GIBRALTAR drivers nipping across the border to Spain have racked up nearly 3,000 unpaid traffic fines – the majority for speeding.
With a population of just 32,000 citizens, it accounts for almost one in ten Gibraltarians owing money to Spanish authorities.
According to newly released figures, around 2,000 are for speeding, and the total is likely to run into the hundreds of thousands.
Despite a recent agreement between Spain and the UK to enhance the sharing of traffic information, Spanish authorities are struggling to collect these fines.
While Gibraltarian drivers must pay fines in Spain on the spot if caught committing an offence, such as speeding, those captured by traffic cameras cannot be pursued as letters cannot be sent to their homes across the border.
However the main barrier to collecting is because Gibraltar residents have foreign bank accounts which can’t be accessed by Spanish debt chasers. It means that they effectively get away scott free.
Speeding
But the problem goes two ways. The Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) similarly lack access to Spanish driver data, making it impossible for them to issue fines to Spaniards who break traffic rules on the Rock.
An agreement signed between Spain and the UK in March 2023 allowed both nations to share information on drivers and vehicles.
It was intended to crack down on traffic violations such as speeding, failure to wear seat belts, and drink or drug driving.
But as of now, bank issues mean that drivers are getting away without paying their fines.
P LIVE RESS O GIBRALTAR
Making a splash
HMS Cutlass has made a splash on her port visit to Tangier, Morocco, where she engaged in joint exercises with the Royal Moroccan Navy.
Lieutenant Commander Henry Kilby, The CO of the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron, led the mission, conducting official calls with top local military commanders.
This marked the ship’s second port visit this year, following a jaunt to Portugal in May.
The visit builds on HMS Dagger’s earlier trip to Tangier in May 2023, laying the groundwork for even stronger ties between the two Royal Navies.
Kilby received a red-carpet welcome at the
Pressure is on
‘Say yes to a deal or Gibraltar faces new border controls’: threatens Spain
SPAIN’S foreign minister has piled pressure on the UK to ‘say yes’ to the deal on offer over Gibraltar before new border controls come in.
“The proposed plan provides for the inclusion of Gibraltar in the Schengen zone and freedom of movement for people and goods,”
Jose Manuel Albares said after a meeting with Campo de Gibraltar mayors in Madrid.
But he warned: “It is the United Kingdom that has to decide whether it prefers that or the new border controls.”
The European Union’s new Entry Exit System may bring an abrupt halt to the current relaxed ‘wave through’ regime upon which Gibraltar normally relies.
The details of the treaty Spain and the EU have offered is still underwraps as the negotiations are ongoing.
But if it is accepted, it will see
By Walter Finch
Gibraltar incorporated into the Schengen zone and the current physical border fence removed.
“We have been negotiating this deal for many years,” Albares continued.
“I am the fourth foreign minister to sit at the table. It is time for the United Kingdom to say yes to an agreement that is balanced and generous and that we put on the table a long time ago.”
However, despite all the technical complexities that have reportedly been overcome, there remains one large, incontrovertible sticking point.
Spain is thought to insist that if Gibraltar is to be part of the Schengen zone, Spanish uniformed and armed officers must control the points of entry –namely Gibraltar’s airport and
port.
Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has followed in the footsteps of a long line of chief ministers in flatly
rejecting this outcome, having openly signalled that the territory will choose to continue without a treaty.
It thus sets the stage for a game of chicken in which a no-deal that will damage the entire region looks a likely outcome.
Albares said last week that his demands were ‘simply the application of the Schengen regulations as they are everywhere’.
“I see some Gibraltarian authorities very concerned about
BLOCK: If Gibraltar doesn’t agree to uniformed Spanish on the border
uniforms, I am not concerned about them,” he said.
“I simply want the application of the Schengen regulations as they are everywhere.
“And exactly the same for the freedom of goods. I do not give (uniforms) more or less importance, but the Schengen area, wherever it is applied, has to be done uniformly.
“And, if it is extended to Gibraltar, it will have to work exactly the same as in the rest of that area.”
5th Naval Base, meeting with Captain Zitouni and Senior Captain Omari, the Northern Maritime Sector Commander. HMS Cutlass is back in Gibraltar now, ready to resume her sovereignty operations alongside HMS Dagger.
FLUID: Crossing the border needs to be quick and painless
Runs in the family
A 74-year-old father and his 18-year-old son have been arrested for allegedly running a cocaine operation from their Estepona villa.
Cash in
TWO Spaniards have become millionaires recently after a Basque resident won €162 million jackpot and a Marbella resident scooped a €1 million EuroMillions lottery ticket on the Golden Mile.
Hash hub
SPAIN is now Europe’s top marijuana producer after police scored a massive bust, seizing 10,000 marijuana plants and arresting 26 people in a major operation in Cordoba.
Final race
A 41-YEAR OLD woman drowned last week while taking part in the gruelling 226km Ironman Triathlon in Barcelona. It is thought to be an accident.
Maddie suspect will ‘move to Africa’
MADELEINE McCann sus-
pect Christian Brueckner will flee to Africa if he gets out of prison next year, the Olive Press can reveal.
The 47-year-old paedophile and rapist could be free as early as next September, after being sensationally cleared of a string of rape and child abuse allegations in Portugal.
A source close to his legal team told the Olive Press moving to Africa would be the ‘safest place’ to live.
“He won’t be recognised there and he won’t be going after any of the witnesses or victims who named him as a rapist and abuser,” said the source.
“He doesn’t want to get caught again and go back to prison.”
Brueckner - who is currently serving a sev-
Appeal launched as fears grow German paedophile will flee Europe if released next year
en year sentence for raping a pensioner - could also consider Cambodia, where he has an old friend, an IT specialist.
German Christian Post, who was ordered to give evidence at the trial, currently lives in Kampot, a magnet for child sex abusers.
The news comes after the paedophile was shockingly found not guilty of five separate sex offences in a German court last week.
The crimes, which all took place in Portugal, included playing with himself while sitting under a slide in a children’s playground in Messines in June 2017.
However, despite four children seeing him with his trousers down by his
EXCLUSIVE
By Jon Clarke
ankles and their parents finding no sign of urine, Judge Ute Engermann believed he was having a pee.
She ruled him not guilty of four other offences, including three rapes and another child sex assault on a beach near Praia da Luz, a month before Maddie went missing nearby.
German prosecutors have now formally appealed the sentences on the basis of bias, among other claims.
Bias
Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said: “We will make an appeal to the Supreme court. They have the power to order a retrial with new judges.
“We think there is a case to show bias among the judges and we believe we can show that.”
Victim Hazel Behan, told the Olive Press, she will ‘definitely’ support the appeal and prays for a reversal.
“I’m utterly devastated by the ruling,” she said from her home, near Dublin, this week.
“They’ve got it completely wrong and I’m still certain Brueckner was my rapist.
“I’ll never forget his eyes. They are bored into my head and soul. I still see them at night.”
Another witness, Helge Busching, who was described by the judge as ‘a liar’ has also hit out at the ruling.
He told the Olive Press the ruling was a ‘total scandal’, adding he was not going to let the judge’s claims ‘go unanswered’.
The German had first pointed the finger at the accused in 2008 and told the court he had watched two videos of Brueckner raping a teenage girl and another pensioner.
His claims were backed up by a fellow friend Manfred Seyferth, but because a third former pal, Mario ‘Cheyanne’ Schonburg, denied he had seen them, the judge appeared to side with him instead.
She also brushed aside the testimony of leading prison
NOT GUILTY: of five sex crimes but official charges over Maddie (far
psychiatrist, Christian Riedemann, who labelled Brueckner a very real danger to the public, telling the court he was in the ‘top league of dangerousness’. The same prosecutors are also now working to build a water tight case against Bruckner over the abduction of Maddie. They are expected to launch official proceedings against him over the next few months. They have already confirmed they have proof that the British toddler is dead and their prime suspect is Brueckner, who was outside her holiday home in Praia da Luz the night she vanished.
