AN expat’s cat ‘saved her life’ after the clever moggy ‘warned’ her of carbon monoxide poisoning inside their Marbella flat.
Debbie Lush was forced to act after her kitty, named Coco (above), refused to stop meowing at the boiler inside her rented apartment.
Suspecting something was amiss, following weeks of headaches, the estate agent, from Dublin, bought a carbon monoxide detector, which began immediately beeping.
A plumber who came the next day, insisted he had fixed the problem after hoovering away some dust. But, that night, Coco continued to ‘howl’ at the boiler, so Debbie sensibly sought a second opinion.
Lethal
Fortunately another plumbing firm discovered a hole in her cavity wall leaking the lethal gas.
It also emerged that her boiler was 27 years old and had rotting rubber parts that had never been replaced. She was told it needed immediate replacement.
“Coco knew something was wrong and she would not let up until I got the boiler examined.
“Now it’s fixed, I haven’t heard anything more than purring, it’s incredible!” She continued: “If it wasn’t for her I could be dead.”
Now Debbie (below) is calling for a so-called ‘Coco’s Law’, which would require all homes in Spain be fitted with a carbon monoxide detector, particularly tourist apartments.
She added: “I already feel better and the headaches have stopped. God knows what could have happened if Coco hadn’t raised the alarm.”
She added: “I would advise all homeowners in Spain get a detector because every year I hear about horror stories of people dying.”
‘Thank
CLEANED OUT!
Couple ‘lose €64,000 worth of items’ after alleged burglary on their luxury Costa del Sol Airbnb
A SWISS couple have called in police after allegedly suffering ‘the robbery of the century’ while staying at a tourist flat on the Costa del Sol.
Davide Z and his wife claim to have lost an eye-watering €64,000 worth of items when their luxury Airbnb was raided as they enjoyed a night out in Marbella.
In an official denuncia seen by the Olive Press, the missing belongings include an €8,000 Birkin bag, a Chopard watch, worth €18,000, and a Rolex, worth ‘over €5,000’.
Incredibly, their insurance company has refused to cover any of the items because their policy states the Airbnb owner must be declared responsible to make a payout.
Davide told the Olive Press: “We have experienced the worst nightmare of our lives, during what should have been a wonderful holiday.
“On that night our whole lives were stolen, my wife has been made sick by the ordeal and is crying every day,
EXCLUSIVE
By Laurence Dollimore
she is just devastated.”
The couple had booked the €150-a-night accommodation in the Fuentelegrales urbanisation in Mijas, from September 14 to 21.
The couple, who visit Marbella every year, were staying there with Davide’s mother-in-law and brother-in-law.
Davide claims there had been immediate red flags, which they should have noticed in retrospect.
This included the apartment having a different address than the one on the listing, and a ‘surprise’ female co-host named ‘Manal’, who manages a local cleaning company.
On the night of September 20, the day before they were due to leave, they headed to Marbella at around 9pm for dinner.
According to their police report, when they returned at around midnight, they found all the items stolen.
Davide recalled: “We went straight to the police station that night to lodge a complaint but nothing was really investigated, they didn’t want to move until noon the next day!
“We also wanted the owner to make a declaration with his own insurance company so that we could make our own claim, but he has never replied to us.”
Davide claims Manal arrived at around 2pm on their scheduled checkout day. It was at this point he decided to confront her claiming she was responsible and demanded his stolen items back. He also
warned her the police were already involved.
Davide added that CCTV footage from a neighbour showed the only car to arrive on the street on the night of the robbery was a white 4x4, which was shown to police.
“I would like to return to Marbella but we will never use Airbnb again,” he concluded.
Manal told the Olive Press that it is normal for her to have keys as she runs a cleaning company that manages the property.
She said: “The accusations are false.
Evidence for this are the very inconsistent accusations made by the leaving guests.
“I have an alibi from six people, and a camera surveyed parking, showing
See Page 5
Haul of the century
that I was far from the apartment during the time of the alleged theft.
“I have had cleaning companies in Sweden and Spain for 17 years and have never received such accusations.”
Airbnb has denied any liability and advised guests to get extra insurance for peace of mind.
● All inside our Property magazine this issue
DEVASTATED: The couple say they will never use Airbnb again after their ordeal
Runs in the family
A 74-year-old father and his 18-year-old son have been arrested for allegedly running a cocaine operation from their Estepona villa.
Cash in
TWO Spaniards have become millionaires recently after a Basque resident won €162 million jackpot and a Marbella resident scooped a €1 million EuroMillions lottery ticket on the Golden Mile.
Hash hub
SPAIN is now Europe’s top marijuana producer after police scored a massive bust, seizing 10,000 marijuana plants and arresting 26 people in a major operation in Cordoba.
Final race
A 41-YEAR OLD woman drowned last week while taking part in the gruelling 226km Ironman Triathlon in Barcelona. It is thought to be an accident.
Maddie suspect will ‘move to Africa’
MADELEINE McCann sus-
pect Christian Brueckner will flee to Africa if he gets out of prison next year, the Olive Press can reveal.
The 47-year-old paedophile and rapist could be free as early as next September, after being sensationally cleared of a string of rape and child abuse allegations in Portugal.
A source close to his legal team told the Olive Press moving to Africa would be the ‘safest place’ to live.
“He won’t be recognised there and he won’t be going after any of the witnesses or victims who named him as a rapist and abuser,” said the source.
“He doesn’t want to get caught again and go back to prison.”
Brueckner - who is currently serving a sev-
Appeal launched as fears grow German paedophile will flee Europe if released next year
en year sentence for raping a pensioner - could also consider Cambodia, where he has an old friend, an IT specialist.
German Christian Post, who was ordered to give evidence at the trial, currently lives in Kampot, a magnet for child sex abusers.
The news comes after the paedophile was shockingly found not guilty of five separate sex offences in a German court last week.
The crimes, which all took place in Portugal, included playing with himself while sitting under a slide in a children’s playground in Messines in June 2017.
However, despite four children seeing him with his trousers down by his
EXCLUSIVE
By Jon Clarke
ankles and their parents finding no sign of urine, Judge Ute Engermann believed he was having a pee.
She ruled him not guilty of four other offences, including three rapes and another child sex assault on a beach near Praia da Luz, a month before Maddie went missing nearby.
German prosecutors have now formally appealed the sentences on the basis of bias, among other claims.
Bias
Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said: “We will make an appeal to the Supreme court. They have the power to order a retrial with new judges.
“We think there is a case to show bias among the judges and we believe we can show that.”
Victim Hazel Behan, told the Olive Press, she will ‘definitely’ support the appeal and prays for a reversal.
“I’m utterly devastated by the ruling,” she said from her home, near Dublin, this week.
“They’ve got it completely wrong and I’m still certain Brueckner was my rapist.
“I’ll never forget his eyes. They are bored into my head and soul. I still see them at night.”
Another witness, Helge Busching, who was described by the judge as ‘a liar’ has also hit out at the ruling.
He told the Olive Press the ruling was a ‘total scandal’, adding he was not going to let the judge’s claims ‘go unanswered’.
The German had first pointed the finger at the accused in 2008 and told the court he had watched two videos of Brueckner raping a teenage girl and another pensioner.
His claims were backed up by a fellow friend Manfred Seyferth, but because a third former pal, Mario ‘Cheyanne’ Schonburg, denied he had seen them, the judge appeared to side with him instead.
She also brushed aside the testimony of leading prison
psychiatrist, Christian Riedemann, who labelled Brueckner a very real danger to the public, telling the court he was in the ‘top league of dangerousness’. The same prosecutors are also now working to build a water tight case against Bruckner over the abduction of Maddie. They are expected to launch official proceedings against him over the next few months. They have already confirmed they have proof that the British toddler is dead and their prime suspect is Brueckner, who was outside her holiday home in Praia da Luz the night she vanished.
NOT GUILTY: of five sex crimes but official charges over Maddie (far left) loom for Brueckner
INIESTA OUT
SPANISH football legend Andres Iniesta, who scored the decisive goal in the 2010 World Cup final, has today announced his retirement from soccer at age 40.
In a 22-year professional career, Iniesta's illustrious journey also included two European Championship titles and four Champions League trophies with Barcelona.
At an emotional ceremony in Barcelona, Iniesta reflected on his career: “All the tears are of pride, not sadness. I achieved
the dream of becoming a soccer player through hard work and sacrifice.”
Iniesta made 674 appearances for Barcelona, where he was instrumental in the tiki-taka style that defined an era, playing alongside greats like Xavi, Sergio Busquets, and Lionel Messi. He won nine La Liga titles and six Copa del Reys during his time with the club.
Jailhouse rock
The incredible tale of the Scottish drug smuggler who found stardom in the 80s with a prison band –and then lost it all
THEY say everyone deserves a second chance.
By Walter Finch an old man might get the chance to rekindle the whole music thing, you know? A second bite at the cherry.” Runaway became a sleeper hit in Spain in the late 80s, making the charts and
And for one former jailbird narco-trafficker turned rocker, it comes 30 years after he nearly hit the big time with a band he formed while in a Spanish prison.
Former Costa del Sol resident Allan McCarthy, 61, once found minor fame as the front man for Berlin 90 (named after the wall which had just fallen), even playing live on national television from jail.
While performing shows for Spanish television and radio, the gregarious Scotsman penned the song Runaway from his cell.
Now, McCarthy, who is back living in Spain on the Mar Menor, is re-releasing the song with a slick new music video..
“My dream got taken away from me and my story ended abruptly when I was moved to Carabanchel [pris on] and then deport ed,” the ageing rocker re flected to the Olive Press
“I’m hoping that now,
even propelling McCarthy’s four-piece band out of prison to perform live shows in public – something that the Scotsman claims was against all the rules.
The musical talent landed himself in Sangonera prison in his mid-20s after a car he was riding in was busted with a consignment of hashish near Murcia in 1988.
“But what they never found was the half a kilo of coke underneath the seat!” McCarthy chortled.
Unbelievably, a chequered stint behind bars started to miraculously transform itself into a platform to launch a musical career.
But when McCarthy (left) found himself languishing in Madrid’s infamous Carabanchel Prison towards the end of his stretch in the early 1990s, the dream
AMBER Heard - the Aquaman star and former flame of Johnny Depp - has been spotted dining in style at Cordoba’s La Taberna de Almodóvar. Heard, 38, known for her high-profile legal battle with Depp, stunned the restaurant staff when she walked in for a casual yet lavish lunch, tucking into seasonal veggies, grilled sole, and melt-in-your-mouth premium
aged beef.
But the real sizzle of the day? Amber, dressed in a laidback yet chic outfit, reportedly spoke flawless Spanish and posed for a snap with Angel Sanchez, the manager of the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand eatery.
The restaurant wasted no time sharing the news on social media, gushing: “It was an absolute pleasure to host the incredible actress and model Amber Heard! A day we won't forget!”
appeared to be over. Originally built in the 1930s for the political enemies of the Franco regime, 50 years later the prospect of being sent to Carabanchel made even Spain’s most hardened criminals quail. “Carabanchel was like the bogeyman for these guys,” McCarthy told this newspaper. “It was like Spain’s Alcatraz.”
When he was suddenly released four years into his six-anda-half sentence – something
unheard of at the time – and promptly deported from Spain, it seemed to dash his musical ambitions.
But all that might be set to change.
As well as rekindling the flames of his musical career, McCarthy is also set to write a book on his journey as a reformed con. He also plans to return to Sangonera, in Murcia, to perform one last time in the jail where he made his name.
PHONE CHARGE
MANCHESTER City's Matheus Nunes was arrested last month after allegedly stealing a mobile phone while at a Madrid nightclub.
The Portuguese midfielder, 26, was held at a police station for questioning following an incident at the La Riviera club.
Nunes was taking advantage of a season break to enjoy a night out in the Spanish capital.
A fan tried to take a photo of the player without his permission in the toilets of the nightclub.
Nunes allegedly snatched the high-end phone from the man’s hands and refused to return it to him. He now potentially faces a trial on theft charges.
TOWER POWER
MORE than 20,000 spectators gathered to watch the biennial human tower competition in Tarragona.
Some 32 teams compete in the Concurs de Castells in Catalunya, home of the sport since the 18th century.
Teams carefully build their towers by placing their stron-
gest and heaviest members at the base, arms interlocked, while the lightest and littlest climb to the top.
A group from Vilafranca del Penedes won the contest for the eighth year in a row. UNESCO declared the towers as a valued example of intangible cultural heritage in 2010.
CELLMATES: Allan (second from left) with his group Berlin 90
Ctra. de Ronda, A-397, Km. 44, 29679 Benahavís, Málaga Closed Wednesdays
Bad salute
ATLETICO Madrid have been slapped with a €30,000 fine after a section of their fans performed Nazi salutes during a Champions League match against Benfica. The club has also been hit with a ban on selling away tickets for a future European match.
In 2022, the club was fined and saw its stadium part-closed for a game after ultras unfurled a Nazi flag during a Champions League game against Manchester City.
Meanwhile, a recent match between Atletico and rivals Real Madrid had to be temporarily stopped and the players brought off the pitch after ultras threw objects at goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Both Atletico manager Diego Simeone and captain Koke had to plead with them to stop.
Death film
A BRITISH influencer has died after falling off a bridge while filming content for social media.
The 26-year-old was scaling the off-limits Castilla-La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina, central Spain. The unnamed man was climbing the structure with another Briton, also aged 24.
Local councillor Macarena Muñoz said: “We have been able to find out, they had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social networks.”
SNAKE OIL WARNING
A COSTA Del Sol expat has been accused of selling illegal cancer treatments to hundreds of patients - netting him millions of euros in the process.
