Mallorca 13 – 19 April 2023 Issue 1971

Save Palma Yacht Club

A DEMONSTRATION

has been called for Saturday April 15 in support of Palma Yacht Club (RCNP) over the possible loss of its operating licence.

It has been backed by the Yacht Club Association and will bear the slogan ‘Save the RCNP’.

The march will start outside the offices of the Real Club Náutico at 11am and end outside the headquarters of the Balearic Port Authority.

Palma Yacht Club, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is threatened by problems with the licence issued by the Port Authority to continue using the installations, as the previous one expired in December last year and the RCNP is currently operating on a temporary permit.

The Yacht Club had requested a 20 ­ year extension of the licence, which was denied by the Port Authority. The case is currently in court, and it is feared a negative outcome could force the RCNP go move out of its historic headquarters with the operating licence being put out to tender to the highest bidder.

In addition, it could set a precedent for other long ­ standing entities such as the Port d’Andratx Sailing Club.

TRIUMPH FOR FOREIGNERS

Airport taxis dispute

THE Balearic Transport Federation (FEBT) has lodged a complaint with the regional government against the increase in ‘pirate transport’ at Palma airport.

Unlicensed taxis and mini­buses operating at Son Sant Joan have multiplied in recent weeks according to the FEBT, with numbers spiralling over the Easter holidays.

Federation president Rafael Roig has called on the Balearic Transport department to act urgently before the summer to prevent “chaos and tension” between li­

censed and unlicensed drivers, “as occurs in Ibiza.”

According to Sr Roig, these ‘pirates’ are becoming increasingly confident and have even started using private cars.

The federation also points out the existence of several online platforms that manage unlicensed transport with fixed­price services, and as such pose unfair competition to regular drivers. “Pirate transport with private cars is totally illegal and infringes all the existing regulations,” insists FEBT.

THE European Union has finally reacted to suggestions to restrict property sales to non­residents in the Balearic Islands.

European Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability and Capital Markets Union, Mairead McGuiness (pictured), declared that current EU legislation “prohibits restrictions on movements of capital related to the acquisition of property, including housing, on behalf of non­resident EU nationals.”

Although she left the final say on the matter up to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), Ms McGuiness did suggest that there could be certain exceptions, such as the existence of “reasons of public order or safety.”

Regional Vice­President Juan Pedro Yllanes had recently insisted that “the circumstances in the Balearics are absolutely exceptional, so our request could be accepted by the CJEU.”

The left ­ wing Podemos

party is calling on the restriction of house sales to foreign nationals in an effort to solve the problems of housing shortage and spiralling prices on the islands, which in many cases are forcing local residents to move out.

Podemos leader Ione Belarra insisted that they will continue to fight for “a national law that stops the islands from becoming a luxury resort for a few, while non­residents buy up all the available housing and force prices up.”

Taxi numbers outside Palma airport have spiralled.

MAIREAD MCGUINESS: Suggested that there could be certain exceptions.

Image by European Parliament

Image by Artesia Wells/Shutterstock

Air Europa jobs to be kept

IBERIA has announced it will keep all employees on from Air Europa after buying out the airline.

Company president Javier Sánchez revealed that an agreement has been signed between both parties by which Iberia will maintain employment at Air Europa’s headquarters in Llucmajor for at least five years, rising to seven years for the handling workers. This effectively guarantees the employment of more than 2,500 members of staff. Sr Sánchez expressed his commitment during a meeting with Balearic Islands President Francina Armengol at the Gov­

ern headquarters in Mallorca.

The regional president added that the meeting had been “very productive” and that the purchase of Air Europa will increase connectivity with the Balearics, which will help bring prices down.

Sr Sánchez declared that “the Balearics are better con­

The best working conditions

THE Balearic Islands are the second region in Spain with the best working conditions.

A study by employment agency Adecco has found that the islands have experienced the sharpest yearly improvement in this regard, climbing from 12th place in 2021 to second in 2022.

nected now than ever before” and that Iberia has multiplied the number of seats in the various routes to and from the islands by three.

This has led to a 15 per cent drop in prices over the last few years and a 50 per cent reduction compared to 10 years ago, according to the Iberia chief.

In addition, average wages in the Balearics have increased more during this same period than in any other part of Spain, and workers on the islands now have the sixth highest salaries in the country ­ around €1,700 a month on average.

The yearly study takes into account five parameters, namely wages, workplace safety and unemployment coverage, job and development opportunities, reconciliation of personal and professional life, and labour conflict, ie strikes and legal disputes.

Spokespeople for Adecco reveal that the main reason for this sudden improvement is

that the Balearics, together with the Canary Islands, suffered the most under the temporary redundancy schemes launched during the Covid pandemic, and that the situation has now returned to normal.

The sudden average wage increase is also explained by the lack of available workers in certain sectors such as construction and the high cost of living.

Palma’s history

THE city of Palma is the result of centuries of history marked by the different cultures that inhabited the city.

One of them, which had an important political and economic weight on the island, was precisely the Jewish community.

During the Muslim domination, Palma’s Jewish quarter, known as ‘Call Maior’, was a kind of city in its own right; it was also walled and had its own entrances.

Unfortunately, there is not much left of this Jewish quarter, which was destroyed and burned to the ground.

However, the history is still

there, you just have to look for it.

The Carrer Sol was considered the main entrance to Palma’s Jewish site. At the top of the street, on the ground, you can see a plaque commemorating the old entrance to Call Maior.

€

1.2m project

MANACOR Council has approved a record investment of €1.2 million to improve Cales de Mallorca urbanisation. It is part of a wider scheme to spend €7.2 million on various projects throughout the area. The cash injection will be used to revamp several streets, parking areas, pavements and street lighting.

The street leading up to this entrance is actually called Carrer del Call.

One of the main stops on the route is the Iglesia de Montesion (Mount Zion) church.

The interesting Centre Maimo ben Faraig is a great place to learn about Palma’s medieval Jewish history from the 14th century.

At the Museum of Mallorca, you can also see some archaeological remnants from the Jewish era.

The Museum of Mallorca can be found at Carrer de la Portella, 5, 07001 Palma, Illes Balears. For more information call: (+34) 971 597 995.

These include Calles Cabrera and Dragonera that are currently in very bad condition, with the roads and pavements posing a risk for drivers and pedestrians. The road surfaces and lighting will be improved in Romaguera and Formentor car parks, although the council is unable to act on the pavements as they do not come under town hall jurisdiction.

The work, which will now be put out to tender and therefore does not yet have a set start date, will enable the improvement of up to 10,645 square metres and the creation of 61 new street lighting points. Cales de Mallorca was built in the 1960s and mainly houses hotels and services for visitors, as well as a population of more than 1,000 residents.

AIR EUROPA: Has been taken over by Iberia.

Image by Vytautas Kielaitis/Shutterstock

JEWISH QUARTER: A great place to learn of the history.

More workers needed in construction.

Image by Daniel Ferrer Paez/Shutterstock

Image: Palma City Council / Tourism

Nonagram 69

UNFORTUNATELY there was a small error in the Nonagram puzzle in Edition 1969 where the wrong letter was shown in the text and the centre of the puzzle. The correct letter should have been D. Apologies to all those who struggled to find the correct solution.

Street works

WORK is underway to pedestrianize Calle Morlà in Palma. The 700 square‐me‐tre area was closed off to traffic several years ago, with the current revamp project aimed at replacing the tar‐mac with paving and creat‐ing a cycle lane and two pedestrian crossings.

Station revamp

DEMOLITION work has been completed on Manacor’s old fire station. Construction of the new complex will now begin to provide the service with modern, up‐to‐date and sustainable facilities.

Lounger dispute

MURO Town Hall is up in arms following an order by the coastal authorities to re‐move sunloungers from the beach. Mayor Miquel Por‐quer insists it was Costas who granted permission for the 325 sunlounger sets and that all the required condi‐tions are complied with.

On the money

A MALLORCA hotel owner is the richest man in the world.

Forbes currently lists Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH (Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton) in first place with a personal wealth esti‐mated at $211 billion ‐whose assets include La Resi‐dencia Hotel in Deya.

Luxury liner

A SUPER luxury cruise liner is due to dock in Palma this month. The 10‐deck and 288‐passenger Scenic Eclipse II features all the necessary luxuries to offer travellers a glimpse of the billionaire’s lifestyle.

Road expansion cancelled

THE enlargement project for the road linking Soller and Deia has finally been can ‐celled 30 years after its launch.

Work had been on hold since 1995 when the compa‐ny in charge went bust, since when the road has sat largely unchanged. Although the project was not completed, the island authorities still ef‐fectively owned the rights of more than 62,000 square me‐tres of rustic land that had been expropriated from 82 private plots. This has led to

ongoing land registry prob‐lems for the owners of the af‐fected land, which will now

end as the plots will be offi‐cially returned to them.

A statement issued by the

Island Council of Mallorca states that the institution “no longer needs the occupied land and is not planning to carry out any project of this size,” except for the surfacing of the stretch between Sóller and Llucalcari. The enlarge‐ment of the Ma‐10 was met with fierce opposition by resi‐dents when it was an ‐nounced back in 1992, with the company only able to complete the first stage ‐ two kilometres from Soller to Deia ‐ before declaring bankruptcy three years later.

Stocked and ready A sweet stamp

THE Spanish Postal service has launched a new stamp dedicated to the most fa‐mous cake in the Balearic Is‐lands ‐ the ensaimada.

The new Correos stamp is part of a series entitled ‘Gas‐tronomy: Spain in 19 dishes’ showing the most famous meals and desserts of each autonomous community plus Ceuta and Melilla.

Past designs have fea ‐tured Andalucia’s gazpacho, Valencia’s paella and Madrid’s cocido madrileño, among others.

The series was designed in collaboration with the Royal Gastronomy Acade‐my, with the first stamp showing Extremadura’s lamb caldereta issued in July 2020.

Baked in Mallorca since the 17th century, the en‐saimada is a round pastry confection made with strong flour, water, sugar, eggs, mother dough and a kind of reduced pork lard named saïm in Catalan, which gives it its name.

It was granted Specific De‐nomination of Origin status in 1996 and in 2003 the Balearic Islands Govern‐ment officially recognised the ensaimada mallorquina as a Protected Geographical Indication.

This is not the first time Correos has paid homage to Balearic Islands cuisine, as commemorative stamps were issued in March 2021 dedicated to Mallorca olive oil and Mahon cheese.

THE Balearic Islands are ful‐ly stocked up on medical supplies in the event of an‐other pandemic.

Regional health depart‐ment IB‐Salut has reported that the arrival of Covid has changed the way sanitary material is purchased and stored on the islands, and that the service now has a large, centralised ware ‐house stocked with all the necessary personal protec‐tive equipment ‐ the fa ‐mous PPE ‐ and other emergency sanitary prod‐ucts to face any eventuali‐ty.

Spokespeople for IB ‐Salut explain that the previ‐ous system, known as ‘just in time’ and based on im ‐porting smaller amounts of

Jumping the queue

SPANISH airport governing body AENA has put the sale of shuttle bus tickets from Pal‐ma airport out to tender to avoid last year’s saturation problems.

Fliers landing at Son Sant Joan last sum‐mer were met with a lack of public trans‐port, which led to queues, delays and com‐plaints.

To prevent a repeat of the situation dur‐ing peak season this year, AENA has con‐tacted public transport chiefs and the Balearic Travel Agency Association to es‐tablish two ticket sale points at the airport.

The goal is for the new ticket service to

105

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

New protest

be up and running before the start of the high season. As it is already too late in the day to build the new offices this year, AE‐NA will set up mobile sale points for tickets from the airport to the island’s tourist ar‐eas.

Under regional regulations, shuttle ser‐vice tickets will have to be booked by fliers 24 hours before landing.

British and German travel operators have agreed with the measures and state that any measures aimed at facilitating transport from the airport to the hotels and tourist hotspots are welcome.

equipment more frequent‐ly, was suitable for normal conditions but not for emergencies.

The 500 square ‐ metre warehouse in Marratxi cur‐rently contains 136 million units of sanitary provisions spread over 2,500 pallets and worth €18.2 million, al‐though spokespeople for the regional health service reveal that there is still room for more.

Previously, material such as disposable gowns, anti‐gen tests, face masks and syringes was stored at three separate warehouses with the subsequent logis‐tic problems, which have now been eliminated by unifying the stocks in one place.

