Costa Blanca South 2 – 8 November 2023 Issue 2000

ILMAINEN

FRI

GRATIS

GRATIS

VRIJ

THE city of Alicante is set to launch its most exten­ sive promotional cam­ paign to date in the UK. The campaign aims to so­ lidify and boost the British market’s growth. It will coincide with the World Travel Market in London from November 6 to 8 and extend for a month, targeting London, Manch­ ester, Bristol, and Edin­ burgh.

The campaign, titled ‘Al­ icante City, where sum­ mer never ends,’ aims to strengthen their primary source market to attract more ‘city break’ and va­ cation tourists, capitalis­ ing on Alicante’s excellent air connectivity during the autumn and winter sea­ sons.

The campaign features a total of 175 city buses adorned with Alicante’s imagery and campaign slogan that will circulate

GRATUITO

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LIVRE

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CULTU-ART

THE CULTU-ARTE weekend held at Ermita Algorfa in Algorfa was a vibrant cultural spectacle. Over the weekend, the venue played host to a diverse range of events, offering something for everyone. Families joined a family yoga work­ shop, finding relaxation and togetherness. Arts and crafts workshops allowed participants to explore their creativity, while art exhibitions showcased local talent. There was also a patchwork workshop and a cupcake workshop.

There was an artisanal market featuring handcrafted de­ signs and later, the attendees enjoyed a retro­pop concert.

Children enjoyed bouncy castles and an array of activities.

Live music and dance shows added to the weekend’s charm.

Image: Shutterstock/ AlexDreamliner

UK SPOTLIGHT

FREI

Image: Algorfa Town Hall

FREE

Image: Alicante.es

Costa Blanca • Issue No. 2000 • 2 - 8 November 2023

Celebrating art and culture at CULTU-ARTE weekend.

CAMPAIGN: ‘Alicante City, where summer never ends’ takes over the UK!

in three British cities from November 6 to December 3. Specifically, 50 buses will roam London, Manch­ ester, and Edinburgh, with 25 more in Bristol.

Additionally, 123 digital

displays will be visible in central London, and cen­ tral Manchester. An ad will be published for two months in British Airways’ ‘High Life’ magazine. The British market accounts

for 23.36 per cent of hotel stays in Alicante according to the Alicante Provincial Hotel Association (APHA).

This reflects the increas­ ing interest of British tourists in the city.

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LOCAL NEWS

Cross school run

IN a spectacular event at Mercalicante, more than 600 runners participated in the 10th Cross School, IV Mile, and 5K races, setting a new record for participation. The event took place within the premises of the food cluster, where various circuits were designed for each age category, even incorporating the Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market.

High­profile figures, including Dolores Mejía, the General Director of Mercalicante, and city officials, added prestige to the occa­ sion. Aside from the competitive races, the event catered to families and children, offer­

ing workshops, games, and complimentary tastings. Additionally, a food collection drive supported the Alicante Food Bank. The suc­ cess of these races was made possible with the support of Alicante’s City Sports Council, the Educational Resource Centre for Con­ sumer Affairs, and various local organisa­ tions. The race results were impressive, with top finishers in the 5K and IV Mile races across multiple categories. The Cross School segment witnessed over 400 young partici­ pants, demonstrating the event’s inclusive and record­breaking nature.

Free Spanish lessons

LA ZENIA BOULEVARD is committed to making your experience as comfortable as possible, and that in­ cludes helping you learn Spanish! They offer free three­month mini­courses in the Rincón de la Cultura (The culture corner).

While the October groups were full, there are spots available in the up­ coming January session!

These classes are held weekly, with each class lasting one hour and 30 minutes, and they are led by seasoned professionals.

The sessions take place in a face­to­face format and follow the dynamic and enjoyable Zenia Boulevard style.

What sets these classes apart is their interactive nature. They incorporate

games, characters, and ac­ tivities within the shopping centre to practise what you’ve learned.

You’ll be learning with­ out even realising it! Keep an eye on their website and social media for up­ dates on the next enrol­ ment period. Zenia Boule­ vard can’t wait to welcome you to their lan­ guage learning course.

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Dry October Image: Shutterstock/Martin Bergsma

LOCAL NEWS

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

NIBS EXTRA Artful display AFTER a career in the mili­ tary, Cayetano Ruiz Mialdea turned to painting in retire­ ment, dedicating all his time to this newfound passion.

His exhibition, ‘Serendipity in Colour,’ is on display at the Casa de Cultura Art Gallery in San Pedro del Pinatar until November 24. Don’t miss it!

Sports figurines GET up close to major sport­ ing milestones through clay figures at the ‘Plastihistoria del Deporte’ exhibition by Fundación Educa. Witness iconic moments like the first Spanish cycling tour and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Visit the Museo Arqueológico En­ rique Escudero de Castro in Cartagena until January 15.

Abbey Road THE renowned band Abbey Road presents ‘The Beatles Show.’ This two­hour show, promises a one­of­a­kind Beatles experience in Eu­ rope. Catch it at El Batel Au­ ditorium in Cartagena on November 12 at 7.30pm.

Teatro Romea DON’T miss the Kyiv Ballet company performing The Corsair and Swan Lake at the beautiful Teatro Romea in Murcia City on November 15 and 16 respectively. Tickets start from €20 from website www.teatro romea.es.

Dog attack AN elderly woman tragically lost her life in Alguazas after a vicious attack by her neigh­ bour’s two dogs. The 96­ year­old victim succumbed to her injuries in the hospital, where she fought for five days. This heartbreaking inci­ dent highlights the need for responsible pet ownership.

October drought in Alicante while the western Iberian Peninsula gets soaked.

IN October, Alicante experi­ enced an unusual lack of rain­ fall, with little hope for precipi­ tation in the near future. While temperatures remain mild, es­ pecially along the coast, the re­ gion has seen minimal rainfall.

This stands in stark contrast to the western Iberian Penin­ sula, which has been hit by heavy storms originating from the Atlantic. This weather phe­ nomenon is common, where Atlantic storms rarely reach the Mediterranean coast.

It creates a stark contrast be­ tween regions in Spain, where

some areas experience heavy rainfall and flooding, while the Mediterranean coastline en­ joys sunny weather. The rain­ fall discrepancy is evident when comparing data from October in the western part of the peninsula and Alicante.

Alicante has seen minimal rainfall, with only two millime­ tres recorded in October, while regions in the west have re­ ceived substantial amounts.

The forecast offers little hope for change, with clear skies and mild temperatures expected to persist.

New sports court THERE was an urgent meeting of the Local Government Board held recently to give the green light for the contract for the con­ struction of a sports court in Plaza de Oriente, Torrevieja. This cen­ tral square, affectionately known as ‘La Ermita,’ is set to receive a facility that promotes safe sports and activities, with a special focus on children. The construction is expected to be completed within six months, starting from the project initiation.

The primary goal of this initiative is to enrich the functionality and aesthetics of Plaza de Oriente, a popular hub for local youth.

The new sports court is designed to provide a secure space for vari­ ous sports and recreational activities while ensuring seamless inte­ gration within the bustling public square. This sports court, primari­ ly aimed at younger residents, also serves the purpose of enhancing the value and utility of the existing plaza.

Collector’s fair PILAR DE LA HORADADA re­ cently enjoyed the 11th col­ lectors fair. The fair, a testa­ ment to the town’s rich cultural heritage, kicked off with an inauguration cere­ mony attended by the may­ or, José María Pérez, the first deputy mayor and provincial deputy from Alicante, Mari­ na Sáez, and councillors Eva Martínez and Pedro Miguel Moya. Together, they ex­ plored the 30 diverse stalls, featuring exhibitors from Ali­ cante, Murcia, Almería, and Albacete.

The fair, a treasure trove of

collectibles, showcased an array of themes, including coin collecting, stamp collec­ tions, and traditional and cul­ tural collections, comple­ mented by military memorabilia, games, and an impressive array of spe­ cialised items. The event drew in approximately 1,500 visitors who flocked to Pilar de la Horadada’s Raimundo Benedicto Park to appreciate these unique collections and perhaps even make a pur­ chase. It was a weekend filled with culture, history, and the joy of collecting.

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“The Euro Weekly News: celebrating 2,000 editions of excellence and community” IN the picturesque coastal towns of Spain, a momentous occasion is upon us as The Eu­ ro Weekly News marks its 2,000th edition.

This multiple award­winning publication, founded by a couple from the North of Eng­ land has played a remarkable role as a pro­ moter of Spain and an active supporter of local charities throughout its distinguished history.

The journey began back in July 11, 1985 with a vision by a Manchester couple, who, recognising the need for a publication to assist newcomers in their Span­ ish life, created ‘The Enter­ tainer’. Priced at a mere one peseta per edition, it quickly became a beloved source of local news, views, and infor­ mation, supported by local business advertise­ ments.

Fast forward to 1996, and The Entertainer was at a cross­ roads. It was then that Michel and Steven Euesden entered the scene. With their en­ ergy and vision, they saw the publication’s future and took ownership. Their arrival marked a pivotal moment in the newspa­ per’s history, as they set out to transform it into more than just a newspaper; they aimed to make it a vital part of the commu­ nity.

Under the ownership of the Euesdens, The Entertainer underwent a remarkable transformation. It was reborn as ‘The Euro Weekly News’, reflecting a broader vision and a commitment to serving the foreign population in Spain. This multiple award­ winning publication became a trusted com­ panion, with a tapas journalism style, it de­ livered positive news, connected communities, and uplifted spirits.

Over the years, The Euro Weekly News has been a strong promoter of Spain. It has showcased the beauty of its coastal towns, the rich culture, and the vibrant communi­ ties. Through its pages, readers have discov­ ered the hidden gems of Spain, from its pic­ turesque landscapes to its culinary delights.

Moreover, The Euro Weekly News has been an active supporter of local charities. It has used its platform to raise awareness about important social causes and to mo­ bilise community support for those in need.

The publication’s commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of its readers goes beyond journalism; it’s a testament to the Euesdens’ dedication to community ser­ vice.

In 2023, The Euro Weekly News stands more relevant than ever. The landscape of the foreign population in Spain has seen sig­ nificant changes. An influx of residents from Northern European countries has reshaped the community. While they may not speak

Michel & Steven Euesden.

Spanish fluently, the uni­ versal language of English binds them together, and The Euro Weekly News has become an indispensable re­ source, bridging language gaps and offering valuable information to this diverse readership.

This remarkable milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the loyal sup­ port of advertisers and sponsors who have been partners for over a quarter of a cen­ tury. Their trust and unwavering commit­ ment have been instrumental in the publi­ cation’s continued success, enabling it to deliver quality journalism and community support.

Last but certainly not least, the cherished readers deserve special recognition. Your in­ teraction, your love for the paper, and your unwavering dedication have breathed life into its pages. Your continued support has made The Euro Weekly News more than just a newspaper; it’s a trusted companion that enriches your lives and connects you with your community.

As The Euro Weekly News celebrates its 2,000th edition, it’s an opportune moment to express gratitude to the entire Euro Weekly community ­ the team, advertisers, sponsors, and readers. Your collective ef­ forts and unwavering commitment have made The Euro Weekly News an indispens­ able part of life along the Spanish coastline.

Looking ahead, The Euro Weekly News stands poised to continue developing and growing, evolving with the changing demo­ graphics and needs of the foreign popula­ tion in Spain. It remains dedicated to its mis­ sion of informing, connecting, and inspiring the European community in Spain.

In closing, let us raise a toast to The Euro Weekly News and its remarkable journey.

Here’s to the future, to many more editions, and to the ongoing story of a publication that has become an essential part of our lives along the sunny shores of Spain.

Thank you for being a part of this incredi­ ble journey, and VIVA ESPAÑA!

EWN

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2 - 8 November 2023

THE historic centre of Elche buzzed with life as the Me­ dieval Festival unfolded. The festival, which ran until Octo­ ber 31, celebrated the promi­ nent role of women. Thou­ sands of people passed through the medieval market and attended the different street shows that turned the historic centre into a real the­ atrical stage.

On Saturday, October 28, the main stage at Plaça de Baix featured Maracaibo Teatro's ‘Creators of the Mid­ dle Ages,’ an engaging street performance that combined theatre, music, and dance.

Meanwhile, the Gran Teatro hosted the comedy ‘Mañanas de abril y mayo’ by Calderón de la Barca,

LOCAL NEWS

Medieval Festival Esquina Park Rangers brought to life by the Fernán Gómez Theatre, Cultural Cen­ tre of La Villa, and Theatre of Malta.

The weekend continued with music from the renowned Asturian bagpiper Hevia performed at the Gran Teatro with his latest show ‘Hevia 22,’ celebrating the 25th anniversary of the show ‘No Man’s Land.’ The Festival Medieval of Elche continued with more enchanting per­ formances, including ‘Las aventuras de Martín’ and a closing concert of the First Meeting of Ancient Music

Image: elche.es

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A glimpse into Elche’s enchanting festival.

and Heritage. There was something for everyone at Elche’s Medieval Festival with live music and enter­ tainment for young and old.

PROVERB OF THE WEEK “There is no time like the present.”

Meaning don’t wait to do something – do it now.

This saying was first heard in 1562 and it remains true.

THE Alicante City Council and the urban bus transit conces­ sionaire, Vectalia Mia, are taking on substantial fleet re­ newal, introducing 23 new vehicles as the first phase of a plan to deploy 46 new buses before the end of 2024. This initiative aligns with a new

ESQUINA PARK RANGERS, based in Quesada, is excited to an­ nounce their upcoming walking football tournament set to take place on Thursday, November 9, and Friday, November 10 in Rojales. The event will feature 12 teams hailing from various re­ gions, including Scotland, Wales, Bilbao, Málaga, and Costa Blanca.

Walking football, a modified version of the beautiful game places emphasis on skill, camaraderie, and physical fitness. The tournament promises to be a celebration of sportsmanship and international friendship, with participants showcasing their love for the sport. Esquina Park Rangers are thrilled to bring together teams from diverse locations, fostering a sense of unity and pro­ moting the many benefits of walking football. The event is sure to be a fantastic opportunity for players and spectators alike to enjoy the spirit of the game.

Green fleet contract and a €9 million in­ vestment with European fi­ nancing.

The first 23 vehicles, set to hit the streets in November,

include 20 hybrids, one elec­ tric bus, and two convention­ al minibuses, marking a sig­ nificant step toward a more sustainable and eco­friendly public transportation system.

These additions follow the recent introduction of a new tourist bus in early October, and there are plans to incor­ porate an additional 22 elec­ tric buses before the end of 2024. Currently, Vectalia Mia operates 97 buses, and this number is expected to in­ crease to 101 by the end of the current concession’s 10­ year term.

In addition to reducing emissions, the new buses feature enhanced accessibili­ ty for passengers, including those with reduced mobility, with ramps and wheelchair spaces onboard. Real­time information systems with displays and audio an­ nouncements have been in­ stalled to improve passenger convenience and experience.

2m+ The amount of saunas to be found in Finland.

LOCAL NEWS

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November activities

Image: Shutterstock/ Zoran Pucarevic

Discover the beauty of Orihuela’s diverse culture.

THE Tourism Department has once again pre­ sented an interesting programme of events for the month of November including special events for the British population in the municipality. It includes a ‘Visit to the Museum of Science and Cyanotype Workshop’ on November 5. This in­ teractive museum is a renowned institution in the Valencian Community, offering the perfect opportunity for both children and adults to en­ gage with science. Participants can also take part in a cyanotype workshop, a photographic pro­ cess producing blue­toned prints from original negatives, for a nominal fee of €3.

‘Miguel, the Poet Shepherd ­ Route through the Orchard’ takes place on November 11. Inter­ national visitors, particularly the British commu­ nity in Orihuela, have something to look forward

to on November 17. The ‘Blue Trail of Cabo Roig’ is designed exclusively for them, with a guided tour in English starting from Playa de la Zenia at 4.30pm, aiming to introduce the British popula­ tion to Orihuela’s cultural riches. The coastal ex­ ploration continues on November 26 with the ‘Military Detachment in Orihuela Costa.’ This rare opportunity allows visitors to discover the inner workings of this detachment, led by COE military personnel, in the beautiful Cabo Roig Blue Trail area.

Additionally, the ‘Palm Grove and Mining Oven’ route on November 3 and the ‘Palaces and Velázquez’ route on November 10 offer unique experiences. Don’t forget registration is free, but spaces limited, so reserve your spot through the website www.orihuelaturistica.es.

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THE increasing use of elec­ tric scooters in areas like Orihuela and Torrevieja has raised serious safety and regulatory concerns, espe­ cially concerning children.

These scooters offer an affordable and flexible mode of transportation, but the lack of stringent regulations has led to daily challenges for law enforce­ ment. Electric scooters do not require a driver’s li­ cence, insurance, or helmet use, making them less de­ manding than traditional vehicles. The Directorate General of Traffic (DGT)

Scooter concerns provides only basic regula­ tions, leading to riders lack­ ing proper training and ig­ noring traffic rules.

Scooters are prohibited on pavements, pedestrian zones, interurban roads, and motorways, with spe­ cific urban road usage rules. Riders must adhere to legal alcohol limits, avoid using headphones or mo­ bile devices, and undergo

random checks by law en­ forcement. A growing de­ mand for a certification of compliance with minimum safety requirements has arisen due to non­compli­ ant scooters in the market.

These scooters must also be equipped with reflec­ tors, lights, and effective braking systems. The use of helmets remains uncertain due to the absence of spe­ cific regulations. Until these regulatory gaps are ad­ dressed, the debate over electric scooters and the risk of accidents involving children will persist.

