Olive Press Costa Blanca South and Murcia Issue 115

Runway rejection

SPAIN'S Transport Minister, Oscar Puente, has rejected calls for a second runway at Alicante-Elche airport and believes that a new second terminal can deal with rising passenger numbers.

Puente said that a second terminal will help the airport to cope with 26 million passengers per year, as opposed to the current number of 16 million. He stated that 'airlines do not want' a second runway, but if one was needed, 'it would be built'.

Local politicians and business groups have been campaigning for a second runway, as a necessity.

The Alicante Chamber of Commerce published an economic impact study report last week into having a second runway.

Chamber president, Carlos Baño, said: “There will be airlines that will have to stop flying to Alicante because they will not have a runway.”

He claimed that carriers would be ‘forced to look elsewhere’ due to saturation caused by a lack of a second runway.

The airport this week announced an April passenger record with nearly 1.6 million travellers - 10.8% more than a year earlier.

The first four months of 2024 has seen a cumulative total of 4.8 million passengers - up 18.5% on the same period in 2023.

A BRITISH couple have been arrested for allegedly running a prostitution ring in Spain - after being prosecuted for the SAME crime in the UK.

Lord Neil Lock and Natalie Lock, both 43, are awaiting extradition accused of human trafficking and money laundering, the Olive Press can reveal.

The pair, who have four children all living in Spain, are currently being held in separate Madrid prisons.

Sources told this paper the Scottish couple are accused of operating the sex ring from Madrid and previously Alicante and Granada.

It comes 14 years after they raked in almost half a million pounds from their illegal escort business in Britain, for which they were convicted.

The family moved to Spain after Neil was discharged from prison.

The couple quickly launched various businesses around the country, managing phone lines for prostitutes offering sex.

It is understood they did the same for punters in the UK, where they are now facing extradition.

The pair are understood to have been operating the businesses since moving to Baza, in inland Granada, in 2015, after Lock got out of prison.

A local Spaniard told the Olive Press: “They had a huge house encircled by mafia-style walls and a big steel gate.

“There were also several outbuildings which they converted into offices for the business, where they would be answering phones on behalf of the call girls. They were effectively their agents or pimps.”

Swap the buzzing tourist hotspots for something more relaxing... see Quieter twins on page 12

LORD OF THE RING

British couple - one a ‘lord’ - are accused of running an illegal brothel network in Spain

ta Blanca.

By Laurence Dollimore

He claimed they employed various expats and locals to man the phones. He added: “When things got too hot in Baza, they moved to Madrid, via Alicante, I believe.

Huge

“They now have a huge home on the outskirts of the capital, near the mountains.”

Photos from social media show the family enjoying life on the Cos-

Natalie and Neil Lock enjoyed pool parties, hog roasts and magical entertainment as they splashed the cash

Throughout 2021, one of the couple’s sons regularly posted pictures of himself taking in the sights of Elche, in Alicante, on his Instagram account.

More recently the family, including mother Natalie and father Neil, have been sharing updates from their life in Madrid.

They can be seen supporting the local football team Atletico and wining and dining in top restaurants - plus enjoying luxury holidays abroad.

They are said to have moved from Baza after ‘upsetting the locals by flashing their cash and showing off their lavish lifestyle’, including ‘pool parties, hog roasts and magicians’.

The local added: “Too many people started asking questions about how they made their money.”

The husband and wife hit the headlines in 2010 after it emerged they had hired a police officer as a call girl.

WPC Victoria Thorne was rumbled after she was found being advertised as ‘Kelly’ on the couple’s ‘Notorious Girls’ website.

Neil also recruited her as an informant to supply inside information on his competitors and circle of prostitutes.

At trial, Newcastle Crown Court

heard the Locks had made £447,804 (€520,274) from the prostitution ring but not all of it could be recouped because much of it had been spent. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, Neil was ordered to return just £43,826 (€50,921) while his wife, due to a lack of assets, had to pay a token £1.

The pair admitted conspiracy to control prostitution for gain and conspiracy to manage brothels while Thorne pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office. Neil also pleaded guilty to possessing a shotgun without a certificate and possession of liquid Ecstasy. Neil was jailed for four years while Natalie received a suspended sentence.

Inmates

A spokesperson from Spain’s prison service said it was unable to comment on specific inmates due to ‘data protection laws’.

The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed the case and referred us to West Midlands police, who were handling the investigation.

A spokesperson for the force said: “As the two arrested in Spain have not yet been charged, we cannot confirm names. We are awaiting extradition.”

As missing Madeleine McCann would have reached 21 this week - and it’s 17 years since she was abducted in Portugal - the Olive Press painstakingly traces the movements of her likely German expat abductor around southern Spain and the Algarve in May 2007

CHEERS:

NO NEED: Oscar Puente

Control freak

A NORWEGIAN fugitive has been arrested on the Orihuela Costa for mistreating his partner for seven years including making death threats and having total control over her.

Malaga link

RAIL operator Renfe starts a high speed train service from Alicante and Murcia to Malaga on June 1, with the journey via Madrid lasting over six hours.

Flasher alert

POLICE are looking for a man who exposed himself outside a San Miguel de Salinas school and attacked a passer-by who admonished his behaviour.

Cruise boost

CARTAGENA'S port authority will cut taxes and offer other financial carrots to attract more cruise ships to stop over in 2025, with over 250,000 passengers expected this year.

CLEAN GETAWAY

Shocking delay sees arrest warrant for Dutch mafia boss 'Taxi' issued THREE WEEKS after he escaped authorities in Spain

THE Spanish courts which allowed one of Europe’s most wanted mafia leaders to skip bail did not issue an arrest warrant for him till three weeks later.

The arrest of Karim Bouyakhrichan, the leader of Holland’s feared ‘Mocro mafia’, in January was seen as a major coup for Spanish law enforcement.

But a sequence of blunders has seen him not only escape, but given a three week head start on cops trying to bring him back in.

The Dutch-Moroccan was

By Walter Finch

released on provisional bail on March 19, eight weeks after his arrest on January 25, with orders to regularly sign on at a Marbella court.

He initially signed in at Fuengirola and

then made just one trip to the court in Rincon de la Victoria on April 1. On his next ex-

Truckin hell

A LORRY driver was pulled over twice in three hours for drink-driving on the AP-7 motorway.

The trucker, 36, was first stopped by the Guardia Civil at a routine checkpoint in the Orihuela area.

A breath-test showed he was six times over the limit and officers immobilised his vehicle.

Three hours later he was spotted flouting the ‘no-drive’ order and was arrested by the Guardia as he passed by Elche.

GONE: Judicial errors let Bouyakhrichan escape, despites threats to Amalia of Orange

pected appearance on April 15 he failed to show.

Yet the shockingly inert Mar-

Cut and high

AN ALMORADI hairdresser and her husband have been accused of using a hair salon as a drugs sales point. The Guardia Civil reacted to several complaints and monitored the salon where they noticed a constant flow of people - including children - visiting it day and night The salon owner, 29, is accused of running the logistics side of the business, while her partner was in charge of selling hashish.

bella court only issued arrest warrants for him on May 7, over three weeks after his escape was known to them. They issued a European Arrest Warrant, and also put out an International Arrest Warrant in case he has fled to Morocco.

Dutch authorities had put in an extradition request for their public enemy number one at the time of his arrest, urging the Spanish courts to remand him in custody in the meantime.

