Olive Press Costa Blanca North and Valencia Issue 135
With a population of just 300, Frias is Spain’s smallest city
See page 14
in her fairytale Princess
The little house that has been turned into a picture perfect home
THEY oversaw the biggest public money fraud in Spanish history, syphoning €680 million into a pot of cash known as the ‘reptile fund’. Dwarfing all other corruption scandals that have plagued the country, it saw politicians famously redirect public funds from Brussels and Madrid into secret bank accounts.
Embezzled
The enormous slush fund - which was meant to help struggling businesses, create new ones or to help pay redundancies - was instead spent on friends, families and paying off enemies.
Yet the sentences handed down to former PSOE leaders Jose Antonio Griñan and Manuel Chaves, convicted of overseeing the huge theft, could soon be overturned.
By Walter Finch
In an extraordinary judgement, the Constitutional Court in Madrid has already significantly reduced the sentences of 15 politicians who were convicted in Andalucia’s infamous ERE scandal.
The decision has led to the slamming of Pedro Sanchez’s government with claims he is ‘pardoning his PSOE friends and covering up his party’s past.’
The decade-long scandal involved many senior figures of the party, including Chaves, a former vice president of the PSOE in Madrid.
The most infamous abuse of power saw an ex-Employment Minister and his driver set up two bogus companies, which were handed €350,000 each in grants.
Javier Guerrero and his so-called ‘Cocaine chauffeur’ infamously spent much of the money on prostitutes, cocktails and drugs, after knocking off work at 2pm.
“We knew exactly what those funds were used for, and it was certainly not for the general interest or progress,” said PP minister Ana Mestre this week.
“If they governed today, the PSOE would just do it all over again.”
But this hasn’t stopped Madrid’s Constitutional court from significantly reducing the sentences of 12
REPTILE RELEASE
claims as former leaders who oversaw Spain’s biggest corruption scandal could avoid prison
of the convicted 15 politicians. Former ministers Antonio Fernandez, Francisco Vallejo and Jesus
Rodríguez will now all walk free. And, incredibly, the six year sentence handed to Griñan for his in-
Covid cases soar!
REPORTED cases of Covid have rocketed six-fold in the Valencian Community compared to a year ago. The latest figures from the end of June show 221 cases per 100,000 people in the region - a similar figure to last Christmas when mask-wearing was ordered in all hospitals and clinics.
A year ago, the infection rate was just 37 cases per 100,000. Figures for people hospitalised with the coronavirus are now 2.6 people - average age 79 - per 100,000 admitted compared to a rate of just 0.6 in early June.
volvement between 2000 and 2009 is to be overturned as well.
A draft ruling, expected to be approved next week, will mean Griñan never sees the inside of a prison cell. Chaves is also likely to see his nine-year disqualification from public office quashed. The rulings, which were confirmed by seven votes to four, were opposed by the four conservative judges, who accused the court of granting ‘immunity’ to former PSOE officials.
Antonio Sanz, a PP minister at the Junta de Andalucia, declared his party would ‘still do everything possible to recover all the stolen money.’
“No matter how much the PSOE tries to erase its past of corruption, it will not be able to cover up the biggest case of corruption in the history of Spanish democracy,” he added.
PARDONED: Chaves and Griñan oversaw €680m corruption scandal
Landfill blaze
FIRE crews have been kept busy in Jijona since Sunday after a blaze at the Piedra Niegra landfill site created large plumes of smoke with residents told to keep their doors and windows closed.
Tax dodge
POLICE inspectors have caught out 23 Alicante province companies filling up vehicles with cheap agricultural diesel to avoid paying tax totalling €150,000.
Green boost
GANDIA has taken on
40 unemployed workers to look after the city’s green and forest areas through a jobs programme organised by Natura Agricola.
Tomato time
MUTXAMEL’S local tomatoes will be promoted in the municipality’s sixth tomato fair on July 19 and 20 in the Placa de San Roc and the Santa Elena gardens, along with live entertainment.
THE parents of a 22-year-old Alicante woman have been arrested for allegedly setting up an arranged marriage and accepting a €1,000 fee for it.
The daughter ran off a day before the ceremony, but was found and forced
Runaway bride
to endure assaults which resulted in her having a tooth bashed out.
The Moroccan family arranged the union with her cousin, 40, who was
also detained by the Policia Nacional along with his mother. Despite being caught after escaping the forced marriage, she fled again - this time to a specialist centre for abused women where she filed a criminal complaint.
Brit shootout arrest
Drugs fugitive expat who expanded into arms sales nabbed
A BRITISH drugs fugitive turned alleged gun trafficker has been arrested after a shootout with police.
Anthony Patrick Finnigan, 37, from Liverpool was wanted for possessing 56 kilos of amphetamines and 88 cannabis plants in 2020. He fled the UK with the National Crime Agency (NCA) issuing an international arrest warrant stating that Finnigan had ties to ‘very dangerous groups’ that sold
By Alex Trelinski
arms to finance cocaine purchases.
The NCA tipped off the Policia Nacional that Finnigan was staying at a San Pedro del Pinitar villa.
Officers monitored the home including a meeting between Finnigan and two Turks with British passports, Hasan Topal and Ediz Can, who had links to Lon-
don mafia gangs.
They allegedly brought in the weapons by road from Turkey with Finnigan acting as an intermediary between the men and a Moroccan client, Ahmed Mhanni, who was living illegally in the Cartagena area.
Mhanni was allegedly going to supply the weapons to criminal groups operating along Spain’s east coast.
Two days later, all four men were arrested in different
MISPLACED TRUST
A MAN has been arrested in Javea for stealing gold jewellery from homes belonging to elderly women.
The thief, 45, gained the trust of his victims, including a 72-yearold woman, to enter properties. Her son complained to the Guardia Civil that items had been stolen and officers discovered that six friends of the victim had also
been robbed.
The man - who only took gold jewellery - sold the goods to pawn shops and pocketed nearly €7,000 for 23 items.
The Guardia stopped three items being melted down and returned them to their owner.
Inquiries are still continuing with the possibility of more victims being discovered.
locations with a stash of 35 guns and 750 bullets destined for Spanish criminal gangs found at Finnigan’s villa. Two of the arrests were at a Los Alcazares underground car park where Finnigan and Topal
NABBED: Finnigan was arrested in Murcia
were due to meet a buyer that Mhanni had set up.
They were greeted by five police officers, with Topal firing twice at one of them before he was subdued.
All four men have been remanded in custody and, despite the UK extradition request for Finnigan, he will firstly face arms trafficking charges as well as for attacking a police officer.
Hasan Topal has also been charged with attempted murder.
The child, 5, was with her grandfather when the unleashed dog lunged at her. She was bitten in her left buttock leaving her with a six centimetre scar. Her grandfather could not pull away the animal until the owner grabbed it by the jaw and prised its mouth open to let the child go.
