MYSTERY DEATH
AN autopsy has been completed on Telegraph journalist David Knowles who died suddenly in Gibraltar. The Royal Gibraltar Police said the results are yet to come but ‘there continues to be no specific concerns surrounding the cause of death’. They clarified that RGP detectives are still working with UK Counter Terrorism police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the journalist’s death.
Knowles, who had enjoyed success with his podcast Ukraine: The Latest, died from a ‘suspected cardiac arrest’ at the age of 32.
He had travelled to the British Overseas Territory to watch a Nations League match between the UEFA minnows of Gibraltar and Lichtenstein.
He sat among a crowd of 680 people at the Europa Point stadium on September 8 for the match, which kicked off at 8pm and finished around 10pm.
He died the same day.
Knowles’ father, Peter Knowles, confirmed that his wife Kaye had flown to Gibraltar to
Find out where the big stars are filming in Andalucia this week... and learn about Spain’s most famous movie director
On a knife-edge
As UK and Spanish foreign ministers meet to thrash out critical border deal over Gib, the cost of failure will ‘be huge’
THOUSANDS of undocumented livelihoods could be ruined if no deal is struck on the Gibraltar border this week.
That is the number of Spanish and expat tradesmen and handymen who cross the border each week to do odd jobs, usually paid in cash.
According to a government source, they need to be added to the already 15,000 documented workers, who rely on the Rock to pay bills.
“There are loads of people coming in to paint homes and other part-time jobs,”
he said. “That’s thousands of livelihoods who rely on a fluid border.”
His comments came as a critical meeting is set for this Thursday in Brussels to sign an unprecedented deal to bring Gibraltar into the Schengen zone.
It follows a high-level meeting in London between the Spanish and British foreign secretaries on Monday.
EXCLUSIVE
By Walter Finch & Jon Clarke
But, sources behind the scenes are decidedly pessimistic, the Olive Press can reveal.
“I am not optimistic at all. Things don’t look good. Both sides have red lines, which are hard to cross,” said the government source.
“If we don’t get a deal things are going to be very hard. We need to find a way though and it depends on the negotiations on the day,” he added.
Failure to reach a deal before the November 10 start date for the EU’s new Entry Exit System will likely see long snaking queues return to the frontier not seen for many years.
Every day over 10,000 Spanish workers cross the border for jobs, while 5,000 more are made up of 3,000
€2 billion or more is made for Spain.
A breakthrough was thought to have been reached in April with the announcement of the ‘general political lines’ of an agreement.
that it is in the interests of everyone that the United Kingdom comes as close as possible to the European Union.”
Disastrous failure
A GROUP representing businesses and trade unions on both sides of the border has urgently demanded a deal to avoid ‘disastrous consequences in the Campo de Gibraltar.’
The Cross-Border Group (Grupo Transfronterizo) is demanding the governments of both Spain and the UK to ‘take responsibility’ in negotiations for a post-Brexit border deal.
The umbrella group includes representatives from businesses in La Linea, the Campo de Gibraltar and the province of Cadiz, as well as counterparts within Gibraltar itself.
British and 2,000 other international workers.
They called a prolonged state of uncertainty ‘unacceptable’ and that the failure to strike a deal would be disastrous for the economic and social relations between Gibraltar and Campo de Gibraltar. They underlined that a no-deal scenario would be devastating for the interests of citizens in both Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar. They slammed such a possibility as ‘huge political failure’ for which all the actors involved should assume responsibility.
The new entry system is expected to ‘wreak havoc’ for workers and likely cause major issues for tourists and Gibraltarians coming the other way. Despite negotiations going on for nearly two years and nearly 20 political summits, no agreement has been reached on the use of the airport and the port. No deal could be very damaging for the Campo de Gi braltar, which gets around 25% of its GDP from Gibral tar, while an estimated
But since then, talks have dragged on causing heads to drop, despite the positive signals continuously emerging from both sides.
Now, it seems that the talks might be approaching the last chance saloon with the resumption of ‘ministerial level’ talks in Brussels tomorrow, the third in the four-way format this year.
Fabian Picardo will fly in to sit with Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares and his British counterpart
David Lammy in a meeting hosted by EU Vice President Maros Sefcovic.
Albares and Lammy met in London on Monday for bilateral talks in which the upcoming Gibraltar negotiations were high on the agenda.
“Today we will work on a future agreement to ensure that
Lammy said that the UK shared these goals to achieve ‘prosperity and security for the people of Gibraltar with a new treaty that cements the relationship with Spain and the European Union.’
It is thought that most aspects of a treaty have already been agreed upon – however the areas still outstanding involve the ‘red lines’ which neither side appears willing to compromise on.
Control
The main sticking point is believed to be control over Gibraltar’s entry points of the airport and port, with Spanish sources insisting their uniformed and armed officers should be present and free to move between both.
The Spanish and British governments are both keen to strike a deal as quickly as possible, yet the latter has made it clear that it will not force an agreement upon Gibraltar.
And Picardo struck a hard-line tone during the Gibraltar Day celebrations, declaring: “We will never surrender our British sovereignty or any part of it. For any price. For any deal. For any benefit. “We are not going to betray our ancestors and forefathers who suffered sieges and hardships to defend our land. Not for fear of new systems or longer queues or a harder Brexit.”
LONG WAIT: Queues could grow if an agreement is not reached
Counting cañas
JAPANESE brewery Kirin has revealed Spain ranks 6th globally for beer drunk per capita, consuming an average of 95.1 litres a year.
Legend quits
JOSE Antonio Morante de la Puebla, widely regarded as Spain’s greatest matador has quit, citing his mental struggle with depersonalisation disorder and agoraphobia.
Airb ‘n’ bills
BARCELONA’S Airbnb owners are demanding €1 billion in compensation following the city council’s decision to revoke 10,000-plus tourist apartment licences.
Horse collapse
A HORSE collapsed in Fuengirola’s port after working in 23 degree heat. A witness claimed they saw the owner yelling and hitting the animal.
A LOCAL man and DJ has pleaded guilty to child porn offenses. Stuart Santos, 49, admitted one count of Taking and Publishing (downloading, copying and storing) indecent images of children and one count of Possession of indecent images of children. The charges stem from an investigation launched in August, which led to
CHILD PORN
his arrest earlier this month.
During the arrest, a search warrant was carried out at Santos’ home, and several electronic devices were seized for forensic analysis.
The matter has been adjourned for sentencing at the Supreme Court.
An RGP spokesperson emphasised the seriousness of child exploitation and abuse, stating: “The Royal Gibraltar Police takes all instances of child exploitation and abuse extremely seriously, and this latest investigation forms part of our ongoing efforts to protect the most vulnerable and actively pursue anyone involved in such abhorrent and harmful activity.”
ON THE ROPES
A BRITISH expat who allegedly stabbed a teenager to death and fled Spain in 2020 is finally set to stand trial for murder.
Lewis Harry Briggs, 21 at the time, is accused of fatally stabbing Spaniard Ulrich Perez, 19, after a road rage incident in front of horrified passersby at the Diana Park shopping centre in Estepona on November 18,
By Walter Finch
2020.
The private prosecution, funded by Perez’s family, is seeking 23 years in jail for Briggs in a trial set to begin on September 23.
Sources tell the Olive Press that since being released on bail
PARTY’S OVER
SPANISH police have announced a record-breaking drugs haul after seizing over a million ecstasy pills in raids in Ibiza and Malaga. The sophisticated European smuggling operation saw nine members arrested, including Italian bosses aided by Spanish and Dutch nationals. The operation, codenamed ‘Adriatic’, culminated in a series of police raids that uncovered a vast stash of drugs hidden in secret compartments of vehicles.
