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Vol. 1 Issue 19 www.theolivepress.es January 5th - January 17th 2018
how did she fall? Foul play not yet ruled out after British woman found dead in Palma bay By Gillian Keller
16/06/2017
A SPANISH bank has been ordered to pay hundreds of thousands in damages to expats over a failed offplan development. A Mallorca court ruled in favour of more than 80 buyers who had invested in the Cala Romantica development in 2006, linked to Sabadell Solbank. The homes were due to be completed by 2008 but construction stalled before the contracts were cancelled in 2011 when the developers declared bankruptcy. CostaLuz-DeCastro sued the firm’s bank on behalf of dozens of buyers, forcing them to fork out nearly €500,000, plus costs. Sabadell argued that it had no legal relationship with
Love bug
Thousands apply to Mallorcabased reality show
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Top year!
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EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore
Continues on Page 2
AN investigation has been launched after the body of a British woman was found floating in a Mallorca marina after a boozy night out. Investigators have obtained footage from Palma’s Club de Mar CCTV cameras which apparently show she was alone when she fell into the water. An autopsy has taken place but the results have yet to be released. Christina Marston, from Southampton, 43, had allegedly been living on a boat with her husband in the marina. The pair had apparently returned to sleep on the boat after a heavy night out drinking with friends. A witness claimed the couple had an argument on the way back to the port. The next morning around 11am on December 30, the husband woke up and con-
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Expats win 10 year battle
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We look back at the island’s biggest stories of 2017
Best English Pub in Palma Great food Live Music Every Night from 12am Ave de Gabriel Roca 4, Palma
SEE MORE IN THE RESTAURANT SECTION INSIDE
Fun Run MAGALUF'S San Silvestre fun run saw more than 1,300 participants in the annual New Year's Eve race to Palmanova and back.
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Speed cameras rake in millions THE speed camera on the motorway in Calvia caught more than 11,000 speeding drivers in the first ten months of 2017, the highest on the island. Almost 40 cars are caught a day, bringing in around €500,000 of revenue a year. In total almost €2 million was raised in the Balearics over the
first ten months of 2017. The Llucmajor speed camera caught the second highest amount of speeders with over 7,000 tickets issued. Mallorca also has speed cameras on the Inca highway, the connecting road between Porto Cristo and Manacor, the Manacor motorway itself, and the Pollensa highway.
Madam ‘was telling truth’ on sex claims Cursach trial rolls on as prostitution claims verified TWO prostitutes have confirmed a madam’s original testimony in the Tolo Cursach case. The pair have put an end to counter claims that she lied or was coerced by police to help prosecute island gangland boss Tolo Cursach. They have also helped to further link leading PP politician José María Rodríguez and Palma city council deputy Álvaro Gijón as regulars at her Palma brothel. Although the defence had tried to discredit the validity of the madame as a witness, Judge Penalva is convinced the statements are true. The madame - witness 31 PLOT THICKENS: For Cursach - has also now claimed she was offered money to claim the judge and public prosecutor in the case tried to coerce her to testify. SEVEN paedophiles have been detained by the She previously claimed the Policia Nacional after sharing child pornography nightclub owner’s son had through video chat, including an 18-year-old boy offered to buy her a flat from Granada. in Paris and give her a big Further arrests are not being ruled out, after an payment if she dropped her extensive network of contacts were found around testimony. Spain including Cadiz and Madrid. One of the prostitutes has The investigation started, after a tip off from the now also confirmed that social media platform and information received VIP rooms at Cursach’s Tifrom international channels. to’s nightclub were used for One of the detainees is a minor who is also besex-parties to pay off and lieved to have been sexually abused by adults. bribe politicians and police. The three most active users arrested are from Both prostitutes, who Badajoz, Salamanca and Madrid who had taken worked at the same brothel the time to individually label the pornography but at a different time than and segregated them into folders on their perthe madame, confirmed a sonal computers. diary of all the clients at the In a statement a man from Valladolid said hat he brothel, including phone has been sent the files ‘by mistake’, after downnumbers and other key deloading and distributing pornography of girls betails.
Paedo ring busted
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Out of luck PERPETRATORS behind a ‘Nigerian letter’ lottery scam have been arrested in Malaga, Barcelona and Segovia. The Policia Nacional detained six people who between them defrauded €700,000 from 12 victims across Spain, Europe and Australia. The letters urged victims to send money in order to pay tax, before receiving their alleged lottery winnings. One Australian victim, who alerted authorities to the scam, was defrauded of €500,000.
Fake toys recalled MORE than 3,200 toys have been withdrawn from sale by the Guardia Civil following concerns for safety. The toys, mainly sold in low-cost bazaars, were found to not have met standards set out by the European Council. Legally a ‘CE’ mark is needed to sell a child’s toy within the European Economic Area, which certifies compliance with the regulatory requirements of the rules of commerce. However on inspection, the marks had different spacing between the two letters, meaning ‘China Export’ instead of the European Community symbol. Complaints of irregularities and safety were received more than 1500 times for over 350 types of toy. Customers reported a lack of data on the toy such as no manufacturer details, no instructions and or them not being in Spanish.
Justice at last From front
the claimants as it was not involved in any of the purchase contracts. Lawyers for the bank also claimed the time limit to file a lawsuit was one year. They added that the bank is not mentioned in any of the contracts and that none of the off-plan payments were paid to the developer’s accounts at Sabadell.
Responsibility
However the Judge disagreed, saying: “The fact that the claimants did not demand the delivery of the individual guarantees does not exempt the bank of its responsibility.” The law firm representing the claimants said the win could set an important precedent. “There are hundreds of examples like this throughout Spain as a result of the bursting of the financial and real estate bubble,” said CostaLuzDeCastro spokesman Keith Rule. His firm has won 44 separate cases in 2017 mostly for expats.
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Dancing in Mallorca again STRICTLY Come Dancing Brendan Cole has come to Mallorca for a winter holiday with pregnant wife Zoe Hobbs and daughter Aurélia. The pair were also in Mallorca in June, and shortly after announced they be-
Call out! IBIZA Weekender star Jordan Davies has called out ITV2 for not promoting the upcoming seventh season which begins on January 7. The show, which saw the first three season as Magaluf Weekender in Mallorca, has had Cardiff-born Jordan Davies as a rep in every season so far. This will be the first season without other long-time cast member Imogen Townley involved in shenanigans in the sunshine and sand. The show films Big Brother style, following both Ibiza regulars and first timers on their Balearic holidays, capturing the good, the bad and the ulgy for viewing pleasure. Celebrity Big Brother and Ex on the Beach star Jordan tweeted: “Oi @itv2 we have a show starting in less than a week. Fancy doing some promo anytime soon or you wanna just tweet about shows starting a month after ours, #EveryYear #PoorEffort”.
Soaking it up EX On The Beach starlet Jess Impiazzi soaked up the sun in Tenerife before heading into the Celebrity Big Brother house. The 28-year-old beauty is sure to turn heads as she joins an all-female line-up for this years Suffragette theme. Impiazzi will be joining Rachel Johnson, sister to Boris as the only other confirmed female celebrity.
Tens of thousands apply to Mallorcabased Love Island show as applications open SEASON two of ITV2’s incredibly popular show Love Island, filmed right here in Mallorca, is now accepting applications for the 2018 season. In the first 12 hours that people were able to sign up, over 60,000 fans and sun lovers did just that.
came pregnant with their second child while on holiday. The New Zealand dancer’s model wife splits her time between the UK and Mallorca, bringing the whole family to the island semioften. The couple have
walked through Palma and the marinas and spent many sunsets with their toes in the sand. They’ve also been bragging about binge-watching the newly engaged Meghan Markle on Suits while sitting cozy in front of a fire.
L ve rush
Stiff
While the competition may be stiff, it is already known that the show likes to recruit people straight from Calvia’s nigthtclubs and beach bars. As long as you are over 18, are not employed by ITV, have a valid passport, and are available for at least ten weeks around next May, you are eligible to be paired up with a sexy single in Mallorca’s hottest villa. People who fancy their chances of being the next
COMING SOON: Hit show returning this summer
Amber and Kem have to fill out an application form before the closing
date of April 30. Love Island is due to return this summer on ITV2.
Remodelled beauty
Run of the island
PENELOPE Cruz has transformed into Donatella Versace for a new role about the legendary fashion label. Forever striking, the 43-year-old Spanish actress oozed sophistication for her upcoming series American Crime Story. The third instalment of the hit FX show tells the story of Gianni Versace, who was gunned down on the steps of his mansion in 1997 by a serial killer and will debut next month. Cruz said: “I didn’t want to do an imitation of Donatella, or a caricature’ adding, “I wanted to try to capture the essence of who she is.”
SOUTH African Triathlete, double Olympian and Commonwealth Games medallist Gillian Sanders has spent the last half of December in Mallorca, both training and relaxing in the sun. The now London resident came to the island for the first time after training with the UK triathlon team in Portugal. Her husband flew out from London for their first Christmas in Mallorca.
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News IN BRIEF
King’s Christmas OVER eight million people watched King Felipe IV’s fourth Christmas message, more than the 7.6 million that watched the Queen's speech in the UK. The 1993 message from Juan Carlos is still the most view Royal Christmas speech in Spain with over ten million viewers.
Sister slash A SPANISH woman is in serious condition after her sister stabbed her in the back, kidney level, in a surprise attack outside her house in Palma. The victim already had a restraining order against her sister for a recent attack.
Murder arrest A 34-YEAR-OLD Spanish man has been arrested for murder after his wife’s body was found near railroad tracks. Police received a call about a man ‘violently’ killing his wife in Barcelona’s La Mina district, leading to the arrest.
Expect fallout from antitoursim protests, say travel experts BRITISH tour operators have warned that ‘tourismaphobia’ will deter holidaymakers from visiting Mallorca this year. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) reported a ‘turning point’ linked to the protests against mass tourism, which began last summer in Palma. Since then, travel agencies have seen customers who previously opted for the Balearics now looking at other destinations, According to ABTA’s annual report, over a quarter of consumers are planning a trip to a new country, and over a third plan to spend the summer holidays in a new resort or city. The report also states that ‘70%
January 5th - January 17th 2018
Tourism warning of people consulted believe that travel companies should
ensure that their holidays help the local population and econ-
Windsurf death
omy’. Some operators are already adopting environmental awareness concerns, with Thomas Cook and Virgin Holidays no longer selling excursions involving the use of animals. This includes visits to zoos and swimming with dolphins. “With greater social awareness not only on environmental issues, but also on human rights and working conditions, tour operators and hoteliers are supporting this movement towards responsible tourism,” the report states.
BA takeover of Niki
Damage control
INTERNATIONAL Airlines Group (IAG) has bought out Austrian airline Niki, founded by ex-driver for Formula 1 Niki Lauda. IAG, including British Airways, Iberia, Vueling and Aer Lingus, has paid €20 million for the company's 21 leased planes with landing rights in Mallorca, Zurich, Vienna, Munich and Düsseldorf. The British company beat off a rival bid from German carrier Lufthansa and will now set up a subsidiary of Spanish-based Vueling, hiring some 740 Niki employees. "Niki was the most economically viable part of Air Berlin and its focus on leisure travel fits perfectly with Vueling's strategy, " said IAG boss Willie Walsh.
A GERMAN court is to deal with customer complaints and refunds following the collapse of airline Air Berlin. Customers affected by cancelled flights should have received an email from the administrator before the end of December. Air Berlin and its subsidiary airline Niki have opened up a platform on their websites to send in complaints regarding cancelled flights. However it is believed that recovering money is slim as consumers are not a priority for creditors. Travel agencies are also not responsible for cancelled flights booked through them.
New year, new me!
A 47-YEAR-OLD man has drowned while windsurfing in Alcudia after a suspected heart attack despite CPR efforts from bystanders. The windsurfer, Luis Jaume Estelrich, was out in the extreme conditions of storm Bruno with winds over 100 kilometres per hour and large waves. The area is known to kite-surfers and windsurfers as a ideal spot with few swimmers.
Tragic end From front
tacted police after finding no trace of his wife. The Guardia Civil quickly deployed a search team, including divers, which four hours later located the lifeless body of the woman floating in the sea west of the Cathedral. The homicide squad has now been tasked with probing the case until investigators are satisfied there has been no foul play. The boat was searched by forensic experts and an investigating judge has been put in charge of the ongoing investigation. The judge could order further tests once the results of the autopsy are known.
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F e at u r e
www.theolivepress.es Mallorca’s original community newspaper
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than 500,000 people a month.
OPINION Equilibrium needed IT shouldn’t come as a surprise that locals on the island are upset by the soaring rent prices and overcrowding, both thought to be the consequences of booming tourism numbers to Mallorca and the Balearics. While these views have merits, protesting and telling all tourists to go home will only cut off major income to the island and result in job losses, mostly for the locals. But tourists, too, need to treat the island with respect when visiting, and avoid encouraging the loutish behaviour that is ruining some areas. Meanwhile, the government must endeavour to find ways to balance the equilibrium, so that tourists feel welcome and can continue to contribute to the economy, without negatively impacting the natives and expats who live here.
Sherry shenanigans HERE at the Olive Press we take our food and wine very seriously…and there is no better time to get together and share it with the ones you love than at Christmas. We love the traditional fare of Buck’s Fizz, mulled wine and eggnog but sometimes change is as good a rest. That’s why we are all very excited about the cocktail recipes, that give a slight twist on the classics. We might not be James Bond, but we’ll have ours shaken and not stirred any time. Depòsito Legal PM: 610-2017
Publisher/ Editor
Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es ADMIN
Newsdesk newsdesk@theolivepress.es Tel: (+34) 665 798 618
Maria Angeles Vázquez (+34) 951 273 575 admin@theolivepress.es
Gillian Keller gillian@theolivepress.es Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es SALES: sales@theolivepress.es Charles Bamber 0034 661 452 180 Charles@theolivepress.es
Accounts Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@theolivepress.es Designer James Partington design@theolivepress.es
Head office
January 5th - January 17th 2018
2017… the year that expat eco-warriors helped in... The Mallorca Olive Press salutes the local green groups who are slowly turning the tide on pollution. Kirsty Tuxford reports
B
Y flinging it into the bushes, rubbish can easily become someone else’s problem. It is a quick solution to a short term matter that requires no thought but the flick of the wrist. And for years, nobody taught anyone otherwise. But this is exactly the type of attitude that brought Mallorca’s beaches to their knees, slowly suffocating from the amount of plastic corroding their natural beauty. Thankfully, a massive fightback against this plastic poison has begun, one that has seemingly accelerated in the year the Olive Press launched on the island. It began through the work of charities and local individuals, such as Australian expat Ben Cattell, in Playa de Palma, doing their bit to clean up the environment. Now even town halls are catching up on the act, organising local residents into teams to help clean up. The latest effort was organised by Calvia town hall, with a big communal clean up retrieving 820 kilos of trash combing through the seabed as well as the Portals Vells and El Mago beaches. The rubbish included a shocking number of wine bottles - many of them champagne - retrieved from the seabed where boats anchor in the summer. Rubbish affects TRAPPED: Sea horse in everyone, which is why more than plastic 100 volunteers including divers, as well as members of local environmental organisations and even the Red Cross got stuck in. To help in this general clean up, Palma’s Nature Institute (IBANAT), started to run information campaigns in 2016 designed to encourage people to take their rubbish home. The results speak for themselves with the amount of rubbish left on beaches dropping by 68% in 2015 alone. But it’s not enough. One of the sectors worst hit from the negligence of beach bandits is the dive industry. Andre Foleide, who runs one of the islands awardwinning scuba diving schools, Norway Dive, told the Olive Press that plastic pollution is a battle he faces on a day-to-day basis. “I see how the currents bring plastic pollution to Mallorca. We conduct weekly surveys of dive sites and collect and register debris. “I’ve dived here since 2003 and I nowadays I see plastic every time I go diving. “Instead of walking past litter, we need to be picking it up and putting it in the bin.” To this end, help is on hand from two like-minded men who decided to invent a solution. Pete Ceglinski and Andrew ‘Turtle’ Turton left the corporate life behind to set up the Mallorcabased Seabin Project - a floating bin that collects trash in hard to reach places. Units of Seabins were delivered to marinas, inland waterways, lakes and yacht clubs from 2016 and acts, according to Turtle, ‘as a sea sieve’. But smaller plastics, known as ‘microplastics’, evade even the most innovative ideas and are
Turning the tide 4
EXCLUSIVE By Gillian Keller and Joe Duggan
THE island’s government, Palma port authority and Tirme incinerator have been ordered to prove they are not using illegally burned plastics. The group are facing heavy fines, alongside Mac Insular, after activists demanded action over alleged serious pollution affecting Palma’s coastline. The Balearic government’s environment department has called for documentary proof that it is legal to burn the plastics allegedly being used in large redevelopment works around Palma’s Molinar port. “They must send the requested documentation within ten
Hotel help MALLORCA hoteliers have offered free legal aid to an Arenal pensioner to fight a holiday rental company threatening legal action after she complained about noise from rowdy tourists.
Parking life PALMA Airport has started offering 15 minutes of free parking next to the arrivals terminal, with space for 84 vehicles.
NATIONAL Police chiefs in Palma have issued a
www.t letterheoliv of complaint ac.es cusing their epress Local Police counterparts of encroaching on their duties, including anti-drugs Mallorca ’s operations. original community newspaper
A campaigning, community newspap Olive Press represent er, the s the huge community in Spain with an expatriate ership, including estimated read500,000 people the websites, of more than a month.
OPINION
We feel for you
N E WS
Plastic poison days,” a government spokesperson told the Olive Press this week. “Once this documentation is gathered, we will open a case file on whether to issue sanctions.” It comes after local activists and residents claimed 20,000 tonnes of burned plastics have escaped from the building work, ending up in the sea. The problem centres around
IT is exactly 40 years since some of Spain’s earliest eco-warriors occupied a Balearic island to ward off developers. This July, in 1977, a band of 50 protesters set sail for the small island of Dragonera to complain about the planned construction of homes for 4,000 people. Despite furious opposition, Andratx Town Hall approved the building plans by local firm Pamesa, three years after they were lodged. However, the protest group, known as Terr i Libertat, received huge local and interna-
the port extension which is currently being expanded by four times its current size. Activists claim the multinational building firm FCC is using molten plastic remains from the Tirme incinerator in the construction process. One local mother, Aina, 31, told the Olive Press she had filed a denuncia with police after mounds of burned plastic washed up on the beach, known as La Gaviota in Molinar, where she takes her five-year-old daughter. “On San Juan we were all at the beach,” she told the Olive
Press. “That afternoon the whole shore was covered in burned plastic, with milky, cloudy water. We didn’t swim. “There has always been plastic but not like this.” She added: “I want to know the waters are safe for my child to swim in.” Other activists have filed denuncias with the police and Mallorca council, leading the council to ban the use of burned plastic, but the mess has not been cleaned up. Green group Mallorca Blue filmed two videos showing beaches littered with the moltional backing before being forced to leave ten remains, which have been the island. watched 80,000 times on “In the face of the systematic destruction of Facebook. the islands and their environment, we are de‘[The plastic] is normally manding the right to enjoy a little bit of free used on roads, but never in space,” one told the New York Times. the sea. If it is not properly In 1984, a Balearic court ruled that construccontained and controlled, it tion should not be permitted and in 1988, the leaks into the sea,’ claimed a Council Of Mallorca bought the island for Mallorca Blue spokesman. June 9th 280 million pesetas (about 1.7m euros) be-22nd A Tirme spokesperson told - June 2017 fore it was given protected nature park status the Olive Press the waste in 1995. was ‘not toxic or dangerous’, adding that he had yet to see
FEA TUR E
Depòsito Legal PM: 610-201 7
PUBLISHER/ EDITOR
jon@theolivepre Jon Clarke ss.es
NEWSDES K newsdesk@theolivepr ess.es Tel: (+34) 665 798 618
SALES: sales@theolivepress.es ADMIN (+34) 951 273 575 admin@theolivepress.e s
ACCOUNT S Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@theolivepres s.es Maria Angeles Vázquez mangeles@theolivepres s.es Admin and account assistant DISTRIBU TION Graham Warters distribution@theolivep ress.es
Balearic Islands. Commercial sales
in the
Plastic people
Love, love will take you there...
