Mallorca 30 Nov – 4 Dec 2023 Issue 2004

• Issue No. 2004 • 30 Nov - 6 Dec 2023

ILMAINEN

GRATIS

GRATIS

GRATIS

VRIJ

FREI

GRATUITO

G GRATIS

LIVRE E

F FREE

GRATIS S

G GRATUIT

SLEIGH OF SANTAS Working together

Tower closed

Credit: Pollensa Council

CONSIDERED to be one of the most important watch towers built on Mallorca in the 16th or 17th Ccentury, the Torre d’Albercuix in Pollensa has long been a great tourist attraction.

Entry has been free and the popularity of the tower has to some extent led to problems, as not only has it been heavily graffitied, but both volume of visitors and weather damage have caused consider­ able structural prob­ lems.

So bad is the problem that the council has had to close the road leading to the tower and block access to both the interi­ or and external stairs to ensure no accidents can occur.

As the building is list­ ed, any plan for repair has to be approved by the Mallorca Council and at this stage it is not known how long it will take before work can start and the tower re­ opened to the public.

In the meantime, the Local Police are keep­ ing a watch for tres­ passers.

The tower is closed to the public.

FREE

Credit: Linedance Balear Facebook

Mallorca

ANNUAL EVENT: One of the largest gatherings of Santas on the island.

John Smith THE correct collective word for a number of Santa Claus’ is a Sleigh and this is what you can expect to see in Palma on Saturday December 2.

In what has become an annual event supported by the Palma Council and organised by Linedance Balear expect to see upwards of 1,000 people male and female dressed as Santa Claus at 6pm in the Paseo del Borne.

The event is led by a collection of dance in­ structors and will with­ out doubt be the largest gathering of Santas on the island all enjoying an evening of music and

dancing with a good pur­ pose as donations will be collected for a local char­ ity. The only word of warning one might have is that if very young chil­

dren are taken to see the event, there is a chance that the sight of so many Santas in one place could shatter their illu­ sions.

THE Cáritas charity operates on a worldwide ba­ sis, but in Spain organises regular meetings to in­ clude members from across the nation.

Five people who undertake work in the Càritas Mallorca Toys workshop were part of a group of 120 volunteers and charity workers who met re­ cently for the third annual Participando.Con pro­ ject review.

The idea is to allow people from different Càri­ tas groups from other parts of Spain to share knowledge and information on what they are do­ ing and hopefully create a new understanding of the way that they can improve their support for the various communities they represent.

The meeting was held over a three­day period with the intent of creating a relaxed and family style atmosphere, incorporating an element of fun within the learning process which it was be­ lieved would encourage participants to share ideas and become more creative when they re­ turned home and could share their findings with colleagues and clients.

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30 November - 6 December 2023

Credit: Palma Council

Lighting up Palma

SWITCH ON: Three parades took place across Palma.

John Smith THE decision to make more of a multi media event for the switching on of the Pal­ ma Christmas Lights this year has been considered a great success.

At 8pm on Thursday November 23, the mayor, Jaime Martínez Llabrés offi­ cially announced the switching on of the lights in the Plaça de la Reina to thunderous applause from a crowd estimated to be in the region of 20,000.

There were three pa­ rades across Palma and more than 70 performers including acrobats, stilt walkers, jugglers, horses and various individuals spe­

cially lit up for the event took part and all parades merged at the Plaça de la Reina where the entertain­ ment had already started at 7pm.

The symbolic switch on was carried out by repre­ sentatives of the Monti­ sion Solidària Foundation, a charity that offers compre­ hensive help to people, ranging from psychological support and legal advice to the delivery of food, toys or clothes to needy families.

The decorations include 400 kilometres of garlands, more than 3,000 light as­ semblies as well as orna­ ments, bunting, trees and decorations.

By Michael Cano FOR bicycle users in Palma, there are often two main worries, firstly where can they be left and secondly is it safe to leave them?

Now, the organisation MobiPalma has in­ troduced two safeguards which those with bi­ cycles may find very useful.

For €7, you can register your bike on the bi ciregistro.es website which will add security, minimise the risk of theft of your bicycle and in the event it is taken, due to the special marking, the likelihood of having it found is much greater.

In addition, for €2 per month (€24 per an­ num) it is possible to reserve a parking space for your bicycle in Son Cladera, Pere Garau or the Plaça Major car park which also has a toolkit available.

Registration is open to those aged 16 and over who are residents in Palma and at the moment there are a total of secure spaces for 92 bikes, although this will be increased over time.

THE importance of Mallorcan gas­ tronomy continues to grow following the awarding of two more Michelin stars at the guides Spanish awards night on Tuesday November 28.

Until yesterday, just eight chefs held nine stars between them and whilst all kept their awards, the two latest additions are Mediterranean de Andreu Genestra in Llucmajor and Jordi Cantó’s Sa Clastra in Es Capdel­

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LOCAL NEWS

Safe parking Gift a toy Credit: Antekbojar

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Bicycles are encouraged in Palma.

You have to be registered on Biciregistro and visit https://documents.mobipalma.mo bi/ to complete a short registration as well as obtain an App for the phone which will allow access to the secure parking areas.

More stars la. Also recognised with Green Star awards for their achievements in sus­ tainability were three other Mallor­ can chefs, María Solivellas, for Ca Na Toneta in Caimari; Jaume Vicens of B e n s d ’ Av a l l i n S o l l e r a n d A n d r e u Genestra for his restaurant in Lluc­ major.

THE Andratx Council is promoting the concept of No Child Without A Toy this year and is encour­ aging residents to donate a new or even second­hand toy which is in per­ fect condition to its campaign.

It would be quite educational for par­ ents to explain to their children about the fact that some boys and girls have parents who can’t afford gifts and that it would a great gesture if they se­ lected one of their toys to give and make another child happy.

Any gifts can be taken to the An­ dratx Social Ser­ vices Department at the town hall be­ tween 9am to 2pm on weekdays until Wednesday Decem­ ber 13.

NIBS EXTRA Missing out A REPORT from the National Social Security Institute indi­ cated that on September 1, pensioners in the Balearic Is­ lands receive a monthly pen­ sion of €1,271.55 compared to the national average of €1,376.40, which is just un­ der €105 less than the rest of Spanish pensioners.

Motor homes NO less than 84 motor home owners congregated and parked up in the Can Peu Blanc industrial estate in Sa Pobla from November 24 to 26 in order to enjoy the weekend rice festival and to highlight the need for more municipal campsites.

VMP ban EFFECTIVE from December 1 a decision has been made to temporarily suspend access for those with electric scoot­ ers, electric bicycles and oth­ er electric personal mobility vehicles (VMP) on Mallorcan train and metro services as well as TIB intercity buses for a period of six months.

El Gordo WITH all of the excitement of El Gordo and the sharing of ownership of tickets, it is recommended that those who have contributed to the purchase sign a document with their DNI and send a copy of the ticket to each other on WhatsApp.

Sunday opening UNLIKE some parts of Spain where there are large num­ bers of tourists and Sunday and Public Holiday opening is quite liberal, Mallorca will only see 10 such days in the whole of 2024 when the larger shops and supermar­ kets are granted permission to open to the public.

New books THANKS to the receipt of funds from the European Next Generation operation, the Palma library service has been able to obtain 200 new books on different topics, in­ cluding those aimed at the very young.

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30 November - 6 December 2023

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Ham is the star 64

YOUR EWN HAS

A 20-YEAR-OLD chef from Sel­ va in Mallorca, Andreu Ares is one of five finalists taking part in the Cinco Jotas Cooking Chal­ lenge today, November 30 at the Basque Culinary Centre.

Now in its eighth year, the competition aims to reward the talent and creativity of Basque Culinary Centre stu­ dents and this year the stu­ dents must carry out ‘the rein­ terpretation of a classic’, basing their gastronomic creations on a reinterpreted traditional dish, making 100 per cent acorn­fed Cinco Jotas Jamon Iberico the star of the dish.