German Johannes Schumacher claimed to offer dendritic cell therapy, a treatment not currently licensed for commercial use anywhere but the USA.
The Marbella-based businessman offered the cancer treatment via his firm Immucura
Health alert after costa expat is accused of ‘making millions’ peddling
illegal cancer treatment
By Yzabelle Bostyn
Med SL for around €40,000, it is claimed.
The treatment, for which scientific research is still ongoing, extracts white blood cells
Rafa’s last farewell
TENNIS legend Rafael Nadal will retire from the sport next month.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion from Mallorca will finish his extraordinary career at the Davis Cup finals in Malaga between November 19 and 24. Nadal, 38, has been battling injuries for the past few years on tour and had made it clear last year that this would be his last season.
He appeared at just two grand slams since the start of 2023 - the Australian Open of that year, and this year’s French Open, where he lost to Alexander Zverev in the opening round.
His final grand slam title was the 2022 French Open, where he extended his re cord with a 14th Roland Garros crown.
(dendritic cells) from patients, before ‘training’ them to attack cancer cells.
But Schumacher’s firm was ordered to cease the ‘illegal’ therapy by the Junta, after it began investigating in 2019.
The Spanish Medicines Agency (AEMPs) also reported the company for illegal practices. Schumacher was eventually hit with a large unreported fine for ‘carrying out health procedures without authorisation.’
But it did not stop him trading and an international group of journalists, including El Pais and German TV channel ZDF, claims he is still offering dendritic therapy.
Its investigation claims the former investment banker has ‘made millions’ from hundreds of terminally ill patients all over Europe for decades.
“Yet Immucura has not had any health centres authorised by the Junta” it reported.
Schumacher claimed the company does not need permission as its role is merely as a ‘me-
diator’ between patients and labs, who ‘have the appropriate licences’.
He refused to name any of the labs he works with due to ‘patient confidentiality.’
The Olive Press has established Schumacher (above)has a new firm, Immucurura Limited, based out of Dublin. He has a third firm called Immunyo. The therapy is not licensed for use anywhere in Europe and all the clinics associated with Schumacher have so far denied involvement.
We have contacted Immucura for comment but received no response.
THE EU's long-awaited Entry/Exit System (EES) has been delayed once again due to a number of countries still not being prepared.
The automated computer system will apply to British and other 'third-country' nationals travelling to any of the 29 Schengen Area countries, including Spain. It will scan their passports instead of stamping them and automatically track the number of days they have spent in the EU.
Limit
The move is to avoid people from non-EU countries overstaying their typical 90 in 180 day limit.
However, despite being due to roll out on November 10, it has been ‘suspended indefinitely’, with no new start date announced.
The further delay occurred with countries, including France, Germany and the Netherlands, simply not being ready to implement the system.
EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, announced: “I hope we can start as soon as possible but there's no new timeline so far.”
Fibre
Pool suction death probe
Five years after the tragic deaths of a British family in Mijas, a nine-year-old girl has also drowned here in Spain
A COURT has ordered an investigation into the death of a British girl who allegedly got sucked to the bottom of a faulty swimming pool.
Sofia Draper, nine, got trapped on the floor of her grandfather’s pool in Girona on March 31 last year, yet a police probe was dropped after just four days. Her grandad was filming her glide along the bottom of the pool when her chest suddenly became trapped by the suction of the filter.
It comes nearly five years since a British family drowned in a mysterious incident at a swimming pool in Mijas.
Prosecutors launched an investigation after the Christmas Eve incident in 2019 in which tourists Gabriel Diya, 52 Comfort Diya, nine, and Praise-Emmanuel Diya, 16, died.
Incredibly, an investigation found there was nothing wrong with the pool at Club la Costa, despite eyewitnesses describing powerful suction leading to the deaths.
Now Sofia’s parents, Julian and Olga Draper, hope they will have more luck
Who am I?
A BRITISH pensioner has made a heartfelt appeal after getting ‘trapped’ in hospital in Spain having forgotten his name.
The elderly man (main picture) woke up from a coma in a Costa Blanca hospital suffering from amnesia.
He told doctors at Torrevieja hospital he has no idea where he was going, where he lives or what he used to do. All that is known is he was travelling by bike in Alicante province on September 24 when he suffered a stroke. He can only remember his first name, ‘Stephen’, and cannot recall any family members or relatives.
Meanwhile, no one has reported him missing, complicating the police investigation.
After an Olive Press appeal over the weekend, we hoped we had a breakthrough when a former friend of an ‘avid cyclist’ from Cambridgeshire insisted he was ‘Steve Presland’.
A decade-old photo of Presland (inset) showed an uncanny resemblance, with many recognising him as Presland. However, the theory was seemingly put to rest on Monday after a member of the Ely Running Club said they had ‘tracked down’ Presland in the UK.
Stephen Howard told the Olive Press: “Steve has just called me back and said it is not him in your article, sorry!”
The pensioner, who remains in hospital, reportedly suffered a stroke while cycling on a road between the towns of San Fulgencio and La Marina.
He asked for his photo and story to be published in the hope that someone will recognise him and tell him where he lives, or any details about his life.
Contact tips@theolivepress.es if you can help
at Girona Court, which finally agreed to reopen the investigation.
The probe aims to clarify if a builder or maintenance technician flaunted regu-
By Laurence Dollimore
lations when fitting the suction plate. When Sofia’s body was fished out, police found she had a clear, circular bruise on her chest measuring 30cm in diameter. According to her family’s lawyers, the
TRAGIC:
Sofia was ‘dragged down’ to the bottom
suction system was operating at three times its intended level and the opening was too large.
“It was a very dangerous set up that we had at home and nobody warned us,” mother Olga explained.
“What we are trying to do is to ensure that another family does not find themselves in the same situation as us.”
Car horror
A WOMAN has died after a McLaren sports car smashed into a motorway barrier in Marbella. Images show how the red vehicle was practically crushed by the collision on the A-7 road at around 2.30pm last Friday, near to the Marbella fire station. The car was heading towards Malaga when it crashed into the metal barriers that separate the two sides of the motorway. The driver and passenger, the latter of whom died, had to be cut out of the car.
The former remains in a serious condition.
EXCLUSIVE
By Alex Trellinsky
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 two million people a month.
OPINION
Quelle surprise!
SO the seemingly cursed Entry/Exit System (EES) is delayed until further notice - yet again.
The long-awaited scheme by the EU wants to scan passports of travellers from ‘third’ countries - like Britain - to ensure they’re not breaking the 90 in 180 day limit. But let’s be honest, the programme is obviously designed to teach us Brits a lesson over Brexit, and to ward off other member states from following in our footsteps.
While we were no supporters of the Leave camp, it is rather laughable that some of the EU’s biggest players, including France and Germany, simply cannot get themselves organised in time.
Ironically, they are probably being held back by the red tape and bureaucracy that inspired many people to vote for Brexit in the first place.
Instead of thinking up ways to keep Brits out of Spain and the Schengen Zone, how about introducing laws for those who are non-resident but bought homes before the disastrous Brexit vote?
They pay millions in taxes each year and can now only use their hard-earned properties for three months at a time. It’s high time they are granted extra visa or travel rights, as is currently - and yet again - being discussed in France.
Makes you sick
THE total acquittal of Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner over five sex crimes is a bitter pill to swallow.
Now to add salt to the wound, we reveal in this week’s edition how he could be planning to move to Africa if he is freed next year. His current sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Portugal is due to expire in September 2025, although his lawyer is now aiming to get that conviction squashed. It’s safe to say that if he made it to Africa he could escape justice for the rest of his life.
And god knows how many more potential victims there would be there.
BLOOD MONEY
ALEGION of Spanish banks have financed Israel’s arms suppliers to the tune of €3.8bn, it has emerged.
At least a dozen banks made a staggering 4,000 investments or loans between 2011 and 2024, with the majority taking place in the last five years.
A total of seven arms manufacturers who sell weapons to Israel (five based in the US, one in Italy and two in Germany), benefitted from the deals.
The data was released by the Delas Study Centre for Peace to commemorate the anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 last year.
The terrorist outrage that killed 1200 people sparked a devastating and still ongoing response from Israel which has seen more than 42,000 Palestinians killed.
According to the study, Santander and BBVA are the two biggest investors in armaments for Israel, collectively providing 95% (€3.6bn) of the money.
The third largest financier is the Caixa Group, which has handed over €99 million, followed by Bestinver (€59.5 million) and EDM Group (€7.95 million).
In fourth place was Ibercaja, which provided €2.26 million, followed by Banco Caminos, Dux Inversores, Abaco
During his latest sex crimes trial in Germany, one expert psychologist predicted Brueckner was very likely to strike again within two years of being released.
We sincerely hope German prosecutors have a plan and some solid evidence that will allow them to charge him for the disappearance of Madeleine and keep him locked up until trial.
Spanish banks - including BBVA and Santanderhave financed €3.8bn worth of weapons used by Israel in Gaza, writes Yzabelle Bostyn
A global outcry is demanding an end to the invasion that has killed 42,000 and flattened Gaza
Capital, Renta 4 Banco, GVC Gaesco and Banca March.
According to the study, 11 of the 12 banks have bought stocks in businesses that sup-
ply arms to Israel. The main one is British multinational RollsRoyce, which also part-owns German manufacturer MTU Friedrichshafen. BBVA, Banco Santander and Caixabank have also lent more than €3.1bn in revolving credits and corporate loans to these businesses, while the former two have also invested €660 million in bond underwriting.
Dubbed the ‘Bank Armada’, the report states that Spanish funds are being used by Israel to ‘commit crimes against humanity, including genocide’. The report also revealed how Israel
Dark side of the green boom
New film lifts the lid on the social - and environmental - impact of renewable energy
ANEW documentary has exposed the unsettling truth behind Spain’s ‘green energy’ transition.
Unrenewable Lives (Vidas Irrenovables) investigates 50 communities throughout Spain affected by the move to renewable energy.
Last year, over 50% of Spain’s energy came from renewable sources, much more than its European neighbours.
By 2030, it is expected to rise to 81%, almost triple the amount produced in 2020.
However, the government’s plans are ironically causing the destruction of many natural habitats, the film by Metafora Visual claims.
“This rollout is causing many problems for ecosystems, the lives of local people and the environment,” explained director Francisco Vaquero, 39 (below).
“It’s not been planned in a way which has considered all the effects on people that live in rural areas. It’s destroying forests, agricultural land and ways of life. We’re trying to give these people a voice.”
Solar panels are limiting space for wild animals to live, hunt and nest, while wind turbines are known to kill birds, bats and other species.
Incredibly, areas of woodland are even being cleared to allow for the installations.
In Amil, Galicia, the construction of a wind farm actually destroyed the
By Yzabelle Bostyn
town’s natural water source, and its residents now rely on a neighbouring town for supply.
“If it continues this way, I’m not sure what will be left of the country,” explains Vaquero, in the fascinating film, which has been previewed this month, before release in January.
“Spain is being devoured and southern Europe has become a ‘sacrificial zone’ for renewable energy,” he adds.
Alarmingly the average life cycle of turbines is between 20 and 25 years and currently the blades cannot be recycled. There is also currently no plan to recycle solar panel parts.
By 2050, there will be around 80 million tonnes of renewable materials, much of which ‘will be buried underground’, further disrupting ecosystems.
“They think they are taking care of the planet, but really they just want to own it,” said Marisa Casal, who appears in the documentary.
A long-term campaigner, she got involved four years ago when a megaproject of 10 million square metres threatened her local area of Coin, in Malaga.
Her local group, the Valle Natural Rio Grande association, is particularly
worried about the risk of cancerous chemicals in solar panels leaking into the town’s water system.
She said: “It’s terrifying, but we will keep fighting for young people.”
The project is an amalgamation of seven estates in the La Jara area, which borders the Sierra de las Nieves National Park.
Providing 560 megawatts of energy, this megaproject is one of 214 licensed projects passed in Spain between 2022 and 2023.
There are a staggering 800 more in the pipeline for Andalucia alone.
Around half of the projects are being funded from foreign investment, the film claims.
The project in Coin, for example, is being part-run by a giant investment fund, Q-Energy, based in Berlin, with support from local firms Natera Solar, Orla Solar and Admiralty Management SL.
In total, 15,000 of the 31,500 megawatts so far licenced in Spain are managed by foreign companies.
The biggest player, Endesa, is surprisingly now 70% Italian-owned.
DEMANDS:
(right)
BACKLASH: The report (left) has led to sharp criticism and protests against the banks that support Israel’s leader Netanyahu (centre)
is using the weapons financed by Spanish banks.
According to the study, guided bombs and missiles produced by American companies Boeing and General Systems, have been used in many attacks across Gaza and Lebanon.
Although the Spanish government has insisted it ceased selling arms to Israel after the October 7 attack, the Centre Delas found at least one company, Nammo Palencia SL, had sold arms to the country. It emerged sales were not registered in Spain as they were carried out from their Norway branches.
“They have caused the deaths of hundreds of people, falling on residential areas, schools and hospitals,” claimed the report.
Caixabank (€198 million), BBVA (€1.4bn)
and Santander (€1.2bn) have financed Boeing, while BBVA has sent money to General Dynamics.
The report also highlighted the exportation of combat planes and helicopters such as the Boeing Apache used in attacks on Gaza, including last June’s assault on Rafah.
King: Palestine must exist
The monarch criticised those who chose war over peace, saying ‘changing the lives of millions of innocent civilians, ending lives while redrawing borders and displacing popu- lations: it is unacceptable’.
