Costa Calida 22 – 28 February 2024 Issue 2016

Costa Calida

• Issue No. 2016 • 22 - 28 Feb 2024

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GRATIS

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IN a star-studded event, the owner and staff of Los Cazadores de Corvera restaurant in Corvera received the prestigious Mursiya Mezze Award, bestowed by the Club Murcia Gourmet, for being the standout establishment of 2023. The restaurant not only clinched the coveted title, but also set a record-breaking score among club members since its opening in 2006.

The awarding of the Mursiya Mezze Award to Los Cazadores restaurant not only brings prestige to the establishment but also shines a spotlight on the culinary scene in Corvera potentially attracting more visitors and patrons.

This recognition may contribute to an increase in tourism and business for the area, as food enthusiasts and tourists, in general, are drawn to experience the acclaimed dining destination.

Among the distinguished

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LIVREE

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Magical night

MAGIC & MUSIC: MABS fundraiser.

Image: murcia.terranatura.com

Inclusive adventures at Terra Natura.

joyed by 300 people last year, involves 12 excursions to the park throughout the year. The initial part includes a guided visit tailored to the group’s

needs, followed by free exploration to further understand the animals and their habitats. Additionally, during the summer months, associations will

have access to the water park. ‘12 months with you’ continues to make a positive impact, fostering equality and genuine socio-labour inclusion.

Fine dining

MABS San Javier Cancer Support Foundation extends a helping hand to cancer patients in the region, providing essential support services. The organisation offers counselling, translators, equipment, drivers, and complementary therapy to enhance the well-being of those facing the challenges of cancer.

MABS San Javier presents a delightful fundraising evening on April 20 at Marios in Sucina. The event promises a magical touch with magician Graeme Mykal, followed by live music with Sean Holsgrove and Tapas. Tickets are priced at €15 and can be obtained from MABS San Javier or by contacting Maxine on WhatsApp on 633 467 108.

For those seeking more than just entertainment, MABS San Javier invites you to explore their furniture sale at their store. Join the fun-filled night and contribute to the meaningful work of MABS San Javier in assisting cancer patients in the community.

Image: Los Cazadores de Corvera

TERRA NATURA Murcia is once again driving forward its social project ‘12 months with you.’ In collaboration with the city council, the initiative aims to promote social inclusion for various vulnerable groups. This year, the focus is on associations and organisations that advocate for the employment integration of individuals with special needs.

Launched in 2018, ‘12 Months with You’ is a pioneering initiative that allows participating entities to explore the diverse species residing in Terra Natura and learn about them through educational talks held throughout the year.

The programme, en-

FREI

Image: Shutterstock/ FOTOKITA

Inclusive nature

VRIJ

Culinary triumph in Corvera.

guests were Juan María Vázquez, the Environment Minister; Patricio Sánchez, the Director-General of Tourism Competitiveness and Quality; Murcia’s 2nd Deputy Mayor, José Guillén, and Councillor Miguel Ángel Noguera.

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• Local News •

22 - 28 February 2024

Munich Fair

Murcia shines in Munich.

Grace Meredith IN a bid to attract German tourists interested in religious and pilgrimage travel, the Murcia region is actively promoting its Jubilee Year of the Vera Cruz de Caravaca and its array of active tourism offerings at Munich’s free fair.

The delegation from Murcia, including representatives from the Regional Tourism Institute and the Professional Association of Hoteliers and Tourist Accommodations of the Costa Cálida, has set

up a booth at Turespaña’s space during the event.

The Tourism Institute’s Director, Juan Francisco Martínez, emphasised the goal of drawing German visitors intrigued by religious tourism, leveraging the significance of the 2024 Jubilee Year in Caravaca de la Cruz, considered Europe’s most important religious event of the year.

With 57,463 German tourists visiting Murcia in 2023, marking a 13.7 per cent increase from 2022, Germany stands as the fif-

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School investment Image: Shutterstock/Travel Faery

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th-largest spender among international tourists in the region, contributing €54.2 million and comprising 5.8 per cent of the total international tourism expenditure in 2023.

The free fair in Munich, known as Bavaria’s largest and most popular tourism fair, provides Murcia a prime platform to showcase its offerings to a wide audience, drawing over 160,000 visitors and featuring 900 exhibitors from 50 countries in its last edition.

EXPANSION works at IES Mar Menor in Santiago de la Ribera (San Javier) are advancing smoothly, as confirmed by the Minister of Education, Vocational Training, and Employment, Víctor Marín. He visited the site alongside the town’s mayor, José Miguel Luengo, to observe the construction of a new building that will house all the Professional Development studies at the centre.

The expansion project includes a new 3,461-square-metre building on a

3,800-square-metre plot provided by the town council. The facility will feature 10 multipurpose classrooms, five workshops, a technical room, and two laboratories. Additionally, it will have new sports facilities and changing rooms for the Fitness and Sports Professional Programme.

The building will also house five teacher departments, a meeting room, and administrative spaces. The construction is set to be completed later in the year. This represents an investment of over €3 million.

New business THE Region of Murcia emerged as a powerhouse for business innovation in 2023, with 2,671 new companies formed, marking a remarkable 11.5 per cent growth compared to the national average of 9.1 per cent, according to the latest data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

These figures reveal a daily creation rate of 7.3 businesses, surpassing the national average of 5.7. The increase in Murcia’s business boom is thanks to simplifying paperwork and careful financial management, explained Minister Luis Alberto Marín.

Despite ranking fourth in new business creation in the first 11 months of the year, Murcia’s impressive growth in December, boasting a 1.4 per cent increase while the national average experienced a 3.7 per cent decline, propelled Murcia into third position.

Marín stated, “In contrast to the uncertainties arising from central government policies, we are striving to make Murcia a hub of economic freedom, instilling confidence for entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals, the true engines of job creation and economic development.”

• Local News •

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NIBS EXTRA Easter exhibit

SANCHEZ LOZANO’S exquisite sculptures headline the Semana Santa Exhibition (Holy Week) at the Baron de Benifayó Museum in San Pedro del Pinatar until March 16. Explore the neo-baroque masterpieces of this 20th-century Spanish sculptor, unravelling the essence of the town through his art.

Noah’s Arc

SUPPORT Noah’s Arc Charity Shop at the Centro Commercial at Camposol at Sector B. Shop till you drop at their sale which is still on, €1 for shoes, boots, and clothes, all for a good cause.

Night train

ENJOY the enchanting Night Safari Street Art Tour in Los Alcazares.

Led by one of the artists this captivating experience, presented by Los Alcazares Tourism and the town hall takes you on a tour of the town’s vibrant art scene. Contact ReservasLosAlcazares@ DestinosDeSol.es for more info.

Outlet fair

DON’T miss out on the Feria Outlet Murcia, taking place at IFEPA in Torre Pacheco from March 15 to 17. Explore a wide range of discounted items, including women’s and men’s clothes, children’s clothes, shoes, homeware, and more, with discounts of up to 80 per cent on designer goods.

Pinocho play

THE Teatro Colegio Salesianos San Juan Bosco Theatre in Cartagena is hosting the popular play ‘Pinocho’ on March 23. For more info about the schedule and ticket prices see entradas360.com.

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Celestial fireball Grace Meredith A DAZZLING fireball streaked across the night sky in the Region of Murcia recently, captivating residents and prompting numerous calls to emergency services. The spectacle was visible from various points across the region. Witnesses in Bullas, the Alberca district in Murcia, and Cartagena reported sightings.

Believed to be a meteorite or bolide, the celestial phenomenon left observers in awe as it gracefully shot

Image: Shutterstock/Triff

Is it a bird, is it a plane?

across the night skies. While eyewitnesses marvelled at the fiery display on Twitter, the space rock’s descent remains unseen.

Cyber attack THE Regional Government of Murcia successfully blocked a cyber attack targeted at its official website. Over the past couple of weeks, six regions in Spain have been dealing with a massive onslaught on their information portals. When the hackers turned to Murcia the government responded swiftly by activating the ‘DOS’ protocol.

As part of this protocol, the decision was made to temporarily suspend the services of the portal to implement a specialised solution against such cyberattacks. Cyber security experts from the General Directorate of Digital Transformation worked diligently to ensure the portal was up and running smoothly and despite the ongoing threat, the website remains accessible and operational.

Highlighting the global geopolitical risks, Javier Martínez Gilabert, the Director General, emphasised the continuous efforts and substantial investments made by the regional government in economic and human resources to safeguard against cyber threats. Notably, the Region of Murcia stands out as one of the leading communities with a dedicated cybersecurity service, recently certified in the national security framework.

This occurrence echoes a similar event a year ago when residents reported a luminous meteorite to the Emergency Coordination

Marvellous Mazarron IN a recent revelation by National Geographic, Mazarrón has earned the prestigious title of a ‘Marvellous Corner of the World.’ Renowned for its archaeological heritage and breathtaking natural surroundings, Mazarron was singled out as an ideal destination.

National Geographic highlights the town’s 35 kilometres of coastline, emphasising its ‘wonderful marine life and gastronomy based on local produce.’ Mazarron boasts the last surviving ‘almadraba’ of the Eastern Spanish coast, an ancient fishing system. The Gredas de Bolnuevo, a testament to the passage of time and sea, is another must-see. This unique landscape, resembling desert dunes in striking yellows, is a Natural Monument of the Region of Murcia, adorned with fossils of crustaceans and molluscs.