Opinion Page 6
left) loom for Brueckner
INIESTA OUT
SPANISH football legend Andres Iniesta, who scored the decisive goal in the 2010 World Cup final, has today announced his retirement from soccer at age 40.
In a 22-year professional career, Iniesta's illustrious journey also included two European Championship titles and four Champions League trophies with Barcelona.
At an emotional ceremony in Barcelona, Iniesta reflected on his career: “All the tears are of pride, not sadness. I achieved
the dream of becoming a soccer player through hard work and sacrifice.”
Iniesta made 674 appearances for Barcelona, where he was instrumental in the tiki-taka style that defined an era, playing alongside greats like Xavi, Sergio Busquets, and Lionel Messi. He won nine La Liga titles and six Copa del Reys during his time with the club.
Jailhouse rock
The incredible tale of the Scottish drug smuggler who found stardom in the 80s with a prison band –and then lost it all
THEY say everyone deserves a second chance.
By Walter Finch an old man might get the chance to rekindle the whole music thing, you know? A second bite at the cherry.” Runaway became a sleeper hit in Spain in the late 80s, making the charts and
And for one former jailbird narco-trafficker turned rocker, it comes 30 years after he nearly hit the big time with a band he formed while in a Spanish prison.
Former Costa del Sol resident
Allan McCarthy, 61, once found minor fame as the front man for Berlin 90 (named after the wall which had just fallen), even playing live on national television from jail.
While performing shows for Spanish television and radio, the gregarious Scotsman penned the song Runaway from his cell.
Now, McCarthy, who is back living in Spain on the Mar Menor, is re-releasing the song with a slick new music video..
“My dream got taken away from me and my story ended abruptly when I was moved to Carabanchel [pris on] and then deport ed,” the ageing rocker re flected to the Olive Press
“I’m hoping that now,
even propelling McCarthy’s four-piece band out of prison to perform live shows in public – something that the Scotsman claims was against all the rules.
The musical talent landed himself in Sangonera prison in his mid-20s after a car he was riding in was busted with a consignment of hashish near Murcia in 1988.
“But what they never found was the half a kilo of coke underneath the seat!” McCarthy chortled.
Unbelievably, a chequered stint behind bars started to miraculously transform itself into a platform to launch a musical career.
But when McCarthy (left) found himself languishing in Madrid’s infamous Carabanchel Prison towards the end of his stretch in the early 1990s, the dream
appeared to be over. Originally built in the 1930s for the political enemies of the Franco regime, 50 years later the prospect of being sent to Carabanchel made even Spain’s most hardened criminals quail. “Carabanchel was like the bogeyman for these guys,” McCarthy told this newspaper. “It was like Spain’s Alcatraz.”
When he was suddenly released four years into his six-anda-half sentence – something
unheard of at the time – and promptly deported from Spain, it seemed to dash his musical ambitions.
But all that might be set to change.
As well as rekindling the flames of his musical career, McCarthy is also set to write a book on his journey as a reformed con. He also plans to return to Sangonera, in Murcia, to perform one last time in the jail where he made his name.
PHONE CHARGE
MANCHESTER City's Matheus Nunes was arrested last month after allegedly stealing a mobile phone while at a Madrid nightclub.
The Portuguese midfielder, 26, was held at a police sta tion for questioning following an incident at the La Riviera club.
Nunes was taking advantage of a season break to enjoy a night out in the Spanish capital.
A fan tried to take a photo of the player without his permission in the toilets of the nightclub.
Nunes allegedly snatched the high-end phone from the man’s hands and refused to return it to him. He now potentially faces a trial on theft charges.
TOWER POWER
MORE than 20,000 spectators gathered to watch the biennial human tower competition in Tarragona.
Some 32 teams compete in the Concurs de Castells in Catalunya, home of the sport since the 18th century.
Teams carefully build their towers by placing their stron-
gest and heaviest members at the base, arms interlocked, while the lightest and littlest climb to the top.
A group from Vilafranca del Penedes won the contest for the eighth year in a row. UNESCO declared the towers as a valued example of intangible cultural heritage in 2010.
AMBER Heard - the Aquaman star and former flame of Johnny Depp - has been spotted dining in style at Cordoba’s La Taberna de Almodóvar.
Heard, 38, known for her high-profile legal battle with Depp, stunned the restaurant staff when she walked in for a casual yet lavish lunch, tucking into seasonal veggies, grilled sole, and melt-in-your-mouth premium
aged beef.
But the real sizzle of the day?
Amber, dressed in a laidback yet chic outfit, reportedly spoke flawless Spanish and posed for a snap with Angel Sanchez, the manager of the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand eatery.
The restaurant wasted no time sharing the news on social media, gushing: “It was an absolute pleasure to host the incredible actress and model Amber Heard! A day we won't forget!”
CELLMATES: Allan (second from left) with his group Berlin 90
Tobacco light
A MAJOR tobacco smuggling ring operating across southern Spain has been busted by the Guardia Civil after a lengthy investigation - but its reingleader has been given a minimal sentence.
Authorities arrested 17 people, including several family members, involved in smuggling tobacco from Gibraltar to cities like Sevilla and Ronda. The gang had set up a network of distribution points and was caught transporting large quantities of contraband.
The ringleader, initially facing a 13-year sentence, received just two years in a plea deal, with other members also getting reduced sentences.
The operation's takedown deals a major blow to the region's illicit tobacco trade. Officials have vowed to continue cracking down on similar smuggling operations.
Not cashing in
MINISTER Minister of Digital and Financial Services, Albert Isola, has revealed he’s sitting on a secret stash of Bitcoin - but he’s not spending it. Instead, Isola is hoarding it for his children, predicting that cryptocurrency adoption will soar in the future.
“I’ve got a pile of Bitcoin tucked away for my kids,” he said to a cryptocurrency magazine, hinting it could be the ultimate family inheritance.
Gibraltar, a leader in crypto regulation since 2018, even made history by paying its national football team in cryptocurrency. With blockchain innovation and strict regulations in place, the tiny territory is cementing its status as a global crypto hub.
Streets of art
THE vibrant Street Art programme aimed at jazzing up the barriers and cannons along Main Street has kicked off its second phase.
This time around, art enthusiasts can expect to see exciting new features like information panels and QR codes.
Launched by Gibraltar Cultural Services on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, this initiative has been a hit with locals, showcasing strong community support.
Talented artist Kyrane Lia is hard at work on 18 stunning murals, each celebrating a significant moment in Gibraltar's colorful history. “I am incredibly thankful for this opportunity to express my passion for Gibraltarian identity,” Kyrane said, adding that the local excitement has been infectious. The newly added QR codes allow curi-
ART: Kyrane is transforming Gib
ous onlookers to dive deeper into each mural, revealing the artist’s inspiration and the historical significance behind the art.
Guilty as charged
A SERIAL child sex offender has been found guilty of 19 offences against children in the Gibraltar Supreme Court over a period spanning a quarter of a century.
Graham Southwell, 63, of the Varyl Begg Estate, was remanded at HM Prison Windmill Hill following the verdicts.
The nine men and women on the jury took just 90 minutes to find Southwell guilty on all counts but one at the end of a fraught
Former Health Authority employee abused children in Gibraltar for over a quarter of a century
By Walter Finch
five-week trial in which testimony was often interrupted by tears and break requests. The offences against five victims took place between 1990 and 2016 and included the rape of a boy under 13 and sexual activity with a child.
THE frontier between Spain and Gibraltar was sent into gridlock after Spain unilaterally began stamping Gibraltar passports, threatening the longstanding agreement that allowed smoother passage for Gibraltarians. The change triggered retaliatory measures, resulting in snaking queues of cars and pedestrians stretching back into La Línea during rush hour.
