Mallorca 24-30 August 2023 Issue 1990

Issue No. 1990 24 - 30 August 2023

CALVIA City Council will demand from Mallorca Council that the objects found in the Puig de sa Morisca excavations be returned to the municipality.

FREE • GRATIS

Historic request Turtle watch HELICOPTERS FACE FINE

THE COFIB consortium for fauna seeks volunteers to oversee the turtle nest at Cala Millor beach. Their role involves monitoring the nest during the hatching period, from Monday, August 28 to Friday, September 15. Out of 82 eggs laid on Friday, July 7, 10 were relocated to an incubator to ensure successful hatching. To achieve 24­hour surveillance, shifts will be organised, with procedures detailed and volunteers available for public inquiries.

This volunteer initiative mirrors the one implemented for the nest at Can Pere Antoni beach in Palma.

The Puig de sa Morisca enclave is the largest park in the municipality with an area of 45 hectares that accommodates an abundant archaeological landscape where the main site dates to the Iron Age, approximately 900 to 123 BC.

“We are about to open, we hope in a few months, as soon as possible. Both the museum and the Puig de Sa Morisca area are largely unknown to Calvia residents. We are working on an agreement with the council of Mallorca to bring to the municipality the archaeological objects that will be available to residents and tourists,” said the mayor, Juan Antonio Amengual

Around 260 pieces have been selected for the permanent exhibition.

Jo Pugh

THE Guardia Civil has reported a total of four private helicopter pilots for landing their aircraft in an unauthorised manner on a private estate in Mallorca.

The Guardia Civil reported that the Pegaso team (the police specialists in aeronautical management and operational safety of aircraft) has reported to the State Aeronautical Safety Agency (AESA), four helicopter pilots for not respecting the rules set by the Agency regarding the landing of this type of aircraft.

The events took place on August 10, when four pri ­

vate helicopters, flying the Swiss flag, landed on a private property in the municipality of Ses Salines, in Mallorca.

The officers of the Pegaso team observed that the pilots had breached the regulations regarding operational safety, given the existence of cables and nearby houses, and had not communicated

to the competent authority the fact of being in an affected aeronautical area, as less than eight kilometres away was the Ses Salines aerodrome, an authorised landing area for this type of aircraft with a corresponding flight plan.

The company that owns the helicopters faces penalties that can reach €225,000.

Prospective volunteers should be at least 18 years old and can express their interest by emailing tortugues.cofib@gmail.com. Volunteers will be insured and receive t­shirts.

PRIVATE HELICOPTERS: Landed on a private estate without permission.

Archaeological finds.

Credit: Calvia town hall

Safer Calvia Huge fines for balconing

CALVIA Town Hall has reported that five foreign tourists, whose nationalities have not been specified, faced substantial fines this summer due to their involvement in the dangerous practice known as ‘balconing’.

These incidents took place within establishments located in the tourist destination of Magalluf.

Each of the five individuals involved has been fined €36,000.

They were also banned from their respective hotels.

The sanctions were en ­

DANGEROUS PRACTICE: Fines were issued of €36,000.

forced in accordance with the regulations set by the tourism of excesses law, which is also embedded within the Calvia municipal ordinance.

Juan Feliu, the directorgeneral of the town hall, responsible for offences and

ANIMALISTS have requested the suspension of the ‘Festa del Cavall’ in Ses Salines “to guarantee the well­being of the horses, given the waves of extreme heat that are scorching the island of Mallorca”. The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 26, in the Plaza de Sant Bartomeu.

In a letter sent to the mayor Joan Rodríguez, the National Association for the Protection and Well­being of Animals (ANPBA) said “In August 2023, temperatures that exceed records are being

sanctions, emphasised the significant impact of the penalties.

He remarked, “The fines carry a powerful deterrent effect against such dangerous behaviour.

Balconing is categorically

unacceptable within our municipality, as it poses an irresponsible practice that could potentially lead to severe and even fatal injuries.”

Feliu has further underscored the town hall’s unwavering commitment to zero tolerance concerning anti­social behaviour and excessive risk­taking.

Calvia has experienced a year without any reported fatalities related to balconing, which is attributed in part to the vigilant efforts of the new mayor, Juan Antonio Amengual.

Call to stop horse fiesta

reached in the Balearic Islands, all aggravated by the lengthening heatwaves”. For this reason, ANPBA explained, “It seems evident that, in the aforementioned extreme weather conditions, the ‘Festa del Cavall’ could subject the horses to states of unpredictable physical suffering and emotional stress, which could seriously compromise their wellbeing, remembering the risks and possi­

ble damages that are latent in the ‘horse/high temperatures’ equation, especially if they are subjected to a festive/sporting activity of a certain intensity.”

ANPBA said that, in the specific case of the horses participating, they should not be exposed to potential risks and possible damage to their physical and mental health.

AN offensive by the Local Police of Calvia against thefts on the town’s beaches is underway. Uniformed and plain­clothes officers have arrested 25 people accused of theft during the current tourist season.

These were men and women of various nationalities. One of the latest cases is that of the arrest of two women of Romanian nationality for theft on beaches by the officers of the civilian unit. Cash and stolen objects valued at around €1,500 were confiscated.

The head of the Local Po­

lice of Calvia, Esther Ribas, assured that “putting an end to thefts on the beaches is one of our priorities. Thefts represent a direct attack on the tourist and resident who wants to enjoy a day at the beach and who sees how those who act carelessly benefit from their time off. In our goal of consolidating Calvia as a safe leisure destination, there is no tolerance for theft. The men and women of the Local Police will not allow thieves to act with impunity in the municipality. They must know that they will be persecuted here.”

LOCAL POLICE: Arrested 25 people accused of theft.

Credit: X/Federació Balear de Balconing

Credit: Calvia town hall

Sticky situation

“ THERE’S blood flowing out of a car boot,” reported a passer­by on Sunday August 20, during a call to the Local Police in Alcudia. Arriving at the car, the incident turned out to be more harmless than imagined. A stranger had smeared raspberry jam on the car.

Trotting along

THE National Police reported on Monday, August 21, the discovery of a donkey walking through the streets of Son Banya. The officers then requested the presence of animal collection workers from Son Reus, who found that the animal had no microchip, so it was taken to their premises.

Missing man

A SEARCH is ongoing for a 44­year­old man who disappeared in Palma on August 4. According to information published, the missing person’s name is Ángel Hernández Hernández, he is 1.7 metres tall and has a slim complexion. He has short black hair and brown eyes.

New police

THREE new officers of the Local Police of Calvia took up their positions on Monday, August 20. The officers were received by the constable Juan Antonio Amengual and the first lieutenant of constable Esperanza Catalá and were accompanied by the head of the Local Police, Esther Ribas.