Credit: Teresa De Unarte

LOCAL NEWS

FRENCH TECHNIQUE: Aspiring chef Andreu Ares.

2024 Tourism PRIOR to a special presentation due to be unveiled by the Consell de Mallorca on Tuesday November 28 the Board of Trustees of the Mallorca Tourism Foundation approved the 2024 action plan.

One of the main strands of the promotion is to try to attract more visitors from the American, Asian and Middle Eastern markets, but with a strong commit­ ment to Responsible Tourism.

This is in accordance with the Sustainable Develop­ ment Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and, more specifically, the five critical dimensions known as the 5Ps: People, Prosperity, Planet, Peace and Pacts.

Effectively, Mallorca is looking to change its appeal so that more affluent tourists from areas outside of Europe are attracted to the island which intends to preserve its natural environment and culture rather than cater for ‘party animals’.

A budget of €9.6 million will be made available dur­ ing 2024 to allow for advertising, promotion, market­ ing and social media campaigns aimed at the new tar­ get audiences.

Mini cabs THE taxi trade in Mallorca is about to find itself under even greater pressure as legal moves are encouraging the expansion of VTC services.

What we know in the UK as mini cabs are called VTC (transport vehicle with driver) across Spain and there have been three recent and important developments which could see companies such as Uber expanding dramatically.

Uber itself is a newcomer to the island and only operates in four municipalities at the moment, but they are considered to be tourist hotspots, Andratx, Calvia, Llucmajor and Palma which gives access to the profitable airport runs.

Already Uber has announced

Calvia Christmas CALVIA Council has revealed its plans for entertainment in the lead up to Christmas with fairs and markets in ad­ dition to the traditional lights.

For the first time the royal pages will be travelling throughout all areas of the municipality, to collect letters for the Three Wise Men and many squares and markets will be filled with Christmas music if you can cope with even more Christmas carols!

On Sunday December 10 the tradi­ tional Christmas Market will take place in Santa Ponsa and will be the start of

Selected from 60 recipes en­ tered by the centre’s third­year students, Andreu uses a French culinary technique in his pro­ posed broth to achieve a silkier texture.

Instead of boiling the egg and adding it to the stew, he cures the yolk for 30 days for a delicious result.

In addition, the croutons are presented in two different ways: as pork rinds made from the skin of the ham and, also, as a decorative detail in the form of crochet and they are both completed by adding a few drops of sherry.

almost a month of Christmas celebra­ tions.

The Parc de Nadal Christmas Play­ ground will be open for December 27 to 30 in the Galatzó pavilion.

This is a special Christmas event for children and includes a wide variety of games, attractions, crafts, musical per­ formances and children’s activities with admission costing €2 per day, although there is a special family ticket costing €6 and proceeds from sales will be do­ nated to Es Capdellà sonríe y Ayuda charity.

that it plans to introduce Uber X to Mallorca which sees the use of smaller and less luxurious cars at prices that compete directly with taxis, but there is more to follow.

Two court decisions made recently indicate that it is likely that the 30-minute advance booking rule for Uber will be scrapped and the fairly draconian restriction on the number of licences allowed for VTC transport will be amended.

It won’t happen overnight as there are appeals and court reviews taking place, but it certainly looks as if changes will take place which will not be to the benefit of taxi drivers although they may be to the benefit of the travelling public.

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Sinister theft IF you are going to steal a vehicle, then it’s probably best not to take one which is unique and high profile.

On the evening of Fri­ day November 24, the owner of Funeraria Molondro undertakers in Sa Pobla, received a call asking who had died, as one of his emergency body collection vans was parked outside the caller’s house.

He checked and dis­ covered that indeed one of the vans which had the funeral parlours ad­ dress in large letters on the side was missing.

After alerting the Guardia Civil to the theft and appealing to Social Media for further sight­ ings, a neighbour called the following day and pinpointed its location.

Happily he was reunit­ ed with his van, and it is assumed it had been re­ moved from the garage for a joyride, although it could have been some­ thing more sinister.

The Euro Weekly News publishes more content both online at euroweeklynews.com and in its papers than any other English news publication in Spain.

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30 November - 6 December 2023

On the streets of Calvia promoting the campaign.

By John Smith ON Thursday November 23 (Thanksgiving in the USA) the Calvia Council introduced a new campaign to help local businesses.

Under the motto Calvia lo Vale (Calvia is worth it), the council released 17,500 vouch­ ers available to purchase by those over 16­ years of age who are residents in the munici­ pality.

Each voucher will be available at a cost of €10 but will have a value of €20 if presented in

Thinking of others Jessica Sweeting THE SOS MAMÁS BALEARES Foundation, is a non­profit entity that was created in 2011 when one of the founders, a healthcare work­ er, decided to give her time to what she liked most...

Helping others.

The foundation was initial­ ly dedicated to providing pregnant women, who did

not have resources, with clothes for their babies as well as all kinds of other ur­ gent requirements.

Since then, it has expanded its activities to offer assis­ tance to families with chil­ dren and pensioners who may be alone and the foun­ dation has added the SOS MAMÁS TABLE. The dining room is decorat­

ed with various children’s paintings and is set up to en­ sure that families who are in need can forget some of their worries and enjoy a good healthy meal and some friendly company.

With children in mind, San­ ta Claus will be next to Be­ lenes Tano in Palma’s Plaza Mayor every day (including the holidays) from 10am to 9pm until December 22 ac­ cepting new and good quality pre­loved toys to be distribut­ ed to boys and girls whose parents will find it difficult to cope with the expense.

In addition, on Sunday De­ cember 10, SOS MAMÁS BALEARES is organising a fun event in the Plaza de Fra Joan Alcina, and surrounding streets in Palma with musical performances, dance, fund raising food to include paella, Glühwein, chocolate and much more which will appeal to the whole family.

LOCAL NEWS

Discount vouchers

one of the participating stores, with each resi­ dent available to purchase up to a total of four vouchers, meaning that they will effectively receive a 50 per cent discount on items pur­ chased up to a value of €80.

The vouchers themselves will be valid until March 31 next year and if all vouchers are tak­ en up, then the Calvia Council will have con­

tributed €175,000 to the promotion and members of the Circo Stromboli have been on the streets of the town promoting the cam­ paign.

With a large number of Germans living in Peguera and Santa Ponsa, German­owned Social Media has been pointing out to them the value of this offer.

Cancer support John Smith TUESDAY December 5 is International Volunteer’s Day, so the Mallorca Cancer Support Group will be holding its last Cancer Support Meet Up on that day.

The event is open to everyone, Cancer Support members, patients, collaborators, volunteers, and anyone who would like to get to know them, who they are and what they do and the meeting will be held at Cafe Esment in Palmanova from 10am.

The charity will also use the time to thank all of their amazing volunteers for their hard work, and all volunteers who are able to attend will be given a small token of their appreciation.

A year ago, the associa-

Credit: Mallorca Cancer Support Group

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Credit: Calvia Council

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SPECIAL DAY: Raising funds to fight cancer and more.

tion launched abridging fund to help those that are suffering financially due to their cancer diagnosis.

Often the sufferer is unable to work and their partner may have to also stop work to care for them on a full-time basis.

The Spanish system does provide some help, but to get this first they have to process a Dependencia claim, this can take months, and even when it comes through,

PROVERB OF THE WEEK “Joy shared is doubled; sorrow shared is halved.”

This proverb is originally from Sweden and alludes to the fact that when we share another’s sorrows, we help lighten their load, and when we share their joys, we join in their happiness.

depending on the grade awarded they may not receive a lot of financial help.

Social services sometimes are able to offer help with food vouchers or other bills, but not always, this depends a lot on the municipality the person lives in, and even if they do, it can again take a while to process this assistance.

Visit the Mallorca Cancer Support Group website to see find out more.

99.9% The genetic similarity between all humans.

