Olive Press Gibraltar Issue 192

‘MY NIGHTMARE ON THE COSTA DEL SOL’S BUSES’

What happened when we sent a cub reporter from Manilva to Mijas?

See The road to Mandalay, page 6

P LIVE RESS The O

No Golden boy!

The case of a shocking UK murder by Gold character Kenneth Noye could be reopened as fresh evidence emerges

POLICE may reopen an investigation into how the UK’s former ‘Public Enemy No 1’ was easily able to escape and live in Spain for two years.

Kent Police are now studying a series of sensational tapes that explain how high profile killer Kenneth Noye was harboured by a leading expat timeshare figure, based in Spain.

Over 500 hours of recordings of businessman Mohamed ‘Mo’ Derbah reveal how Noye, 75, was flown to France, then Tenerife, and finally was landed on the coast near Cadiz, where he hid for 22 months.

Handed to police by UK accountant Paul Blanchard - who worked for Derbah and many clients with large companies in Gibraltar - they explain how the

EXCLUSIVE

By Anthony Piovesan

former Brinks Mat robber evaded justice after stabbing boxer Stephen Cameron to death on the M25 motorway, in Kent, in 1996.

In a letter to Scotland Yard accompanying the tapes, Blanchard, a former expat based in Spain for years, pleads with police to ‘investigate and obtain justice for the family of Cameron’.

Blanchard told the Olive Press Derbah had been introduced to Noye, through his connections to fellow criminal John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer, who lived in Tenerife for many years.

“I am delighted that this cold

be re-examined,” he said from outside Scotland Yard, this week.

“What Derbah did to help Noye get away with murder is staggering.

“My statements and tapes prove how he used his worldwide contacts to harbour a dangerous criminal, who had already killed at least once before.”

Fled

Blanchard also reveals in a podcast how Derbah - who had many timeshare connections on the Costa del Sol - moved Noye around by private plane and boat immediately after he fled

the UK.

Incredibly, Noye managed to evade police until he was finally located living in sleepy Atlanterra, near Zahara, on the Costa de la Luz, from where he was finally extradited two years later.

During his

time in Andalucia, Noye, as told in BBC drama The Gold, took on the identity of a builder called ‘Mick’ who was living in Cadiz to evade tax.

He found a local girlfriend, Maria, who didn’t know his real identity, or of his wife and two sons, who occasionally visited him in Spain.

Eventually, British cops found out and in July, 1998, two officers flew into Jerez and headed to Atlanterra, finally spotting Noye three days later en route to his gym.

In a carefully orchestrated sting, alongside Spanish police, he was finally arrested as he had lunch with Maria in a restaurant in Zahara.

Blanchard’s audio tapes - which were recorded with an eye to ghosting an autobiography of Derbah’s - ‘prove he hid Noye in

Spain’.

Noye was eventually tried and found guilty of the murder for which he received a life sentence.

He was released in 2019 and has just launched a book on his life, written with investigative journalist Donal MacIntyre.

UK Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mike Rowley told the Olive Press they had received the new evidence and Kent Police ‘would investigate’.

Murder

“The investigation into Mr Cameron’s murder was led by Kent Police and we have replied to the letter advising that any related matters would be raised with that force.”

As we went to press Kent Police confirmed they had received ‘three cassette tapes’ handed in as evidence, but told us: “We think this is a matter for the Spanish police.”

The podcast, Kenny Noye: The Lost Tapes, is available online. A Million Ways to Stay on the Run, by Donal MacIntyre is out now.

KILLER: Noye and road rage victim Stephen Cameron (right)

Doughting Stephen

SHADOW Minister for Europe Stephen

Doughty visited Gibraltar and met with Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia to talk about the UK-EU treaty talks.

Cop that!

ROYAL Gibraltar

Police chiefs are inviting potential recruits to join the force by taking part in open evenings, fitness tests and exams.

Taxi tap

THE Gibraltar Taxi Association is planning a new app that will make it more like Uber, listing drivers for readiness rather than proximity to clients.

Great Scott

ROYAL Navy ship HMS

Scott, the largest seabed survey vessel in Western Europe, visited Gibraltar for maintenance recently.

A MAN who grabbed a woman by the breast and then hit her so hard he knocked out her dental crowns will spend 24 weeks behind bars.

Mohamed El Ghalouri, 57, of Lynch’s Lane, pleaded guilty to sexual and common assault at the Magistrates Court.

The violent attack took place at a Gibraltar bar called Casa Antonio at Waterport roundabout on No-

TOOTH ASSAULT

vember 3, 2021.

At about 8.15pm the victim of the assault approached El Ghalouri because she thought he was a friend of hers. When she realised she did not know him, the woman returned to the bar.

Murder squad

Soon after, El Ghalouri came up from behind her and grabbed her breast. The pair then had an argument during which El Ghalouri slapped her face three times so hard it knocked out three of her dental crowns.

GOTCHA

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

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

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

Most Wanted snared trying to cross the Straits

By Anthony Piovesan

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

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

been included on another recent appeal a fortnight ago.

The final seven, still believed to be hiding in Spain, include heavily-tattooed and often armed Jack Mayle, 31, wanted on suspicion of drugs smuggling.

Mayle, from London, had a tattooed

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

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

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

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

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

A UK hit squad with ‘military grade weapons’ have been arrested for the attempted hit on a trio of Irishmen.

The ‘extremely violent’ gang, believed to be from north London, had been sent to Marbella to tackle the Irishmen who are linked to Dublin crime boss Mr Flashy.

In incredible circumstances, none of the three were killed with only one man, from Finglas, near Dublin, hospitalised with a bullet in his side.

Spanish police have accused the men of attempted murder at the popular Turtle Lake outside Marbella on September 20 last year. In the so-called ‘settling of scores’, linked to a new drug war in Dublin, the only victim made his own way to the Costa del Sol Hospital, where he refused to cooperate with police. In alarming dawn raids, cops seized a haul of weapons - including pistols, submachine guns and an axe - in Marbella, Estepona, Fuengirola and Coin.

Machetes

Officers also found bulletproof vests, balaclavas, machetes, tasers and cable ties, together with GPS trackers and a mobile signal blocker. The shooting happened at the picturesque Lago de los Tortugas above Aloha golf course, a popular day trip destination for schools in the area. The attack happened just eight days after the arrest of alleged senior Kinahan cartel member Johnny Morrissey, who owned high-profile Nero Vodka.

It was initially believed to be linked to the two decade feud between the Kinahan and Hutch Irish crime gangs, who were both based on the Costa del Sol.

A notice for striking-off of Nero Drinks has been lodged by the UK’s Companies House as their annual accounts are two months overdue. The striking-off action is not thought to be linked to current police investigations in the US or Spain.

