Olive Press Mallorca - Issue 147

in to order a pasta bolognese.

Freeman is among other Hollywood stars, including Nicole Kidman, who are on the Balearic Island as shooting started this week for Lioness, a series created by Taylor Sheridan for Paramount+

The staff at Sandro restaurant in Palma couldn’t believe their eyes when Freeman ordered a meal from them.

They took to social media to document what happened.

“Actor whose voice you recognise! We cannot believe it! Thanks for the surprise, we’ll never forget it! So amazing,” a staff member from the restaurant posted.

The series is being shot around Mallorca between the middle of January until the end of February.

Little sprinkle of Hollywood

Lioness is based on true events and tells the story of a young marine recruited by the CIA to befriend the daughter of a terrorist group in order to bring down the organisation from within.

There will be various locations across the island, which will benefit from an estimated 12,000 extras overnight stays.

The Lioness cast will also include Laysla De Oliveira, Zoe Saldaña, Jill Wagner, Dave Annable, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hebert, Hannah Love Lanier, Stephanie Nur and Jonah Wharton.

FACE FORWARD

Homeless man paid to have stag’s name tattooed on his forehead by drunk Brits finally having it removed… but STILL no apology!

EXCLUSIVE

By Walter Finch

A HOMELESS man paid to have a groom’s name tattooed on his forehead in Benidorm is finally getting it removed.

Every two months for the past year, Tomek Matuszewki, 39, has undergone an excruciating four-minute procedure to have the Brit’s name removed.

Now the majority of the tattoo has been erased, although the Polish national still has three sessions to endure, as forehead skin is too thin to have it removed all at once.

“It’s the worst pain ever in my life,” he told the Olive Press.

“It is like a really hot iron pressing into your forehead every second - a tooth abscess is nothing compared to this.”

Tomek had been the victim of one of the worst examples of British tourists abroad, when he came across the group of stags in 2018.

The trained chef had been living on the streets of the resort, when the drunken gang offered him €100 to get the tattoo.

Desperate and starving - having walked to

Spain after a painful split from a fiancee at home in Poland - it seemed like a godsend and he willingly accepted.

But it was only the following morning when he woke up with the name ‘Jamie Blake’ on his forehead that the full realisation of the humiliation dawned on him.

“It was terrible afterwards - I felt everyone looking at me. I had to go everywhere in a hat.

I was even getting calls from friends in Poland who had read about it in the news,” he said.

News of the cruel stunt prompted an uproar, both in Spain and abroad, with the Benidorm British Business Association branding it ‘ut-

Help Tomek walk

terly inhumane and akin to abuse.’

But Tomek has revealed that he has received ‘zero apology’ from Blake or any of his pals.

He now wants Blake, based in Tyneside, to apologise publicly and foot the removal bill, which has cost €1,500 so far.

Despite the upturn in his life, Tomek was recently diagnosed with osteonecrosis in both hips, meaning he struggles to walk and is unable to work as a chef.

To help raise €9,500 for two operations, Project4all is organising a 24-hour 100km walk on February 4, around Benissa.

The charity has raised €2,400 so far and the ‘El Paseo de las Caderas’ (Walk of the Hips) hopes to raise the rest. Get in touch at the website.

Fortunately the cost of the removal is being funded and supported by the Costa Blanca homeless charity Project4all.

Conquer

The charity has helped him get off the streets and conquer his drinking problem.

He now helps to deliver food, clothing and support to rough sleepers on the 130km ‘food-run’ along the Costa Blanca, including Javea, Calpe, Altea, Albir and Benidorm.

“I’ve got my own room, and every day I help people on the streets, to let them know they’re not alone,” he explained.

TREATMENT: Tomek is having tattoo removed and (right) on his rounds

PAIN: Tomek Matuszewki puts on a brave face after his horror night

HOLLYWOOD mega-star Morgan Freeman is in Mallorca, and surprised a local restaurant when he stepped

Airport thief

A 37-year-old man using a bogus French identity who has more than 50 arrests to his name has been arrested at Palma after he stole from two people at check-in.

Thug life

FAR right hooligan Tommy Robinson, 40, got round his football ban in England and Wales by attending a second division match in Tenerife. He got a four-year ban in 2019 for punching a fan.

Fire starter

A SERIAL arsonist, 54, has been arrested for allegedly setting 19 forest fires in Extremadura’s Caceres over two years, burning 1,000 hectares and causing 800 people to flee their homes.

Grim month

DECEMBER was officially the worst month of 2022 for domestic violence, with eight instances of women murdered by men. The total for the year could be as high as 50.

A LEGENDARY cat burglar responsible for a string of jewellery thefts across Mallorca has finally been arrested at the age of 74.

He is thought to be the architect of at least five recent break-ins at homes in Palma and the Part Forana de Mallorca.

The career criminal, with numerous prior arrests and stints in jail, is suspected of entering the homes in broad daylight

Gentleman thief

by forcing the Majorcan blinds and swiping money, jewellery and valuables. Police had been on his trail for some time and finally arrested the smooth criminal on December 16, seizing torches, binoculars and other tools from his home.

BAD RECEPTION

TWO people in Mallorca have been arrested for a fictitious marriage in exchange for €4,000.

Police in Manacor arrested the couple and are investigating a worker from a town hall in the Llevant area who acted as the celebrant for the fabricated marriage.

Officers became aware of the bizarre arrangement in September when the wom-

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an appeared at the police station in Manacor to report that she had been deceitfully married against her will

to a man of Brazilian origin. “The objective for him was to immediately become legal and be able to apply for a resident permit,” Policia Nacional said.

The Force’s immigration

Sex crime Teen’s threat

A COUPLE in Barcelona province has filed a police report after a video of their underage daughter performing a sex act in a nightclub went viral.

The images, which were shared on TikTok and Twitter, show the youngster with a young man in the middle of a packed dance floor at Waka.

When the man realises that he is being recorded, he pulls up his trousers and stops the filming. Police are now investigating the sharing of the video, which is an offence under Spanish law.

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested after pointing a fake gun at a Guardia Civil officer in Alcudia.

The incident happened on Monday when an off-duty officer was driving on Calle Pollentia.

His progress was being impeded by a teenager on a scooter travelling in the middle of the road.

As the officer overtook him, the hooded youth wearing a face covering pointed a gun at him.