Many workers, unable to produce their passports, were forced to turn back, either to retrieve their documents or to work from home.
GIBRALTAR Airport descended into chaos at the weekend as flights were cancelled or diverted due to a crippling air traffic control failure caused by bad weather.
EasyJet flights to Manchester and Bristol were initially sent to Malaga, only to be cancelled altogether, while passengers heading to Heathrow were diverted to Sevilla.
Green cruise Flight mayhem
Under the current border regime, Gibraltar citizens with a red ID card can cross without having their passports stamped. However, a Policia Nacional inspector in La Línea issued an unauthorised written instruction to begin stamping passports, prompting accusations from Gibraltar’s authorities that Spain had suspended the interim border arrangement established after Brexit.
When was arrested in August 2021, he categorically denied the allegations made by his first accuser, claiming that he had been working on refurbishing the boy’s home.
Southwell, a former Gibraltar Health Authority employee, is said to have struck up a relationship as a ‘mentor or friend’ with his victims.
Stamp it out
who are not British citizens or residents, to present passports for entry into Gibraltar.
According to the Gibraltar government, Spanish authorities had abandoned the passport stamping to alleviate growing queues but reverted to it despite verbal instructions against doing so.
Chief Minister Fabian Picardo issued an ultimatum, demanding the old regime be reinstated by 7am the next day or Gibraltar would reciprocate against Spanish workers. This would require third-country nationals,
Spain finally countermanded the earlier order, ceasing the passport stamping and avoiding further reciprocal measures.
Meanwhile, Keith Azopardi, the leader of the Gibraltar Social Democrats, speculated that the ‘rogue’ measure could be ‘the product of a testing of the waters by Spain’ to see whether Gibraltar would indeed stay true to its word to enact tit-for-tat measures.
“The news of further stamping by Spanish officers suggests a more deliberate policy change,” he said in a statement.
“If we are in the final stretch of a negotiation for a new treaty we need to continue to stand firm.
GIBRALTAR welcomed TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 7 on its inaugural cruise call to the port on Friday.
The ship arrived at 8am from Cadiz and departed for Alicante at 6pm.
Mein Schiff 7 is the seventh vessel in the Mein Schiff series and is the first in the fleet to operate solely on low-emission marine diesel.
The ship can accommodate up to 3,100 passengers across its 16 decks. On this visit, the vessel carried 2,965 passengers. Gibraltar's Minister for Tourism, Christian Santos MP, commented: “It is a pleasure to welcome one of the most environmentally friendly modern ships to our Port, and we hope to receive many more inaugural cruise calls of this nature in the future.”
He is said to have encountered children while working at a variety of jobs including as a security officer at a local housing estate and volunteer at St John’s Ambulance.
He has also worked as a supervisor in the Community Service Project overseeing prisoners and other offenders carry out their unpaid work orders.
The adult victims came forward during the trial to recount harrowing experiences that they had endured with Southwell as children.
The second week of the trial heard one victim accuse Southwell of abusing and raping him over a period of eight years, starting when he was just six years old.
Troubled
The family and partner of the victim described him as a ‘gentle soul’ and ‘loving caring partner’.
However, they also spoke of someone who was ‘troubled, depressed and closed off,’ while his partner added that she'd always felt there was something she didn't understand about him but that she ‘does now.’
After the verdict was announced, Southwell’s lawyer requested bail for his client until his sentencing on December 11, but this was denied.
NEW BORDER DELAY
THE EU's long-awaited Entry/ Exit System (EES) has been delayed once again due to a number of countries still not being prepared.
The automated computer system will apply to British and other 'third-country' nationals travelling to any of the 29 Schengen Area countries, including Spain.
It will scan their passports instead of stamping them and automatically track the number of days they have spent in the EU.
Limit
The move is to avoid people from non-EU countries overstaying their typical 90 in 180 day limit.
However, despite being due to roll out on November 10, it has been ‘suspended indefinitely’, with no new start date announced.
The further delay occurred with countries, including France, Germany and the Netherlands, simply not being ready to implement the system.
EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, announced: “I hope we can start as soon as possible but there's no new timeline so far.”
Opinion Page 6
GIBRALTAR has strengthened ties with Morocco after Minister John Cortes visited the capital city of Rabat. The visit is hoped to develop many areas for collaboration, including tourism, education, sport and transport. Simon Martin, UK Ambassador to Morocco, held a dinner in his honour, also attended by Morocco’s Roving Ambassador Lalla Assia Bensalah Alaoui and Steven Marin of the Gibraltar Morocco Business Association. Cortes held lengthy discussions with the British Ambassador, the Moroccan Secretary General for Education and Sport Younes Shaimi and the Moroccan Secretary General Khalid Cherkaoui and other senior officials. He will soon go to Tangier for the second part of the visit.
MORE speakers have been announced for the Gibunco Gibraltar Literary Festival.
Clare Mulley (left), a historian who focuses on women’s role in World War Two will explore Gibraltar’s role in the escape of resistance fighter Elizbieta Zawacka.
Also announced was Sir Antony Sledon, expert on British politics and author of the ‘at 10’ series detailing the rise and falls of recent Prime Ministers. Finally, writer Pat Mills will be sharing his tips and tricks on how to write the perfect story based on his new book, ‘Pageturners.’
The festival runs from November 11 to 17 and features big names such as Shirley Ballas and Sir Liam Fox.
Voted top
paper in Spain
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a
OPINION
Quelle surprise!
SO the seemingly cursed Entry/Exit System (EES) is delayed until further notice - yet again.
The long-awaited scheme by the EU wants to scan passports of travellers from ‘third’ countries - like Britain - to ensure they’re not breaking the 90 in 180 day limit.
But let’s be honest, the programme is obviously designed to teach us Brits a lesson over Brexit, and to ward off other member states from following in our footsteps.
While we were no supporters of the Leave camp, it is rather laughable that some of the EU’s biggest players, including France and Germany, simply cannot get themselves organised in time. Ironically, they are probably being held back by the red tape and bureaucracy that inspired many people to vote for Brexit in the first place.
Instead of thinking up ways to keep Brits out of Spain and the Schengen Zone, how about introducing laws for those who are non-resident but bought homes before the disastrous Brexit vote? They pay millions in taxes each year and can now only use their hard-earned properties for three months at a time.
It’s high time they are granted extra visa or travel rights, as is currently - and yet again - being discussed in France.
Makes you sick
THE total acquittal of Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner over five sex crimes is a bitter pill to swallow.
Now to add salt to the wound, we reveal in this week’s edition how he could be planning to move to Africa if he is freed next year.
His current sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Portugal is due to expire in September 2025, although his lawyer is now aiming to get that conviction squashed.
It’s safe to say that if he made it to Africa he could escape justice for the rest of his life.
And god knows how many more potential victims there would be there.
BLOOD MONEY
ALEGION of Spanish banks have financed Israel’s arms suppliers to the tune of €3.8bn, it has emerged.
At least a dozen banks made a staggering 4,000 investments or loans between 2011 and 2024, with the majority taking place in the last five years.
A total of seven arms manufacturers who sell weapons to Israel (five based in the US, one in Italy and two in Germany), benefitted from the deals.
The data was released by the Delas Study Centre for Peace to commemorate the anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 last year.
The terrorist outrage that killed 1200 people sparked a devastating and still ongoing response from Israel which has seen more than 42,000 Palestinians killed.
According to the study, Santander and BBVA are the two biggest investors in armaments for Israel, collectively providing 95% (€3.6bn) of the money.
The third largest financier is the Caixa Group, which has handed over €99 million, followed by Bestinver (€59.5 million) and EDM Group (€7.95 million).
