Olive Press Gibraltar Issue 242

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P LIVE RESS O GIBRALTAR

‘rogue officer’ has finally been sacked after his latest border shenanigans – or has he?

PISHED: Last issue we reported he was under investigation for being ‘drunk’ at his post

Reports from the Spanish press indicated that Chief Inspector David Barrero, who has been causing problems at the Gibraltar border since last year, was given his marching orders on Friday. His superiors relieved him of command after Barrero unilaterally ordered border staff to start stamping Gibraltar passports at 10.30am. The timing was deliberately designed to permit Spanish workers entering Gibraltar for their working day to escape reciprocal actions.

Yet according to reports in Spain, efforts to fire the ‘rogue’ commander did not go according to plan during a tense hour at the border. Algeciras daily Europa Sur reports that Barrero was instructed to leave his post at the border and attend the Local Police station in La Linea. Barrio deemed the order ‘ambiguous and imprecise’ – if he went to the Local Police Station, he could be accused of abandoning his post, while if he remained, he could be accused of disobeying an order. Barrero then challenged an email, which officially removed him from his post overseeing the Gibraltar border for not meeting ‘legal requirements’.

He has since challenged the order in court, meaning – according to reports – he is still in his post.

The Acerinox steelworks is slammed for spewing ‘frequent’ toxic clouds into the Bay of Gibraltar - while Spanish authorities ‘turn a blind eye’

EXCLUSIVE

By Walter Finch

THE Acerinox steelworks in the Bay of Gibraltar belched out a sinister cloud of orange gas over the weekend that insiders claim are ‘suspiciously frequent’.

A denuncia filed to the Junta de Andalucia claims the plant’s system for filtrating the noxious fumes created by the smelting process is malfunctioning.

But sources connected to the plant told the Olive Press that the release, likely due to a build-up of highly dangerous nitric acid fluoride in a storage tank, was part of a pattern.

“Everyone who works remains silent for fear of losing their jobs.

“More than half the population of the surrounding areas work there or have a family member working for them directly or indirectly and they fear for their jobs.”

Other residents have told the Olive Press the plant is ‘more polluting than ever’ amid claims the Spanish authorities turn a blind eye ‘out of fear of losing jobs’.

People in the neighbouring towns of Palmones and Guadarranque claim that Saturday’s cloud was just the latest discharge of toxic gases in the Bay, home to hundreds of thousands of

people, including 40,000 in Gibraltar, that has been going on for decades. Local resident Paco Cervantes, 66, told the Olive Press that he lost his father and mother-in-law to cancer, and more recently a neighbour.

tionally struggled with high unemployment.

However, the jobs have come at the cost in the form of a shocking environmental record that even includes a 2008 radioactive leak.

cause they are terrified of Acerinox moving the plant, leaving the struggling Campo de Gibraltar with ‘thousands of unemployed’.

AFFECTED:

The retired port worker, who lives in Guadarranque, added: "The Campo de Gibraltar has the highest levels of cancer, bronchitis and asthma in all of Spain – we are top of the cancer list. “Here people die of cancer. But it’s difficult to draw a direct connection between the heavy industry and the cancer rate, which is why there has to be a study. But the authorities refuse to do it."

The heavy industry plant operates an ‘open air dump of slag and metal particulates which knowingly pollutes the air and, depending on which way the wind is blowing, causes havoc with nearby residents’, according to local environmental groups.

The Acerinox steelworks is part of a sprawling heavy industry zone that occupies a corner of the picturesque Bay of Gibraltar, along with the Cepsa petrol refinery and a coal-fired Endesa power plant.

The three plants employ a total of over 3,000 workers directly, and are responsible for well over 10,000 indirect jobs in a region that has tradi-

Cervantes accused the authorities in Spain of being complicit by refusing to enforce regulations or carry out appropriate inspections on Acerinox.

“They haven’t been complying with either Spanish or European environmental directives for many years,” the local resident continued.

Blind eye

He continued: “The Acerinox plant, which was built in the 70s, hasn’t been modernised in years and they refuse to invest to upgrade their processes. The controls they’ve put in place have been zero.”

Despite repeated denuncias, both the Environmental Prosecutor's Office in the Campo de Gibraltar and the Junta’s environmental delegate in Cadiz have refused to take action or dismissed the complaints.

“There is not a single governing body investigating what has been happening at Acerinox,” Cervantes said. He believes that the authorities turn a blind eye to repeated violations be-

“The politicians support the petro-chemical industry, there’s always some politico willing to stand by it,” he added, pointing to the appearance of Pedro Sanchez at the Cepsa plant in December 2022.

Meanwhile, local action group Verdemar Ecologistas en Accion claims air quality measurements are ‘turned off at night’ – when the majority of the noxious gases are released.

It adds that Acerinox fails to comply with dangerous substance regulations, does not undergo regular inspections and knowingly keeps dangerous particles in an open-air dump.

One resident in Palmones told the Olive Press: “Pollution has always been a problem, for as long as I can remember, but many are unwilling to say it as most of the town works in the plant.

“There’s dust and particles in the air, which I find on my windowsills and in the summer when I’m sweeping the floor.”

Another local, Javier Martin Delgado,

INDUSTRY: The Acerinox steelworks occupies a prime position in the Bay of Gibraltar

Brothers Javier and Fernando say Acerinox is worse than ever

The Acerinox steelworks operates an open air dump of slag metal that gets blown by the wind

Residents in Palmones (pop. 2,000) are exposed to harmful gases and particulates

SPAIN’S

IN BRIEF

Naval novelty

THE Spanish Navy’s Chilreu-class patrol boat Tarifa transited the Strait around the Rock and didn’t make an incursion into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.

Young artist

The winner of this year’s Young Art Competition is Stella Bosano, whose piece Communicate dazzled the judges when viewed through red and blue filters.

Fake passes

THE government has warned public transport users to be vigilant for social media posts offering scam bus passes. They are not valid and cannot be used on Gibraltar buses.

Helping hand

A CONCERT featuring the talents of Levi Attias, Fabio Barrele, Luis Wood, and Charles Reyes will take place at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity on March 13 to raise money for the Gibraltar Alzheimers’ and Dementia Society (GADS).

SEX CRIME WAVE

A NUMBER of high-profile criminal cases have underlined the ‘worrying’ spike in sexual offences being committed in Gibraltar.

Figures from the RGP show that, while 81 such crimes were committed in 2021-22, that figure has nearly doubled in just two years to 151.

And the stats for 2025 are already looking grim: of the 35 criminal cases pending in the Supreme Court, nearly half of them (16) relate to sexual offences – of which half again (8) are for child sex abuse.

The stark figures have been underlined by recent court cases, including sentencing historic paedophile Graham Southwell to 39 years in jail last month.

Joelle Ladislau (right), the

Gibraltar seems to be undergoing an epidemic of sexual crimes – are there more offenders out there, or is it down to identifying them better?

By Walter Finch

shadow Justice Minister, told the Olive Press that ‘any trend that suggests there's more sexual offences going on is worrying.’

While granting that the numbers ‘could be rising’, the GSD minister explained: “It’s a complicated equation because more people are being held to account these days.”

So is it a question of increased offending, or of unreported crimes now going punished?

“Almost all these crimes take

The RGP has confirmed that the Rock operates a sex offender scheme similar to the UK's Sarah's Law.

Detective Inspector Cavallo Soane, head of the RGP's Public Protection Unit said: "While Gibraltar doesn't operate under Sarah's Law specifically, our disclosure policy under MAPPA provides a broader approach, addressing risks to the entire community, not just children", Under Gibraltar's Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements, residents can request information about individuals they're concerned about, similar to the UK

place behind closed doors and the perpetrator is often known to the victim/survivor or their family,” a spokesperson for the RGP told the Olive Press.

“They can even be upstanding members of the community and the victim/survivor fears they will not be believed.

“These types of crime require extreme courage and strength from the victim/survivor to come forward.”

The RGP has made combating sexual crimes a priority, beefing up training for its officers, working closely with the

Sarah’s law

system which allows parents to inquire about those in contact with their children. Each request is reviewed by relevant agencies, with disclosures made under strict safeguards when necessary.

Anyone with concerns about a potential risk should contact the RGP Control Room on 200 72500 for non-emergencies or 999 in emergencies.

Care Agency and the Department of Education, and increasing its ability to comb digital devices for evidence of crimes.

RGP officers have been in schools conducting awareness training over issues such as sexting, stalking, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as coercive behavior. Meanwhile,

campaigns to spread public awareness of successful convictions for both sexual offences and domestic violence are designed to encourage other victims to come forward.

But while these measures will hopefully bear fruit in the future, they struggle to explain away the frequent cases of child abuse that move through the Gibraltar courts.

“It's hard to say whether there's a bigger problem here than other places,” Ladislau said.

“It might look like there is just simply because we're so small and suddenly the number of cases are shooting up, but I don't think it's necessarily the case.”

Sex offenders

Ladislau pointed to the fact that there are 28 registered sex offenders in Gibraltar –four in HMP Windmill Hill –from a population of 40,000, as per UN figures.

