Olive Press Gibraltar Issue 176 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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taining the large crowds. Amongst the revellers was Chief Minister Fabian Picardo who commented on progress made for the LGBT community on The Rock. “We’ve come a long way down the progressive road at last and we will never allow a reverse gear! The work of Samantha Sacramento has been essential in this area. Still lots to do though,” said Picardo. Pride will continue to be marked in Gibraltar throughout the month of June with the flag lying outside Gibraltar’s landmarks.

JOINING IN: The friendly faces of the police and revellers

Undue force! McGrail Inquiry: Ex-Police chief claims ‘improper pressure’ from Gib government forced early retirement A FORMER police boss has claimed he was forced from his job amid ‘improper pressure at the highest level of government’. The former Commissioner of the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) is hitting out at a much anticipated public inquiry on the Rock. It comes exactly two years since Ian McGrail announced he was retiring from the role after serving just two years of a four-year term. At the time he failed to reveal his reasons, leading to fierce speculation over why he would retire early after 36 years with the force. So huge were the claims - which we are not revealing for legal reasons - that questions in parliament led to demands that the matter be properly investigated. When McGrail himself called for

By Fiona Govan

an inquiry, one was duly set up at the request of Chief Minister Fabian Picardo in February. At a preliminary hearing under retired High Court judge Sir Peter Openshaw, McGrail’s lawyer laid out his central argument. “His core allegations are that he was put under inappropriate pressure in respect of the conduct of a criminal investigation,” insisted Caoilfhionn Gallagher, the QC representing him. She added he was ‘subsequently put under pressure by the same individuals to request early retirement against his will, pressure to which he ultimately succumbed’. In the opening session at the Garrison Library, last Wednesday (June 22), she insisted ‘the probity of GiTHE SKY braltar's insti-

Worry

“I was told don’t worry, there will be an agreement,” he said. “Now we are isolated in the campo and relying on friends and neighbours to take us shopping and to medical appointments.” The poor advice mirrors hundreds of testimonies the Olive Press has heard throughout this debacle, leading to our front page U-Turn campaign launched on June 1. We are supporting the right of expats to swap their licences for Spanish ones, as has been the case in almost all other EU countries. Hudd, from Burton on Trent, has been campaigning continually since losing his right to

June 29th - July 12th 2022

GIBRALTAR has celebrated pride with a colourful march through the central streets. The roads were injected with all the colours of the rainbow during the march organised by the Gibraltar LGBT+ committee. Between 500 and 600 people joined the party, with Pride day starting with entertainment and speeches given in Grand Casemates Square before the march down Main Street. The fun continued well into the evening with both local and international acts enter-

By George Mathias

A PETITION demanding an answer from the British government over the right for expats to drive in Spain is nearly halfway there. Nearly 4,500 people have signed the demand for action, supported by the Olive Press’ U-Turn campaign. The petition needs 10,000 signatures to force the government to give an official response, with its creator, Stuart Hudd, urging a final push this month. The Murcia-based expat is furious that he is not able to drive in Spain under new Brexit rules, despite registering correctly as a resident in September 2020. Both he and wife got TIE residency certificates, but were wrongly told by a gestor in Mazarron they didn’t need to register to swap their driving licences.

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RETIRED: McGrail demanded an inquiry

tutions is at issue in this inquiry’. She added that she hoped the judicial investigation would be ‘full, fair and fearless’. However, Sir Peter Caruana, QC, representing the government, countered the claims, denying he was put under ‘any improper pressure’. “The Government, the then Governor, the Chief Minister and the Attorney General, deny that Mr McGrail was at any time, or by any of them, put under improper or

A Covid cold front DIRECTOR of Public Health Dr Helen Carter has warned that Covid could have unexpected consequences this winter. The pandemic seems to have impacted the patterns of other diseases, for example, Gibraltar is still recording cases of flu although flu-season normally ends by March or April. “We´re not sure why this is happening but, typically, we end up with more respiratory infections in the winter, whether that be flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the common cold as well, so we are anticipating that it is going to be a difficult winter ahead,” said Carter. Currently, the BA.5 variant is causing a surge in cases in Gibraltar. Concerns have arisen as far fewer people are regularly testing and the virus is continuously evolving. However, due to the vaccination programme, most patients only have mild symptoms and the number of hospitalisations is steady.

any pressure in the conduct of his job or the conduct of any criminal investigation,” he insisted. He argued he ‘chose to retire because he knew that, having lost the confidence of the Governor and the Chief Minister, his position had become untenable’. Judge Openshaw insisted that the inquiry would be conducted ‘quite independently’ from the Government. He added: “My findings will be made public. They are not subject to approval by the Government.” Evidence will be heard from all parties, including Fabian Picardo, while a general appeal has also been issued to the public for anyone who feels they can help.

Witnesses

Openshaw must now decide what steps he can give to offer protective measures to potential witnesses, including the possibility of providing evidence anonymously. Also discussed was whether steps would be made to provide a live feed of the proceedings, which will continue again in September. The main hearing of the inquiry is not expected to take place until March 2023.

CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF

A BRITISH fugitive has been arrested in Huelva Province over the fatal stabbing of a man in the UK in August 2021. The 22-year-old, with the initials OBP and possessing dual British-Spanish nationality, was detained in Hinojos during local fiesta celebrations.. He was living in a home belonging to family members. Police said he managed to integrate himself ‘perfectly’ into the Hino-

Barrister bidding A committee tasked with recommending appointments to the rank of Queen’s Counsel is asking for applications from interested lawyers to work for the Vice Admiral Sir David Steel.

Buy back THE Gib government is in talks with RBS International to buy back St Bernard’s Hospital after years of allegations of mismanagement by the conglomerate.

Watered down THE government is to renationalise the AquaGib waters supply in Gibraltar after an agreement signed 30 years ago between Lyonnaise Group expired.

Tracked down

jos community where he went completely unnoticed by authorities. An International Arrest Warrant was issued by Interpol Manchester after he fled the UK last summer. The man was allegedly involved in a deliberate killing on August 21, 2021. No lo-

June 29th - July 12th 2022 cation of the incident has been disclosed. In the company of three others, the man allegedly fatally stabbed his victim in the chest. Once the Policia Nacional heard that he was in Hinojos, they launched an operation on June 20 during a big fiesta that allowed them to go unnoticed and surprise the fugitive. The man was taken to the National Court in Madrid to process his extradition.

Beyond the grave ONE of Brazil's biggest drug traffickers who faked his own death in Marbella has been arrested in Budapest. Known as the ‘Brazilian Escobar’, Sergio Roberto Carvalho was arrested in 2018 for trafficking 1,700kg of cocaine into Spain. The 64-year-old evaded justice after faking his own death from Covid during the pandemic lockdown, when a Marbella court was tricked into accepting a fake death certificate. The death certificate was dated August 29, 2020 and

Creep caught NATIONAL police have detained a man in Malaga after he installed a remotely controlled app in a female colleague’s mobile phone in order to spy on her.

‘Brazilian Escobar’ who faked Covid death in Marbella busted in Budapest By Kimberley Mannion

signed by a doctor, which also claimed he had been cremated, but suspicions were raised when fingerprint samples did not match. It is believed he has spent the last few years travelling around Europe using fake identities.

A DRUG network that smuggled hash and cocaine across the Strait of Gibraltar using jet skis has been dismantled by Guardia Civil. 20 people in Ceuta and Algeciras have been arrested for their involvement in the gang from which police seized more than four tons of hashish, 122 grams of cocaine, five recreational boats and four jet skis. Guardia Civil concluded Operation Brave

A former military man, Carvalho was considered one of the most wanted criminals in the world, and was finally busted in Hungary two years after faking his death. An investigation headed by Interpol’s Fugitive Investigative Support unit finally caught the fugitive, facilitated by cooperation with police departments spanning three

Jet ski drug gang with the arrests after 11 search expeditions in various properties in the towns of Algeciras and Los Barrios in the Campo de Gibraltar as well as Ceuta, the Spanish city on the north coast of Africa from which the gang were able to smuggle the illegal drugs into the Spanish mainland.

