The
OLIVE PRESS
Schengenbound GIBRALTAR could have a ‘common travel area with Schengen’ and be part of the Customs Union if a deal is reached between the UK and the EU before December 31. The proposed ‘free-standing EU-UK treaty’, as the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo (pictured) called it, was explained in full to the House of Lords European Union Committee on November 24.
Agreement
Such an agreement would even see the airport being included as part of Schengen. “The arrangement we are looking at would solve the mobility conundrum and the ability of persons to move goods with them,” Picardo told the Lords. “It would permit the wholesale and commercial movement of goods into Gibraltar without Customs friction. “It would be a common travel area between Gibraltar and the Schengen travel area. “It may be that we have a different legal form in coming weeks which is more acceptable to the European Commission, UK, Gibraltar and Spain.” Picardo revealed it was unlikely to mean Gibraltar would have full membership of both Schengen and the Customs Union treaties. “Whether it is full or associated membership of Schengen or extension of Schengen or simply treating the entry points at Gibraltar, the port and airport as Schengen entry points, is the subject of our final considerations,” said Picardo. “We want to find a way that is agreeable to all the parties and doesn’t cross any of the sovereignty, jurisdiction and control red lines each of us bring to the table.”
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Vol. 5 Issue 136 www.theolivepress.es November 25th - December 8th 2020
EXCLUSIVE The hunt for the Brit killer of teen Ulrich
See page 2
Deadly turn Pandemic claims five victims in a fortnight on the Rock as Picardo warns of ‘vicious virus’
DEATHS: St Bernard’s has been battling coronavirus FIVE people have died from coronavirus on the Rock in the past two weeks, including a school friend of Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. Four of the deaths were directly caused by COVID-19 while another died from another condition while suffering with the virus. They are the first fatal victims connected to the disease in Gibraltar, which had until now avoided fatalities. The first two Gibraltar deaths occurred on the weekend of November 21-22 The first was a man over 65 who also suffered from underlying health conditions. “The patient died on November 22 from respiratory failure as a result of COVID-19 pneumonia,” confirmed a hospital spokesman. The second victim was a man under 50 who died as a result of multi-organ failure caused by COVID-19 pneumonia and sepsis. “I knew the deceased personally from our school days and more recently from my role in government,” revealed Chief Minister Picardo. “I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing, too
X
He said Gibraltar would not take part in the single market despite this, He added that even if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, talks with Spain could continue after December 31. “I don’t think anybody will gain with a no deal,” said Picardo. “Life will be very different and we will lose a lot of the mobility and a lot of the other advantages. “The essentials we are providing for would only ensure that the essentials can continue to flow.”
FREE
GIBRALTAR
By John Culatto
young and too soon.” Two victims over 90-yearsold were the other casualties from the pandemic. “Our deepest sympathies go to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Picardo. “Three members of our community who we have
about our daily lives.” Since the outbreak, the homes run by Elderly Residential Services have been locked down to prevent any further infection of the most vulnerable in the community. The Chief Minister hinted that ‘a new protocol’ is being arranged to allow the public to visit their elderly family
OPINION
I
Shocking news for us all
N a tight-knit community where deaths and marriages are some of the most talked about subjects, the recent COVID-19 casualties have been a shock to the system. With five deaths reported in less than two weeks, it is no longer a question that the pandemic is lethal. Even if the latest wave of cynics will always cry wolf at the sign of anything that disturbs the norm, it is now no longer in question that COVID-19 kills. Often they are the most afraid, the ones who fear death so much they need to find ways to inoculate its danger with improbable conspiracy theories. While it is true that most of the victims were elderly or had underlying conditions, the fact that the virus has quickened their passing away can no longer be denied. The politics of a hidden agenSee page 7-10-12-16 da are always an escape from the reali-
Tel: 952 147 834 TM
sadly lost to COVID-19 were of the generation who lived through the hardships of the Evacuation. “They endured the long years of a closed frontier, all the while keeping up the unshakable Gibraltarian spirit. “We should all remember their sacrifices now as we make vitally important changes to the way we go
ty of personal responsibility Gibraltarians now have to realise is in their hands, often literally. Though these might in fact be coping strategies to lighten the load on emotional stress, these deaths of real people must in fact be a wake-up call. The way that whole economies have indeed shut down to preserve the lives of the most vulnerable in the community shows the opposite is true. It has shown that the state is indeed caring for the people and that money is not the only priority. Countries that have put their economies have suffered the consequences, with grief engulfing them like a tidal wave. Just across the bay in the Gibraltar Campo around five deaths have been recorded every day, as people swear by their normality over solidarity. There is hope on the way, though. The vaccine programme will likely save lives through the power of science and the research that keeps humanity charging onwards. The detractors to this change are part of the problem too, and probably why humanity is more in crisis than ever before.
relatives in the future. “In just 11 short days, Gibraltar has sadly mourned the deaths of five members of our community to this vicious virus,” said Picardo. “Less than two weeks ago, we had lost nobody.” In contrast, the neighbouring Campo region is registering an average of five deaths per day, and increases of more than 100 new cases every 24 hours. Meanwhile, Gibraltarians entering Spain cannot travel outside of La Linea until at least December 10. It comes after the rules to fight COVID-19, which includes closing the perimeters of all municipalities in the region, were extended this week. As borders are still open, Gib residents have been allowed to pass through the frontier but can only remain in neighbouring La Linea. The only exception would be if people are registered as having their primary home in another town. These new restrictions on movement were explained more clearly by Picardo. “A resident of Gibraltar entering Spain is subject to exactly the same constraints as a resident of La Linea,” he explained to GBC. “They cannot then go beyond the municipal boundaries of La Linea unless their travel is in keeping with the Spanish rules or they are registered beyond it.”
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NEWS IN BRIEF Four-day weekend
Stubbed out
Mask fines
British family GIBRALTAR Finance will take part with the British Chamber of Commerce EU and Belgium to show off what the Rock has to offer the business community in Brussels.
Model man MINISTER for Heritage John Cortes has unveiled a model at the Gibraltar Museum of a Bronze Age man who lived on the Rock about four thousand years ago
A BRITISH-licenced car linked to the murder of an expat teenager has been recovered from a transporter vehicle on the Costa del Sol. The white Mercedes was sought after tragic Ulrich Perez was stabbed in a shock broad daylight attack in Estepona last week. Detectives investigating the slaying of the 19-year-old were alerted to the top-ofthe-range sports car beside
November 25th - December 8th 2020
Weeded out
Sophisticated marijuana growing operations raided on the Rock
THE 70th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II will be marked by an extra bank holiday on June 3 in Gibraltar to mark the record achievement.
RGP Commissioner Richard Ullger spoke of his disappointment after over 100 people were fined for not wearing masks in Gibraltar town centre over the last two weeks.
