Olive Press Costa Blanca North and Valencia Issue 100

Showing solidarity

OVER 4,000 people took part in Sunday’s Solidarity against Cancer walk in La Nucia, after a two-year hiatus caused by the Covid pandemic.

The five kilometre trek between the Ciutat Esportiva and the El Captivador environmental education centre became a trail of green with participants wearing the special event t-shirts.

Despite a few early drops of rain, the weather turned sunny for the event which was about raising money through raffle ticket sales for the Spanish Association Against Cancer and Anemone Association.

TWO of the Valencia region’s airports recorded record January passenger numbers in a positive sign of how tourism is recovering after the Covid pandemic.

Alicante-Elche airport welcomed 795,148 passengers - up by 68.1% on 2021 and crucially a 1.3% increase on the record-breaking 2019 total.

The biggest number of foreign arrivals were from the United Kingdom on 245,279, with the Netherlands a distant second on 69,503.

Valencia’s total of 585,771 was an even larger 7.9% improvement on 2019 and a 73.4% increase on a year earlier.

FLYING HIGH

Italian arrivals lead the list with 94,177, followed by the United Kingdom on 48,348, and France on 43,947.

Spain had 71.6 million international tourists last year - 14.3% less than in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

Tourism bosses have confidently predicted a busy 2023 with a survey of 2,000 businesses published last month by Exceltur predicting that revenue will be up 4.7% on 2019 figures.

LIFELINE

IT has taken over two decades, but now hundreds of expat-owned homes could finally be legalised in inland Valencia.

A tentative agreement has been struck to allow nearly 300 irregular properties in the Jalon Valley to become legal. Lliber town hall has confirmed that it will grant so-called ‘MIT licences’ to regularise the homes in country-

side near the village.

By Simon Hunter

not live under a sword of Damocles that had been threatening demolition since the 1990s.

“The meeting was the best one I’ve been to with the mayor present in 22 years,” Adrian Hobbs, the president of association Abusos Urbanisticos Lliber No (AULN), told the Olive Press, this week.

MIT (Territorial Impact Minimisation) licences. These are aimed at solving the problem of houses built on rural land without initial licences leaving homeowners in a legal limbo ever since.

The problem came about because for decades local Spanish were effectively allowed to build small properties on their land without a licence.

local elections.

Kirby estimates there are 194,000 illegal properties in the Valencia region alone.

“Yet from all those thousands of properties, fewer than 2,000 need to be knocked down,” he told the Olive Press this week.

“If the town halls play ball, the other 192,000 can be legalised.”

“I hope to finally have a legal home…But you’re not seeing me dancing around with happiness just yet, because I've been here before,” he added.

The new potential breakthrough comes after the regional government passed the LOTUP law in 2019, setting up the Valencian Agency for Territorial Protection (AVPT), which offered the new

“Nothing would happen unless it waswasn’t outlandish,” explained former decades when these properties were sold to foreigners,” added Kirby, who has been employed by the regional government to liaise with homeowners and town halls.

The main issue is that while buyers thought their homes were legal they didn’t have official occu-

In Lliber, where there are 292 such houses, the issue ended up in the courts in 2009, with members of the PP – including the current mayor – implicated.

Criminal

This criminal case is still going on, with insiders telling the Olive Press they believe the council has been dragging its heels over the MIT licences while it waits for a ruling. The mayor of Lliber, Jose Juan Reus, denied this, insisting all the residents have to do is request a licence, adding the ‘process will be quick’.

“No one has a greater interest to see the situation resolved than I do,” he told the Olive Press this week.

It would mean the owners - who spent up to €1.5m on their homes - could finally move on with their lives and pation licences. This meant they could not be legally occupied or even maintained, nor could the owners get utilities or services, or sign on the padron (municipal roll) and therefore vote in Opinion Page 6

After decades of fighting hundreds of homeowners could finally see their properties legalised

Greener lights

VALENCIA council claims emissions have been halved since energy efficient street lights started to be introduced in 2015. 81% of city lighting has been replaced over seven years.

New court

SAGUNTO will get a new €24.2 million courthouse which will enter service in early 2026. It will serve 16 municipalities with a total population of 90,000.

Energy help

OWNERS of Valencia region hotels and tourist accommodation built before 2007 can apply from March 1 to get a share of an EU €13.8 million pot for energy efficiency projects.

Pricey deal

JAVEA is Spain’s second-costliest municipality to buy a property behind Santa Eularia des Riu on Ibiza, according to appraisal company UVE Valoraciones.

A BABY was saved by caesarian section when a pregnant woman was shot dead.

The 27-year-old woman died after being shot in the head when two families got into a late-evening street brawl involving the firing of two shots in Vall d’Uixo (Castellon).

Police subsequently arrest-

BABY MIRACLE

ed five people, including the victim’s partner, who was remanded in custody by a Nules court on Saturday. He’s being investigated on homicide and illegal weapons possession charges.

The shot woman was 37 weeks into her pregnancy and suffered severe brain damage before dying at Valencia’s La Fe hospital. The baby boy is reported as being in a stable condition.

GOTCHA

ONE of the UK’s Most Wanted criminals has been arrested trying to enter Morocco from Spain.

Nana Oppong, 42, was snared by Moroccan cops after a warning went out on Interpol.

Oppong had been wanted by Essex police over the drive-by shooting of 50-year-old grandfather Robert Powell in 2020. He was arrested using false documents by officers from the DGSN –Morocco’s General Directorate for National Security.

Most Wanted snared trying to cross the Straits

By Anthony Piovesan

Oppong, who had been living in Spain for at least a year, remains in custody as extradition proceedings are underway.

He was one of 13 criminals sought in a Crimestoppers Most Wanted appeal last year and would have

been included on another recent appeal a fortnight ago. The final seven, still believed to be hiding in Spain, include heavily-tattooed and often armed Jack Mayle, 31, wanted on suspicion of drugs smuggling. Mayle, from London, had a tattooed

Daughter’s deceit

A 45-year-old woman has been arrested after trying to extort money from her Alicante mother by pretending she had been kidnapped. The criminal plot involved demanding €3,000 for her freedom or else she would be killed. The mother contacted a charity assisting victims of human trafficking saying that her daughter was being held against her will in Bibao. The charity passed on the details to police who set up a sting operation. The daughter and two kidnappers were arrested when they tried to collect €800 cash - having been talked down from an initial demand of €3,000.

Explosive crime

THREE people have been arrested for arson and fraud over a fire at Alicante's Babylonia nightclub.

neck, a diamond tattoo under his left eye and 'Croydon' inked on his left forearm.

Others wanted for cocaine smuggling include Welshmen, Asim Naveed, 31, who is 6ft 2in tall, and Calvin Parris, 33, who has gold teeth.

