Olive Press Newspaper - Issue 336 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

The

OLIVE PRESS

Mijas Costa FREE

ANDALUCÍA

Your expat

voice in Spain

Vol. 13 Issue 336 www.theolivepress.es February 5th - February 18th 2020

SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND? Take a visit to Granada’s secret Acropolis, or a peek at Spain’s most original expat art. See pages 12 to 15

Back to his old tricks SAFELY HOME: Gatsby

Expat pet transport scoundrel emerges again after years working below the radar around Spain

SOCIAL media recommendations can be life-saving – but for one over-trusting expat a post led her into the hands of an alleged serial conman. The recommendation for a pet transport company on Facebook saw Maria Vila lose €350 to a firm she claims is a ‘scam’ and operating ‘without appropriate licences’. The 43-year-old had contacted Malaga-based Pet Taxi Transport to arrange the travel of her cat from London to her home in Spain in January. Despite further checks she paid the company in full to bring her kitten, a Cornish Rex called Gats-

EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt

by to her villa in Gandia, Valencia. It was only when owner Jeremy Griffiths (above right) refused requests to provide basic company information that Vila became suspicious. “I then put his name into Google to find his company website, and I was absolutely speechless,” Maria told the Olive Press. “Articles from the Olive Press came up over a number of years about dogs dying in transit and other problems. I then found Jeremy insisting one p o o r client’s dog had died because it was ‘over-

weight and fat’.” She continued: “Most pet transporters I’ve known are amazing and will bend over backwards for a beloved pet, but this man is an utter crook.” She immediately cancelled the order and asked for a refund for the January 25 trip. However, when no refund was made, she was forced to shell out an extra €275 for a separate transport company to deliver her kitten. She has now made a denuncia to the Guardia Civil and reported Griffiths to Malaga Trading Standards (OMIC). But without any registration details it will be difficult to see results. “I’m determined to stop this man,” insisted Vila. “He is so dodgy, using his mother’s address and an English mobile number.” When contacted by the Olive Press, Griffiths was unrepentant and insisted his business was registered in the UK – however Companies House has no record of the company ever existing.

A spokesperson for the UK’s Defra Transport Compliance Team confirmed in emails that there is ‘no transporter authorisation for Mr Griffiths’. Griffiths added Maria had ‘violated clause 11’ of the company’s contract as she cancelled under 24 hours in advance and was therefore ‘not entitled’ to a refund. However clause 11 of the contract, seen by the Olive Press, makes no mention of cancellations and instead details what will happen in the event no person is present to receive a pet.

Heart-attack

He said the money would be used to help bring over a pet ‘for charity’ in the future. It comes after Dianne Lunt, from Marbella, said her pet pug suffered a heart-attack while in transit under Griffiths from Spain in 2013. Another expat, Alec Strathern, also denounced Pet Taxi Transport after claiming his three dogs were transported in a van without ‘air conditioning’ and with holes in the floor. Opinion Page 6

Tel: 952 147 834

952 147 834

See pages 15

www.theolivepress.es

Expat bust

NEWS IN BRIEF

Pension shock ONLY a third of the electric scooter fines issued in Malaga were paid in 2019, as renting companies refused to pay them.

Hotbox POLICE have seized a marijuana plantation hidden in the garage of a house in Antequera, Malaga and discovered 633 plants.

Mystery A WOMAN who was involved in a drug scene according to her neighbours has been found dead in Sevilla with numerous signs of violence on her body.

Unsafe home A MAN has appeared in court over the rape of a woman in her own home in Sevilla, after he held her hostage for three hours.

People smuggling ring shut COPS have detained 34 members of a criminal network allegedly involved in people smuggling. Those arrested during Operation Llama were held for crimes of forgery, smuggling and belonging to a criminal organisation. The arrests in Malaga, Melilla and Mallorca comprised 28 foreigners and six Spaniards. The sophisticated network was perfectly structured on three levels, each performing distinct roles within the organisation, claim police. The first one was made up of a Spanish citizen and a Moroccan citizen who ran an operations centre where false lease contracts were drawn up, among other documents. The second level was made up of people who dealt directly with the principal investigators and were responsible for appearing as landlords. Finally, there would be foreigners who would use these false contracts to apply for residence permits.

CRIME

A BRITISH expat has been arrested on the Costa del Sol for drug trafficking. The 41-year-old fugitive was detained in San Pedro, where he had lived for a number of years. Police held the man, who had a European Detention order issued from the UK, after pulling him over, while he was driving. A police spokesperson said the man was an ‘established’ resident of San Pedro.

CAR CRASH BUST Hard cell A MOROCCAN expat has been arrested after police found 71 bags of drugs in his stomach following a car crash. It came after the drug mule crashed his car in a fatal accident in the Axarquia on January 19. The bags of hashish were found in his stomach by doctors, when they X-rayed various chest injuries at Axarquia hospital. A young passenger riding with him in an Opel Astra died in the crash. A further four people were injured when they crashed head-first into the Opel in a white minibus. The horror accident happened at a dangerous junction of the A-356 at Trapiche, near Velez-Malaga, where there have been other fatalities. The Moroccan citizen was arrested two days after the crash and has now been charged with drug trafficking.

NETTED British duo jailed after €70m of cocaine seized on their yacht at Fishguard port By Dilip Kuner

A PAIR of British crooks who bought a yacht in Spain to use in a £60 million cocaine smug-

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gling plot have been jailed for a total of 33 years. Gary Swift, 53, and Scott Kilgour, 41, both from Liverpool (above), were arrested last year off the Welsh coast with 750 kilos of cocaine on board. They were nicked following an operation between Spain’s Policia Nacional and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), launched in August 2018. In a successful sting they tracked the yacht Atrevido for a whole year from the Balearic Islands until apprehending it on August 27, 2019, near the port of Fishguard. During the year it had travelled to the Canary Islands and various South American countries. The drugs, which had a wholesale value of €28million would have sold on the streets for a massive €72 million. On arrest, Swift immediately admitted his guilt, saying: “I just want to say that I am guilty. I have got something substantial on the boat and you

will find it.” He later admitted ‘I’m the bad one here,’ and asked custody officers to pass a message to the NCA revealing the number of packages on board the yacht. His partner Kilgour had bought the vessel for €50,000 from a dealer in Mallorca, Swansea Crown Court heard this week. The pair have now been sentenced to 19 years and 13 years in prison, pleading guilty to importing class A drugs into the UK. Four alleged accomplices – three men and a woman – arrested in Liverpool and Loughborough in connection with the seizure, remain on bail. The NCA seized two more yachts during the investigation, the Mistral and another, both of which were believed to be about to smuggle drugs. Police also seized three Rolex watches, a Panerai watch, and a Tag Heuer watch during the operation, as well as five cars, two vans, and a house in France.

Russian snared for kidnapping

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A RUSSIAN fugitive has been arrested after he fled justice in Germany on kidnapping charges. The detainee managed to escape after he was transferred from prison to a hospital in the German town of Gunzburg. He had gotten away after holding a nurse hostage by holding a knife to her throat. Police finally tracked him down to Nerja, where he had previously lived. The German authorities classified him as an ‘armed and violent person, in addition to being a carrier of infectious diseases.’ He was arrested on a European Order of Detention and has been extradited back to Germany.

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Own goal for robbers

A ROMANIAN expat who had half a kilo of hash in his stomach told doctors he’d swallowed batteries. The 27-year-old Romanian had in fact consumed 43 pellets of the illegal drug, each weighing 10 grams. The arrest came after he voluntarily checked into a Marbella medical centre, where he told staff he had eaten batteries in a bid to kill himself. He informed doctors of his plan to end his own life, before police arrested him on January 26. The drug trafficker was forced to expel the 430 grams through natural means and is now facing trial

DIRTY DANCER

POLICE have nicked a 30-year-old expat for sexual abuse at a Costa del Sol nightclub. The German national allegedly put his hand up a woman’s skirt while the pair were on the dancefloor of the Marbella club. The woman had been enjoying a night out with mates at the venue. After being reproached, the man threw a cigarette at her face, before pushing her over. She was later treated for first degree burns on her face and bruising to her knee and ankle. Police were called and quickly arrested the man, who has been charged.

Know the drill A SPANISH dentist has been sentenced to three years in prison for secretly filming one of his workers getting changed. The female employee discovered a USB drive that included footage of her getting changed in the storage cupboard at the clinic in Alcorcon, near Madrid. He has been sentenced to three years in prison for crimes against privacy. Madrid’s Supreme Court also ordered the dentist, 53, to pay his employee €62,500 in damages for ‘seriously and repeatedly breaking her basic rights’.

Pensioner kills wife

A PENSIONER, 77, has been arrested for the murder of his wife, 73, in Granada. It came after the woman was found dead in a pool of blood at the shared home in Caniles. There had been no previous reports of abuse between the couple. There are currently 1,549 active cases of gender violence in Granada, at present.

A PAIR of brothers have been arrested for robbing tourists’ watches on the Costa del Sol using the so-called ‘dribble method’. The Moroccan men, aged 24 and 30, are accused of nabbing highend watches worth over €18,000, via the bizarre style of robbery. According to police their ‘regate de futbol’ method involved simulating a football dribble up to unsuspecting tourists in Marbella, before robbing them. The pair were also said to offer the ‘hugger mugger’ approach, where a victim is hugged while his partner pickpockets him.

NEWS Christmas comes late

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A SPANISH film has scooped a major BAFTA film award in London. Klaus, directed by Sergio Pablos, won the award for Best Animated Film. The Netflix film came out on top against Frozen 2, Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon and Toy Story 4. Pablos took to the stage to make his acceptance speech

February 5th - February 18th 2020

and thanked Netflix for ‘betting on it’. He also thanked everyone who was involved with the film for ‘making this possible.’ The film is centred around Santa Claus and is the first animated feature film made in Spain. The Christmas film is also up for an Oscar this weekend.

Glory for Gloria PEDRO Almodovar’s Dolor y Gloria has swept the boards at this year’s Goya Awards. The movie scooped seven gongs at the Malaga ceremony, including one for the seasoned director. The film also appropriately won Malaga’s most famous

Banderas feels ‘very alive’ as he celebrates first big career win

WINNER: Almodovar with Cruz behind

son, actor Antonio Banderas, a Best Actor award. It also won best picture and

best screenplay, out of 16 nominations, with the big surprise that Penelope Cruz

Recycled red

Goals in the kitchen

FORMER British expat Julie Neville, married to England Women’s manager Phil Neville, has launched a Spanish cookbook. The 44-year-old draws inspiration from her time in Valencia, where she lived with her husband and their two children for three years. Naturally, the mum-of-two did not forget the region’s most famous dish paella in her new 248page book, Authentic Spanish Cooking. The former receptionist revealed she got her paella recipe from renowned restaurant Ca ‘Pepico. Valencian oysters also get a look-in, as do salt-crusted sea bass, which she honed at revered local fish joint, Civera.

PRINCESS Leonor has followed in the footsteps of her mother by recycling her outfit. The princess, 15, wore the same outfit at the official opening of Parliament that she wore in November at an event in Catalunya. The red tweed dress and a red jacket were worn in honour of mum, Queen Letizia’s lucky colour. The young Royal is following in the footsteps of her environmentally-aware mother who often re-uses her clothes. It came as many celebrities were showered in praise for wearing recycled outfits at the BAFTA awards in London this week. In particular, the Duchess of Cambridge who wore the same gown as in 2012.

lost out to Belen Cuesta in La trinchera infinita. Almodovar gave a long acceptance speech for best movie, in which he serenaded Spain’s newly elected Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, wishing him well over the next four years. When he returned later to accept his Best Director prize, his message was more specific. “Spanish cinema is in a good place, but it has many dark areas. “I would like to tell the President that independent cinema is in serious danger of extinction,” he said.

Oscar time

Banderas was very emotional in his speech, thanking Almodovar for his friendship and life lessons and finished his speech: “Today is three years since I had a heart attack. Not only am I alive, but I feel very alive.” Now Spanish film goers will be hoping that their top actor wins an Oscar for the first time this week. While he has been nominated for previous films, including The Mask of Zorro and Evita, he has yet to take home a major trophy.

Grab a Grammy

SPAIN’S top singer has scooped her first Grammy. 26-year-old Rosalia won Best Latin Album for El Mal Querer at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles. It was the first time an all-Spanish album has won the category. While she told the audience it was an honour to win the award, she said she was more excited about performing a ‘flamenco-inspired’ song for them. The artist had already won four Latin Grammys in 2019, including Album of the Year. During her debut performance, the Barcelona singer gave the audience a taste of her new flamenco-powered pop single, titled Juro Que.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

HOME AGAIN

Goose chase trade deal A UK plan for a Canada-style free trade deal with the European Union has been rejected. It comes as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson laid out his vision for a trade deal with Brussels insisting there was ‘no need’ to follow EU rules. His aim is an agreement like the one Canada signed in 2016 where import tariffs on most goods have been eliminated. The flow of services, such as banking – which is of more

Mint to be

MENTHOL cigarette vendors in Spain will be handed €10,000 fines later this year, it has been announced. It comes as an EU ban on minty tobacco products comes into force on May 20 in a bid to deter youngsters from smoking. The UK will still be subject to the new laws during the Brexit transition period, which ends on December 31. In Spain it will be considered a ‘serious offense’ to sell menthol-infused tobacco products after May 20.

EXCLUSIVE By Dimitris Kouimtsidis

importance to the UK – however are much more restricted. He also mentioned however, that if this deal is not reached the UK will return to the Withdrawal Agreement, or have a similar deal to Australia. Boris used his speech - titled ‘unleashing Britain’s potential’ - to highlight the fact that the UK intends to revert to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms if the EU refuses such a deal. He said: “The choice is emphatically not ‘deal or no deal’.

Prosper

“The question is whether we agree a trading relationship with the EU comparable to Canada’s - or more like Australia’s. “In either case, I have no doubt that Britain will prosper mightily.” He added he will reject the requirement for the UK to adopt European rules ‘on competition policy, subsidies, social protection, the environment, or anything similar, any more than the EU should be obliged to accept UK rules’. See Time’s Up on page 6

SINGLE IMPLANT

February 5th - February 18th 2020

MISSING Brit Harry Stagg has finally been found after vanishing in Spain two months ago. The 23-year-old sparked a national manhunt after police and family revealed their concerns for him. However, he is now safe and well and staying in the Guadalhorce Valley, where his uncle described him as ‘looking like the wildman of Borneo’. Speaking exclusively to the Olive Press about his journey from his native Isle of Wight to Andalucia, he said he had not intended to upset his family or the thousands who looked for him. He explained that he had merely taken his time walking through the country, enjoying the landscape and wilderness. “It was an amazing trip. I loved the Spanish outback

Missing British man slept rough and walked 20km a day often alongside shepherds for two months

and meeting the NEWS fascinating locals 4 and making incredible memories,” he revealed. “I had no idea that everyone was looking for me and immediately called my mum to apologise for getting her wore sky high fines ried.” Controllers fac He added he felt ‘flattered’ that so many people were worried Christmas. R about him. However, after November FINAL FRONTIE The East Cowes man made 29 he went into total radio a plan to hitchhike from silence after parting ways Paris to Andalucia with with his companion. in, to Spaa Weekly serviceand Gibraltar friend in September. By then, his mobile phone France, Portugal He told his family he was had broken and he didn’t aiming to meet his grandfeel the need to contact his S GE OR GE St father Bryan Frewing, who family, who spoke to the Ollives near Alora, around ive Press on three occasions ry 4th January 22th - Februa

STOP PLAYING GAMES! prompted Missing Brit whotold by Spanish national search self in’ cops to ‘turn your chief A SPANISH police disapinvestigating the man pearance of a British him to in Spain has urged ‘turn himself in’. from the Harry Stagg, 23, d on vanishe Isle of Wight, the way to November 29 on Malin his grandad’s home due to aga, where he was spend Christmas. Civil offiBut the Guardia the initial cer in charge of waitmissing the for search not be er revealed all may as it seems.

EXCLUSIVE By Charlie Smith

Harry was As the search for in the in many places widened from Alora to the has been spotted Guadalhorce Valley BAFFLING: Stagg the Guarhave rewhole of Spain, t insisted source Harry’s familytion that he dia Civil sergean become Guardia Civil,” the ceived notifica tion of the operation had told the Olive Press. to made a bank transac added: “We want e €41 on December 12 in the ‘very expensive’. He moster in Valenlooking for someon He added that Stagg want to be stop wants to stay travel- town of Albocac . ly likely ‘did not who cia, south of Huesca last call to found’. , Harry made his sees him, ling.” Kim partner g “Please if anyone the local Since he went missing his travellin Susan tell them to call Muca and his motherStation from Huesca Police on November 29. became He and his mate French separated in the is the case Novemcourt The Madrid with city of Bayona on made in Madrid must decide ever seen in Spain, control- A judge ber 22, before Harry foot the largest justice. controllers must the border OVER 100 air traffic 133 workers facing nt with his way across trial for an if the lers have gone on saw 1,352 €17m bill for the strikes. came In a private agreeme 126 of into Spain. strikes office, have been illegal strike that The December walked out the prosecutor’s have admitin 2010. It comes as there workers s of controllers flights cancelled staff are when positions in a dispute the 133 reported sighting and acceptThe 133 airport ted responsibilityfor the losses fourEast Cowes man across leaving on their the bility working hours. r. responsi charged with illegally over ed Gibralta facing and stranded ia rs Andaluc 15,190 passengers. awarded 300,000 passenge It left eight airports December be up to Christ- of The first came on for two days. chaos in the run military to Each is set to for expensstation plus €150 13 at the Galp petrol of Malmas and led to the control of the €1,000, in Antequera, north step in and take es incurred. ‘seen’ was aga, where Harry dressed skies. by a British expat ing in black and hitchhik sign that with a cardboard said Campillos.

