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Vol. 4 Issue 94 www.theolivepress.es April 10th - April 23rd 2019
Property
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Issue 28
April 2019
remarkable centre could win Spain PLASTIC FANTASTIC: How this architectural prize, See page IV
important
WOAH: Emerging from the rock, this stunning home in Valencia is trademark Fran Silvestre, a Spanish architect who is continuing to make his mark in the architectural world. See Fran-tastic page XVI
ROCK STEADY T
grown for HE average property price in Spain has in a decade. two consecutive years for the first time from between The national average house price rose 3.9% to 8.4%, according to various sources. the islands, where most Along the Mediterranean coasts and on been 4.06%, according foreigners buy, the average price hike has company. to Tinsa, Spain’s leading property appraisalup for the big drops But the figures have mostly not yet madethe exception of the during the long six year recession, with
Prices rise for two consecutive years, while mortgage values continue to grow
Balearic Islands. the recovery began, “Prices have been rising most years since and nowhere near but nothing like they did in the boom years, the bust,” explained reenough to claw back the ground lost in Property Insight. spected analyst Mark Stucklin, of Spanish
data suggests that the However, he added ‘at the very least, the year.’ Spanish property continued to grow last was up 6.1% in Mortgage lending to home buyers meanwhile to the Association of January to 19,390 new loans, according Spanish Notaries. had a value of €135,616, The average new loan made in January as mortgage lending for an increase of 0.9% in a year. As long as it has done for residential acquisitions continues to increase, market is set to grow. the last few years, the Spanish property
Don’t miss Spain and Gibraltar’s coolest Property Magazine FREE INSIDE
On land and sea Government announce major new harbour basin development
THE Gibraltar Government has announced a major new development in the Harbour area with the creation of a £300 million reclamation project. The Victoria Keys development, situated inside the harbour basin next to Coaling Island, aims to create up to 60,000 metres of new
land. The project will be undertaken by entirely locally-based developers and will be made up of leisure, community, retail and commercial space. The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said: “This deal represents yet another great vote of confidence in
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space has a knock on effect on demand for residential accommodation. Picardo said: “A larger site would deliver the best future-proofed project for our community.” Spain has opposed land reclamations in the past on the grounds that Gibraltar has no territorial waters, making such projects illegal in Madrid’s eyes. Spanish authorities have warned London they could take legal action if similar construction projects infringed on Spanish ‘sovereign waters.’ Meanwhile, Picardo said it was essential the opportunities presented by the Victor Keys project were ‘exploited to the fullest.’ TM
The Government has also said the land will provide sustainable growth on the western side of the our tiger-like economy, and the rock for the next 10 years. timing could not be any better. A No.6 spokesperson said: “To“It is with a huge sense of pride gether with the Coaling Island that we are able to announce yet site, the Victoria Keys developanother multi-million pound proj- ment will complement the natural ect at this important juncture.” growth of our modern city for decades to come. “It will create significant recreational areas for the community and provide public access along new stretches of our harbour and mariLettings | Sales nas.” This continued reInvestments | Relocations quest for commercial By Timothy McNulty
Commercial and Residential
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CRIME
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NEWS IN BRIEF Not wasted time MANUEL Tirado, CEO of the Gibraltar Port Authority, has said that planned two-day cleaning sessions would ensure port waste was ‘managed safely, effectively and efficiently’.
Equal to it MINISTER Gilbert Licudi introduced the Gibraltar Lecture on the gender pay gap at the FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival on April 4.
Autism aware CHILDREN at Governor’s Meadow First School took part in a number of interactive activities during the first week of April to mark Autism Awareness Week.
Keep calm MEMBERS of the public have been told not to be alarmed by new Fire and Rescue Service drivers training on Gibraltar streets on April 8-9.
April 10th - April 23rd 2019
Golf assault
Missing mystery POLICE are searching for a British father and son who mysteriously vanished while on holiday in Spain. Daniel and Liam Poole have not been seen since April 1 after arriving on the Costa del Sol for a six-day break. Cops in Spain and the UK are appealing for information over the whereabouts of Daniel, 46 and Liam, 22, who were staying at the Valle Romano hotel, in Estepona, when they disappeared. “This is completely out of character for them,” Daniel’s partner Tara Poole told the Olive Press, this week. “They never have their phones off and always keep in touch, we are so worried.” Tara flew out with Liam’s girlfriend on Sunday in a bid to find answers and help from Spanish police. “We can confirm we are now investigating but cannot release any details at this time,” a spokesman for the Policia Nacional told the Olive Press. Tara last heard from Daniel,
Leading European club cancels further golf breaks to Spain after member accused of sexual assault at five-star Costa resort A LEADING European golf club has slammed Spanish police after one of its members allegedly groped a female bartender while on a golf break. Austrian golfer Wolfgang Habersatter, 55, has been accused of sexually assaulting the worker, while drinking at the bar of Estepona’s five star Gran Hotel Elba. The father-of-two was arrested by police in his hotel room on Saturday evening. Witnesses insisted he had been drinking and his friends were ‘behaving rowdily’. But the manager of Salzburg’s exclusive Radstadt golf club told the Olive Press
that Habersatter was ‘completely innocent’. Executive Director Horst Watzlik vowed the 20 members who had made the trip, ‘would not return to Spain’ due to the ‘upsetting’ events. He added that police had ‘reacted heavily’ and the incident had been blown out of proportion. He said Habersatter had merely ‘touched the girl’s back’ and it did not constitute assault. “Wolfgang was upset when I saw him,” he told the Olive Press, “we are all upset,
Family affair
TWO British expats have been arrested after allegedly posting drugs to the UK. The duo allegedly hid MDMA and hashish among packages of food products and sent them from various locations in Cadiz. Police raided two homes in San Roque and Manilva seizing 13,480 kg of hashish, 10,300 MDMA pills and 16g of marijuana. They are awaiting trial.
EXCLUSIVE By Charlie Smith
A GUARDIA Civil officer and two of his kids have been arrested for money laundering. The family trio were arrested in Estepona, where the cop was on holiday. He was previously arrested for similar crimes while working in Algeciras. The public official is now awaiting trial.
DENIAL: Golf tourist Habersatter many of our members don’t want to go back to Spain. “He is a good golfer and I think he is happy that the problem has gone away.” Policia Nacional are continuing to investigate the case after officers were alerted to the hotel, when the bartender filed a denuncia. According to a regular guest at the hotel, Habersatter was ‘drunk’ with his friends. Gran Hotel Elba Estepona was approached for comment, but said it could not give further details due to ‘data protection’. A spokesman for Estepona’s Policia Nacional confirmed: “We arrested a man, 55, at the hotel on Saturday night at 20.30 for allegedly sexually assaulting a member of staff.”
Fishy business Crypto kush
COPS swooped on a fishmonger selling an illegally caught bluefin tuna in Marbella. Officers seized the rare 180kg fish after the market stall was unable to provide documentation to prove it was a legal catch. They were working with the Junta’s Fisheries Inspection unit to clamp down on the illegal sale of one of the world’s most endangered species.
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who owns a car garage in Burgess Hill, Sussex, at around 6.30pm last Monday. Their last known whereabouts was at an internet cafe, in Estepona, where they spent around €12, Tara has discovered. “We are trying to piece together what happened but none of it makes sense,” she added. “We think they might have been caught up in something bad.” Daniel is described as white, 5ft 9in, of a stocky build and has short, grey hair. Liam is white, 6ft tall, medium-sized and has short, light-brown hair. Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es or Sussex police.
SEVEN drug traffickers have been arrested after they hid their profits using cryptocurrencies. A Policia Nacional investigation began when officers discovered a house in Algeciras used to grow cannabis. The criminal network, which extended up to Barcelona, also used fake companies names in order to cover their tracks.
NEWS
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You’re not alone HE may have won an Oscar for his role in hit movie No Country For Old Men, but job offers don’t come easy for Javier Bardem in Spain. The actor, who lives in Madrid with wife Penelope Cruz and their two kids, has revealed he does not receive any scripts from Spanish filmmakers. The 50-year-old actor said: “I work much less in Spain than I would like to. “I don’t get the scripts because people think I live abroad, or that I would be looking for stratospheric money, which is not true.” Spain has one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe with 14.1% out of work.
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Queen of thrift
Price of leaving!
JOBLESS: Javier Bardem
April 10th - April 23rd 2019
THE mother of British celebrity Katie Price, aka Jordan, has been blasted for voting Leave in the EU referendum despite living in Spain. Amy Price told Good Morning Britain she voted out in the 2016 vote ‘to take back control’ of the UK. “I hate the fact that we are being told what to do by the EEC, the Europe thing,” she told presenters Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid. The Brit, who lives on the Costa del Sol, then added: “I’ve been to Spain and the roads over there are absolutely immaculate. All paid for by us. Yet over here our roads have potholes every-
where.” She insisted she only lived in Spain for health reasons, after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2017. “The dry air is so much better for me, and the warmth. I am coughing more here. Whereas in Spain it’s easier for me to walk more and do more.” Former glamour model Katie, who appeared on the show with her mum, added that she didn’t vote in the referendum.
Pres a manger
Barack Obama zooms in for Cadiz-style meal during Spain trip
ECONOMICAL: Queen Letizia with Prince Charles in London and (below) recycled dress
BARACK Obama made sure to go for a presidential-style eater during a three day trip to Andalucia. The former US President took
UK press pylon in
Fight the power!