As well as being an alleged cocaine kingpin, Bouyakhrichan made death threats towards the Netherlands’ Crown Princess, Amalia of Orange, when she was just 18.

Ironically, Amalia was taking refuge from the threats in Madrid until just a few months ago. She has since returned to Amsterdam.

Opinion Page 6

A PAIR of modern-day highwaymen have been arrested for assaulting and robbing bus passengers on the Caravaca-Murcia route. They boarded at Mula and were said to be drunk.

The Policia Nacional were called in central Murcia but the thieves pressed the vehicle's emergency alarm button to escape via a door. They were detained almost immediately by police in the Plaza de Castilla. Interbus company staff said the men are part of a group that increasingly robs passengers and drivers at knifepoint.

Bad care

AN illegal Vega Baja nursing home has been raided by the Guardia Civil and closed down by social services.

The clandestine facility was based in a villa owned by a 70-year-old Swiss woman. The owner has been accused of fraud, misappropriation, and violating the rights of workers. Nine elderly German residents were discovered by officers. The Guardia Civil claims that the owner exercised total control over the bank accounts of the most vulnerable residents. She allegedly defrauded some of them by taking up to €9,500, which she then transferred to her own account.

Several untrained people worked for her illegally as caregivers.

BECK’S VINTAGE CELEBRATION

ex-footballer,

TWO celebrity couples enjoyed a special birthday wine trip to a Valladolid vineyard to celebrate ex-footballer, and now club owner, David Beckham turning 49. He travelled with his wife Victoria and close friends Gordon and Tana Ramsay on a private jet for some top notch wining and dining. And David did not return empty handed - he was spotted

clutching a €1,000 bottle of Dominio de Pingus.

A source close to the group said: “David and Victoria have for many years enjoyed days out to vineyards with Gordon and Tana. It is kind of their thing.”

Meanwhile Victoria, who turned 50 last month, was seen without crutches for the first time after she broke her foot on Valentine’s Day.

Expat family in Marbella are ‘so proud’ after their young daughter wows judges on The Voice Kids in Spain

A YOUNG British expat from Marbella has wowed judges on The Voice Kids Spain, making her family ‘so proud’. Carmen Holden was just 11 when she stepped out onto the La Voz Kids stage.

The British expat moved to Marbella when she was a toddler and her home has always been full of music.

“Don’t let my name fool you, I’m Scottish” she proudly said in the episode:

“We like to listen to music a lot at home,” she continued.

EXCLUSIVE

By Yzabelle Bostyn

Carmen claims many people have told her she has ‘a special voice’.

She was often encouraged to sign up to The Voice but ‘never thought she’d actually be able to do it’.

However, Carmen, now 12, fought back her ‘nerves’, saying: “I’m nervous but excited to go out and sing.

me, next time, no nerves, calm, with me by your side we’ll go forward and just enjoy it.”

A star is born SPECIAL DELIVERY

AUSTRALIAN actor Nicole Kidman went Spanish to dazzle visitors to the annual Met Gala in New

“My dad sings and my brother plays guitar. We’ve tried to make a band and we’ve written songs. It’s great.”

With music in her blood,

“For me, The Voice Kids is just a game, whatever happens, the most important thing is to enjoy it.”

She sang a heart wrenching rendition of Always Remember Us This Way, by Lady Gaga.

Impressive

The song was featured in the acclaimed film, A Star is Born and includes some impressive notes.

It was one of these that made Spanish pop star, Lola Indigo, push her big red button and sign Carmen up to her team.

After congratulating Carmen and giving her a hug, Lola shared her surprise at seeing someone so young.

She said: “You did really well, there were little things to improve, but to me it’s not important because you’re still so young.

“When I turned and saw you, so small, I thought ‘this can’t be right’..but now you’re with

The pair broke

out in ‘happy’ tears, according to Lola: “I was very happy when I saw her because she is so cute, sweet and excited.” Meanwhile, Pop Flamenco artist Rosario Flores praised Carmen, saying: “You don’t know how good your voice is! I was about to turn around but when Lola turned, I knew I couldn’t steal you from her!”

In between many ‘thank yous’, Carmen managed to say: “I’ve seen you all on TV so to see you now is incredible.”

Singer David Bisbal then asked Carmen where she was from.

Upon hearing she was from Marbella, he exclaimed: “Enjoying Andalucia, you’ve chosen a spectacular place to live.”

Her new coach, Lola, inaugurated Carmen into her team, giving her an Equipo Lola bracelet.

Carmen is a great fit for

Speaking to the Olive Press, Carmen’s mum Angela Lafferty, said: “We are so, so proud of her for being so brave. Seeing her walk out on that stage alone was so nerve-wracking for us, but she is a brave little girl and she has always loved singing, so she was determined to do it.

“It’s also great for her as an expat to be part of something Spanish, to feel like she belongs to this country.”

Kidman went retro in a dress created by the Balenciaga luxury fashion house founded 105 years ago in San Sebastian. The theme of the Met evening was The Garden of Time with floral pieces worn by many of the visitors.

But Balenciaga designer, Demna, was more interested in exploiting the ‘time’ element. Every guest dressed in Balenciaga wore something inspired by the past - like Nicole

It was inspired by a

the singer and dancer, also known as Miriam Doblas Muñoz. The expat loves Hip Hop dancing and is part of a troupe at Fuego Dance, Fuengirola.

shoots.

TWO giant pandas have arrived on a flight from China, and are settling into their new home at Madrid Zoo. Jin Xi and Zhu Yu travelled in specially-prepared transport cages loaded with fresh bamboo and bamboo

The

public will have to wait before meeting the new arrivals, with this month set aside to ensure the couple are in good health. They replace Hua Zui Ba, 20, and Bing Xing, 23, who left Madrid to return to Chengdu in late February, having been there since 2007. In the past decade, they have had three offspring: Chulina, 7, and twins You You and Jiu Jiu, 2, who have also gone to China. Spain has been part of China’s conservation programme for more than 40 years, hosting Chu Lin, the first panda born in captivity in Europe, for 14 years at Madrid Zoo in the 80s and 90s.

York.

Kidman’s gown.

Cristobal Balenciaga Haute Couture piece from 1951, with tiers of feathered details.

IN THE BLOOD: Carmen Holden’s dad and brother are also musicians

HUG: Lola Indigo chose Carmen for her team

PAIR OF PANDAS: Jin and Zhu from China

SNAIL’S PACE

CAMPAIGNERS against a controversial 2,200-home development at Cala Mosca on the Orihuela Costa want land clearance work paused after discovering several protected snails.

The Salvemos Cala Mosca group says the removal of vegetation from plots is putting the habitat of the endangered Turodella Mauretanica at risk.

They’ve filed a complaint with the Guardia Civil’s environment unit, Seprona, and sent images of the molluscs.

“The elimination of vegetation would mean the destruction of a significant part of the population of this snail,” they insisted.

The Valencian environment ministry says that mollusc transfers to a special micro-reserve at the site have been taking place since early March, and 2,000 snails were moved in a week in early May.

Bottled up

A LONG wait to remove a major Torrevieja bottleneck is ending with a contract to upgrade the N-332 into a dual-carriageway being advertised in early 2025.

Transport Minister Oscar Puente revealed the news during a forum attended by Torrevieja mayor, Eduardo Dolon.

The N-332 carries an average of 40,000 vehicles a day with long queues forming at peak times - especially during the summer.