The officer intercepted the scooter rider and found the gun in his sweatshirt pocket.

unit then started investigating and found the woman had agreed to the man’s proposal in exchange for €4,000.

But she had only received €500 after the fake ceremony, causing her to complain to officers that she had been scammed.

Police then arrested them both for crimes related to illegal immigration and falsifying documents.

Role

Police are also investigating a city council worker for his role in processing the documents. The employee has not been arrested, but police said the investigation was still open and did not rule out further arrests.

Knifepoint kidnapping

A 62-year-old woman was kidnapped from her Sant Llorenc home after telling a knife-wielding intruder that she had no money.

The victim was taken to a Cala Millor petrol station owned by her husband with staff chasing off the criminal.

The burglar had entered the woman's home while she was still in bed.

He woke her up and brandished a knife which he threatened to use if she did not give him all of her money.

The woman tried to calm down the knifeman by saying there was plenty of money at the Cala Millor service station. He tied her hands and bundled the resident into her own car and drove to the petrol station.

Teenage dirtbag

A MALLORCAN man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for blackmailing six teenage girls into sending him naked pictures.

The 22-year-old approached a series of girls aged between 12 and 17 via Whatsapp and Instagram at the end of 2020 and asked them to send him naked or revealing pictures.

Having got one photo, he then used it to blackmail his victims into sending more.

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Instead of getting hitched, a couple from Mallorca were arrested after police uncovered the real reason behind their marriage

Anthony Piovesan

Dogs (and cats) of war

A UKRAINIAN animal charity that has been rescuing cats and dogs from the warzone is asking kind-hearted residents of Spain to find homes for the destitute pets.

By Cristina Hodgson

Thousands of animals have been evacuated, whilst others remain in danger within Ukraine.

During the last 10 months Zoopatrul has rescued over 1,000 cats and dogs from war terror and human cruelty.

In order to house the influx of animals that they are caring for, Zoopatrul, is building the first modern European-type animal shelter in Ukraine. But they need help.

“We are desperately looking for financial help with the purchase of construction material for the completion of our shelter in Irpin” said spokesperson Elena Sorokina.

“In addition to rescuing dogs and cats, we are open for adoption applications and can help with transportation of saved and neutered pets to any country, including Spain.”

Zoopatrul have opened a donation platform via PayPal (zoopatrulshelter@gmail.com) and can be contacted on zoopatrul@m-p.ua or via Facebook or Twitter (search ZooPatrul).

Dean slides in

Expat snake catcher calls for help after car gives up the ghost

DEAN Gallagher is something of a guardian angel in Ibiza.

Not content with lending a hand to tourists who have broken down, or bringing bottled water to elderly neighbours, he also volunteers providing pest control: if you find a snake in your property, Dean will come and deal with it.

“The island has always been free of snakes, that’s what it was famous for,’ the teacher and property manager tells the Olive Press. “But in the last 10 years, they started appearing in rural areas.”

The reason for this reptile invasion is the importation by property owners of ol-

EXCLUSIVE By Simon Hunter

ive trees, which have been brought in from not just mainland Spain but also other parts of the world. And nestled inside these trees were non-venomous horseshoe whip snakes and ladder snakes – and their eggs.

“They reproduce in exponential numbers, like rabbits,” he says. “They’ve very quickly established a very solid, firm population around the north of the islands especially.”

The snakes are putting Ibiza’s lizards in jeopardy. ‘The main problem is the wall lizard,’ explains Dean. “It’s too trusting. They’ve never seen

Bad ratings

KING Felipe VI’s traditional Christmas Eve speech attracted a million fewer television viewers than the year before, and had the third-worst audience since he came to power in 2014.

In total, 6,711,000 people watched the speech on television. The speech actually had a bigger audience share than in 2021, with 64.5% of the total – up 1.3 percentage points. But it attracted 1,145,000 fewer viewers.

DANGER: Dean has been bitten 18 times and found 188 snakes

a snake before, and by the time they’ve worked it out the snake has gobbled them up.”

He added: “I am simply trying to protect the species that have existed here since the beginning of time and are now nearing extinction.”

His volunteer work started with the Ibizan branch of Friends of the Earth (Amics de la Terra), and has seen him drive an estimated 23,000 kilometres this summer alone.

But all of those journeys, often on rocky terrain, have taken their toll on Dean’s Land Rover Freelander, which now needs a new clutch and repairs to the bodywork.

So that he can continue his altruistic tasks, Dean has launched a Go Fund Me Page – ideally to pay for the repair to the Land Rover, but also, if possible, so he can invest in a 4x4 that’s better suited to the Ibizan roads and tracks.

Bitten

“This year I’ve dealt with 188 snakes, rescued two stranded tourists, assisted in three road accidents and I’ve been bitten around 18 times. “I’m happy, because it’s positive results and there aren’t any venomous snakes (yet).” So far Dean has raised just over €700 of his €20,000 goal.

US actress Eva Longoria spent a few days in Spain over the festive period, alongside her husband, Mexican businessman Jose Antonio Baston and her son Santi. The popular performer, who rose to fame playing sassy Gabrielle Solis in the TV series Desperate Housewives, celebrated the New Year at Nota Blu, a restaurant owned by former Qatari soccer player Zazou Belounis though the Casanis Group, Longoria - a self-confessed lover of Marbella - was accompanied by her son’s godparents, local businesswoman Maria Bravo and Puerto Rican actor Amaury Nolasco, as well as by Spanish boxer of Georgian origin Ilia Topuria (inset with Longoria and Bravo) and some close friends. The 47-year-old American has been in Figueras (Girona) to film a six-episode series Land of Women for Apple TV+ It is based on Sandra Barneda's novel La tierra de las mujeres

HAPPY EVA AFTER Prickly times

SEVERAL hedgehogs affected by the forest fires this summer in the Doñana Natural Park have been returned to the wild. Following a spell at the Wendy Clements Animal Sanctuary in Chucenam, the release is of enormous environmental importance.’ A single hedgehog can eat over 100 invertebrates in a night, their presence therefore indicates a good diversity of habitat and a healthy and thriving ecosystem.

PIC CREDITS: Instagram Maria Bravo & Eva Longoria

MALLORCA has been named as one of the top five destinations in the world to travel to this year by Forbes magazine.

