Costa Blanca South 7 – 13 December 2023 Issue 2005

Costa Blanca • Issue No. 2005 • 7 - 13 December 2023

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THE magic of Christmas comes alive in the heart of Al­ icante as the Municipal Nativ­ ity Scene takes centre stage in the town hall hallway.

Under the theme ‘Birth on the Other Side of the Sea’, this nativity scene is a testa­ ment to the rich traditions of the region.

With over 30 meticulously crafted figures, the nativity scene captures the essence of an Alicante­style Christ­ mas.

The main figures, standing at 19 centimetres, take cen­ tre stage, while those in the background, measuring 14 centimetres, complete the

Image: Lukrecja / Shutterstock.com

NATIVITY MASTERPIECE

NATIVITY SCENE: The figures are true works of art.

PINOSO’S councillor of Equality and Social Services, Maria Jose Moya, embarked on a significant journey to Brussels alongside members of various associations and entities from across the Valencian Commu­ nity.

The primary focus of this collec­ tive effort was to address and en­ hance employment opportunities for individuals facing physical dis­ abilities and holding a dependency level of 76 per cent.

In their visit to the European Par­ liament, the delegation engaged in a series of meetings aimed at ad­ vancing discussions on job place­ ment strategies.

Under the slogan, ‘Import more our capabilities than our disabili­

picturesque display.

Sourced from renowned nativity scene makers Ánge­ les Cámara in Callosa de Se­ gura and Artesanía Mayo in Madrid, the figures are true works of art. The scene un­ folds on the island of Tabar­ ca, providing a unique twist to the timeless story.

The island’s streets come alive with the procession of the Three Wise Men. The nativity is open to viewing from Monday to Sunday 9.30am until 12.30pm. Afternoon view­ ings are available from Tues­ day to Friday 4.30pm until 7.30pm.

Empowering abilities

UNIQUE SKILLS: That individuals with disabilities bring to the workforce.

ties’, the emphasis was on recognis­ ing and valuing the unique skills and talents that individuals with disabili­ ties bring to the workforce.

A stark statistic underscored the urgency of the matter, only one in four people with disabilities current­ ly has access to the labour market.

Moreover, the delegation highlight­ ed the noteworthy fact that out of every 100 entrepreneurs, two are individuals with disabilities.

The discussions in Brussels went beyond the national scope, delving into the importance of enhancing European collaboration on disability inclusion and employment.

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7 - 13 December 2023

LOCAL NEWS

Beetle Drive

Officially Christmas

George Cunningham INDULGE in a delightful game of Beetle Drive hosted by the La Mari­ na Street Cats Charity!

On December 14 en­ joy an afternoon of fun at Cheers Bar, located on Urb. Marina­Com­ mercial, 21, 03177 San Fulgencio.

The Beetle Drive kicks off at 3pm, so be sure to arrive by 2.30pm.

Bob Marquess TIS the season to be jolly in Los Montesinos! On December 1, the spirit of Christmas de­ scended upon Los Montensi­ nos as the festive lights illumi­ nated the Christmas tree.

The celebration didn’t end with the flick of a switch; in­ stead, it continued into the night with the sounds of Christ­ mas carols filling the air.

To add to the festive am­ biance, steaming cups of hot chocolate were also served.

With only €3 to play and a limited 60 spots available, swift booking is advised to ensure you don’t miss out on the excitement.

Support a wonderful cause and contribute to the well­being of street cats in La Marina Urb. Register your slot promptly by visiting La Marina Street Cats on Facebook or dropping

by Cheers Bar.

Time to glide

Anna Ellis THE holiday season in Alicante just got a frosty upgrade with the triumphant return of the Ice Rink at the Bullring.

Open until January 7, the Ice Rink beckons adventure­seekers and mer­ rymakers alike during the following hours: Monday to Friday: from 4pm until 10pm.

Weekends and Holidays from mid­

day to 10pm and from December 22 to January 7, the rink is open from midday to 10pm.

Whether you’re a seasoned skater or just starting, the Bullring’s Ice Rink is a haven for all, promising a delight­ ful escape into the winter enchant­ ment.

So, lace up those skates and let the festivities begin.

LOCAL NEWS

NIBS EXTRA Alicante AI ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) is infiltrating Alicante classrooms as educational institutions integrate it into curricula, equipping stu­ dents for responsible AI util­ isation. Teachers are now under pressure to grapple with the task of mastering, comprehending, and inno­ vating teaching methods amidst the expanding influ­ ence of this technology.

Student support SANTA POLA supports stu­ dents aged 12 to 30, com­ muting for studies with a €20,000 subsidy pro­ gramme. Eligible students in basic vocational, intermedi­ ate, and higher­level train­ ing, as well as those pursu­ ing university degrees or equivalent, can apply to cover public transportation costs.

Pizza anyone?

ELCHE Police Station has re­ ported the arrest of a father and his son, members, they say, ‘of a family clan of Ital­ ian origin’ who ‘was dedi­ cated to the sale of narcotic substances from their fami­ ly business located in a pizzeria in the district of Tor­ rellano’.

Calle Azorin TORREVIEJA City Council is undertaking a €15,000 con­ tract to assess the condition of the municipally­owned building at Calle Azorín, 20.

The aim is to identify neces­ sary investments for re­ pairs, address deficiencies, and determine the budget required to adapt the struc­ ture for municipal use.

Single role ORIHUELA City Council faced an unusual scenario with two municipal treasur­ ers simultaneously operat­ ing at the town hall for eight days. The municipal auditor raised concerns, objecting to the October payroll pay­ ment due to the presence of two treasurers with iden­ tical functions, contradicting the original role outlined.

euroweeklynews.com Bob Marquess IN a poignant tribute to the late artist Manolo Soriano, af­ fectionately known as ‘Teodomiro’, the councillor for Culture, Gonzalo Montoya, has inaugurated the exhibi­ tion ‘Teodomiro: A Life Dedi­ cated to a Dream’ at the Mu­ seum of the Reconquista.

The event showcases a col­ lection of works donated by the family and the artist him­ self to Orihuela.

Manolo Soriano’s artistic legacy is on display at the Ex­ hibition Hall of the Museum of the Reconquista until Jan­ uary 9, 2024.

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Dedicated 111

YOUR EWN HAS

Image: Ayuntamiento de Orihuela

POIGNANT TRIBUTE: To late artist, Manolo Soriano.

Festive routes George Cunningham AS Orihuela prepares to bid farewell to 2023, the Department of Tourism has crafted a series of en­ chanting tourist routes for December.

Among the highlights is the inaugural ‘Canine Solidarity Route’ on December 10, where partici­ pants can embark on a stroll with dogs from the ASOKA shelter, making a donation of €5 and con­ tributing products for Cáritas.

For those eager to explore the city’s nativity scenes, the ‘Nativity Scenes with Tourist Train’ route on December 23 and 26 offers a delightful journey aboard a train, showcasing the various na­ tivity scenes in Orihuela.

Sweet tooths are in for a treat with two sessions of ‘Sweet Steps’ routes in the Convents, commenc­ ing from Plaza del Carmen on December 7 and 21.

The delectable experience includes a tasting of conventual sweets, adding a touch of sweetness to the festivities.

All the routes culminate in a tasting of conventu­ al sweets, a homage to the rich gastronomic her­ itage of Orihuela.

To secure a spot on these festive journeys, reser­ vations can be made through the website www.orihuelaturistica.es.

Historical market

Image: F. J. CARNEROS / Shutterstock.com

FUN EXPERIENCE: Enjoy historical representations.

ASPE is gearing up to transport resi­ dents and visitors alike back in time with the enchanting Historical Mar­ ket, set to open its doors on Friday, December 8, at 11am.

For three delightful days, the mar­ ket will play host to an array of activ­ ities designed to captivate and en­ tertain.

Visitors can revel in musical pa­ rades, witness knightly duels, and immerse themselves in historical representations, from the formidable Tercios of Flanders to the

Christmas Angel Nora Shephard ELCHE is embracing the festive spirit with its exciting ‘Christmas Angel’ Window Dressing and Christmas Decoration Contest, featur­ ing a generous prize pool of €14,000 waiting to be claimed.

This initiative serves a dual purpose: to ig­ nite the creativity of local merchants and enhance the allure of Elche’s streets for both residents and visitors.

By fostering a vibrant and festive atmo­ sphere, the aim is to encourage increased patronage at retail establishments in both the urban centre and the surrounding dis­

Visitors can immerse them­ selves in the works of Teodomiro, gaining insight in­ to his creative vision and the depth of his artistic expres­ sion.

The exhibition hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10.00am until 2.00pm and from 4.00pm to 7.00pm, with Sunday and holiday hours from 10.00am until 2.00pm.

tricts of Elche.

Merchants eager to showcase their cre­ ativity can participate in the contest by reg­ istering through the Electronic Headquar­ ters of the Elche City Council.

The simple process involves completing a form and submitting a minimum of three photographs capturing their festive dis­ plays. Act swiftly, as the registration period concludes on December 8. As the city trans­ forms into a holiday wonderland, let’s join hands to celebrate the season, support local businesses, and revel in the magic of Elche’s Christmas Angel contest.

literary realms of Cervantes and Shakespeare. Adding to the festivi­ ties are excellent restaurants and stalls featuring natural and artisanal products, creating a haven for gas­ tronomic delights.

On the inaugural day of Decem­ ber 8, at 8pm, the Christmas Nativity scene will also be unveiled.

The councillor for Culture and Fes­ tivities, Rosa Ruiz, expressed her hopes for a joyous and fun market experience, inviting everyone to Aspe to partake in the festivities.

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Top fifty IN the realm of medical excellence, two doctors from Alicante, Dr Enrique de Madaria, a specialist in the Digestive System, and Dr Pedro Gutiérrez Carbonell, a distin­ guished child traumatol­ ogist, have claimed their spots among the top 50 in Spain.

This prestigious ac­ knowledgement comes courtesy of Top Doctors, a leading technology group spearheading the digital transformation of the health sector, which has meticulously curated this esteemed list for the past decade.

The selection process is no small feat, it in­ volves continuous yearly evaluation by the medi­ cal community and spe­ cialists in various fields.

Out of the five shining stars hailing from the Va­ lencian Community, the duo from Alicante, Dr De Madaria and Dr Gutiér­ rez, share the spotlight with three others.

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

Even better, our news online and in print is FREE and we promise to

always keep it that way.

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Benino’s Dream

Nora Shephard IN a celebration of art and tradition, the Ori­ huela Sacred Art Museum has proudly inau­ gurated the Napolitano Nativity Scene.

Mariano Cecilia, the museum’s director, highlighted the theme of this year’s edition, focusing on the origin of the Napolitano Na­ tivity Scene. Titled ‘Benino’s Dream’, the scene tells the story of a shepherd named Benino from Naples who dreams of a world without social classes or differences, where equality, prosperity, and peace reign around the figure of Jesus Christ.

Gonzalo Montoya, the councillor for Cul­ ture, emphasised the cultural richness the scene brings to Orihuela.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Orihuela

TREASURE: Preserving cultural heritage.

He underlined the significance of having such a treasure, as few cities in Spain can boast of possessing a Nativity Scene of this calibre.

The Napolitano Nativity Scene stands as a testament to the enduring beauty of tradi­ tion and the city’s commitment to preserv­ ing and sharing cultural heritage.

PROVERB OF THE WEEK “Fall seven times, stand up eight.”

This proverb is from Japan and teaches us that perseverance is one of the most important virtues. Whatever happens - keep on keeping on!

Anna Ellis NOT everyone welcomes rain, but the absence of it, while potentially detrimen­ tal, has proven advantageous for some.

This holds particularly true for campsites along the Costa Blanca, which emerged as the most sought­after desti­ nation in Spain in October, according to data just re­ leased by the National Insti­ tute of Statistics.

Emerging as Spain’s top destination, the Costa Blanca led significantly with 521,021 overnight stays.

The Costa Blanca’s appeal is notably driven by interna­

LOCAL NEWS

Most sought-after Image: Philip Lange / Shutterstock.com

OVERNIGHT STAYS: Campsites proving popular.

tional campers, with Alicante hosting 420,000 foreign guests, in stark contrast to the previous winner of Tar­ ragona, who had 168,000.

This statistical revelation

highlights the region’s endur­ ing popularity among campers, especially from abroad, showcasing its re­ silience despite weather chal­ lenges.

Eighth centenary George Cunningham ON December 9 at 8pm, Cre­ villent will proudly unveil a captivating exhibition of nativ­

ity scenes at the exhibition hall of the House of Culture.

This showcase holds special significance as it coincides

with the impending eighth centenary celebration of Na­ tivity Scenery in 2023.

Notably, this cherished tra­ dition attained the prestigious recognition of being declared an Artistic and Representative Manifestation of Cultural Her­ itage Immaterial by the Min­ istry of Culture a year ago.

The exhibition promises a visual feast for attendees, fea­ turing figures from the renowned Olot workshops and eight panels showcasing life­size scenes intricately tied to the Christmas narrative.

Among these masterpieces are notable works such as ‘The Annunciation’ by Murillo, ‘Joseph and Mary seek an inn upon their arrival in Bethle­ hem’ by Abel Grimmer, and ‘The Adoration of the Three Wise Men’ by Velázquez, to name a few.

Adding to the grandeur of the opening night, the govern­ ment team has arranged a musical performance by ‘Un­ beldi’ and José Alberto Aznar on the piano, treating the au­ dience to popular Christmas carols.

1.4 billion The number of insects per person.

LOCAL NEWS

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7 - 13 December 2023

Visiting Santa Image: Ayuntamiento de Pinoso

LOCAL POLICE: Welcomed two new officers.

New guardians Nora Shephard ON December 1, the commu­ nity of Pinoso celebrated the in­ duction of two new officers in­ to its Local Police force.

Andrea López Díaz and Javier Amorós Ramírez officially as­ sumed their roles as trainee of­ ficials after completing the rig­ orous selection process.

The formal ceremony, held at the Casa de Don Pedro, marked the occasion with the signing of the minutes of taking possession.

Expressing her satisfaction, the councillor for Security, Silvia Verdú congratulated Andrea and Javier for their dedication and successful navigation through the selection process.

Chief Inspector Mohedano

also offered his congratulations to the new officers, commend­ ing their capabilities demon­ strated throughout the de­ manding selection process.

He expressed gratitude to the town council for their initia­ tive in strengthening the police force by filling vacant positions and reinforcing the commit­ ment to community safety.

Pinoso’s mayor Lázaro Azorín, after extending his con­ gratulations to the newly sworn­in officers, emphasised the pivotal role they would play in serving the citizens of Pinoso. He underscored the Lo­ cal Police force’s significance as vigilant guardians, operating around the clock, every day of the year.

George Cunningham STEP into the Enchant­ ing World of Santa Claus and the Three Wise Men at Zenia Boule­ vard!

From December 2 on­ wards, the Plaza de la Lonja comes alive with festive cheer, hosting the whimsical abode of Santa Claus and the Three Wise Men. Nestled in the heart of the plaza, adorned with the charm of Ikea’s festive decorations, this cosy little house is wait­ ing to welcome families and fill their hearts with the spirit of Christmas.

To partake in this magical rendezvous, all you need is to be a member of the Zenia Kids Club.

If you haven’t yet joined this exclusive club, worry not, you can still sign up and become a part of the festivities.

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THE majestic sailboat Pascual Flores has made its triumphant return to the Marina Salinas Marina, marking the culmina­ tion of a remarkable journey through European and Spanish ports.

Until January 29, this historic vessel, originally crafted in Tor­ revieja in 1917, opens its decks to the public, inviting visitors to explore its maritime and cul­

Triumphant return

tural legacy.

A living testament to Torre­ vieja’s shipbuilding heritage and a symbol of classic Mediterranean sailboats, the Pascual Flores has traversed over 4,000 nautical miles dur­ ing its extensive tour.

Visiting 22 cities in Spain,

France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Holland, Ger­ many, and Portugal, it has par­ ticipated in prestigious events and Maritime Festivals, garner­ ing widespread acclaim and nearly 30,000 enthusiastic visi­ tors.

Now moored at the Marina Salinas Marina, the Pascual Flores welcomes the public to walk along its wooden decks, measuring an impressive 34 metres in length and 8 metres in width, with a combat sur­ face of 415 square metres.