Campo

Special Guests:

Keith Bensusan Gibraltar Botanic Garden

Carlos Moro Matarromera Family Wineries

Hon John Cortes Minister for the Environment

Dr Awantha Dissanayake University of Gibraltar

Carnival capers

FORGET Christmas and the three kings. They should by now be a fading memory in the face of Spain’s most hedonistic landmark on the calendar: Carnival. Cadiz’s famous Carnival, the biggest and most prestigious in Spain - and one of the biggest in the world - is now in full swing and runs until February 26.

For those wanting a more ‘Brazilian’ experience head to Tenerife .

Spain’s second biggest Carnival is in Sitges, near Barcelona, while there are plenty of local events around Spain.

BRITISH BEEF

UK architectural legend Norman Foster courts controversy designing bullfighting poster

HE’S known for his revolutionary designs, including the Reichstag dome, the Hearst tower and the Gherkin in London.

By Walter Finch

But despite being the world’s richest living architect, Norman Foster somehow found time to knock up a local bullfighting poster for Sevilla. Now, the British architect - behind a string of local buildings, including Madrid’s Torre Bankia and Barcelona’s Nou Camp redesign - has designed Sevilla bullring’s annual festival poster.

The architect will certainly lose credibility in the eyes of animal rights activists after he was commissioned by the Real Maestranza to promote its controversial season of ‘corridas’.

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

HE miraculously escaped death when his siblings were buried alive.

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

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

Beast of a movie

His reputation is bound to take a wobble, like his infamous Millenium bridge, in London, that had to be shut and fixed at a cost of

Great escape

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

By ‘tradition’ once a pup had opened its eyes burying was no longer an option. So when Leonel - then just eight - and his brother found Bobi hiding, they kept quiet until his eyes opened and he gained a reprieve.

The previous ‘oldest dog ever’ was an Australian cattle dog named Bluey who was born in 1910 and lived for 29 years and 5 months.

millions after it wobbled on opening.

But the Pritzker-prize winner, who has a home in Madrid, is unlikely to worry, being married to Spaniard Elena Ochoa, 64, for nearly three decades. Foster, 87, based the artwork on the striking red and yellow of the celebrated festival and on the minimalist architecture of the historic Plaza de la Maestranza.

Wild

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

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

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

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

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

Jankto’s declaration

SPAIN has finally got an officially gay player.

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

The 27-year-old Czech internation al is back in his native country playing on loan for Sparta Prague. Jankto took to social media saying that ‘I want to live my life in free dom, without fear, without prej udice, without violence, but with love’.

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

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

YOU SEE ME? THEN SO CAN ALL OUR READERS

CAN

CHARGE IT UP

PLANS to roll out charging points for electric vehicles across Gibraltar are going ahead after a government-wide meeting to push towards carbon neutrality.

Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia chaired the Gibraltar Net Zero Delivery Body (NZDB) at No.6 Convent Place for the third time.

Government experts looked at a whole myriad of ideas, including exploring offshore wind energy and solar power possibilities.

They reviewed projects aimed at ‘reducing energy consumption, improving energy efficiency and encouraging the use of alternative transport options’, the government said. The NZDB will look to hit carbon neutrality by 2050, the main goal of the 2016 Paris Agreement, which Gibraltar recently signed. One of the main moves is to replace the combustion engine with electric vehicles (EV).

Airport beach cleanup

VOLUNTEERS from the Nautilus Project collected 80 kg of rubbish during a clean-up of the beach on the eastern end of Gibraltar’s runway. The Ministry of Defence invited the NGO so that it could carry out an environmental analysis and clean-up on the normally off-limits stretch of coastline.

Marine biologist Lewis Stagnetto of the Nautilus Project organised the trip for children on the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. The Nautilus Project was also a key part of the beach cleanup after the oil spill caused by the break-up of the OS 35 bulk carrier off Catalan Bay last September.

Fueling dissent

GIBRALTAR’S port has denied Spanish press reports that it has been helping evade sanctions by refuelling Russian ships.

Not only that, a spokesman added that it has been ‘applying stricter rules than any EU or UK port’.

Port authorities clarified that fuel suppliers topped up two tankers that then passed on

A FUTURISTIC electric taxi service that uses ultra-modern vehicles designed in Israel could be up and running in Gibraltar by 2024, its promoter said.

ETIOCA presented the electric taxi at the Sunborn Hotel this week boasting that it even mines for cryptocurrency as it rides. The company will rent its vehicles out to taxi drivers at 99

Spanish press reports that Gib port helping ships evade Russian sanctions denied

By John Culatto

the fuel to Russian ships once they arrived in international waters off Ceuta.

But the Gibraltar Port Authority (GPA) claimed they did this

Crypto taxi

cents a kilometre.

Politicians from Gibraltar and the surrounding region came to see the new product. It comes complete with LED screens, digital advertising boards and space for up to eight passengers.

‘without express permission of the Captain of the Port’.

It said in a statement they ‘were in fact empty tankers, flagged in third countries, not arriving from Russia, with no indication of any Russian interest’.

“Since January 2013 Gibraltar

has forbidden its port operators and service providers from directly or indirectly affecting or providing services for ship-to-ship transfers of any kind outside British Gibraltar

Territorial Waters,” said the GPA.

“It further prohibits the exportation of fenders and associated equipment from Gibraltar in support of operations outside BGTW without express permission of the Captain of the Port and the Minister with responsibility for the Port.”

Gibraltar forbids refuelling on ships flying a Russian flag or are registered, owned, chartered or operated by Russia. It even blocks refuelling of ships that have Russian cargo or are destined for Russia or companies connected with Russia.

Last year, Gibraltar seized a yacht owned by a Russian oligarch and auctioned it off in September 2022.

YOUNGSTERS should play their part in growing links with the Commonwealth, according to Deputy Chief Minister of Gibraltar Joseph Garcia. He gave a speech at Westside School encouraging Year 12 students to help promote the Rock among the Commonwealth’s 56 member states. Gibraltar has so far taken part in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Commonwealth Local Government Association, the Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.

A £150 pound prize is up for grabs for students of all ages up to university level who can give an account of the subject.

Colonial links Pram probe

A COURT banned an elderly pensioner from driving for one month and fined her £200 after she mowed down a pram with a baby in it at a zebra crossing.

Christine Trico, 73, of Europort Avenue, drove her moped into the pram carrying the 10-month-old baby when she failed to stop at the crossing. The moped snagged the pram and dragged it down the road with the baby inside. The baby was unhurt.

CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo sent his ‘best wishes’ to Nicola Sturgeon after she stepped down as First Minister of Scotland.

Sturgeon said she was quitting after eight years leading Scotland because of the ‘brutality’ of being on the front-line.