CARAVAN and motorhome owners in Mallorca have announced a demonstra‐tion to demand the cre‐ation of places to park and spend the night in Palma. The protesters will gather outside Brico Depot on May 6 and drive through the streets of the capital in a repeat of a previous demonstration in Septem‐ber last year that gathered more than 70 vehicles.

“We request the elimina‐tion of ‘illegal’ restrictions on our sector” reads the poster announcing the May protest, suggesting the creation of motorhome parks and campsites specif‐ically for these vehicles, which are currently lacking on the island.

The protesters also re‐quest more clean water collection and wastewater disposal points, two of which already exist in Son Servera and at Son Castelló industrial estate. Organisers are keen to distance them‐selves from people who are forced to live in caravans due to being unable to af‐ford housing.

and in

is FREE and we promise to always keep it that way.

The Island Council of Mallorca issued a statement.

Image by Consell de Mallorca

Fertility preservation programme Universal healthcare for all

THE Balearic Health authorities will set up information and assistance points on each island to guarantee universal healthcare access for poverty­stricken or unregistered residents.

Staff at the ‘Puntos de Orientación y Acceso a la Asistencia Sanitaria’ (orientation and access points for healthcare assistance, or POAAS) will help users with all the necessary paperwork and procedures to ac­

cess the public service.

“The POAAS will speed up and facilitate the process for users who are in an irregular and vulnerable administrative situation or lack sufficient financial resources to access the public health service,” stated a spokesperson for the department. The assistance will provide users with universal access to medical staff and medication for an initial 12

months extendable to two years, during which time they are obliged to request and obtain a TSI personal healthcare card. The service is not available to users holding a European Health Insurance Card or benefiting from any agreement between Spain and their country of origin.

Neither can they ‘export’ the right to healthcare cover from their home country to the Balearics or have sufficient means to pay for private or public healthcare.

The aim of this measure is to prevent people who can afford treatment from taking advantage of the system.

The admission departments of all health centres and hospitals in the Balearic Islands have reportedly been informed that they must not present a bill to users who declare that they have insufficient means to pay for the service and must instead register them in the system and request an appointment with the POASS.

Salut spokespeople also insisted on the importance of users being correctly registered to avoid problems with treatments or medication and to enable healthcare professionals to make a better diagnosis according to the patient’s medical history.

The Mallorca office will be located at number 16 on Joan Munar street in Palma.

Betty Henderson

MALLORCA’S Hospital Universitari Son Llatzer’s launched a pioneering programme to preserve ovarian tissue and safeguard the fertility of young female cancer patients on Friday, March 24.

Cancer treatments can be very aggressive, damaging women’s reproductive system, making it difficult or impossible for them to conceive a child. Women who receive cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy sometimes experience damage to the ovaries or even infertility.

In many cases, these young women are not yet ready to start a family, but preserving their fertility gives them the option to become pregnant in the future

Son Llàtzer University Hospital’s programme aims to preserve the fertility of young women who are about to undergo cancer treatment. The scheme will identify candidates for the pro­

cedure and evaluate their situation within 72 hours. If the candidate is considered suitable, a portion of the ovarian tissue will be extracted through minimally invasive surgery. Ovarian tissue will then be stored in a blood and tissue bank until the woman has finished treatment.

The hospital has become the first in the Balearic Islands to offer the treatment, and experts believe it could benefit up to eight women per year.

Heatwave technology

GOOGLE has set up an experiment in Calvia to test possible uses for artificial intelligence in fighting heatwaves.

The search engine is developing a tool entitled ‘Tree Canopy’ to analyse the density of tree cover in cities and enable local councils to better plan urban reforestation projects to combat the appearance of so ­ called ‘heat islands’ ­ areas where the predominance of asphalt multiplies the thermal sensation.

The application has detect­

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

ed the presence of trees in 17 per cent of Calvia, one of the five municipalities in Spain where the new technology is being tested along with Barcelona, Murcia, Vitoria in the Basque Country and Zaragoza.

On an international level, ‘Tree Canopy’ data has been collected in more than 350 towns and cities worldwide.

Google decided to launch the app after searches relating to heatwaves broke all records in July last year, suggesting increasing concern

This is a medieval proverb meaning, whilst you’re busy complaining about your lot, someone else will have enjoyed it.

about the issue.

The North American technology giant is also due to present a new alert system for extreme heat, offering detailed predictions about the beginning and end of heatwaves as well as advice and health information developed in collaboration with the Global Heat Health Information Network.

The Hospital Universitari Son Lla ̀ tzer’s Oncology Department has taken a pioneering step in fertility for female cancer patients.

Photo credit: Conselleria Salut (via Facebook)

“The quiet sow eats the food of the grunting one.”

28% of white collar workers’ time is spent dealing with emails.

Rings a bell...

WOLFGANG PORSCHE, the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche who founded the legendary motor company in 1931, is currently looking for a home in Mallorca.

The current chairman of the Porsche AG board spent Easter at the fivestar St Regis Mardavall hotel with his new partner Gabriela Prinzessin zu Leiningen, and on Monday April 10 was shown around several properties in Son Vida and Costa de la Calma by a luxury estate agent.

The Porsche family has been closely linked to Mallorca for years.

Wolfgang’s brother Hans­Peter built Alcanada Golf Club in Alcudia at the end of the 1980s.

Widely known as the ‘Porsche course’, it contains many references to the family company including 10 buggies designed to look like the Porsche Cayenne.

Special visitor rates Room for music

INCA’S new youth centre will have three rehearsal rooms for local bands.

The council is currently working on enlarging the Casal de Joves located in the old ice factory to provide more services and activities for young people.

This includes renting out the building opposite the current Casal to create a new multi­purpose hall, a space for artistic creation and accommodation quarters as well as three practice rooms for musicians ­ a key facility consider­

ing the problems usually faced by bands when it comes to finding somewhere to rehearse.

“The rehearsal rooms are an ongoing demand by local musicians,” declared Inca Mayor Virgilio Moreno, adding that “the other spaces will gradually take shape as the users move in and make them their own.”

A series of open days have been organised at the Casal for local young people to visit the centre and discuss plans for the new installations.

THE Balearic Islands smashed four records for renewable energy production over Easter.

On Saturday April 8, the various solar panel installations dotted around the islands plus other sources generated more than half the region’s energy requirements, which had never happened before.

According to figures published by the Spanish Electricity Board and the Balearic Islands Energy Transition department, Wednesday already beat

ONCE again this year, Palma Hotel Association (ASHPAMA) is offering special rates to exhibitors taking part in the Palma International Boat Show, which will take place from April 27 to 30 in the Moll Vell.

The hotel association is providing information about its facilities on the Palma International Boat Show website, offering visitors a wide variety of accommodation options to suit their needs and budgets.

From luxury hotels in the

old town to urban establishments near the sea, ASHPAMA’s hotels have a high

The power of the sun

the existing record for solar energy production with 193 megawatts.

Each consecutive day broke the previous day’s record, culminating on the Saturday with 196.5 megawatts produced at 1.25pm and with solar power covering the entire energy demands of the islands for three hours.

Experts point out the significance

of the fact that the Balearics are about to break the 200 ­ megawatt threshold, which will undoubtedly occur over the coming months.

Despite the positive trend, both the Govern and renewable energy companies insist on the importance of speeding up licence and installation processes to continue shifting away from reliance on fossil fuels.

standard of quality and service. They also offer discounts to exhibitors at the fair.

The commitment to quality tourism is also reflected in the profile of the associated hotels, most of which are four or five stars. In this way, ASHPAMA promotes sustainable and responsible tourism that seeks to preserve and respect the natural environment of the city and the coexistence with residents.

For more information visit www.palmainternational boatshow.com.

PALMA BOAT SHOW: Takes place at the end of April.

Image by ASHPAMA

Cash-in-hand house sales

ONE in every three house purchases in the Balearic Islands last year was done ‘cash in hand’.

Latest figures show that up to 36 per cent of real estate operations were carried out without a mortgage in 2022, with the figure rising to 83 per cent for foreign buyers.

Of the 17,826 families who bought a house on the islands last year, more than 6,500 did so without requesting financing, which is significant considering that average prices reached more than €230,000 ­ the highest figure in Spain and double the national average.

Foreign buyers accounted for 6,060 of the total purchase operations, with only 17 per cent taking out a mortgage to do so.

According to the regional Land Registrars Association,

this shows that the more expensive a property is, the less need the buyers have to get into debt with the bank.

It also reportedly explains why foreign buyers on average take out less mortgages even though the property they buy is usually more expensive.

Half of all foreign house buyers last year were German, followed by British and French.

THREE falconers working at Palma airport prevent several aeroplane accidents every day.

The experts use 11 birds of prey to scare off other species flying over the airport airspace and thus stop them from crashing into the engines of aircraft.

The use of peregrine falcons, vultures and northern goshawks reportedly reduces the risk of accidents and delays by up 99 per cent.

In addition, the falconers also patrol the surroundings to check for the presence of dead animals that could attract

Eyes in the sky

hunt small animals that can venture onto the runways.

However, teaching a bird of prey to follow instructions is not easy, and the handlers train each one painstakingly for months until they are ready for work.

BIRDS OF PREY: Are used to scare off other species.

other birds of prey.

“Our job is to scare them off so that they don’t endanger air travel,” said one of the experts.

Each type of bird is cho­

sen according to the needs. The peregrine falcons and vultures are used to ward off seagulls and other large species, while the goshawks are employed to

Each bird is also fitted with a GPS tracking device for the falconers to locate them in real time, as they often fly long distances that make them impossible to follow by sight alone.

Supply delay warning

THE Balearic Islands transport sector is warning of possible delivery delays due to a collapse of the system.

Lack of drivers, added to a surge in demand in April are said to be the main reasons for many deliveries to key businesses such as construction and food retailers arriving late over the coming weeks.

This is the busiest time of year for

the transport sector, as businesses rush to stock up ready for the Easter and summer tourism seasons.

While distributors have been able to prepare in advance, retailers and smaller companies have been unable to do so due to the nature of their business or lack of planning.

Construction companies require a steady stream of supplies, while the

food sector has to replace products depending on demand ­ which spirals from this month until the end of summer. This has led to a bottleneck that transporters are rushing to unblock, but which is not easy given the chronic lack of drivers on the islands caused by the high cost of living and difficulties to find homes to rent, which puts professional drivers off from moving here.

Image by Menno Schaefer/Shutterstock

Image by Vitpho/Shutterstock

Oil spillage

ACCORDING to the group

‘Verdemar Ecologists in Action’, the remains of oil from the ‘OS 35’ ship that has been stranded east of Gibraltar since August 30 last year, are reaching the coast of the Cadiz region of Campo de Gibraltar.

In a statement pub ‐lished on Thursday, April 6, they argued that oil has appeared on beaches in the municipalities of Alge‐ciras and Los Barrios.

“Today there were fre ‐quent oil stains from the Palmones river in Los Bar‐rios to the beach of La Concha, in El Rinconcillo, in Algeciras,” they claimed. “Specifically, these were balls of oil mixed with seawater and oil stains. We believe that the vessel still has the re ‐mains in its holds and oil circuits of hydrocarbons that may come out as a re‐sult of the storm,” they added.

Jose Ignacio Landaluce,

the mayor of Algeciras, confirmed in a statement the arrival of the remains of the spill on the Rincon‐cillo beach and called on Gibraltar to take responsi‐bility for this situation.

Landaluce recalled that he has been warning of the danger of the ship re ‐maining aground. It is a warning that: “the govern‐ments of Spain and Gibral‐tar have ignored,” he in ‐sisted. “These problems are the result of these mis‐takes,” the mayor stressed.

The mayor reported that since early on Thursday morning, work had been carried out to remove the fuel oil deposits that had appeared on the coast.

SPANISH party resorts waging war against boozy Brits have been warned their efforts are “backfiring spectacularly” as demand for trips has since skyrocketed.

In what was dubbed the ‘Costa crackdown’, authorities in Malaga threatened rowdy British stags and hens with huge three figure fines if they stripped naked or brandished a blow‐ up p***s in public, while plans were even floated to install noise monitors in rooms.

Tougher rules were intro‐duced in Ibiza and Mallorca, with drinks limits imposed to try and curb drunken bad be‐haviour.

They have been part of a wider EU wide crackdown, which came to prominence when stags and hens from the UK were urged to ‘stay away’ from Amsterdam as part of a major campaign launched by officials in the Dutch capital.

