Expats in Spain mourn the death of the UK’s longest-serving monarch up to be be side her, al though her eldest son Charles is believed to have been with her right until the end.
FREE OPRESSThe MALLORCA LIVE Vol. 5 Issue 139 www.theolivepress.es We are the leading private health group in the Balearic Islands Our patient care team, available 365 days a year, o ers personal care, support and management in more than 20 languages We accept national, international and private travel insurance and help with the process Appointment with your doctor 971 28 00 00 Juaneda Hospitales. Close to you. C/.Fabrica, 5 Bajos, Santa Catalina, Palma (+34) 971 592 535 Avenida de la Playa, No4, Palmanova, Calviá (+34) 971 68 04 94 Home delivery Servicio a domicilio Set 19.95Meal€ includeddrink Subject to conditions. Ends 31/12/19. TM 21/6/19 13:30 Tel: 952 147 834 See page 16 Mallorca estate goes up by €12m in just 4 months Take starsmedicineyourMeettheinIbiza Page 14 PagePage123 See page 4 BATTLING THE BULLS IN INCA EXCLUSIVE MADNESSISLAND ElizabethQueen II 1926 - 2022
Everyone had known the news was bad when a harrowing photo emerged at around 6pm showing a grim-faced Prince William driving into Balmoral with a very sombre Duke and Duchess of Wessex, sitting behind him. The picture was worth a thousand words. With a myriad of BBC present ers donning black suits and dresses from 5pm British time we knew the news was bad. It had started to look grim since a news flash interrupted an BBC1 episode of Bargain Hunt at 12.45pm. The rolling blanket news coverage from then on - including all Spanish media outlets - only prolonged the suf Whilefering. the Olive Press newsdesk re ceived continual updates from our many sources back in the UK about the seriousness of her health, we could only finally report the sad death at A7.45pm.statement from Buckingham Palace read, poignantly: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. “The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
RIP, MA’AM
An graciousincrediblywoman
Reaction continues on Page 5 Opinion Page 6 pouredTributesin from British expats around Spain...
Estate agent, Tony Reddin, from Estepona, said: “I am completely stunned. I met her once at a shoot in Nor folk and she was incred ibly gracious. She will be very sadly missed.”
‘An iconic person has passed’ Alcudia bike shop owner, Natasha Retzmann, from London, said: “I’m in total shock. I couldn’t believe it when I came in from work just now and found out that she died this afternoon. I am no big royalist but she has been part of our lives forever. We are speech less. An iconic person has passed. She did such a great job.”
By Jon Clarke & Jorge Hinojosa
An headextraordinaryofstate Karen Moon, a former teacher, based in San Mi guel de Salinas, said: “I am very sad. I think the world has lost an extraordinary Head of State that we will never see again.” She added: “It feels very strange to accept that she has passed away, she has simply always been there.”
THE Queen is dead. Official. British expats around Spain were left stunned and tearful last night after be ing glued to their TV screens and radio sets all day. The news finally arrived at 19.40pm Spanish time: Queen Elizabeth had died at the age of 96. The longest-serving British monarch passed away peacefully at her Scottish home of Balmoral, hopefully looking out across her beloved rolling Scottish Withinglens. hours her family had rushed
A 35-year-old Ro manian man was ar rested in Palma after chasing several cus tomers out of a bar with a chainsaw. Beach thieves HALF a dozen peo ple were arrested in less than five hours on a Palma beach for Waterlonging.beachgoers’stealingbeworry
threatChainsaw
A BRITISH gang has been ar rested after the Guardia Civil made Spain's biggest-ever 'pink cocaine' swoop with 13.25 kilos of the drug and over €500,000 in cash seized. The 12 Brits have been de tained along with two women in Colombia who travelled IN PINKTHE
SPIKECRIMINALONLINE
BATTERED ON BEACH
assaultSex CYBER crime rose by 6.1% in Spain last year according to the Criminality Statistical Sys Sometem(SEC).305,477 cyber-related offences were reported in 2021. Fraud accounted for 87.4% of offences followed by threats and coercion made by fraud sters against internet users. The clear-up rate says the SEC was low. Of the 305,477 re ports, just 46,141 cases were solved with 13,801 arrests.
Musical plan STAR actor Antonio Banderas is to stage a musical about artist and fellow Malagueño Pablo Picasso that will be performed in London and Malaga next year.
Brit gang arrested in Ibiza in Spain’s biggest pink cocaine seizure there to negotiate a fresh sup ply of drugs. The Guardia described it as an 'important criminal or ganisation' operating on Ibiza and received help from the UK National Crime Agency as well as Europol, Interpol, and the Colombian police. Be sides the pink cocaine and the money, Operation Via Fora raids yielded 16.4 kilos of co caine; 5.6 kilos of ketamine and marijuana; and 87,000 ecstasy tablets, three hand guns and a sub-machine gun with a Luxurysilencer.watches and 11 cars have been impounded along with numerous mobile phones, computer terminals, and Policedocumentation.saidthatthe gang was extremely violent and used the guns to steal drugs from other gangs, as well as for ‘protection’ when distributing narcotics to ‘retailing’ organ isations. Pink cocaine is a popular de signer drug that is often used on the club and party scenes because of its stimulant effect and psychoactive properties.
TICKLED PINK: Police sieze 13 kilos of cocaineBy Alex Trelinski
Road rage
The perpetrator ran away, but two beachgoers caught him and con tacted police. He was arrested on suspicion of assault and battery. A WOMAN who accepted a lift from a stranger at a con cert ended up being sexually assaulted. The man stopped the car and launched an attack close to Son Anglada in Palma. The victim managed to es cape his clutches and im mediately went to police to report the incident. Working on information given by the woman, offi cers identified and arrested a man, who is now awaiting trial. It was the second arrest for sexual abuse in just a few hours in Palma - a Colombi an man has been accused of beating and raping a young woman in a city alley.
CRIMEwww.theolivepress.es September 9th - September 22nd 20222 NEWS IN BRIEF
The drug can cause respira tory depression, seizures or a condition called excited de lirium, which can induce hy perthermia (overheating) and possibly a fatal heart attack. The arrested Brits are be ing investigated for crimes against public health, illegal possession of firearms and belonging to a criminal or ganisation.
POLICE are hunting a driver who beat a young man uncon scious after the tourist climbed onto his car. The victim was left in the road, with passers-by calling cops. The assailant had made his escape before officers arrived. Emergency services found the victim on the ground and rushed him to hospital with a possible concussion. His con dition has not been revealed.
THE Balearic’s wa ter reserves have entered drought prealert status, standing at just 46% which is three points less than the previous months.
First, he hit the man on the head with the bottle, leaving him in shock and bleeding before attack ing the woman. Both victims need ed stitches after the violent assault.
A FUN day on the beach turned to horror when a couple were beaten up in an unprovoked assault. Witnesses claimed that the 42-year-old Moroccan man as saulted the couple, hitting them with a glass bottle at Can Pere beach in Palma.
SPOTTED: Actor Daniel Mays
The Olive Press pictured it off Formen tera, with a giant slide inflated on its side.
AS holiday seasons go it doesn’t get much better for the White WhileIsle. the infamous closing parties approach, dozens of global superstars have been partying on the island. These include Oscar-winning of Queen Anne, in The Favourite has been renting a villa with her husband Ed OthersSinclair.recently staying include ac tress Margot Robbie, model Cara Delevigne and Emma Watson, who is understood to have recently bought a home on the island. The Harry Potter star has been spot ted three times eating in Santa Gertru dis this year, as well as playing padel tennis and horse-riding in the north of the island.
NEWS September 9th - September 22nd 2022 Open 7 days a week from 11:00 - 23:00 Tel: 971 731 043www.proseccosantacatalina.com New home delivery service Abrimos todas los dias de las 11:00 - 23:00 Pruebe servicionuestroadomicilo 20% discount on orders over 20€ through our webpage Tel: +34 971 695 912 info@sgi-mallorca.com WWW.SGI-MALLORCA.COM We are looking for villas, fincas, apartments on Mallorca for special customers. OLIVE PRESS IBIZA SUMMER ROUNDUP
He said they also included big-name footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Zla tan Ibrahimovic, who was also filmed dancing at Pacha at a Seth Troxler night in August. Clubs Meanwhile leading DJs Carl Cox, David Guetta and Sacha have been regulars this summer, at the various famous clubs, along with Calvin Har ris, who recently bought a farm on the Butisland.the most exciting DJ has to be actor Idris Elba, who has had a regular slot alongside Guetta at Hi Ibiza all summer. Others spotted on the island this sum mer are James Blunt and Jade Jagger, who both have homes in Ibiza. Meanwhile Sienna Miller, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and supermodel Adwoa Aboah were spotted at a 30th birthday party for Cara Delevigne in August.