Felipe met with the Jordanian King, Abdullah II, on October 6, accompanied by Spain's Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares. Spain and Jordan, Felipe insisted, are united by a shared desire that 'the only possible way out of this endless cycle of violence is through two states, Israel and Palestine, liv- ing side by side in peace and stability'.
It also reported the use of F-35 aircrafts, produced by Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Leonardo, which have been used in many missile attacks in Gaza.
Leonardo, the report recognises, has received €1.8bn from BBVA and Banco Santander.
Renewable energy is big business and the large oil companies are already heavily invested in the industry, as it allows them to lower their overall carbon footprint and, therefore, taxes.
“It’s all about money,” explained Marisa to the Olive Press this week. “If they really wanted clean energy, they would be helping people to become self-sufficient with localised, shared renewable energy sources.
“But, of course, if they do that people won’t need to pay them any more.”
The research also referenced the ‘indiscriminate’ use of Rh-120 tanks, produced by Rheinmetall, which has factories in Spain.
The German firm has been slammed for allowing its tanks to attack civilians, journalists and aid convoys.
It is also possible that its tanks may have killed Spanish aid workers, including volunteers from Spanish chef Jose Andres’ NGO, World Central Kitchen.
“These banks are the main drivers of the military economy that allows armed conflict and human rights violations to continue around the world,” said the report.
Instead, they propose ‘ethical finances’ that reject any investment in arms products and promote a finance model based on reducing inequality and social injustice.
The Centre Delas mainly used data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the majority of cases occurring after October 7.
Since then, Israeli forces have fired over 70,000 tonnes of explosives in Gaza, accounting for 35 kilos per inhabitant.
Today, some 90% of the population has been displaced on at least one occasion and over 42,000 have died.
GIVING BACK
Only by registering on our website can you take part in our competitions and giveaways
THE Olive Press has yet more happy customers after giving away two free tickets to Annie The Musical in Fuengirola last week.
The competition was just one of the many prizes we have arranged in conjunction with our partners and advertisers this year.
Last week, expats Pamela and her husband were the lucky pair chosen to attend the Annie show at the Salon Varietes theatre.
Pamela wrote to us afterwards: “We have just returned to Almuñecar after seeing tonight’s production, which was amazing! It was well worth the journey down.
“Thank you so much for the tickets, we had a great evening.”
In the last 30 days, more than 3,500 people have registered an account at theolivepress.es.
It means we now have more than 53,300 registered users on our website.
Registering an account allows you to access another free article and lets you comment on stories and engage with other readers.
Registered users are then sent weekly newsletters on travel, health and property, keeping them informed of the latest news in Spain.
And increasingly, they have the privilege to take part in exclusive competitions and be sent offers from a growing list of big-name partners.
We have given away concert tickets to DJ Pete Tong, top-quality mattresses and free days and meals out at popular beach clubs and restaurants.
And advertisers should also be taking note, as our large database means we can generate fantastic sales opportunities through competitions, deals, and other offers that are beneficial to both reader and advertiser.
If you want to advertise with the OP, please contact sales@theolivepress.es or call our office on 0034 951154841 for more information.
“On some occasions they are even seizing agricultural land by decrees, which takes job opportunities away from our young people and worsens depopulation,” explained Marisa.
Locals and expats need to ‘wake up and fight’ Spain’s energy problem
Perhaps the most alarming effect of the green revolution however is the amount of agricultural land which is being appropriated or sold for ‘pennies’, as Marisa describes it.
As EU laws have made foreign food imports cheaper than domestic produce, farmers are ending up making much more money by selling - or leasing the land - to renewable firms.
As Francisco explains in the film: “There’s something very dark behind this.
“The plan isn’t to create green energy but to make people dependent on big energy companies, force them out of the countryside and into cities, so they control the land.
“I’m sure it’s the big foreign investment funds like Blackstone and Vanguard that are buying up the country. It’s colonialism.”
He continues that locals and expats need to ‘wake up and fight’ against Spain’s growing renewable energy problem.
The activists insist they are not against renewable energy, but the huge scale of Spain’s current macro projects and their impact on the environment.
Massacre
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has since recognised Palestine as a state and urged for an end to the conflict. He was recently joined by the King (see inset above).
“The international community cannot remain silent for one more minute in the face of a massacre turned routine,” said Sanchez last month.
“We cannot normalise the deaths of innocent civilians nor stand by while International Human Rights are put into question. It’s time to say enough is enough.”
His statement was followed by protests all over Spain on October 6, where thousands of demonstrators urged world leaders to ‘free Palestine’.
Over 200 Spanish trade unions and NGOs have spoken out against the conflict, calling for a nationwide strike.
The Israeli foreign minister, Israel Katz, branded the demonstrations ‘unacceptable’, saying: “Spain has become a breeding ground for hate and destruction…it is not right to allow the glorification of terrorism.”
SPAIN’S King Felipe has called for a ceasefire in Gaza during a visit to Jordan.
DESTRUCTION: The largely foreign owned companies are ‘driving people off the land and back to the cities’ and killing wildlife, such as eagles (left)
FROM SCREEN TO CANVAS
AN art exhibition by actor Johnny Depp could come to Spain after Spanish investors backed it. His inaugural show, A Bunch of Stuff has started in New York but will soon undertake a world tour. One of these stops could be one of Johnny’s favourite countries, Spain. Not only is the actor a frequent visitor to the country, where he often attends the San Sebastian Film Festival, but the project is financed by a Spanish investment group.
Stoneweg Places & Experiences is the property and culture finance group behind the exhibition, run by Spaniards Jaume Sabater and Juan Manuel Sevillano. The exhibition is an ‘immersive’ look into Depp’s creative process and artwork, including personal belongings and narration from the actor.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
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WAR MURAL UNCOVERED
A MURAL dating back to the Spanish Civil War featuring a soldier hammering the heads of dictators Franco, Hitler, and Mussolini on a dragon has been found hidden under whitewash in a factory.
The Centre for Contestano Studies (CEC) stumbled on the rarity when they went to recover some industrial
archaeology from the premises in Cocentaina (Alicante province).
CEC president, Pere Ferrer, said: “We are speechless as a mural of this grandeur is not normal.
“Practically no similar example has been preserved anywhere in Spain and this might be the only such mural,” he added.
Measuring six by three metres, it features slogans from the Republican anti-Franco movement during the war between 1936 and 1939. The work was done by soldiers billeted during the war at Cocentaina who were members of Alicante's 6th Rearguard Battalion of Alicante.
Nobody knew of the mural's existence as it had been covered by whitewash either by the Republicans or Francoist authorities.
Bacteria the saviour
Female Spanish duo fuse art and science with new glue-eating bacteria to save historic church frescos
around Europe
A SPANISH mother and daughter have teamed up to pioneer a new art restoration technique using specially trained glue-eating bacteria. The project involves 75-yearold Pilar Roig, an art restorer, and her 42-year-old microbiologist daughter, Pilar Bosch. Together, they have combined their unique skill sets to save historic artworks in Valencia’s Santos Juanes Church, one of Spain’s oldest churches, as part of a €4 million project. The duo's innovation involves
The scientific breakthrough will save many
were not only painstakingly slow but risked damaging the artwork.
training bacteria to eat away at the stubborn glue that had been a persistent problem for conservators for decades.
For many years, Roig had been struggling to restore and preserve 18th-century paintings by Antonio Palomino. Previous restorers in the 1960s had used a glue that was difficult to remove with traditional methods involving hot water and sponges, which
The solution to Roig’s problem took root in 2008 when Bosch was researching her doctoral thesis and stumbled upon an article about bacteria being used to clean frescoes in Italy.
Bosch’s research led her to a breakthrough – by ‘training’ bacteria to feed on the glue made from animal collagen, they found they could naturally produce enzymes to
break it down. The bacteria were then mixed with a natural algae-based gel and applied to the frescoes. Within just three hours, the glue dissolved, leaving the artwork pristine. This pioneering mother-daughter collaboration is now funded by local foundations, and their bacterial techniques have been applied to other high-profile restoration sites, including Pisa and Montecassino in Italy, and Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
By Walter Finch
BLESSED BACTERIA:
frescoes
DEEPLY DEPP:
The exhibition is an intense look at the actor
ONE OF A KIND: This could be the only surviving Republican mural in Spain
Spellbound Spain
A tiny witch village in northern Spain has been cursed with a spell so strong that only the Pope can lift it
BEWITCHING: Trasmoz will put a spell on you
By Yzabelle Bostyn
In the 13th century, Trasmoz was a powerful, thriving community, with many iron and silver mines as well as wood and water reserves.
Despite its riches, it did not have to pay taxes to the nearby monastery of Veras it was a lay territory.
The church was not happy about this, so when rumours began to swirl of their possible dark dealings, the archbishop of Tarazona, the largest town nearby, requested the excommunication of the entire village. Now, no one could go to confession or take holy sacraments at
community mostly made up of Arabs, Jews and Christians.
Despite various disputes, Trasmoz citizens refused to repent, even when the monastery cut off their water.
The tenth Lord of Trasmoz, Pedro Manuel Ximenez de Urrea, decided to take up arms against the men of the cloth but just be fore the first blows, King Ferdinand II decided the town’s response was jus tified.
The Church never forgot this betrayal and sought the permission of Pope Ju lius II to curse the village in 1511.
They claimed Pedro Manuel and the citizens of Trasmoz were enchanted by witchcraft and the Pope gave them the green light.
Sealing the village’s fate, they chanted psalm 108 of the Book of Psalms, known as the Church’s most powerful tool to pronounce a curse.
As the curse was sanctioned by the Pope, it can only be lifted by a Pope and so far, none have done so.
Adding fuel to the fire, Trasmoz castle burnt to a crisp in 1520 and is still in ruins.
Luckily, the residents weren’t really that fussed as they were a wealthy
Rumours then began to swirl of their possible dark dealings
When the Jews were expelled from Spain in the 15th century, Trasmoz began its gradual decline and 10,000 inhabitants turned into 62, just 31 of which live there permanently.
Today, the village has little signs of life, with just one bar and many houses in disrepair.
The empty streets have no schools or shops, but the castle’s tower is now home to a small witchcraft museum with a collection of black magic items, including cauldrons, brooms and black crucifixes.
Across the courtyard, there is a wrought HOLY ORDER: The Veruela Monastery is the origin of Trasmoz’s curse
Property
OCTOBER
Discover the ultra-modern home hiding behind an
Discover a selection of the shortlisted designs for the prestigious Dezeen Architecture awards, while (below) the rural escapes that are high on style
PRICES SOARING
THE Spanish government has been slammed as housing prices continue to skyrocket across the country, with the national average rising by 8.7% over the past year.
A report by property portal Idealista reveals the average price now stands at €2,182 per square metre, though the increases have been particularly steep in certain regions and cities.
The rapid rise in house prices has sparked concern that government policies are failing to address the critical issue of affordable housing.
Francisco Iñareta, spokesperson for
By Walter Finch
Idealista, attributed the surge to a combination of factors, including inadequate land development, bureaucratic obstacles, labour shortages, and unchecked population growth in high-demand areas.
“Used housing is unable to meet growing demand, and in the face of a shortage of supply, prices are rising sharply,” Iñareta said, calling for immediate government intervention to accelerate new housing construction.
The crisis has been most pronounced in Spain’s provincial capitals, with Madrid and Barcelona experiencing price jumps of 17.8% and 16.7% respectively. In San Sebastian, the country’s most expensive city, housing prices have soared to €5,570 per square metre, underscoring the widening gap between Spain’s major urban centres and more affordable areas like Zamora, where prices remain at €1,175 per square metre. Malaga has emerged as the priciest provincial capital in Andalucia, with an average of €3,095 per square metre, marking a 17.9% increase over the past
year. Andalucia’s Jaen province remains one of the most affordable regions, with prices as low as €838 per square metre. Elsewhere, Valencia saw a 17.6% rise followed by Santander (16.7%). Next in line are Alicante (15.9%), Granada (15%) and Soria (13.5%).
Prices have also risen in Palma (10.2%), Barcelona (9.8%), Sevilla (7.8%), Bilbao (6.1%) and San Sebastian (4%).
The rising cost of housing is putting significant pressure on buyers across the country, with many now spending over 30% of their income on mortgage payments. The lack of affordable new-
build properties has created a ‘perfect storm’, according to Idealista, leading to a national housing crunch that is showing no signs of easing.
Idealista’s report calls for urgent policy reforms, including measures to streamline the construction process and incentivize large-scale developments in high-demand areas. Without swift action, housing prices in Spain’s most dynamic cities and regions are expected to continue climbing, further exacerbating the housing affordability crisis.
Millionaires’ haven
Whilst economic migrants and ‘climate refugees’ head for the English coast in small boats and dinghies, a growing number of Non-doms and wealthy Brits will be weighing anchor in the UK and heading for Spain in rather more luxurious vessels. The Costa del Sol and Marbella will be a top destination, which will push up demand and house prices that are already floating away.
Back in July, shortly after Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour party won the General Election, I predicted that the British (and French) election results would boost demand for property in Spain. “When higher taxes in the UK start to bite, an increasing number of wealthy people will vote with their feet,” I wrote back then, arguing that many will head for Spain seeing as France was almost in the grip of a Jacobin regime (that outcome has been
Tax refugees from the UK will boost the Costa del Sol housing market
avoided thanks to Brexit’s old friend Mr. Barnier, for now).