GAME OVER: Carvalho continents. Interpol’s Secretary General Jürgen Stock said: “This is another example of successful international policing. The National Central Bureaus in Brasilia and Budapest are to be commended for their close collaboration which has put a dangerous suspect in police custody.” Carvahlo faked his own death by asking his lawyer to send a certificate to Spanish authorities, informing them that he had died of Covid.

Extradition for Maddie suspect EXCLUSIVE By Jon Clarke

EXTRADITION proceedings are being launched to bring five new charges against Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner. A German prosecutor confirmed he is sending paperwork to officially extradite Brueckner from Italy, where he was last a free man, despite him actually being in a German jail. Describing it as ‘a formality’, he told the Olive Press that it would mean the German paedophile being charged with five new offences ‘within weeks’. The crimes - three rapes and two child sex assaults - are expected to come to court in the early Autumn.

Formality

“It’s only a formality and I hope it’s not a problem,” said Hans Christian Wolters, the chief prosecutor, in Braunschweig, where the Madeleine McCann case is being handled. “I hope it will only be some weeks or a month,” he added. “I hope this year we will charge and prosecute him for these crimes.” A prosecution against Brueckner, 45, in the case of abducted Madeleine, who vanished in Portugal, in May, 2007, will follow immediately after.

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NEWS

www.theolivepress.es HE was the archetypal heartthrob in An Officer and a Gentleman and Pretty Woman, with Julia Roberts. And Richard Gere has been looking as dashing as ever on a summer break to the Balearics. The Hollywood star has been spending a few weeks with his Spanish wife Alejandra Silva and their two sons touring around the islands. The 72-year-old, whose breakout role was as a male escort in American Gigolo, has stood up well to the ravages of time, as this photo from his wife’s Instagram account proves. The couple, who married in 2018

June 29th - July 12th 2022

Still got it!

What an Ora

and live in New York, have taken to the waves aboard a yacht cruising around Ibiza and Formentera with their children. Gere became a father for the third time in 2020 when Silva, 39, gave birth to their second son just a year after their first. He also has a 22-year-old son from his previous marriage to model Carey Lowell. His first wife was supermodel Cindy Crawford. Silva, who comes from Galicia, has a nineyear-old son from her first marriage.

RETURN TO SENDER

‘Ello ‘Arry By Kimberley Mannion

EXPATS were surprised to discover a famous punter in their midst as they enjoyed an afternoon pint when Harry Redknapp showed up. The former Premier League manager, who won ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, thrilled drinkers at Ryder’s Bar in Duquesa, on the Costa del Sol, as he swapped banter.

Drink

He had been planning a quiet drink with agent Eamon Collins and ex-West Brom star Derek Stratham, both of whom are regulars. Bar owners Sharon Anne O’Callaghan, 60, from London and husband Andrew Moore, 62, from the Midlands, said it was a pleasure to have Rednapp at Ryder’s. Sharon told the Olive Press: “It was great to meet Harry, he is a lovely man, a true gent and was only too happy to chat with customers.”

Urgent consignment of British Red Kites sent to Spain to save threatened species

IT was three decades ago that Spain sent a consignment of 13 Red Kites to the UK to urgently boost a population that was on the verge of extinction. Now the UK has returned the favour packing 30 of the glorious birds of prey in the other direction. The reintroduction programme will see the 15 pairs of Milanos Reales, as they are called in Spanish, scattered around Extremadura and Andalucia. They are likely to be the descendants of wild Red Kites sent from Spain to the Chiltern Hills in the 1990s, after Britain’s population was re-

SHE was appropriately sparkling as Rita Ora wowed crowds at a fashion show for high end jeweller Cartier in Madrid. The Let You Love Me singer Rita Ora showed true aura in her performance wearing a stunning fuschia pink silk dress set off with diamonds from Cartier. The star has been the face of the jewellers of late, attending several of their events. Ora, 31, who also holds Kosovon nationality, grew up in London. She was not the only star at the show with Bohemian Rhapsody actor Rami Malek also on hand.

HOME: Young Red Kite in Badajoz duced to a mere handful of pairs in one isolated spot in Wales. The conservation programme has been so successful in the UK that the birds are now a common sight soaring over gardens across half of the country with their reddish tones, forked tails and distinctive mewing cries.

Historic heights AFTER years on the brink of extinction, the Spanish imperial eagle has reached a new all-time record with 166 chicks hatched in Andalucia alone this Spring. It comes after a 2021 census found 129 breeding pairs in the region, some 5% up on 2020. The highest previous record came in 2019 when 144 chicks hatched.

It is estimated that there are now between 4,000 and 6,000 breeding pairs in the UK. Meanwhile, in Spain they have fared far less well and there are only 11 breeding pairs in Caceres province and just four within Badajoz. It is hoped that the new arrivals will boost the wild population in Extremadura and Andalucia with the same success as the British programme. This month the first batch of 15 fledgling birds arrived at the Amus rescue centre in Villafranca de los Barros, in Badajoz. From here they will spend a short time in aviaries to acclimatise before being released after about three weeks. Another 15 will arrive at the end of June and 30 more will be sent over each June for the next two years. .

RAISING THE WOOF A WIREHAIRED Fox Terrier called Funfair Foxhouse has been crowned as the World’s Best Dog. Think Crufts on steroids as 16,500 dogs and 12,000 professional breeders travelled to Madrid from 50 countries to take part in the World Dog Show. Queen Sofia inaugurated the event in which dogs face agility tests and obstacle courses. Silver went to an English Bulldog and bronze to an

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NEWS

4 www.theolivepress.es UP IN ARMS LOCAL musicians are up in arms after changes to licensing regulations mean venues have to pay £25 a night for events. The Musicians Association of Gibraltar says that the cost has already put off some bar owners and restaurants from having live acts.

Basic

Venues previously only needed a basic entertainment licence for live shows, but they now need a B Licence which costs £25 per event or £300 for the month. The Association is calling on the government to relax the new rules.

THE American president and his wife have been gracing the palaces and matching up with Spanish royalty as world leaders unite in Madrid for the NATO summit. But it didn’t all go to plan when America’s First Lady, Jill Biden, kept Queen Letizia waiting outside a Ukrainian refugee centre. Not used to waiting, the Queen touched her hair and looked at the sky, opening

June 29th - July 12th 2022

GOOGLE NEWS IS BACK

First ladies

her arms as though to say ‘finally’ when her new friend arrived at last. Despite the American’s faux pas of making the Queen wait, the pair have had a busy and successful two days, which included a trip to the Spanish Association Against Cancer.

GREETINGS: Biden and Letizia

No blame game THE government of Gibraltar has denied that there is any connection between the border issue and the failure to reach an agreement on UK/Gibraltar driving licences in Spain. For months on end, there has been a dual hold up. One on a post-Brexit deal on the movement of people and goods on the Gib border which has seen increasingly beefed-

ACCESSIBLE beach facilities are returning to Gibraltar. Having first been introduced in 2015, the government's disability strategy is emphasising the need for greater disabled access to the Rock’s leisure facilities. This includes the very popular Europa Pool which is to have a new ramp with side bannisters installed as well as an accessible toilet. Meanwhile Eastern Beach and Catalan Beach now have ramps from the road to the pergolas and Camp Bay has an acces-

Government says no link between driving licence saga and border issues By George Mathias

up checks on British and Gibraltar citizens crossing the border to Spain. Many holiday makers have been asked to provide an of-

All inclusive

sible ramp leading directly onto the shore with the main swimming pool also accessible via a ramp. Minister for Equality Samantha Sacramento said: “I am very pleased with the ever improving accessible facilities at our beaches for people with disabilities and the standard of what is on offer in Gibraltar is much better than many public beaches in Europe.”

History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.

ficial letter of invitation to prove they are only visiting for tourism purposes with others scrambling to provide proof of their home ownership. And another on driving licences, with Spain the only country in the EU without a deal on UK and Gibraltar driving licences leaving thousands who are resident in Spain stranded. “We should not lose sight of the fact that the driving licences issue has come about as a direct consequence of the decision taken by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union,” a HMG Gibraltar spokesperson told the Olive Press. He remained tight-lipped on a date for when a deal on the border might be struck: “There have been eight rounds of talks, the latest of which took place in London in May.