By John Culatto for GibralA PROPOSAL into Spain Juggling tarians to cross a “It is important we distin- Then another British expat without post-Brexit firmly guish between joining Schen- saw him ‘walking along the passport has been January 13 in the freedom of movethe UK. he N-340 on Almeria not far knocked back by the Schen- gen and under Schengen,” direction of The plan to enter - despite ment na de las Toren- from Lucaine AGE gen agreement would also added. will we STOR 31 & VALS leaving the EU - d 10,000 “On January r’s interests are res.’ again on EURO PEAN REMO She then saw him allow an estimate Gibraltar sure Gibralta on the day protected. the same road Spaniards to enter un- “As the UK will always be after between Fort Bravo be every morning without always MiniHollyEuropean, we will and the Oasys necessary delays. attraction. move- British.” tourist free the wood r, Howeve by However, newly elected Prime Then on January 17 at ment scheme hatched Johnson does around 4:20pm PicarBoris Fabian r Minister Chief Ministe to cut any sepa“He was sitting by this week do was scotched ’s govern- not wanting arrangements for She said: lights beside Retraffic rate frontier by Boris Johnson so it is un- the a bag with Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, gal House with lots ment. to happen for the UK will ean pride ourselves juggling pins, sorting “After we leave, the future likely has even less clout. St Georges Europ and relocating of spare change. be negotiating the EU on which serving freedom of move- “I was walking home with by professionally in the relationship with UK fam- Curbing is a core issue with my daughter, he stopped businesses whole and ment the of uals behalf individ EU, difference r,” in- UK’s exit from the families, me to ask the ily, including Gibralta over 10 years. government deter- between the two and one an. UK the spokesm a across Europe for tion sisted immigra mined to lower pound coins.” experienced team, Gibraltar Police from the EU. pro- The Royalto comment on With our fully trained Protected insisted that his declined e built vehicles and together, Picardo s. not new. reliable fleet of purpos we’ll make your possible sighting Stagg, “Working closely r Gov- posal was this issue the Susan cover, the UK and Gibralta sup- “We talked about Gi- Harry’s mum, Isle of leading Insurance hassle ernments have alwaysat the before Brexit... aboutof the 51, and based on the run smooth and is a posmoving experience ported arrangements which braltar becoming part Wight said: “There doesn’t a fully AFP have told Spain he also we with n zone,” border sibility that Harry are free. To help you, and shared Schenge promote fluidity region,” he news agency last week. micro- have a clue that people in both Spain and facility storage other the .” secured prosperity in “If you look at need it. they take worried d as Harry just in case you added. states in Europe, Harry is describepale and of South East UK, Gibraltravel g 11ins tall, benefit of common “The UK, includin the border- the with Schengen, even if is 5ftbuild, with dark brown to our friendly tar, is not part of areas dark of the thin So come and talk cut ‘shaggy’ and less Schengen zone.” spoke they’re not entirely part es European. tion sys- hair, green eyes. Picardo Georg informa after St n came at It Schenge brown/ team Governon Monday as the wal tem,” he said. is one such tiny Give stein you seen him? ment read the Withdra 485 984 which will Liechten Schengen Have 951 27 35 from the EU Bill,on January state, which is in us a call on +34 SPAIN + 34 952 383 233 sk@ come into force but not in the EU. to move 75 or email newsde UK +44 (0)1322nsport.com press.es is the ability 31. our nos- “There territo- theolive “We have to holdan orderly fluidly between thethese mitrade@stgeorgestra com sport. es and vote for Gibraltar’s ries of the EU and estran www.s tgeorg Brexit,” he told crostates,” he added. Parliament.

Virus spreads

SPAIN has confirmed its first case of coronavirus. A German national tested positive for the virus at a hospital in the Canary Islands. He is believed to be recovering well and could be discharged soon from an isolation hospital in La Gomera. It comes after a tense week of suspected

IMPLANT BRIDGE

2020

Olive Press - St

cases of the deadly contagion for Spain. They included fears of a man infected on a cruise ship in Malaga, as well as a group of Chinese people on a tour in Granada. Coronavirus has so far claimed at least 425 lives with over 20,000 confirmed cases worldwide. The World Health Organisation acknowledge that the virus is spreading rapidly but are not yet declaring it as a pandemic.

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in January appealing for help in finding him. “I had hoped to make it to my grandad’s for Christmas but I lost track of the days and it didn’t cross my mind to call my family, as we hadn’t set an exact date of when I was going to arrive,” he continued. Stagg insisted that possible sightings of him in Almeria, Antequera and Gibraltar by Olive Press readers were incorrect as he hadn’t been there. He concluded: “I probably look a bit more homeless than I should, with the beard and scruffy clothes. I hope this story doesn’t ruin my job prospects.”

IMPLANT DENTURE

NEWS A PLANE crash that killed Paul Hollywood’s brother-inlaw was caused by ‘poor flight planning’, an investigation has found. Simon Moores piloted the plane that crashed into a Spanish mountain in January last year. The Great British Bake Off star, whose father lives in Alicante, was married to Moores’ sister, Alex Hollywood for almost 20 years. The 62-year-old crashed into Mount Hernio, in the Basque region, after flying through thick cloud and fog. The pilot and his passenger David Hockings died instantly in the crash. Any aircraft fault was ruled out during the investigation.

Hollywood death due to ‘bad planning’

TRAGIC: Hollywood and brother-in-law Moores

PET POISON ALERT Parks shut as police are called in to probe new pet poisoning case

A CHILDREN’S park has been closed after new reports of pet poisoning emerged on the Costa del Sol. Police are investigating at least two separate incidents in Marbella over the last week. Both national and local police are probing the attacks after residents of La Campana

By Joanne Oakley

reported finding food laced with poison in public parks and gardens. It is the third similar attack to have taken place in the Nueva Andalucia suburb in just two years. Marbella town hall confirmed

Triple threat A TRIO of planes have had to make emergency landings this week. An alarming two of them were in Malaga. The first saw a plane en route from Barcelona to Morocco stop at around 8pm on Monday when smoke was spotted in the cabin. The Airbus A320, operated by Vueling, landed without issue and took off again later. Incredibly, just 30 minutes later an Iberia flight from Madrid to Melilla had to make an emergency landing due to bad weather. It comes after an Air Canada flight also had to make an emergency landing at Madrid airport on Monday after experiencing problems with its landing gear.

the cases and said it was meeting with locals and police this week to investigate further. As we went to press at least one children’s play park had been shut to the public. At least one dog is seriously ill having ingested poison, confirmed health officials “Cases of dog poisoning have returned to the streets, parks and gardens of La Campana, without the cause being identified,” said Councillor Jeronimo Villalba. “It needs to be dealt with urgently”. Health boss Lisandro Vieytes warned owners to keep their pets on leads for the time being. It comes after five dogs were poisoned in the same district in February last year. At least one died from the lacing of foods left out for dogs. And alarmingly, in 2017, 21 dogs were poisoned in Nueva Andalucia in two separate cases. A further 35 dogs were poisoned in Malaga in October 2019.

DIRTY TWO DOZEN

A HATEFUL eight local councillors are being investigated for illegal sewage disposal in the Guadalhorce Valley. The Guardia Civil’s environmental arm Seprona is set to charge the councillors from Alhaurin el Grande for allowing sewage to illegally enter the environment for decades. The mayor Toni Ledesma is also among the offenders, who have not adhered to a 2001 law that stopped the dumping

of sewage into rivers and the sea. A further 16 officials are being probed in two other towns, Nerja and Coin, for similar offences. The investigation began three years ago after green group Ecologistas en Accion reported ‘serious irregularities’ in waste treatment in Andalucia. They reported tonnes of sewage flowing freely into the sea, rivers and streams.

Passion pales EXPATS have expressed disappointment following the sudden closure of Marbella’s much loved Passion Cafe. The San Pedro institution, run by Irishman Malcolm Spendlove (above), brought foodies from far and wide and was hugely popular for its breakfast and desserts. The cafe, that opened in La Colonia in the 1990s, shut last week with a sign on its door reading that it had ‘ceased trading’. The Olive Press had numerous comments from expats missing the cafe.

In Alhaurin, police confirmed that untreated sewage is still flowing from the town centre into the Arroyo de la Villa stream, a tributary of the Fahala river. This stream is in a protected natural area and is part of a special conservation area. Both the stream and river are ‘extremely contaminated’ and so toxic that it’s difficult for marine life to survive. Alhaurin, which has more than 15,000 inhabitants, should have been treating its sewage since 2001 according to EU legislation. In 2018, the EU fined Spain €12 million, with an additional €10.95 million for every six months it delays in complying to this legislation. Despite having built a sewage works in Coin, two years ago, it is still not functioning properly. Meanwhile, a long expected plant in Nerja, has still not been finished. During the summer, the sewage from an estimated 80,000 people is all flushed into the Med.

February 5th - February 18th 2020

FEATURES

www.theolivepress.es 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 one million people a month.

OPINION Facebook failure Companies such as Pet Taxi Transport highlight the ease with which anybody in the digital world can set up a ‘company’ and charge for services remotely. In many cases without any paperwork or licences. Yet it also highlights the perils of failing to undertake due-diligence. With an enormous amount of companies across all sectors, it can be difficult to know which is legitimate and which is bogus. It is equally hard to know if that 5-star rating was earned or is faked. Yet when a company such as Pet Taxi doesn’t even have the correct registration to carry out the simplest of jobs it is important for media groups like ours to step in and expose them. For one thing’s for certain, the likes of Facebook are not going to do it.

No turning back now Brexit… well it’s finally happened. After more than three years of uncertainty, we now have more... uncertainty. What has actually changed? To all the Brexiteers, we ask, what has changed in your life this week that wasn’t the same last week? The common answer people tend to give is ‘we got our country back, we got our sovereignty back’. Hurrah. But what does that actually mean? Until 2021 nothing will change as we’re still in the transition period. One thing that changes every day though is the uncertainty and the rumours. All we can really do is sit back, wait and see what January 2021 brings. Even though we almost all voted Remain, we genuinely want Brexit to be a success, for our families and loved ones who still live in the UK and for our futures in case we ever move back. Do we think it’ll be a success? Now that’s a different matter.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es Charlie Smith charlie@theolivepress.es

Joshua Parfitt joshua@theolivepress.es

Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

John Culatto johnc@theolivepress.es

Dimitris Kouimtsidis dimitris@theolivepress.es

Gillian Keller gillian@theolivepress.es

Joanne Oakley joanne@theolivepress.es

Simon Wade simon@theolivepress.es

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‘Brextranjeros’ were nowhere to be found on the night the UK ‘took back control’ from the EU, writes Charlie Smith

48.1% REMAIN

51.9% LEAVE

TIME’S UP S O are the shackles finally off or are we about to embark on one of the messiest and costly divorces in history? Maybe both. It depends who you listen to. But one thing is for sure. When the clock struck 12 on January 31, the UK officially left the European Union and we expats in Spain were all made ‘Brextranjeros’, as the Olive Press is dubbing you. It only took three prime ministers and 1,316 days of parliamentary bickering, but we are finally here. Possibly to his eternal discredit, Boris got it done and Brexit is happening. As Nigel Farage joyfully told the European Parliament this week, waving his Union Jack. Only one question remains though... to celebrate or commiserate? On Brexit night, the Olive Press dropped into popular Kinsales bar, in Duquesa Port. ITV News were also broadcasting live from the popular expat watering hole. We didn’t spot anyone weeping into a vino tinto or triumphantly sinking pints of Carling. Nor did anyone draw inspiration from Spanish New Year’s Eve and gobble down a dozen scotch eggs as the clock struck 12. On the stroke of midnight (11pm UK time) one man clapped. A very British way to see in this new era of British history. The words of T.S. Eliot’s poem The Hollow Men seemed very apt in summing up the night’s partying – or lack of. “This is the way the world ends. “Not with a bang but with a whimper.” Remain voter Brian Forgie, 57, told the Olive Press that ‘Brexit was a f**k up’ and he was just here to ‘enjoy a drink’. “This is beyond England, Scotland and everything. “The Southeast of England has just sucked everything into itself. “There’s so much in the EU that

VARIETY: Different ways the press marked Brexit departure

we don’t understand.” Other British expats in Spain were also out on Brexit night, regardless of whether they were Brexiteers (unlikely if you’re an Olive Press reader as our 75/25% poll last year discovered, more of which later) or Remainers. One fiercely British Remainer, 64-year-old Paul Darwent, hosted an ironic Brexit bash up in the hills on the way to Ronda. The expat of 22 years put on a ‘tongue-in-cheek’ evening of poetry, food, music and comedy at his popular Bar Allioli in Jimera de Libar. Think beans on toast, tunes like Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again and buckets of nostalgia on ice. One person who definitely didn’t celebrate was Anne Hernandez (above), President of Brexpats in Spain which is fighting for the rights of British residents here. “I feel violated,” she told the Olive Press, speaking ahead of mid-

Brexit in numbers 700,000

Britons actually living in Spain

365,967

Britons registered as living in Spain

180,000 9,000 60%

Spaniards registered in UK Spanish cross-border workers in Gibraltar

British expats who couldn’t vote in 2016 referendum or last general election

night, “I feel a personal sense of ‘Rise and shine...it’s a glorious bereavement, and tonight I will new Britain’. be losing my identity. Among the most self-aggran“I’ll be sitting indoors crying todising was the Daily Telegraph, night, I’ll be having a strong cup boasting in an eight-page Brexit of coffee. supplement how its former col“How can people celebrate losumnist (Boris Johnson) made it ing their rights? It’s barbaric, 47 into Downing Street and led the years of history erased. country into a new era. “My big question is, who is the The Daily Star went with the UK going to blame when it leaves end of Dry January. and it can’t use the EU as a Meanwhile, others scapegoat?” chose to optimistiMeanwhile, across the border on cally look ahead to the Rock, Fabian Picardo’s Gieven more holidays braltar marked the EU departure in Europe post-Brexit, with a ‘short and solemn’ EU flag including English jourlowering to the glorious sounds of nalist and theatre critic Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Quentin Letts (below). The Commonwealth flag is to reWriting in The Sun, he place the EU flag. said: “The Further afield, hairpin bends other Brexit celeof Monte Carlo, Please sit brations included the bleat of Pyresome pathetic down, resume nean mountain Union Jack-waving the canals your seats and goats, by Nigel Farage and bong shops and his EuroscepAmsterdam, put your flags of tic cronies in the S candi navi a’s away European Parliafjords and frisky ment in Brussels. midsummer The Brexit Party freedoms, plus leader’s antics were swiftly cut all those amazing, bewildering, short by vice-president Mairead beautiful languages and literaMcGuiness, who turned off his tures and cooking styles: Europe microphone, adding: “Please sit will continue to exert her magical down, resume your seats, put allure on us.” your flags away and take them Local Mijas Councillor Bill Anderwith you if you’re leaving son, who became the first Brit now.” to take up the post in the Teary-eyed Retown’s 40 years of demain-suppor ting mocracy, was slightly MEPs also commore measured than memorated the Letts. approaching B-Day “Tonight I’m having by breaking into dinner at home with a rendition of Auld my Spanish wife,” he Lang Syne. told the Olive Press Farage’s anti-EU revbefore midnight, “I’m elry was matched by the definitely not going to front pages of Britain’s rightany Brexit parties. wing press, which invoked patri“Some are going to drown their otic sentiment with images of the sorrows I’m sure, but for me, it’s White Cliffs of Dover and Big Ben. not a chance to celebrate, I think ‘A new dawn for Britain’, was the a lot of British people will be afDaily Mail’s splash, while the Daifected. ly Express opted for the tedious “The biggest effect in the short

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February 5th - February 18th 2020

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IN-DEPTH: On the La Cala drownings, missing Harry and Storm Gloria

REAL SPANISH CONTENT

VARIETY: Different ways the press marked Brexit departure term will be on the national police, because we’ll all have to be registered. We’re foreigners, no longer EU citizens. “The police have been preparing for this for a long time, in Fuengirola they have been taking on more staff.” Fellow Mijas councillor, Arancha Lopez, highlighted the ‘importance’ of the 8,842 Brits registered in the municipality. She said: “The British in Mijas are one of the pillars of our residential tourism and a fundamental part of the Mijas society and economy.”

Changes

But beyond January 31, when the tiresome catchphrases, such as ‘taking back control,’ are a distant memory, what, if anything will actually change? Aside from a commemorative 50p coin and blue passports, most things will actually remain the same during the 11-month transition period, which ends on December 31 (See box). Unless it’s extended, which has got to be a distinct possibility. One thing that could change on New Year’s Day 2021 is pensions. For those still set on making Spain their retirement destination after that, current pension guarantees will not necessarily apply from December 31 and your state pension may be frozen. Unless guarantees are renewed, s o m e 650,000 Brit pensioners across the EU will no longer see their pension

increase each year in line with wage growth, inflation or by 2.5% (whichever figure is higher). Despite claims to the contrary by the British embassy and consulates, nothing has been set in stone. For the 365,967 Britons registered in Spain (the actual number of Brits in Spain is closer to 700,000) Spain issued a royal decree last year effectively guaranteeing several rights – healthcare, freedom of movement and the right to work. Brits living in Spain are advised to check the Government website for more information, but crucially should make sure they are registered on the padron, registered as a foreigner, have enough time left on their passport and have exchanged their driving license for a Spanish one.

Updated But as we embark upon a new chapter of European history, the Olive Press is still here to keep you updated. And we will do so on an almost daily basis most likely. Despite a recent poll by a downmarket jingoistic rag revealing that 81% of its readers would be out celebrating Brexit night, we expect the vast majority of you reading this (and not the loud rabble-rousers on Facebook) are still licking your wounds. According to our own poll of thousands last year some 25% of Olive Press readers supported Brexit – still a staggeringly high number, given our location. At the Olive Press we continue to fly the European flag on our front page every fortnight. Our passports may be about to change colour, but we will always be European and will continue to bring you the top stories from around Andalucia and Spain.

EUROTRASH

Known unknowns Blue passports

They are set to make a return, more than three decades since they replaced the existing burgundy-coloured versions. The ‘iconic’ blue and gold design, which was first used in 1921, will be slowly introduced, with all new passports to be blue by around July.

Brexit 50p

Around three million of the new coins will be brought into circulation. They are inscribed with ‘January 31’ and ‘Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations’, will enter circulation on Friday’. Some Remainers, including Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s former spin doctor, have already said they ‘won’t use’ the new mint.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

During the transition period, you can still use these cards, which provide UK nationals with state-provided medical treatment. However, whether or not you can use the card after the end of this year is still to be negotiated.

Budget contributions

The UK will continue to make payments to the EU budget during the transition period. This means that current EU grants will still be funded.