COCAINE with a retail value of around €2 million has been found on Valencia’s El Saler beach.
A resident contacted police after discovering four black bags during a walk.
Cocaine
The Valencia Policia Local went to the Casal d’Esplai and found the bags covered by netting. The packages were found to contain 120 kilos of cocaine which is currently valued at €18,000 per kilo.
The drugs were transferred to Guardia Civil headquarters in Valencia. THE OWNER of an unmuzzled Staffordshire Bull Terrier has been ordered to pay over €5,000 in compensation after an attack on a young girl in Valencia.
Bright and talented
HE may be one of the break-out stars of Euro 2024 having scored a wonder goal in Spain’s 2-1 triumph in the semi-final clash with France, but Lamine Yamal’s prodigious footballing talent can’t excuse him from the rigour and pressure of
school exams. Thankfully for the 16year old, who became the youngest ever player at a European Championship, has passed his fourth ESO exam - the equivalent of GCSEs - whilst in
Germany with the Spain squad.
The Barcelona-born starlet had taken to revision classes in between training sessions and matches in order to prepare for the tests, and it seems the hard work paid off after it was revealed that Yamal passed the assessments with flying colours.
BENICASSIM BECKONS
It’s time to party at Spain’ biggest music festival
By Alex Trelinski
four days of top musical entertainment on July 18. Located in the east coast resort 100 kms north of Valencia, the weekend festival brings in visitors from around Spain and Europe and is regarded as one of the best on the planet! The event is also very popular with UK music fans due to its seaside location and the guarantee of good weather.
This year's International acts include regular visitors to the country, the Black Eyed Peas, as well as the Libertines, Jess Glynne, and UK Eurovision
July 11th - July 24th 2024
ELLE of a night
EVA Longoria sizzled at the 2024 ELLE Gourmet Awards in Madrid.
runner-up Sam Ryder, The festival focuses mainly on pop, rock, and electronica artists, as well as featuring short films, fashion shows, and art.
FORMER Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he’s enjoying life and retirement in Mallorca, when he spoke to reporters at a pre-Wimbledon tennis tournament.
Klopp - donning a German football shirt - said he’s been playing a lot of padel tennis since moving to the island with wife Ulla.
He revealed to ESPN reporter Agos Larocca that he has been working on an 'ecological' revamp of his €4m Santa Ponsa villa with a total
It also attracts celebrity visitors like Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, and his wife Begoña Gomez, who attended in 2018 to see The Killers.
The first event was staged in 1995 and is notable for having live music running well
Past performers at Spain's answer to Glastonbury have included The Killers, Blur, Oasis, The Pet Shop Boys, Lou Reed, The Stone Roses, Madness and Bastille.
Klopp happy
rebuild covering 5,000 m2. When asked what he liked about the island he said: “Where can I start? I like everything about it, to be honest, but I'm not long enough here yet. We try to figure out what we like the most.'
They are staying in 'temporary' accommodation, courtesy of the five-star Kimpton Aysla Hotel in the same area.
The Desperate Housewives star stole the show with her stunning look and infectious charm.
Longoria arrived at the event, held at the Italian Embassy, in a black gown that left little to the imagination.
The figure-hugging dress accentuated her curves, while the plunging neckline added a touch of Hollywood glamour.
As always, Longoria's beaming smile was her best accessory.
into the night with a schedule running between 5pm and 5am!
It has three main stages, Las Palmas, Visa, and South Beach Dance, with capacities of approximately 30,000, 15,000 and 8,000, respectively.
A typical attendance for the festival clocks up around 180,000 visitors.
Festival goers who have purchased multi-day passes can camp for up to nine days starting the Monday before and ending the Tuesday after the festival finishes two days earlier.
It's famous for attracting a young, party-oriented crowd and plenty of fun is promised for people of all ages.
PLAN HATCHED
TWO chicks fathered by lockdown star Louis the osprey will be flown from Scotland to Spain after fears for his well being.
The Woodland Trust has made the ‘tough’ decision to remove the chicks from their Loch Arkaig Pine Forest nest after realising ‘something was wrong’ with their father, who appears to be struggling to provide food.
According to the wildlife charity, Louis has not been fishing frequently enough to give the chicks a good chance of survival.
It is thought this could be due to difficult fishing conditions in the area. Now, alongside 10 other chicks, they will be moved to Spain to give them the ‘best chance’ in the Pego-Oliva Marsh Natural Park, near Alicante. Louis became a lockdown star after a live nest camera clocked 400,000 views.
Ospreys were extinct in Spain until they were reintroduced in 2003 using Scottish birds.
SPAIN'S biggest partythe Festival Internacional de Benicassim - kicks
Scapegoats
TOURIST apartment owners have hit back at being ‘unfairly scapegoated’ for a wider housing problem.
Malaga, Sevilla and Barcelona have all recently promised to crack down on Airbnbs and tourist accommodation in their cities after a series of protests.
However, the Andalucian Tourist Housing Association (AVVA-Pro) insisted that holiday rentals only represent 2% of Malaga’s property stock.
Meanwhile around the province this only rises to 4.1%, well below the national average, and pouring cold water on protests.
The association points out that tourist rentals contribute €1.9 billion to Malaga province alone.
This rises to €4.2 billion for Andalucia as a whole, aside from the greater contribution the tourists make to other sectors of the economy.
A QUIET PLACE
NOISE restrictions on building and other work projects are being implemented in Javea over the summer holiday months.
Javea mayor, Rosa Cardona, signed the decree which will be maintained through to the end of August.
No work capable of producing noise and vibrations to disturb residential areas will be allowed between 3pm and 5pm, as well as 8pm through to 9am the following day.
Roadworks are prohibited during the summer period with the exception of emergencies.
Javea’s Policia Local will monitor the situation and potentially sanction any transgressors.
Cleaning up
SPAIN’S first AI robot tasked with cleaning beaches is being trialed on a Valencia City beach this summer.
The first tests were carried out by PlatjaBot on Las Arenas beach.
“We are the first Spanish city to have a law that allows technology to be tested in a real environment,” boasted city
mayor, Maria Jose Catala.
“And this robot is the world’s first that works entirely autonomously,” she added.
PlatjaBot will concentrate on removing cigarette butts, plastics and all kinds of waste from the sand.
It is equipped with strong safety measures at its front to detect obstacles and people through AI artificial vision - even at night or in adverse weather.
WATER BAN
Costa
Blanca
town prohibits topping up swimming pools and watering of gardens
By Alex Trelinski
AN Alicante town has become the first on the Costa Blanca to ban the filling of pools.
Altea has also ruled out the watering of gardens, and sports areas, due to the serious ongoing drought.
An emergency decree was signed by mayor Diego Zaragozi, which affects urbanisations in higher parts of the area.