John James Jones, 32, of Lancashire, is wanted for wounding with intent. He stayed at a hotel in Madrid the night after the stabbings, but left in a hurry the next morning.

Callum Michael Allan, 24, of South Shields, is wanted for 12 alleged offences, while Mark Francis Roberts, 29, of Liverpool, is wanted for alleged grievous bodily harm.

Finally Alex Male, 30, of Westonsuper-Mare, is alleged to be a regional distributor of drugs across the south west of England. Email newsdesk@theolivepress.es if you have seen any of them.

Two of the accused - the club owner and a hairdresser - have also been charged with attempted murder after setting off a gas leak while a man they employed as an arsonist was about to start the fire in the Calle Jovellanos premises. He was blown into the air when the gas ignited as he poured petrol around the club.Police say the club was in debt and one of the two club owners made several changes to their insurance policy in a short period of time, including an upgrade on the day before the fire.

Unconditional love

A Teulada woman was conned out of €57,000 in an online love scam - but she made him work hard for the cash by exchanging 350 messages a day for 14 months. The fraudster chatted with his victim via a dating app and his bogus backstory included a claim that he was part of a wealthy Elche family who ran a construction business.

Carnival capers

FORGET Christmas and the three kings. They should by now be a fading memory in the face of Spain’s most hedonistic landmark on the calendar: Carnival. Cadiz’s famous Carnival, the biggest and most prestigious in Spain - and one of the biggest in the world - is now in full swing and runs until February 26. For those wanting a more ‘Brazilian’ experience head to Tenerife . Spain’s second biggest Carnival is in Sitges, near Barcelona, while there are plenty of local events around Spain.

BRITISH BEEF

UK architectural legend Norman Foster courts controversy designing bullfighting poster

Beast of a movie

DIVERSE:

HE’S known for his revolutionary designs, including the Reichstag dome, the Hearst tower and the Gherkin in London. But despite being the world’s richest living architect, Norman Foster somehow found time to knock up a local bullfighting poster for Sevilla.

Now,

HE miraculously escaped death when his siblings were buried alive.

Now, Bobi, a pure-bred mastiff, has been declared the oldest dog that ever lived. According to the Guinness World Records (GWR) he will be 31 in May.

His Portuguese owner, Leonel Costa, explained that his parents had decided they couldn’t afford more animals, so when a new litter was born they had dug a hole and dumped the unfortunate pups in it.

But they somehow missed Bobi, a Rafeiro do Alentejo

By Walter Finch

the British architect - behind a string of local buildings, including Madrid’s Torre Bankia and Barcelona’s Nou Camp redesign - has designed Sevilla bullring’s annual festival poster. The architect will certainly lose credibility in the eyes of animal rights activists after he was commissioned by the Real Maestranza to promote its controversial season of ‘corridas’. His reputation is bound to take a wobble, like his infamous Millenium bridge, in London, that had to be shut and fixed at a cost of millions after it wobbled on opening. But the Pritzker-prize winner, who has a home in Madrid, is

Great escape

mastiff, who grew up in Leiria, between Lisbon and Porto.

By ‘tradition’ once a pup had opened its eyes burying was no longer an option. So when Leonel - then just eight - and his brother found Bobi hiding, they kept quiet until his eyes opened and he gained a reprieve. The previous ‘oldest dog ever’ was an Australian cattle dog named Bluey who was born in 1910 and lived for 29 years and 5 months.

unlikely to worry, being married to Spaniard Elena Ochoa, 64, for nearly three decades. Foster, 87, based the artwork on the striking red and yellow of the celebrated festival and on the minimalist architecture of the historic Plaza de la Maestranza.

Wild

It depicts a bull's head sat above the symbolic hide of a wild bull with the contours of the arena framing the imagery. Foster explained he took inspiration from ‘the symbolic’ features of the bullring, including the bullfighter's cape, the colours of the festival and a bull’s head adorning one of its doors.

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THE movie As Bestas (The Beasts) was the big winner at the 37th Goya Awards, which took place in Sevilla.

The film, which follows a middle-aged French couple who encounter shocking violence after moving to a village in Galicia to be close to nature, won nine of the 17 categories for which it had been nominated.

These included Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor for Denis Menochet (inset).

Then came Cinco Lobitos (Lullaby), a story about motherhood, which won three awards: Best Actress for Laia Costa (above), Best Supporting Actress for Susi Sanchez, and Best New Director for Alauda Ruiz de Azua.

Jankto’s declaration

SPAIN has finally got an officially gay player. Getafe’s Jakub Jankto has become the first current La Liga player to say publicly that he's gay.

The 27-year-old Czech international is back in his native country playing on loan for Sparta Prague.

Jankto took to social media saying that ‘I want to live my life in freedom, without fear, without prejudice, without violence, but with love’.

He added: “I'm gay and I don't want to hide anymore.”

He is the highest-ranked European player to 'come out' with 45 international caps to his name.

Foster (right) with wife Elena has designed the Gherkin and Sevilla poster

VALENCIA has been named as one of the best destinations in Europe for a party.

It came in third after Madrid in second and Lisbon in a study by travel logistics app Bounce taking into account their safety ratings, the number of nightclubs and bars and average beer prices.

No country had as many cities as Spain’s three - Barcelona came in at eight - inside the top 10.

In Valencia there are 68 nightclubs and 25 bars per 100km sq.

The average price of beer is €3, but the average hotel price for a night was a hefty €178.

In Madrid there are 40 nightclubs per 100km sq and 14 bars within the same distance, the study’s results showed, with beer at an average €3.50.

Fiesta capital Cyber con

EIGHT cyber scammers have been arrested in Valencia for a nationwide fraud that made them at least €100,000. Victims were tricked into providing credit card details via a bogus text from a prominent retailer.

TWO pairs of endangered Iberian lynxes will start prowling remote high areas of Murcia from early March as the animal is reintroduced to the region this year.

The ultimate goal is initially to settle five breeding females as part of a €1 million project jointly funded by the Murcia government and the European Union.

The first two males and females will get a 'soft

Year of the cat

release' in an enclosed area in the hills above Lorca on March 3 in order to get used to the local surroundings. Just 94 Iberian lynxes were counted as living in the wild in Spain back in 2002, but over two decades later, that number is well over a thousand.

Grim discovery

A BODY suspected to be that of Irish tourist Ken Moore, who has been missing for almost five months, has been found in a field in Alicante.

Workers from a gardening company in the Aqua Amarga area of Alicante stumbled across the body in an advanced state of decomposition in a field.

Policia Nacional officers were called in and discovered Moore's passport in his cloth-

After five months a body has turned up in the bizarre case of a missing Irish tourist

EXCLUSIVE

By Anthony Piovesan & Alex Trelinski

ing. Forensic officers are now testing DNA to confirm the

COSTLY COCK-UP

A PAIR of company numbskulls who ordered 31 new trains for the Asturias to Cantabria rail line have been sacked after the rolling stock was too big to fit its tunnels.