However, the boss of Britain’s leading stag and hen do provider said the only thing the “crusades” had suc‐ceeded in is making groups more determined to party in

Party on

these destinations ‐ with Brits seemingly undeterred by threats from the Spanish au‐thorities.

“Our Amsterdam stag do bookings are up 50 per cent since that campaign launched last week, so clearly the mes‐sage to ‘stay away’ isn’t get‐ting through,” said Matt Mavir, Managing Director of stag and party provider ‘Last Night of Freedom’.

And in the sunny Spanish party resort of Benalmadena, in Malaga Province, the com‐pany reported that bookings have increased by an aston‐

British buyers still rule

ishing 200 per cent since the new rules ‐ aimed largely at stags and hens ‐ were publi‐cised last June.

“In Magaluf, bookings are up 60 per cent and it seems these rules are having abso‐lutely no impact on people’s desire to party in Spain and the EU.

“That’s why we are seeing unprecedented demand for budget‐friendly Spanish re‐sorts like Benidorm, and even though there are tough rules, that’s unlikely to put people off partying there,” he con‐cluded.

GOOD news for the Spanish house market as a new report, from leading international property portal Kyero, has revealed that British buyers remain the biggest overseas spenders when it comes to buying property in Spain, three years on from Brexit and despite a 17 per cent fall in en‐quiries from British buy‐ers last year.

In an analysis of one of the largest data sets in the industry (consist‐ing of buyers from 194 countries and 154,460 properties for sale with over 3,000 estate agents) it was found that the British, who have long played a sig‐nificant role in the Span‐ish property market, have (just) managed to cling on to their number one spot.

This is despite losing significant ground to German and Dutch buy‐ers since Brexit, but overall the number of international property buyers in Spain in ‐creased by 80 per cent in 2022 compared to 2019. British buyers continued to make up the largest proportion of overseas property spending in 2022 (12.54 per cent of the total market value).

However, compared to 2019 pre‐Brexit fig‐ures, the increase in spending is one of the smallest of all nationali‐ties.

PARTY RESORTS: Companies say bookings are increasing.

1st Helsinki has the cleanest air of all world cities.

Clean-up operation on a beach in Cadiz Province.

Credit: Twitter@Verdemar_EA

Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa and tax benefits

You may be able to move to Spain earlier than expected and not have to wait until retirement. The new Digital Nomad Visa enables UK and other nonEU nationals to live and work remotely in Spain, plus provide tax advantages.

The Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) is a key component of Spain’s ‘Start Up Law’. Approved in December, its main objective is to attract and retain investment and talent in Spain.

To qualify for a DNV, you must meet certain criteria, including:

• You work remotely (online) for a company located outside the EU/EEA or perform a maximum 20% of your professional activity for a Spanish based company.

• You have been working for the company for three months and your contract is for one year minimum.

• A clean criminal record.

By Cathal Rochford, Partner, Blevins Franks

• Proof you have €25,000 on deposit (plus €9,441 for each family member joining you) and private medical insurance.

• It is also possible to obtain a visa as an entrepreneur in Spain, if you meet the conditions.

Once approved for this visa your spouse and dependent children can live in Spain with you.

Consulate in your home country, the visa is initially valid for one year. You then apply for another three years. If you apply directly in Spain as a tourist, the visa covers three years.

Beckham Law beneficial tax regime

Once you are in possession of a DNV, you can apply to be covered by the ‘Beckham Law Regime’. This tax regime has been modified to make it even more attractive.

• You are considered non-tax resident for the year of relocation and following five tax years.

• While your employment income is taxed in Spain, the rate for income up to €600,000 is 24%. After that it’s 47% (which normally applies to income over €300,000). Non-employment income earned outside Spain is not subject to Spanish incomes taxes.

• Your solidarity tax liability will only be on assets located in

high). You can apply to be taxed under this regime if you have not been resident in Spain for the previous five years and are moving to Spain under an employment contract; with a Digital Nomad Visa, or as a director of an entity if you hold less than 25% of its capital.

Entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals are not eligible.

UK taxation

Employment income – if you are non-UK tax resident, only UK source income is taxed there.

Capital gains – while living in Spain under the Digital Nomad Visa, gains made on the sale of shares could potentially be free of capital gains tax in both countries.

Dividends – if the disregarded income treatment applies the UK tax liability is highly reduced or maybe nil. Dividends received from UK companies are not taxable in Spain.

to digital nomads who fancy living in Spain for a few years. But it is attractive to UK professionals and businesspeople planning to retire in the coming years. If you are on a high UK salary can work remotely, you may be able to move to Spain under the DNV and pay less income tax under the Beckham regime. Dispose of UK company shares while living in Spain under this visa would save you tax.

Seek advice from a cross-border wealth management firm who understands the intricacies of Spanish and UK taxation and interaction between them.

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

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

Betty Henderson RESIDENTS in Albox are warning others about a father and son who allegedly swindled hundreds of euros from local businesses and individuals, taking advantage of the community's kindness.

The pair arrived in the town claiming to be divorcees in need of a fresh start and established relationships with sympathetic locals who offered assistance. However, it later emerged that the men borrowed money from kindhearted members of the community without any intention of paying it back.

Kindness exploited

Sums of money borrowed are said to range from approximately €200 to €800, while the pair also reportedly have outstanding bills with local bars. At least three denuncias (complaints) have been made to the police, one of which the Euro Weekly News has had sight of.

Tenerife and Turre. Local resident, John Hillen explained “We are doing this to warn others and to put a stop to their activities if we can.”

While the allegations against the pair have yet to be proven, those affected are warning others to be cautious and have informed the appropriate authorities. The pair allegedly drove a Nissan Niro car with the registration plate PN70 NGZ.

Four-day working week

Residents are being warned to keep an eye out for two scammers who allegedly operated in the Albox region.

Investigations by local residents suggest that these individuals may have a history of similar fraudulent activities in other locations including

Dutch drug domination

IN an unexpected turn the Netherlands and Belgium have overtaken Spain as the primary gateway for cocaine entering Europe, with cartels using Mexican cartel techniques to control the market.

The news announced in an United Nations report on drugs (UNODC) on Friday, April 7 also revealed that these cartels have become so powerful that they have even displaced Spain as the main hub for drug trafficking in Europe.

Recent reports suggest that several cartels are taking over the drug markets in the Netherlands and Belgium and are now producing more and more methamphetamine locally. The availability of cocaine in Europe has increased dramatically over the past decade, with Holland and Belgium now being the key players in the trade.

The rise in prominence of these ports has been linked to their location in the

North Sea, which have seen a surge in trafficking activity. According to the UNODC report, Albanian gangs controlling the drug market in the southeast of the UK are also supplied by Dutch ports.

The days of Spain being the primary entry point for cocaine into Europe are now a thing of the past, as the Netherlands and Belgium have taken over the illicit industry.

STARTING on Monday, April 10, the city of Valencia began experimenting with the four­day working week. It coincides with three consecutive bank holiday Mondays after moving a holiday from January to this current month.

In a pilot project promoted by the city council, its objective is to test the impact of the application in the city of a four­day working week. It will analyse the subsequent consequences on productivity, leisure, mobility, the economy, and the health of the people involved in working 32 hours a week.

The scheme spans the four weeks of April 10, which includes Easter Monday, and April 17, which has the San Vicente Ferrer holiday. It also includes April 24, which becomes a holiday replacing January 22’s San Vicente Mártin celebration, and May 1, which is Labour Day in Spain.

Once the four weeks have ended, the city council’s Las Naves innovation centre will evaluate the results in order to have the conclusions of this test prepared by July 20.

Similar experiments have recently been conducted in other countries, including Lithuania, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, Iceland, Portugal and Japan.

Photo credit: Maura Hillen (via email)

ADRIÁN BARBÓN, the President of the Principality of Asturias, reported on Monday, April 10, that five complaints will be filed about five individuals identified as allegedly responsible for some of the forest fires that have affected Asturias recently.

He was speaking after participating in the meeting of

the advisory and management committee of the Emergency Civil Protection Plan for Forest Fires of the Principality of Asturias (Infopa). Barbón indicated that there is also another line of investigation that could affect at least another 10 suspects, although this is still in an early phase.

This latest wave of fires represents an “attack against Asturias” the President insisted, in which there is “clearly” an intention. These fires, he continued, “mark a before and after” in government policies, with aspects from which they should “humbly learn” such as improving the defence of towns.

5 identified for fires Andalucia card discount

NEW fares for the Andalucian consortia network card came into force on Monday, April 10. It was applied after the consortia’s board of directors approved an increase from 50 to 60 per cent in discounts on public transport fares. The network is made up of the metropolitan areas of the eight provincial capitals plus the region of Campo de Gibraltar.

According to a press release, this new discount is carried out with the use of the card on buses, metros and trams in the Bay of Cadiz in compliance with the Social and Economic Pact for the Promotion of Andalucia. It is an agreement signed between the Andalucian Regional Government, the Andalusian Confederation of Employers (CEA), UGT­A, and CCOO­A.

From January 2023, an additional 50 per cent discount was applied to public transport through season tickets and multi­journey cards (Consortium card and Youth Transport Card).

The new fares have already been applied to the three Andalucian metro passes since April 1.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Now even cheaper.

Credit: Junta de Andalucia

Bryan Adams at AHOY! Art Gallery

DEAR Art Lovers, at AHOY!

Art Gallery Palma we have expanded our collection in time for the start of the season and are pleased to present many new works. As before, we offer the available works of the Canadian rock star and photographer Bryan Adams.

Bryan Adams has been a passionate photographer for many years. His exhibitions are shown in museums and galleries worldwide. He has worked for many international magazines, including Interview, i­D, Harper’s Bazaar and British and German Vogue.

Adams’ photography exhibitions have taken place at the

Ride and drive

ARGO YACHTING have teamed up once again with Centro Porsche Baleares to bring you an unforgettable ride. Experience an explosive combination of high energy thrills on water and exhilaration on the open road.

• On the Water

Your aquatic adventure begins in Port Adriano, where you will enjoy a speedy jaunt aboard a Chris­Craft to Malgrats Island and further. For those of you who are keen to go boating this season, take your chance and test ride the Chris­Craft Launch 35GT and Chris­Craft Launch 28GT.

If you’re considering something larger, the Princess F70

will also be available to view, part of Princess Motor Yacht Sales’ YachtQuarters shared ownership programme.

• On the Road

Take in the stunning Mallorcan scenery in an iconic Porsche sports car. This is your chance to be in the driving seat of a Porsche Taycan or Porsche Cayenne. The perfect opportunity to explore and try out your potential next vehicle purchase.

• Ready to Ride?

All vehicles will be prepped and ready from 11.30am until 6.30pm on April 14 and 15 from Coast Restaurant, Port Adriano, Urbanizacion El Toro s/n 07180, Calvia.

Saatchi Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery in London, the NRW­Forum in Düsseldorf and most recently at the Musée National des Beaux­arts in Quebec, Canada, among others. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the AHOY! Art Gallery and we are proud to have many new art lovers from all over the world as our clients.

We started in the luxury Port Adriano, and now we are happily located in the heart of the old town of Palma.

AHOY Art Gallery is located at C/Concepció, 6 and is open Monday to Friday from 11am to 2pm and 4pm to 8pm.

Healing workshop

HEALING PROJECT22 is holding a workshop on April 29.

“The two great needs of human beings on an emotional level are to be heard and to be sustained. This allows us to constantly digest life’s experiences,” said the person behind the project.

“I will be giving a beautiful workshop where I will accompany you to experience that part of you that is willing to hold and be held. We will work from the self, listening to what we don’t hear day to day, paying full attention to our body, creating a safe place for everything that needs to manifest to appear. We will unite earthly energies with heavenly energies to recognise the being of light that we are and work from there.”

What will you take away from the experience?

An explanatory dossier of all the work done, eight hours of experience (more practical than theoretical), ancestral knowledge, activation of energetic tools (hands and pendulum). You will learn to work both face­to­face and remotely.

A day full of energy, knowledge and lots of love.

The contribution includes two snacks in the morning and afternoon, with a two­hour lunch break.

The training session will take place at Moasis Cowork in the Plaza de España (Palma). For further information and to book, please Whatsapp 685 023 402 or contact Healing Project22 on Facebook.

EXHIBITION: We are pleased to present many new works.