For those eager to embark

Credit: Shutterstock / faber1893

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PASCUAL FLORES: Embark on a maritime adventure.

on this maritime adventure, the Pascual Flores is open for visits from Wednesday to Sun­ day between 11am and 2pm.

Tickets are priced at €3 for adults, €1 for children (five­10 years), and €7 for a family

Nora Shephard RENFE, Spain’s public train operator, is rolling out a game­changer for travellers, instalment payments for train tickets.

In a strategic partnership with Aplazame, a platform under the WiZink umbrella, Renfe is breaking new ground by allowing ticket pur­ chases exceeding €150 to be split into four man­ ageable payments, completely interest­free and sans any additional charges.

According to Renfe, the driving force behind this initiative is to “optimise the customer expe­ rience through the best solutions to enjoy com­ fort both when travelling and when paying.”

For customers eager to embrace this hassle­ free financing, the process is remarkably

package (two adults + up to three children between five­10 years).

Secure your tickets through the website tickets.pascualflo res.org or purchase them di­ rectly at the boat.

4 months

straightforward. After selecting their tickets, they can simply choose the ‘four months inter­ est­free’ payment option. As they proceed to the payment gateway, a convenient ‘send me’ option will pop up, requiring nothing more than an email address, a valid ID, and a bank card to unlock this stress­free payment plan.

Beyond this customer­centric approach, Renfe has put its money where its tracks are, in­ vesting a substantial €164 million in revamping and modernising its ticket sales and reservation system.

LOCAL NEWS

Queen’s dances

Anna Ellis MARK your calendars for a journey back in time as the Plaza Mayor of Aspe comes alive with the per­ formance of ‘The Queen’s Dances’ on December 17.

Everyone is invited to partake in this cultural cel­ ebration, a revival of tradi­ tional dances that once graced the streets of Aspe from the 18th century to the 1930s.

The Alboroque Group is spearheading this initia­ tive to bring back the Queen’s Dances.

These dances, steeped in history and tradition, hold the key to Aspe’s cul­ tural heritage and will be showcased again for the delight of the community.

Pascual Vicente, presi­ dent of the Alboroque Group, said “The dances are property of the peo­ ple, and we organise them for the people.”

LOCAL NEWS

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Nora Shephard NAVIGATING the unpre­ dictable terrain of earth­ quakes is a challenge that de­ mands more than just resilience, it requires fore­ sight.

Imagine having the ability to foresee an impending earthquake, even if just for a

7 - 13 December 2023

Shaky ground few precious seconds.

Those seconds could be the fine line between a momen­ tary scare and a full­blown catastrophe.

Enter the ground­breaking

On the up Anna Ellis THE cost of used housing in Alicante is experiencing a resur­ gence, rebounding from the downturn observed in October.

However, the upward trend is now proceeding at a more measured pace compared to the earlier part of the year, as re­ ported by leading real estate portals.

This trend underscores property owners’ reluctance to de­ crease their asking prices, despite a significant decrease in the purchasing power of buyers who rely on financing, owing to the notable surge in mortgage rates.

According to data from Idealista, the price per square metre increased by 0.1 per cent in the province during November ­ mirroring the same figure noted in October ­ reaching an aver­ age of €2,043. On an annual basis, this reflects a growth of 10.9 per cent, surpassing the national average of 7 per cent for the same period. Examining specific municipalities, notewor­ thy increases of over 20 per cent in the past year are evident in Benidoleig (+25.5 per cent), Benijofar (+21.7 per cent), and Sant Joan d’Alacant (20.7 per cent). Other significant increases include Pilar de la Horadada (+19.6 per cent), Daya Nueva (+18.3 per cent), and La Vila, recording a growth of 17.5 per cent, according to Idealista’s calculations.

research spearheaded by the University of Alicante, where seismic sensors have been strategically positioned across Orihuela.

The mission? To uncover whether the subtle whispers of the Earth can tip us off to an impending quake.

Sergio Molina Palacios a professor in the realm of Earth Physics at the University of Alicante, is steering the ship with the Fast­Impact project.

Palacios envisions a seismic forecast akin to the weather predictions we’ve grown ac­ customed to.

While it won’t magically un­ veil the precise moment an earthquake will strike, it could be the warning sign of seismic activity.

Speaking from the 13th In­ ternational Congress on Seis­ mic Risk where the smartest minds from Japan, Mexico, Italy, and beyond have con­ verged, Palacios has shed light on their mission and Alicante, nestled in an area prone to seismic activity, serves as their testing ground.

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Credit : Shutterstock / zaferkizilkaya

MAJESTIC: The Posidonia oceanica flowering under the sea.

Blooming wonders HAVE you ever heard of a flowering plant under the sea?

Well, brace yourself for a captivating natural event un­ folding along the coasts of the Spanish Mediterranean.

Meet Posidonia oceanica, not your ordinary algae, but a majestic flowering plant with a secret to share.

According to the biologist Juan Antonio Pujol, Posidonia oceanica, commonly known as Neptune seagrass, is cur­ rently stealing the spotlight with a grand synchronised

flowering.

What’s causing this extraor­ dinary phenomenon, you ask? Blame it on the rising temperatures of the Mediter­ ranean Sea. Recent years have seen a surge in heat, subjecting Posi­ donia to environmental stress. This stress, in turn, seems to be the driving force behind these massive and in­ creasingly frequent blooms.

The coastal waters of Ali­ cante, for instance, experi­ enced a temperature surge, soaring to 30 degrees.

Surprisingly, this tempera­ ture spike occurred as early as the end of July, defying the usual climatic patterns.

Holding steady at 25 de­ grees until the end of Octo­ ber, the sea finally returned to its ‘normal’ ranges in Novem­ ber, marking a gradual cooldown.

This flourishing underwater spectacle might be more than just a visual treat as Pujol sug­ gests that it could be Posido­ nia’s way of adapting to a warmer Mediterranean fu­ ture.

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LOCAL NEWS

ROSSMANN, the German drugstore giant in Europe, has shown solidarity by collaborat­ ing with Project CES, a non­ profit organisation protected by the Torrevieja Municipality that takes care of the cat

colonies in the municipality.

Rossmann has now set up a collection point in its store on Claudio Tolomeo Street (next to Aldi) where anyone can make a donation for homeless cats/animals.

The variety of products that characterises the German company also includes pet food, with Winston being Rossmann's own brand.

As part of its various social responsibility campaigns, Ross­ mann now aims to make these products available to the homeless animals in Torrevieja and offers its customers the opportunity to buy them and hand them in at the solidarity collection point upon leaving the store.

Susanne Fredrich, a volun­ teer for the CES project said, "The important thing about the donation box is that it alle­ viates a small part of our finan­ cial need, allowing us to spend the money on operations and medical help for the animals.

We must gradually become aware of how important it is that animal welfare is a con­ cern for all of us – we all have a responsibility towards animals.

"The best way to help is to do­ nate food and then distribute it in a coordinated manner via official aid organisations.”

Anna Ellis GUARDAMAR DEL SEGURA is aglow with pride as it unveils its unique Christ­ mas tree, a spectacular creation composed of ap­ proximately 10,000 cro­ chet squares.

This captivating installa­ tion is not just a festive decoration; it is a testa­ ment to the collective cre­ ativity and craftsmanship of the community.

The intricate crochet squares are the result of the Fil Artisans of Guardamar’s project, the ‘open­air crochet’ activity conducted during the months of July and August.

What began as a sum­ mer endeavour has blos­ somed into a symbol of community spirit and col­ laboration.

José Luis Sáez Pastor, the mayor of Guardamar del Segura, expressed his admiration and gratitude for the remarkable achievement.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Guardamar del Segura / Facebook

Caring for cats Open-air crochet

UNIQUE: The Christmas tree is a spectacular creation.

“The Christmas tree stands as a testament to the selfless and enthusias­ tic efforts of around 60 in­ dividuals from Guardamar and neighbouring areas who devoted their time

and skill to bring this vision to life,” the mayor con­ firmed.

The mayor added: “Con­ gratulations, I am so proud of our town and its peo­ ple.”

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt delivered his Autumn Statement on 22 November. For UK residents the good news was the cuts in National Insurance Contribitions, though income tax thresholds remain frozen. It was also confirmed that three new pension allowances will be introduced.

National Insurance contributions cuts Now that UK inflation has halved and the economic recovery is swifter than expected, there was room for tax cuts.

Effective 6 January 2024, the main rate of Class 1 employee National Insurance contributions (NICs) will be reduced from 12% to 10%, while for Class 4 self-employed people the rate decreases from 9% to 8% from 6 April 2024.

Tax allowances remain frozen The National Insurance cuts are welcome, but only partially offset the fiscal drag created by the frozen income tax thresholds. The budget did not include any plans to remove the freeze, scheduled until 2028.

Often referred to as ‘tax by stealth’, freezing thresholds and allowances results in many taxpayers paying more tax over time.

The pension triple lock rise The government confirmed its commitment to the pensions triple lock, where the state pension is augmented by

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UK Autumn Budget and new pensions allowances

By Jon Pemberton, Partner, Blevins Franks

the highest of three metrics: average earnings growth, Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation, or a minimum of 2.5%.

The State Pension therefore rises by 8.5% from next April, in line with earnings.

New pension allowances Legislation proposed in the Autumn

Finance Bill 2023 eliminates the Lifetime Allowance and introduces three allowances in its place.

Two were anticipated, but official documents published the same day as the Autumn Statement also revealed a new ‘Overseas Transfer Allowance’.

Lump Sum Allowance The Lump Sum Allowance (LSA) applies to payments made during the pension scheme member's lifetime. It will be set at a fixed limit of £268,275.

It encompasses tax-free cash from Pension Commencement Lump Sums and Uncrystallised Funds Pension Lump Sums. Notably, it also includes trivial commutation lump sums, small lump sums and winding-up lump sums with uncrystallised rights.

The Lump Sum Death Benefits Allowance The Lump Sum and Death Benefit Allowance (LSDBA) will have a fixed limit of £1,073,100 and be applicable to death lump sum payments.

When the death benefit is paid as a lump sum, it will only be tax-free if it falls below the deceased's remaining LSDBA. Any excess will be taxable at the beneficiary’s marginal rate of income tax. This applies regardless of the member’s age when they die.

If the pension fund is designated to drawdown within two years of the death, and the benefit is taken as pension income, the age of death remains relevant. If the death occurs before age 75, the payment will be tax free. If after 75, the recipient will pay income tax.

The Overseas Transfer Allowance Also starting next April, the Overseas Transfer Allowance (OTA) will apply to transfers of registered pension schemes out of the UK into Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pensions Schemes (QROPS). It will also be set at £1,073,100.

From the information released so far – the proposed law is yet to receive royal assent– one could conclude that the

Overseas Transfer Allowance metaphorically replaces the Lifetime Allowance for overseas transfers. While transfers into QROPS were tested against the Lifetime Allowance until April 2023, from 2024 they will be tested against Overseas Transfer Allowance. Any excess will now be subject to the Overseas Transfer Charge of 25%.

These reforms make an already complex regime even more of a minefield, particularly for expatriates, so it is important to take personalised, regulated cross-border advice.

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

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

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Green glory Bob Marquess IN keeping with an an­ nual tradition, Santa Pola is set to breathe new life into the foot­ ball fields as the grass undergoes a rejuvenat­ ing reseeding process.

This endeavour, un­ dertaken around this time every year, en­ sures that the playing surfaces at both the Manolo Maciá stadium and the Els Xiprerets fields are primed for another season of sporting excellence.

The Manolo Maciá stadium has already witnessed the first phase of this green transformation, with the reseeding process in full swing.

In the upcoming days, the focus will shift to the Els Xiprerets grass, ushering in a compre­ hensive renewal that will span approximately

40 days.

This timeframe, un­ der normal conditions, allows for the grass to take root and flourish, preparing the fields for the spirited action that defines soccer season.

Coordinated with precision, this initiative aligns seamlessly with the local football clubs’ schedules.

By strategically rear­ ranging match dates and opting for away games during the re­ seeding period, the clubs ensure that they do not miss any crucial fixtures.

The Christmas break in the leagues provides a well­timed interlude, allowing the freshly re­ seeded fields to regain their vitality by the be­ ginning of January when the teams can re­ sume their home games.

euroweeklynews.com George Cunningham UNTIL January 7, the Espacio Seneca in Alicante is im­ mersed in the enchanting world of ‘The Magic of the Nutcracker’ exhibition.

This captivating showcase brings to life the illustrations of Valeria Docampo, a distin­ guished artist in the realm of children’s illustration.

Valeria Docampo, original­ ly from Buenos Aires, Ar­ gentina, has dedicated her­ self to children’s illustration since 2006.

Her journey in the world of arts began with a focus on Fine Arts, and she later earned a degree in Graphic Design and Visual Communi­ cation from the University of Buenos Aires.

Valeria’s works, including ‘La Grande Fabrique de Mots’, have garnered inter­ national acclaim, with trans­ lations in over 30 languages.

Currently residing in Lyon, France, she continues to pub­ lish her illustrated books across Europe, the United States, and Latin American countries, earning recogni­ tion on all five continents.

The exhibition not only of­ fers a visual journey through

LOCAL NEWS

Nutcracker magic Image: Ilyas Kalimullin / Shutterstock.com

A visual journey.

Valeria’s Nutcracker­themed illustrations but also features

an immersive audio experi­ ence.

Visitors can enjoy the adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet by the Municipal Symphonic Band of Alicante.

The enchanting melodies of the Nutcracker Suite Op. 71a, originally conceived for concert performances, is made accessible through QR codes, allowing visitors to ap­ preciate the symphonic ren­ dition while exploring the ex­ hibition.

Have your say TORREVIEJA is encouraging its foreign residents to actively participate in the upcoming Euro­ pean Parliament elections on June 9, 2024.

To participate you must be a non­Spanish EU citizen residing in Spain and declare your will­ ingness to vote.

Firstly, you must register in the municipal Register of your residence and then declare your intention to exercise the right to active suf­ frage in the European Parliament elections in Spain. EU citizens can express their intention to vote online through the Electronic Headquar­ ters of the National Institute of Statistics (INE)

using the cl@ve system: INE Electronic Head­ quarters. If you prefer to register in person, complete the formal declaration form (CERE.DFA model) available for download on the city council’s website or at the INE electronic headquarters.

To participate in the 2024 elections, registra­ tions and formal declarations must be made no later than January 30, 2024.

Any declarations made after January 30, 2024, will not be incorporated into the current census for the June 9, 2024 elections, even if re­ lated to a claim about registration data.

12 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023 Image: puntapiedra.es

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CLOSURE DILEMMA: Puntapiedra awaits licence resolution.

Catherine McGeer PUNTAPIEDRA, a prominent club­restaurant located in the Cantera area of Alicante, finds itself at a crossroads as the town council’s Urban Plan­ ning Department has ordered the closure of the establish­ ment due to administrative is­ sues. This decision comes de­ spite the earlier assurance by

Licence limbo the councilwoman, Rocío Gómez, in October’s munici­ pal session that the venue could continue its operations following the acquisition of a provisional licence.

As the venue awaits the necessary licences from the town council, Forty Gestión, the company behind Pun­ tapiedra, emphasises its com­ mitment to working closely with the local authorities.

The closure provides an op­ portunity to strengthen ties with the neighbourhood and address concerns related to noise complaints from nearby residents. The surrounding community is hopeful that

the town council will imple­ ment stricter noise control measures upon the venue’s reopening. Residents from Al­ bufereta and Sangueta have expressed their concerns re­ garding the disruptive noise generated by local establish­ ments.

Puntapiedra, a multi­ faceted coast club in Alicante, originally aimed to combine music, gastronomy, entertain­ ment, events, and a diverse range of activities when it opened earlier this summer.

However, its future now hinges on the prompt is­ suance of the required li­ cences.

Going underground Bob Marquess THE proposed construction of an underground parking facili­ ty in Elche’s Plaza de las Flo­ res, championed by Mayor Pablo Ruz as a measure to reinvigorate foot traffic to the Central Market, has stirred concern and apprehension among the businesses sur­ rounding the market.

In a collective effort to voice their unease, hospitality es­ tablishments, alongside vari­ ous businesses in the vicinity, have penned a letter ad­ dressed to the mayor.

