footballer Rodri has said his English teammates ‘didn’t even know what Gibraltar is.’
Rodri, who recently won the coveted Ballon d’Or, led the chants of Gibraltar español during his country’s Euro 2024 celebrations in Madrid’s at the Plaza de Cibeles on July 21.
In his first interview since winning the award, he was quizzed about how he was received when he returned to Manchester.
“Your chants of Gibraltar español, didn’t the English find it shocking?” asked TV presenter Juanma Castaño.
Rodri responded: “They didn’t even know where Gibraltar is!”
“I asked them if they had heard about [the controversy],” the Premier League star explained. “And they said, ‘Gibraltar, what is that?’”
He added: “Imagine what would have been awaiting me in the dressing room in England if the English had won the final. Put yourself in that perspective.”
Rodri plays with some of England’s best-known talents at Manchester City, including Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and John Stones – who apparently have little knowledge of geography.
The midfielder was handed a one match ban by UEFA for leading the ‘political’ song.
P LIVE RESS O GIBRALTAR
The Rock remembers
GIBRALTAR honoured fallen soldiers this Remembrance Sunday.
Lieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst, the King’s representative in Gibraltar led the ceremony held at the Line Wall Road British War Memorial.
After the two minute silence, wreaths were laid, including one by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
He said: “Remembrance Sunday is a massively important recognition of the loss of lives in service, which we must never allow to fade.
“We will remember them.”
Minister Gemma Arias-Vasquez was in London to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph on behalf of the people of Gibraltar.
FLOOD FEARS
As red alert called, green group warns of major water issue after too many homes were built on floodplains
FEARS are growing that over-construction on floodplains could lead to a Valencia-style flooding disaster on the Costa del Sol.
As an unprecedented red alert has been issued for parts of Malaga, while the Campo de Gibraltar is under a yellow alert for Thursday, residents are being warned to avoid unnecessary journeys – and those living in flood risk zones are urged to take extra precautions.
It comes after four out of 14 key flood risk zones in Spain were announced as being in Andalucia.
One of the main areas of concern is Fuengirola, where the town hall admitted to the Olive Press it is undertaking a review of its flood protocols.
Ecologists in Action warned both the Las Lagunas and the Camino Viejo de Coin areas are vulnerable to severe levels of flooding should the Fuengirola river overflow.
The green group claims its floodplain has been too heavily built upon since the 1980s – often in direct violation of urban planning regulations and risk studies.
By Walter Finch & Laurence Dollimore
more people to the same possible catastrophic event as we have seen in Valencia, given the enormous vulnerability of the Fuengirola river.”
It insists any new projects - including a nursing home, a hospital and a huge park called Gran Parque de la Costa del Sol - in the area would be a ‘very serious mistake.’
The region has been hit by disastrous floods before, with up to 14 people killed in Fuengirola as recently as 1988.
A mother and three children only managed to miraculously survive the disaster by clinging to a tree.
“The catastrophe in Valencia should give pause for reflection for town halls and any parties that insist on building in vulnerable territory,” explained a spokesman.
“Despite the multiple declarations of a climate emergency, politicians continue to act as if there were no real emergency and it can be business as usual.
“It means exposing more and
The new claims by Ecologists in Action come after researchers revealed that a third of homes flooded in Valencia were built on land at risk of flooding during the housing bubble.
A spokesperson for Fuengirola town hall insisted the claims were being taken seriously.
He said the council was currently preparing a ‘Climate Change Adaptation Plan’.
“This will analyse the entire municipal area and identify any risks
and vulnerabilities,” he said.
“The conclusions are not yet known, as it is still in the drafting phase.”
He insisted a proposed hospital and nursing home are now ‘no longer’ going to be built.
And he added that corrective measures have already been put in place, including the widening of
the riverbed to prevent flooding.
“There have not been any overflows in recent years,” he insisted.
ALORA AGONY: Over 30 cars were swept away by the Guadalhorce river while homeowners escape to safety. (Above) A map of Fuengirola’s danger zones
Lest we forget
EXPATS on the Costa del Sol have marked Remembrance Sunday with services in towns and cities including Malaga, Benalmadena, Nerja, Mijas and Coin.
Close call
A BRITISH climber, 20, found himself dangling 200m above the ground after breaking his foot in El Chorro, Malaga. His life was spared by a dramatic helicopter rescue.
Safe in Spain
ASTURIAS is officially Spain’s safest region, according to the INE. Andalucia does not make it into the top ten.
Strike three
THE Costa del Sol was rattled by three separate earthquakes in just three days between October 31 to November 2. Shakes were felt in Cutar, Iznate and Benamargosa.
Breaking bad
Top anti-money laundering cop caught with €20 million and a Lamborghini as narco couple flee
MADRID’s top anti-corruption detective has been busted with millions of dollars in cash stashed between the walls of his house.
Oscar Sanchez was arrested last week after €20 million was found hidden at his home in Alcala de Henares. The arrest came in connection to a record seizure of 13 tonnes of cocaine in the Port of Algeciras last month.
A further 15 individuals have been arrested – including Sanchez’s wife, who also worked in the Policia Nacional. She was arrested
By Walter Finch
in Toledo but released on bail.
Sanchez, who is Spain’s Economic and Tax Crime chief inspector, was known by his colleagues as ‘the discrete one’ and showed no trappings of his wealth.
But photos have emerged of a fleet of luxury cars and motorbikes parked among the police cars outside his home, including a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder. Sanchez first fell under sus-
picion when Internal Affairs uncovered a payment to a company owned by the police chief for ‘services’ from a company linked to narco traffickers.
CHILD ABUSER GUILTY
A LOCAL man has pleaded guilty to three child sex offences at the Magistrates’ Court on November 12.
Nicholas Whiffen, 42, was charged with two counts of attempted Sexual Communication with a child and one count of attempted Causing, Encouraging or Assisting Child Prostitution or Pornography. His case will now be sentenced in the Supreme Court on December 12. Until then, he is remanded in custody at HMP Windmill Hill. Whiffen was arrested on November 11 by
detectives from the RGP’s Safeguarding Team. His arrest came after the RGP received intelligence that he had communicated in a sexual manner and sent indecent images of himself to two different juveniles. Information was also received that he had asked for pornographic images of one of them.
At New Mole House he was interviewed, charged and remanded overnight pending his court appearance at the Magistrates’ Court at 10am.
One to go
A FURTHER two suspects have been arrested for the murder of two Guardia Civil agents in Barbate last February. They were reportedly on board the narco boat that rammed the smaller police boat, killing Miguel Angel Gonzalez, 39, and David Perez, 43. The arrests come on the heels of the speedboat driver, Karim El Baqqali, 32, in September. The three men on the boat fled to Morocco, but have reportedly been forced to return to Spain and give themselves up by their fellow narco traffickers operating in the Strait. A fourth suspect is still at large.
Investigators eventually managed to unravel a collaboration between Sanchez, his wife and a narco couple living the high-life in El Campello, near Alicante.
Identified as ‘Miguel and Vilma’, the couple have been on the run since police intercepted their enormous cocaine shipment on October 14, the largest in Spanish history. They believed they had all local officials paid off and brazenly introduced the shipment into Spain from Ecuador in one single container.
According to police, the Alicante couple claimed to be successful importers of tropical fruits including bananas, mangoes and pineapples from South America.
A COLOMBIAN labourer who decapitated his ex and tossed her body into the sea has been jailed for 19 years. Sunday diners at a Marbella chiringuito were shocked when the body of Natalia Mosquera, 45, washed up on some rocks while they ate on January 8, 2023.
Leonel Herrera was quickly arrested after Natalia’s sister identified her from television reports and told police she had an abusive ex. Herrera later confessed he’d had sex with her in secluded sand dunes before strangling her to death.
He then cut off her head and hands and disembowelled her in the belief her body would sink to the bottom of the sea.
PROCEEDS: Flash cars outside his house. (Top) Sanchez
GERE’ING UP FOR A MOVE
RICHARD Gere is selling up in the States and moving to Spain.
Despite being an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, the change is to be closer to his inlaws, he has revealed.
The Pretty Woman star, 75, and his wife Alejandra, 41, plan to live in the Madrid area.
“Alejandra will be able to return to her lifelong friends and get closer to their culture again. And that makes me happy,” he said.