West End Party STUDIO 32, the musical theatre company, is bringing their West End Party to the Casa de Cultura in Benijofar on Saturday 25, Tuesday 28, Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 of November at 7.30pm.

The show will feature songs from some of the most popular West End musicals, includ­ ing Mamma Mia, Grease, Matilda, and Mary Poppins. The talented cast of Studio 32 will be singing and dancing their way through some of the most iconic numbers from

these musicals, so you can expect a night of high­energy entertainment. Tickets cost just €10 per person and are available to buy now from the following outlets: Cards & More La Marina, Bob’s Bar La Marina, Q Tech Quesa­ da, Post Box Dona Pepa, Post Room Benijo­ far, and Card Shop Benimar. This is a great opportunity to see some of the best musical theatre talent in the region, so don’t miss out! Buy your tickets today and get ready for a night of fun and entertainment.

LOCAL NEWS

Nerve centre ELCHE’S Paseo de la Estacion blossomed in­ to a hub of bustling activity over the week­ end as it played host to the eagerly antici­ pated Fireta del Camp d’Elx. This remarkable event, an initiative of the Department of Agriculture and Water at Elche City Council, is a vibrant celebra­ tion of the countryside’s activities, prod­ ucts, customs, crafts, crops, and ways of life.

This year, the Fireta exceeded all expec­ tations by drawing in an impressive crowd of 30,000 people from Friday, October 20, until Sunday, October 22.

These staggering figures outshine those of previous years, underscoring the event’s significance in highlighting the importance of Camp d’Elx. It serves as a living testament to the rich history, cherished traditions, and iconic products such as pomegranates, dates, and crafts made from the white palm.

In 2023, the event featured an increased number of participating stands, totalling more than 30.

Throughout the weekend, visitors had the opportunity to explore informative dis­ plays, partake in workshops showcasing white palm and setiet braiding, learn the

Image: Ayuntamiento de Elche / Facebook

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PLAYING HOST: A hub of bustling activity.

art of making date and fig bread, and ex­ plore the world of cooking, painting, soap­ making, and chair­stringing.

Younger visitors enjoyed a spectrum of children’s activities, and there were capti­ vating dance exhibitions, the traditional National Bolillos Meeting, and a festive pa­ rade organized by UFECE in collaboration with the festival commissions of the Camp d’Elx.

LOCAL NEWS

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A WAVE of frustration and concern swept through Ali­ cante­Elche Miguel Hernan­ dez Airport on October 23.

The UGT and Workers' Commissions (CCOO) organ­ ised a demonstration at the airport’s main gate.

The gathering was a re­ sounding response to the rising job insecurity among Spanish airport workers and the perceived mishandling of the situation by Aena, the entity responsible for man­ aging and operating Spanish airports.

The catalyst for this out­ cry is the recent decision to terminate Iberia handling services at a minimum of eight Spanish airports, in­ cluding Alicante­Elche.

This decision has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the livelihoods of over 300 employees working under the Iberia and Swissport banners.

‘Handling’ encompasses the intricate web of coordi­ nated operations that make the boarding and disem­ barking of passengers and

AGE CONCERN COSTA BLANCA SUR is holding its annual Christmas Fair on Saturday, November 18 at 10am at its centre in Calle Paganini, Urb. La Siesta, Torrevieja. There will be music and carols by the Melody Makers, hot sausage rolls and mince pies, cakes, bags, jewellery, bottle tombola, and many other stalls.

The main prize in the Mega Raffle is Eat Your Way Around the World,

goods from aircraft as seamless and secure as pos­ sible.

It covers everything from baggage handling and ramp services to document pro­ cessing, aircraft guidance, and cargo loading.

The protest at Alicante­ Elche Airport serves as a stark reminder of the critical role played by these be­ hind­the­scenes heroes, who often toil in the shad­ ows to ensure our air travel experiences are trouble­ free.

Christmas Fair vouchers worth €200 (€40 each for an Indian, Chinese, English, Span­ ish, and Greek restaurant). Tickets are on sale now at the centre and its charity shops for €1.00 each.

This is one of Age Concern Costa Blanca Sur’s major charity fundrais­ ing events for the year, so please come along and give your support.

CONSTRUCTION of the fu­ ture inclusive sports pavil­ ion has officially begun, marked by a groundbreak­ ing ceremony held recently on the nearly 10,000 square metre site located near the Virgen de la Asunción ceme­ tery. The new facility, awarded in September for €11.8 million, is part of the Edusi funds, co­financed by the European Union. The construction timeline spans one year, and the 6,000+ square metre facility will ac­ commodate 3,000 seats, with 1,500 being fixed and the remainder mobile with

The Christmas Fair is a great oppor­ tunity to find some unique gifts for friends and family, while also sup­ porting a worthy cause. Age Con­ cern Costa Blanca Sur provides a va­ riety of services to older people in the local community, including so­ cial activities, support groups, and practical assistance. So come along to the Christmas Fair on Saturday, November 18, and have some fun while supporting a good cause.

Image: Elche.es

Protest eruption Elche’s time capsule

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Elche’s inclusive sports pavilion.

removable bleachers.

This pavilion will feature a central court for various sports and a ring of ameni­ ties, including changing rooms, a gym, and weight rooms, all designed for ac­ cessibility. Architect Luis Ro­ jo, responsible for the pavil­ ion’s design, highlighted the focus on sustainability and energy efficiency, with the installation of a large wood­ en lattice on the exterior to provide shade and reduce

wind impact.

During the groundbreak­ ing ceremony, jerseys from various inclusive sports clubs in Elche were placed in a time capsule and buried at the site. Current newspa­ pers were also added to preserve the political, social, economic, and sporting con­ text, alongside an image of the Virgen de la Asunción, the Patron Saint of Elche.

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TUCKED away in Alicante’s Calle Jorge Juan is the delight­ ful Sabor a España, a gourmet store that attracts its clientele with the fragrance of freshly roasted almonds. Recently opened in Alicante, this shop, originally from Cordoba, of­ fers Spanish delicacies, and traditional and high­quality products.

Sabor a España boasts over 30 locations throughout Spain, with Alicante being the latest addition.

Their mission is to rekindle Spain’s culinary heritage and emphasise the superiority of home­made, traditional fare over mass­produced options.

The store’s prime location ensures a steady stream of customers, with freshly pre­ pared items being the most sought­after.

While all products come from their Cordoban base, some can be purchased on­ line. However, their jams, wines, and honey are exclu­

Image: Facebook/Sabor a España

Gourmet store Alicante’s gourmet getaway for authentic Spanish flavours.

sively available in the physical store.

This family­run business was founded by Francisco Ramírez Muñoz, a fifth­generation ‘tur­ ronero,’ (turron expert) deeply committed to preserv­ ing Spain’s culinary traditions.

Sabor a España is more than just a store; it’s a cele­ bration of Spanish cuisine and tradition, ensuring that the legacy of quality and authen­ ticity endures.

THE Spanish government has decided to shift its plans for an immigrant centre from Cartagena to Alcoleja, a small town in the hills of Alicante. The proposed temporary immigrant holding centre (CETI) in Cartagena is no longer considered a viable option. This change comes amid a political storm over the transfer of undocumented African mi­ grants to mainland communities governed by op­ posing parties in the Canary Islands. However, the government still intends to establish a temporary migrant camp at the former Naval Hospital in Cartagena to alleviate the migration pressure on the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands have wit­

LOCAL NEWS

Rojales events ON Saturday, November 4, Rojales is set to kick off its exciting cultural programme, dedicated to book pre­ sentations. This event is part of the ‘Llegim als Pobles’ Reading Promo­ tion Campaign by the Conselleria de Cultura, which aims to foster inter­ action between authors and the reading community of the town.

The spotlight of the evening will be on Susana Fortes. On November 4 you can also attend a show Ellas the captivating dance performance

by José Soriano dance company in the Teatro Capitol Rojales at 8pm.

Next up is the Music programme named ‘Músicas Sin Fronteras,’

Immigrant centre nessed a significant influx of migrants, with nearly 30,000 arrivals since January. Alcoleja, a town with approximately 170 residents and governed by the PSOE, is expected to host the CETI with European funding. While Cartagena already has a Reception and Temporary Stay Centre (CATE) for North

(Music without frontiers) with shows on November 3, 10, 17, 24, and December 1.

On November 11, the Teatro Mu­ nicipal Capitol will host the ‘Ciclo Homenaje al músico e intérprete de piano,’ paying tribute to the talent­ ed pianist Joaquín Fuster .

These events promise to bring a wave of culture and entertainment to the heart of Rojales, enriching the lives of both residents and visi­ tors.

Don’t miss out on these exciting experiences in the coming weeks!

For more information see the Ro­ jales Town Hall social media.

African migrants intercepted while attempting ille­ gal entry into Spain, the government's decision has sparked debate and criticism.

The opposition, particularly the PP, has ex­ pressed concerns about the lack of resources for law enforcement agencies and inadequate com­ munication with local authorities regarding migrant transfers. Some have also raised worries about overburdening Cartagena with a second immigrant facility. As the government reshapes its plans to ad­ dress immigration challenges, it remains a con­ tentious issue in Spanish politics, with the situa­ tion's evolution yet to be determined.

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euroweeklynews.com ALICANTE­ELCHE Airport re­ cently conducted a compre­ hensive simulation exercise to test its emergency re­ sponse capabilities in the event of an aircraft acci­ dent. The scenario involved a Boeing B­737 aircraft ap­ proaching the airport, which experienced hy­ draulic system issues, lead­ ing to a loss of control and a simulated crash just short of the runway, causing a fire. The exercise aimed to evaluate established emer­

Airport drill gency procedures and coor­ dination between various response teams, emphasis­ ing the importance of pre­ paredness for real­world in­ cidents.

Students from local schools participated in the simulation, portraying in­ jured passengers, while skilled make­up artists

added realism to their in­ juries. The exercise includ­ ed passengers with varying injury levels, allowing emergency medical teams to respond to different sce­ narios. Additionally, a com­ munication plan was estab­ lished to assist families awaiting information, and an Airport Victim Assis­

Elche victory

IN a thrilling match at Estadio Martínez Valero, Elche FC clashed with Tenerife, and the home team, Elche, pulled off an impressive comeback, securing their fourth consecutive game without de­ feat. The contest began quietly, with both sides stifling each other’s creativi­ ty in the midfield, and an early injury to Borja Garcés only added to Elche’s of­ fensive challenges.

The first half remained largely un­ eventful, with neither team managing to establish dominance. It was in the second half that the game truly came to

life. A critical mistake in clearing the ball by Tete Morente provided Tener­ ife’s Mellot with an opportunity to break the deadlock, sending a powerful strike into the net. The setback ignited Elche’s fighting spirit, as Óscar Plano quickly capitalised on a defensive error to level the score. However, the drama didn’t end there, as an unfortunate penalty, conceded by Amo after a Mel­ lot rebound, gave Nico Castro the chance to shine. Castro calmly convert­ ed the penalty, securing a 2­1 victory for Elche.

LOCAL NEWS

tance Officer was available for support.

Several organisations and authorities participated in the exercise, including the Agencia Valenciana de Se­ guridad y Respuesta ante Emergencias (AVSRE), law enforcement agencies, and more. By conducting these drills, Alicante­Elche Airport complies with international aviation standards and local regulations, highlighting its commitment to passenger safety and quality service.

Gymnastics championships THE talented gymnast from Algor­ fa, Ana Cañizares, and her alevin team, including Alba Regidor, Adri­ ana Paredes, Gabriela Berenguer, and Victoria Sánchez, have clinched a direct entry to the upcoming Spanish Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Pamplona, scheduled for November. Their re­ markable achievement in their de­ but year has earned them a well­ deserved place among the top teams in the Comunidad Valen­ ciana. Best of luck to them in Pam­ plona.

LOCAL NEWS

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ON Saturday, November 4, Rojales is set to kick off its exciting cultural pro­ gramme, dedicated to book presentations. This event is part of the ‘Llegim als Pobles’ Reading Promo­ tion Campaign by the Con­ selleria de Cultura, which aims to foster interaction between authors and the reading community of the town. The spotlight of the evening will be on Susana Fortes. On November 4 you can also attend a show El­ las the captivating dance performance by José Sori­ ano dance company in the Teatro Capitol Rojales at 8pm.

Next up is the Music programme named ‘Músi­ cas Sin Fronteras,’ (Music without frontiers) with shows on November 3, 10, 17, 24, and December 1.

On November 11, the Teatro Municipal Capitol will host the ‘Ciclo Home­ naje al músico e intér­ prete de piano,’ paying tribute to the talented pi­ anist Joaquín Fuster.

These events promise to bring a wave of culture and entertainment to the

2 - 8 November 2023

Rojales events heart of Rojales, enriching the lives of both residents and visitors. Don’t miss out on these exciting ex­

periences in the coming weeks! For more informa­ tion see the Rojales Town Hall social media.

EWN 11

Outdoor fitness

Drought concern THE Vega Baja region is on high alert due to an im­ pending drought, which may lead to the return of the destructive ‘Matapinos’ (pine killer) beetle. This beetle, also known as the ‘Tomicus destruens,’ pos­ es a severe threat to pine forests, especially in weakened trees. In response, some municipalities, like Benejúzar, are taking action by installing traps to monitor and control the beetle population.

These traps use kairomones and pheromones to at­ tract and capture the beetles without the use of harmful pesticides.

The Tomicus beetle, which caused significant damage in the past, is closely linked to drought con­ ditions, making the current situation in Vega Baja a cause for concern. The Benejúzar Environmental Department is leading the way by collaborating with local associations to safeguard their mountain­ ous areas. These measures are essential to prevent the destructive beetle from decimating the region’s pine trees and natural landscapes, which have been painstakingly restored after previous infestations.

Vigilance and proactive efforts are necessary to pro­ tect the region’s delicate ecosystems.

Image: santapola.es

FITNESS PARK: Unlock Your Strength in Gran Alacant.

GRAN ALACANT residents have a new reason to cele­ brate with the recent open­ ing of an outdoor fitness park on Calle Creta. Located adja­ cent to the dog park and chil­ dren’s play area within this municipal green space, this new fitness facility promises to be a valuable addition to the community.

Mayor Loreto Serrano, along with local councillors Óscar Valenzuela and Borja

Merino, Angel Piedecausa in charge of Sports, and Encarni Ramírez responsible for Parks and Gardens, visited the newly completed instal­ lation, now open to the pub­ lic since last weekend.

Calisthenics, a body­ weight resistance training method, is the focus of this new sports zone. Designed to enhance strength, flexibility, agility, balance, coordination, and aerobic conditioning, it

addresses virtually all the skills necessary for maintain­ ing a healthy and fit lifestyle.

The park features a circuit with various equipment tar­ geting different muscle groups, complete with an in­ structional panel detailing ex­ ercise techniques and provid­ ing tips for preventing muscle injuries. It’s an ideal spot for all community members looking to improve their physical well­being.

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LOCAL NEWS

THE Scandinavian School ‘Skandinaviska Skolan Costa Blanca’ recently hosted its an­ nual Athletics Day at the Tor­ revieja Sports City. Torrevieja and its Sports City once again had the honour of being cho­ sen as the venue for this ex­ citing event by the interna­ tional school, which regularly conducts various sports and athletics competitions for its students throughout the year.

This year, 90 primary school children participated in a range of athletic activi­ ties, including track races with 60­metre sprints and 500­me­ tre runs, long jump, high jump, and tennis ball throws.

Image: Torrevieja Town Hall

Scandinavian Sports Day

ATHLETICS: Running towards excellence.

For these young students, vis­ iting the athletics track and engaging in sports activities is always an unforgettable ex­ perience.

Skandinaviska Skolan Costa Blanca includes this visit as part of its educational pro­ gram at least twice a year, and Torrevieja is its preferred

destination. Ingela Björklund, the school's principal, and Ri­ ta Kivimäki, the assistant prin­ cipal, expressed their satisfac­ tion with the event, emphasising that both stu­ dents and parents enjoyed the experience and are al­ ready looking forward to the next Athletics Day.

Mental health workshop THE town council of Pilar de la Horadada is set to host the second Mental Health Work­ shop an event that focuses on health, youth, and social services. This in­person gathering will take place on Saturday, De­ cember 2, from 9am to 2.30pm at the Mu­ nicipal Marquee. The event will feature three prominent speakers in the field: Doña. María José Barberá, a general health­ care psychologist from the Mental Health Unit at Torrevieja Hospital. Lorena Gascón, a psychologist and mindfulness instructor, and Nacho Roura a psychologist. The coun­ cillors emphasise the importance of allocat­ ing resources to address prevalent mental

Cruise boom Image: cruisemapper.com

IN 2023, Alicante has trans­ formed into a bustling cruise destination, welcom­ ing numerous ships to its shores to showcase the re­ gion’s beauty to global tourists. Among the impres­ sive vessels that have docked in Alicante, the Club Med 2 stands out as the world’s largest sailing cruise ship, boasting a unique de­ sign with five masts and French­inspired sophistica­ tion. With eight expansive decks and lavish features, such as mahogany railings and evening Champagne service, the Club Med 2 of­ fers passengers a taste of luxury reminiscent of a by­ gone era of sailing.

This increase in cruise traffic in October has bro­ ken records, with over 30,000 visitors expected on 16 ships, a development

health issues, especially anxiety.

The event’s goal is to provide attendees with tools for self­awareness and anxiety management. The event space will offer various ‘corners’ for attendees to explore topics like sleep, emotions, and self­esteem.

In addition to the main event on December 2, there will be an art exhibition called ‘Ex­ presarte’ (express yourself) opening on De­ cember 1, organised by the Molina de Segu­ ra Mental Health Centre. It will run until December 30 at the Pilar de la Horadada Casa de Cultura. Admission to the Decem­ ber 2 event is free, promising a valuable and enriching experience for all attendees.