In addition to the massive haul of 1,071,327 ecstasy pills, investigators seized significant quantities of ketamine, MDMA, cocaine, and hashish with a street value of more than €25 million. They even seized three kilograms of ‘sugar’, a substance used to produce dangerous pink cocaine.
Briggs has been living in Benahavis and seen ‘down Puerto Banus driving a flash car.’ It has also been reported that the alleged killer has taken a trip to Dubai, indicat -
British expat boxer to stand trial over horror road rage murder of teen in Estepona
ing he is still in possession of his passport.
“He had already been warned by police before for carrying a knife in his car,” the source said.
Briggs and Perez got into a row after Perez was almost knocked down by Briggs in his white Mercedes at a zebra crossing. Perez had been returning home from the supermarket clutching several bags of shopping.
It is alleged that Briggs then parked up the car, got out and attacked Perez using his boxing training that he had learned at the
MGM gym in Marbella, which has welcomed stars like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
The prosecution claims that Briggs launched a flurry of blows with ‘enough force to lift [Perez] up like a doll.’
He then ‘pulled out a knife and with the precise and accurate blow of someone who knows how to kill, stabbed him in the heart’, prosecutors allege.
After the attack, which took place in broad daylight in front of horrified onlookers, Briggs made a ‘conscious and premeditated’ plan to flee Spain and fly to the UK via Portugal, it is claimed.
Brit victim branded ‘hooligan’
A SPANISH lawyer defending the alleged killer of a British expat insists the victim was a ‘hooligan’ who ‘provoked the incident’ that led to his death. Jose Ramon Cantalejo is representing the man accused of murdering Martin Allwright, 59, who was attacked with a gardening hoe while walking his dog in El Palaces, Almeria at around 1.10am on August 12. He died five days later in hospital.
The 59-year-old suspect was charged with murder and remanded in custody.
Provoked
But his lawyer Cantalejo insists the incident was ‘provoked by the English citizen’, who he claims ‘had already been reported previously and who the neighbours were terrified and afraid of.’ He said: “I’m not one to say how he was, but many say that he was a real hooligan.” He added: “The area of Zurgena, being cheaper, is not the same as Vera Playa or Mojacar, where we see English people with big cars… we are talking about people who even came to work, or who, when they retired, sold their house south of Glasgow or Birmingham and live here like real princes, but they do not fit into the social reality of the country.”
OSCAR-WINNING director Pedro Almodovar made history for Spanish cinema when his first En glish-language feature, The Room Next Door, took the prestigious Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival. By taking the prize, Almodovar now ranks alongside legendary director Luis Buñuel, who was until now the only Spanish director to have received it, for his 1967 film Belle de Jour.
SPANISH LION
The Room Next Door, which stars Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, tackles the subjects of the climate crisis and euthanasia, and received an 18-minute standing ovation when it premiered at Venice.
See What made the magician, P14
Dialing in the stars
Netflix in Ronda for Agatha Christie mystery featuring stars Iain Glen, Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman
IT is a famous 1920s murder mystery that keeps readers guessing until the final page. So unsurprisingly the producers behind the Netflix series Seven Dials filming in Ronda this week were carefully guarding their cast and locations.
But it was impossible to shield one of its biggest stars - Martin Freeman - from the eyes of the
press as he acted in the town’s famous bullring.
An eagle-eyed Olive Press team worked out that you could watch the production from the rooftop terrace of the four star Catalonia hotel opposite.
From the amazing perch - high above the world’s oldest bullring with a backdrop of mountains behind - you could watch the production on its first day of filming.
With a beer in hand, it was easy to spot Hobbit star Freeman as he marched in wearing a beige
BRITAIN’S richest plumber has revealed he is making a permanent move to the Costa del Sol amid fears of a tax raid on the rich in the Labour government’s upcoming budget.
Charlie Mullins, 71, the founder of Pimlico Plumbers, has already become a resident of Marbella, and now plans to sell his €12 million apartment which has views of The Shard and London Eye.
“I am taking all my investment out of the UK. The
safari suit and Panama hat. So far, there was no sign of fellow actors Iain Glen or Helena Bonham Carter, who are also starring in the production by London-based 72 Films, which
Mullin it over
government is driving people with money away from the country. Why would people stay in the UK?” he said.
Mullins made his money in London, where he grew up - selling his firm for €155 million three years ago.
He has long intended to move to Spain, telling the Olive Press in 2021: “I’m very permanently in Spain now,” adding his lawyers were sorting out full-time residency.
He was buying more properties on top of the seaside villa he owns in La Cala de Mijas.
made the latest James Bond movie.
Mia McKenna-Bruce, from Vampire Academy and How to Have Sex, is also appearing after winning the BAFTA Rising Star award last year.
The production is set to film at at least six different locations, including the Arabic Baths, the Ocho Canos fountain and the Virgen de la Cabeza chapel on the other side of the gorge.
The team, which numbers around 120 staff, includes a separate drone unit with their own uniform.
Seven Dials was an Agatha Christie mystery which tells the story of a lavish country house party, where a practical joke goes murderously wrong. It is up to budding sleuth - the inquisitive Lady Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent, played by McKenna-Bruce - to solve the mystery.
THIS is the 21-year-old beauty queen who overcame a ‘rough’ childhood and online trolls to represent Spain at the November’s Miss Universe competition in Mexico. Michelle Jimenez, a Business and Marketing student, grew up in various children's homes on the Balearic Islands. The oldest of nine siblings, she ‘basically raised’ her brothers and sisters, something which she is very proud of. But Michelle hasn’t always received love and support, being criticised for her Dominican ancestry, the colour of her skin and her tattoos.
“The critique started when I was put in the top three. It’s hard to deal with but I won’t give into bullies,” she said.
Burned at the stake
SHAKIRA has likened her tax fraud ordeal to the Inquisition and accused the Spanish treasury of ‘publicly burning her at the stake’ in her stron gest statement on her highly-publicised crimi nal case yet.
The Colombian pop star blasted the Span ish tax authorities as sexist, racist and manipulative, saying she was ‘persecuted’ by the judiciary system before striking a plea bargain deal last November.
The singer was accused of six separate crimes of defrauding the state of a total of €14.5million in unpaid taxes.
In order to escape a possible eight-year jail term, she agreed to a suspended three-year prison sentence and a €7.4million fine on the first day of her trial in Barcelona.
CREDIT: Michelle Jimenez via Instagram/Jose Urbano
PICTURES BY: Paul Whitelock & Charles Pullan
By Yzabelle Bostyn & Paul Whitelock in Ronda
SNEAKY: We watched filming from a nearby hotel
PICS
NEW: The works have started
King ‘is wrong’
KING Charles III’s National Day message to Gibraltar congratulating the territory on its conservation work was met with a scathing response from Spanish ecologists.
The king praised Gibraltar as ‘a crucial crossroads for wildlife migration’ in the region.
“I commend you all for your efforts on nature conservation and nature-based solutions,” the king wrote.
However, ecologists from Verdemar Ecologistas en Accion slammed the territory’s environmental record.
Antonio Muñoz Sencilla gave King Charles’ message short shrift in communications with the Olive Press.
He said: “They have filled in almost two square kilometres of the Bay of Algeciras,” in reference to the Ocean Village and Marina Bay developments.
“To the east, they have continuous shipwrecks, fuel spills, and landfills in the Eastern Strait Special Conservation Zone (ZEC).”