Notably, Mazarron has a landscape akin to Mars’s surface with its orange-hued mines. Abandoned machinery and structures from its operational days add to the attraction, making it a preferred location for films, shorts, and even music videos. Discover the Mazarron, lauded

by National Geographic for its rich history and extraordinary landscapes.

Social impact SAN PEDRO DEL PINATAR’s Town Council, led by Mayor Ángela Gaona and Councillor María José Escudero, has allocated €29,700 to support vital charities and associations. Seven local associations were awarded subsidies in fields such as health, disability care, and assistance to patients and families dealing with different health challenges.

The grants, initiated in

2016 by the Department of Citizen Participation, aim to bolster the efforts of local associations in the social and health sectors. Mayor Gaona praised the associations for the importance of their work in aiding individuals during challenging times.

This year’s allocations include €4,075 each for AFA Levante, ASENFIFA, AECC, ALCER SURESTE, AIDEMAR, Red Cross Mar Menor

Centre 112 in Murcia. In that case, a red and green bolide graced the skies over Murcia, Alicante, and Sevilla.

Preceding these incidents, the Calar Alto Astronomical Observatory’s cameras in Almeria captured an asteroidal meteor’s trajectory. Originating from a rock impacting the atmosphere at 69,000 kilometres per hour, it passed through Cordoba, Albacete, and landed in Murcia, showcasing the captivating phenomena gracing Spain’s skies.

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STORIES in this week’s edition

Vintage appeal AGE CONCERN COSTA CALIDA is reaching out to the community for support as they seek donations for their Vintage Shop fundraiser. The organisation is in need of men’s and women’s clothing, shoes, accessories, homeware, linen, bric-abrac, electrical, and small furniture items. No book donations at present.

All donated items will be sold at the Vintage Shop, open Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm, with the proceeds going towards supporting Age Concern Costa Calida’s initiatives.

If you have items to contribute or would like to make a donation, contact them via Facebook or via text/WhatsApp on 634 344 589. Alternatively, donations can be dropped off directly at the Vintage Shop at the Social Centre on 2B Avenida De Los Covachos, Camposol C Sector during its operating hours.

The Euro Weekly News Norte, and AFEMAR. Projects range from improved interventions for neurodegenerative diseases to support for cancer patients in vulnerable situations and initiatives promoting healthy habits.

The town council affirms its commitment to sustaining this funding recognising the positive impact of these subsidies on the well-being of residents in San Pedro del Pinatar and its surroundings.

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• Local News •

22 - 28 February 2024

La Algameca Chica Image: Shutterstock/ 2000_kilometros

Catherine McGeer

IN the heart of legal limbo and the threat of demolition, the self-sustained village of La Algameca Chica on the coast of Cartagena has become the subject of a documentary that will shed light on its centuries-old history. This extraordinary village that seems to float on the sea has survived since the mid-18th century.

The documentary, helmed by the talented Murcian filmmaker Blanca Pérez de Tudela, renowned for her impactful work on the Old Prison of Murcia, aims to provide a realistic and intimate portrayal of the village.

Exploring La Algameca Chica.

Interviews and footage will dive into the historical journey of La Algameca Chica examining its evolution and current precarious situation.

Despite existing in legal ambiguity and facing the constant threat of demolition, La Algameca Chica has

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Dep. Legal V-1882-2002

woven itself into the fabric of Cartagena’s heritage. The documentary will bring its viewers inside village life, and its ‘hut’ like homes, which has been compared to Africa and South America.

The documentary, created through the dedicated efforts of volunteers, family, and friends, seeks financial support to complete its post-production phase through Crowdfunding. In return, backers will enjoy exclusive experiences in La Algameca Chica, ranging from boat trips to authentic village dinners, all contributing to preserving the rich history of this remarkable community.

THE Region of Murcia is at the forefront of a national trend, successfully implementing small and medium photovoltaic plants, facilities designed to convert sunlight into electricity using photovoltaic cells, commonly known as solar cells, funded through social participation. With eight out of the 50 such plants in Spain, over 900 families in Murcia are actively involved in these eco-friendly projects.

Juan María Vázquez, the Minister of Environment, highlighted the positive impact of this mo-

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Solar success del, enabling citizens to financially contribute to and manage photovoltaic plants, making renewable energy accessible to all. These plants not only diversify the region’s energy sources but also reduce dependence on fossil fuels, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and create local employment.

Vázquez emphasised the potential of investing in small photovoltaic businesses to stimulate the local economy, attract in-

WORLD-renowned Spanish athlete Mohamed Katir from Mula in Murcia, holder of the world indoor 3,000m record and the European record for 5,000m, faces a provisional suspension from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) due to three missed doping tests. Katir, the World 5,000m silver medallist and 2022 World 1,500m bronze winner will contest the suspension, stating that he underwent multiple out-of-competition tests without any problems.

Athletes are mandated to report their whereabouts for unannounced testing, and three missed tests within a year trigger a violation.

Katir contends that some reported location

vestments, and empower citizens and businesses to consume and sell excess energy.

The Region currently generates 1,750 MW of clean energy, constituting 33 per cent of the total production, with an additional 4,300 MW in the pipeline. The latest 2.1 MW photovoltaic facility, funded by 100 Murcian families and businesses, contributes to this sustainable energy initiative.

Doping allegations failures occurred despite his availability at the specified place, date, and time.

The Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) expressed its commitment to anti-doping standards and emphasised the importance of fair play and competition integrity. Following the AIU’s notification, Katir’s licence was promptly suspended.

The case underscores the ongoing efforts to maintain the purity of sports and emphasises the significance of upholding anti-doping measures.

Mosquito battle THE Murcia Council has ramped up mosquito control measures across the region due to unusually high seasonal temperatures. The year-round campaign, led by the Department of Social Welfare, Family, and Health, receives additional reinforcement during warmer months. Over recent years, the consistent upward trend in average temperatures has created favourable conditions for mosquito reproduction throughout most of the year. Consequently, local technicians have advanced surveillance and control efforts.

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• Local News •

Water supply Image: Shutterstock/ Carla Isabel A Nascimento

Rocking reservations

Southern Spain collaborate for water supply.

Catherine McGeer IN a strategic move, the Murcia Region, the Valencian Community, and Andalucia are jointly urging the Ministry for Ecological Transition to ensure the collaborative future of the Tajo-Segura water transfer. The three regions in southern Spain are teaming up to make sure they have enough water for the future by asking the government to create rules for sharing water through the Ta-

jo-Segura system. They hope to avoid disagreements as the situation in the Andalucia Region demands swift action.

In the month of February, they will check and decide on rules about how much water can be moved. They are hoping for an agreement across the board. Their appeal includes a request for the creation of an internal technical working group to propose a solution within three months.

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Furthermore, the regions stress the integration of the Tajo-Guadiana transfer into the new rules to safeguard Segura’s water flows. They advocate for objective decision-making based on technical criteria, aiming for legal, hydraulic, economic, and social stability, minimising direct Ministry intervention. They’re asking for clear rules based on facts, so the water levels are stable for everyone in southern Spain.

WITH four and a half months to go until the renowned rock concert Rock Imperium Festival in Cartagena from June 19 to 22, securing accommodation is getting more difficult by the day. Hotels and tourist apartments are already 70 per cent booked marking a significant increase compared to other times of the year in Cartagena.

For those planning to travel to attend the music festival, finding a hotel or tourist apartment without breaking the bank is becoming a daunting task. This unusual situation contrasts with the rest of the year where such high reservation rates are unheard of, even during Se-

THE Region of Murcia is celebrating this week as the National Geographic Traveller magazine has included one of its beaches in the list of the top 25 beaches in Spain.

The selection, published recently in the prestigious magazine dedicated to scientific exploration, history, nature, and culture, analyses the 7,905 kilometres of the Spanish coast to provide a list of the best beaches.

Rubbing shoulders with

mana Santa. Typically, reservations for other periods of the year are made within weeks or even days in advance not months!

The Association of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations of Cartagena reveals that establishments in the city already boast a 70 per cent occupancy rate, and options are dwindling rapidly. Prices for accommodations outside the city range from €550 to €790, with even scarcer availability within Cartagena itself. For those eyeing La Manga and Mar Menor, prices range from €410 to €1,170 for the four nights, adding to the buzz surrounding this year’s Rock Imperium Festival.

Best beach

renowned locations such as Playa de Gulpiyuri (Asturias), Castro de Baroña (Galicia), and Cala Saladeta in Ibiza, National Geographic has chosen a secluded beach in the Region of Murcia. La Carolina Beach, located in Águilas, stands out for its ‘temperate waters’ and its peaceful location. This Mur-

cian gem, part of the ‘Cuatro Calas’ (Four Coves) area, on the border of the region and Almeria Province, is a pristine corner of the Mediterranean, protected within the Natura 2000 Network for its biodiversity.

This is not the first time National Geographic has praised this Murcian haven; in 2022, the magazine highlighted the virtues of the coves in the Cabo Cope and Puntas de Calnegre Regional Park.

• News •

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22 - 28 February 2024

Flags of Spain and the EU.

fe populations.

The Water Framework Directive is a cornerstone of the European Green Deal, seeking to ensure the qualitative and quantitative well-being of European aquatic ecosystems.

It sets out a comprehensive approach to reduce pollution and manage water resources sustainably.

Member states are required to regularly update their river basin management plans, which include measures to ensure the good condition of all water bodies.

The failure of Spain and the other nations to meet their obligations not only risks the health of Europe’s water systems but also demonstrates the challenges in aligning national practices with EU-wide environmental standards.