The order applies to La Malla (Altea Hills), El
Mascarat, Alhama Candela and Sierra Altea II. Altea’s infrastructure chief Aurora Serrat, explained: “The recent months of
DECREED: Altea has banned swimmimg pool top ups
drought and the summer rise in water usage makes it necessary to take exceptional preventive measures. “If not we run the risk of
wells in the sierra running dry.”
Filling of pools will not be prohibited along with ponds and fountains, as well as the cleaning and
Horror show
AN animal welfare group has condemned a Valencia area fiesta after a bull was tied to a rope, which broke one of its horns with blood gushing into a public road.
It happened in Godelleta in the Huya de Buñol region when the bull was released to run through the streets.
AnimaNaturalis was sent footage of the mistreatment and its director, Aida Gascon, said: “This is such a horrible case that even people who are less sensitive to animal suffering are dismayed.”
The group says the event cost around €100,000 of local public money to be staged and is known as a rope bull.
washing of roads, paths and pavements.
Serrat also appealed to the public to use water responsibly and to comply with the new rules.
A similar ban on filling pools was introduced in many Costa del Sol towns earlier this year to conserve water, but the bans were lifted in early June to avoid damaging the tourism industry.
No other areas of Alicante province have plans to go as far as Altea, with Benidorm insisting the current water levels will be maintained throughout the summer peak season into September. If any changes have to be introduced, they will cover farm irrigation.
Parts of the region including Alicante and Elche imposed overnight water pressure reductions for domestic consumers in the spring.
On the rise
SPAIN'S population will rise by five million over the next 15 years to reach nearly 54 million people - mainly down to immigration.
The National Institute of Statistics (INE) projects the rise will then dramatically slow down to a population of 54.6 million by 2074.
Estimates suggest that over the next five years, the rise in population of migrant origin will be about 3.5 million. INE calculations show that Spanish residents born abroad will account for 39% of the total population within 50 years. That is double the number of immigrants who currently make up around 18% of the population - some 8.5 million residents.
SPAIN'S DGT traffic authority will clamp down on electric scooter users with a ban on riders aged under 16. The rules will also enforce the mandatory wearing of a helmet at all times.
All scooter owners will also have to submit their details to a vehicle registry before being allowed on any public roads. The measures are included in the DGT’s draft reform of the General Traffic Regulations.
Other proposed regulations would restrict scooters to urban areas; the need to have a luminous back reflector: and riders to wear reflective vests.
ABOUT TIME: Scooters have hundreds of serious accidents
DÉNIA
WASH THEM AWAY!
Controversial antitourist protests see foreigners targeted with angry chants and water pistols
ANGRY protesters have targeted tourists with water pistols during a controversial Spanish demo.
Demonstrators barricaded hotels and restaurants along their route in Barcelona, while others chanted ‘Tourists, go home’, while carrying placards with similar messages. But a small number wielded water pistols and squirted tourists while they were sitting at terraces along the
By Walter Finch
Video footage showed tourists in shorts and flip-flops scurrying away from their tables while a group of girls sprayed them with water and shouted at them to ‘go home’.
Other placards read ‘Barcelona is not for sale’ and ‘decrease tourism now’.
The protesters were demand-
WATER
ATTACK: Tourists were soaked in Barcelona
ing action to curb the number of tourists to remedy high rental prices, overcrowding and antisocial behaviour in the centre.
“We want the city’s economic model to be fairer to us,” said Marti Cuso, a spokesperson for the Gothic Quarter’s residents association.
“And for that we have to decrease tourism,” he added. The aggressive actions were met with disapproval by many Spaniards however.
“These protests are stupid, especially considering that 99% of the those protesting have travelled low cost around Europe,” one told the Olive Press.
“Throwing water on people who are eating, or by barricading them into the restau-
rant, it’s lucky no one got punched.”
The protest came as reports show the cost of housing has increased by 68% over the past 10 years, while wages haven’t increased.
Radical
According to website Idealista, Barcelona and Madrid rents are 18% up this June compared to last year.
A radical move by Barcelona mayor, Jaume Collboni, last month, will see all short-term tourist lets phased out by 2028. Similar protests have taken place in Malaga, Sevilla, Palma and the Canary Islands, over the last month, each highlighting discontent at mass tourism.
famous Las Ramblas central artery.
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
OPINION
Sea Change!
THE tone of this year’s Black Flag report (right) is a sea change in the right direction.
With the ravages of Spain’s coastline due to incompetence and inaction, Spain’s leading green group Ecologistas en Accion is pulling no punches.
The hard-hitting report details how time and time again local politicians and even regional bodies are blatantly violating environmental laws. Developments are being approved and blind eyes are being paid to barbarities and abuses. In clear infringements of Spanish and European laws, the Canary Islands are allowing four new mega resorts.
This from a political class which flaunts its multi-billion dollar profits while more than 35% of the Canaries population is ‘at risk of poverty’ and the unemployment rate sits at 20%.
It’s little different in Andalucia, where the Junta has sanctioned a beach bar in Fuengirola that grossly violates regulations and threatens the integrity of the coast.
Meanwhile, in Tarifa and Vejer, the battlelines are being drawn in the sand as a phalanx of wealthy developers continue to sniff around for coastal land to raze.
In Valencia the situation is worse, while the Balearics fare no better.
The politicians are committing harakiri on what is left of this country’s coastline.
Already being strangled by a collar of concrete, they continue to court the deep pockets of, mostly, foreign investors, who won’t think twice about carving up what’s left before jumping on their private planes elsewhere.
The majority of developments are not in the interests of the Spanish population and it’s hard not to believe that plenty of backhanders are kicking around.
Madrid must get a grip on the unhealthy relationship between business and politics which has been flourishing in plain sight at the municipal level for years.
Spain’s coasts have a limit. Saving what’s left is vital for the future of the country.
THE latest Blue Flag report offered a dazzling verdict on Spain’s beaches. The global organisation created a map that blanketed the country’s coastlines in blue dots, indicating beautiful clean beaches with excellent water quality, compliance with coastal laws, and services such as lifeguards and toilets.
By Walter Finch
flag,” Ecologists in Action coordinator Rafael Yus-Ramos (below left) told the Olive Press
Out of the 694 beaches that applied for the cherished blue flag, the group merrily handed them to 638 – an approval rate of 91%.
However, an alternative report from local environmental group Ecologists in Action offers a darker vision of the health of Spain’s beaches.
“But we can’t give a black flag to every beach that deserved one because otherwise we would have ended up with too many to count.”
The group’s Black Flags report, released in June, gave out 48 black flags around the country, including 10 in Andalucia, six in Valencia, two in the Balearics and four in the Canary Islands.
But in reality the number should have been even higher.
“Many of the beaches that received a blue flag actually should get a black
The report comes in a year when anti-tourism protests have broken out in hotspots across Spain, ‘excessive’ seafront developments have been approved in the Canary Islands and Malaga, and 26 tonnes of plastic pellets were washed overboard a container ship into the sea off the coast of Cantabria.
