Costa Calida 11 – 17 January 2024 Issue 2010

GRATIS

GRATIS

GRATIS

VRIJ

FREI

GRATUITO

G GRATIS

LIVREE

FFREE

GRATIS S

GRATUIT G

Nature projects

Cartagena’s innovative conservation efforts.

LOTTERY LUCK: A great start to the year!

ze structure is also similar, featuring a few major jackpot prizes and numerous smaller ones.

Murcia was the focal point of celebrations following the El Niño Lottery, with Mazarron and

San Pedro del Pinatar claiming significant wins. The winning number, 94974, brought jubilation to Mazarron’s El Dolar lottery outlet, where Javier Meroño, the owner, distributed over €2 million during

the live broadcast of the lottery.

The festive cheer extended to El Palmar, Murcia, and San Pedro del Pinatar’s El Perolo, renowned for their lottery luck across the region and Spain.

JUBILEE YEAR Image: Shutterstock/David Moreno Hernandez

THE onset of Caravaca de la Cruz’s fourth ‘In Perpetuum’ Jubilee Year heralds not just a religious commemoration but also signifies a cornerstone of cultural heritage for both the town and the wider Murcia region.

This event was attended

by Archbishop Gil Tamayo from Granada and has rekindled the historical significance of Caravaca de la Cruz as a site of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages. The ceremonial lighting of the Jubilee Light atop the Castillo de Caravaca, coupled with the sacred rituals within the Basilica, will serve as a hub of traditional festivities that will continue until the end of the Jubilee on January 12 next year.

For Caravaca de la Cruz, this Jubilee Year not only

ILMAINEN

Image: Cartagena.es

LOTTERY WIN

Catherine McGeer EL NIÑO lottery is a significant annual lottery draw in Spain, traditionally held on January 6, which coincides with the Three Kings’ Day. This lottery is officially known as the ‘Sorteo Extraordinario de El Niño’ (The Special Draw of the Child).

While the more famous Spanish Christmas lottery, known as ‘El Gordo’ (The Big One), occurs in December, El Niño serves as a follow-up draw. It’s one of the largest and oldest lotteries globally, dating back to the 18th century.

The draw distributes a large number of prizes, including a top prize known as the ‘first prize’ or ‘El Gordo de El Niño.’

El Niño operates similarly to El Gordo, with pre-printed tickets sold in fractions (billetes) and shares (decimos). The pri-

FREE

Image: Facebook/El Image: Cartagena.es Perolo

Costa Calida • Issue No. 2010 • 11 - 17 January 2024

CARAVACA DE LA CRUZ: The home of pilgrims.

reinforces its stature as a pilgrimage destination but also bolsters its cultural identity.

The procession, institutional events, and religious ceremonies highlight the

town’s vibrant history.

The commemoration extends beyond religious boundaries, emphasising Caravaca de la Cruz’s role as a cultural epicentre in Murcia.

CARTAGENA’s City Council has successfully acquired over €2.6 million in grants from the Biodiversity Foundation to fund two conservation projects aimed at protecting the Mar Menor using nature-based solutions.

One of the initiatives, solely developed by the council, focuses on enhancing the Rambla de la Carrasquilla to mitigate the inflow of rainwater. The second project, a collaborative effort led by the Sierra Minera Foundation, involves actions such as naturalising the Cabezo Ventura area.

Mayor Arroyo highlighted the combined value of these projects, exceeding €6 million, supplementing the municipality’s ongoing plans. These include allocating €3.7 million for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs) in Los Belones and modernising sanitation around the Mar Menor.

The Rambla La Carrasquilla project includes green filters, filtrating ditches, and a green corridor to retain rainwater across Mar de Cristal, Islas Menores, and Los Nietos. This is complemented by an urban drainage network in Los Belones, aiming to intercept and collect rainwater via specially designed gardens and partitions.

The larger-scale project involves a €3.5 million investment in modernising the sanitation network surrounding the Mar Menor. This comprises of 20 renovation and expansion works to reinforce its isolation and prevent leaks.

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THE landscape of new housing and its locations is undergoing a shift in the Region of Murcia. The obsession for standalone homes with outdoor spaces peaked post-pandemic after confinement and the increase of remote work.

However, this preference has evolved. Buyers are now leaning towards apartments or residential complexes.

Last year, 3,139 new homes were authorised in the Region, surpassing 2021’s 2,754. Regarding developments by municipalities, Murcia City took the lead with nearly 40 per cent of last year’s new housing, well ahead of San Pedro del Pinatar (7.65 per cent) and Torre Pacheco (7.45 per cent). Cartagena stood at 6.82 per cent, while Lorca maintained a consistent number of new homes in recent years.

There was a notable rise in Los Alcázares, from 0.82 per cent to 4.91 per cent in

Image: Shutterstock/moreimages

Housing trends Mandatory masks

Housing trends evolve in Murcia.

a year, which is primarily attributed to second-home demand on the coast.

In 2021, real estate projects emphasised self-built homes with more outdoor space, larger rooms, increased ventilation, and natural light. However, the scarcity of land suitable for standalone homes raised the prices, steering demand and supply towards apartment buildings and residential complexes.

ON January 6, masks once again became mandatory in all healthcare facilities across the Murcia Region. This measure is in place in hospitals, health centres, Primary Care Emergency Services, and clinics across the region. The move comes amidst a notable increase in flu cases and other respiratory infections.

Juan José Pedreño, the Health councillor, emphasised that this measure aims to safeguard both patients and healthcare professionals.

Minister of Health, Mónica

Catherine McGeer THE Popular Party (PP) is intensifying pressure on Defence Minister Margarita Robles to transfer the Naval Hospital in Cartagena amid concerns that the temporary migrant camp set up in the former medical centre could become permanent. This move follows Mayor Noelia Arroyo’s appeal to Robles for the facility’s transfer to the municipality.

The PP’s Regional Parliamentary Group lodged a motion expressing worries over the potential transformation

García, called for an extraordinary Interterritorial Council of the National Health System on Monday, January 8. This meeting gathered regional councillors to collectively address and coordinate measures against the rising infections. The emphasis lies on mask usage in any setting, especially if experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness, to curtail further transmission.

The Murcian Health Service has been distributing free masks since December 30 in their ten hospitals and Pri-

Migrant camp of the temporary migrant camp into a permanent centre. Maria Casajús, a leading advocate for the initiative, emphasised the community’s opposition to the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration using the premises as a Temporary Stay Centre for Immigrants (CETI).

Despite Minister José Luis Escrivá’s assurance that the hospital is not among the 14 chosen locations for such centres,

mary Care emergency units.

Recent reports highlight a 23.4 per cent spike in the overall incidence of respiratory infections in the past week.

To bolster healthcare capacity, the Murcian Health Service, which now boasts 4,000 more professionals than in pre-pandemic times, has contingency plans in place across all regional hospitals. These plans aim to ensure adequate resources are available to handle the anticipated rise in patient numbers in the upcoming weeks.

the PP remains vigilant. They highlight Cartagena’s existing Temporary Foreigners’ Assistance Centre (CATE), insisting on the urgent need to repurpose the Naval Hospital to meet citizens’ needs.

The Naval Hospital, inactive since 2011 after serving as a civilian healthcare facility until the opening of the Santa Lucía University General Hospital, holds significance for the community. However, the lack of response from Minister Robles to Mayor Arroyo’s request for the hospital’s transfer continues to draw criticism.

LOCAL NEWS II euroweeklynews.com Catherine McGeer

200m Roscon

IN a move towards bolstering ecological restoration, Murcia has approved the installation of oyster baskets laden with ‘Ostrea edulis’ seeds from the Mar Menor in the channels of Salinas de Marchamalo, located in Cartagena.

This initiative is part of the ‘Resalar’ project (Regeneration of salt flats and beaches in Mar Menor), funded by the Biodiversity Foundation and coordinated by the ANSE Association.

The primary focus of this ‘Resalar’ project, is studying oyster cultivation as a bioremediation in Mar Menor.

ON January 5 an extra-long 200-metre-long Roscón wrapped around the Consistorial Palace in Cartagena as a prelude to the arrival of the Three Kings. This traditional ‘King’s Cake’ was shared among the awaiting crowd who eagerly awaited the Three Kings parade.

Industrial fire

FIREFIGHTERS swiftly extinguished a blaze that broke out in a Los Alcázares industrial complex, damaging two vehicles recently. The CEIS responders contained the fire within 30 minutes, preventing further spread.

As a precaution, emergency teams evacuated a nearby nightclub due to smoke.

Eco-charge

MURCIA secured €18,436 for electric vehicle charging stations in five locations.

These sites include Espinardo’s municipal park, San Ginés Firefighters School, Aulario Peridis, El Palmar’s Training and Employment Centre, and the Local Police station on Avenida San Juan de la Cruz. A spot will be for electric scooters.

Urban dust

CALLE REAL in Cartagena stands as the most polluted in the area due to high concentrations of zinc, nickel, copper, and chromium. A recent study by the University of Murcia highlighted this, shedding light on ecological risks from heavy metal contamination in Cartagena’s urban dust.