SETTING SAIL FOR LUXURY: Alicante’s cruise tourism soars in 2023.

seen as a positive step to­ ward reducing the seasonal­ ity of tourism in Alicante. In November, the city antici­ pates hosting 11 more cruise ships, bringing over 24,000 passengers. This

cruise tourism boom not on­ ly elevates Alicante’s profile but also offers travellers an exceptional opportunity to explore the Mediterranean in style and elegance on these remarkable vessels.

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THE Alicante City & Beach Tourism Board has given the green light to a new campaign called the ‘Bono Gastronómico,’ (Gastrono­ my voucher) allocating a budget of €500,000 to pro­ mote local consumer spend­ ing. This promotion, running from November 2 to November 26, allows con­ sumers to purchase €50 vouchers for only €25, with a maximum limit of 15 vouchers per person.

Tourism councillor Ana Poquet is excited about re­ launching this successful promotion, which benefits both consumers and the hospitality sector. Interest­ ed individuals can register on the campaign’s website to purchase vouchers, which can be redeemed at participating hospitality es­ tablishments.

The campaign’s goals are to boost local spending, support households and businesses, and counteract the effects of rising energy costs and inflation on con­ sumer purchasing power. It also aims to attract and re­ tain customers, fostering support for local businesses

2 - 8 November 2023

EWN 13

Stay local Orchestra’s honour

while trying to minimise the impact of ongoing urban transformation projects in the city. The Tourism Board has renewed its partnership

with the Alicante Chamber of Commerce to manage the Bono Gastronómico, continuing their collabora­ tion from the previous year.

Art Competition MARÍA TERESA DURÁ has clinched the top spot in the 15th Quick Painting Competition titled ‘Ciudad de Torrevieja,’ (City of Torrevieja) an art competi­ tion that drew over 50 painters from across Spain.

The judging panel, comprised of Massimo Pisani, Dionisio Gázquez, and Martín Noguerol, awarded a total of €5,700 in prizes.

María Teresa Durá received the coveted First Prize, worth €3,000, while Blai Tomás Ibáñez se­ cured the Second Prize, valued at €1,300. The Third Prize, amounting to €800, went to Juan José Valeros Mena, and the Local Artist Award, with a prize of €600, was claimed by Jorge González Gal­ lud. The prize ceremony took place at the Centro Cultural Virgen del Carmen’s Exhibition Hall, at­ tended by various dignitaries and art enthusiasts.

The winning artworks will become part of the Municipal Institute of Culture’s collection, and an exhibition featuring these pieces will be open to the public from October 31 to November 5, high­ lighting the thriving artistic community of Torrevie­ ja.

DURING the ‘Grandes solis­ tas: Tchaikovsky y la Sin­ fonía del Nuevo Mundo’ concert by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Torrevieja (OST), a significant an­ nouncement was made.

Cultura Torrevieja, in part­ nership with the consor­ tium managing the Interna­ tional Auditorium and the local Theatre’s cultural pro­ gramming, has designated OST as the Resident and Principal Orchestra of the International Auditorium.

This collaboration, ap­ proved by the Municipal In­ stitute of Culture ‘Joaquín Chapaprieta,’ showcases Cultura Torrevieja's com­ mitment to supporting lo­ cal music groups. The agreement’s primary aim is to foster a local symphonic music programme, led by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Torrevieja, providing stabil­ ity for musicians to create high­quality symphonic­ musical performances.

The agreement gives

Image: Torrevieja.es

LOCAL NEWS

HARMONY IN AGREEMENT: OST named resident orchestra.

multiple benefits to the Orquesta Sinfónica, includ­ ing the title of Resident Or­ chestra, prominent recog­ nition on the cultura torrevieja.com website, ac­ cess to the International Auditorium’s Symphonic Hall for rehearsals, ticket sales management, and

consultancy for symphonic and chamber programmes at the International Audito­ rium. Cultura Torrevieja as­ pires to transform the city into a cultural capital, max­ imising both public and pri­ vate investments while providing top­tier cultural experiences.

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NEWS

Catherine McGeer IN one of the world’s most beautiful villages Geiranger in Norway, a silent threat looms large. Åkernes Mountain, a towering mass of rock that ris­ es above the fjord, is slowly but surely sliding into the wa­ ter.

If it collapses, it could un­ leash a tsunami of unprece­ dented proportions, devastat­ ing the village and surrounding communities.

In 1983, a local resident re­ discovered the long crack in the mountainside that had been widening for genera­ tions. Since then, the crack has continued to grow at an alarming rate, up to 15 cen­ timetres per year.

Today, Åkernes Mountain is one of the most monitored mountains in the world. A network of sensors and web­ cams tracks every movement, and scientists are constantly developing new ways to pre­ dict when a collapse might oc­ cur. In the event of a collapse, Norway has a sophisticated early warning system in place.

Image: Shutterstock/ Andrei Armiagov

Vigil to prevent disaster

ÅKERNES MOUNTAIN, NORWAY: A ticking time bomb.

If sensors detect even the slightest movement, sirens will blare and residents will have just minutes to evacuate to safety. But even the best early warning system can only do so much. If Åkernes Moun­ tain collapses, the resulting tsunami will be devastating.

Scientists estimate that a wave of up to 80 metres high could hit Geiranger, wiping out the village and causing widespread damage through­ out the region.

The Norwegian govern­ ment is taking steps to miti­ gate the risk of a catastrophic tsunami. One option is to sta­ bilise the mountainside by drilling drainage holes to re­

move water that is putting pressure on the rock. Howev­ er, this is a complex and ex­ pensive undertaking, and there is no guarantee that it will be successful.

Climate change is exacer­ bating the risk of rockfall­in­ duced tsunamis around the world. As the planet warms, glaciers and ice sheets are melting, releasing water that is seeping into rock forma­ tions and making them more unstable. This is adding more water to the system, which is putting even more pressure on Åkernes Mountain. Some might wonder why locals con­ tinue to live in this town.

Would you stay?

16 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

Anna Ellis IT’S good news for the tourism industry in France! Ac­ cording to GlobalData, France is anticipated to witness a significant annual increase in international arrivals, projected to grow at a rate of 12.1 per cent between 2022 and 2025.

This projection indicates that by 2025, France is ex­ pected to attract an estimated 93.7 million interna­ tional travellers annually, solidifying its position as the world’s foremost tourist destination.

France’s popularity extends beyond Europe, with travellers from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Belgium, as well as from distant locations such as Chi­ na and the United States, all contributing to its appeal.

Hannah Free, a travel and tourism analyst at Global­ Data, affirmed this trend, stating that “Spain closely follows France, with 71.66 million international tourists, followed by Turkey with 50.45 million, and Italy with 49.81 million inbound international tourists in 2022.”

France and Spain consistently maintain their status as top travel destinations and serve as prominent leaders in the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI).

The TTDI assesses various factors that contribute to the long­term success and adaptability of the global travel and tourism sector.

Europe continues to be the world’s leading destina­ tion for international inbound tourist arrivals both be­ fore and after the health crisis.

NEWS

World’s largest Lego pumpkin ®

Catherine McGeer JUST in time for Halloween, LEGOLAND® in Billund, Den­ mark broke the world record for the largest LEGO® pump­ kin ever built. The pumpkin stands an impressive eight feet tall and five feet wide and is made up of over 100,000 LEGO® bricks.

The pumpkin was created by a team of LEGOLAND® builders over the course of three weeks. It is one of over 12,000 Halloween figures that have been placed around the theme park in celebration of the spooky season.

Visitors to LEGOLAND® are invited to create their own LEGO® pumpkins, which will be dis­ played on the pumpkin field until November 5. The park hopes that the pumpkin field will become the world’s largest ever, with pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and colours.

In addition to the pumpkin field, LEGOLAND® is offering a variety of other Halloween­ themed activities for visitors

Image: legoland.dk

Tourism increase

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The theme park opened in 1968 in Billund the town where LEGO® was created.

of all ages. The brand new monster show V.I.M. Dance Party takes place every day in the Knights Kingdom, where guests can learn to dance like real monsters from LEGOLAND® characters Lord Vampyre and Wolfguy.

The Castle of Knights King­

dom has also been trans­ formed into the Monsters’ Ball, where guests can dance with scary Halloween crea­ tures and monsters. This at­ traction is recommended for children aged five and up. Fi­ nally, LEGOLAND® is hosting the Brick or Treat route,

Anna Ellis SAY goodbye to the traditional green man and red hand signals at pedestrian crossings in Berlin, as the city embarks on a journey to­ wards a more innovative and supposedly safer way to help pedestrians cross the road.

Don’t worry, the iconic Ampelmann, that friendly little traffic light figure, isn’t going any­ where, well, at least not entirely.

Instead, Berlin is introducing a new count­ down traffic light system. But, as it turns out, this new system has left many residents and visitors scratching their heads in confusion.

Starting in 2024, pedestrians will witness a novel way to cross the road.

First, a green light will briefly illuminate, sig­ nalling their turn to step off the curb.

where guests can trick­or­ treat from the park’s mon­ sters.

The theme park opened in 1968 in Billund the town where LEGO® was created in 1932, and it is the third most visited attraction in Den­ mark.

How baffling But here’s where it gets intriguing: following the green light, pedestrians will see a stack of five white bars.

The magic happens as these bars gradually diminish, resembling a countdown timer.

The fewer bars left, the less time pedestrians have to cross safely.

Eventually, the last bar will disappear, and red will replace the green, signalling the return of traffic. Berlin’s attempt to improve pedestri­ an safety with this new countdown system is a noble endeavour.

However, it has left many confused and even baffled.

18 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

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For more information call Gary ry or Ly Lynn on : 637 487 377 Find us on Facebook

www.cyclogicalcostablanca.com

NEWS

Extinct fish back from the dead!

IT’S that spooky time of year when all sorts of weird and wonderful things occur, the latest, a zombie fish is back from the dead.

However, the story might be more ‘hooray’ than hor­ ror, as the return of the species could indicate an im­ provement in water quality and environment.

An adult houting, which is a salmon­like fish, has been spotted in the Scheldt in Kruibeke, East Flanders. The sighting occurred on Tues­ day, October 24, and came as surprising news, as the species had been considered extinct in the region for quite some time.

The last sighting of a hout­ ing was reported around 10 years ago, and previous to that it had been around 100 years since the species had last been seen.

The houting fish inhabit the North Sea and travel in­ land into the Scheldt with the tide. This hopeful detec­ tion indicates that it may once again have found a suit­ able habitat in Belgium.

Credit: Freshwater and Marine Image Bank

CYCLOGICAL

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THE HOUTING FISH: Inhibit the North Sea and travel inland.

The fact that houting has once again been seen swim­ ming around in the Scheldt, shows that water quality must have greatly improved in recent years.

Jeroen Van Wichelen of the Institute for Nature and Forest Research stated that “Twenty years ago, it was a dead area, the water quality has improved dramatically.

You also notice that by the return of other fish species.”

He went on to say that he “hopes there will be more sightings in the future.”

The houting that was seen on Tuesday was caught after being reported and then re­

leased back into the water after the necessary tests were carried out. Experts and locals alike now wait hopefully for more of the species to return.

What a FINtastic tail!

95,000 The number of lakes to be found in Sweden.

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MANY travellers have experi­ enced the bitter disappoint­ ment of a bout of bad weath­ er during a long awaited summer sunshine break.

New bikinis have been bought, the suitcases are full of copious amounts of factor 50, Dad’s even got his Ray­ bans out for the occasion.

However, disaster strikes, and it rains cats and dogs for two weeks. There’s at least three arguments a day and you vow never to play Rummy again as long as you live.

BUT, imagine if during this time you were given a wad of cash to go and have fun with to make up for your sorrows?

Well, that’s exactly what trav­ el company TUI Sweden have introduced with their new product. Rain on your holiday ­ here’s your money back! It sounds too good to be true, but this outstanding offer is al­ ready available to the public.

They have called it their ‘weather guarantee’ and aimed it at those who are worried about rain and bad weather affecting their travel experience. The new product promises financial compensa­ tion in the event of a down­

2 - 8 November 2023

Refunds for rain!

Credit: Pinterest

NEWS

HOLIDAY RAIN: Now you can get your money back.

pour and is already available for customers to purchase, came into effect in October 2023.

The cost varies depending on the weather forecast at the destination, and the amount of compensation re­ ceived is calculated based on the total cost of the holiday.

Compensation will be paid to the customer on the same day that the rain occurs.

Tommy Serban, Commer­ cial Director of TUI Nordic ex­

plained that, “we can’t influ­ ence the weather at our desti­ nations, but with this weather guarantee, our customers can have a fun holiday even if it rains,” he went on to empha­ sise that since compensation is paid instantly, travellers have the opportunity to spend the money on other ac­ tivities, such as visiting muse­ ums or going shopping.

It seems that on this surreal deal, come rain or shine, you really can’t lose!

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20 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

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Is snoozing bad?

Credit: Joel Y flickr

SLEEP is such an important part of the human condition that research into how and why it works is ongoing.

The University of Stockholm has quite a large sleep re­ search unit and Associate Pro­ fessor Tina Sundelin has just released a paper based on the response of 1,732 people on the matter of snoozing.

We at Euro Weekly News like to believe we are certainly not a ‘snoozepaper’ and en­ deavour to highlight matters of interest both locally and across Europe and the legitimacy of those extra few ‘40 winks’ will appeal to many readers.

Many of us find it difficult to get moving when the alarm goes off and according to the research, if you need the sleep then you shouldn’t be scared to hit the snooze button as you will be more alert when you do get up.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, younger people claimed they needed that extra bit of sleep because they stayed up later often partying and they either just felt too tired to rise with the lark or, especially when no work was involved, they want­ ed to enjoy the luxury of snug­ gling under a warm duvet and simply lazing a bit longer.

The researchers wanted to test the theory of ‘you snooze you lose’ and persuaded 31 subjects to act as guinea pigs whilst their sleeping habits were studied and they were first allowed to sleep uninter­ rupted and then asked to wake up half an hour earlier and use the snooze button.

Speaking to APF, Professor Sundelin explained “What was

NEWS

SLEEP RESEARCH: Snoozing can be good for you.

interesting is that they got less sleep when snoozing, but the difference was on average on­ ly six minutes.”

No clinical trial could be complete without some cogni­ tive tests and the subjects were quizzed on maths and memory but regardless of their broken or unbroken sleep patterns, there was little difference between the re­ sults.

The Professor summed up the results, “If you’re snoozing and feel it’s helping you, it seems there isn’t much reason to stop doing it, as long you are getting enough sleep before.”

The oldest student in the world NINETY­ONE­YEAR­OLD Leonardo Altobelli is graduating for the 15th time: “It will be the last one, I am the oldest student in the world, but I am stopping now,” he said.

This time it’s a degree in criminology and it is the 15th time the elderly man from Puglia will graduate. After degrees in medicine and surgery, law, political sci­ ence, literature, philosophy, pedagogy, agronomy, food science and technology, tourism science, history, biotechnology and archaeology, comes a degree in investiga­ tive science. And that’s not all: in his uni­ versity curriculum he also boasts seven diplomas in social medicine, sports medicine, health law and general medical

tutoring. A Guinness record for the oldest student in the world.

Originally from Troia, a town of 6,000 in the province of Foggia, Puglia in Italy where Leonardo served as mayor in 1984, and where he was a GP until his retirement at the age of 70. A very long career, during which he enriched his studies.

“I would like to leave to future memories of what I did and why I did it,” the man said, adding, “I will dedicate myself to writ­ ing, I tell young people to love everything they do, to embrace their work and to do it with a smile. I have always been passion­ ate about studying. That is why I call myself a student of the world'.

NEWS

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2 - 8 November 2023

Villa rental company to close IF you live in the UK and are thinking of booking a villa holi­ day in Spain, then you now have one less choice.

On October 30, James Villas placed the following an­ nouncement on their website: “James Villas is no longer taking new bookings, and will be closing down by the end of the year. All existing James Vil­ las customers are being con­ tacted this week about their bookings.

“Customers with bookings that return on or before 30th November 2023 will be unaf­ fected by the closure and their bookings will go ahead as planned.

“Bookings returning on or after 1st December 2023 will be cancelled. Customers with bookings due to commence on or after this date will be giv­ en a full refund, unless the property they have booked is also operated by a sister com­ pany, in which case the book­ ing will be transferred, and new details will be provided ASAP. For any enquiries, please contact customersup port@jamesvillas.co.uk

James Villas are to cease trading.

“The entire James Villas team would like to thank each and every customer that has ever booked with us, it has been a pleasure being part of your holiday experiences for so many years.

“For new customers looking at future holiday options, we recommend NOVASOL, our sister company featuring prop­ erties all across Europe.”

There is no suggestion that the company, a subsidiary of Awaze which manages such companies as Hoseasons is in significant financial difficulty but it appears that with a rela­ tively small turnover com­ pared to the rest of the group and despite significant UK TV

advertising, the parent wants to concentrate on more prof­ itable business.

There are reportedly around 40 staff likely to be affected by the closure as well as several hundred property owners who will have to find other av­ enues to rent their properties.

25,000 The number of snails consumed each year in France.

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NEWSDESK

NEWS ACROSS THE REGIONS FROM THE PEOPLE'S PAPER

THE Royal British Legion Javea’s Poppy Appeal 2023 has unfurled its wings, placing collection boxes at various lo­ cations across the region.

But that’s not all, this year, the Royal British Legion is bringing its mission closer to the hearts of the community.