AN Olive Press campaign to stop electric pylons ruining one of Andalucia’s most emblematic areas has been followed up by the UK press. The Mail on Sunday followed up our Fight the Power campaign revealing that comedians Rowan Atkinson and Alexei Sayle and songwriter Paul Weller have all joined the battle for the Lecrin Valley and the Alpujarras. Our campaign aims to stop the network of 362 pylons going into the area. A spokesman for the Di No a las Torres group, said: “There is now a huge groundswell of opinion against these monstrous pylons, which will do considerable damage to the area.”
A-LIST BACKERS: Weller, Atkinson and Sayle
FOOD FRIENDS: Obama (right) with chef Alcantara a group of friends to the trendy Bache de San Pedro restaurant in the heart of Sevilla old town. He insisted on visiting the restaurant run by Cadiz-born Ale Alcantara, where he ate a stunning display of Andalucia’s best produce with a Japanese and Middle East twist. This included gyozas of Andalucian veal with pickled ginger, alongside a kebab of Cadiz pork scratchings (chicharrones) with a sauce made from payoyo - an award-winning cheese from Grazalema. Wearing a navy suit, he was joined by former US ambassador to Spain James Costos and his boyfriend Michael Smith, among others. He had been recommended to Alcantara, who opened his first restaurant in Madrid, after training under Martin Berasategui, Eneko Atxa and Sergi Arola. Obama was seen exiting a black
van, surrounded by security, before later waving to cheering crowds who had gathered to snap a pic of the much-loved ex-president. They took up three tables and sat alongside various tourists including a pair of Americans ‘who couldn’t believe it’. The feast came after Obama took in the sights during a three-day working visit to Sevilla. The former US President enjoyed a private tour of the Real Alcazar after being a keynote speaker at the World Travel Tourism Summit conference. The 57-year-old was escorted around the Arabic palace by the city’s mayor Juan Espadas. The father-of-two stayed at the iconic Alfonso XIII hotel. It came after he had emphasised the need to ‘build bridges and not walls’ during a meeting with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez.
QUEEN Letizia is not shy when it comes to wearing the same outfit twice. The thrifty royal admitted it after stepping out during a visit at the School of Engraving in Madrid, donning the same outfit she wore in Madrid in October last year. It’s no surprise she elected to wear it again, looking chic and perfectly transeasonal in a colour-blocked Hugo Boss skirt and matching geometric blouse and camel coat. The double take comes after the former journalist met with Prince Charles to open a brand new exhibition of Valencian artist Joaquin Sorolla at London’s National Gallery.
A PAIR of expat bar owners have been chosen to appear in hit series A New Life in the Sun. Husband and wife Sally Jackson, 52, from London, and Jan Versteeg, 54, from Enschede in the Netherlands own bistro BMarbella.
Raising the bar The pair, who have lived in Spain for 15 years, are set to reopen their restaurant and bar on April 20, a few days after the Channel 4 show is set to be broadcast. “We are looking forward to seeing our bar on the TV show and it inspiring people to visit Marbella and enjoy what we have to offer,” dad-of-two Jan said.
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April 10th - April 23rd 2019
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10 April
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Fight the hate
THE new mayor of Gibraltar John Goncalves has revealed how he ‘never’ expected to get the job while vowing to fight the rising surge of xenophobia. The long-time head of the Basketball Association told the Olive Press how he is aiming to have an open-door policy during his year in the position. “I was so surprised that they would have ever thought of me,” he said, after taking over from former Miss World Kaiane Aldorino. “I have learnt a lot of humility during my time as deputy mayor to Kaiane. She is a very caring individual who always treated me as a friend and somebody I could rely on for advice.” Goncalves now hopes he can have the same sense of teamwork with his deputy, Christian Santos. “I want to make sure that people who live here feel that they belong,” he said. “It is a bit of a worry to see what is happening all over the world with xenophobia and anti-semitism. “If I have a position where my voice can be heard I will start to embrace those people who may feel in some way that they are sidelined.” The new mayor was born in Madeira to a Gibraltarian mother who was evacuated there during World War Two. “I think we should start listening to our youth and not just the select bright few,” he continued. He hopes to forge greater links with his Madeira birthplace during his time as mayor.
Together Gibraltar surges in the polls as it meets with residents ahead of elections By John Culatto
GIBRALTAR’S youngest political party has kicked off a new grassroots campaign to connect with voters across the Rock. Together Gibraltar’s Community Partnership Programme will see members hold meetings with residents to hear their fears, concerns and needs in the run up to the elections, ex-
NEWS
Back to grassroots pected this year. “This is the start of many visits we will be doing to different areas of Gibraltar,” leader Marlene Hassan Nahon told the Olive Press. “Our programme is designed to get to know and connect with the different areas so we can understand their issues and rep-
Can you hear May? UK Prime Minister Theresa May said she was ‘wholly supportive of Gibraltar’ during a lengthy phone call with Fabian Picardo. After the high level conversation the Chief Minister and his deputy left to the UK to take part in the Joint Ministerial Council on Brexit. "I was very pleased to be able to speak directly with the Prime Minister about the Gibraltar issues around our departure from the European Union,“ said Picar-
April 10th - April 23rd 2019
do. The call was ‘friendly and positive in both tone and substance’ according to the Chief Minister. “Mrs May was, as ever, wholly supportive of Gibraltar and understanding of the matters which is raised with her. She is a staunch and reliable friend of Gibraltar." The two national leaders talked about the request for the new extension to the Article 50 time period and the European elections that
could take place. Legislation has already been passed in the Gibraltar parliament to allow the voting of the MEPs to go-ahead despite the EU withdrawal act.
Support the animals
A FUNDRAISING market will once again be held in San Roque to help animal shelters in the Campo de Gibraltar. The event on April 13 is one of many being organised by Pamela Joy Merchant and her volunteers at The Animal Collective. “I work in a dog shelter in San Roque and volunteer in others around the Campo area,” she told the Olive Press. “The number of dogs is always increasing at the shelters and I really wanted to do something to help out.” Every year 138,000 animals enter shelters in Spain and many more get killed or put down. “The idea is also about getting involved in education,” she revealed. “I want to go into schools, youth clubs and volunteering programmes to create awareness about animal rights.” Merchant, who is a language teacher and part-time DJ, held a vegan buffet at rock club Louie Louie in Estepona this week to help raise more funds. “We also have a need for logistical and construction support,” she added. “There is so much work going at these shelters. “Many need plumbing, welding or building so we started a group to help out in this area.” The Animal Collective can be contacted via social media.
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resent them adequately. “It is election year so we want to properly comprehend what our electorate is needing.” Momentum has been building for the daughter of former Chief Minister Sir Joshua Hassan. Despite only launching in 2017, Together Gibraltar is now neck and neck with the GSLP/Liberal coalition in recent online polls. “I want my party to have a continued relationship with the public and not one which starts and ends on election year only,” Hassan added. “We have different groups with their portfolios coming to us with the point of having our concrete policies in place sometimesoon. “But meeting people in different areas aims to echo those policies to the people of Gibraltar and make sure they work for them.”
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www.gibraltarolivepress.com Voted top expat paper in Spain
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 Stake a claim THE Victoria Keys development promises to transform the harbour area and secure the growth a modern and ambitious Gibraltar needs. The mega project sees over 60,000 square metres of new land reclaimed from the sea, creating space for a modern business hub and ample housing. With the Government promising practically no cost to the taxpayer and contracts for locally-based developers, the project has already become a welcome sight. Recreational space for those living on the western side of the rock is also a big plus of the £300 million development Likewise the extensive and landscaped promenade along the entire waterfront promises to create Gib’s very own ‘garden by the sea.’ It is good to see the Government has seen the good sense to ensure the opportunity adjacent to Coaling Island is exploited to the fullest.
Immerse yourselves IN Spain there is more to Easter than just chocolate eggs. Spaniards celebrate ‘Semana Santa’ from April 14-21 in a week-long event involving various traditions and rituals. And perhaps for those born outside of this country, this period can also serve as a time for reflection. Amid guzzling down Sunday roasts and English breakfasts, we might want to wonder why thousands flood the streets of cities throughout Andalucia and Spain at this time. These ‘Procesiones’ allow Spaniards to focus their faith and commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Whether you are religious or not, there is much to be gained culturally from Semana Santa. And where better to soak up one of the most emblematic dates in the Spanish calendar than right on your doorstep. Malaga, Manilva, Marbella, Estepona and Sevilla are all hosting Semana Santa events (see our guide on page 10).