CRIME
PACKED: Cigarettes AN abandoned Gibraltar car with 250 cartons of cigarettes has been seized by Customs acting on police information. Customs enforcement units found the car off Devil’s Tower Road after the foiled smuggling attempt. They had originally driven to the Eastern Beach area acting on the information from the RGP. “At approximately 5.30pm, officers spotted the local suspect vehicle exiting the multi-storey carpark at Eastern Beach and then onto Devils Tower Road,” said Customs. “The patrol crew then drove back to Devils Tower Road in search of the vehicle. “Minutes later, they found the Gibraltar registered vehicle abandoned in the alleyway opposite The Holiday Inn.” The car and cigarettes were seized as investigations continued.
TWO men have been arrested after £7000 worth of cannabis was found at two addresses in Gibraltar. Searches at Churchill House and Varyl Begg led to the arrests by the RGP in a Drug Squad operation on November 11. A complete weed growing system was found at the home of a 26-year-old in Churchill House, near Witham’s Road. The £2000 hydroponics tent was fully equipped with climate control, special lighting, irrigation and chemicals to grow the psychoactive drug in the most efficient way. Nearly £5,000 of weed was
NOT ME!
EXILED Spanish King Juan Carlos I has denied trying to withdraw €10 million from a ‘secret’ bank account in Jersey. According to El Mundo, details of the alleged transaction are being analysed by Spanish prosecutors after it was detected by the Executive Commission of the Prevention of Money Laundering and Fraud (Sepblac). But the disgraced royal, has reportedly told his closest circle that he is shocked by the report sent to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s office.
End of the line
CAUGHT: Green fingered crooks were nabbed seized at this address along He was arrested for cultivatwith some plants that were ing cannabis plants, possesstill in bloom. sion and possession with intent to supply class B drugs. In the same operation, an 18-year-old had his Varyl Begg home searched where hash and weed worth £2,175 FIVE Spanish nationals have been arrested afwas found. ter they were found suffering from hypotherScales and wrappers used for mia in their boat on Eastern Beach. dealing the illegal drugs were The four men and a juvenile were taken to St also found at the government Bernard’s hospital for medical checks. estate. They were thought to be trying to import drugs The man was charged with but no narcotics were seized as often substancpossession with intent to es are ditched at sea before going ashore. supply and is currently on The five were bailed to appear on January 13 bail as investigations continwhile the RGP probe continues. ue for both raids.
Suspected narcos bailed
TWO tonnes of cocaine have been found in a container at Algeciras port. It is one of the biggest finds of the drug in the Gibraltar Campo and came after a long and challenging police investigation. A number of people have been arrested in a joint operation by the Policia Nacional, Guardia Civil and Tax office. In another incident, 600kg of hashish was intercepted by the Guardia Civil at a remote beach of Algeciras. Two men who were in the fast launch were arrested by the Policia Nacional during the operation at Cala de Parras.
Keys from a killer Estepona Golf on Saturday morning, three days after his death. Perez (pictured with his brother) had been stabbed after having a row with the driver, who he accused of going too fast at a zebra crossing outside his family home in Diana Park. The Mercedes Berlina was set to be driven back to the UK, via Bilbao, this week, the Olive Press can reveal. Indeed, it was only thanks to the eagle eyes of an expat neighbour that the cops were called. “The car was impounded as it was being loaded onto a transfer vehicle,” said an employee at the
INCRIMINATED: The suspect Mercedes
Police impound white Merc linked to murder of tragic teen in Estepona - as it was set for two-day journey to UK EXCLUSIVE By Kirsty McKenzie
golf club. “The English owner of the transport company was taken away by police. “He is a nice guy who has worked here for years and I am sure he had no involvement, police will just want to know who ordered the car to be transported.” When the Olive Press spoke to the owner of the company Car Shipping To Spain, he confirmed he had been paid to transfer the car back to an address in the UK. Catching him just before he set off yesterday morning, the English businessman said that his
wife had been given the keys to the Mercedes on Thursday evening, less than 24 hours after the attack. He confirmed he had spent two and a half hours at a police station, giving details of the suspect and where he was set to deliver the car. While declining to give an exact delivery address, he said: “It was going back to the UK, I can’t tell you where and the police will obviously not give me the car back. It is now in forensics.” He continued the car had been booked to be taken back on Thursday afternoon and was dropped off that night. “The client seemed like a normal guy and didn’t turn up like some big brick s***house,” he explained. “It was dark at night and the wife met him. She sat in her car waiting for him to come. It was 7.30pm at night. It was dark, he gave her the keys, gave her the money and he disappeared. “We didn’t suspect anything. At the end of the day, people run late and we run late.” The discovery comes after cinema worker Ulrich was fatally stabbed after recriminating the driver of the car who nearly ran him over on a zebra crossing. The man - described by witnesses as ‘well built and blonde’ - is believed to have pulled out a knife and stabbed the youngster in the heart before fleeing
SAD: Shrine to Perez the scene. He is understood to be English and was travelling with a female accomplice. The shocking attack took place right outside Ulrich’s TRANSPORTER: set to take car to UK home opposite the Diana Park shopping comwe don’t think about anyplex and his devastated moththing else. “A madman, a er and stepfather were among stupid man snatched your the first people to rush to his life away from you and you aid. are in another dimension with your great-grandparents who loved you so much. Sudden Rest in peace.” Tragically the teen, who lived Local British estate agent in the Las Acacias urbanisaTony Reddin told the Olive tion with his parents and two Press how Ulrich was one brothers, aged 22 and three, of the ‘nicest lads you could passed away almost immediever meet’. ately. “He was my son’s best friend Tributes have been pouring and I would have been proud out from the local communito call him my son. He was ty, including his friends, who polite, kind and a perfect posted a photo from their socgentleman,” he said. cer team and lit candles and “I am devastated, we are all laid flowers at the spot where thinking of him.” he died. Locals meanwhile launched The youngster’s great-aunt a campaign to help Ulrich’s Herminia Martinez took to sofamily with funeral costs, cial media over the weekend to which was quickly reached. say: “At times we feel as if God They put collection pots has abandoned us and we ask in shops near the home he why the Lord took you. shared with his parents and “I imagine that when that haptwo brothers. pens we also want to die with Police have confirmed no our son or daughter, because arrests have been made and the pain must be so great that the investigation is ongoing.
NEWS
www.theolivepress.es FIVE Barn owls have been introduced to a Marina Alta farming community as part of a major plan to enhance the flora and fauna of the area. The village of Jesus Pobre, two kilometres from Gata de Gorgos (Alicante), is involved in a project to restore species that are vital to farming ecosystems.