LOCAL NEWS

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30 November - 6 December 2023

Credit: Palma Council

NATIVITY SCENE: Advance view of the Palma Council Betlem.

their own special model na­ tivity scenes.

Naturally churches across Mallorca also create their own, often life sized Betlems which can be enjoyed by the public and 2023 is the 800th anniversary of the first living nativity created by Saint Francis of Assisi in the Italian village of Greccio.

These scenes using real people are quite popular in parts of mainland Spain and are re­enacted on occasion in Mallorca, but rely on whole communities taking part.

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Futsal competition Skating rink

Nativity Scenes THERE are no less than 17 public Nativity Villages (known in Mallorca as Betlems or Beléns after Bethlehem) which can be visited in Palma from now until in most cases January 6 next year.

So popular are these Betlems that in 2001, the not for profit association Mallor­ ca Betlemistes was founded and teaches newcomers to the hobby how to create their own nativity scene.

The Palma Council has cre­ ated a special Betlem route and you can find a PDF by visiting their website https://palma.es/docu ments/39018/0/Itinerari+del s+Betlems+2023­2024.pdf which lists all 17 venues that can be visited by the public as well as their opening times and dates.

Thanks in part to the in­ volvement of the Mallorca Betlemistes many councils as well as businesses across the island also join in the Christ­ mas tradition of creating

EWN

Paul Edwards THE increase in flights oper­ ated by easyJet to Mallorca continues and it has an­ nounced two new summer options from the UK for 2024.

The first will be from Southampton to launch on Thursday May 2, 2024 and operate twice a week on Monday and Thursday throughout the summer.

The second will be a new route from Belfast City air­ port which will take off on June 24, 2024, with twice

Jessica Sweeting PALMA is hosting a knock out round of the UEFA Champions League in Futsal, a form of football which is played on a basketball court with five play­ ers and a squad of 14 with sub­ stitutions allowed at any time.

The teams taking part are MNK Olmissum (Croatia), KSC Lubawa (Poland), FC Hit Kyiv (Ukraine) and the host team, Palma Futsal.

There are two halves each

of 20 minutes and instead of having a regular goalkeeper, teams can elect to field a play­ er who wears the goalie’s jumper, but can also act as an attacker. Palma are currently a title holder in their own right and are looking to make their way into the final of this knock­ out tournament on Saturday December 2 at the Son Moix Stadium where special bus ser­ vices will be laid on for sup­ porters.

More flights weekly departures also on Mondays and Thursdays.

In addition, there will be four European destina­ tions, Athens, Montpellier, Nantes and Prague, with the airline offering a com­ bined total of almost 12,000 seats.

In addition, as part of its commitments to the Mal­ lorca services it plans to in­ crease its fleet of aircraft based at Son Sant Joan Air­

port from seven to eight.

WITH Christmas coming, the Pollensa Council has unveiled the first of its special seasonal offerings suitable for all of the family to enjoy.

An ice rink will open on Sat­ urday December 2 and run un­ til January 7 at the Claustre de Sant Domingo and it will cost €3 per person for a half hour session which will include the hire of skates.

There are various restrictions on who can use the rink which will be managed by the Club de Patinatge Pollensa so visit the Pollensa Council Facebook page to see the poster which explains when the family can skate, when it’s adults only and even when the disco is run­ ning.

LOCAL NEWS

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30 November - 6 December 2023

Savour zarzuela

Jessica Sweeting MUSIC in Spain comes in all sorts of different styles with Flamenco possibly being the best known, although there is a strong classical tra­ dition as well.

If you have heard the word zarzuela it might have been in a restaurant as it is a classic seafood stew, but it is also the name of what is sometimes referred to as Spanish Opera.

The biggest difference between zarzuela and traditional opera is that zarzuela uses spoken dialogue that is unaccompanied to advance the

Christmas Bazaar Credit: Anglican Church in Palma

John Smith THE Anglican Church in Palma hosted a very suc­ cessful Christmas Bazaar on Saturday November 25.

The church itself is very spacious and activi­ ties took place not only in the main area of the church, but outside and in the basement as well.

There was a huge range of stalls offering everything from cakes, to books, to Christmas decorations, to Bric a Brac, to children’s toys and there was a huge

story but also has a great deal of music and song. Calvia is about to launch its First Festival of Zarzuela and the opening performance will feature pianist and composer Alicia Moreno, the tenor Antoni Lliteres and the soprano Na­ talia Salom, all three successful Mallorcan per­ formers. The concert will be held at the Peguera Auditorium on December 6 from 6pm and will feature Moreno the best­known ro­ mantic duets from the most popular zarzuelas.

Tickets can be purchased in advance on the website www.notikumi.com.

One of the many delicious cakes available.

tombola with a range of drinks to win.

Father Christmas, in the form of the Very Reverend Dr Ishanesu Sextus Gusha, the for­ mer Dean of the Cathe­ dral of St Mary and All Saints in Harare, Zim­ babwe was there to meet all of the children and there was music from the children of the Balearic Islands Choir and the Euro Weekly News’ long time colum­ nist Leapy Lee was also billed to appear.

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30 November - 6 December 2023

Volunteers wanted the stand is open Monday to Friday from 5pm to 10pm and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 10pm.

This is a great opportunity for the charity to bolster its much­needed funds but there are a lot of hours to cover and

they are appealing for volun­ teers to help cover the shifts, especially on the weekends.

If anyone feels that they are able to help and would like to find out more, then please visit the ISOS Animal Mallorca Facebook page and send a private message and they will respond as quickly as possi­ ble.

The charity deals mainly with looking after and rehom­ ing cats and dogs and also ar­ ranging to spay feral cats, all of which is not just time con­ suming but is very expensive, especially if the animals need veterinary treatment.

Credit: SOS Animals Mallorca

Paul Edwards THE SOS Animals Mallorca charity is raising funds by tak­ ing a stall at the Son Bugadelles Christmas Market.

It started on Saturday, November 25 and runs until Sunday, December 17 and

THIS month’s Car Run (November 2023) was differ­ ent, and interesting and posed several challenges for everyone who took part, from a two­stage set of in­ structions to a series of ques­ tions and also a Jenga­build­ ing exercise!

It was organised by Gaston Westphal and was appropri­ ately called the ‘Jenga’ Drive.

It attracted a huge number of members wishing to take part, so much so, that they almost exceeded the num­ ber who could be accommo­ dated at the restaurant! Fifty people and 25 cars were in attendance.

Members met at Diablito restaurant in Puerto Portals for coffee and croissants and by 11am everyone had re­ ceived their instructions for the first part of the run and were on their way. The first

LOCAL NEWS

‘Jenga’ Car Run

JENGA RUN: Attracted a huge number of members.

part of the route took them to Montuiri where refresh­ ments were available. Not just a rest and drinks break ­ Gaston had instead prepared ‘Jenga’ challenges as well as a motoring quiz.

After this, more instruc­ tions were given and partici­ pants were off for the second stage of the Car Run which ended at the El Vasco restau­ rant, where everyone settled into a delicious three­course

lunch with wine, which went down very well.

After much deliberation, Gaston was able to an­ nounce the winners, but in keeping with the ‘different’ nature of this Car Run, he an­ nounced winners for the Best Dressed, and the furthest away to attend. The overall winners were decided by a Jenga game! Congratulations to all the winners and all those who participated.

Tracing victims Large colonies of homeless cats still exist in Mallorca.

EXHUMATIONS have just restarted at the Son Carrió Cemetery pit, in Sant

Llorenç des Cardassar as part of the ongoing attempt to discover more victims of

the Spanish Civil War. This particular pit has re­ mained untouched since 1944 and there is no infor­ mation available concern­ ing the number of victims who may have been in­ terred there.

History has shown that burial pits are unmarked and often covered by flow­ er beds and even irrigation pipes so the work is very much on a hit or miss basis.

In the event that any re­ mains are found, then de­ tails of placement will be recorded before the bones are removed and cleaned.

