several hoteliers in the Valencian Community, who had been approached with offers for flexible accommodation contracts for refugees. These offers, tailored to the economic and service capabilities of each establishment, were made by outside organisations. Earlier in November, a hotel in Guardamar del Segura, located on the southern Costa Blanca, agreed to house approximately 230 migrants. This move was to alleviate the pressure on the Canary Islands.

The migrants are currently residing in the luxurious fourstar Parquemar hotel, renowned for its prime location next to the beach and nestled amidst the pine trees of the Reina Sofia Forest in Guardamar de la Segura. The hotel, often celebrated as an ideal holiday destination, struck a deal with the government to provide accommodation until the end of 2023. The decision was influenced by the expectation of low occupancy during the winter months. It’s noteworthy that only men are being accommodated in the hotel, with a strict curfew prohibiting their entry or exit post 10pm.

EWN 39

INTERVIEW

Speaking European - Claudio Casal This week Euro Weekly News caught up with Claudio Casal from Switzerland. CLAUDIO, aged 49, has been living in Estepona for the past year, after buying a property here in January 2022. This smooth Swiss arrived to meet EWN on his limited-edition Harley Davidson, which he tells that he has embarked on many an Andalucian adventure with. Claudio explained that “I was at a point in my life where I wanted to make a change, then I found the Costa del Sol and I thought, yes, this is it”. When asked what his favourite thing about the coast was, he replied “well, apart from the fact that it changed my whole life, I would have to say the food, all the fresh produce. The culture of tapas too, to share, to talk, it’s like a mentality, like the coffee culture in Italy.” He did however note that food tends to take a while to actually arrive at the table, which is something he was not used to in Switzerland. Claudio smiled as he recounted this difference, then added “but the beauty

CLAUDIO CASAL: What a life!

of living somewhere new is acceptance. To understand there will be differences but to accept this new way of life.” As EWN said ciao for now to Claudio Casal, he swiftly mounted his motorbike and said he was off to the mountains. “I ride often, the landscape here is beautiful and the salty sea air, it’s just… wow.” What a life!

40 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY

The water of life

A RECENT study published in the journal eBioMedicine by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that wellhydrated adults are less likely to develop chron ic health conditions, have a reduced risk of early death, and are generally healthier. The research analysed health data from 11,255 adults over 30 years, focus ing on serum sodium levels and other health indicators to determine how they cor related with biological age ing. The study assessed infor mation from five medical

visits for each participant, with the first two visits oc curring when participants were in their 50s and the last visit between 70 and 90 years old. Results showed that adults with higher serum sodium levels within the normal range had a 10 to 15 per cent greater chance of being biologically older than their chronological age compared to those in the midnormal range. Par ticipants at greater risk of ageing more quickly also had a 64 per cent higher risk of developing chronic

diseases, including stroke, heart failure, dementia, and diabetes. Study author Natalia Dmitrieva, a researcher at the NIH’s Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenera

tive Medicine at the Na tional Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), stated, “The results suggest that proper hydration may slow down ageing and pro long a diseasefree life.”

Make sure you stay well-hydrated.

By Karan Sud Dental

A new study

What is bruxism?

A NOVEL study suggests that a daytime coffee followed by an evening glass of wine could be a recipe for better sleep, challenging conven tional wisdom. This sixweek study involving 17 partici pants revealed an intriguing interaction between caffeine and alcohol. While coffee is known to potentially disturb sleep, and alcohol can lead to lower sleep quality, their combined effect appears to offset these individual drawbacks. Researchers found that a daily cup of coffee reduced sleep by about 10 minutes, but adding an evening alco holic drink reduced this effect to only five minutes. Re search shows that while alco hol may induce sleepiness, countering some of caffeine’s effects, the combination does not guarantee high quality sleep. The study emphasises moderation and further re search, considering it relied on selfreported sleep pat terns and did not detail con sumption timings.

IT is the habit of uncon sciously grinding and clenching the teeth in situ ations of increased ner vousness, stress, or anxi ety. Many patients can suffer from it both during the day and at night but especially at night, which is when we release stress un consciously. It is a condi tion affecting both adults and children. The force we can use is normally three to four times stronger than when we are conscious. This obviously leads to a lot of issues from tooth wear, TMJ pain, head and neck pain and also severe migraines. There is one solution that we have found to be very effective in treating all of the above mentioned conditions. The appliance is called a Michigan splint,

BRUXISM: Unconsciously grinding and clenching teeth.

it was designed at Michi gan University in order to create a harmony with the upper and lower jaw when biting, so all forces are equal. Michigan Splint is made of 3mm in thickness for a number of reasons. By being thick it remains strong and less liable to fracture when worn with the heavy bite forces ap plied. It has sufficient thick

ness to allow for careful spot grinding to customise the biting surface hence al leviating the symptoms but it’s also designed be spoke to every patient so it is very comfortable and lightweight. At K Sud Den tal we are very familiar with this technique and have the availability to make these in our labora tory within 24 hours.