The trend causing the most harm to Spain’s beaches, however, is ‘the touristification and urbanisation of our coastlines’, according to the environmental group.
according Canary keen
The Canary Islands come in for keen criticism for leaving an ecological footprint 27 times larger than their landmass.
Yet the villains are not the tourists occupying the hotels and Airbnbs but the political class,
IT’S a sad day for the news industry when one cannot even report on serious crimes without being reported for ‘offensive’ content.
That is what has happened to the Olive Press over the past for months, with Google warning that some of our stories are too risque to appear on the search engine.
These included the conviction of a rapist in Gibraltar, a respected Spanish urologist warning of the effects of smoking on men’s penises and - incredibly - a story about crucifi xes being stolen from cemeteries in Spain. But it’s not just Google trying to censor the news landscape, with Facebook also barraging us with warnings
who ‘flaunt multi-billion dollar profits while more than 35% of the population is at risk of poverty and a 20% unemployment rate.’
In Tenerife, development has restarted on two hotels, Hotel La Tejita and Hotel Cuna del Alma, which were stopped for environmental violations.
And in Fuerteventura a golf course and a wellness centre with more than 2,000 beds each have both been approved.
“These are just a few examples, among many,” the report states, “that demonstrate the suicidal race that our leaders are betting on which exclusively benefits business interests.”
But the Black Flags report saves some of its strongest criticism for the Costa del Sol, which receives two of the unwanted awards.
A number of beach bars have been approved despite receiving negative reports for environmental law violations, the report claims.
Ecologists in Action have pointed the finger at the Junta for ignoring the damning reports and ploughing ahead with development regardless.
In the most shocking case, it gave out a licence to build Bikini Beach Club at the foot of the Fuengirola castle.
Snowflakes!
Google and Facebook censor Olive Press stories about rape and crucifixes for fear of ‘offending’ users
of hits.
By Laurence
over the most basic of stories. These included all of the above plus plans by Spain to bring in restrictions on accessing online porn.
Unfortunately, Facebook and especially Google still have a stranglehold over the news industry. Every newspaper in the world remains dependent on their articles being served to the billions of people who use the tech giants daily.
Google , in particular, can make or break a news site, as placing its articles on its ‘discovery’ page or its ‘news’ section can bring in millions
But what does it say about the future of journalism if important stories about sex crimes and intimate health issues are essentially being blocked?
It runs the risk of newspapers reporting less and less on such topics for fear of losing favour with Google and Meta (the owner of Facebook ). This will reduce the quality of news reporting and it is the reader who loses out in the end.
Google’s power over the media is one of the reasons many sites - including the Olive Press - have introduced subscription paywalls.
With a guaranteed monthly or annual income from loyal readers, websites can continue to report the news without having to adhere to arbitrary rules
Dollimore
The annual Black Flag report is in and it isn’t pretty reading as ‘touristification’ and a greedy political class are blamed for destroying Spain’s coastline
The 440-metre behemoth is being built directly on the sand – with basement included – not far from an archeological site, in plain violation of coastal regulations.
“It all comes down to the country’s laws which regulate coastal developments,”
Yus-Ramos said.
“There are things you can do and things you can’t, and the Junta just ignores it.
“The town halls submit plans for beach developments but it's the Junta which has to approve them.
“The ultimate responsibility for these black flags lies with the Junta.”
The report also pulled Malaga up for the massive plastic waste generated by the San Juan festivities on June 23.
“The night of San Juan left the beaches covered in plastic,” Yus-Ramos said. “In the
PLASTIC : Tonnes of beads were washed overboard in Galicia, while (below) the aftermath of the San Juan festivities
end, much of that plastic waste goes in the sea.”
The group estimates that between 20 and 40 tonnes of litter was left on beaches come the morning.
Ecologists in Action has called for more bins to be placed on the beach for the event and signs warning of the harm caused by litter.
It added: “Ideally, these massive festivities should gradually decline until they disappear.”
Yus-Ramos added that constant construction and development all along the Costa del Sol has led to the disappearance of many beaches, which now have to be regularly replenished with artificial sand.
pumping station located in the ravine, due to overflow and lack of maintenance.
It’s a similar story at Alicante beach, where the population has doubled in the last 40 years without a similar investment in local infrastructure.
MILLION MILESTONE
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that seem to change daily. Plus, they will eventually steer away from the disliked ‘clickbait’ articles once they are no longer so reliant on advertising income generated by clicks.
If you’re an avid reader of news sites and believe that proper journalism is worth safeguarding, support your favourite newspapers either via a donation or subscription.
“In Cadiz there are sandy natural beaches that still have dunes,” he continued. “But these have almost completely disappeared in Malaga.
Incredibly, plans are already underway to expand the illegal sites with two waterhungry
golf courses
Cadiz, however, does not escape lightly, receiving four black flags, with said dunes on the Trafalgar coast between Tarifa and Vejer being a particular concern.
“The current urban development between Zahara and Atlanterra is dismantling the natural barrier that has protected the region’s dune systems,” the report states.
It adds that there are nearly three kilometres of formerly pristine beach that are now occupied by illegally-built homes that ‘lack basic infrastructure for water supply and wastewater treatment’. Incredibly, plans are already underway to expand the illegal developments with two water-hungry golf courses. Meanwhile, sewage waste has been seeping into Playa Talamanca in Ibiza and both Playa Granada and Playa Poniente in Granada. This has been killing off the seagrass meadows that grow just off the coast, with over half of the fields in Talamanca Bay now dead. And do not even ask what is escaping onto the Alicante beach of El Barranco del Amerador (see right).
Ok we’ll tell you: “So far this year, there have been two faecal discharges at the Amerador beach from the
“The risk of new discharges could produce not only visible items like wet wipes, plastic bags, or cotton buds but also less visible pollutants such as heavy metals, hydrocarbon residues, and other toxins,” the report says.
“Beaches could be closed if tests reveal high levels of E.coli, as happened last summer at San Gabriel and Urbanova beaches.”
The report does try to offer solutions to each of the environmental or management issues it raises, which often involves upgrading infrastructure such as treatment plants.
But for Yus-Ramos, the ultimate cause of the issues on Spain’s beaches are the commercialisation and poor environmental management of the coastline, the blame for which he plants squarely at the feet of politicians.
THE Olive Press website has reached new heights after pulling in more than 1.4million views in just ONE week.
The start of July saw more than 800,000 people visit www.theolivepress.es over a seven-day period, blowing our competitors out of the water.
It came after an urgent update of our server, which was being overloaded by the rapid surge in visitors trying to access the site.
It makes the Olive Press, definitively, the most popular - as well as trusted - English news site in Spain.
Our visitors are a healthy balance of British, Irish, American, Dutch, German and other Europeans. We even had 49,000 Aussies visit the site in June.
Over the past few months, we have seen nearly 10,000 people register an account on theolivepress.es.
We now have 40,000 users, a figure that is currently increasing by more than 1,000 each week.