In the run up to UK budget day the British press has been full of stories about an exodus of millionaires heading for more friendly climes. A Migration Report by Henley Private Wealth Management says that the UK will lose 9,500 millionaires this year, twice the level of last year, and according to an analysis by the Adam Smith Institute, cited in the Telegraph, the share of the UK population who are millionaires is set to fall by 20 per cent over the course of the current Parliament, even as the share in Italy, France and Germany rises. The Guardian has celebrated this exodus of wealth in an article titled ‘Britain’s millionaires are fleeing. Good night and good luck, I say’.
Some billionaires will head for Switzerland and Monaco, whilst others, along with many of the ‘only’ millionaires, might head for Spain, which offers an appealing lifestyle and tax regimes like the ‘Beckham Rule’ that allows expatriates to be taxed as non-residents for their first six years in Spain, whilst exempting foreign income from Spanish taxation (Hello Non-doms!). Spain could be the perfect place to sit out the Labour government.
London-boy Charlie Mullins, founder of Pimlico Plumbers, is one example of a multi-millionaire who has already fled to Marbella from the UK because of Labour, telling the Sunday Times “I am taking all of my money and investments out of the UK. The government is driving people with money away from the country. Why would people stay in the UK?” He won’t be the only HNWI fleeing the UK to avoid higher taxes like income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, and maybe even a wealth tax. Some on the Labour side are already arguing for an ‘Exit’ tax to smack them on the back of the head as they leave.
The Costa del Sol, and the Marbella area in particular, will get the lion’s share of attention from British tax refugees heading for Spain. If they look for a place to buy they will find a hot market where home sales in the first half of the year (H1) were the second-highest in a decade, below
LONDON’S NOT CALLING: Millionaire Charlie Mullins and fiancee Raquel are leaving the UK due to higher taxation plans
only the boom year of 2022 (which was turbo-charged by pent-up demand from lockdowns). And what about house prices? To take Marbella, asking prices are up 12% this year (Source: Idealista), and 66% in five years.. A wave of British millionaires heading for the Costa del Sol could set the high-end of the market on the fire.
Holiday lets veto
SPAIN’S Supreme Court has ruled a community of homeowners can ban tourist rentals. They just need 60% of the owners to back such a measure.
The new ruling comes after studying numerous cases around the country, including one in Marbella dating back to 2019.
Short-term pain
THERE are a third fewer apartments available for long-term rent in Spain since 2019.
Hard-pressed tenants instead are being faced with short-term and ‘seasonal’ accommodation, which have tripled in the same period, now accounting for 14% of the rental market across the country.
Malaga is one of the few ‘distressed’ cities where the housing market is facing serious problems to actually buck the trend, according to a study by Idealista. Here, long-term rentals are actually up by nearly a quarter (23%) in a year, along with fellow long-suffering Canarian duo of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (22%) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (13%). Despite seeing these rises, Malaga has not escaped the trend in short-term accommodation, with the number of these apartments almost quintupling (466%).
And the numbers are similar across the board for almost every Spanish city of note – Alicante (309%), Seville (279%), Valencia (276%), Barcelona (244%), Bilbao (217%), and Palma (208%). And in Madrid (159%) and San Sebastián (136%), the numbers more than doubled.
The community president had demanded a change in the law as 'noise, destruction, theft, stains and smells of marijuana and urine' were affecting residents. A case had been launched by two companies that owned six tourist apartments in the block.
The Supreme Court backed the other residents however, ruling that communities of owners have the right to prohibit the presence of tourist flats by law.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
THE European Union has appointed Danish politician Dan Jorgensen as ‘housing tsar’ tasked with tackling the continent’s property crisis.
Part of his task will be to attract investment in new housing and slashing the costs of construction. Jorgensen will be working to develop a comprehensive European Affordable Housing Plan, which could provide much-needed support for Spain and other member states.
Shortage
He will also be expected to address the shortage of housing close to workplaces, and optimise the use of existing housing stock.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the gravity of the situation.
“Millions of young people and families are struggling to find affordable housing across Europe,” she told Jorgensen in a mission statement.
“We must address this crisis by helping member states tackle structural issues and unlock both public and private investment.”
A QUIET revolution is underway as the Spanish turn their gaze inland towards the countryside.
Some 63% of Spaniards are actively considering a new life in rural areas, according to a report by Fotocasa Research. The trend is being driven by skyrocketing prices in cities and coastal resorts.
The study, Análisis de la España Vaciada, reveals a growing trend, particularly among 18 to 44-year-olds, towards a life away from Spain’s congested urban areas.
Technological advances, remote working, and a shift in lifestyle priorities are
COUNTRY-BOUND
all contributing to what many are calling a renaissance of Spain’s rural heartlands. Yet, despite this newfound enthusiasm, the country remains well behind the European curve in terms of rural population.
Just 13% of Spain’s population resides in rural areas, placing it near the bottom in Europe, which has an average of 26%..
Only Malta, with 3%, and the Netherlands, at 11%, come lower.
Spain’s rural areas are increasingly becoming a beacon of hope for those seek-
Hugenumberof
ing not just affordability, but a different pace of life.
“For many citizens, rural areas offer not only cheaper housing, but also a chance to reconnect with nature and enjoy a quieter, more meaningful way of life,” concluded the report.
A significant 51% expressed a ‘strong desire’ to make the shift to the country, an increase from 47% last year.
GIVE OUR MONEY BACK!
their bank.
By Walter Finch
TENS of thousands of homebuyers in Spain are taking advantage of new EU lender rules.
The Spanish banking regulator has received over 40,000 requests in the first half of 2024 alone following the ruling. It could see millions of mortgage holders recoup millions in unfair fees.
Notary fees
The expenses - which include notary fees, agency fees, appraisal costs, taxes, and land registry fees - are often as much as 3% of the total mortgage costs.
Now, the European High Court has ruled the costs should be shared, with homeowners expected to recoup an average of €1,500 each from
Luxury living
SLS Hotels & Residences is expanding its luxury offerings in Spain with two major projects.
It is due to open a high-end hotel in Barcelona in December, followed by a branded residences project in Madrid in 2025.
The Barcelona hotel is located in Port Forum, Sant Adrià de Besòs, a site initially planned for a Hard Rock hotel.
Some €200 million is being spent on
claimants demand a refund of mortgagefeesasclaims floodtheBankof Spain
Regulator, the Bank of Spain, announced that many banks are voluntarily returning these fees to customers without the need for legal action. However, an alarming 61% of claims are being rejected due to incomplete information, customer service rejections and fraud. Anyone who took out a mortgage before June 2019 and paid all the associated expenses is entitled to make a claim.
Around 15 million mortgages were taken out in Spain between 2003 and 2018.
the development, which will feature 471 rooms, including 70 suites with ocean views.
The hotel will also offer a range of luxury amenities such as bars, restaurants, three pools, meeting rooms, a spa, and a fitness centre.
In Madrid, SLS will introduce the SLS Madrid Infantas Residences, its first branded residences in Spain.
An historic 1920s building (below) will be transformed into 33 exclusive homes, offering one to three bedrooms, penthouses with terraces, and hotel-style services.
Homeowners can still claim even if they’ve paid off their mortgage in full. To claim, you’ll need your mortgage deed and related invoices. If you don’t have them, you can request copies from your bank or agency.
The
Key Points:
● Claims are valid for mortgages signed before June 2019
● The EU ruling extends the deadline for filing claims
● Expect to recover between €1,500 and €3,000, depending on your mortgage
● You can still claim even if you’ve paid off or sold the property.
MINI-MOGULS
SOME 91% of real estate crowdfunding investors are men. Walliance, a crowdfunding platform operating in Spain, Italy, and France, examined over 170 projects, following the company’s acquisition of the French platform Lymo Finance.
The report reveals that the average investor is 44 years old, with participants from 74 countries, primarily Italy and France. Walliance noted that new construction projects have seen the highest demand on the platform.
Most investors are small savers with limited real estate knowledge but eager to grow their assets. They club together with other small investors via a website to buy a stake in the real estate project.
The platform’s average investment in 2024 was €3,902, with 57.87% of funds directed toward new developments.
‘Thank you Olive Press for trying to find Orville!’
PROPERTY queen Jasmine Harman has personally thanked the Olive Press after we launched an appeal to track down her daughter’s lost teddy Orville.
The A Place In The Sun star, 48, said: “I wanted to thank you so much for sharing our search for ‘Orville’, my daughter’s soft toy. We haven’t found him yet, but we are still hopeful… thank you!”
The toy was misplaced while Jasmine and her family were shopping around the Parque Comercial Miramar in Las Lagunas, Mijas area on October 5. Her daughter Joy has had the stuffed green teddy since she was a baby and it is of great sentimental value.
A COSTA Blanca resort, best known for its gangster expat John Gilligan, is the cheapest place to buy on the Spanish costas. Torrevieja is excellent value with homes going for around €1,700/ m2.
It means you can snare a two-bedroom apartment near the beach for just €65,000. There are even homes for as little as €34,600, although they require extensive work.
A two bedroom home on the Costa del Sol would be difficult to find for less than €200,000 in comparison, while in Marbella you would need at least €275,000.
Coastline
Bustling Torrevieja is just south of Alicante city, which costs an average of €2,298/m2, while Benidorm comes in at €2,868/m2. Fancy the north Costa Blanca you will need to shell out €2,864/m2 in Denia while Moraira, an expat hotspot, remains one of the most expensive at €3,956/m2. Torrevieja, though, has everything, including 14 kms of coastline and a warm climate with an annual average temperature of 18C.
It has around 89,920 inhabitants and is packed with British expats, alongside 121 other nationalities. Irish gangster Gilligan received a suspended sentence for drug dealing at Torrevieja Criminal Court last year.
He was accused of smuggling cannabis and sleeping pills into Ireland as well as owning a gun found in his back garden. While he faced eight years in prison, he instead got handed a 22-month suspended sentence and a €14,000 fine.
When asked by the judge if he accepted the deal, Gilligan replied: “Yes, I am guilty.”
Harman family Orville
REGULATOR:
Bank of Spain estimates €1,500 per purchase returned
Idylls, page
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OLD MEETS NEW
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A historic 20th-century building has been transformed into a contemporary home that fuses traditional architecture with a complementary minimalist home known as The Empty House. Designed by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos, the four-bedroom dwelling was created to offer a blank canvas for its owners, contrasting starkly with the traditional facade of the existing structure.
“From the outside, the facade maintains its character without modifying the street, becoming a kind of scenery from another era,” explained Fran Silvestre, the studio’s founder. Inside, however, the home is a stripped-back oasis of clean lines and natural light. The ground floor of the home near Valencia features a spacious living, dining, and kitchen area overlooking a covered terrace and swimming pool. To the east, a smaller wing houses a guest bedroom and workshop. Upstairs, two en-suite bedrooms and a skylit multipurpose room offer additional living space.
The interior design emphasises minimalism, with plain walls, ceilings, and floors. Natural light floods the home, creating a sense of openness and tranquillity. The use of limestone flooring and wooden carpentry complements the minimalist aesthetic, while embedded lighting minimises visual clutter. Silvestre explained that the choice of materials was influenced by both the property’s history and the desire to create a harmonious connection with the city. “For example, a limestone pavement was chosen, with a tone similar to that of the facade of the existing building,” he said. “The memory of the original construction is still valid and present in today's spaces.”
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TIME TO GO LEGIT
HAVE previously written about the lack of regulation and professionalisation in the real estate brokerage sector.
Outside of Catalunya and Valencia, Spain is basically a Wild West free-forall. Anyone with a mobile phone and an email address can call themselves a real estate agent.
By contrast, in Catalunya and Valencia, estate agents are required to have training and carry liability insurance, amongst other requirements, including mandatory registration.
There had been talk at the national level of implementing national standards, during the process of drafting the 2023 housing law. However, those discussions went nowhere, and all regulatory standards were suddenly taken off the table. Nothing has changed since then.
As I noted at the time, this was very problematic. I wrote then:
“As Gomez [head of the Federation of Associations of Real Estate Companies (Fedei)] noted in the interview, the industry must be professionalised as it now represents 12% of GDP, or €42,000 million. There are between 25,000-30,000 real estate agencies employing probably 90,000 salespeople.
“It cannot be that anyone who arrives without knowledge or experience in the sector can begin to sell houses…”
Interestingly, the real estate industry in Dubai, which is much less mature in terms of years of development,
Real estate regulations in Dubai are a model for Spain
including its openness to foreign investors, has developed a much more rigorous and transparent real estate framework.
Operating under the Dubai Land Development agency, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), provides several clear criteria for the responsibilities and rights of real estate agents and brokerages. These are published by the agency as a Real Estate Brokerage Practice Guide, that is downloadable as a PDF.
The details are also available on a number of real estate websites within Dubai. Dubai has a very strong real estate sector that has been growing over several years and is projected to continue into the future.
property transactions and a 14.57% price rise in the first half of 2024 compared to the previous year.
There are many similarities with the Costa del Sol market that we can recognise – year round sunny weather, good infrastructure overall, and competitively priced real estate even after years of price growth.
In addition, to their credit, they have developed the regulatory system mentioned above. This extends to development and construction more generally, as well as landlord-tenant law, but also to real estate brokerage regulation.
Dubai is welcoming over 8,000 new residents each month
“Dubai is welcoming over 8,000 new residents each month, and in most projects, demand exceeds supply, leading to quick sales of correctly priced ready properties, often within four weeks of hitting the market,”
Provident Estate noted.
Engel & Völkers Middle East reported a 13.2% annual increase in ready
As with Catalunya and Valencia, agents must be trained and certified in Dubai. They must also be registered with the RERA. Failure to maintain qualifications through regular training or in the case of falling standards, sabbaticals from economic activity, or breaking the law, will all lead to suspensions, fines or blacklisting.