RESTORED: Barn Owls
Role replacement MALLORCA local Mads Mikkelsen (pictured) has been tipped to replace Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts film. Depp was axed from the cast of the latest Harry Potter spin-off when he lost his trial against The Sun newspaper, who called him a ‘wifebeater’ in 2018. The court found the claims made about Depp, 57, were ‘substantially true’ following statements from his wife Amber Heard, 34. After featuring in films such as Casino Royale, Mikkelsen is now director David Yate’s firm favourite to take over the role. No stranger to the Balearic Islands, Mikkelsen snapped up a luxury pad in the heart of Mallorca several years ago. Situated in the trendy Santa Catalina area, the Danish expat relocated several years ago.
What a hoot! That includes the barn owls who are seen as a useful way of combating pests that destroy crops. Nesting boxes will be put up close to farmland to encourage kestrels, bats, and red-tailed scrub robins to make the area their home. Population monitoring is planned to check out the success of the initiative.
Asthmatic actress
As The Crown hits TV screens again, Diana actress Emma Corrin reveals her on set health struggles while filming in Spain STAR of The Crown Emma Corrin has revealed she was hospitalised when filming the hit Netflix drama in Spain. The actress, who plays Princess Diana in the newly released fourth season of the show, said she had been suffering from asthma and a severe cough and stopped at a hospital for antibiotics. It was there that doctors refused to let Corrin, 24, leave as her oxygen levels had become worryingly low.
By Lydia Spencer-Elliott
It came after Corrin had filmed an underwater scene for The Crown in a freezing cold swimming pool in Spain where the show had spent two months filming in a bid to recreate Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s 1983 tour of Australia. And this was not the first time the show had come to the Costa del Sol. An airport scene
Marian’s dreams fulfilled
DREAMS: Marian Avila was honoured
A SPANISH model with Down’s syndrome has received a prestigious award for being ‘an example to follow’. Marian Avila, aged 23, picked up the 2020 Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy award in a ‘virtual’ ceremony hosted in Denver earlier this month. She shared the honour with actor Caterina Scorsone from the popular TV series Grey’s Anatomy. Marian Vila said: “People with Down’s syndrome can achieve as much as anybody else. My motto is I can. “We can all fulfil our dreams and I am very happy and honoured to have receive such an important award.”
ESTUCO INTERIORS
BREATHLESS: Corrin for season three was shot in Torremolinos’ congress centre. The show has recently come under fire for straying from alleged real life events. Biographer Penny Junor, who has been covering the royal family for around four decades, told reporters: “Peter Morgan [director] has invented stuff to make expensive and very rich drama. It’s the most cruel and unfair and horrible portrayal of almost all of them.” Historians have raced to point out fabrications in the latest series’ script including the royal family intentional attempt to humiliate Margaret Thatcher at Balmoral and Princess Margaret mocking Princess Diana for not being able to curtsey. “Sometimes you have to forsake accuracy, but you must never forsake truth,” said Morgan in response.
November 25th - December 8th 2020
Don’t sashay DON’T ‘sashay away’ from your sofa because RuPaul’s Drag Race has announced it’s coming to Spain. The reality-competition show follows a group of elite drag artists as they battle it out to be crowned the drag scene’s next superstar. Commissioned by the suitably sassily named media company ¡Hola Hola Hola!, alongside Spanish broadcaster Atresmedia, the show will be titled Drag Race Spain and promises an ‘update’ on the show’s classic format. Drag Race Spain joins a long line of international spin-offs, including Drag Race Thailand, Canada’s Drag Race, Drag Race Holland and The Switch Drag Race from Chile. And RuPaul is not the only hit-show to announce its expansion to a Spanish network lately. Love Island Spain was announced by ITV back in September, so there will be plenty to keep viewers entertained in 2021. SASSY: Ru Paul
Sea legs
STRETCH: Rodriguez
GEORGINA Rodriguez has taken yoga to the high seas. Posing in blue athletic wear, the 26-year-old model proved boyfriend Cristiano Ronaldo, 35, isn’t the only one with sporting skills as she showed off her ability to perform the splits. She captioned the Instagram snap: 'Entre el mar y el cielo', meaning 'between the sea and the sky'.
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NEWS
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NEWS IN BRIEF Green runners A TRIAL of fully electric buses that create no noise or air pollution has been held on the Rock as the territory strives to replace the current fossil fuel fleet.
Flamin wheels A MAN was arrested after his car caught fire when he crashed it near the junction of Reclamation Road and Queensway on the morning of November 21.
Overseas meets GIBRALTAR ministers will take part in the annual Joint Ministerial Council virtual meetings between Overseas Territories and the UK to be held this week.
Copping it IN a busy weekend for the RGP, a man was arrested for theft, another for assault and there was a report for making too much noise from November 21-22.
TALKS: Picardo
Border hopes
THE Chief Minister has talked with the foreign ministers of Spain and the UK as he pushes towards a post-Brexit agreement. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Arancha Gonzalez Laya spoke to Fabian Picardo on how to move forward after December 31. “The Government continues to work solidly to arrive at such an agreement within our well known red lines,” said the government. During a recent online speech to the EU Committee of Nations, Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia explained the issue to the UK Contact Group. It was the first time Gibraltar was invited to take part along with Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish political leaders. It has led to hopes of sharing more prosperity in the future as part of a deal with Spain, he said.
A TRADE deal between the EU and Britain is on the verge of being finalised, after the EU looked set to cave in on fishing rights. An MEP broke ranks to say that it looked likely the French would have to compromise with Boris Johnson’s demands over UK waters. Christophe Hansen said the EU would have to meet the UK’s demands to clinch an agreement. "There will be compromises to be made on fisheries. The status quo, that is somewhere we're not going to land,” he told an event. French fishermen are understood to have backed a compromise despite losing out on access to certain fishing grounds. The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has discussed the need to compromise in the
November 25th - December 8th 2020
Landed!
Landmark trade deal is within days of being signed after fishing rights issue appeared solved By Dilip Kuner
trade talks if there is to be an agreement. France had previously been refusing to back down on any fishing deal, demanding near-parity to the UK’s coastal waters. It comes as the governor of the Bank of England warned that a no-deal Brexit would be more economically damaging that
NEARLY DONE: Border worries may disappear in the next few days if a Brexit deal is approved
COVID to the UK. Andrew Bailey said failure to get a deal signed would create a massive cross-border trade blockage and damage goodwill between Brussels and the UK. Meanwhile, Ireland leader Micheal Martin said on Monday he was hopeful that a Brexit deal would be completed this week. Taoiseach Martin said ‘by the end of this week we could see the outlines of a deal’. He said it would come down to ‘political will, both in the United Kingdom and I’m clear the political will is there from the European Union’. EU ambassadors were told over the weekend that a trade deal with Britain is on the verge of being finalised. They were told the majority of the 11 main negotiation issues have ‘joint legal texts with fewer and fewer outstanding points’. The European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen struck a positive note, saying: “After difficult weeks with very, very slow progress now we have seen in the last days better progress, more movement on important files. This is good.”