Then the even harder work of trying to identify the victims will be under­ taken and it is believed that in the three cemeteries that are being worked on sys­ tematically that there could be between 500 and 700 bodies buried.

10 EWN 30 November - 6 December 2023

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LOCAL NEWS

Michael Cano THERE are 18­member coun­ tries in the European Trotting Association, one of which is Spain although trotting of horses is almost exclusively centred on Mallorca.

There is a special breed of small horse bred only in the Balearic Islands and it is esti­ mated that there are more than 15,000 animals regis­ tered in the stud book with some 85 per cent based in Mallorca.

The Consell de Mallorca is allocating more than €4 mil­

Credit: Consell de Mallorca

TROTTING TRACK: Inspecting San Pardo Hippodrome.

lion to improve facilities at the two main trotting tracks (hippodromes), Manacor

THE largest Dragons Den in Spain is situated on Mallorca in the very popular Puerto Portals.

In fairness you won’t see the Spanish equivalent of Debra Mead­ en or Peter Jones as the Dragons there are a type of monotype boat.

The Dragon is a sailing boat de­ signed by Johan Anker in 1929 and was an Olympic class from 1948 to 1972.

It is estimated that there are

and San Pardo (Palma) as well as increasing the value of prize money paid out at

races to ensure that this 200­ year­old tradition doesn’t die out.

Additional money will also be made available to the Balearic Trotting Federation and the Equestrian Federa­ tion of the Balearic Islands and the funds available are up to 20 per cent more than last year.

As well as improving the stadiums to attract more visi­ tors, it is intended to increase the number of race days and to make sure that they take place over weekends.

Puerto Portals Dragons around 1,500 active boats in more than 26 countries, with Germany leading the way with the largest number of boats.

Each year, a Winter Series is held in Puerto Portals and the next regat­ ta to be held there as part of the Seventh Series takes place on De­ cember 15 to 17 and will not only at­

tract local sailors, but top national and international competitors who want to experience the seas off the port. It’s not just about the regatta however as there is also a wide se­ lection of bars and restaurants in Puerto Portals and the busy Christ­ mas market will have just got into full swing.

Credit: Consell de Mallorca

Trotting tradition

Volunteers spent five and a half hours on the streets.

Homelessness

By Jessica Sweeting SOME 200 people have taken part in a count of homeless people organised by the Mal­ lorcan Institute of Social Af­ fairs (IMAS).

The purpose is to try to es­ tablish the level of homeless­ ness in Palma, to get some idea of reasons, to highlight the problem and try to come up with new policies to tackle the problem.

Palma is just one of 28 Spanish cities which have un­ dertaken a similar project as part of the National Govern­ ment’s Agenda 2030 with the hope to attempting to find ac­ commodation for as many people as possible.

It didn’t just focus on peo­ ple sleeping on the street but took into account squatters, those living in inadequate housing or hostels and this in­ formation will be added to that obtained from the other 28 surveys.

As well as being useful on a nationwide basis, the survey, which is the fourth to be un­ dertaken in Mallorca will al­ low IMAS and the various councils to formulate plans.

All of those taking part were trained volunteers, working in 88 areas of Palma in groups of three who toured the streets from 8.30pm to 2am on Thursday November 23.

FINANCE CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement included options to sell the state’s 38.6 per cent holding NatWest which was bailed out during the 2008 financial crisis. The government will explore the possibility of offering the shares to the public, unlike pre­ vious sales which were limited to financial institutions.

Home-grown ZARA, owned by Inditex, and Banco Santander were again the only Spanish companies present in Best Global Brands 2023, which lists the 100 most valuable global brands. Zara moved up four places to be ranked in 43rd position, while Santander, ranked 77th, once more retained its title as the Eurozone’s leading bank.

Jobs cut CAPITA, the London­based outsourcing specialist which collects the BBC’s television li­ cence fees, intends to dismiss up to 900 staff in a move that will enable it to save an annual £60 million (€68.8 million). The move comes while Capita is re­ covering from a £25 million (€28.7 million) Russian ran­ somware attack in March.

Cap fits BRUSSELS announced that the Spanish government can contin­ ue to cap energy bills for a fur­ ther six months until June 2024.

Although this was due to be phased out at the end of 2023 Madrid argued that despite the easing of the energy crisis over the past year, commodity prices were still ‘highly uncertain’.

VAT trap MARK WAINWRIGHT, director and co­owner of luxury jew­ eller Boodles, condemned the government’s decision to end VAT­free shopping in 2021 as a ‘spectacular own goal’. It was unhelpful for retailers and had hit tourist spending on luxury items, hotel stays and eating out as well as luxury items, Wainwright told the Times.

STAT OF WEEK

investment in Endesa by principal shareholder, Italy-based Enel, which foresees a 10 per increase in Spain’s demand for electricity over the next three years.

€9 billion

Banco Popular let-down

BANCO POPULAR share­ holders and creditors learnt on November 22 that they will not receive any compensation.

The European Single Resolution Board (SRB) approved the rescue and acquisition of the failing Madrid­based bank by Santander for a symbolic €1 six years ago. Although shareholders and some bondholders took losses, the deal avoided the use of public money while maintaining financial sta­ bility.

On June 7, 2017, Banco Popular had a stock mar­

Photo credit: RTVE.es

Special offer

euroweeklynews.com • 30 Nov - 6 Dec 2023

EMILIO CAMACHO: Banco Popular president in June 2017.

ket value of approximate­ ly €1.3 billion, while around €1.9 billion of sub­ ordinated and convertible bonds were written off.

Nevertheless, both

Linda Hall AN Abu Dhabi­backed investment fund hopes to take control of The Telegraph ‘within weeks’.

Lloyds Banking Group put the pub­ lishing group’s parent company, Bermu­ da­based B.UK owned by the Barclay family, into liquidation in June with £1.2 billion (€1.38 billion) in unpaid debts.

The sale process started in October.

Now RedBird IMI, funded chiefly by Abu Dhabi royalty and headed by for­ mer CNN chief Jeff Zucker, hopes to halt the auction of the Telegraph newspa­ pers and Spectator by financing the debt repayment.

“We will continue to cooperate fully with the government and the regula­ tor,” RedBird maintained, adding that any transfer of ownership would be subject to regulatory review.

Off the boil

LE CREUSET luxury cook­ ware’s UK sales dipped by al­ most 20 per cent to £47.9 million (€54.9 million) in 2022.

Pre­tax profits fell to ap­ proximately £2 million (€2.3 million) compared with £3.5 million (€4.01 million) in 2021 when the company enjoyed significant growth as people turned to cooking from scratch during lockdown.

Le Creuset UK’s managing director Nick Ryder attribut­ ed the decline to “changing spending patterns” and in­ creased costs in the post­ Covid world.

“The market we operate in has seen a decrease in spend,” Ryder said.

Brussels and Madrid wel­ comed the deal as a test of bail­in rules, with in­ vestors and creditors bearing the brunt in a bank rescue.

In 2020, the SRB argued that Banco Popular share­ holders and creditors were not entitled to com­ pensation as they would not have received better treatment had the bank gone into liquidation.

Shareholders including Mexican businessman An­ tonio del Valle, lodged an appeal against this deci­ sion with the EU’s General Court. This has now been turned down but he and other shareholders and in­ vestors were given two months and 10 days to raise an appeal to the Eu­ ropean Court of Justice.

“The Telegraph’s operations will be solely managed by RedBird Capital, Abu Dhabi’s US private equity partner in RedBird IMI,” the statement continued, stressing that editorial matters would

be ‘distanced’ from the Gulf state.

Redbird would provide a £600 million (€689.5 million) loan, secured against the Telegraph and Spectator, plus ‘a loan of a similar amount’ secured against other Barclay family businesses and commercial interests.

Meanwhile, Lloyds is weighing up whether the RedBird repayment plan complies with anti­money laundering and Know Your Client regulations.

Should no problems be detected, the bank would have to return the publica­ tions to the Barclay family, regardless of their plans to sell on the assets.