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SEWAGE: Has blighted the popular and beautiful Playa Talamanca in Ibiza (above)
HOLY CHRIST: Was ‘banned’ by Google for showing nudity
BUSINESS
MOTOR TEST BOOST
DENIA is to get its own ITV vehicle testing station from January 2025.
It will be built on Calle Castilla-La Mancha on land behind the Tax Agency office and next to the Torrecremada esplanade.
The site was chosen for its size - 800m2 - and good accessibility.
Complaints
Denia mayor, Vicent Grimalt, said that talks to get the station started last October after complaints of long delays getting appointments at Ondara, some 10 kms away.
The move provides a new ITV centre option and will relieve the pressure for people wanting a test across the Marina Alta area.
Fast track to ruin
Spain to complain to EU about low-cost rail rivals
SPAIN’S public rail company Renfe will complain to the European Commission about French-owned rival Ouigo, calling its low price for high-speed services unfair competition.
Transport Minister, Oscar Puente, confirmed the state operator will be making a submission to Brussels.
He accused Ouigo of price dumping and operating at a loss, propped up by France’s state-owned parent company SNCF.
Despite Ouigo and also Iryo entering the battle for highspeed rail customers, Renfe
By Alex Trelinski
is still the dominant company in the market.
Three operators and four brands have been competing since 2021, which led to a big fall in prices - ending Renfe's monopoly - and attracting more passengers. Ouigo was the first competitor that Renfe had to deal with.
The newcomer began an aggressive price strategy with tickets available from €9 which forced the Spanish
company to respond with the launch of AVLO - its own low-cost brand.
Despite a big increase in demand, Ouigo’s moves raised shackles in the corridors of
Richer get richer
SPAIN’S economy may have suffered some serious blows in recent years, from the pandemic to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, but these factors don’t seem to have had an effect on the country’s biggest earners, whose ranks have swollen. According to data from the Spanish Tax Agency, 2022 saw the number of taxpayers de-
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Renfe bosses.
The Spanish government believes that double standards are at play with barriers being put up to stop Renfe running services in France.
Idealista move
THE hugely popular Spanish property portal Idealista has been purchased by British fund Cinven for €2.9 billion. The platform is the leading real estate site in not just Spain, but also Italy and Portugal. The deal, which is still subject to approval by market regulators, will see Cinven buy 70% of the company. Its founder and chairman, Jesus Encinar, will continue in his role as leader of the company, as he did in 2015 after the portal was sold to other funds managed by Apax and in 2020 when it was sold to the until-now main stakeholder, Swiss fund EQT.
claring a yearly income in excess of €601,000 rise by 25% compared to the year before.
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The total number of people who fall into this tax bracket came in at 15,200, a record and up from 12,178 the previous year.
Their services include cybersecurity, device maintenance and performance optimization, and malware removal, enhanced by AI for faster and accurate solutions.
AnyTech365 adapt its product and technical support solutions to individual needs, offering a safe online experience to any user.
AnyTech365’s health checks will make sure your computer is not watching cat videos when you’re out
Introducing an exclusive partnership between Olive Press and AnyTech365 AI-Powered IT Security
We’re talking about a deep dive into your computer’s soul, checking its pulse, and making sure it’s not secretly binge-watching cat videos when you’re not looking.
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SECURITY
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WHAT ABOUT HARDWARE?
Olive
Olympic
SPAIN has reported the lowest unemployment figure for June since 2008, with 2,561,067 people registered as being out of work.
Registrations with social security grew by 71,000 since May to reach 21,392,889 - the highest total since records began.
Those hard drives and SSDs are the unsung heroes of your digital life. We’ll check ‘em out like a mechanic inspecting a Ferrari engine, making sure they’re purring like kittens and not clunking like a rusty jalopy.
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and their solutions have been widely recognized multiple awards on local, national, and international “The Fastest growing technology company in the 27th fastest growing company in Europe across (Source: Financial Times FT1000), the Andalucía Award in New Technologies, and others. meaningful local impact, AnyTech365 has proud title-sponsor of the Andalucía Open tennis including the ATP 250 tournament in 2021, the sporting event in the region. It has excellent online scores with tens of thousands of end user reviews (4.8/5) and Google Reviews (4.9/5).
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Making a meaningful local impact, AnyTech365 has been a proud title-sponsor of the Andalucía Open tennis tournament, including the ATP 250 tournament 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).
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The company is currently in the process of becoming publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), with the transaction expected to complete in Q3 of 2024.
The company is currently in the process of becoming publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), with the transaction expected to complete
It tried for over two years to offer connections on the Lyon-Paris line this month to coincide with the Olympic Games in Par-
The line is regarded as one of the most profitable in Europe but Renfe says it has encountered constant obstacles from France which has made it impossible to launch the service.
The hospitality sector is largely behind the improvements, with last month heralding the start of the main tourist season. Unemployment amongst the under 25s fell by almost 4,000. All 17 regions saw jobless falls with the biggest in Andalucia (-8,746 people), Catalunya (-5,816) and the Valencian Community (-4,929).
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and international level such as “The Fastest growing technology company in Spain and the 27th fastest growing company in Europe across all sectors” (Source: Financial Times FT1000), the Andalucía Excellence Award in New Technologies, and others. Making a meaningful local impact, AnyTech365 has been a proud title-sponsor of the Andalucía Open tennis tournament, including the ATP 250 tournament in 2021, the biggest sporting event in the region. It has excellent online reputation scores with tens of thousands of end user
on Trustpilot (4.8/5) and Google
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
MURCIA will be home to one of Europe's biggest film and tv studio complexes at a cost of around €100 million.
It will be set up by UK company Stage Fifty in association with Universal Productions Services.
The facility- covering 100,000 m2 - will be called the Murcia Film Studios and is expected to create 1,000 jobs.
Committed
It will be built 20 kms north of Murcia City at the Los Carmenes industrial estate in Las Torres de Cotillas.
Last November, Stage Fifty said it was committed to coming to the Murcia region and was looking for a suitable location after being wooed by the regional government.
Murcia president, Fernando Lopez Miras, signed a deal for the project in London with Stage Fifty CEO, James Enright. The company provides production facilities for international companies like Disney , Amazon , Netflix , HBO , and Apple
Down discovery
First ever Neanderthal with Down syndrome is discovered in Spain
THE discovery of the remains of a Neanderthal girl near Valencia has allowed scientists to conclude that she had Down syndrome and was looked after by her prehistoric community.
Researchers have identified ear bone abnormalities from a tiny piece of skull, which are consistent with someone who had Down syndrome, the first Neanderthal with the condition ever found.
“This child would have required care for at least six years, likely necessitating other group members to
By Simon Hunter
help the mother in childcare,” the researchers write in Science Advances magazine.
The Cova Negra cave site in Xativa has been excavated several times between 1929 and 2017, and has yielded human fossil remains dating from between 273,000 and 146,000 years ago, as well as materials from the Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic.