Despite the Balearic island’s huge popularity among Europeans and the British, Forbes magazine said Mallorca had, until recently, ‘stubbornly remained off the radar for Americans’.

Between January and November 2022, Palma airport received 62% more flights from the United States compared to 2019, pre-pandemic.

Forbes described Palma as a ‘shockingly large undiscovered’ city.

It noted that many of the island’s countless charming and luxury hotels were previously ‘fincas’, restored medieval farmhouses.

Many big-name luxury brands have moved into Mallorca from St. Regis to Luxury Collection to Belmond.

“Mallorca is hot, hot, hot, and deservedly so,” the magazine said.

Hot, hot, hot Wrap up!

MALLORCA is set for a radical change in the weather next week with a sharp drop in temperatures, and wind, rain and snow forecast.

The Balearic island has been soaking in sun all-week long, with temperatures around 20 degrees. But it will plummet to a chilly 14 degrees on Monday.

A spokesperson for the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) said snow could fall on the highest peaks of the Serra de Tramuntana.

They said the stable weather this week was giving way to the arrival of several fronts, some of them bringing polar air.

The fronts will begin to sweep across the island on Sunday night and are expected to ease on January 19, posing a threat to the Sant Antoni celebrations.

Team

TENNIS great Rafa Nadal has announced he will enter his own team into the inaugural all-electric raceboat season set to electrify audiences later this year.

The UIM E1 World Championship is a new form of competitive racing in which mixed gender pilots fly above the water’s surface behind the wheel of the new RaceBird boat, capable of reaching speeds of 50 knots (93 kph or 58 mph).

Nadal – a Mallorquin islander – hailed the championship’s ethos to preserve marine ecosystems and develop clean technologies.

The record Grand Slam holder is not expected to pilot his own boat, however.

The date and location for the first race has yet to be announced, but cities such as Venice, Monaco, Miami, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Rotterdam are in the mix.

Fighting fit

NOVICE boxers are picking up their gloves for a fight night in aid of Cancer Support Mallorca.

Renegade Martial Arts has gathered together 12 beginners to face off against each other in a charity bout.

The combatants, each with zero fighting experience, are undergoing a twice-weekly training boot camp over the next 10 weeks to get into the shape of their lives.

PRICE OF FAILURE

PALMA city hall is facing an enormous compensation bill that will run into the millions for the acquitted defendants in the fallout from the disastrous ‘Cursach case’.

Mallorca’s ‘king of the night’ Bartolome Cursach and his number two, Bartolome Sbert, were both dramatically exoneratedalong with 15 others in the dock - after their five-year corruption trial collapsed in November.

Night club magnate Cursach spent 14 months in pre-trial jail and Sbert nine after their arrest in 2017, entitling them to substantial compensation after their acquittals.

The 15 other defendants,

PENSION PINCHERS

A NUMBER of British expats, and even a Spanish national, have come forward with worrying stories about their struggles to claim their pensions in Spain.

It comes after the Olive Press reported on a pair of expats, who were locked in battles with the country’s social security office.

Multiple people contacted the newspaper, while dozens more have joined arms with the Olive Press on a mission to get answers.

One of the new cases involves Spanish national Teodoro Sanz Arranz who claims to have battled the Ministry of Social Security for more than eight years.

“The answer is always the same; that they will not pay me in accordance with a law which they have invented,” he told the Olive Press.

Arranz said authorities told him his application was denied as he did not work for two years prior to his 65th birthday, when he would have been entitled to a pension payment.

But he said he is not asking for the full pension to be paid to him, only for the years he paid into the system, which he claimed was five years, two months and four days.

Arranz was born in Spain but moved to the United Kingdom for 24 years.

He even wrote to the European Union, the European Court of Human Rights and The

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mostly police officers accused of colluding with Cursach to run a racket benefiting his businesses over those of his rivals, are also expected to demand hefty compensation.

As well as the time spent in jail, the defendants will each also claim against loss of income, reputational damage and the suffering incurred by family members.

Costs

On top of all that, Palma city hall will be expected to shoulder the entire legal costs for the protracted

case, as well as the defendants’ legal costs. The bill to Mallorca taxpayers simply to compensate the huge number of civil servants and agents of the state investigated in the sprawling case aloneof which 40 spent time in jail - is expected to exceed €4 million.

But the costs do not stop there - Cursach and his associates are demanding jail terms of at least 30 years for the judge and prosecutor who presided over the trial dubbed a ‘failure of justice’ by another prosecutor.

Former judge Manuel Penalva and the former prosecutor Miguel Angel Subiran, who oversaw the case for nearly three years, now find themselves in the dock over accusations that they ran a dirty trial intim-

Bale out

Defensor del Pueblo (Ombudsman), plus others, but said he did not receive any helpful reply.

In another case, British expatriate Jeremy Johnson, based in Denia, said he has been waiting 20 years for his pension.

He said it comes after the authorities first told him to apply for his UK pension, explaining that they would then contact the other social security offices in the countries Johnson had listed as having worked in.

Response

“We waited a long time for any response from the UK and when we eventually phoned, we were informed that the relevant departments in Spain had not responded to them,” he told the Olive Press.

Brexpats in Spain has pledged to help as best it can.

Its founder Anne Hernandez said: “Brits who live and work here and contribute to the system deserve to get what they’re owed.”

idating and coercing witnesses into giving damning testimony against Cursach and his associates.

Cursach’s team is also demanding fines against the pair - plus four money laundering investigators in the dock with them - of €5.5 million.

Scheme

And there are now calls for the resignation of the mayor of Palma, Jose Hila, and Councilwoman Angelica Pastor, who are accused of collaborating with Penalva and Subiran in their alleged scheme against Cursach.

The spotlight will also be on the so-called ‘honest cops’ who testified against the exonerated men, with an investigation already underway.

Ranging from early 20s to mid 50s and with more women than men, the competitors will duke it out in three rounds of two minutes each.

The fight night is tentatively scheduled for March 18 at the martial artists’ studio on Carrer d’Albacete and all sponsorship money raised will go straight to Cancer Support Mallorca.

FORMER Real Madrid star and Wales legend Gareth Bale has announced his retirement from club football at the age of 33.

The five-times Champions League winner, who Real Madrid made the most expensive player in the world in 2013, has ended his 12-month contract with Los Angeles FC after six months.