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FEATURE
April 10th - April 23rd 2019
Rise of the Far Right After a dangerous neoNazi was captured in Mallorca, the Olive Press investigates the growing threat from far right terror in Spain and abroad, by Timothy McNulty
T
HE neo-nazi bomb maker scurried out from his Mallorcan villa hideout over to the bins where the police officers lay in wait. Wanted throughout Europe, the 28-yearold terrorist had tried to maim and kill hundreds with a pipe bomb in the small German town of Burglengenfeld. Michael Leopold Stiegler hid in the tourist town of Peguera, only venturing out to dump his rubbish which is when the Guardia Civil made their move. Though Stiegler is now in custody awaiting extradition to Germany, the far-right hate-filled ‘trash’ that inspired him continues to litter the globe and fester. Stiegler is believed to be a member of the staunchly neo-Nazi Reichsbuerger movement, a desperate collective of un-
DEFUSED: Neo-nazi bomb maker accosted by Guardia Civil in Mallorca
apologetic racists and anti semites. The self styled ‘Citizens of the Reich’ refuse to accept that the German Reich was abolished at the end of World War Two. The growing movement had 16,500
supporters in 2018, including a former ‘Mister Germany’ winner who has been charged with the attempted murder of a policeman. Fortunately in Stiegler’s case the bomb in Burglengenfeld did not explode and was spotted by relieved residents. Explosive experts later found the powerful device had been made with gunpowder and mercury, the latter added to inflict even greater devastation. The resurgence of extreme right-wing terrorism has now reached Spain’s idyllic coastline and following Stiegler’s arrest, police spoke openly about their ‘growing concern’. Violent nationalist groups have been on the march throughout Europe thanks to growing discontent in the wake of the financial and migrant crisis. According to Interpol, the number of individuals arrested in relation to right-wing terrorism offences almost doubled in 2017. The surge comes as right-wing anti-establishment parties have made electoral gains such as France’s Front National, Italy’s The League and the Freedom Party in Austria. In Spain, the rise of Vox has seen far right extremism break into mainstream politics for the first time since the death of General Franco. Vox whipped up fears over crime and immigration along the way to their electoral breakthrough performance in Andalucia’s last regional elections.
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FEATURE
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April 10th - April 23rd 2019
olive press online
Spain and Gibraltar’s best English daily news website The top three most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:
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HATE: Vox leader Abascal has targeted Muslims
Border tangle
NAZI SALUTE: At a German ale event in Mallorca
The radical right-wing party won 12 of the 109 seats in Andalucia and became the kingmakers in the People’s Party taking power, ending decades of PSOE control. When in power, Vox plans to deport all illegal immigrants, build a Trump-like wall around Spain’s north African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and reclaim Gibraltar from Britain. The rhetoric coming from the far-right has fuelled a rise in hate crimes, with a recent report by the interior ministry revealing a 120% increase in anti-Muslim attacks. The Movement Against Intolerance, which works directly with victims, registered 602 incidents in 2018 connected to hate crimes. The organisation estimates that annual hate attacks in Spain number between 4,000 and 6,000, although the majority go unreported to police or judicial authorities. Experts have linked the rise to the use of racist, anti-Muslim messages by parties like Vox as part of their election platforms for the country’s upcoming general election on April 28. Vox’s leader Santiago Abascal has spoken of a new ‘reconquista,’ referring to
scooters in new crackdown on ‘uncivil tourism’ (27,703)
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- WATCH: Snow falls on hills of Costa del Sol
A SHOCKING line of new razor wire has been installed to the border fence between Ceuta and Morocco. The government in Rabat installed the wire as well as a two meter deep ‘anti immigration trap’ after receiving EU funding. It comes despite Spain’s interior minister Fernando Grane-Markaka promising to remove the lethal wire from the border in February. Some 1,979 immigrants scaled the fence around Ceuta, last year. Moroccan Association for Human Rights’ Rachid Aouli said: "It is inhuman and cheating. Spain removes the wire but Morocco now puts its up paid for by Europe.”
as downpours forecast for Monday (20,785)
- WATCH: Entire Costa del Sol on ORANGE
ALERT as six-metre waves batter Malaga (20,365)
Visitors: 289,194
Page views: 401,187
Average time on site: 4:57
Defend
KILLER: Spanish neo-nazi Jose Estebanez stabbed man to death on Madrid metro and (above) named on New Zealand gunman’s magazine
- Benidorm introduces bans on mobility
Soaring high
The move came as the leader of far right party Vox echoed US president Donald Trump with a call to build a ‘great’ wall to stop immigrants coming to Spain. Santiago Abascal called for a ‘insurmountable wall’ to be built at the borders of Spain’s two north African enclaves to halt the ‘wave of illegal immigrants.’ Abascal argued Morrocco should pay for the wall and the soldiers at the borders should be given the ‘necessary orders’ to defend them. Polls suggest Vox could be the first far-right party since the 1970s to win seats in the Spanish parliament in the upcoming general election on April 28.
A TOTAL of 20,000 visitors are using the Olive Press website on a DAILY basis. That’s over 600,000 visitors a month… or well over SEVEN MILLION a year! On any given day we get a great balance of visitors from around the country as well as Europe, with many from Sweden, Holland and Germany. Having a new paper in Alicante is helping the figures soar, as is an investment in two new NCTJ-trained journalists. Providing original content on an almost hourly basis, seven days a week, means that our Alexa ranking - created by Amazon.com, the world’s biggest online retailer - has continued to soar. http://www.theolivepress.es Analytics As well as being in the top 12,000 in Spain, we are apwww.theolivepress.es proaching 180,000th place in the world. Audience Overview And, if you were to doubt Amazon’s own statistics (believing theyAllwere Users in some way manipulated) then you could 100.00% Users use Google’s very own analytical programme to verify our claims. Overview Here are two recent days, with reports freely available to any potential advertisers. They show exactly how many visitors we get each day plus Users the amount of time they spend on the site. FYI,2,000it is currently running at about five minutes. That is three minutes longer than most of our jealous Go torivals! report
the historical battles between Moorish tack saw a gunman open fire on men, and Christian kingdoms for control of women and children from close range at Spain. two mosques in the city of Christchurch, Ignacio Jurado , a senior killing 50. lecturer in politics at the Shooter Brenton Tarrant University of York told the Shooter Brenton paid homage to a conhttp://www.theolivepress.es Olive Press: victed Analytics Spanish neo-Nazi www.theolivepress.es Tarrant paid 1,000 “Spain is not different to during his rampage, which Audience Overview other countries, in the was streamed live on sohomage to http://www.theolivepress.es Apr 2019 - 5 Apr 2019 sense that people feel cial media using a Go-Pro. Analytics 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 510:00 All Users … 01:00 02:00 03:00www.theolivepress.es 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17 a convicted Users more legitimised to hold Tarrant 100.00% wrote the name Audience Overview certain attitudes and opin- Spanish neo-Nazi of Jose Estebanez on the Retu Overview http://www.theolivepress.es ions that in the past they magazine of his rifle in Users New Users Sessions All Users Analytics 100.00% Users www.theolivepress.es might have been ashamed white marker, alongside 17,034 7,741 21,194 to express publicly. a host Audience Overview Users of other notorious Overview “In other words, some at- far-right killers from around the world. Users per User Number ofAll Sessions Page Views Pages/Session titudes have The former soldier became a cult figure 100.00% Users 1.24 28,665 1.35 become more for racist extremism after killing a left Users Overview n o r m a l i s e d . wing activist on the Madrid subway in 3,000 Having parties 2007. Avg. Session Duration Bounce Rate with repre- Estebanez is revered as an ‘idol’ on the 2,000 00:04:42 12.94% Users s e n t a t i o n white supremacist forum Stormfront, 3,000 Returning Visitor New Visitor 1,000 that hold with numerous Spanish threads in suphttp://www.theolivepress.es Users New Users Sessions Go to report Analytics c e r t a i n port of the murderer and fundraising for www.theolivepress.es 2,000 … 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17 17,034 7,741 21,194 views con- his family. Language Audience Overview 1,000 t r i b u t e s The then 25-year-old was travelling to an 1. en-gb Ret http://www.theolivepress.es 8 Apr 2019 - 8 Apr 2019 All to this de- anti-immigrationNumber rally whenper he Users Analytics www.theolivepress.es New Users Sessions of Users Sessions User spotted Page Views a Pages/Session 2. en-us 100.00% Users … 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:0 stigmatisa- group of counter1.24 demonstrators28,665 waiting 26,780 11,573 32,088 1.35 3. es-es Overview Audience tion. This is to board. Overview Retu 4. en-ie many steps He pulled a knife and stabbed Carlos Users New Users Sessions All Users Users Session Duration Bounce Rate 5. nl-nl Number of100.00% Sessions per User Page Views Pages/Session away from actually engaging in violent Palomino in theAvg.heart shortly after the 29,515 11,064 35,156 00:04:42 12.94% 1.20 41,881 1.31 6. fi-fi Users the train. behaviours but it shows a context where 16-year-old boarded Overview 3,000 these behaviours can be more likely to Tarrant is known to have traveled wide7. sv-se Number of Sessions per User Page Views Pages/Session emerge.” ly in Spain last year, passing through 8. nl-be Avg. Session Duration Bounce Rate 2,000 1.19 45,292 1.29 The violent behaviours Jurado has spo- Granada, Cordoba and Ronda. Users Language Users % Users 9. nb-no 00:03:46 26.21% ken of have already been manifested - Police are now 1,000 investigating what pos3,000 1. en-gb 11,909 69.65% 10. en-ca most horrifically in the recent massacre sible links the Australian white suprema2. en-us 2,736 16.00% Avg. Session Duration Bounce Rate 2,000 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 … 01:00 02:00networks 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 of Muslims in New Zealand. cist had with far right here in 08:00 09:00 10:00 3. es-es 451 2.64% 00:05:12 18.25% The country’s deadliest ever terrorist at- Spain. Language 2,000
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8
Do you have a what’s on?
LA CULTURA
www.gibraltarolivepress.com
Mar 27th - April 9th 2019
what’s on
F
ame game MAKE sure you are at the Hall of Fame on April 12 if you want to catch musical talents Jesse Sampere & Robbie Ballantine.
C
ome on girls THE 2019 Women in Tech Stories event on the Sunborn on May 23 is an informal TED-style gathering of female tech professionals.