Cantabria president, Miguel Angel Revilla, described events as an ‘outrageous cock-up’. Rail operator Renfe said its rolling stock manager had been dismissed while track infrastructure company, Adif, also fired its technology inspector.

Transport Minister, Raquel Sanchez, insisted the trains - costing €258 million - were still in the design phase, which will cut the extra expenditure to revamp the design. But the project is now expected to be put back two years adding an unknown cost to the price.

53-year-old’s identity, in addition to an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Moore’s sister Tanya Foley had this week still received no confirmation the body belonged to her brother, but said she did not have high hopes.

“It is Ken, I feel it in my heart,” she told the Olive Press this week.

This newspaper broke the story after the construction worker from Cork was due to fly back home on October 7, but never returned.

The next day he had told his sister that he wanted to remain in Spain for a few extra days. His last sighting was 70 kilometres south of Alicante in Villamartin on October 31, with a formal report of his disappearance filed with Alicante police on November 28. There were no signs of any vi-

EGG PROTEST

FIREFIGHTERS pelted Valencia President Ximo Puig with eggs as a controversial plan for a new emergency response unit were green-lighted.

More than 100 firefighters kitted out in full firefighting gear gathered outside a regional government executive meeting at the Palacio des Marques de Rafa in Orihuela, with ministers entering via a back door to avoid them.

But the demonstrators spotted Puig, who had to be protected with an umbrella and lines of riot police as tempers frayed. The UVE is designed to provide rapid support to existing emergency services and civil protection teams dealing with forest fires, earthquakes, storms and floods.

It will bring together firefighters and forest fire specialists but its formation has been opposed by all of the region’s fire unions. They claim it is a waste of money and will hinder coordination during emergencies.

olence on the body which was found not far from a hotel he had previously stayed at in Alicante.

“It has to be him,” Foley said. “His passport was on him and his belongings, it all makes sense.

“I don’t know how he was there all this time and nobody came across him.

“He didn’t deserve this. We are devastated for Ken but hugely relieved that he has been found.”

Life saved

POLICE stopped a young man from throwing himself off Ontinyent’s Salt del Bou bridge last Thursday night. One of the officers engaged him in conversation while his colleague grabbed him as he sat on the bridge railing.

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.

Voted top expat paper in Spain OPINION

Buck up!

THE legalisation of ‘illegal’ homes built on Valencian Community land was a positive move, but it fails to address the real problem.

Why were those homes granted building rights to begin with?

Hundreds of thousands of homeowners, many of them expats, have been duped into buying homes they thought were legal, because the council said so, and they were granted the permission.

Only to then be hit with court orders issued by the regional government which claimed their homes had so-called building irregularities.

But what is even more puzzling is that despite the Territorial Impact Minimisation Licenses (MIT) now available, many local town halls seem to be dragging their heels in helping property owners take advantage and finally legalise their homes. With an estimated 194,000 rural properties affected, surely local politicians should buck up and pull their collective finger out!

Shame or glory

THE bullfighting season is getting into full swing again. And with it comes the annual debate of its rights and wrongs.

To the critics, it’s a shameful blood sport, bringing pain and suffering to innocent animals, while to its aficionados, it’s a glorious cultural symbol, a bridge to our past and almost unique to the world.

Whichever side of the debate you fall on (and we know most of you are anti’s), there is little doubt the world of the corrida is very much part of the fabric of Spain’s identity.

Some of the country’s most impressive architecture is embodied in the magnificent bull rings, most dating back hundreds of years.

Through the centuries dashing matadors - and often their female admirers - have featured in the art and literature of Spanish culture.

Even the posters for bullfighters are iconic works of art, with even British architect Lord Norman Foster now designing them.

But the question is: Does the corrida belong in the past or does it have a future?

While we don’t demand its end, we don’t expect it to last.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

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Anthony Piovesan anthony@theolivepress.es

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John Culatto

ADMIN Sandra Aviles Diaz (+34) 951 273 575 admin@ theolivepress.es

TIME’S UP?

IT’S been a bad few years for bullfighting, that most Spanish of spectacles. Arenas closed for long periods due to the Covid-19 pandemic, several small plazas de toros ceased activity for good, and Spain’s younger generation grew ever more vocal on the subject of animal rights. As the bullfighting season gets under way, is it fair to say that the future looks uncertain for the sport?

In the Spanish government’s last survey of cultural practices, published in 2019, just 8% of the population had attended an encierro (or running of the bulls) or a bullfight within the previous year.

But though interest in small local events seems to be dwindling, an opportunity to see the great stars of bullfighting live in the ring still generates plenty of excitement. Tickets to see famed matador Jose Tomas (below right) in Alicante recently sold out in half an hour, with resale tickets reaching prices of over €1,000.

Some involved in the sport agree that bullfighting has to change from its current form in order to survive the decades to come. The potential for it to adapt and develop is limited by the fact bullfighting is the focus of a major culture war issue in Spain, polarising both sides and

leaving little room for discussion.

For many, the debate is about how they see themselves: traditional Spanish or modern European.

Far right party Vox has used bullfighting as a political tool, making the protection of cultural activity part of its political message. Meanwhile the government has shown reluctance in pushing for prohibition, while at the same time not actively promoting it.

Notably, bullfighting was not initially included among the options when €400 culture passes were given

vouchers can be used for corridas after all, following an appeal by the Fundacion del Toro de Lidia.

It has also become a political football for separatist regions: Catalunya banned bullfighting, but the Spanish Constitutional Court declared the move illegal.

Taliban

Showing the distance between the two sides, in an open letter, the President of the Fighting Bulls Association, Victorino Martin, compared the Mayor of Gijon, Ana Gonzalez, to the Taliban due to her position on toros

The political element of the debate at times overshadows the issue of animal rights. Some of those who defend the fact that bulls are killed in fights, point out that Spain’s meat industry kills vast volumes of animals daily for a population with the highest meat consumption in Europe. The sticky issue is cruelty. If bullfighting is to survive the 21st century, the obvious route would be to reduce the pain inflicted on the animals, but hardline supporters of the mise in order to keep their passion alive.

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Mallorca tried

It’s brutal and bloody – and that’s just the political debate. Can, and should, bullfighting change to survive, asks Kimberley Mannion

TALIBAN: Accusation thrown by Victorino Martin at Mayor Ana Gonzalez

SPECTACLE: Star names like Jose Tomas (pictured right) still pull in the crowds

to ban corridas in which bulls would suffer, but the Spanish Constitutional Court, rejected the motion, ruling: “Such a degree of divergence from the traditional use makes it impossible to recognise the core characteristics of the bullfight that the State has protected”.

