Costa de Almeria 8 - 14 December 2022 Issue 1953

THE BEST FINANCE NEWS ON PAGES 30 ­ 34 Issue No. 1953

8 - 14 December 2022

COSTA DE ALMERIA • EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

THE Age Support Christmas Fayre in the Arboleas sun­ shine raised a whopping €1,675 for the charity, to as­ sist in its aim of improving the quality of life for older people in the Almanzora area.

Hundreds of people visited the fayre and enjoyed the live entertainment and shop­ ping at the huge variety of stalls. The bottle tombola, run by Bev and Helen from Age Support, was a real draw.

Santa arrived and there was a free bouncy castle, kindly organised by the town hall.

THE joy of Christmas spreads throughout the city of Almeria which is il­ luminated with more than a million LED points that shine brighter than ever.

The mayor, Maria del Mar Vazquez, as well as many Almerians, children and adults, surrounded the Casa de las Mariposas on Friday, December 2, to witness the great Christ­ mas light switch on.

The mayor confirmed: “The town hall wants the Christmas atmosphere to be experienced with joy

Image: Age concern

SUPER SUCCESS

XMAS FAYRE: Helen and Bev manning the bottle stall.

Breeze FM hosted with Christmas music and they in­ troduced Steve Jackson, 2CC and the All Aloud Community Choir who entertained with carols and well known Christ­ mas songs to sing along to.

Vanya, President of Age Support Almanzora, is now preparing the second annual Christmas Gala on Friday, De­ cember 9, at La Parrilla, a gala dinner with wine, entertain­ ment by Abba solutely Fabu­ lous, hosted by Breeze FM with a special guest. Tickets are €27.50 from the Age Sup­ port shop in Albox or call Vanya on (+34) 642 045 210.

Christmas lights

until January 6.”

While the orchestra de­ lighted with their music on Friday, all eyes were fixed on the ‘Mapping’ with Christmas motifs on the Casa de las Mariposas.

Technology created dif­ ferent creative 3D compo­ sitions on the walls of the building, showing Father Christmas, reindeer, the traditional mistletoe and other elements of the holi­ day season.

Image: Almeria City Council

ILLUMINATED: Many people turned out to watch.

FREE • GRATIS

2 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

NEWS

Recycling refund Plans for stations PIONEERING project in Alme­ ria has brought a pair of hi­tech recycling machines to Almeria City centre, the council an­ nounced on November 30.

The machines reward locals for recycling by giving points

out for recycling different items which can be exchanged for various interesting prizes.

The machines work through an app which users download and use to scan the barcodes on recyclable items. Users

then scan a QR code on the re­ cycling bin, before throwing their rubbish inside, collecting points which can be ex­ changed for exciting rewards.

Users can also donate their points for recycling to the Is­ abel Enrique Díaz Foundation for their campaign to collect baby food and toys for vulner­ able local children.

The innovative machines, designed by environmental NGO, Ecoembes, and are set to be installed in the popular Mercado Central and the oth­ er will be at the Palacio de Jue­ gos Mediterráneos. The ma­ chines have a distinctive bright yellow design.

VERA is closer to getting its future sta­ tion for the AVE high speed train.

Adif, Spain’s state­owned railway in­ frastructure manager, has announced the specifications for a €955,324 con­ tract to design the Coto de Vera station which will cover the Levante and Al­ manazora area.

As well as a building with entrance hall, ticket office, departure lounge, toi­ lets, dressing rooms and a shop amongst other services, the station will also have parking for ‘at least’ 100 vehi­ cles. A new road will link the new sta­ tion to the A­1200 on the outskirts of central Vera.

These plans substitute those original­ ly drawn up by the Ferrer­Clothos com­ pany between 2011 and 2012.

The project will be divided into two phases, the first involving a preliminary

Linda Hall CUEVAS DEL ALMANZORA Town Hall and local businesses will be giving away €3,000 in prizes over the Christmas peri­ od. “Between December 12 and January 5 anybody making a purchase in a partici­ pating shop could win vouchers worth €50, €100 or €200,” said Commerce coun­ cillor Melchora Caparros.

“The prizes total €1,500 and more than

Shutterstock-com/ Sergii Figurnyi

HIGH SPEED: Vera station getting closer.

draft detailing the procedures and ac­ tivities needed for building the new sta­ tion. This includes the compulsory pur­ chases of land for the station as well as temporary occupation of plots required for storing equipment and machinery.

The second phase will centre on visits to the site and preparing reports and procedures related to issues arising from the plans that could later be raised by the site manager.

Christmas prizes 70 local businesses are taking part.”

Local businesses are also organising a Christmas Gymkhana between Decem­ ber 26 and 30 where participants, armed with a list of clues, will have the chance of hunting down gift packages worth

€1,000. There will also be a special prize of €500 waiting to be located.

Caparros explained that the packages contain items donated by Cuevas shops although the €500 cheque will be provid­ ed by the town hall.

euroweeklynews.com

NIBS EXTRA Don’t bother INSTALLING underground rubbish containers in Almeria City’s Plaza Masnou, halted when excavations revealed archaeological remains, has resumed. The Junta’s Culture department explained that the discoveries from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries, which were already ‘deterio­ rated and fragmented’ by telecommunications conduits and sewage pipes, were not worth saving.

Not here LUCAINENA DE LAS TORRES residents and members of a Platform created to protect the area formed a human chain on Thursday December 1, protesting against plans for a solar power plant 800 me­ tres from the town. The plant would impact brutally on the environment, landscape and tourism, they warned.

Fair shares TWENTY legal professionals demonstrated outside the Almeria’s court complex on Tuesday November 29, giving visibility to their demands for the salary boost promised by the Ministry of Justice follow­ ing increased responsibilities.

The former court secretaries, earned €1,000 less than judges and public prosecutors, they complained.

No go BY late November, it was im­ possible to buy a Madrid­ Almeria rail ticket on either December 23 or 24, with seats available only for passengers with reduced mobility. The Railways Defence Group com­ plained that Spain’s rail opera­ tor RENFE increased trains at holiday times for other provinces “but never Almeria.”

Late start WORK began on the Las Palmeras roundabout in front of Garrucha’s Mediter­ raneo high school. Mayor Maria Lopez explained the contract was awarded before the summer but the town hall needed Junta authorisa­ tion before making a start on the €312,573 project.

8 - 14 December 2022

New rugby union

SPORTING SYNERGY as Huercal­Overa Council an­ nounced a new partnership with Rugby Huércal­Overa Sports Club to bring rugby closer to local young people.

Through the new collabora­ tion, the council is set to pro­ vide funding and promotion for the club, increasing access to the sport.

The partnership which was launched on Thursday De­ cember 1 means the council will support the provision of rugby training sessions for all the groups the club currently caters to, from age six up to

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Huercal-Overa (Via Facebook)

NEWS

Councillors smile with a Rugby Huercal-Overa representative as the two reach a new agreement for youth sports

senior youth categories. The council will also contribute to­ wards other club costs includ­

THE mayor of Almeria, Maria del Mar Vazquez, attended the ceremo­ ny on the occasion of Andalucian Flag Day on Sunday December 4.

This is the first time the event has been held after the Andalucian Re­ gional Government approved De­ cember 4 as the date for this com­ memoration as it coincides with the demonstrations that took place on December 4, 1977 in favour of An­

ing pitch and equipment maintenance as well as train­ ing and competition activity

Flag Day dalucian autonomy.

A quartet from the Orchestra Ciu­ dad de Almería (OCAL) opened the celebration with several perfor­ mances, this was followed by the Andalucian anthem and the hoisting of the flag, which put the icing on

Fab fashion THE Dames of Turre held their November meeting at the Hostal Rural in Turre on Tuesday November 29.

Helen from Oasis fashion shop came and displayed a selection of clothes and accessories from her shop that is situated on Mojacar Playa.

Helen also gave a very interesting demonstration of different ways of wearing scarves and pashminas. The Dames were then invited to ask questions about their individual fashion problems.

At the end of the meeting several members made purchases for themselves and for Christmas presents.

The Dames would like to thank Helen for a very en­ joyable morning.

We hope you never need it, but this Christmas the Euro Weekly News would like to remind all readers of Spain’s emergency services number for police, fire, ambulance and coastguard.

112 OFFICERS speak English, as well as many other European languages, and are your first port of call in an emergency.

costs. Local residents have al­ ready taken to Facebook to express their interest in sign­ ing up for the club, showing great signs for the partnership going forward.

As well as coaching young people in the sport, Rugby Huércal­Overa have spoken about the values they aim to instill in local youth, including friendship, passion, dedica­ tion, respect, and good sports­ manship. The club offers sev­ eral levels of training, depending on age group for children, as well as senior adult teams.

the cake for the Andalucian Flag Day. Almeria councillor, Aranzazu Mar­ tin pointed out that “the Flag of An­ dalucia appears among us devoid of any ideology, becoming the ensign of the Andalucians who work hard, who strive and who improve every day, showing themselves as they are, in our own way, with our way of living life, of feeling and seeing things.”

Let it snow SEVENTY­NINE operatives and 31 vehicles will be working this winter to keep Almeria Province roads clear of snow.

Vehicles allocated to the Winter Roads Plan in­ clude six snowploughs with another two in re­ serve should they be needed in an emergency.

The province’s three road maintenance centres in mountain areas have also been provided with 878 tons of salt between them.

Although on call throughout the province during the winter months, the teams will be focusing on the 307 kilo­ metres of roads in areas that are most likely to be affected by ice and snow.

Priority will be given to

mountain sections of the A­92 and A­92N, together with less­used roads in­ cluding the A­317 be­ tween Velez Rubio and Granada Province and the Puerto de la Virgen and Puerto de Lubrin passes.

EWN

3

Vote for Mojacar

MOJACAR is now a finalist in Ferrero Rocher’s Juntos Brillamos Mas (We shine more together) Christmas competition.

Ainsa (Huesca), Santil­ lana del Mar (Cantabria) and Mojacar are compet­ ing for the prize of Christ­ mas illuminations provid­ ed by the chocolate company after making it through to the final three following the first round of voting which finished on November 30.

Members of the public now have until 11.59pm on December 11 to vote on the https://pueblos. ferrerorocher.es/ website, announced Mojacar’s mayor Rosa Maria Cano.

“In this new phase, all the people who voted be­ fore should vote again, us­ ing the same link or QR code,” she said.

The mayor and town hall thanked all the Mo­ jacar and Almeria Province residents for their collaboration, to­ gether with the thousands of people, celebrities, jour­ nalists and sportspeople supporting the town’s Fer­ rero Rocher bid.

Mojacar also has the backing of the Diputacion provincial council, Almeria Province mayors, and the former UGT union leader Candido Mendez.

Cano thanked everyone for their support.

The Euro Weekly News 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

always keep it that way.

FOR MORE NEWS STORIES euroweeklynews.com

4 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

NEWS

Long weekend

SPAIN’S December long weekend leaves a hotel occupancy rate of around 50 per cent in the province of Almeria.

Tuesday December 6 is celebrated in Spain and is known as Dia de la Con­ stitucion which celebrates the Spanish Constitution and on Thursday Decem­ ber 8, the day of the Im­ maculate Conception ‘In­ maculada Concepcion’ is celebrated. It was hoped that both of these major bank holidays would cre­ ate a hotelier boom.

Throughout the week prior to the bank holi­ days, hotel figures stayed stable at around 40 per cent.

After a good summer and some events that have allowed occasional peaks in occupancy (the Magna Procession, the David Bisbal concert), the truth is that the Decem­ ber long weekend has not been positive, especially when it is compared to last year. When the Junta

de Andalucia opened af­ ter the pandemic hotel occupancy was close to 75 per cent.

While the rest of Spain

experienced storms, the weather in Almeria re­ mained calm, which al­ ways attracts more tourists.

Historical centre competition Betty Henderson A CREATIVE competition is seeking to find the most special historical centre of a town in Alme­ ria, and there are already plenty of votes since the contest opened on November 25.

A competition launched by the College of Architects has compiled a list of 14 lo­ cal towns in their quest to find the most special old town in the Almeria region.

An online vote is now open to the public until Tuesday December 13 at: https://www.ondacero.es /emisoras/andalucia/alme ria/audios­podcast/mas­ de­uno­almeria/que­ pueblo­almeriense­tiene­ casco­historico­mas­bonito ­provincia­vota­

favorito_2022112563809d 740779b00001224d3d.ht ml Councils from towns featuring on the list have taken to social media to encourage locals to vote for their towns, since win­ ning the competition could lead to amazing in­ vestment opportunities, architectural interest and increased tourism.

The list includes current favourite Terque which has almost 6,000 points in the vote.

The town is highlight­ ed for its unique cave­ house architecture that features throughout the old town, as well as beautiful townhouses including the famous ‘Los Caballitos’.

Social inclusion

THE mayor of Almeria, Maria del Mar Vazquez, on December 4, participated in the presentation cere­ mony of the FAAM de Oro as part of the International Day of Persons with Disabil­ ities which is commemorat­ ed every December 3, a date proclaimed by the United Nations in 1992.

The Federation, which is celebrating its 34th anniver­ sary this year, wishes to recognise the work and commitment of people, en­ tities and companies that in their different fields have

promoted the social inclu­ sion of people with disabili­ ties, a group that in Almeria Province totals 44,119.

Valentin Sola, president of FAAM, thanked the “in­ valuable collaboration of companies, etc in the work carried out by the associa­ tion in favour of people with disabilities,” acknowl­ edging his “joy at meeting again so many people in this event that recognises the work of companies, in­ dividuals, groups, associa­ tions, supporting people with disabilities."

6 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

NEWS

THE mayor of Almeria, Maria del Mar Vazquez, has encouraged the people of Almeria to take part in the historic ceremony of the Swearing in of the Flag for civilian personnel to be held on Sunday, December 18, in Las Almadrabillas Park, or­ ganised by the ‘Rey Alfonso XIII’ Legion Brigade and Almeria City Council.