Coronation performance

THE American singing and acting legend Bette Midler is reportedly being lined up to make an appearance at King Charles’ Coronation concert on Sunday, May 7. According to a news outlet, the 77­year­old star will allegedly fly to Britain to perform for the new monarch at Windsor Castle. She will join a line­up of top acts, including Take That and Lionel Richie. It has proved a daunting task to acquire some of music’s biggest names for the free show. The Spice Girls, Ed Sheeran, Sir Elton John, Robbie Williams, Adele, and Harry Styles have all reportedly turned down the opportunity for various reasons.

Dragons love Mood Bears

“Although booking performers hasn’t been easy, due to busy schedules and the last­minute nature of the gig, bosses are quietly confident that a very special event is coming together,” a source told the news outlet.

“Landing a Hollywood star like Bette is a real coup and she will add real old­school glamour to the line­up. Bette is delighted to be taking part, she thinks it’s an honour. Organisers are pulling out all the stops to give people a real spectacle, there’ll be something for everyone,” they added. The icon has already appeared in 2009 and again in 2014 at the Royal Variety Performance.

Housing asylum seekers

ON Wednesday April 5, the UK Home Office announced that an accommodation barge in Portland Port, Dorset will be used to reduce intense pressure on the UK’s unsustainable asylum system and cut taxpayers’ costs caused by the major increase in Channel crossings.

Currently hotel accommodation for asylum seekers is costing Britain £6 million (€6.86 million) per day.

The barge, called the Bibby Stockholm, will be moored in

Portland Port and will accommodate about 500 single male adults during the time their asylum claims are processed.

The use of vessels to house migrants brings the UK in line with other European countries, for example in the Netherlands where migrants have successfully been accommodated on vessels, and Scotland which has also used vessels for Ukrainian refugees.

Last week the government announced that surplus mili­

tary sites will also be used to accommodate migrants who have entered the UK illegally.

A NEW enterprise has been hailed as a project underpinned by empathy and caused quite a stir on the season finale of Dragon’s Den in the UK.

Jo Proud stood in front of the intimidating dragons Deborah Meaden, Sara Davies, Touker Suleyman, Steven Bartlett, and Peter Jones and gave an emotional pitch while introducing her Mood Bears.

The Mood Bears were born from Jo Proud’s own struggle with mental health and while these bears were designed with children in mind, they have been known to help even

adults cope with their mental health issues also.

There are currently eight Mood Bears from Happy Bear to Sad Bear, and Nervous Bear to Angry Bear, the main emotions are represented. These bears certainly were emotive as one of the dragons Peter Jones, clearly moved by the project, called on all of the dragons to get behind this ‘movement’ as he described it.

He invited all the dragons to invest £4,000 for 5 per cent of the company.

Jo Proud was visibly moved by the reaction and could not believe it when

all five dragons agreed to invest all of the money, £20,000, for 25 per cent of the company between them.

With that amount of expertise on board, this is a product that is sure to succeed.

Each Mood Bear has its own colour and a small poem to help young and old cope with their emotions beginning ‘With feelings all confused and all in a muddle, each bear is unique and give the best cuddle’.

And really who doesn’t love a bear hug so if you want one visit https://moodbears.com/.

MOOD BEARS: The new project caused quite a stir on Dragon’s Den.

36% of British adults are bilingual. That’s over 24 million people.

ABBA guitarist passes away

IT was revealed on Sunday, April 9, that Lasse Wellander, the guitarist who played on some of ABBA’s biggest hit songs, passed away on Friday April 7, at the age of 70. He performed not only on their hits but also during the 1970s and 80s, he was was an integral part of the Swedish band’s huge concert tours.

“It is with indescribable sadness that we have to announce that our beloved Lasse has fallen asleep. Lasse recently fell ill with what turned out to be cancer that had spread, and early on Good Friday he

passed away surrounded by his loved ones,” Lasse’s family wrote in a statement paying tribute to him.

“You were a fantastic musician and humble like few, but above all, you were a wonderful husband, brother, grandmother, and grand­

father,” they continued, as reported by a news outlet.

When ABBA took to the road for a series of sellout concerts across the world in 1979 and 1980, Lasse appeared on stage nightly with the legendary members, Benny Andersson, An­

ni ­ Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog, and Björn Ulvaeus.

Lasse featured on no less than 24 of the group’s studio recordings as well as every one of their eight albums. He was also involved with the 2021 album ‘Voyager’.

Deportation delayed

THE temporary reprieve granted to Kathleen Poole, a 74 ­ year ­ old British grandmother with Alzheimer’s who was facing deportation from Sweden, has been met with relief from her family and the community.

On hearing the announcement of a pause on her deportation order on Thursday, April 5, Kathleen’s family have renewed their pleas for a permanent solution to the widow’s residency woes.

Kathleen Poole, who has been living in a care home in Sweden for 10 years, was told to leave the country after her application to remain after Brexit was rejected. Although her removal has been put on hold until a new decision is made, her family remains fearful that the deportation could be ordered at any moment.

Despite being bedridden, having spent the last decade in a care home,

Poland’s pledge

Betty Henderson

POLAND has pledged to send more fighter jets to Ukraine as the country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, visited its westerly neighbour on Thursday, April 5.

and having no family in the UK, Kathleen’s application was rejected in September 2022. Her family has been left confused by the situation and has been seeking a resolution for more than a year now.

The family are currently exploring options including making a new application for a UK passport. Meanwhile, MP Hilary Benn has urged the UK foreign secretary, James Cleverly, to intervene.

During the visit, the Polish President, Andrzej Duda, promised to send his country’s remaining fleet of MiG­29 jets to Ukraine should they be required, demonstrating Poland’s unwavering support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. Duda also said that Russia must be punished for war crimes committed in Ukraine. In response, Zelensky expressed his gratitude for the support, which has been critical in Ukraine’s fight against Russia since the beginning of the conflict last year.

Tensions between Russia and the West continue to simmer, as Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western intelligence services of being involved in terrorist attacks on Russia. Putin provided no evidence to support his claims, but asserted that third countries and Western intelligence services had plans to sabotage and commit acts of terrorism against Russia. Meanwhile, the Polish Minister for Agriculture resigned on Thursday over an ongoing dispute and protests about cheap Ukrainian grain which has flooded the Polish market, slashing the value of Polish grain. An EU tax break on Ukrainian grain has exacerbated the issue.

Remaining measures lifted

CORONAVIRUS measures were finally lifted on Saturday, April 8, in Germany’s last federal state. As of April 8, there was no longer a requirement to wear masks nationwide, but, restrictions such as masks can still be imposed by the administration

of health facilities if they deem them necessary, as reported by a news source.

The news was welcomed by Marco Buschmann, the 45­year­old German Justice Minister. “The Corona measures massively interfered with everyday life and peo­

ple’s basic rights,” he told the news outlet. “After the long period of restrictions in everyday life for people in Germany, freedom is now the rule again.”

Now that the country has managed to successfully cope with the epidemic, the minister advocated the annulment of amendments to the Infection Protection Act that allowed restrictions on rights and freedoms in connection with the epidemiological situation.

However, the 60­year­old constitutional expert Volker Boehme­Neßler disagreed: “As long as Paragraph 28a is still in the law, it lurks menacingly in the background.” The regulation is the basis for all restrictions he pointed out: “including the tough lockdown measures.”

“We need exactly the freedom we had before Corona.

The lockdown paragraph was written into law for the corona pandemic ­ the pandemic is now over, so the paragraph must also be deleted again,” demanded Boehme­Neßler.

Crowds greeted Ukrainian President Zelensky as he met with the Polish President, Andrzej Duda across the border.

63% of Google searches are on mobile devices.

War crime justice

FRENCH judges ordered three top advisers to the Syrian President Bashar al­Assad to stand trial for their role in complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes in a court order signed on April 5.

The accused include Ali Mamlouk, head of security in the Ba’ath party, and intelligence officials Jamil Hassan, and Abdel Salam Mahmoud.

French prosecutors believe the trio is responsible for the deaths of Mazzen Dabbagh, a pedagogical adviser at the French school in Damascus,

A French court has launched an investigation.

and his son Patrick, who were arrested in 2013 and subjected to horrific torture that was “so intense that it killed them.”

The trial will be the first in

PRESS EUROPEAN

France directly directed at the Syrian regime, but not the first in Europe. In January 2022, a German court sentenced a former Syrian colonel, Anwar Raslan, to life in prison for crimes against humanity. While the accused are not expected to attend the trial or have lawyers represent them, French judges have taken the unprecedented decision of issuing international arrest warrants for them. The indictment was described as “historic” by the International Federation for Human Rights.

Catholic clampdown

THE Vatican City accused China of breaking a bilateral pact in an announcement made on April 4 after it appointed a new bishop to Shanghai, the largest Roman Catholic diocese in China.

The Holy See was reportedly informed of the decision to appoint Shen Bin as bishop of Shaghai several days ago, and the news has caused a stir in the Catholic community worldwide, who fear that the Chinese Communist Party may be trying to exercise greater power

DENMARK

Face the music

HEDGE fund trader Sanjay Shah, a British subject, will be extradited to Denmark, after a Dubai court threw out his final appeal. Shah, who was arrested in Dubai last June, is wanted in connection with an alleged €1.7 billion scam that helped companies defraud Denmark’s tax authorities.

THE NETHERLANDS

Beach stop

ALTHOUGH work on the station began in 2017, the Rotterdam metro made its first stop at the new halt on the Hoek van Holland beach only recently. The multimillion-euro station’s design takes into consideration its proximity to the sea, with specific measures protecting it against sand, wind, and salt.

within the church.

Meanwhile, the Vatican has said that the city’s auxiliary bishop, Ma Daqin, should administer the diocese, but he has been under house arrest since 2012 when he publicly rejected the ‘Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association’.

However, in a positive step between the Vatican and China, both sides have recognised the pope as the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church for the first time since the 1950s.

BELGIUM

Dearer food

BELGIUM’S government needed to freeze the prices of 100 basic products for three months to ensure people can afford to buy basic products, said consumer-protection organisation Test Achats. Groceries were 20 per cent dearer in March this year than they were in March 2022, Test Achats said.

GERMANY

Success story

RYYA ALSHEBL, a 29-year-old who fled Syria in 2015 and is now a German citizen, was elected mayor of Ostelsheim (Baden-Wurttemberg) with an overall majority and 55.4 per cent of the vote. Alshebl, who worked for the council in neighbouring Althengstett, described his campaign as “overwhelmingly positive.”

FRANCE

Official help

THE town of Denain in northern France is handing out €50 to every resident, regardless of income, in a bid to combat rising inflation and soaring food prices. This is the second consecutive year that the town council, statistically one of the poorest in the country, has run the scheme.

NORWAY

Salmon tax

SHARES in Norway’s salmon-farming industry plummeted last September after the government revealed plans to tax the industry, the country’s largest source of national income. Six months later the government said it still would press ahead with a 25 per cent tax on the sector’s biggest producers.

FINLAND

Be prepared

FINLAND’S Ministry of Defence announced in early April that the country intended to spend €316 million of acquiring the David’s Sling long range missile defence system from Israeli armaments firm, Rafael. The official announcement arrived a day after Finland was accepted into NATO.

IRELAND

Pro-choice

IRELAND’S Health minister Stephen Donnelly, announced that 8,500 pregnancy terminations were carried out in the country last year. Abortion was legalised in Ireland in January 2019 after a referendum held in May 2018 in which voters repealed the pro-life Eighth Amendment from the Irish constitution.

ITALY

Free speech

FRATELLI D’ITALIA (Brothers of Italy), the right-wing party led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, proposed a new law to “defend and promote” the Italian language by penalising the use of English and other foreign words in official communications. Transgressors would risk fines of between €5,000 and €100,000.

PORTUGAL Polly stops play

A PORTUGUESE youth league match between the Estoril and Estrela da Amador teams was interrupted for several minutes when a parrot invaded the football pitch. Two men ran onto the field and used their jackets to try to catch the parrot which evaded them each time before finally deciding to fly off.

UKRAINE

Sleep well

UKRAINE therapists have received training from British psychologist Dr Justin Havens in helping those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) nightmares. He wanted to support people in Ukraine who suffered “a double trauma” during the day and in their dreams at night, Dr Havens said.

SWEDEN

U-turn

SWEDEN, formerly a pioneer in LGBTQ rights, has for the last year begun restricting genderaffirming hormone therapy for minors, which is now allowed only in very rare cases. In December 2022 it also limited mastectomies for teenage girls wanting to transition, citing the need for “caution.”