It’s believed that only half of the eight kilometre section will be upgraded - between Torrevieja Hospital and the CV-905 junction by the Ozone Leisure Centre.

Jumping for joy

A LOCAL wildlife enthusiast captured a series of incredible images off the coast of Spain’s Torrevieja this Monday, as a pod of bottlenose dolphins jumped for joy in the Mediterranean waters. The pictures, snapped by Juan Carlos, were shared on X (formerly Twitter) via the account for Proyecto Mastral, a project that provides information about the weather and climatic conditions in the area.

Solar farm opponents stage Alicante demo against 200 hectare plant

By Alex Trelinski

OVER 300 San Miguel de Salinas residents took to the streets to protest against plans for a giant solar farm on prime agricultural land used by fruit growers.

The proposed solar farm on the Campo de Salinas would occupy 200 hectares of farmland between the San Miguel town centre and the Torrevieja lagoon.

It would supply power to an expanded Torrevieja water desalination plant which is aiming to increase production by a third.

An environmental impact study looking at changes to the desalination works states that it is not necessary to install an additional electrical supply system.

That has been seized on by opponents,though the main aim of the solar farm is to re-

SINGING legend Sir Tom Jones will be performing at the Valencia Bullring on Sunday, June 23, starting at 10pm.

Sir Tom, 83, has wowed fans down the decades and a new generation in Britain has enjoyed him as a mentor on the UK version of The Voice.

A unique show is promised with his unmistakable voice mixed in with his charisma and magnetism plus his unmatched stage energy. His 2021 album, Surrounded By Time, made him the oldest man to get the number one spot on the UK Official Albums Chart for an album of new songs. Tickets for Sir Tom’s Valencia concert are now available through Ticketmaster and tickets.com

duce the cost of electricity.

The protestors gathered in front of the Government sub-delegation building on Alicante’s Plaza de la Montañeta.

The demonstration was led by the San Miguel Arcangel neighbourhood association da.

and local councillors, including the mayor, Juan de Dios Fresne-

Ageless superstar

It is not unusual to see dolphins in the waters off the Vega Baja but it is by no means an everyday occurrence, according to local media.

Clouded over

The local authority supplied a fleet of buses for the 70 kilometre journey to the provincial capital.

It’s claimed that around 10,000 trees - mainly producing citrus fruits - would be destroyed for the project.

Plans for massive solar farms in the region have been causing controversy for years.

A mega-project of 12,000 panels on 300 hectares between Los Montesinos and Torrevieja was turned down last year because of its proximity to a natural park.

There have been a series of protests across Alicante at the prospect of mega solar farms, with 180 planned for the province alone.

Iberdrola, world leader in the renewable energy sector, has plans for three photovoltaic projects in the Valencia region which will have a capacity of 450 megawatts and represent an investment of €235 million.

They plan to build two solar plants in Valle de Ayora-Cofrentes, and a third 50 megawatt facility in the La Encina district in Villena.

SKYS THE LIMIT

PLANS for two 80-metre-high skyscrapers in Torrevieja’s Acequion beach have been scuppered by the Supreme Court and the Valencian High Court of Justice - and similar projects are threatened. Judges backed negative environmental impact study reports from the Ministry for Ecological Transition as ‘binding and mandatory’.

The Baraka Towers consisting of 25 storeys each would have been built on land close to the seafront and next to the Doña Sinforosa park.

The project was approved at the end of 2021 by the Partido Popular-controlled Torrevieja council despite critical environmental impact studies.

The Costas Authority is seeking to stop tower developments on land adjacent to the Baraka site, as well as at Los Naufragos, and Cala de Palange - a total of 15 skyscrapers.

Thankful to be alive

A DUTCH tourist has thanked the police for saving his life after collapsing inside an El Campello shop.

He also wants to meet the heroic Policia Local officers after ICU doctors told him it was down to them that he’s still alive.

The holidaymaker was inside a Calle Muro store when he lost consciousness.

A police patrol promptly appeared and found he had no pulse and was unresponsive. Officers gave him CPR and used a defibrillator that they kept in their car until medics arrived.

His condition stabilised after 90 minutes and as paramedics took him to the ambulance, onlookers went into spontaneous applause.

The Dutch national has arranged a meeting with the life-saving police officers to pass on his gratitude.

Talk and walk

THE Orihuela-based ASOKA animal rescue centre is having a special ‘Talk and Walk’ day this Sunday for visitors to learn more about its work. A short talk will look at animal adoptions and fostering as well as becoming a volunteer at the centre based at San Bartolome, close to the Vega Baja Hospital. Three sessions in Spanish starting at 10am and one in English from 11am are available and if you would like to register, then send an email to asokaorihuela@gmail.com

Hang up

CHILDREN have been stopped from using mobile phones in all Valencian Community schools. The measure means devices have to be completely switched off inside school areas and not used until the end of the school day.

Only two exceptions are allowed under the new rules from the Valencian Ministry of Education. Phones can be used under teacher supervision if they are part of a course or if a child needs them because of health issues.

It will be down to individual schools and colleges to decide on punishments for students who flout the ban. A similar ban already exists in Murcia.

UP IN ARMS: Plans for a massive solar farm have gone down badly

PROTEST: Residents take to the streets

WONDERFUL: Bottlenose dolphins of Torrevieja

STOP: Rare snails found

PLANS DASHED: The rejected proposal

Voted

top expat paper in Spain

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a month.

OPINION

Laughing stock

THE justice system in Andalucia risks becoming a laughing stock after the latest succession of headline-grabbing failures (Clean getaway, p2).

First, a highly dangerous boss of the Dutch mafia is released on bail - despite requests from the Netherlands to keep him locked up ahead of extradition.

Then - shock horror - he fails to turn up to his mandated court appearance and is officially declared on the run.

But the humiliation doesn’t end there, after it emerged this week that an official arrest warrant was not issued until three weeks later.

Either someone is being paid to be conveniently useless, or the incompetence is genuine - and we are not sure which is worse!

The Netherlands were rightly furious, particularly given that Karim Bouyakhrichan’s gang had made several threats against the life of the Dutch crown princess.

As if the authorities were not red faced enough, another embarrassing episode was waiting around the corner.

Police caused somewhat of a media frenzy when they announced that the British and Irish gangsters accused of shooting up a restaurant in Marbella had also failed to turn up to a mandated appointment at a police station (see Olive Press Online). However, there had been yet another lapse in communication.

The appointment was for them to hand over their passports - which was made rather difficult given that the police already had them!

The lads handed themselves in the next day after seeing the widespread media reports suggesting they had done a runner.

It’s a rather worrying litany of errors that leaves residents wondering who - if anyone - is in charge at police HQ.

Let’s hope they get their act together as the summer season approaches, because lord knows they’re going to be kept busy.

ADMIN

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

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Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

Victoria Humenyuk

Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es

OFFICE MANAGER

Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es

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THE DRIFTER

As the trial of Maddie suspect Christian Brueckner starts again in Germany this week, JON CLARKE traces his suspicious movements through Spain and Portugal in May 2007

MADELEINE McCann suspect Christian Brueckner stayed in at least half a dozen places around the Algarve and Spain in the month before the British toddler went missing.

The dangerous drifter had at least one trip to Andalucia in May 2007, as well as many nights spent on three beaches near Praia da Luz, where Maddie vanished this month, 17 years ago.

