Issue No. 1935
4 - 10 August 2022
COSTA DE ALMERIA • EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM
SAHRAWI CHILDREN ARE WELCOMED ‘HOLIDAYS IN PEACE’, a project organised by the Almeria Friends of the Sa‐ hara Association, kicked off on July 29 with a for‐ mal reception for the group of Sahrawi children who have come to Alme‐ ria for the holidays. A total of 38 families from 15 different munici‐ palities have welcomed the children into their homes for the next six weeks. At the event, welcome packs full of gifts were given to the children, who received them excitedly. As well as spending their time enjoying games and activities in Almeria, the children have access to medical care and have already had their first check‐up with the Tor‐ recardenas paediatrics team. Almeria has been carrying out the pro‐ gramme for decades, and 2,423 children have been part of it since it began. “The children are politi‐ cal refugees and we have
Photo credit: ASA
Tamsin Brown
HOLIDAY TIME: Some of the Sahrawi children who will spend the summer in Almeria.
to keep that in mind. Refugees have all the same rights as everyone
else and the Sahrawi peo‐ ple demand a just solution to their cause,” said María
Ramírez, the president of the Almeria Friends of the Sahara Association.
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carbon-free targets. The ambitious Paseo Maritimo project will account for €3.9 million, with plans for green zones and a sustainable transport scheme to ensure safety and coordination between pedestrians, motor vehicles and cyclists. At the same time, municipal sources said, the extended Paseo would be completely accessible to those with reduced mobility. The town hall also hopes for €359,975 from the ITJ to enlarge and improve
Plaza El Llano de Don Antonio with a children’s play area and, in the words of Carboneras’ mayor Jose Luis Amerigo Fernandez, “make it more peoplefriendly.”
PASEO MARITIMO: Extension planned.
THE government team of Cantoria, a village located 15 minutes away from Albox, on Monday July 25 gave the green light to the project Cantoria Activa, a cohousing complex for the elderly that will occupy an area of 100,000 square metres. It will have around 300 bungalows, a retirement home, a health clinic, a well‐ ness centre, classrooms for workshops and a wide range of other services and amenities similar to those of any high‐end resort. The mayor of Cantoria, Puri Sánchez Aránega, de‐ scribed the complex as “a village dedicated to and de‐
Diputacion reshuffle on the way Talking to the Spanish me‐ dia, Garcia revealed that changes were inevitable now that Manuel Guzman, who heads the Diputacion’s Culture department, has a seat in the regional parlia‐ ment.
He did not rule out a “more extensive restructur‐ ing” Garcia admitted, with‐ out giving away details of the Diputacion areas that were likely to be affected. Neither was he prepared to reveal names.
Garcia also explained that although he had initially in‐ tended to carry out immedi‐ ate changes, he had finally opted to wait until he knew more about the Junta’s “complete structure” in Almeria Province.
signed for our elderly”. “Cohousing is a wide‐ spread trend in the rest of Europe and in some parts of our country. In Cantoria, we wanted a similar project be‐ cause we have the space, cli‐ mate, geographical location and services to be able to host such an initiative,” said the mayor. “The Cantoria Activa initiative is far be‐ yond what we imagined. It is nothing like an old peo‐ ple’s home, because it is a
Credit: Cantoria Town Hall
JAVIER AURELIANO GARCIA, president of the Diputacion provincial council, confirmed that a reshuffle was on the cards. This will depend on the Junta de Andalucia’s ‘provin‐ cial structure’ following the June 19 elections with Juan‐ ma Moreno once again in‐ stalled as regional president.
Ambitious plans Cantoria cohousing complex
Photo credit: Carboneras town hall
CARBONERAS Town Hall intends to extend the Paseo Maritimo promenade as far as the El Corral beach. Councillors from all parties voted in favour of the proposal at the last plenary session on Thursday July 28, giving the go-ahead to spend €4.9 million on three separate projects. The town hall will apply for a grant from the Fair Transition Institute (ITJ) which is attached to the central government’s Environment Ministry. These funds are available to municipalities which, like Carboneras, have closed fossil-fuel power stations in line with EU
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The bungalows to be built as part of the Cantoria Activa project.
residential area designed to be like a real resort, where people can age actively.”
Zurgena earthquake ON Friday, July 29, Spain’s National Geographic Institute (IGN), which is dependent upon the Ministry of Public Works, registered an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.2 in Almeria. The epicentre was in the municipality of Zurgena, just seven kilometres to the southwest of Huercal‐Overa and 14 kilome‐ tres to the southeast of Albox. The earthquake was felt to a lesser extent in other towns such as Albox, Arbolea, Pulpi, Garrucha, Huercal‐Overa, La Parata and Vera. According to the IGN website, the earthquake took place at 11.35pm. The Andalucian Emergency Services (112) shared a message on Twitter saying that they had received calls from four different people alerting them about the earthquake. They also said that it occurred at a depth of approximately four kilometres and that there has not been any evidence of personal or material damage.
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NIBS EXTRA Sports centre THE president of the Diputa‐ cion provincial council Javier Aureliano Garcia, Tijola’s mayor Jose Juan Martinez, and the Junta’s delegate Aranzazu Martin, laid the foundation stone for the town’s Ciudad Deportiva sports complex. Financed by the Diputacion and the Jun‐ ta, the €3.3 million centre will take 12 months to build.
Second best NOBODY won the July 30 Bonoloto draw’s first prize but the person who pro‐ cessed a ticket in Carbon‐ eras’ Plaza del Castillo re‐ ceived the €57,574 second prize. Two others in Gijon (Asturias) and Laracha (La Coruña) also won the same amount, Spain’s State Lotter‐ ies and Betting organisation (SELAE) announced.
Grim stats SO far this year, the Red Cross has assisted 72 wom‐ en in Almeria Province who were victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation, an increase on 2021. The wom‐ en came from Romania, Bo‐ livia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Moroc‐ co, Nigeria, Peru and Venezuela, the organisation revealed.
Dawn crash A 23‐YEAR‐OLD driver died in a head‐on collision with a lor‐ ry after drifting to the wrong side of the A‐350 in Pulpi at 5am on Saturday July 30. Firefighters from Huercal‐ Overa and Turre later need‐ ed 90 minutes to create a space large enough to free the young man’s body.
New face NOW that Almeria City’s for‐ mer mayor Ramon Fernan‐ dez‐Pacheco has moved to Sevilla to head the Junta’s Environment department, his city hall post goes to psy‐ chology graduate Maria del Mar Aguero, mother to two daughters. This will be the first time that the city has had a woman mayor.
VERA Town Hall will be able to count on 16 subsidised places at the Virgen de las Angustias care home. “As well as the 16 places that Andalucia’s Social Services and Dependency department has made available, the Junta is committed to assigning 14 more in October,” said Vera’s Social Services, councillor Ana Lourdes Ramirez. “Before long Vera will have 30 places.” Running the Virgen de las Angustias care home was out‐ sourced to a private company in 2018 and councillors ap‐ proved the collaboration agreement on July 29, follow‐ ing months of hard work to fi‐ nalise the agreement, town
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Closer to home Photo credit: Vera town hall
COLLABORATION AGREEMENT: Vera’s Social Services councillor, mayor and the Virgen de las Angustias director.
hall sources revealed. Only elderly Vera residents who are dependent on others or who have been assessed by Social Services’ Programa Indi‐
Almeria in mind
ALMERIA Province was on the agenda when newly‐elected Junta president Juanma Moreno visited the Moncloa Palace on Thursday July 28. Talking to Pedro Sanchez, president of Spain’s govern‐ ment, Moreno referred to issues linked to rail connections, immigration and power cuts caused by illegal electricity hook‐ups used for clandestine indoor marihuana planta‐ tions. Above all, Moreno emphasised Almeria’s historic and ongoing water supply problems. He stressed the vital importance of the water that reaches the province via the Tajo‐Segura pipeline as well as the need to enlarge the desalination plants that are already function‐ ing in Carboneras, Almeria City and Balermo. It was also essential to restart the Villaricos plant, with its 20‐cubic hectometre capacity, the Junta president said. Moreno also asked for “as much EU funding as possible” to be invested in providing water for the province. “There is no other alternative,” he warned Sanchez. “If it doesn’t rain, if we can’t turn to underground water because many aquifers are dry and if the Tajo‐Segura water transfer is halted, we have to look for an alternative unless we want to live through an economic and social drama.”
A good start to summer WITH the arrival of Au‐ gust, the Mojacar council‐ lor for Tourism, Em‐ manuel Agüero, has said that the summer season had gotten off to a posi‐ tive start. Speaking on Ju‐ ly 27, he said that for the moment “things are go‐ ing well”, although there had not been “the same boom as last year be‐ cause the circumstances are different.” However, during the in‐ terview on a local radio station, the councillor stressed that the good news would need to be
confirmed by the official data from the hotels, which had not yet been released. “Let’s hope that it is good because the sec‐ tor needs it. We hope that everyone can work hard enough and have a more or less calm winter,” he added. According to Agüero, the town hall’s extension of the summer services on the beaches of the munici‐ pality to October 15, which was recently given the green light by the Jun‐ ta de Andalucia, “can help the sector a great deal.”
vidual de Atencion (Individual Care Programme) will be eligi‐ ble for local places. “This is a great achievement for the municipality,” Ramirez
declared. “These places are very necessary for our older residents and those who are disabled. “We are very glad to be able to assist families whose loved ones have to live outside Vera, half‐an‐hour or more away in other Residencias, because they cannot afford private care,” the councillor said. Having their elderly relatives nearby will also help families whose work commitments have left them with little spare time to visit them, Ramirez added.
Strike up the band ALL parties on Huercal‐Overa’s council voted on Friday July 29 to create the Martin Alonso Municipal Music School. The school will offer first class instruction for all those who ‐ regardless of age ‐ wish to learn to play an instrument and enjoy music, said the mayor of Huercal‐Overa, Domingo Fernandez. The selection process for the school’s teachers is currently underway, he revealed. “This important project for our municipality can become a reality now that the new Music School is finished, ready for the next school year,” he said. The €912,000 three‐storey building will have an auditorium, nine music rooms, a staff room, office, vestibule and concierge, as well as toilets and a terrace.
Here comes the bride PAWS‐PATAS Animal Shelter in Los Gallardos, Almeria, has had its first‐ever doggie bridesmaid. Skye came to their shelter in September 2019 with eight puppies. She was struggling to feed them, but with lots of love, food and help, she blos‐ somed and she and her pup‐ pies all found lovely homes. Sophie, from the UK, saw Skye on the PAWS‐PATAS web‐ site and fell in love with her. Af‐ ter some gentle persuasion, Tom, Sophie’s partner, agreed to let Skye join their family. In December 2019, Skye left the shelter to start her new life in the UK. Since then, she has lived a life very different to the one she lived on the streets of Spain, where every day was a struggle to survive. On July 9, Sophie and Tom married at their doggie day‐ care centre, Just Dogs, in the Peak District. Skye took centre stage with their other dogs,
Whiskey, Jet, Mabel and Belle. PAWS‐PATAS send a huge congratulations to the happy couple and is so proud of Skye. Visit www.paws‐patas.org to see the animals available for rehoming.
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October start THE regional government has now awarded the contract to build Mojacar’s new primary care health centre. The €3 million installation with a built area of 2,398 square metres will substitute the existing primary care centre in Mojacar Playa and the Mojacar Pueblo centre. Speaking to a local radio interviewer on Friday July 29, the head of the Junta’s Health department, Juan de la Cruz Belmonte, confirmed that the official announcement would follow the next day. “We are, therefore, on schedule,” Belmonte said. “Work should begin by October and we hope that within 18 months at most we shall have the health centre that Mojacar needs, owing to the population’s increase each summer.” The Health chief went on to say that Mojacar hoped to avoid seasonal tourism, explaining to the interviewer that the new centre would not only be useful during the high season. “Mojacar’s population has increased considerably and we want to provide permanent services all year round,” Belmonte said. “We want to break with the seasonal mindset, so that visitors aren’t visitors, but stable individuals staying in the area.”
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Two days of mourning Smishing gang smashed after tragic accident Linda Hall
ACCORDING to Emergencies 112 Andalucia, a two‐year‐ old girl died on Friday, July 29, after being run over in Gar‐ rucha. Municipal sources re‐ ported that the accident oc‐ curred at around 00:20am, on Thursday, July 28, near the
Trivento pizzeria on the Paseo del Malecon when a vehicle ran over the child at the entrance to the fishing port. Witnesses to the incident reported seeing the little girl break free from her mother’s
hand and subsequently get hit by an SUV or off‐road‐ type vehicle. According to Lo‐ cal Police sources, the girl was initially transferred to a local health centre but was then moved to the La Inmaculada hospital, where she sadly died from her injuries. Upon receiving a call in‐ forming them of the acci‐ dent, the 112 operator im‐ mediately deployed an ambulance from the 061 Andalucian Health Service, along with members of the Civil Protection. A local publication re‐ ported that the deceased girl’s family was from the province of Jaen, and was spending their holiday in the municipality of Gar‐ rucha. The girl’s body was tak‐ en to the Huercal‐Overa fu‐ neral home in preparation for being returned to her hometown in Jaen. Garrucha Town Council declared two days of mourning, with flags flown at half‐mast as a sign of re‐ spect in memory of the lit‐ tle girl and the tragic acci‐ dent.