It communicates their wor­ ry and uncertainty regarding the potential impact the park­ ing lot construction may have

on their sales post the com­ pletion of the market’s reha­ bilitation.

Over 20 businesses located in Plaza de las Flores and its neighbouring streets have af­ fixed their signatures to the letter, urging the popular councillor to convene an ur­ gent meeting.

Their objective is to garner comprehensive information about the project, of which they currently feel inade­ quately informed.

While not all establish­ ments are currently active in this concerted effort, those mobilising represent a sub­ stantial majority of the central square.

LOCAL NEWS

Fully booked

A FESTIVE buzz is sweeping through Alicante as restau­ rants witness a surge in reser­ vations for Christmas Day, some with prices reaching up to €80.

Diners looking to savour the holiday spirit without the kitchen hustle have swiftly se­ cured tables at various city es­ tablishments.

The hospitality sector is brimming with optimism, an­ ticipating a robust campaign reminiscent of the previous year, thanks to a substantial influx of reservations from ea­ ger customers.

Industry insiders observe a trend where patrons prioritise the experience of dining out, showing a willingness to place experience over price consid­ erations.

The Christmas lunch and dinner campaign unfolds throughout December, and in recent years, it has even kicked off towards the end of November for early festive gatherings with friends and colleagues.

Key industry players high­ light December 25 as a pivotal day, cautioning that those without secured reservations may face challenges finding an available table.

Regarding prices, restau­ rant professionals indicate that there hasn’t been a sig­ nificant change compared to the previous year, with menus experiencing an ap­ proximate 7 per cent in­ crease.

14 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

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Cinematic allure Image: Ayuntamiento de Alicante

ALICANTE’S councillor for Tourism, Ana Poquet, and Fer­ mín Crespo, the General Direc­ tor of the Society of Projects for Digital Transformation recently convened to explore collabora­ tive opportunities and strate­ gise joint promotional actions.

The focus of their discussions centred on leveraging the in­ sights derived from the studies titled ‘From the City of Light to Alicante’.

Ana Poquet underscored the significance of collaborative efforts between local and re­ gional institutions to elevate Al­ icante’s profile within the film industry.

LOCAL NEWS

Ana Poquet and Fermín Crespo.

The collaborative initiatives aim to position Alicante as an attractive location for audio­vi­

sual productions, emphasising the city’s appeal for both tourism promotion and eco­ nomic growth.

Alicante aspires to position itself as a dynamic and enticing destination for the film indus­ try, capitalising on its unique charm and diverse landscapes to attract a spectrum of audio­ visual productions.

The intersection of tourism promotion and economic de­ velopment forms the corner­ stone of these efforts.

Opportunity knocks

IN an unexpected twist, what many perceive as a danger is emerging as a unique investment op­ portunity in the Alicante Province.

The sale of squatted homes has witnessed a significant surge in recent months, attracting those seeking high­value properties at a fraction of their original price.

While this opportunity comes with the caveat of assuming the costs and time associated with the judicial process, it has garnered attention as an intriguing prospect.

Web portals have become filled with adver­ tisements featuring a distinctive warning: “At­

tention, squatted housing!”

Contrary to initial perceptions, this message is becoming an enticing draw for individuals on the lookout for investment opportunities.

Marifé Esteso, the president of the Association of Real Estate Agents of Alicante, notes a sub­ stantial increase in the availability of such real es­ tate products in the past eight to 10 months.

Contrary to common assumptions about squat­ ted homes being predominantly located in low­ income areas, these properties are now being offered in some of the most sought­after neigh­ bourhoods.

16 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

E-Scooter certification IN the next few days, tak­ ing advantage of the Black Friday offers, many people may be thinking of buying an electric scooter as a gift for the coming Christmas season.

If this is the case, the Di­ rectorate General of Traffic (DGT) has taken the oppor­ tunity to remind everyone that, from January 22, 2024 only certified ‘person­ al mobility vehicles’ will be allowed to be sold.

There have also been re­ ports that, sometime in 2024, the DGT will intro­ duce an obligatory inspec­ tion for electric scooters, similar to the ITV for cars (the Spanish equivalent of MOT) to make sure the scooter conforms to the certified standards. An e­ scooter will also have to be easier to identify, with the equivalent of a number plate.

The reasons that have led the DGT to impose this measure is simply to im­ prove road safety by in­

Photo: Pexels CC / G-FORCE Bike

E-SCOOTERS: Soon only personal mobility vehicles to be sold.

suring that the Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMVs) that are sold in Spain have the minimum quality and durability guarantees re­ quired.

The DGT recommends that citizens planning to purchase a PMV (electric scooters and electric bicy­ cles) consult the Agency’s website at www.dgt.es/vmp, where they will find the brands and models that have al­ ready been certified and that meet all the require­ ments.

From January 22, 2027 only PMVs that are certi­ fied by the competent au­ thorities will be able to used on the roads.

The DGT also restates that these vehicles cannot drive on pedestrian cross­ ings, interurban roads, mo­ torways and dual carriage­ ways nor on pavements in towns and cities.

Furthermore, as they are considered vehicles for all purposes, their drivers are obliged to comply with traffic regulations, just like everyone else.

Tesla sues Credit: Holger.Ellgaard/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

The Tesla factory in Segeltorp, Sweden.

TESLA filed a lawsuit against the Swedish Trans­ port Agency on Monday, November 27, at Nor­ rköping District Court, in the region where the Agen­ cy is based.

Similarly, Elon Musk’s electric vehicle manufac­ turer filed another case against the Nordic postal service Postnord, this time at Solna District Court.

The purpose of the law­ suits is to gain access to number plates for its vehi­ cles that striking workers in Sweden have halted.

“This behaviour consti­

tutes a targeted, baseless and discriminatory attack on Tesla, its employees and customers,” said Tesla.

A court order was also made, requesting a so­ called interim safety mea­ sure that the number plates can be collected di­ rectly from the plate manu­ facturer while the legal process is ongoing. This re­ quest was duly approved

by Norrköping District Court.

The district court’s deci­ sion read: ‘The Swedish Transport Agency is or­ dered to agree, at the lat­

est within seven days of notification of the district court’s decision ­ for the period thereafter until oth­ erwise decided ­ at the risk of a fine of SEK 1,000,000, that Tesla can pick up li­ cence plates for the vehi­ cles that Tesla owns.

‘According to the district court’s opinion, the securi­ ty measure is proportion­ ate,’ the court added.

The Swedish Transport Agency now has 14 days to lodge an appeal, after which the district court would have to re­examine the matter.

18 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

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NEWS

THE Euro Weekly News has teamed up with Age in Spain to uncover some of the great things happening around the country.

We want to find those un­ sung heroes who deserve to be thanked for what they’re doing. Dinner for two, a cer­ tificate for framing, and con­ gratulations from the UK Am­ bassador to Spain await the winner.

Has someone done you a good turn? Nominating them for the Good Neighbour Award is a great way to say thank you.

The outright winner last year was Lucia Miguel Bores from Carrion de los Condes, in Spain’s meseta. The lan­ guage school she founded has become a portal for new­ comers to Spain, not only to learn language skills ­ but through which people get help to deal with the chal­ lenges of life in a new coun­ try. Grateful students nomi­ nated Lucia for the award.

Credit: Holger Kraft/Pixabay

Good neighbour 2023

Does someone help you with the shopping?

There was a special com­ mendation for Kay Rowbot­ tom in Mojacar who, during lockdown, set up an online support group for women who felt isolated or vulnera­ ble.

Also, Kay Frances Sturdy­ girlsRus, beginning as a local group for Spanish women and incomers, it now has more than 1,500 members throughout the world.

With her late husband, Peter, Pat Love from the Loja area of Granada won special commendation for starting a

group for English­speaking migrants to Spain. Pat co­or­ dinated with UK Consular services in Granada and Malaga to help newcomers find their feet in their adopt­ ed country.

It takes two minutes to nominate someone (that person must live in Spain) and everyone nominated will receive congratulations from Age in Spain.

Go to www.ageinspain. org/goodneighbouraward to say thank you to that special person who’s helped you.

Athlete’s tragic death ONE of Sweden’s most promising young athletes has died at the age of 21.

According to a statement released by the Swedish Athletics Federation on Wednesday, November 22, Emilia Brangefält took her own life.

They revealed that: ‘Dur­ ing her last months, Emilia felt very bad, both physical­ ly and mentally. She had good support from those closest to her, but on November 13, she ended her life.’

Kajsa Bergqvist, the cap­ tain of the Swedish Athlet­ ics Federation commented: “It is so deeply tragic. I have a hard time finding words.

On behalf of Swedish Ath­ letics, I send my warmest thoughts to Emilia’s closest bereaved,” she added.

The young mountain run­ ner displayed a glimpse of her future potential by win­ ning an SM gold medal in Genarp at the age of 20.

She followed that perfor­ mance with a WC bronze in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in her

Credit: Emilia Brangefält on Instagram

DEEPLY TRAGIC: Swedish mountain runner Emilia Brangefält.

very first international com­ petition. This summer, Brangefält also came fifth in the WC in Innsbruck.

In an Instagram post on November 4, Emilia re­ vealed the problems she was dealing with. “Been a while since I’ve posted any­ thing here. And that’s be­ cause since the end of July my body shut down.

Haven’t been able to train anything due to an ex­ tremely high heart rate.

(120­150 bpm) just standing up,” she wrote.

She continued: “Maybe it was too much for a 21­year­ old girl to run Transvulcania 48k and WMTRC 45k with less than one month in be­ tween. I am super sad be­ cause running and training means so much.

“But now, just living a normal life is difficult. I have spent more hours in bed than on my feet this past month. Maybe one day I will be back. Or I won’t. I hope my body can recover from this,” her post con­ cluded.

20 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

14-day government Credit: Giorgi Abdaladze/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

A GOVERNMENT that is ex­ pected to last no longer than 14 days was sworn in on Mon­ day, November 27, by Polish President Andrzej Duda.

The move is seen as a tacti­ cal manoeuvre that will allow the conservative Law and Justice party to stay in power a little longer and give them time to make more appoint­ ments in their government agencies.

Following the national elections held in October, Duda swore in Prime Minis­ ter Mateusz Morawiecki, who had already been in of­ fice since the end of 2017.

According to the Polish constitution, Morawiecki and his cabinet now have 14 days to submit to parliament for a vote of confidence.

Due to the fact that Morawiecki has no coalition after his Law and Justice par­

NEWS

Polish President Andrzej Duda.

A TOTAL of 41 people were arrested during police raids conducted in France on Tuesday, November 28.

According to judicial sources close to the investigation, the detainees were suspected of being linked to an international sect accused of numer­ ous abuses under the cover of the practice of yoga.

Among those arrested was 71­year­ old Gregorian Bivolaru, the Romanian spiritual guru and founder of this con­ troversial international yoga move­ ment, the source revealed. Other al­ leged ‘important leaders’ of the sect were also arrested, the source said.

The arrests took place in the Paris region and in the Alpes­Maritimes, ac­

ty lost its parliamentary ma­ jority and no other party wants to be part of the gov­ ernment, they will almost certainly lose the vote, with the PM recently estimating his chances to be ‘10 per cent or even less’.

Critics of Morawiecki and Duda have condemned the decision to form a govern­ ment that clearly has no chance of gaining the sup­ port of parliament, consider­ ing it a hopeless act of politi­ cal theatre, said a news outlet.

After eight years in power, Law and Justice won the most votes in the elections, but lost its parliamentary majority and won only 194 seats in the 460­seat Sejm.

Controversial guru arrested cording to the source. Some 175 po­ lice officers were deployed in a large­ scale operation, coordinated by the OCRVP (Central Office for the Repres­ sion of Violence against Persons). Dur­ ing the arrests, 26 women, several of whom were under influence, were re­ leased.

Known as the Movement for Spiri­ tual Integration towards the Absolute (Misa), the sect has many yoga schools and other branches across France, the source reported. “It is diffi­ cult to quantify the number of follow­ ers,” they said, but suggested that it

totalled: “several hundred people.”

A judicial investigation was opened by the Paris prosecutor’s office in July 2023, for abuse of weakness, kidnap­ ping by an organised gang, rape and human trafficking.

At the end of July 2022, Miviludes (Interministerial Mission for Vigilance and the Fight against Sectarian Abus­ es) sent a report to the public prosecu­ tor after being informed by the Hu­ man Rights League (LDH) of 12 reports from former members of the Misa movement, a judicial source told the media.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

7 - 13 December 2023

Real-estate hack

AFTER the Danish real­ estate chain EDC re­ fused to pay a very large ransom, a Rus­ sian hacker group pub­ lished the personal in­ formation of over 1,000 clients online.

It included copies of about 1,300 passports, driving licences, and health insurance cer­ tificates that were stolen by the pro­Rus­ sian ransomware group Black Basta on November 1.

Contact information such as telephone numbers, e­mail ad­ dresses and addresses ­ including secret ad­ dresses ­ and almost 100,000 social security numbers are also said to have been freely distributed.

The action was con­ firmed by EDC’s infor­

mation manager, Jan Nordmann. “It is cor­ rect. It is, as far as we know, a Russian group that co­finances war activities. We don’t want to support that, and we don’t think our customers will either,” he stated.

Black Basta specifi­ cally stole approxi­ mately 2.5 terabytes of data from the com­ pany after allegedly accessing a backup file that had been created by human error, ac­ cording to EDC. The Russian hackers did not gain entry to EDC’s main server though.

EDC has tried to con­ tact everyone whose information has now been published. “We sent out many hun­ dreds of thousands of emails to those whose

contact details we have, but I can’t say that we have managed to get hold of them all.

We have done what we could,” Nordmann added.

In an effort to strengthen its de­ fences against similar attacks, EDC has in­ creased its defences.

“Our security level was high before, it is extremely high now,” revealed the compa­ ny’s information man­ ager.

Nordmann conclud­ ed: “However, these hackers are not just two schoolboys in a basement. So, I can’t promise that it won’t happen again, but I can promise that at least we did every­ thing we could.”

EWN 21

22 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Undersea defence

NEXT month the UK will deploy seven Royal Navy vessels as part of a European Joint Expedi­ tionary Force (JEF) to safeguard critical under­ sea infrastructure.

In a remarkable defensive initiative, the UK will launch a naval task force comprising seven Royal Navy vessels and a Royal Air Force air­ craft and will join forces with nine other Euro­ pean countries as part of JEF. On Tuesday, November 28, defence minis­ ters from the 10 Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) nations reached a unanimous decision. They agreed to launch a first­of­its­kind operation, deploying a task force comprising two frigates, two offshore patrol vessels, mine countermea­ sures vessels, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary landing ship, and a RAF P­8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

The task force is scheduled to set sail in early December, joining forces with ships and aircraft from other JEF nations. This collective effort aims to patrol a vast area stretching from the English Channel to the Baltic Sea. This opera­ tion underscores the seamless interoperability between JEF nations across maritime and air domains.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps stated, “This historic and unprecedented agreement will see a Royal Navy task force of seven ships, supported by the RAF, join allies from across northern Europe as part of a joint operation to defend our shared critical infrastructure against

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Naval task force.

potential threats.” He emphasised the commit­ ment to defending mutual interests and up­ holding the rules­based international order.

This deployment will intensify surveillance around offshore assets and facilitate intelli­ gence sharing among JEF nations. It builds on NATO’s recent Vigilance Activity in the Baltic Sea region. This collaboration represents a sig­ nificant step in defending offshore critical in­ frastructure, which has recently seen a surge in threats and attacks.

The JEF, comprising Denmark, Estonia, Fin­ land, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK, focuses on secu­ rity in the High North, North Atlantic, and Baltic Sea regions.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

7 - 13 December 2023

CC - Marcus Lynam

Shane McGowan passes

THE legendary Pogues front­ man has died, with tributes from politicians, fellow celebri­ ties and fans pouring in.

On Thursday, November 30, the world lost Shane Mc­ Gowan, one of Ireland’s most iconic singers, following a long­ fought battle against viral en­ cephalitis.

Shane, aged 65, was re­ leased from hospital only last week, but his wife Victoria Mary Clarke posted a message on Instagram to confirm on Thursday afternoon he had sadly passed away and paid her own heartfelt respects: “I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar posted: “Sorry to hear that Shane McGowan has passed.