In fourth place was Ibercaja, which provided €2.26 million, followed by Banco Caminos, Dux Inversores, Abaco
During his latest sex crimes trial in Germany, one expert psychologist predicted Brueckner was very likely to strike again within two years of being released.
We sincerely hope German prosecutors have a plan and some solid evidence that will allow them to charge him for the disappearance of Madeleine and keep him locked up until trial.
Spanish banks - including BBVA and Santanderhave financed €3.8bn worth of weapons used by Israel in Gaza, writes Yzabelle Bostyn
Capital, Renta 4 Banco, GVC Gaesco and Banca March.
According to the study, 11 of the 12 banks have bought stocks in businesses that sup-
ply arms to Israel. The main one is British multinational RollsRoyce, which also part-owns German manufacturer MTU Friedrichshafen. BBVA, Banco Santander and Caixabank have also lent more than €3.1bn in revolving credits and corporate loans to these businesses, while the former two have also invested €660 million in bond underwriting.
Dubbed the ‘Bank Armada’, the report states that Spanish funds are being used by Israel to ‘commit crimes against humanity, including genocide’. The report also revealed how Israel
Dark side of the green boom
New film lifts
ANEW documentary has exposed the unsettling truth behind Spain’s ‘green energy’ transition.
Unrenewable Lives (Vidas Irrenovables) investigates 50 communities throughout Spain affected by the move to renewable energy.
Last year, over 50% of Spain’s energy came from renewable sources, much more than its European neighbours.
By 2030, it is expected to rise to 81%, almost triple the amount produced in 2020.
However, the government’s plans are ironically causing the destruction of many natural habitats, the film by Metafora Visual claims.
“This rollout is causing many problems for ecosystems, the lives of local people and the environment,” explained director Francisco Vaquero, 39 (below).
“It’s not been planned in a way which has considered all the effects on people that live in rural areas. It’s destroying forests, agricultural land and ways of life. We’re trying to give these people a voice.”
Solar panels are limiting space for wild animals to live, hunt and nest, while wind turbines are known to kill birds, bats and other species.
Incredibly, areas of woodland are even being cleared to allow for the installations.
In Amil, Galicia, the construction of a wind farm actually destroyed the
town’s natural water source, and its residents now rely on a neighbouring town for supply.
“If it continues this way, I’m not sure what will be left of the country,” explains Vaquero, in the fascinating film, which has been previewed this month, before release in January.
“Spain is being devoured and southern Europe has become a ‘sacrificial zone’ for renewable energy,” he adds.
Alarmingly the average life cycle of turbines is between 20 and 25 years and currently they cannot be recycled. There is also currently no plan to recycle solar panel parts.
By 2050, there will be around 80 million tonnes of renewable materials, much of which ‘will be buried underground’, further disrupting ecosystems.
“They think they are taking care of the planet, but really they just want to own it,” said Marisa Casal, who appears in the documentary.
A long-term campaigner, she got involved four years ago when a megaproject of 10 million square metres threatened her local area of Coin, in Malaga.
Her local group, the Valle Natural Rio Grande association, is particularly
worried about the risk of cancerous chemicals in solar panels leaking into the town’s water system.
She said: “It’s terrifying, but we will keep fighting for young people.”
The project is an amalgamation of seven estates in the La Jara area, which borders the Sierra de las Nieves National Park.
Providing 560 megawatts of energy, this megaproject is one of 214 licensed projects passed in Spain between 2022 and 2023.
There are a staggering 800 more in the pipeline for Andalucia alone.
Around half of the projects are being funded from foreign investment, the film claims.
The project in Coin, for example, is being part-run by a giant investment fund, Q-Energy, based in Berlin, with support from local firms Natera Solar, Orla Solar and Admiralty Management SL.
In total, 15,000 of the 31,500 megawatts so far licenced in Spain are managed by foreign companies.
The biggest player, Endesa, is surprisingly now 70% Italian-owned.
DEMANDS: A global outcry is demanding an end to the invasion that has killed 42,000 flattened Gaza (right)
BACKLASH: The report (left) has led to sharp criticism and protests against the banks that support Israel’s leader Netanyahu (centre)
the lid on the social - and environmental - impact of renewable energy
By Yzabelle Bostyn
is using the weapons financed by Spanish banks.
According to the study, guided bombs and missiles produced by American companies Boeing and General Systems, have been used in many attacks across Gaza and Lebanon.
Although the Spanish government has insisted it ceased selling arms to Israel after the October 7 attack, the Centre Delas found at least one company, Nammo Palencia SL, had sold arms to the country. It emerged sales were not registered in Spain as they were carried out from their Norway branches.
“They have caused the deaths of hundreds of people, falling on residential areas, schools and hospitals,” claimed the report.
Caixabank (€198 million), BBVA (€1.4bn)
and Santander (€1.2bn) have financed Boeing, while BBVA has sent money to General Dynamics.
The report also highlighted the exportation of combat planes and helicopters such as the Boeing Apache used in attacks on Gaza, including last June’s assault on Rafah.
King:
Palestine must exist
a
The monarch criticised those who chose war over peace, saying 'changing the lives of millions of innocent civilians, ending lives while redrawing borders and displacing popu- lations: it is unacceptable'.
Felipe met with the Jordanian King, Abdullah II, on October 6, accompanied by Spain's Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares.
Spain and Jordan, Felipe insisted, are united by a shared desire that 'the only possible way out of this endless cycle of violence is through two states, Israel and Palestine, liv- ing side by side in peace and stability'.
It also reported the use of F-35 aircrafts, produced by Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Leonardo, which have been used in many missile attacks in Gaza. Leonardo, the report recognises, has received €1.8bn from BBVA and Banco Santander.
DESTRUCTION: The largely foreign owned companies are ‘driving people off the land and back to the cities’ and killing wildlife, such as eagles (left)
Renewable energy is big business and the large oil companies are already heavily invested in the industry, as it allows them to lower their overall carbon footprint and, therefore, taxes.
“It’s all about money,” explained Marisa to the Olive Press this week. “If they really wanted clean energy, they would be helping people to become self-sufficient with localised, shared renewable energy sources.
“But, of course, if they do that people won’t need to pay them any more.”
Perhaps the most alarming effect of the green revolution however is the amount of agricultural land which is being appropriated or sold for ‘pennies’, as Marisa describes it.
agricultural land by decrees, which takes job opportunities away from our young people and worsens depopulation,” explained Marisa.
As Francisco explains in the film: “There’s something very dark behind this.
Locals and expats need to ‘wake up and fight’ Spain’s energy problem
As EU laws have made foreign food imports cheaper than domestic produce, farmers are ending up making much more money by selling - or leasing the land - to renewable firms.
“On some occasions they are even seizing
GIVING BACK
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THE Olive Press has yet more happy customers after giving away two free tickets to Annie The Musical in Fuengirola last week. The competition was just one of the many prizes we have arranged in conjunction with our partners and advertisers this year.
Last week, expats Pamela and her husband were the lucky pair chosen to attend the Annie show at the Salon Varietes theatre.
Pamela wrote to us afterwards: “We have just returned to Almuñecar after seeing tonight’s production, which was amazing! It was well worth the journey down.
“Thank you so much for the tickets, we had a great evening.”
In the last 30 days, more than 3,500 people have registered an account at theolivepress.es.
It means we now have more than 53,300 registered users on our website.
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We have given away concert tickets to DJ Pete Tong, top-quality mattresses and free days and meals out at popular beach clubs and restaurants.
“The plan isn’t to create green energy but to make people dependent on big energy companies, force them out of the countryside and into cities, so they control the land.
“I’m sure it’s the big foreign investment funds like Blackstone and Vanguard that are buying up the country. It’s colonialism.”