This ratio, of about 0.7 for every 1,000 people, compares favourably to the United Kingdom, where there’s 68,000 registered sex offenders – or one for every 1,000

people. But one of the crucial questions is what to do with these offenders once they are released back into a society as small as Gibraltar’s. It has opened up a debate –whether to have a public registry of sex offenders available to all – sometimes known as Megan’s law from the US, or a more selective system in which one has to request to know from the RGP, or Sarah’s law from the UK. Ladislau is supportive of the latter. “Sarah’s law means the police have a measure of discretion as to the kind of information that they do provide in order to safeguard children in a particular instance.” Along with risk ratings for offenders that are already in place ‘behind the scenes’, electronic ankle tagging is another measure by which people can be safeguarded.

Rubiales dodges jail

SPAIN’s former football chief Luis Rubiales has been found guilty of sexual assault for the infamous kiss he planted on Jenni Hermoso af ter the 2023 World Cup final. The judge fined him €10,800 after the nine day trial in Madrid’s National Court, but

ish Football Federation dodged a jail sentence. He was, however, acquitted of the more serious crime of coercing Hermoso into publicly saying that the kiss was consensual, for which prosecutors had demanded two-and-a-half years.

Last week’s ruling prohibits Rubiales from approaching Hermoso within a radius of 200

ROYAL RIP-OFF

A SPANISH mayor has called on Meghan Markle to change her As Ever logo, insisting it plagiarises her town’s ‘historic’ coat of arms.

As Ever is part of Markle’s personal lifestyle brand that she uses to sell a range of products such as fruit preserves and home essentials.

But Xisca Mona, leader of the sleepy village of Porreres, in Mallorca, told the Olive Press this week that she was ‘shocked’ upon seeing the logo. It features a palm tree flanked by two hummingbirds, which Markle claims symbolises her home in California with husband Prince Harry.

Yet the design is remarkably similar to Porreres’

Megan Markle under fire for ‘copying’

historic coat of arms of Mallorcan town for her lifestyle brand

by Laurence Dollimore

coat of arms, which also shows two birds flying on either side of a palm tree. Xisca told Olive Press: ‘We are still a bit shocked, we thought it was fake news at first, we didn’t know what was happening.

‘Then loads of newspapers and media started calling us and we realised it was serious.’

She said the similarities are ‘undeniable’, adding: ‘They are the same, except the birds are a little different and they used different colours, but they are nearly identical.’

She continued: ‘All jokes aside, we really want them to change the logo because our coat of arms is very special to our culture and has been linked to our

arms of Porreres

town since it was founded hundreds of years ago.

‘It is very important to our identity and now it is being used to sell products like jam. ‘The truth is that although this has given our once unknown town some publicity in just a few hours, we don’t like our coat of arms being used, we want them to pull the logo.’

REQUEST: Mayor Xisca Mona has politely asked Megan

should at least sell apricot jam’ - in reference to the locally renowned apricots.

However, while there is a desire to fight the Sussexes, Xisca said the town hall will probably choose not to.

She explained: ‘We simply cannot fight such a big company like that, we are a small town with limited resources.

‘We may send a letter ask-

Sex bomb drops

IT’S not so usual that legendary 84-year-old Tom Jones is set to enter tain Spanish crowds once again. Far from embracing retirement, the Welsh crooner will post two concerts in Spain as part of his hectic Defy Explanation Tour 2025.

Fans in Andalucia will be treated to a show in Chiclana de la Frontera, Cadiz, on Au gust 11, which he will follow by taking to the stage in Al icante just two days later on August 13.

Gere-ing down

HOLLYWOOD legend Richard Gere is looking to put down roots in northern Spain's picturesque Galician coast.

The Pretty Woman star, 75, and his Galician wife Alejandra Silva, 41, have been spotted viewing luxury properties in the exclusive enclave of Oleiros, just 15 minutes from A Coruña city.

Sources close to the couple confirmed they've been interested in purchasing a sea-view prop-

erty in the area for at least two years, though no deal has yet been finalised.

"They visit every summer and stay with Alejandra's family, but now they want their own place," revealed a local estate agent. Oleiros, with its population of 38,333, has become one of Galicia's most desirable addresses. It boasts the highest per capita income in the region and ranks among Spain's 25 wealthiest municipalities.

and Bastiagueiro, historic Santa Cruz Castle, and stunning sea views along its maritime promenades.

Gere wouldn't be the only high-profile resident – Pablo Isla, former Inditex chairman, and Sandra Ortega, daughter of Zara founder – and Spain's second-richest person – Amancio Ortega already call the area home.

The coastal town is known for its Blue Flag beaches including Santa Cristina ing them to remove the logo and to find a new one.’ She added that the people of Porreres ‘invite Meghan and Harry to the town’ with open arms and joked that if they want to use their coat of arms as a logo, ‘they

EXCLUSIVE

TWINNED: Megan Markle’s brand logo (left) bares a striking resemblance to the coat of

Markle to change her brand logo

Campo rescue job

PSOE Andalucia called for the Campo de Gi braltar region to be designated a ‘priority territory in Europe’ after reeling from the impact of the UK leaving the EU.

The proposal aims to address ‘the historical problems intensified by Brexit’ in the Campo de Gibraltar, which is eco nomically co-dependent on Gibraltar for jobs and investment.

THE MOORISH castle is set for renovation and ‘enhanced facilities’, town planners have announced.

The La Linea branch of the party has even proposed amendments that would specifically highlight their town's ‘unique border situation and the enormous local impact of Brexit.’

Carbon calculator

GIBRALTAR businesses

could soon be required to calculate their carbon footprint as part of new environmental regulations.

It comes as OTWO magazine and Asile Limited partner to produce the calculator and prepare for legislation changes.

Carlito Buhagiar, from Asile, claimed it was a chance for companies to ‘get ahead of the game’. He believes businesses will be required to audit their environmental impact in the near future, just like their financial statements.

GCA Architects are behind the plans to redevelop the Tower of Homage and surrounding fortifications while taking ‘extreme care’ to preserve the monument. They aim to improve visitor appeal of a ‘significant cultural and architectural

The proposals include upgraded facilities, additional entry points, a souvenir shop and picnic areas. It will also include the renovation of an 18th century prison block, which will have a new roof and ‘themed multi-sensory visitor experience’.

Castle revamp

Campo of war

Heavily-armed narco gangs are bringing ‘more death’ to the Campo de Gibraltar

THE Campo de Gibraltar is facing a new threat from criminal gangs wielding ‘weapons of war’ that ‘will undoubtedly continue to bring deaths’ to the region. This is the troubling assessment from the Federal

By Tom Ewart Smith

Police Union (UFP), which paints a picture of drug traffickers operating with more firepower than their own officers. The old nar-

A DESPERATE grandfather is pleading for help after his Costa del Sol home was taken over by British squatters FIVE YEARS ago. Birmingham native Kenneth Jobe (below), 84, told the Olive Press he ‘hasn’t got much time left’ and is ‘exhausted’ after going back and forth with the courts in a bid to remove the English couple.

K.B, an expat of 33 years, and his partner have allegedly failed to pay more than €50,000 worth of rent for the €400,000 three-bed house in Mijas, since 2020 - allegedly helped by a ‘squatter’s bible’ that is used by so-called ‘okupas’ across the country.

They have also allegedly moved in their two sons, aged in their 40s - a fact they have neglected to tell the courts. The Olive Press contacted K.B, but he refused his right to comment via a lawyer.

Jobe, who is still reeling from the death of his own son from cancer last year, thought his nightmare was over when a Malaga court said they must be evicted and the locks changed. But incredibly, the ruling was overturned on appeal last month after the squatters were deemed vulnerable and at risk of homelessness.

Jobe said: “I just want to get into my home… the tenant is pleading poverty but has two older sons living there.”

He added: “On top of that he’s not been paying community fees so they also want him out.

“And when I try and negotiate he out right refuses…he’s a really nasty per son.”

Jobe said he has been battling the family since 2020, when he first filed an eviction notice after they stopped paying rent for various months on the Balcones de Mijas home in Buena Vista. The area is filled with affluent Brits who are ‘sick’

co gangs of the Campo have recently been expanding their influence to other parts of Spain, particularly along the Strait and Guadalquivir areas. It is now

GET OUT!

EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

of the squatters’ mess, with one video seen by the Olive Press showing mattresses dumped on the porch, next to multiple cars covered in dust.

“It’s tiring me out,” owner Jobe added, “I can’t believe the courts have sided with him, I haven’t got much time left.

“I’m just getting desperate. It’s dragged me down and it has cost a fortune on legal fees.”

Liverpudlian estate agent Paul Stuart, from local firm Palm Estates, told the Olive Press:

“The eviction was cancelled because they claimed vulnerability.

Disgusting

“They know the law, they’ve got something called ‘the squatter’s bible’, which tells them all the laws and how to get around everything.

“They are British and are receiving their pensions and taking advantage of the legal system, it’s a terrible situation.”

A family friend, meanwhile, branded the squatters ‘disgusting’, claiming that when he begged them to move out, they demanded a fee to do so.

“It’s absolutely disgusting,” he told this paper.

“Poor Ken has spent decades visiting Mijas and it had been his dream to spend his latter years there.

“They know all the tricks in the book, Ken lost one of his two sons in April and it took such a toll on him, and now he is still dealing with this on top, it’s vile.”

calling for urgent measures before the situation reaches ‘a point of no return’ with ‘irreparable consequences.’

Officers are demanding increased resources, better protective equipment – including individually equipped bulletproof vests with Kevlar or ceramic plates – and improved coordination between specialised police units.

The union is also pushing for tougher legal penalties against criminals and

Gib

official recognition of the Campo as an ‘designated area of special measures’ to enable them to take tough action.