"I love Spain and I think your lifestyle is fabulous. Also your ability to live transmitting joy and happiness,” the actor added.
“It is a beautiful place, the food is extraor dinary and the people exude sensitivity and generosity, as well as a strong will to laugh and enjoy. So I'm looking forward to going there.”
In 2016 he described Trump becoming President as a ‘nightmare’. The timing of the move couldn't be more sensible after his wife post ed her public support for Trump’s rival Kamala Harris after voting this month.
Chart topper
British expat’s novel tops the global bestseller list - even above Ian Rankinwith mystery thriller
A BRITISH expat has topped the Amazon book charts with her fifth novel, a thriller based in Marbella.
Karen Brady’s Where’s the Money? quickly shot to the top of the global gi ant’s thriller bestseller list, nudging out crime genius Ian Rankin. The plot follows two sisters, Bonnie and Skye, who move to the resort with their husbands, two ‘extremely successful businessmen.’ There, they ‘live the life of absolute
By Yzabelle Bostyn
luxury’ before tragedy strikes when the men die in a mysterious car crash. And when the devastated widows go to check their bank accounts, they discover all their money is gone. Thus begins an international hunt to find the truth behind their husbands’ untimely deaths.
The idea for the book
Brady’s ‘pasttime’ has seen her shoot up the the running
emerged when Karen and a friend were laughing about a crime article they saw in the Olive Press and asked themselves ‘but where’s the money?’
“My friend said it would make a good title for a book and it got me thinking,” Karen told the Olive Press
It is her fifth book since writing became ‘a hobby’ after retiring to Mijas in 2018.
“Spain has provided the per-
Outpour of anger
MALAGA star Antonio Banderas has slammed the slow response by authorities to Valencia's flood disaster.
Banderas was critical that the army was not mobilised fast enough once the extent of the problem became clear.
He asked why army helicopters ‘with food, water and medicine’ had not been sent to the towns affected more quickly.
“Why are our taxes and resources not used better? Why?” he added.
fect environment to pursue my writing,” she said. “I love the laid back atmosphere and how everything is mañana, I’m literally living the dream.”
She added: “I write mystery thrillers because it’s what I love, when your mind is racing and there’s suspense.”
Even though she’s not ‘in it for the money’, her books have done extremely well, charting high in the bestseller lists and selling thousands of copies.
Passion
Born and raised in Birmingham she launched her own recruitment business at the age of 23.
“I’ve always had a passion for writing,” she explained. “But it’s hard to be creative when you’re chasing the dollar.”
In 2006, she joined a writing group and began to hone her skills alongside other talented writers, before spending the next 12 years writing her debut, Agnes in Bloom.
to various
Founder of Inditex Group, Amancio Ortega (above right), has also donated four million euros to the Spanish Red Cross, while Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez (above left) will donate a million euros to flood victims.
The football club has also launched fundraising efforts, alongside other stars including Rosalia and Georgina Rodriguez.
Director Depp
JOHNNY Depp has spent a weekend in Sevilla, close to his ex-wife who lives in Madrid.
The controversial star was printing his directorial debut at the European Film Festival as well as doing a bit of sightseeing.
Depp - whose ex Amber Heard moved to Mallorca then Madrid three years ago - has gone behind the camera to direct 'Modi, Three Days on the Wing of Madness'.
It tells the story of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani trying to find a home for his art during wartorn Paris in the early 1940's. Depp was on the red carpet for a screening at the Cartuja Center - the biggest cinema in Sevilla.
FAMOUS faces have flocked to support the victims of Valencia’s deadly floods.
Tennis star Rafael Nadal (top) is managing donations through his tennis academy in Manacor, while actress Penelope Cruz (above centre) has made ‘significant’ donations
charities.
HOBBY:
BIG LOG
A HISTORIC backlog of over 100 citizenship applications has finally been unclogged.
Some applicants had found themselves waiting over a year for their requests to be processed, with the delays dated back to the pandemic. Successful applicants can now look forward to upcoming citizenship ceremonies in due course.
The effort involved a joint effort between the Civil Status and Registration Office (CSRO), The Convent and the UK Home Office.
New unit
ST BERNARD’S Hospital opened a brand new Day Infusion Unit (DIU) for patients in need of intravenous medication and transfusions.
It will provide an enhanced service and increased cohort of patients, which currently stands at 22 per week. Now, outpatient services will be significantly improved and increased so that beds can be safeguarded for the most needy.
The Minister for Health and Care, the Hon Gemma AriasVasquez, said: “We shall continue to invest resources across the GHA and continue the expansion of specialised health facilities where possible which will, in turn, cut down on waiting times to ensure that Gibraltarians receive the first-class medical attention that we are committed to providing.”
Docking denied
ARMS: Spain has angered the US with its refusal
A US-flagged ship was refused entry to Algeciras on Saturday for allegedly ‘transporting arms to Israel’, angering the US.
The cargo ship Maersk Denver, which had departed from New York on October 31, was originally scheduled to dock in Spain on November 8.
Instead, it granted entry to the port of Tangier Med in Muslim-majority Morocco.
A second US ship, the Maersk Seletar, which was expected to arrive in Algeciras on November 14, has also changed course.
Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that both ships ‘will not stop in Spain’ without offering further clarification.
“This is the type of behaviour that creates NATO scepticism in the US,” wrote military analyst Patrick Fox.
“Spain is also a chronic defence spending debtor within the alliance, devoting a mere 1.3% of its GDP (€15 billion) in 2024.”
BELLINGHAM WINNER
Local artist wins top prize at the 51st International Art Exhibition
It was a Gibraltar artist who claimed the Gustavo Bacarisas Prize at this year’s International Art Exhibition. Michael Acris (right inset),
Long story
THE Jewish community has celebrated 300 years on the Rock with a dinner at Grand Battery House.
In a speech to the assembled guests, community leader James Levy (pictured below right) praised the Rock as a ‘unique place of coexistence and mutual respect’ amid centuries of troubles in the near abroad.
He said: “This enduring harmony is a testament not only to the open-hearted spirit of Gibraltar but to the goodwill of Great Britain, which, for over 350 years, has upheld the principles of religious freedom and inclusivity. “Gibraltar has been good to the Jews and the Jews have been good to Gibraltar.”
Jewish people first arrived in the area just 11 years after the Treaty of Utrecht in 1714 following centuries of persecution in the Iberian peninsula.
Today, the Rock is home to five synagogues and a thriving Jewish community of over 800 people in a territory of 32,000.
“We are immensely grateful for Gibraltar’s unwavering support and are proud to contribute to its legacy as a place of friendship, progress and faith,” Levy concluded.
was one of 117 local and international artists who submitted their artworks for a UK art expert to judge. He won the top prize for his depiction of the 1951 Bellingham dock explosion, which killed a dozen people and caused over 50 casualties.
“They were unloading depth charges from one vessel to the other, or to the ports,” the artist told this newspaper, “and something obviously went very wrong.”
He chose to depict this tragic, momentous event as something that was a ‘part of Gibraltar’s history.’
A Gibraltar local born and bred, Acris told the Olive Press ‘he has only just started painting recently.’
But the artistry clearly runs deep through his veins, as Ac-
ris won a poetry prize last year.
The director of the Gibraltar Culture Service, Seamus John Byrne, told this newspaper that the art event ‘means a lot for Gibraltar because it's one of our top art events, it’s now in its 51st edition.’
“It’s important that people are able to showcase their work, as part of their cultural development,” he said.
“And it's important for our cultural education which we want to support as part of our cultural drive.”
LIFE SHAVING
THE MAYOR has hosted a breakfast reception for Prostate Cancer Awareness month.
Ms Carmen Gomez GMD praised the year’s fundraising efforts, which have allowed the Gibraltar Health Authority to purchase new diagnostic equipment ‘worth thousands of pounds.’
Newly appointed Chairman, Mr Joe Holliday, echoed Gomez’s, saying the new equipment ‘saved lives’.
After 13 years with the charity, Mr Derek Ghio took the decision to step down and was presented with a gift of gratitude by the Minister for Health & Care Gemma Arias-Vasquez on behalf of the Committee.
The charity is currently celebrating Movember, where fundraisers grow facial hair in return for donations.
It will culminate with a ‘shave off’ event at the ICC on November 31.