The Six Senses hotel itself has been making huge waves since opening last year, near Portinatx. Costing from €1,000 a night, it has kept the hoi polloi well at bay and seen an amazing lineup of Hollywood stars allegedly staying this summer, includ ing Richard Gere, Will Smith and Anto nio WhileBanderas.thehotel doesn't comment on its guests a source told the Olive Press that ‘so many big names have been in on the quiet this summer’.
ClarkeJonCREDITS:PIC
Hard times “She’s been into our restaurant three times over the last six months,” re vealed a waiter at il Buco. “And getting Olivia Colman was the icing on the cake. We were all very excited.”
One of the most exciting spots by the Olive Press this month was the star of Netflix’ 10-part drama White Lines, Daniel Mays. Mays, 44, was seen having dinner with his wife and son at a beachside star wife and various other basketball Afriends.friend told the Olive Press he was having ‘an amazing break’ after he toasted his marriage with champagne on the stunning dining terrace of HaSa lon Therestaurant.pairlooked stunning in black, as they were serenaded by a flamenco group with dancers.
As part of their so-called Wade World Tour 2022, the group hired the su peryacht, the Wellesley, which costs €230,000-a-week to rent. The yacht, which comes with 12 crew, has been taking the couple and friends around the three other Balearic islands since mid-August.
FILMED: NBA star Dwayne Wade is followed by his own film crew everywhere HE’S known for his tactical maneuvering.ButMichael Gove’s latenight moves have been tak en to a new level in Ibiza this summer. The ex-Tory minister was seen jumping about on the dancefloor of Ibiza’s hip pest club. He made up from his recent sacking from Boris Johnson’s government with a high ener gy evening at Ushuaïa Beach club. The 55-year-old, who has been on holiday with In a spin!
Celeb fest for White Island as Ibiza approaches its annual closing parties this month, writes Olive Press editor Jon Clarke
STARS IN TOWN: From left, Colman, Robbie, Ronaldo, Watson, Jagger, Blunt, Elba and Delevingne taverna on Talamanca beach, near Ibiza Town. It was the most fitting of visits, having played the role of Ibiza DJ Marcus, who is going through hard times while di vorcing his model wife Anna, played by Angela Griffin. A regular visitor to the island since the series aired in 2020, he was immediately recognis able with his wife, makeup artist Louise Burton. The Olive Press also bumped into former NBA star Dwayne Wade as he celebrated his eighth wedding an niversary to actress Gabrielle Union with around 20 friends at the island’s current hip pest hotel Six Senses. The ex-Miami Heat leg end was spending a week in the Balearic is lands with his Hollywood his children Beatrice and William, splashed the cash at the island’s most expensive nightclub. VIP tables cost from €2,500 to €3,500, while rooms in the adjacent hotel start at €802 a night. The world’s most expensive restau rant, SubliMotion, set up next door at the Hard Rock Hotel, costs guests from €1,500 each. The 20-course tasting menu, created by Paco Roncero, at least comes with champagne and wines. actress Olivia Colman, who has been enjoying a week with her family in the north of the island. The Olive Press can reveal that the British moth er-of-three has been out at Be nirras’ famous hippie beach, as well as eating at a hip Italian joint in Santa forActressscoopedColman,Gertrudis.48,whotheBestawardherportrayal
ATHLETES AND A-LISTERS
The President of the Association of Beekeepers, Garrit Parra explained there are 6,000 hives in Mallorca and each one usually produces more than 10 kilos of honey every year. The honey sector employs 255 people on the island.
A YOUNG boy in Mallorca who was bullied by class mates during a summer camp has been inundated with messages of support from ce lebrities and sports stars after a video of the harassment was shared by the child’s brother. Izan was being taunted by classmates on his 11th birth day. In the video, his bullies are heard to call him ‘fat’ and a ‘seal’ and he can be seen crying. His brother explained that the video had been record ed by one of the bullies with the aim of sharing it on social media. The video has since gone viral and has been greeted with positive responses from Spanish celebrities such as Eurovision singer Chanel, Unidas Podemos party leader Ione Belarra, internet celeb rity Ibai Llanos and football player Antoine Griezmann, who messaged Izan to tell him that ‘life is beautiful’ and to invite him to an Atletico de Madrid game at the Wanda Stadium.
BEEKEEPERS in Mallorca have lost the entire summer honey harvest due to the high tempera Thetures.heat caused a decrease in the production of honeydew - the food that bees need to survive.
LOCAL bars have rallied round to help a taxi driver who was beaten up by two British thugs . Gabriel Fabian Callero was vi ciously punched to the ground and repeatedly kicked in the head after he remonstrated with the duo for climbing on top of his car. He has been left needing rehab three days a week and contin ues to suffer from dizziness and neck pain. Now three bars have raised €1,170 for him and a group of taxi drivers €980 to help tide him through his recovery.
“Yet now posters for the event have appeared all around the town.” Not to be outdone, he and a large group of local Spanish activists have launched a petition to call off the fight on September 18. So far over 7,000 people have signed the online demand directed to Inca Town Hall calling for the event to be cancelled.
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EXCLUSIVE: Taxi driver and father of fourhit by two tourists in brutal Magaluf attackreveals how he will suffer from long termmedical side effects forever needed Gabriel wasandin my caused Hinojosa Tourism bonanza arrivalsMALLORCA’Sdicting ago.thatexceedingAllcord-breakingscheduledsigns mil upgradedthatyear.forecasts ‘becauseislandEuropean some ar viewedmonthwealthier touristsafter thehas raise pricesthe area,€120 counter-balance,and higher FLASHBACK: Our last issue
Hicks’ strong stance has caused him various issues locally and he was even beaten up by three support ers in an Inca bar before last year’s event. “There was CCTV and wit nesses and I reported it to the mayor and his depu ty but nothing was done about it,” said Hicks. “I went to the police who refused to take action and they told me that by wear ing an anti-bullfighting t-shirt, I provoked the at tack,” he added.
Bullfight battle
Ashamed Deputy Mayor, Alice Weber said in a message to Hicks: “I do not personally support bullfighting, but the town hall does not have any pow er to stop the event because it is held in a private place. “I feel ashamed of these events and I hope the Span ish government abolishes them as soon as possible,” she added.
RYANAIR could be fined a whopping €72,000 for ‘ig noring’ the claims of three customers whose luggage was damaged. The General Directorate of Consumption of the Balea rics is proposing the high fine because of what it calls the ‘large number’ of complaints the airline has al legedly General‘ignored’.Director of the directorate, Felix Alonso, said that the Balearic government is ‘not scared of any multinational company’. The company can contest the proposal or pay the fine - if it is paid within 15 days, Ryanair would have a 50% Itdiscount.isnotthe first time that the Balearic government has had a clash with the airline - Ryanair was fined €19,200 after charging a passenger €178 for not hav ing printed the boarding pass.
Hicks has been a long time anti-bullfight campaigner and was involved in com piling a petition against the bloodsport sent to the Spanish Embassy in Lon don, last April. The initiative amassed nearly 200,000 signatures.
SILVER LINING: For Izan
SUCKERSLITTLE ByEXCLUSIVEAlexTrelinski
MASSIVE FINE
Not so sweet
NEWSwww.theolivepress.es September 9th - September 22nd 20224
Fury as corrida returns to Inca despite mayor’s pledge PROTESTS: More are expected after posters of fight went up in Inca
ANIMAL rights activists are furious a bullfight is going ahead in Mallorca despite promises to the contrary. In particular, they are angry the town hall and mayor al legedly told them no corri das would be held this year. Local expat businessman, Chris Hicks, told the Olive Press the mayor Virgilio Moreno personally assured him there would be no bull fights this year. “He told me to my face in July there will definitely be no bullfighting in Septem ber,” said Hicks.
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BritTragic
BYBATTEREDBRITS
A SPECIES of mutant mos quito that is resistant to in secticides has been discov ered in Spain and 12 other European countries. Experts have warned that the strain of Tiger mosquitoes can spread illnesses like den gue, zika and chikungunya.
Dizzy In an exclusive interview with the Olive Press in our last edi tion the taxi driver revealed that he would suffer from the effects of the attack for the rest of his life. “I feel really sick, dizzy and I have constant ringing in my ears, which I am told by doctors that could stay with me forever” said Gabriel. He added that he could not work and was largely confined to Thebed.two British men went to court on a bail set at €7,000.