How team of Mallor binning sea pollutica-based inventors are on, writes Joe Duggan
paid attention,” “All the environme say ntal groups and Ceglinski. thought would people we cause we were support us just blocked us beWith Australian a conflict of interest.” ect, the friends company SMS backing the projpaign through launched a crowdfunding cam€150,000 in aIndiegogo in 2015, which raised “It was insane,”few weeks. ed donating and says Ceglinski. “People startit all just took off. We raised €135,000 in one Based in Palma, week alone.” the bold young lived and breathed entrepreneurs money tight, they their project - literally. With in the factory thatlived and slept for up to a year But with the likes produced the Seabins. Wärtsilä backing of Finnish technology giants gramme, the only Seabin’s global pilot proon factory floors way is up. The days of kipping Like all of the are long gone. world’s best ideas, Seabin ap-
pears deceptive half-metre-high ly simple. The half-metre-round, days a year. A bin sits in the water 24/7, 365 constant flow pump on the bottom provides of water which rubbish. sucks in floatinga ‘Ballpark’ cost around €2,675. for the Seabin is going to than a euro a And with a running cost of be less day the bins make well as environme economic as “At the minute, ntal sense. lect the rubbishpeople go round with nets to pensive,” says in marinas and that is quite colChapman. ex“The Seabins are built to last a lifetime will offer a three-year warranty and we but we have a buy-back hope to can perhaps be scheme to ensure the plastic ing incinerated.” reused and avoid landfill or be-
ACTION NEEDED: Plastic problem has reached critical levels in Mallorca and beyond Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5 Calle Espinosa Edificio centro 1 29692 San Luiscomercial El Duque, planta primera, de Sabinilla, Manilva
Storm
Why recycling isn’t enough AWARDS
2016/2017
Best expat paper and the second in Spain world. The Expatbest in the Survey Consumer Awards.
2012 - 2017
Named the best publication in English language Rough Guides Andalucia by the group.
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Only a small percentage of the plastics we use can actually be recycled; of the seven types of plastics used, most recycling programmes only accept three. Polystyrene, items made of mixed materials, or items with ink on are difficult to recycle. Plastic recycled into clothing produces micro-
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fibers that are released with wear, and when washed – ending up in the sea as they pass through filters. Biodegradable plastics have chemical additives to make them break down faster. These additives contaminate recyclable plastic and interfere with the recycling process. Compostable plastics cre-
causing the greatest damage to our beaches. As plastic breaks down in the ocean, fragments break off, and fish can confuse this as food, as the big fish eat the smaller fish, more and more plastic is accumulated the further up the food chain you go. It has even been linked to milk poisoning in dolphins as mothers can no longer provide the necessary nutrients for their young, which can kill them. That’s where environmental group, Amics de la Terra Mallorca, comes in. Working with an international consortium of Mediterranean islands the group collects as many microplastics they can. They then send the samples back to scientists at Barcelona University for analysis to determine their origin. Isabel Moreno, marine biologist and member of Amics de la Terra Mallorca said: “The plastic on the beaches and in the sea around the Balearics is a massive problem. “But the most serious problem, due to the dif-
2016/2017
2012 - 2017
DEDICATED: Green groups have been working hard to fight plastic on the beaches
the demand from the government. “As soon as it arrives we will answer as soon as possible,” he said. “The plastics found in the beaches have absolutely nothing to do with the building work. “The material used in the work is recycled….[and] doesn’t contain plastic, or the percentage is very low.” But Mallorca Blue and fellow environmentalists GOP have called for an analysis of the water around Palma. “This scandal could be a huge environmental crime,” a GOP spokesperson said. Last month, the Mallorca government’s environmental minister Sandra Espeja intervened and stopped the molten plastic being used. But a spokesperson for the Conseller de Mallorca told the Olive Press: “We don’t have the authority to clean up the water. “We can only control the material used in the building work.”
P
ETE Ceglinski is battling vicious The Seabin co-founde jet-lag. r has just returned to Palma from San Diego, where revolution being trialled. ary sea-cleaning receptaclehis And although is fatigue, Ceglinski, bleary-eyed with along with fellow ator Andrew Turton, Seabin cresion: to battle ocean is following a very clear vipollution. “Plastic in the sea is no says, over a much-nee good for anyone,” ded coffee. “We he up eating it. Even end ful tropical island, if you went to some beautiamazing, when which looks like pristine and you get up close all over it. there’s plastic “It’s a pretty insane situation we selves into and we have nobody have got ourourselves. Plastic to blame but is such an amazing but we’re not thing, Basically, we’verecycling or reusing it anymore. been trashing the years.” place for 60
THE summer bin are due to of the cent holidaymseason is just starting and three months. start in But alto professionalakers are already falling innoready global interest prey has been phenome The devious conmen. nal. “We’ve had interest daysvillas.com scammers behind rentholi every single country from hide behind anonymity. in the the internet’sworld that has So far, preciou says Ceglinski. a marina,” done by web s little appears to have “We’ve had 50,000 host been emails in the GoDadd last down. y to take the few weeks. site viewed around Our videos have been It has to be hoped 500 million times Among their supporters online.” Crime unit have that the UK police’s are Safe Harbor nas, the world’s Cyber more success Marilargest marine them to act. at persuading locations, who have operator with 64 now partnered The scam is It’s a success with Seabin. far from being IN ACTION: A with Greece and outE L crew’s unique to M A L L O RC A · lifelong I B I Zlove Astory · Mborn ARB A ·Seabin M A D R I Dteam · VA L E N C I A ofLthe of the ocean. Growing lowers eastern Australia, And while such Portugal also sufferin Spain, up in g. www.grupocappuccino.com a seabin into project manager Turton, Ceglinski and Seabin tourism, it is stories do nothing to promote ral water babies. Sascha Chapman were natuplace formed so theimportant the public are well-inAn industrial designer number of is limited. As people being by trade, Ceglinski ried his technical mardia told us: if Costa rental agent Helle stung ocean, spending nous with his respect for the Herea holiday rental four years creating good to be true, prototype deal the Seabin with looks too it probably is. “At first, nobodyTurton.
Joe Duggan joe@theolivepress.es Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress. es Chloe Glover chloe@theolivepress.es Laura Duckett laura@theolivepress.es DESIGNER James Partington design@theolivepress.e s HEAD OFFICE
TOXIC: Plastic rubbish and ongoing works at Molinar port
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MOST of us at have lived in the Olive Press herald from or So while the London at one point or another Manchester bombin . ful in the extreme , the attack on g was paincapital has hit our beloved Our hearts go right to the quick. out to the victims, all, we hope there is no knee-jerk but, above This was the reaction who have no work of three deluded outcast. place in any religion s, In a true testame . Surfers nt to the greates world, people Taking a stand t city tion are Seabin’sin the global clean-up operaweek, without went about their businesin the s a this band of surfers Australian crew. This small terrorism doesn’t sideways glance… becaus - the team is ‘Three strong - are making e - and shouldn and a half’ Above all, we ’t - work. with their floating big waves in the eco-fight tion can take hope this week’s general rubbish from watersrubbish bin, which sucks place in peace elecin around marinas. tacks don’t affect and So far, Seabin is being trialled voting intentio that the atWe at the Olive locations, including in six ns. Adriano, Helsinki, Palma’s Port Dem/Labour Press would love to see a Lib now California. France and keep the UK alliance to - maybe, maybe An agreeand Gibraltar ment has been in the EU. trial more Seabinsstruck to
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Three days after San Diego it had installing their first Seabin in Five more are due collected 20 kilos of plastic. as part of the pilot to be installed in Port Adriano project. “Port Adriano is actually a very compared to others,” clean marina “But when a storm says Ceglinski. comes through rubbish off the it rains all the sea. That’s streets, into the drains and the Once launched,when you start having issues.into Hybrid models they expect 400 of their “ year. And with to go on the market in the V5 spread, Sergio word of the project continuingfirst to scientist, is due Halpern Ruiz, Seabin’s marine month. But the to speak at a UN conference next team are resting New Seabins, designed on their to be used furtherlaurels. sea, are also being out to “It’s been pretty planned. amazing putting use for something my life skills to that helps the says Ceglinski. environment,” “But for us the main into the water. We goal is to get off the dock and don’t want to be restricted.”
ate problems in recycling facilities if mixed with normal plastics. They have to be recycled separately and exposed to sunlight, heat (often above 50 degrees C) and bacteria. Frequently these conditions are not achieved and partially broken-down plastic ends up in the sea and is ingested by marine life.
ficulty in collecting them, are the microplastics that are in the sand, floating in the water or even in the animals and plants.” “I think the problem is increasing,” says Moreno, “but so is public awareness and clean-up efforts on the beaches.” Helping to recruit budding volunteers is Asociación Ondine, whose Dos Manos Beach Clean Project reaches out to people all over the island. Launched in 2015, they quickly expanded to 760 volunteers who picked up a staggering 1.4 tonnes of plastic from 14 beaches in 2016. But they say the problem is getting worse. In 2017, Ondine removed 2.1 tonnes of plastic, identifying sanitary waste, including baby wipes and cotton buds as the main culprits, particularly in built up areas like Palma Bay. Leading plastic expert Mari Guric, who heads Ondine says one particular type of microplastic is now public enemy number one. Nurdles, a pea size plastic used as resin for packaging, is devastating marine life. “Nurdles end up in the oceans due to leaks from factories and also when they are lost during transportation,” Guric explains. “Marine animals and sea birds mistake them for food and eat them, which causes animals to feel full when they are actually starving, and eventually die.” But hope is not lost. Change our day-to-day attitudes towards plastic is all it takes. Buy a flask instead of lots of plastic bottles, pick up after ourselves as we soak in the sun and teach our children the great value of the environment. Because in the same way that small plastics threaten marine life in Mallorca, small efforts can help create a big change for the animals who share our world.
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T has been described as the world’s longest and toughest sporting event - a 45,000 nautical mile marathon across four oceans via six continents and 12 host cities. Alicante was the starting gun for the 2017/2018 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race, and the sailors are currently closing in on Cape Town for the second leg of the race. Seven teams of intrepid yachties are travelling across the world and back on the longest route since the event’s inception in 1973. A challenge as prestigious as the Olympics or the America’s Cup, there is no financial reward but getting their hands on the winners’ trophy is an obsession that the world’s master mariners dedicate years of their lives trying to achieve. Sir Chay Blyth and Clare Francis, the race’s first female skipper, are among the British legends who took part in the days when it was known as the Whitbread Round the World Race.
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This year there is a renewed focus on the Southern Ocean for sailors to tackle Now two-times Olympic medalist Xabi Fernandez is aiming to write Spain into the record books for the first time as the skipper of Mapfre, this year’s favourite to win. With six in-port races under their belt the odds are looking good. The Basque yachting ace who celebrated his 41st birthday three days before setting sail is as well-prepared as he can be for an endurance test that will see crew living off freeze-dried food and braving temperature variations of −5 to 40 degrees, with only one change of clothes during their nine month ordeal at sea. “One of the worst things in the world when you sail is the lack of sleep and being tired,” Xabi confided. “There’s not much you can do. I think keeping the motivation up is the best solution. “Obviously we like sailing in the ocean so it’s not that hard to keep nine people in the boat for so long.” This year there is a renewed focus on the Southern Ocean, an infamously turbulent stretch of water afloat with hazardous icebergs. To tackle the challenge, two crew members are on-board medics and the boat will change the position of the crew every six hours. All teams have identical boats and Mapfre has two other Olympic gold medallists on board - Blair Tuke and Tamara Echegoyen - as well as the oldest sailor in the race, Joan Vila, 55, a three-times America’s Cup winner. The sailors are expected to burn 5,000-
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6,000 calories a day and an on-board water machine produces up to 50 litres of water. However they can only shower if it rains. “The food is much better than people think,” said Xabi. “We have a menu that repeats every four or five days. “Of course you miss fresh vegetables and good meat.” The Olive Press also spoke to Britain’s Dee Caffari who is skippering Turn the Tide on Plastic. The British entry is a mixed, youth team with a strong sustainable message - to save the world’s oceans from plastic
pollution. Dee said a lot of thought went into crew selection to minimise the psychological impact of the race. “Having a balance of personalities that brings out the best in each other was important and I’m confident I’m going to have a lot of fun,” she said. She added that the first thing she’ll do after the race is head home and see her dog – although not before savouring the moment. “I will bask in the glory of seeing my crew having achieved something momentous,” she said.
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Top of the pops DESPACITO was the most listened to song in Spain for 2017, it has been revealed. According to Spotify, the Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee hit of the summer beat out The Olive big hitters Ed Sheeran and Press Shakira to nab the ‘most streamed’ spot. Second place went Me Rehuso by Danny TOP for to news in Spain! Ocean, followed by Shape of You by British star Sheeran. Felicos los 4 by Maluma and Subeme La Radio by Enrique Iglesias filled out the top five. Despacito was such a hit that the original and remix sat in second and third place on the global streaming rankings, while Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You took first place.
A CONTROVERSIAL noise clampdown in Ibiza's San Antonio has been approved by councillors. Bars and nightclubs that previously had a license to be open until 5am will now have to close at 3am instead, while terraces currently allowed to open until 2am might now face 11pm shutting times. The decision to end late-night partying in the vibrant West End has many worrying it will deter British tourists from the area leading to economic losses. The crackdown is in line with the larger Balearic campaign against ‘loutish’ tourism. The affected West End bars will
need to soundproof their venues and install noise limiters, which many Mallorca establishments had to do last year following new restrictions.
The new measures will ‘make healthy tourism business compatible with the healthy right to live in peace,’ according to San Antonio's environment councillor Pablo Valdes. Partido Popular leader Jose Sala disagrees and has said the early closing times are 'not the most adequate solurejection of immigrants and refugees. tion'. “We have to realise that The term has just been incorporated into we rely on tourism,” he said, the Dictionary of the Spanish language “If these changes are applied and last September the Senate approved a only to San Antonio and not motion asking for the inclusion of aporoto other places, people will phobia in the Penal Code. just go elsewhere after three in the morning”.
Word of the year has been selecting the country’s ‘words of the year’ for the last five years. Aporofobia was coined by the Valencian philosopher Adela Cortina in several press articles in which she argued that it was what best explained Spanish society’s
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MALLORCA’S largest fiesta, Sant Sebastian, is just around the corner on January 19, with live music filling Palma’s squares.
Ibiza town threatened by new Mallorca-inspired noise rules
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APOROFOBIA has been named as Spain’s word of the year for 2017. It means phobia of poor people and is described as any ‘rejection or aversion to the poor’. It was chosen by Fundeu BBVA, which
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THE Balearic Island’s Symphony Orchestra is performing at the Palma Auditorium on January 25, a night not to missed for any true music lover.
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Expat bar owners protest over draconian sound limiters stopping music quieter than a vacuum cleaner
By Laurence Dollimore
AROUND 100 island bar owners and entertainers are expected to stage a silent protest today after being forced to install new €3,000 sound limiters. It comes after Calvia Council imposed draconian new rules, in effect from May 1, in a bid to ‘reduce noise pollution’. But British and Spanish business owners say the new laws are ‘killing’ the party hotspot and are ‘prejudicing’ live music The OP’s roundup of Spain’s and karaoke venues. most corrupt politicians The new limit is - incredibly Page 6 the level of an air conditioning unit at 100 feet and less than a vacuum cleaner. “This could put us out of business, it’s unreal,” Fennigan’s bar owner Mick Cormican, 55, told the Olive Press. “A car going by is louder than the limit, it’s particularly prejudicial to live music and karaoke bars as they simply cannot perEditor Jon Clarke reviews Spain’s form within the sound limit.” alleged best restaurant A collective of 20 business own28 Page ers and entertainers yesterday
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After operating for a decade in Andalucia and Gibraltar, our team of professional journalists pride themselves on understanding the needs of our discerning readership. future the for fear owners bar Steffi (right) and We also promise to en‘THEY’RE KILLING US’: Singer oped nodules, making them unsure that our editorial marched down to Calvia town able to perform. takes up, at least, half hall to petition the mayor, “It’s affecting our work and of the paper and we where they were met by Guarhealth,” she added, “It could will not jam it full of adcrew. TV a and dia Civil, police prevent us singing.” works verts, particularly of a They plan to return at 3.30pm never had a During a meeting of 100 busihave I and fine sexual nature. the and performers, today (Thursday), when complaint,” said owner of ness owners Olive Press, the Finally, we would like councillors discuss the new 59. attended by the Woodward, Dave Stepps, to thank everyone for the council for limiters, in the hope they can Meanwhile, British singer Steffi group blastedtourists who come making us feel so welto in’ change their minds. limits ‘giving the Lorena, 25, claims come from the moment areas for a quiet If unsuccessful, all venues are affecting the livelihoods of to the party ordered be we arrived. will Calvia around performers. “It’s impossible to holiday. protecting the We now clearly underto install the limiters through within the new limits,” the “The council are sing company one exclaimed, stand why Mallorca is the same engineering owner of Santa Ponsa’s Retro wrong people,” leading the way in Spain by May 1. “They are protecting two Brits Press. Olive the told bar a quiet holiday Once installed, the device aufor property and tour“We opened in February and I who come for about the noise, complain tomatically turns down music and €3,000 ism and why so many out fork to forced was if it goes over 62 decibels, decelebrities and dignitaron a new limiter and if we have it’s a disgrace!” on the island for owner, bar scribed as ‘restaurant conversaclapOne start ies visit the island and a loud crowd or they the council is tion or background music’ by make it their home. ping the music goes down and 15 years, claimed hotels by ntrol.com. industrialnoiseco being manipulated The incredible scenery, you have to strain to be heard. Those going over the limit will where it is and clubs who want to drive point a to got great local food, cos“It’s alfrom the bars. face hefty fines, with some actually damaging performers, business away are twisting the mopolitan feel, accomlegedly already being fined “The new rules it’s not worth it.” panied by the warmth and instead of €6,000. Some local singers have devel- spirit of EU rules, are punishing of the locals makes it “I already have a limiter that helping us, they truly unique. us,” he said. It’s safe to say, we will noise keep to forced be will “We be sticking around! levels lower than in the indus-
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LOVE
PROUD DAD: Bob and wife arrive By Joe Duggan and Gillian Keller
I
T was one of the most glamorous weddings Mallorca has ever seen. Pixie Geldof and rockstar fiancé George Barnett tied the knot at a star-studded ceremony on the outskirts of idyllic Deia on Saturday evening. Arriving in a grey ROIG bus with her bridesmaids - including Daisy Lowe and Alexa Chung - Geldof, 26, looked stunning in a traditional white dress with tiered white gown as she clutched a white bouquet. Proud dad Sir Bob Geldof wore a smart dark suit as he walked daughter Pixie down the aisle at the exclusive Son Marroig mansion venue.