In an in-depth investigation, the Olive Press has established the German sex offender also parked his distinctive white and yellow VW camper van (below) at a 'hippy travellers camp', an isolated lake and two inland villages on the Algarve.

Talking to a series of close friends and contacts, who spent time with the German pae-

dophile, 47, that Spring, we pieced together a forensic picture of his movements.

Above all, we have established Bruecknerwho is currently on trial for five other sex offences committed in Portugal - was 'constantly on the move'.

"He was bobbing around here, there and everywhere and was completely up to no good, in particular selling drugs," revealed Ken Ralphs, a British traveller, who was living on various beaches near Praia da Luz at the time.

"I was also moving around up and down the coast doing satellite TV installations for van-lifers and kept seeing his yellow and white van.

"He never stayed anywhere for long and always parked up away from the main groups, usually out of sight of the police.

"He was a shady guy, who we all knew to keep at arm's length."

We can reveal how he stayed at a trio of beaches West of the popular Algarve resort,

DON’T PANIC!

Iwhere the McCanns were holidaying with friends.

They included Praia da Boca do Rio, Praia Amado, in Carrapateira, and Praia de Barranco, where German police released a photo of his distinctive VW Westfalia van parked up, in June 2020, when they announced he was the ‘prime suspect’ in the abduction.

In particular, Brueckner liked staying up on the ‘ledges’ at Boca do Rio, which sat on cliffs between the stunning pristine beach and nearby village of Zalema, reached via a steep dirt track. German police are certain he was here on April 7, 2007, the day a young girl, 10, was groped by a man with blonde scruffy hair and blue eyes on Zalema Beach.

Joana E, now 27, and her parents will tell Braunschweig court this month that the attacker was Brueckner and he was naked apart

Marbella, the ‘Global HQ for organised crime’ is still safe despite the recent shootings - UNLESS you want to become a drug lord, writes long time resident Laurence Dollimore

F you happened to pick up the Sunday Times last week, you may have spotted an article declaring Marbella the epicentre of the ‘Costa del Globalised Crime’.

The piece by senior journalist Matthew Campbell brands the tourism hotspot as the ‘global headquarters’ for a ‘multinational array of organised criminal gangs.’

He cites the more than 100 mafia gangs from 59 different countries that operate there, and he’s not wrong; it would be foolish to deny the existence of these criminal gangs.

But they are hardly anything new.

As told in the recently released popular crime drama Marbella on Movistar+ gangsters have roamed the Costa del Sol and nearby Costa Blanca for decades.

operations - with just 10 containers filled with cocaine seized in Algeciras port in 2022.

For reference, the port manages around four million containers per year.

The story is repeated across Spain, with just 2% of containers being searched in Barcelona and a similar amount in Valencia and Bilbao.

While the recent shootings - officially five, although we can reveal there may have been be as many as a dozen this year - can be worrying, it’s important to stress the gangsters are not targeting innocent civilians. Indeed, almost every time it happens, it is either a direct attack on a rival gang or just sending a message.

The fact is the strategic location of the Spanish costas means they will always be a major entry point for drugs, particularly cocaine from South America and hashish from Morocco.

The sheer amount of product being sent via containers to the port of Algeciras and via ‘narco’ speed boats up and down the coastline has never ceased.

No one innocent has been seriously hurt in any of the reported incidents so far this year.

And they are a far cry from the days of the Kinahans in the early 2000s - which saw deadly shootouts on the streets of the Costa del Sol.

And the only place which has seen a big increase over recent years is on the Algarve of Portugal, and that’s our next door neighbour. Drug traffickers have long been able to pay off police and border officials - who have some of the lowest salaries in Europe.

Meanwhile the constantly high volume of contraband being transported makes it impossible to make a meaningful dent in their

But even then, very few innocent bystanders were killed.

Or even six years ago, when Colombians assassinated a man outside a church in Marbella’s San Pedro.

Even then, it was understood that the victim had become involved in organised crime and had amassed a huge debt with a mafia.

So no, you are not going to be shot if you visit or move to Marbella - unless you want to

start trafficking drugs. I certainly feel more safe here than I did when I lived in London. And neither my News Editor colleague, Dilip, or the editor Jon Clarke, who’s lived in or around Marbella for two decades, has ever seen a violent incident or been attacked. Even robbed. When comparing, say Manchester or Stockholm to Marbella, I certainly feel far safer walking home alone late at night. You never get the feeling of being attacked or stabbed in a dodgy area, nor be worried of something kicking off on the bus or at a bar. And that’s even on second line Puerto Banus late on a Friday night. Meanwhile, authorities are fighting back by putting more officers on the streets and increasing their surveillance via drones and canines.

This week alone, we have seen five men lying on the ground outside Aldi at police gunpoint, roadblocks at more than half a dozen places and a raid with a helicopter at a padel club. The country’s best trained detectives are also now starting to tackle the scourge of police corruption.

On the Costa del Sol, a secret, plain-clothed

HEADLINES: Recent arrests hit the news, but the reality is not so grim

VANLIFERS: Ken Ralphs (far right) with hippies on Barranco beach and (right) his van on the same beach

Green acceleration

GERMANY’S Thyssenkrupp

Nucera has been chosen as the preferred supplier of electrolysers for the first phase of a 1GW green hydrogen plant at oil giant Cepsa’s La Rabida refinery.

The company will initially come up with an engineering package for the plant, using up to 15 of its 20MW alkaline electrolysers.

The decision was announced at the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam on Monday. Cepsa plans to spend €3 billion on 1GW of green hydrogen production capacity in Huelva, plus another 1GW at its San Roque refinery in Cadiz.

Going for hydrogen Life’s a beach

The aim is to ship its renewable hydrogen as ammonia to ports in Northern Europe, with it being converted back to hydrogen once delivered. Green hydrogen is seen as a potential game-changer in decarbonising the heavy vehicle and shipping sectors, as well as a way of ‘storing’ renewable energy.

Three beaches in Valencia awarded the prestigious blue flag for first time

By Alex Trelinski

OP QUICK CROSSWORD

SALES have surged for green alternatives in Spain’s motor

Between January and March this year, 244,879 new cars have been sold in Spain, some 3.1% more than the same period last year.

The first months of 2024 have seen hybrids explode in popularity, with 89,675 sold so far. This represents a 22.59% growth compared to 2023, showing a growing preference for hybrid vehicles.

Plug-in hybrids were also sought-after, with 15,843 units sold in the first three

months of the year, a 5.92% increase compared to 2023. They now account for 5.41% of the cars in Spain. In comparison, sales of electric cars have not fared so well.

Some 13,420 electric cars have been sold, a 3.3% increase compared to 2023. Now, electric cars represent 4.58% of Spain’s total vehicles.

So far this year, the most popular motors are: Dacia Sandero, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai Tucson and Seat Arona.

FIZZING FIRST

SPAIN'S PepsiCo plant in the Basque Country, which produces iconic brands such as Pepsi, has become the company’s first plant globally to reach net-zero emissions.

The factory has been using electricity from renewable sources since 2015 and now natural gas will be totally replaced in a 100% electrification of the facilities following a two-year pilot programme.

six more than last yeartotalling 159, three ahead of Andalucia.

Blue flags acknowledge beach quality and are awarded every May by an international jury appointed by the Association of Environmental and Consumer Education.

This milestone follows the launch of 100% recycled plastic bottles across the entire Pepsi range in Spain in 2021 and a new cardboard solution for grouping cans.