The MALLORCA LIVE Vol. www.theolivepress.es 8th2022 leading privategroup care team,year, support andmore than We and privateand help withJuaneda valid customers only. conditions. 952 147 834 Tel: 952 147 834 10 assaulted whoafterwoman,by two happenedthe strip“Justbars cameand onethe bonnet,” stopped immediatelyfind thatit,” British guysfunny?”me, thenrine and practically his shoulder, ganspavementdidn’tend the Gabrielclaimedthey were menSpanish unfairmy injuries. they handedjust attacker.problemworkingallridiculous€7,000yearshadonereallysick, insisted wouldthem.hand, butsurethem,” any maliceBritish peopleattack,that Idiots theyproperly punished The up scarred resortsfor cleanintroducedmeasuresdecades.changedup
A 74- year-old British man found dead floating off Can Pere Antoni beach in Palma this week. Lifeguards tried to revive him before paramedics arrived but he was declared dead at the Thescene.beach was packed with tourists, with police using sun loungers to cover the body. Two years ago a British man died off the same beachhe as he tried to save the life of a drowning man.
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A toddler has been killed after being struck on the head by a hailstone when storms hit Catalunya. The 20-month old died after being rushed into the Jo sep Trueta hospital in Girona. A woman was also admitted into hospital with the child and was being treated for her injuries, according to Catalunya Radio.
‘With all my friendship and affection,’ Felipe YOU WERE WOMANWONDERFULA
SOME 225 motor ists have died in Spain during July and August, 10 more than in the same months of 2019, accord ing to official data. “It is a bad figure. A sin gle death on the road is a price that we cannot and should not assume,” said the Minister of Interior, Fernando Grande-Mar Helaska.highlighted that the majority of deaths (173) happened on secondary and rural roads, while 52 deaths were recorded on motorways.
SPAIN’S King Felipe has sent a moving tribute to the British roy al family on the death of Queen WritingElizabeth.on behalf of he and his wife Letizia, who spent a number of days with the Queen in 2019, he sent ‘love and prayers’ to the remaining British royals. The Olive Press was the first newspaper to be sent the tribute in HisEnglish.note was signed simply ‘Felipe’. ‘Your Majesty, dearest Charles, ‘Deeply saddened by the sorrow ful news of the passing away of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, your beloved Mother, I would like to offer Your Majesty and the British people, on my behalf and on behalf of the Spanish Gov ernment and people, our most heartfelt condolences.
Millionaire football ace needs to demolish part of his new Baleric villa
LIONEL Messi may have to knock down part of his new seaside villa.
The Argentinian football legend is also likely to be hit with a large fine for undertaking illegal works at the €11million man
Tributes
Yacht He was also recently spot ted on a yacht off Ibiza with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo. Last year, he rented the amazing private island of Tagomago, off Cala San Vicente, which costs €250,000 a week.
“They were carving out terraces to plant trees and so we had to stop the Thework.”issue is unlikely to be a big problem for the Ar gentinian star, who owns various other homes in Spain. These include a hotel on the island, the MIM Ibiza Es Vive, which features some of his medals and Messi,prizes. 35, has been a reg ular visitor to Ibiza for years and spent much of August in his new villa, where he has reportedly splashed up to €5million in renovations and added a football pitch.
NEWSwww.theolivepress.es September 9th - September 22nd 2022 5
sion, near Cala Tarida. The former Barca star, now with PSG in Paris, bought the home in Feb ruary this year, without an official opening licence ( licencia de primero ocu pación ). The property he bought from Swiss businessman Philippe Amon has too many rooms. Licence In particular, the garage block of the home has two unlicensed bedrooms and will ‘probably have to be demolished’ a spokesman at local San Jose town hall told the Olive Press “The villa has a problem with its licence and to be come a legal property he needs to turn those bed rooms into a garage,” he said today. In addition, the Olive Press can reveal that Messi was also landed with a ‘stop order’ from nearby San Jo sep council in May for un dertaking further works. “We had to step in when we discovered they were doing some other land movement in the grounds without a proper licence,” added the spokesman.
HEADACHE: Lionel Messi’s controversial Ibiza villa and consoling kiss from wife Antonela Roccuzzo
RED CARD!
POLICE are investigating the death of a 35-year-old British woman fell from the sixth floor of a hotel in Palma. Emergency services were contacted on Sunday, but they were unable to do anything other than certify the death of the woman.
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EXCLUSIVE By Jon Clarke in Ibiza
Hailstone tragedy
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KING FELIPE: You will remain as a ‘solid and valuable legacy for generations’future
The island, owned by Mal lorca based German estate agent Matthias Kuhn, is on sale for €157million.
‘Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth has undoubtedly witnessed, written and shaped many of the most relevant chapters in the history of our world during the last seven decades. Her sense of duty, commitment and a whole life devoted to serving the peo ple of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland set an example for all of us and will remain as a solid and valuable legacy for fu ture ‘Queengenerations.Letiziaand I send Your Majesty and the whole Family our love and prayers. You are all in our hearts and thoughts. We will miss Her dearly.
SEVERAL leading Spanish politi cians, including Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the Spanish Royal Family have posted tweets with beautiful messages in trib ute to Queen Elizabeth. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (above) posted on Twitter: “My condolences go to the entire Royal Family, the government and the people of the UK and the Commonwealth on the pass ing of Queen Elizabeth II”. He added: “She was a figure of global significance, witness and author of British and European history.” pour in from front
REMEMBERING THE DESTRUCTION
Shortly after 3pm on September 19th, 2021, there was a huge volcanic eruption in La Palma, the Canary Islands, that was to last for three months. Barbara Belt witnessed the volcano in action and says, one year on, the recovery process is far from over T HERE are two volca noes on La Palma, a small island, just 47 km in length, at the northwestern end of the Ca nary Islands. It was Cumbre Vieja in the south that erupt ed, shooting out lava for 85 Bydays.the end of it, nearly 3,000 buildings and 74 km of road were buried in lava, and 370 hectares of farmland destroyed. Some 7,000 is landers were evacuated from their homes. Damage has been estimated at €900 mil Seismologistslion. saw seismic activity cordsPalmaeruptioningmostvolcanoyetbeforeissuedwarningsanddramatically,increasingwaseruptionweredaysitblew,lastyear’s–thedamagvolcaniconLasincerebegan–caught people by Fissuressurprise.suddenly opened on the southwest flank. The first magma formed two slow-moving lava flows. Then eight new vents blew, produc ing flows that fanned out fast like the fingers of an open hand, covering one of the most fertile banana planta tions in the Canaries. Lava, with a temperature in excess of 1000 degrees, wiped out everything in its path. It was impossible to predict where new vents would blow. Some evacuation warnings left people with as little as 15 minutes to get out. Shocked local residents es caped with their goats, chick ens, cows, sheep, cats, dogs, beehives and whatever they managed to load onto trucks as the lava fast approached. Tourists were evacuated to ForTenerife.the next three months, lava bombs, and fountains of lava shot into the air. Ash plumes (one 7.5 km tall) rained ash over the island. At its peak, the volcano pumped out 53,600 tonnes of sulphur dioxide a day, the noxious gases travelling as far as the Caribbean and Germa ny. When the lava reached the sea, it created a fajana (coastal shelf) so big the is land maps had to be redrawn. The volcano was erybody’sphraseever’mas25.ondeclaredofficiallyoverDecember‘BestChristpresentwastheonevlips.