The Government of Gibraltar remains committed to a treaty in keeping with the agreement of December 2020.” Pressed more on the driving licence saga, the spokesman was reluctant to play the blame game.

Alerts

“We issued a series of alerts to drivers through Technical Notices well before our departure from the European Union advising them of what action to take. One such action was that Gibraltarians resident in Spain, or in any other EU country, should have applied to exchange their driving license before the published deadlines expired.” See Page 6

GOOGLE News is back in Spain after nearly a decade. The service was shut down in 2014 as the Spanish government insisted payment be made to publishers for promoting their news stories. Spain’s newspaper industry has pushed for the tech giant to restore it and in 2020 the government revamped its copyright rules to allow media outlets to negotiate directly over use of their content. Despite the impasse, the Olive Press won a Google News Initiative award for our reporting in 2020.

Kamikaze driver A CONFUSED ‘Kamikaze’ driver caused mayhem when he drove the wrong way down an Andalucian motorway. The confused driver caused three crashes when he entered the opposing carriageway on the A-49 between Huelva and Sevilla. Over 50 drivers called the 112 emergency center to report the driver, whose madness led to three people being hospitalised near Castilleja, Bollullos and Umbrete.

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Grey listed

Parasol payment

GIBRALTAR has been grey listed for strategic deficiencies in its anti money laundering and counter terrorist financing regimes. The Rock has joined the United Arab Emirates on The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s list, which will subject it to additional monitoring. The move comes after FATF concluded Gibraltar is not issuing fines to money launderers in line with the prescribed penalties or investigating intensely enough other actors involved including lawyers.

Regrettable

The Gibraltarian government reflected that the position was regrettable, but highlighted the progress made since the last report, in which Gibraltar received 78 recommended actions, a number that has now been reduced to just two. This makes Gibraltar the territory with the shortest action plan to be monitored by the international body. FATF has set the date of May 2023 for Gibraltar to improve on the necessary points, and the government says it is fully committed to ‘show compliance with the timescale given’. Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner Andrew Lyman expressed confusion at the move and stated that it would not prompt authorities to issue more sanctions.

A FUND-RAISING campaign to create a new national theatre and cultural hub for Gibraltar has been kickstarted with a £1.5 million donation from the Parasol Foundation. The donation represents 10% of the total estimated cost of the theatre. The new Exhibition Gallery, which will carry the Parasol name, is one of POLICE have refused to explain why they are grilling four workmen over a fire that razed 5000 hectares of protected woodland on the Costa del Sol. A Guardia Civil spokesman six times deflected questions on why the men were ‘cleaning the estate’ owned by Libya’s Gaddafi family. He also refused to confirm if they had permission to do the work - using heavy machinery - at the 6,800-hectare La Resinera finca that borders Benahavis, Pujerra and Juzcar. The Olive Press understands that the workmen were cut-

three key elements of the project, the others being a new Lending Library, a 250 seat studio theatre, and the 1000 seat National Theatre. The Parasol Foundation Trust has awarded over £35million to a series of projects since it was established in 2004. Its chief benefactor is entrepreneur Ruth Parasol.

June 29th - July 12th 2022

RUNAWAY VICTORY

IT was a clear indication that the south of Spain has not forgotten two decades of corruption. Not only did the PP party once again win the Andalucian Junta elections, leader Juanma Moreno won it by a landslide. In a historic victory for the PP, his party took 58 seats and 43% of the votes.

It means he doesn’t need to make a coalition with far-right Vox or Ciudadanos, which was in any case wiped out at this month’s elections winning no seats. Before the PP got into power in 2018, three decades of PSOE rule had turned the region into a basket case, with continual corruption scandals.

FIRE MYSTERY Police refuse to explain why four workers at controversial Gaddafi finca were building roads at midday on hottest week of year By Jon Clarke

ting a track (‘carril’) through the hunting estate - which was subject to a controversial application for a golf course

and 2,000 homes in 2012. The works took place despite a clear order preventing any heavy machinery from working in the protected Sierra Bermeja mountain area from May 15 to October 15.

Disaster zone

THE government has declared the Sierra Bermeja mountains an official ‘disaster area’ following the devastating forest fire extinguished this week. The fire, which burnt for three weeks, stretched over 5,000 hectares over the seven towns of Benahavis, Estepona, Farajan, Igualeja, Jubrique, Juzcar and Pujerra. Over 3,500 professionals were required to put out the fire, which comes after abigger one burned 10,000 hectares last year.

All three town halls told the Olive Press that they had no permission for the work on June 8, which led to the evacuation of 3,000 people that week. It was also confirmed by a local pressure group that it is ‘illegal’ to be creating any new tracks in the area without clear permission from the Junta. “I suspect that they were cleaning the area to open a track on the orders of the Libyan bank which owns it officially,” said a spokesman for the Sierra Bermeja Parque Nacional group. “It is really strange what they were up to and why the area needs much better protection and should be a national park.”

Indeed, his pressure group has been demanding the area become a National Park and is joined up with the new Sierra de la Nieves park for five years. Their demands took on much more weight last year after a Sierra Bermeja fire razed 10,000 hectares in neighbouring Estepona, killing a fireman.

Machinery

The recent fire was only officially extinguished after 20 days last Sunday. While some reports claimed the fire was caused by a spark from heavy machinery, Olive Press sources suggested it had up to four seats where it began.

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OPINION What’s in a name? IN just two years 15,000 hectares of the Sierra Bermeja mountains have been turned to ash. This rugged forest of ancient oak and pine is home to rare flora and fauna, some unique to the area, and stretches inland from Benahavis and Estepona towards Ronda. Last year 10,000 hectares were burned and it took an incredible 46 days before the blaze was finally extinguished. One firefighter lost his life. This year another 5,000 hectares have been scorched. In both cases thousands of people had their lives disrupted as they were evacuated as the flames approached. The causes of the fires are shrouded in mystery, even though four men have been arrested for the recent blaze allegedly for using heavy machinery that sparked the fire. Contradictory reports suggest the fire started in four places simultaneously. But what is certain is that more can be done to protect this environmentally valuable stretch of Spain. The group Sierra Bermeja Parque Nacional association is calling for heads to roll over the long standing refusal of politicians to upgrade the area’s status from nature reserve to National Park. It may seem a subtle change in terminology, but the effect of such a change would be massive - and maybe critical in preserving the Sierra Bermeja. As a Natural Park, the sierra is controlled by the Junta, which does not have the same level of funding as the central government. But a National Park comes under central government control. The rules surrounding development in such a park are more stringent and more resources are poured in for anti-fire initiatives. Some 75,000 people have already signed a petition on change.org to have the park’s status upgraded. For the sake of the forest, the wildlife and the local people, the powers that be need to sit up and listen. PUBLISHER / EDITOR

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Wheely easy Got a spare ten weeks and €600? Exactly how easy is it for a Brit to take a driving test in Spain. Mike Sedgwick got behind the wheel to find out

AVING found himself among the thousands of British expats left unable to drive in Spain, Mike Sedgwick undertook a bit of overtaking action. Not content to sit back and wait at the back of the grid, he set out to get himself a Spanish licence the hard way; by doing the test! Well two to be exact as you need both a theory and practical test before getting the coveted pink EU licence. “I couldn’t wait for the bureaucracy to be agreed or not, so I took the plunge and did my theory test leading to the practical,” explained the 63-year-old, who moved to Cadiz from the Midlands a few years ago. Here he gives Olive Press readers a simple step by step guide on how to go about doing it.



First up Mike registered with a local driving school and for €150 he was given an online manual (conveniently in English) and access to the test system.