Photo of Borutta: Facebook / Comune di Borutta

EUROPEAN lawmakers are taking Spain to court along with several other member states for not adhering to EU water directives.

In a significant move, the European Commission has escalated its concerns to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), challenging Spain, among other nations, for not adhering to essential water management directives.

This legal action, which was first announced in February 2023, targets Spain alongside Bulgaria, Ireland, Malta, Portugal, and Slovakia.

These countries have been under scrutiny for not updating their water and flood risk management plans, a critical step mandated by the European Union’s water and flood directives.

The European Commission’s decision to proceed to court stems from the countries’ incomplete submissions related to their hydrological and flood risk management strategies.

Spain, Malta, and Portugal, in particular, have failed to fully report on their third basin hydrological plan and their second flood risk management plan.

These plans are crucial for maintaining the health of Europe’s water bodies, aiming to mitigate pollution and balance the needs of human and wildli-

Credit: Rob Wilson/Shutterstock.com

Spain in court

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BORUTTA: At risk of depopulation.

Green light for energy SILVANO ARRU is 57 years old and for 12 years has been the mayor of Borutta, one of the many villages in Sardinia at risk of depopulation. He has chosen to return to live there with one task: to project the village of his parents into the future.

“Most of our land is destined to depopulate,” he told Today.it, “so we tried to create something that could curb this trend.” The idea is to make Borutta a ‘green’ village. But the story of the small village is also a symbol of the delay Italy is experiencing in the transition to clean energy.

The first idea was to build a wind turbine: “We wanted to produce green energy to sell to (electricity company) Enel and use the proceeds to make residents’ bills zero, but the authorisations took so long that the incentive was lowered and it was no longer viable,” the mayor explained.

They are now focused on photovoltaics and Borutta has installed panels to provide energy self-sufficiency for all public facilities through a smart grid with intelligent sensors that optimise energy distribution and now, the municipality’s

bill is practically zero.

They would like to extend these benefits to residents: the creation of a real energy community, a project that is unfortunately going slowly, grinding its way through the labyrinth of Italian bureaucracy.

And the Sardinian town is not the only one waiting.

The creation of more extensive energy communities got the green light from Brussels at the end of 2023.

But to date, there is still no decree from the Italian Government so many projects, like the one in Borutta, are on hold.

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• News •

22 - 28 February 2024

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Wind over gas Credit: chaiviewfinder/shutterstock.com

CAN Europe turn its back on fossil fuels for good?

The recent surge in renewable energy across the European Union suggests it might just be possible.

In 2023, a ground-breaking report by the energy think tank Ember revealed a significant shift in the EU’s energy landscape.

Fossil fuel generation plummeted, marking a decisive move towards renewables, with wind and solar energy leading the charge.

This change was particularly notable in Spain, which set a precedent by generating more than half of its electricity from renewable sources. In 2023, coal usage dropped by 26 per cent to a record low, accounting for only 12 per cent.

Gas saw its largest annual decrease since at least 1990, falling by 15 per cent. This reduction in fossil fuel use led to a 19 per cent decrease in emissions from the electricity

Credit: One Billion Rising/Petr zewlakk Vrabec

One Billion Rising in Prague.

RENEWABLE ENERGY: Wind turbines.

sector.

Sarah Brown, European programme director at Ember, emphasised, “Coal is on its way out and, as wind and solar grow, gas will be next to go into terminal decline.

“However, this is not the time to rest on its laurels.

The EU needs to focus on rapid deployment of wind, solar and flexibility to create a system free of the risks of fossil fuels.”

Photovoltaic solar energy also saw impressive

growth, with over 5,000 new MW installed.

Despite the overall decrease in electricity demand by 3.4 per cent in 2023, the future looks electric.

The transition to electrification, driven by among other things, heat pumps, and electric vehicles is expected to increase electricity demand. Renewables will need to keep up with this growing demand to meet emission reduction targets.

One Billion Rising John Smith PRAGUE saw a flash demonstration on February 14, as part of a worldwide call to action by the global organisation One Billion Rising which exists to fight gender based violence.

It was launched on Valentine’s Day, 2012 with the intention of alerting the world to the incredible fact that it is believed that one in three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during their lifetime.

So with an estimated seven billion people alive now, this equates to more than one billion, hence the name of the orga-

nisation.

The demonstration also embraces those who are cross or trans gender and are equally vulnerable to attack and the hope is that eventually males in particular will recognise that everyone is entitled to be treated equally and with dignity.

Although this one event took place in Prague on Valentine’s Day, similar events, some with huge gatherings occurred throughout the world especially in countries in Africa and Asia as well as across the European Union where freedom of speech is so much easier to practice.

• News •

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Pelican not golf term Credit: Den Bosch Animal Ambulance

John Smith GOLF appeals to many people, but those out on a golf course in the town of Vught in Holland often dreamed of making a birdie or even an albatross but never a pelican!

They were surprised to see a healthy looking pink-backed pelican take up residence on the golf course in early February and it could be seen that it had a ring around its leg so had clearly escaped from somewhere.

Members of the Den Bosch Animal Ambulance Service confirmed that it had been spotted in different parts of the country prior to its arrival at the golf course and several days were spent trying to lure it with the offer of juicy cuts of fish.

Eventually, they were successful and after snaffling it whilst asleep the pelican calmly allowed them to give it a ride in a golf buggy before it was transferred to a secure site

The pelican at home on the golf course.

for a health check.

Information from the ring on its leg told experts that it had been a resident of Lithuania, lived in a Dutch zoo until 2019 when it was transferred to a Bel-

gian zoo and it was from there that it made its escape several weeks earlier.

Once rested and fed, it was returned across the border to its unnamed Belgian home.

AN elaborately decorated medieval gold ring, likely to be from the 11th or 12th century, has been discovered buried beneath Wawel Castle, the former seat of Poland’s kings in the city of Kraków. It is the only one of its kind ever found on Polish territory reported Notes from Poland.

The ring was discovered during archaeological research in the basement of the Danish Tower, the Wawel Royal Castle has announced.

According to the researchers, the found monument is unique due to its decoration, depicting two faces.

“Wawel Castle constantly surprises us. An extremely rare discovery has recently been made in the form of an early medieval gold ring,” - the Wawel Royal Castle announced on social media on Monday. The relic was found during archaeological research in the basement of the Danish Tower and is dated to the 11th to 12th centuries.

According to a study by

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Lord of the ring Jerzy Trzebinski of the Wawel Royal Castle Archaeology Department, “only a few early medieval gold rings are known from the whole of Poland.

Ornaments of this type were usually completely devoid of ornamentation

or contained geometric ornamentation. The specimen unearthed at Wawel is unique because of its ornamentation. It is the only example where human images are depicted on an early medieval ring from Poland.”

10 22 - 28 February 2024

• European Press •

IRELAND

EUROPRESS

THE Central Statistics Office (CSO) added air fryers, gin and disposable vapes to the basket of items and services used to calculate the annual inflation rate. Landlines, swiss rolls and digital cameras are amongst newly-excluded goods “as they no longer play a significant a role in consumer spending,” the CSO said.

No comment INTEL, which employs 4,600 people in Leixlip and 300 in Shannon, plans to raise at least €1.86 billion to fund a semiconductor factory in Ireland, sources close to the California-based company said. An Intel representative later declined to comment on reports that it was sounding out possible investors.

NORWAY

PORTUGAL

Photo credit: Recirosa Lda

Phased out

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Viral Clio A RENAULT Clio became famous in Portugal for the wrong reasons after it was seen driving on the A28 in Viana do Castelo with its back end entirely destroyed.

Photos of the car went viral although it has finally ended its days at a scrapyard which recently announced that the Clio “can now enjoy a well-deserved rest.”

Fashion riches ACCORDING to the annual estimated wealth and assets assessment compiled and published each year by the US business magazine Forbes, businessman Stefan Persson is Sweden’s richest person. Persson’s $16.87 billion (€15.66 billion) fortune is based on the H & M fashion chain in which he holds a major stake.

Jailhouse blues SWEDEN’S Prison and Probation Service is creating a management team to deal with the increasingly urgent cell shortage.

The service has said that the lack of space means the problem can only get worse and before long it will be difficult to accommodate those on remand and as well as those serving terms.

JOURNEY’S END: Clio at the scrapyard.

ITALY

SWEDEN

FRANCE

DENMARK

Marmite okay

Iraq gift

Fair dues

Cliff breakup

NORWAY’S English-speaking media came to the recue of Marmite recently after Anglican vicar and author Richard Coles claimed that it was banned. Not so, The Local, stated, clarifying that the love-it-hate-it yeast extract spread needs special authorisation in neighbouring Denmark as it is fortified with added vitamins.

ITALY presented Iraq with a replica of the Ninth Century BC, five-metre-tall Bull of Nimrod which Isis terrorists destroyed in 2015 by bulldozing the archaeological site 30 kilometres from Mosul. The statue was recreated by Italian artists who consulted images and video footage to copy the monument using 3D-printing technology.

A FRENCH court ruled that funeral homes must pay royalties for music played during services and ordered OGF, one of the country’s largest funeral companies, to pay €80,000 and €37,000 to two copyright associations. Applauded as ‘a win’ for artists, critics said the measure was “an insensitive money grab.”

A SECTION of the white limestone and chalk Mons Klint cliffs, a popular tourist spot on the island of Mons, broke away on February 13 after a period of prolonged and heavy rain. This was the second incident in the area so far this winter, following a more serious landslide at the beginning of January.