FULL STEAM AHEAD
HUGE progress has been made on the land reclamation project on Gibraltar’s eastern flank, with a recent image capturing just how much the coastline has been transformed.
Some 61,711 metric tons of stone and
rubble have been tipped into the sea to create the foundations of a new 4.5 square kilometre marina development.
The project will boast a marina with space for 600 moorings, a hotel,
Sounds familiar
Portuguese defence minister tells Spain to hand over city that ‘belongs to Portugal’
SPAIN is getting a taste of its own medicine after a Portuguese government minister demanded it returns a border town that used to belong to Portugal.
Defence minister Nuno Melo
Time to shine
By Walter Finch
shocked Spaniards when he told local media that the town of Olivenza, in Badajoz, is ‘naturally Portuguese’, adding:
around 1,300 residential homes - 100 of them affordable - and a business park. It is scheduled for completion in 2026.
“By treaty, Olivenza should be handed over to the Portuguese state.”
The town was Portuguese from 1297 until it was invaded in 1801 by Spain shortly before
YOUNGSTERS who completed a six month training course in Understanding Youth Work Skills enjoyed an end of summer barbeque and open-mic event. They graduated from a six month programme that took in safeguarding procedures, coaching and mentoring, mental health first aid, and health and safety.
The Gibraltar Youth Service put on the Time 2 Shine event to celebrate young people’s achievements.
The evening began with a special ceremony where certificates were presented to graduates of the course, with Minister for Youth Christian Santos, congratulating the graduates.
Napoleon's invasion of the Iberian peninsula.
After the Napoleonic Wars came to an end in 1815, the Congress of Vienna was held to restore the map of Europe and return conquered ter-
ritories to their original owners - including Olivenza.
But Spain held on to the town and has no intention of handing it back.
Spain relies on a number of arguments that Gibraltarians might be familiar with – namely that it has continuously exercised control over Olivenza for more than 200 years (compared to the 300 years Gibraltar has been British).
The town’s population, administration, and infrastructure have all integrated into Spain over the centuries and have no wish to have a change of sovereignty forced upon them. Sound familiar?
assist authorities with their investigation.
Knowles worked as a senior audio journalist and presenter for the Telegraph, where he rose to prominence after launching a podcast that shed light on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russia placed Knowles and two other Telegraph journalists on its list of people banned from entering because of their work on the award-winning podcast last year.
It won the Best News Podcast at the Publisher Podcast Awards and has been downloaded almost 100 million times.
Mock off
A SPOKESPERSON for Spain’s far-right Vox party has mocked Gibraltar and its chief minister Fabian Picardo in a video filmed on a boat near the Rock and posted on social media.
In a 35-second clip viewed by over 100,000 users, Javier Ortega Smith calls Picardo a ‘pirate’ and tells him to ‘get off the Rock and take yourself to your villa in Sotogrande’, before insisting that Gibraltar has no territorial waters - despite them being recognised in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea - and affirming that the British Overseas Territory is ‘Spanish whether you like it or not’.
CLAIM: Portuguese say Olivenza should be theirs
YOUR EXPAT INSURANCE MADE SIMPLE
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
OPINION
Bet it all on red
GIBRALTAR is one of the success stories of southern Europe. An economy that grew at an astonishing 6% last year – speeds that would make China green with envy.
With a population of around 30,000 and an economy that is worth almost €3 billion, it gives the territory a GDP per capita of around $111,000 – enough to put it above Norway, Singapore and the United States.
Add together the Gibraltarians going out or shopping in Spain, owning second homes in Sotogrande and San Roque, and the 15,000 workers who live in Spain, and it’s no surprise the Rock accounts for 25% of the Campo de Gibraltar’s GDP.
It is a fruitful, symbiotic relationship that is dependent upon a fluid border between Spain and Gibraltar.
It is incumbent upon Messrs Picardo, Lammy, Albares and Sefcovic to keep this in mind when they meet on Thursday in Brussels for one final push to seal a deal that will keep the border fluid. One final mighty effort to ensure that it doesn’t all come crashing down, if not instantly then perhaps gradually.
For the Chief Minister, it seems it is no bluff when he says Gibraltar ‘will not blink’ over its red lines. “We are not going to betray our ancestors and forefathers who suffered sieges and hardships to defend our land – not for fear of new systems nor longer queues nor a harder Brexit,” he said on National Day.
The Spanish foreign minister, safely ensconced in Madrid, might too be willing to sacrifice the Campo in the name of Schengen’s red lines. There’s something bold and romantic about sacrificing it all on the altar of the highest principles. But is it what’s best for both Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar? Who can say.
PUBLISHER / EDITOR
Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es
Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es
Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es
Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es
Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es
Humenyuk Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es
Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es
Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es
Cole Sinanian cole@theolivepress.es
Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es
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Live Forever (or nearly)
WANT to live for a century? Consider moving to Galicia, home to the highest number of 100 year olds per capita in Europe.
According to a new study carried out by the Galician Geriatric Society (GGS) and the University of Vigo the northern region has some 75.79 centenarians per 100,000 inhabitants.
But that’s not all: The region is also home to two particular ‘blue zones’ or ‘hotspots’ where, chances are, you can live even longer. Ourense and Pontevedra are now being studied by GGS president Jose Failde alongside fellow group, Ourensividad, to identify why the locals live so long.
According to Pablo Garcia, of Ourensividad, the amount of centenarians is certainly connected to the Atlantic diet, consisting of fresh, seasonal produce, including fish. He also credits the water in the region as a ‘fountain of youth’.
Roberto Fernandez, a local GP, says: “Healthy habits and resilience are big factors to longevity in Ourense, although we haven’t yet found any other common factors in the centenarians here.”
Perhaps we need to ask some of the long living locals themselves.
Take 103-year-old Eustaquio Perez, who insists his ripe age is down to physical exertion and resilience.
Living in the village of Beade, surrounded by green mountains, he reckons getting up early, maintaining a routine and not eating dinner helps.
His diet consists of natural products from his garden only and his dinner is often so
light that he skips it altogether (two biscuits and some milk).
Galicia has the highest number of 100 year olds in Europe - and skipping suppers, dancing and writing books might help
GO WITH THE FLOW: Eustaquio advises accepting life’s changes
By Yzabelle Bostyn
“I get up every morning at 5am to look after my sheep. Then, I have a siesta and watch a film,” he explains.
Contrary to medical advice, he has almost always avoided medicines and isn’t even vaccinated against Covid-19. However, he has received treatment for hernias and prostate cancer.
When it comes to mental health, he says:
“My philosophy of life is to accept what comes and adapt to the changes, always having a sense of humour and not being scared of death.”
Esperanza Cortiñas (left), is 107 years-old and was born in 1916. She still has the ‘en-
ergy of a teenager’, something which she owes to ‘music and dancing’.
“I love tango, but I am a lover of all music and I have more than seven awards from dance competitions. It’s music and dance that have helped me reach this age,” she explains Despite living for over a century she has glowing skin: “My beauty trick has always been to use a simple cream from the supermarket. Nothing more.”
ARE THEY OVER YET?
Sick of the feria season? Looking forward to the cold and the tourists going home? You’re not the only one, writes Lenox Napier
IKEEP hearing the same question now the local fiestas, concerts and sporting events are largely over: ‘Who exactly do they benefit?’
There’s an apocryphal story of my late mother, who moved here in the Sixties, stomping down to the main square in Mojacar wearing her slippers and dressing gown – before slugging the mayor shouting ‘turn the music down, I’m trying to get some sleep!’.