Eco-warriors

FIVE members of environmental groups Futuro Vegetal and Extinction Rebellion were arrested in Murcia, sparking controversy. Accused of belonging to a criminal organisation, they vehemently deny any terrorist affiliation. Activists stress their commitment to peaceful environmental advocacy, emphasising their mission to safeguard nature without resorting to unlawful activities.

Shell-ebrating Image: Shutterstock/aiyoshi597

NIBS EXTRA

11 - 17 January 2024

NEW INITIATIVE: Oysters to the rescue.

Funded by the Biodiversity Foundation and coordinated by ANSE, the project in-

volves the Spanish Institute of Oceanography and the National Centre of the State

Agency for Higher Council of Scientific Research (IEOCSIC), along with participation from WWF-Spain.

This action, coupled with salt flat regeneration in the eastern section and environmental outreach, marks the Community’s commitment to restoring this ecosystem and aiding in nutrient reduction in Mar Menor.

‘It’s deemed compatible with natural heritage conservation, and this study will encourage the use of aquaculture techniques as nature-based solutions, ultimately enhancing the Mar Menor’s ecosystem quality,’ explained councillor María Cruz Ferreira.

Trail upgrade Community care THE Autonomous Community of Murcia has wrapped up renovation works on the Los Puros forest path, a crucial route within the El Valle y Carrascoy Regional Park. This trail, near Murcia, draws high footfall from hikers and cyclists due to its proximity to the city and several golf urbanisations.

María Cruz Ferreira, the regional secretary for Energy, Sustainability, and Climate Action, emphasised that the enhancements focused on bolstering surface drainage along one of the park’s busiest routes. The rugged terrain caused drainage issues, leading to road damage and hampering transit for both recreational users and emergency vehicles.

To rectify this, measures included installing 193 metres of concrete gutters alongside existing stone walls, protecting water inlets with concrete at three points, and constructing a 36-square-metre concrete ford.

The total cost for these improvements amounted to €28,773.

Ferreira highlighted the critical role of such upgrades in wildfire prevention, ensuring smoother passage for emergency vehicles. The completion of these works promises safer and more accessible pathways for all forest visitors.

THE Camposol Community Shopping Bag initiative has become a lifeline for residents facing financial hardships in the area. Operated by a dedicated team of volunteers, this service offers free food and essential everyday products to support those struggling to make ends meet.

Maintaining strict confidentiality, the service ensures individuals in need can access assistance without any stigma or judgment. The volunteers work tirelessly to gather donations and distribute them discreetly, ensuring that no one in the community goes without necessary provisions.

Julie Taylor (611 331 201) and Val Caffyn (666 190 866) are the primary contacts for those seeking assistance or wishing to contribute to this noble cause. Whether it’s seeking help or extending support through donations, individuals can also reach out via email at camposolshop pingbag@gmail.com.

The Camposol Community Shopping Bag stands as a testament to the compassionate spirit of the community, rallying together to uplift and support its members during challenging times.

Wildlife protection IN a bid to safeguard nesting and breeding grounds for endangered birds of prey, the Sierra Espuña Regional Park has announced temporary closures in Cuevas Luengas and Solana de Pedro López trails from January to June 2024.

The park, a haven for species like the Golden Eagle and Eurasian Eagle-Owl, has seen a decline in breeding success due to increased human activity near nesting areas. Trails near these sensitive zones have been identified as potential disturbances.

Efforts initiated in 2012 to curb these disturbances have now expanded to tempo-

rarily restrict access to specific trails during the breeding season. This move aims to minimise disruptions and support the breeding efforts of these vulnerable species.

The closures, proven effective in previous years, highlight the park’s commitment to conserving these birds of prey.

Information on alternative routes and conservation efforts will be communicated through various channels, emphasising the importance of these measures for preserving wildlife in Sierra Espuña.

For further information, the Ricardo Codorníu Visitor Centre can be contacted on 968 431 430.

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STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Police clowns CARTAGENA’s Local Police officers, alongside their counterparts from the National Police, transformed into cheerful clowns to spread joy at the city’s Children’s Home Their visit wasn’t just about clowning around. Uniformed police units joined in, offering essential lessons on road safety.

The Children’s Home in Cartagena serves as an initial and intermediate shelter for children up to six years old facing difficult situations.

This heartwarming initiative not only brought some festive cheer but also imparted valuable lessons.

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

Even better, our news online and in print is FREE and we promise to always keep it that way.

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euroweeklynews.com II FEATURE/NEWS

Moving forward together VIEWPOINT BILL ANDERSON

LIFE sometimes takes us in unexpected directions, and whilst I have been writing columns for the Euro Weekly News (EWN) for some time now, being appointed Editor was never on my radar. Having said that, I am both excited and enthusiastic about working with the team to take the brand forward.

I am delighted to have joined the Euro Weekly team.

After four years in the political world, it is good to return to the real world and contri-

buting to getting the news out there is a challenge. News content is a bit like restaurant menus: some like McDonald’s, and some like Michelin Star restaurants. The important thing is having enough variety that everyone can leave happy and satisfied. I will be working on this with the team. I’m sure we will not please everyone, but that’s life.

For some time now, the Euro Weekly News (EWN) has been in pole position amongst all of the independent Press in Spain in championing the excellent work done by charitable organisations and those who raise funds for good causes. This commitment will continue.

As we enter 2024, many parts of Spain still face challenges. Although we have had a sma-

PROVERB OF THE WEEK If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

This was originally an African proverb meaning don’t wait, go along so you are not held back by others.

ttering of rain, drought is still the order of the know that major improvements will not haday with many areas dealing with continued ppen overnight. water restrictions.

Politicians are often very good at making There have been many political debates life harder for us, but not so efficient at antiaround this matter but very little action. Wi- cipating future needs and acting before it bethout having expertise in the area of water comes a problem. 2024 could be a big year instorage and supply, I do understand that des- ternationally, as there are around 40 elections alination is one way forward, but not an ab- taking place. Let’s see if it is more of the same solute solution to the problem. Construction or all change for the better, or otherwise. Thearound the coasts escalates without a clear re have been some big shifts in voting prefesolution to the water supply problem. rences in recent times, so could it be exciting Transport also presents some challenges for times ahead? Who knows?

2024. With Low Emission Zones (LEZ) being I have been staggered by all of your good introduced in many of the larger municipali- wishes at my appointment and appreciate the ties, many people with older vehicles could constructive comments about going forward. find themselves in difficulty. The reality for I will be looking for your continued involvethose of us who live along the Spanish coast, ment in content and look forward to working with one or two exceptions, is that we live with you. We want to listen to your views and moderately rural lives with very limited public the EWN team hopes to provide you with the transport options or even availability. There news and content you are looking for in ‘The has been a lot of ‘jaw-jaw’ about this, but we People’s Paper’.

Bill Anderson’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors. bill-anderson@euroweeklynews.com

Airing out

AFTER more than a week on high alert due to poor air quality, Murcia City Council deactivated the level 1 pollution warning on Friday, January 5.

This decision comes as a result of improved air quality measurements, specifically in the San Basilio and Alcantarilla monitoring stations, where maximum PM10 values were not exceeded on Thursday, January 4.

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euroweeklynews.com II LOCAL NEWS

Tourist voucher

THE Regional Government of Murcia has initiated the ‘2024 Tourist Voucher’ programme, allocating an initial investment of €300,000. This scheme aims to encourage tourism within the region by providing discounts of up to 50 percent, capped at €250, for stays of two or more nights in various tourist accommodations until May 31.

Administered by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Sports, this phase of the ‘Tourist Voucher’ is open until the end of May, with a provision for potential expansion based on demand. Interested individuals residing in Spain can avail themselves of these vouchers for free through the website www.turismore THE Street Art Cities platform has launched its quest to discover the most esteemed urban art worldwide in 2023.

Entitled ‘Turing’s Dream,’ this vibrant artwork secured the third-highest votes on the Street Art Cities platform in December. Crafted by five skilled urban artists from the Region of Murcia - Karim (Hamgeo), Isaac Gar-

giondemurcia.es.

Eligibility for the vouchers requires booking a minimum of two consecutive nights at participating accommodations listed in the Region of Murcia’s tourist lodging registry. Various lodging types are included in the programme, such as hotels, tourist apartments, campsites, rural houses, rural guesthouses, and hostels.

This initiative intends to boost tourism, especially among young individuals and families, sustaining tourist activity and employment levels during mid-to-low season months. It aligns with the Regional Government’s Tourism Strategic Plan 2022-2032.

Best graffiti cía (Unoaisaac), José Luis Escudero (Goyo 203), Willy Arenas (Dr Love), and Jesús Lorente Andrade (La Sombra) - ‘Turing’s Dream’ prompts reflection on Artificial Intelligence.

The mayor of Los Alcázares, Mario Pérez Cervera, expressed pride, stating,

“It is a true honour that an Alcazareña wall is among the best murals in the world.” Encouraging participation, he highlighted the municipality’s artistic skills and urged residents to vote via the Street Art Cities platform to elevate ‘Turing’s Dream.’

LOCAL NEWS II euroweeklynews.com NOAH’S ARC Animal Rescue in Mazarron is gearing up for an exciting evening of charitable fun at Elliot’s Restaurant in Bolnuevo on Wednesday, January 31.

The organisation invites the community to join them for a thrilling horse racing event aimed at supporting their noble cause.