Bumpsadaisy

Call up

That’s rich

Rainy season

AN aircraft bound for Stockholm was slightly damaged after its wingtip hit a fence when leaving the gate at Oslo airport on February 14. Although no-one was injured, this was the third incident in a fortnight after a plane clipped another aircraft’s wing on February 13 and a third collided with the same fence on February 2.

THE European Union should create an army to prevent conflict and oversee peacekeeping missions, declared Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, a former president of the European parliament. Other EU members were less keen with Spain, Denmark, Poland and Slovenia labelling the proposal ‘unrealistic and unnecessary’.

MORE than 50 per cent of France’s 34 government ministers, including the 34-yearold PM Gabriel Attal, are millionaires, researchers found after scouring data made available to the public under transparency laws. A quarter of the ministers also belonged to the one per cent of the population classed as ‘super-rich’.

DENMARK experienced its wettest February in more than 10 years with 59 millimetres falling during the first half of the month. This was 29 per cent more than the usual monthly figure of 50.3 millimetres but lagging behind 2020 when the country’s weather stations recorded an unprecedented 135 millimetres.

FINLAND

GERMANY

BELGIUM

NETHERLANDS

Cashing in

Spy game

Strike-stricken

Mystery wall

SHOPS may no longer refuse cash under recent legislation although Unizo, which represents small and medium-sized businesses, described the decision as “bullying” and attempting to solve a non-existent problem. The legislation is in line with EU regulations and means that business which repeatedly refuse cash can be fined.

THE NETHERLANDS’ Ministry of Defence revealed that Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) discovered hackers working for China had infiltrated a military network in 2023. Advanced Chinese malware used on Fortigate systems from the Californian company, Fortinet, had made this possible.

INLAND’S spate of strikes over the last two months has cost the economy approximately one billion euros, the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) calculated. The latest stoppages affected bus-drivers and petrol station employees on February 14, followed by dockers on February 15 and 17.

INVESTIGATORS from Rostock and Christian-Albrechts universities discovered a one-kilometre section of stone wall off the Mecklenburg-Western Pomeria coast estimated to be more than 10,000 years old.

Built when the area was above sea level and densely wooded, experts believe its purpose was linked to reindeer hunting.

Big Freeze

Wotcher cock

No change

Ocean wave

THE Belgian government told the EU and the G7 that Ukraine’s financial problems could be helped by allowing it to raise funds from private sector lenders by using Russian central bank assets currently frozen by sanctions. Belgium suggested the strategy because most of these assets are held in Europe and G7 countries.

ANIMAL welfare organisations in the Rotterdam area asked the city council to tackle the problem of abandoned poultry after its animal collection service failed to pick up a cockerel abandoned in a hotel room. Police later collected it and took it to Zwerfkip en Zo, which finds homes for abandoned animals.

MOST Finns are satisfied with the country’s alcohol laws, with 57 per cent seeing no reason to change them, although 11 per cent told a recent survey that they would like to see regulations tightened up. Forty-four per cent said they would like to buy wine in shops instead of the state-owned Alko monopoly.

THE next Ocean Race Europe sets sail on August 10, 2025, from Kiel, the finish port of the Volvo Ocean Race 2001-2002 and hosted the 2022-2023 Ocean Race’s penultimate leg. The route will begin in the Baltic, continuing through the North Sea, English Channel and Atlantic before finishing in the Mediterranean.

• News • Wikimedia CC / Tommek

euroweeklynews.com

Moczydlo Park in Warsaw , Poland.

Climate neutrality

THE mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, has set up a Climate Team aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030 and climate neutrality in 2050 - these are Warsaw’s main climate policy goals and also one of the main pillars of the city’s development strategy.

Warsaw wants to set trends in climate action.

The capital is already a member of international organisations active in this field.

The city has also adopted a Climate Change Adapta-

tion Strategy and a Green Vision for Warsaw, ie a roadmap for achieving climate neutrality and the main document setting the directions and objectives of the capital’s climate policy.

It is all about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. One of the actions is further investment in Warsaw Public Transport.

The metro is being successively developed, new tram routes are being built and the rolling stock is also becoming greener.

The city is also inves-

ting heavily in renewable energy sources. There are photovoltaic installations on over 200 municipal buildings. Similar solutions are also being used

by Warsaw’s water supply companies, although the company’s main renewable energy source is biogas produced by sewage sludge fermentation.

In addition, there is the greening of public spaces.

Last year alone, the municipal teams planted around 100,000 trees. Increasingly, vegetation is also replacing concrete pavements.

DESPITE allegedly speaking the language of love, a recent survey has unveiled a shocking downturn in sexual activities in France, especially among the youth.

This revelation came from an Ifop study commissioned by the sex toy brand Lelo and reported by France Inter, which has challenged the longheld belief in France’s legendary romantic culture.

The research highlighted a sharp drop in sexual intimacy among 18 to 24-year-olds.

Twenty-eight per cent of young adults, who have had sexual experiences, reported no sexual intercourse in the past year, a significant rise from 5 per cent in 2006.

The decline is not restricted to the young, in those aged 50 to 59, 35 per cent confessed to a year without sexual activity, up from 10 per cent in 2006.

Across the board, there’s been a 15 per cent fall in sexual activity in the last year compared to 2006, with only 76 per cent of sexually active individuals engaging in intercourse.

The study suggests a growing se-

Credit: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock.com

No sex, we’re French

A couple share a romantic moment.

paration between love and physical intimacy, with over half of adult women and 42 per cent of men open to a non-sexual cohabitation.

The digital era is partly blamed for the reduced intensity in sexual relationships, with online engagements competing for time traditionally spent with partners.

‘Sexual time’ is now rivalling screen time, which satisfies social and sexual needs while diminishing in-person interactions.

22 - 28 February 2024

11

FINANCE Not enough

A SURVEY for the Resolution Foundation think tank found that 11 million people of working age in the UK did not have savings of at least £1,000 (€1,170). Many of the British faced a “triple challenge” of insufficient savings, inability to cope financially with major life events and inadequate pensions, the Foundation said.

Idealista deal

SWEDISH private equity company EQT has engaged Morgan Stanley to sell the Spanish property website, Idealista, four years after acquiring a majority stake.

The company is valued at approximately €2.5 billion, Reuters reported, but the process is still at an early stage with the sale unlikely until the second half of 2023.

On time

AUSTRALIAN company Q-CTRL and UK firm Oxford Quantum Circuits are developing a supercomputer enabling the Department of Transport to overhaul train timetables and ensure that they run punctually. Q-CTRL has also been awarded part of a £15 million (€17.6 million) computing fund to finance its work.

Jobs lost

EIGHTY-FIVE employees will be made redundant at the Coca Cola plants in Madrid and Barcelona, the company’s total staff reductions in Spain is now 100. The company intends to restructure jobs, grouping together all customer services, human resources and business operations in Bulgaria, union officials said.

Aldi ploy

ALDI is spending £550 million to attract more customers, with plans to open 500 stores in town centres and suburbs.

Although the German discounter is the UK’s fourthlargest chain, its market share fell from 10.2 per cent in September 2023 to 9.3 per cent in January this year.

euroweeklynews.com • 22 - 28 February 2024

STAT OF WEEK

€11 billion

destined for Iberdrola’s called-off purchase of US power company PNM Resources will now be invested in the Spanish multinational’s distribution network.

Inflation holds steady

Linda Hall THE UK’s annual inflation rate remained at 4 per cent in January despite rising energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the expected rise failed to materialise, despite Bank of England predictions of a slight increase while City economists polled by Reuters anticipated a climb of 4.2 per cent increase.

Core inflation, which excludes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, remained unchanged at 5.1 per cent, while services’ inflation rose to 6.5 per cent in January, up from 6.4 per cent the previous month.

Photo credit: Rishi Sunak

JANUARY INFLATION: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed latest figures

“I absolutely believe that the economy has turned the corner and we’re now pointing in the right direction,” Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak told business leaders during the first meeting of his 2024 Busi-

Duke sells up HUGH GROSVENOR, Duke of Westminster, plans to sell Spanish assets worth €300 million.

Grosvenor, the Duke’s property company is currently disposing of direct assets throughout Europe, hoping to sell four office blocks in Madrid that include the headquarters of gas supply company Naturgy and the Unicaja bank.

The 33-year-old Duke’s fortune, which the Times Rich List put at £9.878 billion (€11.58 billion) in 2023, makes him the eleventh-richest person in the UK and it wealthiest under-35.

ness Council on February 14.

“Hopefully that’s something that you’re seeing in your businesses, but inflation has been more than halved from 11 per cent down to 4 per cent,”

Some of Britain’s oldest money is based on one of the most important property portfolio in London that boasts exclusive prime sites in Mayfair, Fitzrovia, Covent Garden and Soho.

Grosvenor investments in Spain have ranged from shopping centres to luxury developments, but after marketing its residential investments the group is now focusing on the Madrid buildings.

According to sources quoted in the financial daily Cinco Dias, Grosvenor has wanted to sell the four office blocks

he said.

Last month’s better-than-predicted cost of living news is set to be followed by inflation falling to the government’s 2 per cent target by spring.

January was the first time it dipped to this level since July 2021, after which it rose to 11.1 per cent in October 2022 before beginning a gradual decline.

The latest ONS figures could pave the way for a cut in the current 5.25 per cent interest rate, which has risen 14 times between December 2021 and August 2023.

The hoped-for reduction would help to boost personal spending and, in turn, the economy.