ISLAND
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Fashion designer Chung, 33, and model Lowe, 28, sported off-theshoulder pink dresses and carried elegant pink and white bouquets. Celebrity pals attending included One Direction star Harry Styles. Other stars celebrating the couple’s nuptials included The Clash bassist Paul Simonon and Radio One DJ Nick Grimshaw along with Pixie’s sister Fifi, half-sister Tiger Lily Hutchence and Peaches Geldof’s widower Thomas Cohen. Tying the knot overlooking the Mediterranean in front of around 140 guests, the couple exchanged vows in the venue’s majestic gardens as the early evening sun began to dim. Gazing into one another’s eyes, IT might seem like a sleepy Geldof and These New Puritans village, but Deia has actually drummer Barnett, exchanged been rocking for decades.
o ve p e on ne
IT is a trans many a loca Sky Sports Redknapp i lorca villa a the island, i Ex-Liverpoo Redknapp have had a Bendinat fo but an Oli claims they to the luxur They had home in 20 wedding on Louise late Mallorca Portals Nou tured her he “There's a m and you can coming in a bour at just
And it is not just rock stars, like Geldof, who have homes in the area, with Virgin boss Richard Branson owning a home and formerly a hotel in the village. But Deia - population 850, half of whom are ex-
rings in front of an open-air, white-marble folly offering commanding coastal views. The ceremony, which lasted half an hour, was performed by David Waller, chaplain of the Anglican Church in Palma. He later told the Olive Press that the service had been ‘pretty normal actually’ and that there were about a dozen bridesmaids and grooms. The happy couple chose Elvis Presley’s I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You for their first dance as husband and wife. The decorations were supplied by Palma company Moments –
w
Deia’s hip Cafe Sa Fonda, knocking back beers, wine and cocktails. On Thursday evening, Bob Geldof, who owns a house in the area, looked crisp in an allwhite trouser and shirt combo and trademark cap at the cool bar. Strictly Come Dancing beauty Lowe looked a knockout, arriving in a dark dress around midnight as dozens of party guests mingled on the bar’s outdoor terrace before dispersing around 2 am. On Friday evening, the wedding crowd, including Styles, Lowe and Chung hit the bar again, arriving around half past ten. Former punks Geldof and Simonon, who was rocking a white fedora hat, spent the night chatting together as the
Deia: A Hotspot for artists for decades
One employee confirmed it was a riot of colour inside
Su tr
Redkn selling luxury boltho
GUESTS: Harry Styles and (right) Paul Simonon
A LESSON IN COURAGE
RET
EX-MADE Millie M been sun Mallorca. The brun with boyf lor to cel wedding i lenca.
pats - has been popular with all sorts of artists since the early 20th century. Poets, musicians and writers from all over the world have come to Deia for inspiration, and a few never left. English poet Robert Graves, whose home is now a museum, was one of the first to settle in the village and spent much of his life there until his death just over 30 years
ago. The I, Claudius writer had numerous celebrity guests to stay, including Sir Alec Guinness, Hollywood heartthrob Ava Gardner, and Oscar winning English actor Sir Peter Ustinov. Andrew Lloyd Webber meanwhile owns property in the area and for his 60th birthday flew 50 guests to the village including Michael Caine, Roger
Moore and Tim Rice. Others who have stayed in the village include Princess Diana, Harrison Ford and George Lucas, as well as models Claudia Schiffer and Kate Moss. Rock star visitors include Kylie Minogue, Mick Jagger, Mike Oldfield and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. And quite a few have actually played there, including Irish band The Corrs,
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which spent the morning kitting out the venue. One employee confirmed that it
was a riot of colour inside: “So many colours, every colour, too many colours!”
Guests had started leaving Deia’s exclusive La Residencia hotel around 6pm on a
as well as Robbie Williams who famously serenaded his then fiance at gourmet restaurant, El Olivio. The village is also famously where Kevin Ayers, Robert Wyatt and Daevid Allen, all from Soft Machine, moved to ‘escape the changing world’ back in the 1960s. They went on to form hippy band Gong.
bus to transport them to palatial Son Marroig, formerly the mansion of Austrian archduke Luis Salvador. Guests, even including the bride, piled on for the short 5-minute drive to the venue. The wedding party danced into the wee small hours to a live band in the outdoor courtyard at the magnificent country pad, where 17 tables were laid out for a lavish dinner. A three-tier, all-white wedding cake was spotted being brought into the venue. In the days leading up to the top-secret wedding, celebrities partied the nights away in
A-List revellers got in the party mood in the sleepy village. During the day, the wedding party relaxed by their hotel pools and kicked back in the village’s cafes and restaurants as the summer sun blazed. The Olive Press was the only local paper present, along with two UK national papers.
ABOVE: Bob with bridesmaids and Pixie arriving, Barnett (left) and (below) stage for live music
ON VAC
QU
GEORDIE tison has the summ The 29flaunted break wit
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Captain’s amazing scrapes with drug barons and CIA
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supplies. It comes after 11-year-old ena Chappell found out Sershe had leukaemia following a random test last month. The Mallorca-born girl - a keen dancer, who is trilingual - had been complainin having no energy and g of to look increasingly pale.began Doctors at Son Espases Hospital discovered the ‘normally energetic girly girl’ had leu- BRAVE: Serena and
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Our n depth features were the ta k of the s and and beyond ast year We reported from the Cata unya refe rendum front nes eft got a sneak peak of the Love s and house top eft and our P x e Ge dof spec a was used by the Da y Ma and the Sun above E sewhere our p ece on Maga uf n ght fe was pr nted by the r sh
Must stop the muggings
EXPAT bar owners are demanding a crackdown on muggings by criminal gangs in Calvia. The group insist the problem is getting ‘out of control’ and the council must take transfusions she has action. an eight-day chemotherhad It comes after a British tourcourse and bone marrow apy ist, 70, claimed he was atand 2017 by a ‘gang of prostilumbar punctures. May 25th - June 8th tacked tutes’ in Magaluf. “We are in intensive care 24 The regular visitor, hours a day and treatment who has a home in the area, is continues, but the hospital underProperty now very short on her type is stood to have lost over of “The saddest thing €100. blood and she needs more,” knows not to take too is he added her father. much The main issue is that getting money with him as he On FiRE can the type has been hampered guarantee he will get propositioned on the way home,” by legislation. 11 Wright. said hisPAGE friend Abbey Chiefly, FIND if you OUT lived HOW ON UK for more than twoin the Another expat Craig Beattie between 1980 and 1996years claimed that the problem is you affecting tourism. can’t donate the homes
Expat family’s urgen t plea for blood donors for their stricken daughter, 11 cancer-
A BRITISH family have made a heartfelt plea for blood to help save their daughter’s They urgently need donorslife. of the type O Negative,
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kaemia in just four hours and she was immediately rushed in for a blood transfusion But, now it has emerged . there is a desperately low supply of her blood type and few Olive Press interviews maspeople are eligible to donate due terchef Ferran Adria to blood in New quality ruling over Mad Cow disease.a Spain due to a risk of Her father John Chappell, Page 27 since 1958 traces of Mad Cow’s carrying Let down disease, 34, has now appealed to big which rocked the UK back “Two ladies mum hearted Olive Press told me their readers to then. friends have stopped come to the rescue. coming due to the muggings… The removal man, they from don’t know if they will Yorkshire, who now Strong either, they have been be back Valldemossa with wifelives in “As they do not test Sarah, the blood the last 20 years or so!”coming said: “Serena is doing here they simply refuse to ac- One bar owner confirmed ingly, but needs as muchamaz- cept it,” explained the help Chappell, problem. as she can get. “Even if we pay privately for “I feel let down by the “She is brave and strong the tests they will not authorand accept ities’ inability to deal with is facing many of her fears, the blood.” the es- Chappell threat pecially needles, which 971by706 says the whole fami- gangs that is posed the 972 posing as prostitutes.” been a massive issue forhave ly is remaining strong her for Ser- Speaking anonymous before.” eyspain.com ena while having tests to taylorwimp ly due 2017 8th see if to fear of reprisals, - June May 25th who has www.theolivepress.esThe father, by they are a match for a poten- “There are victims he added: FREE Vol. 1 Issue 3 her side in hospital forbeen every the last tial bone marrow transplant. many of whom don't day, two weeks, added: “We report have “Her little brother misses her the incident started to cut her hair shorter for fear of embarterribly and juggling time is rassment.” The council as she will lose it from tough right now, failed motherapy. She knows che- getting there,” he but we are to comment as we went to said. press. It comes after HELP thing that is happeningevery- Serena, who attends it introwith school duced its controversi SAVE her treatment and diagnosis.” in Valdemossa, is said FIND OUT ON PAGE 8 al sound to be limiter SERENA! As well as frequent that keeps blood doing ‘ok’ after her chemo- sound in policy bars no louder than therapy and is hoping to speak out www. her own room soon, butbe in 62 decibels. leaders dfurni Spain’s oaklan she still needs around the against the madness of ISISturespain.com clock attention. Page 4 “I hope people can find it in their hearts to donate,” APPEAL DE MALLORCA Chappell, “The bloodadded AN investigatio n has been that comes to the hospital FLASHBACK: can't be launched over the rental of guaranteed for Serena Last issue council flats to tourists. but Fully stocked - SEE PAGE 4 does have a good chance. it The probe is looking MORE into how “In any case it’s not just for properties in the Sa Gerreria revenue with Serena, many other children area of Palma are being rentin the hospital may also German clients! ed via rental sites, including Mallorca blood, so this will help need Airbnb and Booking.co Put your ads in Tel: 951 979 221 | sales@oakla them m, for too.” ndfurniturehoteliers up to €150 a night. spain.com EL AVISO Blood donation can done Owners currently benefit at the Hospital Son be newspaper! demand serious from lower protected rents, on Thursdays from Espases 8.30am and under rental leader rules, Democrat Our voting guide for UK tenpunishment LIBERAL to 3pm planta O module ants are banned from renting election Farron has slammed the at the Red Cross Palma F, or to tourists. Tim CONTACT US over fake from Page 6 ‘utter unfairness’ of British Monday to Friday. The Olive Press found that denied a vote in 971 619 See
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Mallorca market booming with 1,355 homes sold in March, while Spain sees growth of 27%
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touristy, traditional area’ near Alcudia starting prices rise from €180,000 for has seen property to €220,000 in just one year. a two-bed Three-bed units started at €235,000 in May 2016 and are now at €300,000. “The German market remains very strong, with the Swiss, Austrian and Swedish markets are also experiencing good growth.” The company is working on half a dozen active sites and is the key developer on the island.
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Foreign sales up a third
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INVESTMENT by foreign buyers in the Bale- overall had excellent arics leapt by 30% in 2016, new figures growth figures of 28% reveal. above last year’s The data published by Spain’s rate, with 7,976 Registrars shows the islands Institute of erties sold, propwhile biggest growth of anywhere inhaving the Valencia the counregistered try. 5,854 sales and Around 2,700 of the 13,000 sales new properties, with the largest were for Catalonia had 6,832 of buyers coming from Switzerland.number sales. Madrid regis-
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Must stop the muggings
DESPERATE NEED FOR BLOOD TYPE ‘O NEGATIVE’ TO BEAT MAD COW RULING
Waste of space Don’t bother visiting Palma Cathedral, so says TripAdvisor
Page 13
ROBBED: Tourist mugged EXCLUSIVE
Courageous
Captain’s amazing scrapes with drug barons and CIA
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Forget stars
Olive Press interviews masterchef Ferran Adria
Page 27
Expat family’s urgent plea for blood donors for their cancerstricken daughter, 11
By Laurence Dollimore
A BRITISH family have made a heartfelt plea for blood to help save their daughter’s life. They urgently need donors of the type O Negative, as Mallorca runs desperately low on supplies. It comes after 11-year-old Serena Chappell found out she had leukaemia following a random test last month. The Mallorca-born girl - a keen dancer, who is trilingual - had been complaining of having no energy and began to look increasingly pale. Doctors at Son Espases Hospital discovered the ‘normally energetic girly girl’ had leu-
APPEAL
BRAVE: Serena and mum
SACRE BLEU! What has this jobsworth Ports’ Policeman got against this unfortunate teenager? FIND OUT ON PAGE 8
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kaemia in just four hours and she was immediately rushed in for a blood transfusion. But, now it has emerged there is a desperately low supply of her blood type and few people are eligible to donate due to a ruling over Mad Cow disease. Her father John Chappell, 34, has now appealed to big hearted Olive Press readers to come to the rescue. The removal man, from Yorkshire, who now lives in Valldemossa with wife Sarah, said: “Serena is doing amazingly, but needs as much help as she can get. “She is brave and strong and is facing many of her fears, especially needles, which have been a massive issue for her before.” The father, who has been by her side in hospital for the last two weeks, added: “We have started to cut her hair shorter as she will lose it from chemotherapy. She knows everything that is happening with her treatment and diagnosis.” As well as frequent blood
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ROPERTY sales in Mallorca are at their highest for a decade. An incredible 1,355 sales were registered in March, which an increase of 39.4% over 2016. is The second highest increase in Spain, British buyers make up 26% of the foreign sales, while Germans account for 40%. Spain overall had a fantastic year on
‘some prices have leapt by 25% in a year’
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DEMAnD for property in Mallorca is the ten years, explains property expert Marc highest in The Taylor Wimpey Sales and MarketingPritchard. Director has seen prices leap by up to 25% in some parts of the island since last year. “Prices have gone up in Mallorca possibly than on the mainland,” Marc told the Oliveeven more “Demand is the best in ten years. it’s Press. been going up since early 2016.” One of the company’s developments in a ‘non-
Now 17 Property Shops on the Island
SACRE BLEU!
transfusions she has had an eight-day chemotherapy course and bone marrow and lumbar punctures. “We are in intensive care 24 hours a day and treatment continues, but the hospital is now very short on her type of blood and she needs more,” added her father. The main issue is that getting the type has been hampered by legislation. Chiefly, if you lived in the UK for more than two years between 1980 and 1996 you can’t donate the blood in Spain due to a risk of carrying traces of Mad Cow’s disease, which rocked the UK back then.
Strong
“As they do not test the blood here they simply refuse to accept it,” explained Chappell, “Even if we pay privately for the tests they will not accept the blood.” Chappell says the whole family is remaining strong for Serena while having tests to see if they are a match for a potential bone marrow transplant. “Her little brother misses her terribly and juggling time is tough right now, but we are getting there,” he said. Serena, who attends school in Valdemossa, is said to be doing ‘ok’ after her chemotherapy and is hoping to be in her own room soon, but she still needs around the clock attention. “I hope people can find it in their hearts to donate,” added Chappell, “The blood that comes to the hospital can't be guaranteed for Serena but it does have a good chance. “In any case it’s not just for Serena, many other children in the hospital may also need blood, so this will help them too.” Blood donation can be done at the Hospital Son Espases on Thursdays from 8.30am to 3pm planta O module F, or at the Red Cross Palma from Monday to Friday.
EXPAT bar owners are demanding a crackdown on muggings by criminal gangs in Calvia. The group insist the problem is getting ‘out of control’ and the council must take action. It comes after a British tourist, 70, claimed he was attacked by a ‘gang of prostitutes’ in Magaluf. The regular visitor, who has a home in the area, is understood to have lost over €100. “The saddest thing is he knows not to take too much money with him as he can guarantee he will get propositioned on the way home,” said his friend Abbey Wright. Another expat Craig Beattie claimed that the problem is affecting tourism.
Let down
“Two ladies told me their friends have stopped coming due to the muggings… they don’t know if they will be back either, they have been coming the last 20 years or so!” One bar owner confirmed the problem. “I feel let down by the authorities’ inability to deal with the threat that is posed by the gangs posing as prostitutes.” Speaking anonymously due to fear of reprisals, he added: “There are victims every day, many of whom don't report the incident for fear of embarrassment.” The council failed to comment as we went to press. It comes after it introduced its controversial sound limiter policy that keeps sound in bars no louder than 62 decibels.
Flat wrong
Opinion Page 6
Flat wrong
AN investigation has been launched over the rental of council flats to tourists. The probe is looking into how properties in the Sa Gerreria area of Palma are being rented via rental sites, including Airbnb and Booking.com, for up to €150 a night. Owners currently benefit from lower protected rents, and under rental rules, tenants are banned from renting to tourists. The Olive Press found that at least three properties in the area were being rented by the online sites. All of them are fully booked until September.
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Farron wants expat MPs
expats being at least three properties in the general election. month’s area were beingnext rentedpledged by the the Lib Dems Farron online sites. All of them are MPs to expat grant would fully booked until September. to represent constituencies the 1.2 million British citizens living in the EU. Farron accused the Conservative Party of ‘breaking their word’ after it promised to MALLORCA hoteliers are grant the vote to expats who demanding stiff punishment had lived out of the UK for for holidaymakers, lawyers or more than 15 years. touts involved in fake sickness "In their 2015 manifesto, the insurance claims. Tories pledged to remove the They have insisted upon strong with Mallorca, 15-year rule, but they refused in businesses ‘penal sentences’ after con‘maximum support’ by work- hotels offering all-inclusive to apply this to the referenWe meet the iconic artist’s firming they are ‘suffering a closely with tour operators ing Grandson the by hit dum and in February this hardest holidays criminal plot’, costing the inPage 7 to identify illegal claims. year, dropped the policy and dustry millions each year. added: “We want concrete scammers. She Forto wrote broke their word,” said Farrecently minimize claims ABTA The president of the hotel asBoris Johnson ron. isn’t will- solutions to a criminal plot that eign Secretary sociation (FEHM) Inmaculada ish hotel industry on based to fees legal false on "The Liberal Democrats reccap more a any calling for De Benito told the Olive Press ing to accept takes advantage of the cover make such claims less attrac- ognise this utter unfairness law gives customers. the problem has cost the in- claims,” she explained. British penal of a system which denies UK companies. for tive to claims dustry ‘at least’ €50 million in “We are looking “It’s clear hoteliers can’t contold citizens living abroad a vote. sentences for companies and tinue suffering the cost of these A spokesperson for ABTA the past 18 months. scams the this in that "That is why we've committed the Olive Press It comes after she called a people who participate false claims.” ‘massive damage’ to establishing specific conhigh level meeting with the fraud in Spain. is not resolved She insisted laws in the UK were doing repustituencies for all UK citizens holidaymakers’ Association of British Travel “If the situation have to take needed to be changed regard- to British who live abroad,” he added. complaints. tation. (ABTA) in Madrid, on quickly, we will gastric Agents tourists’ ing increase Bruce an and Farron accused Tory leader One hotel reported With Obama, Tom more forceful measures.” Monday. FEHM represents some 900 of around 1,000% in such Theresa May, meanwhile. of Springsteen ABTA that the Span- She urged ABTA to give FEHM told “We years. three having a ‘twisted view’ and Page 29 claims in the last since tak“Another hotelier got sued by blasted her record year. back came ing office in July last a family who then she to stay the next year, which he “Since the referendum, DE MALLORCA about,” has spent more time cosying wasn’t too impressed up to regimes in Turkey and said Sean Tipton. make to Saudi Arabia than she has “This is not the way remaining friends. It is a form of fraud engaging with the the best out MORE work to jail.” EU states and you could go to said revenue with He added that most of the legal deal for British people,” based be Farron claims firms seem to German clients! of the out of the North West of Eng- "But this twisted view rights Put your ads in world, where human land. tramEL AVISO The Olive Press believes the are crushed, refugees exmajority are based in Man- pled on and weapons newspaper! changed with those who use chester and Liverpool. rniturespain.com Tel: 951 979 221 | sales@oaklandfu them on civilians, this is not Have you worked with a the Britain I love.” CONTACT US tout? Do you know any 971 619 234 Opinion Page 6 firms involved? Please o661 901 290 contact newsdesk@the Info@el-aviso.es livepress.es Ave de Gabriel Roca 4, Palma inside
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claims as they reach ‘at least’ €50 million By Joe Duggan
Magical Miro
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As summer approached, our exclusive story about a Norweigan father whose daughter was being held in a church by the mother thanks to asylum laws was picked up by The Mail on Sunday and several other national titles in the UK and Norway. Then we revealed how dozens of fake holiday rental sites were scamming unsuspecting tourists out of hundreds of thousands of euros - which was picked up by ITV news and UK national papers.