Marina, the fundraiser for Noah’s Arc, extends a warm welcome to attendees and emphasises the limited availability of slots for the event. Those interested are urged to secure their table

Racing evening reservations, choose their preferred food options, and obtain tickets promptly to avoid missing out on the engaging night planned.

Admission to the event is priced at a mere €10.00, promising attendees an enjoyable time while contributing to Noah’s Arc Animal Rescue’s initiatives.

The proceeds will aid in the construction of much-needed kennels on their premises.

Grace Meredith AS January settles in, Lorca is celebrating what locals are calling the most bustling Christmas season in memory. With the inauguration of the Municipal Nativity Scene drawing over 33,000 visitors and finishing with the Three Kings’ Parade witnessed by 20,000 people, the city saw an unprecedented increase in festive participation.

Maria de las Huertas García, the councillor for Celebrations, expressed, “Lorquinos have had over 100 events that have changed the trend of recent years, where they often travelled to other municipalities.”

Throughout four weeks, both residents and visitors filled the city, its neighbourhoods, and surrounding areas, engaging in various events.

To reserve a table, select food preferences, and acquire tickets, individuals can contact Marina Curtis on 602 659 252 or Elliot on 608 203 452.

This promising evening of horse racing and entertainment serves as an excellent opportunity to assist Noah’s Arc Animal Rescue in enhancing their facilities and continuing their compassionate efforts in animal welfare.

Holiday success The Christmas House at Huerto Ruano Mansion welcomed more than 7,000 children, while around 9,500 people joined in welcoming Santa Claus. Over 200 children participated in theatre, puppetry, and magic sessions, while over 300 kids gathered at the ‘Three Kings’ Cookie Workshop’.

As the Christmas season ends, plans are already underway for the next one. The focus is on meticulous planning to ensure Lorca shines as the Christmas City once again, with discussions on lighting, decorations, and new proposals already in progress. The goal is to make each Christmas in Lorca a celebration deeply rooted in traditions and community spirit.

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Kingly festivities EVERY year throughout Spain on January 5 children line the streets on the eve of the Epiphany, also known as the feast of the Three Kings or Dia del los Reyes Magos.

They gather in this age-old tradition that commemorates the journey of the Three Kings- Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar- following the star to Bethlehem to visit the newborn Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

These days the Three Kings usually bring sweets and toys they throw out to the thousands of children there to experience the parade and to welcome the kings who usually arrive by boat along the Costa Calida.

These parades held throughout Spain hold great importance throughout the country. While Spanish families celebrate Christmas more and more on December 24 and 25, as their children adapt to the customs of Santa Claus,

a lot of families still wait until the Three Kings celebrations to swap Christmas gifts. This parade kicks off the Three Kings celebrations after which the children head home, eat roscon (the traditional Kings’ cake) with hot chocolate, and then get tucked into bed as they await their visit from the Kings.

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LORCA is eagerly anticipating its inaugural Fortaleza Sound indie music festival from June 28 to 30. With 31 confirmed musical acts and an additional dozen emerging bands offering free concerts throughout Lorca. Carlos Caro, CEO of Creative Promociones Artísticas the organisers, expressed surprise at the overwhelming response, with ticket sales for a month achieved in just 10 days.

The event expects a daily attendance of 10,000 to 12,000, with nearly 2,000 tickets already sold, drawing music enthusiasts from across Spain, primarily regions nearby.

Headliners like Vetusta Morla, Lori Meyers, León Benavente, and the recent addition of Rayden are stirring immense excitement.

Collaborating with Hostelor, the festival

Image: Shutterstock/ maxbelchenko

Music festival Water windfall IN a groundbreaking move, Murcia’s water treatment authority, Esamur, has offered a staggering 121 cubic hectometres of reclaimed water to farmers in 2023, setting a national record with a remarkable 98 per cent water reuse rate.

This was highlighted at the recent Hidralia+UGR Forum, where experts gathered to discuss the pivotal role of reclaimed water in combating drought and climate change.

Pedro Simón, Esamur’s Technical Director, emphasised the critical significance of this recycled water for agriculture, serving as a consistent and indispensable resource Grace Meredith

Lorca gears up for Fortaleza Sound Indie music festival.

aims to provide diverse culinary experiences at venues. Hotel occupancy is already peaking at 80 per cent, prompting plans for 2,000 ‘glamping’ spaces to accommodate the demand.

Forecasts project a massive economic impact of around €5 mi-

llion, outweighing the festival’s €1 million investment, owing to the high spending capacity of its audience. As the city braces for an influx of visitors, Fortaleza Sound is poised to mark its debut as a standout event on the annual cultural calendar.

GEMA BENEDICTO RODRÍGUEZ’S Doctoral thesis at UPCT (Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena) explores groundbreaking avenues in autism therapy.

Collaborating with Professor José Manuel Ferrández, their research delves into using social robots for emotional psychoeducational interventions in Autism Spectrum

to meet the sector’s demands.

With an extensive network of 100 treatment plants covering 99.3 per cent of the population across 45 municipalities, Murcia achieves exceptional purification and reuse ratios, a testament to its commitment to sustainability.

The forum also addressed the challenges and opportunities associated with reclaimed water reuse, delving into the recent water reuse regulations and legal aspects.

Esamur’s dedication, backed by governmental support, invests in technology, innovation, and research, driving the region’s progress in this vital sector.

Autism breakthrough Disorder (ASD).

Their study merges Pivotal Response Training (PRT) with cutting-edge technology, revealing remarkable improvements in self-initiatives among autistic children.

Integrating social robots in interventions enhances outcomes, promising to alleviate common social and communication cha-

llenges in ASD. The thesis incorporates a unique multimodal database, analysing children’s emotional responses through video recordings and physiological signals like Electrodermal Activity (EDA). This pioneering approach assesses engagement levels, providing insights beyond observable behaviours.

FEATURE II euroweeklynews.com POSTCARDS

POSTCARD FROM THE GAMBIA

ALAN BOARDMAN is well-known for his Walking Tours for charity. Now he and his wife bring this goodwill to The Gambia.

So what does The Gambia have to do with Spain? My wife, Jenny and I are on holiday there and have taken with us thousands of articles donated to what we called our EYEDROP campaign.

The Gambia, despite having a successful tourist industry, is among the poorest countries in the world, rates 174 out of 191 in the world wealth index. This means there is a major issue with eyesight, the treatment for which is desperately underfunded. Spectacles in The Gambia are very expensive and are simply out of reach for most people.

Before leaving our home in Mijas we launched the EYEDROP appeal, as a result of which, almost 400 pairs of new and used spectacles were donated by the general public. We received sterling support from several local charities and businesses who allowed their premises to be used as donation centres.

Earlier this week we visited Brikama District Hospital, one of the busiest in The Gambia. We were met there by Doctor Adam, Head of Ophthalmology, who then accepted from us around 200 pairs of the

Our visit to Brikama District Hospital.

donated spectacles . She was thrilled. She stressed just how important the donation will be in her department’s constant battle to provide free eye care. She asked us to pass on her heartfelt thanks to all the people of the Costa del Sol who made this possible. We’ll send another Gambian postcard next week.

FULL VERSION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB UNDER COLUMNISTS.

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IRELAND Flu season THE National Clinical Lead for Health Protection Surveillance said at the beginning of January that more than 10,000 flu cases had been recorded since the middle of December. Nevertheless, the outbreak is not expected to peak until mid-January, when up to 800 people could need hospitalisation each week.

Old bangers APPROXIMATELY half of the 1.5 million vehicles given full roadworthiness tests last year did not pass, the National Car Testing (NCT) service said. Vehicles taken to the Cavan centre had a higher failure than those tested at any other NCT centre, with 59 per cent of vehicles getting the thumbsdown.

euroweeklynews.com II EUROPEAN PRESS

EUROPRESS ITALY Sunday outing ITALY’S Domenica al Museo (Museums on Sunday) initiative continues throughout 2024, giving free entrance to state-owned monuments, museums and archaeological sites on the first Sunday of each month. The scheme, introduced in 2014 was suspended during the pandemic but resumed in 2022.

Breezing along BELGIUM’S offshore windfarms in the North Sea produced record amounts of electricity in 2023, generating eight terawatt-hours of electricity, enough for two million households during a year. A total of 689 offshore and land-based wind turbines now covers almost one-10th of Belgium’s electricity consumption.

Going up

COLOSSEUM: Free entrance on first Sunday of the month.

SWEDEN

BELGIUM

Photo credit: CC/Sjaak Kempe

FRANCE

GERMANY

A WEEKLY grocery shop last December cost 29 per cent more than the previous year, said consumer association TestAankoop which monitors 3,000 products in Belgium’s seven biggest supermarket chains. Test-Aankoop also found that last December’s prices rose 8.1 per cent compared with December 2022.

DENMARK

Pink stink

Not alone

Kitted out

Law-abiding

WASTE management company Think Pink, famous for its pink rubbish bags, was accused of burying and dumping tens of thousands of tons of rubbish at 21 illicit sites in 15 Swedish municipalities. Eleven people linked to the company now face charges for committing Swedens’s “worever environmental crime.”