Violence

Without immediate action, the UFP warns the violence could ‘spiral out of control’ as criminal organisations continue to operate freely with superior weaponry in what is becoming one of Spain's most criminally active regions.

women debut

THE Gibraltar women’s national football team suffered heart break in their first-ever competitive international

Gibraltar took to the global stage away to Moldova, ranked 131st in the FIFA World Rankings. Gibraltar, placed 185th out of 195, went into the match as underdogs.

This fixture marked the start of the Nations League group stage for both teams, who are with the Faroe Islands and Slovakia.

This was their first official competitive match - a historic milestone for the side. Gibraltar came agonisingly close to securing a draw, only to be denied by a stoppage-time winner from Moldovan winger Carolina Tibur.

Her looping shot found the net in the 93rd minute, sealing a 1-0 victory for Moldova and breaking Gibraltarian hearts.

60, told the Olive Press: “This is the area with one of the highest rates of throat cancer in Spain. I’m surprised we haven’t seen a child born with an antenna sticking out of his head.”

Javier’s brother, Fernando, 56, added: “We see black smoke from the Cepsa plant all the time, if anything it’s getting worse.

“Go to Punta Mayorga [on the other side of the industrial zone] and take a deep breath. You’ll know what we’re talking about.”

“The Bay of Gibraltar should be the nicest part of Spain, look how beautiful it is here,” Fernando continued, pointing to the beach and the river surrounded by mountains.

“House prices should be through the roof – but people can’t sell their homes and get out fast enough. It’s such a shame.”

La Linea real estate agent Mas Q Menos confirmed it: “The region has always been ‘mistreated’ by the heavy industry and, because of the Acerinox gases issue, perhaps they have lowered the prices a little more.” Acerinox did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Not all Spanish

FABIAN Picardo has rejected claims that all Spaniards believe the Rock should be Spanish.

During a recent interview on Spanish television, Picardo faced tough questioning, with one panellist insisting that Spain’s claim to Gibraltar was universally supported across the country.

Picardo strongly disagreed, pointing out that views on Gibraltar vary widely across Spain’s political spectrum. “Catalonia does not represent the same point of view, Andalucia does not represent the same point of view, the Basque Country does not represent the same point of view,” he told GBC.

Even within the PSOE, Spain’s ruling Socialist Party, opinions are divided, Picardo pointed out.

While right-wing parties such as the Partido Popular and Vox maintain a hardline position on Gibraltar, other political groups do not see Spanish sovereignty over the territory as a priority, he said.

GO BACK IN TIME

GBC will show a series of vintage films shot in Gibraltar starting in March. The ‘Gibraltar on the Silver Screen’ event will include titles like Wonderful Things and The Running Man Some of the films were shot on the Rock over 70 years ago, giving viewers a unique flavour of what life was like back then. The series will start on March 4 and will air every Tuesday at 9pm.

HEAVY WEAPONS: Criminals in the Campo out-gun the police

EXPERTS WHO CARE ABOUT YOU

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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

Pollution problems run deep

THE people of Gibraltar have been horrified by the cloud of noxious yellow gas that escaped from the Acerinox plant over the weekend.

And they are seven or eight kilometres away –the poor souls who live right by it are exposed to constant pollution that is shortening their lives and reducing its quality.

We were not even able to print much of what residents of Palmones told us about the Acerinox plant because it could be libellous.

But they, including some who used to work there, made some very serious accusations which will require further investigation before we can publish.

The issue of pollution from the Cepsa refinery, the Endesa coal plant and the Acerinox steel factory is, of course, not a new story.

Generations have lived with it; the conglomeration of heavy industry that blights what should by rights be one of the crown jewels of the Iberian peninsula.

It’s one thing to live across from well-managed, safety-conscious industrial sites with extensive and thorough environmental protocols.

But it’s another thing to live near ones which constantly discharge toxic gases into the air and blame it on recurring ‘accidents.’

And it’s even more galling that it’s a pattern that has been ongoing for decades without action taken by local authorities.

The other claim from the local residents – that the local authorities in Cadiz and Sevilla are too afraid of losing good employers to dare subject them to Spanish regulations is depressingly plausible.

Polluted, cancer-ridden lives with well-paying jobs or the paro, delinquency and narco-trafficking (or perhaps they would end up working on the Rock!)

These seem to be the two options for the people of the Bay of Algeciras, and the Junta has made a coldly calculated choice.

Of course, they’re not the only two options – in fact it’s a shocking dereliction of duty to let Acerinox get away with it.

But that’s where we are.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

Humenyuk Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es

Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Tom Ewart Smith tom@theolivepress.es

Estefania Marquez (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es

theolivepress.es

TIME TO MOVE ON?

Expats claim caravaners and van lifers are ruining the costas as they invade thousands of natural spaces and parking lots, dumping excrement, taking litres of water for free and even committing sex acts in the open air

WHEN Cor Vandenhoek moved to Torrox Costa nine years ago, he invested in one of the most expensive properties on the market under the promise that nothing would ever obscure his view to the sea

It was a vow that was sadly to be broken.

Just seven years later, the abandoned lot in front of the Dutchman’s upmarket Punta del Faro Urbanisation is ‘inundated’ with over around 60 new homes.

Not the sort of bricks and mortar properties that you might expect an expat homeowner would be complaining about sullying his view… but a phalanx of illegally-parked camper vans (see below), whose occupants’ behaviour leaves a lot to be desired.

The retired hotel owner has certainly got a point, with the long line up of campers stretching almost as far as the eye can see.

It is a similar picture at hundreds, possibly thousands of beauty spots, from Huelva up to the French border with Catalunya. While ugly, it is what the so-called ‘van lifers’

get up to in them - and outside of them, crucially - that has most incensed Cor and, as the Olive Press has established, thousands of his neighbours and fellow expats along the costas.

“I wanted to retire and have a quiet life here but I have never seen such chaos. Torrox was a beautiful place, the Saint-Tropez of Spain, but now it’s being abused and we can do nothing about it,” the 75-year-old told the Olive Press Cor claims he has seen the caravaners ‘masturbate in broad daylight’ and ‘throw human faeces’ in the bushes from his balcony. And it’s a story we have been hearing for months, since we first reported on the issue.

“I can’t even walk my grandchildren to the beach because there’s dirty tissues, condoms and shit everywhere,” continued Cor, who sent us a series of photos as evidence, as have many other readers from around the costas.

The pensioner also claims the van lifers put their rubbish, including human waste, into his urbanizations’ bins, paid for out of each resident’s €128 per month maintenance costs.

It is a similar story up the coast in Fuengiro

la. Age Care volunteer Ray Mynott, 77, told the Olive Press that he had seen many caravaners dump excrement around the fairground.

“They also dump their shit in the storm drains, blocking them, or directly dump them in the nearby Parque del Rosario.

“When we go to walk the dog, there’s a really unpleasant smell and I’ve even seen someone park his van over the storm drain to empty his waste directly into it. This goes down into the river and into the sea.”

The former chauffeur continued: “I’ve also seen people take around 16 litres of water from the park in a single day. They literally just park up and fill all their containers. They don’t pay any taxes for that.”

And the local welfare leader added that many expats believe the van lifers are up to no good.

“A lot of people in the Los Boliches area do not feel safe anymore because we don’t know who these people are,” he explained.

“The council thinks it’s helping the economy, but when I asked one of the restaurant owners near the feria ground where they all park he told me all the campers do is use their toilets.”

And it is not as if the van lifers disagree.

Veteran traveller and member of the Catalan Caravaners Union (UCC) Cesar Semarro told the Olive Press this week: “There’s always some pigs that behave badly. They ruin it for the rest of us.” However, he claimed this was a small minority of motorhome owners who do not

ARE YOU BURYING THE SARDINE?

ASH Wednesday is approaching once again, and with it will come the rather strange sight of Andalucians ‘burying a sardine’.

Yes, odd but true, but this will mark the end of the indulgence of Carnival and the start of the restraint of Lent.

For the British, a sardine is generally just an inch long thing crammed in a flat little tin full of oil, and Lent merely vague childhood memories of pancakes sticking to the ceiling.

In Andalucia however, sardines are something very different, and Lent is a very important thing to celebrate. Let’s tackle Lent first.

turn to dust fairly soon.

To rub it in, as it were, he smears every forehead with real ashes, and the people wear this stain proudly for the rest of the day. It’s really all about the start of Spring, and the end of Winter.

Historians tell us it is actually pagan and existed long before Christianity hijacked it some thousand years ago.

This year it starts on March 5, better known as Ash Wednesday. Don’t be surprised if you see people out and about with a grey smudge on their foreheads. They’ve been to church, for a special ceremony in which the priest reminds them that we’re all made of dust, and will all re-

We are actually celebrating the return of flowers, lambs and baby birds etc, as we say goodbye to ice and snow. Which brings us to sardines. Have you ever seen a small wooden boat packed with sand at a beach restaurant here? With fish cooking on balsa-wood splints over a charcoal fire?

This is a classic Malaga delicacy, called espeto de sardinas

The migrating fish (big, oil-free and delicious) swim along the coast at this time of year, and a percentage of them end up as part of an espeto or ‘skewer’.

This is where we need to turn to Francisco Goya, the Spanish painter.