In those days, there’d be a few strings of bunting, a local band and the bars doing a brisk trade for days on end into the early hours. The local families would dance together, from small children to grandparents, all holding hands and bobbing around. There were songs like La Chica Ye
Ye or the grisly Las flechas del Amor… Brandy was just three centimos a tot. A small glass of local tooth-rotting vino cost even less. They were differ-
Although she suffered a broken hip just two months ago, she is recovering with surprising ease.
“My health has always been good,” she says, “I don’t drink besides a shot of coffee with sugar and aguardiente in the morning. I eat everything.”
Ever the socialite, her daughter Aurora adds that she ‘can’t walk more than 20 steps without someone stopping her for a chat.’
Another centurion, 100-year-old Jose Salgado, owes his longevity to working on the land until 97 years old. “I began working at 14 years old and since then I’ve done a lot of things, taxi, businessman, farmer and miller,” he explains. “Until 97 I was working in my orchard, with the same dedication as a young man.”
Despite retiring three years ago, he keeps active by reading the newspaper and carving models.
Jose has also never drank or smoked, although he admits his guilty pleasures are ‘salt and fat’.
He has even started writing a book about his life and says he has three more things to achieve: “Sort out some land, reconnect with a girl I liked and see a bit more of the world.”
The great-grandfather of five advises young people to ‘enjoy the little things’, saying ‘you don’t find happiness in grand travels and adventures’.
ent times. The only visitors would be those who had emigrated to Barcelona or France or Germany. There were practically no guiris I remember a family known as ‘los Marseillaises’, who would rock up in their Citröen Ami, look down their noses at their country-cousins, and then disappear again a few days later. These days, the fiestas are a joy for the shopkeepers and barmen who obligingly stay open late, but there’s not much pleasure for the locals. Even if one does attend, and has a pricey beer at the pop up chiringuitos (next to the deafening dance-band), who are you going to talk to? Who are you going to dance with? The music is too loud and too fast. Ultimately these events are not so
much fun even for the locals any more. They don’t live in the centre and they can’t usually park anywhere near when they come in and then, of course, they can’t drink. Ok, they make an exception for the first night’s fireworks, but often that’s it. Really these events are for the business-folk and the tourists, who all stay in the historic centres in their Airbnbs and hotels, the owners rubbing their hands with glee.
I’m guessing they don’t love the noise and nor do us locals who have to pay for the music and the bunting. Meanwhile, there’s no one left prepared to stomp down to the fiesta at three in the morning, waving a handbag around and telling the mayor to go and pull the effing plug.
WORKING: Jose didn’t stop until 97
TIME FOR A FRESH START
As a new school year dawns, what you need to know
AS the summer sun begins to fade families across Spain have adapted for the return to school.
The start of a new academic year is a time of excitement, anticipation, and a touch of anxiety for students, parents, and educators alike.
In Spain, the education system has plenty of choice between public and private institutions, each offering their own advantages and challenges.
For parents, understanding these differences is crucial if they are to make informed decisions about their children’s education.
While the terms are underway it’s usually not too late to change.
The education system in Spain is structured into several stages, beginning with early childhood education Educacion Infantil followed
By Dilip Kuner
by primary education Educacion Primaria, secondary education Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, or ESO, and finally, post-secondary education, which includes both vocational training and university studies.
Education is compulsory from ages 6 to 16, encompassing primary and secondary education.
The country offers a mix of public and private schools, each with its own distinct characteristics.
Public schools are funded by the government, making them accessible to all students regardless of their socioeconomic background and are free.
These schools are managed by regional governments, leading to variations in educational policies and curricula across different regions.
In contrast, private schools operate independently and charge tuition fees. They usually offer far smaller class sizes, specialised programmes, and a more rigorous academic environ-
ment. As the new school year begins, families across Spain engage in a flurry of preparations.
The traditional back-to-school shopping spree is a common ritual, with parents and children alike selecting new school supplies, uniforms, and textbooks.
This ritual symbolises a fresh start and a new beginning, helping students transition smoothly into the academic routine.
But which should you choose?
The decision between public and private education is a significant one for many families. Several factors influence this choice, including location, academic performance, extracurricular activities, and personal values.
Public schools
are renowned for their accessibility and diversity. They are obligated to accept all students within their catchment area, fostering inclusivity and promoting a rich educational environment through the diverse backgrounds of their pupils.
However, public schools can face certain challenges, particularly in terms of class sizes and resource allocation.
In some regions, class sizes may be larger, and schools might experience resource shortages. Meanwhile, private schools offer a more personalised learning experience, with smaller class sizes and greater attention to individual needs.
These schools often provide specialised programmes in areas such as arts, sciences and sports.
International schools for a British syllabus
In the case of many schools, these offer Cambridge exams
and allow pupils to take GCSEs and A-Levels.
Most offer an individualised learning plan, which wouldn’t be available in state schools and they are likely to have excellent purpose-built facilities.
They communicate with parents in their native language, making parent-teacher meetings a breeze.
International schools also provide a convenient pathway to enter the UK university system seamlessly. They are a popular choice with parents who come to Spain for contract work, or a limited time only, and don’t plan to remain here.
Parents can expect to pay from €10,000 to €35,000 per year, depending on whether the child boards at the school.
Parents will also have to buy uniforms and other extras for their children.
They can cater to students with specific interests or talents due to the resources they have access to.
Private schools often provide a variety of extracurricular programmes, including sports teams, clubs, and arts activities. Participating in extracurricular activ-
September 2024
ities can help students develop new interests, build confidence, and make friends.
A parent’s view – state versus independent
Jenni Stephanides of Sevilla is both a parent and teacher, with one daughter attending a state school, while the other is at the international school where she teaches.
“Both girls started at the international school, as my
STATE EDUCATION
PROS
3 Your child will be involved in your local community
3 Their friends will live locally
3 They will quickly be fluent at Spanish / bilingual
3 There’s no need to transport your children to school
3 It is free of charge
CONS
2 Rigid structure based on continuous assessment
2 Difficult for parents who don’t speak Spanish to understand what’s going on
2 Not much creative learning, in terms of art, drama, etc.
2 It is relatively easy for your child to repeat a year. Re secondary education, the repetition rate is 5.5% for state institutions combined to 1.4% for independent.
THE CHOICE IS YOURS...
husband and I work there.
We were offered free places, which ensured the girls could continue their education in the British system, in case we decided to move back to the UK.
“But after three years, my eldest daughter was moved up a school year. Because of her birthday, she had been placed into the correct academic year for the UK, but not for Spain –this was holding her
back educationally.
“My youngest meanwhile was placed into the correct academic year.”
“When we decided to stay in Spain, we gave both girls the choice to move to the Spanish system to integrate more with the local community. Both declined at the time.
“My eldest is about to start her final year and intends to attend university in the UK.
PRIVATE EDUCATION
PROS
3 Cambridge exams are provided
3 Caters for entry to UK universities
3 International Baccalaureate entry
3 Individualised learning plan
3 Constant contact with parents / partici- pation in the learning experience
3 Speak to educators in English
CONS
2 The cost each year
2 Paying for school uniform, that your child must wear
2 Less immersion of your child in their local community
2 Friends might live further away
2 Child is less likely to be fluent at Span- ish
2 The need to transport children to school – possibly at a geographic dis- tance
2 The school holidays do not match Spanish holidays
However, my youngest moved to the Spanish system last year and thrived immediately.