The remains of ‘Tina’, as the
Concerts by candlelight
SHACKLETON’S SUMMER SCHOOL
24th June - 26th July 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
24th June - 26th July 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
CARING: The discovery of the Down Syndrome child is the first evidence of altruism found
subject was dubbed, were found in 1989 among other bone remains of Neander-
EVENTS platform, Fever, is bringing its Candlelight Concerts to Spain.
Talented musicians give popular songs from the likes of ABBA, the Beatles and Queen the classical treatment.
If you’re more traditional, they also play classical music like Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Ludovico Einaudi Hosted in beautiful venues across Spainl, the concerts are a treat for the eye as well as the ears. Surrounded by hundreds of candles, they make for the perfect romantic evening.
To find out where concerts local to you are, visit candlelightexperience.com.
thals, many of them children.
The new study concludes that she survived for more than six years thanks to the care and support from her community group.
Her condition would likely have included severe hearing loss as well as incapacitating vertigo.
“What was not known until now was any case of an individual who had received help, even if they could not return the favour. This proves the existence of true altruism among Neanderthals,” Mercedes Conde, researcher of the Chair of Evolutionary Otoacoustics and Paleoanthropology at HM Hospitales and the University of Alcala, explained.
KIDDIES BULL RUN
A ROW has broken out in Valencia after the Old Town (Ciutat Vella) district board backed a simulated bull run aimed at children.
Opposition political parties are complaining to the Ombudsman to ‘protect minors from the violence of bullfighting’. On a date to be specified, parents will push around carts representing bulls to chase youngsters through the streets.
Rejected
The idea had been rejected in recent years, but the year-old Partido-Popular and Vox coalition majority outvoted left-wing parties to push the measure through. It had been proposed by former bullfighter and local resident, Vicente Barrera, who is also the Valencian region’s Minister of Culture.
Barrera believes it will allow children to learn more about the culture of bullfighting including elements like the matador’s cape. The far-left regional Compromis party said they blamed the 'weak' Partido Popular (PP) mayor, Maria Jose Catala, for approving the run.
in her fairytale Princess
Expat undertakes her childhood dream to build a wooden refuge, now a mustvisit retreat featured on British TV
By Yzabelle Bostyn
WHEN Elizabeth Wynn was a little girl, she imagined ‘living in a magical land, in a wooden house, surrounded by nature, being creative, dreaming and painting.’
But it wasn’t until she ‘lost everything’ 10 years ago, finding herself homeless, that she was finally able to make her dream a reality. Finally finding herself a job, she scraped enough money together to start building her own ‘refuge’. Along the way she learned ‘determi-
nation’ and ‘healing’ as well as how to sand, saw, nail and drill. She sought out second hand materials including wood and an old van chassis and grafted often 14 hour
“Through building the house, I built myself again,” she told the Olive Press . “I am the princess in my own fairytale.”
Now, she lives in a nearby farmhouse and is offering her original Little Wooden House, as a refuge to days in the Spanish sun to craft her casa. others.
Nestled among olive trees on an organic fruit and nut farm, it could be mistaken for a Mediterranean gingerbread house. Part of Eden Whispers Art Farm, the house is just outside Monda, inland from Marbella.
A peaceful, tranquil getaway, the project was recently featured on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces on Channel 4, in England. During a 2019 episode, Clarke marvelled at the 5 x 2.5 metre space, half the
size of the average living room.
“There’s been an enormous amount of love and passion put into this project. This is small space perfection.
The Little Wooden House has inspired its visitors, some saying ‘it brought their creativity back’
“It’s self-built, full of bespoke innovations and a total life changer for the person who made it.”
The Little Wooden House has similarly inspired its visitors, some saying ‘it brought their creativity back’ and they ‘felt so snug cocooned in the bed at night surrounded by myriad fruit trees and the night air.’
“I am so happy it has become a place of peace and restoration,” said Elizabeth.
“It gives people space and time to reconnect with themselves and nature and remind them of just how wonderful they are.”
SMALL BUT BEAUTIFUL: The tiny house has been featured on George Clarkes’s (pictured with Elizabeth) Amazing Spaces
HIDDEN: Nestled in the Monda countryside, the Little Wooden House is a true escape
Feeling fuelish
GERMAN airline group
Lufthansa has announced it is adding an environmental charge to its ticket prices, in a bid to offset the cost of sustainable aviation fuels.
The company is the first of its kind in Europe to introduce such a fee, but other airlines are likely to follow suit.
The charge will come into force in 2025 and will add between €1 and €72 to fares.
Lufthansa, needs the extra money, to comply with EU regulations on bringing down emissions.
The extra cost of using sustainable aviation fuels has prompted airlines to warn for years now that ticket prices would have to go up.
Green move
GERMAN polymer material maker Covestro has signed a 10-year renewable energy purchase agreement with BP. The multinational will supply the manufacturer with green energy from a solar farm in Teruel in the Aragon region. The deal will significantly increase the use of renewable energy in Covestro’s Spanish operations, as it tries to become carbon neutral by 2035. The partnership is set to increase its renewable energy consumption in Spain from under 10% to 30%.
WHERE THERE’S MUCK….
Farms get power boost from buried batteries that harness bacteria in the soil
FARMS could soon be powered by dirt thanks to a revolutionary new battery.
UK startup Bactery has developed a soil-powered battery that utilises natural bacteria to generate clean electricity.
These ‘install and forget’ batteries are buried underground and harness the
By Dilip Kuner
electrons produced by soil microbes.
This eco-friendly approach offers a cheap and sustainable alternative to traditional energy sources for farms.
The long-lasting batteries, expected to last over 25 years, eliminate the need for expensive infrastructure like solar panels or power lines.
Additionally, the low cost of €30 per unit makes them a highly attractive option for farmers.
This innovation has the potential to transform data-driven agriculture. By powering sensors and internet-connected devices, Bactery’s batteries will allow farmers to collect real-time data
are
for
on their crops and land, ultimately improving yields and resource management. Dr Jakub Dziegielowski was part of the research team that developed the technology in 2019 at the University of Bath in the UK. Since then it has been tested on a water filtration system in Brazil and for the last four years he has been taking the concept a step further by developing ways to scale up electricity generation.
He said: “We’ve learned a
whole lot more about the different bioelectrochemical processes, and grasped a better understanding of the roles both bacteria and the soil play in this complex equation.”
The company is currently refining prototypes and expects to launch commercial production in 2026.
CLIMATE BEACH BLOW
CLIMATE change has been blamed after winter storms blew away a fifth of Barcelona’s golden sands.
From July 2023 to April 2024, beaches in the Barcelona metropolitan area lost 60 acres of surface area, with experts blaming windy storms, driven by climate change, for the coastal erosion.
Pipelines, used to supply water and electricity to businesses on the seafront, have even been unearthed as sand levels dwindle.