“The top flight of politics is tough in all jurisdictions and it takes a personal toll that is too often ignored,” the Chief Minister added.

In June 2016, Picardo met Sturgeon to discuss ways of keeping areas of the UK inside the EU when they voted overwhelmingly to remain.

Grief as Gib mourns local surgeon killed while visiting Turkey

GIBRALTAR flew its flags at half mast on Monday to mourn the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, including a locally-based surgeon who died in the tragedy. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and his staff at No.6 Convent Place joined the governor Sir David Steel at midday to hold a minute’s silence for those who died in the quake. Authorities in southern Turkey and northern Syria reported that over 33,000 people died in the natural disaster, equivalent to the total population of Gibraltar.

THE police and fire service will move their headquarters to a new development at the old Rooke site, which will include residential buildings and parks.

Developer Carlton Properties will build the government project at the vacant plot of the former military headquarters on Queensway.

Three residential towers will overshadow a green area open for public use.

One of the dead was a surgeon who worked on the Rock, Dr George Chami (pictured). Picardo announced his death on Sunday ‘with great sadness’ after fears for his safety arose earlier in the week.

Dr Chami was in his native Turkey on holiday when the

The project will also include a new police and fire station, built by Carlton Properties as part of the government deal with the developer.

The development will have expanded shopping areas, with the possibility of a new supermarket within easy reach of the town centre.

Fighting

talk

GIBRALTAR hit back at Spanish press reports it was going soft on tobacco smuggling and said it was keeping to a 2018 agreement to keep its prices 32% less than Spain.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said it was ‘ludicrous’ that Spanish media was suggesting the Rock would ever ‘fail to comply with its legal obligations’.

It followed an incident where Spanish customs chased smugglers onto a Gibraltar beach.

7.8 and 7.5 quakes struck.

“He was an extremely respected surgeon in our community, and his passing will be felt not just by all those who knew him, but every person in this close knit community,” Picardo said.

“Dr Chami chose to make Gibraltar his home, and with that improve the lives of many Gibraltarians with his talent.”

The Chief Minister said he had written to the UK ambassadors for Turkey and Syria ‘expressing our condolences and solidarity on behalf of the people of Gibraltar’.

“We continue to remember all those who have been affected and tomorrow we will hold a minute of silence for all those who have died, especially Dr

Chami.

“His loss will be very deeply felt in Gibraltar by all who knew him and were his grateful patients and colleagues.”

Quake tragedy Scot free CITY MOVES

Picardo added: “Whilst we will not usually comment on anonymous badmouthing of Gibraltar in Spain, we will not permit our compliance with obligations and the good name of our law enforcement officers to be besmirched in this way.”

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

Voted top expat paper in Spain OPINION

Going green

GIBRALTAR’S plan to set up charging points for electric vehicles (EV) across the British overseas territory is a great first step towards carbon neutrality.

While it is clear very little can be done in the short-term, it is time the government at least put the infrastructure in place for this EV push.

This is all the harder on the Rock considering the price of locally produced electricity, which is driven by natural gas, a supply put in jeopardy by the Russian attack on Ukraine.

But it is time to turn the tide despite all odds.

The launch of the electric taxi at the Sunborn Hotel also shows that startups are now vying for the same market bigger companies like Tesla have dominated for a few years.

Still, they have some way to go to rival their infrastructure.

Tesla’s delayed launch of the new electric HGV truck has shown that the change is slowly happening.

And in Gibraltar, where it all happens in such a small area, having electric cars could be easier to realise than most other places.

Strategically placed charging points could lower the carbon footprint considerably, especially considering how emissions went down during the pandemic.

But other energy solution are being explored across the bay in Algeciras.

‘Green hydrogen’ is the latest sustainable fuel being explored in Europe with the first plant set up in Gibraltar’s neighbouring town.

On the other side of the world, an Australian company recently invented a new low-cost manufacturing technique to make green hydrogen straight from seawater.

Back in Gibraltar, eagle-eyed readers might have spotted the solar panels planned into the new development at the Rooke site.

Along with an increase in cycling and walking infrastructure – as proposed in the latest sustainable traffic plan – Gibraltar has the opportunity to become a shining example of sustainable living.

Long may this trend continue under the guiding hand of Minister for the Environment John Cortes.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Anthony Piovesan anthony@theolivepress.es

Jo Chipchase jo@theolivepress.es

John Culatto

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

LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON THE COSTA DEL

ROAD RAGE

Regional transport along Malaga’s coastline is a disgrace. While the light’s firmly stuck on red for the proposed coastal train extension, the Olive Press asks if it’s time to improve the bus service?

OVER half a million people live along the Costa del Sol, not counting Malaga city, a number that is said to triple during the summer. It is one of Spain’s busiest tourist hotspots, receiving 1.5 million visitors each year and generating over a third of Andalucia’s tourism revenue.

And yet, if you look at a train map for Spain, you will notice that, for such an important economic hub, the sun coast is a curious black spot.

Tourists and new residents are understandably shocked to discover that the coastal train from Malaga and its airport stops after just 25km at Fuengirola.

The only way to get further is in a vehicle. And, for the overwhelming majority of people, the only reliable way to get around is by car.

Those without a car (or a driving licence) are largely left with a Herculean task of getting around, that is if they travel between resorts or, indeed, regularly to the airport.

Deprived of basic, reliable mobility, tens of thousands of people find themselves in the dehumanising position of being unable to carry out basic functions, such as getting to work, doing the shopping or visiting friends.

And we are not making this up. Read our sidebar (right) on a test set for a junior reporter.

Age-old demand

It’s also a plain fact that every mayor on the coast has long been begging for the train line to be extended, at least to Estepona, but why not all the way to Algeciras?

Marbella mayor Angeles Muñoz stressed the ‘profitability’ of such an endeavour, while Fuengirola leader Ana Mula hailed the idea as ‘transcendental’ and said it would ‘benefit the environment’.

By Walter Finch

movement of vehicles, facilitating mobility and connection.’

Expat councillor Scott Marshall, in Benahavis, told the Olive Press: “It’s about time something was done and we moved forwards with better buses, at least.”

This proposal has been chewed over by successive local administrations for decades – generations even.

And yet here we still are, without a coastal line like the one running from the French border all the way down through to the Costa Blanca and Alicante.

Demand

Residents are not completely without public transport options, of course: bus company Avanza has a service running all the way from Malaga to La Linea. The problem is that most of the available options are practically useless. Our readers have told us so. And in no uncertain terms.

An online poll conducted by the Olive Press found that a huge majority (87%) declared public transport to be ‘a problem’.