Mask up, kids! MASKS will have to be worn by older students in Gibraltar schools after numbers of COVID-19 cases at schools continued to grow. Over a dozen new cases have forced 200 staff and pupils into self-isolation over the past week. Bayside and Westside schools are the worst affected, with both moving into double figures. The education department has now agreed to impose the new rules. Only Year12/13 and Gibraltar College students need to wear masks at all times, includiding in lessons and exams.
Cash boost THE Gibraltar Government will be able to borrow up to £500 million, the UK Government has announced. The cash will help Gibraltar’s response to the economic problems caused by the loss of tourism and the all-round hit to the economy due to the ongoing pandemic. UK minister Dominic Raab, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, gave the go-ahead to guarantee the Natwest loan.
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The Olive Press all editions FP (342mmx256mm) November 25
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LA CULTURA
How surreal
A NEW show at the CaixaForum in Madrid has wowed visitors with its display of over 279 surrealist works of art. Surrealism, an art form traditionally defined as art that explores the subconscious mind, is a particularly apt movement for those using culture as escapism during these challenging times. While the show features surrealist figureheads such as Dali and Man Ray, it also looks forward to the surrealist influences on modern art: for example, Bjork’s experimental music videos.
Desire
The exhibition, called Objects of Desire: Surrealism and Design 19242020, is an immersive experience with towering Dali landscapes for the viewer to lose themselves in. Fans of Surrealism will recognise the iconic works on display, including scenes from Bunuel’s Un Chien Andalou and Man Ray’s Le Violon. But the exhibition’s curators hope the show will also inspire a new generation of surrealist designers in Spain.
November 25th December 8th 2020
by Barack Obama
Shades of Banksy as Spanish artist uses coronavirus for inspiration
SINCE Barack Obama handed over the reins of presidency to Trump, the world has been waiting for his presidential memoir. In this first volume, Obama takes the reader on a journey from childhood to the killing of Osama Bin Laden in 2011, focusing mainly on his political aspirations and career as President. We are given insights into his thought process, the dynamics of US politics, opinions of other world leaders, his battles with racism, and personal stories of life with his family in the White House. It is intimate, powerful, and compelling and above all, hopeful. Obama maintains his belief that progress is always possible and that ‘democracy is not a gift from on high, but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day’.
GRATITUDE: Overcoming is a thoughtful tribute
Brush with COVID A SPANISH artist has been combatting coronavirus with optimism by painting intricate murals on hospital facades for doctors and nurses to enjoy. Known as ‘Pejac’, the painter has created three intricate and eye-catching pieces across the outer walls of Marques de
By Lydia Spencer-Elliott
Valdecilla University Hospital in Santander. “The project is a gesture of gratitude to health workers in general and during this COVID crisis in particular,” said Pejac. “I’m offering them what I do best, which is painting.” Easily comparable with Bristol’s anonymous artist Banksy, Pejac redesigns well known images by the likes of Monet or Delacroix to convey a socially-charged message. Named Social distance, Overcoming and Caress, Pejac’s paintings have been finished with a helping hand from the children in the hospital’s oncology unit.
A Promised Land
Overcoming shows a child recreating Van Gogh’s Wheat Field with Cypresses with his hands. The boy is propped up on a wheelchair, harnessing his disability to paint where other children can’t reach.
Heart
“This is something that we, as a society could do,” says Pejac. “We could take this crisis and use it to propel us forwards.” And this is not the first project with a social cause at its heart that Pejac has taken on. His last commission took place at the El Dueso, Cantabria, where prison inmates painted alongside him to complete an eye-catching mural.
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The future is here Vol. 5
Issue 136
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T
HE news that the UK is planning to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 is expected to push the motor industry even faster into the adoption of ‘green’ technology. In Spain the long term aim is for the entire country to be carbon neutral by 2050, although plans
November 25th - December 8th 2020
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A look at the latest concepts in electric vehicles
for the wholesale conversion of transport to electric are not as ambitious as those in the UK. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a bill to ‘encourage’ Spain’s motor industry into a greener future. But
FIGHT ON: VW’s ID.4 is aimed at taking on Tesla’s EVs
a mooted ban on the sale of diesel or petrol powered vehicles by 2040 was turned down. The bill aimed to bring Spain’s motor industry alongside its international counterparts in terms of carbon neutrality. The new automotive plan focuses on the environmentally friendly electric and hybrid car industry and aims to make the technology cheaper, and easier to use and access across the country. Special incentives will be rolled out over the coming years to encourage the ownership of environmentally friendly vehicles, both private and commercial. Companies will be given special subsidies to replace their current fleets of vehicles with electric models. In total, the government is granting a total of €3.75 billion towards making electric and hybrid cars cheaper than petrol and diesel to buy by 2027. But there is no need to wait that long if you wish to help save the planet. Car manufacturers have been developing electric vehicles for years now. And 2021 will see
MATTER OF TASTE: The ‘futuristic Tesla Cybertruck is certainly unusual
the launch of a new generation of EVs that could be game chang- models and specs are planned for next year. ers. While still more expensive than Apart from its green motor, Volvo their ICE contemporaries, subsi- has also introduced frameless dies and scrappage schemes are mirrors and a lighter-than-leather bringing them into the reach of vegan interior fabric designed to mimic the durability of a wetmany more people’s wallets. One of the most unusual will suit be the Tesla Cybertruck. Aimed A pair of electric motors work with 27-module lithium ion squarely at the US market where a ‘trucks’ are a huge segment, this battery pack to deliver an imretro-futuristic ‘space machine’ pressive 402 horsepower, and a range of up to 275 is sure to make it miles. But all this to Spain at some comes at a price point. For build with the luxury Clad in dent-proof car costing from stainless steel it quality and €59,900. looks like sometop class When it comes thing out of Mad to mainstream Max, and accordengineering manufacturers, ing to Tesla boss Nissan was one Elon Musk it will look at Volvo of the first to enbe a ‘really tough, ter the market. not fake-tough’ Its LeafEV was truck. Mind you, he ended up with launched a decade ago, and now egg on his face at the vehicle’s has sales of nearly half a million. launch when he tried to prove The car giant is aiming to build on its durability through a series of this success in late 2021 with the ‘torture tests’. All was going well launch of the Ariiya, a more styluntil Musk hurled a steel ball at ish take on emission-free the vehicle and shattered its ‘ar- transportation. The five-passenger crossover moured’ glass. Deliveries of the plug-in pick up features a surprisingly aggressive are due to start in 2021 with pric- look, with some swoopy, concave surfacing and wheels pushed to es starting from €39,900. While Tesla has been the leader the corners. in EVs (particularly in the publicity The interior is minimalist, with a stakes) it will have more compe- low, flat floor and a vibe that Nistition than ever next year, with san calls ‘lounge-like’. It will mainstream manufacturers not have a claimed range of around only ready to unveil a slew of lat- 300 miles and pricing is expected est-technology models, but also to start from around €34,000. Mercedes-Benz will enter the ahead of the game. For build quality and top-class en- all-electric field with the five-seat gineering Volvo is worth a close look. Their Polestar 2 five-seater launched this year - brings Volvo polish and Swedish style to compete with Tesla’s Model 3. It is the second vehicle to come from Volvo’s new performance arm (the other, the 1, is a hybrid petrol-electric), and alternative
crossover EQC - and they are aiming for the top end of the market. The 402 HP monster will be luxurious and will also have good performance for a big car - it will hit 60mph from a standing start in around six seconds. This performance and luxury will be wrapped in a package with a range of 200 miles. A price has not been announced - but it won’t be cheap! Meanwhile Volkswagen’s new ID.4 SUV is aimed squarely at taking on Tesla. Starting prices are €45,400 in Spain and has a range of 250 miles. Staying with the German marques, the 2021 Audi e-tron GT promises to be a big hit.