NEWS FEATUREwww.theolivepress.es6 HEAD OFFICE Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5, Calle Espinosa 1, Edificio cc El Duque, planta primera, 29692, Sabinillas, Manilva NEWSDESK: 0034 951 273 575 For all sales and advertising enquiries please contact 951 27 35 75 ADMIN Sandra Aviles Diaz (+34) 951 273 575 admin@ theolivepress.es OFFICE MANAGER Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es DISTRIBUTIONENQUIRIES (+34) 951 273 575 distribution@ theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain OPINION A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a month. Deposito Legal MA 1097-2020 AWARDS Best expat paper in 2016Spain-2020 Best2020English language publication in Google2012Andalucia-2022NewsInitiativegivestheOlivePressasubstantialgrant. PUBLISHER / EDITOR Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es Jo Chipchase jo@theolivepress.es Cristina Hodgson cristina@theolivepress.es Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es John JorgeCulattoHinojosa jorge@theolivepress.es
But whole villages were de stroyed, as were churches, schools, medical centres, in dustrial areas, roads, bridg es, fruit plantations, cem eteries, irrigation systems, electricity lines and water pipes. Hundreds of animals had died. A thousand hect ares of previously fertile land lay under solidified lava flows. There was just one fa tality: a roof collapsed under a man as he attempted to clear ash off it inside the ex clusion zone. The islanders’ livelihoods were destroyed, too. And one year on, serious problems remain. Communication is disrupted: Tons of volcanic ash is still being removed, and rebuild ing and re-routing work con tinues on roads. Some areas remain closed to the public because of the dangerously high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmo sphere, such as the once popular beach destination Puerto Naos. Few evacuees used the of ficial hotel and shelter ac commodation, most camping out with family and friends. And, although a number have since been allocated pre fabricated houses or apart ments, the majority still are. As Javier Salinero of the vol cano victims’ pressure group Tierra Bonita explains: “The island economy has col lapsed. On this small island
From the Olive Press editor Jon Clarke
THE harrowing photo of Prince William arriving at Balmoral yesterday evening told it all. We didn’t need any words to go with the snap of the future king driving his uncles Andrew and Ed ward into the royal Scottish residence. Their grim faces told it all. It was at that point that we at the Olive Press and, no doubt thousands of expats around Spain, knew that Britain’s longest-serving monarch was dead. The actual announcement came around an hour later, at exactly 19.40 last night, Spanish time. While we are no tub-thumping royalist paper, it still left all the staff working on the newsdesk no ticeably shaken. Even our Spanish ones. Quite simply, to echo the words of one of our read ers, she was ‘an icon of our time’, a survivor, who showed great empathy and humour throughout her life. Not only did she live through one world war (and a World Cup win), she had no less than 15 Prime Ministers serving under her. As the recent TV drama, the Crown , so clearly showed, her life was anything but a bed of roses and she was frequently lonely and dealing with personal tragedy. Aside from the affairs of her husband and the controversial divorce of Charles, she had to deal with the recent drama surrounding Prince Andrew and her grandson Prince Harry’s very public re cent fallout with the royal family. But the events that followed the death of Princess Diana were some of the most chaotic in the histo ry of the British Isles. In short, it was bedlam, and with blanket cover age for months, much of it critical of the Queen, it almost brought an end to her reign. But she somehow weathered the storm and, at the last minute, did enough to keep the faith of her loyal subjects. Heaven only knows how Charles will follow this. Rest in Peace, Ma’am. Your expats salute you!
The 53,600pumpedvolcanoouttonnesofsulphurdioxideaday
Your expats salute you!
I live on neighbouring La Gomera, and first went to cover the story on September 21st, writes Barbara Belt (right). The ferry, full of Canarian firefighters and members of the Military Emergencies Unit, docked at the port of La Palma’s capital, Santa Cruz, in the east. Two hours later I was driving on the west coast, towards the red glow in the sky. Then there it was! Roaring, spectacular, belching flames, lava and ash. I nearly came off the Lookingroad!one way, I could see banana plantations all the way to the sea, and the oth er, an ancient volcano shooting lava thousands of metres into the air. The noise was ex traordinary. I got covered in volcanic dust, as did my car, and there was a heavy smell of sulphur dioxide in the air. The press were allowed into the Exclusion Zones that had already been hit, as well as the areas about to be hit, which was worse. There was so much sadness and shock. You can’t just watch that level of panic, so I did what little I could to help. After 48 hours at the volcano, arriving back at Santa Cruz was like arriving back from a war zone. Was this the same island? Of course there was panic here too. Only the 1,500m high ridge and prevailing winds were keeping it safe.Itwas impossible not to be awestruck by the extraordinary spectacle, by human in significance against nature’s power, but the plight of the Palmeros killed any sense of thrill.
A rightwelcomeRoyal 1522, after three years at sea. King Felipe was guest of honour aboard the Navy training ship, the Juan Sebastian Elcano, for a naval review marking the anni versary. A total of 12 Navy vessels took part, including the air craft carrier Juan Carlos I, the amphibious assault ship Galicia, frigates, combat supply ships and patrol boats. A replica of the wooden carrack, the Victoria, had pride of place and was accompanied in the parade by several other historic ships. Hundreds of locally-owned fishing boats and sailing boats bobbed alongside in choppy seas as the ships from the naval base in Rota sailed towards Chipiona and on past Cádiz. Helicopters from the 5th and 10th squadrons of the Navy Air craft Flotilla and five Harrier jets flew overhead before making a fly pass over Sanlucar’s beaches. Approaching Sanlucar, the ships and accompanying flotilla of boats paused at the Elcano buoy, where the Naval choir sang and wreaths were laid to commemorate those who were lost during the expedition.
The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:
while, many families are leaving the island. Speaking last month, on his tenth visit to La Palma since the eruption, Pedro Sanchez, was keen to emphasise that help was on its way, saying that the Spanish government was also redoubling its ef forts to “reduce bureaucracy and speed up procedures”. Bid
Many buildingsburiedwerefamilyhomes,completewithoutbuildings
EXCLUSIVE
Islands, given the restrictive planning laws. People need houses and town halls fre quently turn a blind eye. Volcano victim compensa tion money has so far only been automatically paid out to those whose houses were legally registered. The rest must undertake a ‘ridiculous ly long claims procedure with no guarantee of success’, ac cording to Tierra Bonita. The money’s there, but pay ing it out is painfully slow.
1- British gang arrested on Spain’s Ibiza in the country’s biggest ever pink cocaine swoop with over 500000 in cash seized
A special report by Sorrel Downer sailing with the King’s fleet
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2005 to 2006 he edited magazineEnglish-languagethe InMa drid, which was aimed at tourists and locals alike, as well as contribut ing to guide books such as Time Out and in-flight magazines for airlines such as easyJet. In late 2006 he joined the team at the EL PAÍS En glish Edition, where he became editor in 2014. During his time at Spain’s biggest-selling paper he oversaw the transition of the English Edition from print to fully digital, hosted podcasts and Facebook live broadcasts, and helped grow the monthly audi ence figures from the low hundreds of thousands to more than a million during the coronavirus pandemic. When EL PAÍS took the decision to no longer cover Spain stories in English - sticking to a more interna tional theme - he decided it was time to move on. He is now working as a full-time freelance journalist, contributing to The Times, La Sexta and Foods and Wines from Spain, among others, as well as enjoying a side gig as a voice-over artist (he is the voice in English who tells you to ‘mind the gap’ on Spain’s low-cost high-speed AVLO trains). “I’m thrilled to have joined the team at the Olive Press so that I can con tinue to bring all of the great stories and fea tures from Spain to an English-speaking audi ence,” Simon said. “I’ve been endlessly fascinat ed by this country ever since I arrived and I look forward to sharing that obsession with the readers. There is huge potential for online sto ries from Spain, and that is where I will be
FIONA: Wishing you all the best for the future
Simon Hunter moved to Madrid in 2000 and has been working in journalism practi cally since he ar Fromrived.
FLEET: Old meets new
WELCOME TO THE OLIVE PRESS focusing my efforts.” And we are more than happy to welcome him aboard!
7September 9th - September 22nd 2022
5- Breaking: hull of stranded os 35 bulk carrier breaks in two off Gibraltar’s Catalan bay threatening a major oil spill
O
However, the president of La Palma’s island council, Mari ano Hernandez Zapata, told the Olive Press that public administrators will now be working with orthophotos and satellite imagery ‘in or der to facilitate realistic val uations of houses destroyed, so that fair insurance com pensation is received, to gether with simplified access to the compensation,’ which, he added, amounts to a max imum of €60,000 from the Spanish government and up to €30,000 from the Canary Islands government. Six hundred flats, prefabri cated and wooden homes have been commissioned. Over 100 have been provided and, Canary Islands housing minister Sebastian Franquis expects the remaining ac commodation to be installed this month. But this is half of what’s needed even by the most conservative estimate. Mean
The president drew attention to the €418 million financial aid already mobilised by the government, the €15 million to cover losses in the banana industry, and the support in the form of ERTEs (extended until the end of the year). Sanchez also announced the installation of a €3 million system monitoring, mea suring and controlling emis sions of toxic gases, and he stressed more help was on the way: “In these five years of government, the Canary Is lands will receive almost 60% more economic resources than in the last five years”.
2- Explainer: What you need to know about Spain’s free rail travel scheme from September 3- Beware: Spain might be hit by a hurricane, american experts warned 4- Rafa Nadal’s pregnant wife admitted into hospital with minor complications
HISTORY doesn’t record the welcome Elcano received after sailing around the world, but yesterday’s Centenario V cele brations, in the seas off Cadiz would be hard to beat. The Spanish captain Elcano completed the voyage that Magellan planned, sailing his ship, the Victoria, back to the Cadiz port of Sanlucar de Barrameda on September 6,
UR Digital Editor Fiona Govan is bidding a sad farewell to the Olive Press and its readers. We are sorry to see the former Daily Tele graph staffer head off to tackle new chal lenges - she has left big boots to fill. But thankfully we have found the man to do just that.