He continues that locals and expats need to ‘wake up and fight’ against Spain’s growing renewable energy problem.
The activists insist they are not against renewable energy, but the huge scale of Spain’s current macro projects and their impact on the environment.
The research also referenced the ‘indiscriminate’ use of Rh-120 tanks, produced by Rheinmetall, which has factories in Spain.
The German firm has been slammed for allowing its tanks to attack civilians, journalists and aid convoys.
It is also possible that its tanks may have killed Spanish aid workers, including volunteers from Spanish chef Jose Andres’ NGO, World Central Kitchen.
“These banks are the main drivers of the military economy that allows armed conflict and human rights violations to continue around the world,” said the report.
Instead, they propose ‘ethical finances’ that reject any investment in arms products and promote a finance model based on reducing inequality and social injustice.
The Centre Delas mainly used data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the majority of cases occurring after October 7.
Since then, Israeli forces have fired over 70,000 tonnes of explosives in Gaza, accounting for 35 kilos per inhabitant.
Today, some 90% of the population has been displaced on at least one occasion and over 42,000 have died.
Massacre
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has since recognised Palestine as a state and urged for an end to the conflict. He was recently joined by the King (see inset above).
“The international community cannot remain silent for one more minute in the face of a massacre turned routine,” said Sanchez last month.
“We cannot normalise the deaths of innocent civilians nor stand by while International Human Rights are put into question. It’s time to say enough is enough.”
His statement was followed by protests all over Spain on October 6, where thousands of demonstrators urged world leaders to ‘free Palestine’.
Over 200 Spanish trade unions and NGOs have spoken out against the conflict, calling for a nationwide strike.
The Israeli foreign minister, Israel Katz, branded the demonstrations ‘unacceptable’, saying: “Spain has become a breeding ground for hate and destruction…it is not right to allow the glorification of terrorism.”
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SPAIN'S King Felipe has called for
ceasefire in Gaza during a visit to Jordan.
How the circular economy works in the world of business and everyday life, explains Christin Hagemeier
Repair and recycle!
HAVE you heard of the circular economy? Even if you haven’t, you’re likely familiar with examples from the past and present where it’s been naturally practiced.
In this article, I’ll explain what the circular economy is, how it differs from the linear economy, why it’s so important, and what each of us can do in daily life to support it.
As the name suggests, the circular economy is based on using raw materials in a cycle. This means materials should be used for as long as possible and, even after they’ve fulfilled their original purpose, repurposed. This process distinguishes between recycling, upcycling, and downcycling.
‘Upcycling’ refers to the process of enhancing materials, creating something more valuable from old resources. ‘Downcycling’ produces something of lower value, such as generating thermal energy through the burning of raw materials. ‘Recycling’, on the other hand, involves reusing raw materials to create the same product, like melting old glass bottles to produce new ones.
The difference from the ‘linear economy’ is clear: in the linear economy, raw materials are discarded after use. But where do we dispose of waste on a finite planet? A shocking example is the massive plastic vortex in the Pacific Ocean, which consists of improperly discarded plastic waste. This vortex has grown to three times the size of Spain!
The linear economy has serious drawbacks. Another major issue is the availability of resources, especially rare earth elements. These are essential for our electronic devices and batteries, but exist in limited quantities.
The EU has also recognised the importance of the circular economy. With the "Action Plan for the Circular Economy," it has introduced regulations to promote the careful use and reuse of resources. This plan now includes three comprehensive packages aimed at encouraging more sustainable practices.
What can we do in our daily lives? The key is to repair and reuse - and move away from disposable products. For nearly all disposable items, there are sustainable alternatives: reusable containers instead of takeaway packaging, cloth bags instead of plastic, second-hand clothing, and beeswax wraps as a substitute for cling film.
Another crucial step is repairing. Whether it’s a car, bike, or clothing— many things can be fixed instead of thrown away. Electronics, especially smartphones, are often designed to be irreparable. However, a new EU regulation aims to introduce the ‘right to repair,’ a vital step toward a sustainable future with our resources.
Please send your questions or comments on how to be greener to christin@theolivepress.es
Dry Doñana
Vital lake in Andalucia’s top national park dries up for the third year in a row as experts brand situation ‘extremely worrying’
By Yzabelle Bostyn
FOR the third year running, Doñana’s Santa Olalla lake has dried up. Once one of the only lakes of the park’s 3,000 to reliably retain water, Santa Olalla first dried up in 2022, a phenomenon which has been repeated every year since.
In previous years, the high summer temperatures have pushed the change, but now it is even occurring in cooler months.
“The situation is extremely worrying,” said Felipe Fuentelsaz, Agri-
culture and Water Coordinator for WWF Spain.
“Doñana is one of the most important national parks in Europe, a strategic place for the migration of millions of birds and now it is in great danger.”
IN DECLINE
AROUND 40% of the vertebrate animal population in the Iberian Peninsula is in decline according to study done by researchers from Alicante and Barcelona universities.
Of the more than 400 species analysed, the groups with the highest rates of decline are amphibians like frogs and toads, along with freshwater fish.
Roberto Rodriguez-Caro from the University of Alicante's ecology department said: “Extinction rates are very high and are expected to continue to increase if conservation measures are not applied to mitigate their threats.”
The main warning signs of possible extinction is a fall in population. “Assessing whether populations are stable, increasing or declining is key to being able to identify problems and look for solutions," said Rodriguez-Caro.
The study - funded by the Iberian Society of Ecology - has created the largest database of population trends in Spain and Portugal. Some 21 scientists from different research centres have been working since 2021 to collate figures.
Researchers say the new database has tripled the amount of information, which has shown unfavourable results.
Amphibians and inland fish have had the highest rates of decline, so improvements in habitats and mitigating threats are essential for their preservation, according to the results published in the Biological Conservation journal.
Not everything is negative, with fauna, mammals and birds showing optimistic results due to conservation work being focused on them.+
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Prolonged drought, climate change and illegal water usage is drying up the wetlands, putting many endangered species at further risk.
“Some 70% of the water that arrived in 30 years has been lost,” said Fuentelsaz.
“That has a direct impact on the wildlife. We receive less than a third of the birds that we did before, for example, there used to be around 80,000 geese that come from northern Europe. Now it’s hardly 10,000.” The environmental effects of climate change are worsened by the illegal use of Doñana’s water for farming.
“Around 20% of the farms around Doñana use illegal water sources,” Fuentelsaz told the Olive Press. Broken
“Farmers take water from aquifers which once fed the park and illegal wells. It has broken the ecological balance.”
The WWF is trying to restore this balance by reporting the abuse of water and eliminating illegal wells. They are also working with local farmers and Spanish supermarkets to help them avoid food grown with illegal water sources.
However, one of the WWF’s most important tasks is restoring the lakes and the streams that feed them so that wildlife can return to the park.
“Our restoration work is essential, we need to save Doñana,” said Fuentelsaz.
PARCHED: An enviromental disaster for the Doñana wetlands
November 29thDecember 12th 2023 LOOKING
ONE OF A KIND: This could be the only surviving Republican mural in Spain
FROM SCREEN TO CANVAS
DEEPLY DEPP:
The exhibition is an intense look at the actor
AN art exhibition by actor Johnny Depp could come to Spain after Spanish investors backed it. His inaugural show, A Bunch of Stuff has started in New York but will soon undertake a world tour. One of these stops could be one of Johnny’s favourite countries, Spain. Not only is the actor a frequent visitor to the country, where he often attends the San Sebastian Film Festival, but the project is financed by a Spanish investment group.
Stoneweg Places & Experiences is the property and culture finance group behind the exhibition, run by Spaniards Jaume Sabater and Juan Manuel Sevillano. The exhibition is an ‘immersive’ look into Depp’s creative process and artwork, including personal belongings and narration from the actor.