“In the international school, she had many friends from around the world, but the Spanish girls didn’t include her, and she
wasn’t confident speaking Spanish.
“Now, she is fluent in Spanish, has achieved fantastic grades in her first year in the public system, and has many friends from the state system. My eldest stands by her decision to stay at the independent school.”
Peter Jones is the opposite.
Both his children started their education in inland Valencia province at a state school from a young age and enjoyed it and thrived.
But as they entered their teens Jones, a businessman, who spends his time travelling around Europe, agreed with his wife and their children that they should try out a private school on the Costa Blanca coast.
PUTTING STUDENTS FIRST
The investment has definitely paid off. They are completely bilingual
The family felt that they would get more chances to excel in arts and music and, above all, meet a more international group of children, who would in turn ‘broaden their horizons’.
“It has definitely worked and they are both loving it, with the eldest taking her A-lev -
els and planning a good university in the UK, while our younger daughter will probably do the international baccalaureate and go to university in Holland or Germany.” He continued: “While it meant coming up with around €2,000 more a month, it has definitely paid off. They are completely bilingual and still friends with their old local pals, who, of course, are all planning universities, if at all, in Spain.”
Is your child studying in Sevilla? Make sure you visit Nido El Porvenir, by the award-winning Nido Living
LOCATED in the bustling heart of Sevilla, Nido El Porvenir, part of the Europe-wide Nido Living, is known as the premier choice for students seeking full-service, centrally located accommodation.
Being next to the Escuela de Comercio de Sevilla (EUSA) and just a five-minute walk from all major faculties of the University of Sevilla, it is an ideal location for both local and international students.
One of the standout features of Nido El Porvenir is its impressive rooftop swimming pool and terrace. This inviting space allows students to cool off and unwind after a long day of classes, providing a perfect setting to relax and socialise, while enjoying stunning views of the city.
The pool area not only combats the heat but is also the place for many of the activities the residence team organises to foster community among residents.
The dedicated site team at Nido El Porvenir is available 24/7, ensuring that stu-
dents have support whenever they need it.
This commitment to service is reflected in the positive feedback from residents, who appreciate the staff's attentiveness and willingness to assist with any concerns.
Regular social activities are organised to promote well-being and interaction among students, enhancing their overall living experience.
Nido El Porvenir offers hassle-free living, with all utility costs, included in the rent; from electricity and water, to internet and cleaning.
The weekly cleaning and linen service further simplifies life for busy students. Rooms start at €595 per month, with options for private studio apartments and shared rooms in apartments sharing a kitchen and bathrooms.
For parents seeking a safe and engaging living environment for their children whilst they embark on their university careers, Nido El Porvenir stands out as the top choice in Sevilla. With its modern amenities, strategic location, and a supportive community, it is clear that this residence prioritises the needs and well-being of its students.
FACILITIES: at International schools, like Laude, are impressive
TIP TOP: The facilities at Nido El Porvenir include a rooftop pool
Put your head down
FOR the 50% of Brits who go to university or college moving into a damp, cold, shared flat with strangers has become something of a rite of passage.
Many discover the endless washing up and how much toilet paper and energy bills cost.
For Spaniards, this is a relatively uncommon experience with only around 17% of students leaving their region to study.
Increase in Spanish students moving away to university causes the dorm industry to boom
in Spain
By Dilip Kuner
Most students live at home or with grandparents, which perhaps explains how there are only 100,000 student beds in
THE UK and Spain earlier this year signed an agreement that streamlines access to universities in both countries.
This means easier transitions for students from either nation who wish to pursue higher education abroad.
Both UK and Spanish qualifications will be recognized for entry to universities in the respective countries. Students from either system can apply under the same conditions as those from EU member states.
This means that Spanish students can still access UK universities with recognition of their Baccalaureate results.
Similarly, students holding UK qualifications (including A-levels) will no longer need to take the Spanish general university entrance exam. Their qualifications will be directly translated through an agreed conversion table. A-levels and equivalent qualifications will be credited up to 10 points in the Spanish university entrance system.
dorms versus 1.6 million students in Spanish universities.
Recently, Spanish students have realised the benefits of moving away to study causing a surge in demand for student housing.
Spain’s popularity for Erasmus students has also influenced the demand, along with Latin American students.
96%96%
The boom of dorm beds really took off during the pandemic, with investments reaching €140 million in the first part of 2021, up a whopping 140% from the year before.
The dorm industry in Spain escaped the economic impact of the pandemic, with hundreds of millions being invested by foreign companies from Canada to France.
There is a shortfall of 450,000 beds, partly due to the fact that most student dorms have historically been run by nuns who have laid down morally restrictive rules like splitting up girls and boys.
Further learning GET A HEAD START
AS students across Europe return to school, many families begin to consider how they can give their children a head start in an increasingly competitive academic landscape.
Unlike many traditional schools, CGA offers academic acceleration - allowing students to take on additional subjects or advanced courses like A-Levels or Advanced Placement (AP) beyond what is required for graduation or university entry.
So how does this help? Through a flexible curriculum and personalised learning environment, students have the opportunity to broad-
The key to accelerated learning in Europe
en their knowledge, showcase their ability to handle advanced study, and strengthen their university applications.
THE BENEFITS OF ACCELERATION
For students who want to excel academically or have clear university ambitions, acceleration offers a chance for them to deep dive into subjects of interest, take on additional courses, and build an impressive academic portfolio.
For example, student Caterina from Italy, has been able to pursue her flexible studies with CGA to advance her academics while balancing her career as an equestrian.
“The previous online schools that I had found did not have anywhere near a program like CGA does. And I really like that you could choose what type of programme you want to work with, for example, if I wanted to continue doing A-Levels or if I wanted to go with the American system, that was a very big plus for me.”
The Da Vinci program allowed her to progress at her own pace, excelling in areas of strength and receiving support in others. Her ability to take advanced courses, like calculus, despite a long hiatus from Maths, demonstrated the effectiveness of CGA’s approach.
As Caterina says, “If I wanted to do something more advanced, have fewer classes, or do a bit more on my own, then I could choose the Da Vinci program and tailor my program according to my needs.”
For students aspiring to attend prestigious universities in Europe and beyond, acceleration offers a significant advantage. By completing
of UoG students feel satisfied that the knowledge and skills they take away from their programme will support their career aspirations.
advanced subjects earlier than their peers, students can prove their ability to thrive in a demanding academic environment - something that is particularly appealing to universities looking for candidates with a strong academic track record.
KEY BENEFITS OF ACCELERATION AT CGA:
● Ability to take advanced subjects beyond the standard curriculum
● Personalised learning pathways tailored to each student’s strengths and needs
● Flexibility to explore different academic systems, like A-Levels or the American (AP) system
● Opportunity to build a stronger academic profile for university applications
● Support to balance advanced studies with personal interests and extracurricular activities
DEVELOPING ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE
Taking extra courses not only enhances academic achievement but also helps
students develop key skills such as time management, discipline, and independent learning. CGA student Eva from Russia demonstrates how balancing a demanding academic workload alongside her music career has made her more organised and independent in her studies.
“During high school, I want to achieve a deep knowledge of all my subjects… to do well on the external exams and at the same time I want to have enough time to work on my music… because of CGA I can at the same time focus on my academics and on my musical career,” says Eva.
For families across Europe considering academic acceleration, CGA offers a flexible and supportive environment where students can study at a pace that suits them, rather than having their courses and class schedules determined by their age.
This approach allows students to excel in their areas of interest and pursue a more challenging academic experience.