Two areas in Valencia province and one in Alicante province will be flying the blue flag for the very first time in 2024.

They are Pobla Marina at Pobla de Farnals, Rabdells in Oliva, and Dels Torres in Villajoyosa.

Two beaches that lost the coveted award last year in Valencia province have been restored, namely the main beach at Pobla de Farnals and Arbre del Gos.

In Alicante province, Benidorm gets its flags back at Levante and Mal Pas after withdrawing from consideration due to environmental issues, leaving Poniente beach still flagless.

Also back are Les Deveses beach at Denia and La Ermita at Santa Pola.

La Ermita won a flag for the first time in 2021 but lost it last year.

Meanwhile Les Deveses was undertaking pipe work and regeneration in 2023 which ruled it out of contention.

The 2023 holders that have been stripped of the distiction are Llevant in Santa Pola; Cala Estaca on the Orihuela Costa; Raco de l’Albi in l’Alfas del Pi; La Cala in Finestrat; and l’Ampolla in Teulada - all in Alicante province.

The news is a blow for the Raco de’Albi beach which has had a blue flag ever since the awards were first handed out 37 years ago.

Regeneration work meant that Finestrat’s Cala had to surrender the flag after regaining it last year.

In addition, Spain has been a pilot for tethered caps one year in advance of EU law coming into force.

Biofuel cash

SPAIN’S Official Credit Institute (ICO) will invest €15 million in insurance group Mapfre’s green biofuel fund. The fund- set up last yearis Europe’s first dedicated to investment in biomethane, a 100% green biofuel derived from agriculture sector waste. Money has been used to develop nine biofuel plants across Extremadura, Castilla y Leon, and Madrid. It is expected that construction will start towards the end of the year with the facilities entering operation in 2025.

Mapfre said its first phase aim is to raise up to €100 million, for the construction and development of up 25 biomethane plants in Spain over five years.

Drought relief

THE Catalan government has lifted emergency drought measures after recent heavy rainfall provided a sufficient boost to the region’s reservoir levels. Previously, over 200 municipalities linked to the Ter-Llobregat water system had been placed under restriction since February as water levels dwindled with Catalunya in the midst of its worst drought in recorded history.

THE Valencian Community once again has the highest number of blue flag beaches and marinas in Spain -

POBLA MARINA

RABDELLS

DELS TORRES

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ITALIAN artist Ercole Pignatelli has been recreating Picasso's famous Spanish Civil War painting Guernica in front of a live audience in only 12 days. Picasso’s work - done in black and white - is regarded as one of the greatest pieces of con-

SPAIN’S Culture Ministry has cancelled a national bullfighting prize and is to start the process of eliminating the award for good.

The National Bullfighting Prize was created in 2011, and awards a prize of €30,000 to the winning matador. While events involving bulls remain popular at local fiestas in Spain, enthusiasm for bullfights themselves has been waning.

There were 3,651 bullfighting events held in Spain in 2007, falling to 1,546 in 2022. Of these just 412 were actual bullfights, while the rest were variations such as rejoneos, which are performed on horseback.

Masterpiece tribute

temporary anti-war art. The piece travelled around the world including Milan before returning to its permanent home of the Reina Sofia muse-

um in Madrid. Ercole Pignatelli was so inspired by seeing it in his home city as a teenager, that now aged 89, he's recreating and reinterpreting Guernica

as a live performance piece. Pignatelli has been doing the lifesize reproduction in Milan’s Caryatids Hall which is planned to be concluded today (Thursday).

“In 1953 I stayed for days and days looking at Picasso's masterpiecesit was total admiration, “ he said.

LOST AND FOUND

Masterpiece Ecce Homo by Italian master Caravaggio to go on show at Madrid’s Prado museum

A LONG-LOST painting by Italian master Caravaggio that was on the verge of being sold for just €1,500 before an expert stepped in has gone on display at Madrid’s Prado museum.

By Dilip Kuner

The work’s owners had put it up for sale at a Madrid auction house in April 2021, but experts felt something did not

quite ring true about the picture’s provenance.

The painting, identified as Ecce Homo, had been attributed to an unnamed artist within the studio of 17th century Spanish painter Jose de Ribera, but there was hope it could turn out to be an original Caravaggio and therefore worth upwards of €50 million.

Incredible

The sale was put on hold while specialists from Spain and Italy examined it - and the incredible truth came out.

The Spanish government then gave the picture protected status, meaning it had to be kept

in Spain. The painting was later sold to an undisclosed buyer, who worked with the Prado to have it restored.

Spain’s Culture Ministry described the painting as ‘an example of the excellence and pictorial mastery of Italian naturalism’ that had a great influence on the Madrid school of painting in the 17th century. The artwork had reportedly been hanging on the wall of a Madrid collector, Antonio Perez de Castro, founder of Madrid’s IADE design school, who had acquired it in the 70s before being put up for sale by his heirs.

It will go on display in the Prado from May 28 until October.

No bull Blooming lovely Euro letdown

THERE was disappointment for Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest as Nebulossa’s Zorra could only muster 30 points for 22nd place. Switzerland was crowned the winner with a massive 591 points with Nemo clinched the title after son The Code proved a hit with the jury vote.

While Croatia’s Baby Lasagna won the most amount of votes from the public, giving them a total score of 547, they were pipped to the post by Switzerland.

Meanwhile the UK’s Olly Alexander finished in 18th place after receiving 46 points from the jury and zero from the public.

ooming

THOUSANDS flocked to Cordoba last weekend to enjoy the final days of the famous patio festival.

From May 2 to 12, 817,829 people visited the city to marvel at its emblematic patios.

Some 52 battled it out for one of the competition’s titles and the hefty cash prizes. Each was judged by the Town Hall in many categories including ‘old architecture’, ‘modern architecture’ and ‘singular patio’.

This year, Tinte 9, Pastora 2 and Marroquies 6 respectively triumphed in these categories. The over 100-yearold tradition began in 1921 to celebrate the start of spring.

At the beginning of May each year, the locals decorate their houses, filling them with as many colourful flower pots as possible. It was declared a festival of UNESCO Intangible Heritage in 2012, cementing Cordoba’s image as a cultural hub in Andalucia

ON SHOW: Ecce Homo by Caravaggio

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A little Gaudi glory

ANTONI Gaudi is an architect synonymous with the Catalan city of Barcelona.

By far, his most famous work is the unfinished Sagrada Familia cathedral (pictured right).

It might be on the small side for a Gaudi building, but it’s big on style. We form an orderly queue to look inside one of Barcelona’s lesser-known must-see attractions, the Casa Vicens

By Dilip Kuner

But the architect, who lived from 1852 to 1926, is also responsible for a host of other buildings scattered throughout the city.

Each is a wonderful example of the Catalan Modernisme style of architecture, distinctive for being colourful, eye-catching, and inspired in part by nature.

Some are well-known, including Casa Batllo and La Pedrera.

But also on the tourism map and fast gaining popularity, is the first house he ever built.

Casa Vicens was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005, but has been open to the public for five years. Carefully restored, the house is close to its original state, providing visitors with a unique insight into the architect’s style.

Gaudi had been qualified only five years when he was hired in 1883 by tile manufacturer Manuel Vicens Montaner to design a summer house in the suberb of Gracia. Gracia was swallowed up by the

city long ago. Now, to any visitor happening upon Casa Vicens in its narrow street among offices and apartment blocks, it comes as a delightful surprise, as if a Moorish palace had arrived on a magic carpet.