To prevent a booming market being a magnet for shady types seeking to take advantage of naive foreign investors, they have also implemented
other important regulations. There is, for instance, a ‘three broker rule’ and mandatory, written representation contracts. The three broker rule stipulates that a seller can’t list with more than three brokerages. Representation contracts insist that no agent or brokerage can act as agent to a seller without their express written consent. Only agents with a written contract get paid by the law. This eliminates the practice often seen on Spanish websites like idealista.com of a dozen or more agencies posting photos and ads for the same property – often without the knowledge of the seller.
These representation contracts must also be logged with the RERA so that they can be tracked. This is used to prevent a practice we’ve previously written about, where agencies keep properties posted that are either sold already or were never represented by them in the first place – a kind of bait-
and-switch.
by Adam Neale
To ensure that ads are legitimate and still valid, they are monitored. Failure to remove out of date ads will lead to a fine of over €12K in the local currency.
Not surprisingly, the Dubai real estate sector welcomes these regulations. It hurts everyone’s credibility and the overall business climate when there are sharks and fly-by-night operators. In addition to the above best practices, I would add that real estate agencies also ought to be obligated to maintain a certain amount of money in escrow. And, as in Catalunya and Valencia, agencies should be obliged to carry at least €600,000 in liability insurance. They should also be required to maintain a physical office.
BALLOONING: GROWTH: Rural hotel Cosmoveros
Rural idyls
Explore the architecture of some of Spain’s countryside destinations
RBy Dilip Kuner
URAL tourism in Spain is experiencing an unprecedented boom, driven not only by the desire to reconnect with nature but also by a deep appreciation for the country’s rich architectural heritage.
Recent data from 2023 highlights this surge, with 45% of Spaniards engaging in rural tourism, and 92% of them planning to return to rural destinations. With over 18,000 rural properties listed and 15 million travellers seeking authentic experiences, the appeal of Spain’s diverse rural architecture is more prominent than ever. The architectural landscape of Spain’s rural properties offers a remarkable variety, from modern, eco-friendly designs to traditional homes that blend seamlessly with their natural surroundings.
Here are seven rural properties that embody the diversity of Spain's rural architectural heritage:
The Teepee
Cosmoveros
Just outside Madrid, Cosmoveros offers a futuristic take on rural lodging with its bubble hotel design. Located in Muñoveros, guests can stargaze under the clear Segovian sky while staying in these transparent, spherical structures. The modern design blends cutting-edge architecture with the rich cultural heritage of Spain’s interior.
Nestled in the pine forests of Mombeltran, Avila, the Teepee offers a rustic yet innovative take on traditional American teepees. These symmetrical wooden structures, set against a dramatic mountainous backdrop, provide a harmonious connection to the natural landscape while offering a unique, peaceful retreat by the Ramacastañas River.
Situated on the Verdeaurora ecological farm in the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve, Casa Aurora is a testament to Canarian architecture.
This rural home, surrounded by the island’s stark landscapes, is designed to adapt to the agricultural and livestock-based way of life. Its simple, functional design integrates with the protected natural space of Malpaís Grande, embodying Fuerteventura’s rural traditions.
NATURAL ESCAPE: In wild woods near Avila
EXCLUSIVE APARTMENT, MARINA PUENTE ROMANO Ref: OP14234
Built: 151 m² | Terraces: 47 m² | Beds: 3 | Price: € 4,895,000
DUPLEX PENTHOUSE, LOMAS DEL REY Ref: OP15125
Built: 163 m² | Terraces: 113 m² | Beds: 3 | Price: € 2,700,000
CHARMING TOWNHOUSE, LOMAS PUEBLO Ref: OP15109
Built: 96 m² | Terraces: 48 m² | Beds: 2 | Price: € 850,000
CONTEMPORARY VILLA, EL MADROÑAL Ref: OP15141
Built: 523 m² | Plot: 1,865 m² | Beds: 8 | Price: € 4,750,000
MODERN HOUSE, FRONLINE GOLF, ALOHA Ref: OP14879
Built: 253 m² | Plot: 952 m² | Beds: 3 | Price: € 2,195,000
APARTMENT, LOMAS DEL MARBELLA CLUB Ref: OP15200
Built: 83 m² | Terraces: 18 m² | Beds: 3 | Price: € 550,000
Tel. (+34) 952 863 750 panorama.es
Offices at Puente Romano and opposite the Marbella Club hotel
La Casa del Desierto
In the heart of the Gorafe desert, La Casa del Desierto is a striking example of modern architecture harmonising with extreme natural conditions.
Built within the Granada geopark, a region of international geological significance, this glass-walled home is designed to withstand dramatic temperature shifts, with solar panels and rainwater collection systems ensuring self-sufficiency in one of Spain’s most inhospitable environments.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
Incredible interiors Your Home Styling
AGROWING name in the world of interior design, Your Home Styling is celebrating its expansion with a brand-new showroom in Mijas/Fuengirola on the Mijas Road, further solidifying its presence on the Costa del Sol.
The company, founded by Martin Rance and his partner Laura Ortega (pictured together), has become a go-to destination for those seeking high-quality design solutions that blend style and functionality, without the luxury price tag.
In an interview with Your Home Styling's CEO, Martin Rance, we explore how the business has grown from a small team to a design powerhouse, having transformed over 400 apart-
ments and villas across the region.
“We started with the idea that a dream home is never complete without the perfect interior. Now, we're expanding our offerings and showroom to meet the growing demand,” Martin Rance explains.
When asked about what sets Your Home Styling apart from the competition, Martin points to their customer-first approach. “What makes us unique is our ability to deliver quality
create spaces that are not only stylish but also long-lasting. Our goal is always to make sure that every home feels both luxurious and livable.”
Their success hasn't come overnight.
Martin attributes much of the company’s growth to their dedication to customer service and communication.
“We go beyond just offering furniture; we provide comprehensive services that include everything from installation to aftercare. If something doesn't go as planned, we're quick to fix it.
That's a promise we make to every client,” he shares.
One of the most exciting aspects of Your Home Styling’s approach is their versatility in catering to a range of budgets. “Whether you're looking for a simple refresh or a full-scale renovation, we've got you covered,” says Martin. With design packages starting at €10,000, Your Home Styling offers solutions for homes of all sizes, with the added benefit of free storage for clients whose spaces may not yet be ready for installation.
As
they prepare to open the doors to their new expansion of the showroom, Martin and his growing team are eager to showcase an even wider selection of quality furnishings and decor. The new space will feature curated displays that reflect the latest design trends, offering clients the chance to see their potential dream home come to life before their eyes.
So, what's the secret to their ongoing success? “It’s simple. If you stay true to your word and your clients, you’ll find success,” says Martin. “The Costa del Sol is a place where dreams come true, and we’re just here to help make that happen.”
As the company continues to grow, the team at Your Home Styling Costa del Sol invites anyone looking to transform their home to visit their new showroom, where they can discover the perfect blend of elegance and practicality for their space.
Discover Your Dream Home or find your perfect new sofa – Visit Your Home Styling’s showroom in Mijas/ Fuengirola today and let the interior design experts help you turn your vision into reality. Your Home Styling Costa del Sol is on the Mijas Road. Search their name on Google Maps or find them at: Ctra. de Mijas KM 4.5, 29650 Mijas, Malaga.
COSTA DEL SOL
Hotel Rural Can Lluc
In the heart of Ibiza, Hotel Rural Can Lluc captures the essence of Balearic architecture, known for its pragmatic simplicity and seamless integration with the environment. The hotel is surrounded by olive, lemon, and pine trees, creating a serene atmosphere that reflects the island's traditional rural style. The traditional building has modern annexes which make use of natural materials, warm tones, and abundant natural light.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023 LOOKING FOR MORE PROPERTY STORIES?
Masia Can Pou
As an iconic example of Catalan rural architecture, Masia Can Pou embodies the timeless appeal of the masia, a traditional farmhouse. Located near Girona, this stone-built farmhouse offers panoramic views of the Llemena valley and is a symbol of the region’s historical connection to self-sufficient rural living. Despite their origins in the 9th and 10th centuries, masias have been rejuvenated and remain integral to modern rural life in Catalonia.
Cabañitas del Bosque
Located in Ousesende, the Cabanas do Barranco estate exemplifies Galician mountain architecture, combining traditional forms with modern design. Hidden among pines, oaks, and chestnut trees, this estate functions as a biodiversity refuge. The estate features the Cabanas Sen Barreiras, cabins perched in the treetops, and Finca Apriscos, small cabins overlooking a tranquil lake, each blending into the surrounding forest and wetlands.
AIn the know
Your trusted partner in the Guadalhorce Valley and Sierra de las Nieves
T Home Sweet Home Real Estate, we pride ourselves on being your go-to real estate agency, offering personalised services that cater to your unique needs. As experts in the Guadalhorce Valley and Sierra de las Nieves and beyond, our extensive experience and deep understanding of the local property market allow us to provide professional and tailored advice, whether you’re buying or selling.
WHY CHOOSE US?
Our approach is based on trust, transparency, and results. We thoroughly study every property and its documentation, ensuring that all aspects are clear and accurately presented to both buyers and sellers. This detailed attention to detail ensures that each transaction is smooth, compliant, and benefits all parties involved. Our commitment is to work for you, guiding you through every step of the process with professional advice and support.
OUR SERVICES
• Personalised Management: Each client is assigned a dedicated advisor who will take the time to understand your needs and offer the best options to achieve your goals.
• Legal Advice: From reviewing property documentation to creating legally sound contracts, we ensure that every legal aspect is meticulously handled.
• Effective Advertising: We provide high-quality photographs and listings on top real estate platforms, maximising exposure and helping you reach the right buyers.
• Financial Consultation: Our experts conduct financial feasibility studies, ensuring that your budget and financing options are fully understood.
At Home Sweet Home Real Estate, we are more than just a real estate agency — we are your trusted partners.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
IN THE FRAME
THE architecture shortlist for this year's prestigious Dezeen Awards has been revealed.
A total of 82 projects are competing for awards across 15 architecture categories, submitted by studios from 32 countries, including Spain, Germany, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Turkey, Taiwan, Niger, and Mexico.
The most represented countries are the United Kingdom with 10 shortlisted projects, followed by the USA with nine, and China and Australia with seven entries each.
The Dezeen Awards architecture shortlist has been announced and we bring you six of the best
By Dilip Kuner
Also on the shortlist are a renovated bookstore in China, a Tokyo development with undulating green roofs, and a treetop walkway in Norway made from pinewood.
A housing prototype for displaced communities, developed by Holcim in collaboration
Notable projects include a solar farm hub in Turkey clad with mirrored steel panels, and a sprawling, plant-filled airport terminal in India spanning 255,000 square metres.
with the Norman Foster Foundation and showcased at the Venice Architecture Biennale, has also been nominated. Chris Cooke, a Dezeen
Awards judge and head of design collaborations at Bentley, commented: “Our partnership with Dezeen Awards continues to spotlight ambitious and innovative projects. This year’s shortlist is filled with sophisticated, thoughtful designs, many of which reflect a strong commitment to environmental responsibility.”
The shortlisted projects were evaluated by a distinguished architecture jury, including architects Keiji Ashizawa, Francine Houben, Dong Danshen, and Sumaya Dabbagh. Winners for each category will be announced live during the Dezeen Awards ceremony on November 26.
The 15 category winners will then compete for the coveted architecture project of the year award.
Here, the Olive Press has chosen half-a-dozen standout projects from the shortlist…
CIVIC PROJECT
Beijing City Library
Beijing, CHINA
The Beijing City Library claims to be a modern landmark. “It boasts the world's largest climatised reading space and China’s largest load-bearing glass system,” says Snøhetta, the architecture firm behind the project. The library’s design is inspired by Beijing’s natural landscape, inviting the outdoors in through sculpted interior forms. It features a variety of informal zones, reading spaces, and conference rooms, making it a hub for learning, culture, and community in the digital age.
The ideal combination
Wooden daybeds and thatch umbrellas on the Costa del Sol
WHEN you envision the Costa del Sol, golden beaches basking in the warm Spanish sun likely come to mind.
The luxurious lifestyle of the region is not confined to its upscale restaurants or vibrant nightlife; it also permeates the coastline, where wooden daybeds and thatch umbrellas have become essential symbols of beach comfort and elegance.
WHY WOODEN DAYBEDS ARE ESSENTIAL
For those enjoying the Mediterranean sun, nothing rivals the sophistication and comfort of a daybed on the beach. These chic pieces of furniture are both functional and visually appealing. Typically made from high-quality woods like eucalyptus or iroko teak, Cape Reed’s timber daybeds are designed to endure the coastal elements, ensuring longevity season after season.
Their natural aesthetic seamlessly blends with the beach environment, providing a relaxed yet refined atmosphere. But let’s face it - what truly draws people in? It’s all about comfort. Picture yourself sinking into a plush cushion after a refreshing swim, the gentle breeze easing the heat as you unwind. Whether basking in the sun or seeking refuge in the shade, a wooden daybed offers the ultimate relaxation spot.
THATCH UMBRELLAS: A QUINTESSENTIAL ACCESSORY
Weishan Chongzheng Academy Bookstore
Beijing, CHINA
Trace Architecture Office (TAO) transformed the historic Weishan Chongzheng Academy in Beijing into a multifunctional bookstore. Collaborating with the local government and Librairie Avant-Garde, TAO’s design preserved the building’s original atmosphere while adding modern functionality, including exhibition spaces, a small theatre, and a coffee shop. The design approach focused on minimal intervention to protect the existing structures, including the preservation of courtyard trees, reflecting a deep respect for the site’s historical and natural heritage.