Photo credit: naturgy.com

BUSINESS EXTRA

12

NATURGY: Madrid office block belongs to Duke of Westminster

since 2022 although so far offers have been too low owing to the effect of high interest rates on investments.

Sales of offices have also been affected by the switch to working from home that was introduced during the pandemic.

Shot in the arm

Huge Basf plant

Talking the talk

HEPATITIS B drug Bepirovirsen produced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has been fast-tracked by US regulators and will now reach the market sooner.

The medication “addresses an unmet medical need”, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in yet another boost for the UK-based pharmaceutical giant whose strong results enabled it to upgrade its growth forecast from 5 to 7 per cent in January.

GSK sales rose 5 per cent to £30.3 billion (€35.5 billion) in 2023 with an operating profit that increased by 12 per cent to £8.8 billion (€10.3 billion).

EUROPEAN multinational Basf, the world’s largest chemical producer, will spend €500 million on a car battery recycling plant in Tarragona.

Once completed, the installation will be the biggest of its yet built in Europe to recover nickel, cobalt, lithium, copper and manganese on this scale. It is also expected to provided jobs for 200 people.

Basf has received at least three packages of public money totally €125 million but although the company has not yet disclosed the sums involved, a company spokesperson confirmed to the El Pais newspaper that the future operation was going ahead.

Sources close to the Basf project, who preferred not to remain anonymous, revealed that the project had grown since its inception and that the €500 million investment was likely to be closer to €700 million.

VIRGIN MEDIA O2, owned by Telefonica and Liberty Global, are again in talks with TalkTalk.

The Telefonica subsidiary negotiated in 2022 to acquire Talk Talk in a £3 billion (€3.5 billion) transaction but failed to reach an agreement.

Talk Talk has approximately four million UK customers and 2.4 million fibre connections, and a deal would strengthen Virgin Media 02’s position as a rival to BT, which traditionally dominates the British market.

At the same time, Telefonica faces competition from rivals and insiders commented that a formal offer for Talk Talk would increase pressure on Vodafone, which could launch a counterbid.

Talgo deal A HUNGARIAN consortium confirmed on February 9 that it hopes to take over 100 per cent of Spain’s Talgo.

No agreement has yet been reached, although according to media reports Magyar Vagon would pay €5 per share for the emblematic rolling stock manufacturer.

The Hungarian company admitted that the bid might not be successful although the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) lifted its trading ban on trading Talgo shares on February 12.

Magyar Vagon first needs approval from the Spanish government as well as Talgo’s principal shareholders, Pegaso Transportation (40 per cent) and the Torrblas investment company (5 per cent).

Gove challenge MARKS & SPENCER launched a High Court battle on February 14 against the government’s decision to block plans for its Marble Arch store.

The chain is arguing that “inconsistent” Housing Secretary Michael Gove has “misinterpreted and wrongly applied planning policy” for M&S’s multimillion revamp of the Art Deco landmark.

This entails demolishing and replacing the 1929 building with a 10-storey block “to bring it up to modern standards” while allocating only two and half floors to retail space.

In the meantime, similar projects across the UK have been put on hold as developers await the outcome of the M&S case.

In the bag EXCLUSIVE shoe and bag maker Tod’s is delisting from the Milan stock exchange.

It has agreed a deal to sell a 36 per cent stake to private equity group L Catterton, which is a partnership between another luxury group, France’s LVMH and the family investment group belonging to its founder Bernard Arnault.

Tod’s will receive €43 per share, an 18 per cent premium on the closing price for the company’s shares on February 9 which puts a value of around €512 million on the company.

14 EWN 22 - 28 February 2024

euroweeklynews.com II FINANCE

LONDON - FTSE 100

Closing Prices 19 February

Company

Price(p)

Change(p)

% Chg.

Net

3I Group.....................................2.447,60.............+19,60........... +0,81%......... 249,13K Admiral Group.............................2.574,0................ -7,0..............-0,27%........... 68,79K Airtel Africa.................................. 97,75................. -1,75.............-1,76%............1,02M Anglo American...........................1.820,0...............+53,0............ +3,00%......... 936,32K Antofagasta................................1.745,50.............+56,00........... +3,31%......... 313,15K Ashtead Group............................5.322,0...............+72,0............ +1,37%......... 157,05K Associated British Foods.............2.283,0................ -2,0..............-0,09%.......... 197,43K AstraZeneca................................9.962,0..............+136,0........... +1,38%......... 484,92K Auto Trader Group Plc................ 717,84................+5,64............ +0,79%......... 193,52K Aviva........................................... 431,20................+1,20............ +0,28%......... 839,92K B&M European Value Retail SA... 512,30................+4,50............ +0,89%......... 391,51K BAE Systems..............................1.235,00.............+10,00........... +0,82%......... 887,97K Barclays...................................... 146,62................+3,20............ +2,23%...........8,17M Barratt Developments................. 474,79................ -0,91.............-0,19%............1,24M Beazley........................................ 586,00................+3,00............ +0,52%......... 209,35K Berkeley......................................4.700,0...............+32,0............ +0,69%.......... 24,28K BP............................................... 470,80................+2,05............ +0,44%...........5,80M British American Tobacco...........2.395,0............... -27,0.............-1,11%.......... 936,29K BT Group.................................... 107,40................+1,10............ +1,03%...........5,06M Bunzl...........................................3.191,0...............+10,0............ +0,31%......... 107,51K Burberry Group...........................1.331,0...............+17,0............ +1,29%......... 157,44K Centrica....................................... 140,35................+4,15............ +3,05%...........5,20M Coca Cola HBC AG......................2.455,0...............+15,0............ +0,61%......... 241,65K Compass....................................2.191,00..............+3,00............ +0,14%......... 546,43K ConvaTec Group......................... 243,00................+1,60............ +0,66%......... 723,92K Croda Intl....................................5.048,0...............+24,0............ +0,48%.......... 37,08K DCC.............................................5.696,0...............+38,0............ +0,67%.......... 35,77K Diageo.........................................2.924,5...............+26,5............ +0,91%...........1,68M Diploma.....................................3.386,00.............+54,00........... +1,62%.......... 40,90K DS Smith.................................... 326,94................+4,04............ +1,25%...........1,85M Endeavour Mining......................1.307,00.............+15,00........... +1,16%.......... 54,79K Entain.......................................... 938,43................ -0,37.............-0,04%.......... 251,42K Experian......................................3.381,0...............+26,0............ +0,78%......... 233,37K F&C Invest.................................. 988,95................+4,95............ +0,50%......... 133,94K Flutter Entertainment..................17.065,0.............+195,0........... +1,16%.......... 68,42K Frasers........................................ 836,50................+9,50............ +1,15%.......... 53,84K Fresnillo...................................... 488,60................+9,70............ +2,02%......... 113,61K Glencore...................................... 399,85................+8,85............ +2,26%...........9,17M GSK plc......................................1.662,00.............. -1,00.............-0,06%............1,24M HALEON...................................... 322,70................+2,25............ +0,70%...........2,64M Halma..........................................2.226,8...............+30,8............ +1,40%......... 116,75K Hikma Pharma...........................1.985,50.............. -1,50.............-0,07%........... 46,22K Howden Joinery.......................... 801,40................+1,60............ +0,20%......... 310,51K HSBC.......................................... 633,60................+7,00............ +1,12%...........7,37M IAG.............................................. 146,80................+0,40............ +0,27%...........1,95M IMI PLC......................................1.730,14.............+26,14........... +1,53%......... 102,75K Imperial Brands..........................1.832,50..............+2,00............ +0,11%......... 547,34K Informa....................................... 812,20................+1,20............ +0,15%......... 349,44K InterContinental..........................7.702,0...............+20,0............ +0,26%.......... 48,02K Intermediate Capital...................1.836,00.............+29,00........... +1,61%......... 124,28K

Company

Price(p)

Change(p)

% Chg.