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PALMA Aquarium has blasted the plastic pollution harming Mallorca’s marine life. In a damning interview its conservation boss insists the problem is ‘getting worse’ and there is an ‘urgent need’ to tackle it or face seeing hundreds more turtles, sharks and dolphins die. It comes after the Olive Press revealed that the authorities are being probed over the alleged illegal use of plastics in the expansion of the Muelle de Ponent port in Palma. “The rubbish we find in the sea is just horrendous,” Aquarium director Debora Morrison told the Olive Press. “It is very rare we do not find a turtle that is not affected by plastic. “Seven years ago one of the major problems was fishing hooks. Now most of our animals - I would say 90% - are entangled in plastic or ropes. “We had one this week with a quarter of her shell missing. She was wrapped up in a massive ball of plastic and ropes. We operated on her yesterday.” She added: “It is definitely getting worse.” Morrison’s team has been subcontracted by the Mallorca government to rescue and rehabilitate turtles, sharks and dolphins since 2014. And as the summer months bring tourist crowds to the island, the problem of rubContinues on Page 5
Recordbreaking flights SON Sant Joan airport is set for its busiest ever day this week. A record 190,000 passengers and 1,117 flights are due to land or take off this Saturday, with a plane landing or arriving every minute. “From June to September we have more flights than Madrid and Barcelona,” said airport boss Antoni Planells. This summer, 18% more Germans have flown to the island, with a 14% increase in British visitors and 5% more Spaniards.
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Vol. 1 Issue 8
Dad’s joy on being reunited with daughter, 7, after church ‘abduction’ EXCLUSIVE By Joe Duggan
A MALLORCA-BASED dad has thanked the Olive Press after he was reunited with his seven-year-old daughter after she was ‘abducted’ and taken to a Norwegian church by his ex-partner. British expat Dominic Shepherd, 40, said he was ‘elated’ after winning back Maia, six months after Tonje Bjornsen, 37, fled to the church seeking ‘asylum’ with their child. As we reported exclusively two months ago, Bjornsen ‘abducted’ Maia and her 10-year-old brothers, Tobias and Christian, last year after claiming she was going to Norway to visit her sick mother.
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ROYAL RAVE
With summer in full swing, our exclusive story about a British lad who flew home on his friend’s passport from Ibiza was picked up by the Sun in the UK, while a celeb exclusive revealed how Hannibal star Mads Makkelsen had moved to Palma. Elsewhere, we revealed how a British lifeguard who had tried to save a tourist from drowning thought booze cruises were to blame. In celeb news, we exclusively revealed that Jamie and Louise Redknapp were selling their Mallorca mansion following their split.
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ARE Spain’s King and Queen (top) set for a night of London clubbing? It comes as Britain’s partyloving royal Prince Harry was given the role of welcoming the royals for their official UK visit next week. It will be the first time Harry has been involved in an official state visit. The 32-year-old redhead will officially escort Felipe and Letizia to Westminster Abbey, where they will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. The night before, he will escort them to an extravagant state banquet at Buckingham Palace, alongside Prince William and Kate, with the afterparty plans unlikely to be revealed.
PP and unions linked to €1bn fraud A PAIR of former PP bigwigs and two leading union bosses have been added to Spain’s biggest-ever corruption case. The PP politicians Carmen de Miguel and Soledad Córdova and ex-union bosses Francisco Carbonero and Manuel Pastrana are set to join a list of 25 leading expoliticians to be tried in the billion euro ERE fraud investigation set to begin in December. The pair, who were in the PP government of Jose Maria Aznar, are being probed over their involvement in a Continues on Page 2
Vol. 1 Issue 6
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Choppered in...for a dip!
A MILLIONAIRE bather has been taking a helicopter for a swim at slammed for a well-known beauty spot.
The mystery man was filmed being at S’illot des Toro, near Santa Ponsa, picked up specially protected nature reserve. which is a
Campaign group Terraferida has the incident to police, who are now denounced ing. “The area is strictly prohibitedinvestigatfor landing,” said a spokesman. “Such activity endangers the biodiversity here” The off-limits beauty spot (left) is classified as a Place of Community Importance a Special Protection Zone for birds (LIC) and When the Olive Press contacted (ZEPA). helicopter company a spokesman the alleged claimed not to know about the incident. “I am not of this,” he said. “The airport authority aware is very strict. If something had happenedAENA with one of our craft we would have been contacted,” he said. NO JOKE: Mystery
SECURITY BREACH
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man returns from illegal swim
British Airways launches probe after Olive Press expose into tourist travelling on wrong passport
Flight Madness
EXCLUSIVE By Joe Duggan
AN airline has launched a security investigation after the Olive Press revealed that an English tourist allegedly travelled to the UK from Spain on his friend’s passport. British Airways is probing how British tourist Scott Morgan managed to fly back from Ibiza to Manchester on his pal DomiPALS: Carroll (left) and Morgan nic Carroll’s passport. (with beard) on holiday before Mancunian Morgan, 27, had flights home accidentally picked up his pal’s as BA’s own security checks, the UK at the moment,” added wouldn’t open. the chef, who passport after a big night out in without being detected. “He’s got a beard and I don’t. an extra day was staying on for However, according to CarSan Antonio. on the island. roll, he was And incredibly, despite looking He’s a big guy and I’m not,” Morgan, from Wythenshawe, a nearby merely ushered to desk, where he was nothing like him, he was able to Carroll, 27, told the Olive Press was only eventually caught quickly waved through. this week. out when a security scanner at “They make it past 16/06/2017 both Spanish and 15:36 simply let him through,” British airport security, as well “It’s really bad with all the secu- Manchester airport failed to explained Carroll. “I just don’t rity problems we are having in recognise his face and the gate understand it, especially the
Night in Shagaluf
Is Spain’s most infamous resort really that bad?...The Olive Press investigates
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way things are at the minute. He could have been anyone.” Luckily for Carroll, a friend who regularly flies to Ibiza for work was able to bring over his passport a few days later and he was able to get another
flight home. British Airways confirmed it had now launched a ‘very thorough investigation’ with ground staff in Ibiza over the alleged breach of security. “British Airways takes safety and security very seriously and we have launched an immediate inquiry into this alleged incident of a customer travelling on the wrong passport,” the spokesperson said. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Home Office’s Border Force told the Olive Press it was also investigating the incident. At the time of going to press, Spain’s Policia Nacional, who are in charge of border control, had not responded.
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‘Pigging out’
Shepherd, an IT specialist, based in Santa Ponsa, won back all three children after taking the case to the Hague Convention, and was victorious in every subsequent custody court battle. But after the doting dad flew to Norway to collect the children in February, Bjornsen hid in the church in Alesund with Maia before Shepherd won a final court battle in July. “It was very emotional when I saw Maia again,” Shepherd told the Olive Press. “There were tears in both our eyes. “I hadn’t seen her for nearly a year. It’s almost impossible to describe that moment when you haven’t seen your own child for such a long time. “There are just so many emotions flowing but obviously just one of huge relief. She a lot as well. It was had grown 15:36 16/06/2017 quite a shock how much big-
Y
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Vol. 1 Issue 10 www.theolive press.es
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August 31st - September
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13th 2017
‘Avalanche’ of rent calls
AN ‘avalanche’ of calls from worried homeowners renting out flats without a licence has swamped Mallorca authorities. Hundreds of callers have the tourist department rung getting flats regulated, about despite missing the July 31 deadline. Unlicenced homeowners concerned about possible are fines of €40,000, with platforms like AirBnb and Homeaway facing penalties of €400,000. “It has generated an avalanche of calls,” said a spokesperson. “The big rental sites are down hundreds of homestaking without permits to avoid fines.” A Booking.com spokesperson refused to say how many removed, but confirmed it had it was in ‘constructive dialogue’ to comply with regulations.
Vital
Airbnb claim the new legislation will cost the rental L NDON Balearic Islands €500 millionRemembered and hit 10,000 families. But many local property experts back the government’s moves. One, Louisa Foster, who worked in Mallorca real has estate for 17 years, b
IT should have been a fun early-life experience for young son Oliver: The her ing of his piggy bank raidthe deposit in his bank and account. But Alba Thomas’s branch of La Caixa local
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Remembering civil war academic Hugh Thomas
Spycatcher
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MALLORCA CLASSIFIEDS
BRAVE: Ignacio Echverria and (top) Sergio Farina
TRUE HEROES
hadn’t read the script. Give In an astounding own-goal, officials at the Secar her Real bank refused de la point back blank! to take it. “First PAGE 9
PAGE 23
PAGE 26
A PAIR of Spanish heroes came to Londoners the aid of attacked by three crazed terrorists at the weekend. Ignacio Echeverria and Sergio stepped in to Farina save the lives of innocent bystanders caught the carnage that up in killed seven and injured It has now been 48. confirmed that Ignacio Echeverria, from Madrid, who defended a woman from the terrorists, one of died in the attack. Echeverria, said to have 39, is his way homebeen on skate park on from a urday night the Satattempted to when he defend a woman with his skateboard in Borough Market. He was last seen on the pavement. lying
Onslaught
In a second incident, Spy Garbo’s links a heroic Spanish to Mallorca put his life on waiter the line during the onslaught. Page 10 CCTV footage Sergio Farina, shows PLEA: Dominic from Galicia, throw Shepherd with himself kids against the door EXCLUSIVE bar to prevent of his By Joe Duggan one of the knife-brandishing AN expat has made terrorists from Choking back appeal to have an urgent entertears, the Briting. ish expat, continued: year-old daughterhis sevenHe managed “I am just concentrating from a Norwegian returned the man fromto keep worship in February. ing my head togetheron keepter his ex-partner church afentering, before ran off with because Despite Shepherd holding’ those kids need their child. winning joining her daughter from a dad. We just the door to opening custody of their want Maia Heartbroken Dominic her help another person born children, three British- Mallorca. twin brothers in a normal back so we can live Shepherd, 40, is Don’t miss our C’an Bjornsen is not life.” find involved in a safety. allowing his daughter Pastilla “I’m His nightmare battle special Maia to make numb, but the boys whenordeal began last August, “You do not even leave Spjelkavik with ex Tonje Bjornsen, me strong,” Bjørnsen think Church in an about it,” he Ålesund. IT expert, basedShepherd, with the children, left Spain sought ‘refuge’ 37, after she Page 13 said, “I in the place of in Santa for could have simply She now faces criminal Ponsa, told the a holiday, after ostensibly left, Olive Press. chargas everyone living on es in Spain for the island for three ‘illegally with- “I’ve had nothing but support I would havedid, but years. from friends and However two family.” people behind.”left 28 received a call weeks later he from his partHe added that ner to say she was not coming could see was ‘all he back. with dynamite’ a guy Mystified, the tried to lower as he was forced to distraught dad the bar DE MALLORCA windows’ shutters. Convention to use the Hague win legal cusHe added: tody of their children. “We did not know how But despite three court verterrorists there many dicts in his favour, and whether were he was MORE forced to travel they would return.” revenue with to get his childrento Norway Dozens of pedestrians Bjornsen refused back after German clients! Tel: 951 979 221 were mowed to return | sales@oaklandfurniturespain.com them. down Put your ads in by a van on After picking up the two boys Bridge before London EL AVISO Tobias and Christian attackers stabbed from school, he was a police newspaper! officer learn Bjørnsen stunned to and revellers around their daughter had fled with Market with Borough day is this week- whose birthCONTACT US 12-inch - to live in a knives. See our adverts local church. inside 971 619 234 More than 20 Ave de Gabriel Roca “I was utterly lost remain 4, Palma 661 901 290 for words,“ in a critical condition. said Shepherd, who has spo Info@el-aviso.es Continues on Page 2 Opinion Page 6
they said they want to count the didn’t coins. ree Li Then EL AVISO they said they ‘didn’t Desperate dad’s seven-year-old fight to win back daughter from Norwegian church asylum
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FAMILY SELFIE: Maia with dad Dominic and brothers Tobias and Christian Shepherd’s plight was report- “I am so happy with your ed exclusively in the Olive help...although one NorwePress before being covered in gian journalist gave me a bit of stick for how direct you the Mail On Sunday.
ger she was.” Bjornsen now faces two criminal charges in Spain over the abduction case.
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trial areas… the rules are impossible to comply with and we fear police are likely to fine anyone who fights back!” He alleged that clubs sell tickets from stands without the correct licenses but that the authorities look the other way. “The council knows that the sale stands from the clubs break the rules as they use secondary licenses known as ‘Licencia complementaria’ when the primary license operating the business is closed,” he added. Opinion Page 6
In our second issue we pleaded for Mallorca residents to donate O Negative blood to help save Serena, the daughter of an expat who had fallen ill with cancer and needed more supplies of her rare blood type. The response was overwhelming, with the banks becoming 100% full within days. The story was also picked up by several Spanish newspapers who helped with the blood drive. Elsewhere, we exclusively revealed the spike in black prostitutes mugging intoxicated tourists and the alleged lack of action by authorities to stop them. We also exclusively revealed how a Mallorca observatory was being put up for sale - it was later sold after the buyer read it in the Olive Press! Not bad considering it was only our second month in operation on Mallorca.
January 5th - January 17th 2018
After planning our expansion to the island for quite some time, we had finally arrived, and from our very first issue we were on the ground with expats and locals in Magaluf who were concerned about the new sound limiter rules introduced by Calvia council. It didn’t take long to make contacts and attend the meeting of bar owners and lawyers in Magaluf, where it was decided a protest was needed to bring more awareness.
t’s the most exciting launch to hit the island in a decade! The first edition of the Mallorca Olive Press is now on the loose… and totally free! Already voted the best expat paper in Spain, we now promise to deliver the news that really matters in Mallorca. Available in the four corners of the island, we also vow to deliver a blend of irresistible, entertaining and informative features… as well as campaigning on key issues and problems. Aimed at the huge foreign market in Mallorca, the readers will be a healthy mix of Scandinavian, Dutch and Germans… not to mention the British and Irish, of course.
Listen up www.theolivepress.es
April
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New quality homes since 1958
Vol. 1 Issue 1
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April 27th - May 10th 2017
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FLASHBACK: June 9th were. “But I told her it seems to have worked and it was the angle we wanted to go in on EXCLUSIVE citizens and these are British INTERVIEW abducted ilthey have been By Joe Duggan legally’.” “Basically peoHe continued: A WHEELCHAIR -bound and expat and ple stood has up told of listened his cooperaterror when he more got to I’m sure wasI left defend himself in durgovernment theBarcelona tion from ing the pressattack. of theterror because Norway Craig Wilcock, 40, believes van articles.” attacker Younes Abouyaaqoub to leave wasn’t Maia ran rightallowed past on Las Ramto school, go to church the blas, knockinghim woman swinga at access a over onlyhad couldwho to his play to assistance. church thecome the back The of father of two, who has lived time learning on and in passed Barcelona for eight years, church organ. to play wasthe going to aany doctor’s friends appointhave didn’t “Shement when theShepherd. terrorist’s van to play with,” said “She turned seven in there. I asked her how her birthday was and she shared it ‘with another girl’. “I said, ‘That’s nice, howDEhow MALLORCA old was she?’ She said, ‘98’.” Shepherd is now hoping to get Maia into the same school as her brothers in September. MORE when “It was very emotional Chrisrevenue they all met up again. with crying and tian broke down German clients! gave her a big hug. They all Put your ads in missed each other. “I feel elated. ToELhave AVISOall and see three back together newspaper! them all grow and develop together. “They shouldn’t have had CONTACT US But I all this. to go through prouder 619 234of all of couldn’t be971 661 901 290 them.” Info@el-aviso.es
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careered past him and a friend pushing his chair. He told the Olive Press: van was about six metres “The It sped right past us. It away. made a crashing noise as it reached end. “I have never been the vulnerable,” added the more Mancunian recruitment consultant. “My mate literally disappeared in the chaos.” “I thought;‘If they come with guns or knives now, out dead. I am in a wheelchair. I am a prime target. Of course I am they
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August The Norweigan father who was fighting to have his daughter brought back from a church - where here mother was holding her under asylum laws - thanked the Olive Press for bringing much-needed and impactful awareness to the story. We also got an exclusive look around the Love Island villa and sat down exclusively with organisers of anti-tourist protesters, one of the biggest stories of the summer. In our last issue of the month, we sat down with a disabled Brit who witnessed the Barcelona terrorist attack at first hand and revealed how rental scam websites were still going strong despite our stories seeing dozens being shut down.
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September As summer began to end, the drama failed to follow suit. We exclusively revealed the identities of the 13 British expats accused of using their businesses to move and sell drugs across the island. Meanwhile, Tolo Cursach was jailed and we revealed how an expat was fined €60,000 for not having the correct rental licence for his Airbnb property. Elsewhere, a British expat was facing jail after admitting to strangling his wife to death.
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July 6th - July 19th 2017
Mallorca’s original community newspaper
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As Mallorca’s summer season kicks off, Joe Duggan and Gillian Keller head to the heart of Europe’s most infamous party strip at Magaluf
Pictures by Graham Wilding MOST of us at the Olive Press herald from or have lived in London at one point or another. So while the Manchester bombing was painful in the extreme, the attack on our beloved capital has hit right to the quick. Our hearts go out to the victims, but, above all, we hope there is no knee-jerk reaction. This was the work of three deluded outcasts, who have no place in any religion. In a true testament to the greatest city in the world, people went about their business this week, without a sideways glance… because terrorism doesn’t - and shouldn’t - work. Above all, we hope this week’s general election can take place in peace and that the attacks don’t affect voting intentions. We at the Olive Press would love to see a Lib Dem/Labour alliance to - maybe, maybe keep the UK and Gibraltar in the EU.