The mayor confirmed: “We are aware of the

Armed Forces’ essential work to protect us and help us when they are required.

“The Swearing­in was a request from the people of Almeria that in a few weeks will become a reality and for this reason I would like to sincerely thank the Legion for its involvement in this and all the other initiatives that we frequently carry out.

“Those of us who take

part in this act will show our loyalty to the national flag, the greatest symbol of Spain, as well as our identifi­ cation with the Armed Forces,” encouraged Vazquez, highlighting once again the “close bond that exists between Almeria and La Legion, a bond that we want to continue to strengthen and now we are highlighting with this Flag Swearing­in.”

Sporting support

A MAJOR boost for sports clubs in Almeria as the city council announced a grant of €400,000 on December 1. The funds will be divided by 64 local sports organisations including school sports, clubs and regional sports federations.

Almeria City Council presented the funding to representatives from some of the clubs that will benefit from the initiative at a ceremony on Thursday December 1.

Councillor for Sports, Juanjo Segura opened the event saying, “We want to make our sup­ port for sports in Almeria very clear, as well as congratulating the teams and clubs that

proudly represent our city. This grant shows our commitment to creating a healthy society, but also one full of talent.”

Local people will enjoy opportunities to get involved with a wide variety of sports as the 64 organisations offer more than 20 different sport disciplines. The council has also created a goal to improve sports facilities, so local people have the best access to sporting opportunities possible.

School sports have also been targeted in the funding increase to improve youth access to sports and building lifelong healthy habits.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Cuevas del Almanzora

Swearing in of flag Christmas cheer

PACKED SCHEDULE: Cuevas del Almanzora launched a varied Christmas programme with something for everyone!

Betty Henderson CHEERY Christmas pro­ gramme in Cuevas del Al­ manzora with a packed schedule of events over the festive period.

A programme released on Thursday December 1 un­ veiled an exciting catalogue of activities with something to appeal to everyone over the festive period.

The programme kicked off on Saturday December 3 at the Christmas light switch­ on, a staple of the festive

calender, which also saw the local nativity scene revealed to the public. The pro­ gramme will now run until King’s Day with the iconic king’s parade on January 5.

Events in the programme include special cinema showings, Christmas carol concerts, musical and dance performances, Christmas parties, theatre shows, sports activities, activities for children, and cultural and tourist activities.

Deputy mayor, Miriam

Quintana explained “Our varied schedule of events will reach every corner of the town, spreading the fes­ tive spirit.”

The festive fun continues for shoppers from Decem­ ber 12, as the council holds a prize draw for huge vouch­ ers to spend in local busi­ nesses. Shoppers could win vouchers of up to €200 to spend in more than 70 local businesses by simply spin­ ning a prize wheel after making a purchase.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

Parking passes

GRAB your trainers as the registration peri­ od for the Almeria Half Marathon, which will take place on February 5, is now open and has a participation limit of 2,000 runners.

Almeria is getting ready to welcome the new year with the celebration of one of the most awaited sporting events of the year.

This is the Half Marathon ‘Memorial Ramon Ruiz Andujar’ which, after being on pause due to the restrictions of the Covid­19 pan­ demic in 2022, has returned to delight run­ ners.

This is an urban foot race of 21,097 metres and anyone can sign up, whether federated or not, as long as they are over 18 years of age. Registration can be made through the

providing a much­needed push for local busi­ nesses as they try to compete with huge inter­ net marketplaces. The scheme has been timed to coincide with the busiest time of year for businesses in the city centre.

Councillor for Security and Mobility, María del Mar García Lorca, explained that the scheme is an example of the council’s support for local business, “This is one more step to­ wards promoting local business and revitalising Almeria City centre after a difficult few years, by taking advantage of these crucial dates in the commercial calendar.”

Half marathon Image: Almeria City Council

AN inventive initiative in Almeria is set to give local businesses a perfectly timed boost. A new scheme will offer businesses in the city centre 8,000 discounted parking tickets which they can offer to shoppers during the Christmas pe­ riod, promoting shopping locally.

The scheme, announced on December 1, has offered hotels in Ashal and businesses in the city centre the discounted parking passes which they can distribute among their cus­ tomers to stimulate spending over the period.

The tickets will allow shoppers to park for free for an hour in the key commercial areas,

IT’S BACK: To the delight of the runners.

website www.cruzandolameta.es and the deadline for applications is January 25, 2023 at 1.00pm.

EWN

7

8 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

NEWS

Hello campers LOOKING for like­minded campers to share tips and have fun? If you have a motorhome, cara­ van or tent and enjoy meeting new friends, you may be interested in joining the ACE group.

Dotted about Spain, the group is made up of mostly British expatriates, but all nationalities are welcomed with open arms.

The best part is that there are no joining or membership fees whatsoever and to join the

group all you have to do is attend a rally, which they try to have on a monthly basis. After being with the group for a year it is requested that you volunteer to host a rally, which can be done jointly with other members.

If you are interested in receiving more details about the group, please contact Pauline by email on acerallies@gmail.com or by mobile /WhatsApp on (+34) 617 114 933.

The written word

THE Written Word Group are looking for fellow writ­ ers and lovers of the writ­ ten word to join them.

The brains behind the group are writers Berni Al­ brighton and David Hol­ man­Hill Waters.

Berni moved from the UK to Spain over two years ago. In 2013 she self­pub­ lished her book ‘The Old Man of Tiritiri Matangi’, which was inspired by 12 months of volunteering on

a conservation island in New Zealand.

During a recent conver­ sation with fellow writer, David Holman­Hill Waters, the pair decided to create an opportunity for lovers of writing to come togeth­ er.

From January 13 next year every Friday from 10.00am until 1.00pm at the Almanzora Group of Friends library in Albox they will meet to talk

about their writing, share ideas and see what devel­ ops. They would welcome people who like to write, whether that be poetry, stories, scripts, or anything in the format of the writ­ ten word, and think that a get­together with like­ minded creative individu­ als could be of interest.

For more information contact Berni Albrighton by email at: balbrighton@ gmail.com.

8 - 14 December 2022

EWN

The UK Autumn Budget Having taken the decision to scrap the September mini budget, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt released his Autumn Statement 2022 on 17 November, with key aims to promote stability, growth and public services.

This budget focused on stability and fiscal sustainability – with plans to ensure the national debt falls over the medium term. The reduced debt should allow for more significant investment in public services, support the Bank of England’s efforts to curb inflation, and give greater confidence to businesses as they continue to invest and grow in the UK. Income tax, National Insurance Contributions and other relevant tax rates The income tax personal allowance, higher rate threshold, national insurance contributions (NIC), upper earning limit and upper profits limit were already frozen at 2021 levels until April 2026 – this has now been extended to 2028.

As previously confirmed, from April 2023 corporation tax will increase to 25% for businesses with profits over £250,000.

By Jon Pemberton, Partner, Blevins Franks

Freezing allowances and thresholds is often referred to as ‘tax by stealth’ since it increases taxation without putting up tax rates. Thousands more people will now pay more tax as wages increase alongside inflation.

The NIC threshold was raised from £9,880 to £12,570 in July, and the Social Care Levy (a 1.25% tax to help tackle NHS waiting lists and aid health care) has now been reversed.

Additional tax rate threshold, dividend allowance and capital gains The autumn budget states that “the fairest way to restore the public finances is to ask everyone to contribute a little, with those on the highest incomes and those making the highest profits paying a larger share”.

With this principle in mind, the additional rate tax threshold will reduce from £150,000 to £125,140 from 6 April 2023.

The Dividend Allowance will reduce by half – from £2,000 per tax year to £1000 from April 2023 – and halved again to £500 in 2024.

The Capital Gains Tax Annual Exempt amount will be more than halved – from £12,300 to £6,000 on 6 April 2023 – and similarly reduced again to £3,000 in 2024. Selling investments before the 2023 tax year

would allow you to take advantage of the higher threshold.

Inheritance tax The inheritance tax thresholds will also remain frozen for a further two years until April 2028. The general nil rate band remains £325,000 (unchanged since 2009) and residential nil rate band at £175,000. More families will get caught in the IHT net and lose more of their inheritance to tax.

Property considerations The cuts in Stamp Duty Land Tax announced in September increased the threshold from £125,000 to £250,000 for residential property purchases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to £425,000 for first-time buyers.

These changes have now been declared temporary and will end on 31 March 2025.

The Annual Charge for Enveloped Dwellings will be uplifted by 10.1% for the 2023-24 charging period.

ATED is an annual tax typically paid by companies that own UK residential property above £500,000.

Looking ahead With a new Prime Minister, new Chancellor and a fresh budget designed to tackle the various economic challenges, hopefully these tough measures will achieve the growth and stability the government is aiming for. It will, however, be a difficult winter for many.

With regards taxation, even if tax rates do not go up over the coming years, the fact that so many allowances and thresholds are frozen will have long-term implications.

Getting reliable financial advice is more important than ever.

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

10 EWN

8 - 14 December 2022

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Glittering business event

THE Euro Weekly News is marking the end of another busy year with a sparkling business event in collaboration with the British Cham­ ber of Commerce in Spain at Puente Romano, Marbella, on Friday December 16.

Bringing together their clients from across Spain, the Andalucia business event will see guests served canapes and cocktails alongside live entertainment, a rare moment for the business community to come together and simply celebrate the year’s achievements.

The Euro Weekly News is a proud member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain, an organisation which works tirelessly to pro­ mote vital trade links between Spain and the UK. Founded in 1908 as an initiative of the British Embassy, the British Chamber of Com­ merce in Spain is one of the largest chambers of commerce in the world.

It is the only independent British­Spanish business organisation in Spain, and still works with the British Embassy, holding regular meetings with British Ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliott, as well as British commercial ser­ vices (UK Trade and Investment) and Spanish comercial abroad (ICEX).

The chamber has offices in Barcelona, Madrid, Marbella, and most recently Bilbao, and a total of 300 members, including multi­ national companies as well as SMEs. Its work includes organising business events, publishing research studies,creating

DEREK LANGLEY: The regional vice president works to promote business across Andalucia.

committees to support the interests of mem­ bers, and promoting the business activity of its members through media platforms and communication channels.

British Chamber of Commerce Regional Vice­President Derek A Langley said: “We greatly look forward to welcoming you to our very enjoyable event, where you can meet old and new business contacts and friends from across the Costa del Sol business com­ munity, and have a chance to mingle, net­ work, and celebrate the end of a successful business year at one of Spain’s most glam­ orous locations.”

www.euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

Betty Henderson SPAIN are pioneers in gender equality as the country regis­ tered the fourth largest pro­ portion of female inventors in Europe, setting an impressive precedent. Figures released on November 30 revealed al­ most 24 per cent of people registering new patents in Spain are women, soaring

Female first ahead of most European countries.

In data collected by the Eu­ ropean Patent Office, women register just 13.2 per cent of

patents on products, but Spain stood apart with a rate of 23.2 per cent. Data re­ vealed that Lithuania topped the list of female inventors, with more than 30 per cent of new patents registered by women. Portugal came sec­ ond with 27 per cent, fol­ lowed by Croatia with 25 per cent, before Spain in fourth place.

Analysts explained that al­

though this is good news for gender equality in Spain, there is still a remarkable gen­ der disparity in patent regis­ trations throughout the conti­ nent. There has been a significant growth in women registering patents since 1978, when just 2 per cent were re­ quested by women.

The organisation say more must be done to ‘promote in­ clusion’ in invention.

Pope’s physio POPE FRANCIS is currently re­ ceiving care from a top phys­ iotherapist from Atlético Madrid’s medical team. The head of the Roman Catholic church reportedly sought help from the football medic for an arthritic knee at the end of November.

The Pope’s knee had been causing him increasingly se­ vere mobility issues during the last few months, which caused him to cancel a trip to Africa. Pope Francis has opted to use a wheelchair or walk

Industrial innovation

ENVIRONMENTAL advance from beer manufacturer Heineken as the firm announced its latest venture to convert its Valencia factory to use solar power. The brand launched the project on December 1, saying that the factory will build a solar plant that will be operational from June 2023.

The solar plant means that the brand’s factory at Quart de Poblet will transition to become completely self-sustaining, thanks to Feder Funds which are being used to fi-

NEWS

nance the project. As part of the deal, Heineken will pay for the solar energy used for the next 15 years.

The solar energy generated at the plant will be used in the heating and packaging processes used to create beer in the factory.

The decision comes as the brand aims to become carbon neutral by 2025 and has a multi-pronged strategy in place to achieve the ambitious goal.

Photo credit: neneo / shutterstock.com

12 EWN

POPE FRANCIS: The football fan enlisted the help of an Atlético Madrid doctor for his arthritic knee.

with a stick since the issues in­ tensified in June.

Speaking about the treat­ ment, Atlético Madrid head medic, José María Villalón de­ scribed the Pope as “very nice” but also “stubborn”, as he refused to have knee surgery.

Villalón has an extensive history of treating footballers’ injuries as he has been with the club since 1995, and ex­ pressed his optimism that the Pope’s knee condition will im­ prove.

The Argentinian Pope is fa­ mously a big football fan, but for his home team of San Lorenzo, from Buenos Aires.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

THE first documented instance of a migrant accessing Melilla from Morocco using a paraglider has been recorded.

On Thursday, December 1, a migrant managed to bypass the double fence that separates Melilla from Morocco by using a paraglider. It might have happened previously, but this is the first documented incident where a migrant has accessed the North African Spanish enclave utilising such a method.

According to a spokesperson for the Government Delegation, the incident occurred: “around 6.15pm in the after-

8 - 14 December 2022

Flying in

noon. Two citizens who were driving along the ring road notified the security operations centre (CO S) of the Guardia Civil Command of the entry of a paragliding migrant in the vicinity of the Nano River.”

Guardia Civil patrols were immediately deployed to the area: “but they have not been able to locate the migrant,” the same source admitted to a national news outlet.

Antibiotic shortage

THE Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Prod­ ucts has announced on the online drug information cen­ tre CIMA that there are 22 shortages of different amoxi­ cillin drugs in tablets, pow­ der, and hard capsules.