IGNORED: Jessie from Eastenders, Iran and the yawns of Megxit

HILE other websites bring you the news from Scotland, Iran and - yes - the soap opera Eastenders, we at the Olive Press stick to stories on Spain. Ignoring bombings in Baghdad, skirting around Megxit (unless there’s a Spanish angle), and avoiding the row between Hugh Grant and Piers Morgan, we concentrate on the country we’re in. Sticking to the core values we established 14 years ago, we bring you content from around the whole of Europe’s most vibrant nation. Be this flooding in Alicante, a missing teenager in Teruel, or a food festival in Fuengirola, we vow to cover it. With a dozen-plus qualified journalists (all writing in their REAL names) we are able to provide a comprehensive round-up of everything important and interesting happening in Spain. Indeed, ours is the only resource expats interested in Spain need to use, not to mention tourists arriving here in their millions each month. With dozens of stories a day and over 1,400 links (none paid for) from global sites - including the BBC, Daily Mail and New York Post - is it any wonder we are getting over a million readers a month. Visit www.theolivepress.es and see how much content we have... and if you’ve got a business just how much exposure we can give you. Here are the top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:

- WATCH: Emergency declared in Spain’s Malaga as cars left stacked upon each other and homes and businesses wrecked while freak hail leaves cars in Marbella (32,417)

2 3

- Flights diverted from Malaga airport as orange level warning activated for Spain’s Costa del Sol (31,395)

- EXCLUSIVE: Missing British man speaks out in tell-all interview after he’s found two months following his disappearance (29,947)

- IN PICS: Parts of Spain see ‘worst snow in 50 years’ as Storm Gloria kills EIGHT while others still missing in Mallorca and Ibiza (14,708)

- BREAKING: lethal Chinese Coronavirus fear as suspected case in Andalucia, southern Spain (13,709)

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LONE WOLF TARGETED A TOWN hall has authorised the hunting of a lone wolf, which they believe is responsible for attacks on its farmers’ livestock. Alava has sanctioned the hunting drive in the Gibijo mountains after a petition was launched by farmers. In total, the mammal has been blamed for the deaths of 131 animals, mostly sheep, since May last year. Its stalking can only be conducted by authorised hunters. There are estimated to be 240 packs in the north of Spain. It is legal to hunt wolves in Galicia, Cantabria and Castilla y León.

By Dilip Kuner

TOURISTS are being warned to watch out for an alarming spate of drink spikings in Spain. The American embassy in Madrid has put out a security alert after a rise in sex assaults against its citizens. It is now urging Americans to take precautions against predators by watching out for spiked drinks and avoiding being alone. In a message on its website, it warned: “The Spanish Ministry of Interior reports a steady increase in the number of sexual assaults over the past five years. “This includes a rise in sexual assault against young US visitors and students throughout Spain. “US victims of sexual assault can find it very difficult to

February 5th - February 18th 2020

Spiking alert 2

US embassy issues sex attack warning telling public to ‘watch out’ for drinks spiking navigate the local criminal justice system, which differs significantly from the US system. “We urge US citizens to take precautions against sexual assault during their stay in

CRIME the --September - September 2014 NEWS theolive olivepress press August 7 - 4 August 20 201417 7 - August 20 2014

the olive press - August

www.theolivepress.es

CRIME Tech fights SMASH NEWS

nd Rape victim demaexecuted ‘Scarface’ justice the spiking

insists potential victims A Norwegian expat after she was drugged and need to be warned, assaulted in Alicante

drinkspiking

www.theolivepress.es

Olive Press Spiking campaign hits UK media

have BIG developments been made by tech experts into preventing drink-spiking. I A UK-based company has jump out of the window, small developed ‘Spikey’, a would have.” tube and stopper Despite numerous identity plastic glass most E into who fits EXCLUSIV expat that parades, the confessions A NORWEGIAN d a pre- bottles to prevent people By Imogen Calderwoo of all three men and was drugged and brutally in the is deliminary hearing dropping substances raped on a night out story felt in March in front drink. termined to have her to her side to a taxi rank, and I them that of a Benidorm Clubs can even order told and bring justice safe because I was sure there is in bulk to hand out to their judge, attackers. roccan drugpatrons. lord as he was the taxi driver would realise ascase was court no she wrong. still after A year EXCLUSIVEsomething was fancy a bottled don’t shooting sitting in the cafe, If you pending. after being drugged “But then one of the three saulted is here to By Jacqueline Fanchini drink then “Everything in an Albir bar, in Alicante guys walked to the driver’s him injust the back of pd.id the head by David takes so long. I help. Developed technolgot in, and I reprovince, Goril Hvidsten to side andwas his taxi. an- Wilson,to a medical as he attempted flee. right want her only waived it has DUTCH drug dealer alised this small, USB A and no one ogy swers always told to get a anonymity in an attempt Known as expert,‘Scarface’, lives vic- “You’re night out can give me them. drive-sized device flashes known aspotential ‘Scarface’ - home has after athe to warn other taxi Bouyakhrichan was and one safest a Spanish in your drink I have tims. it has been tam- THE Olive Press drinkme, because been executedto outside anthat’s and he’s whenevertop lawyer “If this has happened know, way. But it was these men JUSTICE NEEDED: Goril Hvidsten on of Amsterdam’s crime I trying to help pered with. exclusive shopping centre, and to other people and (inset) Goril’s that attacked me.” be synced and Itwas heavily in-to a spiking campaign has can even but it’s just how many other Hvidsten was driven to the the road to recovery, the brutal attack me,bosses who knows and give noti- been making headlines just yards from ex-England are,” the day after smartphone system here. thevolved countless victims there Olive Romanian man’s apart- injuries in drug trafficking, raped that crushed three front teeth the fications when the chemical in the UK. manager Fabio Capello’s There are so many excuses. Hvidsten, 48, told ment, where she was drink cocaine. of your Press has composition three men. that Hvidsten was The Olive particularly Press. The Guardian picked home. who by all identity parades on three clude e, launched campaign changes. a He is gsaid “What about the girls and “They were so relaxed, like of drugged with Scolapamin occasions. in to have marked their 40s BouyakhExpat had done this before,to different aren’t in Samir showed otherwise known as burun- against drink-spikin come to go they it was Caption cocaine blocks with up on our campaign an exclusive an everyday The bar-owner Spain, afterhis aren’t strong like danga, previously reported an richan, 36,enough from AmsterCCTV footage of Hvidsten inves- investigationstamps revealed such as ‘AK’, ‘Mit- aims, also highlighting to the police, that are suffer- thing. on in the Olive Press Monte Halcones shopping to other taxi day. the men dam-West, as he into drink-spiking alarming absence of statisman left early because and one Two ing in silence.” was shot and “One tigation area, the in in men approached and subishi’, and ‘Vuitton’, the absence of official statisdrivers in Benahavis, in the - who arrived back to driving tics and advice for tourists. Hvidsten he had in Spain. tics and the need to end the left the ‘All in 1’ -cafe theto go centre, was in aims identified the Romanian executed fast- The campaign, which served the Dutch-Mowhich as quality inAlbir in August 2013 she his taxi. drug is powerful, The brother. early hours of last Thursown his as toursafety for current culture of victimoutside the bar whenthree “It was so brutal that I was manthree men have admit- acting and notoriously sim- to improve dicators for his customers. All administer as it does ists, has three simple aims: was approached by and a bruised and scarred all over, of ted to having sex with Hvid- ple to but more statistics, Hebetter waspolicregistered as workmen: two Spaniards and they crushed three not need to be ingested sten, but deny the charges advice. teeth. ing, clearer ing Romanian. merely inhaled. as an estate agent, with drugging and raping her. of get in beers my front must “He had it on his finger and If you would like to Press “I had only had two But “When it was over one go of it touch with the “The doctors say I the Olive company Albina Propso I was far from drunk. because just reached over and put them said ‘Okay, you can drugged been camhave the was of out.” I completely me kicked my nose, and about any aspect suddenly I was re- now’ and erties 2009 SL, registered of the violence I endured,” under his spell for seven paign, email newsdesk@ out of control. I don’t the Hvidsten reported the crime under Hvidsten. five argued from Altea ss.es in much police in Malaga since 2008. the member some to theafter the assault, and Medical reports from con- hours. had asked me to theolivepre next seven hours, but days “If they However, sources insisted out Hospital Comarcal things are very clear. out- has picked her attackers walking gangs are being targeted this was merely a front for STUDENTS have invented CRIMINAL “I remember biker

Expat drug lord shot in the head in exclusive Costa del Sol shopping centre, just yards from the home of former England manager Fabio Capello and close to Zagaleta

FLASHBACK: Our spiking Gang-dalucia - as police campaign and back issues crack down on biker gangs and investigations’ to avoid gang culture by Spanish authorities as their popularity developing across the country. grows. It added that these gangs have a long traThe police are investigating a number of ledition of criminal activity, including drug gitimate businesses in Andalucia that have dealing and trafficking, extortion, money been set up in the hotel and restaurant seclaundering and violent crimes. tor, that are being run merely to hide illegal Andalucia has become a hot-bed for biker activity. gangs with the largest chapter of the SatThey are also looking at the motoring and udarah MC gang - set up in Holland - now real estate sector. located in Southern Spain. "These businesses are run of exclusively by Biker gangs like the Hell’s Angels – with our helping yearsnetworks After gang members and10 conceal whose strong followings in Germany and the Spain, in buy safely purpose is tocustom hide the of the illegal ersprofits Netherlands – are growing in Spain. Costa activities committedopene in their countries of new There are currently 80 biker-related d our origin,” said we’ve a spokesman for the Interior criminal investigations under way in Eueven it del Sol office to make Ministry. rope ty! including murder and attempted proper dream your activity The police will ‘increase preventive to find murder. easier

Nailing date-rape

his real job. Police and an ambulance were soon on the scene but medics were unable to save the victim. The gunmen remain at large although the motive is believed to have been a settling of scores, related to the theft of a cocaine shipment sent to Belgium. Despite his high profile, authorities have systematically been unable to produce sufficient evidence to warrant a conviction.

perty Spain.” Find your dream pro There have been several high-profile cases of alleged sexual assault in recent years. The case of three American sisters who made complaints of rape and sexual aggression to From property agents all the legal advice, we have in one place. expertise you need

a colourful way for clubbers to check if their drinks have been spiked. Under the name Undercover Colours, the North Carolina State University entrepreneurs have developed a nail varnish that changes colour when it touches daterape drugs. The idea is that the wearer can stir their drink, and the colour-change will alert them to the presence of drugs like Rohypnol and GHB.

Drinkspiking outcry silenced

The Olive Press launches a campaign against drink-spiking, see page 2

olive press

the

In your face!

Olive Press discovers shameless, jailed and struck off nurse giving botox injections on Costa del Sol

ay! tod following a New Year’s Eve party in Murcia made international headlines before Christmas. Three Lebanese men, who deny the allegations, were arrested then released on bail.

the spiking

World of its Own

The sisters aged 18, 20 and 23 flew back to Ohio and are being kept informed of police inquiries. The Olive Press launched a campaign against drink spiking in 2014.

com

info@spainbuyingguide. spainbuyingguide.com

LAZING on a sun lounger with unparalleled views across five months of the year. The 40-foot high pile of dirt has the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco’s Atlas mountains. been excavated from the neighbouring hillside to make way property agents to That was the life of British expat Steve BlundellFrom in Marbella, for legal advice, we have all the a new development of 25 homes called The Cape. expertise place. and his neighbours have filed a denuncia against debefore a new property development ‘blocked’ his view.you need in oneSteve The Solihull financial worker, 55, is demanding action over veloper Gugu Home, while they calculate the giant earth a huge pile of rubble that has left his view of 20 years ‘oblit- mound will cost €1 million to shift. erated’. He is fuming that an enormous pile of construction “Our view has been completely ruined by this pile of rubrubble was dumped just me- ble,” Steve told the Olive Press, “Our houses are covered in tres in front of his swimming dust. 694 473 055 pool. “Everyone is extremely angry, people spent their life savings info@spainbuyingguide.com He has now filed a denuncia, on this place. spainbuyingguide.com alongside neighbours, to have “The reason I bought this house in 2000 was 100% because the 1,000 tonnes of construc- of the view. tion debris urgently removed. “You can see Gibraltar and the Atlas mountains, it’s the best It currently ruins the mostly view on the Costa del Sol.” green Cabopino urbanization, Prices for the new ‘Cape’ homes, on the first line of Cabopiwhere the dad-of-two spends no Golf Course start at €750,000. Malaga

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SMASH

blaming. The nathe tional spiking broadsheet was interested to discover how other countries and clubs are tackling it. The in-depth investigation was looking into the amount of victims who do not come forward for fear of not being believed. It highlighted how the serious crime of drugging drinks - which can lead to a prison sentence of up to five years - is often being ignored around the UK and Europe. It supported our campaign and appealed for more victims to come forward. To read the article, visit www.theguardian.com

GETTING READY TO RUMBLE Sol Centro Comercial Cala 17 Boulevard La Cala

Let HiFX help you

THE British Consulate has joined the offensive against reach your sexual attacks in Spanish holdestination. iday hotspots. Vol. 8 Issue 193 www.theolivepress.es August 7 - August 20 2014 Will Middleton, the British www.hifx.co.uk consular director for Spain, instigated a series of dramatic posters warning British tourists how to stay safe on nights out. ‘Don’t walk home alone or with someone you don’t trust, it could cost you your life’, read one poster. ‘Keep an eye on your drink: It only takes a second for your night out to book, Linkedin and by word turn into a nightmare’, said of mouth, operates out of his another. own home as well as visiting However, Ibiza’s tourist inclients’ both on the coast and Hill, 52, was also struck off in dustry has shockingly siExclusive regularly back in England. a hearing of the Nursing and lenced Middleton’s attempt The UK Nursing Council’s By Tom P0well Midwifery Council in August to crackdown on drink-spikhearing report on Hill, who ing and sexual assaults by A MENTAL health nurse who 2011, banning him from pracqualified as a mental health Recently retired Premiership banning the posters. was sacked and jailed for tor- tising as a nurse in England. nurse in 1983, states: “There footballer-turned-MarbellaThe Consulate’s warnings turing an 85-year-old demen- But he did not attend the is no evidence before the businessman David Bentley come just weeks after the tia patient is giving botox in- hearing, with UK newspapers panel of either insight or reon living in Spain reporting he was working at a Olive Press launched its own jections on the Costa del Sol. morse.” campaign against drink-spikSee Page 21 David Hill was imprisoned botox clinic in Spain. A spokeswoman for the ing – called Smash the Spikfor six months in 2010, after Fast forward four years and Council, Ann Brown, told the pleading guilty to ‘degrading the Olive Press has traced Olive Press that by moving to and humiliating’ wheelchair- Hill, now living with his wife Spain, Hill now comes under bound Dorothy Tunstall at a in a luxury villa in the Atalaya ‘the jurisdiction of the equivUK care home in St Helens, development, Estepona, and alent Spanish authority’. working as a self-employed Liverpool. Hill: Jailed for abuse Judge Robert Warnock told ‘aesthetic practitioner’. No remorse Hill at Liverpool Crown But when client Natalie Rose Court: “You grossly abused discovered his unsavoury what he had done in St Hel- “He cannot practise as a nurse your patient’s trust, appar- past via a Google search, she ens I was amazed, shocked in England but according to a February 2014 report, it apently for your own perverse immediately raised the alarm and upset. “My mum had dementia and pears non-registered people bell. enjoyment. “You force-fed her, you “I’ve known David for three he was so sympathetic with can still administer Botox in flicked food in her face and years, I even introduced him me, but now I am appalled, he the UK,” she confirmed. you put her in a hoist and to people in Coin and helped must have no shame,” added However, the Spanish minisspun her around when you him advertise on Facebook,” Rose, who has lived in Coin try of health confirmed that British expat Rose told the with her family for 11 years. to administer botox in Spain, Retracing seminal 1960s’ knew she was terrified.” Olive Press. “When I saw Hill, who advertises on Face- you must be a qualified doc- Costa del Sol novel ing – following an exclusive tor and registered. investigation into attacks in See Page 22 And the Ocean Clinic in MarSpain’s most popular holiday bella confirmed: “You need destinations. to be a qualified doctor to adThe investigation revealed a minister Botox in Spain, and complete absence of official registered with the Ministry statistics in Spain regardof Health.” ing reports of drink-spiking When contacted by the Olive – from police, hospitals and Press, Hill stated that he is a town halls – despite rumours ‘fully trained and legal aesthat this type of crime is on thetic practitioner’, working the increase. in both Spain and England. Our aims are simple: more “I was told I did not need a statistics, better policing, certificate from the Ministry clearer advice. of Health to administer botox The Olive Press is currently and fillers in Spain,” he said, in communication with the while expressing no remorse British consul, town halls in for his previous actions. A look at the high life in Continues page 2 More than 65,000 people sign petition demanding a stop to Donkey “I went to prison for some- our Sotogrande supplement carousels - see page 11 thing I didn’t do,” he claimed. See Pages 25-31

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It came after an investigation discovered that dozens of people had become victims during nights out on the Costa del Sol. One victim was BBC sports reporter Alan Tait who woke up the next day in a ‘coma-like state’ after being drugged The issue is understood to have worsened over recent years.

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IT’S AN ILL WIND FOR RESERVOIRS MALAGA’S depleted reservoirs gained 35 hectometres of water as Storm Gloria wreaked havoc on the Costas. The increase is the approximate equivalent of four months water consumption for the province, although it is still far short of last year’s total when winter rains saw levels increased to 45 hectometre La Conception in Marbella gained 10 hectometers, taking it to 64% capacity, while the Axarquia’s La Vinuela reservoir stands at 33% capacity. Across Andalucia the reservoirs are 49% full after the storms, 8% less than last year.

GREEN

February 5th - February 18th 2020

Buckle up By Joshua Parfitt

A LEADING climatologist believes tempests such as the deadly storm Gloria are likely to hit with increasing frequency due to climate change. Jorge Olcina, president of the Spanish Geographers’ Association, said the four record-breaking ‘gota fria’ events that rocked the country over the past 12 months were directly linked to changes in the North Atlantic jet stream. He explained that this fast-flowing current of air is beginning to ‘circulate’ at much lower altitudes

Climatologist says Spain must prepare itself for regular deadly storms – instead of moving in a ‘straight line’ from west to east – and sending unusual pockets of polar air across Europe. “This process is directly related to global warming, which is most intensely felt in the Arctic Basin,” Olcina told the Olive Press. “We need to get used to storms like Gloria, which will hit us with increasing frequency.

STAYING PUT

STORKS have stopped migrating to Africa for winter preferring to spend the cold months in Spain instead. Only about 20% currently make the journey across the straits, due to global warming, revealed SEO/Birdlife. The majority are staying in Spain, instead of heading to warmer climes in countries, including Mauritania, Senegal and Nigeria. It is far safer staying in Spain, where they continue to forage at the many landfill sites around the region.

“The only thing we can do is better prepare ourselves to resist the torrential rains and winds.” Olcina said the four ‘gota fria’ events that first hit Eastern Spain in April, September, October and now January were all caused by cold polar air meeting with the warm, humid Med air. The storm that hit in April was the largest Easter storm for 73 years, while September saw the worst flooding in 140 years in Alicante. Meanwhile, Storm Gloria - which claimed at least 13 lives - was declared the worst winter storm since 1983. One beachfront home owner at Denia’s Les Deveses beach, which lost up to 50m of sand according to satellite imagery, said the January destruction was ‘unprecedented’. “I’ve only been here 18 years, but we’ve spoken to people who were born here, and they’ve never seen anything like it,” Guillermo Lluc told the Olive Press. “It is obviously to do with climate change. If you can’t see it, you’re blind,” he added.