Impressive
It is a sleek, electric sedan with loads of power and polish. Behind the streamlined bodywork is some architecture shared with the Porsche Taycan EV. With 590 horsepower, the two-motor GT should accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in an impressive three seconds, and will be able to gain an 80% charge in just 20 minutes. The car is billed as top-of-the range in the Audi EV portfolio, so expect to pay €100,000 plus for it. These are just some of the electric cars that will grace our roads in the near future - there are many more planned from just about every major manufacturer. So this is just a glimpse of the future - which may be arriving sooner than you think.
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Clamp Stricter driving laws to come into force in Spain - all you need to know HARSHER penalties and lower speed limits are on the cards if the Ministry of Transport has its way.
Code
HERO: Carlos Sainz
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S I walk through a rural village deep in southern Spain on a Sunday afternoon, I notice a white van parked with a #93 Marc Marquez sticker on the rear window, writes James Warren. Fifty yards further along the road, the roar of V6 hybrid engines could be heard emanating from a local bar as a group of transfixed regulars follow the latest Formula One race. Motorsport in Spain has long been ingrained in the DNA of the population, with global superstars capturing the imagination of young children, whilst their impassioned parents following their idols every move. Spain has a long history of motor
In our DNA By James Warren
racing, both on two and four wheels. With their top class racing history dating back to the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix in Guadarrama in 1936. After the Spanish civil war, events have been held almost every year since, including this year with the truncated 2020 season hosting the Spanish GP at the Cir-
cuit de Barcelona Montmelo. Motor racing stars have become god-like figures to their followers, the multi talented Fernando Alonso being one of the sport’s brightest stars. Alonso is a two-time world champion in F1, a world endurance champion and has been a frontrunner in both the Indianapolis 500 and the gruelling Dakar Rally. He is also noted for his charity work and his tireless work as a Unicef GoodWill Ambassador. Off-Road, an equally
CHAMPION: Fernando Alonso is a Spanish superstar
MINI MENTAL IT’S might be a Mini, but this unusual model aims to have a tardis-like interior! Dubbed the Mini Vision Urbanaut, its designers call it a ‘new interpretation of a vision of space’. Although the car currently only exists in digital form, the company, owned by BMW, is optimistic that it will become one of the most stylish vehicles for the future. “Mini sees its future primarily as an enabler of and companion for unforgettable times – what we might call ‘Mini moments,” explains
head designer Oliver Heilmer. This involves various settings for the interior including Chill and Vibe, that changes the dynamic inside. Chill turns the 4.46m-long car into ‘a kind of retreat, a haven where you can relax – or work with full concentration – during a journey.’ Vibe meanwhile ‘puts time with other people at centre stage,’ creating a lively but comfortable atmosphere for everyone. The model does not have a release date yet.
influential figure emerged in the outrageous Group B days in Spanish World Rally Championship. Carlos Sainz has become a household name for his flawless record, with his son Carlos Sainz Jr currently holding the Spanish mantle in F1. On two wheels, the list of icons is as long as the proverbial, with 1980’s MotoGP stars such as Angel Nieto, Sito Pons and Jorge Martinez still being as relevant today as they were 40 years ago. During the 500cc heyday, riders such as Sete Gibernau and Alex Criville collected numerous titles before stars such as Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez took over and continued to fly the flag for Spain. But why is Spain so motorsport focused? It can be separated into two factors - funding and influence. The government has for a long time, invested heavily in motor racing, valuing the economic and social impact on the country. It is estimated that the F1 event in Barcelona earns the region a staggering €163 million, meaning large amounts of funding has been injected into state of the art facilities. Racing is also encouraged at an incredibly young age, with world renowned youth training academies nurturing talent that could one day become the country’s next superstars.
It has approved changes to the traffic code that aims to crack down on some of the most common causes of traffic accidents. The new code still needs to be approved by parliament, which is thought to be a formality. “Since 2016, distractions are the main cause of serious accidents,”
By James Warren
said Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande Marlaska. The new laws will also target speed limits in urban areas, driving without seat belts and tighter regulations on where electric scooters can be ridden. If the law comes into force, drivers caught using mobile phones while driving will face losing six points on their licence instead of the current three, with repeat offenders losing a fur-
NEW RULES: Fernando Grande Marlaska (inset) is getting to
Race to change licence
NEW advice has been released for British expats in the run up to the end of the transition period. All Brits living in Spain must exchange their DVLA British licence for a Spanish one before December 31. The government has long advised that anyone who has lived in Spain for at least six months should have a Spanish licence but the number of people trying to book a cita previa at DGT offices has soared as the December deadline approaches. The Olive Press reported in October that the British Embassy said that it was in discussion with the Spanish transport authorities and plans were afoot to revise the system to make it easier for expats to secure an appointment.
Now th have b The fir DGT b 060 or ital ce may al take to (eg a g We un cess yo tificate If you the m your a ment w This sh As lon
November 25th - December 8th 2020
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PENALTY!: Harsher fines in store ther four. Four points will also be issued for drivers
not wearing a seatbelt, motorcycle riders not wearing a hel-
met and children in vehicles without the proper child seat. Drivers with devices fitted to their cars to detect speed cameras will lose three points as well as a fine of €500. Regarding speed limits, one way roads will be reduced to 20km/h with single lane roads down to 30km/h. Urban roads will also be reduced from 50km/h to 30km/h. The current trend of electric scooters has also been targeted in a crack down on accidents involving irresponsible users.