Amoxicillin oral suspen­ sion has arrived at pharma­ cies in Alicante such as Mal­ luguiza, while amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid in sus­ pension, also for children,

has been out of stock for two days, reported local Spanish press.

The antibiotic is one of the 627 medicines that are suf­ fering from supply problems in pharmacies amid a wave of respiratory viruses, espe­ cially among children, with shortages also reported in Portugal and France. Amoxi­ cillin is a broad­spectrum an­ tibiotic medication widely used to treat bacterial infec­

tions, such as sore throat, si­ nusitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and pneumonia in children.

Laboratories are beginning to release batches, especially for children, although it will still take time for the situa­ tion to normalise after weeks of shortages of the drug in pharmacies, this has coincided with the wave of bronchiolitis in Spain, which is collapsing hospital emer­ gencies.

EWN 13

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Credit: Anne Fernandez

Anne Hernandez of Brexpats in Spain International

ANNE HERNDANEZ: Created Brexpats in Spain following queries after Brexit.

BREXIT had repercus­ sions for all Brits in Spain, from holidaymak­ ers to residents and busi­ ness owners to snow birds.

This is why Anne Her­ nandez MBE, founder of Brexpats in Spain (now Brexpats in Spain Inter­ national) wanted to cre­ ate a place to tackle some of that misinforma­ tion and help those whose lives ­ and liveli­ hoods ­ had been affect­ ed by Brexit.

The Euro Weekly News sat down with Anne to discuss the inspiration behind the group ­ which now has more than 40,000 members ­ what it does, and its plans for the future.

Anne explained: “I came here in 1999 with my mum and daughter.

“My mum used to go to a local social group in Mi­ jas and over time she would pass queries peo­ ple had in the group about living in Spain on to me. I ended up with so many I created a Face­ book group to help peo­ ple.

“After my mum died, Brexit happened. I was never political, but I wanted to do something to help and I went to speak to former Mijas mayor Juan Carlos Mal­ donado, who said we should set up a local group, which became Br­ expats in Mijas. Within a month, we had 1,000 en­ quiries from across the

country, so we made it Brexpats in Spain.

“When we first started, we sought experts in dif­ ferent fields including taxation, insurance, med­ ical, legal, education, to help tackle misinforma­ tion and give people the help they needed.”

After helping expats with issues with every­ thing from driving li­ cences to residencia, Br­ expats has for the last year been campaigning hard on local voting rights for foreigners.

She explained: “For many of us, if we’ve been out of the country for 15 years we can’t vote in UK, EU, Spanish national elections. For many this will be the only election they can vote in.”

While British residents in Spain will now be able to vote in next year’s lo­ cal elections, Anne warned: “You had to have proof of residency at the time of registering.

If you don’t, we know that some people are be­ ing sent away and told to go to the National Police station to get extra docu­ mentation. We have forms to prove you are a permanent resident.

“The problem is the window to register is on­ ly until January 15. Keep an eye on the group for updates as the window is short.”

The group is also now joining together with other international expat groups to push to get the

UK’s Votes for Life bill through to secure life­ long voting rights for ex­ pats.

Alongside voting rights, Brexpats is continually innovating and finding ways to bring the expat community together; as well as to tackle some of the biggest issues facing Britons in Spain.

She told the EWN: “Many people can find themselves isolated here, which is why we now have seven groups over­ all for all sorts of differ­ ent issues, including a support group.”

The organisation also now has Brexpats Bud­ dies following the tragic death of an elderly expat who was not found for several days.

The WhatsApp group asks members to check in every day before 12pm just with a simple emoji or hello. If not, a local represenatative will be sent to check if they are in need of help. The ini­ tiative has even spawned an offshoot group in Ner­ ja, where locals are now meeting regularly as a so­ cial group.

Speaking about the work of Brexpats in Spain, Anne said: “There are groups to help with all kinds of things. We’re also in regular contact with the British Embassy and can pass on your concerns for you.

“If you’re looking for support or information, join us.”

EWN 15

16 EWN

8 - 14 December 2022

euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Sweeping the UK A 12-YEAR-OLD boy from a school in Lewisham, South East London, is the first pupil of secondary school age to die from the Strep A bug that is currently sweeping the UK. He is reported to have contracted the more serious invasive Group A Strep bacteria which caused blood poi­ soning.

An illness which usually only causes a mild sore throat and temperature has now claimed the lives of at least six children since September, as con­ firmed by UK health offi­

cials.

The previous deaths oc­ curred in pupils of prima­ ry school age. Health chiefs in the UK have urged parents to be on the alert for symptoms, and to act promptly if they believe their child is affected.

Kids being shut away at home during the pan­ demic lockdowns is one factor being blamed in many quarters.

This has subsequently lowered their immune systems, making them more susceptible to in­ fections.

Stepping down

FORMER Chancellor and Tory leadership candidate Sajid Javid announced on Friday December 2, that he will step down as an MP at the next general election.

The shocking announcement from the MP for Broms­ grove in Worcester, on the outskirts of Birmingham, came just hours after the Labour party won a historic majority in the Chester by­elections.

It also came after reports that the Conservative party told its MPs to decide their future and declare whether or not they intended to run by Monday December 5 ­ with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson having declared his in­ tention to stand again for his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency in London.

Current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak invoked Star Wars in paying tribute to his ‘good friend’, saying “May the force be with you, Saj”.

Announcing his decision not to stand in the next general election, which is to be held at some point before January 2025, the 52­year­old said it had been “an incredible privi­ lege” to serve his constituents.

euroweeklynews.com

Haka greeting

THE UK's Defence Minister Ben Wallace was greeted with the haka by Ukrainian defence force trainees dur­ ing a visit to inspect a train­ ing camp. The Ministry of Defence shared the video on Wednesday, November 30 showing the traditional Māori welcome.

The Ukrainian soldiers are being trained by a team from New Zealand in prepa­ ration for combat back home, as they fight to de­ fend their homeland from the Russian invaders.

Following the trainer’s ex­ ample around 100 trainees completed the haka to wel­ come the minister.

Although what appears to be an aggressive ap­ proach, the haka is a well­ known greeting that has been made world famous by the All­Blacks rugby team. With England rugby struggling at the moment it’s possible the haka is the last thing Wallace wanted to see, but no doubt he was more than pleased with the training that is taking place.

Peter McLaren­Kennedy BUCKINGHAM PALACE is once again mired in con­ troversy after a staff mem­ ber had resigned after making ‘unacceptable’ comments at a palace event.

A national news outlet reported on Wednesday, November 30, that Ngozi Fulani, the founder of Sis­ tah Space, a charity that supports African and Caribbean women affected by domestic violence, was asked “where she really came from.”

EASYJET has announced that it is set to launch a new ‘beach route’ from Manch­ ester to Murcia in south east Spain.

Flights will commence on May 2, 2023, and will oper­ ate twice weekly on Tues­ days and Saturdays, with seats on sale from December 7. The new Airbus A320neo aircraft will also bring signifi­ cant improvements in envi­ ronmental and operational efficiencies compared to the previous generation of air­

8 - 14 December 2022

EWN 19

In the mire

The incident arose after Fulani told the palace staff member at the Queen Con­ sort hosted event, that she was born in the UK. The conversation was posted in full on Twitter, however, she did not iden­ tify the person involved.

Allegedly, the person concerned was Lady Susan Hussey, one of the new ‘ladies of the household’.

Hussey is not new to the

palace having worked for Queen Elizabeth II in the past and was, some be­ lieve, the ‘number one head girl’.

Such controversy in Buckingham Palace is un­ usual where experienced staff are concerned, but with an apology made and the lady having resigned, hopefully that will be the end of the story and any future such slips.

New route

craft. The aircraft’s arrival will create around 40 local job opportunities at the air­ port.

Last year easyJet added 16 new routes and now offers customers a total of 77 routes to choose from. Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Coun­ try Manager, said: “I am de­ lighted to be announcing our

plans for expansion at Manchester airport today.

“This will help us to deliver growth in Manchester and offer customers an even wider range of destinations.” easyJet has had a base at Manchester for more than 15 years and has since flown more than 25 million passen­ gers to and from the airport.

- Credit CC Ibagli

NEWS

STAFF: Queen Elizabeth II flanked by Lady Susan Hussey.

20 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

FEATURE

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Making it on Broadway Peter McLaren­Kennedy

BROADWAY is for many people the pinnacle of a career in theatre, but to master that when you come from a disadvan­ taged background is quite an achievement.

Sheldon Epps, speaking exclusively to Euro Week­ ly News about his new book, said that the the­ atre business had and was continuing to evolve both in the USA and abroad. This he said was in large part being driven

by money with the cost of staging a production having risen dramatical­ ly, running into millions on Broadway and in Lon­ don’s West End. That he said meant benefactors were in­ creasingly difficult to find and those that are still willing to fund produc­ tions, need and want to know that their invest­ ment is safe and will bring a return. In that re­ spect he said theatre had become like cinema, but maybe more worrying is

that the high costs are pushing top theatre out of the reach of the aver­ age person, as ticket prices rise along with costs.

Sheldon is, however, not daunted by the chal­ lenge. As a black man in an elite world, he has risen to the top and has many awards and suc­ cesses to his name, in­ cluding three Tony Award nominations.

Speaking about his own career, he said it has taken a desire to suc­

ceed, hard work, creativi­ ty and perfection. But he said it has all been worthwhile with the in­ dustry now fully integrat­ ed and providing more and more opportunities for people from all back­ grounds.

Although staging main­ stream theatre had be­ come more costly and risk averse, he said there remained many op­ portuni­ ties for o t h e r

forms of theatre and for exploring new topics.

Speaking about the fu­ ture he said he will be bringing new, previously uncovered stories to the­ atres, an area that he said is bursting with opportunity as audiences evolve.

Sheldon’s book ‘My own direc­ tions ­ A black man’s jour­ ney in Ameri­ NEW BOOK: An insight can theatre’ into American culture. is a must read for its insight into Ameri­ can culture and for what it takes to be successful in the creative world of theatre and film.

The book is out now credit Jonathon White PR and available online, you SHELDON EPPS: Spoke exclusively to Euro Weekly News. won’t be disappointed.

22 EWN

8 - 14 December 2022

• December 10, 2pm, Reflexion, rock, pop, blues, and more, 102 Tapas Palomares Plaza

euroweeklynews.com

Old style

• December 11, 8pm, Grand Fiesta Flamenco, Fuente Theater Mojacar • December 11, 9pm, Odyssey, 1st anniversary of Custom Bar, Ruta Puebelerinakdda • December 16, 7pm, Sue Moretta Singers Christmas Carols and Songs, The Irish Rover, Mojacar Playa • December 18, 5.30pm, QUrt, rock band, The Time, El Ejido, Almeria • December 31, 7pm, Jake Collins, The Irish Rover, Mojacar Playa

Image: Andalucian Chamber Orchestra/Facebook

RENEWED ENERGY: The Andalucian Chamber Orchestra.

THE Andalucian Chamber Orchestra (OCA) was born in the summer of 1998 with the aim of filling the gap that exists in the Andalucian mu­ sic scene.

The professional experi­ ence of these young musi­ cians is endorsed by their participation in ensembles such as the National Youth Orchestra of Spain and the Youth Orchestra of Andalu­ cia in which they have ac­ quired and developed their complete training.

Their repertoire covers a wide range of music, from the early Baroque to the New Music of our century.

Since 1998, the OCA has giv­ en concerts in numerous An­

dalucian towns, participating in prestigious festivals such as the Sanlucar de Barrame­ da, Ayamonte.

After a break due to the Covid pandemic, they have returned with renewed en­ ergy.

On this occasion, the group offers a vision of the Baroque style, through three of its most important works: two of the concertos that make up the Four Seasons

by Vivaldi and the concerto in A minor by Bach.

This musical joy is on at the Municipal Theatre, Par­ que Andaluz, s/n, 04140 Car­ boneras in Almeria on Satur­ day, December 10 at 8.00pm.

Saving Christmas CAN Santa Claus save Christmas? The North Pole Elves are ready, the letters are read and checked, the toys are wrapped, and the sleigh is about to take off.

Everything is ready for Father Christmas to face the night he has the most work to do, Christmas Eve. But this year someone will try to stop him from celebrating Christmas; The Grinch, who will complicate everything with his tricks.

Music, magic and emotion will be the main ingredients of this theatre adventure: what will happen in the end, will the Elves be able to find a solution, will the presents be delivered on time? And most importantly will you help us save Christmas?

This festive fun is on at the Cervantes Theatre, Calle Poeta Vil­ laespesa 1, 04001 Almeria on Sunday, December 11, at 6.00pm.

For more information or to book tickets go to the website /www.teatrocervantesalmeria.com/ or call (+34) 650 030 303.

SOCIAL SCENE

Run for fun THE popular 10th Carrera Cortijo del Fraile running race will take place in the Natural Park of Gata­Nijar on Sunday, December 11 at 10.00am.

The route will be along a track in the vicinity of Cortijo de Fraile. The activity will take place over a distance of 11 kilometres and is approved by the Andalucian Athletics Federation.

At the same time, there will be a non­competitive event with a circuit of 5,000 metres.

Entrants receive a t­shirt and headband.

For more information go to the website: https://www.to dofondo.net/.

Take a hike WALKERS looking for a chal­ lenge of a 45­kilometre walk put a note in your diary for Saturday, December 10 at 5.00pm.

Travesias are a moun­ taineering discipline regulat­ ed by the Andalucian Mountaineering Federation.

They take the form of mountain routes and are on foot, without running.

These are organised routes, with a specific start and finish, with intermedi­ ate points for rest, regroup­ ing and/or refreshments.

They are free of technical difficulties that require tech­ niques other than hiking.

The routes of Travesias run through mountain ter­ rain: paths, trails and tracks.

The percentage of asphalted terrain in a crossing will not exceed 15 per cent (except for sections that pass through urban centres).