VOLCANOAFTERTHE we depend on each other and everyone is affected. Now there’s no news people think normal life has returned, but many are still without homes and incomes. Prospects are poor. Application processes for official help are very com plex and urgently need sim Theplifying”.toll on mental health continues to rise: “Requests for help have tripled since the aandclearlyhappened“It’stefaníapsychologiststopped”,eruptionsaysEsMartín.over.Whatisvisible,nowthere’srealsenseof incredulity, coupled with rocketing in cidences of severe depres Sosion.”why is the situation so bad? One important, seldom mentioned, reason is that, ac cording to the Canary Islands government figures, 1,600 buildings were lost. Coperni cus satellite data places the number at 2,988. The main problem with compen sation, whichever figure is correct, lies in the is lands’ planning regula tion Manypeculiarities.oftheburied build ings were family homes, complete with outbuild ings, fruit orchards, livestock pens and plan tations. Some even inmonisillegallyBuildinges.asregisteredlegallyfewpools.swimminghadButwerehousacompracticetheCanary
We all moan about our bills. Well… you ain’t seen nothing yet! Currently, the impact of electricity increases is being softened through Government support. All this is only temporary. Will IVA re main reduced forever? I very much doubt it. Will the electricity tax remain reduced from 5.11% to 0. 5%? Spain and Portugal managed to ne gotiate a temporary cap on the price of gas with the European Union. We are four months into a 12-month mea sure.
Study to irrigate reforestation with water collected from the air study is exploring how it can be used on the mainland. Public company Gesplan, which manages the project, plans to test the method in maritime areas around Barce lona and the El Bruc munici pality in northern Catalunya, which was devastated by fire in 2015.
● Putin’s Russia is using its oil and gas as a weapon of war. Europe is struggling to wean itself off Rus sian production quickly enough. (Not that Russia is really con cerned about losing its European custom. China and India and oth ers will fill the void. )
● We have entered an era of global competition to secure energy sup plies. More countries are compet ing to buy a limited resource. Pric es only go up.
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● Rising energy costs ● Rising fuel costs ● Restricted food supply of basic ne cessities (Ukraine war) The impact of people going hungry and cold will have a massive effect on health services that are still recover ing from Covid, lack of staff and insuf ficient funding.
AS Spain starts its recovery from a series of wildfires, the drought it finds itself locked into could be a major obstacle to Butregeneration.atrialbeing held in the Canary Islands could help parched coastal regions re grow forests where there is little to no rainfall. The EU-backed Life Nieblas project is experimenting with collecting and condensing fog to help individual saplings grow without the need for conventional watering. The project, which is based in Gran Canaria as well as in Portugal on the Iberian penin sula, is using fog collectors to improve degraded landscapes and fuel reforestation. Although such collectors, which consist of plastic mesh located in the path of the pre vailing wind, have been used for years, the project is de signed to improve their effi ciency and effectiveness. The technology is simple – as fog blows through the mesh, water droplets form and then fall into containers at the base of the structure. While the technique is well suited to the Canaries, it is not quite so effective in the less humid Mediterranean, but the
Foggy idea
Green MattersBy Martin Tye
Why has electricity become so expensive?
THE thought that electricity could soon cost €1 a Kilowatt is Wefrightening.neverthought fuel would be €1 a litre. Now it’s €2 a litre. Less than a year ago we didn’t stand on a petrol station forecourt watching the cost of filling our tanks with dread. Now we do. It’s the same fearful feeling now when you open your electricity bill.
How long before one Kilowatt of electricity costs €1?
GREENwww.theolivepress.es September 9th - September 22nd 20228
An easy answer is to say that it is just supply and demand that is pushing the cost However,up.the causes of the exponen tial rise in the cost of electricity run deeper.
What about here in Spain?
SPANISH reservoirs fell by a further 0.9% in just a week to 35.9% capacity. According to recent data from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITE CO), there is currently a total of 20,174 cubic hectometres of water in storage. This is 9,251 cubic metres less than the average for the week over the past 10 years and 3,651 cubic hectome tres (18%) less than the same time in 2021. up gogreen@mariposaenergia.es
● Governments throughout Europe failed to invest in renewable en TIME TO SWITCH ergy production during the last decade to be able to cope with cur rent demand. ● Climate change has added to the problem. ● Droughts throughout the world have resulted in less Hydroelectric ity being produced. ● And the wind has not blown as much this year, resulting in less wind turbine production. Fuel Poverty This is a term not greatly discussed in recent years in the developed world. Now it’s all over the media. Lower income families are having to make difficult choices. Eat or be warm. Throughout the world, we are witness ing an increase in civil unrest. The main cause is inflation. The main contributing factors to infla tion are:
LITTERGLASS
MORE than 1,000 one li tre beer bottles have been collected in one weekend by environmental activ ists in a natural space in Gerena, Sevilla. It is believed that all of the bottles had been dumped in the area this summer by lazy and irre sponsible litterers. The bottles would have contaminated the area for over 4000 years, the time taken for glass to decompose, had they not been collected.
If you look at the OMI website image (left) it paints an ominous picture. The average wholesale cost of elec tricity in Spain in July was €143 a TheMWh.forecast for October is €219 per ButMWh.look at the October prices for our neighbours (where there is no gas cap) France…. €601 per MWh !!! And Germany…. €455 per MWh . In the UK, Ofgem reported recently that the average annual bill in Jan uary 2023 would be £5,386. In the Summer of 2021 this figure stood at In£1,087.parts of Sweden, they are already Wethere.are on the same trajectory. It is time to look at your consumption habits and go renewable wherever you can. It’s a lot cheaper to produce your own electricity than to buy it.
Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. +34 638 145 664 ( Spain Phone ) Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es
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THE pound euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate fell to a near twomonth low through the second half of August as the UK’s increasingly dire economic outlook pushed the pound lower. Over the last fortnight, GBP/EUR briefly touched €1.188 be fore falling steadily to hit lows of €1.155.
Slight easing
The first big event of the next two weeks will be the ECB’s interest rate decision. Markets expect another 50-bp rate rise, though a 75-bp move could be on the cards. If the ECB de livers another hawkish surprise, the single currency could climb. The following week, the Bank of England (BoE) will also convene to de cide on monetary policy. The current consensus is that the British cen tral bank will opt for another half-point hike, although there are some significant data releases ahead of the decision that could affect it. An expected contraction in UK GDP in July could put pressure on Ster ling, and also dampen expectations for a larger BoE rate rise. We also have the all-important UK labour market overview and the latest inflation rate reading. If the UK jobs market remains strong and inflation continues to climb, the pound could strengthen ahead of the BoE Asidemeeting.fromthe size of the coming interest rate rise, GBP investors will also pay attention to the BoE’s accompanying statement. Last month, the bank forecast a UK recession, causing Sterling to slump despite a 50-bp rate hike. Could an increasingly downbeat outlook see the pound fall even lower? All the while, GBP/EUR will continue to be influenced by UK politics and the eurozone gas crisis. These two factors will inject the currency pair with increased uncertainty, potentially leading to some choppy trade.
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The reduction is mainly down to falls in fuel prices offsetting rises in food, electricity, and hospitality. Core inflation, which does not include food and energy pric es, rose to 6.4% in August compared to 6.1% the previous month. Economy Minister, Nadia Calvino, said: “Inflation has start ed to ease and it should continue slowing in the coming months.” She added that the government had helped to con tain price rises.
Towards the end of August, Sterling initially rose higher against the single currency. The euro came under pressure as Russia’s Gaz prom announced a pause in gas supplies via the Nord Stream pipe line, pushing European energy prices to new record highs. In addition, the flash PMIs for August showed stronger results for the UK than the eurozone, thereby lifting the pound euro exchange Laterrate. that week, EUR regained its losses amid reports that some European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers will push for a 75-ba sis-point interest rate rise at the bank’s next policy meeting. Meanwhile, Ofgem announced the new energy price cap for UK households, confirming an 80% hike. This stoked fears about the country’s cost-of-living crisis, with economists warning that many people will be unable to afford bills. In August’s final week, the pound fell further after Goldman Sachs forecast a five-quarter recession in the UK and warned that inflation could hit 22%. At the same time, the euro rallied as the EU prepared an ‘emergen cy intervention’ in energy markets, prompting a sharp pullback in gas prices. Hotter-than-expected Eurozone inflation added to EUR’s upside as September rolled around, again raising expectations for a stronger rate hike from the ECB, while the UK’s deteriorating economic out look kept GBP under pressure.