NIGHT PATROL: Police have to deal with numerous infractions and complaints every night
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T’S 11pm, and Magaluf is grinding into action. On the Strip, scantily clad girls at the City Lights bar gyrate on raised platforms while Irish and British youngsters sink cheap shots and cocktails. Over the years, this Mallorca resort has become a byword for bad behaviour. Its heady brew of sex, drink and violence is manna from heaven for tabloid-headline writers, with a daily onslaught of stories proclaiming the worst excesses of north European youth. In truth, most of the youngsters here are well-behaved kids, many enjoying their first overseas holiday away without the family and exercising their right to cut-price booze. Two Sex On The Beach cocktails here cost as little as €4.50, two pints just €3. But despite the best intentions of Mallorquins and the local business community, Magaluf is finding it hard to shed its bad-boyand-girl reputation. “A few lads we know have got a hiding over here,” said Sean, 19, from County Wateford, who is here for a week with a group of seven friends. “One lad went out on his own the other night and 15 English lads attacked him. He got battered with a baseball bat and had to have 12 stitches. He went to the hospital, but was back out again the next night.” It’s a graphic example of the dangers that can befall unsuspecting youngsters in ‘Shag-
November
Polive press
ETE Ceglinski is battling vicious jet-lag. Each print issue of the The Seabin co-founder has just returned Press can be read in toOlive Palma from San Diego, where his its entirety on revolutionary sea-cleaning receptacle is www.theolivepress.es being trialled. And although bleary-eyed with fatigue, Ceglinski, along with fellow Seabin creAnd our site is updated ator Andrew is latest following a very clear vidailyTurton, with the news, sion: to battle ocean pollution. making it one of Spain’s best English “PlasticMallorca’s in thevisited sea isnews no good for anyone,” he most daily news website says, over a much-needed coffee. “We end websites. up eating it. Even if you went to some beautiThe stories on the Press ful top tropical island, which looksOlive like pristine and October 2015 amazing, when you get up close there’s plastic website this fortnight all over it. Page views:xxxxxxxxx “It’s a pretty insane situation we have got ourVisitors: selves into andxxxxxxxx we have nobody to blame but ourselves. Plastic to is be such amazing - Spain’s summer onean of the hottestthing, on but we’re notread recycling or reusing it anymore. Most this (14,909) record Basically,fortnight we’ve been trashing the place for 60 on years.”
online
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Plastic people
Most read stories Most read stories
www.theolivepress.es - Pixie Geldof’s star-studded wedding brings Harry Styles and Daisy Lowe to Deia (4,619)
Surfers
Costa del Sol on weather alert
Taking awithstand in temperatures the globaland clean-up operadropping tion aremore Seabin’s Australian crew. This small rainGuardia - 4616 views - Drugged up Civil officer arrested band - thekilled teamin is A7 ‘Three andena rouhalf’ after of atsurfers least three pileup strong - are waves temaking to Marbella (3,969) VIDEO: Floodsbig hit Costa delin Solthe eco-fight with their floating as heavy rain rubbish continues -bin, 4604which sucks in rubbish from watersRedknapp around marinas. -Jamie views and Louise selling MallorSo being on trialled in six(3,420) ca far, villaSeabin after aisdecade the island locations, including Palma’s Port Gangsters’ paradise: A look atfire in - Alleged arson leads to raging Adriano, Helsinki, France and the key figures 1,500 past andevacuated present of (2,880) southern Spain, now California. An agreethe Costa del Crime - 3872 views ment has been struck to trial more Seabins in the Torremolinos to open AndaBalearicIslands. lucia’s sales biggest of shopping Commercial the and leisure 3122start viewsin bin are centre due - to three months. But al Gibraltar schoolgirl THE summer season is just starting and innoready global interest hasreaches semi -final of Spanish TV talent show been phenomenal. cent holidaymakers are already falling prey “We’ve 3065 had views interest from to professional conmen. every single country in the The devious scammers behind rentholiworld that has a marina,” SOCIALMEDIA daysvillas.com hide behind the internet’s says Ceglinski. anonymity. “We’ve had 50,000 emails in the OlivePressNewspaper last few weeks. Our videos have been So far, precious little appears to have been viewed around 500 million times online.” done by web host GoDaddy to take the site Among their olivepress supporters are Safe Harbor Maridown. nas, the world’s largest marine operator with 64 It has to be hoped that the UK police’s Cyber locations, whoolivepressnews have now partnered with Seabin. Crime unit have more success at persuading It’s a success story born out of the Seabin them to act. crew’s lifelong+TheolivepressEs love of the ocean. Growing up in eastern Australia, Turton, Ceglinski and Seabin The scam is far from being unique to Spain, project manager Sascha Chapman were natuwith Greece and Portugal also suffering. ral water babies. BE ‘APPY! And while such stories do nothing to promote An industrial designer by trade, Ceglinski martourism, it is important the public are well-inried his technical nous with his respect for the formed so the number of people being stung ocean, spending four years creating the Seabin is limited. As Costa rental agent Helle Hereprototype with Turton. Updated daily paid The attention,” Olive Presssay online “At first, nobody Ceglinski. dia told us: if a holiday rental deal looks too “All the www.theolivepress.es environmental groups and people we good to be true, it probably is. Download our app now and The website is blocked us bethought would support us just the best conveniently accessible from your cause we begin wereenjoying a conflict ofSpanish interest.” Depòsito Legal PM: 610-2017 desktop computer to your laptop, tablets news oncompany the go. With Australian SMS backing the proj6 andthe smartphones throughout the daycamect, friends launched a crowdfunding PUBLISHER/ EDITOR www.theolivepress.es Jon Clarke wherever you jon@theolivepress.es paign through Indiegogo in are. 2015, which raised www.theolivepress.es €150,000 in a few weeks. SALES: NEWSDESK sales@theolivepress.es Mallorca’s “It was insane,” says Ceglinski. “People startnewsdesk@theolivepress.es ADMIN original ed donating and it all just took off. We raised Tel: (+34) 665 798 618 €135,000 in one week alone.” (+34) 951 273 575 community admin@theolivepress.es Based in Palma, the bold Press young entrepreneurs Joe Duggan The Olive newspaper lived and breathed their project - literally. With joe@theolivepress.es ACCOUNTS money tight, they and for up to a year Laurence Dollimore A campaigning, TOP forlived news inslept Spain! Emergencies community Héctor Santaellanewspaper, the in the factory that produced the Seabins. laurence@theolivepress.es Olive Press represents (+34) 658 750 the 424 huge expatriate But with the likes Finnish technology Ambulance/ Fireofbrigade/ Police 112giants community inaccounts@theolivepress.es Spain with an estimated readChloe Glover Wärtsilä backing Seabin’s global pilot protheAngeles websites, of more than Maria Vázquez chloe@theolivepress.esership, including gramme, the only way is up. The days of kipping 500,000 peoplemangeles@theolivepress.es a month. Laura Duckett on factory floors are long gone. Transport Admin and account assistant laura@theolivepress.es Like all of the world’s best ideas, Seabin apDISTRIBUTION DESIGNER Railway Line Palma-Inca / Palma-ManaGraham Warters James Partington cor – 971.177.777 distribution@theolivepress.es design@theolivepress.es Buses in Majorca – 971.177.777 Railway Line Palma-Soller – HEAD OFFICE 902.364.711 Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5 Airport information – 971.789.000 Calle Espinosa 1 Road Traffic Information – 900.123.505 Edificio centro comercial El Duque, planta primera,
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How team of Mallorca-based inventors are binning sea pollution, writes Joe Duggan
Holiday hell
RESCUE: For one inebriated lad, while (right) a young girl looks vulnerable
said 19-year-old Ray, from Birmingham, as he slurps on a Sex On The Beach cocktail at Lennon’s bar. “I had to pay another €500 to get somewhere else.” Similar examples of youthful excess can be found in towns and cities all over the British Isles every night of the week. But weary Magaluf bar and restaurant owners, many of them long established, have grown tired of the ‘unfair’ amount of negative stories emanating from their area. “If you want to look for bad press, you can find it anywhere,” said Jason Brown, who runs thriving beach-side café Tom Brown’s, a popular local establishment since 1982. “I got attacked in London with a knife. They are trying to change the rules here, but things can’t change overnight.” The phenomenon of ‘balconing’, whereby daredevil youngsters try to leap from terrace
The first 15 days of June saw 25 complaints to police for outdoor nudity aluf’, a nickname which needs no further explanation. Just last week, two British youngsters were filmed brutally battering a compatriot at an apartment block in Punta Ballena, setting about him in a sustained, sickening assault that was captured on CCTV. One of the culprits can be seen stabbing the victim with a broken bottle before the duo pummel him to a pulp. The following day, a 19-year-old Brit was left fighting for his life after falling from a third-floor flat, sustaining a broken leg and life-threatening injuries. On Wednesday, an 18-year-old British girl reported an alleged sexual assault to Spanish police as Magaluf’s grim roll call lengthened yet further. The annual ritual of debauchery has spurred locals into action. In June, as reported in our last issue, an updated list of 64 regulations outlawing bad behaviour were issued by Calvia council, the local authorities charged with upholding law and order. The list of misdemeanours are split into three categories. ‘Minor’ offences, such as climbing a tree or shining a laser, are charged at between €100 and €599. ‘Serious crimes’, like defecating in the street, will see miscreants charged from €600 to €1,499. Bar owners serving under-age drinkers can be slapped with a penalty of between €1,500 to €3,000. According to figures supplied by Calvia Town Hall, the first 15 days of June saw 25 complaints filed with the police for outdoor nudity, with one group of 18 drunken tourists fined last month after jumping in the sea totally starkers. But despite this new clampdown, many are yet to discern a meaningful change. “People have had enough of this bad behav-
June 9th - June 22nd 2017
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CAPTION: July 6th - JulyWEBSITE 19th 2017
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than 500,000 people a month.
Mallorca’s original ommunity ewspaper
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HOSPITALISED: Nearly every night people are rushed to hospital
FLOORED: One young drinker
iour,” said a spokesperson for the head of local business body ACOTUR. “There are important people here that are working hard to change the image of the area. “Thirty or so years ago, this kind of thing didn’t happen. Tour operators like Thomas Cook had guides who showed people what to do, where to go and what not to do. That doesn’t happen now. “People here didn’t expect it to be as bad this year as last year. We have to change attitudes, and tell people. ‘You can’t come here and do whatever you want.’” This week, Mallorca council and government officials sat down with local business and hoteliers to discuss the dilemma of badlybehaved young holidaymakers tarnishing the island’s reputation. Despite the local outrage, Magaluf’s illicit thrills continue to draw boys and girls looking for a good time, with many young Irish choosing to base themselves in nearby Santa Ponca before heading into Magaluf for a night - or day - out. “I got kicked out of my hotel the other day,”
pears deceptively simple. The half-metre-round, half-metre-high bin sits in the water 24/7, 365 days a year. A pump on the bottom provides a constant flow of water which sucks in floating rubbish. ‘Ballpark’ cost for the Seabin is going to be
F E AT U R E
October 12th - October 2017a running cost of less around €2,675.26th And with
than a euro a day the bins make economic as well as environmental sense. “At the minute, people go round with nets to collect the rubbish in marinas and that is quite expensive,” says Chapman. “The Seabins are built to last a lifetime but we will offer a three-year warranty and we hope to have a buy-back scheme to ensure the plastic can perhaps be reused and avoid landfill or being incinerated.”
wall to wall
Useful numbers
‘If you want to look for bad press, you can find it anywhere’ to terrace, has also claimed more than a few victims here. “They tied to raise the heights of the balconies to stop people doing that a few years ago,” continued Brown. Many local Spaniards have long grown tired of their area being dragged through the mud. “People who come here think they are better than us,” said Isabel Perez, 47, a local supermarket worker for 20 years. “How would you feel if I came to your city and behaved like this? It makes people very angry.” Nevertheless, it seems the overwhelming majority of holidaymakers here are simply out for a good time, and shy away from any hint of trouble. “I hate fighting,” said Tom, a 19-year-old from Donegal on holiday with 13 pals. “I was in Ayia Napa two weeks ago and you were always watching your back. We are staying in Santa Ponca. There are more Irish
IN ACTION: A team lowers a seabin into place
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Three days after installing their first Seabin in San Diego it had collected 20 kilos of plastic. Five more are due to be installed in Port Adriano as part of the pilot project. “Port Adriano is actually a very clean marina compared to others,” says Ceglinski. “But when a storm comes through it rains all the rubbish off the streets, into the drains and into the sea. That’s when you start having issues. “ Once launched, they expect 400 of their V5 Hybrid models to go on the market in the first year. And with word of the project continuing to spread, Sergio Halpern Ruiz, Seabin’s marine scientist, is due to speak at a UN conference next month. But the team are resting on their laurels. New Seabins, designed to be used further out to sea, are also being planned. “It’s been pretty amazing putting my life skills to use for something that helps the environment,” says Ceglinski. “But for us the main goal is to get off the dock and into the water. We don’t want to be restricted.”
Taxi’s
LONG a sheer mountain pathway high
LAST HURRAH: Head down on the table and (inset) rubbish left on the streets
2016/2017 there.” We have all been young and made foolish While the Brits may attract the lion’s share decisions Best through drink. And itindoes bear expat paper Spain of the bad headlines, Irish youngsters have repeating and that the it is a small minority fools second best inofthe found themselves on the wrong side of the spoiling itworld. for the rest. The vastSurvey majority are The Expat local press, too. Last week, local online me- guilty of nothing more than having a good dia outlet Cronica Balear posted a video pur- time and Consumer – more than Awards. - a few drinks. “I love portedly showing dozens of Irish youngsters all the people here,” said Jack, a 19-year-old - 2017sunburnt after spending the dancing in the street at 6.30 am. Which 2012 from Donegal, could be dismissed as mere highNamed jinks were day onEnglish a booze-cruise boat with unlimited the best language it not for the fact many of them were pogoing drink for €55. “It’s publication in Andalucia byamazing the for us to see difon top of a car, destroying it in the process. ferent people from all over the wordl.” Rough Guides group.
Quality features
Storm
in the971.20.12.12 Sierra de Tramuntana, an ancient Radio Taxi craft –is971.40.14.14 being practised. Three margers Taxi Palma Mallorca’s celebrated dry stone wallers Taxis Cales de Mallorca – 971 83 32 72 - are restoring an ancient Taxis Manacor trading route. – 971 55 18 88 TaxisDaily Porto – 971 82 09 untilCristo the 19th century, fish83 wives struggled Taxis s’Illot – 971the 81night’s 00 14catch from Banyup here, carrying albufar to Palma. Taxi with disabled access – 608it’s 537 Nowadays, hiking tourists stop to admire the margers 194,who 619 342 979, 609 717 424 as they toil on.
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One of these skilled stone masons planted a rock on the ground, lovingly sculpting and shaping it with a hammer and chisel before slotting it neatly into place like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle. It’s painstaking work. “We could be here for 15 or 20 years and we would still not be finished,” said Joan Riuaort, a marger for 23 years. “This is a job that never ends.” With over 19,000 kilometres of dry stone walls weaving through the island, Mallorca’s Consell’s team of 16 have certainly got their work cut out. But the skills of the wallers are held in high regard. The dry stone tradition, popular along Spain’s Mediterranean coast from Catalunya to Andalucia, is particularly famed in Mallorca. This month, a Palma conference will gather European experts launching a UNESCO bid to have the technique recognised. The Sierra de Tramuntana’s rich yield of limestone and the locals’ need to conquer a hilly landscape saw the craft flourish here, as Consell de Mallorca geographer Philippe Frotte tells me. “Mallorca had a special evolution. The dry stone walling here was of a very high density and diversity,” he said. “Not only paths and shelters or walls to separate properties but also terraces [serrated hillside ledges for growing crops - marjades in Catalan]. “It was necessary to use land to cultivate olive trees and vineyards, like in the valley of Soller, so terraces were c
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Should have legged it
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EXCLUSIVE By Joe Duggan
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BACKING DOWN:
Carles
Confusion reigns
SPAIN’S prime minister has accused Catalan leader Puigdemont of causing Carles ‘confusion’ after signing a declaration of independence.
Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really declared independence following day’s nail biting address Tuesto the Catalan parliament. If so, Rajoy insisted he trigger Article 155 of could Spain’s constitution to allow Madrid to take direct control of Catalunya. “There is an urgent need to put an end to the situation Catalunya is going through that - to Continues on Page
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Who’s paying us? EXCLUSIVE
CONFUSION reigns over who should foot the bill for Mallorca hotels hit by the collapse of airline Monarch. Balearic hotels are facing a €10million bill over the collapse that saw the emergency repatriation of over 110,000 back to the UK, many from Palma. Administrator KPMG told the Olive Press ‘the debt owed Monarch to hoteliers will by as an unsecured claim’ rank against the defunct airline. “They will have to file a the joint administratorsclaim to for all the money they are owed,” said a spokesman. “It has not been determined (yet) how much money available to creditors.” will be
SPECIALIZING IN: CRIMINAL LAW CIVIL LAW BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) FAMILY LAW
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Vol. 1 Issue 13 www.theolivepress. es October 12th - October
They’ve been getting stoned for centuries. Now UNESCO is interested in Mallorca walls. SEE PAGE 6
As Spain celebrates Hispania Day, the Olive Press runs a rule
over Columbus
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national and Momentum Pensions. “People are terribly distressed,” Granada-based Brooks told the Olive Press. “They have lost large amounts of their retirement savings.” She added: “Some of these people are going to end up back in Britain on benefits.” “I have nothing but praise Tony Barnett [Trafalgar for MD] and Stewart Davies [Momentum chef executive]. have been magnificent They in trying to recoup people’s money.” The Olive Press understands it
is highly possible legal may be taken by some action against CWM, based parties out of headquarters in Alicante, and its executives. Both the office in Javea the website have recently and The group were picturedshut. ebrating at a charity ball celcently as March this year.as reWhen the Olive Press spoke to boss Kirby he ‘definitively’ denied responsibility over the crash. “I have lost my world,” he said. A close associate of Kirby’s said former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’. “It is still quite raw for and they are working outthem, what to do next,” he said.