On November 2 and 3, from 10.00am to 8.00pm, they will set up camp at the Ondara Shopping Centre.

On November 4, they’ll continue their mission at the Overseas Supermarket in Javea, once again from 10.00am to 8.00pm.

On Thursday, November 9, the community will gather at the inviting Bar Can Tallerina in Jalon.

The reason? Pam Small will host her beloved Charity Dance Exercise class, along with a raffle, all in support of the Royal British Legion Pop­ py Appeal 2023.

Admission is €10, and that includes more than just danc­ ing.

After the rhythmic work­ out, you’ll be treated to a de­ lightful spread of refresh­ ments.

If dancing isn’t your thing, you’re more than welcome.

KEEPING ONE SAFE

AXARQUIA

MARRY ME?

Photo:ciedi: Malaga Provincial Council

POPPY APPEAL

COSTA DEL SOL

CARDIO SAFE: Seven defibrillators have now been put into place.

EL CAMINITO DEL REY, with seven defibrillators along its route, is the first path in Spain to be accredited as a cardio­safe area. This makes it the first footpath in Spain and one of the first in Europe to be awarded this distinction.

The Vice­president for Infrastruc­ tures and Sustainable Territory, Cristóbal Ortega, took part in an ac­ creditation ceremony and explained that the route of the Caminito has been cardio­protected by the imple­ mentation of seven points equipped with a worker with a semi­automatic external defibrillator.

The seven defibrillators have been placed on the paths, the ticket

COSTA CALIDA

Photo:ciedi: Wikimedia CC

COSTA BLANCA NORTH

The Caminito del Rey.

offices in the access area and in the campsite and visitor centre. These defibrillators, which are connected to the emergency services, have been installed strategically so that they can be accessed from any point along the path in less than

four minutes.

Cristóbal Ortega added that, “the initiative is not only limited to the path, but also aims to involve the main establishments around the path, restaurants, hotels, campsites and car parks so that they can also obtain the accreditation of cardio­ safe areas by the Andalucian Health Service.”

In total, when this initiative is completed, there will be eight car­ dio­safe zones, 15 defibrillators and more than 100 workers trained in the use of the equipment and in first aid. Malaga is the province with the highest number of cardio­ safe zones in Andalucia.

COSTA ALMERIA

LORCA’S TRADITIONS DREAMS DO COME TRUE LORCA celebrated the 10th Encuentro Nacional de Jóvenes de Hermandades y Cofradías (JOHC). This event brings together young members of religious brotherhoods and fraternities. They engaged in biblical pageantry, with impressive horses and car­ riages, reenacting the city's unique traditions. All the brother­ hoods took on a pilgrimage from their respective churches to La Bordadora Square, converging to complete the final leg togeth­ er. The Paso Blanco, organisers of JOHC, led the largest proces­ sion, featuring various banners, bearers, and a musical group.

The closing of the event included a concert of religious music, the announcement of the host city for next year, and the trans­ fer of the Virgin of Las Huertas to her sanctuary. Throughout the event, the brotherhoods organised impressive exhibitions, spe­ cial events, and guided tours to introduce young people to their traditions. Thousands of people travelled from all over Spain for this special event.

YES, apparently they do, and after almost four years, that is 1,441 days, the dream of living in a caring and loving home final­ ly came true for Jamie.

In 2019, a distressed Pitbull was left tied to the PAWS­PATAS shelter gate in Los Gallardos. Frightened, hungry, thin and with terrible wounds, the poor pup, who was around five years old, was named Jamie by one of the volunteersUnfortunately, he was suffering from an incurable disease that needed lifelong medication, shelter manager Vanessa Maipauw knew this would make him harder to adopt.

Luckily, in August 2021, he was adopted by an English couple, but sadly, due to Brexit, he was returned and this resulted in an­ other stressful episode in this poor animal’s life.

Then, a miracle occurred when a Dutch couple contacted Vanessa, stipulating that they were keen to rescue an elderly dog. Finally, at nearly nine years old, Jamie had found his forever family, complete with adorable parents.

IN Nerja it seems that love knows no boundaries, and it’s evident in the growing trend of international weddings.

Almost half of the weddings held in Nerja are united in mat­ rimony by foreign citizens, making it one of the most sought­after wedding destina­ tions in the province.

Nerja proudly claims the third spot on the list of popular wedding locales, following in the footsteps of Marbella and Benalmadena.

Ana Maria Muñoz, council­ lor for Tourism, said the love that foreign couples have for Nerja is evident in the increas­ ing number of ceremonies held in this idyllic setting.

Data from the Nerja Civil Registry reveals that from Jan­ uary until now, a total of 91 weddings have taken place, encompassing both religious and civil ceremonies.

Among these unions, 51 couples have been of Spanish nationality, while 40 couples have been from abroad.

When it comes to foreign weddings, Irish Catholic cou­ ples take the lead, with a re­ markable 21 ceremonies.

These romantic events of­ ten unfold in the churches of El Salvador and Las Maravillas de Maro.

MALLORCA

ENJOY SOUL NIGHT

LA RIERA PARK will come alive on Saturday, November 4 with the seventh edition of the Night of the Souls. Organised by the Northern District, the Council for Citizen Participation and Coor­ dination of Districts, and various local entities, this event aims to promote and revive Mallorca’s All Saints traditions. The festivity kicks off at 4.30pm with the xeremiers gangs touring the park, followed by a children’s show by Cucorba at 5.00pm. Roada will entertain the crowd at 6.45pm, culminating in a grand Correfoc fire and smoke display at 8.30pm featuring over 100 demons and 50 musicians in the park’s amphitheatre. Concurrently, the sensory park esplanade will host lantern, storytelling, sugared rosary, face painting, and puppet workshops. Victor Uwagba will narrate stories from 5.00pm ­ 7.00pm. Dramatised guided tours of the cemetery will run from 4pm to 8pm. Booking is essential via Eventbrite. With a budget surpassing €11,000, this year promises to be memorable.

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24 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

DENMARK No-go zones DENMARK faces controversy over its decision to dismantle 'non-Western' neighbourhoods.

Focusing on 15 ‘hard ghettos,' where over 50 per cent of residents are non-Western.

This move sparks discussions on integration, cultural preservation, and its impact on immigrant communities in Denmark.

Green flights NORWEGIAN is charting a sustainable course as it purchases 140 metric tons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to reduce carbon emissions on Denmark's busiest route between Aalborg and Copenhagen.

Over the next two weeks, this eco-friendly fuel will power the equivalent of 100 flights on the short 45-minute non-stop service.

NORWAY

euroweeklynews.com

EURO PRESS THE NETHERLANDS

Credit: Robert Knapp Wikipedia

Don’t doubt A SURVEY from 2023 has shown that more than one in four Dutch people claim to believe in extraterrestrial life, whilst one in 10 claim to have actually seen a UFO. Furthermore, nearly 70 per cent believe we currently lack the right technology to establish contact with extraterrestrial beings.The results came from the survey by ‘easy park’ which polled 1,000 Dutch citizens.

Night in Netherlands THE environmental association ‘Natuur en Milieufederaties’ drew attention to light pollution

GERMANY

Night sky. during the night from Saturday October 28 to Sunday October 29. During the annual ‘Night of the Night’ event, activities were held throughout the Netherlands in the dark, and companies and municipalities turned off all lighting. The association stated that “darkness is rare these days, which disrupts biorhythms, we are trying to bring awareness to this.”

FRANCE

EUROPEAN PRESS

IRELAND Fundraiser launched A WOMAN, who was employed by Israeli company Wix at their Dublin office, has been sacked following her comments on social media where she referred to Israel as a ‘terrorist state.’ A GoFundMe was started to help her. Wix's president commented: “We would never try to limit anyone’s political views, we do however also hold a strong set of internal values about our team spirit, partnership and friendship.”

Drivers wanted BUS EIREANN, the Irish transport provider, is actively hiring drivers at an impressive weekly rate of €753.24. Based in Broadstone, successful candidates need a category D licence and must display strong customer service skills, full training will be provided. The hiring process, inclusive of perks including free parking and a subsidised canteen, continues until December 31.

PORTUGAL

Megxit

Munich's schedule

Peace Forum

Electric ferry

PRINCESS Martha Louise of Norway, daughter of King Harald, made headlines with her 'Megxit' announcement, stepping back from royal duties to be with her self-proclaimed 'shaman' fiancé.

Recently, the royal took an unconventional path by starring in a reality TV show. The 52-year-old also identifies as 'spiritual' and a clairvoyant.

NOW the clocks have changed, Munich Airport is gearing up for a new and exciting winter flight schedule that promises travellers a choice of 172 destinations. From Sunday, October 29 to Saturday, March 30, 2024, this winter schedule boasts a diverse array of options, including 43 long-haul destinations, 116 medium-haul journeys, and connections to 13 German cities.

THE Peace Forum is set to grace Paris on November 10 and 11. This event promises to unite the world's foremost figures in global governance, individuals and organisations dedicated to forging effective, united solutions to tackle the complex challenges. This will be an opportunity for superpowers to compare their vision for the world and the future of global governance.

PORTUGAL’S first-ever 100 per cent electric ferry, which will connect São Jacinto and Forte da Barra, in Aveiro, will come into operation in December. A christening ceremony for the vessel with €7.3 million of investment was held at the Navaltagus shipyard, in Seixal. “The Salicórnia is the first electric ferry manufactured in Portugal and by a Portuguese company,” said Ribau Esteves, the mayor of Aveiro.

UEFA interest

Ticking clock

TAP airline

FANS worldwide are setting their sights on Germany with over 20 million ticket requests for UEFA EURO 2024. The next chance to apply will be after the final draw on December 2. Fans from host country Germany are eager to be part of the tournament as they make up 65 per cent of the ticket applications, followed by England, France, Spain, and Austria.

IN the wake of the European Union's resolute push for increased self-reliance when it comes to vital minerals, France has embarked on an ambitious mission: a comprehensive ‘treasure hunt’ in its subterranean realm. This grand endeavour aims to unearth the hidden riches beneath French soil, but experts stress that the clock is ticking, making this venture all the more urgent.

PORTUGAL'S TAP airline announced record-breaking profits for first nine months of 2023. According to information released by the company, a profit of €203.5 million was made, with €180.5 million in the third quarter alone. The quarterly net profit was the highest since records began. Compared to the corresponding third quarter of 2022, they saw a rise of €69.2 million, and €179.4 million compared to the same period of 2019.

BELGIUM

FINLAND

SWEDEN

Fishery agreement MOSCOW opposes Norway's decision to restrict Russian fishing vessels' access to its ports, deeming it unjust. The move stems from Norway's concern over Russia's actions in Ukraine and potential security risks. Oslo asserts that limited port access is necessary to curb illegal transit. However, Moscow warns that further limitations could jeopardise the 2024 fishery agreement.

ITALY Another leaning tower

Pumpkin race!

Duck-inspired flooring

Koran burner

A HISTORIC tower in the northern Italian city of Bologna was closed to the public last weekend after concerns about stability. The Garisenda tower is already leaning, but sensors detected some unusual movement. The structure has been under close observation for months because of increasing movement due to its weak foundations. Italy’s government has criticised the local council for not taking proper care of the structure.

THOUSANDS have gathered in a small Belgian town to watch one of Europe's most wacky festivals, the Pumpkin Race. In this annual event, hundreds hop into hollowed out giant pumpkins and race to the finish line on the river Kasterlee. The pumpkins are grown in the small town of Kasterlee which is 50 kilometres away from Antwerp, by the 'Pompoengenootschap' - the Pumpkin Society.

FINNISH scientists have unveiled a revolutionary water-resistant floor inspired by the water-repelling properties of duck feathers. Using a unique silicon layer to mimic the Duck’s feather structures, water is made to slide off effortlessly. This innovation, with potential for applications in homes and industries, is hoped to transform cleaning routines and boost workplace safety measures.

THE Swedish Migration Agency has announced that Salwan Momika, the notorious Koran-burner, is to be deported from Sweden. They explained that the Iraqi national will not be granted an extended residence permit. This came in reference to the fact that Momika might have provided incorrect information to the authorities at the time of his residence permit application.

Italian poverty

Bonkers laws

Equality slump

THE number of Italians living in poverty has risen dramatically over the past 10 years, according to a new report published by national statistics institute, ISTAT. Nearly one in 12 Italians lived in absolute poverty last year, meaning that 5.67 million individuals had an income below a level that would ensure they and their family meet basic needs of life including food, shelter, and healthcare.

BELGIUM has some truly bizarre laws that are still in place today. Whilst many of these have been circling on social media, some remain unknown. For example, did you know that no matter how much debt you are in, bailiffs in Belgium cannot seize your last cow, chicken or sheep! Or, that it is legal to drive straight into incoming traffic, even if it is a one way street! Bizzare!

FINLAND, once celebrated for its stance on gender equality, has experienced a significant drop in the EU Gender Equality Index, moving from fourth to eighth place. Although Finland still remains above the EU average, this dip is alarming. The most notable decline is seen in Finnish women's decreased participation in leisure activities, highlighting reduced personal freedoms.

NATO application SWEDEN’S application to join NATO has been submitted to the Turkish Parliament by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to the Turkish presidential office. Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish Prime Minister, confirmed the action in a tweet. 'President Erdoğan has now handed over the ratification documents to the Turkish Parliament. It now remains for the Parliament to deal with the issue. We look forward to becoming a member of NATO'.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

2 - 8 November 2023

IMAGINE a competition that is so popular it attracted 4,502 entrants from 43 dif­ ferent nations and even had its own exclusive TV station!

From October 26 to 28 cheese lovers descended on the city of Trondheim in Nor­ way to nibble a sample or two and to see some of the big cheeses in this dairy world slug it out to become the best cheese in the world in the competitions 35th year.

No less than 265 expert judges were called in with the clear instruction to whit­ tle the number of competi­ tors down to the final 16.

A bit like Crufts dog show, there were winners in many classes and their were side events like youngsters iden­ tifying cheese from its smell but the main excitement was to see who would be chosen the cheese amongst cheeses and walk off with the splendid trophy.

For all those who had brought their cheeses by air, sea and overland there was

Credit: Gangstad Gårdsysteri Facebook

World’s best cheese

Proudly showing off the Best Cheese trophy.

to be an element of disap­ pointment as the eventual winners Gangstadt Gårdsys­ teri were a Norwegian dairy situated not very far away from Trondheim itself.

On receiving the news, general manager Maren Gangstadt, exclaimed “Not in our wildest imagination could we have predicted this! Nidelven Blue is the best cheese in the world!

Out of 4,502 cheeses topping this year’s World Cheese Awards!!

“We are touched, happy,

overwhelmed, and yet it hasn’t completely sunk in but are so happy that the whole gang gathered in Trondheim to experience this!”

Organised by the Guild of Fine Food, visitors had a huge amount to keep them occupied over the three days, with talks, demonstra­ tions of cheese making, dairy visits and of course plenty of options to enjoy a number of gourmet quality dishes fea­ turing cheese as the main constituent.

EWN 25

euroweeklynews.com

SOCIAL SCENE

Playing on ARE you in the mood for a good laugh and some top­ notch entertainment?

Well, look no further be­ cause ACTS Community Theatre is inviting you to join them for an evening of hilarity and fun.

ACTS are set to perform the side­splitting farce ‘Play On’ from November 9 to 11, and it promises to be an absolute riot.

The venue for this comic extravaganza is the Benijo­ far Cultural Centre.

Let’s give you a sneak

Image: ACTS Community Theatre, Benijofar

26 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

An evening of hilarity.

peek into the madness that is ‘Play On’: It’s a play within a play, where a lo­ cal amateur dramatic group is feverishly re­

La Bodega

Large Selection of English Products UK Postal Service CHRISTMAS STOCK NOW IN • 2024 Calendars & Diaries • Greetings Cards & Gifts • UK Newspapers & Magazines • Printing Services inc Boarding Pass • UK Passport Renewal • Mobiles, Top Ups & Sim Cards Open 8am, 7 days a week • 966 789 198 • labodegaprint@hotmail.com

hearsing and dress re­ hearsing for their highly anticipated opening night performance.

Now, picture this: an in­ terfering playwright with a penchant for chaos, actors stumbling over their lines, and hit­or­miss sound ef­ fects.

The potential for disas­ ter is rife, and the ensuing mayhem is bound to have you rolling in the aisles with laughter.

Tickets are €10 and can be bought from The Post Box in Dona Pepa, The Card Place in Benimar, The Post Room in Benijofar, Quentin’s in Algorfa, and The Post Shop in Villa­ martin.

Proceeds will be direct­ ed towards supporting lo­ cal charities.

For more information WhatsApp (+34) 672 544 026.

30 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

THE Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda has re­ leased its half­yearly property report which highlights a 7.5 per cent de­ crease in house purchases by foreign­ ers.

Overall, however, 21.4 per cent of property sales in Spain are to foreign­ ers, the highest level recorded with 67,983 house purchases in the first half of 2023.

Purchases by Nationality The British still lead house purchas­ es by foreigners with 9.6 per cent of the total, followed by the Germans (8.1 per cent), Moroccans (7.3 per cent) and French (6.56 per cent.) The biggest growth in foreign house pur­ chases in the first half of 2023 has been the Russians with 50.2 per cent, followed by Ukrainians at 41.6 per cent and Americans at 13.6 per cent.

Only four autonomous communi­ ties registered an increase in the pur­ chase and sale of homes by foreign­ ers: Asturias, Galicia, Murcia and the Valencian Community. The biggest decreases were in the Balearic Islands with a 32.0 per cent decrease, Navar­

Credit: Image by Freepik

Foreign purchase of Spanish property Substantial upsurge 2023 - The Russians are coming

Foreign purchasers in Spain rising.

ra and Andalucia. The decrease in the Balearic Islands is likely related to the regional government looking into banning anyone who has lived in the islands for less than five years from buying houses in an attempt to cool house prices that have become pro­ hibitive for locals.