S
pring ting THE Gustavo Bacarisas Exhibition Gallery hosts the fantastic Spring Visual Arts Competition from May 22 to May 31.
R
ock hard abs YOU’LL need to hit the gym before June 8, when the BodybuildingFitness Deadlift Competition is set to take place at John Mackintosh Hall.
Send you r informa April 10th - April 23rd 2019 newsdesk@theolive tion to pres
s.es
Turning tables for Africa
Planting seeds
Top London DJs to descend on the Rock for 12-hour bash
HIT London show Secretsundaze will be throwing a 12-hour party in Gibraltar before the Easter weekend. The event on April 18, at new club Ekahi Ohana at Casemates Square, aims to raise much-needed cash for a school project in west Africa. “The house music night is in aid of the charity Help Me Learn Africa,” said Kabir Advani of Dazed & Confused, who is organising the show. “We will be donating all proceeds from the event for a school they are build-
THE stage has been set for a brand new three day soul music festival on the Costa del Sol. The aptly named Costa del Soul Festival will run from June 21 to 23 with dozens of top international artists such as Gibson Brother and Marta High & The Soul Cookers. Entry to all 27 concerts will be free and performances will be held all along the coast including the promenade of Estepona, Plaza de la Mezquita in Benalmadena and the
ing in Ghana. “We have two DJs, Giles Smith and Jamie Priestley,
Soul sessions
promenade of Rincon de la Victoria. The deputy mayor of Estepona Pilar Fernandez Figares said the free tickets, together with the different dates around the night of San Juan, ‘practically guarantees the success of the event and its continuity over the next few years.’ The touring festival has
who are topping the bill. They are part of Secretsundaze which run parties in
been launched by promoters Costa del Jazz, who have had many years of experience running the Festival Open Jazz in Malaga.
Benchmark
The Diputación de Málaga, Estepona, Benalmadena and Rincon de la Victoria town halls, Unicaja Banco and hotel associations collaborated in the launch of the festival, which aims to become a benchmark event in Europe.
London for the last 15 years. “They have since become a worldwide phenomenon so bringing them here is a big thing.” Secretsundaze will be accompanied by resident DJs Monty & Trinidad and Tim Perera. The club will give half of its earnings on the night towards the charity while Paper Pixels have donated some of their artwork. Help Me Learn Africa is run by Gibraltar nurse Louise Barea who started a Go Fund Me campaign to build and equip a school in the fishing village of Kewunor in Ghana.
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Taylor added: “Planting struggles in Gibraltar because of the lack of water for irrigation, availability of plant material and the limited space available for growing. “We help beginners and our youth to choose the right container, the best growing medium, the most suitable plant, the right irrigation and the skills to care for their plants successfully.” The group has 80 members at the moment, with a new category for beginners aiming to attract new people to flower shows and events.
After starting from scratch she is now running 12 classrooms and is raising more cash to start a library in the West African nation. Dazed and Confused has been going for nearly five years, with Advani doing it full-time for the last two. Dazed and Confused will once again hold their annual party at the Victoria Stadium on July 20 and a possible mini-festival in Spain over summer.
Calling in Spain or back in the UK…
in &
THE Gibraltar Horticultural Society (GHS) has held a number of workshops to get young people into gardening ahead of its Spring Flower Show in May. “We have a mission to promote our Society among younger age groups and in schools,” said Ricky Taylor of the GHS. “This year our established annual ‘Grow Your Own Food Competition’ will see the majority of schools exhibit in the ever popular Children and Schools Area at the Spring Flower Show on May 15-16 at the John Mackintosh Hall.”
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www.theolivepress.com
Issue 28
April 2019
DREAMY: Period home restored by British couple in Spain
WOAH: Emerging from the rock, this stunning home in Valencia is trademark Fran Silvestre, a Spanish architect who is continuing to make his mark in the architectural world. See Fran-tastic page VI
Rock steady
T
HE average property price in Spain has grown for two consecutive years for the first time in a decade. The national average house price rose from between 3.9% to 8.4%, according to various sources. Along the Mediterranean coasts and on the islands, where most foreigners buy, the average price hike has been 4.06%, according to Tinsa, Spain’s leading property appraisal company. But the figures have mostly not yet made up for the big drops during the long six year recession, with the exception of the
Prices rise for two consecutive years, while mortgage values continue to grow
Balearic Islands. “Prices have been rising most years since the recovery began, but nothing like they did in the boom years, and nowhere near enough to claw back the ground lost in the bust,” explained respected analyst Mark Stucklin, of Spanish Property Insight.
However, he added ‘at the very least, the data suggests that the Spanish property continued to grow last year.’ Mortgage lending to home buyers meanwhile was up 6.1% in January to 19,390 new loans, according to the Association of Spanish Notaries. The average new loan made in January had a value of €135,616, an increase of 0.9% in a year. As long as mortgage lending for residential acquisitions continues to increase, as it has done for the last few years, the Spanish property market is set to grow.
PROPERTY
II
April 2019
End of a golden era? EU condemns Golden Visa investmentfor-residency scheme popularised by Spain, writes Mark Stucklin
P
RESSURE is building in the EU to end so-called ‘Golden Visa’ schemes that offer residency and even citizenship in return for money. Back in January the European Commission expressed its opposition to
Golden Visa and Golden Passport schemes in Europe like the one in Spain that offers qualified residency and a path to long-term citizenship in return for an equity investment of €500,000 or more in property. Now the EU’s parliament in Strasbourg has added its voice to the condemnation of residencyby-investment programmes in Europe, with a vote supporting a hard-hitting report from the parliament’s committee on financial crime and tax evasion calling for all Golden Visa schemes to be
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GAME OVER?: EU report calls for Golden Visa schemes to be ‘phased out’
‘phased out’ as soon as possible. are a gateway for money laundering The parliament passed a resolution and organised crime,” said Markus stating that residency and citizenship Ferber, head of the conservative group by investment schemes ‘do not offset in the parliament’s economic committhe serious security, money laundering tee. and tax evasion risks they present’. In response, the Investment Migration Council, representing The resolution is nonthe residency-by-investbinding on member industry, claimed states. Unlike Portugal, ment that killing the schemes EU lawmakers see the would cause economic business of selling visas the Spanish damage and threaten and passports as an inGolden Visa vitation to tax-evasion vital investments in ‘peand money-laundering scheme has not ripheral economies’. The Spanish Golden by wealthy individuals from countries where attracted scandal Visa was introduced by the right-wing Popular corruption is rife. The Party in 2013 during report also accused Luxembourg, Cyprus, Ireland, Malta, the depths of Spain’s recession when Hungary, Belgium and the Nether- times were hard, money short and lands of acting as tax havens. property abundant. Too bureaucratic “A good first step to combat intra-EU and unattractive, at first it was a flop money laundering would be to get rid but after tweaking to make it more of the so-called ‘golden visas’ which attractive to residency investors it be-
came the most popular scheme in the EU, with 24,755 Golden Visa issued since 2013, according to a Transparency International report published in 2018. Unlike Portugal, the Spanish Golden Visa scheme hasn’t been hit by any scandals, at least not yet. Now the Socialists are at least temporarily in power in Spain, supported by the hard left Podemos party, and with a General Election coming this month opposition to the Spanish Golden Visa scheme might soon come from closer to home. Obviously the hard left hate the scheme because it attracts foreigners with money to Spain. If the left win power in the General Election, will they keep the Spanish Golden Visa scheme alive or close it down? It’s clear that the powers that be in the EU would urge them to do so. www.spanishpropertyinsight.com
III
April 2019
ICONIC: Post office in Malaga
Top marks for Germans GERMAN buyers had a record-breaking 2018 in Spain, new figures have revealed. The Germans bought 4,902 homes last year, up 3% on the previous year, and more than 100% up on 2013.
Overtake However the Germans have now overtaken the French as the second biggest group of foreign buyers after the British, representing 9.7% of the foreign market in 2018, compared to 8.8% for France and 15.5% for the UK. There was however a decline in demand from Germany in the last two quarters of 2018.
Malaga makeover I
Malaga makeover II
MALAGA’S iconic post office is set for a makeover thanks to a group of Belgian investors. It comes after the building was handed to the Junta from Madrid as a way of cancelling out a historic debt of €30 million. It is currently earmarked for public use but Malaga city hall wants to re-zone the property for it to be developed privately.
A STUNNING Roman ruin is to be converted into a new cultural centre. A million euro project will renovate and protect the ancient sixth century bathhouse in Rincon de la Victoria for tourists. Spain’s Ministry of Public Works is to stump up 70% of the funds for the Axarquia project. Archaeologists discovered the baths, which have a series of stunning mosaics, in 1989.
NEW LOOK: Roman ruins in Rincon de la Victoria
BIG SPLASH Huge new €150 million hotel with 11 swimming pools coming to Costa del Sol A MASSIVE hotel project counting on a dozen swimming pools is set to make a big splash on the Costa del Sol this year. The Ikos Andalusia project
will also include seven restaurants, as well as a theatre, spa and huge sports centre. Costing €150 million, the 15-month project will see the hotel opening in Estepona in May 2020. Built on the site of the former Princess Hotel, it is the first hotel built in Spain by huge Greek hotel chain FIVE STAR: Rooms will be of a luxury standard Ikos.