“For somebody that doesn't have a car, living in this area is a true nightmare,” Louisa Nunn, 62, an Estepona-based expat, explained. “There are just not enough buses. And because there's no train service, there's no alternative,” she continued.

can’t take a flight at Malaga airport before 10am as the first bus won’t get you there before 8.30am.”

Equally bad, tourists frequently arrive on late flights only to find they’ve missed the last bus – and without a car that’s a big problem.

“When my mother jumped in a taxi from the airport to my house, it cost her €140,” revealed Lendrum.

This very reporter had to stay a night in Malaga on arrival at 10pm, with very little options, apart from a costly taxi. Ana, a school teacher at the British School of Marbella, expecting her first child in April, has learnt the hard way the necessity of having a car: “Public transport in the south of Spain doesn't work properly.” She adds: “I live in San Pedro and there is no other way to get to work. I have friends at work who don’t drive and they struggle to get there on time. They have to ask for a lift from colleagues, or get an Uber.” Carmen, who works at the same school, told the Olive Press that with so many cars on the road ‘it can get a bit dangerous’. “The traffic is heavy and it's fast. I've known people who had accidents, so the roads don’t feel safe.”

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Cristina Hodgson cristina@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

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

DISTRIBUTION ENQUIRIES (+34) 951 273 575 distribution@ theolivepress.es

NEWSDESK: 0034 951 273 575

For all sales and advertising enquiries please contact 951 27 35 75

HEAD OFFICE

Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5, Calle Espinosa 1, Edificio cc El Duque, planta primera, 29692, Sabinillas, Manilva

Torremolinos town hall meanwhile described it as ‘a key project to improve mobility in an area with one of the highest private traffic saturation rates’.

A spokesman pointed out the proposed extension would ‘considerably reduce the

“So if you want to get into Malaga or Marbella, or somewhere like La Cañada shopping centre, you have to get a taxi. And not everybody is wealthy enough to afford that.”

The gripes are many. They include buses that run late to those that depart EARLY, services that only run a few times a day, and route changes that aren’t announced. Real-time information on routes and

schedules is available on Google Maps and other apps in cities such as Malaga or Marbella, but outside the metropolitan areas transport agencies have been slow to share their data with the tech companiesmeaning you never know when a bus is coming.

So, for most people, the only way to get to grips with regional transport is to spend several days figuring out when buses arrive, where they go and what route they follow. By the time you’ve worked it out your holiday may be over… or you may be out of a job!

It is certainly not something to undertake when you have an important appointment in a neighbouring town, a flight to catch, or just an irritable disposition.

Estepona-based retired nurse Michael Lendrum, 56, doesn’t own a car, but says he’d rather borrow one from a friend than rely on public transport. “A bus can come 30 minutes either side of the scheduled time,” he observed. “And you

The failure to provide an adequate bus service has made the coastal roads west from Malaga to Sotogrande, some of the most heavily used in Europe. There are 950,000 registered drivers in Malaga province, and the congested A7 around Marbella is notorious for accidents. In 2022, 32 traffic fatalities were reported in the province, and 31 in 2021. While the Diputacion de Malaga is promoting measures to reduce our individual carbon footprints and the Junta promotes green policies, the efforts are undermined when more cars are forced onto the road.

The most scathing indictment of the state of public transport along the coast is that it is even unclear which public body is responsible for the mess.

The Diputacion passed the buck to Malaga Town Hall who told the Olive Press it was the responsibility of the Transport Consortium of Malaga.

The director general of the Metropolitan Transport Consortium of Malaga, Francisco Javier Berlanga Fernández - with jurisdiction only up until Mijas - agreed with the Olive Press ‘that there is much to do.’ But he still seemed oblivious to the scale of the problem, denying that ‘anyone is left abandoned’.

“Perhaps users are unaware that on these routes the exact arrival time of the bus can be known through their phone,” he said, contrary to the experiences of everyone the Olive Press spoke to for this article.

But Berlanga Fernández did concur with one point the Olive Press put to him. “You are absolutely right - the trainline extension throughout the rest of the West Coast is not something we will see for quite a while.”

Send your views to newsdesk@theolivepress.es

Most of the available options are practically useless

IN A CLASS OF THEIR OWN

Choosing the right schools can be a problem of algebraic proportions for parents newly-arrived in Andalucia. The Olive Press has the facts to help you tick all the right boxes

A 16-page Olive Press special pull out supplement

THERE’S no denying it, upping sticks and moving you, your partner, the kids and even the family dog to Spain is one of the biggest decisions of your life.

And when you arrive in ‘the land of the three Ss’ - sun, sea and sangria - there’s still a far more important decision to make: where your youngsters will learn the three Rs.

On the Costa del Sol, negotiating the interactive whiteboard jungle (blackboards are old hat) is an even tougher call, as you’ll be spoiled for choice.

Of course your selection will depend on certain key factors: distance from home, budget, academic standards and teaching style, to name just a few.

So where do you start?

The first box on your checklist will be whether to opt for a state school or an international college?

It’s generally an easier decision to make for younger children, as

Get to know the Spanish state school system

There are four phases to the school system in Spain, below is an explanation of how it is structured:

● Educacion Infantil (Preschool) - 3 to 5 years of age (inclusive, i.e. three years). This is optional.

● Educacion Primaria (Primary Education) - 6 to 11 years of age (six years). Compulsory.

● Educacion Secundaria Obligitoria or ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education) - 12 to 15 years of age (four years).

● Bachillerato (Post-Compulsory Schooling) - 16 and 17 years of age (two years).

The Pre-school stage (infantil or popularly known as pre-escolar) is free for all children but not compulsory.

However, it is regarded as an integral part of the education system with infants’ classes at almost every primary school.

There are some separate nursery schools, colegios infantiles, also.

The next two phases, primary (colegio) and secondary school (instituto) education are compulsory and free of charge.

At the end of the ESO successful pupils are awarded a Secondary Education Certificate, which is necessary to enter the post-compulsory stage of schooling for their university or vocational studies.

Alternatively they may leave school and get a job.

Once pupils have their Bachillerato they can take their university entrance exam.

The primary decision

primary schools throughout Europe are more or less comparable. Around 80% of expats send their children to the local state schools –called ‘colegios’ for primary schools and ‘institutos’ for secondary schools.

There are two serious advantages to Spanish schools. The first is that children will learn Spanish fast and should integrate well into their new home country. Younger children, in general, thrive in state schools, with youngsters under nine normally picking up impressive spoken Spanish (usually, far better than their parents) within a year, just by socialising with their new friends.

The second key advantage is that state schooling is free of charge from the age of three, when children can begin attending infantile or ‘pre-escolar’, equivalent to a nursery in the UK.

The only costs you’ll have to cover are books, school trips and, if the school has them, uniforms. There are, however, downsides to state schools, particularly if your child is older or more timid.