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They’ve been getting stoned for centuries. Now UNESCO is interested in Mallorca walls. SEE PAGE 6
We use recycled paper
As Spain celebrates Hispania Day, the Olive Press runs a rule over Columbus
As sherry gets big in London, we look at some quirky Jerez cocktails
SEE PAGE 10
SEE PAGE 20
Expats lose millions in life savings through failed investment scheme EXCLUSIVE By Joe Duggan
HUNDREDS of British expats are battling to retrieve their pensions after losing up to £20 million in a failed pension OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby and (above) team at March investment scheme. charity bash Spanish-based financial adviIt is believed at least 300 of sory firm Continental Wealth One Marbella-based expat remain anonymous. Management (CWM) folded told the Olive Press he sunk “The adviser kept telling me, CWM’s 900 clients have had last month obliterating many £59,000 through CWM, only ‘This is guaranteed, it can’t go their pension pots decimated, with victims shocked to later heartbroken Brits’ life savings. realising he had lost £39,000 below a certain level’.” Many of them had transferred when his pension trustees sent His money, and that of others discover the value of their intheir private UK pensions a statement. across Spain and France, was vestments had plummeted through the company, whose “I couldn’t believe it. I have put into high-risk ‘profession- dramatically. Untitled-1.pdf 15:36 boss Darren Kirby has now1 al- 16/06/2017 lost thousands of pounds,” al investor only’ assets, it has However, a source close to the case insisted: ‘There are legedly moved to Australia. revealed the victim, asking to been claimed. still many customers who are happy with their pension portfolio.’ Andalucia-based tax specialist Angie Brooks, a leading expert on pension liberation schemes and the founder of Pension Life, has now launched a fight to help get victims’ money back. She is working alongside pension trustees Trafalgar Inter-
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national and Momentum Pensions. “People are terribly distressed,” Granada-based Brooks told the Olive Press. “They have lost large amounts of their retirement savings.” She added: “Some of these people are going to end up back in Britain on benefits.” “I have nothing but praise for Tony Barnett [Trafalgar MD] and Stewart Davies [Momentum chef executive]. They have been magnificent in trying to recoup people’s money.” The Olive Press understands it
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is highly possible legal action may be taken by some parties against CWM, based out of headquarters in Alicante, and its executives. Both the office in Javea and the website have recently shut. The group were pictured celebrating at a charity ball as recently as March this year. When the Olive Press spoke to boss Kirby he ‘definitively’ denied responsibility over the crash. “I have lost my world,” he said. A close associate of Kirby’s said former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’. “It is still quite raw for them, and they are working out what to do next,” he said. Opinion Page 6
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Gifts from the depths
HE doesn’t know how lucky he is, with the mountains on his doorstep,” says friendly expat Clive Jones, referring his four-year-old son, as the Emile to Allais ski lift takes us skyward, slaloming skiers zig-zagging down soaring above the pistes in colourful outfits. The little boy stares unblinkingly tling with this thought, before down, as if wreswhy are your skis bigger than piping up: ‘Daddy mine?’ Fearless and icicle cool, the high ence is easily accessible fun-filledadrenalin experiday in the snow for this intrepid tot. Mum and dad have bucked the dropping junior off at ski school parental trend of and are teaching him the ropes of the slopes themselves. The smiles on their faces probably have something to do with leaving the Welsh countryside live and work in the sunnier pastures behind to of Aguilas in Murcia, under three hours away from Spain’s premier ski resort. I met the family on a gondola wards the transport nexus of out of Pradollano toBorreguiles.
Reptile update Junta leaders under trial in Spain’s biggest fraud case
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Expats Catalunya terror
Historic underwater finds are a rare and early Christmas present for the Balearics By Gillian Keller & Kirsty Tuxford
Christmas might be associated with gold, frankincense and myrrh, but a different kind of treasure has been found in the waters off Mallorca. Discovered in separate locations, two hauls of Roman antiquities were retrieved from the bottom of the sea by police divers early this month. Among the booty recovered by the Guardia Civil’s underwater team (GEAS) was an anchor from a Roman galleon, believed to have sunk in the Marina de Llevant nature reserve around 100AD.
OVER 75% of expats living in Catalunya are strongly opposed to the region obtaining independence, according to a survey run by Spanish Property Insight. Shockingly, 45% of those polled also revealed they were considering leaving Catalunya as a result of uncertainty surrounding the region’s future. The results of the study come ahead of Catalans heading to Treasures the polls today to elect a new regional parliament. The anchor and the rest of Arrimadas’ Inés While the loot, which included Ciutadans (Cs) party is prea pottery jar dating back dicted to win the most seats, from the third century BC, a coalition between pro-incould be worth mildependence parties Esquerra lions. (ERC), led by Oriol Junquerde Consell as, and Junts per Catalunya, Mallorca’s headed by the exiled Carles departPuigdemont, are expected to of ment form a government in a real heritage blow for Madrid. w h i c h “The independence moveauthoment has come to dominate rised the public life in Catalunya, but the identity politics of it recovery, leaves many expats cold,” will now said Mark Stücklin, head of decide how Spanish Property Insight. best to dis“Expats choose to live in play it. Catalunya because of its high Speaking to the quality of life, so they strugOlive Press, a Guargle to relate to the historical dia Civil spokesman said: grievances and nationalist “Many ancient cultures emotions of the indepensailed through these magdence movement. of expats would “An exodus 15:36 16/06/2017 1 Untitled-1.pdf be a disaster for Catalunya.”
nificent waters and as they such some hold treagreat This sures. is not the first time we have found items of such archaeological importance.” “It is very likely that there
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are still some gems out there just waiting to be discovered.” In tandem to recovering treasure underwater, the Guardia Civil has also been busy retrieving some that had already made it to land. Operation Garum, saw teams swoop in on a number of homes belonging to a trio of local divers, finding 42 items. The three men have been accused of stealing treasure rightfully belonging to the country, by trawling the sea bed with fishing nets.
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Mallorca Meg
New sustainable approach to land use will see green areas re-classified
DOZENS of Catalan protesters took to 10 Downing Street during a UK visit from Mariano Rajoy yesterday. The protest, organised by By Kirsty Tuxford the Catalan Defence Committee, demanded the release of the A RADICAL new Catalan referendum leaders building ban will prevent further erowho remain in jail on charges of sion of the islands’ sedition and rebellion. valuable green spaces. Holding up placards saying The Balearic parliament rul‘freedom for political prisoners’ ing means that land previand ‘the streets will always be ously classified as ours’, the protesters amassed ‘urbanizable’, or available for develsuch a large crowd that traffic opment, will be re-classified was diverted from Whitehall. if construction has not yet begun.
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Thanks to a campaign door by Més per Mallorca thousands Rajoy was forced to enter numof hectares of rural land will ber 10 through the back door. be saved from construction The turmoil comes after Spanish supreme court judgea across the islands. The law which comes into ordered the release of six Cataforce in January will lan secessionists. see heavy fines for anyone breakPuigdemont’s deputy Oriol ing the rules. Junqueras and Catalan ex-In“It’s great news for the enviterior Minister Joaquim Forn, ronment,” said Damia Borhowever, must stay in jail. ras, PSOE deputy leader Puigdemont has been given in lifeline after his European a Menorca. “It provides transar- parency rest warrant was withdrawn and more control mechanisms to combat this week to allow Madrid urfull ban autonomy into the investigation speculation.” At a press conference of what they claim was an illegal to celebrate the ruling, MES independence referendum. spokesman Bel Busquets said . that in the town of Llucmajor alone some 200 hectares of land would be prevented from being developed. That’s the size of 280 football pitches. She added that the regional authorities were ‘committed to a more sustainable model, which is adapted to the needs of a limited territory that Untitled-1.pdf we 1 16/06/2017 15:36 have to preserve’.
TRIO: Of divers
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Are budget airlines a thing of the past? The Olive Press investigates the future of low-cost travel
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Spain’s forests will end up confined to the highest hilltops, while cities, including Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and San Sebastian, will suffer as sea levels rise by up to a metre, leaving large areas underwater. Meanwhile Madrid will suffer one the biggest temperature rises in of the world, making the city almost uninhabitable in summer. Green group Climate Central said would worsen the capital’s ‘heat it island’ effect, with temperatures rising between 4.3 degrees and 8 degrees in summer. Due to its contamination and altitude only three other cities - Sofia, Skopje and Belgrade - will fare worse. “We find ourselves in a situation where we are not doing nearly enough to save hundreds of millions of people from a miserable future,” said Erik Solheim, the UN environment chief, at this month’s crucial global climate conference in Bonn. Despite Spain being one of the country’s most at threat, it comes 21st in the list of EU countries for tackling CO2 emissions. It is well behind in its actions to help stave off a critical two-degree rise in SPREADING: temperature, in line with the 2015 Paris agreement. The march of desertification “Even if the objectives of the Paris Agreement are met, Mediterrane is draining an landscapes will change, and the dryer Spain’s areas will advance north,” says vital water Guiot, a French researcher fromJoel European Centre for Research the resources, and Teaching in Geosciences (CEREGE). including Incredibly, Spain did not even send El Pla de a respresentative to a global conferMallorca reservoir
The last month of the year saw a win for environmentalists as it was revealed green spaces on the island would be reclassified and kept out of the hands of developers. We also revealed Meghan Markle’s links with Mallorca and the Balearics after her engagement to Prince Harry became the world’s biggest story. In other news, Spain’s property market had ‘fully recovered’ and tourism was set to break all records again - which it did - putting things in good stead for 2018.
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LARGE parts of Spain could be sertified by the end of the century.deIt comes after climate scientists jected global temperatures will prorise by 3.2C by 2100 if drastic measures are not immediately imposed. They say the earth will soon reach ‘the point of no return’, which spells likely continual drought conditions for most parts of Spain. An alarming 70% of the country risk of desertification, accordingis at to official government statistics. A third of Spain is set to become arid as the desert of Tabernas in as Almeria. Meanwhile, the narrow green strip running along the north of Africa will disappear, devoured by the desert, dramatically worsening the migration crisis.
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Olive Press appeals for action as scientists forecast threedegree global temperature rise
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Vol. 1 Issue 18 www.theolivepress.es December 21st - January 4th 2018
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The thinker’s finca
DON’T think owned by oneabout it too long… but this historic just come up of the godfather’s home once of Spanish The 1,500 for sale. philosophy has once ownedmetre square country by Mallorcan home, wrote in Catalan. philosopher Casa Mata, was Ramon Llull, Credited as who being one of the forefathers of the Catalan language, sity named Llull even has a univerOn sale viaafter him in Barcelona. various agents, stunning hunting the estate ca has 53 hectares of in Mallorand numerous prime outbuildings. land The 13th century writer was hugely influential and artist land and once on taught king the isII of Aragon. James Llull lived ANCIENT: a Llull book Algaida in the huge estate from near of six religious1250 until a series visions a missionary converting leave his family to lead led him to cism. Muslims and a life as Jews to catholiHe wrote over tomb in Palma’s200 works during his life and basilica of ing restored. has St Francis, currently be-a His family It sits nearsold the home in the 16th century. Montuiri. Llucmajor on the road from Randa to
BRING IT ON
Thinker Llull stunning Casa i (left) once lived Mata f in “ p g in bo “A se PAIN’S property ers market for another “Th healthy year. is set Another Sales and prices of 12 are expected to rise… as las more sales months of growth in long as there no sudden So economic shocks, are - as long as one of the country’s predicts 6.9% Catalunya isSpain with 10% been called for Spa largest According to this year. dealt with hou situation has December 21, and Anticipa sales agents. Prices for 9.3% next year the repo However, this calmed down. direct rule. to 526,000 will rise by meanwhile, resales and new up from 481,000 has not stopped properties, builds crea of Spain’s largest to increase are expected to continue The region is regarded this year and some prop more than in by 5.8% 21% quarter est as the wealthi- with links to the property companies Prices are 2016. of this year. over the fourth has in Spain and its capital region, seeing pare also expected The firm’s seen some Barcelona share prices slump. 6.1% next year, their last y price rises this of the highest property Merlin Properties on top of anto rise by compiled latest report, however, before Catalunya expected and Colonial year. was It is hoped Enqu 5.3% and independence fell and Madrid declared ty will not that the political uncertain- height of the6.4% respectively at by day the the independence affect sales imposed Investors, though, s ticulary as regional too much, crisis. were u elections have par- and see’ policy are adopting a ‘wait now elections. in the run bigges up to the in the
OF SPAIN TO BE ALMOST UNINH
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Who’s paying us?
CONFUSION reigns over who should foot the bill for Mallorca hotels hit by the collapse of airline Monarch. Balearic hotels are facing a €10million bill over the collapse that saw the emergency repatriation of over 110,000 back to the UK, many from Palma. Administrator KPMG told the Olive Press ‘the debt owed by Monarch to hoteliers will rank as an unsecured claim’ against the defunct airline. “They will have to file a claim to the joint administrators for all the money they are owed,” said a spokesman. “It has not been determined (yet) how much money will be available to creditors.”
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SPAIN’S prime minister has accused Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont of causing ‘confusion’ after signing a declaration of independence. Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really declared independence following Tuesday’s nail biting address to the Catalan parliament. If so, Rajoy insisted he could trigger Article 155 of Spain’s constitution to allow Madrid to take direct control of Catalunya. “There is an urgent need to put an end to the situation that Catalunya is going through - to
SEE PAGE 20
HUNDREDS of British are battling to retrieveexpats pensions after losing their £20 million in a failed up to investment scheme. pension OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby Spanish-based financial and (above) team at charity bash March sory firm Continental adviManagement (CWM) Wealth One Marbella-based expat last month obliterating folded told the Olive Press he sunk remain anonymous. It is believed at least 300 of heartbroken Brits’ life many £59,000 through CWM, only “The adviser kept telling me, CWM’s 900 clients have savings. realising he ‘This is guaranteed, it had Many of them had transferred can’t go their pension pots decimated, had lost £39,000 their private UK pensions when his pension trustees sent below a certain level’.” with victims shocked His money, and that of to a statement. through the company, others discover the value of theirlater across Spain and France, whose “I couldn’t believe inboss Darren was vestments had plummeted Untitled-1.pdf it. I have put into high-risk Kirby has now1 al- 16/06/2017 lost thousands 15:36 ‘profession- dramatically. legedly moved to Australia. of pounds,” al investor revealed the victim, asking only’ to been claimed. assets, it has However, a source close to the case insisted: ‘There still many customers who are happy with their pension are portfolio.’ Andalucia-based tax specialist Angie Brooks, a leading expert on pension liberation schemes and the founder of Life, has now launchedPension to help get victims’ a fight money back. She is working alongside sion trustees Trafalgar penInter-
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rying’. “This negates the very essence me they knew what they were of the service they are meant to doing.” offer,” said Flores. “It is a blank He added: “I believe some of cheque to invest wherever, the investments were made whenever. without my knowledge. I think “If standard practice, this is that is the case because I do not very worrying. recall signing sheets for all the has gone down by half and I “Signing blank documents investments I had.” it get to compensation need would be seen An email, seen by the Olive back on track. as irregular in a Press, shows CWM asking a cli“But some people court of law. The ent to sign and return a blank with have lost everyproblem dealing instruction. thing and don’t these firms is that Another British expat, 55, who have enough to they were all inis trying to recover around live on. One rein highly €200,000, said some pensionPENSION vestinginvestments tired victim only ers ‘have lost everything’. OUTRAGE risky has €50,000 left without the cli“My paper work that I sent from €480,000.” ents knowing.” has been altered, my risk level Andalucia-based He claimed that was changed from ‘medium’ to Antonio instruclawyer dealing losses sustained my and ‘high’ whose investors Flores, by tions have been photocopied Lawbird firm would hopefully repeatedly for buying and sellrepresentare recoverable authorise,” be ing assets I didn’t ing some CWM as the investments that failed he said. victims, said signing blank into perform, or went bust, were “I still have some money left vestment sheets was ‘very worlinked to life insurance policies. and I am still young enough to Pension trustees Momentum get compensation, but my fund and Trafalgar are now attempting to recoup CMW clients’ losses. The Olive Press has so far been unable to discover if CWM was SPECIALIZING IN: registered to provide investwith Spain’s offiadvice ment CRIMINAL LAW cial financial regulator CNMV.
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BRITISH expats who lost up to €20 million in a failed pension advisory firm believe their signatures may have been photocopied onto investment documents. Around 300 Brits, most living in Spain, are battling to retrieve their funds after Alicante-based firm Continental Wealth Management (CWM) folded in September, as first reported in the Olive Press a month ago. Boss Darren Kirby left for Australia following the closure of the company’s main Javea offices. Victims, who are spread across Spain, as well as in Ibiza, Mallorca, Portugal, France and Turkey, fear illegal practices after being asked to sign blank dealing instructions. Their pension pots were then invested in high-risk assets which promised to pay out large commissions. One 69-year-old pensioner told the Olive Press he lost €210,000 after transferring €470,000 despite stating he BOSS: Kirby now in had a ‘low to medium aversion Australia to risk’ attitude to investment. “I was asked, ‘Can you sign this he said. “They should have been looking blank form. We will fill in 1the 16/06/2017 15:36 were just Untitled-1.pdf that trusting they out for me but they nests. To details.’ I did their own would act in my best interests,” feathering
November 23rd - December 6th
70% of Spain in danger of deser tification Madrid to be 8C hotter in summ er Palma endangered from metre sea rise
Pension peril
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In a scamming shocker, we revealed how expats across Spain had lost millions in life savings to a failed pension investment scheme, while the owner had fled to Australia. We continued our investigation into plastic pollution caused by companies on Mallorca and reporter Joe Duggan got up close and personal with the island’s historic dry stone wall builders.
Expats who lost millions rage at ‘unauthorised’ deals involving ‘worrying’ signing of blank sheets
A PALMA thief is facing 18 months in jail for stealingCY a leg of ham. CMY Prosecutors are requesting the lengthy term for taking K the eight kilogram leg of 'Cinco Jotas' ¡ jamon from a shop in the capital. The Iberico ham is valued at €685, and has yet to be recovered.
changing campaigns, Here we take a look back at the best stories 2017. Here’s to 2018, and Happy New Year to all our readers and clients!
October
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BUYING Find out where footballer Harry Winks is investing in Spain
What do Fatboy Slim, director Paul Haggis, John Travolta, Dean Norris and Pilou Asbaek have in common? They’ve all had links to the Balearics this week
Given the whole extradition process can take up to 60 days, it means he may have to run his entire election campaign for the Catalan European Democratic Party from Belgium. His party wants him to fight for continued leadership of the regional parliament in the December 21 elections. Puigdemont denied he had fled to Brussels to avoid justice but that he left because the Spanish government was preparing a ‘wave of oppression and violence’ against separatists. “I’m absolutely convinced that the state was preparing a harsh wave of repression for which we would have all been held responsible,” he said yesterday. “The Spanish state is committing a brutal repression… if we don’t battle repression together, the Spanish state may win this fight.” In a show of support to the deposed president, around 200 Catalan pro-independence mayors travelled to Brussels on Tuesday to stage a rally.
stories of 2017
As well as bringing you the latest news from Mallorca, the Balearics and mainland Spain, we have strived to be a quality community newspaper. We have exposed criminal wrong doings, investigated environmental issues and launced life-
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CATALUNYA’S beleaguered leader has vowed to fight on from abroad. It came after Carles Puigdemont handed himself in to Belgian police when a European arrest warrant was issued. He and four other politicians are accused on charges of rebellion, sedition, misuse of public funds, disobedience and breach of trust. A judge in Belgium now has up to two weeks to decide if they will extradite the group to Spain.
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The plot thickened in the pension investment scheme, as expats who lost up to €20 million claimed their signatures were faked on key documents. And as the Catalunya crisis rolled in, we had a sit down with Hollywood legend and Oscar-winning director Paul Haggins, who chatted all things Puigdemont, Trump and Harvey Weinstein. We also called on Spain and the Balearics to step up its environmental efforts after scientists warned of 70% desertification by 2100.