STAT OF WEEK €22.8 billion

was added to the personal fortune of Amancio Ortega, founder and principal shareholder of Inditex last year, thanks to the increased value of shares in parent company Zara.

BUSINESS EXTRA No energy FINANCE

Going down

SPAIN’S Industrial Production Index (IPI) fell by 0.8 per cent in February compared with February 2022. This was 2.2 points lower than in January, the National Statistics Institute (INE) announced on April 5, marking a return to negative year­on­year rates following January’s 1.2 per cent rise.

What goes up

TESCO chairman John Allan told a BBC interviewer that he could not forecast when food prices would peak. He countered claims that Tesco took advantage of higher prices to make bigger profits and said the supermarket chain’s 4p (€0.045 cents) in the pound margin was “slender” compared to other industries.

Time out

UNDER Spain’s recentlypassed Family Law, new parents may now take eight weeks’ leave, confirmed junior Employment Minister Joaquin Perez. Following pressure from the EU, the leave, which can be taken in one block or partially at any time until the child has reached the age of eight, will be paid.

Doing well

BANCO SANTANDER loans increased by 4 per cent so far this year and deposits by 6 per cent, executive chairwoman Ana Botin told shareholders. The bank was seeing a double­digit increase in earnings compared with the same period last year and had gained another million clients, Botin said.

Banks blanked

INSIDERS revealed that 4,000 of the UK’s 5,500 high street bank and building society branches could close between now and late 2024 as the sector refashions its services. Opening hours and, counter services will be drastically reduced and customers encouraged to use in­branch ATMs and machines, they predicted.

Brussels’ Orange alert

THE planned €18.6 billion merger between Orange and MasMovil can expect scrutiny from Brussels.

The European Union’s Competition Commission, headed by Magrethe Vestager, is launching an in­depth investigation that will assess all aspects of the Orange­MasMovil merger.

“The Commission is concerned that the transaction may reduce competition in the retail supply of mobile and fixed broadband services as well as of multiple­play bundles in Spain,” a Commission statement said.

Orange and MasMovil are respectively the second and fourth largest operators both at retail and wholesale level for fixed broadband and mobile services in Spain, the Com­

mission pointed out, citing Telefonica, Vodafone, Orange, and MasMovil.

“There are also several mobile and fixed virtual network operators which use these operators’ infrastructure to offer mobile and fixed telecoms services to their consumers,” the release continued.

The Commission concluded that by

reducing the number of Spain’s network operators, the merger would also eliminate “innovative and significant rivals” which could then lead to higher prices and lower­quality telecom services for customers.

Once merged, Orange and MasMovil would have “the ability and the incentive” to restrict virtual operators’ access to the wholesale mobile network, the Commission said.

“This could reduce the ability of such operators to compete, and in turn lead to higher prices and lower quality of services for end customers in Spain.”

The Competition Commission now has 90 working days, until August 21, to come to a decision.

Long drawn-out privatisation

THE UK government has given itself more time to gradually sell off its holding in NatWest. The rescue of the former Royal Bank of Scotland Group cost the taxpayer approximately £46 billion (€53.4 billion) when the government acquired an 80 per cent stake in 2008.

UK Government Investments (UKGI), which manages the holding on behalf of the Treasury, revealed that the scheme to reduce its NatWest Group holding, announced in mid­2021 and

Worst award

MEMBERS of the consumer group FACUA have chosen CaixaBank as Spain’s Worst Company of the Year in 2022.

In the annual poll that was held between March 15 and 30 this year, 39 per cent of FACUA members put CaixaBank at the top of their list.

CaixaBank won the dubious honour on several counts, which included failing to return all of the excess fee that was erroneously charged on mortgage agreements. Interest on loans was described as “usury”, commissions were condemned as “abusive” while the bank was also criticised for refusing to return sums lost to phishing and smishing scams.

originally due to be completed by mid­August 2023, would continue until 2025. The government’s stake fell from 54.7 per cent to 41.5 per cent between 2021 and 2023.

Doubts have been raised

as to whether the UK government will be able meet its self­imposed 2026 deadline to fully privatise the bank, approximately 18 years after coming to its rescue during the financial crisis.

The government gave no reason for the extension to its trading plan but the decision was made in what has been a turbulent period for large banks, including NatWest, all of which were affected by the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank in March, followed by the

Down to earth

SIR RICHARD BRANSON’S Virgin Orbit filed for bankruptcy protection in the US after last­minute attempts to find funding for the struggling space firm came to nothing.

Its share price dropped 17 per cent to a new record low the same day, valuing the company at less than $60 million (€54.8 million), more than 95 per cent below its $3.5 billion (€3.2 billion) peak in January last year.

In January, when Virgin Orbit unsuccessfully attempted to launch the first­ever satellite from British soil, Branson’s LauncherOne rocket reached space but fell short of reaching its target orbit.

The mission was hailed as a milestone for UK space exploration and was intended to represent a leap forward in converting Britain into a world player, from manufacturing satellites to building rockets and creating spaceports.

THOUSANDS of small UK businesses said they risked bankruptcy now that the government’s energy support scheme has ended.

Companies prepare for huge increases as support for nonhousehold power bills comes to a close and fixed rate deals terminate.

Their combined impact means that bills for many companies could soar by up to 133 per cent, according to Cornwall Insight, which provides energy market intelligence and analysis.

The hospitality industry, still recovering from the pandemic, could be particularly hard­hit, with one publican admitting that he might consider selling his pub to a developer who wants to convert the building into apartments.

forced rescue of Credit Suisse by its Swiss rival, UBS.

“The recent banking sector turmoil has sent shares in NatWest down by more than 10 per cent over the past month,” Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor, pointed out to the Guardian. “This complicates the picture for the government which is trying to offload its stake at a time when investors are feeling nervous towards the sector,” she said.

Seat near the top

CAR manufacturer Seat is reaping the benefits of an improved supply of chips.

The Spanish company was particularly affected by the semiconductor shortage because the Volkswagen Group, to which it belongs, had consistently allocated chips to its most profitable firms.

SEAT has now seen its registrations rise 52.1 per cent to 18,040 units during the first quarter of 2023, boosting it to second place behind Toyota with 20,749 registrations. As a result Seat is once again jostling for a top position in the Spanish market after a grim 2022 when its domestic sales fell 30.2 per cent, after enjoying four years as Spain’s most­sold make.

Outside view

SPEAKING recently in Barcelona, Professor Paul De Grauwe from the London School of Economics said the EU was better off since Brexit.

Had the British remained, it would never have been possible to launch the Next Generation Funds introduced to offset the effects of the pandemic, De Grauwe told the Cercle d’Economia business forum.

“Let’s be realistic, the British would have been opposed to it,” he said.

“The reason they were in the EU wasn’t to strengthen it, but to weaken it from inside. That’s been their strategy for centuries.”

Moving off

OKYO PHARMA has applied to delist from the London Stock Exchange. The departure of the pharmaceutical company, which specialises in medication for ocular diseases, was seen in the City as another blow to London’s reputation as an international financial centre. The decision was prompted by the expense of ‘negligible’ trading on the main market, the ophthalmology drug developer told its investors. Okyo also reassured shareholders that the move would not affect its American Okyo Pharma Depositary Shares, which trade on the New Yorkbased Nasdaq exchange.

Magrethe Vestager: Heads the EU’s Competition Commission.

NATWEST: Due to be fully privatised by 2026.

Photo credit: CC/European Parliament Photo credit: Flickr/Emily Alexander

DOW JONES

BUSINESS EXTRA

Picture that

CINEWORLD will seek new funding as it announced having dropped plans to sell its US, UK and Ireland businesses after failing to find a buyer. The world’s largest cinema chain said it had struck a $2.26 billion (€1.9) deal with lenders to restructure its substantial debt and exit bankruptcy.

Gender gap

SPAIN’S National High Court in Madrid voiced gender discrimination concerns since cabin crew, 94 per cent of whom are female, receive lower travel expenses than pilots. Air Nostrum rejected employees’ claims, arguing that the groups were governed by different collective agreements and “did not perform work of equal value.”

A bite of the apple

APPLE’S principal subsidiary in Ireland, Apple Operations International Ltd, paid €7.7 billion in corporation tax last year.

At the same time, the company paid out $20.7 billion (€19 billion) in dividends to its California parent company, after reporting more than €63.5 billion in profits, a 2 per cent increase on 2021.

This meant the Cork­based company and its subsidiaries delivered a daily pre ­ tax €173.6 million over the 12 months to September 24 last year. Annual revenues rose

by $11.7 billion (€10.72 billion) to $223 billion (€207.92 billion).

It remains unclear which governments received the Irish company’s taxes, which

Outlook cloudy for many

FEW of Spain’s self­employed have noticed an improvement in their economic situation. This was the same or worse than a year ago, they said.

A survey by the Spanish Association of Self­employed Workers (ATA) found that, compared with the first quarter of 2022, their finances had improved for only 21 per cent of the self­employed.

It had remained the same for 46 per cent of Spain’s ‘autonomos’ while a further 33 per cent of participants in the poll maintained that their situation was now worse. Meanwhile, only 20 per cent believed their business interests would improve in the coming months, while 70 per cent calculated that it would remain the same or could even deteriorate.

Legitimate decision

amounted to 11 per cent of profits. Ireland charges a 12.5 per cent corporation tax rate, which would have resulted in a bill worth $8.7 billion (€7.9 billion)

Including deferred tax charges, Apple Operations International paid a total tax bill of $11 billion (€10.1 billion) for the period in question.

Apple has been present in Ireland since 198, currently employing approximately 56,600 staff, 6,000 of whom are based in Ireland.

In 2020, the European Commission ordered the Cupertino (California) technology company to pay a record €13 billion in back taxes to Ireland, on the grounds that it benefited from a sweetheart tax deal.

This amounted to illegal state aid between 2003 and 2014, Brussels said, enabling Apple to pay a maximum tax rate of just 1 per cent and as low as 0.005 per cent in 2014.

THE UK’s largest insurance broker warned of impending disaster if the industry had to pay claims arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The sector was not designed as a ‘backstop’ for the costs of war, David Howden, CEO of the Howden Group, told the Sunday Telegraph. “We’d all go bankrupt,” he maintained.

Howden’s comments came as the owners of approximately 500 commercial aircraft seized by Russia shortly after the invasion prepared to sue Lloyd’s of London insurers who refused to pay out around £8 billion (€9.12 billion).

Their decision not to pay up was legitimate, Howden argued. War had never been something covered by insurance, he said.

There was not enough capital in the insurance market to cover the impact of the conflict, he said.

“If policies were expanded the government would need to bail out bankrupt insurers,” Howden added.

APPLE: Irish subsidiary made €63.5 billion in 2022

Photo credit: Apple

Too much

RIO TINTO, which has raised its chief executive’s pay by 70 per cent, now faces a rebellion from shareholders at the next meeting. Jakob Stausholm took home £4.8 million (€5.48 billion) in 2022 after the FTSE100 mining giant made record profits on the back of soaring commodity prices.

Going down

SPAIN’S Industrial Production Index (IPI) fell by 0.8 per cent in February compared with February 2022. This was 2.2 points lower than in January, the National Statistics Institute (INE) announced on April 5, marking a return to negative year­onyear rates following January’s 1.2 per cent rise.

Holding on

MORRISONS said that cutting £700 million (€800 million) in costs over the next three years would allow it to reduce prices during the squeeze on consumer spending. The supermarket chain also announced a 0.1 per cent increase in samestore sales during the three months to the end of January.

RIP Josep Pique

JOSEP PIQUE, a Catalan politician, economist and businessman who headed several ministries between 1996 and 2003 during the governments of Jose Maria Aznar, died on April 6 in a Madrid hospital. The former president of Vueling, who was 68, had been suffering from cancer for some time.

Online flatline

UK customers return £7 billion (approximately €8 billion) of internet purchases each year, while more than a fifth of all clothes bought online are sent back. Increased returns owing to the cost of living crisis, were responsible for Boohoo’s 94 per cent slump in pre­tax profits, the retailer said.

It’s a tough job

Linda Hall

FOUR out of five UK companies and organisations still pay male employees more than females.

An analysis of the government’s report on wage inequality by the Guardian found an average pay gap of 9.4 per cent, the same level as in 2017­2018 when employers first had to publish this information.