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Banned
E-Scooters and Segway style vehicles will now be banned from all pavement and pedestrianised areas, with offenders facing a €500 fine. Marlaska hopes that the new laws will help reduce road deaths and serious injuries caused by careless driving by up to 50%. The proposal is currently awaiting confirmation by the central government before a full roll-out can be scheduled.
ough on phones and e-scooters
he details of the new two-step process been published. rst step is to make an application to the before December 30 either by calling r via the online portal if you have a digertificate/CLAVE. In some provinces it lso be possible to download the form to o a local office or for a representative gestor) to do this on your behalf. nderstand that for this part of the proou do not need to have a residency cere or TIE, but you will need a NIE. do not hear anything from the DGT in meantime, three days after submitting application you can request an appointwith the DGT to do the exchange. hould be booked on the DGT’s website. ng as your application has been submit-
English, Spanish & German speaking mechanics
ted before December 30, and the UK authorities have verified your licence by the end of the year, your appointment to exchange your licence can be after January 1, 2021, provided it is within the first six months of theyear. Please note that you will need a residency certificate/TIE to do final exchange, so if you are in the process of applying for residency you may want to choose a later date for your appointment. Irrespective of whether a UK licence has been verified for exchange by the end of the year, you will be able to drive in Spain using your UK licence for six months from January 1, 2021. The future rules on exchange and recognition of UK licences are still subject to negotiation.
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BUSINESS
Xmas essentials
SPAIN’S toy makers want their products classified as ‘essential items’ so that festive sales can continue unhindered during the pandemic restrictions. The Spanish Association of Toy Manufacturers(AEFJ) has launched a campaign called ‘Christmas is in your hands’. They are calling for the government to guarantee that shops that sell basic necessities can keep their toy sections open as the festive season beckons.
Trade
The AEFJ claimed that the logistics of the Spanish toy industry are such that selling items solely online would be impossible due to ‘stock capacity’. It said: “Specialist toy shops should be allowed to trade within the appropriate restrictions and people who have placed online orders with them, should be able to go along and collect their orders in person.” It added: “Our industry should be declared an essential asset especially with the Christmas campaign as we look to avoid irreversible economic damage in our sector and in thousands of toy stores,” the group added.
November 25th - December 8th 2020
Warmer cheers Brewery giant to hand out terrace heaters this winter in €20m plan
SPAIN’S biggest brewer, Mahou San Miguel, is to pump in €20 million to keep bar terraces as warm and comfortable as possible this winter. Indoor capacity restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic have forced drinkers outdoors but they now face chillier nights as the winter draws in. Mahou San Miguel’s general manager, Peio Arbeloa, said: “We have been planning
Going green
this measure since May as we knew that the arrival of cold temperatures would be
Merger Mooted TWO of Spain’s largest banks, the BBVA and Banco Sabadell have opened formal merger talks Informal discussions have been held this year but last week they went to a formal stage. A union between them would create a new business similar in size to that of the merged Bankia and CaixaBank which was agreed in September. A deal between the BBVA and Sabadell would create a
Gib grilled
PLAN: Peio Arbeloa
By Alex Trelinski
a turning point for bars and restaurants. “We know there is a real need for businesses to get this help, especially as they cannot pay for it themselves.” The company plans to hand out 22,000 heaters in addition to 42,000 umbrellas and over 136,000 units of terrace furniture.
Heaters
business employing 46,000 people with over 4,200 branches in Spain. Branch closures seem likely with banks cutting down on staffing and offices in recent years to focus on internet banking.
Mahou San Miguel will also provide 29,000 sanitation kits to reassure customers that socialisation under distancing rules is safe. “We are fully focused on understanding what the hospitality sector wants and protect this economic pillar of the Spanish economy,” Peio Arbeloa added.
COMPANIES that are environmentally-friendly are being encouraged to invest in Gibraltar in a new climate change fighting initiative. The Green Instruments project will try to promote businesses that try to reduce emissions and have a smaller carbon footprint. Two online workshops were held on November 17-18 to discuss how the project would work. “Gibraltar can make its mark by unlocking green finance,” Minister for the Environment John Cortes said. “It will allow investment firms to have the required trust in the environmental integrity of projects to enable the channeling of finance into Green projects. “This is precisely what we have sought to do within the framework created by the Regulations which will set up a system to regulate Green Investments in or from Gibraltar.”
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Olive Press Gibraltar – 170mm x 256mm – Colour
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25th November
11
FINANCIAL services rules in Gibraltar have come under the microscope of the UK government recently. A parliamentary committee talked to Financial Services Minister Albert Isola for the UK Financial Services Bill being passed in London. Questions focused on the Gibraltar Authorisation Regime which is part of the British law to replace EU regulations. It follows the decision to continue to allow Gibraltar to carry out financial services in the UK from Gibraltar in the common market agreed last year. “From a financial perspective, Gibraltar and the UK have the same rules,” said Isola during his grilling. “We have deep dived into insurance to see if we were getting the outcomes and where we haven’t, we dealt with them. “Parallel to that process we had a three year piece of work completely redoing our financial services legislation. “From 87 pieces of legislation we now have one financial services bill that encompasses everything.” EEA companies will be allowed to continue selling insurance services to the Gibraltar public with their own rules being clarified in 2021.
PROPERTY
12
November 25th - December 8th 2020
Knockdown price Fraudster tries to flog multimillion Spanish palace he doesn’t own for €900,000
By Laurence Crumbie
IF it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Rarely if ever was this maximum for prospective buyers truer than earlier this year, when a grand gothic palace in the picturesque town of Cazalla de la Sierra, north-western Andalucia, went on sale for less than a fifth of its actual value. Erected in the 15th century, the Palacio de San Benito is a luxury hotel aimed at guests who wish ‘to live like kings,’ though it initially served as a hospital for pilgrims travelling on the Camino de Santiago. Its turbulent history includes
SWANKY: seriously undervalued partial destruction in the earthquake of Lisboa, 1531, as well as a change of hands after the Spanish Civil War. Various
Bargain hunt ALTHOUGH Spain’s property market value has dropped by 12%, according to Morgan Stanley, the bargain luxury homes that consumers may have hoped for are yet to emerge. While house prices in disadvantaged areas have plummeted by aA huge 30%, Spain’s swanky villas and townhouses have held onto their high price tags. “Faced with the fear that inflation could occur due to the excessive injection of money by the ECB and the Federal Reserve, tangible assets emerge as a good way to have capital in a safe place,” Manuel Romera, Director of the Financial Sector at IE Business School, told El País. In the ‘standard’ property market, experts estimate that prices have fall by approximately 10%.
If you break down, stay calm and safe until rescue support arrives. Remember that while you wait for help, your priority 1 is to safeguard yourself and any fellow TheOlivePress-256x170-CAR-4.indd passengers. Línea Directa policyholders simply call 919 171 171 and inform the emergency hotline where you are. Línea Directa provides emergency roadside assistance anywhere in Spain 24/7 and 365 days a year, with a national network of operators and recovery vehicles.