Bale was fresh off the back of leading Wales to their first World Cup since 1958, having run down his contract with Real Madrid in the summer.

The Cardiff native rose to prominence in the Premier League as a wing wizard for Tottenham Hotspur, terrorising full-backs and scoring screamers - most prominently ending the career of Brazilian stalwart Maicon in a 4-3 Champion’s League defeat against Inter Milan in 2011.

Tolls delayed

SPAIN’S government will not introduce a national road toll scheme in 2024 due to the state of the economy.

Spain has been under pressure to fall in line with other EU member states like France, Germany and Portugal where widespread toll road charging is the norm.

The Equity Guys

MALLORCA is set to become a hub for Europe’s old money to meet, mingle and talk investments.

Skyland Wealth, a like-minded community of hundreds of ‘Ultra-High Net Worth’ individuals, plans to make the island a second, all-year-round Davos for its members.

“When you are a large wealth owner, or you run a family business, connections are always personal in the long run,” CEO David Pieper, 38, told the Olive Press

“So you have to meet, you have to mingle, you have to chat.”

The project is not just envisioned as a champagne club for the wealthy to swap tips about where to berth their yacht or how to find their perfect villa.

It’s also seen as an economic one where, as a result of the mingling, ‘real money will be invested. And that benefits everyone’.

“We are the equity guys, basically,” Pieper said.

“And we want to help the wealth of the world connect in a faster and more efficient way.”

Walter Finch

Scarred, but not for life

TOMEK Matuszewki was a down-and-out in Benidorm in 2018 when a gang of despicable Brits on a stag paid him to get the groom’s name tattooed on his forehead. On that night Tomek was drunk, just as he was every night back then, in order to soothe the horror of roughing it on the streets.

One hundred euros, rock-bottom self-esteem and a conniving tattoo artist all contributed to Tomek making one of the worst decisions of his life.

A terrible collision of the ugly culture of British lads abroad with the attitude that the lives of homeless people are worth less, it is time for some hard lessons for thoughtless idiots who behave like animals abroad. While the experience has badly scarred Tomek, thankfully it is not for life.

A fantastic big-hearted homeless charity, Project4all, has gone some way to making up for the hooligans that caused his nightmare in the first place. We salute it and hope that our readers in the area come out in support next month.

Face the heat

IT’S time for Spain’s social security office to face scrutiny and answer some questions.

More people have emerged with shocking stories about authorities denying their applications to claim their pensions.

These people have paid into the country’s social security system for years, so where is the money they’re owed? And at least, why are they not being told what more they need to do in order for their applications to be successful?

Silence is not a sufficient reply, it is degrading and rude. Stop the stonewalling and answer these residents’ questions, whether they speak Valenciano, Catalan or not, it is their money no matter where they’re from, or what dialect they speak.

PROBLEMS DOWN THE ROAD

AFFECTING seven out of 10 cities – 149 throughout Spain, and 75% of vehicles, the scheme was approved by the government two years ago but has received minimal publicity – possibly because it is a proverbial hot potato.

Now surprised residents are suddenly learning, from friends in the bar, that their older cars won’t be welcome in their neighbouring town or city from the end of 2023. They’ll have to find an alternative –such as the tram or bus.

WHAT’S GOING ON?

‘Low Emission Zones’ (LEZ), also known as ‘Zonas Bajas Emisiones’ (ZBE) and ‘Zero Emission Zones’ (ZEZ) are being created in cities with over 50,000 inhabitants, and, in some with as few as 20,000 inhabitants. Town halls have until the end of 2023 to delimit and enforce these zones or be fined.

The idea is to categorise all Spanish-plated vehicles with stickers, according to their pollution level. The sticker will determine whether your car is allowed into the LEZs and ZEZs.

WHAT ARE THE CLASSES OF STICKER?

The stickers currently come in four valid categories: Zero, ECO, C and B. Category A means no sticker: you’re not entering the zone.

Those with a B sticker can enter, but not park there.

Some drivers have complained that the DGT website says they are eligible for B, but receive C in the post.

You can see what sticker your car will get on the DGT website – if any: diesel vehicles registered before 2006, for example, aren’t eligible.

SOME LIMITED EMISSION ZONES ALREADY EXIST IN SPAIN

Sevilla, Valencia, and Valladolid already have LEZs, as does Barcelona.

Since 2021, drivers entering Barcelona’s massive 95km2 LEZ between the peak hours of 7am and 8pm have been obliged to display a distintivo ambiental (environmental sticker) on their windscreen. Madrid introduced a ZEZ in late 2018, much smaller but with stricter and more

complicated restrictions.

Vehicles without the distintivo ambiental sticker cannot enter.

Those displaying 0 and ECO stickers can park for free, while drivers of C and B vehicles have special rules. Residents with C and B must register to park in the zone.

They can receive visitors and suppliers up to 20 times a month – provided these drivers also have C or B stickers. Motorcycles with C and B can’t enter between 10pm and 7am.

If you’re driving through Spain, be aware that the M-30 motorway is included in a Madrid ZEZ. The fine for non-compliance

BLANK DATE

SERIOUSLY, January 16 has been designated as a day for just sitting around and not engaging in activities (though good luck explaining that to your boss as it’s a Monday).

The idea is for people to appreciate the peace of mind that comes from disengaging from routines.

The concept is amusing and irreverent, to be sure, but there is a degree of wisdom behind it.

It is no accident that the chosen date comes after what is for many, a hectic holiday season involving too many calories, too much familial schmoozing,

much credit card damage, an excess of wine, and too much travel. Maybe, just maybe, a day of inactivity could be a net positive. Sitting on the sofa all day, or adopting a ‘back to-thesack’ approach might be just what the doctor ordered.

It is the exact opposite of the axiom ‘don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today’. For one day only, the message being preached is ‘put off today what you can do tomorrow’.

The Nothing Day was initiated by American humorist Harold Coffin in 1973. Fed up with the daily hijacking of the calendar by both political lobbying groups special designated days, with examples ranging from World Toilet Day (November 19) to America’s National Whiskey Sour Day (July 25) and Bring your Brownies to Brunch Day (August 19).

and frivolous interest groups, Coffin, with tongue firmly in cheek, made the effort to launch the day officially.