Super yachts

ACCORDING to Boat International, the highest volume of sea traffic in the past five years has been observed so far this year in the Mediterranean. There were 1,570 yachts above 24 metres (qualifying as superyachts) cruising past the beautiful coastline during the month of July alone.

STRANGE posters appeared at beaches in Manacor on Friday, August 11. Different messages in English indicated that bathing was not permitted or recommended. One warned of ‘dangerous jellyfish’. There were also messages in Catalan, which contradicted the English posters saying there was no danger.

Keep out

Manacor Caterva is a group comprising organisations and individuals who campaign against tourist overcrowding. In a press release, it stressed that the danger was one of “mass tourism”. The posters, the group added, were tinged with “humour”. Critical of ‘the tourist

Four minute showers

overcrowding that Mallorca suffers’, the messages were very clear ­ “the coves of the Balearic Islands have been expropriated by tourism”.

“The usurpation of the coves is just one more expression of how capitalism uses an economic activity such as tourism, takes it to the extreme and freely dries up the land and extracts the maximum surplus value from the workers. There are guilty parties and it is necessary to name them,” said Manacor Caterva.

Scooters removed

Jo Pugh

YOUR EWN HAS

58

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Yacht fire

TWELVE passengers and five crew scrambled to abandon ship as flames engulfed a yacht anchored off a Balearic island on Saturday, August 12.

A HOTEL chain in Mallorca, Barceló, is now promoting the saving of water. They would like their guests to spend a maximum of four minutes in the shower.

To this end, Barceló has created the Spotify playlist ‘Song

4 Showering’. The list includes 30 songs by Spanish and international artists, each of which is supposed to last four minutes, although some tracks fall just short of this target, so it’s perfectly acceptable to add a few seconds.

When it comes to the length of the shower, the Barceló Hotel Group roughly follows the recommendation of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is a maximum of five minutes.

Guests can access the playlist by scanning the QR code with their mobile phone, which was created for the campaign, and is available in the showers of all the chain’s hotels in Spain, provided they have a Spotify user account.

CALVIA Local Police has withdrawn two electric scooters from the company Superpedestrian Spain for operating without an activity licence in Palma Nova. The company had announced its expansion to tourist areas such as Calvia and Alcudia.

The two personal mobility vehicles (VMP), rented to customers through a mobile application, were confiscated for carrying out an activity without a licence in the public domain.

Superpedestrian’s director of policies and commercial develop ­

Parents compensated

IB­SALUT must compensate the parents of a deceased newborn due to a delay in her birth, the Superior Court of Justice of the Balearic Islands has ruled. The court agreed with the parents’ claim of medical negligence during childbirth. The couple, who lost their only child, will receive €90,961 in compensation, plus interest.

The pregnant woman entered a Palma public hospital in early labour with evident signs. Though initially admitted with normal fetal heartbeats, her condition worsened during her 16­hour stay. Medical protocols weren’t followed de­

spite alarming symptoms, including abnormal heart rate and stained amniotic fluid. The woman’s temperature spiked, and after an extensive and difficult labour, the baby girl was born showing signs of distress and meconium presence.

The newborn’s serious condition led to a transfer to another hospital’s operating theatre, but despite efforts, she suffered severe neonatal asphyxia. Despite a subsequent transfer to a specialised hospital, she succumbed to her delayed birth and passed away several days later.

ment in southern Europe and Turkey, Manuel Ortiz Lázaro had said they were studying their expansion from Palma to other urban areas with a high influx of tourists.

Days later, the Superpedestrian Link App already indicated the parking spots enabled in Magaluf, Torrenova, Son Matias and Palma Nova .

Friday, August 11 was the first day that the company put electric scooters into service in Calvia. On Saturday, its mobile application showed a total of nine of the 11 VMPs available to its customers on the app.

The 90 foot Spanish designed super­yacht, named as the Irmao, was at Es Cavall d’en Borras beach in Formentera.

Only one of the crew members, a 39­year­old Spaniard, suffered minor burns and needed hospital treatment, the regional emergency response coordinators said.

Flames could be seen spreading throughout the yacht in just a matter of minutes, turning it into a fireball.

It was not immediately clear if the people on board were tourists who had chartered the yacht or guests of the owner. Their nationalities have also not yet been made public.

The alarm was sounded around 6pm on Saturday, with Spanish coastguards sent to the scene.

The yacht was towed further out to sea where the fire was put out.

MASS TOURISM: One of the strange posters.

Credit: Twitter/Manacor Caterva

SING-ALONG: Listen to the Spotify playlist while in the shower.

Credit: PublicDomainPictures/Pixabay

Solar thinking

ONE of the projects of the new Ministry of Business, Employment and Energy will be to promote the implementation of photovoltaic energy in the business parks of the Balearic Islands, with the granting of the corresponding economic aid, according to the head of the ministry, Alejandro Sáenz.

“In Son Castelló and Can Valero, if we cover all the roofs, we have the capacity to generate 70 megawatts, and we have 53 industrial estates in the Balearic Islands,” he said.

The minister added that “there is a great opportunity to cover the roofs of the warehouses and remove the polyurethane, of which there is still a lot in the estates.”

This last factor is key, as “there are businessmen who do not install solar panels because it is not recommended to install it on polyurethane,” said Sáenz.

“If we can make a vertical axis, with the removal of the polyurethane, create thermal insulation, and place photovoltaic panels on top, we are facing a very challenging problem.”

To do this, he said that “the calls for grants have to be comfortable and easy to comply with.”

ON Friday August 18, Jaime Martínez Llabrés, the mayor of Palma, introduced the ongoing Strategic Plan for waste management and cleanliness in Palma.

The plan augments regular services, focusing on five core areas:

An initial intensive plan, encompassing heightened watering, daily bin emptying, container cleaning, weeding, and addressing critical cleanliness areas. It also boosts cleaning services for Platja de Palma, along with extraordinary social housing cleaning in Camp Redó.

Increased resources, with 50 additional operators to ensure plan effectiveness without disrupting existing daily work. Thirteen environmental controllers will discourage uncivil behaviour, while security cameras and drones maintain vigilance.

Cleaner Palma

Easier payments

ON Monday, August 21, the Balearic Islands Tax Agency (ATIB) website enabled the payment of local and regional taxes through Bizum, provided the amount owed is below €1,500.

A comprehensive approach involving municipal sectors like Infrastructure, Health, Security, Civics, Participation, and Mobility.

Five fundamental services: graffiti removal, pressurised street cleaning, road grass clearing, abandoned car retrieval, and bulky waste management.