Paving the way
A new footpath has opened in the South District, running parallel to the Central Hall and linking the area of St Joseph’s Schools.
It will allow pedestrians to avoid the steep narrow hill, making the walk safer for families on their way to school.
Minister for Transport and Technical Services, the Hon John Cortes, said: “It’s a small project, one that was requested by constituents, but one that will benefit many residents of the area, in particular families with small children and also users of the Central Hall.”º
Triple Trouble
GONE: Fundraisers will shave tasches
THE former boss of Marbella’s Triple A animal shelter is facing up to 18 years in jail for an alleged long-term campaign of slaughtering dogs for profit, it has emerged.
Prosecutors are seeking the hefty sentence for Bettina Pietsch, a German expat accused of overseeing alleged animal cruelty, misappropriation of funds and breaking labour laws.
Meanwhile the former vice-president, named only as A.D., is facing a 10-year jail term.
According to court documents, animals were ‘slaughtered on a massive and unjustified scale, with the sole purpose of reducing costs and dedicating facilities to private purposes, with the aim of making a profit.’
Other alleged crimes between 2011 and 2016 include falsifying documents and working without the correct licences.
Shockingly, prosecutors allege that euthanasia products were administered ‘without having the veterinary knowledge to do so’.
Cruel
And in a cruel twist, illegally low doses were used to cut costs, ‘causing a slow and painful death in animals, many of whom were healthy puppies’, it is claimed.
Both Pietsch and her vice-president are also accused of using €20,426 of charity cash for payments unrelated to the shelter, and of stealing a further €38,618. They are also accused of ‘illicitly’ selling several dogs lost by their owners to foreign buyers for cash.
When police raided the premises they found the bodies of pets, some of which had injuries, while others had been ‘illegally sacrificed’.
Prosecutors are demanding fines and compensation to owners of over €300,000. It comes after the Olive Press revealed in March that Pietsch had been voted back in as the charity’s president, in a move that shocked the caretaker administration at the time.
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
OPINION
Don’t shoot the messenger!
THE charges facing Triple A bosses are truly sickening ( Triple trouble, p4 ).
It has been years since the Olive Press first reported on the horrific crimes that are alleged to have taken place at the Marbella animal shelter. These included the alleged killing of healthy dogs for profit and the selling of lost puppies for cash. Despite a dramatic police raid and serious charges being later brought, somehow WE were the bad guys for keeping our readers informed. Accused of shaming the expat community by a downmarket rival, we were then bombarded on social media for daring to raise questions about the ‘wonderful’ expat-run charity.
Of course animal charities are sorely needed in Spain.
Was everyone at Triple A up to no good? Of course not.
We never said that. But the shelter, at the time, was collecting vast amounts of money in donations from big-hearted well-wishers as well as large sums from Marbella town hall. It was simply our journalistic duty to report on the alleged abuses.
Countless numbers of our readers were giving money and supplies to the shelter and we had a duty of care to make them aware of the situation. While other papers want to view the world through rose-tinted spectacles, the Olive Press is committed to the truth and what matters most to the expat community.
If that means ruffling a few feathers, then so be it. Not everything in life is positive. No decent, respectable media group can survive by just publishing a positive slant.
We definitely do not want to see Triple A go under, as it clearly today provides much-needed help for the region’s abandoned animals.
But running such a shelter comes with a huge responsibility, and if standards are not being met at the expense of the animals’ welfare, we must not be afraid to place it under scrutiny.
WHY WAS A CRUCIAL ‘LIFE-SAVING’ DAM NEVER BUILT IN CHESTE?
Village of the damned
DISPATCH: The Olive Press sent Laurence Dollimore to one flood-ravaged town in Valencia that’s been forgotten by the world
AS a biblical flood tore through his village like a tsunami, David Fraile received a heart-stopping message from his mother; “Help me, I’m going to die!”
It was just one of several panicked voice clips he was sent on that fateful night in Valencia on October 29, when a so-called DANA storm sparked Spain’s deadliest floods in over a century.
But this was not Paiporta, Chiva or Utiel, the ‘ground zero’ towns that grabbed headlines around the world.
This was Cheste, a much smaller village some 40 km west of Valencia city that has been almost completely ignored by the media and, perhaps more alarmingly, the authorities - a fact that locals desperately want to change.
It was around 8pm when two ravines on either side of the town overflowed, forming one enormous torrent that first crashed into a row of 18 attached houses on the village’s outskirts.
Known as La Alameda del Chalet, the properties had largely been used as summer homes for decades and counted on a communal swimming pool, but some residents lived there all year round.
One of them was Mari, David’s mother, who thankfully realised just in time what was bearing down on her and was able to scurry up a ladder and seek refuge on a rickety shelf inside her ironing room.
From there, for nearly half an hour, she sat frozen in fear as she
watched the filthy flood water filling up her home, in which she has lived for 25 years.
“It was an absolute nightmare,” Mari told the Olive Press this week, holding back tears as she recalled the traumatic memory.
“I really thought I was going to die. I could see tables and chairs being washed away, even my car was taken by the rapids.”
And cruelly for her son David, there was nothing he could do to help his 67-year-old mother.
While he was only two minutes away by car in the centre of Cheste, the road to his mother’s home was completely cut off by floods. He could only listen to her increasingly desperate pleas to come out and save her.
Incredibly, Mari was saved by two Moroccan neighbours who somehow managed to scale her roof, which had been partially ripped off, and dived into the flood water to pull her out.
“I can hardly sleep, I keep having nightmares,” she explains, wiping away tears as her doting son consoles her. Meeting them some 12 days later, it is shocking in the extreme that they are still cleaning up the damage on their own, trying to salvage anything they can from the wreckage.
I can hardly sleep since the
floods, I keep having nightmares, Mari told the Olive Press
They were able to get her onto a higher ground above the properties, from where they could shelter until the floodwater started to subside.
It was only then that David finally received the news that his mother was safe, putting an end to his agony.
It’s the kind of story that briefly restores one’s faith in humanity, but Mari is clearly scarred for life.
“There are so many memories here and it is just heartbreaking seeing it all destroyed,” continues Mari, pointing to badly soiled books and damaged photo albums. Among the debris are all the shattered remnants of her family’s life, including her son’s guitar, children’s colouring books and crayons, and antique armchairs that have been passed down through the generations. As if the destruction wasn’t enough, there are now additional fears of disease, as the inside of their homes are slowly becoming condemned with creeping mould and fungus. The pools of stagnant waters all around, also pose a series of health risks.
“We are very worried about catching cholera or tetanus,” explains David. “No-one is explaining to us what to do or how to act.”
It is indeed, something of a disgrace that vaccines for the latter are already being rolled out in other hard hit towns, such as Paiporta and Chiva, but not in Chesta, the municipality that seems forgotten amid the
BIBLICAL: The town of Cheste has been ignored by local authorities
chaos.
In fact, given the lack of help from police or the army, you’d be forgiven for thinking the flood had happened overnight.
On my visit, there were no more than a dozen officials working around the town, and they were entirely focused on repairing a bridge around 200 metres away, which had been heaved in half by the deluge. Meanwhile, dozens of cars, motorbikes and hundreds of pieces of furniture and personal effects remain scattered outside the properties.
The shocking scenes show how the wall of water completely emptied out these houses, dragging everything outside after around 500mm of rain per square metre fell across the region in just a few hours.
Rosalia Martinez Santos, 50, who vacations in one of the homes, told the Olive Press:
“We’ve had no help from the government and feel totally abandoned.
“The only people who came to help were a group of 200 or so young people who travelled from other parts of Spain.
“When I saw them getting off their buses with shovels and buckets, it was incredibly emotional.
“We have a saying here, ‘El pueblo salva al pueblo’ (the people saves the people), and never has it rung more true.”
Rosalia had been in her own flat in the centre of the nearby town when the worst of the flooding began.
From her first floor balcony she watched as the torrent carried cars and large recycling containers down the street as if they were pieces of lego - knowing full well that her summer home on the outskirts was being turned upside down.
Her fears were soon realised when she visit-
ed the following day.
“It was a complete shock, I was lost for words,” she continued. “It’s going to take us years to recover from this.”
But if there is any positivity to be taken from this disaster, it is the seemingly unshakeable sense of community.