It is equally delightful and surprising inside where there are stucco walls symbolising reeds and ferns, murals of herons and cranes, and papier-mache cherries and leaves between the ceiling beams. Even the furniture was made to his

own design.

The influence of Andalucia is apparent in the Arabian smoking room: Gaudi has created a pastiche of the stalactite ceilings of the Alhambra in Granada – his version is made from moulded cardboard. With access limited to 500 people a day, it is best to visit the website (casavicens.org) and book a ticket in advance to avoid disappointment.

FIRST EFFORT:

Casa Vicens is a prime example of the Catalan Modernisme style inside and out, as well as in its details

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

TOLL FREE

PORTUGAL is on the verge of scrapping tolls on roads that connect the country to Spain where no ‘safe and high quality’ alternative route is available.

The government estimates that the initiative will cost around €157 million.

Among the roads that will become free is the A22 in the Algarve, which connects to Andalucia; the A4, which leads into Zamora province, as well as the A13, A23 and A24, which reache Ourense.

The draft law still has to go through several stages before coming into force, including its signing by the head of the parliament and the president, before it is sent to the prime minister.

Social outrage

FLASHPOINTS between tourists and locals are emerging on social media after holidaymakers were accused of ‘taking all the seats’ of a bus in Andalucia.

A photo shared by the Albazyn_Habitable campaign group in Granada shows an elderly woman and other people standing in a packed out bus.

The caption reads: “The bus filled with sitting tourists and the old people from the neighbourhood standing.

“Unfortunately, this scene is

By Laurence Dollimore

repeated almost daily and is complicated because the urban buses are full and the elderly people struggle to stay standing up.”

It comes as a separate anti-tourism campaign on the Canary Islands has been

TOURIST BOOM

FOREIGN holidaymakers in Spain reached a record high for the first quarter of a year with UK arrivals accounting for 18.4% of the market.

The National Statistics Institute reported 6.3 million overseas arrivals in March, beating the previous record for that month of 5.6 million set in 2019. Over the first quarter of 2024, the cumulative total is 16.1 million visitors - up 17.7% on last year and 13.3% more than five years earlier.

Arrivals from the United Kingdom continue to dominate with nearly three million arrivals between January and March - an increase of 15.1% on 2023.

Germany comes second with two million visitors, just edging out France with 1.9 million tourists.

branded ‘xenophobic’ and ‘aggressive’ by locals who say leaders of the movement are becoming ‘more and more unbearable’.

A series of posters shared on Instagram show a string of expletive-laden messages

RUDE: Poster has been called ‘too agressive’

written in English on postcard-style backgrounds.

One poster reads: “It could be my house but it’s your f***ing Airbnb,” while another says, “the fact that you arrive forces us to leave.”

While many comments supported the designs for ‘saying what we are all feeling’, there were just as many criticising them.

One commenter said in

Spanish: “The message is too aggressive and badly directed. The tourists are not to blame, it’s a question of our politics.”

In one impassioned post, a local said: “The guiris are not to blame at all, the majority of them are normal people who come here to relax and they don’t buy homes to rent them out nor destroy the environment’.

MEAT DELIGHT

SPAIN’S biggest meat and grill festival will be staged for the fifth time in Valencia at the end of the month.

The Meat Carnival takes place at the city’s Antigua Estacion del Grao between May 23 and June 2.

The event will bring a record number of exhibitors offering over 50 different dishes for the anticipated 50,000 visitors. International cuisine will be featured at the festival with a Turkish grill, Asian dishes, Argentinian barbecues, and offerings from Finland, Mexico, and Uruguay.

Exotic meets will include reindeer and more traditional fare like roast chicken will be available in a special dome called ‘MadChicken’. There’ll be a variety of culinary contests including those for the best steak tartare, spicy wings, and the top grilled steak.

Overtourism is the word on everyone’s lips this Spring.

As visitors start to roll into Spain’s most popular destinations in droves, anti-tourism movements are growing across the country and politicians are taking notice.

Tourist tax has increased in Palma de Mallorca while you will soon be charged to enter Sevilla’s Plaza de España.

So, why not help alleviate the strain on the likes of Malaga, Barcelona and Tenerife by checking out some lesser known locations?

Leading tour comparison site, TourScanner, has conducted a study to discover the best alternative options.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

QUIETER TWINS

It found similar - or twin - locations to popular tourist spots and ranked them based on the amount of annual visitors.

Barcelona = Cadiz

The Catalan capital was one of the fi rst cities in Spain to begin an anti-tourist movement.

Millions of visitors fl ock to the city each year to see the mix of the jostling old town, impressive art and the bustling city centre.

That has not only made Barcelona overcrowded but expensive and in some areas, dangerous.

Cadiz in Andalucia has been suggested as a great alternative, with far fewer tourists each year.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

While the cathedral is no Sagrada Familia, its grand facade and the views from its tower make it worth a visit.

The Parque Genoves bears many similarities to Barcelona’s Parc de la Ciutadella, with sandy pathways and overhanging palm trees providing shade from the summer heat.

Above all, it is the lively street life - including Spain’s most famous carnival - that sets it apart.

Just like Barcelona, Cadiz perfectly mixes beach days and city culture, with lots of museums and historic monuments.

Much like the Costa Dorada, Cadiz is surrounded by beach side hamlets and fi shing villages, all with clear water and golden sand.

Madrid = Salamanca

One of the most visited cities in Spain, Madrid is well worth a visit.

But if you can’t handle the crowds, Salamanca receives far fewer tourists a year compared to Madrid’s 60.2 million.

Found in Castilla y Leon, the city is just a 2.5 hour train ride away from the Spanish capital.

It is home to the oldest university in the Hispanic world and still maintains a vibrant student community, with plenty of bars, cheap food and nightlife.

Similar to Madrid is the Plaza Mayor, complete with Baroque style architecture to rival its neighbouring city.

Unlike Madrid’s Catedral de Almudena, Salamanca boasts two cathedrals.

The Old Cathedral is a ‘truly magnifi cent’ Roman monument, while the New Cathedral is built in an inspiring gothic style.

The city also has a river fl owing through it and you can walk along it over the roman bridge. It also has many museums, including the impressive Museo de Art Nouveau.

Mallorca = Menorca

Tourism is a key political issue in Mallorca at the moment, with pro-

Salamanca

BREATHTAKING: The beauty of Salamanca is not spoilt by overtourism

Scrap Barcelona for…

Swap Madrid for…

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Love Spain but hate overcrowding? Here are three of the best alternatives to the biggest tourist traps

testors even putting fake posters at popular beaches warning of ‘dangerous jellyfish’ and ‘falling rocks’ to scare off tourists.

Visitors outnumber locals 70 to one, threatening the beauty, peace and culture of the island.

Nonetheless, holidaymakers are still searching for holidays in the area, with 201,000 monthly searches.

But, if you prefer not to increase tensions, why not try Menorca?

The island welcomes just 4 million tourists a year,

27 million fewer tourists than Mallorca’s 31 million.

Menorca has equally picturesque coves, clear waters and dramatic rocks lining their beaches. Although it isn’t hilly like Mallorca, Menorca is still great for cycling and hiking amongst its vast nature. The towns of Mahon and Ciutadella are small in comparison to La Palma de Mallorca but nonetheless historic, with a relaxed vibe as you wander through the charming streets.