www.ksuddental.com / ksuddental@gmail.com / 603 296 687

42 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

Embrace a healthy lifestyle

By Karan Sud Dental

Botox and fillers

MANY people always ask what is the difference be tween Botox and Hyaluron ic Fillers. Basically the princi ples are the same, we all want to look younger and beat the signs of ageing and both of these products will do just that. What do we use each for? Botox temporarily paraly ses the muscles or it relaxes the activity. It is a good op tion for forehead and frown lines, eyebrows, bruxism, sweating and the treatment of migraine. Treatment nor mally lasts up to six months. Hyaluronic Acid Filler is more commonly used to provide fullness to areas on the face but also to make cosmetic improvements in areas such as lip volume, gummy smile correction, r shape jawline, reduce na solabial folds, correct the

HEALTH & BEAUTY

AS we age, maintaining good health be comes increasingly essential for a fulfilling and active life. Embracing a holistic approach can significantly contribute to overall well being. Regular exercise is a cornerstone of healthy ageing, promoting flexibility, strength, and cardiovascular health. Engag ing in activities like walking, swimming, or gentle yoga can enhance mobility and vitali ty. Mental stimulation is equally crucial. Keep ing the mind active through activities such as reading, puzzles, or learning new skills helps preserve cognitive function and reduces the risk of agerelated cognitive decline. A robust social network provides emotion

al support and combats feelings of loneli ness, common in older age. Whether through family, friends, or community groups, staying connected fosters a sense of belonging and mental wellness. A balanced diet, rich in nutrients, is funda mental. Incorporating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins supports im mune function and helps manage weight, re ducing the risk of chronic diseases. By prioritising exercise, mental stimula tion, a strong social network, and a balanced diet, individuals can proactively enhance their quality of life in their golden years, enjoying health and vitality through out the ageing process.

FILLERS: Can help provide fullness to the face.

shape of the nose and many more procedures . Depending on the grade of the filler the treatment can last between six months to two years. All of the above procedures should be ad ministered by a qualified physician, someone who holds the title of Aesthetic

medicine doctor and in a clinical setting. We are lucky to have Doctor Elena Korol eva Aesthetic medicine spe cialist working alongside us here in our clinic and is able to offer all of the above treatments and more. What does Botox do to your face?

www.ksuddental.com / ksuddental@gmail.com / 603 296 687

BALANCED DIET: Rich in nutrients is fundamental as well as regular exercise.

Finland’s happiness streak FOR the sixth consecutive year, Finland has clinched the title of the world’s happiest country, and its recipe for hap piness continues to captivate global attention. A unique blend of societal factors con tributes to Finland’s consistent

high ranking on the annual World Happiness Report. Finland’s commitment to social equality, strong social support networks, and a ro bust healthcare system are in tegral components of its happi ness equation. The country’s

emphasis on education, with minimal stress on standard ised testing and a focus on stu dent wellbeing, fosters a posi tive environment early on. Nature plays a pivotal role in Finland’s happiness narrative. The country’s picturesque landscapes, abundant green spaces, and access to outdoor activities contribute to a lifestyle that prioritizes a healthy worklife balance. Moreover, Finland’s pro gressive social policies, includ ing parental leave, gender equality, and overall societal trust, create an environment where citizens feel secure and supported. The Finnish cul ture’s emphasis on communal values and the importance of closeknit relationships also adds to their contentment. In essence, consistent happi ness ranking underscores the importance of prioritising fac tors beyond economic indica tors. By placing emphasis on social welfare, education, na ture, and societal trust, Finland continues to set a global benchmark for holistic wellbe ing and contentment.

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 November 2023

EWN 43

Advertising Feature

Rare and valuable pocket watches ABRAHAM-LOUIS BREGUET was born 1747 in Switzerland. He was the leading French horologist of his time and was well known for his inventions and the style of his watch designs. When Marie Antoinette was impris oned in France in 1774, she asked to have a watch. She obtained one from her trust ed watchmaker, AbrahamLouis Breguet. It was the model recommended to the most wellknown and influential people of France. She had been a loyal customer of AbrahamLouis Breguet, owning several of his models, which was a most welcome endorsement for his business. That watch, however is not the most fa mous model Breguet made for Marie Antionette. That accolade belongs to Breguet’s model 160, now known as the ‘MarieAntoinette’. It

was commissioned in 1783 by a mys terious admirer who wanted to give it to the Queen. It included the most advanced horological complications of the time. It was fashioned in gold, and it was tru ly spectacular. No expense was spared, and in fact the commis sion had no price or time limit. Sadly, the queen never set eyes on the masterpiece named in her honour, as it was not com pleted until 1827(by Breguet’s son), more than three decades after she was executed. The masterpiece, which has be come a real cult object due to its ex treme complexity, has fascinated col lectors and enthusiasts for over two centuries. It was stolen in 1983 from a Jerusalem museum. The famous Marie Antoinette with Breguet’s signature was only recovered in 2007, when it was val ued at $30 million. Breguet’s Grand Complication ‘The MarieAntoinette’ We, FixingTime, were very privileged to be entrusted to restore a pocket watch made by the illustrious Abraham Louis Breguet. It was not of course the ‘Marie Antoinette’ but never theless it was an unexpected and probably unrepeatable experi ence. The watch we handled was a