A rival consortium headed by hedge fund chief, Sir Paul Marshall, has called on the government to intervene “to protect press freedom” and prevent Barclays’ debts from facilitating an Abu Dhabi takeover of the Telegraph.

State pension boost

Making a move

Telegraph uncertainty Photo credit: Flickr/Lesley Parker

BUSINESS EXTRA

12

DAILY TELEGRAPH: The newpaper’s original Fleet Street location.

CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement brought good news for pen­ sioners with state pensions increasing by 8.5 per cent.

This remains in line with the normal lev­ el of earnings, ignoring the impact of bonuses on wage figures which would have meant a lower increment of 7.8 per cent.

The full new pension will rise from £203.85 (€233.95) a week to £221.20 (€253.80) or an annual £11,502 (€13,197).

Hunt’s decision meant that the ‘triple lock’ continues and pensions will increase each April in line with whichever is higher between the previous September’s Con­ sumer Prices Index inflation figure, the av­ erage increase in UK wages or 2.5 per cent.

Despite earlier speculation that Hunt was planning to slash Inheritance Tax by half from 40 per cent to 20 per cent, this failed to materialise.

BIG FOUR accountancy firm EY is considering a move from its More London head­ quarters near London Bridge.

The company’s 25­year lease is due to expire in 2026 although UK media sources said that no firm decision has yet been taken.

The review was still at an early stage and would take into account the 10­storey building’s office occupancy levels, the same sources added.

The company had already adopted a hybrid work policy in 2021 and EY was currently “examining its options” now that working from home has revolutionised professional activities.

Crypto control FORTY­EIGHT countries signed up to the Organisation for Economic Co­operation and Development (OECD) crypto­asset reporting framework (CARF) by 2027.

These countries, which include the EU, the UK, Gibraltar and the US, will integrate CARF into do­ mestic law and activate exchange agreements by 2027. The agree­ ment recognised that ‘timely and consistent implementation of CARF’ was necessary to ensure global tax transparency achieve­ ments were not eroded by the growing global crypto­asset mar­ kets.

“This is a major step forward,” Mathias Cormann, the OECD’s sec­ retary­general, said. “It marks an­ other milestone towards a widespread and co­ordinated ap­ proach to combatting tax evasion.”

Good as gold GOLD is once again providing a refuge in difficult times.

It reached its maximum price of $2,063 (€1,896) per ounce during the Covid pandemic in August 2020, and gold’s price has climbed by 9 per cent following the Hamas attack on Israel on October.

It now fetches $1,991(€1,830) per ounce, prompting experts to predict that it will at least maintain this level owing to the Middle East conflict.

Unsurprisingly, central banks are the best customers for gold, with the People’s Bank of China alone making purchases for 10 consecu­ tive months, acquiring 217 tons be­ tween November 2022 and Au­ gust 2023.

Dividend promise INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES GROUP (IAG) pledged to resume paying dividends once its books and in­ vestment plans were ‘secure’.

The company, which owns Iberia, British Airways, Vueling and Aer Lingus, distributed €4.1 billion in dividends and buybacks be­ tween 2016 and 2019 but has not paid shareholders since 2019, hav­ ing withdrawn its final dividend owing to Covid. The company’s losses reached €2.97 billion in 2021 but recovered in 2022 with a posi­ tive result of €1.225 billon.

IAG is now targeting a medium­ term operating margin of between 12 and 15 per cent, compared with 13.5 per cent over the first three quarters of 2023.

FINANCE

14 EWN 30 November - 6 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

LONDON - FTSE 100

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

CLOSING PRICES 27 NOVEMBER

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

COMPANY

3I Group

2.182,00

+3,00

+0,14%

100,14K

InterContinental

Abrdn

168,25

-0,55

-0,33%

219,26K

Intermediate Capital

Admiral Group

2.718,0

+52,0

+1,95%

62,06K

Intertek

3.984,0

-5,0

-0,12%

7,47K

Anglo American

2.204,5

-12,0

-0,54%

114,87K

ITV

61,62

+0,32

+0,52%

189,88K

Antofagasta

1.422,50

+6,00

+0,42%

24,85K

J Sainsbury

272,55

+1,00

+0,37%

169,96K

Ashtead Group

4.777,0

-2,0

-0,04%

53,05K

Johnson Matthey

1.579,5

+33,5

+2,17%

95,91K

Associated British Foods

2.378,0

+6,0

+0,25%

109,32K

Land Securities

626,60

+0,60

+0,10%

22,13K

AstraZeneca

10.071,0

-112,0

-1,10%

88,61K

Legal & General

229,20

+0,20

+0,09%

1,37M

167,70K

Lloyds Banking

42,30

-0,18

-0,44%

3,33M

8.855,3

-4,0

-0,04%

14,92K

Auto Trader Group Plc

710,20

+9,60

+1,37%

PRICE(P)

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

6.144,0

-6,0

-0,10%

12,23K

1.567,50

-3,00

-0,19%

172,96K

1.15179

0.86816

Units per €

US dollar (USD) ........................................1.0946 Japan yen (JPY)........................................163.19 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................0.9642 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4554 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................11.700