ALMERIA Province’s Guardia Civil investigators have dismantled a criminal organisation who emptied bank accounts via smish‐ ing. Snared by a system that combined an SMS message and phishing ‐ hence the term smishing ‐ victims were fooled into believing that they had received a genuine message from their bank, warning that ac‐ counts were either blocked or otherwise compromised. They were then duped in‐ to revealing their bank de‐ tails and passwords, en‐ abling the scammers to access their accounts and transfer the proceeds to Eastern Europe. Here the stolen cash was invested in hard‐to‐trace cryptocurren‐ cy. The Revomarca opera‐ tion was launched in Octo‐ ber 2021, following several formal complaints from Almeria Province residents whose bank accounts had been ransacked via smish‐ ing. Guardia Civil investiga‐ tors have traced 16 people
who were operating inside Spain as well as elsewhere in the EU. Of these, four were arrested in Madrid while the person believed to be the brains behind the scheme has been detained in Barcelona. A sixth person is under investigation in
Burgos (Castilla y Leon). Meanwhile, the Almeria investigators have taken le‐ gal steps to ask the authori‐ ties in Hungary, Greece, Italy, France, Germany and the Czech Republic to lo‐ cate and detain further sus‐ pects.
Trains to Granada Tamsin Brown IN Almeria on Wednesday July 27, the secretary‐general of Infrastructure of the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (MITMA), Xavier Flores, and the presi‐ dent of the state‐owned railway company ADIF, María Luisa Domínguez, presented the results of the functional study of the Granada‐Almeria section of the Mediterranean Corri‐ dor of the Trans‐European Transport Network (TEN‐t), a set of important railway lines that run parallel to the Mediter‐ ranean coast. Technical improvements will be made to the entire line. Several route variants are being considered (Iznalloz‐More‐ da, Moreda‐Huélago, Huélago‐Benalúa, and Fiñana‐Gérgal), which will reduce journey times even further. The solutions proposed in the study of the Almeria‐ Granada section aim to make journey times around an hour and a half, substantially improving the current times (almost two and a half hours). By bus, the journey is ap‐ proximately two hours, and by car, an hour and 45 min‐ utes. Once these works are completed, the direct link between Almeria and Sevilla will allow for rail journey times of less than three and a half hours, much quicker than by road.
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Health centre Tamsin Brown THE Junta de Andalucia, through the Andalucian Health Service (SAS), put out the request for tenders for the construction of a new health centre in Mojacar at the beginning of July. The budget agreed upon for the project is more than €3,000,000 and the works will be completed in a period of 18 months once the con‐ tract has been formalised. On July 29, the territorial delegate for Health from the Junta de Andalucia in Alme‐ ria, Juan de la Cruz Belmonte, confirmed that the contract has now been awarded. He also said that the work should start by mid‐October. De la Cruz also stressed that the municipality of Mo‐ jacar is seeking to move away from depending on seasonal tourism and that the new health centre will be even more essential for this. “Mojacar is also growing in population and we want to provide permanent services all year round,” he added.
Trainee police inspectors ON July 26, the substitute secretary‐general of the sub‐delegation of the Span‐ ish government in Almeria, Juan Ramón Fernández, ac‐ companied by the chief commissioner of Opera‐ tions of the Provincial Po‐ lice, Pedro Simarro, and the chief inspector in charge of training for the National Po‐ lice, Daniel Aleixandre Huázquez, welcomed the four new inspectors who
Credit: Government Sub-Delegation in Almeria
WELCOME: The new trainee police inspectors.
are currently completing their training period at the provincial police station in Almeria. During the meet‐ ing, the four future inspec‐
tors received several pre‐ sentations on the workings and tasks of the various dif‐ ferent government delega‐ tions and sub‐delegations
that are present in Almeria. The head of the Sanctions Service, María de la Cueva Ruiz‐Chena, also gave a pre‐ sentation on the Public Safety Law. The new inspectors are currently carrying out their training in different areas of specialisation and will com‐ plete it over the next few months in the various provincial brigades of the Almeria Police Station.
Back where it belongs Linda Hall THE Partido Popular (PP), in opposition at Albox Town Hall, called for a traditional football event to return to its original location. The Juan Gonzalez Five‐a‐Side Memorial had al‐ ways taken place in the La Loma neighbourhood’s Plaza de San Francisco, the party pointed out. “Then, on a whim, Alcaldía (the Mayor’s Office) decided to move it to the Centro de Agua y Salud es‐ planade.,” a PP statement declared. “We are talking about an important event putting the municipality at the very heart of this
sport in the area. “We have already voiced our objections, as this is putting an end to a tradition and also hits Albox businesses.” The party has now asked the mayor, in writing, to reverse the decision “so that this sporting event with such close ties to Albox traditions” can return to its original location on August 12 and 13. “This is vital,” the PP said, “owing to the Plaza de San Francisco’s strategic position, its singular charm and because this will help businesses that would welcome a little help in these challenging times.”
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Firm grows PULPI‐BASED Agrupapulpi, one of Spain’s principal let‐ tuce and watermelon produc‐ ers, has taken over two Mur‐ cia companies, Agrotomy and Amaco. Acquiring these two com‐ panies, which grow a wide va‐ riety of fruit and vegetables, means that Agrupapulpi can now expect an annual turnover of approximately €210 million. Founded in 1981 by Fran‐ cisco Belmonte and Bar‐ tolome Soler, Agrupapulpi was taken over in 2019 by Magnum Capital in a deal which market sources that were quoted in the Spanish media estimated at around €80 million. A partner of Proexport in Murcia and Coexphal in Almeria, Agrupapulpi spe‐ cialises in watermelons and iceberg lettuce. It currently employees 1,200 people, owns packing plants that cov‐ er a total area of 14,000 square metres and has more than 2,300 hectares of land under cultivation in Almeria, Murcia and Granada.
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Summer schools THROUGHOUT July, a total of 3,700 children from 74 municipalities in the province of Almeria have enjoyed summer schools organised by the Provincial Council’s Community Social Services. The vice-president and deputy for Social Welfare, Ángeles Martínez, visited the 79 participants from Benahadux on Saturday July 30. She highlighted the importance of these “transcendental and necessary” projects, which allow parents to continue working over the summer holidays without having to worry about childcare. The children participate in a wide range of activities, such as arts
A GROUP of 15 people be‐ longing to the Almeria Down Syndrome Associa‐ tion (Asalsido), along with four educators, visited the Port of Almeria on Mon‐ day July 25. On the visit to the port facilities, they saw how passengers board the ferries, witnessed the docking of a ferry and were invited to the control room of the Port Police. However, one of the moments they enjoyed
and crafts, swimming and sports, all of which are given by experienced professionals. The Provincial Council provided financial aid for the summer schools to town councils in municipalities with up to 20,000 inhabitants. This year, the number of children benefiting from these grants, which amount to €130,000, has increased by 700. The main objectives of the summer schools are to encourage the development of interpersonal skills for coexistence and social integration, to help families to achieve a work-life balance, and to support children’s education.
Almeria port visit the most was the visit to the National Police premises, where they met one of the dogs from the Canine Guide Unit and had their photos taken with him. They were accompanied on the tour of the port fa‐ cilities by Ana Cassinello, from the Bahía Almeriport Foundation, who ex‐
plained to them the day‐ to‐day workings of the port. The visits of educa‐ tional centres and citizen groups to the Port of Almeria are part of the so‐ cio‐cultural programme of the Almeria Port Authority (APA), which organises tours of the port installa‐ tions and the lighthouses along the coastline.
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Sad farewell THE sad news was confirmed on Sunday, Ju‐ ly 31, that Gordon Dent, a previous owner of the popular La Sarten bar in Mojacar, Alme‐ ria has died. Gordon’s sister confirmed the sad news in a post that read: “Hola everyone. My broth‐ er, Gordon Dent, who owned La Sarten in the village for many years, has died. He has had an amazing friend in a gentleman called Richard Jays, who is now dealing with all the necessary arrangements. “Richard has asked me to let those inter‐ ested know that the funeral for Gordon is going to be held this coming Thursday, with a ‘send‐off’ at La Sarten afterwards, so all friends welcome. “I have never met Richard but feel he has become a good friend also to myself, my husband, Michael, and Leigh Jayne, Gor‐ don’s daughter. He really is a truly kind gen‐ tleman. “I understand Richard owns a business and unfortunately, due to the amount of time he has had to spend looking out for Gordon, the business may have had to take second place occasionally. I would ask PLEASE be patient with him. “Gordon’s family will never be able to
Image: Bar La Sarten, Mojacar/Facebook
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Previous owner of La Sarten bar in Mojacar, Almeria, Gordon Dent has died.
thank Richard Jays enough for the kindness and compassion he has shown to my broth‐ er; I think it was well known in the village that Gordon wasn’t the most patient of peo‐ ple so what Richard has done, and is still do‐ ing, is over and above what friendship means. “To those of you who go to the funeral and then the Sarten, ENJOY.”
Almodóvar arrives in Almeria Tamsin Brown THE province of Almeria has welcomed Pe‐ dro Almodóvar, Spain’s greatest living film‐ maker, who is here to start filming his new western in the Tabernas Desert. He flew in on Thursday July 28, and snapshots of the fa‐ mous director instantly appeared on social media. He was spotted on the same day at the restaurant Las Eras, in Tabernas. Almodóvar’s new film, Extraña forma de vida (Strange Way of Life) will star Ethan
Hawke and the Chilean Pedro Pascal, accord‐ ing to El Deseo, the production company that the Oscar‐winning filmmaker founded with his brother Agustín in 1985. The film will be shot partly at Western Leone, the smallest of the three Western‐style theme parks in Tabernas, and partly on a ranch near Madrid. The production company has been prepar‐ ing to start work at one of the locations throughout July, but the actual filming is due to take place in August.
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easyJet strikes off THE unions representing easyJet cabin crew members in Spain called off the final three days of scheduled strikes. Miguel Galan, general secretary of USO at easyJet, con‐ firmed in a statement on Thursday, July 28, that the next round of strike action in Spain was called off. Cabin crew members (TCP) had been scheduled to carry out industrial ac‐ tion again on July 29, 30, and 31. It has taken many weeks of negotiations but the unions have finally reached an agreement with the airline. A deal of‐ fering the workers a 22 per cent increase in their base salary over three years has been accepted. “After weeks of strikes and months of negotiation, the company has sent us an economic proposal that, without be‐ ing exactly what we were demanding, does represent an im‐ portant approach to the salaries and conditions that our col‐ leagues in Europe have,” said Mr Galan. Meetings were held where 303 of the total of 418 cabin crew employed by easyJet in Spain attended. The agreement was ratified by 74.6 per cent of them.
Renfe train rescheduling AS detailed by Spanish train operator Renfe in a state‐ ment released on Sunday, July 31, renovation work is due to be carried out by Adif on the high‐speed railway line linking Madrid and An‐ dalucia. This action will force the rescheduling of high‐ speed and long‐distance ser‐ vices in the community be‐ tween August 1 and September 5. The company explained that these works are part of the comprehensive renova‐
tion of the infrastructure. They will be carried out be‐ tween August 1 and September 19 at different points on the Yeles, Toledo to Guadalmez, Ciudad Real route. As a result of these works, Renfe assured that: “it will be necessary to make cuts in traffic in a timely manner,” which will force trains to cir‐ culate on a single track with speed limits. Renfe will reschedule its trains between August 1 and September 5, with the change of ‘a few minutes’ of the departure and arrival times, and an increase in travel time of about 10 min‐ utes on average. The affected lines include the AVE Madrid‐Cordoba‐ Sevilla, Madrid‐Cordoba‐ Malaga, Barcelona‐Cordo‐ b a / S e v i l l a , Barcelona‐Malaga, and Barcelona‐Granada.
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Paragliders in collision Credit: jennyt/Shutterstock.com
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ACCIDENT: Both paragliders fell to the ground.
THE Emergency Service of Castilla y Leon reported on Sunday July 31, that a mid‐ air collision occurred be‐ tween two paragliders which resulted in the death of one person. This tragic incident occurred near the municipality of Piedrahita, a town of around 2,000 inhabitants just 60km west of Avila. 112 received a call at around 2:43pm informing the emergency operator that they had observed a collision between two paragliders while in flight. Both users fell to the ground about three or 4km east of the take‐off
point in Peñanegra. This location is one of the main areas of Spain for the prac‐ tice of this sport. After taking the call, 112 immediately deployed pa‐ trols from Avila Guardia Civil to the location. They were joined at the scene by a team from the Special Mountain Intervention Rescue Group (GREIM), who sent an emergency rescue helicopter to the accident spot. On arrival, the emergency services verified one of the paragliders had lost his life, while the other did not re‐ quire medical assistance, nor need to be evacuated.
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Energy-saving measures PEDRO SANCHEZ, the President of the government, on Friday, July 29, an‐ nounced his energy‐saving plan. It was
approved by the Council of Ministers on Monday, August 1, in the form of a de‐ cree‐law.
HOLLYWOOD actor and Ja‐ son Bourne star Matt Damon was spotted in the idyllic coastal town of Javea, where he has previously been spot‐ ted enjoying his holidays. In 2016 he visited Ali‐ cante’s Marina Alta region for the wedding of his broth‐ er‐in‐law. Rumours of the celebrity’s presence in the Alicante re‐ gion had been circulating since Saturday, July 23, but it was not until Tuesday, July 26, his presence was officially confirmed. Damon visited bar Cala Clemence overlooking the bay in Javea, who then pub‐ lished photographs of the acting legend alongside their
Credit: Instagram @calaclemence1
Hollywood actor in Javea
Matt Damon was spotted on holiday in the Costa Blanca.
staff and other fans on their Instagram account. Matt Damon is a renowned American actor, screenwriter and producer. He received an Oscar nomi‐ nation as well as an award
for Best Original Screenplay for his role in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting. In addi‐ tion he has appeared in ma‐ jor Hollywood blockbusters such as Ocean’s Eleven, Inter‐ stellar and Jason Bourne.
This measure ‐ designed to conserve energy ‐ will include the limitation of air conditioning to temperatures of 27 de‐ grees, and 19 degrees in the case of a heating system. It will be imple‐ mented in places like shops, trans‐ port, hotels, banks, or the offices of private companies throughout Spain. The objective is to save energy consumption in public buildings by being more efficient. This in turn will reduce the use of gas as a source of electricity generation, as combined cycle power plants feed on this raw material to produce electricity. A similar campaign was launched in Germany this week , and most Euro‐ pean countries are expected to fol‐ low. Although the measures are initial‐ ly aimed at the public sector, they will also affect the daily lives of citi‐ zens. These restrictions will be of‐ fered as recommendations to house‐ holders, but will not be mandatory, yet. Homeowners will be obliged to check their heating installations, and be advised on ways to save energy, via the use of billboards and a citizen awareness campaign.