He was an amazing musician and artist. His songs beautiful­ ly captured the Irish experi­ ence, especially the experi­ ence of being Irish abroad:

SHANE MCGOWAN: One of Ireland’s most iconic singers.

Shane MacGowan, Fairytale of New York singer, dies aged 65.”

Ireland’s President Higgins issued a statement in tribute: “Shane will be remembered as one of music’s greatest lyri­ cists. So many of his songs would be perfectly crafted po­ ems, if that would not have deprived us of the opportunity to hear him sing them.

“It was a great honour for me, as President of Ireland, to present Shane with a lifetime achievement award in the Na­

tional Concert Hall in January 2018 as we marked his 60th birthday.

“A richly deserved honour,” he concluded before offering his deepest condolences to Shane’s family.

Shane’s sister, Siobhan sim­ ply quoted the lyrics from one of Pogues many memorable songs: ‘So I walked as day was dawning, as small birds sang and leaves were falling, where we once watched the row boats landing on the Broad Majestic Shannon’.

EWN 23

24 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

NEWSDESK

NEWS ACROSS THE REGIONS FROM THE PEOPLE'S PAPER RIP STICKY VICKY BENIDORM has a reputation for discovering real characters and one of those was the sexy magic show performer known as Sticky Vicky.

Victoria María Aragüés Gadea was born in Tenerife in 1943 and moved to Barcelona, training as a ballet dancer but the death of Franco and the re­ laxation of censorship pointed her to a new direction.

Having been persuaded to call herself Vicky Leyton, she created a magic show where she performed in the nude and initially removed handker­ chiefs from her v****a.

In the early 80s she moved to Benidorm, and discovered there was a real demand from tourists for her risqué perfor­ mances and adopted the stage name of Sticky Vicky she ex­ panded her role considerably.

She became a legend in Benidorm and worked until 2015 when her career was brought to an end by a hip op­ eration and then she was diag­ nosed with cancer and she de­ cided it was time to retire.

On November 29, her daughter said that her mother had died.

COSTA DEL SOL

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR Photo: Marbella Town Hall

COSTA BLANCA NORTH

CUDECA: Provides care for people with cancer and other advanced diseases.

ÁNGELES MUÑOZ, mayor of Mar­ bella, has spoken about the, “es­ sential work” carried out by Cari­ tas, during the inauguration of its 18th Solidarity Christmas Bazaar, which brought together more than 100 stalls at the Adolfo Suárez Trade Fair and Congress Centre last weekend, with a complemen­ tary programme of activities in­ cluding book presentations, con­

certs and children’s workshops.

“The city council is very proud to be able to contribute to this event taking place every year,” said the mayor, who pointed out that, “practically everything that is raised in this initiative goes direct­ ly into the organisation’s coffers.”

The mayor was accompanied by the president of the bazaar, Anto­ nio Belón, and the general coordi­

nator of the initiative, Alberto Gar­ cía, who explained that, “the con­ figuration of the stalls was changed this year to gain more space, to attract more people and for them to spend more time here with their families and friends.”

All funds raised at the bazaar have gone to help the work of Car­ itas Marbella caring for people in need.

AXARQUIA

MAGICAL TOWNS THE final stretch of 2023 brought excellent news to the tourism sector in the Axarquia region as Canillas de Aceituno was awarded the prestigious 2024 Active Tourism Award by the Network of Spainis Magi­ cal Towns. Recognising the municipalityis dedication to promoting active tourism, the award highlights its exception­ al natural environment and commitment to sustainability, notably its renowned El Saltillo bridge.

Surrounded by breathtaking landscapes and offering a wide array of outdoor activities, this charming magical town has become a must­visit for nature enthusiasts and seekers of au­ thentic experiences.

Serving as the lively gateway to the Sierra Tejeda, Alhama, and Almijara Natural Park, it proudly hosts the highest peak, La Maroma, as praised

by Spain’s Magical Towns rep­ resentatives ­ an initiative driv­ en by the Institute of Local De­ velopment and Social Studies, encompassing over 120 locali­ ties nationwide.

Spain’s Magical Towns Awards, symbolised by a bronze artwork crafted by the Moreno Brothers Sculpture Workshop (Granada), repre­ sent honour and recognition.

COSTA CALIDA

COSTA ALMERIA

MALLORCA

THE world’s most expensive extra virgin olive oil is made in the Region of Murcia. Nestled between Lorca and Caravaca de la Cruz, an extraordinary organic extra virgin olive oil of natural origin, derived from acebuchina (wild olive), is meticulously crafted. Produced by retired Guardia Civil Colonel, Tomás Navarro, near the San José Church in Coy’s highlands, this liq­ uid gold fetches approximately €50 per litre.

This unique oil, extracted from acebuchina, an olive variant smaller and less fleshy than conventional olives, yields a mere six litres per hundred kilograms compared to the 25 litres from regular olives. Despite being economically unviable, its rarity makes it unparalleled globally. Acebuchina, nearly five times more concentrated than olives, boasts 18 per cent more polyphenols. Scientifically proven to stimulate the immune system and deter the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, di­ abetes, and cardiovascular ailments.

CHRISTMAS is a magical time, not only because of the twinkling lights and family fun, but also because this festive period often brings out the spirit of giving in many.

One such person, who decided to make a difference with her generosity this Christmas, is Annie Holley from Almeria. Back in October, she came up with the idea of making soft toys and do­ nating them to children, who perhaps otherwise would not be waking up to any toys this Christmas.

Euro Weekly News spoke to Annie, who actually revealed that her inspiration first came from reading our article ‘Give a Gift in Albox this Christmas’, “it was meant to be!” she laughed. Howev­ er, her plan was to donate around 20 soft toys, so she under­ stood she needed a little help. Annie told Euro Weekly News that “that’s when I put the post up on Facebook, with not much expectation, but then all these incredible ladies got in touch.” The result was a total of 67 toys! An amount that far exceeded Annie’s initial goal.

THERE is almost as much excitement in the outlet that sold a winning lottery ticket in Spain as there is from the lucky owner and also the Spanish Tax Authority.

We all know that the Spanish love lotteries and al­ though a lot of money is being targeted towards El Gor­ do the Christmas lottery, there are still plenty of others with much larger prizes and Euro Millions continues to be drawn every Tuesday and Friday.

Gamblers in Mallorca seem to be quite lucky and af­ ter the €26 million (less the tax man’s 20 per cent) win in Lloset last October, one lucky player won €1 million in the Friday December 1 draw with a ticket purchased in Can Pastilla, Palma.

This is one prize only in El Millón which is basically a free raffle with one potential winner if they have the correct lottery ticket number and this time it was Mal­ lorca where that number was held.

LIQUID GOLD

A BEARY MERRY CHRISTMAS

EL MILLÓN WINNER

+34 951 386 161 • www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

7 - 13 December 2023

By John Ensor IS the future of young drivers’ mobility about to change? The Ministry of the Interior, as part of its ‘Road Safety Strategy 2023′ plan, unveiled a new driving permit that could rede­ fine vehicular access for the youth.

The scheme, which was an­ nounced in the previous leg­ islative session, the B1 licence remains a key agenda and is expected to come into force in 2024.

The introduction of the B1 li­ cence was announced as a sig­ nificant development in the realm of road safety and elec­ tric mobility. This initiative aims to provide young individ­ uals, starting at 16, with a more gradual and responsible path to car driving.

The B1 licence, deriving from the existing type B li­ cence, has already seen suc­ cessful implementation in countries like the United King­ dom, Italy, and Portugal.

The B1 licence facilitates en­ hanced mobility for young drivers and contributes to the

Credit: BestPhotoSudio/Shutterstock.com

Green light to B1 Licence

YOUNG DRIVERS: A more responsible path to car driving.

broader goals of road safety and sustainable transporta­ tion.

It recognises the growing in­ terest among the youth in electric vehicles and aims to in­ tegrate them into the trans­ portation system safely and re­ sponsibly.

The B1 licence stands out with its eligibility age set at 16, a notable shift from the cur­ rent options limited to motor­ cycles and mopeds. This new category enables youngsters to operate motorised quadri­ cycles, tricycles, quads, and light quadricycles. These vehi­ cles can weigh up to 400 kilo­

grams (excluding battery weight for electric models) and have a maximum power of 15 kW. Particularly, it applies to L7e classified vehicles, pre­ dominantly electric, with pow­ er not exceeding 15kW. Validity of the B1 licence ex­ tends up to three years, post which holders can upgrade to the standard B licence upon reaching adulthood. To obtain the B1 licence, applicants must clear both theoretical and practical examinations.

The launch of this licence, initially scheduled for this year, was postponed due to political delays.

EWN 25

26 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

Rojales Panto

George Cunningham PREPARE to embark on another enchanting journey with the Rojales Pantomime Group!

After the swashbuckling success of Treasure Island last year, brace yourself for a magical ex­ perience as they present Snow White & The Seven Christmas Elves this December.

Step into the festive wonderland at Teatro Capitol Rojales where the holiday spirit comes alive the moment you enter the foyer.

The talented group, known as The Enthusias­ ticals, will serenade you with traditional Christ­ mas carols, setting the perfect tone for a joy­ filled evening.

If you’re in the mood for a few hours of pure, Anna Ellis THE Exhibition Hall of the Al­ moradi Town Council is now adorned with a captivating new display, courtesy of artist Manuel Sola Perez.

This artistic showcase un­ veils 50 mesmerising water­ colours paying homage to Al­ moradi, the artist’s cherished hometown.

The exhibition is a visual celebration of his deep con­ nection to the land, drawing inspiration from Sequeros’ seminal work ‘Teoria de la Huerta y Otros Ensayos’.

unadulterated fun, don’t miss out on this year’s Pantomime!

Secure your tickets now for what guarantees to be a whimsical and entertaining experience.

Mark your calendars for the show dates on Wednesday, December 13, and Thursday, De­ cember 14, with a 7.30pm start.

On Friday, December 15 the magic begins at 5.00pm.

Tickets are available from The Post Room in Benijofar, The Card Place in Benimar, The Post Box in Doña Pepa, The Post Box in Entre Naran­ jos, Carpet Heaven in Los Montesinos, The Card Place in Punta Prima, Treasure Chest in Quesa­ da and The Post Shop in Villamartin.

Almoradi art

Until December 18, locals and visitors alike have the op­ portunity to immerse them­ selves in Manuel’s world, free of charge.

The municipal hall of the town hall opens its doors Monday to Saturday, inviting art enthusiasts to explore the intricate details of each water­ colour masterpiece from 10.00am to 1.30pm.

Manuel Sola Pérez, a native of Almoradi, breathes life into

his works through a fusion of passion, talent, and a pro­ found love for family.

The brushstrokes tell a sto­ ry of his roots and experi­ ences, encapsulating the essence of his homeland.

Having studied Economics at the University of Malaga in his youth, Manuel later plant­ ed his artistic roots in Ori­ huela, where he has resided for four decades, evolving alongside his family.

SOCIAL SCENE

Frozen on Ice Nora Shephard DIVE into a winter won­ derland of enchantment as ‘Frozen on Ice’ glides in­ to Alicante on Saturday, December 23, at 3.00pm.

Brace yourself for a mesmerising musical jour­ ney with Elsa, Anna, and friends, unfolding on a stage that seamlessly blends ice dancing and cir­ cus art.

This spectacular ice show transforms the beloved fairy tale into a vi­ sual feast, immersing the audience in magical dreamscapes of snow­cov­ ered forests. Elsa, with her iconic ‘Let it Go’, turns the stage into a sea of ice and crystals, enhanced by an LED screen.

The show features more than 300 stunning cos­ tumes, a symphony of award­winning music, and captivating choreography that transports families to a world of limitless imagi­

Image: Disney on Ice / Facebook

MUSICAL JOURNEY: On a sea of ice and crystals.

nation.

Capturing the essence of love, friendship, and brav­ ery, ‘Frozen on Ice’ is a cel­ ebration of the iconic songs from Frozen 1 and Frozen 2.

The performance show­ cases the talents of world­ renowned artists, recog­ nised for their prowess at international circus festi­ vals.

The venue, VB Spaces on Avenida de Elche, promises an evening filled

with grace, beauty, and the magic of a live ice show.

For an unforgettable ex­ perience, secure your tick­ ets at www.alphamusic. es.

For more details, visit VB Spaces’ website, con­ tact info@vbspaces.com, or call (+34) 965 779 732 or (+34) 610 141 486.

Get ready to be trans­ ported to a world where fairy tales come to life on ice!

30 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

NORWAY Fuel duel GREENPEACE and Friends of the Earth’s Norwegian branch launched a lawsuit challenging the government permission to open three new offshore oil and gas fields. Norway should leave the oil "where it is," they maintained, and accused the government of using petrol to extinguish the “climate crisis fire.”

In the dark A SPECIALIST firm was chosen to design minimal lighting for comfort stop toilets along the Hardanger section of the 18 roads included in the Norwegian Scenic Routes. The public loos designed by architect studio Code needed a ‘sensitive lighting scheme’ that would not stop visitors from appreciating the spectacular landscape.

SWEDEN

euroweeklynews.com

EURO PRESS THE NETHERLANDS

Ottoman gift A HANDMADE carpet given to the Peace Palace in The Hague by the Ottoman sultan, Abdulhamid II in 1907, has been sent for restoration to Aksaray (Turkey). Twenty-five people will work for a year on the carpet before it is returned to the Peace Place, which now houses the International Court of Justice.

IRELAND Hygiene poverty A SMALL-SCALE survey carried out by Trinity College Dublin found that 65 per cent of respondents went without basic toiletries or hygiene items this year because they could not afford them. Sixty-nine per cent admitted feeling ‘embarrassed or ashamed’, while 61.2 per cent reported increased stress.

Charge it

NETHERLANDS: Turkey carpet will take a year to restore.

Photo credit: hurimg/i/hurriyet.com

GERMANY

EUROPEAN PRESS

FRANCE

EIGHTY-FIVE per cent of drivers with electric vehicles (EVs) in Ireland said they found running costs were lower than their previous petrol or diesel car. A further 62 per cent of motorists who currently drive an EV said that they would happily buy another when choosing their next vehicle.

PORTUGAL

Fine example

Lucky star

Chanel myth

Fair shares

WHILE Tesla battles Sweden’s IF Metall for refusing to sign a collective agreement, the union’s lawyer, Darko Davidovic, has played a leading role in negotiations. Despite his criticism of the carmaker's stance, insiders revealed that Davidovic’s family currently uses a Tesla Model Y, while he drove a Model S in the past.

WHEN Lucy, a three-year-old tabby disappeared from her Wallensen (Hanover) home in November 2022, her family thought the worst until she turned up 60 kilometres away in Garbesen a year later. A cat lover took her in and, since Lucky was luckily chipped, she was immediately reunited with her family.

HISTORIAN Guillaume Pollack questioned the authenticity of new documents suggesting that Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel was a member of the Resistance as well as a Nazi informant during the Second World War. Chanel possibly used the documents to restore her reputation after the war, Pollack said.

ONE-HUNDRED teachers demonstrated in front of the Portuguese parliament, calling for the government to allocate at least 6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product on education. The teachers claimed that with tax revenue increased by €2 billion, it was a missed opportunity not to invest in state schools.

Cheaper coffee

Direct route

Metro hike

New foods

COFFEE prices dropped by around 6 Krona (€0.53) a kilo as prices stabilised following a steep rise in 2021 owing to poor crops in Brazil and higher shipping prices during the pandemic.

With the prospect of an abundant 2024 harvest, prices are now falling the Matpriskollen food price comparison website, said.

PART of German Rail’s future 150-kilometre line between Dresden and the Czech capital, Prague, will include the country’s longest tunnel. This will enable passengers to travel between the two cities in 60 minutes at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour once the line is completed in the mid2040s.

PARIS metro tickets will practically double in price between July and September next year to help meet the cost of expanding the city’s transport network for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Millions of people are expected to flock to the capital when the Games are held from July 26 until August 11.

MICROHARVEST, a German biotechnology company producing sustainable proteins through microbial fermentation has opened a pilot plant in Lisbon where it intends to speed up marketing of its single-cell protein additive. This has many uses, the company said, including environmentally-friendly aquafeed for fish farms.