The irony was not lost on him: “In combating the proliferation of special days,” he observed wryly, “I am forced to create yet another special day”.

There was no shortage of ridiculous

But Coffin acknowledged there were also many more serious commemorative days that helped bring issues of concern to the attention of the general public.

These, such as World Clean Water Day (March 22), World Social Justice Day (February 20) and Human Achievement Day (October 21) were dedicated to mobilising action and celebrating worthwhile social endeavours.

Although International Nothing Day is an officially recognised commemorative day, the general idea of nothingness is

Spain’s drivers brace for chaos as older cars are banned from cities

is €200.

THE FINES

Motorists who drive into restricted zones without the correct sticker will receive a €200 fine (reduced to €100 if paid within 20 days).

According to some reports, it will be the driver’s responsibility to check for fines on the DGT app or website, rather than receive the notifications as registered mail in the traditional way.

There are exemptions for vehicles registered to people with mobility problems and health issues preventing them from using public transport, or used for emergency and essential services.

Foreign vehicles don’t need a sticker. Does this create temptation to drive around in UK-plated cars?

COST

However green people want to be, a cost-of-living crisis, with electricity and food at inflated prices, is hardly the best moment to ask people to buy new cars. Most can’t afford a hybrid or electric vehicle, or to lease a new car for €300 or more per month.

To add insult to injury, older vehicles in category A (no sticker), will be devalued and difficult to sell.

Meanwhile, certain organisations will benefit from the latest ‘green’ initiative – namely, car manufacturers, leasing companies, finance companies and the DGT, with endless penalty fines to collect.

STUCK IN THE CAMPO

Take the example of rural regions where many motorists have older vehicles because of the harsh driving conditions –mountain tracks don’t bode well for anything too new and shiny. A bus is impossible with heavy loads or dogs to transport.

With the new emission zones and stickers in place they are likely not to bother visiting Alicante, Granada, Sevilla or Malaga.

While the city of Granada has a tram system and bus routes, they are insufficient for a park and ride scheme capable of matching the coming demand. Where is the infrastructure and investment ahead of creating the delimited zones?

NO SENSE

In my own case, in the hilly Alpujarra outback the new rules prove particularly ironic. My 2002 Citroen Berlingo, bought in March 2022 for its fuel economy, has a diesel engine. It can’t get a sticker – even though it passes its ITV emissions test with flying colours. Now, it needs to be changed for a newer one.

In contrast, my 2006 Mitsubishi L200 pickup scrapes through the DGT system with category B –but is a fuel-guzzling monster and a tank, awkward to manoeuvre in built up areas.

THE STICKER CLASSIFICATIONS

NO STICKER - GASOLINE vehicles registered before 2001 or which don’t comply with the Euro III standard. All diesel before 2006 or that don’t comply with Euro IV.

B - GASOLINE registered as of January 1, 2001, or complying with Euro III. All diesels registered from January 1, 2006, or that comply with Euro IV and V.

C - GASOLINE registered after January 1, 2006, or complying with Euro IV, Euro V or Euro VI. All diesels registered after September 1, 2015, or that comply with Euro VI.

ECO - HYBRID or plug-in hybrid vehicles with an electric range of less than 40 ki-

POWER OF THE PRESS

IT is always satisfying for journalists when they feel that they actually do make a difference.

And one story on the Olive Press online gave us all a festive feelgood factor.

A home has been found for the beloved dogs of a British expatriate living in Granada after he was rushed into hospital and forced to quickly find a home for his furry friends - just days after we reported the case.

The man’s friend Trudy McCaffery had told us the Velez de Benaudalla resident was likely to be in hospital for ‘a while’.

The Olive Press then published an article online detailing the dramatic attempt to find the dogs a home by the end of January or the two elderly Springer Spaniels faced an uncertain future.

Soon after, a Good Samaritan online reader in the UK had come forward to help out.

“I’ve managed to rehome them back to the UK by car – I don’t think they’d survive a flight and all the associated things that happen with that,” she said.

“So all being well they will be going home by the end of the month, and then we’ll try and sort everything else from there.”

not new.

Many religious practices view quiet time (prayer, meditation, introspection) as a practice which can bring everything into perspective.

Scientific research has shown that by focusing attention inward and being still, a wide range of physical and cognitive benefits begin to take root.

We become more empathetic, stress is stabilised, and blood pressure settles. Being still enhances the capacity to stay focused, pay attention and ignore distractions.

Whether serious or not, January 16 is a day that I plan to use for a reset, reboot, recharge and replenish ahead of the next winter stretch taking us to spring. Who is with me?

lometres. All vehicles powered by natural gas, compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and that additionally meet the requirements of C.

ZERO ‘0’ - ELECTRIFIED vehicles with an electric range of more than 40 kilometres, including pure electric, plug-in hybrids or extended range electric vehicles. All vehicles powered by hydrogen or fuel cell.

More information can be found online at the N332 advice site.

So a big Olive Press THANK YOU to our reader - both for giving the dogs a home and giving us all a little good cheer to start the year with!

UNHAPPY: This driver in Madrid is protesting that his vehicle contaminates no more than a modern car

HAPPY: Not everyone is against the regulations, with cyclists (far left) calling for an end to car pollution and backing low emission zones

Dangerous times

Spain at worst risk of climaterelated home damage

PEOPLE in Spain have the highest risk of suffering climate-related home damage in Europe, according to a new study.

Much of the UK and Europe suffered droughts, flash floods, forest fires, and torrential rain in 2022, leading to many insurance claims.

Now an insurance price comparison website has put together a guide of which locations in England and Europe are most at risk of climate-related home damage - and Spain comes out worst.

“With a vast 4,185 acres of land burned by forest wildfires per year and an air quality and pollution level of 47, Spain topped the list as the European country most at risk of home damage caused by climate-related issues,” the study from Compare the Market found.

Next on the list was Bosnia and Herzegovina, ‘which sees less damage by wildfires (1,995 acres burned per year) but more floods caused by heavy rain (one per year).’

The UK, which came third, experiences far fewer wildfires than either Spain or Bosnia and

By Alex Trelinski

Herzegovina (381 acres burned per year) but has a much worse air quality and pollution level (60), according to the study.

The site used a range of factors to draw up its list, including changes to average temperatures, the number of

floods caused by heavy rain, how many acres of land are burned by wildfires and pollution levels.