Your International School in Marbella
British and Spanish Curriculum
• Academic Excellence
• Multidisciplinary Education • Experiences beyond the classroom
• Extensive Facilities
KIDS NOT WANTED
‘RACISM’
ROW
By Yzabelle Bostyn
Facing the facts
By Simon Hunter
“SPANIARDS are fed up with being victims of assaults, machete attacks, robberies and rapes. Almost always at the hands of the same people; illegal immigrants that the PP party and the Socialist Party insist on bringing to Spain with a pernicious magnet effect that is only growing.”
Those were the words uttered by the leader of Spain’s far-right Vox Party, Santiago Abascal, after plans recently emerged to distribute illegal immigrants from the Canary Islands between regions on the mainland.
It has become such a hot potato that Vox has now withdrawn its support for the PP party in some of the regional coalition governments where it was propping up the administrations.
For the Vox party itself however, it is nothing new, with Abascal and his band of extremist politicians long seeking to link immigration with higher crime rates.
But is there any truth to that claim?
According to the centre right newspaper El Mundo there is no connection at all, once the statistics are analysed.
After cross-referencing population data from the country’s National Statistics Institute (INE) with the Interior Ministry stats on jails and crime, the conclusions are clear: there is no direct link between the number of migrants and crime.
The newspaper went back 25 years to 1998 when the population of Spain was just under 40 million, with 637,085 - or about 1.6% - coming from abroad.
By 2023, there were six million foreign-born inhabitants, or around 13% of the 48 million people of Spain.
But crime rates have not grown in step with this ten-fold increase of foreigners, with the proportion of non-Spaniards locked up in prison holding steady.
In 1998, some 7,850 foreigners were locked up in jails, which was 18% of the total prison population, while foreigners accounted for 1.6% of the population.
That means that the percentage of foreign inmates was 11 times greater than the percentage of foreign residents in Spain.
Should that trend have continued, foreign-
ers would now account for 142% of the prison population – an impossible statistic, as the newspaper points out.
Instead, a different trend has emerged.
By 2009, the percentage of foreign inmates had reached 36%, with a total of 27,162 non-Spaniards locked up. Since then this statistic has more or less held steady, with the figure for 2023 dropping to 31%.
In fact, as the migrant population in Spain continues to grow, the statistics have actually improved.
If in 2023 migrants accounted for 31% of the prison population, and made up 13% of the total population in Spain; the multiple between these two figures is just 2.45, or basically, a historic low.
It emerges that this multiple has been steadily falling since 1998.
Another key conclusion from El Mundo relates to the nationalities of migrants.
This year, for example, has seen a spike in arrivals in the Canary Islands.
Between January 1 and August 15 this year, 22,304 migrants reached the islands, compared with 9,864 in the same period in 2023 – an increase of 126 percent, according to Interior Ministry figures.
The phenomenon saw Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez make a three-day visit to West Africa this month, in a bid to address the root of the problem.
But it is not migrants that are arriving illegally from countries that Sanchez visited –Senegal, Mauritania and The Gambia – who are topping the tables for crimes and convictions.
The latest Interior Ministry figures show that only four countries have more than a thousand inmates in Spanish jails: Morocco (5,213), Colombia (1,634), Romania (1,301) and Algeria (1,170).
The next three on the list are Ecuador (584), Portugal (267) and Italy (264).
Alarmingly, despite the recently reported data, Vox is pushing ahead with its anti-immigration stance.
BACK IN THE FOLD
Olive Press entices back former editor Laurence Dollimore from the Daily Mail
THE Olive Press website has undergone massive changes following the return of its former editor Laurence Dollimore.
Over the past year, he has
been overseeing a new design and helping to overhaul our website.
As Digital Editor of theolivepress.es the eagle-eyed London journalist has helped the site reach new heights. We are now seeing at least a million hits per month while the number of registered users continues to soar. There are more than 50,100 people with a registered account on our website, having risen by 20,000 over the past few months alone.
Over 2,000 of you have signed up for an ad-free service 24 hours a day.
“I’m glad to see the Olive Press is now getting the recognition it deserves,” explains Dollimore, who preferred a new role at the Olive Press rather than a posting in New York with the Daily Mail
“We have hired great new talent and have reporters stationed around the country, with our main operations still running from the Costa del Sol.
“It has been a team effort and there are still many things to work on, but I want to thank all our readers for their support, particularly the thousands who have bought a subscription.”
Dollimore first joined the Olive Press in 2016, later becoming our News Editor before helping to launch our editions in Mallorca and the Costa Blanca.
He was Digital Editor from 2019 to 2021, before leaving to work for the Mail Online for two years as a senior reporter.
After learning the ropes in a fast-paced ‘Fleet Street’ newsroom - which these days is actually in Kensington - he returned as Olive Press Digital Editor in August 2023 dividing his time between Marbella and Sevilla. Over the years, the London-born reporter has enjoyed world exclusives on everything from Madeleine McCann to Monkeypox, and is one of the go-to journalists when British newspapers need a story covered in Spain.
He added: “I’ve always loved Spain and jumped at the chance to come back, I’m looking forward to taking the OP to the next level.
“We have a great team of reporters and designers that simply cannot be matched by our competitors.”
The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:
1 - Irish father loses €1.75m investment in Spain after a Malaga town hall rejects his hotel licence ‘because he’s an expat’
Vox deputy Jose Maria Figaredo asked the government during a debate in Congress last week about the cost to the taxpayer of ‘taking in 250,000 immigrants from the Islamic Republic of Mauritania’. Shocked by this the Government minister for Migration Elma Saiz, slammed her for voicing what she called a ‘hoax’.
“It is not true that we are going to take in 250,000 people from Mauritania,” she insisted, adding Figaredo was ‘making absolutely despicable statements about the migrant population’. She added it was in the ‘purest Trump style’. A fact clearly born out by the real statistics.
2- Passenger successfully challenges €30 fee for printing off his boarding pass at the airport
3 - New hand luggage rules are officially in effect in Spain and the EU – here’s what you should know
4 - Two gorgeous towns in Malaga maintain their positions on the ‘100 most beautiful pueblos in Spain’ list
5 - Tourist couple are hospitalised after being attacked by a persistent street beggar in Spain’s Andalucia
PROTESTS: Vox’s extreme views have led to protests about immigration spurred on by leader Abascal
NEW LIFE: Most migrants want to earn a living
Mundo
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GEOLOCATION SERVICE
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BREAKDOWN KIT
To help you stay safe here is a checklist of some important safety items in the event of a breakdown. This emergency breakdown kit should be kept in your vehicle at all times.
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OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERTISE
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We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Linea Directa please call 952 147 834. More information about Linea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com
WATER GOOD IDEA
New invention could reduce home water consumption by 50%
A YOUNG Spaniard has invented an incredible device which reduces home water consumption by up to 50%.
Martin Bello Urbez, a student at the University of Bristol in England, has created an ingenious roof tile to collect and store rainwater for drinking water, say-
By Yzabelle Bostyn
ing it could cut household water use by 50%.
He has now submitted the device to the renowned James Dyson Award which has produced some revolutionary designs.
Martin, who studies Prod-
SPAIN’s renewable energy sources accounted for more than half of the country’s electricity generation in August.
According to power grid operator Red Electrica de España (REE), renewable sources supplied 52.6% of Spain’s electricity – although that is slightly lower than the 55.3% seen in July.
Overall the country’s green energy complement produced 12,341 GWh of electricity in August, 13.6% more than in the same month in 2023.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology took centre stage, generating, at 5,400 GWh, 24% of Spain’s power mix in August – a 20.8% increase compared to the same period last year.