The first Travesia took place in 2018 organised by the Almeria Activa Sports Club in conjunction with the Almocita City Councill.

This year’s Travesia MilSendas Alpujarra will start from the world’s largest oil lamp attraction, Almocita.

To join in the fun, get more information or to reg­ ister go to the website: /www.almocitaactiva.com/

24 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

Medieval revival

Football fraud THE Ukrainian bid for the 2030 World Cup has been scup­ pered, as top officials from the country’s football association have been arrested after accu­ sations of money­laundering and fraud.

The President of the Ukraini­ an Football Association, Andriy Pavelko and the General Sec­ retary, Yuri Zapisotsky, were arrested on November 29 for the ‘embezzlement’ of nearly €700,000.

The funds were allegedly laundered under the guise of building an artificial grass facto­ ry, when the officials moved money sent to their associa­ tion from a company in the UAE without permission.

Pavelko and Zapisotsky are being held on bail following their arrests in Kyiv, and are barred from communicating with witnesses.

Last week as the charges were announced, the Ukraini­ an Football Association had ac­ cused investigators of acting on behalf of Russia.

Football experts expect the development to end the coun­ try’s bid to hold the World Cup in 2030 with Spain and France.

NEWS

Photo credit: dragancfm / shutterstock.com

Germany is set to take deliveries of gas from Qatar in a new 15-year contract.

German goal GERMANY has signed a new 15­year contract with Qatar for a supply of liqui­ fied natural gas. German in­ dustrial experts signed the deal with the Gulf nation for approximately two million tonnes of gas, as they rush to reduce dependence on Russian pipelines.

State­owned Qatar Ener­ gy announced the partner­ ship at the end of Novem­ ber, saying that supplies would begin from 2026.

American company, ConocoPhillips will be re­ sponsible for transporting LNG deliveries from Qatar to the German LNG termi­

nal at Brunsbüttel.

There have already been mixed reactions to the poli­ cy, with some saying the de­ cision undermines Ger­ many’s criticism of human rights abuses in Qatar and what this means for Ger­ many’s environmental stance.

In response, German Eco­ nomic Minister and Green Party Member, Robert Habeck said in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Germany’s de­ cision to stop relying on Rus­ sian gas, the country needs to take gas from a variety of energy sources.

AN ambitious proposal will see a team of French historians and designers team up to create a re­ construction of William the Conqueror’s boat that was used by the monarch when he arrived in Eng­ land in 1066.

The La Mora project was launched at the end of November with a bud­ get of €13 million to recreate the ship.

The vessel was memori­ alised in the famous Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the events which followed William of Nor­ mandy’s arrival in England from France, and the en­ suing Battle of Hastings.

William of Normandy was victorious during the battle, becoming King William I of England just days later.

The boat was thought to have been a 34­metre long longship, modelled on Viking longships. An is­ sue that designers will

face is creating a sturdy boat that complies with current seafaring regula­ tions.

Members of the project want to see the boat sail

in time for the anniver­ sary of William the Con­ queror’s 1,000th birth­ day, in 2027. It would then become a tourist at­ traction.

Corruption crackdown Betty Henderson THE EU is seeking to block more than €13 billion of funding destined for Hungary due to persisting corrup­ tion issues in Victor Orbán’s government and holes in the country’s democracy.

The measure was first suggested in September, and Hungarian officials received a deadline of November 19 to fix the issues. The EU announced on November 30 that the measure would proceed to the next stage of a vote between member states after its 27 requirements were not met.

The 27 measures included 17 ways to reduce corrup­ tion and 10 ways to strengthen democracy through in­ stitutions including the country’s supreme court and National Judicial Council. The Hungarian economy is currently in decline, which could push President Orbán into accepting the measures quickly, to avoid losing out on billions of euros in funding. Hungarian officials have repeatedly clashed with fellow European Union mem­ bers in recent months over issues including corporate tax rates, the EU stance in solidarity with Ukraine and the use of sanctions against Russia.

26 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

EUROPEAN PRESS

EUROPEAN PRESS DENMARK

FINLAND

Netflix deal

Internet use

FOLLOWING almost a year of hard negotiation, Netflix has reached an agreement with Danish film and TV producers which will ensure that the global giant will purchase Danish produced productions again after a dispute over payment which has cost the industry some €200 million.

INTERNET supplier Valokuitunen Oy commissioned a poll of internet users to see how aware they were of the environmental effects of using the internet and some 70 per cent of those contacted admitted that they hadn’t even thought about it, let alone reduced usage.

THE NETHERLANDS

IRELAND

Friendly wolf

Strange reward

WOLVES are a protected species in Holland and a court has ruled that a plan by authorities to use paintballs to try to frighten an apparently tame juvenile wolf from approaching humans in the Veluwe national park is unacceptable following an appeal by conservationists.

A WHISTLEBLOWER who revealed information about Irish Rail eight years ago is still employed by the rail company at a salary of €121,000-a-year, but complains that because his work load has been reduced so much, he spends most of his time reading and eating sandwiches.

BELGIUM Harry Potter THE Magical Music of Harry Potter tour came to Liège late November and was well received thanks to an exceptional performance by the Ukrainian Khmelnitsky Orchestra and actor Chris Rankin (who played Percy Weasley in the films), who was the presenter and host.

GERMANY

ITALY Leaning Tower THE iconic landmark in Tuscany, the Leaning Tower of Pisa isn’t leaning as much as it used to according to a new report from the local heritage protection agency. Its tilt was last corrected in 2001 and since then has straightened by four centimetres.

PORTUGAL

Dearer holidays

Welcoming city

GERMANY is likely to become a more expensive destination for tourists from nonEU countries if they book holidays from local travel agents, as from January 1, those operators will have to charge VAT on their invoice and make tax returns in Germany.

LISBON has been named the second happiest city in the world for expats according to the latest German organisation Internations Expat City Ranking 2022. It came fourth overall when compared to 49 other cities around the world thanks to the welcoming locals, weather, culture and nightlife.

FRANCE

UKRAINE

Heritage bread

UK assistance

AS French as a man on a bicycle with a string of onions, the baguette, the Eiffel Tower of French bread has gained UNESCO recognition after being named on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage for ‘artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread’.

THE UK and Ukraine have entered into a groundbreaking new Digital Trade Agreement (DTA) that will help Ukraine rebuild its economy. This deal is the second such agreement and follows a decision to cut tariffs on all goods from Ukraine to zero.

NORWAY

SWEDEN

Not spruce

Greta Thunberg

THE aptly named Richard Wood, British Ambassador to Norway has taken to Twitter to say that this year’s Christmas tree sent to Trafalgar Square was perfect when it left the country in response to criticism by other Twitter users, including Larry the Cat, calling it tatty.

TEENAGE Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg intentionally chose Black Friday to join with more than 600 young environmentalists to bring a class action against the government of Sweden alleging that it has failed in its Constitutional duty to take positive action to tackle climate change.

FINANCE SPAIN’S unemployment fell by 33,512 people in Novem­ ber to 2,881,380, the lowest figure in a month of Novem­ ber since 2007 and the main beneficiaries of the drop have been women and young peo­ ple who have been the two sectors most affected by un­ employment.

Inflation slows THE news that Germany, Spain and Belgium reported that inflation in November appeared to be slowing down could be good news for con­ sumers in the eurozone as apart from anything else, it may well encourage the Euro­ pean Central Bank to recon­ sider new interest rate hikes.

Lorry drivers THE Spanish Ministry of Transport has approved the National Road Transport In­ spection Plan for 2023, which confirms that carriers work at a fair price, that the driver does not carry out, in general, the loading and unloading of merchandise and receive prompt payment.

HSBC closures EUROPE’S largest bank by as­ sets, HSBC, has announced that it will close another 114 branches in the UK starting next April, as customers using them have fallen significantly since the pandemic and whilst it will try to redeploy staff, some 100 will lose their jobs.

Digital success DIGITAL restaurant Vicio, which was founded in Barcelona by a former Mas­ terChef winner during the pandemic, offers a range of gourmet burgers with side dishes delivered to cus­ tomer’s doors and in its first year has generated a turnover of €4 million.

€5 billion

is the amount that energy company Cepsa will be spending using Spanish government Recovery Fund Money to finance a huge hydrogen production project in Andalucia.

Brexit food bill BREXIT cost UK households an extra £5.8 billion for food ac­ cording to a report issued by the Centre for Economic Perfor­ mance (CEP) at the London School of Economics on Thurs­ day December 1.

This only covers the period from January 1, 2020 until the end of 2021 and according to the report, this was the equiva­ lent of £210 per British house­ hold.

It goes on to say that because low­income households spend a greater share of their finances on food than richer families, these Brexit­driven price rises had a proportionately greater impact on the poorest people.

The latest study confirms that food prices increased by 6 per cent and finds that for the poor­ est households, this equates to a Brexit­induced rise in the overall cost of living of 1.1 per cent, which is 52 per cent more than the 0.7 per cent rise felt in the top 10 per cent of house­ holds.

While the Trade and Coopera­

Credit: Atoms Unsplash

More jobs

STAT OF WEEK

SPENDING UP: Food price rises hit every UK household.

tion Agreement, which came in­ to force in January 2021, en­ sures that trade between the UK and the EU remains tariff­ free, post­Brexit, there are more non­tariff barriers (NTBs) be­ tween the UK and the EU which include new comprehensive cus­ toms checks, rules of origin re­ quirements and sanitary and phytosanitary measures for trade in animals and plants.

The study concludes that it is

these NTBs that have affected prices. The rise in consumer prices was driven only by prod­ ucts with high NTBs and there was no significant rise in prices for products with low NTBs. The changes have benefited domestic producers of food, who now have less competition from European imports, but un­ like regular tariffs, NTBs do not generate any revenue for the government.

Competition for Amazon WATCH out Amazon, Mi­ ravia is out to beat you in Spain as the Alibaba sub­ sidiary opened its website on Thursday December 1.

The unveiling ceremony took place in the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid the pre­ vious day and was a mix­ ture of hard sell and musical entertainment.

Alibaba is one of China’s biggest online presences and was set up in 1999 to offer a huge range of goods initially to the Chinese mar­ ket.

Since then, it has gone from strength to strength and is now said to be one of the largest companies in China, but it has fallen foul of US regulations and in or­

FINANCE

Credit: Miravia

BUSINESS EXTRA

euroweeklynews.com • 8 - 14 December 2022

30

NEW WEBSITE: Miravia online and through App.

der to operate in Europe, it needed to be more trans­ parent and also offer an effi­ cient speedy service.

Thus, Miravia was born and chose Spain as the first country in which it will oper­ ate and CEO Yann Fontaine, when speaking at the launch (according to Mar­

keting4Commerce), said “Spain is one of the Euro­ pean markets with the greatest potential in the e­ commerce sector.

“It has great penetration on the internet and in mo­ bile technology, which means enormous potential for a platform like Miravia.

“We hope to cover all the needs of Spanish con­ sumers, while offering local and international brands greater tools to sell and en­ gage with their customers.”

Apparently, what makes it different to Amazon and other online shopping out­ lets, is that Miravia will not only be working closely with influencers and Artificial In­ telligence to create exclu­ sive content, but will also al­ low brands to design their own virtual stores and even operate affiliate pro­ grammes.

Time will tell, but to en­ courage customers to visit the new site, there will be introductory discounts for new clients.

Diversification THE John Lewis Partnership has agreed a £500 million multi­ decade joint venture with global investment company abrdn to de­ liver around 1,000 new homes across three UK communities.

It will use part of its existing port­ folio of properties which are no longer in use to provide 1,000 new homes in Bromley and West Ealing where stores will be redeveloped to allow for housing and in Reading it will convert a disused ware­ house. The build­to­rent sector has a key role to play in addressing the shortfall in rental homes, which is set to increase further with the government’s help to buy scheme now coming to end and in London alone there is a shortfall of 75,000 rental properties.

Fewer iPhones WITH consumers around the world gearing up for Christmas and other holidays, Apple Inc continues to appeal to many looking to either buy phones as gifts or hoping to use money given to them to make a purchase. It rather looks howev­ er that there will be a shortage of iPhones this year as workers at the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhouin, China who produce these products have been protesting about their conditions and walking out.

Whilst they have now reported­ ly been offered a better deal, there is still likely to be a holiday shortfall which consulting firm UBS suggests could total 16 million phones.

€1bn funding

ITALIAN energy company Plenti­ tude is looking to invest €1 billion in Spanish renewable projects over the next four years, according to recently appointed CEO Stefano Goberti.

The first step has been to ac­ quire 100 per cent of PLT (PLT Ener­ gia Srl and SEF Srl), another Italian company subject to approval from the relevant authorities which is al­ ready installing wind farms on the Spanish mainland.