If events in which the animals, spectacle and pageantry cannot be enjoyed without cruelty to animals and bulls being killed, the bullfighting industry is likely to struggle for survival.

Big toros supporters who do not want to see the tradition modernised say it’s the business model of the industry that should evolve, rather than the practice itself.

As bullfighting relies heavily on public money and contributions, one option would be to move to a more commercialised system supported by the box office sales.

the total anti-bullfighting narrative now commonplace among young people. Zumbiehl did suggest making changes to traditional fights, but not to minimise animal cruelty.

Rather, he would make it more exciting for the audience by speeding up the event, eliminating break times, ‘making it less predictable’.

For those who want to protect the tradition, better organisation is needed. Groups coordinate and present a unified message to defend bullfighting.

However, it will take a lot of campaigning to change the minds of a younger generation which is largely opposed.

Charges

Without making changes to traditional bullfighting so that animals are not killed and the fights are less bloody, it is hard to imagine crowds of thousands continuing to fill bullrings for much longer.

Send your views to newsdesk@ theolivepress.es

INSIDE TRACK

WE know what you need to know. Since the Olive Press was founded in 2006 we have striven to give you not just the latest local news, but to keep you informed on the most important developments that might affect your daily life in Spain. Whether that be about TIE cards, nomad visas or pan - demic rules, we have consistently been the first and, certainly, most trusted source of reliable information in English.

And one online story at the weekend clearly demonstrates that.

Our article on the new tourist visa tax (if you missed it online you can read it in Food, drink and travel) has had a massive 338,000 page views in just three days.

The news that non-EU citizens will be charged €7 to enter Europe was obviously hugely important to our readers and the millions of tourists who visit Spain each year.

And this is not a one off.

Our team of experts provide authoritative information on every key legal, business and cultural development related to life in Spain every week, indeed every day.

Our website has dozens of stories every day that matter to you. We already have over 30,000 subscribers, thousands of them paying a small, but excellent value fee to keep our dozens of journalists, writers and specialists.

Can you afford not to be one of them? Do you really want to rely on unsourced and unchecked stories from untrained writers who work for socalled ‘news’ websites that simply steal stories and run council press releases word for word? News, investigations, authoritative analysis, culture features (such as the debate on bullfighting on these pages), explainers, warnings, reviews, interviews, well researched travel features, and even opinions. Strong ones.

Whatever you are interested in about your life in Spain, we have it covered.

Visit www.theolivepress.es today and sign up for as little as 15 cents a day!

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:

1- Spain wakes up to threat the EU’s new ETIAS tourist tax poses to its British tourism

2- Sharp and shoddy practices land dozens of foreign villa buyers millions out of pocket as Costa del Sol developer collapses

3- New study: Increased diabetes risk for people previously hit with Covid-19

4- A little Gaudi glory: Discover the house that was the first designed by the Catalan architect

5- Three youngsters in Spain found guilty of the biggest fraud ever against amazon in Europe

PROTEST: Demonstrators (above) want matadors to hang up their capes

BLOODLESS: Is this the future of bullfighting?

GREEN BOOST

Mercadona spending millions on rooftop solar

THE Mercadona supermarket chain is to spend €60 million on installing solar roof panels at its stores in Spain this year.

Renewable energy currently powers up 114 of the firm’s shops along with nine logistics blocks and an online warehouse site, plus newly opened offices in Albalat dels Sorells in Valencia province.

The company aims to have 350 stores solar-equipped by the end of 2023 with a target to complete the programme in all of its 850 outlets and logistics centres within three years.

Solar energy allows each store to save 20% of its annual power consumption and cuts 30 tons of CO2 emissions per annum.

Overall power usage saved at the end of this year would be the annual equivalent of conventionally powering-up 124 supermarkets - with that equivalent rising to 300 shops by 2027.

Mercadona invested €14 million last year in panel instal-

PAID TO PEDAL

PLANS are being discussed to give commuters who cycle to work a financial incentive.

Several European countries already reward cyclists for their commutes to work, with the Netherlands paying out 21 cents per kilometre cycled. In France people who give up four wheels for two can ‘earn’ up to €800 a year. The government is looking at introducing a similar scheme in Spain.

By Alex Trelinski

lations which reduced CO2 emissions by 3,000 tons. This move can be seen as a boost to advocates of rooftop and brown field solar installations.

Critics of plans for mega solar farms covering thousands of hectares of virgin countryside in Valencia and Andalucia have called for them to be toned down in favour of alternative installations.

In a blow to campaigners, a proposal for a 100-hectare solar plant to be developed in Ronda, Cañete La Real and Cuevas del Becerro has been given the tick of approval by the Junta de Andalucia. At first the project was rejected, but Cobra, which is

behind the plans, revised the proposal so that overhead power lines be buried instead to ‘reduce the visual impact of the plant’. It would be located in Majadas de San Antonio and have a power output of 500 wattpeak (wp).

Lagoon’s loss

SPAIN'S government says that €54 million of European money allocated in 2019 to fight pollution in the Mar Menor lagoon was switched elsewhere.

The admission came in a statement from the Ministry for Ecological Transition after Murcia's president, Fernando Lopez Miras, said the money had been 'lost' and 'diverted'.

Instead of spending the money elsewhere in the Mar Menor when plans for a ‘zero discharge’ collector were abandoned, the money was used to improving drinking water supplies in Sevilla.

TAX IS GOOD FOR YOU!

NOBODY likes paying tax, including yours truly.

That said, tax is vital when it comes to winning the fight for climate change.

With a few notable exceptions (Biden’s massive investment in the USA) the reason most countries are failing to hit the targets they agreed to is very simple… lack of money

Herein lies the problem.

Governments are under pressure to cut taxes...

the cost of living is rising quicker than wages, energy costs are through the roof due in part to Russia’s unwarranted invasion of Ukraine, and families and businesses are feeling the pinch. Leading UK economist, Lord Nicholas Stern, has said that higher taxes will be needed if the UK is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

He rightly states that both public and private investment in new technologies is needed. Let’s look at both.

Private investment should not be the issue. There is a good long term return on investment. The major petroleum companies and energy providers have all posted record breaking and obscene profits. They should be forced to invest heavily in new renewable projects. Public investment is the major challenge. Politics take over, inaction follows. Governments need to subsidise investment in new technologies and that money is typically financed by tax revenue or borrowing. Hence the need for us to pay more tax.

The Spanish and UK governments have not taken the opportunity to hit the exceptional profits of banks, energy providers, petrol companies etc with windfall taxes. So, it will come down to you and I. Brace yourself...it will come.

By Martin

PAY UP: Higher taxes needed to reach net-zero

As developed countries scramble for what has come to be known as ‘energy security’, environmental concerns have dropped down the priority list of policymakers’ minds. Governments are doing exactly what the majority of people do. The emphasis is on inflation, the economy and public services.