This marked the fourth consecutive month that solar PV has been the number one
uct Design, came up with the idea when comparing his hometown, Valencia to Bristol.
He explained: “In Valencia water is a very precious but also very scarce commodity. Here, (in England) on the other hand, it rains all the time, but rainwater is rarely used.”
SUN POWER
source of energy for the country.
In terms of renewables, wind power also contributed significantly, generating 17% of August’s power output at 16 3,889 GWh – although this represents a slight decline of 9% compared to the previous year.
The lack of strong wind blowing across the Spanish hills and plains likely accounts for the dip in green energy production from last year.
Other renewable sources, such as hydro (8.57%), Concentrated Solar Power (3.12%), and renewable waste (0.36%), also played a role in the overall energy mix.
Nuclear accounts for 22% of power generation with 5,092 GWh.
The main tile component captures rainwater and filters it through a two-stage process.
Firstly, a filter removes large particles and pollutants, followed by a second filter which ensures the water is suitable for storage in a modular tank of up to 500 litres.
The design includes water spillways in case of overflow, thermal insulation and barriers to stop rodents or insects getting in.
The only prerequisite to install Martin’s device is that the house has a roof and uses tiles.
Awards
His innovative roof tile has already been widely recognised, winning the Panasonic Design Impact Award and being shortlisted for the Royal Society of Arts, Student Design Awards, which will be presented at the end of the year.
Autumn art
THE Metamorphose art gallery is welcoming the arrival of autumn with a new exposition of French art to match its complement of Spanish and international artists.
The conceptual art gallery, located in San Pedro Alcantara, is exhibiting the works of contemporary artist John Franzen, particularly his Each Line One Breath series.
Argentinian artist Daniel Bottero will also showcase his colourful abstract expressionist paintings.
Of the native artists, award-winning Spanish painter Consuelo Hernández stands out with her figurative and realist obras
A host of other artists contribute towards the gallery’s collection of paintings, sculptures and unique pieces of furniture that invite guests to reflect and learn.
LA CULTURA
HUELVA is celebrating its deep historical ties with the United Kingdom by hosting the first-ever British Legacy Fair until September 22. It is showcasing the influence of British culture on Huelva, particularly
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
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A real legacy
during the late 19th and early 20th centuries when British companies played a key role in the region's min-
ing industry.
The fair will feature over 30 British-themed activities, including historical reenactments, cultural events, and sporting competitions. Iconic landmarks such as the Queen
Victoria
Fiery resistance
The flame-haired Irish Chieftain who fought the English before finding a final resting place in Spain
A TRIBUTE to legendary Irish Chieftain Red Hugh O’Donnell has just been paid in the Spanish city of Valladolid to mark the 420th anniversary of his death.
A re-enactment of his funeral procession featured a symbolic coffin draped with the flags of
The
GO GAGA FOR STRAY DOGS
By Dilip Kuner
monks, soldiers car-
TRIBUTES to Lady Gaga and the top queens of pop will be singing up for Andalucia’s homeless dogs in Duquesa Port.
Starring versatile local artist Paige Lefley who can transition from Gaga to Gwen Stefani and Katy Perry to Pink at the tweak of an octave, the show kicks off at 7pm on October 4 at Ryder’s Bar. Proceeds will go to charity Forgotten Dogs of Andalucia.
A welcome glass of cava and a finger buffet are included in the price of the live show, at €15 per person. Tickets directly from Ryders Bar; Whatsapp Gillian 662 310 704 or Sarah 667 031 847; or email adoptions@animalangelsglobal.org.
rying torches, standard-bearers, and a lone Irish soldier playing the bagpipes. The event was organised by the Department of Tourism of the city council, in collaboration with the Hispano-Irish association and was attended by
the Irish ambassador.
Valladolid is known to be the final resting place of Red Hugh, who had fled Ireland with other Irish lords in the famous Flight of the
FIT FOR A KING: Procession honouring Red Hugh
Earls after they and their Spanish allies had been beaten by the English at the battle of Kinsale. They had arrived in La Coruña and were received with great honour by the Governor of Galicia and the Archbishop of Santiago, where an Irish College was founded. There they plotted their return to Ireland to continue the Nine Years War against the Tudor monarchs who were taking over Ireland. For this they needed the help of Spain, so Red Hugh travelled to Valladolid to meet Philip III, who promised to organise a new invasion.
Red Hugh died on the journey, and was temporarily buried in Simancas Castle in 1602.
The story of ‘Red Hugh’ has huge importance for Valladolid, where he was believed to have been re-buried in the chapel grounds of a Franciscan convent. But when the monastery was leveled in 1836, the bones of Red Hugh were not there. Archeologists now believe his remains rest beneath a branch of Banco Santander in the city centre. So far several skeletons have been unearthed – but DNA tests from his descendants have so far failed to find a match.
FOLLOWING IN ANCIENT FOOTSTEPS
HUMAN and animal remains dating back 26,000 years have been discovered during the construction of a €1 billion housing development. Items were discovered from the Pleistocene settlement, including ancient footprints, which have now been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.
Footprints
Archaeologists started working on a 2,000 m2 plot in the Mendez Alvaro district of Madrid in March and they are coming to the end of their time before the building project can resumes
Some 26,000 years ago the area saw the confluence of several rivers including the Arroyo Carcabon, next to which the site is located, and the Arroyo Abroñigal –above which the M-30 ring road was built.
Archaeologists have found human footprints and various stone artifacts, as well as footprints of herbivores and a rhinoceros.
Ireland and Spain, carried by a horse-drawn hearse.
procession was escorted by the historic royal guard on horseback and accompanied by Franciscan
District, the Rio Tinto Pier, Casa Colon, and the Real Club Recreativo de Huelva - the oldest football club in Spain, founded by British workers in 1889 - will be at the heart of the celebrations.
LA CULTURA
WHAT MADE THE MAGICIAN
He is one of Spain’s most prolific and celebrated filmmakers, renowned for his bold, vibrant storytelling and willingness to tackle taboo subjects such as sexuality, death, and religion.
Pedro Almodovar has worked with actors of the stature of Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and most recently Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, and won countless awards, including two Oscars. But throughout his career he has worked exclusively in Spanish, until now that is.
The 74-year-olds 25th film,
As he launches his 25th and ‘final film’, we look at Spain’s most prolific filmmaker Almodovar
By Yzabelle Bostyn
Door, has won critical acclaim, swiping the coveted Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival and receiving an 18-minute standing ovation.
Not bad for a man who was born in the impoverished La Mancha town of Calza- da de Calatrava, where
didn’t spend long there, as when he was eight years old, his family sent him to a religious boarding school in Caceres, Extremadura.
They hoped he would become a priest, but it was there that Almodovar fell in love with cinema. “Cinema became my real education, much more than the one I received from the priests,” he later said.
In 1968, Almodovar moved to Madrid against his parents wishes. There he found a vibrant underground arts scene while he supported himself by working at the Rastro flea market.
These were in the days where Spanish dictator Franco reigned supreme with a repressive government that was certainly not open to boundary-pushing young filmmakers.
Despite the closure of the National School of Cinema under Franco’s regime, Almodovar, then aged 19, persisted in learning the craft of filmmaking on his own.