Portugal was found to be the

most at-risk country in terms of wildfires, with an average of 6,039 acres burnt every year.

It was followed by Spain (4,158 acres) and Italy (3,373 acres).

Hydrogen test

TESTS on a new hydrogen refuelling centre are to be made in the Ports of Valencia this month.

The facility has been installed as part of the EU’s Clean Hydrogen JU program, with the project in Spain called H2Ports.

This initial refuelling station is not designed for fuelling-up ‘green’ ships - hydrogen powered shipping operations remain some years off - but will be used to make port operations more environmentally friendly.

The mobile station will be used initially to fuel the prototype Reach Stacker Vehicle (or container stacker) and a conventional 4X4 tractor unit for loading and unloading operations.

The latter is due to be converted to a hydrogen cell system later this year.

Expect more hollow promises in the coming year

2023…. FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE?

IT’S that time of year when we reflect on last year and look forward to the New Year.

As far as the environment is concerned and the fight to mitigate and eradicate the harm caused by climate change, will this year be better than last?

My 11-year-old son Rafa said something to me recently when we were driving in the car. He asked me: “Dad, why do we continue to destroy the planet? There will be nothing left for future generations.”

Pretty profound for an 11-year-old. These simply put questions set me on a much deeper reflection. In many ways, world events are allied to climate change.

When you consider what’s going on in the world;

● Putin’s inhumane and disastrous invasion of Ukraine is nearing its first anniversary and is highly unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.

● The number of people facing starvation on the African continent continues to rise.

● Kim ‘Wrong-Un’ is hell-bent on increasing his nuclear threat.

● The Arab/Israeli conflict will undoubtedly escalate with the election of the far-right Benjamin Netanyahu.

● The Taliban will continue to take women’s rights back to pre-historic levels in Afghanistan.

● China will ramp up its claims over Taiwan this year, giving America the opportunity to fight another war abroad.

And I don’t have enough column space to go into Myanmar, Columbia, Haiti, Sudan, Lebanon, Nigeria, The Sahel, Yemen or Ethiopia. I think you’ve got the message…. the world is a messed-up place.

Reflecting on some of the major environmental issues of last year tells a similar story;

● Hurricane Ian caused havoc in Cuba and the US.

NEW laws that force tobacco companies to pay the cost for cleaning up millions of cigarette butts have come into effect.

The rules were approved last year as part of a law banning single-use plastics such as cutlery and straws.

The law also states that tobacco companies could be required to pay for the installation of public receptacles for cigarette butts. The cost is unknown, but could run into hundreds of millions of euros.

● Extreme drought in Europe saw river levels drop to the lowest levels on record. Spain’s reservoirs fell to the lowest levels for more than 30 years. End result - billions of euros of losses to the agriculture, livestock and energy generation sectors.

● Unprecedented floods in China.

● Despite the floods in China huge areas suffered drought conditions.

● Floods in Australia.

● Super intense monsoon season in Pakistan inundated a significant part of the country killing over a million livestock and destroying 10 million acres of crops. Some 7 million people

were forced to evacuate their homes and nearly 2,000 people died.

● Storm Eunice hit northern and Central Europe in February. Billions of euros of damage was caused in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Poland, the UK and the Netherlands.

● Continued deforestation in Brazil caused reduced rainfall and ensuing drought.

● Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Canada. It was the most intense tropical storm ever.

● Biggest floods in South Africa ever recorded.

NOT A GOOD YEAR FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

Will this year be any better?

Sadly, I very much doubt it. Expect to hear even more hollow promises and commitments from the same people who could actually make a difference.

Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy.

( Spain Phone ) Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es

Green Matters By Martin Tye

The big time

Devil woman

MAGDALENA Perez Galmes has become the first woman to dance in the traditional colla de dimonis in Manacor, which kicked off the town’s Sant Antoni celebrations.

Crowds gathered and cheered as she and her colleagues performed as devils in the celebrations which will continue across the weekend.

These will include food, dance and song lit by bonfires on Sunday, with Monday morning seeing the traditional blessing of the animals at churches across the island.

SPAIN has brought in bigger tax breaks to woo more international TV and movie producers to the country.

As of January 1, tax rebates on international TV shows shooting in Spain now reach €10 million per episode.

Films and TV series will also be able to take advantage of total tax relief doubling to €20 million per production.

A deductions ceiling enjoyed by a project's top creative team that was set at €100,000 has been scrapped. The changes come just six

Stardust for Starlite

ROD Stewart is heading to Spain this summer.

The British artist will perform his greatest hits at the Starlite Festival in Marbella on Friday July 21.

The legendary British rock and pop singer, with his distinctive raspy singing voice, will warble tunes like Forever Young, Can’t Stop Me Now, Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?, Maggie May and Rhythm of My Heart among many others.

Throughout his more than 50 year career, Rod Stewart, one of the best-selling music artists of all time, has received many awards, including being knighted by Prince William at Buckingham Palace in 2016 for his services to music and charity.

By

months after the country’s biggest movie and TV studio complex - Alicante's Ciudad de La Luz- reopened after being closed for a decade after falling foul of EU competition rules.

Alicante Province this year reported over 50 shoots from foreign TV shows, films, commercials, or corporate videos.

Spain already has seen major productions like Game of Thrones and its prequel House of the Dragon, film a significant number of scenes along with shows like The Witcher and Vampire Academy.

Spain Film Commission president, Carlos Rosado, said: “Spain is now positioned as the most competitive and attractive destination in Europe for audiovisual production.”

“The new tax measures offer total legal security and guarantee our institutions’ commitment to the industry as a strategic sector,” he added.

“Spain is now the best bet for international productions and the incentives join a complete package of locations, top-rate professionals, global connectivity and a network of 38 film commissions and offices across the country to satisfy the demands of any production,” added Rosado.

Cash in the cellar

A WOMAN who decided to clear out her cellar found three Roman amphorae hidden amid junk.

Believing they might be valuable, she contacted the Guardia Civil who brought in experts from Santa Pola’s Museum of the Sea to inspect the items. They have now been confirmed as being 2,000 years old and were used to transport olive oil - or wine - on ships, often to Italy from Spain.

The homeowner could have faced fines of between €60,001 and €150,000 had she not called in police.

An official authentication will be carried out by the University of Alicante, before being transferred to the Santa Pola museum for permanent display.