Dear Pedro

AN expat has written to Spanish Minister Prime Sanchez Pedro asking him to take action to resolve the driving licence debacle. es in MurSally Ashwin, who liv ter: “This let the in d sai , cia astrophic issue has had a catvulnerable st mo the on impact munity within the British com in Spain. ple living “This includes peo ut public in rural areas witho access to transport, taxis, or mothers supermarkets, single l day and who need to work a ful and drop need the car to pick up ool.” off their children at sch Press the Speaking to the Olive e he will teacher said: “I believ d we have do the right thing an loud and made our voices heard clear. From Aunt Sally

then spent €40 for a medical test, which is required along  He with proof of legal residency to

then took four weeks to study (‘and study hard’) to  He pass the practical theory exam,

which cost a further €100. “And I also had to pay to get to the test centre to do it,” he adds. The centre was ‘filled From front

Smudge here drive. As well as contacting House of Lords peer Baroness Vere, he has been in touch with his MP Kate Griffiths, who said the government was ‘continuing to negotiate as a matter of priority’. But he remains unmoved and is demanding more direct action such as revoking all Spanish driving licences in the UK and making them take a full practical test in English. “We need to play hardball. All us expats want is a reciprocal deal. At the moment our lives are on hold,” he said. “Thanks for taking up the gauntlet on behalf of us expats who are really struggling here.” To sign the petition, so far signed by 4,364, visit petition. parliament.uk

BACK ON THE ROAD ...NEXT MONTH BRITS could be back on the road by the end of next month, claims UK Ambassador Hugh Elliott. But he is still unable to give a precise date, he admitted. While insisting licence recognition for British drivers is ‘very close to being finalised’ he added: “I still cannot give you a precise date I’m afraid.” But he said the two nations are in agreement over the core issues that have been problematic. “We’re now very close

NOW

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

Voted top expat paper in Spain

U T R U

to finalising the actual text of the agreement,” added Elliott, who has been ambassador in Madrid since 2019. “Our best estimate is that we are looking at a date of having you back on the road around the end of July.” He also recognised the hardships suffered by those who can no longer drive legally, especially during a heatwave when the heat makes it a less viable option to walk. "Although this is only weeks away I know it will feel like a very long time

EASY DRIVER: Mike Sedgwick took the plunge

to the gills’ and apparently it is sometimes hard to get a slot, which is why you need a driving school as they block book slots. passing the test, Mike signed up for a lesson with the driving  On school so they could ‘assess’ his driving abilities. “They were happy and decided to put me in for the first available slot at the DGT, which was around three weeks later. In the run up to the test he de-

to book five lessons to  cided help with gears (he normally

drives an automatic car) and to understand the key driving terms in Spanish. In the end you can get by with ‘around 20 words and phrases’, he estimates. The lessons cost €30 an hour and were done with two others in the car so the sessions were about three hours long. On a plus side it helped him learn the certain phrases needed to understand the examiner during the test. “But at the end of each session I was drained and tired.”

driving test itself cost €82 including use of the driving  The school car and Mike’s regular instructor explained to the examiner that he was a foreigner but was able to ‘respond to commands’ in Spanish. “We are talking about basic driving terms such as ‘derecha, izquierda, al Frente, marcha atras, primera salida, segunda salida,’ etc, and the examiner was clear in his commands!” However, Mike failed his first

and was put in for a second  test attempt two weeks later, shelling out a further €82. and slipping in two more lessons (which cost a further €150). “And I passed, whoopee!”

PASS NOTES

to many of you," he said. “I know that some of you are experiencing real difficulties.”

rk found it hard wo All in all, Mike t enjoyable and calbu and anything ordeal cost around culates the entire ok about ten weeks. €650-700 and tonerve wracking and “It was definitely ing a foreigner,” more difficult be s Mike amits. ce he passed hi He adds that sins got much busier driving school hadents and waiting with summer stuve lengthened conlists for tests ha siderably.

ll about

since

1996

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WE LOVE MARBS

June 2022

It’s been the destination of choice for Visigoths and Romans, Grace Kelly and Presidents. Kimberley Mannion charts Marbella’s eternal allure

Continues on next page

Pictures by Jon Clarke

GOLDENSANDS: Vista from Guadalmina, Hugh Grant and Tyson Fury in a Ferrari, while (right) Grace Kelly and Michelle Obama

ARBELLA has owned the reputation of being a playground for the rich and famous for over half a century. Photos of the glamorous beach destination fill glossy travel magazines around the world and it’s easily the most aspirational place to live and visit in Europe, alongside perhaps San Tropez or Ibiza. An exclusive enclave, it has long attracted celebrity visitors such as Sean Connery, Hugh Grant and Audrey Hepburn to its iconic nightclubs and restaurants, while captains of industry, like Alan Sugar and Theo Paphitis, and footballers, like Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale stalk its

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From front

A SUGARCANE TOWN WITH ELEVEN TOWERS

CHARMING: A stroll around the ‘casco historico’

fairways and marinas. While British reality TV show The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE) has helped immortalise ‘Marbs’ as the ultimate party destination, bringing it crashing down to earth in some ways, the genuine super-rich still come to visit. It is no coincidence that during the two year pandemic, its five-star hotels were almost full, while property prices soared to unbelievable heights. As one estate agent told the Olive Press, Marbella is ‘almost bulletproof from a property crash’. “It is almost unique in Europe,” he added. There are simply not enough villas for sale and listings are becoming incredibly scarce to come by. Demand far outstrips supply. And buyers are heading to Marbella for a lot more than just sunshine and beaches. While it’s fair to say that the majority of tourists come to rub shoulders with the super rich and party, a good few end up marvelling at its suprising history, while inspecting its Moorish walls in the centre, or stumbling over a Roman villa or Visigothic church on its outskirts. The Costa del Sol resort has certainly gone through an interesting trajectory to become the place it is today. Take away the top of the range cars, foreign visitors in designer clothes, and rowdy revellers, then rewind the clock a millennia or two, and you’ll

find it’s always been a popular spot. Marbella’s earliest origins are as a palaeolithic settlement. Humans hunted and gathered over the very same land that now boasts Michelin-starred restaurants (four of them, by the way). Its next incarnation was as a Roman city. You can see the evidence at the Termas de Las Bovedas Roman baths, near San Pedro de Alcantara, and at the Roman villa in Rio Verde. The northern European Visigoths were frequent visitors to the coast and left their mark in the form of the Vega del Mar Basilica, a necropolis, also to be found in San Pedro. Today’s Marbella would be totally alien to the Visigoths, but the early Arabs spotted the town’s potential, calling it bien habitada, or ‘place of good living’. They built a walled town in the in the tenth and 11th century and even a large Alcazaba castle. The walls, some of which survive today, were dotted with around a dozen towers, including the Torre del Puente Levadizo (meaning the ‘Drawbridge Tower’) and the Torre de la Puerta de Hierro (or ‘the Iron Door Tower’). While nothing of the size of Sevilla or Granada, it came a close second to Ronda in terms of size and fell to the Christian Crusaders in the same year, 1485, just seven years before the Catholic Reconquest was complete. Before tourism arrived properly in

the 1950s and 60s, Marbella was surprisingly industrial: During the 19th century, it was the most important centre for steel and iron production in the whole of Spain. At one point 75% of the country’s supply came from one single production plant in Marbella. The industry eventually shifted to

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June 2022

ANCIENT AND MODERN: From the Alcazaba to Puerto Banus and a spot of beach yoga in between

the north of Spain turning the local mises the glamorous Marbella lifeeconomy to farming, in particular, style: Puerto Banus. growing sugar cane, before finally Jose Banus was close to the Spanseeing the rewards it could reap as ish dictator, General Franco. He had a holiday destination. worked as a spy on the Nationalist Marbella’s glitz and glamour has side during the country’s bloody civil its roots in the period war, and Franco visited after the Spanish Civhim on the Costa del il War, during which it King Fahd and Sol a few years before had been a haven for his death. terrorist Bin Nazis and Franco’s FaThe architect had no langists. shortage of powerful Laden have When Spanish noblefriends to help him proman Ricardo Soriano mote his new resort. been regular founded the Albergues The grand opening celvisitors del Rodeo residential ebrations for Puerto complex in 1943, he Banus in 1970 lasted established Marbella’s a week, and included a tourism model for the future. dinner and dance for 1000 guests. It was clear that the combination of Prince Rainier of rival luxury destinaleafy, upmarket villas with the warm tion Monaco attended along with his climate, expansive views and beauti- wife, Princess Grace, who danced ful beaches was a winning formula. with Banus under the watchful gaze Over the following decades, more of guests including Playboy founder picturesque estates were devel- Hugh Hefner. oped, and the price of land went Marbella’s glittering reputation through the roof. grew, attracting hugely wealthy visiSavvy people, who would become tors from the Middle East. responsible for shaping the modern King Fahd of Saudi Arabia became Marbella, started moving in. a frequent guest – as did Osama One of them was Don Jose Banus, Bin Laden, no less (later named as who developed the area that epito- the mastermind behind the 9/11

BIGWIGS: Prince, Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly, Sean Connery and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia all loved Marbella

attacks on New York’s Twin Towers). He enjoyed several holidays in Marbella between 1977 and 1988. More positive endorsements came from favoured celebrities, including former James Bond stars Sean Connery and Roger Moore who acted as international ambassadors for Marbella in the 80s and 90s. So many world leaders came and went, with Tony Blair, David Cameron and Michelle Obama coming for holidays, while former Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, bought himself a house in Guadalmina.