WAR MURAL UNCOVERED
A MURAL dating back to the Spanish Civil War featuring a soldier hammering the heads of dictators Franco, Hitler, and Mussolini on a dragon has been found hidden under whitewash in a factory.
The Centre for Contestano Studies (CEC) stumbled on the rarity when they went to recover some industrial
archaeology from the premises in Cocentaina (Alicante province).
CEC president, Pere Ferrer, said: “We are speechless as a mural of this grandeur is not normal.
“Practically no similar example has been preserved anywhere in Spain and this might be the only such mural,” he added.
Measuring six by three metres, it features slogans from the Republican anti-Franco movement during the war between 1936 and 1939.
The work was done by soldiers billeted during the war at Cocentaina who were members of Alicante's the 6th Rearguard Battalion of Alicante.
Nobody knew of the mural's existence as it had been covered by whitewash either by the Republicans or Francoist authorities.
Bacteria the saviour
Female Spanish duo fuse art and science with new glue-eating bacteria to save historic church frescos around Europe
A SPANISH mother and daughter have teamed up to pioneer a new art restoration technique using specially trained glue-eating bacteria. The project involves 75-yearold Pilar Roig, an art restorer, and her 42-year-old microbiologist daughter, Pilar Bosch. Together, they have combined their unique skill sets to save historic artworks in Valencia’s Santos Juanes Church, one of Spain’s oldest churches, as part of a €4 million project. The duo's innovation involves
were not only painstakingly slow but risked damaging the artwork.
bacteria to eat away at the stubborn glue that had been a persistent problem for conservators for decades.
For many years, Roig had been struggling to restore and preserve 18th-century paintings by Antonio Palomino. Previous restorers in the 1960s had used a glue that was difficult to remove with traditional methods involving hot water and sponges, which
The solution to Roig’s problem took root in 2008 when Bosch was researching her doctoral thesis and stumbled upon an article about bacteria being used to clean frescoes in Italy.
Bosch’s research led her to a breakthrough – by ‘training’ bacteria to feed on the glue made from animal collagen, they found they could naturally produce enzymes to
BLESSED BACTERIA: The scientific breakthrough will save many frescoes
break it down. The bacteria were then mixed with a natural algae-based gel and applied to the frescoes. Within just three hours, the glue dissolved, leaving the artwork pristine. This pioneering mother-daughter collaboration is now funded by local foundations, and their bacterial techniques have been applied to other high-profile restoration sites, including Pisa and Montecassino in Italy, and Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
By Walter Finch training
Spellbound Spain
BEWITCHING:
Trasmoz will put a spell on you
TBy Yzabelle Bostyn
In the 13th century, Trasmoz was a powerful, thriving community, with many iron and silver mines as well as wood and water reserves.
Despite its riches, it did not have to pay taxes to the nearby monastery of ela as it was a lay territory.
The church was not happy about this, so when rumours began to swirl of their possible dark dealings, the archbishop of Tarazona, the largest town nearby, requested the excommunication of the entire village. Now, no one could go to confession or take holy sacraments at Luckily, the residents weren’t really that fussed as they were a wealthy
6 Prepares for an attack (6,2)
7 Smartphone ancestors (1,1,2)
8 Goes off (12)
10 Political slants (6)
13 Regular customer (6)
14 Speak (3)
15 “The Mission” co-star, with Irons (2,4)
16 Like most eyeglasses (6)
18 Misguided dreamers bomb directors (5,7)
22 Hard punch (4) 23 Vicious (8)
Returning fighter’s diagnosis (1-1,1,1)
2 Midge (4)
3 Heady coffee (8)
4 Island off Malta (4)
5 Meek oath corrupted after deductions (4-4)
7 Spectre (7)
9 Former Basque separatist group (1,1,1)
11 It’s licked in the summer (3,5)
12 Down-and-outer’s district (4,3)
13 Some royal tombs (8) 17 Besmirch (3)
19 Pole (4) 20 Frozen princess (4) 21 Glided on ice (4)
community mostly made up of Arabs, Jews and Christians.
Despite various disputes, Trasmoz citizens refused to repent, even when the monastery cut off their water.
The tenth Lord of Trasmoz, Pedro Manuel Ximenez de Urrea, decided to take up arms against the men of the cloth but just before the first blows, King Fer dinand II decided the town’s response was justified.
The Church never forgot this betrayal and sought the permission of Pope Julius II to curse the vil lage in 1511.
They claimed Pedro Manuel and the citizens of Trasmoz were enchanted by witchcraft and the Pope gave them the green light.
Sealing the village’s fate, they chanted psalm 108 of the Book of Psalms, known as the Church’s most powerful tool to pronounce a curse.
As the curse was sanctioned by the Pope, it can only be lifted by a Pope and so far, none have done so.
Adding fuel to the fire, Trasmoz castle burnt to a crisp in 1520 and is still in ruins.
When the Jews were expelled from Spain in the 15th century, Trasmoz began its gradual decline and 10,000 inhabitants turned into 62, just 31 of which live there permanently. Today, the village has little signs of life, with just one bar and many houses in disrepair.
Rumours then began to swirl of their possible dark dealings
The empty streets have no schools or shops, but the castle’s tower is now home to a small witchcraft museum with a collection of black magic items, including cauldrons, brooms and black crucifixes.
Across the courtyard, there is a HOLY ORDER: The Veruela Monastery is the origin of Trasmoz’s curse
RASMOZ, a hamlet of just 62
LA CULTURA
wrought iron sculpture of La Tia Casca, the ‘last witch’ killed in Trasmoz. She was murdered in 1860 after an unexplainable deadly epidemic broke out and locals turned on the ‘strange’ and ‘secretive’ woman.
They reportedly grabbed her and threw her into a deep well, but the witchcraft tradition did not die with her.
The first Saturday of June every year, the residents celebrate the Feria de Brujeria y Plantas Medicinales (Witchcraft and Medicinal Plants Fair).
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Local witches harvest plants from the nearby Moncayo mountains to make their lotions and potions.
Meanwhile, actors recreate historic witch trials and one lucky woman is named the ‘Witch of the Year.’
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In the modern age, to be a witch is a ‘badge of honour’, could you be next?
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The ultimate guide to creating uncrackable passwords (because ‘password123’ just won’t cut it!)
IN today’s digital jungle, hackers are the sneaky predators… and your password? Well, it’s your first line of defence.
phishing attempts.
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But let’s be honest - ’password123’ is about as protective as a wet paper bag. If you’re tired of passwords so weak they practically invite hackers to your doorstep, you’re in the right place. Get ready for the ultimate guide to creating passwords that are not only uncrackable but also unforgettable.
and support company on the Costa del Sol. This collaboration offers Olive Press readers enhanced tech support and cybersecurity solutions. Subscribers will receive exclusive discounts on AnyTech365 services, ensuring their digital safety and worry-free use of any Internet-connected device, personal, or within the household or their small business.
dash of chaos. We’re talking uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols - basically, a password jambalaya. And no, ‘123456’ isn’t spicy enough for this dish.
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Think of your password like a secret recipeequal parts clever, complex, and just the right
The
growing technology company in Spain and the 27th fastest growing company in Europe across all sectors, according to Financial Times.
You need something so unpredictable that even hackers will get a headache just looking at it. Aim for at least 12 characters - long enough to make any cybercriminal throw in the towel. Using real words in your password? That’s like leaving your house keys under the mat - just begging to be found.
Get creative! Mix in some gibberish, throw in a random number, and don’t be afraid to make it weird. Something like ‘PizzaLlama!42’ is both deliciously random and hacker-proof. Passphrases are like the Swiss Army knives of passwords - versatile, secure, and easy to remember. Picture something like ‘FlyingPenguins!Dance@Midnight’. It’s weird enough that no one would ever guess it, but still easy enough to recall when you’re logging into Netflix at 3 am.