Net

Intertek........................................4.415,0...............+67,0............ +1,54%.......... 35,38K J Sainsbury................................. 253,90................+2,90............ +1,16%...........1,67M JD Sports Fashion....................... 112,00................+2,15............ +1,96%...........1,55M Kingfisher.................................... 227,20................+2,10............ +0,93%......... 982,79K Land Securities........................... 643,60................ -0,60.............-0,09%.......... 183,60K Legal & General.......................... 238,40................+1,00............ +0,42%...........2,16M Lloyds Banking............................ 42,58.................+1,00............ +2,39%..........48,09M London Stock Exchange..............8.852,8............... -51,2.............-0,58%.......... 162,89K M&G........................................... 223,83................+0,83............ +0,37%...........1,07M Marks & Spencer........................ 236,50................+4,80............ +2,07%...........2,05M Melrose Industries...................... 603,80................ -7,00.............-1,15%.......... 543,75K Mondi.........................................1.379,00..............+6,00............ +0,44%......... 145,42K National Grid..............................1.012,08..............+3,08............ +0,31%......... 953,40K NatWest Group........................... 228,30...............+14,00........... +6,53%..........18,91M Next............................................8.434,0...............+34,0............ +0,41%.......... 27,23K Ocado.......................................... 533,80................ -5,20.............-0,97%.......... 399,00K Pearson....................................... 966,00................ -3,00.............-0,31%.......... 271,37K Pershing Square.......................... 48,75.................+0,60............ +1,25%........... 3,74K Persimmon.................................1.427,5................+7,0............. +0,49%......... 129,53K Phoenix....................................... 504,40................+3,20............ +0,64%......... 326,52K Prudential.................................... 834,40...............+26,80........... +3,32%...........1,39M Reckitt Benckiser........................5.702,0.................0,0............... 0,00%.......... 260,57K Relx............................................3.365,00.............+51,00........... +1,54%...........1,17M Rentokil....................................... 419,20................+3,70............ +0,89%...........1,30M Rightmove.................................. 555,20................+5,60............ +1,02%......... 232,23K Rio Tinto PLC..............................5.499,0..............+171,0........... +3,21%......... 655,46K Rolls-Royce Holdings................. 316,90................ -3,10.............-0,97%............3,23M RS PLC....................................... 784,20...............+13,60........... +1,76%......... 243,69K Sage...........................................1.169,50..............+7,00............ +0,60%......... 467,29K Schroders.................................... 407,4..................+3,6............. +0,89%......... 208,34K Scottish Mortgage....................... 801,46...............+12,66........... +1,60%......... 701,00K Segro.......................................... 839,80................+6,40............ +0,77%...........1,08M Severn Trent...............................2.547,0................+4,0............. +0,16%.......... 83,32K Shell............................................2.487,0...............+23,0............ +0,93%...........2,27M Smith & Nephew........................1.114,33..............+5,33............ +0,48%......... 274,29K Smiths Group.............................1.622,16.............+17,16........... +1,07%.......... 81,70K Smurfit Kappa.............................3.236,0...............+36,0............ +1,12%.......... 59,67K Spirax-Sarco Engineering..........10.340,0.............+105,0........... +1,03%.......... 19,02K SSE............................................1.588,50..............+3,00............ +0,19%......... 400,29K St. James’s Place........................ 642,40................+7,40............ +1,17%......... 169,14K Standard Chartered..................... 598,47...............+17,67........... +3,04%......... 911,22K Taylor Wimpey............................ 146,45................+0,75............ +0,52%...........2,49M Tesco.......................................... 277,00................+0,80............ +0,29%...........1,94M Unilever.......................................4.016,0...............+35,0............ +0,88%...........1,03M Unite..........................................1.000,00..............+2,50............ +0,25%......... 151,14K United Utilities............................1.040,50...............0,00.............. 0,00%.......... 199,31K Vodafone Group PLC.................. 66,240............... -0,330............-0,50%...........15,38M Weir Group................................1.842,50.............+41,50........... +2,30%......... 115,23K Whitbread...................................3.510,0...............+27,0............ +0,78%.......... 79,39K WPP............................................ 779,00................+8,80............ +1,14%......... 362,54K

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US See our advert on previous page 0.85558

1.25861

Units per € US dollar (USD)...................................1.0769 Japan yen (JPY)...................................161.83 Switzerland franc (CHF).......................0.9489 Denmark kroner (DKK)........................7.4547 Norway kroner (NOK)..........................11.323 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

Closing Prices 19 February

Company

Price(p)

Change(p)

% Chg.

Net

3M............................................... 92,38.................+1,47............ +1,62%...........3,81M American Express....................... 212,53................+1,63............ +0,77%...........2,57M Amgen........................................ 289,07................+1,25............ +0,43%...........2,90M Apple........................................... 183,86................ -0,29.............-0,16%...........61,94M Boeing......................................... 205,33................+1,95............ +0,96%...........5,03M Caterpillar.................................... 323,07................+6,36............ +2,01%...........2,31M Chevron...................................... 154,46................+5,08............ +3,40%...........8,90M Cisco............................................ 49,06................. -1,22.............-2,43%...........42,16M Coca-Cola..................................... 59,40.................+0,11............ +0,19%..........13,65M Dow............................................. 55,17.................+1,59............ +2,97%...........4,41M Goldman Sachs........................... 385,42................+7,38............ +1,95%...........2,20M Home Depot................................ 361,08................+2,85............ +0,80%...........2,56M Honeywell................................... 197,95................+3,08............ +1,58%...........1,93M IBM............................................. 186,87................+3,30............ +1,80%...........4,71M Intel.............................................. 44,05................. -0,14.............-0,32%...........40,67M J&J............................................. 157,92................+2,18............ +1,40%...........6,78M JPMorgan................................... 179,87................+3,84............ +2,18%...........8,60M McDonald’s................................. 291,86................+3,69............ +1,28%...........2,23M Merck&Co................................... 126,54................+0,72............ +0,57%...........5,67M Microsoft.................................... 406,56................ -2,93.............-0,72%...........21,59M Nike............................................. 106,05................ -0,28.............-0,26%............7,02M Procter&Gamble......................... 157,01................+1,38............ +0,89%...........5,97M Salesforce Inc............................. 291,94................+2,79............ +0,96%...........3,62M The Travelers.............................. 219,02................+2,40............ +1,11%...........1,29M UnitedHealth............................... 520,88................+3,94............ +0,76%...........2,29M Verizon......................................... 40,59.................+0,44............ +1,10%..........10,49M Visa A.......................................... 280,98................+3,42............ +1,23%...........4,82M Walgreens Boots.......................... 22,29.................+0,75............ +3,48%...........8,13M Walmart...................................... 169,29................+0,69............ +0,41%...........5,63M M - Million Dollars

NASDAQ

Closing Prices 19 February

Company

Change Net / %

Volume

Most Advanced Pegasystems Inc..............................................+35.67%.........................3.391M JFrog Ltd..........................................................+28.44%........................10.397M Tomra Systems ASA........................................+27.11%......................... 18,157 Shake Shack Inc...............................................+26.04%.........................6.068M AppLovin Corporation......................................+24.81%........................16.004M Sylvamo Corporation.......................................+24.08%.........................1.024M Alkermes plc....................................................+16.33%..........................5.47M Lyft, Inc............................................................+16.11%........................90.698M BridgeBio Pharma, Inc.....................................+14.14%.........................3.671M Blueprint Medicines Corporation......................+14.02%.........................1.629M M - Million Dollars

Most Declined Fastly, Inc......................................................... -30.59%........................23.522M Twilio Inc......................................................... -15.39%........................19.018M West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.................. -14.08%.........................3.118M PENN Entertainment, Inc.................................. -13.84%.........................20.95M YETI Holdings, Inc........................................... -13.84%.........................6.792M Manchester United plc..................................... -13.40%.........................1.814M Iridium Communications Inc............................ -13.04%.........................3.441M Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.......................... -10.19%.........................5.427M Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc.......................... -8.13%.........................96.155M KOSÉ Corporation............................................. -7.94%.......................... 80,691 Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc................................ -7.72%..........................2.812M M - Million Dollars

FINANCE II euroweeklynews.com It’s a gas

BRITISH GAS 2023’s operating profits soared from £75 million (€87.7 million) in 2022 to £751 million (€878.2 million).

Centrica, British Gas’s parent company, explained that changes to gas and electricity regulator Ofgem’s energy price cap allowed them to compensate for costs sustained during the pandemic and by taking on the customers of failed competitors.

Ideal site

POWERCO’S €3 billion gigafactory in Sagunto (Valencia), which will produce an annual 500,000 batteries for electric vehicles that are produced at Volkwagen’s (VW) Martorell and Pamplamo plants, will use desalinated sea water. It was Sagunto’s coastal location that made it perfect for the new factory, the VW subsidiary explained.

Romantasy pays LONDON-LISTED Bloomsbury Publishing upgraded its revenue and profit forecasts amid growing demand for “romantasy” novels.

The London-listed company expects a full-year revenue of £291.4 million (€341.1 million) and pre-tax profits of £37.2 million (€43.5 million) compared with £264.1 million (€309.1 million) and £25.4 million (€29.7 million) in 2023.

Shares have also risen by a record 11.5 per cent.

Photo credit: sarahjmaas.com

BUSINESS EXTRA

22 - 28 February 2024

BEST SELLER: Sarah J Maas boosted Bloomsbury Publishing’s revenue

Out of service INFRASTRUCTURE development company ACS is selling its services subsidiary Clece.

The company hopes to raise €700 million from the sale and concentrate on its construction and concessions business.

Analysts said that ACS is following in the footsteps of competitors and returning to its origins by divesting itself of its services companies.

Ferrovial, for instance, sold Infrastructure Services to Madrid-based Portobello Capital in 2021 and its Environmental Services company to PreZero that same year. In 2019 its Australian services business went to the Ventia Services Group and a UK subsidiary, Amey, was sold to One Equity Partners, in 2022.

Sacyr, in 2023, sold Valoriza Services to Morgan Stanley for €734 million.

Bloomsbury, which publishes the Harry Potter books

by JK Rowling who is now worth more than £1 billion (€117 billion, has enjoyed buoyant sales since the pandemic lockdowns re-awoke an interest in reading.

The company is now profiting from a growing taste for romantasy - a combination of romance and fantasy - whose authors include Samantha Shannon and Cixin although Sarah J Maas is arguably Bloomsbury’s leading provider of the genre.

Her latest book, which was released at the end of January 2024, has reached the Number One spot in the UK, the US and Australia.

Bloomsbury’s chief executive Nigel Newton has described Ms Maas, as a “publishing phenomenon”, who has produced 15 books and is under contract to provide a further six. “We are very fortunate to have signed her up with her first book 13 years ago,” Newton said.

EWN 15

Inflation up SPAIN’S inflation rose from 3.1 per cent in December 2023 to 3.4 per cent in January after IVA added-value tax on electricity rose from 5 to 10 per cent as the government phases out concessions for small consumers. If fuel prices had not dropped slightly, January’s inflation would have been still higher, the National Statistics Institute (INS) said.