7 “Good heavens!” (2,2) 8 Poll’s findings (8) 9 Cross rats veer all over the place (8) 10 Corn covering (4) 11 “Private Benjamin” actress (4) 12 Annoy (8) 14 Wine crops (8) 16 Where tadpoles might be found (4) 17 Botanical balm (4) 19 Yesteryear (3,5) 20 Militant supporter (8) 21 “It’s good for what --you” (4)
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BREAKDOWN KIT
Down
To help you stay safe here is a checklist of some important safety items in the event of a breakdown. This emergency breakdown kit should be kept in your vehicle at all times. The kit includes: a torch and spare batteries, warm clothes and blankets, high-visibility jacket, first aid kit, jump start cables, empty fuel can, food and drink, two reflective warning signs, a road atlas, and a mobile phone charger.
We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Linea Directa please call 952 147 834. More information about Linea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com
OP Sudoku
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HOSTEL: Big plans
Across
BREAK DOWN COVER
STAY SAFE
A 665-bed hostel could be built beside the MOT centre near Eastern Beach by the Gibraltar Government. The 20-storey building will be considered at a future Development and Planning Commission meeting. It will contain 342 rooms of around 16m2 each and be aimed at local people who are looking for a home or cross-frontier workers. Located at the entry to Gibraltar, it would be one of the first buildings at the new entry to Gibraltar via the airport tunnel. The proposed new hostel will feature a cafe and garden terrace with wheelchair access for those staying there. The hostel could also be used as low-cost accommodation for visitors to the Rock.
OP QUICK Crossword
24/7 EMERGENCY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE If your car breaks down it can be an upsetting experience, especially if you don’t have roadside assistance cover. But they are also the most common type of problem on the road.
restorations have resulted in a unique architectural blend of the old and the modern, and the property has an estimated value of €5 million. Manuel Morales, an interior designer who renovated the palace together with art collector Carlos Maranon in the 1990s, could hardly believe his eyes when he saw it for sale online, without the permission of the owner. “It’s as if you wake up one day and see your home on sale for a price much lower than its actual value,” he told Spanish newspaper ABC. The sales advert was taken down after Morales contacted his lawyer, but there has been no news on the fraudster who put it online in the first place.
Room at the inn
1 Lost one’s query (5,2,1) 2 Abounding in trees (6) 3 Accommodation for paying guests (8,5) 4 No.2 who oversees moral weakness? (4-9) 5 Million seller, for example (3,3) 6 Burden of proof (4) 13 With affection (8) 15 Unlawful removals (6) 16 Earliest (6) 18 Desired by detectives and salespeople (4)
All solutions are on page 14
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Testing times
Staying put
TRAVEL groups in Spain say that an order for international passenger arrivals at Spanish airports and ports to produce the recent results of a negative COVID-19 test is not good for tourism, The rules apply to people arriving from ‘at risk’ countries, which include the United Kingdom. Groups are concerned about the high cost of the required PCR tests and the fact that the Madrid government acted unilaterally, as opposed to the European Union introducing uniform requirements. The Benidorm-based hotel association, Hosbec, said: “The need for PCR tests is not a measure that will contribute positively to tourism, especially on the Costa Blanca. “It’s useless to impose rules over PCR tests if travel quarantines are not scrapped. We ought to be working on developing safe travel corridors but something like this is preventing their creation,” Hosbec added.
IN the latest blow for Spain’s tourism industry, a study has revealed that just 38% of Brits will consider travelling abroad this Christmas. According to data from Piplsay, over half of Britons have confirmed that if they do travel this festive season it will be for domestic trips only. Additionally, it looks like a un-merry Christmas for many as a third of Brits will cut down on socialising this season. It comes after the UK government introduced a travel ban on November 5, which rendered international travel and overnight stays in Britain illegal. Although the ban is set to be lifted on December 2, this latest study has revealed that the majority (77%) of Brits still fear lockdown restrictions will affect their holiday plans.
A COURT in Sevilla has condemned budget airline EasyJet for charging a Spanish passenger €60 to board with his laptop. The 19-year-old, named only as Yoel, was boarding an aircraft travelling from Sevilla’s San Pablo Airport to Bristol when an air hostess told him his laptop was not permitted onboard and gave him an ultimatum: either he paid €60 on the spot or his computer staid on Spanish soil. Yoel, who studies in Bristol and travels on the Sevilla-Bristol line twice a week, was understandably confused and asked why this was. But the EasyJet employee simply said that those were the rules and repeated his two options. The incident took place right in the plane doorway
OP Puzzle solutions Quick Crossword Across: 7 Oh my, 8 Opinions, 9 Traverse, 10 Husk, 11 Hawn, 12 Irritate, 14 Vintages, 16 Pond, 17 Aloe, 19 Old times, 20 Partisan, 21 Ails. Down: 1 Where am I, 2 Sylvan, 3 Boarding house, 4 Vice-President, 5 Big hit, 6 Onus, 13 Tenderly, 15 Thefts, 16 Primal, 18 Lead.
Baking Trays
November 25th - December 8th 2020
Easy cash
SUDOKU
14
Airline made to reimburse Spanish student after slapping him with €60 fine for carrying laptop onboard
NOT FAIR: Laptop surcharge was deemed illegal By Laurence Crumbie
and caused a disturbance just before departure, leaving the passenger with no
choice but to take out his credit card and pay up – despite his reluctance. On his return to Sevilla, Yoel informed EasyJet of this unjust fine and asked for his money back. When the airline refused to comply, the student went the legal route and the case eventually landed in Sevilla’s Mercantil court number three. At the trial, which EasyJet did not attend, the judge sided with Yoel and sentenced the airline to reimburse him with interest and to pay a fine as well.
Chef’s kiss! SAN SEBASTIAN has been named the sixth best foodie spot in the world according to a panel of top chefs. The much loved city in the Basque Country is the only Spanish town to make the list. Chef’s Pencil surveyed 250 foodies and chefs for the list and quizzed them on the best underrated food destinations across the world. And while many of the places, like San Sebastian, are already wellknown and appreciated for their gastronomic excellence, the judges believed San Sebastian still lacks the international recognition it truly deserves. Chef’s Pencil said it was a shame foodies flock to the likes of Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia when the Basque town has some of the best food on the planet.
Social
Judges praised San Sebastian for catering to every taste, from ‘the avant garde, highly innovative Mugaritz, and cheap eats – like the Basque-style tapas at pintxo bars and exquisitely fine seafood, all to be devoured in a city that sees food as reason to be social’. Cape Town took first place, followed by Budapest, Chicago, Melbourne and Mexico City.