The public sector’s gap has remained larger at 15.1 per cent compared with 8 per cent in the private sector. Both are similar to last year’s figures, the analysts found.

In practically half of companies and public bodies, males earned at least 10 per cent more than their female counterparts. In contrast, women

earned 10 per cent more than men in only 3 per cent of companies. Meanwhile, new research has found that women wanting to advance their careers must provide more evidence of their skills to reach leadership posts.

Alexandra Niessen­Ruenzi, head of

The next thing

the department of Corporate Governance at the University of Mannheim Business School (UMBS), and PhD candidate, Leah Zimmer, analysed the biographic details of 103,461 male and female directors.

Focusing on observable signals of professional and educational qualifications, plus past professional experience, the investigators established that women were consistently required to provide more observable skill signals. This was because employers found it harder to judge their unobservable qualifications for leadership, including emotional intelligence, communication skills, creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability, they said.

Chatting up Vodafone

BRITISH telecoms group

Vodafone has been approached by potential buyers for the operator’s business in Spain, market sources revealed.

While not officially seeking a sale, Vodafone would allegedly consider an offer if the price were right, added the same sources who were recently quoted in the Spanish media.

The company’s Spanish operation is estimated to be worth around €3.6 billion but although discussions are said to be ongoing it is not a foregone conclusion that these will result in a sale and Vodafone has declined to comment on the rumours.

Between 2018 and 2022, Vodafone saw its Spanish earnings dwindle by 16 per cent to approximately €4.2 billion and the company’s share of the Spanish market has undeniably gradually shrunk as it has had to face competition from Telefonica, Frances Orange and MasMovil.

Vodafone’s former CEO Nick Read, whose departure was announced last December, earlier failed to pull off the mergers and acquisitions that might have produced more competitive players.

Instead the company was completely outma ­

MOSCOW has approved the sale of Inditex’s business operation in Russia to the Daher group, which owns the Dubai Mall shopping centre. The Spanish fashion chain originally announced that the sale would affect 514 shops in Russia which had provided work for more than 9,000 employees. Nevertheless, Inditex explained when presenting its 2022 results

noeuvred when the proposed Orange ­ MasMovil merger was announced in July 2022.

In the meantime, Read’s successor, Margherita Della Valle has downgraded Spain ­ previously one of Vodafone’s principal markets ­ to a smaller group of lesser operations like Ireland or Greece.

Inditex exit

that only 245 shops would finally be affected by the sale, which was announced in October while still awaiting the Russian government’s definitive agreement. Inditex reported that it had lost €840 million on its Russia investment totalling €1.02 billion, with the €183 million difference

REPORTING a record annual profit of £870 million (€994.65 million, Next announced that it expected to raise prices more slowly as inflation eased.

The company’s profits rose by 5.7 per cent in the year that ended on January 31, while its total sales from trading of £5.1 billion (€5.8 billion) were 8.4 per cent up on the previous year.

The clothing and homeware retailer also warned that 2023 would be “very challenging” as its customers coped with the cost of living crisis.

In consequence Next said that sales were forecast to fall by 1.5 per cent, while it also foresaw that profits would drop back.

Real & unreal

corresponding to the sale of its shops via the recentlyauthorised operation.

According to an October 2022 report by the online specialist publication, Retail Detail, the Doher real estate group also owns the Inditex franchise rights in the Middle East and North Africa.

Saga losses multiply

SAGA’S losses soared last year amid stiff competition and regulatory changes affecting its insurance division.

Losses for the firm, which offers insurance, holidays and cruises to the over­50s, shot up to £259.2 million (€296.5 million) for the year that ended in January 2023, compared to £23.5 million (€26.9 million) in January 2022.

During the first six months of 2022 Saga took a £269 million (€307.6 million) good­

will charge after insurance sales dropped in the wake of Financial Conduct Authority rules. These were aimed ‘price walking’ where new customers pay less for the same services.

At the same time Kent­based Saga also reported returning to an underlying pre­tax profit of £21.5 milion (€24.6 million) owing to an upturn in overseas travel, which reduced losses in the firm’s cruise and travel divisions.

DEPARTMENT FOR

WORK AND PENSIONS (DWP) statistics revealed that 8.8 million UK residents earned more than £1,000 (€1,143) a week during the year ending in March 2022.

In real terms the average household income after housing costs was a weekly £565 (€645) ­ approximately £29,500 (€33,722) a year ­ according to the DWP figures.

The department’s statistics also showed that median incomes were 1.2 per cent, or £7 (€8) a week lower in real terms than when these were at their peak in the 12 months ending in March 2020.

More clout

IBERDROLA has sold 78 per cent of its Mexican business interests to one of the country’s publiclyowned companies for €5 billion. The sale follows regulatory problems ­ and what were described as confrontations ­ with Mexico’s president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The move will give the energy giant more financial clout and fits in with growth plans for networks and renewables in the United States and Europe.

It will also improve debt ratios while strengthening the company’s financial positioning, the group’s Chief Financial Officer, JoseSainz, said.

PAY GAP: Women have to work harder for less.

Photo credit: Pixabay/David Mark

VODAFONE: Share of Spanish market has shrunk.

Photo credit: Vodafone

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

I’VE never had much respect for politi‐cians. Back in the 60s I witnessed a number of the ‘Old Boys’ club mem‐bers with their trousers down, both metaphorically and in reality. Well I re‐member a prominent London MP rushing up to me at a Chelsea party.

Clad in a string vest and very ques‐tionable Y Fronts, he implored me to ‘take over upstairs’. Apparently the nu‐bile and extremely eminent London agent he was cavorting with had be‐come rather too much for him. I didn’t accept his offer I may add!

Another told me he thought smok‐ing marihuana was ‘such fun!’ No I’m afraid politicians in general have never impressed me much. Boris and Party‐Gate was a mere bagatelle!

There is one overriding problem with the elder male occupants of the Westminster power corridors. The ma‐jority went to public school. These male dominated institutions meant that its students never really learned to mix with the female of the species. Their only experiences with the oppo‐site sex were annual school dances and over bearing Nannies. This accom‐

Seeing the light

panied by the odd fondle of the slightly more promiscuous young ladies from the local ‘St Trinian’s’, left women re‐duced to nothing more than subjects of locker room humour and ribald ban‐ter in the dorms.

The outcome of this attitude, result‐ed in the total absence of respect for those of a gender they considered not only mere objects of sexual titillation, but also intellectually inferior and sub‐sequently had no important standing in the male dominated corridors of their future political ambitions.

Most of these elder statesmen on the benches fall into this category and still consider Westminster nothing more than an extension of their public school education and debating soci‐eties. As attitudes change, and more and more women are elected into the house, (over 50 per cent of the Labour party) these ex‐public schoolboys are slowly becoming the dinosaurs of the political arena.

Frankly, apart from serious offences, consistently raking up ancient knee brushings and somewhat innocuous schoolboys sexist innuendoes is a com‐plete waste of time and energy. (You

listening Ms Rayner!?)

Time to get back to more serious is‐sues, like running the country for ex‐ample! Thank the Lord the Labour Par‐ty has actually seen the light. At least they can use their female membership numbers against the Conservatives mere 24 per cent. Yet another weapon in their armoury of schemes and skull‐duggery to keep the government on the back foot till the next General Elec‐tion!

Picked up a lovely piece of terminol‐ogy in the news this week. ‘Non erotic cognitive distraction’. This is the condi‐tion of ladies having their moment of intense sexual arousal being spoiled by suddenly remembering they didn’t pay the milkman, or something of that ilk. Apparently sufferers of this unfortu‐nate malady are encouraged to ‘stay in the moment’. The moment? Personal‐ly I would recommend a change of partner!

Keep

the faith

Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com

LeapyLee’sopinionsarehisownandarenotnecessarilyrepresentativeofthoseofthepublishers,advertisersorsponsors.

AT LIBERTY SEGUROS they know how important it is for you to re‐ceive personalised attention and quality service tailored to your in‐dividual needs.

Thanks to more than 200 dedi‐cated expat Brokers and Agents all over Spain who really understand your needs and speak your lan ‐guage, you will be able to receive a more bespoke, more agile and more tailored service, with first‐hand expert advice ‐ whether in person or by phone, email or WhatsApp.

They will not only recommend the most appropriate insurance for your current circumstances, but will also talk to you about the dif‐ferent covers that you can take out. Many coverages go unnoticed or are simply not asked about be‐cause it can be assummed that they will make the policy much more expensive; but this is not al‐ways the case.

In addition, whether you need to make a claim or want to modify or clarify a point in your policy, you can always speak directly with the

STRIKING OUT OUR VIEW

AT the time of writing, up to 60,000 junior doctors across the UK are striking for four days, delaying everything from routine appointments to vital cancer treatment.

Despite the obvious risks to health however, one poll found that 74 per cent of the British public supported the strike. Which begs the question, just how broken is the NHS that we support lives being put in danger ‐ by the very people who have taken an oath to do no harm ‐ to fix it?

It had always generally been accepted that doctors (par‐ticularly at the junior end) are overworked and underpaid. But the heavy weight that the pandemic put on those at the front line coupled with the resulting treatment back‐log and a cost of living crisis seem to have equalled a work environment for doctors that we can no longer accept.

Where did it all go so wrong though? Launched an as‐tonishing 75 years ago, the NHS brought universal health care to a population who, until then, may simply have died from a simple infection or injury because they could not afford to be treated.

The envy of the world for many years, the NHS also in‐spired many other great nations to roll out their own equivalents. We now regard free healthcare as one of the main marks of a civilised country.

Like anything though, a great concept only stays great if it moves with the times. And it’s fair to say that relying on a habitually underpaid, overworked workforce to simply put up and shut up forever is not a long term strategy.

Equally, with an ever growing population how long can we expect the NHS to roll on for without massive change before more wheels start to come off?

First-hand expert advice plus great offers… That’s

breaks down ‐ as standard, at no extra cost and book value plus 30 per cent compensation in case of total loss or theft for vehicles over four years old. Damages caused by collision with wild animals will be also covered, without the policy holder paying excess either.

take out a new Car, Home or Life policy with LIBERTY SEGUROS will receive €50 Cashback. Whilst this offer is not available for renewals or replacements, there’s no limit on the number of new policies that can be taken out per customer ‐and therefore, there’s no limit on cashback rewards.

With Home policies, LIBERTY SE‐GUROS offers extended cover for garden and terrace furniture, re‐pair of white goods and TVs and cover for jewellery outside the home. When it comes to Life poli‐cies, with LIBERTY SEGUROS you can also opt for Level Term Life In‐surance with no premium increase for 10 years, as well as internation‐al repatriation cover or cover for critical illness.

person that you dealt with in the firstplace; the person who knows your case and who will attend to you personally. For your Broker or Agent, you will never be a case number or just another client!

What’s more, LIBERTY SEGUROS looks to always make things that bit better with fantastic offers for both existing and new customers. From now up until June 27, 2023, both new and existing clients who

There are many advantages of relying on a reputable insurer such as LIBERTY SEGUROS, which has high quality products that can be fully customised to your needs and at very affordable prices.

There’s more; you can get a courtesy car ‐ even if your vehicle

It’s not hard to understand why LIBERTY SEGUROS has become in the preferred expat insurer in Spain with over 150,000 interna‐tional clients.

With this in mind, there couldn’t be a better time to switch to LIBER‐TY SEGUROS for even greater sav‐ings with the very best cover for all your main insurances.

LIBERTY SEGUROS: The preferred expat insurer in Spain.

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

A RECENT report moves the spotlight on to the fire and rescue services just after the Met was found guilty as charged of institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia in a similarly condemnatory report that showed public confidence in the force at rock bottom.

According to this latest scathing review, there may be ‘predators’ like Wayne Couzens lurking in the fire service’s shadows as the toxic culture uncovered was ‘just the tip of the iceberg’. Examples of this ‘hotbed of racism, misogyny and homophobia’ included firefighters acting out a rape, expecting women to make tea and viewing racist language as ‘having a laugh’.

A ‘hotbed of racism, misogyny and homophobia’: seriously? Then we read that ‘some’ examples of unacceptable conduct were found in only 11 of the 44 fire services. But, we are assured, this ‘could be’ the ‘tip of an iceberg’. So, no evidence was found in 33 out 44 services.