While the Olive Press was reporting among the wreckage, two boys named Juan and Vigilo (pictured), aged 12 and 13 respectively, showed up to offer their help, having walked over from the centre of town.
Dressed in simple clothes and with plastic bags over their shoes, they told us they had a ‘driven need’ to do something to help.
This had been the scene of many happy summers for them, where they would come and play in the communal swimming pool with friends.
“We have come to help and do whatever we can because this is our pueblo and we have to stick together,” explained Juan.
much of the damage caused by the DANA.
“People are angry,” he told the Olive Press, “I remember when they were planning to build it but political interests got in the way, many lives could have been saved.
“My mother used to tell me stories of the deadly 1957 floods, so we’ve always known that these ravines pose a danger to the area and nothing has been done.”
The dam project was shelved allegedly following pressure from ecologists, who insisted it could cause harm to biodiversity - while the roughly €300m price tag became difficult to justify following the 2007 economic crash.
She cannot go through something like this again, we don’t feel safe
But in the wake of the disaster, questions are being asked as to what could have been done to prevent such a tragedy, which has so far claimed well over 200 liveswhile more than 90 remain missing.
In Cheste, scrutiny is being placed on a phantom dam that was announced as part of the National Hydrological Plan for 2005, but was never built.
Locals revealed how a site on the borders of Cheste had been earmarked for the project.
The Olive Press was led to the area by a former plasterer who lives on a farm nearby.
Ramon Toledano Milla, 57, said he believes the dam that never was could have mitigated
The dam site was at the height of the now infamous Poyo ravine, which measures dozens of kilometres and travels through all the worst hit towns down to Valencia city.
For the residents of Cheste, they now face years of crippling anxiety over if - or rather when - history will repeat itself.
It comes after meteorologists this week said a similar flooding event is likely to reoccur ‘within 20 years’. And this is largely due to global warming.
It means the value of homes, smack bang in the middle of this flood catastrophe - plus thousands nearby - have plummeted overnight.
“We are thinking of moving,” confesses David, “My mother doesn’t know if she can continue living here now, she cannot go through something like this again, we don’t feel safe.”
But he at least remains hopeful.
“We are taking it day by day, and we will rebuild step by step, but we want the world to know what has happened here, and we want the people in power to be held accountable.”
BBC PLAUDITS
Respected global news outlets use the Olive Press for reliable coverage
THE Olive Press’s coverage of the deadly DANA floods has clearly shown our media credentials worldwide.
Both the BBC and Sky News, as well as the Daily Mail, the Times and Chinese State radio, reached out to us as we delivered round the clock 24/7 reporting on the worst disaster in Spain this century. Since the chaos began on October 29, we have published scores of stories both online and in print - and even sent our reporters to Ground Zero, both in Andalucia and in Valencia. Unlike our rivals, we gave the story the gravitas it deserves, with front-page prominence and cleared the first few pages inside, (top) while others completely missed the story altogether.
Our digital editor Laurence Dollimore visited the disaster zone in Valencia for three days last week (pic below left), where he worked alongside the Daily Mail to speak to the affected locals. He was the first reporter into the village of Cheste, where victims were desperate to tell their stories.
“Thank you so much, you did an amazing job and now the world knows what happened here,” said one villager after reading our exclusive report.
Meanwhile, editor Jon Clarke (above) appeared in half a dozen radio and TV interviews, including Sky News, BBC News and LBC, while Yzabelle Bostyn (below) was interviewed on Times Radio
The rest of our NCTJ-accredited reporters kept readers informed of the latest updates through the night and weekend.
This is the kind of journalism and dedication you should expect from any decent expat newspaper. It is also the kind of work that is supported by our subscription model, and so we thank those of you who have already become paying members.
Scan the QR code to subscribe to the Olive Press
CHAOS: Cars, furniture and people were thrown into disarray, while (inset) two boys help with the clearing up
REUNITED: David and his mother Mari
Major trouble
The Olive Press investigates the dubious friendships and
FOR decades he’s been the ‘teflon mayor’, for whom tales of dodgy dealings and questionable connections would never stick.
But allegations of dirty weekends, suspect ‘work trips’ to Germany and midnight demands to join him at his castle swingers’ parties in Monda just might.
These are just some of the sleazy claims emerging against Jose Maria Garcia Urbano in the most salacious political corruption scandal to hit Andalucia for years.
As reported in the Olive Press a fortnight ago, the PP mayor of Estepona, has been accused of assaulting a male police officer during a horrific two-year ordeal.
Aside from allegedly forcing the town hall employee into degrading sex acts, the politician also insisted his wife occasionally watched.
Amid a long list of lurid claims, the denuncia being probed by Estepona’s Court Number 5 will see the mayor in court on November 18 next week. His victim gave evidence on Friday, reiterating his claims and adding he has video evidence, witnesses and documents to back them up.
The judge must now establish if the cop, who joined the town’s force in 2022 and is now on ‘mental health leave’, was forced to effectively work as a male prostitute for his overlord.
And so began a national media scramble to shine a light on Urbano with a string of claims emerging including multi-million euro projects handed to his family, claims about links to Nazi sympathisers, and his dubious rise up the ladder alongside the controversial
By Walter Finch
regime of disgraced former Marbella mayor Jesus Gil.
But firstly we need to rewind 13 years to 2011 when the lawyer and public notary swept to power in Estepona aged 48. His landslide victory was perhaps not surprising, after a succession of socialist mayors had one by one, fallen to allegations of corruption.
Urbano promised a new broom, in particular with swingeing cutbacks in the town hall’s enormous wage bill, while massively prettifying the town, introducing flower pots in every street and launching new museums and art galleries.
Charming
Under his stewardship, it is undeniable the town has been transformed from a dingy, car-clogged backwater to a Costa del Sol resort that now competes with Marbella for the well-heeled investor.
Those who know him personally speak of a ‘likeable’ gladhander who comes from humble roots in Coin, in the Guadalhorce Valley, where both his father and grandfather were labourers. Even his enemies refer to him as having ‘enormous charm’, ‘guile’ and ‘ambition’. “It’s a very dangerous combination,” as one told the Olive Press
Another, who works at the town hall, told us how he rules with an ‘iron fist’ and many staff are scared of him. “He can certainly be something of a tyrant,” one said.
But one thing for sure, no-one can doubt
business schemes of Estepona’s ‘mister teflon’ as he becomes mired
in sleazy sexual abuse allegations
his intelligence: Achieving the rare feat of holding qualifications as a lawyer, notary and property registrar, Urbano was hailed as the ‘prototype of Spain’s meritocracy’.
But his business associations with a rogue’s gallery of the Costa del Sol’s most corrupt lawyers and officials soon proved he had pulled himself up by his own bootstraps only so far.
The truth is much of his rise is owed to the many deals he has made with the most powerful, if dubious, figures on the coast.
A fluent German-speaker (he speaks no English) whose children attended the private German School in Marbella, Urbano is deeply integrated in the town’s German community.
It led to him befriending German lawyer Juan Hoffman, the son of a high-ranking Gestapo officer who served as Adolf Hitler’s personal Spanish translator during the war.
His father was later made an honorary consul in Malaga during the Franco regime, while Hoffman went on to become a key frontmen for Juan Antonio Roca, the chief architect of Marbella’s worst ever corruption scandal, which spawned the infamous ‘Malaya case’.
Hoffman was later sentenced to five years for money laundering and tax evasion in 2013, but he craftily dodged prison, when he allegedly ‘voluntarily handed himself over’ in Ibiza.
But when checked, officials found he was not behind bars, but had in fact fled the country.
He has never been found, but curiously was an equal partner with Urbano in their shared property development firm, Nuevas Aires 2002 SL.
The company was identified as being one of the main vehicles behind a string of illegal developments, kickbacks and embezzlement that flourished during the Gil era.
Another partner was building firm Bonifacio Solis (see graphic), whose ‘finance director’ since 2023 has reportedly been none other than the mayor’s 28-year-old son, Pablo Garcia.
Remarkably, he assumed the role, claimed El Diario, after serving just two
months as a councillor at the town hall, thanks to help from his dad.
B Solis conveniently became the lucky winner of the ‘tender’ to build Estepona’s €16.3 million Mirador del Carmen art gallery and restaurant, initially budgeted at €1.8 million.