Neighbourhood­specific actions will complement regular efforts. Beginning in

September, this approach will target Pere Garau and subsequently cycle through the city’s nine sectors. The plan anticipates performing special cleanings at least twice yearly in each sector.

Martínez reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the city and the necessity of improving cleanliness, stating that “this Strategic Plan is the first step towards achieving our set objectives.”

Air Berlin purchased

SIX years after the airline went bankrupt, the ‘Air Berlin’ brand name has been sold to an aviation operator. The buyer is Sundair founder Marcos Rossello , as insolvency administrator Lucas Flöther confirmed on Tuesday, August 15. The website ‘Aerotelegraph’ reported and named a purchase price of €120,190.

Air Berlin went bankrupt in 2017 and was the second

largest German airline at the time. Due to the numerous connections to Mallorca from many German cities, even in the off­season, the airline on the island was given the nickname ‘MallorcaShuttle’.

There has now been a bidding process for the trademark rights. A spokesman for Flöther made it clear that the rights would have to remain us ­

able for the purposes of insolvency administration until the end of the proceedings. This was the reason for the late sale.

It was initially unclear whether Rossello would bring the well­known brand back to the sky. He told the ‘Aerotelegraph’ that he had some ideas. However, it is unlikely that he will use the name for the Sundair he founded.

This method of payment complements the existing options available for online payments, such as electronic banking with affiliated institutions or credit/debit card transactions.

For those opting to use Bizum, the process involves entering their mobile number and selecting this payment method. The payment gateway of their respective bank will then open to authenticate and authorise the transaction. Upon completion, users can access and download the relevant payment receipt.

Regarding regional taxes, the ATIB web portal registered a total of 580,123 transactions in 2022, out of which 499,809 were for sums below €1,500, constituting 86 per cent of the total.

21,000 Black taxis in London.

CHALLENGING: Covering all the roofs with solar panels.

JAIME MARTÍNEZ: Introduced the ongoing Strategic Plan.

Credit: Palma City Council

Coastal clean up

Jo Pugh COASTAL cleaning boats have collected more than 8,600 kilos of waste along the coasts of the Balearic Islands during the month of July, a figure that exceeds the amount recovered in the same period in June by almost three tonnes.

In total, 8,641.36 kilos of waste have been recovered in the Balearic Islands, which translates into a daily average of 278.75 kilos of waste, according to the Regional Ministry of the Sea and

Water Cycle. This cleanup campaign is being carried out thanks to the work of the 22 beach and

World Water Week

coastal boats contracted for this task.

By islands, 5,836 kilograms of rubbish were collected in Mallorca in July, 1,383 kilos in Menorca, 1,129 in Ibiza and 290 kilos in Formentera.

Plastic was once again the most recovered material on the islands, 44.88 per cent, followed by wood, 34.57 per cent, and other waste such as wheels or chairs, 8.22 per cent.

In Mallorca, this included the removal of a turtle and a dead dolphin.

Asbestos dumped

THE Local Police of Palma have reported the discovery of an illegal asbestos dump in the area of La Real­Son Espases. As reported on their official Twitter account, it is “a substance that is extremely harmful to health and the environment. Emaya will safely remove it.” Asbestos is characterised by its extreme toxicity and its impact on the health of people and pets, as well as wildlife. Some illegal

dumps are usually caused by the improper removal of this construction material during renovation works or demolition of old homes.

This material is made up of minerals such as iron and magnesium silicate that crystallise into fibre forms that can be carried into the lungs by inhalation. If they are not expelled, it can cause illness and even death.

THE Ministry of the Sea and the Water Cycle has asked “to take concrete measures to conserve and use water responsibly” during the World Water Week, which is being celebrated this week.

This year’s commemoration is carried out under the slogan ‘Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Wise World in the Use of Water’, and throughout the week the institution has taken the opportunity to remember “the importance of conserving and using responsibly this vital resource in the Balearic Islands”.

In a press release, the Ministry explained that each time a person opens the tap, they access a ‘precious and scarce’ resource.

“This World Water Week provides the opportunity to reflect on the shared responsibility in the preservation of this essential good, for which reason an appeal

is made to raise awareness among the local population, tourists who visit the archipelago and all those involved in water management,” stated the department, which is headed by

Juan Manuel Lafuente.

“Every gesture counts in the joint mission of guaranteeing a sustainable and prosperous future for the Balearic Islands,” they added.

Coastal boats were used.

Credit:

Apartment rental scam

AN apartment renting scam is currently happening in a residential complex near the Gesa building, east of Palma’s old town.

The building in question is on the corner of Carrer

Joan Maragall and Carrer

Joan Alcover, four of the apartments are advertised online as holiday rentals. The block of flats is elevated above the sea, and the view of the bay of Palma is fantastic.

About 30 holidaymakers, most of them foreigners, have gone to the building with their suitcases in the past few days, believing they had rented one of the apart ­

Jo Pugh

ments for their holiday. Having already paid part or all of the rent, they faced the actual owners and the certainty that they had been scammed.

“It’s unbelievable what's happening to us here,” said Toni López, the chairman of the flatsharing community. In addition to holidaymakers, there were also families who assumed they had paid the deposit for a long ­ term rental. “A few days ago, a group of young people arrived. When they realized they had been scammed, they kicked our door,” López lamented. The Guardia Civil are investigating.

THE Balearic Islands was the community that welcomed the most international passengers in July (2,463,225), with 23.8 per cent of the national total and 5.8 per cent more with respect to the same month of the previous year.

In addition, taking into account destination airports, the one in Palma received 1,786,206 international passengers in July and the one in Ibiza up to

Jo Pugh ONE of the great musical classics, Hakuna Matata, will be shown at the auditorium in Palma. Mufasa the lion rules over all animals as their king along with his wife Sarabi. The birth of his son and heir, Simba, resents Mufasa’s brother, Scar, who longs to become the new lion king.

Time passes and the cub is instructed by his father about the responsibilities he will have when he becomes the new sovereign.

Meanwhile, Scar, along with the hyenas, hatches a sinister plan to get rid of his relatives and seize the throne. After causing Mufasa’s death, he tricks Simba into leaving the kingdom.

Following his escape, he is rescued by Timon and Pumbaa, who protect him until he

Hakuna Matata

Train strike

THE Soller Train strike continues after there was no agreement between workers and the Soller Railway company, which resumed this Monday the negotiation that began last Friday at the Balearic Islands Court of Arbitration and Mediation (Tamib).

is an adult lion. One fine day, Simba’s fate crosses his path again, causing him to return home to recover the throne that Scar has taken from him.