How on earth is that rampant? More likely it ‘could be’ a report determined to trash the reputation of the entire fire service. And yet another lesson in how to de­

Which will be trashed next?

ridiculous. There seems to be a growing appetite to label all our public services as racist, homophobic and sexist. Largely, it would seem, from those who like to feel morally superior while sitting safely behind their desks. God forbid they actually get out of their chairs and contemplate putting their own safety at risk for others (remember Grenfell?). And then they wonder why these services struggle to recruit and retain good people!

All our public services are being attacked one after another by the same band of people. It has to be stopped. This is a total waste of public money pandering to the politically correct and woke movement. Who next?

moralise the vast majority of firefighters, police officers etc who are honest and do a hard job very well.

Which British institution is going to be trashed next week? This is getting beyond

Thank the Borgias

LINDA HALL

SPAIN has had three or four popes, depending on whether or not you include the antipope Benedict XIII or Papa Luna (1328­1423), born in Peñiscola (Castellon).

Little attention is paid to Damasus I, born around 304AD, whose Spanish parents might or might not have lived in Spain. That leaves the Borgias, Callixtus III (1378­1458) and Alexander VI (1431 ­ 1503) whose family name was Borja.

They were two Valencian boys done good who didn’t have a good press then and whose mention today still brings to mind corruption, ill ­ gained wealth, poison and incest. Both were born in Xativa and met hostility and distrust in Rome, prompting grumbles that more Valenciano was heard in the Vatican corridors than Latin or Italian.

Ultimately, though, the Italians owe a huge culinary debt to the Borjas because they took with them the coca which Valencianos will tell you evolved into Italian pizza.

Admitted, the cocas you see in bakeries or those that emerge from a home cook’s oven have little in common with the cheese ­ heavy, sauceladen pizzas we have come to expect outside Italy.

Traditional cocas are more austere and the base ­ which at its best is light and airy but substantial ­ will be dotted with sparing amounts of sausage, chorizo, a sardine or an anchovy if you’re lucky, plus modest additions of red and green peppers.

To someone who has never tried one, a word of warning: you will either like or hate it. Naturally, this depends on the part of Spain where you are eating and buying coca, but newly ­ rich Mediterranean areas haven’t yet forgotten frugality.

Interestingly, Valencianos who emigrated to work in Algeria in the 19th and early 20th centuries took their cocas with them. Possibly it was not entirely a coincidence that the first time I ate pizza was in Benidorm in 1972 in a newly ­ opened Italian restaurant that was owned and run by an Algerian couple.

I think the Borgias would approve of that.

Firstly, firefighters do a difficult and dangerous job ­ nobody doubts this. Nobody says otherwise. Firefighters demonstrate bravery, courage, self sacrifice etc. They can be, and frequently are, saints, but that is not a job requirement. The willingness to run towards a fire when everyone else is running away, and to keep returning until everyone inside has been rescued and the fire extinguished, as well as a technical insight into controlling fires from different sources, are the primary characteristics. We are fortunate that such men and women exist and put their lives on the line for us. They may not always behave as squeaky­clean choristers, but they get the job done.

First it’s the Met, now it’s the fire and rescue services throughout Britain. Where will other revelations of racism, misogyny and bullying in sordid corners of British society be exposed next? The NHS? The Coastguard? The Monarchy?

Good grief, are the justices of self­righteousness making it their mission to denounce every last British public service as ‘hotbeds’ of bad behaviour? How profoundly demotivating for the many fine staff members in all our emergency services.

How I love being told who to dislike every week! Who do I get to hate next week?

Nora Johnson’s 12 critically acclaimed psychological suspense crime thrillers (www.nora­johnson.net) all available online including eBooks (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, audiobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.

Supporting those in distress

THE British Benevolent Fund was founded over a century ago to provide assistance to Britons in Spain facing extreme financial hardship.

Financial difficulties is something most people face in their lives and whilst challenging can be overcome with thought and planning. Both of these are almost impossible when the person has mental illness where making the right decision is difficult and where holding down a job is even more so.

In the case of John, a 34­yearold single British man who lived in Spain, having moved with his parents from the UK when they retired. His condition was such that social interaction caused distress and he lived in his room and his parents looked after him ­ he had never worked and relied on his parents for food, lodging and all life’s necessities.

Except that they could not cope ­ they lived modestly off a small pension and had little to spare for their grown forever at home child who required constant attention ­ and medication. Then came Brexit and the realisation that the social service

support, medical cover and local help was at risk as they had never registered as residents ­ and were no longer eligible.

They got in touch with a local charity for support to apply belatedly which would take some time to process ­ however they were confident that having been settled here before the deadline date they were still in with a chance.

But in the meantime, the medicine costs were now high and beyond their small means.

The charity ­ one of many at the Support in Spain website contacted the BBF to see if we could help.

The BBF mission is to support those in distress and with a child with needs we wanted to help. The issue for the BBF is that wherever possible we seek that any funds are used to overcome

a particular challenge ­ not ongoing support. In this this case all revolved around their chances of being approved ­ which if they were not would mean an unsustainable situation in Spain.

We agreed to provide a grant to cover the following six months of medicine costs which would be reviewed depending on the outcome of their application.

Thankfully within three they were given the green light and their application was approved meaning that all state support would be available as well as that they would be able to continue living in Spain.

The BBF can only help with your help. If you would like to support our mission for Britons in distress in Spain, please visit www.britishbenevolentfund.org

Thank you. Olaf Clayton, Chair BBF.

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

Nora’s latest thriller.

Noraistheauthorofpopularpsychological suspenseandcrimethrillersandafreelancejournalist.

Olaf Clayton of BBF.

Hello Leapy LETTERS

Further to your article in EWN this week, I presume that you are referring to Shoiba beach. I worked (for my sins) at the National Guard King Khalid Hospital in Jeddah from 1982 to 1984. When we first went to Shoiba as a BSAC dive group it was virgin, totally unspoilt. I went back in 1989 when the ragheads had found it and it was disgusting. Nappies, tin cans, rubbish everywhere. Ugh!!

Having said that, the diving in the early days was unbelievable! Probably the best in the world!

I attach some old photos for your interest. It was me who got the bus stuck in the sand!!

Best regards

Max Kite

Dear EWN

Just seen the article you posted about my art exhibition. Very grateful to you, as always. Happy Easter to all at Euro Weekly News.

Regards

Margaret Riordan x

Hi Bill

Bill took great care to avoid mentioning Nicola Sturgeon’s husband’s criminal activity; of course she will deny any knowledge of it and continue to bang on about Scotland’s ‘Independence’.

Leaving Britain and joining the EU is NOT independence.

Good article about Semana Santa though Bill.

Yours sincerely,

Brian Johnston Benalmadena

Editor , please let me know if you still require our NIE and address etc in order to make a comment !

Yes I am from Scottish heritage ­ the Johnston clan in Dumfries !

Dear EWN

I recently had my teeth whitened by a dentist in Fuengirola at a cost of €150. Whilst there was no guarantee that it would be permanent. I was very disappointed with the results. I was advised to eat only white foods and no coloured drinks for three days, which I did. The results were far from white. Just to let people know before they part with any money to get a guarantee. I did go back to complain but was told that at my age what do you expect. I am 83. I should have been told that in the first place and I would not have had it done. I gave since used a toothpaste whitener with better results for €4.00.

Yours, Mary

Dear all,

Lux Mundi Torre del Mar would like to thank you for the excellent coverage you have provided in this week’s issue. Best wishes to you all ,hope you had a good Easter.

Kind regards,

Patricia Rothwell

Hi Leapy

I am very sorry Leapy but I am going to hold you responsible for the state the world finds itself in.

Over 30 years ago I agreed with everything you said and asked you to take up the challenge and lead the world to a better future. You refused this challenge when you were obviously the only person that was talking any sense, and making your views known.

I am shocked and bewildered every day by the decisions our world leaders make, and feel so sorry that we are leaving our grandchildren such a catastrophic mess to deal with. Thank you for agreeing with me on most subjects and it is good to know there is someone else out there with some common sense.

Keep up the good work.

Dangerous dogs

Kind regards,

T Wiggins

All these predatory breeds should be banned and current owners identified and told to surrender the dogs to the RSPCA. It’s time to get tough and protect ourselves and our families from people who feel the need to own these animals. Dog licences should be obligatory and priced to ensure that only genuine dog lovers can apply to keep a dog.

Alan

Big game

All endangered species are carefully watched by thousands of scientists, vets, field officers, ecologists, rangers and other professionals. You cannot hunt endangered animals and still get a hunting permit and import permits. The Southern Giraffe is the most numerous trophy ­ there are 30,000 and ranchers can raise as many as the market demands. They are not endangered. With rhinos, some private rhinos are offered for hunts in order to raise funds for protecting the rest, while wild rhino hunts are restricted to older males who deny younger, more virile bulls access to the cows.

The whole subject is far too complex and important to listen to deceptive emotionalism from HSUS/ HSI, an organisation that collects $200 million per year but little of it gets to save the wildlife of Africa.

John Nash

PETS

Caring for Nellie and Maisie

MANY of our pet owners find trusted pet ­ sitters through our network because the pets love the company. Nellie and Maisie have dog­sitter Chloe to care for them while their owner is away on holiday. This collaborative arrangement suits everyone perfectly. If you are planning a trip later this year, register now to find pet­sitters in time. Even if it’s just a short trip, you’ll know that sometimes you just have to leave pets at home. Young and senior pets in particular benefit from staying in their own home, so they can follow their routines undisturbed. Let us help. Choose Housesitmatch. com for affordable travel, home and pet care. These are the steps to take:

1. Register as a homeowner on HouseSitMatch.

com

2. Choose a Premium account (£89 per year) to ensure you can help online when needed

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

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

How does it work?

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable sitters. Join our network for a small annual fee. You get ID checked for safety and then build your advert saying when you are going on holiday. Housesitters see your advert, they respond and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets.

Trustpilot Testimonials ­

4.9 / 5 Excellent

10 out of 10 for housesit match.com

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

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

Please register online via our website www.Housesit match.com.

Do you need a housesitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and petsitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either housesitter or homeowner with a 50% discount using coupon code 20EWN – an exclusive offer for readers. To find a house pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com

SPAIN’S new Animal Welfare Law has been published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and the countdown to its entry into force on September 29 now begins. In the meantime, all guardians of dogs, cats, and other pets should inform themselves about the new legislation and make the necessary changes so as not to breach it

Can animals speak

SOME people say the best conversations they have are with their pets, they listen and sympathise with us, but here is the question do they understand us? Can we actually communicate with our pets?

The answer is yes. We communicate with our pets verbally and with facial expressions and gestures. Our pets then answer us with certain postures, and facial expressions, by barking and meowing, etc.. in fact, some animal experts have detected up to 21 different meows! Obviously, we cannot chat with animals in the same way we can with our friends and family, but it has certainly been proven we can understand each other

New Animal Welfare Law

when the time comes.

One of the rules brought about by this new legislation is the compulsory sterilisation of cats living in the home. It was announced a year ago that the new law would lead to greater sterilisation in general, but in the case of cats, it

has been accentuated.

This measure is driven by the data on pet abandonment in Spain that the Affinity Foundation prepares and presents each year. The latest report detailed that unwanted litters were the main reason for abandonment in our country in 2021 and the second in 2020.

This figure is related to litters of cats that are produced in an uncontrolled manner due to the lack of sterilisation and the freedom that many owners offer their animals to leave the home, despite how dangerous it can be for cats to wander around outdoors, as reported by a news source.

For this reason, one of the purposes of this law is the promotion of identification and sterilisation campaigns, responsible breeding and sale, among others. It is aimed at preventing animal abandonment and unwanted litters.

Article 26, concerning specific obligations with regard to pets, establishes that, in addition to identification by microchip, it will be compulsory to carry out: “the surgical sterilisation of all cats before the age of six months, except those registered in the identification register as breeding animals and in the name of a breeder registered in the Register of Pet Breeders.”

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

perfectly. Scientists have completed many studies to show that dogs can follow human communication. We all know that we can train a dog to follow certain demands like sitting, but a study also found that dogs interpret voices in the same part of their brain as we do. Not only that but it’s been shown that dogs use the left part of their brain to process the meaning of a word and the right side to interpret the tone of voice used also just like us and have been known to master words in the same manner as young human children.

So, feel free to continue chatting with your pets but maybe not in public!