Older children with limited Spanish can often have trouble adjust-

ing, finding the move to a different country, combined with schooling in a tricky language, way too much to cope with.

Learning history and physics in a foreign language isn’t for the faint hearted!

“It is fine if you get the kids in at a young age, but if they are nine or 10 then they will find it harder,” advised one English parent, whose two children have been through the local system in Marbella.

Tips for choosing a new school

● Ignore the glossy brochures - go to the school and see for yourself

● Meet the head, meet the teachers, and meet the students

● Look at the exam results

“They will almost certainly need some extra tuition and it also helps if the parents get involved in the school and try to get to know the other Spanish parents. Joining the parents/teachers association certainly helps.”

If you decide against the state system, either because you fear the standards will be low (according to reports, Andalucia does indeed come well below average), or because you prefer to have your children educated in their native language, then your best choice is to go private.

Going private

● Find out about opening or taster days

● If the students seem happy, chances are your child will be happy too

● Be clear about what you want from a school - do lots of research

Budget is usually the main consideration but many expat parents find that choosing an international school gives their child a gentler introduction to a foreign country, with much smaller class sizes and with teaching in English, German, Swedish or French.

Many international schools follow the basic UK curriculum, with GCSE and A-levels, with a number of local schools regularly getting kids into the top British universities, including Oxbridge, Manchester, Edinburgh and London. Others cater for the American, French and Swedish systems too. International schools have very

different personalities and philosophies, and it’s very much a matter of personal preference.

But with more than two dozen on the Costa

del Sol alone, there are more than enough to choose from.

Marbella – with more than 50,000 foreigners – has the largest concentration of international schools, after Madrid and Barcelona, with well over a dozen.

Malaga city, Mijas, Fuengirola, Benalmadena, Estepona, Almunecar and Sotogrande all have their own options.

The rise of international schools in Spain can be traced back to former dictator General Franco, who introduced tourism to the Costa del Sol.

Since then, a torrent of foreign visitors settling along the coast has turned it into a melting pot of cultures, providing endless opportunities for education start-ups.

A great advantage for many parents is that international schools often have a more multicultural environment than state schools, with most having more than 20 nationalities attending and offering a bilingual study programme.

To tie in with this, many of the top schools offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, as well as the local secondary school qualification, the Bachillerato.

The IB – which may be unknown to some English readers – is the normal route to university for European students. Of course the option remains for A levels, as

BILINGUAL BENEFITS

IMS Sotogrande

CHILDREN at International Montessori School in Sotogrande learn both English and Spanish effortlessly in a curriculum taught in both tongues. It’s been operating since 2020, and previously functioned as a child education centre. But when the space moved in 2019 they expanded their services to become an education centre authorised by the Andalucian government as a foreign teaching institute for students aged from four months to 12 years. At IMS Sotogrande students can expect stimulating spaces equipped with furniture to meet the needs of all age groups. Students are also given specific material and tools to help with their learning.

IMS Sotogrande teachers have the relevant training and experience to understand every childs’ different learning needs.

The learning cycle at IMS Sotogrande promotes ‘concentration and the power of attention’, as well as teamwork, collaboration and peer learning.

The school encourages older students to learn by mentoring younger students, and the younger ones to observe their elders who are ‘role models’ for them.

IMS Sotogrande combines both the Spanish and American curriculums.

The school believes that not all children learn in the same way, or have the same interests. But through observation and the follow-up of the teacher, together with the participation of families, it is guaranteed students at IMS Sotogrande achieve all learning objectives set out by the state curriculum.

(+34) 653 04 17 39 administracion@ims-sotogrande.com www.ims-sotogrande.com

Spanish and English ‘coexist naturally’ throughout the day at IMS Sotogrande.

There are always two teachers in a class, one who speaks English and the other who speaks Spanish.

It is through this environment the child learns both languages almost effortlessly as they absorb and experience it daily.

well as for other international qualifications including the Swedish and American systems. No guide can decide your child’s education for you, and there is no easy answer.

Choosing a school in Spain is as much a personal choice as in any other country, whether your biggest consideration is cost, integration or a smoother transition.

NURTURINGLEARNING

ALMA Forest School is an exciting and dynamic educational institution that combines the best of both worlds - traditional classroom instruction and hands-on learning in the great outdoors! Nestled in the heart of a beautiful finca, students at Alma Forest School have the opportunity to explore, discover, and learn about the natural world around them in a way that is both challenging and engaging.

The curriculum at Alma Forest School is designed to foster critical thinking, curiosity, and a love of learning. From ecology and conservation to deep explorations of space, students are exposed to a wide range of subjects that not only challenge them academically, but also inspire them to make a positive impact on the

For more information about The International Montessori School, please contact them by telephone on +34 653 04 17 39, by email at administracion@ims-sotogrande.com or consult the website at www.ims-sotogrande.com

world around them.

The sense of community at Alma Forest School is truly unique. Stu dents are encouraged to work together, share ideas, and collaborate on projects. They learn how to communicate effectively and to be responsi ble, respectful members of a community. Plus, they make friends that will last a lifetime!

Alma Forest School has recently partnered with Learning Planet. Launched by the Learning Planet Institute and UNESCO on the 24th of January 2020, Learning Planet is dedicated to learning stakeholders and communities. It the respect, well-being and fulfilment of oneself, others and the planet. Learning Planet defines itself as a middle-ground: it connects institutions with grassroots movements and innovators to scale up their ideas. Alma Forest School is collaborating with the Learning Planet Alliance as part of their Teachers for the Planet programme and Alma Forest will feature as an educational model that inspires action. Working with the Aga Khan Foundation and Teach For All, this programme will culminate in an event at COP28.s

is a long-term initiative with a mission to gather players from around the world in order to identify, celebrate, enhance and scale up innovative educational solutions towards sustainable futures that ensure

Overall, Alma Forest School is an amazing place to learn, grow and make a positive impact on the world. With a focus on hands-on, experiential learning, a sense of community and commitment to sustainability, it's no wonder Alma Forest School is such a special place.

www.almaforestschool.com

Telephone: +34 646 596 155

info@almaforestschool.com

An educational approach that brings nature and learning together to create a supportive community of big thinkers and thoughtful change-makers

Students at

are masters of both English and Spanish once they graduate from the dual language school

THE REAL WORLD

RECENTLY The Times issued its interim report from its wide-ranging, year-long ‘Education Commission’. The commission, which sought opinions from education and business leaders, amongst others, concluded that reform of the education system could boost the UK economy by £125bn a year.

According to the Commercial Education Trust charity, almost three quarters of companies believe their profitability and productivity would rise by at least 25% if new recruits were better prepared for employment.

But what does this mean?