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T is Andalucia’s Garden of Eden - a green valley in the midst of semi-desert, hidden down a long winding road. The off-grid eco village of Los Molinos del Rio Agua is a standout example of sustainable living. At least five groups now call the petite Almeriense pueblo home. Between them they have brought this a 100-year-old village back to life from near dereliction. Living free of mainstream connections to water and electricity, the community is also a hardworking hotbed of green-minded experimentalism, creating everything from geodesic dome structures to bike-powered washing machines and Fender-style guitars made from sustainably sourced agave cactus. “Some of us have been here for over 30 years,” said David Dene, whose two houses act as home to a sustainable agave woodwork project and volunteers who come to the village to turn their own green dreams into realities. David began constructing his own house, La Casa de la Realidad, in 1993 after first visiting the village to volunteer at neighbouring project Sunseed Desert Technologies, a research base founded by ecologist Harry Hart in 1982 to fight against desertification. The pretty, whitewashed casa is perched on a steep ledge atop the valley, overlooking the mountains in the distance. Multi-coloured murals cover the interior walls, while a small wood burner radiates heat through the house. His other home, the downhill Pita Escuela built
several years later, even includes a swimming pool which is filled by water from the stream in the valley bottom each summer. Both are provided with water from an underground store harbouring 9,500 litres. It is brought in to both homes at a rate of five litres per minute via a ramp pump in the centre of the village, built by a past volunteer. The 20 solar panels on the roof supply 2kw of energy, enough to power the house, which has a washing machine and a wifi router which serves much of the village. “It was a big community effort, not just by locals but by people from 16 countries around the world,” said Dene, who designed both houses. “Word really spread. Lots of people seemed really keen to help build an off-grid, sustainable house. “We started with local rubble for the base levels, then constructed the walls. “The house is based on the ruins of an old family finca. The bottom part of the house where the main bedroom is was the donkey’s stable. “My aim was to try to rebuild it as faithfully as possible to the old style but with modern a twist. “It’s earthquake proof and we put in lots of windows to get good air flow.” To Dene, living off grid encourages people to pursue other green ventures.
INGENIOUS: Washing machine powered by bike
la cultura
JanuaryJanuary 5th - January 17th 2018 5th - January 17th 2018
Paradise unplugged
Chloe Glover meets the villagers who are living the good life off grid in Spain
People are beginning to leave cities and get back closer to nature I think people think we are just a bunch of hippies but that’s nothing to do with the reality
OFF THE GRID: Village in mountain amazingly uses no electricity and is not connected to water supply
GOING GREEN: Self-sufficient water pump and chillout area “It gives us a sense of freedom and a sense of the same time. choice. We become responsible for our actions and “Mulching helps, while I use Groasis boxes (innostart to think with freedom and creativity, enabling vative water storage containers for plants) to help trees grow.” growth of similar freedom around us,” he said. Due to the low running costs of his house and his His roommate, architect Praditha Handayani from keenness to encourage sustainable living wherev- France, works for another project in the village, Cultura de la Tierra, which creates er possible, David welcomes newgeodesic domes. comers wanting to realise their These are moveable eco conown projects. structs. For the last couple of years, ‘It gives us a “I want to go into eco construction 27-year-old Jonas Lisy from the Czech Republic has worked sense of freedom and create smaller, more mobile structures” said Handayani, 38. Dene’s land, turning it into a biodiand a sense of “Moveable structures are very imverse edible garden. portant at a time where climate Cherries, aubergines and morchoice’ change is beginning to affect inga are among the cornucopia of communities. That can help us to fruits, vegetables and medicinal become more mobile to avoid the plants blossoming in the sizeable worst and help us adapt.” plot which provide sustenance to Sunseed Desert Technologies, on a renovated terthe other Casa de la Realidad residents. race a few hundred metres away, is a co-living base “It’s a wonderful opportunity,” said Lisy. “Because we have so little rain - only 50 ml one home to up to 200 project coordinators and volunyear - we had to start focusing on crops that can teers annually. Some pay up to €150 per week to flourish in such conditions and support wildlife at cover their bed and board.
Nowadays it runs six departments involved in diverse research in areas such as bioconstruction and ‘appropriate technologies’. Costa Sbonias, the project’s education co-ordinator, stands proudly besides one of Sunseed’s latest inventions, a solar-powered pizza oven, which rustles up stone-baked pizzas to the delight of passers by. The roof terrace is littered with dozens more offbeat yet functional devices, from a huge solar barbecue to more solar panels, which provide the project’s electricity. The compost toilets,created from locally sourced reedbeds, agave and stone, sit discreetly in the garden below. The bioconstruction team is responsible for the irrigation line, which also provides water for Sunseed’s in-house showers. Possibly most important though is the chalkboard hung on a wall in the patio, on which tasks are written and delegated to each of the projects’ workers and volunteers. The simple equipment is a basic yet vital organisational tool to help ensure that the ambitious project can continue to function. “We bring people out of their comfort zone,” said Sbonias. “But through living and working together we can open our minds to new possibilities of sustainable living, which is very important now with the threat of global warming. “Through our house and the things we create we hope to show how people can find a sustainable way to live that is also cost effective. “Everyone learns things here that we don’t learn in school “I know of many people who have come here, see what we do and begin their own project elsewhere. It is a great way to slowly change our world, poco a poco.”
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COPS in Spain will be keeping a watchful eye on rental and accommodation portals like Airbnb in the aftermath of attacks by jihadists in Catalunya last August. Download our app now and As part of the governbegin enjoying the best Spanish ment’s Antiterrorism Pact, news on the go. Spain’s Interior Ministry has revealed some of the measures the government plans to adopt in their fight Hollywood against the increasing number of jihadist cells operat- icon to cash in ing on Spanish territory. Authorities will keep more as he expands detailed records people Press hotel business TheofOlive booking temporary accommodation across Spain on ROBERT De Niro’s Nobu HoTOP for news in Spain! hotel and short-term rent- tels chain is nearly doubling its al sites such as Airbnb or portfolio in 2018 as it expands to the Costa del Sol. Booking.com. The company already has seven hotels open and this year it plans on introducing five more, with one opening in Marbella. The high-end chain was created in 2009 with De Niro, celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa, and Hollywood producer Meir Teper as co-owners. The first Nobu opened in 2013 as a boutique hotel inside Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas. The first to open this year will be the Nobu Hotel Marbella in
A BRITISH expat’s home has taken just five hours to assemble. The minimalist Casa Montaña was built in four months in a factory in Madrid before it was moved to Asturias and erected in almost record time last month. The small prefab house is built on two levels, with the social areas downstairs and the bedrooms located on the second floor. “The interior design is kept simple, with wooden flooring and black and white wall finishes,” said the English landscaper who owns the property, and who asked to remain anonymous.
Robert dinero
March. As Nobu’s second resort in Spain following the Ibiza property, the new hotel will have 81 suites. Guests can look forward to priority access to the new Nobu restaurant, a private swimming pool and top quality amenities. Nobu Matsuhisa’s exclusive inroom dining menu will also be available around the clock.
Keys Isl nd to the
Happy New Year to all our Olive Press friends, writes Amanda Butler
H
AVING been in the UK for Christmas and not seen the sun once during the 7 days we were there - just cloud and rain, with a hazy glow at the very best of times - it was good to get back home in Mallorca for the New Year in the sun (not that I´m complaining about the UK as we had a lovely time in the beautiful scenery of the West Country - but oh boy is the weather depressing?!). Anyway, we decided to nip up to Na Burgesa (the Statue of Christ above Genova) to see in the New Year with a group of friends. It was a cool and slightly hazy night - one day off the full moon - and quite a spectacle from our vantage point as the city scape of Palma below us seemed to explode with fireworks at midnight. A great way to see in 2018, sending into the ether all our hopes and wishes for the year to come as we surveyed the beautiful city where we live. We finished off the evening watching the London fireworks on TV, which I have to admit were difficult to beat and it does make one proud to be British in another sense. Am I alone in feeling this has become some kind of international competition that starts in Auckland and ends in San Francisco?! (“My firework button is bigger than yours”…?). As the New Year arrives, the property market is always quiet in the hibernation and slumber between the old year and the new. Waiting for people to review their lives, their hopes and dreams - and possibly adding “buy a property in Mallorca” to their Wish List !!! I truly believe life is short - we need to embrace itwith passion and gusto - and not let the fear of the unknown hold us back. With respect to property (and that´s what I´m supposed to be writing about!), there doesn´t appear to be much to fear about investing in Mallorca and the Balearic Islands at present.
Property investment forecast for Mallorca and the Balearics for 2018 Interest rates in Europe have never been as low as those we have seen for the last six years. With the European Central Bank striving to confirm the long-term policy of low interest rates, it does not appear that the scenario will change for the foreseeable future from the point of view of the investor.
Hot stuff
Nobu will be based within the Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa, which will be entirely transformed into an all-suites resort. Some 184 recently refurbished suites set across 27 Andalucian villas, will offer access to the resort’s famous amenities and Six Senses Spa, as well as the new Nobu.
SPANISH real estate is at its highest point since the 2007 crash, and experts say it will continue to rise in 2018. Heavy investment in malls, warehouses, hotels and offices meant Spain’s economy was outpacing the rest of the continent towards the end of 2017, according to Savills Plc. Spanish real estate was steadily rising since 2014 and reached new heights in 2017, peaking at €8.9 billion, just short of the 2007 high of €10.8 billion. “2018 is basically the year when it’s all going to come together,” said Ismael Clemente, founder and CEO of Madridbased Merlin Properties Socimi SA, Europe’s third-largest real estate investment trust.
By Amanda Butler
Bring on 2018!
This means that returns obtained through savings, deposits, and investment funds will remain low. Thus for prudent and moderate investors, who are seeing these reduced returns on their short, medium, or long-term deposits, Spanish property investment continues to makes sense. The ease of use of internet portals providing direct booking facilities for holiday rentals have made property an even more desirable investment, despite recent Spanish government legislation coming into play to gain more control - and of course to get their share! This fact, accompanied by the threat of terrorism in many regions around the globe, has reaffirmed the Balearic Islands real estate sector as an interesting investment for those who are looking for a safe return, with a high growth perspective in the medium-long term. Even in times of economic instability with Brexit and unanticipated governmental changes globally, the Balearic Islands received record breaking visitor numbers and when figures are released for property sales later in the month, we are expecting them to outstrip any figures of the past, with the lower risk-factor in property investment being a key aspect. So… If you are reading this from your home country, where you don´t see the sun for days on end - and the thought of buying abroad has been in your mind for some time - then take a pen and add “Buy a property in Mallorca” at the top of your 2018 resolution list and give me a call ;)! I would be delighted to hear from you and help make your New Year´s resolution come true. P.S - We do get over 300 days of sunshine a year and oh boy, does the sun make you feel so much better!
Propert y of the week
Fabulous Villa in Cap Falco with stunning sea views across the Bay of Palma 6 Beds ● 6 Baths ● 696 m²- Living ● 1.860- m² Plot ● Pool ● €4. 500.000 ● Ref: 17020 This luxurious villa has truly stunning sea views and is located in the peaceful and exclusive residential area of Cala Falco. The magnificent views of Palma Bay over the open Mediterranean Sea can be seen from almost every room and level of this outstanding property. Built in 2002, this fabulous Mediterranean villa provides a large open plan living room with feature fireplace, dining room, various sitting areas and a lovely fully equipped kitchen with island and breakfast bar. The galleried reception hallway has a double height ceiling and features an attractive curved staircase and balustrade. The 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms include an independent guest apartment with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with it’s own lounge, kitchen, dining room and bathing terraces. The first floor bedrooms include the Master suite with dressing room and en-suite bath and shower room and further sea view terraces. The grounds are well maintained and fully stocked with numerous mature trees and shrubs, ample bathing terraces, a covered dining area and BBQ. The private swimming pool is heated. In walking distance there is a small sandy beach in the midst of a green zone.
Contact Amanda J Butler to buy or sell your home: Tel: +34690075169, www.mjcassociates.net. Your professional one stop property shop around the Island!
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Good year for spain economy
BE ‘APPY! SPAIN’S economy grew by 3.1% in
Up in arms
2017. According to the Bank of Spain, domestic demand would contribute 2.6% to gross domestic product
Almost 20 million Brits visited Spain in 2017
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SPAIN has agreed to boost its military spending by more than 80% by 2024. It comes after US president SPAIN has officially smashed Donald Trump blasted NATO 2016’s international tourism members for not contributing record before December figenough to the military alli- ures have even been counted. From January to November ance. some 77.8 million interEnd-of-year forecasts Thesuggest Olive2017, Press that only five of the 28 Mem- national visitors came to Spain, up from 75.6 million during the ber states – theTOP US, for the UK, news in Spain! Estonia, Poland and Greece whole of 2016. – have met the 2% of GDP According to Frontur, the tourism branch of the country’s Natarget agreed in 2014. Spain will have spent 0.92% tional Institute of Statistics, the of its 2017 budget on defense, figure for 2017 is likely to rise making it one of the low- above 80 million once Decemest spending in the alliance, ber figures are collected. alongside Belgium and Lux- That estimate represents a growth of five million tourists embourg. NATO has demanded an- since 2016. swers from the 23 Member The continued tourism boom states that haven’t made the comes despite Catalunya’s mark, inspiring the Spanish tourism activity taking a 15% government to commit €18 hit as a result of the region’s billion over the coming years political instability in October and a 2.3% hit in November. to its military spending. That takes the percentage of The numbers are good news for the GDP devoted to defense the industry, especially considto between 1.5 and 1.6%, still ering that Catalunya received a short of NATO’s required 2%. quarter of all foreign visitors to
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(GDP) growth, external demand would contribute 0.5%, and employment would increase by 2.9%. The Spanish bank’s economic forecast is in line with that of the Span-
ish government which also predicted a 3.1% growth for 2017. The Bank of Spain expects the country’s economy to grow by 2.4% in 2018 and by 2.1% in 2019 and 2020.
Beach boom
Spain in 2016. “The tourism sector is one of the most strongly affected by the instability,” Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told Parliament
at the time of the peak in the Catalan crisis. Fortunately, it hasn’t seemed to have affected tourists as much as feared.
The region itself actually remains the most visited ahead of the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, despite its recent slump. The rest of Spain saw a 7.4% rise in foreign tourism numbers in November 2017. So far this year, 18 million Brits have chosen Spain as their holiday destination, a 7% increase compared to the same 11-month period in 2016. In second place came German tourists – 11.4 million, up 6.1% – followed by French visitors, 10.7 million of whom have headed for Spain so far this year.
BRITS hiring cars in Spain will have their data shared with Spanish police looking for terrorists under new government proposals. The plans lay out how rental car firms will have to register their customers on a database the government can access. Under the proposals, checks will be made before the vehicle is released for hire, although more specific details have not yet been released. Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido announced the plans at a press conference where he said the idea was to ‘identify people who show patterns of behaviour compatible with terrorists’. News of the planned Spanish crackdown comes after it emerged drivers in Britain would face extra checks when renting cars and vans to ensure they are not extremists. The Barcelona terrorist attack this summer was carried out by a young man who had rented out a Renault Kangoo van. The new Spanish law is expected to be in place next year. Zoido said the measures, part of a package of anti-terror measures including tighter controls on the sale of gas cylinders, were in ‘their concluding stages.’
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Let them eat fish! Mediterranean staple makes kids smarter and more rested
CHILDREN who eat more fish have higher IQs and sleep better than those who eat less, a new study has found. Parents on the Costa del Sol will be pleased to hear that, according to the University of Pennsylvania, kids who eat fish at least once a week sleep better and have an IQ up to four points higher on average than those who consume it less often or never. The findings add to the evidence of previous studies that had shown a relationship between omega-3 fatty acids and sleep and
intellect. The case studied 541 children between 9 and 11 years old from China (54% boys, 46% girls), who filled out a questionnaire about the frequency with which they had eaten fish in the last month. They also took IQ tests.
Then, their parents answered questions about sleep quality using a standard questionnaire that included topics such as sleep duration and the frequency of nighttime wakefulness or daytime sleepiness. Likewise, the researchers also took into account the educational level of their parents, their occupation, marital status and the number of children in the home.
Carrer de Sant Magí, 84, 07013 Palma, Illes Balears tel: 625 36 02 91
Intellect
Bac-on track CANCER-free bacon has arrived to save the British breakfast. A technological breakthrough - thanks to a Spanish scientist - has led to the creation of Naked Bacon, which contains no nitrites, which are known carcinogenics. It comes after the WHO warned that just two rashers of normal bacon a day can increase the risk of cancer by one fifth, which in turn caused sales of the pink meat to plummet by 25.4 million packs the next year. Denis Lynn, chairman of Finnebrogue, the company behind Naked Bacon said: “The problem with bacon is dead simple. “Our Naked Bacon is not only safer than any other bacon on the market, it also tops the charts in blind taste tests. The new bacon product will be available in Waitrose, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.
By jointly analysing all the data, they found that children who said they ate fish every week scored 4.8 points more on IQ tests, compared to those who ate it rarely or never. And those who eat them sometimes presented 3.3 points more. In addition, the increase in fish consumption was associated with fewer alterations at bedtime, which according to the researchers indicates a better overall quality of sleep. “Lack of sleep is associated with antisocial behavior,” said Adrian Raine, author of the research, who recalls that other studies have pointed out that omega-3 supplements reduce antisocial behavior, so “it’s not too surprising that the fish is behind this. “ Given this finding, the authors suggest children eat a small amount of fish, from the first year of life, provided it has no bones and scales and is cut into small pieces.
Fino-lly! SHERRY is poised to continue its comeback in 2018. The classic tipple from Andalucia’s Jerez region has seen sales boom across Spain and particularly in the UK. Sales among Brits were up 8% last year and are poised to rise by 18% in the country by
2021. The comeback has been spurred by hipsters falling in love with the drink and with Sherry bars popping up across the likes of London. The fortified wine is best enjoyed in Spain with a plate of jamon or manchego.
traditional
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Ana DeJesus uncovers the best tomatoes found in Spain
S
PAIN has a fruitful relationship with the tomato. An enthusiastic grower and consumer, Spain produces a fifth of all the tomatoes in Europe, exported principally to Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and
France. The country is the among the highest in the world in terms of consumption of tomatoes. Although it’s hard to imagine, the ruby red fruit wasn’t always an irreplaceable part of Spanish cuisine like it is now. Tomatoes are natives of the New World and
Raf Tomato
were brought back to Europe by Spaniards in the early 16th century. The Spanish word tomate comes from the Aztec word tomatl. But because they are part of the nightshade family of plants, which are poisonous, Europeans were suspicious of the new fruit and used fruit, though the Raf does have a bit of acidity. Rafs ripen from the inside out, meaning that they are ripe and sweet on the inside while retaining their firm and crunchy texture. Esteemed and highly fashionable fruit, Raf tomatoes are so representative of Andalucia that twostar Michelin chef Dani Garcia created an award-winning dish called Our Raf tomato, stuffed with pipiranna, Motril shrimp, green bean juice and aromatized green onion.
The Raf Tomato originated in Almeria as the result of selection and crossing of traditional tomato varieties. Thanks to the mild climate of its birthplace in Andalucia, the Raf is most commonly available from December to April, a rare winter fruit. This tomato is characterized by its flattened shape, grooved sides, and dark green streaks of color. The darker the color, the sweeter the
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them as decorative plants. It took almost two hundred years for the tomato to become an integral part of Spanish cuisine. In Spain, tomatoes are generally used fresh in salads or for cooking although canned products like tomate frito (tomato and olive oil sauce) have always been popular. The classic Spanish dish gazpacho is perhaps the country’s greatest homage to the tomato. The oblong Roma variety is typically used for this cold soup along with bell peppers, bread, olive oil, vinegar and garlic. Salmorejo and pisto, a type of ratatouille, also utilise the fruit. And sofrito, a blend of garlic, onion, and tomato, serves as a base for a multitude of Spanish dishes. It’s not a surprise, then, that Spanish growers produce some of the most tasty and high quality varieties of tomatoes. Though for the best kinds, you may have to venture outside the supermarket.