Make it for mollusks A PROJECT to promote an endangered species on the Costa del Sol has been launched. Ecologistas en Accion has embarked on a project for the protection of marine mollusks, known as the Patella ferruginea. The endemic gastropod is listed as a threatened species in danger of extinction. Illegal shellfishing is one of the main threats for the endangered species. A travelling exhibition is heading around the Campo de Gibraltar, Murcia, Almeria, Velez-Malaga and Nerja. The disappearance globally constitutes a clear sign of environmental impact increasingly visible in our environment.

LA CULTURA That’s the Forget Notting Hill ticket Spain’s most famous palace just made it a whole lot easier to get tickets

THE Alhambra Palace has a new system for ticket sales making prices far fairer. From next month, 70% of tickets will be made available for purchase only via the official website, call centre, or in person at the site. The attraction – which was recently ranked number 11th most popular European destination – allows only a certain amount of visitors every day.

This means that tickets need to be bought well in advance and last minute tourists go to extreme lengths to get one. Until now, a staggering 49% of tickets went to travel agencies, with only 29% being available to the general public. However the system had its flaws as some agencies reserve tickets three months before possible use and do not have to confirm or pay for them until three days

before. The system led to corruption and over-pricing and meant that if the agencies didn’t sell them they were often going unused. Many agencies sold the tickets at inflated prices, often to secondary agencies or individuals, who charged up to ten times the actual price. The Granada monument attracts 2.7 million visitors each year, making it Spain’s most visited attraction.

Buried treasure

A NEW Costa del Sol hotel will have a fabulous extra attraction. Estepona’s Ikos Andalucia hotel has a Roman site on its grounds. Workers at the swish spa resort on El Saladillo beach, Guadalmansa, unearthed a series of pools used in the processing and preparation of fish sauces (garum) and salted fish - a large part of Andalucia’s economy in Roman times. A large collection of first century pottery has also been found. The ruins will be preserved as an additional attraction in the hotel gardens.

OSCAR CALLING

MALAGA has been nominated as one of the most upand-coming cultural cities in the world. But Andalucia’s second city will face stiff competition from popular tourist destination Marrakech and the Georgian capital Tbilisi, at the Leading Culture Destination (LCD) Awards. The awards, dubbed the ‘Oscars for Museums’, highlight the world’s best cultural initiatives and hives. Now in their sixth edition, the ceremony is being held in Berlin instead of London for the first time. A total of 50 cultural destinations in 26 countries are shortlisted for the March awards in five categories.

February 5th - February 18th 2020

THE annual Carnaval de Casares returns on March 7, promising a cracking family day out, with plenty on offer for little ones. The event kicks off at 12:00pm with a children’s costume party and a parade later in the day. There will also be various games, prizes and then an adult’s party, which is set to last until midnight.

Happy days

Happiness for Humans by P. Z. Reizin

This is a modern take on the idea of ‘The Gods’ interfering in the lives of humans. In this case it is the form of a sentient, selfaware AI named Aiden who decides to play cupid. Jen is a journalist who has been hired by a tech company to interact with Aiden so it can sound more human. However, no one realises that Aiden has escaped onto the internet. When Jen is dumped by her boyfriend, Aiden decides to find her the perfect partner. Reizin had written a heart-warming romantic comedy with elements of a mystery. The characters are endearing and the story is witty, original and fun. €11.90, Available from The Bookshop San Pedro - www.thebookshop.es

LA CULTURA

February 5th - February 18th 2020

what’s on

oarsome

EXPERIENCE your own Jurassic Park in Malaga from February 1, with life-size dinosaur models filling the large marquee on Malaga fairground. Tickets are €8.

L Oro de Klimt

TAKE in the exhibition on the works of famous Austrian artist Gustav Klimt between Muelle Uno and Muelle Dos in Malaga, on until April 19.

ocking Around

PARTY with the Rocking’ Race Festival in Torremolinos from February 6-9, including performances from American Doug Kershaw, Las Mambo Jambo from Barcelona and The Blue Cats from Britain.

iva Vivaldi

IMMERSE yourself in a concert featuring the music of Vivaldi presented by the Asosiacion Promusica at the Teatro Canovas in Malaga on Saturday February 29 at 18:00 and March 1 at 12:00.

iesta de la Matanza

PARTICIPATE in a festival to celebrate the annual killing of the pig with portions of the traditional botones consisting of cooked meats and pork in gravy in Ardales on February 9.

BREAKING THE MOLD

ELD up by armed robbers in Britain, shunned by the art world in Belgium, forced to put down his brushes and take up the tools of a trade for half his working life – David Grice once earned five figures for some of his pieces but he also knows what it means to be a struggling artist. But that’s all hopefully in the past. From their new home in the picture postcard village of Canillas de Aceituno in the hills of the Axarquia David, his artist wife Carol and their three cats are starting a fresh canvas. Now in their 70s, the couple are desperately seeking an outlet to display David’s outstanding collection of avant garde sculptures and paintings and re-establish his name in the ultra competitive world of contemporary art. The first thing you notice when you walk in the door is walls filled with paintings and bass relief works. Each piece has a backstory, enthusiastically told with such detail you’d think they’d been finished yesterday, although some

“But we had to leave after He grew up in the we had a series of armed roberries. I came face to next town to David face with an intruder and Hockney and was was threatened with a we just had to making a name in the hammer; say enough is enough!” art world until life got in the way. 30 years Extraordinary Deciding to try their luck on, sculptor, poet and in Belgium, they set up painter David Grice is shop in Antwerp’s diadistrict. The Orthostaging his comeback mond dox Jewish neighbourfrom Spain, as James hood inspired David to create a collection of Warren reports surrealist paintings depieces go back to the 1970s. David has lived and breathed art since he was a lad. “You might say it’s in my blood,” he tells the Olive Press. He was an early pioneer of the recycled art movement, using discarded items to create cutting edge sculptures and inventing the startling ‘Super Surreal Baroque’ genre. A contemporary of world-renowned pop artist David Hockney, although nine years his junior, David grew up in the next door Yorkshire town of Saltaire, in the shadow of the now famous Salts Mill which houses one of the world’s largest Hockney collections. A rebel, like Hockney, he even studied graphic design at the same art college in Bradford. But from there, the artists’ paths diverged. After his parents’ break up, David was forced to give up his studies and went into the building trade with his uncle. He’d hit 40 by the time he could afford to give up his day job to focus full time on his artwork. Opening a gallery in Saltaire, he quickly made a name for himself, buying and selling antiques and artwork, often for price tags with four noughts. “We started the business from scratch, we found a ruin and did it up, put a car park in, restored the whole thing, it was lovely,” recalls Carol.

picting the extraordinary faces and characters he saw (see below). But the Belgium art world proving to be very insular and difficult to crack. “The locals did not care for foreigners and even more so foreign artists,” says David. After five years of trying to recover the momentum they’d gained in Britain, in 2010 they moved to Spain, renting a number of apartments before falling in love with Canillas. Since then David has been busy adding to his collection of spectacular sculptures using items of scrap, lovingly transformed into art through his deviant imagination. The pair still hope there is still a worldwide market for David’s surreal brand of sculpture, providing they can find an agent to help them promote their pieces to a wider audience. With luck, it will unlock the door back into the art world and bring some wfinancial stability to their Spanish idyll.

CREATIVE: David and one of his creations

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SURREAL: Orthodox Jews and a fish and (right) a version of a cross

February 5th - February 18th 2020

Tucked away in a rugged mountain redoubt north of Granada is Castellón Alto, an ancient abandoned settlement that should be on your must-see list this year. And it’s not just the breathtaking views that will captivate you, writes Nick Nutter

LA CULTURA

The Secret Acropolis

OU need to go back to between 2200 BC and 1550 BC, that the Argaric people roamed the south of Spain. Covering southeast of the Iberian peninsula, from Granada to Alicante and from Almeria to Ciudad Real, these ancient Bronze Age folk were way before their time. Indeed, thousands of years

CLOSE TO HOME: Burial ‘cysts’ were often under the house before the Romans they developed expertise in using bronze, particularly for weaponry, as well as creating sophisticated pottery and ceramic techniques. They also mined and worked silver and gold and, above all, developed a more sophisticated society than anything that had come before. For starters, the old fashioned

communal tombs were abandoned in favour of individual burials in ‘cysts’, often beneath each family’s own dwelling. There also appeared to be three levels of society. The upper and middle classes had access to metal and weapons and the lower class were basically slaves. The refinement of their work in metals and pottery allowed them to extend a trading network established by their predecessors, the people of Los Millares. These people are known today as the ‘Argaric people’ and their culture is called the Argar culture. It was about 1900 BC that the Argaric people built a fortified settlement near the village of Galera (pop: 1,130) in Granada’s little-visited and populated Altiplano region. On a craggy spur on the banks in the valley, each separated of the river Castillejar, the from the other by three kiloplace became metres. known as CasAt its peak, Castellón Alto, and tellón Alto is beSocial structure it is an amazing lieved to have was determined housed about place for both histor y -lover s 80 inhabitants and anyone by which terrace and it grew unwith a joy of each family lived til around 1600 getting out into BC, when it was on nature. suddenly abanThe site covers doned. about half a Built on a spur hectare and overlooks a fer- of the river, terraces were cut tile plain known as the Baza– out of the rock to provide a flat Huescar plateau, the two key surface on which the houses towns of the surrounding area. were built. It is one of four Argaric sites Each house had a low stone

BOUNDARIES: Spain was divided by tribal lines in 2000 BC

foundation sat on the bedrock and then posts, made of pine, supported the walls and roof. The posts were set in the bedrock and held firmly in place with wooden wedges. Two further posts acted as door jambs, while the door itself comprised of an esparto grass mat, similar to the ones still woven in Andalucia today. The walls were cane or interwoven branches of tamarisk, broom, poplar, willow or rushes, bound together with mud or gypsum plaster. The flat roof was a frame of pine supporting interwoven material thickly impregnated with mud that then baked in the sun. But most interestingly was each inhabitant’s position in the social structure, which was determined by which terrace they lived on. The construction of the settlement, around a buttress of rock, made defence easy, the whole structure resembles a fortress. Crowning the settlement is an area called the Acropolis and it was up here, in this walled area, that the community leaders had their homes. A total of nine graves, all cyst type burials beneath the dwellings, have been found within the Acropolis, compared to a total of 130 tombs on the whole site. One of the Acropolis tombs

February 5th - February 18th 2020

SCALE: The homes of the village leaders were at the top of the hill

SITE: Castellon Alto is in a rugged area contained a bowl, a jar, a halberd (a two-handed pole weapon) and, even, a short copper sword, all indicating the high position held by the deceased. Unfortunately, the other tombs on the Acropolis have been affected by erosion and clandestine pillaging. The Acropolis had its own wa-

ter cistern that would have been kept topped up by the serfs, who had to bring their own water as well up from the river far down below. As with modern towns, the settlement was not full built to start with, rather it developed over the whole period of occupation. The various phases

of construction are well explained at Castellรณn Alto. It is a great place to visit today and the majority of the site is well preserved and a huge amount of information has been gleaned about the Argar people and their culture. Anthropological study has shown that the people were typical Mediterranean types, of average height and slim build. The average height of a man was 1.67 metres and that of a woman 1.57 metres. A newborn child could expect to live about 23 years with only 3.5% surviving to the age of 60 years. The diet was primarily vegetarian with a little meat. Not unexpectedly the upper echelons of society tended to live longer and eat more meat.

DOORWAYS: Were made of elaborate esparto blinds that are still woven in Andalucia today

Why Castellon Alto was abandoned Beneath the settlement, extending down the valley sides to the irrigated land along the river, was a thick growth of holm-oak and Aleppo pine. The Argaric people of Castellรณn Alto denuded the valley sides of trees that they used for fuel and building. It is likely that this is the reason for it being abandoned after only 300 years.

Tours of Castellon Alto Tours of the site are conducted at set times and days throughout the year. Please check with the official website for opening times. The numerous informational plaques around the site are, unfortunately, only in Spanish, which is a pity because they display masses of information. The guide also only speaks Spanish. However, if when you book the tour, you ask for information in English, you will be presented with a plastic folder containing 16 sheets of A4 paper, each one a translation of the information on the plaques. For more info visit:

Nick Nutter owns travel website Visit Andalucia (www.visit-andalucia.com)

www.juntadeandalucia.es/ cultura/enclaves/enclave-arqueologico-castellon-alto

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RECORD: Waves of up to 14m lashed Mallorca this week

Climate emergency declared as recordbreaking storm Gloria leaves 12 dead

ACTION STATIONS By Joshua Parﬁtt

declaring a landmark state of ‘climate emergency’ for the entire country. The PSOE leader surveyed the devas-

edented ‘climate change law’ expected within 100 days, following in the steps of scores of countries across the world. The island was hit badly, with heavy rainfall and giant waves in the fourth just ‘gota fria’ storm to hit Spain in one year (see panel left). Sa Dragonera saw record 14-metre waves, twice the height of a double decker bus, crash down onto the roof terrace of a hotel, as shocked holidaymakers clung for their lives. Videos posted on the Olive Press webit WASHED UP: Trio of boats site show the moment as they filmed from a fourth floor. on Thursday. Gusts of up to 110 kilometres per hour schoolforce 9 winds wrought havoc Gale were recorded in Capdepera, while 150 with 115km/h winds recorded in Oliva emergency services responded to and waves reaching a record-breaking separate incidents. ran 8.44m in Valencia. Some supermarkets reportedly 12 people have died around out of stock due to ferries not being So far, with a further four missing Spain, able to dock. Cataa around the Balearic Islands and Meanwhile, victim, age 44, died in bridge running over lunya. The first when a truck lost the Tordera river Asturias on Sunday snowfall and crashed has collapsed in control in heavy he was putting on into his car while Catalunya. Spain snow chains. Across died people The following day a 63-year-old 200,000 he was struck by a roof have been left in Avila after a 70-year-old man without electricity, tile. Meanwhile while 130,000 chilContinues on Page 5 dren did not attend

tation in the port of Cala Rajada and agreed to declare a ‘catastrophe zone’ in Mallorca as of today (Friday). Sanchez also insisted ecological transition would now be at the ‘forefront’ of government action with an unprec-

We’ve all gota learn

Untitled-1.pdf

vawith warmer air, the rising humidand pours immediately condense in drop a massive quantity of water one burst. In Orihuela in September than over 400mm of water fell in less an48 hours, nearly twice the town’s to nual average precipitation, due to a freak gota fría. The term refers only this unique weather event that is used in the western Mediterannean.

by A gota fría (cold drop) is causedthat pockets of arctic or polar air Eumove southeast across western rope before meeting the warmer, Alihumid Med climate, according to cante scientist Jorge Olcina. at The cold blast becomes ‘isolated’ term high altitude, hence its spanish High Depression at DANA, or Isolated 15:36 16/06/2017 Altitudes. When coming into contact

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to safety from the water? It seems to me to have been a terrible tragic accident; but if t h e r e h a v e b e e n p r o b lems with the pool then they should be exposed. B u t please, this is certainly a time when a warning should go out to all those w h o come on holiday to Spain, that just because we have a bright sunny day – the water temperatures in swimm i n g pools, unless heated, are certainly not what you would ever see in a UK s w i m m i n g pool. I was brought up in the N o r t h East of England where our outdoor pool was on the beach at Tynemouth and the w a t e r temp was 10°C at the annual opening of the pool in Easter to a maximum of 16°C in the summer. The sea temperature wo u l d never rise above 17°C. These are very different to the levels that we experience here.John

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stoic sacrifice

GIBRALTAR

The Gibraltar International Chess Festival returns to the Rock

see page 20

The nearly man becomes the Main Man, as Pedro Sanchez forms a government in Spain after a turbulent two year wait

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OVERWHELMED: Podemos’ Pablo Iglesias in tears after the coalition victory Nationalist Block, Teruel Existe and Nueva CaIn his letter, he referred to the two narias. men’s desire to look beyond ‘the eternal issue’ shared It was no surprise who voted against of soverthe lefteignty and he extended the hand of wing coalition, with 165 MPs from friendship on the Partido behalf of the people of Gibraltar. Popular, Vox, Ciudadanos, Junts per Catalunya, He also offered his support for the Navarra Suma and others saying 'no'. promotion of ‘policies based on the principle of The left erupted into applause, with dialogue, unsome shedderstanding and co-operation between ding tears, when it was revealed that Sanchez our respective people’. had clinched the vote. Key to Sanchez’s victory was the Representatives screamed 'si, se puede!' abstention while the pro-independence Catalan Republican of Sanchez hugged Iglesias, who was photographed Left party (ERC), which agreed to sit out in tears. Spain’s most recent election the vote after Sanchez vowed to find a solution fourth in as many years as the country was the to the pofailed to litical conflict that has dogged Spain form a cohesive government. since lunya’s separatist regional government Cata“It’s great news for Spain,” leading tried to expat Hissecede in 2017. panist, Sir Ian Gibson told the Olive Press. “There are going to be lots of compromises, but also solutions.” Terrorists He added: “Sanchez is an amazing man The government’s opponents argue Sanchez’ it’s remarkable to think he stuck it out and ‘Frankenstein government’ will be after too beholdbeing kicked out of his own party and en to Catalan separatists and pose then a threat to came fighting back. Spain’s national unity. “He has the qualities of a true statesman While Sanchez appealed for calm, and called on and speaks very well. He will be a great MPs to overcome the ‘atmosphere asof irritation’, set for Europe.” his adversaries went on the offensive. Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian PP leader Pablo Casado, accused him Picardo of also sent a letter of congratulation ‘extremist’ who had left the country’s being an to Sanfuture in chez on being re-elected, after ‘a tortuous the hands of ‘terrorists and coup-mongers’. and fractious debate’. In a tweet sent after the vote, Sanchez “Spain is entering a time for defending wrote: dialogue and useful politics. A government for all people that restores co-existence and fights for social justice. Today is the dawn of a time of moderation, progress and hope.” Spain’s new coalition is expected to See page 23 roll out a policy of raising income tax for people in Spain who earn more than €130,000.

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THE UK is failing British children overseas, as numerous paedophiles are being allowed to travel overseas to commit sex crimes, a new report has found. Dozens of dangerous sex offenders are being allowed to live around Europe, many in countries like Spain. In the hard hitting report, released yesterday, British expats have requested consular assistance numerous times over child sex and child pornography offences. a The findings have been released in 74-page report by the Truth Project, which is part of Britain’s in-depth Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Footing the bill

A THIEF has been caught after leaving his shoes behind at a crime scene. It happened after a resident of Palma heard rumbling in his garage – when he went to investigate he found his valuables in a pile by the door ready to be taken. of Mysteriously, he also found a pair someone else's shoes next to them.to Police were called and arrived find a barefoot Spaniard on the street nearby. The 26-year-old was already known for similar break-ins and has now been charged.