President Putin acquired a palace in the Zagaleta urbanisation in the hills above the resort ( revealed to the world by the Olive Press) while crooner Julio Iglesias also swooped in for a mega-estate on the borders of Istan. Sportsmen came in their droves, with boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua even visiting to train in the very same month, during the pandemic. Simon Cowell, Eva Longoria and Prince, the list goes on. The new millennium saw the nightlife volume turned up to max.

The late Olivia Valere arrived from Paris to open her eponymous nightclub in 2000, and Prince came to party . . . like it was 1999. More club openings and legendary nights out have followed. Just wait until Ibiza superclub Pacha opens up the road, in nearby Estepona, watch out Ibiza!!. Marbella is a destination that has been a lot of different things to different people over the years, but the world-class restaurants, cosmopolitan atmosphere, and perfect climate look set to entice the world’s elite for decades – if not millennia – to come.

TAKING THE PLUNGE

VERYONE loves a warm bath. But the Romans took bathing to another level, studding the Mediterranean with sublime stone thermae so that they could indulge in this pastime in any part of the Empire. Bathing to a Roman, you see, was more than a siesta to a Spaniard or teatime to a Brit: the public baths were a hive of (male) activity, a chance not only to wash and relax but also to catch up on the local gossip, cut a couple of business deals or even flaunt your social status by marching in with a troop of slaves. Now, the Junta plans to evoke this ancient lifestyle by restoring the amazing Bovedas de Guadalmina Roman baths. Located just a short stroll from the Paleochristian Basilica del Mar in San Pedro and only a stone’s throw from the beach, these thermae

ATTRACTION: Roman baths are finally to be restored

represent some of the most important archaeological remains in the area and have been a source of fascination for centuries. Locals used to call them the ‘baths of the old Moors’, thinking Arabs had built them after conquering the area in the Middle Ages, but they actually date back to the third century AD, when the Roman settle-

ment Cilniana was enjoying its heyday. The baths are currently closed to the public, with the sizable restora tion project, taking place in phases over several years. Eventually the plan is to turn them into a tourist magnet by restoring some of their former glory.

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Marbella

WHERE TO EAT

BUZZING

Jon Clarke loves the summer vibe at La Sala by the Sea

Photos by Jon Clarke

LADIES LUNCHING: With spicy wings and cocktails for later

OME summer there is definitely nowhere more fun to be than La Sala by the Sea. Ask international footballers

Eden Hazard, Dele Alli or Des Walker, who flock in regularly come the silly season. With some of the hottest girls to eye

up around the pool and some swanky sounds coming from the DJ up on high, it ticks all the boxes for a celebrity packed day out.

The wine list says it all: Aside from the nearly 30 different champagnes on offer - Dom Perignon sliding in at 450 euros a pop and Kristal no cheaper there is a good mix of international roses, not to mention cocktails. But La Sala by the Sea is a lot more than a buzzing beach club, with great drinks and music… it counts on a spacious beach area and, best of all, an excellent menu. It has a great sushi plate, in three sizes, as well as an excellent mixed Thai starter, of no less than six dishes, the chicken satay a total winner. The very Asiatic influenced menu care of owner Claire Strutton’s love of Thailand, you can definitely trust the Pad Thai, while the Crispy Duck Pancakes were as good as any I’ve tried on the coast. Staffing is one of the highlights with the Maitre D Luke, a South African livewire, giving us a brilliant overview of its history, from when it first

ON THE PALATE - RESTAURANT REVIEW

ROARING FROM THE FRONT Leone is a scarily good addition to frontline Puerto Banus, writes Jon Clarke

Above the hordes

T somehow remains cool and calm, while sited in one of the Costa del Sol’s most emblematic - and bustling - locations to dine. That’s Leone, that has roared to life this summer in Puerto Banus with a strikingly good menu and equally good vibes. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Sinatras, Picasso and Jacks, it is never easy to get noticed in this high-end busy Marbella marina. But Leone counts on hip design and a great use of light, as well as pale/neutral colours to make its debut. After a few key menu changes over its first couple of months, it is starting to brim with confidence. A part-Asiatic menu broadens out into a wide enough palate, with enough original and off-beat dishes to stand out above the nearby hordes. The duck terrine starter with foie gras marinated in cognac is a good example, while the ‘fresh’ Spring rolls, with a Nuoc sauce, were excellent and original, as were the superb Rock

opened as Buddha Beach. “I love the mix of people who visit, from footballers to families, some of whom come for literally every day of a twoweek holiday,” he told me. “This afternoon alone, I’ve served Dutch, Germans, Swedish, South Africans and Brits, there is always a big mix.” His enthusiasm spoke volumes and fortunately, unlike other nearby beach clubs, the volume isn’t turned up to the max so you can actually talk. Best of all, you can park free of charge just outside in a gated area, which is easy to reach.

Shrimps in tempura. The best starter, by far, however was the beef tartare (above), served as a sort of triple decker sandwich, but with wafer thin bread and spicy capers. A small serving of French fries made up the melange. There was a nice looking salad menu, in particular a creative nectarine and feta number, with olives and cucumbers. For mains I loved the mussels (below), which came lightly grilled and served with parsley and garlic, while the salmon in an Asiatic sauce and served on a banana leaf was super. The wine list was not expansive, but varied enough, and our waiter, Naf, who I’ve known from other restaurants in the area, steered us towards an excellent verdejo, Meraldis, oaked for

SPECTACULAR: Sky Bar offers the best seats in Banus

WINNER: Salmon in Asiatic sauce 13 months in cask and with a lovely body. He talked us into trying the Paris-Brest choux pastry pudding, which was a praline buttercream twist on profiteroles, that I’m still thinking about today, two weeks later. Leone, Front line, Puerto Banus. www.leonebanus.com 952 811 621

ONE of the true secret spots in Marbella is the Benabola Hotel Sky Bar. The only rooftop dining spot above Puerto Banus offers views as far as the eye can see… and then some. Lording it over the famous marina, this is the best place for an early evening tapa and cocktail, or a nightcap following supper. Even better, come for the evening and join those-in-theknow alongside various celebrities. And anyone ordering two cocktails or more gets free underground parking (follow the Benabola Hotel signs and get your card franked at reception). And, if you want to really experience the high life then book a room at the hotel. Visit www.benabola.com

June 29th - July 12th 2022

www.theolivepress.es

PUT YOUR SHIRT ON

lthough in the UK it is pretty common to see topless blokes out and about in the city centre on a hot day, in Palma (Mallorca) you can be fined up to €800. Walking around in swimwear when you are not on the beach in cities such as Marbella and Malaga will also land you a €200 fine.

MEET THE OP TEAM

BEWARE OF THE FUN POLICE I

F you are holidaying in Sevilla this summer, hanging your undies on the line could result in a hefty fine. Local council regulations mean that you could be charged up to €3,000 for hanging ‘indecent’ items on an outdoor washing line.

SMOKEFREE ZONE

ON’T pee in the sea! If you are in a desperate situation in Galicia, the sea is not the place to go. Urinating in the sea or on the beaches will result in a charge of €750 in Vigo.