Children under three years old do not pay admission, but

Internationally renowned

478,880. So far this year, they have received 6,438,603 and 1,447,140, respectively.

The data was published on Monday, August 21 by

cannot occupy a seat.

The musical is still on Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27. All performances commence at 6pm. Tickets are €20 and available from Palma auditorium.

Turespaña, which revealed, at a national level, that Spain received 53.49 million passengers from international airports up to July, which is 21.6 per cent more than those registered in the same period of 2022. In addition, almost 60 per cent came to Spain on low­cost airlines.

In July, passengers from international airports who arrived in the country were close to 10.3 million, 11.5 per cent more than in the same month of 2022.

The CCOO coordinator of Mallorca Railway Services, Miguel Àngel Vadel said that it has been the company that has broken the negotiation ‘unilaterally’ and that ‘it has not wanted to touch anything’ on issues of rail safety, temporality and working conditions.

As a consequence of not having reached an agreement, the strike scheduled by the workers will take place next week on Tuesday August 29, Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31, as well as from Thursday, September 7 to Saturday, September 9.

During the negotiations it was determined that 75 per cent of the minimum services will be offered, so there will be three services from Palma and three from Sóller, when the usual number is four from each of the points.

As for the services contracted by tour operators, they will all be cancelled on the days of the strikes because they belong to the private sector.

THE LION KING: Showing at Palma auditorium.

Credit: Ian Lindsay/Pixabay

What to do in a Wildfire

Jo Pugh

WILDFIRES are now a reality, and can strike at any moment. From a lightning strike, a discarded bottle or a lit cigarette carelessly thrown from a window, a raging fire can be alight and spread in a matter of moments. Preparation is key.

As catastrophic wildfires continue to increase each year, make sure to protect yourself and your familyplan, prepare and stay aware. This is where the crucial Evacuation Pack comes into play. Designed by Jill Leonard of the Wildfire Watch App, this advice is essential reading. Keep a copy of this article somewhere safe.

Contents of your evacpack

1. Emergency food and water. Snacks, baby essentials, bottles of water and pet food.

2.Photos. Put memory sticks of photos in the pack.

3. Papers. Put all your ID and all important papers in the evac­pack.

4. Medicines. Don’t forget to take your medications with you. Don’t forget the ones that have to be refrigerated like insulin. If you have spare medication put them in the evac­pack.

5. Money. The evacpack is where you would keep an emergency amount of money. You may not be able to use an

ATM in the event of a power outage.

6. Petrol or Diesel. If you can make sure your car always has half a tank of fuel. Evacuation routes could be bumper to bumper traffic.

Having a tank at least half filled will keep you less stressed.

7. Address and phone book. If you don’t have the important addresses/ phone numbers stored on your phone then use an address book and keep it in your evac­pack.

8. Chargers. Keep them

handy to throw in the evac ­ pack at the last minute! Chargers for phones, tablets, laptops etc. Buy a powerbank.

9. Emergency clothes. According to the weather conditions put a change of clothes in the evac­pack.

10. An old calendar. Handy to have stashed then you won’t forget those important dates.

11. Personal protection for ladies. Ladies do have ‘that time of the month’! Be sure and pack a spare box of your preferred protection.

12. Battery powered radio. Worth considering. Tune it into a local radio station which you know is likely to have emergency bulletins.

13. Photos or videos of your house and contents. Insurance companies are asking for proof of your belongings and the contents of your property when they are processing a claim.

14. Patience: This is one of the most important things to pack. Keep it inside of you so that you have a clear, calm head.

If your phone is on Payas ­ you ­ go, make sure it is topped up.

Finally, make sure you have somewhere to take your pets or farm animals.

WILDFIRES: Make sure you protect your family - plan, prepare and stay aware.

FOOD PRICE RISES:

Are groceries cheaper in Spain or the UK?

As food inflation in Spain increased by half a per cent in July and fell over 2 per cent in the UK, we ask: Are Spanish supermarkets still cheaper than their British equivalents?

INFLATION rates in the last year have been running rampant globally, but it has been the eye­watering increases to food prices that have regularly hit news headlines across Europe. The UK’s Office for National Statistics have reported that food inflation decreased by over 2 per cent in July; by comparison, Spain’s National Statistics Institute revealed that inflation on food rose by 0.5 per cent in July to 10.83 per cent. What often gets missed in the headlines is that all a decrease in the inflation rate means is that food is still increasing in cost, just not as quickly as previously.

Most expats living in Spain will relay glowing tales of how much cheaper it is to eat out than the European country they hail from; the low average cost of a drink and a tapa is a particular favourite to get family and friends back in the home country bubbling with envy and idly considering making the move themselves.

The received wisdom amongst Northern European expats is that supermarket shopping in Spain is also significantly cheaper, but is that actually true? We created a Euro Weekly News grocery basket and took to the price comparison sites to find out. The results may just shock you.

all countries (eg Lidl) and differences in produce seasonality, brands, package sizes and temporary discounts all add to the complexity. We created a basket of 22 items commonly bought by expats and used online price checkers on August 20, 2023 to find the cheapest non­discounted version of each item in five of the most popular supermarkets in Spain and the UK:

● Apples ­ 1kg

● Onions ­ 1kg

● Potatoes ­ 1kg

● Iceberg Lettuce (Whole)

● Semi­Skimmed Milk ­ 1L

● Butter ­ 250g

● Cheddar Cheese (Mature) ­ 300g

● Dozen Eggs

● Medium Whole Chicken

● Mince Beef ­ 500g

● Instant Coffee ­ 200g

● Whole Oats ­ 500g

● Large Sliced Loaf

● Olive Oil ­ 1L

● Tuna in Oil ­ 360g

● Mayonnaise ­ 500g

● Tomato Ketchup ­ 500g

● Long Grain Rice ­ 1kg

● Spaghetti (Dried) ­ 1kg

● Toilet Rolls ­ Six Pack

kets in the UK and this is despite the Spanish government dropping VAT on many of the items in our list at the start of 2023, whilst the UK government have taken no measures to halt price hikes

● The most expensive supermarket basket overall was from French owned Carrefour.

France was highlighted by the BBC in June as having the highest food prices out of a comparison study of five European countries and the price of food there is, on average, 11 per cent higher than in other EU countries.

● The difference in price between the cheapest and most expensive food basket was a staggering €23.85.

● The average price of the food basket was €53.67, over €10 more expensive than the cheapest from Aldi UK.