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Road toll options weighed up in €1.4 million study
Charged Prosecutors Laura Pellon and Olga Muñoz will probe wheth er there was any embezzle ment of European funds. The Chinese company charged €16.70 per PPE gown but two Spanish companies, who did not win the contract, offered prices of just €0.32 and €0.27 per gown. The Health Ministry spent €10.1 million on the Chinese deal as opposed to either €139,000 or €163,000 on the Spanish options.
INFLATION in Spain stood at 10.4% in August - a 0.4% drop on July’s rate according to the National Institute of Statistics. The figure is better than a market forecast of 10.9%.
Gown cash probe
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING?
SPAIN’S government has com missioned studies on how to in troduce a nationwide road toll system from 2024. The measure is in return for receiving EU Covid recovery grants worth €70 billion. Spain has been under pres sure to fall in line with other EU member states like France, Germany and Portugal where widespread toll road charging is the norm. The General Direc torate of Highways (DGT) has hired consultancy firm Ineco to produce nine reports for a new highways financing scheme. Ineco will get paid €1.4 mil lion for 10 months work. The reports will look at whether charges should only apply to state highways or be extended to regional roads, or even every road. They will also review charge lev els which will seek not to harm the most financially vulnerable. Also under scrutiny will be ex actly what kind of payment sys tem will be used. The two options seem to be that either motorists will pay a fixed sum each year to give them unlimited travel or tolls will be charged on a ‘per use’ basis. Because of so little time re maining, it is believed the fixed charge system will be imple mented initially with each car having a sticker on it, similar to that for an ITV test. That will allow more technology to be installed to bring ‘per use’ charging. Opponents say the state of the economy means it’s not the right time to introduce such a measure.
THE European Public Pros ecutor will investigate why Spain’s Health Ministry grossly overpaid for Chinese disposable PPE gowns during the early stages of the pan demic. Some 500,000 disposable gowns were bought at 60 times above market val ue from the Weihai Textile Group using EU funds, while much cheaper local options were rejected.
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WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR?
By Alex Trelinski
This kind of volatility can cause some nasty surprises if you need to transfer money overseas. On a £200,000 transfer, that three-cent gap between €1.18 and €1.15 translates to a €6,000 difference. And the larger the sum, the higher the discrepancy. Fortunately, there are ways that you can protect against volatility. Specialist currency brokers, such as Currencies Direct, offer different tools to help you navigate the ups and downs of the currency market. For instance, you can use a forward contract to secure an exchange rate for up to a year. This way, you won’t lose out if the market moves against Servicesyou.like rate alerts and daily updates make it easy to keep track of what’s going on in the forex world so that you can make informed decisions. And with Currencies Direct you’ll have a dedicated account manager there to provide guidance and support whenever you need Atthem.Currencies Direct we’re here to talk currency whenever you need us, so get in touch if you want to know more about the latest news or how it could impact your currency transfers. Since 1996 we’ve helped more than 325,000 customers with their currency transfers, just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more. 695.000 build: 270m2 plot: 200m2
PROTECTING AGAINST VOLATILITY
GBP/EUR exchange rate hits two-month low as UK stumbles towards recession
Free access was available afterwards to the munici pal showers, with council
By Alex Trelinski cleaners joining forces with residents to hose down the rivers of tomato juice. The event has been clas sified as a Festival of In ternational Interest for 20 years. It started by accident in 1945 when a Buñol parade saw young people squeez ing among the crowd to get a good view of some ‘giants’ walking the streets One of the parade partici pants was shoved over and lost his temper, trying to take it out on everybody. The crowd was not im pressed by his overreac tion and grabbed toma toes from a vegetable stall, which they threw at him resulting in the seeds of La Tomatina being sown.
Significance The seller, a resident of Villanueva de la Fuente who was unaware of its significance, agreed to hand over the weapon for experts to authenticate. Technicians from the Ministry of Culture of the Junta de Cas tilla-La Mancha were in charge of its analysis and confirmed that it was indeed ‘an exceptional’ and ‘unique’ piece. The sword was made with the wrought iron tech nique in the seventh century.
Lost Military Jewel
A JEWEL of Spanish military history has been rescued from an illegal internet auction. The item, is believed to be the oldest iron sword known to date in Spain, dating from the early Iron Age, and had been put up for sale on the internet for an initial price of €1,200. The historic gem was located by the Guardia Civil last December as part of the ‘Pandora’ operation to combat illicit trafficking in cultural property on the Internet.
Rallying callTHE process to choose Spain’s 2023 Eurovision Song Contest entry has Broadcasterstarted.RTVE is looking for entries to compete in January’s Benidorm Fest. The resort hosted the first newlook selection process this year that at last banished years of poor songs and Submissionsperformances.canbe made via RTVE’s offi cial Eurovision website with the deadline being October 12.
LA CULTURA September 9th - September 22nd 2022 11 OP QUICK CROSSWORD All solutions are on page 12 Across 6 Prickly seed vessel 7(4)Accentuated (8) 9 He, she and it (8) 10 National wealth let ters (1,1,1) 11 Socially ill at ease 14(4-9)Where races com mence (8,5) 17 Enemy (3) 18 In mourning (8) 19 Ballistic weapons 20(8) Young cow (4) Down 1 Body fuel (8) 2 Voltage changers 3(12)Mock (6) 4 Hard outer layers 5(6)Rope fibre (4) 8 Import (12) 12 Woman of habit (3) 13 In an inconsistent way (8) 15 Way to buy cheaply 16(2,4)Showy (6) 17 Free from bias (4)SUDOKUOP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 THE EUROPEAN DENTAL PRACTICE EMERGENCIES: 636 308 789 Tel: 971 681 www.theeuropeandentalpractice.com439 Dr.Mónica Bonet – University of Barcelona Dr. Yasmina Adebibe – B.D.S London Susan Taylor-Vickers – BSc, EDH Mercadona Centre, Son Caliu, Palma Nova Established 1989 Ripe for a g d time BUÑOL’S La Tomatina celebrated its belated 75th anniversary last week after a two-year break caused by the Covid pandemic. An estimated 20,000 peo ple bought €12 tickets to allow them to take part in the world-famous tomato Somefight. 130 tons of Valen cia-grown tomatoes were brought in for the battle which is traditionally held on the last Wednesday of August. The hour-long celebration saw participants wearing swimming goggles to pro tect their eyes while their clothes were left covered in tomato pulp.
Tomato battle resumed after Covid break
LARGE numbers of Polish people are buying proper ties in the Balearic Islands to escape the instability of Eastern Europe. They are moving, in par ticular, to avoid the es calating conflict between Ukraine and Russia. According to the Balear ic Real Estate association (ABINI) they fear the con flict could spread from Ukraine into other parts of Eastern Europe. “They choose to move here because of the good weather, the education system and the Spanish health care,” said presi dent Hans Lenz. They are also attracted to Mallorca’s good commu nications with the rest of Europe. Despite the increasing number of Poles moving here, there are not yet any concrete statistics. Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Germans are still by far the most important group of buyers on the islands. According to official data for 2021, 48.5% of the houses sold were to Ger mans in 2021. Brits Brits are still the second nationality by numbers, buying 20.2% of homes on the islands, followed by the French and Swedes.
The Spanish Minister of employment claimed that the main reason why Ukrainians struggle to get a job is because of the lan guage barrier.
The estate has approximate ly 970,000 square metres of land, eight bedrooms, a guest house, stables, spa, swimming pool and a barbecue area. The property could be used for agriculture and hunting and it has direct access to the soaring Sierra de Tramuntana. The owners explained the dra matic increase in price by say ing they had done extensive Anyrenovations.buyerwill not be able to move in until 2024 as work to improve the property is still ongoing. That’s inflation!
By Jorge Hinojosa
But it’s not good news for the tenants
THE price of a 17th century country home has soared by more than €12 million in just four Foreignmonths.investors bought Son Curt near Castell d’ Alaro - 30 minutes drive from Palma - for a ‘bargain’ €4 million in May but have now put it up for sale for €16.4 million.
Poles upsnappingarehomes in Mallorca to escape EuropeEasternunstable
SALES ON THE UP PROPERTY sales in the sec ond quarter of the year were up 19.5% to 163,909, over the same period of 2021, ac cording to the Spanish Land Registrars Association. While local demand surged 13% to 139,880, sales to for eigners were up a whopping 76% to 24,029. Of these, UK buyers account ed for 2,348 sales, just ahead of the Germans on 2,179, up 81% and 77% respectively. Rise In terms of percentage rise in market share, Poland was top with a 223% rise to 755 sales, followed by the Netherlands up 162% to 1,153 sales. Poland now makes up 3% of the foreign market. The market share of Ukraine, China, Italy and Switzer land also increased. While demand for UK and German buyers increased and they still lead the way amongst foreigners, the in creasing numbers of buyers from different countries means their overall market share has decreased.