What a view! A MASSIVE €130 million is to be invested into a new development in Benahavis. The View Marbella will consist of 120 luxury apartments spread over a 50,000sqm plot, with work scheduled to begin within two months. The impressive project will feature a spa, swimming pools, gardens, 24 hour security and a concierge service. The homes, built by Wilma Europe Holding and Sierra Blanca Global, will offer ‘impressive panoramic views’ and will help create 250 direct jobs and around 500 indirect ones.
COMING SOON: The View
HUGE: Ikos Andalusia will be open by May 2020
“This has been the largest investment on the Costa del Sol in recent years and one of the most important in Spain in 2018,” explained a spokesman.
He added that the resort would become ‘the hallmark of the all-inclusive concept of luxury at an international level.’ Spread over 33,000sqm, the resort will have 411 rooms which have been designed to reach five-star ratings.
Corfu The 11 outdoor pools and one indoor pool will be surrounded by canopies and native vegetation and will sit in the centre of seven blocks organised in a U-shape formation. The project is being constructed by UTE Acciona Construcciones and Sando and will be Ikos’s fifth resort, with locations already including Cos and Corfu.
Rural SOS HUNDREDS of thousand of protesters have descended on Madrid demanding an urgent investment into Spain’s dying towns and villages. The protesters insisted that something must be done to help the country’s isolated rural communities that are vanishing at an alarming rate. Dubbed the ‘revolt of an empty Spain’ they are demanding better infrastructure, investment and services. It comes after it emerged that almost half of Spain’s municipalities have a population density less than 12.5 inhabitant per square kilometer, a ratio considered ‘very low’ by the EU. Guadalajara province counts on the lowest density in Europe, and less than much of Russia. Between 2011 and 2017, approximately 62% of the country’s settlements lost inhabitants, and even many sizeable towns up to 50,000 people in size have seen a dramatic decline. “The hemorrhaging needs to be stopped,” said Spanish TV presenter Campo Vidal. “Today in Spain, 26 provincial capitals are losing inhabitants. If these key towns are declining, imagine what is happening to towns and villages! “We need to make urgent changes.” See Fighting Extinction, page XII
IV
April 2019
PROPERTY
Period drama
WELCOMING: The revamped 18th century guest house in Extremedura pays homage to its period features
Local heritage rescued from ruin by British couple
A
N architectural gem in Extremadura’s wine-growing region has been given a new lease of life as a family-run guest house. The 18th century private home, considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the town of Villalba de Los Barros, has been lovingly restored to its former glory by Madrid architects Lucas y Hernandez-Gil. Mortar walls, clay floors and original vaulted ceilings have been retained in a sensitive conversion for a British couple who wanted a guest house and a family home for their two children. Commanding pride of place in the main square of Tierra de Barros, La Hermandad de Villalba started welcoming guests this year. “The project underlines every single one of the home’s original strengths that were lost over time,” according to the architects, who installed a series of rustic living spaces, making sure to honour the original designs and outdoor space. “Simultaneously it adapts to and adds new uses, which can be seen from a contemporary perspective.” The property’s structural shell was retained by coating the existing walls with raw lime mortar before whitewashing. Local potters created clay tiles to replace the almost non-existent flooring while the original carved wooden doors were painted green in a nod to the region’s vineyards. The second floor, previously a larder and store for cured meats, has been entirely rearranged to accommodate four bedrooms.
MORTGAGE THINK TANK
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HE number of homes sold in Spain in January barely increased compared to the same month last year, new figures have shown. According to the Spanish Land Registrar, some 42,850 homes were sold in the first political problems in Catalunya no longer month of this year, just above the 42,745 alarm investors. sold in January 2018. This could be a sign of things to come for Small markets saw strong growth in the likes the Costas when the Brexit fiasco is finally of Extremadura, Huelva and Teruel, but tourdealt with. ist hotspots, including the Canary Islands, Uncertainty surrounding the UK’s divorce is the Balearics, Costa del Sol no doubt having an impact on and Costa Blanca all saw a British buyers, the biggest forUncertainty year-on-year drop in sales. eign market for Spanish propBut what does this mean? erty by far. surrounding While on a national level there Once some certainty is has been an increase in sales, Brexit is no doubt brought back - and hopefully the figures to some suggest a soft a Brexit as possible that the expansion enjoyed having an impact the pound will likely bounce over the last few years could on British buyers back strong and buyers will be slowing down. feel more comfortable taking It is the first time growth has the plunge. been in the low single digits for It’s also important to rememthree consecutive months since the market ber the property figures tend to be quite volturned the corner around the end of 2014. atile, so we will get more of an idea of how In fact growth has been consistently lower much the steam is running out, if at all, in since May last year. the next few months. However, sales were up in the Catalan provSo while it has been a slower start to the inces including Barcelona, the Costa Brava, year, don’t panic, things are still looking and Costa Dorada, perhaps because the healthy! To contact Tancrede for all your mortgaging needs call: 666 709 743 or for insurance queries call: 951 203 540 or email: tdp@thefinanacebureau.com The Finance Bureau Centro Commercial Guadalmina, 2nOffice No. 7 Guadalmina, 29670
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PROPERTY
VI
April 2019
Fran-tastic Spanish architect blazes a white-hot trail across the world with his signature designs
R
ENOWNED Valencian ‘starchitect’ Fran Silvestre has unveiled his latest jaw-dropping home in Portugal (right). The curiously-contoured property on the fringes of Lisbon, sits atop a golf course with distant views of the capital city. Consisting of two elongated box shapes joined at the base - one wing for communal living areas, the other for private spaces - the head-turning home completed last month was commissioned by an unnamed but ‘very wealthy family’. They had requested an open plan abode which was also very private and nestled into the landscape.
Silvestre, head of multi award-winning Valencia firm Fran Silvestre Arquitectos, has become a household name in recent years for his iconic houses which are predominantly white with edgy, clean cut lines. On his seeming obsession with white, Silvestre explains: “We use white for three reasons. “There is a strong contrast between blue and white. It is a symbol of culture. The second reason is scientific. When you have a white interior it makes it look more spacious. “There is also the thermic question. You cannot have a big black box under the Spanish sun. And lastly, it is the subjective reasons about the perception of beauty.” Join us on a tour of his most impressive works around Spain.
COMPLETE: Fran Silvestre’s latest home in Portugal is now ready for a ‘very wealthy family’ who asked for a property with ‘privacy’ which was immersed into the landscape
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VII
April 2019
CONTRAST: A home in Valencia (left) is true Silvestre style with sleek white lines aplenty, while (above) another Valencia project has the effect of protruding from the rocky landscape, a common theme in the maestro’s work
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3 bed 2 bath apartment North/Sea Views 1 Garage Parking Space 82m2 Internal Area
3 bed 2 bath apartment 117m2 Internal Area Town/Rock Views Private Parking
3 bed 1 bath apartment 80m2 Internal Area North/Bay Views Garage Parking Space
Ocean Spa Plaza – 528
Rosia Court – 639
Vineyards – 636
Waterport Terraces - 603
1 bed 1 bath apartment Located on High Floor Town/South Views Allocated Parking Space
3 bed 1 bath apartment Ground floor apartment 91m2 Internal Area Outside patio space
3 bed 1 bath apartment Located on a High-floor 79m2 Internal Area Rock/Town Views
2 bed 1 bath apartment Located on low floor 76m2 Internal Area North/Sea Views
Both Worlds - 666
Harbour Views – 649
Grand Ocean Plaza - 549
Prince Edwards Road - 557
2 bed 1 bath apartment Located on Beach front Large panoramic aspect views Parking Space Permits
4 bed 2 bath apartment Located on High floor 97m2 Internal Area Allocated Garage Parking Space
1 bed 1 bath apartment 50m2 Internal Area Located on High floor Rock/Town Views
2 bed 1 bath apartment Located on High floor 50m2 Internal Area West-Facing Panoramic Views
Quay 29 – 551
Buena Vista Park Villas – 308
Naval Hospital Road – 662
Gardiner’s View - 637
1 bed 1 bath apartment 60m2 Internal Area Allocated Parking Space Africa/Bay Views
4 bed 3 bath villa Covers 4 Floors Bay Facing Views 290m2 Internal Area
3 bed 2 bath apartment Located on High floor Large Internal and External Area Large Deep Garage
3 bed 2 bath duplex 148m2 Internal Area Fantastic Bay Views Brand new designer kitchen
£350,000
£440,000
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BUSINESS
Banking on Gib
GIBRALTAR still has a future as ‘an important finance centre’ after Brexit. That’s the verdict of a top private bank which is expanding its operations onto the Rock. Swiss bankers J. Safra Sarasin (JSS) recently announced their take over of Lombard Odier’s Gibraltar operations. “We very much look forward to welcoming the new clients and colleagues to Bank J Safra Sarasin,” said Oliver Cartade, JSS director. “This acquisition will enable us to further expand our footprint in Gibraltar.” The takeover could be completed this year if it gets the go-ahead from strict Gibraltar regulators. JSS are based at Neptune House, having been in Gibraltar since 2001. They will take over Lombard Odier’s clients and relationship managers as part of their international growth strategy. Despite the possibility of Brexit, JSS said it was ‘committed to Gibraltar as a finance centre’. Lombard Odier assured clients the takeover would be in their best interests.
17
Pricey-leaks Breaches of new data protection laws could cost Gibraltar companies millions, expert warns COMPANIES in Gibraltar are risking fines of up to £20 million if they do not comply with new GDPR data laws, an expert has claimed. The stark warning came during an introductory course with a UK expert on the Rock this week, which aimed to answer questions about the latest require-
ments. “The GDPR legislation was coming in and people wanted to get their staff onto courses,” said Jo Jacobs of Rock Training, the company behind the course. “Many small business owners and front-line employees are handling client data without any awareness of their responsibilities and obliga-
Make room!