The ranking in full:

1. Aldi ­ UK €43.12 (£36.87)

2. Tesco ­ UK €50.02 (£42.76)

3. Sainsburys ­ UK €51.64 (£44.16)

4. Asda ­ UK €52.09 (£44.45)

5. Aldi ­ ES €53.11

6. Morrisons ­ UK €53.63 ( £45.86)

7. Mercadona ­ ES €54.29

8. Consum ­ ES €54.75

9. Dia ­ ES €57.10

10. Carrefour ­ ES €66.97

Food Basket in both Spain and the UK was courtesy of Aldi, the German discount store, BUT this win has a twist because whilst the Spanish Aldi basket was €53.11 its British counterpart came in nearly €10 cheaper at €43.12 (£36.87) making Aldi UK the cheapest supermarket overall in our price check.

Is the cost of food in the supermarkets starting to bite for you?

We’d love to hear your comments and any tips and tricks you have to keep food costs down.

Unsurprisingly, comparing the prices of food across supermarkets and across different countries is a painstaking task. Not all popular supermarkets have price catalogues online in

Digging in to the results highlights a few surprises and busts a few myths:

● The four cheapest food baskets were all from supermar­

• Is Grocery Shopping Cheaper in Spain?

• The EWN Grocery Basket

Comparing the prices of food.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Down-and-out

LONDON’S increasingly tawdry Oxford Street could become a blueprint for Britain’s high streets, warned the Retail Sector Council. Richard Pennycook, the council’s vice­chairman and former Co­op chief executive, said towns and cities could become ‘wastelands’ owing to lack of investment incentives for retailers.

Sort it out

BARCELONA­based Picvisa specialises in sorting and classification technologies which use artificial intelligence, artificial vision and optical sorters. The company has now developed a ‘deep learning’ machine that sorts different types of rubbish and detritus while identifying the discarded objects and even their make.

Right royal

THE Spanish Royal Household’s bank balance increased to €6.05 million in 2022, rising from €5.78 million in 2021, thanks to having made savings of €273,643. The Crown received €8.431 million last year, €4.02 million of which has been spent on personnel, the Household’s biggest outlay.

Branching out

AGNELLI, Ferrari and Stellantis’ largest shareholder, acquired a 15 per cent stake in under­pressure Philips which has had to recall millions of faulty sleep apnoea machines. The £2 billion (€2.33 billion) deal also enables Agnelli to increase its stake by up to 20 per cent and possibly take a seat on the Philips’ board.

No biggie

BRITISH companies are progressively more downbeat about the benefits of postBrexit free trade deals, according to a Department for Business and Trade survey. More than 3,000 companies revealed that 58 per cent of firms now believe that the deals will not have a positive impact, the department found.

STAT OF WEEK €25 billion

in overseas trade for Spain’s 170 pharmaceutical companies which overtook the car industry as the country’s principal export sector in 2022, boosted by sales of Covid-19 vaccines.

Issas move Higher interest rates looming

Linda Hall

SALARIES increased more than predicted in June, fuelled by a one­off payout to NHS employees.

In consequence, the Bank of England is once again under pressure to raise interest rates owing to the higher wages.

Raised borrowing costs are on the cards, even though the UK jobs market indicated that employers were letting staff go as economic activity began to slow down.

Redundancies increased and unemployment rose by 0.3 of a percentage point to 4.2 per cent in the second quarter, the Office

for National Statistic (ONS), announced.

At the same time, pay increased at its fastest since records began, the ONS said. It grew by 7.8 per cent during the second quarter of this year, exceeding predictions and comfortably above the previous record

TESLA SPAIN’S sales rose 55 per cent last year, bringing a net profit of €2.64 million, 52.6 per cent more than in 2021.

The company is a subsidiary of Dutchregistered Tesla Motors Tesla Motors Netherlands BV, which in turn depends on Elon Musk’s parent company based in Delaware in the US.

Last year Tesla Spain distributed 4,607 vehicles, a 44.5 per cent increase on 2021 according to accounts submitted to the Registro Mercantil, equivalent to Companies House in the UK.

The increase was the result of the Spain’s expanding market for electric vehicles, assisted by government subsidies for non­polluting vehicles.

The company explained that energy costs had risen and some raw materials

VAT spat

JEWELLERY brand Pandora was the latest retailer to call for VAT­free shopping for UK visitors.

Rasmus Brix, general manager for the UK and Ireland, said the firm was one of many that were missing out since PM Rishi Sunak jettisoned the tax break in 2021.

Around 350 businesses now back the Daily Mail’s Scrap the Tourist Tax campaign, prompting Brix to agree with the newspaper that getting rid of the tax would “significantly boost” the retail sector and the economy.

“This would help to offset some of the disruption we’re seeing as a result of the weather, cost­of­living and ongoing train strikes,” he said.

of 7.3 per cent.

The unanticipated increase encouraged traders to give 84 per cent odds that the Bank of England would announce a further interest rate rise of a quarter of a percentage point to 5.5 per cent next month. Others spoke of a

16 per cent likelihood of a bigger, half­point hike to 5.75 per cent.

Interest rates are forecast to reach a 6 per cent peak next February, higher than the 5.75 per cent that was foreseen before Tuesday’s labour market report was released.

Responding to fears that pay increases would generate a wage­price spiral, the UK’s prime minister Rishi Sunak declared that bringing down inflation was his “number one priority”.

There was “light at the end of the tunnel” in the cost­of­living crisis, the PM insisted.

Positive charge for Tesla

Sales of Model 3 fell by 4 per cent, but still accounted for 59 per cent of the total with 2,736 vehicles. In contrast, Model Y sales rose by 464 per cent to 1,828 vehicles, with Model S and Model X responsible for just 1 per cent.

So far in 2023, Tesla Spain has sold 2,048 cars, 45.35 per cent more than during the same period in 2022.

THE billionaire owners of Asda and the EG Group of petrol stations are selling off US convenience stores to settle billions of pounds of debt.

Brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa sold 63 EG Group­owned shops in Kentucky and Tennessee to the Casey’s General Stores chain for an undisclosed amount.

News of the US sales coincided with Moody’s warning on August 15 that Asda, which the Issas bought for £6.8 billion (€7.93 billion) in 2021, was under intense pressure owing to competition in the grocery industry.

EG Group’s debts stood at $9.67 billion (€8.96 billion) by late 2022, company accounts showed.

Wrong calls

were now more expensive owing to the Ukraine war. The impact of the conflict on its finances depended on “future events which could not be predicted with accuracy,” sources added.

Banks want interest

THE Spanish government dismantled the failed Castor underwater gas storage plant off Vinaros (Castellon) in 2019.

The controversial plans were abandoned after the installation caused 4.1 earthquakes and tremors that were felt on land for weeks. In October 2020, the National High Court in Madrid ruled that Santander, CaixaBank and Bankia (subsequently merged with CaixaBank) were entitled to €1.35 billion compensation.