CALVIA ON TOP CALVIA on Mallorca has overhauled regular front-runner Barcelona as the costliest municipality in Spain for property rentals. The Baleares as a whole are also getting pricier for tenants ac cording to a survey from real estate property portal Fotocasa Rentals in Calvia, which includes tourist spots like Magaluf and Palma Nova, average out at €19.43 per square metre compared to Barcelona, which costs €18.43 per square metre. Calvia rental prices have rocketed by over 30% in a year in one of the largest rises in Spain. By regions, the sharpest increase has come in the Valencian Community at 17.5% followed by the Baleares at 14.5%. In contrast, the northern Basque Country saw a far more modest rise of 2.7% over a year. Unsurprisingly the highly populated Madrid and Catalunya regions have the country’s highest average rents at €15.39 and €14.79 respectively based on July figures.
THE cost of housing in Palma de Mallorca has soared 10.87% this year. The average price per square metre is now €3,630, according to a report from the website pisos.com. This makes Palma the fourth most expensive province in Spain in a ranking led by San Se bastian in the north of Spain. And the Baleares is the most expensive region to buy a house, even more than the capital of Spain, DirectorMadrid.ofpisos.com, Ferran Font said: “The residential market has experienced an incredi ble boom this year in the Baleares.” Since January, houses across Spain have gone up Experts10.12%. are warning that due to the cost of living crisis, housing de mand may fall in the next few months,with a knock on effect of prices.decreasing
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Americans are also grow ing in numbers on the is lands. Nationally, 200,000 Ukrainians are living in Spain, two times more than in February, but only 14% of them have a job.
ESCAPEISLAND
Soaring prices
WAR-TORN: Ukraine thanks to Putin (inset)
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By Jorge Hinojosa
Porto Portals: modern apartment in the center of the harbor with pool and sea views , const. area 97 m2, 2 bed, 2 bath, underfloor hea�ng, A/C, garage, Ref. 1966, 1 290.000 €
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SPAIN’S Air Europa is to receive 15 long and short-haul aircraft in a major fleet modernisation programme. The airline will get five Boeing 787-9s and 10 737 Max 8s under a lease deal with Ire land’s AerCap, with the jets delivered be tween 2024 and 2026. The carrier will become the first operator in Spain to use the 737 Max. Air Europa is the country’s third largest airline after Iberia and Vueling, with its headquarters in Mallorca. It flies to 130 destinations domestically, within Europe, and further afield to the Americas and North Africa. Air Europa’s fleet modernisation follows a tightening of its links with IAG - owners of British Airways and Iberia - which has converted a loan into a 20% share of Air Europa.
IAG had previously intended a full acquisi tion of the carrier, but ran into difficulties with competition regulators including the European Union. Air Europa CEO, Richard Clark, said: “The deal reinforces our strat egy of unifying the fleet around the most modern, efficient, and sustainable models in the industry.”
Buzz off FLIGHTS were delayed or diverted at Madrid’s Adolfo Suarez Barajas Airport after drones were detected flying Sevenoverhead.flights sched uled to land in Madrid were diverted to other Spanish airports, ac cording to airports op erator GuardiaAENA.Civil have launched an investi gation to track down those responsible for piloting the drones. As well as these dis ruptions caused, the airport was affected by Ryanair, EasyJet and Iberia Express strikes.
Palmanova: fana�c luxury apartment in 1st sea line, beachfront, const. area approx. 125 m2, 2 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, open plan kitchen, a/c, hea�ng, Ref. 1965, 1.290.000 €
But only if you can work out how to use them… A SCHEME to give free rail travel has been brought inbut boy, is it complicated. It was announced by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as a way to limit the impact of rising inflation and the cost of living crisis and started on September 1 and will run un til December 31. The tickets are available to anyone, both resident and non-resident, but they must register and pay a deposit for a travel card. And the deal is not valid for a single or round-trip ticket, so is best for commuters as it offers repeated journeys, with users travelling to and from the same station in order to get the discounts. The ticket scheme is avail able on routes offered by Cer canías, Rodalies, and Media Distancia (local and medi um-distance journeys) but not on the high speed AVE or long distance Alvia services. The ticket allows passengers to get off and on at different stations for Cercanias. However, for Media Distan cia it is mandatory to get on and off at the specific stations chosen when the ticket was purchased. Offer The ‘Avant’ services offer a 50% discount for trains scheduled between Septem ber 1 and December 31. For commuter discounts, us ers will have to use their tick et at least 16 times between September and December and then they will be refund ed the discount at the end of the year. Tickets are non-transferable. You will need to either visit Renfe’s website or download the Renfe APP and register as a user or go in person to the train station.
pre-tapas snack to whet the ap petite, olives provide an excellent source of antioxidants and anti-in flammatory agents that help to prevent cancer, especially breast cancer. The perfect accompaniment to bread and tapas, olive oil is also easily found in most Spanish foods, making this healthy food a no-brainer addition to your diet.
Chickpeas SaladTomato
WineRed OcheesejamOrangeOliveswithRANGEShavelongbeenregardedasoneofthebestfruitsforhealth.Usedasaspreadforcheese,inSevillanorangemarmalade,andinfreshfruitdrinks,orangesandorangeproductscanhelptoreducetheriskofchildhoodleukemiaandotherformsofcancerwhilehelpingyoucooloffafteralongday.
TAPAS TREATMENTS
Octopus
ANCHOVIES
Regina Lankenau and EashwaranMaya create the OP’s guide to the most cancerbusting tapas dinner
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL September 9th - September 22nd 202214 Start your journey as a live-in carer today! Earn up to £866 per week Flexible pay options Free food, accommodation and travel Free Blue Light discount card Become a live-in carer in the UK To find out more, please email thespanishrecruitment@helpinghands.co.ukOpportunitiesforthosewithrighttoworkintheUKandthoselookingforsponsorshipApplyonline helpinghands.co.uk/jobs Career development MEDICAL CENTRE PORTALS NOUS Plaza Portals 3 local 5 DRA. VICTORIA BALDO JARABA A doctor for all your family GP Medical experts for accident or disability Laboratory Services *Covid test Monday to Friday 9.00am to 4.00pm For information and appointments tel/WhatsApp: +34 636 676 573Walk-in-clinic TheSpain!!forWARNINGdogsandcatsinGettherighthealthcarecoverONLYENGLISHVET CLINICA VETERINARIABENDINAT tel: 971 404 www.vet-bendinat.com459 Removals UK-MALLORCA-UK weekly Jason 679 216 www.mallorcaexpress.com527BasedinPalma Jason 07831 846528 UK 01924Office464 Basedmove@mallorcaexpress.com857inWestYorshire MALLORCA EXPRESSLTDREMOVALS R ESEARCH has long shown that a Mediter ranean diet filled with fruits, vegetables, le gumes, fish and vegetable oils provides superior health bene fits to the typical Western diet. Recent studies by a team of researchers at Almeria Univer sity have even linked gazpa cho and salmorejo, Andalucian tapa staples, to helping prevent the development of col orectal cancer. The refreshing summer soup is just one of several tapas whose ingredients are thought to help combat certain kinds of the disease. Here are some more ideas to round out the perfect tapas order for your next Friday night dinner.
not only bring a little bit of the Spanish coastline to any tapas dish, but this fatty fish has also been linked with a lower risk of certain strains of cancer. Packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, iron, and protein, they’re a source of lean protein that come with countless health benefits.
TOMATOES contain an import ant antioxidant, known as ly copene, that is well-known as a cancer prevention agent. Ly copene is said to be vital in fighting off prostate and lung cancer, and, luckily for us, happens to be a part of one of the most T HE backbone to the ejecthelpsanttainchickpeasrananMediterfamousdiet,conanimport-mineralthatthelivercancerouspropertiesfromthebody.Chickpeasare also high in fiber, making them useful in preventing col orectal cancers. In addition, their high content of Vita min C serves as an an tioxidant, again assist ing the body in warding off certain cancers.
TENDER and crispy all at once, the grilled octopus is a can’t-miss in any tapas bar. This octopod delicacy is drenched in good omega-3 polyun saturated fats, which are key in promot ing a healthy heart. This low-cal orie, tamins--allbleboastscephalopodhigh-proteinalsoanincrediamountofB-vipluses in the fight to cancer.prevent
Anchovies
ACOMMON
IT turns out that the key component of Spain’s popular tinto de vera no, aside from provid ing a refreshing reprieve from the summer sun, is also an effective way to deter Studiesdisease.indicate that resveratrol, the chemi cal compound natural ly occurring in grapes and red wine, may help strengthen our body’s ability to stave off can cer. Though best en joyed in moderation, it doesn’t hurt to loosen up every once in a while as decreased stress also betters the chances of prevention.