424,32

-0,40

-0,09%

239,65K

London Stock Exchange

B&M European Value Retail 548,88

+4,00

+0,73%

142,72K

Melrose Industries

514,60

-2,40

-0,46%

87,70K

currenciesdirect.com/mallorca • Tel: +34 687 906 226

BAE Systems

1.062,50

-5,50

-0,52%

136,51K

Mondi

1.352,23

-7,00

-0,51%

42,96K

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

Barclays

141,40

-0,20

-0,14%

1,52M

National Grid

1.008,00

-1,00

-0,10%

251,18K

Barratt Developments

498,80

+3,80

+0,77%

157,54K

NatWest Group

206,40

+0,40

+0,19%

540,66K

7.800,0

+6,0

+0,08%

8,74K

+3,40

+0,59%

98,89K

Aviva

Berkeley

4.574,0

+12,0

+0,26%

4,16K

Next

BHP Group Ltd

2.437,00

-23,50

-0,95%

37,63K

Ocado

574,40

BP

472,10

-4,40

-0,92%

1,73M

Persimmon

1.259,5

+2,5

+0,20%

33,13K

89,36K

Phoenix

476,30

-0,70

-0,15%

114,92K

Prudential

916,80

-4,80

-0,52%

113,74K

British American Tobacco 2.552,0

-3,0

-0,12%

British Land Company

346,10

+0,60

+0,17%

249,00K

BT Group

122,45

+0,50

+0,41%

866,11K

Bunzl

2.979,0

+6,0

+0,20%

11,46K

Burberry Group

1.516,0

-10,5

-0,69%

43,68K

Carnival

1.008,5

+8,5

+0,85%

33,07K

Centrica

148,00

-0,20

-0,14%

613,85K

Coca Cola HBC AG

2.180,4

-0,6

-0,03%

31,49K

Reckitt Benckiser

5.412,0

+6,0

+0,11%

39,04K

Relx

3.061,50

+12,00

+0,39%

149,92K

Rentokil

450,90

-4,10

-0,90%

110,35K

Rightmove

541,80

+32,60

+6,40%

1,31M

Rio Tinto PLC

5.460,0

-26,0

-0,47%

103,08K

Rolls-Royce Holdings

238,90

-2,20

-0,91%

869,45K

Sage

1.121,50

+17,50

+1,58%

183,96K

Samsung Electronics DRC 1.363,00

-5,00

-0,36%

0,62K

Schroders

400,0

-1,1

-0,27%

53,74K

Scottish Mortgage

712,90

+0,60

+0,08%

141,80K

Segro

813,60

+5,00

+0,62%

110,34K

Severn Trent

2.713,0

+7,0

+0,26%

16,76K

Shell

2.559,6

-35,0

-1,35%

506,83K

Smith & Nephew

1.025,19

+0,50

+0,05%

37,52K

Smiths Group

1.649,00

+3,00

+0,18%

12,17K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 9.248,0

+56,0

+0,61%

3,33K

SSE

1.819,00

-1,00

-0,06%

72,29K

St. James’s Place

657,60

-4,20

-0,64%

66,66K

Standard Chartered

669,00

+1,60

+0,24%

122,33K

Taylor Wimpey

127,45

+1,15

+0,91%

619,27K

Tesco

283,30

-0,50

-0,18%

1,75M

Tui

491,40

0,00

0,00%

70,95K

Compass

2.076,00

+6,00

+0,29%

66,77K

CRH

4.883,0

-28,0

-0,57%

32,23K

Croda Intl

4.561,0

+2,0

+0,04%

5,11K

DCC

5.352,0

+22,0

+0,41%

9,58K

Diageo

2.826,0

+2,0

+0,07%

131,72K

DS Smith

281,50

-0,70

-0,25%

111,37K

EasyJet

408,40

+2,90

+0,72%

193,97K

Experian

2.909,0

-2,0

-0,07%

46,77K

Ferguson

13.280,0

-55,0

-0,41%

1,04K

Flutter Entertainment

12.485,0

-135,0

-1,07%

23,39K

Fresnillo

551,60

+23,00

+4,35%

245,74K

Glencore

445,60

-2,65

-0,59%

731,75K

GSK plc

1.425,00

+2,40

+0,17%

278,71K

Halma

2.132,0

+8,0

+0,38%

35,28K

Hargreaves Lansdown

709,00

-0,20

-0,03%

78,68K

Hikma Pharma

1.754,50

-3,50

-0,20%

9,26K

Unilever

3.793,0

-7,0

-0,18%

124,62K

HSBC

607,10

-2,40

-0,39%

965,56K

United Utilities

1.110,00

+1,50

+0,14%

56,34K

IAG

153,87

+0,50

+0,33%

467,50K

Vodafone Group PLC

71,39

-0,33

-0,46%

2,00M

Imperial Brands

1.851,38

+13,00

+0,71%

85,92K

Whitbread

3.202,0

-13,0

-0,40%

46,54K

Informa

744,80

-1,60

-0,21%

40,37K

WPP

707,80

+1,00

+0,14%

49,63K

DOW JONES CLOSING PRICES 27 NOVEMBER

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE

CHANGE% VOLUME(M)

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

95,95 164,42 265,46 189,97 220,00 247,36 144,90 48,36 58,57 51,67 339,15 310,70 193,41 155,18 43,96 152,50 153,54 282,54 101,87 377,43 107,64 151,38 224,38 177,54 547,10 37,41 254,30 20,85 156,06 96,06

+0,58 +0,63 +0,87 -1,34 +0,09 +1,35 +0,57 +0,28 +0,15 +0,27 +0,51 +1,50 +1,10 +0,05 +0,29 +1,68 +0,21 +0,61 +0,19 -0,42 -0,28 +0,36 +0,54 +1,46 +3,34 +0,06 +0,58 +0,16 +1,39 +0,99

+0,61% 1,06M +0,38% 936,61K +0,33% 661,92K -0,70% 24,04M +0,04% 2,31M +0,55% 981,57K +0,39% 3,86M +0,58% 7,92M +0,26% 4,74M +0,53% 1,68M +0,15% 460,10K +0,49% 1,26M +0,57% 1,07M +0,03% 1,80M +0,66% 13,03M +1,11% 3,35M +0,14% 3,50M +0,22% 1,22M +0,19% 3,14M -0,11% 9,38M -0,26% 2,44M +0,24% 2,12M +0,24% 1,86M +0,83% 399,20K +0,61% 1,13M +0,16% 6,77M +0,23% 1,62M +0,77% 4,32M +0,90% 4,66M +1,04% 5,44M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ CLOSING PRICES 27 NOVEMBER

COMPANY Most Advanced

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+19.91% +15.63% +14.08% +13.48% +12.27% +9.59% +8.58% +8.04% +7.93% +7.57% +7.47%

1.743M 15.62M 983,756 2.11M 10.973M 1.055M 25,119 576,727 438,844 473,808 27,401

-4.51% -4.10% -3.84% -3.57% -3.54% -3.34% -3.27% -3.14% -2.99% -2.60%

1.256M 490,167 174,627 227,797 88,021 1.111M 43,079 156,477 8.159M 259,374

Banco BBVA Argentina S.A. TAL Education Group Banco Macro S.A. Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. YPF Sociedad Anónima Vista Energy, S.A.B. de C.V. Mr Price Group Limited Central Puerto S.A. Transportadora de Gas del Sur S.A. Pampa Energía S.A. Vodacom Group Limited

Most Declined Symbotic Inc. Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation First Quantum Minerals Ltd. BYD Company Limited BYD Company Limited First Solar, Inc. Techtronic Industries Company Limited Panasonic Holdings Corporation Sea Limited Signet Jewelers Limited

‘

euroweeklynews.com

BUSINESS EXTRA Riders rights BRITAIN’S Supreme Court upheld previous judge­ ments by ruling Deliveroo riders are self­employed contractors without the right to collective negotia­ tions on pay and conditions.

The IWGB union, which has fought on the riders’ behalf since 2017 and claims they should be classed as em­ ployees, is considering chal­ lenging the decision under international law.

Big buildup TURNER and Flatiron, sub­ sidiaries of Spain’s ACS com­ pany, have won contracts totalling €1.3 billion in the US. The construction com­ panies will be responsible for the second phase of San Diego airport, a hospital in Georgia, an extension to the Johnson and Johnson build­ ing in Florida and an innova­ tion centre at the University of Texas.

30 November - 6 December 2023

Grangemouth blow

GRANGEMOUTH, Scotland’s only oil refinery, is to close.

Soaring energy costs com­ bined with a probable Labour victory next year had prompted the decision, Petroineos said.

Announcing its plans to cease refining, the joint ven­ ture between PetroChina and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos which runs the refinery said it would turn the installation into a fuel import terminal.

Grangemouth supplies most of the petrol and diesel

Photo credit: CC/tormentor4555

FINANCE

GRANGEMOUTH: Scotland’s only oil refinery due to lose in 2025.

Out of orbit

THE Lara Garcia family plan to sell their 33 per cent, €900 million holding in the Grupo Planeta publishing, education and audiovisual group.

The multinational reported revenues of €1.8 billion in 2022, with earnings of €350 million before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation.

Planeta is owned by three branches of the Lara family and the Lara Garcias an­

nounced recently that they had engaged Morgan Stanley to carry out the opera­ tion.

Company sources declined to comment on the future Lara Garcia sale, but insiders pointed out that potential buyers would own only a minority holding while the re­ maining two­thirds of Grupo Planeta be­ longed to the Lara family who were com­ mitted to the group’s current strategy.

used in Scotland and the North of England but when processing ceases in 2025, both will depend on imports to cover their needs. Up to 500 jobs will also be lost.

Talking to a news source some weeks earlier, Petroi­ neos chairman Andrew Gardner warned that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s in­ tentions of banning new oil and gas projects in the North Sea would inevitably affect Grangemouth.

“We want to keep jobs and manufacturing here but Labour hasn’t understood that we need supplies,” Gardner warned in October.

“I need natural gas, ready, cheap and available as a feedstock,” he said.

Petroineos explained in an email which was sent to staff on November 22 that the Grangemouth plant would soon be unable to compete with “bigger, more modern and efficient refineries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.”

EWN 15

New models NISSAN is expected to an­ nounce plans to build two new electric models in Sun­ derland, securing the future of the UK’s largest car factory which provides work for 6,000 people. According to Sky News reports, the Japanese manufacturer in­ tends to produce replace­ ments for the Qashqai and Juke crossover cars, with in­ vestment in the factory ap­ proaching £1 billion (€1.15 bil­ lion).

Cellnex sells WIRELESS telecommunica­ tions infrastructure and ser­ vices company Cellnex con­ firmed that it intends to sell all or part of its Austrian and Irish operations to reduce its debt and upgrade its credit rating.