Prices Paid by Nationality Foreigners pay an average of €2,095 per square metre for property compared with €1,574 m2 paid by Spanish nationals with the Swedes

paying the most per square metre (€3,036 m2), followed by the Danes (€2,930 m2) and the Americans (€2,921 m2.)

Swedes also have the highest Span­ ish mortgages with €337,413 on aver­ age, Americans are second (€335,625), then the Germans (€322,455 ), Dutch (€226,340) and British (€232,597).

Regional Price Variations Extremadura (12.3 per cent), Cantabria (11.1 per cent) and Murcia

(10.2 per cent) saw the biggest proper­ ty price increases, whereas Aragón ex­ perienced the biggest decrease at ­7.4 per cent per cent. Americans buy the most property in Cantabria, Castilla La Mancha and La Rioja, the Germans in the Balearic and Canary Islands, the French in Aragon, Castilla y León and Catalonia and the British in Andalucia and Murcia. It’s a sellers’ market in the regions of Seville, Valencia, Tarragona, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Madrid, Guadala­ jara and Toledo whereas the Costas of the South are neutral on the prices asked for versus those paid, however within that are property hot spots such as Marbella.

Property Investment And Afford­ ability Bank of Spain figures show that rental profitability has decreased to 3.39 per cent showing that buying to let in Spain is not a good investment for many European foreign nationals.

The average house price in Spain now represents 38.9 per cent of dis­ posable income per household, an in­ crease of 20 per cent on the same pe­ riod last year.

THE 2023 summer tourism sea­ son in France experienced a substantial upsurge in the number of visitors, surpassing the statistics of the previous year, largely due to the return of tourists from other locations.

Concurrently, there was a decrease in the number of lo­ cal residents opting for vaca­ tion, leading to a striking dis­ parity in the overall tourism landscape.

Campsites registered a no­ table surge in visitor numbers, particularly from various parts of Europe, while hotels en­ countered a decrease in their occupancy rates.

Even in the face of reduced local presence, well­known tourist destinations along the coastal regions and mountain­ ous areas managed to main­ tain consistent levels.

The hotel occupancy rates in the cooler northern regions of France exhibited an increase during this summer, while the southern regions, affected by heatwaves, witnessed a de­ cline in the number of visitors.

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

2 - 8 November 2023

Rules of the road WHEN I got my Spanish driving licence nearly five years ago, it was dif­ ficult to go back to the beginning and take the theory test like I was 16 years old again. Even though I’d been driving for 35 years.

But the US and Spain have no agreement on driving licences. Well, each state in the US de­ termines their rules re­ garding driving licences in their state. We have no national driving li­ cence there.

I studied and took all the practice tests online.

And I passed the test the first time, after sweating bullets. The rules of the road here are very different than

www.ageinspain.org

where we are from. And it took some memorisa­ tion and serious focus to track all the subtleties.

When Jeff took the ex­ ams a year later, he was even more nervous than I was. And frustrated.

Especially after riding in taxis and observing the difference between the law and the practicali­ ties of everyday driving in the narrow warrens of the streets in most Spanish cities. But now, that has all changed.

Recently, we were picking up something in our local town. Jeff stopped the car in the narrow road, put on the emergency flashers, then ran inside to collect our order while I stayed

in the car. I noted this bold move but said nothing.

And then, he commit­ ted the quintessential move of Spanish drivers everywhere and I knew he had finally settled in to driving in his adopted country. Jeff needed to unload something in the city. In the past he would have secured parking and struggled with it for a few blocks.

But not on that fateful day. He pulled up onto the pavement and parked. No flashers. Like we owned the place.

Suddenly, everything shifted, and I knew that we are locals now and we’d never move back to the US.

Kelli Field is an American expat writer/blogger living in rural Galicia, and a volunteer for Age in Spain. Some of her other writing about moving to and living in Spain can be found at www.vivaespanamovingtospain.com If you'd like to get in touch with Age In Spain, we can be reached at info@ageinspain.org (+34 932 209 741)

EWN 31

FINANCE Sweet music STOCKHOLM­BASED Spotify announced third quarter prof­ its of £28 million (€32 million), compared with its £199 mil­ lion (€228 million) loss for the same period last year. The dig­ ital music company is back in the black after adding another six million paying subscribers, two million more than it had anticipated.

Goodbye kiss TELEFONICA is offering com­ pensation of up to four years’ salary to the corporation’s di­ rectors and managers who agree to leave the group. The proposals to directors aged 55 or over are another step in the telecommunications compa­ ny’s bid to reduce overall staff numbers in subsidiary compa­ nies by 5,000.

Rude gesture BRITAIN’S Financial Conduct Authority and the Bank of Eng­ land confirmed that the cap on bankers’ bonuses which the Eu­ ropean Union introduced fol­ lowing the financial crisis of 2008 has been discarded. The UK’s unions said the decision, which it described as obscene, was “an insult to working peo­ ple.”

Mango men CATALAN fashion retailer Man­ go, has doubled its sales of men’s clothing since the end of the pandemic and expects to have opened 560 outlets for its Mango Man line by the end of this year. It also foresees a record turnover of €325 million for this year, a 15 per cent in­ crease on 2022.

Drink up IRN BRU manufacturer AG Barr, based in Cumbernauld (Scotland), bought the Rio fruit drink which it has distributed and marketed since 2001 from Hall and Woodhouse for £12.3 million (€14.1 million). AG Barr told investors that the pur­ chase was made possible thanks to its “strong net cash position.”

euroweeklynews.com • 2 - 8 November 2023

STAT OF WEEK

€5.4 billion

in pre-tax profits for 2023 was predicted by Spanish power company Naturgy, €400 million more than its original estimate thanks to the ‘current energy panorama’.

Making a fortune Linda Hall CONSUMERS in the UK lost £580 million (€665.12 mil­ lion) to scammers in the first six months of 2023.

Overall, this was 2 per cent lower than during the same period last year, al­ though the banking sector’s association, UK Finance, which collates data for high street banks, warned that households will lose more than £1 billion (€1.15 billion) by the end of December.

Identity theft, where criminals steal personal in­ formation to take over an existing bank account or ap­ ply for a credit card, saw the biggest increase and rose by more than half to £33 mil­

Photo credit: Pixabay/Terimakasih0

BUSINESS EXTRA

32

ONLINE FRAUD: Millions lost to scammers.

lion (€37.8 million) com­ pared with the same period last year.

Authorised push pay­ ment (APP) cases, where victims where are tricked in­ to making online transfers for goods that never materi­ alise, increased by 22 per cent to £239.3 million

IBERDROLA is selling a €2 billion 49 per cent stake in its East Anglia 3 windfarm to the Abu Dhabi company, Masdar.

Neither Iberdrola nor Masdar was prepared to confirm the agreement or even comment on it when reports first filtered through on October 24.

Nonetheless, industry sources quoted in the financial daily, Cinco Dias, were confident that the deal would go through.

Construction on the East Anglia 3 wind farm located in the North Sea off the Scottish coast began last year and should be operational by 2026.

With a 1.4­gigawatt capacity and ca­ pable of generating enough electricity

(€274.4 million) in personal and business losses.

Nevertheless, cases where criminals posing as a bank or the police persuad­ ed members of the public to transfer money into a sup­ posedly secure online ac­ count fell by 35 per cent.

Messages issued by the

banks themselves insisting that they would never make this kind of request have begun to sink in, UK Fi­ nance said.

The association drew par­ ticular attention to a 29 per cent increase in ‘romance scams’ where fraudsters conduct online relationships aimed solely at obtaining money, generally made in multiple payments, from targets who are often vul­ nerable and not particularly well­off.

Describing these stings as ‘particularly nasty’ UK Fi­ nance found that victims lost £18.5 million (€21.2 mil­ lion) between January and the end of June.

Iberdrola’s Abu Dhabi deal Photo credit: CC/Pontificalibus

OFFSHORE WINDFARM: Iberdrola’s East Anglia hub.

to supply approximately 1.3 million homes, it belongs to the Spanish multinational’s mammoth offshore East Anglia Hub which is the compa­ ny’s largest renewables project to

date. Last summer, Iberdrola engaged Goldman Sachs to find a buyer for a 49 per cent stake in East Anglia 3, with chairman Ignacio Sanchez Galan even­ tually choosing Masdar, the renew­ able energy arm of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala.

Masdar, whose investments in 40 countries are worth an estimated €30 billion, also paid €1.6 billion last July for a 49 per cent stake in Iberdrola’s second­largest offshore project, the Baltic Eagle offshore windfarm 30 kilo­ metres off Rugen Island in Germany.

Record broken

Flat beer sales

Low batteries

SANTANDER has reported at­ tributable record profits of €8.14 billion during the first nine months of 2023.

This was 11.3 per cent more than during the same period in 2022, putting the bank on course for ‘historic’ figures, thanks in part to a strong in­ crease in revenues, particularly in Europe and Mexico.

Santander’s third quarter at­ tributable profits of €2.9 billion were 20 per cent up on last year, announced Santander’s execu­ tive chairwoman Ana Botin.

“The group has achieved an­ other record quarter with earn­ ings per share up 17 per cent and a return on tangible equity of 14.8 per cent,” she said.

HEINEKEN sold less beer in the UK last summer owing to a 7 per cent price rise and cool, rainy weather that checked outdoor partying.

Dolf van den Brink, chief executive at Heineken, which also owns Amstel, Birra Moretti and Tiger, blamed July and Au­ gust’s “adverse weather” although sales picked up in September.

Beer sales throughout Europe fell by 7.6 per cent while prices rose by around 12 per cent owing to inflation and the growing popularity of premium ales and lagers.

Globally, the volume of sales dropped 4.2 per cent as prices rose 9.5 per cent, accounting for sales of €9.6 billion for the third quarter of the year.

Price inflation had slowed but there was less demand, with some markets facing “challenging macroeconomic con­ ditions,” Van den Brink said.

A £1 BILLION (€1.15 billion) allo­ cation for improving Britain’s electric vehicle (EV) charging fa­ cilities has not yet been used.

Announced by Rishi Sunak three years ago when the now PM was Chancellor of the Exche­ quer, the charging points were to have been installed at motorway service stations.

The fund is not yet accessible to applicants, while a pilot scheme scheduled for the end of 2022 was initially postponed un­ til spring 2023 and subsequently to this summer.

Sources in the EV sector have now told the UK media that the trial was “unlikely” to launch be­ fore Christmas and could be de­ layed until after a general elec­ tion.

A major issue SHARON WHITE, John Lewis chair, called on the police to allocate more resources to shoplifting and record all retail crime incidents.

She also wanted to see more stringent sentences for assaulting or abusing a retail worker, The Partnership, which also owns Waitrose, now suffers a £12 million (€13.75 million) year­on­ year increase in theft, White said.

Matt Hood, who heads the Co­ op grocery chain, also voiced frus­ tration at the lack of action against shoplifting which had cost the retailer £33 million (€37.83 million) during the first six months of this year.

This was becoming a major is­ sue, Hood warned in September.

Messi’s own goal LIONEL MESSI’s branding compa­ ny MGO Global received a Nas­ daq delisting warning after its shares lost 90 per cent of their val­ ue. These were originally worth $5 (€4.7), giving MGO Global a value of €58 million when it was floated last January. Instead, the company has failed to cash in on the name of the champion foot­ baller who now plays for Inter Mi­ ami, co­owned by David Beck­ ham. Messi receives a 12 per cent royalty for lending his name and image to merchandise, but slow sales have resulted in the Nasdaq warning.

Tiktok standoff EMPLOYEES at Majorel, the Barcelona company which moder­ ates content for internet platform TikTok, announced an indefinite strike.

Insistence on in­person working was the “straw that broke the camel’s back,” announced Work­ ers’ Solidarity and Unity (SUT), the union representing the employees.

The veto on working from home was the latest episode in a long his­ tory of non­payment, contract ir­ regularities and ‘mortifying hours’.

Together with moderating content that was frequently violent con­ tent, their working conditions were having a detrimental effect on employees’ mental health, the union maintained.

FINANCE

34 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

LONDON - FTSE 100

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CLOSING PRICES 30 OCTOBER

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

5.994,0

+62,0

+1,05%

19,70K

1.316,00

+18,50

+1,43%

7,47K

3.791,0

+36,0

+0,96%

9,58K

ITV

63,33

+1,18

+1,90%

386,11K

22,08K

J Sainsbury

256,40

+0,10

+0,04%

69,81K

+0,70%

11,52K

Johnson Matthey

1.473,0

+17,5

+1,20%

1,44K

+23,0

+1,18%

7,28K

Land Securities

570,80

+7,00

+1,24%

28,69K

+60,0

+0,59%

38,24K

Legal & General

211,50

+4,00

+1,93%

474,65K

31,15K

Lloyds Banking

40,42

+0,67

+1,67%

7,24M

8.254,0

+46,0

+0,56%

17,29K

PRICE(P)

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

3I Group

1.990,00

+21,50

+1,09%

24,93K

InterContinental

Abrdn

156,80

+2,60

+1,69%

151,58K

Intermediate Capital

Admiral Group

2.465,6

+29,0

+1,19%

13,14K

Intertek

Anglo American

2.101,0

+12,5

+0,60%

95,19K

Antofagasta

1.391,00

+17,00

+1,24%

Ashtead Group

4.745,0

+33,0

Associated British Foods

1.973,0

AstraZeneca

10.184,0

Auto Trader Group Plc Aviva

611,80 399,30

B&M European Value Retail SA522,32

+9,60

+1,60%

NET VOL

COMPANY

COMPANY

Units per €

US dollar (USD) ........................................1.0549 Japan yen (JPY)........................................158.69 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................0.9527 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4623 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................11.790

+4,60

+1,17%

146,21K

-0,20

-0,04%

79,94K

Melrose Industries

469,50

+5,90

+1,27%

96,29K

Mondi

1.317,00

+7,50

+0,57%

26,35K

National Grid

994,20

+13,00

+1,32%

256,38K

NatWest Group

182,25

+0,35

+0,19%

2,83M

Next

6.900,0

+78,0

+1,14%

4,93K

DOW JONES

Ocado

483,89

+1,40

+0,29%

95,86K

CLOSING PRICES 30 OCTOBER

Persimmon

1.002,5

+17,3

+1,76%

27,00K

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE

CHANGE% VOLUME(M)

Phoenix

453,90

+8,10

+1,82%

93,79K

Prudential

865,40

+22,00

+2,61%

228,73K

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

87,52 141,31 261,57 168,22 179,69 238,56 144,35 51,56 55,24 48,11 289,91 276,46 177,00 142,52 35,54 145,60 135,69 255,76 102,82 329,81 97,98 147,16 196,57 160,68 524,66 33,44 229,27 21,14 161,17 79,33

-1,13 -2,03 -8,14 +1,33 +0,60 -3,87 -10,40 +0,19 -0,54 +0,09 -7,08 -1,54 +0,94 -1,24 +3,02 -3,40 -5,07 -0,07 -2,73 +1,92 -2,04 -2,64 +0,32 -3,78 -3,70 -1,03 -2,01 -0,56 -0,60 -0,45

-1,27% 3,29M -1,42% 3,37M -3,02% 2,85M +0,80% 57,95M +0,34% 4,57M -1,60% 3,21M -6,72% 24,44M +0,37% 13,11M -0,97% 13,61M +0,19% 4,71M -2,38% 2,54M -0,55% 2,89M +0,53% 3,37M -0,86% 5,45M +9,29% 82,02M -2,28% 11,38M -3,60% 17,22M -0,03% 3,20M -2,59% 8,93M +0,59% 29,73M -2,04% 9,51M -1,76% 7,73M +0,16% 3,14M -2,30% 1,35M -0,70% 2,57M -2,99% 23,91M -0,87% 5,54M -2,58% 9,17M -0,37% 4,60M -0,56% 10,26M M - MILLION DOLLARS

1.099,90

+16,50

+1,52%

153,65K

Barclays

130,60

+1,40

+1,08%

2,57M

413,40

1.14585

0.87212

London Stock Exchange

BAE Systems Barratt Developments

PRICE(P)