Often found alongside these daybeds are thatch umbrellas, an iconic feature on Costa del Sol beaches. Their thatch design is not just for aesthetics; it serves a practical purpose as well. Cape Reed’s thatch umbrellas deliver exceptional shade from the blazing Spanish sun, keeping you cool and protected during those lengthy beach outings. Additionally, their rustic appearance adds a traditional Mediterranean flair to your beach experience.
FREEDOM TO DESIGN
The true beauty of these Cape Reed structures lies in their ability to be customised to reflect your vision, along with their durability and sustainability, making them the ideal choice for crafting a luxurious, comfortable atmosphere. Their blend of comfort, practicality, and style makes them the preferred option for anyone aiming to enhance their beach day or garden landscape.
Photo by Arch-Exist Photography
Photo by Zhu Yumeng
Continues on Page 26
All
fect finish for a wide range of items. Our expertise extends to marine parts, bicycles, and stainless steel balustrades.
Remember the quality that RDMCS provides with specialised installations like glass curtains, windows and doors, retractable roofs, structures and much more, Well our powder coating services offer the same attention to detail.
Powder coating not only improves the aesthetic appeal but also serves a practical purpose. It helps extend the life of metal products by preventing rust, corrosion, and deterioration issues that can be particularly troublesome in outdoor applications. Old, worn metal can be unsightly and even dangerous, with sharp edges that can hurt fingers. This is especially important for communities looking to maintain safety standards and visual harmony in shared spaces.
Our expert team ensures your metal structures are not only attractive but also safe, keeping within community regulations and safety codes.
Whether you need to revamp tired window frames or refurbish worn patio furniture, RDMCS guarantees a flawless finish that meets safety and aesthetic requirements.
Our powder coating process is environmentally friendly and compliant with local regulations, making it an ideal choice for refurbishing metalwork in residential complexes, commercial buildings, or industrial settings.
For customised powder coating solutions that improve functionality while ensuring compliance with community standards, RDMCS is your trusted partner.
We take pride in transforming worn-out metal into durable, beautiful, and safe products that look brand new.
HOUSE (RURAL) CATEGORY
Barneys Ruin
Maghera, UK
Patrick Bradley Architect’s Barneys Ruin project in Maghera, UK, took an innovative approach to preserving historical ruins. "The clients were determined to keep the ruins untouched," said Bradley, which led to a concept where a new structure delicately floats above the existing site. The house weaves through the ruins, creating a powerful contrast between the old and the new, preserving the site's heritage while introducing modern design.
Due to our continued success in the UK as ProPerla platinum applicators we are delighted to announce that Universal Eco Homes have arrived in Spain... Hola!
Unfortunately Spain unlike the UK is prone to humidity which can damage the façade of your property and even the roof! Sandstorms and bad weather both of which can damage the exterior of your property. So Universal have the perfect solution for you, ProPerla protective coatings!
With many year of experience in the industry, we specialise in delivering breath taking results.
All ProPerla coatings are weatherproof, breathable, self cleaning products which are applied to the exterior of the property to protect your home.
We offer a range of up to 10 different colours for the façade, 7 colours for the roof tiles and we also offer a clear coating which can be applied to either the roof or the façade.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT PROJECT
Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 2
Bangalore, INDIA
Terminal 2 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore, India, reimagines the airport experience by incorporating natural elements. Designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill as a ‘terminal in a garden’, the 255,000-square-metre space connects passengers to nature, inspired by Bangalore’s reputation as the Garden City. The terminal boosts the airport's capacity by 25 million passengers annually and serves as a gateway that integrates lush landscapes into the typically bustling airport environment, setting a new standard for international terminals.
Photo by Joe Laverty Photography
Photo by Ar. Ekansh Goel/Studio Recall
BE SECURE A
Tailor-made insurance policies ensure you have the right cover
RE you prepared to protect your family? Life insurance is essential for parents and anyone with financial dependents.
A life insurance policy is something almost everyone needs, but too few actually have.
It’s easy to delay getting a policy when you’re young and healthy, but the longer you wait, the higher the risk of something happening before you’re covered. Losing a loved one creates a financial burden on any family. With the right protection in place, if the worst were to happen, your loved ones could be financially secure through a lump-sum payment.
Dependents aren’t limited to children - your partner or other family members may also rely on your income. If you were to become critically ill and unable to work, would your dependents be able to manage, or would they struggle without your income?
We can tailor your policy to include critical illness coverage, providing a payout if the unexpected happens. Additional benefits can be included, such as Permanent Absolute Disability, Death by Traffic Accident, and Permanent Absolute Disability due to a Traffic Accident.
For example, €100,000 in death-only coverage for a 50-year-old male starts at just €27 per month.
We also offer mortgage repayment protection, which will pay off any remaining mortgage debt if death occurs during the policy term, ensuring your family can stay secure in their home.
To be eligible, you must be a resident of Spain and complete a simple online health/medical questionnaire. These policies are available with monthly direct debit payments, and all documentation will be provided in English.
For a quote or more information, please contact one of our offices, email info@ jennifercunningham.net, or visit our website at www.jennifercunningham.net
AT the moment there is a political witch-hunt going on in Spain against tourist rentals. This is being done on national, regional and local levels.
On the national level, the government blames the tourist rentals for the lack of cheap long term rentals available and are trying their best to stir up emotions about it.
In my opinion this is only done in order to take the spotlight away from the disastrous failure that has been the Property Law they passed in May of 2023, which - so far - has seen a decrease of 30% in available long term rentals!
The fundamental problem is that there are no good incentives for owners to offer their property up for a long term rent compared to a holiday rental or temporary rental (por temporada). So this is the basic principle of supply and demand... less supply and high demand = higher prices.
As a whole Spain has experien ced an 8,6% increase in rental pri ces since then and in some areas of the bigger cities the increase has been up to 20%!
This law (ley 12/2023, 24 de Mayo) was designed by the go vernment to create more rentals and especially ‘suitable’ (dig na) housing.
The incentives for an owner to rent out were lowered and the rights of the tenants made stronger. Especially for owners that own several properties in the first case, and for tenants that end up as economically vulnerable in the second.
An owner has to be prepared for
Photo by HG Esch Photography
In Madrid, the Beyond-the-family Kin project redefines living spaces for older residents, fostering intergenerational care and social connections. The design, by Ignacio G. Galan and OF Architects, creates diverse living arrangements that challenge the isolation often faced by the elderly, promoting independence while offering communal care options. The architectural layout supports flexible living arrangements, with financial strategies designed to enhance the quality of life for its occupants.
BE CAREFUL!
Starts Group’s Christofer
Fogelman takes a look at some of the pitfalls of rental investment
a five-year term at least when renting out. And that is not always suitable.
On the regional level, the Junta de Andalucia presented a new law at the beginning of the year (Decreto 31/2024) that made the rules tighter regarding licences for tourist rentals. Among other things the key element here is that the criteria to make a property suitable as a tourist rental has changed. Previously, the criteria was that the property had a valid occupation licence.
The Junta has changed it so that each municipality will have to agree that a property is suitable ‘urbanistically’.
So the owner first has to apply to the Junta de Andalucia, who will then ask the Town Hall if the property is suitable or not.
This has created a lot of insecurity for property investors and companies that work with holiday rentals, it is being treated differently in each municipality.
In both Malaga City and Fuengirola the Town Halls have denied almost all applications that have been solicited since the change of the law, and introduced new rules or guidelines.
For example, the property must have an independent entrance from the street if it is in a community of owners, such as an apartment complex. It is very difficult to find a property like this. And that is the idea.
The local governments are facing more and more protests from voters that can’t find affordable housing and are using this polemic to try to show the public that they are doing something. The problem is that a property in the centre of Malaga will hardly become an affordable rental if holiday rental is prohibited. Most likely it will be sold or offered for rental at a quite expensive rate. So waging war against holiday rentals will not solve the problems that are the lack of properties for rent.
However it is understandable that local and regional authorities should regulate tourist apartments. The whole business welcomes this but we need clear rules that give legal security of how to do things and what can be done!
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
PROJECT
Atmosphere
Leogang, AUSTRIA
Designed for the Hotel Krallerhof in Leogang, Austria, the new Atmosphere facility integrates seamlessly into the surrounding mountain landscape. The curved split-roof structure extends over 100 metres, lowering toward a spring-fed lake and enclosing a 50-metre-long infinity pool. The design by Krallerhof and Hadi Teherani Architects incorporates sustainable materials and regional partners, emphasizing a harmonious connection with nature. A retractable glass facade allows the interior to blend with the
surrounding environment, creating a peaceful alpine oasis for relaxation.
rentals with a qualified vote of 60%.
There were tourist companies from Marbella and Madrid that had sued, stating that for a community of owners to be able to prohibit tourist rentals, the vote should be 100% in favour as it is an essential change.
Waging war against holiday rentals will not solve the problem
The present situation is not beneficial for anyone. The latest piece of news is that the Supreme Court has rectified the right for a community of owners to prohibit tourist
If a community prohibits tourist rentals only the properties that have a prior licence can keep on renting. But when the property is sold, that licence is void. It cannot be transferred to the new owner as long as the community has registered the prohibition in the property registry.
So if you are looking to invest in a property to rent out to tourists... make sure to do your homework! A property that
has a licence is no guarantee as the community of owners might have prohibited rentals since.
The best way is to mention this to your estate agent before you start looking at properties! A certified and licensed estate agent will be your best bet to find the right property!
Photo by Imagen Subliminal/Miguel de Guzman/Rocio Romero
Fuengirola, very cosy apartment in great position within walking distance to shops, beach and all kind of services with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully fitted spacious kitchen, patio, lounge and terrace, excellent condition makes a good investment as home and great potential for rental income. Definitely worth viewing!
Have a look at our website and find your perfect home. Either second hand or under construction we are going to guide you all the way through your purchase experience.
FUENGIROLA bright and spacious apartment in very good condition and unbeatable position only a few minutes walk to beach, restaurants and services, comprises of 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, spacious fully fitted kitchen, utility room, lounge and sunny terrace, underground parking space, community pool and garden! Fantastic as home or rental income, very easy to rent!
MIJAS GOLF – Plot of land in unbeatable position so close to the golf course, very flat and easy to build a magnificent villa, situated on the main road at the golf course, it offers a fantastic opportunity to build within walking distance to the golf course. A viewing is highly recommended! 1.300m2.
Fuengirola center, very charming cosy apartment in great position within walking distance to the beach, restaurants, shops, etc. Comprising of 2 bedrooms plus small maid’s room, bathroom, bright spacious kitchen, lounge and terrace, very bright and ready to live in. Very quiet place in the town center 2nd floor without lift.
In the popular complex of Puebla Lucia this top floor, brand new, duplex apartment offers 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, fully fitted open plan kitchen, lounge and terrace off the lounge and the main bedroom, overlooking beautiful gardens and swimming pool, completely renovated to high standard never been lived in, beautiful community gardens, swimming pools and parking, it makes an excellent home with great space sun and light, great investment and secure rental income!
FUENGIROLA, Torreblanca this cosy top floor apartment offers great panoramic views of the sea and mountains, offering 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, lounge and large sunny terrace with glass curtains to enjoy it all year round, originally 2 one bedroom apartments joined to make a spacious sunny home! Community parking and bus service at the door step. Ideal home!
Fuengirola center, bright apartment in the fair ground area, spacious and cosy it is ready to move in or rent out. Facing south west with 3 bedrooms, bathroom, spacious kitchen, lounge and terrace, community swimming pool, gardens and parking, it is an excellent family home! Great value!
Mijas Golf, south west facing townhouse with great views over the mountains and green areas, very cosy it offers 2 bedrooms, bathroom, guest toilet, lounge, kitchen, and 2 very spacious terraces, community swimming pool and gardens, makes an ideal home for a small family. Must be seen!
FUENGIROLA CENTER
MIJAS GOLF
FUENGIROLA, LOS BOLICHES
FUENGIROLA CENTER
FUENGIROLA CENTRE
FUENGIROLA
FUENGIROLA
MIJAS GOLF
NUEVA ANDALUCIA - MAGNA MARBELLA
Corner Apartment in Magna Marbella, Nueva Andalucia
3 Beds | 2 Baths | 147 m2 Built
REF: 176-02739P | 795.000 €
Introducing this spacious three-bedroom corner apartment located in the sought-after development of Magna Marbella in Nueva Andalucia offering stunning sea, mountain & golf views from it´s west facing orientation. The accomodation comprises an entrance hall, fully equipped, kitchen, spacious lounge & dining area, two guest bedrooms sharing a family bathroom and the master bedroom suite with it´s own sitting area. A special feature is the possibility to accesss the terrace from all bedrooms. This unit has an abundance of natural light and is spacious. The development itself is gated with 24-hour security, two communal pools and 1 underground parking space and storage room included in the price.
NUEVA ANDALUCIA - ALOHA PUEBLO
Cozy Apartment with Roof Terrace in Aloha Pueblo, Nueva Andalucia
1 Bed |1 Bath | 75 m2 Built
REF: 176-02783P | 349.000 €
Sleek yet cozy apartment in the popular urbanisation of Aloha Pueblo, situated on an elevated position gives this apartment plenty of natural light throughout the day. Recently refurbished to create a comfortable and effective living space. The open plan kitchen and living room with a fireplace opens out onto the lower terrace area, from here you can access the 70m² roof terrace perfect for al fresco dining or sunbathing. Aloha Pueblo enjoys several restaurants, 24hrs security and a nice pool area. The urbanisation is located within walking distance to the Aloha Strip.