FEDERAL CRIMINAL POLICE figures show that many women feel uneasy when walking alone in the dark. Anybody, male or female, who feels anxious walking at night can now call the free “Way-home” hotline, answered by a volunteer will talk to them until they reach their destination.

EDUCATION Minister Gabriel Attal issued a guide intended to help local authorities implement his plan to introduce uniforms in state schools throughout the country.

Although the initiative has backing from some right-wing politicians, most teachers and parents said they opposed Attal’s proposals.

ONLY 660 burglaries were reported in Denmark between December 19 and January 1, 2024. This was slightly above the 559 recorded during the same period in the previous year but well below 2019’s 1,343, a reduction the authorities attributed the success to the Nabohjaelp neighbourhood watch app.

Airbus probe

Distaff side

FORENSIC experts from Toulouse-based Airbus and France’s BAE state agency flew to Japan on January 3 to assist an investigation into the runway accident involving an A350 and a coastguards’ plane. Five coastguards died but none of the Airbus’s 367 passengers and 12 crew were injured in the resulting blaze.

IT was agreed at a board meeting of Superliga club Copenhagen FC that the club would take over FC Damso’s first team, currently ranked in Denmark’s third tier of women’s football. This has replaced wealthy Copenhagen’s plans to create a women’s team and place it directly in the top division.

Read about it GOTHENBURG UNIVERSITY researchers found last year that the young “are getting better at understanding academic English, but worse at understanding academic Swedish.” They now read much more in English, prompting publishers to predict that fewer books will be translated into Swedish in future.

NORWAY

I spy THE authorities are allegedly concerned about the state-controlled China Scholarship Council (CSC) which sends thousands of students to Germany each year, Der Spiegel newspaper said. It claimed security officials have warned that they could be used for “spying on, and influencing, Chinese expatriates.”

FINLAND

THE NETHERLANDS

PORTUGAL

Not going

Namesakes

Tree plan

Horse sense

FOLLOWING Queen Margrethe of Denmark’s unexpected abdication, royal watchers are asking if Norway’s King Harald, who is 86, will follow suit. Despite bouts of ill-health, including cancer in 2003, Harald has always said that he would occupy the throne “to the bitter end”, according to royal expert Caroline Vagle.

JULIA and Noah were the most popular children’s names in 2023, according to Holland’s SVB national insurance schemes. In all, 681 baby girls received the name of Julia, and 888 boys were registered as Noah while the gender-neutral name of Riley was given to 84 girls and 82 boys.

THE Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY) is once again collecting tens of thousands of Christmas trees for recycling now the holiday season is over. Trees left at Helsinki residents’ nearest waste collection or recycling points are then chipped and used as a bulking agent when composting bio-waste.

STRONG, stocky Garrano horses, first domesticated 16,000 years ago, could disappear now that they are no longer needed in agriculture. Eighty years ago there were 60,000 Garranos in Portugal but this has shrunk to between 1,500 and 3,000, the Association of Garrano Horse Breeders (Acerg) warned.

Try again

Law-abiding

US oil

Bullfight fans

AN Appeals Court confirmed that the naval officer in charge of the frigate Helge Ingstad when it was involved in a collision in November 2018 was guilty of negligence. His lawyer said that the officer, who remains in the Navy, believes he is being made a scapegoat and could now appeal to the Supreme Court.

MURDERS during 2023 in Amsterdam fell to a low of 11, two of them involving women, the Parool newspaper reported. Firearms were used in four of the killings but only two were gang-related and several of the crimes were committed by men who were diagnosed with psychiatric problems, police said.

A CUSTOMS service revealed the US as Finland’s third-largest export destination and also the country’s fifth-largest source of imports for Finland during the first nine months of 2023. The increase in crude oil imports from the US reflected a change of strategy following the veto on trade with Russia.

THE 176 bullfights that were held in Portugal last year attracted 400,700 aficionados, a 7 per cent increase on 2022, the Portuguese Bullfighting Federation (ProToiro) revealed. This was the second-best figure since 2016, outstripped only by 2019 when a record 428,000 people went to watch bullfights.

FINANCE DAME EMMA WALMSLEY, chief executive of biopharma giant GlaxoSmithKline, said Britain was “uniquely placed” in the drug development market owing to its background of academic skill and high-profile companies. “I’m a great optimist about the UK,’ she told a BBC Radio 4 interviewer.

Planning ahead

THE time that unpaid interns spend with companies in Spain will be included in the calculations of years worked when they reach pensionable age. This new measure, which came into force on January 1, will affect 1.2 students currently acquiring work experience, the Social Security ministry said.

Cash needed

CAMBRIDGE PROPERTIES HOLDINGS LTD, created in 2021 for the Selfridges takeover by Thailand’s Central Group and Austrian company Signa, has asked the former for more cash following Signa’s collapse. Selfridges’ property arm also needs to repay a £27.3 million (€31.6 million) shareholder loan in May.

Early sales

WINTER sales in Spain normally begin on January 7 once the Christmas holiday is finally over but fashion chains H & M, Cortefiel and Bimba y Lola broke with tradition by starting theirs on December 28.

Smaller businesses warned that profit margins were so narrow, they could not afford to slash prices so early.

Shopping spree

FRIDAY December 22 was the UK’s most popular shopping day over the recent festive season, with 25 million trips made and £803 million (€929 million) spent in person, 85 per cent more than on an average Friday in 2023. Online spending remained steady at 11.6 per cent, data specialists Kantar said.

STAT OF WEEK

€2.7 billion

estimated value of Tendam if the owner of Cortefiel, Springfield, Women’s Secret and Hoss Intropia goes ahead with plans to float the company on the Madrid stock exchange.

M & S on top again

Linda Hall MARKS & SPENCER shares reached a five-year high when trading resumed on the London stock exchange after the Christmas break.

At one point on January 2, M & S shares shot up 2.5 per cent to increase the company’s value by more than £70 million (€80.8 million), while finishing the day 1.3 per cent higher.

BNP Paribas analysts singled out M&S stock as one of their first choices for 2024 and predicted that the company would turn out to be Christmas 2023’s “likely winner.”

Its market capitalisation

Photo credit: CC/Mtaylor 848

Looking good

euroweeklynews.com • 11 - 17 January 2024

M&S: Buoyant New Year start for high street stalwart.

has practically doubled to £5.5 billion (€6.3 billion) over the last 12 months, putting the company back into the FTSE 100 last August, four years after its 2019 relegation.

In 2007 M & S was worth £12 billion (€13.8 billion) but

between 2014 and 2019 the high street stalwart lost much of its sheen as well as 60 per cent of its market value amid criticism of “tired stores” and failing to cater for its core clientele.

The hoped-for revival plotted by M & S chairman

Archie Norman and chief executive Stuart Machin is paying off and its lacklustre clothing and homeware sections no longer lag behind the food departments.

By last November, profits rose by more than £100 million (€115.5 million), permitting the company’s first dividend payout since the pandemic.

Commentators have also pointed out that M & S is better-protected than many rival companies because a fair proportion of its most faithful clients are able to continue spending as normal, despite the costof-living crisis.

Iberdrola calls off US deal

IBERDROLA pulled out of its $8.3 billion (€7.5 billion) acquisition of New Mexico-based PNM Resources.

The deal, which would have made Iberdrola subsidiary Avangrid one of the largest utility companies in the US, was cancelled on January 2.

Avangrid explained that the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission vetoed the transaction in 2021 on “quality of service” grounds and a subsequent appeal was now enmired in the courts.

The New Mexico regulator had also cited the Villarejo scandal which named Iberdrola chairman Ignacio

Slowdown for factories MANUFACTURING in Spain slowed for the ninth consecutive month in December, the Hamburg Commercial Bank and S&P Global’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) revealed.

December earned 46.2 points compared with November’s 46.3, with both below the 50 cutoff separating contraction from growth.

Last month’s slowdown reflected a falling-off of new orders owing to reduced national and international demand, the PMI showed.

Instead, the country’s manufacturers cut back on production and used existing stocks, reducing reserves of raw materials and semi-finished goods for the ninth month running.

Photo credit: Avangrid

BUSINESS EXTRA

12

IGNACIO GALAN: Chairman of Iberdrola and Avangrid.

Galan in the business and political intrigues of former policeman Jose Manuel Villarejo. The Spanish courts cleared Galan last June.

The PNM deal was approved by five US federal agencies and Texas’s public utility commission, but Avangrid explained on January 2 that with “no clear timing” on the New Mexico appeal, it was cancelling the deal in line with the terms of the PNM agreement.

Goldman Sachs analysts quoted by the Financial Times said Iberdrola’s decision was a “strategic positive” as interest rates had soared since the merger was announced. It also avoided a €9 billion hike in Iberdrola’s net debt, taking this it to approximately €55 billion.

Disappearing cash

THE UK’s farmers accused the government of reneging on its pledge to spend an annual £2.4 billion (€2.8 billion) on agriculture.

The government promised that by the end of the present parliament this £2.4 billion would be compensating for the disappearance of the EU’s common agricultural policy which paid farmers for each hectare of land they managed.

Instead, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) figures show that it underspent by £110 million (€127.5 million) between 2021 and 22 and £117 million (€135.6 million) between 2022 and 23.

In all, £227 million (€263 million) of the pledged cash has not reached them, the farmers said.