The same firm also benefited from acquiring a nearby 2,000 sqm plot of land from the town hall for just €1.2 million – allegedly half its market value.
B Solis is now one of the largest construction companies in Spain, boasting a portfolio of luxury homes in exclusive projects in Zagaleta and the Sierra Blanca, as well as hotels and urbanisations in Marbella.
Surprise surprise it also landed the contracts for the athletics stadium in Estepona (€9.5 million, up from an initial budget of €6.1 million) and Estepona’s Orchidarium – ‘the largest in Europe’ for a further €2.3 million.
Other municipal work for B Solis includes the coastal walkway and restoration work on the Laguna Village complex. Amid all these backroom deals which have made him a very rich man, Urbano has never published his income records nor his portfolio of property to Andalucia’s official transparency portal. A clear violation of Spanish law.
It was while sitting on his throne at the peak of the Costa del Sol’s political hierarchy that at some point Urbano allegedly started eyeing up a new employee with ‘libidinous intent’.
The Cordoba-born police officer, married with a wife and two teenage kids, has been on ‘mental health sick leave for almost 17 months due to these perversions he has suffered’, his lawyer told the Olive Press this week.
Under oath at court on Friday he told the judge his ordeal began almost immedi-
ately when he joined Estepona town hall in March 2022. An invitation to the Parador de Malaga Golf hotel soon followed, which ‘with a deep fear for his job’, he felt unable to turn down. With the pattern of their ‘abusive’ relationship then set, he claimed Urbano grew bolder in his demands. He and his wife were coerced into accompanying him on a trip to Germany ‘for a series of sex orgies’ over
several days, along with other ‘like-minded’ friends of the mayor, he claimed. But one particularly infamous trip to Monda castle (above), which Urbano part owns, began to draw back the curtain on just how far Urbano’s tentacles extend into the local business community. Famed for its Moorish roots, it tellingly became a notorious swingers’ club, replete with sex dungeons and ‘glory holes’ after being purchased by Urbano alongside other investors.
While the mayor claimed to be ‘surprised’ back in 2013 by its activities, he has kept it within his property portfolio and it today functions as a luxury hotel and restaurant. Curiously, his second in command at Estepona town hall, Ana Maria Velasco Garrido, is listed as the castle’s sole administrator.
The link to Garrido is entirely in keeping with his style of rule, which maintains a close-knit team of loyalists to help manage his overlapping business and political endeavours.
Sleaze
They are all techniques he infamously used during Marbella’s ‘gilded age of corruption’ under the guiding hand of scandalous mayor Jesus Gil y Gil, who in the 1990s turned Marbella into a money pit of sleaze and corruption hardly seen before in Europe.
Under his GIL party, the owner of Atletico Madrid football club is blamed for allowing 30,000 illegal homes to be built in Marbella and during his reign set up 70 companies to launder money, taking hundreds of millions in bribes and backhanders.
He avoided justice, dying young in 2004, but a total of 85 politicians went on to face trial, with many eventually serving prison sentences, including a number of former mayors.
It is worth pointing out then that the GIL party also ruled Estepona in the 1990s, when Urbano was starting out in his career as a notary.
Yet, while there are countless reports into his links to sleaze over the years, so far the mayor’s enemies have failed to make anything properly stick, hence the nickname ‘teflon mayor’.
“He’s managed to get away with so much and whatever they throw at him never seems to stick,” one British resident, Mary Page, told the Olive Press
“It’s why so many people call him senor teflon.”
So it remains to be seen if his sexual antics finally end up clipping the wings of Estepona’s high-flying mayor.
INFAMOUS: Urbano’s castle in Monda where swingers’ events are known to have taken place and (above) with his wife
WEB OF INTRIGUE: Nuevos Aires connects Urbano to Hoffman and Gil officials. (Right) Hoffman Sr (centre) translating for Adolf Hitler (right)
Vaccine
season
GIBRALTAR residents can start to get their latest Covid vaccines at the Primary Care Centre from November 5.
The vaccine will be available to anyone over 50 and people with long-term health conditions.
Caregivers, healthcare workers, and residents of long-term care facilities such as the Elderly Residential Services (ERS) will also be eligible, as will pregnant women.
Appointments can be made by calling 200 66966 between 9am and 3pm Monday to Friday with clinics operating between 1pm to 4pm weekdays.
Eligible individuals can also get the flu vaccine at the same time.
The Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) Director General Kevin McGee called the vaccine the ‘best method of protection’ for vulnerable individuals and their caregivers.
Brave new world
Spanish scientists have made a key genetic breakthrough
GENETIC researchers in Barcelona have reached a historic milestone, creating the very first map of the ‘spliceosome’.
A key part of interpreting DNA, the spliceosome helps cells to interpret and select genes which lead to essential protein production.
Errors in this process, known as splicing, can cause cancer as well as rare and neurodegenerative diseases.
It is hoped the research will help with treatment and lead to advances in genetic engineering.
Now, a team of geneticists led
By Yzabelle Bostyn
by Juan Valcarcel have successfully mapped the spliceosome following a decade of research.
Spliceosomes are found in the nuclei of cells and interpret ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules, responsible for converting DNA into proteins and regulating various cellular processes.
Thanks to these complex molecular machines, human cells can produce 100,000 different types of proteins
despite only having 20,000 genes.
These proteins are involved in many essential life pro-
Outrage over painkiller case
THE SPANISH Supreme Court has thrown out a civil case against the ‘deadly’ painkiller Nolotil, provoking outrage amongst activists.
The lawsuit filed against the Ministry of Health and the Medicines Agency (AEMPS) by a campaign group has been disregarded by the country’s highest court.
Led by the Association for Drug Affected People’s (ADAF) Cristina del Campo, the judge ruled the case did not constitute a ‘violation of human rights.’
pable of and over 40 countries have banned it because it is dangerous.”
“I feel utterly disappointed,” she told the Olive Press. “We know what this drug is ca-
CLOSING IN
Hospiten in Estepona is offering the latest in mammography, along with other high tech radiology equipment
IT is a hospital that likes to stay at the forefront of global technology.
So Hospiten in Estepona has recently incorporated the most high tech equipment available to detect breast cancer at the earliest possible moment.
Thanks to the Senographe Pristina 3D mammography machine, breast cancer detection will be at the forefront for all female patients on the Costa del Sol.
The device is the only FDA-approved 3D mammography that delivers at the same low dose as the lowest patient dose of all approved systems.
This award from America’s stringent Food
and Drug Admin (FDA) body guarantees the lowest possible radiation risk for patients. In addition, this fullfield digital mammography platform has new possibilities for digital image processing, archiving and transmission.
It comes some four years after a 2018 directive issued by the government prevented the sale of the drug to Northern Europeans without a prescription. It is to blame for at least 40 deaths of British and Irish people in Spain. The lawsuit included various cases of agranulocytosis, which can lead to sepsis, amputations and organ failure. The group identified 350 suspected cases of the potentially deadly side effect between 1996 and 2023, including 170 British victims.
cesses such as creating collagen for bones or hemoglobin to transport oxygen through the blood.
Valcarcel has been studying the phenomena since 1986 and has finally produced a map of the spliceosome, consisting of 150 internal and 150 external proteins.
Over time, the researchers systematically deactivated each of the 300 proteins to observe the effects.
Therapies
They found that if one protein fails, this can trigger a chain of errors which could eventually lead to cancer.
“It is a potential Achilles’ heel that we can take advantage of to design new therapies. Our map offers a way to discover these weak points,” said Valcarcel.
CLEAN SLATE
THE Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) has welcomed its new chairperson.
The Minister for Health and Care, Hon Gemma AriasVasquez, chaired her first meeting of the newly restructured board last week. The board reiterated its aim to use funds optimally to uphold free healthcare. One of the minister’s first tasks will be to tighten up Gibraltar’s £182 million health budget through ‘improved oversight and accountability.’ Arias-Vasquez was also keen to emphasise the GHA’s commitment to patient-centred decision-making and she praised the crucial role of GHA staff, who will maintain their clinical independence. The Minister urged respect and motivation for staff, promoting a culture of empathy, along with Chief Secretary Glendon Martinez and Financial Secretary Charles Santos.