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The nearly man becomes the Main Man, as Pedro Sanchez forms a government in Spain after a turbulent two year wait

Shocking

It found that UK offenders ‘figure highly’ in the numbers of sex crimes against British children abroad. According to the report, from March 31, 2018, only around 0.2% of the in 58,637 registered sex offenders England and Wales had their foreign travel restricted. It says that the disclosure and barring service is ‘confusing, inconsistent and in need of reform’. A shocking 361 suspected child sex abuse cases were recorded between in 2013 and 2017 alone. In 2018, Spain alone, around five Brits were arrested for child sex offences, according to data by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Up to five more Brits in Spain were held for child porn charges in the same year, although the exact figures are not given.

SEALED: Handshake from King confirms Sanchez as leader

He also offered his support for the Iglesias’s Podemos party and a promotion of ‘policies based on the “While there are going to be Pabloof other parties. host “QUICK, simple and painless. The Press: of compromises, there will also It helped that 18 MPs, the majority principle of dialogue, understanding pain comes later,” King Felipe told lotssolutions.” and co-operation between our reincoming Prime Minister Pedro San- be Madrid-based writer, who has from Catalunya, abstained. over spective people’. chez at a swearing in ceremony yes- The in Spain for half a century, add- It means Sanchez will preside in Key to Sanchez’s victory was the ablived the first coalition government of stention of the pro-independence terday. “I’m delighted. He’s an amazing death The PSOE leader will certainly hope ed: and it’s remarkable to think he Spain since 1977 after the Catalan party, the ERC, after Santo the of dictator Franco. not, having had to endure an agoniz- man stuck it out after being kicked out Podemos, chez vowed to find a solution ing two year wait and three general his own party and then fighting back. The coalition, includes conflict that has dogged Spain since PNV, Más País, Compromís, Galego government elections to get this far. at “He has the qualities of a true states- Nationalist Block, Teruel Existe and Catalunya’s separatist It was his second recent attempt tried to secede in 2017. man and speaks very well. Nueva Canarias. an investiture since the Socialists The government’s opponents argue The parties opposing included the Sanchez’ ‘Frankenstein government’ won the most seats in December’s Frankenstein PP, Vox, Ciudadanos, Junts per Cata- will be too beholden to Catalan sepageneral election, but failed to win an Navarra Suma. to Spain’s overall majority. He will be a great asset for Europe,” lunya and was the ratists and pose a threat And Sanchez, 47, pulled out all the added the Hispanist, who has penned Spain’s most recent election country national unity. PP leader Pablo Casafourth in as many years as the books on Spain. stops as he cracked heads at a mamdo accused him of being an ‘extremin numerous a cohesive government. future moth two-day weekend session Sanchez was sworn in at Zarzuela failed to form Fabian ist’ who had left the country’s Madrid, after which he finally won Palace after winning a second vote of Gibraltar’s Chief Minister in the hands of ‘terrorists and coupPicardo sent a letter of congratula- mongers’. the vote by two seats. confidence. re-elected, is expected to After years of instability, it is ‘great MPs voted by a knife-edge 167 votes tion to Sanchez on being fractious de- Spain’s new coalition news for Spain’ insisted one of the to 165 to support Sanchez’s left-wing after ‘a tortuous and roll out a policy of raising income tax 15:36 best known1expats. 16/06/2017 country’s coalition government, propped up by bate’. Untitled-1.pdf for people in Spain who earn more Irish author Ian Gibson told the Olive than €130,000. Sanchez has als0 sent a message that economic management is a priority in his new government, by keeping on Maria Jesus Montero (left) in the Treasury. However, in a further sign of loyalty, he has also awarded her the new poUK BASED sition of ‘spokesperson of the Coalition Executive’. Opinion Page 6

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‘Cover up’ EXCLUsIVE By Joshua Parfitt

ONE of the world’s leading experts on swimming pool deaths has flown to Spain to investigate the tragic drownings of three British citizens on Christmas Eve. Allen Wilson, a health and safety expert who has worked on numerous drowning cases around Europe, arrived on the Costa del Sol yesterday. He told the Olive Press last night he believed the pool, where British tourists Gabriel Diya, 52 Comfort Diya, nine, and Praise-Emmanuel Diya, 16, died on Christmas Eve, was ‘hazardous’. He insisted the Club La Costa World (CLC) resort in Fuengirola - which he is set to visit this week - was ‘most likely to blame’ for the shock deaths of the trio.

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swOrN IN January 9th - January 22nd 2020

The nearly man becomes the Main Man, as Pedro Sanchez forms a government in Spain after a turbulent two year wait

Wilson claimed the pool’s design with just one floor ‘outlet’ – instead of two – could have created an ‘excessive suction vacuum’ and dragged them under water. It flies in the face of the Guardia il’s official investigation, which Civconcluded the three died as a result of their ‘inability to swim’. Their controversial report was thrown into jeopardy, however, when mother and wife Olubunmi Diya insisted all three could swim. Her lawyer, Fuengirola-based Javier Toro, later insisted daughter fort had even taken lessons a Com‘week before the holiday’. Toro told the Olive Press this week that ‘many lines of investigation remained open’. SEALED: Handshake Wilson, however, went further from King confirms to claim the report done by the police Sanchez as leader “QUICK, simple and painless. was a ‘cover up’ to protect the Spanpain comes later,” King Felipe The Press: “While there are going to be from Catalunya, ish tourist industry, the resort abstained. and incoming Prime Minister Pedro told lots of compromises, there will also It means and co-operation between our the tour operators. Sanchez will preside rechez at a swearing in ceremony San- be solutions.” “It stinks,” Wilson, who has worked the first coalition governmentover spective people’. yes- The Madrid-based writer, in Key to Sanchez’s victory terday. for leading European tour operators who was the ablived in Spain for half a century, has Spain since 1977 after the death of stention The PSOE leader will certainly of the pro-independence add- dictator Franco. hope ed: “I’m delighted. He’s not, having had to endure an agonizCatalan party, the ERC, after an amazing The coalition, Sanincludes Podemos, Continues on Page 4 ing two year wait and three general man and it’s remarkable to think he PNV, Más País, Compromís, Galego chez vowed to find a solution to the stuck it out after being kicked out elections to get this far. conflict that has dogged Spain of Nationalist Block, Teruel since his own party and then fighting Existe and Catalunya’s separatist It was his second recent attempt back. Nueva Canarias. government at “He has the qualities of an investiture since the Socialists tried to secede in 2017. a true states- The parties opposing included the The government’s won the most seats in December’s man and speaks very well. He will be PP, Vox, Ciudadanos, opponents argue a great asset for Europe,” added Junts per Cata- Sanchez’ ‘Frankenstein general election, but failed to win the lunya and Navarra government’ an Hispanist, who has penned overall majority. will be too numer- Spain’s most recentSuma. ous books on Spain. election was the aratists andbeholden to Catalan sepAnd Sanchez, 47, pulled out all pose a threat to Spain’s fourth in as many the Sanchez was sworn in stops as he cracked heads at a mamat Zarzuela failed to form a years as the country national unity. PP leader Pablo cohesive government. Casado Palace after winning a second vote moth two-day weekend session accused him of being an ‘exof Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Madrid, after which he finally in confidence. Picardo sent a letter of congratula- tremist’ who had left the country’s won MPs voted by a knife-edge the vote by two seats. future in the hands of ‘terrorists 167 votes tion to Sanchez and on being re-elected, coup-mongers’. to 165 to support Sanchez’s left-wing After years of instability, it is after ‘a tortuous and fractious ‘great coalition government, de- Spain’s new coalition is news for Spain’ insisted one of propped up by bate’. expected the Pablo Iglesias’s Podemos country’s best known expats. roll out a policy of raising income to party and a He also offered tax his support for host of other parties. Irish author Ian Gibson told the promotion of ‘policies based on the for people in Spain who earn more Olive It helped that 18 MPs, the than €130,000. the majority principle of dialogue, understanding Opinion Page 6 Tel. (+34) 96 649 18 29 info@hispaniahomes.es www.hispaniahomes.co.uk

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cold shock

Dear Olive Press, I have read and watched many reports about why this tragedy occurred (Diving in, Issue 334). in our communal pool in Benahavis every

Get educated

I swim essentially, as a political Moore sees the EU, Rose of our communias president andproud, year and day of the Issue 325, pg 7). The (Leave dictatorship to ensure that the pool is responsibility ty have There are 28 sovereign states, opposite. is thethe reality safe. the UK, which voluntarily chose to become including of year the time believes at this HoweverSteve would the UKtemperature thatwater Dunne associated. Eve our pool Christmas to 11°C now down I’m not going to Notonso. terms.and on WTO fairisbetter cold. is still, – this page at 13°C wasdown quoting chapter and byexceptionally your letters weigh in water at to swimming persons used those Onlybut looks into the into that Steve I recommend verse, going contemplate should knows. temperatures these of That Trump any industry that he warmer, specifics and if you look actually sea is the a pool with an EU-free UKinshould deal a trade to –get is trying the sea at of people swimming theallnumbers trade deals you want to know: Trump’s tellatyou the sea evenspeaks you will realise Christmas for temMahler Brentthat US-first labels. Finally, have person. to the average not enjoyable arecitizens peratures force wary of an EU armed of UK a number jumping into that can occur to anyone these are ideasshock ever closer union. However, an reaction andThe serious will cause that temperature waterbyofspecific EU policy. I am and people and notwearing floated in jumped40-plus whoinsidious anyone andworried of proyears clothes at the more out of their water them into the who followed shoes against Telegraph, Mail, the EEC/EU by the paganda be in serious difficulty in my wouldand, depth Times course, The Sun. What did of opinion, Express, very quickly. why he was so an-has to say when he was asked but Murdoch the question occurrence was a tragic ThisSomething I go into the lines of: “When along ti-EU? of cold degrees these – were EU.” The to the I go whento say: used what Ithey they do 10asked No.be were the family in the competent how water? Just to ask for an appointment! any he had is that implication

water? Were they clothed? and did they have knowledge of lifesaving techniques to get someone

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ll about

Dr Dolittle

big city life

I brought seven animals back to the UK (A dog is for life, Issue 334, pg 10). Two dogs and five cats. That was ten years ago now. I still have the two dogs and two of the cats. They’re now all 14 years old. There’s no way I would have left them. Susan Hargreaves, Wales

I never understand people who live in the heart of the city, wanting perfect peace and quiet. If you want to live in silence move to the campo! Otherwise just understand you are a city dweller. At least it’s not 300 years ago, with raw sewage running down the streets. Alex Brown, Malaga

Fine balance

Not pedantic

I lived above a bar in Brussels for three years. Sometimes it got a bit much, but a pair of ear plugs helped. Cities are not JUST for bars and cafes though, and when you drive residents out because of noise and overcrowding, you get a dead city. Balance. Careful planning. I think the council are trying to do that and should be supported. Heath Savage, Galicia

I mention this only because you may want to correct it, if indeed you concede (Air heads, Issue 334, pg 10), 95 klms square is a vast area. I suspect it was 95 square klms. I’m not being pedantic, it’s much more than a Freudian slip. I do enjoy your crossword, why don’t you do a cryptic one. This is not worthy of print, just a friendly note. Others will notice. William Carr, Malaga

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Caña give it a rest

Malaga is now swamped with bars and restaurants. Hardly any shops that sell everyday products now exist. Almost every building being restored is destined for holiday lets. Add in the hundreds of electric scooters and segways making it difficult to walk the narrow streets, and you see how everything has been sacrificed for tourism. Andrew Birch, Malaga

ryanair model

Why can’t these airlines make profits? (Airline Flybe saved by British Government deal that includes tax break, Online, January 14) Perhaps they should look at the dreaded Ryanair model. Neil Hollow, Fuente de Piedra

Has anything piqued your interest in this week’s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing letters@ theolivepress.es or message us on at www.facebook.com/OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @olivepress

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We will be thinking about you and your family at this sad time (Paws for thought, Issue 334, pg 30). You will all miss him terribly. Kenda Robson, Edinburgh

Readers react to the news that 103 Malaga streets are banned from opening new bars and restaurants due to noise complaints (Online, January 10)

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Vol. 5, Issue 113 www.theolivepress.es January 8th - January 21st 2020

FINALLY!

SERIOUS: Fabian Picardo

GIBRALTAR will ‘make a success’ of tough ‘challenges’ in 2020, the Chief Minister has said. In his New Year’s speech Fabian Picardo mentioned details of a major investment to be announced in the next couple of weeks Picardo said everyone must work together with ‘stoic sacrifice’ by asking for less ‘to secure our children’s future’. He noted the ‘critical importance’ of the MoUs and Tax Treaty which allowed Gibraltar to take part in the transition period. Picardo highlighted the ‘dangers and opportunities’ of leaving the EU, pointing out the agreement of a UK common that was a ‘Brexit Bonus’. RELIEVED: Pedro Sanchez after the vote Respect However, the Chief Minister prom- PEDRO Sanchez has become Spain's official ised to remain firm in agreements prime minister after winning a second vote of over future relations with the EU after confidence yesterday. the expected final departure date of The PSOE leader will govern the country for the next four years, after an agonizing the end of 2020. two-year wait “Any negotiation for Gibraltar for and three general elections. such a deal will be conducted for Gi- Acting prime minister Sanchez, 47, from Madrid, braltar by a team led by me or by Jo- was forced to recall MPs to sit for the first time seph Garcia,” he said. over the weekend to confirm “Such negotiations must be based on It was his second attempt his victory. at an investiture vote mutual recognition, mutual respect since the PSOE won the most seats in Decemand an understanding that nothing ber's general election, but failed to win can ever be imposed on Gibraltar. majority. The vote saw MPs in Spain'san overall congress “The Government I lead is willing to vote either 'yes' or 'no' to Sanchez's proposed walk away if the terms proposed do left-wing coalition government, propped up not favour Gibraltar or respect our by Pablo Iglesias's Podemos party and red lines.” a host of othThis would mean Gibraltar could opt er parties. out of a deal which gave other coun- After a heated afternoon session, he won a knifetries like Spain a greater say on the edge victory of 167 votes against 165, while 18 MPs, the majority from Catalunya, future of the overseas territory. abstained. After congratulating Pedro Sanchez It means Sanchez will preside over the first coaon forming a coalition government, lition government in Spain since 1977 after the Picardo will have breathed a huge sigh death of dictator Franco. The PSOE is propped up by MPs of relief he would not be up against from a more right-wing Spain. Podemos, PNV, Más País, Compromís, Unidos Galego

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End of an era

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Vol. 13 Issue 309

drugpushing bloggers

SPAIN’s pharmaceutical watchdog has issued a warning over social media influencers pushing dodgy health products. The CGCF (General Council of Physiotherapist Associations of Spain) has filed a complaint with the Spanish Health Ministry about people promoting medicinal treatments for beauty conditions without proper knowledge or training. According to Spanish law, such medical promotion is banned and advertising is strictly monitored by industry professionals. However Spanish social media ‘stars’ have been advocating the use of certain creams, wipes and tablets in order to help with cosmetic issues, unaware of some of the potential health risks that indiscriminate use can cause. Pharmacist Guillermo Martin Melgar first noticed the problem when a certain brand of prescription facial wipe was suddenly selling out, only to find it was being recommended by a popular Youtube channel as a treatment for acne.

c o n d i t i o n s .

Good health

highest levels of THMs on the continent - behind only Cyprus with 23.2%, Malta with 17.9% and Ireland’s Liffey water coming a surprising third from bottom with 17.2%. At the opposite end of the H2O horror list, Denmark’s water was the purest, with a

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January 22th - February 4th 2020

After decades of believing it was safe to drink, a new study finds Spain’s tap water may not be SPAIN’s tap water is one of the dodgiest to drink in Europe. A major Barcelona study has found it carries the fourth highest risk for bladder cancer on the continent. Findings suggest that longterm exposure to a group of chemicals in tap water called trihalomethanes may be the cause for one in 20 cases of bladder cancer in Europe each year. Scientists from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) analysed the tap water of all 28 EU countries except Bulgaria and Romania between 2005 and 2018. At 10.9%, Spain’s tap water came out with the fourth

THM count of less than 0.1%, followed by the Netherlands ( 0.1%) and Germany (0.2%). The scientists also concluded that showering and bathing can also trigger the disease, allowing the chemicals to enter the body via the pores of the skin.

Milk matters

odds of being overweight or obese compared with their peers who drank lower-fat varieties. It has been speculated that whole milk causes CHILDREN who drink full-fat milk are less children to feel fuller, which reduces snacking. likely to be overweight than those given The research combined the results of 28 studies that were conducted across seven countries, skimmed or semi-skimmed. The findings were published in The American which had explored the correlation between Journal of Clinical Nutrition and they found that children drinking cow’s milk and the risk of children who drank whole milk had 40% lower being overweight.

OP QUICK CrOsswOrd

Across 7 Perch (5) 8 Hug (7) 10 Poorly matched (7) 11 Infectious agent (5) 12 Shout of discovery (6) 14 Mistake (4-2) 17 Showy and cheap (6) 19 Hue (6) 21 Mistaken (5) 23 Small bag (7) 24 Cap attachment (7) 25 Fertile area in a desert (5)

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Vol. 5, Issue 114 www.theolivepress.es January 22th - February 4th 2020

Down 1 Altercation (8) 2 D-i-y beer (4-4) 3 Hit (6) 4 Exchange for money (4) 5 Two identical things (4) 6 Military dining room (4) 9 Chamfer (5) 13 Some (3) 14 Not sweet (3) 15 Foretell (8) 16 Render immobile (8) 18 Majestic (5) 20 Choice (6) 21 Small songbird (4) 22 Rowing levers (4) 23 Drinks slowly (4)

FINAL FRONTIER

Blaze mystery

Stephenson, Benahavis

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PHoto by Lin Edwards

A SERIES of giant 14-metre waves as lashed the Balearics this week the Storm Gloria officially became most destructive winter storm since 1982. The record-breaking walls of water still have left 12 dead, while five are missing, including British man Ben Garland, 25, who disappeared from Portinatx, Ibiza, on Wednesday. The latest fatality was confirmed after the the discovery of a man’s body in Anoia river in Jorba, Barcelona. It comes as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (below) jetted into Mallorca after

All solutions are on page 30

Gibraltar faces UK resistance to create a free-flowing frontier deal with Spain

By John Culatto

A PROPOSAL for Gibraltarians to cross into Spain post-Brexit without a passport has been firmly knocked back by the UK. The plan to enter the Schengen agreement - despite leaving the EU - would also allow an estimated 10,000 Spaniards to enter Gibraltar every morning without unnecessary delays. However, the free movement scheme hatched by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo was scotched this week by Boris Johnson’s government. “After we leave, the UK will be negotiating the future relationship with the EU on behalf of the whole UK family, including Gibraltar,” insisted a spokesman.