NUEVA ANDALUCIA - LA BIZNAGA
Townhouse in La Biznaga, Aloha, Nueva Andalucia
3 Beds | 2 Baths | 221m2 Built
REF: 176-02651P | 695.000 €
Spacious townhouse for sale in the heart of the Golf Valley in Nueva Andalucia, one of the most demanded areas. This location is particularly popular for those who spend their days on the golf course, as the Aloha Golf Club among others is just a short distance away. A perfect holiday home or permanent residence depending on what you are looking for. The property is distributed over 3 floors, a solarium with scope for enlargement is on the top floor. There are beautiful mountain views and plenty of sun on the different terraces. The house is very well kept and ready to move into.
Casca, the ‘last witch’ killed in
was murdered in 1860 after an unexplainable deadly epidemic broke out and locals turned on the ‘strange’ and ‘secretive’ woman. They reportedly grabbed her and threw her into a deep well, but the witchcraft tradition did not die with her.
The first Saturday of June every year, the residents celebrate the Feria de Brujeria y Plantas Medicinales (Witchcraft and Medicinal Plants Fair).
Local witches harvest plants from the nearby Moncayo mountains to make their lotions and potions.
Meanwhile, actors recreate historic witch trials and one lucky woman is named the ‘Witch of the Year.’
To qualify, you need a knowledge of herbal medicine, passion for local history and tourism.
In the modern age, to be a witch is a ‘badge of honour’, could you be next?
(4) iron sculpture of La
(4)
on
Tia
Trasmoz.
PUMPKIN PATCH: The spirit of Halloween is alive and well in Trasmoz
CRUMBLING CASTLE:
How the circular economy works in the world of business and everyday life, explains Christin Hagemeier
Repair and recycle!
HAVE you heard of the circular economy? Even if you haven’t, you’re likely familiar with examples from the past and present where it’s been naturally practiced.
In this article, I’ll explain what the circular economy is, how it differs from the linear economy, why it’s so important, and what each of us can do in daily life to support it.
As the name suggests, the circular economy is based on using raw materials in a cycle. This means materials should be used for as long as possible and, even after they’ve fulfilled their original purpose, repurposed. This process distinguishes between recycling, upcycling, and downcycling.
‘Upcycling’ refers to the process of enhancing materials, creating something more valuable from old resources. ‘Downcycling’ produces something of lower value, such as generating thermal energy through the burning of raw materials. ‘Recycling’, on the other hand, involves reusing raw materials to create the same product, like melting old glass bottles to produce new ones.
The difference from the ‘linear economy’ is clear: in the linear economy, raw materials are discarded after use. But where do we dispose of waste on a finite planet? A shocking example is the massive plastic vortex in the Pacific Ocean, which consists of improperly discarded plastic waste. This vortex has grown to three times the size of Spain!
The linear economy has serious drawbacks. Another major issue is the availability of resources, especially rare earth elements. These are essential for our electronic devices and batteries, but exist in limited quantities.
The EU has also recognised the importance of the circular economy. With the "Action Plan for the Circular Economy," it has introduced regulations to promote the careful use and reuse of resources. This plan now includes three comprehensive packages aimed at encouraging more sustainable practices.
What can we do in our daily lives? The key is to repair and reuse - and move away from disposable products. For nearly all disposable items, there are sustainable alternatives: reusable containers instead of takeaway packaging, cloth bags instead of plastic, second-hand clothing, and beeswax wraps as a substitute for cling film.
Another crucial step is repairing. Whether it’s a car, bike, or clothing— many things can be fixed instead of thrown away. Electronics, especially smartphones, are often designed to be irreparable. However, a new EU regulation aims to introduce the ‘right to repair,’ a vital step toward a sustainable future with our resources.
Please send your questions or comments on how to be greener to christin@theolivepress.es
Dry Doñana
Vital lake in Andalucia’s top national park dries up for the third year in a row as experts brand situation ‘extremely worrying’
By Yzabelle Bostyn
FOR the third year running, Doñana’s Santa Olalla lake has dried up. Once one of the only lakes of the park’s 3,000 to reliably retain water, Santa Olalla first dried up in 2022, a phenomenon which has been repeated every year since.
In previous years, the high summer temperatures have pushed the change, but now it is even occurring in cooler months.
“The situation is extremely worrying,” said Felipe Fuentelsaz, Agri-
culture and Water Coordinator for WWF Spain.
“Doñana is one of the most important national parks in Europe, a strategic place for the migration of millions of birds and now it is in great danger.”
IN DECLINE
AROUND 40% of the vertebrate animal population in the Iberian Peninsula is in decline according to study done by researchers from Alicante and Barcelona universities.
Of the more than 400 species analysed, the groups with the highest rates of decline are amphibians like frogs and toads, along with freshwater fish.
Roberto Rodriguez-Caro from the University of Alicante's ecology department said: “Extinction rates are very high and are expected to continue to increase if conservation measures are not applied to mitigate their threats.”
The main warning signs of possible extinction is a fall in population. “Assessing whether populations are stable, increasing or declining is key to being able to identify problems and look for solutions," said Rodriguez-Caro.
The study - funded by the Iberian Society of Ecology - has created the largest database of population trends in Spain and Portugal. Some 21 scientists from different research centres have been working since 2021 to collate figures.
Researchers say the new database has tripled the amount of information, which has shown unfavourable results.
Amphibians and inland fish have had the highest rates of decline, so improvements in habitats and mitigating threats are essential for their preservation, according to the results published in the Biological Conservation journal.
Not everything is negative, with fauna, mammals and birds showing optimistic results due to conservation work being focused on them.+
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Prolonged drought, climate change and illegal water usage is drying up the wetlands, putting many endangered species at further risk.
“Some 70% of the water that arrived in 30 years has been lost,” said Fuentelsaz.
“That has a direct impact on the wildlife. We receive less than a third of the birds that we did before, for example, there used to be around 80,000 geese that come from northern Europe. Now it’s hardly 10,000.” The environmental effects of climate change are worsened by the illegal use of Doñana’s water for farming.
“Around 20% of the farms around Doñana use illegal water sources,” Fuentelsaz told the Olive Press. Broken
“Farmers take water from aquifers which once fed the park and illegal wells. It has broken the ecological balance.”
The WWF is trying to restore this balance by reporting the abuse of water and eliminating illegal wells. They are also working with local farmers and Spanish supermarkets to help them avoid food grown with illegal water sources.
However, one of the WWF’s most important tasks is restoring the lakes and the streams that feed them so that wildlife can return to the park.
“Our restoration work is essential, we need to save Doñana,” said Fuentelsaz.
PARCHED: An enviromental disaster for the Doñana wetlands
& TRAVEL
Cheers for the beer
A NEW study has revealed that four Sevilla, Madrid, Barcelona, and Malaga are among Europe’s top 10 beer-consuming cities.
Each of the Spanish cities averages 104 litres of beer swigged down per person annually.
Despite Spain’s impressive beer consumption, the country still trails behind Europe’s leading beer capitals. Prague tops the list with a remarkable 144 litres per person, followed by Warsaw, Krakow, and German cities Munich, Frankfurt, and Berlin.
Tax cost
A PROPOSED tourist tax for Andalucia has been slammed by a local hotel group for hitting Andalucians as hard as it will foreigners.
The Costa del Sol’s leading hotelier association AEHCOS warned that holidays in the region could become nearly 5% more expensive if the tax is introduced.
But far from being a fee for foreign tourists, the tax would impact everyone - including Andalucians holidaying within their own region.
In the province of Malaga alone, local tourists from Andalucia made up over a fifth (21.6%) of all visitors in 2023. The tax would raise costs for these travellers by 4.8%.
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UNDER THE SEA
Take a holiday in Davy Jones’ locker at this innovative new theme park
AN amazing underwater theme park is one step closer to becoming a reality in Spain.
Dubbed the Underwater Gardens, the project is planned for Tenerife and vows to be an ‘eco-friendly and innovative’ experience.
After being given the green light on September 27, it will now undergo various environmental assessments before being granted final approval.
The ambitious park prom-
By Laurence Dollimore
ises to be a game-changer in the world of tourism due to its positive impact on the environment.
This includes its own regenerative sea gardens, that are placed on the local seabed.
The theme park will be split into two areas, the aboveshore ‘Garden Gate’ and the underwater ‘Sea Garden’.
The former will offer ‘leisure and educational activities
End of an era
that invite visitors to discover and learn about the ocean through games and fun’.
The latter promises ‘authen-
AN iconic Estepona beach bar has been demolished after closing last year.
The Blue Dolphin on Playa La Rada was for many years a popular spot for residents and tourists.
The structure located off Avenida Del Litoral had deteriorated over time, especially as it was built of wood.
Local authorities took the decision to take it down for health and safety reasons.
The Blue Dolphin received many positive reviews on TripAdvisor including 'good service and wonderful views count a lot' and 'it looks like a DIVE bar but don't pass it by'.
It's not known whether the site will be occupied by a new business.
The French are coming
ECO: The theme park is in harmony with marine life
tic diving experiences in an underwater landscape, which has been tailor-made for the surroundings: a unique environment inspired by nature’.
The project will install underwater ‘architecture’ on the sea bed that is specially designed to regenerate marine life.
These will be available to view during special diving tours, during which participants can ‘actively take part in regeneration tasks’.
An indoor diving centre and ‘aquademy’ are also among the plans.
There will also be a bio lab, where visitors can learn all about local sea life, plus an underwater aquarium and indoor diving centre.
THE Brits have been knocked off their perch as Spain’s best customer – by the French. New figures show that the UK’s long-running spell at the top of the visitor charts has come to an end, as 2.14 million Frenchmen came to Spain in August compared to 2.12 million Brits. It’s the first time the Brits have been dethroned since the Covid pandemic, when German tourists outnumbered their British counterparts in 2020.
Advantage
However, it is likely to be only temporary, as August-holidaying French folk took advantage of the land border with Spain to pop over for a visit. Brits are still on top overall, with 12.6 million visitors in 2024, way ahead of second-placed France with 9.2 million.
Traditional competitors Germany could muster only 1.2 million tourists in August, and 8 million for the entire year.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
Diamonds in the rough
Spanish truffles are the talk of Europe and now is the perfect time to track them down as the season starts
THEY’RE dirty, smelly, ugly to look at and hard to find.
For centuries truffles were a secret privy only to poor peasants. But today never was there so much fuss and faff over a fungus whose finest specimens sell for crazy pricessometimes over €2,000 a kilo.
Dubbed ‘the diamond of the kitchen’
We are looking for a new staff member to join the team. For more information please call in to the shop and ask for the manager Lisanne.
By Dilip Kuner
by French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, the 19th century epicure noted that truffles were ‘so expensive, they appeared only at the dinner tables of great nobles and kept women’. More recently, celebrated wine critic Robert Parker described them as ‘mysterious, rare, expensive, unobtainable and somehow mythical, like dragons’. There’s certainly nothing trifling about the winter black truffles of Soria province whose quality is causing quite a kerfuffle in culinary circles. With a rich and smoky flavour reminiscent of oak and hazelnut, they thrive in the sunbaked soil of Spain’s so-called ‘forgotten interior’, half-way between Madrid and Bilbao.
Spain is the sixth largest truffle producer in the world with 197,010 tons of the delicacy
Spain is the sixth largest truffle producer in the world with 197,010 tons of the delicacy produced
produced in the country each year and Soria, along with Huesca and Teruel provinces, is one of the country’s three major black truffle producers. The season varies with location but starts in November and can last until March. Yet, when shoppers seek out the prized ingredient for their fettuccine or scrambled eggs they head instead to Europe’s top producer: Italy. But experts from Soria’s truffle tourism company Encitruf claim this is a grave mistake. True connoisseurs know that shipping the luxury ingredient could, in fact, damage the quality of the truffle, say Encitruf.
Once these gastronomic gems
TRADITION: Pigs are still sometimes used to sniff out truffles but dogs are preferred as they don’t eat the treat themselves
BLACK MAGIC: They may look unappetising but a few shavings of truffle can transform a dish
are dug up from the ground using sniffer dogs or pigs, they should ideally be consumed within 10 days to get the full tastebud-tingling effect. And this is not the only reason to keep truffle buying close to home.
In fact, when it comes to the most desirable variety of culinary truffles - the white Tuber melanosporum and black Tuber magnatum - Spain produces more of these delicacies than any where else in the world.
However don’t imag ine it's easy to snuffle a truffle in your own back garden!
On average it takes oak trees a painstaking seven years to produce these lu crative crops and a trained truffle hunting hound
can set you back €3,000 and €4,000. Even if you know a farmer who can loan you a pig, forget it. Unlike dogs which prefer a biscuit reward, it’s difficult to restrain a fully-grown porker from
And, as Robert Parker found to his cost, the truffle hunting experience is not as romantic as it sounds. ‘Let me tell you, when you get down to it, there's nothing glamorous about it,’ he says. ‘In fact it's rather boring as well as cold and
In comparison then, coughing up around €800 a kilo for a taste of luxury with no added effort doesn’t seem too steep. For five guests, Encitruf recommends you need 20 grams of the stuff. Just make sure to invite only your best friends to dinner!
GOOD BOY!: Dogs are truly a man’s best friend in the forests of Soria, Huesca and Teruel, where they sniff out and collect the valuable fungi
Committed to care
British services for every need on the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca
ECIDING to contract care services can be a tough decision but at British Care Services we’re committed to making sure it’s the best one you’ve ever made. We provide a range of care services for every need across the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca.