Gold rush SALES of gold, precious metals and coins rose 7 per cent last year compared with 2022.

As the number of people turning to gold overtakes the 2020 boom experienced during lockdown, the Royal Mint said this was the result of an increase in smaller investors looking for a “safe haven.”

Nevertheless, the Royal Mint’s payments to customers selling back their gold soared by almost 50 per cent as gold reached a record high last year.

It was also likely that gold would climb to new levels during 2024 if interest rates were to fall, Royal Mint analyst Stuart O’Reilly predicted.

Looking ahead Come clean Logical expansion

THE New Year is a time for predictions, and economist Roger Bootle foresaw that 2024 would be “unusually uncertain.”

But writing in the Telegraph Bootle also predicted “significant” cuts in interest rates before long, with the US leading the way.

The Fed might be able to cut interest rates as early as March, he said, followed by the eurozone and then the UK in the last few months of the year, if not before.

Britain’s key problem, Bootle stated, was the stubbornness of pay inflation, which would not be assisted by next April’s sizeable increase in the National Living Wage.

“Even so, by the end of the year, CPI inflation should be down to about 1.2 per cent, but with the core rate considerably higher, at about 2.5 per cent.”

UNILEVER should be more open regarding its tax situation in Russia, pro-Ukraine campaigners said.

After the Ukraine invasion, Unilever stopped all imports and exports to Russia but decided to continue producing “everyday essential food” including ice cream at its factories there.

Activists called on the company, which makes Persil, Hellman’s and Marmite, to disclose how much it has paid in taxes to the Kremlin in the past year.

The request followed the Russian government’s announcement last December that it would eliminate the need for “certain businesses” to publish trading details although it is not yet known whether this covers Unilever.

SPANISH logistics group has bought Belgium Parcels Service (BPS), a company that specialises in the urgent distribution of pharmaceuticals in Belgium and Luxembourg.

“This acquisition represents an important milestone in Logista’s expansion in Europe,” the company announced. “It also strengthens its position in pharmaceutical distribution and the courier segment.”

BPS provides 24-hour courier services in Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as 24- and 48-hour services in the Netherlands, France and Germany.

Logista paid approximately €8 million for BPS, as it continues its strategy of focusing on geographical and business diversification.

14 EWN 11 - 17 January 2024

euroweeklynews.com II FINANCE

LONDON - FTSE 100

Closing Prices 8 January

Company

Price(p)

Change(p)

% Chg.

Net

Company

Price(p)

Change(p)

% Chg.

Net

3I Group.....................................2.281,00............. -56,00............-2,40%.......... 286,76K

InterContinental..........................7.032,0............... -96,0.............-1,35%........... 60,75K

Abrdn.......................................... 169,18................ -4,10.............-2,36%.......... 615,33K

Intermediate Capital...................1.578,50............. -38,00............-2,35%........... 53,70K

Admiral Group.............................2.669,0............... -31,0.............-1,15%........... 29,44K

Intertek........................................4.209,0............... -67,0.............-1,57%........... 32,23K

Anglo American...........................1.846,0............... -26,6.............-1,42%.......... 458,05K

ITV............................................... 62,88................. -0,62.............-0,98%.......... 785,18K

Antofagasta................................1.595,00.............. -9,50.............-0,59%........... 79,33K

J Sainsbury................................. 304,50................ -3,70.............-1,20%............1,88M

Ashtead Group............................5.074,0.............. -170,0............-3,24%.......... 116,43K

Johnson Matthey........................1.605,5............... -44,0.............-2,67%........... 52,32K

Associated British Foods.............2.346,0............... -28,0.............-1,18%.......... 234,06K

Land Securities........................... 686,40............... -10,00............-1,44%.......... 116,55K

AstraZeneca...............................10.802,0.............. -62,0.............-0,57%.......... 108,69K

Legal & General.......................... 241,86................ -4,30.............-1,75%............2,47M

Auto Trader Group Plc................ 686,60................ -8,80.............-1,26%.......... 198,66K

Lloyds Banking............................ 46,92................. -0,63.............-1,32%...........18,53M

Aviva........................................... 426,60................ -6,50.............-1,50%.......... 637,18K

London Stock Exchange..............8.960,0............... -50,0.............-0,56%.......... 311,42K

B&M European Value Retail SA... 544,80................ -8,20.............-1,48%.......... 339,70K

Melrose Industries...................... 548,20................ -8,00.............-1,44%.......... 543,65K

BAE Systems..............................1.149,00.............. -6,50.............-0,56%.......... 787,03K

Mondi.........................................1.490,00............. -47,50............-3,09%.......... 340,61K

Barclays...................................... 153,50................ -2,08.............-1,34%............6,13M Barratt Developments................. 540,80............... -10,00............-1,82%.......... 803,87K Berkeley......................................4.722,0............... -53,0.............-1,11%........... 16,76K BHP Group Ltd...........................2.572,00............. -54,50............-2,08%.......... 241,63K BP............................................... 471,70................ -1,75.............-0,37%............3,43M British American Tobacco...........2.355,5............... -11,0.............-0,47%.......... 425,72K British Land Company................. 392,10................ -3,70.............-0,94%.......... 685,07K BT Group.................................... 120,45................ -1,15.............-0,95%............2,49M Bunzl...........................................3.139,0............... -45,0.............-1,41%........... 48,12K Burberry Group...........................1.364,0................+4,5............. +0,33%......... 318,27K Carnival.......................................1.184,5............... -19,0.............-1,58%........... 57,56K Centrica....................................... 147,65................+0,30............ +0,20%...........1,58M Coca Cola HBC AG......................2.290,0............... -19,0.............-0,82%........... 59,92K Compass....................................2.126,00.............. -8,00.............-0,38%.......... 229,48K CRH............................................5.184,0............... -66,0.............-1,26%........... 53,69K Croda Intl....................................4.597,9............... -69,0.............-1,48%.......... 137,69K DCC.............................................5.638,8............... -76,0.............-1,33%........... 28,44K Diageo.........................................2.742,0............... -66,5.............-2,37%............3,75M DS Smith.................................... 296,40................ -6,70.............-2,21%.......... 327,07K EasyJet........................................ 490,00................ -7,10.............-1,43%.......... 430,80K Experian......................................3.034,0............... -17,0.............-0,56%.......... 261,57K Ferguson....................................14.565,0............. -145,0............-0,99%............ 7,45K Flutter Entertainment..................13.200,0............. -165,0............-1,24%.......... 106,48K Fresnillo...................................... 535,80................ -7,20.............-1,33%.......... 232,12K Glencore...................................... 459,55................+0,30............ +0,07%...........2,14M GSK plc......................................1.535,00.............. -4,40.............-0,29%............2,24M Halma..........................................2.113,0............... -32,0.............-1,49%........... 94,21K Hargreaves Lansdown................. 717,30................ -9,60.............-1,32%.......... 304,37K Hikma Pharma...........................1.831,00............. -19,50............-1,05%........... 55,58K HSBC.......................................... 629,70................ -2,80.............-0,44%............2,73M IAG.............................................. 150,80................ -2,50.............-1,63%............1,91M Imperial Brands..........................1.845,00............. -15,00............-0,81%.......... 127,86K Informa....................................... 762,60............... -12,40............-1,60%.......... 266,61K

National Grid..............................1.068,00............. -10,50............-0,97%.......... 510,26K NatWest Group........................... 218,80................ -1,30.............-0,59%............2,15M Next............................................8.371,5.............. -178,0............-2,08%.......... 334,12K

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US See our advert on previous page 0.86213

1.15965

Units per € US dollar (USD)...................................1.0913 Japan yen (JPY)...................................158.51 Switzerland franc (CHF).......................0.9310 Denmark kroner (DKK)........................7.4583 Norway kroner (NOK)..........................11.298 currenciesdirect.com/moraira • Tel: +34 966 265 072 THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER

DOW JONES

Tui............................................... 582,50............... -21,00............-3,48%............1,25M

Closing Prices 8 January 3M.............................................. 108,20................+0,41............ +0,38%...........1,98M American Express....................... 187,10................+1,38............ +0,75%...........2,66M Amgen........................................ 303,17................+2,48............ +0,82%...........2,72M Apple........................................... 181,91................ -2,34.............-1,27%...........56,64M Boeing......................................... 245,00................+1,09............ +0,45%...........4,25M Caterpillar.................................... 286,14................+1,84............ +0,65%...........2,67M Chevron...................................... 150,72................ -1,61.............-1,06%............6,33M Cisco............................................ 50,08................. -0,43.............-0,85%...........12,65M Coca-Cola..................................... 59,77................. -0,19.............-0,31%...........11,18M Dow............................................. 54,19................. -0,44.............-0,81%............3,83M Goldman Sachs........................... 383,12................+1,33............ +0,35%...........1,03M Home Depot................................ 338,67................+0,41............ +0,12%...........2,64M Honeywell................................... 204,90................+0,37............ +0,18%...........2,18M IBM............................................. 160,86................+0,76............ +0,47%...........2,33M Intel.............................................. 46,87................. -0,18.............-0,38%...........46,78M J&J............................................. 160,63................ -0,34.............-0,21%............6,00M JPMorgan................................... 171,50................+1,22............ +0,72%..........10,18M McDonald’s................................. 291,84................ -2,55.............-0,87%............4,20M Merck&Co................................... 117,09................+2,32............ +2,02%...........8,90M Microsoft.................................... 367,94................ -2,66.............-0,72%...........16,06M Nike............................................. 102,35................ -1,69.............-1,62%............7,66M Procter&Gamble......................... 148,67................+0,83............ +0,56%...........4,24M Salesforce Inc............................. 251,24................ -0,60.............-0,24%............3,91M The Travelers.............................. 192,54................+1,24............ +0,65%...........1,82M UnitedHealth............................... 545,71................+3,68............ +0,68%...........2,13M Verizon......................................... 39,38.................+0,22............ +0,57%..........22,38M Visa A.......................................... 259,76................+1,78............ +0,69%...........2,56M Walgreens Boots.......................... 24,26................. -1,31.............-5,12%...........60,12M Walmart...................................... 157,76................ -1,54.............-0,97%............5,73M Walt Disney.................................. 90,58................. -1,07.............-1,17%............9,59M