This follows the Spanish multinational’s €730 million sale of a 49 per cent holding in its Swedish and Danish divi­ sions to US investment firm, Stonepeak, last September.

16 EWN 30 November - 6 December 2023

OTHERS THINK IT CONSPIRACY theorists are every­ where. Wearing my columnist hat, I have over the years, researched and in­ vestigated large numbers of these the­ ories; from Queen Elizabeth I being a man, to Area 51, the assassination of Kennedy, the death of Princess Diana and the Twin Towers attack etc. One thing I endeavour to do is to always re­ tain an open mind.

This can give you a clear advantage over these theorists ­ it is the one asset they most definitely do not possess!

Once a CT has its teeth into something, irrespective of any proof to the con­ trary, they are virtually impossible to shake off. With this in mind I thought I would delve a little further into the psy­ che of the compulsive theorists and what makes them actually tick.

According to one school of psychia­ try, the paranoia that drives individuals to constantly scan the world for dan­ gers and imagines the worst from oth­ ers, is a throwback to Neanderthal times. To mitigate threats from other tribes, these ancient humans needed to be suspicious of everything and every­ one, merely to survive.

FEATURE

CONSPIRACY Explosive surprise

The doctors also reached the conclu­ sion that many theorists were people who retained manipulative unusual patters of thought, practised Machi­ avellianism, were insecure, lonely or stressed, which made them more in­ clined to believe in conspiracies and the supernatural.

These suspicious people are of course not always in the wrong. Al­ though some of their theories, ie that the earth is flat or the Moon landing didn’t take place ­ are laughable; there have been a number of instances where they were proven to be correct.

That the FBI was spying on John Lennon (True). Project Sunshine, where the US government was ac­ cused of stealing dead bodies to test for radiation after a nuclear explosion (True). That as far back as 1950, tobac­ co companies were fully aware smok­ ing was lethal and could cause cancer (True). That you can be spied on through your laptop camera (True ­ and worrying!).

On the other hand, some of their theories can be highly dangerous.

Those who believed the Covid pan­

demic didn’t exist could, if they were in charge, have been responsible for the death of millions. In 2016 the personal mail of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager was hacked. He was found to have ordered large num­ bers of pizzas.

The conspiracy theorists decided that these orders were a code for a child sex ring run by members of the Democratic Party. The shop who supplied the piz­ zas was subsequently attacked by a man with a semi­automatic rifle! It was a miracle no one was killed. It ultimate­ ly transpired that Podesta really like pizzas!

All I can say to the conspiracy theo­ rists is keep believing what your heart and mind tells you. But please don’t pa­ tronise and pour scorn on others who hold a different point of view.

What about turning your efforts to the biggest conspiracy theory of all; that we are merely figments of our own imagination? Now that is one I would truly like your views on!

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.

Credit: Guardia Civil

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

euroweeklynews.com

SURPRISE FIND: What was found in the box.

Michael Cano AN employee at a rubbish dump in Esporles had something of a surprise when he opened an old box which had been thrown away.

Inside he found three mortar bombs, one hand grenade, two shells and three other items, so he quickly called the Guardia Civil to report his find on Saturday November 25.

A specialist squad arrived and decided that although all of the items appeared live, they could be re­ moved and defused in a safe area.

According to the Guardia

Civil, after investigating what had happened, it transpired that a person who had inherited a prop­ erty in Campanet which was previously owned by an elderly person was hav­ ing a clear out.

They hired a man to take a number of items to the dump including the box containing the munitions which they never opened.

There is still Civil War or­ dinance around and the Guardia Civil recommend that if anything suspicious is found that the 062 emer­ gency number should be called immediately so that experts can attend.

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

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

23

20 EWN 30 November - 6 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

FEATURE

COMMUNITY

COMMENTS

SOMETIMES the most unlikely stories capture the imagination and one such concerns the fact that cancer suffering TV presenter Jonnie Irwin was to celebrate his 50th birthday in Mijas on the Costa del Sol. Whilst we expected readers to be interested in the story and supportive of the powerful fight that the brave father of three young children is putting up, we were simply overwhelmed by the coverage the article received and the floods of good wishes comments that were posted. https://euroweeklynews.com/2023/11/20/a-place-in-the-suns-jonnie-irwin-i-can-beatthis/ will give access to view the article.

If we were to publish them all, we would need to significantly increase the size of the paper, but the following are a just a sample of the positive observations received.

“

Go for it Jonnie, I had bowel cancer and now ok, it can be done.

William Hardie

Way you go Jonnie. Keep on fighting. Enjoy every single moment with your beautiful family. XX Olwen Dentith

Such an inspirational and incredible person, you keep fighting and beat it, you have got this, keep proving them wrong, keep fighting, we are behind you and fight with you. Happy birthday and here’s to the next xx cheers.

Tina Dwan

Firstly happy 50th Jonnie, hope you had a great day with your lovely family and you’re looking great, hope you’re feeling it also. I saw your picture with Jasmin and you did look fantastic. I hope and pray you will get well. Take care Jonnie, god bless you and your family.

Jane Pursey

If anybody can beat their cancer, you can Jonnie. I wish you and all your family the best. Keep it up Jonnie. We love you. A Belated Happy Birthday.

Deborah Camplin

Best presenter by far. Bless you and your lovely family.

Wendy Goodman

Going through the same as you, keep going Jonnie, you are my inspiration.

June McGuire

Wow let’s hope so, we are all with you all the way, so deserved an inspiration to all ‘C’ sufferers.

James Snee

To be honest you render me speechless, your strength is astounding love to you all xxxxx Georgie Wakefield

Great bloke, proper family man. Keep fighting fella.

Phil Newman

We are with you Jonnie 150 per cent. I include you in my prayers at night. God bless.

Jean Jennings

You truly are an inspiration Jonnie, my 55-yearold brother-in-law is the same, but really battling to live.

Sarah Sharp

I so hope you do Jonnie, you are looking so much better, I’m on my third round, so anything is possible.

Sending love and hugs to you and your lovely family.

Angela Edwards

Keep going Jonnie you can do it. You are an inspiration to other’s suffering from this horrible disease.

Love to you and all your family.

Joan Smith

THE other major topic which continues to attract comments is the 180 Days in Spain Campaign and the latest observations are: If anyone from UK owned property in EU countries prior to Brexit then they should be able to use them at any time they want. In Spain for example, purchasing a property comes with a 10 per cent additional tax and ongoing annual taxes, but you are not allowed to use them. Brexit or no Brexit, EU economies are struggling, so why not take advantage of the people who want to spend their money instead of restricting the number of days they may visit? It’s simple economics.

JT

We are property owners in the Canaries. We now spend extra time in Turkey and Cyprus spends average around £2k for two of us per week so just our two holidays will see a reduction of £6k into Canarian economy 2024. This is a huge amount for the local economy when you multiply it by the other restricted holiday home owners.

On the plus side, it’s giving us insight into other countries where we have been made very welcome as tourists in areas where costs are cheaper. Maybe it is time to sell up and look at the alternatives!

Aggie

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.

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

30 November - 6 December 2023

INTERVIEW

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EWN 21

tance. And their car insurance includes helpful services such as Legal Assistance that can provide help when applying for or renewing your driving licence in Spain.

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Speaking European LATEST in our ongoing conversations with Europeans who have chosen to settle in Spain, we look to Ireland and Lynn McCabe who settled here 20 years ago.

Having spent several years in the hospitality sector in the Republic and with a number of small children, she decided with her partner that it was a great opportunity to move to Spain bringing their culinary experience to the Costa del Sol. Lynn explained “It was a great idea, the ‘Celtic Tiger’ was roaring and we catered mainly for British and Irish customers in Marbella.”

As her five children grew up in Spain, they effectively became bilingual which is a gift for any young person and although she understands a lot of Spanish, Lynn admits that whilst she tried to learn, there were too many English-speaking influences.