Our British staff are trained according to UK care standards and we strive to excel at every turn.
Whatever your needs, we will work with you to craft a personalised care plan.
From hourly to expert live in care, we’re there for you.
We are experts in rehabilitation from hospital to home so whether you’re recovering from a hip replacement or open heart surgery, our attentive professionals will be there to help with your practical and personal needs.
We also provide physical and social support for patients, so they can enjoy a rich and full life, regardless of their abilities. Families can be sure their loved one is in good hands with our expert live in support, proven to be more cost effective than residential care.
Alternatively, we provide hourly, daily and nightly care for those who do not need constant assistance.
Whatever you are looking for, we carefully consider our patients personality, likes and dislikes when it comes to assigning them a carer, so they won’t just have a supporter, but a friend.
We are committed to providing the highest quality care, conducting weekly management visits to ensure quality control. There is also a WhatsApp group for all clients and families, forming a community spanning different ages, conditions and nationalities.
Backed by over 20 years experience in the UK care industry, British Care Services is the best choice for brits in Spain.
For more information, please visit our website www.britishcareservices.com or give us a
SPICE OF LIFE
A TOP neurologist has revealed that adding five common spices to your coffee could supercharge your brain and memory.
Dr Brandon Crawford, a US-based neurologist, claims that cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, nutmeg, and black pepper can transform your morning mug of coffee into a brain-boosting elixir.
These spices are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that protect your brain from damage and lower the
risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s, he claims. Cinnamon is a standout, fighting oxidative stress and regulating blood sugar, crucial for cognitive function.
Ginger helps balance neurotransmitters, sharpening your focus, while turmeric boosts brain health by promoting neuron growth - especially when combined with black pepper.
Nutmeg, meanwhile, protects neurons and boosts your mood.
Nolotil warning
A STUDY has found the main ingredient in ‘lethal’ painkiller Nolotil could be twice as dangerous for women than men. Just weeks after the European Medicines Agency revealed it would not be banning Nolotil, a study has surfaced claiming the drug’s ‘deadly’ side effects may affect women twice as much as men.
The research, titled ‘Agranulocytosis from metamizol, is it time to restrict prescriptions?’
‘Lethal’
painkiller may be twice as dangerous for women, study finds
By Yzabelle Bostyn
found that women are almost twice as likely to suffer agranulocytosis after taking drugs containing metamizol, Nolotil’s main active ingredient.
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to suspect these three populations could share some genetic variants of HLA.”
NILE DEATH
AN 80-YEAR-OLD woman has become the latest person to die from the West Nile virus in Andalucia.
The local died after falling ill in her hometown of Coria del Rio, in Sevilla, widely considered the epicentre of the current outbreak.
It means 10 people are known to have died from the mosquito-borne illness in the southernmost region so far this year. The woman, who suffered from other health conditions, had been battling the disease since being diagnosed in August.
There have been 87 confirmed cases in Andalucia this summer, of whom 10 have died.
According to The Sunday Times, of 115 adverse reactions to Nolotil between 2001-2018, 79 were agranulocytosis and almost two thirds of these cases (46) affected women.
The HLA gene is responsible for the regulation of the immune system and mutations have previously been linked with auto-immune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and celiac disease.
Agranulocytosis is the depletion of white blood cells leading to sepsis, loss of limbs and even death.
Published by medical journal Pharmaceutical Care España, the study also suggested there could be a genetic cause of agranulocytosis, making British, Irish and Scandanvians more vulnerable.
It said: “Other potential risk factors include genetics, such as the presence of HLA and HLA-DQwl alleles.
“These characteristics appear to create a greater susceptibility in individuals from Great Britain, Ireland and Scandavia, since there are historic reasons
Similarly, agranulocytosis weakens the immune system by depleting white blood cells, frequently used to fight infection. Other risk factors were advanced age and having suffered from viral infections such as COVID-19 and hepatitis.
Data from EudraVigilance shows that between 1985 and 2017, there have been 1148 reported cases of suspected agranulocytosis associated with metamizol in Europe.
The majority of the cases have occurred in Germany, Nolotil’s country of origin, Spain and Switzerland.
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Ryanair face-off
BUDGET airline Ryanair is being investigated by the European Union over its use of facial recognition in the company’s customer verification process.
Ireland's Data Protection Commission(DPC) has launched a cross-border probe covering the EU.
The aim will be to find out Ryanair has complied with its various obligations as set out in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), especially with regard to legality and transparency in data handling.
Ryanair requires additional identity verification from people who book tickets through third-party platforms or travel agencies.
Olive boost
SPAIN'S olive harvest is expected to rise by a hefty 48% this month compared to the previous October.
Spanish company wants to fly people to the moon by 2030
ELCHE company PLD Space hopes to fly people to the moon from 2030 in what will be Europe's first private human spaceflight programme. The announcement was made at the launch of its new rocket factory at the Elche Business Park, which was attended by Science Minister Diana Morant.
The flight rockets will be called Miura Next and will use the Lynx capsule, which is the first for space travellers to be made in Europe.
PLD Space co-founder Raul Torres, said the Lynx Project objective was to provide ‘transport for cargo and humans by launching them
ONE SMALL STEP…
By Alex Trelinski
into orbit and bringing them back safe and sound’.
The company is already developing a recoverable and reusable launcher that, by combining several units, will be able to reach the power necessary for such missions.
Team game
Miura 5, its first rocket capable of carrying commercial cargo, is expected to make its test flight late next year or in early 2026.
The development will continue on recoverable launches with an objective to carry 50 tons into space, as opposed to 500 kilos via Miura 5.
PRESS IS RECRUITING
The Olive Press newspaper group is looking for a newspaper distributor for the Costa del Sol
We are offering a permanent job position for a newspaper distributor in Andalucia and the Costa del Sol. Distribution occurs every two weeks. Applicants must have their own vehicle and a valid driving license.
You’ll be an energetic, re sourceful individual, with a sound knowledge of how to get around the Costa del Sol or at least a smart phone and some physical strength.
For the manned missions, the aim is to have a Lynx capsule recovery test next year, when it is launched from a helicopter.
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Comprehensive Cybersecurity
After two poor harvests caused by the ongoing drought, 1.26 million tons is expected to be collected in the main regions of Andalucia and Castilla-La Mancha.
IF you ever fancied working for football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, then his Madrid hotel is offering jobs - so long as you have experience in the hotel trade.
Five vacancies have been advertised at the Portuguese player's Pestana Plaza Mayor, which is part of his Pestana CR7 chain.
Their services include cybersecurity, device maintenance and performance optimization, and malware removal, enhanced by AI for faster and accurate solutions.
The terms appear to be good with annual salaries of up to €30,000 a year, along with 50 days leave and free health insurance.
Personalized User Experience
Agriculture Minister, Luis Planas, described the figures as ‘positive’ and the recovery of production ‘will allow the markets to return to normality’.
The rains of last spring have allowed a good flowering and fruit setting of olive trees.
The Pestana Plaza Mayor is looking for a doorman, junior bartender (two vacancies), a second head of reception, and a junior waiter.
AnyTech365 adapt its product and technical support solutions to individual needs, offering a safe online experience to any user.
In 2028 there will be a real launch test but without a crew and then once everything is secure in regard to technology and safety, the first manned mission is slated for 2030.
Torres said he wants PLD Space to be Europe’s aerospace industry leaders, a mantle they were encouraged to take up on a recent visit to the site by the director general of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher.
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This job would be a part time job working every other Wednes day and will suit ei ther man or wom an of any age or colour or background.
AnyTech365 AI powered unique software can pinpoint the root cause of a problem providing real-time protection and immediate response to suspicious activity. This proactive approach significantly reduces the risk of cyberattacks.
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The ultimate guide to creating uncrackable passwords (because ‘password123’ just won’t cut it!)
IIntroducing an exclusive partnership between Olive Press and AnyTech365 AI-Powered IT Security
N today’s digital jungle, hackers are the sneaky predators… and your password? Well, it’s your first line of defence.
But let’s be honest - ’password123’ is about as protective as a wet paper bag. If you’re tired of passwords so weak they practically invite hackers to your doorstep, you’re in the right place. Get ready for the ultimate guide to creating passwords that are not only uncrackable but also unforgettable.
Olive Press is excited to announce a partnership with AnyTech365, the leading IT security and support company on the Costa del Sol. This collaboration offers Olive Press readers enhanced tech support and cybersecurity solutions. Subscribers will receive exclusive discounts on AnyTech365 services, ensuring their digital safety and worry-free use of any Internet-connected device, personal, or within the household or their small business.
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dash of chaos. We’re talking uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols - basically, a password jambalaya. And no, ‘123456’ isn’t spicy enough for this dish.
Founded in 2014 by Janus R. Nielsen, a seasoned IT entrepreneur, AnyTech365 leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI)
Think of your password like a secret recipeequal parts clever, complex, and just the right
onsite visits anytime, day or night, with AnyTech365’s around-the-clock support services, offered in more than 15 native languages.
in 2021, the biggest sporting event in the region. It has excellent online reputation scores with tens of thousands of end user reviews on Trustpilot (4.8/5) and Google Reviews (4.9/5).
You need something so unpredictable that even hackers will get a headache just looking at it. Aim for at least 12 characters - long enough to make any cybercriminal throw in the towel. Using real words in your password? That’s like leaving your house keys under the mat - just begging to be found. Get creative! Mix in some gibberish, throw in a random number, and don’t be afraid to make it weird. Something like ‘PizzaLlama!42’ is both deliciously random and hacker-proof. Passphrases are like the Swiss Army knives of passwords - versatile, secure, and easy to remember. Picture something like ‘FlyingPenguins!Dance@Midnight’. It’s weird enough that no one would ever guess it, but still easy enough to recall when you’re logging into Netflix at 3 am.
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Reusing the same password for everything? That’s like wearing your pyjamas to a job interview. You wouldn’t do that, right? Give each account its own unique password - think of it as a wardrobe for your digital life. Stylish and secure. Oh, and if you’re thinking of using your birthday, pet’s name, or favourite flavour of ice cream as a password… don’t. Hackers love to easy-toguess personal details. Keep your passwords a mystery - like a riddle wrapped in an enigma inside a digital vault. Speaking of vaults, enter the password manager: your personal password butler. It remembers all your passwords, generates new ones,
and locks them away in an encrypted vault so you don’t have to. And if you ever need a little help getting started with password managers or securing your devices, AnyTech365 is always ready to assist.
Now, let’s talk about two-factor authentication (2FA) - aka, the superhero sidekick of your passwords. With 2FA, even if someone tries to sneak in with your password, they’ll hit a second wall of security, like a text message code or a fingerprint scan. Think of it as the VIP pass to your own account, and you’re the only one on the guest list.
Feeling fresh? Good, because your passwords should be, too. Change them regularly, like you would your socks. Every six months or so, hit that refresh button and swap out the old for the new. Fresh passwords are like a digital facelift for your security. And let’s not forget about phishing - those shady emails or links trying to trick you into spilling your secrets. They’re like those scam calls
Change passwords regularly, like you would your socks
Death defying
ra waterfall in Aldeaquemada.
“The jump felt way higher than I thought,” said the 22-year-old.
“I planned all my movements but once I reached the end of my routine I was still 25 metres over the water. It felt way bigger than I thought. My body just took over.”
A medical and safety team were waiting at the bottom for him with a sign announcing his success.
TRANS FC
A FOOTBALL team consisting totally of transgender men is playing its first season in a lower regional league in Catalunya.
It’s the first all-trans squad to be awarded federated status in Europe and, though they lost their first match 19-0 last month, the symbolism is more important than the result.
The team, named Fenix FC after the mythical bird symbolising rebirth, competes in a fifth-tier
Top dog
A DOG that can sniff out a human body from over 100 metres away has been awarded a medal of honour by the Policia Nacional.
Scottex the labrador celebrates his sixth birthday on November 1 and has been a member of the Policia Nacional’s Canine Guide Unit for four years.
He has been involved in leading cases across Spain involving body detection.
He received his medal in Sevilla on
Fenix rises for first transgender male soccer team playing league action
By Alex Trelinski
league after being incorporated into the Sant Feliu de Llobregat club near Barcelona.
Hugo Martinez, 24, said he
faced abuse when he began transitioning with gender-affirming hormone therapy and was forced to leave the women’s football that he had played for.
“I was a boy playing in the girls’ team, but without a
Police Day, accompanied by his handler, Manuel Cortes.
In June, Scottex located a Madrid man that had been missing for two years after his body was dumped into a two-metre deep septic tank that was then buried under cement and bricks in a kitchen.
See Diamonds in the rough page 34
changed ID, so I wasn’t yet allowed to play with boys,” he said. Martinez added
that other players, coaches and parents often insulted and threatened him. He decided to go online and appeal for other trans men seeking to play soccer in a safe environment, which resulted in the setting up of Fenix FC.
Skipper Luke Ibanez, 19 (above), said he was worried about playing for a side with non-trans men due to fears of violence or not fitting in.
“Fenix is a team of trans boys created entirely by trans boys, but I think it's more than thata family, a safe space where you can be free and express yourself however you want and how you really feel,” he said.
Supermarket weep
A SPANISH TikToker tested an 18-year-old Lidl advert promising a full trolley for €30, he found that now, the average trolley totals €188.
Running man
BRIT Mike Humphrys is undertaking 30 marathons in 30 countries in 30 days, starting in Barcelona. He is running in aid of Motor Neurone Disease research.
Pet betrayal
A COLOMBIAN woman has died in Castellon after being bitten by her children’s pet hamster. An autopsy will now confirm the cause of death.