Fallen icon THE BODY SHOP, acquired by private equity group Aurelius in November 2023, went into administration on February 13, endangering the future of 100 of its 200 shops and putting more than 2,000 jobs at risk. Trading will continue during the process, according to the administrators who said they were considering “all options” for the former high street favourite.

• Feature/News •

Back to flower power LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT IT’S all too much ennit? I wanna go back to flower power, the overwhelming presence of peace and love; a blissful time, when our young lives were spiritedly enlightened by wispy joints, a cheap bottle of wine and the occasional ‘upper’.

The nearest you ever got to politics was the sporadic glimpse of an amicable politician, enjoying a bottle of bubbly and surrounded by young beauties in a popular local club. No chance. I’ve just been listening to youngsters presenting their news programme on TV. Young, ill-informed lives who have been totally brainwashed by the left, virtually appearing to blame Israel for every move against the Palestinians and completely ignoring Hamas, a terrorist organisation who actually began this present conflict by killing and beheading the young and elderly Israelis as they were relaxing in the comfort of their own homes. On it all goes.

Even the 50s and 60s gangsters kept problems within their own environments. Not anymore. World leaders have changed all that. Putin is of course your classic gangster. He is undoubtedly an ego maniac. He is surrounded by thugs, hit men, bent politicians and ‘financial advisers’.

He rubs out or ‘subdues’ any opposition as a warning to others, runs a money laundering operation on a gigantic scale and, although it appears to be waning, most of the general public within his domain still consider him a hero. You don’t get more classic than that. Of course, that is where the resemblance ends. He makes the Capone Gotti’s and mafia dons of this world look like pussies. Throughout all this dangerous and worrying era we can however all console ourselves with one fact; Putin won’t attack the West, nuclear or otherwise.

Why would he? He still earns most of his ill-gotten gains from the West.

He’s not involved in skullduggery from a view of patriotism or communistic ideals. He’s in it for the power and the money. Despite its opposition, taking out the UK would be like

Al Capone destroying Chicago. He definitely doesn’t want to obliterate a future golden egg of our magnitude.

I do however still consider a nuclear war could be a possibility. I truly believe that the world is closer than it has ever been, even during the Cuban missile crisis. At least in those days the USA and the USSR pulled just about all the strings. Both of these powers were fairly stable and had reasonably sane leaders. Now they are all at it. And a number are nowhere near predictable or, in my opinion, particularly sane. Kim Jong Un with North Korea, run by a man boy who thinks he’s playing video games.

Iran, ruled by a paranoid regime who believe that the more you take with you the more virgins you get in the afterlife. China, who peer at the world through ever more narrowing eyes. And the two bill toppers, a megalomaniac who assassinates his political rivals and another who should be put out to graze. Peace and love to y’all out there? Some chance.

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.

euroweeklynews.com

Brussels smallest house WHAT is believed to be the smallest house in Brussels has been put up for sale at an asking price of €195,000.

Having an internal dimension of just 60 square metres, it still manages to offer two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and shower room but even the agent agrees that it needs modernisation.

They try to put a positive spin on this unusual property which is sandwiched in between two other larger houses by stating on their website “A unique property that is ideal for anyone that is looking for originality, charm and something that is exceptional”.

At just 2.15 metres wide, the door takes up much of the frontage and it is clear that it has been

Credit: Trevi Estate Agents

16 22 - 28 February 2024

The front of number 242, Brussels’ smallest house.

built on to at the back and into the roof as some of the rooms are much larger than might initially be expected from first sight of the exterior although it does supposedly have a landscaped garden.

Although it is in a much sought after and expensive area, the agents admit that there have only been four viewings so far but with typical estate agent’s bravado suggest that it would be an ideal purchase for an architect who could prove how skilful they were in making the most of limited space.

• NEWS •

euroweeklynews.com

22 - 28 February 2024

Job satisfaction Credit: chrisdorney/Shutterstock.com

Frozen pensions IS it fair that numerous British expatriates have had their state pension payments frozen based on the country they have relocated to? This could affect half a million UK expats.

A debate about UK residents living abroad, highlighted a policy that impacts those who retire in certain countries, like Canada and New Zealand, by freezing their pension payments at the rate they were when they left the UK. Recently, the UK Pensions Minister Paul Maynard addressed MPs, confirming the government’s decision to maintain the status quo.

An estimated 500,000 senior Britons are denied the full state pension benefits they would have received had they remained in the UK or retired in countries that are eligible for pension increases.

Roberts argued, “Following our withdrawal from the EU, we are rightly able to move closer with our partners in the Commonwealth and one of the ways we can do that would be to confirm that all

Department for Work and Pensions home page.

British citizens that live in the Commonwealth should be entitled to the appropriate uprating of their state pension as if they were still in the UK. “Will the minister meet with me to discuss the practicalities of making that happen and restore some much-needed common sense to a needlessly complicated situation?

“According to the latest estimate, based on data from March 2022,

17

uprating the state pension where we do not currently do so would cost about £0.9 billion a year if all UK state pensions in payment were increased to current UK levels.’

The issue has garnered public support, leading to the initiation of a parliamentary petition by Robert Lloyd Crutchlow, which reads: “We believe the freezing of UK citizens pensioners is discriminatory, unjust and immoral.”

WHICH European city offers its staff the highest level of job satisfaction?

The European Commission recently released its Report on the Quality of Life in European Cities, revealing the top 10 cities in Europe with the highest job satisfaction rates.

Topping the list is Rostock, Germany, with an impressive 85 per cent job satisfaction rate. Luxembourg City and Reykjavik, Iceland, closely follow, both boasting an 84 per cent satisfaction rate.

Other cities making the top 10 include Geneva, Switzerland; Dortmund, Germany; Berlin, Germany; Zurich, Switzerland; Aalborg, Denmark; Malmo, Sweden; and Hamburg, Germany.

These cities scored between 82 and 81 per cent in job satisfaction.

The survey highlights that larger and capital cities generally offer more job opportunities and better pay, which contributes to residents’ overall well-being and attractiveness to job see-

kers.

About 74 per cent of employed respondents expressed satisfaction with their jobs.

While cities in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, Czechia, and Slovakia reported higher satisfaction levels, cities in Greece, Italy, Hungary, and Spain reported lower levels.

Interestingly, there were minimal differences in satisfaction levels between capital and non-capital cities within countries, except for Italy and Turkey, which showed significant intra-country variations.

Overall, satisfaction levels remained relatively stable from 2019 to 2023, with minor fluctuations observed.

Some cities saw improvements in job satisfaction, while others experienced declines.

Notably, Heraklion, Greece, scored the lowest at 54 per cent, followed by Athens, Greece; Skopje, North Macedonia; Belgrade, Serbia; and Podgorica, Montenegro.

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20 22 - 28 February 2024

• Feature •

euroweeklynews.com

• News Across The Regions • Costa del Sol Cudeca needs help

Costa Blanca South Simply soaring

CUDECA fell some €120,000 short of the target it had set itself during its Sunflower Movement campaign. The charity needed to raise €250,000 to be able to continue funding its two home help teams, but with the funds raised it only has enough to maintain one.

After three months of campaigning, it has managed to raise almost €130,000 with donations from public institutions, entities, partners and individual donors, to whom the NGO is grateful. These funds will enable a team to care for some 200 people in their homes and offer support and help to carers, estimated at 400 people.

Although the Movimiento Girasol fundraising campaign has ended, Cudeca is keeping different avenues open to continue raising funds. For information visit the website: movimientogirasol.org.

IN a recent announcement, the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport set new records with a total of 958,088 passengers and 6,468 flights.

This marks a 20.5 per cent increase in passengers and an 18.8 per cent increase in flights compared to January 2023.

The growth is driven by international travellers, accounting for 805,602 passengers, up 22.1 per cent from the previous year.

The recovery of the British market in the airport area and its great connectivity with 20 airports in the United Kingdom, as well as the good performance of other international destinations during the winter months, have made it possible to reach this volume of travellers.

Among international travellers, the UK led with 287,555 passengers, followed by the Netherlands (77,631), Belgium (63,598), Poland (61,901), and Germany (56,392).

Axarquia Award-winning care

Costa Blanca North Shattering records

IN a groundbreaking achievement, the ‘Unidad de Día Pediátrica CUDECA’ (CUDECA’s Paediatric Day Unit) project has been honoured with the Rada Nadal Foundation Award in Health and Well-being. This recognition celebrates the project’s commitment to providing non-medicalised care to children facing incurable diseases.

The Paediatric Day Unit, an initiative

by CUDECA, stands out for its innovative approach to paediatric care, offering compassionate support to young patients and their families. The Rada Nadal Foundation’s acknowledgement underscores the significance of initiatives dedicated to enhancing the well-being of those dealing with challenging health conditions.

With gratitude, CUDECA extends heartfelt thanks to the Rada Nadal Foundation for championing initiatives like theirs that make a positive impact on the lives of children.

ACCORDING to data released mid February by the Valencian government, in 2023, the Community saw a record number of international tourists.

Figures show nearly 10.5 million visitors and spending reaching €12.6 billion.

The British market remained the top source of tourists, contributing 24.8 per cent of foreign visitors, totalling over 2.5 million tourists.

The data from surveys conducted by INE highlight significant increases in tourism from France and Germany, with 27.6 per cent and 18.7 per cent growth, respectively.

Nuria Montes, Tourism councillor, emphasised the importance of these figures, underscoring the Valencian Community’s standing as an international tourist destination. The government will further promote the region in 2024, with over 150 promotional activities in 20 markets.