The existence of the European Recovery Fund has seen both Italy and Spain receiving the lion’s share of funding either as direct grants or low­cost loans which is allowing ac­ celerated investment in renewable energy in both countries.

to read more FINANCE scan this QR Code

32 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US

LONDON - FTSE 100

See our advert on previous page

C LOSING P RICES 5 D ECEMBER

COMPANY 3I Group

PRICE(P) 1.320,50

CHANGE(P) 1.324,50

% CHG. 1.306,50

NET VOL 112,65K

ºCOMPANY

Intermediate Capital

PRICE(P)

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

1.255,50

1.262,50

1.240,00

80,30K

4.131,0

4.152,0

4.109,0

42,65K

77,50

77,58

75,66

1,75M

Abrdn

205,31

206,20

201,40

1,97M

Intertek

Admiral Group

2.031,0

2.037,0

2.018,0

66,12K

ITV

Anglo American

3.396,5

3.401,7

3.313,5

81,64K

J Sainsbury

224,40

224,60

220,80

370,25K

1.456,50

1.463,50

1.439,00

177,14K

Johnson Matthey

2.130,8

2.134,0

2.097,0

30,55K

5.034,0

5.044,0

5.006,0

51,38K

Land Securities

630,00

630,20

620,00

109,51K

258,70

259,20

253,60

1,34M

Antofagasta Ashtead Group Associated British Foods

1.16415

0.86056

Units per €

US dollar (USD) ........................................1.0532 Japan yen (JPY)........................................142.53 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................0.9855 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4367 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................10.310

1.660,0

1.676,0

1.650,5

155,72K

Legal & General

11.174,0

11.232,0

11.162,0

190,67K

Lloyds Banking

Auto Trader Group Plc

581,00

581,60

574,00

268,63K

London Stock Exchange

Aveva

3.185,0

3.188,0

3.183,0

50,32K

126,95

128,55

126,05

1,71M

Aviva

446,25

448,80

442,30

467,68K

Mondi

1.555,50

1.560,00

1.542,50

110,28K

B&M European Value Retail SA420,90

422,90

418,30

216,21K

currenciesdirect.com/mojacar • Tel: +34 950 478 914

National Grid

1.025,27

1.025,50

1.018,00

632,70K

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

BAE Systems

812,00

815,40

806,00

673,07K

NatWest Group

262,30

262,70

260,30

2,24M

Barclays

158,38

158,42

156,06

4,71M

Next

5.877,6

5.886,0

5.824,0

13,16K

Barratt Developments

411,80

413,20

405,80

374,45K

9,10

9,10

9,10

0

Ocado

683,80

685,60

663,40

231,25K

Persimmon

1.289,0

1.293,0

1.245,0

229,44K 218,63K

AstraZeneca

Berkeley

3.858,0

3.864,0

3.832,0

41,01K

2.611,00

2.619,00

2.577,50

340,30K

BP

481,85

482,00

477,40

5,51M

British American Tobacco

3.414,4

3.434,5

3.401,5

257,58K

British Land Company

405,40

406,30

399,00

171,21K

BHP Group Ltd

BT Group

121,38

121,65

120,60

1,43M

Bunzl

3.044,0

3.050,0

3.022,0

25,63K

Burberry Group

2.141,0

2.161,0

2.135,0

188,88K

Carnival

713,4

714,2

701,2

210,97K

Centrica

95,58

95,84

94,70

1,36M

1.997,7

2.035,0

1.996,5

77,48K

Coca Cola HBC AG Compass

1.870,00

1.877,50

1.854,00

223,24K

CRH

3.295,5

3.299,0

3.260,5

65,63K

Croda Intl

6.920,0

6.998,0

6.910,0

15,56K

DCC Diageo DS Smith EasyJet

4.413,0 3.810,0 308,60 392,30

4.421,0 3.850,5 309,20 399,40

4.376,0 3.809,5 305,70 391,50

Melrose Industries

Norilskiy Nikel ADR

Phoenix Prudential Reckitt Benckiser Relx

46,72

46,84

46,31

8,20M

8.122,0

8.268,0

8.120,0

94,37K

602,00

602,60

593,40

1.099,50

1.109,50

1.048,50

2,88M

5.976,0

6.040,0

5.970,0

116,68K

2.329,00

2.335,00

2.313,00

385,77K

Rentokil

540,20

543,40

539,40

570,64K

Rightmove

568,00

568,60

560,74

23,19K

Rio Tinto PLC

5.784,0

5.790,0

5.651,0

497,75K

Rolls-Royce Holdings

89,24

91,07

89,22

4,10M

796,20

800,40

793,40

168,76K

Samsung Electronics DRC 1.158,00

1.163,50

1.154,00

3,28K

Sage

466,2

467,9

459,9

163,09K

Scottish Mortgage

792,79

796,60

786,00

340,85K

214,13K

Segro

831,00

832,20

817,00

381,72K

386,64K

Severn Trent

2.745,0

2.748,0

2.720,0

30,27K

290,16K

Shell

2.377,0

2.378,5

2.344,0

1,50M

1.086,23

1.093,50

1.079,00

234,07K 97,58K

14,12K

Schroders

Experian

2.960,0

2.966,7

2.944,0

22,63K

Smith & Nephew

Ferguson

9.590,0

9.620,0

9.501,5

10,24K

Smiths Group

1.592,00

1.594,00

1.582,00

52,23K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 11.420,0

11.435,9

11.357,8

1,21K

SSE

1.729,00

1.730,50

1.718,75

25,74K

St. James’s Place

1.183,50

1.194,00

1.181,00

84,06K

Standard Chartered

596,60

597,20

588,40

545,37K

Taylor Wimpey

105,75

105,90

104,20

1,38M

Tesco

229,95

230,00

227,00

280,77K

Flutter Entertainment

12.105,0

12.125,0

11.985,0

Fresnillo

931,47

933,20

900,80

245,39K

Glencore

570,20

571,80

561,70

7,20M

GSK plc

1.405,94

1.413,80

1.403,80

109,63K

Halma

2.244,0

2.258,0

2.221,0

81,56K

Hargreaves Lansdown

867,20

871,20

858,00

216,07K

Hikma Pharma

Tui

145,51

146,75

144,95

431,47K

Unilever

4.138,0

4.177,0

4.138,0

423,73K

1.053,00

1.053,50

1.048,50

203,67K

91,68

93,18

91,04

17,06M

Whitbread

2.608,0

2.622,0

2.599,0

47,96K

WPP

877,80

879,40

869,40

345,82K

1.542,00

1.543,00

1.518,00

78,32K

HSBC

499,79

500,49

494,85

328,57K

IAG

133,22

134,30

132,78

1,59M

2.108,00

2.117,00

2.090,00

220,19K

Vodafone Group PLC

Informa

621,60

623,40

619,80

247,52K

InterContinental

4.767,0

4.783,0

4.744,0

35,04K

Imperial Brands

United Utilities

DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES 5 D ECEMBER

COMPANY 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

PRICE 126,99 156,75 285,51 147,81 182,87 236,13 181,03 49,70 64,35 51,55 380,58 327,99 219,08 148,67 29,41 178,88 135,16 273,40 110,04 255,02 112,20 150,61 144,56 189,54 536,16 38,18 217,66 41,48 153,22 99,43

CHANGE 127,25 157,28 286,12 148,00 183,45 238,47 183,63 49,84 64,52 51,70 382,52 328,48 219,86 149,16 29,43 178,96 135,35 273,45 110,09 256,06 112,71 150,77 145,21 189,94 538,61 38,30 218,48 41,63 153,24 99,69

CHANGE% VOLUME(M) 124,24 1,82M 155,00 2,28M 283,19 2,25M 145,65 65,30M 172,85 10,50M 233,59 2,21M 179,93 6,78M 48,92 12,31M 63,40 13,56M 50,43 4,85M 378,40 1,92M 320,33 3,63M 214,72 2,18M 147,73 2,87M 28,71 31,49M 176,96 5,79M 133,34 8,92M 269,62 2,79M 108,71 6,89M 249,69 21,33M 108,34 5,87M 148,08 4,90M 142,78 15,04M 187,79 1,28M 532,44 2,33M 37,70 21,57M 214,24 5,13M 40,85 4,85M 151,48 6,88M 97,01 12,60M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES 5 D ECEMBER

COMPANY

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

Most Advanced Getnet Ad e Srvics Meios de Pgmnt S.A. South Pacific Resources Ltd Samsara Inc. Smartsheet Inc. Bilibili Inc. GDS Holdings Limited XPeng Inc. iQIYI, Inc. RLX Technology Inc. Baidu, Inc. Peloton Interactive, Inc.

+34.10% +26.62% +20.20% +16.58% +16.57% +15.80% +14.84% +14.78% +14.47% +14.29% +13.00%

52,715 3.978M 4.975M 4.572M 28.678M 2.434M 94.895M 23.519M 29.593M 113,681 27.053M

-12.94% -11.58% -10.73% -10.45% -8.63% -7.26% -7.08% -7.00% -6.96% -6.51% -6.42%

1.88M 915,309 9.665M 12.786M 2.551M 4.431M 5.982M 868,001 446,395 4.155M 73,694

Most Declined Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. Zscaler, Inc. Asana, Inc. Veeva Systems Inc. HF Sinclair Corporation PBF Energy Inc. CVR Energy, Inc. CyberArk Software Ltd. Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC Graham Holdings Company

www.euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

Genuine leeks WELSH leeks have become the latest addition to the UK Geographical Indication (GI) Scheme, which protects the name, authenticity and characteristics of regional products. Shoppers will be able to clearly see a logo on the label showing they are buying the real thing,

Dearer mortgages ALTHOUGH the Spanish government has indicated that it will make the cost of mortgages affordable, de­ spite increase in base rates, CaixaBank has raised the in­ terest rate on its 30­year fixed mortgage from 4.31 per cent to 4.79 per cent making it the most expen­ sive Spanish lender.

New law MONEY from fines handed out to water companies in the UK that pollute rivers and seas will now be re­in­ vested in schemes that ben­ efit the natural environ­ ment. Since 2015, the Environment Agency has concluded 56 prosecutions against companies, gener­ ating fines of over £141 mil­ lion.

Primark expands PRIMARK, the international fashion retailer, has con­ firmed its commitment to Spain by announcing a capi­ tal investment of €100 mil­ lion in its Spanish business.

The investment includes €80 million in eight new stores and one store exten­ sion and €20 million invest­ ment in upgrades and refur­ bishments in stores.

Over 1,000 jobs will be created over the next two years as part of the compa­ ny’s ambitious growth plans in the market.

Primark opened its first store in Spain 16 years ago in May 2006, in Plenilunio, Madrid and today has 56 stores across the country which makes it the second largest market for the Irish group.

FINANCE

Spanish State Deficit THE Spanish State Deficit contin­ ues to head in the right direction after being a major bone of con­ tention with the European Union for many years.

In essence, prudent fiscal poli­ cy should see a country earn more than it spends on an annu­ al basis, but this has been a real problem for successive Spanish governments since the 2008 eco­ nomic crisis.

Clearly the pandemic didn’t help the current position as so much money was spent on sup­ porting business and families in need, but since 2021, Spain has seen a downwards turn as indus­ try started to recover after strict lockdown and isolation rules were relaxed.

According to Minister of Fi­ nance Maria Jesus Montero, in October 2021, the deficit stood at 4.93 per cent of Gross Domes­ tic Product (GDP) and totalled €59.468 billion, but at the end of October 2022 this had dropped

Credit: La Moncloa flickr

BUSINESS EXTRA

President Sánchez with Minister Montero following 2023 Budget approval.

by a significant 69.7 per cent to a much healthier €18.016 billion, equivalent to 1.37 per cent of GDP. This has mainly been achieved by a combination of a 25 per cent increase in sales of non­fi­ nancial products and a much smaller growth in expenditure of just under 2 per cent.

Tax collections on both pro­ duction and imports have helped considerably with VAT collec­ tions rising by 18 per cent in the period under review and Income Tax for both residents and non­ residents shooting up with tax on dividends making a big contri­ bution.

As companies earn more, so they pay more and the sale of shares and other assets has added to the amount of Capital Gains Tax being collected as well.

The payments to Spain from the European Recovery Fund have also helped the country to invest for the future.

Comparing the Toy story inflation impact INFLATION, Covid­19, and the Ukraine war have affected consumer behaviour in Eu­ rope, according to new data.

But there’s good news for people living in Spain, where people are spending less, and saving more, despite record inflation.

To mark World Savings Day, online bank N26 sur­ veyed customers to find out how Europeans are dealing with the impact of inflation.

The data shows which countries are still spending big on vacations and restau­ rants, whose incomes are growing, and the changes to spending habits.

Spending data and saving data of over 380,000 con­ sumers in five European mar­ kets (Spain, Germany, Aus­ tria, France, and Italy) were surveyed between January and August 2022.

Despite record inflation, customers in Spain saved the

Credit: Alexandra Koch CC

34 EWN

IN 2020, the Spanish government undertook a study into the way that children’s toys were advertised and whether they promoted gender stereotypes.

The conclusion was sufficient for the government to introduce strict new rules, effective December 1 this year, in time for Christmas and Three Kings.

The intention is that adverts should not target girls with traditional toys such as dolls, make­up and cook­ ing, whilst there should be little use of the colour pink which is also associated with young females.

Equally, blue should not be used when promoting traditional boy’s toys, such as cars and similar ‘ma­ cho’ goods, as the intention is to ensure that young­ sters feel equal and not directed down one particular road.

SURVEY: Euros real value continues to shrink.

most between March and August this year. Of all the countries studied, Spain ex­ perienced the highest infla­ tion rates overall.

Despite this, customers in Spain increased their savings, on average, from 4.6 per cent (of their average income) in January and February to 7.2 per cent from March on­ wards ­ a relative increase of 57.2 per cent.

Following the overall EU trend, Spanish users were al­ so able to save the most in March ­ 11.1 per cent of their

income, or €177.89 on aver­ age.

Of all the markets studied, customers in Spain have the highest savings ratio overall, setting aside, on average, 6.6 per cent of their income be­ tween January and August.

Elsewhere in Europe, signs of inflation were especially noticeable in the ‘food and groceries’ and ‘transport and cars’ categories ­ but Spain saw a downward trend with Spaniards spending 1 per cent less of their average in­ come in this category.

Stop bullying TUC figures show that nearly a third of people (29 per cent) in the UK believe that they have been bullied at work, with more than one in three (36 per cent) leaving their job because of it.

Research by employment and partnership law spe­ cialists Fox & Partners, reveals the number of cases heard by the Employment Tribunal which contain alle­ gations of bullying has increased 44 per cent from 581 in 2020/21 to a record high of 835 in 2021/22.

Some of those who claim to have suffered from such bullying are now lobbying MPs and Parliament to have workplace bullying recognised as a crime in UK law as is the case in countries such as Sweden.

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT DELIGHTED to not be mentioned in the recent Diana Dors TV documen­ tary. I knew her extremely well for many years, probably better than anyone. We were very close during her difficult times, when she was struggling to keep her financial head above water, including the upkeep of her two young sons she had organ­ ised for her ex­husband Richard Dawson; also an out of regular work actor, to look after in America.