+6,00

+1,47%

80,22K

Berkeley

4.043,0

+64,0

+1,61%

3,99K

BHP Group Ltd

2.384,00

+23,00

+0,97%

14,52K

BP

531,80

+1,30

+0,24%

1,31M

British American Tobacco 2.432,5

+29,5

+1,23%

191,89K

British Land Company

297,80

+2,60

+0,88%

30,63K

BT Group

112,50

+1,85

+1,67%

188,46K

Bunzl

2.929,0

+35,0

+1,21%

13,12K

Burberry Group

1.713,0

+19,0

+1,12%

39,03K

Carnival

840,4

-0,6

-0,07%

19,25K

Centrica

158,10

+3,00

+1,93%

278,14K

Coca Cola HBC AG

2.139,4

+38,0

+1,81%

11,44K

Compass

2.082,58

+22,00

+1,07%

57,79K

CRH

4.367,0

+47,0

+1,09%

29,39K

Croda Intl

4.311,0

+31,0

+0,72%

DCC

4.487,0

+59,0

+1,33%

Diageo

3.074,5

+50,0

DS Smith

279,60

EasyJet Experian Ferguson

Reckitt Benckiser

5.510,0

+58,0

+1,06%

58,63K

Relx

2.845,00

+28,00

+0,99%

105,23K

Rentokil

427,30

+6,20

+1,47%

240,86K

Rightmove

492,05

+12,90

+2,69%

158,16K

Rio Tinto PLC

5.275,0

+75,0

+1,44%

172,05K

Rolls-Royce Holdings

202,30

+1,90

+0,95%

668,91K

Sage

978,00

+10,00

+1,03%

42,47K

Samsung Electronics DRC 1.250,00

+15,00

+1,22%

0,68K

Schroders

366,1

+4,1

+1,13%

20,44K

3,79K

Scottish Mortgage

643,02

+0,60

+0,09%

129,01K

2,09K

Segro

695,26

+4,60

+0,67%

46,55K

+1,65%

68,65K

Severn Trent

2.628,0

+23,0

+0,88%

15,18K

+3,30

+1,20%

51,28K

Shell

2.705,5

+5,0

+0,18%

277,65K

368,70

+5,30

+1,46%

116,07K

Smith & Nephew

912,00

+16,20

+1,81%

57,51K

2.403,0

+13,0

+0,54%

41,73K

Smiths Group

1.604,00

+34,00

+2,17%

26,33K

12.635,0

+15,0

+0,12%

1,71K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 8.188,0

+48,0

+0,59%

2,58K

Flutter Entertainment

12.870,0

+90,0

+0,70%

5,57K

SSE

1.626,00

+19,50

+1,21%

63,14K

Fresnillo

553,71

+3,60

+0,66%

18,12K

St. James’s Place

636,00

+17,60

+2,85%

124,28K

Glencore

448,70

+3,45

+0,78%

1,37M

Standard Chartered

616,80

+6,20

+1,01%

420,36K

GSK plc

1.445,60

+12,40

+0,86%

167,81K

Taylor Wimpey

110,43

+1,55

+1,42%

530,98K

Halma

1.824,5

+1,5

+0,08%

16,78K

Tesco

274,12

+1,70

+0,62%

259,14K

Hargreaves Lansdown

713,00

+7,40

+1,05%

43,83K

Tui

421,16

+10,40

+2,53%

66,47K

Hikma Pharma

1.927,00

+14,50

+0,76%

7,14K

Unilever

3.854,0

+32,5

+0,85%

121,99K

HSBC

607,80

+6,80

+1,13%

3,96M

United Utilities

1.060,00

+6,00

+0,57%

24,04K

IAG

143,43

+1,30

+0,92%

1,27M

Vodafone Group PLC

76,99

+0,89

+1,17%

1,77M

Imperial Brands

1.750,62

+21,50

+1,24%

80,93K

Whitbread

3.317,2

+27,0

+0,82%

10,93K

Informa

716,80

+15,00

+2,14%

100,71K

WPP

713,40

+18,20

+2,62%

142,35K

currenciesdirect.com/la-zenia • Tel: +34 965 994 830 THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER

NASDAQ CLOSING PRICES 30 OCTOBER

COMPANY Most Advanced Deckers Outdoor Corporation MSP Recovery, Inc. ArcBest Corporation Siemens Energy AG Comfort Systems USA, Inc. Siemens Energy AG CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited DexCom, Inc. Fujitsu Limited Intel Corporation Capital One Financial Corporation

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+18.94% +16.55% +16.22% +15.20% +14.55% +13.05% +10.96% +10.11% +9.99% +9.29% +9.19%

1.821M 1.942M 1.338M 181,114 657,864 24,936 16,205 14.955M 106,371 84.128M 6.525M

-24.87% -19.56% -19.13% -14.65% -14.37% -12.99% -12.58% -12.40% -12.25% -9.94% -9.88%

4.422M 710,519 15.523M 19.391M 1.221M 3.83M 281,773 376,249 186.428M 7.259M 13.39M

Most Declined Chart Industries, Inc. Kinsale Capital Group, Inc. Sanofi Enphase Energy, Inc. Exponent, Inc. NatWest Group plc Rémy Cointreau SA The Boston Beer Company, Inc. Ford Motor Company Bloom Energy Corporation Newell Brands Inc.

FINANCE

euroweeklynews.com

ASK THE EXPERT Peter Loveday

Contact me at euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com

Euro EUR/GBP: Up from £0.86 to £0.87 EUR/USD: Unchanged at $1.05 The euro traded in a wide range over the past month, with the single currency fluctuating in response to some mixed Eurozone data and its negative correlation with the US dollar.

In the last week of September, the single currency was pressured by both a strengthening US dollar as well as a deterioration in German business and consumer morale.

As we entered October the euro initially faltered in response to weak Eurozone retail sales figures, before stronger-than-expected Germany factory orders helped to revive EUR sentiment.

EUR exchange rates then wavered in mid-October as mixed Eurozone data, heightened geopolitical uncertainty and some hawkish European Central Bank (ECB) comments also infused volatility into the single currency.

2 - 8 November 2023

CURRENCY OUTLOOK: EURO UNDERMINED BY DOVISH ECB, POUND BUFFETED BY GLOOMY DATA The euro then stumbled at the end of October following the ECB’s latest policy meeting, following a dovish hold from the bank.

Looking ahead, EUR sentiment is likely to be primarily data driven, with the euro likely to face resistance if upcoming economic releases continue to disappoint.

Pound GBP/EUR: Down from €1.15 to €1.14 GBP/USD: Unchanged at $1.21 Trade in the pound has also been volatile in recent weeks in response to some uneven UK data and fluctuating market sentiment.

Sterling closed September on a broadly positive note as it was lifted by positive risk flows and an upwards revision to first quarter GDP. GBP exchange rates appreciated further at the start of October, buoyed by upwardly revised PMIs and comments from Bank of England (BoE) Deputy Governor Ben Broadbent, who refused to rule out another interest rate hike.

OCTOBER: The euro initially faltered in response to weak Eurozone sales.

The pound’s fortunes then soured in the second half of the month after the UK’s latest GDP figures failed to temper UK recession fears.

The disappointing data then continued, with signs of a slowing UK labour market, a startling plunge in retail sales and another contraction in private sector growth all pilled pressure on Sterling.

Looking ahead, the focus for GBP investors will now turn to the BoE’s latest interest rate decision at the start of November. The bank is wide-

ly expected to leave interest rates on hold, which could exert pressure on the pound, particularly if policymakers are coy regarding the possibility of hiking again in the future.

US Dollar USD/GBP: Unchanged at $0.82 USD/EUR: Unchanged at €0.94 The US dollar fluctuated over the past four weeks amid shifting Federal Reserve interest rate expectations and risk-off flows.

Fed policymakers adopted a broadly dovish outlook in October,

EWN 35

with multiple officials suggesting that a recent surge in US Treasury yields might make further monetary tightening from the bank redundant.

Some mixed US data muddied the water a little however, with strongerthan-expected inflation and a robust non-farm payrolls print suggesting there might still be room for the US central bank to raise rates.

At the same time, the US dollar also found support in recent weeks as the outbreak of conflict between Israel and Hamas weighed on market risk appetite and bolstered demand for safe-haven assets.

The Federal Reserve’s impending interest rate decision will be in the spotlight at the start of November.

While USD investors are confident the bank won’t alter interest rates this month, the US dollar may strengthen if the Fed leaves the door open to raising rates again in the future.

Currencies Direct have helped over 430,000 customers save on their currency transfers since 1996. Just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more about how you can save money on your currency transfers.

Visit us at our Spanish offices in Costa del Sol, Costa Almeria, North Costa Blanca and South Costa Blanca.

Telephone UK +44 (0) 207 847 9400 Spain +34 950 478 914 • Email euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com • www.currenciesdirect.com.

36 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT SO, there I was, waking up in a suite of the plaza hotel New York, looking forward to a date with one of the most famous female artists in the world, the hugely talented Diana Ross of the Supremes. According to Mary, one of the trio members, she was ‘really gonna love me’ and that evening, after we watched the show in the Wardorf Blue Room would join us at the table, making up a four­ some with Tom Jones and herself.

Believe me if this doesn’t make you feel you’ve actually arrived, you need some kind of mental assessment.

Central Park looked lovely as I viewed it through the spacious windows of the hotel suite and, after ordering breakfast, languished on the bed pe­ rusing the 13 channels on an Ameri­ can TV, (when the UK was still only managing to present three!) Around 11 or so I decided to ring Tom.

Although they were at a different hotel he had given me the code need­ ed to obtain a connection through the operator. (Still a necessity for pri­ vacy in the lives of laddie dah’s of our world!) No reply. Dozing off I decided to call later. After all he’d had some night. (Hopefully mine was yet to come!) Still no reply.

They were staying at the Wardorf, so I decided to give it one more try and go for as stroll in the park. I tried again. Mary answered. ‘Hey baby’ slurred a bleary voice. ‘We’re not up yet. Try us later’. With that she dis­ connected. I’m not too sure what came over me at that point. I didn’t want to be a pain. I was certainly rid­ ing high myself; en route to Nashville, where I was about to become the first Limey ever to appear at the Grand ol Oprey!

I decided to go for a jaunt around New York. Later, after a couple of beers, I found myself in the first 24­ hour picture house I had ever experi­ enced. There I made the mistake that I’ve rather regretted ever since, I nod­ ded off. Difficult to remember how

long I slept, but when I left the cine­ ma it was actually dark. I decided to return to the hotel. Feeling a bit em­ barrassed about my situation; plus the fact I was already late, I elected to give the promises of an evening with the Supremes and Tom a miss.

What a berk. I spent the rest of the night watching telly and having a few lone drinks in the hotel suite. The next morning, before I left for the air­ port, I gave Tom a ring. Mary an­ swered and as soon as she realised it was me gave me a real earful. ‘Where the hell were you last night?’ she en­ thused. Trying to explain I couldn’t get hold of them, didn’t go down too well. ‘We tried to call your room 20 times’ she said, ‘where did you get to’? After endeavouring to explain what had occurred, I finally hung up.

Neither were obviously too happy with the result. Apparently Diana was very disappointed. Ah well. On­ ward.

Keep the faith.

Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com

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

ROCK SLAMS WAXWORK FAMOUS wrestler turned movie star; Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson was chosen by a French Museum to be immor­ talised in wax.

He was the first winner of the Grévin Awards, created by a wax museum of the same name situated in Paris and the sculptors were excited to be given the challenge of creating a life size reproduction of this larger than life character.

According to the museum, sculptor Stéphane Barret had to rely on photos and videos to create a figure as close to reality as possible, without ac­ tually meeting him and they even sent members of the team to several gyms hoping to find someone of similar build.

Once the body and fea­ tures were complete, artists took a painstaking 10 days to The original waxwork reproduce his Samoan tattoos of The Rock and they took three attempts to get his eyes right as they started off as too dark which elongated his face.

Finally, they were satisfied with the result but when the fin­ ished waxwork was unveiled on October 16, there was fan crit­ icism over the light skin tone of the figure and even the Rock, known for his catchphrase “Smell what the Rock is cooking” joined in the criticism reportedly telling them to “update my wax figure with some important details, starting with my skin colour.”

In response, Museum director Yves Delhommeau told the AFP news agency the problem would be resolved and partially blamed the skin tone on a “lighting issue” but he did say The Rock would visit the museum “later on to see if there are other modifications that need to be made.”

Credit: Musée Grévin

Onward and upward

FEATURE

PARLIAMENT GOES OFF THE RAILS NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist.

the madness of the situation. There were a few cries for ‘single seat now’,” joked another, referring to the campaign to stop these trips to Strasbourg.

Apart from tongue­in­cheek complaints there were “no free attractions” on the train, one MEP bragged he was happy about the change of direction as it meant he was finally facing for­ ward. Oops!

Alluding to criticisms lev­ elled at the so­called “trav­ elling circus” that ferries MEPs to Strasbourg ­ and this unscheduled Mickey Mouse experience ­ one MEP joked: “We are NOT a Mickey Mouse parlia­ ment!”

Mickey Mouse was un­ available for comment.

A TRAIN carrying hundreds of MEPs and EU officials recently ended up at Disney­ land, after taking the wrong turn en route to Strasbourg. This monthly shuttle service between Brussels and Strasbourg has long been a source of controversy, costing £90 million annually!

Instead of the rolling hills that usually greet them as they head to Strasbourg, MEPs were caught between the Art of Marvel and Main Street USA, with Star Wars Hy­ Nora Johnson’s 12 criti­ perspace Mountain and cally acclaimed psychologi­ Peter Pan’s Flight in the cal suspense crime thrillers NORA’S LATEST THRILLER. near distance. (www.nora­johnson.net) “‘Where dreams come true’ ­ will Dis­ all available online including eBooks ney’s slogan soon be that of the European (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, audiobooks, Parliament?” someone wrote on X. “It’s paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cud­ pretty much all­around laughter here at eca cancer charity.

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

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

2 - 8 November 2023

EWN 37

Advertising Feature

Modern stylish state-of-the-art convector heaters

OVER many years Neater Heaters have be­ come the first choice of many expats living in Spain.

Behind our stylish Scandinavian designs are a modern state­of­the­art convector heater that can match any on the market for economy and efficiency, and beats all the serious competition hands down on price.

The real secret of these heaters is the computer­age technology in the form of extruded aluminium in the construction of the heating element. This material and the design creates a huge surface area for heat transfer, which means more air can be heated for less cost.

Neater Heaters use convection princi­ pals and are designed so that the electrici­ ty you put into the heater is converted to heat as cheaply as possible. When you turn on the heater the element warms up rapidly and heats the air around it, this air rises and draws more cold air into the heater. Because the element is extremely efficient and is de­ signed to have a huge surface area a large

NEATER HEATERS: Efficient, effective, economical.

quantity of air is heated very quickly. If your room has the correct sized heater, it will take

about 20 minutes to warm up from cold, after which the heater

eases off and works at about two­thirds ca­ pacity, (depending on various external influ­ ences).

Our heaters are not only efficient, effec­ tive, and economical, but as you would ex­ pect from a Scandinavian product, they are extremely stylish and practical. There is a model that will suit anyone, from the BEHA, (Bluetooth option or Wi­Fi option) and the NEO Wi­Fi, so that you can control your heaters easily via a Wi­Fi APP but still being able to control them manually if preferred, or the trendy original style Neo with digital controls and a choice of colours and if you are limited for wall space then available for purchase are factory designed feet to enable the heater to be freestanding.

However, a few years ago we added the NEO Wi­Fi Compact model. This heater shares the design technology and ethos of the current NEO heaters, but it has two dif­ ferences: It is much smaller in length, thus able to fit into tighter wall spaces, plus this model has the added bonus of a 2.5 kw ver­ sion as well.

NEATER HEATER DISTRIBUTORS: COSTA BLANCA SOUTH BENIJOFAR: Vincent Real Estate. Tel. 966 712 440 - BLUE LAGOON: The Electrical Shop (Euronics). Tel. 966 188 170 Heaters also available for purchase at our online shop with free home delivery WWW.NEATERHEATER.ES or Tel. 634 312 171 (WhatsApp available)

38 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Face mask sticks: Skincare’s compact revolution FACE MASKS: Now more convenient.

SKINCARE is constantly evolving, and face mask sticks are its latest inno­ vative stride. Imagine fa­ cial masks, but in a con­ venient stick form, reminiscent of oversized lip balms.

Here’s why they’re a beauty game­changer: 1. Portability: Compact and mess­free, they’re perfect for on­the­go ap­ plications, from travel to gym sessions.

2. Efficiency: They minimise waste by dis­

pensing just the right amount, eliminating the common issues of tradi­ tional masks.

3. Hygiene: Direct­to­ face application means no dipping fingers, re­ ducing contamination risks.

4. Versatility: Avail­ able in diverse formula­ tions, they cater to vari­ ous skin needs, from hydration to exfoliation.

As with all skincare, it’s vital to choose a product tailored to your

skin type and always conduct a patch­test. In essence, face mask sticks represent the beauty industry’s re­ sponse to modern needs, combining conve­ nience with functionali­ ty, making them an es­ sential addition to today’s skincare rou­ tines.

The Benefits of dry brushing DRY brushing is an invigorat­ ing practice that helps to ex­ foliate and rejuvenate your skin. Using a natural bristle brush, gently brush your skin in long, sweeping motions before showering.

This technique removes dead skin cells, stimulates circulation, and promotes lymphatic drainage. Dry brushing can improve the appearance of your skin, leaving it smooth, soft, and glowing. It also helps to re­ duce the appearance of cel­ lulite and supports the detoxification process. Incor­ porate dry brushing into your skincare routine a few times a week for optimal re­ sults and enjoy the revitalis­ ing benefits it offers.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

euroweeklynews.com

2 - 8 November 2023

Staying stylishly fit : Elegance without effort THE French have an enviable reputation for maintaining their physique, and they do it with style. Forget the rigorous gym routines and restrictive diets; the French approach to fitness is about balance, en­ joyment, and living life to the fullest. Here’s how you can embrace the French way of staying fit without ever slip­ ping into Lycra: 1. Moderation Over Depri­ vation: The French believe in savouring every bite, but in moderation. It’s not about cutting out foods but enjoying them in sensible portions.

RELAX & REJUVENATE: Take a long bath.

2. Joyful Movement: Exer­ cise isn’t seen as a chore but a pleasure. Whether it’s a leisurely stroll or a dance, it’s about moving with joy.

3. Stay Active in Daily Life: The French lifestyle involves constant movement, be it walking to the market or

Be happy and glow NORDIC beauty brands take a cue from Scandinavian design: clean lines and minimalism without sacrificing aesthetics. Skin­care products are clearly labelled without superfluous descriptors; bathroom vanities are kept free of clutter. “Nordic women want things to be fast, easy and effi­ cient,” said Danish aesthetician Pernille Holm­Larsen.