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Menorca

TIMELESS: The charm of Cadiz has endured down the ages

SMALLER BROTHER: But the coves and old world vibe of Menorca hold their own against Mallorca

Swap busy Mallorca for…

Mozzie warning

MORE than 100 cases of Malaria were detected in Andalucia last year, official figures have revealed.

The southernmost region is at risk of seeing a surge in such insect-borne diseases amid a rise in temperatures caused by global warming.

This year, for example, has seen mosquitos arrive months earlier than usual due to the ideal combination of humidity caused by recent rains and high temperatures.

Figures from the Junta show there were a total of 101 registered malaria cases in 2023, plus 47 dengue fever infections and 76 cases of leishmaniasis.

There were also multiple cases of West Nile virus last year - while at least two have been confirmed so far this year.

The diseases killed three people in 2023; A man, 81, who died of leishmanasis, a woman, 68, who died of malaria and an 84-year-old woman who died of West Nile fever. In response, Andalucia has launched a special ‘surveillance and control’ team - dubbed PEVA - that will advise on how to stop such diseases from growing.

Head researcher at the Doñana Biological Station, Jordi Figuerola, said the diseases are growing.

He said: “In Catalunya there were two recent cases of dengue in people who had not travelled.

“And right now, South America is experiencing a greater number of dengue cases and it is more than foreseeable that they will reach our country.”

A SPANISH centenarian has gone viral after a news clip of him was shown working out at his local gym.

The slogan on Jose Luis Ortega’s t-shirt has proven to be apt - ‘100 years inspiring those around me’ after he was shared thousands of times on TikTok.

The former physiotherapist has been exercising in the gym daily since 1935, when he was 11.

The centenarian follows a reg-

100 not out

ular routine of working out on the gym machines, before swimming in the pool for halfan-hour.

And his advice to people who want to live a long, fit life is simple: “Do something, do exercise. Don’t smoke and have a little glass of red wine with lunch.”

Nolotil toddler

A BRITISH expat has been left ‘livid’ after her toddler was given ‘lethal’ Nolotil painkiller.

When Hannah Pearson’s three-year-old daughter, Amalie (pictured with mum), experienced high temperatures, the 39-year-old and her husband, James, 38, took her to a private doctor in Golf del Sur in Tenerife, who diagnosed Amalie with Scarlet Fever.

EXCLUSIVE

By Yzabelle Bostyn

a nasty surprise. Her daughter had been prescribed Nolotil.

But when Hannah returned from work, she got

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As a former nurse and owner of a care business, Hannah knew of the risks this ‘deadly’ drug can have, including sepsis, organ failure and even death.

“It was absolutely terrifying,” she told the Olive Press.

“I was livid and shocked that she had been prescribed Nolotil when she was doing fine on Ibuprofen and Calpol. It was gobsmacking.”

Luckily, James had not followed the doctor’s recommended dose and only gave his daughter a ‘drop’ to see if she responded well. Amalie had been prescribed Metagial, a droplet form of Nolotil intended for children.

Aware of the danger of the drug, the couple did not administer any more doses, despite the doctor’s recommendation of a 0.4mg dose every eight hours for five days.

“I knew because I have medical knowledge, but if I didn’t it could have wiped her out,” said Hannah.

That night, the couple ‘barely slept’, keeping a ‘close eye’ on Amalie over fears they had ‘done harm to their child’. Thankfully, the little girl has not presented any side effects. Nolotil, whose active ingredient is metamizole, is known to provoke extreme adverse

side effects in northern europeans, including low white blood cell count, sepsis, organ failure, gangrene and even death.

CLOT PERIL

PHARMACEUTICAL company AstraZeneca has admitted for the first time that its Covid-19 vaccine can cause rare side effects such as thrombosis.

The admission came in court documents that were submitted to the High Court in the United Kingdom as part of a class-action lawsuit. AstraZeneca accepted that its Covid vaccine ‘can, in very rare cases, cause TTS’, which stands for Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome. This causes people to have blood clots as well as a low blood platelet count. If it loses the legal action, the company is facing paying out damages of up to £100 million to victims and relatives of people who had complications, with a total of 51 cases lodged at the High Court.

A SPANISH health agency has warned that under-10s should not eat swordfish, bluefin tuna and dogfish.

Despite being a good source of protein, essential nutrients and Omega-3 fatty acids, these fish can be risky to the health of the under-10s and pregnant women given their high mercury content.

As predators, these fish are prone to high levels of the metal as it concentrates up the food chain.

The pollutant make its way into lakes, rivers and seas, due to industrial activity.

FISH BLUES

Once eaten by humans, it can affect the nervous system, which is a particular issue for the under-10s, as well as for unborn babies.

The Aesan health agency recommends that adults don’t exceed more than three or four servings of fish that can contain mercury a week. Children aged between 10 and 14 should be limited to 120 grams a month.

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 6 Writ, 7 At large, 9 Adoption, 10 Find, 11 Inuit, 12 Medical, 14 Beggars, 16 Plush, 18 Trot, 20 Fair game, 21 Linseed, 22 Tall.

Down: 1 Credence, 2 Stepping stone, 3 Vapid, 4 Traffic lights, 5 Jean, 8 Lunge, 12 Mrs, 13 Assemble, 15 Rifle, 17 Wilde, 19 Roll.

BUSINESS

BANK WARS NO YOU HANG UP

THE Spanish government has moved to kibosh a proposed €12.2 billion hostile takeover of Banco Sabadell by BBVA.

It was reasoned that such a merger could create uncertainty in the financial market.

BBVA had decided to bypass Sabadell’s board and woo its shareholders directly after its initial takeover bid was rejected.

While the Basque bank claimed the deal would save €850 million annually and allow the new entity to compete better in Europe, the government did not agree.

Work boost

THE number of people registering as jobless in Spain fell by 2.22% in April from a month earlier according to the Labour Ministry.

Figures showed a total of 2.67 million people out of work - a fall of 60,503 - the lowest number since September 2008. Compared with the same month last year, unemployment decreased by 4.4%.

The bulk of new jobs came in the services sector including hospitality and tourism, with unemployment falling by 42,067.

The number of jobless under 25 years of age fell by 8.26% in April compared to March, by 16,925 to a total of 188,082 people.

Ahead in the cloud

Microsoft reported by host of startups over restrictive practices

TECH giant Microsoft has been hit with a complaint filed by Spanish start-up companies about its dominance in the increasing cloud computing sector.

The complaint has been filed with the CNMC monopoly watchdog.

The Spanish Startup Association, which represents more than 700 start-ups, has produced a list of allegedly anti-competitive practices by Microsoft in recent years.

Microsoft is second in the cloud computing sectorbehind Amazon - but is ex-

By Alex Trelinski

pected to close the gap rapidly as a clutch of generative AI features powered by OpenAI’s technology attract business users.

“Microsoft has

not only taken advantage of the dominant position in the markets of Operating Systems (Windows) and traditional productivity software like Microsoft Office to force the use of its Azure cloud, but

Off the hook

A SECOND case against Colombian singer Shakira has been shelved six months after she reached a deal with prosecutors over a tax fraud.

In November she agreed to pay a fine of €7.8 million after reaching a deal with the prosecutor in Barcelona as well as the Tax Agency for having evaded €14.5 million tax between 2012 and 2014. Having long denied the allegations, she agreed to the sanction in order to avoid any possibility of jail time.