DENMARK

FINLAND

BELGIUM

ITALY Fast fashion LUCA CIUFFREDA, director of Primark Italy, announced €50 million plans for five new stores, bringing a total of 20 nationwide.

Ciuffreda, who joined the fast fashion chain when it opened in Italy in 2016, revealed that the new shops would be inspired by the latest retail innovations and ‘Italian style and architecture’.

Expo letdown ROME lost out to Saudi Arabia which has been chosen to host the 2030 World Expo that hopes to attract millions of visitors.

Members of the Bureau International des Expositions in Paris awarded runner-up Rome 17 of a possible 165 votes, with 119 going instead to Riyadh despite its human rights failings.

Epidemic level

Good dog

Mussel power

DENMARK’S State Serum Institute (SSI), responsible for the prevention of infectious diseases, prevention reported that atypical pneumonia cases had reached epidemic level, particularly amongst the six-to-12 age group.

The Institute’s Hanne-Dorthe Emborg said that a “significantly” higher number of cases were prevalent across the country.

PEPI, a sniffer dog that works with Customs officers in Turku, has been named Customs Dog of the Year. The labrador-retriever was responsible for locating several consignments of amphetamines as well as a stash of ecstasy that was hidden in children’s toys imported from the Netherlands.

BELGIAN scientists and mussel growers are collaborating on an experiment off the La Panne beach to prevent erosion. They have applied for a government grant to install mussel reefs between the shallow coastal waters and the North Sea to halt the powerful currents that strip sand from the beaches.

Getting colder SOME parts of Denmark experienced the coldest November night of the century as temperatures plunged to double digits below zero. Copenhagen’s Roskilde Airport’s weather station registered 15 degrees below freezing, while 7.7 degrees below zero in the city's Frederiksberg district was the lowest since 1919.

Post early FINLAND’S principal postal service, Posti, handled around 1.4 million parcels during Black Friday week, which also coincided with the beginning of the Christmas period. Posti has now opened 37 temporary pickup points and begun Saturday parcels’ deliveries in major cities to guarantee coverage over the holiday season.

Cut the cackle A NEW dating app called Breeze is unlike all others, as it provides no chat function but asks users who match if they are available for a date, which can they confirm for a €9 fee. “Singles no longer want to chat superficially and endlessly online,” co-owner Marco van der Woude said.

NEWS

euroweeklynews.com

7 - 13 December 2023

SPAIN has become home to many nationalities from around the world, but there is one municipality that has an overwhelming number of foreigners, where nine out of every 10 inhabitants come from another country.

Have you ever wondered which Spanish village has the most international popula­ tion? And where are they from? The answer lies in Torre del Burgo, a small but remarkable municipality in Guadalajara.

In the second quarter of 2023, as revealed by the Con­ tinuous Population Statistics conducted by Spain’s Nation­ al Institute of Statistics, the Spanish population reached a record 48,345,223. This signif­ icant growth is attributed largely to the influx of foreign nationals, impacting not just Torre del Burgo, but the en­ tire country.

Spain has witnessed a widespread increase in its for­ eign population, with signifi­ cant rises in regions such as the Balearic Islands, the Va­ lencian Community, and the

Credit: Emilio J. Rodriguez Posada

Most international village

INTERNATIONAL: Torre del Burgo, in Guadalajara.

Community of Madrid.

As of July 1, 2023, out of Spain’s total population, 42,009,804 are Spanish na­ tionals, and 6,335,419 are for­ eign residents. This surge is reshaping the demographic landscape of the country.

In most provincial capitals, foreign nationals make up less than 12 per cent of the population. However, cities like Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona exceed this average, with Almeria lead­ ing at 28 per cent. Towns such as Partaloa, Arboleas, and Bedar have even more foreign than national resi­ dents.

Torre del Burgo, spanning 4.91 square kilometres and

primarily driven by agricul­ ture, stands out with an as­ tonishing 87.13 per cent for­ eign population, which translates to 413 out of its 474 inhabitants.

Predominantly from Bul­ garia, but also including Pol­ ish, Romanian, and Moroc­ can nationals, the village’s unique demographic compo­ sition offers a glimpse into a diverse cultural landscape.

In this unique setting, a Bul­ garian greeting, ‘Zdravey, kak si?’ might be more common than the traditional Spanish ‘Hola, ¿como estas?’. This re­ flects the profound impact of the foreign population on the local culture and social inter­ actions in Torre del Burgo.

A RECENT study published

by Idealista has unveiled in­ triguing trends in the Span­ ish property market.

According to the study, the supply of homes for sale in Spain has experienced a 4 per cent decrease during the third quarter of 2023 com­ pared to the same period last year, indicating shifts in the country’s real estate landscape.

The majority of Spanish provincial capitals have wit­ nessed a decline in the avail­ ability of homes for sale, with notable reductions in Cuenca (­34 per cent) and Avila (­30 per cent).

Other cities experiencing significant decreases include Huelva, Santander, Valencia, Toledo, Soria, and Tarrago­ na. However, nine provincial capitals have bucked this trend, with increases in housing supply.

Notable cities include Cor­ doba and Pamplona (10 per cent increase), followed by Huesca (9 per cent), San Se­

Image: ESB Professional / Shutterstock.com

Spain’s housing market sizzles: Supply shrinks by 4% in a year

HOUSING STOCK: There has been a distinct decline.

bastian (8 per cent), Zaragoza (5 per cent), Cadiz (5 per cent), and Badajoz (3 per cent).

Vitoria has maintained a stable housing stock over the past year.

With varied dynamics among the major markets, several cities have wit­ nessed a reduction in hous­ ing supply, such as Alicante (­15 per cent), Palma (­11 per cent), Barcelona (­10 per cent), Malaga (­3 per cent), and Madrid (­1 per cent).

Conversely, Bilbao and Sevilla have experienced

slight increases of 2 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively.

At the provincial level, the situation mirrors the dy­ namics observed in provin­ cial capitals.

Cuenca tops the list with an 18 per cent reduction in housing supply, followed by Santa Cruz de Tenerife (­17 per cent), A Coruña (­16 per cent), and Avila (­15 per cent). Notable decreases are also observed in Soria, Lugo, Cantabria, Segovia, Valen­ cia, Teruel, Zamora, and Huelva (­13 per cent in each case).

EWN 31

FINANCE DOUG PUTMAN, owner of HMV who hoped to rescue Wilko which collapsed into ad­ ministration with debts of £625 million (€723 million), said the failed retailer’s suppli­ ers and landlords were ‘super­ inflexible’. They did not think of the 12,000­plus jobs that would have been saved, Put­ man claimed.

Helping out YOUNG Spanish wage­earners are now earning less in real terms than their parents did at the same age, a BBVA­financed survey revealed. It also found that 37 per cent of the over­ 60s had helped their children over the last year to buy the weekly shop or to pay their electricity or water bills.

Big bills AROUND seven million square feet (650,321 square metres) of Canary Wharf office space does not comply with environ­ mental property standards, as the UK government imple­ ments its green agenda. Dock­ lands landlords will now have to spend £300 (€347) per square foot to convert proper­ ties and remain within the law.

EV delay SEAT’S Martorell (Barcelona) plant will start building electric vehicles in 2026, instead of mid­2024 as originally planned.

The delay is linked to doubts as to whether the batteries for the cars will come from the gi­ gafactory currently under con­ struction in Sagunto (Valencia) or the Salzgitter plant in Ger­ many.

Looking ahead ROLLS­ROYCE chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic plans to in­ crease medium­term annual operating profits to £2.8 billion (€3.2 billion) measured against the £1.4 billion (€1.6 billion) forecast for 2023. The Rolls­ Royce chief also wants to see a free cash flow of £2.8 billion (€3.2 billion) and £3.1 billion (€3.6 billion).

was spent on soft drinks in Spain last year, with sales that STAT OF were 15 per cent more than in 2021 and exceeded preWEEK €4.3 billion Covid figures for the first time.

Ferrovial leaves Heathrow SPANISH multinational Fer­ rovial is selling its 25 per stake in Heathrow airport for £2.4 billion (€2.7 billion).

Ten per cent will go to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund run by the Sau­ di crown prince, Mo­ hammed bin Salman, and 15 per cent to the French private equity firm Ardian.

The sale must first obtain regulatory clearance and it is also dependent on the rights of other shareholders in FGP Topco, Heathrow’s parent company. These in­ clude the Qatar Investment Authority and the Aus­ tralian Retirement Trust.

Ferrovial began trimming down its 56 per cent stake

Photo credit: CC/Orderinchaos

Too late

euroweeklynews.com • 7 - 13 December 2023

HEATHROW AIRPORT: Ferrovial sells its 25 per cent stake.

in Heathrow in 2012 and has held an unchanging 25 per cent since 2013.

Heathrow is currently running at a loss but the shortfall began to contract this year as passenger num­ bers returned to 2019 lev­

IBERDROLA, Europe’s biggest electrici­ ty company and the second­largest globally, intends to invest £12 billion (€13.9 billion) in the UK between 2024 and 2028.

The company’s executive chairman Ignacio Sanchez Galan explained Iber­ drola’s plans to the British PM, Rishi Sunak, and Defence secretary Grant Shapps during the recent UK Global Investment Summit.

Galan stressed that thanks to the UK’s stable and predictable regulatory frameworks Iberdrola was “more committed than ever” to continuing to invest in its networks and renew­ ables.

The company had invested approxi­ mately £30 billion (€34.7 billion) over

Chipping in AMERICAN companies are in­ terested in opening semi­con­ ductor factories in Spain, re­ vealed Mark Gitenstein, the US ambassador to the EU. Gitenstein said during a re­ cent visit to Madrid that there was growing interest thanks to the Spanish government’s €12.25 billion PERTE chip pro­ gramme.

“I know of at least two American companies consider­ ing Spain for this type of ven­ ture,” the ambassador said.

Semi­conductor giant Broad­ com announced plans to build an electronic chip plant here last July, suggesting that an­ other manufacturer is also eyeing Spain for future invest­ ment.

els, following the pandemic restrictions which at one stage grounded practically all air traffic worldwide.

The airport received 59.4 million passengers between January 1 and September 30, a 34.4 per cent increase

Iberdrola’s UK projects Photo credit: hbpl.co.uk

BUSINESS EXTRA

32

UK COMMITMENT: Rishi Sunak, Grant Shapps and Ignacio Galan.

the past 15 years in the UK’s electrici­ ty grid and renewable generation ca­

Float for buoyant Puig CATALAN fragrance, cosmetics and fashion company Puig is planning a stock exchange float for early 2024.

Amongst other brands, Puig owns Charlotte Tilbury, Carolina Herrera, Pa­ co Rabanne, Jean Paul Gaultier, Nina Ricci and Penhaligon’s.

Initial market valuations put a figure of around €10 billion on a future list­ ing but sources quoted in the financial daily Cinco Dias emphasised that the company’s plans are still at an early stage.

JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and STJ Advisors as well as the Linklaters and Cuatrecasas law firms were all named as consultants in the operation.

Puig reported revenues of €3.6 bil­ lion last year and €400 million in prof­ its, which was well ahead of its three­ year plan announced in 2022 that foresaw a turnover of €3 billion by 2023 and €4.5 billion in 2025.

on the same nine months in 2022.

Ferrovial, which has a 50 per cent holding in Ab­ erdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports and owns 49 per cent of Termi­ nal One at New York City’s JFK, remains ‘fully commit­ ted’ to carry on investing in its airport interests, Luke Bugeja, Ferrovial Airports’ chief executive said.

When markets opened on November 29, Ferrovial shares rose 2.5 per cent while Banco Sabadell ana­ lysts were quoted in the me­ dia as saying that the compa­ ny would now invest in projects “with more attrac­ tive returns than Heathrow.”

pacity, he added.

Meanwhile, ScottishPower was the UK’s first utility to generate 100 per cent green electricity.

Around two­thirds of Iberdrola’s 2024­28 investments will focus on transmission and distribution electrici­ ty networks, with projects including the £2.7 billion (€3.1 billion) Eastern Green Link 1 undersea transmission cable, which received the go­ahead in November this year.

Construction is due to begin in early 2024 and, once completed, will trans­ port enough clean, green, renewable energy to supply up to two million homes while increasing the resilience of the UK’s transmission grid, Galan announced.

Metro rescue METRO BANK shareholders have approved a £925 million (€1.07 billion) rescue deal.

A refinancing proposal re­ ceived ‘very strong support’ as more than 90 per cent of Metro shareholders voted for ‘all resolu­ tions’, the bank revealed on November 27.

Metro announced last month that it had negotiated a £925 mil­ lion package consisting of £325 million (€376 million) in new capi­ tal plus £600 million (€694 mil­ lion) of debt.

The bank’s largest shareholder, Spaldy Investments owned by Colombian billionaire Jaime Gilin­ ski Bacal, increased its stake from 9 per cent to 53 per cent by con­ tributing £102 million (€118 mil­ lion) of the new capital.

Slow to grow BANK OF ENGLAND governor An­ drew Bailey voiced concerns re­ garding the UK’s future growth prospects at the end of last month.

Days after the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) reduced its growth predictions for the next two years, Bailey told a Newcastle newspaper that the “supply side” of the economy had slowed.

“If you look at what I call the po­ tential growth rates of the econo­ my, there’s no doubt it’s lower than it has been in much of my working life,” he said.

Asked about interest rates, the Bank of England government an­ swered that they were unlikely to be cut “for the foreseeable future.”

Telefonica redundancies BETWEEN 2,500 and 3,000 of Tele­ fonica’s 17,000 employees are to be made redundant.

The company, which has not yet announced specific numbers, dis­ cussed the redundancies with union leaders on November 27, the Union General de Traba­ jadores (UGT) confirmed after a meeting to negotiate the collective bargaining agreement.

This was an unexpected move on Telefonica’s part, following last October’s rumours of early retire­ ment and ‘incentivised departures’ for 5,000 staff members.

Negotiating tables to discuss the collective bargaining agreement and the redundancies would be set up in early December, with an official statement regarding the number of workers affected.

Telegraph worries A GROUP of MPs asked minis­ ters to investigate a deal that would give control of the Tele­ graph to a United Arab Emi­ rates­backed consortium.

The call from MPs, who in­ cluded the former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith, asked ministers to use national security legislation to investi­ gate the Barclay family’s pro­ posed deal with RedBird IMI. The Abu Dhabi­backed joint venture is preparing to deliver a letter to the UK’s Culture sec­ retary, giving her 48 hours’ no­ tice that the Barclays’ £1.16 bil­ lion (€1.34 billion) debt with Lloyds Bank is ready for repay­ ment.