TRAGIC: Brit Paul Aust died in house fire EXCLUSIVE By Dimitris Kouimtsidis

A BRITISH expat who died in a on the Costa del Sol was locked in fire his home from the inside. Paul Aust, 50, died after a mystery blaze engulfed the apartment shared with his partner of 20 years, he upmarket Alcaidesa, on December in The Olive Press understands police30. probing the circumstances behind are death, which came just hours afterthe he had rowed with his partner Ben Lake. According to the next door neighbour, Lake, in his 40s, sat in the back garden while the fire took hold. “I watched him sitting in the garden as smoke poured out the windows,” said the Irish expat neighbour, who asked not to be named. “He seemed not entirely there, like was in shock or something. Whenhe went down and asked him directly I if he needed help, he just ignored me,” he added. Other neighbours backed up the claims that the pair had had a serious row two hours before the 2am blaze. just “We were woken up by a series of shouts and doors slamming soon after midnight,” said a Spanish woman, who lived upstairs. “Then less than two hours later we Continues on Page 2

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“Working closely together, the UK and Gibraltar Governments have always supported arrangements at the border with Spain which promote fluidity and shared prosperity in the region,” he added. “The UK, including Gibraltar, is not part of the borderless Schengen zone.” It came after Picardo spoke on FRONTIER: Picardo’s freedom of movement plan batted Monday as the Government read away by Westminster Brexiteers the Withdrawal from the EU Bill, tween joining Schengen and free- want to cut any separate which will come into force on Jan- dom of movement under Schen- rangements for Northernfrontier ar- common travel areas with Schenuary 31. Ireland, so gen,” he added. it is unlikely to happen for Gibraltar, gen, even if they’re not entirely part “We have to hold our noses and “On January 31 we of the Schengen information syswill ensure Gi- which has even vote for an orderly Brexit,” he told braltar’s interests are less clout. tem,” he said. protected. Gibraltar’s Parliament. “As the UK will always Liechtenstein is one such tiny state, “It is important we distinguish be- an, we will always be be EuropeMicrostates which is in Schengen but not in the British.” His deputy Joseph Garcia clarified Curbing freedom of movement is a EU. later that the so- core issue in the UK’s exit from the “There is the ability to move fluidly called ‘MoUs’ EU, with the UK government deter- between the territories of the EU a g r e e m e n t s mined to lower immigration from and these microstates,” he added. “All of these things will be considcould be used the EU. to give recipro- Picardo insisted that his proposal ered in the context of the negotiations going forward.” cated rights for was not new. both British and “We talked about this issue before Spanish citizens Brexit... about Gibraltar becoming crossing the bor- part of the Schengen zone,” he told AFP news agency last week. der. However John- “If you look at other microstates son does not in Europe, they take the benefit of

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PUSHBACK: To Picardo’s plan

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January 22th - February 4th 2020

Water worry

pharmaceutical SPAIN’s watchdog has issued a warnit was safe to drink, a ing over social media influ- After decades of believing may not be encers pushing dodgy health new study finds Spain’s tap water products. The CGCF (General Council of Physiotherapist Associ- SPAIN’s tap water is among ations of Spain) has filed a the worst in Europe. complaint with the Spanish A major Barcelona study has Health Ministry about peo- found it carries the fourth ple promoting medicinal highest risk for bladder cancer treatments for beauty condi- on the continent. longtions without proper knowl- Findings suggest athat term exposure to group of edge or training. tap water called According to Spanish law, chemicals in may be the such medical promotion is trihalomethanes for one in 20 cases of banned and advertising is cause cancer in Europe each THM count of less than 0.1%, highest levels of THMs on the followed by the Netherlands ( strictly monitored by indus- bladder year. continent - behind only Cy- 0.1%) and Germany (0.2%). try professionals. Scientists from the Barcelona

prus with 23.2%, Malta with Institute for Global Health 17.9% and Ireland’s Liffey wa- The scientists also concluded (ISGlobal) analysed the tap ter coming a surprising third that showering and bathing can also trigger the disease, alwater of all 28 EU countries However Spanish social me- except Bulgaria and Romania from bottom with 17.2%. lowing the chemicals to enter At the opposite end of the the body via the pores of the dia ‘stars’ have been advocat- between 2005 and 2018. ing the use of certain creams, At 10.9%, Spain’s tap wa- H2O horror list, Denmark’sa skin. wipes and tablets in order to ter came out with the fourth water was the purest, with help with cosmetic issues, uncompared aware of some of the potential odds of being overweight or obesevarieties. health risks that indiscrimiwith their peers who drank lower-fatmilk causes nate use can cause. It has been speculated that whole snacking. reduces Pharmacist Guillermo Martin are less children to feel fuller, which the results of 28 studCHILDREN who drink full-fat milk Melgar first noticed the probthose given The research combined across seven counlikely to be overweight than lem when a certain brand of ies that were conducted the correlation beskimmed or semi-skimmed. prescription facial wipes was American tries, which had explored The findings were published in The found that tween children drinking cows milk and the risk suddenly selling out, only to Journal of Clinical Nutrition and they40% lower of being overweight. find it was being recommendchildren who drank whole milk had ed by a popular Youtube channel as a treatment for acne.

Risks

Milk matters

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January 23th - February 5th 2020

RECORD: Waves ofof up RECORD: Waves toup 14m eastern to lashed 14m lashed east Spain this week Spain this week

be at the ‘forefront’ of government action with an unprecedented mate change law’ expected within ‘cli100 days, following in the steps of scores of countries across the world. It came after serious storms lashed the Costa Blanca, also leaving millions of euros of damage. Gale force 9 winds wrought havoc with 115km/h A gota fría (cold drop) is caused winds recordby pockets of arctic or polar air that move southeast across ed in Oliva and western Europe before meeting the warmer, humid waves reaching a according to Alicante scientist Mediterannean climate, record-breaking Jorge Olcina. The cold blast becomes ‘isolated’ 8.44m in Valenat high altitude, hence its spanish term DANA, or Isolated cia, and a shocking Depression at High Altitudes. 14.22m in Ibiza. When coming into contact with So far, nine people warmer Mediterannean air, the rising humid vapours immediately have died around condense and drop a massive quantity of water Spain, with a furla back in September 2019 over in one burst. In Orihuether four missing less than 48 hours, nearly twice 400mm of water fell in around the Baletation, due to a freak gota fría. annual average precipiaric Islands and Catalunya. The By Joshua Parfitt

a landmark state of ‘climate emergency’ for the entire country. Leader Pedro Sanchez (below) insisted ecological transition would now

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A SERIES of giant 14-metre waves lashed eastern Spain this week Storm Gloria became officially as the most destructive winter storm since 1982. The record-breaking walls of water – and weather that left nine dead – came on cue as Spain declared

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Continues on Page 5

STEREOT YPED GET EDUCATED Dear Olive Press,

exist.

do indeed voters British Leave lly, as a political The Moore EU, essentia sees the Rose l experien persona from Theand I speak pg 7). ce I can only Issue 325, proud, and hip (Leave dictators s. variation and ns exceptio many are states, there knowis the opposite. There are 28 sovereign reality reasonably retired, to be early tend voluntari to become But, they ly chose UK, which theoften including y educate modestl yet Dunne successd.ful, thatd.the UK would believes Steve associate thetoradar’, under ‘fly not to right is It 1. that going believe They I’m so. Not terms. fair better on WTO andimmiexceptio chapternot 2. They’re by quotingexpats, pagevaluable lettersnally down your weigh they are as the theminto ok forlooks be Steve 3. It willndallthat grants I recomme butand verse, taxes paying into and out caught be to Trump clever That too far knows. he that industry any of specifics padia, residenc as such trifles ng organisi should or UK here, EU-free an with deal is trying to get a trade . licences driving and cover health deals proper trade ron, you all you want to know: Trump’s tell respectf beingspeaks right thing theFinally, forul and doing Or, just BrentinMahler labels. US-first have . integrate to force trying by armed EU polite an of wary citizens UK of a number for that. too superior They , these are ideas union. However closer everfar an are and s but Ithey the Bahama be inand am can’t should they Reallyby not EU policy. people specific floated it. at the insidious 40-plus years of proafford worried more ssinglyh, most embarra obvious more the Mail, Telegrap What’s against by the EEC/EUand paganda too imfardid as ves themsel see they that is t What Sun. apparen The course, of Express, Times and, e languag the learning about d bothere anbe so to was he portantsay when he was asked why Murdoch cringing y found new home I go into of their of: “When linesgenerall the are g alongand Somethin ti-EU? question a simple The lar EU.”vernacu asked when I go tointhethe I say: when do what 10 they No. adios.’ y nada de salida? ent! la es appointm ‘donde an for ask to had implication is that he Rob Bajo, Mojacar

The ones who live here and voted to leave are hypocritical. They’re the ones who have one foot here and one foot back in the UK. Well they better get registered and change their cars and licences, the way the rest of us who are totally committed to living here have done. Jill Handley, Malaga

Patri Camps, Malaga

Nanna said

Remoaners

He was shot alongside his lover, a famous bullfighter. The family of the bullfighter will not allow anyone to to remove bodies (Chasing shadows, Issue 335, pg 6-7). A little old granny in Ardales told me that 22 years ago when I made the mistake to ask what happened in the village of Ardales during the Civil War. It’s a very tricky subject still! One day we will find out I guess? Alex Neate, Ardales

The Remainers wanted a second referendum. Well they got one in the General Election. Staunch Labour voters chose Tory, as their MPs had let them down. Also, after three years, many Remainers had finally seen how the EU machine works – and that it hasn’t submitted audited accounts for decades, which breaches their own laws. Mark Jones, Marbella

Worlds apart

There is a distinction between loving Europe, yet not wishing to be part of the EU. They are two different entities. Many people refuse to, fail to, or simply cannot grasp this simple reality. John Wolf, Leeds

No small change Reading the last edition of your newspaper, I came across the article Pesetas from Heaven (Issue 335, pg 20) and I am really interested in it as I have the coin depicted. Can you please offer any more information on the subject. Hector F Requena, Gibraltar

Can’t have your cake and eat it

Leave England to sort its own problems out. Those who now make their home in Spain will be in the European Union because Spain is in. Get over yourselves. You ought not to try and have your cake and eat it! Joy Lowry, Newcastle

Ed. Hi Hector, thank you for your letter. We will try and find out more for you, so that you can hopefully make a bit of money from your antique coin.

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first victim, age 44, died in Asturias on Sunday when a truck lost control in heavy snowfall and crashed into his car while he was putting on snow chains. The following day a 63-year-old died in Avila after he was struck by a roof tile. Meanwhile a 70-year-old man died of hypothermia in Moixent, icante after falling into snow closeAlhis home, and two homeless people to – one in Gandia and another in Carcaixent – also died from hypothermia. Four people died yesterday, including a farmer in a hailstorm, a homeless person killed by hypothermia Almeria, a woman whose house in lapsed in Alcoy, and a man whosecolcar was swept off a road near Benidorm. Four are still missing in Catalunya and the Balearic Islands – including a 25-year-old Brit in Ibiza. Leading climatologists backed the

Oh the irony

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OP QUICK CROSSWORD Across 7 First shot in tennis (5) 8 Sterile (7) 9 Least difficult (7) 10 Above (5) 11 Book of elementary principles (6) 13 Register (5) 16 Wide open (5) 18 Violin (6) 21 Pending (5) 23 Move forward (7) 24 Chooses (7) 25 Indoor game (5)

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Your voice in Spain

Well, I haved lived on the Costa del Sol for 25 years and this wasn’t the first time (Did climate change cause Storm Gloria?, Olive Press TV, January 25). It happens every couple of years. I remember my first year in Spain. We had so much heavy rain that I asked myself, why did I come to Spain? About 10 years ago we had snow close to the Viñuela area. Nothing new. The other problem is, building houses in an area were they shouldn’t be, or close to old river beds etc.

British expat blasts UK TV programme featuring Brexit voter who moved to Spain’s Costa del Sol as ‘not representative of Brits in Spain’

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL Sky high

February 5th - February 18th 2020

Andalucia is one of three global bases offering space travel next year

THRILL-seekers will be offered the ultimate experience in southern Spain next year. A Spanish company is to blast tourists into space from a trio of global bases, one of them in Andalucia, in 2021. Zero 2 Infinity is building a base in Jaen, alongside two more in Saudi Arabia and Baja California, in Mexico. Costing up to €12 million to build, the launch pad in Villacarrillo, will offer punters 10 to 20-minute trips for around €125,000 each. The balloon-type craft will ascend 36 kilometres into space and punters will need to be of a certain level of fitness. The trip will be in a pressurised cabin or

DOUBLE DELIGHT A RESTAURANT in Toledo has served up the best croquettes in the country for two years in a row. Restaurante Ivan Cerdeno came top again for the ‘creaminess, texture and flavour’ of its Spanish delicacy. In second place was Casa Belarmino in Asturias, in the contest sponsored by celebrated jamon producer Joselito.

pod, propelled by a balloon fuelled by helium gas. It will soar higher than planes, but below satellites. No extensive training is needed and passengers will not be wearing astronaut gear, but overalls similar to those of a race car driver. Passengers will mostly feel the same as they do on a normal flight, but there will be a certain level of discomfort as there won’t be any catering or toilets. “As there is nothing abrupt about it, it’s the kind of tourism anyone can enjoy,” said co-onwer Kemel Kharbachi. “The 2021 tourists will have to have plenty of economic clout, but as both the technology and the program evolve, in five or 10 years we want this type of trip to become something like the ‘all-inclusive’ packages to the Caribbean.” Elon Musk’s SpaceX plans to have the first civilian in space this year, while Richard Branson plans to take 600 tourists into space this year, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Justin Bieber.

SACRE BLUE ANDALUCIAN chef Agustin Herrera has scooped a prestigious French food competition. The Cordoba-born maestro won the Food in Sud contest, in Marseille, with a four-strong team from his Madrid-based El Clasico Taberna & Tapas restaurant. The Lucena chef, who has won various competitions over the last few years, was up against teams from around the Med. The judges chose him for his menu that ‘took the diner around our country with every bite’. His meal consisted of a Lucerne Grondin in a crab sauce, accompanied by a Madrid-style chickpea biscuit, yogurt, mint and a Navarra piparra.

February 5th - February 18th 2020

Hillside romance

WHERE better to celebrate Valentine’s Day than in the intimate surroundings of Fountainhead hotel and restaurant, voted one of the top ten most romantic venues in Spain. Nestled in the beautiful hills near Riogordo in Malaga province, the views are stunning as is the décor of this award winning restaurant. Helen Bartlett’s inspired cooking draws gourmets from far afield, known for her imaginative infusion of modern and traditional dishes that also includes vegetarian and vegan options.

Pampering

The extensive wine list boasts around 100 of Spain’s best wines at reasonable prices. So, if you fancy a special dinner, head up to Fountainhead where you will be warmly welcomed by their pampering staff. And, if you don’t want to drive home, it’s also possible to stay the night in one of the four fabulous suites. Prices: around €40 per head for three-course a la carte dinner. Special Valentine’s Day package for two, dinner, bed and breakfast €295. Drinks not included. Reservations 696183309 www.fountainheadinspain.com

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL Big heartshaped day

ALENTINE’S day is just one big heart-shaped excuse to eat mouth-watering, heart-melting food, our one true love. Wonderful meals aren’t only found on menus, in fact, the best dinners are undoubtedly those you prepare yourself… and your loved one will certainly appreciate it all the more. Cooking is a labour of love and whether you’re a Heston Blumenthal aficionado or a beans-on-toast connoisseur, it shows you care and takes you to the heart of the meal and the root of the flavour. It takes far more thought and care to create exciting, enticing food than it does to fall back lazily on the default flowers and chocolates combo. And why not experiment with some of mother nature’s own aphrodisiacs; avocado, almonds, honey and figs are all bound to cause a stir. So with love in the air and rumbling in the belly, treat that someone special to these romantic recipes without stepping out your front door (except, of course, to buy the ingredients).

Valentines Day is the perfect opportunity to woo your loved one, via the kitchen

Parmesanstuffed medjool dates wrapped in bacon

Roast salmon and asparagus It’s love at first sight when succulent salmon meets aphrodisiacal asparagus in this one-pot-pleaser... lPre-heat the oven to 200C. lTip new potatoes and 1 tbsp of olive oil into an ovenproof dish and roast for 20 minutes, until they are starting to brown. lToss the asparagus, trimmed and halved, in with the potatoes and return to the oven for 15 minutes. lAdd cherry tomatoes and vinegar and nestle salmon fillets amongst the vegetables, then drizzle more olive oil over and return to the oven for a final 10-15 minutes. lScatter over basil leaves and serve everything scooped straight from the dish.

For a Valentine’s ‘date’ to remember... lPull the pits out of large Medjool dates and stuff with a small chunk of Parmesan cheese. lCut slices of bacon in thirds and wrap each piece around a stuffed date. lPlace them seam-side down on a baking sheet and bake at 180C for 10 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked through.

February 5th - February 18th 2020

POP A CORK! You can’t have a romantic dinner without some sparkle and fizz.

Budget Fresh fizzy and oh so Spanish, check out Lidl’s amazing Aresel DO Brut Nature Vintage Cava €2.59 . Not everyone loves sparkles, but you won’t go wrong with this.

Honey baked figs and ice cream And something sweet for your sweetheart lCut a dozen fresh figs in half and put into a shallow baking dish and dot with 1 tsp butter. lMix 1 tbsp clear honey with juice of one orange and drizzle over the figs. lBake for 15 mins or until the figs are soft and sticky. lServe with vanilla ice cream topped with orange zest and chopped pistachios.

Blow it Head to Aldi for its award winning Veuve Monsigny Champagne €12.99. The prestigious International Wine and Spirits Challenge rate it as one of the ‘world’s best’ champagnes.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

February 5th - February 18th 2020

or most people nuts come shelled, bleached, salted, and packaged until they are but a pale relation of the original fruit. Here in the Spanish south though, nuts still grow on trees. Frutos Secos (dried fruits) as they are called are named after their low water content and include all nuts and some seeds. In Ronda and surrounding mountain regions locals have been growing nuts since time immemorial. The traditional family farms included citrus and nut trees and what couldn’t be produced would be bartered for. Unfortunately, this type of small-scale bio-diverse farming became less profitable and almost died out, but times are changing…

Nueces de Ronda a seal of quality

When nobody in Ronda wanted to pick walnuts anymore, the trees were cut down and sold as wood. Their cultivation was forgotten until the 1980’s,when José Luis Fernández Cantos decided to convert his olive farm La Molinilla into a walnut orchard. “It was a total experiment starting out with 100 trees of 15 varieties” smiles his son and current owner Álvaro Fernández Nebrada. Since nobody knew about modern walnut cultivation, they had to study American and Chilean farming techniques. More than three decades later, Spain’s oldest walnut orchard Nueces de Ronda has over 10.000 trees, yielding 40 tonnes in a good year. This could double within a decade with recent additions.“Our trees are like our children says Álvaro. Once picked and rinsed with water and nothing else the nuts are dried in the sun for about three

days. Only with rain are drying machines utilized. Natural walnuts don’t come perfectly clean.” The reason why La Molinilla hasn’t entered the international market might be because buyers find their nuts ‘dirty’ looking, because they have a slightly darker and less uniform colour. The quality of Nuceses de Ronda is renowned throughout Spain, however. Like any crops walnuts have their challenges. The trees need huge amounts of water, yet a big rainstorm can be fatal. However, the nut industry’s biggest contenders are the enormous nut factories abroad, which bleach the walnut shells with chemicals. Consumers believe that is how nuts are supposed to look and taste, but that is only because they have not tried the walnuts from La Molinilla yet...