EEING in the sea, wandering around topless… even building a sandcastle! These are just a few of the strange offences that you could be fined for on your holiday to Spain. To save you from some steep fines, we have compiled a list of some of the oddest things you are at risk of being charged for this summer.

NO KINGS OF THE CASTLE

HECK before sparking up on the beach in Spain. Recent regulation changes mean that many beaches have prohibited smoking. The regulation has already been enforced in many tourist hotspots, including Mallorca and Barcelona. Smoking on a smoke-free beach could cost you €30 (an expensive ciggy by all standards).

NO SIESTAS ON THE BEACH

F you are in Valencia this summer, an afternoon snooze on the beach is off the cards. Dozing off under the sun here can cost you up to €1,500 following health concerns from the local government.

UILDING sandcastles is normally an imperative activity for a day trip to the beach. However, in some parts of Spain, this pastime is not fun but finable. On certain beaches in Tenerife and Mallorca, building a sandcastle can land you with a fine of €100. Definitely worth keeping an extra close eye on your kids!

FLIP FLOP BAN

HE cocktail is the only sex on the beach permitted in Spain. Getting frisky on the sands is illegal and in Benidorm will cost you a whopping €750.

F you plan to hire a car on your summer holiday, make sure you have got your trainers with you! Getting caught driving wearing flip flops or stilettos, or sandals without an ankle support (or being barefoot) can attract a fine of €200.

ENGINE ROOM

E’S very much the unsung hero of the Olive Press. Through recessions, pandemics and the dreaded winter slump, Charlie Bamber is never far from the front lines. With a head for numbers and an excellent grasp of business, the Olive Press’ commercial director has skillfully guided the group’s expansion over the last decade. Whether in Mallorca, Moraira or Mijas, he’s always got an unshakeable understanding for each local economy and how best to serve our clients there. No request is ignored and he is more than happy to tweak his advertisers’ copy just hours before we go to print, not to mention help them with an advertorial. A boots-on-the-ground kind of fellow, he was the man we tasked with launching in the Costa Blanca north and south regions, as well as Valencia city, over the last five years. And on top of that, he’s been the guiding light of our online paywall - that grows by the hundreds every month - and already counts on 30,000 registered users. So what makes Charlie tick? Inheriting a solid work ethic from his ad man father, he left university to work for 15 years at News International in London. Climbing up the commercial ladder he had become the Assistant Ad Manager of the Sun by his 35th birthday, before switching to run the newspaper’s operation in Spain in 2004. As well as representing Golf Monthly, Country Life and the Telegraph in Spain, he agreed to help take the Olive Press to new levels way back in 2010. And what a journey it has been from the first Axarquia supplement treading the streets of Nerja, near his home in Torre del Mar, to securing a nationwide deal with the country’s leading English insurance broker Jennifer Cunningham at her head office in Javea. Make sure to get in touch with him for any advice on integrated print and online ad campaigns, wherever you are in Spain. And look out for him at a pub near you for any Liverpool games (in fact any big football games) next season. Charles@theolivepress.es

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

SEX ON THE BEACH

Watch out: 9 Things you could be fined for this summer in Spain, writes Livia Cockerell

DON’T HANG YOUR KNICKERS ON THE LINE

AVOID SPENDING A PENNY

VALUE: Charlie’s wild ride in the news industry

PUT THE SHAMPOO AWAY

POST swim shower is always much needed but you will have to make do without shower gel or shampoo. Using these products in a beach shower could cost you €750 due to the risks the chemicals pose to marine life.

cabin crew cannot strike on 1- Why Ryanairmany flights in Spain never buy pre-cut fruit and 2- Why youvegshould at supermarkets in Spain crews in Spain joining rya3- Easy jetnaircabin colleagues in strike action Ryanair claims cabin crew strikes will be 4-relatively insignificant in disrupting summer holiday flights EXCLUSIVE: Madeleine Mccann suspects 5-update: Extradition request begins in Italy for Christian Brueckner over five new cases

Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for more info

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www.theolivepress.es

Zoned out

Polluting cars to be banned from city centres HIGH polluting older cars will be banned from city centres in Spain next year with the creation of low emission zones. The deadline for the new regulations to come into force is the end of the year and covers cities with over 50,000 residents. Barcelona introduced low emission zones in 2020 during peak times. Essentially petrol cars with a pre-2000 registration fall under restrictions in the city, with pre-2006 registered diesel cars also covered with drivers facing a fine of between €100 and €500 each time they enter the zone. The low-emissions zone was designed to complement the city’s so-called ‘superblocks scheme’, in which areas made up of nine blocks are closed to through traffic and partly pedestrianised.

Mossy Menor A €7 million emergency plan has swung into action after the Mar Menor became choked with six times more algae then it normally gets in a year. On average, between 1,600 and 1,700 tonnes of biomass are removed from the lagoon in Murcia annually. But so far in 2022, over 10,509 tonnes of biomass have been removed. Experts state that this is due to an increase in nitrogen and phosphate levels which promote the growth of algae. The excessive growth puts wildlife at threat due to it reducing oxygen levels. Local councils have spent between €5 million and €7 million to urgently remove the algae before environmental disaster strikes.

By Alex Trelinski

The World Health Organisation says there are only seven Spanish cities that meet established air quality parameters. The DGT move is seen as a major inducement for motorists to switch to less-pol-

luting vehicles, including electric cars. Electric car prices are higher than conventional fuel-driven vehicles and there are still comparatively few electric charging points. The government is banking on the new emission zone restrictions to boost the electric car market.

June 29th - July 12th 2022

COOL PLAN Madrid has unveiled plans for a ‘wind garden’ capable of lowering temperatures. The 14.5 hectare park is part of redesign for the Charmartin station area in the north of the city, with a wind garden that captures the breeze and recycles, dramatically reducing the air temperature by up to 4C. The idea is inspired by air cooling methods popular in parks across the Middle East. Wildlife in the garden will include fern and moss rising above the treetops to capture air from above and disperse it below. It will also have the knock on effect of helping to cool down temperatures in surrounding streets.

PREVIEW: How the park will look Dutch architecture studio West 8 will be constructing the project, the same company which redesigned London’s Jubilee Gardens in 2012.

The need to transition to renewable energy Green

ARE THE LIGHTS GOING OUT?

OVERNMENTS have a habit of disguising the truth and leaking out snippets of bad news early on. It’s in their DNA. It has been medically proven that politicians can’t even lie straight in bed. This Spring the Spanish Minister for Energy, Teresa Ribera, posted an article about the need for us all to conserve power and change our consumption habits. At the end of her message was the implication that this winter WE COULD FACE POWER OUTAGES. ENERGY SECURITY You will have seen across all media references to this topic. What does it actually mean? The IEA (International Energy Agency) defines energy security as: “The uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price.” Picking this apart, the affordable price already lies

in tatters. Just look at a recent electricity bill to reconfirm this. Uninterrupted availability also looks doubtful. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the world’s energy supply chain is in complete disarray. It is not rocket science. It is simply supply and demand. The National Grid has the capability to produce a certain amount of electricity. If demand exceeds availability, then the lights go out. Spain is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels (notably gas) to produce electricity. The lunatic Putin’s ability to turn off the tap and the less than cohesive relationship Spain has with Algeria are grounds for concern. (As an aside I think we should turn off the tap with Russia….but that’s a different story.) POWER CUTS Some 4% of the world’s population (350 million people) faced major power outages last year. My money is on that figure getting smashed this year and next. Increased extreme weather events have contributed to this (yes…..climate change) and the all too slow transition to renewable energy. Look at just a few of the recent world events. A winter storm that hit Texas hard knocked out infrastructure and caused energy markets to be affected. Low rainfall in Brazil and south China (the manufacturing hub of the world) reduced the hydro-power output. China had to resort to power rationing. Across Europe, wind speeds were exceptionally low resulting in lower than normal electricity production.