“The concept is large­ ly based on the ‘less is more’ philosophy of Nordic people, from their simple skin routines and healthy diets to their work­life balance and how one leads their happiest life,” added Jo­ hanna Paavilainen, US marketing di­ rector for Finnish skin­care brand

taking the stairs.

4. Kitchen Workouts: Be­ lieve it or not, the French say you can sculpt your abs in the kitchen. It’s about mindful eating and preparing meals from scratch.

5. Relax and Rejuvenate: For the French, relaxation isn’t a luxury; it’s essential.

Whether it’s reading a book or taking a long bath, relax­ ation is key to overall well­be­ ing.

6. Age is Just a Number: Fit­ ness doesn’t have an expira­ tion date. The French be­ lieve in staying active

Lumene, which is credited with bring­ ing ‘Nordic Beauty’ to North Amer­ ica. “This also transforms to the Finnish beauty ideal: If you are happy, your face radiates a certain kind of glow no make­up can ever achieve.”

and enjoying life at every age.

In essence, the French secret to fitness is about embracing life, finding joy in the little things, and understanding that balance is the key to a healthy life.

EWN 39

650 the number of muscles in the human body.

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

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

53

42 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

FEATURE

COMMUNITY

COMMENTS

Earlier this week, the thorny matter of 90/180 raised its head as one newspaper reported that Spain still wants to appeal to the European Union to allow British passport holders to spend 180 continuous days out of 360 in Spain.

Whilst this seems unlikely, we posed the question on the web as to whether this is a good idea and if it is even feasible and received the following comments:

“

The rule is not exclusive to the UK. Robert Faraday

Why should Brits get special treatment. Spain should try and attract more visitors from within the EU. Johm

They cannot change that rule.

It’s a common rule for all the Schengen states, since there are no borders, any exception could travel to the other Schengen countries unchallenged.

It will not happen, Brexit means Brexit.

Rosie

Will the snowbirds be taking the Winter Fuel Allowance whilst spending the winter months in Spain? A benefit denied to resident pensioners.

R. Welbourn

No. Brian Rae

Over-tourism and unruly tourists are a problem in many tourist places in Spain. The 90/180 rule may help that situation if most of the tourists are from the UK. If UK people are still complaining about a rule that applies to all third countries, they should have thought about that before they shot themselves in the foot.

Sheree Ruiz

Spain has no say in the matter. The rule is not only for the Brits. They made their decision now live with the consequences.

Richard Baylor

Road visibility Hi, I have nothing against cyclists, in fact I admire them training for La Vuelta, going up and down these hills in Spain.

But are their lives worth less than about €50?

They wear dark or black clothing and are not very easy to see when they go out of the bright sun into a shaded area on the road.

It only costs about €50 for front and rear flashing lights and a High Vis bolero jacket that is reflective and fluorescent.

I would like to see Trafico introduce compulsory lights on bikes at all times.

We motorists have to wear a High Vis jacket if we exit the car on the highway and also most cars now have running lights. Please cyclists spend a little cash to perhaps save your life.

Regards John from Terreros

Greta Thunberg I wish I had been as smart, and had the guts to speak out, as did that stupid little girl .

Allow me via Wiki to inform you that Thunberg’s rise to world fame made her a leader in the climate activist community. She also faced heavy criticism, much of it mocking her as a naïve teenager. Thunberg’s influence on the world stage has been described by The Guardian and other media outlets as the ‘Greta effect’. She has received numerous honours and awards, including an honorary Fellowship of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, inclusion in Time’s 100 most influential people, being the youngest Time Person of the Year, inclusion in the Forbes list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (2019), and multiple nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Not bad for a ‘stupid little girl’ hey Philip.

John Little

Greta Thunberg is a grifter and punk little woke chick. Who’s 15 minutes of fame are over… hopefully.

D Bath

Clock change I believed that the decision of whether to change at all and to which time zone was to be left to individual countries.

Neil Friday

Comments should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: euroweeklynews.com Views expressed and opinions given are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers.

No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements.

44 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com THE British Benevolent Fund was founded over a century ago to help those Britons in Spain facing extreme finan­ cial distress and who have no other recourse; friends, fami­ ly or state support.

In that time the expat community has grown a hun­ dred­fold, while the number of visitors has reached heights unforeseen back then.

Of the 18 million plus visi­ tors from the UK to Spain each year the vast majority are without incident ­ and not all visitors are here for a two week break on the beach. Many come to see friends and family, and some come to care for a loved one.

Caroline came to Spain to help look after her elderly mother who was suffering from multiple ailments and had mobility issues meaning she could not do the shop­ ping or any household chores. She lived alone and relied generally on neigh­ bours.

To add to the difficulty, al­ though her mother had lived in Spain for many years she had not done her paperwork correctly and was therefore

FEATURE

Helping with costs Olaf Clayton of BBF.

not officially resident or al­ lowed to stay in Spain over the prescribed 90­day period.

She lived off a modest UK pension from her late hus­ band in a rented apartment which under normal circum­ stances would be sufficient, but without her daughter her situation was not tenable.

They decided that the best thing would be to return back to the UK ­ not her ideal choice as she loved living in Spain but given her circum­ stances it was the only viable option.

The daughter was able to make arrangements to take her home so she could be with her and look after her better but would need help with the considerable cost for moving with an elderly person.

Working with her local consulate and local charity the BBF was able to help con­ tribute to her repatriation costs and she has now made the move and is living as well as could be expected in her daughter’s home. She is in the process of applying for UK benefits to help with the additional costs which take time under the Habitual Resi­ dency Test rules, but is confi­ dent that she will have this in time.

We can only help people with your support. If you would like to make a dona­ tion please visit www.british benevolentfund.org to see how you can make the differ­ ence.

Thank you on behalf of all the beneficiaries for your help. Olaf Clayton, Chair BBF

PETS Pet-sitters for only £69/€79 per year! Bobi: World’s oldest dog dies 46

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Choose Housesitmatch.com for affordable travel, home and pet care. These are the steps to take: 1. Register as a homeowner on HouseSit Match.com 2. Choose a Standard account (£69 per year) to ensure you can help online when need­ ed 3. Create a profile with photos of your pet

www.euroweeklynews.com •2 - 8 November 2023

aged 31 in Portugal

Dogs love to stay at home and keep cool.

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 sit­ ters. Join our network for a small annual fee.

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THE world’s oldest dog, official­ ly recognised by the Guinness Book Of Records has died in Portugal at the age of 31.

His owner, 38­year­old Leonel Costa, explained that after being rushed to hospital, Bobi passed away on Satur­ day, October 21, in Con­ queiros, a village in the munici­ pality of Leiria. The Rafeiro do Alentejo was born on a farm on May 11, 1992 and spent his whole life there.

Leonel even threw a party to celebrate Bobi’s 31st birth­ day in May after being chal­ lenged by Guinness to hold it.

Around 100 guests from all over the world attended the celebration, reported a news source.

Leonel Costa spent around €1,000 on the party, ensuring there was no shortage of sea bream and pork on a skewer.

“Bobi doesn’t like spaghetti bolognese. Bobi is an angel. He is not a protective dog at all. If someone comes into the

Unwavering love for pets IN the picturesque streets of Scandinavia, it’s a common sight to see residents walking alongside their beloved dogs.

This region’s passion for pets, especially dogs, is almost fa­ natical. But what fuels this deep­seated love?

Historically, the bond be­ tween Scandinavians and their pets traces back to the Viking Age. The Vikings, known for their seafaring ad­ ventures, kept dogs and cats as companions.

The Norwegian Buhund, a breed that played diverse roles from herding to guiding, is a testament to this age­old relationship. Today, this breed, along with the bold and adventurous Norwegian Elkhound, remains a favourite among Scandinavians and even Americans.

But it’s not just dogs that hold a special place in Scandi­ navian hearts. The Norwegian Forest Cat, with its affection­ ate nature and independent spirit, is another cherished pet in the region.

In Scandinavia, pets are more than just animals; they

A Norwegian Buhund.

are family. The warmth and companionship they offer are invaluable, especially for those who live alone. This deep bond is evident in every­ day life, from pet­friendly homes and public transport to the prominence of pet care facilities in cities.

The world may have evolved, and cultures may have merged due to immigra­ tion, but Scandinavia’s love for pets remains unwavering.

It’s a legacy from their ances­ tors, a testament to the com­ fort and joy these furry com­ panions bring. So, the next time you’re in Scandinavia, don’t be surprised if a local spends hours sharing tales of their beloved pet. After all, to them, these animals are not just pets; they’re family.

BOBI: Was born as a litter of four male puppies.

house, he lets them. He is very sociable, sweet and loves ani­ mals and people,” his owner explained.

Born as part of a litter of four male puppies, Bobi and his sib­ lings were doomed to an early grave. Leonel’s father already had several dogs and did not need any more. He said “I was eight years old. My father was a hunter, and we always had dogs,” Leonel recalled. “At that time it was considered normal by older people who could not have more animals to bury the

animals in a hole so they would not survive.”

When his father accidentally left the one pup behind, Leonel and his brothers hid the dog and took care of him. “We knew that when the dog opened its eyes, my parents would no longer bury it. It was popular knowledge this act could not or should be done,” Leonel explained.

By the time Leonel’s parents discovered they had hidden Bobi, it was too late for them to do anything.

A €3 Billion love affair OFTEN, the British are hailed as avid animal enthusiasts, but recent statistics suggest it’s the French leading the European pet parade. With a staggering 61.6 million companion ani­ mals for their 64 million popu­ lace, the French spend an im­ pressive €3 billion annually on their furry, scaly, and finned friends.

A study by SantéVet reveals that over half of French house­ holds are home to pets, with fish topping the list at 36 mil­ lion. Cats and dogs follow, numbering 10.7 million and 7.8 million respectively. The rise in cat ownership is attributed to shrinking living spaces and fewer gardens.

However, pet ownership is­ n’t cheap. A significant chunk

(three­quarters) of the €3 bil­ lion goes to pet food, a boom­ ing industry employing 20,000 in France.

Veterinary expenses have skyrocketed by 72 per cent over a decade. While a stan­ dard consultation costs be­ tween €30­€50, specialised treatments can be hefty. For instance, a dog’s skin allergy treatment might set one back €150 monthly, while chemo­ therapy can reach €2,000.

Interestingly, the term ‘pet’ is now viewed as derogatory in some circles, with ‘companion animal’ being the preferred nomenclature, echoing the deep bond between humans and their animal counterparts.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS POLICE/FIRE/AMBULANCE: 112 24 HOUR PHARMACY FARMACIA ALICANTE 965 910 220 FARMACIA PLAYA DEL CURA 966 706 880 24 HOUR VETS HOSPITAL VETERINARIA SANT VICENTE 965 668 582

SERVICES

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2 - 8 November 2023

EWN 47

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EWN 49

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50 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

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WINDOW TINTING

EWN 51

CLASSIFIEDS ARCHITECT

BUILDING SERVICES J & J PAINTERS. Inside outside - clean - fast - low cost. Torrevieja - Orihuela Costa and surrounding areas. Tel: 650 363 159 (1296232)

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

CARS FOR SALE

every other aspect of your life - damaging everything that is important to you. Englishspeaking AA meetings are held throughout the Costa Blanca from Valencia City to Murcia. Anyone wishing to attend a meeting or discuss a possible drinking problem contact Costa Blanca North: 648 169 045 or Costa Blanca South: 625 912 078 or Costa Calida 679 385 105 All calls are treated in the strictest confidence. AA in German: 645 456 075; Spanish: 679 212 535; Flemish: 635 047 053; and Scandinavian: 659 779 222. www.aa-costablan ca.org (93323) CAMPELLO CONTRA CANCER in conjunction with AECC Association Español Contra Cancer. Please support your local Cancer charity and if you wish to obtain literature or simply talk to someone. Please contact Mina or Trisha. Tel 650 071 278 or 610 921 413 e-mail aecc_campello@hotmail. com (95475) CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (MABS) MURCIA/MAR MENOR Help and support is just a phone call away, Avda Rio Nalón, Tel: 693 275 779 (95462) CHURCH SERVICE IN ENGLISH Tel: 950 617 549 www.givinglight.com.(10006) FREEMASONRY. Are you aware that Freemasonry is thriving on the Costa Blanca?

There are various Lodges meeting up throughout the Valencia region. If you already are a Mason or simply wish to know more about Freemasonry in Spain please contact sec@glpvalencia. com Tel 600 841 064 (95477)

CARE HOME PRIVATE CARE HOME Full Board and Care. Also, Dementia care. British Owned near Alicante. Luxurious Villa. €1,200 per month. Call 747 438 225 (304618)

CHARITY ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS IS ALCOHOL COSTING YOU MORE THAN MONEY? Drinking to excess not only affects your health it can spill over into

CHARITY

HELP VEGA BAJA. We are a non-profit making organisation that helps and supports anyone, without prejudice, in times of need or crisis within the Vega Baja area. Our offices are based in San Miguel at Calle Lope de Vega 46 (Tel 966 723 733), Torrevieja at Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 4 (Tel 965 704 282). We are online at www.helpvegabaja.com and also on Facebook.

You can email the San Miguel Centre at office@helpvegaba ja.com. We also have a 24hour Emergency helpline which is available to both members and non-members on 966 723 733 (95456)

52

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY, TORREVIEJA Calle Beniajan 16, Torrevieja 03185, Alicante Evangelical non-denominational church.

Sunday morning Services at 11.00am. All nationalities welcome - Contact 966 752 543 / 966 799 273. For other church matters phone: 966 799 273 / /617 215 463 www.icatorre vieja.org (95476) LA SIESTA EVANGELICAL CHURCH on Urbanisation La Siesta, Torrevieja is a friendly, English-speaking church. For more information, including details of our services, see our website www.lasiestaevangeli calchurch.org (10005) PHILIP SCOTT LODGE No 10671 of the RAOB. Please call the secretary, Colin Bird on 693 287 614 for further information. (95459) PILAR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH. All welcome from any church background or none. For further information, www.pilarchurch.org Reg No: 2009-SG/A (95463) ROYAL Air Force Association Costa Blanca Registered Members Group: The RAFA Costa Blanca RMG replaces the RAFA Costa Blanca Branch 1359 which is now closed. The RMG is a social group of caring people and remains affiliated to the parent Association. Contact with the Royal Air Force Association and the RMG can be made via the RAFA website rafa.org. uk. Tel:0044 800 018 2361.

(238593) ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Why not make this year the year you volunteer? See how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbuddyhhvisits@gmail.com.

If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well as the big, sometimes talking to someone is the first step to feeling more in control. It can be a personal need or some help with your home or information on what or who to speak to on a medical issue, we help with signposting if we cannot help directly, just call and have a chat with Pam who will try to guide you to where you need to be. If you would like to go to a branch meeting then find your nearest one at, http://branch es.britishlegion.org.uk/branch es/orihuela-costa - covering from Punta Prima to San Javier. More info can be found on branch website www. orihuelacostarbl.co.uk.

(95457)

2 - 8 November 2023 • euroweeklynews.com ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Gran Alacant & La Marina Branch. For info, contact the branch Secretary at granala cant.secretary@rbl.community ROYAL MARINES ASSOCIATION (Costa Blanca) The aim of the Association is to bring together not just ex Royal Marines, but ex Service personnel with an affinity to the Royal Marines. For further details contact Hon Sec P S Wilkins Tel: 966 194 158 email: inkinspain@yahoo. co.uk (10004) ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION For information please contact Chairman Anthony Jenkins +34 693 866 709, Vice Chairman Dusty Miller +34 711 006 670, Secretary Mike Cockman +34 670 224 822, Treasurer Carl Louden +34 678 518 202, email rnatorre vieja@aol.com (95455) STROKE ASSOCIATION Spain (formally known as Torrevieja stroke support) Our aim is to help and support stroke survivors and their carers, with rehabilitation, speech therapy, OC therapy and a very active social group. For info please contact 653 588 475 English and 620 907 474 Spanish or email strokesupportgroup@ hotmail.com, website: torreviejastrokesupport.org. We are always looking for volunteers who have the skills and knowledge to support. (95473) THE ANGLICAN CHURCH, La Fustera. For more info: contact Frank Bentley on 966 495 188. (95461) T H E B A K E R Fo u n d a t i o n Spiritual Centre Playa Flamenca. Calle Luis Gordillo, 1 P l a ya F l a m e n c a A l i c a n t e 0 3 1 8 9 . Yo u c a n j o i n u s o n Facebook, The Baker Foundation spiritual centre. Or contact Linda Schug Tel. 606 9 9 0 6 6 5 fo r m o r e d e t a i l s (95458) THE PATIENCE LODGE No 2177 of the R.A.O.B Please call Secretary Dave Tonge on 688 704 091 for further information. (253807) THE SPIRITUALIST CENTRE, Benijofar meets at Hamilton’s Bake House, 62 Calle Vicente, Blasco Ibañez, Benijofar 03178. We hold a Sunday Sevrice at 11.30am.

For further information: www.spiritualistcentre-benijo far.com. Telephone 711 060 171.

Email martindrou te66@hotmail.com. Fiscal G54713789 MOVERS AND SHAKERS We are a non-profit organisation that supports people and their families with neurological diseases such as; HUNTINGTON’S, ATAXIA, MOTOR NEURONE, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS and PARKINSON’S. Our MOVERS AND SHAKERS CLUB held every Friday @ 1pm – 3pm, is a chance for members

to meet up socially, for a drink and a chat on a full range of topics and to exchange ideas and information. The club is held at O’Briens Bar in El Raso, Guardamar del Segura (except July and August). For more details, contact Marion Smith on 711 008 250, or email: marion.smith@amscb. org.es, or you can find us on Facebook : fb@movers and shakers www.amscb.org.es (295976)

Tel 961 129 215 / 622 275 561, (WhatsApp) info@ beneficialinsuranceinspain.com or visit www.beneficialinsurancein spain.com for online quote.