By Michael Coy

Goya (who died in 1828) loved to depict popular festivals around the country, and that’s why one of his canvases (right) is entitled, Burying the Sardine It is a ceremony which is still maintained today in many Spanish towns. Some say it dates back to King Carlos III after being served a plate of sardines which had ‘gone off’ in the 18th century. Understandably furious, he commanded the offending fish to be buried. Whether true or not, the festival is an Ash Wednesday event which is symbolically about destroying the past and being born into the sunny, warm future.

Many places have different versions of the ceremony, and expect to see people dressed in mourning. While others put on the disfraz (disguise) of priests and nuns. Some places carry the sardine through the streets – don’t worry, it’s a dummy sardine – and bury it, sometimes in a coffin, in an actual grave. And that’s when the fun begins. Are you going to bury the sardine this year?

SEX ACTS: And the left overs in the bushes by Cor’s Torrox home, while Cesar (above right)

by Yzabelle Bostyn

Find out how to declutter, not only your living space, but also your mind on page 8

A YEAR TO DREAM

Valencia’s ‘starchitect’ Fran Silvestre brings his award-winning style to Sotogrande

See page 10

Just can’t get enough!

THE British are still the most important international buyers in Spain. Despite Brexit they still bought 40% more properties here than the Germans last year.

Only Polish and Dutch buyers increased on a larger scale than the Brits, who bought a staggering 8,728 properties last year.

The Germans bought just 6,230 properties and the French 5,025, which is a worrying drop of 14% in 2023.

Overall though, it was almost a re-

BritishbuyersledstrongresurgenceinSpain’s foreignpropertymarketlastyear

By Walter Finch

cord year for foreign buyers, who bought 92,958 properties, which is a 6% increase on 2023 and only marginally below Spain’s record year of 2022.

According to data from the Spanish Land Registry, Polish buyers are the rising stars in the market with a dra-

matic 36% increase in purchases. Dutch and American buyers also showed strong growth, rising by 18% and 13%, respectively.

Norwegian buyers, however, virtually fell off the map, with a collapse in home purchases of 63%.

The final quarter of 2024 was particularly strong meanwhile, with 24,985 sales involving foreign buyers - a 27% year-on-year increase

and the best Q4 on record.

This suggests that international demand for Spanish property is accelerating as the market heads into 2025.

Despite the slight slowdown in 2023, the 2024 figures indicate that Spain’s appeal to foreign buyers remains robust, with Brits continuing to lead the charge.

With no signs of demand waning, the Spanish property market looks set to maintain its momentum in the year ahead.

But buy-to-let investors have been

spooked by Spain’s new housing legislation, which has included ‘tenant-friendly’ policies such as rent controls in ‘strained’ neighbourhoods. Nationally, properties sold as investments account for one in four sales.

In Madrid, which has so far weathered the regulatory storm, it’s still a healthy one in three.

But in Catalunya, where investors are getting cold feet, it’s dropped from to less than one in four – its lowest level ever.

29thDecember 12th 2023

DECLUTTERING FOR BALANCE AND RENEWAL

TIME FOR A SPRING CLEAN?

WHEN clutter takes over it starts innocently: a drawer that won’t close, a chair overtaken by things meant to be dealt with ‘later’ or a collection that quickly grows.

Clutter becomes a mental weight, adding stress and making a space feel heavier.

Clutter doesn’t just sit in a cornerit seeps into the mind, creating unfinished business or chaos, turning a restorative space into something overwhelming.

Even small things impact focus, mood and well-being.

Ever walked into a room that made you feel instantly drained? That’s clutter at work.

Creating a Balanced Home

A balanced home isn’t about per fection or minimalism; it’s about designing a space that supports daily life.

The difference between a space that flows and one that doesn’t lies in what we choose to keep or let go of.

Clearing out the excess (old clothes, forgotten gadgets, or things that no longer serve us) brings a space to life.

Decluttering creates room for what truly matters: peaceful moments, inviting corners, and a home where you can recharge. Your space should nurture, not drain.

The Real Benefits of Decluttering

● Instant stress relief – Clutter is visual noise, keeping the brain in a state of tension. Clearing it out creates an immediate sense of calm and ease

● Sharper focus and mental clarity – A clutter-free space reduces distractions, helps the mind to think more clearly and boosts

Deeper, more restful sleep – A tidy, peaceful environment signals the brain to un-

wind, making it easier to fall and stay asleep

● More energy and motivation – Clutter drains mental and physical energy. Letting go creates space for fresh ideas, new habits and a lighter, more inspired way of living

● Easier decision-making

– Less stuff means less overwhelm. With only what truly matters in sight, everyday choices (what to wear, what to cook, what to focus on) become simpler and more intentional.

● More time for what matters – No more wasting

The Queen of eliminating clutter, Brandi Freeze, explains how her company Airy Spaces can work miracles for you this spring

hours searching for lost items or shuffling piles of ‘stuff’.

“

A streamlined space frees up time for hobbies, loved ones and moments of bliss. Letting go isn’t losing, it’s gaining freedom. The less clutter in your space, the more room there is for the life you actually want to live and build.

Spring Cleaning: Revitalize Your Space: It is a lot More Than Just Tidying Up Spring invites a fresh start, not just for our homes, but our mindset. Stripping away the old creates space for new possibilities and a vibrant environment.

reasons - past jobs, occasions, or sizes we hope to fit again.

Asking, ‘Does this reflect who I am now?’ helps simplify decisions. Letting go makes getting dressed easier and more enjoyable. Here are a few of my tips for making a great head start this Spring.

“ Spring invites a fresh start, not just for our homes, but our mindset.

Start with a seasonal wardrobe reset. We hold onto clothes for many

Clearing the Kitchen Counter

The kitchen is often the busiest space. Clutter here adds stress before a meal begins. Clear countertops make meal prep a simple, creative process.

The One-Year Rule for General Spaces

A helpful guideline: if an item hasn’t been used in the last year, it’s likely not essential. This applies to books, electronics, and sentimental items. Letting go frees up space and mental energy.

Mindful Tech Declutter

Technology is a hidden clutter source. Unused apps, outdated gadgets, and overloaded inboxes contribute to mental overwhelm. Organizing digital files, deleting apps, and clearing inboxes reduces distractions and streamlines tasks.

Clearing Out Common Areas

Living rooms, entryways, and hallways often accumulate clutter, but they set the tone for how we feel at home. Keeping them clear creates a welcoming atmosphere that promotes relaxation.

Simple acts such as tidying shoes, sorting mail, or clearing away old magazines will have an immediate impact.

Keeping It Simple: Small Habits for Lasting Change

Once decluttered, maintaining balance doesn’t have to be a chore. A quick tidy-up before bed prevents buildup. Designating key areas (like counters and bedside tables) as ‘no-clutter zones’ creates calm and a welcoming start to the day. Being mindful of what enters the space is just as important. Before adding something new, ask, ‘Does this bring value, or will it just take up space?’

Over time, this keeps things intentional and meaningful. When a home is in harmony, life flows more smoothly. Small shifts create more ease, calm, and a home that supports the life we want to live.

About Airy Spaces

Brandi Freeze is the found- er of Airy Spaces, which is based in Sevilla. She is passionate about helping people and creat- ing functional and nurtur- ing spaces. Specializing in declutter- ing and home organization, Airy Spaces offers custom- ized solutions that bring balance and harmony to homes while working to- wards a simpler, more in- tentional way of living. For decluttering tips, chal- lenges, and inspiration, visit www.airyspaces.com or follow @airyspaces on social media. Happy Decluttering!

Council house winner

Spanishsocialhousing projectscoopstop architectureprize

By Dilip Kuner

A REVOLUTIONARY social housing project in Spain has bagged the RIBA International Prize 2024 - the world’s most coveted award for cutting-edge architecture.

Modulus Matrix: 85 Social Housing, designed by Peris + Toral Arquitectes, is turning heads in Catalunya with its unique, eco-friendly design.

The six-storey, timber-framed block in Cornella, near Barcelona, is home to 85 apartments that are nothing like your average council flats.

Inspired by Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu, the building’s layout features

modular rooms that all measure the same size (3.6m x 3.6m) and are arranged around a central communal courtyard.

The clever design encourages socialising, with open spaces that can easily adapt to different family struc-

tures and needs. Every flat benefits from cross-ventilation and dual orientation to maximise natural light and airflow. Plus, the building is made from timber, cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions and slashing construction time.

chores visible.

Private balconies and Barcelona shutters offer added privacy, while thoughtful acoustic measures ensure peace and quiet between flats.

Inside, there’s no fixed layout: the rooms can be rearranged as resi-

The project was completed in 2021 and aligns with the goals of IMPSOL, a public body behind socially innovative housing in the area.

180 years - was particularly impressed with its social premise.

RIBA President Muyiwa Oki hailed the design as a ‘game-changer’ saying it offers a new blueprint for adaptable, long-term housing solutions. And it seems the locals agree — many residents initially sceptical about the layout have since come to love how the

GAME CHANGER: Scheme is a ‘new blueprint for adaptable long term housing solutions’ around Spain and Europe

Spain’s most trusted

AT Universal Eco Homes, we are proud to say we are not only rated five stars by over 1000 reviews on TrustATrader, we also have over 30 years combined experience.

As a family run and owned business, all our teams are our own and we have our own in-house Health & Safety Officer!

You are really putting your exterior walls, roof and patios in safe hands.