Cumberland Terraces - 667
£350,000
DATA LEAK: Companies risk £20 million fines
tions under the legislation. “GDPR came in after Brexit and Gibraltar has said the
All aboard! THE Royal Caribbean shipping company has chosen Malaga for the first stop of its new ship, the Spectrum of the Seas, which will arrive at the port on April 16 from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. Considered the ‘most technological and avant-garde ship’ in the Royal Caribbean fleet, the giant has the capacity to house almost 9,000 people, including passengers and crew. Designed specifically for the Asian market, the new ship will arrive at Malaga and from there it will sail to Barcelona, the city from where its Global Odyssey voyage will begin.
April 10th - April 23rd 2019
DOCKING SOON: Spectrum of the Seas
Royal Caribbean said: “The port and this city are key for the company. Proof of this is that we have chosen this enclave for another year to make its first stop on its new ship.”
same standards will be maintained, meaning companies must be able to release personal client data within 30 days of a request being made.” Jacobs has been running Rock Learning for a few years now, specialising in leadership and management. “The fines can be absolutely huge,” she warned. “They can be as much as 4% of gross turnover or up to £20 million, whichever is higher. “Then if there is a data breach they must be reported to the regulator within 72 hours. “Companies can still be fined but they must show they have mitigated risk and minimised harm as much they can.”
A NEW storage facility to be built close to the Jumper’s building could prove just the ticket for local companies. Local retailers have been crying out for storage for a long time especially with a pos4 bed 2 bath apartment sibly difficult Brexit situation 98m Internal Area ahead. Africa & Bay Views Allocated Parking “The development has recently been granted full planning approval and is set to break Ocean Spain Plaza ground the– 528 near future,” £440,000 said a spokesperson for Century 21. 2
Montagu
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Notice of changes to THE VICTOR CHANDLER (INTERNATIONAL) RETIREMENT SCHEME GIBRALTAR AND VICTOR CHANDLER GROUP RETIREMENT SCHEME With effect from the 02 July 2018, “The Victor Chandler (International) Retirement Scheme Gibraltar” and “The Victor Chandler Group Retirement Scheme” (the Pension Schemes) trusteeship transferred from STM Fidecs Pension Trustees Limited to Sovereign Trust International Limited, a company registered in Gibraltar (company registration number 44491), with its registered office at Suite 2B, 143 Main Street, Gibraltar, GX11 1AA. 1 bed 1 bath apartment 60m2 Internal Area Allocated Parking Space Africa/Bay Views
If you were previously employed by a company within the BetVictor Group and you may have retained pension benefits in either Pension Schemes, and you have not yet received a letter from Sovereign Trust International Limited informing you of the forthcoming changes, please contact the administrator, Sovereign Pension Services (Gibraltar) Limited as follows: By email to betvictor@SovereignGroup.com or by post (marked Private & Confidential) to Sovereign Pension Services (Gibraltar) Limited, Suite 2B, 143 Main Street, Gibraltar, GX11 1AA providing your name, current address, date of birth and the dates of your employment with BetVictor (or the relevant company within the group).
4 bed 3 b Covers 4 Bay Facin 290m2 In
18
April 10th - April 23rd 2019
BUSINESS
Confused?
THE European court is set to decide whether airlines should pay out thousands to travellers in lost luggage compensation. Under proposals, flight operators could have to automatically pay €1,400 when they lose a passenger’s luggage, while currently payouts vary depending on individual court rulings.
If the UK’s departure from the EU is giving you a headache, Linea Directa is here to help you get the right insurance SOFT Brexit, hard Brexit or no-deal. What does Brexit mean? TM
Soft Brexit People who voted to remain in the EU are hoping for a soft Brexit. In this scenario, the UK could stay in the single market or the customs union, or both. This would ensure a continuing close relationship with the EU in return for some EU payments to be made, some EU rules to be followed and continuing the free movement of people.
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Seeing is believing
Baggage claims
2/8/18 17:01
Streaming giant Netflix opens new hub in Madrid with promise of ‘investing for the long term.’ NETFLIX has unveiled plans for a huge recruitment drive in Spain at the official launch of the company’s first European production hub in Madrid. The streaming giant hopes to nearly double employment on productions from 13,000 in 2018 to as many as 25,000 this year. Spain, together with the UK, is the location of Netflix’s heaviest volume of production. CEO Reed Hastings called the new hub evidence ‘that we’re going to be a part of the Spanish creative ecosystem forever.’ “We’re not just experiment-
It comes after a preliminary case in Barcelona was brought against Spanish airline Vueling over its baggage handling procedures. Airports lose more than 20 million bags a year while the average amount claimed by air passengers for missing luggage last year was €808. A decision is due in the coming months.
RULING: On luggage
Cash stream RECRUITING: Netflix is investing heavily in Spain ing and trying something. “We’re investing for the long term.” Alongside the hub, Netflix also announced two new projects to be produced in Spain.
The first project is a six episode series from director Mateo Gil entitled The Favourites of Midas, based on the Jack London short-story.
Energising the market
The second, El Inocente, is based on a novel by American thriller writer Harlan Coben and will be directed by Oriol Paulo “We’ve been investing tremendously around the world — in France, Italy, Denmark, Germany and, in particular, in Spain — because the stories are very well done, there’s a great professional spirit and work ethic, and tale,” said Netflix’s Business Development VP Maria Ferreras Netflix’s new production hub, located about 20 minutes outside Madrid in Tres Cantos, has three sound stages in operation and another two under construction.
SPAIN has been chosen for the global launch of CocaCola’s new energy drink. Looking to rival the likes of Red Bull, Coca-Cola Energy will be made in Lisbon and contains naturally occurring caffeine from guarana extract and will be available without sugar. “Spain is once again a pioneer in global launches with Coca-Cola Energy and this is a great innovation that we can’t wait to present this year.”
Thriller
THE Lions Club in La Cala de Mijas has teamed up with Specsavers to collect glasses for those in need. All Specsavers stores in Spain are carrying the appeal, including Fuengirola, Benidorm and Mallorca. Volunteers from the charity, known for fighting blindness, are collecting the glasses. “We take it for granted that we can correct our vision with a pair of glasses, but many people don’t have that luxury,” said Amrik Sappal, of Specsavers Optica Fuengirola.
Brits deliver
BRITS have been visiting Spain in higher numbers and spending more, after 2018 saw a disappointing summer for the country’s tourism sector. Both visitor numbers and spending were up in the second month of this year for six months in a row. Government figures revealed a total of 4.4 million holidaymakers visited Spain in month of February, representing an 3.8% increase on last year. The UK was once again the main tourist market for Andalucia. The average daily spend of Brits was also 7.2% higher than a year ago at €124.
Better grades SPAIN’s economy has seen stronger than expected growth in early 2019 thanks to higher domestic demand, according to the country’s central bank. Growth in Spain’s economy in the first quarter comes as Germany’s, the eurozone’s largest economy, came close to recession. Spain’s GDP, meanwhile, grew 0.6% in the January to March period after a similar rate of 0.7% at the end of 2018.
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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Eat that!
SPAIN is among the countries with the least foodrelated deaths, a new scientific study has revealed. Frequently praised for its ‘Mediterranean diet’, Spain finished third in the global list, just behind Israel and France. Spain has 89.5 food-related deaths per 100,000, while Israel and France have 88.9 and 89.1, in second and third respectively.
Obesity
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded the research into 195 countries worldwide, which was published in scientific journal Lancet. Deaths caused by eating badly, including heart attacks and obesity, total 11 million per year worldwide, which is more than tobaccolinked deaths, which account for 7 million.
HEALTH KICK: Med diet praised in Spain
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April 10th - April 23rd 2019
A CHEESECAKE made by a Marbella chef has been crowned ‘the best in Spain’. Malaga-born cook Fernando Alcala, owner of the city’s Kava restaurant, claimed the title in the Campeonato Nacional de Tartas de Queso. His tarta de queso was recognised for its crisp, toasted outside, creamy centre, and excellent flavour. WINNER: Marbella cheesecake “The secret of our cheesecake is in the
Best in Spain
Rice try
delicious contrast between the toasted exterior and the creamy interior,” Alcala said. The Malagueño described his cake as a ‘classic of our dessert menu’, after receiving the accolade at the inaugural edition of the competition held in Gran Canaria.
THE European Parliament has caused fury among Spaniards after serving up a ‘paella salad’ in its canteen. A picture of the creation online attracted harsh criticism from Spaniards, who saw it as an affront to the Valencian dish.
Tastemakers Roca brothers create new miracle menu to help people with no sense of taste THE world-famous Roca brothers have begun developing menus for people that have lost their sense of taste. Jordi, 40, Joan, 55, and Josep Roca, 53, are the chefs behind the three Michelinstarred El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, which has twice been crowned ‘best restaurant in the world’. But now the trio have turned their attention to the development of personalised menus with the help of psychologists, nutritionists and neurologists. The Rocas have centred their project around chocolate, in order to bring back memories for those who suffer with
what is commonly referred to as ‘dysgeusia’ - a distortion of taste.