(304147) STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbey gateinsure.com

MASSAGE

ELECTRICIAN MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (293246)

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

GOLD WANTED

FRENCH, ELÉGANTE, slim, Sophie, 3 languages spoken.

Experienced in a large variety of full body massages. Villamartin apartment or can travel to all areas. 693 357 526 (302439) EXPERIENCE the best with a 1hr unique massage w i t h Ve r o n i c a . S h av i n g o r permanent hair removal available. For appointments call 679 292 678 (303170)

HEALTH & BEAUTY PERSONAL TRAINER, WEIGHT LOSS, TONING, RESULTS GUARANTEED. CERTIFIED WITH 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE. FORMER US KICKBOX CHAMPION. CALL 747 438 225 (301319)

HOME IMPROVEMENTS BATHROOM & KITCHEN Conversions Costa Blanca, contact 698 320 434.

(294827)

INSURANCE FED UP OF NOT BEING SENT YOUR RENEWAL? CUT YOUR INSURANCE COSTS AND STILL HAVE 100% COVER. YOU HAVE TRIED THE REST NOW TRY THE BEST WITH SOS INSURANCE. WE CAN EVEN INSURE YOU FOR UP TO A €1,000 OF WATERLOSS. CALL 686 116 297 (WHATSAPP TO) OR VISIT www.sosinsuran ceinspain.com or email tracey@sosinsurancein spain.com (304148) B E N E F I C I A L INSURANCE S E R V I C E S . C a r, H o m e , Business, Travel, Life, Funeral, all insurances available. Policies in English.

B E S T ra t e s , c o v e r s & s e rvice. Immediate quotes.

A T T R A C T I V E , Girlfriend, Professional Masseuse relaxing and therapeutic Masseuse. Tel: 693 357 526 (303833) CLASSIC SPANISH LADY, Playa Flamenca area, private premises, all massage services from 40€. Ana 657 603 495 (303873) TORREVIEJA centre 5 Spanish and Colombian girlfriends, very affectionate and dominant masseuses 24 hours a day Call outs . 613668548 (302991) TORREVIEJA Miriam. Mature, gives relaxing body massage. Speaks English. Call 604 382 799 (304672) LOVELY slim lady, 46, offering a pleasant massage. Mil Palmeras. In your home or hotel. Contact leilapuss@yahoo. co.uk for more details (303843)

MEETING POINT COUPLE Male & Female recently moved to Santa Pola, seeking new friends for meeting up, drinks together or maybe a meal. Please call 622 706 247 (have WhatsApp) (304548)

MISCELLANEOUS GOLD & SILVER Bought & Sold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel - 678 716 693 (288662)

CLASSIFIEDS

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MOTORING

MUSIC TUITION PIANO, Keyboard, Organ, Qualified Teacher. Please call 606 984 535 (302201)

OTHERS KAMAGRA Gold 100mg plus Kamagra Jellies. Collection or Delivery. ROY HAS A NEW TEL. - 613 584 915 (295447) tp WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 952 147 834. (200726)

MOTORHOMES MOTORHOME / Campervan wanted. Left or right hand drive. Cash waiting for right van. Tlf 650 722 905

MUSIC FOR SALE 2 brand new Grundig Hi-Fi speakers 50watt, 26 x 18cm. €25. 699 321 591 (304542)

EDS? We have the solution, Kamagra pills & jells, Cialis, Sidenafil, over 7 products for men & ladies, mixed trial packs.Available by mailorder. WhatsApp or call 603 117 394

PERGOLAS TAILOR-MADE in durable canvas, pergola covers, sails, umbrella, spa and CAR COVERS. 10% off Cushions.

Mazarron to Costa Blanca. RETIRING SOON DON’ T MISS OUT Google: KrugerCanopies.com WhatsApp: 667 879 399 krugercanopies@ yahoo.co.uk (301216)

PETS BEAUTIFUL & Healthy BICHON FRISE puppy available from responsible breeder. Contact 653 757 768 (304679)

2 - 8 November 2023 PET CHARITY EASYHORSE CARE RESCUE CENTRE. We aim to rescue HORSES. If you would like to DONATE please call 965 967 033 or sales@easyhorsecare. net www.easyhorsecare.net or call Sue 652 021 980 (95706) GATAMI ORGANISATION, to help kittens and cats, looking for good homes, also spaying wild cats in the community.

Kittens require adoption, fully vaccinated, de-wormed, deflead. volunteers to Tel Anna: 966 806 976 / 654 729 977 (95709)

PET TRANSPORT PETS BACK HOME Family pet transporters Spain/UK. Travel with your pets for free.

All air conditioned vehicles (no vans) www.petsbackhome. co.uk Removals also arranged in other vehicles Tel: UK (0044) 01256 244657 (302827)

PLUMBERS MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (293246)

P.E.P.A. VOLUNTEERS & FOSTER HOMES URGENTLY NEEDED. By fostering an abandoned dog or spending a few hours each week on our telephone helpline, you could help save the lives of many animals. Please call: 650 304 746. For more information browse our website: www.pepaspain.com (95708)

POOL MAINTENANCE Repairs, Spares and Leak Testing. Call 965 725 565 / 676 945 360 www.pooltechspain.com (292232)

SPAMA GANDIA SHELTER. Dog and cat rescue registered charity, La Safor area. 500 animals awaiting rehoming.

Phone Gail 962 896 118. Visit our website for directions. www.spama.org and view our new blog at www.spama -safor.blog.com.es PLEASE HELP US TO HELP THEM (95707)

COSTA LESS EXPRESS, small removals and deliveries. Spain / UK budget prices. Urgent jobs undert a ke n w w w. c o s t a l e s s e x p r e s s . c o . u k Pe t t ra n s p o r t also arranged in our air conditioned pet / people c a r r i e r s . Te l e p h o n e : U K (0044) 01256 244657 (302827)

POOL MAINTENANCE

REMOVALS

SITUATIONS VACANT ACCOUNTS PERSON. Full or part time person to help w i t h a c c o u n t s a n d b o o kwork in our busy office and shop. Training will be given but experience with accounts is important. This is a fully legal contract position.

Send CV to info@costablancayachtser vices.com (303654) CHANDLERY ASSISTANT. Bright person required to help in our chandlery shop in To r r e v i e j a . M u s t h a v e E n glish and Spanish, be computer literate. A knowledge of boats would be an advantage, but full training can be given for the right person.

Full time position with contract and salary commensurate with experience. Send C V t o i n fo @ c o s t a b l a n c a y achtservices.com

SPAS & JACCUZZIS

EWN 53

54 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

euroweeklynews.com

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack ORIGINALLY designed by former aeronautics engi­ neer Malcolm Sayer, on its release in 1961, Enzo Ferrari described the Se­ ries 1 Jaguar E­type as “the most beautiful car ever made.” Sixty years on, with Sayer’s mathematically perfect lines flowing seam­ lessly from long nose to shapely rear, it remains to many one of the most beautiful and genuinely iconic cars ever to grace the tarmac.

Having spent over a decade sourcing the finest examples of these cars for restoration from across the UK and Europe, Chedeen Battick ­ an automotive en­ gineer, founded Helm Mo­ torcars to create what he terms a new standard in Jaguar customisation.

The company has an­ nounced the second in their series of Jaguar E­type Series 1 launches: the Roadster. With sumptuous bespoke leather interiors, the company aims to pre­

MOTORING

Helm Jaguar E-type - a modern icon JAGUAR: With sumptuous bespoke leather interiors.

serve the E­type for the next generation, while elevating the driving experience.

Despite the beauty of its lines, the original E­type was beset with unreliable electronics, a troublesome carburetor and a less than luxurious black plastic inte­ rior. Helm Motorcars has revitalised the car for to­ day’s standards.

In the 60 years since Mal­ colm Sayer’s design first wowed the automotive world, huge improvements in technology and tech­ niques mean that by utilis­ ing everything from 3D printing, LCD displays and parking sensor technology, soft­close doors and be­ spoke inertia seatbelts to upgrades in paint and met­

alwork as well as the quali­ ty of materials throughout, this E­type is a modern clas­ sic in more ways than one.

Working with the renowned Bill Amberg Stu­ dio to design the leather in­ teriors as well as a pair of unique, made to measure weekend bags has, says the company, updated the E­ Type interior with sensitivi­ ty and flair.

Amberg was keen to in­ troduce classic English rac­ ing detail in the leather­ work, using a combination of the finest suede and leathers previously used only in luxury residential in­ teriors, playing up the tex­ tural differences between the two materials.

The use of vegetable­ tanned black leather adds a feel of discreet luxury, and was created alongside the chassis build.

The company says that this has been the hardest project so far undertaken, demanding countless pro­ totypes and the develop­ ment of a number of ‘firsts’ in terms of design, develop­ ment and engineering.

As for the final result ­ car number two in a strictly limited edition of just 20 ­ had a build time of over 6,000 hours. Only 20 cars will be produced, all to the exact specification of the owners.

1 in 4 cars on UK’s roads were made in China.

MOTORING

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The MINI Countryman SE ALL4 WITH its robust design, the all­electric crossover model exudes self­confi­ dence and a thirst for adventure. The ALL4 all­wheel drive makes the pow­ erful MINI Countryman SE ALL4 a reli­ able companion with all­terrain trac­ tion on any surface.

The all­electric MINI Countryman SE ALL4 is a reliable companion for ex­ ploring new paths. As a spacious crossover model, the versatile adven­ turer enables locally emission­free mobility on a wide variety of terrain.

This is guaranteed by the powerful ALL4 all­wheel drive, extended driving assistance functions, partially auto­ mated Level 2 driving and an electric range of up to 433 kilometers accord­ ing to the WLTP test cycle.

The modern, minimalistic design with clearly designed surfaces and wider wheel arches reinforces the look of the MINI Countryman SE ALL4.

Two powerful electric motors with a total output of 230 kW/313 hp and a torque of 494 Nm guide the MINI Countryman SE ALL4 through any ter­ rain.

With rapid charging with DC at up to 130 kW, just under 30 minutes are enough to charge the battery from 10

Suitable for any terrain and fully electric.

percent to 80 per cent. Customers can optimize the charging process at any time through easy­to­understand set­ tings and view them via the MINI app.

The design of the MINI Countryman SE ALL4 underlines the character of the crossover model through the ver­ tical orientation of the body details.

The distinctive front grille, the distinc­ tive headlights and the very sculptural bonnet underline the appearance.

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2 - 8 November 2023

EWN 55

56 EWN 2 - 8 November 2023

Real Madrid lose key player Credit: Daniel/Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

AFTER suffering an injury during the El Clasico win over Barcelona on Saturday Octo­ ber 28, Real Madrid’s Au­ rélien Tchouaméni could be sidelined for a while.

In a statement published on Sunday, Los Blancos con­ firmed: “After the tests car­ ried out on our player Au­ rélien Tchouameni by the Real Madrid Medical Ser­ vices, he has been diagnosed with an incomplete stress fracture in the second metatarsal of his left foot.

Evolution pending.”

As a result, Carlo Ancelotti will have to plan for life in the immediate future without the excellent 23­year­old French international midfield star. His recent perfor­ mances have made him one of the keys to the Madrid club’s continued good form in LaLiga.

A stunning 1­2 victory over Barca in the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium ­ thanks to a brace from England’s Jude Bellingham ­ saw Madrid re­ turn to the top of the table.

They fell behind in the first

euroweeklynews.com

Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu stadium.

half to a goal in the sixth minute from the former Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan. However, Bellingham continued his golden run of form to turn the match on its head with two goals to bring his re­ markable tally to 13 so far this season.

Real Madrid players have a rest until Wednesday, November 1. That will give the club’s doctors time to once again evaluate the con­ dition of Ferland Mendy.

The French left­back was substituted for the second half and left the pitch show­ ing signs of obvious discom­ fort. He has since been cleared of any muscle injury though.

With Tchouaméni out of the picture, it will allow Ed­ uardo Camavinga to put himself back in the frame for the spot in midfield.

The 20­year­old French­ man missed out on a starting role for the Barcelona game and is the only pure defen­

sive midfielder available to Ancelotti in his famous dia­ mond formation.

Tchouaméni now looks like missing the remainder of Real’s Champions League group matches against Bra­ ga, Naples and Union Berlin.

He will probably also be absent at least for the Span­ ish league matches with Rayo, Valencia, Cádiz, Grana­ da, Betis and Villarreal. If his recovery goes well then he could be back in time for the final game of 2023.

SPORT

South Africa win World Cup SOUTH AFRICA claimed a record fourth Rugby World Cup title on the evening of October 28, after beating New Zealand 12­11 in Paris.

Three penalty kicks from Handre Pollard put South Africa comfortably in the lead but a Richie Mo’unga kick then closed the gap to 9­3.

The All Blacks finished the match with 14 players on the field after captain Sam Cane was red­carded in the 27th minute. After a review, his yellow card was upgraded when he was judged to have committed a high tackle on Jesse Kriel.

Cane made history as the first player to ever be sent off in a Rugby World Cup final and he left the pitch with his team losing 9­3. Pollard added another penalty be­ fore the break to send his side in 12­3 ahead at half­ time.

A try in the second half

from Beauden Barrett ­ who became the first player to score in two Rugby World Cup Finals ­ inspired a spirited fightback by the All Blacks.

However, the single point advantage was all it took and the Springboks managed to hold their nerves and clinch victory by the narrowest of margins to hold the trophy aloft. It was their third one­ point victory in the knockout stages of the tournament.

Their win at the Stade de France saw the Springboks regain the Webb Ellis Cup that they won four years ago in Japan where they beat England in the 2019 final.

Speaking to ITV after the game, a euphoric Pieter­ Steph du Toit, named the player of the match, said: “The last three games have been quite tough, each one we have played has been a fi­ nal and each one we have won by one point.”

A 16TH chequered flag of the current 2023 Formula 1 campaign saw Max Ver­ stappen break his own record for the number of wins in one season.

The three­time Dutch world champion was sim­ ply unbeatable as he totally dominated the race at the Autódromo Hermanos Ro­ dríguez on Sunday, October 29.

Despite the Red Bull starting in third place be­ hind the Ferrari’s of Charles LeClerc and Carlos Sainz, this season’s stunning form meant that it would only be a matter of time before Verstappen headed the

field.

It took him just one cor­ ner in fact after screaming past Sainz as the lights turned green and then pulling level with the French driver as the brak­ ing zone approached.

As the front three negoti­ ated Turn 1, Sergio Perez threw himself into the mix.

Racing in front of his home fans, the Mexican Red Bull driver somehow managed to clip LeClerc and his race was over for the day.

The safety car had to be deployed after a red flag was shown when Kevin Magnussen’s Naas crashed into the barriers at high­ speed in the Esses after suf­ fering suspension failure on Lap 32. The Dane was unin­ jured but he would take no further part in the race.

Britain’s Lewis Hamilton had an excellent drive, fin­ ishing second on the podi­ um after starting from sixth

on the grid. As a result, he is now only 20 points adrift of Perez in the champi­ onship with three races still to go.

Charles LeClerc had to settle for third with his teammate Sainz beating off the challenge of George Russell's Mercedes to claim fourth.

With just four laps re­ maining, Russell found himself dropping to sixth after being passed at Turn 6 by Lando Norris in the McLaren. The Brit weaved his way through the field from 19th to grab an im­ pressive finish.

Australia’s Daniel Ricciar­ do crowned a wonderful day by taking seventh in the AlphaTauri, with the other McLaren of Oscar Pi­ astri ­ another Aussie ­ fin­ ishing eighth. The top 10 was rounded out by the Williams of Alex Albon and Esteban Ocon in the Alpine.

THANKS to a law dating back to the 1960s, Saturday’s much­anticipated El Clasico featuring Jude Bellingham will not be able to be viewed live in the UK. On Saturday, October 28, the football world turns its attention to Spain’s Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, as Futbol Club Barcelona meet Real Madrid. But for fans in the UK, a decades­old regulation will keep them from witnessing the much­an­ ticipated El Clasico debut of England’s own Jude Bellingham, wrote a news source.

The UK has a unique broadcasting rule in place, dating back to the 1960s. No football matches can be aired between 2.45pm and 5.15pm UK time. The pur­ pose of this law is to encourage fans to attend local matches in person, particu­ larly in the smaller leagues, preventing top­tier games from overshadowing them.

Saturday’s El Clasico, arguably the world’s most famous football derby, be­ tween Barcelona and Real Madrid, kicks off at 4.15pm Spanish time, specifically scheduled for maximum exposure around the world. This translates to 3.15pm in the UK, falling squarely within the broadcasting blackout period.

This isn’t a modern phenomenon. The rule’s origins trace back to complaints from Burnley’s president in the 1960s. He believed televised matches adversely im­ pacted attendances at lower­league

Credit: BellinghamJude/X

Max Verstappen Fans miss Bellingham’s debut breaks own record REAL MADRID STAR: Jude Bellingham.

games.

Supported by UEFA, this regulation al­ lows each federation to have a two­and­ a­half­hour football­free slot. Expected to remain until 2029, it has previously clashed with other El Clasico fixtures.

Many English fans will be disappointed to miss Jude Bellingham, the rising star of Real Madrid, making his first appearance in Real’s iconic white shirt during an El Clasico.

Many fans have eagerly awaited this moment from the player who’s quickly becoming the English team’s standout performer. Bellingham, recently recover­ ing from an incident at the Braga Munici­ pal Stadium during a Champions League game, confirmed his participation on the Montjuic field.