It means that the hospital’s team of radiologists are able to make a more effective diagnosis of breast pathologies, working even with the densest of breasts. Indeed, any breast lesion can be located more precisely thanks to the ‘tomosynthesis technique’ - a specific type of breast imaging that uses a very low dose of X-rays. It also has a stereotactic biopsy device that allows 360-degree access to the breast.
The mammography not only presents new
TOMOSYNTHESIS
Tomosynthesis is a key ability of the new mammography machine and consists of acquiring a series of exposures with different angles. The data generated is processed to generate a volume of images that make up the entire breast and are displayed as multiple images of different planes of the breast.
benefits for patients but also for the healthcare staff in charge of its use: the parking position of the tube head, one-button access to the preset rotation and a new, more intuitive user interface are some of these advances.
The machine’s ability to perform motorised movements also facilitates positioning and visualisation of axillary tissue through decentralised compressors.
Large team
Hospiten has a large team of medical professionals who specialise in diagnostic imaging. They will quickly analyse the results of the mammography machine and give patients the best possible advice moving forwards.
The hospital is also known for its ability to offer quick appointments and there are no waiting lists.
The hospital also has many other high tech hospital equipment including CAT scanners, Ultrasound scanners and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
It also has a big team of medical specialists to undertake any procedures needed.
For more information visit www.hospiten.com, call +34 952 76 06 00 or email estepona@hospiten.com to see how we can help you
ABOUT HOSPITEN
Hospiten is an interna- tional healthcare network committed to providing top-quality service. Hospiten has over 50 years’ experience and 20 private medical centres and hospi- tals in Spain, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica and Panama, plus over 150 outpatient treatment cen- tres under the Clinic Assist brand.
Founded by Dr Pedro Luis Cobiella, Hospiten cares for more than two million patients around the world each year and has over 5,000 employees.
NATIVE CONTENT
The right choice?
THE Choice Hotels group will expand its portfolio in Spain as part of a long term strategic agreement with Faranda Hotels & Resorts.
Eight properties will switch to the group’s Ascend brand over the next year, with some changing in the next few months.
It means the hotels will add 700 rooms to the Choice offering in Spain.
Faranda, which was founded by the Fernandez family, has built an international portfolio of hotels over 40 years in both Europe and Latin America.
“Spain is a key market and through this agreement, we will see the Ascend Hotel Collection expand significantly across Spain in the coming months,” said Choice CEO David Beers.
Madrid and Valencia are counting the financial cost of the flood tragedy
THE deadliest floods in Spanish history have exacted a massive financial cost in addition to the human suffering.
Valencia Chamber of Commerce estimates the final bill will be well above €10 billion.
At least 4,500 businesses located in ground floor properties have been badly damaged or destroyed.
Dozens of shopping centres and industrial estates have also been damaged while many transport companies lost their lorries.
The flooding of fields meanwhile dealt a heavy blow to agriculture in the region.
Trade union La Unio estimates at least 50,000 hectares of crops were affected, while agricultural insurer
UNEMPLOYMENT in Spain went up in October but it was the smallest rise for that month since 2006 - barring the pandemic years of 2021 and 2022.
The number of jobless rose by 26,769 - below average increases for last month.
The total fell 5.7% from the same month last year, which was the biggest annual fall since September 2023.
€10 billion flood fee
By Alex Trelinski
Agroseguro believes the cost could rise to €150 million.
Both regional and central government finances will be severely stretched by the cost, although Spain is seeking aid from the EU solidarity fund to ease the burden.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a series of measures worth €10.6 billion euros aimed at shielding and relaunching Valencia's economy. These include aid to small and medium-sized businesses, self-employed workers, tax relief and a three-month
Positive trend
postponement to repayments of loans and mortgages. Clearing debris and reconstructing infrastructure will
the sector in the event of a natural disaster.
Thanks for your service
STRONG sales and demand are continuing to drive robust expansion in Spain’s service sector, according to an S&P Global survey.
The study recorded 14 consecutive months of uninterrupted growth – a trajectory which does not look set to change any time soon.
“Spain’s economy continues on its positive trajectory and the service sector remains a significant growth driver,” according to Hamburg Commercial Bank economist Jonas Feldhusen.
Optimistic
The overall figure was 2.6 million people registered as unemployed. Among industrial sectors, construction registered a fall in unemployment compared to the previous month.
The Labour Ministry said a significant trend in hiring was confirmed with 43.5% of contracts registered in October being permanent.
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GEOLOCATION SERVICE
also be financed by Madrid to the estimated tune of €2.6 billion. Spanish insurers rely on a common fund managed by the CCS public consortium that shares the cost across
The CCS therefore covers most of the compensation and insurers only directly pay out for peripheral damage in areas unaffected by the floods.
Payout
The system is 'perfectly prepared to deal with this type of situation', said UNESPA head, Mirenchu del Valle Schaan.
More than 72,000 claims have been submitted so far, with the first payouts already arriving.
OP QUICK CROSSWORD
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Businesses are said to be ‘optimistic’, expecting positive market conditions and planning further investments and commercial initiatives accordingly next year.
Separately, another study showed Spanish manufacturing expanded last month at its fastest pace in more than two years. The economy improved by 0.8% in the third quarter of 2024 – faster than economists had expected and double the eurozone as a whole.
Still good
THE REINA Sofia Museum is set to auction off some of its prized artwork and donate the proceeds to DANA victims.
They plan to auction Colombian artist Fernando Botero’s Still Life in New York and pass on the proceeds to Valencia-based food banks.
On first sight, the piece shows a full fruit bowl, but if you turn the canvas around, there is another painting showing an empty table.
Botero donated the painting to the Fundacion Reina Sofia before his death upon a plea from the charity to help with their work in food banks.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
Scan
Chauvinism exposed
Netflix reveals longstanding mistreatment within the walls of Spain’s FA
A NEW streaming documentary is shaking the foundations of the Spanish Football Association over the way it has historically treated its female players.
Netflix’s ‘It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football’ delves into the history behind the infamous kiss FA chief Luis Rubiales’ planted on the lips of female player Jenni Hermoso. The women’s head coach, It details how Jorge Vilda, would
Spanish celluloid
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As did They Shot the Pianist by Fernando Trueba, and The Sultan’s Dream by Isabel Herguera and Javier Mariscal. The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony in the Swiss city of Lucerne on December 7.
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It is no surprise that the much-lauded Almodovar is also up for Best Director, while his star Tilda Swinton is in the running for Best Actress.
By Yzabelle Bostyn
reportedly enter the players’ hotel rooms at night, check their shopping bags and control their media appearances. The documentary highlights the deep divisions in the team after a group known as Las 15 spoke out against the former manager, with many withdrawing from the squad in the lead up to the 2023 World Cup. They say that Rubiales, who was in charge at that point, dismissed the women’s claims despite being at the ‘beck and call’ of the men’s team.
But the Netflix show claims that the culture of sexism actually stretches back even further, to the reign of predecessor Ignacio Quereda, who managed the side for 27 years between 1988 and 2015.
girls’ and ‘squeezing their stomach rolls.’
Despite complaints and Quereda’s removal, the issues simply continued when Vilda was appointed, with the successor essentially ‘being his own boss.’
The documentary
culminates with the World Cup win and controversial Rubiales kiss, which has changed the face of Spanish women’s football forever.
A feature length documentary, it follows a 2021 film ‘Breaking the Silence’, which exposed Quereda’s regime.
OVER 200 artists and bands will take part in solidarity concerts across Spain to raise money for DANA victims this week.
Knowitthals
GIBRALTAR’S Neanderthals may have been much more intelligent than previously thought.
A new study, published in Quaternary Science Reviews, reveals the first known cases of tar extraction by Neanderthals, found in Gibraltar’s Vanguard Cave.
Tar
Dating back 60,000 years, researchers discovered how they used tar to glue stone weapons to wooden sticks. While only previously theorised, the confirmed process now shows the cavemen had a high cognitive ability and complex understanding of chemical processes.
The Gibraltar National Museum led 31 scientists from multiple fields in Vanguard Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
SOLID SINGING
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Players claim Quereda frequently made vulgar remarks, treating them like his ‘little
SOM VALENCIA (We are Valencia) events will take place in some 20 cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Bilbao, Granada, Burgos, Lleida, Murcia and
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Sabadell. Funds raised will go to the Fundacion Horta Sud, a charity dedicated to helping those affected by the floods.