FUNERAL SOLUTION Are there funeral plans with no age restrictions?
Dear Jennifer: DON’T LET IT BUG YOU
By Jorge Hinojosa
COMBINED Covid/flu self di agnostic tests are starting to be pushed out to chemists. They will allow people to see if they are infected with Covid-19, Influenza type A or Influenza type B . Since the start of the month Covid cases have been falling, but there are still people dying and getting seriously ill from the disease. Official advice is to take a Covid test if you are suffering from symptoms, but some people don’t do so as they assume they have a cold or the flu. This is partly because some of the most severe Covid symp toms, such as a complete loss of smell, are not so prevalent now. Other symptoms such as con gestion, headaches, sore throats and a cough are easily confused with those of a cold or the flu. The new test costs €2.94. Take the test HEALTH authorities are oversee ing the withdrawal from the mar ket of three batches of Ardo Frozen Fruitberry Mix due to the presence of Hepatitis A. These are batches 586 2213 (best be fore date 10-11-2024) and 586 22131 (best before 11-11-2024) in 1 kilo packs; and batch 586 22131 (best be fore 31-05-2024) of 2.5 kilos. Point-of-sale recall notices will be displayed in stores supplied with the suspected batches. The mix, which came from Bel gium, has been distributed in An Dodgy fruitberry dalucia, the Baleares, Catalunya, Murcia, Valencia and the Basque Country.
HEALTH 15September 9thSeptember 22nd 2022 Olive Press Mallorca– 170mm x 256mm – Colour September 9th Cannot be used with other offers. Purchase one pair of glasses from our 89€ range or above and get 50% discount on varifocal lenses. Additional charge – Extra Options. Excludes safety eyewear. Ask in store for more details. SKU 30690219 Specsavers España Franchisor S.L. (with VAT number B84536291 and registered offices in Pradillo Street 5 Ground Floor, 28002, Madrid, Spain) is responsible for this offer. Santa Ponça Avda. Rei Jaume, 117 (opposite Eroski center) Tel. 871 964 331 off varifocal lenses with 50%fromglasses€89 IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION OR A QUOTATION, PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF MY OFFICES, EMAILWWW.JENNIFERCUNNINGHAM.NETINFO@JENNIFERCUNNINGHAM.NETORVISITTHEWEBSITE
OVER the past few months, there has been an upheav al regarding funeral plans in the UK. Every week, it would appear that there was a new company provid ing plans. Most of these companies have now disap peared due to the new regulations for funeral plan providers in the UK, as they are now regulated by the FCA. However, due to these changes, and after a considerable amount of research, I decided to provide my clients with a Spanish-regulated funeral plan company, which has been providing funeral plans in Spain for many years, and is ful ly registered and regulated by both the Spanish authorities and the DGS. Why choose a funeral plan? Especially for the Expats and their families, funerals can be a very stressful and complicated experience. When you pur chase a funeral plan, you are making the whole process far easier and less stressful for your loved ones. Prices are fixed, with either full payment or with a small deposit, and a payment schedule over 60 months which is interest-free. There is no medical required, no health restric tions and no limit on age. In Spain, the funeral usually happens very quickly after death, which can be frightening and daunting for your family members to deal with. I cannot understand why you would not organise this, to help your loved ones at this very difficult Onetime.phone call and the plan goes into operation. There is a choice of three plans, and all the documentation required is included. If you decide that a funeral plan is not for you, you must make sure that your wishes are known, money is available immediately and that at least one of your loved ones has an NIE number. In line with Spanish law, direct cremation usually takes place 24-72 hours after death and prolonging this will incur extra mortuary expenses. Death is always traumatic and exhausting – why make it even harder for those left behind?
Scare headlines by UK tabloids dismissed HEADLINES in British tab loids warning holidaymakers about a plague of bloodsucking bed bugs at hotels across Spain have been dismissed - and the blame put on tourists them Theselves.reports claimed that popu lar tourist destinations includ ing Costa Blanca, the Baleares and the Canary Islands were infested with the insects and putting holiday makers at risk. The Olive Press got on the case to find out the truth. Jorge Galvan, director of the Spanish Association of Envi ronmental Health (ANECPLA) confirmed that this year was a particularly bad one for bed bugs but explained that this was a global problem and not just a Spanish one. “The increase of bed bugs is not only affecting Spain, but it is also affecting every country,” he “Thesaid.main reason why there are more bed bugs is because of climate change and the in crease of temperatures,” he added. In fact, he warned that it may be the tourists themselves that are the problem, because they are transporting the bugs across borders in their clothes and luggage. Hotels “It’s quite possible there are more bed bugs in the UK than in Spain and that they are brought over to hotels here by the guests themselves,” he said. A spokesman for the Alicante hotels association told the Olive Press: “This information is to tally false, we haven’t received any reports of bed bugs in any of the hotels of Alicante. “It is the first time this year that I have heard about bed bugs,” he Likewise,added. the Spanish health ministry has not issued any warnings regarding bed bugs in hotels across Spain.
Faithful pooch barked for 6 hours to attract attention after owner fell down well A YOUNG dog who was res cued at just 15 days old has re turned the favour by saving his master’s life one year on. Joaquin Gallardo was exhaust ed and on the verge of giving up after he fell down a well and left floating for six-and-a-half hours in an isolated part of Rincon de la Victoria (Malaga). His cries for help had gone un heard during the ordeal – but his faithful dog Tanka refused to leave his master. It was Tanka’s incessant bark ing that finally raised the alarm, when two young wom en in a distant house decided to investigate the commotion. They were guided by the barking to a patch of isolated ground and By Dilip Kuner and the young man was finally hauled to safety suffering no more than a few bruises. to plunge into the unprotected well, losing his phone in the process. For the next six-and-a-half hours Tanka kept barking. Gal lardo said: “She barked so much that police told me the dog was a wreck from exhaustion.”
A GANDIA man sold cocaine which he had hidden in his Covid mask. The 59-year-old Spaniard drew the attention of police who decided to watch him in action. Officers spotted several people ap proaching him in the street and en gaging in a brief conversation. They saw him remove his mask each time and noted an exchange of items. He was arrested and a home
A GIANT phallic carving un covered by archaeologists at a site in Cordoba is believed to be one of the largest such finds dating from the Roman world. Although depictions of the penis were a common theme used to represent fertility, bring luck and ward off the evil eye, the team digging at the Nueva Carteya site believe this particular relief carving is something more unusual.
shockedShell
A LARGE Sulcata tortoise has been rescued from the Pudio River in Sevilla with police taking the endan gered species to the sta tion for a bite to eat before handing it over to a reserve.
Ironically, Tanka was the thefallenGallardoreasonhaddownwellinthe first place. He had been chatting to his mum via WhatsApp when the pooch ran off after a cat. Gallardo fol lowed, only heard the yells of Gallardo. He was stuck in the 10-metre deep well, with no footing and grimly staying afloat. They called the police BEST PALS: Joaquin and Tanka
Favour It was a year ago that Gallar do had found Tanka on waste ground. She was barely 15 days old and very neglected. He rescued, nursed and cared for her and now Tanka has managed to return the favour.
*Data extracted from process closure surveys after using our roadside assistance and breakdown services. 952 147 834 TheOlivePress-256x170-MP0622.indd 1 6/6/22 10:43 FREE OPRESSThe MALLORCA LIVE Vol. 5 Issue 139 www.theolivepress.es September 9th - September 22nd 2022 WORDSFINAL
Well done!
Virility “It was common to place them on the facades of hous es or represented on small amulets worn by soldiers as a symbol of virility, but not of such a size as the one found now,” explained Andres Roldan from the Museum of Nueva Carteya and the pro fessor leading the excavation “Weproject.are consulting the bibli ography and, at the moment, we have not found one of such dimensions,” he said. The relief carved on a lime stone block measures close to half a metre in length and is thought to have formed a cor nerstone of a tower on a large building crowning the hill of the Roman settlement. search uncovered 175 grams of co caine and a precision scale in addi tion to €7,360.
Size matterdoes
Bad luck
A MAN restoring a prop erty in Galicia has found €24,000 worth of old peseta banknotes stuffed in Nesquik bottles but they are worthless as the deadline for exchanging them for euros passed in February. Whale watch OVER 90 whales have been recorded in sight ings off the Denia coast since May. Around 100 volunteers have partic ipated in the Cape Fin whale project spotting the mammals at sea or from viewpoints.
SNOW JOKE