AUSTRIA Long before the Russian invasion in Ukraine, last November, the Austrian Defence Minister announced that Austria was preparing for major electrical blackouts. That put the cat amongst the pigeons! In Spain it prompted shoppers to buy gas stoves, butane canisters and flashlights. Hardware stores sold out. UK Ministers (as reported on Sky news) have drawn up plans to potentially ration electricity supply for up to 6 million homes at the start of next year. As always, cuts will come at the times of peak demand - when you need it most. Yet, last month, a Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Stategy spokesperson claimed the UK had no issues with electricity or gas supply. Confused?? It’s simple really. Do you believe a politician, or your own common sense? WE CANNOT USE IT IF WE LOSE IT. As humans, we see what we want. Maybe the lights going out may just help us focus on the need to transition to a renewable world.

Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. +34 638145664 ( Spain Phone ) Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es

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LA CULTURA

June 29th July 12th 2022

Unexpected finds Search for Civil War victim unearths Visigothic remains THE search for the remains of a teenage woman executed by Franco’s fascist forces for her temerity in embroidering a Republican flag has found a body. But it is not that of Lourdes Malon Pueyo, who was just

By Dilip Kuner

18 when she was shot dead as she attempted to flee across a mountain. The body found is in fact that of a young man aged between 20 and 30 – and dates back to between 475 and 620 AD during the Visigothic occupation of the region. The find is just one of many archaeological remains searchers have TRAGIC: Rosario, Mariano and Lourdes found in a

3700m2 plot which they have been scouring in their bid to find Lourdes. Her sister, Rosario, 23 died the same day in 1936, executed inside a cave where she had taken shelter with Lourdes. Their mother had been shot dead several days earlier, while brother Mariano escaped to Huelva, where he died in 1999. Starting in 2013, five archaeological expeditions were held to find the young women. Rosario was found in 2017, but the search went on for Lourdes. Sponsored by the Charata As-

Cloppity clop THE ancestral Andalucian tradition of releasing hundreds of semi-wild horses back into their natural habitat, the Doñana Natural Area, took place again on Sunday after a two year absence due to Covid. The Saca de las Yeguas (Taking of the Mares) has remained unchanged for over 500 years. Each year, local horsemen known as yegüerizos, trek into the swamps and marshes of Doñana National Park in the province of Huelva. There they round up hundreds of semi-wild horses, and take ROUND UP: Semi-wild them to aution, releasing the unsold ones back into the wild. horses

OP QUICK CROSSWORD 1

4 7

Across 6 Sedentary kind of General (8) 8 Something of little value (4) 9 Dogma (5) 10 Look up to (6) 11 Activity necessary for scaling Everest (4,8) 13 Disturbed men only met up for inactivity (12) 16 The --- Flyer, first heavier-than-air powered aircraft (6) 18 “If It --- Been For Love” (Adele song) (5) 19 It’s rolled towards a jack (4) 20 In a manner free from danger (8)

OP SUDOKU

Down 1 Members of a flock (8) 2 Beautiful (6) 3 Car exhaust pollutants (12) 4 Organized group of criminals (3,3) 5 “The Sign of ---” (Conan Doyle) (4) 7 It brings one back to Earth (7,5) 12 Don’t mention it (3,2,3) 14 Business big shots (6) 15 Venerated townspeople (6) 17 Chamber (4)

All solutions are on page 10

sociation for the Recovery of the Historical Memory of Uncastillo – a village of 800 people in Zaragoza – the search has uncovered a series of unexpected finds. The remains of the young man turn out to be associated with a previously unknown Hispano-Visigothic settlement.

Lost

What’s more, walls from the ‘lost’ Medieval monastery of San Esteban de Oraste have been found, as well as the Visigothic tomb, ceramics from the same period, and a set of coins from the 11th century. In the search for Lourdes and Rosario, archaeologists had used ground-penetrating radar – which revealed the unexpected archaeological remains, as detailed in the report El yacimiento arqueológico de las Peñas de Santo Domingo: las fases de ocupación hispanovisigoda y plenomedieval. But despite the wealth of finds, Lourdes – the reason the search was launched – remains missing to this day.

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BUSINESS

Warmth warming

SOME 75% of vulnerable families are unable to keep their houses warm in winter. Soaring energy bills mean that energy poverty has increased by 22% since last year, according to the Spanish Red Cross. Regions most impacted by this issue include Galicia, Cantabria, Asturias and the Basque Country, where an estimated 82% of those families considered vulnerable are unable to keep warm during the cold winters. The Red Cross have already expressed concerns for the coming winter when they believe the issue will worsen. They want to support families by introducing energy training to help people understand their bills and advise them with energy saving tips.

June 29th - July 12th 2022

Malaga TechPark is currently awaiting approval to become the home of a new microchip design centre. The plan is part of an EU scheme to construct more microchips on European turf, following limitations on global trade as a result of the pandemic. The Spanish government has already

Malaga wants to chip in made the decision to invest €27,500 million into microchips. The funding for this project will be divided between Malaga, Catalonia and Galicia. According to Felipe Romera (Director of Malaga TechPark), Malaga hopes

to receive €100 million as part of this scheme. Half of this would be required to design the microchip centre, and the other half would be used to work with Spanish companies in the development of products.

Race to host F1 Madrid plans to snatch Grand Prix from Barcelona MADRID wants to host the Spanish Grand Prix after the current Formula One contract with the Circuit de Barcelona expires. The regional government has sent a letter of intent to Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula One, to confirm an interest in joining the sport’s expanding calendar.

OP Puzzle solutions Across: 6 Armchair, 8 Hoot, 9 Tenet, 10 Admire, 11 Rock climbing, 13 Unemployment, 16 Wright, 18 Hadn’t, 19 Bowl, 20 Securely. Down: 1 Brethren, 2 Scenic, 3 Particulates, 4 The Mob, 5 Four, 7 Reality check, 12 Not at all, 14 Moguls, 15 Elders, 17 Room.

SUDOKU

Quick Crossword

By Kimberley Mannion

Regional minister Enrique Lopez said in the letter: “I believe that holding in Madrid a motor racing event, which is one of the most exciting sporting phenomena of our time, would be a success for all the professionals, institu-

tions and companies involved in the development of Formula 1. It comes after F1 authorities warned the promoters of the Spanish Grand Prix to fix its ‘unacceptable’ traffic and organisational issues after a number of problems emerged at the Barcelona race this year. The move has been anticipated since regional president Isabel Diaz Ayuso sponsored the revamp of Madrid’s Jarama race circuit which reopened in February. Rather than the existing Jara-

BOUNCING BACK T

GBP/EUR exchange rate rebounds from one-year low following BoE rate decision, writes Peter Loveday

HE pound euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate continued to trade with notable volatility through the second half of June in response to a Bank of England (BoE) rate decision and European energy concerns. Over the last two weeks, GBP/EUR fell to a one-year low of €1.14 before swiftly rebounding to around €1.16.

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING? The past couple of weeks have seen the GBP/EUR exchange rate trade in a wide range, with the pairing briefly striking a one-year low. This slump came in response to some lacklustre UK economic data, coupled with Brexit jitters amidst the renewed threat of a UK-EU trade war. However, the pound was then able to rebound sharply in response to the Bank of England’s latest rate decision. While the BoE opted for another modest 25 basis point hike this month, GBP investors seized on the bank’s hints that future hikes could be more aggressive. Since then the pound has continued to fluctuate as a modest rise in UK inflation caused GBP Investors to further revise their BoE rate hike bets. The second half of June initially saw the euro firm as it benefited from risk-off flows. This uptick in the single currency was underpinned by some hawkish comments from European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers, who bolstered expectations for an aggressive rate hike from the bank in September. EUR exchange rates faced some headwinds as a result of renewed concerns over European energy security, amidst a sharp drop in Russian gas exports to the continent. The euro was also dented by the publication of the Eurozone’s latest PMI figures after they reported growth in the bloc’s private sector slowed sharply in June.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR? As June comes to a close its likely we will see similar catalysts of movement continue to influence the GBP/EUR exchange rate, with recession fears and the war in Ukraine also likely to continue to infuse volatility in the pairing. The pound could struggle to attract support amidst political uncertainty in the UK. With Brexit and ongoing questions over the future of Boris Johnson’s premiership likely to limit Sterling’s upside potential. For EUR investors a key focus at the end of this month will be the Eurozone’s latest CPI print. Another jump in inflation could buoy the euro as it places more pressure on the ECB to take action. The start of July will then see the focus turn to the ECB’s latest interest rate decision, in which the bank is set to raise interest rates by 25bps points. While the increase is largely priced in by EUR investors, the focus will be on how the bank plans to handle fragmentation in the Eurozone as well as its forward guidance for an expected hike in September. Any further hints that a 50bps hike may be on the cards could boost EUR exchange rates. PROTECTING AGAINST VOLATILITY This kind of volatility can cause some nasty surprises if you need to transfer money overseas. On a £200,000 transfer, just a onecent gap translates to a €2,000 difference. And the larger the sum, the higher the discrepancy. Fortunately, there are ways that you can protect against volatility. Specialist currency brokers, such as Currencies Direct, offer tools to help you navigate the ups and downs of the currency market. For instance, you can use a forward contract to secure an exchange rate for up to a year. This way, you won’t lose out if the market moves against you. Services like rate alerts and daily updates make it easy to keep track of what’s going on in the forex world so that you can make informed decisions. And with Currencies Direct you’ll have a dedicated account manager there to provide guidance and support whenever you need them. At Currencies Direct we’re here to talk currency whenever you need us, so get in touch if you want to know more about the latest news or how it could impact your currency transfers. Since 1996 we’ve helped more than 325,000 customers with their currency transfers, just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more.