Turtles perfect pets

IF you are considering the introduction of a new pet or even a child’s first pet, choosing the ideal type of animal is paramount. Turtles tend to be the perfect pets for children, especially as their first pets. They are an ideal starting point for children as turtles are easy to care for and so children can get involved with the tasks. Another plus point for turtles is their longevity, when cared for a turtle can be part of the family for a very long time.

A typical pet turtle can live

from 10 to 80 years ­ some have been known to live until 150 years of age!

Many studies show the benefits of children growing up with pets. Children tend to grow up happy, social, and more responsible. Turtles are a perfect first choice as they are undemanding and will be happy when they are cared for and well­fed. Children can get into a good routine helping to take care of and preparing them for possibly more complex pets in the future.

PET SPEAK: Dogs can follow words.

Chloe the dog-sitter loves dogs and here she’s looking after Nellie and Maisie.

Photo credit Shutterstock: William Fuller

BUY & SELL

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

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET? International Business Licences Available. Part Time. Home Based. Discover More. algar83@gmail. com (303148)

DRIVING SCHOOL

LEARN TO DRIVE IN MALLORCA . Scottish Driving Instructor now qualified to teach in Mallorca. Classes in English or Spanish. Obtain your Spanish licence easier or have refresher lessons and get behind that wheel. Interested? Call 648 133 929 (293102)

FOR SALE/WANTED

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

INSURANCE

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

MISCELLANEOUS

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

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.

Male/Female viagra, cialis, kamagra jelly, mixed trial packs available, all areas mail order. 604 385 476. viagra4you19@ gmail.com (294955)

FED UP PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR MOBILE PHONE CALLS? THEN CONTACT TELITEC TODAY. CALLS TO SPAIN 7C PER MINUTE INCLUDING MOBILES. CALLS TO UK 5.3C PER MINUTE. NO MONTHLY FEES, NO CONTRACT. WWW.TELITEC.COM TEL: 902 889 070 (2001)

Lexus ES300h Takumi - driving luxury

ROAD TEST

byMarkSlack

IT takes a lot of time, money and hard work to build a new brand, and many automotive giants have tried and failed over the years. One manufacturer who succeeded is Toyota, with their luxury brand Lexus. Launched in the UK back in 1990 with the LS400, early second hand models with large mileages still fetch surprisingly good money. It was a car that was never going to set your driving senses alight but used the best quality materials and engineering and was supremely refined.

Although style is very subjective Lexus models have become less conventional in their looks but continue to major on quality and reliability. The ES300 follows that theme with a drive train that’s

Decarb package

MEASURES have been announced to increase the use of electric vehicles, as well as the production of sustainable aviation fuel in the UK.

The UK government has now launched the £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund alongside an additional £15 million for the On­Street Residential Charging Scheme (ORCS).

Taken together, the funding will support the installation of tens of thousands of new chargers across the country, increasing EV infrastructure in every area and ensuring the UK’s charging network can support the increasing number of EV drivers.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Transport is one of the most important sectors for achieving net zero by 2050 and so we must accelerate our efforts to decarbonise how people get from A to B while growing our economy and supporting thousands of green jobs. From expanding our charging network to boosting production of cleaner aviation fuel, today’s announcement is a great stride forward.”

smooth, refined and economical, but not one to thrash across a twisting cross country road.

Priced from €45,561/ £40,000 the ES sits just below the largest Lexus offering, the LS, and has just one engine option of a 2.5 ­ litre four ­ cylinder petrol/ electric hybrid, mated to a CVT auto matic gear box. It’s a happier engineering union than a lot of CVT and double

Facts at a Glance

• Model: Lexus ES 300h Takumi

clutch transmissions. Changes are smooth and can be encouraged via flappy paddles. There’s a more noticeable rise in engine revs compared to

remain high until the speed catches up. However, being a Lexus, everything remains pretty refined and quiet.

above a sporting drive. It’s a car that doesn’t particularly entertain, but isn’t designed to in fairness. The comfort levels

the seats are heated and recline. Other standard fare in the Takumi models includes, in a very long list, a fantastic 17­speaker audio system, an electric rear sunblind, large multimedia screen, head ­ up display, powered tilt and slide sunroof, LED lights with cornering headlights and a veritable plethora of other comfort, convenience and safety features. The interior as a whole is a very nice and impressive place.

• Engine: 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol-electric hybrid

• Gears: CVT automatic

• Performance:0-100kmh (62mph) 8.9 seconds. •

Maximum Speed 180kmh (112mph)

• Economy:5.3l/100km(53.2mpg) combined driving-WLTP

• Emissions:120g/km-WLTP

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

The ES is at its best as a comfortable cruiser and definitely for drivers who value quality and comfort

feeling of quality wherever you look. The front seats have heating and cooling along with a substantial array of individual controls even in the rear where

At €64,202 / £56,365 the ES Takumi isn’t cheap but it offers a size and level of equipment that puts others to shame.

If you like your automotive luxury, and want to be wafted along, then the ES should be on your shopping list.

Corsa in space

SPACE, the final frontier.

FUEL PRICES: Have fallen for the fifth straight month.

Price drop

UK fuel prices fell for the fifth straight month in March with another penny coming off petrol and 4p off diesel, according to data from RAC Fuel Watch.

By the end of the month, a litre of unleaded was 146.5p (down from 147.56p) ­ a price last seen at the end of January 2022, while diesel was reduced to 162.94p (down from 167.06p) ­ its cheapest price since early March last year.

This means the price of petrol has fallen nearly 20p from 166p at the start of November, saving drivers almost £11 every time they fill up a 55­litre family car (£91.3 in November 2022 to £80.57 ­ March 31, 2023).

Diesel, however, has dropped 27.5p from 190.5p, saving drivers £15 a tank (£104.77 to £89.62).

While the diesel pump price reduction appears dramatic, the RAC believes it should have been far greater as its wholesale price was very similar to petrol for most of March.

In fact, diesel became cheaper than petrol on the wholesale market on March 23 and has stayed that way since.

With space tourism becoming increasingly likely, it is time to address the mobility needs of extraterrestrial exploration and Opel is once again pioneering this new era.

The Rüsselsheim ­ based brand has just released advanced information and images of its new space mobility concept: the Opel Corsa Moon II.

The brand with the Blitz will be the first mobility provider to start to offer tourism on the moon as of mid ­ decade, once again sticking to its credo of making innovations accessible to everyone.

Consequently, Opel’s lunar vehicle is based on the German brand’s best­selling battery­electric Corsae. The Corsa Moon II is equipped with space ­ age technologies to offer the optimum balance between ride comfort, reliability

SPACE TOURISM: Opel is pioneering this new era.

and moon driving performance.

Based on the extensive knowledge gathered with the 1997 Corsa Moon concept car, the Opel R&D team identified solar energy as one of the best options for powering a lunar vehicle.

Built ­ in solar cells effi ­

ciently will power the 500kWh battery of the Corsa Moon II in a sustainable way.

The Corsa Moon II can cover up to 7,000 km in the ULTP (Universe ­ wide harmonised Light­duty vehicles Test Procedure) cycle on a single charge of the battery.

LUXURY: The interior is a very nice place to be.

Ons fire

TENNIS’ World Number

five, Ons Jabeur, claimed her first title of the season with a stunning victory over Belinda Bencic at the Charleston Open on Sunday, April 9.

The Tunisian tennis superstar, who was the runner­up at both Wimbledon and the US Open in 2022, defeated the Swiss player in a thrilling 7­6 (86), 6­4 match that had the crowds on the edge of their seats.

Bencic, who was the defending champion, had to play two matches on Sunday, completing a rain­interrupted semi ­ final against Jessica Pegula before taking on Jabeur. But it was Jabeur’s day as she fought back from a breakdown in the first set before holding her nerve in the second to secure the title.

This was Jabeur’s fourth WTA title and second on clay. The Tunisian currently holds the most WTA victories on clay since 2020 with 37.

Jabeur’s victory comes after a difficult start to the season, which saw her struggle with injuries following her second­round exit from the Australian Open in January. But her win at the Charleston Open is a testament to her resilience and hard work. The victory is sure to boost her confidence as she looks ahead to the rest of the season.

Leicester City new manager

ENGLISH Premier League club Leicester City announced its new firstteam manager on Monday, April 10. Dean Smith will replace Brendan Rodgers who was fired on April 1 after four years in charge at the King Power Stadium.

The former Aston Villa and Norwich manager will take charge until the end of the season. He takes the reins with the Foxes languishing in the relegation zone and facing the dreaded drop into the Championship.

A statement from the club read: “Leicester City Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Dean Smith as the Club’s First Team Manager until the end of the 2022/23 season.

“The former Norwich City, Aston Villa, and Brentford manager will take charge of First Team training from Tuesday in preparation for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Manchester City.

“Smith brings a wealth of managerial experience and expertise to the role and, along with his coaching team, will be tasked with helping the Football Club retain its Premier League status as we head into the final eight games of the current

season.”

Speaking of his new appointment, Dean Smith said: “I’m really happy to have the opportunity to lead the team during these final weeks of the season. The challenge in front of us is clear, but it’s one myself and my coaching team have experienced before and, with the quality in this squad and the number of games remaining, it’s very much achievable.

“Our first job is to rebuild confidence and instil belief in the team

and I’m looking forward to getting to work with the players this week. Saturday will be a big test, but it’s the kind of occasion that reminds us all what it means to be a Premier League club, competing on the biggest stages against the best players in the world.

“I know we’ll be well supported by our travelling fans. We have to connect with them and give them a performance they can be proud of. We go there positive, looking for points.”

NEW MANAGER: At Leicester City’s King Power Stadium.

Credit: Google mapsLeicester City Football Club

Tunisia’s Jabeur beat Belinda Bencic in Charleston.

Photo credit: Ons Jabeur (via Instagram)

Spain’s Jon Rahm wins the 2023 Masters in Augusta, Georgia

SPAIN’S Jon Rahm won the 2023 Masters after holding off the challenge of American golfer Brooks Koepka.

Rahm turned things around on the final day of the 2023 Masters at the legendary Augusta National Golf Club to win his first­ever Masters tournament on Sunday, April 9.

American golfer Brooks Koepka led the field by two shots at the start of play. However, 28­year­old Rahm stunned his opponent by finishing on 12­under after carding a three­under last round of 69 to win by four shots and take the famous green jacket.

Koepka had to settle for second place, tying with the legendary Phil Mickelson. The 52­year­old American pulled out all the stops to finish on eight­under after a stunning seven­under round of 65. Further down the field, two previous champions, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, tied in sixth spot in this 87th edition of the event.

Scottie Scheffler, the defending 2022 Masters champion could only manage a disappointing finish of four under. The highest­placed player from Great Britain and Northern Ireland was England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, the current US Open champion.

Continuing a fine history of producing golfing champions, Rahm becomes the fourth Spaniard to win the prestigious golf tournament.

Quite fittingly, his victory came on what would have been the birthday of Seve Ballesteros, the two­time Masters champion in 1980 and 1983.

The other two Spanish golfers to win in Augusta were Sergio Garcia in 2017, and José María Olazábal who was victorious in both 1994 and 1999.

US Masters golf ball auctioned

A GOLF ball used by the legendary golfer Tiger Woods during the US Mas ters in 1997 sold on Sun day, April 9, for $64,124.40 (approx €58,723). During the final round of the tour nament at the world mous Augusta National Golf Club, the American star bogeyed the fifth hole. Woods subsequently gave his ball to Julian Nexsen, who was a nine year ­ old boy at the time. The player went on to win his historic first major that day, becoming the youngest player in history to win the famous golf tournament. In the process, Woods broke the previous record held by Jack Nicklaus by racking up a four ­ day score of 270, 18 under par.

On March 27, Nexsen put the ball up for auction with the Golden Age Auction

house. It started with an initial bid of $500 (approx €457.89) but its price

A spokesperson for the auction house said: “Unless Tiger himself or his caddie Fluff intentionally saved a ball from this historic final round (which we doubt), this may be the only confirmed golf ball from the final round of Tiger Woods’ first Major Championship victory.” Many might doubt the authenticity of this ball but the moment when Woods handed it to Mr Nexsen was forever captured in print the next day when the Washington Times ran it on its front page. It wrote: “After making his first bogey in 36 holes yesterday, Woods stopped on his way to the sixth tee to give a ball to nineyear ­ old Julian Nexsen of Greenville, SC.”

TIGER WOODS: His 1997 golf ball sold for €58,723.

Credit: Twitter@MalagaCF_en