Reusing the same password for everything? That’s like wearing your pyjamas to a job interview. You wouldn’t do that, right? Give each account its own unique password - think of it as a wardrobe for your digital life. Stylish and secure. Oh, and if you’re thinking of using your birthday, pet’s name, or favourite flavour of ice cream as a password… don’t. Hackers love to easy-toguess personal details. Keep your passwords a mystery - like a riddle wrapped in an enigma inside a digital vault.
Speaking of vaults, enter the password manager: your personal password butler. It remembers all your passwords, generates new ones,
and locks them away in an encrypted vault so you don’t have to. And if you ever need a little help getting started with password managers or securing your devices, AnyTech365 is always ready to assist.
Now, let’s talk about two-factor authentication (2FA) - aka, the superhero sidekick of your passwords. With 2FA, even if someone tries to sneak in with your password, they’ll hit a second wall of security, like a text message code or a fingerprint scan. Think of it as the VIP pass to your own account, and you’re the only one on the guest list. Feeling fresh? Good, because your passwords should be, too. Change them regularly, like you would your socks. Every six months or so, hit that refresh button and swap out the old for the new. Fresh passwords are like a digital facelift for your security. And let’s not forget about phishing - those shady emails or links trying to trick you into spilling your secrets. They’re like those scam calls
Change passwords regularly, like you would your socks
PUMPKIN PATCH: The spirit of Halloween is alive and well in Trasmoz
CRUMBLING CASTLE: The site where it all began
BALLOONING:
GROWTH: Rural
Rural idyls
Cosmoveros
Just outside Madrid, Cosmoveros offers a futuristic take on rural lodging with its bubble hotel design. Located in Muñoveros, guests can stargaze under the clear Segovian sky while staying in these transparent, spherical structures. The modern design blends cutting-edge architecture with the rich cultural heritage of Spain’s interior.
Hotel Rural Can Lluc
In the heart of Ibiza, Hotel Rural Can Lluc captures the essence of Balearic architecture, known for its pragmatic simplicity and seamless integration with the environment. The hotel is surrounded by olive, lemon, and pine trees, creating a serene atmosphere that reflects the island’s traditional rural style. The traditional building has modern annexes which make use of natural materials, warm tones, and abundant natural light.
Explore the architecture of some of Spain’s countryside destinations
RBy Dilip Kuner
URAL tourism in Spain is experiencing an unprecedented boom, driven not only by the desire to reconnect with nature but also by a deep appreciation for the country’s rich architectural heritage.
Recent data from 2023 highlights this surge, with 45% of Spaniards engaging in rural tourism, and 92% of them planning to return to rural destinations. With over 18,000 rural properties listed and 15 million travellers seeking authentic experiences, the appeal of Spain’s diverse rural architecture is more prominent than ever. The architectural landscape of Spain’s rural properties offers a remarkable variety, from modern, eco-friendly designs to traditional homes that blend seamlessly with their natural surroundings.
Here are seven rural properties that embody the diversity of Spain’s rural architectural heritage:
The Teepee
Nestled in the pine forests of Mombeltran, Avila, the Teepee offers a rustic yet innovative take on traditional American teepees. These symmetrical wooden structures, set against a dramatic mountainous backdrop, provide a harmonious connection to the natural landscape while offering a unique, peaceful retreat by the Ramacastañas River.
Casa Aurora
Situated on the Verdeaurora ecological farm in the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve, Casa Aurora is a testament to Canarian architecture.
This rural home, surrounded by the island’s stark landscapes, is designed to adapt to the agricultural and livestock-based way of life. Its simple, functional design integrates with the protected natural space of Malpaís Grande, embodying Fuerteventura’s rural traditions.
NATURAL ESCAPE: In wild woods near Avila
hotel Cosmoveros
shows wide open
Segovian skies at their best
La Casa del Desierto
In the heart of the Gorafe desert, La Casa del Desierto is a striking example of modern architecture harmonising with extreme natural conditions.
Built within the Granada geopark, a region of international geological significance, this glass-walled home is designed to withstand dramatic temperature shifts, with solar panels and rainwater collection systems ensuring self-sufficiency in one of Spain’s most inhospitable environments.
Masia Can Pou
As an iconic example of Catalan rural architecture, Masia Can Pou embodies the timeless appeal of the masia, a traditional farmhouse.
Located near Girona, this stone-built farmhouse offers panoramic views of the Llemena valley and is a symbol of the region’s historical connection to self-sufficient rural living. Despite their origins in the 9th and 10th centuries, masias have been rejuvenated and remain integral to modern rural life in Catalonia.
by
Cabañitas del Bosque
Located in Ousesende, the Cabanas do Barranco estate exemplifies Galician mountain architecture, combining traditional forms with modern design. Hidden among pines, oaks, and chestnut trees, this estate functions as a biodiversity refuge. The estate features the Cabanas Sen Barreiras, cabins perched in the treetops, and Finca Apriscos, small cabins overlooking a tranquil lake, each blending into the surrounding forest and wetlands.
Photos
Gonzalo Botet
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL Diamonds in the rough
Spanish truffles are the talk of Europe and now is the perfect time to track them down as the season starts
BLACK MAGIC:
They may look unappetising but a few shavings of truffle can transform a dish
THEY’RE dirty, smelly, ugly to look at and hard to find.
For centuries truffles were a secret privy only to poor peasants. But today never was there so much fuss and faff over a fungus whose finest
specimens sell for crazy pricessometimes over €2,000 a kilo.
Dubbed ‘the diamond of the kitchen’ by French gastronome Jean Anthelme Bril-
By Dilip Kuner
ert Parker described them as ‘mysterious, rare, expensive, unobtainable and somehow mythical, like dragons’. There’s certainly nothing trifling about the winter black truffles of Soria province whose quality is causing quite a kerfuffle in culinary circles. With a rich and smoky flavour reminiscent of oak and hazelnut, they thrive in the sun-baked soil of Spain’s so-called ‘forgotten interior’, half-way between Madrid and Bilbao.
EMERGENCY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
BREAK DOWN COVER
If your car breaks down it can be an upsetting experience, especially if you don’t have roadside assistance cover. But they are also the most common type of problem on the road.
STAY SAFE
If you break down, stay calm and safe until rescue support arrives. Remember that while you wait for help, your priority is to safeguard yourself and any fellow passengers. Línea Directa policyholders simply call 919 171 171 and inform the emergency hotline where you are. Línea Directa provides emergency roadside assistance anywhere in Spain 24/7 and 365 days a year, with a national network of operators and recovery vehicles.
GEOLOCATION SERVICE
Spain is the sixth largest truffle producer in the world with 197,010 tons of the delicacy produced in the country each year and Soria, along with Huesca and Teruel provinces, is one of the country’s three major black truffle producers. The season varies with location but starts in November and can last until March.
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. The kit includes: a torch and spare batteries, warm clothes and blankets, high-visibility jacket, first aid kit, jump start cables, empty fuel can, food and drink, two reflective warning signs, a road atlas, and a mobile phone charger.
OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERTISE
Spain is the sixth largest truffle producer in the world with 197,010 tons of the delicacy produced
Yet, when shoppers seek out the prized ingredient for their fettuccine or scrambled eggs they head instead to Europe’s top producer: Italy.
But experts from Soria’s truffle tourism company Encitruf claim this is a grave mistake. True connoisseurs know that shipping the luxury ingredient could, in fact, damage the quality of the truffle, say Encitruf.
Once these gastronomic gems are dug up from the ground using sniffer dogs or pigs, they should ideally be consumed within 10 days to
get the full tastebud-tingling effect.
And this is not the only reason to keep truffle buying close to home.