This was of course later rectified, when in 1965 he obtained a starring role in the highly successful series Hogan’s Heroes, but his was also a terrible struggle before he clinched the role. She had engaged a new, fairly low key agent who began to book her in cabaret dates, mainly in the north of England.

This was some years before this ol’ boy cracked it with Little Arrows, so I was free to accompany her to many of these venues, which were spring­ ing up all over the country. After she had completed the appearance, we would leave for the hotel ­ which she always booked for one! I would sub­

8 - 14 December 2022

Friend and foe sequently then sneak in and share the room for the night. She was earning £100 to £150 an appearance, out of which my share would be around 15 quid. Although that does­ n’t sound particularly copious, in those far off days it meant I could at least provide my own family with some security.

As a struggling actor myself, I was also discovering showbiz optimisms fraught with difficulty. She would then send most of what she could af­ ford to her husband in America. This went on for a number of years, dur­ ing which she occasionally managed to pick up a cameo role in a movie or TV appearance.

We shared some great times, until one day she told me she had been offered a starring role in a new West End play entitled ‘Three months Gone.’ Apparently, she wasn’t sure whether to accept it as she hadn’t been offered a wage, but only a per­ centage of the door. It was only after I had almost twisted her arm up her back with the insistence that she simply had to take on the role due to

the amount of publicity that could ensue, that she finally accepted.

The show was a resounding suc­ cess and suddenly she was back, earning really well. Life was good again and our friendship and social life grew even stronger. One day she told me she had met a ‘wonderful man’ named Alan Lake, who was al­ so appearing in the production, and thought she could be falling in love.

She introduced me and frankly, I did­ n’t like him at all.

A few years later she conspired with him in an injustice, which ulti­ mately cost me my freedom and al­ most my career. It’s all in the books.

Available on Amazon.

Keep the Faith Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com Mon, Wed, Fri. 1pm.

For more from our columnists please scan this QR Code

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

EWN 35

OUR VIEW OIL OR ELECTRIC IN order to combat climate change, the perceived view is that the world should ban diesel and petrol engines and re­ ly on electricity. In theory this seems like a sensible idea, but there are a few problems with this, the foremost currently being the West’s ability to generate electricity and the prob­ lems that may occur in creating and later disposing of bat­ teries that will be strong enough to power vehicles.

With the European Union and other countries deciding to place a cap on the value of Russian oil that can be import­ ed and Russia’s indication that it just won’t supply those countries that implement such a ban, it immediately focus­ es our attention on how it will affect us.

The USA still has huge underground reserves and allows fracking which rightly or wrongly means it can generate even more oil so it won’t be hurt by the ban.

Some Scandinavian countries generate huge amounts of power using hydroelectrics and Norway of course has both oil and natural gas in abundance, but what of the others?

Already Switzerland has indicated that if it is short of elec­ tricity then it will seriously consider banning electric vehicles from its roads and other countries are advising owners of electric cars to stagger charging for fear of overloading their electric grids. This is hardly an encouraging start to the ush­ ering in of a new age of transport, especially when currently the costs of electric cars are higher than petrol or diesel and the vehicles themselves still don’t have the same range and take longer to charge.

At the moment, it seems that the safest way to proceed is with a hybrid vehicle which hopefully gives the best of both worlds.

8 - 14 December 2022

euroweeklynews.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Suicide prevention

SADLY, suicide is one of the biggest causes of death in Spain and since overtaking road traffic accidents as the most common violent cause of death, suicides have been increasing. Winter can in­ crease feelings of depression, with springtime being the most dangerous time for sui­ cide.

While it is crucial to be aware that suicide can hap­ pen at any point of the year, some mental health condi­ tions such as seasonal affec­ tive disorder can increase in winter, increasing the risk of suicide. Here we share some top recommendations from experts on how you can boost mental health.

Exercise Boost your mental health over the Christmas period by making time to exercise or simply to get outside. Nature and exercise can both reduce feelings of stress or anger and reduce symptoms of anger and depression.

Know when to get help

Photo credit: encierro / shutterstock.com

36 EWN

Spending time outdoors over the festive period can significantly reduce feelings of depression and anxiety that can contribute to suicidal feelings.

If you are feeling depressed, don’t leave it too late. The Spanish free suicide helpline is 024 and is manned by Red Cross workers 24 hours per day. There are also lots of on­ line resources to help you or others through difficult times and therapists working online internationally can help with suicidal thoughts.

Check on people

Data in Spain shows that men die by suicide at three times the rate of women dy­ ing by suicide. Mental health professionals highlight the need to reach out to people who might be struggling, par­ ticularly men, even if it doesn’t seem that way. Mak­ ing human connections can significantly reduce feelings of depression.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

Photo credit: White bear studio / shutterstock.com

Aromatherapy Try some aromatherapy with candles or essential oils with these beneficial scents to boost your wellbeing over winter.

AS we spend more time in­ doors during the winter, take this opportunity to invest some time in your health and wellness. Aromatherapy is one excellent way you can un­ wind at home and take a break from all of the seasonal activity. Practise some winter wellness with these seasonal aromatherapy scents by light­ ing a candle or burning some essential oil and feel your best over the holiday period!

• Peppermint This scent is well known for its invigorating properties, giv­

ing you the perfect energy boost when you might be feel­ ing a little run down. Pepper­ mint can also be soothing, re­ ducing inflammation and stress.

• Cinnamon This essential holiday scent can also improve our well­be­ ing by improving circulation.

Scientific research also sug­ gests that cinnamon can help cognitive function and memo­ ry, all while bringing a cosy, Christmas scent into our homes.

• Frankincense

Another seasonal scent is al­ so known to have relaxing ef­ fects when used in our homes, reducing stress while improv­ ing concentration. Frankin­ cense also helps to strengthen the respiratory system giving it a needed boost against colds and seasonal sicknesses.

• Lemon Aromatherapy blends using this citrus fruit can help to clear congestion and colds.

They also create a cosy, com­ forting atmosphere in your home, perfect for winter warmth.

EWN 37

38 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

Here to help

THE British Benevolent Fund tries to help British nationals in Spain who have found themselves in very difficult financial sit­ uations.

Often this is compound­ ed by difficulties with a challenging social security and health system.

One such case was John.

John lives in rural Spain. He moved there af­ ter his wife died and en­ joyed the tranquillity.

He quickly settled in, made friends, learned the language and found part­ time work.

He also registered as an official resident and had a modest income freelanc­ ing.

On a routine medical check­up, they discovered a suspected tumour and needed to do more tests.

As a legal resident he was covered, but he had­ n’t reckoned with the bu­ reaucracy and the long

waiting list.

The doc­ tors ad­ v i s e d surgery to re­ move a malignant tumour close to his spine.

Within weeks the dam­ age caused to the spine left him with debilitating back pain and mobility is­ sues. He was soon finding it very difficult to walk.

As an official Spanish resident, he was entitled to healthcare and disabili­ ty payments.

However, he had to wait nearly six months for the surgery and was un­ able to work.

His savings were soon depleted.

Local social services contacted the local British Consulate who referred the case to us.

The BBF was able to pay for mobility and a

Advertising Feature Voss Homes

Riding high CASSANDRA NASH

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

modest sum to cover liv­ ing and travel expenses to and from the hospital.

The surgery was a suc­ cess and John was able to receive disability pay­ ments.

He wrote to us after­ ward to say he was back to living a full life and to thank us.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the help you have offered me. After having fallen ill with cancer I was in a very dark place. I now have help from social se­ curity after a long wait.

The BBF lifted a heavy weight.”

John is now working again and, in every sense ­ back on his feet.

PEDRO SANCHEZ, president of the Spanish government, is riding high on the crest of a wave that has swept him to reassuringly shal­ low waters and the safe shores of a voted­ through 2023 Budget.

Sanchez has now heaved and strained to pass three Budgets on the trot since June 2018 when he first entered the Moncloa palace following a vote of no confidence in his beleaguered Partido Popular predecessor, Mariano Rajoy.

Budget approval came at a price, as always happens with political arm­twisting, and re­ quired the support of MPs from 11 different parties.

This gave the PP leader Alberto Nuñez Fei­ joo, the opportunity of dragging up Basque party Bildu’s past as the political arm of the now­extinct, disbanded and decommis­ sioned ETA terrorist group.

As for the Catalans, the government con­ cessions were just a few steps short granting them independence, according to the oppo­ sition, with extreme right­wing Vox galloping at their head.

Feijoo, the former, and very successful,

president of the Junta de Galicia, accused Sanchez of giving in to separatist demands. If he had said “nationalist” he would have been nearer the truth, and he was also choosing to forget that those MPs’ 11 parties represented 12 million voters.

And they will come in handy after Sanchez goes to the country in December 2023.

(In)Trans(igent) Law

EQUALITY minister Irene Montero is not having much luck with her hobby­horse laws.

First the Sexual Liberty law has retroac­ tively reduced the sentences of sexual abusers and now the PSOE socialists are re­ fusing to back her Trans Law unless there are legal safeguards for under­16s who want to transition.

Montero, who represents Podemos in the Unidas Podemos alliance that governs Spain, the PSOE, refuses to budge.

In fact, with an average fortnight’s wait for a primary care appointment in some re­ gions, many of those gender­questioning teenagers will probably be in their 20s and could have changed their minds by the time they actually manage to see a consultant.

Property of the week

Villa Linda in La Alfoquia

NEW & EXCLUSIVE TO VOSS HOMES ­ A larger than average, beautifully pre­ sented, light and airy, two bed, two bath villa with H&C air con, fibre optic internet, recently refurbished 8m x 4m swimming pool, amazing views and full sized sun roof on an established low maintenance garden of 445m2.

Walking distance to all the cafes, restaurants, shops, bank, doctors, vets, gym, walking football and bowling clubs etc in La Alfoquia village. Four mins drive to Zurgena village, seven mins drive to Arboleas village and 15 mins drive to Huercal­Overa. Twenty­ five to 30 mins drive to the coast at Mojacar, Vera and Garrucha.

Villa Linda is on the edge and raised part of a very popular, well maintained development on a no through road, so there is no passing traffic.

To the front is an imprinted concrete driveway for one car and patio area plus there is plenty of safe on road parking right outside the property. In the main rear garden is the 8m x 4m swimming pool and attractive gardens

FEATURE

VILLA LINDA: A beautifully presented, light and airy villa with amazing views.

with plenty of room for sunbathing and entertaining. External stairs lead up to the large sunroof with lovely 360 degree views.

The villa consists of a large living room / dining room with H&C air con,

ceiling fans, electric wall heaters and wood burning fire. Above the din­ ing area is an impressive light tower giving extra light into the villa.

From the living room glazed, double sliding doors take you into the Florida

Ref. VH2120

172,950 euros

style, meshed conservatory giving a second living / dining room. From here you look over the established rear gar­ den, swimming pool and over the rest of the development / distant hills and countryside. Here two doors lead out to the garden and sun roof.

From the living room a door takes you into the separate, fully fitted kitchen with ceiling fan and plenty of storage cupboards and work top space. Next is the separate, very use­ ful utility room.

An archway takes you to the two good sized double bedrooms both with H&C air con, ceiling fans and fitted wardrobes. The master bedroom has an electric wall heater plus ensuite bathroom and next to the second bed­ room is the family shower room. Both bathroom and shower room have tow­ el heaters.

Voss Homes is a British family­run business with offices just round the corner from this property in La Alfo­ quia and also in the thriving, market town of Huercal­Overa.

For more information or to arrange a viewing of VH2120 please contact Voss Homes on 0034 950 616 827 or email us at enquiries@vosshomesspain.com.

CALL OUR MULTILINGUAL TEAM FOR AN INFORMAL CHAT ABOUT A VERY PERSONAL TOPIC. 966 493 082

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

51

8 - 14 December 2022

LETTERS

Letters 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.

FOUL PLAY Shutterstock.com/ alexgo.photography

EWN

DOG FRIENDLY: It’s just a shame there are not more dog friendly beaches.

I WAS stopped on the week­ end by the police for walking my dog along the beach. They said that they could see that I was a responsible dog owner as I had my bottle filled with water and washing up liquid and poo bags so I was sent on my way without any penalty.

I do not have a problem with this and applaud them, it is just a shame that there aren’t more areas along the beach which are dog friendly.

David, Costa Blanca

Another con I’M a long time reader and lover of your column and have emailed you in the past.

Might I suggest a commen­ tary about the fraud that is the man­made global warm­ ing con? Please see https://cli matediscussionnexus.com/ for some down­to­earth facts.

Either way, keep up the great work!!

Your fan Max Kite

Not a supporter SO Lee is not a supporter of the Conservative party but would support any others apart from Labour. I find this very strange that anyone who is not a supporter of a Tory government chooses to attack week after week the only credible opposition and not the party he purports not to support who are in government, and has never once condemned them.

His obsession of hate for the left is currently very much in the minority as Labour are miles ahead in the polls. His latest pathetic comment that their new idea of scrapping the House of Lords is a bumbling effort to gain popularity shows how completely out of touch he is as Labour promised this proposal 12 years ago if they ever got back into govern­ ment. Perhaps as he says the swamp of despair the coun­

try is drowning in, these anti Labour rants should be aimed in a different direc­ tion.

Ramon Osborne, Los Alcázares

Freedom of speech FULL marks to your newspa­ per for giving Leapy Lee the freedom to express opinions with which, I believe, most open­minded people would agree. It takes courage these days of woke to tell it as it is when, according to the so­ called rules of today, you should avoid upsetting any­ one at all costs! Reading the bleeding heart criticism from some of your respondents, I truly wonder which fairy tale planet they presently occupy!

Please keep telling it as it re­ ally is, and is likely to be­ come, Leapy.

Ken, San Fulgencio

EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

44 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

Footballers and aristocrats LINDA HALL WHENEVER Spain wins an important footballing event, the Spanish say, “We knew all along we were going to win.”

If they lose they say, “We knew all along they were going to lose” be­ cause football fans are demanding and fickle lovers.

Whichever way you look at it, though, football is Spain’s national sport in a way that bullfighting rarely was and never will be again.