The initiative is the brainchild of Barcelona based record label, Hidden Track Records.
enhanced by AI for faster and accurate solutions.
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Fear not—whether it’s the spinning wheel or a full-on freeze, we’ve crafted a safe and simple guide to help you thaw out your tech troubles without risking your PC.
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When in doubt, a simple restart is often the easiest fix.
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First things first, sometimes your computer’s just thinking. Give it a minute or two to snap out of it.
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Running outdated software is like ignoring oil changes for a car!
Head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update , click Check for updates , and let your PC grab the latest fixes and patches.
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We must preserve indigenous peoples as the guardians of the planet’s biodiversity, explains Christin Hagemeier
DIVERSE MEANS
PROBABLY the most impressive agreement to come out of last week’s COP16 Biodiversity Conference last week is that companies which profit from biodiversity will pay up for it.
The attendees in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, decided that these companies should pay into a global fund and recognise that indigenous peoples are biodiversity protectors.
Researchers have found that, in areas where indigenous peoples live, such as the Aymara people in the Andean highlands in Bolivia and Peru, biodiversity is still intact. Their way of life, in harmony with nature, means that they ‘automatically’ protect this habitat.
They themselves know how much of what they can take and eat so that enough can grow back.
The global community has also recognised this and therefore recognised them as custodians of biodiversity at the COP 16 Biodiversity Conference.
This gives indigenous peoples a new key role in the conservation of biodiversity.
Companies that rely on biodiversity for their business model should also help, albeit through other channels.
This includes, for example, pharmaceuticals, which are still often based on plants and their natural
healing substanc-
es, or many other companies that rely on biodiversity services.
These should pay into a fund to support research and work to preserve the gene pool and its digitisation (digital sequence information, DSI).
But what is biodiversity and why is it so important for our survival?
The best example of it is that apples grow larger if pollinated by many different honeybee species, rather than just one.
Just like apples, we experience biodiversity on a daily basis.
From essentials such as clean water and food with a wide variety of nutrients to building materials such as wood and sand.
BIODIVERSITY IS BASED ON THREE ASPECTS:
1. Diversity of habitats such as steppes, deserts, meadows, moors or forests. Each habitat has special conditions and provides the basis for species-rich life to develop.
2. Biodiversity describes the multitude of different types of organisms that live on earth.
3. The last point is genetic diversity, which is crucial for the adaptability and survivability of a species, as it forms the basis for evolution and the ability to cope with environmental changes.
Because in all of these production cycles, different organisms are involved and do a small part of the work. If one species disappears, the entire process can be affected.
When bee populations are in danger, for example, some plants can no longer be pollinated as they are dependent on specific species, such as the long-trunked bee.
It underlines how we are all, great and small, co-dependent on the planet’s continuing biodiversity.
Please send your questions or comments on how to be greener to christin@theolivepress.es
TEN rare wild horses native to the steppes of Central Asia have been relocated to the Iberian highlands as part of a conservation program.
The Przewalski (or Mongolian) horses were released into an area of 850,000 hectares between Castilla-La Mancha and Aragon. Managed by Rewilding Spain, the program is part of a mission to restore the ‘beautiful landscape’ of southern Iberia.
Fresh breath
It is hoped the horses will help restore a healthy ecosystem by improving the quality of pastures, boosting the region’s biodiversity and reducing the risk of forest fires.
The rewilding programme has been televised in the documentary ‘Breathing New Life into the Iberian Highlands.’
Climate warning
Rising sea temperatures caused by human activity are feeding the ferocity of Spain’s DANAs
THE deadly DANA that devastated Valencia and claimed hundreds of lives was ‘fed and strengthened by human-driven climate change.’
This is the conclusion of EU and French scientists, who found that the rainfall which lashed the region on October 29 was between 12 and 15% more intense than previous storms.
Much of this ferocity has been placed at the feet of increased sea temperatures, which are between 2 to 3C higher than the period of 1982
By Yzabelle Bostyn
to 2011.
This increase – ‘which is only trending upwards’ – has led to greater humidity and moisture in the air, which blankets coastal regions with up to 7mm of dew overnight.
“On paper, these figures may not
NEW LEAF
A RECENT study in the prestigious journal Nature has revealed that plants absorb up to 31% more carbon dioxide than previously thought. Fauna is now thought to remove 157 billion tonnes of greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere each year, up from estimates of 120 billion.
Instead of satellites, whose results are often skewed by cloud coverage, the investigation used groundbased monitoring towers to provide a more realistic view of CO2 absorption.
The rare glimpse of positive news is prompting scientists to reevaluate their climate forecasting models.
seem a lot, but compared to the usual amount, it’s the difference between a river overflowing or not,” said climate scientist Carmen Álvarez Castro.
“A gota frio (cold drop) like the one that hit Valencia has occurred before – it is a phenomenon common to the peninsula.
“But this time it has been more intense than usual due to climate change. And everything indicates that the next ones will also be. The combination of rising sea temperatures and air humidity injects greater concentrations of water into the atmosphere, which is returned in the form of more intense rainfall.
HopeAlvarez warned temperatures are set to continue to rise in the Mediterranean, meaning future DANAs could be even more severe.
“I really hope this DANA marks a turning point, making us realise the need for prevention and adaptation. “We cannot stop all the impacts of climate change but we can reduce them so that no more human life is squandered.”
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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Slice of success
AN Italian restaurant in Tarragona has been garlanded for serving Spain’s best traditional pizza at the National Pizza Passion Championship in Barcelona.
The Aboccaperta pizzeria scooped the prize for its ‘pizzaiolo’, a dish that uses finely milled Molino Castillo flour and peeled Pelati di Puglia Rosso Gargano tomatoes. Aboccaperta was founded in 2011 by Italian immigrants, Matteo Gripo and Davide de Nuncio.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
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WINE-ING
Spanish wine clinches top prize at the ‘Academy Awards’ of global wine
A SPANISH winery took the top prize at the prestigious Golden Vines Awards, often referred to as the ‘Oscars of wine.’
The ‘best picture’ award, known as the Robb Report Golden Vines World Best Fine Wine Producer award, went to Vega Sicilia, based in the Ribera del Duero region.
Vega Sicilia has long stood out for producing some of Spain’s best wines, including its flagship bottle Unico
The winery, established in 1864 and one of the oldest in Spain, makes sure it uses
OP Puzzle solutions
Quick Crossword
Across: 8 One day at a time, 9 Tugboat, 10 Stand, 11 Bohr, 12 Jamaican, 16 Grimaces, 17 Inst, 20 Unite, 22 Plateau, 23 Greenhouse gas.
grapes that fully matured in a long-ageing process to get its award-winning results.
A second Spanish winery, Familia Torres, was also recognised at the glitzy ceremony.
Familia Torres, from the Salnes valley in Portas, won for its innovation in sustainable winemaking.
It received an award for pioneering eco-friendly techniques such as organic farm-
ing, water conservation and its use of renewable energies.
Other notable winners included Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (Best Wine Producer in Europe) and Harlan Estate (Best Wine Producer in America).
Each winner received a trophy designed by artist Nuria Mora, housed in a custom Gucci bag.
The prestigious Golden Vines Awards took place this year in Madrid in a lavish ceremony at the Cibeles Palace.
Fresh off the success of its inaugural event in London in 2021, it was followed by further editions in Florence, and Paris.
The next Golden Vines awards will take place in Miami from November 7 to 9, 2025, with tickets already on sale for €15,000 each.
November 13th - November 26th
SHOWING OFF
GIBRALTAR Tourist Board have been at the 44th World Travel Market (WTM) in London, led by Tourism Minister Christian Santos.
They highlighted the region’s unique tourism, culture, and heritage at their stand, connecting with approximately 40,000 industry visitors and WTM's online community of 250,000.
Joined by GTB CEO Kevin Bossino and Head of Media and Marketing Tracey Poggio, Santos engaged with key industry figures, including representatives from easyJet and British Airways. Describing WTM as ‘the world’s most influential travel and tourism event,’ Santos emphasised Gibraltar’s appeal as a first-class destination, aiming to bolster industry connections and showcase Gibraltar’s distinctive heritage and warm hospitality.
NATIONAL Geographic has picked Frias, in Burgos, as the ‘prettiest town to visit in November.’