The world of work has changed dramatically over the last couple of years – the COVID-19 pandemic forced many companies to completely rethink how they do business and much of their operation has moved online. Restric tions may have come to an end, but big companies like Apple and Microsoft have embraced full time remote or hybrid working.

This is a world which, un fortunately, most people leaving school or university over the past few years have

Leading online independent school Minerva’s Virtual Academy, is changing how the education system works to better prepare students for the world of work

been woefully underprepared for. Yes, they know more about computers and technology than we ever did, but that is a world away from having the skills to interact with new colleagues who you never, or seldom, meet in person.

That was one of the drivers behind the launch of Minerva’s Virtual Academy. It is the perfect school for modern times – combining smart technology and engaging online resources with one-to-one support, active group learning and multi-disciplinary projects.

The online academy offers pupils the flexibility to learn from the comfort of their home, anywhere in the world, while ensuring they develop the social skills required to live fulfilling lives and succeed in the workplaces of the future.

Minerva has changed the way it approaches education and headmaster Laurence Tubb believes its programme is attractive to modern employers.

Pupils’ timeta-

bles don’t look anything like the traditional school timetable, but rather resemble a work week calendar. Why? Because 70% of the time Minerva’s pupils self-study on the platform with only 30% spent with teachers in ‘normal’ lessons.

This automatically gives the pupils set deadlines to complete sections of work.

A calendar of deadlines is very different to a calendar of lessons that pupils have to turn up to without any prior preparation, which is what you see in mainstream schools. The academy’s pupils learn to manage their own time to meet these deadlines – and Minerva helps them do this with a dedicated personal mentoring programme. They are taught study skills which will benefit them for years to come – not just revision hacks. The flexibility and mentoring offered by Minerva means that particularly bright pupils have the freedom and support to explore areas of interest

LIVE LIKE A LOCAL!

Homestay Spanish - or any other language - is a unique way to learn a language through complete cultural and linguistic immersion

ON an InTuition language course, you choose 15 to 30 hours of one-toone tuition with a private host tutor each week.

From the age of 14, you can sign up to enjoy the carefully tailored courses, which ensure that outside lesson time, you become a welcome member of the host family: sharing your meals and going on cultural and social excursions, accompanied each time by your hosts.

Evenings and weekends are spent socialising and putting into practice the Spanish you have learnt in the day – helping you to rapidly develop fluency, confidence, and accuracy in an entirely natural context.

Programmes are fully inclusive: as well as one-to-one tuition and full-board accommo-

dation, we also include all study materials and resources, detailed before and after assessments and comprehensive academic support.

The UK-based team is on hand 24/7 to provide everything you need before, during and after your immersion.

InTuition’s 30 years of experience and expertise in the field is always at your disposal.

“With more than 1000 qualified and experi-

and passion outside of the curricu lum.

Some students who had been doing well at physical school previously actu ally thrived at home during lockdown and want to continue learning from where they feel most comfortable but

whether in the UK or abroad, or whose families travel between coun tries and do not relish the thought of boarding school. The result is a richly diverse collection of students who have much in com mon – a desire to make the best of their education, to develop their skills of independence and collaboration –all skills they will need to take into the

enced host tutors in our global network, we guarantee to have an ideal match for you, whatever language you would like to learn, wherever you would like to study,” explains

Commercial Director Jamie Gantley.

“In fact we offer 14 languages across 17 countries and it’s a well-worn trusted network with lots of happy customers.”

The company also has online courses in any language, via Zoom or Skype.

Contact us to begin your journey to language fluency in 2023.

They are taught study skills which will benefit them for years

SOL IS DRIVING TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS MAD

INSIDE TRACK

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

And one online story at the weekend clearly demonstrates that.

TIMETABLE TO CHANGE

DEMAND: Buses flash past all too rarely and often early on the Costa del Sol (as our recent front page (inset) attested

ROAD TO MANDALAY

IHAD been set the challenge of getting from my flat in Duquesa in Manilva to La Cala de Mijas via public transport.

Two coastal resorts on the Costa del Sol, just 60-odd kilometres apart, it should be a cakewalk I thought.

Armed with my trusted mobile maps and a good level of Spanish (it’s my university degree, after all, at Bristol), what could possibly go wrong? Little did I realise, the answer was everything.

The News Editor set me a generous arrival time of 3pm and at 11am I began to plan my route.

After an hour of scouring Google maps, the main bus company Avanza’s website and downloading the pointless ‘Moovit’ app, I began to realise how wrong I was. Not only was there no apparent feasible route, I also couldn't find the waiting times of changeovers, or accurate timetables.

I changed tack and decided to ask

The Olive Press sent student intern Nadia McDonald on a short midweek mission to get to Mijas… or should that be Mandalay?

the tourist office in Duquesa, where a friendly lady told me I needed to go to Sabinillas, and with no bus in sight and my foot hurting I ended up getting a taxi – a cheat I know.

To add insult to injury, the bemused taxi driver told me my assignment was nigh on impossible and that I should just cough up €140 to get there and back… or realistically expect not to make my appointment. As it was by now approaching 13.00, frustration was building up, much like the clouds overhead.

However, not one to quit, and refusing to walk into my office, which happens to be in Sabinillas, to report that I had aborted the mission, I eventually found a bus stop.

I didn't know if this was even the correct bus stop, but two locals suggested I start by taking the bus from there to Estepona, which at least gave me some hope!

That hope very quickly turned to dismay as the bus timetable at the stop reported a wait of an hour and a half for the next bus.

Another youngster at the stop (who looked as though he too was losing the will to live) said he had already been waiting for 40 minutes for the previous bus which had still not shown.

At this point I instinctively reached for my phone to get a live update of the buses in the area, which proved to be a fantastical idea.

After I waited for 50 minutes and it started to rain, I figured there was no way I was going to be on time. I would definitely have been late. I didn’t even know how or where I could change in Estepona?

With no sign of a bus and a phone battery down to 20%, a level broadly reflecting my own waning patience, I decided I needed to be better prepared. The next time I try it I’ll buy a portable charger, a good book and headphones for my own sanity, as well as some spending money in case I end up stranded. All in all it was a logistical nightmare and definitely a challenge for another day.

Our article on the new tourist visa tax (if you missed it online you can read it on page 14) has had a massive 338,000 page views in just three days.

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

And this is not a one off.

Our team of experts provide authoritative information on every key legal, business and cultural development related to life in Spain every week, indeed every day. Our website has dozens of stories every day that matter to you. We already have over 30,000 subscribers, thousands of them paying a small, but excellent value fee to keep our dozens of journalists, writers and specialists.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4-

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

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

A youngster at the stop said he’d been waiting for 40 minutes

It’s a bust

THE state of the economy in the wake of the Ukraine war and the post-pandemic period contributed to the highest number of Spanish companies folding in 2022 for 27 years.