GOING NUTS! MARVELLOUS MOLINILLA: Alvaro at his Ronda farm, the biggest in Spain, while (above) drying the nuts and (right) the end product

Walnuts

cerebral and sundried The walnut tree is full of history. Originally from the East where it grew along the Silk Route, the tree is also the protagonist of one of Aesop’s fables, written by a Greek slave around 600 BC. The Romans Introduced Nogales Or walnut trees to Spain. Today, China and the USA are the biggest producers of walnuts, which are said to prevent cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, while having antiarrhythmic and anti-inflammatory properties. Archaeologist Pilar Delgado confirms that our region had enormous walnut trees. As late as the 1970’s, pickers would climb into the tree crowns, some 50 meters tall, to harvest walnuts. Never touching the ground, they used an elongated hook, grabbing onto the next tree and flinging themselves like Andalucian Tarzans from tree to tree.

DID YOU KNOW: HEALTH NUTS People recognized the nutritional value of nuts long before we began eating ‘health food’. During periods of famine they were a source of much-needed calories, but since almost 80% of a nut is fat, a little goes a long way. Like natural energy bars, nuts are rich in proteins, polyunsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals. Their health constituents are said to balance cholesterol levels, improve heart function and prevent diabetes and cancer. Nuts also keep well, and are an economical and convenient snack.

Almonds

a sensitive beauty Originating from the Far East, almonds have been growing in the Mediterranean region since it was introduced by the Phoenicians 3000 years ago.People here say that the tree improves the rock, because they will grow on the most inaccessible crags. Almond trees are some of the area’s earliest bloomers and the first nuts to be harvested. Due to climate change, blossoms can now be seen in January. Maite Teresa Martos, who has a small organic almond orchard in Ronda’s gorge, explains that early sprouting risks later frosts potentially ruining the crop. “Everybody around here used to grow almonds,’’ she tells me, “but people stopped picking them”. Producers like her cultivate almonds for private consumption or sell to wholesalers who supp l y

the Spanish Turrón industry in the North. Almonds contain Omega 6, magnesium, potassium, calcium, Vitamin E, thiamine and niacin. In addition to the fruit’s many food uses, almond oil is used in the cosmetics industry for creams, massage oils and other skin products, while the oil from bitter almonds is used as natural flavouring. Almonds accounted for most of the global nut production of 2.4 million tonnes in 2018. 67% were grown in the USA, making the Spanish 5% share negligible by comparison. Ironic since Spanish missionaries are said to have brought the fruit to America in the 18th century. With increasing global demand and the popularity of new almond products, Spain’s production is once again increasing. Growers sell for €1-2 per kilo with shells on.

EARLY BLOSSOM: Almond trees are the first to flower but frosts become a danger

Rocking your Valentine

BITTER SWEET: Ancient Castano Santo, near Ronda, and chestnut products, which are in a steep decline this season

Chestnuts a spiky lot

Spanish chestnuts (castañas) were thought to originate in the Middle East, but recent prehistoric excavations have re-classified chestnut as native to Mediterranean countries.“Chestnuts were popular with the Romans because they could be dried,” says archaeologist Pilar Delgado explaining that the Romans also spread the species throughout the Iberian Peninsula. Chestnuts and acorns were a vital part of people’s diet until the Spanish began to import potatoes from the Americas around 1570. The wood was used in carpentry and furniture making. Castanets used by Flamenco dancers were also made from chestn u t wood - hence the name castañuelas. The trees can become ancient and giant, as one can see when visiting Andalucía’s majestic Castaño San-

to (above), said to be almost 1000 years old. The highly valued Spanish chestnuts (annual production of 18.000 tonnes) are exported to Europe, America and even Japan. With its ideal mountain climate, the Genal Valley produces 4 million kilos. Chestnuts are an important side-income for the white villages of Pujerra, Jubrique and Parauta, with crops being sold to local cooperatives for around 1-2 euros per kilo. But sadly, this season has been disastrous for chestnuts and prices have sometimes been under €1 euro per kilo. Bad quality, bad price and small production. The trees are picked in October, when the leaves turn golden and the valley becomes a Bosque del Cobre (a copper forest). The chestnut harvest is celebrated with traditional village fiestas, often dedicated to the towns’ patron saints. The menu offers roasted chestnuts and artisanal products made from the nuts, accompanied by a fortified sweet wine called Mistela.

Pistachios

The Middle Eastern cousin In recent years, growers on the coast have experimented with Macadamia and Brazil nuts, but the latest trend in nuts in Andalucía is pistachio. Originating in the Middle East, where Iran used to be the biggest global producer, archaeological digs have found that Turks ate pistachios 7000 years ago. Though most Andalucia farmers are unfamiliar with pistachios, the nuts were common here in the Arabic era. They disappeared completely right after the Catholic re-conquest.For centuries, nobody knew why… “Christian farmers noticed that some of these foreign trees bore no fruit, so they cut them down” explains pistachio farmer José Manuel Dorado.What the farmers didn’t realize was that these male trees were needed to pollinate female ones. With no pollination there were no nuts, so shortly after the rest of the pistachio trees were also cut down.It took almost 500 years to bring the pistachios back to Spain. Apparently, eating pistachios makes you happy, since zinc and iron helps with brain function. Pistachios are also high in thiamine, magnesium, Vitamin B6, phosphor and copper, which aids metabolism and reduce fatigue. Spain imports 95% of its pistachios, so the nuts are in high demand. While walnuts might cost €3-5 per kilo, high quality pistachios can sell for €6.5 per kilo. No surprise they are the new nut-farming fad! The fruits are harvested between September and October and the nuts have to be shelled and dried within 24 hours, or they may become toxic. Other farmers in La Serranía de Ronda have pistachio orchards, but José Manuel is the only organic grower. “ I am a book publisher and knew nothing about farming,” so he spent a year learning everything he could about pistachios. After 5 years, his first harvest was given to friends and family who had supported him through the process. In a few years, he expects his farm in Alcalá del Valle to yield 1000 kg per hectare. “I could get double if I watered the trees, but I am not doing this to maximize production,” he says. While others plant their trees 4 to 5 meters apart, his trees are 7 meters apart, having 49 square meters to spread their roots. After the first couple of years, pistachios can grow without watering, producing fruit for 150 years, contributing to their

EXPERIMENT: Jose Manual has gone from books to pistachios environmental suitability. And what of the environment with the use of herbicides and pesticides? Most growers add them to the trees while they grow. José Manual uses nothing but natural casera remedies like nettle infusions on his pistachios, but says that “ farmers around here use lots of herbicides and bug killers”, and ‘just to be sure” they always toss in more than recommended. La Molinilla uses herbicides in the growing process, but nothing chemical once the nuts are picked. Chestnut trees, which usually grow ‘wild’, are not sprayed. What is the future of nuts in la Serranía? Our mountain region can never compete with the vast mechanical nut farms in California and China, but if Andalucian growers continue to cultivate nuts in smaller orchards with natural farming methods, t h e i r p ro d u c t will always be superior.

There are few more romantic places to spend Valentine’s Day than on the Rock of Gibraltar. With the combination of colonial past and glitzy modern present, Gibraltar offers a home from home for visitors from the UK and elsewhere. For one second you can forget about Brexit and indulge in the love of your life under the shade of the Rock, a place as comfortable as it is secure. If you’re looking for a place to serenade the love of your life, you could swing by The Yard at Ocean Village. Set in the luxurious setting of a trendy marina, you can eat a scrumptious dinner as you gaze into the eyes of your loved one with the sunset lighting the sky with hues of pink. You could even sleep nearby too, rocked to sleep by the ebb and flow of the tide at Jasmine Air Bed ‘n’Breakfast. Stay in a stylish yacht anchored in the exclusive surroundings of the lively Ocean Village. With dolphin tours and fishing trips being optional extras, Jasmine BnB will make your Valentine’s Day a truly special occasion. Finally, if you want to make the most of all that rocking to and fro, head to The Store sex shop in the ICC at Casemates Square. Formerly known as Amy Jay’s, you can buy an assortment of sex toys at this sex shop to really make Valentine’s Day finish off with a bang. With its discreet and personal service, The Store will could really set alight the flames of passion on this special day for lovers.

February 5th - February 18th 2020

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February 5th - February 18th 2020

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February 5th - February 18th 2020

Chartered Financial Planner Jonathan Holdaway explains what a ‘fund’ actually is

N the last few articles I’ve been talking a great deal about ‘funds’, so I thought it would be worth delving into these in a bit more detail. When financial services professionals refer to a fund, they are usually talking about a unit trust or open-ended investment company (OEIC). A fund is a pool of cash that is used to invest in a collection of assets; most commonly company shares and bonds. The mixture of assets dampens the risk of holding a single investment.

BUSINESS BACK TO BASICS tration (a commodities fund may predominantly hold mining stocks). The majority of funds are actively managed, meaning an investment professional with significant experience will routinely research and analyse the holdings in the fund, aiming to deliver higher gains. Do funds pay an income?

Funds can pay an income, or they can reinvest income with an aim to grow the capital you’ve invested. What do funds invest in? It depends on the fund, the Other funds invest share class you hold, and the A fund’s investment portobjective of the fund. in more mature Some funds aim for capital folio will typically be made up of holdings in equities firms, which do growth, and do not pay a sig(stocks) and bonds, but can nificant income because they also include more speciali- pay a dividend to invest in companies which do sed products such as propernot pay dividends - instead clients ty, passive investments and reinvesting their profits into cash or cash-like products the business with a view to intended to reduce volatility. growing the enterprise. The performance of a fund that invests Other funds invest in more mature busiprimarily in equities and corporate bonds nesses, which do pay a dividend, so these will be dependent on the performance of funds are more likely to provide an incothe companies it invests in. me. Funds are also split into categories based The amount of income a fund returns to on what assets they are invested in (bonds an investor is expressed as yield. The or equities, for example), the regional bias yield is the interest or dividend paid by (a North America fund will focus on stocks an investment. It is expressed as a perlisted in North America) or sector concen- centage.

What is a passive fund? Passive investing is the opposite of its active counterpart, in that funds will track a relative index, the FTSE 100 for example, rather than aiming to outperform it through a series of strategic asset allocations and stock choices. A passive fund works on the assumption that the market will be more efficient than subjective choices made by an individual or team of managers. The advantage of passive funds is that they tend to be cheaper than actively

managed vehicles. Passive funds can either be trackers, which are bought and sold in the same way as active funds, or exchange traded funds (ETFs) that function as shares. There is an ongoing debate over whether active or passive funds can consistently deliver targeted returns. Active managers will argue that their expertise and focused attention on the portfolio will allow them to outperform an index. The answer is usually to hold a mix of both in your portfolio.

Jonathan now has an office Malaga, which can be found here: Alameda Colón, 9, 1, 7. 29001 Málaga, Spain. Phone: +34 951 579226

Contact me for a no obligation investment product and/or portfolio review and at my expense on +34 654 898 303/+44 77230 27864 or email me at jonathan.holdaway@chasebuchanan.com I’ll even buy the coffee.

BUSINESS

HUNDREDS of olive growers in Jaen have taken to the streets to protest the rock bottom prices of olive oil. Early in the morning, the fuming farmers lit fires and cut off crucial roads, including the A-4 in La Carolina, Jaen. The highway sits in the heart of the province, which on its own churns out 20% of the world’s olive oil every year. Those gathered called on the Government to ‘do more’ to protect farmers’ livelihoods and accused the big companies of making olive oil production ‘unfeasible’. Since 2017 the price of extra virgin olive oil at source has plunged by 43% from €3.60 to around €1.90 per kilo. Farmers’ unions, the UPA and COAG have previously slammed the Government, claiming that market speculation ‘steals €1.5 billion from Andalucians’ annually. Spanish agriculture has also suffered due to the trade tariffs imposed by US Pres-

NUMBERS GOING NORTH

SPAIN has had its best year for tourism ever. In 2019 the country had 83.7 million tourists last year. Breaking records for the seventh consecutive year, it is a 1.08% increase on 2018. Spending from visitors has also increased, with tourists spending €92.2 billion, a 2.82% rise compared to 2018.

BinckBank is celebrating 20 years of helping private investors navigate the ups and downs of the stock market. From a small pioneer the bank has became Best Broker in the Netherlands for the sixth consecutive year in 2018. With bases in Spain, France, Italy and Belgium, it is also one of Europe’s leading private investment banks. Personal relationship managers are available for private consultations via telephone, Skype or at the BinckBank office and Investment Academy

February 5th - February 18th 2020

Olive and let die

ENRAGED: Fires lit by farmers

Farmers in Andalucia cut off roads with tractors and light fires in protest at government’s olive policies ident Donald Trump. During 2019, Spain’s olive export rate to Ameri-

ca was slashed by almost 15,000 tonnes after the US slapped a 25% levy on the

Burger bunfight RESTAURANT Brands Iberia (RBI) has bought KAM Food Service in the latest frenzy of fast food firm acquisitions. The Spanish firm is a subsidiary of the company that owns Burger King (Restaurant Brands International). KAM Food Ser-

vice operate 70 restaurants across northern Spain, with 1,650 employees. In 2019 RBI took over Megafoods, which had 80 restaurants. With the latest acquisition it brings the groups total fast food outlets in Spain to about a thousand.

Smarter investing on Marbella’s Golden Mile. Throughout the year the bank organises open days, socials and sporting events to help guide clients along their investment path. Tutorials, seminars, webinars, investment clubs, articles and videos are accessible to all at Binck Bank.

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NB Trading in financial products always involves a risk. The value of your investment may go down as well as up. As a general rule, you should therefore only trade in financial products if you understand the products and the risks associated with them.

LOVING LAST JOURNEY ARRANGING the funeral of a loved one can be stressful and an emotional ordeal. It is one thing to try to organise one in the UK with a language that you understand, but it is quite another assignment here in Spain, especially for an expatriate attempting to deal with the rules and regulations for the first time. Costa Funeral Services is a well-established, English speaking company based on the Costa del Sol which has a history of expertise to help you navigate the situation. As well-known funeral directors they aim to provide a service which will guide you through every step of what is always a painful process, in a manner which is both respectful and compassionate. Costa Funeral Services are not bound by any geographical limitations and can help

in many of the main expatriate areas of southern Spain including: Marbella, Estepona, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Coin, Alhaurin, Ronda and throughout the province of Malaga. The Company offers a range of Funeral Plans that cover the basic needs of the expat community on the Costa del Sol and Andalucia which can be purchased in advance, you can set the cost of a funeral at today’s price in order to ensure that inflation does not hit you at a time when you may be most vulnerable. We are the only British Funeral Directors on the Costa del Sol that offer a direct (no insurance like Avalon, Golden Leaves or many others ) service. Best services at the lowest prices. The company are in charge of the management of Mijas Cemetery.

product. Meanwhile, more action is planned for Jaen, with a busy stretch of the A-45 towards Lucena set to be shut down on February 14. This Valentines Day protest is organised by olive growers from farmers unions, including the UPA, COAG and Asaja. Protests are set to continue during the next week, affecting the A-44, the A-32 in Ubeda and the A-316 in Torredelcampo.

February 5th - February 18th 2020

HEALTH

February 5th - February 18th 2020

And bend and breathe

Get over the festive champagne and chocs with online yoga. Gabriella Chidgey checks out the best online yoga videos to get into the 2020 health groove

HAMPAGNE and Ferrero Rocher felt like an excellent self care program for the first week of Christmas, but by the end of the Reyes, while their appeal had not palled, their effects certainly had. Long hill walks had kept my step count up (essential in our intra-marital competition) and strengthened my legs, but they had allowed my stomach and arms a completely free ride on what were increasingly tight and painful hips. So, on the morning of Jan 7 it was definitely time to roll out the yoga mat.

The free videos on YogaTX are taught by a variety of certified yoga teachers. I started here since they tailor a lot of videos for those suffering from back and neck pain. Their friendly, personal style of makes it feel like having a private yoga session and I was drawn in by their warmth. The soothing southern American tones and the kind invitations to follow their moves, entranced and inspired me. I particularly enjoy Savannah’s 40 minute deep hip opening stretches, and the 20 minute hip and hamstrings and IT bands.