The hamlet of just 300 residents was chosen for its ‘historic splendour’, architecture and landscapes. Frias is known for its gothic buildings constructed in traditional limestone, hanging houses, and the impressive castle and church.
The magazine also highlighted the town’s mediaeval bridge, described as an ‘architectural jewel’ of Burgos. Writer Jose Alejandro Adamuz stated: “Frias has lots of historic and architectural value, all of which is perfectly preserved.
Sa Ferradura, Ibiza
The ‘epitome of luxury’, a week on this exclusive island costs an eye watering €250,000 to 300,000 for up to 12 other guests.
has been enjoyed by the rich and famous, including Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Elon Musk.
To access the top-tier accommodation, visitors must answer a list of questions from the eager to please staff: What’s your favourite food?
What style of service do you prefer?
What little details would make you happy?
Like ‘being taken to a Bond villain’s lair’ guests are picked up in blacked out cars and driven across rocky terrain to arrive at their destination. Set over 3.5 hectares, it has
a bar, a spa, an infinity pool and a gym after being kitted out with extensive, fouryear renovations by the ‘eccentric’ owner. It is found 22 kilometres away from central Ibiza, making it the perfect getaway for the rich and famous.
SEEING ISLE TO ISLE
The Spanish private islands that attract the rich and famous
CELEBRITIES as diverse as musicians Shakira and Ricky Martin, actors Mel Gibson, Johnny Depp and Leornado de Caprio, magician David Copperfield and businessman Richard Branson have one thing in common - they all own their own private island.
While the majority of these are in Florida and the Caribbean, Spain has its own collection of private islands, which beckon the mega-rich, each boasting its own unique allure and opulence.
From the sun-drenched shores of Ibiza to the more understated charm of Galicia, these exclusive havens serve as retreats for the wealthy elite.
Here we spotlight four of Spain’s ‘private islands’ owned by the mega rich - including a Russian oligarch.
In the middle of the Mar Menor lies this 94 hectare volcanic island.
Also known as Isla del Baron, the island takes its name from the Baron of Benifayo, who built a neomudejar style palace on the summit of the long-dead volcano. The island is known for its unique plant and birdlife, including rare Chamaerops.
In nearby San Pedro del Pinatar, the Baron built another neomudejar palace which is now the town’s Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum.
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.
For further information call:
+350 200 74950
Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi
Owned by Russian oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov (currently engaged in a spat with Vladimir Putin) the haven
Isla Mayor, Murcia
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FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL
Tagomago,
Just minutes from the ‘playground of Ibiza’, this private island provides a refuge from the chaos.
The only property is an ultra-modern and it comes with a personal jetty, pool, jacuzzi, helipad, professional grade kitchen, a spa, panoramic terraces and chartering services.
Spread over 600,000m2, the island offers an intimate experience just 900 metres from the White Island. You can even contract the ultimate party experience, with a yacht day,
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November 13thNovember 26th 2024
finest restaurants.
Visitors can also tailor activities to them, with paddle boarding, diving, jet skiing and sailing on offer.
The island is popular with celebrities, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Justin Bieber
and Liz Hurley (pictured right). It is also a preferred destination for luxury weddings.
Despite this, the island is no stranger to controversy. Manager and long-time partner of Spanish actress Norma Deval, German entrepreneur Matthias Khün was sentenced to six months in prison plus a fine of
€10,800 for building on the island. The real estate agent, who owns Kuhn & Partner, carried out construction works on the Tagomago without permission and licenses, tainting a Natural Area of Special Interest. It reportedly costs €25,000 a night to stay and it last sold for €150 million. Today, Austrian nobility are thought to own it, though Khün still manages the island.
Not quite as glamorous as Tagomago is Vigo’s Toralla Island, home to a tower block plonked in the middle of the estuary. A controversial project, the 70 metre tall residential building was constructed in the 1960s and is now an integral part of the Vigo coastline. Also in contrast with the natural surroundings are the 30 high-end chalets built throughout the 10.6 hectare island.
Residents are connected to the mainland by a bridge leading to the Playa de Vao.
Although the urbanisation is private, the island’s two beaches and Roman remains are open for public access.
at
Kempinski Hotel Bahía
Don’t miss the most famous Christmas occasions on the Costa del Sol this festive season, a time full of sparkle and joy
30 November - The Kempinski Christmas Market & Lighting of the Tree from 13.00 until 20.00, with stalls, festive delicacies, choirs, a kids zone (paid entrance) and a visit from Santa. Open to the public, no entrance fee.
24 December - Christmas Eve six course Gala dinner at Baltazár Bar and Grill, with live music and that perfect Christmas atmosphere
25 December - The famous Christmas Day buffet brunch, with live music, kids entertainment and the visit from Santa!
31 December - You can choose between:
New Year’s Eve: a stunning gala dinner with a pre-dinner cocktail, live music, midnight celebrations and an open bar to dance the night away.
2.8 Diesel manual box
2002 MOT’d July 2025
57,000 miles • Under 7 metres long
• Sleeps up to 6 and 6 seat belts
• Double bed overhead cab
• Central super king bed or double and a single.
• Reversing camera
• 2 x solar panels 2kw and inverter
• Smart TV and DVD player, radio and CD player
• Oven, grill, hob and microwave.
• Sink and lower cupboards, 6 overhead cupboards in saloon and 2 large lockers in dining area
• 3 way fridge/freezer
• Boiler and central heating with plenty of hot water
• Large rear bathroom and shower cubicle, with double wardrobe and wash basin
• Loo and 2 cassettes
• Under floor storage total length of saloon, including “man’s fridge”!
• Sturdy bike rack on tow bar t: 711 010 479 - Offers in region of 17k (Locally stored near La linea.) Outside of Gibraltar. on a fiat Ducato chassis
New Year’s Eve buffet: ideal for all the family, with a pre-dinner cocktail, live music, midnight celebrations, and kids club available till 01 00 +34 95
Discover more by scanning the QR code for more details about each special occasion!
a night at Pacha, Ibiza’s most exclusive nightclub and dinner at some of the area’s
Ibiza
Toralla Island, Vigo
Close to the bone
Shooting for sixes
SPANISH speakers have topped 600 million globally this year for the very first time. There are nearly 500 million people who speak Spanish with native proficiency.
Honesty pays
DINERS in El Palo who tried to pay up after realising they had not been charged €48 for a paella were told by the restaurant owner to donate the money to charity.
Mud raker
A SPANISH news reporter was caught on camera caking himself in mud before giving an update on the deadly Valencia floods direct from the disaster zone.
HISTORY REPEATS
Neighbours
shocked to discover they had recreated a street scene from 60 years ago
VOLUNTEERS have inadvertently recreated a slice of history by dining outside in a floodwrecked street – just as past valencianos did during deadly floods in 1957. History rhymed as a family were snapped celebrating that their street in Catarroja had
finally been cleaned up after nearly two weeks of hard slog. What they didn’t realise is that the photo eerily recreated a moment last seen 67 years ago.
On that occasion, locals dragged
out a table and chairs into knee deep water during severe flooding which killed 81 people. It is just one of a number of heartwarming moments that have surfaced amid the chaos
for ‘laughing at the locals who live there.’
WHAT CAN AI GET YOU? Really?
A BENIDORM hotel is blazing a trail with a team of eight robots that can help check people in, print room keys and even pour pints. The Climia Benidorm Hotel boasts its latest recruits can also clean rooms and provide room service. While the robot waiter can carry up to 60kg worth of food and plates. Creators Bumerania, from Alicante, say they will not take jobs, but free staff to concentrate ‘on serving the client’.
and tragedy that struck on October 29.
In another video, two toddler cousins are seen running to hug one another after being separated by the catastrophe.
One commenter said: “It’s the little ones that are the best, so cute!”
Meanwhile, one little boy’s birthday was nearly ruined after flood waters had left a car outside the front door trapping him in his house.
So instead, family and friends climbed on top of the cars to reach up and pass him his presents through the balcony and celebrate with him.
Jr. What the people had failed to realise was that the man getting all the attention was just a lookalike.
MADRID’s Jamon Museum
Madrid local slammed
‘sh*tty sign’
A STIR was caused outside the Bernabeu Stadium after a Real Madrid superstar was spotted taking pictures with fans. Even the local media were on the scene with a cameraman and journalist to get a few words with the great Vinicius