The ruling excluded interest, which the banks immediately decided to fight for, a battle they have not yet won. The National High Court recently threw out Santander and CaixaBank’s appeals against an earlier ruling that rejected their separate claims for interest which amounted to €100.12 million between them.

It is not yet known whether the banks intend to appeal against the latest ruling or intend to continue taking legal action.

Turnover reached €229.2 million, 51 per cent more than last year while income from services rose almost fourfold to 244.6 per cent to €112 million. The company paid €894,087 in corporation tax last year, compared with €595,590 in 2021.

Making hay

SPANISH hay as well as wheat and other grains has been hit by drought.

Hay is one of Spain’s lesserknown exports, although producers habitually supply markets in North Africa, the Persian Gulf, Taiwan and Japan.

This season they face problems in supplying their traditional clients owing to high prices and lack of supplies, said the owner of Nual, a company in Arenillas de Muño (Burgos).

Another producer, Europaja, estimated that not only would it have difficulty in meeting its export orders, but imports would increase with hay fetching €12 a kilo at source and fodder costing 40 cents a kilo.

NATWEST was ranked Britain’s worst bank for repaying fraud victims. Recently hit by the debanking scandal, NatWest rejected more than 5,000 fraud compensation claims since 2020, according to the Telegraph. Approximately 3,300 NatWest resolutions were later overturned by the Financial Ombudsman Service, with the bank making the wrong decision in 54.4 per cent of cases.

Santander, which erroneously rejected 53.6 per cent of customers’ claims, was ranked second­worst. It was followed by HSBC, which the Ombudsman Service considered had wrongly rejected 53 per cent of fraud victims’ requests for compensation.

Basques in US

US president Joe Biden visited the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) plant of Basque­headquartered Ingeteam on August 16.

Biden was received by Alex Belaustegui, Corporate Development director of the firm which specialises in energy conversion. It has now produced more than 4,000 generators for the wind­energy sector and supplied four gigawatts of solar and energy storage inverters for the US market.

Contracts for an additional 1.1 gigawatts for the same sector are in the execution stage and scheduled to be installed by end of the 2004’s first quarter.

INTEREST RATES: Bank of England expected to announce hike in September.

ELON MUSK: Founder of Tesla, whose Spanish profits are on the increase.

Photo credit: CC/James Mitchell

Photo credit: CC/Steve Jurvetson

DOW JONES

Soft loans

GIBRALTAR’S Minister for Business, Vijay Daryanani announced the launch of the Gibraltar Enterprise Scheme, an initiative providing soft bank loans for startups and existing small businesses operating for less than three years. Participating banks are Trusted Novus Bank and Gibraltar International Bank, and the scheme will be fully guaranteed by the Gibraltar government.

New role

OSCAR­WINNING compos­

er Hans Zimmer, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of the Working Title film company have purchased the BBC’s Maida Vale studio for £10.5 million (€12.28 million). The new owners intend to convert the building, which has hosted famous stars from the Beatles to David Bowie and Adele, into a school for aspiring musicians.

Malhotra steps down

HARVEY NICHOLS’ chief executive Manju Malhotra is not leaving due to an alleged dispute with the store’s shareholder as extensively reported by the media.

“The Group would like to reiterate that this is incorrect,” a Harvey Nichols spokesperson told the Euro Weekly News on Tuesday August 15.

“The departure is on amicable terms with Manju working her notice period to ensure a smooth transition. “It is also incorrect that

Harvey Nichols is owned by Dickson Concepts, which is

Spain down under

A SUBSIDIARY of Spanish engineering and infrastructure company ACS won a six­year

AU$500 million (€300 million) contract with Australia’s Department of Defence.

UGL, now part of ACS’s CIMIC Group, will provide services covering strategic advice, supply management, operations, and maintenance for the Australian Defence Force’s fuel network.

The Spanish parent company announced

recently that UGL has secured five further contracts worth AU$600 million (€370 million) with Australian energy and mining firms. These include constructing two additional processing trains for US company, Albemarle, at its Kemerton lithium hydroxide plant. This will enable Albemarle to increase lithium production to an annual 100,000 metric tons, facilitating the manufacture of an estimated 2.4 million electric vehicles each year.

Digi does it

a listed company in Hong Kong. Harvey Nichols is owned by Sir Dickson Poon in his private capacity,” the statement continued.

“Any investment made in Harvey Nichols in recent years is from Sir Dickson Poon in a private capacity, and not Dickson Concepts.”

Having joined Harvey Nichols in 1998 as a newlyqualified chartered accountant, Manju Malhotra held several roles prior to becoming Group Finance Director in 2010.

She was promoted to the role of co ­ chief Operating Officer in 2018, with joint responsibility for leading the business before promotion to chief executive in January 2020.

“I have had the most amazing 25 years at Harvey Nichols,” she said. “I have been fortunate to work with many wonderfully talented people and partners both in the UK and internationally.”

DIGI, the Spanish subsidiary of the Romaniabased telecoms operator, reported revenues of €299.7 million during the first half of this year, 30.9 per cent more than during the same period in 2022. The low ­ cost company now has 5.7 million clients, 1.4 million of whom moved to the company over the past year, an increase of 33 per cent.

Back on track

MARKS & SPENCER could reenter the FTSE 100 after its market capitalisation surpassed £4.3 billion (€5.028 billion) as shares soared to a 19month high. Thanks to providing England’s Lionesses with their non­ sports uniform, plus increased holiday wear, homeware and food sales, M&S’s April­ August turnover has grown by 6 per cent when compared with the same period last year.

HARVEY NICHOLS: London’s iconic and luxurious department store.

Photo credit: CC/Jordi Ferrer

An absolutely brilliant service

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

THOUGHT I’d scribe events by way of a change this week. In truth this last year has been a bit of a medical nightmare. Some months ago I experienced a fall while walking de dawg, which resulted in a brain bleed. I then broke a leg in the garden.

Shortly after, I received a marvellous (Bionic Man!) heart pacemaker. The final disaster found me tripping over on a dodgy terrace, which resulted in a broken shoulder. (Ooh ooh the pain).

Worry not; the ol boy isn’t looking for sympathy, I just need to state loudly and clearly, that throughout the whole sequence of events, the Spanish hospital and medical staff have been absolutely brilliant.

Personally I have had no experience of services on the Spanish mainland, but can categorically assure everyone that on this beautiful island of Mallorca, the whole National Health Organisation is first class.

Emergency staff, doctors, nurses and (as we speak) physio workers,

plus the speed of the appointments simply can’t be faulted. I would like to thank every single one of them for the care and treatment I have received and am still experiencing. Thank the Lord I didn’t go through it all in the UK.