The National Institute of Statistics (INE) says that 26,207 firms closed their doors last year - 10.1% more than in 2021, and the highest figure since 1995. Most of the dissolutions were voluntary, with 2,997 businesses disappearing via mergers and 2,494 for other reasons.

The largest number of closures were in Madrid (8,842), Andalucia (3,988) and Valencia (2,177), while at the other end of the scale, Navarra saw just 91 dissolutions.

Solid recovery

MALAGA airport has closed January with 10.5% more passengers than in 2019.

For the first time, Malaga has registered higher passenger rates compared with pre-pandemic numbers.

The airport was used by 1,120,167 travellers in January. Internationally, the UK remains the most popular destination with 216,828 passengers in the month, followed by the Netherlands, with 79,653; Germany, with 66,747; and Italy, with 55,026.

Booming banks

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

SPAIN'S biggest banksSantander, BBVA, CaixaBank, Sabadell, Unicaja Banco and Bankinterclocked up record profits in 2022 according to a survey from the Noevantas consultancy.

They made an accumulated total of €7.5 billion - a whopping 38.5% year-onyear increase.

Neovantas said the profit rise came from an increase in net interest income, with 12.2% more in

By Alex Trelinski

the year-on-year rate, due to interest rate increases.

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

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

CYBERCRIME is now account ing for 20% of reported of fences in Spain according to Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska. He said there were over 375,000 cybercrimes last year - up by 72% on 2019 and a 352% increase on the 2015 total.

A media awareness campaign has been

coming months. BBVA will distribute a dividend equivalent to €0.50 per share, which represents a pay-out of 47%, while Sabadell announced

Online criminals

launched with the first phase featuring a TV advert warning about the need to take security measures when going online.

The second phase will focus on posting interviews and warnings from experts on social media platforms.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED

WHY do we feel so much nostalgia for the 80s? It was such a stressfree decade with bold fashion statements and new hair trends. Remember mixing music on cassette tapes, recording your message on home answering machines, and not to forget how neon colours rocked with scrunched-up legwarmers over spandex tights. So satisfying.

Well 9 out of 10 Línea Directa customers get the same satisfaction and recommend the best priced car, bike and home insurance to friends and family.

EXPAT2EXPAT REWARDS

When an existing Línea Directa customer recommends a new customer, they both receive 30€. Línea Directa’s Expat2Expat programme is free and open to all existing customers. You can recommend up to 10 people and earn up to 300€ in cash per year. Simply ask your friend to call 952-14-78-34 and quote your full name. Then once their application for car, bike or home insurance has been approved, Línea Directa will pay the reward straight into the bank account following payment of next or first premium. For more information, see terms and conditions at lineadirecta.com

CHECK-OUT OUR POLICIES

All customer service and documentation is in English, their claims service is fast and efficient, you can get quick no obligation quotes over the phone, and their easy payment options help spread the cost of premiums.

DEDICATED TO EXPATS

Línea Directa has been providing comprehen-

or get a

Wage increase

THE Spanish government has decided to increase the minimum wage by 8% for 2023.

The raise will mean about 2.5 million low/salary workers will receive €1,080 gross per month in 14 payments installations.

Labour minister Yolanda Diaz said the increase ‘is not just another piece of information’ but ‘makes it possible to change people’s lives’.

The increase will be applied retroactively from January 1.

a new increase in the payout from 31.8% to 50%.

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

Jobs

It expects delinquency to rise and reach levels above 5%, since the last available figure of 3.68% recorded in November 2022. The news comes two years after a total of 19,000 bank employees lost their jobs, almost all through state-approved ERE layoffs, meant for companies struggling financially.

QUICK CROSSWORD

Pricey dinners

FOOD inflation in Spain stayed at over 15% in January despite an IVA tax cut on some basic products.

The National Institute of Statistics(INE) reported an inflation rate of 15.4% for food and non-alcoholic drinks, compared to 15.7% in December.

Overall the inflation rate for January was 5.9% - higher than initially forecast by the INE and 0.2% up on the previous month.

As expected, the rise was largely down to the end of the 20 cents per litre fuel subsidy. Diesel went up by 13.8% and gasoline by 1.3%, while electricity prices fell by 17.5%.

sive car, motorbike and home insurance to British expatriates and residents in Spain for over 25 years. With over 3 million customers nationwide, Línea Directa makes sure you get the best possible price for the kind of insurance you really need.

ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IS IN ENGLISH

Their Roadside Assistance team speaks English and will quickly help you with your onward journey. If you urgently need a duplicate set of keys for your motorcycle, then their English-speaking customer service will sort it out. And should you require Home Assistance to set up your new Wi-Fi connection, then English speaking technical staff will set up a visit.

DID YOU KNOW?

All Línea Directa insurance policies offer some exciting features specifically designed for British expatriates living in Spain. Their home insurance includes Pet Assistance, IT Assistance, and Home Maintenance. All motorbike policies come with Replacement Motorbike, Technical Equipment cover and even Young Person’s Night-time Assistance. And their car insurance includes helpful services such as Legal Assistance that can provide help when applying or renewing your driving license in Spain.

Relive those stress-free days with the all-in English services of Linea Directa

PROTEST: BBVA employees demonstrated against layoffs; two years later the bank has posted massive profits

Cult religion

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

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

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

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

COUGH UP!

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

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

“Today, over 100 million households are sharing accounts – impacting our ability to invest in great new TV

Roaring in

By Simon Hunter

and films,” explained the company’s product innovation director, Chengyi Long.

“So over the last year, we’ve been exploring different approaches to address this issue in Latin America, and we’re now ready to roll them out more broadly in the coming months.’ The result is a new system

THE largest exhibition of life-size dinosaurs, Dinosaurs Tour, is coming to town. Visitors to Malaga could soon be forgiven for thinking they have stepped into Jurassic Park.

From May 20 to June 4 they will be able to see life sized models of Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus, Protoceratops, Parasaurolophus, Stegosaurus, Spinosaurus, Diplodocus, and many more.

The Jurassic Expo will set up stall with an exhibition of animatronics and models of

‘Llanito’ thrives

GIBRALTAR’S cultural bosses have now included a prize for a short story in their own Llanito Spanglish fusion for a competition launched earlier this year.

Gibraltar Cultural Services included the new award for best Llanito story alongside prizes for English and Spanish language categories.

A ministry spokesman said the new category would ‘help promote and safeguard our unique language’.

It follows a recent visit by University of Valladolid academics that highlighted the need to preserve Gibraltar’s bilingual heritage.

that means people who want to see shows like Marilyn, starring Ana de Armas, will have to pay up in Spain, Canada, New Zealand and Portugal if they are outside the primary account’s household.

the ancient creatures on the feria ground, next to the Conference and Exhibition Centre.