We are also approved by proPerla, for which we are Platinum Applicators in the UK. Our high quality products both protect and transform your property. Our exterior wall and roof coatings come in a variety of colours allowing you the opportunity to really put your mark on your home. Not only will you be making your neighbours envious, you will also be protecting your

Put your home in good hands: Let Universal Eco Homes take care of your exteriors

home from damp with the wall coatings, which, might we add, are also self-cleaning, making life a lot easier with those Calima sands, but also comes with up to a 20 year manufacturer warranty. The roof coatings have a 10 year warranty, also available in a selection of colours too! We are super excited to have landed here in Spain, and are proud to bring our experience to this climate. We offer free, no obligation quotations, with transparent details.

You know exactly what you are getting with us, no hidden surprises. Why not contact us today?

Fran Silvestre’s latest Sotogrande design is the work of a magician

HE has done it again.

Renowned Valencian ‘starchitect’ Fran Silvestre has unveiled his latest jaw-dropping home, and it is no disappointment.

His firm of architects has become a household name in the past two decades with its iconic houses, which are predominantly white with edgy, clean cut lines - and very expensive. On his seeming obsession with white, Silvestre explains: “We use white for three reasons.

“There is a strong contrast between blue and white. It is a symbol of culture. The second reason is scientific. When you have a white interior it makes it look more spacious.

“There is also the thermic question. You cannot have a big black box under the Spanish sun. “And lastly, it is the subjective reasons about the perception of beauty.”

His latest creation overloo-

We sold €50 million of property in our first year!

THE boss of Marbella’s upmarket

realtor The Agency has revealed the results of his first year in the re sort… and set a target for 2025.

Leif Orthmann (right) told the Olive Press he was ‘pretty happy’ with the results in 2024, which in cluded a €10 million villa sale in the Sierra Blanca area.

And now the giant American agency has hired five new agents it is aiming to sell €120 million of property this year.

“I don’t think it is unreasonable, given how upmarket this place is and the amazing demand,” added Orthmann, who grew up between Germany and Switzerland.

The bottom line, he explained, has been getting a better website and generating stronger leads.

“Now we have our lead gen under control we are able to get really good agents, who will earn lots of money,” he said.

He explained how high end property prices rose by 3.2% on the Costa del Sol last year, with an average price exceeding €3 million. The most expensive town is Benahavis where prices are just over €26 million, while the average price per square metre stands at €7,185.

Both Marbella and Estepona are not far behind and are breaking records of their own.

In particular, he revealed that a friend of his had sold a luxury penthouse property in the Puente Romano area for a record of €50,000 per metre square last year.

He declined to give the final fee, but described this as ‘Knightsbridge prices’.

“We are experiencing a golden age in the luxury real estate market. International buyers increasingly recognise Marbella not only as a secure investment but also as an unparalleled place to live,” continued Leif, who divides his time between Marbella and Chelsea, in London.

“Things are really starting to grow here and it is helping that a bit more culture is coming in, a few new art galleries and places like the new jazz club, Claude’s Bar, at Puente Romano hotel.”

He expects 2025 to be as good a year overall as 2024 and it helps with the number of digital nomads looking to live here.

Meanwhile, the Agency is looking for a new bigger office on the Golden Mile to absorb the new employees. It will also employ a new marketing manager.

One of the world’s biggest real estate firms by volume, the Agency became famous from the Buying Beverly Hills Netflix documentary

The Californian real estate titans are celebrated for selling iconic properties such as Hugh Heffner’s Playboy Mansion and Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch.

The agency was founded in 2011 by Mauricio Umansky, who is well-known from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Visit www.belleside.com for more information.

WHITE Magic

king Sotogrande golf course exemplifies Silvestre’s vision of harmony between architecture and its surrounding environment.

The design centres around what he calls ‘the interplay of shadow and light’ with the boundary between indoors and outdoors blurred by a cantilevered roof that brings both elements together.

This generous roof not only provides shelter from the scorching Cadiz sun but also protects against the heavy rains that often fall from the nearby Sierra de Grazalema, known as the rainiest place on the Spanish mainland.

IMPACT: The home is designed with the environment at heart

explains that the house is divided into four zones: the

cast by the roof, the transparent glass that facilitates efficient temperature control, and the soft, warm wood interior. The design also incorporates a layer of water actually on the roof (it could be called a roof-wide paddling pool!), which serves as both thermal and acoustic insulation.

The goal for Silvestre was to create minimal impact on the environment while offering an immersive experience of ‘inhabiting shadow’ in the serene surroundings of Sotogrande.

This latest home is a fitting continuation of the stunning designs that Fran Silvestre Arquitectos have become renowned for - and is indeed his latest signature design.

No costings have been revealed, but you could think of a number, add a few zeros, and you probably won’t be too far wrong!

Silvestre

ground plane, the shadow

WATER-USE: There are pools on the roof to aid with cooling in the heat of summer

represent the largely ‘respectful’ community.

The 78-year-old, who has been travelling in mobile homes for over 50 years, explained that the style of travel skyrocketed in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“People came to Spain because it’s a paradise with year-round sun. But because of the pandemic, they didn’t know the etiquette,” he confirmed. “Now they abuse the system, especially the snowbirds who come for winter,” he added.

Above all, he insisted it was important to understand the difference between parking and camping.

Parking for a day or two he believes is an entirely acceptable norm and gives everyone a chance to enjoy places.

“But camping is staying for months and acting like the street was your back garden. These people give us a bad name.”

Huge growth in numbers

The Olive Press has established that around 350,000 motorhomes are normally to be found travelling around Spain at any time, with the majority coming from abroad.

According to the Spanish Caravaning Association (Aseicar) 6,459 new motorhomes were registered in 2024 in Spain, a 22% increase compared to the previous year.

Catalan Semarro claims these campers are a great source of income, especially in ‘empty Spain’ (by which he means the interior) which of course is largely true.

“Our association and others like ours offer

JOY: At Goya’s Burying the sardine festival

guidelines on how to behave and if these rules are followed, you should be welcomed by locals with open arms.

“That means spending money in bars, shops and restaurants,” he said.

“If a small inland

village has 50 residents and four or five caravaners come and spend money, that’s a good income for the local villagers.”

One inland village, L’albi, in Lleida province, allegedly calculated €62,000 in local sales from motorhome owners in just one year alone after providing a safe parking area, including toilets, water and picnic tables.

However, most towns in Spain lack these essential facilities, caravaners claim.

And it is not only losing vital income, but it is causing problems.

“The coast is oversaturated for sure and many campsites are booked up a year in advance,”

regular British traveler Alan Harris, from Dorset, told the Olive Press

GREEN AND SEEN

- we are continuing to ensure that 99.5% of newspaper copies are accounted for.

After implementing the new tech for the first time last issue, we had just 0.67% of our papers returned across ALL of our pick-up points in Spain.

It’s all thanks to our new ‘Proof of delivery’ system which helps us guarantee that Spain’s most popular English newspaper gets into all the right hands.

One settlement ‘Beneficio’ that often had up to 1,000 people living in it, has frequently come under the crosshairs of the local police in Orgiva with claims of drug-dealing and other illegal activity.

Erikkson has crossed paths with many such undesirables, revealing on her YouTube channel that she frequently sees gay men having intercourse in bushes and has had to chase off men masturbating near fellow van lifers.

It’s

mostly Germans who don’t want to spend money and overstay

“I think the solution is for councils inland to provide proper sites with facilities and then charge a small fee. That’s what they do in France and the situation is much better.”

The 70-year-old former plumber continued: “I once spent €1,000 in a week in Javea, if you multiply that by the amount of people, that’s an awful lot of money for the local economy,” he said.

“Despite this, Javea council moved the campers on and the nearby bars were utterly horrified, they’d just lost lots of business.”

However, he admitted that some caravaners - mostly Germans - come to Spain with ‘huge’ vans loaded up with supplies.

“It’s mostly Germans who don’t want to spend money and overstay their welcome,” he claimed.

He also admits that many long-term caravaners are moved on following complaints from residents who own ‘expensive’ beach-side homes.

One classic person who regularly overstays her welcome, by her own admittance, is Therese Erikkson, 33, from Sweden.

The vanlife videographer appears to like winding up local residents.

“My favourite spot in Marbella is in front of some million euro mansions,” she boasted in an interview with us.

“They hate us parking in front because they see us as a threat to normal society, they want you to be in the rat race with them.”

While describing life in Marbella, or anywhere on the costas, as a ‘rat race’ seems a little wide of the mark, it is the fact that van lifers and most winter visitors are not obliged to pay local taxes, that really annoys residents.

And some are unlikely to pay tax at all going on investigations of large van-lifer settlements by the Olive Press around Orgiva, in Granada, and in particular, up on the Algarve, in nearby Portugal.

But being fair, most of the van lifers are simply looking to drop out and are largely harmless, choosing alternative ways of life. And some of them, including freelancer Erikkson, is all for contributing more to the local authorities.

“I think a subscription system would be good, a yearly membership to park wherever you want in Spain for €50 to €100,” Erikkson, who trains photographers, suggested.

“We’re mostly hardworking, normal people who want to travel. I hope Spain can see that we contribute to society.”

It’s a question that will raise much debate but, unless it is better regulated and can be prov en to contribute to the local economies, it will end up causing much more conflict over the

What does the law say?

Caravans and motorhomes can legally park jas normal vehicles in Spain. How ever, Spanish road authorities (DGT) updated the law in June 2024 so that campers cannot take up more space than the vehicle itself (for example, by putting up a hammock or shade), stand on anything but wheels and emit any fluids such as chemical toilet waste. While it was lauded as ‘protecting’ car avaners, the law failed to include other types of mobile homes, including con verted vans.