Mallorca Tomorrow’s champions

Almeria Rare egg stolen

THE Consell de Mallorca’s 11th Serra de Tramuntana Children’s Race Circuit kicked off at Raixa on Saturday, February 17.

The races, designed for children, youths, and adults, saw about 250 participants taking part, with distances ranging from 150 metres for the youngest runners to 4,500 metres for adults.

This year’s events will extend to 10 municipalities, including three new locations at Esporles, Estellencs, and Pollenca, all have been designed to showcase the beauty of Mallorca’s landscapes.

Llorenc Galmes, president of the Council of Mallorca, emphasised sport as ‘an essential tool to learn about the values that have made the Serra de Tramuntana World Heritage, as well as promoting noble causes such as camaraderie, respect, and healthy habits’.

THE very first egg laid by the female of the incredibly rare pair of red-necked ostrich was stolen from the zoological reserve at the MiniHollywood Oasys in Tabernas on Sunday February 18.

Now extinct in the wild only 40 male and less than 38 female red-necked ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus) are known to exist on the entire planet and all are part of a Captive Breeding Conservation programme in zoos around the world.

The arrival of the first egg was considered a triumph when the female, named Carlota laid the egg but within a matter of hours it had disappeared, presumably removed by a member of the public who must have jumped into their enclosure and made off with the egg.

• Feature/ News •

euroweeklynews.com

Powerful passport Anna Ellis SPAIN has taken the crown as the world’s most powerful passport, surpassing Singapore, according to a new index released by VisaGuide.

World.

This marks a departure from the Henley Passport Index, where Singapore held the top spot previously.

In VisaGuide.World’s index, Japan is the only non-European country in the top 20, securing the 15th position.

The top ranks are dominated by European nations, with Germany following Spain in third place, followed by Italy, France, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Czechia, Portugal, Hungary, and Luxembourg.

Austria ranks 16th, with Switzerland, Belgium, Ireland, and Poland completing the top 20.

Both the Henley Passport Index and VisaGuide.World’s Passport Index assess the number of destinations passport holders can access wi-

Image: JJFarq / Shutterstock.com.

Spain has taken the passport crown.

thout a visa. While Henley’s ranking is yet to be released, VisaGuide.World considers various factors beyond visa-free access to create a ‘destination significance score’ for each country.

This score takes into account entry policy, GDP, global power, and tourism development. Visa-free access to countries with a higher destination significance score earns more points in the index.

As of December 2023, Spanish passport holders can travel to 160 countries and territories without a visa.

While Singaporean passport

holders enjoy access to 164 countries, Spain’s points are bolstered by its ability to visit numerous places with just an ID card under the European Union. Though Singapore grants visa-free access to 15 countries not accessible to Spain, the reverse is also true for Spain, which has visa-free entry to 11 countries and territories not available to Singapore. While Germany shares visa-free access to the same 160 countries as Spain, Spain benefits from visa-on-arrival facilities in Papua New Guinea and Togo, which Germany does not have.

INTERVIEW

The climate is best BORN in Krefeld, Germany, Wilma Fone has lived across the globe, including Jordan, England and the United States. But having moved to Spain 20 years ago, Wilma finds it is Spain she wants to stay in: ¨I absolutely love it here and I wouldn’t like to be anywhere else.”

WILMA had initially moved to Moning to life in Spain was easy: “I don’t raira and then to Calpe, find myself really missing having bought some anything. I understand property with her and can speak the family. It is here basics of Spanish. she decided When I have to to spend her go to offices or retirement, do paperwork, having enjopeople are very yed the Spanice to me. As nish culture long as you and nature. try, it is easy to “Spain’s climac o m m u n i c at e te is the best! I and get things love the people done here.” here and the reEven though laxed way of life,” Wilma learns the says Wilma. language from her Her daily life reSpanish friends, she Wilma Fone. mains vibrant and busy: explained that she is “I take care of my garden, I swim in surrounded by people of all nationathe pool and go out for meals with my lities: “I have English and European friends. Here in Spain, I’m just living friends: quite a lot of nationalities. and enjoying it.”

Even when I look at my family, it’s Wilma revealed that the transitiovery international and I love that.”

22 - 28 February 2024

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PETS

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THE veterinary field is experiencing a significant evolution with the increased incorporation of specialists into clinics and hospitals, fundamentally enhancing pet care.

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• Sport •

24 22 - 28 February 2024

Rugby’s meteoric rise IS rugby in Spain on the cusp of a transformation?

The Royal Spanish Rugby Federation (RFER) has announced a record budget for 2024, signifying a pivotal moment for the sport’s history in Spain.

The president of RFER, Juan Carlos Martin Sanchez Hansen, recently unveiled a budget exceeding €11.5 million for the year 2024.

This announcement was made from the federation’s headquarters, marking a substantial increase from €5.4 million in August 2022.

The federation credits its remarkable growth to a strategic focus on enhancing revenues from sponsorships, event organisation, and contributions from the Higher Sports Council (CSD) and World Rugby.

As a result, sponsorship and related revenues have seen a 21 per cent increase, with expectations of further growth.

‘With the generation of these new income, the

RFER has invested in creating an operational structure with more people, new processes and an organisational culture that has made this Federation capable of aspiring to grow as an organisation at the service of Spanish rugby,’ the federation highlighted.

This financial injection has enabled better preparation for national teams, a significant increase in training days, and the introduction of new teams, including the Women’s M20 and Emerging 7 women’s teams, alongside three Iberians teams.

The RFER’s ambitious budget reflects a strategic vision aimed at not just financial growth, but also at nurturing the sport’s development and accessibility in Spain.

By reallocating resources and focusing on strategic growth areas, the federation is paving the way for a more vibrant and sustainable rugby ecosystem in Spain.

euroweeklynews.com

Ferrari F1 car unveiled FERRARI has become the latest team to launch their 2024 F1 car, with the covers being pulled off the SF-24.

After teasing fans with footage of their new challenger being fired up for the first time at Maranello recently, the car has now been revealed to the world ahead of the upcoming season.

The SF-24 is the 70th single-seater built by Ferrari to take part in the 75th Formula 1 championship. Above all, it is the first studied, designed and built entirely under the management of Frederic

Vasseur, who inherited Mattia Binotto’s job a year ago.

It is a car that follows the 2023 Ferrari however, the team say it is a radically different car, with most of the secrets under the bodywork.

The aim is to improve balance, reduce tyre wear, and above all increase the drivability, which had been one of the problems the drivers had been struggling with.

“Ferrari is my life, I love this team and I will do

The new car has now been revealed.

€23 million fine

Tiger and Nike split Credit: Ian Peter Morton/Shutterstock.com

ONE of Spanish football’s most famous names has been order to pay €23 million by the National Court.

The National Court has recently upheld a hefty £23 million fine against FC Barcelona for tax evasion, involving payments to players’ agents from 2012 to 2015.

The fine, confirmed in 2020 by the Central Economic Administrative Court (TEAC), relates to the Personal Income Tax that the club failed to pay.

This decision was made following a detailed review by the National Court, which found the club guilty of ‘tax simulation’ to gain unfair tax advantages.

The court revealed that FC Barcelona engaged in elaborate schemes to avoid taxes. They were found to be compensating agents for non-existent services, effectively diverting part of the payment to the players.

This allowed the club to benefit from a more favourable tax treatment than that which should have applied to the actual tran-

everything to make them win the World Championship.

Seeing the new single-seater is always a unique feeling after all the work done during the year,” said Charles Leclerc.

Carlos Sainz said: “Mine is not a normal situation to start the season, but the moment I put the helmet on I only feel the desire to go as fast as possible. Seeing the SF-24 is very special.”

The public had already gathered from early morning on the Fiorano bridge, waiting for the new red car to be christened on the track but the real test will be on March 2 in the first of the 24 Grand Prix of the 2024 Formula 1 championship.

FC Barcelona stadium.

sactions. ‘That is, to enjoy tax advantages that do not correspond to the actual operation carried out,’ the ruling stated.

The investigation concluded that the payments made to agents were, in fact, for the benefit of the players, rather than for services to the club.

Despite FC Barcelona’s claims, the court found that the agents were acting in the interests of the players, not the club.

‘The Inspection reaches the conclusion that the relationship established between FC Barcelona and the agents only serves to cover the payments made by the club to the players,’ the ruling added.

This ruling sends a clear message about the consequences of tax evasion in football, as FC Barcelona faces the financial and reputational fallout of their actions.

AFTER a long and lucrative 27-year partnership, Tiger Woods and Nike went their separate ways earlier this year.

A new chapter has opened up for the champion golfer as he and sports giant Nike concluded their long-standing collaboration worth a staggering $500 million, on January 8.

Tiger Woods is now embarking on a fresh venture by introducing his own clothing line, Sun Day Red, in collaboration with TaylorMade, a brand known for its golf equipment expertise.

The upcoming Sun Day Red brand is set to cater to men, women, and children alike. Although the launch date for the first collection remains under wraps, the brand’s website teases ‘Coming May 01.’

Golf enthusiasts will soon witness the 15time Major champion adorned in attire distinctly different from his iconic red Nike shirt.

But what exactly is the significance behind the new name? TaylorMade CEO David Abeles told the New York Times; ‘Sunday red is the colour that Mr Woods has made very famous on Sundays.’

Since their first collaboration in 1996, Tiger Woods and Nike have been synonymous, starting with a $40 million deal.

Their partnership saw several renewals. In 2000, Woods renewed his deal with Nike for $85 million, making it the largest golf sponsorship deal at the time.