Attack
Beatriz Rios, the journalist who saw the food, called it a ‘culinary attack’, while another online user said: “Do you remove the lettuce to warm it up?” The label on the €6,25 dish says it contains ‘paellastyle rice, mixed peppers, prawns, cherry tomatoes and salad’. Proper ‘Valencian paella’ is made using rice, green beans, seasoning such as saffron and meat, often rabbit and chicken.
Evocative
Cocoa was chosen because ‘it is a global and evocative element that can be associated with personal experiences’. That is according to Dr Jesus Porta-Etessam, head of Neurology at Madrid’s San Carlos Clinical Hospital, who has been working with the Roca brothers. Jordi, the youngest of the trio, began experimenting with memory and taste after his friend and fellow chef, Oriol Blanes, said that
SENSELESS: Roca trio are at the vanguard of taste he could no longer taste his food. Dr Porta added that the main hypothesis of this pioneering work is to see whether
‘it is possible to recover the sensation of taste in people through the stimulation of senses and associated memories’. Around one in five people suffer a lack of taste, which can often be the result of physical disorders like cancer or mental illnesses such as depression. The Rocas’ work is being made into a mini documentary by BBVA called El Sentido Del Cacao.
‘AFFRONT’: Paella
20
April 10th - April 23rd 2019
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Family fun
In a new regular series on a different side of Gibraltar, Jon Clarke carts his mum and kids around the top of the Rock
I
T was always going to be something of a Mission Impossible, carting two kids and your 76-yearold mother to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar and back. And it was only 10 minutes into the walk, up Europa Road by the famous Rock Hotel, that my nine-year-old Alfie declared: “I’m bored, I wanna go back.” Indeed, had it not been for the promise of wild apes somewhere ahead in the distance, it would have been game over within the hour. And so we found ourselves on a mammoth tour of Gibraltar’s wonderful - and surprisingly wild - Upper Rock Nature Reserve, Shanks Pony, rather than
SNAP: Monkey with bread
T
the normal taxi or minibus. Ambitious perhaps, but as my mum, Gillian, had insisted the day before, ‘If I can do two 18-hole rounds of golf a week, I can do a couple of hours around the Rock.’ Within half an hour we had arrived at the rather unusual sounding Jew’s Gate. Here, as minibuses and taxis careered around us, we were thrust a map from the car park attendant and pointed towards a small track off to the right. Shown as ‘Martin’s Path’ on the map, we were soon walking at an almost vertical incline through the most breathtaking mountain countryside imaginable. Lush vegetation of olive trees, lavender, fennel and campion, gave off a wonderful Spring fresh smell, as the views just got better and better. Suddenly, there was the hint of wilderness and the sense that, maybe, just maybe, a wild primate would jump out through the trees.
PINNACLE: Top of the Rock and (right) nature signs
At least, that is what I kept skipped about and kept us reminding Alfie. entertained for nearly an And then suddenly we ar- hour. rived at an attraction, And then we were off again, where everyone was getting down one of the steepoff buses. est flights of steps I’d ever ‘Where are we?’ I asked. seen. ‘St Michael’s Cave,’ a taxi Called, I think, Charles V driver revealed. wall, it was difficult enough And next, we were inside coming down with bits of the most amazing cavern- handrail missing, not to ous expanse with the kids mention a phalanx of monquickly vanishing out of keys tinkering around on sight. the other side. It served as a good stop- After telling mum and the ping off place for a coffee. kids not to look at them, we Tempted to slowly crept call it a day, past and got we were suitto the bottom. From all ably jeed on It was some by the kids directions trooped relief. desperate to From here the primates, get up to the though we top to see the East, from every tree, went monkeys. far East as it every wall So off we turns out, on trudged. And a long windy another quarlane past pretter of an hour later. ty cottages, a farm even. From all directions trooped Called Queens Road, the primates. From every it carved through a big tree, every wall, every bat- swathe of woodland and tlement. went on for some time. A joy to behold and a sight I Mum just kept going. Like will never get bored of, they a tank, with a smile on her
face and bounds of enthusiasm, it was probably her that got us all to our last main port of call. The World War tunnels museum. Next thing we were exploring the depths of the Rock, not to emerge again for about an hour. And we still had some walking to do, back down into town to locate our car. But not before a more than welcome pint of bitter and a decent ploughman’s lunch at one of the pubs on Main Street.
What’s on Gibraltar Hero’s dinner THE Lounge are holding a welcome home barbecue for ex-Marine Lee Spencer who despite being an amputee famously rowed across the Atlantic Ocean.
Cave Joker TOP British stand-up comedian Jimmy Carr will be at St Michael’s Cave (left) on May 15 with his own brand of humour as part of his World Tour.
Spring fun
HE annual Spring Festival is set to be ‘an intense period of cultural activities’ according to the Gibraltar Minister for Culture. The popular festival will start with free entertainment on May Day and go on for the next seven weeks. Most events will take place around Casemates Square, however on May 4 there will be art dance show at John Mackintosh Square. An art exhibition is scheduled for May 7 in the Fine Arts Gallery at Casemates while a Zarzuela performance takes place on May 8 at John Mackintosh Hall. “Many of the events are organised specifically for this cultural platform, including the Young Shakespeare Company, the Spring Visual Arts Competition and a celebration of opera,“ said Minister for Culture Steven Linares. A competition to find the logo for the event has been won by Stefano Pantone.
HIGHLIGHT: Incredible St Michael’s Cave
Charity rave LONDON DJs will be at Casemates nightclub Ekahi Ohana for a 12 hour house music extravaganza to raise money for Ghana school project Help Me Learn Africa.
Faure-n sounds BEETHOVEN, Schumann, Faure and Brahms will feature in a concert at the Convent Ballroom on April 18 with Steven Isserlis on cello and Connie Shih at the piano. WILD: Martin’s Path takes visitors on a quiet backwater
Gibraltar
A lineup as bedazzling as the backdrop.
Make this your year to celebrate the rich, diverse and fascinating world of Gibraltar
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For further information call: Gibraltar Tourist Board +350 200 74950 Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi
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A year of Culture
Bring hearts, minds and souls
22
April 10th - April 23rd 2019
COLUMNISTS
L
AST New Year when I resolved to do more to help others I never imagined there would be nine of them, all with tails and sharp claws... But no longer with their courting equipment (sorry guys) since I signed up with my walking pal Gillian to become ‘auntie’ to a stray cat colony in Los Barrios. It’s all part of a drive by the town hall to stem an explosion of pussies galore in the village in the most humane way possible. One adult female can have four kittens a litter and three litters a year - a purr-tentially catastrophic statistic. Trap-Neuter-Return is exactly what it sounds like but first, catch your cat.
Photos by: David Cussen
Herding cats All you need is a town hall trap, a sachet of kittykat and a bit of purr-suasion. Belinda Beckett reports from the field in Los Barrios While some are domestic ‘strays’ others are ferociously feral and it only takes one failed attempt for some of the more streetwise moggies to have the town hall traps sussed. But with luck and ‘pussistence’, you finally take your captive to the vet, beating a hasty retreat before she asks you to assist with the tranquiliser shot; you return to collect post-op (funded by the town hall);
FREE RUN: The neutered cats are released back into the wild
All you need is
then, if male, release back into the bushes/street once the anaesthetic has worn off (four or five hours), basking in the glow of that ‘Born Free Moment’ (cue mewsic). Females need to rest up for a few days first so you may need to volunteer your garden shed. But the whole idea of being a colony auntie or uncle is that you have gained the cats’ trust, probably by feeding them. Which is how Gillian and I came to strike up a relationship with the bunch of furry ‘pussonalities’ living in the woods where we take our morning walk. Being big softies, we started bringing biscuits ... thereby increasing the females’ chances of breeding. WRONG! You can now get fined if you’re not a registered colony feeder. But we’re atoning. Two black dudes, a trio of multicoloured females and two out of three ginger toms have all had the chop without too much fuss and ‘cattitude’. Gingernuts, who still has his, is next. We’re working up to Whitey, a fur-midable ‘tigre de Bengal’ – Aranxa the vet’s description of some of the cats that have been brought to her operating table at Troylos. These cats have balls – or used to have... And, along with a handful of other village volunteers – more needed – we’re making a tiny difference. It does mean
‘Bringing music to your ears, and Gibraltar to your screen’
April on GBC TV includes: ‘Good Friday Special: Rhythms of Worship’ ‘Easter Monday Movie: Deepwater Horizon’ ‘Sea Hunters’ ‘Working with History’ ‘The Hub’ GBC TELEVISION
RADIO GIBRALTAR
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Available on: Gibraltar Freeview & Online
91.3, 92.6 & 100.5FM 1458AM, DAB+, Gibraltar Freeview & Online
GBC TV Live GBC TV Player Radio Gibraltar Live Radio Gibraltar On Demand Latest local news
CAT COLONY: Strays wait to be fed, while (below) one moggy is trapped
we can’t ditch the walk when it’s tanking with rain – there are hungry mouths to feed and our colony has to be monitored and medicated for ear mites and ticks. (Does that make us purramedics?)
But they’re worth it. Why not lobby your own town hall to start a TNR scheme? It could be the start of a mewtiful relationship and you’ll be rewarded with a warm fuzzy feline – no kitten!