I can imagine even the very waiting periods would have been horrendous. In their endeavours to keep the whole British nation on a knife edge before the next election, I have no doubt the NH unions, in solid league with the Labour party, are fully delighted to see medical staff packing the streets with derogatory placards; while the long suffering patients experience fully extended periods of suffering, cementing a determination to vote against the conservative party next year.

Ninety nine per cent of the staff in the Balearics are Spanish national locals and you can literally feel the bond this creates throughout the whole organisation.

Absolutely nothing like the attitudes and often sheer chaos that ensues throughout the UK system of immigrant workers and racial or political disharmo­

ny.

One colleague of mine informed me that many of the main floor workers are so low in intellect they have to move them to different departments, because to actually fire them would result in an uproar of racism accusations. Heaven help the lot of ‘em.

And thank the lord for heaven consistently helping the wonderful health workers of Spain.

This now remarkably fit 84­year­old ex­patient will be forever in your debt. In this week’s final note, let’s just hope that the result of the horrific case of UK nurse Lucy Letby also ensues in sackings and resignations from responsible health workers, staff and police who should have detected something amiss far earlier.

And make certain that this maniac baby killer doesn’t finish up being mollycoddled in some cosy country institution.

Thanks for all your letters. I can’t reply to them all, but believe me I read every one.

Keep the faith

Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com expatradioscotland.com Mon. and Fri. 1pm till 4 Leapy

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is no question

FOOTBALL FREEDOM OUR VIEW

that women’s football has really come of age and the international interest just keeps growing.

With our links with England and our base in Spain, it was very appropriate that the final should have been contested between eventual winners Spain and England.

Unless you are a dyed in the wool supporter of either team, the outcome wasn’t really that important, with the way in which the women’s version of the sport has grown in stature so quickly being more significant.

Certainly, the USA was for years the home of women’s football with large numbers of young women taking up the sport in college, perhaps because it isn’t as physically demanding as American Football and it can lay claim to being the true ‘beautiful game’.

It took much longer to take off in Europe and it wasn’t that long ago that FC Barcelona

were being called out for booking the men’s team in business class and the women’s team on the same flight in economy.

England winning the European Trophy certainly helped promote the popularity and TV programmes such as Dorking ‘Til I Die which relates the role of Calum Best as Chairman of Dorking Wanderers FC Ladies helped to spotlight the growth on the women’s game in England.

Now that the new professional season has started again, expect to see larger crowds at women’s matches, but it will still take a long time for female players to have the same astronomic price tags as their male counterparts.

What is positive however is that there has been another area where the role of women in today’s society has seen the glass ceiling at least cracked if not shattered.

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What do you think about this?

READERS will know that every week, Euro Weekly News publishes a column written by Leapy Lee who has a reputation for being outspoken and on some occasions his personal views cause division amongst our readers.

We have received just two letters disagreeing with his observations in his article ‘A Diverse Dilemma’ but feel it both appropriate and fair that we publish these missives (although one is slightly edited) so that readers can form their own opinion.

Please feel free to let us know your feelings on Leapy’s articles via info@euroweek lynews.com.

Freedom of speech

I read ‘A Diverse Dilemma’ by Leapy Lee 10 – 16 Aug edition, and was a little baffled about the issue that was being addressed.

While I may concede that there may be an issue with BAME actors playing a historical figure like Henry VIII, I don’t see what the issue is with adverts showing multicultural families. After all, we live in a multicultural society. What do you mean, “It smells like leftie missions to normalise racial relationships…” Are you suggesting that mixed race relationships are not normal and should be verboten? If so, where do you draw the line?

Lee then jumps to freedom of speech, suggesting that white people are not allowed to use their freedom of speech to comment on the above perceived misrepresentation in TV ads. You will be pleased to know that I am an advocate of freedom of speech too but that does not absolve the speaker from the consequences. So, if you come out with racist statements, one of the consequences is that others perceive you as a racist. I think what you are advocating is the right to be offensive without any consequences either formal or informal.

If Lee is such a strong advocate of the principle of freedom of speech, he could take a look at the current legislation passed by the right wing conservative government. They have passed Anti Strike Laws that will make striking illegal. Employers will be able to force people to work longer hours for example and sack them if they don’t agree. There have been people locked out of the electoral process ­ voter ID and the right to protest has been curtailed.

The statistics on knife crime quoted on face value may be correct but what are you implying? That the BAME population are genetically predisposed to knife crime? If you really believe this, I’d love to hear Lee defend that and retain any credibility.

Dr James Alexander published research in 2020 stating that knife crime is fuelled by poverty and social deprivation and BAME are twice as likely to live in such areas. The MET have been shown to be institutionally racist and their knife crime initiatives have targeted the BAME community disproportionately as research by Dr Elaine Williams from the University of Greenwich in 2022 states.

The UK is not heading to a China regime, we are already living in an Ultra­Right Conservative Dictatorship like Salazar’s Portugal!

Finally, I would love to see Lenny Henry play Henry VIII, he’d make a damned good job of it.

Old dinosaur

I am writing to express my disgust at the Leapy Lee article, you have distanced yourselves from said article, but have allowed him to print his dog whistle racist diatribe in your paper, he is an old dinosaur who should not be allowed to use your informative paper to promote his extremely racist ideas to the public, he deserves cancelling for his venomous thoughts on the general public, printing figures that suit his personal beliefs, seriously disappointing from a European paper.

New law

I don’t think the new animal welfare law is helping the animals that really need it. The law is not applicable to hunting dogs, who are the most abused and ill­treated. Also it says that dogs are not allowed to be kept on balconies or terraces, but nothing about being kept chained up 24/7, or confined to a small concrete cage in the garden.

Surely these are things that can be policed much easier than checking that someone has an insurance policy for their dog!!

Carol Smith

180-day rule

Why does everyone bang on about Spain not bringing in 180 days for UK visitors as has happened in the UK.

In the UK it only has to answer to itself for any changes, but all the EU states must agree to any change as above and there is not a snowball in hell’s chance that all will agree. I expect most Spaniards would be only too happy for this to happen as it brings in valuable income.

Roger Fell

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Greenwood’s career over

THE football career of Mason Greenwood is over as far as Manchester United are concerned.

An internal investigation that was subsequently conducted by the Old Trafford club into Greenwood’s behaviour after he was arrested in January 2022, has now been completed the Premier League giants confirmed on Monday, August 21.

Even after a case against the 21­year­old including accusations of attempted rape, assault and coercive control was previously dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in February, his future at United was always hanging in the balance.