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Whistling ban wrong ON July 27, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss vowed to outlaw wolf‐whistling and cat‐ calling if she becomes prime minister, as part of a crackdown on misogyny in public places. So, for our weekly Sunday debate on Ju‐ ly 31, the Euro Weekly News asked our readers and Facebook followers whether they think wolf‐whistling is harmless fun or sexual harassment. Surprisingly, 97 per cent of female commenters on the post expressed that they have no issue with be‐ ing wolf‐whistled at in public ‐ with many calling it a “compliment.” One comment from Sheree Ruiz said: “In my younger years it was harmless fun. Now the woke brigade have made it sexu‐ al harassment. The woke brigade have al‐ so decided most pick up lines are also sex‐ ual harassment.” Despite the overwhelming majority agreeing that it is all harmless fun, howev‐ er, not everyone agreed, with Joellen Lynn Marsh Trebble saying “I hate it and found it embarrassing.” Interestingly, the majority of men who commented on the post also said it is “a bit of fun” and that it is “complimentary,” with Douglas Vickers saying that it’s “fun as long as ladies are old enough.”
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Clear view Image ChicoDodiFc Shutterstock.com
REAR VIEW: An overloaded car is not permitted.
BLOCKING your rear view with luggage, as many of us do when going on holiday, can result in a fine according to the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT). A reminder issued on Sat‐ urday, July 30, when many are heading off on their summer holiday says that blocking the view through the back window of a vehi‐ cle is only permitted under certain circumstances. The regulations that gov‐ ern driving in Spain say that a driver must have a full and unobstructed view of the entire road on which they are travelling, including be‐
hind the car. That means packing the boot all the way to the roof or storing items on the rear parcel shelf may result in the vehicle being impound‐ ed and a fine issued. The exceptions to the rule are in the case of vehicles that do not have a separate boot, in other words, hatch‐ backs, SUVs and station wagons. Similarly unauthorised tinted sheets, adhesives or curtains on the rear window are not legal, with the rear window to be kept free of any obstruction, stickers etc…
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Independence support falters THE Catalonia independence drive is losing steam according to the latest CEO survey, with those in favour of secession declining. The survey results issued on Thursday, July 28 and covered by a Spanish news site, show that those who are anti‐inde‐ pendence are now in the ma‐ jority with a lead of at least 10 per cent. Figures show that the number opposed to indepen‐ dence has risen to its highest since 2015 and now stands at 52 per cent, with those in favour falling to their lowest point at 41 per cent. This is the biggest gap in seven years. The CEO survey is consid‐ ered a good barometer of the mood within Catalonia, with the latest figure only the third time those opposed to inde‐ pendence have a clear majori‐ ty. Whilst the survey points to the Catalonia independence drive losing steam, it does not provide insight into the possi‐ ble reasons for the shift. How‐ ever, with the world in turmoil, issues like energy security may well be behind the shift.
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Libel case ruling JUDGE STEYN has ruled against Rebekah Vardy in the libel case that has become known as Wagatha Christie. The Judge ruled that Vardy
was aware that the stories were being leaked to the press by her agent, Caroline Watt, who was most likely doing so on her behalf.
Let’s go champing™ CHAMPING™ is the latest holiday craze that has hit Britain, the brainchild of the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT). The idea is that instead of booking a hotel for the night, you stay in a church giving you the opportunity to explore as you never had before. You can even escape the crowds for the night. Many of these churches have great history, are situat‐ ed in wonderful locations and desperately need help to keep them in good order. Moreover, you will get to meet the local community by staying in one of these churches, with those that have gone Champing™ raving about the people and the experience. Prices for overnight stays are comparable with budget hotels in the UK, but come with the added benefit of having the venue to yourself, not to mention the unique experience.
The spat arose over articles which appeared in the Sun newspaper that claimed Rooney had travelled to Mexico to look into baby ‘gender selection’ treatment and her plans to revive her TV career and the flooding of her basement. That led to Rooney accusing Vardy on social media of selling stories from her private Instagram account to the tabloids. She claimed that she spent five months attempting to work out who was sharing information about her and her family based on posts she had made on her person‐ al social media page. She then took to sharing ‘false stories’ in the hope that she could flush out the cul‐ prit, which she says led her to one Instagram account ‐ that of Rebekah Vardy. Vardy denied the allega‐ tions saying that many peo‐ ple had access to her Insta‐ gram account and any one of them could have shared the information.
NEWS
Explainer: Do you need an international driver’s licence when in Spain? ON the weekend of July 24 reports online sug‐ gested that ‘British looking’ drivers were being targeted on the Costa del Sol. Those reports go on to suggest that they weren’t just targeting residents who hadn’t exchanged their licence for a Spanish one, but that even if you were just a tourist you were being fined. The Spanish legislation is not clear on the issue with the information contained on the DGT website not making specific mention of any al‐ lowance for UK drivers. However, a tweet by Grant Shapps, the UK’s Transport Secretary said that following an agreement with Spanish au‐ thorities, UK drivers can use their licences in Spain. That same information is contained on the Gov.uk website, however, the agreement only covers those who are not resident in Spain or who spend more than six months at a time in the country. Those that will be spending more than six months or who hold driver’s licences from other countries may need an International driver’s li‐ cence. These are governed by the United Na‐ tions according to the International Driver’s As‐ sociation and are easy to obtain online. The cost is not high and they can last between one and three years. Anyone who is resident in
Image internationaldriversassociation.com
NEW RULE: International driver’s licence.
Spain was required by law to have exchanged their UK licence for a Spanish one before the end of last year. While some grace was allowed, li‐ cences can no longer be exchanged and any newcomers or those who failed to do so being required to retake their licence here. In terms of the question of whether you do or don’t need an international driver’s licence when visiting Spain with a British driver’s licence, the answer is no. Language barriers may, however, result in your being fined as authorities crack down on British residents in Spain who failed to exchange their licences. If you are fined you should write to complain, alternatively you could keep a trans‐ lated copy of the information with you as that may help to get you off the hook.
FEATURE
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Crime, lies and alibis
E J WOOD: “Writing is a process that happens rather than something I do.”
AUTHOR E J Wood, based in Benissa on the Costa Blanca, isn’t known to shy away from crime. The truth is bad things happen to good peo‐ ple. So why the interest in psychopaths? “I grew up watching the likes of Detective TV Shows such as Columbo and films like Silence of the Lambs,” stated Benissa‐ based author Emma Wood, in an exclusive interview with Euro Weekly News. “Psychopaths exert a strange allure, and have been a staple for television and literature for years. I’ve always been in‐ terested in what makes people tick.” “You call me crazy, a monster and many other derogatory names,” says Amalie Keller in the opening pages of Wood’s novel AMALIE. In Wood’s fiction, she revels in pushing the gory details, and in AMALIE, Wood begins a story in 1939 Hungary, where nine‐year‐old Amalie Keller lives with her older brother and parents just before the break out of the Second World War. As such with millions of others, Amalie is taken to the notorious concentration camp, Auschwitz. She’s seen death, and far worse and has no qualms in seeking justice when the Red Army liberate the remaining survivors. As Amalie grows older, both she and the police officer hunting her down ac‐ knowledge the horrific nature of her crimes. Yes, she’s a murderous madwom‐ an, but can we not help but sympathise with this charming social climber she’s now become?
“I try to give everything to my readers,” stated Wood. “And it can be quite literally sweat and tears.” It’s quite unnerving when Wood says she doesn’t make anything up. “Nowadays, nothing would shock me. I’ve read it all,” she claims. The fact that Wood can conjure up serial killers and psychopathic charac‐ ters in her novels could seem incongruous to those that know her as having a soft spot for animals and she describes writing as almost a process that happens rather than something she does. “It can be slow. But some stories need to be told,” stated Wood. In Wood’s latest novel, Beyond the Pale, Wood starts afresh with Forensic Pathologist Addison Sharpe; a tea‐drink‐ ing singleton that shuns intimacy because of her own childhood and the damage it carries. That is until businessman and philan‐ thropist Guy Davidson moves in next door. “Like my characters, I refuse to be vic‐ timised by the actions of my past,” said Wood. Both AMALIE and BEYOND THE PALE along with Wood’s other books are avail‐ able on Amazon and you can follow her on social media: www.facebook.com/au thorejwood * www.ejwoodauthor.com.
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NEWS
Tight winter forecast THE UK’s National Grid has forecast a tight winter elec‐ tricity supply due to the un‐ certainty of supplies of Rus‐ sian gas to Europe, as reported on Thursday July, 28. Speaking of their concerns, UK National Grid’s Electricity System Operator (ESO) stat‐ ed: “While Britain is not reliant on Russian gas to the extent the rest of Europe is, it is clear the cessation of flows of gas into Europe could have knock‐on impacts, including very high prices,” as reported by the media. Working as a separate legal entity within National Grid, National Grid ESO is in charge of overseeing the nation’s electricity supply. Forty per cent of the UK’s electricity production in 2021 was produced by gas‐fired power plants, with fossil fuels accounting for 80 per cent of heating of the nation’s homes. After the Russian in‐ vasion of Ukraine, the UK’s gas prices hit record highs in
2022. According to the UK’s National Grid ESO, the tight‐ est period for electricity de‐
mand and supply is likely to be in the first half of Decem‐ ber.
Death of actor, 93 Joshua Manning BELOVED British actor Bernard Cribbins, known for his work on the Wombles and Doctor Who, has died aged 93, as reported by his agent on Thursday, July 28. Cribbins was born in 1928, in Oldham, Greater Manchester, leaving school at just 13 years of age and playing small roles in a local theatre before serv‐ ing an apprenticeship at Oldham’s Repertory The‐ atre. The actor went on to become a household name in the UK, narrating the 1970s TV series ‘The Wombles’, acting as the iconic Station Master in the 1970s film ‘The Railway Children’, as well as appearing in Dr Who, as the Doctor’s companion in 1966. Tributes following the death of beloved actor Bernard Cribbins poured in: Gavin Barker Associates said on Twitter: “Beloved actor Bernard Cribbins OBE has passed away at age 93. His contribution to British entertain‐ ment is without question. He was unique, typifying the best of his generation, and will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing and working with him.”
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NEWS
Elton and Britney duet SIR ELTON JOHN and Britney Spears have recorded a duet that will be released shortly, her first recording since 2016. The announcement in the US on Monday, July 25 follows her recent release from her con‐ servatorship, her marriage and this week her release of nude photos online. The pair are said to have reworked the 1971 hit Tiny Dancer with those that have heard it, say it’s a knockout. According to sources spoken to by the Amer‐ ican media, the collaboration was the idea of Sir Elton John. He is said to be a Britney fan and was keen to see her back in the studio. They add that they have recorded a remix of
om tterstock.c es2013/Shu Glynsimag
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Tony Norkus Shutterstock.com
Britney Spears. Sir Elton John.
Tiny Dancer as a full duet, which they describe as “incredible” and which has every‐ one at their record label “freaking out.” That same source claims the duet will be called “‘the song of the summer” and will offi‐ cially announce that Britney is back.
New Portugal winter routes WITH 21 new routes and frequencies being launched from Lisbon, easyJet will become the UK’s largest carrier to Portugal this win‐ ter. Following the allocation of 18 new daily slots at Lisbon airport by the European Commission, easyJet announced on Wednesday, July 27, that it will base three additional Airbus A321neo, the company’s biggest aircraft, at its base in Lisbon. This will enable the airline to launch 21 new routes and increase frequencies to eight countries, including a new twice‐
weekly winter service from Birmingham to Lisbon.Flights will be available for sale from August 15. Moreover, the neo aircraft will contribute to making easyJet’s operations more sustainable, reducing fuel consump‐ tion by 15 per cent, and noise during take‐ off and landing by 50 per cent. Thanks to this investment easyJet will be‐ come the number two airline at Lisbon air‐ port, with a network of 32 routes ‐ 30 inter‐ national, and two domestic. This coming winter, easyJet will be the number one car‐ rier between the UK and Portugal.
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Tamsin Brown MOJACAR FAXTOR 2022, an all‐amateur charity competi‐ tion held in aid of Shea Fox’s Ukrainian Refugee Relief Fund, is already well under‐ way, with several heats hav‐ ing taken place throughout the month of July. However, those who have not yet signed up and are wanting to show off their talents will still have plenty of opportunities to do so, with a number of other heats set to take place in August and September. The next heat will take place at 8pm on August 6 at Meson Ana’s in Los Gallardos. There will be a huge outdoor terrace with plenty of space
Carol Newton
Mojacar FaXtor 2022 TALENT SHOW: Mojacar FaXtor is already well underway.
for dancers, musicians and other types of speciality acts. Performers of all ages and talents are welcome to take part. Most of the participants so far have been adult vocal‐ ists, so any participation from variety acts or talented chil‐ dren would be particularly ap‐ preciated. The remaining heats are currently scheduled to take place at the Heathers Bar in La
Alfoquia on August 6, at Bar La Reva on August 13, at New Bar International in Arboleas on August 17, at the Roof Gar‐ den at Parque Comercial Mo‐ jacar, at the Heathers Bar in La Alfoquia on August 27 and at Miraflores on August 31. The dates and venues may change. There will be a charity raffle at the final, with some excit‐ ing prizes to be won, including seven nights for two at a four‐ star hotel, a weekend break for four at a campsite, a makeover and photoshoot, a studio recording experience, plenty of vouchers and much more. For more information, contact Carol or Ron via tele‐ phone at 634 381 386 or via email at ronfazey1@msn. com or carolnewton56@ hotmail.com.