In fact, when it comes to the most desirable variety of culinary truffles - the white Tuber melanosporum and black Tuber magnatum - Spain produces more of these delicacies than anywhere else in the world.
However don’t imagine it’s easy to snuffle a truffle in your own back garden!
On average it takes oak trees a painstaking seven years to produce these lucrative crops and a trained truffle hunting hound can set you back €3,000 and €4,000. Even if you know a farmer who
can loan you a pig, forget it. Unlike dogs which prefer a biscuit reward, it’s difficult to restrain a fully-grown porker from gobbling up the prize. And, as Robert Parker found to his cost, the truffle hunting experience is not as romantic as it sounds. ‘Let me tell you, when you get down to it, there’s nothing glamorous about it,’ he says. ‘In fact it’s rather boring as well as cold and perhaps wet!’
In comparison then, coughing up around €800 a kilo for a taste of luxury with no added effort doesn’t seem too steep. For five guests, Encitruf recommends you need 20 grams of the stuff.
Just make sure to invite only your best friends to dinner!
This service is exclusive to Línea Directa and allows breakdown recovery and roadside assistance services to pinpoint your location and send help directly to you. This service is available throughout mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. The technology is simple to use and really useful when you need it most.
As Spain’s most experienced provider of insurance for British expatriates, Línea Directa has been keeping motorists on the move for over 20 years.
We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Línea Directa please call 952 147 834. More information about Línea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com
contact
GOOD BOY!: Dogs are truly a man’s best friend in the forests of Soria, Huesca and Teruel, where they sniff out and collect the valuable fungi
TRADITION: Pigs (right) are still sometimes used to sniff out truffles but dogs are preferred as they don’t eat the treat themselves
BUSINESS
Ryanair face-off
BUDGET airline Ryanair is being investigated by the European Union over its use of facial recognition in the company’s customer verification process.
Ireland's Data Protection Commission(DPC) has launched a cross-border probe covering the EU. The aim will be to find out Ryanair has complied with its various obligations as set out in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), especially with regard to legality and transparency in data handling.
Ryanair requires additional identity verification from people who book tickets through third-party platforms or travel agencies.
Spanish company wants to fly people to the moon by 2030
ELCHE company PLD
Space hopes to fly people to the moon from 2030 in what will be Europe's first private human spaceflight programme.
The announcement was made at the launch of its new rocket factory at the Elche Business Park, which was attended by Science Minister Diana Morant.
The flight rockets will be called Miura Next and will use the Lynx capsule, which is the first for space travellers to be made in Europe.
PLD Space co-founder Raul Torres, said the Lynx Project objective was to provide
OP Puzzle solutions
Quick Crossword
Across: 6 Stands to, 7 P D As, 8 Deteriorates, 10 Biases, 13 Patron, 14 Say, 15 De Niro, 16 Rimmed, 18 Board members, 22 Blow, 23 Sadistic.
Down: 1 P-T S D, 2 Gnat, 3 Espresso, 4 Gozo, 5 Take-home, 7 Phantom, 9 E T A, 11 Ice lolly, 12 Skid row, 13 Pyramids, 17 Mar, 19 Mast, 20 Elsa, 21 Slid.
ONE SMALL STEP…
By Alex Trelinski
‘transport for cargo and humans by launching them into orbit and bringing them back safe and sound’. The company is already developing a recoverable and reusable launcher that, by combining several units,
will be able to reach the power necessary for such missions.
Miura 5, its first rocket capable of carrying commercial cargo, is expected to make its test flight late next year or in early 2026. The development will continue on recoverable launches with an objective to carry 50 tons into space, as opposed to 500 kilos via Miura 5.
Lynx capsule
For the manned missions, the aim is to have a Lynx capsule recovery test next year, when it is launched from a helicopter.
In 2028 there will be a real launch test but without a crew and then once everything is secure in regard to technology and safety, the first manned mission is slated for 2030.
GIBRALTAR has participated in a Miami based meeting to combat financial crime.
‘Illicit Finance Dialogue’ comes as part of ongoing efforts by the United Kingdom and its Overseas Territories to tackle financial crime.
Torres said he wants PLD Space to be Europe’s aerospace industry leaders, a mantle they were encouraged to take up on a recent visit to the site by the director general of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher.
It is also a key step for the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) set for November 2024.
The meeting was attended by the Director of the Gibraltar Financial Intelligence Unit (GFIU) Edgar Lopez, and Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC) Technical Specialist Justin Montovio.
Team game
IF you ever fancied working for football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, then his Madrid hotel is offering jobs - so long as you have experience in the hotel trade. Five vacancies have been advertised at the Portuguese player's Pestana Plaza Mayor, which is part of his Pestana CR7 chain. The terms appear to be good with annual salaries of up to €30,000 a year, along with 50 days leave and free health insurance. The Pestana Plaza Mayor is looking for a doorman, junior bartender (two vacancies), a second head of reception, and a junior waiter.
With a UNESCO world heritage site offering 120,000 years of human history and only short drive from the Costa del Sol, enjoy the warmth of the British Gibraltarians and splash out VAT-free in Sterling.
Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist.
Supermarket weep
A SPANISH TikToker tested an 18-year-old Lidl advert promising a full trolley for €30, he found that now, the average trolley totals €188.
Running man
BRIT Mike Humphrys is undertaking 30 marathons in 30 countries in 30 days, starting in Barcelona. He is running in aid of Motor Neurone Disease research.
Pet betrayal
A COLOMBIAN woman has died in Castellon after being bitten by her children’s pet hamster. An autopsy will now confirm the cause of death.
TRANS FC Death defying
A FOOTBALL team consisting totally of transgender men is playing its first season in a lower regional league in Catalunya.
It’s the first all-trans squad to be awarded federated status in Europe and, though they lost their first match 19-0 last month, the symbolism is more important than the result.
The team, named Fenix FC after the mythical bird symbolising rebirth, competes in a fifth-tier league after being incorporated into the Sant Feliu de Llobregat club near Barcelona.
Hugo Martinez, 24, said he faced abuse when he began transitioning with gender-affirming hormone therapy and was forced to leave the women’s football that he had played for.
“I was a boy playing in the girls’ team, but without a changed ID, so I wasn’t yet allowed to play with boys,” he said.
Fenix rises for first transgender male soccer team in league action
By Alex Trelinski
Martinez added that other players, coaches and parents often insulted and threatened him. He decided to go online and appeal for other trans men seeking to play soccer in a safe environment, which resulted in the setting up of Fenix FC.
Worried
Skipper Luke Ibanez, 19 (above right), said he was worried about playing for a side with non-trans men due to fears of violence or not fitting in.
“Fenix is a team of trans boys created entirely by trans boys, but I think it's more than that - a family, a safe space where you can be free and express yourself however you want and how you really feel,” he said.
Dr Keti Pachkoria
THE world’s highest ‘death dive’ has been recorded in Jaen, measuring a terrifying 44 metres.
Frenchman Come Girardot took on the challenge - equivalent to 15 floors - at the Cimbarra waterfall in Aldeaquemada.
“The jump felt way higher than I thought,” said the 22-year-old.
“I planned all my movements but once I reached the end of my routine I was still 25 metres over the water. It felt way bigger than I thought. My body just took over.”
A medical and safety team were waiting at the bottom for him with a sign announcing his success.
A sniff of success
A DOG that can sniff out a human body from over 100 metres away has been awarded a medal of honour by the Policia Nacional. Scottex the labrador celebrates his sixth birthday on November 1 and has been a member of the Policia Nacional’s Canine Guide Unit for four years. He has been involved in leading cases across Spain involving body
detection. He received his medal in Sevilla on Police Day, accompanied by his handler, Manuel Cortes. In June, Scottex located a Madrid man that had been missing for two years after his body was dumped into a two-metre deep septic tank that was then buried under cement and bricks in a kitchen.