Challenge
In some areas on Barcelona’s long coastline, which measures 26 miles, beaches have lost over 50 metres of width, representing a growing challenge for local authorities and tourism boards. The worst affected stretch of beaches is between Badalona, an industrial heartland just north of Barcelona, and Montgat, considered the epicentre of sand loss where over 36% of its beaches have been eroded away by storms and the sea.
SOIL BATTERIES:
being developed
farmers by Bactery in the UK
Rock solid advice THRICE BITTEN
IF men don’t want their penis to get smaller the secret is to not get old!
A Spanish urologist has released a new book called Everything you need to know about the penis and never dared to ask (Todo lo que necesitas saber sobre el pene y nunca te atreviste a preguntar) that contains a few un- comfortable home truths for men.
Blanca Madurga, a doctor from Hospital del Mar in Cadiz, has claimed that men’s penises shrink as they get older due to their decreasing testosterone levels.
In further bad news for smokers, Madurga claims that the habit causes the blood vessels in the penis to shrink. This can weaken a man’s erection by as much as 25%.
The urologist emphasises the importance of addressing taboos about sexual organs, offering men advice on when and how to seek professional help for sexual dysfunctions, which are often more treatable than they believe.
TICK WATCH
SPAIN is increasing monitoring of two potentially fatal diseases transmitted by ticks, but states that it is good practice, rather than a response to a medical crisis.
Health authorities have introduced tick monitoring into the National Plan for Surveillance and Control of Vector-borne Diseases. This focuses on measuring instances of Lyme disease
and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). Ticks are carriers of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, which they transmit to humans when they pierce the skin to draw blood.
Top killer revealed
Cancer biggest cause of death in Spain for first time
CANCER has become the biggest killer in Spain for the first time, according to 2023 mortality figures compiled by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
Last year, 115,013 people died from some kind of tumour - representing 26.55% of all deaths.
Until then, it had been diseases of the circulatory system that had the highest mortality rate, but those fell by 5.3%.
Lung cancers were the most prominent with 22,717 deaths, followed by colon cancer, with
By Alex Trelinski
10,891 fatalities - 2.3% fewer than in 2022. There were a total of 433,163 deaths in Spain in 2023, some 31,254 (6.7%) fewer than the previous year. Among men, ischemic heart disease was a leading cause of death (17,038), while among women it was dementia (12,817).
The INE says the diseases that increased the most were respiratory diseases.
THE Spanish Medicines Agency (AEMPS) has warned that just using suncream is not enough to protect children from the harmful effects of sun exposure. It comes as it launched a campaign in partnership with the Spanish Dermatology Academy.
Titled Advice for adequate sun protection for kids, the campaign aims to avoid burns,
Deaths from pneumonia went up by 17.1% and chronic lower respiratory diseases by 2.6%.
SUN WARNING
sun allergies, eye injuries, visible ageing and, most importantly, skin cancer. A spokesman said: “Just applying sun cream without other physical sun protection methods like glasses and hats is not enough to protect against sun radiation.”
Benidorm c/ Gambo, 2 Tel. 965 859 577
Calpe Ejércitos Españoles, 6 Tel. 965 835 367
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Strokes accounted for 23,173 deaths - 6.1% lower than in 2022.
The figures show that 95.9% of the deaths registered last year were down to natural causes.
Another change compared to previous years is that accidental falls appear as the main cause of external death, surpassing suicides for the first time.
Nevertheless, suicides average nearly 11 per day in Spain with 2,962 cases last year and a larger prominence among males.
THE venomous violin spider has bitten its first recorded victim in Spain.
A 42-year-old resident of the northern Pais Vasco region was the unlucky recipient, being bitten at least three times between May and September in his own home.
The man was later diagnosed with a cutaneous necrotizing condition, prompting doctors to drain the wound and put him on a course of antibiotics.
The health authorities said that it was important to recognise this kind of bite so that it can be properly treated in this way.
The violin spider is one of three venomous varieties out of 1,400 documented species that inhabit the Iberian Peninsula.
The spiders measure between one and three centimetres, have six eyes in the shape of a half moon, are a reddish brown colour, and have very thin legs.
“Its popular name derives from the violin-shaped pattern it has on the front of its body called prosoma,” biologist Claudia Isabel Navarro Rodriguez told the magazine Unam Global.
“Beyond its physical characteristics, it can be said that the violinist is shy, so it avoids contact with humans and, if necessary, can self-injure to escape human presence,” she added.
A SACKED ex-employee has been accused of being behind an incident in which 60,000 litres of wine were literally poured down the drain.
COSTLY MOORING
PUERTO Banus is the most expensive port in Europe for mooring a yacht.
The up-market port came top of the Engel & Volkers Yacht Rankings, which list the basic day
rates of moorings for a 55-metre craft during the high season.
If you fancy mooring your yacht for a day, then you will need to pay €4,289 for the privilege - considerably higher than for
marinas in exclusive parts of the Balearic Islands.
Charges at Puerto Banus easily exceed second-placed Porto Cervo in Italy, which is a mere snip at just €2,900 per day. It’s closely followed by another Italian location, Marina Grande at €2,880.
Vintage crime GOLDEN GEESE
Bodega
Grainy CCTV footage showed how, back in February, a hooded figure opened the taps of stainless steel tanks at the Cepa 21 winery in Valladolid, flooding the bodega with €2 million worth of plonk. Now the Guardia Civil has arrested a female ex-employee of the winery, who had been fired two days before.
A BAR WITH A VIEW
You’re welcome!
BRITISH tourists continue to be the most important foreign visitors to Spain in terms of volume and value, new figures have revealed.
According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), tourists who flew into Spain in May spent a total of €11.68 billion - up 19.7% on the same period last year.
It means the average tourist is now spending €1,263 during their stay, a year-on-year in-
British tourists have injected €7.3bn into the Spanish economy so far this year crease of 7.3%.
When expanding the data to cover the first five months of 2024, the INE puts foreign tourist spending at a whopping €43.2 billion. That represents a 21.8% increase compared to the same period in 2023. And despite a surge in an-
TWO rooftop bars and terrace gardens in Spain have been included in Forbes magazine top 10 in Europe.
The SkyBar (left) on the roof terrace of Madrid’s Hotel Picalagartos gets a recommendation for excellent views of the capital's Gran Via.
It’s said to be the perfect location to enjoy the skyline along with the cuisine of chef Manuel Berganza and cocktails prepared by mixologist Luca Anastasio.
The other Forbes entry for Spain is the Eleven BCN terrace at NH Collection Barcelona Gran Hotel Calderon.
The review says it ‘is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the exclusive Barcelona sunsets’.
Located on the 11th floor in a central position on the Rambla de Catalunya, the terrace offers 360-degree views of the city and a creative cocktail menu, designed by bartender Marlon Ruocco.
ti-tourism protests, the number of holidaymakers flocking to Spain is continuing to surge.