Unilever.......................................3.824,0............... -18,5.............-0,48%.......... 337,03K

M - Million Dollars

Ocado.......................................... 708,60............... -25,60............-3,49%.......... 138,71K Persimmon.................................1.375,5............... -11,5.............-0,83%.......... 215,42K Phoenix....................................... 514,07............... -10,00............-1,91%.......... 302,68K Prudential.................................... 819,30............... -16,20............-1,94%............1,03M Reckitt Benckiser........................5.506,0............... -12,0.............-0,22%.......... 119,36K Relx............................................3.082,00............. -25,00............-0,81%.......... 686,87K Rentokil....................................... 411,40................ -2,60.............-0,63%.......... 567,16K Rightmove.................................. 549,98................ -9,00.............-1,61%.......... 170,69K Rio Tinto PLC..............................5.658,0............... -96,0.............-1,67%.......... 392,44K Rolls-Royce Holdings................. 293,10................ -4,80.............-1,61%............2,45M Sage...........................................1.129,00............. -19,00............-1,66%.......... 281,58K Samsung Electronics DRC.........1.441,00............. -15,00............-1,03%............ 2,23K Schroders.................................... 423,0.................. -8,7..............-2,02%.......... 159,20K Scottish Mortgage....................... 753,20................ -9,00.............-1,18%.......... 445,33K Segro.......................................... 856,60................ -7,60.............-0,88%.......... 204,15K Severn Trent...............................2.558,8............... -23,0.............-0,89%........... 57,20K Shell............................................2.575,8............... -18,5.............-0,71%.......... 932,61K Smith & Nephew........................1.042,00.............. -9,00.............-0,86%.......... 107,08K Smiths Group.............................1.693,50............. -26,50............-1,54%........... 39,91K Spirax-Sarco Engineering...........9.680,0.............. -182,0............-1,85%............ 5,29K SSE............................................1.841,00.............. -5,00.............-0,27%.......... 157,55K St. James’s Place........................ 642,00............... -12,40............-1,90%.......... 301,81K Standard Chartered..................... 641,80................ -9,60.............-1,47%............2,80M Taylor Wimpey............................ 142,70................ -1,55.............-1,07%............2,54M Tesco.......................................... 299,10................ -3,30.............-1,09%............2,89M

United Utilities............................1.049,50............. -14,00............-1,32%.......... 122,10K Vodafone Group PLC.................. 70,010............... -0,440............-0,62%............4,27M Whitbread...................................3.548,0............... -33,0.............-0,92%........... 68,76K WPP............................................ 762,40...............+20,20........... +2,72%...........1,32M

NASDAQ

Closing Prices 8 January

Company

Change Net / %

Volume

Most Advanced QuantumScape Corporation............................... +2.80.......................... +43.08% Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc......................... +1.42.......................... +14.65% Peloton Interactive, Inc...................................... +0.75.......................... +13.94% Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc........................... +2.84.......................... +12.10% Select Medical Holdings Corporation................. +2.65.......................... +11.28% MINISO Group Holding Limited......................... +1.97........................... +9.89% Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc........................ +2.56........................... +8.01% The Simply Good Foods Company..................... +3.10........................... +7.83% Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.................................. +5.90........................... +7.75% Rocket Lab USA, Inc.......................................... +0.37........................... +7.25% M - Million Dollars

Most Declined Mobileye Global Inc............................................-9.75...........................-24.55% Endeavour Mining plc.........................................-2.20...........................-10.14% Nextracker Inc.....................................................-4.29............................-9.24% Evotec SE............................................................-0.91............................-8.66% Livent Corporation..............................................-1.54............................-8.53% Sunrun Inc..........................................................-1.38............................-7.48% APA Corporation.................................................-2.70............................-7.35% Array Technologies, Inc......................................-1.19............................-7.16% Allegro MicroSystems, Inc..................................-1.84............................-6.36% Organon & Co.....................................................-0.85............................-5.81% EchoStar Corporation..........................................-0.82............................-5.73% M - Million Dollars

FINANCE II euroweeklynews.com

BUSINESS EXTRA Win and lose

REVENUES from David Beckham’s business interests, which included deals with Netflix and the Qatar World Cup, doubled last year to £72.6 million (€84.2 million) compared with £34.3 million (€39.7 million) in 2022.

Meanwhile wife Victoria’s fashion firm will continue to require shareholder support after reporting pretax losses of £3.1 million (€3.6 million) in 2023.

Rome contract

SPANISH rolling stock manufacturer CAF secured a €130 million contract to build 40 trams for Rome city hall and maintain and repair these for five years.

The company, which is based in Beasain (Guipuzcoa), revealed that the initial order from ATAC, Rome’s publicly-owned transport company, could be extended to €400 million and 121 trains.

11 - 17 January 2024

Festive spending spree

Linda Hall GROCERY price inflation slowed to 6.7 per cent in December compared with November’s 7.7 per cent, British Retail Consortium figures revealed.

Food inflation dropped to its lowest since April 2022, and although sweets, eggs and frozen potato products rose, dairy items, including butter, milk and cream, were cheaper.

Meanwhile, supermarket chains had their bu-

Photo credit: Aldi/Richard Grange United National Photographers

ALDI: Discount chain’s sales grew by 9.9 per cent

siest Christmas since 2019, data specialists Kantar an-

nounced.

“The inflation rate is co-

Very fair shares

SPAIN’S Ibex 35, equivalent to the UK’s FTSE 100, had a record year and a return to pre-pandemic levels.

Its 23 per cent improvement was principally due to the textile giant Inditex as well as the Santander and BBVA banks, although analysts described Inditex as the Spanish stock exchange’s “principal mainstay.”

The company founded and still con-

trolled by Amancio Ortega closed the year with a 59.9 per cent upsurge in its share price, surpassed only by pharmaceutical company Rovi’s 65.5 per cent increase.

On November 21, Inditex shares beat their own record, overtaking the €36.7 of June 2017 but continued their climb to end 2023 with a price just a little shy of €40.

ming down at the fastest pace we have ever recorded,” Fraser McKevitt, head of Kantar’s Retail and Consumer division, said.

Promotions were central to retailers’ strategy over the holiday season, McKevitt added. “Nearly one third of all spending in the month up to Christmas Eve was on items with some kind of offer, the highest level since December 2020, and £823 million (€951.9 million) more than 2022.”

A record £13.7 billion (€15.8 billion) passed through supermarket tills last month with an average household outlay of the highest-ever £477 (€551.8).

Biggest share of the Christmas supermarket shop went to Aldi and Lidl, with Lidl’s sales up 13.8 per cent up on the 12 weeks ending on December 24.

Aldi’s sales grew by 9.9 per cent, giving them a combined market share of 17 per cent.

EWN 15

Red card FC BARCELONA will sue Libero Football Finance AG for defaulting on its €40 million payment for a 10 per cent holding in the Barça Vision online media company.

This payment was fundamental to Barcelona’s plans to float its content subsidiary Barça Media on Nasdaq, the New York stock exchange, which was originally planned for the end of 2023.

Daily fine BRITISH telecoms company BT missed the December 31 deadline imposed by the government on security grounds to remove all equipment made by Chinese company Huawei from its core network.

The cut-off date had been extended on two occasions and missing it again could expose BT to a daily fine of £100,000 (€115,959) for every day over the deadline.

euroweeklynews.com II FEATURE/NEWS

The future looks bleak LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT I FIND it difficult to contemplate why the Western general public and indeed the politicians, can’t, or simply refuse to admit, that Hamas are exploiting the beleaguered citizens of Palestine as victims solely to gain supportive propaganda for a conflict they have been involved in for years? Israel has not, as the disinformation instigators continue to spout, ‘declared war on Palestine’s innocent citizens’.

If Hamas were to discontinue their policies of hiding behind, or literally underneath the populace and repositioned themselves in more unpopulated areas, or indeed were prepared to sit around the negotiating table, the horrendous death toll that is befalling the inhabitants of the country would probably be terminated in days. But they won’t will they? The more Palestinians that are sacrificed, the more they can blame the atrocities on the Israelis, whose generals, rest assured, would be only too relieved to continue

or end the conflict without the horrific slaughter of so many civilians. The Hamas warren of tunnels and war rooms have been purposely constructed under hospitals, schools and religious establishments, primarily to avoid attack or if it should subsequently take place, be able to blame the enemy for the horror and killing of their innocent nationals. It is an obvious, cold blooded and utterly disgraceful method of misinformation.