ma circuit, a new track could be built at Morata de Tajuña, south east of Madrid, where land has already been earmarked for the project.

Interest

Other regions in Spain have also expressed an interest in hosting the race. Alcañiz in the region of Aragon and Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucia have both thrown their hats in the ring, while authorities in Barcelona said they want to renew the contract.

PM: Pedro Sanchez

Power cut ELECTRICITY IVA (VAT) tax rates have been slashed in half. The government reduced IVA from 21% to 10% last October as wholesale electricity prices shot up to what were then record levels. Now they are being lowered to just 5% as prices continue to rise. Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, said: “We are going to protect the families of our country.” Just two months ago, the leader of the opposition Partido Popular, Alberto Nuñez Feijoo proposed a 5% reduction but the government rejected it, with Ecological Transition Minister, Teresa Ribera, describing it as a ‘cosmetic measure’. With a general election looming in December and a disastrous performance by Sanchez’s PSOE in this month’s Andalucia regional elections, the new tax cut might be seen as some ‘red meat’ for voters.

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HEALTH

June 29th July 12th 2022

Dementia hope DOCTORS at a Madrid hospital have discovered a new way to slow down the progression of dementia. The team from Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre have detected a protein, which could play a vital role in the slowing down of Alzheimer’s. It is hoped this new knowledge could be the foundation upon which to develop new therapies for the disease. The successful study followed 155 volunteers with the genetic mutation that causes Alzheimer’s and 93 healthy relatives over periods of between two and 15 years, since dementia starts to develop in the body years before symptoms become apparent. The healthy group possessed a much higher amount of the protein.

Children in crisis THERE has been a sharp rise in the number of children being referred to mental health services. According to the Gibraltar Health Authority, 122 under-18s have been referred between January and May this year, which is more than are usually reported in a year. In 2021, 113 children were referred to health services for mental health reasons. Leader of Opposition, Keith Azopardi, has now questioned why this level has increased so significantly. Minister for Health Albert Isola stated that the reason for this increase was due to The Mental Health Strategy 2021-2026.

Awareness

He claimed that the implementation of this scheme ‘has led to an awful lot more awareness and more people being aware of the kind of issues that may arise and consequently referring people more than they were previously’. Despite Azopardi’s acknowledgement that this could have contributed to the increase in referrals, he is calling for further investigation. “We’re talking about a lot of under-18s being referred. It’s a lot of kids,” he stated.

LIBERTYCASHBACK

Cholera denial SPAIN’S national health ministry has rejected claims by regional authorities that a case of cholera has been detected for the first time in more than 40 years. A farm in Toledo province was sealed off while Castilla-La Mancha authorities investigated the source after reports that a child had contracted cholera after drinking from a well. But, Spain’s central Health Ministry insisted that in fact, the girl was suffering vibrio gastroenteritis and not cholera as first thought. “After the corresponding analyses, it has been determined that the pathogenic agent in this case is non-toxigenic vibrio cholerae 01 and, therefore, it is not considered a case of cholera, but of vibrio gastroenteritis,” said a health ministry spokesman. The last cholera outbreak in Spain originated in the North African enclave of Melilla in 1979.

High time Spain moves step closer to allowing medical marijuana

By Livia Cockerell

SPAIN’S lawmakers have moved a step closer to allowing chemists to dispense medical marijuana. Congress has approved recommendations by Spain’s Medicines Agency, which will now need to be rubber-stamped by Spain’s Health Commission. The majority of political parties (excluding PP and Vox) voted in favour of the report. The proposal outlines conditions that will allow doctors to prescribe cannabis with THC - the psychoactive component that makes you feel ‘high’ - for therapeutic purposes. It calls for the establishment of a centralised registry of the patients entitled to use it. The text emphasises the need to ensure that this policy does not result in an overall increase in cannabis consumption outside of a medical context. Moreover, it states that, for now, the policy will focus on people suffering from epilepsy, nausea as a result of che-

JOINT EFFORT: Ruling parties push measure through motherapy, endometriosis, multiple sclerosis, ontological and non-ontological pain. Spain’s Observatory of Me-

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FINAL WORDS

Tipple trophy CARTAMA Town Hall hosted the tapas and cocktail awards in Malaga city this week attended by the Mayor of Cartama, the Councillor for Commerce and Local Development, and 40 food and drink establishments.

Check that ESTEPONA Town Hall has announced it has so far funded 10,000 students to learn how play chess as part of the Municipal Chess Promotion plan launched in 2011.

Go fish! THE 24th Virgen del Carmen fishing contest will take place in Malaga city on Saturday July 2, organised by the Puerto Sport Fishing Society in honour of the patron saint of fishermen.

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June 29th - July 12th 2022

International open-air festival goes decidedly local this year IT has become Spain’s most famous open-air art festival, renowned for putting up foreign artists and sculptors as they create a specific work for the event. But after organisers of Genalgaucil’s famous Art Encounters sifted through 174

applications from 14 countries from artists wanting to take part, they went decidedly local. All seven allotted artists this year are from Spain. The jury for the festival, in which the village streets are turned into an open-air gallery

HE is known to be a fan of the UK Home Counties and a close mate of hellraiser Johnny Depp. But it’s not exactly clear why film director Tim Burton has become an ‘Ambassador of Madrid’ , an award given for ‘services to the city’. The ex-husband of Helena Bonham Carter has no obvious connections to the city, aside from a planned exhibition of his visual work.

Back to the future

ATTRACTIONS: Art is dotted through the streets from August 1 to 15, examined bids from as far and wide as Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Peru and Guatemala.

Gone for a Burton While famous for movies, including Batman, Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare before Christmas, none were filmed in Madrid. He is not known to own property in the city or have done anything to promote its culture, parks or history.

A jury spokesman from the village, between Estepona and Ronda, explained that the selection process was ‘very difficult and hard-fought due to the large number of projects with more than enough quality to be among those selected.’ But when it came down to the nitty-gritty the jury dismissed the international entrants and chose an all-Spanish ensemble - Julio Falagan, Marta Galindo, Mar Guerrero, Gala Knörr, Jesus Madriñán, Jose Manuel Martinez and Javier Palacios. All of them will live in the town for a few weeks, with all expenses paid.

AIR Nostrum has ordered 10 blimp-like airships to fly passengers around Spain. The UK-made Airlander 10s which cut emissions by 90% are set to run from 2026. The airline operates as a franchise of Iberia with 91 domestic and international routes. The ships, which can carry up to 100 passengers, are powered by helium and described as environmentally friendly.

SACKED IN THE MORNING AN employee of Cristiano Ronaldo has crashed the star’s €2.1m Bugatti Veyron sports car in Mallorca. The two-seater hit the wall of a property in Bunyola, where it ended up in a storage area for butano gas bottles. The front of the luxury car was badly damaged but no one was hurt. The footballer has been on holiday in Mallorca with his wife and five children.