A recent survey by pollsters Ipsos confirmed just that. People surveyed all professed to be concerned about the environment but were much less enthusiastic about funding change. Is there a credible option?

Green Matters

Tye

TOUGH TIMES: Warning from Lord Stern

Pic Credit: FLICKR Brookings Institution

LA CULTURA

Art & Nature Cult religion

TRAVEL magazine National Geographic has included art-lovers paradise Genalguacil as one of the most ‘curious’ in Spain.

The town, perched above the Genal River Valley on the northern slopes of Sierra Bermeja in Malaga, is a small town, with just 500 inhabitants, yet teeming in artistic wealth.

It is considered an outdoor museum and is home to dozens of works by contemporary artists from all corners of the planet.

The town’s commitment to contemporary art, fused with its Arab heritage, cobblestone streets, secluded squares and colourful balconies adorned

COUGH UP!

Netflix users will no longer be able to share their passwords with friends and family

THE days of sharing your Netflix account with friends and family outside your own household are over in Spain. The streaming giant has just launched new restrictions that will mean that members will be much more strictly controlled when it comes to using “Today, over 100 million households are sharing ac-

By Simon Hunter

counts – impacting our ability to invest in great new TV and films,” explained the company’s product innovation director, Chengyi Long. “So over the last year, we’ve been exploring different approaches to address this issue in Latin America, and we’re now ready to roll

VALENCIA is putting together the finishing touches to preparations for the annual Fallas celebrations which start on WednesSpecial street lighting is being erected around the city centre ahead of the festival which will run until March 19 - the day which celebrates Valencia’s patron saint, San Jose. originated from an old carpenter’s tradition which saw old pieces of wood burnt on March 19 to celebrate the start of Spring. The wood was used to prop up house and workshop lights during the winter.

them out more broadly in the coming months.’

The result is a new system that means people who want to see shows like Marilyn, starring Ana de Armas, will have to pay up in Spain, Canada, New Zea-

Fallas countdown

The traditional pre-Fallas curtain-raiser takes place this Sunday with a firework display at Serrano Towers. The daily Mascleta show starts on March 1 at 2pm in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. A Masclet gives off a far-bigger bang than traditional firecrackers and they literally vibrate underneath the feet of spectators.

For those of a less-nervous disposition, one of the Fallas highlights will be the huge ‘ninot’ statues that were burnt in carpenters bonfires, with many of them being caricatures of celebrities and politicians.

land and Portugal if they are outside the primary account’s household.

Users will now be obliged to set a primary location. Anyone in that household will be able to use the account.

Other users can transfer their profile to a new account, meaning they won’t lose their viewing history, watch list or personalised recommendations.

Option

Users will still be able to access their account when they are travelling, as well as having the option to add extra members for people they don’t live with. This option will cost €5.99 a month per profile in Spain. This will, however, only be available for those with a standard plan (one extra member) or premium plan (two extra members).

OP QUICK CROSSWORD

A SANCTUARY dedicated to the ancient god Mithras has been uncovered by archaeologists excavating at the Villa del Mitra in Cabra, near Cordoba.

Archaeologists uncovered a rectangular sanctuary measuring 7.2 by 2.5 metres, which, according to the archaeologists, is standard for the cult religion.

It has a narrow entrance that descends several steps leading into the sanctuary that has two flanking stone benches. The archaeological team suggest these would have been used by worshipers to perform rituals and hold feasts in honour of Mithras. The walls have fragments of Roman bricks, with some niches, which would have likely held sculptures.

Furthermore, a dark burnt layer covers the floor, which upon a closer examination has revealed fragmented remains of pigs, birds, and rabbits, indicative of the kind of cooking done during the ritual banquets.

STAR ATTRACTION: Ana de Armas in Marilyn

A BETTER WAY TO PAY

INTERNATIONAL currency transfer provider Currencies Direct have been helping people move money to and from Spain since 1996.

Over the years they’ve built a reputation for offering great exchange rates, no transfer fees and exceptional customer service.

With them, customers have the ability to arrange transfers online, via the app, over the phone with their dedicated Account Manager or in-person at one of their 20+ branches across Spain. However, soon customers will also be able to top up their GBP, EUR, AUD or USD currency wallets and use the Currencies Direct multi-currency debit card to spend in over 200 countries, without monthly card fees or hassle.

The card can be used to withdraw funds from ATMs, while instant in-app notifications will help users keep track of their spending overseas. The multi-currency debit card is due to be released this Spring, and Currencies Direct can’t wait to introduce this new service to their customers.

The Currencies Direct multi-currency debit card

As stated by Currencies Direct Head of Product Hardik Shah: ‘The launch of our multi-currency debit card marks a new chapter for our business and our customers, and we couldn’t be more excited about it. The card we’ve developed is the result of both extensive research and development, and a genuine understanding of our customers’ needs.’

More information about the Currencies

Direct multi-currency debit card can be found on their website.

Transferring currency to or from Spain? Make your money go further

If you’re buying or selling a Spanish property, transferring a pension or wages or moving money to cover living costs, you’ll want to get the best possible return.

Currencies Direct have been helping individuals and businesses save time and money since 1996 with excellent exchange rates and no transfer fees.

Get a quote now to find out how much you could save.

With a team of over 550 currency experts and 20+ branches across Spain, Currencies Direct are never far away when you need them.

They’ll keep you up to date with the latest market movements so you can pick the right time to move your money. They also offer a range of specialist services that can be tailored to your individual requirements.

Fix a rate in advance – if you’re buying or selling a Spanish property and are concerned the exchange rate could weaken you can use a forward contract to fix the rate in advance of making your transfer. While you would miss out if the market strengthened you’d be protected from any negative shifts.

Target an exchange rate – if you have

a particular exchange rate in mind you can target it with a limit order. Simply set the rate you want to achieve, and your transfer will be triggered automatically if the market moves to that level. You can also use rate alerts to notify you when exchange rates hit target levels.

24/7 transfers – you can use the Currencies Direct online service and app to check live exchange rates and arrange transfers 24/7, keeping you in control. Your personal Account Manager will also be on hand if you want to discuss your requirements over the phone or face to face.

Buy currency in advance – with a Currencies Direct account you can buy currency when the exchange rate is in your favour and hold it in your digital currency wallet until you need it.

If you have a currency requirement coming up, get a quote now or reach out to the Currencies Direct team and quote Olive Press

Mastercard is a registered trademark and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Cards provided to EEA residents are issued by Transact Payments Malta Limited and cards provided to UK residents are issued by Transact Payments Limited pursuant to licences by Mastercard International.