SOCIAL SCENE
Vera Lions Club THE Vera and District Lions Club is part of Lions Clubs International, the largest humanitarian support or‐ ganisation in the world. Their aim is to help both within the local communi‐ ty where possible and with international projects. On July 31, the Vera and District Lions celebrated the two‐year anniversary of the opening of their charity shop in Turre. Member Thelma Warnock provided the cake, which
was enjoyed by Lions vol‐ unteers in the shop at the weekend. The shop, situat‐ ed on the main street in Turre, is open from 10am to 2pm each Thursday, Fri‐ day and Saturday. Funds raised at the shop and many other Lions events are used to help various food banks and in‐ dividuals in need. Recently, Arboleas Community Food Bank was presented with a donation of €500, which will go towards enabling
them to continue doing their important work. The Lions meet on the first Wednesday of every month. Anybody interest‐ ed in joining the Club or simply volunteering for the charity shop or helping at Club events can contact them via email at veralions secretary@gmail.com. More information can also be found on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.co m/veralionsclub/.
80 years of history ON July 28, the exhibition titled ‘50 Pho‐ tographs with History’, organised by the arts organisation Acción Cultural Española, was opened in Almeria City at the view‐ point on Avenida Federico García Lorca. The snapshots, which can be visited un‐ til September 12, take a look at the past 80 years of Spain’s history, from the outbreak of the Civil War, to the transition to democracy and up to the present day. The exhibition has already travelled to various Spanish cities, such as Formentera,
Oviedo, Lugo and Huelva, and its next stop after Almeria will be Germany, at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where Spain is the guest of honour. The photographs have been captured by professionals including Carlos Pérez Siquier, Ricard Terré, Ramón Masats, Joan Colom and Alberto García‐Álix, who range greatly in style and approach. Each piece of work is linked to a QR code that directs the viewer to a website where they can find further information.
Ukelele players wanted THOSE who play the ukulele or would like to learn should contact Chris Pottle on 634 375 471. He runs a friendly ukulele group that meets once a week at Charlotte’s Bar and Restaurant in Albox. The members learn and play all types of songs to‐ gether. The group will be starting up again after the summer holidays on Tuesday, September 6 and they would like more people to join them.
The ukulele is a great choice for those who have never played an in‐ strument before. It is not as difficult to learn as the guitar and other types of string in‐ struments, as it only has four strings, making chords and scales much sim‐ pler. Those who already play the gui‐ tar will find that they can easily transfer their skills to the ukulele and will pick it up even more quick‐ ly.
Disco Inferno Band DISCO INFERNO BAND, Almeria’s new live ’70s dis‐ co band, will be playing a selection of classic retro‐ sounding dance floor fillers from Kool and the Gang, Diana Ross, Chic and many other much‐loved artists from the 70s and beyond at Miraflores at Los Gallar‐
dos Leisure on Sunday, Au‐ gust 7. The classic disco tunes are bound to get everyone moving, so put on those retro clothes like it’s 1975. Miraflores at Los Gallardos Leisure is the area’s largest mobile home resort, camp‐ site and the best bar and
restaurant around. They offer regular events, live music and great food and have been a firm favourite of people across the Lev‐ ante since 1991. The show starts at 3pm. Booking is essential and can be done on 950 528 324.
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4 - 10 August 2022
NEWS
Cardboard cross Tamsin Brown THE residents of the remote Tory Island, 14.5 kilometres off the coast of County Done‐ gal, Ireland, have finally re‐ ceived the large cross that leg‐ end says was promised to them in the sixth century but wrongfully placed elsewhere. The legend says that Saint Columba gave his word to the residents of Tory that they would receive a giant stone cross as a gift for having con‐ verted to Christianity, but it ended up going to Ray Church on the mainland, where it re‐
Credit: Sarah Lewtas
The cardboard cross is made from Bible pages.
mains to this day. The contemporary artist Sarah Lewtas and Irish histori‐ an Brian Lacey joined forces to
give residents their long‐over‐ due cross, which is not made of stone, but cardboard. The 6.5‐metre cross was delivered to them and buried in a ‘fes‐ tive’ ceremony on July 27. It could not be erected due to the Irish weather and plan‐ ning permission require‐ ments, but there is still a sense of ‘completion’, said the artist. Lewtas expressed her grati‐ tude to the people of Tory, saying: “You couldn’t do any‐ thing on Tory Island without them.”
Notre-Dame on track THE Notre‐Dame cathedral in Paris is set to re‐ open to the general public in 2024, said the French minister of Culture, Rima Abdul Malak, on July 28. The roof of the famous medieval cathedral was destroyed by a huge fire which shocked people around the world more than three years ago, in April 2019. Notre‐Dame has been closed ever since. She said that the clean‐ up part of the project had been completed suc‐ cessfully and that rebuilding work would begin
at the end of the summer. On a visit to the cathedral, Abdul Malak said: “We are confident that 2024 will be the year a large part of this work is completed, the year of the reopening of the cathedral to worshippers and to the pub‐ lic.” Shortly after the fire, the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, promised that the 12th‐century cathedral would be restored and reopened to the public in time for the 2024 Olympic Games, to be held in Paris.
Three dolphin deaths Credit: Animal Liberation Malta
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A protest organised by Animal Liberation Malta.
ON Tuesday July 26, Animal Liberation Malta (ALM) an‐ nounced they had just learned that between August and September of 2021 three female dolphins died at the Mediterraneo Marine Park in Malta. The news was never made public, nor was it registered on the non‐ profit cetacean register Ceta‐Base, as is common prac‐ tice in other international wildlife parks. Two of the female dolphins which died, named Onda and Mar, were believed to be around 20 and 25 years old, had been caught in the wild in Cuba and had been kept at Mediterraneo since 2000. The third dolphin, Melita, had been born in the park in 2014. She never swam in the open sea. ALM also called upon authorities to investigate why Mediterraneo is allowed to operate under a zoo licence when their dolphin shows act as a ‘permanent aquatic circus’. Circuses with animal performers have been banned in Malta since 2014. ALM called on the government as well as the park owners to shut down Mediterraneo and transform it in‐ to a rehabilitation centre for aquatic animals.
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4 - 10 August 2022
NEWS
“Invasive alien species” Tamsin Brown A RENOWNED biologist from the state-sponsored Polish Academy of Sciences (PASIFIC), Wojciech Solarz, has officially classified domestic cats as an “invasive alien species” due
Credit: Pixabay
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Cats are an “invasive alien species”.
Inflatable altar FATHER Mattia Bernasconi, a priest from the archdiocese of Milan, has admitted that it may have been “imprudent” to hold mass in the sea using an inflatable mattress as an altar. The service, which took place in Crotone, in the south of Italy, on Sunday July 24, marked the end of a summer camp for teenagers. Bernasconi said they had been unable to find shade from the extreme temperatures among the trees, and a family on the beach had offered to lend their inflatable mattress for the service. He accepted, and the mass took place in the water, with everyone in their swimming gear. The photos went viral, and the local Catholic archdio‐ cese, Crotone‐Santa Severina, said: “In some special cases, during retreats, school camps or in holiday spots, it is possi‐ ble to celebrate mass outside a church. But it is always nec‐ essary to contact the local ecclesial leaders for advice on the most appropriate way to carry out such a eucharistic celebration.” Bernasconi apologised and said: “It was absolutely not my intention to trivialise the eucharist.”
to the harm they cause to other species, particularly birds. Some people have not responded favourably to the classification, and the scientist was taken aback by the strong emotional reaction. Speaking to the Associated Press on July 26, he said that the outrage may have been caused by certain media outlets that gave the wrongful impression that PASIFIC was suggesting that cats should be euthanised. He spoke of the negative effect that cats can have on biodiversity due to how many mammals and birds they kill, adding that the criteria for classing cats as an “invasive alien species” are “100 per cent met”. He later appeared in a segment on the Polish television station TVN. He said that cats hunt and kill approximately 140 million birds a year in Poland and that the institute was simply recommending that cat owners limited the time their pet cats spend outdoors during bird breeding season.
EUROPEAN PRESS
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EUROPEAN PRESS DENMARK
FINLAND
You need me
Bitcoin bonanza
THE normally popular Ed Sheeran fell out of favour when volunteers discovered that even though they were expected to give up their time to undertake work for his open-air concerts in Copenhagen this August, they would not be able to attend any of the four concerts.
DESPITE the fact that Bitcoins exist in the ether, Finnish customs managed to confiscate 1,889 of them from people found guilty of being involved in drug sales and used two local cryptocurrency dealers to sell them raising more than €46 million for the State.
THE NETHERLANDS
IRELAND
Radical farmers
Cashless bank
FARMERS who have been told to tackle nitrogen-based pollution are fighting back, dumping asbestos, manure and old tyres on major roads and then threatening violence to workers brought in to clear the mess causing intervention from police.
MOST people know the song by Slim Dusty, A Pub with No Beer, but the Allied Irish Banks (AIB) planned to have 70 banks with no cash, although complaints from customers and the fact that the State has a 60 per cent stake saw a U-turn.
BELGIUM
ITALY
All light up
Lost in Rome
THE proposal by the Amsterdam Council to limit access to ‘coffee’ shops to residents appears to have struck a financial chord with Brussels mayor, Philippe Close, who wants to see legalisation of cannabis use and the opening of ‘coffee’ shops in the capital.
A FRENCH family visiting Rome in July has placed posters around the city showing an image of a missing family member who was lost on the last day of their holiday and offering a €500 reward. Lost was an unnamed white teddy bear with one black paw.
GERMANY
PORTUGAL
Munich Massacre
Shut out
FIFTY years after the Munich Olympics massacre, families of the victims are planning to boycott the memorial service in Germany planned for September 5, because they believe that they have never received fair compensation for the loss of their 11 loved ones who died in the botched rescue attempt.
HOLIDAYMAKERS in the Algarve were unimpressed with the fact that the Lagoa Council announced on July 25 “Carvalho Beach will be closed to the public on July 27 and 28 due to the production of a feature film and the need to carry out filming at the location.”
FRANCE
UKRAINE
Notre Dame
Bojo fan
THE iconic Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris is on track to reopen in 2024 according to French Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak. It is now more than three years since its roof was destroyed in a massive blaze and the clean-up has now been completed.
SPEAKING to Piers Morgan on Talk TV, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he does not want Boris Johnson to “disappear” after he stands down as Prime Minister as he is a friend of Ukraine and he wants him to remain in politics
NORWAY
SWEDEN
Sustainable fashion
War loot
NORWEGIAN fashionistas came eighth in a survey by UK company Jewellery Box considering how committed to sustainable fashion 50 different countries were. Britain came first, but Norway also gained fifth place for export of second-hand clothing which goes mainly to African and Latin American countries.
DECLARED by the Swedish government as a legitimate ‘spoil of war’ the document known as Łaski's Statute was looted during the Swedish invasion of Poland in 1655 and now, despite a plea by a Swedish MP that it be returned, the request has been rejected.
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What a lot of cobblers MIKE SENKER IN MY OPINION Views of a Grumpy Old Man I USE a bit of social media but don’t use Tik‐ Tok. For me, it’s always been one for the youngsters. I can’t dance, sing or do back‐ ward somersaults or forward ones come to that. TikTok have strict rules too, or so I thought. For instance, you can’t use the word dead or cigarettes. Hole is not allowed. What you can do is tell people to pretend to be dis‐ abled to use wheelchairs at airports to jump the long lines. As I said, this app is mostly used by young‐ sters and I looked at a few posts and they show these selfish little brats laughing and joking whilst stopping a genuine disabled person from the help they need to get through an airport, I have messaged TikTok about it and had no reply. They’re probably too busy checking there are no nipples on their site or the word thick. Their rules supposedly specifically cover minority groups so they should do some‐ thing. The airports can also help by making sure assistance is booked at least 48 hours before or you have a doctor’s note that you
need assistance or you show your blue badge like you do when parking. Of course there must be discretion but a bunch of laughing kids videoing their mates for TikTok is just wrong. Privacy is a big thing these days. Every page you look at online gives you reams of rules and regulations you have to accept before they let you in. Putting someone’s name and address on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter will probably get you banned. But I remember a time when you could walk down any street and there would be a red telephone box where you could look up anyone’s name, address and ‘phone number. In fact, you didn’t even have to leave your home ‐ just open the cup‐ board under the stairs and the stack of direc‐ tories would be there. I was, of course, ex‐di‐ rectory. What about private photos? You used to take your roll of film to Boots or one of my video shops that developed films and pick them up the next day. I can tell you there were some that definitely wouldn’t have got on TikTok. But was it better or worse times? Interesting that a lot of news channels did not show the Lionesses’ four goals against Sweden because the copyright owners, BBC I think, wanted to charge them too much. What a lot of cobblers! Email: mikesenker@gmail.com
Mike’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.
FEATURE
THE HEAT IS ON: AVOIDING HAVOC ON THE HOTTEST DAYS NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist.
Church of Scotland. At the start of the ser‐ vice there was a procession of office‐hold‐ ers all carrying banners who were played into the Church with the minister at their head. As one of the office‐holders parked his banner and took his official seat in front of the organ he glanced over at the newly‐ deputising organ‐player and shouted: “They tell me you have the biggest organ in the Church.” Oddly this had such a paralysing effect on the poor guy that, if said any‐ where else, would have had him rolling in the, err, aisles...
IT’S summer! And when I did a straw poll among girl friends (only the finest of scientific and journalistic methods for this column, folks) about summer eti‐ quette, the thing that really irritates them is men shirt‐ less in supermarkets, show‐ ing what they’ve got (or not). What they do/don’t have is usually a six‐pack, multiple tattoos and/or a fat belly. What a sight! But Nora Johnson’s critically not as startling as those acclaimed psychological shopping sporting ‘budgie crime thrillers (www.no smugglers’ ‐ the butt of ra‐johnson.net) all avail‐ jokes everywhere (pun in‐ able online including Nora’s latest thriller. tended)! eBooks (€0.99; £0.99), Ap‐ Which reminds me of the story of one ple Books, audiobooks, paperbacks at poor guy strong‐armed into playing the or‐ Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer chari‐ gan in a nearby church ‐ the Episcopalian ty.