The new regulation also did not clari fy if it is permitted to sleep in mobile homes, but most have interpreted the law as a green light, saying as long as vehicles are parked correctly, they can do as they please.

Many municipalities however, have their own rules when it comes to over night parking, so make sure you check before taking a lie down.

This is a stark contrast to our rivals, whose newspapers get left in huge piles each week and often end up getting blown around the streets.

Yes, wherever you live, you will have seen hundreds of canopies left, literally sitting on the shelf. Unclaimed and unloved.

Indeed, rival distributors tell us they now call delivery day ‘pickup day’ as there are so many papers going unread that have to be returned.

We have never had that problem and are always the first free newspaper to get picked up wherever we distribute.

To guarantee this continues, we have teamed up with the UK’s largest free newspaper delivery company, Self Select Media.

In a high-tech and vital new way of delivering our newspapers, we get proof of delivery of every drop with photos and exact numbers distributed… and even better, monitor the numbers into the single digits.

Fines can range from €200 in prohibit- ed areas and up to €60,000 in environ- mentally-protected areas.

ROOM FOR TWO: Therese shares her van with furry friend Tindra

GRIDLOCK: Charity worker Ray Mynott says vanlifers dump their shit in the nearby park and take up to 20 litres of free water a day

chocolate!

Ciao GREEN HEART

CHOCOLATE is becoming more expensive and less available thanks to climate change, a study has found.

US research group Climate Central found increasing temperatures are making the sweet treat’s main ingredient, cocoa, more difficult to grow. Over the past ten years, farmers have found that they can’t grow the year-round crop for three weeks of the year due to higher temperatures. This can also lead to a reduction in the quality of the harvest.

A separate report from UK charity Christian Aid suggested this is having a negative effect on cocoa farmers.

Working with water

The solutions to Spain’s drying-out rivers are not ‘crazy rocket science’ explains Leeds-based professor

A LEADING ecologist has set out to save Spain’s dwindling river systems from the twin threat of climate change and excessive demands on water consumption.

Julia Martin Ortega (left), a professor of ecological economics at the University of Leeds, has warned that rising tem-

KNOCK IT DOWN!

THE JUNTA will meet with the central government on March 4 to discuss the demolition of the illegally-built, 24-storey Algarrobico hotel in Almeria.

The Andalucian government will be looking for a ‘quick, realistic and effective’ solution to the 20-year Cabo de Gata eyesore.

Carboneras Council will also be involved in the talks, following the Junta’s request in March 2024 that they reclassify the land as protected natural park land.

“We need dialogue, realism and pragmatism,” Junta spokesperson Carolina España said.

BUSINESS

Don’t bite back

AMERICAN companies in Spain have reminded a Trump administration planning to slap tariffs on the EU that the US has a trade surplus with Spain.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Spain sent a letter to the US stressing Spain imports more from the US than it exports.

It comes after Trump claimed he was considering setting reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose import duties on US products.

“We call for dialogue and the search for consensual solutions that avoid trade retaliation and reduce uncertainty for companies and workers on both sides of the Atlantic,” the chamber ruled.

EXCLUSIVE

By Yzabelle Bostyn

peratures are causing ‘intense river dryness’ across parts of the country.

But the academic says her solutions to this ‘intense dryness’ are not ‘crazy rocket science’. They include creating more shade near rivers to cool down waterways, clearing forest to prevent fires and switching to less water-intensive crop farming.

“The natural system is disrupted and unbalanced, so to fix it we need to work with it,” Ortega, 45, told the Olive Press

One river that has been particularly affected has been the Rio Genal in Ronda, which flows through a number of villages, including Genalguacil, Jubri-

que, and Benarraba, before eventually joining the Río Guadiaro near Casares.

The Genal has been hit with longer dry spells in an increasing number of areas, according to Ortega, with knock-on effects for the local biodiversity and community.

The Sevilla native academic is part of an international study known as ‘DRYvER’, which has been studying rivers across Europe for the past five years,

measuring the effects of global warming.

“While it is normal for rivers to dry over the summer, this process is now starting earlier, finishing later and spreading,” she said.

“Patterns of river dryness are intensifying in Spain due to climate change and water use. It’s only going to get worse.”

Some of the consequences of these effects are that

they rob species of their habitats, flooding becomes more intense and the likelihood of forest fires goes up.

The lack of water also has a profound effect on local communities, Ortega warns – some residents even lamented the loss of their connection to the river during workshops.

Identity

“It affects them deeply because they have less opportunities to connect with the river, where they used to spend time with their families and nature. They lose this sense of identity and cultural cohesion,” she said.

“People really care about the issue but there’s not enough knowledge, we need more awareness so that people can take action.”

This may also have an economic impact, with tourist activities in the waterways limited and a lack of water for agriculture.

Hotel hotspot

THE SPANISH government has called on the EU to protect green financial policies over fears they will be scaled back in the pursuit of ‘simplification’. It likened the changes to ‘open heart surgery’ and urged ‘surgical precision’ to avoid the collapse of EU green policy.

“Achieving our climate targets and strengthening the green agenda will go a long way towards reinforcing the competitiveness of the European Union,” said the letter, signed by the ecology minister Sara Aagesen. It comes after calls from businesses to reduce red tape that requires investments to be climate friendly. The ‘unprecedented simplification’ process aims to reduce the administrative burden by 25% for all businesses and 35% for SMEs. Brussels will present the first phase of the amendments on February 26.

Eastern promise

2024, beating the UK

Spain’s accomodation sector received the most investment in Europe in

SPAIN has cemented its position as Europe’s hottest hotel investment market after €3.3 billion poured into the sector during 2024.

Although down slightly from 2023’s €4 billion, it was still enough to beat competition from the UK into second place.

Madrid and Barcelona remained key players, securing €589 million and €572 million respectively, but it’s the country’s secondary cities that are

Embassy threat

THE US Embassy in Spain is insisting that all Spanish suppliers that operate in America with ‘diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies’ will be dropped within days. It follows from the executive order signed by President Donald Trump to stop such policies.

In Spain, the law imposes equality and LGBTI plans on companies that have a workforce of more than 50 people. Affected suppliers who have operations in the US have been given five days to comply with the new rules or the embassy will ‘suspend payments’.

By Walter Finch

increasingly catching investors’ eyes, according to consultancy firm Christie & Co.

The Balearic Islands emerged as a particular powerhouse, attracting €679 million in investment, outperforming the Canary Islands’ €598 million. This surge in island investment highlights the growing appetite for premium holiday

The affected companies must now try to work out how the new demand can be balanced up with EU regulations.

destinations among international tourists and investors alike, with foreign investors accounting for 40% of all deals.

“We’re seeing a significant shift in focus,” explained Alberto Martin of Christie & Co.

“While Madrid and Barcelona continue to attract investment, secondary cities are becoming the new hotspots for investors looking for promising repositioning opportunities.”

The luxury sector dominated the market, with four and five-star properties accounting for 70% of all room transactions, reflecting a post-pandemic shift towards upmarket accommodations.

Several headline-grabbing deals marked 2024, including the €200 million acquisition of Madrid’s Miguel Angel Hotel

(pictured) by Stoneweg and Lopesan, while the prestigious Six Senses Ibiza changed hands in another major transaction.

Looking ahead to 2025, experts predict investment levels will remain robust, staying above the €3 billion mark.

Opportunities

Secondary cities and island destinations are expected to lead the charge, offering fresh opportunities for growth in Spain’s flourishing hospitality sector.

For potential investors and property watchers, the trend towards individual asset purchases, which made up 75% of all transactions, suggests a market increasingly accessible to family firms and private investors, rather than just large corporate players.

SURGING investment from China is fueling the rapid growth in specialised law firms that employ Chinese-speaking lawyers in Spain.

The Chinese Law Association in Spain claims there has been a significant increase in legal firms catering to Chinese clients, particularly those advising on investments in strategic sectors.

The association estimates approximately 50 specialised firms now operate in this niche market.

This trend corresponds with China’s position as Spain’s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching €51.8 billion.

Chinese investors are particularly active in renewable energy and electric vehicle manufacturing, attracted by Spain’s climate, infrastructure, and favorable geopolitical position. Major Chinese investments include a €4.1 billion joint venture between automaker Stellantis and Chinese battery manufacturer CATL to build one of Spain’s largest electric vehicle battery plants in Zaragoza.

Last summer, Chinese legal giant Grandall Law opened an office in Madrid, having previously operated through local partners. Experts have noted that Chinese investors also value Spain as a gateway to North African and Latin American markets.

BONANZA: Spain’s hotel sector recieved €3.3bn in investment last year

DRY: Ecologists in action from Leeds doing hydrology studies in the Genal Valley

PARCHED: Rio Genal in Ronda is suffering from increased dryness

LA CULTURA

Big debut

ROSALIA will appear in the third season of hit US TV show, Euphoria, it has been announced.

The Spanish singer will star alongside series regulars like Zendaya and other special guests including superbowl champion Marshawn Lynch.

Filming will begin this week, some three years after the release of the second season by HBO.

Emmy

It follows the lives of high school students and their problems with drugs, sex and violence, gaining international acclaim and amassing 25 Emmy nominations.