Those partaking in the demonstrations all over the West in support of these bloodthirsty undertakings should also be ashamed and condemned for patronage of a group that began this latest conflict by slaughtering the young, elderly and babies of a peaceful Israeli community. To also witness the anti-sematic attitude and actions of a vast number of mid-East immigrants is also completely unacceptable.

It is important for these refugees and their kin to remember they were expected to leave their difficulties and hatred behind them, not revive them in countries who have offered them succour and the chance to live a peaceful and harmonious future with their

neighbours. When the Jewish people fled the ravages of Hitler and the holocaust, they entered Britain with jubilation and thanks. They then proceeded to blend into the British way of life.

They diversified into business and the astute among them employed many of the local populace, who were always treated with respect love and not a little humour. The areas they created were not ‘no go’ communities riddled with hate and religious fervour.

All manner of faiths and different beliefs were welcomed into their homes and schools of teaching.

If the majority of Mid-East immigrants don’t learn to live and respect the laws of the countries that have welcomed them, it can only end in one way. The Far Right will grow in stature and subsequently the great cities of the West will soon begin to resemble the ravages of Gaza and Beirut.

In the words of John Lennon. ‘Give peace a Chance’. If you don’t, the future of us all looks very bleak indeed.

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.

Record visitors for Picasso Museum in 2023 THE Museo Picasso Malaga has seen a record number of visitors walk through its doors during the year 2023.

2023 saw the 50th anniversary of Picasso’s death, and the museum marked this event by advertising a special exposition in honour of the Malaga born artist’s passing.

The record number of visitors was a massive 779,279 people that came to the museum, around 8 per cent more than in 2019, which was the best year to date in the 20 years that the attraction has been open.

It is also 21 per cent more visitors than the year prior, 2022.

The museum made their proud announcement on Friday December 29, and another piece of exciting news was to follow.

Credit: Shutterstock/1170980023

16 EWN 11 - 17 January 2024

The museum entrance.

It was then publicised that artist Miguel Lopez-Remiro will be the new director of the Picasso Museum in 2024.

Miguel is originally from Pamplona and is aged 46 years old. He has previously worked as deputy curatorial director of the Guggenheim Bilbao and director of the University of Navarra Museum.

It looks like even more great things are in store for this cultural landmark in the south of Spain.

NEWS II euroweeklynews.com

11 - 17 January 2024

Photo: Atlantica Mikri Poli Rhodes

End of sunbed wars?

RHODES HOTEL: Introduced a ‘no reservation’ policy.

THE dreaded sunbed wars could be over after tourists won compensation from travel company TUI. German tourists have been awarded compensation by a court in Hanover, Germany after complaining about the morning sunbed race at a Greek hotel. Managers at the Atlantica Mikri Poli hotel in Rhodes instigated a ‘no reservation’ policy that meant guests who put down towels on their sunbeds had to use them or lose them.

However, the German holidaymakers told the court they’d been unable to find any available sun loungers on one occasion.

They reported that staff at the TUI hotel failed to imJohn Smith EVERY year, Spanish Airline Air Europa launches its Time to Fly Campaign which offers a range of internal and even international flights at low prices.

Currently it operates a number of direct flights into and out of 16 different Spanish cities including Barcelona, Bilbao, Granada, Ibiza, Madrid, Malaga, Palma, Tenerife and Valencia.

If you book an internal round trip between January 2 and January 14 for travel until June 13, you may benefit from a price of just €25 each way and that includes two pieces of hand luggage.

It’s even possible to travel to Amsterdam, Brussels, Lisbon, Paris and several

plement the policy, which meant, they said, that on one morning they’d been unable to find any available sunbeds around any of the resort’s six pools.

Hanover District Court ordered the hotel to pay €300 as compensation for the part of the holiday the family had been unable to enjoy. The verdict is still subject to an appeal and is not yet legally binding.

However, could this be the beginning of the end for the sunbed wars between holidaymakers that seem to have got out of control during the summer of 2023?

Reports in both British and Spanish press from August 2023 cited war had

broken out in areas including the Costa del Sol, where some tourists told a news source that they waited up to two hours for prime spots at the fourstar Hotel Estival in Torrequebrada.

A Spanish news source also reported on the daily morning sun lounger race at a Tenerife hotel to which readers reacted with incredulity on social media that holidaymakers would set their alarms for 6am to bag their favourite sunbeds.

It will be interesting to see if the decision by the German court is upheld and if so whether it will stop the escalation of the sunbed wars.

Watch this space!

Time to fly other European destinations as well as Marrakesh for €29 each way and to the USA and Central and South America at cheaper prices than usual.

Visit Air Europa websi-

te to obtain your quote and book your flight (subject to availability) in the knowledge that even if the airline is finally sold to IAG that your booking should be safe.

Menu del Dia winning restaurant LAST year, the Euro Weekly News invited readers to recommend restaurants around the regions which offered the best Menu del Dia from a combination of choice, quality and price.

We were delighted to receive a large number of entries although unfortunately, especially on Facebook, some people forget to include their contact details.

There were still plenty to choose from and we have chosen Bar Paco in Javea which was recommended by Margaret Conner who will receive a prize of €100 from EWN to allow her and her partner several more meals there.

EWN 17

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

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

23

20 EWN 11 - 17 January 2024

euroweeklynews.com II FEATURE

COMMUNITY

COMMENTS

FASHION is a strange creature and understandably with so many designers launching new collections every three months, it is incredibly difficult to come up with something new.

On the odd occasion that there is a radically new trend, no matter how bizarre it may be, fashion writers praise it and other designers jump on the band wagon.

The latest craze is for women to wear their pants either under sheer skirts so they can be seen or without any covering on their lower limbs.

In the early 1900s, £1 was referred to as a ‘knicker’ but these ones cost a hell of a lot more and our readers passed their generally negative verdict on the trend;

“

Yess - Boxers n vest.

Lois G Clark

Well considering my knickers go down to my knees and my top goes up to my ears….yes!

Emma Monks

Reminds me when we used to wear minis Hazel Moorman Bloomers !!

Lynda Woodin

Why should this fashion be limited to ladies? Men can wear the dresses or even see through pants so let’s see them parade round in small briefs which draw our attention to their ‘assets’. I’m sure they’d love dressing like that.

Sheree Ruiz

The Geordie lasses do cause they are tough.

Steve Mcgann

Heck noooo!

Not on your life!!!

Carol Hurst

Too draughty

Shirley Morris

No change there then. No class whatsoever!

Tricia Harrington

What in my baggy grey full size M&S knickers? I think not!!

Eivissa Lyn

I would not subject the public to that!

Heath Savage

To cold ..lol

Julie Hitchin

Is that a serious question?

Julia Margaret Clarke

Sophia Loren always said “Leave a lot to imagination “.Don’t think she would class the knickers as such.

Tim McMahon

Mapuchi Moda

By the length of some dresses, you see the wearer has already forgotten to put on their pants and you can see their underwear, glittery or not if you are not careful. But you’d also have to ask what’s the difference between a bikini and a see-through beach over and the see-through dresses.?

Sheree Ruiz

The Emperor’s New Clothes syndrome perhaps..?? !!

Sandra Harbut

Don’t think it will catch on but who knows some of the hot pants were very brief back in the day. I never liked hotpants just very short minis for me but other girls looked great. And remember Kylie’s little gold ones?

Leah Kerr

Sheree Ruiz Maybe the weather?

Susan Spelman

I’d scare the horses and frighten the children!!

Susan Lea

Thought many females already did this

Helen Burn

Leah Kerr Hotpants were proper dress not knickers. Trousers suits were stylish too.

Tim McMahon

Ridiculous

Jaqui Silcox

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/NEWS II euroweeklynews.com

Victoria Car Hire UK Self Drive WE are based in Horley town centre, just five minutes’ drive from Gatwick airport and a short walk to Horley mainline railway station.

On offer is a range of cars starting with small everyday cars and up to family-sized vehicles to include manual and automatic transmission. We also have a variety of both petrol and diesel fuelled engines. All cars are well maintained and presented in a clean condition.

We have full 24-hour AA breakdown cover. The most popular brands used include: Ford, Vauxhall, Nissan, Citroen and Renault.

We meet our customers just outside the arrival terminal at Gatwick Airport at the authorised collection points at both the North and South terminals. We will then drive to the car rental office in Horley town centre, where the paperwork and payment are processed followed by a demonstration of the car controls and directions to the motorway if required.

The collection procedure is very efficient, taking a small amount of time and allowing the customer to swiftly proceed

EWN 21

Knickers replace trousers Credit: Miu Miu

ADVERTISING FEATURE

11 - 17 January 2024

A range of cars offered.

NEW TREND: The Miu Miu Autumn/Winter 2023 catwalk.

with their onward journey.

At the end of the hire the customer returns the car to the rental office and will be driven to the departure terminal at Gatwick Airport.

Office hours are 9am - 4pm Monday to Friday, weekends by arrangement An out of hours service is available for late arrivals and early morning departures.