Nora Johnson’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.
FEATURE
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LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT ‘NO Blacks. No Irish and No Dogs’. This is the oft publicised ‘unacceptable face of racism’ of the late 50s and early 60s, when landladies renting out rooms in ar‐ eas of London and other cities posted this on the doors and windows of their establishments. By today’s standards these signs are of course totally unacceptable. But opin‐ ions have changed drastically since those far more insular and ill‐informed days. Back then; these were not blanket judge‐ ments, reached for reasons of some‐ one’s skin colour or country of origin. They were decisions made because of the overall reputation gained by many who were considered foreigners. Irish males were not welcomed by landladies because the vast majority who worked the new m’ways and building sites were renowned for arriving back at all hours and upsetting other tenants by bellowing Irish ditties at the tops of their voices. Many people of colour were linked to Windrush and had recently arrived from countries that were far less developed than the UK, with large numbers never having ever seen a toilet or experienced abodes with running water. Through no
4 - 10 August 2022
No thank you fault of their own, their general stan‐ dards of living were vastly different to the locals and I personally witnessed some of them actually using boarding house corridors as toilettes. The land‐ ladies simply couldn’t cope with the cul‐ ture differences. And as for dogs; this was in no way a comparison with hu‐ mans. Merely that landladies didn’t want their barking to annoy the other tenants. We weren’t racists; we were merely treating those around us as we found them. I personally NEVER judged people by creed or colour. In those heady flower power days, I truly did believe that the UK was the forerunner of how the whole world would be one day. For some years I lived in Bayswater. At the end of the road was a pub frequented mainly by the black neighbourhood community. I was often happy to be the only white face in the pub and thoroughly enjoyed the company and the Ska and reggae music while enveloped in the vaguely sweet aroma of ‘pot’. No racism there ei‐ ther. Some years later I returned to remi‐ nisce in the area that held so many won‐ derful memories. The taxi driver wouldn’t even drive down the street! I walked to the packed, still wholly black
clientele pub and after only a few min‐ utes made the decision to leave, mainly because of the uncomfortable threaten‐ ing silence that descended over the whole establishment. I truly was utterly shocked and disappointed. Believe me, we were never the racists. Generally we welcomed those from different societies. We never envisaged that our liberal at‐ titude would in later years bring the threat of other religions and cultures try‐ ing to alter our whole way of life and democratic liberty. No wonder the UK is now infested with racist views. When you find yourself arguing racism with some snowflake or another, remember to remind them of one thing. In those days the local population had all the best intentions in the world; and now it’s be‐ ing repaid in utterly unacceptable ways. No thanks. Keep the faith. Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com
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EWN 27
FINANCE
euroweeklynews.com • 4 - 10 August 2022
STAT OF WEEK
€3 billion
is the worldwide profit made by Spanish bank BBVA in the first six months of 2022.
ADDITIONAL RECOVERY FUNDS
Credit: La Moncloa flickr
BUSINESS EXTRA
30
Shakira shock
Clean Creatives SO concerned about the environ‐ ment (or possibly their reputations) some 350 advertising and PR com‐ panies worldwide have joined the group Clean Creatives which means they will no longer work for fossil fu‐ el companies or their trade associa‐ tions according to a BBC report.
Economy surprise EVEN though inflation continues to spiral upwards, the Spanish econo‐ my surprised analysts by showing a growth of 1.1 per cent in the second quarter of the year, almost three times that forecast, thanks to household spending and the arrival of foreign holidaymakers.
Carpal tunnel TWO Spanish Supreme Court deci‐ sions have recognised that carpal tunnel syndrome is an occupational disease following lawsuits filed by a Spanish trade union on behalf of home help workers and employers will have to recognise this fact. This does not however cover workers using computers.
Price hike AS Amazon profits tumble, the company has announced it is to in‐ crease membership of its Prime divi‐ sion from September to €49.90 per annum in Spain which is much cheaper than the new £95 charge in the UK .
FUNDING FOR SPAIN: Ministers Calviño and Montero (left and right).
SPAIN is the first member of the EU to receive the second tranche of funds from the Recovery Plan. This latest payment which amount‐ ed to €12 billion was paid on July 29 following Spain’s formal request for these funds on April 30. “This is very good news that reaf‐ firms Spain’s leadership in the deploy‐ ment of the Recovery Plan in Europe. “The European Commission contin‐ ues to endorse the government’s roadmap with significant investments and reforms in key areas such as edu‐ cation and vocational training, labour market, sustainable mobility, connec‐
tivity and the deployment of 5G to put Spain at the forefront of the new green and digital economy,” said Min‐ ister of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, Nadia Calviño. Also commenting on this latest payment, the Minister of Finance and Public Administration, María Jesús Montero said “Spain once again demonstrates that it is a country that meets its commitments and will be the first to receive the second dis‐ bursement of the Recovery, Transfor‐ mation and Resilience Plan.” This gov‐ ernment has managed to launch the largest modernisation project in Spain
and we will not cease in our goal of building a more socially just, more digital, more productive and greener country.” Part of the funding received will be utilised in the Labour and pub‐ lic pension system reforms which are an important part of the govern‐ ment’s ongoing commitments. As at the end of June 2022, the Spanish Re‐ covery Plan has already helped fi‐ nance more than 28,800 projects throughout Spain in which more than 19,000 companies, more than 5,500 local authorities and more than 2,000 educational establishments and tech‐ nology centres have taken part.
Review of eco-friendly claims THE UK Competition and Markets Authority is to re‐ view eco‐friendly claims made by ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda. As British consumers be‐ come more committed to purchasing sustainable cloth‐ ing and accessories, so major companies are anxious to persuade them that their product fits in to the ‘green’ category. The CMA however says that it is to investigate the eco‐friendly and sustainabili‐ ty claims made by the three companies as part of its on‐ going investigation into po‐ tential greenwashing and fol‐ lows concerns around the way the firms’ products are
FINANCE
Credit: Reddit Facebook
COLOMBIAN singer Shakira faces a long prison sentence if convicted of six counts of tax evasion between 2012 and 2014 involving €14.5 mil‐ lion. Her defence will be she was domiciled in the Bahamas at the time but the Barcelona Prosecutor’s Office contendsshe was primarily in Spain as she was in a relationship (now ended) with Barcelona foot‐ ball star Gerard Pique and spent most of her time in that city. On July 27, PR company Llorente y Cuenca said that the singer wanted to prove her innocence in court but in the meantime has lodged the €14.5 mil‐ lion plus interest with a firm of lawyers to show her ability to pay.
RECYCLED MATERIAL: But litte information is available.
being marketed to cus‐ tomers. In January this year, the CMA turned its eye to the fashion sector, where an esti‐ mated £54 billion is spent by consumers annually, and its initial review identified con‐ cerns around potentially mis‐ leading green claims. These included a number
of companies creating the impression that their prod‐ ucts were ‘sustainable’ or better for the environment ‐ for example by making broad claims about the use of recycled materials in new clothing ‐ with little to no in‐ formation about the basis for those claims or exactly which products they related to.
Basically, it’s all about the way in which the products are described and also whether the amount of recy‐ cled material included in their clothing is made clear to the consumer as some items may contain as little as 20 per cent recycled fabric. At this stage, this is a fact‐ finding mission only and the CMA has written to the three firms outlining its concerns and will use its information gathering powers to obtain evidence to progress its in‐ vestigation. Once concluded the facts uncovered will be revealed and a decision made as to whether any further action is required.
Holiday home surprise THE pandemic saw a boost in the number of people in the UK purchasing second homes in popular holiday areas such as Devon and Cornwall as a way of spending lockdown. This however made it even more difficult for local resi‐ dents, especially the young, to get on the housing ladder and now, Leeds Building Soci‐ ety will no longer offer mort‐ gages to people simply want‐ ing second holiday homes. They will still continue to grant mortgages for those under buy to let schemes or those who undertake to rent their properties out for at least 24 weeks in the year and thereby hope to stimu‐ late the residential market.
Squids in THE last year has been a night‐ mare for low‐cost UK energy suppliers and their customers and a bonanza for the largest companies in the market. According to reports from both the BBC and Sky News, Octopus Energy has ap‐ proached the British govern‐ ment with a plan to take over Bulb which collapsed late last year and has been temporari‐ ly put into Administration with financial support from the government. Despite neither side con‐ firming or denying the sugges‐ tion, it appears that Octopus Energy wants to obtain a £1 billion repayable loan from the state to allow it to take over Bulb and purchase ener‐ gy stocks in advance plus pay £100,000 for the customer base.
Windfall tax THE so‐called windfall tax on Spanish banks to be imposed this year and next will only af‐ fect around a dozen organisa‐ tions in the financial sector and smaller credit unions (sim‐ ilar to the old‐style building so‐ cieties in the UK) will not be in‐ cluded.
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C LOSING P RICES A UGUST 1
COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) 3I Group 1.271,00 1.274,00 Abrdn 164,25 164,60 Admiral Group 1.883,5 1.892,5 Anglo American 2.942,0 2.946,0 Antofagasta 1.149,00 1.151,50 Ashtead Group 4.484,0 4.522,0 Associated British Foods 1.672,5 1.682,0 AstraZeneca 10.580,0 10.930,0 Auto Trader Group Plc 626,60 631,20 Avast 469,00 497,20 Aveva 2.340,0 2.344,0 Aviva 397,40 399,10 B&M European Value Retail SA424,60 429,10 BAE Systems 755,60 780,40 Bank VTB DRC 0,612 0,612 Barclays 155,14 157,04 Barratt Developments 507,76 507,80 Berkeley 4.262,0 4.276,0 BHP Billiton Ltd 2.240,00 2.248,50 BP 392,10 393,60 British American Tobacco 3.277,0 3.380,5 British Land Company 490,10 490,50 BT Group 155,10 165,10 Bunzl 3.046,0 3.060,0 Burberry Group 1.774,0 1.791,5 Carnival 668,0 670,4 Centrica 85,87 91,02 Coca Cola HBC AG 2.000,0 2.009,0 Compass 1.914,50 1.965,50 CRH 3.145,5 3.148,0 Croda Intl 7.400,0 7.408,0 DCC 5.330,0 5.354,0 Diageo 3.902,0 3.930,0 DS Smith 292,40 293,50 EasyJet 397,80 403,00 Experian 2.834,0 2.851,0 Ferguson 10.090,0 10.090,0 Flutter Entertainment 8.346,0 8.358,0 Fresnillo 730,80 732,60 Glencore 457,61 460,35 GSK plc 1.735,20 1.758,60 Halma 2.282,0 2.305,0 Hargreaves Lansdown 837,00 838,32 Hikma Pharma 1.727,50 1.732,50 HSBC 513,20 519,80 IAG 120,69 125,86 Imperial Brands 1.803,00 1.839,50 Informa 593,60 594,20
% CHG. 1.253,50 162,20 1.876,0 2.852,5 1.133,00 4.422,0 1.670,0 10.532,0 622,80 467,90 2.248,7 394,40 411,50 748,40 0,612 152,54 501,20 4.234,0 2.194,50 386,15 3.243,0 483,30 154,85 3.007,0 1.760,0 654,6 85,56 1.984,0 1.906,50 3.086,0 7.174,0 5.270,0 3.879,5 289,20 393,90 2.791,0 9.844,0 8.144,0 703,00 439,00 1.734,00 2.257,0 822,40 1.687,50 511,80 120,00 1.787,50 583,80
NET VOL 167,15K 1,19M 87,29K 577,25K 197,73K 184,05K 90,60K 455,29K 329,90K 999,77K 9,37K 727,66K 522,52K 3,56M 0 18,50M 379,01K 40,90K 282,31K 5,82M 901,47K 293,93K 13,90M 56,84K 167,52K 135,45K 6,77M 75,11K 834,87K 100,68K 59,38K 1,67K 414,76K 1,20M 893,74K 239,66K 35,79K 80,08K 313,46K 6,80M 1,08M 110,14K 31,37K 157,61K 5,89M 7,93M 431,23K 345,59K
ºCOMPANY
PRICE(P)
InterContinental Intermediate Capital Intertek ITV J Sainsbury Johnson Matthey Land Securities Legal & General Lloyds Banking London Stock Exchange Meggitt Melrose Industries Mondi National Grid NatWest Group Next Norilskiy Nikel ADR Ocado Persimmon Phoenix Prudential Reckitt Benckiser Relx Rentokil Rightmove Rio Tinto PLC Rolls-Royce Holdings Rosneft DRC Sage Samsung Electronics DRC Schroders Scottish Mortgage Segro Severn Trent Shell Smith & Nephew Smiths Group Spirax-Sarco Engineering SSE St. James’s Place Standard Chartered Taylor Wimpey Tesco Tui Unilever United Utilities Vodafone Group PLC Whitbread WPP
4.860,0 1.515,50 4.255,0 74,58 220,30 2.145,0 726,40 259,90 45,15 7.992,0 788,60 160,35 1.557,50 1.127,50 246,90 6.850,0 11,20 826,40 1.908,8 634,80 997,60 6.538,0 2.397,00 542,40 634,60 4.942,5 89,80 0,75 706,60 1.177,00 2.952,0 866,10 1.090,50 2.944,0 2.143,5 1.067,50 1.542,50 11.875,0 1.771,00 1.218,00 576,40 128,62 263,10 135,00 3.971,0 1.087,00 118,31 2.625,0 887,00
CHANGE(P)
% CHG.