Despite this, rumours the series had been cancelled swirled after multiple setbacks provoked by the Hollywood writer’s strike and unavailability of the actors involved.

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

LOOKING FOR MORE CULTURE STORIES?

HANDSOME CHEQUE

Cape belonging to historic - and tragic - Andalucian bullfighter sells for €5,000

A CAPE belonging to a legendary Spanish torero who died in one of bullfighting’s most tragic deaths has been sold for €5,000 by its owner, who needed to fund medical treatment.

The artefact carries particular significance as it belonged to a man whose death in 1984 shocked Spain and changed

A SPANISH short film about ‘empty Spain’ lost out at the BAFTAs last week.

The eight-minute stop motion picture Adios narrates a father’s struggle as his son moves abroad from rural Spain.

By Michael Coy

the trajectory of a bullfighting dynasty.

Francisco ‘Paquirri’ Rivera, once considered the most handsome man in Andalucia, met his fate in the small town of Pozoblanco – with inadequate medical facilities

Bye BAFTA

The film, by Jose Prats, who has worked with animation giants like Aardman and Warner Brothers, was recognised for its ‘emotional depth and detailed visuals’.

Despite this, it lost to Wander to Wonder by Nina Gantz, which follows what happens when two children’s TV stars are left behind after their creator dies.

– during what should have been a routine late-season appearance.

The circumstances surrounding his death raised questions that persist to this day.

Since penicillin was intro duced in the 1940s, hardly any toreros have lost their lives to bulls.

But Paquirri was as signed to face a bull named Avispero through an unex plained change in the traditional drawing of lots, which managed to gore him.

The bullfighter was losing so much blood that it was decided to transfer him to a hospital in Cordoba city,

but the ambulance changed direction and rushed him to a nearer military hospital - to no avail.

The tragedy left behind two young sons who would follow in their father's footsteps.

The younger son, Cayetano Rivera Ordoñez, himself a renowned torero, had no clue about the sale of his father’s cape until journalists approached him and told him. He was so surprised that the woman, who had originally been given it as a gift by Paquirri, had chosen to sell it that he refused to make any comment.

MADRID’s El Prado museum will bring together eight El Greco paintings in a never before seen exhibition. The artworks were commissioned for the Monasterio de Santo Domingo el Antiguo, Toledo and will be on display until June 15.

Brought to Madrid from all over the world, the ‘extraordinary’ paint ings will be shown in the central gal lery of the Villan ueva building. The paintings come from as far and wide as Chicago with the support of the Fundacion Amigos del Museo del Prado

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

‘Costs more than the flight!’

PUNTERS have expressed their shock after spending ‘more on breakfast than their flight’ at a new Malaga Airport cafe.

TikTokers Carliyo and Natalia Palacios were shocked when they tried Madrid three-star chef Dabiz Muñoz’s Hungry Club

The pair suspected prices would be high before even looking at the menu, knowing the world-renowned chef’s fame.

They soon got a wake up call when they realised breakfast cost them a whopping €36.50.

Natalia ordered a ‘posh’ ham and cheese toastie, totalling €15.40.

Meanwhile, Carliyo went for a stracciatella and pesto sandwich clocking in at €16.50. “It looks great, but the truth is this is costing us more than the flight,” Carliyo exclaimed.

“Yeah and the uber!” Natalia agreed.

CHEF-OVER

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

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MALAGA city’s most famous chef is taking the helm in the kitchen of the Costa del Sol’s hottest new hotel.

Jose Carlos Garcia has been brought in to oversee the dining options at Marbella’s iconic Los Monteros hotel that is set to reopen this week.

The Michelin-star chef has brought an extra sprinkling of stardust for the luxury five-star joint reopening after a three year refit under the American Kimpton brand.

The 195-room hotel boasts 60 exclusive suites and still ‘preserves the essence of Los Monteros’, with an ‘indulgent and casual atmosphere.’

The hotel first opened in 1962 and was one of Spain’s first five-star establishments, frequently visited by the rich and famous.

“We are working on something unique, never seen before on the Costa del Sol,” Garcia said. King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia were among the first to visit the luxury hotel, though it also put up Michael Jackson, Julio Iglesias, Sean Connery and Antonio Banderas.

It is the first Kimpton hotel in Andalucia, having other outlets in Barcelona and Mallorca.

ILLEGAL RENTAL CRACKDOWN

Tough new tourism laws threaten fines of up to €600,000

A NEW law could see owners of illegal tourist flats in Andalucia slapped with fines of up to €600,000.

The sustainable tourism bill has received preliminary approval and increases fines for ‘unregulated tourist activity’ in all categories.

For serious infractions, fines will now be levied from €10,000 up to €100,000.

Meanwhile, serious infractions will go from €100,000 to €600,000.

The law will also give local councils the power to allow or deny homeowners to use their

HEALTH

Chocs

A LEADING Spanish scientist has revealed chocolate can help you live to a century.

Endocrinologist Florence Comite, who says dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, a type of antioxidant that fights cell aging.

She eats the chocolate everyday, backed by numerous studies showing a link between cacao and lowered risk of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Dark chocolate can help improve blood pressure, blood circulation and the elasticity of blood vessels.

It can also reduce LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol and increase HDL, or ‘good’ cholesterol. However, to achieve this desirable outcome, the chocolate consumed must have a high cacao percentage, ranging from 70-90%.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

properties as holiday flats or villas.

This rental accommodation will become classed under the same umbrella as hotels.

“They will have the same rights and responsibilities,” explained Junta spokesperson Arturo Bernal.

Inspection measures will also be improved, utilising the latest technology and all guests will need to be registered.

Designated areas will also be established for tourist use, sep-

arate from residential zones although these may overlap.

Greater communication and collaboration between local councils, the Junta, businesses and social groups is being encouraged.

The Observatory for Local and Sustainable Tourism will work

with the Andalucian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FAMP), the Andalucian Business Federation (CEA) and the Junta’s Tourism Board.

It is hoped the law will be pushed through in the first half of 2025 using €10 billion of European funds. On

BABY MAKERS

THE rate at which people are procreating in Spain has gone up for the first time in a decade.

A total of 322,034 babies were born across the country in 2024, which was a modest 0.4% bump (1,378 more) on births compared to 2023. The rise, small as it is, marks a turning point after ten consecutive years of declining birth rates – although the preliminary figures could be revised and eliminate the good news. Experts reason that the birth rate bump has been driven by rising net migration to Spain.

"If fertility decreases but birth rates increase, it means the fertile population is growing,” explained Albert Esteve, director of the Center for Demographic Studies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 6 Botswana, 8 I P Os, 9 Seeing things, 10 Shaman, 12 Retool, 14 Tut, 15 Spider, 16 Hooves, 17 Commensurate, 20 Bill, 21 Ethereal.

Down: 1 Joes, 2 Esteemed, 3 Main entrance, 4 Mini, 5 Mongoose, 7 Afterthought, 11 Hypnosis, 13 Two pairs, 18 Malt, 19 Eras.

Spain’s birth rate increased for the first time in a decade in 2024 thanks to net migration

By Walter Finch

“And the only way to increase the fertile population is through immigration."

Spain offset its low fertility rate of just 1.4 babies per woman in 2023 by welcoming net migration of 642,296 people – among the highest immigration rates in Europe.

Regional variations were significant. Cantabria (13.3%) and the Balearic Islands (5.7%) recorded the highest increases in births, while Galicia (-4.4%) and the Basque Country (-3.7%) saw the sharpest declines.

Only five regions achieved positive population growth: Madrid, Murcia, the Balearics, Melilla, and Ceuta. The data also exposed Spain's continuing trend toward later motherhood.

Births to mothers aged 40 or older have increased by 8.5% over the past decade, now repre senting 10.4% of all births compared to just 7.2% in 2014.

A recent CIS (Center for Sociological Research) study identified

economic constraints, worklife balance challenges, and housing costs as the primary barriers to family formation in Spain.

Over 77% of respondents cited ‘lack of economic means’ as the main reason for having fewer children.

Even with this slight recovery, birth rates remain 24.7% lower than a decade ago, going to showing the demographic challenges Spain continues to face.

Heart healthy

A SPANISH cardiologist has revealed the best time to drink coffee for your heart health. According to Aurelio Rojas: “People who only drink coffee in the mornings have better life expectancy and are less likely to have heart attacks.”

A European Heart Journal showed drinking coffee exclusively in the morning reduces cardiovascular illnesses by 31% and premature death by 17%.

“However, if you drink it all day, those benefits disappear because it can affect your circadian rhythm, increase the risk of inflammation and provoke high blood pressure,” he warned.

SOME 15 firms have declared an interest in the ambitious Costa del Sol train project.

The Spanish companies are all competing for the €1.2 million tender to undertake a feasibility study.

The study will assess the potential extension of the railway corridor between Nerja and Algeciras, focusing on five key segments:

1. Nerja - Malaga (52 km): Anticipated to generate 26,763 daily trips.

2. Malaga - Fuengirola (30 km): 70,000 daily trips, equivalent to 25.5 million annually.

3. Fuengirola - Estepona (combined 51 km): 55,615 trips per day, or 20.3 million annually.

4. Estepona - Algeciras (50 km): 13,387 daily trips.

Crushing cancer

A SPANISH scientist in the UK has discovered a new way to predict and prevent the spread of cancer.

Victoria Sanz Moreno (above), of the Institute of Cancer Research London, revealed how malignant cells changed shape in response to their surroundings, making it easier for them to escape and spread the cancer.