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INTERVIEW

Tariq from Austria THE unique climate, culture and cuisine of the Costa del Sol has attracted travellers from all over Europe for decades, with many deciding to move here after experiencing its magic.

At the end of 2023, there were out of this move, and living on 26,181 more inhabitants the Costa del Sol. He replied in the Malaga Province that his first goal was to than a year earlier. Of “learn Spanish, alongthese, 23,230 were side learning to live in born outside Spain. this relaxed lifestyle”.

One man deterHe also added that he mined to make 2024 is looking forward to the year he moves “living by the seasons, to the sunshine coast, buying fresh produce is Tariq Ali, an Austrian that will change as the native and successful busiseasons do.”

Wishing Tariq luck. nessman.

EWN then enquired as to Having only lived here for a couif he had noticed any distinct similariple of weeks, Euro Weekly News was cu- ties or differences between the Austrian rious to find out what Tariq thought of the and the Spanish people? “Both like good Spanish culture so far. “Well, the ‘mañana’ food, but Austrians are more structured, lifestyle is taking some getting used to. I not as relaxed, more regimented.” am a man that always arrives promptly, Speaking of good food, we had to find but I’m adjusting to Spanish timings,” he out Mr Ali’s favourite Spanish dish so far. laughed, adding that “I love the culture in He explained that: “I love to cook and eat general, the beautiful architecture, where paella, it’s a great dish, especially a seafood especially here in Andalucia, you can see one.” strong influences from the Moorish times, This interview was nothing but a pleasuamong many others.” re, and EWN wishes Tariq all the luck and We asked Tariq what he hoped to get love in his exciting new chapter.

SOME people feel that trends in fashion are just pants, but don’t knock the knickers because they are not just on trend but exciting the fashion world.

The Miu Miu Autumn/ Winter 2023 collection started (or perhaps resurrected) this trend and the idea has sparked excitement with many other designers following suit.

There’s an old saying ‘Little things please little minds but little pants don’t fit big behinds’ and perhaps not everyone wants to spend much of the winter parading around with a pair of skimpy pants co-

vering their lower halves.

So the offshoot of Prada has inspired designer labels such as Acne, Victoria Beckham, Gucci and Tom Ford to go all out with stand-alone pant collections whilst other designers have chosen to create dresses and skirts from sheer material in order to show the pants off but also save some blushes.

Others have taken the retro step of going for a selection of hot pants harking back to the 60s and the ‘Summer of Love’ as it is clear that there is only so much creativity possible and like the remakes of mo-

vies, fashion certainly has no problems with looking to the past in order to move forward.

If you are thinking of rushing to the Miu Miu online store just be warned that prices start at around €850 and can rise as high as €5,000 depending upon the material used.

Time will tell whether Britain’s favourite supplier of knickers, Marks and Spencer will introduce their own street wear and then you too can afford to be like Superman (not Supergirl who wore a skirt) wearing your pants over your tights.

22

PETS

euroweeklynews.com • 11 - 17 January 2024 SPONSORED BY

Luna loves her dog-sitter Sonya

Credit: Tha1uw4nt/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

AMERICAN XL BULLY: A comprehensive ban introduced.

Strict new laws AS of December 31, strict regulations demand that XL Bully dogs be kept on a leash and muzzled when in public in the UK. This measure is a response to an alarming increase in dangerous incidents involving these dogs, including 23 fatal attacks in the last three years, with XL Bullies often involved.

The government has enacted a comprehensive ban on the breeding, selling, advertising, gifting, exchanging, abandoning, or letting XL Bully dogs stray.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said, “The Prime Minister pledged to take quick and decisive action to protect the public from devastating dog attacks with measures in place by the end of 2023.

“We have met that pledge - it is now a legal requi-

rement for XL Bully dogs to be muzzled and on a lead in public. It is also now illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon or let XL Bully dogs stray.’”

Owners must now register their existing XL Bullies before February 1, with the failure to do so resulting in criminal charges and an unlimited fine.

Registration involves securing public liability insurance, microchipping the dog, and an application fee. By June 30, 2024, most dogs must be neutered, with an extended deadline to the end of 2024 for dogs under a year old as of 31 January 2024.

The government’s approach is staggered, aiming to manage the existing population of XL Bully dogs.

The upcoming deadline of February 1 marks the next stage in this process.

LUNA is a friendly young dog who does much better when her owners go away with dog-sitters caring for her in her own home.

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The pet-sitters come for free!

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Ferret companionship

A playful nature.

OWNING a ferret can be a delightful and unique experience, but it comes with its share of pros and cons. On the positive side, ferrets are known for their playful and affectionate nature.

They form strong bonds with their human companions, providing endless entertainment with their curious antics.

Ferrets are highly social animals, thriving on interaction with both their owners and fellow ferret friends. Their compact size makes them suitable for apartment living, and their low-maintenance grooming needs are a definite plus.

However, it’s essential to consider the cons. Ferrets demand a considerable amount of time and attention, requiring daily play and mental stimulation. Their mischievous behaviour may pose a challenge for households with delicate belongings.

Additionally, ferrets have a distinctive odour, and their diet requires careful consideration.

In summary, while ferrets make charming and interactive pets, potential owners must weigh the commitment required against the joy and companionship these playful creatures bring into their lives.

Cat allergies CONSIDERING the joy of adding a cat to your family but concerned about potential allergies? Fear not, as managing cat allergies is indeed possible with some practical tips. While cat dander is a common culprit, different breeds produce varying amounts of it.

Spend quality time with various cats before making a decision to gauge your sensitivity. Even if a friend or family member already has a feline friend, there are ways to navigate potential allergic reactions.

Take steps like restricting the cat’s access to certain rooms, especially your bedroom. Post-interaction, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes.

Employing air purifiers can effectively combat cat allergens as well as other airborne irritants like dust mites.

Manage your allergies.

Consistent cat baths, while ensuring a clean and sleek pet, also help in reducing dander.

For added relief, consult with your healthcare provider or pharmacist to identify suitable antihistamines.

These can address common symptoms such as a runny nose or puffy, watery eyes. By incorporating these measures, you can happily share your life with a cat while managing potential allergic reactions effectively.

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24 EWN 11 - 17 January 2024

euroweeklynews.com II SPORT

AT only 16 years old, Luke Littler has become an overnight sensation following his astonishing performance at the World Darts Championship final.

In recent weeks, Littler’s meteoric rise has captivated the darts world. His journey to the World Darts Championship final, which culminated in December at Alexandra Palace, has drawn comparisons to legends such as Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, making him a new icon in the sport.

Despite securing a runner-up prize of £200,000, Littler faces significant tax obligations. Investment firm Saxo estimates that he will owe £76,203 in taxes and

£7,330 in national insurance.

As a result, his net earnings will be approximately £116,467. Andrew Mangion from Saxo advised that such a large sum for a teenager is uncommon and professional financial guidance would be beneficial.

In an intriguing turn, Anthony Joshua’s SBX Studios has expressed interest in Littler’s story, proposing a deal worth over £1 million for film rights. This move follows the record-breaking viewership of the championship’s final on Sky Sports, emphasising Littler’s wide-reaching appeal.

Following his remarkable performance, Littler received an invitation to join this year’s Premier League tour. He accepted, and acknowledged the rarity of such opportunities.

Littler expressed on Sky Sports his awareness of the fleeting nature of sporting success and his eagerness to seize every chance presented: “Let’s do it, it might not

Credit: LukeTheNuke180/X

Dart prodigy’s tax woes Football legend passes

OVERNIGHT SENSATION: Luke Littler with signed shirt.

happen again,” he said.

Littler’s rise to fame has also caught the attention of celebrities like Rio Ferdinand and Gary Lineker as well as other popular YouTubers.

Some of whom have exten-

ded invitations to feature him on their podcasts.

Additionally, football stars like Luke Shaw and Jesse Lingard, and even David Beckham, have shown their support.

Catherine McGeer IN a devastating loss to the world of football, Franz Beckenbauer, affectionately known as ‘Der Kaiser’ (The Emperor), has passed away at the age of 77. The iconic figure, revered as one of the greatest footballers in German history, breathed his last after a valiant battle against a prolonged illness that had kept him away from the public eye in recent months.

Hailing from Munich, Beckenbauer revolutionised the role of the libero or the modern sweeper, reshaping it into an art form that defined his legacy. His genius on the field elevated both the national team and Bayern Munich to unprecedented heights.

Beckenbauer’s crowning glory came in 1974 when he captained the West German national team, affectionately known as ‘Die Mannschaft,’ to clinch the World Cup. However, his contributions extended far beyond that triumph. He later secured another World Cup victory in 1990, this time as the coach of a unified German team.

His stellar career also boasts the Euro Cup victory in 1972 and an astonishing three consecutive European Cup titles with Bayern Munich between 1974 and 1977.

Beyond his unparalleled success with both club and country, Beckenbauer embodied elegance on the pitch coupled with an innate winning mentality that mesmerised fans worldwide. His exceptional leadership skills made him one of the most admired footballers of his era and cemented his place among the sport’s all-time greats. His individual brilliance was recognised with two Ballon d’Or awards in 1972 and 1976.

The footballing world mourns the loss of a true legend whose impact transcended generations. Tributes poured in from fans, players, and football dignitaries.