FINANCE

34 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

LONDON - FTSE 100

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

CLOSING PRICES 4 DECEMBER

PRICE(P)

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

InterContinental

6.336,0

+32,0

+0,51%

6,08K

Intermediate Capital

1.591,92

+6,00

+0,38%

6,28K

18,31K

Intertek

4.049,0

+15,0

+0,37%

7,77K

-2,36%

296,76K

ITV

60,94

+1,02

+1,71%

1,05M

-15,00

-1,00%

53,20K

J Sainsbury

284,60

+0,10

+0,04%

57,90K

4.903,0

+1,0

+0,02%

21,93K

Johnson Matthey

1.560,5

-11,5

-0,73%

12,16K

Associated British Foods

2.396,0

+9,0

+0,38%

53,30K

Land Securities

638,60

+5,00

+0,79%

125,49K

AstraZeneca

10.198,0

0,0

0,00%

32,28K

Legal & General

228,00

+0,50

+0,22%

431,06K

13,69K

Lloyds Banking

44,95

+0,46

+1,03%

11,31M

204,54K

London Stock Exchange

8.984,1

-10,0

-0,11%

8,39K

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

3I Group

2.257,00

+9,00

+0,40%

56,80K

Abrdn

166,70

+2,55

+1,55%

104,24K

Admiral Group

2.695,7

-9,0

-0,33%

Anglo American

2.256,5

-54,5

Antofagasta

1.480,50

Ashtead Group

Auto Trader Group Plc Aviva

724,40 418,20

+3,00

+0,42%

NET VOL

COMPANY

1.16541

0.85804

Units per €

US dollar (USD) ........................................1.0817 Japan yen (JPY)........................................159.71 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................0.9493 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4557 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................11.651

-1,60

-0,38%

B&M European Value Retail SA593,60

+4,60

+0,78%

81,56K

Melrose Industries

540,40

+6,60

+1,24%

126,73K

currenciesdirect.com/la-zenia • Tel: +34 965 994 830

BAE Systems

1.050,91

-8,50

-0,80%

252,27K

Mondi

1.438,50

-4,50

-0,31%

73,90K

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

Barclays

142,82

+0,46

+0,32%

1,70M

National Grid

1.034,00

+1,00

+0,10%

134,71K

Barratt Developments

522,40

+2,60

+0,50%

138,26K

NatWest Group

213,60

+2,40

+1,14%

792,32K

8.082,0

+40,0

+0,50%

11,57K

+19,80

+3,33%

141,23K

Berkeley

4.739,0

+27,0

+0,57%

3,36K

Next

BHP Group Ltd

2.443,00

-31,50

-1,27%

42,83K

Ocado

614,48

BP

468,35

-10,05

-2,10%

2,28M

Persimmon

1.287,0

+4,5

+0,35%

24,65K

98,47K

Phoenix

471,62

+1,70

+0,36%

69,61K

Prudential

868,00

-0,80

-0,09%

147,77K

British American Tobacco 2.520,0

+12,0

+0,48%

British Land Company

363,20

+2,30

+0,64%

52,82K

BT Group

124,20

+0,55

+0,45%

744,56K

Bunzl

2.984,9

-11,0

-0,37%

2,89K

Burberry Group

1.511,0

+12,5

+0,83%

87,25K

Carnival

1.110,9

+30,0

+2,77%

22,34K

Centrica

151,75

-0,80

-0,52%

410,42K

Coca Cola HBC AG

2.220,0

+1,0

+0,04%

48,84K

Reckitt Benckiser

5.424,0

+8,0

+0,15%

34,80K

Relx

3.040,00

-10,00

-0,33%

135,18K

Rentokil

431,00

+2,90

+0,68%

170,62K

Rightmove

560,20

+8,00

+1,45%

59,28K

Rio Tinto PLC

5.454,0

-145,0

-2,59%

165,92K

Rolls-Royce Holdings

286,75

+10,00

+3,61%

4,23M

Sage

1.153,00

+4,00

+0,35%

76,84K

Samsung Electronics DRC 1.385,00

+7,00

+0,51%

0,69K

Schroders

407,3

+0,9

+0,22%

154,93K

Scottish Mortgage

721,90

+2,40

+0,33%

115,69K

Segro

827,80

+4,40

+0,53%

88,14K

Severn Trent

2.607,5

-9,0

-0,34%

67,25K

Shell

2.524,5

-43,5

-1,69%

568,43K

Smith & Nephew

1.038,73

+2,50

+0,24%

86,02K

Smiths Group

1.652,50

-7,00

-0,42%

23,88K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 9.298,0

+20,0

+0,22%

3,01K

SSE

1.852,00

+7,00

+0,38%

74,73K

St. James’s Place

665,80

+7,60

+1,16%

63,43K

Standard Chartered

653,40

+0,80

+0,12%

161,60K

Taylor Wimpey

132,05

+0,90

+0,69%

465,78K

Tesco

281,01

+1,40

+0,50%

509,02K

Tui

501,50

+12,00

+2,46%

63,04K

Unilever

3.791,5

+11,0

+0,29%

114,15K 472,37K

Compass

2.035,00

+9,00

+0,44%

84,92K

CRH

5.058,0

+18,0

+0,36%

30,58K

Croda Intl

4.501,7

+23,0

+0,51%

5,19K

DCC

5.500,0

+14,0

+0,26%

3,20K

Diageo

2.816,0

0,0

0,00%

112,99K

DS Smith

302,84

+6,50

+2,19%

593,14K

EasyJet

478,00

+5,80

+1,23%

477,22K

Experian

2.928,0

+4,0

+0,14%

30,23K

Ferguson

13.320,0

-235,0

-1,73%

10,02K

Flutter Entertainment

12.240,0

-355,0

-2,82%

71,72K

Fresnillo

588,47

-3,80

-0,64%

46,20K

Glencore

447,05

-10,65

-2,33%

1,73M

GSK plc

1.454,20

+18,20

+1,27%

167,13K

Halma

2.144,0

+11,0

+0,52%

71,57K

Hargreaves Lansdown

716,00

+3,80

+0,53%

30,23K

Hikma Pharma

1.749,50

-8,50

-0,48%

13,03K

HSBC

603,40

-0,70

-0,12%

880,74K

United Utilities

1.081,00

-11,00

-1,01%

IAG

158,88

+2,38

+1,52%

926,60K

Vodafone Group PLC

71,56

-0,11

-0,15%

2,72M

Imperial Brands

1.876,50

+18,00

+0,97%

75,28K

Whitbread

3.194,0

+12,0

+0,38%

14,47K

Informa

763,00

+6,00

+0,79%

66,63K

WPP

720,80

+10,00

+1,41%

101,54K

DOW JONES CLOSING PRICES 4 DECEMBER

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

99,85 173,75 272,45 191,24 233,85 256,76 144,81 48,47 58,63 52,30 348,59 319,68 197,78 160,57 43,74 158,38 156,93 285,92 103,44 374,51 113,48 152,67 259,99 182,01 547,01 38,57 257,05 20,79 154,35 92,55

+0,78 +2,98 +2,81 +1,29 +2,22 +6,04 +1,21 +0,09 +0,19 +0,55 +7,05 +6,19 +1,86 +2,01 -0,96 +3,72 +0,85 +4,08 +0,96 -4,40 +3,58 -0,85 +8,09 +1,39 -4,08 +0,24 +0,37 +0,85 -1,34 -0,14

+0,79% 2,70M +1,75% 2,91M +1,04% 2,02M +0,68% 40,06M +0,96% 6,44M +2,41% 3,03M +0,84% 11,09M +0,19% 18,00M +0,33% 13,74M +1,06% 3,32M +2,06% 1,88M +1,97% 3,23M +0,95% 2,81M +1,27% 4,78M -2,15% 39,51M +2,41% 8,59M +0,54% 8,49M +1,45% 2,90M +0,94% 6,52M -1,16% 29,21M +3,26% 7,69M -0,55% 5,29M +3,21% 14,23M +0,77% 1,16M -0,74% 3,31M +0,63% 17,89M +0,14% 3,78M +4,26% 12,12M -0,86% 11,20M -0,15% 9,96M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ CLOSING PRICES 4 DECEMBER

COMPANY Most Advanced Elastic N.V. UiPath Inc. Samsara Inc. Upstart Holdings, Inc. Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Vornado Realty Trust Carvana Co. HashiCorp, Inc. Lyft, Inc. Enovix Corporation

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+37.13% +26.72% +25.60% +20.96% +14.45% +14.31% +13.68% +12.39% +12.14% +12.02% +11.92%

12.197M 53.009M 16.514M 17.616M 57.061M 5.431M 5.428M 12.032M 4.504M 32.276M 5.271M

-34.54% -7.27% -7.22% -6.56% -6.22% -5.26% -5.24% -5.19% -5.12% -4.66% -4.34%

159,078 8.582M 5.529M 836,350 42,995 25.376M 12.614M 14.19M 103.187M 1.485M 95,570

Most Declined Incannex Healthcare Inc. Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. VinFast Auto Ltd. Central Puerto S.A. Pacific Gas and Electric Company Marvell Technology, Inc. XPeng Inc. Dell Technologies Inc. Pfizer Inc. LifeStance Health Group, Inc. BOC Aviation Limited

‘

FINANCE

euroweeklynews.com

ASK THE EXPERT Peter Loveday

Contact me at euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com

• Euro EUR/GBP: Down from £0.87 to £0.86 EUR/USD: Up from $1.05 to $1.09 The euro closed October on the back foot as the European Central Bank (ECB) ended 15 months of consecutive interest rate hikes by leaving its monetary policy unchanged at its latest policy meeting.

Weak Eurozone data and a cooling of inflation placed further pressure on the euro, before the single currency bounced back as we entered November, underpinned by its strong negative correlation with the US dollar.

Further support came from the release of stronger-than-expected German factory orders, while risk-off flows also buoyed EUR exchange rates. The euro then faced resistance in the middle of the month. While Germany reported a stronger-thanexpected rebound in economic sentiment, demand for the safe-haven currency was stymied by a sharp upswing in market risk appetite.

7 - 13 December 2023

US DOLLAR NOSEDIVES ON DISAPPOINTING DATA, POUND BOLSTERED BY HAWKISH BOE EUR exchange rates then struggled to find support in the second half of November, partly due to a warning from the ECB regarding the risks posed by weak growth and high interest rates to the Eurozone’s financial stability. Looking ahead, the immediate focus for EUR investors is likely to be the latest Eurozone consumer price index. Another cooling of inflation could push the ECB to begin discussing interest rate cuts when it holds it final policy meeting.

• Pound GBP/EUR: Unchanged at €1.14 GBP/USD: Up from $1.21 to $1.25 The pound traded in a wide range over the last month in response to mixed data and uncertainty over Bank of England (BoE) monetary policy.

After stumbling at the end of October amid UK recession fears, Sterling was rocked by the BoE’s latest interest rate decision. While the BoE left rates on hold, a surprisingly hawkish split within the Monetary Policy Committee, infused volatility into GBP exchange rates.

CURRENCY OUTLOOK: The pound could end the year on a high.

Dovish comments from BoE Chief Economist Huw Pill, then pulled the pound lower again as he hinted at possible rate cuts by the bank by the end of 2024.

Movement in Sterling then grew even more volatile in light of some mixed UK data releases. While GBP exchange rates were supported by surprisingly positive GDP and employment data. Cooler-than-expected inflation and an unexpected contraction in retail sales countered these releases.

The pound then rocked towards

the end of November. After initially finding support from some hawkish BoE commentary, Sterling sentiment faltered amid an underwhelming response to UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement.

The BoE is scheduled to hold one more policy meeting before the end of 2023.

If the bank continues to strike a broadly hawkish tone this could see the pound end the year on a high.

• US Dollar USD/GBP: Down from $0.82 to

EWN 35

$0.79 USD/EUR: Down from €0.94 to €0.91 The US dollar has fallen off a cliff over the past four weeks, with the currency sliding to new multi-month lows against the pound and the euro.

The collapse of USD comes as some high-impact US data missed the mark, which triggered a sharp pullback in Federal Reserve rate hike bets.

This was initially linked to the latest US non-farm payrolls data, after October’s figures printed well below expectations and shone a spotlight on the slowing US labour market. An even sharper USD selloff was then witnessed following the publication of the latest US CPI figures.

With both headline and core inflation cooling more than expected last month. This not only cemented expectations the Fed has reached the end of its hiking cycle, but also began to stoke rate cut speculation.

Looking ahead, the Fed is set to hold this year’s final policy meeting in December. No policy changes are expected next month, but the US central bank is likely to give a rough outline of its policy plans for 2024.

Could hints of a rate cut see the US dollar test new lows?

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.

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT IS there such a thing as a diversity biscuit? If so the deluge of TV com­ mercial, Christmas­tide presenta­ tions truly does take the full tin. A whole conglomeration of adverts has been sanitised by political correct­ ness, dissected with diversity, mugged by multi­culturist and treat­ ed to a positive blizzard of ‘snow­ flaking’ that is utterly mind boggling.

Mixed marriages and relationships abound.

Bunches of people in cars, restau­ rants and crowd locations, all contain the ‘correct’ number of white and ethnic minorities. Happy families, of carefully selected denominations, gather around tables groaning with Christmas fare; and all is well with the world on the birthday of Our Lord. Unfortunately, this so­called ‘merry’ conception is in no way a true reflection of the main bulk of British society. The great cities and communities of the UK are more seg­ regated than ever. Whole boroughs are dedicated to one particular race or religion. Growing numbers of British citizens don’t even celebrate

euroweeklynews.com

Mind boggling Christmas. Diversity is not working.

Last December, on a short UK visit, I telephoned the Salvation Army, en­ quiring as to why I had noticed their Christmas Carol street appearances seemed to be missing in certain (of­ ten unlikely) shopping areas; they in­ formed me that they were very care­ ful to now only present the Christian Army Bands where they would be acknowledged! Until we face up to the truth, we will NEVER find the Shangri­La of existence so desperate­ ly depicted by these sadly delusional ostriches who are in utter denial of the true state of affairs and seem to worm their way into every nook and cranny of our beleaguered social ex­ istence. It did strike me that the gatherings of those responsible for these ads must produce some of the most racial riddled confusing mish mash of problems imaginable.

Terrified of being declared non­PC, the selection committees, or casting agents, are no longer torn between those who may have more talent and be better qualified for the gig, but more importantly are judged by

their ethnic background and appear­ ance. The young Lady causing all the dissent on ‘I’m a Celebrity’ (some­ thing she most certainly is not!) is a prime example. Thousands of letters and comments on social media are voicing their dissatisfaction over her inclusion and attitude. The whole thing has become utterly ridiculous.

Nothing more than a pathetic at­ tempt to fool the viewing public that good old diversity is truly working and we are all living the paradise of good will and human understanding.

Well I’m sorry, I maintain that truth in these matters, however hard it is to bear, is the only real pathway to the peaceful resolution most of us truly do crave. And for those who would rather not hear the truth, I leave you with an ominous reflection of the great George Orwell, who wrote. ‘The further society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it’! And ain’t that the truth.

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.

FEATURE

Bank telephone scam

TAKE HEED: Don’t discuss personal matters.

A SOCIAL media alert from a resident in Spain about a recent phone call from someone claiming to be from their bank set off alarm bells.

In this case, the call dis­ play made it actually ap­ pear that it had come from a bank and the person call­ ing said that they had de­ tected an attempt to with­ draw money from a cash machine using the individu­ al’s details.

The whole point of the exercise was to obtain con­ fidential information which will allow them to access your account and of course if you have given this volun­ tarily there is a chance that your bank will decline to re­ fund any money stolen, so

Image: Atlantic Wreck Divers / Facebook

36 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

take heed.

A British based organisa­ tion UK Finance confirms that individuals may receive an automated call claiming a suspicious transaction has occurred on their account.

The consumer is then in­ vited to press a number on their phone to go through to a supposed agent who is in fact a fraudster.

The fact is that no bank will ever contact you asking for your online banking password, your four digit pin number or insist you transfer money to a new account to avoid fraud.

The best advice is to sim­ ply refuse to discuss person­ al matters with anyone who might call you unex­ pectedly and hang up.

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

INTERVIEW

Catch up with Jesse Meester WHAT does one do when they see a famous face casually walking across the street from them? Shout their name loudly at them of course (as if they didn’t already know it) and take a selfie to post on Instagram to prove it to your friends!

THAT was the story of how this good ‘tapear’. Next question, Euro Weekly News reporter do you prefer swimming in first met actor Jesse Meester, the pool or the sea? who is originally from the I am a sea kind of guy.

Netherlands. He explained The salt is great for the at the time that he had reskin too. Even now, in cently moved to the sunshine the winter, it’s an unCredit: Jesse Meester coast and purchased a propermatched feeling of freeJesse in Estepona. ty in Estepona. One year later dom in swimming in the vast EWN caught up with Jesse again to sea. Like a wild merman with no see how the move from Amsterdam to limits! Cute. So aside from the all year Marbella is unfolding for him. round swimming weather, what is the main Hello again Jesse! So, what attracted you difference between the Netherlands and specifically to the Costa Del Sol? Spain? Climate, culture, pace of life, and even Marbella is quite unique in its fusion of lux- the architecture are starkly different. ury and culture. Its stunning coastline, vibrant The Netherlands might be more known for lifestyle, golf courses and historical charm its bicycle-friendly cities (oh boy I miss that), make it the place to be. Now Malaga just while Spain has a deeply ingrained laid-back turned out to be the best city to live in, in the culture with a love for fiestas and leisurely world that is, did you know? siestas - haha. Got to love the siestas! So We did see that actually! So, what is your Jesse, lastly, but definitely not least(ly), Dutch opinion on Spanish food? girls or Spanish girls?