NET VOL
4.897,0 1.520,50 4.339,0 74,68 222,90 2.148,0 727,20 260,60 45,43 8.022,0 795,00 163,65 1.560,00 1.135,49 251,90 6.888,0 11,20 829,40 1.913,4 637,20 1.001,50 6.586,0 2.424,00 550,00 662,20 4.945,0 90,06 0,75 709,40 1.182,00 2.964,0 867,20 1.091,50 2.949,0 2.154,5 1.091,50 1.555,00 11.875,0 1.779,50 1.222,50 591,80 129,00 264,80 134,55 4.002,0 1.089,00 119,88 2.644,0 894,20
4.830,0 1.489,50 4.085,0 71,44 219,50 2.106,0 720,60 257,90 44,80 7.900,0 788,40 160,20 1.528,00 1.116,87 244,20 6.732,0 11,20 789,80 1.885,6 624,60 986,00 6.508,0 2.397,00 529,00 633,20 4.848,0 88,22 0,75 701,40 1.174,00 2.898,0 841,60 1.062,00 2.916,0 2.113,0 1.061,00 1.524,50 11.665,0 1.742,00 1.203,50 563,80 126,25 261,00 131,05 3.961,0 1.070,00 117,98 2.597,0 876,00
52,28K 94,91K 155,04K 2,44M 850,46K 7,43K 388,65K 1,71M 25,89M 59,48K 135,77K 4,57M 336,40K 176,56K 11,61M 40,07K 0 349,84K 60,53K 66,36K 907,45K 180,54K 402,25K 1,57M 525,32K 449,05K 7,02M 0 168,09K 2,95K 86,38K 1,20M 388,65K 73,20K 1,97M 871,40K 168,90K 39,63K 453,34K 106,23K 182,48K 1,75M 2,19M 576,19K 330,32K 160,16K 14,34M 81,54K 952,58K
1.19118
0.83985
Units per €
US dollar (USD) ........................................1.0206 Japan yen (JPY)........................................136.07 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................0.9733 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4438 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................9.8979
currenciesdirect.com/mojacar • Tel: +34 950 478 914 THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER
DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES A UGUST 1
COMPANY 3M American Express Amgen Apple Boeing Caterpillar Chevron Cisco Coca-Cola Dow Goldman Sachs Home Depot Honeywell IBM Intel J&J JPMorgan McDonald’s Merck&Co Microsoft Nike Procter&Gamble Salesforce.com The Travelers UnitedHealth Verizon Visa A Walgreens Boots Walmart Walt Disney
PRICE 140,37 152,14 249,75 157,35 159,09 187,84 150,39 45,62 64,06 52,30 329,11 299,63 190,44 129,22 39,71 174,20 114,81 263,46 89,94 276,41 112,23 148,06 181,29 155,74 541,49 45,55 211,35 39,44 129,75 104,90
CHANGE +1,51 +0,51 -1,97 +0,56 +3,00 +2,59 +1,13 +0,98 +1,05 +0,06 +4,57 +0,72 +6,78 +0,10 -0,47 +1,00 -0,43 +4,57 -1,29 +7,67 +4,37 +2,42 +0,99 -3,22 +6,88 +0,64 +0,88 +0,22 +3,16 +1,40
CHANGE% VOLUME(M) +1,09% 3,09M +0,34% 3,08M -0,78% 2,16M +0,36% 68,78M +1,92% 8,70M +1,40% 2,23M +0,76% 6,29M +2,20% 17,43M +1,67% 10,81M +0,11% 5,99M +1,41% 1,65M +0,24% 3,93M +3,69% 3,65M +0,08% 3,88M -1,17% 48,57M +0,58% 5,45M -0,37% 10,36M +1,77% 2,84M -1,41% 13,90M +2,85% 33,02M +4,05% 6,72M +1,66% 6,27M +0,55% 4,41M -2,03% 1,46M +1,29% 2,23M +1,43% 21,97M +0,42% 7,41M +0,56% 4,39M +2,50% 10,77M +1,35% 7,89M M - MILLION DOLLARS
NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES A UGUST 1
COMPANY
CHANGE NET / %
VOLUME
+134.71% +93.04% +81.68% +71.05% +68.59% +60.00% +40.90% +37.14% +37.04% +32.67% +32.62%
2.41M 132.23K 1.00K 265.81M 19.43M 0.54K 1.93M 1.75M 11.87M 1.05K 140.98K
-42.95% -42.55% -41.24% -35.45% -29.74% -28.83% -26.61% -23.74% -23.58% -21.15% -19.88%
19.83M 90.58M 25.67M 103.65K 5.05M 11.68K 7.12M 10.64M 337.01K 1.74M 194.83K
Most Advanced AMTD Digital Biomx Inc Insu Acquisition Athersys SKYX Platforms Rockley Photonics Holdings Wnt ECB Bancorp Aridis Pharma F45 Training Holdings LiveVox Holdings Unit Q And K Intl
Most Declined Community Health Systems Missfresh Bausch Health IG Acquisition Ranpak Holdings Health Assurance Acquisition Lexicon ObsEva Lulu's Fashion Lounge Holdings Pathward Financial Locafy
34 EWN
www.euroweeklynews.com
4 - 10 August 2022
Euro slumps on gas shortage fears, US dollar firms amid global recession concerns
ASK THE EXPERT Peter Loveday Contact me at euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com
Euro EUR/GBP: Down from £0.86 to £0.85 EUR/USD: Down from $1.05 to $1.02 The euro fell back through July, the single currency coming under notable pressure amid concerns over European energy security and the potential knock-on impact on the Eurozone economy. This came amid heightened fears that Russia could completely cut off gas exports to the continent, forcing countries in the EU to start gas rationing and likely tipping the Eurozone economic into a recession in the process. The resulting EUR selling bias saw the EUR/USD exchange rate even briefly hit parity. The European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest interest rate decision also infused volatility into the euro as the ECB shocked markets with a 50bps rate hike this month, but struck a cautious tone in its forward guidance. Looking ahead, it’s likely the focus for EUR investors will remain on Europe’s energy outlook, with the euro poised to extend its downtrend if Russia continues to restrict gas flows to the continent.
CURRENCY OUTLOOK: The euro came under notable pressure throughout July.
Pound GBP/EUR: Up from €1.16 to €1.17 GBP/USD: Down from $1.22 to $1.20 The pound fluctuated over the past month, largely as a result of some notable UK political uncertainty. This was focused at the start of July as a dramatic 48 hours saw dozens of ministers resign from government and ultimately force Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister. After briefly buoying Sterling as his resignation brought an end to weeks of speculation over his future. The subsequent
start of the Conservative leadership race created fresh uncertainty and infused volatility in GBP exchange rates through the remainder of the month. The end of July saw Sterling mount a recovery amid speculation the Bank of England (BoE) may be more aggressive in August, although these gains were tempered by some mixed UK economic data. The BoE’s next rate decision will act as a key catalyst of movement in the pound in August. Will a 50bps rate hike help to propel Sterling higher?
FINANCE
US Dollar USD/GBP: Up from $0.81 to $0.83 USD/EUR: Up from €0.94 to €0.98 The US dollar enjoyed notable support over the past month as growing fears of an impending global recession bolstered demand for the safe-haven currency. The first half of July also saw USD exchange rates bolstered by stronger-thanexpected US payroll and inflation releases. The upbeat data sparked speculation the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates by 100bps at its next meeting. However the ‘greenback’ quickly fell back from its best levels as investors scaled back their rate hike bets following some cautious comments from Fed policymakers. The US dollar was also knocked by the latest US PMIs after they reported a shock contraction in the US service sector in June. Going forward the US dollar is well positioned to resume its bullish run through August, so long as global recession concerns persist. Currencies Direct have helped over 325,000 customers save on their currency transfers since 1996. Just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more about how you can save money on your currency transfers.
Visit us at our Spanish offices in Costa del Sol, Costa Almeria, North Costa Blanca and South Costa Blanca. Telephone UK +44 (0) 207 847 9400 SPAIN +34 950 478 914 • Email euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com • www.currenciesdirect.com.
REPSOL REAPS PROFITS
Credit: Repsol media centre
BUSINESS EXTRA Another takeover THE ongoing acquisition programme of the Frasers Group, owner of House of Fraser and Sports Direct continues with the takeover of yet another online fashion group I Saw It First for an undisclosed sum fol‐ lowing its bail out of Missguided earlier this year.
Unemployment down ACCORDING to the latest figures from the National Statistics Institute (INE) Spanish unemployment figures continue to keep below the three million mark, for the second month running, falling to just under 12.5 per cent in the second quarter of the year continuing a downward trend.
EARNINGS INCREASED: The board of Repsol revealed its profits.
SPANISH energy company Repsol has made a net profit of €2.54 billion during the first half of 2022, amid the global fuel crisis according to the company on Thursday July 28. Repsol’s net profit in the first half of the year, saw the com‐ pany’s earnings go up 105.6 per cent. The company headed by Jo‐ su Jon Imaz will take advan‐ tage of this situation to apply a provision of €1.84 billion for the foreseeable deterioration in the valuation of its refining assets due to the ban on com‐
bustion vehicles and the tax measures being prepared by the government. This half‐year result, with the added €2.4 billion ob‐ tained in 2021, offsets the loss‐ es the company saw in 2019 and 2020, with total losses of more than €7.1 billion, due to zero net emissions adjust‐ ments to their assets as well as the Covid pandemic. Repsol has also invested around €1 billion a year in its refining facilities, while refining capacity was being reduced in Europe which allowed the
company to increase and opti‐ mise the use of these assets to respond to the supply tensions seen in the international fuel market caused by the war in Ukraine. This advantage will report‐ edly allow Spain to have a ‘guaranteed’ supply of petrol and diesel in the coming months. The news follows reports of Spanish energy company Rep‐ sol seeing a 115 per cent in‐ crease in profits this year when compared to its results in the similar period in 2021.
Reduced forecasts DESPITE past optimism, Spain’s Economy minister Nadia Calviño conceded on Tuesday July26 that inflation is go‐ ing to continue to grow whilst the economy would not be as healthy as hoped during 2022 and 2023. Blaming amongst other factors the ongoing Ukrainian invasion, she reluctantly has to raise the inflation fore‐ cast to 7.8 per cent in 2022 from the previous target of 6.1 per cent although the figure for 2023 is much lower at 2.9 per cent compared to the anticipated 2.2 per cent. Even though GDP has been quite healthy this year, she also had to announce a forecast for 2023 of 2.7 per cent, down from 3.5 per cent although the International Monetary Fund is more pessimistic at a flat 2 per cent.
High flyers PERHAPS understood by many who have seen this oc‐ cur in the workplace, high performing managers set harsher targets for their employees, according to new research by Vienna University of Economics and Busi‐ ness. The study, conducted by Professor Christoph Feichter, analysed how supervisors’ performance in lower‐level jobs prior to being promoted to manager influenced the targets they set for employees. He found that high performing managers set harsher targets for their employees because they experience bias due to having a distorted awareness that their own experiences are standard practice. The researcher says that firms need to address this as experience bias can lead to negative employee reac‐ tions as well as planning and coordination mistakes.
36 EWN
euroweeklynews.com
4 - 10 August 2022
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VILLA PERFECTA: Has a light, spacious, contemporary and homely feel to it.
a variety of Mediterranean plants and trees and to the left is the main garden / entertaining area with the 7m x 4m swimming pool including the Roman end steps with tiled surround with plen‐ ty of room for sunbathing etc, plus there
is a pergola for the shade and a built in BBQ. To the rear of the villa is further garden and two small garden sheds. External stairs lead up to the sunroof with all round views over the neigh‐ bouring roof tops and countryside.
Ref. VH2048
184,950 euros
The villa comprises a conservatory / second living room which wraps around the side and front of the villa and looks out to the gardens and pool. The front door then leads in to the good spacious, light and airy living room / dining room with ceiling fan and glazed double doors leading back out to the conservatory. Opposite the dining area is the large modern style fitted kitchen with plenty of cupboards and worktop space. A corridor leads down to the three double bedrooms. The larger than aver‐ age master bedroom with twin built in wardrobes, ceiling fan and separate en‐ suite shower room. There are two more guest double bedrooms both with built in wardrobes and ceiling fans. Next is the family bathroom. Voss Homes is a British family‐run business with an office in La Alfoquia and the market town of Huercal‐Overa. We are the main selling agent for the Huercal‐Overa, Zurgena, La Alfoquia and Taberno area. We look forward to help‐ ing you find your ideal property in Spain.
For more information or to arrange a viewing of VH2048 please contact Voss Homes on 0034 950 616 827 or email us at enquiries@vosshomesspain.com.
4 - 10 August 2022
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
How to deal with hay fever this summer AS the hot weather arrives, so does pollen, triggering an allergic reaction which affects a quarter of people in the UK. Symptoms include sneezing, itchy eyes/throat, runny nose, watery eyes and blocked sinuses. Here’s how to deal with hay fever this summer: 1. Ginger and turmeric taste great and work as in‐ flammatory that prevents your respiratory airways from swelling so much. Grate or ground them into meals for extra flavour and protection. 2. Citrus fruits and vegeta‐ bles like peppers, berries and kiwis are rich in vitamin C which is useful for break‐ ing down and excreting his‐ tamine, the compound re‐ sponsible for your sneezing and itching! 3. Eating oily fish like
hayfever: Sharomka/shutterstock
38 EWN
SYMPTOMS: Include sneezing and watery eyes.
salmon, mackerel and sar‐ dines regularly helps to limit the narrowing of your air‐ ways, most likely due to its anti‐inflammatory proper‐ ties. 4. Onions, cooked or raw, contain quercetin, a plant compound which serves as a
natural antihistamine. Throw into salads or use as a base for stir‐fries or curries. 5. Nettle tea is rich in vita‐ min C and can help reduce histamine levels. It’s also good for hydration, so com‐ bine it into your daily drink‐ ing routine!
HEALTH & BEAUTY
euroweeklynews.com
4 - 10 August 2022
Garlic: Volodymyr Plysiuk/shutterstock
The best foods to eat for healthy, glowing skin
GARLIC: Is rich in sulphur and allicin.