“Our research uncovered the road map that cancer cells follow to break out of a tumour, enabling it to cause a secondary tumour elsewhere in the body,” the professor of cancer cell and metastasis biology said.

“Now that we understand this roadmap, we can look to target different aspects of it, to stop aggressive cancers from spreading."

Understanding how this phenomenon, known as metastasis, works is key to developing treatments and stopping aggressive cancers from spreading.

Drugs are already in development to target these cells and the genes which drive these deadly changes.

SLAPDOWN: Illegal tourist flat operators could recieve eyewatering fines

AT HOME WITH THE LEGENDS

Jon Clarke follows some of the world’s greatest golfers around Aloha golf course for the

Staysure Marbella Legends tournament

AS they walked up towards the 11th green, they were unmistakably two of the greats of the game.

And one of them helped design the course, while the other gave the handful of lucky fans watching a true masterclass in how to escape a bunker.

This was the dream pairing of Colin Montgomerie with Miguel Angel Jimenez, who had been teamed up with one lucky amateur to do battle at the Staysure Legends tournament at Aloha, in Mar bella.

Puffing on his trademark cigars throughout the entire course, Jimenez (right), was the local lad, born and bred up the road in Malaga.

But make no mistake he is one of the giants of the game, a two times Ryder cup winner, with 21 European Tour wins under his belt.

Alongside him, with his trademark girth and jollity, was Scotsman Montgomerie, long a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame with 31 European titles to his name, the most for any British player. It was the opening day of the tournament, a

Friday, under blissful blue skies and the pair were having fun, regularly swapping banter and even chatting to the fans, many who walked the course with them. I finally caught up with them half way up the 11th and watched the pair approach the green, with Monty dropping his ball into a nasty narrow sand pit, some 15 metres from the pin.

“Looks nasty,” commented a member, who had strolled up just behind me.

But Monty (who famously clinched the Ryder Cup, spanking the yanks, on the final hole up the road in Valderrama in 1997) is made of

sterner stuff. After watching Jimenez chip on to within a metre of the pin he scooped his ball out and dropped it at least a foot closer.

Without a doubt, one of the best shots I’ve ever seen, he then scored a birdie, as did his Spanish opponent. And so it continued for the rest of the round, with the pair both tussling to make the cut for the final day on the Sunday. This time though it was not to be for

the two genuine legends of the game, with a British pro Simon Griffiths taking the honours. Griffiths, who has not had an easy ride as a pro, snared only his second professional victory, both coincidentally in Spain. It was a dream come true for the Brit, who entered the final day with a two-stroke lead and somehow clung on against the string of Major winners and Ryder Cup Captains.

Most pundits had Jimenez or Monty as the likely winners, so Griffiths really had to keep his nerve.

Vicente Rubio, winner of the Legends Experience

As for the Legends Experience, the winner was Vi- cente Rubio, General Manager of celebrated near- by course and hotel Finca Cortesin and member of Aloha Golf.

“I really enjoyed it. I think that being able to play the first two days with professionals of the level that this tour has is a unique experience, it is exciting.

“We really enjoyed it, with a lot of nerves on the first shots and then you relax, but it is a great ex- perience that I recommend to everyone. Also, you play the course with a preparation that you don't usually find. It is different from playing a ProAm. You are competing, so you are concentrating on your amateur competition, and next to two gentle- men who are playing for their future, their money, and you have to be very involved in the game so as not to affect their game. It is a very special game and I recommend it to everyone.”

Having never played on the Tour before and still working as a caddie at his club back in Blighty, he really had to dig in and concentrate, scoring five birdies, including one at the 18th in front of a packed Clubhouse La Sala stand.

It left him on a credible 68 and 17 under par, beating, leaving Jimenez in fourth and Monty just below him, while Scott Hend came second with 13 under.

“I am delighted, absolutely happy,” he told the crowd standing on the winners podium. “I started with a birdie, Monty started making birdies and I knew I had to hold on, I was looking at the leaders because I knew Hend was doing well but the birdie on the 15th gave me a lot of peace of mind. I don’t know what it is about Spain but it is clear that I am good at it, I feel good, I like it... it is very special for me.”

tiful course. I love coming to Marbella.”

Local Marbella-based businessman, Ian Radford, from La Sala, absolutely loved the experience of playing as an amateur, but admitted it was ‘terrifying’.

“I played squash and padel for GB at the world championships and that was easy in comparison,” he told the Olive Press. “I played on my own with two pros, including Scott Hend, the whole time and you feel you shouldn’t be there, but on reflection it was really good fun, some great memories.”

He continued: “The event was superb and went perfectly to plan.”

In a word ‘terrifying’ playing with all those amazing professionals

The player who gave him the stiffest challenge was Aussie Scott Hend, who signed the best card of the tournament, with ten birdies on a 64-stroke round.

Jimenez, who helped to design some of the greens at Aloha, was quick to praise Griffiths and the event.

“It was a very good week, the course was in magnificent condition, the public, the people, the tournament, it was very good,” he said.

Ryan Howsam, President of Staysure and the Legends Tour, who also played, told the Olive Press: “It’s amazing to be playing here on such a beau-

Lisandro Vieytes, Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Sports of Marbella Town Hall presented the awards to the winners, accompanied by Rafael Fontán, President of Aloha Golf Club, Pablo Mansilla, President of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, Gonzaga Escauriaza, Honorary President of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, Miguel Ángel Guerrero, Golf Director of Turismo Costa del Sol and Javier Gervás, General Manager of JGolf. The Staysure Marbella Legends is sponsored by Staysure, Marbella Town Hall and the Legends Tour, as well as Turismo Costa del Sol, Aloha Golf and the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, and the collaboration of Titleist, Bodegas Juan Gil, Maximiliano Jabugo, Licor del Medit.

LINE UP: Winners Simon Griffiths and Vicente Rubio with organisers and sponsors

WHAT A FINISH: Griffiths grabs a birdie on the final hole to secure victory, while (top) Staysure boss Ryan Howsam hands over the cup

MASTERS AT WORK: Watching Monty approach his amazing bunker shot

Presented by

Doped on duty

A TRIO of Malaga police officers have been hospitalised after accidentally eating drug-laced sweets that they confiscated from a Fuengirola cannabis club.

Spidey scare

A PILOT with a spider allergy was bitten by a tarantula mid-flight between Dusseldorf and Madrid. The plane landed safely and the pilot was treated with anti-inflammatory medicine.

Tangled web

A CADIZ man, 36, has been fined for faking his own kidnapping to get out of paying €400,000 for a luxury flat he committed to buying to ‘prove’ he had won the lottery –which he had not.

NARCO NOUS

Secret

tunnel between Spain and Morocco uncovered – but this one used to smuggle

A TEAM of engineering specialists from Spain and Germany studying the feasibility of digging a tunnel to Morocco have been beaten to it. Commonly believed to be the engineering feat of the century, it turns out a mafia of enterprising narco traffickers dug one several years ago. Of course, theirs doesn’t connect two continental shelves

drugs

EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

under the Strait of Gibraltar. Instead, it runs between Morocco and the north African Spanish territory of Ceuta. Images show how the entry hole was built into the floor of a warehouse, before being hidden by a metal manhole covering, which opens up to reveal a

Toothy tourism

A NEW York architect has allegedly saved thousands by flying to Barcelona for emergency dental treatment.

David, who bought €428 return tickets to the Catalan capital just five hours before the flight, had three back to back appointments with an

series of ladders. These gave way to ‘a cavity approximately 12 metres deep,’

operation for a total of €333. The dentist diagnosed him with nerve cell necrosis from an infection. David then underwent four tooth reconstructions, totalling €361 at a Vitaldent clinic, coming to a grand total of €1,123. When compared to the cost of dentistry in the Big Apple – €4,200 – the enterprising architect saved himself over three grand.

according to the Guardia Civil in a statement. It continued: “It led to an underground gallery propped up with wood that runs towards the border, which would have been used to transport drugs between Morocco and Spain."

NOSES IN THE TROUGH: Two Guardia were arrested over drugs tunnel

The authorities, unable to explain how such large quantities of drugs were entering Ceuta, had long been searching for the entry route, according to local reports.

The Guardia Civil added: "This is the third phase of the so-called 'HADES' operation, in which 14 arrests have been made in the last three weeks, two of them Guardia Civil officers. "These arrests are related to the seizure of three trucks that were hiding more than six tonnes of hashish in hidden compartments."

A GOAT had to be saved from a fifth-floor windowsill in Madrid, leaving rescuers dumbfounded as to how it got up there. Emergency services were alerted by a concerned neighbour who had noticed the sight of the animal trapped 20 metres above street level.

The goat, perched on the overhang in Villaverde district, was at risk of falling to not just to its own bizarre death, but potentially the even more bizarre ending for anyone walking below. Most bizarrely of all, the building, has been ‘empty for some time’ according to neighbours. It is so far unknown who owns the goat nor how it got there, with one local woman exclaiming that it ‘came from heaven’.

Damn the gram

ANOTHER self-seeking daredevil has been hit with a fine for climbing up 25 metres onto a famous monument ‘for the gram.’ Emergency services quickly attended the scene at the old Roman aqueduct in Segovia, fearing the man might be preparing to throw himself off. After coming down to the assembled Policia Local and being identified, the man was hit with a fine that could be as high as €3,000.