Pink Tomato of Huesca (Barbastro) A Spanish variety grown in the northern part of the region of Aragón in the foothills of the Pyrenees, this pink tomato has long been cultivated in small plots in the province and is traditionally sold in local markets around Huesca. Larger in size with thin skin, a pinkish color, and fleshy interior, the tomate rosa’s intense, delicious flavour and few seeds mean that it is becoming more popular in the Catalan market, as well as Madrid and northern Spain, and is best appreciated in a simple tomato salad.
Green Tomatoes
Kumato
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A Kumato basically comes with a quality guarantee. Developed in the early 2000s in Murcia, this variety is Spain’s response to consumer’s demand for a tomato with taste. Not your average salad tomato, the Kumato is edible whether ripe or not and, like the Raf, it ripens from the inside out, making it intense, sweet, and juicy with a firm texture. This fruit is known as a “black” tomato with a shiny, perfectly round appearance a dark shade of green. Kumatoes are a favourite with Michelin star chefs like Joaquin Felipe who makes a Kumato tartar with Bluefin tuna, Ramon Freixa who created a baked Kumato with shrimp tortita and egg yolk, and Adolfo Muñoz’s recipe for Kumato pisto with jamón Serrano, among others.
It’s easy to confuse green tomatoes with similar-looking Mexican tomatillos. Here’s the difference. Green tomatoes are essentially hard, unripe tomatoes that have not yet changed color, with the exception of a few varieties that stay green when ripe. They’re usually sold in the fall as cooler temperatures mean that the fruit does not receive enough heat to ripen fully. Green tomatoes are firm and tart so they are usually cooked and most often fried. Tomatillos are the fruit of a different plant entirely. They are coated in a sticky residue and protected with a papery husk when picked. Tomatillos have a tart, fruit, and slightly herbal flavor so they are often used in salsas and sauces. Fried green tomatoes are a common tapa dish and a great option for vegetarians looking for a crunchy treat.
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BOXES
Eating is not the only activity done with tomatoes in Spain. The famous food fight festival, La Tomatina, is held every year on the last Wednesday of August in the town of Bunol near Valencia. Thousands of people come from all over the world to throw more than one hundred metric tonnes of over-ripe tomatoes in the street.
Monserrat Tomato
Pink Tomato of Aracena
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Perhaps best known as the heritage tomato of Catalan, this fruit, named after the holy mountain of Catalonia and Our Lady of Montserrat, patroness of Catalonia, has been grown for generations in El Vallès. It has always been popular among locals but was not known beyond the region and is only now being planted more widely. The Montserrat is considered one of the prettiest tomatoes. With its flawless, undulating form that seems carved from red wax, slices of its sweet, juicy flesh have an almost floral design. Perfect for stuffing and baking, the Montserrat is also delicious in salads with Figueres on- ions and white beans, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.
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This little-known tomato variety comes from the mountains of Aracena, in the province of Huelva. The tomate rosado of Aracena can grow to a pretty large size and has a delicate skin that requires wooden boards to prevent the fruit touching the ground and rotting when ripe. It has a delicate, sweet flavour and is traditionally eaten fresh or bottled for the winter. This pink tomato is the key ingredient in a local dish called distraído, bread topped with extra virgin olive oil, tomato pulp, and thin strips of tocino Ibérico.
Traditional Gazpacho Recipe
Ingredients
10 oz of bread 21 oz. of tomato 2 cloves of garlic 2 onions 2 red and green peppers 1 cucumber (optional) 7 tablespoons of oil 2 tablespoons of vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoon of water Cumin (optional)
There’s a wonderful little hotel near Ronda where you can enjoy excellent food, local wines, great service in a peaceful location ideal for a special occasion and number one on Trip Advisor for the whole of Andalucia. Sorry that it’s only got 18 rooms, chips are only available on request, and there’s no karaoke or disco. Check out our website for more information
www.molinodelsanto.com Preparation In a big mortar mash the cumin, the garlic and the soaked bread, in a plastic bowl mix the chopped onion, the chopped tomato, the oil, the vinegar, the salt and the contents of the mortar, mash it with the mixer and add very cold water to mix everything. Add salt and strain it. Keep it in the fridge until served. Serve with the tomato, the cucumber, the pepper and the toasted bread cut to dices. Recipe from spain-recipes.com
Why not visit Molino del Santo soon? Some special deals in our rooms available until the end of August for Olive Press readers. E-mail us: info@molinodelsanto.com to book your room or table. ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
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With high profile chefs and scientists teaming up in San Sebastian for a symposium in October, Ana DeJesus sets out to discover the science behind taste
B
Brain food
ABIES are born preferring sweet, as anyone who has tried to get a child to eat their vegetables will know. But did you know, this reaction to bitter food has primitive roots? Taste evolved thousands of years ago as a way to determine if a potential snack was food or poison. And with at least two dozen different taste receptors for bitter (as opposed to one or two for sweet), avoiding poison was a big deal to our ancestors. It turns out that taste is a sense even more complicated than sight. Scientists are still far from fully
understanding the sensory experience of food, although they have identified taste receptors and the genes that code for them. We may have grown up learning that there are four kinds of tastes (sweet, salty, sour, and bitter), however most researchers agree on five. First described by a Japanese scientist over a year ago, umami is the pleasant savory taste found in things like ripe tomatoes, soy sauce, and cured meats. Researchers are still debating whether fat and calcium are basic tastes as well.
food How the Brain Constructs Flavour
January 5th - January 17th 2018 January 5th - January 17th 2018
It begins with a past meal. The memory activates dopamine reward centres causing us to crave the coming flavours and even salivate.
Flavour
They have to be connected to taste centres in the brain. The gustatory cortex is a region in the brain that contains clusters of neurons that are specialised to respond to basic tastes. Signals from the taste receptors on our tongues reach the neurons and somewhere in the cortex they
The process of chewing also adds to the flavour experience. Is the food crispy like a piece of toast or smooth and creamy like gazpacho?
Aromas from the food are carried into the nasal cavity from the back of the mouth. The brain takes the information and combines it to produce the experience of flavour, most of which comes from those “retronasal” smells, leaving us with the memory of the taste stored for our next craving.
Our brains begin to receive sensory impulses from the food as we smell it and see its colours and shapes, eventually moving it to our mouth.
Taste receptors sit on the surface of taste cells which are bundled together in taste buds our tongues but taste receptors alone don’t produce tastes.
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become part of the complex experience that is commonly called taste but more accurately is flavour. Despite all the hard work of our taste buds, most of our experience of food comes from our sense of smell. When we eat, molecules from the food travel into our nasal cavity from the back (think of the way a drink will come shooting out from your nose if you laugh too hard while taking a sip). The molecules then bind with odour receptors in the nasal cavity, forming our main source of flavour. Interestingly, the brain does not
treat the signals from aromas we smell through our noses and odours that reach our nasal cavity from behind in the same way. Our experience of flavor comes solely from the brain combining the odour information from this ‘backward breathing’ with signals from our taste buds although researchers are still working on how exactly that happens. Some think that basic tastes create the structure of the flavour and the aromas add some detail and complexity. Scientists will gather in San Sebastian to debate the science behind taste.
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Mallorca diaries
By Lesley Keith
H
Fiery start
ERE we go, 2018 has arrived. Can you believe it because I really can’t! I reckon it’s going to take at least 11 months to get to grips with the new date. It’s been a great festive season for me and let’s face it it’s far from over yet. The Spanish may not go all out for Christmas Day but they certainly get their value out of the festival. No hanging around twiddling your thumbs until it finishes on the 12th night for them. Oh no the party Lesley Keith’s island home just avoided continues as the several days of complete closure the huge Christmas fire ahead of New testifies. Year’s Eve Up here in the north there’s been incredible excitement From Siller to Boquer, a dis- The hills were a little less of a more dramatic kind. tance of approximately two green and that was it. The Sitting snugly indoors as kilometres, the whole range amazing fire services had incredible gales raged out- of hills was completely saved every property by usside the other night, we alight. ing swimming pool water. could hear our Spanish Huge flames clearly vis- Not a single casualty and neighbours shouting loudly ible and way too close for apart from the 70 properand excitedly in the hall- comfort. I’m no wimp but ties that had to be evacuway. this was frightening. It was ated hardly any disruption. There’s nothing really too becoming hard to breathe Fantastic. unusual about that and and my eyes were incredibly After such an amazing adfrankly none of our busi- sore so I went back down venture, was New Year’s ness so we ignored it. The listening to commotion go- Eve going to seem a bit flat. power had gone off for the ing on around. Not a bit of it. I’m pleased fifth time in two hours so The roads around us had to tell you that my first watching TV was all but been closed and we were conscious Mallorcan NYE impossible. I also thought on evacuation stand-by but was brilliant. (I fell asleep one of our little candles my partner, ever the voice last year and missed the might have of reason, whole thing). A great atmocaught somesuggested we sphere, meal and dancing thing alight gave up wait- all shared with friends we’d Less than 300 as the smell ing and went met since living here. metres from my to bed. of burnMidnight came and we eming seemed His point be- braced the Spanish tradidoor the whole unusually ing that if we tion for eating a grape for strong. As the hillside was needed to every one of the twelve patio shutgo anywhere dongs of the clock, pips completely on fire ters were ratat anytime, and all. It did mean that the tling so much s o m e o n e , immediate and boisterous I decided to s o m e w h e r e rendition of Auld Lang Syne try and fix them a bit better would tell us. Hard to argue became unavoidedly messy as they were becoming re- with that but I did insist on though! We then managed ally annoying. leaving the shutters and to convince the Spanish DJ As I opened them my heart curtains open so I could working at the restaurant all but stopped. Less than see if it came any closer that we needed a second 300 metres from my door from our bed. One long celebration at 1am as it the whole hillside was and practically sleepless was only then midnight in completely on fire. The night later and we awoke to the UK. sky was bright orange and well…. nothing really, a bit Both Spanish and British the air full of thick smoke of smouldering and a few partying together, a brilliant and glowing embers swept emergency vehicles dotted night all round .So 2018 along in the strong winds. about but that was it. Not has greeted us kindly with Immediately I went up to only was the fire out but warmth and sunshine. Who the roof where some neigh- the air was clearer (thanks knows what’s in store but bours had gathered and to the brisk winds). If you it’s got off to a cracking the scene that greeted me hadn’t seen it you wouldn’t start, I for one can’t wait to was frankly incredible. have known it’d happened. see what evolves.
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Sports & yachting
January 5th - January 17th 2018
January 5th - January 17th 2018
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Nadal postpones season
Facing the spotlight
BE BE‘APPY! ‘APPY! BE ‘APPY!
MANCHESTER City boss Pep Guardiola is under investigation for stirring up proindependence supporters during the Catalan crisis. The 46-year-old regularly appeared at multiple pro-Catalan rallies, including a speech he made on June 11 where he read Download Download ourapp app now nowand and Download our app nowour and out a pro-independence manifesto. begin begin enjoying enjoying the the best best Spanish Spanish begin enjoying the best Spanish Spanish authorities view this act as ‘monewsononthethego.go. news on thenews go.
We examine some of the highlights for Spanish sport this year and The ThePress Olive Olive Press Press The Olive the players that TOPfor for newsininSpain! Spain! TOP for TOP news in news Spain! made history BRITISH cycling champ
Taking charge
Chris Froome, if able to clear his name, could be appearing at the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol on February 14-18. The race, which was the stage for Froome’s dramatic 2015 victory, is one of Spain’s most well known early season events, as cyclists climb from the Med into the Granada mountain range. Froome is expected to start his 2018 season either in Andalucia or southern Portugal at the Volta ao Algarve. If he chooses Andalucia then Froome will be racing against former Team Sky teammate Mikel Landa but first the case surrounding his double dosing of his asthma medication, salbutamol, has to be concluded.
THIS year has been phenomenal for Spanish sport featuring old dogs with new tricks and new players with innovative techniques. Coming in at number one is none other than Balearic tennis talisman, Rafael Nadal. After a rocky few years, the 31-year-old defied age and proved once again why he is one of the greatest, winning six titles in 2017, including two grand slams to finish the year world number one. Outside the court the tennis ace also won a defamation suit
bilising’ anti-governmental opinion. “The manifesto was read by Josep Guardiola and was done so to mobilise all the supporters of independence,” an official statement read. Guardiola’s name also appears with various pro-independent leaders including Jordi Cuixart, Jordi Sanchez, and Neus Lloveras.
Sporting greatness
against France’s former health minister Roselyne Bachelot, where Bachelot was ordered
Just done it SPORT giants Nike have made a promotional slip-up linking Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho’s imminent arrival to Barcelona. Nike posted an advert on their online store urging fans to buy personalised Coutinho Barca shirts. It read: "Philippe Coutinho is ready to light up Camp Nou. Get your 2017/8 FC Barcelona kit with the Magician's name on it. Act fast - free personalisation only available until January 6." Removed within an hour, it was not possible to buy the jersey but the faux pas spurred on debate to whether Countinho is moving to Barcelona following the opening of the transfer window on January 1. Liverpool rejected three Barca bids for the player last summer, the last one valued at €120 million.
New designs from Palma MALLORCA-based superyacht designer Alvaro Aparicio de León has revealed project Ines, a 114-metre superyacht concept. With innovative outdoor space and a unique length to volume ratio, Ines is an unusual design for a ship of that size. "Most of the yachts of similar size that I've seen looked too big to me, more like transatlantic cruisers. I decided to find out if I could make a sleeker one", said Alvaro. "As a result, Ines' beam is 15 metres, compared to the normal 18–20 metres. That what I was looking for: the volume of a 95 or a 100-metre yacht on a bigger vessel," he continued.
Finger of blame THE suspended chief of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) says the government are to blame if Spain are kicked out of the World Cup. Ángel María Villar, who is facing corruption charges, allegedly complained to FIFA that elections for the new RFEF chief had been meddled in by politicians from Madrid. As a result, the RFEF received a warning letter from FIFA over its conduct, stating that if the elections were not apolitical the national team
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would be excluded from next summer’s tournament in Russia. According to FIFA rules, federations must ‘manage their affairs independently and ensure that their own affairs are not influenced by any third parties.’ The acting RFEF president Juan Luis Larrea confirmed that talks would take place between his organisation and FIFA in the New Year.
to pay Nadal €10,000 and a €500 fine. Next up is golfing titan Sergio Garcia, who at 37-years-old reinvented himself and his career. In his 74th major championship, Garcia broke through to earn his first green jacket at the Masters. This was then built upon as the Spaniard won the Andalucía Valderrama Masters and was then crowned the European Tour Golfer of the Year. Hot on the heels is Garbiñe
Muguruza, who has proven women triumph just as much as the men. The 24-year-old won Wimbledon defeated Venus Williams to claim her second major tournament title since turning pro in 2012. Muguruza finished the season as world number two and has described Nadal ‘as a role model for all of us’. “I’m motivated to take everything I’ve learned this year and apply it to my work next season,” she added.
MALLORCA tennis ace and ATP World Number One Rafael Nadal has announced he will not be playing in the 2018 Brisbane International tournament, but remains confident and ready for the Australian Open. Originally the 31-year-old was scheduled to open the season at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, but postponed claiming he is still not ready after a 'long season' this year. The Mallorca-born ace pulled out of the November ATP finals with a knee injury but continues to prepare for the January 15 Australian Open. Rafa made an impressive comeback this year after numberous injuries, winning the French Open and US open, and finishing as ATP World Number One.
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Drug run
FINAL WORDS
POLICE estimate more than €1 million worth of drugs were sold over one week over Christmas and New Year in the Son Banya shanty town.
Riding out SWISS road cycling race team Katusha-Alpecin have welcomed seven new riders to their 26-strong team for 2018.
Staircase mystery POLICE are at a loss how a 57-year-old German man died in a stairwell in the early hours of New Years Day in Palma.
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BBC Hairy Bikers show highlights the best of Mallorca cuisine
2018 Happy New Year!
Biking in
By Aleesha Hansel
THE Hairy Bikers are to share the culinary delights of the Balearic Islands in their new BBC2 series starting tonight (Thursday). The celebrated pair, Dave Myers and Simon ‘Si’ King, filmed part of their Mediterranean Adventure in Palma last summer, accompanied by Mallorca’s Michelin star chef Marc Fosh. Fosh is the only British chef in Spain to have been awarded the accolade, not once but twice. The bikers spent a few days in Menorca before
EN ROUTE: Hairy Bikers
visiting Mallorca and were said to have been intrigued by the eleven Mi-
chelin stars boasted by the Balearics. "What’s extra special in Mallorca is that you’ve got Marc, an award-winning British chef with an international reputation. “So, we’re not doing any
cooking, he is. We’ve come to sample his Mediterranean fusion food," said Myers. He was certainly charmed by the island having returned for his birthday with a group of friends a few months after filming. He is now also reportedly looking for an apartment in the capital. The recipe book accompanying the series is now available and features one of Marc’s dishes.
Quality Awnings, Sun Blinds, Windows, Doors and more…
Randy Rudolph BETHLEHEM is not known for its Christmas farm animal eroticism. But residents were left stunned after farm animals were placed atop one another while the figure of Mary was bent over the crib in a position suggesting she was giving oral sex to Joseph. Now a criminal complaint is being investigated on a roadside junction in the town of Boadilla del Monte, outside Madrid. Filed by a local Popular Party politician, police are being asked to check CCTV footage ‘to see if the perpetrators could be identified’. The figures, made out of bent white cables and one and a half metres in size, caused outrage as residents say it is a violation of religious freedom. A PP spokesman said: “It constitutes a clear lack of respect for the traditions and religious beliefs or a large part of the population of the municipality. “In addition to vandalism, it is an intentionally offensive attack on our religious freedom, we demand respect for the freedom of beliefs.” A town hall spokesman said the nativity scene was quickly restored to its original form. “We fixed the vandalism as soon as it was reported.”
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BABY Jesus keeps going missing as the town hall in San Fernando struggles to find the cuplrit. The town hall appealed for the help of the public in finding baby Jesus after he went missing for the first time from the wooden manger in the town’s main nativity display. The town, near Cadiz, then suffered another blow as a young couple gave an interim Jesus to the town hall to be a replacement until the real baby Jesus was found. But this too went missing. Authorities will be placing another Jesus in its place just before celebrations begin for the Three Kings.
Chocolate threat
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Jesus walks
Winging it A RYANAIR passenger has been arrested after he forced his way out of a plane using the emergency exit while it was sat on the tarmac at Malaga airport. The man, reported to be
a 57-year-old Polish national, ended up sitting on the wing of flight FR8164 with his hand luggage. He was eventually talked into getting back on board by ground staff and held until he was arrested by police.
CHOCOLATE could be a thing of the past if climate change continues on its course. Scientists from the University of California say the cocoa plant is scheduled to disappear as early as 2050 due to warmer, more arid conditions. But the scientists have teamed up with choc giants Mars to save the crop by using new gene-editing technology called CRISPR. The technology aims to create more climate-resistant varieties of the cocoa plant. Currently, the plant can only grow in a narrow strip just below the equator and more than half of the world’s chocolate comes from two countries in west Africa - Ivory Coast and Ghana.