Spanish cuisine is amazing! From paella to Well, both are wonderful in their own tapas, the rich flavours and fresh ingredients ways. Dutch girls might be more straightformake dining an absolute delight. I love eating ward and open, while Spanish girls are light in the evening with just a few tapas. known for their passion and warmth. Beauty Yes, we agree with you there, EWN loves a truly lies in the eye of the beholder, doesn’t it?

7 - 13 December 2023

EWN 37

38 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

Dry shampoo

D R Y shampoo has be­ come a popular hair care product for its conve­ nience and time­saving benefits. It’s a quick fix for absorbing excess oil, reducing greasiness, and

refreshing hair between washes. But is it good to use?

The Benefits: Dry shampoo is excellent for those on­the­go days. It can extend the life of a

hairstyle, preserve hair colour by reducing the frequency of washes, and is a lifesaver for people with limited mobility.

The Limitations: How­ ever, it’s not a complete substitute for washing hair with water and regular shampoo.

Overuse can lead to build­up on the scalp, causing irritation, dan­ druff, or even hair loss.

It doesn’t remove dirt and sweat; it merely masks them.

The Verdict: While dry shampoo is a con­ venient option for oc­ casional use, it should not replace regular hair washing. It’s best used sparingly to keep hair looking fresh for a short period or in situ­ ations where a tradi­ tional wash isn’t possi­ ble. For optimal scalp health, nothing beats the traditional method of cleansing.

IN the realm of daily personal care, encompassing soaps, lo­ tions, and cosmetics, emerg­ ing reports highlight concerns over potentially harmful chemicals.

Mercury in skin lightening creams, carcinogens in hair products, and fragrances linked to fertility issues raise alarms. Despite known expo­ sure to hazardous sub­ stances in their products, cosmetics and personal care items still remain no­ tably underregulated, with labels boasting terms like ‘naturally derived’ often serving as nothing more than marketing ploys rather than indicators of safety. Negotiating this landscape proves challenging for consumers, compounded by limited testing for individu­ al exposure levels.

Experts advocate for in­ formed choices, recommend­ ing scrutiny of product ingre­ dients and minimising overall toxin exposure. Common chemicals of concern in per­ sonal care products include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), found in lipsticks and moisturisers, linked to stom­

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Beauty at a price

HARMFUL CHEMICALS. Check the contents carefully.

ach cancer and repro­ ductive issues; coal tar dyes (m­, o­, and p­ phenylenediamine) in hair dyes, associated with skin irri­ tation and increased cancer risk; diethanolamine (DEA) in shampoos, forming carcino­ genic nitrosamines; formalde­ hyde­releasers (DMDM hy­ dantoin, diazolidinyl urea) in cosmetics, with potential links to nose and throat cancers;

fragrance, concealing various undisclosed chemicals, some disrupting hormonal function; parabens in water­based products, linked to estrogen­ mimicking effects and breast cancer; and phthalates in vinyl plastics, affecting hor­ mones and fertility.

Awareness of these sub­ stances empowers con­ sumers to make informed choices.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

euroweeklynews.com

7 - 13 December 2023

Nature’s healing power IN the hustle of modern life, the healing power of nature often goes unno­ ticed. However, recent studies reveal how time spent outdoors significant­ ly benefits our cognitive functions, particularly memory, imagination, and logical thinking.

• Memory Enhancement Natural environments have a restorative effect on memory. The serene backdrop of nature, free from the distractions of urban settings, allows our minds to relax and rejuve­ nate. This tranquility aids in better memory reten­ tion and recall.

• Imagination Boost Nature’s boundless and ever­changing scenery stimulates our imagina­ tion. The diverse land­ scapes and wildlife en­ courage creative thinking and inspire artistic expres­ sion, broadening the hori­ zons of our imaginative faculties.

EWN 39

The road to recovery

DESERVED DOWNTIME: But give your body time to recover.

NATURAL SCENERY: Can stimulate our imagination.

• Logical Thinking Engaging with nature al­ so sharpens our logic. Nav­ igating through natural terrains, observing pat­ terns in flora and fauna, and understanding the

ecosystem’s dynamics en­ hances our problem­solv­ ing skills and logical rea­ soning.

In conclusion, the natu­ ral world is not just a back­ drop to our lives; it’s a vi­

tal contributor to our cog­ nitive well­being. Embrac­ ing the outdoors could be the key to unlocking a sharper, more imagina­ tive, and logically sound mind.

AS the weekend approaches, many of us look forward to letting loose and enjoying some well­deserved down­ time. However, it’s essential to understand the toll that a full weekend of drinking can take on our bodies and the misconception that a cup of coffee can magically speed up the recovery process.

After a weekend of indulgence, your body needs time to return to its normal state. The liver, responsible for metabolising alcohol, works at its own pace, breaking down approximately one standard drink per hour. So, if you’ve had several drinks over the weekend, it might take several hours for your body to process and eliminate the alcohol.

Contrary to popular belief, reaching for that strong cup of coffee won’t accelerate the recovery process. While caffeine can help alleviate the grogginess associated with a hangover, it doesn’t eliminate the alcohol from your sys­ tem any faster. The only effective way to recover is to give your body the time it needs and stay hydrated.

In conclusion, moderation is key to a healthier week­ end. Understanding the body’s natural timeline for pro­ cessing alcohol and avoiding reliance on quick fixes like coffee can contribute to a more mindful and balanced ap­ proach to enjoying leisure time.

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 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

FEATURE

COMMUNITY

COMMENTS

THIS past week, food has caught the imagination of readers of Euro Weekly News and the two hot topics were the launch of the new M&S Spanish Chorizo Paella Croquetas and the love that readers seem to have for Spanish Christmas favourite Roscón de Reyes.

Some of the comments on the croquetas veered back to Jamie Oliver and his proposed use of chorizo in paella and the outcry from Spanish food writers decrying it and a selection follows;

“

Oh yes they are right up my street!!

Samantha Idle

Firstly there is no potato in a croquette. It's just a bechamel, thick and creamy.

All M&S are doing is making a chorizo croqueta (not uncommon these days in modern bars) more cheaply by padding it out with rice. I won't be rushing to try it.

I've never heard of, or seen or tasted this concocted dish in Spain. But if people buy it and like it, then good luck to them. What's the Spanish equivalent of Delhi Belly?

Kevin Barber

Chorizo Paella what is that?? Can't beat a proper Paella, I will not forsake my home country's national dish Kathy Hyett

Liz Kirkham

Looks good to me.

Teresa Tracy Ramsey

Well. The jury is out here. Not sure of the combination, but I love paella and I love croquetas. But it does feel a bit disrespectful.

Still Fusion food is a thing.

Roisin Maire Stephenson

I t's really a simple wording mistake by them.

Don't write Spanish on them. They don't make that flavour here, so it's not Spanish.

Maybe it's Spanish ingredients.

Paella can have anything in it, it is a working man's dish, made with whatever is to hand. Sometimes just vegetables, just fish, in the hills they use squirrel, up until about 25 years ago they sold skinned rats in some carniceros, for paella. Rabbit is also very common... there is more than one recipe.

Alex Murdoch

What on earth is a chorizo paella anyway. A complete mystery here in Mallorca. No doubt the same in Spain. Ridiculous!

Charmaine Mockett

Hand made in Spain? Where in Spain would they make this rubbish.

Let’s be honest, most Spanish food is not that great. I truly believe it too highly overrated and I genuinely mean that. So I will try the M&S dish because it cannot be worse than I get in some local restaurants around the Orihuela Costa.

Doug Haynes

Mike George

Gordon O'Keeffe

Sounds good to me.

Sue Peers

What a load of crap! That is not Spanish cuisine just another abuse of traditional food from another country that's full of crap! Why don't they promote healthy food? And the benefits of the Mediterranean diet!

Christina Ford

Thirty plus years in Spain, eaten with numerous Spanish families and never had paella that includes chorizo. First time I saw paella con chorizo was the food mishandler, Jamie Oliver. No. Alan

Turning to the Christmas delicacy, readers seemed to be in almost complete agreement; I loved both Christmas, and the cake.

Heath Savage

Don't worry Spain, it shall not pass my lips!

Stevie Rayner

I'm definitely the grinch, I hate Christmas Nigel Springall

As an ex M&S man, now living in Mojacar, I think they look brilliant.

Gerry Diamond

Love it. Always go to our Spanish neighbours.

Hopefully I get the king. Not the bean! Lol. Sheila Hounslow

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

7 - 13 December 2023

EWN 43

Advertising Feature

Neater Heaters - a model that will suit anyone 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: Extremely stylish and practical.

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, effective, and economical, but as you would expect from a Scandinavian product, they are ex­ tremely stylish and practical. There is a model that will suit anyone, from the BEHA, (Blue­ tooth 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 differ­ ences: 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 version 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)

44 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Wilders setback Sizzling showdown

GEERT WILDERS suffered a major setback in his hope of forming a governing coalition when a potential key partner ruled itself out

on Wednesday, November 29.

The former Christian Democrat MP, Pieter Omtzigt, won 20 seats in

Nursing issues THE National Nurses Union (SNE) in Portugal expressed concern on Wednesday, November 29, about the worsening of salary in­ equality between their pro­ fession and the remaining special careers in the SNS. After the Ministry of Health reached an interim agreement reached with SIM yesterday, the SNE suggested that this divide will become more pro­ nounced.

In a statement, the union said that the agreement could lead to the exit of nurses to the private sec­ tor, or emigration to work abroad.

It also pointed to an

abandonment of the pro­ fession by ‘aggravating the lack of nurses and specialist nurses’ in the National Health Service (SNS).

After the national strike that took place on Novem­ ber 20 and the overtime strike, which ended on the 25th, the union said it had hoped that there would be: “greater openness from the government to negotiate.

But, this is not foreseeable, which worries us a lot.”

Emanuel Boieiro, the president of the SNE board, blamed the prime minister and the minister of Health for the: “total unavailability to negotiate and reach an agreement with nurses.”

last week’s election with new party Nieuw Sociaal Contract. His support was considered to be crucial in helping the new PVV leader to form a coalition govern­ ment.

Ronald Plasterk, the for­ mer Labour party minister, replaced Gom van Strien as the man tasked with identi­ fying potential coalition partners. For a working ma­ jority, Wilders needs the backing of 76 MPs in the 150­seat parliament.

Omtzigt however report­ edly informed Plasterk that he was not ready to discuss forming either a majority or a minority cabinet.

“All in all, the NSC faction does not now see any basis to start talks with the PVV about a majority or a minor­ ity government,” he said in a letter to the ‘scout’.

He added that he be­ lieved the PVV manifesto: “contains views which in our judgement go against the constitution... here we draw a hard line.”

Anna Ellis HOLD on to your taste buds, because the gastro­ nomic battleground is set and the flavours are about to explode as Spain’s culi­ nary titans battle for the 2024 Gastronomic Crown.

Spain’s Capital of Gas­ tronomy (CEG) is back with a vengeance, and the final showdown promises an epic clash between four culinary heavyweights: Ali­ cante, Antequera, Castel­ lon, and Oviedo.

Buckle up for a roller­ coaster ride through Spain’s culinary landscape as these cities vie for the prestigious title.

In a world where every bite is a piece of art, Ali­ cante stands tall with over 1,700 registered gastro­ nomic havens, creating a symphony of flavours that resonates far beyond its shores.

Down south in Andalucia, Antequera emerges as a culinary maestro with a his­

Image: stockcreations / Shutterstock.com

GASTRONOMY: That will leave taste buds in awe.

tory as rich as its pastries.

The secret weapon? Local olive oil.

Castellon, a coastal gem in Valencia, lures you into a seafood paradise. The city’s fame extends to a mouth­ watering seafood paella, where every bite transports you to the sun­kissed shores of the Mediter­ ranean.

Oviedo, a relentless con­ tender, enters the ring for the third time, armed with a gastronomic arsenal that leaves taste buds in awe.

From the hearty embrace of fabada (bean stew) to the crisp kick of cider, the

tender allure of cachopo (veal), and the artisanal dance of cheeses and seafood, it’s a sensory jour­ ney that beckons for a gas­ tronomic coronation.

As the curtain rises, the city crowned Spain’s Capital of Gastronomy won’t just savour victory; it will host a year­long competition that unites food lovers from ev­ ery corner of the globe.

Who will emerge tri­ umphant in this culinary clash of titans?

The answer lies in the simmering pots and sizzling pans of these four excep­ tional cities.

www.euroweeklynews.com • 7 - 13 December 2023

45

PETS

Dog finds happy home IN a surprising turn of events, a dog who unwit­ tingly became embroiled in a major drug smuggling op­ eration has found a new lease of life.

In May of this year, Camila, a two­year­old dog, arrived at Heathrow Air­ port from Mexico with her Mexican owner.

Staff at the Animal Air­ care Reception Centre grew suspicious when they noticed how Camila’s crate was excessively heavy and had unusual dimensions, along with a strong odour of paint stripper.

Their investigation re­ vealed 10 one­kilo blocks of cocaine cunningly con­ cealed within a false base of the crate. This discovery led to the involvement of Border Force and the Na­ tional Crime Agency (NCA).

The owner was appre­ hended when he came to collect Camila. He initially claimed to have adopted the dog from a Mexican rescue centre.

However, the NCA’s in­ vestigation uncovered glar­ ing inconsistencies in his story, including over £3,000 spent on shipping the dog without booking a return trip. He later confessed to importing class A drugs, worth £800,000 into the UK, and was sent to prison.

Since her arrival, Camila has been under the care of the reception centre’s staff.

Darren Barr, NCA senior manager, said: ‘This story now has a happier ending for Camila, who will spend the rest of her life in a hap­ py home.”

The head of Animal Wel­ fare at LHR, Jake Holliday, said: “We decided to foster Camila while the NCA in­ vestigation was ongoing to ensure she was given the love she deserved. It be­ came apparent she was a friendly, affectionate girl.

Now it’s been confirmed Camila can go home with one of our animal welfare officers, who she adores.’”

SPONSORED BY

Jake loves a dog-sitter playmate for free THERE are some dogs who, no matter how old they get, love to play and play and play. Meet Jake, he is one such dog and despite his 12 years he needs and loves a playmate.

All the fun and frolics keep his owners fit. And when they travel on holiday they find dog sitters on HouseSitMatch. But they must be fit and active to keep up with Jake!

The pet­sitters come for free!

If you’re planning a trip in 2024 regis­ ter now to find pet­sitters in time. Earlier is better than later. Whether your trip is short or long, get organised ahead of time. All pets benefit from staying at home, so they can follow their routines undisturbed. Join our pet and house­sitting network, and the sit­ ters come for free!

Choose Housesitmatch. com for affordable trav­ el, home and pet care. These are the steps to take: 1. Register as a homeowner on

HouseSitMatch.com 2. Choose a Standard account (£69 per year) to ensure you can help online when needed 3. Create a profile with photos of your pet and the house 4. Post an advert for the dates when you want to go away. Sitters apply and you choose.

Jake is a mature mutt who loves a dog-sitter playmate.

How does it work?

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

Trustpilot Testimonials ­ 4.9 / 5 Ex­ cellent Pure Joy ­ I have completed two house­sits so far so early days.

Both sits have been well suited to me and my dog Thoroughly enjoyable experi­ ences with beautiful homes and well­rounded animals.

I’m looking for more!

Lisa Stimpson, Pet­sitter from the UK How do you join?

Please register online via our website www.Housesitmatch.com.

Need a pet or house-sitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either house-sitter or homeowner with a 20% discount using coupon code 20EWN – Reader exclusive offer.

To find a house or pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com

Pets are living longer THE longevity of our beloved pets has significantly in­ creased over recent years.

Various factors contribute to this trend, ensuring a longer and healthier life for our ani­ mal companions.

1. Advanced Veterinary Care: Veterinary medicine has made leaps in progress, offering treatments for ail­ ments that were once con­ sidered fatal. Preventive care, including vaccinations and regular health checks, plays a crucial role in extend­ ing pet lifespans.

2. Improved Nutrition: The quality of pet food has drasti­ cally improved. Now, pet foods are specially formulat­ ed to meet nutritional needs

VETERINARY CARE: Plays a crucial role in extending lifespans.

at different life stages, con­ tributing to overall health and longevity.