Transact Payments Malta Limited is duly authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority as a Financial Institution under the Financial Institution Act 1994. Registration number C 91879. Transact Payments Limited is authorised and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission. Electronic money is issued by Currencies Direct Ltd which is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as an Electronic Money Institution under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (FRN: 900669).

960 130 841

Dear Jennifer:

FOR

THE BETTER!

What makes Jennifer Cunningham Insurances so different?

AGOOD question and I can offer you a number of answers.

I started my company nearly 30 years ago, working from home and developing the business slowly over a number of years. Once established, I employed staff and rented a large office in Javea port, where I am still to this day. How life has changed for me, and for the better. I realised when I moved to Spain, that there was very little help available and what was available was normally in Spanish.

There was no private health insurance, no funeral plans and no insurance dedicated to the Expat, and little customer service.

I started the business selling health insurance for a British company, along with funeral plans. Having lost my husband in Spain, I realised how difficult it was to arrange a funeral and the costs were enormous.

Being very disciplined myself (probably due to my time in the Air Force), I have a strong work ethic. I used to work from home during the day, and I would go out early evenings making home visits until I was busy enough to take someone on to help me. From those early days when I worked tirelessly, I built my company and now have 7 offices. I demand from my excellent and loyal staff that they treat all my clients with respect, courtesy and honesty and offer them the best service that is possible.

I pride myself that the after sales service is the best, a service very rare in Spain. I have a Claims Administrator and a dedicated Renewal department, who will make sure that as your circumstances change, your policies can change with you and you are fully aware of your coverage. So these are just some of the reasons why we are so special. We are more than just a voice on the phone, offering good, old fashioned service. Not always the cheapest, but the best, working with Liberty Seguros and ASSSA healthcare, who both provide special Expat policies and are the best in the market.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR A QUOTATION, PLEASE CALL ONE OF MY OFFICES, EMAIL INFO@JENNIFERCUNNINGHAM.NET OR VISIT THE WEBSITE WWW.JENNIFERCUNNINGHAM.NET

Booming banks

SPAIN'S biggest banksSantander, BBVA, CaixaBank, Sabadell, Unicaja Banco and Bankinterclocked up record profits in 2022 according to a survey from the Noevantas consultancy. They made an accumulated total of €7.5 billion - a whopping 38.5% year-onyear increase.

Profits soar and shareholders cash in at Spain’s ‘Big Six’

By Alex Trelinski

Neovantas said the profit rise came from an increase in net interest income, with 12.2% more in the year-on-year rate, due to interest rate increases. Fees also increased by

6.1%, while operating expenses were reduced by 10.2% due to structural adjustments like branch closures that the banks continued to make in 2022.

The profit rise will mean a dividend bonanza for shareholders over the coming months.

BBVA will distribute a dividend equivalent to €0.50 per share, which represents a pay-out of 47%, while Sabadell announced a new increase in the payout from 31.8% to 50%.

Neovantas believes the

There when you need us

The funeral plan provider that rolls with the punches to deliver the best value in Spain

IT was down a leafy corridor between the colonial-style balustrades of a commercial centre that the Olive Press found Compare Funeral's offices.

Just a stone’s throw from billionaire's row in Sotogrande.

We were treated to a hearty welcome by directors and brothers-by-marriage Ben and Jack and a dainty one by Head of Sales Andalucia Ruth - a rose between two thorns, as Jack quipped.

Having brought their best practices and signature Direct Cremation plan over from the UK in 2020, Ben and Jack immediately set about simplifying matters for people whose loved one has passed away in Spain.

With funerals usually happening within 48 hours in Spain and so much daunting paperwork to be completed, guiding grieving customers through these procedures was a primary motivation for the trio.

Ben, who has lived his entire life in Spain, learned how difficult and traumatic the process can be first hand when his father passed away without a funeral plan and the final bill ended up costing €15,000.

Although for Ruth, it was when one funeral director declared that he was ‘too knack-

ered’ to do a hymn as he had already done seven funerals that morning, and the mourners were shuffled out.

“These poor people paid for a service that they never got,” she declared. But despite having provided almost one thousand funeral plans over the past three years without even a single complaint, the team occasionally finds their business harassed by teams of coordinated social media trolls.

One Facebook post from Ruth triggered a torrent of unmerited abuse that, while not harming the business, hurt emotionally. “It was horrendous,” she said. “It was my post, and it all kicks off. What have I done?”

For a registered Spanish company that holds its clients’ funds in a trust signed off by a third party, it was galling to have their name dragged through the online mud by anonymous trolls.

But it’s made up for when the team receives stirling support from even just a handful of their happy and grateful customers.

“Put your knives away and trust me,” wrote one who knew the value of Compare Fu-

neral’s work.

“You will never receive a better and more respectful service for you and your beloved departed,”.

“And customers having your back like that,” says Jack, “is one of the joys of the job.”

For more information or to discuss personalised funeral plans, contact Compare Funerals on +34 911 436 813 (WhatsApp +34 697 889 684) or send an email to info@comparefuneral.org or visit in person to our office located at 24 Avenida Paniagua, Galerias Paniagua de local 30-31, San Roque, Cadiz 11310.

banks face an uncertain 2023 due to temporary windfall taxes such as the tax on banks and mortgage relief measures.

Jobs

It expects delinquency to rise and reach levels above 5%, since the last available figure of 3.68% recorded in November 2022.

The news comes two years after a total of 19,000 bank employees lost their jobs, almost all through state-approved ERE layoffs, meant for companies struggling financially.

‘You will never receive a better and more respectful service’

PROTEST: BBVA employees demonstrated against layoffs two years before record profits announced

Boom confirmed Doing just Fine!

EXPAT Chris Hara is shooting for the stars alongside his wife Jacqueline and Spainborn son Cristian.

Chris and Jacqueline, who moved to the Costa Blanca in 2004, have built up a million-euro turnover business with the Fine & Country real estate brand since opening an office focusing on luxury and lifestyle properties.

Never willing to rest on their laurels, they identified an opportunity to take their business to the next level and have now taken on the ‘master licence’ for the international brand.

Opportunity

Chris explained: “Our son Cristian, who studied Business and Economics at Valencia University, was looking for an opportunity to work within our business after recently receiving a degree equivalent studying for the Certificado Agente Professional Inmobiliario, (Professional Real Estate Certificate).

“He received his certificate the same time we were offered the opportunity to take on the licence, so as a family, we saw this as an opportunity to cement the future of our business, as well as allowing us to ensure Fine & Country can develop further in relatively untapped Spanish markets.”

GOOD-BYE VISA

Expat property investors could lose right to visa for property investment

SPAIN’S ‘Golden Visa’ scheme is in danger of being abolished under a new bill submitted to Congress.

The Residence by Investment scheme, introduced in 2013, allows foreigners to obtain a Spanish residence permit by buying real estate worth at least €500,000 in the country. Left-wing political party Mas País said this type of investment drives up housing prices, making it difficult for locals to purchase their own homes.