quarter repeating pocket watch. To a lay person this means that, at the push of a button on the outside of the case, the watch will indicate the hours, and the quarters by two small hammers striking two gongs inside the case a neat feature

in the18th century if you wanted to know the time in the middle of the night. This kind of technology is known as a complica tion and would most certainly have been one of the complications in the ‘Marie An toinette’. The watch had some wear that required several parts to be hand made to bring it back to full working order, but nothing FixingTime could not handle. It was a memorable day indeed, not only in relation to the Breguet watch. Our customer roared up to our work shop in his very loud, bright red, 1960’s E Type Jag. I can honestly say you don’t get many Breguet pocket watches or E Type Jaguars where we lived in England. To get both in one day was unusual, but then again if you own a Breguet pocket watch you are more likely to also own a vintage car lucky fellow. FixingTime relocated to Muchamiel near Alicante in 2020. We are a family of horologists, and we are rapidly building our business here in Spain. Jeff (Odowd) FBHI maintains his position as Chief Exam iner for the British Horological Institute (BHI), and you will find FixingTime listed in the BHI’s directory of recommended/ac credited repairers. We are proud of our credentials. Impor tantly, we can not only help you with an tique and modern clocks and mechanical watches, but equally with modern high quality watches.

In three years of offering our services we have met many fabulous customers from all over Europe - many thanks and gratitude to everyone who has put their trust in us. If you can’t bring your cherished clock or watch to us, we will come to you. We cover Denia to Los Alcazares, and beyond by arrangement. If we can help you bring your family heirlooms or modern wristwatches back to their former glory we are waiting for your calls/ emails - Our workshop is open most of the time, so if we can help you give us a call, text, or email to arrange an appointment. Usually we can come to you if you can’t bring your item to us. All our quotes are free with no obligation. Contact us on 608 013 157 or info@fixingtime.eu, www.fixingtime.eu.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPONSOR GO TO WWW.LINEADIRECTA.COM

46 EWN 16 - 22 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

FEATURE

COMMUNITY

COMMENTS

WHILST music is a force that often unites people who love a particular band or individual, it can also cause friction between those who love a type of music and those who don’t. The Beatles are generally accepted as being one of the great musical forces of the 20th century but in a recent article entitled ‘Beatles Final Song Released: Now Can We Let It Be?’ our writer expressed her own personal opinion calling them ‘the drab four’. She suggested that the releases of an until now overlooked last number Now and Then was really the thin end of the wedge and that contemporaries, the Rolling Stones were much more exciting and entertaining. This certainly encouraged a number of responses from readers which you can read below and go to the Euro Weekly News website to read the original story and let us know if you agree or disagree.

“

Instant Karma’s gonna get you Gonna look you right in the face Better get yourself together darlin’ Join the human race Lyrics by John Lennon from the song ‘Instant Karma’! John Zennon

‘… the Drab Four are possibly one of the most overrated bands in music history’. What an absurd piece of rubbish is this article - written by some nobody. D Bath

I’m adding to this because the latest song, not album, in fact the last song is very poor. Like much of some of the other musicians mentioned here. It is sad because it gives the Beatle bashers leverage. All bands and musicians have bad songs. I’m not going into details but believe I could. My take is that the Beatles that are left did this as a kind of eulogy. Just leave it be. And please don’t pretend to be a music expert critic. I am very sad that so much nastiness comes out so easily. Don’t we have enough problems? I think this vitriol is out of order. A totally one-sided out pouring of negativity. And I guess you are going to praise the latest Rolling Stones album. A bit of balance please.

all over the world. It is still better for me to know that before girls were screaming for them and not taking drugs to go and see their preferred group of musicians. And as the song ends you can hear these words ‘you’re welcome’. All the songs from The Beatles reflected positivity. Ericoo

No, no and thrice no. If you want to hear regurgitation of Beatle-esque songs just go out and buy a couple of Liam Gallagher albums. Sorted. To coin a wellknown phrase, ‘Let it Be’. Geoff Atkins

It certainly sounds like a Beatles song but is nothing special, just another pop song. I don't know why they did it, maybe just because the technology now allowed them to include Lennon? Most Beatles songs sound dated today although at the time they were superb. Brian Wall

It is good Now and Then but Hey Jude and Imagine are better. Tim McMahon

From a Beatles fan… it’s very dated. Judy Breadmore

I heard it this afternoon and thought it was crap. Most overrated band ever. Richard Webb

Stephane de Leng

Unlike Emna Mitchell, who has obviously had a bad day, I’m looking forward to buying the Beatles’ last record, they have given a lot of pleasure over the years.

Its good, but… just a b-side. Peter Mack

Definitely not needed. Bill Shearer

S Ede

I can also assure you that several great composers have given their findings about the song, it would have been better that you did read them first before posting your negativity. Respect is what this group has earned many years ago and still have from many fans but also performers

Fabulously written piece… but I guess you have stepped on a lot of toe. Eleni Lolkema

Not the same just two of them. Mark Free

Comments should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: euroweeklynews.com Views expressed and opinions given are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements.

www.euroweeklynews.com • 16 - 22 November 2023

PETS