That doesn’t mean that every Span­ ish man is or was football crazy, but although my husband can take foot­ ball or leave it, he still remembers that two Real Madrid players, Jose Santamaria and Hector Rial, lived just round the corner from them in the La Properidad district in the early 1960s.

Fabulously rich Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid players now live in exclusive urbanisations on the out­ skirts of the city, the same way that fabulously rich Manchester United and Manchester City stars generally live in Cheshire mansions.

In contrast, Santamaria and Rial lived in unremarkable apartments, al­ though they earned a great deal more than a labourer like my late father­in­ law.

Some Madrid districts had devel­ oped on rather eccentric lines, so it was not unheard­of for a working­ class family like the one I married into to live in a modest house next door to the modestly opulent residence of a Borbon duke.

And in those undemocratic times, it was considered quite normal for said duke’s grandchildren to play in the street with my future husband and his hordes of brothers and sisters.

That was when they were pre­ado­ lescent, of course.

Once they began to grow up, class reared its head and off they went to school, never to be seen or socialised with again.

Ironic to think that if Santamaria and Rial were around now they would be earning salaries that resem­ bled telephone numbers. They would also be members of the new aristoc­ racy, giving much more tone to a neighbourhood than any number of Borbon dukes.

FEATURE

Awe-inspiring SALLY UNDERWOOD POLITICAL ANIMAL THE first time I ever visited the Houses of Parliament I was going to see my dad in court in the House of Lords (back when it was England and Wales’s highest court and before the Supreme Court we have now).

I bought a pack of colouring pencils with teeny portcullises on before immedi­ ately leaving them in the chamber, caus­ ing a minor bomb scare.

There were men in long wigs (“daddy, why’s that man dressed as a spaniel?”), the place seemed mystical and ancient, and everything just felt as if I was part of something… well, big. The half day off school didn’t hurt either.

In short, I fell in love with parliament that day.

Fast forward 14 years and I was once again in the same building for my very first job interview for a researcher posi­ tion, starting a career that lasted several years.

In that time I can genuinely say that

however long the hours, however diffi­ cult the boss or however weird the work (and some of it was pretty weird), I never had a bad day in that extraordinary build­ ing.

From the very spot where the trial of Charles I took place (one for republicans) to the robing room where every monarch since Queen Victoria has donned the crown we see at the state opening of par­ liament, every corner of the Houses of Parliament is steeped in awe­inspiring history. They also serve some of the best sausage sandwiches around (in one of their approximately 57,000 cafes).

Yes, parliament really is one of the most remarkable buildings in the world.

And better still, it’s all ours.

House of Commons debates are open to members of the public for free and you don’t even need tickets for most of them in advance. You can also book tours.

If you still have UK voting rights and write to your MP, they may even invite you for tea on the terrace.

So whenever you’re next in the UK, please go. You’re unlikely to regret it.

Oh and if you do visit, enjoy a sausage sandwich for me.

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

Advertising Feature

AA Parking and Costa Coches IF you are looking for secure, low­cost, con­ venient parking for Almeria and Alicante Airport, AA Parking has the best deals and a quick and friendly service, also offering preferential parking rates at Murcia Air­ port.

Based in Mojacar, Almeria and Alicante, AA Parking provides private airport parking at Almeria and Alicante Airport and Costa Coches will provide you with a clean, well­ maintained and safe vehicle for your on­ ward journey.

With 12 years of experience in car park­ ing, you can have the peace of mind that your vehicle will be stored safely, securely and conveniently ­ especially with AA Park­ ing’s handy meet­and­greet service, mean­ ing you can avoid lengthy transfers and loading heavy luggage on and off buses.

At AA Parking, your vehicle will be safe and protected from the elements for the same price as many companies that would leave your car out in the wind, rain, and sun, possibly causing damage and fading of

A quick and friendly service.

the paintwork.

With their convenient dual airport ser­ vice, you can take advantage of unlimited parking at both Alicante and Almeria air­ ports for 12 months. Contracts for six to 12 months include unlimited drop­offs and

pick­ups and, if you are a business traveller and travel on a weekly basis, AA Parking will provide you with a tailor­made con­ tract to suit your needs and requirements.

You will have unlimited use of both airport parking and you can even park at one and

pick up at the other!

AA Parking provide a variety of services for your vehicle including ITVs, garage ser­ vicing and repairs, valets, and bodywork while your car is parked ­ all saving you time and money. The helpful and profes­ sional team will even ensure that your car starts and that the tyres are pumped up and ready for your onward journey when you collect it. When you leave your car with AA parking, it will be returned to you fully serviced and sparkling clean.

If you need to rent a car for a trip or holi­ day, Costa Coches is one of the most trust­ ed and reliable in Almeria, Alicante and Murcia ­ even providing emergency and last­minute vehicles. With over 10 years of experience in the car hire business, Costa Coches has perfected its business model to make it as convenient, low­cost and effi­ cient for you as possible. Forget the days of waiting around with all of your luggage, you will be met at the airport of your choice and be on your way within 10 minutes!

Opening hours: Weekdays 9am until 2pm Address: Paseo del Mediterraneo, 459 Mojacar Playa 04638 - Telephone: 950 459 208 or 639 081 067 Email: info@aaparking.es or - info@costacochesrentacar.biz - Website: www.aaparking.es or www.costacochesrentacar.biz Facebook: @AAparkingSpain or @costacochesairportrentacar

46 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

Advertising Feature Grupo Platinum Estates

Property of the week

Apartment with incredible sea views A M A Z I N G sea views from this beautifully presented apartment, over the bay of San Juan de Los Terreros, offering views of the whole village, sea, and mountains beyond.

Incredible price as a large garage is also in­ cluded in the price of the property offering fabulous space for storage, car, boats, etc. Lift access from the street level, and the best swimming in the area.

High­quality, spacious apartment with two bedrooms and a large bath­ room. Enter into a hallway, the bed­ rooms and bathrooms lead off. Bath­ room with a full bath and a separate shower cubicle. Both bedrooms are spacious with fitted wardrobes and air conditioning. Down the hallway, fully fitted kitchen with all appliances, utili­ ty area leading off. The kitchen has an

AMAZING VIEWS: The urbanisation is south facing, well maintained with pleasant areas for resting.

archway to allow you to enjoy time with the family and the views, whilst cooking. A very spacious, lounge/dining room, leads out to the well­proportioned terrace with plenty of room to enjoy outside din­ ing and sunbathing, and of course the fabulous views over the whole vil­ lage and the Mediterranean Sea.

The urbanisation is a south facing, well­maintained, gated community

FEATURE

Ref. SJPD5BA

with pleasant areas for rest­ ing, also has the best swimming pool in the area. The apartment is located a 10 min walk to the town centre. A multinational restaurant and cafe lo­ cated just under the development.

Enjoy outdoor Spanish living at its very best. A mystical location, and a perfect choice for either permanent living, rental opportunities, or a holi­ day home. A very popular choice among mixed communities, there is a welcoming feel about these homes.

Contact us now to arrange a viewing and see 360 images. 950 466 112.

DINNER PARTIES FROM HELL

shoes? Just call them vegan and they’ll be fashionable! Just don’t ask about the Greta Footprint...

BREAKING VIEWS But let’s get to the meat (sorry, Nora is the author of popular psychological couldn’t resist) of the issue. The prob­ suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist. lem with veganism (and vegetarian­ ‘VLEATHER, we’re told, is still one of ism) is that it seems to turn what sim­ the hottest trends. In other words, ve­ ply amounts to a food choice into, gan clothes ­ made of oil industry plas­ basically, a religion. One which appar­ tics, with PVC the ently requires its adher­ world’s third­most wide­ ents to try to make con­ ly produced synthetic verts of the rest of us in plastic polymer. Great! a humour­free, hector­ That’ll help the climate ing fashion with about and the oceans. The as much warmth and irony! No animal died brio as a dinner party making these clothes, jointly hosted by (poli­ but many will when the tics aside) Nicola Stur­ clothes are discarded. geon, Keir Starmer and Plastic particles are Theresa May. killing animals that are Nora Johnson’s 11 choking on the stuff. critically acclaimed psy­ Virtue­signalling chological crime clothes made by people thrillers (www.nora­ jetting across the world, johnson.net) all avail­ made in sweat shops by able online including children, like most of the eBooks (€0.99; £0.99), Nora’s latest thriller. fashion industry prod­ Apple Books, audio­ ucts. And inevitably, books, paperbacks at VLeather’s found its way into all the Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer major fast fashion stores. Plastic charity.

NORA JOHNSON

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

48 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

A ROAD trip is an amazing way to see new places, but how do you go about planning one? Here we share some advice from road trip experts on how to build your ideal camping road trip.

1. Decide on a format How do you want to travel on your road trip? Do you want to travel in a linear way, going from point A to point B? Or will you travel on a circu­ lar route, ending up where you be­ gan? Will you break up the journey by stopping for long periods, or sleep in a different place each night? These questions are a great starting point.

2. Transport

Photo credit: Air Images/ shutterstock.com

With a road trip you can discover plenty of new places on the move.

Decide on a method of transport.

Will you use a car, a caravan, a van, or even active travel like cycling? Your

choice of vehicle will depend on how far you want to travel, your budget, how many passengers you have and the weather.

3. Plan ahead It can be helpful to draw up a list of places you want to visit on your trip such as national parks, beaches or cul­ tural attractions. This can help you to book into campsites or plan connec­ tions if necessary, like a ferry or train tickets for a day trip.

Rustic staples Photo credit: Beroner / shutterstock.com

ONE of the best things about camping is getting to enjoy a meal surrounded by nature. But it isn’t always easy to know what to cook once you arrive. If you love cooking but aren’t sure of how you can transfer your skills to a camping trip, we have some top tips for you.

Here we bring you a list of three camping staples, so you can have your tastiest trip yet!

• Smoky beans Take advantage of the rustic camping atmosphere by cooking with smoky bar­

Rural road trip

Beans are the perfect addition to any dish to keep your energy levels up while camping

becue flavours like paprika.

Simple black beans are an excellent ingredient to take camping as you can cook them at any time of day. Try

a bean burrito for breakfast or jazz it up with some eggs, sausages and tomatoes for a filling and comforting one­ pot dinner.

• Halloumi Camping is a great excuse to whip out your favourite barbecue recipes. Soak up the delicious barbecue flavours by cooking hallou­ mi on the grill. Serve up with burgers or in a salad.

• Chorizo As this Spanish sausage is already cured, it is the per­ fect camping staple. Cut it into slices for a snack or add pieces to an omelette.

CAMPING/GO LOCAL

Carry on camping

Betty Henderson AN exciting camping initiative that was launched back in Febru­ ary this year has made excellent progress and is now set to move to its next stage.

The Spanish Camping Experi­ ences project is one branch of the Spanish Tourism Experiences Programme which seeks to boost tourist numbers by devel­ oping strong relationships be­ tween private and public desti­ nations in the tourism industry.

The latest stage of the Camp­ ing Experiences plan was an­ nounced at the National Camp­ ing Congress held in November in Gijón. The next phase of the plan has a budget of €400,000, using European Funds to devel­ op a more sustainable, inclusive and accessible camping policy nationwide.

Here are the key proposals in the plan, which are sure to make camping more accessible to all audiences: • Designing an online platform to promote and market national camping experiences and devel­

Photo credit: Jose Luis Carrascosa / shutterstock.com

The camping industry in Spain is set to become more accessible for 21st century travellers with a new digital policy.

oping a stronger social media presence.

• Creating a professional net­ work of camping industry figures to encourage better collabora­ tions between accommodation and activity providers and enrich tourism opportunities.

• Developing further experi­ ences for camping tourists in­ cluding wine tours, cultural activ­ ities, cycling trips, and active and nature experiences.

• Promoting year­round expe­ riences to prevent seasonal de­ pendence on tourism.

• Creating more green camp­ ing experiences in line with sus­ tainability goals.

GO LOCAL WHEN YOU GO SHOPPING GO LOCAL!

BUY LOCAL: By shopping locally, independent businesses can help support the local community.

PETS

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

Betty Henderson CATS are independent, and less demand­ ing and easier to care for, but they can be cold towards people. Dogs are intelligent, affectionate and playful, but they require a lot of attention and time.

Ever wondered how people around the world choose between the popular pets? A new study has revealed the pop­ ularity of cats and dogs as pets in each Eu­ ropean country, and had some fascinat­ ing results.

Cat loving countries: Cats are more popular in more European countries than dogs, with 27 countries choosing cats as their favourite pet. Top European coun­ tries for cats include Italy, Portugal, Ger­ many, Switzerland, Scandinavian coun­ tries, Switzerland, Greece and, Romania.

Dog loving countries: Dogs were the pet of choice in 11 European countries in­ cluding Spain, the UK, Ireland, France,

CATS OR DOGS? The age old debate is currently being won by cats says a new study.

Croatia, Serbia, Albania, and the Czech Republic.

So, it looks like cats have the popularity vote in Europe. Reasons for the results in­ clude factors such as people living in apartments without space to exercise a dog, or working long hours, making cats

smarter choices for a pet.

Global data similarly revealed that cats were more popular pets than dogs in 91 countries, with dogs more popular pets in 76 countries. But trends are changing all the time and the debate over which pet is our favourite is far from over!

Puppy power things to consider include whether you have a safe and secure space that a pup­ py isn’t going to run away

from or get stuck in and whether you have enough space for a separate eating and sleeping area.

Photo credit: Inna Skaldutska / shutterstock.com

THE festive period is one of the most popular times of year to get a puppy, but there are several challenges with getting a young pet that are important to keep in mind.

Here we share some ad­ vice from vets on how you can prepare yourself and your home to welcome a puppy, so that the task doesn’t become over­ whelming or too difficult.

1. Think about space Getting a puppy is a huge­ ly exciting decision, but it is important to consider the situation from a puppy’s perspective as well. Key

Photo credit: Bachkova Natalia / shutterstock.com

Most popular pets

Getting a puppy is an exciting moment for any household, but your puppy will need certain things from you.