YOUR skincare shouldn’t just begin in front of your mirror! Nutrition is also important. What we eat affects that de‐ sired radiant, glowing complex‐ ion. Here’s how to eat your way to beautiful skin. 1. Garlic gets rid of blemishes Garlic is rich in sulphur and allicin, which reduce the ap‐ pearance of blemishes by re‐ ducing swelling and inflamma‐ tion and improving blood circulation.
2. Marjoram helps your hor‐ mones A delicious spice to throw in‐ to curries or add to a tasty salad dressing, marjoram balances your hormones by regulating the body’s production of natu‐ ral oil sebum, which directly af‐ fect your skin’s health. It also aids sleep which is fundamen‐ tal for healthy skin regenera‐ tion. 3. Pomegranate promotes blood flow
Pomegranate seeds reduce the appearance of pigmenta‐ tion and sunspots in your skin because it’s packed with pro‐ tective polyphenols which hy‐ drate and regulate blood flow. It’s also rich in Vitamin C which helps produce your skin’s healthy, rosy glow. As well as these delicious foods you can easily slip into many meals, don’t forget to drink plenty of water as hydration is essential for your skin’s health.
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4 - 10 August 2022
FEATURE
Advertising Feature GRUPO PLATINUM
Exclusive development in the heart of San Juan de Los Terreros LAUNCH of exclusive development of just 10 detached villas in the heart of San Juan de Los Terreros! Your future is here now. Exclusive, Luxury detached family home, on a plot of 400m2 with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, pri‐ vate pool with jacuzzi, parking and more! €310,000. Reserve your home now with a payment of just €7,000. Do you dream of a private home by the sea, close to the town centre and the beach? Yet not in the noise of the traffic or the bars?? It is here now for you to own. Additional optional extras; to have an un‐ derbuild with an English patio offering lots of natural light, giving parking, extra rooms and storage. With a fireplace, car charging con‐ nection and complete solar system, the Grupo Platinum team are here to guide you, call us on 950 466 112. This exclusive promotion is characterised by space, the use of high‐quality materials and extra‐large plots for a holiday or all‐ year‐round living. Fall in love at first sight! An independent villa of the stars, see them in the sky and feel them in your heart, see you there.
EXCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT: Do you dream of a private home by the sea, close to the town centre and the beach?
Call now to obtain more information, and organise your reservation for €7,000, 950 466 112.
Credit: pixfly/shutterstock
How to stay dry when Camping as a vegan camping in the rain
GOOD PITCH: Chose a spot away from rivers to avoid potential flooding.
CAMPING in sunny Spain is great, so long as it stays sunny! However, if you’re holidaying somewhere in ‘green Spain’, don’t be surprised if you get a little rainfall during your trip. That doesn’t mean that it should ruin your holi‐ day! Here’s some tips to stay dry and happy during your camping trip. Choosing a good spot
for camping can be the difference between a tent triumph and a camping catastrophe. If rain is un‐ certain, it’s best to choose a pitch away from rivers and lakes to avoid poten‐ tial flooding. If you can, try pitching your tent underneath a tree which can offer some shelter if there is a down‐ pour.
It’s also a good idea to pack food that is ready to eat, as cooking outdoors in the rain can dampen the spirits of even the most experienced chef, even if the rain doesn’t extinguish your fire! And if you’re trekking in the rain, use plastic bags to cover your backpack and keep all your belong‐ ings dry.
TO camp or travel in a campervan can be incredibly freeing and full of infinite opportunities. It’s also lovely to reconnect with nature, and what better place to adopt a plant-based diet than sleeping beneath the stars? Start your day with easy vegan pancakes to make a nice change from the same old boring cereal. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, soy milk, vegetable oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl and then pour onto a hot skillet, flipping over when bubbles start to form. For lunch pumpkin soup is an easy, flavourful option sure to keep you going
until dinner time. Pumpkins are also in season in summer so ingredients shouldn’t be difficult to source. You could even prepare your soup in advance and take it with you on hikes in a flask to keep it warm. A family favourite, pizza for dinner time and is easier than you’d think to prepare at a campsite. Again, you can make the dough in advance and take it with you. Then you simply need to roll out the dough, top with your favourite veggies and vegan cheese, and bake above the campfire.
Camping Parque Tropical CAMPING PARQUE TROPICAL is located in Es‐ tepona, Malaga and is only 10km away from Marbella. If tents aren’t your thing, there are 17 bungalows with terraces and parking. These come in four differ‐ ent models to choose from, fully equipped with every‐ thing you could need and have air conditioning and outdoor furniture so you
can enjoy your meals out‐ side in the summer evenings. There are also 71 spots on different levels and vary‐ ing sizes where you can pitch your tent or there are electricity points for cara‐ vans and motorhomes. The campsite also has wifi throughout. All of this is surrounded by tropical plants to really
make you feel like you’re on holiday. The beach is al‐ so only 500 metres away, approximately a five‐ minute walk! If you’re not a fan of the sea, the campsite also has its own pool. For the little ones, Camp‐ ing Parque Tropical has an infant play area and if you want to work out while you’re away there are exer‐ cise machines available.
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4 - 10 August 2022
FEATURE
Advertising Feature
Helping you navigate the circle of strife THEY do say that life comes round in cycles, and the team at Neater Heater are inclined to repeat a phrase that Der‐ rick Trotter might say:”It’s Deja‐vu all over again, Rod‐ ney.” Neater Heater started life in the last cost of living crisis af‐ ter the world’s economies were crashed by the banks in 2008. Primarily looking for ways to heat their kids’ bed‐ rooms, Richard and Tony had both decided separately on electric heaters. However, when shopping around they had discovered that the ones on offer were either very expensive to buy, but not too expensive to run, or were very cheap to buy but cost a small fortune to run. One thing they all had in com‐
mon was that they were not very efficient. This story is told in detail on their website www.neater heater.es but the gist is that through luck they discov‐ ered a Norwegian convector heater that they could im‐ port at a reason‐ able cost and was cost effective to run. It en‐ abled them to heat a room for less money. It is not a magic solution, it is a solution borne of efficien‐ cy and effectiveness. It is like buying a more efficient car when petrol prices go through the roof. An anecdote from one of their first customers will ex‐
NEATER HEATERS: Helping your money go further.
plain how you can reduce your bills with a Neater Heater. They had a customer ‐ let’s call him Geoff. Now Ge‐ off had bought a couple of
small oil filled heaters from the ferreteria near him, but he was‐ n’t happy with them. He thought they were defective as his electrics frequently t r i p p e d when he was us‐ ing them. He then called Neater Heater and told them the size of the rooms he wanted heating. Both small bedrooms at 9sqm. He was provided with two 600 watt heaters. When fitting these heaters Tony and Richard looked at the small ferreteria‐bought
heaters and saw that they were each 2,200 watts. In to‐ tal 4.4 kilowatts. Geoff said that they just about took the edge off the cold. (He also on‐ ly had a 5kW allowance, so when he put the kettle on the electrics tripped). Anyway, his bedrooms are warmer now, his electrics no longer trip, and he is saving 3.2 kilowatts every hour! In fact, possibly more as Neather Heaters have ther‐ mostats to further reduce consumption. As with everything else, our suppliers are having to put their prices up in the autumn, so now would be a good time to order your Neater Heaters so they are delivered to us at the end of the summer at this year’s prices.
NEATER HEATER DISTRIBUTORS: ALMERIA ANTAS: Lifestyle Enclosures. Tel.: 950 459 060 Heaters also available for purchase at our online shop with free home delivery. WWW.NEATERHEATER.ES or Tel. 634 312 171 (WhatsApp available)
PAUSE FOR THOUGHT TONY NOBLE ALL of us at times have felt the pressure of life, our jobs, family, and life in gen‐ eral can cause this feeling to a point where we sometimes feel we can’t go on. It’s at times like this when we must look at life in a different way, but how can we do that I hear you ask? I find that when life seems to be getting on top of me I turn to the bible. All my an‐ swers are in there and once I’ve read a few selective passages I feel the pres‐ sure lift from me. Luke’s gospel tells the story of Jesus visiting two sisters, Mary and Martha, while Martha was preparing the meal Mary was at Jesus’ feet listening to him. Anyone who has had to prepare a special meal realises that it is hard work. When Martha complained to Je‐ sus about Mary not helping her he told her that Mary was doing something far more important, she was listening to God’s word. Many of us have tried to spend time with the Lord but can easily lose moti‐
vation. When we read the bible it’s easy to jump from one part to another without taking the time to digest what we’ve read. Sometimes we need something to motivate us, Jesus calls Mary’s action of sitting at his feet “the necessary thing,” this should be suffi‐ cient motivation for us and is readily available in the scriptures. The bible can give us so much to inspire. It can give us the understanding we need to grow in Godliness. It gives us the per‐ spective we need to face life’s trials in‐ cluding death. God’s word promises hope amid our trials and hope beyond the grave. If we take the time to listen and di‐ gest what we are being told, only then will we be able to escape the pressure of life even if only for a few minutes. Amen. I hope this is acceptable, Blessings Tony. To read more articles from our columnists and to have your say in the comments go to www.euroweeklynews.com
Tony Noble’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.
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4 - 10 August 2022
SUZANNE MANNERS BEING a woman of a certain age comes with many difficulties not the least of which is the diminishing of hormones. These hormones ordinarily help keep us balanced (mostly) and their slow and in‐ evitable demise creates a void into which anxiety, depression and madness swirl around like demented feral cats on heat. This hormonal void becomes filled with the above (especially cats) and a plethora of other emotions; anger, fear, sadness and grumpiness. Our normal personality begins to adapt to the lack and creates within this lack a new personality which teeters on the precipice of either grumpiness, snarliness or uncontrollable weeping. The invisibility that comes with age does not protect us as friends and family begin to notice the once friendly, humorous, aunt, sister, mother or friend has suddenly turned into an un‐ kempt and miserable beast who cares only for Prosecco and cats. In order to not fall into the cat lady abyss I have been walking and swimming every day. Partly to help with maintaining a healthy weight but also to release those endorphins promised by personal trainers
FEATURE
Healthy body, sweaty neck
HORMONAL VOID: Many women self medicate with exericse.
and dieticians. It is true that 20 lengths does fill one with a sense of achievement. The walk home from the pool is a joy (even in this heat) and there is a definite height‐ ening of mood post swim. Unfortunately the menopause hangs around like an unwelcome guest, at times quiet and respectful and at other times a
complete bitch who eats all your food, drinks all the gin and will not go home. A good sense of self is important to all human beings. Who we are, what makes us tick is something that it can take a life‐ time to explore and to grow comfortable with. It used to worry me that I was unso‐ ciable, but now I care not a jot for what
anyone thinks of me. I say no with alacrity, return food and complain about poor ser‐ vice like a real hard ass. You don’t have to like me but you do have to listen to me and bring me the correct meal. So when menopause hits and stirs your brain with its wooden spoon of anxiety and hot flashes it can be quite distressing to no longer be the person you thought you were. Crying in public, burning puce and sweating buckets even in winter. It’s like demon possession but without the aid of an exorcist (and here in Spain the power of HRT does not compel us). So I, like many other women, self medi‐ cate with exercise and Prosecco and hope that the snarling demon leaves us before we completely isolate all our friends and family and before our heads spin uncon‐ trollably on our sweaty necks. Swim away and let those endorphins run free.
For more from our columnists please scan this QR Code
Suzanne Manners’ opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.
Advertising Feature
Do you have a home to sell? Contact us today We get you the best price, No sale, no charge!! NEVER compromise, get the best ser‐ vice and sell your home in the quick‐ est time! The team at Grupo Platinum Es‐ tates guarantees maximum exposure of properties, a large team of fully contracted staff, working seven days a week. Working with local and interna‐ tional clients of all languages. Invest‐ ing time and money on property por‐ tals, exhibitions in many different countries, local publications, TV and radio. Selling your property in the best timeframe for the best price. NO SALE, NO FEE!
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Two offices on the coastline: • Head Office: Calle Mar Rabiosa 1, San Juan de los Terreros, 04648 Pulpí, Almería. • Vera Playa Office: Ronda de las Buganvillas 12A, 04621 Vera, Almería Looking to buy or sell on the Almeria, Murcia or Alicante coast? Don’t compromise on service, or timescales, choose the experts: contact Grupo Platinum Estates today. 950 466 112. DUE TO RECORD SALES so far in 2022! WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR HOME FOR WAITING CLIENTS, ANY HOME, ANY AREA, CALL US NOW TO GET YOUR PROPERTY SOLD….
46 EWN
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4 - 10 August 2022
THE EURO WEEKLY NEWS has urged its readers to support local businesses in the com‐ munity by shopping lo‐ cally in recent times. Now things are heading back to normal, we chal‐ lenge you to maintain that habit by supporting local high streets, mar‐ kets, butchers, greengro‐ cers and all of the won‐ derfully quirky independent businesses in your area. Local businesses make our villages, towns and cities what they are. They add unique charac‐ ter. They are convenient. And they offer excellent produce from known suppliers. The joy of shopping locally means that independent busi‐ nesses can support the local community. You may find something a eu‐ ro or two cheaper online but have you considered where your money is ac‐ tually going? By shopping locally you’re putting food on a local family’s table and there is nothing better
GO LOCAL BUY LOCAL: By shopping locally, independent businesses can help support the local community.
than giving back to the communities that have given us so much. Local stores support charities and they sponsor local
sports teams. In many cases, they are much more than just a busi‐ ness, they’re a legacy. They may have support‐
ed generations of the same family. Likewise, brand new local stores and bars may help the generations of the future
fulfil their dreams and ambi‐ tions. Remember, your lo‐
GO LOCAL
cal store is going up against multinationals and chains. They can’t win that battle on their own. So give them your support. Spending your money locally will make a real difference to the local economy. Local businesses recirculate a greater share of every euro they receive at local level. They create locally owned supply chains and they invest in their em‐ ployees. So remember. When you go shopping ‐ go local!