3. Awareness of Pet Health: Pet owners are now more knowledgeable about their pets’ health needs. This increased awareness leads to

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timely medical intervention and better care at home.

4. Indoor Living: More pets, especially cats, are liv­ ing indoors, protecting them from external threats like traffic, predators, and dis­ eases.

5. Spaying and Neutering: These procedures can pre­ vent diseases such as uterine infections and certain types of cancer, contributing to longer lifespans.

6. Emphasis on Exercise: Regular exercise is crucial for maintaining a pet’s health. It prevents obesity, which is linked to numerous health problems.

Love signs CATS, often perceived as mys­ terious and aloof, actually have their unique ways of showing affection. Here are some signs: 1. Purring: Is a sign of con­ tentment and affection.

2. Head­Butting: Cats share their scent as a mark of trust and love.

3. Following You Around: A sign they enjoy your compa­ ny.

4. Bringing Gifts: Is a sign of affection and showing off their hunting skills.

5. Slow Blinking: The cat equivalent of a kiss. It shows they feel safe and fond of you.

6. Sleeping on You: Means they trust you and feel safest in your presence.

7. Showing Their Belly: Their most vulnerable spot.

It’s a sign of trust.

8. Grooming You: If your cat licks you, it’s a sign of deep af­ fection.

9. Kneading: Kneading with their paws on you is a com­ forting behaviour that origi­ nates from kittenhood.

46 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023 AIR CONDITIONING

ALARMS

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SERVICES

AIR CONDITIONING

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

CONSTRUCTION

BALUSTRADES

BLINDS

BUILDERS

BLINDS

SERVICES

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7 - 13 December 2023

ENERGY

DRAINS

ELECTRICIAN

GRILLS

BOILERS

LOCKSMITHS

PAINTERS/DECORATORS

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

EWN 47

48 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023 REMOVALS & STORAGE

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SERVICES

REMOVALS & STORAGE

POOLS

POOL MAINTENANCE

TV & SATELLITE

SERVICES

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REMOVALS & STORAGE

INSURANCE

7 - 13 December 2023

EWN 49

50 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com

TV & SATELLITE

INSURANCE

WINDOW TINTING

SERVICES

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

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 every other aspect of your life - damaging everything that is important to you.

English-speaking 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 -costablanca.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) 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) 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.icatorrevieja.org

CHARITY

52

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.lasiestae vangelicalchurch.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

7 - 13 December 2023 • euroweeklynews.com from Punta Prima to San Javier. More info can be found on branch website www.ori huelacostarbl.co.uk. (95457) ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Gran Alacant & La Marina Branch. For info, contact the branch Secretary at granala cant.secretary@rbl.communi ty 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) R O Y A L 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 rnatorrevieja@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: torre viejastrokesupport.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 Foundation Spiritual Centre Playa Flamenca. Calle Luis Gordillo, 1 Playa Flamenca Alicante 03189. You can join us on Facebook, The Baker Foundation spiritual centre. Or contact Linda Schug Tel. 606 990 665 for more details (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-beni jofar.com. Telephone 711 060 171. Email martindroute 66@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@am scb.org.es, or you can find us on Facebook : fb@movers and shakers www.amscb. org.es (295976)

ELECTRICIAN MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (294038)

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

GOLD WANTED

VISIT www.sosinsuran ceinspain.com or email tracey@sosinsurancein spain.com (304148) BENEFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES. Car, Home, Business, Travel, Life, Funeral, a l l i n s u ra n c e s a va i l a b l e .

Po l i c i e s i n E n g l i s h . B E S T rates, covers & service. Imm e d i a t e q u o t e s . Te l 9 6 1 129 215 / 622 275 561, (WhatsApp) info@benefi cialinsuranceinspain.com or visit www.beneficialinsuran ceinspain.com for online quote. (304147) STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbey gateinsure.com

MASSAGE 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 with Veronica. Shaving or permanent hair removal available.

For appointments call 679 292 678 (303170) ATTRACTIVE, 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)

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.

(295418)

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

TORREVIEJA centre 5 Spanish and Colombian girlfriends, very affectionate and dominant masseuses 24 hours a day Call outs . 613668548 (302991) LOVELY slim lady, 46, offering a pleasant massage. Mil Palmeras. In your home or hotel. Contact leilapuss@ya hoo.co.uk for more details (303843) TORREVIEJA Unique Massage Experience. Slim Masseur. Relax for 1 hour and enjoy a distresful massage.

My name is Tina FROM BRAZIL and I am Mulatto 44yrs and perfect body. Incalls & Outcalls - Tel. 603 301 635 (304805) MASSAGES by Adina in Torrevieja - therapeutic, relaxing and sports massages PLUS 4 hand massages too WhatsApp only 653 319 801 (304961) LA ZENIA English lady for masseuse. Full body relaxing massage, in own apartment or 10 kilometres from La Zenia WhatsApp 711 041 330 (304963)

CLASSIFIEDS

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MEETING LONELY Englishman, late 70s, WLTM lady for company & friendship. Call 641 870 945 (304934)

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

MOTORING

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)

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

OTHERS KAMAGRA Gold 100mg plus Kamagra Jellies. Collection or Delivery. Roy- 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)

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

7 - 13 December 2023 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)

PET CHARITY EASYHORSE CARE RESCUE CENTRE. We aim to rescue HORSES. If you would like to DONATE please call 965 967 033 or sales@easyhorse care.net www.easyhorse care.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) 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) 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)

PLUMBERS MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (294038)

POOL MAINTENANCE POOL MAINTENANCE Repairs, Spares and Leak Testing. Call 965 725 565 / 676 945 360 www.pooltechspain. com (293105)

SPAS & JACCUZZIS

EWN 53

54 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

euroweeklynews.com ARE you inadvertently break­ ing traffic laws while driving in Spain? Many drivers are, risk­ ing fines and points on their driving licences without realis­ ing it.

A surprising number of drivers get fined for inappro­ priate use of the car horn. In­ curring an €80 penalty, using the horn should only be re­ served for situations of ex­ treme need to prevent unnec­ essary noise and maintain safety.

Eating behind the wheel, a seemingly harmless act, is ac­ tually a punishable offence.

This common habit often done on long journeys to save time, can lead to distractions, posing a danger to road safety.

An obvious one, but a sur­ prisingly common offence is throwing any item from a vehi­ cle, including cigarette butts, is illegal and environmentally harmful. Such actions also in­ crease the risk of fires and at­

12 years the average lifespan of a car.

Traffic violations

tract substantial fines.

Driving without appropriate clothing, like being shirtless or barefoot, is not only unsafe but also subject to penalties.

Proper dress and footwear en­ hance comfort and safety at the wheel.

In some localities, exceeding specified parking durations can lead to fines. Although not

punishable by the DGT, munic­ ipal ordinances enforce these limits to manage public space availability effectively.

At petrol stations, it’s imper­ ative to turn off the engine and not using a mobile phone. Ne­ glecting these safety measures can result in a fine of up to €90.

Allowing pets to roam freely inside the vehicle is not only a

MOTORING

distraction but also a fineable offence. The DGT imposes fines ranging from €80 to €200 for such violations, escalating to €500 in more severe cases.

It is essential for drivers in Spain to familiarise themselves with all traffic regulations, not just the obvious ones. Staying informed and adhering to these lesser­known rules will not only save you from unex­ pected fines but contribute to safer roads for everyone.

Mobile ITV devices

MOTORISTS in Spain who might attempt to drive their vehicle without a valid ITV certifi­ cate now face a new measure implemented by the DGT. In its continual efforts to ensure safety on the Spanish road system, the General Direc­ torate of Traffic (DGT) has now provided the Guardia Civil’s Traffic Department with mo­ bile ITV devices that can carry out checks at the roadside.

Specifically, traffic cops have been armed already for several months with an instru­ ment that can make a better inspection of a vehicle than they could do with the naked eye.

Obviously, this device will not have the same comprehensive inspection capabilities that the machines used in physical ITV sta­ tions possess.

The mobile ITV will focus mainly on a vehi­ cle’s headlights, steering, suspension, win­ dows and windscreen wipers, plus its tyres.

These devices should also not be confused with those used by some ITV stations in rural areas of Spain. In those cases, the ITV ma­ chines are taken in a van to conduct a full in­ spection on vehicles that cannot travel long distances from home.

They include mopeds, tractors and agricul­ tural machinery, and special vehicles intend­ ed for heavy industrial works and services, such as excavators.

Drivers contemplating using their vehicles even with an expired ITV should be aware that the DGT is very clear in this regard.

Even if an appointment is made after the expiration date, it is still a traffic offence to drive the vehicle to the testing station.

MOTORING

euroweeklynews.com

7 - 13 December 2023

EWN 55

Hyundai Tucson - ticking all of the boxes ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack I’M frequently told that all cars look alike nowa­ days, the only differentia­ tor being the badge on the bonnet. Well there’s no mistaking Hyundai’s Tucson SUV. It has an im­ posing front, that reminds me a little of the 1960s Dodge Charger RT, and the company’s stand­out styling has made it many friends in the showroom.

The front lights of the Tucson are shielded at the outer edge of the dominant front grille and provide an excellent level of light in terms of both spread and distance. It’s a neat styling touch that certainly makes drivers do a double take in their rear view mirror.

This current generation was launched back in 2020 and it’s still turning heads.

My test model was the

Premium full hybrid ver­ sion priced at €44,538/£38,140 and powered by a petrol 1.6­ litre engine bolstered by a 44kw electric motor to pro­ duce 230 PS. Standard equipment across the board in­ cludes heat­ ed front seats and steering wheel, climate, automatic lights and wipers, LED lights, cruise control, heated and powered fold­ ing door mirrors, auto­ matic dimming rear view mirror, parking sensors with rear camera, keyless entry and start, naviga­ tion, Bluetooth and wire­ less charging. It’s an im­ pressive list.

Thankfully in an age of digital mania Hyundai have sensibly maintained some buttons rather than burying everything in the digital menu of the large

HYUNDAI TUCSON: A family and work machine capable of everything from the school run to chauffering.

touchscreen. The safety features such as lane­ keep are relatively unob­

trusive although a bit of a faff to switch off should you wish. Seating is very

comfortable with multi­ ple adjustment and no one will complain about a

Facts at a Glance • Model: Hyundai Tucson Premium • Engine: 1.6-litre petrol, 44 kw electric motor mild hybrid, developing 230PS • Gears: 6-speed automatic • Price: €44,538/£38,140 • Performance: 0-100kph (62mph) 8.0 seconds/Maximum Speed 193kph/120mph • Economy: 5.7 l/100km/49.6mpg combined driving – WLTP • Emissions: 130 g/km – WLTP Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.

lack of space as there is plenty of room for all along with their luggage.

On the road the Tucson has plenty of power from its 1.6­litre engine and is both smooth and refined, although it’s never going to set your driving pulses alight there’s a very re­ spectable eight seconds to reach the benchmark 100 kph/62 mph. It isn’t meant to be a drivers’ car, this is a family and work machine capable of everything from the school run to chauffeur­ ing for a black tie dinner.

There’s an upmarket and special feel to the in­ terior, not always a given these days and once you’ve mastered the push buttons for the automatic transmission it’s a gen­ uine delight to drive. Hav­ ing recently sampled the all­electric Ioniq 6 the Tucson may be more con­ ventional in some aspects but it’s a very big tick in the box for the Hyundai!

56 EWN 7 - 13 December 2023

formidable competitor in the Elite cate­ gory.

The cycling community has expressed its deep sorrow over Martin’s untimely death. The official account of the classic Caja Rural de Zamora shared a heartfelt tribute on social media: ‘We are very sor­ ry for the loss of the cyclist Jorge Martin Montenegro who said goodbye to us at only 40 years old.

‘The Spanish­Argentine was the win­ ner of our race in 2016 and second in 2012. A huge and heartfelt hug from Zamora to all his family and friends.

D.E.P.’ Similarly, the Galician Cycling Federa­ tion extended its condolences, highlight­ ing Martin’s significant contributions: ‘The Galician Cycling Federation (FCG) wants to convey its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jorge Martin Montenegro, who died at the age of 40.

‘The Argentinian rider was closely linked to our community, defending the colours of Padrones­Cortizo from 2015 to 2021 and those of Retelec­Team Cycling Galicia in 2022.’

Martin’s legacy will be remembered for his extraordinary talent and the sig­ nificant impact he made on the world of cycling.

REV up your pedals and get ready for a thrilling ride!

The Royal Spanish Cycling Federation has unveiled the test calendar for 2024, and the spotlight is once again on the Monsoon Circuit, se­ lected as one of the venues for the highly anticipated Spanish Cup. Mark your calendars for November 3, as the Bike Park in Torrevieja, nestled in the scenic Alicante mu­ nicipality, gears up to host the 2024 edition of the Spanish Pump Track Cham­ pionship.

This exciting decision was made during a recent meet­ ing of the Delegated Com­ mission of the Royal Span­ ish Cycling Federation.

The Spanish Cup for 2024 promises an adrenaline­fu­ elled journey, comprising a total of six scoring events

Rafa returns Credit : Shutterstock/ Leonard Zhukovsky

THE Spanish cycling world mourns the sudden passing of Jorge Martin Mon­ tenegro. At just 40 years old, the ac­ claimed cyclist was found dead at his home.

Martin, an Argentine native who had made Spain his home, was a celebrated figure in cycling. He tragically passed away on November 26, leaving a legacy marked by significant achievements in both the professional and Elite cate­ gories.

Notably, Martin had been part of the 2010 Vuelta a España with Andalucia­Ca­ ja Sur and was actively competing with CC Padrones Cortizo at the time of his passing.

Martin’s journey in cycling began in 2005, making an immediate impact by winning the Argentine U­23 champi­ onship. He soon transitioned to Euro­ pean circuits, showcasing his talent in various races, including the Vuelta a León and Tarragona.

His move to the Andalucia­Caja Sur team in 2010 marked his debut in the prestigious Vuelta a España. His career continued to flourish with victories like the Spanish Cup and the 2016 Spanish Elite Road Cycling Championship. Even in recent years, Martin remained a

FANS of Rafael Nadal won’t have to wait for too long to see him in action as the Spanish tennis star gears up for his comeback.

On Friday, December 1, Rafa Nadal took to the social media platform Twitter/X to announce his return to pro­ fessional competition: ‘Hello everyone, after a year out of competition, the time has come to return. It will be in Brisbane and it will be in the first week of January. I’ll see you there.’

The event marks his first official match after a year out of competition due to injury.

Following a hip surgery on June 2, just a day before his 37th birthday, Nadal has been absent from the profes­ sional scene. The surgery co­ incided with the Roland Gar­ ros tournament, a contest he has dominated 14 times.

Since October last year, Nadal has been in regular training, preparing for his re­ turn. His announcement ends months of speculation about his comeback.

Nadal’s participation in the upcoming Australian Open, scheduled from January 14 to 28, 2024, is also con­

NEWS

RAFAEL NADAL: Gearing up for his comeback.

firmed. This major event will be a critical test for Nadal, who currently ranks 663 in the ATP. This ranking means he won’t be among the 32 seeds, potentially setting up an early clash with long­time rival Novak Djokovic, who has expressed excitement about Nadal’s return.

Nadal’s schedule also high­ lights the French Open and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, hosted at Roland Garros from July 27 to Au­ gust 4. These events remain

significant goals for the 22­ time major champion.

Meanwhile, the Brisbane tournament, returning after a hiatus since 2019, will see the participation of top play­ ers like Holger Rune, Grigor Dimitrov, and Andy Murray.

Rafael Nadal’s return to the tennis courts is a highly anticipated event for fans and fellow players alike. His journey to recovery and the challenges that lie ahead in the upcoming tournaments should prove to be a high­ light for all tennis fans.

Thrilling ride that kick off on April 21 in Premià de Mar (Barcelona) and culminate on Septem­ ber 15 in Huercal de Alme­ ria (Almeria).

Get ready for a season packed with twists, turns, and high­speed action as the best cyclists from

around Spain converge to showcase their skills on these dynamic pump tracks.

The Spanish Pump Track Championship promises to be an unmissable spectacle for cycling enthusiasts and thrill­seekers alike.

Credit: Shutterstock / Gil Corzo

Spain mourns cyclist

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SPANISH CYCLING: Get ready for the next season.