All of her children returned to Ireland for educational purposes, but four of them are back and happily settled in Spain.

When asked about any regrets in leaving Ireland Lynn said “I do miss members of my family, but the new technology means that I can be in regular contact with them and to be perfectly honest, I see a very different Dublin now compared to the one that we left 20 years ago.”

The family grew up loving the climate, spending a lot of time outdoors which meant

Lynn McCabe would do it all again.

that they all kept very healthy. “Now I love waking up to blue skies which certainly lift my spirits.”

Many complain about bureaucracy in Spain, but Lynn takes a very phlegmatic view saying “I am a migrant and if that is the way the Spanish operate then it is for me to fit in with them rather than the other way around and I can certainly cope with it. Looking back, I think Britain and Ireland would benefit with adopting some of the Spanish ways, I feel safe here and I would happily do it all again.”

www.euroweeklynews.com • 23 - 29 November 2023

22

PETS

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Washing your fussy pet BATH­time with your furry friend should be a bond­ ing experience, not a wet chase around the house. If your pet tends to be fussy during baths, follow these tips for a smoother and more enjoyable grooming session.

Lay everything within easy reach Avoid the escape artist routine by having all your bathing essentials within arm’s reach. From pet­ friendly shampoo to treats and an extra pair of hands, proper preparation ensures a seamless pro­ cess.

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AFTER waiting 47 years, Italy are once again the hold­ ers of the Davis Cup after beating Australia in the 2023 final on Sunday, November 26.

The Italians went ahead through Matteo Arnaldi in a nervy first match in Malaga’s Palacio de Deportes José María Martín Carpena, eventually dispatching Alexei Popyrin 7­5 2­6 6­4.

Despite losing his match in Italy’s 2­1 win over the Netherlands, Filippo Volandri brought Arnaldi back in preference to Lorenzo Musetti for Sunday’s clash.

Jannik Sinner was inevitably the hero as the world No 4 totally outclassed Australia’s Alex de Minaur 6­3 6­0 in the decisive rubber to clinch the title for the Filip­ po Volandri’s team.

“I think now I won one of the most important matches in my life, I don’t know what to say right now,” said an emotional Matteo Arnaldi after the vic­ tory. “It has been an incredible feeling for all of us, ob­ viously we are really happy,” a jubilant Sinner com­ mented.

Italy previously lost against Sweden in the 1998 final having last won the trophy back in 1976. The Aus­ tralian team was looking to go one better than last year’s defeat in the final by Canada, but Leyton He­ witt’s Aussies failed to win the nation a 29th Davis Cup title.

Roy Keane played for Manchester Utd.

icised McAteer on The Overlap’s ‘Stick to Football’ podcast. Reflecting on the red card incident, Keane was un­ apologetic, stating, “He de­ served that.”

This blunt assertion by Keane was in response to host Gary Neville’s commentary on the incident. Further, when Jill Scott inquired if the two were friends, Keane’s response was a definitive “Absolutely not.”

Credit: Elliott Brown flickr

Terry Venables dies aged 80

By John Smith THE family of former England football manager Terry Ven­ ables has announced that he died on Sunday November 26 aged 80 after suffering a long illness.

The statement said “We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness.

“We would ask that priva­ cy be given at this incredibly sad time to allow us to mourn the loss of this lovely man who we were so lucky to have had in our lives.”

He was a successful foot­ baller playing primarily for Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham Hot­

RIP: Terry Venables in his role as pundit.

spurs and with Spurs won the FA Cup as both a player and manager which was a rare achievement.

Venables was a successful manager nicknamed El Tel during his time with Barcelona, although perhaps his finest hour was as manag­ er of England who made it to the semi final of Euro 96 al­ though the team couldn’t win on home soil.

There was a minute’s ap­

plause before the kick off of Tottenham’s home match on November 26 against Aston Villa.

One of his protégés Gary Lineker took to X (formerly Twitter) and said “Devastat­ ed to hear that Terry Ven­ ables has died. The best, most innovative coach that I had the privilege and plea­ sure of playing for. He was much more, though, than just a great manager, he was vi­

SPORT

Boxing challenge Credit: bodrumsurf/Shutterstock.com

Italy take Davis Cup

IRISH hardman Roy Keane has been challenged by a former Ireland teammate after a long­ running disagreement.

Personal grudges can last years, especially at the highest levels of sport. Could a boxing ring be the next venue for re­ solving a long­standing football feud?

Ex­Liverpool midfielder and former Ireland teammate of Roy Keane, Jason McAteer has suggested a unique way to set­ tle their differences, a boxing match with a hefty purse of £1 million.

Football pundit McAteer was in a discussion following Ireland’s game against the Netherlands on Saturday, November 18, when the decades­old fallout was raised, the context of which revolves around an ongoing disagree­ ment stemming from an inci­ dent in 2002.

During a match between Manchester United and Sun­ derland, with just 10 seconds to go, Keane was red­carded for elbowing McAteer, an ac­ tion that has fuelled their rival­ ry over the years.

The dispute, which had sim­ mered down, resurfaced re­ cently when Keane openly crit­

euroweeklynews.com

brant, he was charming, he was witty, he was a friend.

He’ll be hugely missed. Send­ ing love and condolences to Yvette and the family. RIP Terry.”

Terry Venables wrote a number of books on football and was also responsible for introducing private detective Hazell to the small screen for two series and 22 episodes and also acted as a pundit on TV and in the National Press.

McAteer, now a pundit for beIN Sports, responded to Keane’s comments by labelling him a ‘clown’ in a social media post. This back­and­forth ex­ change has reignited the ten­ sions between the two, lead­ ing to McAteer’s bold challenge.

McAteer, expressing his weariness of the ongoing ani­ mosity, jokingly proposed the idea of a boxing match to re­

solve their differences. “Or, we could get in the ring for a mil­ lion pounds each and fight it out.”

This light­hearted sugges­ tion also included a call to fa­ mous boxing promoter Eddie Hearn to potentially arrange the bout. “Eddie [Hearn], if you’re watching… Ed­ die Hearn, get him on the phone,” he said.

Fans of Roy Keane were quick to post their thoughts on OurGameHQ/Twitter/X: “McAteer was a very limited footballer whose entire game consisted of ‘getting in peo­ ple’s heads’. Meanwhile Keane was captaining United to the Treble.”

Another commented: ‘“Long running feud” I’d say Keane has barely given McA­ teer a second thought in 20 years.”

“Just staying relevant. He wasn’t fit to lace Keane’s boots!” added another.

Max Verstappen wins THE F1 season came to a close with the common sight of Max Verstappen standing on the winners’ podium on Sunday, November 26.

Starting from pole, the Dutchman’s Red Bull took the chequered flag at the Yas Marina Circuit in the season’s finale in Abu Dhabi to clinch his 19th victory from 22 races.

Verstappen was rarely troubled by the rest of the field as the triple world champion stormed to yet another win. Charles LeClerc started alongside him in the Ferrari on the front row but the Red Bull driver was totally in com­ mand and closed out any attempts that LeClerc made to pass him.

As has been the case for the majority of the season, Verstappen gradually pulled clear and finished with a comfortable win to finish 17 seconds ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez who took second place in the final driver’s table.

However, the Mexican was hit with a five­second time penalty for an inci­ dent involving Lando Nor­ ris which subsequently saw him demoted to fourth place with the British McLaren driver on­ ly managing fifth.

LeClerc moved up to second as a result with Britain’s George Russell taking the third spot on the podium for Mercedes.

Ferrari and Mercedes were battling for second place in the constructor’s championship behind the runaway winners, Red Bull, with Sunday’s result finally giving the place to Mercedes by three points.

Oscar Piastri placed the other McLaren sixth be­ hind Norris, followed home by the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso and Yuki Tsunoda in the Al­ phaTauri.

Mercedes and Aston Martin occupied the final spots in the top 10 thanks to Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll respectively.