2. Consider lifestyle Do you have the time to look after a puppy? Puppies need plenty of social activi­ ty, entertaining, and exer­ cise, as well as training. They also can’t be left alone for long periods. Being able to commit quality time to your puppy is an important factor when deciding about getting a puppy.

3. Puppy­proof your home Puppies can be destruc­ tive, which can also be harmful for themselves.

Move all hazards at a pup­ py­level including electric cords, chemicals, and house­ plants.

EWN 49

Pet preening THE winter brings particular challenges for pet owners thanks to wet weather and muddy puddles. Keeping your pet clean and well­groomed is crucial to its overall well­be­ ing and happiness. Follow these tips from pet lovers to keep your pet having fun while keeping it clean and healthy.

1. Bath your pet A bath can help your pet to feel refreshed, just as we do after taking a bath or shower. Not all breeds love bathing but it is still important for your pet’s hygiene and to prevent parasites like ticks going unnoticed.

Regular baths can keep your pet’s fur from getting mat­ ted and can help you to catch shedding hair, as well as help­ ing you to keep your home clean!

2. Tend to paws Paws are particularly sensitive to cold weather, wet sur­ faces, and fallen leaves. Tending to your pet’s paws with a cloth and some warm water can help you to catch dried or cracked skin, which could end up being painful for your pet if left untreated.

3. Brush their fur As well as giving your pet regular baths, brushing their fur is a quick and easy way to keep your pet feeling fresh and clean. A quick daily brush of the fur can keep it looking glossy.

BATH TIME: Not all pets love a bath, but it is an important task to keep their skin and fur healthy.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS POLICE/FIRE/AMBULANCE: 112 24 HOUR PHARMACY FERNANDEZ ORTEGA ANGELES - MOJACAR 950 469 082 24 HOUR VETS CLINICAL VETERINARIA - MOJACAR 950 472 252

CLASSIFIEDS AIR CONDITIONING

BUILDERS ALMERIA BUILDERS: Fully Legal, Fully Insured, All Work Guaranteed. 659 685 133 www.almeriabuilders. com (253556)

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

CARS FOR SALE

CHURCHES LOCAL ANGLICAN (C of E) church services at Mojacar Los Llanos Del Peral and Alhambra. Communion every Sunday in Mojacar at 11am. Communion at Los Llanos every Sunday except the last Sunday in the month when there will be Prayer and Praise all at 11am. The services that were being held in the South American church Albox have now returned to the chapel and Communion is held on the second Thursday of the month at 11am. Priest in charge Rev Canon Alan Bennet telephone number 680 243 436. For further information, please go to The Anglican Chaplaincy of Costa Almeria and Costa Calida web page. Or contact Tony Noble 950 069 103.

(10002)

50

posting if we cannot help directly, just call and have a chat with Pam who will try to guide you to where you need to be. If you would like to go to a branch meeting then find your nearest one at, www.britishlegion.org. uk/counties/spain-north ZURGENA Branch meeting on the first Thursday, Coffee Morning on the third Thursday and Buffet & Quiz Night on the last Tuesday of the month all at Bar Trinidad, Arboleas, for further details please email zurgenarblchair man@gmail.com - (253989)

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

If you can read it, so can your clients. Contact us and have your business grow at + 34 951 386 161 BEDS

specialise in selling and renting properties in the Huercal-Overa, La Alfoquia, Zurgena & Taberno area. Andy, Anna, Jess, Adele, Hannah, Amy & Karen look forward to helping you buy, sell or rent your ideal property. Please call 678 002 006 for more information (283824)

8 - 14 December 2022 • euroweeklynews.com

LANGUAGE CLASSES

Male/Female viagra, cialis, kamagra jelly, mixed trial packs available, all areas mail order. 604 385 476. viagra4you19@gmail.com

PETS

WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel – 678 716 693 (288662)

GARDENING

MEETING NEWLIFE church invite you to celebrate Christmas with carols and readings on Sunday 18th December 11.am at Salmantino’s Bar. Just of E15 motorway, junction 682 for Albox. www.newlife church.eu. (302246)

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

INSURANCE

ELECTRICAL ABBOTT ELECTRICS. From a Light Fitting to a Full Rewire. Tel: 950 137 208 / 638 010 691 (301356)

MOTOR INSURANCE. For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 952 147 834, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 952 147 834 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! (200726) STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbeygateinsure.com

ESTATE AGENT VOSS HOMES are a professional, British family-run Estate Agents with an office in Huercal-Overa town. They

INSURANCE

OTHERS

FOR SALE

DRAINAGE

TURRE EVANGELICAL CHURCH We meet every Sunday at 10.30. For worship. We believe you’ll find us ‘relaxed’, welcoming’ and ‘informal’. Find us on Turre’s main street, towards the motorway at the far end on the left. To know more contact 617 914 156 (10021) ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - Why not make this year the year you volunteer? Call and see how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbuddyhhvisits@ gmail.com. If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well as the big, sometimes talking to someone is the first step to feeling more in control. It can be a personal need or some help with your home or information on what or who to speak to on a medical issue, we help with sign-

SPONSORED BY

If you can read it, so can your clients. Contact us and have your business grow at + 34 951 386 161

MOTORING

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

NAUTICAL INTERNATIONAL SKIPPER LICENCE: Courses held in English and starts soon. RYA VHF and Radar Courses. 636 444 929

PROPERTY FOR SALE

THE FIVE BONE HOTEL, TURRE. Little dogs €7.75, medium dogs €8.50, big dogs €9.25, cats from €7.00 a day. 630 234 556 / the5bonehotelturre@gmail. com fivebonehotel.com

PLUMBERS KNOWLES PLUMBING No 1 for all plumbing jobs big or small. Central heating, solar hot water and water deposits. Tel: 606 807 797 or 684 143 560 (296493)

SOLAR ENERGY SOLAR WIND POWER SOLUTIONS. Over 20 years installation experience. Established 17 years in Spain.

Call Phil for competitive prices on 636 261 240 or email info@sunergyalme ria.com

CLASSIFIEDS

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

PROP FOR RENT WANTED

TESTIMONIALS

REMOVALS

REMOVALS & STORAGE

EWN 51

MOTORING

euroweeklynews.com

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack AS marques go, few can match Sir William Lyon’s Jaguar, especially when you consider he began building sidecars in Blackpool. In its mod­ ern incarnation Jaguar is now one of the companies that’s leading the charge to electrification. Their range already encom­ passes pure electric, plug in hybrid and mild hybrid models, including a mild hybrid diesel power unit.

The lead­in XF is the R­ Dynamic S which is priced from €40,909/£35,100 with a 2.0­litre, four­cylin­ der, mild hybrid diesel power unit. Even in this entry­level model Jaguar don’t stint on the standard equipment with adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking and rear cam­ era, LED lights, auto lights and wipers, auto dimming

8 - 14 December 2022

EWN 53

Refined with a sporting stance

JAGUAR XF: This car is a delight and still retains a special feel that some German marques lack.

rear view mirror, powered front seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated and powered door mirrors and more. Of course consult the options list ­ to say it’s big is some­ what of an understate­ ment ­ and the price can escalate dramatically.

Although only a 2.0­litre,

MOTORING

four­cylinder mild hybrid diesel propels the XF past the benchmark 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and returns very decent fuel economy.

The XF can also be speci­ fied with all­wheel­drive rather than the standard rear­wheel­drive along with a range of petrol en­ gines. All the XF range has

an eight­speed automatic transmission.

I’m a fan of more tradi­ tional, lighter and arguably more British interior style rather than the dark hues of many modern c a r s .

Much to t h e i r credit Jaguar offer a range of both light and dark interiors at no extra cost.

I criticised the original XE and XF for what I saw as a drop in quality. That has certainly been recti­ fied and the XF feels like it is back where it belongs on that side of the quality equation. There’s also a lesson for digitisation ob­ sessives in car design, it doesn’t have to be compli­

Facts at a Glance • Model: Jaguar XF R-Dynamic S • Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged diesel with mild hybrid assistance developing 204PS Gears: 8-speed automatic • Price: €40,909/£35,100 • Performance: 0-100 kph (60 mph) 7.1 seconds/Maximum Speed 235 kph (146 mph) • Economy: 4.99l/100km (56.6 mpg) combined driving – WLTP • Emissions: 131 g/km – WLTP Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.

cated and can be intuitive, as the XF demonstrates perfectly.

On the road the XF doesn’t disappoint and despite a mere four­cylin­ ders retains a commend­ ably refined air. With ride options ranging from sport to waft mode it’s a delight and still retains a special feel that some

German marques lack..

On the debit side the XF isn’t that spacious consid­ ering its size. There are al­ so still traces of cheaper plastics that should never be allowed inside a Jaguar!

Overall though this is a car that acquits itself with considerable aplomb and which can happily park on my drive anytime.

to read more MOTORING scan this QR Code

54 EWN

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022 W I N T E R is coming, and that means some extra car care is in order! Although Spain doesn’t get as cold as many other countries, common winter issues in­ cluding low temperatures, frost, and heavy rainfall can take a toll on your car.

Here we share some top tips from mechanics on how you can ensure your

MOTORING

Winter ready car runs without a hitch during the winter.

1. Consider parking solu­ tions Moving your car to an indoor garage is a smart choice during the winter.

Inside, your car won’t be exposed to the elements which can speed up the wearing­down process of your car. If you can’t store your car indoors, consider a cover which can protect the windshield from frost and stop your engine flu­ ids from freezing, saving you time.

2. Prepare for frost In the coldest months of January and February, frost can appear in many regions in Spain. Be pre­ pared by stocking up on anti­freeze and purchasing a scraper so you can get going in no time!

3. Tyre care If you live in a moun­ tainous area or plan on travelling to a snowy or icy area, consider switching to winter tyres, or ensuring that you have all­seasons tyres ready to go. These tyres are better equipped for wintery weather, pro­ tecting you against acci­ dents.

Groups

Round of 16

30 November 2022

3 December 2022

Tunisia 1-0 France Australia 1-0 Denmark Poland 0-2 Argentina Saudi Arabia 1-2 Mexico

4 December 2022 France 3-1 Poland England 3-0 Senegal

1 December 2022 Croatia 0-0 Belgium Canada 1-2 Morocco Japan 2-1 Spain Costa Rica 2-4 Germany

2 December 2022 South Korea 2-1 Portugal Ghana 0-2 Uruguay Serbia 2-3 Switzerland Cameroon 1-0 Brazil

SPORT

Netherlands 3-1 USA Argentina 2-1 Australia

5 December 2022 Japan 1-1 Croatia Penalties (1)-(3) Brazil 4-1 South Korea

6 December 2022 Morocco 0-0 Spain Penalties (3)-(0)

to read more SPORT scan this QR Code

euroweeklynews.com

8 - 14 December 2022

Match-fixing SPAIN’S National Police force launched the second phase of the ‘Coniferous’ operation at the end of November, which was originally launched to investigate allegations of match­fixing in football leagues in Spain and Gibraltar to facilitate illegal betting.

The indictment of about 20 people is scheduled to be added to the 27 that were already being investigated by the Sanlucar de Barrameda’s No4 court in Cadiz Province. The individu­ als face charges of belonging to a crim­ inal organisation and corruption among individuals in the sports field.

It is believed the network could have manipulated the results of more than 30 first, second and third­division RFEF matches, as well as games in the Gibraltar National League. A total of €500,000 is estimated to have been profited.

The main focus was reportedly placed on active players who could have executed the fixes on the pitch.

Various other individuals who sold their personal data to the leaders of the group so that they could open ac­ counts with no prior records in differ­ ent betting operators were also placed under investigation.

SPORT

Will the lions roar AFTER an impressive performance against Senegal, England set up a mouthwatering clash against current world champions France.

On Saturday, December 10 at 8pm, Gareth Southgate’s England square up against a French side led by arguably the star of the World Cup so far, Kylian Mbappe.

With highly sought­after midfielder Jude Bellingham powering the Three Lions with his lung­busting displays and goals flowing freely among an im­ pressive attacking front line, the clash with France is a must­see.

If England can beat the French, their next match would be on Wednesday, December 14, where they will face ei­

Grand Prix cancelled NEXT year’s Chinese Grand Prix has been cancelled due to continuing strict Covid measures imposed in the country.

The Formula 1 race was due to return to the country’s most populous city of Shanghai in April next year for the first time since 2019, in the fourth round of a record 24­race season.

But Chinese President Xi Jinping’s continuing zero­Covid policy, which has seen the country in perpetual lockdowns since the beginning of the pandemic, has caused F1 to decide the race will no longer go ahead.

In a statement released on Friday December 2, a spokesperson for Formula 1 said: “Formula 1 can confirm, following dialogue with the promoter and rele­ vant authorities, that the 2023 Chinese Grand Prix will not take place due to the ongoing difficulties presented by the Covid­19 situation.

The cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix, held at the Shanghai International Circuit, reduces next season’s schedule to 23 races ­ still a record number for F1.

Meanwhile, the upcoming season will also see the debut of a race on the strip in Las Vegas, in the western state of Nevada in the United States.

ther Spain, Morocco, Portugal or Switzerland.

On the other side of the draw, Argentina and Brazil are one match away from setting up a potential ‘clash of the titans’. However, Netherlands and Croatia will be looking to prevent this.

In fact, the Netherlands have been one of the surpris­ es of the tournament and will be hoping to cause an upset against Messi’s Argentina on Fri­ day, December 9 at 8pm.

Prior to the Netherlands vs Ar­ gentina match, Brazil take on a Croat­ ia side fresh off of a dramatic penalty win over Japan.

Brazil strolled past South Korea and established themselves as the team to beat. Croatia will aim to stop Neymar and co when the two sides meet on Friday, December 9 at 4pm.

A semi­final between two of the aforementioned four teams will take place on Tuesday, December 13 at 8pm.

The Qatar World Cup final is sched­ uled for Sunday, December 18 at 4pm.

MDI/Shutterstock.com

56 EWN

ENGLAND: Play their next match against France.