Keyboard warriors In the days of trolling people from behind a computer screen, Giles Brown gets his lessons on politeness from an unlikely source
I
S it just me, or are people getting ruder? Perhaps it’s just a sign of my approaching decrepitude that we seem to be a more brusque, less polite society than 20 years ago. I may be developing a pair of rose tinted spectacles, in the same way that youngsters respected their elders, politicians knew what they were doing (insert your own Brexit comment here) and that pop music was good. Although as someone who lived through the horror that was Stock, Aitken and Waterman in the 80s I beg to differ on that one. As a northern European coming to Andalucia for the first time it can be something of a shock when you overhear your first conversation in Spanish. The dialogue is so loud and frenetic that you assume that everyone is arguing and you expect the first punch to be thrown at any second. The healthy sprinkling of swearing in any Andaluz conversation, dropping the c-bomb in as a matter of course, would also seem to be a certain prelude to impending violence. Use that particular noun in the UK and you’d probably end up in Accident and Emergency. But that is all part and parcel of living in Spain. Nobody takes offense, although that might have something to do with the fact that it’s in the real world. Online, things are slightly different… Yes, I am well aware that the Internet has been a largely brilliant and benign invention that has brought people together,
allowed family and friends to catch up with news, and generally ‘spread the love’. On the downside, however, it has also allowed a small but vocal minority to become keyboard warriors, firing off inflammatory posts indiscriminately. In the Kevin Costner baseball movie Field of Dreams there is the classic line, ‘If you build it they will come’. The same type of logic applies to posting anything vaguely controversial on social media. It’s much easier to be rude to people if your are safely behind a computer screen. Luckily as a hard-bitten hack I’m fairly used to being called a witless moron on a regular basis. And that’s just from the Olive Press editor. But to those who didn’t have the pleasure of working on the national newspaper in the glory days, where things tended to get out of hand on a regular basis. I received a well-aimed mini football on the back of the head on my first subbing stint on The Mirror, which came sailing over from the Sports desk. Having your parentage called into question can be a deeply upsetting experience. So please, whatever your views on Trump, Brexit or Podemos, next time you feel the urge to savage someone online, do what I do, in all situations, and ask yourself the immortal question: ‘What would David Niven (left) do’.
SPORT DREAM TEAM: Clarke with youth team
Coach Clarke
A TEENAGE expat in Spain has set his sights on becoming the youngest person in history to achieve Europe’s highest coaching qualification. 19-year-old youth coach Jay Clarke has been working towards his UEFA Pro Licence qualification and is set to complete the course this summer. Clarke, at age 16, got hooked on coaching while living in Granada and took his UEFA B licence. “It all started with my father really, he coached my town’s team at age group level I was in and we won so many trophies that he was very admired,” said the Londoner, who’s family moved to Spain when he was three. “It was great learning from him – the way he got the best out of players and also out of me – so I guess he was my idol in that sense.” Despite the Pro Licence taking up to five years to complete, a year on Clarke had already obtained his UEFA B and A licences. Clarke said: “It is very serious here in Spain, you undertake a wide range of subjects from tactics to psychology.
Youngest
“Coaching certainly isn’t just picking an 11, putting cones down and setting drills. It’s much more than that and that’s why these licences exist.” Clarke had to study six hours a day, two times a week and alongside his coaching at Spanish side Peña Deportiva. However Clarke is keen to put skills to use and is not limiting himself to Spain. He said: “One of my dreams would be to coach and play in the UK, it is where I was born at the end of the day.”
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Teenage racer needs support to achieve world championship dreams A GIBRALTARIAN teen has appealed for a sponsor to help him take on the top bikeriders in Spain. Racing sensation Julian Chipolina wants to be the next Valentino Rossi representing Gibraltar but he needs the backing of a business to help fund his dream. “My biggest achievement so far is coming first in my debut race at the World Championship Jerez circuit,” said the 17-year-old. “It was the first time a Gibraltarian had raced in the Andalucian championship and it was against Spaniards who had been racing for years. “Only last month I was supposed to take part in the first race of my championship season but as I had no funding I wasn’t able to go.” The teenager started motorbike racing semi-professionally in 2012 when he was just 11 years old. He made fast progress, learning the basics on mini-bikes and starting his first races with a biking school in Manilva. “I was the first Gibraltarian in that school to race all around Spain,” Chipolina added. “We went to Valencia, Toledo and Alicante which were the first steps of my dream to get to Motor Grand Prix. “It is heavily dominated by Spanish riders because they get the financial help they de-
Hot wheels
April 10th - April 23rd 2019
Not the Messi-ah
THE Pope Francis has declared Lionel Messi ‘is not God’ despite the talismanic Barcelona striker being revered by millions around the world. The leader of the Catholic Church risked outrage from the fellow Argentine’s faithful fans by suggesting the five Balon D’Or winner was not divine. Messi is currently the top scorer in Las Liga with 31 goals and lead his team to the treble this season. Pope Francis said: “People say ‘God’ like they say ‘I adore you,’ adoring is only for God, they are expressions people use.
APPEAL: Chipolina celebrating win (left and right) has called for sponsorship serve. I would like to get there too but it is going to be very difficult without the financial support they receive at a national level.” In order to compete for the Andalucian Championship he needs £15,000 a year, which includes team costs, tyres, accommodation, food and fuel. If he wanted to race in the Vacancy - SaleS Manager Spanish national championship he would have to raise £50,000 for which he would need an even bigger sponsor. Mix Media Group, home of Radio Mix 106, is “Like football, riders are limited to how many years they looking for a Sales Manager for their audio/ can race. I feel this is my talvisual productions department based in ent and that we are putting Gibraltar on the motor-racing Manilva, Malaga. map.” Any one who wants to supThe successful candidate will be responsible port him can like his JC31 fans page on Facebook.
FUTURISTIC: An artist’s impression of Real Madrid’s new ground
Ber-new-beu REAL Madrid’s president has revealed the design for the new €575 million Bernabeu stadium. Florentino Pérez unveiled the designs for the new Santiago Bernabéu grounds during a ceremony attended by Madrid Mayor Manuela Carmena. Work will begin on the new futuristic site at the end of the season with work not set to finish until at least 2023. Among the most striking feature of the new look stadium is a retractable roof, which will take 15 minutes to deploy. Perez said ‘it will be the best stadium in the world.’ The new ground is set to be the biggest change at the club’s stadium since December 14, 1947. The idea for this impressive new development was conceived back in 2011.
for building and maintaining a client base for the Group’s audio/visual productions, podcasts, and services. We are looking for an experienced Sales Manager who can operate as a positive, pro-active team member, bringing energy, harmony and focus to the business, and make a positive contribution to the team. A background in media sales is an advantage but not essential as full training will be given. A knowledge of CRM systems is essential. Attractive basic salary plus commission on offer to the right applicant. Send your CV to studio@radiomix106.com
Tel: (+34) 856 830 003 | studio@radiomix106.com www.radiomix106.com | @mix106fm
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Vol. 4 Issue 94 www.theolivepress.es April 10th - April 23rd 2019
Real good sh*t! Marijuana in Spain found to have ‘dangerous levels’ of faecal matter THE majority of cannabis sold in Spain contains dangerous levels of faecal matter, a new study has revealed. Analysts examined 90 samples bought in Madrid and found large traces of E.coli and the Aspergillus fungus. The most lethal samples were
Docking in BRAND new 16deck cruise ship Mein Schiff has been called into Gibraltar for the first time, carrying nearly 3,000 passengers.
AN Andalucian policeman has come under fire after dishing out a staggering 269 fines in ONE morning. The prolific officer racked up the haul - with a pace of almost one every two minutes - during the morning of a bike rally in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz. But now at least 180 of the fines, which took his colleagues days to process, could be refunded after an intervention from the mayor. Most of the fines took place on Avenida de
Training Day A CHILD Protection training seminar was held at Gibraltar University for professionals who have direct contact with children.
found inside plastic ‘acorns’ due to the fact that they are usually smuggled inside someone’s anus. Researcher Jose Manuel Moreno Perez, from Complutense University, added that 40% also had the ‘aroma of faeces’. Perez collected samples
Ticket lout
la Bajamar, a stretch of the city parallel to the Guadalete River which changes signaling during the biker rally. A sign placed at the intersection leading to that street prohibited traffic for most vehicles, but other adjoining roads had no signs or warnings. It means at least half of the fines will be refunded due to the lack of adequate signage.
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HOLIDAYMAKERS on an Easyjet flight to Spain were greeted by a flamingo walking across the runway. Holidaymakers were stunned as their plane, which had just touched down in Mallorca, was forced to slow down to avoid the bird. An airport worker caught the hilarious incident on camera, as the plane beeped its horn to warn the animal.
Beast
straight from dealers to test whether or not the drug was safe for human consumption. The study found that 93% contained dangerous levels of E.coli, while 10% were contaminated with Aspergillus, a dangerous fungus that can cause serious health problems. E.coli can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pains, fever, and blood in faeces. For some it can lead to more serious conditions. Aspergillus mould can cause serious problems for people
who already have lung conditions, like asthma or cystic fibrosis. “These patients have a weakened immune system, meaning that an infection caused by the consumption of contaminated or adulterated hashish could be fatal,” it adds. Cannabis is legal to grow in small amounts for personal use in Spain, as is smoking it in private. It is illegal to buy and sell the drug and to smoke it in public places.
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Kicking up a pink
The pilot can be heard saying: “We have a pink flamingo and it’s no joke. An Easyjet plane has had to brake.” The flamingo can then be seen spreading its wings and taking flight. It comes after a hippopotamus was caught on camera in Roquetas de Mar, Almeria, after it escaped from a circus. The beast was filmed running around and eating grass on a roundabout, before circus staff re-captured the animal.
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