At the same time, it claims, the government does not

By Walter Finch

carry out checks on the provenance of the funds, opening the door for crooks and fraudsters.

The bill submitted to Congress would limit the Golden Visa to foreigners who launch a business project with job creation or innovation that contribute to the growth of Spain’s economy. Simply purchasing property would not be enough, with Mas Pais arguing that this does not create jobs or bring any other economic

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 1 Amused, 5 Both, 7 Akela, 9 Hermit, 10 Rips, 11 Algae, 12 Wept, 13 Doze, 14 Orange, 16 Stem, 17 Scar, 19 Cradle, 20 Frau, 23 Neat, 24 Nahum, 26 Taxi, 27 Obtain, 28 Taper, 29 Thus, 30 Ensign

Down: 2 Mae West, 3 Symptom, 4 Data, 5 Bared, 6 Topaz, 8 Engaged, 15 Airship, 17 Senates, 18 Amazing, 21 Reach, 22 Units, 25 More

Legal Eagle

With Victoria Wright

Correcting boundaries

The Catastro is a regional government department responsible for mapping property boundaries which you pay for your property.

DID you know that it is the property owner’s responsibility to inform the Catastro department of its errors?

Also, it is the Catastro office which informs town halls and land registries of their calculations, not the other way around.

Where do they get their calculations?

For urban properties where roadways, walls and fences exist, these are used as a ‘most likely boundary guide’.

In more rural areas it is harder for them to distinguish the boundaries so natural land breaks such as ravines and dry riverbeds are used.

Some people though may wall in their cultivated garden and pool area but leave an expanse of their land without fencing in to keep the aesthetics open and natural.

This can often lead to mistakes and boundary disputes when the visual map varies from the written description on the title deeds and in turn the physical reality.

How does their mistake directly affect you as a homeowner?

This calculation directly affects the amount of annual council tax (SUMA)

This map is also used to calculate the transmission tax due on the sale and purchase of a property, so if you’re being charged for your neighbour’s land as well as your own this can be a large overpayment.

What can be done?

To rectify the mistakes in their plan, the property owner must collate a series of documents and evidence to present: usually the title deeds ( escritura ) and often reports from the town planning department are required.

On many occasions an architect or topographer may be necessary and sometimes affidavits from surrounding neighbours. Most of this documentation can be presented remotely. For many homeowners, this can seem a little daunting. Given that there are various documents to collate and official departments to deal with, we suggest that people seek the assistance of a professional company, such as ourselves.

We can collate your documents and present them for you or, alternatively, guide you through the process if you wish to carry out this procedure yourself.

benefits and drives up inflation.

Leader of Mas País, Iñigo Errejon said: “The Spanish government does not check where this money

comes from, nor how it was earned or what the rest of the relatives who come get up to. It is basically a class shortcut.”

“There are parts of Spain that are being colonised by people who do not want anything to be regulated.”

Portugal

Last week Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced the ending of his country’s Golden Visa scheme in order to ‘fight real estate speculation.’

The European Commission has also expressed its opposition to Golden Visa and Golden Passport schemes in the EU.

HOME property sales in Spain reached 650,000 in 2022 - the biggest total since 2007 when nearly 780,000 residences were sold.

The National Institute of Statistics (INE) figures showed a 14.7% rise in sales on the previous year despite a 10.2% annual fall in December caused by rising interest rates and increasing financing costs.

With the exception of 2020, which was an untypical year due to the pandemic, house sales have exceeded 500,000 annually in Spain since 2018. Used homes accounted for 532,459 sales in the 2022 total.

Property Magnet

SPAIN just failed to make it on the podium in a ranking of property investment in Europe for 2023, coming in fourth place - but up three from last year.

The UK came in first place, followed by Germany and then France in a survey by real estate firm Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis. Madrid and Barcelona also ranked highly for most attractive European cities for investment, coming in fifth and sixth place respectively.

Brit Tax

Spain wakes up to threat the EU’s new ETIAS tourist tax poses to its British tourism

ALARM bells have started to ring in Spain over a new EU tourist tax that is set to hit the nation’s number one customer - the Brits.

The tax, known as the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), will see all nonEU tourists handing over €7 to enter the Schengen zone.

Juan Molas, the president of Spain’s Tourism Board, has expressed concern that it will

By Walter Finch

hit the country's competitiveness as a tourist destination when it is due to come into effect in November.

“We will contact the EU to learn more about this tax and how it will directly impact British tourism, which, with 18 million visitors, was our main source of travellers to Spain in 2019,” he

Cruise wave

said. Much of the ETIAS tax is shrouded in mystery, with many details, such as how it will be applied and where the money raised will go, unknown.

MSC CRUISES, the third largest cruise company in the world by number of passengers, expects to bring more than 100,000 cruise passengers to each of the ports of Malaga Alicante and Valencia this summer. The company ramping up its presence in Spain, with with MSC Cruises ships forecast to make more than 500 turnarounds or transit calls in Spain at Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Malaga, Cadiz and Tarragona, which translates into a total of more than two million tourists.

JUST PERFECTION!

Vera Restaurante: A meat lover’s dream

IF you love dining out and fancy a wide range of meat dishes cooked to perfection, then you must give Vera Restaurante in Valencia a try.

The restaurant on Avenida de Navarro Reverter, 8, offers a unique fusion of traditional Spanish flavours along with modern gastronomic innovations.

Meat lovers will find a range of grilled and stone-grilled offerings to tempt all taste buds with top quality and fresh products guaranteeing you a dining experience to remember.

Even the heartiest eater will find some of the top-range menu offerings to be something special and very filling.

Vera Restaurante does a one-kilo Danish Crown beef steak matured for 60 days, which is served on a stone with grilled vegetables and potatoes.

A grilled Frisian beef steak matured for 45 days and served up with caramelised shallots may be something that will grab you. Or If you're not quite sure what you want or fancy a bit of everything, then why not try a special Parrillada for two people at

just €50. This special plate brings a grilled Frisian steak, pork chop, grilled chicken breast, accompanied by potatoes and vegetables. There's plenty of other attractions on the menu including mouth-watering Angus burgers along with fresh tuna and grilled sea bream. The team of creative chefs prepares original dishes that you will not find in any other restaurant in the area. The mixture of originality and tradition go together in Vera Restauran-

Its claimed purpose is to provide the EU with greater control over who is entering its borders and is designed to track or halt criminals and undesirables. The tax is likened to the ETSA tourist visa that the United States issues to foreign travellers, and will likely function in the same way.