Users will now be obliged to set a primary location. Anyone in that household will be able to use the account. Other users can transfer their profile to a new account, meaning they won’t lose their viewing history, watch list or personalised recommendations.

Option

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

The language experts said they were amazed by Gibraltarians’ ability to ‘code-switch’ between English and Spanish in their daily lives.

Cultural officials vowed to make more moves to help preserve the Llanito language, making a start right away with this new category.

Gibraltarians have spoken this variation of Spanglish through the ages, confusing British sailors and Spanish visitors alike. Comedian, poet and academic Jonathan Teuma gave himself the artistic pseudonym ‘Yanito’ at poetry slams he holds in Spanish capital Madrid. Teuma recently released a collection of poetry called A-Slam-Baba-Luba A-SlamBam-Bu while on a visit to Gibraltar.

Marbella Plaza de las Orquídeas, Calle Orquídea, Local 5, Nueva Andalucia, Marbella, 29660, Spain

+34 952 906 581 marbella@currenciesdirect.com

Fuengirola

Avda. Alcalde Clemente Díaz Ruiz s/n Urb. Puebla Lucia, Edificio Leo Local 1, Fuengirola, 29640, Spain +34 952 906 581 fuengirola@currenciesdirect.com

Benalmadena

Avenida Antonio Machado, Edificio Diana I Local 13, Benalmádena Costa, Málaga, 29630, Spain

+34 952 90 65 81 benalmadena@currenciesdirect.com

nerja@currenciesdirect.com

Mojacar Avenida Mediterráneo 341, Mojácar (Almería), 04638, Spain +34 950 478 914 mojacar@currenciesdirect.com

STAR ATTRACTION: Ana de Armas in Marilyn

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Brit Tax

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

RYANAIR is ramping up its flights to Malaga for the coming summer in anticipation of a bumper tourist season on the Costa del Sol.

The airline is set to offer flights to Malaga from 84 destinations in Europe, including six new cities, and increase frequencies on 25 routes.

The six new destinations include Belfast with three flights a week, and Newquay, Bremen, Paderborn, Frankfurt Hahn, and Gdansk with two.

Links

The Irish airline is also offering five new routes for the summer season out of Sevilla as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations of having a base in the capital of Andalucia.

Sevilla will now be linked to Cork (Ireland), Nuremberg and Weeze (Germany), Prague (Czech Republic) and Santander.

ALARM bells have started to ring in Spain over a new EU tourist tax that is set to hit the nation’s number one customer - the Brits. The tax, known as the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), will see all nonEU tourists handing over €7 to enter the Schengen zone.

Juan Molas, the president of Spain’s Tourism Board, has expressed concern that it will hit the country's competitiveness as a tourist destination when it is

By Walter Finch

due to come into effect in November.

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

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

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

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

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

will go, unknown. Its claimed purpose is to provide the EU with greater control over who is entering its borders and is

designed to track or halt criminals and undesirables.

The tax is likened to the ETSA tourist visa that the United States issues to foreign travellers, and will likely function in the same way.

Unaware

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

FORBES magazine has chosen Malaga as the best city in the world as an alternative to the big capitals.

FORGET MADRID Summer Ryan

While capitals tend to hog the column inches, sometimes it’s other less-influential cities which best showcase the culture and magic of the country’s people and history.

According to a study, in which 420 cities from 89 different countries were taken into account, Malaga has topped the list as the most outstanding city in the world, ahead of Barcelona.

Forbes highlights Malaga's ‘gorgeous beaches’ and the city’s attractions like La Alcazaba and Gibralfaro Castleand many art galleries, which are ‘attracting people from far away.’

The article puts Malaga above other major cities like Lyon (France), Split (Croatia), Casablanca (Morocco), Munich (Germany), Osaka (Japan) and Vancouver (Canada).

No surprise

SAVOURY snacks have been given an unsurprising thumbs-down for harming health in a study conducted by Spain's OCU consumer group.

It analysed 202 snack products and classified 80% of them as unhealthy or very unhealthy, including those promoted as containing less fat. Though tempting for everybody of all ages, stuff like nachos, crisps, and cones are all highly processed with ingredients that can cause health issues if eaten frequently.

CHILD’S BEST FRIEND

Dog therapy a big hit at Spanish hospital

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

Diabetes risk

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

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

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

By Alex Trelinski

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

vaccinated had a nearly 80% higher chance of a new diabetes diagnosis. Researchers said the difference was not statistically significant and more data is needed.

excess anxiety.

Mental health nurse Elias Guillen said: “We discovered that 75% of emotional incidents with the children were on days where there was no dog therapy.” Sessions were carried out weekly with 45 minutes allocated to each patient. “On the days that the dogs visited, there was a different atmosphere, which allowed us to assess the children far more easily,” added Guillen. The hospital’s head of youth psychiatry, Dr Astrid Morer, said: “It is incredible how the children face situations like an examination with a dog, which they would not have done without forming an affectionate bond with the animal.”

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

Gibraltar’s first Members Club and Day Spa

be suitable for therapeutic tasks.

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

Nasty nitrous

AUTHORITIES in Gibraltar have warned about the dangers of nitrous oxide after customs stopped a car crossing the frontier with 120 canisters of the potentially lethal drug.

Officers arrested the driver of the car for not having an import licence.

“The gas is commonly used as a legal high despite the inherent dangers associated with its abuse through inhalation,” a customs spokesman said. He added that side effects of the drug include dizziness, psychosis, unconsciousness and even death.

“The inhalation of the gas slows down the brain’s activity and the body’s responses – this is especially dangerous if you are driving or operating heavy/plant machinery,” the spokesman added.

P LIVE RESS The O

Fun and games

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

Nick(er)ed

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

Bees knees

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

‘Bimba’ goes beyond a joke

DERBY PILGRIMS

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

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

Fernando Batallon and his six cousins set out on the journey from Lugo in northern Spain to finally see their beloved football team in the flesh. The love affair had begun after they randomly chose the League One club while playing FIFA together because they liked the ram on the club’s

By Walter Finch

badge.

“It all started on FIFA Career Mode,” law firm worker Fernando, 25, told Derby County podcast ‘Steve Bloomer’s Washing’.

“We wanted to play as a new team, but didn’t know which one to pick.

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

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

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

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

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

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

GETTING OUT

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

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

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

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

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

“In Africa people don’t have white faces, they have faces like mine,” the teacher continues. “Africa also has a lot of animals,’ she adds, picking up the monkey, which she calls Monolo. The recording has since been denounced by an independent and ‘anti-racist’ digital media outlet called Afrofeminas.

Bad nudes

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

MEMORY: The Derby pilgrims at Pride Park