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HEALTH Raisin to the occasion IT’S a phrase muttered over and over again in Malaga’s Axarquia region that raisins are good for your memory. The biggest producer of the dried grape snack in the province, it’s easy to see how this rumour might have persisted. But now the Junta of Andalucia are sorting the facts for the folklore with their new research into whether raisins can prevent Alzheimer’s. According to the Junta, they hope the results of their study will encourage more people to eat raisins and consequently boost the region where they’ve been produced. A study in 2019, by the regulatory council of the Pasas de Malaga Denomination of Origin, confirmed that eating raisins is beneficial for people’s health. However, raisins are over eight times more calorific than grapes, so those cutting down the calories might still want to go for the nondried diet.
November 25th - December 8th 2020
Let down THE Medical Council of Spain has urged the government’s Chief of Health Emergencies Fernando Simon to stand down over his handling of the country’s COVID-19 crisis. Medical professionals have accused Simon of ‘undermining the morale of overworked doctors’ and of showing a prolonged incompetence in his handling of the pandemic. The council, which represents 52 medical colleges across the country, made the statement in response to Simon apparently placing some of the blame for Spain’s increase in cases on doctors. Simon had said during a media briefing that medical workers were responsible for a number of infections, and suggested that hospitals had ‘learned valuable lessons’ from the first wave. Simon has been accused of not listening to the needs of the country’s hospitals, which have been put under immense strain since the pandemic began in March. The council claims that no proper precautions were put in place by Simon’s team to protect the safety of doctors, including a lack of protective equipment and diagnostic testing kits. Simon is also being called
SINGLE IMPLANT
Jab job
Doctors call for health boss Fernando Simon to quit over his handling of COVID-19 crisis
Cancer aware
FLAK: Simon has come under fire By James Warren
out on his failure to assemble an independent team to review the government’s handling of the pandemic. In total, 72 medical professionals have died since the beginning of March, a fact that has been overlooked and undermined, according to the statement. “Thousands more are still fighting to deal with a pandemic the likes of which we have never seen,” said a spokesman for the council. But Simon has received support in the wake of the coun-
cil’s comments. Former WHO systems director and current Director for Health and Strategy in Bilbao, Prof Rafael Bengoa, defended Simon, calling for an understanding not finger pointing. “This isn’t the way forward, when mistakes are made in our hospitals, we ask, ‘what happened?’ and not ‘whose fault is it’? That’s how we learn,” said Bengoa. Simon is no stranger to controversy, after testing positive earlier in the year, he was pictured surfing in Portugal, appearing to defy his own lockdown rules.
IMPLANT BRIDGE
15
GIBRALTAR recently marked World Pancreatic Cancer Day by informing the public about the fourth most fatal cancer in Europe. To mark the occasion, Louis Baldachino, of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness made a donation of £1,400 to St Bernard’s Hospital to pay for specialist training. “The best way to fight pancreatic cancer is avoid smoking, alcohol, obesity, diabetes and an unhealthy lifestyle in general,” cancer surgeon Alfonso Antequera said. Samantha Sacramento, minister for health, added: “Early diagnosis is the key to survival. Raising awareness of pancreatic cancer is crucial and can make all the difference to somebody’s life. “It is the GHA’s mission to improve the rate of early detection by having the knowledge, understanding and awareness to be able to combat this fatal disease.”
RESIDENTS of Gibraltar have been promised supplies of the new pandemic-beating vaccine when it becomes available on the NHS. The two best options so far are the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which have been claimed to have a 95% success rate. “The vaccines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are not yet with us,” Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said.
Lethal
“We have to ensure that we are protecting each other proactively until people are being vaccinated.” Health chiefs have already started to give flu jabs to prevent the seasonal diseases from combining with the coronavirus to lethal effect, especially among the elderly.
IMPLANT DENTURE
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FINAL WORDS
DR Christian Lopez, holder of the most Guinness World Records in Spain, has added a 40th to his list by running the fastest mile in Dutch clogs.
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Vol. 5 Issue 136 www.theolivepress.es November 25th - December 8th 2020
Just pawsome!
Bare faced cheek Teen ignores court order to dangle 180 metres above ground
Cashing in THE Spanish government has given residents an extra six months to cash in any pesetas they may have, of which €1.6 billion worth remain in circulation.
‘Big Good’ MCDONALD’s has launched a burger made entirely with produce from local Spanish farmers to help them get through the economic slump.
A BRITISH teenager returned to Benidorm this month to foolishly climb naked up a 180 metre-high crane next to the towering Intempo building. Adam Lockwood, who brands himself on social media as ‘The Little Nuisance’ illegally climbed six of the resort’s tallest buildings in February.
Those included the Intempo, the Torre Lugano, and the Gran Bali, which is the tallest hotel in Europe. The 19-year-old from Wigan was not put off by being arrested and fined earlier this year, as he bared all for his latest dangerous stunt. He posted several photographs of him dangling naked
NUISANCE: Adam Lockwood
off the Intempo crane on November 11. One pose showed him clinging on with just arm. Lockwood said on his social media account that his latest stunt enabled AN 81-year-old man from Madrid is training to climb the him to ‘tick Himalayas in tribute to those that have died from corothat one off navirus. the list of toCarlos Soria will climb the 8,848 metre peaks and deditally unneccate his journey to the elderly people who lost their lives to essary things COVID-19. Of the 40,000 coronavirus deaths in Spain, to do before I more than 20% have occurred in the over-80s demoturn 20’. graphic. The teenagSoria has been training in the Sierra Guadarraer was senma mountains next to his home just north of tenced to three Madrid in preparation for his trek. After the months in jail Himalayas he hopes to climb Tibet’s Shisin August, hapangma and Dhaulagiri in Nepal. suspended for
Peak ambition
two years, by a judge in Manchester. Manchester City Council said he breached a three-year injunction imposed in 2019 that banned him from trespassing and posting content online. The judge branded his stunts ironically as ‘the height of stupidity’ and that Lockwood was motivated by ‘arrogance’ and a craving for ‘celebrity’. British transgressions included him standing on the roof of the Arndale Food Court during a Black Lives Matter protest in June. A few days later, he dangled from the edge of a 180 metre balcony off a building in London’s Canary Wharf.
THE Ministry of Internal Affairs has honoured two police dogs from Malaga, Alva and Neo for their exceptional devotion to duty. The award ceremony, presided over by Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Spain’s Minister of the Interior, commemorated a total of six dogs from the Polica Nacional. All the dogs are experts in detecting drugs, precursors, weapons and other illicit items. The six decorated dogs are Ginger, stationed in Alicante; Alva, in Malaga; Bull, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; Neo, in Malaga; Yuko, in Alicante; and Elko de Parayas, who forms part of the Special Operations Group (GEO). All the commemorated canines are specialists in the detection of drugs, banknotes and weapons, with the exception Elko de Parayas, who is specially trained to prevent assaults. The national Canine Guide Section was created in 1945 and originally consisted of only eight German shepherds whose aim was to combat crime at the time. Two years later the Police Dog Training School was created to prepare and train guide dogs, dogs for guarding gunpowder magazines and for chasing down escapees.
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