International TV companies to cash in on tax breaks worth up to €10 million per episode

Alex Trelinski

FILMED: Scenes from House of the Dragon were shot in Trujillo

ROCKING IN: Rod will play Marbella

It’s a new year. Key areas to review.

„ Are you paying too much tax on your investment income?

„

The UK budget cut capital gains tax allowances and froze inheritance tax thresholds – how does this impact your UK assets?

„ What is the best way to transfer your wealth to your family and heirs in Spain?

„ Is your investment portfolio suitable for today’s world?

„ How can you make the most of your pension without risking it?

At Blevins Franks, we specialise in holistic, strategic financial planning, providing detailed and personalised advice. We’ll be happy to review your wealth management for 2023 and beyond.

Talk

Blevins Franks Wealth Management Limited (BFWML) is authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority, registered number C 92917. Authorised to conduct investment services under the Investment Services Act and authorised to carry out insurance intermediary activities under the Insurance Distribution Act. Where advice is provided outside of Malta via the Insurance Distribution Directive or the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II, the applicable regulatory system differs in some respects from that of Malta. BFWML also provides taxation advice; its tax advisers are fully qualified tax specialists. Blevins Franks Trustees Limited is authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority for the administration of trusts, retirement schemes and companies. This promotion has been approved and issued by BFWML.

LET’S GET DIRTY

FIRST on our list, although rounding off the year, is the just finished flour fight on the Costa Blanca. As food fights go, Els Enfarinats in Ibi, Alicante, egg-cells itself, as participants engage in hand-to-hand combat with flour and eggs. The annual festival has been taking place for two centuries, imitating a mock coup d’etat.

The Els Enfarinats Army advances on the town every December 28, collect ing taxes which are then donated to a designated charity.

Tomatina,

OTHER food fisticuffs pale into insignificance beside this blood-red, tomato-stained outdoor food fight.

Today some 150,000 tomatoes and 125 tonnes of tomato puree are thrown be-

tween 45,000 in Buñol.

The colour and smell lasts for days afterwards, although the fight itself lasts just half an hour and takes place on the last Wednesday of August.

La Raima Grape Throwing Festival, Pobla del Duc

EAD to Pobla del Duc on the last Friday in August and be prepared to be doused in grape juice!

The arrival of four trucks bearing some 50-90 tonnes of garnacha tintorera grapes is the signal for the fun to start.

Every citizen grabs handfuls of grape grenades and starts throwing them around until everyone’s the colour purple.

PART of Carnival Week in this Catalonian town, La Merengada showcases a free-for-all of flying meringues.

It’s usually the messy soft sort, but boiled sweets are also thrown into the crowds which is why it’s also known as the Batalla de Caramelos and, ouch, they can hurt!

This sweet celebration begins on Mardi Gras (the Thursday before Lent).

Batalla del Vino, Haro, La Rioja

THE Batalla del Vino, or Wine-Throwing Fight, got underway 800 years ago. Stare too open-mouthed and you’ll get very drunk very quickly. Starting as a land dispute, it seems the only way to resolve it was by the locals chucking copious amounts of wine at each other. Nowadays, thousands take part in this tipple-tossing event at the end of June.

PRESENT arms, take aim, fire! When it comes to food, Spain is a warring nation so watch out for that grapeshot - it really does come from the vine!

From wine warfare to a ‘Battle of the

Flour’, nowhere does it quite like Spain, so if being on the frontline of a frenzied food fight sounds like good fun, you’ve come to the right place. Here are five of the nation’s biggest and best foodie affrays.

The Spanish like nothing better than a good old foodie fisticuffs and everything from meringue missiles to grape grenades are weapons of choice for these culinary conquistadors, writes Dilip Kuner

RESOLUTIONS

2. Disinfect your phone!

And British researchers found that one in six devices were contaminated with E. coli!).

1. Start supplementing

Regardless of your age or lifestyle, these really are a must to maintain good health. These are the basics you need to feel good at any age.

VITAMIN C - It’s a vital support to our immune system and a protective antioxidant. A good daily dose is 500mg. Taking more than 1,000mg a day may cause stomach pain, diarrhoea or flatulence. And of course living in Spain, take advantage of the juiciest citrus fruits and add more to your diet.

B COMPLEX - Essential for energy production in your body and to support your hormones. A good average dose is 25-50mg of each of the main Bs (1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and smaller amounts of B9 and B12) in one B-complex tablet. These nutrients are not stored in the body, so you need to top up the supply every day.

OMEGA-6 EVENING PRIMROSE OIL (or starflower oil) slows signs of ageing, balances hormones and helps with PMS and menopause symptoms. Take 1,000mg daily, increasing to three times a day for hormonal imbalances, such as PMS.

OMEGA-3 FISH OIL or LINSEED OIL - can help reduce inflammation and maximise brain function. Take 1,000mg daily or twice a day if you suffer from dry skin or sore joints. Your body’s cells are dependent on Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), such as Omega-3 and -6; without them, your body will deteriorate more rapidly. If you’re getting enough, your skin will be beautifully strong and supple.

VITAMIN D - You need this to absorb calcium and phosphorus to keep bones and teeth healthy, most of our body’s vitamin D comes from exposure to sunlight. Thank goodness for the Spanish sun!

3. Add some spice to your life

Use cleaning wipes that don’t contain bleach as that’s safer for your phones and tablets and do it every week.

Turmeric should really be known as trendy spice given everyone was talking about it last year. And not without reason. It’s an incredible anti-inflammatory and can help ease rheumatoid pain. Ginger like turmeric is also anti inflammatory and is a powerful remedy for upset stomachs and nausea

4. Get a better night’s sleep

One in three of us don’t get a good night’s sleep. Overthinking, the glare of TV, phone and computer screens are all sleep wreckers. Lack of sleep impacts your mental and physical wellbeing. If this is you, try the 4-7-8 breathing method which can help calm before sleep.

Breathe in for a steady count of 4 – hold for 7 – breathe out for 8.

5. Hop it!

Hopping for five minutes a day may protect women from breaking their hips, according to a recent study.

It could strengthen bones in the legs, making them more dense and less likely to break. Brittle bones, caused by a condition called osteoporosis which makes holes inside the bones, is a common issue for women who have been through the menopause.