A statement from the club read: ‘Manchester United has concluded its internal investigation into the allegations made against Mason Greenwood’.

It continued: ‘Our process commenced in February 2023, following all charges against Mason being dropped. Throughout, we have taken into account the wishes, rights

and perspective of the alleged victim along with the club’s standards and values, and sought to collate as much information and context as possible. This has required us to proceed with sensitivity and care to obtain evidence not in the public domain, including from those with direct knowledge of the case’, the statement explained.

‘Based on the evidence available to us, we have concluded that the material posted online did not provide a full picture and that Mason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged. That said, as Mason publicly acknowledges today, he has made mistakes which he is taking responsibility for’, it continued.

‘All those involved, including Mason, recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United. It has therefore been mutually agreed it would be most appropriate for him to do so away from Old Trafford, and we will now work with Mason to achieve that outcome.’

‘Inappropriate’ kiss

John Ensor

WAS it a simple show of affection or an act of inappropriate behaviour? The question lingers after Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales kissed Spain’s football star Jenni Hermoso on the lips.

The incident took place as Hermoso was proceeding to the podium to receive her Women’s World Cup winners’ medal, following Spain’s triumph over England in Sydney on Sunday, August 21, according to a news source. The victory was sealed by Olga Carmona’s goal on the date of the final match.

After being awarded her medal by Fifa president Gianni Infantino, Hermoso was embraced by Mr Rubiales, who lifted her into the air. A short dialogue between the two ensued, culminating in Mr Rubiales pulling Hermoso close and planting a kiss on her lips.

The act quickly ignited a storm on social media, with fans and former players accusing Mr Rubiales of misconduct. Former England player Casey Stoney tweeted: ‘Would he kiss a male player like this? This is NOT ok.’

Another said: ‘This is harassment, Bro took advantage of the situation’. While another said: ‘He kissed and hugged all of them which was already embarrassing, but this was cringe­worthy. He should be banned’.

When questioned about the incident, Hermoso spoke to Spanish TV network La 1, stat­

Off to the UK

SPAIN men’s national walking football team hope to emulate the ladies World Cup success this week when they travel to the UK to participate on the International stage, looking to lift walking football’s biggest prize.

banned.

ing: “Eh... yeah, I did not enjoy that.” Mr Rubiales, in response to the uproar, told Radio Marca, “The kiss with Jenni? There are idiots everywhere. When two people have a minor show of affection, we can’t listen to idiocies. We are champions and that is what stays with me.”

The 33­year­old Hermoso, who has had illustrious stints with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona and now plays for Mexican team Pachuca, adds the World Cup to her impressive career achievements.

Carmona’s goal in the first half, reflecting Spain’s elegant playing style, was enough to secure victory against the Lionesses in Sydney, avenging their loss in the quarter­finals of the previous year’s European Championships.

Laporte’s possible move to Saudi

THE Spanish international defender, Aymeric Laporte, is poised to sign a three­year deal with Al­Nassr according to the Foot Mercato journalist, Santi Aouna.

He tweeted on Sunday, August 20: ‘Aymeric Laporte has said YES officially today to join Al­Nassr. Contract until June 2026 and ~€25m salary by year. Agreement already reached between the clubs. Last details’.

Fabrizio Romano, the respected Italian football transfer expert also posted: ‘Aymeric Laporte and Al Nassr are now in advanced discussions over three­year deal ­ player has accepted the Saudi destination. Salary being discussed ­ $25m per season as @Santi_J_FM called, but now negotiating around $20m. Fee for Man City will be in excess of €20m’.

Should he complete the lucrative switch to Al­Awwal Park, Laporte will link up with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar was the catalyst that sparked a mass exodus of top players from Europe to the Middle East.

Al­Nassr have already acquired the services of the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich striker Sadio Mane. Seko Fofana made the same move from Ligue 1 club Lens, as did the

Croatian international midfielder, Marcelo Brozovic, who arrived from Inter Milan in Serie A.

Laporte will be joined in defence by the former Manchester United fullback, Alex Telles. The 30 ­ year ­ old Brazilian international completed a €4.6m transfer to the Riyadh­based outfit according to transfermarkt. com.

The recent arrival at the Etihad Stadium of the Croatian international centre­back Josko Gvardiol from RB

Leipzig means that Laporte’s chances of first ­ team action would be very limited this season.

He joined City for £57m in January 2018 from La Liga side Athletic Bilbao and has since made 180 appearances in all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s all­conquering team.

The Premier League transfer window closes at the end of August, but in Saudi Arabia clubs have until September 20 to finalise any more deals.

A 12 man squad picked from sides competing on the Costa del Sol and Alicante region lock horns with England, Wales and the Czech Republic amongst others in a tough looking group.

Despite an unkind draw the team’s player/manager, Mark Coleman, was positive in his thoughts ahead of the World Cup Of Nations tournament held at the HQ of English football, St George’s Park.

“We go with high aspirations and feel that we can get to the knockout stages , that’s our minimum objective, to do well would really boost this football format and encourage participation in Spain.”

The tournament starts today, Thursday August 24 ­ Saturday August 26 and Spains matches are being shown live on the Recast TV App.

A huge coup for Spurs

SPURS will be hoping to make amends for what was a shocking season last time out as they battled against relegation, despite going on a spending spree 12 months ago, and without January recruit and World Cup ace Bethany England, Tottenham could well have been a Championship club.

The North London outfit have been active this summer as well, however, they are looking to be in a better spot than 12 months ago because they’ve not gone crazy, with just three new recruits having arrived thus far in the form of ex­PSG star Barbora Votikova, Luana Buhler and Grace Clinton from Manchester United on loan.

That likely won’t be enough to see Spurs start challenging the bigger clubs in the Women’s Super League, or even get on the same level as someone such as Aston Villa who were very impressive last term, but it should mean that they have a solid foundation from which to build upon.

Especially when they are getting in­house business sorted out too, because while fans crave new signings to help improve their side, keeping together a core group of players who know the club inside and out is equally as important, so seeing long­term star Zadorsky commit her future to the club is huge news. The Canadian international was the club captain two seasons ago, such is the respect she has from inside the dressing room, and with the defender also being away on international duty this summer with her national side, to have kept her at the club and fend off interested parties must be seen as a huge coup for Spurs.

Zadorsky has been with Spurs since she departed Orlando Pride on loan initially back in 2020, before then making it a permanent switch the following January and has since gone on to become a regular for Spurs and a household name in the WSL and on the international scene having won gold with her country at the last Olympic games.

CRINGE-WORTHY: He should be

MANCHESTER CITY: Stand to receive a fee in excess of €20 million for the transfer.