But her tax woes were not over, with prosecutors launching a second case claiming she had avoided another €6.6 million in

BARRIERS: Start-ups can’t compete

they have also imposed artificial barriers that limit the ability of start-ups to compete fairly and competitively,” the Spanish complaint says.

“These practices include barriers to data portability

tax in 2018.

Now the prosecutor has found that there is insufficient evidence against her for criminal action.

or contractual conditions that restrict competition in software licenses, preventing the free choice of providers of these services, reducing the capacity for choice and flexibility that start-ups need to be able to be resilient, innovate and grow,” the document added.

The association has called on the CNMC to launch an investigation and to take urgent measures to ensure a competitive market.

Start-up association president, Carlos Mateo, said: “We believe that all companies should be able to compete in an environment of equality so as not to be left behind either as customers or as companies providing this technology.”

The European Commission and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority are also probing the cloud computing sector and Microsoft’s position within it.

SPANISH regulators have given their blessing to British investment firm Zegona’s €5 billion bid for Vodafone Spain.

UK telecoms giant Vodafone is selling after admitting defeat in the notoriously competitive Spanish market where Movistar is king.

It was prompted to throw in the towel when the European Commission approved an €18.6 billion merger between its other two rivals in Orange and Masmovil in 2022.

The deal is expected to close on May 31.

Cashed out

SPAIN’S gambling regulator has dished out fines totalling over €81 million to 17 online betting websites in the second half of 2023. The DGOJ ordered 10 of them to be shut down.

The biggest penalty of €35 million and a four-year closure was given to the National Organisation of the Spanish and European Disabled (ONDEE).

They had been accused of unfair competition by the ONCE charity by selling lottery tickets and even masquerading as it.

TAKING CARE OF THE VULNERABLE

UK foundation that protects the finances of the elderly expands to Spain

BARELY a week passes by without a horrific report of an elderly person in Spain being deceived by a trusted carer or a supposedly-close friend.

Stories of bank accounts being cleared out are far too common, and non-Spanish speaking people living on their own are especially prone to be conned.

Now that is set to change with the news that a UK foundation that manages money for vulnerable people is expanding to Spain.

The Manchester-based Money Carer Foundation is a national social enterprise founded in 2009. The organisation provides money management services for elderly and vulnerable people, their carers, and the families who support them.

In Britain, hundreds of law firms, local authorities, and care providers use the Money Carer technology engine and banking platform to assist them in better managing the finances of their clients.

Money Carer CEO Sean Tyrer (pictured inset) said: “We, in effect, act as the Corporate Appointee, authorised by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) to help thousands of people in

the UK manage their welfare benefit entitlements.”

“Our service provides security and convenience, with access to

real-time transaction information.”

Money Carer works hand-in-hand with carers, family members, social workers and other professionals to serve their clients in the best way possible and, crucially- in their best interest.

The foundation is now set to launch in Spain, aiming to end some cases of vulnerable people being ripped off - often without even knowing it.

Money Carer will look to help elderly expats, people with learning difficulties, and those who have had or still have substance abuse issues.

“We take on a legal role and take responsibility for a person’s finances by managing their finances via a single facility, which includes receiving funds and paying bills,” said Sean.

It recently held an Open Day in Alicante to attract expats to work for it on a part-time or job-share basis.

It has already signed up an experienced carer and clinical administrator from the Denia area of Alicante province.

Sean Tyrer said: “We are looking for people with experience who perhaps have been carers or worked for social services to join our innovative money management team.

“It will be a unique opportunity to do some fascinating and caring work!”

Sean told the Olive Press that Money Carer will look to roll out across Spain towards the end of the year.

“We want to lay down the right foundations, and I hope to meet with organisations that work with the elderly and contact the British Embassy to see how we can support and collaborate.”

In the UK, Money Carer partners with the DWP and over 100 local authorities to provide money management services.

The first priority in Spain will be to introduce a secure, biometric fingerprint-activated card.

This card would allow a carer to manage and pay for things such as shopping and sundry items for the vulnerable person they look after,

but it would be monitored to ensure that everything is above board.

The fact that the card can only be used by the person whose fingerprint is linked to it when paying at the checkout adds cut-

ting-edge protection to both the carer and their client.

“A card like this will bring extra security to its owner and peace of mind that it is being used responsibly by somebody they trust,” said Sean.

Extensive information on how Money Carer works in Britain is available via their website, www.moneycarer.org.uk and there’s also an informative podcast for you to enjoy.

O P LIVE RESS

COSTA BLANCA SUR / MURCIA

Mass ejection

AT least 30 drunken passengers were kicked off an Easyjet flight from Bristol to Malaga after they threatened to ‘urinate on the floor’ if they couldn’t use the toilet during take-off.

Served cold

A NEIGHBOUR unhappy with a new swanky restaurant rooftop terrace across from her apartment in Sevilla has taken to playing loud porn noises to put diners off from eating there.

Skinny dip

BEACHGOERS at a popular Menorca resort were banned from swimming after a seven-foot blue shark was spotted cruising close to shore. The ban has since been lifted.

The most sexually active provinces in Spain - and where you’re most likely to be cheated on

A SURVEY has shown that Cadiz is the top province for Latin lotharios.

Randy residents of the province are top of the Spanish charts when it comes to the number of times they have sex - an average of 9.64 times a month.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

On the other hand, people in passionless Palencia in Castilla y Leon are the least horny, doing the deed just six times a month. The study by sex toy company,

A SINGLE woman has found love by flying to Spain from London to meet a man she hooked up with on a dating app. Celeste Hartley, 28, said dating had become ‘so bad’ in the UK capital, that she decided to set her sights further. Celeste got an app hook-

Southern lotharios

Diversual.com also revealed that residents of Murcia (8.76), Malaga (8.54), Almeria (8.40),

Love takes flight

up from Spain and the pair 'hit it off ' immediately on the phone. She then got a €300 Malaga flight to meet the 28-year-old Spaniard for a first date. She said: “Regardless of whatever happens, it is worth it for how exciting it has been.”

and Granada (8.15) were all above average in the sex charts.

At the other end of the scale, big city life would appear not to be conducive to bedroom gymnastics.

People in Barcelona (6.97), Madrid (6.96),

Navarra (6.95) and Zaragoza (6.73) were all below average when it came to bonking.

And for illicit sex, head to Tarragona, which was revealed as the most unfaithful area in Spain, with an incredible 40% of respondents admitting they had had ‘relations’ with someone who was not their normal partner.

But for those seeking a faithful other half, Palencia is the most up-standing region, with just 16% admitting to cheating. When it comes to finding the right partner, 65% said it is easier now than in years gone by, with 54% saying the best option is dating apps.

Ready to ruck

MADRID will be hosting a treat for Rugby Union sevens fans with the HSBC SVNS Series Grand Finals from May 31 to June 2. The top eight teams in the women’s and men’s league competitions have qualified for Series championship glory at the upcoming Grand Final event in Madrid from May 31 to June 2. Unfortunately for local fans both Spain’s Men and Women’s teams failed to reach the tournament. Argentina’s men will be eager to back up their SVNS Series league title on the Serie’ final stop, and the same goes for women’s league title-holders New Zealand. The male All Blacks have also made it through alongside Great Britain, France, USA, Canada, Fiji and Ireland. Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, France, the USA, Canada, Ireland and Fiji make up the eight for the female competition.