Scientists at Loughborough University, followed 35 women aged 55-70 over the course of six months and told them to do up to 50 onelegged hops each day. At the end they found the density of their leg bones had increased in the hopping leg while it had decreased in the non-hopping leg.

The team also did MRI scans of the women’s knees to check the exercise had not done any damage to the joints, which it hadn’t.

Make it your healthiest year ever with these good for you goals. Small changes that deliver big results. 2023bring it on!

We check our phones a gazillion times a day and if you’ve taken yours into the toilets, you’re not the only one! But that means phones carry about 10 times as much bacteria as most toilet seats.

YOU CAN STICK TO! !

6. Look after your mouth

Regular dental check ups and brushing twice a day is a must, but add in flossing once a day and tongue cleaning once a day and you’re on the way to the gold standard in oral health.

If you don’t clean your tongue, bacteria can build up on it quickly, leading to discolouration and risking bacteria spreading to your teeth and gums.

Tongue cleaning also helps prevent bad breath.

8. Get your eyes tested

Our eyes are often called ‘windows to the soul’ but they are also a very effective window to our overall health.

Many people first learn they have diabetes, high cholesterol and even cancer from a routine eye exam.

So as well as evaluating whether you need glasses or a new prescription or have glaucoma, an annual eye check could be one of the best things you can do for your health.

Researchers are even working on an eye test that can identify your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

7. Eat superherbs for a brain boost

Add sage to your food or simply inhale its scent and you’ll get a brain boost. It’s been known to increase memory recall and retention so may be a superfood for the mind.

Sage is high in Vitamin K - just two grammes provides 43% of your daily recommended intake.

It can also help with cholesterol levels, treat symptoms of the menopause and improve blood sugar levels.

Fresh rosemary is another herb that can help as a cognitive booster, helping with focus and mental clarity. Its rich in vitamins A, B6, C, folate and thiamine. Phew!

9. Listen Up

Health podcasts are great for connecting with wellbeing issues and research says audio conversations help you retain information. When you listen, as opposed to watch

you’re cooking or travelling, for example. Here are three great ones to get you started.

Ted Talks Health - If you haven’t heard of TED talks, you’re missing out. These fascinating lectures cover all sorts of topics and are given by some of the smartest people around. The health ones are by researchers and doctors who excel in their fields, sharing compelling develop-

ments and advice.

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Ranjan Chatterjee - A presenter, author and GP with more than 16 years experience, Dr Chatterjee believes most of us don’t need a pill, but a lifestyle pre-

scription. He says some of our ills, from menopausal symptoms to IBS, can be related to stress. With experts sharing insights, you’ll get brilliant advice. Plus, advice from this realist doctor won’t be pie in the sky.

10. Don’t fear fats

Raw nuts, avocados and olive oil are all rich in good fats you should eat them regularly.

Avocados are also a good source of Vitamins E and C, which are important for skin health. Vitamin C helps make collagen, the protein that keeps skin plump and elastic, while Vitamin E is an antioxidant which helps protect skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays.

ON THE PROWL

A HOMEOWNER had the shock of his life when he spotted a massive 20 kilo big cat lurking in the garden of his home.

The alarmed man called police to report what he thought was a lynx.

Guardia Civil were unable to track it down but called in Marbellas’s animal rescue unit when they got a second report of a ‘lynx’ in the garden of another home the

Royal flush

EMBARRASSED officials scrambled to remove copies of Prince Harry’s tellall memoir, Spare, after it accidentally went on sale across Spain five days before its official release date on January 10.

Bad parking

THE Mayor of Malaga had his new car towed for parking in an officials-only spot during an event as he hadn’t got round to registering it with the city hall as an official vehicle.

Calls fine

VODAFONE will have to pay out €6,000 to a man for harassing him at all hours with sales calls. A judge refused to believe their excuse that another company had been making the calls fraudulently in their name.

Pooch that disappeared rescued after bomb squad called in

A HUNTING dog that had been trapped in a cave for five days has been rescued unharmed after a massive Guardia Civil operation.

Bomb squad officers were called in to help blast a way through a narrow fissure to the frightened pooch with a series of 20 ‘micro explosions’. Once the opening was widened enough, a mountain rescue officer crawled in and brought Kira the podenco to safety after an hours-long operation. It involved the Explosives

Dog-gone

By Dilip Kuner

Service of Madrid, experts in micro-blasting, the Explosives Group of Zaragoza, the Mountain Service of Jaca, Boltaña and Mora de Rubielos (Teruel), with the support of Citizen Security personnel from Alcañiz (Teruel).

Kira had last been seen chasing a boar in Samper de Calanda (Teruel) when she disappeared.

When she failed to return home, her owner spent four days scouring the countryside before eventually track-

A COUPLE returned to their home in Mallorca’s Manacor to find a naked stranger sitting in their kitchen eating their food and guzzling beer. A trail of water led from the bathroom to the Argentinian man, who had helped himself to a shower after breaking in. The male householder grabbed the 42-year-old by his arm and led him

ing her down to a narrow cave entrance using a GPS tracking device attached to Kira’s collar. There he heard Kira’s fright-

Rude awakening

to the front door where the intruder grabbed a towel to cover his modesty before leaving.

Police quickly arrested the man as he walked down the street. He was easy to spot as he was wearing only a towel.

ened yelping but he had no way to enter the fissure, and Kira was unable to get out, so he called in Mountain Rescue.

Explosive

When they too were unable to help, they notified explosives experts, and after a day-long operation involving careful micro explosions with rubble being painstakingly removed by hand, they managed to rescue Kira unharmed.

next day.

The team identified it as a caracat, which is a hybrid between a desert lynx and an Abyssinian cat and is classified as a ‘potentially dangerous domestic animal’.

Named Jakar, it had escaped from its home in Nueva Andalucia and roamed almost 20 kilometres in a few hours to the Costabella neighbourhood. The caracat was then taken to a rescue centre, where it was found to be in good health.

It is currently awaiting its owner to present the necessary document before it can return home.

Wild cat chase

AN unidentified ‘large feline’ feared to be an albino jaguar or a Siberian white tiger is on the loose in Los Barrios (Cadiz). Since its sighting at the start of the month, images of the big cat have gone viral and local residents are panicking about a possible jungle beast in the area.

It is thought it may be an escaped pet.