Unaware

Brits who are unaware of the new requirement will be able to complete the ETSA form at the airport and most people will receive confirmation in minutes. But for those whose checks are more complex, there could be waits of up to 96 hours.

te with unique tapas dishes such as: artichoke flowers with crispy ham, or tuna tartare with mango and lime, or perhaps our octopus and mushroom cannelloni with applesauce. There's a range of homemade croquettes stuffed with ham or perhaps a poached onion and cheese option, along with one filled with tuna, onions, and peppers.

You will find 26 different tapas dishes to try which means you can keep returning to the restaurant to work your way down a comprehensive list.

Vegetarians and vegans are also well looked after and if you have any room left, there are home-made desserts like cheesecake with red fruits or a mango and passion fruit cake. The restaurant also offers a range of some very tasty gluten-free chocolate desserts.

Many of the wines come from the Valencia region as well as from further afield, along with some cracking champagnes to celebrate any occasion. Come

No surprise

SAVOURY snacks have been given an unsurprising thumbs-down for harming health in a study conducted by Spain's OCU consumer group. It analysed 202 snack products and classified 80% of them as unhealthy or very unhealthy, including those promoted as containing less fat. Though tempting for everybody of all ages, stuff like nachos, crisps, and cones are all highly processed with ingredients that can cause health issues if eaten frequently.

CHILD’S BEST FRIEND

Dog therapy a big hit at Spanish hospital

A FRIENDLY pooch can give a huge boost to children with mental health issues, a new study has found. Some 23 youngsters aged under 13 from the Day Hospital at the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona took part in sessions over two years as-

Diabetes risk

PEOPLE who have been infected with Covid-19 could be at increased risk of diabetes, according to a new study.

Doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles analysed the medical records of 23,709 adult patients who had at least one documented Covid-19 infection between 2020-2022.

When the researchers distinguished between those who had been vaccinated against those who weren’t, they found that the vaccinated had almost no increased risk of diabetes after Covid-19, but the un-

By Alex Trelinski

sisted by professionals from the Centre for Assisted Therapies with Dogs (CTAC). The children were either autistic, had behavioural disorders, or suffered from

vaccinated had a nearly 80% higher chance of a new diabetes diagnosis.

Researchers said the difference was not statistically significant and more data is needed.

excess anxiety. Mental health nurse Elias Guillen said: “We discovered that 75% of emotional incidents with the children were on days where there was no dog therapy.” Sessions were carried out weekly with 45 minutes allocated to each patient.

“On the days that the dogs visited, there was a different atmosphere, which allowed us to assess the children far more easily,” added Guillen. The hospital’s head of youth psychiatry, Dr Astrid Morer, said: “It is incredible how the children face situations like an examination with a dog, which they would not have done without forming an affectionate bond with the animal.”

The CTAC selects the dogs that are put through their paces to see if they would

PAIN RELIEF

SPAIN has become the first European country to allow women to take medical leave for being on their period.

The Spanish government has now passed the ‘period pain’ law, allowing women to stay at home for a few hours during the working day or take medical leave if pain prevents them from working.

The law, which passed by 185 votes in favour to 154 against, recognises menstrual health as part of the country’s right to gender equality in health.

be suitable for therapeutic tasks.

All kinds of breeds ranging from large to small were used in the Barcelona study, which was supported by ‘La Caixa’ Foundation and animal food manufacturer Purina.

“The rule is going to stop being a taboo,” Minister for Equality Irene Montero said. Menstrual leave is currently offered only in a small number of countries around the world, including Japan, Indonesia, Zambia, South Korea and Taiwan.

Fun and games

A SEX shop in Sevilla celebrated Valentine’s week by holding a series of treasure hunts in city parks, with the prizes of erotic sex toys hidden away.

Nick(er)ed

A MAN who used underwear as a mask during three knifepoint robberies has been arrested in Manises (Valencia) after police recognised him from descriptions.

Bees knees

THE Smart Green Bees project is attempting to repopulate Spain with 47 million Iberian Bees, with the first hives placed on a farm in Los Montes de Malaga natural park.

O P LIVE RESS The

COSTA BLANCA NORTE / VALENCIA

DERBY PILGRIMS

Spanish cousins go on 3,000 km pilgrimage to DERBY to watch team they fell in love with on FIFA

A football-mad Spanish family went on a bonkers 3,000km pilgrimage to watch Derby County play after falling in love with them in a video game.

Fernando Batallon and his six cousins set out on the journey from Lugo in northern Spain to finally see their beloved football team in the flesh.

The love affair had begun after they randomly chose the League One club while playing FIFA together because they liked the ram on the club’s

By Walter Finch

badge.

“It all started on FIFA Career Mode,” law firm worker Fernando, 25, told Derby County podcast ‘Steve Bloomer’s Washing’. “We wanted to play as a new team, but didn’t know which one to pick.

“So, we decided to choose the team with the badge that we liked the most. And that, of

A MAN who tried to smuggle 15 Moroccan migrants OUT of the UK to Spain because they ‘didn’t like Britain’ has been jailed.

The Moroccan man, who was a taxi driver in London, was stopped by French police in Dunkirk where he was caught trying to smuggle the group through France.

The migrants had told the smuggler they ‘didn’t like Britain’ and wanted to settle in

course, was the charming Ram crest of Derby County.”

The Spanish fans had been following the team since 2019 and were thrilled when they finally

GETTING OUT

Spain instead, according to police. The man was convicted and jailed for one year for people smuggling and aiding illegal stays. More than 30,000 migrants arrived in Spain illegally last year, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

got to see their heroes, who had previously just been graphics on a TV screen, in action. And they were in luck as the Rams, notorious for posting the worst ever points total for a season in the Premier League (although Rams fans will point out they twice won the league in the 1970s and reached the European Cup semi finals), romped to a 5-0 victory over Morecambe. Fernando and his cousins were welcomed with open arms by the friendly fans of Derby and even got to take a picture next to the Pride Park pitch.

IT probably wasn’t the wisest way to present a lesson on Africa.

A teacher at a Spanish school blacked up, put on an exaggerated accent and posed next to a toy monkey for the class.

“Hello friends, my name is Bimba and I come from Africa,” the teacher from Catholic school Trinidad Sansueña in Cordoba says at the start of a video recording posted online.

“In Africa people don’t have white faces, they have faces like mine,” the teacher continues. “Africa also has a lot of animals,’ she adds, picking up the monkey, which she calls Monolo.

The recording has since been denounced by an independent and ‘anti-racist’ digital media outlet called Afrofeminas.

Bad nudes

JUDGES have told a Vera (Almeria) holiday complex that it can not have a mandatory nudity policy in its pool and gardens. The Supreme Court heard that security guards had been hired to make sure no one wore clothes while enjoying the facilities at the Natura World apartments, which face on to one of Europe’s biggest and most popular naturist beaches.

‘Bimba’ goes beyond a joke

MEMORY: The Derby pilgrims at Pride Park