He took a job with phone company Telefonica and bought a Super 8 camera with his first paycheck. He then produced a series of short films that gained attention within Madrid’s Movida Madrileña, a countercultural movement that flourished after Franco’s death in 1975. Almodovar became a key figure in this cultural renaissance exploring taboo topics such as sex, death and religion. Without the support of big studios, he could not add
soundtracks to his films. He said: “I remember that I became very famous in Madrid because, as the films had no sound, I took a cassette with music while I personally did the voices of all the characters, songs and dialogues."
Finally, in 1980, Almodovar made his first feature film Pepi, Luci, Bom and Other Girls Like Mum
The film had a tiny budget of 400,000 pesetas (€2,404) and told the story of Pepi, a woman seeking revenge on a corrupt policeman who raped her.
It quickly grew a cult following in Spain and is often compared to the films of American filmmaker John Waters, which
pushed through moral and social boundaries.
Just two years later, Almodovar released Labyrinth of Passion, another cult success. The film marked the director’s first collaboration with actor Antonio Banderas.
Then in 1983, he released Dark Habits, a film about a cabaret singer seeking refuge in a convent of eccentric nuns.
The controversial film marked Almodovar’s first moderate critical and commercial success.
Following a spate of equally shocking cult films, Almodovar established his own production company in 1987 alongside his brothers, Agustin. El Deseo’s first film, Law of De-
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Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist.
sire, received great critical reception, scooping the first ever Teddy Award for LGBT representation at the Berlin International Film Festival.
His international breakthrough came with Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), a feminist action-comedy that earned over $7 million at the US box office, garnered five Goya Awards, and earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. This film established Almodovar as a filmmaker of global renown, known for
LA CULTURA 15
BIKE BRILLIANCE
Gibraltar’s first cycling superstore has everything you need for your next adventure
ver the last 13 years, Cycle Centre Gibraltar has become the beating heart of the Rock’s cycling community.
Established in 2011 by Robin Batchelor and Ian Walton, the shop is now Gibraltar’s first cycling superstore. Whatever your needs, there’s a bike for you at Cycle Centre, with mountain, road, electric, folding, children’s bikes and much more available.
GIANT & COLNAGO
his vivid visual style and intricate, emotionally charged narratives.
By 1997, Almodovar’s worldwide reputation was growing. That year, he released Live Flesh, based on the book of the same name by British author Ruth Rendell.
The film marked Almodovar’s first collaboration with actors Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem.
By this point, the Spaniard had earnt an unshakeable reputation as a controversial, vanguard filmmaker unafraid of taboos.
In the next few years, he would release some of his best known works including All About My Mother, which won him his first Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1999, Volver and The Skin I Live In In 2002 he picked up a second Oscar for Talk to Her, scoop-
ing Best Original Screenplay, alongside a Bafta and a Golden Globe. This was also the year that he met his partner, actor and photographer Fernando Iglesias.
Following the Covid-19 lockdown, he and his brother released Parallel Mothers
The 2021 film follows the lives of two mothers who give birth on the same day and is the precursor to Almodovar’s upcoming movie.
Swinton plays a journalist suffering from cancer.
Swinton’s character asks an old friend, portrayed by Julianne Moore, to help her end her life. Spain legalised euthanasia in 2021 and is one of only 11 countries in which a form of assisted dying is legal.
It is all a long way from his roots in a sleepy town in La Mancha
The Room Next Door, to be released on October 18, is the filmmaker’s call for the international legalisation of euthanasia.
In the film, British actress Tilda
At a press conference at Venice Film Festival, the filmmaker said: “There should be the possibility to have euthanasia all over the world.” With numerous Goya Awards, two Academy Awards, and countless other accolades under his belt, Pedro Almodovar remains a vital and influential voice in contemporary cinema. It is all a long way from his roots in a sleepy town in La Mancha.
We are also proud to be GIANT bikes official distributor in Gibraltar, including LIV bikes and the women’s range.
A bike ride is nothing without a stylish jersey, so we stock a range of quality gear covering all disciplines.
We stock both male and female clothing from popular brands like FOX MTB, Madison-Shimano and FLAB.
Finish your look with a range of accessories from helmets, to glasses to gloves.
If anything goes wrong with your beloved bike, our technicians are on hand to fix it up, even offering bike maintenance packages before you undertake long rides like the Camino de Santiago.
Up to the highest standards, our mechanics have serviced bicycles and trained technicians from the Ecilpse superyacht owned by Roman Abramovich.
All of our services use the best quality parts, also available for sale to the general public.
If you’re visiting Gibraltar, why not hire one of Cycle Centre’s bikes to explore the area quickly and easily. We offer electric, road and mountain bikes for adventurous travellers on the Rock and beyond.
If you’re ready to ride around the Rock, visit the Cycle Centre at Unit 1, Eaton Park, Devil’s Tower Rd, GX11 1AA, Gibraltar or call to learn more (+350) 200 63562
Email: info@cyclecentre.gi
Shell shock
SCARY SOCIALS:
Posters thought the giant crabs are real
Try again mate
TWO Australian TikTokers have gone viral after trying and failing for two days to get pickpocketed in Barcelona.
Dog days
A DOG owner in Haro, La Rioja, has been fined €2,500 for ‘causing social alarm’ after their dog jumped into the La Vuelta cycle race.
Big mistake
THE family of a car crash victim in Madrid has been left in shock after they discovered they did not have the body of their loved one at his funeral, but instead another of the men who died in the tragic accident.
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
‘Sea of plastic’ in Almeria ‘wins’ NASA prize of being the most visible man-made object from space
IT is a grand prize but won for the wrong reason. The notion that the Great Wall of China is the only human-made structure visible from space has long been a myth. Despite being one of the Won-
A BRITISH woman heading to Paris from Leeds Bradford Airport was shocked when she arrived in Alicante. The woman claims her boarding pass was checked at least four times before take off. Despite the setback, she enjoyed a day of sightseeing in
By Walter Finch
ders of the World, at about 21,200 kilometres long and with its tallest towers reaching just 800 metres, the Chinese marvel is just too narrow to be
FLIGHT FAIL
Alicante before heading to Paris. She said: “If you’re ever in Spain I would recommend Alicante.
“I had a good time, I don’t think it will ever happen to me or anyone I know again.”
seen from space.
Instead, according to NASA, the most easily discernible manmade object from Earth’s orbit is something far less wondrous: the vast expanse of the greenhouses of El Ejido on Spain’s Almerian coast.
But the achievement is far from a laudable one – the region represents 370 square kilometres of white plastic so bright that it stands out against the Earth’s surface, even from the International Space Station.
The region is home to thousands upon thousands of greenhouses that stretch between the
ant crabs on Indonesian shores was deemed a dark omen that was sure to sow panic.
A social media post appeared to show a pair of enormous crustaceans emerging from the sea and went viral in Kupang. The 17-second video –which has racked up more than 7,900 views –had a local commenting ‘That’s not a good sign brother,’ while another chipped in, ‘That’s terrifying’.
towns of El Ejido and La Mojonera.
The sea of plastic even extends south to Motríl and north to Níjar.
Activists have long criticised it for the enormous quantities of plastic employed which seeps into the surrounding environment as it degrades.
Other large human-made structures, such as the Bingham Canyon mine in Utah and the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, can also be seen from space, but none are as distinctive or as extensive as the greenhouses of El Ejido.
Giant
But in fact, the photos were taken on Spain’s Atlantic coast in Chipiona, Cadiz.
They showed not real giant crabs, but an artwork by artist Alfredo Zarazaga of metal sculptures crafted from recycled materials. The ‘crabs on the coast’ are supposed to ‘raise awareness about the future of the marine environment’.
BLANK SPACE: The white mass of plastic can be seen from space