I have been propping up my phone to follow yoga videos online for three years. Initially, it was to manage an old back injury that I had re-inflamed by wielding a hoe in my garden. Although, admittedly, there had been some procrastination between the accident and the yoga. A full year in fact, of hoping that rest, or rather lack of exercise, might heal the slipped disc. I finally accepted that I needed to be more proactive, a little more backbone than wishbone. Although I had practised yoga during the years that I was a contemporary dancer, and also for a couple of years after torn discs forced me to stop, I had only continued fitfully in the following 15 years. I practised my repertoire of stretches, postures and sequences as a warm down after running and sometimes followed diagrams and photos in books. Classes were not something I could easily incorporate into my days as a working, country-living mother. But, nor could I motivate myself to leave my home in the evening to battle for a parking space and jostle for room in a crowded studio. Free yoga videos online have completely changed the landscape. It took no more effort than looking up the recommended yoga channel on YouTube and choosing a 15 minute tutorial for a painful lower back. In my own kitchen, and with the reward of a hot, milky coffee when I finished. But I didn’t stop there, I enjoyed it so much I thought I would do another short one, and then I tried a quick meditation. Obviously the enormous amount of free content online Adriene is possibly the most popular teacher on the internet with a global online community of 5.5 million subscribers. From Austin, Texas, she has a large and diverse selection of video tutorials and is always posting new ones. She has a soft voice and gentle humour. I tried a one hour Total Body Workout. I enjoyed the steady flow, clear alignment and b r e a t h cues and how the stretches and core work deepened as the class progressed. It was a good practice for building strength so I repeated it a few

Cole Chance has many free sessions on YouTube but this is her channel : Colechanceyoga.com I followed her 15 and 20 minute tutorials for back, neck and sciatica pain until I reached a stage where I wanted longer sessions and I finally paid and subscribed for one hour sessions. I love the graceful flow and movement of Cole’s classes. She gradually eases you into more challenging sequences, while keeping an expansiveness to the poses. The alignment cues are helpful and the way she breaks down poses so that you can find their essence, even if you lack the strength or flexibility for the advanced posture. She is very open about her own past struggles with addiction, and how yoga helped her become sober. She is a fun, light presence to spend an hour with, while the yoga itself does the deeper work.

means that the choice can be overwhelming, but it does give you the opportunity to experiment with different teachers and explore yoga styles. Natalie Farrel, yoga and wellness coach in Sotogrande and founder of yummy yoga girl agrees that it is a ‘great resource’ not only for beginners, but also for more advanced yogis too, since she herself also subscribes to a channel for her own daily practise. She has also observed that many men start in this way because they feel less self conscious then in an open class . Natalie adds that it is also an inexpensive way to practice yoga more and a useful tool to ‘mix into the practice ‘. Her core belief that yoga is about “celebrating our individuality and not about competition and comparing ourselves to others,”might also be embodied by sometimes practic-

days later and will continue doing it weekly. I shall definitely explore her other classes and mindfulness videos. She has a good program called Home which is designed to get you practicing for a month. It’s called ‘Ease into it 30 days of yoga’. The first day is a 6 minute orienting talk, no yoga, just an introduction with practical tips.

ing alone. I have certainly found that by being less self conscious at home and without any need for competition, I both connect more deeply to my feelings and respect my physical limits better. I often cry at home, whereas I would hold back the tears in a group class. And if it were purely self practice, without the structure of a teacher led sequence , I would stay far too comfortably within my range. The only issue I have had with online classes is my own inconsistency. My motivation has waxed and waned with great irregularity and even paying a yearly subscription was not enough to align my desire for action with the act itself. At the end of last summer, I was recommended the book Atomic Habits by James Clear (available on Amazon 18 euros) on’ how to build good habits and break bad ones’. The main tenet is that very small changes to your routine, just a 1% improvement per day, bring remarkable results. He also counsels that you choose who you want to be, not what you want to achieve. I want to be someone who has a yoga practice; a committed long term relationship rather than a series of tempestuous affairs. By implementing some of his strategies to make it more probable that I will do yoga then not, I have finally managed to get on the mat four to five times a week for four months. The main changes I made were to put my yoga clothes on first thing every morning , have my mat out, allocate the daily session to a specific time and place and also to share the practice with a friend two mornings a week, straight after school drop off. And of course, there is always the reward of a hot drink at the end of the class. Although these days it’s more likely to be a golden latte.

HEALTH

February 5th - February 18th 2020

PROPERTY THE BIG PICTURE 28

It’s a jittery year ahead, writes Campbell Ferguson in his property forecast for 2020

THE Overall Market is jittery with so many national and international issues potentially affecting both buyers and sellers.

shaking confidence in the world economy, oil and finance markets. While far from Spain, they affect the timing of decisions of potential buyers.

Government

World Economy

Spain now has a left-wing government which has previously acted against the free movement of the property market and this appears likely to recur. In Andalucia, Murcia and Valencia, where right-wing Juntas were elected in opposition to the Madrid Government, it’s more complicated. It may temper future policies but, from previous experience, we’re still likely to see reduced national investment.

It’s already struggling due to trade sanctions between the USA and other larger economies like China and the EU. Interest rates are so low that, whilst they make mortgages very attractive, they leave national and regional economies fewer options to cushion the effects of any world economic downturn or to stimulate economies back to growth thereafter. There is increasing concern that the current economic growth and debt based model may have run its course and that radical change is essential to take account of depletion of the world’s raw material resources and the Climate Crisis. Again, these matters all affect buyer decisions along with the terms, availability and exchange rates of mortgages and other bank finance.

World Conflict Heightened tension between Iran and other Middle East countries backed by the USA, together with the continuing belligerence of North Korea, is

•

Brexit ‘No Deal’ is still a prospect. Despite having been removed from the table it’s back by default due to the need to have the basics of an interim agreement before European Council ratification over June 18/19. The Interim agreement period ends on 31st December 2020 and without accord, ‘No Deal’ appears to be the only alternative. In addition, the UK Government’s tinkering with previously stated immigration ‘promises’ for EU citizens already in the UK or due to arrive this year is adding uncertainty to how Spain will play it, especially as the Spanish authorities have always said their regulations will mirror Britain’s. Whilst existing residence, health and working rights appear to be assured, the change of taxation treatment from EU to 3rd country citizen could affect net incomes significantly - with rental income being taxed on 24% of gross income and not 19% on net income (after expenses), as now.

•

Climate Crisis Nero is fiddling while Rome burns. As history states, not only did the emperor play music while his people suffered, he was also an ineffectual leader in a time of crisis. Unfortunately, the world appears to have many ‘Nero’ Governments - America, Brazil, Australia, India, China which are either in denial or too focused on their own domestic problems to take the required action. That has been left to the individual citizens of the World to act, but inevitably it will result

in increased migration and internal conflicts. Last year saw the first drop in visitors to Spain since 2012, due in part to collective concern for our carbon footprint. Warmer summers in Northern Europe make the benefits of Mediterranean travel less rational, and there’s competition from other countries too. In Spain, the climate change is predicted to lead to Less rainfall - 2019 was the driest in Málaga Province since records began, reservoirs are at their lowest level in years and 40% of Marbella’s drinking water is being supplied by desalination. We still have the spring rains to come and may they will be plentiful. More storms and sudden downpours, which cause surface floods rushing over the land to the sea, with little percolating down to the aquifers upon which our water wells depend. Rising sea levels and storm surges, will see greater damage to coastal areas, and flooding up river as downpour waters meet storm waves surging up from the sea. On the beneficial side, there will be more tourism hours of sunshine and carbon free energy will be plentiful from both wind and solar power.

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Good news As a result of all the development licences that have been granted, the financial status of some municipalities has been transformed. Estepona, to judge from the public works construction that is being carried out, is using that money to enhance sports and health facilities, including sharing the cost of a new hospital with the Regional health authority. However the construction of the fancy new Town Hall is questionable, given that the coastal paseo, pozo negro (septic tank) pollution, roads and roundabouts are in urgent need of attention.

So if there appears to be a ‘bounce’ in the next few months, it’s inaccurate. The real figures show buyer numbers falling off.

Completions Survey Spain is often instructed by individuals to carry out ‘Snagging’/Building Survey inspections of new builds. While devel We come across many properties where the level of workmanship has been far from acceptable, perhaps due to construction being rushed.

Housing Regulations As stated above and previously, Local and National Governments are making regulations to affect the form of development (e.g. demanding a percentage of the development is set aside for VPO ‘Council Housing’), and requiring Licences for seasonal rentals so that the administration of those is similar to hotels. Given the left-wing bias of the newly sworn in Government, there are sure to be further impositions in attempts to create a ‘fair’ market for tenants. Past experience has shown that most of these types of measures, merely skew the market with short-term tenant benefits, but medium-term reductions in availability.

Mortgages Spanish banks may be less keen to lend to foreign buyers due to a new law obliging them to charge the mortgage in the buyer’s home currency if the exchange rate has fallen significantly against the euro. Britain is one of nine EU countries affected along with Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden.

Increased Incentives

Regularisation of Properties

Financiers and developers appear to be reacting to reduced inspection visits by enhancing commissions to agents, reducing prices and offering buyer incentives. Others are putting things on hold until the market becomes clearer. o As stated in previous columns, Spanish market stats may be skewed by the surge in ‘off plan’ purchases. These are secured by private, non-notarised contracts and so will only appear in the record after the paperwork is processed and the buyer has the keys.

One of the first acts of the new Junta de Andalucia, was to change the local regulations permitting owners of houses built on illegal land to ‘regularise’ them - not making them officially legal but taking no action providing they comply with building regulations. However, this ruling has been appealed to Spain’s Supreme Court by the National Government itself and environmentalists who believe it will encourage illegal development in the future.

HEALTH

February 5th - February 18th 2020

COLUMNISTS

Curse like a native

Charlie Smith

Dicks, balls, c*nts … Charlie Smith delves into the nether regions of Andalucia’s everyday swearwords and the more curious aspects of Spanish vocabulary ONE of the most enjoyable parts of learning Spanish – or any language – is getting to grips with its many curses and swear words. Not a day goes by in my multi-lingual office where I don’t hear a ‘coño’ (c*nt) or an ‘hijo de puta’ (son of a bitch). And if you’re attempting to learn Spanish in Andalucia like I am, you’ll also be aware that such profanity is in no way limited to a feisty chat over the photocopier.

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Many-a-Malagueño, including the elderly, can be heard shouting ‘picha’ (penis) to a pal in the street or casually uttering ‘joder’ – meaning f*ck – at the slightest nuisance. However, aside from the obvious effing and jeffing, there are some amazing and more nuanced everyday phrases that you should add to your vocabulary if you want to speak like a true Spaniard. Curiously, many of these involve milk. First up is the crude idiom, ‘me cago en la leche’, which literally translates as ‘I shit in the milk’. This expression should be used in moments of anger or frustration, like when you drop a bottle of milk. Another creamy catchphrase, ‘ser la leche’ means ‘to be the milk’ and is often employed to describe how cool something or someone is. In the description of a person, you can say ‘se cree la leche’, which means something closer to ‘he thinks he’s it’. ‘Tener mala leche’ or ‘to have bad milk’ is one of the best milk-based phrases, as it describes being grumpy or ill-tempered. However, as with many phrases

there is contradiction, as it can also mean to have bad luck. Dairy aside, another favourite of mine is ‘tocar los cojones’, a hotly debated saying that contains one of Spain’s several words for testacles – others include huevos and pelotas. Stick the phrase into Google Translate and you get ‘touch the balls’. To touch somebody’s balls doesn’t have an exact equivalent in English, but means somewhere in between ‘to annoy someone’ and to ‘take the piss’. Do not forget cojones, as the word can also be used in the phrases ‘tener cojones’ (to be brave) and ‘écharle cojones’ (to challenge someone). Finally, another word I picked up recently is ‘malafollá’,

literally translating to something like ‘bad fuck’. This word is very specific however and should be used to describe an encounter with a Granaino – a person from Granada. It kind of means moody, but it is more like short or abrupt, although the person still has a sense of humour. I bore witness to this in Granada while ordering a beer, which came with a free tapa, from a stonyfaced waitress who had the hint of a smile – kind of like the Mona Lisa. Next time I will discuss ‘false friends’ – words in English and Spanish that sound the same, but have different meanings.

COLD SHOCK

Just when Giles Brown thought it was safe to go back to the water... As my friends and family will readily agree, I’ve done some pretty foolish things in my time, usually late a night and undoubtedly with alcohol involved. Since my, ahem, ‘lifestyle change’ of a few years ago (You did Dry January? Welcome to my world) I decided to ‘give something back’ whenever I can. This is why I usually say yes when I’m asked to get involved with charity events. Normally this involves me flinging on a clean shirt and acting as MC for the night. So when I took a call from Virginia Macari asking me if I wanted to get involved with an event that the Collective Calling charity were organising, I immediately said yes, anticipating dusting off the diner jacket. Which just goes to show that I should enquire more thoroughly before agreeing to do something. This event was a little different. It was a 200m sponsored swim. In the Mediterranean. In January. The last time that I went in the water in January was to celebrate my birthday. There was snow on La Concha – which should have perhaps warned me that it was going to be a ‘little chilly’ – and when I dived it was so cold that I certain parts of my anatomy retracted at a rapid rate. So far and fast in fact that I had two round lumps on the top of my head where my man jewels had shot up and rebounded off the inside of my skull. Any thought that I might undertake the swim wearing nothing but a pair of swimming trunks was soon ruled out by two factors The first was the advice of a Romanian yachting friend who explained that, as I’m not exactly in my teens anymore,

‘cold water shock’ might actually induce a heart attack. The second was perfectly clear at the press call for the event, when I found myself standing next to a group of ‘ripped’ crossfitters who were also taking part in the event. No amount of chest puffing out and stomach holding in was going to help me here. A quick call to a friend who runs regular canyoning trips soon sorted me out with a wetsuit. After several days of torrential rain, the day itself was beautiful and sunny and a sizable crowd gathered to watch the event. After saying hello to the organisers, I casually slipped away to shoehorn myself into the wetsuit – no easy task, I can assure you. But when I looked over my shoulder I saw in horror that the rest of the charity swimmers were already in the water. I yelled, charged through the crowd and crashed into the surf with all the grace of an oil tanker being launched. Once again the water was freezing and I had the ignominy of being the last one back on the beach. But as I gulped a life reviving cafe solo I could reflect on a job well done. And at least no one had mistaken my floundering form for a cetacean and alerted the Norwegian Whaling Fleet.

SPORT

While the world grieves for Kobe Bryant, Malaga mourns the untimely death of another hero of the game

February 5th - February 18th 2020

Second blow for basketball

FORMER Malaga and Great Britain basketball international Robert Archibald has died at the age of 39. University of Illinois athletics officials confirmed Archibald’s death in circumstances that still remain unclear. The seven-foot giant is the only Scotsman to ever play in the NBA when he was drafted in 2002 by the Memphis Grizzlies.

RAFAEL Nadal was knocked out of the Australian Open at the quarter final stage. The world number one suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Dominic Thiem. The world number five stunned the Spaniard in a four-set thriller, 7-6 7-6 4-6 7-6 at Melbourne Park. The Austrian qualified for his first Australian Open semi-final and faced Germany’s Alexander Zverev. Nadal, 33, had defeated Thiem in the last two French Open finals but the 26-year-old finally got his revenge. “I had luck in the right situations, the net cord was on my side,” Thiem said. “But it is necessary because Nadal is one of the greatest of all time and you need some luck to beat him.” The Spaniard seemed tense and tired throughout the entire match. He was given a time violation in the second set for taking too long to

serve after winning a brutal 19-shot rally. That led to an irritated Nadal telling the umpire: “You don’t like good tennis.” But the hot shot from Mallorca was still unhappy about the incident and spoke to the tournament supervisor Andreas Egli about it. He later had another disagreement with the umpire over not being allowed to challenge a Thiem serve and throughout the match complained about the cool air blower next to his chair not working properly. All these incidents highlighted Nadal’s edginess and translated to his game as he missed shots he would normally be expected to make.

Roberto goes home

Pioneer

He moved back to Europe in 2004 and had a successful career in the Euroleague – Europe’s top tier competition. He played for four Spanish teams during that period including Valencia, Badalona and Zaragoza. However Malaga, where he spent three seasons from 2008 to 2011, was the team where he made the biggest impact. Archibald also had 37 caps as a Great Britain international, representing Team

NADA MAS

ALAVES have signed Roberto Jimenez Gago on loan from West Ham. The Spaniard

HEARTBROKEN: The basketball world is hurting GB at the London Olympic Games in 2012, after which he subsequently retired from international duty. Tributes have come in from around the globe, including from Spanish legend Pau Gasol who was his teammate in Memphis. British Basketball

Federation chairman Maurice Watkins said: “He was a fantastic ambassador for Scottish and British basketball and will be fondly remembered for his great contribution to the game in our country, his talent and his achievements.” His death came just two days

History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.

before the world lost another titan of the game in Kobe Bryant, who lost his life along with eight other people in a helicopter crash. The 41-year-old LA Lakers star and his daughter Gianna, 13 were killed when their chopper smashed into a hill in California.

RELIEVED: Roberto

signed for the East London club in the summer, but has had a tough time adjusting to life in the Premier League. He has been criticised by fans for his performances and, with the return of Darren Randolph from Middlesbrough, the 33-year-old was now surplus to requirements. The Madrileno has played for a few teams in Spain’s top tier, including Atletico Madrid, Espanyol and Malaga – when they were still in La Liga.

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FINAL WORDS

ONLY a third of the electric scooter fines issued in Malaga were paid in 2019, as renting companies refused to pay them.

Landing pad THE Hard Rock Cafe is opening a merchandise store in Malaga airport and joins the restaurants in Malaga centre and Marbella, bringing the franchise’s total to three on the Costa del Sol.

Shocker A 4.2 MAGNITUDE earthquake shook Almogia, lying north of Torremolinos, but nobody was hurt and no significant damage was caused.

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Vol. 13 Issue 336 www.theolivepress.es February 5th - February 18th 2020

CAR AHOY: Talk about dopey tourists.. this one reversed his hire car onto a boat in Cabopino this week. Pic sent in by reader Graham Pierce

SEA WEED SAGA By Joanne Oakley

A BRITISH sailor got the shock of his life when he pulled a bail of hash - worth €280,000 - out of the sea. The yacht captain Mike Stewart bucked the trend by immediately calling in police and coastguard on landing the haul off Murcia. The seasoned seadog, 58, had been sailing from the

British sailor finds €280,000 worth of marijuana in the Med

UK to Mallorca, via the Straits of Gibraltar. The Mancunian and his three crew - one a former policeman - spotted the huge 35kg package, wrapped in plastic off the port of Aguilas. After dragging it on board

Slip one under the table slip up

they soon realised that it was a huge stash of marijuana and called the Spanish police. “You could hardly pick the thing up,” revealed Stewart. “One of our crew was in the police for 45 years and he hadn’t seen a thing like it.”

It is thought the drugs may have been dumped by traffickers in fear of being followed. It could also have been left anchored out at sea, ready for pick-up. The regular sailor added: “Coming through the Straits there’s always refugee boats, things like that.”

Submarine

IT is a brave new symbol to represent Spain’s most populous region. But some critics insist that the Junta de Andalucia’s new logo looks like a ‘back hander’, appropriate after decades of corruption saw billions stolen by greedy politicians in Sevilla. The new design, which cost €14,500, was also criticised by unhappy taxpayers, who took to social media saying it could have been created far cheaper. The government claims the logo is respectful of the history of Andalucia, adapted to the times and friendly to the environment.

It comes after a Spanish man was sentenced to eight years for smuggling the largest ever haul of narcotics into Gibraltar. Last year a group of Galician smugglers were found bringing tons of cocaine into Spain via a specially-designed submarine.

Brolly good show A SPANISH ‘Super gran’ caught on camera taking on a robber with her umbrella has gone viral on social media. Amazing CCTV footage captured the moment the 73-year-old pensioner, from Madrid, tussled with the thief outside a supermarket. The video shows Antonia being thrown to the ground by the young thug after she tries to raise the alarm. The thief was attempting to open the cash register in the shop with a small knife, which she tried to wrestle off him. Despite her heroic efforts, the man made off with €2,000. However, footage shows him receiving one last blow to the head in the street outside. After Antonia reported the incident to police the man was arrested.