Between January and May, some 33 million people from abroad visited the country, up 13.6% on last year.
Leading the way in terms of spending were the Brits, who accounted for 18.8%
of all foreign tourist expenditure in May, bringing in more than €2bn to Spain's coffers. In fact the amount of money spent by Brits surged by 16.2% compared to last year.
In a distant second were the Germans, accounting for 12.1% of spending followed by the French, on 8.5%.
When analysing January to May this year, Brits accounted for 17.1% of all foreign tour-
ist spending, or more than €7.3bn.
The regions making the most money from foreign tourists so far this year are the Canary Islands (22.3% of total expenditure), followed by Catalunya (18%) and Andalucia (15.1%).
In May alone, however, the biggest earners were Catalunya (19.9%), the Balearic Islands (19%) and the Community of Madrid (15.1%).
TOURISTS visiting Barcelona are set to be hit by a rise in charges after the city council agreed to increase visitor levies by over 20%.
The Catalan capital, which receives almost 10 million visitors annually, will increase its tourist tax from €3.25 to €4 a night on tourist accommodation in a move that is expected to generate an additional €20 million in revenues. When introduced just three years ago it was €0.75 a night.
Security
Currently, Barcelona collects €95 million annually from the tax, but spends €142 million on tourist expenses, including additional transport, security and cleaning.
The Deputy Mayor for Economy, Tax and Tourism, Jordi Valls, expects the new surcharge to come into force in October.
The proposal is supported by all parties present in the city council bar the conservative Partido Popular (PP) and far-right Vox.
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
CITY LIFE but not as you know it
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Quick Crossword
Across: 4 Astonishment, 8 Uh-uh, 9 Imagines, 10 Alphas, 12 Tarzan, 13 Tremor, 14 Nieces, 15 Phone-ins, 16 H T T P, 17 Prime suspect.
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Forget the bustling plazas and sprawling avenues – Frias offers a city experience unlike any other
Nestled in the heart of the Castilla y Leon region, this charming settlement holds the title of Spain's smallest city, boasting a population of just under 300. But what Frias lacks in size, it more than makes up for in character. It may not have a cathedral, but it was granted city status by King Juan II of Castile in 1435 by royal charter and these days it is a popular tourist spot. Taking a stroll through cobbled streets time seems to be frozen in a bygone age.
By Alex Trelinski
the 21st century. Frias’ location is no accident. Perched atop a hill overlooking the Ebro River, the town served as a crucial crossing point on ancient routes leading to the Cantabrian Sea.
This tiny city offers a glimpse into a bygone era
Quaint houses precariously perch on the edge of a crag, two historic churches, and a convent all contribute to Frias' medieval atmosphere. As you wander, it's easy to forget you're in
cold temperature of the water that flows from the mountainous peaks draining into the Tobalina Valley.
The imposing Velasco Castle, dating back to the 12th-15th centuries, dominates the river crossing and would have protected the surrounding region from raiders during the uncertain and wartorn days of the medieval age.
Frias is aptly named in homage to the
To explore the narrow, winding streets leave your car behind - the charming alleyways are far too narrow for vehicles. As you climb to the summit of the escarpment you can take in breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.
Step outside the city walls and dis-
cover a picture-perfect landscape. Rolling fields, fertile farmlands, and the majestic Obarenes Mountains paint a breathtaking backdrop to this unique city. Spain is a country brimming with vibrant cities and sun-drenched beaches. But for those seeking a unique and unforgettable experience, Frias beckons.
This tiny city offers a glimpse into a bygone era, breathtaking natural beauty, and a chance to slow down and truly appreciate the
SMALLEST ‘CITY’: Frias population of just 300 live in houses perching on
Crucifix thieves
POLICE recovered over a tonne of bronze crucifixes stolen from cars and homes in Toledo province that thieves were going to melt down and sell for cash.
Flip-flopped
THE Guardia Civil has issued a reminder to drivers in Spain that although wearing flipflops is not strictly illegal, you can be charged if you crash because of them.
Hero search
THE hunt is on for a lone ‘hero’ Spanish football fan who was filmed celebrating manically in a sea of Germany supporters after Spain scored a last minute winner in their Euro 2024 quarter final.
Come again?
Government wants to limit people to 30 porn sessions a month in order to combat children being exposed
THE Spanish government is seeking to introduce a ‘digital card’ that will give users ‘tokens’ in order to view porn websites. The online card, set to arrive in late summer, will require users to identify themselves and verify their age when they top their cards up.
It will give them 30 tokens to visit porn websites over a period of 30 days before needing to identify themselves again. But the user can renew their set of tokens as many times as they want, so in effect there will not be limitations on how much porn a person can watch. Heavy users of online porn will even receive alerts reminding them to renew their tokens if they max out their sessions before the 30-day period. The idea of the tokens is to
By Walter Finch
O.A.Prix
RACING legend Johnny Herbert is swapping the high-octane world of Formula 1 for the thrilling world of...Benidorm's mobility scooters.
see on minors’ access to adult content and its possible consequences are what have led us to develop this tool as quickly as possible,” said Jose Luis Escriva, Spain’s digital transformation minister,
Baa-stards!
but a recent drought has made things even worse.
FURIOUS locals are demanding action over 200 rogue goats, which have taken over the picturesque mountain towns of Cox in the Sierra de Callosa mountain range in Alicante. The brazen baa-stards are munching through gardens and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
For years residents have endured the hoofed hooligans,
Apparently, British holidaymakers have earned a reputation for being a tad too enthusiastic with their electric steeds, leaving the local council clutching their pearls. That's where Herbert comes in. Forget champagne showers and podium finishes, this summer he'll be facing a different kind of g-force: Granny power. The 1991 Le Mans champion is being enlisted by package holiday company, On the Beach, to teach the over-55s the finer points of mobility scooter etiquette.
The feral goats are now descending on the town in ever larger numbers in search of food and drinking water from the town’s fountains.
As a temporary measure, the town council has created areas with supplies of water and food in the hills out of town.
avoid the need for identity checks every time someone wants to watch porn, which would in turn create privacy issues for the government’s policy planners. The stated purpose of the new ‘digital card’ is to stop children under 18 from accessing porn. “The data we
A report published by Spain’s Ministry of Justice in January found that seven out of ten young people between the ages of 13 and 17 regularly watch porn, with 30% saying it is their only source of sexual education. The tokens will be issued by a ‘trusted government entity’ which ‘will not generate a trace of the request’, according to sources from the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
The National Cryptologic Centre will ‘ensure there is no record’ of users’ porn habits’.
The good news for Brits (and their possibly terrified ankles) is that these lessons will come with a free scooter rental. Herbert himself, now a sprightly 60, sees the humor in the situation. “I never thought I’d be teaching Brits how to drive scooters in Benidorm,” he chuckled (hopefully not while trying to outrun a particularly feisty octogenarian on a mission for discounted marmalade).