LETTERS
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4 - 10 August 2022
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YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION Letters should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: euroweeklynews.com Views expressed and opinions given are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements.
NOT THERE YET DEAR Leapy Lee, Usually we agree whole‐ heartedly with your un PC writings, but felt compelled to comment on this article. You write, ‘Both countries have since descended into ut‐ ter anarchy’, we both feel that is a bit over the top and poten‐ tially giving a rather unfair pic‐ ture. We have visited South Africa many times, and have travelled through southern Africa, including Zimbabwe. We travel on our own in a hire vehicle, yes when at traffic lights we keep windows and doors locked, but I used to do that when working in parts of London. We would not stop for a person/s (white or black) trying to flag us down in a re‐ mote area, that did actually backfire on us once when we ignored a rather large black gentleman trying to stop us in Mozambique, who turned out to be a customs official. We were stopped further down the road and held at gunpoint, he was very pleasant when he realised we were English and not SA! We go shopping in the big malls and also in small, pre‐ dominately black, town cen‐ tres, never have we felt threat‐ ened. Most of the violence we hear about in South Africa is Black on Black, but would say that no doubt things are changing slowly and certainly not for the better. Will end by saying that we do feel that South Africa is cer‐ tainly on decline and much of what you write may be the case in not so many years time, but thankfully it’s not there yet. M&J (in Los Guiraos)
No return Dear Editor, Having just finished a year’s
rental, the owners have not paid back the deposit, despite an airtight legal contact. This is happening more often and part of the problem is the ever larger deposits. Owners think it great to get €1,200, €1,400, etc deposit but instead of leaving it with an agency or whatever till it has to be repaid, they spend it as they spend the rent they get each month. Then sudden‐ ly the deposit has to be repaid and they do not have the money. The renting business needs to be better regulated to stop this from happening. Michael Hill
Rotten service
From experience, one of the top mobile phone companies in Spain is the worst. They charged me for changing my plan, they told me I had to, as this plan no longer exists. Then I get charged double in my next bill and three months lat‐ er, still waiting a refund, which they said I would receive in an email they sent me, and a message confirming the re‐ fund. Always time to get their payment, but not my refund. Anon
OUR VIEW COMING OF AGE WHETHER you are a football fan or not, the fact that the England women’s team beat Germany at Wembley in the final of the Euro 2002 tournament has to have excited many for a number of reasons. First and foremost, there is little question that women’s football in England has finally come of age with huge TV coverage and a packed Wembley Stadium. It has taken a long time for girl power to become so popular in the UK and ironically, it first took off in a country that isn’t renowned for its interest in soccer, the USA, where its teams won both the 2015 and 2019 World Cup Finals. Even more telling is the fact that there are more soccer scholarships at US universities for women than there are for men and there is a national league that is well supported. Gone are the days in Europe when women who wanted to play competitive football were not only unpaid but actually had to pay to play and the women’s game has really seen a blossoming of support, but there have been some hiccups on the way. Most major European clubs now have their own women’s teams but many aren’t allowed to play at the main club stadiums as attendance can be in the low thousands and as recently as 2018, when the first mixed-sex tour in Barcelona football club's history to the USA took place, the men travelled in business class and the women in economy. One rule that applies to men and women alike, as was seen at the Wembley final, is that no matter what sex you are, if you take off your shirt after scoring, it’s an automatic yellow card.
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How to calm your dog during fireworks MANY summer festival celebrations, such as San Juan, involve a glorious firework display. Unfor‐ tunately, many dogs and small animals are scared of these pyrotechnic dis‐ plays and sometimes they run away and get lost as a result. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Here’s how you can protect and calm your dog when they hear rockets and firecrackers. If you know there are going to be fireworks in the evening, try and tire
out your dog during the day by taking them on a long walk. This will mean they have less ner‐ vous energy to expend during the display. By creating a safe and secure place in your home for your dog, you can help them feel more comfortable and less afraid when the display does start. And if your dog does run away from the sound of fireworks, a GPS tracker can be help‐ ful for you to find them again.
PETS
Taking your pet travelling MANY people are desperate for a holiday but don’t want to leave their beloved pet behind. Don’t worry, you don’t necessarily have to! Many places allow pets and Madrid was recently ranked the sixth most pet friendly city in Europe, behind Italian cities like Milan, Rome and Florence. Here’s some of the things you’ll need to fly with your furry friend so you can both enjoy your time away in the sun. Like humans, pets will
need a European passport to travel so they can be identi‐ fied. You should complete a form beforehand to specify what type of animal your travelling companion is. Trav‐ el agents will then be able to calculate the price of your pet’s travel. Your pet will also need a health certificate and vacci‐ nations according to the country to which you’re trav‐ elling. You should also ensure this is followed by a deworm‐ ing test 24/48 hours prior to your flight.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS POLICE/FIRE/AMBULANCE: 112 24 HOUR PHARMACY FERNANDEZ ORTEGA ANGELES- MOJACAR 950 469 082 24 HOUR VETS CLINICAL VETERINARIA -MOJACAR 950 472 252
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ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - Why not make this year the year you volunteer? Call and see how you can help either as a caseworker (with full training) or as a Telephone Buddy. We also visit beneficiaries who are housebound or in hospital. If you feel you could support us here in Spain, and you have a Spanish phone number then why not email us for more info tbuddyhhvisits@gmail.com. If you or your partner served or are serving, and you feel you need help or support then contact us using the details on the card, we are here for the small things as well as the big, sometimes talking to someone is the first step to feeling more in control. It can be a personal need or some help with your home or information on what or who to speak to on a medical issue, we help with signposting if we cannot help directly, just call and have a chat with Pam who will try to guide you to where you need to be. If you would like to go to a branch meeting then find your nearest one at, www. britishlegion.org.uk/ counties/spain-north ZURGENA Branch meeting on the first Thursday, Coffee Morning on the third Thursday and Buffet & Quiz Night on the last Tuesday of the month all at Bar Trinidad, Arboleas, for further details please email zurge narblchairman@gmail.com (253989)
DRAINAGE
51
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ESTATE AGENT VOSS HOMES are a professional, British family-run Estate Agents with an office in HuercalOvera town. They specialise in selling and renting properties in the Huercal-Overa, La Alfoquia, Zurgena & Taberno area. Andy, Anna, Jess, Adele, Hannah, Amy & Karen look forward to helping you buy, sell or rent your ideal property. Please call 678 002 006 for more information (283824)
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CHURCHES LOCAL ANGLICAN (C of E) church services at Mojacar Los Llanos Del Peral and Alhambra. Communion every Sunday in Mojacar at 11am. Communion at Los Llanos every Sunday except the last Sunday in the month when there will be Prayer and Praise all at 11am. The services that were being held in the South American church Albox have now returned to the chapel and Communion is held on the second Thursday of the month at 11am. Priest in charge rev canon Alan Bennet telephone number 680 243 436. For further information, please go to The Anglican Chaplaincy of Costa Almeria and Costa Calida web page. Or contact Tony Noble 950 069 103. (10002) TURRE EVANGELICAL CHURCH We meet every Sunday at 10.30. For worship. We believe you’ll find us ‘relaxed’, welcoming’ and ‘informal’. Find us on Turre’s main street, towards the motorway at the far end on the left. To know more contact 617 914 156 (10021)
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4 - 10 August 2022
MOTORING
Fast-charging A JOINT venture by Iberdro‐ la and BP will see them in‐ stall 11,000 fast charging points in Spain and Portugal. The two companies have announced their joint plan to accelerate the energy transition. They will collabo‐ rate to expand the rapid public recharging infrastruc‐ ture for electric vehicles in Spain and Portugal. They have also decided to devel‐ op large‐scale green hydro‐ gen production centres in Spain, Portugal, and the UK. Ignacio Galan, Chairman of Iberdrola, indicated that “with this agreement, we continue to make progress in decarbonisation and ener‐ gy self‐sufficiency through the electrification of two key sectors of our economy, transport and industry.” He continued: “The di‐ mension of this challenge re‐ quires alliances between companies such as Iberdrola and BP, which have the nec‐ essary technology and
Credit: bp.com
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CHARGING POINTS: Two companies are expanding the infrastructure.
knowledge to help acceler‐ ate industrial development in Europe, and, at the same time, generate well‐being and new opportunities for all, through clean energies.” CEO of BP, Bernard Looney, stated that: “Devel‐ oping the low‐carbon ener‐
gy solutions that our cus‐ tomers demand requires the integration of different tech‐ nologies, capacities, and forms of energy, and we will be able to achieve it faster and on a larger scale by working collaboratively with others.”
MOTORING
euroweeklynews.com
4 - 10 August 2022
EWN 53
Skoda Fabia SE Comfort – more premium than its price suggests ROAD TEST by Mark Slack SOMETIMES you find a car that while ostensibly a rather ordinary means of transport turns out to be something a bit special. Skoda’s Fabia has long been a feature of the Czech manufacturer’s sales lists and in its latest form drives much more premium than its price suggests and is full of clever touches typical of Skoda. The Fabia range starts at €20,786/£17,800 and offers decent standard equip‐ ment and some rather good power units. All bar one are 1.0‐litre, three‐ cylinder petrol units with power outputs of 80PS, 95PS and 110PS, with the two higher power engine variants being tur‐ bocharged. Then there is a 1.5‐litre turbocharged petrol unit developing
150PS, again three‐cylin‐ der. Standard fare is decent on the entry level model and includes LED lights, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors, air conditioning, alloy wheels and a height adjustable driver’s seat. The previously men‐ tioned clever little touches that set Skoda apart are such things as an ice scrap‐ er inside the fuel filler flap, clip in rubbish bags for the door pockets and an um‐ brella. My test model was the lead‐in SE Comfort trim with the lower power tur‐ bocharged 1.0‐litre engine that develops 95PS and drives through a manual five‐speed gearbox. Inside there’s pretty much everything you need in terms of modern crea‐ ture comforts, although the rear manual windows are a surprise. Even on cost
MOTORING
grounds it’s somewhat of a disparity when looking at the list of other standard equipment included in the Fabia. On the road the Fabia is aimed more at comfort than handling but nonethe‐ less is still capable of being very competently hustled along more twisting roads. My test model is priced at €21,795/£18,350 and it feels more premium than the price suggests. Perfor‐ mance is modest, but the Fabia doesn’t feel in any way hindered in its progress. This is helped by the five‐speed manual gearbox having well‐cho‐ sen ratios and a light and easy shift. Push the throttle hard and there’s a charac‐ teristic thrum from the three‐cylinder engine that’s far from unpleasant. All this means that despite the small engine capacity the Fabia feels comfortable and
long‐legged. Looking at its competi‐ tors the Skoda stacks up very well. Although it lacks
the zesty performance feel of something like an Ibiza, it’s not necessarily a bad thing in a car that has to
complete a myriad of travel duties. The Fabia is a car that I would be very happy to have on my driveway.
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SPORT
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4 - 10 August 2022
EWN 55
OPENING CEREMONY: Took place in Birmingham.
Commonwealth ‐ made their way into the Stadi‐ um, and formed the shape of the Union jack flag. As Mezzo‐Soprano Samantha Oxborough de‐ livered the national an‐ them, the legendary Red Arrows flew overhead in formation.
SPORT
Reading out a message from the Queen, Prince Charles said: “Over the years, the coming togeth‐ er of so many for the ‘Friendly Games’ has cre‐ ated memorable shared experiences, established long‐standing relation‐ ships, and even created some friendly rivalries.”
A GOAL in extra‐time from Manchester City’s Chloe Kelly saw England’s Lionesses become the Euro 2022 champions on Sunday, July 31. This is English football’s first major trophy since the other famous victory over German opponents back in 1966, also at Wembley stadium. Kelly sent the record‐breaking 87,192 fans into ecstasy as her strike hit the back of the net with 10 minutes left to play, leaving the fi‐ nal score at 2‐1. For the sixth match in a row, England man‐ ager Sarina Wiegman named an unchanged team for the final against the eight‐time Euro‐ pean Championships winners. Germany meanwhile faced the match without their enigmatic captain Alexandra Popp. The tour‐ nament’s joint‐top scorer injured herself in the pre‐match warm‐up, leaving German coach Martina Voss‐Tecklenburg with a headache. It took England until the second half to go in front. A goal from Manchester United’s El‐ la Toone set the match up for a thrilling cli‐ max. A superb long ball from Kiera Walsh al‐ lowed Toone to outpace the German defenders and show astounding composure by calmly chipping the ball into the net over
CREDIT: uefa.com
THE 22nd edition of the Commonwealth Games, being held in Birming‐ ham, were declared open on Thursday, July 28, by Her Majesty Queen Eliza‐ beth II and Prince Charles. A spectacular opening ceremony took place, although without the physical presence of the monarch due to her ill health. A giant TV screen at the Alexander Stadium saw a video of the Queen greet‐ ing a packed crowd of around 30,000 sports fans. An estimated audience of one billion watched world‐ wide as vintage footage was screened. Making a grand en‐ trance in an Aston Martin DB86 that he purchased in 1970, Prince Charles arrived with Camilla. An entourage of 72 cars ‐ sig‐ nifying the 72 nations and territories of the
Credit: Twitter@birminghamcg22
2022 Games have begun Football’s come home
Lionesses bring home Euro 2022 Cup.
the advancing Frohms. Disappointment loomed when Lina Magull levelled the scores with just minutes to go. Latching onto Wassmuth’s cross she deftly turned the ball into the England net. Incredi‐ bly, and showing how solid the Lionesses’ de‐ fence has been, that was only their second goal conceded in the whole tournament. Extra time is always a nervy affair, but when Chloe Kelly’s first shot was blocked on the German goal line, she lost no time in smashing the rebound home to make Wem‐ bley erupt into a cauldron of noise. Russo almost put the game beyond doubt in the closing minutes, but the final whistle blew and English football finally ended 56 years of misery as the Lionesses were crowned Queens of Europe.
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